cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Say It Forward: A Guide to Social Justice Storytelling

Since 2005, the Voice of Witness (VOW) series has supplied several particularly helpful classroom-worthy books that use oral histories to share stories of injustice happening on the world’s stage. ...
Forecasting financial vulnerability in the USA: A factor model approach

This paper presents a factor-based forecasting model for the financial market vulnerability, measured by changes in the Cleveland Financial Stress Index (CFSI). We estimate latent common factors via the method of the principal components from 170 monthly frequency macroeconomic data in order to out-of-sample forecast the CFSI. Our factor models outperform both the random walk and the autoregressive benchmark models in out-of-sample predictability at least for the short-term forecast horizons, which is a desirable feature since financial crises often come to a surprise realization. Interestingly, the first common factor, which plays a key role in predicting the financial vulnerability index, seems to be more closely related with real activity variables rather than nominal variables. We also present a binary choice version factor model that estimates the probability of the high stress regime successfully.
Identifying Hospital Deserts in Texas Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak

In this study, we proposed a GIS-based approach to analyze the hospital visitors between 2019 and 2020 to find a significant change in the number of visitors according to demographics. The results indicated that American Indian and Pacific Islander were the only two demographics that sometimes showed no shift in visitor levels between the years. The average distance traveled to most hospitals from home increased in 2020 compared to 2019. Additionally, a hospital desert index was calculated to represent the "hospital deserts," areas that the demand for hospitals is greater than the current hospital supply. Hospital desert index takes into account the travel time, location, bed supply, and population. The cities located along the outskirts of metropolitan regions and rural towns show more hospital deserts than dense city centers.
Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction: A Joint Statement on Management from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Thyroid Association, and The Endocrine Society

I was the Chairman of the panel (“consensus panel”), appointed by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Thyroid Association, and The Endocrine Society, that was charged with developing evidencebased practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of subclinical thyroid disease (1). I appreciate the opportunity to review, before publication, and to comment on the paper by Gharib et al. (2) in this issue of JCEM. This paper is a joint statement from the above societies/associations that presents opinions that are different from several recommendations in the evidence-based report (1). In this note, I will comment on the most important differences between the opinions expressed by Gharib et al. (2) and the recommendations published in the “Scientific Review” and “Clinical Applications” papers (1, 3).
Institutional stock ownership, accrual management, and information environment

This study examines the empirical relationship between institutional percentage shareholding and accounting discretion exercised by firms to manage accruals over a period of time. It also evaluates...
Half-isomorphisms of Moufang loops

Abstract We prove that if the squaring map in the factor loop of a Moufang loop Q over its nucleus is surjective, then every half-isomorphism of Q onto a Moufang loop is either an isomorphism or an anti-isomorphism. This generalizes all earlier results in this vein.
Multiterminal source encoding with encoder breakdown

When separate encoders are assigned to each of two correlated sources, it is in general true that the rate sum required is less when decoding is done by a single decoder than when separate decoders are used. However, if either encoder breaks down, system performance ordinarily degrades severely in the single-decoder case when one tries to recover the sources based solely on the output of the remaining encoder. The authors determine the admissible rate region for this situation, which is related to the multiple description problem. Some of the implications of the general result are unintuitive. >
The End of Unilateralism or Unilateralism Redux

Many have claimed that September 11 and its aftermath must spell the end of U.S. unilateralism. They may be mistaken. The very real pressures for change in U.S. policy may not be as powerful or as inevitable as many seem to believe.
Response to pulsed radiation by a spherical solid absorber immersed in a transparent fluid

We study the response of a spherical absorber immersed in aqueous media. We investigate temporal resonant absorption and present initial numerical calculations of the same topic. Initial results indicate that, because of the dynamical characteristic of the system, the response after a sequence of energy pulses depends nonlinearly on the time between pulses. Specifically, the response exhibits resonant type behavior around a critical time, the time it would take a sound wave to traverse the absorber.
The planning connection between Clarence Stein and Liang Sicheng in Republican China

If Liang Sicheng's meeting with the eminent American planner Clarence Stein in 1936 started Liang's career in planning, it would be a significant event in Chinese planning history. No research has yet explored this claim on Stein's influence on Liang or Stein role in introducing American planning ideas and practices to China. To explore this cultural exchange, the author provides a more holistic understanding of their earnest friendship based on the study of archival materials including the Stein Papers at Cornell University and Liang's working diary at Tsinghua University, their own published writings, and the scholarly work on their contributions. This article reports a more complex picture of this exchange and shows that their friendship deepened while Liang was in America during 1946–1947 as Stein inspired Liang and exposed him to various American planning projects. However, in pursuing of a Chinese planning theory, Liang inherited of diverse traditions and did not rely on Stein alone.
Nonlinear regression method for estimating neutral wind and temperature from Fabry–Perot interferometer data

