cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Education: A Comparison of On-Screen With Compression Feedback, Classroom, and Video Education

Study objective We compare 3 methods of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education, using performance scores. A paucity of research exists on the comparative effectiveness of different types of hands-only CPR education. This study also includes a novel kiosk approach that has not previously been studied, to our knowledge. Methods A randomized, controlled study compared participant scores on 4 hands-only CPR outcome measures after education with a 25- to 45-minute practice-while-watching classroom session (classroom), 4-minute on-screen feedback and practice session (kiosk), and 1-minute video viewing (video only). Participants took a 30-second compression test after initial training and again after 3 months. Results After the initial education session, the video-only group had a lower total score (compressions correct on hand placement, rate, and depth) (–9.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] –16.5 to –3.0) than the classroom group. There were no significant differences on total score between classroom and kiosk participants. Additional outcome scores help explain which components negatively affect total score for each education method. The video-only group had lower compression depth scores (–9.9; 95% CI –14.0 to –5.7) than the classroom group. The kiosk group outperformed the classroom group on hand position score (4.9; 95% CI 1.3 to 8.6) but scored lower on compression depth score (–5.6; 95% CI –9.5 to –1.8). The change in 4 outcome variables was not significantly different across education type at 3-month follow-up. Conclusion Participants exposed to the kiosk session and those exposed to classroom education performed hands-only CPR similarly, and both groups showed skill performance superior to that of participants watching only a video. With regular retraining to prevent skills decay, the efficient and free hands-only CPR training kiosk has the potential to increase bystander intervention and improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Social collateral, dynamic incentives, and joint liability in a two-step trust game: Lending to the unbankable

Asymmetric information and lack of collateral creates a suboptimal allocation of financial resources to those in most need. When uncollateralised borrowers approach financial institutions, the presence of moral hazard and adverse selection results in no lending. Conversely, group‐lending contracts—joint liability, dynamic lending, and social cost for defaulting—control for information asymmetries and create a co‐operative trust game between borrowers leading to an undominated optimal strategy to repay, and therefore, for the lender to Give. Group lending proves superior to typical individual borrowing and lending when no collateral is available. Social collateral and trust are fundamental pieces of the successful work of MicroFinance. Resulting contracts and correspondent payoffs are Pareto efficient.
“No Había Bilingual Education:” Stories of Negotiation, Educación, y Sacrificios from South Texas Escuelitas

In 1940s America, along the Texas-Mexico border, las escuelitas – or little schools – were places Mexican American parents sent their young children to begin their academic learning. These escuelit...
A comparative analysis of the SVM and K-NN to detect buried explosive objects using edge histogram features from GPR data

The Edge Histogram Detector (EHD) is an algorithm for buried threat detection (BTD) using sensor data generated by ground penetrating radar (GPR). It has been tested extensively and has demonstrated excellent performance on large real-world data sets. It has been implemented in real-time versions in vehicle mounted GPR. The EHD captures the spatial distribution of the edges within a 3D GPR volume. To keep the computation simple, 2D edge operators are used, and two types of edge histograms are computed. The first one, called EHDDT, is obtained by fixing the cross-track dimension and extracting edges in the (time, down-track) B-scans. The second edge histogram, called EHDCT, is obtained by fixing the down-track dimension and extracting edges in the (time, cross-track) B-Scans. For confidence assignment, it uses either a possibilistic K-Nearest Neighbors (p-KNN) or a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. In this paper, we first propose an improvement to the EHD by adding a new feature component extracted from (down-track, cross-track) C-Scans. We show that this feature can improve the probability of detection while reducing the false alarm rate. Second, we design a large-scale experiment to compare the performance of the p-KNN and SVM classifiers and investigate their risk of over-fitting the training data. We use large datasets accumulated across multiple dates and multiple test sites by a vehicle mounted mine detector (VMMD) using a GPR sensor. The data includes a diverse set of buried explosive objects consisting of varying shapes, metal content, and underground burial depths. Performance of the EHD with the different features and classification methods are analyzed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC). To study the potential over-fitting problem, we use two different cross validation methods.
How Should Pancreas Transplant Rejection Be Treated

Background.Limited published data exist to guide the treatment of pancreas transplant rejection.Methods.We reviewed the treatment and outcomes of 158 first episodes of biopsy-proven pancreas rejection between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2016. Within each Banff grade of rejection, we compared resp
Natural killer cell recruitment and activation are regulated by CD47 expression in the tumor microenvironment

