cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Force Dynamics in Languages and Cognition

Abstract “Force dynamics” refers to a previously neglected semantic category—how entities interact with respect to force. This category includes such concepts as: the exertion of force, resistance to such exertion and the overcoming of such resistance, blockage of a force and the removal of such blockage, and so forth. Force dynamics is a generalization over the traditional linguistic notion of “causative”: it analyzes “causing” into finer primitives and sets it naturally within a framework that also includes “letting,” “hindering,” “helping,” and still further notions. Force dynamics, moreover, appears to be the semantic category that uniquely characterizes the grammatical category of modals, in both their basic and epistemic usages. In addition, on the basis of force dynamic parameters, numerous lexical items fall into systematic semantic patterns, and there exhibit parallelisms between physical and psychosocial reference. Further, from research on the relation of semantic structure to general cognitive structure, it appears that the concepts of force interaction that are encoded within language closely parallel concepts that appear both in early science and in naive physics and psychology. Overall, force dynamics thus emerges as a fundamental notional system that structures conceptual material pertaining to force interaction in a common way across a linguistic range: the physical, psychological, social, inferential, discourse, and mental-model domains of reference and conception.
A gynecology department breast clinic: The first year

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the experience of the Emory University Gynecology Breast Clinic at Grady Hospital in 1993 from its inception on January 15, 1993 through December 31, 1993. The study is a retrospective chart review of 308 women, either self-referred or referred by the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, who were evaluated for complaints of pain, breast mass, nipple discharge, skin changes, or abnormal mammography. The patient population was a young one, with an average age of 37.7 years. One hundred fifteen (37.3%) of the patients had a normal examination, with only reassurances given and no follow-up needed. A total of 129 patients had palpable masses, and 96 fineneedle aspirations were performed. Numerous different benign lesions were diagnosed, but in our clinic only three of 308 patients were subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer. In our institution, the patients referred to the Gynecology Breast Clinic suffered predominately from benign lesions and physiologic complaints. Therefore, although risk factor assessment for breast cancer is important, and gynecology resident knowledge and understanding of the diagnosis of breast cancer is paramount, the population served by this clinic necessitates knowledge and expertise in the treatment of benign breast conditions.
Lipid-assisted formation and dispersion of aqueous and bilayer-embedded nano-C60.

Lipid assemblies provide a biocompatible approach for preparing aqueous nanoparticles. In this work, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) was used to assist in the formation and dispersion of C60 and nano-C60 aggregates using a modified reverse phase evaporation (REV) method. This method led to the rapid formation of aqueous nano-C60 at DPPC/C60 molar ratios from 500:1 to 100:1 (12−38 nm; verified by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy), which were present in the bulk phase and encapsulated within vesicles. In addition to forming nanoparticles, C60 was trapped within the vesicle bilayer and led to a reduction in the lipid melting temperature. Solvent extraction was used to isolate nano-C60 from the lipids and bilayer-embedded C60. Our results suggest that bilayer-embedded C60 was present as molecular C60 and as small amorphous nano-C60 (2.3 ± 0.4 nm), which clustered in the aqueous phase after the lipids were extracted. In addition to developing a new technique for nano-C60 formation, our results ...
Computer Applications to Fermentation Processes

(1984). Computer Applications to Fermentation Processes. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1-103.
The promise of microfluidic artificial lungs

Microfluidic or microchannel artificial lungs promise to enable a new class of truly portable, therapeutic artificial lungs through feature sizes and blood channel designs that closely mimic those found in their natural counterpart. These new artificial lungs could potentially: 1) have surface areas and priming volumes that are a fraction of current technologies thereby decreasing device size and reducing the foreign body response; 2) contain blood flow networks in which cells and platelets experience pressures, shear stresses, and branching angles that copy those in the human lung thereby improving biocompatibility; 3) operate efficiently with room air, eliminating the need for gas cylinders and complications associated with hyperoxemia; 4) exhibit biomimetic hydraulic resistances, enabling operation with natural pressures and eliminating the need for blood pumps; and, 5) provide increased gas exchange capacity enabling respiratory support for active patients. This manuscript reviews recent research efforts in microfluidic artificial lungs targeted at achieving the advantages above, investigates the ultimate performance and scaling limits of these devices using a proven mathematical model, and discusses the future challenges that must be overcome in order for microfluidic artificial lungs to be applied in the clinic. If all of these promising advantages are realized and the remaining challenges are met, microfluidic artificial lungs could revolutionize the field of pulmonary rehabilitation.
Prostaglandin H synthase: distinct binding sites for cyclooxygenase and peroxidase substrates.

