cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Helicity fluctuations in incompressible turbulent flows

Results from direct numerical simulations of several homogeneous flows and fully developed turbulent channel flow indicate that the probability distribution function (pdf) of relative helicity density exhibits at most a 20 percent deviation from a flat distribution. Isotropic flows exhibit a slight helical nature but the presence of mean strain in homogeneous turbulence suppresses helical behavior. All the homogeneous turbulent flows studied show no correlation between relative helicity density and the dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. The channel flow simulations indicate that, except for low-dissipation regions near the outer edge of the buffer layer, there is no tendency for the flow to be helical. The strong peaks in the relative helicity density pdf and the association of these peaks with regions of low dissipation found in previous simulations by Pelz et al.(1985) are not observed.
Ultracold dimer association induced by a far-off-resonance optical lattice

We investigate a process by which an optical lattice potential can transfer two unbound ultracold atoms in a lattice site to an untrapped dimer. The transition is mediated by the anharmonic terms in the lattice potential, which couple the relative and center-of-mass coordinates of the two atoms. We calculate the rate of decay from the ground state in a lattice cell to the last bound dimer state as a function of the s-wave scattering length and optical lattice depth. The decay rate has a maximum value of 9x10{sup -6}E{sub R}/h, where E{sub R} is the atomic recoil energy. Consequently typical molecular production rates are much smaller than 1 s{sup -1}. Explicit results are given for {sup 133}Cs atoms tuned near a Feshbach resonance.
Effect of hydrogen exposures on the strength of sintered alpha silicon carbide

The room-temperature strength distributions of sintered alpha silicon carbide (SASC) were determined for polished bars. The bars were broken in the as-polished condition after exposure to hydrogen only and after exposure to hydrogen under two different static stresses. The hydrogen exposures were at 1370° C for times up to 50 h. The strength distributions displayed a dependence on both the exposure time and the magnitude of the applied stress. In stressed exposures, the strength distributions were apparently controlled by competing mechanisms. Under the lower applied stress, the material was weaker than the as-polished control group, as was the material exposed to hydrogen with no stress applied. Under the higher applied stress, the material was stronger than the control group.
Toward an Informed Citizenry: Readability Formulas as Cultural Artifacts:

After World War II, the United States government and citizenry were concerned with truth, propaganda, democracy, and national security as they entered the Cold War era. This was a time when technocrats, engineers, and scientists could lead our free-world government through the perils of our tense relationships with Russia, Red China, and Korea. In the early 1940s, Rudolf Flesch began developing what he termed a “scientific rhetoric” to help writers of functional documents more effectively communicate technical information to a general public. He came up with a readability formula to help writers evaluate whether their writing was effective and this readability formula has profoundly shaped notions of “clear writing” for the last 60 years. This article explores Flesch's development of this readability formula, placing his work in a historical context, as well as discussing how the readability formula fit into a larger project to make effective writing more of a science than an art.
Disturbances of Maternal Behavior in the Rat Following Lesions of the Cingulate Cortex

Using retrieving and other tests, the maternal behavior of a series of albino rats was tested before and after operative procedures. All lesions were made electrolytically and were stereotaxically placed. Motor acts observed during the behavioral tests included retrieving pups, licking pups, adopting the nursing position over retrieved pups and nest forming activities. Results of the operative procedures indicate that sham operations and ablations of a narrow strip of neocortical tissue lateral to the cingulate cortex do not appreciably alter the normal behavior pattern or interfere with the adequacy of maternal care. Animals with lesions of the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex (resulting in retrograde degeneration in the anterior thalamic nuclei) showed a disruption of these motor patterns including a distinct qualitative change in behavior towards pups. Slow retrieving with frequent pauses for grooming or sniffing about the cage, licking of unretrieved pups and little inclination to nurse pups characterized the behavior of these animals during the retrieving tests. All motor patterns seen in the normal animal were expressed by these rats but often in an irregular and confused manner. Pups would be repeatedly brought into and carried out of the nest site or dropped randomly about the cage. The nursing position would be adopted over one or two pups, in or out of the nest site, while the other pups were ignored. Judging from the relatively short latency of responding to the pups and nesting material and by the excitement evident in their aberrant pup retrieving and nest forming behavior, there seemed to be little or no loss of maternal motivation. The pups and nesting material were adequate stimuli to initiate the various motor acts observed in control animals. This aberrant behavior improved over repeated tests and by the third or fourth postpartum day the confusion seen in the earlier tests was less evident and most behavioral scores were close to the normal range. However, when these animals were tested in a strange, brightly illuminated cage, a thorough disruption of maternal behavior again occurred. Pre- and postpartum injections of prolactin resulted in no improvement. Supplying the animal with a small box with a narrow opening (a nest site preferred by normal animals) was also without effect in reducing the disturbed maternal behavior pattern. Lesions limited to the anterior or posterior cingulate cortex resulted in an intermediate loss which quickly improved during subsequent testing. Loss in maternal behavior in animals with partial and full cingulate lesions were significantly correlated with the severity of retrograde degeneration in the anterior thalamic nuclei. Maternal behavior (pup retrieving) which was induced in castrated male rats by exposing them to 1-3 day old pups each day did not suffer from neocortical lesions, but was disrupted by cingulate cortical lesions. It was concluded that the cingulate cortex in the rat participates in the integration or organization of complex unlearned activities.
Cyclopentadienyl-carbon monoxide and related compounds of some transitional metals

