cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Innovation Attributes, Policy Intervention, and the Diffusion of Computer Applications Among Local Governments*

Several shortcomings of traditional diffusion research create major impediments to our understanding of the diffusion of innovations as well as to the development of effective strategies of policy intervention to facilitate diffusion. Among the criticisms of diffusion research are the selection bias of many diffusion studies and the futility of curve fitting as an adequate test of theoretical relevance. These shortcomings can be avoided by substantive and methodological changes in diffusion research. We argue that innovation attributes, together with policies associated with the diffusion of an innovation, account for significant differences in diffusion patterns. An empirical analysis of this thesis focuses on the diffusion of computer applications software in local government.
RIPTIDE: Learning violation prediction models from boarding activity data

Part of the U.S. Coast Guard's mission is to monitor vessels and their operators for compliance with a large body of safety and fisheries regulations. Recently the Coast Guard has devised a system called OPTIDE, which aims at improving operations efficiency by ranking vessels via a risk score computed from current information and aggregated past boarding observations. Ships with higher risk should be preferentially boarded, since they have higher probability of being in violation of some regulation. To improve upon OPTIDE, we developed RIPTIDE which uses machine learning to automatically learn a more fine-grained and data-driven violation prediction and ranking model from past boarding activity data. The learning problem is challenging, since the data is very unbalanced (only about 20% of all boardings actually find some violation), it has significant sampling bias, and in general the signal for predicting violations is weak. Nevertheless, our best RIPTIDE model outperforms OPTIDE by up to 86% on a ranking experiment. The main reason for this improvement comes from being able to distinguish vessels in a more fine-grained manner, which allows RIPTIDE to make winning decisions more often, even if the underlying signal is very weak. A software package implementing RIPTIDE has been developed to allow the Coast Guard to experiment with the learned models and apply them to operational data.
Creativity Lost: The Importance of Testing Higher-Level Executive Functions in School-Age Children and Adolescents

In school settings, students are typically evaluated using group achievement tests, IQ scales, and college entrance exams that focus more on rote-verbal skills (e.g., vocabulary, mathematical facts...
Persistence of Enterobacteriaceae in Female Adults of the Biting Gnat Culicoides Variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The biting gnat Culicoides variipennis (Coquillett) (Ceratopogonidae) is a vector of the viral agents of bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic diseases in ruminant animals (Foster, Jones & McCrory, 1963, Am. J. Vet. Res. 24 : 1195–200; Foster, Breckon, Luedke, Jones & Metcalf, 1977, J. Wildl. Dis. 13 : 9–16). We are unaware of any studies on the potential of C. variipennis to disseminate bacteria. Transmission of bacteria by biting flies can be an important aspect of the epidemiology of contagious bacterial diseases. In a 1971 epidemic of tularemia in Utah, Chrysops discalis Williston was implicated as the major vector of the etiological agent, Francisella tularellsis (McCoy & Chapin), to humans. However, mosquitoes, Culicoides species, and the biting gnat Leptoconops kerteszi (Kieffer) were also implicated (Klock, Olsen & Fukushima, 1973, J. Am. Med. Assoc. 226 : 149–52).
The effects of cognitive and physical stress on cardiovascular reactivity among smokers and oral contraceptive users.

4 groups of women participated in this study designed to investigate the interaction of oral contraceptive (OC) use and smoking on cardiovascular reactivity to 2 stressors -- cognitive and physical. The 4 groups were: smokers/non OC users; nonsmokers/OC users; smokers/OC users; and nonsmokers/non OC users (control). The role of Type A behavior and parental history of heart disease as moderator variables in the stress-reactivity relationship also was examined. The subjects 69 female psychology students ranged in age from 17-31 years. It was hypothesized that women characterized by smoking and/or OC use would show greater stress reactivity. All subjects responded in the same manner to the cold pressor test but OC use among smokers was associated with greater increase in systolic blood pressure responses to mental arithmetic when compared to smokers/non OC users. For mental arithmetic a marginally significant main effect suggested that OC users tended to respond with larger increases in systolic blood pressure than nonOC users. A significant 2-way interaction between OC use and smoking indicated that smokers/OC users responded with greater increases in systolic blood pressure to mental arithmetic than smokers/nonOC users. The means of the remaining groups did not differ. No significant findings emerged for diastolic blood pressure and heart rate changes to mental arithmetic. The mean increase across all 4 groups to the mental arithmetic task was 13.81 for systolic blood pressure 12.06 for for diastolic blood pressure and 11.96 for heart rate. In sum the study findings fail to indicate any differences in cardiovascular reactivity among smokers and OC users to the cold pressor test. The findings do suggest OC use among smokers is associated with increased systolic blood pressure responses to mental arithmetic when compared to smokers/non OC users.
The adsorbed-entangled layer in drag reduction

