cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theoretical and field studies of coupled hydromechanical behaviour of fractured rocks—1. Development and verification of a numerical simulator

Abstract Analyses of hydromechanical behaviour of fractured rocks requires the use of numerical methods, such as the ROCMAS code developed at LBL. We have developed a new version of this simulator which uses mixed Newton-Raphson linearization within an incremental configuration. This code, that is named ROCMAS II, was verified against: (1) a semi-analytic solution; and (2) against its predecessor ROCMAS which uses a direct iteration linearization scheme. This new coupled phenomenological model has been used successfully in a validation study of a field experiment which is reported in Part 2 [Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geomech. Abstr.29, 411–419 (1992)]. The verified ROCMAS II with its new feature such as an incremental set-up, the strain-softening and dilating shear, and hyperbolic closure joint model and the new linearization scheme, allows more realistic simulations of a host of rock mechanical problems in saturated rocks. Furthermore, the ROCMAS II set-up provides a basis upon which procedures for general treatment of various kinds of material non-linearity can be built.
Schoenberg’s Theorem and Unitarily Invariant Random Arrays

Motivated by Schoenberg’s theorem in classical analysis and some recent work on the circular law, we extend the basic representations of unitarily invariant random arrays and functionals to the complex case. As in the real case, the basic building blocks are multiple Wiener–Ito integrals on tensor products of a separable Hilbert space. The complex setting leads to some unexpected simplifications.
An unsupervised learning approach to assembly validation

The dramatic decrease in sequencing cost has led to an unprecedented number of new projects. Because finishing a genome often involves painstaking work, most sequencing efforts are satisfied by an initial draft assembly. Reliable analysis of synteny, gene expansion, and structural variation, however, is contingent upon the available draft being an accurate representation of the genome. If the genome has not been thoroughly vetted, this trust may be misplaced and misassemblies can undermine any conclusions drawn about the structure and content of a genome. Here, we developed and tested the use of unsupervised learning algorithms to uncover outliers that point to improperly assembled segments. We first modified the existing amosvalidate software to extract detailed assembly features from the raw assembly file. We then used this information to construct feature vectors for each section of the assembly, and clustered these using various unsupervised learning techniques. Our results show that misassembled regions clearly differentiate themselves from correctly assembled regions, particularly in certain dimensions such as read coverage and SNP placement.
Development and RF Characterization of High Density Integrated Substrate Technology

Advanced micro-systems for national security needs will require miniaturization and integration of radio frequency (RF), digital and analog electronics, optics, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) on a single substrate. To meets these demands we have developed a high density integrated substrate technology (HDIST) using Benzocyclobutene (BCB)/copper (Cu) with embedded thin film passive components for RF applications. We have developed processes to fabricate HDIST on Si, Al2O3 and low temperature co-fired ceramic wafers. We have built a multilayer stack of six metal and five BCB layers using 5-m and 10-mum thick photo-definable BCB dielectric and 2- to 3-mum thick Cu conductor. We have also fabricated embedded inductors, in-plane and in 3-D, ranging in values from 750 pH to 42 nH, embedded TaN thin-film resistors with dc values ranging from 10 Omega to 10 kOmega and embedded capacitors ranging in values from 48 pF to 110 nF. We have designed, fabricated and characterized RF performance of this technology. To meet designed RF circuit characteristics, high dimensional accuracy was needed. We have made process refinement to get dimensional control within +/-0.5 mum of target dielectric thickness and +/-0.5 mum of target metal line width. This resulted in measured RF performance matching simulated (target) performance. The results show that the insertion losses in transmission lines range from 0.025 to 0.052 dB/mm. We have also fabricated and tested two types of RF filters in HDIST structure-Ku band coupled line filter and 2-GHz low pass filter. In addition, we have also incorporated and characterized embedded inductors and capacitors at high frequencies. Overall, RF results show that HDIST is well suited for high density RF circuits. We are currently developing a next generation of miniaturized circuits called Integrated System-On-A-Chip. In this technology, we will use integrated substrate technology to stack wafers in 3-D and make electrical connections through the stacked wafers.
Blockade of adenosine A2B receptors ameliorates murine colitis.

Background and purpose: The adenosine 2B (A2B) receptor is the predominant adenosine receptor expressed in the colon. Acting through the A2B receptor, adenosine mediates chloride secretion, as well as fibronectin and interleukin (IL)-6 synthesis and secretion in intestinal epithelial cells. A2B receptor mRNA and protein expression are increased during human and murine colitis. However, the effect of the A2B receptor in the activation of the intestinal inflammatory response is not known. In this study, we examined the effect of A2B receptor antagonism on murine colitis. Experimental approach: Dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-treated mice and piroxicam-treated IL-10−/− mice were used as animal models of colitis. The A2B receptor-selective antagonist, ATL-801, was given in the diet. Key results: Mice fed ATL-801 along with DSS showed a significantly lower extent and severity of colitis than mice treated with DSS alone, as shown by reduced clinical symptoms, histological scores, IL-6 levels and proliferation indices. The administration of ATL-801 prevented weight loss, suppressed the inflammatory infiltrate into colonic mucosa and decreased epithelial hyperplasia in piroxicam-treated IL-10−/− mice. IL-6 and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) concentrations in the supernatants of colonic organ cultures from colitic mice were significantly reduced by ATL-801 administration. Conclusions and implications: Taken together, these data demonstrate that the intestinal epithelial A2B receptor is an important mediator of pro-inflammatory responses in the intestine and that A2B receptor blockade may be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat inflammatory bowel disease. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 127–137; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.227; published online 9 June 2008
Rapid visual detection of sperm-egg fusion using the DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342.

