cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality of Personal Computer Work Settings: Assessment In Facilities With Decentralized Control

The use of personal computers is increasing dramatically, and the users are the primary ones who are creating the work settings, particularly in organizations that practice decentralized control of facilities. This is a study of the quality of work settings being created in a typical organization which practices decentralized control (i.e., Cornell University). Data on personal computer use patterns, fit between use patterns and work settings, and process for creating work settings were collected using a questionnaire, informal interviews and photo documentation. A total of sixty personal computer work settings were surveyed. The findings show that the majority of work settings are prepared by the individual or group using the computer, and that most of these settings conflict with, rather than support, the use of computers. The findings from the survey clearly indicate a responsibility on the part of the interior designer in facilitating user control in the work setting. The findings have implications for interior design education and practice.
The relationships between adult attachment, theoretical orientation, and therapist-reported alliance quality among licensed psychologists.

AbstractObjective: Attachment anxiety has been depicted as an undesirable therapist characteristic based on findings that preoccupied therapists, relative to those with other attachment styles, report more ruptures in the therapeutic alliance. What has not been considered, however, is the extent to which attachment dynamics are related to theoretical orientations and how attachment styles and theoretical orientations combine to predict therapists' perceptions of the quality of their alliances. Method: The present surveyed 290 licensed psychologists nationally. Results: Results revealed that even within a sample of primarily secure psychologists, higher 15 levels of attachment anxiety correlated positively with the endorsement of psychodynamic orientations, and negatively with the endorsement of cognitive-behavioral orientations and self-reported alliance quality. Endorsement of cognitive-behavioral orientations, in turn, correlated positively with therapist-reported alliance quality. Conclusion: The resul...
Water pollution-criminal and civil liability

Water pollution is an area causing much concern at the moment. In this article, Karl Jackson discusses the current law regarding criminal and civil liability for the pollution of water.
Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Optical and Magnetic Properties of Some CsLnCoQ 3 Compounds (Ln Tm and Yb, Q S; Ln Ho and Yb, Q Se)

The four new compounds CsTmCoS3, CsYbCoS3, CsHoCoSe3, and CsYbCoSe3 have been synthesized at 1123 K. These black-colored isostructural compounds crystallize in the KZrCuS3 structure type with four formula units in space group Cmcm of the orthorhombic system. The structure of these com- pounds is composed of 2 (LnCoQ3 ) layers separated by Cs atoms. Because there are no QQ bonds, the formal oxidation states of Cs/Ln/Co/Q are 1/3/2/2, respectively. CsHoCoSe3 shows
Reinventing Human Resource Development: Unintended Consequences of Clinton Administration Reforms

Abstract Many Clinton–Gore government reform initiatives focused on federal training. The reforms were intended to make training a more flexible management tool and give line managers more authority for employee development and training. Under political directives, a number of changes were undertaken simultaneously without adequate monitoring to evaluate their impact on agency performance. Many changes had unintended, negative consequences. When reinvention efforts ended in 2000, federal training programs did not work better and cost less and, in fact, the opposite was true and many problems remained unsolved.
“General Hospital”: Using Skit-Writing and Role-Playing to Teach Pathogenesis

Creative writing and role-playing may help students retain course information and expand their knowledge on how topics addressed in pathogenesis are related to each other. In the ”General Hospital” assignment, students form groups to write and present a skit based on the pathogenesis of an infectious disease — leading the audience through an educational, albeit entertaining, piece related to many topics in microbiology. This four-to-six week assignment (from introduction to presentation of skits) provides students with an outlet to (1) write an entertaining scenario about topics in pathogenesis, and (2) present the information to the audience in a very natural yet accurate way.
In vitro expressed dystrophin fragments do not associate with each other

Dystrophin, a component of the muscle membrane cytoskeleton, is the protein altered in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). Dystrophin shares significant homology with other cytoskeletal proteins, such as α-actinin and spectrin. On the basis of its sequence similarity with α-actinin and spectrin, dystrophin has been proposed to function as dimer. However, the existence of both dimers and monomers have been observed by electron microscopy. To address this apparent discrepancy, we expressed dystrophin fragments composed of different domains in an in vitro translation system. The expressed fragments were tested for their ability to interact with each other and full-length dystrophin by both immunoprecipitation and blot overlay assays. These assays were successfully used to demonstrate the dimerization of α-actinin and spectrin, yet failed to detect any interaction between dystrophin fragments. Although these in vitro results do not prove that dystrophin is not a dimer in vivo, they do indicate that this interaction is not like that of the α-actinin and spectrin.
TU-C-141-11: Dosimetric Consequences of Deformable Image Registration Errors for Lung SBRT Patients