Elevated CD47 expression in some cancers is associated with decreased survival and limited clearance by phagocytes expressing the CD47 counterreceptor SIRPα. In contrast, elevated CD47 mRNA expression in human melanomas was associated with improved survival. Gene-expression data were analyzed to determine a potential mechanism for this apparent protective function and suggested that high CD47 expression increases recruitment of natural killer (NK) cells into the tumor microenvironment. The CD47 ligand thrombospondin-1 inhibited NK cell proliferation and CD69 expression in vitro. Cd47−/− NK cells correspondingly displayed augmented effector phenotypes, indicating an inhibitory function of CD47 on NK cells. Treating human NK cells with a CD47 antibody that blocks thrombospondin-1 binding abrogated its inhibitory effect on NK cell proliferation. Similarly, treating wild-type mice with a CD47 antibody that blocks thrombospondin-1 binding delayed B16 melanoma growth, associating with increased NK cell recruitment and increased granzyme B and interferon-γ levels in intratumoral NK but not CD8+ T cells. However, B16 melanomas grew faster in Cd47−/− than in wild-type mice. Melanoma-bearing Cd47−/− mice exhibited decreased splenic NK cell numbers, with impaired effector protein expression and elevated exhaustion markers. Proapoptotic gene expression in Cd47−/− NK cells was associated with stress-mediated increases in mitochondrial proton leak, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis. Global gene-expression profiling in NK cells from tumor-bearing mice identified CD47-dependent transcriptional responses that regulate systemic NK activation and exhaustion. Therefore, CD47 positively and negatively regulates NK cell function, and therapeutic antibodies that block inhibitory CD47 signaling can enhance NK immune surveillance of melanomas.
Geometry of Packet Switching: Maximal Throughput Cone Scheduling Algorithms

In this chapter, we discuss the key ideas underlying some recent developments in packet switching. They concern algorithms for scheduling packets through switching fabrics, primarily to maximize throughput and support differentiated quality of service. We first develop a model capturing the packet queueing and scheduling dynamics of the switch in a ‘vectorized’ framework, which allows for the rich geometry of the switching problem to emerge. We then present a class of algorithms that dynamically schedule packets for transfer through the switching fabric, based on which conic space the packet backlog vector resides. Appropriate construction of the cones leads to maximum throughput. Cone algorithms subsume the well known ‘maximum weight matching’ ones for packet switching as a special case. We discuss various aspect of cone algorithms including robustness, scalability, throughput and quality of service support.
Leadership and Autism

Despite the voluminous research on leadership, few studies have examined which leadership theories may be most effective for leading, managing, and supervising employees with ASD. This chapter examines the relationship between leadership and autism from three perspectives. The primary focus of the chapter is a discussion of relationship-based leadership theories to determine whether there are specific leadership styles and behaviors that may be most effective for leading, managing, and supervising employees with ASD. As little is known about the ways that leaders with ASD interact with their subordinates, the chapter offers suggestions for managing leader-follower relationships. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how employees with ASD may position themselves to be effective followers and members of teams in the workplace.
Analysis of Partial Discharge Test of Transformer Caused by Excitation Transformer Fault

Partial discharge refers to a discharge phenomenon in which a portion of a region is discharged due to an electric field and there is no breakdown between the applied voltage conductors in an operating state. For transformers above 110kV, the partial discharge test is an effective means and method for verifying the insulation level of the transformer. Due to the limitations of the field test conditions, the partial discharge test of the transformer generally adopts a low-voltage side compensation press and a method of inducing a test voltage level on the high-voltage side. The state of the test equipment directly determines whether the experimental results meet the standard requirements. In this paper, we analyze the situation that the excitation is self-discharged and then transmitted to the transformer of the test, which results in the test result not meeting the standard requirements. At the same time, the excitation is returned to the factory for disintegration, and the cause of the accident is analyzed to provide experience and support for future field tests. During partial discharge test of transformer, the amount of partial discharge caused by the failure of the test equipment is difficult to distinguish. This type of problem can only be avoided by regular maintenance of the test equipment or by applying a voltage rise to the equipment.
Performance evaluation of two progressive damage models for composite laminates under various speed impact loading

