cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ORGAN INDICES AND BIOCHEMICAL LEVELS OF OVA FROM PENAEID SHRIMP MAINTAINED IN CAPTIVITY VERSUS THOSE CAPTURED IN THE WILD

This paper characterizes further penaeid shrimp reproduction by reporting: (1) the gonad, hepatopancreas, tail and eyestalk indices for unablated and unilateral ablated penaeid shrimp (P. setiferus) maintained in captivity versus shrimp captured in the wild; and (2) the biochemical content of spawned ova from three species of penaeid shrimp (P. setiferus, P. stylirostris and P. vannamei) obtained from wild populations and one species (P. setiferus) matured and spawned in captivity. The data indicated that (1) the dietary and environmental regimen used in this study is not optimum for reproduction of P. setiferus in captivity; (2) the hepatopancreas but not the tail muscle is directly involved in penaeid reproduction; (3) the population of P. setiferus sampled on June 2 and July 22, 1978, in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico was not at its reproductive peak; (4) the percent protein, lipid and carbohydrate content of unhatched eggs of P. setiferus, P. stylirostris and P. vannamei are very similar; and (5) biochemical analysis of the unhatched eggs and the determination of organ indices during reproduction are important parameters to obtain for understanding and evaluating penaeid reproduction in the wild and in captivity.
Differences in sacral neuromodulation device infection rates based on preoperative antibiotic selection

After SNM implantation the most significant complication that can occur is wound infection, which typically requires removal of all components. Such infections have been reported in 5–11 % of patients, but little is known about risk factors. The objective of this analysis is to determine our postoperative wound infection rate after SNM implantation, and examined various potential predictive factors. Our hypothesis is that perioperative antibiotic selection is related to the risk of infections. A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent SNM implantation by one of three surgeons from 2007 to 2010. Preoperative antibiotics were administered according to surgeon preference, and included cefazolin alone, vancomycin alone, or vancomycin with gentamicin. Predictors of wound infection were evaluated using multivariate techniques. Variables examined included preoperative antibiotic regimen, surgeon, location (outpatient surgery center vs university hospital), gender, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression and smoking), history of urinary tract infections, and preoperative skin preparation. A total of 136 patients underwent SNM implantation, and 8 (5.9 %) experienced infections that required device explantation. Cefazolin alone was less effective in preventing infection compared with the other antibiotic regimens (p = 0.03). The odds of having an infection in cefazolin-treated patients was 7.3 times that of other patients treated with another antibiotic regimen. Seven out of the eight infections with explant grew Staphylococcus aureus resistant to cephalosporins. None of the other variables proved to be a statistically significant contributor. Preoperative antibiotic selection was a significant factor in preventing subsequent infection and explantation following SNM placement.
Glass-rich Chondrules in Ordinary Chondrites

There are two types of glass-rich chondrules in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (OC): (1) porphyritic chondrules containing 55-85 vol% glass or microcrystalline mesostasis and (2) nonporphyritic chondrules, containing 90-99 vol% glass. These two types are similar in mineralogy and bulk composition to previously described Al-rich chondrules in OC. In addition to Si-, Al- and Na-rich glass or Ca-Al-rich microcrystalline mesostasis, glass-rich chondrules contain dendritic and skeletal crystals of olivine, Al2O3-rich low-Ca pyroxene and fassaite. Some chondrules contain relict grains of forsterite +/- Mg-Al spinel. We suggest that glass-rich chondrules were formed early in nebular history by melting fine-grained precursor materials rich in refractory (Ca, Al, Ti) an moderately volatite (Na, K) components (possibly related to Ca-Al-rich inclusions) admixed with coarse relict forsterite and spinel grains derived from previously disrupted type-I chondrules.
Aqueous extraction—An alternative oilseed milling process

Oil can be removed from oilseed materials by a process which consists of an aqueous extraction of the comminuted seed, followed by a centrifugal separation which divides the aqueous extract into oil, solid, and aqueous phases. The protein may be recovered in the solids or aqueous phase, depending upon the conditions selected. Unit operations of this process are grinding, solid-liquid separation, centrifugation, demulsification, and drying of products. Aqueous extraction has been applied, to date, to coconuts and peanuts. For coconuts, a procedure has been developed to recover 93% of the oil and 91% of the protein. The major protein product is 25% protein and, when reconstituted in water, forms an acceptable beverage. The estimated production cost of this product is $.24/1b. For peanuts, the recovery of oil was 89% and protein 92% for the concentrate procedure, whereas the corresponding values for the isolate procedure were 86% and 89%, respectively. The costs of production were estimated as $.17/1b of concentrate (67% protein) and $.28/1b of isolate (89% protein). Aqueous extraction offers several advantages over conventional solvent extraction-less initial capital investments, safer operation, capability of discontinuous operation, and production of a variety of products. Another advantage of aqueous processing is the capability for utilization of certain chemicals to remove or inactivate undesirable substances. In the case of peanuts, hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypoehlorite have proven to be effective for destruetion of aflatoxins. Aqueous processing has the potential for application to a variety of other oilseeds.
3D nonlinear electromagnetic inversion for buried objects in layered media

