cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonic Ply-by-ply Detection of Matrix Cracks in Laminated Composites

*Extensive use of laminated composites at cryogenic temperatures is envisaged in the next generation Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs). The RLVs will include light fuel tanks fabricated using graphite/epoxy composite laminates and will be required to contain liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel. These tanks undergo extensive thermo-mechanical loading and develop damage in the form of matrix cracks and delaminations. A build up of matrix cracks in the plies of the laminated composite wall of a tank may lead to the formation of a network of interconnected cracks through the thickness of the tank-wall and provide a path for fuel to permeate to the outside. In this context, the detection of matrix cracks and their connectivity takes on an unprecedented significance. In this work, an ultrasonic technique for the detection of matrix cracks in each of the plies of damaged graphite/epoxy laminated composites is developed. Results are reported for an eight-ply quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy laminate, having [90/45/0/-45]s lay-up. Matrix cracks in each of the plies of the laminated composite were detected even in the presence of a rather high density of cracks in all of the remaining plies. The ultrasonic data were corroborated by comparing them with the corresponding results obtained by using the more traditional methods of optical microscopy and X-radiography. Excellent quantitative correlation was observed between the results obtained with ultrasonics and the traditional methods.
The 5'-flanking region of the E1 alpha form of the murine p16INK4a (MTS1) gene.

Abstract We have PCR-amplified and sequenced the immediate (841 bp) 5′-flanking region of murine p16INK4a (MTS1, CDKN2) tumor suppressor gene. Comparing to recently published 5'-flanking region of the human α form of p16INK4a, homologies were found in several regions of murine p16INK4a-α putative promoter sequence.
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit phenotypes of vagal afferent neurons in nodose ganglia of the rat.

Most vagal afferent neurons in rat nodose ganglia express mRNA coding for the NR1 subunit of the heteromeric NMDA receptor ion channel. NMDA receptor subunit immunoreactivity has been detected on axon terminals of vagal afferents in the dorsal hindbrain, suggesting a role for presynaptic NMDA receptors in viscerosensory function. Although NMDA receptor subunits (NR1, NR2B, NR2C, and NR2D) have been linked to distinct neuronal populations in the brain, the NMDA receptor subunit phenotype of vagal afferent neurons has not been determined. Therefore, we examined NMDA receptor subunit (NR1, NR2B, NR2C, and NR2D) immunoreactivity in vagal afferent neurons. We found that, although the left nodose contained significantly more neurons (7603), than the right (5978), the proportions of NMDA subunits expressed in the left and right nodose ganglia were not significantly different. Immunoreactivity for NMDA NR1 subunit was present in 92.3 % of all nodose neurons. NR2B immunoreactivity was present in 56.7% of neurons, NR2C expressing nodose neurons comprised 49.4% of the total population, and NR2D subunit immunoreactivity was observed in just 13.5% of all nodose neurons. Double labeling revealed that 30.2% of nodose neurons expressed immunoreactivity to both NR2B and NR2C, while NR2B and NR2D immunoreactivity were co-localized in 11.5% of nodose neurons. NR2C immunoreactivity co-localized with NR2D in 13.1% of nodose neurons. Our results indicate that the majority of vagal afferent neurons express NMDA receptor ion channels composed of NR1, NR2B and NR2C subunits, and that a minority phenotype that expresses NR2D also expresses NR1, NR2B, and NR2C.
Developmental constraints on the expression of behavioral and heart-rate orienting responses: II. The role of ambient temperature.

The effect of ambient temperature on the expression of behavioral and heart-rate orienting responses to a novel olfactory stimulus was examined in rats 1–18 days of age. There was no effect of ambient temperature on the behavioral orienting response at any age. Ambient temperature did influence the expression of the heart-rate orienting response and did so differentially as a function of age. The implications of these findings for developmental models of attention and cognition are discussed. © 1992 Wiley & sons. Inc.
Practical applications of automated fault analysis

This paper describes a new concept of automated fault analysis where fault transients and changes in power system equipment contacts are processed online. This allows faster confirmation of correct equipment operation and detection of unexpected equipment operations, as well as increased accuracy of fault location and analysis. The paper discusses two independent utility examples that illustrate automating some aspect of the fault analysis process. One approach is the substation level analysis, where local digital fault recorder (DFR) data is processed at the substation to obtain accurate fault location and analysis. Another approach is DFR data analysis at the master station location, where all DFR data files from remote locations are concentrated and processed.
Understanding the Importance of Microphysics and Macrophysics for Warm Rain in Marine Low Clouds. Part II: Heuristic Models of Rain Formation

