cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Discordance Between Patient Residence and Incident Location in Emergency Medical Services Responses

Study objective The location of a patient's residence is often used for emergency medical services (EMS) system planning. Our objective is to evaluate the association between patient residence and emergency incident zip codes for 911 calls. Methods We used data from the 2013 National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) Public-Release Research Dataset. We studied all 911 calls with a valid complaint by dispatch, identifying zip codes for both the residence and incident locations (n=12,376,784). The primary outcomes were geographic and distance discordances between patient residence and incident zip codes. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to determine geographic discordance between residence and incident zip codes by dispatch complaint, age, and sex. We also measured distances between locations with geospatial processing. Results The overall proportion of geographic discordance for all 911 calls was 27.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 27.7% to 27.8%) and the median distance discordance was 11.5 miles (95% CI 11.5 to 11.5 miles). Lower geographic discordance rates were found among patients aged 65 to 79 years (20.2%; 95% CI 20.1% to 20.2%) and 80 years and older (14.5%; 95% CI 14.5% to 14.6%). Motor vehicle crashes (63.5%; 95% CI 63.5% to 63.6%), industrial accidents (59.3%; 95% CI 58.0% to 60.6%), and mass casualty incidents (50.6%; 95% CI 49.6% to 51.5%) were more likely to occur outside a patient's residence zip code. Median network distance between home and incident zip centroid codes ranged from 8.6 to 23.5 miles. Conclusion In NEMSIS, there was geographic discordance between patient residence zip code and call location zip code in slightly more than one quarter of EMS responses records. The geographic discordance rates between residence and incident zip codes were associated with dispatch complaints and age. Although a patient's residence might be a valid proxy for incident location for elderly patients, this relationship holds less true for other age groups and among different complaints. Our findings have important implications for EMS system planning, resource allocation, and injury surveillance.
An on-chip combo clamp for surge and universal ESD protection in bulk FinFET technology

A surge protection consisted of the ready-made ESD clamp transistors has been designed and characterized in FINFET technology. It can endure all the stresses from CDM, HBM and Surge events. Compared to a conventional 0.7V RC-based core ESD clamp, the proposed cell greatly boosts the Surge immunity from 4V to 19V.
The Theory of Ultra-Coarse-Graining. 3. Coarse-Grained Sites with Rapid Local Equilibrium of Internal States.

When viewed through a coarse-grained lens, important molecular and biophysical systems can appear to undergo discrete, switch-like state changes in addition to more continuous configurational motions. One of our recent papers described a theory for bottom-up coarse-graining of the equilibrium statistics of models with such behavior, called ultra-coarse-grained (UCG) models, and a follow up paper described an implementation when the states of the coarse-grained sites or “beads” change rarely. However, not all systems with this discrete behavior fall under that special limit. This article develops the general UCG theory for the opposite limit, that is, where the internal states of the CG particles or beads adjust rapidly so as to always remain effectively at quasi-equilibrium no matter what the positions of the coarse-grained particles. This rapid local equilibrium allows ultra-coarse-graining to mix standard coarse-grained force fields by using local order parameters to control the degree of mixing, which ...
Characterization of Immune Reconstitution Following High Dose Chemotherapy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Abstract Recovery of immune function after initial treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is critical, not only for protection against infections but also for surveillance against recurrent disease. A better understanding of the nature of lymphocyte recovery following induction and consolidation therapy for AML could guide the design of immunotherapy strategies aimed at boosting the anti-leukemia activity of a reconstituted immune system. Prior studies examining thymic T cell production following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have found varying levels of thymic output post-transplant, as measured by T cell Receptor Excision Circle (TREC) levels in the peripheral blood of adult patients. Of note, relapse of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) following BMT is correlated with decreased levels of TREC positive T cells. In order to characterize immune reconstitution in AML, we studied 26 patients after induction or consolidation time sequential chemotherapy. Their median age was 52 (range 23–69). Thirteen patients received cytarabine, daunorubicin, and etoposide (AcDVP-16) induction therapy, 3 patients received cytarabine, daunorubicin, and cytarabine (AcDAc) consolidation therapy and 10 patients received flavopiridol, cytarabine, and mitoxantrone (FLAM) either as induction or consolidation therapy. Peripheral blood samples were collected approximately every other day for 3–5 time points after each patient's white blood cell count exceeded 200 cells/cubic mm on three consecutive days. Among the four patients evaluated to date, flow cytometry results show that a majority of cells seen early in immune reconstitution are CD3+ lymphocytes (range 69–97%). Subset analyses on 3 of these 4 patients have shown CD4:CD8 ratios ranging from 3:1 to 4:1, while the fourth patient exhibited an inverse of this ratio at 1:5. In addition, CD25+FOXP3+ T cells represented a median of 5.1% (range 2.5–12.3%) of the CD3+ T cells. Since T cells represented the abundance of cells in the peripheral blood during early bone marrow recovery, we then assessed whether these cells represented recent thymic emigrants or naive T cells by examining TRECs using real time PCR (RT-PCR). TRECs were present in 24 of the 26 patients with levels ranging between 100 and 100,000 copies per 100,000 cells. Furthermore, 4 control samples from normal volunteers (ages 37–43) revealed the absence of TREC positive cells. Further analyses of these time points and correlations between TREC levels and clinical responses are ongoing.
A novel method for generating a low temperature coefficient (TC) reference voltage from high TC reference cells to achieve wide temperature stability for remote sensors

