cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma boriding of a cobalt-chromium alloy as an interlayer for nanostructured diamond growth

Abstract Chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond coatings can potentially improve the wear resistance of cobalt–chromium medical implant surfaces, but the high cobalt content in these alloys acts as a catalyst to form graphitic carbon. Boriding by high temperature liquid baths and powder packing has been shown to improve CVD diamond compatibility with cobalt alloys. We use the microwave plasma-enhanced (PE) CVD process to deposit interlayers composed primarily of the borides of cobalt and chromium. The use of diborane (B2H6) in the plasma feedgas allows for the formation of a robust boride interlayer for suppressing graphitic carbon during subsequent CVD of nano-structured diamond (NSD). This metal–boride interlayer is shown to be an effective diffusion barrier against elemental cobalt for improving nucleation and adhesion of NSD coatings on a CoCrMo alloy. Migration of elemental cobalt to the surface of the interlayer is significantly reduced and undetectable on the surface of the subsequently-grown NSD coating. The effects of PECVD boriding are compared for a range of substrate temperatures and deposition times and are evaluated using glancing-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Boriding of CoCrMo results in adhered nanostructured diamond coatings with low surface roughness.
GROWTH AND CARBON CONTENT OF THREE DIFFERENT‐SIZED DIAZOTROPHIC CYANOBACTERIA OBSERVED IN THE SUBTROPICAL NORTH PACIFIC1

To develop tools for modeling diazotrophic growth in the open ocean, we determined the maximum growth rate and carbon content for three diazotrophic cyanobacteria commonly observed at Station ALOHA (A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment) in the subtropical North Pacific: filamentous nonheterocyst-forming Trichodesmium and unicellular Groups A and B. Growth-irradiance responses of Trichodesmium erythraeum Ehrenb. strain IMS101 and Crocosphaera watsonii J. Waterbury strain WH8501 were measured in the laboratory. No significant differences were detected between their fitted parameters (±CI) for maximum growth rate (0.51 ± 0.09 vs. 0.49 ± 0.17 d(-1) ), half-light saturation (73 ± 29 vs. 66 ± 37 μmol quanta · m(-2) · s(-1) ), and photoinhibition (0 and 0.00043 ± 0.00087 [μmol quanta · m(-2) · s(-1) ](-1) ). Maximum growth rates and carbon contents of Trichodesmium and Crocosphaera cultures conformed to published allometric relationships, demonstrating that these relationships apply to oceanic diazotrophic microorganisms. This agreement promoted the use of allometric models to approximate unknown parameters of maximum growth rate (0.77 d(-1) ) and carbon content (480 fg C · μm(-3) ) for the uncultivated, unicellular Group A cyanobacteria. The size of Group A was characterized from samples from the North Pacific Ocean using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and real-time quantitative PCR techniques. Knowledge of growth and carbon content properties of these organisms facilitates the incorporation of different types of cyanobacteria in modeling efforts aimed at assessing the relative importance of filamentous and unicellular diazotrophs to carbon and nitrogen cycling in the open ocean.
A heuristic description of spiral wave instability in discrete media

Abstract A set of simple low-dimensional differential equations representing a chain of coupled oscillators is suggested as a model for explaining the instability of a rigidly rotating spiral wave that has been observed in spatially discrete and continuous models. Bifurcation to an invariant circle on a torus appears to be the mechanism responsible for this instability in the discrete case and is thus in agreement with Barkley's assertion of an instability due to a Hopf bifurcation.
EXTENDING THE BOUNDARIES OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: AN INTERNATIONAL FIELD‐STUDIES APPROACH INTEGRATING INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Continued globalization, extensive use of information technologies, increasing cross-functional dependencies, and new organizational forms are rapidly changing the learning context of operations management. This paper describes an example of a mba elective course that has been created to address and learn from these new realities. We have taken a process view of the global firm, focusing mainly on the new product/service development, order fulfillment, and supply chain/ after-sales service processes. We have designed our course to contain most of the traditional topics in operations management (om) with information systems (is) woven in to support the key business processes. Our underlying belief is that these two functional areas should be seen as a blend, a seamless merging of the two fields, to obtain a competitive advantage. Besides teaching om and is in this integrated manner, the course engages in face-to-face student consulting projects with multinational companies. This paper describes our rationale for the course design and how it has been implemented over the last 6 years-as well as our plans for the future.
Haemagglutinins in commercial preparations of monosaccharides.

