cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical spring models for behavioral simulation of MEMS inertial sensors

Design of springs is a very important step in the design process of inertial sensor. A procedure for computing the sprint stiffness for any single-chain configuration of beams and a translator which converts beam-based schematic representation of inertial sensor to higher-level behavioral representation are implemented. Combining the spring stiffness computation with the translator, sprint-mass behavioral models of inertial sensor are generated. The behavioral representation is used for rapid design-space exploration. Simulations of the higher-level behavioral representation is used for rapid design-space exploration. Simulations of the higher-level behavioral schematics are 10 to 100 times faster than simulation of the atomic-elements based schematics and the result match to within 5 percent.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Emotional Management and Motivation: A Case Study of Underrepresented Faculty

In this chapter, a qualitative inquiry about the emotional management of minority faculty in a science department illustrates the value of qualitative methodology in conducting institutional research.
Polar Addition of Hydrogen Halides onto Olefins

Various structures have been proposed for the intermediates of electrophilic additions onto olefins; these include halonium ions, classical carbonium ions, π-complexes (i.e. nonclassical carbonium ions), and π-complexes with back-coordination. It is shown here that it is impossible to use any one of these entities alone to explain all such electrophilic additions; the electrophile itself determines the nature of the transition state formed. Polar addition of hydrogen halides onto olefins appears to proceed via a classical carbonium ion which does not occur as the free ion but as an undissociated ion pair. Various other mechanisms have been excluded by studies reported here of the stereochemical course of such additions.
Porous wind tunnel corrections for counterrotation propeller testing

Wind tunnel interference corrections have direct impact on measured propeller efficiency. A systematic series of wind tunnel tests was done in the porous-wall NASA Lewis 8- by 6-Foot Wind Tunnel to determine the wind tunnel interference corrections to the NASA Lewis counterrotation propeller test data. The test results were compared with calculations from a potential flow code to determine the interference corrections. At a Mach number of 0.8, the interference corrections resulted in a -0.008 Mach number correction which reduced the counterrotation propeller net efficiency data by 0.46 percent at the reduced Mach number. Additional wind tunnel tests were done to measure the effect of propeller thrust on wind tunnel wall interference. No wall interference corrections due to propeller thrust were found necessary for the high speed counterrotation propeller data obtained in the porous wall NASA Lewis 8- by 6-Foot Wind Tunnel.
Characterization of the ETnII-α endogenous retroviral element in the BALB/cJ Zhx2 Afr1 allele

Integration of mouse endogenous retroviral (MERV) elements is responsible for an estimated 10% of spontaneous mutations that have been characterized in the laboratory mouse. We recently identified a MERV integration in the first intron of the Zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 (Zhx2) gene in BALB/cJ mice, resulting in reduced Zhx2 expression. This integration is found in BALB/cJ but not in other BALB/c substrains, indicating that it occurred after these substrains separated in the late 1930s. We have characterized this MERV element and show here that it belongs to the ETnII-α class of elements. Our analysis reveals that the Zhx2 ETn element lacks a 69-bp sequence compared to most other ETn elements which may be due to recombination between two identical 13-bp elements. Three mature Zhx2 transcripts are found in the liver of BALB/cJ mice. The major transcript is spliced from Zhx2 exon 1 to the 5′ ETn LTR and is polyadenylated at the 3′ LTR. Of the two less abundant transcripts, one is identical to the wild-type transcript, whereas the second contains 183 bp of ETn sequence spliced between Zhx2 exons 1 and 2. We have also sequenced and analyzed products from the fas lpr ETn found in MRL/lpr mice and show that it belongs to the ETnII-β class of elements.
Action spectra for two strains of tobacco mosaic virus.

Abstract The action spectra for two strains of tobacco mosaic virus have been determined. The two strains differ by a factor of 6 in inactivation cross section at 254 and 280 mμ, but have the same cross section at 226 mμ. The data can be accounted for by assuming that the virus is inactivated as a result of energy absorbed by the nucleic acid moiety of the virus at 254 and 280 mμ, and by the protein moiety at 226 mμ. A direct examination of the nucleic acid extracted from irradiated virus supports this interpretation.
The history of analog computing: introduction to the special section

This special issue is one in a series of occasional issues of IEEE Control Systems Magazine dedicated to history. The present issue continues the previous contributions by focusing on the development and impact of a pivotal technology. Analog computers played a key role in enabling the simulation of control systems for several decades, leading to a better understanding of theory and better designs in practice. Here we take a closer look at analog-computer technology in its historical context. a collection of eight articles - an analog-simulation tutorial, four personal histories, and three reports of current activities - written by well-known authors in the fields of analog computing and history.
Functional assessment of metal oxide nanoparticle toxicity in immune cells.