Abstract The focus of this paper is to explore two different finite element modeling strategies to understand how well they can be used to characterize different types of impacts. In this paper, finite element numerical simulations of both low velocity and high velocity projectile impact on composite laminates have been carried out. Low velocity impact was based on 3 mm thick 24 ply unidirectional graphite epoxy laminates. High velocity impacts were performed on a laminated S2 Glass with SC-15 resin, since large amounts of material data, and experimental and computational results are available for validation. Two separate progressive material damage models were investigated in the commercial finite element codes Abaqus/CAE and LS-Dyna. The Abaqus/CAE models used a VUMAT subroutine while MAT 162 was chosen due to its wide adoption for impact problems in LS-Dyna. For high velocity projectile impact simulations MAT 162 captures the correct velocity but misses the spread of damage with localization. While the Abaqus/CAE model underperformed due to the lack of modeling the through thickness shear type failures. For Low velocity impact simulations the Abaqus/CAE model showed a good correlation with experimental data while MAT 162 struggled. The modeling limitation imposed by MAT 162 restricting the model to only reduced integration solid elements was found to induce a mesh instability making the model prone to hourglassing. This was specifically a challenge in modeling laminates with a greater number of plies or more representative of structures which might be subjected to impact, which was not an issue at the higher energy.
Vibration improves gait biomechanics linked to posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) incurs a high risk of posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA). Aberrant gait biomechanics contribute to PTOA and are attributable in part to quadriceps dysfunction. Vibration improves quadriceps function following ACLR, but its effects on gait biomechanics are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) on gait biomechanics in individuals with ACLR. Seventy-five volunteers (time since ACLR 27 ± 16 months) were randomized to WBV, LMV, or Control interventions. Walking biomechanics were assessed prior to and following a single exposure to the interventions. Outcomes included pre-post change scores in the ACLR limb for the peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and its loading rate, peak internal knee extension (KEM) and abduction moments, and peak knee flexion and varus angles. LMV produced a significant decrease in the vGRF loading rate (-3.6 BW/s) that was greater than the changes in the WBV (-0.3 BW/s) and Control (0.5 BW/s) groups. Additionally, WBV produced an increase in the peak KEM (0.27% BW × Ht) that was greater than the change in the Control group (-0.17% BW × Ht) but not the LMV group (0.01% BW × Ht). Lower KEM and greater loading rates have been linked to declines in joint health following ACLR. WBV acutely increased the peak KEM and LMV decreased loading rates. These data suggest that vibration has the potential to mitigate aberrant gait biomechanics, and may represent an effective approach for reducing PTOA risk following ACLR.
Metabolic impact of persistent organic pollutants on gut microbiota

Emerging evidence supports that exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) can impact the interaction between the gut microbiota and host. Recent efforts have characterized the relationship between gut microbiota and environment pollutants suggesting additional research is needed to understand potential new avenues for toxicity. Here, we systematically examined the direct effects of POPs including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB-123 and PCB-156) on the microbiota using metatranscriptomics and NMR- and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics combined with flow cytometry and growth rate measurements (OD600). This study demonstrated that (1) POPs directly and rapidly affect isolated cecal bacterial global metabolism that is associated with significant decreases in microbial metabolic activity; (2) significant changes in cecal bacterial gene expression related to tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle as well as carbon metabolism, carbon fixation, pyruvate metabolism, and protein export were observed following most POP exposure; (3) six individual bacterial species show variation in lipid metabolism in response to POP exposure; and (4) PCB-153 (non-coplanar)has a greater impact on bacteria than PCB-126 (coplanar) at the metabolic and transcriptional levels. These data provide new insights into the direct role of POPs on gut microbiota and begins to establish possible microbial toxicity endpoints which may help to inform risk assessment.
Competition between PRC2.1 and 2.2 subcomplexes regulates PRC2 chromatin occupancy in human stem cells.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) silences expression of developmental transcription factors in pluripotent stem cells by methylating lysine 27 on histone H3. Two mutually exclusive subcomplexes, PRC2.1 and PRC2.2, are defined by the set of accessory proteins bound to the core PRC2 subunits. Here we introduce separation-of-function mutations into the SUZ12 subunit of PRC2 to drive it into a PRC2.1 or 2.2 subcomplex in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We find that PRC2.2 occupies polycomb target genes at low levels and that homeobox transcription factors are upregulated when this complex is exclusively present. In contrast with previous studies, we find that chromatin occupancy of PRC2 increases drastically when it is forced to form PRC2.1. Additionally, several cancer-associated mutations also coerce formation of PRC2.1. We suggest that PRC2 chromatin occupancy can be altered in the context of disease or development by tuning the ratio of PRC2.1 to PRC2.2.
The development of ‘green’ airports: Which factors influence willingness to pay for sustainability and intention to act? A structural and mediation model analysis

Abstract The study's purpose was to determine which factors influence a consumer's willingness to pay for sustainability and their intention to take action against climate change related to airports. An expanding body of literature relates to assessing whether consumers would be willing to pay for these ‘green’ practices in the aviation industry, such as biofuels or sustainable airport construction/renovations. While previous studies have experimentally examined these scenarios, we are aware of no prior research that has proposed and assessed a structural model related to determining which factors influence consumer's perspectives on ‘green’ airports. A sample of 722 eligible participants from the United States completed the study using Amazon's Mechanical Turk. We examined future time perspective, affect toward climate change, the perceived value of sustainability, and perceptions of climate change on the endogenous variables of willingness to pay for sustainability and intentions to take action against climate change. Six of the seven hypotheses proposed were supported. Affect, perceived value, and perceptions of climate change were all significant and positively related to willingness to pay, which was positively associated with intention to act. Two non-hypothesized paths, between perceived value and future time perspective, were also positively related to intention to act. The model explained 42% of the variance in willingness to pay and 66% in intention to act. These findings offer insights into what factors significantly influence these relationships as they relate to airports. Perceived value and perceptions of climate change had the largest effect sizes in the model and were significantly related to willingness to pay and intentions to act.
From The Art of Reflection to The Art of Noticing: A Shifting View of Self-Tracking Technologies’ Role in Supporting Sustainable Food Practices