Two simple heuristic model formulations for warm rain formation are introduced and their behavior explored. The first, which is primarily aimed at representing warm rain formation in shallow convective clouds, is a continuous collection model that uses an assumed cloud droplet size distribution consistent with observations as the source of embryonic drizzle drops that are then allowed to fall through a fixed cloud, accreting cloud droplets. The second, which is applicable to steady-state precipitation formation in stratocumulus, is a simple two-moment bulk autoconversion and accretion model in which cloud liquid water is removed by drizzle formation and replenished on a externally specified time scale that reflects the efficacy of turbulent overturning that characterizes stratocumulus. The models’ behavior is shown to be broadly consistent with observations from the A-Train constellation of satellites, allowing the authors to explore reasons for changing model sensitivity to microphysical and macrophysical cloud properties. The models are consistent with one another, and with the observations, in that they demonstrate that the sensitivity of rain rate to cloud droplet concentration Nd (which here represents microphysical influence) is greatest for weakly precipitating clouds (i.e., for low cloud liquid water path and/or high Nd). For the steady-state model, microphysical sensitivity is shown to strongly decrease with the ratio of replenishment to drizzle time scales. Thus, rain from strongly drizzling and/or weakly replenished clouds shows low sensitivity to microphysics. This is essentially because most precipitation in these clouds is forming via accretion rather than autoconversion. For the continuous-collection model, as cloud liquid water content increases, the precipitation rate becomes more strongly controlled by the availability of cloud liquid water than by the initial embryo size or by the cloud droplet size. The models help to explain why warm rain in marine stratocumulus clouds is sensitive to Nd but why precipitation from thicker cumulus clouds appears to be less so.
The Role of Negative Emotion in General Strain Theory

General strain theory (GST) argues that strain (i.e., stress) leads to negative emotion and that negative emotion leads to criminal behavior. Though GST has received a significant amount of empirical support, tests of GST have focused primarily on the relationship between stress, anger, and interpersonal aggression. Much of past GST research has therefore neglected the idea that different types of strain might produce different negative emotions aside from anger and that different negative emotions might produce different types of criminal involvement aside from interpersonal aggression. This article investigates these possibilities. Literature from the social psychology of emotion is used to develop hypotheses that are tested through a vignette study. Results indicate that certain situations produce certain emotions more so than others but that negative emotions often co-occur. Some negative emotions precipitate criminal involvement, whereas others inhibit criminal tendencies.
On equal-gain combining for acquisition of time-hopping ultra-wideband signals

The acquisition of ultra-wideband (UWB) signals is a potential bottleneck for system throughput in a packet-based network employing UWB signaling format in the physical layer. The problem is mainly due to the low received signal power and the fine time resolution which forces the acquisition system to process the signal over long periods of time before getting a reliable estimate of the timing of the signal. Hence, there is a need to develop more efficient acquisition schemes by taking into account the signal and channel characteristics. In this paper, we investigate two approaches, the square-and-integrate and the integrate-and-square, which collect the energy in the multipaths by performing equal-gain combining (EGC) to improve the acquisition performance. We define the hit set as the set of hypothesized phases which can guarantee adequate system performance after acquisition, and also study the effect of the EGC window length on the acquisition performance.
On the AWGN channel with noisy feedback and peak energy constraint

Optimal coding over the additive white Gaussian noise channel under the peak energy constraint is studied when there is noisy feedback over an orthogonal additive white Gaussian noise channel. Previously, Shepp, Wolf, Wyner, and Ziv, and Pinsker showed that under the peak energy constraint the best error exponent for transmission of two messages is achieved by antipodal signaling, regardless of the presence of feedback. This negative result might lead to an impression that under the peak energy constraint, even noise-free feedback does not improve the reliability of communication. Pinsker proved the contrary by showing that the best error exponent for sending M messages does not depend on M, and hence can be strictly larger than the best error exponent without feedback. This paper further extends this and shows that if the noise level in the feedback link is sufficiently small, then the best error exponent for transmission of three messages can be strictly larger than the one without feedback. This result is motivated by a series of recent papers of Burnashev and Yamamoto who considered a similar problem over binary symmetric channels.
Inherited interstitial nephritis in kdkd mice.

kdkd mice, a mutant subline of CBA/Ca mice, develop a progressive, T cell-mediated, autoimmune interstitial nephritis which leads to renal failure and death of all mice at 20-28 weeks of age. This disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, with complete penetrance, and has been linked to grizzled and waltzer on mouse chromosome 10. Immunologic evaluation of this lesion has demonstrated that histologic disease is initiated by a population of CD8+, H-2Kk-restricted T cells, which recognize an antigen in collagenase-solubilized syngeneic renal tubules. These nephritogenic effector cells can also be demonstrated in non-disease prone CBA/Ca mice. Susceptibility to autoimmune nephritis correlates with distinct expression of regulatory, rather than effector, T cells. Interstitial nephritis in kdkd mice can be inhibited by protein-calorie restriction, infusions of CBA/Ca CD8+ T cells, or monoclonal antibodies of ICAM-1. This murine model most closely resembles medullary cystic disease in humans, which...
A nonblocking atomic transaction processing algorithm with real-time property