Understanding the nanoparticle−cell interaction is critical for the safe development of nanomaterials. Herein, we explore the impact of three metal oxide nanoparticles, nonporous Stober SiO2, mesoporous SiO2, and nonporous anatase TiO2 nanoparticles, on primary culture mast cells. Using transmission electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, we demonstrate that each class of nanoparticle is internalized by the mast cells, localizing primarily in the secretory granules, with uptake efficiency increasing in the following order: nonporous SiO2 < porous SiO2 < nonporous TiO2 nanoparticles. The influence of nanoparticle-laden granules was assessed using carbon-fiber microelectrode amperometry measurements that reveal functional changes in chemical messenger secretion from mast cell granules. Both nonporous and porous SiO2 nanoparticles cause a decrease in the number of molecules released per granule, with nonporous SiO2 also inducing a decrease in the amperometric spike fr...
Expression patterns of vascular endothelial growth factor in human cardiac allografts: association with rejection.

Background. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major angiogenesis factor, has been found to have proinflammatory properties in vivo in several chronic inflammatory diseases. However, little is known of the expression or function of VEGF in acute and chronic allograft rejection. Methods. In a cross-sectional analysis, we evaluated the expression of VEGF by immunohistochemistry in human endomyocardial biopsies (n=101) from 10 cardiac transplant patients. We correlated expression (scores from 0-4) with CD3 + T cell, CD68 + monocyte and macrophage infiltrates, or rejection (International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation grades 0-4). In addition, we evaluated the temporal patterns of VEGF expression in consecutive biopsies from seven patients (total of 74 biopsies) who were assessed for the development of graft vascular disease (GVD) by intravascular ultrasonography at 1 year posttransplantation. Results. VEGF is expressed in normal human endomyocardial biopsies at low levels and is induced (scores > 1) in association with CD3 + T cells (odds ratio [OR], 19.90; P<0.001), CD68 + monocyte and macrophage infiltrates (OR, 8.49; P<0.001), and all grades of acute rejection (OR, 5.4; P<0.001). Increases in VEGF expression were persistent during the first posttransplant year in biopsies from four patients who demonstrated evidence of GVD (mean annual score of 2.3). In contrast, limited expression of VEGF was found in three patients without GVD (mean annual score 1.2). Conclusions. These findings define VEGF as an important proinflammatory cytokine after transplantation and indicate that its expression pattern might identify patients at risk for the development of GVD.
Limitations of peroneal artery bypass grafting for limb salvage

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of peroneal bypass grafting for limb salvage with the results of other tibial and pedal bypass grafts performed concurrently. Methods: Thirty-four peroneal bypass grafts with autologous vein were performed for limb salvage between September 1986 and June 1992. These constituted 18% of an overall experience of 194 tibial or pedal bypasses performed during that time. Preoperative and intraoperative arteriograms were reviewed to identify anatomic characteristics associated with successful limb salvage. Results: Secondary patency rates for peroneal bypass grafts (70%) compared with the other tibial and pedal bypass grafts (65%) did not differ significantly at 48 months by life-table analysis. Limb salvage achieved by peroneal artery bypass grafting was significantly worse (55%) than that achieved by the remaining tibial and pedal bypasses (67%) at 48 months. Limb salvage was 33% at 7 months for those undergoing peroneal artery bypass grafting as opposed to 57% at 48 months for patients undergoing other tibial or pedal revascularizations with tissue necrosis. Four anatomic features were identified that were associated with failure after peroneal artery bypass grafting. These were peroneal length less than 10 cm ( p = 0.012), peroneal artery diameter less than 2 mm ( p = 0.035), absence of arteriographically demonstrated collaterals perfusing the foot ( p = 0.0001), and little or no visualization of the pedal arch ( p = 0.008). Conclusions: Although successful grafts may avoid amputation in carefully selected cases, alternatives to peroneal artery bypass grafting should be considered when less than favorable anatomic conditions are encountered, particularly in the presence of forefoot tissue necrosis. (J VASC SURG 1993;18:881-8.)
Glycosidases. Ligands for affinity chromatography: I. Syntheses of 1,2-transp-aminophenyl 1-thio-D-glycopyranosides

Abstract 1,2-transp-Aminophenyl 1-thioglycosides derived from β- D -galactose, β- D -fucose, and α- D -mannose were synthesized as potential ligands for the purification of β- D -galactosidase and α- D -mannosidase by affinity chromatography. The appropriate acetylglycosyl bromides were condensed with p-nitrothiophenol in the presence of potassium hydroxide. Deacylation of the 1,2-transp-nitrophenyl O-acetyl-1-thio- D -glycopyranosides thus obtained, followed by reduction with hydrogen over palladium on barium sulfate, afforded the desired p-aminophenyl 1-thioglycopyranosides.
A Mild Synthetic Route to Zinc, Cadmium, and Silver Polymers with (2‐Pyridyl)phosphonic Acid: Synthesis and Analysis

