cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An assessment of case technology for software design

Abstract A number of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools for design and development of software systems have become available. These tools, unlike some of their predecessors, require only a microcomputer with minimal fixed disk space. Yet, these tools provide a powerful medium for development of software systems. A survey of such microcomputer based tools is presented. Three of these tools, Design/1, Excelerator, and Structured Architect are examined in some detail. A practical problem is analyzed and implemented using each of the three tools. Development experience and facilities are compared. Direction for future development of CASE is discussed with suggestions for increase in the power of this environment.
Blind source separation and deconvolution: the dynamic component analysis algorithm

We derive a novel family of unsupervised learning algorithms for blind separation of mixed and convolved sources. Our approach is based on formulating the separation problem as a learning task of a spatiotemporal generative model, whose parameters are adapted iteratively to minimize suitable error functions, thus ensuring stability of the algorithms. The resulting learning rules achieve separation by exploiting high-order spatiotemporal statistics of the mixture data. Different rules are obtained by learning generative models in the frequency and time domains, whereas a hybrid frequency-time model leads to the best performance. These algorithms generalize independent component analysis to the case of convolutive mixtures and exhibit superior performance on instantaneous mixtures. An extension of the relative-gradient concept to the spatiotemporal case leads to fast and efficient learning rules with equivariant properties. Our approach can incorporate information about the mixing situation when available, ...
Why Urea Eliminates Ammonia Rather Than Hydrolyzes in Aqueous Solution

A joint QM/MM and ab initio study on the decomposition of urea in the gas phase and in aqueous solution is reported. Numerous possible mechanisms of intramolecular decomposition and hydrolysis have been explored; intramolecular NH3 elimination assisted by a water molecule is found to have the lowest activation energy. The solvent effects were elucidated using the TIP4P explicit water model with free energy perturbation calculations in conjunction with QM/MM Monte Carlo simulations. The explicit representation of the solvent was found to be essential for detailed resolution of the mechanism, identification of the rate-determining step, and evaluation of the barrier. The assisting water molecule acts as a hydrogen shuttle for the first step of the elimination reaction. The forming zwitterionic intermediate, H3NCONH, participates in 8−9 hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Its decomposition is found to be the rate-limiting step, and the overall free energy of activation for the decomposition of urea in water...
Association of season and pasture grazing with blood hormone and metabolite concentrations in horses with presumed pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.

Background: Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a risk factor for pasture-associated laminitis, which follows a seasonal pattern. Hypothesis: Hormonal responses to season differ between PPID and unaffected horses. Animals: Seventeen horses aged 8–30 years (14 horses ≥ 20 years of age). Methods: Longitudinal observational study. Blood was collected monthly from August 2007 until July 2008 after pasture grazing and again after overnight stall confinement. Blood hormone and metabolite concentrations were measured and pasture grass samples were analyzed to determine carbohydrate content. Analysis of variance analysis for repeated measures was performed. Results: Mean ACTH concentrations varied significantly over time (P < .001), with higher concentrations detected in August, September, and October compared with November–April. Pasture × time effects were detected for glucose and insulin concentrations, with peaks observed in September. Horses were retrospectively allocated to PPID (n = 8) and control (n = 9) groups on the basis of plasma ACTH concentrations. Changes in insulin concentrations over time differed in the PPID group when compared with the control group. Insulin concentrations were positively correlated with grass carbohydrate composition. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: PPID did not affect the timing or duration of the seasonal increase in ACTH concentrations, but higher values were detected in affected horses. Insulin concentrations differed between groups, but hyperinsulinemia was rarely detected. Glucose and insulin concentrations peaked in September when horses were grazing on pasture, which could be relevant to the seasonal pattern of laminitis.
Experimental studies with a clustered ion engine system.

Clustered mercury electron bombardment ion engine system experiments showing feasibility, discussing components
Step bunching in a diffusion‐controlled system: phase‐shifting interferometry investigation of ferritin

We present a novel phase-shifting interferometry technique for investigations of the unsteady kinetics and the formation of spatio-temporal patterns during the protein crystallization. We applied this technique to the ferritin crystal growth, which is controlled by the rate of supply of material. We find strong fluctuations of growth rate, step density and step velocity due to passage of step bunches. The fluctuation amplitudes decrease with higher supersaturation and larger crystal size, as well as with increasing distance from the step sources. Since these are parameters affecting the solute supply field, we conclude that fluctuations are rooted in the coupling of the interfacial processes of growth to the bulk transport in the solution. Analysis of the step velocity dependence on local slope indicates a very weak interaction between the steps. Hence, in diffusion-controlled systems with non-interacting or weakly interacting steps the stable growth mode is that via equidistant step trains, and randomly arising step bunches decay.
Reconstructing Voltage Sensor–Pore Interaction from a Fluorescence Scan of a Voltage-Gated K+ Channel

