cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-power diode lasers operating around 1500-nm for eyesafe applications

Er:YAG solid state lasers offer an "eye-safe" alternative to traditional Nd:YAG lasers for use in military and industrial applications such as range-finding, illumination, flash/scanning LADAR, and materials processing. These laser systems are largely based on diode pumped solid state lasers that are subsequently (and inefficiently) frequency-converted using optical parametric oscillators. Direct diode pumping of Er:YAG around 1.5 μm offers the potential for greatly increased system efficiency, reduced system complexity/cost, and further power scalability. Such applications have been driving the development of high-power diode lasers around these wavelengths. For end-pumped rod and fiber applications requiring high brightness, nLIGHT has developed a flexible package format, based on scalable arrays of single-emitter diode lasers and efficiently coupled into a 400 μm core fiber. In this format, a rated power of 25 W is reported for modules operating at 1.47 μm, with a peak electrical to optical conversion efficiency of 38%. In centimeter-bar on copper micro-channel cooler format, maximum continuous wave power in excess of 100 W at room temperature and conversion efficiency of 50% at 6C are reported. Copper heat sink conductively-cooled bars show a peak electrical-to-optical efficiency of 43% with 40 W of maximum continuous wave output power. Also reviewed are recent reliability results at 1907-nm.
Experiments on the breakdown of laminar flow in a parallel-plate channel

Abstract The effect of entrance section geometry and superposed sources of disturbance on the minimum Reynolds number marking the breakdown of laminar flow was investigated experimentally. Twelve different flow configurations were employed throughout the course of the study. It was found that the presence of stationary sources of disturbance in the upstream plenum chamber and in the entrance section does not have a significant effect on the breakdown Reynolds number. A pulsating disturbance has a greater influence on the breakdown of the laminar regime, as does asymmetric entrance section geometry. The lowest value of the breakdown Reynolds number encountered in these studies was 2200, corresponding to a disturbance source situated within the channel itself.
Standing waves at low Mach number laminar bow shocks

Explorer 43 data were used to study 34 bow shock crossings observed from 5 to 16 earth radii upstream of the average bow shock location. Waves with periods of 6 to 130 s having amplitudes up to delta-B/B = 1 were detected. Wave polarization for the low-frequency waves is right-handed in relation to the average field direction when the observer moves from the upstream to downstream direction but is left-handed when the observer moves in the opposite sense. This fact identified the waves as standing whistler waves in the coordinate system of the shock. The waves are in agreement with collisionless low Mach number laminar shock theory. When the measured parameters were used to calculate theoretical wavelengths, the observed wave frequencies could be used to calculate velocities for the shock-wave coordinate system past the spacecraft; such velocities are mostly between 10 and 30 km/s. It is suggested that the higher-frequency propagating whistler waves may evolve from the standing whistler waves through a decay instability.
A geospatial tool for delineating streambanks

Ecologists, civil engineers, and conservation managers currently lack an automated software tool for delineating streambanks, which is an important input for various hydrological studies. Therefore, a computational method for automatically delineating streambanks using aerial imagery and stream centerline datasets was developed and incorporated in a stand-alone, user-friendly desktop-based geospatial tool. This interactive tool, titled Streambank Delineator (StreBanD), was tested on the 161-km Lower White River and 158-km L'Anguille River in Eastern Arkansas using 1-m resolution 3-band aerial imagery and National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus) stream centerline. The near-infrared band and normalized difference water index (NDWI) were evaluated for feasibility of streambank delineation. Results showed that the NDWI, a multi-band index approach, consistently provided superior delineations when compared to the single band (near-infrared) approach especially for complex channel morphologies, including braided channels and meandering segments, in the L'Anguille River. The geospatial tool successfully delineated the streambanks for both rivers in less than 10 min with a mean error ranging from 0.3 m to 10.3 m when compared with five manually delineated streambanks. Due to the generic and simple nature of this tool, it should assist scientists and conservationists in rapidly delineating streambanks for their study areas.
Optimization of Synthetic Jet Fluidic Structures in Printed Wiring Boards

The active cooling substrate in this study is a microelectromechanical system device that implements the synthetic jet concept into a printed wiring board (PWB) to enhance thermal management. Synthetic jets are oscillatory jets synthesized from the surrounding fluid using electromagnetic actuators. The jet fluid mechanics and heat transfer applications have been investigated by a variety of on-board (PWB)fluidic structures. A testbed comprising six different fluidic channels has been fabricated and characterized with a standard silicon based platinum heater. Based on the fluid mechanics measurements and cooling performance tests, an empirical correlation of synthetic jet Nusselt number with its Reynolds number, fluidic channel dimensions, and jet locations has been derived. Through a magnitude analysis, jet actuator diaphragm, fluidic channel dimension, and cooling location optimizations have been investigated.
Structure and selectivity trends in crystalline urea-functionalised anion-binding capsules

