cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Sensor Geometry on the Stress-Averaged Output of PVDF Sensors in Tires

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors are attractive for use in tires due to their high sensitivity, fast response time, low cost, and ability to operate without power supplies or signal amplification. Based on sensor design, placement, and signal processing techniques, they may be used to determine tire parameters such as tire revolutions, footprint size, and cornering and traction conditions. PVDF sensors generate a voltage output that is related to the average stress acting on the sensor. For non-uniform distributions of stress over the sensor area, there can be a significant difference between the stress at a point and the average sensor stress calculated from the measured voltage. Understanding the effects of sensor geometry on sensor output is important for designing sensors for specific applications, such as tires. This paper presents analytical and numerical models for PVDF voltage output that are developed from the linear piezoelectric constitutive equations, with the average sensor stress modeled using a convolution of the stress input and the PVDF electrode shape. Parametric studies on rectangular, stepped, and triangular sensor shapes show the effects of sensor geometry on voltage output for PVDF sensors under sinusoidal and tire stress inputs.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The Black Box.

The Black Box is a site based installation that allows users to create unique sounds through physical interaction. The installation consists of a geodesic dome, surround sound speakers, and a custom instrument suspended from the apex of the dome. Audience members entering the space are able to create sound by striking or rubbing the cube, and are able to control a delay system by moving the cube within the space.
Passivity and practical considerations for the SNMF System

Systems comprised of many subsystems can benefit from reducing the number of inputs. Pin array shape displays are one example where this is particularly true. Many pin arrays use a row-column structure, as found on LCD screens, to reduce the number of inputs. However, reducing inputs in this manner makes simultaneous control of the pins challenging. Using semi-nonnegative matrix factorization (SNMF) to reduce the rank of the inputs solves this problem, but there has not yet been a method to analyze the stability of the resulting system. Additionally, the application of the SNMF System to pin arrays, particularly those using fluid power, presents many practical challenges. This paper proves that the SNMF rank-one approximation is strictly-output passive, leading to approaches to analyze the stability of the SNMF System. We also address practical challenges by showing that the SNMF System improves performance over the previous approach, line scanning, even in the presence of power limitations and by examining the effects of row and column dynamics and proposing approaches to limit these negative effects.
Quality of Life Following Epilepsy Surgery

A prospective study of the families of 35 children with intractable epilepsy who underwent epilepsy surgery at Sydney Children’s Hospital, NSW, Australia, found that those who were seizure-free had a greater improvement in the quality of life (QOL) than children with persistent seizures.
Multimodal Treatment of Advanced Testicular Tumor with Radical Reductive Surgery and Multisequential Chemotherapy with CIS Platinum, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Vincristine and Actinomycin D

AbstractAdvanced testicular tumors in 34 patients were treated by combination chemotherapy with bleomycin, vinblastine, vincristine, cis platinum and actinomycin D. The therapy was divided into 3 phases: 1) induction, 2) consolidation and 3) maintenance. Induction lasted 4 weeks sind consisted of 420mg. bleomycin, 0.2mg./kg. vinblastine, 4mg./kg. cis platinum, and 20mg. prednisone daily. Consolidation lasted 6 weeks and consisted of 5mg. actinomycin D, 6mg. vincristine and 6mg./kg. cis platinum. Maintenance therapy was achieved with 2.5mg. actinomycin D every 6 weeks and 1mg./kg. cis platinum every 3 weeks. A tumor reductive operation was done before induction of chemotherapy in 13 patients and after induction of chemotherapy in 12 patients. Nine patients were treated with chemotherapy alone. Three patients with brain metastases received coricornitant radiotherapy to the brain (3,000 rads). A previous operation and chemotherapy had failed in 11 patients and previous radiotherapy had failed in 1 patient. A...
Performance Of Advanced Dev Ices In High Throughput Signal Processing

The computational capabilities of advanced technologies for high throughput signal processing are assessed. Graphs for t he computational rate per unit power and per unit volume are produced. Emphasis is on VHSIC devices with CMOS and GaAs technologies. The study indicates a n ever worsening 110 bottleneck. Power dissipation per chip or per unit vo1,ume is found to increase for advanced technologies, while the total power dissipation per a given task is found to decrease. Direction for future research are identified at the conclusion of this work.
Instability conditions for type-1 and type-2 TSK fuzzy systems

Although many sufficient conditions for the stability of Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy systems are known, no sufficient instability conditions are available. This paper introduces four sufficient instability tests for type-1 and type-2 TSK fuzzy systems. The first test is developed using a common Lyapunov function. The second test is derived using the Variable Gradient method. The third test is based on the comparison principle with a non-differentiable Lyapunov function candidate and the upper right hand derivative. Finally, the fourth test is obtained using Chetaev's theorem. We provide numerical examples to demonstrate and compare our instability testing.
Martin Luther, Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen. Herausgegeben von Karl Bischoff: Halle: Max Niemeyer, 1951. Pp. 57.