This paper presents a novel functional block level abstraction for generating a stable reference voltage over a wide temperature range. The proposed method uses multiple high temperature coefficient (TC) reference sources to generates a low TC voltage. The proposed approach is demonstrated using four BiCMOS voltage reference cells, with 26.6ppm/C TC as an example to achieve 1.24ppm/C TC over a temperature range from −35°C to 160°C which is about 95% decrease in TC as per the simulated values. The proposed solution can be scaled to employ multiple cost effective, non-ideal reference voltage generators with high TC and shorter temperature range, to produce a reference voltage with a low TC over wider temperature range for various applications including bionics and deep space vehicles.
How Free Volume Does Influence the Dynamics of Glass Forming Liquids

In this article we show that inverse free volume is a natural variable for analyzing relaxation data on glass-forming liquids, and that systems obey the general form, log(τ/τref) = (1/Vfree) × f(T), where f(T) is a function of temperature. We demonstrate for eight glass-forming liquids that when experimental relaxation times (log τ), captured over a broad pressure–volume–temperature (PVT) space, are plotted as a function of inverse free volume (1/Vfree), a fan-like set of straight line isotherms with T-dependent slopes ensues. The free volume is predicted independently of the dynamic results for each state point using PVT data and the Locally Correlated Lattice (LCL) equation of state. Taking f(T) ∝ 1/Tb, we show that, for each of the systems studied, only the single, system-dependent parameter, b, is required to collapse the fan of linear isotherms into a straight line. We conclude that log τ is a function of the combined variable, 1/(VfreeTb), and because it is linear, it allows us to write an explicit ...
Fat Injection: A Systematic Review of Injection Volumes by Facial Subunit

Fat grafting to the aging face has become an integral component of esthetic surgery. However, the amount of fat to inject to each area of the face is not standardized and has been based mainly on the surgeon’s experience. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of injected fat volume to different facial zones. A systematic review of the literature was performed through a MEDLINE search using keywords “facial,” “fat grafting,” “lipofilling,” “Coleman technique,” “autologous fat transfer,” and “structural fat grafting.” Articles were then sorted by facial subunit and analyzed for: author(s), year of publication, study design, sample size, donor site, fat preparation technique, average and range of volume injected, time to follow-up, percentage of volume retention, and complications. Descriptive statistics were performed. Nineteen articles involving a total of 510 patients were included. Rhytidectomy was the most common procedure performed concurrently with fat injection. The mean volume of fat injected to the forehead is 6.5 mL (range 4.0–10.0 mL); to the glabellar region 1.4 mL (range 1.0–4.0 mL); to the temple 5.9 mL per side (range 2.0–10.0 mL); to the eyebrow 5.5 mL per side; to the upper eyelid 1.7 mL per side (range 1.5–2.5 mL); to the tear trough 0.65 mL per side (range 0.3–1.0 mL); to the infraorbital area (infraorbital rim to lower lid/cheek junction) 1.4 mL per side (range 0.9–3.0 mL); to the midface 1.4 mL per side (range 1.0–4.0 mL); to the nasolabial fold 2.8 mL per side (range 1.0–7.5 mL); to the mandibular area 11.5 mL per side (range 4.0–27.0 mL); and to the chin 6.7 mL (range 1.0–20.0 mL). Data on exactly how much fat to inject to each area of the face in facial fat grafting are currently limited and vary widely based on different methods and anatomical terms used. This review offers the ranges and the averages for the injected volume in each zone. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Heterodyne locking of a fully integrated optical phase-locked loop with on-chip modulators

We design and experimentally demonstrate a highly integrated heterodyne optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) consisting of an InP-based coherent photonic receiver, high-speed feedback electronics, and an RF synthesizer. Such coherent photonic integrated circuits contain two widely tunable lasers, semiconductor optical amplifiers, phase modulators, and a pair of balanced photodetectors. Offset phase-locking of the two lasers is achieved by applying an RF signal to an on-chip optical phase modulator following one of the lasers and locking the other one to a resulting optical sideband. Offset locking frequency range >16 GHz is achieved for such a highly sensitive OPLL system which can employ up to the third-order-harmonic optical sidebands for locking. Furthermore, the rms phase error between the two lasers is measured to be 8°.
An exploding N-isocyanide reagent formally composed of anthracene, dinitrogen and a carbon atom