WE have found that several commercial preparations of monosaccharides possess haemagglutinating activity. This activity was observed with monosaccharide concentrations close to those usually used to inhibit the biological effects of lectins. The activity is not due to the monosaccharides themselves but is associated with a high molecular weight compound(s) active in some preparations of monosaccharides.
Nucleation of Polypropylene Crystallization by Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization experiments were performed on polypropylene mixed with carbon nanotubes produced by disproportionation of CO on Co-Mo catalysts. Functionalization of the nanotubes with octadecylamine made the tubes hydrophobic and allowed the tubes to be solubilized in an organic solvent. Mixing of the nanotubes with the polymer was accomplished by adding the nanotubes to a Decalin solution that contained dissolved polypropylene, followed by evaporation of the solvent. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicated very little difference in the small-strain mechanical properties between filled and unfilled polymers at the very low solid levels that were tested. By contrast, the crystallization behavior of the filled and unfilled polymer was quite different. Nanotubes promoted growth of the less-preferred beta form of crystalline polypropylene at the expense of the alpha form. In nonisothermal crystallization, the total amount of crystalline material in the sample was the same for the filled and unfilled materials. However, for isothermal crystallization experiments, the percent crystallinity in the filled materials was slightly higher. Most importantly, the rate of crystallization was substantially higher in the filled system. The results presented in this paper clearly show that carbon nanotubes nucleate crystallinity in polypropylene.
T cells: Critical bone regulators in health and disease

Postmenopausal osteoporosis and hyperparathyroidism are to two common forms of bone loss caused primarily by an expansion of the osteoclastic pool only partially compensated by a stimulation of bone formation. The intimate mechanisms by which estrogen deficiency and excessive production of PTH cause bone loss remain to be determined in part because in vitro studies do not provide the means to adequately reproduce the effects of ovx and PTH overproduction observed in vivo. This article examines the connection between T cells and bone in health and disease and reviews the evidence in favor of the hypothesis that T cells play an unexpected critical role in the mechanism of action of estrogen and PTH in bone.
Social competence and social support as mediators between comorbid depressive and conduct problems and functional outcomes in middle school children

This study examined the roles of social competence and social support as potential mediators of the association between psychopathology and functional outcomes in a middle school sample (n = 521). Participants were stratified into four psychopathology risk groups (depression only, conduct problems only, comorbid depression and conduct problems, low symptoms) based on screening during early 6th grade. Functional outcomes were 6th grade point average (GPA) and parent rating of global adaptive functioning in their 7th grade student. Low levels of social competence were found to mediate the association between symptoms and both lower grades and global functioning for adolescents with depressive symptoms alone and with comorbid symptoms, but not for those with conduct problems alone. Lack of social support mediated the association between psychiatric symptoms and lower grades for adolescents with depression alone and comorbid symptoms, but not for those with conduct problems alone. These findings suggest that intervention to improve social competence and social support may enhance functional outcomes, especially for youth with depressive symptoms or comorbid depressive and conduct symptoms.
Blink rate in boys with fragile X syndrome: preliminary evidence for altered dopamine function.

Background Dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in motor and cognitive functioning, can be noninvasively measured via observation of spontaneous blink rates. Blink rates have been studied in a number of clinical conditions including schizophrenia, autism, Parkinsons, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder with results implicating either hyper or hypo dopaminergic states. Methods This study examined spontaneous blink rate in boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Blink rates of boys ( 4 ‐ 8 years old) with FXS ( n = 6 ) were compared with those of age-matched typically developing boys ( n = 6 ) during active and passive tasks. Blink rates (blinks per minute) for each task were compared between the two groups. Then, the relation between blink measures and core FXS-related features [problem behaviours, arousal, fmr 1 protein (FMRP)] were examined within the group of boys with FXS. Results Blink rate in boys with FXS was significantly higher than typically developing boys during passive tasks. Within the FXS group, there were significant correlations between blink rate and problem behaviours and physiological arousal (i.e. heart activity) but not with FMRP. Conclusions Observed differences in spontaneous blink rate between boys with and without FXS and the relation between blink rate and physiological and behavioural measures in boys with FXS suggests that further work examining dopamine dysfunction as a factor in the pathophysiology of FXS may be warranted.
Efficient green and blue electrophosphorescent light-emitting diodes using a combination of solution- and vacuum-processed materials

The performance of organic light-emitting diode devices with a spin-coated hole-transporting layer and a thermally deposited emissive layer consisting of a bis-sulfone small molecule, as a host for the blue phosphorescent emitter will be presented.
Shockwave determination of the shear velocity at very high pressures

A shock wave experiment is described for confirming changes in density, from seismic interpretation, for determining the properties of planet interiors. The experiment focuses on the problem of measurements in a pressure region, where the shear velocity tends to vanish, or become very small. Pressure-sensitive lattice stability, and the equations for an atomic model of the NaCl lattice are discussed along with the particle velocity shock technique.
Anomalous behaviour in ICCS