A tripodal trisurea receptor (L1) persistently self-assembles with various divalent oxoanion salts M n X (M = Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cd; X = SO4 2 − , SO3 2 − , SeO4 2 − , CrO4 2 − ) into isomorphous series of crystalline frameworks in three different compositions: MX(L1)2(H2O)6 (M = Mg, Ca, Cd) (1), Na2X(L1)2(H2O)4 (2) and K2X(L1)2(H2O)2 (3). Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis revealed that all three series of structures adopt a NaCl-type topology, consisting of alternating anionic X(L1)2 2 − capsules and M(H2O)6 2+, Na2(H2O)4 2+ or K2(H2O)2 2+ hydrated cations. The capsules provide a complementary environment to tetrahedral oxoanions via 12 hydrogen bonds from six urea groups lining the cavities of the capsules. The persistent formation of the capsules facilitated the investigation of structural trends and structure–selectivity relationships across series 1–3. First, it was found that the size of the capsules is relatively unresponsive to the change in the encapsulated anion, resulting in good shape and ...
Regulation of Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Gene Expression by Neuropoietic Cytokines and Neurotrophic Factors in Neurons and Astrocytes

We have identified the gene encoding nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), the novel opioid-like neuropeptide, as responsive to ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). N/OFQ mRNA levels were induced five- and ninefold by CNTF in striatal and cortical neurons. In primary astrocytes CNTF also increased N/OFQ mRNA levels. CNTF is a multifunctional cytokine that mediates the development and differentiation of both neurons and astrocytes and supports the survival of various neurons. CNTF is also an injury-induced factor in the brain playing a crucial role in astrogliosis. The mechanism by which CNTF elicits these effects is not well understood, but it is likely to involve regulation of specific genes. CNTF regulation of N/OFQ expression was sensitive to the kinase inhibitors H-7 and genistein but not to inhibition of protein synthesis. This pharmacological profile is consistent with CNTF activating the Janus protein tyrosine kinase (JAK)/ signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway to induce N/OFQ transcription. In nuclear extracts of CNTF-treated striatal neurons DNA binding of STAT proteins was increased. Radioimmunoassays revealed elevated N/OFQ immunoreactivity in striatal neurons after CNTF treatment. Expression of the related proenkephalin gene was not affected by CNTF in either neuronal or glial cultures. Regulation of N/OFQ expression by CNTF might point to a possible function of N/OFQ during development and after neural injury.
Vertical profile radiation measurements: a spectroscopic tool

Airborne profiles of spectral radiances between 3.5 and 15 microns are used to derive profiles of atmospheric temperature and the concentrations of radiatively active absorbing gases. These measurements are intended for the validation of atmospheric radiative transfer physics and associated forward models as well satellite remote sensing techniques and products. Vertical profiles of upwelling spectral radiance are obtained during ascents and descents of the Proteus aircraft carrying the NPOESS Airborne Sounding Test-bed - Interferometer (NAST-I). Opaque region radiance measurements provide the vertical temperature profile while the vertical derivative of radiance with respect to Planck radiance provides the vertical distribution of spectral emissivity. Spectral regions where only a single absorbing gas is active can be used to derive the mixing ratio profile for that gas, assuming the spectroscopy (i.e., line strengths, shapes, and pressure and temperature dependencies) is accurately known for the spectral region used. For the case where the gaseous mixing ratio is either known to be well mixed (e.g., CO2) or is measured in-situ from aircraft or balloon profile observations, the accuracy of the spectroscopic parameters used for radiative transfer calculations can be validated. In this paper, results obtained from vertical profile measurements associated with four different air mass conditions are used to depict the errors associated with radiative transfer calculations within the R-branch of the 15micrometers CO2 band. The airborne spectrometer observation technique illustrated here is proving to be a useful spectroscopic validation tool.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
GLUTATHIONE DEFICIENCY IN HUMAN DISEASE

Abstract Glutathione has multiple metabolic actions that are essential for cellular homeostasis. In spite of this important role in cellular physiology, disease states due to glutathione deficiency are not common. The participation of both tissue and circulating glutathione deficiency in disease pathogenesis is likely to be subtle and not easily defined. Despite these difficulties, a number of inherited conditions of glutathione deficiency are known, and acquired ones are being identified. Examples of the acquired deficiency state include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, human immunodeficiency virus-related disease, and respiratory distress syndrome. Much of our current understanding of the utility of glutathione supplementation in states of tissue injury is derived from biochemical, animal, and cell culture studies. In this article we will review what is known about glutathione deficiency states and explore strategies by which tissue glutathione levels might be maintained or increased to prevent tissue injury and disease.
Deliberate Cognitive Processing Mediates the Relation Between Positive Religious Coping and Posttraumatic Growth