The Earth’s thermosphere plays a critical role in driving electrodynamic processes in the ionosphere and in transferring solar energy to the atmosphere, yet measurements of thermospheric state parameters, such as wind and temperature, are sparse. One of the most popular techniques for measuring these parameters is to use a Fabry–Perot interferometer to monitor the Doppler width and breadth of naturally occurring airglow emissions in the thermosphere. In this work, we present a technique for estimating upper-atmospheric winds and temperatures from images of Fabry–Perot fringes captured by a CCD detector. We estimate instrument parameters from fringe patterns of a frequency-stabilized laser, and we use these parameters to estimate winds and temperatures from airglow fringe patterns. A unique feature of this technique is the model used for the laser and airglow fringe patterns, which fits all fringes simultaneously and attempts to model the effects of optical defects. This technique yields accurate estimates for winds, temperatures, and the associated uncertainties in these parameters, as we show with a Monte Carlo simulation.
Partial shape similarity of contours is needed for object recognition

We will provide psychophysical evidence that recognition of parts of object contours is a necessary component of object recognition. It seems to be obvious that the recognition of parts of object contours is performed by applying a partial shape similarity measure to the query contour part and to the known contour parts. The recognition is completed once a sufficiently similar contour part is found in the database of known contour parts. We will derive necessary requirements for any partial shape similarity measure based on this scenario. We will show that existing shape similarity measures do not satisfy these requirements, and propose a new partial shape similarity measure.
Why Patients Don't Take Pills

The author has borrowed heavily from the reference material. The data generally refer to all of the references and they are not therefore cited individually in the text.
Multi-output separable Gaussian process: Towards an efficient, fully Bayesian paradigm for uncertainty quantification

Computer codes simulating physical systems usually have responses that consist of a set of distinct outputs (e.g., velocity and pressure) that evolve also in space and time and depend on many unknown input parameters (e.g., physical constants, initial/boundary conditions, etc.). Furthermore, essential engineering procedures such as uncertainty quantification, inverse problems or design are notoriously difficult to carry out mostly due to the limited simulations available. The aim of this work is to introduce a fully Bayesian approach for treating these problems which accounts for the uncertainty induced by the finite number of observations. Our model is built on a multi-dimensional Gaussian process that explicitly treats correlations between distinct output variables as well as space and/or time. The proper use of a separable covariance function enables us to describe the huge covariance matrix as a Kronecker product of smaller matrices leading to efficient algorithms for carrying out inference and predictions. The novelty of this work, is the recognition that the Gaussian process model defines a posterior probability measure on the function space of possible surrogates for the computer code and the derivation of an algorithmic procedure that allows us to sample it efficiently. We demonstrate how the scheme can be used in uncertainty quantification tasks in order to obtain error bars for the statistics of interest that account for the finite number of observations.
Prevalence and risk factors for antibiotic-resistant community-associated bloodstream infections.

Summary Background Antibiotic resistance is increasing in many community settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of antibiotic resistant community-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) present on hospital admissions to identify risk factors for acquiring resistant versus susceptible CA-BSIs and to describe the incidence of concurrent infections with CA-BSIs. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged from one community, one pediatric, and two tertiary/quaternary care hospitals within an academically affiliated network in the borough of Manhattan in New York, NY, from 2006 to 2008. The CA-BSIs present at hospital admission were defined as BSIs occurring within the first 48 h of hospitalization. Infections and patient characteristics were identified using data available from patients’ electronic medical records and discharge records. Results In total, 1677 CA-BSIs were identified. Staphylococcus aureus had the largest proportion of resistance (41.2%), followed by enterococcal species (24.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (16.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii (10.0%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.9%). Significant predictors of resistance were prior residence in a skilled nursing facility (OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.39–4.70), advanced age (1.01; 1.002–1.02), presence of malignancy (0.58; 0.37–0.91), prior hospitalization (1.62; 1.17–2.23), a weighted Charlson score (1.09; 1.02–1.17) for S. aureus , presence of malignancy (1.82; 1.004–3.30), prior hospitalizations (2.03; 1.12–3.38) for enterococcal species, and younger age for S. pneumoniae ( p = 0.02). Urinary tract infections were the most common concurrent infection ( n = 45/87, 51.7%). Conclusion Over 27% of the CA-BSIs present on admission were antibiotic resistant. Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for CA-BSIs may help improve empiric antibiotic therapy and outcomes for patients with community-onset infections.
The glabellar transposition "banner" flap.

