cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Gaussian process based prognostics framework for composite structures

Prognostic algorithms indicate the remaining useful life based on fault detection and diagnosis through condition monitoring framework. Due to the wide-spread applications of advanced composite materials in industry, the importance of prognosis on composite materials is being acknowledged by the research community. Prognosis has the potential to significantly enhance structural monitoring and maintenance planning. In this paper, a Gaussian process based prognostics framework is presented. Both off-line and on-line methods combined state estimation and life prediction of composite beam subject to fatigue loading. The framework consists of three main steps: 1) data acquisition, 2) feature extraction, 3) damage state prediction and remaining useful life estimation. Active piezoelectric and acoustic emission (AE) sensing techniques are applied to monitor the damage states. Wavelet transform is used to extract the piezoelectric sensing features. The number of counts from AE system was used as a feature. Piezoelectric or AE sensing features are used to build the input and output space of the Gaussian process. The future damage states and remaining useful life are predicted by Gaussian process based off-line and on-line algorithms. Accuracy of the Gaussian process based prognosis method is improved by including more training sets. Piezoelectric and AE features are also used for the state prediction. In the test cases presented, the piezoelectric features lead to better prognosis results. On-line prognosis is completed sequentially by combining experimental and predicted features. On-line damage state prediction and remaining useful life estimation shows good correlation with experimental data at later stages of fatigue life.
The Russian Orthodox Church and nationalism after 1988

(1990). The Russian Orthodox Church and nationalism after 1988. Religion in Communist Lands: Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 292-306.
DIGITAL HUMANITIES IN PRACTICE. Warwick, Claire, Melissa Terras, and Julianne Nyhan, Eds. London: Facet Publishing, 2012, 233 pp., $97.42, ISBN: 978-1-85604-766-1.

Digital Humanities in Practice does not attempt to define digital humanities; there are several suggested resources for the user to consult for answers to that question. This book takes a more prac...
The status of temporomandibular and cervical spine education in credentialed orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship programs: a comparison of didactic and clinical education exposure.

AbstractObjective:The purpose of this investigation was to establish a baseline of physical therapist education on temporomandibular disorders (TMD)-related topics during credentialed orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship training and compare it to cervical spine disorders education.Method:An online survey was distributed electronically to each fellowship program credentialed by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and recognized by the Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT). Data were analyzed to compare overall exposure to TMD educational content, including a direct comparison of TMD and cervical spine disorders education.Results:The response rate was 79%. Thirteen programs (87%) reported providing both didactic and clinical training on both TMD and cervical spine disorders. Didactic education for cervical spine disorders ranged from 16–20 hours to over 25 hours, whereas TMD hours ranged from 0 to 6–10 hours. Clinical education for cervical spine disorders ranged f...
Dopamine function in Lesch-Nyhan disease.

Lesch-Nyhan disease is a disorder of purine metabolism resulting from mutations in the gene for hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase on the X chromosome. It is characterized by hyperuric...
Near-field and far-field changes in the spectrum of light scattered from a randomly rough surface

We consider the scattering of monochromatic and polychromatic light from a randomly rough dielectric film deposited on a planar, perfectly conducting surface. Setting up scattering integral equations with the image Green's-function technique, we develop improved Monte Carlo simulations and use them to investigate the as yet unstudied evolution of frequency and angular spectra of the scattered light on propagation from the near to the far zone. In the monochromatic case, we illustrate the disappearance of the evanescent component and the formation of coherent enhanced backscattering and satellite peaks with increasing distance from the surface. In the polychromatic case, we find that the scattering of light from a rough surface produces significant spectral changes, which tend to increase on propagation from the near to the far zone. Coherent features in the intensity of the scattered light (such as satellite peaks), whose angular positions are frequency dependent, are found to cause very pronounced spectral changes in the scattered radiation. Since the existence and intensity of these coherent features are determined by the shape of the power spectrum of the surface roughness, and by the spectrum of guided or surface waves in the scattering system, we conclude that the frequency spectrum of the scattered light in different zones provides rich and physically meaningful information about the scattering system.
The ionospheric and thermospheric response to CMEs: Challenges and successes

Abstract Studies of the ionospheric response to the impact of CMEs on geospace began long before the space age. Early successes included the discovery that the F 2 region ionosphere reacted to the resulting geomagnetic storms in different ways depending on the latitude of the observations. At high latitudes this layer is depleted (negative storm effects), whereas at low latitudes it is enhanced (positive storm effects). Much of the subsequent work on the effects of geomagnetic storms has involved refining this simple picture and understanding the reasons why this behavior occurs. The basis of this understanding begins with magnetosphere–ionosphere–thermosphere (MIT) coupling. Energy that is transferred from the magnetosphere into the thermosphere/ionosphere system manifests itself in a number of ways, the most important of which is Joule heating. Other important processes include momentum transfer from the ions to the neutrals and the various manifestations of the heat transfer associated with precipitating particles. While these processes are known in principle, their details and evolution through the time of the passage of a CME across geospace are less well understood. Also, the impact of a geomagnetic storm on the ionosphere and thermosphere is seen not just locally in the region where MIT coupling primarily occurs, but over the whole globe. There is still much debate about the processes that act to transfer energy from the high-latitude regions to other parts of the globe. The aim of this paper is to highlight these challenges and to suggest the main methods by which they should be attacked.
The relationship between skin maturation and electrical skin impedance