(1953). Martin Luther, Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen. Herausgegeben von Karl Bischoff. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 156-156.
Asymptotic Behavior of a Strain Percolation Model for a Deforming Metal

In this paper, we present a recent advance in theoretical understanding of a deforming metal, using a strain percolation model which possibly explains spasmodic, fine slip line burst events occurring in the metal. The model addresses how the additional strain nucleated in a cell propagates through a dislocation cell structure, and predicts that near the critical point, the system exhibits critical power-law behavior. It is found that although the model displays long-transient behavior associated with the initial strain in the model, asymptotically critical behavior observed in the system is well explained by standard percolation theory. The long-transient behavior suggests that finite-size effects could be an important factor for the stress-strain relation in the metal. A detailed study reveals that the universal aspects of the model, i.e., the evolution into an initial condition- independent, critical state, arise from collective behavior of a huge number of self- organizing critical cells that develop the minimum or at least marginally stable strain
Genetic screening legislation.

Significant advances in genetic diagnostic capabilities have occurred on several fronts during the past decade. Identification of asymptomatic neonates affected with hereditary disease, in utero diagnosis of affected fetuses, and determination of carrier status in phenotypically normal individuals promise to reduce the population of individuals suffering from a panoply of disorders.
Congenital prosopagnosia without object agnosia? A literature review

A longstanding controversy concerns the functional organization of high-level vision, and the extent to which the recognition of different classes of visual stimuli engages a single system or multiple independent systems. We examine this in the context of congenital prosopagnosia (CP), a neurodevelopmental disorder in which individuals, without a history of brain damage, are impaired at face recognition. This paper reviews all CP cases from 1976 to 2016, and explores the evidence for the association or dissociation of face and object recognition. Of the 238 CP cases with data permitting a satisfactory evaluation, 80.3% evinced an association between impaired face and object recognition whereas 19.7% evinced a dissociation. We evaluate the strength of the evidence and correlate the face and object recognition behaviour. We consider the implications for theories of functional organization of the visual system, and offer suggestions for further adjudication of the relationship between face and object recognition.
High-Risk Repair of Traumatic Mitral Valve Rupture in the Setting of Polytrauma.

Background The rare complication of mitral valve rupture from blunt trauma is certainly not at the top of the differential of shock. Case Description We report the case of a 56-year-old woman who sustained numerous injuries after a 30-m fall with cardiogenic shock secondary to mitral valve rupture causing severe mitral valve regurgitation. Management included successful primary leaflet repair, annuloplasty, and single vessel coronary artery bypass. Conclusion Valvular repair in the setting of polytrauma is a complex decision that requires careful balance of risks and benefits relative to patient stability.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications: A review

Abstract Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures and is necessary to treat most forms of hydrocephalus. Unfortunately, complications related to VPS placement are common, and multiple shunt revisions are almost expected throughout a patient's lifetime. Shunt malfunction may be attributed to multiple causes, including obstruction, infection, pseudocyst formation and bowel perforation. VPS obstruction, which is most often occurs in the proximal catheter, is the most common cause of VPS malfunction. Hardware infection is the second most common cause of VPS malfunction, and this is a complication is most often observed in infants, with premature infants being the most susceptible. Despite continuous attempts to reduce the incidence of VPS complications, such as improved sterile techniques, antibiotic impregnated catheters, and programmable valves, VPS malfunction remains a major problem, which often leads to multiple and costly hospital admissions. In the present review, the most common complications of VPS are discussed, including presentation and appropriate management.
Instability of a Vortex Sheet Leaving a Semi-Infinite Plate

Abstract : The growth of undulations along an infinite vortex sheet is a classical problem of stability theory. That problem is modified by including the effects of a boundary: the vortex sheet is assumed to leave a rigid semi-infinite plate and to undergo spatially growing undulations downstream. The usual solution for a doubly infinite sheet is corrected by the Wiener-Hopf technique to account for the presence of the plate. The correction depends sensitively on whether a Kutta condition is enforced at the trailing edge. Two Kutta conditions, called rectified and full, are suggested to apply depending on conditions in the unperturbed flow. In either case, the correction due to the plate becomes negligible half a wavelength downstream from the trailing edge. (Author)
Studying visual behaviors from multiple eye tracking features across levels of information representation.