Abstract Prostaglandin H synthase has two distinct catalytic activities: a cyclooxygenase activity that forms prostaglandin G 2 from arachidonic acid; and a peroxidase activity that reduces prostaglandin G 2 to prostaglandin H 2 . Lipid hydroperoxides, such as prostaglandin G 2 , also initiate the cyclooxygenase reaction, probably via peroxidase reaction cycle enzyme intermediates. The relation between the binding sites for lipid substrates of the two activities was investigated with an analysis of the effects of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids on the reaction kinetics of the peroxidase activity, and their effects on the ability of a lipid hydroperoxide to initiate the cyclooxygenase reaction. The cyclooxygenase activity of pure ovine synthase was found to have an apparent K m value for arachidonate of 5.3 μ m and a K i value (competetive inhibitor) for docosahexaenoate of 5.2 μ m . When present at 20 μ m neither fatty acid had a significant effect on the apparent K m value of the peroxidase for 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid: the values were 7.6 μ m in the absence of docosahexaenoic acid and 5.9 μ m in its presence, and (using aspirin-treated synthase) 13.7 μ m in the absence of arachidonic acid and 15.7 μ m in its presence. Over a range of 1 to 110 μ m the level of arachidonate had no significant effect on the initiation of the cyclooxygenase reaction by 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid. The inability of either arachidonic acid or docosahexaenoic acid to interfere with the interaction between the peroxidase and lipid hydroperoxides indicates that the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities of prostaglandin H synthase have distinct binding sites for their lipid substrates.
Photon occupation numbers in black body radiation

It is shown that the total number of photons per unit cell of phase space, either within a black body radiation field or in the far-field of a black body source, is always of order unity.
As Simple as ARB: Angiotensin II Subtype 1 Receptor Update

Angiotensin AT1 receptors (AT1R) mediate largely detrimental actions leading to hypertension. This article summarizes recent advances in our understanding of AT1R function, including the importance of local tissue renin-angiotensin systems (RASs) in the development of cardiovascular disease, the emerging importance of intracellular RASs, the role of reactive oxygen species in AT1R actions, AT1R-oxidated low-density lipoprotein interactions in atherosclerosis, ligand-independent AT1R activation, AT1R-activating autoantibodies, AT1R-associated proteins, and AT1R dimerization and cross talk. Promising areas for future AT1R research are identified.
Economic Factors that Influence Educational Performance in Rural Schools

This paper examines the value that young people in rural areas place on education. It employs survey data of over 700 youths in four central Appalachian school districts, OLS regression techniques, and an ordered probit model in a human capital framework. Students who are less willing to move and who have less positive perceptions of local employment opportunities will have less positive attitudes toward education and will perform more poorly in school. Those who are more willing to move place a higher value on education and perceive education as a means of leaving the rural community.
Complete plastid genome sequence of the chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and the phylogenetic distribution of rps12 and clpP intron losses among legumes (Leguminosae).

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum, Leguminosae), an important grain legume, is widely used for food and fodder throughout the world. We sequenced the complete plastid genome of chickpea, which is 125,319 bp in size, and contains only one copy of the inverted repeat (IR). The genome encodes 108 genes, including 4 rRNAs, 29 tRNAs, and 75 proteins. The genes rps16, infA, and ycf4 are absent in the chickpea plastid genome, and ndhB has an internal stop codon in the 5′exon, similar to other legumes. Two genes have lost their introns, one in the 3′exon of the transpliced gene rps12, and the one between exons 1 and 2 of clpP; this represents the first documented case of the loss of introns from both of these genes in the same plastid genome. An extensive phylogenetic survey of these intron losses was performed on 302 taxa across legumes and the related family Polygalaceae. The clpP intron has been lost exclusively in taxa from the temperate “IR-lacking clade” (IRLC), whereas the rps12 intron has been lost in most members of the IRLC (with the exception of Wisteria, Callerya, Afgekia, and certain species of Millettia, which represent the earliest diverging lineages of this clade), and in the tribe Desmodieae, which is closely related to the tribes Phaseoleae and Psoraleeae. Data provided here suggest that the loss of the rps12 intron occurred after the loss of the IR. The two new genomic changes identified in the present study provide additional support of the monophyly of the IR-loss clade, and resolution of the pattern of the earliest-branching lineages in this clade. The availability of the complete chickpea plastid genome sequence also provides valuable information on intergenic spacer regions among legumes and endogenous regulatory sequences for plastid genetic engineering.
Who will prescribe? A proposal for specialized opioid management clinics.