Electromagnetic (EM) inverse scattering in ground penetrating radar (GPR) is complicated and doubly challenging: one is that EM wave propagation is essentially a 3D wave phenomena and waves interact in a complex way with ground surface, subsurface layers, and objects; the other is that this class of nonlinear and ill-posed inverse problem involves intensive computation. In the practical use of GPR, the shallow earth may be necessarily modeled by one or more overburden layers. Thus, it is necessary to extend the existing inverse scattering methods developed for a homogeneous background or half-space to a multilayered medium. In this regard, here we deal with such a 3D EM nonlinear inverse scattering problem in multilayered media as a new step toward 3D image reconstruction of buried objects.
Avoidance of Timeout from Response-Independent Food: Effects of Delivery Rate and Quality

In three experiments, a rat's lever presses could postpone timeouts from food pellets delivered on response-independent schedules. In Experiment 1, the pellets were delivered at variable-time (VT) rates ranging from VT 0.5 to VT 8 min. Experiment 2 replicated the VT 1 min and VT 8 min conditions of Experiment 1 with new subjects. Finally, subjects in Experiment 3 could postpone timeouts from delivery of pellets that differed in quality rather than quantity (unsweetened versus sweetened pellets). In general, response rates and success in avoiding increased as a function of the rate and quality of the pellets. Also, performance efficiency increased as the experiments progressed, that is, the avoidance response occurred later and later in the response-timeout interval. The results support the conclusion that timeout from reinforcement has functional properties similar to those of more commonly studied aversive stimuli (e.g., shock).
A strategy of symptom-limited exercise with regadenoson-as-needed for stress myocardial perfusion imaging: A randomized controlled trial

Ambulatory patients with uncertain functional capacity may benefit from combined exercise and vasodilator stress protocols for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The safety and MPI image quality with regadenoson administered during symptom-limited exercise have not been prospectively evaluated. A total of 140 patients (mean age 61 years, 48% female) referred for exercise with vasodilator stress MPI were randomized 2:1 to a strategy of exercise with regadenoson-as-necessary (Ex-Reg, n = 96) or dipyridamole with exercise (Dip-Ex, n = 44) after Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) scoring (median score 28 vs 24, P = .09). Ex-Reg subjects commenced treadmill exercise and regadenoson was administered only if the subject was unable to reach standard endpoints. Dip-Ex subjects received dipyridamole prior to symptom-limited exercise. Hemodynamics were recorded throughout. Subjects completed symptom questionnaires and MPI image quality was assessed by blinded read. Ex-Reg subjects were more likely to achieve ≥85% age-predicted maximum heart rate than Dip-Ex subjects (57% vs 32%, P < .01). Only 50% of subjects meeting inclusion criteria and randomized to Ex-Reg required regadenoson and none had symptomatic hemodynamic changes. Severe side effects or adverse events occurred in 16% of Ex-Reg and 24% of Dip-Ex subjects (P = .12). MPI image quality was “good” or “excellent” in 88% of Ex-Reg subjects and 86% of Dip-Ex subjects (P = .33). A strategy of exercise with regadenoson-as-needed for MPI offers similar safety and side effect profile with similar image quality compared to dipyridamole with exercise, with reduced pharmaceutical use.
Enhanced stabilization of the triplexes d(C+-T)6:d(A-G)6d(C-T)6, d(T)21:d(A)21d(T)21 and poly r(U:AU) by water structure-making solutes

Abstract A variety of organic cations, cationic lipids, low molecular weight alcohols, sodium dodecylsulfate, trehalose, glycerol, low molecular weight polyethylene glycols, and DMSO were tested for their ability to modulate the stability of the triplexes d(C + -T) 6 : d(A-G) 6 d(C-T) 6 , d(T) 21 : d(A) 21 d(T) 21 , poly r(U : A U) and their respective core duplexes, d(A-G) 6 d(C-T) 6 , d(A) 21 d(T) 21 , poly r(A U). Very substantial enhancement of triplex stability over that in a physiological salt buffer at pH 7 is obtained with different combinations of triplex and high concentrations of these additives, e.g. trimethylammonium chloride and d(C + -T) 6 : d(A-G) 6 d(C-T) 6 ; 2-propanol and d(T) 21 : d(A) 21 d(T) 21 ; ethanol and poly r(U : A U). Triplex formation is even observed with a 1:1 strand mixture of d(A-G) 6 and d(C-T) 6 in the presence of dimethylammonium, tetramethylammonium, and tetraethylammonium-chloride, as well as methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol. Triplex stability follows the water structure-making ability (and in some cases the duplex unwinding ability) of the organic cations, the low molecular weight alcohols and other neutral organic compounds, whereas water structure-breaking additives decrease triplex stability. These findings are consistent with those reported in the accompanying paper that triplex formation occurs with a net uptake of water. Since the findings suggest that third strand-binding is facilitated by unwinding of the target duplex, it is inferred that triplex formation may be enhanced by nucleic acid binding proteins operating similarly.
Internally excited acoustic resonator for photoacoustic trace detection.

