cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rodrigues-Frank Representations of Crystallographic Texture

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) as a technique has achieved a great deal of usage with the apparent ease by which one can associate grain specific diffraction information from a polycrystalline sample. This enabled a coupling of microstructural features within the diffraction based resolution volume of the electron beam with the local or microtexture characteristics. The development of the experimental technique of EBSD has been aided by image processing tools and automation techniques that has been significant in the establishment of orientation mapping. Using electron beam based diffraction techniques offers a distinct advantage over x-ray diffraction techniques in many cases. For example, one may be interested in characterizing texture gradients over small regions of the microstructure below the spatial resolution of x-ray diffraction techniques; or the sample dimension may be too small (such as thin films and nanostructures) to even contain many grains. Yet, while the issues of local texture are still important to assess and interpret in these cases, and while EBSD may provide an experimental means of obtaining texture information, the predominant means of representing texture is still through orientation space as discussed in the last chapter.
Improved Submodeling Finite Element Simulation Strategies for BGA Packages Subjected to Thermal Cycling

The finite element method has been widely used to enable fatigue life predictions for electronic assemblies subjected to thermal cycling. The potential critical region of interest within a solder joint is relatively small relative to the entire package assembly. High-density meshes are typically used to build a package model when using traditional FE modeling approaches. Therefore, long computational times can be expected for an analysis involving several thermal cycles. In order to reduce the complexity of the model and the use of oversize elements, and improve the efficiency of calculation, the technique of global/local modeling (submodeling) has been developed. In this approach, interpolated displacements from coarse model (global model) are applied as boundary conditions to a refined model (local/submodel) of the critical area of interest. The accuracy and efficiency of submodeling finite element simulations for electronic packages have not been evaluated completely in the literature.In this work, submodeling approaches for BGA assemblies have been explored in detail. A typical BGA package assembly was modeled using several coarse meshes as global models; and the maximum aspect ratio within the global model was varied up to 25, which is near the warning limit of many commercial finite element codes. Once the critical solder joint was identified, then the local model was built using the technique of cut boundaries, and meshed with refined elements. The maximum aspect ratio was also reduced to 5. The simulation result shows the accuracy of solution was sensitive to the mesh quality of the local model, as well as the load step size for both global and local models. An improved simulation strategy using submodeling was developed to obtain the best compromise in the global and local models between the mesh quality and load step size.Although the submodeling is a powerful tool for a better solution in a local region of interest far away from the cut boundaries, it is still crucial to identify the critical region correctly from the global model or a misguided local solution might be performed. Initially, the global models were built using coarse meshes with nonlinear material properties as seen in literature, and then an improved geometric simplification of the solder joint incorporating energy based fatigue criteria was developed. In addition, minimization of the local model volume is still required for a detail analysis of a complex configuration in local region where a high-density mesh is needed. In the investigated approach, we determined the minimized height of the local boundary, and have shown the influence between the height and the solution of volume averaged inelastic strain energy dissipation in the local model. The proposed approach achieves a large reduction in computational time, better detailed modeling of local interest region, and improved simulation accuracy.
A Comparison Study of Operator Preference and Performance for Analog Versus Digital Turbine Control Systems in Control Room Modernization

AbstractAn operator-in-the-loop study was conducted in support of control room modernization for a nuclear power plant. The study featured a benchmark comparison on a glass-top simulator of three v...
Addressing Disparities in Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Call to Action.

Living donor kidney transplantation is the best available treatment option for ESKD. Transplantation generally provides better length and quality of life than dialysis, and living donor transplantation offers superior graft and patient survival compared with deceased donor kidney transplantation. It
Development of vitamin E-enriched functional foods: stability of tocotrienols in food systems

Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family that provide many nutritional benefits. Developing tocotrienol‐fortified functional foods introduces vitamin E into consumers diets without changing their food habits. The purpose of this study was to compare the stability of tocotrienols in bulk form and six food matrices at a fixed dose (40 mg kg⁻¹) under accelerated and conventional storage conditions. The delta‐ and gamma‐tocotrienol content was measured using HPLC, and the sensory attributes were evaluated using triangle and hedonic tests. Tocotrienol in bulk powder was less stable under stressed conditions than in bulk oil, with the powders having approximately 40% and 80% reduction in δ‐ and γ‐ after storage and bulk oil with no significant degradation. HPLC analysis demonstrated that tocotrienol content remained unchanged in dry mix lemonade, yogurt, raw and UHT milk, and margarine over time; however, complete degradation of γ‐ and partial degradation (up to 50%) of δ‐tocotrienol was observed in bread during ambient and stressed storage conditions. A significant decrease in the δ‐tocotrienol relative concentration was also observed in HTST processed milk samples. Tocotrienol addition was not perceived, and no significant difference in the product attributes and overall liking was reported in the discrimination sensory testing.
Single-Flap Approach in Periodontal Regeneration for Intraosseous Defects: Case Series.

