cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symposium overview: Chemical senses and mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases.

Olfactory function is significantly and early impaired in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Epigenetic regulation and adult neurogenesis are some of the major cutting edge research directions in studying the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Leading scientists in these research areas were invited to participate in this symposium to introduce to the chemical senses community their novel insights into the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Insight into the mechanisms underlying olfactory system impairment in neurodegenerative diseases may facilitate both the identification of individuals likely to develop cognitive impairment or dementia who will benefit most from interventions at the earliest incidence of impairment, and the identification of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
A new morphology algorithm for shoreline extraction from DEM data

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are a digital representation of elevations at regularly spaced points. They provide an accurate tool to extract the shoreline profiles. One of the emerging sources of creating them is light detection and ranging (LiDAR) that can capture a highly dense cloud points with high resolution that can reach 15 cm and 100 cm in the vertical and horizontal directions respectively in short periods of time. In this paper we present a multi-step morphological algorithm to extract shorelines locations from the DEM data and a predefined tidal datum. Unlike similar approaches, it utilizes Lowess nonparametric regression to estimate the missing values within the DEM file. Also, it will detect and eliminate the outliers and errors that result from waves, ships, etc by means of anomality test with neighborhood constrains. Because, there might be some significant broken regions such as branches and islands, it utilizes a constrained morphological open and close to reduce these artifacts that can affect the extracted shorelines. In addition, it eliminates docks, bridges and fishing piers along the extracted shorelines by means of Hough transform. Based on a specific tidal datum, the algorithm will segment the DEM data into water and land objects. Without sacrificing the accuracy and the spatial details of the extracted boundaries, the algorithm should smooth and extract the shoreline profiles by tracing the boundary pixels between the land and the water segments. For given tidal values, we qualitatively assess the visual quality of the extracted shorelines by superimposing them on the available aerial photographs.
Seeding approach to noble metal decorated conducting polymer nanofiber network

Metal displacement reactions between conducting polymers—“synthetic metals”—and noble metals (Pt, Au and Ag) have been demonstrated using a seeding polymerization technique, to produce a synthetic metal nanofiber network decorated with noble metal nanoparticles, in one-step.
Predicted Light Curves for a Model of Solar Eruptions

We determine the thermal radiation generated by a loss-of-equilibrium model for CMEs and eruptive solar flares. The magnetic configuration of the model consists of an outward-moving flux rope with a vertical current sheet below it. Reconnection at the sheet releases magnetic energy, some of which is converted into thermal energy that drives chromospheric evaporation along the newly connected field lines exiting the current sheet. The thermal energy release is calculated by assuming that all of the Poynting flux flowing into the reconnection region is eventually thermalized. We find that the fraction of the released magnetic energy that goes into thermal energy depends on the inflow Alfven Mach number. The evolution of the temperatures and densities resulting from chromospheric evaporation is calculated using a simple evaporative cooling model. Using these temperatures and densities, we calculate simulated flare light curves for TRACE, the SXT on Yohkoh, and GOES. We find that when the background magnetic field strength is weak, the radiation emitted by the reconnected X-ray loops beneath a CME is faint. Additionally, it is possible to have two CMEs with nearly the same trajectories and speeds that have a significant difference in the peak intensities of their light curves. We also examine the relationship between the thermal energy release rate and the derivative of the soft X-ray light curve and discuss the implications for the Neupert effect.
Computer scientists can teach writing: an upper division course for computer science majors

The author's institution requires all students to take one course that concentrates on writing at the upper division (junior or senior) level. The computer science department offers one such course, taught by computer scientists. It concentrates on communications issues relevant to computer scientists and computer professionals, going beyond traditional "technical writing" to give students experience in oral presentation, document design, and writing in forms appropriate for various audiences. This course takes advantage of analogies between writing and software development and motivates computer science students to pay more careful attention to their writing.
Large‐Area Synthesis of Continuous and Uniform MoS2 Monolayer Films on Graphene

Heterostructures composed of multiple layers of different atomically thin materials are of interest due to their unique properties and potential for new device functionality. MoS2-graphene heterostructures have shown promise as photodetectors and vertical tunnel transistors. However, progress is limited by the typically micrometer-scale devices and by the multiple alignments required for fabrication when utilizing mechanically exfoliated material. Here, the synthesis of large-area, continuous, and uniform MoS2 monolayers directly on graphene by chemical vapor deposition is reported, resulting in heterostructure samples on the centimeter scale with the possibility for even larger lateral dimensions. Atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence, X-ray photoelectron, and Raman spectroscopies demonstrate uniform single-layer growth of stoichiometric MoS2. The ability to reproducibly generate large-area heterostructures is highly advantageous for both fundamental investigations and technological applications.
Shape-Selective Oligomerization of Alkenes to Near-Linear Hydrocarbons by Zeolite Catalysis