ICCS conductors behave anomalously. Several anomalies have been documented: quenches driven by pulsing fields (referred to as ramp-rate limitations), and energy margins that show a transition between a "well-cooled" and an "ill-cooled" regime (marking a transition between high energy margin at low transport current and low energy margin at higher currents). In this paper, a novel model will be described that attempts to interpret experimental data. In the experiments, 3/spl times/3/spl times/3 ICCS Nb/sub 3/Sn sample coils have been tested for stability to ramping fields and transport currents. Three such coils have been tested, one made of triplets made of all SC strands, a second with one copper and two SC strands and a third one with one steel and two SC strands. The analysis deals mainly with unpressurized cases, but the model also applies to supercritical He. The hypothesis is that non-uniform helium and superconductor distribution in the conductor is the cause of the "anomalous" behaviour. The energy margin as a function of the transport current has also been calculated, and it shows a transition. The limiting current is determined by the highest local fraction of bunching (averaged over a cross section). The model, however, has difficulty explaining multiple ramps.
From minefields to minespace: An archeology of the changing architecture of autonomous killing in US Army field manuals on landmines, booby traps and IEDs

Abstract Since WWI, militaries and armed groups have used remote and autonomous explosive traps – landmines, booby traps and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) – as a kind of deadly architecture to reengineer terrain inhospitable. Until recently, minefields remained analog, static, and fixed. But technological development and changes in the nature of war have made remote and autonomous violence increasingly mobile, dynamic, and robotic and, rather than being contained in a bounded Cartesian plane, diffused through the very spaces and flows that sustain civilian life. Such “unmanned” weapons are increasingly able to navigate, communicate with each other, identify targets and even kill with minimal human involvement. Mirroring broader changes in the spatial configurations of war, the architectural form of remote and autonomous killing is thus shifting from the two-dimensional minefield to multi-dimensional minespace. This poses challenges to those engaged in humanitarian efforts to demilitarize space. To illustrate these changes, the paper draws on Derek Gregory's notion of “Everywhere War” and engages in a discursive “archeology” of the minefield as described by US Army mine, booby trap and IED warfare field manuals.
Spectral and photochemical properties of subchromatophore fractions derived from carotenoid-deficient Chromatium by triton treatment.

Triton treatment of chromatophores of carotenoid-deficient Chromatium followed by density-gradient centrifugation led to a separation into three subchromatophore fractions. Unlike the case with chromatophores of regular Chromatium, Triton releases about 13 of the total bulk bacteriochlorophyll into one fraction (designated G, for green) whose major absorption-band maximum is at 780 nm. One fraction (H, for heavy) absorbs at 805 and 885 nm, with an absorbance ratio A885nmA805nm between 1.5 and 2; another fraction (L, for light) absorbs at 805 nm and has a shoulder at 825 nm. The absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of the three fractions at room temperature and 77°K indicate that the different bacteriochlorophyll forms are efficiently separated by Triton treatment. The reaction center P890 is concentrated exclusively in the H-fraction, at a level of 5–7% of the bulk bacteriochlorophyll. The solubilized bacteriochlorophyll absorbing at 780 nm can be totally and irreversibly bleached by 5 mM ferricyanide. The other bacteriochlorophyll forms in the H- and L-fractions are also irreversibly bleached by ferricyanide to variable extents. P890 is the only component that can be re-reduced by ascorbate after ferricyanide oxidation. The P890 content estimated by reversible chemical bleaching agrees well with that obtained by reversible light bleaching. The different bacteriochlorophyll forms, with the exception of the 780-nm absorbing form, are relatively stable toward light bleaching. Again, only P890 is reversibly bleached by light. Cytochromes-555 and -553 are distributed in both the H-and L-fractions, but not in the solubilized-bacteriochlorophyll G-fraction. However, only cytochromes in the H-fraction which contains all of the P890 can undergo coupled oxidation. Excitation with 20-nsec ruby-laser pulses shows that cytochrome-555 can be oxidized in 2–3 μsec by photooxidized P890, indicating that necessary conformation for rapid electron transport is retained in the subchromatophore particles. The data on fractionation and redox reactions obtained here, together with direct kinetic measurements recently reported in the literature lend further support to the view that oxidation of these two cytochromes is mediated by the same reaction center, P890.
Spermatogenesis and sperm-specific phosphoglycerate kinase B and lactate dehydrogenase C4 isoenzymes in sex-reversed mice

The activities of phosphoglycerate kinase B and lactate dehydrogenase C4 were correlated with the state of spermatogenesis in testes of sex-reversed (Sxr) mice. Both isoenzymes were present in Sxr/+,XO testes, which contained late spermatids. LDH-C4 was detected in testes from 5 of 9 Sxr/+,XX mice, but PGK-B was present in testes of only 1 of the 5 mice. Pachytene spermatocytes were the predominant cell types in those Sxr/+,XX testes that contained spermatogenic cells. These observations confirm that PGK-B is restricted to spermatogenic cells and is not present in somatic testicular cells. Furthermore, they suggest that PGK-B synthesis may be initiated later than pachytene, when synthesis of the LDH-C polypeptide is known to commence.
Robust synchronization in fiber laser arrays.