Although many studies have detailed the maladies imposed by Hurricane Katrina, little work has examined potential benefits following the storm. Posttraumatic growth describes personal betterment or development following a traumatic event in areas such as perceived changes in self, a changed sense of relations with others, and a changed philosophy of life. Researchers have demonstrated a relation between posttraumatic growth and varying factors, including positive religious coping. The current study attempted to establish deliberate cognitive processing (or rumination) as a mediator between religious coping and posttraumatic growth in a sample of hurricane-exposed women. Results suggested that deliberate cognitive processing fully mediated the relation between religious coping and posttraumatic growth.
Evolution of Wrinkles in Elastic-Viscoelastic Bilayer Thin Films

This paper develops a model for evolving wrinkles in a bilayer thin film consisting of an elastic layer and a viscoelastic layer. The elastic layer is subjected to a compressive residual stress and is modeled by the nonlinear von Karman plate theory. A thin-layer approximation is developed for the viscoelastic layer. The stability of the bilayer and the evolution of wrinkles are studied first by a linear perturbation analysis and then by numerical simulations. Three stages of the wrinkle evolution are identified: initial growth of the fastest growing mode, intermediate growth with mode transition, and, finally, an equilibrium wrinkle state.
System Dynamics Analysis for Managing Iran’s Zayandeh-Rud River Basin

Within river basins different social, economic, political and physical subsystems interact. When making decisions, policy makers should be aware of such interactions as any new policy will affect more than one subsystem. To determine the adequacy of a specific management policy, an integrated study is needed of a complicated water management system in the basin considering major physical, social, economic and political aspects. The Zayandeh-Rud river basin, in central Iran with a semi-arid climate and large agricultural, industrial and domestic water uses, is an example of a complicated watershed system where the lack of complete knowledge about all the interacting subsystems has led to failure of the policy makers in addressing the water shortage in the basin. Although water shortages occur fairly soon after completion of each new water source, transbasin water diversion is still the major policy of water planners to address ongoing shortages. System dynamics provides a unique framework for integrating the disparate physical, socio-economic and political systems important to watershed management. This approach is used to comprehend the interactions of different drivers of the problem and to convey the experiences, lessons learned, and perceptions gained during the model development process. A simulation model, built based on causal loop diagrams of the problem, shows that transbasin diversion is not the best and only solution to the problem. The results of the model for different scenarios suggest that various options of demand management and population control can be more effective in addressing the water crisis of the basin when combined with transbasin water diversions, increasing water storage capacity and controlling of groundwater withdrawal.
δ15N of nitrate derived from explosive sources in a karst aquifer beneath the Ammunition Burning Ground, Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indiana, USA

Abstract Military institutions involved in the production and demolition of explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics have the potential to degrade groundwater aquifers through the addition of numerous contaminants including nitrate. A nitrate plume has been identified in a karst aquifer beneath the Ammunition Burning Ground (ABG) at the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indiana, USA. Wells located in the vicinity of surface impoundments and burn pans used for treatment of explosive materials show the highest concentrations of nitrate ranging from 11.2 to 19.6 mg 1−1 as NO3−. Little is known about the isotopic composition of nitrates originating from these processes. Eight wells within the ABG were sampled and analyzed for nitrogen isotopic composition of nitrate. An enrichment in the δ15N (δ15N = +8.9, +12.0, +13.1, and +13.5‰) occurred at four wells located near the primary areas of disposal activities within the ABG. Four wells located near the outer limits of the ABG had δ15N values significantly lower than those observed in the central area of the ABG (δ15N = +4.0, +4.1, +4.6, and +2.0‰). Soil samples and burn-pan ash samples were collected and analyzed for the nitrogen isotopic composition of nitrate. Three soil nitrate samples had low δ15N values of −1.7, −1.8, and +2.2‰. The burn-pan ash sample produced nitrate with a δ15N value of +2.9‰. The observed enrichment in δ15N from samples taken from wells located near the ABG has been postulated to be a result of photodegradation or biochemical modification of RDX and TNT contaminated sludges and volatilization of NH3 in storage lagoons within the ABG.
Effects of diversion on adults with co‐occurring mental illness and substance use: outcomes from a national multi‐site study