X-ray crystallography has made considerable recent progress in providing static structures of ion channels. Here we describe a complementary method-systematic fluorescence scanning-that reveals the structural dynamics of a channel. Local protein motion was measured from changes in the fluorescent intensity of a fluorophore attached at one of 37 positions in the pore domain and in the S4 voltage sensor of the Shaker K+ channel. The local rearrangements that accompany activation and slow inactivation were mapped onto the homologous structure of the KcsA channel and onto models of S4. The results place clear constraints on S4 location, voltage-dependent movement, and the mechanism of coupling of S4 motion to the operation of the slow inactivation gate in the pore domain.
On the applicability of eigenvalue/eigenvector assignment in multivariable systems

The technique of multivariable control-system design via assignment of the closed loop state matrix eigensystem is described. Features of this developing methodology include exact eigenvalue assignment, eigenvector assignment that approximates in a least squares sense a priori modal specifications, and an interactive design trade-off between the latter and desired eigensystem sensitivity with respect to plant parameters.
Deviation-based cost modeling : A novel model to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of clinical pathways

Background Although clinical pathways were developed to streamline patient care cost efficiently, few have been put to rigorous financial test. This is important today, because payors demand clear solutions to the cost-quality puzzle. We describe a novel, objective, and versatile model that can evaluate and link the clinical and economic impacts of clinical pathways. Study Design Outcomes for 209 consecutive patients undergoing high-acuity surgery (pancreaticoduodenectomy), before and after pathway implementation, were examined. Four grades of deviation (none to major) from the expected postoperative course were defined by merging length of stay with a validated classification scheme for complications. Deviation-based cost modeling (DBCM) links these deviations to actual total costs. Results Clinical outcomes compared favorably with benchmark standards for pancreaticoduodenectomy. Despite increasing patient acuity, this new pathway shortened length of stay, reduced resource use, and decreased hospital costs. DBCM indicated that fewer deviations from the expected course occurred after pathway implementation. The impacts of complications were less severe and translated to an overall cost savings of $5,542 per patient. DBCM also revealed that as more patients migrated to the expected course within our standardized care path, 50% of overall cost savings ($2,780) was attributable to the pathway alone, and improvements in care over time (secular trends) accounted for the remainder. Conclusions DBCM accurately determined the incremental contribution of clinical pathway implementation to cost savings beyond that of secular trends alone. In addition, this versatile model can be customized to other systems' improvements to reveal their true clinical and economic impacts. This is valuable when choices linking quality with cost must be made.
ENABLING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT THROUGH INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Although Total Quality Management (TQM) has been increasingly adopted as a strategic tool for efficient and competitive management of organizations, many of the adopting organizations have failed to achieve the long‐term, substantial gains once deemed possible. While scholars and practitioners blame these failures on numerous causes, most, if not all, can be linked either directly or indirectly to the more general problem of inadequate quality Information Systems (IS). This paper elaborates on the IS role in resolving two critical TQM issues, namely, effective codetermination/coexecution of quality decisions and progress measurement. TQM is information‐intensive and, therefore, IS departments should utilize the powerful tools of information technologies to provide information and capabilities necessary to enable TQM efforts. If IS departments are unwilling or unable to meet the challenge of supporting TQM initiatives, organizations will have to bypass them in their quality journey.
Linewidth requirements for an optical MSK heterodyne/synchronous receiver

The laser linewidth requirements for an optical MSK heterodyne/synchronous receiver are presented taking into account the effect of imperfect phase references. The performance of the receiver is evaluated in terms of the bit-error-rate, receiver sensitivity, and loop bandwidth. It is shown that an IF linewidth of less than 3.0*10/sup -4/ of the bit rate is required to avoid the power penalty of 0.5 dB with the RMS phase error of 0.11 radians. In comparison, the synchronous PSK, differential MSK, and DPSK heterodyne receivers are more tolerant to the laser phase noise than the synchronous MSK heterodyne receiver. >
Fatal arteritis as a complication of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

no evidence for t rauma was found either by history, physical examination, or radiographs. The electromyographic findings, which are of prime importance in localizing the lesion, showed findings consistent with BPN. In each patient the electromyogram revealed findings of neurogenic atrophy with fibrillation potentials and positive waves in proximal muscles. In a series of 99 patients with BPN reported by Tsairis et al'-', only seven were less than 20 years of age. Their youngest patients were a 3-month-old infant who developed arm weakness in the noninjected l imb three days following DPT injection, and a 4-year-old child with the rare hereditary form of BPN. Magee and DeJong I in their review of 23 patients indicated involvement in two children. Shaywitz :' described BPN in a 9-year-old child. An unusual feature of the BPN in our patients is the less favorable outcome. Although the second patient realized a brisk return of function six months after the onset, the outcome in our first patient appears to be less favorable. This child has shown little recovery after eight months, suggesting a strong likelihood of long-term disability. Perhaps BPN of early onset, particularly with extensive deficit, is not as benign as that occurring in later life. The form of BPN in our patients should be differentiated from the rare hereditary form, which may have its onset in childhood and tends to be recurrent. This hereditary form is transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait and is often associated with a variety of somatic anomalies such as short stature, hypotelorism, epicanthal fold, syndactyly, and cleft palate. 4-~ Our patients had neither dysmorphic features nor a family history of affected relatives.
Field Trial of Compact Travel Dialysis System