The quantum-cascade laser can be used as an infrared source for a small portable photoacoustic trace gas detector. The device that we describe uses a quantum-cascade laser without collimating optics mounted inside an acoustic resonator. The laser is positioned in the center of a longitudinal resonator at a pressure antinode and emits radiation along the length of the resonator exciting an axially symmetric longitudinal acoustic mode of an open-ended cylindrical resonator. Experiments are reported with an 8-µm, quasi-cw-modulated, room-temperature laser used to detect N2O.
Nordic ice edge data

The NOAA program at the National Snow and Ice Data Center has released a data set of “March through August Ice Edge Positions in the Nordic Seas, 1750–2002.” “Ice edge” is defined as the outer boundary of ice having at least 30% ice concentration; the ice edge positions come from ship logbooks, diaries, satellite data products, and other sources. The data set provides information about ice edge variability through regional shifts in climate. The data set is available at http://nsidc.org/data/g02169.html.
Generating representative ISP topologies from first-principles

Understanding and modeling the factors that underlie the growth and evolution of network topologies are basic questions that impinge upon capacity planning, forecasting, and protocol research. Early topology generation work focused on generating network-wide connectivity maps, either at the AS-level or the router-level, typically with an eye towards reproducing abstract properties of observed topologies. But recently, advocates of an alternative "first-principles" approach question the feasibility of realizing representative topologies with simple generative models that do not explicitly incorporate real-world constraints, such as the relative costs of router configurations, into the model. Our work synthesizes these two lines by designing a topology generation mechanism that incorporates first-principles constraints. Our goal is more modest than that of constructing an Internet-wide topology: we aim to generate representative topologies for single ISPs. However, our methods also go well beyond previous work, as we annotate these topologies with representative capacity and latency information. Taking only demand for network services over a given region as input, we propose a natural cost model for building and interconnecting PoPs and formulate the resulting optimization problem faced by an ISP. We devise hill-climbing heuristics for this problem and demonstrate that the solutions we obtain are quantitatively similar to those in measured router-level ISP topologies, with respect to both topological properties and fault-tolerance.
Radiatively Driven Interactions between Stratocumulus and Synoptic Waves

Quasi-geostrophic disturbances on a midlatitude beta-plane channel forced by radiative heating perturbations due to synoptic-scale variations of low-level stratiform cloud are considered. The longitudinal phase of the cloud is linked to that of the low-level streamfunction. Cloudiness is wavelike with cooling above cloudy areas that decreases exponentially with height. No perturbation cooling occurs above cloud-free areas. Two background flows are considered: one is constant and the other has a jet centered near the tropopause. Forced linear steady waves are found. Though infinitesimal amplitude disturbances are considered, the problem is nonlinear because of the coupling between cloud and winds. The resulting structures are sensitive to the phase shift between cloud and streamfunction with strongest coupling for cloud to the west of surface troughs. The waves have vertical scales on the order of the troposphere depth. The stationary structures capture the summertime pattern of stratocumulus off California and its linkage to the mid-Pacific ridge. When zonal-mean cloud cooling is allowed, the mean westerlies are strengthened in the northern half of the channel near the lower boundary. Synoptic-scale amplitudes respond to the mean cloud cooling by increasing (decreasing) just above the cloud in the northern (southern) part of the channel.
Modulation spectroscopy characterization of MOCVD semiconductors and semiconductors structures

Abstract This paper reviews recent developments in the use of contactless modulation spectroscopy to yield important information about MOCVD growth as well as the properties of MOCVD fabricated semiconductors and semiconductor microstructures. The method of reflectance difference spectroscopy can be used to gain significant insights into chemical and structural parameters during actual growth conditions. The electromodulation technique of photoreflectance (PR) probes the electronic states of the material. It has many applications for in-situ post-growth characterization of crystal quality, very thin Ga 1-x Al x As/GaAs epitaxial layers, Ga 1−x Al x As alloy composition, deep trap states, surface electric fields and carrier concentrations, lattice-mismatch strain, etc, as well as the determination of relevant parameters of heterojunction structures. In addition, recent PR experiments at 600°C on GaAs and Ga 0.82 Al 0.18 As show potential for in-situ monitoring during growth.
The Ruins Of Espiritu Pampa, Peru...