Abstract The existence of adsorbed-entangled layers of flow boundaries of dilute polymer solutions is demonstrated by observing chemical effects in wash-off kinetics for such layers and by monitoring polymer concentration build-up in a flow infrared experiment. These layers are then “anchored” by a novel, non-reactive technique to create semi-permanent drag reducing surfaces.
Round-the-clock market efficiency and home bias: Evidence from the international Japanese government bonds futures markets

Abstract This paper examines how information is processed between almost identical international futures markets: London (LIFFE) and Tokyo (TSE) JGB futures. In these markets, variations in open-to-open changes are virtually the same as those of close-to-close changes, suggesting that information is transmitted efficiently across markets with small opening pricing errors. The overall results confirm market efficiency around the clock, yet the intraday U-shaped patterns in volume/volatility of the London JGB futures suggest home bias in international investments, indicating a less global view of trading than expected. Specifically, at the LIFFE open, London investors rush to rebalance portfolios instead of doing so at the TSE close, which is only one hour before the LIFFE opens.
Management of secondary turricephaly in craniofacial surgery.

In children with syndromic craniofacial disorders, such as Crouzon and Apert syndromes, who are managed surgically, a difficult problem that can occur is secondary turricephaly. One of the more widely accepted theories as to why this deformity occurs is that a lack of skull base growth results from fusion of the basal and facial sutures. Despite initial adequate forehead and orbital bandeau advancement, many of these patients require subsequent procedures, which do not always correct the characteristic deformity. We have identified a subset of 11 syndromic children who developed this characteristic deformity of turricephaly after primary reconstruction, 6 of whom required either secondary or tertiary procedures. Only 5 patients had a good outcome with a mean follow up of 4.5 years (range 1–8 years). Our surgical methods, and our rationale for the timing of surgery are discussed, and the literature on the management of this problem is reviewed.
Bacterial heterogeneity in deep subsurface tunnels at Rainier Mesa, Nevada test site

To characterize the deep subsurface environment of Rainier Mesa, Nevada Test Site, rock samples were taken from tunnels U 12b, U12g, U12p, and U 12n, which varied in depth from 50 m to 450 m and in gravimetric moisture content from 4% to 27%. Values for total count, viable count, biomass, Simpson diversity, equitability, similarity coefficient, and number of distinct colony types indicated microbiological variability between samples. Viable counts ranged from less than 1 × 101 to 2.4 × 105 CFU g dry wt−1 of rock. Direct counts and enumeration based on phospholipid determination indicated larger numbers of cells g dry wt-1 of rock than viable counts. Simpson diversity indices, equitability, and numbers of distinct colony types varied from 3.00 to 8.05, 0.21 to 0.89, and 7 to 19, respectively, and indicated heterogeneity between samples. Each distinct morphotype was purified and characterized. Gram reaction, morphology, metal and antibiotic resistances, and metabolic activities of each isolate confirmed spatial variability among microbiota isolated from different locations. Most probable numbers of nitrifying, sulfur oxidizing, and sulfur-reducing bacteria were below the limit of detection in all samples, while the numbers of nitrogen fixing bacteria ranged from below the level of detection to 7.8 × 102 cells g dry wt−1 of rock sample, and the numbers of dentrifying bacteria ranged from below the level of detection to greater than 1.6 × 103 cells g dry wt−1 of rock sample.
Sensing Cutter Breakage in Milling

Abstract The paper describes a system for sensing milling cutter breakage. It is based on recognizing changes in the pattern of the cutting force. The regular periodic variation per tooth is filtered out by synchronized sampling, averaging per tooth and first differencing and the change due to the broken tooth stands out. The threshold for alarm is set with respect to the mean force per revolution (moving average) to make it independent of changes in radial and axial depths of cut and in chip load. Due to practical difficulties with force measurements the use of vibrational signal is explored and found feasible.
513 SERUM RETINOL AND RETINYL ESTERS IN PREMATURE INFANTS RECEIVING PARENTERAL ALIMENTATION

High doses of Vitamin A given during parenteral alimentation (PA), even if reduced by adsorption to plastic tubing, could cause toxicity if the retinyl ester (RtE) overwhelms the capacity of the storage mechanism. To check for significant serum RtE characteristic of Vitamin A toxicity, 9 infants were sampled while on peripheral PA for 1 to 31 days. On the day of sample, the mean daily Vitamin A dose per kg body wt: 3677 I.U. (S.D.1750) or 1103 ug (S.D.525). Mean gestational age: 30.2 wks (S.D.1.1), birth weight: 1222 g (S.D.264), day of age for sample ranged from 5 to 37 days and a total of 13 samples were collected. Serum RtE levels were uniformly low, i.e. 2.1 μg% or less. Serum Retinol before PA in 5 infants was 6.4 μg % (S.D. 3.8) and rose to 12.7 μg% (S.D. 5.3) during PA. Further work needs to be done to identify the optimal Vitamin A dose, but it is reassuring to know that the current dose does not appear to be excessive.
Synthesis and properties studies of nanocrystalline Al-Al3Zr

