cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smooth Robust Subspace Based Model Reduction

Long-time numerical simulations of large-scale mechanistic models of complex systems (e.g., molecular dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, structural finite element, or multi-body dynamics models) are still problematic, either due to numerical instabilities or the excessive necessary computational resources. Therefore, reduced models that can be simulated for long-time and provide truthful approximations to the actual long-time dynamics, are needed. A new framework — based on new concepts of dynamical consistency and subspace robustness — for identifying subspaces suitable for reduced-order model development is presented. Model reductions based on proper and smooth orthogonal decompositions (POD and SOD, respectively) are considered and tested using a nonlinear four-degree-of-freedom model. It is shown that the new framework identifies subspaces that provide accurate model reductions for a range of forcing parameters, and that only four and higher dimensional models could be dynamically consistent. In addition, for reduced-order models based on randomly driven data, a four-dimensional SOD-based model outperformed a five-dimensional POD-based model. Finally, randomly driven data-based models generally outperformed harmonically driven data-based models when tested for a wide range of forcing amplitudes.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Exchange market pressure in Paraguay, 1963–88: monetary disequilibrium versus global and regional dependency

The relevance of the monetary approach to exchange market pressure for Paraguay's small, open economy is compared to that of two competing Keynesian/structural approaches, which emphasize respectively, global and regional dependency effects. Estimation results for the three models – including formal comparisons using nonnested hypothesis tests and forecast accuracy staistics – suggest that the explanatory power of the monetary model is dominated by that of the regional dependency model, with the global dependency model having an intermediate degree of applicability. This result is intuitive given the extreme dependency of the Paraguayan economy on Argentina and Brazil.
Cholinergic enhancement of penicillin-induced epileptiform discharges in pyramidal neurons of the guinea pig hippocampus

Abstract Acetylcholine (1–20 mM) was applied to guinea pig hippocampal slices bathed in normal and penicillin-containing media. Recordings in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer in the presence of penicillin showed that acetylcholine caused a prolonged enhancement of the extracellular field potential. Intracellular recordings documented an increase in duration of cell bursting, a decrease in burst afterhyperpolarization, and a membrane depolarization lasting 1–5 min. These results suggest that the actions of acetylcholine to increase membrane excitability interact with penicillin-induced disinhibition to enhance hippocampal epileptogenesis.
Epigenetic considerations of the AOPE gene

The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is robustly linked with numerous physiological conditions, including healthy aging, altered cardiovascular fitness, and cognitive function. These connections have been established primarily by phenotype-genotype association studies using APOE's three common genetic variants (e2, e3, and e4). These variants encode for the three apoE protein isoforms (E2, E3, and E4), which have slightly different structures and, consequently, distinct functions in lipid metabolism. However, the differential lipid binding and transferring properties of these isoforms cannot fully explain the association of APOE with such a wide range of physiological phenotypes. One potential explanation for APOE's pleiotropic roles may lie in its unique epigenetic properties. In this article, we present a brief review of the APOE gene and protein, its disease associations, and epigenetic components, with a focus on DNA methylation. We close with a discussion of the prospective epigenetic implications of APOE in disease.
Expediency always wins over ideology: Putin’s attitudes toward the Russian Communist Party

Abstract Vladimir Putin provides us with an excellent example of a politician whose attitude toward ideology is instrumental to his political longevity. He has shown that in the fight between ideology and political expedience, to maintain authority and control within the country, or to achieve geopolitical ambitions in the international arena, ideology will almost always lose the battle. It is well known that the major threat to political power stems often not from the adversary who holds diametrically opposite views, but from the rivals who share almost the same ideological position. The closer the ideological position is of a rival, the more intense the competition. For just this reason Putin is implacable toward Communists who share many of his views. He tries as much as possible to reduce the political role of the Communist party – the most serious opposition to the regime – by using the same underhanded tactics which are used against the liberals.
Thin film encapsulants for annealing GaAs and InP

Methods for protecting GaAs and InP surfaces against degradation during annealing are reviewed. Various thin film encapsulants are discussed, including SiO2, Si3N4 and doped glasses. A discussion of deposition methods and thin film evaluation techniques is presented.
Optimal registration of object views using range data

This paper deals with robust registration of object views in the presence of uncertainties and noise in depth data. Errors in registration of multiple views of a 3D object severely affect view integration during automatic construction of object models. We derive a minimum variance estimator (MVE) for computing the view transformation parameters accurately from range data of two views of a 3D object. The results of our experiments show that view transformation estimates obtained using MVE are significantly more accurate than those computed with an unweighted error criterion for registration.
Defensive Development The Role of Racial Conflict in Gentrification

This article expands the standard consumption versus production debate in the gentrification literature by examining the role of racial conflict in neighborhood change. Drawing from historical and ethnographic research, it analyzes gentrification in Douglas/Grand Boulevard, a Black community on Chicago's South Side. It argues that although capital movements and middle-class consumption patterns created opportunities for gentrification, racial ordering politicized it, prompting Blacks to engage in what the author terms defensive development. This strategy aims to protect Black neighborhoods from control by White elites. Yet it ultimately promotes gentrification by politically and physically marginalizing the neighborhood's most economically vulnerable residents.
The mote is dead: long live the discarded smartphone!