. The frontoglabellar skin has long served in reconstruction of certain nasal and canthal defects. The glabellar transposition “banner” flap is relatively simple and efficient. It can be designed either on a curved glabellar line or as a vertical midline closure, depending upon requirements and aesthetic variables.
Spliced leader RNA sequences of Trypanosoma rangeli are organized within the 5S rRNA-encoding genes

Abstract The spliced leader RNA(SL RNA)-encoding genes of the salivarian New World trypanosome, Trypanosoma rangeli, are organized within the 5S rRNA tandem repeats. Each repeat contains genes encoding an SL RNA and a 5S rRNA in the same orientation of transcription. This SL-5S organization is also present in the African trypanosoma, Trypanosoma vivax. A similar association of SL and 5S genes has been observed in some nematodes, but has not been described previously in trypanosomatids.
Equilibrium and kinetic characteristics of steroid interactions with human plasma sex steroid binding protein.

Abstract The kinetic and equilibrium binding parameters for the molecular interaction of testosterone and human plasma sex steroid binding protein have been determined at varying pHs. The second-order association rate constant and first-order dissociation rate constant, at 4 °C, were 1.05 × 108 m −1 min−1 and 0.11 min−1, respectively. The equilibrium constant was 1.3 ± 0.1 × 109 m −1. All three constants were not significantly dependent on pH in the range of pH 6 to 11. Activation energy for the dissociation reaction was 16.4 kcal · mol−1 and was constant from 4 to 37.5 °C. A series of steroidal and nonsteroidal compounds were tested for their sex steroid binding affinity relative to testosterone. These results all support a description of the steroid binding site in human sex steroid binding protein as hydrophobic, nonionizing (at 5.5 ≤ pH ≤ 11.0), and with high structural specificity.
Alterations in active avoidance acquisition in the guinea pig following septal lesions at three ages

The behavior of guinea pigs in a two-way active avoidance apparatus was examined after lesions of the septal area at three different age levels. The effects of the septal lesions were identical at all ages. In all age groups, septal lesions caused a facilitation of the avoidance behavior. The failure to find age differences was interpreted in terms of the relatively advanced brain development of precocial animals at birth.
Id2 is a primary partner for the E2-2 basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor in the human placenta.

Abstract We screened a term placental cDNA library by the yeast two-hybrid approach with Id2, a negative regulator of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors. Of the clones obtained, approximately one-third were the E2-2 bHLH transcription factor. Id2 and E2-2 were shown to interact in direct two-hybrid assays in yeast cells, as well as immunoprecipitation assays in mammalian cells. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated co-localization of both Id2 and E2-2 in placental trophoblasts. Co-transfection of JEG-3 cells with E2-2 and Id2, and a luciferase reporter construct under the control of the human chorionic gonadotropin α-subunit promoter revealed that E2-2 had a negative effect on CGα-subunit transcription, which could be relieved by overexpression of Id2. The library was in turn rescreened with E2-2, and Id2 and Id1 were essentially the only clones obtained. We conclude that Id2 is a primary binding partner for the bHLH transcription factor E2-2 in the human placenta.
A Fast Algorithm for Image Component Labeling with Local Operators on Mesh Connected Computers

A new parallel algorithm for image component labeling with local operators on SIMD mesh connected computers is presented. This algorithm provides a positive answer to the open question of whether there exists an O(n)-time and O(log n)-space local labeling algorithm on SIMD mesh connected computers. The algorithm uses a pipeline mechanism with stack-like data structures to achieve the lower bound of O(n) in time complexity and O(log n) in space complexity. Additionally, the algorithm has very small multiplicative constants in its complexities by using local parallel-shrink and label-propagate operations.
THE ROLE OF AUXINS AND CYTOKININS IN THE RELEASE OF BUDS FROM DOMINANCE

The paper deals with the general problem of the physiological basis of branching, and the roles of known and unexplored factors in sensitivity to apical domirnance. It is shown that when pea seedling shoots are completely or partially inhibited by other shoots on the same plant auxin can promote their elongation, even though it does not have this effect on inhibited buds. This influence of auxin is only exerted on internodal elongation and not on apical growth. When kinetin in a solution of alcohol and carbowax is applied directly to the lateral buds of pea seedlings, it releases them from inhibition by the growing apex. It is shown that the role of alcohol in this solution is to act as a surfactant, permitting good contact with the buds, while that of carbowax, being hygroscopic, is to maintain a thin film of solution over the buds. Buds thus released from apical dominance by kinetin do not elongate as much as do uninhibited control buds. Such kinetintreated buds can, however, be made to elongate normally by the application of auxin locally to their apices. It is concluded that growing shoots are relatively insensitive to correlative inhibition because they synthesize two types of growth substances, namely, auxin, which antagonizes the inhibitory effect on internodal elongation, and cytokinins, which permit the apex itself to develop. In the discussion it is brought out that many cases of branching, which appear at first to bear little relation to one another, can be understood on the basis of two principles, namely: (1) Any reduction in the growth rate of a dominant apex reduces its inhibitory effect on other apices, and (2) once an apex starts growing it becomes less sensitive to inhibition by other apices These generalizations and the experimental results are tentatively interpreted in terms of an interaction between the syntheses of auxin and of cytokinin.
Space Operations for a New Era of Exploration Launch Vehicles