When performing electrophysiological testing, high electrical impedance values are sometimes found in neonates. Since excessive impedance can invalidate test results, a study was conducted to delineate the relationship between skin maturation and electrical skin impedance. This study investigated the skin impedance in 72 infants ranging from 196 to 640 days of age from conception. Regression analyses demonstrated a significant relationship between impedance and age, with the highest impedance centered around full-term gestation with values falling precipitously at time points on either side. Clinically, impedance values fall to normal levels at approximately four months following full-term gestation. Skin impedance values are low in premature infants, but rapidly increase as the age approaches that of full-term neonates. Low impedance values in premature infants are attributed to greater skin hydration which results from immature skin conditions such as 1) thinner epidermal layers particularly at the transitional and cornified layers; 2) more blood flow to the skin; and 3) higher percentage of water composition. These factors facilitate the diffusion of water vapor through the skin. As the physical barrier to skin water loss matures with gestational age, the skin impedance reaches a maximum value at full term neonatal age. After this peak, a statistically significant inverse relationship exists between electrical skin impedance and age in the first year of life. This drop in skin impedance is attributed to an increase in skin hydration as a result of the greater functional maturity of eccrine sweat glands.
Importance of ontogenetic habitat shifts to juvenile output and life history of Atlantic salmon in a large subarctic river: an approach based on analysis of scale characteristics

Juvenile and adult scale characteristics were used to compare two juvenile groups of Atlantic salmon in a large subarctic river in northern Scandinavia: individuals that have migrated from the main stem into small tributaries and those which remain in the main stem. Body size and scale measurements indicated enhanced growth in migratory parr as compared to their resident main stem counterparts. Analysis of adult salmon scale characteristics using maximum likelihood estimators revealed that 20% of the adults had been in the tributaries before the end of their second year of life, and more than 30% more had moved into the tributaries in the third year. Tributary fish matured at a smaller size and younger age (one-sea-winter salmon) than those rearing in the main stem which included a higher proportion of multi-sea-winter salmon. In addition, when smolt ages and ages at maturity were compared, older female smolts often resulted in smaller spawners and younger smolts, larger spawners. Small female spawners were more likely to survive to become repeat spawners.
Mathematical modeling of affinity ultrafiltration process.

An affinity ultrafiltration process has been developed by exploiting affinity binding in conjunction with cross-flow filtration. The process was proven to possess high resolution, high recovery yield, and ease of scale-up. The process could purify trypsin from a trypsin-chymotrypsin mixture batchwise or continuously. Essential for applying this concept was the synthesis of a water-soluble high-molecular-weight polymer bearing m-aminobenzamidine, a strong and specific trypsin in hibitor. A mathematical model was also developed to describe the dynamic behavior of the newly developed purification process. The model was able to predict the profiles of enzyme concentrations in the process with high accuracy.
Inflaton decay in an alpha vacuum

We study the alpha vacua of de Sitter space by considering the decay rate of the inflaton field coupled to a scalar field placed in an alpha vacuum. We find an alpha dependent Bose enhancement relative to the Bunch-Davies vacuum and, surprisingly, no nonrenormalizable divergences. We also consider a modified alpha dependent time-ordering prescription for the Feynman propagator and show that it leads to an alpha independent result. This result suggests that it may be possible to calculate in any alpha vacuum if we employ the appropriate causality preserving prescription.
Identification of patients at high risk for complications of intraaortic balloon counterpulsation: A multivariate risk factor analysis

Risk factors for vascular complications of intraaortic balloon (IAB) counterpulsation were evaluated in 206 consecutive patients. The approach was percutaneous in 105 patients and surgical cutdown in 101. Vascular complications occurred in 42 patients, and of these 21 required surgery. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the following major risk factors for vascular complications: preexisting peripheral vascular disease (PVD) defined as a history of claudication, femoral bruit or absent pedal pulse (p less than 0.01); and the use of the percutaneous approach (p = 0.02). Evidence of PVD was particularly predictive of major vascular complications requiring surgery (p less than 0.01). In patients with evidence of previous PVD, the risk for a major vascular complication was 31% with the percutaneous, and 16% with the surgical cutdown approach. Without PVD, the risk for a major vascular complication was 4 times higher in women (15%) than in men (3.5%), but in the presence of PVD gender had no significant effect (p = 0.03). Age, duration of IAB counterpulsation and indication for insertion were not significant risk factors. It is concluded that (1) without previous PVD, women are at greater risk than men for major vascular complications (due to smaller arterial size); and (2) evidence of previous PVD identifies patients at high risk for major vascular complications with IAB counterpulsation, particularly by way of the percutaneous approach.
Eutectic bonding of Al-based high aspect ratio microscale structures