As the rapid pace of smartphone improvements drives consumer appetites for the latest and greatest devices, the hidden cost is millions of tons of e-waste containing hazardous chemicals that are difficult to dispose of safely. Studies show that smartphone users are replacing their devices every 18 months, almost three times faster than desktop computers [1, 3], producing millions of discarded smartphones each year that end up lying in desk drawers, buried in landfills, or shipped to third-world countries where they are burned to extract precious metals, a process that damages both the health of those involved and the environment.Fortunately, the capabilities of discarded smartphones make them ideal for reuse. Instead of ending up in a landfill, a discarded smartphone could be integrated into a home security system or transformed into a health care device for the elderly. In this paper, we evaluate using discarded smartphones to replace traditional sensor network "motes". Compared with motes, discarded devices have many advantages: price, performance, connectivity, interfaces, and ease of programming. While the main question is whether their energy consumption is low enough to enable harvesting solutions to allow continuous operation, we present preliminary results indicating that this may be possible.
Bistability, Bifurcations, and Waddington's Epigenetic Landscape

Waddington's epigenetic landscape is probably the most famous and most powerful metaphor in developmental biology. Cells, represented by balls, roll downhill through a landscape of bifurcating valleys. Each new valley represents a possible cell fate and the ridges between the valleys maintain the cell fate once it has been chosen. Here I examine models of two important developmental processes - cell-fate induction and lateral inhibition - and ask whether the landscapes for these models at least qualitatively resemble Waddington's picture. For cell-fate induction, the answer is no. The commitment of a cell to a new fate corresponds to the disappearance of a valley from the landscape, not the splitting of one valley into two, and it occurs through a type of bifurcation - a saddle-node bifurcation - that possesses an intrinsic irreversibility that is missing from Waddington's picture. Lateral inhibition, a symmetrical cell-cell competition process, corresponds better to Waddington's picture, with one valley reversibly splitting into two through a pitchfork bifurcation. I propose an alternative epigenetic landscape that has numerous valleys and ridges right from the start, with the process of cell-fate commitment corresponding to the irreversible disappearance of some of these valleys and ridges, via cell-fate induction, complemented by the creation of new valleys and ridges through processes like cell-cell competition.
Seating position and length of utterance of preschoolers with cerebral palsy.

Summary This study investigated the effects of semireclining and upright positions on production of utterances of increasing length by 10 physically typical preschoolers and 10 children with cerebral palsy. Sentences of 3, 7, and 10 syllables were imitated on one breath using the Respitrace™ to gather kinematic data of chest wall use. Analysis indicated that the reclining position led to 83% productions on one breath, while 95% could be produced on one breath in the upright position. During the longer 7- and 10-syllable utterances, children with cerebral palsy successfully imitated 48% and 18% of these utterances, while the control group performed 83% and 35% correctly for the 7- and 10-syllable tasks, respectively.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: race-specific effects of alcohol and tobacco on the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Summary Background Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with alcohol use, tobacco use and African or Asian descent. However, little is known about how racial background modifies the effects of alcohol or tobacco. Aim To investigate how racial and geographical background modifies the effect of alcohol and tobacco on OSCC via a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. Methods We performed a literature search in multiple online databases regardless of language. Eligible studies were population-based assessments of the effect of tobacco and/or alcohol on the risk of OSCC allowing stratification by race. The quality of studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analyses were performed to estimate summary effects using random effect models. Results Systematic review identified 9668 unique citations of which 34 were eligible. The majority were of high quality. The effect of current smoking vs. never-smoking was weaker among Asians than among Europeans [European: odds ratio (OR) = 4.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13, 5.66; Asian: OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.78, 2.99], with the 95% CIs not crossing, indicating statistical significance. Asians also trended towards weaker effects of long-duration cigarette use and of heavy daily cigarette use. There was no difference in the effect of alcohol on OSCC risk by race. Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis, a weaker effect of tobacco for OSCC was observed among Asians than among Europeans. Differences in other factors must explain the higher incidence of OSCC among Asians. More studies are needed to understand the cause of the disparate incidence of OSCC between races.
Nonlinear systems with fast parametric oscillations

Abstract A method for analysis of nonlinear systems with fast parametric oscillations is presented. Several examples, including classical equations of the theory of oscillations and chemical reactions with vibrating parameters, are considered.
Geometry of the Perxenate Ion