Purpose: To quantify the consequence of deformable image registration (DIR) errors on the total dose calculated for lung SBRT patients. Methods: 4DCT images were acquired from three lung SBRT patients who had lesions in the upper, middle and lower lobes of lungs. From their end‐inhale (EI) CT image, finite element models were developed to generate different sets of displacement vector fields (FEM‐DVFs). With these DVFs, mid‐and end‐exhale (EE) phase images were created from the EI images using a subvoxel‐based, mass mapping method. The simulated images were registered to the EI image using Elastix software, and the resultant DVFs were compared with the FEM‐DVFs to quantify registration errors at each image voxel. IMRT plans were developed with Pinnacle on simulated maximum intensity projection (MIP) images, and recalculated on each simulated phase image. The resultant dose was warped back to the EI image using both FEM and Elastix DVFs. Relative dose error was quantified via the difference between the two warped doses divided by the prescribed target dose. The dosimetric impact index was then calculated as the ratio of the relative dose error to the registration displacement error at each image voxel. Results: The mean registration errors evaluated in PTV for the three patients were 1.6, 1.9 and 1.7 mm, and their corresponding dosimetric impact indices were 4.2, 6.1 and 4.9%, respectively. The dosimetric impact indices averaged in PTV, ITV, lung and patient volume for these patients were 5.1, 4.4, 0.4 and 0.7%, and their corresponding standard deviations were 8.1, 7.0, 3.3 and 4.3%, respectively. Conclusion: The impact of DIR errors on dose accumulation has been quantified with patient‐specific FEM‐based breathing models. The dosimetric impact indices derived could help assess the quality of dose mapping for lung SBRT patients. The research was supported by NIH/NCI R01CA140341.
Effects of a weight maintenance diet on bulimic symptoms in adolescent girls: an experimental test of the dietary restraint theory.

It is widely accepted that dieting increases the risk for bulimic nervosa, but there have been few experimental tests of this theory. We conducted a randomized experiment with adolescent girls (N=188) to examine the effects of a weight maintenance diet on bulimic symptoms. A manipulation check verified that the diet intervention resulted in weight maintenance and significantly reduced the risk for obesity onset and weight gain observed in assessment-only controls. As hypothesized, the diet intervention resulted in significantly greater decreases in bulimic symptoms and negative affect than observed in controls. These experimental findings, which converge with those from a weight loss diet experiment, appear antithetical to dietary restraint theory and suggest instead that dietary restriction curbs bulimic symptoms.
Utility of minor ultrasonographic markers in the prediction of abnormal fetal karyotype at a prenatal diagnostic center.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the value of minor ultrasonographic markers in predicting significant karyotypic abnormalities. Study Design: A total of 2743 fetuses (14-24 weeks' gestation) prospectively underwent a detailed ultrasonographic survey before genetic amniocentesis. Criteria for 8 minor ultrasonographic markers were established. Odds ratios for significant karyotypic abnormalities in the presence of minor ultrasonographic markers were calculated with the χ 2 and Fisher exact tests. Results: Of the fetuses, 14.6% had a single minor ultrasonographic marker, 2.1% had ≥2 minor ultrasonographic markers, and 2.7% had ≥1 major ultrasonographic abnormality. One hundred four fetuses (3.8%) had an abnormal karyotype. Compared with a normal ultrasonographic examination result a single minor ultrasonographic marker increased the risk of karyotypic abnormality 5.7-fold (95% confidence interval, 3.5-9.3), whereas multiple minor markers increased the risk of an abnormal karyotype 12-fold (95% confidence interval, 5.5-26.5). When they were identified ultrasonographically in isolation, echogenic bowel, 2-vessel umbilical cord, echogenic intracardiac foci, choroidal separation, and choroid plexus cysts were statistically associated with an abnormal karyotype. When minor markers were identified in clusters of ≥2, echogenic bowel, short femur, 2-vessel umbilical cord, echogenic intracardiac foci, and mild ventriculomegaly were significantly predictive of karyotypic abnormality. With respect to the a priori aneuploidy risk of 1:26 and the a priori Down syndrome risk of 1:50, a normal ultrasonographic examination result reduced the risks to 1:67 and 1:120, respectively. The use of minor ultrasonographic markers in addition to major ultrasonographic abnormalities increased the detection of karyotypic abnormality from 27.9% to 68.3%. For trisomy 21 the sensitivity rose from 16.4% to 67.3%. Conclusions: Significant karyotypic abnormality risk assessment by ultrasonography was greatly enhanced by the addition of minor ultrasonographic markers. Further, clusters of minor ultrasonographic markers greatly increased the likelihood of karyotypic abnormality compared with a single minor marker. A completely normal ultrasonographic examination result reduced the risk of an abnormal karyotype by 62%. Inclusion of minor ultrasonographic markers in the genetic sonogram in a high-risk population will allow the detection of 68% of fetuses with karyotypic abnormalities with a false-positive rate of 17%. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:898-903.)
Selling perestroika and new thinking to Southeast Asia: Gorbachev at his persuasive best

