cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleotide sequence and distinctive characteristics of the env gene of endogenous feline leukemia provirus

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the env gene of two different endogenous feline leukemia virus (FeLV) loci, CFE-6 and CFE-16, of domestic cats revealed the following characteristics. (i) Both proviruses contain an open reading frame in the env region; (ii) whereas the full complement of the exogenous FeLV env is generally present in CFE-6 DNA, it is truncated in CFE-16 DNA such that the 5' half of the gp70 domain and the untranslated region 3' to the p15E domain have been fused by an internal deletion, resulting in loss of the C-terminal half of the gp70- and all of the p15E-coding sequences; (iii) endogenous env is highly homologous to large sequence domains conserved in all three exogenous FeLV subgroups (A, B, and C) but is similar to FeLV-B sequence domains in the variable regions detected in these viruses; and (iv) there are four other sequence domains, one residing at the C terminus of gp70 and three scattered in p15E, which are unique for the endogenous env, thereby distinguishing it from the FeLV-B gene.
Therapeutic potential of targeting IRES-dependent c-myc translation in multiple myeloma cells during ER stress

Protein translation is inhibited by the unfolded protein response (UPR)-induced eIF-2α phosphorylation to protect against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In addition, we found additional inhibition of protein translation owing to diminished mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex1) activity in ER-stressed multiple myeloma (MM) cells. However, c-myc protein levels and myc translation was maintained. To ascertain how c-myc was maintained, we studied myc IRES (internal ribosome entry site) function, which does not require mTORC1 activity. Myc IRES activity was upregulated in MM cells during ER stress induced by thapsigargin, tunicamycin or the myeloma therapeutic bortezomib. IRES activity was dependent on upstream MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and MNK1 (MAPK-interacting serine/threonine kinase 1) signaling. A screen identified hnRNP A1 (A1) and RPS25 as IRES-binding trans-acting factors required for ER stress-activated activity. A1 associated with RPS25 during ER stress and this was prevented by an MNK inhibitor. In a proof of principle, we identified a compound that prevented binding of A1 to the myc IRES and specifically inhibited myc IRES activity in MM cells. This compound, when used alone, was not cytotoxic nor did it inhibit myc translation or protein expression. However, when combined with ER stress inducers, especially bortezomib, a remarkable synergistic cytotoxicity ensued with associated inhibition of myc translation and expression. These results underscore the potential for targeting A1-mediated myc IRES activity in MM cells during ER stress.
COD: An adaptive utility learning method for composite recommendations

This paper studies and proposes a method for learning the user's preferences and propsing recommendations on composite bundles of products and services. The user preferences are learned using a regression analysis on the historical purchase information. These learned preferences are used to infer a utility axis in the multi-dimensional utility space. Subsequently, the standard utility axes are adaptivelly adjusted towards the inferred utility axis to generate initial utility axes for the utility elicitation process. The amount by which the axes are adjusted is proportional to the confidence degree. An experimental study is conducted on real data which shows that the proposed method significantly outperforms the standard utility elicitation method in terms of precision of the recommendation set.
Decision-making, sensitivity to reward and attrition in weight management.

Objective Attrition is a common problem in weight management. Understanding the risk factors for attrition should enhance professionals' ability to increase completion rates and improve health outcomes for more individuals. A model that draws upon neuropsychological knowledge on reward-sensitivity in obesity and overeating to predict attrition is proposed. Methods A total of 52 participants in a weight-management program completed a complex decision-making task. Decision-making characteristics—including sensitivity to reward—were further estimated using a quantitative model. Impulsivity and risk-taking measures were also administered. Results Consistent with the hypothesis that sensitivity to reward predicted attrition, program dropouts had higher sensitivity to reward than completers (P < 0.03). No differences were observed between completers and dropouts in initial BMI, age, employment status, or the number of prior weight-loss attempts (P ≥ 0.07). Completers had a slightly higher education level than dropouts, but its inclusion in the model did not increase predictive power. Impulsivity, delay of gratification, and risk taking did not predict attrition, either. Conclusions Findings link attrition in weight management to the neural mechanisms associated with reward-seeking and related influences on decision-making. Individual differences in the magnitude of response elicited by rewards may account for the relative difficulty experienced by dieters in adhering to treatment.
High Frequency Ultrasonics