Targeted as an example of a compound composed of a carbon atom together with two stable neutral leaving groups, 7-isocyano-7-azadibenzonorbornadiene, CN2A (1, A = C14H10 or anthracene) has been synthesized and spectroscopically and structurally characterized. The terminal C atom of 1 can be transferred: mesityl nitrile oxide reacts with 1 to produce carbon monoxide, likely via intermediacy of the N-isocyanate OCN2A. Reaction of 1 with [RuCl2(CO)(PCy3)2] leads to [RuCl2(CO)(1)(PCy3)2] which decomposes unselectively: in the product mixture, the carbide complex [RuCl2(C)(PCy3)2] was detected. Upon heating in the solid state or in solution, 1 decomposes to A, N2 and cyanogen (C2N2) as substantiated using molecular beam mass spectrometry, IR and NMR spectroscopy techniques.
NADH Oxidase: A Multifunctional Ectoprotein of the Eukaryotic Cell Surface

The hormone-responsive external plasma membrane NADH oxidase (NOX) was first described for right side-out vesicles of plasma membranes isolated from dark-grown seedlings of soybean (Morre et al., 1986) in response to the auxin regulator of plant growth, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). A comparable hormone- and growth factor responsive NADH oxidase was subsequently described for isolated plasma membranes of rat liver. When hepatoma plasma membranes were examined, an NADH oxidase activity was observed but the activity was constitutively activated and no longer growth factor responsive (Bruno et al., 1992). Subsequent work has focused largely on the growth factor-insensitive activity of transformed cells grown in culture (Morre et al., 1995a). The latter has now been extensively characterized and is distinguished from that of non-transformed cells and tissues by being inhibited by both thiol reagents and several antitumor or potential antitumor drugs.
Coordinated Variable Speed Limit, Ramp Metering and Lane Change Control of Highway Traffic

Abstract Integrated variable speed limit and ramp metering control for highway traffic is expected to smooth the traffic flow and improve the mobility of highway networks. Our recent results showed that variable speed limit control alone cannot eliminate capacity drops in many incident cases, where one or more lanes are closed due to microscopic phenomena such as forced lane changes and merging dynamics. In this paper, we developed a coordinated variable speed limit, ramp metering and lane change control which guarantees stability of the traffic flow and improves traffic mobility, safety and the environment. In the proposed control strategy, while the lane change control avoids the capacity drop, a feedback linearization variable speed limit controller coordinates with the ramp metering and stabilizes the bottleneck flow at the maximum level. Microscopic Monte-Carlo simulations demonstrate significant improvement on traffic mobility, safety and environment by using the proposed controller.
Small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) categorization framework for low altitude traffic services

Within the context of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) traffic management (UTM), an small UAS (sUAS) categorization framework has been established for low altitude traffic services to enable safe and efficient sUAS operations. This is achieved on the foundation of understanding the existing manned aircraft, model aircraft, and UAS categorization methods, and the effects of sUAS design and operational characteristics on the trajectory of the sUAS itself and interactions the sUAS may have with the environment, other aerial vehicles, people, and structures on the ground. The framework includes categorization methods for each of the following aspects: aircraft configuration, type of flight, flight rules, performance-based navigation (PBN) capabilities, flight and operations control, and vehicle flight performance. Initial criteria for the categorization methods were discussed along with additional analysis needs to improve and refine the framework.
Inter-Rebel Alliances in the Shadow of Foreign Sponsors

ABSTRACTFrom the Patriotic Front struggle against the minority rule in Rhodesia to the seven-party mujaheddin alliance in Afghanistan, inter-rebel alliances make the armed opposition more resilient and successful in the face of government repression. Why then do some rebel groups cooperate with each other while others do not? Drawing on the principal-agent theory, I argue that the presence of foreign sponsors is likely to encourage alliance formation in civil wars especially when two rebel outfits share a state sponsor. Shared sponsors may demand cooperation between their agents and credibly threaten to punish them for non-compliance. They may also insist on the establishment of umbrella institutions to improve their monitoring and sanctioning capacity, and to increase the legitimacy of their agents. I test this argument using the UCDP Actor dataset with new data on alliances between rebel groups. I find strong evidence that shared sponsors increase the probability of inter-rebel alliance.
Research-to-Resource: Facilitating Adult Band Participation Benefits:

Researchers have documented that participation in community band settings can lead to adults’ perceptions of musical and social benefits. Directors who can strategically consider ways to encourage ...
Ten years of EMS Fall Calls in a Community: An Opportunity for Injury Prevention Strategies:

Objective:To determine whether fall calls, lift assists, and need for transport to the hospital over the past 10 years in one emergency medical services (EMS) system have altered coincident with de...
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Investigating Predictive Diagnostic Relationships in Children 3 Years of Age and Younger.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder whose symptoms may involve deficits across three domains: communication, socialization and atypical behaviors or intere...
Predicting Endocrine Therapy Responsiveness in Breast Cancer

