cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Qualification and reliability testing of a commercial high-power fiber-coupled semiconductor laser for space applications

A compact microchip laser pumped by a single fiber-coupled semiconductor diode laser is developed for a space-borne scanning laser radar instrument. A commercial off-the-shelf component is used for the pump laser and undergoes a rigorous qualification approach to meet the requirements for the space-borne application. The qualification and testing process for the commercial pump laser is derived based on a nonstandard piece part screening plan and is presented along with the test results. These tests include mechanical, vibration, thermal cycling, and radiation tests as well as a full destructive parts analysis. Accelerated lifetests are also performed on the packaged device to demonstrate the ability to meet an operational lifetime of 5000 h. The environmental testing approach would be applicable to space qualification of a variety of commercial photonic systems, particularly in cost-constrained missions.
Solvent Dependence of the Activation Energy of Attachment Determined by Single Molecule Observations of Surfactant Adsorption

Single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy was used to obtain real-time images of fluorescently labeled hexadecanoic (palmitic) acid molecules as they adsorbed at the interface between fused silica and three different solvents: hexadecane (HD), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and water. These solvents were chosen to explore the effect of solvent polarity on the activation energy associated with the attachment rate, i.e., the rate at which molecules were transferred to the surface from the near-surface layer. Direct counting of single-molecule events, made under steady-state conditions at extremely low coverage, provided direct, model-independent measurements of this attachment rate, in contrast with conventional ensemble-averaged methods, which are influenced by bulk transport and competing detachment processes. We found that the attachment rate increased with increasing temperature for all solvents. Arrhenius analyses gave activation energies of 5 ± 2 kJ/mol for adsorption from HD, 10 ± 2 k...
High‐dose cyclophosphamide and adriamycin with DTIC maintenance for metastatic soft tissue sarcomas

Intensive chemotherapy with high-dose cyclophosphamide and adriamycin with DTIC maintenance was given to 12 patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcomas. A partial response rate of 25% was seen; this is no better than can be achieved with single-agent therapy. Because of substantial toxicity without improved efficacy, the trial of high dose therapy was halted.
Infrared Spectrum of the Difluoromethyl Radical in Solid Argon

The primary products of the reaction of lithium atoms and carbon tetrachloride in solid argon at 15°K are lithium chloride and the trichloromethyl radical, which are identified by infrared spectral studies. Natural chlorine isotopes, carbon 13 and bromine substitution, and loss of CCl3 absorptions with attendant growth of absorptions due to C2Cl6 on sample warming verify the molecular identity. Assignments to the carbon–chlorine stretching vibrations ν1 = 674 and ν3 = 898 cm−1 are supported by normal coordinate calculations, and the weak bending modes ν2 and ν4 were not detected. The stretching force constants Fτ = 3.83 mdyn / A and Fττ = 0.43 mdyn / A are compared with those of other chlorocarbons and BCl3 This comparison supports proposed resonance stabilization of the trichloromethyl radical.
Taxes and the acquisition of depreciable assets: The Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the alternative minimum tax

Abstract Analysis of firm investment behavior during 1982–1993 shows that the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA 86) Public Law No. 99-514 substantially affects both purchases and leases of depreciable assets. The changes in the regular corporate income tax rules are shown to lower asset acquisition. The effect of the alternative minimum tax (AMT) is found to vary with the debt share in firms’ capital structure and with the frequency of AMT exposure during the life of the assets acquired. On average, TRA86 depresses asset purchases less for firms that are subject to the AMT: AMT somewhat mitigates the negative effects of the regular tax rules.
Trading off transient fault tolerance and power consumption in deep submicron (DSM) VLSI circuits

High fault tolerance for transient faults and low-power consumption are key objectives in the design of critical embedded systems. Systems like smart cards, PDAs, wearable computers, pacemakers, defibrillators, and other electronic gadgets must not only be designed for fault tolerance but also for ultra-low-power consumption due to limited battery life. In this paper, a highly accurate method of estimating fault tolerance in terms of mean time to failure (MTTF) is presented. The estimation is based on circuit-level simulations (HSPICE) and uses a double exponential current-source fault model. Using counters, it is shown that the transient fault tolerance and power dissipation of low-power circuits are at odds and allow for a power fault-tolerance tradeoff. Architecture and circuit level fault tolerance and low-power techniques are used to demonstrate and quantify this tradeoff. Estimates show that incorporation of these techniques results either in a design with an MTTF of 36 years and power consumption of 102 /spl mu/W or a design with an MTTF of 12 years and power consumption of 20 /spl mu/W. Depending on the criticality of the system and the power budget, certain techniques might be preferred over others, resulting in either a more fault tolerant or a lower power design, at the sacrifice of the alternative objective.
Uniform labor-income taxation and economic efficiency