Abstract Oligomerization results of propene, 1-decene, and isobutene catalyzed by zeolite HZSM-5 and zeolite HZSM-5 surface deactivated with 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine show that faster oligomerization and a higher percentage of C20+products are obtained with the unmodified HZSM-5. Results of13C NMR analysis show that when the oligomerization takes place inside ZSM-5 channels, the structures of the C20+products are nearly linear, with a small amount of methyl branching. A higher degree of methyl branching is obtained at higher reaction temperatures. The C20+products obtained from different olefins with surface-deactivated HZSM-5 under the same experimental conditions have nearly identical structures. The near-linear structure of the product indicates that when the oligomerization reaction takes place inside HZSM-5 channels, most of the alkyl substituents at the double bond of the olefins become part of the polymer chain, due to the steric requirement. When the surface acidity is unmodified, most oligomerization reaction takes place at the outer surface of the zeolite, and complex product structures result.
Freshwater stingrays (Dasyatidae) of Southeast Asia and New Guinea, with description of a new species of Himantura and reports of unidentified species

Three species of dasyatid stingrays in Southeast Asia are presumed to be endemic freshwater species or are known only from freshwater habitats:Himantura krempfi (Chabanaud, 1923), known mainly from specimens obtained at Pnom Penh, Kampuchea, without precise indication of habitat;Himantura signifer new species, described from specimens caught in the Kapuas basin, western Borneo, and tentatively identified as occurring also in the Indragiri River, Sumatra, Perak River, western Malay Peninsula, and Chao Phrya River, Thailand; and an unidentifiedDasyatis orHimantura from the Mekong River in Laos. In addition to these, an unidentifiedHimantura is reported from the Fly River basin; this is the first record of a stingray from fresh water in New Guinea.
Optimal risk and dividend distribution control models for an insurance company

The current paper presents a short survey of stochastic models of risk control and dividend optimization techniques for a financial corporation. While being close to consumption/investment models of Mathematical Finance, dividend optimization models possess special features which do not allow them to be treated as a particular case of consumption/investment models.¶ In a typical model of this sort, in the absence of control, the reserve (surplus) process, which represents the liquid assets of the company, is governed by a Brownian motion with constant drift and diffusion coefficient. This is a limiting case of the classical Cramer-Lundberg model in which the reserve is a compound Poisson process, amended by a linear term, representing a constant influx of the insurance premiums. Risk control action corresponds to reinsuring part of the claims the cedent is required to pay simultaneously diverting part of the premiums to a reinsurance company. This translates into controlling the drift and the diffusion coefficient of the approximating process. The dividend distribution policy consists of choosing the times and the amounts of dividends to be paid out to shareholders. Mathematically, the cumulative dividend process is described by an increasing functional which may or may not be continuous with respect to time.¶ The objective in the models presented here is maximization of the dividend pay-outs. We will discuss models with different types of conditions imposed upon a company and different types of reinsurances available, such as proportional, noncheap, proportional in a presence of a constant debt liability, excess-of-loss. We will show that in most cases the optimal dividend distribution scheme is of a barrier type, while the risk control policy depends significantly on the nature of the reinsurance available.
Storytelling in Mexican Homes: Connections Between Oral and Literacy Practices.

The study focuses on storytelling among Mexican families, documenting the frequency of storytelling in the homes of working- and middle-class Mexican families, the range of topics of the stories, characteristics and genres of stories, and intergenerational continuity of storytelling practices. Also examined are potential associations between storytelling practices and children's performance on language and early reading tasks. This qualitative study draws from interview data with 30 families, supplemented with survey and outcome data from the larger mixed-method project of which it forms a part. Storytelling continues to be a widespread but not frequent activity, including genres of family anecdotes, horror stories, folktales, and historical recounts. Storytelling as a cultural resource is discussed.
The Maple Leaf Foods recall: best practice interaction during a food-related crisis

Crisis situations for organisations prompt public responses to manage the effects of the crisis and maintain public confidence in the organisation or the safety of its products. This study of the Maple Leaf Foods listeriosis crisis of 2008 and the recall of its products examined the company’s responses made after the recall to determine if they reflected the presence of best practices. The findings suggested that the strategic utilisation of particular audience-centred best practices enabled the company chief executive officer to focus on re-establishing public trust in the safety of its products. Prioritising organisational objectives as early in the crisis as possible, demonstrating flexibility when determining which best practice to use, and communicating quickly, honestly, and empathetically with the public are offered as practical suggestions for communication scholars and organisations experiencing crises.
A novel in-building small-cell backhaul architecture for cost-efficient multi-operator multi-service coexistence