To increase mobility for home hemodialysis patients, a portable, light weight hemodialysis system has been bench and field tested. The combination of a 21 L dialysate reservoir and small, high speed blood and dialysate pumps has permitted the entire system to be contained in a twenty two pound, 22 X 13 X 6 inch aluminum suitcase. Initial evaluation in hospitalized patients has shown the system to be safe and efficient. Acceptable clearances of creatinine and urea are maintained throughout a five hour dialysis by changing the bath at 120 and 210 minutes. Successful application of the system in travel by 3 patients, who performed a total of 12 dialyses in their hotel rooms while on vacation, indicates the broad potential of the new system.
Nutrient Status and Mycorrhizal Enhancement of Water Transport in Soybean

Mycorrhizal soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. var. Harosoy-63) plants have lower resistances to water transport than nonmy-corrhizal plants after 4.5 weeks of growth. Although resistances of whole plants differ by 40%, there were no differences in the resistances of stems plus leaves, indicating that the major effect of the mycorrhizae was to reduce the resistance of the roots. Since the fungitoxicant, p-chloronitrobenzene, had no effect on resistances to water transport, reduced resistances were probably not caused by a direct modification of the transport pathway by the fungus. Differences in resistance between mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal soybean were essentialy eliminated by the application of nutrients to the soil. Thus, lowered resistances of mycorrhizal roots growing in soil with low levels of nutrients probably resulted from the enhanced nutrient status of the plant brought about by the fungus. Mycorrhizal infection increased growth at both low and high nutrient levels.
A study of distribution-free tests for umbrella alternatives

In this paper we are concerned with test procedures for umbrella alternatives in the k-sample location problem. Distribution-free tests are considered for both cases where the peak of the umbrella is known or unknown. Comparative results of a Monte Carlo power study are presented.
Compact EUV light sources for at-wavelength metrology

We have tested the operation and spectral coverage of two different types of EUV light sources for EUV characterization of astronomical mirror coatings, gratings, filters and detectors. Based on successes reported by another group investigating EUV-range K and L shell emission, we tested the feasibility of using Bremmstrahlung emission from a standard x-ray tube with the beryllium window removed. The second source is a Penning gas discharge source reported previously. The range of characterization and combinations of cathode and gas materials has been extended. Using the C/Ne and C/CO2 combinations provides nearly full coverage of the 200-600 A spectral range with a high density of spectra lines. Use of carbon cathodes as opposed to the standard aluminum or magnesium cathodes allows one to operate the source for a long period of time before having to break vacuum and replace the disposable cathodes.
Selecting parameters to optimize in model calibration by inverse analysis

Abstract A study evaluating the benefits of using inverse analysis techniques to select the appropriate parameters to optimize when calibrating a soil constitutive model is presented. The factors that affect proper calibration are discussed with reference to the optimization of the elasto-plastic Hardening-Soil model for four layers of Chicago glacial clays. The models are initially calibrated using results from triaxial compression tests performed on specimens from four clay layers and subsequently re-calibrated using inclinometer data that recorded the displacements of a supported excavation in these clays. Finite element simulations of both the triaxial tests and the supported excavation are performed. A parameter optimization algorithm is used to fit the computed results and observed data, expressed in the form of stress–strain curves and inclinometer readings, respectively. A procedure is presented which uses the results of sensitivity analyses conducted on the soil model parameters for the identification of the relevant and uncorrelated parameters to calibrate. In both cases the inverse analysis methodology effectively calibrates the soil parameters considered, which numerically converge to realistic values that minimize the errors between computed responses and experimental observations.
The influence of the adrenal cortex on antibody production in vitro.

INVESTIGATIONS of the possible influence of the adrenal cortical secretions on the production and release of antibodies in vivo have produced conflicting results. It has been reported that adrenalectomy prior to immunization reduces (Dougherty, Chase, and White, 1945), increases (Murphy and Sturm, 1947), or fails to alter (Eisen et al., 1947; Thatcher, Houghton, and Ziegler, 1948; Stoerk and Solotorovsky, 1950) the subsequent course of the immune response. Similar lack of agreement exists among different investigators with respect to the influence of adrenal cortical hormones or of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) on antibody production. An increase in circulating antibody after administration of these hormones has been observed by Fox and Whitehead, 1936; Dougherty, White, and Chase, 1944; Dougherty et al., 1945; Chase, White, and Dougherty, 1946; Mondolfo and Hounie, 1947; Bisset, 1949; Bussard et al., 1950; Clark and Jacobs, 1950; and Hammond and Novak, 1950. On the other hand,
Rotation, scaling, shift, and distortion-invariant target recognition

