cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The knower's paradox and representational theories of attitudes

This paper is about a well-known problem concerning the treatment of propositional attitudes. Results obtained by Kaplan and Montague in the early sixties imply that certain propositional attitude theories are threatened with inconsistency. How large the variety of such theories really is has been stressed by Thomason (1980). It includes all those attitude accounts that are often referred to as "representational." We show that many non-representational theories avoid those paradoxes only so long as they refrain from incorporating certain further notions which seem as worthy of formalization as those they contain. In view of these artificial limitations that must be imposed to keep the paradoxes out, such non-representational theories offer no genuine advantage over representational alternatives. The Kaplan-Montague results therefore require a different response than has often been thought appropriate. Rather than taking refuge in a non-representational theory one should adapt the representational approach in such a way that the threat of inconsistency disappears. The paper ends with a sketch of how this might be accomplished.
The Three Dimensional Flow Structure and Turbulence in the Tip Region of an Axial Flow Compressor

Continuing preliminary data submitted last year, this paper focuses on effect of operation point on the structure of a tip leakage vortex (TLV) in compressor-like settings. Experiments are being performed at the Johns Hopkins University refractive index-matched facility. The transparent acrylic blades of the one and a half stage compressor have the same geometry, but lower aspect ratio as the inlet guide vanes and the first stage of the Low Speed Axial Compressor facility at NASA Glenn. The refractive index of the liquid, an aqueous NaI solution is matched with that of the blades and transparent casing, facilitating unobstructed stereo-PIV measurements. As the flow rate is reduced close to stall conditions, the leakage flow is confined to rotor chordwise sections further towards the leading edge, and the TLV rollup occurs further upstream, and more radially inward. However, as the leakage flow stops in the aft part of the passage, the near-stall TLV migrates faster to the PS side of the next blade. Instantaneous realizations demonstrate that the TLV consists of multiple interlaced vortices and never rolls up into a single structure, but when phased-averaged, it appears as single structure. The circumferential velocity peak is located radially inward of the mean vorticity center. Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) is high in the TLV center, in the shear layer connecting the suction side (SS) corner to the TLV feeding vorticity into it, as well as in the region of flow separation on the endwall casing where the leakage flow meets the passage flow. The normal and shear Reynolds stress demonstrate high inhomogeneity and anisotropy, with the streamwise velocity fluctuations being the largest contributor to TKE. The dominant inplane contributors to TKE production rate involve contraction in the region of endwall casing separation and near the SS tip corner, and shear production in the shear layer. Fragmentation and rapid growth of the TLV occurs at mid passage, moving upstream with decreasing flow rate.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Rate-dependent fracture modes in human femoral cortical bone

An accurate understanding of fracture in human bone under complex loading scenarios is critical to predicting fracture risk. Cortical bone, or dense compact bone, is subject to complex loading due to the inherent multi-axial loading conditions, which are also influenced by the anisotropy of the microstructure. When determining critical fracture parameters, bone is traditionally idealized as isotropic. This paper presents a method to examine rate-dependent mode mixity associated with cortical bone crack initiation. Four-point bend experiments have been conducted on cortical femoral bone samples from three human donors at quasi-static (slow), intermediate, and dynamic loading rates. Digital image correlation was used to obtain full-field displacement maps at the crack tip during the experiments. An over-deterministic least squares method is presented and used to evaluate Mode I (opening) and Mode II (shear) stress intensity factors (SIF) for fracture initiation at slow (10 $$^{-2}$$ MPa-m $$^{1/2}$$ s $$^{-1}$$ ), intermediate (15 MPa-m $$^{1/2}$$ s $$^{-1}$$ ), and high ( $$4.5^{4}\,\hbox {MPa-m}^{1/2}\,\hbox {s}^{-1}$$ ) stress intensity factor rates. Results show that under dynamic loading, the critical SIF in Mode I assuming material anisotropy is approximately 50 % lower than fracture toughness assuming isotropy. Additionally, critical Mode I and II SIFs had the lowest values at the highest rate of loading examined, decreasing to one third of the values under quasi-static loading. Crack growth in the low and intermediate SIF rates appears to be Mode II dominant, and shows a transition to completely mixed-mode at the high rate of loading. These results suggest that the conventional assumption of isotropy is a conservative estimate at low and intermediate rates, but overestimates fracture strength at dynamic rates.
The Present Status of Strength Testing for Children of Elementary School and Preschool Age

