cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disruption of galactic radio jets by shocks in the ambient medium

Observations show that jets in moderate luminosity (<1025 W Hz−1 at 20 cm wavelength) radio galaxies can flare dramatically in a few jet diameters and with opening angles up to 90° into diffuse lobes or tails1–4 (Fig. 1). These morphologies are difficult to reproduce in numerical simulations of supersonic jets that move outward in constant5,6 or smoothly varying atmospheres (N. Norman, unpublished results). By analogy with structures seen in the laboratory7, one could interpret the collimated jets as moderately supersonic (Mach number 2–5) fluid flows, and the lobes or tails as subsonic plumes that are subject to turbulent broadening and entrainment of the ambient medium. Our studies indicate that the transition from supersonic to subsonic flow can occur suddenly only if a strong planar (normal to the flow direction) shock or Mach disk forms within the jet. Here we show that such an internal shock is produced as the jet crosses a shock wave in the external medium. The external shock could form, for example, by a galactic wind encountering the intergalactic medium. We find that for jet disruption the jet Mach number must be less than the wind-shock Mach number, a result also understandable from analytic arguments. We apply this model to Cen A and wide-angle-tailed radio galaxies.
Misanthropic Person Memory

Three experiments examined memory for behaviors associated with attributional information. A baseline established in Experiment 1, using behaviors unaccompanied by attributions, indicated that expectancy-inconsistent behaviors were better recalled than consistent ones. Experiment 2 linked these same behaviors to dispositional or situational attributions. After reconceptualizing the results, it was shown that negative dispositionally attributed behaviors and positive situationally attributed behaviors were best recalled, suggesting that there is a negativity bias in person memory for behaviors that are accompanied by attributions. Experiment 3, using a different procedure, served as a replication of this misanthropic memory effect and demonstrated that the effect was only slightly altered by reducing the processing time allocated for this task. The findings were discussed in terms of their implications for expectancy-driven information processing and also with regard to the types of impressions people may form from attributed behavioral information.
A Real-Space Parallel Optimization Model Reduction Approach for Electronic Structure Computation in Large Nanostructures Using Orbital-Free Density Functional Theory

The goal of this work is the development of a highly parallel approach to computing the electron density in nanostructures. In the context of orbital-free density functional theory, a model reduction approach leads to a parallel algorithm that mirrors the subdomain partitioning of the problem. The resulting form of the energy functional that is subject to the minimization process is compact and simple. Computation of gradient and hessian information is immediate. The salient attribute of the proposed methodology is the use of model reduction (reconstruction) within the framework of electronic structure computation.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Fluorine-induced hydrophobicity in silica aerogels

Abstract The use of the R-substituted organosiloxanes in hydrolysis-condensation reactions with tetraalkoxysilanes is a flexible way to incorporate functional groups into silica gels and aerogels. When R = CH2CH2CF3, chemically and physically stable gels and aerogels that are hydrophobic can be readily made. These types of aerogels have been shown to be adsorbents for organics compounds from aqueous phase. In order to understand the role of the fluorinated group in making these materials hydrophobic, various formulations of CF3CH2CH2-modified aerogels have been synthesized and characterized. These materials were formed by the reaction of CF3CH2CH2Si(OCH3)3 and Si(OCH3)4 in CH3OH with NH4OH as the catalyst followed by supercritical drying in CO2. A 0.7 mole ratio of the reactants CF3CH2CH2Si(OCH3)3/Si(OCH3)4 is necessary to make hydrophobic aerogels that meet the 2.5% water adsorption limit. Lower reactant mole ratios yield materials that adsorb more water, reaching a saturation value in roughly 1 month, where the amount adsorbed is inversely proportional to the amount of CF3CH2CH2 group incorporated.
Simulation of absolute backscattering coefficient in Field II

We present a method for the realistic simulation of tissue backscatter in the ultrasound simulation program Field II. The method, based on an application of the Rayleigh speckle model, is implemented as an additional convolution step which appropriately scales and filters RF data to match an arbitrary backscattering coefficient spectrum. We verify that the method accurately captures the statistics and frequency-dependent behavior of diffuse tissue by simulating a standard backscattering coefficient measurement for focused transducers. We provide an example of how this method can be used to create simulation phantoms for assessing tissue detectibility in low SNR applications.
Spin coherence in semiconductors: storage, transport and reduced dimensionality

Abstract We review the use of femtosecond-resolved optical techniques for the study of electron spin dynamics in semiconductors and show how these methods are able to address many of the issues that are centrally important to spin polarized semiconductor-based electronics. Pump–probe studies can be used to optimize spintronic material parameters, and have led to the observation of 100 ns spin lifetimes in n-doped bulk GaAs and spin transport across macroscopic length scales (100 μm ) . We have found that spin coherence is preserved across a semiconductor heterojunction over a broad range of temperatures, and can be protected by transport to regions of intrinsically lower decoherence. Studies of CdSe quantum dots ranging from 22 to 80 A in diameter indicate that spin coherence in these structures is thermally robust, with nanosecond-scale spin lifetimes persisting to room temperature.
Mechanism of Cysteine Desulfurase Slr0387 from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803: Kinetic Analysis of Cleavage of the Persulfide Intermediate by Chemical Reductants†