A high frequency 250 MHz A-scan system has been used for flaw detection. We have been able to detect 25-500 ~m defects of different types (C, Si, SIC, BN, Fe, WC) in a Si3N4 plate. Since it is difficult to determine the defect type and size from the amplitude of the backscattered signal , we have carried out Fourier transforms of the backscattered signal to obtain reflectivity as a function of frequency, and used that information to characterize the size and type of defect. Our ea~ly experiments have been with voids in glass and Si 3N4 and we are able to predict the size of the defects we detect. The objective of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of ceramics is the detection of defects in the 10-100 ~m range. The aim is to detect the defects and determine their location, size, and possibly the type of inclusions within these flaws. Prior to this program of very high frequency testing, no technique existed where such an evaluation could be made. The longitudinal wave velocity in ceramics Is typically of the order of 10,000 m/sec. So, in order to obtc~in a maximum reflection· fr'lr .. defects, we have decided to work in the frequency ra~ge of 150 MHz to 500 MHz, or with acoustic wavelengths In the range from 70-20 I'm. For this purpose, we have constructed the A-scan system shown in Fig. 1. This system operates at frequencies 5-10 times higher than those that have been used before in the NOT field. SELF• AliGNING JIG SAPPIIIR[ 8UffEA AOO Figure 1. Schematic of A-scc1n system. The system consists basically of a piezoelectric transducer on a sapphire buffer rod. This Is placed in contact with the ceramic under study. The piezoelectric transducer consists of an 8 l'rn rf sputtered zinc oxide film on a 2000 A gold film that is used as a back contact of the transducer. The top contact is formed by normal photolithographic techniques; typically, we use a top contact that is .75 mn In diameter. Such a transducer resonates at a center frequency of 250 MHz, and has a useful bandwidth of 300 MHz. We use a 1 em long saphhire buffer rod which is tapered to a diameter of 2 mm at its lower end in order to ease the problem of contacting to the ceramic. A 25 I'm gold foil is used iS the contacting material between the sapphire and the ceramic. Gold is soft and has an acoustic impedance comparable to those of the sapphire and the ceramic; so it makes a good contacting material. A self-aligning jig is used to help make good reproducible contact. The system is used in a pulsed echo mode. A 20 volt, 2 nsec pulse excites the transducer, and we look for reflected pulses from defects in the time range between the echoes corresponding to the front and back surfaces of the ceramic under study. The acoustic pulses obtained are of the order of 2 ns wide between 3 dB points, as shown in Fig. 2. Figure 2. A demonstration of the depth of resolution obtained by measuring the thickness of a 134 um glass slide.
Approximations for Two Decomposition-Based Geometric Optimization Problems

In this paper we present new approximation algorithms for two NP-hard geometric optimization problems: (1) decomposing a triangulation into minimum number of triangle strips (tristrips); (2) covering an n ×n binary neuron image with minimum number of disjoint h ×h boxes such that the total number of connected components within individual boxes is minimized. Both problems share the pattern that overlap is either disallowed or to be minimized. For the problem of decomposing a triangulation into minimum number of tristrips, we obtain a simple approximation with a factor of \(O(\sqrt{nlogn})\); no approximation with o(n) factor is previously known for this problem [6]. For the problem of tiling a binary neuron image with boxes, we present a bi-criteria factor-(2,4h-4) approximation that uses at most twice the optimal number of tiles and results in at most 4h-4 times the optimal number of connected components. We also prove that it is NP-complete to approximate the general problem within some fixed constant.
When Future Met Its Past: The “Futurism” of Filippo T. Marinetti

FUTURE exists for man and it holds his interest only in so far as it has the probability of becoming present; still it remains enigmatical and is desired by optimists and despised by pessimists because it represents the uncontrollable, called by the former "Providence or will of God" and insulted by the latter as "Cursed destiny." In spite of all our presumptuous efforts to control the future, all that is in any way related to it depends on the Creator more than on His creatures, on supposition rather than on fact, on mystery rather than on evidence, on chance rather than on reason. What then remains about the future, which man may discuss with "common sense"? Thirty-five years ago an individual founded a movement which was to include word, thought, action, art, science, men and the world. The name of the individual is F. T. Marinetti; the name of the movement, "Futurism"; its birthplace, Milan, Italy, 2 Senate Street, office of the international review called "Poesia." The act of birth and the "Constitution" were synthesized in a "Manifesto" w hich Marinetti, according to the ancient proverb "Nemo propheta in patria" published in the Parisian journal "Figaro" on February 22, 1909. The introduction said: "Let us break away from wisdom as we would from a horrible shell and let us fling ourselves . . with pride into the immense and distorted mouth of the wind! . . . let us feed ourselves to the un-
Kitcher’s Circumlocutionary Structuralism

Philip Kitcher has proposed an account of mathematical truth which he hopes avoids platonistic commitment to abstract mathematical objects. His idea is that the truth-conditions of mathematical statements consist in certain general structural features of physical reality. He codifies these structural features by reference to various operations which are performable on objects: the world is structured in such a way that these operations are possible. Which operations are performable cannot be known a priori; rather, we hypothesize, conjecture, idealize, and eventually wind up with theories which are true of the world (taking into account our idealizations), just as we do in the sciences. Kitcher argues that mathematical and physical knowledge are continuous, in that they concern the same subject matter (the physical world) and are subject to the same epistemological and methodological constraints.
Evidence for extensive denudation of the Martian highlands