While eye movements have been used to analyze behaviors for many years, research studies that employ eye tracking technologies are often limited to basic physical features and fixations, which leads to an abundance of data. Because visual behaviors are complex in nature, it can be difficult to make comparisons and conclusions based on subjects’ scanpaths. In this study, we analyze visual activities from 15 expert radiographers and 26 novices as they view a series of images to attempt to discover relationships between a large number of features including fixation, region and subject information. We expect that the techniques used in this study will be useful in finding common behaviors in eye tracking data for medical applications. These behaviors could be used to train novices and prevent potential medical errors that occur during visual analysis of medical images.
OP064: Reirradiation of head and neck cancers with IMRT: Updated outcomes and analysis

Purpose Head and neck (H&N) cancers arising in previously irradiated volumes were rarely treated with radiotherapy due to concerns of toxicity. With improved precision in planning and delivery, reirradiation has been increasingly used. We reviewed our institutional experience using IMRT in the management of previously irradiated H&N carcinoma. Materials and methods The records of 136 patients treated with IMRT reirradiation at U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for H&N cancer between 1999 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Reirradiation was defined as any overlap between the two radiation treatment volumes. Severe toxicity related to reirradiation included events requiring hospitalization, urgent intervention, or death. Survival estimates were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier algorithm, excluding those patients treated with palliative intent. Results Thirty-three (24%) patients underwent surgical resection and 70 (51%) patients received chemotherapy. Twenty of these patients received radiation with palliative intent. Median time interval between initial radiation and reirradiation was 23 months. Median follow-up after reirradiation was 33 months. Median reirradiation dose was 60 Gy (range 15–70 Gy), while the median cumulative radiation dose was 120 Gy. The 2- and 5-year overall survival and locoregional control rates were 58% and 63%, and 39% and 51%, respectively. Re-treatment doses ⩾66 Gy trended towards improved LRC ( p = 0.14). Severe reirradiation related toxicity occurred in 35 patients (26%), including three treatment-related deaths. Severe toxicity did not correlate with total or re-treatment dose but was associated with retreatment volumes >150 cc. Conclusions IMRT yields promising local control and survival outcomes in select patients receiving reirradiation for H&N cancer. However, treatment related toxicity continues to be significant despite the increased conformality of IMRT over 3D conformal radiation. Alternative treatment strategies, including the possible use of stereotactic radiotherapy, to further improve conformality and thereby increase the therapeutic ratio, may be explored in the future.
RNA polymerase from Micrococcus luteus: comparative effect of ribosyl and deoxyribosyl oligomers on the homopolymer. Directed reaction.

The deoxyribosyl oligomer, dA(pdA)4, was found to stimulate poly U-directed AMP incorporation by M. luteus RNA polymerase. The oligomer concentration required for saturation is about half the template concentration, suggesting that formation of a stoichiometric complex with poly U is involved in the mechanism of stimulation. Comparison of stimulation by ribosyl and deoxy- oligomers at 25° shows the ribosyl oligomer is far more effective. At 25°, only the ribosyl oligomer forms a complex with poly U. At 10°, where both oligomers form complexes with poly U, stimulation by both oligomers is comparable.
Leaders, Advisers, and the Political Origins of Elite Support for War:

As research on leaders matures, a next step is a better understanding of the advisers who surround them. This article explores the often-hidden politics of leader–adviser interactions, focusing on ...
Perspectives on female genital cutting among immigrant women and men in Boston.

Abstract This study documents the perceptions and experiences of immigrant women and men in the US related to female genital cutting (FGC). This paper examines the effects of migration on these perceptions, with the goal of optimizing health services and informing public policy to support women who have undergone FGC. This qualitative study consisted of individual interviews conducted from 2014 to 2015 with 42 women and men living in Boston, Massachusetts, who immigrated from a variety of communities where FGC has been practiced. Most participants felt strongly against the continuation of the practice, describing a change in their personal and community viewpoints over time, which they attributed to education, religion and immigration. The men in our study collectively took a stand against FGC and believed that they had a particular duty to raise awareness in their families and their communities about its physical and emotional harms. Our study provides strong support for the inclusion of men, religious leaders, and immigrants in FGC-related efforts. Our unique preliminary exploration of the role of members of the diaspora provides some support for initiatives that would involve emigrants in the effort to curb FGC in their home countries. Changing views in the diaspora could play a significant role in affecting opinions and practices in contexts where FGC is prevalent. Finally, our findings do not support the fear that “vacation cutting” might be common among US immigrants. We should therefore exercise caution in our promotion of legislation and clinical practices that target this fear.
To reflect human autoimmune thyroiditis, thyroid peroxidase (not thyroglobulin) antibodies should be measured in female (not sex-independent) NOD.H2h4 mice.

NOD.H2h4 mice are the most commonly used model for human autoimmune thyroiditis. Because thyroid autoimmunity develops slowly (over months), NOD.H2h4 mice are usually exposed to excess dietary iodide to accelerate and amplify the process. However, unlike the female bias in human thyroid autoimmunity, autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (TgAb) are reported to be similar in male and female NOD.H2h4 . We sought evidence for sexual dimorphism in other parameters in this strain maintained on regular or iodized water. Without iodide, TgAb levels are higher in males than in females, the reverse of human disease. In humans, autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) are a better marker of disease than TgAb. In NOD.H2h4 mice TPOAb develop more slowly than TgAb, being detectable at 6 months of age versus 4 months for the latter. Remarkably, unlike TgAb, TPOAb levels are higher in female than male NOD.H2h4 mice on both regular and iodized water. As previously observed, serum T4 levels are similar in both sexes. However, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are significantly higher in males than females with or without iodide exposure. TSH levels correlate with TgAb levels in male NOD.H2h4 mice, suggesting a possible role for TSH in TgAb development. However, there is no correlation between TSH and TPOAb levels, the latter more important than TgAb in human disease. In conclusion, if the goal of an animal model is to closely reflect human disease, TPOAb rather than TgAb should be measured in older female NOD.H2h4 mice, an approach requiring patience and the use of mouse TPO protein.
The Reaction of Firm Ex Ante Cost of Equity Capital to Initiation and Resolution of Shareholder Lawsuits