Introduction A single-flap approach (SFA) is the elevation of a periodontal flap to access the defect only from one side. Several studies have reported that the SFA is at least as clinically effective as the elevation of a flap at both buccal and palatal/lingual aspects. However, studies regarding the SFA have reported only 6 to 10 months follow-up clinical outcomes. The purpose of this case series was to investigate the outcomes of the SFA for periodontal regeneration with a collagen membrane and bone grafts in regard to linear bone defect fill and clinical parameters such as gingival recession (GR), pocket depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) for the 15-month follow-up. Case series Based on the deepest pocket depth site, the flap retraction side for each case, either buccal or palatal/lingual, was determined. After retraction of a one-side full thickness flap, complete removal of granulation tissue and thorough scaling and root planing were performed. Demineralized ground cortical bone grafts were gently packed into the defect areas and an absorbable collagen membrane was placed over the grafts in 13 cases from 11 patients. Conclusion This case series demonstrated that the SFA for periodontal regeneration with a collagen membrane and bone grafts resulted in decreased PD with minimum GR, gain in CAL, and bone fill at defect sites for the 15-month follow-up.
Balancing safety and visibility: Lesbian community building strategies in South Korea.

Heteronormative and gender hierarchical organization of economic, legal, and family life intersect to marginalize the lesbian community in South Korea. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and quee...
SurfaceFlow: Large Area Haptic Display via Compliant Liquid Dielectric Actuators

Touch perception is mediated by the skin, a highly compliant, distributed medium. In contrast, haptic displays frequently rely on rigid actuated elements. Here, we introduce a new haptic display based on compliant, liquid dielectric actuators. This display combines electrostatic attraction with hydraulic amplification provided by a liquid dielectric encapsulated in a compliant pouch. Voltage supplied to six pairs of opposed hydrogel electrodes generates dynamic variations in pressure on the encapsulated liquid. Mechanical amplification by the liquid enables the device to render tactile feedback with substantial displacements (> 2 mm) and forces (> 0.8 N) via a thin (< 3.5 mm) compliant surface with a large active area (75 cm2). The result is a soft, wearable tactile interface for providing dynamic haptic feedback to large areas of the skin. The intrinsic compliance of this interface lends a comfortable quality to the feedback it provides. We describe key considerations informing the design, including performance, reliability, and safety, and how these are addressed in our device. We describe a fabrication method that enable the device to be easily reproduced by others. We discuss a flexible multichannel system for dynamically controlling them. We also show how the display can produce unique haptic experiences, such as fluid-mediated haptic effects of motion across the skin.
Tunable Metamaterial Slab for Efficiency Improvement in Misaligned Wireless Power Transfer

This letter presents a tunable metamaterial (MTM) slab for high-efficiency wireless power transfer (WPT) in misaligned conditions, which operates at 6.78 MHz, an AirFuel Alliance Standard frequency. The tunable MTM slab is located between transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) coils serving as a tunable lens to help focus the magnetic field toward the place where the Rx coil is located. This tunable slab consists of two types of unit cells which can be independently tuned to have proper negative refractive indices. The experimental results show that the tunable MTM slab effectively focuses magnetic fields, thereby improving the power transfer efficiency (PTE) of WPT even in a misaligned condition.
Valuing Ecosystem Services

This chapter introduces social welfare, a key concept in the discipline of economics for evaluating the net benefits of government policy, in order to quantify the value that nature provides to society through ecosystem services. After briefly introducing the categories of ecosystem services and the philosophy of measuring social value, this chapter reviews several methods that can be used to estimate the value of different ecosystem services.
Binary Dynamic Time Warping in Linear Time.

Dynamic time warping distance (DTW) is a widely used distance measure between time series $x, y \in \Sigma^n$. It was shown by Abboud, Backurs, and Williams that in the \emph{binary case}, where $|\Sigma| = 2$, DTW can be computed in time $O(n^{1.87})$. We improve this running time $O(n)$. Moreover, if $x$ and $y$ are run-length encoded, then there is an algorithm running in time $\tilde{O}(k + \ell)$, where $k$ and $\ell$ are the number of runs in $x$ and $y$, respectively. This improves on the previous best bound of $O(k\ell)$ due to Dupont and Marteau.
Instance Segmentation GNNs for One-Shot Conformal Tracking at the LHC

3D instance segmentation remains a challenging problem in computer vision. Particle tracking at colliders like the LHC can be conceptualized as an instance segmentation task: beginning from a point cloud of hits in a particle detector, an algorithm must identify which hits belong to individual particle trajectories and extract track properties. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have shown promising performance on standard instance segmentation tasks. In this work we demonstrate the applicability of instance segmentation GNN architectures to particle tracking; moreover, we re-imagine the traditional Cartesian space approach to track-finding and instead work in a conformal geometry that allows the GNN to identify tracks and extract parameters in a single shot.
Epigenetic regulation of cannabinoid-mediated attenuation of inflammation and its impact on the use of cannabinoids to treat autoimmune diseases

