cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scale time offset robust modulation

Scale time offset robust modulation, or STORM, is a novel modulation technique that essentially adds time scaling to transmitted reference spread spectrum. STORM transmit signals are created using a pair of relatively offset signals. These signals are called the base and offset signals. The base signal may be random noise, colored noise, a PN sequence, or even a QAM signal. The offset signal is created from a copy of the base signal that is offset in time, time scale, phase, and/or amplitude. Summing the offset and base signal produces the transmit waveform. The transmit waveform is demodulated by estimating the cross-correlation between the received signal and a time scaled version of the received signal. This novel signal design delivers interesting features. First, the detection is robust when the base and offset signals maintain relative coherence. Second, using fixed bandwidth the multi-path delay resolution may be varied by changing the scale parameter. The demodulator non-coherently stacks multi-path energy without using the rake architecture or independently resolves multi-path depending on the scale parameter. Processing rates are time scale dependent and are typically orders of magnitude lower than a comparable bandwidth matched filter receiver when the scale parameter is known in advance.
Applying Voice Recognition to Vox Populi: State Transition Models in the Study of Public Opinion and Political Communication

"Chunks" of related news coverage with the potential to affect political outcomes - are the building blocks of political narratives and an important concept in political communication. In this paper I make three important claims about news stories. First, consistent with common intuition, news tends to come in chunks. Second, this tendency can enrich studies of media and politics if used well, and lead to confusion and error if ignored. Finally, the methodological capacity to identify meaningful chunks of news on a large scale is within reach. I demonstrate how hidden Markov models can be used identify news stories within stream of media content, and discuss implications for the study of media, public opinion, and political communication.
Anil Jain: 25 Years of Biometric Recognition

Computer scientist Anil Jain discusses the evolution of the biometric recognition field. The first Web extra at http://youtu.be/Wb_JbpdFoz4 is a video in which Anil Jain talks with Charles Severance about the evolution of the biometric recognition field. The second Web extra at http://youtu.be/_NdKzKybyQ4 is an audio recording in which author Charles Severance reads his Computing Conversations column that discusses his interview with Anil Jain about the evolution of the biometric recognition field.
Precise determination of local birefringence of optical fibers by long-period fiber grating analysis

We have proposed a novel and precise technique to determine the local birefringence of optical fibers by writing an LPFG in the fiber to be evaluated and analyzing the transmission loss and PDL of the LPFG. The accuracy of the determined local birefringence has been confirmed to be approximately 10/sup -8/, which is about 100 times better than the existing methods.
Effects of Genetic Background on Response to Selection in Experimental Populations of Arabidopsis thaliana

The extent to which genetic background can influence allelic fitness is poorly understood, despite having important evolutionary consequences. Using experimental populations of Arabidopsis thaliana and map-based population genetic data, we examined a multigeneration response to selection in populations with differentiated genetic backgrounds. Replicated experimental populations of A. thaliana with genetic backgrounds derived from ecotypes Landsberg and Niederzenz were subjected to strong viability and fertility selection by growing individuals from each population at high density for three generations in a growth chamber. Patterns of genome-wide selection were evaluated by examining deviations from expected frequencies of mapped molecular markers. Estimates of selection coefficients for individual genomic regions ranged from near 0 to 0.685. Genomic regions demonstrating the strongest response to selection most often were selected similarly in both genetic backgrounds. The selection response of several weakly selected regions, however, appeared to be sensitive to genetic background, but only one region showed evidence of positive selection in one background and negative selection in another. These results are most consistent with models of adaptive evolution in which allelic fitnesses are not strongly influenced by genetic background and only infrequently change in sign due to variation at other loci.
The design and construction of a solar electric commuter car

A description is presented of the design and construction of a solar electric commuter car-a practical commuting vehicle whose primary energy source is solar. A Sebring fiberglass kit car on a Volkswagen Beetle chassis was chosen for conversion to an electric vehicle with solar recharging capability. The 1600 lb two-passenger vehicle was equipped with a 25 hp peak DC brushless motor, a 5 kWh battery pack, and a 500 W/sub p/ solar cell array. The car meets the Pennsylvania safety inspection code for a passenger vehicle. Final design details and preliminary performance data are given. >
A Sensor-Assisted Self-Authentication Framework for Hardware Trojan Detection

Detecting hardware Trojan attacks often rely on availability of pre-verified golden chips. In this article, authors propose an efficient Trojan detection approach using sequence of path delay traces that eliminate such a need.
An Approach to the Detection of Long-Term Trends in Upper Stratospheric Ozone from Space