Abstract The preparation of cyclopentadienyl-carbon monoxide compounds of manganese, iron and cobalt, and of cyclopentadienyl-nitric oxide-nickel is described. The compounds (C 5 H 5 Fe) 2 (CO) 4 and C 5 H 5 Co(CO) 2 were prepared by the direct reaction of the metal carbonyl with dicyclopentadiene and cyclopentadiene, respectively. C 5 H 5 Mn(CO) 3 was prepared by the action of carbon monoxide on the reaction mixture of sodium cyclopentadienide with manganous bromide, and C 5 H 5 NiNO by the reaction of nitric oxide with bis-cyclopentadienylnickel. The cation [C 5 H 5 Mn(CO) 2 NO] + was isolated as the chloroplatinate from the reaction of C 5 H 5 Mn(CO) 3 with nitrous acid in ethanol. The compounds C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 Cl and C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 CN have been prepared from (C 5 H 5 Fe) 2 (CO) 4 . The configurations and structures of the compounds are discussed briefly.
The structures of N-(t-butoxycarbonyl)-3-methylbenz[f]indole and N-benzenesulfonyl-4-bromo-3-methylbenz[f]indole

N-(t-butoxycarbonyl)-3-methylbenz[f]indole,1, C18H19NO2, crystallizes in orthorhombic space groupPna21 witha=6.0338(2),b=24.839(4),c=10.2481(7) A,V=1535.9(3) A3,Z=4. The structure was refined toR=0.051 for 2007 observed reflections. The benz[f]indole ring system is nearly planar, exhibiting mean deviation of 0.048 A. The ester plane of thet-butoxycarbonyl substituent is nearly coplanar with the benz[f]indole ring system, forming a C−N−C=O torsion angle with magnitude 10.6(5)0.N-benzenesulfonyl-4-bromo-3-methyl-benz[f]indole,2, C19H14BrNO2S crystallizes in triclinic space groupP−1 witha=8.1400(5),b=10.0587(8),c=10.8863(7) A, α=89.927(7), β=110.495(5), γ=96.846(6)0,V=828.2(3) A3,Z=2. The structure was refined toR=0.050 for 2653 observed reflections. The benz[f]indole ring system is nearly planar, with mean deviation 0.016 A, and forms a dihedral angle of 80.93(9)0 with the phenyl plane.
Macroinvertebrate community dynamics: strong negative response to salmon redd construction and weak response to salmon-derived nutrient uptake

AbstractDensely spawning salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) affect macroinvertebrates negatively through redd construction and positively through nutrients released during spawning and carcass decomposition. We investigated the long-term characteristics of this interaction by measuring density, biomass, and C and N sources in benthic macroinvertebrates over 1 y. Total macroinvertebrate community biomass decreased during spawning and redd construction. However, the percentage of macroinvertebrate biomass derived from salmon increased. The highest percentage (56%) and biomass (2.71 g/m2) of salmon-derived tissue in the macroinvertebrate community occurred 3 mo after spawning. Shredders accumulated the most salmon-derived biomass per individual; however, collector-filterers, scrapers, and predators accumulated the most salmon-derived biomass at the population level, a result that suggests multiple pathways of salmon nutrient acquisition. Salmon-derived macroinvertebrate biomass was never <22% of macroinvertebrate co...
Direct polymerase chain reaction for detection of hepatitis B, C and G virus genomes from serum without nucleic acid extraction—simple, rapid and highly sensitive method

Abstract Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay is now the standard, extensive clinical application has been thwarted by the troublesome procedure, long reaction time and potential for contamination. To overcome these problems, we carried out a PCR assay for the detection of HCV, hepatitis G virus (HGV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomes directly from serum samples without any nucleic acid extraction (direct PCR). The sensitivity of this assay was one chimpanzee-infectious dose of HCV and a 10−1 chimpanzee-infectious dose of HBV. This result was similar to the sensitivity determined by the conventional PCR. Furthermore, when the detection rate of these genomes in serum samples from chimpanzees and humans is compared, the results matched completely between two different PCR assays. The whole process, including the reverse transcriptase reaction and second round PCR, can be completed within 6 h by the combination of the direct PCR and one-step PCR assay. Our findings indicate that this method is simple, rapid and highly sensitive and could be useful for the screening of blood-borne hepatitis virus infections using serum samples.
Taxation, human capital formation, and long-run growth with private investment in education