N July, 1911, while visiting Don Pedro Duque in Santa Ana, in the Province of Convenci6n, Department of Cuzco, Peru, I learned that in 1902 a local prospector, named Lopez Torres, said he had seen some Inca ruins in the montaftia at a difficult place to reach, named Conservidayoc. Lopez Torres had died, and I could find no one, either in Santa Ana or in the village of Vilcabamba, the nearest village of any importance to Conservidayoc, who had seen the ruins or who had even been near them.
The effect of association of genetic factors on relative risk

We have examined the numerical properties of relative risk (RR) estimates under the conditions of gene frequency and genetic association (delta) that generally obtain for the different HLA loci. It is found that significant RR may be created solely by the existence of positive delta between the disease susceptibility gene and a specific allele at the marker (e.g. HLA) locus. It is shown further, that the value of RR is strongly affected by the gene frequencies and not only by the corresponding delta. If positive delta exists between one disease susceptibility gene and two HLA haplotypes, the RR estimates will usually be highest for the corresponding heterozygote, intermediate for the two homozygotes and lowest for the other carrier phenotypes. This model was found to be perfectly compatible with the situation encountered in the case of juvenile diabetes mellitus and shows that 'overdominance' is not required to account for the excessive RR found in some populations for certain HLA heterozygous classes.
The Science of Learning: Breaking News

We begin with a paradox. On one hand, not nearly enough is known about exactly how learning takes place in the brain, although exciting new results are emerging thanks to improved brain imaging and a greater focus on neuroscience by government and universities. But this research is just beginning, and a much larger effort and investment are needed to answer even the most basic questions. On the other hand, more than enough is already known about what best promotes learning to motivate and drive educational reform for years to come. This is a report from the front lines of both research and educational implementation. This information should prove of use to anyone—teachers, students, parents, patients, and health practitioners—who is concerned about how best to improve formal or informal teaching and learning, to help people remember complex instructions, or to change unhealthy habits and practices.
Ryther revisited: nutrient excretions by fishes enhance productivity of pelagic Sargassum in the western North Atlantic Ocean

The sustained biomass of pelagic Sargassum in nutrient-poor waters of the Sargasso Sea has long been a paradox in biological oceanography. To better understand the mechanisms supporting growth of Sargassum over its broad geographic range in the western North Atlantic, we measured growth rate, gross productivity, and C:N:P ratios of both Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans from a variety of neritic (Caribbean Sea, Straits of Florida, Gulf Stream) and oceanic (Sargasso Sea) locations. In neritic areas, the abundance of associated fishes was quantified with a purse seine net designed to minimize fish avoidance of sampling gear. Abundant fish species were also collected for measurements of ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus excretion rates. Low growth rates and productivity of both S. natans and S. fluitans were associated with high C:N and C:P ratios in oceanic populations in the Sargasso Sea, confirming strong nutrient-limitation in this oligotrophic gyre. In comparison, both species from the neritic areas had higher productivity and growth rates and lower C:N and C:P ratios, indicating relatively nutrient-enriched growth. Sargassum windrows in neritic locations had high abundances of associated fishes (mean of 128 fishes/kg wet weight Sargassum), especially juvenile filefish Stephanolepsis hispidus (Monacanthidae) and jacks (Carangidae). High excretion rates of ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus were associated with these mutualistic fishes, which can provide nutrients needed to sustain growth and biomass of Sargassum. These findings suggest that new production of Sargassum occurs in neritic waters of the western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, where mutualistic relationships with fishes, especially juvenile filefishes and carangids, contribute to nutrient supply and growth.
Minimax estimation under generalized quadratic loss

An admissible minimax estimate is derived for the following statistical decision problem. Let z1 = x + u + v1 and z2 = x + v2, where x ? N[o, Q], v1 ? N[o, R1], v2 ? N[o, R2], and u ? En. A statistician observes the random vector z1 and seeks a minimax estimate ?(z1) for the sum (x + u), under the generalized quadratic loss function defined by L(?, u) = [? - (x + u)]' C[? - (x + u)] - u'du. Nature observes the random vector z2 and controls the value of the vector u, which she may make dependent on the observed value of z2. Both parties know the covariance matrices of the indicated normal random vectors, which are assumed to be statistically independent. The minimax decision rule is shown to be linear, and nature's optimum choice of u is shown to be u = Pz2, where the matrix P is determined by the solution to a certain nonlinear matrix equation.
Rapid Fat Suppression in MRI of the Breast with Short Binomial Pulses

Purpose To develop a faster method of fat suppression for use in dynamic contrast enhanced MRI of the breast. Materials and Methods A method of fast fat suppression is presented using spatially nonselective rapid binomial pulses. In contrast to conventional binomial frequency-selective pulses, these short pulses are applied without interpulse delay, allowing for very rapid spectrally selective excitation. Results Effective water excitation and fat suppression were achieved in breast MRI at 3.0 Tesla with total excitation time as low as 160 μsec, which is several times shorter than the excitation time of currently used fat suppression techniques. Rapid fat suppression comes at the expense of increased specific absorption rate (SAR) and mildly degraded quality of suppression. A flexible tradeoff of short imaging time vs. SAR can be made to optimize imaging speed for fat-suppressed breast MRI. Conclusion Rapid binomial pulses can be used for dynamic contrast enhanced breast MRI with excitation times significantly shorter than currently used fat suppression pulses. Shorter excitation time allows more rapid imaging, allowing greater temporal and spatial resolution for characterization of breast lesions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Travelling Wave Phenomenon Through a Piezoelectric Actuation on a Free-Free Beam