This paper explores the possibility of using self-tracking technologies to promote sustainable food habits. To explore socio-cultural aspects in food practices and to understand the potential role of self-tracking tools in participants’ everyday lives, we designed and deployed a probe kit with seven participants. We found that (1) participants had differing, and at times conflicting, conceptions of what made their diet sustainable; (2) they viewed self-tracking tools as an unobtrusive means to help them achieve a goal–but didn’t report that those goals were ever met; and (3) they expressed strong associations between particular eating behaviors and rituals and/or holidays. Reflecting on the results and the concept of design (in)action, we suggest an alternative way of designing self-tracking tools for self-reflection (i.e., the art of noticing) that might help people draw attention to the impact of their food practices on the environment. We conclude by recommending a shift in focus from traditional and “always-on” self-tracking solutions to everyday practices, holidays, or rituals in which a technological tool could bring more attention to a particular facet of food sustainability.
Informed Trading Intensity

We train a machine-learning method on a class of informed trades to develop a new measure of informed trading, the Informed Trading Intensity ("ITI"). We show that the method works well because it captures nonlinearities and interactions in the relation between informed trading, volume, and volatility. Though ITI is trained on a particular class of informed trades, trades executed by activist investors, the measure also increases on days with opportunistic insider trades and on days with large changes in short interest, indicating that ITI captures the commonality in how different classes of informed investors trade. Moreover, it detects various informational events, including stock price reactions to earnings surprises, M&A announcements, and unscheduled news releases. Returns on days with high ITI reverse less than returns on other days. In the cross-section, higher ITI is associated with higher returns next month. Our main insight is that learning from data on informed trades can generate an effective measure of informed trading.
Patient-derived iPSC-cerebral organoid modeling of the 17q11.2 microdeletion syndrome establishes CRLF3 as a critical regulator of neurogenesis

Summary Neurodevelopmental disorders are often caused by chromosomal microdeletions comprising numerous contiguous genes. A subset of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients with severe developmental delays and intellectual disability harbors such a microdeletion event on chromosome 17q11.2, involving the NF1 gene and flanking regions (NF1 total gene deletion [NF1-TGD]). Using patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-forebrain cerebral organoids (hCOs), we identify both neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and neuronal maturation abnormalities in NF1-TGD hCOs. While increased NSC proliferation results from decreased NF1/RAS regulation, the neuronal differentiation, survival, and maturation defects are caused by reduced cytokine receptor-like factor 3 (CRLF3) expression and impaired RhoA signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrate a higher autistic trait burden in NF1 patients harboring a deleterious germline mutation in the CRLF3 gene (c.1166T>C, p.Leu389Pro). Collectively, these findings identify a causative gene within the NF1-TGD locus responsible for hCO neuronal abnormalities and autism in children with NF1.
Self-charging transit network design using multiple dynamic wireless charging technologies

Dynamic wireless charging technologies enable power transfer to electric vehicles while in motion. For transit applications, such technologies can reduce electric buses’ idle time required for charging. In this study, we propose and analyze a self-charging transit network design problem. A self-charging transit network consists of routes such that the electric buses operating on these routes are charged solely while in motion. First, we introduce the self-charging route and transit network concepts. After that, the optimization model for establishing a self-charging transit network in a cost-minimum way is formulated. In this model, multiple dynamic wireless charging technologies can be used on the network to make the routes self-charging. The resulting model is NP-hard; and therefore, we develop a multi-start neighbor search heuristic as an alternative solution method. A set of numerical studies are conducted to demonstrate the self-charging transit network problem with an example, evaluate the efficiency of the proposed heuristic method, and present several sensitivity analyses.
The Transition to Adult Health Care in Youth With Spina Bifida: Theory, Measurement, and Interventions.

