cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gauss–Seidel Iterations for SIR-Based Power Updates for Wireless CDMA Communication Networks

In this paper, we present an iterative technique for sequential mobile power updates in wireless CDMA networks based on Gauss–Seidel iterations. The obtained algorithm is distributed and has the same complexity as the popular DPC (distributed power control) algorithm, which is based on Jacobi iterations and which assumes simultaneous power updates for all mobiles that use the same frequency channel. The paper demonstrates that the newly presented algorithm converges faster than the DPC algorithm. The constrained version of the new algorithm is also presented indicating that it has the same complexity as the constrained DPC algorithm, known as DCPC, but its speed of convergence is superior over the convergence speed of DCPC algorithm.
The Protiotetramethylammonium Dication (CH3)3NCH42+: Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange and Calculational Studies. Search for the Parent Protioammonium Dication NH52+ 1

The protonation of ammonium ions NR4+ (R = H, CH3) to form the corresponding protioammonium dications HNR42+ (R = H, CH3) was investigated by hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments and by ab initi...
Correctly Treating Synchronizations in Compiling Fine-Grained SPMD-Threaded Programs for CPU

Automatic compilation for multiple types of devices is important, especially given the current trends towards heterogeneous computing. This paper concentrates on some issues in compiling fine-grained SPMD-threaded code (e.g., GPU CUDA code) for multicore CPUs. It points out some correctness pitfalls in existing techniques, particularly in their treatment to implicit synchronizations. It then describes a systematic dependence analysis specially designed for handling implicit synchronizations in SPMD-threaded programs. By unveiling the relations between inter-thread data dependences and correct treatment to synchronizations, it presents a dependence-based solution to the problem. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed techniques can resolve the correctness issues in existing compilation techniques, and help compilers produce correct and efficient translation results.
Stabilized interferometer modifications

The stabilized 70 GHz interferometer used for plasma density measurements on the 2XII experiment has been modified to increase its stability, linearity and dynamic range.
Adhesion between polybutylene terephthalate and E-glass measured with a microdebond technique

Single-fiber pullout tests are frequently used to characterize the interfacial adhesion between resin and fiber in reinforced composites. In this report, a fiber pullout experiment in which a drop of thermoplastic resin is sheared from a single fiber is described. Specialized apparatus, developed and constructed in our laboratory, as well as the techniques for sample preparation are discussed in detail. The interfacial shear strength of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) in contact with silane-treated E-glass fibers is measured quantitatively.
In silico Study of Low-Frequency Transcranial Ultrasound Fields in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Ultrasound in the sub-megahertz range enhances thrombolysis and may be applied transcranially to ischemic stroke patients. The consistency of transcranial insonification needs to be evaluated. Acoustic and thermal simulations based on computed-tomography (CT) scans of 20 patients were performed. An unfocused 120-kHz transducer allowed homogeneous insonification of the thrombus, and positioning based on external landmarks performed similarly to an optimized placement based on CT data. With a weakly focused 500-kHz transducer, the landmark-based positioning underperformed. The predicted inter-patient variation of in situ acoustic pressure was similar with both the 120 and 500-kHz transducers for the optimized placement (18.0-26.4% relative standard deviation). The simulated maximum acoustic pressure in intervening tissues was 2.6 ± 0.6 and 2.0 ± 0.7 times the pressure in the thrombus for the 120-kHz and 500-kHz transducers, respectively. A 1 W/cm(2) insonification of the thrombus caused a 3.8 ± 2.2 °C increase in the bone for the 120-kHz transducer, and a 13.4 ± 3.3 °C increase for the 500-kHz transducer. Contralateral local maxima up to 1.1 times the pressure amplitude in the targeted zone were predicted for the 120-kHz transducer. We established two transducer placement approaches, one based on analysis of a head CT and the other using simple external, visible landmarks. Both approaches allowed consistent insonification of the thrombus.
Nonlinear evolution of a second-mode wave in supersonic boundary layers

The nonlinear time evolution of a second mode instability in a Mach 4.5 wall-bounded flow is computed by solving the full compressible, time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. High accuracy is achieved by using a Fourier-Chebyshev collocation algorithm. Primarily inviscid in nature, second modes are characterized by high frequency and high growth rates compared to first modes. Time evolution of growth rate as a function of distance from the plate suggests this problem is amenable to the Stuart-Watson perturbation theory as generalized by Herbert.
Study of pp and ΛΛ production in π±p reactions at 18.5 GeV/c

Abstract Studies have been made of the rare reactions π + p → π + pp p and Λ + Λ + anything , and of π − p → π − pp p and Λ + Λ + anything , with cross sections of 18.5 ± 5.5, 10.7 ± 3.0, 12.0 ± 5.0, and 19.7 ± 4.8 μb, respectively. Production characteristics of these reactions are examined and effective-mass spectra are presented. There is no significant evidence in the data for production of Ψ(3095) in the baryon-antibaryon system, or for any other high-mass resonances.
Szilard-Chalmers reactions in bridged ferrocene derivatives

