cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smart fault indicators for advanced outage management of distribution systems

Distribution utilities are faced with stringent regulatory requirements to improve system reliability and resilience against power outages. To reduce outage time and protect power apparatuses, smart fault indicators (SFI) with communication capability are widely deployed for enhanced distribution automation. In this paper, the communication architecture for integration of SFIs into the distribution operating center is presented. The state of the art applications of SFIs in outage management are summarized. The potential benefits from SFIs are discussed in detail. Furthermore, a new optimization model based on linear integer programming is proposed to leverage SFIs for automatic identification of faulted line sections in distribution systems. The resulting algorithm can fast determine the fault scenario with multiple faults, incomplete SFI information, or malfunction of SFIs. By pinpointing the faulted line section on primary feeders or laterals in an accurate manner, outage duration is significantly reduced and system reliability is improved. Simulation results from the test case demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method to use SFIs for advanced outage management of distribution systems.
The Shape of the Glucose Response Curve During an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test: Forerunner of Heightened Glycemic Failure Rates and Accelerated Decline in β-Cell Function in TODAY.

OBJECTIVE Obese youth without diabetes with monophasic oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose-response curves have lower insulin sensitivity (IS) and impaired β-cell function compared with those with biphasic curves. The OGTT glucose response curve has not been studied in youth-onset type 2 diabetes. Here we test the hypothesis that the OGTT glucose response curve at randomization in youth in the TODAY (Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth) study forecasts heightened glycemic failure rates and accelerated decline in β-cell function. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS OGTTs ( n = 662) performed at randomization were categorized as monophasic, biphasic, or incessant increase. Demographics, IS (1/fasting insulin), C-peptide index (△C 30 /△G 30 ), and β-cell function relative to IS (oral disposition index [oDI]) were compared among the three groups. RESULTS At randomization, 21.7% had incessant increase, 68.6% monophasic, and 9.7% biphasic glucose response curves. The incessant increase group had similar IS, but significantly lower C-peptide index and lower oDI, despite similar diabetes duration, compared with the other two groups. Glycemic failure rates were higher in the incessant increase group (58.3%) versus the monophasic group (42.3%) versus biphasic group (39.1%) ( P CONCLUSIONS In the TODAY study cohort, an incessant increase in the OGTT glucose response curve at randomization reflects reduced β-cell function and foretells increased glycemic failure rates with accelerated deterioration in β-cell function independent of diabetes duration and treatment assignment compared with monophasic and biphasic curves. The shape of the OGTT glucose response curve could be a metabolic biomarker prognosticating the response to therapy in youth with type 2 diabetes.
The effects of credit on high school graduation: Evidence from U.S. bank branching deregulation

Abstract Credit markets affect the real economy in multiple ways. This paper utilizes variation in the timing of bank branching deregulation of 39 states between 1970 and 1994 as an exogenous proxy of credit availability to analyze the link between credit markets and educational outcomes. Using CPS data to estimate reduced form models, results indicate a one percentage point increase in the likelihood of graduating high school after bank branching deregulation. Results also suggest heterogeneity of effects over race. The main findings are robust to placebo tests using false deregulation dates.
Multifluid flows in a vertical channel undergoing topology changes: Effect of void fraction

Numerical simulations of turbulent multifluid flows, undergoing changes of the interface topology, are carried out using a front-tracking--finite-volume method. The results for varying void fractions show that the flow starts to depart from the bubbly regime at a void fraction of about 15%.
Predicting treatment dropout after antidepressant initiation

Antidepressants exhibit similar efficacy, but varying tolerability, in randomized controlled trials. Predicting tolerability in real-world clinical populations may facilitate personalization of treatment and maximize adherence. This retrospective longitudinal cohort study aimed to determine the extent to which incorporating patient history from electronic health records improved prediction of unplanned treatment discontinuation at index antidepressant prescription. Clinical data were analyzed from individuals from health networks affiliated with two large academic medical centers between March 1, 2008 and December 31, 2014. In total, the study cohorts included 51,683 patients with at least one International Classification of Diseases diagnostic code for major depressive disorder or depressive disorder not otherwise specified who initiated antidepressant treatment. Among 70,121 total medication changes, 16,665 (23.77%) of them were followed by failure to return; maximum risk was observed with paroxetine (27.71% discontinuation), and minimum with venlafaxine (20.78% discontinuation); Mantel–Haenzel χ2 (8 df) = 126.44, p = 1.54e–23 <1e–6. Models incorporating diagnostic and procedure codes and medication prescriptions improved per-medication Areas Under the Curve (AUCs) to a mean of 0.69 [0.64–0.73] (ranging from 0.62 for paroxetine to 0.80 for escitalopram), with similar performance in the second, replication health system. Machine learning applied to coded electronic health records facilitates identification of individuals at high-risk for treatment dropout following change in antidepressant medication. Such methods may assist primary care physicians and psychiatrists in the clinic to personalize antidepressant treatment on the basis not solely of efficacy, but of tolerability.
Negotiating Informality– Ambiguity, Intermediation, and a Patchwork of Outcomes in Slums of Bengaluru