Abstract: There is currently no uniform system of providing care for patients with chronic nonmalignant pain who require ongoing opioid maintenance therapy. Some patients receive care in a general practice setting, while others are managed in pain clinics where opioid management is only one of many services provided. Current events involving increased abuse and diversion of opioid medications suggest the need for improved case management and coordination when opioids are used for chronic nonmalignant pain. Based on the model of anticoagulation clinics, the author proposes the development of specialized opioid management clinics. These clinics would: 1) evaluate patient-specific risks and benefits of therapy; 2) supervise the mechanics of opioid prescribing; 3) provide systematic and secure monitoring of patient adherence to therapy; 4) assess goals of therapy and progress towards them; 5) coordinate opioid treatment with other pain-related treatment; 6) supply education to patients, family members and caregivers about the appropriate use of opioids; 7) maintain communication with other caregivers and pharmacists; and 8) provide regular psychological assistance and support for patients.
Laser ablation (imaging) for mapping and determining Se and S in sunflower leaves

Qualitative and quantitative methods were developed for selenium and sulphur mapping/quantification in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) leaves. The plants were grown for 50 days in a greenhouse, being divided into two groups, one irrigated with only deionized water and the other treated with a daily dose of 7.58 mg of Na2SeO3. Leaves were collected during the growth period for directly evaluating the distribution of Se and S in these structures. For quantification analysis, pellets were produced from both CRM (100 and 1575a for Se and S, respectively) and the sunflower materials. The pellets were doped with 25 and 1200 μg g−1 Se and 5 and 20 mg g−1 S and analyzed by LA-ICP-MS. For accuracy purposes all the samples were also decomposed via microwave and analyzed by ICP-MS. To avoid polyatomic interferences Se and S were monitored as SeO+ and SO+ at m/z 96 and 48, respectively, 12C+ was used as an internal standard, and the ratios between SeO+/C+ and SO+/C+ were used for measurements. Statistic tests (t test at 95% confidence level) confirming good agreement between LA-ICP-MS and ICP-MS indicated the accuracy of this technique.
Down with diversity (at least some of it): a case for cultural identity

Analyses the power of cultural identity and its role in society. Considers the issue of diversity and its role in the building of unified communities, both within organizations and society at large.
Generation-recombination noise and capture cross-sections in p-type gold-doped germanium

Abstract Generation-recombination noise in semiconductors arises from a modulation of the conductivity by random thermal fluctuations of the charge carriers between the valence (or conduction) band and the impurity levels. With certain impurities, such as gold in germanium, it is possible to have two interacting levels simultaneously contributing to the noise. We have studied two samples of gold-doped germanium in the temperature range 90°–100°K. In one sample, the Fermi level lies midway between the 0.041 eV donor level and the 0.145 eV acceptor level, so that the noise spectrum simultaneously exhibits relaxation times characteristic of both levels. In the second sample, the Fermi level is locked on the gold acceptor level. A straight-forward theory has been developed, capable of satisfactorily accounting, in general, for all of the observed noise in interacting two-impurity level systems of this type. Estimates of the total capture cross-sections of free holes by the 0.041 eV donor level and the 0.145 eV acceptor level in p -type gold-doped germanium of σ D = 3.7 × 10 −18 cm −2 and σ A = 1.5 × 10 −12 cm 2 have been obtained, in qualitative agreement with other independent measurements. Further, the results indicate some interesting possibilities regarding the existence of excited gold center states and their effect on the generation-recombination process.
Composite Representation of a Multireservoir Hydroelectric Power System

A composite model for multireservoir hydroelectric power systems is constructed for studying the monthly decision conceming total hydrogeneration. This is an important decision when the inflows are uncertain and when hydro, with zero marginal cost, can be used not only to satisfy firm load commitments but also to displace other firm resources or to serve secondary loads. In such a case, the tradeoff between savings at the present and expected benefits in the future is determined mainly by the total hydrogeneration. The construction of a composite representation for the multireservoir hydroelectric power system in the Pacific Northwest is described. The composite model is based on a single measure "potential energy" which is indicative of the system's generating capability. This results in a one-dam representation of the multireservoir system which, in effect, receives, stores, and releases potential energy, in a statistical model for the potential energy inflow and in a generation function which relates potential energy released to actual electric power generated. It has applications in the study of different operating policies, market structures, and investment programs through simulation or optimization. As an example, it is used to obtain the net operating revenues as a function of the excess thermal in the system.
A July Spike in Fatal Medication Errors: A Possible Effect of New Medical Residents

BACKGROUND Each July thousands begin medical residencies and acquire increased responsibility for patient care. Many have suggested that these new medical residents may produce errors and worsen patient outcomes—the so-called “July Effect;” however, we have found no U.S. evidence documenting this effect.
Poetics of diaspora: Sahrawi poets and postcolonial transformations of a trans-Saharan genre in northwest Africa

The oral poetic tradition in Hassaniya Arabic emerged as a distinct trans-Saharan genre in present-day Mauritania in the pre-colonial era, fusing stylistic features of classical Arabic poetry with the musical heritage and griot1 traditions of neighbouring sub-Saharan cultures. As a popular musical art performed in a colloquial dialect, Hassani poetry is accessible to a range of social classes, and mastery of composition signifies linguistic prowess and social prestige. Drawing on ethnographic research with male and female Sahrawi poets in 2006–07, this article traces the roots of oral poetry in Hassaniya-speaking communities in northwest Africa and discusses recent shifts in modes of transmission, performance contexts, and poetic content. While the proliferation of new media has decreased the apprenticeship of younger poets, Hassani poetry has maintained an active following among mixed age groups. In the context of the protracted international conflict over the Western Sahara, the genre has gained new vis...
Surgical Treatments for Seizure: Adaptability for Dogs