Five new metal pyridylphosphonate polymers have been prepared, fully characterized, and their room-temperature luminescence probed. The reaction of (2-pyridyl)phosphonic acid (2pypo) with ZnX2 (X = Br, Cl) afforded two-dimensional polymers [Zn(X)(2pypo)]n {X = Cl = (1), X = Br = (2)}, which feature cyclic 12-membered Zn–O–P cores that are interlinked by bridged oxygen atoms from the phosphonate moiety. From the room–temperature, aqueous reactions of 2pypo and the corresponding metal salts, the one-dimensional polymers [Cd(μ-Cl)2(2pypo)]n (3) and [Hg(2pypo)]n (4) were isolated in moderate yield. The one-dimensional structure of 3 is supported through bridging chlorides and two η2-phosphonate oxygen atoms, while 4 is a highly symmetrical polymer that exhibits pyridyl nitrogen coordination to the mercury center and uses two μ2-oxygen atoms to polymerize. Reaction of silver triflate (CF3SO3Ag) with 2pypo afforded a crystalline silver polymer that displays a zig-zag arrangement of silver atoms with argentophilic interactions and that is stablized through bridged triflate and phosphonate moieties. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Effectiveness of emergency medicine in longitudinal integrated clerkships

Objective : This study investigated third-year students’ experience with the emergency medicine (EM) component in integrated longitudinal programs. The study aimed to see if EM could be integrated into third-year integrated longitudinal programs while addressing accreditation standards and increasing interest in EM. Methods : The authors surveyed students who participated in an integrated longitudinal program at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine (UCSF) from 2010 to 2012. The survey focused on four areas of EM: fit within an integrated longitudinal program; development of critical decision-making and judgment skills; development of differential diagnoses and treatment plans; increased interest in pursuing EM. Results : Overall, students thought that EM fits well with the goals of an integrated longitudinal curriculum. They also thought that it helped them develop their decision-making, clinical judgment, differential diagnoses, and treatment plans. There was also an increased interest in pursuing EM as a career option because of the EM component. Conclusions : EM can be well integrated into a third-year longitudinal curriculum. The undifferentiated patient work-up helps students develop critical skills in assessment and management. The lack of continuity did not interfere with the integrated longitudinal curriculum, instead the experience enhanced it. Keywords: undifferentiated patient; assessment; management; longitudinal; emergency medicine (Published: 15 September 2014) Citation: Med Educ Online 2014, 19 : 25429 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v19.25429
Experimental and analytical investigations of mechanistic effects of dowel misalignment in jointed concrete pavements

This paper presents the results of experimental and analytical investigations on the effects of dowel misalignment on the joint opening behavior and distress in concrete pavement joints. It focuses on the development of three-dimensional (3-D) finite element models for computing the complex stress states and resulting damage in concrete pavement joints with misaligned dowels and, through experimental results, their validation. The concrete pavement is modeled by using a damage-plasticity material model, which uses concepts of damage-plasticity formulation in compression and cracking combined with damage elasticity in tension. The longitudinal bond between the steel dowel and the concrete is modeled in two parts. First, the longitudinal bond resulting from chemical adhesion, mechanical interlock, and static friction (in the aligned state) is modeled by means of spring elements. The nonlinear force-deformation relationship for the spring elements is derived from specific experimental results. Second, the lo...
External activity and the freedom to recode

Our hippocampal model depends on randomization. In principle, randomizations, e.g., chaotic activity fluctuations, quantal synaptic failures, or initial state randomization, can be overcome by strong external excitation. However, if external activity is too low, randomization will destroy the information transmitted by the inputs. Here, computer simulations of the transitive inference paradigm reveal an optimal range of external excitation. At lower activity levels, optimal performance occurs when the relative external excitation accounts for 35-40% of the total with activity, while at higher activity, external activity can be as low as 30% of the total.
The 1982 eruptions of El Chichon volcano, Mexico (2): Observations and numerical modelling of tephra-fall distribution

Tephra fallout from the A-1 (March 29, 0532 UT), B (April 4, 0135 UT), and C (April 4, 1122 UT) 1982 explosive eruptions of El Chichon produced three tephra fall deposits over southeastern Mexico. Bidirectional spreading of eruption plumes, as documented by satellite images, was due to a combination of tropospheric and stratospheric transport, with heaviest deposition of tephra from the ENE tropospheric lobes. Maximum column heights for the eruptions of 27, 32, and 29 km, respectively, have been determined by comparing maximum lithic-clast dispersal in the deposits with predicted lithic isopleths based on a theoretical model of pyroclast fallout from eruption columns. These column heights suggest peak mass eruption rates of 1.1 × 108, 1.9 × 108, and 1.3 × 108 kg/s. Maximum column heights and mass eruption rates occured early in each event based on the normal size grading of the fall deposits. Sequential satellite images of plume transport and the production of a large stratospheric aerosol plume indicate that the eruption columns were sustained at stratospheric altitudes for a significant portion of their duration. New estimates of tephra fall volume based on integration of isopach area and thickness yield a total volume of 2.19 km3 (1.09 km3 DRE, dense rock equivalent) or roughly twice the amount of the deposit mapped on the ground. Up to one-half of the erupted mass was therefore deposited elsewhere as highly dispersed tephra.
Ribonucleoprotein particles involved in HeLa mitochondrial protein synthesis.