A three-dimensional x-ray analylsis of a crystallinie solid of Xe(+8) formed by the reaction of XeF(6) with sodium hydroxide solution indicates that it is sodium perxenate octahydrate, Na(4)XeO(6) * 8H(2)O. The perxenate ion, XeO(6)(-4), has approximately a regular octahedral configuration with a mean xenon-oxygen bond length of 1.875 A.
Piezoresistive transduction in multilayer polycrystalline silicon resonators

We demonstrate piezoresistive transduction of mechanical motion from out-of-plane flexural micromechanical resonators made from stacked thin films. The resonators are fabricated from two highly doped polycrystalline silicon layers separated by an interlayer dielectric. We examine two interlayer materials: thermal silicon dioxide and stoichiometric silicon nitride. We show that via one-time dielectric breakdown, the film stack functions as a vertical piezoresistor effectively transducing the motion of the resonators. We obtain a gauge factor of ∼5, which is sufficient to detect the resonator motion. The simple film stack constitutes a vertically oriented piezoresistor that is readily integrated with micro- and nanoscale resonators.
Model thin film composite membranes for forward osmosis: Demonstrating the inaccuracy of existing structural parameter models

Abstract Structural parameter, or S , is a widely used metric for assessing a membrane׳s suitability for use in osmotic processes. Currently, S is only calculated by an indirect approach using models derived from the governing flux equation. Our prior work has shown that this method is fraught with inaccuracy and that the true, or intrinsic , S value can differ substantially from the effective S value determined by fitted parameter methods. In this work, we prove that hypothesis definitively by using a membrane with a structural parameter that is known a-priori . We synthesized a thin film composite membrane using a well-characterized porous support membrane. The material we chose as the support is a polycarbonate track-etched membrane, which has an easy-to-characterize thickness, porosity, and tortuosity. These membranes have an intrinsic structural parameter of 133 μm but an effective structural parameter that ranged widely from 159 μm to 1950 μm when quantified using conventional methods. This finding should cause concern regarding the validity of existing mass transfer models. New approaches are necessary to fairly compare new membranes designed for osmotic processes.
Combined atomistic-continuum modeling of short-pulse laser melting and disintegration of metal films

The kinetics and microscopic mechanisms of laser melting and disintegration of thin Ni and Au films irradiated by a short, from 200 fs to 150 ps, laser pulse are investigated in a coupled atomistic-continuum computational model. The model provides a detailed atomic-level description of fast nonequilibrium processes of laser melting and film disintegration and, at the same time, ensures an adequate description of the laser light absorption by the conduction band electrons, the energy transfer to the lattice due to the electron-phonon coupling, and the fast electron heat conduction in metals. The interplay of two competing processes, the propagation of the liquid-crystal interfaces (melting fronts) from the external surfaces of the film and homogeneous nucleation and growth of liquid regions inside the crystal, is found to be responsible for melting of metal films irradiated by laser pulses at fluences close to the melting threshold. The relative contributions of the homogeneous and heterogeneous melting mechanisms are defined by the laser fluence, pulse duration, and the strength of the electron-phonon coupling. At high laser fluences, significantly exceeding the threshold for the melting onset, a collapse of the crystal structure overheated above the limit of crystal stability takes place simultaneously in the whole overheated region within \ensuremath{\sim}2 ps, skipping the intermediate liquid-crystal coexistence stage. Under conditions of the inertial stress confinement, realized in the case of short $\ensuremath{\tau}l~10\mathrm{ps}$ laser pulses and strong electron-phonon coupling (Ni films), the dynamics of the relaxation of the laser-induced pressure has a profound effect on the temperature distribution in the irradiated films as well as on both homogeneous and heterogeneous melting processes. Anisotropic lattice distortions and stress gradients associated with the relaxation of the laser-induced pressure destabilize the crystal lattice, reduce the overheating required for the initiation of homogeneous melting down to $T\ensuremath{\approx}{1.05T}_{m},$ and expand the range of pulse durations for which homogeneous melting is observed in 50 nm Ni films up to \ensuremath{\sim}150 ps. High tensile stresses generated in the middle of an irradiated film can also lead to the mechanical disintegration of the film.
Input test data volume reduction based on test vector chains

The concept of test vector chains was introduced in the context of simulation-based test generation. Test vector chains provide a specific algorithm for performing single-bit changes in order to obtain new test vectors from existing ones. In this algorithm, two test vectors t i1 and t i2 are used. The test vector chain C (t i1 , t i2 ) is obtained by gradually modifying t i1 into t i2 . Starting from t i1 , each additional test vector in C (t i1 , t i2 ) is one bit further from t i1 and one bit closer to t i2 until t i2 is obtained. It was demonstrated that a test set T has a significant number of test vector chains that are effective in (1) increasing the numbers of detections of faults that were targeted during the generation of T; (2) increasing the fault coverage of faults that were not targeted during the generation of T; and (3) increasing the fault coverage of target faults when T does not detect all the target faults.
Sedation with ketamine during intradiscal electrothermal therapy.