Abstract By extending a long-run endogenous growth model to include (i) both public and private investments in human capital formation and (ii) endogenous population growth, this paper examines the growth effects of Indonesian government policy that lowered the capital income tax rate in the mid-1980s. Quantitative analysis of the model finds that the introduction of these two features not only makes economic growth more sensitive to changes in capital income taxation than in models that omit these features, but also produces a relatively high growth rate as observed in the data. Moreover, results show that the growth effects of changes in public spending on education are stronger than those of taxation. This suggests that in the endogenous growth model, public policy aimed at enhancing human capital is more conducive to growth than a physical investment-encouraging tax reform.
Electrochemical assay of protease activities based on polycation/polyanion complex as substrate and polyion sensitive membrane electrode detection.

A novel electrochemical method to detect protease activities is demonstrated. The assay is based on the use of a macromolecular polycation/polyanion substrate; specifically, a complex of the arginine-rich peptide protamine and pentosan polysulfate (PPS), a highly sulfated polysaccharide. As the protease of interest cleaves the protamine within the complex into smaller fragments, free PPS is generated and detected potentiometrically via a polyanion sensitive membrane electrode. Thus, the rate of free PPS generation is proportional to the activity of the protease in the assay solution. The effect of the substrate concentration is examined, as is the influence of the protamine/PPS stoichiometry on the assay performance. Using the optimized composition and concentration of the complex, the determination of trypsin at levels down to 5 U/ml and plasmin at levels approaching 0.002 U/ml can be achieved in a 10 min period. The prospects of further adapting this scheme to determine clot-busting plasminogen activators (e.g. streptokinase, tissue plasminogen activator, etc.) in samples as complex in whole blood are discussed.
Remembering in California sea lions: Using priming cues to facilitate language-like performance

Two sea lions(Zalophus californianus) were trained to respond to relational commands fey bringing the last designated object (transport item, or TI) to the earlier designated object (goal item, or GI). Most errors on this task involved forgetting of the GI due to interference from memory for the TI. We reasoned that instructing the animals to act directly on the same object several times in single-object commands immediately before a relational command that included the same object as the GI should make the GI associative episode less prone to interference by the TI associative episode. Results confirmed that prior cuing or prompting in this manner did enable the sea lions to perform significantly better on relational commands when no cuing was given.
Transaminations of amino donors with alpha-ketoglutarate in normal and neoplastic mouse tissues measured by a simple radiometric procedure.

In the present work the estimation of aminotransferase activities with α-ketoglutaric-1-14C as acceptor has been simplified to the extent that it is not necessary to achieve separation of α-ketoglutarate or glutamate from the reaction mixture in order to determine the extent of transamination. The determination consists of a two-step procedure. The first step is the transamination of α-ketoglutarate-1-14C with an amino donor to produce glutamic acid-1-14C. The second step is the enzymatic decarboxylation of the labeled glutamate and the measurement of the 14CO2 produced. This method affords a rapid and variably sensitive procedure for multiple determinations of those aminotransferase activities in which α-ketoglutarate is the acceptor. It has been applied in our present work to the determination of aminotransferase activities of several normal mouse tissues and red cells and serum and to two transplantable mouse tumors. The amino donors employed were 19 amino acids commonly found in proteins, 17 aminophosphonic acids, and several amines and diamino monocarboxylic acids. A possible application of this method to clinical problems is mentioned.
Development of Plasma Nanomanufacturing Workcell

Plasma processing is an important technology which provides a capability to modify the material surface through etching, deposition, activation, functionalization, polymerization, etc. In the current plasma process, the reactive area of the sample is relatively large and thus a mask is needed for selectively treating the sample surface. As a result, the whole fabrication process has become more complicated. In this paper, a plasma integrated nanomanufacturing workcell, which consists of a microplasma source and an integrated atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe tip, has been developed to improve the current plasma apparatus design. The miniature microwave plasma discharge applicator is capable of creating a miniature plasma stream with a diameter ranging from 2 mm down to micrometers. Hence, with the new plasma apparatus it has become possible to locally treat a small area of the sample surface and simplify the fabrication process as the photomask is not required. Additionally, the AFM active probe can be precisely positioned on a desired surface to inspect and manipulate nanoobjects. Here, we report the design and implementation of this new system. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the system and show that the microplasma can be used in various applications including localized etching of silicon and diamond and localized patterning of photoresist.
Depression, personality, and gender influence EEG, cortisol, beta-endorphin, heart rate, and subjective responses to smoking multiple cigarettes

