cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Design of Nesting Forces for Exactly Constrained, Robust Mechanical Assemblies

In this research we investigate the design of nesting forces for exactly constrained, robust mechanical assemblies. Exactly constrained assemblies have a number of important advantages including the ability to assemble over a wide range of conditions. Such designs often require nesting forces to keep the design properly seated. To date, little theory has been developed for the design of nesting forces. We show how the effects of tolerances on nesting forces, a key issue, can be analyzed and apply the analysis to a simple design problem. For the example problem, good agreement is achieved with results from Monte Carlo simulation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Purification and Characterization of a Novel Phosphorus-oxidizing Enzyme from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88

The ptxD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88 encoding the novel phosphorus oxidizing enzyme NAD:phosphite oxidoreductase (trivial name phosphite dehydrogenase, PtxD) was cloned into an expression vector and overproduced in Escherichia coli. The heterologously produced enzyme is indistinguishable from the native enzyme based on mass spectrometry, amino-terminal sequencing, and specific activity analyses. Recombinant PtxD was purified to homogeneity via a two-step affinity protocol and characterized. The enzyme stoichiometrically produces NADH and phosphate from NAD and phosphite. The reverse reaction was not observed. Gel filtration analysis of the purified protein is consistent with PtxD acting as a homodimer. PtxD has a high affinity for its substrates with Km values of 53.1 +/- 6.7 microm and 54.6 +/- 6.7 microm, for phosphite and NAD, respectively. Vmax and kcat were determined to be 12.2 +/- 0.3 micromol x min(-1) x mg(-1) and 440 min(-1). NADP can substitute poorly for NAD; however, none of the numerous compounds examined were able to substitute for phosphite. Initial rate studies in the absence or presence of products and in the presence of the dead end inhibitor sulfite are most consistent with a sequential ordered mechanism for the PtxD reaction, with NAD binding first and NADH being released last. Amino acid sequence comparisons place PtxD as a new member of the d-2-hydroxyacid NAD-dependent dehydrogenases, the only one to have an inorganic substrate. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed biochemical study on an enzyme capable of direct oxidation of a reduced phosphorus compound.
Nonlinear Response of a Dynamic System due to Oscillatory Flow

The dynamic response of a structure exhibiting nonlinear stiffness characteristics and excited by a nonzero mean oscillatory fluid flow is investigated. Both the method of averaging and a multi-frequency incremental harmonic balance approach are used in understanding the primary and secondary resonances in the response. Several parameter studies are presented where the results of these two methods are compared with those obtained by numerical integration and are discussed in detail. The results point to the need for a multi-frequency solution formulation for accurate representation of the response offset and to the difficulties of using the standard method of averaging formulation for investigation of secondary resonances in the response of this system.
A Principal Role for the Proteasome in Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Degradation of Misfolded Intracellular Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator

Abstract Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of misfolded cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein is known to involve the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In addition, an ATP-independent proteolytic system has been suggested to operate in parallel with this pathway and become up-regulated when proteasomes are inhibited (Jensen, T. J., Loo, M. A., Pind, S., Williams, D. B., Goldberg, A. L., and Riordan, J. R. (1995) Cell 83, 129–135). In this study, we use two independent techniques, pulse-chase labeling and a noninvasive fluorescence cell-based assay, to investigate the proteolytic pathways underlying the degradation of misfolded CFTR. Here we report that only inhibitors of the proteasome have a significant effect on preventing the degradation of CFTR, whereas cell-permeable inhibitors of lysosomal degradation, autophagy, and several classes of protease had no measurable effect on CFTR degradation, when used either alone or in combination with the specific proteasome inhibitor carbobenzoxy-l-leucyl-leucyl-l-leucinal (MG132). Our results suggest that ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation is the dominant pathway for disposal of misfolded CFTR in mammalian cells and provide new mechanistic insight into endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation.
A Multi-Scale Assessment of Avian Diversity Following Stream Rewatering, Owens River Gorge, California

ABSTRACT: We employed a multi-scale approach to examine the evolving spatial patterns of avian diversity following rewatering (1991–1999) of the Owens River Gorge in eastern California. We based our analysis on three independent data sets representing 18 canyon locations (4 reference and 14 rewatered) consisting of bird counts, measures of landscape variation (canyon dimensions), and vegetation structure and composition (foliage height diversity, total vegetation volume, and plant species diversity). We analyzed our data by grouping sites according to bird diversity and environmental factors using Sorenson's similarity index and cluster analysis and by employing correlation (Spearman rank) and regression (multiple and backward stepwise) procedures to determine the relative importance of environmental factors on avian diversity at different spatial scales. Our results revealed: (1) that valley bottom width determines the extent of riparian vegetation (rs = .73, P < 0.01) and, indirectly, bird species diver...
Irreversibility, organization, and self-organization in quantum electrodynamics