High-resolution topographic data from the Mars Orbiter laser altimeter reveal evidence for widespread denudation from Margaritifer Sinus to northern Arabia Terra, an area of ∼1 × 107 km2. A major resurfacing event is indicated by: (1) a heavily degraded landscape hosting numerous inliers, (2) truncation or absence of valley networks, and (3) a break in slope at the edge of early to middle Noachian plateau materials. Geomorphic mapping was completed on the type locale of denudation (0°–30°S, 0°–30°W). Superposition relations and crater counts for geomorphic units indicate that large-scale resurfacing took place in the late Noachian, eroding the Martian highlands and resulting in transportation and deposition of ∼4.5 × 106 km3 of sediment in the northern plains. This is equivalent to a 120-m-thick uniform layer of sediment on the surface of Mars north of 30°N. Geomorphic mapping and crater counts limit the timing of denudation to the late Noachian, an interval of 350–500 m.y. Using this limit, we estimate a minimum rate of denudation of 2.0 μm/yr, comparable to denudation of typical slopes in a temperate maritime climate on Earth. The morphology, rate of denudation, and extensive nature of upland degradation suggest that precipitation-fed surface runoff is the most likely geomorphic agent capable of such a process, indicative of a warm, wet Mars during the late Noachian Epoch.
Supporting Secure Embedded Access Control Policy with XACML+XML Security

XACML has become the de facto standard for expressing access control policy. Similarly, XML security standards, such as XML encryption and XML digital signature, have been widely deployed for protecting the confidentiality, authenticity and integrity of digital information. In this paper we present a framework of using XACML and XML security to support secure, embedded and fine-grained access control policy. The basic idea is to extend XACML such that access control policy can be embedded with the digital content in the same XACML document. The original content can be further divided into multiple parts, each of which is encapsulated by its own access control policy. The integrated XACML policy and content document is further protected using XML encryption and digital signature. This framework and associated security methods are designed to facilitate the protection, management and sharing of sensitive information.
Double incision open technique for carpal tunnel release: An alternative to endoscopic release

I prospectively evaluated the results of 30 consecutive patients with bilateral carpal tunnel release using two techniques. The first release was performed with a standard incision while the opposite hand underwent release by a double incision open technique. Postoperatively, subjective complaints of pain, grip strength, pinch strength, and pillar tenderness were evaluated at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 weeks. All patients expressed complete relief of preoperative numbness in both hands. The improvement in pinch and grip strength and lack of pillar tenderness in the hands that underwent the double incision open technique closely matched the reported results of endoscopic carpal tunnel release. There were no complications with either technique.
Matemática: um desafio internacional para estudantes surdos

O artigo trata de um conjunto de notas de pesquisa que tratam do que se sabe, e do que nao se sabe, hoje a respeito da aprendizagem matematica de criancas surdas.
Thermohaline Structure of an Eddy-Resolving North Atlantic Model: The Influence of Boundary Conditions

Abstract A T–S volumetric census, with a resolution of 0.2°C and 0.1 psu, for years 20-25 of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment Community Modeling Effort eddy-resolving simulation of the equatorial and North Atlantic Ocean, reveals how the thermohaline character of the model has changed from the initial conditions, which were taken from the Levitus climatology. Any changes in the thermohaline structure, other than stirring, mixing, or geostrophic adjustment of smoothed climatology, must be due to the boundary conditions, which are imposed at the surface and at four sponge layers (northern boundary, southern boundary, Labrador Sea and Mediterranean Sea), where water temperature and salinity are nudged toward climatological conditions. Several unrealistic thermohaline features appear in the solution, which can be traced to these surface and lateral sponge boundary conditions. 1) Water masses from the Arctic Ocean are overrepresented in the model. The volume transport across the northern sponge is twice ...
The use of hypervelocity launchers to explore previously inaccessible states of matter

Abstract The dynamic response of materials at very high pressure and temperature is important in a wide variety of scientific and programmatic applications. Thermodynamic regions of interest include the high-pressure response of condensed phases and the highly expanded states of materials. Since these regimes are normally studied with flat-plate impact techniques, it is necessary that projectile velocities achievable with highvelocity launchers be sufficient to access the desired thermodynamic regions. In this paper, we discuss the equation-of-state regions that would be accessible with a plate impact capability of 15 km/s and summarize the status of a hypervelocity launcher under development which will provide the required velocity capability.
The effect of alteration of nuclear lipids on messenger RNA transport from isolated nuclei

Abstract Studies were performed to examine the effect of alteration of the fatty acid composition of nuclear lipids on messenger RNA transport. Rats were maintained for four weeks on a semi-synthetic diet enriched in either saturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Messenger RNA transport was monitored by using a cell-free system comprised of isolated nuclei and fortified cytosol. This transport was found to be reduced by 34% from nuclei isolated from animals fed the diet enriched in saturated fatty acids as compared with the diet enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The reduction was associated with a decrease in the unsaturation index of the nuclear fatty acids.
Technical note: Ultraviolet reflectance-absorbance photography; An easy, inexpensive research tool

Photography in the ultraviolet wavelength is possible by use of special lenses, special filters, or both. This paper makes available pertinent information on an easy, inexpensive UV photographic technique. A comprehensive bibliography is provided. By using a flash guide number, lens apertures for various lens-subject distances can be calculated. The inexpensive technique is accomplished by simple adaptation of a Kodak Wratten 18A filter to the normal camera lens. The method is equally suited for living material, dried herbarium material, and chromatograms. The technique is useful in studies of pollination ecology, insect energetics, taxonomy, and flavonoid chemistry.
Cerebellar gray matter and lobular volumes correlate with core autism symptoms.