Abstract This paper uses a two-period representative-agent optimal taxation model to characterize government tax policy when the interest rate is determined in equilibrium and is affected by policy choices. It shows that dynamic tax smoothing may not be optimal and the response of the interest rate with respect to policy choices is extremely important in characterizing government's tax policy.
What Are Norms and Why Do We Need Valid Ones

Determining whether outcome scores are close to normative means is a commendable way to assess clinical significance. However, to be valid, norms require samples that are carefully chosen to be representative of relevant populations. The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory norms used by Sheldrick et al. were not representative of relevant populations, thereby casting doubt on conclusions concerning the clinical significance of outcomes. In addition to being used for categorical judgments of whether outcomes approximate a normative mean, valid norms are needed for deciding who needs treatment; for evaluating outcomes for problems too severe to approach the normative mean; for making diagnostic criteria more sensitive to age, gender, and other differences; and for evaluating aspects of functioning beside those targeted for treatment.
HIGH-PURITY GERMANIUM CRYSTAL GROWING.

Abstract It is shown that high-purity germanium can be grown with rather simple precautions against airborne contamination. Several crystals have been grown with net impurity concentrations less than 5×10 10 /cm 3 over more than half the crystal length. Some initial results with detectors made from this materials are presented.
Extraction of Conjugates from Urine by Nonionic Adsorption

Abstract Procedures are described for extracting glucuronic acid and sulfuric acid conjugates from animal urine by using a nonionic type of adsorption chromatography. A chromatographic column (Porapak Q coated with trioctylamine) was developed to take advantage of nonspecific adsorption characteristics of these compounds on anion-exchange columns. The separation procedure provided sufficient cleanup of the conjugates to allow for their chromatography by other chromatographic methods.
N6, O2'-dimethyladenosine a novel methylated ribonucleoside next to the 5' terminal of animal cell and virus mRNAs.

MODIFIED 5′-terminal structures of the type m7G(5′)ppp(5′)Nm have been identified in various viral1–4 and cellular5–8 mRNAs. The 5′-terminal modification of mRNA may be carried out by specific guanylyl- and methyltransferases9 and the structure seems to be required for efficient in vitro translation10. Studies5 of the 5′-terminal sequences of HeLa cell mRNAs revealed a methylated nucleoside that chromatographed slightly ahead of 2′-O-methyladenosine (Am). We have now identified this novel nucleoside and found that it is common to mRNAs of human and mouse cells as well as at least one virus.
Computationally Efficient Polynomial Approximations Used to Program the Theis Equation

Polynomial approximations have been developed for the infinite series embodied in the Theis equation. These have the following advantages when programmed for use on computers or hand calculators: (1) they are easy to program; (2) they are computationally efficient; and (3) they eliminate round-off errors.
Superconducting Tc enhancement due to local phonon impurities

We have studied the enhancement of superconductivity due to a small concentration of local phonon impurities using a new method. The method combines diagrammatic perturbation theory and Monte Carlo simulation. This method allows us fully to take into account the retarded nature of the interactions and hence study in detail the interplay between the electron-phonon systems of the host and the impurities.
On integrating lines of curvature

The treatment of parameterization-dependent indeterminacies in numerical integrations of lines of curvature on a surface is addressed. It is shown that, at nonumbilic points, such occurrences have simple geometrical interpretations, and may be resolved by a deterministic modification to the vector fields specifying the principal directions.
Birefringence suppression near the smectic A–smectic C phase transition in de Vries-type liquid crystals

Two smectic liquid crystal materials exhibiting a de Vries-type smectic A to smectic C transition with low layer shrinkage were studied using polarised microscopy. Birefringence and tilt angle was measured as a function of temperature using a novel camera and software system. The analysis showed unusual features in birefringence, which had a peak within the smectic A phase and decreased significantly with cooling for a ˜15°C range above the smectic A–smectic C transition in both materials. The reduction in birefringence above the smectic A–smectic C transition was interpreted with a critical fluctuation model, which allowed calculation of the heat capacity critical exponent α. Exponents were not in a clear universality class, similar to previously reported results on other non-de Vries materials. However, a recently published mean field model for de Vries smectics provided an alternate explanation for birefringence suppression. Five analyses were performed on the birefringence and tilt angle data and were...
Methylation of tin(II) by methyl iodide in porewater

The methylation of tin(II) chloride by methyl iodide in porewater and formation of monomethyltin as the only methyltin product are described. A factorial experiment tested the effects of concentrations of tin(II), methyl iodide, and oxygen on monomethyltin yields. The experiments gave 0.18 to 12.8 % yield. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) calculations showed that all three variables were significant at the 95 % level. Comparison of yields in aqueous 23 g kg−1 sodium chloride solutions to those in porewater and to those containing fulvic acid, salicylic acid, and EDTA showed that only fulvic acid significantly reduced yields. Reasons for this observation are discussed and the findings in the model system are related to methylation of tin compounds in sediments.
Landslides caused by earthquakes: Discussion and reply