In developing countries, procedural ambiguity due to bureaucratic overlap and political discretion gives rise to divergence between law and practice. In this context of pervasive informality, it is...
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Axis Controls Renal Extracellular Vesicle Production and Protein Content

The tuberous sclerosis complex (Tsc) proteins regulate the conserved mTORC1 growth regulation pathway. We identified that loss of the Tsc2 gene in mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD) cells induced a greater than two-fold increase in extracellular vesicle (EV) production compared to the same cells having an intact Tsc axis. We optimized EV isolation using a well-established size exclusion chromatography method to produce high purity EVs. Electron microscopy confirmed the purity and spherical shape of EVs. Both tunable resistive pulse sensing (TRPS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) demonstrated that the isolated EVs possessed a heterogenous size distribution. Approximately 90% of the EVs were in the 100-250 nm size range, while approximately 10% had a size greater than 250 nm. Western blot analysis using proteins isolated from the EVs revealed the cellular proteins Alix and TSG101, the transmembrane proteins CD63, CD81, and CD9, and the primary cilia Hedgehog signaling-related protein Arl13b. Proteomic analysis of EVs identified a significant difference between the Tsc2-intact and Tsc2-deleted cell that correlated well with the increased production. The EVs may be involved in tissue homeostasis and cause disease by overproduction and altered protein content. The EVs released by renal cyst epithelia in TSC complex may serve as a tool to discover the mechanism of TSC cystogenesis and in developing potential therapeutic strategies.
Emergency Communal Labor and Gender in Central Province During the Mau Mau War in Kenya, 1953–1960

This article examines the Kenya Colony administration’s use of communal labor as a punitive, coercive labor practice during the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s. Faced with the Mau Mau rebellion, the...
Salivary pepsin A detection related to gastro-oesophageal reflux episodes in children undergoing impedance probe monitoring.

Aim Gastro-oesophageal reflux is routinely diagnosed with invasive intraluminal impedance pH probe monitoring. This study aimed to determine whether gastric pepsin A detected in saliva of children correlates with gastro-oesophageal reflux. Methods Patients undergoing probe monitoring were prospectively recruited between 2014 and 2016 at a paediatric hospital. Standard impedance and demographic data were obtained from electronic medical records. Salivary samples were collected during impedance and measured for gastric pepsin A with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Impedance probe and pepsin data were analysed and compared for correlation. Results From 52 enrolled subjects, 28 males and 24 females with mean age 8.0 ± 5.9 and range 0.58-18.0 years, 417 salivary samples were collected. Positive pepsin was found in 14% of samples and 48% patients. The sensitivity of pepsin A in predicting an abnormal impedance was 43% and specificity, 50%. Among pepsin A positive samples, 72% corresponded with a gastro-oesophageal reflux episode. Pepsin peak levels significantly correlated with acidic reflux. Conclusion Pepsin A was presented in saliva of children undergoing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease investigation. Positive pepsin A was associated with a gastro-oesophageal reflux episode, and its peak value correlated with acidic reflux. Salivary pepsin as a marker for gastro-oesophageal reflux needs further investigation.
Technology Use by Urban Local Bodies in India to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article provides a comprehensive review of the use of information and communication technologies by urban local bodies in India in their war against the COVID-19 pandemic based on a detailed survey conducted during the pandemic period India reported its first case of COVID-19 in late January, and government authorities have been on a war footing since then to curb the spread of the virus Following a tradition that has been instilled within government agencies since the Modi Government came into power in 2014, local, state, and central government agencies turned to a widespread use of geospatial, surveillance and information and communication technologies as part of a strategy to monitor and track movement, manage individuals, and enforce quarantine norms However, several important questions arise from the blind use of technology that remain unanswered The use of technology by government agencies raise key questions on privacy, civil liberties, and suitability and viability of their use
Fungi are colder than their surroundings

Abstract Fungi play essential roles in global ecology and economy, but their thermal biology is widely unknown. Mushrooms were previously noticed to be colder than surrounding air via evaporative cooling or evapotranspiration. Here we applied infrared imaging to reveal that not just mushrooms, but also molds and yeasts maintain colder temperatures than their surroundings via evapotranspiration. On average, fungal specimens are ~2.5 °C colder than the surrounding temperature. The relatively cold temperature of mushrooms can be observed throughout the whole fruiting process and at the level of mycelium. The mushroom’s hymenium appeared the coldest and different areas of the Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom appear to dissipate heat differently. Evapotranspiration in yeast and mold biofilms can be measured from the accumulation of condensed water droplets above biofilms; which is significantly higher than the surrounding agar. We also present a mushroom-based air-cooling system (MycoCooler™) capable of passively reducing the temperature of a closed compartment by approximately 10 °C in 25 minutes. These findings suggest that the fungal kingdom is characteristically cold. Since fungi make up ~2% of Earth biomass, their evapotranspiration may contribute to planetary temperatures in local environments. This study present new research avenues in fungal biology, biomedicine, microclimate, and sustainable energy.
Deceiving Phenotypic Susceptibility Results on a Klebsiella pneumoniae Blood Isolate Carrying Plasmid-Mediated AmpC Gene bla DHA-1