Abstract When unfertilized sea urchin eggs are pretreated with the bisbenzimide DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342, then washed and fertilized, a single sperm bound to the egg surface becomes intensely fluorescent. The location of the fluorescent sperm on the egg surface coincides exactly with the epicenter of the cortical reaction and the site at which the insemination cone subsequently appears. These observations, coupled with studies of eggs treated with quercetin to prevent fusion, as well as eggs made polyspermic by halothane exposure, indicate that the sperm acquires fluorescence as a consequence of fusion with the fluorochrome preloaded egg. Using a modification of this technique, we have found that cytoplasmic continuity between the sperm and egg is established at 4–8 sec after the onset of the sperm-induced conductance increase in the egg.
Fast, accurate, and fully automatic segmentation of the right ventricle in short-axis cardiac MRI

This paper presents a fully automatic method to segment the right ventricle (RV) from short-axis cardiac MRI. A combination of a novel window-constrained accumulator thresholding technique, binary difference of Gaussian (DoG) filters, optimal thresholding, and morphology are utilized to drive the segmentation. A priori segmentation window constraints are incorporated to guide and refine the process, as well as to ensure appropriate area confinement of the segmentation. Training and testing were performed using a combined 48 patient datasets supplied by the organizers of the MICCAI 2012 right ventricle segmentation challenge, allowing for unbiased evaluations and benchmark comparisons. Marked improvements in speed and accuracy over the top existing methods are demonstrated.
What do you think?: survey results - SIGITE/RIIT 2014 - Atlanta

As with last year's conferences, the organizers of SIGITE/RIIT 2014 asked conference attendees to complete an evaluation. There were 73 responses to the conference evaluation, for a 57% response rate. A majority of responses (38 or 52%) reported that they primarily attended SIGITE sessions. Eight respondents (11%) attended primarily RIIT sessions, twenty five (34%) attended both conferences equally, and two (3%) indicated other. All aspects of the program (papers, panel, workshops, lightning talks, the keynote, and the sponsor interactions) were rated at or above good, with the workshops and the lightning talks particularly praised with an average rating of very good. All aspects of the venue and facilities were rated at or above very good, indicating overwhelming support for the logistical execution of the conference. The web site, registration, and general organization were rated at or above good, and respondents felt that the proceedings were on average very good. The vast majority of respondents (54 or 76%) indicated that having access to the proceedings via the ACM Digital Library before and during the conference was helpful. When asked in an open-ended question about the positive aspects of SIGITE/RIIT 2014, the people and networking opportunities as well as the quality of the papers were mentioned several times. The importance of being able to see what is happening in IT education and IT research was also mentioned as a positive. When asked how the conferences could be improved, several comments suggested improving the quality of the presentations and keynote. Changes to the structure of parallel sessions and the conference submission site were mentioned by a few respondents. Responses to the open-ended question asking what would make SIGITE/RIIT 2015 better conferences included an expansion of the size of the conferences, especially the number of paper presentations, the number and quality of keynote speakers, and the number of attendees. Suggestions were also made that more local opportunities, such as tours of the city or events related to local companies, be provided. The SIGITE/RIIT conference organizers appreciate the feedback provided by the attendees of the 2014 conferences and plan to use the comments shared to improve the 2015 conferences.
An FEL scheme for generating high-power optical beams for gamma-gamma colliders based on chirped pulse amplification techniques

Abstract A method to produce high-power optical beams for converting high-energy electron beams to TeV gamma rays via Compton backscattering in the next generation linear colliders is proposed. The scheme is an application of the chirped pulse amplification technique to a single pass, high-gain free-electron laser.
Population Characteristics of Black Bullhead (Ameiurus melas) in Iowa Natural Lakes