Cysteine desulfurases (CDs) are pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes that cleave sulfur from cysteine via an enzyme cysteinyl persulfide intermediate. In vitro studies of these enzymes have generally employed dithiothreitol as a cosubstrate to reductively cleave the persulfide intermediate, and it has been suggested that persulfide cleavage is the rate-limiting step for catalysis. In this study, the kinetics and mechanisms of cleavage of the persulfide intermediate in Slr0387 (CD-0387), a sequence group I (NifS/IscS-like) cysteine desulfurase from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, by physiological and nonphysiological reductants have been examined, and the extent to which this step is rate-limiting for catalysis has been determined. The observations that dithiols such as dithiothreitol (DTT) cleave the persulfide with approximately 100-fold greater efficiency than structurally similar monothiols such as 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), that cleavage by DTT exhibits saturation kinetics, and that the dependence of the observed first-order rate constant for persulfide cleavage by DTT on the concentration of the dithiol corresponds precisely with that for formation of a complex between DTT and the PLP cofactor of the resting enzyme suggest that persulfide cleavage by dithiols occurs by prior formation of a complex, in which addition of one thiol to the cofactor positions the second thiol for attack. This conclusion and the observation that a second molecule of L-cysteine can bind to the cofactor in the persulfide form of CD-0387 explain why several CDs are subject to potent inhibition by L-cysteine during turnover with DTT: binding of L-cysteine prevents formation of the PLP-DTT adduct and renders the dithiol no better than a monothiol, which must react with the persulfide in bimolecular fashion. Consistent with this rationale, catalysis by CD-0387 with 2-ME as cosubstrate, while less efficient, is not subject to potent inhibition by L-cysteine. The similarity of the maximum rate constant for persulfide cleavage by DTT to k(cat) suggests that persulfide cleavage is, in fact, primarily rate-determining, and this conclusion is confirmed by the observation that k(cat) is approximately 10-fold greater when tris-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP), the most efficient persulfide cleaver identified, is used as the reducing cosubstrate. The faster turnover with TCEP provides a chemical model for activation of CD-0387 and other CDs by the presence of accessory factors that serve as efficient acceptors of the persulfide sulfur.
Utilization of visible/near-infrared spectroscopic and wavelength selection methods in sugar prediction and potatoes classification

VIS/NIR spectroscopic systems have been extensively and successfully applied on quality assurance for fruits, vegetables, and food products. This study uniquely focused on the efficacy of selected wavelengths on predicting glucose and sucrose for potato tubers of Frito Lay 1879 (FL) and Russet Norkotah (RN) cultivars, and in turn the potential of classification of potatoes based on sugar levels important to the frying industry. Whole tubers, as well as 12.7 mm slices, were scanned using a VIS/NIR interactance spectroscopic system (446–1,125 nm). Interval partial least squares, and genetic algorithm were utilized for wavelength selection. Partial least squares regression (PLSR), and artificial neural networks were applied for building prediction models. Results showed that R(RPD) [correlation coefficient (ratio of reference standard deviation to root mean square error of the model)] for prediction models of glucose were as high as 0.78 (1.61), and 0.95 (3.02) for FL, and RN for slice samples, and 0.81 (1.72), and 0.97 (3.89) for FL and RN respectively in the case of whole tubers. For sucrose models, R(RPD) values were 0.71 (1.43), and 0.78 (1.57) for FL and RN for slice samples, and 0.80 (1.64), and 0.94 (2.82) for whole tubers. Classification of potatoes based on sugar levels was conducted and training models were built and validated using linear discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbor, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and classifier fusion. Classification errors of the testing set for whole tubers, based on glucose, were as low as 18 and 0 % for FL and RN. For sliced samples, the errors were 16 and 13 % for FL and RN. Generally, higher classification errors were obtained based on sucrose with values of whole tubers as low as 26 and 14 % for FL and RN, and for sliced samples the errors were 23 and 18 % which follows a similar trend as PLSR results. This study presents a potential of using selected wavelengths in the VIS/NIR interactance range of 446–1,125 nm to effectively predict sugars and classify potatoes based on thresholds that are crucial for the frying industry.
Motivations and Opportunities

THERE are two kinds of motivation that incite men to activity — those that push and those that pull. Hunger, thirst, cold, want and fear are motivations of the "pusher" type. These are sufficient o...
Hybrid multidimensional dynamic optical networking based on adaptive LDPC-coded mode-multiplexed CO-OFDM