A central problem in the detection of long-term trends in the upper stratospheric ozone from orbiting remote sensors involves the separation of instrument drifts from true geophysical changes. Periodic flights of a Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet radiometer (SSBUV) on the Space Shuttle will allow the detection of drifts in optically identical sensors (SBUV/2) carried on operational satellites. A detailed simulation of the SSBUV and SBUV/2 datasets defines the accuracy that can be attained by the in-orbit calibration procedure. The repeatability of the SSBUV calibration from one flight to the next is the most critical variable in the analysis. A repeatability near + or - 1.0 percent is essential for detection and correction of drifts in the SBUV/2 radiance measurements. The simulations show that true geophysical trends in backscattered radiance can be inferred to an accuracy of approximately + or - 1.0 percent per decade when SSBUV flies approximately once per year and provides a precise calibration correction to the SBUV/2 dataset over a full decade.
Pharmacovigilance analysis of adverse event reports for aliskiren hemifumarate, a first-in-class direct renin inhibitor

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to examine the postmarketing safety profile of aliskiren hemifumarate, a first-in-class direct renin inhibitor. METHODS The US Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) was utilized to conduct a retrospective pharmacovigilance analysis by applying the Multi-item Gamma Poisson Shrinker data mining algorithm to calculate empiric Bayes geometric mean (EBGM) values of aliskiren-related adverse event reports. Reports received from January 2007 through December 2008 are included in this analysis. RESULTS In total, 1592 reports for aliskiren are identified in the AERS. Aliskiren was associated with reports of angioedema (EBGM 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2-4.7) and renal dysfunction (EBGM 3.4, 95% CI 2.6-4.5). Reports of hyperkalemia, dry cough, and diarrhea were also linked to aliskiren (EBGM 7.4, 95% CI 3.4-13.0, EBGM 11.0, 95% CI 7.8-14.2, EBGM 4.3, 95% CI 3.2-5.8, respectively). CONCLUSION Angioedema and renal dysfunction are potential adverse events associated with exposure to aliskiren. Patients with signs and symptoms of angioedema should stop aliskiren and seek urgent medical help. Aliskiren should not be used by patients with a risk of renal impairment. Additional studies are warranted to quantify further the risk of these events in patients with hypertension.
High-throughput imaging of neuronal activity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Neuronal responses to sensory inputs can vary based on genotype, development, experience, or stochastic factors. Existing neuronal recording techniques examine a single animal at a time, limiting understanding of the variability and range of potential responses. To scale up neuronal recordings, we here describe a system for simultaneous wide-field imaging of neuronal calcium activity from at least 20 Caenorhabditis elegans animals under precise microfluidic chemical stimulation. This increased experimental throughput was used to perform a systematic characterization of chemosensory neuron responses to multiple odors, odor concentrations, and temporal patterns, as well as responses to pharmacological manipulation. The system allowed recordings from sensory neurons and interneurons in freely moving animals, whose neuronal responses could be correlated with behavior. Wide-field imaging provides a tool for comprehensive circuit analysis with elevated throughput in C. elegans.
Increase in ventricular tachycardia frequency after biventricular implantable cardioverter defibrillator upgrade.

We report the case of a patient in whom transvenous left ventricular pacing lead placement at the time of a biventricular upgrade led to an exacerbation of clinical monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MVT). At implant, slow left ventricular pacing repeatedly induced sustained MVT. However, testing of the biventricular pacing showed no MVT inducibility, and the system was implanted. The patient was readmitted due to multiple episodes of the MVT observed at implant. The MVT was controlled with pharmacotherapy, allowing the patient to continue with biventricular pacing. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1245-1247, November 2003)
Recursive models for categorical data

Abstract Standard methods for recursive models with continuous endogenous variables are extended to models with categorical endogenous variables. The concept of a reduced-form equation is generalized in a natural way to cover nonlinear regression functions and, in particular, models with categorical endogenous variables. Maximum-likelihood estimation and asymptotic chi-square tests are described. Two numerical examples are presented: a linear recursive two-equation model for all-categorical data, and a combined linear and logit three-equation recursive model with both categorical and continuous endogenous variables. Limitations of the present work and directions for further extension are noted.
American Board of Thoracic Surgery examination: fewer graduates, more failures.