Abstract EEG, hormonal, and subjective effects of smoking multiple cigarettes were assessed in 8 males and 8 females who smoked their own habitual brand of cigarette on one occasion, a nicotine-free control cigarette via a quantified smoke delivery system (QSDS) on another occasion, and standard cigarettes by means of a QSDS on two other occasions. Smoking nicotine-containing cigarettes decreased drowsiness and delta and theta EEG magnitude while it increased serum cortisol. Nicotine enhanced beta2 magnitude significantly more in the right than left hemisphere. Nicotine-induced changes in serum cortisol, drowsiness, and EEG magnitude correlated with each other, such that increases in cortisol correlated with increased arousal. Prior to smoking, nicotine-deprived female smokers displayed more drowsiness and delta and theta EEG activity than males and female nonsmokers, but did not differ in this regard after smoking. Female smokers also reported more trait depression than other participants. Extraversion correlated positively with nicotine-induced decreases in drowsiness, theta, and alpha EEG magnitudes, while neuroticism and depression correlated negatively with these changes. BDI depression score correlated with greater nicotine-free baseline EEG activation of the right than left hemisphere. Nicotine tended to eliminate (normalize) this frontal EEG asymmetry that is characteristic of depressed individuals.
Identifying Early Events of Gene Expression in Breast Cancer with Systems Biology Phylogenetics

Advanced omics technologies such as deep sequencing and spectral karyotyping are revealing more of cancer heterogeneity at the genetic, genomic, gene expression, epigenetic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels. With this increasing body of emerging data, the task of data analysis becomes critical for mining and modeling to better understand the relevant underlying biological processes. However, the multiple levels of heterogeneity evident within and among populations, healthy and diseased, complicate the mining and interpretation of biological data, especially when dealing with hundreds to tens of thousands of variables. Heterogeneity occurs in many diseases, such as cancers, autism, macular degeneration, and others. In cancer, heterogeneity has hampered the search for validated biomarkers for early detection, and it has complicated the task of finding clonal (driver) and nonclonal (nonexpanded or passenger) aberrations. We show that subtyping of cancer (classification of specimens) should be an a priori step to the identification of early events of cancers. Studying early events in oncogenesis can be done on histologically normal tissues from diseased individuals (HNTDI), since they most likely have been exposed to the same mutagenic insults that caused the cancer in their neighboring tissues. Polarity assessment of HNTDI data variables by using healthy specimens as outgroup(s), followed by the application of parsimony phylogenetic analysis, produces a hierarchical classification of specimens that reveals the early events of the disease ontogeny within its subtypes as shared derived changes (abnormal changes) or synapomorphies in phylogenetic terminology.
A review of downscaling methods for remote sensing-based irrigation management: part I

High-resolution daily evapotranspiration (ET) maps would greatly improve irrigation management. Numerous ET mapping algorithms have been developed to make use of thermal remote sensing data acquired by satellite sensors. However, adoption of remote sensing-based ET maps for irrigation management has not been feasible due to inadequate spatial and temporal resolution of ET maps. Data from a coarse spatial resolution image in agricultural fields often cause inaccurate ET estimation because of a high level of spatial heterogeneity in land use. Image downscaling methods have been utilized to overcome spatial and temporal scaling issues in numerous remote sensing applications. In the field of hydrology, the image downscaling method has been used to improve spatial resolution of remote sensing-based ET maps for irrigation scheduling purposes and thus improves estimation of crop water requirements. This paper (part I) reviews downscaling methods to improve spatial resolution of land surface characteristics such as land surface temperature or ET. Each downscaling method was assessed and compared with respect to their capability of downscaling spatial resolutions of images. The companion paper (part II) presents review of image fusion methods that are also designed to increase spatial resolutions of images by integrating multi-spectral and panchromatic images.
Induction of steady-state blood alcohol levels: application to the study of within-session alcohol tolerance in rats.

Background: The study of within-session alcohol tolerance in the rat has been hampered by methodological difficulties related to the measurement of dependent variables at predictable blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) during a single session of alcohol exposure. This study characterizes a method for maintaining steady-state blood alcohol levels over several hours in the rat, referred to as the “alcohol clamp.” Methods: Wistar rats were implanted with an indwelling catheter in the carotid artery for blood sampling and another in the external jugular vein for alcohol infusion. To clamp BAC at a predetermined level, rats first were infused with a priming dose of alcohol to establish the desired or “target” BAC, followed by a continuous infusion of alcohol at a rate equal to that of alcohol metabolism in the rat. This maintained BAC at a constant level over time. BACs of 100, 200, or 300 mg% were maintained over several hours in separate groups of rats. The alcohol clamp was applied to the study of acute (within-session) alcohol tolerance in rats selectively bred for high and low alcohol drinking. Alcohol-induced hypothermia was used to index tolerance, and within-session alcohol tolerance was defined as a return of body temperature toward baseline during the course of the alcohol infusion while BAC was maintained at a constant level. Results: The continuous alcohol infusion procedure maintained BAC in a steady state throughout the 3 hr alcohol infusion session at each of the three target BAC levels. Alcohol infusion induced a drop in body temperature, followed by a return of temperature toward baseline during the course of infusion, which indicated the development of within-session alcohol tolerance. Conclusions: The continuous alcohol infusion procedure (alcohol clamp) maintained BAC in a steady state, both within and between subjects, across a wide range of blood alcohol levels. The alcohol clamp appears to be a useful tool for subsequent studies of within-session alcohol tolerance in the rat.
Macroinvertebrate community composition relative to chemical/physical variables, land use and cover, and vegetation types within a Lake Michigan drowned river mouth wetland