A mechanical wave is generated as a result of an oscillating body interacting with the well-defined medium and it propagates through that medium transferring energy from one location to another. The ability to generate and control the motion of the mechanical waves through the finite medium opens up the opportunities for creating novel actuation mechanisms. The focus of this study is on understanding the traveling wave generation and propagation by establishing the relationships that illustrate the role of structural and electromechanical parameters. A brass beam with free-free boundary conditions was selected to be the medium through which the wave propagation occurs. Two piezoelectric elements were bonded on the opposite ends of the beam and were used to generate the controlled oscillations. Excitation of the piezoelectrics results in coupled system dynamics that can be translated into generation of the waves with desired characteristics. Theoretical analysis based on the distributed parameter model and experiments were conducted to provide the comprehensive understanding of the wave generation and propagation behavior.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Wear and hardness of carbon overcoats on magnetic recording sliders

Wear of diamond-like carbon (DLC) overcoats on magnetic recording sliders during contact start stop (CSS) testing is investigated by monitoring changes in the depths of ion-milled “trenches” on the air bearing surface. In addition, nano-indentation, scratch tests, and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the DLC films. The correlation between hardness and scratch resistance of DLC films on Si and Al203‐TiC coupons as well as hardness and wear resistance of DLC overcoats on sliders during CSS testing is studied. DLC films that exhibit higher durability in scratch tests are found to also exhibit higher durability in CSS tests. © 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
Salt Spray and Mineral Cycling in Two California Coastal Ecosystems

Windblown salt aerosols are a significant input to the mineral cycle along coastal areas. Cationic ratios of aerosol salts differ markedly from the same ratios in sea water. Resulting salt inputs to inland ecosystems reflect initial ion separation during sea—water bubble bursting and subsequent fallout of particulate salts until a base—level aerosol concentration is achieved. Inputs of aerosols to Baccharis brushland ecosystems are concentrated in plants and soil. Cations are trapped on leaf surfaces where they are available for foliar absorption and in some cases, translocation. Tracer studies with ² ²Na indicated that the greatest accumulation of retained ² ²Na was in the roots of Baccharis plants. Of the total applied dose of ² ²Na, 12% was either exuded or leached from roots of hydrophonically grown Baccharis over a 25—day period. This phenomenon may be considered a potential pathway for inputs of large amount of Na to soil near shorelines. The surface ionic content of soils reflects nutrient release from litter fall. At 1— to 2—m depths ionic losses from leaching occur in approximately the same ratios as inputs of salt spray. This suggests a steady state with regard to cycling of Na, K, Mg, and Ca.
Phoenix in Motion: A Dance for the Camera Project for Urban Youth

Phoenix in Motion: A Dance for the Camera Project for Urban Youth is a hybrid dance for the camera project that centered on capturing a sense of community and place in the urban neighborhoods of Ph...
Cold nuclear fusion in metallic hydrogen and normal metals

The rate of nuclear fusion from tunneling in very dense metallic hydrogen in the core of Jupiter is calculated to be 10{sup {minus}50} per hydrogen-deuterium pair per second. It is estimated that the width of the fusion barrier for deuterium in palladium or a similar metal must be reduced to, of order, 0.1 A for the fusion rate to be 10{sup {minus}25} per deuterium per second. If this scale is achieved, the ratios of various nuclear reaction rates will be very different for cold versus thermonuclear fusion.
Subunit Structure of Mitochondrial DNA Polymerase from Drosophila Embryos PHYSICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES

The subunit structure of mitochondrial DNA polymerase from Drosophila embryos has been examined by a combination of physical and immunological methods. A highly specific rabbit antiserum directed against the native enzyme was developed and found to recognize specifically its two subunits in immunoblot and immunoprecipitation analyses. That and the potent inhibition by the rabbit antiserum of the DNA polymerase and 3′→5′ exonuclease activities of the nearly homogeneous mitochondrial DNA polymerase provide strong evidence for the physical association of the 3′→5′ exonuclease with the two subunit enzyme. An immunoprecipitation analysis of crude enzyme fractions showed that the two subunits of Drosophila mitochondrial DNA polymerase are intact, and an in situ gel proteolysis analysis showed that they are structurally distinct. Template-primer DNA binding studies demonstrated formation of a stable and discrete enzyme-DNA complex in the absence of accessory proteins. Photochemical cross-linking of the complexes by UV light indicated that the α but not the β subunit of mitochondrial DNA polymerase makes close contact with DNA, and limited digestion of the native enzyme with trypsin showed that an ~65-kDa proteolytic fragment of the α subunit retains the DNA binding function.
Images of Work

The ways in which work gets done are observably different from the ways in which those in positions of responsibility talk about that work or from the ways in which the organizational and business ...
Global stiffness modeling of a class of simple compliant couplings

Abstract Thorough theoretical investigations collaborate the experimental findings that in general stiffness matrices are asymmetric. This work details the results for the simplest types of compliant couplings that consist of translational springs acting in-parallel. The resulting stiffness matrices are global, which means that they are functions of the configuration of their respective compliant couplings. A new parameter ( ϱ = l 0 / l , ratio of unloaded to current spring length) is introduced for each translational spring, and the deviations of ϱ i from unity indicate how and when the stiffness matrix becomes asymmetric.
State, citizenship, and the urban poor