Background The American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) has noted a yearly decrease in the number of examination certificates being awarded, with only 93 certificates awarded in 2011. In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education required all programs to implement the 80-hour residency workweek. We hypothesized that this requirement has resulted in trainees being less capable of becoming successfully certified. Methods We examined the ABTS board scores, both written and oral, from 2000 to 2011. We divided the interval into 2 periods: 2000 to 2005, representing the 6-year, pre–80-hour workweek, and 2006 to 2011, the 6-year period post–80-hour workweek implementation. We analyzed whether a significant difference would be present in the pass rate before and after the 80-hour workweek for both the written and the oral boards. Results An inflection point of examination failures was found that started in 2006, correlating with the first examination year the 80-hour workweek would have affected. The written examination failure rates increased from 2006 to 2009 but have since decreased. The actual percentage failing the written component was less than the percentage failing the oral examinations in both periods. The oral examination failure rates have continued to increase at an alarming rate. Conclusions An increase has occurred in the failure of the ABTS board examinations that has been significantly greater after implementation of the 80-hour workweek. The failure rate for the written examination was not as significant as that for the oral examination. Because we are now training fewer, and perhaps less successful, cardiothoracic surgeons, it is our duty to develop strategies to improve and promote innovation in the methods of training.
Optimally-Discriminative Voxel-Based Morphometry significantly increases the ability to detect group differences in Schizophrenia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Optimally-Discriminative Voxel-Based Analysis (ODVBA) (Zhang and Davatzikos, 2011) is a recently-developed and validated framework of voxel-based group analysis, which transcends limitations of traditional Gaussian smoothing in the forms of analysis such as the General Linear Model (GLM). ODVBA estimates the optimal non-stationary and anisotropic filtering of the data prior to statistical analyses to maximize the ability to detect group differences. In this paper, we extensively evaluate ODVBA to three sets of previously published data from studies in schizophrenia, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease, and evaluate the regions of structural difference identified by ODVBA versus standard Gaussian smoothing and other related methods. The experimental results suggest that ODVBA is considerably more sensitive in detecting group differences, presumably because of its ability to adapt the regional filtering to the underlying extent and shape of a group difference, thereby maximizing the ability to detect such difference. Although there is no gold standard in these clinical studies, ODVBA demonstrated highest significance in group differences within the identified voxels. In terms of spatial extent of detected area, agreement of anatomical boundary, and classification, it performed better than other tested voxel-based methods and competitively with the cluster enhancing methods.
DAX1 and its network partners: exploring complexity in development.

Abstract DAX1 encoded by NR0B1, when mutated, is responsible for X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC). AHC is due to failure of the adrenal cortex to develop normally and is fatal if untreated. When duplicated, this gene is associated with an XY sex-reversed phenotype. DAX1 expression is present during development of the steroidogenic hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal–gonadal (HPAG) axis and persists into adult life. Despite recognition of the crucial role for DAX1, its function remains largely undefined. The phenotypes of patients and animal models are complex and not always in agreement. Investigations using cell lines have proved difficult to interpret, possibly reflecting cell line choices and their limited characterization. We will review the efforts of our group and others to identify appropriate cell lines for optimizing ex vivo analysis of NR0B1 function throughout development. We will examine the role of DAX1 and its network partners in development of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal/gonadal axis (HPAG) using a variety of different types of investigations, including those in model organisms. This network analysis will help us to understand normal and abnormal development of the HPAG. In addition, these studies permit identification of candidate genes for human inborn errors of HPAG development.
Fireworks pollution and health

This paper discusses the adverse health effects of air and noise pollution caused by fireworks episodes on Oahu, Hawaii. During such episodes the level of suspended particulates can increase by an average of 300 percent above pre‐fireworks levels. The 24‐hour Hawaii air quality standard can be exceeded by 170 percent. Significantly the lung‐penetrating paxticles of < 4.7 μm may increase by 700 percent due to fireworks smoke. Noise levels can reach 117 dBA exceeding all noise codes. An increase of 113 percent in treated respiratory illness during a fireworks episode was statistically significant, but an 8 percent decline in pulmonary function was not.
A numerical study to determine pericellular matrix modulus and evaluate its effects on the micromechanical environment of chondrocytes

Chondrocyte biosynthesis is highly sensitive to mechanical strain. A thin pericellular matrix (PCM) surrounds the cell and plays an important role in mechanotransduction. PCM material properties are difficult to measure directly because of its size and connectivity to both cell and extracellular matrix (ECM). The purpose of this study was to develop a method of calculating linear elastic properties of the PCM using an inverse finite element approach with experimental properties of cell and chondron taken from the literature. Finite element models were constructed of both the equivalent chondron case and the chondrocyte-PCM structure, and a Fibonacci search obtained PCM moduli that matched the ECM strain field between the two cases. The most important result was that ECM strain adjacent to a chondron inclusion was sensitive to the chondron properties and may be used to calculate PCM mechanical properties, consistent with our strain field hypotheses. PCM moduli obtained through this method range from 43 to 240 kPa, were significantly higher than previously published but resulted in only a 0.5-21% decrease in relative effective cell strain. Similarities between effective strain ratios led to the conclusion that matching experimental techniques used to measure cell and PCM properties was more important than absolute values of the properties.
Is there a pharmacoeconomic argument supporting the use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in early rheumatoid arthritis

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors have proven highly effective in improving the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, in inhibiting the progression of joint damage, and improving patients' quality of life. This Viewpoint will discuss the major concern relating to the actual use of TNF inhibitors in the clinic: their relatively high acquisition costs.
Embracing Statistical Challenges in the Information Technology Age