Metal-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have important advantages over Si-based MEMS. To form any functional metal-based microdevice from metallic high-aspect-ratio microscale structures (HARMS), proper assembly and packaging are required. In this paper, we report successful eutectic bonding of Al-based HARMS using Al–Ge intermediate layers. A series of Al–Ge composite thin films were vapor deposited. Their composition and micro-/nano-scale structure were characterized. The morphology of bonded Al structures was examined, including the morphology of separated surfaces.
Chronic kidney disease and osteoporosis: evaluation and management

Fractures across the stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) could be due to osteoporosis, some form of renal osteodystrophy defined by specific quantitative histomorphometry or chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). CKD-MBD is a systemic disease that links disorders of mineral and bone metabolism due to CKD to either one or all of the following: abnormalities of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone or vitamin D metabolism; abnormalities in bone turnover, mineralization, volume, linear growth or strength; or vascular or other soft-tissue calcification. Osteoporosis, as defined by The National Institutes of Health, may coexist with renal osteodystrophy or CKD-MBD. Differentiation among these disorders is required to manage correctly the correct disorder to reduce the risk of fractures. While the World Health Organization (WHO) BMD criteria for osteoporosis can be used in patients with stages 1–3 CKD, the disorders of bone turnover become so aberrant by stages 4 and 5 CKD that neither the WHO criteria nor the occurrence of a fragility fracture can be used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. The diagnosis of osteoporosis in stages 4 and 5 CKD is one of the exclusion—excluding either renal osteodystrophy or CKD-MBD as the cause of low BMD or fragility fractures. Differentiations among the disorders of renal osteodystrophy, CKD-MBD or osteoporosis are dependent on the measurement of specific biochemical markers, including serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and/or quantitative bone histomorphometry. Management of fractures in stages 1–3 CKD does not differ in persons with or without CKD with osteoporosis assuming there is no evidence for CKD-MBD, clinically suspected by elevated PTH, hyperphosphatemia or fibroblast growth factor 23 due to CKD. Treatment of fractures in persons with osteoporosis and stages 4 and 5 CKD is not evidence based, with the exception of post hoc analysis suggesting efficacy and safety of specific osteoporosis therapies (alendronate, risedronate and denosumab) in stage 4 CKD. This review also discusses how to diagnose and manage fragility fractures across the five stages of CKD.
Effects of chronic delta-9-THC treatment on cardiac beta-adrenoceptors in rats

Abstract This study was designed to determine if chronic treatment with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alters cardiac beta-adrenoceptors in the rat. Following daily oral administration of 10 or 20 mg/kg THC or an equivalent volume of control solvent for 90 days, rats were sacrificed, and sarcolemmal membranes were prepared from ventricular myocardium. Beta-adrenoceptor density and binding affinity estimated with (-)[3H]dihydroalprenolol, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, were not significantly affected by treatment with THC when compared to vehicle controls. These results suggest that the tolerance to cardiovascular effects of THC which develops during chronic exposure in the rat is not associated with alterations in cardiac beta-adrenoceptors as monitored by radiolabeled antagonist binding.
Local orbital eigenvalues and basis set balance

Consideration of the chemical potential of an electron in a wavefunction suggests that a quantity called the local orbital eigenvalue and its variation in space provides a method of testing the balance of a basis set as a function of spatial position. The Hartree-Fock method as applied to the helium and neon atoms is used as an example.
Studies on methylation of nucleic acids in normal and crown gall tumor tissue cultures of tobacco

Abstract In crown gall tumor tissue cultures of tobacco, the methylation of light and heavy ribosomal RNA, DNA and t-RNA was 4–5 fold higher than in normal tissue cultures. Methylation of light ribosomal RNA in both tissues was higher than of heavy ribosomal RNA but only 1 30 compared to t-RNA. Although 90–94% of the methyl groups in t-RNA were present as methyl groups on the ribose portion of the nucleotide residues, the methylation of both ribose and the bases in t-RNA was 4–5 fold higher in the tumor tissue than in the normal tissue.
Colony-Stimulating Factor-1-Dependent Macrophages Are Responsible for IVIG Protection in Antibody-Induced Autoimmune Disease