Many multiple server systems are now being used for heavily accessed web services. Performance, availability, and real-time transaction processing are important requirements for many of these applications. In this paper, we apply the multi-invariant data structure (MIDS) concept to develop an atomic transaction processing algorithm. We show that our algorithm achieves non-blocking property. It also allows preemption at any point of transaction processing without suffering from inconsistency problems or high recovery costs. Thus, the algorithm is suitable for real-time transaction processing systems. Preliminary performance study results show that our algorithm incurs almost no overhead compared with two phase commit protocol.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Ultrafine Ceramic Structures

Ultrafine ceramic structures based on the nitrides and carbides of titanium and silicon have been synthesized in a computer-controlled hot-wall CVD reactor. Layered deposits have been produced by pulsing the reactant gases judiciously under software control. The development of a columnar structure which is endemic to most CVD materials has been suppressed. Skeletal structures of filaments have also been grown with appropriate catalysts by the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism and immediately infiltrated in situ with different materials to produce filament-reinforced composite coatings. Ultrafine-grained carbon films and filaments have been grown from methane-hydrogen mixtures by RF plasma-assisted CVD. The microstructural features of these materials are of the order of 20 to 100 nm. The subgrain structure determined by Raman spectroscopy varies from 2 to 3 nm.
Equity Compensation and Tax Sheltering: Are They Negatively Related due to Incentives or Tax Benefits?

We examine two competing explanations for the negative relation between equity compensation and tax sheltering documented in prior research. The first explanation suggests that equity compensation aligns managerial interests and reduces managers’ incentives to invest in tax shelters that facilitate rent extraction. The second explanation predicts that tax benefits from equity compensation reduce firms’ demand for tax shelters by lowering the marginal benefit of further tax avoidance. Using both cross-sectional and time-series tests, we find evidence that the negative relation more likely results from the tax benefits of equity compensation. This evidence suggests that it is the tax benefits from equity compensation, and not incentive alignment, that drives the observed negative relation. Our findings imply that researchers who study tax avoidance in the context of agency problems should consider the tax benefits of equity compensation as a primary influence. Preliminary and Incomplete. Please do not quote without permission of the authors.
The effects of windowing and quantization error on the amplitude of frequency-domain functions

The author describes how windows modify the magnitude of a discrete Fourier transform and the level of a power spectral density computed by Welch's method. For white noise, the magnitude of the discrete Fourier transform at a fixed frequency has a Rayleigh probability distribution. For sine waves with an integer number of cycles and quantization noise, the theoretical values of the amplitude of the discrete Fourier transform and power spectral density are calculated. The authors show the signal-to-noise ratio in a single discrete Fourier transform or power spectral density frequency bin is related to the normal time-domain definition of the signal-to-noise ratio. The answer depends on the discrete Fourier transform length, the window type, and the function averaged. >
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF CYTOCHROME-C-OXIDASE ISOFORMS IN MAMMALS - CHARACTERIZATION WITH MONOCLONAL AND POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIES

Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies specific to the two isoforms of subunit VIa of bovine cytochrome c oxidase were generated and used to study the tissue distribution of this subunit pair in beef, human and rat. The so-called H-(heart) form was found exclusively in heart and skeletal muscle, whereas the so-called L-(liver) form was the only isoform present in brain, kidney, liver and smooth muscle. Little or no L-form was detected in skeletal muscle. In bovine heart no subunit VIa-L was detected, while in human heart the subunit VIa-H and VIa-L isoforms were present in roughly equal proportions. These results imply that, in humans, the deficiency of a subunit VIa isoform may have a different effect on the physiology of heart then on the physiology of skeletal muscle.
Catalysis of the electrodic hydrogen evolution and dissolution reactions on rationally chosen substrates

Summary The rate of the hydrogen evolution (h.e.r.) and dissolution reactions were measured on noble metals, noble and non-noble metal alloys, tungsten bronzes, etc. The substrates were chosen to examine the effects of Fermi level, chemi-bonding, surface defects, internuclear distance and the inclusion of polyvalent atomic species. The h.e.r. decreases as the Fermi level decreases. The effects of chemi-bonding are complex but the rate follows the change of % d character in most systems. Surface defects increase the rate by up to an order of magnitude. Increase of internuclear distance gives a faster reaction. These effects are mainly due to changes in the heat of activation (ΔH 0# ) and not to changes in surface concentration. The Fermilevel effects arise from a dependence of M−H bond strength on work function. Chemi-bonding effects are the principal ones to govern Δ H 0# : using only three well supported rate-determining steps, most of the data on the variation of rate with % d character of the substrate can be rationalized. Surface defects effects arise by means of local Φ changes, which are associated with corresponding M−H changes. Internuclear distance changes do not have primary effects on the rate. The effects of inclusions of polyvalent atoms is to be related more to local work function changes than to the partaking of redox intermediate ions in the rate.
Amnestic disturbance following infarction of the left dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus

A patient with a discrete lesion in the region of the left dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus had anterograde memory impairment for verbal material.
Hormones increase oxygen uptake in periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule

The effect of several hormones known to alter intracellular free Ca2+ on rates of O2 uptake in periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule was studied in the perfused liver. Regional O2 uptake was measured by stopping the flow and monitoring the decrease in O2 concentration. When perfusion was in the anterograde direction, basal rates of O2 uptake were two to three times higher in periportal than in pericentral regions, and phosphorylase alpha activity, which increases as a function of intracellular free Ca2+ levels, was higher in periportal regions. In contrast, when perfusion was in the retrograde direction, rates of O2 uptake were two to three times greater in pericentral regions. Infusion of epinephrine (0.1 microM) or angiotensin II (5 nM) increased the rate of O2 uptake nearly exclusively in downstream areas of the lobule where O2 tension was low. When perfusions were in the anterograde direction, epinephrine increased phosphorylase alpha activity significantly only in pericentral regions. Stimulation of O2 uptake by epinephrine was blocked by the alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker phentolamine (1 microM) but not by the beta-receptor blocker propranolol. Thus hormones that increase intracellular calcium stimulate O2 uptake predominantly in regions of the liver lobule where O2 tension is lowest, supporting the hypothesis that oxygen tension regulates O2 uptake in the liver via mechanisms involving intracellular free Ca2+.
Floral biology and the evolution of selfing in natural populations of Clarkia tembloriensis Vasek (Onagraceae)

Abstract Populations of wide-ranging plant species may vary significantly from one another with respect to physiological and reproductive traits, allowing each population to adapt to its local environment. One example of this variation is observed as differences in floral form and breeding system. In the California wildflower Clarkia tembloriensis Vasek, breeding system varies from populations of outcross-pollinating individuals, with relatively large, protandrous flowers, to populations of self-pollinating individuals, with small, nonprotandrous flowers. Variation within the selfing flower types includes populations with small flowers that are polymorphic for petal form; WT (flowers with normal expanded petals) and crinkle-petal (cp; flowers with small, unexpanded petals). The aims of this study were to investigate the nature of this variation in floral biology with respect to resource allocation to male and female function and to components important for reproductive success in the six California popula...
3 µm thick GaSb membrane diodes integrated with CVD diamond heat spreaders for thermally managed TPV cells

We demonstrate the integration of 3µm thick GaSb PN junctions with CVD diamond heat spreaders. The GaSb diodes are grown metamorphically on a GaAs substrate, bonded to CVD diamond by a solder process and isolated from the GaAs substrate by wet etching. Electrical characterization shows good diode behavior with a turn on voltage of 0.5 V and a reverse-bias leakage current of 1.12 mA.
The Schiavo Litigation: A Case Study for Federalism

State courts addressing the question of the right of a patient to refuse life-sustaining medical treatment have applied common law principles protecting a patient's bodily integrity and medical autonomy in such disputes. While this question grows more complex when patients lack the capacity to make their own medical treatment decisions, end-of-life cases for incompetent patients are consistently resolved by state courts applying this common law rule and its related statutory codifications. Given the routine treatment of such right to die cases by state courts, Congress's extraordinary and last-minute intervention into the recent Schiavo litigation attracted nationwide attention. At the conclusion of exhaustive litigation by Florida state courts, which resulted in the removal of life-sustaining treatment from an incapacitated patient pursuant to the directive of her surrogate-husband, Congress authorized federal jurisdiction over the Schiavo dispute. In response to this remarkable authorization, federal courts exercised customary deference to Florida's courts by refusing to issue a preliminary injunction to continue treatment and by declining to re-examine the settled state law issues. While the federal courts' deference to the decisions of the state court precluded an examination of the constitutionality of Congress's allocation of federal jurisdiction, this article explores the unresolved constitutional question with an eye on its applicability to future end-of-life disputes. Constitutional objections to Congress's enactment characterize the statute as an overly broad exercise of federal jurisdiction, a legislative interference with a final judicial decision, a denial of equal protection to one patient, and a violation of the fundamental right to refuse medical treatment. The article addresses the validity of each of these objections in kind, ultimately finding that Congress, by stopping short of directing federal judicial review of state issues and instead leaving such review to the discretion of federal courts, narrowly managed to preserve the statute's constitutionality, while at the same time virtually ensuring that the federal courts would end up affirming the state courts' actions. While concluding that Congress's action was constitutionally valid by a narrow margin, the article nevertheless maintains that the statute unwisely undermined American federalist principles by conferring federal jurisdiction in disregard of state power. Accordingly, Congress's anomalous action in the Schiavo litigation should be viewed as a mistake not to be repeated in future end-of-life disputes.
Issues in place-value and multidigit addition and subtraction learning and teaching.