Synchronization of coupled fiber lasers has been reported in recent experiments [Bruesselbach et al., Opt. Lett. 30, 1339 (2005); Minden et al., Proc. SPIE 5335, 89 (2004)]. While these results may lead to dramatic advances in laser technology, the mechanism by which these lasers synchronize is not understood. We analyze a recently proposed [Rogers et al., IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 41, 767 (2005)] iterated map model of fiber laser arrays to explore this phenomenon. In particular, we look at synchronous solutions of the maps when the gain fields are constant. Determining the stability of these solutions is analytically tractable for a number of different coupling schemes. We find that in the most symmetric physical configurations the most symmetric solution is either unstable or stable over insufficient parameter range to be practical. In contrast, a lower symmetry configuration yields surprisingly robust coherence. This coherence persists beyond the pumping threshold for which the gain fields become time dependent.
Improved range image segmentation by analyzing surface fit patterns

We propose a new approach to range image segmentation of planar and curved surface scenes. Our method is mainly an extended design of an existing algorithm, which was guided by a framework of performance evaluation. We choose the range segmentation algorithm developed by Jiang and Bunke as our baseline algorithm, which is fast and has shown relatively high performance in several experimental performance evaluation studies. We analyze the types of errors made by the algorithm, propose design modifications to decrease the error rate, and experimentally verify that the new approach achieves statistically significant performance improvement. Whereas the baseline algorithm applies the edge-linking uniformly to all edge pixels to segment a region, the modified algorithm selects high potential edge areas in the region by analyzing the surface fit pattern and gives priority of edge-linking to those areas. The contributions of this work are (1) an improved algorithm for segmentation of range images of both planar and curved surface scenes, and (2) a demonstration of using empirical performance evaluation to guide algorithm design and modification to achieve better performance.
Connective tissue growth factor (IGFBP-rP2) expression and regulation in cultured bovine endothelial cells.

Media from large vessel endothelial cells (pulmonary artery, aorta) contained intact connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and a dominant 19-kDa band. N-terminal analysis of the 19-kDa band showed sequence corresponding to CTGF amino acid 181–190, suggesting that the 19-kDa band represented a proteolytic fragment of CTGF. Intact CTGF was increased by cAMP but not by transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ). CTGF messenger RNA (mRNA) was not changed by cAMP nor TGFβ. In two microvessel endothelial cells, mRNA was found at low levels by PCR and Northern analysis, but no CTGF protein was seen on Western analysis. In the microvessel cells, TGFβ increased and cAMP did not change CTGF mRNA levels, with neither TGFβ nor cAMP increasing CTGF protein. The discordance between protein and mRNA levels in large vessel and microvessel endothelial cells was mostly explained by the effects of cAMP and TGFβ on media proteolytic activity; in large vessel cells, cAMP inhibited degradation of CTGF, whereas in microvessel cells, ...
Comparison of foliar and soil formulations of neonicotinoid insecticides for control of potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), in wine grapes

BACKGROUND: The potential of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides to control potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), a damaging pest of wine grapes in the easternUnitedStates, was investigated. Soil or foliar applications were madeto potted or field-grown vines,and the responseof leafhoppers was determinedin clip cages over thefollowing monthon young or mature leaves. RESULTS: Foliar application of imidacloprid caused immediate and long-lasting reductions in E. fabae survival on both leaf ages, whereas the activity of soil-applied imidacloprid was delayed. Clothianidin,imidacloprid and thiamethoxamall provided long-lasting reduction in leafhopper survival on young and mature foliage when applied through either delivery route. However, the percentage of moribund nymphs was significantly greater on foliar-treated vines and increased over time in mature and immature leaves compared with soil-treated vines. Residue analysis of foliar-applied imidacloprid showed an 89% decline in mature leaves from day 1 to day 27, and a 98% decline in immatureleaves over the sametime period. Comparison of soil-applied clothianidin,imidacloprid and thiamethoxaminfield-grown vinesshowed significantreduction inE.fabaeonly on mature leaves of vines treated with thiamethoxam. CONCLUSIONS: Neonicotinoids can control E. fabae in small vines, even in rapidly expanding foliage where this pest causes greatest injury. Soil application provides superior long-term vine protection because declining residues on foliar-treated vines lead to suboptimal activity within 2‐3 weeks. Vineyard managers of susceptible cultivars may take advantage of this approach to E. fabae management by using foliar applications of the three neonicotinoids tested here, or by using soil-applied thiamethoxam. c � 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Over the Brink of the Millennium: Have We Said All We Can Say About Language-Based Learning Disabilities?.