Spatial-MIMO combined with multiband-OFDM will lead to significant improvement in aggregate throughput of optical networks. In this paper, we describe how spatial and spectral domains can be used to enable hybrid multidimensional, dynamic, elastic optical networking based on adaptive LDPC-coded mode-multiplexed CO-OFDM.
LOW EXTRA-PAIR PATERNITY IN WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN

Abstract The White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus) is one of the few socially monogamous species within the highly polygynous grouse subfamily (Tetraoninae). I found White-tailed Ptarmigan in Glacier National Park, Montana, to be nearly genetically monogamous. Of 58 chicks with putative fathers identified, three were the result of extra-pair copulations (5%). Three of 18 clutches (17%) contained extra-pair offspring. I suggest that White-tailed Ptarmigan males are able to guard their females effectively from extra-pair copulations because of high visibility in their habitat and their ability to forage alongside their mate. The three extra-pair offspring were sired by unknown males. Baja Paternidad Extra-Pareja en Lagopus leucurus Resumen. Lagopus leucurus es una de las pocas especies socialmente monogama dentro de la subfamilia Tetraoninae que se caracteriza por ser altamente poligina. En el “Glacier National Park,” Montana, encontre que los individuos de L. leucurus eran casi completamente monogamos ...
A Reasonable Facsimile

Telefax offers the library professional a rapid, dependable, and affordable way to send images from point A to point B. In the race for speed and accuracy, it is the hands‐down winner. Buying a telefax is no different than buying any other tool. The author guides you in the intracacies of facsimile options before you go shopping—helping you assess your actual needs, determine what extra features you want, and decide what your budget will stand.
Lateral magnocellular thalamic nucleus in rabbits: architecture and projections to cingulate cortex.

The lateral magnocellular nucleus (LM) contains the largest neurons in the rabbit thalamus, yet its cortical connections have not been described. This study evaluates the architecture, cingulate cortical connections, and spontaneous rate of neuronal discharges in LM. At its maximal mediolateral extent in coronal sections, LM underlies the laterodorsal and lateroposterior nuclei. It has a short medial and long lateral limb, both of which have high levels of cytochrome oxidase activity. On the basis of horseradish peroxidase and fluorescent dye injections, LM projects primarily to area 29 and posterior area 24. Projections to area 29d are topographically organized so that the medial limb of LM projects to rostral area 29d, mid levels of LM where the limbs join project to midlevels of area 29d and lateral parts of the lateral limb project to posterior area 29d. It is mainly the midportion of the lateral and medial limbs that projects to areas 29b and 29c. The anterior parts of these areas receive input from dorsal parts of LM, whereas posterior levels of these areas receive input from ventral LM. The midregion of LM also projects to caudal area 24. Injections of 3H-amino acids into area 29d anterogradely label neuronal processes in LM. Finally, single unit electrophysiological recordings from LM in halothane-anesthetized rabbits showed a unique pattern of spontaneous discharges. Over 70% of the LM neurons cycled through a number of different phases with a mean +/- S.E.M. peak discharge rate of 31 +/- 4.7 Hz. This high rate contrasts with the 17.6 +/- 3.2 Hz rate for neurons that maintained a constant rate of discharge and the 7.5 +/- 1.3 Hz rate of discharges for neurons in nuclei dorsal and ventral to LM. LM neurons are large, have high levels of cytochrome oxidase and spontaneous activity, and project extensively to the posterior cingulate cortex. These features suggest that LM neurons are highly active metabolically and may be fast conducting efferents to cingulate cortex.
The Clear and Present Funding Crisis in Community Colleges

This chapter describes the impact of major changes in community college funding on its open-access mission, as well as on the work and responsibilities of college leaders as they attempt to balance the increasing demands made of their institutions while concomitantly grappling with diminished public fiscal support.
Profiting from Mark-Up: Hyper-Text Annotations for Guided Parsing

We show how web mark-up can be used to improve unsupervised dependency parsing. Starting from raw bracketings of four common HTML tags (anchors, bold, italics and underlines), we refine approximate partial phrase boundaries to yield accurate parsing constraints. Conversion procedures fall out of our linguistic analysis of a newly available million-word hyper-text corpus. We demonstrate that derived constraints aid grammar induction by training Klein and Manning's Dependency Model with Valence (DMV) on this data set: parsing accuracy on Section 23 (all sentences) of the Wall Street Journal corpus jumps to 50.4%, beating previous state-of-the-art by more than 5%. Web-scale experiments show that the DMV, perhaps because it is unlexicalized, does not benefit from orders of magnitude more annotated but noisier data. Our model, trained on a single blog, generalizes to 53.3% accuracy out-of-domain, against the Brown corpus --- nearly 10% higher than the previous published best. The fact that web mark-up strongly correlates with syntactic structure may have broad applicability in NLP.
The hemodynamic consequences of cardiac arrhythmias: Evaluation of the relative roles of abnormal atrioventricular sequencing, irregularity of ventricular rhythm and atrial fibrillation in a canine model