QED is a fundamental microscopic theory satisfying all the conservation laws and discrete symmetries C, P, T. Yet, dissipative phenomena, organization, and self-organization occur even at this basic microscopic two-body level. How these processes come about and how they are described in QED is discussed. A possible new phase of QED due to self-energy effects leading to self-organization is predicted.
Prism-assisted inclined UV lithography for 3D microstructure fabrication

A prism-assisted inclined ultraviolet (UV) lithography technique is introduced for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microstructures. Slanted structures with exposure angles ranging from 0° to 60° in SU-8 photoresist have been easily achieved without immersion in the index matching liquid. The fabrication process of multidirectional slanted structures can be simplified by one-step UV exposure using a prism with multidirectional side surfaces. A corner prism and a cone prism have been used in our experiment to demonstrate this concept. Upside-down tripod structures and horn structures have been fabricated in one-step exposures. The effective exposure area as one key parameter of the one-step exposure is analyzed for practical applications. Examples of various 3D microstructures fabricated by this method are presented.
Improved eigensolution reanalysis procedures in structural dynamics

Abstract An improvement to eigensolution reanalysis procedures has been developed in this paper. This new method is based on the well known Bubnov-Galerkin procedure with a set of truncated normal modes and the associated residual static modes as global approximation functions. Numerical results show that the inclusion of residual static modes drastically improves the solution accuracy with a minor increase in computational cost over the assumed mode method. Additionally, an iterative scheme has been introduced to further improve the reanalysis results.
Examining geographic and occupational mobility: A loglinear modelling approach

. This article attempts to develop a set of loglinear models that synthesise gravity models of interregional mobility and loglinear models of occupational mobility. The development of the model is progressed from a simple two-way mobility table analysis to a three-way analysis that controls for one aspect of mobility while investigating another and eventually to a four-way analysis that simultaneously assesses the joint effect of occupational and geographic mobility. An example based on data from the 1970 United States census demonstrates that the models can effectively capture the joint effect of occupational and geographic mobility. The results show that interregional movers may not necessarily have strong occupational persistence. With regard to female dominated clerical occupations, interregional migration is positively associated with upward occupational mobility, and the propensity for upward mobility was consistently greater for males than for females.
Matrix FTIR Spectroscopy Of Transient Species

Matrix studies featuring the FTIR instrumental advantages of resolution and sensitivity for a finite amount of time will be described. Ammonia clusters have a complicated spectrum in the N-H stretching region. One antisymmetric and two symmetric stretching modes in the dimer verify an asymmetric cyclic dimer structure.' Chlorine isotopic splittings have been resolved for the four H/D substituted (HC1)3 species, which confirm the cluster stoichiometry and triangular structure.2 The ammonia/hydrogen cyanide system reveals 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, which are identified from their FTIR spectra and characterized by comparison to similar complexes.3 The ozone/hydrogen fluoride system gives the 03--HF complex, and mixed oxygen isotopic spectra show inequivalent terminal oxygen atoms.4 The symmetrical PH3--03 complex photolyses to give an asymmetric HOP02 species based on mixed isotopic spectra.5
Synthesis and molecular structure of the 5-methoxycarbonylpentyl α-glycoside of the upstream, terminal moiety of the O-specific polysaccharide of Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Inaba.

The trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf)-catalyzed reaction of methyl 6-hydroxyhexanoate with 3-O-benzyl-4-(2,4-di-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-L-glycero-tetronamido)-4,6-dideoxy-2-O-levulinoyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate followed by a two-step deprotection (hydrogenolysis over Pd/C catalyst and Zemplen deacylation, to simultaneously remove the acetyl and levulinoyl groups) gave 5-(methoxycarbonyl)pentyl 4-(3-deoxy-L-glycero-tetronamido)-4,6-dideoxy-α-D-mannopyranoside. The structure of the latter, for which crystals were obtained in the analytically pure state for the first time, followed from its NMR and high-resolution mass spectra and was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The molecule has two approximately linear components; a line through the aglycon intersects a line through the mannosyl and tetronylamido groups at 120°. The crystal packing separates the aglycon groups from the tetronylamido and mannosyl groups, with only C-H…O hydrogen bonding among the aglycon groups and N-H…O, O-H…O and C-H…O links among the tetronylamido and mannosyl groups. A carbonyl oxygen atom accepts the strongest O-H…O hydrogen bond and two strong C-H…O hydrogen bonds. The geometric properties were compared with those of related molecules.
Human macrophages secrete platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase. A mechanism for resolution of pulmonary inflammation.

