cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Light scattering by pure water and seawater: the depolarization ratio and its variation with salinity

We measured the linearly polarized light scattering of pure water and seawater at various salinities and estimated the depolarization ratio using five different methods of data analysis after removing the scattering due to contamination by residual nanoparticles. The depolarization ratio values (δ) estimated for pure water using these different methods are largely consistent with each other and result in a mean value of 0.039±0.001. For seawater, our results reveal a trend of a slight linear increase of δ with salinity (S), δ=0.039+a1×S, where a1 varies in the range of 1×10-4 to 2×10-4 between the methods.
Metabolomic Insights into Human Arboviral Infections: Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika Viruses

The global burden of arboviral diseases and the limited success in controlling them calls for innovative methods to understand arbovirus infections. Metabolomics has been applied to detect alterations in host physiology during infection. This approach relies on mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to evaluate how perturbations in biological systems alter metabolic pathways, allowing for differentiation of closely related conditions. Because viruses heavily depend on host resources and pathways, they present unique challenges for characterizing metabolic changes. Here, we review the literature on metabolomics of arboviruses and focus on the interpretation of identified molecular features. Metabolomics has revealed biomarkers that differentiate disease states and outcomes, and has shown similarities in metabolic alterations caused by different viruses (e.g., lipid metabolism). Researchers investigating such metabolomic alterations aim to better understand host⁻virus dynamics, identify diagnostically useful molecular features, discern perturbed pathways for therapeutics, and guide further biochemical research. This review focuses on lessons derived from metabolomics studies on samples from arbovirus-infected humans.
Differential Sensitivity to CDK2 Inhibition Discriminates the Molecular Mechanisms of CHK1 Inhibitors as Monotherapy or in Combination with the Topoisomerase I Inhibitor SN38

DNA damage activates checkpoints to arrest cell cycle progression in S and G2 phases, thereby providing time for repair and recovery. The combination of DNA-damaging agents and inhibitors of CHK1 (CHK1i) is an emerging strategy for sensitizing cancer cells. CHK1i induce replication on damaged DNA and mitosis before repair is complete, and this occurs in a majority of cell lines. However, ∼15% of cancer cell lines are hypersensitive to single-agent CHK1i. As both abrogation of S phase arrest and single-agent activity depend on CDK2, this study resolved how activation of CDK2 can be essential for both replication and cytotoxicity. S phase arrest was induced with the topoisomerase I inhibitor SN38; the addition of CHK1i rapidly activated CDK2, inducing S phase progression that was inhibited by the CDK2 inhibitor CVT-313. In contrast, DNA damage and cytotoxicity induced by single-agent CHK1i in hypersensitive cell lines were also inhibited by CVT-313 but at 20-fold lower concentrations. The differential sensitivity to CVT-313 is explained by different activity thresholds required for phosphorylation of CDK2 substrates. While the critical CDK2 substrates are not yet defined, we conclude that hypersensitivity to single-agent CHK1i depends on phosphorylation of substrates that require high CDK2 activity levels. Surprisingly, CHK1i did not increase SN38-mediated cytotoxicity. In contrast, while inhibition of WEE1 also abrogated S phase arrest, it more directly activated CDK1, induced premature mitosis, and enhanced cytotoxicity. Hence, while high activity of CDK2 is critical for cytotoxicity of single-agent CHK1i, CDK1 is additionally required for sensitivity to the drug combination.
Physical properties, antifungal and mycotoxin inhibitory activities of five essential oil nanoemulsions: Impact of oil compositions and processing parameters.

Abstract The influence of homogenization conditions on selected essential oil (thyme, lemongrass, cinnamon, peppermint, and clove)-in-water nanoemulsion formation and stability was investigated. Physically stable essential oil nanoemulsions could be fabricated by a microfludizer under optimized processing conditions (10,000 psi and 2 passes). The chemical compositions of EOs was characterized using GC–MS. The antifungal activity and mycotoxin inhibitory activity of essential oils in both bulk and nanoemulsion forms were determined using two isolates of Fusarium graminearum. The major chemical components of essential oil had a remarkable impact on long term physical stability, antifungal activity, and inhibition of mycotoxin production. With regard to inhibition of mycotoxin production, the mycotoxin inhibitory activity of essential oils was enhanced considerably in nanoemulsion form, which was attributed to greater solubility of the essential oils. It was also noted that the same essential oils exhibited significant differences in inhibition of mycotoxin production in the two isolates of F. graminearum.
Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease diagnosed by correlating skin and lymph node biopsies.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a rare, self-limited benign necrotizing lymphadenitis that typically manifests as fever and lymphadenopathy with or without extension to other organs including the skin, eyes, and bone marrow.1, 2 The rash may be variable in appearance, although most commonly presents with erythematous macules, papules, and plaques involving the face, upper extremities, and trunk.3 Because the laboratory findings and imaging are nonspecific, the diagnosis depends on histologic examination. Characteristic histopathologic features of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease include abundant nuclear debris surrounded by a brisk histiocytic infiltrate with varying degrees of lymphocytes and immunoblasts. Neutrophils are typically absent.2 The etiology of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is unknown, although various infections including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), parvovirus B-19, HIV, and human herpesvirus 6 have been implicated. An association with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has also been reported, although the nature of the relationship is unclear.3 We report a case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the setting of EBV infection diagnosed following correlation between skin and lymph node biopsies.
Parent activists versus the corporation: a fight for school food sovereignty