In this preliminary report, the feasibility of using the inert-gas condensation (IGC) technique with electron-beam evaporation to produce nanocrystalline (nc) Al-Zr samples with desirable microstructures and properties is described. Six nc samples were synthesized and consolidated at room temperature. The microstructural characteristics of the specimens were examined using various microscopy techniques, x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering. Preliminary properties data were obtained from hot stage microscopy and Vickers microhardness measurements.
Dynamics of an impulsively driven Morse oscillator

We study the dynamics of a Morse oscillator subjected to periodic impulsive forcing. The system is governed by an area-preserving map that is factored explicitly into the product of two orientation-reversing involutions. The symmetry lines of these involutions are determined analytically. We discuss the organization of periodic and homoclinic orbits by symmetry and classify each according to the symmetry lines it visits. Finally, we generalize some of our findings to a larger class of impulsively driven Hamiltonian systems.
The Generation, Characterization and Application of Microvortices in Microfluidic Systems (Keynote Paper)

This review describes the formation of microvortices in microfluidic systems, and discusses our experimental measurements that illustrate the velocity profiles inside such microvortices. Because of the micrometer dimensions of these vortices and the presence of high rotational velocities, we have observed a number of unique phenomena. One example is the dynamic formation of ring patterns of particles within the microvortex. The mechanism by which these patterns form relies on a balance between the centrifugal and displacement forces experienced by the re-circulating particles with a lift force exerted on the particles near the solid boundary of the microcavity. We also demonstrate the ability to orient and rotate precisely micro and nanometer -sized particles, individual DNA molecules, and single cells. Because of the high linear velocity (m/s) of fluid flow in constricted microchannels and to the small radii (< 10μm) of the microvortices, we have measured the presence of ultrahigh radial accelerations (v2 /r) in such microvortices, which can reach 107 m/s2 or 106 times the gravitational acceleration (g).Copyright © 2005 by ASME
A dynamic model for costing disaster mitigation policies

The optimal level of investment in mitigation strategies is usually difficult to ascertain in the context of disaster planning. This research develops a model to provide such direction by relying on cost of quality literature. This paper begins by introducing a static approach inspired by Joseph M. Juran's cost of quality management model (Juran, 1951) to demonstrate the non-linear trade-offs in disaster management expenditure. Next it presents a dynamic model that includes the impact of dynamic interactions of the changing level of risk, the cost of living, and the learning/investments that may alter over time. It illustrates that there is an optimal point that minimises the total cost of disaster management, and that this optimal point moves as governments learn from experience or as states get richer. It is hoped that the propositions contained herein will help policymakers to plan, evaluate, and justify voluntary disaster mitigation expenditures.
Improving vocabulary organization in assistive communication tools: a mixed-initiative approach

Navigating a vocabulary consisting of thousands of entries in order to select appropriate words for building communication is challenging for individuals with lexical access impairments like those caused by aphasia. Ineffective vocabulary organization and navigation hurt the usability and adoption of assistive communication tools and ultimately fail to help users engage in practical communication. We have developed a multi-modal visual vocabulary that enables improved navigation and effective word finding by modeling a speaker's "mental lexicon", where words are stored and organized in ways that allow efficient access and retrieval. Due to impaired links in their mental lexicon, people with aphasia have persistent difficulties accessing and retrieving words that express intended concepts. The Visual Vocabulary for Aphasia (ViVA) attempts to compensate for some of these missing or impaired semantic connections by organizing words in a dynamic semantic network where links between words reflect word association measures based on WordNet, human judgments of semantic similarity, and past vocabulary usage.
Substantial nitrous oxide emissions from intertidal sediments and groundwater in anthropogenically-impacted West Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts

Abstract Large N 2 O emissions were observed from intertidal sediments in a coastal estuary, West Falmouth Harbor, MA, USA. Average N 2 O emission rates from 41 chambers during summer 2008 were 10.7 mol N 2 O m −2 h −1 ± 4.43 μmol N 2 O m −2 h −1 (standard error). Emissions were highest from sediments within a known wastewater plume, where a maximum N 2 O emission rate was 155 μmol N 2 O m −2 h −1 . Intertidal N 2 O fluxes were positively related to porewater ammonium concentrations at 10 and 25 cm depths. In groundwater from 7 shoreline wells, dissolved N 2 O ranged from 488% of saturation (56 nM N 2 O) to more than 13 000% of saturation (1529 nM N 2 O) and was positively related to nitrate concentrations. Fresh and brackish porewater underlying 14 chambers was also supersaturated in N 2 O, ranging from 2 980% to 13 175% of saturation. These observations support a relationship between anthropogenic nutrient loading and N 2 O emissions in West Falmouth Harbor, with both groundwater sources and also local N 2 O production within nutrient-rich, intertidal sediments in the groundwater seepage face. N 2 O emissions from intertidal “hotspot” in this harbor, together with estimated surface water emissions, constituted 2.4% of the average overall rate of nitrogen export from the watershed to the estuary. This suggests that N 2 O emissions factors from coastal ecosystems may be underestimated. Since anthropogenic nutrient loading affects estuaries worldwide, quantification of N 2 O dynamics is warranted in other anthropogenically-impacted coastal ecosystems.
COURTEOUS SERVICE: ITS ASSESSMENT AND MODIFICATION IN A HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION

We evaluated strategies to increase behaviors associated with courteous provision of service by 3 staff members of a human service agency. Training included written instructions, practice, and performance feedback. A lottery procedure was introduced to maintain courteous service after training. The results of a multiple baseline design across the 3 participants showed marked increases in courteous behaviors following training. These effects were maintained at 3-, 5-, and 8-month follow-ups. Consumers' satisfaction with service also increased. These findings suggest that simple training and reinforcement procedures can enhance courtesy afforded those who receive service from public and nonprofit organizations.
From the conformation of a single molecule to physical networks in highly interacting polymers: A small‐angle neutron study

Small-angle neutron scattering has been used to study the conformation and structure of highly interacting macromolecules in complex fluids. The evolution of the structure has been investigated from the conformation of a single molecule through an association process to the formation of physical networks. Two highly interacting polymers, an ionic polymer (consisting of a perfluorinated backbone and an ionizable hydrophilic side chain dissolved in water/alcohol mixtures) and rodlike, highly conju- gated phenylene ethylene molecules (dissolved in toluene), have been studied. Highly interacting polymers often form relatively long lasting physical networks with increas- ing polymer concentration. The driving force, however, is system-specific, and so are the micellar systems and physical networks formed. Although the two families of polymers under consideration are entirely different chemically, their strong interaction, either ionic or through - coupling, results in similarities in the complex fluids formed when they are dissolved in solutions. These include elongated configurations in dilute solu- tions, association into micelles, and eventually coalescence into physical networks. The ionic polymers form durable stable networks, whereas the rodlike polymers form a fragile, gel-like phase. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3165-3178, 2004
Seasonal modulation of the West Florida Continental Shelf Circulation

Velocity data from 28°N, 84°W on the west Florida continental shelf are presented. The data were sampled from October 1993 through January 1995 at 1 m intervals between 3 m and 42 m in a total water depth of 47 m. Their monthly means suggest an annual cycle hypothesized to be driven by a seasonally varying shelf-wide baroclinic structure. Motions at semi-diurnal, diurnal and synoptic time scales are seasonally modulated, both by wind forcing and stratification that decouples fluid motions from the damping effects of bottom friction. These motions are presented in the form of progressive vector plots. With 16 months of data, probability density and distribution functions for along-shore and across-shore particle displacements over specific time intervals are constructed. For daily intervals, particles are equally likely to travel approximately 5 km (depending upon confidence interval) in any direction. For monthly intervals, particles may travel a few hundred km, primarily along-shore.
The syrinx: Nature’s hybrid wind instrument

Birdsong is commonly associated with the sound of a flute. Although the pure, often high pitched, tone of a bird is undeniably flutelike, its sound production mechanism more closely resembles that of the human voice, with the syringeal membrane (the bird’s primary vocal organ) acting like vocal folds and a beak acting as a conical bore. Airflow in the song bird’s vocal tract begins from the lungs and passes through two bronchi, two nonlinear vibrating membranes (one in each bronchial tube), the trachea, the mouth, and finally propagates to the surrounding air by way of the beak. Classic waveguide synthesis is used for modeling the bronchi and trachea tubes, based on the model of Fletcher [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. (1988, 1999)]. The nonlinearity of the vibrating syringeal membrane is simulated by finite‐difference methods. This nonlinear valve, driven by a steady pressure from the bronchi, generates an oscillatory pressure entering the trachea.
Possible band-structure shapes of quasi-one-dimensional solids

The well-known restrictions on the possible shapes of electron energy bands arising from one-dimensional (1D) periodic potentials do not apply to chainlike physical systems such as polymers or molecular stacks, which are three dimensional objects periodic along a line. For such quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) crystals, bands can be nondegenerate, but they may also contact one another at the center and/or at the boundaries of the Brillouin zone (BZ), cross at a general $k$ point, or be degenerate throughout the BZ, so that a variety of topologically inequivalent shapes can be formed. These shapes are essentially determined by the spatial symmetry of the Q1D object considered, i.e., by its line group. A complete classification has been worked out, and for every possible Q1D crystal structure the corresponding band shapes are specified. The method focuses on the quantum numbers having clear physical meaning (quasimomentum, quasi angular momentum, etc.); elaborate group-theoretical parlance is avoided. Furthermore, it is studied how this complexity of band shapes which may occur in Q1D crystals affects some predicted physical properties---optical-absorption spectra and vibronic coupling, in particular. First, each singularity of the density-of-states function bears definite symmetry labels, and many direct interband transitions in polymers are forbidden by the line-group selection rules. Next, in the case of electronic degeneracy, many different types of vibronic instabilities are possible. Depending on the line group, the band shapes, and the quantum numbers of the electronic states involved, the active phonons may be longitudinal or transversal, acoustic or optical, single or degenerate, displacive or distortive, etc.; also, various types of symmetry breaking can occur. Finally, applicability to other quasi particles (phonons, etc.) and to solids of higher dimensionality is pointed out.
Investigation of the effects of myocardial anisotropy for shear wave elastography using acoustic radiation force and harmonic vibration