In this article, the author reviews the state of the art in school-age language learning disabilities. Some of the key connections among language, learning, and reading disabilities are outlined. The challenges facing speech and language professionals and other specialists who work within and outside of postmillennium classrooms are presented, and several solutions are offered. A “good news”/“bad news” metaphor is used to summarize the advances and roadblocks that exist in both research and practice in language learning disabilities. The centrality of language in literacy and academic success is emphasized throughout the discussion. Professionals are encouraged to evaluate the appropriateness and relevance of their language intervention decisions and to take a hard look at some of the popular ideas in school-age language disorders that require further scrutiny.
Modeling authoritarian regimes

In the past few years, a body of ideas based on political economy theory has been built up by North and Weingast, Olson, Przeworski, and Acemoglu and Robinson. One theme that emerges from this literature concerns the transition to democracy: why would dominant elites give up oligarchic power? This article addresses this question by considering a formal model of an authoritarian regime, and then examining three historical regimes: the Argentine junta of 1976-83; Francoist Spain, 1938-75; the Soviet system, 1924-91. We argue that these historical analyses suggest that party dictatorships are more institutionally durable than military or fascist ones.
On the extended-Born technique for scattering from buried dielectric targets

The extended-Born technique is an approximate nonlinear method for analyzing scattering from a weak discontinuity. Moreover, when applied to the low-frequency (electromagnetic induction) applications for which it was developed originally, the extended-Born method has accurately modeled scattering from inhomogeneities considerably larger than those appropriate for the standard linear Born technique. We examine the extended-Born technique at radar frequencies considering three-dimensional (3-D) scattering from a dielectric target buried in a lossy half space.
The Impact of Group Interaction Styles on Problem-Solving Effectiveness:

Research on group interaction styles and problem-solving effectiveness suggests that group behavior can be analyzed in terms of three general styles: constructive, passive, and aggressive. Empirical studies, however, have tended to focus on only one or two of these styles in examining their relation to measures of problem-solving effectiveness. Using data based on 61 groups that participated in a simulated survival exercise, the research reported in this article compares the effects of all three styles on criteria of effectiveness (e.g., solution quality and acceptance). Consistent with the hypotheses, constructive styles are found to be positively related, and passive styles negatively related, to the effectiveness criteria. Aggressive styles are shown to be generally unrelated to solution quality but negatively related to solution acceptance. The results suggest that future empirical research as well as early team development interventions should consider the unique effects of different group interactio...
Inhibition of Lithium Dendrites by Fumed Silica-Based Composite Electrolytes

Lithium dendrite formation is investigated via in situ microscopy in a liquid electrolyte containing polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether 1 lithium bis~trifluoromethylsulfonyl !imide and composite gel-like electrolytes formed by dispersing nanometer-size fumed silica into the liquid. Fumed silicas with either hydrophilic silanol surface groups or hydrophobic octyl surface groups were employed. Dendrites with current density-dependent morphology are formed in liquid electrolyte but addition of fumed silica inhibits their formation, with hydrophilic fumed silica having a more pronounced effect than hydrophobic silica. The dendrite inhibition effect of fumed silica is attributed to its abilities to form a continuous network with elastic-like properties and scavenge impurities from the electrolyte.
Search result diversification for enterprise data

Search result diversification aims to return a list of diversified relevant documents in order to satisfy different user information needs. Most of the efforts focused on Web Search, and few studies have considered another important search domain, i.e., enterprise search. Unlike Web search, enterprise search deals with both unstructured and structured data. In this paper, we propose to integrate the structured and unstructured data to discover meaningful query subtopics in search result diversification. Experimental results show that integrating structured and unstructured information allows us to discover high quality query, which are effective in diversifying the retrieval results.
Zero-Energy Optical Logic: Can It Be Practical?

The thermodynamic "permission" to build a device that can evaluate a sequence of logic operations that operate at zero energy has existed for about 40 years. That is, physics allows it in principle. Conceptual solutions have been explored ever since then. A great number of important concepts were developed in so doing. Over the last four years, my colleagues and I have explored the possibility of a constructive proof. And we finally succeeded. Somewhat unexpectedly, we found such a proof and found that lossless logic systems could actually be built. And, as we had anticipated, it can only be implemented by optics. That raises a new question: Might an optical zero-energy logic system actually be good enough to displace electronic versions in some cases? In this paper, I do not even try to answer that question, but I do lay out some problems now blocking practical applications and show some promising approaches to solving them. The problems addressed are speed, size, and error rate. The anticipated speed problem simply vanishes, as it was an inference from the implicit assumption that the logic would be electronic. But the other two problems are real and must be addressed if energy-free logic is to have any significant applications. Initial steps in solving the size and error rate are addressed in more detail.
Distinct Phenotype of E-Selectin–Deficient Mice: E-Selectin Is Required for Slow Leukocyte Rolling In Vivo