HeLa cell mitochondria contain structures like cytoplasmic polyribosomes, 55S monosomes and subunits of 40S and 30S which contain 21S and 12S RNAs respectively.
The role of the cyclic imide in alternate degradation pathways for asparagine-containing peptides and proteins

Peptides and proteins exhibit enhanced reactivity at asparagine residues due to the formation of a reactive succinimide intermediate that produces normal and isoaspartyl deamidation products along with significant racemization. This study examines the potential for attack of amine nucleophiles at the succinimide carbonyls to generate alternate decomposition products, depending on the nucleophile involved in the reaction. The reactions of the model peptides Phe-Asn-Gly (FNG) and Phe-isoAsn-Gly (FisoNG) were explored as a function of pH (8.5-10.5) in the presence and absence of ammonia buffer (0.2-2 M) using an isocratic HPLC method to monitor reactant disappearance and product formation. In addition to deamidation to form isoAsp and Asp peptides, two additional types of reactions were found to occur via the succinimide intermediate under these conditions. Back-reaction of the succinimide with ammonia led to peptide backbone isomerization while intramolecular attack by the amino terminus produced diketopiperazines. A kinetic model assuming a central role for the succinimide intermediate was derived to fit the concentration versus time data. These studies implicate the cyclic imide as a key intermediate in the formation of alternate peptide and protein degradants, including possible covalent amide-linked aggregates that may form from intermolecular attack of the cyclic imide by neighboring amino groups.
Parametric study on pole geometry and thermal effects of a VRSM

The variable-reluctance spherical motor (VRSM), which offers some attractive features by combining pitch, roll, and yaw motions in a single joint, is essentially a brushless, direct-drive actuator. Unlike a multi-axes actuating mechanism where the number of electrical inputs typically equal to its number of controllable degrees of freedom, the VRSM offers a large number of distributed electrical inputs as compared to the number of controllable DOF. Since larger number of small coils is used, it not only effectively increases the surface area for heat dissipation, but also allows a small amount of current to flow through each of the coils. This distributed actuation offers an effective means to overcome heat dissipation problems commonly associated with direct-drive actuators for high torque applications. To exploit the advantages offered by this unique feature that provides a greater flexibility in design and control, a good understanding of the key parameters that could significantly influence the motor performance is essential. For this reason, we present in this paper some results of a detailed parametric study on the effects of pole geometry on the thermal and torque performance of a three degrees-of-freedom (DOF) VRSM.
Characterization of nickel-based microlattice materials with structural hierarchy from the nanometer to the millimeter scale

Novel nickel-based microlattice materials with structural hierarchy spanning three different length scales (nm, lm, mm) are characterized microstructurally and mechanically. These materials are produced by plating a sacrificial template obtained by self-propagating photopolymer waveguide prototyping. Ni–P films with a thickness of 120 nm to 3 lm are deposited by electroless plating, whereas thicker films (5–26 lm) are obtained by subsequent electrodeposition of a pure Ni layer. This results in cellular materials spanning three orders of magnitude in relative density, from 0.01% to 8.5%. The thin electroless Ni–P films have ultra-fine grain size (7 nm) and a yield strength of � 2.5 GPa, whereas the thicker electrodeposited Ni films exhibit a much broader distribution with average grain size of 116 nm and strong (1 0 0) texture in the plating direction, resulting in a yield strength of � 1 GPa. Uniaxial compression experiments reveal two distinct mechanical responses. At ultra-low densities (<0.1%), these lattices exhibit nearly full recovery after strains up to more than 50%, and damping coefficients an order of magnitude larger than for conventional Ni foams. At higher densities (0.1–10%), the compression behavior is fully plastic, similar to traditional cellular metals. A simple mechanical analysis reveals that the transition occurs when the thickness-to-diameter ratio of the truss elements is of the order of the yield strain of the material, in agreement with experimental observations. Optical and electron imaging of deformed lattices show that the deformation largely localizes around the nodes. In the ultra-light regime, the microlattice materials are stiffer and stronger than any existing alternative.
Theory and simulation of associating fluids: Lennard-Jones chains with association sites

A perturbation approach based on Wertheim's first order theory for associating fluids is applied to predict the thermodynamic properties of chain molecules with association sites. A Lennard-Jones chain is used as a reference to account for the repulsive, dispersive and anisotropic (shape) contributions, while the short range directional attraction peculiar to associating fluids, modelled as spherical square-well sites, are treated as a perturbation over the chain reference fluid. Isobaric-isothermal Monte Carlo simulations were performed for model fluids composed of a chain of four tangently bonded Lennard-Jones spheres. Three cases are considered: one-site models with the association site placed either in an end sphere or in a central sphere, and a two-site model with sites placed at both ends. Subcritical and supercritical temperatures and several association strengths were studied. While the theory is seen to predict accurately the simulation results, its practical accuracy is subject to the limitation...
Non-hydrostatic Barotropic Instability

