cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytical piecewise radial distortion model for precision camera calibration

The common approach to radial distortion is by the means of polynomial approximation, which introduces distortion-specific parameters into the camera model and requires estimation of these distortion parameters. The task of estimating radial distortion is to find a radial distortion model that allows easy undistortion as well as satisfactory accuracy. This article presents a new piecewise radial distortion model with easy analytical undistortion formula. The motivation for seeking a piecewise radial distortion model is that, when a camera is resulted in a low quality during manufacturing, the nonlinear radial distortion can be complex. Using low order polynomials to approximate the radial distortion might not be precise enough. In contrast, higher order polynomials suffer from the inverse problem. With the new piecewise radial distortion function, more flexibility is obtained and the radial undistortion can be performed analytically. Experimental results are presented to show that with this new piecewise radial distortion model, better performance can be achieved than using the single function. Further, a comparable performance with the conventional polynomial model using two coefficients can also be accomplished.
Absence of detectable XMRV and other MLV-related viruses in healthy blood donors in the United States.

Background: Preliminary studies in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients and XMRV infected animals demonstrated plasma viremia and infection of blood cells with XMRV, indicating the potential risk for transfusion transmission. XMRV and MLV-related virus gene sequences have also been detected in 4–6% of healthy individuals including blood donors in the U.S. These results imply that millions of persons in the U.S. may be carrying the nucleic acid sequences of XMRV and/or MLVrelated viruses, which is a serious public health and blood safety concern. Methodology/Principal Findings: To gain evidence of XMRV or MLV-related virus infection in the U.S. blood donors, 110 plasma samples and 71 PBMC samples from blood donors at the NIH blood bank were screened for XMRV and MLV-related virus infection. We employed highly sensitive assays, including nested PCR and real-time PCR, as well as co-culture of plasma with highly sensitive indicator DERSE cells. Using these assays, none of the samples were positive for XMRV or MLV-related virus. Conclusions/Significance: Our results are consistent with those from several other studies, and demonstrate the absence of XMRV or MLV-related viruses in the U.S. blood donors that we studied.
Effects of gender diversity management on perceptions of organizational attractiveness: The role of individual differences in attitudes and beliefs.

In this study, the authors examined how individual gender-related attitudes and beliefs affect the reactions of men and women to gender diversity management programs in organizations. They found that whereas there were no significant between-sex differences in the effects of gender diversity management on organizational attractiveness, there were strong within-sex differences based on individual attitudes and beliefs. Specifically, within the sexes, centrality of one's gender identity, attitudes toward affirmative action for women, and the belief that women are discriminated against in the workplace moderated the effects of gender diversity management on organizational attractiveness. The findings, combined with prior research, suggest that it is critical for organizations to incorporate efforts to manage perceptions of gender diversity management programs into their diversity management strategies.
Optimal Control of Plotting and Drilling Machines: A Case Study

Printed circuit board production is one of the basic technologies of electronics industry. A number of interesting and difficult mathematical problems arise in the design phase (e. g., placement of components, wire routing, contact minimization) and in the manufacturing process of printed circuit boards. We report here about two of the latter problems: plotting masks and drilling holes. This paper is not meant to survey all mathematical techniques that are available and to show what can be achieved by a thorough and careful analysis of a practical problem and by developing sophisticated and special purpose algorithms. We simply want to show what we could achieve in an industrial setup with a prespecified tight time frame for the code development and with quite low limits on the running times for the algorithms. The results were remarkable in the sense that relatively straightforward heuristics were able to improve the solutions used in practice by a substantial margin. In particular, the positioning head moves of the plotting and drilling machines could be reduced by about 10 % to almost 90 %. This led to reductions of the total production time by 5 % to almost 35 % and thus to a considerable increase of the production capacity of the machines on the average. In Section 2 of this paper we outline the project and give a protocol of the cooperation with industry. Section 3 describes the plotting problem, its mathematical modelling and the algorithms we developed for its solution. The drilling problem is discussed in Section 4. A brief discussion of the timing function used in our models can be found in Section 5. Sections 6 and 7 contain the computational results for the plotting and drilling problems, respectively. Pictures of some plotting and drilling problems, our solutions and the original solutions are shown in the Appendix.
Comparison of detectability in pulsed versus continuous fluoroscopy: a simulation study

X-ray fluoroscopy is a significant source of x-ray dose to patients and hospital staff. One technique proposed for reducing dose is pulsed fluoroscopy at reduced frame rates, typically 15 frames/sec for cardiac angiography. Because the human visual system acts as a temporal low-pass filter, simply reducing the frame rate may not allow a dose reduction. In fact, one can argue that for equivalent visualization, the dose per frame should be doubled when the frame rate is halved. We address the question of proper dose by comparing detectability in simulated pulsed and continuous fluoroscopy displays on a unique device called the video tachistoscope. The visual task for the subjects is to detect stationary, computer-generated, low- contrast disks on a flat background in the presence of noise. The disks form a contrast-detail phantom and are displayed in continuous and pulsed mode on either side of a single video monitor. We find similar detectability and visibility in noise when the dose for pulsed is reduced by 25% of that for continuous.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Phase relations in Ti-Al-Nb alloys at 1200°C