Leukocyte capture and rolling are mediated by calcium-dependent lectins expressed on most leukocytes (L-selectin) and the vascular endothelium (P- and E-selectin). To study the role of the selectins during inflammation, we have investigated leukocyte rolling in venules of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-treated mouse cremaster muscles in wild-type mice and gene-targeted mice with homozygous deficiency for L-, P-, or E-selectin (L-/-, P-/-, or E-/-, respectively). TNF-alpha treatment induces expression of E-selectin and increases expression of P-selectin on endothelial cells. Consistent with previous reports of redundant P- and E-selectin function, a combination of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against P- and E-selectin (RB40.34 and 9A9, respectively) was necessary to block rolling in wild-type mice. The rolling leukocyte flux fraction (percent rolling cells) in L-/- mice was similar to that in wild-type mice, but rolling in these mice was blocked by a P-selectin mAb. The velocity of rolling leukocytes in TNF-alpha-treated wild-type, P-/-, or L-/- mice was 5 to 10 times slower (3 to 7 microns/s) than during trauma-induced rolling (20 to 50 microns/s). In contrast, leukocytes in venules of TNF-alpha-treated E-/- mice rolled significantly faster (12 to 20 microns/s): the rolling leukocyte flux fraction was more than doubled compared with wild-type, L-/-, or P-/- mice; and the number of adherent leukocytes was reduced. Addition of an E-selectin mAb, but not a P-selectin mAb, increased rolling flux fraction and rolling velocity in wild-type mice. Histological analysis revealed that 90% to 95% of all leukocytes interacting (rolling and adherent) with the venular endothelium in TNF-alpha-treated wild-type, L-/-, P-/-, and E-/- mice were granulocytes. These results identify a previously unrecognized phenotype of E-/- mice by establishing that at the site densities prevailing in vivo, E-selectin in responsible for slow (approximately 5 microns/s) granulocyte rolling. E-selectin-dependent slow rolling drastically increases the transit time of leukocytes rolling through an inflamed tissue and thus aids in targeting leukocytes activated by chemoattractants to the inflammatory microenvironment.
Analysis and design of an ultrahigh temperature hydrogen-fueled MHD generator

A coupled gas dynamics/radiative heat transfer analysis of partially ionized hydrogen, in local thermodynamic equilibrium, flowing through an ultrahigh temperature (10,000-20,000 K) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator is performed. Gas dynamics are modeled by a set of quasi-one-dimensional, nonlinear differential equations which account for friction, convective and radiative heat transfer, and the interaction between the ionized gas and applied magnetic field. Radiative heat transfer is modeled using nongray, absorbing-emitting 2D and 3D P-1 approximations which permit an arbitrary variation of the spectral absorption coefficient with frequency. Gas dynamics and radiative heat transfer are coupled through the energy equation and through the temperature- and density-dependent absorption coefficient. The resulting nonlinear elliptic problem is solved by iterative methods. Design of such MHD generators as onboard, open-cycle, electric power supplies for a particular advanced airbreathing propulsion concept produced an efficient and compact 128-MWe generator characterized by an extraction ratio of 35.5 percent, a power density of 10,500 MWe/cu m, and a specific (extracted) energy of 324 MJe/kg of hydrogen. The maximum wall heat flux and total wall heat load were 453 MW/sq m and 62 MW, respectively.
Rho-kinase and Insulin Signaling

Insulin's ability to acutely stimulate glucose uptake and metabolism in peripheral tissues is essential for normal glucose homeostasis. Resistance to this insulin effect is a major pathogenic feature of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Although man y of the proximal steps in insulin signaling have been identified, the molecular mechanisms underlying insulin resistance under various metabolic states are still unclear. Recent study suggests that Rho-kinase is an important mediator of insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis. Specifically, Rho-kinase directly controls insulin receptor substrate-1, which plays an important role in regulating insulin action. Inhibition of Rho-kinase function results in a decreased insulin response, leading to insulin resistance. Thus, Rho-kinase is identified as a novel regulator of insulin action and glucose homeostasis, and a potential target for new
Hyperweave: a fault-tolerant expandable interconnection network

Hyperweave, a novel hierarchical, expandable interconnection network, is presented. Its topology is an improvement over the earlier proposed extended hypercube topology. Hyperweave has better node fault-tolerance, a greater number of disjoint paths between any two nodes, and a larger bisection width than the extended hypercube. A message-routing algorithm is presented, and an embedding of the extended hypercube on the Hyperweave is shown. >
Does diabetes accelerate progression of calcific aortic stenosis