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) frequently causes hospital-acquired infections and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. CRKP can have multiple resistance mechanisms and only a few can be routinely detected by commercial molecular or phenotypic assays making surveillance for CRKP particularly challenging. In this report, we identified and characterized an unusual non-carbapenemase-producing CRKP carrying a rare plasmid-borne inducible AmpC gene, blaDHA-1 . The isolate was recovered from blood culture of a 67-year-old female presenting with sepsis post bladder surgery and ureteral stent removal. The primary isolate displayed an indeterminate susceptibility pattern for ceftriaxone by broth microdilution, but was susceptible by disk diffusion with one colony growing within the zone of inhibition. The ceftriaxone resistant colony was sub-cultured and had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 ug/ml for imipenem (intermediate) and a zone size of 18 mm for ertapenem (resistant), but remained susceptible to cefepime and meropenem. Further phenotypic characterization of this sub-cultured isolate showed carbapenemase activity. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) revealed the presence of two subpopulations of a K. pneumoniae (MLST sequence type 11) from the primary blood culture isolate: one pan-susceptible to beta-lactams tested and the other resistant to the 3rd generation cephalosporins and ertapenem. WGS analysis identified the resistant K. pneumoniae harboring IncFIB(K) and IncR plasmids and the presence of plasmid-borne beta-lactam resistance genes bla OXA-1 and bla DHA-1, an inducible AmpC gene. Additional resistance genes against quinolones (aac(6')-Ib-cr, oqxA, oqB), aminoglycoside (aph(3')-Ia), sulfonamide (sul1), and tetracycline (tet(A)) were also identified. DHA-1 positive K. pneumoniae have been previously identified outside the US, particularly in Asia and Europe, but limited cases have been reported in the United States and may be underrecognized. Our study highlights the importance of using both extended phenotypic testing and WGS to identify emerging resistance mechanisms in clinical Enterobacterales isolates with unusual antimicrobial resistance patterns.
Organization and Management of a Pediatric Dialysis Program

The organization and management of a pediatric dialysis unit is a multi-faceted endeavor which requires a unique mindset and perspective for services provided. The environment of care is not an outpatient clinic or a critical care ward, but rather a merging of the two. Providing safe and effective patient care that enhances the life experiences of patients, their families, and staff is the ultimate goal of care and treatment in the pediatric dialysis unit. This chapter will review operational management – culture, organization, regulatory, physical space, human factors influences, and staffing – as well as components of care implementation, modality selection, patient/family education, patient care plans, patient/family support, quality improvement, infection prevention, and safety.
The Sawtooth Rhythm: Atrial Flutter

Since its original description, atrial flutter (AFL) has baffled doctors for much of the twentieth century. Its mechanism and treatment were a source of much debate and controversy. The discovery of the purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) by William Withering was the only available treatment until quinidine appeared on the scene. The birth of clinical cardiac electrophysiology finally solved the mystery of AFL in man and led to the knowledge of its mechanism. In this chapter, the historical aspects of this rhythm abnormality as well as epidemiology, clinical presentation, classification, and current treatment of this rhythm malady are discussed.
Solving Challenging Control Problems Using Two-Staged Deep Reinforcement Learning.

We present a two-staged deep reinforcement learning algorithm for solving challenging control problems. Deep reinforcement learning (deep RL) has been an effective tool for solving many high-dimensional continuous control problems, but it cannot effectively solve challenging problems with certain properties, such as sparse reward functions or sensitive dynamics. In this work, we propose an approach that decomposes the given problem into two stages: motion planning and motion imitation. The motion planning stage seeks to compute a feasible motion plan with approximated dynamics by directly sampling the state space rather than exploring random control signals. Once the motion plan is obtained, the motion imitation stage learns a control policy that can imitate the given motion plan with realistic sensors and actuations. We demonstrate that our approach can solve challenging control problems - rocket navigation and quadrupedal locomotion - which cannot be solved by the standard MDP formulation. The supplemental video can be found at: this https URL
Attending guidance advised: educational quality of surgical videos on YouTube