This quasi-experimental non-equivalent comparison group study examines outcomes for participants in eight programs conducting criminal justice diversion for people with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders compared with jail detainees eligible for diversion, but who were processed through standard criminal justice methods without diversion. Nearly 2000 participants were interviewed at baseline, and 1500 at 3 month and 1300 at 12 month follow-up to baseline. In these interviews, outcome measures of re-arrest, mental health functioning, substance abuse, quality of life, and service utilization were obtained. Those diverted were more likely to have received mental health counseling, mental health medication, and mental health hospitalization than those not enrolled in a diversion program, but were equally likely to have received substance abuse counseling. Overall, the differences in proportions receiving services between the two groups were small, even when these differences were statistically significant. The effect associated with diversion differed somewhat across the individual sites. However, overall cross-site pooled analyses revealed no outcome differences between groups on measures of mental health symptoms, substance use, criminal justice recidivism, or quality of life. Although the immediate benefit of diversion as an access mechanism to community treatment is indicated in pooled cross-site results, such access was driven by more coercive (pre-booking and court) models and results suggest that effecting substantially greater access to services or services use did not occur. The findings also suggest that mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice outcomes remain dependent on the treatment intervention received, perhaps moderated by type of diversion intervention, rather than on a generic and initial diversion event.
Modelling gas production in managed sanitary landfills

Gas production and recovery from managed sanitary landfills can be simulated by describing the time and space variation of the total pressure and composition of the mixture of gases (CH4, CO2, and N2) in the landfill. The variation of the total pressure and the composition of the gas mixture is described by the equations for mass conservation for each component (including a generation term for CH4 and CO2), the equation of motion, and the equation of state. Simulations of gas production compare well with field data from the Mountain View controlled landfill project field experiment. The function used to approximate the shape of the methanogenesis curve (based on equations describing the biochemical processes) consists of a rising hyperbolic branch and a decaying exponential branch. The conceptual framework of the model has been designed to incorporate equations describing the physics, biology, and chemistry of gas production in landfills.
Solution synthesis of gadolinium nanoparticles.

Gadolinium nanoparticles have been produced at subambient temperature by alkalide reduction. The nanoparticles display maxima in the temperature dependence of their magnetization, cooled in the absence of an applied external field, at Tmax of 5.0 and 17.5 K for unheated samples and samples annealed at 1000 °C for 4 h, respectively. Field cooled behavior deviates at temperatures slightly above Tmax, increasing at lower temperature. Curie−Weiss law fits of the high-temperature data yield magnetic moments in close agreement with those expected for noninteracting Gd3+ ions, suggesting that the behavior seen is due to a magnetic transition rather than superparamagnetism. Magnetization is linearly dependent on field at temperatures higher than 7−8 times Tmax and shows remanence-free hysteresis at lower temperature, suggesting metamagnetism. Some annealed samples show evidence of additional ferromagnetic interactions below ∼170 K. Magnetic entropy curves generated from magnetization data are consistent with that...
Lipid type and location of the relative humidity gradient influence on the barrier properties of lipids to water vapor

Large differences exist in the water vapor (WV) permeance of films made from different lipids (stearic acid [SA], tristearin [TS], stearyl alcohol [StA], hexatriacontane [HT], beeswax [BW], and acetylated monoglycerides [AG]). Differences in hydrophilic groups in the various lipids tested account for much of these differences. It is also interesting that the WV permeance of films made from BW or BW and AG increased as the relative humidity (RH) gradient was decreased by raising the dry-side RH from 0% to 65 or 80% (wet-side RH always 100%). This behavior is important because edible films intended as barriers to WV transmission will often be exposed to the latter conditions.
Correlated response in selection for aggressiveness in female mice. I. Male aggressiveness.

Males from the fifth selected generation of a selection program for aggressiveness in femaleMus musculus (Ebert and Hyde, 1976) were tested to determine whether male aggressiveness showed a correlated response in selection for female aggressiveness. The results indicated that male aggression had not shown a correlated response. Differences among males from the high, control, and low lines were not statistically significant in one replication and were significant but not in the predicted order in the other replication. There were marginally significant line x sex interactions. The rank correlation between male and female aggression scores was 0.20, which was not significant. The results suggest that male aggressiveness and female aggressiveness are under separate genetic control. Data for generation S5 females are also reported; differences among the high, control, and low lines continue to be significant.
The teratology of autism

Autism spectrum disorders affect behaviors that emerge at ages when typically developing children become increasingly social and communicative, but many lines of evidence suggest that the underlying alterations in the brain occur long before the period when symptoms become obvious. Studies of the behavior of children in the first year of life demonstrate that symptoms are often detectable in the first 6 months. The environmental factors known to increase the risk of autism have critical periods of action during embryogenesis. Minor malformations that occur frequently in people with autism are known to arise in the same stages of development. Anomalies reported from histological studies of the brain are consistent with an early alteration of development. Congenital syndromes with high rates of autism include somatic that originate early in the first trimester. In addition, it is possible to duplicate a number of anatomic and behavioral features characteristic of human cases by exposing rat embryos to a teratogenic dose of valproic acid at the time of neural tube closure.
Determination of the acid–base characteristics of lignocellulosic surfaces by inverse gas chromatography