To evaluate the hemodynamic consequences of various cardiac arrhythmias, hemodynamic and angiographic studies were performed on 20 open-chest, atrioventricular (AV) heart-blocked dogs during various programmed pacing protocols. Protocols included AV pacing at intervals of 100 msec and -100 msec, ventricular (V) pacing during AV dissociation, and V pacing during atrial fibrillation (AF). In addition, the effects of regular versus irregular V pacing were also evaluated. During regular V pacing, cardiac output was optimal at an AV interval of 100 msec, but decreased by 25% at AV -100 msec and by 18% during both AV dissociation and AF. During irregular V cycles, cardiac output decreased further (e.g., by an additional 7% during AF). Pulmonary venous regurgitation was observed only during AV dissociation and during regular pacing at AV -100 msec. Notably, mitral valvular regurgitation was observed only during irregular V cycles, but not during regular V pacing, even in the presence of AV dissociation or AF. Using these methods it was possible to resolve some previously reported controversies regarding the relative importance of AV sequencing, atrial systole versus AF, regular versus irregular rhythms, as well as the possible contribution of mitral and/or pulmonary venous regurgitation to the adverse hemodynamics of various cardiac arrhythmias.
Feminist Theory, Agency, and the Liberatory Subject: Some Reflections on the Islamic Revival in Egypt

This article argues that insomuch as feminism is both an analytical and politically prescriptive project, it aims not only to analyze the situation of women in different historical and cultural locations but also to transform their conditions of subjugation. Consequently, feminist scholarship tends to accord freedom a normative status, and to emphasize those instances that exemplify women's desire to be free from relations of subordination. An important consequence of this tendency in feminist scholarship is to limit the conceptualization of agency to acts that further the moral autonomy of the individual in the face of power. Through an examination of the women's piety movement in Egypt, this article argues for uncoupling the notion of agency from that of resistance as a necessary step in thinking about forms of desire and politics that do not accord with norms of secular-liberal feminism and its liberatory telos.
A threshold fatigue crack closure model: Part I- model development

A fatigue crack closure model is developed that includes the effects of, and interactions between, the three closure mechanisms most likely to occur at threshold; plasticity, roughness, and oxide. This model, herein referred to as the CROP model (for Closure, Roughness, Oxide, and Plasticity), also includes the effects of out-of-plane cracking and multi-axial loading. These features make the CROP closure model uniquely suited for, but not limited to, threshold applications. Rough cracks are idealized here as two-dimensional sawtooths, whose geometry induces mixed-mode crack-tip stresses. Continuum mechanics and crack-tip dislocation concepts are combined to relate crack face displacements to crack-tip loads. Geometric criteria are used to determine closure loads from crack-face displacements. Finite element results, used to verify model predictions, provide critical information about the locations where crack closure occurs. The CROP model is verified with experimental data in part II of this paper.
Health Care Access and Health Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men The Cost of Health Disparities

Men who have sex with men (MSM) appear to experience barriers to health care compared with general population men. This report examines individual differences in health care access within a diverse sample of urban MSM (N = 871). The authors examined demographic differences in health care access and the relation between access and health-related attitudes, health behaviors, and HIV transmission risk. They operationalized health care access in terms of three indicators: perceived barriers, insurance status, and recent medical visit. Twenty-seven percent (n = 227) of MSM reported zero or one health care access indicator. African American and Latino race/ethnicity, lower income, and HIV-unknown status were associated with limited health care access. Limited health care access was related to health care attitudes (mistrust in the health care system and difficulty disclosing MSM status to providers), general health behaviors (smoking, never being HIV-tested, and drug abuse), and sexual risk-related variables (low self-efficacy for sexual safety, consistent drug use during sex, and HIV transmission risk). Overall, among MSM, less health care access relates to several adverse psychological constructs and health behaviors. Researchers and public health officials should address limited health care access, and its consequences, in this population.
Physical fitness, walking performance, and gait in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Walking impairment is a prevalent, life-altering feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). There has been recent speculation that physiological deconditioning (i.e., reductions in aerobic capacity, balance, and muscular strength) contributes to walking and gait impairments in MS. Objective This study examined the associations among aerobic capacity, balance, and lower-limb strength asymmetries, walking performance, and gait kinematics in 31 persons with MS and 31 matched controls. Methods Participants underwent standard assessments of peak aerobic capacity, muscular strength (i.e., asymmetry between knee muscles), and balance. Walking performance was measured using the timed 25-ft walk (T25FW) and six-minute walk (6MW). Gait parameters were captured using a GaitRite™ electronic walkway. Results Aerobic capacity, balance, and knee-extensor asymmetry were associated with walking performance and gait in persons with MS (r = .2–.6) and explained differences in walking and gait variables between MS and control groups (∆R2 = .27–.34). Aerobic capacity and lower-limb strength asymmetries, but not balance, explained significant variance in walking performance and gait kinematics in the MS sample (R2 = .32–.58). Conclusions Physiological deconditioning explains variability in walking disability in persons with MS and might represent a target of multimodal exercise training interventions for improving mobility outcomes in this population.
Is it time to treat depression in patients with cardiovascular disease