This model introduces rotation invariance into the Neocognitron model by way of rotation layers. The most likely orientation of the target is detected and used for further pattern classification using an algorithm similar to that for the Neocognitron model. The visual target recognition capability of this model is demonstrated.
Development of a protease biosensor utilizing silica nanobeads

We have utilized silica nanoparticles as an optical platform for the development of a protease biosensor. The biosensor is based on the chemical transduction method, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), which requires the utilization of donor and acceptor fluorophores, whose combined purpose is to fluoresce in the presence of a given analyte when subjected to an external photon source. The donor and acceptor fluorophores were covalently attached at either ends of peptide constructs that were synthesized using 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) strategy, a method for solid-phase synthesis of peptides. Three different peptide substrates were synthesized, two positive construct which were cleaved by the enzyme, trypsin, and one negative construct. The peptides were then immobilized to the silica nanoparticles using two procedures: silanization (a method of covalent attachment) and simply physical adsorption. The peptide-immobilized nanoparticles were then exposed to trypsin and a change in fluorescence was determined. The results showed that the positive peptide constructs were cleaved upon exposure to trypsin, separating the distance between the two fluorophores, resulting in detectable changes in fluorescence. The covalently immobilized nanosensors demonstrated higher sensitivity than the physically adsorbed nanosensors. The nanosensors demonstrated a limit of detection of 12.3 μg/ml with a response time within 2 min.
Effect of information on emotional responses during barium enema

A quasi-experimental study was conducted to extend: 1) Johnson's findings by using a measure of anxiety proneness to control for individual variations in responding to stressful situations and 2) the applicability of Johnson's work to another procedure, barium enema. The subjects, 24 hospitalized patients, were assigned to one of three information conditions: sensation, procedure, or no information. Prior to the barium enema all subjects took the trait portion of Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure relatively stable individual differences in anxiety proneness. Two groups heard a taped measure of sensation or procedural information; the third group heard no information. After the barium enema, all subjects took the state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure emotional responses during the barium enema. Subjects who received sensation information reported less anxiety than subjects who received no information or procedural information. However, the hypothesized relationships between the mean state anxiety scores for the three information groups were not found.
Sensory modulation of ventilative pacemaker output in the cockroach, Periplaneta americana

Abstract In cockroaches sensory feed-back occurs during the abdominal movements associated with rhythmic tracheal ventilation. Experiments to determine whether or not this input can modify the ongoing pacemaker rhythmare reported here. In headless animals stimulated with carbon dioxide to ventilate, brief (60–100 msec) elevation or compression of abdominal sterna caused a delay in the arrival of the next ventilative motor burst. The frequency of the ongoing rhythm was little disturbed, but the phase of the rhythm was shifted, evidently as a result of sensory input from the unnatural, out-of-phase tissue displacement. Short (100 msec) bursts of electrical stimuli, simulating sensory input, were applied to segmental nerves of isolated rhythmic cords, and these similarly delayed arrival of the next ventilative motor burst. A period of delay always followed electrical stimulation, or abrupt abdominal displacement, so that the amount of phase-shift resulting from such interruption was dependent upon when the input was delivered in the normal burst-interburst cycle. A feed-back mechanism is thus provided for maintaining continuous coupling between efferent rhythms and abdominal tissue oscillations. Phasic abdominal compression and rhythmic electrical excitation of the segmental nerves modified the frequency of the ongoing ventilative rhythm to that of the input, provided the two frequencies were not greatly different. Usually there was a return to the original frequency after abnormal input was stopped. Results clearly showed that impulses from abdominal mechanoreceptors are able to modulate ongoing pacemaker rhythms during tracheal ventilation, co-ordinating rhythmic neural and mechanical activity.
Observation of a novel electron beam effect: electron-stimulated associative desorption

We observed diatomic hydrogen and nitrogen desorbing from Pt(111) surfaces covered with multilayer ammonia at 120 K during electron irradiation at 600 eV. Experiments were conducted to verify that the source of H2(g) and N2(g) species was indeed the electron-irradiated ammonia multilayer. This effect, which we describe as electron-stimulated associative desorption (ESAD), has not been previously reported.
Funding More NIH Research Grants

Because of the prospect of a serious decline in the nation's biomedical research capacity owing to diminished federal appropriations, temporary measures should be initiated promptly by the National Institutes of Health to preserve the stability of resources and diversity of research required for future productivity. It is recommended that the available funds be distributed in such a way as to permit some support for 50 percent of competing grant applications approved by the National Institutes of Health study sections. Measures proposed for consideration are a sliding scale for funding, a greater across-the-board reduction, a limit on support for an individual laboratory, and a review of indirect costs.
Proinsulin/Insulin Autoantibodies Measured With Electrochemiluminescent Assay Are the Earliest Indicator of Prediabetic Islet Autoimmunity