This paper examines the dynamic, moving relationship between three concepts – those of life, law, and exception. Following a brief exposition of these concepts, this paper provides an ethnography of struggles over housing waged by the urban poor in a squatter colony in Noida that adjoins the city of Delhi, India. I argue that each concept in this triad exerts force on the other and is the dynamic relation that creates the conditions of possibility for the emergence of claims over citizenship for the urban poor. In suggesting that citizenship is a claim rather than a status, which one either has or does not have, the article shows the precariousness as well as the promise for the poor of ‘belonging’ to a polity. Joining the discussion on the politics of life, the paper argues that the notion of life allows the mutual absorption of the natural and the social, and thus illuminates aspects of citizenship forged through the struggles waged by the poor for their needs. These are aspects of citizenship which rem...
Sampling intensity for monitoring of environmental systems

Costs of monitoring environmental systems may be reduced by comparing the cost of a small sample taken frequently with the cost of a larger sample taken less frequently. For multivariable monitoring, each variable may require a different sample size, which will depend on the interval between sampling times. Methods of making appropriate cost computations are presented.
Comparison of steric effects in the modeling of spheres and rodlike particles in field-flow fractionation

Abstract The elution of spheres and rods in field-flow fractionation (FFF) is studied using a Brownian dynamics method. The particle motions for spheres are governed by a familiar Langevin equation which models drag force and diffusion. The rods are modeled as prolate ellipsoids and the particle motions are governed by a similar but orientation dependent Langevin equation, and the Jeffrey equation with rotational diffusion. Modeling of particle elution for spheres from 10 to 1000 nm was examined. The simulation captures the steric transition, and results for mean elution time are in good agreement with the steric inversion theory of Giddings [Giddings, J.C., 2000. In: Field-Flow Fractionation Handbook, Wiley-Interscience; Giddings, J.C., 1978. Separation Science and Technology 13, 241; Giddings, J.C., Myers, M.N., 1978. Separation Science and Technology 13, 637]. The sphere simulations are compared with simulations for rods of equal diffusivity, as under “normal mode” conditions (i.e., diffusion controlled) such particles should elute at the same rate. The results for rods show that nanotube size particles elute by a normal mode mechanism up to a size of about 500 nm (based on a particle diameter of 1 nm). At larger sizes, the rods begin to deviate from normal mode theory, but less strongly and in the opposite sense as for spheres. While the steric effect for spheres causes larger spheres to elute faster than predicted by normal mode theory, an inverse steric effect occurs for rods in which larger rods move increasingly slower than predicted by theory. The difference is attributed to the fact that the speed up observed for spheres is dictated by size exclusion of the particles at the boundary, while rods slow down due to increasing alignment at the boundary. Spheres and rods of equivalent diffusivity elute at the same rate up to a sphere size of approximately 90 nm (500 nm rods), at which point there are increasingly greater differences in mean elution times. While this affects the calibration of such operations, it also indicates that length based separations for nanotubes are not bound by the same limitation as occurs for spheres due to steric inversion.
Balancing Connectivity of Deteriorating Bridge Networks and Long-Term Maintenance Cost through Optimization

Due to aggressive environmental stressors and increasing traffic loads, highway bridges are undergoing significant deterioration in both condition and safety. Timely and adequate maintenance interventions are therefore crucial to ensure the functionality of existing bridges in a network. Under budget constraints, it is important to prioritize maintenance needs to bridges that are most significant to the functionality of the entire network. In this paper, the network-level bridge maintenance planning problem is posed as a combinatorial optimization and is automated by a genetic algorithm (GA) to select and allocate maintenance interventions of different types among networked bridges as well as over a specified time horizon. Two conflicting objective functions are considered simultaneously: (1) The overall performance of a bridge network expressed by the time-dependent reliability of connectivity between the origin and the destination locations and (2) the present value of total maintenance cost over the specified time horizon. A variety of maintenance types, which differ in unit costs as well as in effects on bridge performance in terms of improvement in structural reliability levels, are used in the optimization. An event tree analysis is carried out to obtain a closed-form expression for the network connectivity reliability. As an illustration example, the GA-based procedure is applied to deteriorating deck slabs of an existing 13-bridge network located in Colorado. It is shown that the proposed maintenance planning procedure has the capability of both prioritizing scarce maintenance needs to deteriorating bridges that are most crucial to the network performance and cost-effectively distributing maintenance interventions over the time horizon.
Injection-Locked Spin Hall-Induced Coupled-Oscillators for Energy Efficient Associative Computing