Shear wave elastography with acoustic radiation force (ARF) or harmonic vibration (HV) has been applied in animals and humans to evaluate myocardial material properties. The anisotropic myocardial structure presents a unique challenge to wave propagation methods because the fiber direction changes through the wall thickness. To investigate the effects of the frequency of excitation in the myocardium we constructed systolic and diastolic finite element models (FEMs) and performed an experiment on an ex vivo porcine heart. Both models were constructed with multiple elastic, transverse isotropic layers with a shear wave velocity (SWV) along and across the fibers where each layer has 1 mm thickness with the top and bottom in contact with water. The orientation of the muscle fibers was changed for each layer ranging from −50° to 80° from top to bottom. Harmonic excitations at 30, 50, 100, and 200 Hz and an impulsive force were used. An ex vivo porcine heart was tested using ARF excitations with a transesophogeal probe driven with a Verasonics ultrasound system applied directly to the left ventricular wall. We evaluated the measured orientation of the fibers in each layer by evaluating the angle with the highest SWV. The 30 and 50 Hz results showed little or no variation in the measured orientation angle in the layers. The 100 and 200 Hz results showed some variation of the orientation with respect to the layer. The impulse simulation results showed good agreement with the true orientations except near the top and bottom boundaries. The values of SWV were found to have different levels of bias depending on the excitation. The experimental results in the ex vivo heart showed similar trends as the FEM model results where the waves at lower frequencies had lower sensitivity to fiber direction. This multi-layered anisotropic model demonstrates how to resolve different anisotropic layers in the myocardium using ARF or HV while also revealing that using lower frequencies results in measurements that are less sensitive to anisotropy variation through the thickness of the myocardial wall.
Post-identification feedback to eyewitnesses impairs evaluators' abilities to discriminate between accurate and mistaken testimony.

Giving confirming feedback to mistaken eyewitnesses has robust distorting effects on their retrospective judgments (e.g., how certain they were, their view, etc.). Does feedback harm evaluators’ abilities to discriminate between accurate and mistaken identification testimony? Participant-witnesses to a simulated crime made accurate or mistaken identifications from a lineup and then received confirming feedback or no feedback. Each then gave videotaped testimony about their identification, and a new sample of participant-evaluators judged the accuracy and credibility of the testimonies. Among witnesses who were not given feedback, evaluators were significantly more likely to believe the testimony of accurate eyewitnesses than they were to believe the testimony of mistaken eyewitnesses, indicating significant discrimination. Among witnesses who were given confirming feedback, however, evaluators believed accurate and mistaken witnesses at nearly identical rates, indicating no ability to discriminate. Moreover, there was no evidence of overbelief in the absence of feedback whereas there was significant overbelief in the confirming feedback conditions. Results demonstrate that a simple comment following a witness’ identification decision (“Good job, you got the suspect”) can undermine fact-finders’ abilities to discern whether the witness made an accurate or a mistaken identification.
Lymphocyte-Bound Complement Activation Products as Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is frequently misdiagnosed due to the lack of definitive diagnostic tests. The purpose of this study was to determine specifically whether complement activation products (CAP) are deposited on lymphocytes of SLE patients and whether lymphocyte-bound CAP (LB-CAP) may serve as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of SLE. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 224 patients with SLE, 179 patients with other diseases, and 114 healthy controls. LB-CAP on peripheral blood lymphocytes was measured by flow cytometry. Diagnostic utility of LB-CAP was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Significantly elevated levels of C4d and C3d were detected specifically on T and B lymphocytes (designated T-C4d, T-C3d, B-C4d, and B-C3d) of SLE patients. As diagnostic tools, T-C4d and B-C4d, respectively, were 56% sensitive/80% specific and 60% sensitive/82% specific in differentiating SLE from other diseases. Moreover, compared with measurement of anti-dsDNA, serum C3, or serum C4, measurement of T-C4d/B-C4d was significantly more sensitive in identifying SLE patients during a single clinic visit. This is the first investigation of lymphocytes bearing complement activation products in human disease. T-C4d and B-C4d have high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for SLE and may have added value to current laboratory tests for SLE diagnosis.
Filling the holes: Evolving excised binary black hole initial data with puncture techniques

We follow the inspiral and merger of equal-mass black holes (BHs) by the moving puncture technique and demonstrate that both the exterior solution and the asymptotic gravitational waveforms are unchanged when the initial interior solution is replaced by constraint-violating junk initial data. We apply this result to evolve conformal thin-sandwich (CTS) binary BH initial data by filling their excised interiors with arbitrary, but smooth, initial data and evolving with standard puncture gauge choices. The waveforms generated for both puncture and filled-CTS initial data are remarkably similar, and there are only minor differences between irrotational and corotational CTS BH binaries. Even the interior solutions appear to evolve to the same constraint-satisfying solution at late times, independent of the initial data.
Storage ring cavity higher-order mode dampers for the Advanced Photon Source