We demonstrate a novel in-building small-cell backhaul architecture for multi-operator, multi-service coexistence with optical infrastructure sharing. In-building experiments confirm 6-12Mb/s layer-4 packet throughputs for users under mobile distributed antenna and static frequency re-use scenarios, respectively.
Electron backscatter diffraction analysis of microstructural evolution in hot-deformed 6xxx series aluminum alloys

The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique is used to analyze the crystallographic grain orientation of deformed microstructures for 6xxx series aluminum alloy extrusions. In a partially extruded billet of aluminum, deformation zones with different crystallographic characteristics can be seen. Using compression testing performed on a Gleeble thermal-mechanical simulator under various conditions, the formation of different deformation zones is simulated. The EBSD technique is used to characterize samples deformed in compression testing to analyze the different deformation zones present in the extrusion process. Metal-flow analysis using EBSD is also applied to study the influence of different die designs on the surface texture of an extrudate. Microstructures from a profile that was formed with different die designs are examined. Analysis of a longitudinal weld present in typical hollow profiles is performed to determine the effect of metal-flow conditions on the resultant texture in the extrudate. The texture (or microtexture) measured from individual grains can be correlated to the orientation changes that occur during deformation.
Improved development of in vitro-derived bovine embryos by use of a nitric oxide scavenger in a cumulus-granulosa cell coculture system.

This study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) affects prehatching development of bovine oocytes fertilized in vitro. In experiment 1, inseminated oocytes were cultured in a cumulus–granulosa cell (CG) coculture system to which 0.008 or 0.04 mM of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a spontaneous NO releaser, was added at 18 or 60 hr postinsemination. Embryo development was greatly (P < 0.001) inhibited by the addition of SNP, regardless of time of addition or SNP concentration. In experiment 2, eight-cell embryos were cultured singly in a defined medium, to which 0.0016, 0.008, or 0.04 mM of SNP was added. Development to the blastocyst stage was greatly (P < 0.001) decreased after addition of SNP compared with no addition. Higher (P < 0.02) concentration of NO metabolites was found in developmentally arrested embryos than in developing embryos at 144 hr postinsemination (experiment 3). In experiment 4, blastocyst formation of oocytes cocultured with CGs was significantly (P < 0.02) increased after addition of hemoglobin (Hb, 1 μg/ml), an NO scavenger. Prehatching development of oocytes was significantly (P < 0.05) increased after addition of Hb at different time intervals (18, 60, or 144 hr postinsemination) in experiment 5. Embryo development was not enhanced by Hb addition to the culture medium in the absence of CGs (experiment 6). Prehatching development of eight-cell embryos derived from a Hb-containing culture system was not promoted by the further addition of Hb after transfer of the embryos to a defined and CG-free single-embryo culture system (experiment 7). In conclusion, NO, which may be secreted from CGs, has an inhibitory role in prehatching development of bovine oocytes fertilized in vitro, and use of an NO scavenger, Hb, in a coculture system enhances blastocyst formation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 50:45–53, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Atherosclerotic lesions in genetically modified mice quantified in vivo by non-invasive high-resolution magnetic resonance microscopy

We have previously shown that magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) accurately quantifies atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice aged 36-84 weeks. The present study tests MRM in the quantification of aortic atherosclerosis over a broader range of lesion severity. Younger mice with less advanced disease were imaged in order to evaluate sensitivity, specificity and maximum practical resolution of MRM. Nineteen mice underwent in vivo MRM. Wall area measurements by MRM and light microscopy (LM) (n=43) were highly correlated (r=0.85, slope=0.88, P<0.0001). Wall areas by MRM ranged from 0.114 to 0.934 (median, 0.334) mm(2). A threshold of 0.35 mm(2), for the upper limit of normal, gave MRM positive predictive value (PPV) for detecting abnormally thickened arteries=89.5% and negative predictive value (NPV)=75%, referred to LM. Lesion shape assessed by LM and MRM were also well correlated (r=0.72, P<0.001). Increased wall area in atherosclerosis was found by MRM (P=0.01) and LM (P<0.0001) to be accommodated entirely by 'positive remodeling', confirming the importance of determining plaque size directly. MRM accurately quantifies mouse aortic atherosclerosis and will enhance studies in this important animal model.
Racial/ethnic composition, social disorganization, and offsite alcohol availability in San Diego County, California