ABSTRACT Black bullhead (Ameiurus mefas) populations in three natural lakes in northwestern Iowa were sampled to describe abundance, size structure, condition, mortality, recruitment variability, and growth in relation to a range of physical and limnological conditions. Six-hundred-and-fifty-three black bullhead were sampled with modified fyke nets during summer 2008 from Silver Lake, Lake Minnewashta, and West Okoboji Lake. Catch-per-unit-effort of black bullhead in Silver Lake (21.9 fish per net-night; fish/NN) was significantly higher than in Lake Minnewashta (P<0.0l; 10.4 fish/NN) and West Okoboji Lake (P<0.01: 5.6 fish/NN). Proportional size distribution (PSD) was similar among populations, but PSD of preferred-length fish in Silver Lake was much greater than in the other lakes. Mean relative weights were generally high across all lakes (90–92) but were highest in Silver Lake. Total annual mortality was highest in Lake Minnewashta (79%) and lowest in Silver Lake (24%). Recruitment variability of blac...
Use of Body Surface Area to Calculate Chemotherapeutic Drug Dose in Dogs: II. Limitations Imposed by Pharmacokinetic Factors

Anticancer drug dosages that specify the maximum dose and minimum dosing interval that are tolerated in a population of dogs are commonly recommended. Because the differences between the effective and toxic doses of most cancer chemotherapeutics is slight, it is important to achieve therapeutic concentrations in tumor tissues at the same time that concentrations in nontarget tissues are minimized. In order to determine the dosage regimen that will most likely accomplish these goals, similar drug concentrations must be achieved in all patients dosed according to a specific regimen. Dosing based on body surface area (BSA) is generally used in an effort to normalize drug concentrations. This is because it is well recognized that measures of many physiologic parameters that are responsible for drug disposition, including renal function and energy expenditure, can be normalized by use of BSA. However, there is substantial evidence that drug disposition is not always proportional to BSA. Differences in distribution, metabolism, and excretion pathways may preclude dose extrapolation among species or among individuals within a species based on BSA. Moreover, genetic differences in drug metabolism are well recognized in humans and in laboratory animals, and it is likely that similar differences exist among breeds of dogs. A review of the pharmacokinetic disposition of several cancer chemotherapeutics suggests that studies are needed to determine the most effective method to achieve equivalent anticancer drug concentrations in diverse veterinary patients.
Antibody affinity. I. Studies with a large haptenic group.

Abstract In an effort to induce the formation of antibodies of high affinity against a defined haptenic group two relatively large groups were conjugated to protein through the lysyl residue which thereby became part of the haptenic groups. A purification procedure has been developed involving semi-automatic operation of chromatographic and gel filtration columns. The final yield of purified anti-hapten γG-antibody was about 66% of the precipitable antibody in the rabbit antisera. Four haptens were synthesized which corresponded to increasing fractions of the haptenic group. The binding of these haptens was measured by equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence quenching. The measured association constants ranged from 1×10 5 m −1 to 2×10 7 m −1 . Three of these haptens exhibited a phototropism, associated probably with a cis-trans isomerism about azo group, such the exposure of the haptens to light their binding to antibody. The use of the method of fluorescence quenching in this system was not entirely satisfactory. A minimum estimate of the extent of complementary of the antibody site was provided by the binding of the largest of the haptens.
Further thoughts on the validity of measures of elation, gladness, and joy

The construct validity of measures of elation, gladness, and joy are examined in a reanalysis of data originally published in de Rivera et al
Closeness, Expenditures, and Turnout in the 2000 Presidential Election

ABSTRACT In this article I examine whether turnout in the 2000 presidential election was influenced by closeness and candidate expenditures. Evidence that closeness affects turnout supports the theory that voters assign more weight to their votes in close elections. Evidence that expenditures increase turnout provides support for the argument that greater mobilization efforts increase turnout in close elections. I test the effect of closeness and expenditures separately and jointly in state- and individual-level multivariate analyses. It is found that closeness affects turnout in the state- and individual-level models when expenditures are omitted. When expenditures are included in the analyses, closeness is rendered insignificant or takes on an unanticipated sign. Although the influence of closeness on turnout is uncertain and variable, expenditure allocation is related to closeness, and in all the analyses, expenditures, measured as presidential advertising and presidential visits, positively impacted t...
Scanning Integrator for Producing Sinusoidal Test Objects

An account is given of a simple system for producing a sinusoidal exposure distribution in time and space. A “scanning integrator” is used to scan square-topped periodic test objects, thereby presenting the desired exposure distribution to the lens system under test. The effects of various geometrical shapes of the entrance aperture of the scanning integrator on the exposure distribution are investigated. By such a direct scan, sine waves of opacity result on the recording film, which may then be employed for producing sinusoidal transmittance waves by a printing method. Direct sine waves of transmittance are also produced using a nonuniform Ronchi ruling. The simple setup used for this investigation is described, and the microdensitometer traces show that high quality sine wave test objects are obtainable.
A novel methyltransferase required for the formation of the hypermodified nucleoside wybutosine in eucaryotic tRNA

Abstract We demonstrate that the product of the yeast open reading frame YML005w is required for wybutosine (yW) formation in the phenylalanine-accepting tRNA of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. tRNA isolated from a deletion mutant of the YML005w gene accumulates 4-demethylwyosine (ImG-14), a precursor lacking three of the methyl groups of the yW hypermodified base. Since the amino acid sequence of the YML005w gene contains the signature motifs of the seven β-strand methyltransferases, we now designate the gene TRM12 for tRNA methyltransferase. Using pulse-chase labeling of intact yeast cells with S-adenosyl- l -[methyl-3H]methionine, we show that the methylesterified form of yW is metabolically stable.
A Role For The Prefrontal Cortex In Heroin-Seeking After Forced Abstinence By Adult Male Rats But Not Adolescents