OBJECTIVE We evaluated a novel electrochemiluminescent assay for insulin/proinsulin autoantibodies (ECL-IAA) as a new marker of the onset of islet autoimmunity and as a predictor of type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) prospectively follows children at increased genetic risk for development of islet autoimmunity (defined as presence of autoantibodies to insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD65], IA-2, or zinc transporter 8 [ZnT8]) and type 1 diabetes (general population of children and first-degree relatives). Serial serum samples from subjects who progressed to type 1 diabetes and who had their first islet autoantibodies measured by age 18 months ( N = 47) were tested using ECL-IAA. RESULTS Almost all prediabetic children tested positive for ECL-IAA (46 of 47, 98%) during follow-up. ECL-IAA was almost always the first autoantibody to appear (94% total; 21% very first [by itself]; 23% with only mIAA; 19% with another islet autoantibody [GAD or ZnT8]; and 30% with ≥2 other antibodies [mIAA, GAD, IA-2, or ZnT8]). Among the 46 subjects who were ECL-IAA–positive, ECL-IAA antedated the onset of other islet autoantibodies by a mean of 2.3 years (range, 0.3–7.2 years). Both the age of appearance of autoantibody and IAA levels (but not GAD65, IA2, or ZnT8 levels) are major determinants of the age of diabetes onset. CONCLUSIONS This new ECL-IAA assay defines more precisely the onset of prediabetic autoimmunity and may help identify events triggering islet autoimmunity, as well as allow earlier intervention for type 1 diabetes. Nearly all young children progressing to diabetes are insulin autoantibody–positive.
c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) antagonize cardiac growth through cross-talk with calcineurin-NFAT signaling.

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) branch of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway regulates cellular differentiation, stress responsiveness and apoptosis in multicellular eukaryotic organisms. Here we investigated the functional importance of JNK signaling in regulating differentiated cellular growth in the post-mitotic myocardium. JNK1/2 gene-targeted mice and transgenic mice expressing dominant negative JNK1/2 were determined to have enhanced myocardial growth following stress stimulation or with normal aging. A mechanism underlying this effect was suggested by the observation that JNK directly regulated nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFAT) activation in culture and in transgenic mice containing an NFAT-dependent luciferase reporter. Moreover, calcineurin Aβ gene targeting abrogated the pro-growth effects associated with JNK inhibition in the heart, while expression of an MKK7–JNK1 fusion protein in the heart partially reduced calcineurin-mediated cardiac hypertrophy. Collectively, these results indicate that JNK signaling antagonizes the differentiated growth response of the myocardium through direct cross-talk with the calcineurin–NFAT pathway. These results also suggest that myocardial JNK activation is primarily dedicated to modulating calcineurin–NFAT signaling in the regulation of differentiated heart growth.
Social Media: A Contextual Framework to Guide Research and Practice

Social media are a broad collection of digital platforms that have radically changed the way people interact and communicate. However, we argue that social media are not simply a technology but actually represent a context that differs in important ways from traditional (e.g., face-to-face) and other digital (e.g., email) ways of interacting and communicating. As a result, social media is a relatively unexamined type of context that may affect the cognition, affect, and behavior of individuals within organizations. We propose a contextual framework that identifies the discrete and ambient stimuli that distinguish social media contexts from digital communication media (e.g., email) and physical (e.g., face-to-face) contexts. We then use this contextual framework to demonstrate how it changes more person-centered theories of organizational behavior (e.g., social exchange, social contagion, and social network theories). These theoretical insights are also used to identify a number of practical implications for individuals and organizations. This study’s major contribution is creating a theoretical understanding of social media features so that future research may proceed in a theory-based, rather than platform-based, manner. Overall, we intend for this article to stimulate and broadly shape the direction of research on this ubiquitous, but poorly understood, phenomenon.
Synthesis and Characterization of the Octahydrotriborate Complexes Cp*V(B3H8)2 and Cp*Cr(B3H8)2 and the Unusual Cobaltaborane Cluster Cp*2Co2(B6H14)

The new compounds Cp*V(B3H8)2, Cp*Cr(B3H8)2, and Cp*2Co2(B6H14) have been synthesized by treating the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl complexes [Cp*VCl2]3, [Cp*CrCl2]2, and [Cp*CoCl]2 with NaB3H8. X-ray crystallography shows that Cp*V(B3H8)2 and Cp*Cr(B3H8)2 have the same ligand sets but different molecular structures: the vanadium compound contains two bidentate B3H8 ligands (i.e., bound to the metal center via two vicinal hydrogen atoms), whereas the chromium compound has one bidentate B3H8 ligand and one B3H8 ligand bound in an unprecedented fashion via two geminal hydrogen atoms. The “gem-bound” B3H8 group itself has an atypical structure consisting of a BH2−BH2−BH3 triangle with one additional hydrogen atom bridging the unique BH2−BH2 edge. The B−B distances are nearly identical within experimental error at 1.790(5), 1.792(5), and 1.786(6) A. The relationship between the electronic and molecular structures of the V and Cr compounds is briefly discussed. The structure of Cp*2Co2(B6H14) can be viewed in t...
Investigation of the Electrostatic Properties of Humic Substances by Fluorescence Quenching