Since 2005, Ares has made substantial progress on designing, developing, and testing the Ares I crew launch vehicle and has continued its in-depth studies of the Ares V cargo launch vehicles. The combined Ares I/Ares V architecture was designed to reduce the complexity and labor intensity of ground operations for America s next journeys beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO). The Ares Projects goal is to instill operability as part of the vehicles requirements development, design, and operations. Since completing the Preliminary Design Review in 2008, work has continued to push the Ares I beyond the concept phase and into full vehicle development, while tackling fresh engineering challenges and performing pathfinding activities related to vehicle manufacturing and ground operations.
Further discussion on pacifists vs. psychologists

Letter to the editor regarding the letter from Dr. Gladstone and Dr. Kelman on the pacifist position (American Psychologist, 1951, 6, 127- 128). As a social scientist and an affiliate of the Society of Friends I wish to concur in the ideas and suggestions expressed by Dr. Gladstone and Dr. Kelman. They have well stated what many of us have been thinking for a long time. Ought we not to elevate the assumptions which guide the thinking of many people in the field of international relations to the level of hypotheses and begin to examine and test them in the light of the available data? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Ways of improving the management of environmental risks

Abstract From the public's discovery of environmental quality in the late 1960s to the present, there has been increasing recognition that a more systematic approach is required to manage risks and to achieve the gains at low cost. Such a systematic approach must begin with risk identification, then go on to risk assessment, consideration of management options, a decision analysis of the options, and an examination of strategies for reducing loss. One of the most difficult aspects of environmental risk management is setting goals. There is a tendency to engage in rhetoric about zero risks and a pristine environment. However, moving toward more realistic goals requires consideration of what is an acceptable risk level. This level cannot be defined without knowing the benefits that come with the risk and the costs of reducing the risk. More generally, the criteria for selecting a risk management strategy include the residual level of risk, efficiency in reducing risk, equity, administrative simplicity, and public acceptability. A number of frameworks are currently used by U.S. regulatory agencies to manage risk: no-risk, risk-risk, technology-based standards, risk-benefit, cost-effectiveness, regulatory budget, and benefit-cost analysis. In specifying that an agency must use one of these frameworks, the U.S. Congress is implicitly specifying the goals for risk reduction. It appears to be easier for the U.S. Congress to specify a framework than a goal. Some of the nonregulatory means of managing risk include the market, and legal mechanisms. These risk management institutions have been effective and are a necessary part of any risk management program.
Side‐chain crystallinity. I. Heats of fusion and melting transitions on selected homopolymers having long side chains

Heats of fusion, melting transitions, and the derived entropies of fusion were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry for examples from three homologous series of homopolymers having long side chains. Homopolymers having side-chain lengths between 12 and 22 carbon atoms were chosen from the poly(n-alkyl acrylates), the poly(N-n-alkyl-acrylamides) and the poly(vinyl esters). The data demonstrated that only the outer paraffinic methylene groups were present in the crystal lattice. This was concluded because phase diagrams obtained for mixtures of structurally different monomers and homopolymers, as well as for selected copolymers, showed only isomorphism in the polymeric examples. In addition, scanning curves, reflecting the distribution of crystallite sizes, became narrower as the side chains became longer. The critical chain length required to maintain a stable nucleus in the bulk homopolymers was a constant value for each homologous series. It varied between 9 to 12 carbon atoms. When heats of fusion were determined in the presence of methanol, main-chain restraints were freed, thus permitting more methylene groups to enter the crystal lattice. Hence, the heats of fusion, the crystallinity, and melting points increased above that of the bulk state. The magnitude of the contribution to the heats of fusion by each methylene group indicated that the hexagonal paraffin crystal modification prevailed in these homopolymers, in agreement with x-ray data from the literature.
Enhancement of interactions between magnetic ions in semiconductors due to declustering

It is often assumed that the exchange interaction between two magnetic ions in a semiconductor host depends only on the distance and orientation of the magnetic ions. Using first-principles electronic structure calculations of Mn impurities in GaAs, we show that the exchange interaction between two magnetic ions depends also on the concentration and spatial arrangement of the other, “spectator” magnetic ions. Thus, such systems cannot be described by a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with fixed exchange interactions. Specifically, we find that at fixed Mn concentration, association “clustering” of Mn impurities leads to a decrease of the Curie temperature, while dissociation “declustering” leads to higher Curie temperatures. We conclude that clustering is the major impediment to achieve high Curie temperatures in Mn-doped GaAs.
A metastate HMM with application to gene structure identification in eukaryotes