In this manuscript, I examine the firm’s ex ante cost of equity capital in the quarter before and the quarter after the filing of a shareholder securities lawsuit as well as in the quarter before and the quarter after the final resolution of the shareholder lawsuit. I find that the adjustment in firm ex ante cost of equity capital is dependent on the probable outcome of the case, as estimated on the shareholder lawsuit filing date. If, at the time of filing, the probability of a favorable outcome for the firm (dismissal or win) is relatively higher, the effect of the shareholder lawsuit on firm ex ante cost of equity capital is low. In contrast, a high probability of a settlement or a loss for the firm results in a greater increase in firm ex ante cost of equity capital. In examining firm ex ante cost of equity capital in the quarter before and after the final resolution of the shareholder lawsuit, I find that firm ex ante cost of equity capital adjusts only when the final resolution of the case is different than initial probability estimates. Consequently, a firm may see adjustments to its cost of equity capital either at the time the lawsuit is filed or when the outcome of the lawsuit is determined, or both.
New technologies in the management of overactive bladder: current research and future prospects.

Overactive bladder is characterized by frequency, urgency (wet or dry) and nocturia. These troublesome symptoms incur both a physiologic and economic cost, expected to be in excess of US$82 billion...
The Lives of Low-Income Women

American welfare policies have historically placed sexist and often racist expectations on the lives and reproduction of low-income women, who are frequently stigmatized when seeking assistance. Further, our crumbling social safety net has contributed to the feminization of poverty in America. Universal basic income has the potential to create a more egalitarian footing for women in society and allow families to make the work, marriage, childcare, and reproductive decisions that are right for them. It would also better support the millions of hours of unpaid care work that women contribute to the economy each year.
Alcoholic Hepatitis and Alcohol-Related Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) occurs in patients with chronic and heavy alcohol consumption, via a complex interplay of pathways involving direct hepatocyte injury, intestinal dysbiosis and activation of pro-inflammatory cascade. Severe AH is defined by Maddrey discriminant function ≥32 or MELD score ≥ 20 and is often associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome leading to acute-on chronic liver failure (ACLF). A liver biopsy is required to make a definitive diagnosis of AH, although a probable diagnosis of AH can be made in patients with history of heavy drinking and typical liver enzyme abnormalities. The only available pharmacologic therapy for severe AH is corticosteroids, but its utilities are limited by lack of long-term benefit and a significant portion of non-responders. Novel biomarkers and treatment approaches are being investigated with varying degrees of success. Recently, early liver transplantation prior to the traditional 6-month period of sobriety has emerged as a promising option for certain patients with severe AH and ACLF.
Abstract 328: Aversive Cognitions and Engagement in Physical Activity at Hospital Discharge and 1 Year After Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: We have shown that cardiac arrest-induced psychological distress is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and death. Low physical activity (PA) is a...
Kernel density estimation on grouped data: the case of poverty assessment

Grouped data have been widely used to analyze the global income distribution because individual records from nationally representative household surveys are often unavailable. In this paper we evaluate the performance of nonparametric density smoothing techniques, in particular kernel density estimation, in estimating poverty from grouped data. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that kernel density estimation gives rise to nontrivial biases in estimated poverty levels that depend on the bandwidth, kernel, poverty indicator, size of the dataset, and data generating process. Furthermore, the empirical bias in the poverty headcount ratio critically depends on the poverty line. We also undertake a sensitivity analysis of global poverty estimates to changes in the bandwidth and show that they vary widely with it. A comparison of kernel density estimation with parametric estimation of the Lorenz curve, also applied to grouped data, suggests that the latter fares better and should be the preferred approach.
The role of intra-articular neuronal CCR2 receptors in knee joint pain associated with experimental osteoarthritis in mice