Endocrine therapy is one of the most effective treatment strategies for breast cancer. However, in the adjuvant setting, up to 40% to 50% of patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers relapse despite these interventions. Although ER and HER2 analysis has increased our ability to predict which patients will benefit from endocrine therapy, further improvement is needed, most specifically for patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative disease. Recent advances in genomic technology have made it possible to classify breast cancers into risk categories with significant prognostic implications. However, the predictive value of these tests remains the subject of investigation. Long-term follow-up of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy studies suggests that the in vivo assessment of therapeutic efficacy provided by this treatment approach is also valuable in predicting outcome. Indeed, the Preoperative Endocrine Prognostic Index (PEPI), based on tumor pathologic staging and expression levels of ER and Ki67 following 3 to 4 months of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy, reproducibly predicts long-term outcomes of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. This article reviews ongoing progress in the effort to identify predictors of endocrine therapy responsiveness for breast cancer and discusses the value of "pre-treatment" vs "on-treatment" tumor profiling for predicting outcomes.
Gastrointestinal Responses to Injury and Infection

The effects of severe injury and infection on the function of the splanchnic viscera are diverse, profound, and sometimes lethal. Despite an extensive literature on the subject, there is much folklore and few hard data concerning the gastrointestinal responses to shock and trauma.
“Ich bin ein Betweener”: the concept of the existential migrant in Steffen Möller’s travel narratives about Poland

This article discusses the German-Polish author Steffen Moller and his self-presentation as a “betweener” in the works Viva Polonia (2008), Expedition to the Poles (2012), and Viva Warszawa (2015). The article construes it as a central concept of Moller’s narratives about Poland by connecting it with Greg Madison’s phenomenon of “existential migration.” The analysis of the motif of train travel in Moller’s oeuvre points out the author’s rendering of Marc Auge’s “non-places” as spatial zones of transition and heterotopias, which accommodate shifting senses of time and place, allow for the subverting of established social hierarchies and narrative structures, and are characterized by their own idiom and avoidance of linearity.
Malignant Transformation of a Filum Terminale Dermoid Tumor into Adenocarcinoma

Background Intraspinal dermoid tumors are usually rare benign growths that occur as a result of defects during neural tube formation. They make up less than 1% of tumors in the spine and are associated with spinal dysraphisms or sinus tracts. Although rare, malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma has been previously reported. Malignant transformation into adenocarcinoma, however, represents a novel phenotypic differentiation pattern that is hitherto undescribed. Case Description A 45-year-old woman presented with acute symptoms of cauda equina syndrome. Imaging of the spine revealed a large intradural sacral mass. The lesion was surgically resected with pathology revealing a dermoid tumor with malignant transformation into adenocarcinoma. Metastatic workup revealed no other suspicious lesions. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course, gradually regaining micturition control. Conclusions Dermoid tumors, also known as benign cystic teratoma or mature teratoma, are usually benign congenital tumors comprising epithelial cells that arise from displaced embryonic ectoderm and mesoderm during neural tube formation. Although extremely rare, malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma has been reported. This case represents the first report of an intraspinal dermoid tumor transforming into adenocarcinoma. A comprehensive histopathologic analysis is key to identifying the lesion and guiding postsurgical management.
Components of Voice Evaluation

This article provides a concise review of contemporary options for evaluating voice disorders. Focus is given to patient history and patient-derived voice handicap and quality of life assessments, clinician-derived perceptual analysis of voice, and finally flexible and rigid, high-definition laryngoscopy with videostroboscopy to fully evaluate laryngeal function and biomechanics.
School Violence in México: When Addressing Bullying Is Not Enough

Neoliberal logic plays a role in school violence in Mexico. To advance this logic, discourses focused on individuals’ actions are deployed. These deflect a focus on structural dynamics that contribute to or are the root cause of violence. Neoliberal logic insinuates itself into Mexican society through national and international organisms that frame the discourse of and responses to school violence. This chapter broadens the discussion to include the context beyond schooling and considers the role of external mechanisms that contribute to school violence. School violence in Mexico is increasingly discussed as bullying, but to understand the landscape of violence among students, the discussion does well to explore factors that extend beyond bullying. The dominance of a bullying discourse in media and educational initiatives to describe school violence suggests its ability to reference a common human experience. Being taunted, humiliated, or beaten is possible, perhaps even probable, in the course of a human life. “Bullying” provides a common language about certain behaviors, dispositions, and actions but camouflages structural bias and violence around class, race, and gender. Ignoring structural bias can place Mexican schoolchildren, youth, and young adults in peril.
The safety and efficacy of open bedside tracheotomy: A retrospective analysis of 1000 patients.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety/efficacy of performing open bedside tracheotomy (OBT) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and identify predictive factors for outcomes. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study. We identified 1000 consecutive patients undergoing OBT at a single university hospital starting from August 1, 2007. Complication rate, 30-day mortality, decannulation rate, time to surgery (TTS) from initial consult, and ICU length of stay were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of complication rate, 30-day mortality, and decannulation rate. RESULTS Mean TTS was 1.80 days. Major complication rate was 1%. No intraoperative deaths were caused by tracheotomy although two deaths resulted from late tracheotomy-related complications. Thirty-day mortality was 26.6%. The only significant predictor for overall complications was mild chronic hepatitis (OR = 2.355). Predictors for 30-day mortality included platelet count <50,000 (OR = 2.125) and vasopressor use (OR = 3.51). Each additional year of age was associated with decreased decannulation rate (OR = 0.972). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of starting an OBT program in a highly comorbid population without strict selection criteria. Safety of OBT was supported by minimal major complication rates and no intraoperative tracheotomy-related deaths in our cohort. These complication rates were comparable to, or lower than, published studies of open and percutaneous techniques. Predictive factors for decannulation, complication, and mortality were identified to help determine which patients would benefit from OBT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 130:1263-1269, 2020.
First-year implementation of mailed FIT colorectal cancer screening programs in two Medicaid/Medicare health insurance plans: qualitative learnings from health plan quality improvement staff and leaders