Adolescent drug abuse is hypothesized to increase the risk of drug addiction. Yet male rats that self-administer heroin as adolescents show attenuated drug-seeking after abstinence, compared with adults. Here we explore a role for neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in age-dependent heroin-seeking. Adolescent (35-day-old at start; adolescent-onset) and adult (86-day-old at start) male rats acquired lever-pressing maintained by heroin using a fixed ratio one reinforcement schedule (0.05 and 0.025 mg/kg per infusion). Following 12 days of forced abstinence, rats were tested for heroin-seeking over 1 h by measuring the number of lever presses on the active lever. Unbiased stereology was then used to estimate the number of Fos-ir+ and Fos-ir− neurons in prelimbic and infralimbic mPFC. As before, adolescents and adults self-administered similar amounts of heroin, but subsequent heroin-seeking was attenuated in the younger rats. Similarly, the adolescent-onset group failed to show significant neural activation in the prelimbic or infralimbic mPFC during the heroin-seeking test, whereas the adult-onset heroin self-administration group showed two to six times more Fos-ir+ neurons than their saline counterparts in both mPFC subregions. Finally, the overall number of neurons in the infralimbic cortex was greater in rats from the adolescent-onset groups than adults. The mPFC may thus have a key role in some age-dependent effects of heroin self-administration.
Notes on what it would Take to Understand how One Adverb Works

Sores on what it would take to understand hw one adverb uorks* George Lakoff Department of Linguistics University of&#39;California, Berkeley September 1972 To appear in The Monist *This work was partially supported by grant GS-35119 from the National Science Foundation to to University of California at Berkeley. V&#39;\) 1. A natural language is a unified and integrated system, and the serious study of one part of the system inevitably involves one in the For this reason, the study of small, isolated fragments of a language--however study of many other parts, if not the system as a whole. necessary, valuable and difficult this may be -- will often make us The fact is that you can&#39;t really study one phenomenon adequately without studying a think that we understand more than we really do. great many other related phenomena, and the way they fit together in This is the sort of thing Experience in descriptive terms of the linguistic system as a whole. a linguist learns very early in his career. linguistics, even at an elementary level will force a linguist to come to grips with a wide range of complex data in some language, perhaps even English, and the truism soon emerges. But, due to the vagaries of our educational institutions, few philosophers or logicians receive training in linguistic description. Consequently much of the discussion of natural language in the Philosophical and logical literature is based on a very small sampling of data which is skewed in nontrivial ways. True, one has to start somewhere, and a great deal has been learned by ordinary language philosophers who have looked at only a handful of relatively simple examples and by logicians who have studied what by natural language standards are only miniscule fragments (e.g., first- order predicate calculus, the various modal logics, etc.). But now that philosophers and logicians are turning to more detailed studies of natural language phenomena, it is perhaps the right time to suggest that philosophical and logical training be expanded to include the study of natural languages as entire systems. I don&#39;t mean to suggest, for example, that logicians should stop their systematic study of small fragents, but rather that a knowledge of the kinds of phenomena out- side of those fragments can enrich the study of fragments and give one a more rezatistic picture of what one does and does not know about natural language. The study of adverbs is a good case in point. Reichenbsch,1 in his analysis of conversational language, made a brave attempt to study a number of natural language phenomena that had previously been ignored
The yin and yang of CD1d recognition

Structural studies identify considerable differences in the recognition of CD1d-lipid complexes by the TCRs of type II and type I (invariant) natural killer T cells.
Improving layer 3 handoff delay in IEEE 802.11 wireless networks

In this paper we will analyze the many components of a L3 hand-off and will introduce a novel algorithm for reducing the L3 hand-off time. We will introduce the concept of Temporary IP address (TEMP_IP) as a way to resume communication immediately after the handoff while waiting for the DHCP server to assign us a new IP address (NEW_IP). We will show how, with our approach, it is possible to reduce the L3 handoff latency to values that in some cases allow us to have seamless VoIP sessions.
Primer Informe del Presidente (SEDYT 2011-2015) *