Depression has been associated with worse cardiovascular prognosis in individuals with heart disease, particularly among patients with established coronary heart disease1 but also among patients with heart failure.2,3 We can now add to this list those patients with the confluence of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. In this issue of Circulation , Frasure-Smith and colleagues4 evaluate the relationship between depression and cardiovascular mortality among individuals with both heart failure and atrial fibrillation in an analysis from the Atrial Fibrillation and Congestive Heart Failure (AF-CHF) Trial.5 In the main trial, which was a multicenter randomized study conducted across 4 continents, a strategy of rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤0.35 was comparable to a rate control strategy. The group of patients studied was at particularly high risk given the presence of atrial fibrillation, which is independently associated with mortality in patients with heart failure.6–9 Article see p 134 Frasure-Smith and colleagues found that 32% of the 974 patients who completed the Beck Depression Inventory II reported at least mild to moderate symptoms of depression, which is comparable to the proportion of patients with depressive symptoms in …
Neurohormonal and Anatomical Remodeling After Ventricular Resynchronization Therapy: Does It Really Happen?

Chronic heart failure is a global public health problem. The incidence of heart failure is very high among developed nations and contributes significantly to the cost of medical care. It is a very common cause of hospitalization for elderly patients [1]. In addition to the morbidity associated with heart failure, it remains very lethal. Despite advances in the medical therapy of heart failure, the projected 5-year mortality remains greater than 50% at 5 years [2]. Accordingly, new treatments are needed.
Direct measurement of enantiomerization of labile aluminium(III)β-diketonates

Dynamic n.m.r. studies of tris-(2,6-dimethylheptane-3,5-dionato)aluminium(III), and bis(pentane-2,4-dionato)-(2,6-dimethylheptane-3,5-dionato)aluminium(III) give proof of the rapid enantiomerization of these complexes.
Understanding modular manufacturing in the apparel industry using simulation

The authors summarize the use of simulation in understanding the operational characteristics of modular manufacturing in the apparel industry. The system is well balanced, with 13 stations and five operators even though there is a wide variation in station cycle times. This balancing is achieved by the ability of the operators to move within the module. Operator utilization was 100 percent, while station utilization varied widely as a function of station cycle time simulations were carried out with the WITNESS simulation system. >
EVALUATION OF TWO NOVEL BIOCHEMICALS ON PLASMA AND EGG YOLK LIPID COMPOSITION AND LAYING HEN PERFORMANCE

Abstract PD132301-2, an inhibitor of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol O-acyltransferase (ACAT; EC 2.3.1.26), and 1-stearylboronic acid (SBA), a fatty acid analogue, were orally administered to White Leghorn hens in separate experiments to evaluate their effects on layer performance and plasma and egg yolk lipids. Five 60-wk-old hens each were fed either a corn-soybean meal basal layer ration, or the basal diet supplemented with .0121, .0363, or .1089% PD132301-2. In a second experiment, 12 37-wk-old hens each were fed either a basal layer ration, or the basal diet supplemented with .20 or .40% SBA. The duration of the experiments were 21 and 16 days, respectively. Neither compound significantly affected hen-day production, egg weight, yolk weight, BW gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, or egg yolk cholesterol content. PD132301-2 had no effect on yolk fatty acid profiles, and C22:6n3 was the only fatty acid altered by SBA. Although 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors have been successful in reducing egg cholesterol, ACAT inhibitors and fatty acid analogues apparently hold little promise in this regard. The results of the present work also support the concept that, in order to pharmacologically alter the cholesterol content of eggs, direct inhibition of key enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway is necessary.
Ultrathin nitride/oxide (N/O) gate dielectrics for p/sup +/-polysilicon gated PMOSFETs prepared by a combined remote plasma enhanced CVD/thermal oxidation process

Ultrathin nitride-oxide (N/O/spl sim/1.5/2.6 nm) dual layer gate dielectrics have been incorporated into PMOSFETs with boron-implanted polysilicon gates. Boron penetration is effectively suppressed by the top plasma-deposited nitride layer leading to improved short channel performance as compared to PMOSFETs with oxide dielectrics. In addition, improved interface characteristics and hot carrier degradation immunity are also demonstrated for the devices with the N/O dual layer gate dielectrics.
Mementos: system support for long-running computation on RFID-scale devices