Colorectal cancer screening rates remain low, especially among certain racial and ethnic groups and the uninsured and Medicaid insured. Clinics and health care systems have adopted population-based mailed fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) programs to increase screening, and now health insurance plans are beginning to implement mailed FIT programs. We report on challenges to and successes of mailed FIT programs during their first year of implementation in two health plans serving Medicaid and dual eligible Medicaid/Medicare enrollees. This qualitative descriptive study gathered data through in-depth interviews with staff and leaders at each health plan (n = 10). The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, field notes from program planning meetings between the research team and the health plans, and internal research team debriefs informed interview guide development. Qualitative research staff used Atlas.ti to code the health plan interviews and develop summary themes through an iterative content analysis approach. We identified first-year implementation challenges in five thematic areas: 1) program design, 2) vendor experience, 3) engagement/communication, 4) reaction/satisfaction of stakeholders, and 5) processing/returning of mailed kits. Commonly experienced challenges by both health plans related to the time-consuming nature of the programs to set up, and complexities and delays in working with vendors. We found implementation successes in the same five thematic areas as well as four additional areas of: 1) leadership support, 2) compatibility with the health plan, 3) broader impacts, and 4) collaboration with researchers. Commonly experienced successes included the ability to adapt the mailed FIT program to the individual health plan culture and needs, and the synchronicity between the programs and their organizational missions and goals. Both health plans successfully adapted mailed FIT programs to their own culture and resources and used their strong quality management resources to maximize success in overcoming the time demands of setting up the program and working with their vendors. Mailed FIT programs administered by health plans, especially those serving Medicaid- and dual eligible Medicaid/Medicare-insured populations, may be an important resource to support closing gaps in colorectal cancer screening among traditionally underserved populations.
Structural Genomics of SARS-CoV-2 Indicates Evolutionary Conserved Functional Regions of Viral Proteins

During its first two and a half months, the recently emerged 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has already infected over one-hundred thousand people worldwide and has taken more than four thousand lives. However, the swiftly spreading virus also caused an unprecedentedly rapid response from the research community facing the unknown health challenge of potentially enormous proportions. Unfortunately, the experimental research to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the viral infection and to design a vaccine or antivirals is costly and takes months to develop. To expedite the advancement of our knowledge, we leveraged data about the related coronaviruses that is readily available in public databases and integrated these data into a single computational pipeline. As a result, we provide comprehensive structural genomics and interactomics roadmaps of SARS-CoV-2 and use this information to infer the possible functional differences and similarities with the related SARS coronavirus. All data are made publicly available to the research community.
Prognostic role of beta-2 microglobulin in patients with light chain amyloidosis treated with autologous stem cell transplantation.

e20506Background: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) prolongs survival in patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Mayo 2012 stage and increased plasma cell percentage (%PC) are known p...
Lydia Maria Child on German philosophy and American slavery

As editor of the National Anti-Slavery Standard in the early 1840s, Lydia Maria Child was responsible for keeping the abolitionist movement in the United States informed of relevant news. She also ...
Performance Modeling of Silicon Carbide Photoconductive Switches for High-Power and High-Frequency Applications

In this article, we focus on the physical modeling of the nonlinear operation of intrinsic photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS) based on 4H-SiC using coupled electrical and optical simulations to provide performance bounds of the switch as a function of material and geometry parameters, as well as applied bias. We also conduct a full design-space exploration to identify the optimal operating and design conditions to maximize the compound metric $f_{\mathrm {op}} P_{\mathrm {out}}$ , where $f_{\mathrm {op}}$ is the maximum operating frequency, and $P_{\mathrm {out}}$ is the maximum output power the switch can provide. We quantify that a 10- $\mu \text{m}$ long and 5- $\mu \text{m}$ thick 4H-SiC PCSS can deliver output power density greater than 2W/mm at 150 GHz when triggered by a 0.325- $\mu \text{m}$ laser with intensity of 3 kW/cm2. The output power density can be significantly enhanced by increasing the optical generation rate as well as by using thicker SiC to improve its absorption characteristics. A brief discussion of signal distortion and electrostatic screening effects at high optical bias is included. Finally, we present an analytic model of charge cloud propagation and the frequency of operation based on the physics, material parameters, and geometry of the PCSS. The model accurately captures $f_{\mathrm {op}}$ of 4H-SiC PCSS over a broad range of laser spot size, device length, and electrical bias applied at the contacts.
Transient kinetic studies of the antiviral Drosophila Dicer-2 reveal roles of ATP in self–nonself discrimination