(1941). The Present Status of Strength Testing for Children of Elementary School and Preschool Age. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 115-130.
Care modes for the older adult with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Abstract Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common chronic disease in the older population. Because of the cumulative effects of acid reflux and delayed gastric emptying, the older adult is at risk for such complications as peptic strictures, esophagitis, and Barrett's esophagus. Providing information on the current care modes (lifestyle, dietary, pharmacologic, and surgical interventions) will help identify relevant solutions and help the older adult generate alternative safe and effective solutions to manage the disease. Many people struggle to change their lives and may need assistance to break old habits. (Geriatr Nurs 2002;23:212-6)
Purification and serological comparison of the yeast hexokinases P-I and P-II.

Abstract An improved procedure for purification of the hexokinases P-I and P-II from baker's yeast is described. Yields, reproducibility, and purity are improved over those found by the methods used previously in this laboratory. The growth of large crystals of form P-I is described. Antisera prepared against the two purified hexokinases show only slight cross reaction by microcomplement fixation. The anti-sera have been used to demonstrate the presence of both P-I and P-II in crude extracts of various yeasts, including two haploid strains, and their absence in a yeast which contains glucokinase but no hexokinases.
Precopulatory mate guarding affects predation risk in two freshwater amphipod species

Contact mate guarding may increase predation risk in the presence of active, size-selective predators by increasing the apparent size or decreasing the escape ability of an individual. These same characteristics may, however, make paired individuals less vulnerable to sit-and-wait, non-size-selective predators. Because the costs and benefits associated with mate guarding are likely to depend on local ecological conditions, species or populations should vary in the duration of the guarding phase. In this study, I investigate whether precopulatory mate guarding increases an individual's predation risk for two freshwater amphipod species within the Hyalella azteca species complex that experience different predators. When larval dragonflies, Anax junius and Tramea lacerata, were used as predators in laboratory trials, single, unpaired individuals were more likely to be consumed than paired individuals. Conversely, predatory fish consumed paired females more often than single females. Therefore, the short precopulatory mate guarding duration observed in the species that co-occurs with predatory fish may be due to habitat-specific, predator-driven costs associated with precopulatory mate guarding. Furthermore, the predation cost associated with precopula was greater for females than males when predatory fish were used as predators, implying that intersexual conflict over the duration of the guarding period may be more intense for the species that co-occurs with predatory fish.
Effects of digitoxin on the development of cardiac hypertrophy in the rat subjected to chronic exercise

Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of 15 animals each: Group A, control animals; Group B, rats receiving 0.15 mg of digitoxin per 100 g of body weight daily for 6 days of each week; Group C, swimming control animals; and Group D, rats that received digitoxin and also swam. The exercised animals swam 6 hours a day, 6 days a week until 400 to 1,500 hours of total swimming time had been reached. The parameters measured were body weight, heart weight, right and left ventricular thickness, myocardial isometric systolic tension and ventricular pressure before and during acute aortic occlusion. The presence or absence of digitoxin was not a significant source of variation in any of these parameters in either the control or the swimming rats, but the swimming factor was a significant source of variation. There was no detectable interaction between swimming and digitoxin. Therefore, it can be stated that, unlike the pathologic hypertrophy of disease, the physiologic hypertrophy produced by intermittent exercise and the increment in myocardial function concomitant to the hypertrophy are not altered by treatment with digitoxin.
Vibration suppression of a skew cantilever plate using PZT patches