A fluorescence quenching technique was employed to explore the electrostatic properties of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA). Cationic nitroxides were found to be up to 16 times more effective than neutral analogues in quenching the fluorescence of humic materials. This result is attributed to the enhanced Coulombic attraction of cations to the anionic FA or HA surface and is interpreted as an estimate of surface potential. Reduction of molecular charge at low pH and shielding of charge at high ionic strength produced diminished enhancements, consistent with this interpretation
Force-position-velocity control of an industrial machine in computer integrated manufacturing

A simple heuristic approach for force-position-velocity control of an industrial robot in a CIM environment is presented. This strategy can be used in industrial operations such as milling, grinding, deburring, sanding, buffing, and polishing. As an example, a deburring operation under compliant control of a grinding machine is considered. The approach has been arrived at after a careful analysis of how a human operator would perform the task under manual control. A heuristic pseudocode is suggested to simulate the compliant force-position-velocity control applied by the human operator. >
Personal Identity and Civic Responsibility: “Rising to the Occasion” Narratives and Generativity in Community Action Student Interns

Twenty-two students in a community action certificate program supplied "rising to the occasion" narratives during summer-long internships. They also filled out measures of generativity. Twenty-one students in an international studies certificate program that also included a summer internship served as a comparison group. Both groups reported equal personal growth from rising to the occasion experiences and no differences on measures of optimism, self-esteem or generativity. However, the community action students linked their personal growth experiences to future community service; a regression analysis also revealed that the best predictor of their stress-related growth was their level of generative concern. No comparable links emerged for the comparison group. Implications for cultivating connections between personal identity and civic responsibility through service-learning are discussed.
Preparedness in America's prime danger zone and at the Boston Marathon bombing site.

Introduction: The area between Newark and Elizabeth, NJ, contains major transportation hubs, chemical plants, and a dense population.This makes it “the most dangerous two miles in America,” according to counterterrorism officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This study compares medical response capabilities for terror and disaster in Newark, New Jersey’s largest city, with those in Boston in view of that city’s favorable response to the Marathon bombings in April 2013. Boston’s numerous world-class medical facilities offer advantages unavailable in Newark and most other metropolitan locations. Thus, preparedness in Newark, despite its prime-danger designation, can also be instructive for many communities with similar medical resources. Methods: Three categories of response capabilities are assessed: hospital resources, relevant personnel, and symposia/exercises. Data were derived from hospital Web sites, the New Jersey and Massachusetts Hospital Associations, communications with emergency response personnel, and interviews with spokespersons for hospitals. Results: Boston’s population (618,000) is more than twice Newark’s (278,000), and the number of hospitals and hospital beds in each city reflects that proportion. However, Boston’s seven general adult hospitals include five level 1 trauma centers (which can provide comprehensive trauma care), whereas Newark’s four hospitals include only one such center. Beds per 1,000 people are similarly disparate in those trauma centers: five in Boston, 1.5 in Newark. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel based in Boston and Newark are comparable in numbers, though full-time hospital physicians/dentists and nurses are not.The number of doctors at Boston’s five level 1 centers is more than triple that at all four of Newark’s hospitals (5,284 vs 1,494).The disparity between nurses at the two sites is even greater (6,784 vs 1,566). There is greater equivalency between the two cities both in content and frequency of symposia/exercises. Hospitals in each city have conducted numerous tabletop and action exercises including on communications efficiency, power outages, and dealing with a bombing or active shooter. Hospitals in each city also have participated in citywide drills with EMS, police, fire, and other responders. Conclusion: Commonalities in Newark and Boston’s exercise approaches suggest that Boston’s successful response at the Marathon might be replicated at least in part if the Newark area were similarly challenged. Whether Newark and similarly enabled communities would respond with comparable efficiency remains conjectural. Still, maintaining rigorous preparedness efforts seems a self-evident imperative, especially in an area deemed among the country’s most inviting terrorist targets.
Serological Studies on an α-D-Galactosyl-Binding Lectin Isolated from Bandeiraea simplicifolia Seeds

Abstruct. The serological characteristics of a highly purified a-D-galactosyl-binding lectin, isolated from extracts of Buntfeiraen siniplicifoliu seeds, are described. These studies show that the lectin preferentially agglutinates group B red cells and in addition has the capacity to distinguish between group A, and group A, erythrocytes. Since the lectin is not absolutely specific for group B red cells, it is therefore unsuitable as an anti-B blood typing reagent. However, the reactions obtained against Tn and ‘acquired-B’ red cells suggest that it may be of value in the elucidation and classification of red cell polyagglutinable states.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