Experiments were performed to establish phase relationships in two Ti-Al-Nb alloys annealed at 1200 C for 100 hrs: Ti-36Al-13Nb and Ti-33Al-17Nb (at. pct). SEM micrographs indicated that the 17-percent Nb alloy had only one discernible phase while the 13-percent alloy showed the presence of an additional phase, besides the matrix, which had an appearance of regular geometrical inclusions. Similar results were obtained from the X-ray diffraction patterns. However, TEM micrographs of the 17-percent Nb alloy disclosed the presence of very fine particles distributed uniformly throughout the matrix. This phase, described as belonging to the omega type, has an orientation relationship with the parent bcc/B2 phase resulting in four rotational variants. TEM micrographs of the 13 percent Nb alloy display, in addition to the B2 phase (partially transformed to the omega phase), large platelets, measuring 5-10 microns in length and 1-2 micron in width, identified as belonging to the alpha-2 phase with the hcp structure. 16 refs.
The radiation from an electrically small off-centered loop in a dissipative homogeneous spherical medium.

It was found theoretically again that the increase in the received field strength after an electrically small loop embedded in a biological body was possible when the loop was off-center. The direction of the magnetic dipole of the off-centered loop should be perpendicular to the radial axis to give a stronger radiated maximum power density. For a loop close to the surface of the sphere, the frequency of the transmitter can be optimized to have stronger power density such that the diameter of the sphere should be an integer times the effective wavelength of the medium. Given the loss tangent, effective wavelength in the medium, and diameter of the sphere, the maximum power density of the loop close to the surface of the sphere is stronger than that of the loop at the center and can be predicted theoretically, as shown in Fig. 2.
Electric-field-induced patterns in thin polymer films: weakly nonlinear and fully nonlinear evolution.

A thin polymer melt on a substrate can be unstable to an electric field normal to the interface, a phenomenon that can be harnessed as a patterning technique with a range of potential applications....
Induction of the differentiation of HL-60 and WEHI-3B D+ leukemia cells by lithium chloride.

Abstract The use of lithium chloride in manic-depressive patients and in patients receiving myelosuppressive cancer chemotherapeutic agents is accompanied by a sustained leukocytosis due to an increase in granulocyte production. This property suggests that lithium chloride may have effects on hematopoietic differentiation. Treatment of cultured WEHI-3B D + murine myelomonocytic and HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells with millimolar concentrations of lithium chloride resulted in concentration-dependent increases in the number of differentiated myeloid cells, as determined by the ability of the cells to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium and by the binding of myeloid specific antibodies, and was associated with an inhibition of cellular proliferation. The effects of lithium chloride on growth and differentiation were antagonized by KCl, whereas NaCl had little effect. The induction of leukemic cell maturation by lithium chloride was markedly enhanced by the addition of low levels of retinoic acid. In contrast, other differentiation inducing agents (i.e. dimethyl sulfoxide and selenazofurin) had no effect on the degree of maturation induced by lithium. These findings suggest that the combination of lithium chloride and retinoic acid may have clinical utility in the treatment of leukemia through the induction of terminal differentiation.
Clustering large networks of parametric dynamic generative models

Analysis, prediction and control of parametric generative models for stochastic processes arise in numerous applications, such as in biology, telecommunications, geography, seismology and finance. In many of these applications, it is desirable to obtain an aggregated behavior from an underlying network of stochastic interactions. This paper focuses on the simplification of parametric models describing multiple stochastic processes, by aggregating the processes that have similar input-output behaviors in an ensemble. We propose a clustering-based method, which is general in the sense that the similarity metric upon which the aggregation relies can accommodate processes characterized by a variety of generative models. To illustrate our aggregation framework, we investigate an example system comprised of a set of point process models for earthquakes. Simulations are presented.
Complications of Emergency Stoma Formation

• Emergency stoma formation in the high-risk patient is a morbid procedure. In a series of 51 stomas in 49 nonelective operative procedures, a morbidity of more than 50% was retrospectively identified. Nine (18%) of 49 patients died, and four (8%) of these patients died of complications directly related to stomal failure or formation. The unplanned nature of the operation and technical difficulties during formation contribute to this overall result. Attention to detail during and after the operative event may help improve the complication rate associated with emergency intestinal stoma formation. ( Arch Surg 1982;117:307-309)
Lamellar Order and the Crystallization of Linear Chain Solid Solutions