Abstract This article examines the Gorbachev regime's strategies in reorienting Soviet foreign policy toward the nations of Southeast Asia. It reviews and evaluates the tactics of public diplomacy and persuasion which Gorbachev and his advisers utilized extensively in their attempt to construct a new Soviet agenda toward Southeast Asia.
Backcasting U.S. oil demand over a turbulent decade

Abstract This paper compares 10-year backcast projections of U.S. petroleum consumption for the 2000–2009 period based upon a range of functional forms. Although a univariate specification based upon only lagged consumption performed better than most approaches, it provides little value to the policymaker who wants to understand the factors that influence oil consumption and by how much. One structural approach performed considerably better than all other approaches including the univariate model. This specification is the autoregressive distributed lag (ADL) model that allowed oil demand to respond differently (asymmetrically) to price increases and decreases. Certain forms of this equation, however, do well while others perform poorly. Evaluations of backcast projections over different periods and updated frequently can be important byproducts of energy modeling.
THEORY OF REGGEIZED BOOTSTRAPS

Using a representation for the partial-wave $S$ matrix developed recently by the authors, a representation for the total scattering amplitude is constructed with Regge trajectories as the sole input. The resulting representation has the following properties regardless of the number of trajectories included: (a) It has the correct analytic structure; namely, the double spectral function is nonvanishing in a region bounded by the curved boundaries implied by the Mandelstam representation. (b) It is unitary. (c) It gives the correct threshold behavior for both the real and the imaginary parts of the total amplitude. (d) It converges rapidly. A potential theory example is worked out explicitly and with one trajectory input, numerically an excellent agreement with the exact result for the total amplitude is obtained. The representation is then generalized to the relativistic case. Invoking crossing, a set of relatively simple bootstrap equations is obtained for a self-consistent determination of the Regge trajectories. Also, an alternative procedure is proposed which imposes approximate crossing symmetry in the unphysical region to determine the Regge parameters. The latter method is operationally more attractive since it obviates solving any dispersion integrals, and also has the added advantage of avoiding inelasticity. Finally, in this method, no statements (or approximations) regarding the $I=2$ channel need be made, since the latter can be eliminated from the appropriate crossing relation.
Contribution of disc degeneration to osteophyte formation in the cervical spine: a biomechanical investigation

Cervical spine disorders such as spondylotic radiculopathy and myelopathy are often related to osteophyte formation. Bone remodeling experimental-analytical studies have correlated biomechanical responses such as stress and strain energy density to the formation of bony outgrowth. Using these responses of the spinal components, the present study was conducted to investigate the basis for the occurrence of disc-related pathological conditions. An anatomically accurate and validated intact finite element model of the C4-C5-C6 cervical spine was used to simulate progressive disc degeneration at the C5-C6 level. Slight degeneration included an alteration of material properties of the nucleus pulposus representing the dehydration process. Moderate degeneration included an alteration of fiber content and material properties of the anulus fibrosus representing the disintegrated nature of the anulus in addition to dehydrated nucleus. Severe degeneration included decrease in the intervertebral disc height with dehydrated nucleus and disintegrated anulus. The intact and three degenerated models were exercised under compression, and the overall force-displacement response, local segmental stiffness, anulus fiber strain, disc bulge, anulus stress, load shared by the disc and facet joints, pressure in the disc, facet and uncovertebral joints, and strain energy density and stress in the vertebral cortex were determined. The overall stiffness (C4-C6) increased with the severity of degeneration. The segmental stiffness at the degenerated level (C5-C6) increased with the severity of degeneration. Intervertebral disc bulge and anulus stress and strain decreased at the degenerated level. The strain energy density and stress in vertebral cortex increased adjacent to the degenerated disc. Specifically, the anterior region of the cortex responded with a higher increase in these responses. The increased strain energy density and stress in the vertebral cortex over time may induce the remodeling process according to Wolff's law, leading to the formation of osteophytes.
CONDITIONED NALORPHINE-INDUCED ABSTINENCE CHANGES: PERSISTENCE IN POST MORPHINE-DEPENDENT MONKEYS1

Every tenth lever-press of three morphine-dependent rhesus monkeys was reinforced with food. A red light, initially a neutral stimulus, was presented every third or fourth session for 5 min before and 5 min after an intravenous injection of nalorphine, a morphine antagonist that produces an immediate abstinence syndrome in morphine-dependent monkeys. After several pairings, conditioned suppression of lever pressing, heart-rate decrease, vomiting, and excessive salivation were observed during the red-light period before nalorphine injection. No conditioned electrocardiogram, respiration or temperature changes occurred. After 10 red light-nalorphine pairings, morphine administration was completely discontinued and monkeys were then tested monthly for persistence of the conditioned responses. The red light paired with saline injection continued to suppress lever pressing and to produce heart-rate decreases after 60 to 120 days of complete abstinence from morphine. Subsequently, daily presentations of the red light-saline injection complex rapidly extinguished these conditioned responses. Nevertheless, they could be rapidly reinstated by additional nalorphine injections.
Calibration Integral Equation Method for Two-Probe Inverse Heat Conduction Analysis