Abstract Retentions following ( n , γ) reactions in solid state and in solutions in hexane, benzene and dimethylsulfoxide were measured for ferrocene and for four trimethylene bridged derivatives of ferrocene. The retentions decreased with an increase in the number of bridges, differed for isomers containing the same number of bridges, and decreased with increasing polarity of the solvent. A possible intrinsic retention was measured in DMSO, the most polar solvent. All of these results are explained on the basis of ease of the recoiling iron atom to recombine with the organic residue depending on the molecular structure of the residue and on the basis of competition between the solvent and the residue for the iron atom.
Some algebraic and geometric computations in PSPACE

We give a PSPACE algorithm for determining the signs of multivariate polynomials at the common zeros of a system of polynomial equations. One of the consequences of this result is that the “Generalized Movers' Problem” in robotics drops from EXPTIME into PSPACE, and is therefore PSPACE-complete by a previous hardness result [Rei]. We also show that the existential theory of the real numbers can be decided in PSPACE. Other geometric problems that also drop into PSPACE include the 3-d Euclidean Shortest Path Problem, and the “2-d Asteroid Avoidance Problem” described in [RS]. Our method combines the theorem of the primitive element from classical algebra with a symbolic polynomial evaluation lemma from [BKR]. A decision problem involving several algebraic numbers is reduced to a problem involving a single algebraic number or primitive element, which rationally generates all the given algebraic numbers.
Spatial and Temporal Correlation of Water Quality Parameters of Produced Waters from Devonian-Age Shale following Hydraulic Fracturing

The exponential increase in fossil energy production from Devonian-age shale in the Northeastern United States has highlighted the management challenges for produced waters from hydraulically fractured wells. Confounding these challenges is a scant availability of critical water quality parameters for this wastewater. Chemical analyses of 160 flowback and produced water samples collected from hydraulically fractured Marcellus Shale gas wells in Pennsylvania were correlated with spatial and temporal information to reveal underlying trends. Chloride was used as a reference for the comparison as its concentration varies with time of contact with the shale. Most major cations (i.e., Ca, Mg, Sr) were well-correlated with chloride concentration while barium exhibited strong influence of geographic location (i.e., higher levels in the northeast than in southwest). Comparisons against brines from adjacent formations provide insight into the origin of salinity in produced waters from Marcellus Shale. Major cations...
Recent advances in the synthesis and characterization of nonlinear optical materials: second-order materials

Abstract A major problem in utilizing second-order organic materials for device applications is the requirement for the assembly of these chromophores into a stable, noncentrosymmetric lattice. For certain applications, such as frequency doubling, a periodic noncentrosymmetric lattice may be desirable. In this presentation, we discuss the synthesis of such organic polymeric lattices and evaluation of modulators and doublers fabricated from resulting materials. The general approach is to develop soluble, processible precursor polymers which can be transformed into stable noncentrosymmetric lattices by electric field poling and subsequent photoinduced or thermally induced solid state crosslinking reactions. Photo-processing is utilized to generate periodic noncentrosymmetric lattices for quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation.
Comparison Of Profiler Measurements Using Different Magnification Objectives

A WYKO TOPO-2D optical profiler system with four different magnification objectives (2.5X, 10X, 20X and 40X) was used to measure the microroughness properties of a set of five different flat samples. Measurements are compared in terms of the average periodogram for each surface as a function of microscope objective, and the effects of correcting for the transfer function of each objective are assessed.
An electron microscope study of the process of differentiation during spermatogenesis in the drone honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) with special reference to centriole replication and elimination.

Spermatogenesis in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) differs from the process in diploid insects in several ways. The primary spermatocytes in the haploid drone undergo an abortive first meiotic division and, further, an unequal division of the secondary spermatocyte occurs. The result is two spermatids rather than the typical four. Associated with the first meiotic division, a centriole replication process occurs resulting in supernumary centrioles; the latter are eliminated from the cells through cytoplasmic blebs prior to the second meiotic division. During the centriole replication process, several single annulate lamellae appear to be differentiated from pre-existing lamellae of endoplasmic reticulum. An amorphous granular material is observed to surround the replicating centrioles, and it is similar to material located in the pores of the annulate lamellae and nuclear envelope. Because of the specific orientation which the annulate lamellae illustrate relative to the replicating centrioles, it is postulated that they are somehow involved in the accumulation of material utilized in centriole replication. The secondary spermatocyte spindle has associated with it a nuclear “wall” composed of alternate vesicular and compact layers of endoplasmic reticulum. The innermost layer of this wall appears to give rise to the spermatid nuclear envelope. Spermatocytes are interconnected by intercellular bridges throughout the process of spermatogenesis and it is postulated that this syncytium synchronizes the division process. Spermiogenesis in the honey bee is similar to that observed in a number of other insects.
Shadows of Consciousness: The Problem of Phenomenal Properties