Chronic inflammation is considered to be a silent killer because it is the underlying cause of a wide range of clinical disorders, from cardiovascular to neurological diseases, and from cancer to obesity. In addition, there are over 80 different types of debilitating autoimmune diseases for which there are no cure. Currently, the drugs that are available to suppress chronic inflammation are either ineffective or overtly suppress the inflammation, thereby causing increased susceptibility to infections and cancer. Thus, the development of a new class of drugs that can suppress chronic inflammation is imperative. Cannabinoids are a group of compounds produced in the body (endocannabinoids) or found in cannabis (phytocannabinoids) that act through cannabinoid receptors and various other receptors expressed widely in the brain and immune system. In the last decade, cannabinoids have been well established experimentally to mediate anti-inflammatory properties. Research has shown that they suppress inflammation through multiple pathways, including apoptosis and inducing immunosuppressive T regulatory cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Interestingly, cannabinoids also mediate epigenetic alterations in genes that regulate inflammation. In the current review, we highlight how the epigenetic modulations caused by cannabinoids lead to the suppression of inflammation and help identify novel pathways that can be used to target autoimmune diseases.
AC Gas Breakdown: From Simple Scaling Laws to Experiments

While gas breakdown under AC voltages is a classical problem that has been explored in great detail, particularly for microwaves1, a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved and transition between breakdown mechanisms remains incomplete. This issue becomes even more acute when attempting to elucidate the relevant physics as one reduces device size to microscale2.
Correlates of mental health problems among students in Texas alternative high schools and school-level efforts to address mental health.

Students in alternative high schools (AHSs) are an understudied population who experience disproportionate levels of risk factors that contribute to mental health problems. Using logistic regression, we explored associations between mental health problems and risk and protective factors among students in Texas AHSs (n = 515; mean age 17.1 years; 51% female, 78% youth of color, 64% eligible for free/reduced lunch). Principals (n = 14) and lead health educators (n = 14) reported on school-level efforts to address mental health. Students reported, on average, 1.55 of 4 mental health problems in the past year. Logistic regression indicated that greater number of adverse childhood experiences, lower self-esteem, female gender, and sleep disruption (getting 50%) principals reported having policies and services to support student mental health, with the exception of having mental health/social services staff represented on school health councils (36%) and having Gay-Straight Alliances (21%). Most lead health educators (86%) reported educating AHS students about mental health, and many (57%) reported receiving professional development in mental health. Future research with a larger number of schools is needed to analyze whether school policies are statistically associated with student-level mental health outcomes. Such multi-level research can inform policies and practices for AHS student mental health.
Numerical aspects of spectral segmentation on polygonal grids

We present an implementation of the Normalized Cuts method for the solution of the image segmentation problem on polygonal grids. We show that in the presence of rounding errors the eigenvector corresponding to the k-th smallest eigenvalue of the generalized graph Laplacian is likely to contain more than k nodal domains. It follows that the Fiedler vector alone is not always suitable for graph partitioning, while the eigenvector subspace, corresponding to just a few of the lowest eigenvalues, contains sufficient information needed for obtaining meaningful segmentation. At the same time, the eigenvector corresponding to the trivial solution often carries nontrivial information about the nodal domains in the image and can be used as an initial guess for the Krylov subspace eigensolver. We show that proposed algorithm performs favorably when compared to the Multiscale Normalized Cuts and Segmentation by Weighted Aggregation.
Concurrent process equivalences: Some decision problems

My favorite example of a simple, “interesting” identity between regular expressions is $$(X^* .Y^* )^* = (X + Y)^*$$
On idempotents in reduced enveloping algebras

Explicit constructions are given for idempotents that generate all projective indecomposable modules for certain finite-dimensional quotients of the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra s(2) in odd prime characteristic. The program is put in a general context, although constructions are only carried through in the case of s(2).
Bile acids reach out to the spinal cord: New insights to the pathogenesis of itch and analgesia in cholestatic liver disease

