cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Agonist-induced calcium waves in oscillatory cells: A biological example of Burgers' equation☆

Oscillations in cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations in living cells are often a manifestation of propagating waves of Ca2+. Numerical simulations with a realistic model of inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced Ca2+ wave trains lead to wave speeds that increase linearly at long times when (a) IP3 levels are in the range for Ca2+ oscillations, (b) a gradient of phase is established by either an initial ramp or pulse of IP3, and (c) IP3 concentrations asymptotically become uniform. We explore this phenomenon with analytical and numerical methods using a simple two-variable reduction of the De Young-Keizer model of the IP3 receptor that includes the influence of Ca2+ buffers. For concentrations of IP3 in the oscillatory regime, numerical solution of the resulting reaction diffusion equations produces nonlinear wave trains that shows the same asymptotic growth of wave speed. Due to buffering, diffusion of Ca2+ is quite slow and, as previously noted, these waves occur without appreciable bulk movement of Ca2+. Thus, following Neu and Murray, we explore the behavior of these waves using an asymptotic expansion based on the small size of the buffered diffusion constant for Ca2+. We find that the gradient in phase of the wave obeys Burgers' equation asymptotically in time. This result is used to explain the linear increase of the wave speed observed in the simulations.
Atomic-scale friction control by vibration using friction force microscope

Manipulation of friction at the nanoscale has been traditionally approached by chemical means (lubrication). Recent friction force microscopy (FFM) experiments demonstrated that it can be done mechanically by applying vibration to accessible elements of the system. This paper provides analytic understanding on why vibration can reduce friction based on a 1D model imitating the FFM tip moving on a substrate. Open-loop stability is first studied, and a feedback vibration control is then designed using the accessible variable. Comparing to the open-loop system, friction force is significantly reduced in the closed-loop system. Numerical simulations show satisfactory performances.
Work in progress — Using video and self-reflection to enhance undergraduate teams

Engineers today must be able to communicate and collaborate in teams. They also must be comfortable making adjustments within the team to maintain flow and progress toward project goals. With these goals in mind, students in a first-semester engineering seminar course were asked to videotape a team meeting in their design course and to write a self-reflection paper after viewing their video. After analyzing the video, students were asked to provide clear suggestions in their self-reflection paper for improving their own and their team's performance. Our preliminary analysis showed that video-supported reflections: 1) may be more effective than memory for identifying problems within the team; 2) can encourage detailed analysis about students' interactions with each other; 3) can be used to help provide feedback on each student's and the teammates behaviors; and 4) can be an efficient tool for generating an effective problem-solving environment.
Kinetics of a twinning step

We study the kinetics of a step propagating along a twin boundary in a cubic lattice undergoing an antiplane shear deformation. To model twinning, we consider a piecewise quadratic double-well interaction potential with respect to one component of the shear strain and harmonic interaction with respect to another. We construct semi-analytical traveling wave solutions that correspond to a steady step propagation and obtain the kinetic relation between the applied stress and the velocity of the step. We show that this relation strongly depends on the width of the spinodal region where the double-well potential is non-convex and on the material anisotropy parameter. In the limiting case when the spinodal region degenerates to a point, we construct new solutions that extend the kinetic relation obtained in the earlier work of Celli, Flytzanis and Ishioka into the low-velocity regime. Numerical simulations suggest stability of some of the obtained solutions, including low-velocity step motion when the spinodal ...
Cuticular hydrocarbons on elytra of the Diaprepes root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

External gland openings and associated structures on the elytra of teneral and mature Diaprepes root weevils, Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.), were elucidated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 2 There were clear differences between teneral, callow adults and fully mature adults. In the field, teneral adults remain in the pupal chamber in the soil until sclerotization of the cuticle is complete or nearly so. 3 Phenotypic variation of the elytra in this species consists of varying patterns and coloration of scaled intervals between a variable number of raised ridges devoid of scales. In addition to being thinner and lighter in colour than fully mature adults, the elytra of teneral adults were devoid of waxy hydrocarbon secretions. 4 External gland openings at the base of each scale were observed on teneral elytra and mature elytra washed with methylene chloride. 5 SEM evidence to document the production of waxy filaments by these glands and partial characterization of these by gas chromatography and mass spectro- metry are presented.
Laterality of basic auditory perception