In this paper, we show that the dynamics of injection-locked Spin Hall Effect Spin-Torque Oscillator (SHE-STO) cluster can be exploited as a robust primitive computational operator for non-Boolean associative computing. A cluster of SHE-STOs can be locked to a common frequency and phase with an injected ac current signal. DC input to each STO from external stimuli can conditionally unlock some of them. Based on the input dc signal, the degree of synchronization of SHE-STO cluster is detected by CMOS interface circuitry. The degree of synchronization can be used for associative computing/matching. We present a numerical simulation model of SHE-STO devices based on Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation with spin-transfer torque term and Spin Hall Effect. The model is then used to analyze the frequency and phase locking properties of injection-locked SHE-STO cluster. Results show that associative computing based on the injection locked SHE-STO cluster can be energy efficient and relatively immune to device parameter variations and thermal noise.
Raven's Cry

"Raven's Cry" is a Northwest Coast classic - a moving and powerful work that is a fictionalized retelling of the near destruction of the Haida nation. The Haida are a proud and cultured people, whose home is Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands) off the coast of northern British Columbia. Until the first Europeans arrived in 1775, the Haida were the lords of the coast. The meeting of cultures was a fateful one: the Europeans had the advantages of firearms and immunity to their own deadly diseases. In just 150 years, the Haida and their culture were pushed to the edge of extinction. Christie Harris recreates this tale of tragedy and the ultimate survival of native spirit with dignity, beauty and ethnographic accuracy.
Superconducting ``metals'' and ``insulators''

We propose a characterization of zero-temperature phases in disordered superconductors on the basis of the nature of quasiparticle transport. In three-dimensional systems, there are two distinct phases in close analogy to the distinction between normal metals and insulators: the superconducting ``metal'' with delocalized quasiparticle excitations and the superconducting ``insulator'' with localized quasiparticles. We describe experimental realizations of either phase, and study their general properties theoretically. We suggest experiments where it should be possible to tune from one superconducting phase to the other, thereby probing a novel ``metal-insulator'' transition inside a superconductor. We point out various implications of our results for the phase transitions where the superconductor is destroyed at zero temperature to form either a normal metal or a normal insulator.
Multiple left heart obstructions (Shone's anomaly) with mitral valve involvement: long-term surgical outcome.

Abstract Background. The outcome of children with multilevel left heart obstructions (Shone's anomaly) is generally poor. Literature is scarce, consisting mainly of case reports. The mitral disease may be the predominant factor affecting outcome. Methods. Surgical results in 19 consecutive patients are presented, with a median follow-up of 8 years. Mitral stenosis was present in all, with parachute deformity in 12 patients. Supramitral rings were found in 9 patients. Other features included subaortic stenosis (15 patients), valvar aortic stenosis (9), bicuspid aortic valve (16), and coarctation (13 patients). The patients underwent 46 surgical procedures, including 18 mitral operations (9 replacements, 9 repairs). Results. There were three in-hospital (16%) and two late (10.5%) deaths. Of the 5 nonsurvivors, 4 patients (80%) had predominant mitral disease and moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension, versus 4 (28.5%) and 5 (36%) survivors, respectively ( p = not significant). Valve repair was the final procedure in 9 survivors. The other 5 patients had repeated valve replacements (1), aortoventriculoplasty with valve replacements (2), or no mitral operation (2). Freedom from mitral reoperation was 78% (7 of 9 patients) after repair procedures and 43% (3 of 7 patients) after replacement. At follow-up, 10 patients (71.4%) are in New York Heart Association functional class I and the other 4 in class II and III. Six (43%) await reoperation due to recurrent aortic (4) or subaortic (1) stenosis and recoarctation (2). Echocardiography reveals mild mitral stenosis or regurgitation in 3 patients after repair (33%). Four are considered free of residual disease (21% of all). Conclusions. Late outcome in Shone's anomaly seems to correlate with the predominance of mitral valve involvement and the degree of pulmonary hypertension. Valve repair is indicated whenever feasible and should be considered before the occurrence of pulmonary hypertension.
Personal and Extrapersonal Orientation in Huntington's Disease Patients and those at Risk

Abstract Two aspects of spatial cognition, personal and extrapersonal orientation, were studied in 21 patients with Huntington's disease, 49 individuals at risk for the disease, and 41 healthy control subjects. Personal orientation was assessed using the Standardized Road Map Test of Directional Sense. Extrapersonal orientation was measured using a route-walking task under two conditions — with and without turning the body while traversing the routes. Relative to normal controls, HD patients performed more slowly on the personal orientation test, and less accurately on the extrapersonal orientation task in the TURN, but not the NOTURN condition. At-risk individuals performed like the normal control subjects on all measures. The results suggest a deficit in personal but not extrapersonal orientation in HD. It is suggested that disruption of fronto-striatal pathways mediates this deficit.
The elementary unit of store-operated Ca2+ entry: local activation of CRAC channels by STIM1 at ER–plasma membrane junctions