Patients with cholestatic disease exhibit pruritus and analgesia, but the mechanisms underlying these symptoms are unknown. We report that bile acids, which are elevated in the circulation and tissues during cholestasis, cause itch and analgesia by activating the GPCR TGR5. TGR5 was detected in peptidergic neurons of mouse dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord that transmit itch and pain, and in dermal macrophages that contain opioids. Bile acids and a TGR5-selective agonist induced hyperexcitability of dorsal root ganglia neurons and stimulated the release of the itch and analgesia transmitters gastrin-releasing peptide and leucine-enkephalin. Intradermal injection of bile acids and a TGR5-selective agonist stimulated scratching behavior by gastrin-releasing peptide- and opioid-dependent mechanisms in mice. Scratching was attenuated in Tgr5-KO mice but exacerbated in Tgr5-Tg mice (overexpressing mouse TGR5), which exhibited spontaneous pruritus. Intraplantar and intrathecal injection of bile acids caused analgesia to mechanical stimulation of the paw by an opioid-dependent mechanism. Both peripheral and central mechanisms of analgesia were absent from Tgr5-KO mice. Thus, bile acids activate TGR5 on sensory nerves, stimulating the release of neuropeptides in the spinal cord that transmit itch and analgesia. These mechanisms could contribute to pruritus and painless jaundice that occur during cholestatic liver diseases.
Administrative determinants of inmate violence: A multilevel analysis

This study examined the effect of remunerative and coercive controls on inmate assault, net of traditional controls. The sample included 4,168 male inmates nested within 185 state correctional facilities. The results suggest a complex relationship between remunerative controls and inmate assault. Remunerative controls were not significant predictors of inmate-on-inmate assault; however, prisoners involved in work programs were significantly less likely to assault staff, net of control variables. A significant relationship was not found between coercive control and inmate assault.
A datasheet driven power MOSFET model and parameter extraction procedure for 1200V, 20A SiC MOSFETs

A compact model for SiC Power MOSFETs has been presented. The model has been validated with measurements from commercially available 1200V, 20A SiC power MOSFETs. The model features temperature scaling from 25°C to 225°C, which is the operating temperature for the new devices. In order to improve the user's experience with the model, a new datasheet driven parameter extraction strategy has been proposed. The parameter extraction strategy requires only the data normally given in device datasheets, so off-the-shelf devices can characterized quickly. The model includes charge conserving expressions for all non-linear capacitances of the power MOSFET. The SiC power MOSFET shows excellent performance over elevated temperatures, with small variation in on-state resistance over temperature.
The Artistic Personality: A Systems Perspective

When considering the relationship between personality and a given occupation or vocation, we usually assume the relationship remains invariant over time. One might assume, for instance, that the temperament and traits that distinguished military leaders in the 5th century BCE would be the same traits as those belonging to warriors in the Middle Ages, or in our own times. Yet the changes throughout history in the social and economic status of soldiers, and in the technology of warfare, suggest that the personalities of men (or women) attracted to a military career will be quite different in each period.
HAIL: hierarchical adaptive interface layout

We present a framework to adapt software to the needs of individuals with severe motion disabilities who use mouse substitution interfaces. Typically, users are required to adapt to the interfaces that they wish to use. We propose interfaces that change and adapt to the user and their individual abilities. The Hierarchical Adaptive Interface Layout (HAIL) model is a set of specifications for the design of user interface applications that adapt to the user. In HAIL applications, all of the interactive components take place on configurable toolbars along the edge of the screen. We show two HAIL-based applications: a general purpose web browser and a Twitter client.
Phonemic speech recognition system based on a neural network

A neural-network-based system for phonemic speech recognition is described. The self-organized feature map algorithm developed by T. Kohonen (1988) is used for the network model. The solution to the problem of overlap of feature vectors that correspond to speech phonemic units is proposed. This involves identification of transient segments of the speech, voiced vs. unvoiced determination, and phonemic context. The implementation takes form as a network with labels of transients and with up to two phonemic labels corresponding to stationary regions of the speech. The system is tested using a subset of an isolated-word database consisting of twenty words. >
A review of the stochastic lot scheduling problem

Abstract This paper surveys the current research literature on the stochastic lot scheduling problem which deals with scheduling production of multiple products with random demand on a single facility with limited production capacity and significant change-overs between products. The deterministic version of this problem has received significant coverage in the literature; however, the stochastic problem has been addressed only recently. Furthermore, a range of distinctly different analytical methods have been applied to this problem. This paper provides a unifying framework for discussing these approaches and offers some explanation and clarification of the different analytical methods for this problem. After discussing some of the modeling and managerial implications of this problem, a detailed review of both continuous and discrete time control strategies is given, and areas for further research are outlined.
PENETRATION OF ELECTRON BEAMS INTO WATER BELOW THE CRITICAL ENERGY

The moments technique has been applied to the calculation of the spatial distribution of the energy dissipation in water by electron beams of energies 10 to 25 Mev. A continuous energy loss is assumed and the energy-range relationships are obtained taking into account the ionization and radiation losses. These relationships are introduced in the proper Boltzmann transport equation to approximate the scattering term by a simple function of residual range. The stopping power is approximated by a sum of powers of residual range. This leads to expressing the spatial moments of the energy dissipation as a combination of triple moments of the electron distribution function. These triple moments are the angular, spatial, and residual range moments, which are connected by a recursion system. The first three moments are calculated together with the boundary condition and the asymptotic trend. With this information, the distribution is constructed by using a simple analytical function. The agreement with experimental results is satisfactory. (auth)
A novel dialysis fermentor design and its application to the production of a cytotoxin fromPasteurella haemolytica