We investigate the control of steady-state vibrations of a cantilevered skew isotropic plate by using nonlinear saturation phenomena and PZT (lead zirconate titanate) patches as sensors and actuators. Modal testing and finite- element analysis are performed to study the bending- torsional dynamic characteristics due to the non-rectangular plate geometry. The control method uses linear second-order controllers coupled to the plate via quadratic terms to establish energy bridges between the plate and controllers. Each linear second-order controller is designed to have a 1:2 internal resonance with one of the plate vibration modes and hence is able to exchange energy with the plate at or around the specific modal frequency. Because of quadratic nonlinearities and 1:2 internal resonances, saturation phenomena exist and are used to suppress modal vibrations. To test this control technique in an efficient and systematic way, we built a digital control system that consists of SIMULINK modeling software and a dSPACE DS1102 controller in a pentium computer. Both numerical and experimental results show that this nonlinear control method is robust in suppression steady-state resonant vibrations without significant spill-over effects.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Owner-Occupied Homes, Income-Producing Properties, and REITs as Inflation Hedges: Empirical Findings

New evidence on the correlation patterns of various real estate returns with inflation is presented. Returns on a wide array of real estate, nonresidential as well as residential, are investigated. Stock and bond returns are also analyzed for comparison purposes. Extensive heterogeneity is found in real estate return correlations with inflation. Nonresidential property returns are most strongly positively correlated with inflation, although the appreciation in owner-occupied homes is also positively associated with inflation. However, REIT returns tend to be strongly negatively correlated with inflation. In this respect, they look more like traditional stocks and bonds than any other type of real estate. Finally, new evidence on return correlations with energy prices is also presented. Nonresidential real estate performs best here, too, although no real estate asset fully compensates investors for adverse energy price shocks.
Examination of covalently bound polymeric stationary phases by luminescence spectroscopy

Abstract Luminescnce spectroscopy is used to prove silica-gel surfaces derivatized with [3-(3-pyrenyl)propyl]methyldichlorisilane. Evidence of solution pre-polymerizatiln and subsequent derivatization to acceisibl surface silanols is presented. Conformatonal changes of the bound ligands in polar and non-polar solvents indicate a dynamic surface which minimized its surface area in hostile solvents.
Effect of FRP bar degradation on interface bond with high strength concrete

Abstract An experimental investigation is described on the durability performance of FRP bar-concrete interface bond, purposely focused on the surface material degradation of FRP bar by using a concrete mix with high compressive strength. A total of 48 pullout specimens with four different types of FRP bars were cast for bond strength tests. Additional specimens were also cast for concrete compressive strength test, visual inspection of FRP-concrete interface, and scanning electron microscopy analysis to evaluate the environmental effects. Specimens were exposed to the following conditions: tap water maintained either at ambient temperature or 60 °C, and air of thermal cycling from −20 to 60 °C. The environmental conditioning resulted in bond strength reductions of 4–10% for CFRP bars and 0–20% for GFRP bars. The conditioning also increased the free-end slip before the peak bond strength was reached. The degradation of bond was related mainly to the deterioration of FRP bar and less to concrete. The interface bond failure mode and degradation mechanism due to FRP bar damage are characterized.
In situ force-balance tensiometry

Although a fundamental physical parameter, surface tension is difficult to measure. Common tensiometry inaccur- acy comes from failure to control air—liquid—solid contact conditions, or account for liquid meniscus geometry and buoyancy corrections. This paper describes an in situ ten- siometry technique, based on withdrawal of a thin-walled tube from the liquid interface, that enforces a known air—liquid—solid contact condition. This technique can be pursued at any level of experimental hygiene. Experimental results for filtered tap water, an alcohol—water solution, and a surfactant—water solution show that results repeatable to three significant digits are obtained with modest effort for a variety of geometrical parameters.
Surface vacancy charging on semiconductors at nonzero temperatures

A theory for estimating ionization entropies of vacancies on semiconductor surfaces is developed, using Si(100)-(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) as a specific example. This theory helps to determine the most likely charge state at processing temperatures for a wide variety of semiconductors. For the dominant vacancy type on Si(100)-(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) (the divacancy), the most likely charge state shifts from neutral to negative above about 800 K. This transition is likely to affect the manifestation of phenomena such as nonthermal illumination-influenced diffusion.
Survival of Type 1 and Type 3 Polio Vaccine Virus in Blowflies (Phaenicia sericata) at 40°C.