Abstract The ability of IVIG to induce expression of FcγRIIB and thereby prevent antibody-induced inflammation has been used as a probe to dissect the effector cell components in the KRNxNOD (K/BxN) arthritis model. IVIG protection resulted from the induction of FcγRIIB on infiltrating macrophages but not neutrophils, indicating a critical role for macrophage activation in this disease model. Disease induction but not IVIG protection was observed in CSF-1-deficient mice ( op/op ) in K/BxN arthritis, thus defining different macrophage subsets in these processes. These results suggest a two-step model for IVIG protection in which CSF-1-dependent macrophages act as innate "sensors" for the Fc fragment of IVIG, leading to the induction of FcγRIIB on CSF-1-independent "effector" macrophages thereby raising the threshold required for FcγRIII activation and preventing autoantibody-triggered inflammation.
Structure of the mammalian kinetochore

The structure of the mammalian trilaminar kinetocnore was investigated using stereo electron microscopy of chromosomes in hypotonie solutions which unraveled the chromosome but maintained microtubules. Mouse and Chinese hamster ovary cells were arrested in Colcemid and allowed to reform microtubules after Colcemid was removed. Recovered cells were then swelled, lysed or spread in hypotonic solutions which contained D2O to preserve microtubules. The chromosomes were observed in thin and thick sections and as whole mounts using high voltage electron microscopy. Bundles of microtubules were seen directly attached to chromatin, indicating that the kinetochore outer layer represents a differential arrangement of chromatin, continuous with the body of the chromosome. In cells fixed without pretreatment, the outer layer could be seen to be composed of hairpin loops of chromatin stacked together to form a solid layer. The hypotonically-induced unraveling of the outer layer was found to be reversible, and the typical 300 nm thick disk reformed when cells were returned to isotonic solutions. Short microtubules, newly nucleated after Colcemid removal, were found not to be attached to the kinetochore outer layer, but were situated in the fibrous corona on the external surface of the outer layer. This was verified by observations of thick sections in stereo which made it possible to identify microtubule ends within the section. Thus, kinetochore microtubules are nucleated within the fibrous corona, and subsequently become attached to the outer layer.
Rural Chinese Food Consumption: The Case of Guangdong

Chinese consumer behavior is analyzed based on rural Guangdong household survey data. For most food items, own‐price elasticities estimated with an AIDS model are inelastic. Commodity substitution due to relative price changes is small, except in the case of grain. Commodities most responsive to expenditure changes are meats, poultry, fruits, sweets, and durable goods.
Application of Ice Nucleation Kinetics in Orographic Clouds

Abstract Ice nucleation by silver iodide-sodium iodide aerosol particles has been characterized in the Colorado State University isothermal cloud chamber using the techniques of chemical kinetics. Two separate mechanisms of condensation-freezing ice nucleation have been observed. One mechanism occurs at water saturation and is a characteristically slow process, with a half-life of the order of 10–30 min. The other mechanism occurs when the environment is supersaturated with respect to liquid water. This mechanism is characteristically fast, requires less than a minute for completion, and results in a higher yield of ice crystals than the slow mechanism. The mechanism, rate and yield data obtained in the laboratory investigations are applied to an orographic cloud particle trajectory model to assess the ice nucleation characteristics of silver iodide-sodium iodide aerosol particles in the temporal and spatial scale of an orographic cloud. The importance of nucleation mechanism, rate and yield are investiga...
Incorporation of exogenous DNA into mammalian chromosomes.

MANY reports1–4 have shown that exogenous DNA can be taken up and incorporated into the nuclei of cells in culture as well as in vivo; but no morphological evidence has been presented to suggest that such foreign DNA actually becomes associated with the chromosomes of inoculated cells. The Indian barking deer, Muntiacus muntjak, has the lowest number of chromosomes yet reported for mammals, ♀ = 6; ♂ = 7 (ref. 5). The combination of such a low chromosome number and the unique morphology of each pair of chromosomes in the diploid set make this animal particularly attractive for comparative cytogenetic studies. The C- and G-banding patterns6–8 have also been established for this animal which allow even more detailed comparisons to be made than those based solely on gross chromosome morphology.
Evaluation of lymph node counts in primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection

BACKGROUND: Lymph node counts are a measure of quality assurance and are associated with prognosis for numerous malignancies. To date, investigations of lymph node counts in testis cancer are lacking. METHODS: By using the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Testis Cancer database, the authors identified 255 patients who underwent primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs) between 1999 and 2008. Features that were associated with lymph node counts, positive lymph nodes, the number of positive lymph nodes, and the risk of positive contralateral lymph nodes were evaluated with regression models. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) total lymph node count was 38 lymph nodes (IQR, 27-53 total lymph nodes), and it was 48 (IQR, 34-61 total lymph nodes) during the most recent 5 years. Features that were associated with higher lymph node count on multivariate analysis included high-volume surgeon (P = .034), clinical stage (P = .036), and more recent year of surgery (P 60, respectively. With a median follow-up of 3 years, all patients remained alive, and 16 patients developed recurrent disease, although no patients developed recurrent disease in the paracaval, interaortocaval, para-aortic, or iliac regions. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggested that >40 lymph nodes removed at RPLND improve the diagnostic efficacy of the operation. The authors believe that these results will be useful for future trials comparing RPLNDs, especially when assessing the adequacy of lymph node dissection. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
The effects of trust on victimization in Colombia