Study Design. A technical report. Objectives. To present a new and improved method to sedate patients during intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET). of Background Data. The current standard of practice 5 to sedate patients with short-acting benzodiazepines and opioids during the coagulation phase of intradiscal electrothermal therapy. There are few data on the subject, but it is estimated that between 5% and 20% of IDET procedures are either aborted early or switched to a lower heating temperature because patients cannot tolerate the optimal, recommended heating protocol. A priori, one must assume these patients are more likely to fail their treatment than those who are able to tolerate complete heating. Methods. The authors treated 9 patients receiving intradiscal electrothermal therapy who were unable to tolerate the latter portion of their hearing protocol secondary to axial low back pain despite high doses of opioids, with low dose ketamine. This paper outlines our experience with rescue doses of ketamine, along with the rationale and guidelines for its use. Results. After receiving ketamine, all patients were able to complete the full intradiscal electrothermal therapy heating protocol. The rescue dosages of ketamine ranged from 15 to 55 mg. The dosages of midazolam used to prevent the spychomimetic effects of ketamine ranged from 3 to 7 mg. Oxygen saturation and hemodynamic parameters did not change significantly after ketamine was administered, and all patients remained responsive throughout the procedure. There were no adverse effects or complications reported. Conclusions. When used judiciously to treat axial back pain during intradiscal electrothermal therapy heating, ketamine is a safe and effective rescue medication. analgesia, back pain, intradiscal electro-thermal therapy, ketamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate, sedation.
The energy-momentum method for the stability of non-holonomic systems

In this paper we analyze the stability of relative equilibria of nonholonomic systems (that is, mechanical systems with nonintegrable constraints such as rolling constraints). In the absence of external dissipation, such systems conserve energy, but nonetheless can exhibit both neutrally stable and asymptotically stable, as well as linearly unstable relative equilibria. To carry out the stability analysis, we use a generalization of the energy-momentum method combined with the Lyapunov-Malkin Theorem and the center manifold theorem. While this approach is consistent with the energy-momentum method for holonomic systems, it extends it in substantial ways. The theory is illustrated with several examples, including the the rolling disk, the roller racer, and the rattleback top.
Representations of individuals in ventral temporal cortex defined by faces and biographies

The fusiform gyrus responds more strongly to faces than to other categories of objects. This response could reflect either categorical detection of faces or recognition of particular facial identities. Recent fMRI studies have attempted to address the question of what information is encoded in these regions, but have reported mixed results. We tested whether the creation of richer identity representations via training on visual and social information, and the use of an adaptation design, would reveal more robust representations of these identities in ventral temporal cortex. Examining the patterns of activation across voxels in bilateral fusiform gyri, we identified unique patterns for particular identities. Attaching distinctive biographical information to identities did not increase the strength of these representations, but did produce a grouping effect: faces associated with the same amount of biographical information were represented more similarly to each other. These results are consistent with the possibility that identity exemplars are represented in posterior visual areas best known for their role in representing categorical information, and suggest that these areas may be sensitive to some forms of non-visual information, including from the social domain.
Five-Year Impact of Quality Improvement for Depression: Results of a Group-Level Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Quality improvement (QI) programs for depressed primary care patients can improve health outcomes for 6 to 28 months; effects for longer than 28 months are unknown. Objective To assess how QI for depression affects health outcomes, quality of care, and health outcome disparities at 57-month follow-up. Design A group-level randomized controlled trial. Setting Forty-six primary care practices in 6 managed care organizations. Patients Of 1356 primary care patients who screened positive for depression and enrolled in the trial, 991 (73%, including 451 Latinos and African Americans) completed 57-month telephone follow-up. Interventions Clinics were randomly assigned to usual care or to 1 of 2 QI programs supporting QI teams, provider training, nurse assessment, and patient education, plus resources to support medication management (QI-meds) or psychotherapy (QI-therapy) for 6 to 12 months. Main Outcome Measures Probable depressive disorder in the previous 6 months, mental health–related quality of life in the previous 30 days, primary care or mental health specialty visits, counseling or antidepressant medications in the previous 6 months, and unmet need, defined as depressed but not receiving appropriate care. Results Combined QI-meds and QI-therapy, relative to usual care, reduced the percentage of participants with probable disorder at 5 years by 6.6 percentage points ( P = .04). QI-therapy improved health outcomes and reduced unmet need for appropriate care among Latinos and African Americans combined but provided few long-term benefits among whites, reducing outcome disparities related to usual care ( P = .04 for QI-ethnicity interaction for probable depressive disorder). Conclusions Programs for QI for depressed primary care patients implemented by managed care practices can improve health outcomes 5 years after implementation and reduce health outcome disparities by markedly improving health outcomes and unmet need for appropriate care among Latinos and African Americans relative to whites; thus, equity was improved in the long run.
Path entanglement of surface plasmons