This study is motivated by the need of explaining the formation of a class of common but small atmospheric disturbances known as non-supercell tornado (NST). Their properties have been well documented (e.g. Wakimoto and Wilson, 1989). The local environment that spawns a NST typically has a significant horizontal shear, a boundary outflow, a weak vertical shear and is weakly stratified. It is hypothesized that NST could arise from an instability of a horizontal shear flow with respect to non-hydrostatic columnar disturbances in the presence of implicit buoyancy related to a boundary outflow. The objective of this study is twofold. One is to delineate the nature of non-hydrostatic barotropic instability mechanism per se. The other is to ascertain the extent to which the working hypothesis is valid.
Bayesian Environmental Policy Decisions: Two Case Studies

Statistical decision theory can be a valuable tool for policy-making decisions. In particular, environmental problems often benefit from the application of Bayesian and decision-theoretic techniques that address the uncertain nature of problems in the environmental and ecological sciences. This paper discusses aspects of implementing statistical decision-making tools in situations where uncertainty is present, looking at issues such as elicitation of prior distributions, covariate allocation, formulation of loss functions, and minimization of expected losses subject to cooperation constraints. These ideas are illustrated through two case studies in environmental remediation.
Thermodynamics of Chelation by Tetracyclines

Thermodynamic data were determined for the complexation of five tetracycline analogs with cupric ion. Free energy values were calculated from data previously published by the authors. Enthalpy determinations were made in a Dewar calorimeter. Entropy values were determined from ΔG° and ΔH° at 25°. For the formation of 1:1 complexes, ΔH° was approximately — 12 Kcal./mole and ΔS° was approximately — 4 e.u. for the three chlor-analogs studied (4-epi-chlor-, demethylchlor-, and chlortetracycline), while a ΔH° of — 7.6 Kcal./mole and a ΔS° of+10.2 e.u. was obtained for tetracycline. It is suggested that all of the analogs studied form inner sphere 1:1 complexes with cupric ion but that the chlorine at C-7 compels the three chlorderivatives to undergo a more severe conformational change than tetracycline in order to reach a favorable configuration for chelation. All of the above analogs showed a small negative enthalpy change and a large positive entropy change for 2:1 complex formation. It is suggested that all four analogs form outer sphere or ion-pair complexes during 2:1 complexation.
Severe acidosis and hyperdynamic circulation in a 39-year-old alcoholic

Abstract A case of acute fulminant cardiovascular beriberi, or “shoshin beriberi,” is presented. Beriberi is classified as “dry” (neurologic) or “wet” (cardiovascular) and may be mixed. “Wet” beriberi refers to a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from a hyperdynamic state with high output cardiac failure to fulminant failure with collapsed peripheral circulation, lactic acidosis, and shock. Beriberi is probably much more common than previously recognized. Beriberi is caused by thiamine deficiency and should be suspected in alcoholics who present with unexplained lactic acidosis, a hyperdynamic state, high output cardiac failure, or cardiogenic shock without electrocardiographic (EKG) evidence of myocardial necrosis. Shoshin beriberi is rapidly fatal without immediate treatment with thiamine.
Work load issues in clinical nursing education.

This survey of 22 baccalaureate (BSN) programs was undertaken to describe and analyze work load issues in BSN nursing education. Academic careers of nursing faculty may be at risk because clinical work load policies generally place less value on clinical teaching than on classroom teaching. Research questions addressed teaching credit hours received for each clinical contact hour, remaining weekly hours available for clinical faculty to accomplish service and research activities, and student-to-faculty ratios in clinical settings. Seventy per cent of the programs surveyed allocated less than 1 teaching credit hour to 1 clinical contact hour. Nursing faculty who taught clinical courses with .5:1 to .25:1 work load credit for face-to-face contact hour ratios needed to work between 8 and 24 hours more in face-to-face teaching compared with colleagues teaching lecture courses, thus leaving less time for scholarship and service activities. Fifty per cent of the programs reported 10 or more students in some of the clinical courses. Faculty reported concerns about quality of learning experiences and supervisory difficulties as student numbers in clinical courses exceeded 8 students/faculty member.
Computed tomography versus color duplex ultrasound for surveillance of abdominal aortic stent-grafts.

Purpose:To compare the ability of computed tomography (CT) and color duplex ultrasound (CDUS) to detect endoleak and accurately measure aortic aneurysm diameters after endovascular repair.Methods:Between February 2000 and October 2004, 178 consecutive patients (156 men; mean age 74 years, range 49–89) were treated with aortic stent-grafts (86 Ancure, 55 AneuRx, and 37 Excluder). The follow-up protocol included serial CT and CDUS at 1 month and every 6 months thereafter. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Kappa statistics (κ) were calculated using CT as the gold standard; Bland-Altman analysis was used to determine the 95% limits of agreement. Paired and unpaired t tests and correlation coefficients were used to compare the methods.Results:Follow-up ranged from 1 to 53 months (mean 16), during which 367 paired CT and CDUS studies were acquired. The mean diameter of the AAA sac after repair was 5.15 cm by CT versus 4.99 cm by CDUS (p=0.07); 93% of paired stud...
Annihilation Prediction for Lanchester-Type Models of Modern Warfare