Surgical treatments are often used for human epileptics who are refractory to more conventional anticonvulsant therapies. The goals of surgery are to decrease seizure morbidity or, ideally, bring about a cure to the seizure disorder. As a sizable subpopulation of dogs with seizures are also refractory to currently available anticonvulsant therapies, consideration has been given to evaluating alternative treatments for seizures in dogs. This article discusses the adaptability of surgical treatments used in humans for use in seizure control in affected dogs.
Lossless packet switching with small buffers

The amount of buffering required by a packet switch is affected by the burstiness of the data stream. Even if the data stream is uniform at its source, the stream may become bursty as it passes through switches and is subject to contention with other data streams. For a network of output buffered switches, if the incoming data streams are periodic, then the streams emerging from the switches after contention are also periodic. By imposing a period on the network, a packet switch can be designed that is lossless even when each input channel operates at its maximum rate, provided that no output channel is overloaded. Such a switch requires relatively small buffers, smaller than the buffers required by a comparable switch with Poisson arrivals. It is also shown that the use of reserved time slots limits the buffering requirements over a sequence of connection establishments and terminations.
Influence of olefin coordination on cyclopropanation selectivity

Abstract Catalyst-dependent differences in regioselectivity for cyclopropanation result from the degree of charge development in the transition state rather than from intramolecular collapse of a coordinated olefin.
Characterizing Peptide Neutral Losses Induced by Negative Electron-Transfer Dissociation (NETD)

We implemented negative electron-transfer dissociation (NETD) on a hybrid ion trap/Orbitrap mass spectrometer to conduct ion/ion reactions using peptide anions and radical reagent cations. In addition to sequence-informative ladders of a•- and x-type fragment ions, NETD generated intense neutral loss peaks corresponding to the entire or partial side-chain cleavage from amino acids constituting a given peptide. Thus, a critical step towards the characterization of this recently introduced fragmentation technique is a systematic study of synthetic peptides to identify common neutral losses and preferential fragmentation pathways. Examining 46 synthetic peptides with high mass accuracy and high resolution analysis permitted facile determination of the chemical composition of each neutral loss. We identified 19 unique neutral losses from 14 amino acids and three modified amino acids, and assessed the specificity and sensitivity of each neutral loss using a database of 1542 confidently identified peptides generated from NETD shotgun experiments employing high-pH separations and negative electrospray ionization. As residue-specific neutral losses indicate the presence of certain amino acids, we determined that many neutral losses have potential diagnostic utility. We envision this catalogue of neutral losses being incorporated into database search algorithms to improve peptide identification specificity and to further advance characterization of the acidic proteome.
INJURY-INDUCED CNS PLASTICITY: A SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC RESPONSE IN HIPPOCAMPAL SPROUTING

The following article has been taken from Dr. Morse's dissertation. The combination of the introduction and the experiment of interest is too long for a single article so we have broken it down into two parts. Part I will discuss and define plasticity in general and in the Hippocampus specifically. We will also discuss Hippocampal anatomy during development and in the adult. Finally we will discuss hormones and their role in central nervous system (CNS) anatomy and plasticity. Part II will present the final experiment of this dissertation which directly relates to the background information in part I.
Investigating teleconnection drivers of bivariate heat waves in Florida using extreme value analysis

Maximum and minimum daily temperatures from the second half of the twentieth century are examined using a high resolution dataset of 833 grid cells across the state of Florida. A bivariate extreme value analysis point process approach is used to model characteristics including the frequency, magnitude, duration, and timing of periods or heat waves during which both daily maximum and minimum temperatures exceed their respective 90th percentile thresholds. The temperature dataset is combined with indices of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Atlantic multi-decadal oscillation (AMO) to explore the influence of these oscillations on heat wave characteristics in Florida. In order to investigate the influence of a time varying signal (ENSO and AMO) on heat waves the signals are introduced into non-stationary models as covariates in the location and log-transformed scale parameters. The improvements to the model obtained by introducing covariates are examined using the deviance statistic whereby the difference in negative log-likelihood values between two models is tested for significance using a Chi squared distribution. Significant improvements in the non-stationary models with ENSO and AMO covariates indicate spatially varying impacts in the frequency, magnitude, and duration of heat waves. In particular, the warm phase of the AMO brings heat waves earlier in the summertime while also increasing their magnitude, frequency, and duration.
Numerical modeling of inhomogeneously pumped circular-grating distributed feedback (DFB) lasers