This paper empirically supports school food as a site of contested values, where corporate interests can come into direct conflict with those of communities. This is a story about the experience of a small group of activist parents going up against a major food service corporation contracted by their school district. The analysis considers their experiences as dedicated and knowledgeable parent activists who, after years of trying to work with employees of the global food service corporation, grow weary, aim to overthrow it, and finally, after a decade, succeed. In response to the parents’ struggles, I apply a food sovereignty lens to school food, introducing the concept of school food sovereignty. I propose that school food sovereignty requires community participation and consideration of the health and welfare of students, environmental sustainability, local economic benefits, cultural congruence, and attention to food-related justice.
Struma ovarii with atypical features and synchronous primary thyroid cancer: a case report and review of the literature.

To present a case of struma ovarii with a typical features and synchronous primary thyroid carcinoma and review the available literature to guide diagnosis and management of these tumors. We present a case from our hospital of a 55-year-old woman who had an adnexal mass with features concerning for papillary thyroid carcinoma and was ultimately determined to be struma ovarii with atypical features. Subsequent thyroid imaging and biopsy revealed a primary cervical thyroid carcinoma. We performed a PubMed search of published English language articles using the search terms “malignant struma ovarii,” “metastatic struma ovarii,” “struma ovarii with malignant transformation,” “struma ovarii papillary thyroid carcinoma,” “struma ovarii follicular thyroid carcinoma,” and “struma ovarii with concurrent primary thyroid carcinoma.” Literature review included 104 studies with a total of 195 patient cases. The average age at presentation was 44.9 years. 25.1% of patients had metastatic disease at presentation, and 6.2% had synchronous primary carcinomas; all of which were located in the thyroid. Thyroid carcinoma arising in struma ovarii or mature cystic teratoma should prompt clinical evaluation and imaging of the thyroid given the possibility of synchronous primaries, metastases, and recurrence.
Quadriceps Inhibition After Naturally Occurring Patellar Tendon Damage and Pain.

Context After knee-joint injury, pain, effusion, and mechanoreceptor damage alter afferent signaling, which can result in quadriceps inhibition and subsequent weakness. The individual contributions of each factor to inhibition remain unclear due to confounding knee-joint injuries and indirect experimental models. Objective To characterize the influence of naturally occurring knee damage and pain on quadriceps neuromuscular function in individuals with patellar tendinopathy. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Research laboratory. Patients or other participants Twenty participants who self-reported patellar tendinopathy (PT) and 10 healthy control individuals underwent ultrasonic tendon assessment. Injured participants were dichotomized by an orthopaedic surgeon into groups with (1) pain and structural tendon abnormality and (2) regional pain alone. Main outcome measure(s) Quadriceps inhibition was assessed with the Hoffman reflex and the central activation ratio via the superimposed-burst technique. Normally distributed measures were analyzed using a 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc independent t tests. Kruskal-Wallis tests with post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze nonnormally distributed data. An a priori α level of P ≤ .05 was set. Results Control participants presented with more spinal-reflex excitability (0.37 ± 0.23) than the PT (0.10 ± 0.06; P = .03) and regional-pain (0.18 ± 0.05; P = .02) groups. Knee-extension strength was greater in the control (3.37 ± 0.59 Nm/kg) than in the PT (2.41 ± 0.67 Nm/kg; P = .01) group but not the regional-pain group (3.05 ± 0.66 Nm/kg; P = .24). Control individuals presented with more quadriceps activation (97.93% ± 3.12) than the PT (84.44% ± 16.98; P .05). Conclusions Deficits in spinal-reflex excitability, quadriceps activation, and strength were present in both the PT and regional-pain groups. A combination of pain and structural damage appeared to have the greatest negative effect on quadriceps function, as only the PT group presented with neuromuscular outcomes that failed to meet clinical thresholds.
Addressing Cognitive and Emotional Barriers in Parent-Clinician Communication through Behavioral Visualization Webtools