Purpose This article focuses on the transition to adult health care in youth with spina bifida (SB) from the perspective of theory, measurement, and interventions. Methods The purpose of this article is to discuss (a) a theory of linkages between the transfer of medical responsibility from parent to child and the transition from pediatric to adult health care, as mediated by transition readiness; (b) measurement issues in the study of self-management and the transition to adult health care; and (c) U.S.-based and international interventions focused on the transition to adult health care in young adults with SB. Findings Individuals with SB must adhere to a complex multicomponent treatment regimen while at the same time managing a unique array of cognitive and psychosocial challenges and comorbidities that hinder self-management, medical adherence, and the transition to adult health care. Moreover, such youth endure multiple transitions to adult health care (e.g., in the areas of urology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and primary care) that may unfold across different time frames. Finally, three transition-related constructs need to be assessed, namely, transition readiness, transition completion, and transition success. Conclusions SB provides an important exemplar that highlights the complexities of conducting research on the transition to adult health care in youth with chronic health conditions. Many transition trajectories are possible, depending on the functioning level of the child and a host of other factors. Also, no single transition pathway is optimal for all patients with SB. Clinical relevance The success of the process by which a child with SB transitions from pediatric to adult health care can have life-sustaining implications for the patient.
Nuclear Disturbed Environmental Effects on Space-based Single Photon Detectors

We consider space-based radiation damage and its cumulative effect on detector dark counts for satellite-based silicon single-photon detectors, arising from natural radiation as well as from a nuclear disturbed environment caused by a high-altitude nuclear explosion.
Web-based simulations and intelligent tutoring system for programmable logic controller

A Web-based system that includes educational simulations and an intelligent tutoring system has been developed to teach students about programmable logic controllers (PLCs). The system uses Visual Basic, a Microsoft access database, and Macromedia Flash; and is hosted using Microsoft's Internet information services (US). An access database is used to store domain specific knowledge and model student knowledge, and an algorithm asks questions adoptively based on the student model, so that each student receives an individualized practice session. The student interface is easy-to-use and provides detailed feedback about practice question performance and status. Lessons on PLC timer and counter instructions were evaluated by 38 undergraduate manufacturing engineering students. Students made statistically significant learning gains as a result of taking the lessons, and rated them positively in terms of ease of use and understanding, clear objectives, amount of interaction, ability to motivate, relevance, and pace.
An Information Model for the Representation of Multiple Biological Classifications

We present a model for representing competing classifications in biological databases. A key feature of our model is its ability to support future classifications in addition to current and previous classifications without reorganizing the database. Data in biological databases is typically organized around a taxonomic framework. Biological data must be interpreted in the context of the taxonomy under which it was collected and published. Since taxonomic opinion changes frequently, it is necessary to support multiple taxonomic classifications. This is a requirement for providing comprehensive responses to queries in databases that contain data reflecting incompatible taxonomic classifications.
Keeping Your Arteries Young: Vascular Health

quoted saying ‘‘you’re only as old as your arteries.’’ 4 At a pathobiological level, aortic wall stiffness has been associated with processes involving wall matrix, inflammation, and mechanical stress. Increased collagen content and extracellular matrix (arteriosclerosis) is commonly seen in hypertension and aging. In contrast, atherosclerosis relates to endovascular inflammation, increased cellular oxidative stress, and plaque formation; however, both processes can lead to increased vascular stiffness. 5 Patients with increased aortic stiffness have increased aortic pulse wave velocity and reduced arterial compliance. 6 The clinical implication of increased aortic stiffness results in increased afterload on the left ventricle; alteration in coronary perfusion, which affects cardiac diastolic relaxation; and increased myocardial oxygen consumption. Moreover, these surrogates have been tested in multiple trials with important CV outcomes data. Based on the studies so far, it is evident that increased aortic pulse wave velocity is a strong independent predictor of CV risk, regardless of whether it plays a causative role in CV risk or merely serves as a marker of CV disease already present. One example is found in the Strong Heart Study, 7 which evaluated 2405 patients without CV disease at entry with a 5-year follow-up. During this period, 344 patients had CV events that were significantly associated with high central pulse pressure, thus associating high central pulse pressure with increased arterial stiffness. 1 Another study, the Conduit Artery Function Evaluation (CAFE) trial 8 substudy (on behalf of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial [ASCOT] Investigators), evaluated the differential impact of BPlowering drugs on central aortic pressure and clinical outcomes. The study enrolled 2073 patients from 5 ASCOT centers after being on treatment for about 1 year. A total of 19,257 patients were enrolled in the ASCOT trial. All patients had hypertension and 3 additional risk factors. They were randomized in a 2 2 factorial design to receive 1 of 2 antihypertensive regimens: amlodipine (5 ⁄10 mg) with or without perindopril (4 ⁄8 mg) or atenolol (50 ⁄100 mg) with or without a diuretic. Despite similar brachial arm systolic BPs in the two treatment arms, there was a significant decrease in both central aortic pulse pressure and central aortic systolic pressure in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor ⁄calcium channel blocker (CCB) arm vs the b-blocker ⁄diuretic arm. This study suggested that ACE inhibitor ⁄CCB treatment was significantly better. In addition, using the Cox proportional hazards modeling, they determined that central aortic pulse pressure was significantly associated with a post hoc‐defined composite outcome of total CV events (unadjusted P<.0001; P<.05 after adjustment for baseline variables). Based on these data, it can be inferred that arterial stiffness and its components do affect CV outcomes. The vascular etiologies of these vessel wall changes require a closer look.
Dielectric properties of capacitor materials in the optical frequency range

