cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A two-loop sparse matrix numerical integration procedure for the solution of differential/algebraic equations: Application to multibody systems

Abstract In this paper, a two-loop implicit sparse matrix numerical integration (TLISMNI) procedure for the solution of constrained rigid and flexible multibody system differential and algebraic equations is proposed. The proposed method ensures that the kinematic constraint equations are satisfied at the position, velocity and acceleration levels. In this method, a sparse Lagrangian augmented form of the equations of motion that ensures that the constraints are satisfied at the acceleration level is first used to solve for all the accelerations and Lagrange multipliers. The independent coordinates and velocities are then identified and integrated using HTT or Newmark formulas, expressed in this paper in terms of the independent accelerations only. The constraint equations at the position level are then used within an iterative Newton–Raphson procedure to determine the dependent coordinates. The dependent velocities are determined by solving a linear system of algebraic equations. In order to effectively exploit efficient sparse matrix techniques and have minimum storage requirements, a two-loop iterative method is proposed. Equally important, the proposed method avoids the use of numerical differentiation which is commonly associated with the use of implicit integration methods in multibody system algorithms. Numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the use of the new integration procedure.
Instability mechanisms in the Bénard problem

where T denotes temperature, u~ and A~ denote the velocity and uni t vector in the i dimznsioa of a Cartesian co-ordinate. The physical parameters are the Prandt l number Pr and the Rayleigh number R, which can be considered as a dimensionless temperature. A 100 cm • 91 em convection chamber was constructed with quarter-inch glass plates. I t consists of three horizontal channels. In the top and bot tom channels, water is in circulation with a thermostatic bath, thus creating constant boundary conditions for the middle channel which contains the working fluid, in this case a one centisteke Dew Corning 200 silicone oil with a Prandt l number of 11.85. With the convection layer held in the quiescent state, a grid of prescribed wavelength was placed on top of the channels. A heat lamp above the grid was then tu rned on. Such a spatially periodic exposure of the fluid to a heat source generates the desired ini t ial perturbations. By increasing the temperature of the water in the bottom channel (through varying settings on the thermostatic bath) and decreasing that of the top, the working fluid was made to convect according to the init ial condition. The convection pat terns were visualized by a shadowgraph technique. At Rayleigh numbers below approximately 23 000, two-dimensional rolls are found to be the only form of stable convection. A typical case is shown in Fig. 1, where white line~ correspond to descending fluid, dark lines to ascending fluid and gray regions to fluid moving in a shear direction. This is in accord with the analysis made by SCHLUTER,
Mitotic non-disjunction of sister chromatids and anomalous mitosis induced by low temperatures in HeLa cells.

Abstract An anomalous mitosis was observed in HeLa cells within 24 hr after a shift in growth temperature from 37 °C to 29 °C. The anomalous mitosis was characterized by ( a ) the presence of a mitotic spindle, ( b ) the formation of a “metaphase plate” which passed through a number of diffusions and reformations prior to the onset of “anaphase”, ( c ) the failure of the separation of sister chromatids in the kinetochore region, ( d ) the asynchronous movement and random distribution of (undivided) chromosomes towards the poles. The induction of the anomalous mitosis appeared to be dependent upon the time spent by the interphase cell at 29 °C rather than on the specific phase of the cell cycle during which the temperature shift occurred.
Atypical Presentation of Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome Involving Granular Lesions of Varying Size

Purpose To report an atypical presentation of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS). Design Observational case report. Methods Review of the clinical, laboratory, photographic, and angiographic records of a patient with MEWDS. Results A 29-year-old woman presented with 20/400 vision in the right eye associated with multiple, granular lesions of varying sizes (100–1000 μm) in the outer retina, a prominent panuveitis, diffuse choroidal thickening and enlarged blindspot. The multiple lesions and visual disturbances resolved within 4 weeks with corticosteroid treatment, and the patient was diagnosed with MEWDS. Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of atypical manifestations of MEWDS. The patient’s unusual fundoscopic changes and prominent intraocular inflammatory reaction are findings that have not been reported in patients with MEWDS.
Racial differentials in infant mortality in the U.S.: an examination of social and health determinants.

This article examines the association between race and infant mortality in the U.S....A framework is developed that delineates sociodemographic and proximate factors thought to be instrumental in the association between infant mortality and race....Descriptive analysis illustrates that the racial gap in infant mortality is nearly identical for endogenous and exogenous causes of death with the overall rate of infant mortality among African Americans about 2.2 times higher than that for non-Hispanic white Americans. Logistic regression analysis confirms that each set of variables is instrumental in explaining the racial mortality gap with sociodemographic factors more relevant for differences in exogenous causes and maternal health and health care factors more relevant to the gap in endogenous causes. (EXCERPT)
Can't wait to myelinate.