Neuroanatomical differences in the cerebellum are among the most consistent findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but little is known about the relationship between cerebellar dysfunction and core ASD symptoms. The newly-emerging existence of cerebellar sensorimotor and cognitive subregions provides a new framework for interpreting the functional significance of cerebellar findings in ASD. Here we use two complementary analyses — whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and the SUIT cerebellar atlas — to investigate cerebellar regional gray matter (GM) and volumetric lobular measurements in 35 children with ASD and 35 typically-developing (TD) children (mean age 10.4 ± 1.6 years; range 8–13 years). To examine the relationships between cerebellar structure and core ASD symptoms, correlations were calculated between scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI) and the VBM and volumetric data. Both VBM and the SUIT analyses revealed reduced GM in ASD children in cerebellar lobule VII (Crus I/II). The degree of regional and lobular gray matter reductions in different cerebellar subregions correlated with the severity of symptoms in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Structural differences and behavioral correlations converged on right cerebellar Crus I/II, a region which shows structural and functional connectivity with fronto-parietal and default mode networks. These results emphasize the importance of the location within the cerebellum to the potential functional impact of structural differences in ASD, and suggest that GM differences in cerebellar right Crus I/II are associated with the core ASD profile.
An uncertainty analysis of mean flow velocity measurements used to quantify emissions from stationary sources.

Point velocity measurements conducted by traversing a Pitot tube across the cross section of a flow conduit continue to be the standard practice for evaluating the accuracy of continuous flow-monitoring devices. Such velocity traverses were conducted in the exhaust duct of a reduced-scale analog of a stationary source, and mean flow velocity was computed using several common integration techniques. Sources of random and systematic measurement uncertainty were identified and applied in the uncertainty analysis. When applicable, the minimum requirements of the standard test methods were used to estimate measurement uncertainty due to random sources. Estimates of the systematic measurement uncertainty due to discretized measurements of the asymmetric flow field were determined by simulating point velocity traverse measurements in a flow distribution generated using computational fluid dynamics. For the evaluated flow system, estimates of relative expanded uncertainty for the mean flow velocity ranged from ±1...
Computation of morphological texture features for medical imaging applications

Texture is an important attribute which is widely used in various image analysis applications. Among texture features, morphological texture features are least utilized in medical image analysis. From a computational standpoint, extracting morphological texture features from an image is a challenging task. The computational problem is made even greater in medical imaging applications where large images such as mammograms are to be analyzed. This paper discusses an efficient method to compute morphological texture features for any geometry of a structuring element corresponding to a texture type. A benchmarking of the code on three machines (Sun SPARC 20, Pentium II based Dell 400 workstation, and SGI Power Challenge 10000XL) as well as a parallel processing implementation was performed to obtain an optimum processing configuration. A sample processed mammogram is shown to illustrate the code outcome.
Information structures and viable price systems

Abstract A dynamic model of capital/financial markets is developed. A surprise is a stopping time that is not foretellable . We show that if agents' preferences exhibit a kind of time complementarity, then between ex-dividend dates a viable price system can make discrete changes only at surprises. Under the same preference condition, when the information in the economy can be modeled by a Brownian motion, a viable price system is an Ito process between ex-dividend dates. The martingle characterization of a viable price system originated by Harrison and Kreps (1979) is extended to our economy. This martingale result is independent of the time complementarity of preferences alluded to above.
Sexual desire and relationship functioning: The effects of marital satisfaction and power

The present study examined the association among marital satisfaction, marital power, and sexual desire in a sample of 60 community couples. We predicted that marital satisfaction would be positively correlated with sexual desire and that this association would be moderated by marital power, such that marital satisfaction would be more strongly correlated with sexual desire among individuals who perceive themselves as having less power in their relationship. Results indicated that marital satisfaction was significantly associated with sexual desire, but there was no evidence for the moderating effects of various forms of marital power.
Effect of composition on the amount of second phase and transformation temperatures of NixTi90−xHf10 shape memory alloys