T Quiero expresar en este mensaje editorial con motivo del primer Informe Anual del Presidente en este nuevo periodo 20011-2015 de la Sociedad Espanola de Dialisis y Trasplante (SEDYT), en primer lugar, mi gratitud a todos los socios por la renovacion en los cargos directivos de la actual Junta Directiva1. En segundo lugar, recordamos a los socios fallecidos durante este curso, siempre estaran con nosotros. Asimismo, agradecer al Dr. Jose G Hervas (Granada), Presidente del Comite Organizador de la XXXIII SEDYT 2011 en Granada, a todos los miembros del Comite Organizador y Comite Cientifico2,3, ya que ante las dificultades, fueron superadas por su inteligencia y por su gran esfuerzo. Y a todos los miembros de la Junta Directiva de la Sociedad Espanola de Dialisis y Trasplante (SEDYT), como elementos catalizadores de los trabajos e inquietudes cientificas en el campo de la dialisis y trasplante de los nuestros profesionales sanitarios de Espana y a la industria relacionada con esta patologia renal por el apoyo para realizar este evento. Deseamos que Farmaindustria vigile a todos en el cumplimiento del codigo etico, sobretodo, para evitar situaciones penosas en estos tiempos dificiles1--3. En tercer lugar, la SEDYT esta consolidando en el ambito estatal y se ha convertido en uno de los organos de expresion y de dialogo cientifico mas importante de Espana, teniendo lazos de union con otras sociedades cientificas de otros territorios, siendo el rigor cientifico y la claridad de los conceptos, las senales de identidad de su labor. Quiero expresar mi afecto y consideracion con la Sociedad Espanola de
Supercritical Fluid Chromatography for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Toxicology: Methodological Considerations for Open Capillary Tubular Column for the Analysis of Phenobarbital in Serum

Abstract Methodological considerations are presented here for the application of SFC for clinical drug analysis using an open-tubular capillary column with polymethylsiloxane as the stationary phase. Preliminary studies of analysis of phenobarbital in serum showed that the use of liquid-liquid extractions, and recently introduced microfilters did not prevent rapid deterioration of column performance. Through systematic studies with solid-phase, C-18 extraction columns, a retention gap and a non-polar mixture of n-pentane/methylene chloride(25:75) for reconstituting the extracts, the feasibility was established. As a result of the lack of chromatographic interferences as shown by analysis of extract of drug-free serum, the procedure was used to estimate a patient's phenobarbital concentration of about 20 mg/L, comparable to a clinically established determination by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Precision studies showed comparable mean concentrations for the measurement of quality control samples, ...
Olfactory Dysfunction in the Elderly: Basic Circuitry and Alterations with Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.

Preclinical detection of Alzheimer’s disease is critical to determining at-risk individuals in order to improve patient and caregiver planning for their futures, and to identify individuals likely to benefit from treatment as advances in therapeutics develop over time. Identification of olfactory dysfunction at the preclinical and early stages of the disease is a potentially useful method to accomplish these goals. We first review basic olfactory circuitry. We then evaluate the evidence of pathophysiological change in the olfactory processing pathways during aging and Alzheimer’s disease in both human and animal models. We also review olfactory behavioral studies during these processes in both types of models. In doing so, we suggest hypotheses about the localization and mechanisms of olfactory dysfunction and identify important avenues for future work.
Arthroscopic labral debridement A three-year follow-up study

This is a retrospective review of 40 patients who under went arthroscopic labral debridement of the shoulder. All patients were active participants in sports involving use of the shoulder. All patients presented with shoul der pain. Only 40% were found to have distinct gleno humeral instability on examination. At surgery, all pa tients had labral injury. Ten patients had anterosuperior labral tears, 20 had anteroinferior labral tears or de tachments, and 10 had posteroinferior labral tears or detachments.Outcome was assessed at a minimum of 2 years (average, 43 months) postoperatively. Overall, only 7% of the patients had significant symptomatic relief at followup. However, 72% noted relief of symptoms dur ing the 1 st year after surgery, but there was deterio ration over time.Conclusion: Arthroscopic labral debridement is not an effective long-term solution for symptomatic relief in the overhead athlete.
Polyelectrolyte multilayers promote stent-mediated delivery of DNA to vascular tissue.

We report an approach to deliver DNA to vascular tissue in vivo using intravascular stents coated with degradable, DNA-containing polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs). Ionically cross-linked multilayers ∼120 nm thick were fabricated layer-by-layer on the surfaces of balloon-mounted stainless steel stents using plasmid DNA and a hydrolytically degradable poly(β-amino ester) (polymer 1). Characterization of stents coated using a fluorescently end-labeled analog of polymer 1 revealed film erosion to be uniform across the surfaces of the stents; differential stresses experienced upon balloon expansion did not lead to faster film erosion or dose dumping of DNA in areas near stent joints when stents were incubated in physiologically relevant media. The ability of film-coated stents to transfer DNA and transfect arterial tissue in vivo was then investigated in pigs and rabbits. Stents coated with films fabricated using fluorescently labeled DNA resulted in uniform transfer of DNA to sub-endothelial tissue in the a...
Reconsidering the corporate narrative in U.S. PR history: A critique of Alfred Chandler's influence on PR historiography