Oligodendrocytes myelinate axons in the central nervous system (CNS). In this issue of Developmental Cell, Czopka et al. (2013) shed light on the temporal control of myelination by individual cells. They demonstrate that oligodendrocytes in vivo have only a brief time window to initiate myelination, which has important implications for CNS plasticity.
An Observational Study of the Physical Processes Responsible for Tropical Cyclone Motion

Abstract This paper presents an observational study of the physics of tropical cyclone motion. Analyses of the vorticity budget using both aircraft and rawinsonde composite data were performed. As expected, the results show a definite link between the local change in relative vorticity and tropical cyclone movement. The main contributor to this local change, at least in the middle troposphere, is the horizontal advection of absolute vorticity with the divergence term usually playing a secondary but not necessarily negligible role. The vertical advection and tilting terms are generally much smaller. The contribution of the divergence term as an extra component in determining the movement of tropical cyclone is discussed. The mass to wind adjustment as a result of the increase in vorticity is viewed as a combination of the advection of temperature (or mass) and subsidence. Substantiating evidence of this viewpoint is presented for cyclones undergoing turning motion.
Role of CD44 in lymphokine-activated killer cell-mediated killing of melanoma.

In the current study, we examined the potential significance of CD44 expression on lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in their interaction and killing of melanoma cells. Stimulation of splenocytes with IL-2 led to a significant increase in the expression of CD44 on T cells, NK cells, and NKT cells. Treatment of melanoma-bearing CD44 WT mice with IL-2 led to a significant reduction in the local tumor growth while treatment of melanoma-bearing CD44 KO mice with IL-2 was ineffective at controlling tumor growth. Furthermore, the ability of splenocytes from IL-2-treated CD44 KO mice to kill melanoma tumor targets was significantly reduced when compared to the anti-tumor activity of splenocytes from IL-2-treated CD44 WT mice. The importance of CD44 expression on the LAK cells was further confirmed by the observation that adoptively transferred CD44 WT LAK cells were significantly more effective than CD44 KO LAK cells at controlling tumor growth in vivo. Next, the significance of the increased expression of CD44 in tumor killing was examined and showed that following stimulation with IL-2, distinct populations of cells with low (CD44lo) or elevated (CD44hi) expression of CD44 are generated and that the CD44hi cells are responsible for killing of the melanoma cells. The reduced killing activity of the CD44 KO LAK cells did not result from reduced activation or expression of effector molecules but was due, at least in part, to a reduced ability to adhere to B16F10 tumor cells.
Effectiveness of trained peer models to encourage food acceptance in preschool children.

The present study examined the effectiveness of trained peer models to encourage food acceptance in children during preschool meals, and one month later. It also considered whether trained peer models risk the over-justification effects proposed to reduce later food acceptance after reinforcement has been offered for eating a specific food. Three novel foods were presented to eight tables of 38 children during five preschool meals. After three baseline meals, 16 children were trained to serve as peer models of food acceptance for one of the foods in exchange for small toy reinforcements, with each food assigned to either no model, girl model, or boy model conditions during the next two meals. The remaining 22 children served as observers whose food bites were recorded during baseline and modeled meals. Girl models were more effective than boy models to increase food acceptance from baseline to modeled meals for children of either gender. One month later, child interviews measured delayed food acceptance using food preference ratings and number of bites consumed. For observers, delayed food acceptance did not differ according to the food's previous modeling condition, suggesting that effectiveness of trained peer models does not last beyond the modeled meals. Trained peer models gave the highest preference ratings to the specific food they had eaten in exchange for toy reinforcements one month before, and they ate as much of this food as other foods, offering no evidence for detrimental over-justification effects on food acceptance as a result of serving as peer models.
Distinct kainate receptor phenotypes in immature and mature mouse cerebellar granule cells.

1Although glutamate receptors have been shown to be involved in neuronal maturation, a developmental role for kainate-type receptors has not been described. In addition, the single-channel properties of native kainate receptors have not been studied in situ. We have characterized the electrophysiological properties of native kainate receptors of granule cell neurons at two distinct stages in postnatal development, using whole-cell and outside-out patch-clamp recordings in acute cerebellar slices. 2Kainate-type currents were detected in both immature and mature granule cells. However, noise analysis showed that the apparent unitary conductance of kainate-type channels is significantly higher in proliferating than post-migratory granule cells. The conductance and rectification behaviour of the channels in immature granule cells indicate that they contain unedited GluR5 and GluR6 subunits and are likely to be calcium permeable. 3Single-channel kainate-type currents were observed in outside-out patches from proliferating granule cells in the external germinal layer. The kinetic behaviour of kainate receptors in immature cells was complex. Openings to multiple conductance levels were observed, although our analysis indicates that the channels spend most of their open time in a 4 pS state.
Effects of chronic dietary exposure to genistein, a phytoestrogen, during various stages of development on reproductive hormones and spermatogenesis in rats.