The surface acid-base characteristics of samples of cellulose, pine wood, and kenaf powder were determined by inverse gas chromatography (IGC). The test substrates were packed in a deactivated glass column and the IGC probes were injected at infinite dilution. The surface acid-base parameters were expressed in terms of the acceptor K A and donor K D parameters, analogous to the Gutmann acceptor and donor numbers derived from the Lewis concept of acids and bases. The K A and K D values were calculated from the experimental values of the enthalpy of desorption, corresponding to the specific acid-base interactions, and literature values of the acceptor and donor numbers for the acid-base probes, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, ethyl acetate, and diethyl ether. Values of K A and K D suggest that the surfaces of cellulose, pine wood, and kenaf powder that have been washed by extraction with toluene/ethanol (2: 1, v/ v) are amphoteric, with a relatively greater capacity to accept electrons. The effect of the washing procedure on the dispersive component of the surface energy of the pine wood and kenaf powder was also determined. It was observed that the values for the washed substrates were relatively greater than those of the nonwashed counterparts.
Kinetics of the reaction of SiO(g) with carbon saturated iron

The reaction of SiO(g) with carbon saturated iron plays an important role in silicon transfer in the iron blast furnace. In the tuyere zone SiO(g) is generated from the reaction of coke with its ash, and the SiO(g) reacts with carbon saturated iron droplets as they pass through the furnace. This reaction may also play a role as a gaseous intermediate reaction for the reduction of SiO2 from slags by carbon dissolved in iron. The rate and controlling mechanism for the SiO reaction with carbon dissolved in liquid iron was determined in the temperature range 1823 to 1923 K. A constant pressure of SiO(g) was generated by the reaction of CO with SiO2; the reaction of carbon with SiO2 gave higher but decreasing pressures of SiO with time. The SiO(g) generated was then reacted with carbon saturated iron under conditions for which the gas phase mass transfer conditions are clearly defined. By a systematic variation of the appropriate variables it was demonstrated that the rate was controlled by gas phase transfer of SiO to the gas-metal interface. The rate changed with gas diffusional distance but was not a strong function of temperature or of melt composition. The rate calculated for gas phase mass transfer was in good agreement with the experimental results.
Territorial formation on the margin: urban anti-planning in Brooklyn

Abstract Theorists of social movements have identified a growing number of ‘new social movements’ which seek to ‘bypass the state’ in their pursuit of social power. This article proposes that one way to appreciate the changing opportunity structure for such ‘new social movements’ is to direct one's attention to changes in the degree and nature of state territorial control. It is argued that political-economic transformation is resulting in a situation in which margins are emerging: areas which are clearly within the boundaries of nation-states but in which the intensivity of state political-territorial control is limited. Social movements are gathering residual sources of social power in these supposedly ‘emptied’ margins in an effort to construct alternative forms of territorial control. Their attempts to redefine territory challenge the construction and uses of territoriality which enable capitalist uses of space. An analysis is undertaken of one particular movement from the margin—the Atlantic Terminal Urban Renewal Area (ATURA) Coalition, a grass-roots urban planning/community control movement in Brooklyn, New York City.
Low velocity compensation for first order periodic error caused by beam shear

This paper describes low velocity first order periodic error compensation caused by beam shear. It is shown that the error compensation is possible using the first order error signal magnitude obtained at high velocity and the interference signal magnitude identified at arbitrarily low velocities. The approach is based on the inverse-proportional relationship between the interference signal and first order periodic error signal magnitudes with variable shear. An experimental setup is described where beam shear is intentionally modified and the first order periodic error is monitored to validate this relationship. A simple compensation algorithm is presented and demonstrated.
Assessing the efficacy of a mixed-modal auditory display system for enhancing auditory sensation

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a new type of mixed-modal auditory display for enhancing auditory sensation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not a light apparatus in which LED lights are installed in front of a speaker panel and alternating lights based on sound frequency and intensity can support user awareness of the auditory source. Five different auditory sources were used, and a user study with 20 participants revealed that all auditory sources were better recognized when listened to with the light apparatus. The music and the emergency alert auditory source were best represented by the light apparatus. The experiment showed synchronized visual and audio representation enhanced the user's auditory sensation. Findings suggest that the light apparatus could be useful when auditory signal displays are not universally applicable because people who suffer from hearing loss are unable to use them effectively. It is expected that the result of this study could contribute to the design of hearing aids, emergency alarm device/mechanisms, communication trust or other assistive technologies that seek to provide context to received data.
Information system analysis and conceptual database design in production environments with M