Aims Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAS) is an active disease like atherosclerosis. Effect of diabetes (D) on severity of CAS is not well documented. Methods and results We retrospectively analysed 166 consecutive patients with CAS and multiple echocardiograms from January 1997 to March 2005. Aortic valve area (AVA) was measured using the continuity equation. CAS severity was categorized using AVA. D and non-D patients were compared for differences in sex, hypertension, smoking, statin use using χ2 tests. Comparisons between D and non-D for changes in AVA per year were performed using ANOVA. Study cohort included 166 males with age 70 ± 9 years, of which 72 (43%) had D. Baseline CAS was mild in 66 subjects, moderate in 75, and severe in 25. D subjects smoked less ( P = 0.02), but all other variables were similar ( P > 0.05). The interaction between D and baseline CAS severity was significant ( P = 0.0191), indicating comparisons should be viewed by baseline CAS severity. D had significantly larger change in AVA than non-D ( P = 0.0016) for those with moderate CAS at baseline only. Adjusting for statin use did not alter the results. Conclusion CAS severity progresses faster in D than in non-D in subjects with moderate CAS at baseline. Statins do not affect progression of CAS.
Delineation of subsurface Proterozoic Unkar and Chuar Group sedimentary basins in northern Arizona using gravity and magnetics: Implications for hydrocarbon source potential

Subsurface occurrences of Mesoproterozoic Unkar Group (∼1.25–1.1 Ga) and Neoproterozoic Chuar Group (∼0.9–0.7 Ga) rocks have been delineated in regions east and southeast of the Grand Canyon of northern Arizona. Gravity and aeromagnetic data, combined with gravity modeling, an analysis of seismic velocities, geologic cross sections, and geologic structures, have identified two major Proterozoic extensional regimes in the region: (1) a Mesoproterozoic northwest to southeast trend indicating northeast-southwest–directed extension throughout the study area and (2) a Neoproterozoic, mostly north-south–directed trend indicating predominant east to west extension, evident mostly in northern regions of the study area. A more ancient, northeast-southwest–aligned system of basement shear zones has also been identified. These shear zones correlate with many of the exposed major fault systems of the region such as the Bright Angel and Mesa Butte fault systems. Unkar Group graben and half-graben formation was constrained by the preexisting northeast-directed shear zones. Chuar Group basin formation was influenced by the reactivation of northwest to southeast Unkar Group basin structures, the more ancient northeast-trending shear zones, and by Neoproterozoic age north- to south-oriented extension. This superimposed network of deep-seated normal faults led to the development of a complex array of surface structures during the Laramide. By delineating Proterozoic basin structures in the region, this study helps to delineate the probable subsurface occurrences of hydrocarbon source rocks of the Walcott Member of the Neoproterozoic Chuar Group. John M. Seeley is a research geologist and assistant director for the Pan-American Center for Earth and Environmental Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. He received his B.S. (1985) and M.S. (1990) degrees from Texas A&I University and his Ph.D. (1999) from the University of Texas at El Paso. His research interests include depositional systems, sequence stratigraphy, gravity and magnetics, and tectonics.G. Randy Keller holds the L. A. Nelson Professorship. He is also chief scientist of University of Texas at El Paso's NASA Earth Science Research Center. His research interests stress the geological applications of geophysics, and he is particularly interested in the integration of diverse data sets and the use of information technology. He is a longtime member of the AAPG, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Geological Society of America, American Geophysical Union, and the European Association of Exploration Geophysicists.
Schools and Location: Tiebout, Alonso, and Governmental Finance Policy

Many discussions of school finance policy fail to consider how households respond to policies that change the attractiveness of different residential locations. We develop a general equilibrium model that incorporates workplace choice, residential choice, and political choice of tax and expenditure levels. Importantly, we consider multiple workplaces, a fundamental feature of today's metropolitan landscape. This basic model permits investigating how accessibility and public goods interact in a metropolitan area. The model is used to analyze two conventional policy initiatives: school district consolidation and district power equalization. The surprising conclusion is that school quality and welfare can fall for all families when these restrictions on choice are introduced.
An analytical model for plate wrinkling under tri-axial loading and its application

Abstract The prediction and prevention of wrinkling have been challenging issues in sheet metal forming processes. In an effort to provide the design and process engineers a reliable and efficient tool in assessing the onset of flange wrinkling, an analytical model, based on the wrinkling criterion proposed by Cao and Boyce [1], is presented here. The critical buckling stress and wavelength as functions of normal pressure are calculated using a combination of energy conservation and plastic bending theory. The present results are in excellent agreement with those obtained from Cao and Boyce’s numerical approach which has demonstrated its excellent predictive capability by comparing the experimental study of a conical cup [1] and a square cup forming [2]. Additionally, the effects of the tension in the plane of sheet and material properties on the initiation of flange wrinkling are investigated.
Global regulation by the small RNA‐binding protein CsrA and the non‐coding RNA molecule CsrB