We report on the spectral properties of an inhomogeneously-pumped circular-grating distributed-feedback semiconductor laser. Numerically modeling the exact coupled-mode equations, we find that, in comparison with the homogeneous case, a Gaussian optical pump results in greater azimuthal mode discrimination, a broader multi-mode spectral envelope, and a wider fundamental linewidth.
Central Pain Sensitization, COMT Val158Met Polymorphism, and Emotional Factors in Fibromyalgia

Abstract Neurobiological evidence points to altered central nervous system processing of nociceptive stimuli in fibromyalgia. Enzymes like catechol- O -methyl-transferase (COMT) are involved in the elimination of catecholamines playing a possible role in central sensitization and pain. We used quantitative sensory testing to evidence central sensitization in fibromyalgia patients and test whether COMTVal158Met polymorphism, associated with a reduction in enzyme activity, plays a role in sensitized patients. Pain evaluation and quantitative sensory testing were performed including the spinal nociceptive flexion reflex, a physiologic correlate for the evaluation of central nociceptive pathways. Quality of life and distress questionnaires were used. A total of 137 fibromyalgia patients were assessed and compared to 99 matched controls. Central sensitization (nociceptive flexion reflex P = .033), with the Met/Met (mean = 17.8 ± 4.8 mA) and Val/Val (mean = 21.4 ± 4.6 mA) subgroups at the opposite ends of the nociceptive flexion reflex threshold (Met/Met vs Val/Val P = .015) and the Val/Met subgroup (mean = 19 ± 4.9 mA) in between (Val/Met vs Val/Val P = .041). Spontaneous moderate to severe pain was more likely to be associated with COMT Met/Met genotype. Patients showed important emotional distress compared to controls. In sensitized patients, the COMT Met/Met subgroup showed systematically—though not significantly—worse scores for all psychological variables. Perspective The association between COMT p.Val158Met polymorphism and central sensitization in fibromyalgia is essential as it refers to the severity of central sensitization and may be a risk factor for treatment outcome.
Glycine transporter 1 modulates GABA release from amacrine cells by controlling occupancy of coagonist binding site of NMDA receptors

The occupancy of coagonist binding sites of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) by glycine or d-serine has been thought to mediate NMDAR-dependent excitatory signaling, as simultaneous binding of glutamate and a coagonist is obligatory for NMDAR activation. Amacrine cells (ACs) mediating GABAergic feedback inhibition of mixed bipolar cells (Mbs) in the goldfish retina have been shown to express NMDARs. Here we studied whether NMDAR-mediated GABAergic inhibitory currents (IGABA) recorded from the axon terminals of Mbs are influenced by experimental manipulations altering retinal glycine and d-serine levels. Feedback IGABA in Mb axon terminals was triggered by focal NMDA application or by synaptically released glutamate from depolarized Mb terminals. In both cases, blocking the coagonist binding sites of NMDARs eliminated the NMDAR-dependent IGABA, demonstrating that coagonist binding is critical in mediating NMDAR activity-triggered GABA release. Glycine transporter 1 (GLYT1) inhibition increased IGABA, indicating that coagonist binding sites of NMDARs on ACs providing GABAergic feedback inhibition to Mbs were not saturated. Focal glycine application, in the presence of the ionotropic glycine receptor blocker strychnine, triggered a GLYT1-dependent current in ACs, suggesting that GLYT1 expressed by putative glycinergic ACs controls the saturation level of NMDARs' coagonist sites. External d-serine also increased NMDAR activation-triggered IGABA in Mbs, further substantiating that the coagonist sites were unsaturated. Together, our findings demonstrate that coagonist modulation of glutamatergic input to GABAergic ACs via NMDARs is strongly reflected in the AC neuronal output (i.e., transmitter release) and thus is critical in GABAergic signal transfer function in the inner retina.
Silipramine and related derivatives

A series of new 10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]silepins are prepared from the reaction o,o′-dilithiobibenzyl with the chlorosilanes HSiCl3, ClCH2CH2CH2SiCl3, MeSiHCl2 and MeSi(CH2CH2CH2Br)Cl2. The only isolated silepin product produced from HSiCl3 is the spiro derivative. The silepin product produced from MeSiHCl2 reacts with N,N-dimethylallylamine in the presence of H2PtCl6 to give silipramine, a tricyclic derivative which is related to the clinically effective antidepressant, imipramine. The silepin produced from (o-LiC6H4CH2)2 and MeSi(CH2CH2CH2Br)Cl2 was converted to the diethylaminopropyl derivatives as well as the unsaturated analog. 10-Bromo-5,5-dimethyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]silepin reacts with N-methylpiperazine to give the 10-(N-methylpiperazinyl)substituted product but with competing dehydrobromination which is the predominant reaction with 2-dimethylaminoethanol.
Mailed survey follow-ups--are postcard reminders more cost-effective than second questionnaires?