Development, hormonal, and gametogenic parameters were evaluated in male progeny following chronic dietary exposure to the phytoestrogen genistein. Twenty pregnant rats were fed a diet containing genistein (50 μg/d) from d 17 of gestation, and 12 were fed a control diet without genistein. Four litters each of control and genistein-fed rats were euthanized on d 21. The remaining pups were weaned on d 21 and only male rats were used in this study. On d 21, eight litters of genistein-fed rats were placed on control diet (gestational and lactational exposure alone [GL-G]), and the remaining eight continued on genistein diet (lifelong exposure group [LL-G]). These rats were euthanized (four litters/group) on d 70 or 130 of life. Serum testosterone, which was slightly reduced in genistein-exposed rats on d21, did not differ among treatment and control groups on d 70 and 130. Serum luteinizing hormone of genistein-exposed rats was reduced on d 21 and 130, but not on d 70. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone did not vary among groups at any age. Treatment-related effects of dietary genistein were not observed on the weights of the testes of 21-d-old rats. Except for a slight decrease in testis weight of GL-G rats at 130 d, no significant effect of dietary exposure was observed on the weight of the testes in any other group. However, epididymal weights were significantly reduced in both treated groups at d 130. Testicular sperm count (on d70 as well as 130) also was not affected in GL-G or LL-G rats. We conclude that gestational plus lactational exposure to genistein and subsequent dietary exposure to genistein have no adverse effects on gametogenic function in male rats.
The Idea of Leisure Repertoire

Our intention is to describe and explain the idea of leisure repertoire. Leisure repertoire is defined as the personal "library" of largely intrinsically motivated activities that the participant practices on a regular basis. The leisure repertoire is determined by two criteria: perceived competence and psychological comfort. Perceived competence relates to the individual's judgment of performance compared to members of the same age cohort and gender. Psychological comfort refers to the person's perception of performance judged in relation to personal, internal standards. The leisure repertoire of the elderly person is of particular concern because of the abundance of free time accompanying retirement and the age-related deficits limiting the person's ability to use free time meaningfully. The article closes with a discussion of the probable factors mediating the leisure repertoires of the elderly and recommendations for measurement of the leisure repertoire.
Handling-induced changes in plasma volume and osmolality: Adrenal modulation of blood parameters☆

Abstract Handling, physical restraint and blood sampling procedures have been shown to alter both adrenal function and water intake in rats. However, the effect of these manipulations on plasma volume and osmolality, hydrational variables known to control water intake, has not been systematically investigated. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of handling (restraint and blood sampling) on these measures. It was found that handling produced an increase in plasma volume without affecting plasma osmolality. This handling-induced hypervolemia was abolished by adrenalectomy and adrenal demedullation. The results of this investigation demonstrate that handling alters body water compartmentalization, expanding plasma volume and that this effect appears to be mediated by epinephrine. Thus, it appears that epinephrine has a role in body fluid homeostasis and should be considered as a hormone influencing water intake.
The simulation of a two-dimensional spread spectrum system with locally optimal processing

The authors present the performance results of a two-dimensional spread spectrum communications system employing robust locally optimal (LO) maximum likelihood (ML) detection. The system was simulated using the signal processing worksystem (SPW). The preliminary results indicate that the LO nonlinear processor provides a performance improvement over traditional demodulation methods when the spread spectrum system is subjected to a continuous wave (CW) jammer. In addition, the performance of the LO processor is shown to depend on the number of chips per information bit and the ratio of the jammer frequency to the transmitted signal's carrier frequency. >
Insertion characteristics of intrauterine devices in adolescents and young women: success, ancillary measures, and complications.

Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate success and safety of intrauterine device (IUD) placement in a large cohort of adolescents. Study Design We examined the medical records of patients aged 13–24 years at the Children's Hospital Colorado Adolescent Family Planning Clinic with at least 1 attempt at IUD placement. We abstracted demographic, reproductive, and procedural variables. The primary outcome was successful placement at first IUD insertion visit. We compared nulliparous with parous adolescents and patients younger than 18 years with those 18 years of age and older. Results Between April 2009 and December 2011, 1177 adolescent women aged 13–24 years (mean age 20.8 ± 2.5 years) had an attempted IUD placement, 1012 (86%) of which were with an advanced practice clinician. The first attempt was successful for 1132 women (96.2%). The first-attempt success rate was 95.8% for nulliparous women and 96.7% for parous women ( P = .45). The first-attempt success rate was 95.5% (n = 169) for women aged 13–17 years compared with 96.3% (n = 963) for women aged 18–24 years ( P = .6). Only 1.8% (n = 21) of all first-attempt successful insertions required ancillary measures. Of the 45 patients with a failed first insertion attempt, 40% (n = 18) had a second attempt with a physician, of which 78% (n = 14) were successful. Within the first 6 months of IUD placement, no perforations were identified and 24 patients (3.0%) expelled the IUD. Insertion failures and IUD expulsions were not related to IUD type, age, or parity. Conclusion Intrauterine devices can be inserted in nulliparous adolescents of any age with similar success to parous adolescents, by both physicians and advanced practice clinicians. Inability to provide ancillary measures such as paracervical block or cervical dilation should not limit access to this first-line contraceptive method.
Assessing Preschool Dual Language Learners: Traveling a Multiforked Road