Abstract The influence of Ni and Ti content of Ni x Ti 90− x Hf 10 shape memory alloys on the presence of a second phase [Ni(Ti+Hf) 2 ] and transformation temperatures (TTs) is determined. The Ni content of the alloys in this investigation ranges from 49.0 to 50.2 at.% in increments of 0.2 at.%. The presence of second phase is investigated by metallographic examination and image analysis of homogenized alloys (900°C for 360 ks), and their TTs are determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The amount of second phase decreases with increasing Ni content and is least with a Ni content of 50.2 at.%. The martensite to austenite and austenite to martensite TTs remain constant as the Ni content increases from 49.0 to 50.0 at.%. A rapid decrease in the TTs is observed when the Ni content of the Ni x Ti 90− x Hf 10 alloy exceeds 50.0 at.%.
Donor and acceptor concentrations from a single mobility measurement in degenerate semiconductors: ZnO

Transparent conductive electrodes are an important part of LCD displays, solar cells, and light-emitting diodes, but a replacement must be found for indium tin oxide (ITO), which has become very expensive. One of the prime candidates is ZnO doped with Al, Ga, or In. Here we present a convenient analytical mobility model that yields donor N D and acceptor N A concentrations from Hall-effect measurements at a single temperature, including room temperature (RT). This model includes scattering from phonons and boundary imperfections as well as from ionized impurities and point defects. We apply it to films grown by pulsed laser deposition at 200 °C in 10 mTorr of pure Ar. For a film of thickness 275 nm, the Hall-effect measurements yield a RT resistivity p = 1.9 x 10- 4 Ω-cm, mobility μ = 28 cm 2 /V-s, and carrier concentration n = 1.1 x 10 21 cm -3 , and the mobility model gives N D = 1.6 x 10 21 cm -3 and N A = 4.9 x 10 20 cm -3 . Also, the transmittance is above 90% in the visible range. Annealing in forming gas gives p = 1.5 x 10- 4 Ω-cm, mobility μ = 42 cm 2 /V-s, carrier concentration n = 1.0 x 10 21 cm -3 , N D = 1.1 x 10 21 cm -3 and N A = 1.0 x 10 20 cm -3 . If the compensation ratio K = N A /N D can be maintained at about 0.1, and N D increased to about 3 x 10 21 cm -3 , then the model predicts a RT resistivity of less than 7 x 10- 5 Ω-cm, well below present ITO values.
Calcite textures, microstructures and rheological properties of marble mylonites in the Bancroft shear zone, Ontario, Canada

Calcite textures in several microstructural domains from the Bancroft shear zone reveal a sequence of transitions which indicate contributions from a variety of deformation mechanisms at greenschist facies conditions. The coarse marble protolith has undergone low strains accommodated by twinning and grain boundary migration. Porphyroclastic mylonite has a well developed crystallographic preferred orientation and microstructures indicative of dislocation creep and rotation recrystallization mechanisms. The textures are consistent with high-temperature deformation experiments where r, f and c slip systems were active. Complete dynamic recrystallization produced equant, medium-sized grains (50 μm) with a texture that is nearly random. Secondary calcite growth observed under cathodoluminescence and variation in δ18O value with microstructurc indicate large fluid fluxes during mylonitization. Fluid-assisted grain-boundary sliding and a minor component of dislocation creep are the inferred deformation mechanisms. Finer grained S-C mylonite has a well developed shape fabric and crystallographic preferred orientation with a point maximum and great-circle girdle attributed to attainment of an ‘easy slip’ orientation for most grains. Ultramylonites have homogeneous textures with finc, elongate grains (20–30 μm) mantled by disseminated secondary phases. Textures in ultramylonites are characterized by single point maxima and great circle girdles. The most evolved ultramylonite has a point maximum oblique to the shear plane with a symmetry indicating rotation of the maximum toward the extension direction. Texture/microstructure relations in these mylonites indicate that the competition between deformation mechanisms was highly sensitive to grain size, strain and secondary phases in addition to temperature, strain rate and differential stress. The varied deformation mechanisms and application of experimentally-derived constitutive equations indicate significant differences in differential stress and strain rate among microstructural domains. These differences reflect strain softening associated with dynamic recrystallization and work hardening associated with dissemination of secondary phases and the transition from grain-boundary sliding to dislocation creep.
The fate of the negative appendix

Summary The following important facts are demonstrated by this study. o 1. There is significant morbidity in patients with a preoperative diagnosis of appendicitis who are found to have a normal appendix. 2. The diagnostic accuracy in females is especially low, and further preoperative studies might well be indicated. 3. Patients with signs and symptoms of appendicitis can have a more serious surgical disease which requires expertise for proper management.
The impact of a cation channel blocker (furosemide) on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm architecture.