We analyzed macroinvertebrate community composition from 19 sites, spanning 5 vegetation types, in the White River drowned river mouth wetland (eastern shore of Lake Michigan). Sites were distributed along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance from the less-impacted upper wetland to the more-impacted lower wetland. The relative importance of surrounding land use and cover, water quality, and vegetation type in structuring macroinvertebrate communities was evaluated using correspondence analysis (CA) of biotic data, and principle components analysis (PCA) of chemical/physical water quality data. A significant correlation (p = 0.001) between site scores of the CA and PCA showed that ambient chemical/physical water quality was likely an important driver of macroinvertebrate community composition. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was then used to corroborate this relationship. Vegetation type, did not appear to structure macroinvertebrate communities to a significant degree. Both water quality and ma...
The pacific chapter annual meeting of the undersea & hyperbaric medical society

The following is the summary report on the UHMS Pacific Chapter Annual Meeting held in Long Beach in October 2010. The conference provided the latest updates on scientific, technical and organizational aspects of Hyperbaric and Diving Medicine. Invited speakers gave series of lectures dealing with current standards of clinical practice and presenting the results of laboratory investigations with particular emphasis on mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Scientific sessions were accompanied by vendor exhibits and social events.
Effect of Recompression on Attacking JPEG Steganographic Schemes An Experimental Study

In the implementation of a few JPEG steganographic schemes such as OutGuess and F5, an additional JPEG compression may take place before data embedding. The effect of this recompression on the performances of steganalyzers is experimentally studied and reported in this paper. Through a group of carefully designed experimental works, we show that the training and testing procedures adopted in classification are of great importance. An improper training and testing procedure may lead to poor steganalysis performance even for a powerful steganalyzer or an accurate performance comparison. Some other informative observations are presented in the paper as well.
Epithelium-Specific Glutathione Peroxidase, Gpx2, Is Involved in the Prevention of Intestinal Inflammation in Selenium-Deficient Mice

Mice deficient in 2 intracellular selenium (Se)-dependent glutathione peroxidases (Gpx1 and Gpx2), by genetically disrupting both alleles of the Gpx1 and Gpx2 genes (Gpx1(-/-)Gpx2(-/-)), develop ileocolitis around weaning. However, decreased Gpx activity in Se-depleted wild-type animals does not produce pathology in the gastrointestinal tract. Because a small percentage of Se-sufficient Gpx1(+/-)Gpx2(-/-) mice have mild ileocolitis, we hypothesized that Se-deficient Gpx1(+/-)Gpx2(-/-) mice will develop severe ileocolitis similarly to the Gpx1(-/-)Gpx2(-/-) mice, and even a trace amount of Gpx2 can protect intestinal mucosa against inflammation. To test our hypothesis, we fed mice at various stages of development with either Gpx1(+/)(-)Gpx2(-/-) or Gpx1(-/-)Gpx2(+/)(-) genotypes an Se-deficient diet for 4-5 wk and assessed the symptoms and pathology. Gpx1(+/)(-)Gpx2(-/-) mice that were deprived of Se in utero or at weaning (18-22 d of age), but not as young adults (31-51 d of age), manifested significantly worse pathology than their Se-sufficient counterparts. Both Gpx1 and Gpx2 activities and mRNA levels were significantly depressed in the ileum of Se-deprived mice. In mice deprived in utero, the pathology included acute inflammation with neutrophil and monocyte infiltration particularly in the colon and was externally manifested by perianal alopecia and ulceration. On the other hand, Gpx1(-/-)Gpx2(+/)(-) mice were unaffected by Se deprivation, regardless of the age of onset. The results show that a trace amount of Gpx2 is protective against ileocolitis, and Se-deficient young Gpx1(+/-)Gpx2(-/-) mice will develop pathology and symptoms similar to Se-adequate Gpx1(-/-)Gpx2(-/-) mice.
Remotely sensed surface currents in Monterey Bay from multiple HF radar installations

Ocean surface current detection using HF radar observations is reviewed, including the differences between direction finding and phased-array antenna implementations. Particular attention is given to several-month-long time series observations collected in Monterey Bay, California in 1992 using two direction finding (CODAR) systems. The measurements confirm the viability of the technique based on patterns of mean flow, diurnal sea-breeze-driven flow, and tidal flow. They also point out, however, areas of ongoing engineering concern. An expanded HF radar array that will include areas simultaneously covered by 3 or 4 radars is described and plans to use this array to address issues of error levels and data quality are outlined. >
Liquefaction Limit during Earthquakes and Underground Explosions: Implications on Ground-Motion Attenuation