Effective communication between clinicians and parents of young children with developmental delays can decrease parents' anxiety, help them handle bad news, and improve their adherence to proposed interventions. However, parents have reported dissatisfaction regarding their current communication with clinicians, and they face cognitive and emotional challenges when discussing their child's developmental delays. In this paper, we present visualization as a facilitator of parent-clinician communication and how it could address existing communication challenges. Parents and clinicians anticipated visualization webtools would aid their communication by helping parents gain a better understanding of their child, acting as objective evidence, and highlighting the strength of the child as well as important medical concepts. In addition, visualization can act as a longitudinal record, helping parents track, explore, and share their child's developmental progress. Finally, we propose visualization as a tool to guide parents in their transition from feeling emotional and disempowered to advocating with confidence.
2018 National Occupational Injury Research Symposium: Advancing worker safety in the 21st century through research and practice.

Abstract About NOIRS 2018: The National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) is the only regularly held research forum in the United States dedicated to occupational injury research and prevention. The 7th NOIRS, sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and several partners, was held October 16–18, 2018 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The symposium theme was “Advancing Worker Safety in the 21st Century through Research and Practice.” Article selection: This special issue of the Journal of Safety Research highlights exemplary research presented at the symposium, making it available to those who did not attend. The articles included in this issue address leading causes of occupational injury, cross-cutting issues such as organization-based prevention, and emerging issues associated with advancements in technology. The articles draw from public health, the social sciences, and engineering disciplines. Concluding remarks: Research presented at NOIRS over the years has expanded beyond describing occupational injuries and developing and evaluating intervention approaches, to studying how to ensure that research is put into practice. While there has been progress in advancing the prevention of occupational injuries, there is more to be done, and attention is needed to projected transformations in workplaces, work and the workforce. NIOSH looks forward to working with partners to co-sponsor the 8th NOIRS, tentatively planned for the fall of 2021, to present state-of-the art research to advance worker safety.
Reflecting on the ‘cultural turn’: new directions in the study of Anglo-American relations and the special relationship

The growing integration of cultural analyses stands out as one of the most notable contemporary movements in international and diplomatic history. The ‘cultural turn’ in these fields has made it evident that the analysis of cultural artefacts, identities, and representations has much to teach us about the ways states behave in the international system, as well as how cultural factors contribute to the conditions of alliance or enmity between nations. However, while the long-running and complex connections between Britain and America have always offered innumerable opportunities to explore the power of culture to shape their relationship, the ‘cultural turn’ did not begin in our field. Rather, it emerged from other disciplines of history and anthropology, and its subsequent impact on the study of Anglo-American relations has been noticeably uneven. US-UK relations in the 20th century have received somewhat less attention from cultural specialists than have those of earlier periods, and the role of culture in the post-1940 Anglo-American special relationship has been consistently underexplored in favour of more traditional methods of historical analysis. This article first addresses how the cultural turn has influenced the study of the overall historical relationship between America and Britain. The second section narrows the scope of enquiry to address how the cultural turn has affected the study of the special relationship in particular. A brief conclusion section offers a few thoughts on the need for and potential directions of future studies targeting the intersection of Anglo-American cultural sharing and US-UK partnership.
“Research shows that I am here for them”: Acompañamiento as language policy activism in times of TWBE gentrification

Two-way Bilingual Education (TWBE) programs are currently experiencing gentrification processes that are displacing the original beneficiaries of these programs. These gentrification processes have led to a whitening of bilingual education (Flores and Garcia in Ann Rev Appl Linguist, 37:14–29, 2017) marked by inequities and the dangerous potential to erase Latinx communities and voices. These troubling processes have led to a fourth fundamental goal in TWBE, the development of critical consciousness for all stakeholders (Palmer et al. in Theory into Practice, 58:121–133, 2019). This article examines a fifth-grade TWBE teacher’s (Michelle) centering of the fourth goal and Latinx families being impacted by gentrification and explores: How did Michelle accompany Latinx families and students in the midst of gentrification processes at the neighborhood and school levels? Findings revealed that Michelle’s language policy activism of acompanamiento mitigated and interrogated gentrification processes that were pushing these families out of the neighborhood and schoolwide processes that were now focused on new customers. The discussion points to why a language policy activism of acompanamiento should count as language policy and its succinct connection to TWBE’s fourth goal. We argue that another crucial element of the fourth goal is the enactment of a language policy activism (Flores and Chaparro in Lang Policy 17:365–384, 2018) of acompanamiento; actions and practices in support of communities that experience injustices guided by fellowship and being in relationship with the oppressed.
Transgenerational plasticity and the capacity to adapt to low salinity in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica.