A s = constant, K a = thickness, m B s = constant, K b = probe position, m c = probe position, m cp = specific heat capacity, kJ∕ kg · K f = arbitrary function fn = arbitrary functions (n is 1, 2, 3) fq = flux boundary condition, W∕m fT = temperature boundary condition, K fθ = temperature boundary condition, K g = arbitrary function hq = flux calibration forcing function, s 2 · K · W∕m hθ = reduced-temperature calibration forcing function, s · K · W∕m Kq = flux calibration kernel, s · K 2
Expression of sarcomeric myosin in the presumptive myocardium of chicken embryos occurs within six hours of myocyte commitment

The distribution of sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MyHC) has been examined immunocytochemically in the presumptive myocardial cells of chicken embryos (stages 6-10) prior to the onset of the heart beat. Embryos were stained with monoclonal antibody MF20, a reagent which recognizes all chicken sarcomeric MyHCs (Bader et al., 1982), and then examined both in whole mount by immunofluorescence and in semithin, plastic-embedded sections following immunoperoxidase labeling. We observed that myosin could be detected as early as stage 7 (0-2 pairs of somites) in 29% of the 31 embryos examined, and by stage 8 (4 pairs of somites) more than 80% of the embryos were MF20+. Every embryo with 5 pairs of somites (stage 8+) labeled strongly with MF20. Labeling was first detected at stage 7 to 7+ as a diffuse fluorescent signal within pleomorphic cells of the splanchnic mesoderm located in two crescent-shaped regions bordering each side of the anterior intestinal portal (AIP). With progressive development, the two crescent-shaped regions merged at the apex of the AIP, and as the two heart tubes began fusion at stage 9, the MyHC+ regions extended cranially and medially. By somite stages 9-10, the myosin-positive cells completely encircled the heart tube. From stages 7 to 9 the myosin signal had no sarcomeric distribution; i.e., there were no MyHC striations nor periodic repeats evident in the presumptive myocytes until late stage 9 and stage 10. Semithin sections revealed that myosin was first distributed in apical regions of the myocytes, adjacent to the pericardial coelom. The implications of these findings for myocyte determination, differentiation and morphogenesis are discussed.
Temporal variability and coherence of euphotic zone bacterial communities over a decade in the Southern California Bight.

Time-series are critical to understanding long-term natural variability in the oceans. Bacterial communities in the euphotic zone were investigated for over a decade at the San Pedro Ocean Time-series station (SPOT) off southern California. Community composition was assessed by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) and coupled with measurements of oceanographic parameters for the surface ocean (0–5 m) and deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM, average depth ∼30 m). SAR11 and cyanobacterial ecotypes comprised typically more than one-third of the measured community; diversity within both was temporally variable, although a few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were consistently more abundant. Persistent OTUs, mostly Alphaproteobacteria (SAR11 clade), Actinobacteria and Flavobacteria, tended to be abundant, in contrast to many rarer yet intermittent and ephemeral OTUs. Association networks revealed potential niches for key OTUs from SAR11, cyanobacteria, SAR86 and other common clades on the basis of robust correlations. Resilience was evident by the average communities drifting only slightly as years passed. Average Bray-Curtis similarity between any pair of dates was ∼40%, with a slight decrease over the decade and obvious near-surface seasonality; communities 8–10 years apart were slightly more different than those 1–4 years apart with the highest rate of change at 0–5 m between communities <4 years apart. The surface exhibited more pronounced seasonality than the DCM. Inter-depth Bray-Curtis similarities repeatedly decreased as the water column stratified each summer. Environmental factors were better predictors of shifts in community composition than months or elapsed time alone; yet, the best predictor was community composition at the other depth (that is, 0–5 m versus DCM).
Current-Driven Oscillations and Time-Dependent Transport in Nanojunctions

Resonance inelastic conduction in molecular-scale electronics can be used to channel energy into a given mode of the molecular component to generate a desired motion. Dependence of the conductance properties on the molecular configuration, in turn, leads to a time-modulated current whose temporal properties are subject to control. We use an ab initio nonequilibrium formalism and the example of $\mathrm{Au}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\mathrm{C}}_{60}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{Au}$ junctions to illustrate the strongly correlated phenomena of current-driven dynamics and time-dependent conductance in nanoelectronics, noting implications to, and potential applications in, several disciplines.
Comparison of fish toxicity screening data for 55 alcohols with the quantitative structure‐activity relationship predictions of minimum toxicity for nonreactive nonelectrolyte organic compounds

A comparison was made between the fish toxicity screening test results at concentrations of 5 to 10 mg/L and the LC50 values predicted by the narcotic quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) equation of Konemann for 55 alcohols containing no additional heteroatom functional groups. The majority of the QSAR-predicted toxicities are consistent with the test data. The results for two chemicals predicted to be toxic but showing no effects were explained by a water solubility cutoff. Five chemicals exhibited toxicity at concentrations 20 to more than 10,000 times below those predicted. Four of these contained a double or triple bond attached to a carbon atom bearing a primary or secondary alcohol moiety. Their toxicity was explained by a proposed pro-electrophile mechanism in which an electrophilic toxicant is produced metabolically by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.
Constraints on the agentless passive