Discussion and summaryInterest in the behavior of polioviruses in flies stems from two factors: (1) the potential importance of these insects as vectors of the virus under certain circumstances; and (2) the possibility that if polioviruses multiply in flies, they may undergo mutation during the process. Investigations of the genetic stability of polioviruses have been carried out largely in connection with the use of attenuated vaccine strains as immunizing agents for humans. It is apparent that wild virulent strains multiply readily at 40°C, while attenuated strains, either naturally occurring or laboratory manipulated vaccine strains, do not. In tropical areas, and in temperate climates during the summer, flies are exposed to high environmental temperatures at least for some time during the day. If this occurs while they are hosts of polioviruses, and if polioviruses undergo multiplication in flies, it is possible that attenuated strains might undergo changes in their genetic characters, with a shift to...
Local Government Capital Spending During and After Recessions: A Cause for Concern?

This article combines literature on cutback management with the results of a survey of county commissioners. Specifically, it focuses on the use of capital spending reductions in county government to cope with fiscal stress and the potential long-term impact of such reductions in response to the limited amount of research on this form of local government. In light of the literature and survey results, it recommends that county governments change their behavior and avoid cuts to their capital budgets due to the long-term costs of delayed maintenance and the opportunity costs incurred by stifling economic development. It also presents policy choices available to many counties that enable them to maintain capital investments, including public–private partnerships and earmarked local option sales taxes. The study concludes with a call for quantitative research on the long-term effects of capital reductions during economic downturns.
Ultrastructural effects of Guillain-Barréserum in cultures containing only rat Schwann cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons

Serum from patients with the acute form of the Guillain-Barre syndrome was applied to cultures containing only rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and Schwann cells. Serum taken from 4 of 10 patients during the first 1-3 weeks of clinical onset had previously been shown to have significant demyelinating activity in this culture system when observed at the light microscopic level. More detailed assessment made at the ultrastructural level showed that: (1) wide-spread myelin-related Schwann cell lysis occurred in concert with vesicular myelin breakdown; (2) non-myelin-related Schwann cells avidly phagocytized necrotic cell debris and fragments of compact myelin; and (3) neurites and non-myelin-related Schwann cells remained structurally undamaged. Cultures treated with convalescent phase serum from patients whose acute phase serum had cytolytic activity displayed no significant ultrastructural damage to either neurites or Schwann cells. This is the first electron microscopic study to provide direct evidence that acute Guillain-Barre serum can be cytolytic for myelin-related Schwann cells and peripheral myelin in an experimental setting free of leukocytes, lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes.
Globally Distributed Requirements Engineering

We investigate distributed requirements development through a series of in-depth interviews, and document the practices as process-patterns showing stakeholder roles, locations, interactions, and tool support.
Dawn‐dusk asymmetries, ion spectra, and sources in the northward interplanetary magnetic field plasma sheet