This paper introduces important new functions for analytic solution of Lanchester-type equations of modem warfare for combat between two homogeneous forces modeled by power attrition-rate coefficients with "no offset." Tabulations of these Lanchester-Clifford-Schlafli or LCS functions allow one to study this particular variable-coefficient model almost as easily and thoroughly as Lanchester's classic constant-coefficient one. LCS functions allow one to obtain important information in particular, force-annihilation prediction without having to spend the time and effort of computing force-level trajectories. The choice of these particular functions is based on theoretical considerations that apply in general to Lanchester-type equations of modern warfare and provide guidance for developing other canonical functions. Moreover, our new LCS functions also provide valuable information about related variable-coefficient models. Also, we introduce an important transformation of the battle's time scale that not only simplifies the force-level equations, but also shows that relative fire effectiveness and intensity of combat are the only two weapon-system parameters determining the course of such variable-coefficient Lanchester-type combat.
Using self-assembling monolayers to study crack initiation in epoxy/silicon joints

The effect of the density and in-plane distribution of interfacial interactions on crack initiation in an epoxy-silicon joint was studied in nominally pure shear loading. Well-defined combinations of strong (specific) and weak (nonspecific) interactions were created using self-assembling monolayers. The in-plane distribution of strong and weak interactions was varied by employing two deposition methods: depositing mixtures of molecules with different terminal groups resulting in a nominally random distribution, and depositing methyl-terminated molecules in domains defined lithographically with the remaining area interacting through strong acid-base interactions. The two distributions lead to very different fracture behavior. For the case of the methyl-terminated domains (50 {micro}m on a side) fabricated lithographically, the joint shear strength varies almost linearly with the area fraction of strongly interacting sites. From this we infer that cracks nucleate on or near the interface over nearly the entire range of bonded area fraction and do so at nearly the same value of local stress (load/bonded area). We postulate that the imposed heterogeneity in interfacial interactions results in heterogeneous stress and strain fields within the epoxy in close proximity to the interface. Simply, the bonded areas carry load while the methyl terminated domains carry negligible load. Stress is amplified adjacentmore » to the well-bonded regions (and reduced adjacent to the poorly bonded regions), and this leads to crack initiation by plastic deformation and chain scission within the epoxy near the interface. For the case of mixed monolayers, the dependence is entirely different. At low areal density of strongly interacting sites, the joint shear strength is below the detection limit of our transducer for a significant range of mixed monolayer composition. With increasing density of strongly interacting sites, a sharp increase in joint shear strength occurs at a methyl terminated area fraction of roughly 0.90. We postulate that this coincides with the onset of yielding in the epoxy. For methyl-terminated area fractions less than 0.85, the joint shear strength becomes independent of the interfacial interactions. This indicates that fracture no longer initiates on the interface but away from the interface by a competing mechanism, likely plastic deformation and chain scission within the bulk epoxy. The data demonstrate that the in-plane distribution of interaction sites alone can affect the location of crack nucleation and the far-field stress required.« less
Surgical Management of Obesity and the Relationship to Cardiovascular Disease

The World Health Organization estimates that by 2015 the number of adults who are overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) or obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) will surpass 1.5 billion.1 Excess body weight is an independent risk factor for mortality.2 Among the constellation of weight-related comorbidities that bring the greatest burden for obese patients and their healthcare providers are diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Obesity, diabetes mellitus, and CVD cannot be successfully addressed in isolation; therefore, weight loss achieved by any means is a key component of comprehensive cardiovascular care.3,4 Obesity prevention is the ideal scenario. However, in the midst of an obesity pandemic, treatment options are essential. The initial approach must always address lifestyle and dietary choices, which contribute so greatly to the current obesogenic environment. A healthy lifestyle is easily prescribed but challenging to maintain. Stalonas et al5 demonstrated not only that patients who diet usually regain their lost weight within 5 years but also that the average subject was 1.5 lb heavier at follow-up than on entering the program. A recent systematic review of dietary and lifestyle options demonstrated no conclusive evidence for sustainable weight loss.6 However, it is possible for intensive lifestyle coaching to achieve moderate weight loss, as demonstrated by Appel et al.7 Of their 392 obese subjects, those receiving in-person support lost a mean of 5.1 kg ( P <0.001 for comparison with control subjects) and those receiving only telephone/Internet support lost a mean of 4.6 kg ( P <0.001 for comparison with control subjects) at 24 months. The superiority of bariatric surgery over pharmacological and lifestyle interventions in modulating weight, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia has been demonstrated by meta-analysis.8 Few studies have directly compared medical and surgical management of obesity, but 2 head-to-head comparisons …
Pulmonary Hypertension as a Marker for Perivalvular Regurgitation Following Mitral Valve Replacement