1 Fowler AA, Hyers TM, Fisher BJ, Bechard DE, Center KM. WTebster RO. The adult respiratory distress syndrome: cell populations and soluble mediators in the airspaces of patients at high risk. Am Rev Respir Dis 1987; 136:1225-31 2 Siler TM, Swierkosz JE, Hyers TM, Fowler AA, Webster RO. Immunoreactive interleukin-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of high-risk patients and patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Exp Lung Res 1989; 15:881-94 3 Kew RR, Hyers TM, Webster RO. Human C-reactive protein inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro: possible implications for the adult respiratory distress syndrome. J Lab Clin Med 1990; 115:339-45 4 Krsek-Staples JA, Kew KR, Webster RO. Altered ceruloplasmin and transferrin levels in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). FASEBJ 1989; 3:A289 5 Schosinsky KH, Lehmann HP, Beeler MF. Measurement of ceruloplasmin from its oxidase activity in serum by use of o-dianisidine hydrochloride. Clin Chem 1974; 20:1556-63 6 Krsek-Staples J, Webster itO. Ceruloplasmin inhibits endothelial cell injury and hydroxyl radical production by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated neutrophils. FASEB J 1990; 4:A629 7 Zigmond SH, Hirsch JC. Leukocyte locomotion and chemotaxis: new methods for evaluation and demonstration of a cell-derived chemotactic factor. J Exp Med 1973; 137:387-410 8 Montgomery AB, Stager MA, Cat-rico CJ, Hudson LD. Causes of mortality in patients with the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Am Rev Respir Dis 1985; 132:485-89
Intergenerational and program-induced effects of welfare dependency: Evidence from the national longitudinal survey of youth

This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine intergenerational and program-induced effects of welfare dependency. Three research questions are asked: (a) How do parental Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) receipt and other family background characteristics affect subsequent dependency on AFDC? (b) How do attitudes about welfare and state AFDC benefit levels affect AFDC dependency? and (c) How do the patterns and factors associated with AFDC dependency vary across racial and ethnic lines? The results suggest that women who grew up in households that received welfare during the woman's adolescence are approximately twice as likely to be dependent on AFDC in young adulthood as women whose families did not received welfare. Further, state AFDC benefit levels are associated with higher risks of AFDC dependency, but the association is significant only for Anglo women. These analyses provide little support for the hypothesis that attitudes toward welfare and low-wage work increase the likelihood of welfare dependency.
Osmotic sensitivity of bacterial protoplasts and the response of their limiting membrane to stretching.

Abstract Bacillus megaterium protoplasts, freed of cell wall by treatment with lysozyme, behaved as osmometers and they were observed to swell and shrink in response to changes in the osmolality of their suspending medium. However, the extent of these volume changes could not be predicted by means of the commonly used van't Hoff-Boyle equation, except for a limited range of osmolalities. In media of osmolality greater than about 4 osmolal, protoplasts were larger than expected; they were relatively unresponsive osmotically and behaved as if they were impermeable to water or else structurally rigid. In media of osmolality less than about 1.7 osmolal, protoplasts were markedly smaller than expected, partly because the largest cells burst and partly because swollen protoplasts lost solutes such as inorganic phosphate. It appeared also that a fair degree of tautness or tension could develop in the membrane of swollen protoplasts since bursting and solute loss tended to occur after rather than during swelling as long as the swelling process was a slow one. A fairly wide distribution of cell sizes was observed in populations of protoplasts prepared from cells harvested during the exponential phase of growth. Changes in average cell volume involved shifts in size distribution within the population; these changes could occur during as well as after wall removal. Liberated protoplasts were found to be larger and osmotically more responsive than the wall-encased protoplasts of whole cells from which they were prepared. In all, it appeared that liberated protoplasts had more surface membrane per cell. Protoplast swelling was essentially fully reversible when it occurred slowly and when extensive leakage of solutes did not occur. Thus the response of the protoplast membrane to slowly applied stress appeared to be one of elastic yield with development of tension. However, when protoplasts were made to swell quickly, brittle fracture of the membrane also occurred, and bursting was evident when membrane extension was less than maximal. The findings presented indicate clearly that the mechanical properties of the protoplast membrane cannot be ignored in considerations of the osmotic responses of protoplasts.
Monitoring im anästhesiologischen Alltag

In den letzten 50 Jahren sind auf dem Gebiet des Monitorings in der Anasthesie grose Fortschritte erzielt worden. Uberwachungsmasnahmen ermoglichen Medikamente nach ihrer Wirkung zu titrieren, Gefahren fur unsere Patienten fruhzeitig zu erkennen und patientenspezifische Probleme zu diagnostizieren. Daruber hinaus haben die Weiterentwicklungen des Monitorings zu einem verbesserten Verstandnis anasthesiologischer Pathophysiologie beigetragen. Moderne Monitore konzentrieren sich auf die Uberwachung einzelner Variablen, ohne die Integration der Datenverarbeitung, die unsere Sinne liefern, zu erreichen. Diese Gerate liefern keine Daten uber die Lageposition, den klinischen Eindruck oder die Bewegung des Patienten. Das aus einem Monitoringverfahren resultierende Bild des Patienten ist im Gegensatz zu dem Bild, das durch die Sinne des Anasthesisten entsteht, nicht allumfassend. Der Arzt verbindet die klinischen Informationen mit den Daten, die vom Monitor zur Verfugung gestellt werden, und den Informationen, die seinen Arbeitsplatz, die Mitarbeiter und die speziellen Begleitumstande des einzelnen Patienten betreffen. Die Fulle dieser Informationen ist wichtig, dennoch gibt es noch immer keine wissenschaftliche Methode, die es erlauben wurde, quantitativ ihre Bedeutung erfassen zu konnen.
Modeling of solid-liquid equilibria in naphthalene, normal-alkane and polyethylene solutions