This paper is a quantitative study of the factors that determine the selection of passive constructions over active ones by English speakers. By examining a large body of passives used in spontaneous speech, together with the sentences that show an opposing choice, we are able to throw light on the crucial question of which syntactic and which semantic features of the environment act to constrain the choice and whether syntactic or semantic factors predominate in this case. In the course of the analysis, we will also have something to say about the social factors that have been reported to determine the use of the passive.
Black Workers in the Export Years: Latin America, 1880-1930

Some fifteen years ago in these pages, Emilia Viotti da Costa noted a characteristic of Brazilian labor historiography that she could have applied to Latin America as a whole. “Historians rarely mention blacks or mulattoes…Clearly there is here a problem that deserves more attention. What role did blacks play in the working class? How did they relate to immigrants and vice-versa?… These are some questions waiting for answers.”
Verifiable Fine-Grained Top-k Queries in Tiered Sensor Networks

Most large-scale sensor networks are expected to follow a two-tier architecture with resource-poor sensor nodes at the lower tier and resource-rich master nodes at the upper tier. Master nodes collect data from sensor nodes and then answer the queries from the network owner on their behalf. In hostile environments, master nodes may be compromised by the adversary and then instructed to return fake and/or incomplete data in response to data queries. Such application-level attacks are more harmful and difficult to detect than blind DoS attacks on network communications, especially when the query results are the basis for making critical decisions such as military actions. This paper presents three schemes whereby the network owner can verify the authenticity and completeness of fine-grained top-k query results in tired sensor networks, which is the first work of its kind. The proposed schemes are built upon symmetric cryptographic primitives and force compromised master nodes to return both authentic and complete top-k query results to avoid being caught. Detailed theoretical and quantitative results confirm the high efficacy and efficiency of the proposed schemes.
Correlation between asparaginase sensitivity and asparagine synthetase protein content, but not mRNA, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines.

Background Asparaginase (ASNase) is an essential component of most treatment protocols for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Although increased asparagine synthetase (ASNS) expression may contribute to ASNase resistance, there is conflicting data from patient samples with regard to correlation between ASNS mRNA content and ASNase sensitivity. Procedure Both T-cell and B-cell derived ALL cell lines were treated with ASNase and then monitored for cell proliferation, cell death, and ASNS mRNA and protein expression. Results Despite elevated ASNS mRNA following ASNase treatment, different ALL cell lines varied widely in translation to ASNS protein. Although ASNS mRNA levels did not consistently reflect ASNase sensitivity, there was an inverse correlation between ASNS protein and ASNase-induced cell death. Expression of ASNS in an ASNase-sensitive cell line resulted in enhanced ASNase resistance, and conversely, siRNA-mediated inhibition of ASNS expression promoted increased drug sensitivity. Conclusions These observations provide an explanation for the ASNase sensitivity of ALL cells and demonstrate the importance of measuring ASNS protein rather than mRNA in predicting ASNase responsiveness. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:274–279. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Physical attributes of some clouds amid a forest ecosystem's trees

Simultaneous physical and chemical characteristics of clouds amid and above the trees of a montane forest, located about 3.3 km southwest of Mt. Mitchell, NC, were collected between 13 and 22 June 1993. This paper summarizes the chemical characteristics of the cloud droplets amid the trees. The ionic composition and pH of the analyzed amid-canopy cloud water samples are generally consistent with those of previous above-canopy cloud water samples obtained at this site. Magnesium, sodium, and calcium are highly correlated to each other amid the canopy as compared to above the canopy. Above-canopy and amid-canopy cloud-only episodes, with concurrent event-averaged cloud water pH values at or below 3.1, generally contain more magnesium, sodium, and calcium in the amid-canopy cloud water samples compared to concurrent above-canopy cloud water samples. The observed chemical differences between the amid-canopy cloud and the above-canopy cloud suggest an unhealthier environment for the tree canopy when the cloud water traversing this site has a pH value at or below 3.1. The predominant ion deposition fluxes were calculated to provide preliminary data for studies designed to explicitly quantify how the chemical composition of cloud water affects tree health.
On Dynamics and Control of Multi-Link Flexible Manipulators