This article examines the role of statistics in the age of information technology (IT). It begins by examining the current state of IT and of the cyberinfrastructure initiative aimed at integrating the technologies into science, engineering, and education to convert massive amounts of data into useful information. Selected applications from science and text processing are introduced to provide concrete examples of massive data sets and the statistical challenges that they pose. The thriving field of machine learning is reviewed as an example of current achievements driven by computations and IT. Ongoing challenges that we face in the IT revolution are also highlighted. The paper concludes that for the healthy future of our field, computer technologies have to be integrated into statistics, and statistical thinking in turn must be integrated into computer technologies.
Visualization of the CreSIS Greenland data sets

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) has been compiling Greenland ice sheet thickness data since 1993. The airborne program utilizes a 150 MHz radar echo sounder to measure the ice thickness. The data is currently available on the CReSIS web site in various formats including PDF, Matlab, and plain text files. These formats are not usable in the classroom environment as a visual representation of the ice depth for each expedition.During the Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean, Marine and Polar Science 2009 program, the Greenland Data Visualization Team took the CReSIS data and created a 4-D visualization consisting of depth, time, latitude, and longitude. This visualization was created utilizing HTML, JavaScript, and PHP. Microsoft Excel was used to filter the raw data downloaded from the CReSIS site. The team then statistically analyzed the Greenland ice sheet thickness data for calculated, missing, and actual depth readings. The goal of this project was to present the CReSIS data via the web in a visual format to elementary, undergraduate, and graduate students for research and education. This visualization package and corresponding data will eventually be migrated to the Elizabeth City State University Polar Grid High Performance Computing System. The research that follows involved converting plain text files to comma separated values to be used by PHP and JavaScript to produce data visualizations in Google Maps and HTML pages.
Numerical calibration of a conical five-hole probe for supersonic measurements

A miniature conical five-hole probe of 30° half-angle was numerically calibrated for measurements of flow properties at supersonic Mach numbers in order to circumvent the traditional experimental approach, vastly demanding on resources. The principle of a multi-hole conical probe is based on the notion that Mach number, pressure and directionality of the incoming stream may be correlated with the combination of pressure readings on the conical probe surface and a Pitot port situated at the flat tip. Using a three-dimensional thin layer Navier-Stokes solver, calibration data were generated for the range of Mach numbers and pitch angles of interest. The validity of the computed pressure distributions on the probe surface was subsequently confirmed in a series of wind tunnel tests including low Mach number and high angularity flow-field. The current study also demonstrated the profound influence of the blunt tip on the nearby static pressure ports, its relevance to the ultimate modelling strategy and the resulting calibration charts.
In vivo fluorescence lifetime detection of an activatable probe in infarcted myocardium

Activatable fluorescent molecular probes are predominantly nonfluorescent in their inactivated state due to intramolecular quenching, but increase fluorescence yield significantly after enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of peptides. Continuous wave in vivo detection of these protease-activatable fluorophores in the heart, however, is limited by the inability to differentiate between activated and nonactivated fractions of the probe and is frequently complicated by large background signal from probe accumulation in the liver. Using a cathepsin-activatable near- infrared probe (PGC-800), we demonstrate here that fluorescence lifetime (FL) significantly increases in infarcted murine myocardial tissue (0.67 ns) when compared with healthy myocardium (0.59 ns) after 24 h. Furthermore, we show that lifetime contrast can be used to distinguish in vivo cardiac fluorescence from background nonspecific liver signal. The results of this study show that lifetime contrast is a helpful addition to preclinical imaging of acti- vatable fluorophores in the myocardium by reporting molecular activity in vivo due to changes in intramolecular quenching. This characterization of FL from activatable molecular probes will be helpful for advancing in vivo
Severe Perinatal Liver Disease Associated with Fetal Thrombotic Vasculopathy

Three neonates with fetal thrombotic vasculopathy in the placenta and severe neonatal liver disease are described. Symptoms included a bleeding disorder on the first day of life, followed by direct hyperbilirubinemia and elevated liver transaminases. All patients also had evidence of thrombosis outside the placenta, including cerebral infarct in two infants and thrombosis of the inferior vena cava in one infant. Liver disease was demonstrated to be thrombotic in one infant who died with Budd-Chiari syndrome. Two infants survived and had liver biopsy with cholestasis, bile duct proliferation, and portal fibrosis demonstrated at 4 weeks and 11 weeks of age, respectively. The etiology of thrombosis is unknown, though in one patient an excessively long and coiled umbilical cord may be implicated. The prenatal onset of thrombosis suggests an inherited or acquired thrombophilic state. In cases of enigmatic neonatal liver disease, an association with thrombosis should be considered and thrombi sought in placenta, umbilical cord, major blood vessels, and other organs. Evaluation for a hypercoagulable state is also suggested.
Transformation to Rotating Coordinates, reply to Atwater

ATWATER1 in his treatment of the transformation to rotating coordinates arbitrarily applied a simple Lorentz transformation to the periphery of a rotating disk having a symmetrical pattern and obtained, by using a constant radius, an asymmetrical pattern. He concluded that the special theory of relativity (STR) may not be applied to the problem of the rotating disk. I think that this conclusion may be unwarranted.
Results of the Compensated Earth-Moon-Earth Retroreflector Laser Link (CEMERLL) Experiment