Metals can sustain traveling electromagnetic waves at their surfaces supported by the collective oscillations of their free electrons in unison. Remarkably, classical electromagnetism captures the essential physics of these 'surface plasma' waves using simple models with only macroscopic features, accounting for microscopic electron–electron and electron–phonon interactions with a single, semi-empirical damping parameter. Nevertheless, in quantum theory these microscopic interactions could be important, as any substantial environmental interactions could decohere quantum superpositions of surface plasmons, the quanta of these waves. Here we report a measurement of path entanglement between surface plasmons with 95% contrast, confirming that a path-entangled state can indeed survive without measurable decoherence. Our measurement suggests that elastic scattering mechanisms of the type that might cause pure dephasing in plasmonic systems must be weak enough not to significantly perturb the state of the metal under the experimental conditions we investigated.
Safety Belt Laws and Disparities in Safety Belt Use Among US High-School Drivers

Objectives. We compared reported safety belt use, for both drivers and passengers, among teenagers with learner’s permits, provisional licenses, and unrestricted licenses in states with primary or secondary enforcement of safety belt laws.Methods. Our data source was the 2006 National Young Driver Survey, which included a national representative sample of 3126 high-school drivers. We used multivariate, log-linear regression analyses to assess associations between safety belt laws and belt use.Results. Teenaged drivers were 12% less likely to wear a safety belt as drivers and 15% less likely to wear one as passengers in states with a secondary safety belt law than in states with a primary law. The apparent reduction in belt use among teenagers as they progressed from learner to unrestricted license holder occurred in only secondary enforcement states. Groups reporting particularly low use included African American drivers, rural residents, academically challenged students, and those driving pickup trucks.C...
Novel chlorine resistant low-fouling ultrafiltration membrane based on a hydrophilic polyaniline derivative

We demonstrate that poly(n-2-hydroxyethyl aniline) (n-PANi), a derivative of polyaniline (PANi), provides an effective chlorine tolerant PANi-based ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. n-PANi was synthesized from its monomer via chemical oxidative polymerization. Unlike PANi, n-PANi can be dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrollidone (NMP) up to 30 wt% to form a casting solution which is stable for months without the aid of an anti-gelling agent. Membranes formed from n-PANi show high resistance to chlorine, even when exposed to 250 ppm sodium hypochlorite for 30 days while PANi membranes completely lose their ability to reject bovine serum albumin (BSA, 6 nm) after 2 days. Spectroscopic studies indicate that the benzenoid groups in PANi membranes are oxidized while n-PANi membranes maintain their chemical structure. n-PANi membranes display high hydrophilicity with a contact angle of ∼36 degrees which contributes to their ultra-low adhesion of E. coli. Cross-flow fouling tests with 1.5 g L−1 BSA fouling solution reveal that n-PANi membranes exhibit low-fouling properties with only 11% flux decline and 91% flux recovery, superior to PANi and commercial polysulfone (PSf) membranes.
Learning Triggers in Virtual Groups

Learning is a critical capability for virtual group effectiveness. The objective of this study is to understand when learning occurs. Once we understand when learning occurs we are better able to stimulate learning to enhance the effectiveness of virtual groups. Additionally, understanding the nature of learning triggers and the results they produce informs how we may achieve desired learning outcomes. This study develops a framework to explain, and empirically studies, when learning occurs in virtual groups. The study employed a single, embedded, qualitative case study designed to study learning triggers in an Open Source Software project. Findings suggest that learning occurs ensuing learning triggers. Learning triggers vary in type and source. The type and source of learning triggers effects whether learning occurs in the group and the type of learning outcomes the trigger produces.
Expended Effort and Academic Performance

With effort defined from student reports, this study shows a negative relationship, even with other variables partialed out.
Cumulative Exposure to Prior Collective Trauma and Acute Stress Responses to the Boston Marathon Bombings

The role of repeated exposure to collective trauma in explaining response to subsequent community-wide trauma is poorly understood. We examined the relationship between acute stress response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and prior direct and indirect media-based exposure to three collective traumatic events: the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks, Superstorm Sandy, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Representative samples of residents of metropolitan Boston (n = 846) and New York City (n = 941) completed Internet-based surveys shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings. Cumulative direct exposure and indirect exposure to prior community trauma and acute stress symptoms were assessed. Acute stress levels did not differ between Boston and New York metropolitan residents. Cumulative direct and indirect, live-media-based exposure to 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and the Sandy Hook shooting were positively associated with acute stress responses in the covariate-adjusted model. People who experience multiple community-based traumas may be sensitized to the negative impact of subsequent events, especially in communities previously exposed to similar disasters.
Range-domain implications for concave operators☆