The allegedly complex relationship between trust and victimization has rarely been modeled and, when done, the effect of trust on victimization has been found not statistically significant. This st...
Savarkar (1883–1966), Sedition and Surveillance: the rule of law in a colonial situation

In March 1910, after two years of sustained surveillance by the colonial government, a young Indian revolutionary nationalist, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883–1966), was arrested in London and extradited to India for trial. Among the charges he faced was the curious one of sedition. Using Savarkar as the starting point – and concluding with Gandhi's own encounter with sedition – this essay argues that sedition law had a critical, and extended, life in the colonial context, allowing the use of what were seen as dangerous words to be evidence of conspiracy long after the metropole had abandoned the practice. The colonial state's response to revolutionary nationalism gave rise to two principal colonial weapons against anti-colonial nationalism (whether manifested in Savarkar's call for armed rebellion or Gandhian nonviolent noncooperation). The first weapon was surveillance, a developing technology of state control that placed an increasingly large number of young ‘revolutionaries’ under systematic monitoring...
On Conrad's Prefix and Grouping in Short-Term Memory:

Requiring a subject to say a redundant prefix before he recalls a sequence of digits impairs his ability to recall that sequence. Evidence reported below suggests that the prefix functions exactly as an extra nonredundant digit–-that the subject performs exactly as if the prefix had to be learned anew on each trial.
Sorption of ammonia by “V” amylose

Abstract The reactivity of “V” amylose toward ammonia has been investigated by an adsorption study with gaseous ammonia over the temperature range of −30° to +80°C, and with liquid ammonia at −80°C. The study with gaseous ammonia was conducted at a fixed pressure of 700 mm Hg, where the gas pressure and the temperature control of the samples were maintained by using high-vacuum techniques. Both gravimetric and X-ray diffraction data are reported. Much physical adsorption occurred on both the interior and exterior of the helix at low temperatures. Adsorption dropped markedly as the temperature of the sample was raised to 10°C; at higher temperatures, there was evidence that a new sorption process was activated. Variable packing-diameters for the helix were observed, indicating that adsorption on the helix exterior is not restricted to specific sites.
CAROTENOID INCORPORATION INTO SOYBEAN CURD

SUMMARY The addition of carotenoid pigments in the form of protein encapsulated beadlets, solution in vegetable oil, and suspensions of microcrystals to soy milk prior to coagulation was studied. The color of the curd was orange, reddish orange and tan, respectively, when β-apocarotenal was used. With β-carotene the colors were orange, yellow and colorless. The color differences are ascribed to the solubility state of the pigments. Efficiency of incorporation was between 90–99%. Hydration rates and volume changes for raw and toasted beans are given for 4, 25 and 35°C.
Optimization of a model corrected blood input function from dynamic FDG-PET images of small animal heart in vivo

Quantitative evaluation of dynamic Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of mouse heart in vivo is challenging due to the small size of the heart and limited intrinsic spatial resolution of the PET scanner. Here, we optimized a compartment model which can simultaneously correct for spill over and partial volume effects for both blood pool and the myocardium, compute kinetic rate parameters and generate model corrected blood input function (MCBIF) from ordered subset expectation maximization-maximum a posteriori (OSEM-MAP) cardiac and respiratory gated 18F-FDG PET images of mouse heart with attenuation correction in vivo, without any invasive blood sampling. Arterial blood samples were collected from a single mouse to indicate the feasibility of the proposed method. In order to establish statistical significance, venous blood samples from n=6 mice were obtained at 2 late time points, when SP contamination from the tissue to the blood is maximum. We observed that correct bounds and initial guesses for the PV and SP coefficients accurately model the wash-in and wash-out dynamics of the tracer from mouse blood. The residual plot indicated an average difference of about 1.7% between the blood samples and MCBIF. The downstream rate of myocardial FDG influx constant, Ki (0.15±0.03 min-1), compared well with Ki obtained from arterial blood samples (P=0.716). In conclusion, the proposed methodology is not only quantitative but also reproducible.
Assembly of Covalently-Coupled Disulfide Multilayers on Gold

We report on the spontaneous organization of up to eight covalently attached layers formed on gold from solution phase (α,ω)-dithiols 1,6-hexanedithiol (C6), 1,8-octanedithiol (C8), and 1,9-nonanedithiol (C9). The linking chemistry between layers is the oxidative formation of a sulfur−sulfur bond that competes successfully with intralayer S−S bond formation. We have used optical null ellipsometry, FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) to characterize the multilayers. Once formed, the multilayers are stable when washed with 1 M KCl, water, ethanol, CHCl3 and n-hexane solutions, before and after prolonged exposure to ambient laboratory conditions. In addition to the formation of multilayers, our data point to the efficient oxidation of the interlayer disulfide bond to an oxidized sulfur moiety where the S−S bond remains intact. Extensive oxidation produces a sulfonate-terminated surface that reacts with Zr4+ and alkanebisphosphonates to form a hybrid multilayer assembly.
An Explanation of Complete Colocation of Indiscernibles

The Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles (PII) claims that objects that share all of the same properties are the same object. If this claim is denied, then, as is commonly believed, the denier must accept the possibility of objects completely overlapping in space. Michael Della Rocca argues that this possibility is absurd, and therefore PII should be accepted. He claims that the problem with colocated objects lies in the inexplicability of the distinctness of the objects. This inexplicability, he argues, is contrary to the brute fact method of demonstrating the distinctness of objects in counterexamples to PII. Without any other method for demonstrating distinctness of qualitatively indiscernible objects deniers of PII are simply begging the question when they posit the possibility of distinct indiscernibles. I argue in this paper that a clear understanding of the different ways that objects can be colocated removes the counterintuitiveness of colocation, and thereby supports the denial of PII.
John Buridan And Critical Realism

In this paper I examine what John Buridan has to say in his Quaestiones in Analytica Posteriora relevant to the subalternate mathematical sciences, particularly astronomy. Much previous work on the scholastic background to the Scientific Revolution relies on texts that were written in the late sixteenth or seventeenth centuries. Here I am interested in texts that might reflect the context of Copernicus, and, in particular those before 1500. John Buridan and Albert of Saxony were fourteenth century authors influential in Cracow in the fifteenth century, whose conception of science may be characterized as "critical realism." Their view would support the autonomy of astronomy, as well as the idea that sciences may progress over time.
The Zavanelli maneuver: 12 years of recorded experience

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the applicability and safety of the Zavanelli maneuver (manual return to the vagina of the partially born but undeliverable fetus with subsequent extraction by cesarean). Data Sources: MEDLINE computer database, Science Citation Index, and Index Medicus, 1985 through 1997 using the search terms Zavanelli maneuver, cephalic replacement, abdominal rescue, head entrapment, and shoulder dystocia. Method of Study Selection: Efforts to return 103 partially born but undeliverable fetuses to the uterus have been reported in 30 publications since the first case was reported in 1985. All cases were accepted for review, successful or not. Tabulation, Integration, and Results: Clinically relevant features were extracted from each case report. In 92 cases, fetuses presented by the vertex. Cephalic replacement was successful in 84 of those. In 11 cases, the fetus presented by the breech. Podalic replacement was successful in all of those. Seven women suffered tissue-disruptive trauma. There were no maternal deaths or fetal injuries ascribed to the maneuver. Conclusion: The 92% overall success rate is remarkable for a new procedure; even more noteworthy, in most cases it was applied by operators with no experience with it, and for cephalic replacement, it was used only after conventional maneuvers had failed. Using it early in the treatment of obstructed partial vaginal delivery is recommended.
“A Long Way Toward What?” Sex, Gender, Feminism, and the Study of Public Administration

Abstract This article (re)introduces readers to the meanings of terms like sex, gender, and feminism in public administration (PA) scholarship. It asks how far public administration scholarship has come in its understandings of sex, gender, and feminism, offers a typology for published articles in public administration; and asks how far we have come in apprehending the gender of public administration. *The question posed in the title of this article is taken from McIntosh, P. Interactive Phases of Curricular Revision: A Feminist Perspective; Working Paper No. 124; Wellesley College Center for Research on Women: Boston, MA, 1983.
A stochastic programming approach for supply chain network design under uncertainty

This paper proposes a stochastic programming model and solution algorithm for solving supply chain network design problems of a realistic scale. Existing approaches for these problems are either restricted to deterministic environments or can only address a modest number of scenarios for the uncertain problem parameters. Our solution methodology integrates a recently proposed sampling strategy, the sample average approximation (SAA) scheme, with an accelerated Benders decomposition algorithm to quickly compute high quality solutions to large-scale stochastic supply chain design problems with a huge (potentially infinite) number of scenarios. A computational study involving two real supply chain networks are presented to highlight the significance of the stochastic model as well as the efficiency of the proposed solution strategy.
Antihypertensive activity of isradipine in humans: a new dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist

Isradipine (Sandoz PN 200-110), a new dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for antihypertensive efficacy in 24 patients with essential hypertension. Two groups were studied: one received placebo throughout the entire study (n = 12) and the other received isradipine (n = 12), 2.5 mg b.i.d., for the first week, 5 mg b.i.d. the second week, and 10 mg b.i.d. the third week after an initial 3-week baseline placebo period. Blood pressure was measured approximately 3 hours after dosing. Isradipine, at a total daily dose of 10 mg, lowered average supine diastolic blood pressure 11.8 mm Hg, with only a 3.5 mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure compared with baseline. At a total daily dose of 20 mg, average supine diastolic blood pressure decreased 14.8 mm Hg and supine systolic blood pressure declined 13.9 mm Hg; both were significantly decreased compared with placebo or baseline. Heart rate was increased only minimally by isradipine. Renin level activity was increased slightly by isradipine. No serious adverse clinical or laboratory experiences were noted. Isradipine appears to be effective in lowering blood pressure without reflex tachycardia. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 40, 694–697; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.246
Twins in trouble (II): Systems thinking in healthcare and education