Objective To determine if furosemide could have a role in inhibition of biofilm formation. Study Design A prospective study of 72-hour biofilms grown in the Calgary Biofilm Device (CBD) treated with furosemide and controls. Methods Bacteria were treated with furosemide and controls to determine its antiplanktonic properties. PA01 biofilms were treated with serial 2-fold dilutions of furosemide and controls over a 48-hour period at pH concentrations of 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0. Results Furosemide had no effect on planktonic PA01. It had minimal effect at pH below 8.0. A pH of 8.0 and 9.0 reduced biofilms 25%. Furosemide 10 mg/mL reduced biofilms 50% at pH 8.0 and 9.0. It inhibited biofilms to Conclusion Furosemide was found to be nonantiplanktonic, but does appear to destabilize preformed PA01 biofilms at pH-dependent concentrations.
Coupling of Solid-State and Electromagnetic Equations for Simulation of Wireless Packaged Geometries

The balanced semiconductor solid-state equations as derived in [1] are efficiently coupled to Yee's FDTD model for Maxwell's electromagnetic equations. The resulting algorithm has capabilities of accurate and effective time-domain simulation of both passive and active devices, which can be used in wireless devices. A novel method that correlates the CFL requirements of the electromagnetic and the device simulator is presented and its application further enhances the numerical stability of the new numerical technique even for sub-micron devices. The discretization problems of a fully adaptive implementation are also discussed in detail.
Lifestyles and transportation needs of the elderly in Los Angeles

This study examined the trip-making behavior of persons over 65 years of age residing in Los Angeles County. To date, the major shortcoming of most research concerned with the transportation needs of the elderly is that the aged have been treated as a homogeneous group without recognizing the various lifestyles of the senior population. The two most easily distinguishable groups of elderly persons within the county are those residing in the inner-city and those around the urban fringe. Although many elderly are still found in “gray ghettos” there is currently a trend toward a more suburban generation of retirees. Four areas were selected within the county that reflected these two living patterns of the elderly. A comparative analysis of trip patterns and socio-economic data was completed. It was found that the suburban elderly are characterized as (1) having higher incomes, (2) residing predominantly in single-family units and (3) being reliant upon automobile transportation. As is typical of a large proportion of those over 65 years of age, many of the suburban elderly cannot drive. Studies of the transportation needs of this group indicate that without transit alternatives they may well become society's most transit-deprived segment. On the other hand, while the inner-city elderly may have a wider range of transportation options, they also have a distinct economic disadvantage which preludes their accessibility to opportunities. An analysis of modal choices, trip purposes and the frequency of travel exhibited many similarities and some significant differences in the travel behavior as well as problems of these two groups.
Elastic-plastic analysis of top-and-seat-angle connections

Abstract A special way of defining the structure geometry makes it possible to analyze structures with seat-and-top-angle semi-rigid connections using ordinary structural analysis computer programs with line-type bending members. The analysis focuses on the bending behavior of the main beams and columns and of the flexible angles used to make the connections. Fictitious rigid beams are used to space the bolt lines of the angles at the proper distance from the centerlines of the connected beams and columns. Equilibrium of forces in the angles is thus invoked at the outer fibers of the beams and columns rather than at the centerlines. Similarly, compatibility results according to the plane-sections-remain-plane concept. The angles are each modeled as a pair of rectangular beams of width and thickness equal to those of the angle placed at right angles to each other. The entire assemblage of beams, columns, and angles is analyzed as a rigid frame. An elastic analysis identifies the locations where stress is greatest and therefore plastic hinges may form. After changes in boundary conditions, additional steps of elastic analysis can give increments in the elastic-plastic load-deflection curve of the entire structure up to the point where a mechanism defining ultimate load is defined. Examples computed included subassemblages simulating part of a two- or more story frame subjected to either a center concentrated load on a beam or a uniform load on the same beam. In addition, a subassemblage simulating the typical setup for experimental tests of semi-rigid connections is computed, that is, a column with two end-loaded cantilever beams.
Motor Control and Motor Redundancy in the Upper Extremity: Implications for Neurorehabilitation

A fundamental feature of musculoskeletal design of the upper extremity is kinematic and muscle redundancy that has profound consequences for arm control in healthy people and individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) at the cervical level (tetraplegia). After reviewing basic facts related to arm redundancy and associated complexities of arm motor control, our experimental data demonstrate that individuals with motor complete (n = 5) or incomplete (n = 1) SCI at C5-C7 can learn to perform a complex multi-joint task of tracking target forces by the arm. We conclude that individuals with SCI can benefit from musculoskeletal redundancy and alternative control strategies to accomplish complex multi-joint tasks.
Community and Regional Food Planning: Building Institutional Support in the United States

This paper documents the progress of local food planning within the planning profession in the United States since about 2000. It discusses the adoption by the American Planning Association (APA) of the Community and Regional Food Planning Policy Guide and follow-on activities within APA; illustrates the recommendations of the policy guide through examples of specific plans, policies and programs developed by planning agencies or other public or nonprofit agencies; and documents contributions to food planning by the public health field as it tackles the built environment's connection to the national obesity epidemic and lack of access to healthy foods in impoverished areas. It ends by offering some lessons from these activities to achieving the health, economic, ecological and social goals of food policy.
Surface Structure Analysis Using Grazing Incidence X-ray Scattering