The aim of this essay is to show that phenomenal properties are contentless modes of appearances of representational properties. The essay initiates with examination of the first-person perspective of the conscious observer according to which a “reference to I” with respect to the observation of experience is determined. A distinction is then drawn between the conscious observer and experience as observed, according to which, three distinct modifications of experience are delineated. These modifications are then analyzed with respect to the content of experience and from this the ground of the distinction between phenomenal and representational properties is identified.
Physiologic Correlates of Comfort in Healthy Children

Pain assessment is particularly challenging when children are unable or unwilling to provide a self-report. Although clinicians frequently use vital signs as an adjunct to pain assessment, little evidence exists to support this practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of selected physiologic variables (peripheral skin temperature, heart rate, skin conductance activity [SCA], respiratory rate, electromyogram [EMG] of the frontalis and right forearm muscles, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure [BP]) to detect changes in children's autonomic arousal from baseline. A one-group, repeated measures, randomized crossover design guided the study. Chosen from a convenience sample, 100 healthy children (ages 8-17 years) served as their own controls while undergoing two levels of intervention: cold pressor pain and guided imagery. Although most physiologic responses showed changes in the expected direction, EMG, SCA, and heart rate decreased slightly during cold pressor. Few significant intercorrelations were demonstrated among the physiologic variables. SCA, forehead EMG, respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic BP detected significant changes in arousal across measures. Notably, heart rate failed to detect changes for any of the measures. Results emphasize the need for caution in interpreting heart rate as an index of comfort. Further research is needed to examine the effects of clinical pain on physiologic indices and to further examine age and sex influences. To be relevant for assessment of acute established pain, physiologic variables must also be tested for their sensitivity beyond the immediate period of autonomic arousal.
The Use of Computer Programs for Tissue Typing and Immunogenetic Research

Experience in the use of electronic data processing for tissue typing and immunogenetic research is presented and some of the important features of typing programs are discussed. The cell typing program is set up for the use of updated serum information. It forms the basis for a summary analysis of the 2 × 2 tables which includes correlation coefficients, phenotype frequencies, gene frequencies, haplotype frequencies, and the linkage disequilibrium parameter (delta). A minimum X2 program is described for the test of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and for the estimate of gene frequencies. The family analysis lists the sera according to the different backcrosses and according to the specificities, and assigns the paternal chromosomes to the offspring. The sera typing program gives criteria for sera selection: strength of reaction, frequency and false positive and negative reactions in relation to the typed specificity. The detection of new antigens is described in a few theoretical examples.
Stepwise acid-promoted double-Michael process: an alternative to Diels-Alder cycloadditions for hindered silyloxydiene-dienophile pairs.

The hindered diene 1 reacts with 3-methylcyclohexenone 6 catalyzed by triflimide to produce the Mukaiyama Michael product 7 (low-temperature quenching) or the [4+2] cycloadduct 8 (quenching at 0 °C). Reaction of the hindered diene 23 with 2-methylcyclohexenone 12 with 5:1 AlBr3:AlMe3 afforded a 71% yield of a 1.9:1 mixture of two cycloadducts. Hydrolysis of the major isomer gave the dione 27‘, a model for the BCD ring system of pentacyclic triterpenes.
Rainbow Scattering in Inelastic Molecular Collisions

The role of rainbow scattering in elastic collisions of atoms and atomic ions is well known1,2 and provides an important link between experimental observation and the theoretical potential energy curve which governs the dynamics of the colliding atoms. Only recently, however, has the analogous phenomenon in the case of non-spherical potentials and inelastic collisions been investigated.
Using a synthetic bus test instrument to reduce program costs

This paper illustrates how serial buses have been emulated in the past and how, using synthetic bus technology, better test methods can reduce program life cycle costs.
Characterization of deltamethrin metabolism by rat plasma and liver microsomes