Abstract In an attempt to create new perspectives on the issues facing the US education and healthcare systems, we describe – in tandem – the root causes of system-wide dysfunction in both. A unifying concept is the lack of systems thinking. We assess: Timeline of causality; The substrate; The culture; Outcome measures; Micro-economic disconnection; Unending demand for resources; Incentives and accountability; and Organizational structure. Recommendations include: (1) do what is needed, not what is initially considered possible; (2) implement radical transformation, not incremental adjustment; (3) the Federal government must stand in loco parentis; (4) create a Champion-with-power; (5) develop a process for dialogue between practitioners and experts in education, healthcare and management, particularly systems thinking; (6) engage, educate and learn from the public early in the process; (7) create national databases; (8) reform the legal tort system in order to allow the blossoming of learning cultures.
A New Species of Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the Stomach of the Red-Spotted Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens, from Pennsylvania Fishless Ponds

Abstract Species of Hysterothylacium Ward & Magath, 1917 (Nematoda: Anisakidae) have previously been reported only from marine and freshwater fishes. Here, we describe a new species that infects red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), a North American amphibian species with fully aquatic adults. Aside from the unique characteristic of infecting an amphibian host, the new species differs from congeners by the presence of lateral alae, the length of intestinal cecum (0.54–0.73 mm, 39.67–49.09% of esophageal length), the size of the spicules (0.33–0.39 mm, 2.75–3.25% of body length), and the absence of tail tip ornamentation. The absence of fish in the ponds from which these specimens were obtained suggests that newts are the normal definitive host for this species. We suggest that this species might have diverged from a Hysterothylacium parasite of the freshwater fishes which usually live in close proximity with newts.
Modeling and designing of a new indoor free space visible light communication system

Recent developments in solid-state light-emitting diode (LED) materials and devices is driving a resurgence into the use of free-space optics (FSO) for wireless broadband communication. This technology uses the visible spectrum provided by “white” LEDs that are becoming ubiquitous in lighting and has some desirable properties competitive with existing radio frequency (RF) communications. By leveraging the low-cost nature of LEDs and lighting units there are many opportunities to exploit this medium for widespread optical communication deployment. The optical medium, however, has particular characteristics, including directionality and susceptibility to noise sources in the visible spectrum that must be managed. In this paper we present a new indoor FSO system, also known as a visible light communication (VLC) system that addresses achieving satisfactory data rates through diffuse link while supporting mobility under line of sight (LOS) constraints. The system model is presented with theoretical performance analysis indicating a promising rate for indoor scenarios. The new VLC prototype that can deliver in excess of 1 Mbps while providing both illumination and communication at several meters is also introduced with technical details.
Inclusion of the Accumulation Region in the Compact Models of Bulk and SOI FinFETs

TCAD simulations show the difference in the transient behavior and the capacitance-voltage characteristics of bulk and SOI FinFETs if the gate-voltage swing includes the accumulation region. This effect can be captured by a compact model of FinFETs only if it includes the contribution of both types of carriers in the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. An accurate implicit input-voltage equation valid in all regions of operation is proposed for double-gate FinFETs with intrinsic or lightly doped bodies. This results in a surface-potential-based compact model of FinFETs, which is valid in all regions of operation and is verified by comparison with TCAD simulations.
B -spline curves and surfaces viewed as digital filters

Abstract In this paper, we show that B-spline curves and surfaces can be viewed as digital filters. Viewing B-spline problems as digital filters allows one to predict some properties of the generated curves and surfaces. We find that even-order B-splines and odd-order B-splines behave differently when used in curve and surface interpolation. Even-order B-splines generate smoother curves and surfaces than do odd-order B-splines.
Simulation of cable-stayed bridges using disco

Cable-stayed bridges are ideal for spanning natural barriers such as wide rivers, deep valleys or ravines, and for pedestrian bridges crossing wide interstate highways. The modern construction of cable-stayed bridges makes use of segmental balanced cantilever techniques and involves many repetitive cycles of placing the concrete segments and stay cables. Due to this repetition, it provides a fertile area for the application of computer simulation techniques. The paper employs a graphically-based construction simulation system, DISCO (Dynamic Interface for Simulation of Construction Operations), for the modeling and simulation of the construction of the Pasco-Kennewick Intercity Bridge in the state of Washington. The DISCO system provides a graphical environment in which modeling and simulation of construction operations can be conducted in an interactive fashion. The model developed for the bridge construction and the results of the simulation are presented.
Long-Lifetime Nonlinear Absorption of PbS Quantum Dots