YouTube is the most used platform for case preparation by surgical trainees. Despite its popular use, studies have noted limitations in surgical technique, safety, and vetting of these videos. This study identified the most viewed laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) videos on YouTube and analyzed the ability of attendings, residents, and medical students to identify critical portions of the procedure, technique, and limitations of the videos. An incognito search was conducted on YouTube using the term “laparoscopic cholecystectomy.” Results were screened for length, publication date, and language. The top ten most viewed videos were presented to general surgery attendings, residents, and medical students at a single academic institution. Established rubrics were used for evaluation, including the Critical View of Safety (CVS) for LC, a modified Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) score, a task-specific checklist, and visual analog scales for case difficulty and operator competence. Educational quality and likelihood of video recommendation for case preparation were evaluated using a Likert scale. Attending assessments were considered the gold standard. Six attending surgeons achieved excellent internal consistency on CVS, educational quality, and likelihood of recommendation scales, with Cronbach alpha (⍺) of 0.93, 0.92, and 0.92, respectively. ⍺ was ≥ 0.7 in all the other scales measured. Attending evaluations revealed that only one of the ten videos attained all three established CVS criteria. Four videos demonstrated none of the CVS criteria. The mean educational quality (mEQ) was 4.63 on a 10-point scale. The mean likelihood of recommendation (mLoR) for case preparation was 2.3 on a 5-point scale. Senior resident assessments (Postgraduate Year (PGY)4 + , n = 12) aligned with attending surgeons, with no statistically significant differences in CVS attainment, mEQ, and mLoR. Junior residents (PGY1-3, n = 17) and medical students (MS3-4, n = 20) exhibited significant difference with attendings in CVS attainment, mEQ, and mLoR for more than half the videos. Both groups tended to overrate videos compared to attendings. YouTube is the most popular unvetted resource used for case presentation by surgical trainees. Attending evaluations revealed that the most viewed LC videos on YouTube did not attain the CVS, and were deemed as inappropriate for case preparation, with low educational value. Senior resident video assessments closely aligned with attendings, while junior trainees were more likely to overstate video quality and value. Attending guidance and direction of trainees to high-quality, vetted resources for surgical case preparation is needed. This may also suggest a need for surgical societies with platforms for video sharing to prioritize the creation and dissemination of high-quality videos on easily accessible public platforms.
Using Standardized Patients in the Time-in/Time-out Interviewing Technique

The Introduction to the Medical Profession course gives freshmen medical students their first exposure to basic interviewing techniques. Medical students use the time-in/time-out technique with standardized patients (SPs) prior to interviewing real patients in the clinic or hospital. Small groups of 4-6 students interview 2 SP s under the guidance of a faculty facilitator. Two to three students take turns interviewing each SP as the entire group observes. “Time-out” can be called by the student interviewer or the faculty facilitator at any time during the interview. The action stops, and difficulties with the interview are discussed. Then, “ time-in” is called, and the interview resumes. After the SP is interviewed, he or she is brought out of the patient role to give feedback to each student. The entire session takes approximately 1 hours. An ad hoc advisory committee of course faculty developed 16 cases based on experiences from their clinical practices. Each SP learned 3 different cases so the students were exposed to a variety of common patient complaints. Each faculty facilitator participated in the dry run session with the SP and case author in order to learn the case and facilitation techniques.
Transcendence in Poetry, Music and Film

The icon is a transcendental image which gazes through to the Infinite while being positioned in finite time. La Corona, a “crown” of seven sonnets on the life of Christ written by John Donne around 1609, became the poetic basis for a twelve-tone work for baritone, mezzo-soprano, organ and percussion by composer Ernst Krenek in 1941. The Krenek work was adopted as a soundtrack in the authors’ film, La Corona, completed in 1987. Through the circular structures inherent in all three works, the audience is poised on the horizon of the Infinite.
Measuring the quality of diagnostic hypothesis sets for studies of decision support

Within medical informatics there is widespread interest in computer-based decision support and the evaluation of its impact. It is widely recognized that the measurement of dependent variables, or outcomes, represents the most challenging aspect of this work. This paper describes and reports the reliability and validity of an outcome metric for studies of diagnostic decision support. The results of this study will guide the analytic methods used in our ongoing multi-site study of the effects of decision support on diagnostic reasoning. Our measurement approach conceptualizes the quality of a diagnostic hypothesis set as having two components summed to generate a composite index: a Plausibility Component derived from ratings of each hypothesis in the set, whether correct or incorrect; and a Location Component derived from the location of the correct diagnosis if it appears in the set. The reliability of this metric is determined by the extent of interrater agreement on the plausibility of diagnostic hypotheses. Validity is determined by the extent to which the index generates scores that make sense on inspection (face validity), as well as the extent to which the component scores are non-redundant and discriminate the performance of novices and experts (construct validity). Using data from the pilot and main phases of our ongoing study (n = 124 subjects working 1116 cases), the reliability of our diagnostic quality metric was found to be 0.85-0.88. The metric was found to generate, on inspection, no clearly counterintuitive scores. Using data from the pilot phase of our study (n = 12 subjects working 108 cases), the component scores were moderately correlated (r = 0.68). The composite index, computed by equally weighting both components, was found to discriminate the hypotheses of medical students and attending physicians by 0.97 standard deviation units. Based on these findings, we have adopted this metric for use in our further research exploring the impact of decision support systems on diagnostic reasoning and will make it available to the informatics research community.
Role of plagioclase crystal chains in the differentiation of partly crystallized basaltic magma