Abstract— This article explores linguistic, cultural, and contextual factors that may present significant challenges to the accurate assessment of capabilities of preschool dual language learners (DLLs). This discussion includes an examination of (a) differences between “cultures” of home and school and their implications for assessing DLL children’s development, (b) content and language(s) used for assessments of children’s development, and (c) the ability of extant standardized assessments to provide accurate portrayals of DLL children’s abilities. The article concludes with recommendations for improving the accurate assessment of DLL preschoolers, and for the development of an expanded research agenda.
A Neural Network Demand Prediction Scheme for Resource Allocation in Cellular Wireless Systems

Third generation cellular networks provide users with a variety of services such as multimedia and interactive applications that have ever increasing bandwidth requirements. In wireless systems, bandwidth is a scarce resource that needs to be used in an effective manner. Subscriber mobility also makes resource allocation a challenging task. In this paper, we propose an adaptive dynamic resource allocation policy based on a neural network demand prediction scheme for cellular wireless systems. Unlike some other proposed schemes, we do not require knowledge of the position and velocity of every mobile subscriber in the network. This greatly reduces signaling and computational overhead and results in a policy that is simple to implement. We perform a simulation study to compare the proposed scheme with other adaptive resource allocation schemes.
X-Ray Line Emission from the Hot Stellar Wind of ?1 Orionis C

We present a first emission-line analysis of a high-resolution X-ray spectrum of the stellar wind of v 1 Ori C obtained with the High-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer on board the Chandra X-Ray Observatory . The spectra are resolved into a large number of emission lines from H- and He-like O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, Ar, and Fe ions. The He-like Fe xxv and Li-like Fe xxiv appear quite strong, indicating very hot emitting regions. From H/He flux ratios as well as from Fe He/Li emission measure ratios, we deduce temperatures ranging from 0.5 to K. The He triplets are very sensitive to density as well. At these temperatures the relative strengths 7 6.1 # 10 of the intercombination and forbidden lines indicate electron densities well above 10 12 cm 23 . The lines appear significantly broadened, from which we deduce a mean velocity of 770 km s 21 with a spread between 400 and 2000 km s 21 . Along with results of the deduced emission measure, we conclude that the X-ray emission could originate in dense and hot regions with a characteristic size of less then cm. 10 4 # 10 Subject headings: binaries: general — stars: early-type — stars: winds, outflows — techniques: spectroscopic — X-rays: stars
Exercise Stress Testing in Women Going Back to the Basics

Marked reductions in cardiovascular mortality in women have occurred for the first time this decade as a result of advances in medical treatment, improvement in medical technology, and a greater focus on women and their cardiovascular risk.1 Nonetheless, cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 cause of death for women in the United States, and more women die from cardiovascular disease than men every year.2 In addition, women with coronary artery disease (CAD) are more likely to have a poorer prognosis than men.1,3,4 Women who have an acute myocardial infarction have a higher mortality than their male counterparts, and women who have symptoms of angina or an abnormal stress test are less likely to be referred for further diagnostic testing.2,5,–,7 Given these gender differences in the evaluation of possible CAD symptoms and the higher mortality due to CAD in women, critical steps should be taken to identify women at the earliest stage of presentation so that appropriate therapeutic strategies can be implemented. Nonetheless, identifying women with coronary disease can be a diagnostic challenge. The prevalence of CAD in younger women is low, and women tend to present with symptoms and CAD at older ages as compared with men. In addition, women may present with more atypical symptoms.8 Women also have a lower prevalence of obstructive coronary disease, making diagnostic testing designed to detect focal areas of coronary stenosis less sensitive and specific in this population.9 Currently, exercise stress testing is the most commonly used method of diagnosing CAD in women,10,–,12 and the exercise stress ECG is the initial noninvasive study of choice in the diagnosis of CAD. Both the 2002 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) Guidelines for Exercise …
Robust optimal control of regular languages

This paper presents an algorithm for robust optimal control of regular languages given uncertainty in event costs of a language measure that has been recently reported in literature. The performance index for the proposed robust optimal policy is obtained by combining the measure of the supervised plant language with uncertainty. The performance of a controller is represented by the language measure of supervised plant, minimized over the given range of event cost uncertainties. Synthesis of the robust optimal control policy requires at most n iterations, where n is the number of states of the deterministic finite state automata (DFSA) model generated from the regular language of the open loop plant behavior. The computational complexity of control synthesis is polynomial in n.
Estimate of the Effect of Scale on Radiative Heat Loss Fraction and Combustion Efficiency