The optical properties and band gaps of capacitor materials are important for a number of reasons, including assessing the viability of candidate materials for gate dielectrics in semiconductors, identifying the electronic components of the polarizability, and monitoring degradation processes. This paper reports the high frequency dielectric function of several capacitor materials in the near UV to near IR range as determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was also be used to determine changes in the depth profile due to changes in the dielectric function. In this work dielectric materials, primarily strontium titanate, were examined to determine their changes during DC electric field induced degradation.
The Infrared Interstellar Emission Features

The infrared emission features, at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.3 µm, are observed throughout the interstellar medium of our own and other galaxies. This review presents recent observational results on spectroscopy of the features, with an emphasis on the more complex picture of the features resulting from the higher spectral resolution and higher sensitivity currently available. Laboratory work on identification of the feature emitting material is abo reviewed, and different candidate materials for the features are compared.
Blind source recovery: a framework in the state space

Blind Source Recovery (BSR) denotes recovery of original sources/signals from environments that may include convolution, temporal variation, and even nonlinearity. It also infers the recovery of sources even in the absence of precise environment identifiability. This paper describes, in a comprehensive fashion, a generalized BSR formulation achieved by the application of stochastic optimization principles to the Kullback-Liebler divergence as a performance functional subject to the constraints of the general (i.e., nonlinear and time-varying) state space representation. This technique is used to derive update laws for nonlinear time-varying dynamical systems, which are subsequently specialized to time-invariant and linear systems. Further, the state space demixing network structures have been exploited to develop learning rules, capable of handling most filtering paradigms, which can be conveniently extended to nonlinear models. In the special cases, distinct linear state-space algorithms are presented for the minimum phase and non-minimum phase mixing environment models. Conventional (FIR/IIR) filtering models are subsequently derived from this general structure and are compared with material in the recent literature. Illustrative simulation examples are presented to demonstrate the online adaptation capabilities of the developed algorithms. Some of this reported work has also been implemented in dedicated hardware/software platforms.
State Building in Putin's Russia: The Power Ministries and the Siloviki

The group of FSB personnel assigned to work undercover in the government has successfully carried out the first step of their assignment. Vladimir Putin, December 1999 History has arranged it that the burden of upholding Russian statehood has to a considerable extent fallen on our shoulders. Viktor Cherkesov, KGB veteran and Putin ally, December 2004 Putin presumably was joking when he made the statement quoted in the epigraph at a reception for secret police personnel on December 20, 1999, less than two weeks before he would become acting president when Boris Yeltsin surprisingly resigned on New Year's Eve 1999. But, as Russians like to say, in every joke there is an element of truth. And if Putin was joking, his close friend Cherkesov was deadly serious, arguing that Russia itself would perish if secret police alumni could not unify their forces. During Putin's tenure as president, he relied heavily on officials who had made their careers in law enforcement and military agencies. State coercive bodies, referred to in Russia as the power ministries ( silovye ministerstva ) or power structures ( silovye struktury ), rose in stature. Russian citizens, for example, believed that Putin represented the interests of the power ministries – more than big business (“the oligarchs”), “ordinary people,” the state bureaucracy, or society as a whole. The increased prominence of personnel from these agencies throughout government led the Russian sociologist Olga Kryshtanovskaya to dub Putin's regime a “militocracy.”
Shifting Currents: Dwight Eisenhower and the Dynamic of Presidential Opportunity Structure

The opportunity structure framework has become a cornerstone of presidency research over the past generation. Yet the way scholars have construed opportunity structure has been too narrow. Where they have stressed the partisan regime context in which a president is situated, other contextual elements often weigh more heavily on a president's calculation of what he can and cannot do. Further, the regime context is relatively static within any administration, but the opportunity structure a president faces will change rapidly. These choices are often the consequence of a president's earlier actions. His choices will set in motion new forces to which he will later have to respond. The presidency of Dwight Eisenhower serves to illustrate the value of a broadened and more dynamic conception of the opportunity structure approach.
Oxygen hole-doping effects on the spin-chain system Ca2+xY2-xCu5O10-δ