Coaxial, mode selective higher-order mode dampers for the Advanced Photon Source storage ring cavities have been fabricated and tested. Two types of dampers will be employed. Electric field probe dampers are positioned in the equatorial plane of the cavity so as to not couple to the fundamental TM/sub 01/ accelerating mode. Additionally, two magnetic field probe dampers with quarter-wavelength stub rejection filters are positioned in the cavity equatorial plane 90 degrees apart to facilitate dipole mode damping. Both damper types use a vacuum compatible, aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic RF absorber as the matched load. Measurements were made to optimize the frequency response of the tapered absorber. The design eliminates the need for a ceramic vacuum window.
Blood Pressure Level and Outcomes in Adults Aged 65 and Older with Prior Ischemic Stroke

low BP was associated with favorable risk of recurrent stroke, although high and low poststroke BP levels were associated with greater mortality. Long-term antihypertensive trials in older stroke survivors would increase knowledge about the benefits of lowering BP in this population. J Am Geriatr Soc 54:1309–1316, 2006.
Stable transport of assemblies by pushing

This paper presents a method to determine whether an assembly of planar parts will stay assembled as it is pushed over a support surface. For a given pushing motion, an assembly is classified into one of three categories: (P = possible): any force necessary to preserve the assembly can be generated by the pushing contacts; (I = impossible): pushing forces cannot preserve the assembly; and (U = undecided): pushing forces may or may not be able to preserve the assembly. This classification is made based on the solution of linear constraint satisfaction problems. If the part-part and part-pusher contacts are frictionless, motions labeled P are guaranteed to preserve the assembly. The results are based on bounds on the possible support friction acting on individual parts in the face of indeterminacy in the distribution of support forces. Experimental results supporting the analysis are given
Benchmarking NaI(TI) electron energy resolution measurements

A technique for validating electron energy resolution /spl eta//sub e/ results measured using the modified Compton coincidence technique (MCCT) has been developed. This technique relies on comparing measured gamma-ray energy resolution /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// with calculated values that were determined using the measured /spl eta//sub e/ results. These /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// calculations were based on Monte Carlo photon transport simulations, the measured NaI(Tl) electron response, a simplified cascade sequence, and the measured /spl eta//sub e/ results. To demonstrate this technique, MCCT-measured NaI(Tl) /spl eta//sub e/ results were used along with measured /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// results from the same NaI(Tl) crystal. Agreement to within 5% was observed for all energies considered between the calculated and measured /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// results for the NaI(Tl) crystal characterized. The calculated /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// results were also compared with previously published /spl eta//sub /spl gamma// measurements with good agreement (< 10%). In addition to describing the validation technique that was developed in this study and the results, a brief review of the /spl eta//sub e/ measurements made using the MCCT is provided. Based on the results of this study, it is believed that the MCCT-measured /spl eta//sub e/ results are reliable. Thus, the MCCT and this validation technique can be used in the future to characterize the /spl eta//sub e/ of other scintillators and to determine NaI(Tl) intrinsic energy resolution.
Insulin Analogues in the Management of the Pregnancy Complicated by Diabetes Mellitus

Since their introduction, insulin analogues are the preferred choice for short-acting insulin due to their superior pharmacologic profiles, leading to greater flexibility and convenience of dosing and, thus, greater patient satisfaction and improved quality of life. Over the past few years, clinical experience with insulin analogues in pregnancy has increased. The most studied, insulin lispro, has been shown to be a safe and clinically effective option in the treatment of the diabetic gravida. Studies of the other insulin analogues are limited, but promising. Further research is warranted to evaluate safety and efficacy of these analogues.
Dynamic Mechanical Stretch of Organotypic Brain Slice Cultures Induces Differential Genomic Expression: Relationship to Mechanical Parameters

Although the material properties of biological tissues are reasonably well established, recent studies have suggested that the biological response of brain tissue and its constituent cells may also be viscoelastic and sensitive to both the magnitude and rate of a mechanical stimulus. Given the potential involvement of changes in gene expression in the pathogenic sequelae after head trauma, we analyzed the expression of 22 genes related to cell death and survival and found that a number of these genes were differentially regulated after mechanical stretch of an organotypic brain slice culture. Twenty-four hours after stretch, the expression of BDNF, NGF, and TrkA was significantly increased, whereas that of bcl-2, CREB, and GAD 65 was significantly decreased (MANOVA followed by ANOVA, p,0.05). Expression of CREB and GAD 65 was negatively correlated with strain, whereas expression of APP695 was negatively correlated with strain rate (all p,0.05). This study demonstrates that a subset of genes involved in cell death and survival are differentially regulated after dynamic stretch in vitro and that the expression of specific genes is correlated with mechanical parameters of that stretch. @S0148-0731~00!00303-4#
Compact toroid formation, dynamics and lifetime in collisional plasmas generated at high fill pressures