Abstract A methodology, called M ∗ , for information system analysis and database design of production environments is presented in detail. The originality of M ∗ is to recognize the importance of integrating factory analysis methods for data and user requirements definition with logical database design methods for database specification. M ∗ is a pragmatic, complete, manual methodology involving three major phases: Enterprise Modelling and Analysis which is the phase devoted to accurate analysis of the structure of the enterprise and precise definition of the scope of the future database application; Conceptual Design which is the phase concerned with data modelling of both static and dynamic properties of the enterprise; and Implementation Design which is the phase dealing with adaptation of the conceptual schema to the data model specifications of the physical database system used for application development and tuning performances of the physical system. The methodology is explained and illustrated by means of an example related to a Flexible Manufacturing System for mechanical parts.
Interpolation methods for shaped reflector analysis

The diffraction analysis of reflector surfaces which are described only at a discrete set of locations usually leads to the requirement of an interpolation to determine the surface characteristics over a continuum of locations. Two methods of interpolation, the global and the local methods, are presented. The global interpolation representation is a closed-form or series expression valid over the entire surface. The coefficients of a series expression are found by an integration of all of the raw data. Since the number of coefficients used to describe the surface is much smaller than the number of raw data points, the integration effectively provides a smoothing of the raw data. The local interpolation provides a closed-form expression for only a small area of the reflector surface. The subreflector is divided into sectors each of which has constant discretized data. Each area segment is then locally described by a two-dimensional quadratic surface. The second derivative data give the desired smoothed values. >
Isothermal elastic constants for argon. theory and Monte Carlo calculations

Abstract Exact expressions for the isothermal elastic constants, C T 11 , C T 12 , and C T 44 , are derived for cubic crystals whose molecules interact with pairwise-additive central forces. The exact expressions contain fluctuation terms , omitted by Born, which make important contributions at nonzero temperatures. We use the Monte Carlo technique to evaluated C T 11 , C T 12 , and C T 44 for argon at 40, 60 and 80 K. The isothermal compressibility β T ≐ 3/( C T 11 + 2 C T 12 ), calculated from the numerical results, is in good agreement with experiment at all three temperatures.
Rapid and short-term adaptation in auditory nerve responses

Abstract The peristimulatory adaptation of auditory nerve responses in Mongolian gerbil was studied. Constant-intensity tone hursts were used as stimuli. The time decay of the firing rate following the response peak at stimulus onset was described by fitting two exponentially-decaying components and a constant term to the resulting peri-stimulus-time histograms. The slower (short-term) component had an amplitude which was proportional to the driven-steady-state rate (the portion of the constant term in excess of the spontaneous rate). The short-term time constant was on the order of 60 ms and was independent of intensity. The rapid component grew more quickly with intensity and exhibited a greater dynamic range than did the short-term and steady-state components. The time constant of the rapid component was on the order of 1–10 ms, and decreased with increasing intensity in most units. At a constant intensity above unit threshold, the rapid time constant measured at CF was larger for units with low characteristic frequency (CF) than for units with high CF. These results indicate that as intensity increases, the auditory nerve fiber responds more vigorously and with greater time resolution to the onset of tonal stimuli.
THE LEGAL CHALLENGE OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION (IMC): Integrating Commercial and Political Speech

The application of First Amendment commercial speech doctrine to integrated marketing communication (IMC) demonstrates that the integration of public relations messages with advertising and marketing messages may dilute the constitutional protection afforded corporate speech. This analysis of U.S. Supreme Court precedents shows that by intermingling political expression with commercial expression, a corporation may expand the range of communication that may be defined and regulated as commercial speech. The additional review of a California Supreme Court case that redefined commercial speech to include public relations messages illustrates the potential for heightened regulation of integrated marketing communication.
Panel Synopsis - How (Un)affordable is true cost of test?

Test cost means different things to different teams at different times, in terms of investment, spending and affordability. Long design and production life-time cycles continue to give rise to scenarios where, while the test cost estimated at design time was considered expendable, the actual test cost incurred during production was not, resulting in debates, analysis and optimisations, (often implemented grossly and sub-optimally, due to lack of planning and lack of support in design as well as test infrastructure). Besides, as the life-cycle expands, i.e. devices are manufactured, sold and supported over a longer time period, the impact of test cost (as a percentage of manufacturing cost) on profitability can be even more profound. The adoption of the right techniques and infrastructure to guarantee functionality upon manufacturing, and during the operation life-cycle (as applicable) is crucial for profitability. Design support is often the most important enabler. Correspondingly, this drives the extent and scope of the functionality in the manufactured chip to be verified, the selection of tests for this verification, and the total number of chips being subjected to such tests. Test cost is perceptibly incurred “after manufacturing” and, in different contexts, considered “dispensable”. As a result, it is a big variable and often the target of ongoing optimisations. The lesser the affordability, (dependent on what is considered essential versus what is considered as an overhead), the higher is the focus on such optimisations. Good test cost models and estimates can, therefore, help to set the right bounds on affordability and optimisations.
Selective multiplex advantage with an electro-optic Hadamard transform spectrometer for multielemental atomic emission.