We introduce a generalized-clique hidden Markov model (HMM) and apply it to gene finding in eukaryotes (C. elegans). We demonstrate aHMMstructure identification platformthat is novel and robustly-performing in a number of ways. The generalized clique HMM begins by enlarging the primitive hidden states associated with the individual base labels (as exon, intron, or junk) to substrings of primitive hidden states, or footprint states, having a minimal length greater than the footprint state length. The emissions are likewise expanded to higher order in the fundamental joint probability that is the basis of the generalized-clique, or "metastate", HMM. We then consider application to eukaryotic gene finding and show how such a metastate HMM improves the strength of coding/noncoding-transition contributions to gene-structure identification. We will describe situations where the coding/noncoding-transition modeling can effectively recapture the exon and intron heavy tail distribution modeling capability as well as manage the exon-start needle-in-the-haystack problem. In analysis of the C. elegans genome we show that the sensitivity and specificity (SN,SP) results for both the individual-state and full-exon predictions are greatly enhanced over the standard HMM when using the generalized-clique HMM.
Crossover pedagogy: The collaborative search for meaning

Robert Nash describes his cross-pedagogical approach to co-teaching with student affairs colleagues and shares a provocative classroom discussion that illustrates how it can help students create meaning for their lives.
The Basic Region of the Diaphanous-autoregulatory Domain (DAD) Is Required for Autoregulatory Interactions with the Diaphanous-related Formin Inhibitory Domain

Mammalian diaphanous-related (mDia) formins act as Rho GTPase effectors during cytoskeletal remodeling. Rho binding to mDia amino-terminal GTPase-binding domains (GBDs) causes the adjacent Dia-inhibitory domain (DID) to release the carboxyl-terminal Dia-autoregulatory (DAD) domain that flanks the formin homology-2 (FH2) domain. The release of DAD allows the FH2 domain to then nucleate and elongate nonbranched actin filaments. DAD, initially discovered as a region of homology shared between a phylogenetically divergent set of formin proteins, is comprised of a core motif, MDXLLXL, and an adjacent region is comprised of numerous basic residues, typically RRKR in the mDia family. Here, we show that these specific amino acids within the basic region of DAD contribute to the binding of DID and therefore the maintenance of the mDia autoregulatory mechanism. In addition, expression of full-length versions of mDia2 containing amino acid substitutions in either the DAD core or basic regions causes profound changes in the F-actin architecture, including the formation of filopodia-like structures that rapidly elongate from the cell edge. These studies further refine our understanding of the molecular contribution of DAD to mDia control and the role of mDia2 in the assembly of membrane protrusions.
Demographics and Industry Employment of Civil Engineering Workforce

This paper provides a road map to studies and databases about civil engineering demographics and industry involvement by tracing workforce statistics, engineering degrees, data on industries and go...
Reliability of three bulk-tank antimicrobial residue detection assays used to test individual milk samples from cows with mild clinical mastitis.

Objective—To determine the likelihood of false-positive results when testing milk samples from individual cows by use of 3 commercially available assays (Penzyme Milk Test and the SNAP β-lactamand Delvo- SP assays) labeled for use with commingled milk. Sample Population—Milk samples from 111 cows with mild clinical mastitis. Procedure—Cows were randomly assigned to the control (no antimicrobials) or intramammary treatment group. Posttreatment milk samples were collected at the first milking after the labeled withholding period or an equivalent time for controls, randomly ordered, and tested twice by use of each assay and once by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined for each assay. Concordance of results for the same sample was assessed for each assay by calculating κ. Results—Sensitivities of the Delvo-SP and SNAP β-lactam assays were > 90%, whereas the sensitivity of the Penzyme Milk Test was 60%. Positive pre...
The Heliotail Revealed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer

Recent combined observations from the first three years of Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) data allow us to examine the heliosphere's downwind region—the heliotail—for the first time. In contrast to a preliminary identification of a narrow "offset heliotail" structure, we find a broad slow solar wind plasma sheet crossing essentially the entire downwind side of the heliosphere at low to mid-latitudes, with fast wind tail regions to the north and south. The slow wind plasma sheet exhibits the steepest ENA spectra in the IBEX sky maps, appears as a two-lobed structure (lobes on the port and starboard sides), and is twisted in the sense of (but at a smaller angle than) the external magnetic field. The overall heliotail structure clearly demonstrates the intermediate nature of the heliosphere's interstellar interaction, where both the external dynamic and magnetic pressures strongly affect the heliosphere.
A scanning electron microscope study of the papilla basilaris of Gekko gecko

The sensory hair cells of the ventral 2/3 of the papilla basilaris of Gekko gecko are divided into anterior (pre-axial) and posterior (post-axial) portions by a mid-axial gap or hiatus where there are no hair cells. There is no separation of the hair cells in the dorsal third of the papilla. There are three tectorial membrane modifications: an attached thickened membrane covering the pre-axial hair cells, sallets covering the post-axial hair cells, and an attached filamentous membrane covering the dorsal hair cells. The number of hair cells is greatest ventrally and decreases dorsally. There are approximately 2000 to 2100 hair cells. The kinocilia of the hair cells of the anterior halves of both the pre- and the post-axial vertical hair-cell rows are oriented posteriorly, while the kinocilia of the posterior halves are oriented anteriorly. The kinocilia of the hair cells of the dorsal third of the papilla are mostly oriented posteriorly. Thus, kinocilial orientation of the ventral 2/3 of the papilla is doubly bidirectional, and the dorsal 1/3, largely unidirectional.
Imaging of Surfaces by Concurrent Surface Plasmon Resonance and Surface Plasmon Resonance-Enhanced Fluorescence