This paper presents solutions of dynamics, inverse dynamics, and control problems of multi-link flexible manipulators. In deriving the manipulator dynamics, flexible deformations are assumed to be small in relation to the link length, angular rates of the links are assumed to be much smaller than their fundamental frequencies, and nonlinear terms (centrifugal and Coriolis forces) in the flexible manipulator model are assumed to be the same as those in the rigid body model. Flexible displacements are measured with respect to the rigid body configuration, obtained from its rigid body inverse kinematics. As a result, a linear time-varying system is obtained. The inverse dynamics problem consists of determination of joint torques for a given tip trajectory such that joint angles in the flexible configuration are equal to the angles in the rigid body configuration. The manipulator control system consists of the feedforward compensation and feedback control loops. Simulation results of a two-link space crane with a large payload show that the performance of this linearized dynamics and control approach is accurate, and at the same time is robust when subjected to parameter variations during slew operations.
Particle size and monomer partitioning in microemulsion polymerization. 2. Online small angle neutron scattering studies

Polymerization of n-hexyl methacrylate (C 6 MA) in aqueous microemulsions made with mixed dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) surfactants yields very small (∼30 nm) latex particles of high molecular weight polymer. The results of an online small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiment have verified some of the assumptions of a simple but accurate kinetic model that has been recently proposed for aqueous microemulsion polymerization. The SANS results also support the predictions of an analytical model that describes the evolution of the chain length and particle size distribution throughout the polymerization. During the microemulsion polymerization of C 6 MA, the monomer does not significantly swell the polymer particles. A model of the reacting particle as a polymer core surrounded by a monomer-rich shell is consistent with both the kinetic and SANS data if the monomer concentration in the shell is equal to that in the core of the swollen micelles.
Photon-photon absorption of very high energy gamma rays from microquasars : Application to LS 5039

Very high energy (VHE) γ-rays have recently been detected from the Galactic black hole candidate and microquasar LS 5039. A plausible site for the production of these VHE γ-rays is the region close to the base of the mildly relativistic outflow. However, at distances comparable to the binary separation, the intense photon field of the stellar companion leads to substantial γγ absorption of VHE γ-rays. If the system is viewed at a substantial inclination (i ≠ 0), this absorption feature will be modulated on the orbital period of the binary as a result of a phase-dependent stellar-radiation intensity and pair-production threshold. We apply our results to LS 5039 and find that (1) γγ absorption effects will be substantial if the photon production site is located at a distance from the central compact object of the order of the binary separation (≈ 2.5 × 1012 cm) or less; (2) the γγ absorption depth will be largest at a few hundred GeV, leading to a characteristic absorption trough; (3) the γγ absorption feature will be strongly modulated on the orbital period, characterized by a spectral hardening accompanying periodic dips of the VHE γ-ray flux; and (4) γ-rays can escape virtually unabsorbed, even from within ≈1012 cm, when the star is located behind the production site as seen by the observer.
Transport rates of proteins in porous materials with known microgeometry.

Many biological and biotechnological systems involve the diffusion of macromolecules through complicated macroporous (pore size on the order of 10–100 microns) environments. In this report, we present and evaluate an experimental system for measuring the rate of protein transport in an inert, macroporous membrane. For this particular membrane system, the microgeometry was characterized in terms of distribution of pore size, position, and orientation. Although the rate of protein desorption was much less than expected based on continuum diffusion models, we demonstrate that the measured transport rates are consistent with diffusion of protein in a complex, interconnected network of water-filled pores. The porous systems exhibit transitional behavior in quantitative agreement with the behavior of percolation lattices (mean square error 7%, n = 29). Predictive mathematical models of the diffusion process were developed: these models used percolation concepts to describe pore topology, continuum models of diffusion/dissolution to describe protein movement at each single pore, and measured pore size distributions. Effective diffusion coefficients for protein transport in aqueous, constricted macropores were predicted by this technique. Predicted diffusion coefficients, based on measured and derived microstructural parameters, agree with experimentally measured diffusion coefficients within a factor of 2. This approach may be useful in the design of porous polymer systems for biological applications and for evaluating other biological systems where conduction of mass, heat, momentum, or charge occurs in a heterogeneous environment.
Dynein Antagonizes Eg5 by Crosslinking and Sliding Antiparallel Microtubules

Mitotic spindle assembly requires the combined activity of various molecular motor proteins, including Eg5 and dynein. Together, these motors generate antagonistic forces during mammalian bipolar spindle assembly; what remains unknown, however, is how these motors are functionally coordinated such that antagonism is possible. Given that Eg5 generates an outward force by crosslinking and sliding apart antiparallel microtubules (MTs), we explored the possibility that dynein generates an inward force by likewise sliding antiparallel MTs. We reasoned that antiparallel overlap, and therefore the magnitude of a dynein-mediated force, would be inversely proportional to the initial distance between centrosomes. To capitalize on this relationship, we utilized a nocodazole washout assay to mimic spindle assembly. We found that Eg5 inhibition led to either monopolar or bipolar spindle formation, depending on whether centrosomes were initially separated by less than or greater than 5.5 microm, respectively. Mathematical modeling predicted this same spindle bistability in the absence of functional Eg5 and required dynein acting on antiparallel MTs to do so. Our results suggest that dynein functionally coordinates with Eg5 by crosslinking and sliding antiparallel MTs, a novel role for dynein within the framework of spindle assembly.
Power ICs in the saddle