Abstract This study explores the influence and dominance of Alfred Chandler Jr.’s theory of corporate development within public relations [PR] history. Chandler's work on late 19th Century corporate development is influential in PR historiography. PR oftentimes places its genesis in the late 19th Century corporate sphere to distance itself from press agentry. Examining critiques of Chandler's work on corporate development, this study argues that rooting PR in a corporate context does not provide legitimacy to PR practice and skews PR history to favor a corporate narrative. Implications for both history and normative PR theory development are discussed.
Modeling the magnetic interactions between paramagnetic beads in magnetorheological fluids

In this study, we develop and compare new and existing methods for computing the magnetic interactions between paramagnetic particles in magnetorheological (MR) fluids. The commonly employed point-dipole methods are outlined and the inter-particle magnetic forces, given by these representations, are compared with exact values. An alternative finite-dipole model, where the magnetization of a particle is represented as a distribution of current density, is described and the associated computational effort is shown to scale as O(N). As the dipole moments and forces given by this model depend on the length scale of the current distribution, a sensitivity analysis is performed to reveal a proper choice of this length scale. While the dipole models give a good estimation of the far-field interactions, as two particles come into contact, higher order multipoles are needed to properly resolve their interaction. We present the exact two-body calculation and describe a procedure to include the higher multipoles arising in a pairwise interaction into a dipole model. This inclusion procedure can be integrated with any dipole or higher-multipole calculation. Results from relevant three-body problems are compared to exact solutions to provide information as to how well the inclusion procedure performs in simulations of self-assembly and estimating the yield strength of structures.
Noise and Random Processes

Early investigators in the field of communications first realized that the presence of unwanted random noise was an important factor following the discovery that the maximum gain of an amplifier was limited by the discrete nature of currents in electron tubes. Called shot effect, this was first explained by W. Schottky and later by many other investigators. Much research on this problem during the second and third decades of the twentieth century finally led to the rigorous formulation of the phenomenon by B. J. Thompson and others in 1940. Concurrently, the problem of spontaneous thermal noise effects in conductors was studied and formulated. By 1940, the situation was developed to an extent that the application of mathematical statistics to explain and solve broader noise problems in systems was inevitable. About this time, the basic contributions of N. Wiener led to an understanding of the optimum linear filtration of signals imbedded in random noise. His work influenced the entire course of development of theory on the optimization of filters designed to abstract a signal out of its noisy environment.
REX1, a Novel Gene Required for DNA Repair

Nucleotide excision repair is a major pathway for repairing UV light-induced DNA damage in most organisms. Using insertional mutagenesis, we isolated a UV-sensitive mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that is blocked in the excision of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. The mutant is also sensitive to the alkylating agent, methyl methanesulphonate. We have cloned REX1, a novel gene that rescues the mutant. The gene is unusual in a eukaryotic organism in that it is predicted to encode two different proteins, a small protein (8.9 kDa) and a larger protein (31.8 kDa). Neither protein is homologous to known DNA repair proteins. Partial complementation is achieved with subclones of the gene encoding only the 8.9-kDa protein. The 8.9-kDa protein has homologues in many organisms including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis, and humans. The 31.8-kDa protein appears to be less conserved. These findings may be of general importance for DNA repair in other organisms.
Consistent Estimation of Residual Variance in Regulatory Event Studies

This study presents new evidence on alternative methods used to test for abnormal returns in regulatory event studies where cross-sectional correlation in residuals is significant. Results contradict earlier studies that find no advantages to using joint generalized least squares (JGLS) methods over ordinary least squares (OLS). We find that in an actual regulatory event study cross-correlation is significant, and that failing to correct for this correlation results in substantially higher calculated F-statistics. In Monte Carlo simulations we find that OLS test statistics are not well specified when residuals exhibit cross-sectional correlation at levels that are reasonable to expect in daily return data, while JGLS test statistics are well specified. The study includes tests of the effective power of the OLS and JGLS statistics.
Phase transformations in sulfuric acid aerosols: Implications for stratospheric ozone depletion

Activation reactions of benign chlorine species (HC1, C1ONO2) on aerosols in the winter polar stratosphere set the stage for the spring-time catalytic destruction of ozone leading to the Antarctic ozone hole. Field observations have demonstratecl the existence of both solid and liquid particles consisting of H2SO 4, HNO 3, and H20. The exact fi'eezing conditions and final composition of the solid aerosols remain the subject of investigations. We present laboratory observations of isolated individual sulfiaric acid/water particles under stratospheric temperatures and water vapor pressures. Our experiments demonstrate that this binary system would not fi'eeze unless temperatures were below the water-ice frost point. Upon fi'eezing, we observe H2SO4.SH20, not the generally invoked H2SO4.4H20. We suggest that the water-rich octahydrate phase is likely to be one of the high relative humidity forms which is efficient in chlorine activation.
Comparison of steroid receptor levels in renal‐cell carcinoma and autologous normal kidney