Surface plasmon resonance imaging and surface plasmon induced fluorescent are sensitive tools for surface analysis. However, existing instruments in this area have provided limited capability for concurrent detection, and may be large and expensive. We demonstrate a highly cost-effective system capable of concurrent surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) and surface plasmon resonance-enhanced fluorescence (SPRF) imaging, allowing for simultaneous monitoring of reflectivity and fluorescence from discrete spatial regions. The instrument allows for high performance imaging and quantitative measurements with surface plasmon resonance, and surface plasmon induced fluorescence, with inexpensive off-the-shelf components.
Spatial Variability of Microbial Processes in Soil—A Review

Microbial transformations of fertilizers and pesticides in the surface soil have a direct impact on the mass of the agrochemical that is susceptible to leaching losses. Thus, our greatest potential for controlling leaching losses of agrochemicals is through the management of these compounds in the surface soil. A variety of strategies have been employed to maximize the residence time of applied chemical in the surface soil, including: timing of application, formulation (e.g., slow-release fertilizers and encapsulated pesticides), and the use of compounds that modify microbial activity in soil (e.g., nitrification inhibitors). Although these strategies have met with some success, more precise quantification of the microbial transformations of agrochemicals is required to aid the development of improved management strategies [...]
Reproductive strategies and parasitization behavior of Ageniaspis citricola, a parasitoid of the citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella

We investigated the ability of the encyrtid Ageniaspis citricola Logvinovskaya (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a polyembryonic endoparasitoid of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), to distinguish unparasitized hosts from those previously parasitized by the same female or by a conspecific. The oviposition behavior of A. citricola was observed, and the sequence and duration of each component recorded. Oviposition behavior by experienced and inexperienced A. citricola females was studied using 2, 10, or 20 P. citrella eggs laid on citrus leaves. Dissections of parasitized hosts were done to confirm that an apparent oviposition resulted in egg deposition and to determine the number of eggs laid per event. Females of A. citricola are able to discriminate between unparasitized hosts, those previously parasitized by themselves, and those parasitized by a conspecific at all host densities. Females that had never oviposited in unparasitized hosts (inexperienced) showed the same ability. The number of eggs laid per oviposition event, the number of pupae produced, and the sex ratio of the adult progeny suggest that, under these experimental conditions, fertilized eggs develop by twinning to produce two females, and unfertilized eggs produce a single male. Mated females allowed a single ovipositional event deposited two eggs, yet nearly always produced two females and one male. Unmated females allowed a single ovipositional event also deposited two eggs, but the adult progeny were always males.
Topic Structures As Language Universals

The continuous process of language mixing which takes place in the development of creole continua is particularly suited to favor the emergence of language universals. Topic-comment structures are found to be extensively used in English-based Caribbean basilects. Furthermore, topic prominence is also characteristic of the mesolectal and acrolectal va-rieties acquired by native speakers of creole vernaculars. Topic strategies are identified as they occur throughout the continuum, and in particular as they extend to other structures. More specifically, dislocation strategies are found to spread relativization through the circuitous route of relexified topic particles. It is argued that if there is a "bioprogram" (Bickerton 1981), it might be reflected not only in creole grammars, but also, and perhaps more extensively still, in the strategies represented in the contigu-ous acrolects, as well as in other situations involving conflicting linguistic systems.
Interfacial stability and deformation of two stratified power law fluids in plane poiseuille flow Part II. Interface deformation

Abstract A numerical analysis of two immiscible fluids in two coextrusion sheet-forming geometries having either straight or converging channel downstreams has been conducted. Numerical computations were carriedout for both Newtonian and power law flow for a range of viscosity and feed ratios at different Reynolds numbers using the finite element technique. Computations demonstrate that the more viscous fluid tends to push into the less viscous component. The dimensionless development length required for the interface to reach its final position is an increasing function of viscosity ratio and Reynolds number. Surface tension has a stabilizing effect which is more pronounced for the converging channel downstream geometry. Furthermore, a comparison of short- and longwave stability analyses with the present numerical results reveals that the normal stresses generated by the converging channel downstream play a major role in interfacial stability of multiphase flows. Moreover, the present results reveal some important trends that can be expected in coextrusion operations.
Natural Frequencies of Marine Drilling Risers