Abstract : Let R and S denote linear spaces and M:R(arrow)S an operator which is concave in some rather general sense. Sufficient conditions are derived such that an element u epsilon B included in R belongs to a certain set K included in R whenever Mu is contained in some given set C included in S. Results of an earlier paper on linear operators are generalized in different ways. For example, the set K may have empty interior. There is also given a generalization of the matrix class M of Fiedler and Ptak. Some examples are concerned with operators in the Hilbert Space l sub 2. (Author)
Self-diffusion of zinc and tellurium in zinc telluride

Abstract The high temperature defect equilibria of ZnTe were investigated by measuring the tracer self-diffusion coefficients of Zn 65 and Te 123 as functions of temperature, component pressure, and added impurity content. The experimental results reveal that the self-diffusion coefficient of Zn in undoped ZnTe is independent of component partial pressure and is described as D = 14exp −2.69±0·08 eV kT cm 2 sec The self-diffusion coefficient of Te increases with increasing partial pressure of Te, and in ZnTe saturated with Te is described by D = 2×10 4 exp −3·8±0·4 eV kT cm 2 sec The addition of 10 19 /cm 3 Al to ZnTe enhances the self-diffusion coefficient of Zn at temperatures below about 950°C. The addition of 5 × 10 19 /cm 3 Ag to ZnTe does not influence the self-diffusion coefficient of Zn at 782°C. The results may be explained assuming that the self-diffusion of Zn in undoped ZnTe is controlled by native defect concentrations which depend only on thermal disorder, rather than deviation from stoichiometry. Either Frenkel disorder on the Zn sublattice Or Schottky disorder dominates the charge neutrality condition at high temperatures. The enhanced Zn diffusion in the Al doped crystals below 950°C is interpreted as extrinsic diffusion with charged zinc vacancies compensating the impurity donor. The dominant mobile defect proposed for the Te sublattice is an interstitial Te species of undetermined electrical activity.
A Cognitive Framework for Improving Coexistence Among Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

The proliferation of wireless systems requires that the coexistence between heterogeneous technologies be addressed. This paper presents a cognitive framework in which sensing- based resource management of an infrastructure system effectively suppresses interference to close-by ad-hoc or peer-to- peer links. By utilizing its superior communication resources the infrastructure system estimates interference conditions and judiciously allocates transmission power such as to minimize interference. Despite adapting its transmission behavior, a rate constraint ensures that the infrastructure system continues to meet a specified quality-of-service level. The problem of optimal coexistence is formulated as a convex program. Structured solutions similar to classical water filling are derived and a solution method with guaranteed convergence is developed. An average-rate formulation extends the results to water filling across frequency and time. Numerical results corroborate our analysis and demonstrate a promising interference reduction.
Is the Genetic Landscape of the Deep Subsurface Biosphere Affected by Viruses

Viruses are powerful manipulators of microbial diversity, biogeochemistry, and evolution in the marine environment. Viruses can directly influence the genetic capabilities and the fitness of their hosts through the use of fitness factors and through horizontal gene transfer. However, the impact of viruses on microbial ecology and evolution is often overlooked in studies of the deep subsurface biosphere. Subsurface habitats connected to hydrothermal vent systems are characterized by constant fluid flux, dynamic environmental variability and high microbial diversity. In such conditions, high adaptability would be an evolutionary asset, and the potential for frequent host-virus interactions would be high, increasing the likelihood that cellular hosts could acquire novel functions. Here, we review evidence supporting this hypothesis, including data indicating that microbial communities in subsurface hydrothermal fluids are exposed to a high rate of viral infection, as well as viral metagenomic data suggesting that the vent viral assemblage is particularly enriched in genes that facilitate horizontal gene transfer and host adaptability. Therefore, viruses are likely to play a crucial role in facilitating adaptability to the extreme conditions of these regions of the deep subsurface biosphere. We also discuss how these results might apply to other regions of the deep subsurface, where the nature of virus-host interactions would be altered, but possibly no less important, compared to more energetic hydrothermal systems.
Propranolol use for infantile hemangiomas: American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology Vascular Anomalies Task Force practice patterns.