Laterality (left–right ear differences) of auditory processing was assessed using basic auditory skills: (1) gap detection, (2) frequency discrimination, and (3) intensity discrimination. Stimuli included tones (500, 1000, and 4000 Hz) and wide-band noise presented monaurally to each ear of typical adult listeners. The hypothesis tested was that processing of tonal stimuli would be enhanced by left ear (LE) stimulation and noise by right ear (RE) presentations. To investigate the limits of laterality by (1) spectral width, a narrow-band noise (NBN) of 450-Hz bandwidth was evaluated using intensity discrimination, and (2) stimulus duration, 200, 500, and 1000 ms duration tones were evaluated using frequency discrimination. A left ear advantage (LEA) was demonstrated with tonal stimuli in all experiments, but an expected REA for noise stimuli was not found. The NBN stimulus demonstrated no LEA and was characterised as a noise. No change in laterality was found with changes in stimulus durations. The LEA for...
Rapidly convergent Green's function representation for a linear periodic array near layered media

We have presented rapidly hybrid spectral-spatial techniques for the rapid calculation of 3D Green's functions of a linear periodic array residing in near a layered medium. The techniques are based on spectral field expansion over the transverse (to the array's axis) spectral parameter, extraction any singular field components, and efficient integration rules. The techniques are efficient for any complex phase shifts, a wide range of array's periodicities, as well as a wide range of observation locations including those on the array's axis. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency of the method.
Investigation of off-line Japanese signature verification using a pattern matching

This paper deals with an off-line Japanese signatureverification using a pattern matching method. Anannoying problem encountered in off-line signatureverification using a pattern matching is that variation ofsignature stroke widths and a registered signatureselected from a set of reference samples affect theverification performance. In this paper, we propose amodified pattern matching method, which is independentof stroke widths, and an appropriate selection method ofa registered signature to solve this problem. Thesemethods were experimentally compared with aconventional pattern matching method and a randomselection method of a registered signature. Experimentalresults showed that the proposed methods improve theverification performance.
Steganography attack based on Discrete Spring Transform and image geometrization

sharing by steganography, a new active-warden countermeasure approach against steganography is proposed in this paper. Differently from the other countermeasure approaches presented in current literature which need to have some knowledge of the steganographic algorithms to be attacked, our proposed method is a generic method which is independent of any particular steganography methods being utilized. In other words, our approach blindly attacks the steganography without any prior knowledge of the used algorithms or their existence. In general, the hidden information is embedded in a carrier by adjusting the coefficients of the audio or image. In our method, by exploiting the large margin between the numerical value and visual perception of the images, large amounts of visually nondetectable distortions are incurred in the image. As a result, the hidden message is destroyed by this method while the perceptual quality of the image is maintained. Inspired by the print-scan process in which most of the steganographic methods cannot survive, a transform called Discrete Spring Transform (DST) is proposed in this paper as the foundation of our attack algorithm. An image geometrization method is also developed to reconstruct the image in this paper. The simulation results have demonstrated that the PSNR of the attacked image is above 30dB with a high perceptive quality while the BER of the hidden steganographic message in the attacked image is above 0.5.
FLEXclusion: balancing cache capacity and on-chip bandwidth via flexible exclusion

Exclusive last-level caches (LLCs) reduce memory accesses by effectively utilizing cache capacity. However, they require excessive on-chip bandwidth to support frequent insertions of cache lines on eviction from upper-level caches. Non-inclusive caches, on the other hand, have the advantage of using the on-chip bandwidth more effectively but suffer from a higher miss rate. Traditionally, the decision to use the cache as exclusive or non-inclusive is made at design time. However, the best option for a cache organization depends on application characteristics, such as working set size and the amount of traffic consumed by LLC insertions. This paper proposes FLEXclusion, a design that dynamically selects between exclusion and non-inclusion depending on workload behavior. With FLEXclusion, the cache behaves like an exclusive cache when the application benefits from extra cache capacity, and it acts as a non-inclusive cache when additional cache capacity is not useful, so that it can reduce on-chip bandwidth. FLEXclusion leverages the observation that both non-inclusion and exclusion rely on similar hardware support, so our proposal can be implemented with negligible hardware changes. Our evaluations show that a FLEXclusive cache reduces the on-chip LLC insertion traffic by 72.6% compared to an exclusive design and improves performance by 5.9% compared to a non-inclusive design.
Nominalism and Essentialism in Urban Anthropology

AS A REACTION to the essentialist perspectives of mid-century anthropology, proponents of postmodernism and others have viewed the conventional categories, such as cultures, communities, and ethnic groups as reifications. The critique of Wirthian urbanism which preceded the current period fits this pattern. The paper will deal with how postmodernist anthropologists have dealt with the urban and how, despite the critique, an essentialist view of urbanism retains utility, [urbanism, postmodernism, essentialism]
Production of staphylococcal enterotoxin in chemically defined media.