Abstract Deltamethrin, a widely used type II pyrethroid insecticide, is a relatively potent neurotoxicant. While the toxicity has been extensively examined, toxicokinetic studies of deltamethrin and most other pyrethroids are very limited. The aims of this study were to identify, characterize, and assess the relative contributions of esterases and cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) responsible for deltamethrin metabolism by measuring deltamethrin disappearance following incubation of various concentrations (2 to 400 μM) in plasma (esterases) and liver microsomes (esterases and CYP450s) prepared from adult male rats. While the carboxylesterase metabolism in plasma and liver was characterized using an inhibitor, tetra isopropyl pyrophosphoramide (isoOMPA), CYP450 metabolism was characterized using the cofactor, NADPH. Michaelis–Menten rate constants were calculated using linear and nonlinear regression as applicable. The metabolic efficiency of these pathways was estimated by calculating intrinsic clearance (Vmax/Km). In plasma, isoOMPA completely inhibited deltamethrin biotransformation at concentrations (2 and 20 μM of deltamethrin) that are 2- to 10-fold higher than previously reported peak blood levels in deltamethrin-poisoned rats. For carboxylesterase-mediated deltamethrin metabolism in plasma, Vmax = 325.3 ± 53.4 nmol/h/ml and Km = 165.4 ± 41.9 μM. Calcium chelation by EGTA did not inhibit deltamethrin metabolism in plasma or liver microsomes, indicating that A-esterases do not metabolize deltamethrin. In liver microsomes, esterase-mediated deltamethrin metabolism was completely inhibited by isoOMPA, confirming the role of carboxylesterases. The rate constants for liver carboxylesterases were Vmax = 1981.8 ± 132.3 nmol/h/g liver and Km = 172.5 ± 22.5 μM. Liver microsomal CYP450-mediated biotransformation of deltamethrin was a higher capacity (Vmax = 2611.3 ± 134.1 nmol/h/g liver) and higher affinity (Km = 74.9 ± 5.9 μM) process than carboxylesterase (plasma or liver) detoxification. Genetically engineered individual rat CYP450s (Supersomes) were used to identify specific CYP450 isozyme(s) involved in the deltamethrin metabolism. CYP1A2, CYP1A1, and CYP2C11 in decreasing order of importance quantitatively, metabolized deltamethrin. Intrinsic clearance by liver CYP450s (35.5) was more efficient than that by liver (12.0) or plasma carboxylesterases (2.4).
Fever in infants less than two months of age: spectrum of disease and predictors of outcome.

Four hundred thirty-four febrile infants two months of age or younger were evaluated in the emergency departments of five major teaching hospitals over a one year period. A culture-proven bacterial infection was present in 3.5% of the infants; bacteremia was detected in 3.3%. Bacterial meningitis wa
Migration of left hip pin with involvement of left ureter

This patient had hematuria and a history of hip fusion many years before. It was found that a left hip pin had broken, and its sharpened portion had migrated through the head of the femur into the adventitia of the left ureter. During exploratory surgery, a bonecutter was employed to cut off the tip of the pin flush with the pelvic wall. The patient has had no recurrence of hematuria. Review of the literature disclosed no report of a similar case.
The significance of molecular response of follicular lymphoma to central lymphatic irradiation as measured by polymerase chain reaction for t(14;18)(q32;q21).

Abstract Backgound: More than 80% of the patients with follicular lymphoma have a characteristic chromosomal translocation, t(14;18)(q32;q21), at the major breakpoint region (MBR) or minor cluster region (MCR) involving the bcl-2 oncogene. This study was undertaken to assess the significance of the molecular response rate measured by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) evidence of translocation among patients with Stage I to III follicular lymphoma treated with central lymphatic irradiation (CLI). Methods and Materials: Thirty-three patients with Stage I-III follicular lymphoma were treated with CLI on a prospective protocol. Bone marrow and peripheral blood samples were obtained before CLI for PCR analysis of t(14;18)(q32; q21). PCR-positive patients were followed by PCR analysis at regular intervals during and after CLI, and the results were correlated with clinical outcome. The following pretreatment factors were also investigated for their relationship to relapse and molecular response: gender, age, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and β-2 microglobulin (β2 M) levels, Ann Arbor stage, and International Prognostic Index (IPI) for malignant lymphoma. Results: The subjects were 19 men and 14 women, with a median age of 52 years (range 30–69), who started CLI between January 1993 and February 1998. Median follow-up was 44 months (range 12–67), and all but 2 patients were still alive at the last follow-up. Four patients were Stage IA, 8 were Stage IIA, 19 were Stage IIIA, and 2 were Stage IIIB. Two patients had abnormal LDH levels (> 618 U/dL) and 7 patients had abnormal β2M levels (> 2 mg/dL). Nine patients had IPI=0, 16 had IPI=1, and 8 had IPI=2. All patients achieved complete response (CR). Twelve patients have relapsed to date. The median overall time to relapse was 54 months. The actuarial proportion of patients free from relapse at 3 years was 87% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69–95%). A total of 287 PCR results were available, 64 from bone marrow and 223 from peripheral blood. Pretreatment PCR data were available for 27 patients, of whom 21 were positive and 3 were unambiguously negative (in blood and bone marrow for both MBR and MCR). For the 19 PCR positive patients for whom we had post-treatment results, there was a clear and steady decreasing trend toward loss of PCR positivity (49% positive for bone marrow and 32% positive for peripheral blood at 3 years). There was a clear trend for increasing PCR positivity with increasing IPI: 10% for IPI=0, 31% for IPI=1, and 63% for IPI=2 at 3 years for blood. The same trend was also observed for bone marrow. The IPI was the only statistically significant predictor for relapse with a relapse-free survival of 91% at 3 years for IPI p = 0.024, log-rank test). Conclusion: Molecular response to CLI occurs gradually over years. High IPI is a negative predictor for molecular response and relapse-free survival.
Bit-Rate Allocation for Multiple Video Streams Using a Pricing-Based Mechanism