We draw upon social disorganization theory to examine the effects of community characteristics on the distribution of offsite alcohol outlets in San Diego County, California. Of particular interest is whether alcohol availability varies according to neighborhood racial/ethnic composition once measures of social disorganization (socioeconomic disadvantage, residential instability, and racial/ethnic heterogeneity) are controlled. Using data from the 1990 Census and 1993 alcohol license reports, we estimate a series of negative binomial regression models with corrections for spatial autocorrelation. The results show that percent Asian is associated with lower offsite alcohol outlet density. Once socioeconomic disadvantage is controlled, percent Latino is related to lower alcohol availability. Although similar suppressor patterns are observed, percent Black is generally unrelated to outlet density. Consistent with social disorganization theory, socioeconomic disadvantage and residential instability predict increased alcohol availability. Neighborhood racial/ethnic composition is either unrelated or inversely related to outlet density once social disorganization and other neighborhood characteristics are taken into account.
Endotoxin Shock and the Coagulation Mechanism Modification of Shock with Epsilon-Aminocaproic Acid

Summary1. Lethal shock was established with a standardized dose of E. coli endotoxin in adult mongrel dogs. In this species initiation of the peripheral vascular collapse involves liberation of histamine, which may be related to the activation of a proteolytic system by the endotoxin. 2. Pre-treatment of dogs with epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA), a potent inhibitor of plasminogen activator, protected the majority of animals against a lethal dose of endotoxin. Protection was also observed when EACA was given up to 30 minutes after injection of endotoxin. However, when EACA was administered beyond this time no protection occurred, and there was no evidence that the severity of the shock was modified. It is emphasized that these observations with EACA apply only to the dog. 3. The primary purpose of the present experiments was to determine if EACA protected dogs against lethal amounts of endotoxin. The results do not permit the conclusion that EACA modified the severity of shock by blocking plasminogen acti...
Enhanced Ethernet for Data Center: Reliable, Channelized and Robust

Data Centers today deploy multiple fabrics for LAN, SAN and IPC traffic. This introduces significant cost, complexity and management challenges. Hence there is strong demand for consolidating these multiple fabrics. Ethernet is default fabric used primarily for LAN traffic and it is low-cost, well-known, widely available, and broadly compatible. So, it makes an ideal candidate for such IO consolidation. However, current Ethernet suffers from certain deficiencies that need to be addressed. Legacy Ethernet suffers from 3 main issues (a) Lack of congestion management mechanism -which results in packet drops when network is congested. This also results in unpredictable latencies for the traffic through these congested networks, (b) No standard mechanism for traffic differentiation on the link which will protect all the traffic types on consolidated link. Only mechanism available is 802. lp strict prioritization without any bandwidth assurance, (c) Poor utilization of available bandwidth in the network. Spanning Tree Protocol tends to remove links that can cause loops in the network. This results in lower bisectional bandwidth. Underlying Layer 2 protocols do not allow any multipathing techniques that are available in other technologies like Fiber Channel, Infiniband etc. This paper presents a framework of solution that includes multiple enhancements to Ethernet network -that will improve legacy Ethernet significantly for Data Center deployment. Some of these enhancements are being pursued in IEEE and IETF for standardization. IEEE 802.1Qau Task Force is focusing on improving congestion management capabilities of Ethernet IEEE 802.1Qat and IETF-TRILL is focusing on improving bisectional bandwidth by allowing L2 multipathing capabilities for complex and large DC deployments. Other efforts include mechanisms for better traffic differentiation and improved link level flow control for data center -Ethernet. This paper will elaborate more on congestion management related work.
Rule-specific dimensional interaction effects in concept learning

Garner (1976) has identified two main types of dimensional interactions, integrality and separability, which are likely to affect concept learning. Evidence available to Garner suggested that integral stimuli facilitate concept learning, but these studies investigated only concepts based on the conjunctive or some simpler rule. The present experiment assessed the integrality-separability effect in concept learning over a variety of bidimensional rules. The results indicate that integral dimensions facilitate conjunctive rule learning but that separable dimensions facilitate the acquisition of conditional and biconditional rules. Thus, dimensional interaction effects are rule specific. In particular, any rule which requires a precise discrimination of the truth table class structure of the stimulus population will be facilitated when stimulus dimensions are separable.
An international perspective on land scattering