SummaryProduction of staphylococcal enterotoxin in chemically defined media is reported. These experiments have not demonstrated specific requirements for enterotoxin production.
When Ethics and Policy Collide

This case study explores an ethical dilemma faced by a new junior high school principal. It is appropriate for use in all preparation course work, including the internship. Studies show that novice principal decision making differs from that of experienced principals in moral dilemmas, including following policy versus best interests of the student. Implications for training prospective principals include internal conflict resolution, rational decision-making theory, the role of intuition in decision making, and ethical behavior standards for school administrators.
Invited tutorial: Advanced CMOS transistor technology: Past, present and future

Almost half a century later, Gordon Moore's accurate observation that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles every two years continues to be the guiding principle of the semiconductor industry. We have almost taken for granted the apparent corollary; as transistor count increases, each transistor becomes smaller, faster and cheaper. Today, the transistor physical gate length in production is less than 30 nanometer; further brute-force geometric scaling of conventional silicon devices limit faces many fundamental challenges — rising energy consumption, power density and worsening device to device fluctuation being some of the foremost barriers. In this tutorial, I will present the amazing journey of the logic transistor in the last ten years starting with strained channel CMOS transistors, the high-k/metal-gate silicon CMOS transistors and the multiple-gate transistor architecture. Then, I will review the recent breakthroughs in non-silicon (compound semiconductor and germanium) based quantum-well transistor research that are promising transistor architecture for the next decade. I will also describe our research efforts in a new genre of “green” transistors that work on the quantum-mechanical band to band tunneling principle called Tunnel transistors and can operate with the record low energy delay product. Finally, interaction of emerging devices with the circuit and system architecture will also be discussed. This talk will summarize the twenty-first century logic transistor innovations that have and will continue to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of information processing systems through materials, device physics and architectural innovations.
Nonholonomic camera-space manipulation

The method of camera-space manipulation is extended to wheeled systems. A minimum of two cameras is required to place points on end-effectors (or objects in their grasp) of n-degree-of-freedom manipulators relative to other bodies where the nonholonomic degrees of freedom on a mobile manipulator base may be included. The target bodies do not have a precisely known location relative to the environment. The method is illustrated experimentally, though not in real time, using a point placement task. It is then generalized to rigid-body positioning tasks. Although the experimental point placement illustrations make use of a very simple trajectory planning scheme for the wheels of the base, a smoother optimal trajectory planning scheme that makes use of the Pontryagin maximum principle is also developed and illustrated. In a departure from the practice of using time as the independent variable for estimation and optimal trajectory planning algorithms, the present development is time independent and instead introduces the forward rotation of the drive wheel of the base as the independent variable. >
Local Media and Experts: Sources of Environmental Policy Initiation?

Research on the process of policy change often involves a direct or indirect analysis of the roles of policy entrepreneurs and the mass media. In Colorado, beginning in 1998, twelve communities decided to obtain water rights for recreational in-channel purposes such as kayaking and whitewater rafting. These water rights stirred political controversy within some communities in Colorado related to spending public money, appropriate uses of water, and the role of recreation in local economies. Using a comparative case study research method, this research analyzes the role that policy entrepreneurs and local media coverage of recreational water rights played in initiating policy change in local communities. The most critical finding from this study is that in communities where citizens acted as policy entrepreneurs there was more controversy, less positive media coverage, and more media coverage early in the process. This case contradicts the assumption that local media coverage helps to highlight policy problems within communities. It supports the idea that experts wield higher levels of influence than citizens in promoting policy agendas.
Path Generation Using Matrix Representations of Previous Robot State Data

Humans learn by repetition and using past experiences. It is possible for robots to act in a similar fashion. By representing past path traversal experiences with matrices, a new path can be generated without relying on calculations of complex dynamics or control laws. This paper presents one approach for allowing robots to use past experience to generate new paths and control actions. This approach relies on using several matrices to associate each new input value with previous robot states. An example is provided and analyzed which shows a successful simulated implementation of this approach. In addition a real world test of the approach was conducted which demonstrates that the implementation not only generates new paths, but does so fast enough to be feasible for real time systems.
Drifting-Dipole Noise (DDN) Model of MOSFETs for Microwave Circuit Design

Physic-based formulations for the high-frequency noise characteristics of nanometer MOSFETs working at saturation are developed. In the derivation, field-dependent mobility, as well as carrier heating effect in the gradual channel approximation region, is taken into account. In addition, diffusion noise due to velocity saturation carriers in the high electric field region is calculated using Statz's drifting dipole theory. Excellent agreement between the proposed model and experimental noise data for 120-nm MOSFET technology was obtained over device sizes, biases, and frequencies up to 26 GHz. The analytical noise model can be incorporated into any compact model to enable first-pass silicon design of microwave circuit.
Pulmonary Barotrauma in Mechanical Ventilation