Given increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance and the resulting limited treatment options, the treatment of hospital-acquired infections poses a significant challenge to healthcare providers. Optimization and conservation of current antimicrobials are necessary. Antimicrobial stewardship programs aim to optimize the use of antimicrobial agents through a multidisciplinary effort utilizing different strategies (prospective audit and feedback, formulary restriction and preauthorization, education, guidelines and clinical pathways, antimicrobial order forms, de-escalation, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic dose optimization) either alone or in combination. Effective antimicrobial stewardship programs are proactive, sustainable, and capable of optimizing antimicrobial choices, dosages, and durations to decrease the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Hospital resources and personnel dictate the most feasible strategies to achieve these outcomes.
Effect of interfacial and bulk organic contamination on the quality of thin silicon oxide

The effect of organic contamination of silicon (HF-last cleaned) and silicon dioxide (as-received) wafer surfaces on the quality of gate oxide was studied. Controlled contamination by model organics as well as cleanroom contamination conditions were investigated. Wafers were oxidized under oxidizing or inert ramp-up ambient to grow ultrathin thermal oxides (30 /spl Aring/). Surface and electrical characterization of the oxides was done by Auger sputter profiling, tunneling atomic force microscopy (TAFM) and gate oxide integrity (GOI) measurements. For oxides grown in an inert ambient during ramp-up, HF-last cleaned wafers had a large number of carbon-based defects as compared to as-received wafers. Oxygen in the ramp-up ambient oxidized and volatilized organics resulting in good quality thin gate oxides for HF-last cleaned wafers. However, for as-received wafers, the defect density was increased in an oxidizing ramp-up ambient. A probable mechanism for degradation of the gate oxide quality on HF-last wafers in an inert ramp-up ambient is investigated.
A multistage theory of age-specific acceleration in human mortality.

Background: Humans die at an increasing rate until late in life, when mortality rates level off. The causes of the late-life mortality plateau have been debated extensively over the past few years. Here, I examine mortality patterns separately for each of the leading causes of death. The different causes of death show distinct mortality patterns, providing some clues about the varying acceleration of mortality at different ages. Results: I examine mortality patterns by first plotting the data of mortality rate versus age on a log-log scale. The slope of the age-specific mortality rate at each age is the age-specific acceleration of mortality. About one-half of total deaths have causes with similar shapes for the age-specific acceleration of mortality: a steady rise in acceleration from midlife until a well-defined peak at 80 years, followed by a nearly linear decline in acceleration. This first group of causes includes heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and accidental deaths. A second group, accounting for about onethird of all deaths, follows a different pattern of age-specific acceleration. These diseases show an approximately linear rise in acceleration to a peak at 35–45 years of age, followed by a steep and steady decline in acceleration for the remainder of life. This second group includes cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and liver disease. I develop a multistage model of disease progression to explain the observed patterns of mortality acceleration. Conclusions: A multistage model of disease progression can explain both the early-life increase and late-life decrease in mortality acceleration. An early-life rise in acceleration may be caused by increasing rates of transition between stages as individuals grow older. The late-life decline in acceleration may be caused by progression through earlier stages, leaving only a few stages remaining for older individuals.
EFFECT OF HIGH IRRADIANCE ON RECRUITMENT OF THE GIANT KELP MACROCYSTIS (PHAEOPHYTA) IN SHALLOW WATER

Laboratory and field experiments were done hi Still-water Cove, Carmel Bay, California, and Monterey Harbor, California, to determine the effect of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on the shallow (upper) limit of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh. At shallow depths, M. pyrifera did not recruit or grow to macroscopic size from gametophytes or embryonic sporophytes transplanted to vertical buoy lines; sharp decreases in PAR with depth coincided with observed recruitment and sporophyte distributions. Shade manipulations indicated that settlement of M. pyrifera zoospores was decreased, but not prohibited, by high PAR. Postsettlement stages (gametophytes and embryonic sporophytes), however, survived only under shade. These results suggest that high PAR can inhibit the recruitment of M. pyrifera to shallow water by killing its postsettlement stages; whether or not ultraviolet (UV) radiation also inhibits recruitment was not tested. In either case, however, it appears that high irradiance (PAR and/or UV) regulates the shallow limit of M. pyrifera prior to temperature and desiccation stresses inherent to intertidal regions. In an additional experiment, recruitment or growth of transplanted gametophytes or embryonic sporophytes of Macrocystis integrifolia Bory also did not occur at shallow depths, suggesting that this shallow water species accesses high irradiance regions via a method other than sexual reproduction.
Simplified FPGA-based data acquisition system for PET