Abstract Statistical tests of a number of hypotheses concerning the degree of land scattering are carried out using a worldwide sample of 35 nations for the period around 1960. Such cross-national evidence provides some support for the proposition that scattering is brought about by production scheduling problems occurring with short growing seasons and the ensuing difficulties in obtaining nonfamily labor at critical periods without high transaction costs. Little support is obtained for other propositions linking scattering to risk, partible inheritance, striving for equality, or joint production. These empirical results have relevance for the debate about the economic forces underlying the West European common field system during the Middle Ages.
Chemical characterization of ethambutol binding to Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Abstract Recent studies showed that critical binding of ethambutol to Mycobacterium smegmatis was both inhibited and reversed by ions. This apparent ion-susceptible characteristic suggested that ethambutol is held at critical sites by electrostatic bonds. Dissociation constant, pH, and ionic strength studies were designed to further characterize ethambutol binding. M. smegmatis was grown in Sauton synthetic liquid medium (pH 7.4) under aerated conditions at 37 C. The pH or ionic strength of the medium was modified to meet the needs of particular experiments. Titration data revealed that ethambutol dihydrochloride has two apparent dissociation constants (pKa1 = 6.35, pKa2 = 9.35). Uptake experiments, in which pH was varied, showed that dihydrochloride and free base ethambutol were bound to a greater extent than the monohydrochloride. However, dihydrochloride and free base binding were not related to biological activity. Ethambutol exerted its maximal growth inhibitory effect at pH values near neutrality, where it exists primarily as the monohydrochloride and showed minimal binding. The increased ethambutol binding observed at pH 7.4 in media of lowered ionic strength was consistent with growth studies showing a reduction in the minimal inhibitory growth concentration in such media. However, nonspecific as well as critical binding was enhanced at low ionic strength. We conclude that binding of ethambutol by M. smegmatis involves a heterogeneous group of drug binding sites, only one of which is directly related to biological activity. Although nothing is known about the ethambutol target site itself, critical binding of the drug seems to require the single positively charged monohydrochloride form. Both hydrogen bonds and ionic linkages are probably involved.
Financial Accounting Standards Should Not Matter: It's Just a Layer

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including cloud computing and risk analysis, information fusion in continuous assurance, and the factors influencing the planned adoption of Continuous Monitoring Technology (CMT).
Personality traits and personal values: a conceptual and empirical integration

Abstract Independent advances in the study of personality traits and personal values have clarified their foundations, antecedents, content, structure, and measurement. Accumulating evidence shows that personality traits are largely endogenous characteristics, while personal values are learned adaptations strongly influenced by the environment. Thus, these constructs appear to address nature and the interaction of nature and nurture, respectively. Although each itself is related to an abundance of research and theory, efforts to integrate personality traits and personal values have been limited. We integrate the two constructs conceptually and then report corroborating empirics in a Western sample using two distinct personality approaches. Findings indicate that personal values are influenced in predicted patterns by Openness/Intellect, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness as well as, more moderately, by Extraversion.
Electrical breakdown in low-pressure propane-oxygen flames with SF/sub 6/ and air buffers

A technique is described for investigating electrical breakdown in gases added to the highly reactive, high-temperature (2500 to 2800 K) environments of C/sub 3/H/sub 8//O/sub 2/ flames at subatmospheric pressures. Some of the characteristics of low-pressure flames are mentioned, the flame apparatus is described, and measurements are presented of breakdown voltage as a function of pressure (and of the product of pressure and electrode separation) in C/sub 3/H/sub 8//O/sub 2/ flames with SF/sub 6/ and air as buffer gases. The measured results show that the dependence on electrode polarity is far stronger for the case of the SF/sub 6/ buffer. >
Effect of Phthalides on Celery Flavor

A HPLC procedure was developed to separate the phthalides extracted from celery, celeriac and lovage. This method provided the complete separation of sedanenolide and sedanolide. Concentrations of the phthalides found in various cultivars of celery varied over a ten-fold range. The relative ratios of butyl phthalide, sedanenolide and sedanolide were generally consistent within a species. Celeriac exhibited relatively high levels of phthalides while lovage contained predominantly butyl phthalide. Sensory evaluation of the samples showed significant correlation with the individual and total phthalides.
A Single Parameter Tunable Quaternion Based Attitude Estimation Filter

: In human posture tracking applications, limb segment attitude can be estimated without the aid of a generated source using small inexpensive inertial/magnetic sensor modules. In the absence of an adequate process model and process noise characteristics or in an application in which the dynamic and measurement relations are non-linear, a simple complementary filter represents a computationally inexpensive solution that produces accurate attitude estimates superior to those of an improperly tuned Kalman filter. This paper presents the theory and experimental results for a single parameter tunable quaternion based attitude estimation filter. The described sub-optimal constant gain complementary filter is the first filter designed for inertial/magnetic sensor modules capable of estimating orientation in all attitudes without singularities while continuously correcting for drift without the need for still periods. Experimental results qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate the accuracy and stability of the filtering algorithm.
DIFFERENCES IN THE LAND RENT AMONG EU COUNTRIES

The aim of the paper is to assess the differences in the influence of land rent on farm production efficiencies by region, farming type and LFA. In terms of the cost of rents there are significant differences among countries within the European Union. While in Estonia, the average land rent amounts to 14 EUR/ha, then it is almost 900 EUR/ha in the Netherlands (in 2009). High variability may be seen also at the share of rented land, which ranges from 17.4% to 96.1%. Along with the intensity of production, then these factors affect the efficiency of production. Significant differences in land rents and land rent/revenues ratio can be found not only across the EU, but there are also at the national level between farming specializations. Using dynamic shift share analysis is reviewed the development of land rent in the period 2004-2009 (the dynamic of land rents is explained by the European, proportional, national and differential influences).
Differential Patterns of Preference for Modified Linear Perspective in Children and Adults.