The incidence of mediastinal emphysema (ME) and pneumothorax (PTX) was analyzed to determine the roentgenographic patterns and risk factors for the development of barotrauma in a population of mechanically ventilated patients. The roentgenograms of 139 intubated patients admitted to our medical intensive care unit over a ten-month period were evaluated for the presence of ME and PTX. Barotrauma was diagnosed in 34 of these patients, and ME was the initial manifestation in 24 patients. Of these patients with initial ME, ten subsequently developed PTX, a positive predictive value of 42 percent. The adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patient population was at highest risk for barotrauma, with an intermediate risk seen in those admitted with COPD or pneumonia. Values of peak inspiratory pressure, positive end-expiratory pressure level, respiratory rate, tidal volume, and minute ventilation were significantly elevated in patients who developed barotrauma as compared with patients who did not develop barotrauma. However, these elevations in part reflect the high incidence of barotrauma in the ARDS population, a patient group in which all of the above parameters were elevated.
Any identifiable knowledge structures from traversal behavior in hypertext environment

In this paper, we introduce "Knowledge Diagraph Contribution" (KDC) analysis as a novel categorical time-series method in observing underlying knowledge structure of experts by exploiting varying hypertext (web) presentation formats and knowledge domains. The navigation behaviors were studied by designing hypertext presentation format and text that adheres to content design principles inspired by discourse and text comprehension scholars. As a continuation of previous study by Ismaili & Golden [1], twenty undergraduate Psychology students from University of Texas at Dallas participated in this study. Students traversed through different Hypertext (web) presentation formats while reading content from three different knowledge domains controlled for micro (web-page, web-site) and macro (consistent semantic connections across knowledge domains) characteristics. The influences of expertise and web traversal behavior in deriving underlying knowledge structures are presented using KDC analysis. In addition, previously reported Classical data analysis (ANOVA) are compared with KDC analysis in highlighting quantitative and qualitative differences of these derived latent knowledge structures.
Procarcinogenic regulatory T cells in microbial-induced colon cancer

Regulatory T cell (Treg) promote IL-17-mediated colon tumorigenesis in multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice colonized with enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF). Although they retain their immunosuppressive function, mucosal Treg are instrumental to initiate ETBF-triggered IL-17 colitis by limiting the availability of IL-2 in the local microenvironment. However, the mechanisms that trigger the recruitment of the pro-carcinogenic Treg in ETBF-colonized colon remained to be elucidated.
Excitonic Energy Migration in Conjugated Polymers: The Critical Role of Interchain Morphology

Excitonic energy migration was studied using single molecule spectroscopy of individual conjugated polymer (CP) chains and aggregates. To probe the effect of interchain morphology on energy migration in CP, tailored interchain morphologies were achieved using solvent vapor annealing to construct polymer aggregates, which were then studied with single aggregate spectroscopy. We report that highly ordered interchain packing in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) enables long-range interchain energy migration, while disordered packing in regiorandom poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rra-P3HT), even in aggregates of just a few chains, can dramatically impede the interchain mechanism. In contrast to rr-P3HT, interchain energy migration in poly(3-(2′-methoxy-5′-octylphenyl)thiophene) (POMeOPT), a polythiophene derivative with bulky side chains, can be completely inhibited. We use simulated structures to show that the reduction in interchain coupling is not due simply to increased packing distance between backbo...
Nitrogen enrichment regulates calcium sources in forests

Nitrogen (N) is a key nutrient that shapes cycles of other essential elements in forests, including calcium (Ca). When N availability exceeds ecosystem demands, excess N can stimulate Ca leaching and deplete Ca from soils. Over the long term, these processes may alter the proportion of available Ca that is derived from atmospheric deposition vs. bedrock weathering, which has fundamental consequences for ecosystem properties and nutrient supply. We evaluated how landscape variation in soil N, reflecting long-term legacies of biological N fixation, influenced plant and soil Ca availability and ecosystem Ca sources across 22 temperate forests in Oregon. We also examined interactions between soil N and bedrock Ca using soil N gradients on contrasting basaltic vs. sedimentary bedrock that differed 17-fold in underlying Ca content. We found that low-N forests on Ca-rich basaltic bedrock relied strongly on Ca from weathering, but that soil N enrichment depleted readily weatherable mineral Ca and shifted forest reliance toward atmospheric Ca. Forests on Ca-poor sedimentary bedrock relied more consistently on atmospheric Ca across all levels of soil N enrichment. The broad importance of atmospheric Ca was unexpected given active regional uplift and erosion that are thought to rejuvenate weathering supply of soil minerals. Despite different Ca sources to forests on basaltic vs. sedimentary bedrock, we observed consistent declines in plant and soil Ca availability with increasing N, regardless of the Ca content of underlying bedrock. Thus, traditional measures of Ca availability in foliage and soil exchangeable pools may poorly reflect long-term Ca sources that sustain soil fertility. We conclude that long-term soil N enrichment can deplete available Ca and cause forests to rely increasingly on Ca from atmospheric deposition, which may limit ecosystem Ca supply in an increasingly N-rich world.
368 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES-ATTENDED CARDIAC ARRESTS AT OUTPATIENT DIALYSIS FACILITIES IN A COMMUNITY