Single crystals have been grown from binary n-paraffin solid solutions and from multicomponent waxes and low molecular weight polyethylenes. Although conformational and longitudinal disorder must affect the lamellar interface in multilamellar crystals, the interlamellar interaction still must remain regular enough to account for the observed long-range correlation, over large distances (e.g. 10 μm), of successive stacked lamellae. Surface decoration experiments on mixed chain monolamellae with polymethylene fragments as well as atomic force microscopy verify this assertion that the lamellar surface is still flat and well-ordered.
Emotional relationships between mothers and infants: knowns, unknowns, and unknown unknowns

An overview of the literature pertaining to the construct of emotional availability is presented, illustrated by a sampling of relevant studies. Methodological, statistical, and conceptual problems in the existing corpus of research are discussed, and suggestions for improving future investigations of this important construct are offered.
Intracellular chloride accumulation: a possible mechanism for cognitive deficits in Down syndrome.

A study involving a mouse model of Down syndrome and analysis of human postmortem brain samples indicates that hippocampal GABAA receptor signaling in Down syndrome may be excitatory. This advance promises new clinical applications in Down syndrome.
The Antioxidant and Biological Properties of the Carotenoidsa

Much effort has been expended in evaluating the relative antioxidant potency of carotenoid pigments in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. It is quite clear that in vitro, carotenoids can inhibit the propagation of radical-initiated lipid peroxidation, and thus fulfill the definition of antioxidants. When it comes to in vivo systems, it has been much more difficult to obtain solid experimental evidence that carotenoids are acting directly as biological antioxidants. In fact, under nonphysiological circumstances, carotenoids may act as prooxidants. These results can be modified by altering the oxidant stress, the cellular or subcellular system, the type of animal, and environmental conditions, such as oxygen tension. Results of this type raise the question as to whether it is still appropriate to group the carotenoids with such antioxidant vitamins as vitamin E and vitamin C. Thus, the biological properties of the carotenoids may be much more related to the products of the interaction of carotenoids with oxidant stress, that is, such breakdown products as apocarotenoids and retinoids.
Eddy Covariance Method for CO2 Emission Measurements in CCUS Applications: Principles, Instrumentation and Software

The eddy covariance method is a micrometeorological technique for direct measurements of gas transport between the surface and the atmosphere. It is widely used for quantifying CO2 emission rates from natural, urban and agricultural ecosystems, including areas of agricultural carbon sequestration. In geological carbon capture, utilization and sequestration, emerging projects utilize eddy covariance to monitor large areas where CO2 may escape from the subsurface, to detect and quantify CO2 leakage, and to improve CO2 storage efficiency. This paper describes key principles of the method, main requirements, typical instrumentation and software, and educational resources particularly useful for carbon sequestration research.
Notes on Linear Systems and Impulse Responses

We show that the members of a certain important large family of multidimensional linear systems are completely characterized by their (suitably defined) impulse responses—which we show exist as certain limits. Not all linear shift-invariant systems are characterized by their impulse responses. Our results contribute to the reconstruction of an important part of the engineering theory of linear systems that had been based on the flawed concept of the Dirac impulse function.
CONTROL OVER THE ECOLOGICAL-ECONOMIC PROCESSES IN THE INTEGRAL MODEL OF THE COASTAL ZONE OF THE SEA

We consider integral dynamic models of the ecological-economic systems of the coastal zone of the sea aimed at the establishment of balance between the consumption and reproduction of marine bioresources. The models are constructed with the help of the systems approach according to which the economic aims of the consumption of bioresources depend on the ecological state of marine media. Examples of control over the balance of ecological-economic processes based on the use of the integral criteria of biodiversity and the level of pollution of marine media are presented. It is shown that the information technology of control over the scenarios of ecological-economic processes enables us to estimate the profitability of production of seafood under the conditions of use of a part of the profit for the preservation of marine bioresources.
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND UNDER BUDGET : THE GENOME PROJECT PASSES ITS FIFTH BIRTHDAY

This article reviews the history of the Genome Project, its considerable accomplishments, and where it is going in the future. Topics include model organisms, the Human Genome, expressed sequences, ethical, legal, and social implications, and looking toward the future. 14 refs., 1 tab.
Life-Cycle Energy Demand and Global Warming Potential of Computational Logic

Computational logic, in the form of semiconductor chips of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor structure, is used in personal computers, wireless devices, IT network infrastructure, and nearly all modern electronics. This study provides a life-cycle energy analysis for CMOS chips over 7 technology generations with the purpose of comparing energy demand and global warming potential (GWP) impacts of the life-cycle stages, examining trends in these impacts over time and evaluating their sensitivity to data uncertainty and changes in production metrics such as yield. A hybrid life-cycle assessment (LCA) model is used. While life-cycle energy and GWP of emissions have increased on the basis of a wafer or die, these impacts have been reducing per unit of computational power. Sensitivity analysis of the model shows that impacts have the highest relative sensitivity to wafer yield, line yield, and die size and largest absolute sensitivity to the use-phase power demand of the chip.
ENERGY LOSSES IN TIRES