C–C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) signaling plays a key role in pain associated with experimental murine osteoarthritis (OA) after destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). Here, we aimed to assess if CCR2 expressed by intra-articular sensory neurons contributes to knee hyperalgesia in the early stages of the model. DMM surgery was performed in the right knee of 10-week-old male wild-type (WT), Ccr2 null, or Ccr2RFP C57BL/6 mice. Knee hyperalgesia was measured using a Pressure Application Measurement device. CCR2 receptor antagonist (CCR2RA) was injected systemically (i.p.) or intra-articularly (i.a.) at different times after DMM to test its ability to reverse knee hyperalgesia. In vivo Ca2+ imaging of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was performed to assess sensory neuron responses to CCL2 injected into the knee joint cavity. CCL2 protein in the knee was measured by ELISA. Ccr2RFP mice and immunohistochemical staining for the pan-neuronal marker, protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), or the sensory neuron marker, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), were used to visualize the location of CCR2 on intra-articular afferents. WT, but not Ccr2 null, mice displayed knee hyperalgesia 2–16 weeks after DMM. CCR2RA administered i.p. alleviated established hyperalgesia in WT mice 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Intra-articular injection of CCL2 excited sensory neurons in the L4-DRG, as determined by in vivo calcium imaging; responses to CCL2 increased in mice 20 weeks after DMM. CCL2, but not vehicle, injected i.a. rapidly caused transient knee hyperalgesia in naive WT, but not Ccr2 null, mice. Intra-articular CCR2RA injection also alleviated established hyperalgesia in WT mice 4 and 7 weeks after surgery. CCL2 protein was elevated in the knees of both WT and Ccr2 null mice 4 weeks after surgery. Co-expression of CCR2 and PGP9.5 as well as CCR2 and CGRP was observed in the lateral synovium of naive mice; co-expression was also observed in the medial compartment of knees 8 weeks after DMM. The findings suggest that CCL2-CCR2 signaling locally in the joint contributes to knee hyperalgesia in experimental OA, and it is in part mediated through direct stimulation of CCR2 expressed by intra-articular sensory afferents.
Quantitative flux analysis in mammals

Altered metabolic activity contributes to the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart failure, cancer, fibrosis and neurodegeneration. These diseases, and organismal metabolism more generally, are only partially recapitulated by cell culture models. Accordingly, it is important to measure metabolism in vivo. Over the past century, researchers studying glucose homeostasis have developed strategies for the measurement of tissue-specific and whole-body metabolic activity (pathway fluxes). The power of these strategies has been augmented by recent advances in metabolomics technologies. Here, we review techniques for measuring metabolic fluxes in intact mammals and discuss how to analyse and interpret the results. In tandem, we describe important findings from these techniques, and suggest promising avenues for their future application. Given the broad importance of metabolism to health and disease, more widespread application of these methods holds the potential to accelerate biomedical progress.
Demian Wheeler and David E. Conner (eds.), Conceiving an Alternative: Philosophical Resources for an Ecological Civilization

Demian Wheeler and David E. Conner (eds.), Conceiving an Alternative: Philosophical Resources for an Ecological Civilization (Anoka: Process Century Press, 2019), 313 pp., $18.00 (pbk), ISBN: 978-1940447407.
Mechanistic Studies on Effervescent-Induced Permeability Enhancement

Purpose. To determine the mechanism(s) by which effervescence induces penetration enhancement of a broad range of compounds ranging in size, structure, and other physiocochemical properties across rat and rabbit small intestinal epithelium. Methods. Effervescent induced penetration enhancement was investigated in vitro by utilization of a modified Ussing chamber diffusion cell apparatus and in vivo by single-pass intestinal perfusion. Results. Carbon dioxide (CO2) bubbling directly onto rabbit ileum epithelium induced an increase in drug permeability. Mechanistic studies indicated that effects due to CO2 bubble evolution, such as increased drug dissolution rates, mucus thinning/stripping, and pH buffer effects did not contribute to increases in drug flux. Cellular enzyme (5′-ND and LDH) and total protein release assays did not indicate cell membrane perturbation and/or damage. CO2 bubbling induced a reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) indicating epithelial disruption due to a structural change of the paracellular pathway. This was further substantiated by a MW dependence on paracellular marker flux. In addition, tissue recovery was relatively rapid, ≈20 min. Conclusions. CO2 bubbling directly onto the intestinal epithelium induced enhanced drug permeability due to an alteration of the paracellular pathway. This, in addition to fluid flow and membrane hydrophobicity concepts, may account for observed increases in drug flux.
On E. O. Wilson and His Religious Vision

Life is a Miracle An Essay Against Modern Superstition. Wendell Berry. Counterpoint, Washington, DC, 2000. 163 pp. $21. ISBN 1-58243-058-6. In part provoked by E. O. Wilson's claims in Consilience , Berry argues that religion and the arts cannot be contained within the boundaries of modern science or understood through its materialistic and reductionistic assumptions. Our reviewer suggests that Wilson is not Berry's real enemy and that their shared concerns about the way we live and treat our planet might more effectively be addressed by cooperation.
An LPO-based Termination Ordering for Higher-Order Terms without lambda-abstraction