Some RIG-I-like receptors discriminate viral and cellular dsRNA by their termini, and Drosophila melanogaster Dicer-2 (dmDcr-2) differentially processes dsRNA with blunt or 2 nucleotide 3'-overhanging termini. We investigated the transient kinetic mechanism of the dmDcr-2 reaction using a rapid reaction stopped-flow technique and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Indeed, we found that ATP binding to dmDcr-2's helicase domain impacts association and dissociation kinetics of dsRNA in a termini-dependent manner, revealing termini-dependent discrimination of dsRNA on a biologically-relevant time-scale (seconds). ATP hydrolysis promotes transient unwinding of dsRNA termini followed by slow rewinding, and directional translocation of the enzyme to the cleavage site. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy reveals a nucleotide-dependent modulation in conformational fluctuations (nanoseconds) of the helicase and Platform•PAZ domains that is correlated with termini-dependent dsRNA cleavage. Our study offers a kinetic framework for comparison to other Dicers, as well as all members of the RIG-I- like receptors involved in innate immunity.
Introducing Preferences in Scheduling Applications

Abstract In some applications like fabric dying, the sequence in which jobs are processed on a single machine can influence product quality, i.e., there is a strong preference to run a certain type of job after another for reasons that do not influence regular scheduling objectives like total completion time. These reasons include minimizing changes in color families on machines (schedule preferences) and reducing the difference in shades between consecutive jobs (shade inconsistency). Nonetheless, the scheduling of jobs on machines must consider sequence-dependent setup times as well. In this paper, a mixed integer linear program has been presented to schedule jobs and account for setup times. The scheduling preferences and shade differences have been modeled as two new objectives, along with traditionally used objectives such as makespan, lateness and total setup time. The MILP is found to be useful only for small problems. To tackle larger problems, several heuristic methods are proposed. In order to obtain solutions quickly, multiple construction heuristics are developed based on SPT/LPT/EDD/LFJ rules and tested on a variety of industrially-inspired data sets. To produce schedules that perform well across multiple objectives at the same time, three additional tailored heuristics are developed. Both the original and tailored heuristics are compared to the optimal solutions for small-sized problems. In addition, a problem size reduction heuristic has been developed which can segment the larger MILP into smaller independently solvable MILPs by reducing the possible machines on which a job can be processed. For these larger problems, the heuristics are compared among themselves as well as against the problem size reduction heuristic.
Modeling the influences of raw material availability and functional efficiency on obsidian projectile point curation: A Great Basin example

Abstract Prehistoric hunters weighed various factors when manufacturing, using, and maintaining projectile points. I use a model based on the Marginal Value Theorem to generate predictions about the conditions under which hunters should have rejuvenated broken obsidian points or replaced them with new ones. The model predicts that distance to obsidian sources was a major influence on hunters' decisions. I test the model using robust samples of obsidian points from the central and northwestern Great Basin, which I compare for quantitative and qualitative differences in size and evidence of resharpening. The results indicate that broken points in the obsidian-poor central Great Basin were commonly rejuvenated while broken points in the obsidian-rich northwestern Great Basin were simply replaced. These results build on recent studies of stone tool curation and Great Basin prehistory and help explain how and why lithic technological organization varied across time and space.
The Material and Initial Symptoms

This study is based upon a critically selected series of 117 patients with chromophobe adenomas admitted to the Neurological Institute of New York or the Medical Services of the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, from 1929 to 1948. The histologic material was prepared and made available by the Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University.
Fluidity and Performance in Intercultural Workplace Interactions: The Role of Behavioral Mirroring and Relational Attunement

This article examines the perceptual and behavioral dynamics underlying intercultural interactions at work. Specifically, this paper studies how culture-based differences in relational attunement differentially affect how U.S. Anglos and U.S. Latinos perceive workplace interactions. In a field experiment conducted at a Fortune 500 headquarters, Anglo and Latino managers interacted with a confederate in a business interview who did (or did not) engage in behavioral mirroring unbeknownst to the participant. Results show that the level of mirroring affected participants' experiences and actual performance (evaluated via videotape by third-party experts) and that these effects were moderated by cultural group membership. Stronger effects were observed across mirroring conditions for Latinos than for Anglos. A second laboratory experiment provides evidence that culture based differences in relational attunement is a causal mechanism underlying these effects. These results demonstrate how performance in intercultural workplace interactions can be compromised even in the absence of overt prejudice.
Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for the management of colorectal liver metastases: 10‐year experience