No Abstract Available. The article discussed appeared in the Bulletin , v. 95, p. 406–421.
Measurements of Asymmetries in the Decay of Polarized Neutrons

Previous measurements on the decay of polarized neutrons showed it to be non-isotropic with respect to the neutron spin. The coefficient for the correlation between the direction of emission of the beta particles and the neutron spin was shown to be too large in absolute value because of an interference from the correlation of neutrino direction with neutron spin. This correlation, of fundamental interest in beta-decay theory, was measured. The experimental apparatus is shown, and the results are tabulated. (D.E.B.)
Pyrimidine base and ribonucleoside catabolic enzyme activities of the Pseudomonas diminuta group

Pyrimidine base and ribonucleoside catabolic enzyme activities of the two type strains of the Pseudomonas diminuta group were investigated for taxonomic classification purposes. The presence of the pyrimidine salvage enzyme nucleoside hydrolase was indicated in both type strains following thin-layer chromatographic analysis. The presence of the hydrolase was also confirmed by enzyme assay. In addition, the activities of the pyrimidine salvage enzymes dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and dihydropyrimidinase were measurable in cell-free extracts of both P. diminuta and P. vesicularis. An absence of cytosine deaminase activity was found when assaying extracts of the two type strains. Nucleoside hydrolase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase levels in P. vesicularis were influenced by carbon source while dihydropyrimidinase activity was observed to increase after P. diminuta growth on dihydrothymine as a nitrogen source.
Microfluidic Devices for Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy

The goal of time-resolved cryo-EM (TRCEM) is to determine structural models for transient functional states of large macromolecules such as ribosomes and ion channels. A challenge of TRCEM is to rapidly mix reactants and then deposit them as a thin aqueous film (<200 nm) on an electron microscope grid in a short time (milliseconds) before quenching of the reaction by plunging into cryogen (e.g., liquid ethane). Previously, we demonstrated that spraying the mixture with an air atomizer produces a sufficiently thin aqueous film when deposited onto a suitably hydrophilic grid. To achieve efficient mixing, low sample consumption (several microliters/sec), and flow rates compatible with air atomization, we designed and fabricated planar passive mixers consisting of a pair of premixers and a single channel containing pillar obstacle structures. A computational fluidic dynamics (CFD) simulation, using FLUENT CFD was used to direct our mixer designs. Experimental evaluations of mixer performance at millisecond time scales were conducted by fluorescence microscopy using fluorescent dye solutions or nanoparticle suspensions. Now we have integrated a micro-mixer and several types of sprayer into silicon-based chips, and have begun to test their feasibility for TRCEM. Initial experiments have focused on the kinetics of the assembly of prokaryotic ribosomes from their constituent 30S and 50S subunits. Assembly of ribosomes has been achieved by TRCEM, and experiments to detect potential intermediates in the process are under way.
Mechanism for KRIT1 Release of ICAP1-Mediated Suppression of Integrin Activation

KRIT1 (Krev/Rap1 Interaction Trapped-1) mutations are observed in ∼40% of autosomal-dominant cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), a disease occurring in up to 0.5% of the population. We show that KRIT1 functions as a switch for β1 integrin activation by antagonizing ICAP1 (Integrin Cytoplasmic Associated Protein-1)-mediated modulation of "inside-out" activation. We present cocrystal structures of KRIT1 with ICAP1 and ICAP1 with integrin β1 cytoplasmic tail to 2.54 and 3.0 A resolution (the resolutions at which I/σI = 2 are 2.75 and 3.0 A, respectively). We find that KRIT1 binds ICAP1 by a bidentate surface, that KRIT1 directly competes with integrin β1 to bind ICAP1, and that KRIT1 antagonizes ICAP1-modulated integrin activation using this site. We also find that KRIT1 contains an N-terminal Nudix domain, in a region previously designated as unstructured. We therefore provide insights to integrin regulation and CCM-associated KRIT1 function.
Scattering of Hawking photons as a barrier to particle absorption by black holes

Abstract Electromagnetic scattering interactions between photons emanating from a Schwarzschild black hole and an incident charged particle should generate a repulsive force between the particle and black hole. The net scattering cross-section is calculated here as a function of the mass M of the black hole and the mass m of the particle for scenarios in which the particle is point-like and initially stationary, with proper energy e = m , at some location far from the black hole. It follows from comparing the repulsive scattering force to the corresponding gravitational force that, in order for the particle to be drawn to the black hole, e / T bh must be greater than a certain lower bound that is of the order 10 − 3 for spin-1/2 or spin-0 particles with unit-charge. Although the scattering restriction is weaker than the requirement e / T bh ≫ 1 obtained independently from field-theoretic and thermodynamic treatments, the recurrence of a lower bound on the Boltzmann factor e / T bh in limitations on particle absorption suggests a physical unity whose nature is fundamentally thermodynamic.
Adaptation of the hippocampus-accumbens pathway following repeated cocaine