Melting experiments on samples of basaltic rock from a thick lava flow reveal that when this lava originally began to crystallize, feldspar crystals linked together to form a continuous three-dimensional network of chains when the lava was no more than 25% crystallized. Formation of this network has profound implications for the behaviour and differentiation of basaltic magma. Much of the compositional variation of igneous rocks results from the separation of liquid from crystals, a process that is dramatically affected according to whether crystals occur separately or are linked together in networks.
God Behind Bars: Race, Religion & Revenge

This essay examines the formation and presence of radical Islam in U.S. prisons. As the distillation of two years of fieldwork research, including interviews and correspondence with current and former prisoners, chaplains, and prison aid organizations, this work elaborates on the power of religion in prison, with specific emphasis on conversion to Islam among minority inmates. I argue that in prison there are competing visions of Islam, and among minority inmates, historical legacies from Africa and Spain help prisoners reinvent their cultural identity; often, minority converts experience a double conversion - first to a nationalistic or racialized organization, and later to mainstream varieties of Islam. The essay asserts that the most radical voices found in American Islam today reside in prison, a situation that is exacerbated by government and prison policies.
Waves of change in adopting the Internet: Lessons from four Latin American countries

The popularity and explosive growth of the Internet during the past few years have convinced many countries to take a closer look at its potential for aiding economic development. The existing literature presents an aggregate story of success, but the ways in which different countries are adopting these new technologies have received little critical attention. This empirical study of four Latin American countries ‐ Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru ‐ delineates a five‐phase development process during which each country sustained the momentum of its evolving strategy, grew in competence to forge technological solutions, and gained access to the Internet. The four countries’ original goals changed over time, but through experience they perceived new opportunities and established evolving Internet strategies that form the bases of new technological services provided at the national level.
Diagnosing double regular systems

We consider the problem of testing sequentially the components of a multidcomponent system, when the testing of each component is costly. We propose a new testing policy, that can be executed in polynomial time in the input size, and show that it is costdminimal in the average case sense, for certain double regular systems that include regular (in particular, threshold) systems with identical components. This result generalizes known results for series, parallel, and, more generally, for kdoutdofdn systems.
Design and Analysis of a Method for Synoptic Level Network Intrusion Detection

Current system administrators are missing intrusion alerts hidden by large numbers of false positives. We propose an intrusion detection tool that effectively uses select data to provide a picture of "network health". Our hypothesis is that by utilizing the data available at the node and network levels we can create a synoptic picture of the network providing indications of many intrusions or other network issues. Our major contribution is to provide a revolutionary way to analyze node and network data for patterns, dependence, and effects that indicate network issues. Our first contribution in this vein is to present a method based on utilizing the number of packets sent, number of packets received, node reliability, route reliability, and entropy to develop a synoptic picture of the network health in the presence of a sinkhole.
Transformation of Coxiella burnetii to ampicillin resistance.

A 5.8-kb chromosomal fragment isolated from Coxiella burnetii initiates plasmid replication in Escherichia coli and was characterized as an autonomous replication sequence, ars (M. Suhan, S.-Y. Chen, H.A. Thompson, T.A. Hoover, A. Hill, and J.C. Williams, J. Bacteriol. 176:5233-5243, 1994). In the present study, an ars replicon was used to transform C. burnetii to ampicillin resistance. Plasmid pSKO(+)1000 contained the C. burnetii ars sequence cloned into a ColE1-type replicon encoding beta-lactamase. pSKO(+)1000 was introduced into C. burnetii by electroporation. Ampicillin-resistant cells were selected, and survivors were examined for the transformed genotype by Southern hybridization. Transformants stably maintained the pSKO(+)1000 bla DNA sequence in the chromosome as a result of homologous recombination. The recombination event resulted in the duplication of the 5.8-kb ars sequence in the C. burnetii chromosome. The bla gene was also located in an episome. However, an ampicillin resistance plasmid lacking the C. burnetii ars sequence did not stably transform C. burnetii. A biological assay analyzing beta-lactamase activity of C. burnetii transformants during acid activation in vitro provided evidence for expression of the bla (beta-lactamase) gene.
Thermal characterization system for transient thermal impedance measurement and power cycling of IGBT modules