A multi-compartment dialysis membrane fermentor, with a combined compartment volume of one liter, was designed with vertical dialysis bag placement and individual bag inoculation ports. These ports, based on an adaptation of standard SwagelokR bulkhead type stainless steel fittings, allowed sterile access to each bag lumen during growth. This design has been used extensively to study the growth characteristics and secreted macromolecular products fromPasteurella haemolytica cultures isolated from bovine lung infected with shipping fever pneumonia.
Examination of the velocity time-delay-estimation technique

The one-dimensional time-delay-estimation (TDE) velocity technique infers the velocity of plasma fluctuations using cross-correlations between two spatially separated signals, and here this technique is evaluated using experimental results and numerical simulations. Probe arrays and a fast-framing imaging camera are used to measure the azimuthal fluctuation propagation speed in a cylindrical magnetized plasma device. The time-averaged TDE velocity field obtained in this way is found to be approximately 30% larger than Mach probe measurements of the plasma fluid velocity, suggesting that the TDE method infers the plasma E × B velocity and presumably a diamagnetic flow. The TDE technique is also applied to turbulent simulation data with known velocity fields. The results show that for the TDE parameters chosen here, the TDE technique can be used to infer the large-scale, slowly varying velocity, but that small scale or turbulent velocity fields cannot be reliably inferred.
Ethnicity, National Identity, and Domestic Politics in Taiwan

Taiwan is a divided society; divided along the lines of ethnicity and national identity. During much of the 1980s and earlier, ethnicity played an important role for the opposition movement to mobilize popular support in fighting for democracy, but as Taiwan becomes democratic, national identity turns out to be more salient than ethnicity in shaping political competition on the island. As shown by survey data, national identity is indeed the dominant cleavage underpinning Taiwan’s party system. And since there is a high degree of stability in the distribution of the popular attitude toward the national identity issue, we also witness a relatively stable alignment between the two major political groupings, the pan-Kuomintang (KMT) and pan-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) camps, even though there have been splits within each camp. Although such a cleavage is highly contentious, and could bring about serious conflicts in the society, thus far, as a result of the convergence toward the middle point, namely,...
Mechanical microenvironments and protein expression associated with formation of different skeletal tissues during bone healing

Uncovering the mechanisms of the sensitivity of bone healing to mechanical factors is critical for understanding the basic biology and mechanobiology of the skeleton, as well as for enhancing clinical treatment of bone injuries. This study refined an experimental method of measuring the strain microenvironment at the site of a bone injury during bone healing. This method used a rat model in which a well-controlled bending motion was applied to an osteotomy to induce the formation of pseudarthrosis that is composed of a range of skeletal tissues, including woven bone, cartilage, fibrocartilage, fibrous tissue, and clot tissue. The goal of this study was to identify both the features of the strain microenvironment associated with formation of these different tissues and the expression of proteins frequently implicated in sensing and transducing mechanical cues. By pairing the strain measurements with histological analyses that identified the regions in which each tissue type formed, we found that formation of the different tissue types occurs in distinct strain microenvironments and that the type of tissue formed is correlated most strongly to the local magnitudes of extensional and shear strains. Weaker correlations were found for dilatation. Immunohistochemical analyses of focal adhesion kinase and rho family proteins RhoA and CDC42 revealed differences within the cartilaginous tissues in the calluses from the pseudarthrosis model as compared to fracture calluses undergoing normal endochondral bone repair. These findings suggest the involvement of these proteins in the way by which mechanical stimuli modulate the process of cartilage formation during bone healing.
USE OF AN APRON TO STABILIZE GEOMEMBRANE TUBES FOR FIGHTING FLOODS

Abstract The most common temporary flood-fighting technique is the construction of piles of sandbags. A recent alternative is the use of inflated geomembrane tubes (which are also used as cofferdams). One of the problems with these tubes is the possibility of sliding or rolling when they are subjected to water on one side. This can be mitigated by friction underneath an apron attached to the tube and spread along the ground on the headwater side. In this investigation, experiments are conducted on tubes with aprons of varying lengths. Then an analytical model of a simplified version of the system is proposed, involving a rigid foundation and inextensible membrane material. Finally, a numerical analysis using the program FLAC is carried out, including the effects of soil deformations, pore pressures, and bending stiffness of the tube material. The results demonstrate that a geomembrane tube with an apron of sufficient length under the headwater can be an effective flood-fighting device.
Short Shaped Copper Fibers in an Epoxy Matrix: Their Multifunctional Use — Fracture and Impact Toughening and EMI Shielding