Abstract A solid–liquid equilibrium (SLE) model is developed on the basis of an equation of state referred to as copolymer SAFT. This SLE model is demonstrated for hydrocarbon solutions containing totally and partially crystallizable solutes. Initially regressed and tested on the solubility data for naphthalene, normal-alkane, and polyethylene, this model is used in a sensitivity study to understand the effects of crystallizability, melting temperature, molecular weight, and pressure on solid–liquid and liquid–liquid transitions of polyethylene in subcritical and supercritical propane.
Supporting Partially Distributed, Case-Based Learning in an Advanced Undergraduate Course in Usability Engineering

We describe our case-based, usability engineering teaching practice and a design of online workspace system that supports various class activities.
Current Issues in Biological Anthropology: An Update for 1999

This has been an exciting year inbiological anthropology, what with"Out of Africa" proved and then dis-proved and then proved and then dis-proved again in a regular and increas-ingly predictable way. There is newheadway in how animal and human be-havior is interpreted, resuscitation ofsome old human origins theories, andnew discoveries of various fossils.Also, race continues to play a major rolein anthropological debates of all kinds,as it has for the entire history of our pro-fession. Even as I write, the mystery ofwho financed the mass mailing to mostanthropologists of a "scientific-appear-ing" inflammatory book on race by J.Philippe Rushton is being investigated.However, it seems to me that anthro-pologists have yet to address the con-sequences of the most striking, imme-diate and possibly the most dangerousdevelopment of the year, the discoverythat the ice caps at the earth's poles aremelting much more rapidly thanthought, but that can be for the nextupdate.I have reviewed several current is-sues here, reflecting both the state ofbiological anthropology and the state ofits integration within anthropology. Inmany ways these are related, becausebiological anthropology is not a kind ofsecond rate biology. When it is good,and it can be very good, it is good sci-ence and good anthropology. When itis practiced outside of anthropology,however, biological anthropology canbe anything from misleading to silly(se e th evolutionar y psycholog sec-tion below), and in today's politicallandscape this can be perilous, as eventhe eminent Stephen Jay Gould haslearned to his regret.Do chimpanzees have culture?
Observations and process parameter sensitivities in fluid‐bed granulation

A numerical approach using mechanistic modeling (population balance) for fluid-bed agglomeration is documented elsewhere. Here important factors for a pilot-scale fluid-bed granulater as determined by a 1/2 fraction factorial statistical design of experiment (DOE), Monte Carlo analysis of the mechanistic model, and comparison of experimental observations to model predictions, are summarized. DOE results indicate sensitive primary process parameters affecting granule size include the bed bowl charge, binder spray rate, air flow rate, and input air temperature. Sensitivity analysis of model results suggest the binder spray rate accounts for approximately 65% of the predicted variance, with the next most sensitive parameter the binder droplet diameter (∼11%). Population balance modeling specifically for fluid beds, coupled with a DOE can be combined so the behavior of agglomeration of wettable powders within a fluid bed can be understood and predicted. Good agreement between experiment and simulation results is found for particles grown to sizes of industrial importance.
Applying GIS and landscape ecological principles to evaluate land conservation alternatives

Abstract Nowhere in the eastern United States is the conflict between the conservation of the rich biological diversity of existing forested landscapes vs. a continued expansion of suburban/exurban development more evident than in the case of Sterling Forest, a 7245 ha tract of land on the New York–New Jersey border. This paper reports on our application of geographic information systems (GIS)-based assessment and landscape ecological principles to assess the environmental sensitivity of Sterling Forest lands and to prioritize lands for conservation protection. This GIS assessment served as the basis of subsequent negotiations of a compromise conservation-development plan by a coalition of land conservation trusts and the land owner/developer. Sterling Forest represents a useful case study of the application of GIS technology by the non-profit environmental groups in successfully undertaking an independent analysis of a regionally important land use issue.
Bragg scattering in permanent nonlinear-particle composite gratings

I consider the problem of two-wave mixing caused by Bragg scattering in a permanent volume index grating that is composed of a periodic distribution of nonlinear particles embedded in a linear matrix. Applying coupled-wave theory, I obtain exact solutions for the nonlinear diffraction efficiency. Two types of Bragg grating are explored, one that is due to both linear and nonlinear contributions and the other to only nonlinear contributions to the index grating. I find interesting regions of intensity-dependent beam modulation, such as beam deflection, beam combining, and switching. One can control these effects by varying the input intensity, the modulation depth, or the phase difference between the intensity pattern and the particle grating. Abrupt beam switching can occur for both types of grating. In the first type, switching is seen with small changes in the input phase. A threshold modulation depth exists for the second type, and abrupt beam switching occurs when the input modulation depth is varied in the vicinity of this value. Intensity requirements for observing these phenomena in polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal gratings are estimated to be approximately 6–60 kW/cm2.
Consequences of Time Reversal Symmetry Violation in Models of High $T(c$) Superconductors