Abstract This paper presents a custom-designed thermal characterization system for insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. The main purpose of this system is to provide experimental capability for transient thermal impedance (Z th ) measurement and power cycling reliability test on IGBT modules. LabVIEW programming was applied for circuit control and data acquisition. Gate-emitter voltage (V ge ) of IGBT was used as the temperature-sensitive parameter for junction temperature (T j ) measurement. The linear relationship between V ge and T j for IGBT can be measured by the system. Variation coefficient of lower than 0.5% was achieved for Z th measurement. IGBT modules with the same sample geometry but different die-attach processes were used for system verification: IGBT modules with nanosilver-sintered die-attach have on the average a 12% lower Z th than SAC305 soldered modules. The power cycling capability of the system was demonstrated by cycling a nanosilver-sintered IGBT module with T j cycled between 45 °C and 175 °C. The cycling lifetime of the IGBT module was recorded as 48,000 cycles with the failure criteria of 20% increase on Z th . Such lifetime is 50% longer than the predicted value from lifetime prediction model.
Possible Global Minimum Lattice Configurations for Thomson`s Problem of Charges on a Sphere

What configuration of $N$ point charges on a conducting sphere minimizes the Coulombic energy? J. J. Thomson posed this question in 1904. For $N\ensuremath{\le}112$, numerical methods have found apparent global minimum-energy configurations; but the number of local minima appears to grow exponentially with $N$, making many such methods impractical. Here we describe a topological/numerical procedure that we believe gives the global energy minimum lattice configuration for $N$ of the form $N\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}10({m}^{2}{+n}^{2}+mn)+2$ ( $m$, $n$ positive integers). For those $N$ with more than one lattice, we give a rule to choose the minimum one.
Trends and challenges in data acquisition and control systems summary of CHEP97 session B

Current topics in computing for data acquisition, control, and trigger systems for high energy physics experiments are discussed with emphasis on those topics presented in papers submitted to the International Conference on Computing in High Energy Physics, Berlin, April 7-11, 1997. © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
On the mixed formulation of a 9-node Lagrange shell element

Abstract A 9-node Lagrange shell element is examined using a strain-based mixed method. Starting from a modified Hellinger-Reissner principle, finite element equations are derived by assuming both the displacement and strain fields independently. The strain functions are carefully chosen in conjunction with several considerations discussed in the paper. The resulting element is free from shear and membrane locking, hence it can be used for modeling of either thin or moderately thick shells. All kinematic deformation modes have been systematically suppressed. Further, a Jacobian transformation for the strain functions is employed between the natural and lamina coordinates to reduce the element sensitivity to geometric distortions. Six examples are given to illustrate the numerical performance of the proposed element.
Bipiperidyl Mustard, A New Obesifying Agent in the Mouse

Bipiperidyl mustard, after conversion to its bis-cyclic immonium ion forme, has been found to cause rapid and extensive lipid deposition in mice given single doses of the drug. The obe sity appears to result from an alkylation reaction; the responses of the treated ani mals to food restriction and realimenta tion resemble those observed in gold thioglucose-treated mice; also in anal ogy to gold thioglucose, the bipiperidyl mustard effects can be counteracted by sulfhydryl compounds. These observa tions are suggestive of a similarity of mode of action between the alkylating agent and gold thioglucose, a conclusion which is supported by preliminary find ings of ventromedial lesions in the hypo thalamus of the bipiperidyl mustard treated mice.
Synthesis of Chiral 2-(4-Phenoxyphenylsulfonylmethyl)thiiranes as Selective Gelatinase Inhibitors

Compound 1, 2-(4-phenoxyphenylsulfonylmethyl)thiirane, is a selective inhibitor of gelatinases, which is showing high promise in studies of animal models for cancer metastasis and stroke. The (R)-1 and (S)-1 enantiomers of compound 1 were each synthesized in this study and were shown to be equally active in inhibition of gelatinases.
Plasma source nitrogen ion implantation of Ti-6Al-4V

A plasma source technique has been used to implant nitrogen into a Ti-6Al-4V alloy, initially of an (α+β) microstructure. Electron diffraction indicates that TiN is formed as a result of the implantation, but energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) data suggest that the phase may, in fact, be Ti(V)N. The properties of the implanted alloy, for example, as judged by pin-on-disc wear tests, appear to be comparable with those of conventionally implanted Ti-6Al-4V
An empirical examination of a model of perceived service quality and satisfaction

Abstract Perceived service quality and satisfaction have generally been conceptualized to be distinct constructs, but there isn't a good understanding of their relationship. While the two constructs are very similar, little research has empirically examined the distinction. This study discusses the conceptual arguments for the distinction, and examines the empirical distinction by testing a recently proposed model of service quality and satisfaction. Results indicate that the two constructs are, in the present case, distinct, and there is some support for the model, with several modifications.
Vertical junction silicon microdisk modulator with integrated thermal tuner