Abstract The effect of fire size on radiative heat loss fraction (xr) and combustion efficiency (xa)Was examined by an analysis of scale for pool flames with varying diameter (D). Correlations between D and xr or xa were obtained. For 0.1m > D > lm, xr and Xa are relatively constant and independent of D. For larger pool diameters, Xi decreases with increasing D.
A further parametric study of imipramine in an animal model of depression

We have proposed that chronic stress may produce motivational, behavioral, and neuroendocrine symptoms in rats resembling endogenous depression in humans. The chronic stress model has proved responsive to chronic treatment by antidepressant drugs. Two issues concerning this effect remain unresolved, these being; the requirement of drug chronicity, and treatment outcome to different drug doses. The present experiment examined both issues in a factorial design in which vehicle and two doses of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine were varied across 2 treatment periods; acute (1 hr) and chronic (3 weeks). Both factors were found to significantly interact with treatment outcome, suggesting that chronic treatment is necessary for recovery and that this outcome is dependent upon drug level.
Inverted organic solar cells with ITO electrodes modified with an ultrathin Al2O3 buffer layer deposited by atomic layer deposition

We report on the properties of inverted polymer solar cells using an ultrathin Al2O3 buffer layer on indium tin oxide (ITO). The ultrathin Al2O3 layer, deposited by the atomic layer deposition method, was found to reduce the work function of ITO and turns ITO into an electron-collecting electrode. The current density–voltage characteristics of unexposed devices showed an s-shape kink. The kink was eliminated upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) illumination. Inverted solar cells based on P3HT:PC60BM yielded a fill factor of 0.64 and a power conversion efficiency of about 2.8% estimated for 100 mW cm−2 simulated AM 1.5 illumination.
Containing Hitlist-Based Worms with Polymorphic Signatures

Worms are a significant threat to network systems, both through resource consumption and malicious activity. This paper examines the spread of a class of hitlist-based worms that attempt to propagate by searching for address book files on the host system and using the host's mail program to spread to the addresses found. This threat becomes more severe when the worms are assumed to be polymorphic in nature - able to dynamically change their signature to elude capture. Because the method of propagation for these worms is predictable, it is possible to contain their spread through the use of honeytoken e-mail addresses in the client address book. Any e-mail received by the honeytoken address will be immediately recognized as malicious and can therefore be used to flag client machines as infected. This paper provides a complete description of a method to allow for better containment of this class of worms. The results of the proposed method are examined and compared to a previous method of capturing this type of worm.
Psychological Outcomes and Reproductive Issues Among Gender Dysphoric Individuals

Gender dysphoria is a condition in which a person experiences discrepancy between the natal anatomic sex and the gender he or she identifies with, resulting in internal distress and a desire to live as the preferred gender. There is increasing demand for treatment, which includes suppression of puberty, cross-sex hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery. This article reviews longitudinal outcome data evaluating psychological well-being and quality of life among transgender individuals who have undergone cross-sex hormone treatment or sex reassignment surgery. Proposed methodologies for diagnosis and initiation of treatment are discussed, and the effects of cross-sex hormones and sex reassignment surgery on future reproductive potential.
Competent Advice in Language Elections

Author's Summary— Advice on taking a foreign language should be given by those individuals who know the lasting values of the several languages and fit these to the personal needs of the student.)
Mechanistic basis of Rho GTPase-induced extracellular matrix synthesis in trabecular meshwork cells

Elevated intraocular pressure arising from impaired aqueous humor drainage through the trabecular pathway is a major risk factor for glaucoma. To understand the molecular basis for Rho GTPase-mediated resistance to aqueous humor drainage, we investigated the possible interrelationship between actomyosin contractile properties and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in human trabecular meshwork (TM) cells expressing a constitutively active form of RhoA (RhoAV14). TM cells expressing RhoAV14 exhibited significant increases in fibronectin, tenascin C, laminin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) levels, and matrix assembly in association with increased actin stress fibers and myosin light-chain phosphorylation. RhoAV14-induced changes in ECM synthesis and actin cytoskeletal reorganization were mimicked by lysophosphatidic acid and TGF-β2, known to increase resistance to aqueous humor outflow and activate Rho/Rho kinase signaling. RhoAV14, lysophosphatidic acid, and TGF-β2 stimulated significant increases in Erk1/2 phosphorylation, paralleled by profound increases in fibronectin, serum response factor (SRF), and α-SMA expression. Treatment of RhoA-activated TM cells with inhibitors of Rho kinase or Erk, on the other hand, decreased fibronectin and α-SMA levels. Although suppression of SRF expression (both endogenous and RhoA, TGF-β2-stimulated) via the use of short hairpin RNA decreased α-SMA levels, fibronectin was unaffected. Conversely, fibronectin induced α-SMA expression in an SRF-dependent manner. Collectively, data on RhoA-induced changes in actomyosin contractile activity, ECM synthesis/assembly, and Erk activation, along with fibronectin-induced α-SMA expression in TM cells, reveal a potential molecular interplay between actomyosin cytoskeletal tension and ECM synthesis/assembly. This interaction could be significant for the homeostasis of aqueous humor drainage through the pressure-sensitive trabecular pathway.
Comparison of non-volitional postural responses induced by two types of torso based vibrotactile stimulations