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 140 (2014) e2–e85 e11 Conclusions: The results of the present longitudinal study suggest that most smokers in this nationally representative sample of adolescentswhowere followed into early adulthood are characterized as being occasional users. Further, we found that depressive symptoms influence the groupof adolescentswho steadily increase the number of cigarettes smoked per day in early adulthood. The findings have implications for coordinated mental health and substance use treatment. Financial support: No financial support was received. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.02.050 Adaptation of the hippocampus-accumbens pathway following repeated cocaine Jeffrey L. Barr1, G.L. Forster2, E.M. Unterwald1 1 Department of Pharmacology and Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States 2 Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United
Developmental rates ofPatasson lameerei [Hym.: Mymaridae] and the effect of host egg age on parasitism

Patasson lameerei Debauche development from egg to adult emergence onSitona hispidulus (Fabricius) eggs at 7.2, 10.0, 15.6, 21.1 and 26.7°C required 154.1, 75.4, 24.3, 17.6, and 12.9 days for females and 147.3, 61.0, 23.4, 15.4, and 11.6 for males, respectively. At 21.1°C the optimal age ofS. hispidulus eggs for parasitism byP. lameerei was 2 days, with effective parasitism occurring on eggs ranging from 1 to 4 days old.
Trace element analyses of diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin solutions.

A sensitive assay using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) has been applied to the measurement of trace elements in diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin (DCLHb) solutions. Calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron were the only elements detected at greater than background levels. Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Sr, Ti, and V were present at concentrations either equal to the acid blanks or were not detected.Detection of non-heme iron (not incorporated into the hemoglobin porphyrin ring) in a 10 g/dL hemoglobin solution required the development of a special protocol. In this protocol a chelator, DTPA, was added to hemoglobin solutions to complex with both free and non-specifically bound non-heme iron. The resulting iron: DTPA complexes were separated from the hemoglobin molecules by ultrafiltration and the ultra-filtrate analyzed by ICP-AES. A modification of this assay in which the DTPA was omitted was used to measure the free non-heme iron in solution. T...
ALAS from sliding rainbows

Abstract The 180° excitation function for α + 40 Ca elastic scattering exhibits a series of broad maxima in the 20–50 MeV energy range. They are found to be a translation into energy language of the nuclear rainbow phenomenon described in the preceding paper, and the highest-energy maximum is shown to occur near the energy E F at which the pocket in V l ( r ) disappears. This fact can be used to determine the depth V 0 of the real part of the corresponding optical potential.
Pressure-Driven Ranque-Hilsch Temperature Separation in Liquids

On montre que le phenomene de separation de temperature du tube a tourbillon de Ranque-Hilsch est possible egalement pour les liquides incompressibles
Sample size requirements to detect a two- or three-way interaction in longitudinal cluster randomized clinical trials with second-level randomization:

BackgroundWhen randomizations are assigned at the cluster level for longitudinal cluster randomized trials (longitudinal-CRTs) with a continuous outcome, formulae for determining the required sample size to detect a two-way interaction effect between time and intervention are available.PurposeTo show that (1) those same formulae can also be applied to longitudinal trials when randomizations are assigned at the subject level within clusters and (2) this property can be extended to 2-by-2 factorial longitudinal-CRTs with two treatments and different levels of randomization for which testing a three-way interaction between time and the two interventions is of primary interest.MethodsWe show that slope estimates from different treatment arms are uncorrelated, regardless of whether randomization occurs at the third or second level and also regardless of whether slopes are considered fixed or random in the mixed-effects model for testing two-way or three-way interactions. Sample size formulae are extended to un...
Selective alkylatation of dopamine D2 and D4 receptors in rat brain by N-(p-isothiocyanatophenethyl)spiperone

Effects of the D2-like receptor alkylating agent NIPS (N-[p-isothiocyanatophenethyl]spiperone) on dopamine receptors in rat brain were characterized by radioreceptor assays and quantitative autoradiography. NIPS alkylated D2 and D4 receptors concentration-dependently in brain sections and transfected cells. NIPS also alkylated both receptors dose-dependently in vivo, with no effect on dopamine D1-like or serotonin 5-HT2 receptors at a dose that occluded 75% of D2 and D4 receptors. Pretreatment with D2-like receptor selective antagonist haloperidol completely blocked the effects of NIPS. The findings demonstrate that NIPS selectively alkylates D2 and D4 receptors, indicating its potential utility for studies of these receptors.
Forces in Intracellular Transport: Calibrated Optical trap Recordings in Living Cells