Improving the voltage, current, and switching capabilities of power electronics devices makes for more efficient control of power and energy. Interface with microprocessors for protection from unfriendly environments is also an asset. The author discusses the development of power electronic devices using MOSFETs, insulated gate transistors, and MOS controlled thyristors. The future of SiC based devices is also discussed. >
Olfactory Coding: Tagging and Tuning Odor-Activated Synapses for Memory

A recent study in the locust olfactory system shows how neuromodulators can alter the rules of synaptic plasticity to form associative memories through the use of ‘tagged’ synapses.
Reconstruction and Comparison of the Metabolic Potential of Cyanobacteria Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Cyanobacteria are an important group of photoautotrophic organisms that can synthesize valuable bio-products by harnessing solar energy. They are endowed with high photosynthetic efficiencies and diverse metabolic capabilities that confer the ability to convert solar energy into a variety of biofuels and their precursors. However, less well studied are the similarities and differences in metabolism of different species of cyanobacteria as they pertain to their suitability as microbial production chassis. Here we assemble, update and compare genome-scale models (iCyt773 and iSyn731) for two phylogenetically related cyanobacterial species, namely Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. All reactions are elementally and charge balanced and localized into four different intracellular compartments (i.e., periplasm, cytosol, carboxysome and thylakoid lumen) and biomass descriptions are derived based on experimental measurements. Newly added reactions absent in earlier models (266 and 322, respectively) span most metabolic pathways with an emphasis on lipid biosynthesis. All thermodynamically infeasible loops are identified and eliminated from both models. Comparisons of model predictions against gene essentiality data reveal a specificity of 0.94 (94/100) and a sensitivity of 1 (19/19) for the Synechocystis iSyn731 model. The diurnal rhythm of Cyanothece 51142 metabolism is modeled by constructing separate (light/dark) biomass equations and introducing regulatory restrictions over light and dark phases. Specific metabolic pathway differences between the two cyanobacteria alluding to different bio-production potentials are reflected in both models.
Diversion Colitis: A Nutritional Deficiency Syndrome?

The dependence of cells of the colonic epithelium upon lumenal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) for some of their energy supply is well known. SCFA (mainly acetic, propionic, and n-butyric acids) comprise the predominant solutes in the aqueous phase of colonic contents and are produced by anaerobic bacterial fermentation of polysaccharides. Acetic acid is the principal fatty acid, but n-butyric acid is the preferred energy source for colonocytes, both in normal human colon and in colons of patients with ulcerative colitis. Four patients with diversion colitis, an inflammatory process in surgically excluded colon and rectum, were successfully treated by colonic instillation of a solution of mixed SCFA. This review examines the evidence that diversion colitis may be a new type of nutritional-deficiency syndrome based upon a local mucosal requirement for SCFA.
Diversifying Coevolution between Crossbills and Conifers

Coevolution between granivorous crossbills (Loxia spp.) and conifers has been a prominent process in the diversification of crossbills. A striking example occurs in western North America where coevolution between crossbills and Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta latifolia) is ongoing in isolated ranges without the crossbill’s dominant competitor for seeds, the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Preferential foraging by crossbills on lodgepole pine cones in the South Hills and Albion Mountains, two small mountain ranges in southern Idaho where red squirrels are absent, has led to the evolution of larger, thicker-scaled cones than in nearby ranges where red squirrels are present. This in turn has favored the evolution of larger-billed crossbills that have diverged from other crossbills in the region. However, such diversifying coevolution, resulting from geographic variation in the distribution of strongly interacting species, is vulnerable to species introductions. For example, the introduction of red squirrels caused the precipitous decline and perhaps extinction of the Newfoundland crossbill and perhaps a crossbill endemic to the Cypress Hills, Canada. In general, species introductions act to reduce the geographic variation in species interactions, which may be critical for the diversification of many taxa.
Biocompatible evaluation of barium titanate foamed ceramic structures for orthopedic applications

The potential of barium titanate (BT) to be electrically active makes it a material of interest in regenerative medicine. To enhance the understanding of this material for orthopedic applications, the in vitro biocompatibility of porous BT fabricated using a direct foaming technique was investigated. Characterization of the resultant foams yielded an overall porosity between 50 and 70% with average pore size in excess of 30 µm in diameter. A mouse osteoblast (7F2) cell line was cultured with the BT to determine the extent of the foams' toxicity using a LDH assay. After 72 h, BT foams showed a comparable cytotoxicity of 6.4 ± 0.8% to the 8.4 ± 1.5% of porous 45S5 Bioglass®. The in vitro inflammatory response elicited from porous BT was measured as a function of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) secreted from a human monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1). Results indicate that the BT foams do not cause a significant inflammatory response, eliciting a 9.4 ± 1.3 pg of TNF-α per mL of media compared with 20.2 ± 2.3 pg/mL from untreated cells. These results indicate that porous BT does not exhibit short term cytotoxicity and has potential for orthopedic tissue engineering applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2089–2095, 2014.
Assembly of high-anisotropy L10 FePt nanocomposite films