We present a new precedence-based termination ordering for (polymorphic) higher-order terms without λ-abstraction. The ordering has been designed to strictly generalize the lexicographic path ordering (on first-order terms). It is relatively simple, but can be used to prove termination of many higher-order rewrite systems, especially those corresponding to typical functional programs. We establish the relevant properties of the ordering, include a number of examples, and also discuss certain limitations of the ordering and possible extensions.
Res Judicata in Class Actions (Cosa Juzgada en Acciones Colectivas)

This paper is an extensive commentary on the binding effect of class actions in comparative perspective and particularly on the Ibero American Model Code.Este articulo es un comentario extenso a la “cosa juzgada colectiva”, la cosa juzgada en las demandas colectivas en el Codigo Modelo de Procesos Colectivos del Instituto Iberoamericano de Derecho Procesal
Pirate ants (Polyergus breviceps) and sympatric hosts (Formica occulta and Formica sp. cf. argentea): host specificity and coevolutionary dynamics

The pace and trajectory of coevolutionary arms races between parasites and their hosts are strongly influenced by the number of interacting species. In environments where a parasite has access to more than one host species, the parasite population may become divided in preference for a particular host. In the present study, we show that individual colonies of the pirate ant Polyergus breviceps differ in host preference during raiding, with each colony specializing on only one of two available Formica host species. Moreover, through genetic analyses, we show that the two hosts differ in their colony genetic structure. Formica occulta colonies were monogynous, whereas Formica sp. cf. argentea colonies were polygynous and polydomous (colonies occupy multiple nest sites). This difference has important implications for coevolutionary dynamics in this system because raids against individual nests of polydomous colonies have less impact on overall host colony fitness than do attacks on intact colonies. We also used primers that we designed for four microsatellite loci isolated from P. breviceps to verify that colonies of this species, like other pirate ants, are comprised of simple families headed by one singly mated queen. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 91, 565–572.
Factors associated with parental distress.

PROBLEM: Associations of perceptions of social support, personal control, and child behavioral problems to distress in parents of children with mental health problems were examined. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-five parents of children 2–19 years old receiving community mental health services participated. FINDINGS: Stepwise regression analysis identified internalizing and externalizing child behaviors, perceived personal control, and tangible social support as independent predictors of parental distress. Independent predictors of objective distress included internalizing child behaviors, perceived personal control, and intangible social support. CONCLUSIONS: Internalizing and externalizing child behaviors were significantly associated with parental distress. Perceived personal control moderated the relationship between internalizing child behaviors and parental subjective distress.
The U. S. Large-Scale Dark Matter Axion Search

We review the ongoing U.S. large-scale search for dark-matter axions. The experiment, based on a microwave cavity technique proposed by Sikivie, inaugurates an era where experimental sensitivities are sufficient to confirm or rule out prevailing axion models.
A 100-kHz frequency divider, distribution amplifier

A frequency divider, distribution amplifier module having low phase noise and low phase drift with temperature and high isolation between outputs was developed for use in the hydrogen maser frequency standard, where it divides 1 MHz from the previous frequency divider down to 100 kHz and provides four transistor-transistor logic (TTL) outputs.
Progesterone inhibits in vitro fetal membrane weakening

Objective Inflammation/infection and abruption are leading causes of preterm premature rupture of the membranes. Recently, we identified granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a critical mediator of both tumor necrosis factor-α– (TNF; modeling inflammation) and thrombin-induced (modeling abruption) weakening of the fetal membranes. We found that (1) TNF and thrombin both induced GM-CSF in the choriodecidua, (2) blockade of GM-CSF action with neutralizing antibodies inhibited both TNF- and thrombin-induced fetal membrane weakening, and (3) GM-CSF alone induced fetal membrane weakening. GM-CSF is thus part of an overlap of the inflammation and abruption-induced fetal membrane weakening pathways. The effects of progesterone analogs on the pathways by which fetal membranes are weakened have not been investigated. We examined the effects of progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (HP) on TNF- and thrombin-induced fetal membrane weakening. Study Design Full-thickness fetal membranes from uncomplicated term repeat cesarean deliveries were mounted in Transwell inserts in Minimum Essential Medium alpha and incubated at 37°C in 5% CO 2 . The choriodecidua side of the fetal membrane fragments were preincubated with progesterone, MPA, HP, or vehicle for 24 hours. Fetal membranes were then exposed to TNF, thrombin, or GM-CSF on the choriodecidua side for an additional 48 hours. The fetal membrane tissues were then strength tested, and medium from the choriodecidua and amnion compartments was assayed for GM-CSF content. Results TNF and thrombin both weakened fetal membranes and elevated media GM-CSF levels on the choriodecidua side of the fetal membrane. Pretreatment with progesterone, MPA, or HP inhibited both TNF- and thrombin-induced fetal membrane weakening and also inhibited the induced increase in GM-CSF. GM-CSF decreased fetal membrane rupture strength by 68%, which was inhibited by progestogen pretreatment with a potency order: progesterone Conclusion Progestogen pretreatment blocks TNF- and thrombin-induced fetal membrane weakening by inhibiting both the production and action of GM-CSF. These findings are consistent with the administration of progestogens in the prevention of preterm premature rupture of the membranes.
Error resolution during multimodal human-computer interaction