A description of the Grazing Incidence X-ray Scattering technique is presented including examples of the wide variety of work being performed in the areas of ordered overlayer structure determination, phase transition studies of ordered overlayers and structural studies of thin amorphous films.
Magnetic moment and photo-detachment spectroscopy of Ni5 clusters

Total energy calculations of a neutral and charged Ni5 cluster and its isomers corresponding to different spin multiplicities have been carried out using density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation. It is demonstrated that its magnetic moment can be determined by comparing theoretical results with photo-detachment spectroscopy experiment. We find Ni5 to have two nearly degenerate isomers with magnetic moments of 0.8μB per atom and 1.2μB per atom.
Modeling and Evaluation of Miles-in-Trail Restrictions in the National Air Space

Miles-in-trail restrictions impact flights in the national air space on a daily basis and these restrictions routinely propagate between adjacent Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Since overly restrictive or ineffective miles-in-trail restrictions can reduce the overall efficiency of the national air space, decision support capabilities that model miles-in-trail restrictions should prove to be very beneficial. This paper presents both an analytical formulation and a linear programming approach for modeling the effects of miles-in-trail restrictions. A methodology for monitoring the conformance of an existing miles-in-trail restriction is also presented. These capabilities have been implemented in the Future ATM Concepts Evaluation Tool for testing purposes. To allow alternative restrictions to be evaluated in post-operations, a new mode of operation, which is referred to as the hybrid-playback mode, has been implemented in the simulation environment. To demonstrate the capabilities of these new algorithms, the miles-in-trail restrictions, which were in effect on June 27, 2002 in the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control, are examined. Results from the miles-in-trail conformance monitoring functionality are presented for the ELIOT, PARKE and WHITE departure fixes. In addition, the miles-in-trail algorithms are used to assess the impact of alternative restrictions at the PARKE departure fix.
Utility scale hybrid wind–solar thermal electrical generation: A case study for Minnesota

Abstract The performance of a hybrid wind–solar power plant in southwestern Minnesota is modeled for a 2-yr period using hourly wind and solar insolation data. The wind portion of the plant consists of four interconnected wind farms within a radius of 90 km. The solar component of the plant is a parabolic trough solar thermal electric generating system using a heat transfer fluid that drives a steam turbine. The market value of energy produced, retail value of energy produced, and levelized cost of energy of the hybrid plant are compared to those of an energy equivalent wind-only plant. Results show that adding solar thermal electric generating capacity to a wind farm rather than expanding with additional wind capacity provides cost–benefit trade-offs that will continue to change as the two technologies evolve. At the present time, we find that capital cost and levelized cost of energy favor a wind-only plant while electric load matching favors a hybrid wind–solar plant. Regional differences in the solar resource in the US influence the economic viability of the hybrid plant, and a comparison using the present model is made with one location in the Southwest. The hourly data analysis presented here is a possible tool for evaluating the overall economic feasibility and generating characteristics for a hybrid wind–solar thermal electric power plant for any location with available wind, solar, electric load, and price data.
Elucidation of the structure of the membrane anchor of penicillin-binding protein 5 of Escherichia coli.

Penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP 5) of Escherichia coli is a membrane-bound cell wall dd-carboxypeptidase, localized in the outer leaflet of the cytosolic membrane of this Gram-negative bacterium. Not only is it the most abundant PBP of E. coli, but it is as well a target for penicillins and is the most studied of the PBP enzymes. PBP 5, as a representative peripheral membrane protein, is anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane by the 21 amino acids of its C-terminus. Although the importance of this terminus as a membrane anchor is well recognized, the structure of this anchor was previously unknown. Using natural isotope abundance NMR, the structure of the PBP 5 anchor peptide within a micelle was determined. The structure conforms to a helix−bend−helix−turn−helix motif and reveals that the anchor enters the membrane so as to form an amphiphilic structure within the interface of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic boundary regions near the lipid head groups. The bend and the turn within the motif allow the C-termi...
Testing the differential urbanisation model for Italy

The evolution of urban systems is playing a key role in the social and economic processes of developed societies. In Italy many stages of the urban transition are concentrated in the period following the Second World War. The contribution describes the evolution of the Italian urban system, considering different units of analysis and using data on population change as well as data on internal migration. The underlying notion is the concept of differential urbanisation formulated by Geyer and Kontuly. The process of urbanisation shows different patterns of evolution depending on the unit of analysis. Using the local labour market areas (LLMAs) the Italian urban system shows a clear pattern of population concentration from 1921 to 1971, and different stages of polarisation reversal in the following decades. The results show the importance of the underlying concepts in the analysis and interpretation of the urbanisation process.
Three-flat test solutions based on simple mirror symmetry