Abstract The magnetic properties of the low-dimensional spin-chain system Ca 2 + x Y 2 - x Cu 5 O 10 - δ were studied as a function of oxygen content and Ca-doping. A series of samples with different oxygen contents were prepared by solid state reaction under various oxygen pressures up to 170 atm and characterized by X-ray diffraction and iodometric titration. Oxygen deficiency was observed to be from δ = 0.2 – 0.4 at 0.2 atm to δ ≈ 0.0 at 170 atm oxygen pressure. Oxygen deficiency increases with Ca-doping at fixed oxygen pressure. The temperature dependence of the magnetic moment and of the specific heat are reported here for the x = 0.9 sample with various oxygen deficiencies. The effects of oxygen deficiency on magnetic coupling are compared with Ca-doping. Notably, oxygen content plays a much more critical role in the reduction of magnetic interactions in the CuO 2 chains than Ca-doping, even for the same hole concentration.
Screening for ortholog clusters using multipartite graph clustering by quasi-concave set function optimization

Finding orthologous genes, similar genes in different genomes, is a fundamental problem in comparative genomics. We present a model for automatically extracting candidate ortholog clusters in a large set of genomes using a new clustering method for multipartite graphs. The groups of orthologous genes are found by focusing on the gene similarities across genomes rather than similarities between genes within a genome. The clustering problem is formulated as a series of combinatorial optimization problems whose solutions are interpreted as ortholog clusters. The objective function in optimization problem is a quasi-concave set function which can be maximized efficiently. The properties of these functions and the algorithm to maximize these functions are presented. We applied our method to find ortholog clusters in data which supports the manually curated Cluster of Orthologous Genes (COG) from 43 genomes containing 108,090 sequences. Validation of candidate ortholog clusters was by comparison against the manually curated ortholog clusters in COG, and by verifying annotations in Pfam and SCOP – in most cases showing strong correlations with the known results. An analysis of Pfam and SCOP annotations, and COG membership for sequences in 7,701 clusters which include sequences from at least three organisms, shows that 7,474(97%) clusters contain sequences that are all consistent in at least one of the annotations or their COG membership.
Modeling the performance of automotive bumper mounted antennas

In order to improve automobile driver safety, manufacturers are exploring a variety of sensing options. A collision avoidance radar is a possible device that provides an all-weather, day-night sensing capability. Systems of various complexities are possible, but they all require an effective antenna system. This paper explores the effects of mounting a small array behind an automobile bumper fascia. This is similar to the standard radome problem. However, the system designer has little input on the make up of the bumper fascia, in terms of thickness, paint, and relative position of antenna and material. Material properties for this study are determined by transmission line measurements for samples of the plastic fascia with and without several different paints. Gain calculations for a patch array in various combinations of bumper configurations are found. The analysis is performed using uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) techniques. Validation is provided by measurements made in the OSU-ESL compact range.
Biomechanical analyses of paramedics simulating frequently performed strenuous work tasks.

Abstract Firefighters performing emergency rescue functions are at an elevated risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The objective of the current study was to analyze the biomechanical stresses placed on the body based on simulations of the following strenuous and frequently performed emergency rescue tasks: (1) transferring a patient from a bed to a stretcher using bedsheets, (2) transferring a patient from the ambulance stretcher to a hospital gurney, (3) carrying a victim down a set of stairs and through a landing using a stairchair, (4) carrying a victim down a set of stairs and through a landing using a backboard, and (5) carrying a victim down a straight set of stairs using a stretcher. Postural data were analyzed using the University of Michigan's Three-Dimensional Static Strength Prediction Program TM and the relative risk of low back disorder (LBD) was quantified using the trunk motion model published by Marras et al. (1993, spine 18, 617–628). Peak compression values and the probabilities from the Marras et al. (1993) model indicated that the most hazardous tasks performed as part of this simulation included pulling a victim from a bed to a stretcher, the initial descent of a set of stairs when using the stretcher, and lifting a victim on a backboard from the floor. Overall, the two models were well correlated in their assessment of the task components modelled ( r =0.78). These data indicate where engineering changes to equipment regularly used by emergency rescue personnel would have the greatest impact in reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury.
Indices of the Adequacy of Factor Extraction Suggesting a General Function in Factor Analysis

In a systematic study of factor-extraction-termination criteria, computer generated data were arranged in matrices having 4, 8, and 16 “true” factors with 16, 32, and 48 variables for sample sizes of 50, 100, 200, and 500. Four graphical methods of data treatment involving residuals, factor loadings, number of variables, and sample sizes gave results of such regularity as to suggest the possibility of a mathematical approach to factor extraction termination.
Intraoral Carcinoma: Predisposing Factors and Their Frequency of Incidence as Related to Age at Onset

The age of a patient at the time an intraoral malignancy was diagnosed was used as the basis for comparing eight variable factors that may bear a relationship to the development of cancer. Variables studied include age, sex, and race of the patient, consumption of alcohol and tobacco, systemic diseases, and oral trauma.
The Importance of Signs of Shear Stress and Shear Strain in Composites