Abstract A liquid-crystal spatial light-modulator Hadamard transform spectrometer is adapted for multielemental atomic spectrochemical analysis. The flame emissions of alkali metals are studied as a preliminary example. The multiplex disadvantage normally plaguing application of Hadamard and Fourier transform methods to atomic analysis is circumvented. Permanent electro-optic “closure” of certain Hadamard mask slits (corresponding to intense major element emissions) improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the remaining trace element emissions. This approach to SNR enhancement of weaker spectral features by blocking known intense features is called the selective multiplex advantage. A problem with the contrast ratio (relative transmissions of the transparent and opaque states) of the liquid-crystal Hadamard mask has been identified in terms of “optical leakage”. This produces an offset in the Hadamard encodegram, and leads to concentration-dependent baseline-offset effects in the transformed spectrum. A mathematical correction procedure was devised and evaluated experimentally.
A Methodology to Examine the Long-Term Energy, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Advanced Nuclear Technologies

Nuclear energy is on the verge of a possible nuclear renaissance, driven by the simultaneous growing global demand for energy and a growing awareness of the need to combat climate change by lowering atmospheric carbon emissions. Widespread deployment of advanced nuclear technologies will require nuclear energy to be competitive in the energy market. Given the long lead-time and high cost of building capital-intensive nuclear facilities, it is important to perform analyses up-front to gain insight into what combinations of economic, environmental, technical and policy conditions will be required for nuclear to play a significant future role. This paper describes an analytical approach that can be used to define those conditions where nuclear energy could contribute. The methodology, using the MARKAL model, is both rich in technical detail and yet conceptually transparent. It is flexible, easy to modify for the needs of a particular analysis and can vary parameters of interest to address uncertainties in data and in future conditions. It can also examine the impacts of present or potential future government policies on the ultimate deployment of nuclear technologies over time. The example results provided in the paper illustrate some issues of interest to the nuclear and energy communities that can be addressed using MARKAL.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Identifying Offline Muscle Strength Profiles Sufficient for Short-Duration Fes-Lce Exercise: A Pac Learning Model Approach

Functional electrical stimulation-induced leg cycle ergometry (FES-LCE) provides therapeutic exercise for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, there exists no systematic approach to predict whether an individual has sufficient thigh muscle strength necessary for FES-LCE exercise. Objective. To develop and test a Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) learning model as a predictor of thigh muscle strengths sufficient for short-duration FES-LCE exercise and compare the model's performance with other well-known statistical methods. Methods. Six healthy male individuals with SCI, having age (32.0 ± 12.5 years), height (1.8 ± 0.04 m), and weight (79.12 ± 10.76 kg), participated in static and dynamic experiments. During static experiments, absolute crank torque measurements were used to estimate thigh muscle strengths in response to maximum FES intensities of 70 mA, 105 mA, and 140 mA at fixed crank positions on an FES-LCE. During dynamic experiments, changes in power output measurements were used to classify rider performance as ‘Fatigue’ or ‘No Fatigue’ during short-duration FES-LCE at maximum stimulation intensities of 70 mA, 105 mA, and 140 mA and flywheel resistance levels of 0/8th, 1/8th, and 2/8th kilopounds. A Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) learning model was developed to classify static offline muscle strength observations with online rider performances. PAC's discriminatory power was compared with logistic regression (LR), Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and an artificial neural network (ANN) model. Results. PAC and ANN learning models correctly identified 100% of the training examples. PAC's average performance on the validation set was 93.1%. The ANN and LR performed comparable with 92.8% and 93.1% accuracy, respectively. The LDA method faired well on the validation set at 89.9%. Conclusions. PAC performed well in identifying muscle strengths associated with the online performance criterion. Although PAC did not perform best during cross-validation, this model has many advantages over the other methods. PAC can adapt to changes in classification schemes and is more amenable to theoretical analyses than the other methods. PAC learning has an intuitive design and may be a practical choice for classifying muscle strength profiles with well-defined performance criteria.
Identification of a Hydrophobic Domain in Varicella-Zoster Virus ORF61 Necessary for ORF61 Self-Interaction, Viral Replication, and Skin Pathogenesis

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ORF61 protein is necessary for normal replication in vitro and virulence in human skin xenografts in the severe combined immunodeficiency mouse model in vivo. These experiments identify a hydrophobic domain that mediates ORF61 self-interaction. While not needed to inhibit host cell defenses, disruption of this domain (residues 250 to 320) severely impairs VZV growth, transactivation of the immediate early 63 and glycoprotein E genes, and the pathogenesis of VZV skin infection in vivo.
A mathematical relationship between set-theoretic and metric compatibility measures