Pulmonary hypertension is frequently present in patients with mitral valve disease. Several longitudinal studies have demonstrated regression of pulmonary hypertension following successful mitral valve replacement. We describe 12 consecutive patients in whom noninvasive detection of pulmonary hypertension following mitral valve replacement provided early evidence of perivalvular regurgitation.
Effects of neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition on microvascular and contractile function in skeletal muscle of aged rats

Advanced age is associated with derangements in skeletal muscle microvascular function during the transition from rest to contractions. We tested the hypothesis that, contrary to what was reported ...
The Internet and sexuality education: Tapping into the wild side

To see whether observing information exchanges in “cyberspace” had a positive effect on computer usage and attitudes, students in an advanced undergraduate sexuality class were given an Internet project. Their pre- and postproject computer attitude and utilization reports were compared with those of a traditional computer usage research methods course taught by the same instructor. Overall, the e-mail/Internet project did not have a positive effect on computer usage and attitudes, whereas the more traditional computer as research tool usage taught in the methods class did have a positive effect.
LIVING A DISTRIBUTED LIFE: MULTILOCALITY AND WORKING AT A DISTANCE

In the last few years, new collaboration and communication technologies have led to a deterritorialization of work, allowing for the rise of new work- and lifestyles. In this article, I use my own transition from the life of a corporate researcher to that of a multilocal mobile consultant for tracking some of the patterns I see in a changing cultural and economic environment where work and workers are no longer tied to a specific place of work. My main interest lies in identifying some of the behavioral shifts that are happening as people are caught up in and attempt to deal with this changing cultural landscape. Writing as a knowledge worker who now moves regularly from a work–home place in the Silicon Valley of California to another in the tropical lowlands of Costa Rica, I use my personal transition as a lens through which to trace new, emergent patterns of behavior, of values, and of social conventions. I assess the stresses and joys, the upsides and downsides, the challenges and rewards of this work- and lifestyle and identify strategies for making such a life successful and rewarding. Throughout, there emerges an awareness of the ways in which the personal patterns described reflect wider trends and cumulatively illustrate global transformation of workscapes and lifescapes. These types of local patterns in fact constitute the on-the-ground material reality of global processes that initiate and sustain widespread culture change and emergent societal transformations.
Splenectomy in chronic myeloid leukemia and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia.

Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM) is a collective term that describes the related disorders AMM, PPMM, and PTMM. The chronic myeloid disorders include chronic myeloid leukemia, polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (myelofibrosis). These disorders display varying propensities for pathologic enlargement of the spleen which can lead to mechanical discomfort, hypercatabolic symptoms, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and portal hypertension. Splenectomy has been found to be of little benefit in the early stages of chronic myeloid leukemia. Similarly, the benefit of splenectomy in advanced cases is limited to symptomatic palliation and treatment of delayed engraftment after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Although polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia are also characterized by splenomegaly, splenectomy is not considered a therapeutic option in the absence of transformation of the disease into myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia. Splenectomy has been studied most in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia. Although there is no clear survival advantage to splenectomy in this disorder, the surgical procedure can result in substantial palliation of mechanical discomfort, hypercatabolic symptoms, portal hypertension, and anemia. However, the procedure is associated with an approximately 9% mortality rate, and the postsplenectomy occurrence of extreme thrombocytosis, hepatomegaly, and leukemic transformation is of major concern.
A Broad View of Arsenic

In the mind of the general public, the words "arsenic" and "poison" have become almost synonymous. Yet, As is a natural metallic element found in low concentrations in virtually every part of the environment, including foods. Mining and smelting activities are closely associated with As, and the largest occurrence of As contamination in the United States is near the gold mines of northern Nevada. Inhabitants of Bangladesh and surrounding areas have been exposed to water that is naturally and heavily contaminated with As, causing what the World Health Organization has described as the worst mass poisoning in history. Although readily absorbed by humans, most inorganic As (>90%) is rapidly cleared from the blood with a half-life of 1 to 2 h, and 40 to 70% of the As intake is absorbed, metabolized, and excreted within 48 h. Arsenic does not appreciably bioaccumulate, nor does it biomagnify in the food chain. The United States has for some time purchased more As than any other country in the world, but As usage is waning, and further reductions appear likely. Arsenic is used in a wide variety of industrial applications, from computers to fireworks. All feed additives used in US poultry feeds must meet the strict requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (Rockville, MD) before use. Although some public health investigators have identified poultry products as a potentially significant source of total As exposure for Americans, studies consistently demonstrate that <1% of samples tested are above the 0.5 ppm limit established by the US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine. Although laboratory studies have demonstrated the possibility that As in poultry litter could pollute ground waters, million of tons of litter have been applied to the land, and no link has been established between litter application and As contamination of ground water. Yet, the fact that <2% of the United States population is involved in production agriculture and the overtones associated with the word "arsenic" could mean the matter becomes a perception issue.
A Framework for the Classification and Annotation of Multiword Expressions in Dialectal Arabic