Previous research has shown that short shaped copper fibers can significantly increase the fracture toughness of a thermoset matrix composite. This paper considers the effectiveness of adding these same short shaped copper fibers to improve the composite’s impact toughness. Further, the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of these shaped copper fibers will be analyzed. The matrices used in the impact experiments were two different types of epoxy, a low shrinkage epoxy (LS) and a high shrinkage epoxy (HS). Fiber shapes and lengths were chosen based on previous single fiber pullout experiments. The following shaped fibers were used: straight, flat end-impacted, rippled, and end-oxidized. The two fiber lengths tested were 6mm and 10mm. Results indicate that the largest influence on impact toughness is from the matrix fracture behavior. When the matrix failed around the fibers, the impact toughness was significantly less compared to matrices with the same fibers that had a planar fracture at the notch during impact. Fiber end modification and to a lesser extent the fiber length both also had an effect on the fiber pullout behavior and resulting toughness. Comparing the end-modified fibers to straight fibers, the largest increase in impact toughness was 17%. The matrix used for the EMI shielding experiments was HS epoxy and two fiber diameters were tested: 0.325 mm and 0.162 mm. The fiber shapes used in the experiments were: straight, flat end-impacted, rippled, and acid roughened. An EMI SE of > 40 dB at 1.5 GHz was attained using 15vol% of the 0.162 mm diameter shaped fibers. The composites with 15vol% of the 0.325 mm diameter shaped fibers showed poor EMI SE, < 20 dB, due to large fiber diameter that results in a lower skin depth volume and a lower number of fibers which results in a lower number of conducting paths for attenuation through the composite. Results indicate that besides improving the fracture and impact toughness of a thermoset polymer matrix, short shaped copper fibers can also significantly improve the EMI SE of the composite, resulting in a multifunctional material.© 2004 ASME
Disappearance of the heteroplasmic state for chloroplast markers in zygospores of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Abstract In the investigations reported here, the length of zygospore incubation or “maturation” prior to the induction of meiosis was found to affect the inheritance pattern of chloroplast genes. The frequency of zygospores transmitting chloroplast alleles from both parents drops with increasing zygospore age following mating, while the frequencies of zygospores homoplasmic for maternal or paternal chloroplast alleles increase correspondingly. Since there is a negligible reduction in viability, zygospores which are initially biparental appear to become pure for the chloroplast genes from one or the other parent prior to the occurrence of cell division. These results are amplified in crosses of mt+ cells which have been irradiated with ultraviolet (uv) light or grown in the presence of the base analog, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, which also perturbs maternal inheritance. Low doses of uv irradiation, applied to zygospores derived from crosses in which the maternal parent was also irradiated prior to mating, increase the biparental zygospore frequency while reducing the proportion of maternal zygospores. This indicates that at least some maternal zygospore clones are actually derived from zygospores which still contain both parental chloroplast genomes prior to the induction of germination. Thus, a subclass of zygospores must contain paternal chloroplast genomes which are either eliminated upon germination or are not expressed in the resulting zygospore clone. Tetrad analysis of biparental zygospores derived from uv-irradiated mt+ gametes demonstrates that the frequency of maternal chloroplast alleles in biparental zygospores decreases as they age. One result is an increase in the proportion of meiotic products homoplasmic for all paternal markers. The increased segregation of homoplasmic daughter cells during the meiotic divisions may result from a reduction in chloroplast ploidy by elimination of maternal genomes. Alternatively, it may reflect an altered ratio of maternal:paternal genomes due to continuous rounds of pairing and gene conversion between heterologous chloroplast DNAs leading to genetic drift within the DNA population of the organelle.
Novel anticoagulants: Anesthetic implications

OF THE role of pathologic ombosis in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and a better understanding of procoagulant states has spurred the development of new anticoagulants and new indications for their use] In fact, some therapies, such as coronary stents, are critically dependent on successful anticoagulation. Although numerous clinical trials have defined the safety of new anticoagulants in uncomplicated patients, their impact on surgical hemostasis is unclear. The surgical team must weigh the risks of excess surgical bleeding against the potential for thrombosis in a vital location. Understanding the pharmacokinetics of each anticoagulant is key to minimizing the window of time during which the patient is vulnerable to thrombosis. In addition, for the patient requiring emergent surgery, knowledge of the anticoagulant's mechanism of action may allow the anesthesiologist to reverse anticoagulation or tailor appropriate blood product use. This review briefly examines how these newer anticoagulants work and their relevance to perioperative anesthetic care.
Intermediate phases in binary and ternary alloys: a new perspective on semi-empirical bond constraint theory