Transiently powered computing devices such as RFID tags, kinetic energy harvesters, and smart cards typically rely on programs that complete a task under tight time constraints before energy starvation leads to complete loss of volatile memory. Mementos is a software system that transforms general-purpose programs into interruptible computations that are protected from frequent power losses by automatic, energy-aware state checkpointing. Mementos comprises a collection of optimization passes for the LLVM compiler infrastructure and a linkable library that exercises hardware support for energy measurement while managing state checkpoints stored in nonvolatile memory. We evaluate Mementos against diverse test cases in a trace-driven simulator of transiently powered RFID-scale devices. Although Mementos's energy checks increase run time when energy is plentiful, they allow Mementos to safely suspend execution when energy dwindles, effectively spreading computation across zero or more power failures. This paper's contributions are: a study of the runtime environment for programs on RFID-scale devices; an energy-aware state checkpointing system for these devices that is implemented for the MSP430 family of microcontrollers; and a trace-driven simulator of transiently powered RFID-scale devices.
Small-angle scattering analysis of hard-microdomain structure and microphase mixing in polyurethane elastomers

The microdomain structure of a series of segmented polyurethane block copolymers is characterized by small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering analyses. The materials contain hard segments formed from 4,4′- diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and butanediol (BD), and range in hard-segment content from 20 to 80% by weight. The results provide evidence for a transition from discrete to continuous hard-microdomain morphology as the hard-segment content is increased above ca. 50%. The measured concentration dependences of the interdomain spacing, specific interfacial area, diffuse microphase boundary thickness, and scattering invariants are used to examine the validity of present models for hard-microdomain structure. The observed behavior corresponds well with the general predictions of a lamellar model wherein partially coiled hard-segment sequence configurations are allowed. The thickness of the hard microdomains extracted from the model corresponds to approximately four hard-segment repeat units. Scattering invariant calculations are used together with determinations of the soft-microphase glass transition temperatures to examine possible models for microdomain mixing. These calculations suggest that both the hard and soft microphases are phase mixed.
Ye Shiwen, collective memory, and the 2012 London Olympic games: notes on the production and consumption of national victimhood

AbstractThe idea of ‘collective victimhood’, as a cultural and political identity, has long been cultivated by the state within the construction of Chinese nationalism. Through a case study analysis of Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen, this study examines the cultural pedagogy behind the national production and consumption of such ‘victimhood’. We argue that the allegations of Ye Shiwen’s doping by Western media in 2012 London Olympics animates a deep sense of victim mentality in the Chinese public sphere. Here, the Olympic stage is performing both an image of the ‘victor’ for national pride and an autonomous ‘victim’ profile for state legitimation. This study therefore explores the pedagogical normalization of victim identity in Chinese society exercised through the ‘victimization’ efforts oriented around Chinese athletes. It also examines the function of collective memory in (re)shaping and transforming such victimhood into a delicately nuanced and productive collective victimhood intersecting with China’s fut...
On conic QPCCs, conic QCQPs and completely positive programs

This paper studies several classes of nonconvex optimization problems defined over convex cones, establishing connections between them and demonstrating that they can be equivalently formulated as convex completely positive programs. The problems being studied include: a conic quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP), a conic quadratic program with complementarity constraints (QPCC), and rank constrained semidefinite programs. Our results do not make any boundedness assumptions on the feasible regions of the various problems considered. The first stage in the reformulation is to cast the problem as a conic QCQP with just one nonconvex constraint $$q(x) \le 0$$q(x)≤0, where q(x) is nonnegative over the (convex) conic and linear constraints, so the problem fails the Slater constraint qualification. A conic QPCC has such a structure; we prove the converse, namely that any conic QCQP satisfying a constraint qualification can be expressed as an equivalent conic QPCC. The second stage of the reformulation lifts the problem to a completely positive program, and exploits and generalizes a result of Burer. We also show that a Frank---Wolfe type result holds for a subclass of this class of conic QCQPs. Further, we derive necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for nonlinear programs where the only nonconvex constraint is a quadratic constraint of the structure considered elsewhere in the paper.
Cybernetics: The Role of Information and Computation in Systems

Information, as defined in Chap. 7, and computation, as described in Chap. 8, will now be put to work in systems. Cybernetics is the science of control and regulation as it applies to maintaining the functions of systems. In this chapter, we investigate basic cybernetics and control theory. But we also investigate how complex systems have complex regulatory subsystems that, unsurprisingly, form a hierarchy of specialized control or management functions. These subsystems process information for the purpose of managing the material processes within the system and to coordinate the system’s behaviors with respect to its environment. This chapter covers what might be argued to be the most crucial aspect of the science of complex systems such as biological and social systems. It is the longest!
Preparation and characterization of waste ion-exchange resin-based activated carbon for CO 2 capture