Background Over 400,000 people in the United States have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), for whom cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death. However, little is known about the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of cardiac arrests at hemodialysis facilities. Study Design and Methods We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using Emergency Medical Services databases to identify and examine 14.5 years of cardiac arrest cases for which resuscitation was attempted at hemodialysis facilities. The utilization and impact of automated external defibrillators (AED) in dialysis facilities was also examined. Results Of the 110 cardiac arrests identified (mean age 65.4, 55 males), 10 occurred before, 72 during, and 20 after hemodialysis. Overall, the initially observed rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 72 (66%) cases. A significantly greater proportion of VF/VT cases occurred during or after dialysis onset. Twenty-six (24%) patients survived to discharge from the hospital. The absolute risk of cardiac arrest was 54.28 per estimated 1000 person-years spent at a dialysis facility. Thirty-four of the cases occurred in dialysis facilities after an AED had been placed onsite; in 18 (53%) of these 34 cases the AED was attached to the patient and a shock was delivered in 15 (83%) of the 18 cases. There were no significant differences in outcomes of patients who arrested before versus after AED placement in dialysis facilities. Conclusion The varying incidence of VF depending on the time of cardiac arrest relative to hemodialysis therapy suggests multiple mechanisms contributing to cardiac arrests in dialysis facilities. Progress has been made with the placement of AEDs in dialysis facilities; however, the AEDs are not being utilized to their full potential.
Biological Specimen Collection and Processing for Molecular Analysis

This chapter provides a standardized best practice approach to sample collection and handling for the purpose of nucleic acid (NA) extraction and PCR. These methods are described through text and clearly illustrated figures. Furthermore, for those cases in which transportation of samples cannot be accomplished due to the inability to maintain the cold chain or limitations on the import of live disease agents in diagnostic samples, the chapter describes the use of FTA cards for collection transport and NA preparation of samples for PCR. This chapter also makes emphasis in the best safety practices for handling of samples/tissues to avoid unnecessary disease exposures to laboratory personnel. Finally, NA extraction best practices and methods will be briefly outlined.
Poisson- und Normalverteilungen

Die Poisson-Verteilung hat grose Bedeutung fur Theorie und Praxis. Ein zusatzlicher Vorzug ist ihre mathematische Einfachheit. Wir hatten sie schon fruher in diesem Buch einfuhren konnen und die Neugier des Lesers wurde auch bereits in §4.4 geweckt. Das verzogerte Erscheinen wird ihr indessen mehr Gewicht verleihen und eine grundlichere Diskussion ermoglichen, als wenn wir diese ohne die nutzlichen Kenntnisse aus den beiden letzten Kapiteln gefuhrt hatten.
Conclusions and Future Directions—From the Foreign Language Deficit to Foreign Languages 2.0

The U.S. language paradox—the reluctance of native English-language speakers to learn another language while living in a nation of immigrants—poses a challenge to the U.S. in an era where English may be considered the global lingua franca, but where foreign languages are increasingly in demand in the global workplace. It is interesting to note that, despite the efforts, research, and writing of many individuals, so little progress has been made. Multilingualism is a global competency for all of us. Increasing awareness, building skills, and developing career pathways are areas to target during the campaign for languages.
Excessive GABAergic Activity in Striatal and Frontal Cortical Regions Rather Than Dopaminergic Functions Are Related to Daytime Sleepiness in Parkinson Disease (S13.008)