We have fabricated PbS particles in glass of average size from 1.2 nm to 3 nm. This allows us to tune the energy of the lowest electron-hole pair transition from 1.7 eV to 0.8 eV respectively. Optical absorption spectra show a pronounced quantum peak, implying a narrow size distribution. We have performed pump-probe spectroscopy where the probe is cw and the pump is nanosecond; this allows us to investigate a wide time scale. We have observed bleaching of the lowest quantum peak with lifetimes of ∼2 microseconds. We interpret this in terms of trapped carriers. Phenomenological description of observed effect is also presented.
Determination of cosmogenic 36Cl in rocks by isotope dilution: innovations, validation and error propagation

Abstract Measurements of cosmogenic 36Cl in terrestrial rocks provide quantitative information about exposure ages of landforms and surface features. The isotope dilution method for preparing 36Cl samples is now widely used because it allows 36Cl and Cl to be measured simultaneously on a single accelerator mass spectrometry target, increases the accuracy and precision of Cl determinations, and reduces rock sample size and laboratory work. In this paper we describe a new implementation of isotope dilution to 36Cl dating, report experimental data verifying the accuracy of this approach, and show how errors in the measured stable isotope ratio propagate to errors in exposure ages. Successful application of isotope dilution to 36Cl dating requires that Cl be retained during digestion. We performed extractions in a sealed acid-digestion bomb to prevent Cl losses and to reduce digestion times by more than 90%. Isotope dilution gives 36Cl/Cl values within 1σ of conventional (unspiked) values for 8 paired silicate samples, and gives Cl concentrations that are consistent with the ion specific electrode method for 14 of 17 silicate samples. Results from three spiked replicates of a carbonate sample are also consistent with the unspiked 36Cl/Cl, but we found that isotope dilution gives a more accurate estimate of native Cl concentration than the ion specific electrode method. We also prepared five limestone samples in open vessels in the presence of excess Ag+ to prevent volatilization of Cl. This method would permit processing of larger samples (the bomb's capacity is 5 g), and would be useful for samples with low concentration of Cl or low 36Cl/Cl when insoluble fluorides do not precipitate in the digestion vessel. Results from paired samples digested in both open and closed vessels suggest that open-vessel digestion is a reliable way of preparing spiked carbonate samples.
Survival of mice in absence of inert gas.

Summary1) Mice were maintained for 51 days in an atmosphere of oxygen at total pressure of 197 mm Hg. This provides a normal inspired O2 tension. CO2 and N2 pressures in the ambient atmosphere did not exceed 5 mm Hg for either gas. 2) Under these conditions animals usually did not encounter any difficulties. Several litters were born and in one case young were conceived, born and raised in virtual absence of inert gas. However, in several cases animals died within 48 hours after being subjected to this environment. Once past this period Only mechanical failure of the apparatus terminated these experiments. It is suggested that pulmonary atelectasis was responsible for these early deaths.
A generalized replica placement strategy to optimize latency in a wide area distributed storage system

Wide area distributed storage systems leverage the scale of the Internet to provide vast amounts of data storage capabilities. The typical building block is a peer-to-peer system that can pool disparate distributed resources into a cohesive storage system. However, the participant nodes are relatively unreliable and thus, distributed storage systems must take care to provide replicas of data objects. A common problem is how to allocate objects to nodes in the system and previous work has allocated objects based on popularity. However, these schemes are not general enough to minimize latency or deal with redundancy schemes such as erasure codes which are based on replication of object fragments. In this paper, we present a strategy for placement of replica fragments particularly with respect to the minimization of data communication latencies.
Causation and contrast classes

I argue that causation is a contrastive relation: c-rather-than-C* causes e-rather-than-E*, where C* and E* are contrast classes associated respectively with actual events c and e. I explain why this is an improvement on the traditional binary view, and develop a detailed definition. It turns out that causation is only well defined in ‘uniform’ cases, where either all or none of the members of C* are related appropriately to members of E*.
Subunit composition of a bicomponent toxin : staphylococcal leukocidin forms an octameric transmembrane pore

Staphylococcal leukocidin pores are formed by the obligatory interaction of two distinct polypeptides, one of class F and one of class S, making them unique in the family of β-barrel pore-forming toxins (β-PFTs). By contrast, other β-PFTs form homo-oligomeric pores; for example, the staphylococcal α-hemolysin (αHL) pore is a homoheptamer. Here, we deduce the subunit composition of a leukocidin pore by two independent methods: gel shift electrophoresis and site-specific chemical modification during single-channel recording. Four LukF and four LukS subunits coassemble to form an octamer. This result in part explains properties of the leukocidin pore, such as its high conductance compared to the αHL pore. It is also pertinent to the mechanism of assembly of β-PFT pores and suggests new possibilities for engineering these proteins.