We consider some observable consequences of the possible breaking of the discrete space-time symmetries $P$ and $T$ in high-${T}_{c}$ superconducting materials, as occurs in anyon models. It is argued, within these models, that at least two species of anyons are expected to occur, as a result of a quasimagnetic modification of the algebra of translations. We find that there is an intrinsic orbital magnetic moment perpendicular to each anyon layer, whose sign depends on the sign of the broken symmetry in the layer. If the coupling between layers is ferromagnetic, there should be a number of observable bulk effects, including optical rotation and anomalous transport properties analogous to a Hall conductance, which would occur even in the absence of an external magnetic field. Depending on the sample geometry, there may be a magnetic domain structure and/or fringing magnetic fields, and there may be a difference in the value of ${H}_{\mathrm{c}1}$ for positive and negative magnetic fields. If the coupling between planes is antiferromagnetic, so that the sign of the broken $P$ and $T$ symmetry alternates between planes, the bulk effects are absent, but the broken symmetry may be detected in principle by surface-sensitive probes or by weak effects in neutron scattering. Measurements of muon spin relaxation provide a local probe that should be a sensitive detector of broken $P$ and $T$ symmetry in either the ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic case. For the model of dilute, weakly interacting anyons, we show that the magnitude of the intrinsic orbital magnetic moment can be obtained exactly by a direct physical argument. Our analysis determines all of the coefficients in the effective London Lagrangian, including the Chern-Simons-type terms, if the value of the compressibility is known.
Population growth and sequestration of plant toxins along a gradient of specialization in four aphid species on the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca

Summary 1. Dietary specialization in insect herbivores has long been hypothesized to predict tolerance of plant defences, with more specialized herbivores being highly tolerant of and sometimes sequestering plant secondary compounds. Plant variation in secondary compounds should thus play an important and predictable role in shaping the performance and distribution of insect communities. 2. We compared the performance of four naturally co-occurring aphid species on twenty genotypes of the common milkweed Asclepias syriaca. Genotypes of milkweed consistently differed in functional traits, including concentrations of toxic cardenolides, while the diet breadths of the four aphids ranged from broadly generalized to monophagous. 3. The two more generalized species had the highest population growth rate overall, while growth rates decreased with increasing specialization. In contrast, honeydew exudation as a measure of phloem consumption increased with specialization; thus, resource-use efficiency was lower in specialist aphids. The two more generalized aphids grew best on genotypes with the highest plant growth rate (as an approximation for resource availability), while specialist aphids were not affected by plant growth. 4. All four species contained apolar cardenolides in their bodies and excreted polar cardenolides, but only the most specialized aphid Myzocallis asclepiadis was negatively affected by increasing cardenolide concentrations of the host plant. Sequestration of cardenolides increased with diet specialization, with M. asclepiadis accumulating twice as much as any other species, perhaps explaining its susceptibility to plant cardenolides. 5. Heritable plant traits differentially impacted co-occurring insect herbivores within the same guild. Generalist aphids were susceptible to variation in plant vigour but not defensive compounds. Increased host specialization resulted in lower resource-use efficiency, increased phloem throughput and ultimately higher cardenolide sequestration. Variation in these traits is thus likely to determine the relative distribution of generalist and specialist herbivores on plants in natural communities.
Photoreactivity of Alkylsiloxane Self-Assembled Monolayers on Silicon Oxide Surfaces

We have combined contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the UV photoreactivity of octadecylsiloxane (ODS) SAMs (self-assembled monolayers) in air. Contact angle measurements present evidence that ozone is not the active agent in alkylsiloxane SAM degradation under UV illumination in air. A combination of UV and oxygen is necessary for monolayer degradation to proceed. AFM measurements on submonolayer coverage SAMs provide direct evidence of the photodegradation of ODS SAMs and reveal the role of defects in the degradation process. FT-IR and AFM results suggest that the hydrocarbon chain is the reactive site of the monolayers. A microscopic mechanism of the photoreactivity involving hydrogen abstraction is suggested based on the mechanism of gas-phase oxidation of alkanes. Our results have implications in clarifying the contribution from the reactivity of alkyl chains during the photomodification of SAMs. This clarificat...
Displacement estimation along contours in image sequence analysis