Liquefaction of saturated soils and sediments documented during earthquakes shows an empirical relation log R max = 2.05 (±0.10) + 0.45 M , where R max is the liquefaction limit in meters (i.e., the maximum distance from liquefaction site to the hypocenter) and M is the earthquake magnitude. Combining this with an empirical relation between M and the seismic energy of an earthquake, we obtain a relation between the liquefaction limit and the seismic energy: E = A R β max. The prefactor corresponds to a threshold energy for liquefaction ranging from 0.004 to 0.1 J/m3; the exponent, ranging from 3.2 to 3.3, implies that the energy density of ground motion attenuates with distance according to 1/ r 3.2–3.3, where r is the distance from the hypocenter. The value of the threshold energy suggests a preliquefaction degradation of the shear modulus of soils by more than 3 orders of magnitude. Liquefaction documented during underground explosions is characterized by a threshold energy several orders of magnitude greater than that for liquefaction during earthquakes but shows a similar functional relation between E and R max as that for liquefaction during earthquakes and implies a similar attenuation relation between ground-motion energy density and distance.
On the Receiving End: Women, Caring, and Breast Cancer

Gendered definitions of care influence breast cancer survivors’ coping strategies, sense of entitlement to care, and ultimately their capacity to receive care. Using qualitative data from 60 intensive interviews, this study examines how gendered definitions of care influence women’s experiences as care-receivers. Findings indicate that negotiating gender boundaries to care for the self is both empowering and stigmatizing. Women with breast cancer are required to break gender norms that stress compliance, nurturing, and putting the needs of others first to prioritize their own needs for care. Concurrently, they take on additional nurturing roles to provide support to other women with breast cancer, relinquishing to some degree the individualistic approach to life they found necessary to cope with their illness in the first place.
Algorithms for real-time gathering and analysis of continuous-flow traffic data

In this paper we present a new approach to gathering traffic data over a continuous-flow of traffic rather than at discrete locations, as is the case with existing technologies. Loop detectors and video cameras, among other devices, currently provide the primary means for gathering data, but the data is gathered at discrete locations. Using cellular technology, the speed and location of each vehicle can be gathered in real-time over a continuous flow, which will allow more novel applications, such as incident identification and probabilities of an incident occurring, to be developed. In addition, as vehicles transmit updated speeds to the system, the fastest path of each commuter from his current location to his destination is maintained. We present and analyze algorithms that can achieve these goals in an efficient manner
Probing the Intracellular Glutathione Redox Potential by In‐Cell NMR Spectroscopy

Non-invasive and real-time analysis of cellular redox processes has been greatly hampered by lack of suitable measurement techniques. Here we describe an in-cell nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based method for measuring the intracellular glutathione redox potential by direct and quantitative measurement of isotopically labeled glutathione introduced exogenously into living yeast. By using this approach, perturbations in the cellular glutathione redox homeostasis were also monitored as yeast cells were subjected to oxidative stress.
Using After-Action Review Based on Automated Performance Assessment to Enhance Training Effectiveness

Training simulators have become increasingly popular tools for instructing humans on performance in complex environments. However, the question of how to provide individualized and scenario-specific assessment and feedback to students remains largely an open question. In this work, we follow-up on previous evaluations of the Automated Expert Modeling and Automated Student Evaluation (AEMASE) system, which automatically assesses student performance based on observed examples of good and bad performance in a given domain. The current study provides a rigorous empirical evaluation of the enhanced training effectiveness achievable with this technology. In particular, we found that students given feedback via the AEMASE-based debrief tool performed significantly better than students given only instructor feedback on two out of three domain-specific performance metrics.
The Theoretical Challenge Posed by Low‐Voltage Membrane Electroporation, Viewed from the Perspective of Continuum and Molecular‐Level Models

The effect of applied voltage (V) or a membrane-bound charge (q) on local thickness fluctuations (LTFs) in lipid bilayers is examined using the continuum approach. Ponderomotive forces, calculated from the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation, reduce the electroelastic energy of LTFs quadratically with V and q. Combined with a significant increase in the apex field gradient and perturbation of lipid packing at large amplitude LTFs, this creates a driving force for instability resulting in water penetration, formation of pores, and membrane rupture. The estimated critical voltages for membrane electroporation are compared with the classical Crowley prediction and recent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Unsolved questions impeding a full understanding of low-voltage breakdown are critically examined. Possible connections between MD results and the issue of negative capacitance and related instabilities at electrified interfaces are outlined.
Towards a scalable and interoperable global environmental sensor network using Service Oriented Architecture