Salinity conditions in oyster breeding grounds in the Gulf of Mexico are expected to drastically change due to increased precipitation from climate change and anthropogenic changes to local hydrolo...
Big Data Analytics: A Link Between Knowledge Management Capabilities and Superior Cyber Protection

As cyber-security threats increase in frequency and sophistication, organizations are realizing that one of their strongest resources to combat cyber-attacks lies in the growing volume of data at their disposal. However, traditional knowledge management technologies have limited capabilities to effectively process and analyze these larger data volumes that can provide managers with pertinent information to make better-informed security decisions. Using survey data from 479 business and information security executives and drawing from the resource-based view, I find that 69% of organizations that deployed big data analytics reported significant improvements in their cyber knowledge management capabilities. Second, the findings also confirm a significantly positive association between big data analytics and cyber agility. In particular, 72% of organizations that deployed big data analytics solutions reported significant improvements in their ability to detect and respond faster to cyber threats. Lastly, compared to 56% of organizations without big data analytics, 78% of companies that have deployed big data analytics technologies considered their cyber security capabilities adequate and robust enough to protect critical information assets from cyber-attacks. Overall, the results demonstrate that organizations need advanced data analytics capabilities to effectively leverage IT resources, allowing them to respond to cyber incidents with speed and agility which ultimately accumulates in the superior cyber protection of valuable information assets. The results also provide some useful implications for research and managerial practices.
Model error propagation from experimental to prediction configuration

Abstract Full-scale system tests are often prohibitively expensive, therefore experiments on simpler configurations are used in engineering to gain insights that can be applied to the behavior prediction of the full-scale system. However, the transfer of information from the experimental configuration to the prediction configuration is not trivial. In this paper, we present a methodology for predicting the response of a dynamic system using data from tests conducted on a different experimental configuration. The experimental and prediction configurations are connected by a set of common model form errors, which are unrelated to geometry, boundary conditions, or loading. These errors cause discrepancies between the model prediction of system response and the corresponding measured values. The proposed methodology is based on estimating the model form errors for the experimental configuration, using the measured data, and propagating the estimated errors to the prediction configuration. The governing equations of the two systems – the experimental and prediction configurations – are discretized using the finite element method, using elements of the same type and dimensions. Bayesian state estimation is adopted to estimate the discrepancies in unmeasured responses of the tested configuration, and subsequently, these estimates are used to evaluate the model form errors. These errors are propagated to untested configurations using an artificial neural network (ANN). The proposed methodology is illustrated on predicting the deformation of a simply supported beam and a curved plate, and for predicting the temperature time histories along a rigid bar under one-dimensional heat conduction.
Tissue and Temperature-Specific RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals Genomic Versatility and Adaptive Potential in Wild Sea Turtle Hatchlings ( Caretta caretta)

Background: Digital transcriptomics is rapidly emerging as a powerful new technology for modelling the environmental dynamics of the adaptive landscape in diverse lineages. This is particularly valuable in taxa such as turtles and tortoises (order Testudines) which contain a large fraction of endangered species at risk due to anthropogenic impacts on the environment, including pollution, overharvest, habitat degradation, and climate change. Sea turtles (family Cheloniidae) in particular invite a genomics-enabled approach to investigating their remarkable portfolio of adaptive evolution. The sex of the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is subject to temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), a mechanism by which exposure to temperatures during embryonic development irreversibly determines sex. Higher temperatures produce mainly female turtles and lower temperatures produce mainly male turtles. Incubation temperature can have long term effects on the immunity, migratory ability, and ultimately longevity of hatchlings. We perform RNA-seq differential expression analysis to investigate tissue- and temperature-specific gene expression within brain (n = 7) and gonadal (n = 4) tissue of male and female loggerhead hatchlings. Results: We assemble tissue- and temperature-specific transcriptomes and identify differentially expressed genes relevant to sexual development and life history traits of broad adaptive interest to turtles and other amniotic species. We summarize interactions among differentially expressed genes by producing network visualizations, and highlight shared biological pathways related to migration, immunity, and longevity reported in the avian and reptile literature. Conclusions: The measurement of tissue- and temperature-specific global gene expression of an endangered, flagship species such as the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) reveals the genomic basis for potential resiliency and is crucial to future management and conservation strategies with attention to changing climates. Brain and gonadal tissue collected from experimentally reared loggerhead male and female hatchlings comprise an exceedingly rare dataset that permits the identification of genes enriched in functions related to sexual development, immunity, longevity, and migratory behavior and will serve as a large, new genomic resource for the investigation of genotype-phenotype relationships in amniotes.
Comparing predicted and observed morbidity and mortality between emergency laparotomies conducted during the day and overnight at a district general hospital