Csr (carbon storage regulator) is a recently discovered global regulatory system that controls bacterial gene expression post-transcriptionally. Its effector is a small RNA-binding protein referred to as CsrA or, in phytopathogenic Erwinia species, RsmA (repressor of stationary phase metabolites). Numerous genes whose expression occurs in the stationary phase of growth are repressed by csrA/rsmA, and csrA activates certain exponential-phase metabolic pathways. Glycogen synthesis and catabolism, gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, motility, cell surface properties and adherence are modulated by csrA in Escherichia coli, while the production of several secreted virulence factors, the plant hypersensitive response elicitor HrpN(Ecc) and, potentially, other secondary metabolites are regulated by rsmA in Erwinia carotovora. CsrA represses glycogen synthesis by binding to and destabilizing glgCAP mRNA and is hypothesized to repress other genes by a similar mechanism. The second component of the Csr system is CsrB (AepH in Erwinia species), a non-coding RNA molecule that forms a large globular ribonucleoprotein complex with approximately 18 CsrA subunits and antagonizes the effects of CsrA in vivo. Highly repeated sequence elements found within the loops of predicted stem-loops and other single-stranded segments of CsrB RNA may facilitate CsrA binding. Current information supports a model in which CsrA exists in an equilibrium between CsrB and CsrA-regulated mRNAs, which predicts that CsrB levels may be a key determinant of CsrA activity in the cell. The presence of csrA homologues in phylogenetically diverse species further suggests that this novel kind of regulatory system is likely to play a broad role in modulating eubacterial gene expression.
Pricing Digital Products and Services in Electronic Commerce

Given its increasing impact on the economy, e-commerce has attracted attentions of scholars from a broad range of disciplines. One of the questions that still remain is: “How to determine prices for digital products and services?” When some products that used to be sold in the regular market with a price tag, and now they are distributed free over the Internet, then, pricing these products becomes a challenging issue. We have proposed a “singing lottery ticket” pricing mechanism that might give the users the incentive to pay a small subscription fee to download the music. Keyword: Pricing, Electronic Commerce, Lottery
Visualizing spatially varying distribution data

Box plot is a compact representation that encodes the minimum, maximum, mean, median, and quartile information of a distribution. In practice, a single box plot is drawn for each variable of interest. With the advent of more accessible computing power, we are now facing the problem of visualizing data where there is a distribution at each 2D spatial location. Simply extending the box plot technique to distributions over 2D domain is not straightforward. One challenge is reducing the visual clutter if a box plot is drawn over each grid location in the 2D domain. This paper presents and discusses two general approaches, using parametric statistics and shape descriptors, to present 2D distribution data sets. Both approaches provide additional insights compared to the traditional box plot technique.
Realistic Simulations of Geodetic Network Data: The Fakenet Package

Online Material: Program manual, source code, and associated files. The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Transient Detection intercomparison required that all participants apply their methods to the same datasets, each dataset containing some tectonic signal (or none), plus realistic noise. One way to produce these would be to add tectonic signals to actual data from the California continuous GPS network (CCGPSN), but there are two problems with this: using the same background series for all datasets makes it easy to isolate signals by differencing, and we would not know if there was a transient already present in the data. Instead, fully synthetic datasets were used, each of which had a different realization of the noise added to a different signal known only to the creator of the dataset. The Fakenet package was written to provide software for creating these datasets. In developing Fakenet, the goals were to be able to: This paper describes the procedures used in this package, as well as outlining its structure. A user’s manual is available in ![Graphic][1] the electronic supplement to this paper. It describes the details of operation, installation procedures, and the file formats. The supplement also includes the software itself, … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Validation of the Survey of Pre-service Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology: A Multi-Institutional Sample

AbstractThe TPACK (technological pedagogical content knowledge) framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) has gained tremendous momentum from within the educational technology community. Specifically, much discourse has focused on how to measure this multidimensional construct to further define the contours of the framework and potentially make some meaningful predictions. Some have proposed observation scales while other have proposed self-report measures to gauge the phenomenon. The Survey of Pre-service Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology instrument is one popular tool designed to measure TPACK (Schmidt et al., 2009) specifically from preservice teachers in teacher education programs. This study extends the measurement framework by providing a confirmatory factor analysis of the theoretical model proposed by Schmidt et al. (2009) on a sample of 227 preservice teachers from four public institutions of higher education in the southeastern United States. The data did not fit the theoretical 10-factor ...
Simple Tuning of Type-2 Fuzzy Controllers

The number of applications in the industry using PID controllers is bigger than fuzzy controllers. One reason is the problem of the tuning, because it implies the handling of a great quantity of variables like: the shape, number and ranges of the membership functions, the percentage of overlap among them and the design of the rule base. The problem is more complicated when it is necessary to control multivariable systems due that the number of parameters. The importance of the tuning problem implies to obtain fuzzy system that decrease the settling time of the processes in which it is applied, or in some cases, the settling time must be fixed to some specific value. In this paper a very simple algorithm is presented for the tuning of a type-2 fuzzy controller using only one variable to adjust the performance of the system. The results are based on the relation that exists between the shape of the membership functions and the settling time. Some simulations are presented to illustrate the proposed algorithm.