Abstract Tire rotation is impeded by a drag force of 10 to 20 lb per 1000‐lb load in normal vehicle operation. The principal cause is hysteresis, which is a function of the viscoelastic properties of the rubber and cord components, the way these materials are used in the tire, and the way the tire is operated. The influence of material properties has been well documented, and many laboratory tests have been developed for their measurement. Of even greater importance to energy losses, however, is tire construction. This subject is developed by consideration of the forces and moments involved in tire operation and of the mechanisms of energy loss. The importance of service conditions is emphasized by a discussion of the factors influencing rolling resistance. Tire rolling losses can be an important fraction of the total power consumption in low‐powered vehicles. Future trends in tire engineering, and their effects on rolling resistance, are discussed.
A new Control Volume Finite Element Method for the stable and accurate solution of the drift–diffusion equations on general unstructured grids

Abstract We present a new Control Volume Finite Element Method with multi-dimensional Scharfetter–Gummel upwinding (CVFEM-SG) for the drift–diffusion equations. The method combines a conservative formulation of the carrier density continuity equations with an edge element lifting of the one-dimensional Scharfetter–Gummel edge currents into curl-conforming elemental currents. These elemental currents combine the upwind effect from all element edges and enable accurate computation of the flux on arbitrary surfaces inside the elements. In so doing, we obtain a formulation that is stable and accurate on general unstructured finite element grids. This approach sets our formulation apart from other methods, which require the control volumes to be topologically dual to the primal grid. Numerical studies of the CVFEM-SG for a suite of scalar advection–diffusion test problems confirm the accuracy and the robustness of the new formulation. Simulations of a PN diode and an n-channel MOSFET device demonstrate the performance of the method for the fully coupled drift–diffusion system.
Predistortion technique for RF-photonic generation of high-power ultrawideband arbitrary waveforms

By employing an RF-photonic arbitrary waveform generator, the authors experimentally obtained complex high-power RF waveforms with spectra spanning more than a decade and voltage amplitudes of more than 13 V in a system limited by a gain ripple of up to 5 dB and phase distortion of over 200/spl deg/. A spectral predistortion technique tailored to photonically assisted waveform generators that can overcome substantial RF amplifier gain ripple and phase distortion in order to generate high-power (> 30 dBm) ultrawideband arbitrary RF waveforms is presented.
Altered excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptor binding in hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

We examined binding to excitatory amino acid and inhibitory amino acid receptors in frozen hippocampal sections prepared from surgical specimens resected from 8 individuals with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. The excitatory receptors studied included N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), strychnine-insensitive glycine, phencyclidine, and quisqualate. The inhibitory receptors studied were gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) and benzodiazepine. Excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptor binding were differentially altered in the patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in comparison to 8 age-comparable autopsy control subjects, and changes in receptor binding were regionally selective in four areas. Binding to phencyclidine receptors associated with the NMDA channel was reduced by 35 to 70% in all regions in the hippocampi of the patients. In contrast, binding to the NMDA recognition site and its associated glycine modulatory site was elevated by 20 to 110% in the cornu ammonis (CA) 1 area and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of the patients. Binding to these sites was unaffected in area CA4. Binding to the quisqualate-type excitatory amino acid receptor was unchanged in all regions except the stratum lacunosum moleculare CA1, where it was increased by 63%. GABAA and benzodiazepine receptor binding was reduced by 20 to 60% in CA1 and CA4, but unchanged in dentate gyrus. The data indicate that excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptors are altered in the hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
Comparative Analysis of Wolbachia Genomes Reveals Streamlining and Divergence of Minimalist Two-Component Systems

Two-component regulatory systems are commonly used by bacteria to coordinate intracellular responses with environmental cues. These systems are composed of functional protein pairs consisting of a sensor histidine kinase and cognate response regulator. In contrast to the well-studied Caulobacter crescentus system, which carries dozens of these pairs, the streamlined bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis encodes only two pairs: CckA/CtrA and PleC/PleD. Here, we used bioinformatic tools to compare characterized two-component system relays from C. crescentus, the related Anaplasmataceae species Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and 12 sequenced Wolbachia strains. We found the core protein pairs and a subset of interacting partners to be highly conserved within Wolbachia and these other Anaplasmataceae. Genes involved in two-component signaling were positioned differently within the various Wolbachia genomes, whereas the local context of each gene was conserved. Unlike Anaplasma and Ehrlichia, Wolbachia two-component genes were more consistently found clustered with metabolic genes. The domain architecture and key functional residues standard for two-component system proteins were well-conserved in Wolbachia, although residues that specify cognate pairing diverged substantially from other Anaplasmataceae. These findings indicate that Wolbachia two-component signaling pairs share considerable functional overlap with other α-proteobacterial systems, whereas their divergence suggests the potential for regulatory differences and cross-talk.
The nitric oxide donor molsidomine improves survival and reduces hepatocyte apoptosis in cholestasis and endotoxemia.