It is generally expected that emergency laparotomies performed at night confer a higher risk and thus outcomes are worse. This study hopes to determine whether there is a difference in risk of cases presenting at night, and overall outcome. Data were retrospectively obtained using local notes archival software to obtain predicted and observed mortality, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) grade and length of stay of emergency laparotomies conducted between August 2019 and March 2020. Day cases were defined as knife to skin time (KTS) between 08:00 and 19:59, whilst night cases were defined as KTS between 20:00 and 07:59. In all, 81 emergency laparotomies were performed during day-time hours over the 8‑month period; 32 were performed overnight. Median ASA grade was 3 for both. Median length of stay was similar: 11 day, 12 overnight. Median P-POSSUM (Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity) morbidity score of day cases was 52% compared to 53.2% at night. Median mortality score of day cases was 5.6%, whilst at night was 2.7% (p = 0.27). Observed mortality after day cases was 13.5%, and overnight was 9.3%. Observed morbidity was 46.9% after day cases and 50% overnight. There was no statistically significant difference between predicted or observed morbidity and mortality between emergency laparotomies conducted during the day and those conducted overnight.
Long Random Matrices and Tensor Unfolding.

In this paper, we consider the singular values and singular vectors of low rank perturbations of large rectangular random matrices, in the regime the matrix is "long": we allow the number of rows (columns) to grow polynomially in the number of columns (rows). We prove there exists a critical signal-to-noise ratio (depending on the dimensions of the matrix), and the extreme singular values and singular vectors exhibit a BBP type phase transition. As a main application, we investigate the tensor unfolding algorithm for the asymmetric rank-one spiked tensor model, and obtain an exact threshold, which is independent of the procedure of tensor unfolding. If the signal-to-noise ratio is above the threshold, tensor unfolding detects the signals; otherwise, it fails to capture the signals.
A test method to determine the degree of embrittlement in electrodeposited copper

The brittle fracture of copper conductors in printed circuits is a severe problem in the electronics industry because such fractures will cause open-circuit conditions to occur in completed assemblies where the contributed value is high. In addition, repairpossibilities may be limited due to the complexity of the assembly at the time that failures are discovered. This paper deals with the development of a test method that is useful for the detection of an embrittled condition in foil prior to its application in circuits. Through the use of the mini-cup test method, a ductile-to-brittle transition was discovered, and, through further study of the transition phenomenon, procedures have been suggested for the characterization of electroplated copper foil.
Hiring Decisions: The Effect of Evaluator Gender and Gender Stereotype Characteristics on the Evaluation of Job Applicants

This study examined how the gender and gender stereotype characteristics of an evaluator influenced a hypothetical hiring decision, and the effects of automatically activating gender stereotypes prior to a hiring decision. One hundred and twenty-nine undergraduates (80 female) completed a priming manipulation that activated gender stereotype-congruent or stereotype-incongruent associations, followed by an evaluation of a male or female job applicant. Results indicated that the gender and masculinity of an evaluator were related to the evaluations. After stereotype-congruent priming, men rated male applicants higher than female applicants and men’s masculinity was associated with less favorable ratings. After stereotype-incongruent priming, male participants extended a more positive evaluation toward female applicants than when stereotype-congruent gender ideas were primed. Female participants were less affected by the priming and showed more egalitarian evaluations. Findings underscore the importance of having gender-balanced search committees and interventions that address implicit gender biases in hiring decisions.
Density Estimation under Random Censorship and Order Restrictions: From Asymptotic to Small Samples

Do a random censorship and/or order restrictions (e.g., nonnegativity, monotonicity, convexity) affect estimation of a smooth density under mean integrated squared error (MISE)? Under mild assumptions, the known asymptotic results, which are concerned only with rates, answer “no.” This answer, especially for censored data, contradicts practical experience and statistical intuition. So what can be said about constants of MISE convergence? It is shown that asymptotically (a) censorship does affect the constant, and this allows one to find a relationship between sample sizes of directly observed and censored datasets that implies the same precision of estimation, and (b) an order restriction does not affect the constant, and thus no isotonic estimation is needed. Intensive Monte Carlo simulations show that the lessons of the sharp asymptotics are valuable for small sample sizes. Also, the estimator developed is illustrated both on simulated data and a dataset of lifetimes of conveyer blades used at wastewate...
Rescher on the Justification of Rationality

In his recent book Rationality, Nicholas Rescher offers a provocative attempt to justify rationality. In this paper I critically assess that attempt. After clarifying the philosophical problem at issue, I examine Rescher's effort to solve it. I argue that Rescher's justification succeeds, but that he mistakenly characterizes it as pragmatic. It succeeds only if it is understood non-pragmatically. Consequently, Rescher must give up either his justificatory argument, or his commitment to a pragmatic justification.
Properties and Actions