Research on multidigit addition and subtraction is now sufficient to question some present textbook practices and suggest alternatives. These practices revolve around the organization and placement of topics within the curriculum and around teaching/learning methods. These questions are being raised because the evidence indicates that U.S. children do not learn place-value concepts or multidigit addition and subtraction adequately and even many children who calculate correctly show little understanding of the procedures they are using (e.g., Cauley, 1988; Kamii & Joseph, 1988; Kouba et al., 1988; Labinowicz, 1985; Lindquist, 1989; Resnick, 1983; Resnick & Omanson, 1987; Ross, 1989; Stigler, Lee, & Stevenson, in press; Tougher, 1981). Initially, children's conceptual structures for number words are only unitary conceptual structures in which the meanings or referents of the number words are single objects (as in counting objects) or a collection of single objects (as in the cardinal reference to a collection of seven objects). These unitary conceptual structures become more integrated, abbreviated, and abstract and progress through a developmental sequence that enables children to carry out increasingly abstract and efficient addition and subtraction solution procedures (Carpenter & Moser, 1984; Fuson & Hall, 1983; Fuson, 1988, in press b; Kamii, 1985; Steffe & Cobb, 1988; Steffe, von Glasersfeld, Richards, & Cobb, 1983). However, even the most sophisticated of the procedures based on these unitary conceptual structures is time-consuming and error-prone for adding and subtracting two-digit numbers greater than 20 or so. For such two-digit and larger multidigit numbers, children need to construct multiunit conceptual structures in which the meanings or referents of the number words are a collection of entities (such as counting "one hundred, two hundred, three hundred," in which the referent for each "hundred" is a collection of 100 entities of some kind) or a collection of collections of objects (as in the cardinal reference of "seven hundred" to a collection of seven collections of 100 entities). Both English number words and written number marks for multidigit numbers are built up of increasingly larger multiunits related to ten (ten, hundred, thousand, etc.). Understanding multidigit numbers requires being able to think about these various sizes of multiunits, and understanding operations on multidigit numbers requires understanding how to compose and decompose multidigit numbers into these multiunits in order to carry out the various operations. With present school instruction many children in the United States do not build any multiunit conceptual structures for multidigit numbers but instead treat them
Analysis on outbreak of food poisoning induced by Multi-serotype Vibrio parahaemolyticus with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing

Objective:To study the molecular epidemiology and homology relationship among 7 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from patients samples during food poisoning outbreak with routine experiment and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE)typing,to trace the source of infections so as to support the ascertainment of epidemic control strategy.Methods: Strains isolated from samples as mentioned above were determined according to the method of GB/T 4789.7-2008.Biochemical identification,Kanagawa test,serological typing and PFGE were applied to type of the strains.Results: 7 strains with serological typing were belonged to 3 patterns,such as 5 strains of O3∶ K6,1 strain of O4∶ K8 and O1∶ K56,respectively.6 strains with Kanagawa test were positive.And PFGE result showed 3 patterns respectively.Conclusion: It indicates that mixed infection of different clone groups of vibrio parahaemolyticus with O3∶ K6 as the main type may lead to the food poisoning in this case.
The end of the beginning.

The human race begins on Earth with Adam, possibly exactly 4000 years BC. God is therefore “saying” that He has started to count in thousands of years rather than some lesser quantity such as hundreds, tens or even ones. At the other end of the Earth experience we have Christ’s millennial (1000 year) reign (Rev.20:6). That accounts for 5000 years. Stuck in the middle are the AD years, 2009 of them.
Employee Turnover in the Business Process Outsourcing Industry in India

In this chapter, we explore the problem of high turnover in the high-tech BPO sector in India, where relatively well-educated employees are performing a variety of primarily low skill, low cost jobs. We highlight the various approaches employers are taking to solve the turnover problem. As we will argue, some of these strategies are fairly traditional, focusing on various instrumental incentives to promote employee retention, while some others are new and rather radical, particularly the articulation of an organizational and work culture tailor-made for the particular demographic profile of BPO employees: young, upper middle class, well-educated graduates. Based on anecdotal evidence and interviews with industry personnel, we sense some ambiguity regarding the effectiveness of these strategies. We argue that this ambiguity is a function of (a) the recent and rapid growth of the industry and the fact that firms are experimenting with a whole variety of retention strategies, and (b) the inability of firms to develop an integrated organizational culture that permits a focus on both longer term organizational performance, as well as retention.
The Platin-X series: activation, targeting, and delivery