Objective: To investigate the relationship between dopaminergic functions and GABA-A receptor activities and daytime somnolence in Parkinson disease (PD). Background: Daytime sleepiness in PD has been linked to dopaminergic functions, in particular the use of dopaminergic medications. In vivo imaging evidence shows evidence of abnormally increased brain GABA-ergic activity in PD, including the striatum. Increased GABA-A binding activity has been recently identified in patients with hypersomnolence syndromes but its role in daytime sleepiness in PD is unknown. Methods: PD patients [N=6, 5M; mean age 65.5±4.6 yr; 17.5±1.4 yr motor disease duration, HY range 2-3, MMSE score 27.3±2.9 and UPDRS motor 9off9 score of 31.7±11.2] underwent [C-11]flumazenil GABA-A receptor and [C-11]dihydrotetrabenazine vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) brain PET scanning and clinical assessment. Daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Levodopa equivalent dose (LED) was also determined. Results: Mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores was 12.7±4.5 and mean LED was 1170 ± 616 mg. There was no significant correlation between striatal dopaminergic binding as determined by VMAT2 PET (R=-0.02, p=0.94) or LED (R=0.30, p=0.30) and ESS scores. In contrast, there was a significant inverse relationship between striatal GABA-A receptor activity and ESS scores (R=-0.93, P=0.008). As regional striatal effects were most prominent for the caudate nucleus (R= -0.95, p=0.003), we explored also [C-11]flumazenil GABA-A receptor activity in the frontal cortex projection area. A significant inverse relationship between frontal cortical GABA-A receptor activity and ESS scores was also present (R=-0.91, P=0.013). There were no correlations between GABA-A receptor activity and thalamic brain regions. Conclusions: Abnormally increased striatal and frontal cortical GABAergic activity is a more significant determinant of daytime somnolence than dopaminergic functions in PD. Findings may augur further research with GABA-A receptor inverse agonists as a novel treatment approach for daytime somnolence in PD. Disclosure: Dr. Bohnen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Beaulieu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Muller has nothing to disclose.
Nanotips and Transmission Low Energy Electron Diffraction

A field-emission nanotip is a lens, which forms an image of a virtual source. The results of recent calculations for the aberration coefficients of these sources are given, and found to be of sub-nanometer dimensions. The use of these sources in field-emission guns is discussed. The relationship between Fourier imaging, shadow imaging and in-line holography at sub-kilovolt electron energies is discussed, using a nanotip field emitter. The results of recent multiple electron scattering computations for the transmission of 100 –1000 volt electrons through thin gold films are summarised.
Supraventricular Tachycardia in Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Clinical Aspects

Supraventricular arrhythmias represent a major source of morbidity in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). Anatomic variants and post-operative changes contribute to a unique electrophysiologic milieu ripe for the development of supraventricular tachycardia. Intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia is the most prevalent mechanism. Atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia is common in lesions associated with accessory pathways. Abnormal anatomy complicates the management of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. Tachycardia mediated by twin atrioventricular nodes is rare. Focal tachycardias are considerations in the ACHD population. Each of these tachycardia mechanisms is reviewed, focusing on the inherent diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Abstract WP20: Pre-Notification of Large Vessel Occlusion Reduces Transfer Time for Endovascular Procedures

Introduction: The American Heart and American Stroke Associations’ revised guidelines for acute ischemic stroke recommend rapid transfer of patients with large vessel occlusions (LVO) eligible to r...
Environmental Combustion Considerations

This chapter seeks to provide a better understanding of the oxidation processes of nitrogen and sulfur and the processes leading to particulate formation. It also considers appropriate combustion chemistry techniques for regulating the emissions related to these compounds. Photochemical air pollution consists of a complex mixture of gaseous pollutants and aerosols, some of which are photochemically produced. Among the gaseous compounds are the oxidizing species ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and peroxyacyl nitrate. Photochemical smog comprises mixtures of particulate matter and noxious gases. This smog is a mixture of particulates and oxides of sulfur, chiefly sulfur dioxide. Being a reducing agent SO x tends to reduce the oxidizing effects of ozone and thus produces low quantities of the oxidant. Nitrogen oxide and the oxides of sulfur are examples of primary pollutants. Primary pollutants are those emitted directly to the atmosphere. Historically, the sulfur oxides have long been known to have a deleterious effect on the atmosphere, and sulfuric acid mist and other sulfate particulate matter are well established as important sources of atmospheric contamination. The pollutants form originally from the SO 2 emitted to the air. Just as mobile and stationary combustion sources emit some small quantities of NO 2 as well as NO, so do they emit some small quantities of SO 3 when they burn sulfur-containing fuels. The photodissociation of SO 2 into SO and O atoms is markedly different from the photo dissociation of NO 2 . The simplest method of reducing NO x , particularly from gas turbines, is by adding water to the combustor can.
Identification of Grey Sheep Users by Histogram Intersection in Recommender Systems

Collaborative filtering, as one of the most popular recommendation algorithms, has been well developed in the area of recommender systems. However, one of the classical challenges in collaborative filtering, the problem of “Grey Sheep” user, is still under investigation. “Grey Sheep” users is a group of the users who may neither agree nor disagree with the majority of the users. They may introduce difficulties to produce accurate collaborative recommendations. In this paper, discuss the drawbacks in the approach that can identify the Grey Sheep users by reusing the outlier detection techniques based on the distribution of user-user similarities. We propose to alleviate these drawbacks and improve the identification of Grey Sheep users by using histogram intersection to better produce the user-user similarities. Our experimental results based on the MovieLens 100 K rating data demonstrate the ease and effectiveness of our proposed approach in comparison with existing approaches to identify grey sheep users.
The Day One Leadership Program: Engaging Campus in Community Hunger Issues through Service-Learning