One of the current issues of knowledge processing is the problem of integrating knowledge representation with classical programming languages. This may have two reasons. First, large software products already exist, and ‘newcomers’ have to take care of how they fit into the landscape. Second, some problems seem to inherently call for procedural programming, either because of execution speed or since their algorithmic treatment is known from other contexts. It is e.g. not appropriate to program matrix multiplication in Prolog.
Risk Aversion, Uncertain Information, and Market Efficiency

Abstract. We reexamine and extend tests of the uncertain information hypothesis (UIH) proposed by Brown, Harlow, and Tinic (1988, 1993). We find that their empirical results are sensitive to the sampling procedure employed and that their particular methodology does not sufficiently distinguish between event and nonevent periods. When the sampling procedure is modified to identify only relatively large, isolated events, the test results generally do not support the UIH. Instead, significant price shocks are consistently followed by short-lived price reversals. We observe this behavior following positive and negative events regardless of whether the event is classified as risk increasing or risk decreasing.
Field Emission — Fundamental Theory to Usage

An introduction to the history of electron emission, and the placement of field emission within it, is given. An account of the removal of electrons from a metal surface by the application of an electric field large enough to induce appreciable quantum mechanical tunneling is developed. The most commonly used equation describing field emission due to Fowler and Nordheim is derived. Complications to the Fowler-Nordheim equation are given in the following order: influence of temperature and the development of a General Thermal-Field emission equation; field enhancement and emission area associated with multidimensional structures and the evaluation of total current from an emitter tip; effects of a distribution of emitters varying in apex radius; the effects of space charge on field emission; and finally, beam quality (in particular, emittance) associated with field emission sources. Keywords: Fowler Nordheim equation; cold cathode; field emitter array; vacuum nanoelectronics; thermal-field emission
Electromyographic aspects of neuromuscular junction disorders.

Publisher Summary The motor unit is the basic anatomical and physiological unit of the peripheral nervous system. Clinical electrodiagnosis utilizes electrophysiologic techniques to localize and understand the pathophysiology of diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system. Standardized techniques with well established normal values are available for sensory and motor nerve conduction studies (NCS), standard concentric needle electromyography (EMG), single fiber EMG, and autonomic studies. The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is an integral part of the motor unit and is composed of the nerve terminal (presynaptic component), synaptic cleft, and a specialized section of the muscle fiber membrane (postsynaptic component). The neuromuscular junction is uniquely designed to produce tight coupling of nerve and muscle action potentials at discharge frequencies ranging from 1–50 Hz for extended periods of activity. Electrodiagnostic techniques used to evaluate NMJ disease are standard motor NCS, repetitive stimulation, and concentric and single fiber EMG. The chapter also gives an account for electrodiagnostic evaluation of specific neuromuscular junction disorders.
Unconditionally secure authentication schemes and practical and theoretical consequences

The Vernam scheme protects the privacy unconditionally, but is completely insecure to protect the authenticity of a message. Schemes will be discussed in this paper that protect the authenticity unconditionally. The definition of unconditional security is defined. Stream cipher authentication schemes are proposed. The consequences on information protection using RSA and DES are discussed.
Internal membranes in cells of Escherichia coli.

The ultrastructure of Escherichia coli B starved for magnesium has been studied in an effort to determine whether intracytoplasmic membranes can be observed in cells which have been depleted of ribosomes. Vesicles bounded by a unit membrane are found in large numbers at the periphery of such starved cells. However, membrane-bounded vesicles are also found in exponentially growing cells. These vesicles are commonly found in the nuclear region of the bacterial cell. The membranes which bound these vesicles appear to originate at the periphery of the cell itself, thus they may be extensions of the cell membrane.
Rhenium material properties

Tensile data were obtained from four different types of rhenium at ambient and elevated temperatures. The four types of rhenium included chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and three powder metallurgy (PM) types, i.e., rolled sheet and pressed and sintered bars, with and without hot isostatic pressure (HIP) treatment. Results revealed a wide range of values with ultimate strengths at ambient temperatures varying from 663 MPa for CVD rhenium to 943 MPa for rolled sheet. A similar spread was also obtained for material tested at 1088 K and 1644 K. The wide variance observed with the different materials indicated that the rhenium manufacturing process, material composition and prior handling strongly dictated its properties. In addition to tensile properties, CVD, pressed and sintered material and HIP rhenium successfully completed 100 cycles of low cycle fatigue. Creep data were also obtained showing that CVD and pressed and sintered rhenium could sustain five hours of testing under a tension of 27.5 MPa at 1922 K.
On the Choking of the Flow of Piezoviscous Liquids