The activation of store-operated Ca(2+) entry by Ca(2+) store depletion has long been hypothesized to occur via local interactions of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane, but the structure involved has never been identified. Store depletion causes the ER Ca(2+) sensor stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1) to form puncta by accumulating in junctional ER located 10-25 nm from the plasma membrane (see Wu et al. on p. 803 of this issue). We have combined total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and patch-clamp recording to localize STIM1 and sites of Ca(2+) influx through open Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels in Jurkat T cells after store depletion. CRAC channels open only in the immediate vicinity of STIM1 puncta, restricting Ca(2+) entry to discrete sites comprising a small fraction of the cell surface. Orai1, an essential component of the CRAC channel, colocalizes with STIM1 after store depletion, providing a physical basis for the local activation of Ca(2+) influx. These studies reveal for the first time that STIM1 and Orai1 move in a coordinated fashion to form closely apposed clusters in the ER and plasma membranes, thereby creating the elementary unit of store-operated Ca(2+) entry.
As assessment of the singular-vector approach to targeted observing using the FASTEX dataset

In this study, we investigate whether the results of assimilating special targeted observations from the Fronts and Atlantic Storm-Track EXperiment (FASTEX) in an operational forecast model support the underlying principles of the singular-vector (SV) approach to targeted observing. A simple framework is presented that allows explicit examination of the changes made to the analysis in the subspace of the leading SVs from assimilation of the observations. the impact of this component on the forecast provides a key measure of the effectiveness of SV-based targeting. Results confirm that the impact of the additional observations occurs primarily as a result of changes to the analysis in the subspace of the leading SVs. These changes account for a small fraction of the total targeting increment at initial time, but explain a large fraction of the response of the forecast at the verification time. the results also confirm that analysis errors in the middle and lower troposphere are an important source of error in forecasts of extratropical cyclones. While moist processes can play an important role in the forecast-error evolution, SVs that exclude these processes can remain an effective targeting tool. This is because the location of maximum sensitivity will not necessarily differ from that identified by the dry SVs. It is also shown that the locations of the leading (target) SVs can be computed accurately with lead times of up to 48 hours, allowing ample time for the deployment of observational resources.
Properties of rapid prototype injection mold tooling materials

Epoxy acrylate-based sterolithography resins have been used successfully as tools for injection molding. Molds made out of these resins fail at distinct times: during the first injection of plastic; during the first part first ejection; during either injection or ejection, but after a certain number of parts have been produced, which can be compared to a fatigue process. This paper presents correlations between measured properties of stereolithography molds and injection molding processing conditions so as to understand and predict mold failure. The study focuses on two stereolithography resins (SL 7510 and SL 7510) and one epoxy-based composite material used for the high speed machining of prototype molds (Renboard). Rapid tooling materials are studied in fatigue, tensile, and fracture at injection molding operating temperatures and at room temperature. Finally, a method to address failure of molds is proposed using the theory of fracture.
The SR protein family

Summary The processing of pre-mRNAs is a fundamental step required for the expression of most metazoan genes. Members of the family of serine/arginine (SR)-rich proteins are critical components of the machineries carrying out these essential processing events, highlighting their importance in maintaining efficient gene expression. SR proteins are characterized by their ability to interact simultaneously with RNA and other protein components via an RNA recognition motif (RRM) and through a domain rich in arginine and serine residues, the RS domain. Their functional roles in gene expression are surprisingly diverse, ranging from their classical involvement in constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA splicing to various post-splicing activities, including mRNA nuclear export, nonsense-mediated decay, and mRNA translation. These activities point up the importance of SR proteins during the regulation of mRNA metabolism.
SIADH: A Serious Side Effect of Psychotropic Drugs

In this communication two cases of possibly drug induced hyponatremia secondary to amitriptyline and thioridazine have been reported. What is particularly important is the fact that in one, irreversible neurological symptoms were left as sequelae and in the other, the patient was in a coma and thus suffered from a potentially lethal complication. The physicians should be aware of this disturbing side effect while treating their patients with antidepressant and neuroleptic medications.
Subspecific selectivity by a mammalian herbivore: Geographic differentiation of interactions between two taxa of Sciurus aberti and Pinus ponderosa

We compared host selection by two subspecies of Abert's squirrel, a highly specialized and selective herbivore. Both subspecies are restricted to stands of ponderosa pine, upon which they are ecologically dependent, but the two subspecies are geographically disjunct and each is closely associated with stands of trees that represent strongly differentiated chemical races. The criteria by which trees were selected as sources of phloem by each subspecies of squirrel included heritable features of xylem oleoresin and phloem. Trees that were potentially available to the subspecies of squirrel in Colorado differed substantially in biochemical features from trees that were available to the subspecies in Arizona; as a result, chemically mediated feeding patterns were distinct between the two squirrel subspecies. Based on multivariate analysis of chemical characteristics, trees utilized by the squirrels for feeding (target trees) differed significantly from control trees (non-target tre es) for each subspecies. However, the discriminant functions that separated target trees from non-target trees within a site generated different patterns of predicted classification when applied to trees at the other site. Vertebrate herbivores that are feeding specialists can exert selection pressures in populations of their host plants, and results suggest that geographically differentiated herbivore–host interactions can produce different sets of selection pressures, which may result in different evolutionary outcomes. Such geographic differentiation is a potentially important evolutionary aspect of chemically mediated mammal–plant interactions.