Finding cost-effective ways to increase response to mailed surveys is a concern for many nurse researchers. This study compared two follow-up methods: sending a second questionnaire packet versus sending a reminder postcard to those who did not respond to an initial mailing. Although the second questionnaire yielded a higher response than did the postcard, the cost per additional response was approximately 21/2 times higher for the questionnaire than for the postcard when the differential cost of the two mailings is considered.
Effect of growth parameters on refractive index and film composition of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon oxynitride films

The importance of silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) for optoelectronic device applications is ever increasing owing to its tunable refractive index. In this research, the influence of deposition conditions on film properties, correlated with film composition and bonding, have been investigated. Thick SiOxNy films were deposited in a plasma enehanced chemical vapor deposition reactor using silane (SiH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) as precursor gases. To investigate the influence of deposition conditions on film properties, three different parameters were studied; gas flow ratio, RF plasma mixed frequency ratio and RF power. Several different SiOxNy films were deposited at varying conditions. The temperature and pressure were maintained at 350°C and 1 Torr during all the experimental runs. The films were characterized for refractive index, growth rate and residual stress. The refractive index and the thickness of the films were measured using a prism-coupling technique. For composition analysis, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies and elastic recoil detection analysis were undertaken. The materials analysis was used to determine the correlation between growth parameters and material chemistry. In addition, the correlation between material chemistry and refractive index was also investigated.
Readability of Computer-Generated Fill-Justified Text

This paper describes two studies designed to explore the effects of reading fill-justified text on reading speed and comprehension. A common contemporary practice is to use the power of microcomputer-based processors to produce printed material that is fill justified(i.e., both left and right margins are straight). Fill justification is frequently accomplished by inserting varying numbers of extra spaces between words. Both studies compared the reading speed of two groups, one that read a fill-justified passage and the other that read the same passage printed with a ragged right margin. Comprehension was investigated in the one study by comparing performance on a test made up of recognition questions; in the other, performance was compared on recall questions. Results indicate significant increase in reading time (that is, slower reading speed) for groups reading fill-justified text. No differences in comprehension were detected.
Liver fibrosis in adults with Fontan palliation: Do common screening studies predict disease severity?

a Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA b Wexner Medical Center/The Ohio State University, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, 370 West 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA c Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University, The Columbus Ohio Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (COACH), The Heart Center, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA d Wexner Medical Center/The Ohio State University, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, 370 West 9th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
A review on regional dynamical downscaling in intraseasonal to seasonal simulation/prediction and major factors that affect downscaling ability

Abstract Regional climate models (RCMs) have been developed and extensively applied for dynamically downscaling coarse resolution information from different sources, such as general circulation models (GCMs) and reanalyses, for different purposes including past climate simulations and future climate projection. Thus far, the nature, the methods, and a number of crucial issues concerning the use of dynamic downscaling are still not well understood. The most important issue is whether, and if so, under what conditions dynamic downscaling is really capable of adding more information at different scales compared to the GCM or reanalysis that imposes lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) to the RCMs. There are controversies regarding the downscaling ability. In this review paper we present several factors that have consistently demonstrated strong impact on dynamic downscaling ability in intraseasonal and seasonal simulations/predictions and future projection. Those factors include setting of the RCM experiment (e.g. imposed LBC quality, domain size and position, LBC coupling, and horizontal resolution); as well as physical processes, mainly convective schemes and vegetation and soil processes that include initializations, vegetation specifications, and planetary boundary layer and surface coupling. These studies indicate that RCMs have downscaling ability in some aspects but only under certain conditions. Any significant weaknesses in one of these aspects would cause an RCM to lose its dynamic downscaling ability. This paper also briefly presents challenges faced in current RCM dynamic downscaling and future prospective, which cover the application of coupled ocean–atmosphere RCMs, ensemble applications, and future projections.
High gain feedback systems as singular singular-perterbation problems

Abstract : As an example of a singular perturbation problem, we solve the high gain system dx/dt = A(t)x + B(t)u, u = gC(t)x as g = 1/mu goes to infinity. Our primary assumption requires BC to have fixed rank k n and no unstable eigenvalues. We find an asymptotic solution of the form x(t, mu = X(t, mu) + Pi(tau, mu) where tha fast transient Pi goes to 0 as tau = t/mu goes to infinity. (Author)
Dynamics Characterization of Coupled-Inductor Boost DC-DC Converters

Dynamic characterization of the coupled-inductor boost DC-DC converter is presented. Operating of the converter in both continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous continuous conduction mode (DCM) are studied. A state variable equivalent to the inductor core magnetic flux is defined to avoid the problem with using the discontinuous inductor current as a state variable. Dynamic model of the converter under peak-current control is also developed. Control to output transfer functions are calculated for all the dynamic models and are validated by experimental measurements. A comparison to the conventional boost converter is provided
Spatial Reasoning With External Visualizations: What Matters Is What You See, Not Whether You Interact