Experimental evidence for choking of a piezoviscous fluid in a capillary tube is presented. It is shown that under a nearly isothermal condition, it is possible for the flow to experience choking whereby increasing the inlet pressure ceases to affect the flow rate. The occurrence of this phenomenon can be predicted by noting a singularity in the flowrate equation in a capillary tube under typical conditions encountered in injection molding (cf Denn, 1981). Further examination of the general equations governing the shear flow of laminar, incompressible, linearly viscous (Newtonian) liquids under high pressures reveals a singularity in the solution for the pressure gradient. This apparently unreported phenomenon is shown to occur in liquids whose viscosity, μ, increases exponentially with pressure, p, as μ = μ 0 e αρ , where α denotes the pressure-viscosity coefficient. For a two-dimensional configuration with the shearing action taking place in the x direction and with p = p(x, y), the singularity is shown to take place when: τ yx = ±(1/α) 1 + α 2 τ xx τ yy , at which case both ∂p/∂x and ∂p/∂y → ∞. The occurrence of such a singularity in the pressure gradient may have an important physical implication in lubrication flows particularly in concentrated contacts such as elastohydrodynamic lubrication of rolling element bearings and gears.
Effects of mechanical grinding and low temperature annealing on crystal structure of Er5Si4

Abstract The effect of mechanical grinding and subsequent low temperature annealing on the orthorhombic to monoclinic structural transition in the Er 5 Si 4 compound was studied by X-ray powder diffraction using both a conventional laboratory Cu Kα 1 radiation and a high-energy synchrotron source. A reversible phase transition from the orthorhombic to monoclinic structure occurs as a result of mechanical grinding. Low temperature annealing reverses the transformation and converts the formed monoclinic phase back to the orthorhombic, evidently by relieving residual stress introduced during the grinding.
A programmmer training project

A project is described whose purpose is to train selected black residents of the Albany-Schenectady area in computer programming and arrange for jobs for them in the computer field. Both the organization and curriculum of the course are discussed.
Kinematics and Force Optimization for Efficient Self-Reconfiguration of Chain-Type Modular Robots

The problem of self-reconfiguration planning for chain-type unit-modular robots is a complex one, with many issues yet to be successfully addressed. This paper describes an approach to several sub-problems associated with self-reconfiguration, namely kinematic modeling and analysis, including kinematic constraint satisfaction, and load analysis and redistribution. These issues are addressed in a unified framework whose primary objective is minimization of the time and mechanical energy expended during reconfiguration. Computer simulation efforts are described and results presented.© 2005 ASME
Environmental induction of heritable changes in flax: defined environments inducing changes in rDNA and peroxidase isozyme band pattern

Environmental induction of heritable changes in flax: defined environments inducing changes in rDNA and peroxidase isozyme band pattern
Linear chemo-poroelasticity for swelling shales: theory and application

Abstract Optimization of drilling fluid parameters such as mud weight, salt concentration, and temperature is essential to alleviating instability problems when drilling through shale sections. The selection of suitable mud parameters can benefit from analyses that consider significant chemo-mechanical processes involved in shale-drilling–fluid interactions. This paper describes the development of a scientifically robust and practical physicochemical theory for describing shale deformation. The theory considers chemical and poroelastic processes and couples ion transfer in the mud/shale system to formation stresses and pore pressure. The field equations are derived within the framework of a linear, Biot-like isotropic poroelastic theory. These field equations are solved analytically for the problem of a wellbore in shale to yield the solute mass fraction, pore pressure, and the stress distributions around the borehole. The solution is developed using the generalized plane strain approach and is used to study the impact of solute transfer on stress and pore pressure fields. The analyses indicate that solute transfer causes the chemical-osmosis to become time-dependent. As time increases, the transfer of ions leads to osmotic pressure dissipation and re-establishment of a pore pressure regime characteristic of hydraulic flow. Furthermore, it is observed that while the wellbore may be supported by a mud pressure of significant magnitude, the rock can experience a tensile effective radial stress due to the physicochemical interaction between the shale and the drilling mud. Hence, the contribution of the physicochemical processes can significantly impact the stress and pore pressure distributions around a borehole and should be considered when optimizing drilling mud properties.
Transport and Deposition of Elongated Particles in the Upper Airways

Transport and deposition of elongated particle and fibers have been of interest due to their pathological responses. In this work, the transport and deposition of elongated particles and ellipsoidal fibers were numerically simulated in a physiological realistic multi-level lung model. Detailed motion of the inhaled fibers and their interaction with the surrounding environment were reproduced by solving the system of coupled equations governing the elongated particles translational and rotational motions. Correlations between the deposition pattern, fiber characteristics, breathing rates, and airway morphology in human upper tracheobronchial airways were analyzed. The results were compared with experimental measurements, and good agreement was found.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Swine lungs expressing human complement–regulatory proteins are protected against acute pulmonary dysfunction in a human plasma perfusion model