Adaptive optics techniques can be used to realize a robust low bit-error-rate link by mitigating the atmosphere-induced signal fades in optical communications links between ground-based transmitters and deep-space probes. Phase I of the Compensated Earth{Moon{Earth Retrore∞ector Laser Link (CEMERLL) experiment demonstrated the flrst propagation of an atmosphere-compensated laser beam to the lunar retrore∞ectors. A 1.06-„m Nd:YAG laser beam was propagated through the full aperture of the 1.5-m telescope at the Starflre Optical Range (SOR), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, to the Apollo 15 retrore∞ector array at Hadley Rille. Laser guide-star adaptive optics were used to compensate turbulence-induced aberrations across the transmitter’s 1.5-m aperture. A 3.5-m telescope, also located at the SOR, was used as a receiver for detecting the return signals. JPL-supplied Chebyshev polynomials of the retrore∞ector locations were used to develop tracking algorithms for the telescopes. At times we observed in excess of 100 photons returned from a single pulse when the outgoing beam from the 1.5-m telescope was corrected by the adaptive optics system. No returns were detected when the outgoing beam was uncompensated. The experiment was conducted from March through September 1994, during the flrst or last quarter of the Moon.
Cryopreserved callus: a source of protoplasts for rice transformation

We cryopreserved whole rice calli (Oryza sativa L cv Taipei 309) to investigate the ability of the surviving cells to regenerate plants and yield protoplasts competent for genetic transformation. Four out of six callus lines cryopreserved after four months in culture contained small sectors able to continue cell division and subsequently regenerate fertile plants. Both cryopreservation efficiency and regeneration ability decreased when using eight month old cultures. High yields of protoplasts were obtained from different cryopreserved callus lines. Protoplasts were transfected with chimeric genes consisting of the maize ubiquitin 1 promoter, first exon and first intron fused to the coding region of either the GUS or BAR marker genes. Levels of transient gene expression from both marker genes were similar to those previously obtained using protoplasts derived from callus that had not been frozen. Stable transformants were selected by their resistance to Bialaphos and could be identified with the pH indicator chlorophenol red. Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration of the BAR gene into the rice genome. Therefore, cryopreservation does not affect the ability of rice cells to integrate and express foreign genes.
Common and specific process factors in cardiac rehabilitation: independent and interactive effects of the working alliance and self-efficacy.

Objective Therapeutic processes in cardiac rehabilitation programs are virtually unexamined. Models were tested by which changes in the working alliance between patient and staff (agreement on goals/tasks; emotional bond) may affect outcomes in conjunction with changes in patient self-efficacy to change their diets and increase exercise. Design Cardiac patients (n = 79) participated in a 12-week program, and completed assessments at early, mid, and late treatment. Main outcome measures Changes in cardiac depression, physical health, perceived exertion during exercise, rate/pressure product at submaximal exercise tolerance, weight loss, return to work, total fat intake. Results Early-treatment changes in agreement on goals/tasks were related to changes in psychosocial factors and perceived exertion during exercise independent of effects of changes in self-efficacy. Early-treatment changes in goals/tasks and self-efficacy interacted to predict changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, weight loss, and return to work such that patients high on both goals/tasks and self-efficacy showed the most gains. Conclusion Sound therapeutic relationships between patients and staff may play an important role in facilitating the achievement of a wide-range of salutary outcomes during cardiac rehabilitation.
Effect of Travel Time on Management of a Sequential Reuse Drainage Operation

Sequential reuse of agricultural drainage water recovered in tile lines has been proposed as a strategy for reducing drainage volume in the western San Joaquin Valley of California. In this system, high-quality water is used to grow a salt-sensitive crop, and the drainage from this operation is collected by tile lines and subsequently used on a more salt-tolerant crop. This process is continued on progressively more salt-tolerant species until the final residual is collected and sent to evaporation ponds. In this paper we develop a transfer function model for simulating the drainage concentrations of each stage of a sequential reuse project. Transient salt concentrations are calculated for typical drain spacings and water management strategies, under the assumption that downward movement of water is eventually restricted by a subsurface barrier. Results of the calculations show that response times of fields managed in this way are extremely long, so that the drain lines primarily capture resident ground water for decades or more after the operation is started, especially if the barrier is assumed to be at a substantial depth below the surface. As a result, the system will never reach steady state in any practical period of time, and system design strategies based on steady state behavior will be flawed.
Binding of Anaphors in LTAG