This paper presents data relating the first five natural frequencies of marine drilling risers to typical riser and drilling parameters. The riser is idealized as a vertical flexible beam with pinned supports. Variable tension and fluid environment make the mathematics different from classical beam theory, leading to a differential equation that perhaps is unique to the oil industry. Exact natural frequencies or eigenvalues are compared with frequencies obtained using an approximate method based on classical, uniformly tensioned beam equations. An example calculation is given.
Offshoring satisfaction: The role of partnership credibility and cultural complementarity

Abstract Suboptimal satisfaction levels often exist among offshoring partners. Studies suggest that cultural differences may play a role. Many, however, continue to offer surface-level culture-based associations, with little attention paid to underlying processes. Offshoring's recent focus on higher-order goals – such as innovation, flexibility, and strategic concerns – suggests the need for a comprehensive framework with a stronger understanding of relationships, how they are assessed, and how culture influences this process. Thus, we hope to inform the offshoring literature by developing an offshoring model that is firmly grounded in theory and rich enough to illustrate how, when, and why culture affects offshoring partnerships.
Agent script generation using descriptive text documents

When designing games, artists exert large efforts to create visually compelling scenes. Work such as WordsEye [Coyne and Sproat 2001] can assist artists by parsing natural language texts into static scenes. Complementary to this endeavour is the population of that environment by simulation authors. Adding agents to an environment with plausible behaviors is a time consuming process, as most require individual scripts to control their behavior. This generally degrades variability, as scripts are re-used. In order to assist in creating commands and scenes for virtual actors, we propose a method that can create scripts for agents to plausibly act within a virtual environment. This work is inspired by [Ma 2006], which provides an action to a virtual agent from a single sentence. However, our method works for several agents over longer periods of time.
The evolution of outpatient commitment in the USA: from conundrum to quagmire.

Outpatient commitment (OPC), a major form of involuntary community-based treatment, has evolved in the United States on a state-by-state basis amidst a storm of controversy. The polarizing debate that has gone on intensely about OPC for the last two decades has all too often been devoid of data. This article reviews the various arguments pro and con about OPC, and then examines the research on the effectiveness of OPC. Since the newest data seem to support OPC as a useful tool in dealing with specific subpopulations of persons with chronic mental illness, the paper examines the question of whether OPC is a legitimate use of government power. The most extensive analysis of this question to date has occurred in the New York State Courts which have supported the New York State OPC statute, Kendra’s Law. The paper concludes with an examination of the future of OPC in the states, calling in particular for further research into the question of determining to whom, from a clinical point of view, should OPC be delivered.
Strange dibaryon production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We review theoretical predictions for the mass spectrum of strange dibaryons, with emphasis onS=−2 states. In a version of the Callen-Klebanov model applied to dibaryons, the lowest-lying configuration is anSU(3) flavor {10*} withJπ=0+ and isospinI=1, in contrast to the six-quark (Q6) bag model, which yields the H dibaryon (flavor {1},Jπ=0+,I=0) as the lowestS=−2 excitation. Possible experimental consequences of this different level order are discussed. For the H, we discuss formation rates in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. For Brookhaven AGS energies (15 GeV/A), we find a rate of order 10−2 H’s per central collision. Since the H is produced in a high-multiplicity environment in heavy-ion collisions, its detection poses a problem. Several possible detection schemes for the H are investigated. These include studies of weak decays (Σ− p «vees»), diffractive dissociation (Hp→ΛΛp→3p+2π−) and nuclear fragments with anomalous charge/mass ratios.
From heaven to hell: The representation of the ThyssenKrupp tragedy in contemporary Italian documentary film-making

ABSTRACTThis essay focuses on the following documentaries: Simona Ercolani's La classe operaia va all'inferno/The Working Class Goes to Hell (2008), Pietro Balla and Monica Repetto's ThyssenKrupp Blues (2008) and Mimmo Calopresti's La fabbrica dei tedeschi/The Germans' Factory (2008). The three works portray what happened inside the ThyssenKrupp plant in Turin on 6 December 2007, when seven steel factory workers died after a deadly fire. To properly examine these documentaries, and to better account for their structural organization and narrative strategies, I employ Bill Nichols' theory on the different modes of representation in documentary film-making as discussed in his Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary. Following Nichols theory, I classify Ercolani's documentary as expository, Balla and Repetto's as observational and Calopresti's as interactive.
Reconstruction and Use of Microbial Metabolic Networks: the Core Escherichia coli Metabolic Model as an Educational Guide