The definition and physical significance of the sign conventions for stress and strain components, in particular, shear stress and shear strain, are of vital importance in studying the response of anisotropic composite materials. Designers and analysts who must predict the strength and stiffness characteristics of laminated systems should be thoroughly familiar with the physical interpretations of these signs. In this paper we elaborate on these sign conventions and demonstrate their importance with several illustrative examples.
Antiferromagnetic H − T Boundaries and Apparent Molecular Fields for Mn Cl 2 ·4 H 2 O and Mn Br 2 ·4 H 2 O

Experimental study and analysis have been made of non-Brillouin magnetic moments of two hydrated manganous salts of similar structure. The moment ($M$) was measured as a function of field at constant temperature ($T$) and as a function of temperature at constant field ($H$). From the former, analysis of the extent of the nonsuperposition of $M(\frac{H}{T})$ for different temperatures gave apparent molecular fields of 14 000 gauss and 18 000 gauss, respectively, for manganous chloride tetrahydrate and manganous bromide tetrahydrate. The Van Vleck antiferromagnetic exchange coefficient $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ is experimentally determined, corresponding to antiferromagnetic exchange energy densities of the order of ${10}^{6}$ ergs/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. The constant field measurements gave points on antiferromagnetic transition curves such that $\frac{{H}_{m}}{{T}_{N}}$ was about 8000 gauss per degree for each salt. If the constant temperature moment is plotted against the Van Vleck parameter $\frac{(H\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}M)}{T}$ instead of the usual Brillouin parameter $\frac{H}{T}$ there is superposition of isotherms for points in the $H\ensuremath{-}T$ plane outside the antiferromagnetic region, thus giving experimental support to the Van Vleck model for simple antiferromagnetics. The method of measurement is the same as for our previous measurements. The temperature range was 1.3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}-4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and magnetic fields up to 58 000 gauss were applied, the greater part of the range being such as to prevent antiferromagnetic ordering.
Psychological adjustment of women with HIV/AIDS: Racial and ethnic comparisons

The relationship of race and ethnicity with standardized measures of depressive symptomatology and mental health was examined in a sample of HIV-infected African American (n = 48), Puerto Rican (n = 50), and White non-Hispanic (n = 48) women in New York City. Mean scores of women from all three racial and ethnic groups were higher than those reported for normative samples on measures of depressive symptomatology and psychological distress, and mean scores on measures of psychological well-being were lower. Puerto Rican women reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptomatology than either African American or White women. Puerto Rican women also reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress and lower levels of psychological well-being than African American women. The findings suggest that while all HIV-infected women are at risk of poor adjustment, Puerto Rican women may be especially vulnerable. They also point to the need for future research to determine what factors in these women's lives are predictive of adjustment, especially those factors amenable to intervention. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Particle dynamics description of “BGK collisions” as a Poisson process

[1] The Gordeyev integral for plasma particles colliding with neutrals is obtained using a particle dynamics formalism in which the collisions are modeled as a discrete Poisson process. The result leads to an electron density fluctuation spectrum model for partially ionized plasmas which is identical with the spectral model obtained from BGK plasma kinetic equations. This isomorphism between the Poisson process and the BGK operator is analogous to a similar relation between the Brownian motion process and the Fokker-Planck operator with constant coefficients. We take advantage of this analogy to derive a collisional ISR spectrum model that takes into account collisions with both neutrals and charged species.
Obsidian types from Holocene sites around Lake Turkana, and other localities in northern Kenya

Obsidian has been widely used by early Holocene hunter-gatherers and succeeding Pastoral Neolithic peoples in northern Kenya. Here we report the results of over 2000 electron microprobe analyses of artifactual and non-artifactual obsidian from the greater Lake Turkana region. Of the 15 compositional types of obsidian observed, a preponderant type is widespread across the region from the Barrier in the south to Ileret in the north and east as far as Kargi. This obsidian is the principal type at Lowasera and most Pastoral Neolithic sites, including the Jarigole Pillar site and Dongodien (GaJi4). The source of this obsidian is not known, but based on its distribution the source may be located on the Barrier or in the Suguta Valley immediately to the south of Lake Turkana. Although there are several possible sources of local obsidian identified for minor types, in stark contrast to the central part of the Kenyan Rift, major sources of obsidian available for artifact manufacture are not known in the Lake Turkana region. The lack of obsidian from demonstrable Ethiopian Rift and central Kenyan Rift sources, and the absence of obsidian with compositions found at the Turkana area sites in assemblages in the central part of the Kenyan Rift suggests that the earlier Pastoral Neolithic peoples around Lake Turkana interacted with each other, but perhaps not as strongly with people farther south along the Rift Valley, even as herding practices were expanding to the southward into central Kenya.