Background Published results addressing the treatment of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) vary widely with local recurrence rates of 2–40% and 5-year survival of 14–55%. The goal of this study was to analyze our 10-year experience with laparoscopic RFA. Methods From January 2000 to July 2010, 130 patients underwent laparoscopic RFA for CRLM. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to assess survival. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify factors associated with survival and recurrence. Results In this cohort, median survival was 40.4 months with 5-year survival of 28.8%. Overall, 9.2% of patients had a local recurrence (3.6% for tumors 3 cm or less). On univariate analysis, factors associated with decreased survival were BMI (P = 0.045), rectal primary (P = 0.005), and increased tumor size (P = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, increased tumor size (HR 1.29 [95% CI: 1.04–1.59]; P = 0.020) and bilobar disease (HR 2.06 [95% CI: 1.02–4.15]; P = 0.044) were associated with decreased survival. On univariate analysis, only BMI was found to be associated with disease recurrence (P = 0.025). Conclusions Our data demonstrate that laparoscopic RFA can achieve a median survival of 40.4 months with a low local recurrence rate. Patients with tumors 3 cm or less have a decreased risk of local recurrence. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013;107:324–328. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
File structures with Ada

Provides an overview of file design and manipulation and discusses Ada records and files, blocking and buffering, secondary storage devices, search trees, and various types of file organization.
Re-Engineering the Local State: Participation, Social Justice and Interlocking Institutions

Normal 0 21 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A municipalizacao do atendimento social basico no Brasil cria incentivos significativos para que os servidores publicos locais entendam melhor as necessidades e demandas de seus eleitores para governar e para propositos politicos. A expansao de espacos de participacao amparada pela Constituicao de 1988 permitiu que se estabelecesse um numero amplo de espacos em que as liderancas da sociedade civil poderiam representar os interesses de suas associacoes. Funcionarios governamentais e lideres da sociedade civil tem contato constante uns com os outros, uma vez que cada um busca promover politicas que ampliem seus objetivos amplos e especificos. Este artigo tem como foco o estabelecimento de tres principios de cinco governos sucessivos em Belo Horizonte: justica social, participacao popular e articulacao interinstitucional. O governo e seus aliados da sociedade civil redesenharam os pontos de acesso ao Estado como forma de clarificar os sinais enviados pelos cidadaos as autoridades governamentais, para permitir que os lideres da sociedade civil organizada atuem como intermediarios entre os cidadaos e as autoridades publicas e que as autoridades governamentais estabelecam uma forte alianca com as liderancas da sociedade civil e com os cidadaos em relacao a um amplo espectro de temas que sao objeto de pressoes politicas. Esses canais de articulacao sao momentos-chave de mediacao de interesses, que parcialmente explicam como Belo Horizonte produz uma robusta mudanca na politica social num contexto de sistema partidario altamente fragmentado. A governanca participativa e agora o mecanismo chave que permite um dialogo constante entre cidadaos e autoridades governamentais. Este artigo e parte de um grande projeto que procura entender como e porque o governo local brasileiro foi reestruturado nos anos 1990, como os cidadaos sao incorporados e sancionados pelos corpos governamentais, e de modo importante, como o novo ambiente institucional tem ajudado a transformar as relacoes Estado-sociedade. Palavras-chave: Participacao; reforma do Estado; sociedade civil, politica local; municipalizacao.
Structural, electronic, and optical properties of NiAl3: First-principles calculations

We report ab initio density-functional calculations of the structural, electronic, and optical properties of ${\mathrm{NiAl}}_{3}$, using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method within the generalized gradient approximation to the exchange-correlation potential. The $D{0}_{11}$ structure is found to be energetically favorable over both the cubic $L{1}_{2}$ and $A15$ phases. The density of states around the Fermi energy, including a pseudogap just above it, is dominated by strongly hybridized $\mathrm{Ni}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}d$ and $\mathrm{Al}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}p$ states. We further present a fully first principles study of the optical properties of ${\mathrm{NiAl}}_{3}$, using the long wavelength random phase approximation expression for the dielectric function obtained within linear response theory, with full matrix elements. Our calculations cover a large frequency range, extending previous theoretical studies to energies going up to and beyond the effective plasma frequency, which we calculate to be $\ensuremath{\sim}16.84\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$. Our results are analyzed in the light of the calculated electronic band structure and density of states, and compared with experimental findings. In the low energy range $(\ensuremath{\lesssim}5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV})$, where data from different experimental techniques coincide, the calculated reflectivity reproduces very well the main features observed. At higher frequencies, we find a Drude-like behavior, dressed by interband transitions. Our findings invite future measurements that will allow a fuller comparison between theory and experiments.
The oxidation and surface speciation of indium and indium oxides exposed to atmospheric oxidants