Abstract Two experiments were designed to investigate the development of a preference for minimal convergence in pictures. Pictures varying in degree of convergence from conic to parallel were observed three at a time under two conditions: monocularly at the correct station point for the conic projection, and freely with unconstrained view. Subjects were children in nursery school (age: 4 years) and first grade (age: 6 years), and adults in college. Subjects were asked to choose the “best” picture. In the correct station point condition the younger children preferred the most conic picture, while adults chose the most parallel projection significantly more frequently than either remaining choice. First-grade children were in transition between these two modes of responding. In the free view condition, the younger children showed no strong preferences, while older children and adults preferred parallel projections significantly more frequently than more convergent pictures. Results were interpreted in context of the development of the “Zoom effect,” an assumption of appropriate viewing distance 10 times as great as the size of the pictured object.
Analytical and experimental investigations of disc brake noise using the frequency‐time domain

The influence of non-linearity and randomness of contact forces on generating noise of low and high frequencies in disc brake systems is studied analytically and experimentally. The analytical model of the disc includes transverse (out-of-plane) and circumferential (in-plane) displacements. The disc is modelled using Mindlin's theory for relatively thick plates and pads as one-dimensional continuous beams. The contact normal pressure includes a non-uniform distribution and the friction is represented by a distributed follower-type force. Numerical simulations reveal a multi-frequency modulated-intermittency of disc and pads oscillations. It is found that the frequency component corresponding to circumferential vibrations of the disc is always dominant in the case of deterministic friction. However, random friction creates impulsive forces that excite the transverse mode and has little effect on circumferential mode. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is applied to decompose, filter, and separate deterministic and random frequency components of the measured friction coefficient. The time–frequency analysis is useful in identifying the nature of generated noise. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application of method of moments to highly skewed responses

The feasibility of applying the method of moments to highly skewed transient responses of a packed column subjected to pulse inputs to determine the Henry constants and micropore diffusivities is investigated. The method is applied to study sorption and diffusion of argon, methane and ethylene in 4A zeolites. The Henry constants, micropore diffusivities, limiting heats of sorption and energies of activation so determined compare well with the values derived from gravimetric data. The method of moments is found to provide good initial estimates of the Henry constants and micropore diffusivities. The chromatographic experiments, however, have to be carried out at different carrier gas velocities and temperatures and also with different adsorbates to ensure the consistency of the calculated values of the parameters.
Computer education: A survey of accounting graduates

Abstract In recent years, increased attention has been directed towards the integration of computers into accounting education. A questionnaire was distributed to accounting graduates in order to determine their opinions about the adequacy of computer education and the importance of computer skills to the professional accountant. Graduates, stratified by year of graduation, were selected from a diverse group of universities. Overall, the respondents rated their own preparation low. They felt best prepared in programming skills but least prepared in networking and computer communication skills. In terms of importance, software proficiency was rated highest, with programming skills lowest. With a few exceptions, the analysis of the responses by demographic variables yielded results consistent with the overall analysis. The respondents with less work experience rated their preparation higher than those with more experience, but those with more work experience rated the importance of all computer skills higher.
gp91phox Contributes to NADPH oxidase activity in aortic fibroblasts but not smooth muscle cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from vascular NADPH oxidase are important in normal and pathological regulation of vessel growth and function. Cell-specific differences in expression and func...
The Determination of the Photoelectric Threshold for Tungsten by Fowler's Method

The photocurrent per unit intensity curves for two different tungsten surfaces have been replotted by means of the method suggested by R. H. Fowler. The points all fit the theoretical curve very well, although the thresholds for the two surfaces are different. For one surface the data were obtained at temperatures of 1100, 900 and 790\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The average value of the threshold at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K was 2632A, or 4.69 volts, with a greatest difference between individual values of 1.3 percent. The thermionic work function of this surface was 4.71 volts. The second surface was investigated at room temperature, and was formed by evaporation after very careful outgassing. The threshold for this surface was 2720A or 4.54 volts at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, which agrees with Dushman's value of 4.54 volts for the thermionic work function at the same temperature. This should be regarded as the most reliable value.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor X-ray structures: potential implications for drug development