Since a number of renal-cell carcinomas regress with hormonal manipulation, we have identified and measured the levels of estrogen, progestin and glucocorticoid receptors in 47 autologous pairs of normal and neoplastic kidney tissues. High-affinity receptors for these hormones were detected in kidney tissues of both sexes by means of a dextran-coated charcoal assay. Glucocorticoid receptors were demonstrated in renal cancer tissues for the first time, and were higher in the tumor (mean 31.3 +/- SEM 5.6) than in the normal tissue (mean 18.5 +/- 3.1 fmol/mg cytosol protein). There was a significant difference in the quantities of progestin receptors (expressed as fmol/mg cytosol protein) in normal (mean 18.4 +/- SEM 3.3) versus neoplastic (mean 10.4 +/- SEM 4.0) kidney specimens (p less than 0.007). There was a significant difference between the binding affinity of the progestin receptor in the male tumors (Kd = 2.2 +/- SEM 0.9 nM, n = 10) and that of the females, (Kd = 9.3 +/- SEM 6.5 nM) (p less than 0.04). When an affinity of less than 9.9 X 10(-9) M and greater than 10 fmol/mg cytosol protein were used as criteria for classifying a tissue as positive for progestin receptors, only 17% of tumors contained these receptors while 45% of normal tissues exhibited them. According to these criteria, no differences were observed in the frequency of occurrence of either estrogen receptors or glucocorticoid receptors in tumor versus normal kidney. Data from this study suggest that the use of endocrine therapy should be re-examined in the treatment of renal-cell carcinoma.
Noninvasive estimation of myocardial performance in patients with diabetes. Effect of alcohol administration.

Systolic time intervals (STIs) were determined in 19 diabetic patients under age 50 (mean age 35.2 years) and 24 normal control subjects (mean age 30.6 years). Preejection period (PEP), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), and PEP-LVET ratio were obtained by the conventional manner. Preejection period index (PEPI) and left ventricular ejection time index (LVETI) were derived by Weissler9s formula. 14 The isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) was measured: (1) from the aortic component of the second heart sound of the phonocardiogram to the rapid opening anterior motion of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve on echocardiogram (A 2 D 1 ), (2) and to the “0” point of the apexcardiogram (A 2 O). PEP, LEVT, PEPI, LVETI, and PEP/LVET ratio were statistically similar in diabetics and controls. However, the A 2 D 1 was longer in diabetics (71.2 ± 3.4 msec.) than in control subjects (59.5 ±3.1 msec.) ( p No change in STIs occurred in group 2 (controls) but the heart rate, PEPI, and PEP/LVET ratio rose in group 1 (diabetics). There were significant differences in PEPI and PEP/LVET ratio between groups 1 and 2, 30 and 60 minutes after alcohol. IVRT remained unchanged. Maximum blood alcohol levels for both groups were comparable at 60 minutes, (67.8 ± 5.2 mg./100 ml. in group 1 and 66.7 ± 7.5 mg./100 ml. in group 2). Glucose levels, although higher in group 1, remained stable throughout for both groups. Lactate levels, after alcohol ingestion, were comparable in both groups. Although the only evidence of myocardial dysfunction noted in diabetic patients in the resting state was the increase in IVRT, their response to alcohol revealed further changes in cardiac function not seen with such low doses of ethanol in normal individuals.
BitCube: a three-dimensional bitmap indexing for XML documents

We describe a new bitmap indexing based technique to cluster XML documents. XML is a new standard for exchanging and representing information on the Internet. Documents can be hierarchically represented by XML-elements. XML documents are represented and indexed using a bitmap indexing technique. We define the similarity and popularity operations available in bitmap indexes and propose a method for partitioning a XML document set. Furthermore, a 2-dimensional bitmap index is extended to a 3-dimensional bitmap index, called BitCube. We define statistical measurements in the BitCube: mean, mode, standard derivation, and correlation coefficient. Based on these measurements, we also define the slice, project, and dice operations on a BitCube. BitCube can be manipulated efficiently and improves the performance of document retrieval.
Performance modeling of unstructured mesh particle transport computations

Summary form only given. The performance of unstructured mesh applications presents a number of complexities and subtleties that do not arise for dense structured meshes. From a programming point of view, handling an unstructured mesh has an increased complexity to manage the necessary data structures and interactions between mesh-cells. From a performance point of view, there are added difficulties in understanding both the processing time on a single processor and the scaling characteristics. Here we present a performance model for the calculation of deterministic S/sub N/ transport on unstructured meshes. It builds upon earlier work that successfully modeled the same calculation on structured meshes. The model captures the key processing characteristics and is parametric using both the system performance data (latency, bandwidth, processing rate etc.) and application data (mesh size etc.) as input. The model is validated on two clusters (an HP AlphaServer and an Itanium-2 system) showing high accuracy. Importantly it is also shown that a single formulation of the model can be used to predict the performance of two quite different implementations of the same calculation.
The scaled Popov criterion and bounds for the real structured singular value