Many cellular cargos move bidirectionally along microtubules and actin, driven by teams of plus- and minus-end directed motor proteins. To probe the forces exerted on cargos in intracellular transport, we examined latex beads phagocytosed into living mammalian macrophages. These latex bead compartments (LBCs) are encased in membrane and transported along the cytoskeleton by a complement of endogenous kinesin, dynein, and myosin motors. The size and refractive index of LBCs makes them well-suited to manipulation with an optical trap. We developed novel methods to calibrate the optical trap in the complex, viscoelastic environment of the cytoplasm using spectra of thermal motions and forced sinusoidal positioning of the trap laser and the microscope stage. This method provides an accurate, in situ characterization of the fluctuating motions and forces on LBCs inside living cells without reliance on calibrations performed outside of the cell or on different beads, as in previous studies. Correlation analysis of quadrant photodiode signals is used to minimize spurious signals from scattering particles out of the LBC’s plane. For both LBCs in live cells and purified LBCs in vitro, we find that centrally and peripherally directed forces exerted on LBCs in live cells, or plus- and minus-end directed forces on microtubules in vitro, are of similar magnitude. In vitro and in live cells, the force traces are indicative of transport by multiple motors, with maximum forces of 15-20 pN and detachment occurring in multiple steps. These observations suggest bidirectional transport of LBCs is driven by opposing teams of stably-bound motors that operate near force balance. Supported by NIH grant GM087253 to ELFH and YEG and GM089077 to AGH.
Harnessing brain plasticity through behavioral techniques to produce new treatments in neurorehabilitation.

Basic behavioral neuroscience research with monkeys has given rise to an efficacious new approach to the rehabilitation of movement after stroke, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and other types of neurological injury in humans termed Constraint-Induced Movement therapy or CI therapy. For the upper extremity, the treatment involves intensive training of the more affected arm by "shaping," the application of a number of other behavioral techniques, and prolonged constraint of use of the less affected arm. CI therapy has been shown to produce large changes in the organization and function of the brain. This result points to the fact that behavior can have a profound effect on the nervous system that is greater than is generally recognized, and harnessing this brain plasticity by behavioral means has promise for the development of new treatments in the field of rehabilitation. Language: en
(n, 2n) cross sections at 14.8 MeV on some closed shell nuclides

Abstract Total cross sections for (n, 2n) reactions at 14.8 ± 0.3 MeV on rubidium, zirconium, cerium, neodymium and samarium have been measured by the activation method using a Ge(Li) detector. Short-lived activities were investigated by the cyclic activation technique. A comparison of the theoretical and the experimental cross sections shows that the statistical model values for the target nuclides having closed neutron shells are in close agreement with the experimentally obtained values. The dependence of (n, 2n) cross sections on the relative neutron excess of the target nucleus is discussed based on present results.
Effect on Classification Error of Random Permutations of Features in Representing Multivariate Data by Faces

Abstract A graphical method of representing multivariate data consists of drawing a cartoon of a face determined by 18 parameters. A sample of vector observations of dimension d ≤ 18 is converted to faces by assigning components of the vector to facial parameters. We report an experiment which estimates that the effect of a random permutation in the assignment of parameters may affect the error rate in a classification task using these faces by a factor of about 25 percent.
Modulation of insulin secretion by insulin and glucose in type II diabetes mellitus.

We studied the dose-response characteristics of insulin's ability to modulate its own secretion in normal and type II diabetic (NIDDM) subjects by measuring suppression of serum C-peptide levels during insulin infusions witK the plasma glucose level held constant. In normal subjects at euglycemia, primed continuous insulin infusion rates of 15, 40, 120, and 240 mU/M2 min acutely raised serum insulin to steady state levels of 37 ± 2 (±SE), 96 ± 6, 286 ± 17, and 871 ± 93 µU/ml, respectively. During each infusion, maximal suppression of C-peptide to 30% of basal levels occurred by 130 min. At the higher insulin levels (≥100 µU/ml), C-peptide levels fell rapidly, with an apparent t½, of 13 min, which approximates estimates for the t½ of circulating C-peptide in man. This is consistent with an immediate 70% inhibition of the basal rate of insulin secretion. At the lower insulin level (37 ± 2 µU/ml), C-peptide levels fell to 30% of basal values less rapidly (apparent t½, 33 min), suggesting that 70% inhibition ...
Incorporation of palmitate into glycerides by mammary mitochondrial and microsomal fractions

Abstract Investigation of the extent and nature of the glycerides formed from DL-α-glycerophosphate and 1,2-dipalmitin by the mammary mitochondrial and microsomal fractions failed to reveal any fundamental difference in the synthesis of glycerides.
FLUX DIFFERENCE SPLITTING FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL STEADY INCOMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS IN CURVILINEAR CO-ORDINATES