Three experiments examined the effects of interactive visualizations and spatial abilities on a task requiring participants to infer and draw cross sections of a three-dimensional (3D) object. The experiments manipulated whether participants could interactively control a virtual 3D visualization of the object while performing the task, and compared participants who were allowed interactive control of the visualization to those who were not allowed control. In Experiment 1, interactivity produced better performance than passive viewing, but the advantage of interactivity disappeared in Experiment 2 when visual input for the two conditions in a yoked design was equalized. In Experiments 2 and 3, differences in how interactive participants manipulated the visualization were large and related to performance. In Experiment 3, non-interactive participants who watched optimal movements of the display performed as well as interactive participants who manipulated the visualization effectively and better than interactive participants who manipulated the visualization ineffectively. Spatial ability made an independent contribution to performance on the spatial reasoning task, but did not predict patterns of interactive behavior. These experiments indicate that providing participants with active control of a computer visualization does not necessarily enhance task performance, whereas seeing the most task-relevant information does, and this is true regardless of whether the task-relevant information is obtained actively or passively.
Analyzing affective constructs: emotions ‘n attitudes

We analyze the relationship between a variety of affective constructs that have been researched, as it is not clear what is the breadth of affecitve variables to model --- which constructs are equivalent, related, or unrelated.
Post-Katrina stabilization of the LSU/Ochsner Psychiatry Residency Program: caveats for disaster preparedness.

Objective The Louisiana Health Science Center/Ochsner Hospital psychiatric residency was displaced in August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina to multiple state hospitals and clinics throughout Louisiana. The program encountered many difficulties and learned many lessons about disaster preparedness.
Nonuniform Manual Scanning for Rapid Microwave Nondestructive Evaluation Imaging

Wideband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technique is a robust imaging tool for microwave and millimeter-wave imaging such as nondestructive evaluation applications. In this paper, we present an alternative method to conventional raster scanning involving manually selected and nonuniformly distributed measurement positions, enabling the production of complete SAR images—potentially using only a fraction of the conventionally required measured data. The user is kept informed throughout the scanning process by a stream of real-time SAR images. Finally, data reconstruction algorithms are used offline to produce high-quality images with considerably lower background noise and image artifacts as compared to the real-time images. We also introduce a novel reconstruction method that uses the components of the SAR algorithm to advantageously exploit the inherent spatial information contained in the data, resulting in a superior data reconstruction and final SAR image. This paper presents the measurement methodology along with the images obtained from three different specimens of increasing geometrical complexity.
Stress-controlled elastic granular shear flows

While many rheological studies are performed at a fixed concentration, most granular flows are constrained, not by concentration, but by an applied stress. The stress constraint sets the average concentration, but the material is free to vary that concentration slightly to match the applied stress with that generated internally. This study examines stress-controlled systems in light of recent findings that the elastic properties of the particles appear as constitutive parameters even in flowing situations. Stress-controlled flows are shown to behave very differently from flows at fixed concentration. In particular, if the stress is fixed and the shear rate is slowly increased, the flow exhibits the expected progression from elastic-quasi-static to elastic-inertial to inertial flow - a sequence opposite to that followed in fixed-concentration flows. Thus system-scale constraints can have a profound effect on granular rheology.
Non-kinematic errors in robot manipulators

The ability of a robot manipulator to position its end-effector accurately depends not only on kinematic modeling of the robot but also on the dynamic execution of the transformation between end-effector coordinates and joint coordinates. The authors examine errors associated with various approaches of motion trajectory generation and evaluate them statistically. Two approaches to controlling errors are considered: VAL, which has been developed by them, and resolved motion rate control (RMRC), which is due to D.E. Whitney (1986). >
Glycine transport accounts for the differential role of glycine vs. D-serine at NMDA receptor coagonist sites in the salamander retina.

In this study, we demonstrate that D-serine interacts with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonist sites of retinal ganglion cells of the tiger salamander retina by showing that exogenous D-serine overcomes the competitive antagonism of 7-chlorokynurenic acid for this site. Additionally, we show that exogenous D-serine was more than 30 times as effective at potentiating NMDAR currents compared with glycine. We thus examined the importance of glycine transport through the application of selective antagonists of the GlyT1 (NFPS) and GlyT2 (ALX-5670) transport systems, while simultaneously evaluating the degree of occupancy of the NMDAR coagonist binding sites. Analysis was carried out with electrophysiological recordings from the inner retina, including whole-cell recordings from retinal ganglion cells and extracellular recordings of the proximal negative field potential. Blocking the GlyT2 transport system had no effect on the light-evoked NMDAR currents or on the sensitivity of these currents to exogenous D-serine. In contrast, when the GlyT1 system was blocked, the coagonist sites of NMDARs showed full occupancy. These findings clearly establish the importance of the GlyT1 transporter as an essential component for maintaining the coagonist sites of NMDARs in a non-saturated state. The normal, unsaturated state of the NMDAR coagonist binding sites allows modulation of the NMDAR currents, by release of either D-serine or glycine. These results are discussed in light of contemporary findings which favor D-serine over glycine as the major coagonist of the NMDARs found in ganglion cells of the tiger salamander retina.
Experimental demonstration of thin-film dispersion compensation for 50-GHz filters