We consider the problem of bit-rate allocation for multiple video users sharing a common transmission channel. Previously, overall quality of multiple users was improved by exploiting relative video complexity. Users with high-complexity video benefit at the expense of video quality reduction for other users with simpler videos. The quality of all users can be improved by collectively allocating the bit rate in a centralized fashion which requires sharing video information with a central controller. In this paper, we present an informationally decentralized bit-rate allocation for multiple users where a user only needs to inform his demand to an allocator. Each user separately calculates his bit-rate demand based on his video complexity and bit-rate price, where the bit-rate price is announced by the allocator. The allocator adjusts the bit-rate price for the next period based on the bit rate demanded by the users and the total available bit-rate supply. Simulation results show that all users improve their quality by the pricing-based decentralized bit-rate allocation method compared with their allocation when acting individually. The results of our proposed method are comparable to the centralized bit-rate allocation.
The Clinical Utility of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) in Cirrhosis of the Liver

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a flowering herb utilized for its potentially protective effects on the liver. Although the mechanism of action is not fully understood, one explanation may be that it concentrates in the hepatocytes and competes with toxins for hepatocyte binding and penetration. Preliminary clinical evaluations of milk thistle for cirrhosis of the liver indicate potential benefits in healthier patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. However, major flaws in many of the studies make it difficult to draw solid conclusions. Milk thistle appears to be relatively safe, even with long-term use.
Oral Microbiology: Past, Present and Future

Since the initial observations of oral bacteria within dental plaque by van Leeuwenhoek using his primitive microscopes in 1680, an event that is generally recognized as the advent of oral microbiological investigation, oral microbiology has gone through phases of "reductionism" and "holism". From the small beginnings of the Miller and Black period, in which microbiologists followed Koch's postulates, took the reductionist approach to try to study the complex oral microbial community by analyzing individual species; to the modern era when oral researchers embrace "holism" or "system thinking", adopt new concepts such as interspecies interaction, microbial community, biofilms, poly-microbial diseases, oral microbiological knowledge has burgeoned and our ability to identify the resident organisms in dental plaque and decipher the interactions between key components has rapidly increased, such knowledge has greatly changed our view of the oral microbial flora, provided invaluable insight into the etiology of dental and periodontal diseases, opened the door to new approaches and techniques for developing new therapeutic and preventive tools for combating oral polymicrobial diseases.
THE POISON GLAND OF THE COTTONMOUTH MOCCASIN, ANCISTRODON P. PISCIVORUS, AS OBSERVED WITH THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE.

The structure of the poison gland of the cottonmouth moccasin has been studied with the electron microscope. This gland is divided functionally and structurally into a posterior and an anterior portion. In the posterior gland the columnar principal cells are considered to be responsible for the production of the secretory material, including the toxic substances in the venom. This cell is characterized by numerous dilated membrane pairs of the granular endoplasmic reticulum and by a large Golgi complex. Four other types of cells are observed within the epithelial layer of the posterior part of the gland, but their function is unknown. The majority of the cells of the anterior part of the gland are mucous-secreting goblet cells. Some possible stages in their secretory cycle are described. Granular endoplasmic reticulum is present in the basal areas of the cell. The accumulation of recognizable secretory material appears first in structures considered to be a part of the Golgi complex.
Determination of the kinetics of secondary nucleation in batch crystallizers

The kinetics of secondary nucleation have been determined from measurement of the supersaturation as a function of time following the addition of seed nuclei to a supercooled solution in a well-stirred batch crystallizer. Population balance mathematics have been used to show that the secondary nucleation kinetics may be inferred from the supersaturation-time curve. The method has been applied to the determination of the kinetics of the secondary nucleation of ice and found to give results in excellent agreement with those obtained from tedious particle counts. In addition, it has been shown that the moment of the particle size distribution that best correlates the nucleation rate data can be inferred from the initial transient of the supersaturation-time history.
Differentiation of Learning Disabled Children from Normal Children Using Four Coordination Tasks

Fifty 8-year-old children, 25 classified as normal and 25 as learning disabled, participated in a study to determine whether they could be differentiated into their respective groups by using four tasks from the Devereux Test of Extremity Coordination: opposition, foot patting, finger wiggling, and heel-toe walking with the eyes closed. Each child received numerical scores based on the number of times he could perform a task in 10 seconds. A stepwise discriminant function analysis revealed that two tasks, opposition and foot patting, were significant discriminating variables. A resulting discriminant function prediction equation showed that, according to the results of the tasks tested, 78 percent of the sample had been correctly classified by previous methods.
The continuity and intensity of ultraviolet irradiation affect the kinetics of biosynthesis, accumulation, and conversion of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in the coral Stylophora pistillata