Waste ion-exchange resin was utilized as precursor to produce activated carbon by KOH chemical activation, on which the effects of different activation temperatures, activation times and impregnation ratios were studied in this paper. The CO2 adsorption of the produced activated carbon was tested by TGA at 30 °C and environment pressure. Furthermore, the effects of preparation parameters on CO2 adsorption were investigated. Experimental results show that the produced activated carbons are microporous carbons, which are suitable for CO2 adsorption. The CO2 adsorption capacity increases firstly and then decreases with the increase of activation temperature, activation time and impregnation rate. The maximum adsorption capacity is 81.24 mg/g under the condition of 30 °C and pure CO2. The results also suggest that waste ion-exchange resin-based activated carbons possess great potential as adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture.
Gugliemo Gonzaga and the Castrati

While it is well known that castrati ruled the Italian operatic stage in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, very little scholarly work has been done on the first phase of their history. The little that can be gleaned from special studies, from general articles about musical life in the late sixteenth century, from various histories and biographies, and from two articles dealing specifically with the introduction of castrati into the papal chapel suggests that castrati entered Italy in the middle of the sixteenth century, and were needed to support (eventually supplant) boy sopranos and male falsettists employed by chapel and church choirs. The present study takes a further look at the early days of the castrato, concentrating on the court of Guglielmo Gonzaga, third Duke of Mantua (r. 1550—1587), a man who was apparently extremely interested in this type of singer.
Lack of identity of hyaluronidase inhibitor and certain mucoproteins in blood serum.

Summary and Conclusions1. Electrophoretically and chemically separated fractions of human serum containing high concentrations of mucoproteins showed no increase in non-specific hyaluronidase inhibitor when compared to native serum or other mucoprotein-poor fractions of serum.2. In children suffering from “lipoid nephrosis” the hyaluronidase inhibitor levels of the serum were higher while the muco-protein levels were significantly lower than normal.3. In spite of the striking statistical correlation existing between the serum levels of mucoprotein and non-specific hyaluronidase inhibitor in a wide variety of human diseases, marked disparity in the serum levels of these substances occasionally occurs.4. On the basis of these findings the lack of identity of the non-specific hyaluronidase inhibitor and these serum mucoproteins is pointed out.
Maternal-Fetal Rights and Substance Abuse: Gestation Without Representation

In the field of forensic psychiatry we are accustomed to working with attorneys on a regular basis in a variety of circumstances. We take access to attorneys for granted. We should not take it for granted. A pregnant woman arrested for alleged addiction to opiates should have an attorney appointed
Recent Developments of Production of Soft Ferrite Materials

Based on the papers of ICF10 (10th International Conference on Ferrites) (2008.10.10),the 13th National Magnetics Conference (2008.10.31) and some specialization conferences on magnetic materials,recent developments of production of soft ferrite materials are introduced and summarized.
Changes of plasma pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction

Objective:To investigate the relationship between plasma pro-brain natriuretic peptide(pro-BNP) levels and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction(LVSD) in patients with hypertension.Methods:Ninety one subjects were recruited,including 15 healthy controls and 76 hypertensive patients.All the subject's plasma were taken for pro-BNP when they were examined the echocardiograms.They were divided into five groups according to the levels of blood pressure,left ventricular thickness and left ventricular systolic function:15 healthy controls(group 1),22 hypertensive patients without LVH and with normal left ventricular systolic function(group 2),24 hypertensive patients with LVH and with normal left ventricular systolic function(group 3),13 hypertensive patients with wall motion index(LWMI) 1.9~1.3(group 4)and 17 hypertensive patients with wall motion index(LWMI)1.2(group 5).Results:The levels of plasma pro-BNP in groups 1-3 had significant differences from groups 4,5.Group 4 was markedly different from group 5(P0.05).Conclusion:If hypertensive patients have normal systolic function,then LVH has no effects on the levels of plasma pro-BNP.When LVSD appears in hypertensive patients,then the level of plasma pro-BNP increases with the level of LVSD.Pro-BNP may be an effective predictor for the appearance of LVSD in hypertensive patients.
The Add-On Ileal Loop

AbstractThe add-on ileal loop is a procedure designed to create sufficient ileal conduit length to allow for stomal revision or relocation. We report 3 cases in which the operation was used with satisfactory results and describe the technique. The procedure is simple to perform and has the advantage of leaving a satisfactory functioning ureteroileal anastomosis intact.
Hospital survival strategies for the 1980s

Survival strategies for hospitals and hospital pharmacy departments are presented, and one hospital's development into a health-services system is described. Financial and competitive pressures are forcing institutions to develop new strategies for survival. The primary institutional strategy is diversification--both horizontal and vertical. Diversification can assist in the hospital's growth, increase its asset and revenue bases, and lead to the development of a health-care delivery system. Marketing to physicians and developing information systems are also critical strategies under a prospective payment system. Institutions will need to know the cost of providing care for specific diagnosis-related groups. Strategies must be employed to develop incentives to reduce inpatient acute-care services and to increase productivity. Physicians should be involved in all of the institutional strategies. Strategies for the pharmacy department are basically the same. Pharmacy departments should develop programs to reduce drug use (especially antibiotic use) and information systems that show the actual cost of providing services by diagnosis. The major corporate restructuring and diversification efforts of one hospital are described. The future of hospitals and pharmacy departments will depend on the successful application of the strategies discussed.
Abstract 4176: Leptin mediates the anti-breast cancer effects of environmental enrichment