SUMMARY A collocated discretization of the 3D steady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations based on a flux-difference- splitting formulation is presented. The discretization employs primitive variables of Cartesian velocity components and pressure. The splitting used here is a polynomial splitting introduced by Dick and Linden of Roe type. Second-order accuracy is obtained with the defect correction approach in which the state vector is inter- polated with van Leer's ic-scheme. The underlying solution technique to solve the discretized equations is a parallel multiblock multigrid method. Several 2D and 3D test problems such as driven cavity and channel flows are solved. For the discretization and solution of the steady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in arbitrarily shaped domains, several methods have been proposed. With the finite element method, very complex geometries can be discretized. However, for solving finite element dicretizations, it is a disadvantage that the sparsity pattern of a discretized operator is not regular. Therefore it can be difficult to find robust solution methods. A compromise between flexibility and robustness is the use of finite volume discretizations on block-structured grids. In a general domain, then, a boundary-fitted curvilinear grid is generated. With multiblock methods the flexibility of these finite volume methods is increased. The regular sparsity pattern in these discretizations can be employed for robustness and efficiency aspects of solution methods. The discretization methods adopting boundary-fitted curvilinear co-ordinate systems differ in grid arrangement (collocated or staggered grids) and in the choice of velocity components (Cartesian or so-called grid-oriented velocity unknowns such as contravariant components). Nowadays, discretization techniques that have proved to be successful and promising for 2D problems are being generalized to three dimensions. An (incomplete) overview of some of these techniques is given now. The first approach where complex flows are solved successfully employs a combination of staggered grids and contravariantflux unknowns and pressure as dependent variables. It is for example used in References 1 and 2, where also 3D problems were tackled. The same combination was used in a different fashion in Reference 3, for which 3D flow was shown in Reference 4. Another recent paper CCC 027 1-209 1 /96/04O347-20
Measuring adherence to hand hygiene guidelines: a field survey for examples of effective practices.

Background Measuring adherence to hand hygiene guidelines is resource intensive and complicated by lack of standardized methodology. The multiplicity of approaches in use makes it difficult to meaningfully compare performance across health care organizations. The goal of this project was to identify promising and effective practices for measuring adherence with hand hygiene guidelines across a variety of settings. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted electronically in February 2007 to collect information on aspects of hand hygiene measured (eg, frequency, thoroughness of technique, glove use, product consumption), data collection approaches, training and resources, reports, and others. Invitations to respond were widely distributed through Web site announcements and list-serve messages of The Joint Commission and collaborating organizations. A panel of national experts developed and applied criteria for evaluating the methods. Results Two hundred forty-two responses were submitted from a variety of settings and countries. Most (approximately 75%) measured frequency of hand hygiene; approximately 50% measured thoroughness, glove use, product usage, patient and provider satisfaction, or other aspects. Seventy-two percent relied exclusively on manual data collection, and most methods (80%) had been in use for less than 3 years. Most (65%) spent less than 1 hour in training data collectors, and few had evidence of reliability or validity. Forty submissions met most criteria for inclusion in an educational monograph. Conclusion Among respondents who considered their approach to be an example of an effective practice, there was substantial variation in methods and little evidence of reliability. Standardization of methods is needed to compare performance across organizations or within an organization over time.
Synthesis and grafting of thioctic acid-PEG-folate conjugates onto Au nanoparticles for selective targeting of folate receptor-positive tumor cells.

This paper reports the creation of Au nanoparticles (AuNP) that are soluble in aqueous solution over a broad range of pH and ionic strength values and that are capable of selective uptake by folate receptor positive (FR+) cancer cells. A novel poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) construct with thioctic acid and folic acid coupled on opposite ends of the polymer chain was synthesized for targeting the AuNP to FR+ tumor cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis. These folic acid−PEG−thioctic acid conjugates were grafted onto 10-nm-diameter Au particles in aqueous solution. The resulting folate−PEG-coated nanoparticles do not aggregate over a pH range of from 2 to 12 and at electrolyte concentrations of up to 0.5 M NaCl with particle concentrations as high as 1.5 × 1013 particles/mL. Transmission electron microscopy was used to document the performance of these coated nanoparticles in cell culture. Selective uptake of folate−PEG grafted AuNPs by KB cells, a FR+ cell line that overexpress the folate receptor, was obser...
Cars Gone Wild: The Major Contributor to Unintended Acceleration in Automobiles is Pedal Error.

“Unintended-acceleration” automobile accidents typically begin when the driver first enters the car, starts the engine, and intends to press his/her right foot on the brake while shifting from Park to a drive gear (Drive or Reverse). The driver reports an unintended (uncommanded) full-throttle acceleration, coupled with a loss of braking, until the episode ends in a crash. Pedal misapplications--where the right foot contacts the accelerator instead of the brake that was intended--have been linked to these accidents (Schmidt, 1989, 1993) which, in the 1980s, were thought to occur only at the start of a driving cycle (and/or with the car in Park). But, in 1997, we identified over 200 pedal errors as the cause of accidents reported in the North Carolina database; these crashes occurred during the driving cycle (Schmidt et al., 1997), and/or with the vehicle in a gear other than Park. Our present work provides a more thorough analysis of these North Carolina Police Accident Reports from 1979 to 1995. The vast majority of pedal misapplications (over 92%) (a) occurred during the driving cycle, (b) were generally in “unhurried” conditions, and (c) were categorically separate from those events referred to as unintended-acceleration episodes at start-up. These ideas are explanatory for the recent (2009-2010) surge of unintended-acceleration reports, perhaps even suggesting that all of these crashes are caused by pedal errors, and that none of them are based on some vehicle defect(s).
CO2-assisted synthesis of silk fibroin hydrogels and aerogels.