Recent research indicates clear performance advantages and a strong user preference for interacting multimodally with computers. However, in the problematic area of error resolution, possible advantages of multimodal interface design remain poorly understood. In the present research, a semi automatic simulation method with a novel error generation capability was used to collect within subject data before and after recognition errors, and at different spiral depths in terms of number of repetitions required to resolve an error. Results indicated that users adopt a strategy of switching input modalities and lexical expressions when resolving errors, strategies that they use in a linguistically contrastive manner to distinguish a repetition from original failed input. Implications of these findings are discussed for the development of user centered predictive models of linguistic adaptation during human computer error resolution, and for the development of improved error handling in advanced recognition based interfaces.
Petrography of Carbonate Sands on Carolina Continental Shelf: ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT In order to provide petrographic criteria for interpreting ancient mixed clastic-carbonate shelf deposits, 300 thin sections were studied from the Carolina continental shelf in an area extending from Raleigh Bay, North Carolina, to Cape Romain, South Carolina. As shown by previous investigators, percentage of carbonate grains in this area is chiefly a function of dilution from adjacent terrigenous sources. Skeletal components, the dominant carbonate grain type, form 10 to 60 percent of the total sediment and are mainly pelecypods, gastropods, and coralline algae. Foraminifers, bryozoans, echinoderms, barnacles, ostracodes, corals, and worm tubes are minor constituents. Non-skeletal constituents, which usually comprise less than 10 percent of the total sediment, consist of peloids, ooids, lumps, and assorted carbonate lithoclasts (oomicrites, biomicrites, and biosparites). Terrigenous constituents are chiefly quartz, with subordinate amounts of feldspar, rock fragments, and heavy minerals. Glauconite and phosphorite are also present. Generally, there is a systematic, but irregular increase in total carbonate components in a seaward direction. Molluscan assemblages characterize most inner and middle shelf sands, while coralline algae ar prevalent in outer shelf sands. Other carbonate components show no trends in an offshore direction. A number of subsea and subaerial diagenetic processes have affected most of the carbonate grains and lithoclasts. Principal diagenetic features of carbonate grains area: 1) discrete macro-and microborings with or without fillings of orange-brown cryptocrystalline carbonate, 2) partial or complete micritization of skeletal grains with obliteration of skeletal architecture, 3) homogenization of ooids by micritization to cryptocrystalline carbonate, and 4) recrystallization of pelecypod fragments to coarse fibrous spar. Carbonate lithoclasts and rocks display a variety of diagenetic features that include chiefly: aggrading recrystallization of micrite to form pseudospar; development of moldic porosity with or without calcite spar fillings; recrystallization of high-Mg allochems to low-Mg calcite; and growth of primary void-filling calcite spar.
All-optical pulse generators for pulse-coupled neurons

We propose and demonstrate an all-optical pulse generator which is based on regenerative pulsation in optical bistable systems. The novel device consists of a nonlinear interference filter, a photorefractive crystal and an optical feedback loop. In such a pulse generator, when the input beam intensity exceeds the switch-on threshold of the system, a train of square-wave pulses will be produced. The firing rate is an increasing function of the intensity of the input beam. The principle of operation and the experimental results are presented and discussed.
Tagging products using image classification

Associating labels with online products can be a labor-intensive task. We study the extent to which a standard "bag of visual words" image classifier can be used to tag products with useful information, such as whether a sneaker has laces or velcro straps. Using Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) image descriptors at random keypoints, a hierarchical visual vocabulary, and a variant of nearest-neighbor classification, we achieve accuracies between 66% and 98% on 2- and 3-class classification tasks using several dozen training examples. We also increase accuracy by combining information from multiple views of the same product.
Amplification and purification of exonuclease I from Escherichia coli K12.

Employing the recombinant runaway replication plasmid pDPK13 [sbcB+], an exonuclease I-overproducing derivative of Escherichia coli K12 has been constructed. The strain SK4258 has exonuclease I activity 140-400-fold higher than wild type control levels. A new purification procedure has been developed such that the protein can be purified to near homogeneity and is free of endonuclease and RNase activities. The specific activity of the purified enzyme is 10-fold higher than reported previously (Ray, R.K., Reuben, R., Molineux, I., and Gefter, M. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 5379-5381). Native exonuclease I is a single polypeptide having Mr = 55,000 with a Stokes radius of 3.12 nm.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Forced Convective Heat Transfer From a Heated Rotating Sphere in Laminar Flows