A 0·50 m long compact-toroid transport experiment (CTTX) has been studied with a number of diagnostics, including Thomson scattering, to determine local plasma properties and gradients indicative of transport processes. The CTTX bias and main field strengths were –0·09 and 0·35 T. Compact toroid formation and lifetime were studied at static fill pressures of 20, 100 and 150 mTorr deuterium, between 3 and 30μs after firing of the main bank. Thomson-scattering diagnosis was carried out using a Q-switched Nd: glass laser operated at both fundamental (1053 nm) and second-harmonic wavelengths (527 nm). For each pressure, scattering tests were conducted at radii r of 0·1, 1·0, 1·85 and 2·60 cm and axial positions z of 6·7, 13·0 and 19·0 cm (1054 nm); supplementary data were obtained at r = 0·1, 1·35 and 2·10 cm at z = 6·7 cm (527 nm). Electron densities and temperatures were in the ranges 1021–1022 m-3 and 2–20 eV. Thomson-scattering results are compared with diamagnetic loop, inter-ferometry, luminosity and piezoelectric pressure-probe data. Axial behaviour of the formation CT plasma varies significantly with initial fill pressure: continuous axial contraction occurs at ISOmTorr; whereas the 20 mTorr plasma appears first to contract then expand. Particle loss times are found to decrease from 70 μs at 20 mTorr to 24 μs at 100 mTorr and 12 μs at 150 mTorr. Energy decay times are 6, 7 and 5 μs for 20, 100 and 150 mTorr respectively. Flux-decay times are approximately 20 μs for 20 mTorr, 12 μs for 100 mTorr and 20 μs for 150 mTorr fill pressure. These values are two to four times longer than would be expected from theory using classical transport. In order to explain the sustained magnetic flux, the role of electric fields within the compact toroid is considered.
Steganalysis based on JPEG compatibility

In this paper, we introduce a new forensic tool that can reliably detect modifications in digital images, such as distortion due to steganography and watermarking, in images that were originally stored in the JPEG format. The JPEG compression leave unique fingerprints and serves as a fragile watermark enabling us to detect changes as small as modifying the LSB of one randomly chosen pixel. The detection of changes is based on investigating the compatibility of 8x8 blocks of pixels with JPEG compression with a given quantization matrix. The proposed steganalytic method is applicable to virtually all steganongraphic and watermarking algorithms with the exception of those that embed message bits into the quantized JPEG DCT coefficients. The method can also be used to estimate the size of the secret message and identify the pixels that carry message bits. As a consequence of our steganalysis, we strongly recommend avoiding using images that have been originally stored in the JPEG format as cover-images for spatial-domain steganography.
Truth and DARE: Tracking Drug Education to Graduation and as Symbolic Politics

This article utilizes a multi-dimensional impact and process evaluation framework to explore the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in terms of long-term effects, political potency, and implementation issues. The impact dimension compares questionnaire data from 288 high school seniors exposed to DARE as seventh graders with 335 non-exposed seniors. No significant differences in drug use behaviors or attitudes were found between the two groups. Micro-level process findings from a focus group interview reinforced the quantitative results. At the macro-level, DARE is shown to be a form of symbolic politics, supported by direct and indirect stakeholders, and embedded in a complex and potent organizational support structure. To minimize conflicts with DARE stakeholders and enhance program understanding, we consider how factors associated with the implementation process may have influenced the results. These include contextual factors, disjunctions between program ideals and implementation realities, and program design limitations. This multidimensional evaluation approach provides both context and meaning for understanding the DARE program and for interpreting the results. It also underscores the need for a more multi-faceted discourse on drug prevention programs in order to consider the relative merits of both psychosocial and structural approaches to the issue of drug use.
Complication and Readmission Rates following Same-Day Discharge after Percutaneous Renal Tumor Ablation.

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate readmission rate and complications in patients undergoing same-day discharge following percutaneous thermal ablation of renal tumors. Materials and Methods Patients undergoing same-day discharge following thermal ablation of renal tumors were reviewed. The primary outcome was the rate of readmission within 30 days of same-day discharge. The secondary outcomes included the rate and clinical outcomes of periprocedural complications. Results Same-day discharge occurred in 166/174 patients (95%), of whom 2/166 (1%) required short-term readmission due to pulmonary embolism and acute-on-chronic kidney injury. Both patients recovered without permanent morbidity. Admission due to complications occurred in 8/174 (5%) cases, the majority of which were related to hemorrhage. No significant differences in rates of complications or admission were found between cryoablation and RF ablation. Major complications (Clavien–Dindo grade II or higher, SIR grade C or higher) occurred in 7/174 (4%) cases, the majority related to hemorrhage. All cases were detected in the standard 4 hour postprocedural observation period and managed conservatively. The mean hemorrhage volume was significantly larger in patients requiring admission versus those discharged the same day (289 mL vs 34 mL; P = .02). Higher-volume hemorrhage occurred in larger tumors (mean, 4.0 cm vs 3.0 cm; P = .04). There was no association between major complications and central tumor or age. Conclusions Routine same-day discharge following percutaneous renal tumor thermal ablation can be performed with a low rate of short-term readmission. The majority of periprocedural complications can be managed conservatively, and patients can be discharged the same day.
Tumor Necrosis Factor: A Mechanistic Link between Angiotensin-II-Induced Cardiac Inflammation and Fibrosis