Hunger issues continue to be a major part of both the United States’ and the global health agenda. The “War on Hunger” is an initiative that engages college students in the solution to fight hunger. Using Mississippi State University’s Day One Leadership Community as a case study, this article details how freshmen students in a first-year, living-learning community participated in a service-learning project with their local food pantries in order to better understand the issues of food insecurity and domestic hunger. Elements of the program as well as challenges and benefits for the students and food pantry community partners are shared. Application and implementation for similar projects are discussed.
BigDF Keynote: Smart Intersection Control Algorithms for Automated and Connected Vehicles

The pace at which autonomous and connected vehicle technology is reaching the consumer market is accelerating. These driver and driverless vehicles will communicate information with other vehicles and transportation infrastructure. In this talk, we will present our work on optimizing signal control to take advantage of these developments. We will provide extensive simulation results as well as our initial testing of our algorithms On Traffic Engineering Research Laboratory (TERL) in Tallahassee, Florida. We will also describe related projects on I-STREET (Implementing Solutions from Transportation Research and Evaluation of Emerging Technologies) that University of Florida is developing in conjunction with the Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Gainesville. This testbed will encompass the University of Florida campus and the surrounding roadway network in the City of Gainesville.
An analysis of the relationships between management faculty teaching ratings and characteristics of the classes they teach

Abstract This study uses ratings from Ratemyprofessors.com to examine how ratings differ across different types of management classes. A sample of 3570 undergraduate class ratings taught by 274 professors at nine Florida universities are examined. T-test results show significant ratings differences between core, capstone, and major classes. For example, professors teaching core classes earn lower ratings than professors teaching major or capstone classes and professors teaching major classes earn lower ratings than those teaching capstone classes. For professors teaching major classes, however, there are no significant differences in ratings between required and elective classes or between quantitative and non-quantitative classes, even though students consider quantitative classes and to be less easy and they report less interest in those classes. A series of regressions also reveal how professors’ characteristics, academic ranks, and the use of humor in the classroom are related to teaching ratings for different classes. These results provide evidence that teaching ratings are related to both the different types of classes taught and to some professor characteristics. The results should be of interest to both faculty who are rated by students and to administrators who use ratings data when evaluating professors for performance review purposes and tenure and promotion decisions.
Effect of Crown Growing Space on the Development of Young Hardwood Crop Trees

Crown release of individual crop trees can be used to increase the growth and competitiveness of selected trees in young hardwood stands. Forest managers need information on the response of individual trees to such thinnings to prescribe stand treatments that meet specific management objectives. Codominant northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus L.), black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) crop trees in stands 12 to 16 yr old were given a crown-touching release by cutting all adjacent trees that touched the crown of a selected crop tree. A heavier thinning, which entailed cutting all competing trees whose crowns were within 5ft of the crown of a selected crop tree, was also applied to black cherry and yellow-poplar crop trees on one study site. Stand and individual-tree response was monitored for control and treatedplots for 10 yr. Both release treatments increasedperiodic stand basal area growth and had a negligible effect on the proportion of high-value species among overstory trees. Individual- tree development was affected by total growing space, defined as the initial area occupied by the crop-tree crown plus the area offree growing space resulting from release. As total growing space increased, there was a positive effect on dbh, crown ratio, and crown diameter growth, and a negative effect on clear stem development. Total height growth was reduced by heavy release but not by the more moderate crown-touching release. North. J. Appl. For. 17(1):25-35. Crop-tree release in young hardwood stands is a precommercial thinning method that promotes the develop- ment of selected individual trees. This method entails cutting (or otherwise killing) trees that touch or are within a certain distance of the crown of a selected crop tree so that compe- tition for light and other site resources around the crop tree is reduced. Once freed from crowding, the crop tree responds by extending its roots and branches to capture growing space formerly occupied by neighboring trees (Oliver and Larson 1996). In most cases, the crop tree also grows faster after a release treatment because the availability of site resources is less limiting once competing trees are eliminated. Although crop-tree release usually has an obvious short- term effect on individual-tree growth, the justification for applying this practice is based on more subtle long-term effects on overall stand development and species composi- tion. Hardwood stands in the Appalachians typically have about 50 dominant or codominant sawlog-size trees per acre at maturity that account for the majority of merchantable volume and stand value (Smith and Lamson 1986). Early crop-tree release provides an opportunity to influence the composition, quality, and rate of development of the future overstory by favoring trees in the young stand that best meet management objectives. Faster growth of selected crop trees reduces the time required to grow products of a certain size
Cone-specific mediation of rod sensitivity in trichromatic observers.