Biochemical network reconstructions have become popular tools in systems biology. Metabolicnetwork reconstructions are biochemically, genetically, and genomically (BiGG) structured databases of biochemical reactions and metabolites. They contain information such as exact reaction stoichiometry, reaction reversibility, and the relationships between genes, proteins, and reactions. Network reconstructions have been used extensively to study the phenotypic behavior of wild-type and mutant stains under a variety of conditions, linking genotypes with phenotypes. Such phenotypic simulations have allowed for the prediction of growth after genetic manipulations, prediction of growth phenotypes after adaptive evolution, and prediction of essential genes. Additionally, because network reconstructions are organism specific, they can be used to understand differences between organisms of species in a functional context.There are different types of reconstructions representing various types of biological networks (metabolic, regulatory, transcription/translation). This chapter serves as an introduction to metabolic and regulatory network reconstructions and models and gives a complete description of the core Escherichia coli metabolic model. This model can be analyzed in any computational format (such as MATLAB or Mathematica) based on the information given in this chapter. The core E. coli model is a small-scale model that can be used for educational purposes. It is meant to be used by senior undergraduate and first-year graduate students learning about constraint-based modeling and systems biology. This model has enough reactions and pathways to enable interesting and insightful calculations, but it is also simple enough that the results of such calculations can be understoodeasily.
THz Hot-Electron Micro-Bolometer Based on Low-Mobility 2-DEG in GaN Heterostructure

We present the results on design, fabrication, and characterization of a hot-electron bolometer based on low-mobility 2-D electron gas (2-DEG) in an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure. The characterization of our hot-electron bolometers demonstrates that the following can be achieved simultaneously: 1) strong coupling to incident THz radiation due to strong Drude absorption; 2) significant THz heating of 2-DEG due to the small value of the electron heat capacity; and 3) high responsivity due to the strong temperature dependence of 2-DEG resistance. Low contact resistance achieved in our devices ensures that THz radiation couples primarily to the 2-DEG. Due to a small electron momentum relaxation time, the real part of the 2-DEG sensor impedance is ~50-100 Ω, which provides good impedance matching between sensors and antennas. The room temperature responsivity of our devices reaches ~0.04 A/W at 2.55 THz along with a noise equivalent power of ~5 nW/Hz1/2.
Reply to "Comment on 'Metal-insulator transition in random superconducting networks' "

We address the remarks of Dominguez, Lopez, and Simonin (Phys. Rev.B 42, 8665 (1990); preceding paper) on the determination of the normal-to-superconducting ({ital N}-{ital S}) phase boundary in randomsuperconducting networks. We refute their claims that the disappearanceof the fine structure of the {ital N}-{ital S} boundary and the change of the critical exponent {ital k} for the slope of the critical field on({ital p}-{ital p}{sub {ital c}}) are due to the introduction of very weak links between nodes in the superconducting networks.
Multiscale analysis of material damage in civil structure using embedded micro sensors

Research and development related to homeland security has emerged as one of the most challenging topics nationwide in the recent few years. Effective structural health monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis are of great importance for the safety and reliability analysis for civil infrastructural systems. While the technologies of sensor-arrays embedded in host structures are widely employed for structural health monitoring, the key issue is how to set-up a physics-based model framework and its corresponding efficient algorithm to evaluate the quality of the host structures through the output of the sensors. It is a frontal interdisciplinary topic bridging the microstructural damage mechanics and signal estimation theory. By employing a multi-scale constitutive model of solids with damage, this paper conducts an exploratory research on the modeling and algorithm of estimating the mean value of crack density and the distribution of crack orientation of a cracked plate subjected to unidirectional tension. Simulation results reveal that the framework and algorithm provide a reasonable performance in recovering crack orientation.
Ozone--from environmental pollutant to atherogenic determinant.

A recent study shows that atherosclerotic plaques can generate ozone and that ozone may oxidize low-density lipoprotein — thus raising the possibility of new biomarkers for atherosclerosis.
Shooting methods for numerical solutions of exact controllability problems constrained by linear and semilinear wave equations with local distributed controls

Numerical solutions of exact controllability problems for linear and semilinear wave equations with distributed controls are studied. Exact controllability problems can be solved by the corresponding optimal control problems. The optimal control problem is reformulated as a system of equations (an optimality system) that consists of an initial value problem for the underlying (linear or semilinear) wave equation and a terminal value problem for the adjoint wave equation. The discretized optimality system is solved by a shooting method. The convergence properties of the numerical shooting method in the context of exact controllability are illustrated through computational experiments.
In vitro reduction of tetrazolium indicators by sulfhydryl compounds.

There was considerable variation between the sulfhydryl induced in vitro reduction of the oxidation-reduction indicators (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, 2,3-diphenyl 5-methyl tetrazolium chloride, neotetrazolium chloride, neotetrazolium phosphate-2B, blue tetrazolium, tetrazolium violet, potassium tellurite, methylene blue, and resazurin). The neotetrazolium salts and potassium tellurite showed the greatest reducing activity. The reduction of the indicators by oxidized sulfhydryl compounds in the presence of potassium cyanide closely paralleled the reduction of the sarrte indicators by reduced sulfhydryl compounds. Iodoacetamide was the most effective sulfhydryl inhibitor as demonstrated by indicator reduction.