We demonstrate an approach to integrate the most efficient thermal tuner (4.9-μW/GHz) into a microdisk modulator without sacrificing junction area for the first time. The 6-um diameter modulator achieves low-power (11-fJ/bit) and high-speed (13-Gb/s) operation.
Mathematical biophysics, cybernetics and significs

It remains to summarize the contributions which each of the three disciplines discussed here is making toward the development of a science of man.
Dimensional compositing for visualizing high-dimensional dataset

The scalability problem in high-dimensional dataset visualization has been a difficult problem. In this poster we propose a novel visualization technique which utilizes image compositing to solve this scalability problem, and a cube-like visual metaphor to integrate the new dimensional compositing and traditional parallel co-ordinate visualization. In order to effectively visualize the complex high-dimensional datasets, we also developed supporting interaction and navigation functionalities.
AN ALTERNATIVE TEST FOR UNIFORMITY

Improving power of goodness-of-fit tests is an important research topic in statistics. The goal of the goodness-of-fit test is to check whether the underlying probability distribution, from which a sample is drawn, differs from a hypothesized distribution. Numerous research papers have been published in this area. It has been shown that the power of the existing goodness-of-fit tests in the literature is unsatisfactory when the alternative distributions are of V-shape or when the sample sizes are small. This motivates the development of more powerful test statistics. In this research, a new test statistic is proposed. The result can be used to test whether the underlying probability distribution differs from a uniform distribution. By applying the probability integral transformation, the proposed test statistic can be used to check whether the underlying distribution differs from any hypothesized distribution. The performance of the method proposed in this research is compared with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, which is a widely adopted statistical test in the literature. It has been shown that the test proposed in this proposal is more powerful than the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test in some cases.
Validation of volumetric flow measurements by means of a Doppler-tipped coronary angioplasty guide wire

We used an in vitro model to validate volumetric flow measurements obtained with an 0.018-inch angioplasty guidewire with a 12 MHz transducer mounted on its tip. By using a modified two-head roller pump device, flow was adjusted incrementally from a minimum of 90 ml/min to a maximum of 550 ml/min. Flow was measured with the Doppler guide wire in tubing ranging from 1.9 mm to 6.0 mm internal diameter, as the product of the spectral Doppler velocity integral and the cross-sectional area of the tubing, over a 1-minute period. It was an excellent correlation between the Doppler calculated flow rates and actual flow, regardless of tubing diameter (r = 0.99). These results suggest that the Doppler spectral output of this device might be accurately applied to estimates of volumetric flow in human coronary arteries.
Why Does Jazz Matter to Aesthetic Theory

The aesthetician, if I understand his business aright, I is not concerned with dateless realities lodged in some metaphysical heaven, but with the facts of his Start with the second question-the nature of own place and his own time. jazz. One can search for an essence of jazzfeatures necessary and sufficient for a musical Robin George Collingwood event to qualify as jazz. There are likely places
Lessons for Electronic Medical Records from Family Medical Practices

Motivated by the push towards the adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems, we conducted a series of observations, interviews, and patient record audits at four family medical practices to investigate the nature of record keeping in diagnostic testing processes. One lauded benefit of EMR is to reduce the number of steps required to process test results and reduce the number of errors. We found this to be the case. However, in offices with paper records, we found many instances where people helped create safety by correcting errors made at previous stages due to naturally occurring feedback loops that allowed for compensation. The EMR office faced unique challenges in this regard because of impoverished communication and feedback loops, both from the EMR system and support staff. It is important to appreciate the safety dynamics of paper based systems in the design of EMR systems and consider incorporating dynamics such as checks and redundancies into them.
Intragastric Balloons: An Unfulfilled Promise

Excerpt The use of an intragastric space-occupying device for treating obesity has been supported by circumstantial clinical evidence. First, the gastric bezoars that develop after stomach surgery ...
Real-time speech synthesis

This paper describes how a speech synthesizer can be controlled by a small computer in real time. The synthesizer allows precise control of the speech output that is necessary for experimental purposes. The control information is computed in real time during synthesis in order to reduce data storage. The properties of the synthesizer and the control program are prsented along with an example of the speech synthesis.
Cognitive Measures of Adolescent Depression: Unique or Unitary Constructs?