Because of the diversity of fuzzy set applications, a wide variety of compatibility measures have been employed to assess the degree of agreement between two fuzzy sets. Set theoretic compatibility measures are the ones predominantly found in the literature and are based on determining the commonality between two fuzzy sets. Recently, however, metric compatibility measures are being used to assess agreement as a function of the distance between the fuzzy sets. The Jaccard index from the set theoretic class and the dissemblance index from the metric class are described and a mathematical relationship between these two is established.
Adaptive breadth-first search protocols

We present adaptive protocols for the problem of breadth-first search in a distributed system. An adaptive protocol can change its behavior in response to changes in the network environment, which might be useful to satisfy certain performance requirements and to enhance the life cycle of a software system. We obtain an adaptive protocol by combining two existing breadth-first search protocols, A and B. A performs better than B if network topology is sparse or if the actual message delays on different links during the execution of the protocol are the same. 0therwise, it is more costly to operate than B. Protocol Comp(A, B), which we obtain by composing A and B, performs well under a variety of network conditions. It behaves like A whenever conditions are favorable and like B otherwise. Its message complexity on any topology is the minimum of the message complexities of A and B on that topology. Using the same technique, we obtain another adaptive protocol by combining A with another protocol C. The performance characteristics of this protocol are similar to those of Comp(d, B). Protocols obtained using our technique exhibit an additional property of local adaptivity i.e., the protocols adapt themselves locally to changes in the network.
VDAC1 serves as a mitochondrial binding site for hexokinase in oxidative muscles

Abstract Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), also known as mitochondrial porins, are the main pathway for metabolites across the mitochondrial outer membrane and may serve as binding sites for kinases, including hexokinase. We determined that mitochondria-bound hexokinase activity is significantly reduced in oxidative muscles (heart and soleus) in vdac1−/− mice. The activity data were supported by western blot analysis using HK2 specific antibody. To gain more insight into the physiologic mean of the results with the activity data, VDAC deficient mice were subjected to glucose tolerance testing and exercise-induced stress, each of which involves tissue glucose uptake via different mechanisms. vdac1−/− mice exhibit impaired glucose tolerance whereas vdac3−/− mice have normal glucose tolerance and exercise capacity. Mice lacking both VDAC1 and VDAC3 (vdac1−/−/vdac3−/−) have reduced exercise capacity together with impaired glucose tolerance. Therefore, we demonstrated a link between VDAC1 mediated mitochondria-bound hexokinase activity and the capacity for glucose clearance.
On-line state estimation using modified cubic splines

A procedure is proposed for rapidly fitting a modified cubic approximation to a moving window of equally spaced measurements.
The Social Coping Questionnaire: An Examination of Its Structure With an American Sample of Gifted Adolescents

Gifted students report that they are often perceived differently than nonidentified students (Cross, Coleman, & Stewart, 1993); thus, they employ social coping strategies to manipulate the visibility of their giftedness. The Social Coping Questionnaire (SCQ; Swiatek, 1995) was designed to assess these strategies. This study's purpose was to examine the SCQ's factor structure with a sample of 600 younger (grades 5–7) and older (grades 8–11) gifted boys and girls in the U.S. and determine the tenability of the factor structure across age and gender groups. Participants' scores were randomly assigned to either exploratory factor analysis (EFA) or confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Findings from EFA were tested with CFA. Together, these analyses revealed 6 factors. Factor loading patterns from multigroup analyses indicated differences between age and gender groups, and suggested that future investigations of gifted students' social coping strategies include careful examination of the data for factor structur...
The New Science of Learning and Why Students Forget Their Economics So Quickly

The human brain has automatic, built-in abilities to filter and discard information so that the vast majority of the information that enters our senses is deleted. Consequently, the result is that teachers need to understand, model, and program student learning to work in harmony with these natural abilities. New discoveries in the ‘science of learning’ that employ multi-disciplinary work in psychology, neuroscience, machine learning, and education have shown us how the human brain works. Furthermore, studies of child development, plasticity of the human brain, and computational approaches to learning have contributed to new understandings of how we learn and how long-term memory is formed. The most important of these findings are: 1. Learning is computational and probabilistic, using Bayesian Logic. 2. Learning is fundamentally social in nature. 3. Designated brain circuits link perception and action. 4. The human hippocampus and REM sleep collaborate to form and store long-term memories. In addition, we present the implications of this research for the teaching of economics and also present practical techniques that can be incorporated into classroom teaching to help students study more efficiently and improve student learning.