[1] During periods of northward IMF, plasma sheet ions often have two components: hot (magnetospheric origin) and cold (magnetosheath origin). The temperatures of the cold-component ions are ∼30–40% higher in the dawn sector compared to the dusk sector, implying the dawnside magnetosheath ion heating of ∼30–40%. As a result, the magnetosheath ions are less distinguishable from the hot-component ions, which have lower temperatures on the dawnside, leading to a higher occurrence of the ions having (apparent) one-component distribution. As the duration of the hourly averaged IMF being northward (Δt) increases from 1 to 10 hours, the occurrence of two-component ions increases from 65% to 83% in the dusk flank, but in the dawn flank it remains relatively stable at around 45%. In contrast, the occurrence of ions best characterized by kappa (κ) distribution increases from 25% to 35% in the dawn flank whereas in the dusk flank it remains relatively insensitive to Δt (10%). The occurrence of a one-component Maxwellian distribution appears to be most pronounced in the region of the plasma sheet close to the midnight meridian, and these ions appear to be characteristic of the nominal plasma sheet (hot component) ions. The densification of the plasma sheet, as Δt increases, mainly results from the influx of the magnetosheath ions. However, the cooling of the plasma sheet ions can be attributed not only to the influx of the cold magnetosheath ions but also to the cooling of the nominal plasma sheet ions. The dawn-dusk asymmetries observed in the cold magnetosheath ion profiles should provide constraints that can help determine the roles of various proposed magnetosheath ion entry mechanisms.
Influence of physisorbed arsenic on RHEED intensity oscillations during low-temperature GaAs molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract In a recent work, RHEED specular spot intensity oscillations were obtained during low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of GaAs when near stoichiometric V III flux ratios (≤2:1) were used. The cause of these oscillations has not been fully explained. In this work, we have developed a stochastic model of growth which correctly describes the RHEED intensity dynamics over a wide range of growth conditions. A critical and novel improvement to the stochastic model is the inclusion of a physisorbed state. The experimental RHEED responses for various growth conditions were matched by taking into account the build-up of a physisorbed As layer and its effect on the specular spot RHEED intensity. The dynamics of the physisorbed As layer were introduced into the stochastic model by including the thermally activated processes of chemisorption and evaporation of the As physisorbed state. Model results indicate that for typical low-T GaAs growth temperatures (200°C), the steady-state coverage of physisorbed As ranged from 0.72 at a V III flux ratio of 2:1 to 0.24 at a flux ratio of 1:1. Increased scattering of the RHEED beam due to the higher physisorbed As coverage at 2:1 leads to a factor of 5 decrease in the steady-state amplitude of the RHEED oscillations compared to the 1:1 case. This is in excellent agreement with the experimental results of Ibbetson et al. The RHEED intensity oscillates under these conditions due to layer-by-layer growth and a periodic variation in the coverage of physisorbed As, even though the surface migration rates are small. A factor in maintaining this growth mode is that arsenic stays in the physisorbed state with lifetimes in the range of 10−3 to 10−5 s and incorporates only when an appropriate configuration of Ga atoms forms on the surface. The temperature dependence of the evaporation and chemisorption time constants of physisorbed As yield activation energies of 0.24 eV and 0.39 eV, respectively, which are in excellent agreement with the experimental data.
Calibration of phase and gain mismatches in Weaver image-reject receiver

A modified image-reject Weaver architecture is presented. The design automatically calibrates for phase and gain mismatches that limit the performance of image-reject receivers. On-line or off-line calibrations are possible without using any calibrating tone. An experimental CMOS prototype RF front-end operating at 1.8 GHz achieves an image rejection ratio of 59 dB using on-line calibration. The design was fabricated in a 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process and dissipates 160 mW from a 3-V supply during on-line calibration, and 95 mW during normal receiving. The die area is 4 mm/sup 2/.
Parametrization, molecular dynamics simulation and calculation of electron spin resonance spectra of a nitroxide spin label on a poly-alanine alpha helix

The nitroxide spin label 1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-3-methyl-methanethiosulfonate (MTSSL), commonly used in site-directed spin labeling of proteins, is studied with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. After developing force field parameters for the nitroxide moiety and the spin label linker, we simulate MTSSL attached to a polyalanine α-helix in explicit solvent to elucidate the factors affecting its conformational dynamics. Electron spin resonance spectra at 9 and 250 GHz are simulated in the time domain using the MD trajectories and including global rotational diffusion appropriate for the tumbling of T4 Lysozyme in solution. Analysis of the MD simulations reveals the presence of significant hydrophobic interactions of the spin label with the alanine side chains.
Hollywood exiles in Europe: the blacklist and Cold War film culture

The scholarly literature on the Hollywood blacklist is already impressive – perhaps headed by Reynold Humphries’s superb overview, Hollywood’s Blacklists: A Political and Cultural History (2008), a...
Spinal PAR1 RNA Levels Are Regulated by Mechanical and Inflammatory Cues in Painful Nerve Root Compression