Colonies of Stylophora pistillata unexposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in laboratory aquaria contained minimal amounts of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). The concentration of MAAs increased rapidly during exposure to broadband UVR, then stabilized between 14 and 28 d of exposure. The four MAAs known to be produced by diverse zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) in culture were the first to increase in coral colonies, followed by six additional MAAs. Decreases in these four primary MAAs between days 14 and 28 were balanced by stoichiometric increases in the six secondary MAAs, suggesting a precursor‐product relationship. Discontinuing UV exposure caused rapid declines in the concentrations of primary MAAs, while secondary MAAs continued to increase, likely a manifestation of different rates of turnover of the putative enzymes involved in the de novo biosynthesis of primary MAAs and their conversion to secondary MAAs. The continued production of certain MAAs after UV exposure ceased indicates that UV is not required catalytically but is a signal that induces the enzymes of the biosynthetic pathway. Biochemically inhibiting the biosynthesis of primary MAAs after a pool of these MAAs had accumulated did not affect their conversion to secondary MAAs. Doubling the UV irradiance increased the rate of accumulation, first, of primary MAAs and, later, of secondary MAAs. Under normal UV irradiance, the eventual decline in the accumulation rate of primary MAAs was quantitatively explained by their conversion to secondary MAAs. Under doubled UV irradiance, where MAA concentrations were higher, the deceleration of accumulation of primary MAAs was twice as great as the acceleration in secondary MAAs, suggesting a regulation of the de novo biosynthesis of MAAs, perhaps by their own progressive, concentration-dependent attenuation of UVR.
The piezoelectric crystal unit&#8212;Definitions and methods of measurement

The properties of a piezoelectric crystal unit as a circuit element are characterized and defined, in terms of a general equivalent circuit that is valid at any frequency up to and including the lower UHF ranges but reduces to the conventional equivalent circuit if the parameters are properly redefined. The characteristic values such as resonance frequency and resistance, parallel resonance frequency and resistance, etc., for a crystal unit with or without other reactive elements in series and/or parallel are tabulated and their significance is illustrated with the aid of the crystal impedance and admittance diagrams. These diagrams are also used in deriving and describing the methods to be followed when determining the crystal equivalent circuit parameters by impedance bridge measurements. Techniques are developed for use with various types of impedance and admittance bridges and the relations required to determine the resonance resistance R 1 , resonance frequency f s , and quality factor Q 0 of the motional arm, and the reactance X- 0 of the parallel capacitance from the measured quantitites are listed. The effects of transmission lines of various lengths between the plane of measurement in the bridge and the crystal unit are fully considered. The nature and magnitude of the sources of measurement errors, exclusive of errors in bridge calibration, are examined.
High pressure air compressor valve fault diagnosis using feedforward neural networks

Abstract Feedforward neural networks (FNNs) are developed and implemented to classify a four-stage high pressure air compressor into one of the following conditions: baseline, suction or exhaust valve faults. These FNNs are used for the compressor’s automatic condition monitoring and fault diagnosis. Measurements of 39 variables are obtained under different baseline conditions and third-stage suction and exhaust valve faults. These variables include pressures and temperatures at all stages, voltage between phaseaand phaseb, voltage between phaseband phasec, total three-phase real power, cooling water flow rate, etc. To reduce the number of variables, the amount of their discriminatory information is quantified by scattering matrices to identify statistical significant ones. Measurements of the selected variables are then used by a fully automatic structural and weight learning algorithm to construct three-layer FNNs to classify the compressor’s condition. This learning algorithm requires neither guesses of initial weight values nor number of neurons in the hidden layer of an FNN. It takes an incremental approach in which a hidden neuron is trained by exemplars and then augmented to the existing network. These exemplars are then made orthogonal to the newly identified hidden neuron. They are subsequently used for the training of the next hidden neuron. The betterment continues until a desired accuracy is reached. After the neural networks are established, novel measurements from various conditions that haven’t been previously seen by the FNNs are then used to evaluate their ability in fault diagnosis. The trained neural networks provide very accurate diagnosis for suction and discharge valve defects.
On the false alarm probability for an overlapped FFT processor

A standard processor for detecting narrowband signals in noise applies the fast Fourier transform (FFT) to overlapped data blocks, and then sums the squared magnitudes of the bins from successive FFTs. The overlap of the data blocks causes these bins to be correlated, even when the noise is white. A simple expression is derived for the probability of false alarm when the covariance matrix of the FFT bins is tridiagonal.
A Venture Capital Fund for Undergraduate Engineering Students at Rowan University

All engineering students at Rowan University are required to take the eight-semester Engineering Clinic sequence wherein multidisciplinary student teams engage in semester-long design projects. In addition to projects that are funded by local industry, faculty research grants or departmental budgets, a Venture Capital Fund has been created, which is specifically ear-marked for the development of original student inventions. Funding of up to $2,500 per student team per semester is competitively awarded based on student-generated proposals to the Venture Capital Fund, which has been created through a series of grants from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). To qualify for funding, a multidisciplinary student team must propose, plan and implement an original, semester-long product development enterprise. To date, 11 projects have been funded through the Venture Capital Fund. This paper describes the results of several student entrepreneurial projects and compares the results of student surveys to assess the effectiveness of entrepreneurial projects in satisfying the technical objectives of the Engineering Clinic. The results suggest that students engaged in entrepreneurial projects devote more hours per week on their projects, have more “ownership” in their projects and have a better understanding of the technical aspects and societal impact of their projects than their counterparts who are engaged in the more traditional engineering design projects.
Accelerated skills preparation and assessment for senior medical students entering surgical internship.