BACKGROUND: Cholestasis and endotoxemia have been demonstrated to cause hepatocyte apoptosis through caspase-mediated pathways. In vitro nitric oxide (NO) donors reduce hepatocyte apoptosis and caspase activation in several models. The nitric oxide donor molsidomine improves survival in an in vivo model of endotoxemia. We tested the effect of molsidomine on survival and hepatocyte apoptosis in a model of obstructive jaundice and endotoxemia. STUDY DESIGN: Sprague-Dawley rats underwent common bile duct ligation on day 1. On day 3, animals were given either 100 mg/kg of molsidomine or an equivalent volume of saline, and 30 minutes later they were given endotoxin 3 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg intravenously. Animals were sacrificed 4 or 16 hours after endotoxin injection. Serum samples were analyzed for alanine aminotransferase and frozen liver samples were analyzed for caspase 3 activity. Paraffin-embedded liver sections were assayed for apoptosis using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling assay. Survival was measured in a separate experiment in which animals underwent the same protocol, but were given three different doses of endotoxin and were observed for 72 hours before sacrifice. RESULTS: At endotoxin 3 mg/kg, the 72-hour survival in saline-treated animals was 92%, which decreased to 45% at 10 mg/kg and to 29% at 15 mg/kg. All of the molsidomine-treated animals survived all endotoxin doses. Alanine aminotransferase was reduced in molsidomine-treated animals compared with those treated with saline. Apoptosis was attenuated in molsidomine-treated animals. Caspase 3 activity was decreased in molsidomine-treated animals compared with those given saline. CONCLUSIONS: Molsidomine attenuates caspase activation and hepatocyte apoptosis and improves survival after cholestatic endotoxic injury.
The molecular mechanism of fetal hemoglobin reactivation.

Increased levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) are clinically beneficial in patients with sickle cell disease. Hydroxurea fails to increase HbF in at least 25% of patients, and therefore, better drugs are needed. Recent clinical studies have shown that the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor decitabine effectively increased HbF in hydroxyurea-refractory patients. The rational use of DNMT inhibitors as therapeutic agents to reactivate HbF expression in patients with sickle cell disease is based on nearly 25 years of experimental evidence, reviewed in this article, that supports a fundamental role of DNA methylation in the silencing of γ-globin gene expression in adults.
Sinusoidal current rectification in a very wide range three-phase AC input to a regulated DC output

This paper presents a three phase AC to DC rectifier topology that produces a regulated DC output voltage with low input current distortion. The converter uses the principle of third-harmonic current injection through a zigzag transformer to achieve low input current distortion. The converter is constructed using two combined buck-and-boost converter topology circuits, which can operate with input voltages from 150 V to 480 V. ATP, a version of EMTP is used to simulate the proposed topology and test the circuit performance and compare the results to the theoretical observations. Simulation results of the complete circuit are presented here which show that the total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than five percent in the input currents is achieved over a wide range of input voltages.
Elektrolysen von Cyaniden. II. Elektrolysen von Cyaniden in wasserfreiem, flüssigem Ammoniak

1Elektrolyse an angreifbaren Silber-Anoden: Bei der Elektrolyse von AgCN in flussigem NH3 erfahrt das Silber durch den Angriff der CN-Radikale eine 100proz. anodische Auflosung. Eine Entladung der von der Eigendissoziation des Losungsmittels herruhrenden Amidionen erfolgt nicht. 2Wird die Elektrolyse an unangreifbaren Platin- oder Graphitanoden durchgefuhrt, so werden in dem untersuchten Temperaturbereich von −79 bis −34° an der Anode ebenfalls primar die Cyanidionen entladen. Durch die entstandenen Cyanradikale erfolgt in einer Sekundarreaktion vorwiegend die Oxydation des Ammoniaks unter Bildung von Stickstoff und NH4CN. Ein kleiner Teil der Radikale stabilisiert sich zu Dicyan. Dieses lagert in einer Folgereaktion Ammoniak an, wobei uber das Oxalsaurediamidin die Verbindungen entstehen, welche eine Gelbfarbung der Elektrolytlosung hervorrufen und deren Endprodukt ein dunkelroter Abdampfruckstand ist. Eine Disproportionierung des Dicyans findet nicht statt. Analogiereaktionen von (CN)2 mit flussigem NH3 bestatigen diese Beobachtungen. Es ist wahrscheinlich, das sich uber das Oxalsaurediamidin bei Temperaturerhohung 2,3,5,6−Tetraimino-piperazin als dunkelrotes Endprodukt bildet.
The importance of the marine ornamental reef fish trade in the wider Caribbean