The factor structure of several self-report questionnaires assessing depression-relevant cognitions frequently employed in clinical research was examined in a sample of 390 adolescents (M age = 14.54; 216 girls; 74% Caucasian) with current major depressive disorder enrolled in the Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study. A four-factor solution resulted, accounting for 65% of the total variance. The factors were labeled (a) Cognitive Distortions and Maladaptive Beliefs, (b) Cognitive Avoidance, (c) Positive Outlook, and (d) Solution-Focused Thinking. Internal consistencies for the factor-based composite scores were .83, .85, .84, and .82, respectively. Girls endorsed more negative cognitions than boys on three of the four factors. Maladaptive cognitions were positively related to severity of depression and predicted treatment response. Taken together, findings indicated that there are four distinct domains of cognitions that are present among adolescents with depression that are tapped by several widely used self-report measures of cognitions.
Vision Algorithms + Distributed Storage Class = Parallel Programs 1

Traditionally, a programmer's role has been reduced to designing computer vision algorithms and coding them in a machine independent language since the knowledge of the architecture has been implicit in the compiler. However, advances in the design of computing systems have resulted in the appearance of a wide range of different architectures ranging from high performance, single chip ALUs to large systems of communicating processors. The efficient use of each of these machines requires detailed knowledge of the architecture. Presently, the programmer must employ detailed knowledge of the architecture in writing the high level language program to run on any of these novel architectures. As a result, these programs are tailored to a specific computer and must be rewritten for other computers. Until now, architectural knowledge has been implicit in the high level language compilers and is not easily changed. A more promising approach is to develop compilers which use heuristic advice and architectural descriptions to guide code generation. With such a system, the high level statement of the program will be substantially machine independent and the compiler will resume its proper role as the architectural expert. In this paper we present a compiler in which architectural information is represented as a rule base and show examples of code generation for low level image processing algorithms including edge relaxation labeling, FFT, and histogram based thresholding. The input language is C supplemented with a distributed data storage class and concurrent assignments. The examples shown illustrate that the algorithms can be developed without knowledge of the target processor(s) or their interconnection network. Only a few additional declarations have to be added to any program to specify the target architecture. Currently, the compiler generates message passing C code suitable for distributed memory parallel computers.
Fermionic Superfluidity with Imbalanced Spin Populations

We established superfluidity in a two-state mixture of ultracold fermionic atoms with imbalanced state populations. This study relates to the long-standing debate about the nature of the superfluid state in Fermi systems. Indicators for superfluidity were condensates of fermion pairs and vortices in rotating clouds. For strong interactions, near a Feshbach resonance, superfluidity was observed for a broad range of population imbalances. We mapped out the superfluid regime as a function of interaction strength and population imbalance and characterized the quantum phase transition to the normal state, known as the Pauli limit of superfluidity.
Risk Stratification for In-Hospital Mortality in Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure: Classification and Regression Tree Analysis

ContextEstimation of mortality risk in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) may help clinicians guide care.ObjectiveTo develop a practical user-friendly bedside tool for risk stratification for patients hospitalized with ADHF.Design, Setting, and PatientsThe Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National Registry (ADHERE) of patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of ADHF in 263 hospitals in the United States was queried with analysis of patient data to develop a risk stratification model. The first 33 046 hospitalizations (derivation cohort; October 2001-February 2003) were analyzed to develop the model and then the validity of the model was prospectively tested using data from 32 229 subsequent hospitalizations (validation cohort; March-July 2003). Patients had a mean age of 72.5 years and 52% were female.Main Outcome MeasureVariables predicting mortality in ADHF.ResultsWhen the derivation and validation cohorts are combined, 37 772 (58%) of 65 275 patient-records had coronary artery disease. Of a combined cohort consisting of 52 164 patient-records, 23 910 (46%) had preserved left ventricular systolic function. In-hospital mortality was similar in the derivation (4.2%) and validation (4.0%) cohorts. Recursive partitioning of the derivation cohort for 39 variables indicated that the best single predictor for mortality was high admission levels of blood urea nitrogen (≥43 mg/dL [15.35 mmol/L]) followed by low admission systolic blood pressure (<115 mm Hg) and then by high levels of serum creatinine (≥2.75 mg/dL [243.1 μmol/L]). A simple risk tree identified patient groups with mortality ranging from 2.1% to 21.9%. The odds ratio for mortality between patients identified as high and low risk was 12.9 (95% confidence interval, 10.4-15.9) and similar results were seen when this risk stratification was applied prospectively to the validation cohort.ConclusionsThese results suggest that ADHF patients at low, intermediate, and high risk for in-hospital mortality can be easily identified using vital sign and laboratory data obtained on hospital admission. The ADHERE risk tree provides clinicians with a validated, practical bedside tool for mortality risk stratification.
Coding of arbitrarily shaped regions

Region-based coding schemes may yield considerable improvements in performance as compared to block-based schemes. A fundamental problem in region-based coding is to efficiently encode the interior of each region. This paper proposes two approaches for coding the interiors of arbitrarily-shaped regions. The first is an adaptive iterative scheme and the second is a matching pursuits-type scheme. A geometric interpretation of the problem is given to provide insight into these approaches and to compare their different properties and performances. A number of examples illustrate the performance of the previous and proposed approaches.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.