Anticancer platinum (Pt) complexes have long been considered to be one of the biggest success stories in the history of medicinal inorganic chemistry. Yet there remains the hunt for the “magic bullet” which can satisfy the requirements of an effective chemotherapeutic drug formulation. Pt(IV) complexes are kinetically more inert than the Pt(II) congeners and offer the opportunity to append additional functional groups/ligands for prodrug activation, tumor targeting, or drug delivery. The ultimate aim of functionalization is to enhance the tumor selective action and attenuate systemic toxicity of the drugs. Moreover, an increase in cellular accumulation to surmount the resistance of the tumor against the drugs is also of paramount importance in drug development and discovery. In this review, we will address the attempts made in our lab to develop Pt(IV) prodrugs that can be activated and delivered using targeted nanotechnology-based delivery platforms.
Anaerobic Co-digestion of Swine Manure and Microalgae Chlorella sp.: Experimental Studies and Energy Analysis

Integration of algae production with livestock waste management has the potential to recover energy and nutrients from animal manure, while reducing discharges of organic matter, pathogens, and nutrients to the environment. In this study, microalgae Chlorella sp. were grown on centrate from anaerobically digested swine manure. The algae were harvested for mesophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) with swine manure for bioenergy production. Low biogas yields were observed in batch AD studies with algae alone, or when algae were co-digested with swine manure at ≥43 % algae (based on volatile solids [VS]). However, co-digestion of 6–16 % algae with swine manure produced similar biogas yields as digestion of swine manure alone. An average methane yield of 190 mL/g VSfed was achieved in long-term semi-continuous co-digestion studies with 10 ± 3 % algae with swine manure. Data from the experimental studies were used in an energy analysis assuming the process was scaled up to a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) with 7000 pigs with integrated algae-based treatment of centrate and co-digestion of manure and the harvested algae. The average net energy production for the system was estimated at 1027 kWh per day. A mass balance indicated that 58 % of nitrogen (N) and 98 % of phosphorus (P) in the system were removed in the biosolids. A major advantage of the proposed process is the reduction in nutrient discharges compared with AD of swine waste without algae production.
Introduction and Overview of Microelectronic Packaging

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Functions of an Electronic Package Packaging Hierarchy Brief History of Microelectronic Packaging Technology Driving Forces on Packaging Technology Summary This chapter contains sections titled: References Exercises ]]>
BRANCH AND BOUND METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides an overview of the branch and bound methodology. The branch and bound method is a solution strategy that has emerged over the last decade as one of the major practical tools for the solution of real life optimization problems. The attractiveness of the branch and bound method stems from its ability to implicitly eliminate large groups of potential solutions to a problem without explicitly evaluating them. However, like dynamic programming, branch and bound is a strategy and not an algorithm, and the strategy must be merged with the structure of the specific problem at hand to form an implementable solution algorithm. There are at least four major reasons for the growing acceptance of branch and bound algorithms: (1) the method is conceptually simple and easy to understand; (2) the method is easily adaptable to a wide range of different problem situations; (3) the method is well-suited for computer implementation; and (4) alternative methods are usually not available. The strategy is based on the premise that the problem to be solved has the following attributes: (1) combinatorial nature, (2) branchability, (3) rationality, and (4) boundability. The branch and bound concept exploits these properties to (1) implicitly and explicitly construct a tree describing all solutions to the problem, and (2) conduct a guided search in this tree for the best solution. Moreover, the branch and bound method can be used to solve not only discrete optimization problems but also many different pseudo-combinatorial problems with continuous type variables as well.
CMOS Meets Bio

There are burgeoning efforts to use CMOS ICs for biotechnology. This paper reviews one such effort, development of a CMOS/Microfluidic hybrid system for magnetic manipulation of biological cells originally reported by the authors in H. Lee et al. (2005, 2006). Programmable magnetic field patterns produced by a CMOS microcoil array IC efficiently manipulate individual cells (tagged by magnetic beads) inside a microfluidic system fabricated on top of the IC.
A minimal empirical model for the cosmic far-infrared background anisotropies

Cosmic far-infrared background (CFIRB) probes unresolved dusty star-forming galaxies across cosmic time and is complementary to ultraviolet and optical observations of galaxy evolution. In this work, we interpret the observed CFIRB anisotropies using an empirical model based on resolved galaxies in ultraviolet and optical surveys. Our model includes stellar mass functions, star-forming main sequence and dust attenuation. We find that the commonly used linear Kennicutt relation between infrared luminosity and star formation rate overproduces the observed CFIRB amplitudes. The observed CFIRB requires that low-mass galaxies have lower infrared luminosities than expected from the Kennicutt relation, implying that low-mass galaxies have lower dust content and weaker dust attenuation. Our results demonstrate that CFIRB not only provides a stringent consistency check for galaxy evolution models but also constrains the dust content of low-mass galaxies.
Selective Optogenetic Control of Purkinje Cells in Monkey Cerebellum