Background Skills training plays an increasing role in residency training. Few medical schools have skills courses for senior students entering surgical residency. Methods A skills course for 4 th -year medical students matched in a surgical specialty was conducted in 2006 and 2007 during 7 weekly 3-hour sessions. Topics included suturing, knot tying, procedural skills (eg, chest tube insertion), laparoscopic skills, use of energy devices, and on-call management problems. Materials for outside practice were provided. Pre- and postcourse assessment of suturing skills was performed; laparoscopic skills were assessed postcourse using the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons' Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery program. Students' perceived preparedness for internship was assessed by survey (1 to 5 Likert scale). Data are mean ± SD and statistical analyses were performed. Results Thirty-one 4 th -year students were enrolled. Pre- versus postcourse surveys of 45 domains related to acute patient management and technical and procedural skills indicated an improved perception of preparedness for internship overall (mean pre versus post) for 28 questions (p Conclusions Skills instruction for senior students entering surgical internship results in a higher perception of preparedness and improved skills performance. Medical schools should consider integrating skills courses into the 4 th -year curriculum to better prepare students for surgical residency.
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: an evidenced-based review of the literature.

Abstract Background Vertebroplasty (VP) and kyphoplasty (KP) are routinely used to treat vertebral body compression fractures (VCFs) resulting from osteoporosis or vertebral body tumors in order to provide rapid pain relief. However, it remains debated whether VP or KP results in superior outcomes versus medical management alone in patients experiencing VCFs. Purpose To determine the level of evidence supporting VP or KP for the treatment of VCFs. Study design Systematic review of the literature. Patient sample Patients with osteoporotic or tumor-associated VCFs. Outcome measures Self-reported and functional measures. Methods We reviewed all articles published between 1980 and 2008 reporting outcomes after VP or KP for osteoporotic or tumor-associated VCFs and rated the level of evidence and grades of recommendation (per North American Spine Society [NASS] guidelines) supporting the use of VP or KP for the treatment of VCFs. Results Seventy-four VP studies for osteoporotic VCF (1 level I, 3 level II, 70 level IV), 35 KP studies for osteoporotic VCF (2 level II, 33 level IV), and 18 VP/KP for tumor VCFs (all level IV) were reviewed. There is good evidence (level I) that VP results in superior pain control within the first 2 weeks of intervention compared with optimal medical management for osteoporotic VCFs. There is fair evidence (level II–III) that VP results in less analgesia use, less disability, and greater improvement in general health when compared with optimal medical management within the first 3 months after intervention. There is fair evidence (level II–III) that by 2 years after intervention, VP provides a similar degree of pain control and physical function as optimal medical management. There is fair evidence (level II–III) that KP results in greater improvement in daily activity, physical function, and pain relief when compared with optimal medical management for osteoporotic VCFs by 6 months after intervention. There is poor-quality evidence that VP or KP results in greater pain relief for tumor-associated VCFs. Conclusions Although evidence suggests that physical disability, general health, and pain relief are better with VP and KP than those with medical management within the first 3 months after intervention, high-quality randomized trials with 2-year follow-up are needed to confirm this. Furthermore, the reported incidence of symptomatic procedure-related morbidity for both VP and KP is very low.
Smooth function approximation using neural networks

An algebraic approach for representing multidimensional nonlinear functions by feedforward neural networks is presented. In this paper, the approach is implemented for the approximation of smooth batch data containing the function's input, output, and possibly, gradient information. The training set is associated to the network adjustable parameters by nonlinear weight equations. The cascade structure of these equations reveals that they can be treated as sets of linear systems. Hence, the training process and the network approximation properties can be investigated via linear algebra. Four algorithms are developed to achieve exact or approximate matching of input-output and/or gradient-based training sets. Their application to the design of forward and feedback neurocontrollers shows that algebraic training is characterized by faster execution speeds and better generalization properties than contemporary optimization techniques.
EFFECT OF VISCOPLASTIC FLOW RULES ON THE INITIATION AND GROWTH OF SHEAR BANDS AT HIGH STRAIN RATES

MARCHAND and Duffy have reported detailed measurements of the temperature and strain as a shear band develops in a HY-100 steel. Assuming their torsional tests in thin-wall tubes can be adequately modeled by a viscoplastic block undergoing overall adiabatic simple shearing deformations. we investigate the effect of modeling the viscoplastic response of the material by a-power law. and flow rules proposed by Litonski, Bodner and Partom, and Johnson and Cook. Each of these flow rules is first calibrated by using the test data at a nominal strain-rate of 3300 s-‘. Then predictions from the use of these flow rules at nominal strain-rates of 1400 s-’ and 1600 s-’ are compared with the experimental findings. It is found that the Bodner-Partom law and the dipolar theory proposed by Wright and Batra predict reasonably well the main features of the shear band formation in a HY-100 steel.
Managing on-air ad inventory in broadcast television