A new computational approach is presented for the estimation of displacement fields along contours of moving regions in image sequences. The proposed scheme uses frame differences to determine moving edges, which are then expressed as straight line tokens. Finally, an edge propagation algorithm is used to determine the distance between these moving edge tokens and the frame difference region boundaries to approximate the displacement fields. The performance of the system is evaluated with a real video image sequence. >
Hardware fault containment in scalable shared-memory multiprocessors

Current shared-memory multiprocessors are inherently vulnerable to faults: any significant hardware or system software fault causes the entire system to fail. Unless provisions are made to limit the impact of faults, users will perceive a decrease in reliability when they entrust their applications to larger machines. This paper shows that fault containment techniques can be effectively applied to scalable shared-memory multiprocessors to reduce the reliability problems created by increased machine size.The primary goal of our approach is to leave normal-mode performance unaffected. Rather than using expensive fault-tolerance techniques to mask the effects of data and resource loss, our strategy is based on limiting the damage caused by faults to only a portion of the machine. After a hardware fault, we run a distributed recovery algorithm that allows normal operation to be resumed in the functioning parts of the machine.Our approach is implemented in the Stanford FLASH multiprocessor. Using a detailed hardware simulator, we have performed a number of fault injection experiments on a FLASH system running Hive, an operating system designed to support fault containment. The results we report validate our approach and show that in conjunction with an operating system like Hive, we can improve the reliability seen by unmodified applications without substantial performance cost. Simulation results suggest that our algorithms scale well for systems up to 128 processors.
Inclusion of Ice Microphysics in the NCAR Community Atmospheric Model Version 3 (CAM3)

Abstract A prognostic equation for ice crystal number concentration together with an ice nucleation scheme are implemented in the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Atmospheric Model version 3 (CAM3) with the aim of studying the indirect effect of aerosols on cold clouds. The effective radius of ice crystals, which is used in the radiation and gravitational settlement calculations, is now calculated from model-predicted mass and number of ice crystals rather than diagnosed as a function of temperature. A water vapor deposition scheme is added to replace the condensation and evaporation (C–E) in the standard CAM3 for ice clouds. The repartitioning of total water into liquid and ice in mixed-phase clouds as a function of temperature is removed, and ice supersaturation is allowed. The predicted ice water content in the modified CAM3 is in better agreement with the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) data than that in the standard CAM3. The cirrus cloud fraction near the tropical tropopau...
International and cross-cultural dimensions of treatment decisions for neonates

Neonatal mortality rates vary widely among countries. According to data from the World Health Organization, neonatal mortality in low- and low-middle-income countries is ∼30 per 1000 babies. In upper middle-income countries, that number was just 10 per 1000. In the highest-income countries, it was <5 per 1000. These data may not be accurate. Many countries do not report the tiniest babies as live births. Thus, their reported infant mortality rates are much lower than their actual infant mortality rates. Another big difference between countries is in the rate at which congenital anomalies are diagnosed prenatally and the rate at which pregnancies are terminated by induced abortion. International comparisons therefore reflect differences in the way countries define live birth, the comprehensiveness of the reporting of live births even by their own definitions, differences in the prevalence of congenital anomalies, the rate at which those congenital anomalies are diagnosed prenatally, and the percentage of pregnancies with congenital anomalies that end in abortion. This article reviews these differences and discusses the implications for the ways in which we think about international differences in decisions about life-sustaining treatment.
String Corrected Spacetimes and SU(N)-Structure Manifolds

Abstract Using an effective field theory approach and the language of SU ( N ) -structures, we study higher derivative corrections to the supersymmetry constraints for compactifications of string or M-theory to Minkowski space. Our analysis is done entirely in the target space and is thus very general, and does not rely on theory-dependent details such as the amount of worldsheet supersymmetry. For manifolds of real dimension n 4 we show that internal geometry remains flat and uncorrected. For n = 4 , 6 , Kahler manifolds with SU ( N ) -holonomy can become corrected to SU ( N ) -structure, while preserving supersymmetry, once corrections are included.
Evidence for translational regulation of the imprinted Snurf–Snrpn locus in mice

In studies of genomic imprinting in the Prader-Willi/Angelman domain, an agouti coat color cassette was inserted into the downstream open reading frame (ORF) of the imprinted bicistronic Snurf-Snrpn locus in the mouse. The fusion gene was maternally silenced, as is Snurf-Snrpn, and produced a tan abdomen only when inherited paternally in otherwise-black mice. A screen for dominant epigenetic or genetic events was performed with ENU mutagenesis, using a strategy whereby variation in abdominal color was scored at weaning. One mouse with maternal origin of the fusion gene had a tan abdomen and had an imprinting defect resulting in loss of both maternal methylation and silencing of the fusion gene. One mouse with paternal origin of the fusion gene was completely yellow and was found to have an ATG-to-AAG mutation in the initiation codon of the upstream ORF encoding SNURF. Northern blotting, immunoblotting, and transfection studies indicated that the ATG-to-AAG mutation causes a 15-fold or more increase in translation of the downstream ORF in two fusion constructs, and it is likely that similar translational control affects the normal Snurf-Snrpn transcript as well.
A remote sensor for the three components of transient electric fields