The purpose of this study was to characterize the non-volitional postural responses to torso-based vibrotactile stimulation as a function of stimulation location for two types of vibrating actuators (tactors). Eleven young healthy adults were asked to maintain an upright erect posture with their eyes closed. Two types of tactors, Tactaid (electromagnetic inertial transducer) and C-2 (voice-coil-type linear transducer), were placed over the left and right external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles in two different trial series. Regardless of the tactor type, vibration applied over the internal oblique and erector spinae muscles induced a postural shift in the direction of the stimulation. For these four locations, the root-mean-square (RMS) of the sway was significantly greater during vibration than immediately before or after stimulation. Vibration-induced postural shifts and increases in RMS sway were greater for the C-2 than Tactaid tactors. Simultaneous activation of all tactors or those over the external oblique muscles did not produce significant directional postural shifts or increases in sway, regardless of the tactor type. The directional shifts of posture suggest that these non-volitional responses should be considered to improve the use of torso-based vibrotactile sensory augmentation display designed for clinical balance applications.
A vacuum packaged surface micromachined resonant accelerometer

This paper describes the operation of a vacuum packaged resonant accelerometer subjected to static and dynamic acceleration testing. The device response is in broad agreement with a new analytical model of its behavior under an applied time-varying acceleration. Measurements include tests of the scale factor of the sensor and the dependence of the output sideband power and the noise floor of the double-ended tuning fork oscillators as a function of the applied acceleration frequency. The resolution of resonant accelerometers is shown to degrade 20 dB/decade beyond a certain characteristic acceleration corner frequency. A prototype device was fabricated at Sandia National Laboratories and exhibits a noise floor of 40 /spl mu/g//spl radic/(Hz) for an input acceleration frequency of 300 Hz.
D-amino acids as putative neurotransmitters: focus on D-serine.

Of the twenty amino acids in the mammalian body, only serine and aspartate occur in D-configuration as well as L-configuration in significant amount. D-serine is selectively concentrated in the brain, localized to protoplasmic astrocytes that ensheath synapses and distributed similarly to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptors. D-serine has been found to function as an endogenous ligand for the “glycine” site of the NMDA receptor. Evidences for this include the greater potency of D-serine to activate this site than glycine, and D-amino acid oxidase, which degrades D-serine as well as other neutral D-amino acids, markedly attenuates NMDA neurotransmission. D-serine is also formed by serine racemase, a recently cloned enzyme that converts L-serine to D-serine. Thus, in many ways D-serine fulfills criteria for defining its functionality as a neurotransmitter and challenges the dogma relating to neurotransmission, for it is the “unnatural” isomeric form of an amino acid derived from glia rather than neurons.
Internet Recruitment and E-Mail Interviews in Qualitative Studies

In 2004, 111 million adults accessed the Internet looking for health and medical information. Qualitative researchers can apply long-standing principles of recruitment and interviewing to the Internet. The purpose of this article is to examine the theoretical and methodological aspects of Internet recruitment and e-mail interviewing. The authors address issues of appropriateness, adequacy, representativeness, sample bias, data fraud, flexibility and consistency in interviewing, timing, elimination of the need for transcription, oral versus written communication, reliability and validity, and ethical concerns. They include some practical suggestions on a research design for a qualitative study employing both Internet recruitment and e-mail interviewing.
Selective Breeding for Aggressiveness in Chickens

Abstract EXCEPT for Game breeds, the domestic fowl has not been consciously selected for behavior traits. However, poultrymen have been aware of some breed differences in behavior, especially between the so-called light and heavy breeds. Some preliminary tests with two breeds and their reciprocal crosses by the senior author (unpublished) gave good evidence of a genetic background for aggressiveness. Komai, Craig and Wearden (1959) have estimated the heritability of social aggressiveness in the domestic fowl to average near 0.30, when data for six strains were analyzed. Breed differences were observed in social dominance relations (Potter, 1949; Holabird, 1955; Tindell and Craig, 1959) and in the effects of androgen on aggressiveness (Allee and Foreman, 1955). Breed differences in the fighting behavior of cocks treated with androgen were reported by Hale (1954), and Siegel (1959) obtained significant differences between aggressiveness and sex drive among cocks of inbred lines. In the experiment reported here, …
Sonny in the Dark: Jazzing the Blues Spirit and the Gospel Truth in James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”