This paper extends the scope of semi-empirical bond constraint theory, (SEBCT) and uses this extension to provide quantitative insights into the atomic scale bonding interactions for the two transitions that bracket intermediate phases (IPs) in binary and ternary alloys. Reversibility windows have usually been defined in terms of the average bonding coordination, rc (also, Nav, ), and show considerable scatter between different alloys when displayed in this way. This paper analyzes and plots these transitions in terms of the average number of bonding constraints/atom, nc (also Cav), and thereby provides important insights into the extent to which SEBCT must be modified by either extending, or contracting the force field with respect to the 2-body bond-stretching and 3-bond-bending valence forces of the original SEBCT formulation. These modifications include (i) broken bond-bending constraints that reduce nc below the level determined from stretching and bending constraints of the SEBCT, and (ii) additional forces due to repulsions between non-bonding lone-pair orbitals on two-fold coordinated Se, three-fold coordinated As, and terminal or one-fold coordinated I atoms that add additional constraints to the SEBCT counting. These modifications identify the bonding interactions that give rise to the scatter in the rc-based plots, and then use the IP plots based on rc to provide a way of determining whether broken or additional constraints move the window threshold, respectively above or below the SEBCT value of 2.4.
Lethal nicotine intoxication in a group of mules.

Tobacco plants (Nicotiana spp.) are uncommon causes of poisoning in horses and mules. Most intoxications involving livestock result from the ingestion of limited quantities during gestation, causing teratogenic effects or congenital limb defects. A recent report documented Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco) toxicity in a group of cattle, causing death and clinical signs of ataxia, depression, colic, and, in other animals of the herd, anorexia. However, although N. glauca contains nicotine, the primary toxic alkaloid is anabasine. In another report involving the review of 200 cases of unexpected death in horses and ponies, the death of 1 horse was attributed to nicotine toxicity. Other experimental work with N. trigonophylla demonstrated its toxicity to cattle, sheep, and horses, with clinical signs that included agitation, ataxia, prostration, muscle trembling, and a weak pulse. These clinical signs appeared very soon after feeding and continued for a considerable period. The following description is of an unusual case where hay fed to mules was contaminated with nicotine from the drippings of tobacco plants previously hung over the hay. Six mules from a single farm died during a 24-hour period. Five of the mules were found dead, and the sixth had signs of ataxia and tremors before death. All 6 mules were reported to have had no clinical signs the evening before. The mules were used for plowing, pulling, etc., but had not been worked for at least 1 week. They were housed in a barn and had free access to water and hay and received a corn supplement. The mules also had access to a small pasture, but examination by the veterinarian indicated no potentially toxic indigenous plants or debris. The barn in which the mules were housed was also used to hang tobacco (N. tobacum ) leaves for drying. However, at the time of the mules’ deaths, there were no hanging leaves or tobacco remnants in the area where the mules were confined. Two of the dead mules were submitted to the veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Both mules were in good physical condition and had similar gross lesions. The lungs were severely edematous and on cut surface oozed a blood-tinged fluid. The pericardial sac contained about 20 ml of a clear, bloodtinged fluid. The stomach was distended and contained a watery, primarily hay, digesta, which had a strong tobacco odor. The liver and kidneys were slightly pale. Tissue sections of kidney, liver, lung, myocardium, esophagus, stomach, brain, adrenal gland, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, spleen, pancreas, bladder wall, skeletal muscle, and sciatic nerve were fixed in 10% buffered formalin for microscopic examination. Samples of stomach contents, liver, kidney, brain, abdominal fat, urine, and vitreous were saved for toxicological assays. Vitreous was also saved for clinical chemistry
Technique to Reduce the Resolution Requirement of Digitally Controlled Oscillators for Digital PLLs

Phase-locked loops (PLLs) are a critical component in modern systems. Digital PLLs (DPLLs) are increasingly popular in CMOS technologies due to their ease of integration and scalability with digital logic. However, digital quantization results in larger steady-state systematic jitter, or dithering. High resolution is needed to control the oscillator to minimize the dithering. This brief proposes a simple method to reduce the frequency-resolution requirement. The method allows for substantial reduction in the hardware complexity without sacrificing the DPLL's dynamic characteristics
Processing of BSCCO 2212 and 2223 Superconductor Compounds

Abstract High-Tc BSCCO superconductor tapes were prepared by the conventional powder-in-tube method. Some tapes involved partial melting, while the others involved solid-state processing only. Bulk samples were prepared by powder metallurgy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the presence of both BSCCO 2223 (Tc = 105 K) and BSCCO 2212 (Tc = 80 K) phases in all the materials. For the mostly BSCCO 2212 phase samples, x-ray studies indicated that tape #1 which involved partial melting at 850°C for 0.3 h had a higher degree of basal orientation than either a tape #2 sample which involved partial melting at 855°C for 0.5 h, or a bulk (#2) sample. For the mostly BSCCO 2223 phase samples, however, a comparison of bulk (#1.), tape #3 (solid state processing at 840°C) and tape #4 (partial melting at 865°C for 0.5 h) samples, showed that the solid-state processed tape (#3) had the highest degree of basal orientation. Direct current magnetic susceptibility measurements were used to follow the transition at Tc. Critical ...
Metallic fuel for Na-cooled reactors with an extended burnup cycle