An active device for measuring the three orthogonal components of a wideband (3 Hz to 4 MHz) transient electric field is described. The system design is specifically tailored to detect the electric fields from lightning occurring at distances from less that 1 km to over 100 km. Each electric field component is sensed on one of three isolated sections of a single metallic sphere that itself is electrically isolated from its surroundings. Electronics within the sphere detect and process signals proportional to the charges induced by the electric fields on the isolated sections of the sphere. The signals are passed to a remote recording device via analog fiber optics links. Also contained within the sphere are controls both to change gain settings and to apply internal calibrations on command from a remote VHF transmitter. >
Evidence of Prehistoric Scalping at Vosberg, Central Arizona

Four crania recovered during the 1970 Arizona State University field school season at a prehistoric site in Vosberg, Arizona show parallel clusters of cut marks characteristic of scalping with a stone knife. These victims were identified during a general survey of the Vosberg skeletons for evidence of trauma and pathology. The discovery of these four victims in the same atypical burial context provides clues to the nature of the scalping custom in the American Southwest prior to European contact and brings the total number of prehistoric scalping victims reported from the Southwest to 15 individuals. Perimortem depressed fractures in two of the crania, and the presence of a stone arrow point within the chest of one of the skeletons, indicates that the scalping of these individuals was the result of violence rather than medicinal or ritual treatment.
Teaching and learning of medical biochemistry according to clinical realities: A case study

To foster medical students to become physicians who will be lifelong independent learners and critical thinkers with healthy skepticism and provide high-quality patient care guided by the best evidence, teaching of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has become an important component of medical education. Currently, the teaching and learning of biochemistry in medical schools incorporates its medical relevance and applications. However, to our knowledge there have been no reports on integrating EBM with teaching and learning medical biochemistry. Here, we present a case study to illustrate the significance of this approach. This case study was based on a biochemistry/nutrition question in a popular board review book about whether a homeless alcoholic man is at risk of developing a deficiency of vitamin E. The possible answers and explanation provided in the book raised a question about the correct answer, which provided us with an opportunity to adapt the philosophy and certain basic EBM principles to find evidence for the clinical applicability of a commonly taught biochemistry topic. The outcome of this case study not only taught us how to conduct an EBM exercise to answer a specific patient question, but also provided us with an opportunity for in-depth teaching and learning of the medical relevance of a specific biochemistry topic based on the best clinical evidence obtained from a systematic research of medical literature.
Impulsivity in body-focused repetitive behavior disorders: Disparate clinical associations between three distinct measures.

AbstractObjective: Research on trichotillomania (TTM) and excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (SPD) has suggested that impulsivity may be an important cognitive underpinning of the behavior, but many studies have produced mixed results. This analysis assessed impulsivity in TTM and SPD using three measures: the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), the Eysenck Impulsiveness Questionnaire (EIQ), and the Stop-Signal Task (SST). Methods: Two hundred and eighty three subjects with TTM or SPD completed measurement of impulsivity as a part of participation in several research studies. Subjects scoring one standard deviation above or below measure means were included in the analysis for that scale (SST: N = 45; EIQ: N = 32; BIS: N = 34). High and low impulsive groups were compared within measures on demographic, clinical, and behavioral variables. Results: Results differed by group, with domains of the BIS showing associations with clinical severity, quality of life, and anxiety, and the SST showing several differe...
The Critic as Artist: Oscar Wilde’s Prolegomena to Shape Grammars

Shape grammars include Wilde’s aesthetic (critical) method—I can calculate with shapes as in themselves they really are not. Embedding makes this possible with schemas and rules that are “superb in [their] changes and contradictions”.
Biomedical applications of tunable liquid lenses

Liquid lens technology is a rapidly progressing field driven by the promise of low cost fabrication, faster response, fewer mechanical elements, versatility and ease of customization for different applications. Here we present the use of liquid lenses for biomedical optics and medical imaging. I will specifically focus on our approaches towards the development of three ex-vivo and in-vivo liquid-lens optical systems — laparoscopic cameras, 3D microscopy and accommodative contact lenses for presbyopic correction. We have previously shown how this liquid lens technology can be leveraged to design compact cube-microcameras for laparoscopic imaging. We demonstrated a 188 percent increase in the field of view (130 degrees) compared to traditional laparoscopes by using a panoramic, laparoscopic imaging tool comprising of an array of these microcameras. The fundamental remote focusing mechanism of the liquid lens can also be used to replace the mechanical axial tuning stage of a conventional wide-field microscope. This talk will review the feasibility of exploiting the benefits of tunable-focus liquid lenses to enhance 3D optical microscopy. Another exciting avenue I will explore is the possible use of tunable liquid lens technology to correct presbyopia. Our strategy aims at correcting this eye defect by developing a new type of contact lens called an accommodative contact lens (ACL) that incorporates a tunable liquid lens for accommodation.
Exploring Millions of Footprints in Location Sharing Services