Dispersion management is critical for next-generation high-bandwidth-utilization fiber-optical networks. Square-top thin-film bandpass filters for 50-GHz dense wavelength-division multiplexing inherently have high chromatic dispersion (CD) in transmission. The imparted dispersion power penalty on the network is undesirable. However, a second thin-film filter, operating in reflection, can be designed to compensate the CD of the bandpass filter. In this paper we demonstrate experimentally the reduction of the intrinsic CD of a 50-GHz thin-film coupler from /spl plusmn/170 ps/nm to /spl plusmn/50 ps/nm over a 30-GHz passband, through the use of such a cascaded thin-film compensator. Network simulations based on filter performance confirm the reduced dispersion power penalty of the cascade over the individual filter.
Acute postoperative pain management in the older patient

Acute pain management in the older adult is both challenging and rewarding. This review addresses the difficulty with assessment of pain in the older adult, variations in the pain experience of older adults, physiological differences between the young and old, changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics with age, and useful pharmacological treatments for acute pain in older adults. It then presents a few representative cases of pain management in older adults. The goal of this review is to provide relevant information that can be used to manage acute postoperative pain in the older adult.
Get off my prefix! the need for dynamic, gerontocratic policies in inter-domain routing

Inter-domain routing in today's Internet is plagued by security and reliability issues (e.g., prefix hijacking), which are often caused by malicious or Byzantine misbehavior. We argue that route selection policies must move beyond static preferences that select routes on the basis of static attributes such as route length or which neighboring AS is advertising the route. We prove that route convergence in the presence of Byzantine misbehavior requires that the route selection metric include the dynamics of route updates as a primary component. We then describe a class of simple dynamic policies which consider the observed “ages” of routes. These gerontocratic policies can be combined with static preferences and implemented without major infrastructural changes. They guarantee convergence when adopted universally, without sacrificing most of the flexibility that autonomous systems enjoy in route selection. We empirically demonstrate that even if adopted unilaterally by a single autonomous system, gerontocratic policies yield significantly more stable routes, are more effective at avoiding prefix hijacks, and are as responsive to legitimate route changes as other policies.
Asymptotic Tracking for Uncertain Dynamic Systems via a Multilayer NN Feedforward and RISE Feedback Control Structure

The use of a neural network (NN) as a feedforward control element to compensate for nonlinear system uncertainties has been investigated for over a decade. Typical NN-based controllers yield uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) stability results due to residual functional reconstruction inaccuracies and an inability to compensate for some system disturbances. Several researchers have proposed discontinuous feedback controllers (e.g., variable structure or sliding mode controllers) to reject the residual errors and yield asymptotic results. The research in this paper describes how a recently developed continuous robust integral of the sign of the error (RISE) feedback term can be incorporated with a NN-based feedforward term to achieve semi-global asymptotic tracking. To achieve this result, the typical stability analysis for the RISE method is modified to enable the incorporation of the NN-based feedforward terms, and a projection algorithm is developed to guarantee bounded NN weight estimates.
Nesting Ecology of the American Crocodile in the Coastal Zone of Belize

Abstract We conducted a study of American Crocodile nesting ecology in coastal Belize from June 1996 to July 1997. Most nesting areas were found on elevated beach ridges composed of coarse sand. Shallow, brackish lagoons adjacent to nesting areas provide critical nursery habitat for hatchlings. The most significant nesting areas were found in the Turneffe Atoll. American crocodiles construct both hole and mound nests in Belize. Clutches are deposited during the last half of the dry season, from late March to early May. Mean clutch size is 22.3 ± 6.0 eggs. Hatching occurred from late June to mid-July, a period coinciding with the beginning of the wet season. Nesting success was high, and losses to predation and flooding were negligible. Females may defend nests from predators and excavate neonates at hatching, but otherwise parental care appears minimal. The protection of suitable nesting and nursery habitat is essential for the continued survival of the American crocodile in Belize.
(U,Zr)C-graphite fuel for TREAT converter studies

Improved test facilities are required for safety studies of liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) fuel bundles. The objectives for such a test facility can be obtained by installing a converter section in the central region of the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) core to provide a hardened neutron spectrum around the test section containing the large cluster of LMFBR fuel pins. The expertise gained at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in the Rover fuel element development program was extended to fabricate (U,Zr)C-graphite composite fuel rods for scoping studies of candidate fuels. Selected properties determined for the carbide-graphite composite fuel rods provided for the first scoping test indicate that they are definitely a candidate fuel for a TREAT converter. (auth)