This paper presents an LTAG account for binding of reflexives and reciprocals in English. For these anaphors, a multi-component lexical entry is proposed, whose first component is a degenerate NP-tree that adjoins into the anaphor's binder. This establishes the local structural relationship needed to ensure coreference and agreement. The analysis also allows a parallel treatment of reflexives and reciprocals, which is desirable because their behavior is very similar. In order to account for non-local binding phenomena, as in raising and ECM cases, we employ flexible composition, constrained by a subject intervention constraint between the two components of the anaphor's lexical entry. Finally, the paper discusses further data such as extraction and picture-NP examples.
The Anisotropy and Tension/Compression Behavior of Human Cervical Tissue

The cervix plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy, acting as a mechanical barrier to hold the fetus inside the uterus during gestation. Altered mechanical properties of the cervical tissue are suspected to play an important role in spontaneous preterm birth. However, not much is known about the mechanical properties of human cervical tissue and the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth.© 2007 ASME
Atheism and Nonspirituality as Diversity Issues in Counseling.

Counseling professionals have begun to realize that, in order to be as effective as possible, counselors must explore and understand the spiritual and religious beliefs of their clients. The literature on client belief systems and diversity, however, does not include discussion of individuals without religious or spiritual beliefs. The purpose of this article is to (a) suggest that atheism and nonspirituality should be included in the multiculturalism conversation and (b) offer ways that counselors might effectively help and nurture such clients.
Earth-Abundant Cobalt Pyrite (CoS2) Thin Film on Glass as a Robust, High-Performance Counter Electrode for Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells.

We report a cobalt pyrite (cobalt disulfide, CoS2) thin film on glass as a robust, high-performance, low-cost, earth-abundant counter electrode for liquid-junction quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) that employ the aqueous sulfide/polysulfide (S2–/Sn2–) redox electrolyte as the hole-transporting medium. The metallic CoS2 thin film electrode is prepared via thermal sulfidation of a cobalt film deposited on glass and has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Using the CoS2 counter electrode, CdS/CdSe-sensitized QDSSCs display improved short-circuit photocurrent density and fill factor, achieving solar light-to-electricity conversion efficiencies as high as 4.16%, with an average efficiency improvement of 54 (±14)% over equivalent devices assembled with a traditional platinum counter electrode. Electrochemical measurements verify that CoS2 shows high electrocatalytic activity toward polysulfide reduction, rationalizing the improved QDSSC performance. CoS2 is also le...
Women's clothing predispositions as predictors of dress at work, job satisfaction, and career advancement

This study tested the prediction that women's clothing predispositions would be related to reported dressing practices on the job, satisfaction with job outcomes, and career advancement. Data were gathered from 300 women, representing over 200 organizations in the west, south, and midwest regions of the United States. The major result was women who were more clothing conscious dressed more conservatively on the job and were more satisfied with job outcomes. Several additional results are reported. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of organizational dress expectations and the consequences of violating such expectations.
Meek Males and Fighting Females: Sexually-Dimorphic Antipredator Behavior and Locomotor Performance Is Explained by Morphology in Bark Scorpions ( Centruroides vittatus )

Sexual dimorphism can result from sexual or ecological selective pressures, but the importance of alternative reproductive roles and trait compensation in generating phenotypic differences between the sexes is poorly understood. We evaluated morphological and behavioral sexual dimorphism in striped bark scorpions (Centruroides vittatus). We propose that reproductive roles have driven sexually dimorphic body mass in this species which produces sex differences in locomotor performance. Poor locomotor performance in the females (due to the burden of being gravid) favors compensatory aggression as part of an alternative defensive strategy, while male morphology is coadapted to support a sprinting-based defensive strategy. We tested the effects of sex and morphology on stinging and sprinting performance and characterized overall differences between the sexes in aggressiveness towards simulated threats. Greater body mass was associated with higher sting rates and slower sprinting within sexes, which explained the greater aggression of females (the heavier sex) and, along with longer legs in males, the improved sprint performance in males. These findings suggest females are aggressive to compensate for locomotor costs of reproduction while males possess longer legs to enhance sprinting for predator evasion and mate finding. Sexual dimorphism in the metasoma (“tail”) was unrelated to stinging and sprinting performance and may best be explained by sexual selection.
Computer-scored, programmed test monitors student progress

This paper introduces an achievement test format which, in combination with computer scoring, provides some unusual capabilities. The format is an adaptation of one used in programmed instruction. It enables a considerable degree of response contingency, yet is readily scored by computer in batch mode. Short achievement tests of this type, referred to here as branched-program tests, have demonstrated unusual diagnostic capability and inherent security. They thwart common forms of cheating, both by students and by teachers, and single tests of this type can be used several times during a term of related instruction. The unusual characteristics of this type of test have prompted administration in several modes; in one the test appears as an appendix to each student's textbook. Here the test effectively becomes the basis or specifying a principal goal of the learning to be done. Repeated administrations of the test serve to monitor each student's progress.
The invention of Athens: The funeral oration in the classical city

(1988). The invention of Athens: The funeral oration in the classical city. History of European Ideas: Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 628-629.
High average power pulsed GaAs LSA oscillators