Location sharing services (LSS) like Foursquare, Gowalla, and Facebook Places support hundreds of millions of user-driven footprints (i.e., "checkins"). Those global-scale footprints provide a unique opportunity to study the social and temporal characteristics of how people use these services and to model patterns of human mobility, which are significant factors for the design of future mobile+location-based services, traffic forecasting, urban planning, as well as epidemiological models of disease spread. In this paper, we investigate 22 million checkins across 220,000 users and report a quantitative assessment of human mobility patterns by analyzing the spatial, temporal, social, and textual aspects associated with these footprints. We find that: (i) LSS users follow the “Levy Flight” mobility pattern and adopt periodic behaviors; (ii) While geographic and economic constraints affect mobility patterns, so does individual social status; and (iii) Content and sentiment-based analysis of posts associated with checkins can provide a rich source of context for better understanding how users engage with these services.
A Factor Analytical Model of Brand Loyalty

With factor analysis as a method of estimating parameters, an empirical model of measuring brand loyalty for individual consumers based on frequency and pattern of purchases is presented. Despite s...
Alcohol-Induced Blackouts: A Review of Recent Clinical Research with Practical Implications and Recommendations for Future Studies

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-induced blackouts, or memory loss for all or portions of events that occurred during a drinking episode, are reported by approximately 50% of drinkers and are associated with a wide range of negative consequences, including injury and death. As such, identifying the factors that contribute to and result from alcohol-induced blackouts is critical in developing effective prevention programs. Here, we provide an updated review (2010 to 2015) of clinical research focused on alcohol-induced blackouts, outline practical and clinical implications, and provide recommendations for future research. METHODS: A comprehensive, systematic literature review was conducted to examine all articles published between January 2010 through August 2015 that focused on vulnerabilities, consequences, and possible mechanisms for alcohol-induced blackouts. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies reported on alcohol-induced blackouts. Fifteen studies examined prevalence and/or predictors of alcohol-induced blackouts. Six publications described the consequences of alcohol-induced blackouts, and 5 studies explored potential cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced blackouts. CONCLUSIONS: Recent research on alcohol-induced blackouts suggests that individual differences, not just alcohol consumption, increase the likelihood of experiencing an alcohol-induced blackout, and the consequences of alcohol-induced blackouts extend beyond the consequences related to the drinking episode to include psychiatric symptoms and neurobiological abnormalities. Prospective studies and a standardized assessment of alcohol-induced blackouts are needed to fully characterize factors associated with alcohol-induced blackouts and to improve prevention strategies.Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism. Language: en
The impact of US Government assistance on recidivism

Background Community re-entry from custody programmes facilitate access to community resources, such as cash assistance and food stamps, with the aim of reducing criminal recidivism. Evidence that these programmes achieve is mainly from longer-term prisoners rather than short-term jail inmates. Aim The aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that facilitating access to community resources while still in jail would reduce re-arrest rates among former jail inmates in the USA. Methods Community resources offered to the jail inmates participating in this study included Medicaid, food stamps and cash assistance. Participants who opted to sign up for these social services were matched with non-applicants based on date of release (n = 101). Each participant's criminal history was coded prior to release from the jail and at three months, six months and one year after release. Results Contrary to our original hypotheses, recidivism was not significantly reduced in the applicant group. People released after facilitated access to community assistance had an increase in drug offence severity at six months after release. Recidivism also differed by age and race. Conclusion The substance offences in the applicant group suggested that cash benefits provided the released offender with the means to sustain their substance misuse. Treatment for substance misuse should be incorporated with other resources in order to reduce recidivism effectively. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Curriculum Mapping: A Before-and-After Look at Faculty Perceptions of Their Courses and the Mapping Process.

The increased interest in program- and university-level assessment over the past few decades has led to increased faculty involvement in developing program learning outcomes and performing program assessment activities. Depending on the level of support and encouragement faculty receive from administration and other entities, they may support or resist these activities. Faculty resistance may stem from fear of losing control of their course content, discouragement over previous failed assessment attempts, or confusion from inconsistent leadership. The School of Food Science, a joint program between the Washington State University and the University of Idaho, recently completed a curriculum mapping and assessment exercise that was conducted entirely by faculty. Faculty members teaching undergraduate courses were surveyed about their opinions of the mapping and assessment process both before and after the process was conducted. The goal of the surveys was to evaluate faculty opinion of these processes and how that opinion changed after completing the processes. Faculty members were generally supportive of the mapping and assessment processes, and willing to participate, and this opinion did not change after the processes were complete. The results of the mapping and assessment activities surprised most of the faculty, and they stated that they had ideas to address the issues found during the exercises. Overall, these results are encouraging in terms of faculty support of the mapping and assessment processes. Provided that administrative support of these processes continues and there is consistent leadership, faculty should continue to be supportive of program level assessment.