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists are widely used as bronchodilating drugs in pulmonary medicine. The therapeutic efficacy of these agents depends on the blockade of M3 muscarinic receptors expressed on airway smooth muscle cells. All muscarinic antagonists currently used as bronchodilating agents show high affinity for all five muscarinic receptor subtypes, thus increasing the likelihood of unwanted side effects. Recent X-ray crystallographic studies have provided detailed structural information about the nature of the orthosteric muscarinic binding site (the conventional acetylcholine binding site) and an 'outer' receptor cavity that can bind allosteric (non-orthosteric) drugs. These new findings should guide the development of selective M3 receptor blockers that have little or no effect on other muscarinic receptor subtypes.
Feeding increases dopamine metabolism in the rat brain

Feeding induced by food deprivation is accompanied by an increased production of the dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the brains of rats. This neurochemical change occurs in the nucleus accumbens, the posterior hypothalamus, and the amygdala but not in other dopaminergic nerve terminal fields such as the corpus striatum. These results indicate that the release of dopamine from particular groups of central neurons is increased during feeding and suggest that anatomically distinct subgroups of central dopaminergic neurons serve different roles in the regulation of food intake.
Copper-Rich and Conventional Amalgam Restorations After Clinical Use

Conventional amalgams had large amounts of stannous-hydroxy-chloride corrosion products throughout the interior of the restorations and were extremely porous. Restorations of amalgam rich in copper had corrosion products confined to the surface and a few isolated areas.
Diffuse-global correlation: Seasonal variations

Abstract Residual differences between measured diffuse fractions and those determined from the best one-parameter ( K T ) empirical correlations are studied for six Pacific Northwest sites. A pronounced variation with time of the year is found. By including a simple sinusoidal term dependent only on the year day in the correlation, the variance is significantly reduced and the seasonal dependence of the residuals is removed. Clear day solar noon transmission values are shown to have seasonal variations similar to the correlations. This leads to the hypothesis that the atmospheric factors contributing to the transmission values (air mass, water vapor, and turbidity) are the same ones responsible for the observed seasonal variation.
Asymptotic Phase for Stochastic Oscillators

Oscillations and noise are ubiquitous in physical and biological systems. When oscillations arise from a deterministic limit cycle, entrainment and synchronization may be analyzed in terms of the asymptotic phase function. In the presence of noise, the asymptotic phase is no longer well defined. We introduce a new definition of asymptotic phase in terms of the slowest decaying modes of the Kolmogorov backward operator. Our stochastic asymptotic phase is well defined for noisy oscillators, even when the oscillations are noise dependent. It reduces to the classical asymptotic phase in the limit of vanishing noise. The phase can be obtained either by solving an eigenvalue problem, or by empirical observation of an oscillating density’s approach to its steady state.
Angiocardiographic Demonstration of Occlusive Auricular Thrombi in Dogs

Simulated occlusive auricular thrombi were produced in six dogs by surgically invaginating the left auricular appendage. Angiocardiographic studies were performed in five of the dogs and in each case revealed these thrombi as clear cut filling defects. The significance and clinical application of these observations is discussed.
Energy loss of aligned nitrogen molecular ions in an electron gas

Abstract Nitrogen molecular ions (1.2–2.3 a.u. velocity) which emerge from thin carbon foils with their internuclear axes aligned along the direction of motion exhibit a diminishment of the average energy loss per atom relative to that of atomic ions having the same velocity. Assuming negligible damping of an electron gas with energy gap, we have calculated average stopping powers per atomic ion for an extended Brandt-Kitagawa-model charge distribution representing molecular nitrogen ions moving in carbon. The contribution from negligible-damped plasmon excitations displays a dependence on internuclear separation which differs greatly from that below threshold and does not agree with experiment. Electron-hole excitation is, however, the dominant mechanism for ions with velocities below 2.3 a.u. Below threshold the experimental trends in thin targets are reproduced by the calculations, but discrepancies in magnitude are present. Neglecting plasmon excitation, the experimental findings at 2.3 a.u. velocity can be reproduced approximately.
Soft-x-ray emission and inelastic electron-scattering study of the electronic excitations in amorphous and crystalline silicon dioxide.

The valence-band electronic structures of amorphous and crystalline ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ are examined with soft-x-ray emission spectroscopy. In addition, the absorption spectra of a-${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ obtained by inelastic electron scattering (IES) near the interband threshold and Si ${L}_{23}$ threshold regions are presented. Simple models used to describe the absorption in these spectral regions give consistent values for the size of the band gap of ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$. An empirical model based on these results is presented to explain the positions of peaks in the ultraviolet optical spectrum and the IES valence excitation spectrum of ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$. The Si 2p core exciton observed in both x-ray emission and absorption spectra is discussed.
Marrow Cell Transplantation for Infantile Hypophosphatasia