New State-of-the-Art results are reported in average power and efficiency in high peak power GaAs transferred-electron devices operated at X-band in the LSA mode. Average power of .70W at 13% efficiency with 200W peak power was obtained at high duty cycle, and 16.5% efficiency with 500-600W peak power was obtained at very low duty cycle. These results double the average power, and raise the efficiency by one third, over previously reported results of pulsed X-band LSA devices. The properties of the devices are 10°/W thermal resistance, 2.2 \times 10^{15} /cm3electron concentration and 100 µm thickness in active layer and 1.2Ω low field resistance. Operating voltage is near 260V for low duty cycle operation, and near 170V for high duty cycle operation, both near 9 GHz oscillation frequency. The devices had a ratio of peak bias current to current at high bias voltage (unloaded, but oscillating in a resonator) of 2:1, corresponding: to 18.5% maximum available theoretical efficiency at low duty cycle. The second harmonic is resonated automatically in the circuit used, to obtain the high efficiency with no adjustment except bias voltage. The equivalent circuit parameter values at the fundamental frequency and the second harmonic, and the physical reason for the importance of each, will be given. The general applicability of these results, depending on device parameters, to pulsed and C.W. transit time GaAs transferred-electron devices will also be presented.
Physiologic Imaging of the Spine

Spine imaging poses unique challenges to radiologist and clinician. The dynamic nature of the spine and its mobility across multiple segments is difficult to depict with any single imaging modality. Supine imaging fails to demonstrate the physiologic effects seen with axial load, physiologic posture or positional change. Physiologic imaging begins with standing radiographs. Advanced techniques include axial loading devices on conventional CT or MRI, dynamic (upright) MRI and stereoradiography (EOS). These techniques may unmask dynamic pathology that otherwise would be hidden on conventional supine imaging. Caution must be exercised where such techniques (upright MRI) reduce sensitivity to sinister disease.
Structural and functional degradation of Ca2+:Mg2+-ATPase rich sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles photosensitized by Erythrosin B

Abstract Erythrosin B (Red Dye No. 3) and Rose Bengal photosensitize the destruction of the Ca 2+ :Mg 2+ -ATPase pump protein in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles with respective quantum efficiencies of (1.53 ± 0.19) × 10 −3 and (1.25 ± 0.18) × 10 −3 . Damage to vesicle function was assayed by measurements of increases in passive Ca 2+ permeability. Rates of passive Ca 2+ movement into the SR lumen were increased by dye photosensitization in proportion to radiation absorbed. Active Ca 2+ transport into SR vesicles was blocked independent of radiation absorbed by Erythrosin B and Rose Bengal at free concentrations of 0.69 μM and 1.16 μM, respectively. The photochemical lability of the Ca 2+ pump protein and alterations in passive and active Ca 2+ transport may be dependent on the concentration of the dye in the membrane. The photosensitization results may have implications with respect to the suitability of Erythrosin B usage in vivo, since the brightness of our irradiation source is comparable to that of sunlight at 480 nm.
Estimating cervical cancer incidence in the Hispanic population of Connecticut by use of surnames.

Background. The problem of estimating cancer incidence in the growing population of Hispanic women in the Northeastern United States has received little attention. Methods. Age-specific incidence rates (1980–1988) for invasive and in situ cervical cancer for Hispanic women were estimated by matching individual surnames in the population-based Connecticut Tumor Registry with the 1980 census list of Spanish surnames. Maiden names, obtained from death records of women previously receiving diagnoses of invasive cervical cancer, also were matched with the Spanish-surname list. Results. Estimated age-specific invasive cervical cancer rates for Hispanic women, based on matching individual surnames in the registry with the Spanish-surname list, were higher than rates for all white women in all age groups and at least as high as those for all black women in most age groups. Comparison of maiden names with individual surnames for deceased women, however, suggested that use of individual surnames resulted in some misclassification of Hispanic ethnicity. Conclusions. The findings indicated that the estimation of cancer rates for Hispanic women in Connecticut could be improved by obtaining maiden names of all women receiving cancer diagnoses.
Optimalization Of Port-Wine Stain Treatment With Lasers

To optimalize laser-parameters for therapy of port-wine stains temperature calculations have been performed on a skin model. The optimal values of these numerically evaluated variables are: wavelength λ= 415,577 or 540 nm., pulse-time t1 a few milliseconds and beam radius wi> 0.1 mm. Based on these theoretical results some experiments have been carried out which confirm the calculations. Thus laser-therapy for port-wine stains can be ameliorated.
On the physics of hydrogen plastification and superplasticity of metallic materials and compounds