Sensor networks are critical infrastructures for monitoring environmental variables, allowing evaluation of long-term trends and changes in the interaction of atmospheric, ecologic, and hydrologic processes. However, due to lack of coordination between large-scale environmental observation systems that have been set up around the globe, the wealth of information collected by sensor networks is not exploited to its full potential. Since there is no central organization tying these various systems together, data acquisition and dissemination methods are inconsistent and public accessibility to these observation systems is restricted to the methods chosen at the individual project level. The ability to easily discover, access, and interact with observational instruments and use real-time sensory data spread across different environmental observatories is limited. Interoperability of sensor network assets is essential to producing improved projections, models, analyses, and assessments at a global scale. To this end this paper presents the architectural design for a scalable, interoperable and real-time environmental sensor network. The proposed architectural design also provides support for dynamic reconfiguration of sensors in response to changing environmental conditions, and facilitates secure sensor access and delivery of observations to a distributed community of users using standardized mechanisms based on Open Geospatial Consortium standards. The outlined architecture uses an Event-Driven Service Oriented Architecture, with Enterprise Service Bus as its backbone messaging transport layer.
JIT Compilation Policy on Single-Core and Multi-core Machines

Dynamic or Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation is crucial to achieve acceptable performance for applications written in traditionally interpreted languages, such as Java and C#. Such languages enable the generation of portable applications that are written and compiled once, and can be executed by a virtual machine on any supported architecture. However, by virtue of occurring at runtime, dynamic compilation adds to the overall execution time of the application, and can potentially slow down program execution if performed injudiciously. Selective compilation is a technique that was developed for single-core architectures to manage the compilation overhead by dynamically determining and compiling only the most critical program regions. Current processors have evolved from single-core machines to those supporting multiple tightly-integrated cores. Consequently, research is needed to explore the best JIT compilation policy on multi-core machines with several concurrent compiler threads. In this paper, we present novel experimental configurations to understand the benefits of dynamic compilation, and find the best JIT compilation policies on single and multi-core machines. Our results validate earlier claims that compiling a small percentage of methods has an inordinately large impact on performance. We show that spawning a greater number of simultaneous compiler threads can achieve better program performance on single-core machines. Our results also reveal that more than an increase in compiler aggressiveness, a small increase in the number of compiler threads achieves the best application performance on multi-core machines.
Hierarchical hybrid Monte-Carlo method for simulation of two-component aerosol nucleation, coagulation and phase segregation

In this paper we propose a Monte-Carlo method for the simulation of the simultaneous nucleation, coagulation and phase segregation of an immiscible two-component binaryaerosol. The model is intended to qualitativelymodel our prior studies of the sy nthesis of mixed metal oxides for which phase segregated domains have been observed in molten nanodroplets. Our new approach generalizes our previous approach (J. Colloid Interface Sci., in press) byincorporating nucleation in addition to coagulation and phase segregation into the method. The nucleation is taken into account using a hierarchyof computational volumes represented in the simulation. Our attempts to model onlythe coagulation of heterogeneous aerosols using basic statistics of their internal state (J. Aerosol Sci., to appear; Chem. Eng. Sci. 56 (2001) 5763; J. Nanoparticle Res., in press) introduced some limitations. Using Monte-Carlo approaches, on the other hand, we can model the system of heterogeneous aerosols without anya priori assumption. The Monte-Carlo results show that the growth of the minor phase can be moderated quite dramaticallyby small changes in sy stem temperature, which e<ectivelyserves to change the viscosityof the major phase and therefore the Brownian transport properties of the minor phase. ? 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Scheduling multi-user MIMO communication based on physical channel parameters

Efficiently scheduling the optimal multi-user multiple-input multiple-output links presents a considerable challenge since it depends upon accurate knowledge of the multi-user channel state information and involves significant computational complexity. This paper demonstrates a technique for efficiently scheduling based on a few key parameters that describe the physical nature of multi-user propagation channels. Simulations demonstrate that the scheduling technique is able to achieve average network sum rates that approach those of the optimal link topology, particularly when latency associated with finite computational resources is considered.
Feminist issues in sport

Synopsis-Diverging feminist perspectives are examined in the scholarly literature on women and sports. One perspective aims at dispelling myths about women being athletically inferior to men. Another perspective emphasizes the benefits of athletic competition for women, claiming that female athletes maintain their feminine attributes while acquiring healthy, traditionally male behaviors and attitudes that enhance their self-concept. A third perspective focuses on the defects of male-constructed athletics, and it calls for a new, more feminine approach to sports that elevates cooperation and community over competition. Western feminism today is not the clear-cut feminism of the late 1960s and early 1970s. While there have always been splinter groups within the Western feminist tradition, mainstream feminism of 20 years ago was clearly characterized by a desire to prove that women are equal to men. The Western feminist of 1970 was infused with a righteous fire, a fire fueled by anger against discrimination. That fire was focused on discrediting the disparaging, demeaning, and unfounded belief that women are necessarily inferior to men in the ways of the world. Thus, in order to gain equality, feminists emphasized the similarity of women and men. Today, Western feminism does not seem to be as certain of its goals. Feminists are divided on whether to emphasize similarity or focus on differences. They fear that in achieving the status and power traditionally held by men, they may lose the qualities that they value, such as a sense of interconnectedness and empathy. Feminists look at the world and think, “What a hash men have made of this. Do we really want to be like men if this is what men do?” So, feminists have begun to emphasize their differences from men, and they have decided that those differences may be the salvation of the world. Feminist scholars are providing theory and research which suggest that women really do construct their worlds in a uniquely feminine way. Furthermore, there is a hint of moral superiority in this theory and research, so that
Effects of a dynamic trailing-edge flap on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures in hovering flight