Importance This study provides multi-institutional practice guidelines for the initiation of propranolol hydrochloride treatment of routine infantile hemangiomas. Objective To provide information on current propranolol treatment practices for infantile hemangiomas among a cohort of pediatric otolaryngologists. Design and Setting A survey for initiation of propranolol therapy was created by the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology Vascular Anomalies Task Force Subcommittee. After an initial pilot of the survey by 4 task force members, the survey was modified and then distributed by e-mail. Results were transferred to spreadsheet format and analyzed. Participants All 51 members of the task force. Results A total of 18 respondents from 15 institutions submitted completed surveys. Data from respondents at the same institution were aggregated and/or averaged to minimize regional bias. Fourteen of 15 responding institutions (93%) treat patients with infantile hemangioma as part of a multidisciplinary vascular anomalies team. Ten institutions (67%) routinely consult cardiology before initiation of propranolol therapy. The median propranolol hydrochloride initiation dosage is 2.00 (mean [SD], 1.65 [0.64]; range, 0.45-2.50) mg/kg/d. Postinitiation monitoring for propranolol therapy includes blood pressure (15 of 15 respondents [100%]), serum glucose levels (7 of 15 [47%]), and pulse oximetry (2 of 15 [13%]). Only 2 institutions routinely admit all patients for initiation of propranolol therapy. Typical duration of therapy ranges from 4 to 8 (5 of 15 [33%]) or 8 to 12 months (10 of 15 [67%]), and cessation of therapy in most cases is based on the clinical response (7 of 14 [50%]) or the age of the patient (6 of 14 [43%]). Conclusions and Relevance Propranolol is a commonly used medication for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas among otolaryngologists in the Vascular Anomalies Task Force. Propranolol therapy is commonly initiated in the outpatient setting and continued for as long as 12 months.
Modeling and nonlinear control of STATCOMs for fast voltage regulation

This paper presents a strategy for controlling a STATCOM to act as an instantaneous reactive current source. The STATCOM, consisting of a three phase inverter along with a capacitive filter for the dc bus and inductive line-side filters, is modeled with the overall objective of using it for load voltage regulation. Fast control of the reactive current is achieved using direct feedback linearization with respect to one control input. The other control input is used to indirectly regulate the dc bus capacitor voltage via regulation of the real current to a quasi-steady state value. Asymptotic stability of the system is rigorously established and a region of convergence is computed as a by-product of the stability analysis. Simulation results of the controlled STATCOM integrated with a distribution system model and a load voltage controller show the efficacy of the control strategy.
Characterizing the in-phase reflection bandwidth theoretical limit of artificial magnetic conductors with transmission line model

We validate through simulation and experiment that artificial magnetic conductors (AMC's) can be well characterized by a transmission line model. The theoretical bandwidth limit of the in-phase reflection can be expressed in terms of the effective RLC parameters from the surface patch and the properties of the substrate. It is found that the existence of effective inductive components will reduce the in-phase reflection bandwidth of the AMC. Furthermore, we propose design strategies to optimize AMC structures with an in-phase reflection bandwidth closer to the theoretical limit.
From Friar Paul to Friar Raymond: The Development of Innovative Missionizing Argumentation

During the middle decades of the thirteenth century, the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church committed itself to a program of extensive missionizing. While converting the infidels had always been a professed ideal of the Church, rarely were significant resources allocated for a serious effort in that direction. Now, with western Christendom increasingly disillusioned with the prospect of military subjugation of Islam and increasingly confident over the rationality of its cause, ideological victory over its enemies seemed both preferable and achievable. Just as it had once called forth armies for the military crusade, now western Christendom organized its institutional and intellectual forces for a new confrontation. The Dominican and Franciscan orders became the shock troops in this battle: schools for training missionaries were organized; handbooks of argumentation were composed. The total effort was broad and impressive.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING APPROACHES FOR IMPROVING REUSABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT REPROCESSING PROCESSES

Hospital reusable medical equipment (RME) includes any items that are intended to be reprocessed and reused indefinitely, including surgical instruments, dental equipment, endoscopes, and others. Such equipment represent a significant portion of a hospital's inventory costs and recently have generated significant patient cross-contamination concerns due to reprocessing cleaning failures. This paper discusses recent applications of industrial and systems engineering (ISyE) methods within healthcare organizations to help manage, understand, and improve RME processes, including quality control (QC), reliability, patient safety, facility layout, queuing networks, and inventory management models. Several examples demonstrate the value of these approaches for improved reprocessing management of RME technology.
The Fluid Nature of Quark-Gluon Plasma

Collisions of heavy nuclei at very high energies oer the exciting possibility of experimentally exploring the phase transformation from hadronic to partonic degrees of freedom which is predicted to occur at several times normal nuclear density and/or for temperatures in excess of 170 MeV. Such a state, often referred to as a quark-gluon plasma, is thought to have been the dominant form of matter in the universe in the rst few microseconds after the Big Bang. Data from the rst ve years of heavy ion collisions of Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) clearly demonstrate that these very high temperatures and densities have been achieved. While there are strong suggestions of the role of quark degrees of freedom in determining the
Species-Specific Restriction of Apobec3-Mediated Hypermutation