Summary Purkinje cells of the primate cerebellum play critical but poorly understood roles in the execution of coordinated, accurate movements. Elucidating these roles has been hampered by a lack of techniques for manipulating spiking activity in these cells selectively—a problem common to most cell types in non-transgenic animals. To overcome this obstacle, we constructed AAV vectors carrying the channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) gene under the control of a 1 kb L7/Pcp2 promoter. We injected these vectors into the cerebellar cortex of rhesus macaques and tested vector efficacy in three ways. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed selective ChR2 expression in Purkinje cells. Neurophysiological recordings confirmed robust optogenetic activation. Optical stimulation of the oculomotor vermis caused saccade dysmetria. Our results demonstrate the utility of AAV–L7–ChR2 for revealing the contributions of Purkinje cells to circuit function and behavior, and they attest to the feasibility of promoter-based, targeted, genetic manipulations in primates.
The Processing Language

If you are not familiar with the Processing language, read this chapter for an introduction to the creation of 2D shapes, use of geometry transformations and color, and how to handle touchscreen input.
Investigating Married Adults' Communal Coping with Genetic Health Risk and Perceived Discrimination.

ABSTRACTIncreased genetic testing in personalized medicine presents unique challenges for couples, including managing disease risk and potential discrimination as a couple. This study investigated couples’ conflicts and support gaps as they coped with perceived genetic discrimination. We also explored the degree to which communal coping was beneficial in reducing support gaps and ultimately stress. Dyadic analysis of married adults (N = 266, 133 couples), in which one person had the genetic risk for serious illness, showed that perceived discrimination predicted more frequent conflicts about alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-related treatment, privacy boundaries, and finances, which, in turn, predicted wider gaps in emotion and esteem support, and greater stress for both spouses. Communal coping predicted lower support gaps for both partners and marginally lower stress.
Computationally Enabled 4D Visualizations Facilitate the Detection of Rock Fracture Patterns from Acoustic Emissions

Monitoring and predicting crack propagation in rock using acoustic emission (AE) technology is integral to a variety of sub-disciplines in the geosciences. The utility of existing AE data, however, is severely limited by prevailing visualization techniques, which suffer from problems of occlusion. Here, we introduce a novel approach to visualize 3D data through time (4D data) using unfiltered individual (AE) event data collected from a granite boulder for a period over 3 years. We implement a 3D extension of Ripley’s K function to evaluate the magnitude of clustering, and use the scale at which clustering is strongest to parameterize three-dimensional kernel density estimation (3DKDE) of AE events. We develop a parallel approach that features a load balancing technique to decrease the computational effort for 3DKDE and hence, reduce execution time. The results from the 3DKDE allow for comprehensible visualization of high AE density areas—best reflecting the actual location of subcritical cracking—and their changes through time, which is a substantial improvement over most existing methods. Our framework is scalable and portable to a variety of other disciplines such as epidemiology, ecology, and any point data by extension. Assumptions and limitations are identified as well as possible future research directions.
Harvesting of aircraft radar altimeter sidelobes for low-power sensors

In this paper a harvesting system for powering low-power sensors from sidelobe power of an aircraft altimeter radar is presented. The rectenna is co-designed using full-wave field simulations and harmonic balance circuit simulations. A harvesting system is demonstrated and can produce a DC output power of −21dBm from 2 μW/cm2 incident power density at 4.3 GHz. The stored energy is sufficient for low-power sensor operation and validates the rectifier and antenna co-design.
Structure and Function of the DNA Repair Enzyme Endonuclease III

DNA is constantly exposed to a number of agents which can cause damage to the nitrogenous bases and the phosphodiester backbone. Damage inflicted by active oxygen or ultraviolet irradiation includes a variety of altered pyrimidine lesions. These can be repaired by a base excision repair mechanism which is initiated by DNA-N-glycosylases and AP (apurinic/aptrimidinic endonucleases. This ubiquitous repair system seems to be a major defense mechanism used by all organisms (Doetsch and Cunningham 1990).
Chapter One Adult Age Differences in Activity Memory: Cue and Strategy Utilization

Summary Activity memory represents an important new paradigm in cognitive gerontology because it includes tasks that have ecological validity for older adults and tasks that are not as strongly influenced by strategic processing as traditional verbal memory tasks. This review of the literature, including new data, reveals that the magnitude of age differences in activity memory is strongly influenced by the types of tasks and items that have been employed in the literature. In addition, the impact of motor and object cues, and organization are discussed, with an emphasis on the notion that age differences may be controlled by the interaction of these task characteristics. Activity memory provides a generally familiar context for learning and it is affected by the ease of remembering item-specific information. Consistent with the traditional verbal memory literature, age differences can be explained by the degree to which an activity memory task supports or guides strategic processing.
Substance abuse in rural African-American populations.