The marine ornamental fish trade began in the 1930s in Sri Lanka, spread to Hawaii and the Philippines in the 1950s, and expanded to a multi-million dollar industry in the 1970s with fisheries established throughout the tropical Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Currently, 45 countries supply global markets an estimated 14-30 million fish annually, with an import value of US$28-44 million. The largest suppliers are Indonesia and the Philippines, followed by Brazil, Maldives, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Hawaii. In the tropical Western Atlantic, 16 countries have export fisheries, including the U.S. (Florida and Puerto Rico). The U.S. is the world's largest buyer, followed by the European Union and Japan. The global trade consists of over 1400 species of reef fishes, of which only about 25 are captive bred on a commercial scale. Damselfish, anemonefish, and angelfish constitute over 50% of the global volume; butterflyfish, wrasses, blennies, gobies, triggerfish, file- fish, hawkfishes, groupers and basselets account for 31% of the trade, and the remaining 16% is represented by 33 families. The most important fishes from the Caribbean are angelfish (six species), seahorses (two species), royal gramma, jawfish, queen triggerfish, redlip blenny, puddingwife, bluehead wrasse, and blue chromis. The Caribbean currently supplies a small percentage of the global trade in marine ornamental species, but ornamental fisheries in this region represent important emerging industries. It is critical that effective ornamental fishery management plans and regulations are developed and enforced, and fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data are collected and utilized in decision making processes to ensure sustainable ornamental fisheries through- out the region.
Bias in the estimate of seismic moment tensor by the linear inversion method

Summary. We investigate the effects of various sources of error on the estimation of the seismic moment tensor using a linear least squares inversion on surface wave complex spectra. A series of numerical experiments involving synthetic data subjected to controlled error contamination are used to demonstrate the effects. Random errors are seen to enter additively or multiplicitively into the complex spectra. We show that random additive errors due to background recording noise do not pose difficulties for recovering reliable estimates of the moment tensor. On the other hand, multiplicative errors from a variety of sources, such as focusing, multipathing, or epicentre mislocation, may lead to significant overestimation or underestimation of the tensor elements and in general cause the estimates to be less reliable.
Adaptive Cancellation of Floor Vibrations in Standing Ballistocardiogram Measurements Using a Seismic Sensor as a Noise Reference

An adaptive noise canceller was used to reduce the effect of floor vibrations on ballistocardiogram (BCG) measurements from a modified electronic bathroom scale. A seismic sensor was placed next to the scale on the floor and used as the noise reference input to the noise canceller. BCG recordings were acquired from a healthy subject while another person stomped around the scale, thus causing increased floor vibrations. The noise canceller substantially eliminated the artifacts in the BCG signal due to these vibrations without distorting the morphology of the measured BCG. Additionally, recordings were obtained from another subject standing inside a parked bus while the engine was running. The artifacts due to the vibrations of the engine, and the other vehicles moving on the road next to the bus, were also effectively eliminated by the noise canceller. The system with automatic floor vibration cancellation could be used to increase BCG measurement robustness in home monitoring applications. Additionally, the noise cancellation approach may enable BCG recording in ambulances-or other transport vehicles-where noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring may otherwise not be feasible.
What Might Retributive Justice Be

There are many conceptions of retributive justice. This paper is designed to articulate and defend a particular kind of retributive justice, one that I call the "Confrontational Conception of Retributivism," or the CCR. This particular conception is political, not comprehensive, and thus is interested in defending the claim that "state" punishment is, as a general matter, warranted as a response to criminal wrongdoing. Accordingly, the focus is on the legal manifestations of criminal punishment, particularly within a liberal democracy; it is not concerned with justifying punishment in other spheres such as parent-child relations. Related to this account of state punishment is that its contours should be devised principally ex ante and that such punishment should be distributed through actors upon whom there are checks with respect to their remaining discretion.The paper here is a chapter in a volume published in 2011 from Oxford UP and the volume includes the essays of other scholars on the theories and policies associated with retributive justice. My paper in particular is an effort at restating, clarifying and correcting some of my prior work in retributive justice theory. It is, relatively speaking, reasonably short and might serve as a useful introduction for students and scholars wading into contemporary retributive justice theory.
Host mating system and the prevalence of disease in a plant population

A modified susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) host-pathogen model is used to determine the influence of plant mating system on the outcome of a host-pathogen interaction. Unlike previous models describing how interactions between mating system and pathogen infection affect individual fitness, this model considers the potential consequences of varying mating systems on the prevalence of resistance alleles and disease within the population. If a single allele for disease resistance is sufficient to confer complete resistance in an individual and if both homozygote and heterozygote resistant individuals have the same mean birth and death rates, then, for any parameter set, the selfing rate does not affect the proportions of resistant, susceptible or infected individuals at equilibrium. If homozygote and heterozygote individual birth rates differ, however, the mating system can make a difference in these proportions. In that case, depending on other parameters, increased selfing can either increase or decrease the rate of infection in the population. Results from this model also predict higher frequencies of resistance alleles in predominantly selfing compared to predominantly outcrossing populations for most model conditions. In populations that have higher selfing rates, the resistance alleles are concentrated in homozygotes, whereas in more outcrossing populations, there are more resistant heterozygotes.
Enhanced intramacrophage activity of resorcinomycin A against Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex after liposome encapsulation.