In interferometric surface and wavefront metrology, three-flat tests are the archetypes of measurement procedures to separate errors in the interferometer reference wavefront from errors due to the test part surface, so-called absolute tests. What is believed to be a new class of solutions of the three-flat problem for circular flats is described in terms of functions that are symmetric or antisymmetric with respect to reflections at a single line passing through the center of the flat surfaces. The new solutions are simpler and easier to calculate than the known solutions based on twofold mirror symmetry or rotation symmetry. Strategies for effective azimuthal averaging and a method for determining the averaging error are also discussed.
Development of PGM-free catalysts for automotive applications

The activity of Ag-based catalysts in soot oxidation using NO2 and oxygen as oxidants has been characterized in laboratory tests (TGA) and under real conditions on an engine dynamometer. Under low-temperature NO2-assisted and high-temperature O2-assisted soot oxidation conditions, the activity of Ag-based catalysts was found to be comparable or higher than that of commercial Pt-catalysts. In addition, Ag-based compositions also revealed noticeable NOx storage, some passive NOx reduction ability, and activity in NO oxidation. Ag-catalysts characterized in the present paper may be promising for the retrofit applications and high-temperature periodical regenerations with air for diesel passenger cars.
Effect of pore water and adsorbed moisture on the dielectric properties of green river oil shale

Abstract Moisture and pore water are found to have appreciable effects on the dielectric parameters of Green River oil shale. A regular decrease in the relative dielectric constant, e′, and dielectric loss, e″, with decreasing amount of adsorbed moisture and pore water is observed at 24°C for oil shale samples ranging in oil yields from ∼6-∼100 gallons per ton. The weak dependence of e′ and e″ on shale richness at frequencies in the range 50 Hz-1 MHz effectively rules out the application of dielectric techniques as an assay tool. The results are discussed in terms of interfacial polarization effects arising from the presence of adsorbed moisture and pore water in the oil shale matrix.
Application of an ex vivo cellular model of circadian variation for bipolar disorder research: a proof of concept study

Objectives Disruption of circadian function has been observed in several human disorders, including bipolar disorder (BD). Research into these disorders can be facilitated by human cellular models that evaluate external factors (zeitgebers) that impact circadian pacemaker activity. Incorporating a firefly luciferase reporter system into human fibroblasts provides a facile, bioluminescent readout that estimates circadian phase, while leaving the cells intact. We evaluated whether this system can be adapted to clinical BD research and whether it can incorporate zeitgeber challenge paradigms. Methods Fibroblasts from patients with bipolar I disorder (BD-I) (n = 13) and controls (n = 12) were infected ex vivo with a lentiviral reporter incorporating the promoter sequences for Bmal1, a circadian gene to drive expression of the firefly luciferase gene. Following synchronization, the bioluminescence was used to estimate period length. Phase response curves (PRCs) were also generated following forskolin challenge and the phase response patterns were characterized. Results Period length and PRCs could be estimated reliably from the constructs. There were no significant case-control differences in period length, with a nonsignificant trend for differences in PRCs following the phase-setting experiments. Conclusions An ex vivo cellular fibroblast-based model can be used to investigate circadian function in BD-I. It can be generated from specific individuals and this could usefully complement ongoing circadian clinical research.
Method of Correlated Basis Functions for the Ground State of an Electron Gas

The ground state of an electron gas is studied by means of the method of correlated basis functions developed by Wu and Feenberg. The optimum form of the Bijl-Dingle-Jastrow-type wave function of a charged-boson gas obtained with the application of the paired-phonon analysis is used as the correlation factor in a trial wave function describing the electron gas. Numerical results are given for the correlation energy per particle and the radial distribution function at metallic densities. The high-density limit of the system is briefly discussed.
Newborn Circumcision Decreases Incidence and Costs of Urinary Tract Infections During the First Year of Life

Objective. To assess the effect of newborn circumcision on the incidence and medical costs of urinary tract infection (UTI) during the first year of life for patients in a large health maintenance organization. Setting. Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California (KPNC). Patients. The population consisted of members of KPNC. The study group consisted of a cohort of 28 812 infants delivered during 1996 at KPNC hospitals; of the 14 893 male infants in the group, 9668 (64.9%) were circumcised. A second cohort of 20 587 infants born in 1997 and monitored for 12 months was analyzed to determine incidence rates. Design. Retrospective study of all infants consecutively delivered at 12 facilities. Outcome Measures. Diagnosis of UTI was determined from the KPNC computerized database using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code for inpatients and KPNC Outpatient Summary Clinical Record codes for outpatients. A sample of 52 patient charts was reviewed to confirm theInternational Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revisionand KPNC Outpatient Summary Clinical Record codes and provide additional data. Results. Infants Conclusions. Newborn circumcision results in a 9.1-fold decrease in incidence of UTI during the first year of life as well as markedly lower UTI-related medical costs and rate of hospital admissions. Newborn circumcision during the first year of life is, thus, a valuable preventive health measure, particularly in the first 3 months of life, when uncircumcised males are most likely to be hospitalized with severe UTI.