A data acquisition system for a single-ring, high-resolution, small-animal PET scanner is described. This single-ring test system is part of the development of a multi-ring scanner. The system was designed to be as simple (short development cycle, and low cost) and as flexible as possible while maintaining high performance standards necessary for high-resolution quantitative studies. Unlike the multi-ring system electronics under developments the test system does not use a clock, but identifies coincidences by overlapping logic signals. The ring consists of up to 18 multi-crystal MiCE modules, each of which is coupled to a resistive summing board that produces two X and two Y position signals. These are sent to the inputs of an analog multiplexer circuit. Total energy signals are also produced and used as inputs to NIM discriminators. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) is used for all system logic functions. This allows software development, testing, implementation, and modification of logic circuitry without hardware modification. Inputs to the FPGA are the outputs of the 18 discriminators. The FPGA logic produces and locks an event signal whenever two modules along allowed lines of response trigger within a preset resolving time. The FPGA also produces detector codes identifying the detectors involved in the event. These are recorded and also sent to the multiplexer to switch the position signals from the modules involved in the event to a buffered CAMAC ADC system for digitization. A "not busy" signal from the ADC is used to reset the FPGA releasing the locked signals allowing further event acquisition.
Malpractice Liability Risk and Use of Diagnostic Imaging Services: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract Purpose A widespread concern among physicians is that fear of medical malpractice liability may affect their decisions for diagnostic imaging orders. The purpose of this article is to synthesize evidence regarding the defensive use of imaging services. Methods A literature search was conducted using a number of databases. The review included peer-reviewed publications that studied the link between physician orders of imaging tests and malpractice liability pressure. Results We identified 13 peer-reviewed studies conducted in the United States. Five of the studies reported physician assessments of the role of defensive medicine in imaging-order decisions; five assessed the association between physicians' liability risk and imaging ordering, and three assessed the impact of liability risk on imaging ordering at the state level. Although the belief that medical liability risk could influence decisions is highly prevalent among physicians, findings are mixed regarding the impact of liability risk on imaging orders at both the state and physician level. Conclusions Inconclusive evidence suggests that physician ordering of imaging tests is affected by malpractice liability risk. Further research is needed to disentangle defensive medicine from other reasons for inefficient use of imaging.
Applications of Exactness

In this chapter we give some diverse applications of the material in Chapter 4. In Definition 2.5.10 we defined the (homotopical) cohomology groups with coefficients as \(H^n (X,G)\, = \,[X,K(G;n)].\,\text{When}\,G\, = \,\mathbb{Z}, \) we refer to these groups as ordinary cohomology groups or integral cohomology groups.
Cache-adaptive algorithms

We introduce the cache-adaptive model, which generalizes the external-memory model to apply to environments in which the amount of memory available to an algorithm can fluctuate. The cache-adaptive model applies to operating systems, databases, and other systems where the allocation of memory to processes changes over time.We prove that if an optimal cache-oblivious algorithm has a particular recursive structure, then it is also an optimal cache-adaptive algorithm. Cache-oblivious algorithms having this form include Floyd-Warshall all pairs shortest paths, naive recursive matrix multiplication, matrix transpose, and Gaussian elimination. While the cache-oblivious sorting algorithm Lazy Funnel Sort does not have this recursive structure, we prove that it is nonetheless optimally cache-adaptive. We also establish that if a cache-oblivious algorithm is optimal on "square" (well-behaved) memory profiles then, given resource augmentation it is optimal on all memory profiles.We give paging algorithms for the case where the cache size changes dynamically. We prove that LRU with 4-memory and 4-speed augmentation is competitive with optimal. Moreover, Belady's algorithm remains optimal even when the cache size changes.Cache-obliviousness is distinct from cache-adaptivity. We exhibit a cache-oblivious algorithm that is not cache-adaptive and a cache-adaptive algorithm for a problem having no optimal cache-oblivious solution.
Pneumoscrotum after spontaneous pneumothorax with air leak.

AbstractA case of pneumoscrotum associated with a chest wall air leak following placement of a chest tube for spontaneous pneumothorax is reported The patient recovered uneventfully once the air leak surrounding the tube was successfully closed at the entry wound. Two previous cases have described pneumoscrotum occurring after colonoscopy and after diagnostic peritoneoscopy. All 3 (previous and current) cases report the associated development of subcutaneous and retroperitoneal emphysema, which provides a possible etiological mechanism for this entity.
An expert system for automated satellite anomaly resolution

E x p e r t System techno1og.y has been i d e n t i f i e d as t h e most f e a s i b l e s o l u t i o n t o t h e p rob lem o f automat ing s a t e l l i t e anomaly r e s o l u t i o n . I n 1984, a f e a s i b i l i t y p r o t o t y p e system t h a t per forms anomaly r e s o l u t i o n f o r t h e e l e c t r i c a l power d i s t r i b u t i o n subsystem o f a communicat ions sa te1 1 i t e was developed. T h i s paper d e s c r i b e s t h e f e a t u r e s o f t h e p r o t o t y p e , t h e approach used and t h e r e s u l t s obta ined. Problems encountered, successes, and rema in ing open i ssues a r e d iscussed.