The activities of free and liposomal resorcinomycin A against Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) grown in broth and in murine peritoneal macrophages were evaluated. Liposomal resorcinomycin A was composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol at a molar ratio of 9:1. Both free resorcinomycin A and liposomal resorcinomycin A showed no toxicity to macrophages at concentrations up to 50 mg/ml, as determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of free resorcinomycin A and liposomal resorcinomycin A in broth were 6 and 12 mg/ml, respectively, as determined by the MTT colorimetric microassay. In macrophages, liposomal resorcinomycin A caused significantly higher intramacrophage antimycobacterial activity than the free form of the drug. At doses ranging from 6 to 50 mg/ml, liposomal resorcinomycin A caused 50 to 93% MAC growth inhibition, respectively (as determined by CFU), while free resorcinomycin A was associated with 33 to 62% MAC growth inhibition, respectively, 3 days after drug treatment. In addition, antimycobacterial activity of liposomal resorcinomycin A in macrophages was maintained 7 days after treatment, whereas the activity of free resorcinomycin A was reduced to negligible 3 days after treatment. In summary, liposome encapsulation of resorcinomycin A resulted in significant enhancement of antibacterial activity against intramacrophagic MAC infection.
Effects of alternative connectivity on behavior of randomly constructed Boolean networks

Random Boolean networks (RBNs) were first introduced and used to model regulatory gene networks by Kauffman in 1969 and since then have been frequently used to model networks at various levels of biological organization. The standard model has a characteristic topology in which the network has N genes with an average of K input connections selected at random. We have used RBNs to examine regulatory gene networks with four different topologies, which are characterized by different rank distributions of output connections that vary from uniform to highly skewed. Among these is the topology of the standard model, which is included for purposes of comparison, and a topology with a power-law rank distribution, which is based on recent data for the regulatory gene network of the bacterium Escherichia coli. We also examine effects of bias in the distribution of Boolean functions for the network. The dynamical properties and mutual information of these networks depend not only on their size but also on their topology and Boolean functions. Networks with the more uniform rank distributions exhibit longer lengths of attractors, larger numbers of attractors, and less mutual information. Networks with the more skewed rank distributions have complementary properties. When viewed as biological decision-making networks, those with either the most uniform or the most skewed rank distributions have disadvantageous properties. The intermediate rank distribution exhibited by the regulatory gene network of E. coli avoids these disadvantages.
Recognition of dynamic patterns in DC-DC switching converters

Techniques are presented for analyzing the dynamic patterns of power flow in high-frequency DC-DC switching power converters. Emphasis is placed on exploring methods for developing reduced-order models of power electronic circuits for simulation and state-space averaging. Tools from selective modal analysis are used to develop the dynamic pattern recognition algorithm that facilitates the classification of circuit modules. The algorithm is intended for the analysis of converters derived from the canonical switching call, i.e., the buck, boost, and flyback converters. >
Commitment to care: A grounded theory of informal hospice caregivers’ development as symptom managers:

Individuals receiving home-based hospice services often rely upon family members and friends to serve as informal caregivers responsible for managing the full range of emotional, psychological, spi...
Silicon micromachining and microfabrication techniques for integrated sensor and actuator systems

Solid-state microsensors and microactuators have recently become attractive for a number of instrumentation and control systems. This paper reviews some of the major and widely used silicon micromachining and microfabrication technologies, including bulk micromachining, surface micromachining, and electroplating techniques along with their applications. >
The Impact of Cues and User Interaction on the Memorability of System-Assigned Recognition-Based Graphical Passwords

User-chosen passwords reflecting common strategies and patterns ease memorization, but offer uncertain and often weak security. System-assigned passwords provide higher security, and thus in commercially deployed graphical-password systems (e.g., Passfaces), images are randomly assigned by the system. It is difficult, however, for many users to remember system-assigned passwords. We argue that this is because existing password schemes do not fully leverage humans’ cognitive strengths, and we thus examine techniques to enhance password memorability that incorporate scientific understanding of long-term memory. In our study, we examine the efficacy ofspatial cues (fixed position of images), verbal cues (phrases/facts related to the images), and employing user interaction (learning images through writing a short description at registration) to improve the memorability of passwords based on face images and object images. We conducted a multi-session in-lab user study with 56 participants, where each participant was assigned seven different graphical passwords, each representing one study condition. One week after registration, participants had a 98% login success rate for a scheme offering spatial and verbal cues, while the scheme based on user interaction had a 95% login success rate for face images and a 93% login success rate for object images. All of these were significantly higher than the control conditions representing existing graphical password schemes. These findings contribute to our understanding of the impact of cues and user interaction on graphical passwords, and they show a promising direction for future research to gain high memorability for system-assigned random passwords.
Evaluation of the effect of water content on the stress optical coefficient in PMMA