A generalization of the multivariable Popov criterion is stated for norm-bounded, block-structured real matrices in the feedback path representing constant real parameter uncertainty for a nominal plant. This criterion is rendered less conservative by including scaling matrices whose structure is determined by the block structure of the uncertainty. The scaled Popov criterion is then used to derive an upper bound for the structured singular value for real parameter uncertainty. This upper bound is then rewritten in the form of a linear matrix inequality to facilitate numerical computation. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the effect of the scaling matrices. >
The Binding Argument and Pragmatic Enrichment, or, Why Philosophers Care Even More Than Weathermen about ‘Raining’

What is the proper way to draw the semantics-pragmatics distinction, and is what is said by a speaker ever enriched by pragmatics? An influential but controversial answer to the latter question is that the inputs to semantic interpretation contains representations of every contribution from context that is relevant to determining what is said, and that pragmatics never enriches the output of semantic interpretation. The proposal is bolstered by a controversial argument from syntactic binding designed to detect hidden syntactic structure. The following contains an exposition and consideration of the argument.
In situ polymerization of nylon–polyurea block copolymers. I. Synthesis and characterization

The synthesis of a carbamyl caprolactam terminated polyurea and a series of nylon–polyurea block copolymers has been accomplished. In addition to reaction profiles and thermal properties, proof of block copolymer formation is described.
Hemolysis in simple shear flows

Whole human blood was sheared in the flow field of a concentric cylinder Couette viscometer in the hope of isolating the physical traumas specifically related to the escape of intracellular hemoglobin. The experimental results indicated that laminar shear stresses per se were not instrumental within the investigated range (up to 600 dynes/sq.cm.). This, plus the hematocrit dependence, evidenced the importance of interaction of individual red cells with a surface in the hemolytic event.
Comparison of Group and Family Dynamics

In an attempt to apply the concept of group dynamics to family dynamics, entire families performed a quality solution type task. The process utilized by these families was evaluated by a jury trained in group dynamics on the criteria used to evaluate nonfamily group functioning. A panel of family experts ranked the family solutions on the task. This ranking was correlated with group process ranking on 11 group dynamics characteristics derived from the literature. Analysis indicated four summary characteristics are unimportant or unobservable, two influenced families and groups oppositely, and the remaining characteristics were detrimental to both. The characteristics are examined by virtue of the literature supporting them in both family and group functioning. Explanations compatible with current family thought are offered for the results. Suggestions for future research are included.
Bond Paths and van der Waals Interactions in Orpiment, As2S3

The calculated electron density distribution for orpiment, As2S3, reveals that As−S, S−S, and As−As bond paths are associated with the experimental interlayer directed bonded interactions detected in a combined infrared and Raman study. The successful modeling of the infrared- and Raman-determined interlayer bonded interactions together with bond paths and the structuralization of a variety of inorganic molecules in terms of “key-lock” bond path mainstays support the argument that van der Waals forces in inorganic molecular crystals are directional.
The electrical potential and the magnetic field of an axon in a nerve bundle

Abstract A volume conductor model is used to determine the electric potential and the magnetic field associated with a propagating action potential in a single axon which lies off center in a sheathed, anisotropic nerve bundle. The results of the model are interpreted in terms of simple electrical circuits.
Resilience management through use of CERT-RMM & associated success stories

The CERT Resilience Management Model (CERT-RMM) is the most modern and comprehensive framework for managing operational resilience in a variety of organizations; small or large, simple or complex, public or private. It enables a structured, repeatable, and integrated method for organizations to plan, assess, manage, and sustain not only preparedness planning efforts (e.g., disaster recovery, business continuity, crisis management) but also other key operational risk management activities such as information security and IT operations. In this paper, we share practical and successful applications of CERT-RMM from a wide variety of organizations ranging from the Department of Homeland Security, to the Department of Energy, to the US Postal Service, to industry giants such as Lockheed Martin.
Promoting resilience through adversity: increasing positive outcomes for expelled students

This article endeavours to increase educators’ understanding of the experiences of students who have been expelled from school in order to represent this critical stakeholder group in future policy development and programme implementation. Students’ perspectives are presented through thick description in this narrative case study. Findings indicate that expulsion from school can alter the trajectory of a student’s life – for better or for worse. Without thoughtful intervention from caring educators, this interruption in students’ education may have an irreparable destructive impact on students’ futures. Educators must develop interventions focused on bringing forth protective factors that are documented to increase resilience, thus making students less susceptible to the risks inherent in removing them from school.
Fixed-Point Model For Structured Labeling

In this paper, we propose a simple but effective solution to the structured labeling problem: a fixed-point model. Recently, layered models with sequential classifiers/regressors have gained an increasing amount of interests for structural prediction. Here, we design an algorithm with a new perspective on layered models; we aim to find a fixed-point function with the structured labels being both the output and the input. Our approach alleviates the burden in learning multiple/different classifiers in different layers. We devise a training strategy for our method and provide justifications for the fixed-point function to be a contraction mapping. The learned function captures rich contextual information and is easy to train and test. On several widely used benchmark datasets, the proposed method observes significant improvement in both performance and efficiency over many state-of-the-art algorithms.