Although alcohol and drug abuse are general problems in America, there is increasing recognition of the need to focus on special populations in which substance abuse magnifies other problems. African-Americans have been particularly vulnerable to the negative social and health consequences associated with substance abuse. For example, in comparison to whites, African-Americans experience an earlier onset of alcoholism and other drug problems, a greater likelihood of being channeled to the criminal justice system rather than to treatment for legal problems caused by substance abuse (Lowe and Alston 1973), higher rates of drug-related homicide deaths (Harper and Dawkins 1977), and a higher rate of illnesses such as liver cirrhosis and esophageal cancer (Franklin 1989). The surge in problems associated with crack cocaine use has compounded the substance abuse problem in the African-American population (Carlson and Siegal 1991).
Comparisons of Financial Performance Measures of Global Sourcing and "Made-in-USA" Domestic Production Strategies

Globally sourcing basic goods generally increases the firm's profits, while that for fashion/seasonal products tends to result in lost sales due to stockouts or high rates of markdowns on unsold inventories. Domestic production under the supply chain management system could be effective in response to customers' demands more promptly and frequently. This study examined differences in financial productivity of global versus domestic sourcing scenarios for fashion/seasonal products, considering merchandise plan errors due to market uncertainty. Sourcing Simulator, merchandise planning simulation software, is used to create a series of merchandise planning simulations for global and domestic sourcing scenarios. A total of 530 simulations with merchandising performance measures were analyzed. The findings from this study provide an insight about financial performance measures regarding global and domestic sourcing scenarios under demand uncertainty.
Charm: a language for closed-form high-level architecture modeling

As computer architecture continues to expand beyond software-agnostic microarchitecture to data center organization, reconfigurable logic, heterogeneous systems, application-specific logic, and even radically different technologies such as quantum computing, detailed cycle-level simulation is no longer presupposed. Exploring designs under such complex interacting relationships (e.g., performance, energy, thermal, cost, voltage, frequency, cooling energy, leakage, etc.) calls for a more integrative but higher-level approach. We propose Charm, a domain specific language supporting Closed-form High-level ARchitecture Modeling. Charm enables mathematical representations of mutually dependent architectural relationships to be specified, composed, checked, evaluated and reused. The language is interpreted through a combination of symbolic evaluation (e.g., restructuring) and compiler techniques (e.g., memoization and invariant hoisting), generating executable evaluation functions and optimized analysis procedures. Further supporting reuse, a type system constrains architectural quantities and ensures models operate only in a validated domain. Through two case studies, we demonstrate that Charm allows one to define high-level architecture models concisely, maximize reusability, capture unreasonable assumptions and inputs, and significantly speedup design space exploration.
Increased Hand-Rung Force Is Associated with Increased Ladder Fall Risk

Falls from ladders are a frequent and severe injury. To better understand effective strategies to arrest a falling from ladder event, this study assessed 35 participants on their ability to arrest their body from falling after a ladder climbing perturbation. Peak hand-rung forces were compared with fall severity after an ascending climbing perturbation to assess if greater hand-rung force leads to reduced severity in the falling event. Severity of the falling event was measured by the weight supported in the safety harness (i.e. harness force). Higher harness forces were found to be associated with higher hand-rung forces. Hand-rung forces after a climbing perturbation do not reduce the severity in the falling event. Instead, this study suggests that hand-rung forces are caused by the severity in the falling event. This is critical knowledge because the hands are likely to decouple from the ladder if the severity of the falling event is greater than the grasping capability of the climber.
Predicting ICU readmission among surgical ICU patients: Development and validation of a clinical nomogram.

Abstract Background Unplanned intensive care unit readmission within 72 hours is an established metric of hospital care quality. However, it is unclear what factors commonly increase the risk of intensive care unit readmission in surgical patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate predictors of readmission among a diverse sample of surgical patients and develop an accurate and clinically applicable nomogram for prospective risk prediction. Methods We retrospectively evaluated patient demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and physiologic variables collected within 48 hours before discharge from a surgical intensive care unit at an academic center between April 2010 and July 2015. Multivariable regression models were used to assess the association between risk factors and unplanned readmission back to the intensive care unit within 72 hours. Model selection was performed using lasso methods and validated using an independent data set by receiver operating characteristic area under the curve analysis. The derived nomogram was then prospectively assessed between June and August 2017 to evaluate the correlation between perceived and calculated risk for intensive care unit readmission. Results Among 3,109 patients admitted to the intensive care unit by general surgery (34%), transplant (9%), trauma (43%), and vascular surgery (14%) services, there were 141 (5%) unplanned readmissions within 72 hours. Among 179 candidate predictor variables, a reduced model was derived that included age, blood urea nitrogen, serum chloride, serum glucose, atrial fibrillation, renal insufficiency, and respiratory rate. These variables were used to develop a clinical nomogram, which was validated using 617 independent admissions, and indicated moderate performance (area under the curve: 0.71). When prospectively assessed, intensive care unit providers’ perception of respiratory risk was moderately correlated with calculated risk using the nomogram (ρ: 0.44; P Conclusion Intensive care unit readmission risk for surgical patients can be predicted using a simple clinical nomogram based on 7 common demographic and physiologic variables. These data underscore the potential of risk calculators to combine multiple risk factors and enable a more accurate risk assessment beyond perception alone.