Radicular pain can be caused by a disc herniation that can compress the spinal nerve roots as they exit the spinal canal [1]. Pain models in the rat mimic both the mechanical and chemical components of a disc herniation, either individually or in combination, and have demonstrated that the specific injury inputs (i.e. mechanics, inflammation) modulate the pain responses [2,3]. For both types of nerve root injuries, allodynia (i.e. pain) is elevated as early as 1 day after injury but its temporal responses vary over time according to the type of injury insult [3]. Painful nerve root injuries also induce a host of inflammatory cascades in the spinal cord that promote neuronal healing [2–4]. Although inflammatory responses have been shown to relate to the onset and maintenance of pain following injury, the specific biochemical processes and their relationship to inflammation and pain symptoms are not yet fully defined.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Variable competence and performance in child second language acquisition1

The variable competence model of second language acquisition proposes that the ability to use language varies systematically within functional domains and linguistic contexts, and that such variability is inherent in interlanguage as well. This study of elicited and naturalistic speech of elementary school ESL students in formal and informal situations supports the conclusion that variability exists in the acquisition process but disputes the theory that it is a necessary com ponent of the mental competence itself. Errors in use of the past tense, noun phrase plurals and possessives, adjectives, and determiners were calculated for four different activities or tasks; t-tests and regression analyses revealed little or no statistical difference across tasks but predictable differences with increase in proficiency. Implications are drawn for the teaching of grammar to children in an academic context.
The art of persuasion

Surprisingly, the rhetoric of the literary artist still has a place in persuasive scientific texts.
Bodies in Revolt: Gender, Disability, and a Workplace Ethic of Care. By Ruth O'Brien

Bodies in Revolt: Gender, Disability, and a Workplace Ethic of Care. By Ruth O'Brien. New York: Routledge, 2005. Pp. 198. $135.00 cloth; $36.95 paper. What are the conditions under which workers' rights legislation can produce revolutionary change in the workplace? O'Brien proposes an answer to this question by marshaling an array of Western theories of bodies and human action, and considering the "radical potential" of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to O'Brien, the ADA's open-ended definition of worker need and its (as yet unrealized) affinity with humanist values make it a potential agent of change in the logic of the capitalist workplace. The ADA can benefit all workers, not simply discrete factions of workers or those workers fitting a narrow definition of disability, by making employers and courts accommodate individuals' varied modes of activity at work. O'Brien asserts that the ADA offers workplace accommodations on the basis of individual, and thus endlessly varying, needs. This model of worker protection is substantively different from protections based on categorical identities, such as age, sex, or race. The ADA, O'Brien argues, provides a chance to view disability not as a fixed identity, but as a universal human condition that generates a range of unique needs. Disability so defined refers to variety in conditions of human activity (e.g., pregnancy, depression) and is not limited to those differences that tend to constitute the popular image of a "handicap" (e.g., developmental disability or physiological injury). O'Brien speculates that this inclusive interpretation of disability, if adopted energetically by political actors within certain ideal institutional arrangements, can generate a revolutionary collective consciousness among workers and perhaps even employers. The heart of O'Brien's book presents (1) a conceptual framework for an "ethic of care" in the contemporary workplace, and (2) the social context in which this ethic might flourish. An ethic of care is an ideal orientation toward workers' needs that flows from emerging, inclusive definitions of disability. Drawing on feminist theories of difference and power, O'Brien outlines in Chapters Two and Three a "workers' cause" logic that eschews securing an equality of circumstances and rights among individuals, instead pursuing the benevolent accommodation of difference in the workplace. This represents a move away from using "normalcy" and "average capabilities" as measuring sticks for employer obligations toward employees; it also rejects the notion of disability as a static identity. O'Brien arrives at this alternative workplace ethic of care after thoughtfully discussing competing theories of "bodies and being," including the work of Descartes, Deleuze, Guattari, Foucault, and Spinoza. Those readers engaged with social theory will find much to like in O'Brien's broad theoretical readings. …
The C Terminus of SNAP25 Is Essential for Ca2+-dependent Binding of Synaptotagmin to SNARE Complexes *