Abstract Biocompatible and biodegradable porous materials based on silk fibroin (SF), a natural protein derived from the Bombyx mori silkworm, are being extensively investigated for use in biomedical applications including mammalian cell bioprocessing, tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. In this work, low-pressure, gaseous CO 2 is used as an acidifying agent to fabricate SF hydrogels. This low-pressure CO 2 acidification method is compared to an acidification method using high-pressure CO 2 to demonstrate the effect of CO 2 mass transfer and pressure on SF sol–gel kinetics. The effect of SF molecular weight on the sol–gel kinetics is determined using the low-pressure CO 2 method. The results from these studies demonstrate that low-pressure CO 2 processing proves to be a facile method for synthesizing 3-D SF hydrogels.
Religiousness and Social Integration in Assisted Living

The positive effects of religiousness on coping with transitions and other challenges in life are well documented. However, little is known about specific roles that religious beliefs and activities provide for residents who are becoming integrated into assisted living (AL) settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and meanings associated with religiousness among AL residents. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 29 residents in four AL settings in a Southern state. Findings revealed four key themes: the opportunity for interactions, coping mechanisms, sense of self, and privacy. Practice implications for the AL community were suggested.
Dynamic stress intensity factor for a non-axisymmetric loading of the penny shaped crack

Abstract The response of a penny shaped crack embedded in an infinite, isotropic elastic medium to an incident plane harmonic shear wave is considered. The incident wave is assumed to be polarized in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the crack and to propagate along the axis of the crack. The problem is formulated in terms of a pair of coupled dual integral equations. These equations are then transformed into Fredholm equations of the second kind, suitable for iteration at low frequencies. The singular behavior of the stress components at the edge of the crack is discussed. It is shown that at low frequencies the stress intensity factors are always greater than those for a uniform static shear loading of the crack.
Code division positioning by continuous signals using spread spectrum ultrasonic waves

Indoor real-time positioning is required in order to realize self-localization for autonomous mobile robots. In particular, accurate control in plural mobile robots requires 3-D coordinate information. This paper presents the positioning accuracy and response time for a 3-D real-time indoor positioning system which uses continuous spread spectrum ultrasonic signals that are generated and detected using inexpensive all-purpose transducers, and a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication system. For application with moving targets, we propose signal acquisition and tracking using continuous signals in analogy to the already effective Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The proposed calculation algorithm for coordinate acquisition is based on the Newton-Raphson method for continuous signals. The calculation time and accuracy of this method is verified by conducting a positioning experiment. The results show that the positioning error is less than 50 mm in a 4000 mm by 4000 mm experimental space with 4 transmitters. Moreover, the maximum response time to update a result is 80 ms, displaying the efficacy of this system for robot navigation.
A spectral representation based model for Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract A new model is proposed for generating samples of real-valued stationary Gaussian processes. The model is based on the spectral representation theorem stating that a weakly stationary process can be viewed as a superposition of harmonics with random properties. The classical use of this theorem for Monte Carlo simulation is based on models consisting of a superposition of harmonics with fixed frequencies but random amplitude and phase. The resulting samples have the same period depending on the discretization of the frequency band. In contrast, the proposed model consists of a superposition of harmonics with random amplitude, phase, and frequency so that different samples have different periods depending on the particular sample values of the harmonic frequencies. A band limited Gaussian white noise process is used to illustrate the proposed Monte Carlo simulation algorithm and demonstrate that the estimates of the covariance function based on the samples of the proposed model are not periodic.
What happens inside an atherosclerotic plaque

Abstract Atherogenesis probably begins with endothelial dysfunction, whose triggers include dyslipidemia, smoking, hypertension, and insulin resistance. Endothelial dysfunction may encompass impaired barrier function; induction of endothelial adhesion molecules including VCAM-1; and migration of leukocytes and monocytes into the subendothelial space in response to chemoattractant cytokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Subsequent steps include formation of foam cells, smooth muscle cell migration, T cell activation, and, at sites of plaque disruption, platelet activation and aggregation. The smooth muscle cells form a fibrous cap. Stable plaques have a thick fibrous cap, a small lipid core, and few inflammatory cells. In contrast, lesions with higher risk of rupture have high lipid content, numerous inflammatory cells, and a thin fibrous cap with reduced collagen and vascular smooth muscle cells. Diseased coronary arteries contain multiple such vulnerable plaques, hence the need for systematic therapy to prevent acute coronary events.
Detection and simulation of roof-corner pressure transients