Abstract Micromechanisms are considered as the so called “mechanical instability” (Int. Sci. J. Alternative Energ. Ecol. 2 (2002) 36) of some solids (metallic materials and compounds) in hydrogen atmosphere or under electrolytic hydrogen charging (with respect to a sharp decreasing of their shear modulus, without a considerable change of their elastic modulus), on the basis of an analysis of the related experimental data, viz., a series of works on a sharp decrease of flow stress of iron mono- and poly-crystals under electrolytic hydrogen charging (loading) (Bull. Jpn. Inst. Metal. 21 (1982) 26), works on anomalous plastic auto-deformation of iron under thermo-cycling around temperature of α ⇔ γ transformation in hydrogen atmosphere (the hydrogen superplasticity) (Phys. Met. Metallogr. 55 (1983) 805), works on “a deformation response” (as a sharp plastification) of solids (metals (Pd, V, Ta, Nb, Zr), amorphous Fe- and Co-based alloys, intermetallics (TiNi) and Laves phases) (Phys. Met. Metallogr. 81 (1996) 167; Phys. Met. Metallogr. 83 (1997) 139), works on the hydrogen amorphization of Zr 3 Rh type compounds (Yen et al.), works about high-pressure hydrogen influence on plasticity, strength and cyclic fatigue of steels (Workableness of steels and alloys in hydrogen environments, Livov, Ukraine, 1999), and also a plenty of the known works on the hydrogen plastification and superplasticity of titanium alloys (B.A. Kolachev and others), and particularly, TiAl intermetallics (Phys. Chem. Mater. Treat. 5 (1997) 101).
Pure-rotation band absorption intensities and dispersion of ammonia in the far infrared

Abstract The index of refraction of ammonia has been calculated in the spectral region 78–400 cm −1 from pure-rotation absorption data corresponding to transitions between the pure-rotation energy levels of the molecule for values of the total angular momentum quantum number from J = 4 to J = 15. The computed data reveal that the contribution of the rotation of the permanent electric dipole to the index of refraction is significant, and only experimental knowledge of the pure-rotation absorption intensities and trial numerical work will indicate when the electronic contribution alone is a valid approximation of the refractive index of a polar molecule in the far infrared.
Selective photothermolysis and removal of cutaneous vasculopathies and tattoos by pulsed laser.

The evolution of the laser as a medical device has been a process of continued improvement. Research into increasing our understanding of the optical characteristics of skin has made it possible to concentrate not on the effects of any particular laser system, but on basic biologic and physical principles of laser-tissue interaction. The lasers available in the 1960s and 1970s offered few possibilities for modification. However, modern technology allows us to manipulate the physical characteristics of lasers and design them for specific therapeutic purposes. Selective photothermolysis relies on chromophore-specific absorption of a brief pulse of light to generate and confine heat to certain targets within the skin without nonspecific thermal damage to adjacent structures. Thermally mediated target alterations can be confined from the level of large multicellular tissue structures (e.g., blood vessels) to individual microscopic pigmented structures (e.g., tattoo pigment granules). The purpose of this report is to describe the current progress being made and to summarize the present theories for achieving increasing selective removal, without scarring or other skin textural changes, of cutaneous vasculopathies and tattoo pigment by pulsed laser.
Conference Report: Hierarchical Design Stressed at Design Automation Conference

Until recently the general attitude of engineers to design automation was confused–they questioned its value yet deplored its limited availability. To increase the amount of DA knowledge in the public domain, the 15th in the series of Annual Design Automation Conferences was held June 19-21 at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas. Due either to this enlightened choice of venue or to spreading paranoia over handling VLSI designs, this year's conference was extremely well attended–650 delegates, an increase of 50 percent over last year. However, for those expecting ing to learn of new tools for survival in technologies governed by Moore's Laws, this conference may have been somewhat disappointing. It was largely more of the same–PWB layout, testing, IC layout, design languages, logic design, simulation, CAM, and graphics.
M[TCNQ]y-Based Magnets (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni; TCNQ = 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane)

A family of molecule-based magnets of general formula M[TCNQ]y (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni; TCNQ = 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane) has been synthesized and characterized. The materials have been synthesized from both Ma(CO)b and [M(NCMe)6][SbF6]2 starting materials, complementing previous studies utilizing [M(NCMe)6][BF4]2. Magnetic ordering was observed for all materials with Tc values between 8 K [M = Ni from Ni(CO)4] and 60 K {M = Mn from [Mn(NCMe)6][SbF6]2}. The materials from [M(NCMe)6][SbF6]2 displayed the highest critical temperatures, followed by those from Ma(CO)b. With the exception of M = Ni, the lowest Tc's are obtained from the [M(NCMe)6][BF4]2 route, which was previously reported. The materials from [M(NCMe)6][SbF6]2 also exhibit the highest coercivity, followed by those from [M(NCMe)6][BF4]2. With the exception of M = Fe, the materials from Ma(CO)b exhibit the lowest coercive fields. In general, magnets made from [M(NCMe)6][SbF6]2 have a reduced χ‘ ‘(T) frequency dependence with respect to mat...