Purpose The slope of the rod threshold versus the illuminance (TVI) function changes with the wavelength of the background light. This study was conducted to determine whether the changes in slope are due to the stimulation of specific cone classes. Methods An eight-channel optical system was used to generate lights that differed in cone and rod photoreceptor illuminance. Rod flicker TVI functions were measured in normal trichromatic observers at mesopic light levels. The independent variables were (1) the relative contribution of the short (S)- and long (L)- wavelength cones to the background light (i.e., the background lights varied along S-only and L-only lines), and (2) the temporal frequency of the flickering lights (4, 7.5, and 15 Hz). Results The 4-Hz rod flicker TVI function had a slope of 0.87 when measured near W (MacLeod-Boynton chromaticity of 0.66, 1.0). At 4 and 7.5 Hz, an increase in the relative L-cone illuminance steepened the slope of the rod-only TVI curve, but an increase in the relative S-cone illuminance had no effect. The slope of the 7.5-Hz TVI function decreased at higher illuminance levels. At 15 Hz, the thresholds could be measured over only a limited range. Conclusions The L-cone system contributes to the desensitization of the rod system at mesopic light levels, whereas, in the range of lights used in these experiments, the S-cone system apparently does not. The possibility that S-cone stimulation desensitizes the response to rod signals at higher levels of S-cone illumination cannot be eliminated.
Alcohol Intake and High Blood Pressure

Hypertension remains an important public health issue. According to the National Center for Health Statistics [1], roughly one out of three US adults has high blood pressure, a primary or contributing cause that is responsible for 326,000 deaths in America in 2006 [2]. Alcohol intake has long been known to be associated directly with high blood pressure, probably as early as 1915 [3, 4]. This association has been identified across gender, age, and racial and ethnic groups. J-shaped linear or threshold associations between alcohol consumption and high blood pressure have been reported. Mechanisms on how alcohol might alter blood pressure have been proposed. This chapter will attempt to summarize some of these key issues of relevance.
Semi-explicit bag model for protein solvation

A long-standing problem in the molecular simulation of proteins is implementing an efficient but still accurate model for the water surrounding macromolecules. It is well known that simulations (or free energy calculations) that neglect explicit water are not adequate, while the full inclusion of a large volume of water implies large, if not prohibitive, increases in computational resources [1–5].
Towards the Unification of Locomotion and Manipulation through Control Lyapunov Functions and Quadratic Programs

This paper presents the first steps toward unifying locomotion controllers and algorithms with whole-body control and manipulation. A theoretical framework for this unification will be given based upon quadratic programs utilizing control Lyapunov functions. In particular, we will first consider output based feedback linearization strategies for locomotion together with whole-body control methods for manipulation. We will show that these two traditionally disjoint methods are equivalent through the correct choice of controller. We will then present a method for unifying these two methodologies through the use of control Lyapunov functions presented in the form of a quadratic program. In addition, it will be shown that these controllers can be combined with force-based control to achieve locomotion and force-based manipulation in a single framework. Finally, simulation results will be presented demonstrating the validity of the proposed framework.
Modeling Stimulus Specific Habituation: The Role of the Primordial Hippocampus

We present a neural model for the organization and neural dynamics of the medial pallium, the toad’s homolog of mammalian hippocampus. A neural mechanism, called cumulative shrinking, is proposed for mapping temporal responses into a form of population coding referenced by spatial positions. Synaptic plasticity is modeled as an interaction of two dynamic processes which simulates both short-term and long-term memory. Successful modeling allows us to provide an account of the neural mechanisms of stimulus specific habituation.
An Introduction to Organotin Compounds and Their Use in Antifouling Coatings

This chapter has been prepared as an historical overview of organotin compounds and a discussion on their use as biocides in anti-fouling coatings (boat-bottom paints). It is also a summary of the environmental effects of organotin compounds on nontarget organisms, ranging from oyster shell thickening and growth anomalies to imposex in the common dogwhelk Nucella lapillus. A comparative summary of the toxicity of environmental concentrations of TBT to different groups of marine organisms is also presented. Organotin compounds are today one of the most studied groups of organometallic chemicals. Organotin compounds have demonstrated significant economic benefits, as well as environmental costs, as a result of their varied industrial and agricultural uses and applications. The emphasis of this chapter and this book is on tributyltin (TBT), the principal biocidal ingredient of most organotin antifouling paints. The widespread use of this modern, high-technology group of chemicals in industrial, agricultural, and public health applications poses a potential global dilemma, which requires a better understanding of how to control and utilize the unique properties of organotin compounds.