Abstract Many practical time series, including pressure signals measured on roof-corners of low-rise buildings in quartering winds, consist of relatively quiescent periods interrupted by intermittent transients. The dyadic wavelet transform is used to detect these transients in pressure time series and a relatively simple pattern classification scheme is used to detect underlying structure in these transients. Statistical analysis of the resulting pattern classes yields a library of signal building blocks, which are useful for detailed characterization of transients inherent to the signals being analyzed. Probability density functions describing the arrival intervals and characteristics of the detected transients are used to synthesize time series that mimic the intermittency of the original signal. In addition, the signal that remains when the detected transients are removed from the original signal is examined to suggest appropriate models for the background noise in the intermittent signal.
The effect of firm-industry earnings correlation and announcement timing on firms' accrual decisions

Abstract Prior research shows that member firms in an industry adjust discretionary accruals (DAs) based on their relative earnings performance (REP), defined against industry. This study empirically examines whether firms' REP-based accrual decisions are related to earnings correlation with industry and relative announcement timing. We hypothesize that, when their REP is poor, firms with high earnings correlation and relative announcement delay (RAD) adjust DAs more actively than firms characterized otherwise. Our results support these hypotheses. The extent of accruals adjustment is, on average, significantly higher for the sample firms with high earnings correlation and RAD, respectively, than for those characterized differently. The negative relation between DAs and REP is particularly striking for the high correlation and poor REP firms and for the announcement delay and poor REP firms, than for the other firms. We conclude that firm-industry earnings correlation and relative announcement timing, in addition to REP, are important factors affecting individual member firms' discretionary accrual decisions.
Multiple Diffraction in Grating Spectroscopy

Double mirrors are used in the focused spectrum of diffraction gratings to invert the spectrum and return the radiation to the grating a number of times. After three or four diffractions from low orders, resolution is observed which is equivalent to that available in the highest orders. An additional double-mirror system is described which separates the spectra, obtained after several diffractions, from other spectra. The problem of multiple diffraction with long-curved slits is discussed, and a modification of the Ebert monochromator is suggested for high-resolution multiple-diffraction spectrometry.
Size-fractionated biological iron and carbon uptake along a coastal to offshore transect in the NE Pacific

Abstract Iron has been shown to limit phytoplankton growth in high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) regions such as the NE subarctic Pacific. We report size-fractionated Fe-uptake rates by the entire plankton community in short (6–8 h) light and dark incubations along an E–W transect from P04 (a coastal ocean station) to OSP (an open-ocean HNLC station) during August–September 1997. Size-fractionated primary productivity and chl a were measured to monitor algal Fe : C uptake ratios and Fe-uptake relative to phytoplankton biomass. The >5.0 μm size-class, which consisted mostly of large diatoms, had the highest Fe-uptake rate at nearshore stations (P04 and P8), but Fe-uptake rates for this size class decreased despite increases in biomass and primary productivity when transecting westwards to HNLC waters. Fe-uptake rates of the small size class (0.2–1.0 μm, including heterotrophic bacteria and autotrophs) were inversely related to the >5.0 μm size-class uptake rates, in that stations with high dissolved Fe (DFe) concentrations had relatively low uptake rates compared to those in the low-Fe offshore region. The 1.0–5.0 μm size-class Fe-uptake rates were low, relatively invariant along the transect, and differed little between light and dark incubations. Dark Fe-uptake rates averaged 10–20% less than those in the light for the >5.0 μm size class. Dark uptake rates however, were higher than light uptake rates for the 0.2–1.0 μm size class at all stations. Fe : C uptake ratios were high for all size classes at P04, but decreased as DFe concentrations decreased offshore. The prokaryote-dominated 0.2–1.0 μm size class had the highest Fe : C uptake ratios at all stations. These data suggest that prokaryotic organisms make an important contribution to biological Fe uptake in this region. Our experiments support the results of previous culture work, suggesting higher Fe : C ratios in coastal phytoplankton compared to open-ocean species, and demonstrate that light can have a large effect on Fe partitioning between size classes in subarctic Pacific HNLC waters.
Benefit functions and duality

This paper studies a new representation of individual preferences termed the benefit function. The benefit function b(g; x,u) measures the amount that an individual is willing to trade, in terms of a specific reference commodity bundle g, for the opportunity to move from utility level u to a consumption bundle x. The benefit function is therefore a generalization of the willingness-to-pay concept. This paper studies properties of this function, including its continuity and structural properties and its indirect relation to the underlying utility function. A very important property of the benefit function is that it is the natural precursor of the expenditure function, in the sense that the expenditure function is a (special) dual of the benefit function. This duality is shown to be complete by proving that when appropriate convexity properties hold, the (correspondingly special) dual of the expenditure function is, in fact, the benefit function. The duality makes the benefit function a powerful tool for analysis of welfare issues.