The webs of musical connection are essential to the harmony and cohesion of James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues.” As a result, we must explore the spectrum of musical references Baldwin makes to unveil their delicate conjunctions. It is vital to probe the traditions of African-American music—Spirituals, Blues, Jazz, and Pop—to get a more comprehensive sense of how Baldwin makes use of music from the sacred and secular continuum in the African-American community. Looking more closely at the variety of African-American musical genres to which Baldwin refers in the story, we can discern even more the nuances of unity that Baldwin creates in his story through musical allusions, and shed greater light on Baldwin’s exploration of the complexities of African-American life and music, all of which have as their core elements of human isolation, loneliness, and despair ameliorated by artistic expression, hope, and the search for familial ties. Through musical intertextuality, Baldwin demonstrates not only how closely related seemingly disparate (in the Western tradition) musical genres are, but also shows that the elements of the community that these genres flow from and represent are much more in synchronization than they sometimes seem or are allowed to be. To realize kinship across familial (Creole), socio-economic (the brother), and most importantly for this paper appreciation and meanings of musical genres advances to Sonny the communal cup of trembling that is both a mode and an instance of envisioning and treating music in its unifying terms, seeing how they coalesce through a holistic vision.
Hydrogen Neutralization of Defects in Silicon

Considerable attention has been given to hydrogenated amorphous silicon, a-Si:H. The insight derived from the studies of amorphous materials can be applied to the better known crystalline form of Si with interesting consequences.
A Toolbox of Potato Genetic and Genomic Resources

Access to genetic and genomic resources can greatly facilitate biological understanding of plant species leading to improved crop varieties. While model plant species such as Arabidopsis have had nearly two decades of genetic and genomic resource development, many major crop species have seen limited development of these resources due to the large, complex nature of their genomes. Cultivated potato is among the ranks of crop species that, despite substantial worldwide acreage, have seen limited genetic and genomic tool development. As technologies advance, this paradigm is shifting and a number of tools are being developed for important crop species such as potato. This review article highlights numerous tools that have been developed for the potato community with a specific focus on the reference de novo genome assembly and annotation, genetic markers, transcriptomics resources, and newly emerging resources that extend beyond a single reference individual.
Drag Modulation as a Means of Mitigating Casualty Risk for Random Reentry

*For a randomly reentering vehicle (i.e., a vehicle with no capability to perform a deorbit maneuver), risk of casualty to people on the ground is a function of orbit inclination. If the drag can be changed during the last few orbit revolutions, casualty risk can be reduced by shifting the orbit revolution during which impact occurs. It may also be possible to cause the impact to occur in the Southern Hemisphere where the casualty risk is significantly lower. A sensitivity study involving ballistic coefficient variability and altitude range of application versus impact location and casualty risk will be presented.
Marketing Technology, Tasks, and Relationships:

What is the place of traditional marketing analysis in recent managerial, social, and quantitative interpretations of marketing?Here is a framework for the integration of marketing thought in the c...
Climate induced wolf prey selection in Yellowstone National Park, 1995-2015

Prey selection by wolves has been a fundamental and long-term topic of interest for wolf-prey studies. Virtually all studies conclude the selectivity of wolf predation and typically identify what made an individual vulnerable. Vulnerability, however, varies for multiple reasons and emerging research is discovering climate induced effects on prey forage altering condition and selective advantage of migration. We present data from a twenty year study of wolf-elk predation in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) which found bull elk killed more frequently in early winter after years with less snowfall compared to years with normal snowfall. Snowfall impacted summer forage, which impacted bull elk condition going into the autumn rut, which weakened elk prematurely post-rut causing them to be selected by wolves in early rather than late winter, and possibly caused more bulls to be killed overall. Bull elk ratios have declined over the last 20 years (from 40-60 to 10-15 bulls/100 cows; lower outside YNP), which has led to calls for a reduced human harvest on bulls which has been met with significant resistance. Understanding the interaction between climate, forage and wolf predation on bull elk (and other sex/age classes) will help guide management decisions and potentially sustain hunting of bulls in the long term as well as protect natural management objectives within YNP. Results will be of widespread value as they may suggest changing predator-prey dynamics across North America by making some otherwise healthy prey vulnerable to predation. Douglas W. Smith background Douglas W. Smith PhD is a Senior Wildlife Biologist at Yellowstone National Park. He has been an employee of Yellowstone since 1994 and was hired to reintroduce, manage, and research wolves in the park. He also supervises the elk, bird and aviation programs for his park Division, The Yellowstone Center for Resources. He has focused the park wolf program on long-term wolf-prey monitoring, population dynamics, genetics and disease monitoring as well as creating a positive image for a controversial carnivore. PeerJ Preprints | https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2001v1 | CC-BY 4.0 Open Access | rec: 26 Apr 2016, publ: 26 Apr 2016
Early and Recent Observational Techniques for Fog