The laminar forced convection of a heated rotating sphere in air has been studied using a three-dimensional immersed boundary based direct numerical simulation method. A regular Eulerian grid is used to solve the modified momentum and energy equations for the entire flow region simultaneously. In the region that is occupied by the rotating sphere, a moving Lagrangian grid is used, which tracks the rotational motion of the particle. A force density function or an energy density function is introduced to represent the momentum interaction or thermal interaction between the sphere and fluid. This numerical method is validated by comparing simulation results with analytical solutions of heat diffusion problem and other published experimental data. The flow structures and the mean Nusselt numbers for flow Reynolds number ranging from 0 to 1000 are obtained. We compared our simulation results of the mean Nusselt numbers with the correlations from the literature and found a good agreement for flow Reynolds number greater than 500; however, a significant discrepancy arises at flow Reynolds number below 500. This leads us to develop a new equation that correlates the mean Nusselt number of a heated rotating sphere for flows of 0≤Re≤500.
The formative nature of conducting research for a metropolitan park district

In this paper I show that conducting ongoing research for a metropolitan park district is very much a formative process (Blumer, 1969) . My job description, the nature of the projects, the needs of park district staff, the perceived needs of constituents, my personal needs, the resources at my disposal, and the help I was able to secure on different projects were all contexts that influenced how research projects were conducted, and how findings were interpreted and reported. Yet none of these were determinative in their own right. Getting projects done required interpretation and negotiation.
Observation of the g-2 resonance of a stored electron gas using a bolometric technique

A bolometric technique is used to determine the $g$-factor anomaly $a$ of the free electron from measurements made on 78\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K electrons contained in a Penning-style quadrupole ion trap. The value obtained is $a=0.001159667(24)$, where the electron $g$ factor is given by $g=2(1+a)$.
Dosage compensation in Drosophila: the X chromosome binding of MSL-1 and MSL-2 in female embryos is prevented by the early expression of the Sxl gene

In wildtype males, binding of the MSL-1 gene product to the X chromosome is first seen at the cellular blastoderm stage (stage 5). MSL-2 is associated with the X chromosome in male embryos at a later stage, but the difference in apparent binding time between these two proteins is probably due to a difference in the sensitivity of their respective antisera. Early binding of MSL-1 is never seen in wildtype female embryos, and we have determined that this inhibition is mediated by the SXL product made by the activation of the early Sxl promoter. Once it is allowed to occur, the early X chromosome association of the MSLs is relatively stable, persisting in some cases through the first larval instar in spite of the presence of SXL levels concordant with normal female development. The results of these experiments are discussed in light of their relevance to the established observations that (1) the SXL made by the early promoter inhibits the hypertranscription of run at the blastoderm stage, and (2) severe disturbances in SXL function (loss in XX individuals and gain in haplo-X individuals) result in lethality during embryogenesis while loss of msl function kills males much later.
Memory and encoding in a letter-matching reaction time task

Thirty subjects participated in a letter-matching reaction time task requiring physical identity and vowel/consonant judgments. Stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) of 100, 200, and 500 msec were used. For the continuous group, the first letter remained on through the trial; for the discrete group, the first letter was presented for 50 msec; for the white field group, the first letter was presented for 50 msec followed immediately by a 40-msec white field. In all groups, physical matches were faster than vowel/consonant matches. Reaction times for the continuous and discrete groups decreased to a minimum at 500 msec SOA. For the white field group, fastest reaction times occurred at 100 msec and increased to a maximum at 500 msec SOA. The difference in functions was attributed to differential memory demands in the groups.
The 1964 - 1972 quiet-time spectra of protons and helium at 2 - 20 MeV per nucleon.

Instruments on the IMP 4 and 5 satellites are used to observe quiet-time proton and helium fluxes in the energy range from 2 to 30 MeV/nucleon and to extend the total observation period through the solar maximum to about the solar minimum (1964-1972). The nature of quiet time at low energies is discussed, selection of quiet-time periods is described, and data are presented on the fluxes during recovery from the solar maximum. The long-term time-dependence of the proton and helium spectra over solar cycle 20 is determined. The fluxes are found to vary by a factor of approximately 7, the variation is shown to be similar to the modulation of medium-energy cosmic rays, and the observed relative abundance of protons and helium is found to be closer to the medium-energy galactic rather than the average solar-flare relative abundance. A galactic origin is suggested for the low-energy quiet-time turnup, although a solar or heliospheric acceleration mechanism is not ruled out.
Web accessibility trends in university libraries and library schools

Purpose – Only properly designed web sites are accessible to people with print disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to follow up on earlier investigations of this kind by looking at the web sites of all 56 ALA‐accredited library schools, and of the libraries on these campuses.Design/methodology/approach – Bobby 3.1.1 was used to evaluate compliance with major accessible web design guidelines. In addition, key web pages were checked manually for the presence of skip‐navigation components, and the sites' re‐design status was ascertained. The results were presented in the form of basic descriptive statistics, including percentages of Bobby‐approved pages and the average number of barriers per page. Correlations of the current accessibility data with older data sets and with library school ratings were also calculated.Findings – The results indicate that despite an increase in accessibility, only 50 to 60 per cent of the web sites were free of Bobby‐detectable errors. Canadian sites were more accessible...