In this paper we describe a framework for classifying and annotating Egyptian Arabic Multiword Expressions (EMWE) in a specialized computational lexical resource. The framework intends to encompass comprehensive linguistic information for each MWE including: a. phonological and orthographic information; b. POS tags; c. structural information for the phrase structure of the expression; d. lexicographic classification; e. semantic classification covering semantic fields and semantic relations; f. degree of idiomaticity where we adopt a three-level rating scale; g. pragmatic information in the form of usage labels; h. Modern Standard Arabic equivalents and English translations, thereby rendering our resource a three-way ‐ Egyptian Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic and English ‐ repository for MWEs.
Dinosaur Reproduction and Parenting

Non-avian dinosaur reproductive and parenting behaviors were mostly similar to those of extant archosaurs. Non-avian dinosaurs were probably sexually dimorphic and some may have engaged in hierarchical rituals. Non-avian coelurosaurs (e.g. Troodontidae, Oviraptorosauria) had two active oviducts, each of which pro- duced single eggs on a daily or greater time scale. The eggs of non-coelurosaurian dinosaurs (e.g. Ornithischia, Sauropoda) were incubated in soils, whereas the eggs of non-avian coelurosaurs (e.g. Troodon, Oviraptor) were incubated with a combination of soil and direct parental contact. Parental attention to the young was variable, rang- ing from protection from predators to possible parental feeding of nest-bound hatch- lings. Semi-altricial hadrosaur hatchlings exited their respective nests near the time of their first linear doubling. Some reproductive behaviors, once thought exclusive to Aves, arose first in non-avian dinosaurs. The success of the Dinosauria may be related to reproductive strategies.
Electron microscopy of the centrifuged sea urchin egg, with a note on the structure of the ground cytoplasm.

Centrifuged, unfertilized eggs of the sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, have been studied with the electron microscope. Subcellular particles were stratified by centrifuging living cells, known to be normally fertilizable, for five minutes at 3,000 g. The layered subcellular particles, including cortical granules, 16 mµ RNP particles, pigment, yolk, mitochondria, and oil droplets, possess characteristic ultrastructural features by which they may be identified in situ. The clear zone contains 16 mµ particles, most of them freely dispersed, scattered mitochondria, and a few composite structures made up of annulate lamellae in parallel layers or in association with dense, spherical aggregates of the RNP particles. Free 16 mµ particles are found, in addition, throughout the cell, in the interstices between the stratified larger particles. They show a tendency to form ramifying aggregates resulting from certain types of injury to the cell. A few vesicular structures, found mainly in the clear zone, have attached RNP particles, and appear to be related to the ER of tissue cells. Other vesicles, bounded by smooth membranes, are found throughout the cell. These are extremely variable in size, number, and distribution; their total number appears to depend upon conditions of fixation. It is suggested that limited formation of such structures is a normal property of the ground cytoplasm in this cell, but that fixed cells with very large numbers of smooth surfaced vesicles have produced the latter as a response to chemical injury. A model of the ground cytoplasm is proposed whose aim is to reconcile the rheological behavior of the living cell with the ultrastructural features observed.
Recruitment of neutrophils during IgE-dependent cutaneous late phase reactions in the mouse is mast cell-dependent. Partial inhibition of the reaction with antiserum against tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Abstract Much of the clinically important pathology associated with IgE-dependent disorders is thought to reflect the actions of the blood-borne leukocytes recruited during these responses. To evaluate the extent to which mast cells are responsible for the leukocyte infiltration associated with IgE-dependent cutaneous reactions, we attempted to elicit these responses in normal mice, genetically mast cell-deficient W/Wv mice, and in W/Wv mice selectively repaired of their mast cell deficiency by the intradermal injection of cultured mast cells derived from the congenic normal (+/+) mice. We found that the tissue swelling associated with IgE-dependent passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reactions developed rapidly and diminished markedly from 2 to 4 h after antigen challenge, but remained detectable for at least 24 h after elicitation of the responses. Infiltration of leukocytes (predominantly neutrophils) also occurred at these sites, but reached maximal levels 6-12 h after antigen challenge, persisted at high levels for 24 h, and largely waned by 48 h. Virtually all of the tissue swelling and leukocyte infiltration associated with IgE-dependent cutaneous reactions was mast cell dependent. Intradermal injection of 40 U of recombinant murine TNF-alpha (rmTNF-alpha) elicited neutrophil infiltration similar in magnitude and kinetics to that observed after IgE-dependent mast cell degranulation. A rabbit anti-rmTNF-alpha (R anti-rmTNF-alpha) antiserum, which was able to inhibit 84% of the neutrophil infiltration observed after i.d. injection of rmTNF-alpha, inhibited IgE-, and mast cell-dependent leukocyte infiltration by 47 +/- 7% in three separate experiments. These findings indicate that TNF-alpha contributes to mast cell-dependent recruitment of leukocytes during IgE-dependent cutaneous late phase reactions, but suggest that other mast cell-associated mediators probably also contribute to this response.