This is a review of ground based instruments and techniques for fog detection and characterization. A review of light transmission and object perception is given as a background for visibility which is central to the definition, detection and intensity of fog. The weather reporting code characterization of fog and related aspects are discussed. The primary detection of fog has been by eye and a key variable is the horizontal visibility distance. Measurement instruments useful for fog are light transmission systems (transmissometers), light scattering visibility sensors, and present weather stations. Nearly universally and widely employed are conventional surface-based temperature and moisture sensors that are useful in identifying fog situations and closely related conditions. Solar radiation and downward longwave radiation instrument measurements are closely related to fog conditions although infrequently used in operational situations. Widely deployed automated meteorological stations have great flexibility to record data using a wide variety of instruments to detect and track meteorological changes related to fog. Automated meteorological stations and instruments are becoming more widely adapted to marine platforms including ships and buoys. Ground based, remote sensing systems at land stations measure structures in the boundary layer closely related to fog and its occurrence. Upward looking, fixed beam microwave systems detect details of the boundary layer including air temperature and moisture. Ceilometers, widely deployed at established airports are mostly used to measure the elevations of cloud bases although are capable of detecting other aspects of the boundary layer. SODAR profilers a capable of resolving small details in the winds from the surface to above 200 m. Radar wind profilers with RASS in low mode generate wind vectors and virtual temperature in approximately 60–100 m bins below about 1.5 km. Ground based scanning radar and lidar, useful for investigating three-dimensional aspects of the boundary layer related to fog conditions are largely restricted to research efforts.
The prognostic relevance of serum lactate dehydrogenase and mild bone marrow reticulin fibrosis in essential thrombocythemia.

The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) underscore the prognostically-relevant distinction between essential thrombocythemia (ET) and prefibrotic primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF). In addition, leukocytosis has been identified as an important prognostic marker in otherwise WHO-defined ET. However, controversy remains regarding the objectivity of morphologic criteria in distinguishing ET from pre-PMF and the precise prognostic cutoff values for leukocytosis. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level might be a biologically more accurate measure of leukocyte turnover and a more sensitive marker of pre-PMF, in otherwise WHO-defined ET. In the current study of 183 consecutive patients with WHO-defined ET, the presence of grade 1 bone marrow (BM) fibrosis did not affect presenting clinical or laboratory features; in contrast, increased serum LDH at diagnosis was associated with leukocytosis (p = .002), thrombocytosis (p < .001), palpable splenomegaly (p = .03) and higher international prognostic score (IPSET) (p = .002); serum LDH did not correlate with BM fibrosis, JAK2/CALR/MPL or TET2/ASXL1 mutations. In univariate analysis, risk factors for survival included age ≥60 years (p = .002; HR 10.2, 95% CI 2.3-44.6), male sex (p = .02; HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.2), leukocyte count ≥15 × 109/L (p = .007; HR 4.7, 95% CI 1.5-14.6), and increased serum LDH (p = .002; HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-9.1), but not BM fibrosis (p = .17). In multivariable analysis, age, sex and serum LDH remained significant; serum LDH also remained significant, in the context of IPSET (p = .003) and in patients with leukocytosis (p = .003). We conclude that serum LDH level carries an independent prognostic value for survival in ET and might represent a biologically more accurate surrogate for leukocytosis.
Permeability effects on the sulfate resistance of concrete

A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effect of permeability on the sulfate resistance of concrete containing fly ash. Concrete specimens were moist cured for 7 and 100 days before being submerged in a 10 percent solution of sodium sulfate, according to the Bureau of Reclamation Test Procedure 4906-86. A low calcium and a high calcium fly ash were used at 25 and 35 percent volumetric replacement levels to study the relationship between permeability and sulfate resistance of concrete containing fly ash. At the time of initial exposure, the permeability of the concrete was measured using the AASHTO T277 Rapid Chloride Ion Permeability Test Procedure. The results of this study indicate that decreased permeability is not sufficient to prevent the degradation of concrete exposed to a sulfate environment Low permeability concrete may suffer from sulfate attack despite the appearance of high quality construction.
Testing Public Administration's Separation of Powers Theory: Exploratory Support from a Study of Public and Private Sector Jobs

ABSTRACTDavid Rosenbloom’s separation of powers approach to understanding the complex value-driven work of public administrators is an oft-cited, conceptually powerful framework. This article is a first effort to empirically test his framework. It explores the extent to which Rosenbloom’s distinct and normative value sets (managerial, political, and legal) objectively reflect individuals’ perceptions of how public servants should perform their jobs and the role that public service motivation (PSM) may play in these evaluations. It finds that when comparing public sector and private sector jobs, individuals assign more similar levels of importance to the managerial, political, and legal values for public than private sector jobs, thus providing support for the importance of public administrators to integrate these three approaches in their work. Additionally, it finds that the higher an individual’s PSM, the more likely that a political or legal frame, rather than a managerial frame, will be the individual...