Abstract In this paper we report results on the synthesis and magnetic properties of L10 FePt nanocomposite films. Three fabrication methods have been developed to produce high-anisptropy FePt films: non-epitaxial growth of (0 0 1)-oriented FePt:X (X=Ag, C) composite films that might be used for perpendicular media; monodispersed FePt(CFx) core–shell nanocluster-assembled films grown with a gas-aggregation technique and having uniform cluster size and narrow size distribution; and template-mediated self-assembled FePt clusters prepared with chemical synthesis by a hydrogen reduction technique, which has a high potential for controlling both cluster size and orientation. The magnetic properties are controllable through variations in the nanocluster properties and nanostructure. Analytical and numerical simulations have been done for these films, providing better understanding of the magnetization reversal mechanisms. The films show promise for development as magnetic recording media at extremely high areal densities.
Entrepreneurship Research Today and Beyond: Hidden in Plain Sight!

The field of entrepreneurship and its research has reached an critical and invigorating juncture. Researchers are challenged to be comprehensive, varied, and innovative in their approaches to the s...
Washboards in unpaved highways as a complex dynamic system

We present a new model and results for simulation of washboards, or corrugations, in unpaved highways. Our review of published literature shows that the washboard phenomenon on unpaved highways is the result of dynamic interaction between vehicle wheels and road surface, affected by a number of nonlinear variables in the physical system. Rather than attempt to solve the system analytically, we define a set of simple, locally defined rules to describe (1) the wheel jump upon striking an irregularity on the roadway surface and (2) the resulting digging. We use a computer simulation to iterate a mapping algorithm to simulate the effect of multiple vehicles. Finally, we analyze the resulting simulated road surfaces for evidence of complexity using information entropy and chaotic analysis. This approach is able to explain several outstanding questions in the literature, including the irregularity of washboard geometry, the direction of washboard migration, and the determination of washboard pitch, or wavelength. The study also resulted in several observations that are commonly associated with complex dynamic systems, including pattern emergence, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, and for some simulations, evidence of spatial chaos. Our conclusion is that washboards in unpaved highways may be modeled as the manifestation of a complex dynamical system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Complexity 5: 51-60, 2000
Knowledge of the Female Athlete Triad, and Prevalence of Triad Risk Factors among Female High School Athletes and their Coaches

Abstract Study Objective This study aimed to determine awareness/knowledge of the Triad and its health implications among female high school athletes and their coaches, and to evaluate coaches' Triad screening/intervention practices. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Two high schools in the western United States. Participants Female athletes from a variety of sports (N = 240) ages 14-18 years and their coaches (N = 10). Intervention Participants completed surveys that assessed Triad knowledge and athlete Triad risk factors. Main Outcome Measures Frequency of responses to Triad knowledge, Triad risk factor, and Triad education/screening procedures questions; athlete summative knowledge score. Results Half (N = 120) of participants reported menstrual irregularity, and 42% (N = 101) had 2 or more Triad risk factors: past amenorrhea (N = 39), past stress fracture (N = 41), self-reported not eating enough (N = 53), underweight (BMI-for-age th percentile) (N = 10), pressure to be a certain weight (N = 143), and wanting to lose >10 pounds when self-reported weight was in a healthy range (N = 34). Average athlete Triad knowledge score was 2.97 ± 1.61 out of 8. Coach Triad knowledge was limited; however, most (9/10) were comfortable discussing menstruation with their athletes. Barriers to Triad screening/education were coaches' insufficient time, knowledge, and educational resources. Conclusion Triad risk factors were prevalent among athletes and coach and athlete Triad knowledge was low. Providing coaches with Triad screening/education training may increase Triad knowledge and decrease Triad risk among high school athletes.
A long thin mol­ecule, 2,6-di­methyl-6-tetra­decyl-2-tetra­decyl­oxy-1,3,6-­dioxazocan-6-ium iodide

An unusually long thin mol­ecule is found in the crystal structure of 2,6-di­methyl-6-tetra­decyl-2-tetra­decyl­oxy-1,3,6-dioxazocan-6-ium iodide, C35H72NO3+·I−. The length of the mol­ecule results from two extended tetra­decyl alkyl chains bonded to a central dioxazocine group. From H tip-to-tip it measures 40.336 (5) A. At its waist, the maximum dimension is 6.770 (3) A.
An induction linac injector for scaled experiments

An injector is being developed at LBL (Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory) that would serve as the front end of a scaled induction linac accelerator technology experiment in heavy ion fusion. The ion mass being used is in the range 10-18. It is a multi-beam device intended to accelerate up to 2 MeV with 500 mA in each beam. The first half of the accelerating column has been built and experiments with one carbon beam are underway at the 1 MeV level. >