Abstract In recent years, various reactors and fuel-cycle concepts have been proposed as alternatives to the (Pu-U)O 2 mixed-oxide fuel cycle. This interest has been stimulated by the need to utilize the U resources and also to contribute to the solution of the proliferation problem. To date, essentially all combinations of fuel-cycle mixes have been considered, except the denatured FBR operating on an extended burnup cycle. The basic feature of the proposed concept is a 233 U 238 U LMFBR using metallic fuel, enriched at the beginning of life to about 6 at. % cooled with Na, and designed to operate in such a way that, once the reactor is built, it only needs natural or depleted U as feed for the rest of the life of the reactor. The denatured breeder simply enriches the U to the level necessary to maintain criticality. Calculations show that the reactivity swing over each refueling interval, the fuel-pin performance and some safety parameters are all within current technology constraints.
Multihospital systems in the United States: A geographical overview

Abstract The American hospital industry has recently been experiencing the steady evolution of multihospital arrangements (various types of individual facilities under consolidated or cooperative management structures). The type that exhibits the most integrated structure is the multihospital system, here defined as two or more acute care hospitals owned, leased, or contract-managed by a corporate office. This paper examines some large-scale spatial dimensions of the 267 multihospital systems and their 1400 owned and leased hospitals listed in the American Hospital Association's 1980 Directory of Multihospital Systems . Multihospital systems are divided into two broad categories according to the kind of controlling organization, i.e. investor-owned and not-for-profit, and into another two categories according to their geographical dispersion: intrastate (in which all hospitals as well as the main corporate office are located in a single state) and interstate.
Delamination growth analysis in quasi-isotropic laminates under loads simulating low-velocity impact

A geometrically nonlinear finite-element analysis was developed to calculate the strain energy released by delamination plates during impact loading. Only the first mode of deformation, which is equivalent to static deflection, was treated. Both the impact loading and delamination in the plate were assumed to be axisymmetric. The strain energy release rate in peeling, G sub I, and shear sliding, G sub II, modes were calculated using the fracture mechanics crack closure technique. Energy release rates for various delamination sizes and locations and for various plate configurations and materials were compared. The analysis indicated that shear sliding (G sub II) was the primary mode of delamination growth. The analysis also indicated that the midplane (maximum transverse shear stress plane) delamination was more critical and would grow before any other delamination of the same size near the midplane region. The delamination growth rate was higher (neutrally stable) for a low toughness (brittle) matrix and slower (stable) for high toughness matrix. The energy release rate in the peeling mode, G sub I, for a near-surface delamination can be as high as 0.5G sub II and can contribute significantly to the delamination growth.
Research Note: Measurement of Ozone via an Indirect Gas Chromatography Method

Gas chromatography was used to measure the ozone concentration in oxygen produced by an ozone generator. In this indirect method, the ozone reacts with the coating of the capillary column and produces carbon dioxide, which is then detected. The primary methods of calibration for this technique were based on a wet-chemistry process and absorption of ultraviolet light. This finding also is important if the primary reason for using gas chromatography is detection of carbon dioxide, as artificially high readings of carbon dioxide would be measured in the presence of ozone. The method was tested for ozone concentrations of 3–70 mg/L but the method should also be applicable to higher concentrations.
The avoidance behavior of Phycomyces blakesleeanus: is mediation by natural convection significant?

Abstract The sporangiophore of Phycomyces avoids nearby objects by detecting perturbations in the concentration of an emitted volatile effector. Gravity plays no significant role in modifying the distribution of gas. Thus avoidance cannot be mediated by natural convection.
Linear and non-linear pressure oscillations in baffled combustion chambers

Abstract Linear and non-linear analyses of acoustic waves in baffled combustion chambers have been developed by means of perturbation-expansion techniques. The formulation is based on a generalized wave equation derived from the conservation equations for a two-phase mixture, and accommodates all influences of non-linear gas dynamics and combustion responses. Several specific effects of baffles are presented as mechanisms by which baffles eliminate combustion instabilities. Included are longitudinalization of transverse waves inside baffle compartments, restriction of velocity fluctuations near the injector face, and decreased oscillation frequency. A potential destabilizing influence of baffles is found to be the concentration of acoustic pressure at the injector face. Primary aspects of limit cycles are examined by considering second order non-linear acoustics for both two- and three-dimensional cases. Conditions for the existence of limit cycles were obtained, as well as explicit formulas for the oscillation amplitudes and frequencies in terms of linear and non-linear parameters. Important features of the energy cascade among acoustic modes are elucidated, including the energy balance during limit cycles and transfer of energy by non-linear gas dynamics.