Abstract Metallic indium and its oxides are useful in electronics applications, in transparent conducting electrodes, as well as in electrocatalytic applications. In order to understand more fully the speciation of the indium and oxygen composition of the indium surface exposed to atmospheric oxidants, XPS, HREELS, and TPD were used to study the indium surface exposed to water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Clean In and authentic samples of In2O3 and In(OH)3 were examined with XPS to provide standard spectra. Indium was exposed to O2 and H2O, and the ratio of O2 − to OH− in the O1s XPS region was used to monitor oxidation and speciation of the surface. HREELS and TPD indicate that water dissociates on the indium surface even at low temperature, and that In2O3 forms at higher temperatures. Initially, OH− is the major species at the surface. Pure In2O3 is also OH− terminated following water exposure. Ambient pressure XPS studies of water exposure to these surfaces suggest that high water pressures tend to passivate the surface, inhibiting extensive oxide formation.
The Role of Performance, Scheduling and Resource Reservation in Multimedia Systems

We have identified the relation between performance, scheduling, and reservation in multimedia systems. At least for some time, performance alone will not be a solution in building multimedia platforms. Regulation of resource usage by careful scheduling helps to make scarce resources useful to bring multimedia to the users today. Whether scheduling is supported by reservation mechanisms is a matter of the quality of service desired. Possible solutions range from pessimistic over optimistic to no reservation at all.
The Big Picture: The Arts—Digitized, Quantified, and Analyzed

The inspiration for this column is an article I came across on the website of Financial Times from June 15, 2013, titled “Big Data Meets the Bard.” The focus of the article is Stanford University's...
Evolution of elastic wave speed during shear‐induced damage and healing within laboratory fault zones

Earthquake faults fail and restrengthen repeatedly during the seismic cycle. Faults restrengthen via a set of processes known collectively as fault healing, which is well documented in the laboratory but less well understood in tectonic fault zones. Recent observations of fault zone wave speed following earthquakes suggest opportunities to connect laboratory and field observations of fault healing. However, existing laboratory data lack detail necessary to identify specific processes linking elastic wave speed to fault damage and healing. Here we document changes in elastic properties during laboratory seismic cycles, simulated via periods of nonshear and quasistatic fault slip. Experiments were conducted on brine-saturated halite under conditions favoring pressure solution, analogous to healing processes within and at the base of the seismogenic zone. We find that elastic wave speed (V) and amplitude (A) correlate with porosity. For each percent of porosity lost during compaction, VP increases by ~3%, VS by ~2%, AP by ~10%, and AS by ~7%. Moreover, V and A decrease with granular dilation during fault slip. With increasing shear strain, fabric formation dominates the ultrasonic signals. We find that fault strength depends on fault porosity, making VP and VS potential proxies for fault strength evolution. Our data show that a 1% change in VP or VS results in a friction increase of 0.01 or 0.02, respectively. Within natural fault zones, advances in monitoring elastic wave speed may provide critical information on the evolution of fault strength and seismic hazard throughout the seismic cycle.
Discrimination and Classification, Round 2

In this chapter we continue the theory of classification developed in Chapter 5 on a somewhat more general level. We start out with some basic consideration of optimality. In the notation introduced in Section 5.4, Y will denote a p-variate random vector measured in k groups (or populations). Let X denote a discrete random variable that indicates group membership, i.e., takes values 1, … , k. The probabilities $$ {\pi _j} = \Pr \left[ {X = j} \right]\quad j = 1, \ldots ,k, $$ (1) will be referred to as prior probabilities, as usual. Suppose that the distribution of Y in the jth group is given by a pdf f j (y), which may be regarded as the conditional pdf of Y, given X = j. Assume for simplicity that Y is continuous with sample space ℝ p in each group. Then the joint pdf of X and Y, as seen from Sec tion 2.8, is $$ {f_{XY}}\left( {j,y} \right) = \left\{ \begin{gathered} {\pi _j}{f_j}\left( y \right)\;for{\kern 1pt} j = 1, \ldots ,k,y \in {\mathbb{R}^p} \hfill \\ 0\quad otherwise. \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \right. $$ (2)
Numerical Simulation of Film Cooling on Rotating Blade Tips Within a High-Pressure Turbine

This paper numerically investigates the aerodynamics and film cooling effectiveness of high pressure turbine blade tips. Two different rotor blade tip configurations have been studied: the plane tip with tip hole cooling and the squealer tip with tip hole cooling. The geometry of the blades is determined based on the blade profiles within the three-stage multi-purpose turbine research facility at the Turbomachinery Performance and Flow Research Laboratory (TPFL), Texas A&M University. Seven perpendicular holes along the camber line are used for the tip hole cooling. The clearance between the blade tip and casing is 1.0% of the blade span. For each blade tip configuration, the coolant is ejected through the cooling holes under blowing ratios of M = 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5. In this paper, a comparison between the plane tip and the squealer tip has been presented. The detailed flow structures and film cooling effectiveness are discussed.© 2013 ASME