An analytical model for managing on-air ad inventory in broadcast television is presented. The ad inventory in this industry is priced based on rating points or the number of viewers that watch a commercial. The rating points during a broadcast year are sold through two distinct processes: the upfront market which occurs before the broadcast season, and the scatter market which occurs during the broadcast season. A firm needs to allocate its total rating points inventory to these two markets before knowing either the performance rating of its shows or the scatter market price, both of which are random. Broadcast networks offer ratings (performance) guarantees on the inventory that is sold on the upfront market while such guarantees are seldom offered in the scatter market. An optimization model is proposed that allows the networks to manage their rating points inventory. The model explicitly incorporates the performance uncertainty of the television shows as well as the revenue uncertainty of the scatter ...
Ecdysis in sea scorpions (Chelicerata: Eurypterida)

ARTICLE I NFO Recurrent patterns of disarticulation and dislocations of the eurypterid exoskeleton reflect biological processes and can be used to distinguish moults from carcases. This distinction is a prerequisite to understanding the palaeobiology of the Eurypterida. Taphonomic patterns indicate that eurypterid ecdysis was largely similar to that in Recent chelicerate orders, involving opening of sutures along the carapace margin and on ventral plates prior to emergence anteriorly. The diverse morphology of eurypterids resulted in a range of constrictions or 'bottlenecks' in the exoskeleton through which parts of the body passed during ecdysis. The requirement to moult highly spiniferous, dentate or pectinate appendages, broad swimming legs, a broad preabdomen and postabdominal epimera may have limited eurypterid disparity. The fossil record of certain eurypterid clades is confined largely to a few Lagerstatten. Some of the best-known eurypterid occurrences (i.e., in New York and Ontario) represent conditions favourable for ecdysis and the preservation of non-mineralized cuticle rather than settings normally inhabited by the arthropods, although the eurypterid locality at Kokomo, Indiana appears to represent a mass mortality. The reduction in suitable ecdysial refugia close to the end of the Silurian may have contributed to the decline and extinction of some eurypterid genera.
Metabolic Syndrome Scientific Statement by the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors that are associated with increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), type 2 diabetes, and their complications. This constellation consists of 5 metabolic risk factors that together increase the risk for ASCVD. These include atherogenic dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, elevated glucose, a prothrombotic state, and a proinflammatory state. Atherogenic dyslipidemia consists of elevations of serum total apolipoprotein B (apoB), triglycerides, small particles in low density lipoprotein (LDL), and low levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL). An elevated glucose can be in the range of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), which is called prediabetes, or at the level of diabetes. Available evidence suggests that all of the metabolic risk factors are independently atherogenic. Moreover, individuals with metabolic syndrome, particularly when IFG is present, have a high likelihood of progression to type 2 diabetes. See Circulation . 2005;112:e285 The metabolic syndrome has a multifactorial causation. The predominant underlying risk factors are obesity (especially abdominal obesity) and insulin resistance. These often occur together, and their relative contributions to the syndrome have not been fully defined. Nonetheless, there is a general agreement that the increasing prevalence of obesity in the United States and worldwide is mainly responsible for the increasing occurrence of the syndrome. …
Nontrivial analytic signals with positive instantaneous frequency and band-limited amplitude

Questions have previously been raised about the existence of an analytic signal with positive instantaneous frequency when the form of the analytic signal is prescribed. Here, it is shown that the complex function a(t)exp[j(/spl omega//sub 0/t+m(t))] is an analytic signal when m(t) is a real periodic function and a(t) is a band-limited real function with the maximum bandwidth depending on /spl omega//sub 0/ and the fundamental frequency of m(t). That implies as a special case m(t) which is simultaneously a periodic and piecewise polynomial. Positivity of the instantaneous frequency is simply obtained by requiring that the absolute value of the first derivative of m(t) is smaller than /spl omega//sub 0/.
Applying Diversity Management Concepts to Improve the Minority Educational Pipeline

The objective of this conceptual article is to investigate existing diversity management paradigms and extend their implications toward the goal of increasing minority representation in management education. We suggest that the existing learning-andeffectiveness diversity management paradigm (Thomas & Ely, 1996, Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 79–90), which integrates contributions from diverse individuals, can be utilized in addressing the underrepresented minority shortage at each progressive stage of the education pipeline, beginning with the high school level. We propose and discuss a complex set of solutions that highlight the students’ educational experience, motivation, awareness, and social environment. These solutions target minority underrepresentation with the goal of ultimately increasing the proportion of minorities in the PhD pool and subsequently within the management professoriate.