Abstract Pulmonary transplantation is currently limited by the number of suitable cadaver donor lungs. For this reason, pulmonary xenotransplantation is currently being investigated. Objective: Our goal was to assess the role of complement in pulmonary xenograft dysfunction. Methods: The pulmonary function of swine expressing human decay accelerating factor and human CD59 ( n = 6) was compared with that of the lungs from nontransgenic (control) swine ( n = 6) during perfusion with human plasma. Results: After 2 hours of perfusion, the pulmonary vascular resistance was 1624 ± 408 dynes · sec · cm −5 in control lungs and 908 ± 68 dynes · sec · cm −5 in transgenic lungs ( p p p p Conclusion: Lungs from swine expressing human decay accelerating factor and human CD59 functioned better than nontransgenic swine lungs when perfused with human plasma. These results suggest that complement activation is involved in producing acute pulmonary xenograft dysfunction and demonstrate that lungs from swine expressing human decay accelerating factor and human CD59 are protected against pulmonary injury when perfused with human plasma. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1997;113:390-8)
Comparative Study of Ethane and Propane Cation Radicals by B3LYP Density Functional and High-Level ab Initio Methods

A comparative computational study of the cation radicals of ethane and propane is made by using B3LYP density functional and high-level ab initio methods [up to QCISD(T)/6-311++G(2df,p) and CBS-APNO model chemistry]. The properties investigated include the structures and energetics of the cation radical isomers, their isotropic hyperfine coupling constants, and their carbon−carbon bond dissociation energies, as well as the vertical and adiabatic ionization potentials of the parent molecules. The computational results are compared with experimental data where possible. In general, the B3LYP method exhibits good agreement with experiment. All of the methods show that the potential energy surfaces of the two cation radicals are very flat. The electronic origin of this phenomenon and the relationship between the cation radical isomers of a given species (so-called electromers) are discussed in terms of a valence-bond model.
Electronic density of states derived from thermodynamic critical field curves for underdoped La 2 − x Sr x CuO 4 + δ

Thermodynamic critical field curves have been measured for ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{x}{\mathrm{CuO}}_{4+\ensuremath{\delta}}$ over the full range of carrier concentrations where superconductivity occurs in order to determine changes in the normal-state density of states with carrier concentration. There is a substantial window in the $H\ensuremath{-}T$ plane where measurements are possible because the samples are both thermodynamically reversible and the temperature is low enough that vortex fluctuations are not important. In this window, the data fit the Hao-Clem model rather well, so this model is used to determine ${H}_{c}$ and ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c}$ for each temperature and carrier concentration. Using $N(0)$ and the ratio of the energy gap to transition temperature, $\ensuremath{\Delta}{(0)/k}_{B}{T}_{c},$ as fitting parameters, the ${H}_{c}$ vs T curves give $\ensuremath{\Delta}{(0)/k}_{B}{T}_{c}\ensuremath{\sim}2.0$ over the whole range of x. Values of $N(0)$ remain rather constant in the optimum-doped and overdoped regime, but drop quickly toward zero in the underdoped regime.
Catalytic System for Homogeneous Ethylene Polymerization Based on Aluminohydride-Zirconocene Complexes

Ethylene polymerization using catalysts derived from activation of zirconocene aluminohydride complexes with either methyl aluminoxane or B(C6F5)3 is reported. Variable-temperature NMR spectra of m...
Plateau Connection Structure and multiobjective metaheuristic performance

This paper proposes the plateau structure imposed by the Pareto dominance relation as a useful determinant of multiobjective metaheuristic performance. In essence, the dominance relation partitions the search space into a set of equivalence classes, and the probabilities, given a specified neighborhood structure, of moving from one class to another are estimated empirically and used to help assess the likely performance of different flavors of multiobjective search algorithms. The utility of this approach is demonstrated on a number of benchmark multiobjective combinatorial optimization problems. In addition, a number of techniques are proposed to allow this method to be used with larger, real-world problems.
Percutaneous Portosystemic Shunts: TIPS and Beyond.

Percutaneous interventions for portal hypertension have been available since the 1990s. Over time, improved technology—including covered stent grafts—and clinical understanding has expanded the available procedures for percutaneous portal decompression. While transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation is the most commonly cited percutaneous intervention, direct intrahepatic portocaval shunt and percutaneous mesocaval shunt creation are important alternatives with specific advantages and applications. This article reviews contemporary, minimally invasive interventional approaches to percutaneous portosystemic shunt creation in terms of procedure rationale, patient selection, interventional technique, and technical outcomes.