Abstract To examine the effects of wing morphing on unsteady aerodynamics, deformable flapping plates are numerically studied in a low-Reynolds-number flow. Simulations are carried out using an in-house immersed-boundary-method-based direct numerical simulation (DNS) solver. In current work, chord-wise camber is modeled by a hinge connecting two rigid components. The leading portion is driven by a biological hovering motion along a horizontal stroke plane. The hinged trailing-edge flap (TEF) is controlled by a prescribed harmonic deflection motion. The effects of TEF deflection amplitude, deflection phase difference, hinge location, and Reynolds number on the aerodynamic performance and flow structures are investigated. The results show that the unsteady aerodynamic performance of deformable flapping plates is dominated by the TEF deflection phase difference, which directly affects the strength of the leading-edge vortex (LEV) and thus influences the entire vortex shedding process. The overall lift enhancement can reach up to 26% by tailoring the deflection amplitude and deflection phase difference. It is also found that the role of the dynamic TEF played in the flapping flight is consistent over a range of hinge locations and Reynolds numbers. Results from a low aspect-ratio ( AR =2) deformable plate show the same trend as those of 2-D cases despite the effect of the three-dimensionality.
A Brief Note on the Theory of Constraints

This brief note summarizes the principles from "The Goal," a novel by Elihu Goldratt. It briefly lists the 9 rules of the book and describes the 5 steps of the theory of constraints. This note can be used as a handout after students read the original book.
Development of Molecular Markers Closely Linked to the Potato Leafroll Virus Resistance Gene, Rlr etb , for use in Marker-Assisted Selection

Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) is a major pathogen of potato with worldwide impact on seed and commercial production of potato. In North America, the primary potato cultivars grown by industry are not resistant to PLRV and require the application of insecticides to control the aphid vector of PLRV, so as to prevent PLRV infection of the crop. The Solanum etuberosum- derived dominant gene Rlr etb confers resistance to PLRV and has been mapped to chromosome 4. The previous closest marker to Rlr etb , C2_At1g42990, was mapped 13.6 cM from the gene in a BC3 population. Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers were developed in the region surrounding C2_At1g42990 and mapped along with Rlr etb in 102 BC4 progeny. Sixteen markers were identified surrounding Rlr etb , with flanking markers at 2.1 and 9.3 cM. Two markers, 1367-8a and DMB32-11, both 2.1 cM from Rlr etb , are shown to be well suited for marker assisted selection. The development of additional molecular markers more closely linked to Rlr etb will greatly facilitate its use in potato breeding and its continued introgression into cultivated potato for the development of PLRV-resistant cultivars.
Intramuscular collagen characteristics of ram, wether, and zeranol-implanted ram lambs.

Eighteen spring-born Columbia ram, wether, and zeranol-implanted ram lambs were studied to determine the influence of castration or zeranol implants on intramuscular collagen (IMC) properties and muscle shear force values. Warner-Bratzler shear force values for longissimus muscle were greatest for ram lambs, intermediate for implanted rams, and least for wethers (P < .05). Nonreducible collagen crosslink concentration was greater in IMC of rams and implanted rams (P < .05). The IMC from rams compared with that from wethers contained proportionately more Type III than Type I collagen (P < .05); values for implanted rams were intermediate. Heat-soluble muscle collagen concentration was greater for rams and implanted rams than for wethers (P < .05); however, insoluble collagen concentration did not differ by treatment. Muscle collagen concentrations were not different for rams, wethers, or implanted rams. Increased shear force values in rams were associated with elevated collagen crosslink concentration and increased proportion of Type III collagen. Greater concentration of soluble collagen in ram IMC neither diminished nor diluted IMC crosslinking. The proportion of heat-labile collagen in the fractions did not reflect the IMC crosslinking profile for ram and wether lambs. Zeranol implantation modified IMC characteristics of rams such that shear force values and some collagen properties were similar to those of wethers.
Genetics of Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy (GEFS

Mutations in 3 genes SCN1A, SCN1B and GABRG2 have been shown to cause GEFS+ in families of various ethnic origins.