An 8-month-old girl who seemed certain to die from the infantile form of hypophosphatasia, an inborn error of metabolism characterized by deficient activity of the tissue-nonspecific isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP), underwent the first trial of bone marrow cell transplantation for this heritable type of rickets. After cytoreduction, she was given T-cell-depleted, haplo-identical marrow from her healthy sister. Chimerism in peripheral blood and bone marrow became 100% donor. Three months later, she was clinically improved, with considerable healing of rickets and generalized skeletal remineralization. However, 6 months post-transplantation, worsening skeletal disease recurred, with partial return of host hematopoiesis. At the age of 21 months, without additional chemotherapy or immunosuppressive treatment, she received a boost of donor marrow cells expanded ex vivo to enrich for stromal cells. Significant, prolonged clinical and radiographic improvement followed soon after. Nevertheless, biochemical features of hypophosphatasia have remained unchanged to date. Skeletal biopsy specimens were not performed. Now, at 6 years of age, she is intelligent and ambulatory but remains small. Among several hypotheses for our patient's survival and progress, the most plausible seems to be the transient and long-term engraftment of sufficient numbers of donor marrow mesenchymal cells, forming functional osteoblasts and perhaps chondrocytes, to ameliorate her skeletal disease.
A formal framework for component deployment

Software deployment is a complex process, and industrial-strength frameworks such as .NET, Java, and CORBA all provide explicit support for component deployment. However, these frameworks are not built around fundamental principles as much as they are engineering efforts closely tied to particulars of the respective systems. Here we aim to elucidate the fundamental principles of software deployment, in a platform-independent manner. Issues that need to be addressed include deployment unit design, when, where and how to wire components together, versioning, version dependencies, and hot-deployment of components. We define the application buildbox as the place where software is developed and deployed, and define a formal Labeled Transition System (LTS) on the buildbox with transitions for deployment operations that include build, install, ship, and update. We establish formal properties of the LTS, including the fact that if a component is shipped with a certain version dependency, then at run time that dependency must be satisfied with a compatible version. Our treatment of deployment is both platform- and vendor-independent, and we show how it models the core mechanisms of the industrial-strength deployment frameworks.
A clinical note on posthypnotic dissociation and alleged persistence of the trance state

Abstract A patient felt she was still in hypnosis following its termination. It was discovered that her speech was dissociated during part of the posthypnotic discussion. An evaluation of the dynamics showed the patient's attempt to express and control an impulse to reveal certain information and then to rationalize her behavior.
High-pressure vertical pneumatic transport investigation☆

Abstract Vertical pneumatic transport was investigated in a 0.026 m i.d. Lucite tube at various pressures. Nitrogen was the conveying gas at pressures of 101, 790, 2170 and 4238 kPa. Pressure drop, particle velocity, pressure fluctuations and flow patterns were measured or visually observed and recorded. Choking velocity, velocity at minimum pressure drop and the particle friction factor were also investigated at these elevated pressures. Glass beads (97 and 545 μm) and coal (89 and 505 μm) were used as the conveyed solids. The use of Lucite tubing was made possible by encapsulating the entire transport system in a high-pressure containment vessel and pressurizing the outside and the inside of the transport tube simultaneously. A Zenz-type diagram of pressure drop per unit length versus superficial gas velocity was plotted at all pressures investigated. As pressure increased, the curve shifted toward a higher pressure drop at a given gas velocity. Gas velocity at minimum pressure drop thereby decreases as the pressure increases. The same trend is observed for the choking velocity. Average particle velocity of the gas—solid flow mixture approaches the superficial gas velocity at higher pressures more readily than it does at lower pressures. Investigation of the friction factors for the small particles (89 and 97 μm) at elevated pressures revealed that the friction factors due to the gas and solid were dependent on the loading of the system. Expressions were developed for predicting the frictional pressure drop for the gas and solid at low loadings for small particles. Correlations for particle velocity, choking velocity, particle friction factor and velocity at minimum pressure drop are recommended for designing dilute-phase (i.e. ϵ>0.9) high-pressure transport systems.
Multilevel Parallel Programming for Three-Dimensional Voronoi Cell Finite Element Modeling of Heterogeneous Materials

In this paper we present work aimed at implementing an efficient parallel model for the three-dimensional Voronoi cell finite element model VCFEM, which has been developed as an effective tool for modeling heterogeneous microstructures of composite, porous or polycrystalline materials, on SMP cluster systems. In these systems, multiprocessor nodes offer shared memory on the node and distributed memory between the nodes. The approach uses multiple parallel models to efficiently decompose the problem based on computational requirements. The Message Passing Interface MPI library is used for distributed memory decomposition between nodes, and multithreading using the OpenMP OMP library is used for shared memory decomposition on each node. The results presented show the improvement in performance using just OpenMP programming for a problem with a single element in the simulation, and using the multilevel programming approach for a simulation using multiple elements in the VCFEM. The scalability of the multilevel parallel programming method is also discussed.