Abstract A series of experiments was completed to study the effect of water content on the stress optical coefficient of PMMA samples under uniaxial tension. The stress optical coefficient is an inherent material property that is utilized in interferometric techniques, classical photoelasticity and the method of caustics to obtain deformation measurements and fracture values. The stress optical coefficient depends on the variation of the mechanical properties and the refractive index of the polymer, both of which are affected by water uptake. The main objective of this study was to quantify the variation of the stress optical coefficient with water uptake, so that it can be utilized in the analysis of visualization techniques and applied to deformation and fracture studies in humid or liquid environments. Experiments were performed at two different strain rates, 5 × 10 −4 – 5 × 10 −3 s −1 , on both dry and pre-conditioned samples. The preconditioned samples were submerged in distilled water for either 8 or 40 days, allowing samples to reach water contents of 0.8 wt % and 1.4 wt %, respectively. Measurements were completed utilizing a Fizeau interferometer and high-speed photography. Results showed a variation on the stress optical coefficient of up to 11% for a water content of 0.8 wt % and a strain rate of 5 × 10 −4 s −1 . This variation was no longer observed when the strain rate was increased by an order of magnitude.
Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis of Melt Flow Behavior in Fused Deposition Modelling of Poly(lactic) Acid

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) creates three-dimensional parts by feeding a rigid thermoplastic filament through a heated barrel to achieve a semi-fluid state and then extruding it layer-by-layer to create a part geometry. The melt flow behavior within FDM must be analyzed in order to correctly understand the temperature gradients within the system to promote part quality, process control, and efficiency. The presented research consists of analyzing the melt flow behavior of polymer poly(lactic) acid (PLA) within FDM. This includes an experimental analysis of the power output of the resistive heat source, a theoretical analysis of external coefficients of heat-transfer, and an experimental validation of liquefier temperatures. A three-dimensional fluid-flow model is created using the accurate geometry of the extruder assembly, calculated conditions from initial experimental results, and referenced material properties. Results of this research include a significant temperature difference between the areas of the liquefier assembly close in proximity to the power source to those further away such as the inlet and outlet, suggesting that external heat transfer mechanisms play a significant role in liquefier dynamics, contrary to the more common assumption of constant wall temperature or constant heat flux used in modeling. The research presented provides new information regarding the melt flow of PLA, a method of modeling external heat transfer, and a way of understanding power consumption that can lead to liquefier design improvements. The process itself will also aid in identifying modeling considerations for further investigations of melt flow involving various extruder designs and material options. Specifically, the use of this type of comprehensive model is of interest to the additive manufacturing community with respect to thermally sensitive component specification and heating and cooling needs within process based on changing system parameters such as extrusion temperature and mass flow rates (i.e. material feed rate and/or change in extrusion diameter).Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Natural Frequencies and Mode Shapes of Slacked Carbon Nanotube NEMS Resonators

Estimating accurately the natural frequencies of electrically actuated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been the center of research attention over the past few years. Despite this important topic, a robust knowledge is still missing to understand the role of various physical parameters that affect the natural frequencies, such as the stretching of doubly-clamped CNTs, the DC electrostatic force, and the curvature of CNTs with slacks. In this investigation, we use a 2D nonlinear curved beam model (arch) to simulate the coupled in-plane and the out-of-plane motions of a CNT with curvature (slack). We calculate the variation of its natural frequencies and mode-shapes with the level of slack and the DC electrostatic load. Toward this, we derive a reduced-order model using a multi-mode Galerkin procedure based on the mode shapes of the straight unactuated CNT. We calculate the natural frequencies of the slacked CNT for a given voltage by substituting the static solution into the Jacobian of the reduced-order-model and then finding the corresponding eigenvalues. We show various scenarios of mode crossing and mode veering as the levels of slack and DC load are varied.© 2010 ASME
Synthesis of Monodisperse Au, Ag, and Au–Ag Alloy Nanoparticles with Tunable Size and Surface Plasmon Resonance Frequency

A facile method of preparing Au−Ag alloy nanoparticles in organic solvent, with high monodispersity and controlled size from 6 to 13 nm diameter, is described. The localized surface plasmon resonance frequency and size of alloy nanoparticles were controlled by varying both the precursor ratio and surfactant composition. Thus, the plasmon resonance frequency could be tuned by varying composition with little change in particle size.