Apobec proteins are a family of cellular cytidine deaminases, among which several members have been shown to have potent antiviral properties. This antiviral activity is associated with the ability to cause hypermutation of retroviral cDNA. However, recent research has indicated that Apobec proteins are also able to inhibit retroviruses by other mechanisms that are independent of their deaminase activity. We have compared the antiviral activities of human and murine Apobec3 (A3) proteins, and we have found that, consistent with previous reports, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is able to resist human A3G but is sensitive to murine A3, whereas murine leukemia virus (MLV) is relatively resistant to murine A3 (mA3) but sensitive to human A3G. In contrast to previous studies, we observed that mA3 is packaged efficiently into MLV particles. The C-terminal cytidine deaminase domain (CDD2) is required for packaging of mA3 into MLV particles, and packaging did not depend on the MLV viral RNA. However, mA3 packed into MLV particles failed to cause hypermutation of viral DNA, indicating that its deaminase activity is blocked or inhibited. hA3G also caused significantly less hypermutation of MLV than of HIV DNA. Both mA3 and the splice variant mA3Δ5 exhibited some residual antiviral activity against MLV and caused a reduction in the ability of MLV particles to generate reverse transcription products. These results suggest that MLV has evolved specific mechanisms to block the ability of Apobec proteins to mediate deaminase-dependent hypermutation.
A flexible test for agglomeration economies in two US manufacturing industries

Abstract This paper uses the inverse input demand function framework of Kim [Review of Economics and Statistics, 74 (1992) 546–551] to test for economies of industry and urban size in two US manufacturing sectors of differing technology intensity: farm and garden machinery (SIC 352) and measuring and controlling devices (SIC 382). The inverse input demand framework permits the estimation of the production function jointly with a set of cost shares without the imposition of prior economic restrictions. Tests using plant-level data suggest the presence of population scale (urbanization) economies in the moderate- to low-technology farm and garden machinery sector and industry scale (localization) economies in the higher technology measuring and controlling devices sector. The efficiency and generality of the inverse input demand approach are particularly appropriate for micro-level studies of agglomeration economies where prior assumptions regarding homogeneity and homotheticity are less appropriate.
Women's Choices Within Market Constraints: Re-Visioning Access to and Participation in the Superintendency

Purpose:In this article, the authors highlight three constraints—structural time crisis (Schor, 1991) ideal worker norms (Williams, 2000), and labor and occupational queues (Reskin & Roos, 1990; Strober, 1992)—on the decisions and choices of women seeking to advance to and hold positions in the superintendency.Proposed Conceptual Argument:The authors contribute to and extend the extant body of work by integrating a conceptual framework that emerges from feminist economics theory and feminist organizational theory. The authors use this framework to analyze the current access and representation of women in the superintendency.Conclusions:What exists today is an institutionalized, systemic pattern in the market that is robust and resistant to change. However, this discussion contributes to our understanding of women’s experiences in advancing to administrative positions generally, and the superintendency particularly, and advances the way we organize administration and administrative work to be more represen...
Increased Avidity of the Sambucus nigra Lectin-Reactive Antibodies to the Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen as a Potential Biomarker for Gastric Cancer

Aim. To determine whether the naturally occurring Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) antigen-specific antibodies differ in avidity between cancer patients and controls to find a novel biomarker for stomach cancer. Methods. Serum samples were taken from patients with cancer and controls. The level of TF-specific antibodies and their sialylation were determined using ELISA with synthetic TF-polyacrylamide conjugate as antigen and sialic acid-specific Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA). The avidity was determined using ammonium thiocyanate as a chaotrope. Results. A significantly higher SNA lectin binding to anti-TF antibodies was found in cancer patients irrespective of disease stage. The avidity of only IgM TF-specific antibodies was significantly higher in cancer patients compared to controls. The SNA-positive anti-TF antibodies of cancer patients showed a significantly higher avidity, P < 0.001. The sensitivity and specificity of this increase for gastric cancer were 73.53% and 73.08%, respectively, with a 73.2% diagnostic accuracy. The higher avidity of SNA-reactive anti-TF antibodies was associated with a benefit in survival of stage 3 cancer patients. Conclusion. The SNA-reactive TF-specific antibodies display a significantly higher avidity in gastric cancer patients compared to controls, which can be used as a potential serologic biomarker for gastric cancer. It appears that IgM is the main target responsible for the above changes.
Clostridium septicum meningoencephalitis: an unusual presentation of occult rectal carcinoma.

1 Summary: Colonic and hematologic malignancies can predis­ pose to clostridial abscess in the CNS, as demonstrated in this 67-year-old man who died from clostridial meningoencephalitis secondary to rectal adenocarcinoma.