Background—Continuous angiotensin-II infusion induced the uptake of monocytic fibroblast precursors that initiated the development of cardiac fibrosis; these cells and concurrent fibrosis were absent in mice lacking tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). We now investigated their cellular origin and temporal uptake and the involvement of TNFR1 in monocyte-to-fibroblast differentiation. Methods and Results—Within a day, angiotensin-II induced a proinflammatory environment characterized by production of inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and TH1-interleukins and uptake of bone marrow-derived M1 cells. After a week, the cardiac environment changed to profibrotic with growth factor and TH2-interleukin synthesis, uptake of bone marrow–derived M2 cells, and the presence of M2-related fibroblasts. TNFR1 signaling was not necessary for early M1 uptake, but its absence diminished the amount of M2 cells. TNFR1-knockout hearts also showed reduced levels of cytokine expression, but not of TH-related lymphokines. ...
FeCCM for scene understanding: Helping the robot to learn multiple tasks

Helping a robot to understand a scene can include many sub-tasks, such as scene categorization, object detection, geometric labeling, etc. Each sub-task is notoriously hard, and state-of-art classifiers exist for many sub-tasks. It is desirable to have an algorithm that can capture such correlation without requiring to make any changes to the inner workings of any classifier, and therefore make the perception for a robot better. We have recently proposed a generic model (Feedback Enabled Cascaded Classification Model) that enables us to easily take state-of-art classifiers as black-boxes and improve performance. In this video, we show that we can use our FeCCM model to quickly combine existing classifiers for various sub-tasks, and build a shoe finder robot in a day. The video shows our robot using FeCCM to find a shoe on request.
Formal specification and design of a message router

Formal derivation refers to a family of design techniques that entail the development of programs which are guaranteed to be correct by construction. Only limited industrial use of such techniques (e.g., UNITY-style specification refinement) has been reported in the literature, and there is a great need for methodological developments aimed at facilitating their application to complex problems. This article examines the formal specification and design of a message router in an attempt to identify those methodological elements that are likely to contribute to successful industrial uses of program derivation. Although the message router cannot be characterized as being industrial grade, it is a sophisticated problem that poses significant specification and design challenges—its apparent simplicity is rather deceiving. The main body of the article consists of a complete formal specification of the router and a series of successive refinements that eventually lead to an immediate construction of a correct UNITY program. Each refinement is accompanied by its design rationale and is explained in a manner accessible to a broad audience. We use this example to make the case that program derivation provides a good basis for introducing rigor in the design strategy, regardless of the degrees of formality one is willing to consider.
Spirometry and Response to Bronchodilator Studies

Spirometry is a valuable tool for diagnosing asthma, establishing the severity, and assessing the control of asthma over time in those patients who can perform the procedure. Response to bronchodilator also helps in diagnosing the disease and assessing control. Guidelines and standards are available to help perform and interpret spirometry and response to bronchodilator tests. These guidelines come from the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program—Expert Panel Report-3, and the American Association for Respiratory Care Clinical Practice Guidelines. The objective measurements, especially in the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and the FEV1/FVC, enable proper management and provide continuing assessment to check the effectiveness of therapy and to follow the disease over time.
The United Nations Commission: a World Leisure summary of the 53rd session of the Commission for Social Development: rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world

The World Leisure Organization (WLO) participated in two meetings held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City that aligns with the work of the organization towards the UN system. ...
Toward Material Parameters for Modeling Devices Made From an Epoxy-Based Shape Memory Polymer

Designing devices made from epoxy-based shape memory polymers is difficult because few material behavior parameters are available for these materials in the rubbery/shape changing region. This work examines the rubbery state, greater than 20° C above the glass transition temperature (Tg), as an elastomeric regime suited to characterization with simple tension and planar tension experiments. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results show a 70° C Tg, which agrees with prior research. Simple tension experiments at 100° C exhibited nonlinear elastic behavior, and finite element analysis (FEA) agreed with the constitutive behavior exhibited in the experiments. Planar tension experiments exhibited novel results. The stress/strain response was sigmoidal with a significant plateau in stress followed by rising stress to failure. The typical 10:1 gage width/gage length ratio seemed to over constrain the material. The strain to failure is small, and suggests the material behavior is a hybrid of elastic and hyperelastic behavior.Copyright © 2015 by ASME