Obesity affects 35% of U.S. adults and is a leading risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but worsens prognosis regardless of menopausal status. Importantly, progression to obesity can largely be slowed or reversed with aggressive lifestyle changes, thus also having the potential to mitigate cancer onset. A mouse model of environmental enrichment (EE) to improve motosensory, cognitive, and social stimulation by increasing physical engagement and social interaction triggers vast improvements in overall health. These include reducing adiposity, promoting the white to brown fat transition, mitigating diet-induced obesity (DIO), and decreasing progression of multiple cancer types including colon cancer and melanoma. We have elucidated the primary mechanism of the EE-induced phenotype to be the activation of the hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte (HSA) axis, a specific neuroendocrine route in which the brain communicates with adipose tissue. These benefits may also be partially attributable to the sharp drop in serum leptin levels following EE which has been implicated in diminishing tumorigenesis, invasiveness, and metastasis. Here we investigated the effects of EE on breast tumorigenesis in all body mass states and menopause-associated hormone conditions. Our preliminary studies showed that EE delayed the cancer onset in the MMTV-PyMT spontaneous mouse model of breast cancer. In addition the role of leptin signaling in the EE-induced effects on breast tumorigenesis was investigated by utilizing obese models with varied leptin signaling including leptin receptor-defective db/db mice that express extremely high levels of leptin, leptin-defective ob/ob mice that do not express leptin but are leptin-sensitive, and a diet-induced obesity (DIO) model with elevated leptin but intact leptin signaling. These obese mice were housed in EE or control housing until significantly attenuated weight gain was observed followed by implantation of primary PyMT-derived mammary tumor cells. EE was highly effective at reducing adiposity in each of these obesity models, regardless of leptin signaling. However, the effects of EE on mammary tumor progression were dependent on leptin signaling. EE decreased leptin level and inhibited mammary tumor growth in DIO mice. In contrast EE failed to attenuate tumor progression in ob/ob mice in the absence of leptin, suggesting that leptin is a key mediator of the EE anti-cancer effects on breast cancer. The elucidation of mechanisms of EE and the HSA axis-induced improvement in overall health will provide effective prevention as well as therapeutic strategies for metabolic syndromes and associated cancer types. Citation Format: Grant Foglesong, Wei Haung, Lei Cao. Leptin mediates the anti-breast cancer effects of environmental enrichment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4176.
Balancing economic and ecological goals

Human activities are increasingly degrading ecosystems, resulting in habitat loss and reduced biodiversity. Extinction rates, a widely used metric of biodiversity loss, are estimated to be around 1000 times as high as those historically experienced on Earth ( 1 ); even the most conservative estimate puts current extinction rates at 114 times as high as the background planetary norm ( 2 ). Simulations project that, under scenarios of increased economic growth and the accompanying land use change, critical habitat will further degrade and biodiversity will decline ( 3 , 4 ). Are economic growth and ecosystem conservation incompatible objectives?
Spatio-temporal Level-Set Based Cell Segmentation in Time-Lapse Image Sequences

Automated segmentation and tracking of cells in time-lapse imaging is a process of fundamental significance in several biomedical applications. In this work our interest is focused on cell segmentation over a set of fluorescence microscopy images with varying levels of difficulty with respect to cell density, resolution, contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio. We utilize a region-based approach to curve evolution based on the level-set formulation. We introduce and test the use of temporal linking for level-set initialization to improve the robustness and computational time of level-set convergence. We validate our segmentation approach against manually segmented images provided by the Cell Tracking Challenge consortium. Our method produces encouraging segmentation results with an average DICE score of 0.78 over a variety of simulated and real sequences and speeds up the convergence rate by an average factor of 10.2.
The Analysis of Polymers and Polymer Degradation Products by Mass Spectrometry

Since the development of the modern mass spectrometer slightly over 25 years ago, this technique has been applied to all branches of the chemical sciences. The utility of the mass spectrometer to identify and elucidate the structure of chemical compounds is so great that it is now considered one of the “classical” instrument techniques. The applications of mass spectrometry to the analysis of polymers and polymer degradation products offer the same unique advantages with respect to identification and structure determination as well as providing a rapid, extremely sensitive method for the characterization of polymeric materials individually and in mixtures. In the case of polymer degradation studies it allows for the analysis of the products resolved on a temperature or time basis. That is, in a study where the temperature is changing, analysis may be performed throughout the temperature range and the products and products concentration correlated with sample temperature. In the case of isothermal and pulse heating modes and degradation due to mechanical stress, a fast-scanning mass spectrometer can be employed to identify the products relative to their time of evolution.