The plasma membrane solubleN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins syntaxin and synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP25) and the vesicle SNARE protein vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP) are essential for a late Ca2+-dependent step in regulated exocytosis, but their precise roles and regulation by Ca2+ are poorly understood. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) E, a protease that cleaves SNAP25 at Arg180-Ile181, completely inhibits this late step in PC12 cell membranes, whereas BoNT A, which cleaves SNAP25 at Gln197-Arg198, is only partially inhibitory. The difference in toxin effectiveness was found to result from a reversal of BoNT A but not BoNT E inhibition by elevated Ca2+ concentrations. BoNT A treatment essentially increased the Ca2+ concentration required to activate exocytosis, which suggested a role for the C terminus of SNAP25 in the Ca2+ regulation of exocytosis. Synaptotagmin, a proposed Ca2+ sensor for exocytosis, was found to bind SNAP25 in a Ca2+-stimulated manner. Ca2+-dependent binding was abolished by BoNT E treatment, whereas BoNT A treatment increased the Ca2+concentration required for binding. The C terminus of SNAP25 was also essential for Ca2+-dependent synaptotagmin binding to SNAP25·syntaxin and SNAP25·syntaxin·VAMP SNARE complexes. These results clarify classical observations on the Ca2+ reversal of BoNT A inhibition of neurosecretion, and they suggest that an essential role for the C terminus of SNAP25 in regulated exocytosis is to mediate Ca2+-dependent interactions between synaptotagmin and SNARE protein complexes.
BL Lacertae objects, Fanaroff-Riley type I radio sources, and cluster cooling flows

The correctness of the view that the Fanaroff-Riley type I (F-R I) radio galaxies and the BL Lac objects are intrinsically the same and that the strong emission seen in BL Lac may be the result of beaming of radiation from the galactic nucleus is examined. Expressions are derived for the surface brightness of scattered beams of polarized or unpolarized radiation, and the expected scattered light surface is calculated assuming the beams have spectra and fluxes consistent with those observed for BL Lac objects. The models are compared to recent observations of lobes of excess, polarized blue light in Cy-A, and observations of lobes of UV light in the central regions of the cD galaxies in A1795 and A2597. It was found that the models predict scattered surface brightnesses in reasonable agreement with those observed. If these lobes are indeed scattered light, this would indicate that F-R I radio galaxies do possess beams of radiation with apparent luminosities similar to BL Lac objects and that the radiation is actively beamed and not merely obscured by a torus of dust around the nucleus.
Absorption and emission spectra of matrix-isolated GeTe

Abstract Systems of broad bands have been observed in the absorption and laser-induced emission spectra of the GeTe molecule in solid argon and krypton matrices. Hitherto unreported electronic states have been characterized: a , ν 00 = 15 500 cm −1 ; B , ν 00 = 20 070, ω e = 190 cm −1 ; C , ν 00 = 23 500, ω e = 270 cm −1 . Higher energy states are also reported as well as an emission system in the red which is probably due to the Ge 2 Te 2 .
Harnessing genomics for delineating conservation units

Genomic data have the potential to revolutionize the delineation of conservation units (CUs) by allowing the detection of adaptive genetic variation, which is otherwise difficult for rare, endangered species. In contrast to previous recommendations, we propose that the use of neutral versus adaptive markers should not be viewed as alternatives. Rather, neutral and adaptive markers provide different types of information that should be combined to make optimal management decisions. Genetic patterns at neutral markers reflect the interaction of gene flow and genetic drift that affects genome-wide variation within and among populations. This population genetic structure is what natural selection operates on to cause adaptive divergence. Here, we provide a new framework to integrate data on neutral and adaptive markers to protect biodiversity.
The emerging role of satellite rainfall data in improving the hydro-political situation of flood monitoring in the under-developed regions of the world

The systematic decline of in situ networks for hydrologic measurements has been recognized as a crucial limitation to advancing hydrologic monitoring in medium to large basins, especially those that are already sparsely instrumented. As a collective response, sections of the hydrologic community have recently forged partnerships for the development of space-borne missions for cost-effective, yet global, hydrologic measurements by building upon the technological advancements since the last two decades. In this article, we review the state-of-the-art on flood monitoring in medium and large ungauged basins where satellite remote sensing can facilitate development of a cost-effective mechanism. We present our review in the context of the current hydro-political situation of flood monitoring in flood-prone developing nations situated in international river basins (IRBs). Given the large number of such basins and the difficulty in acquisition of multi-faceted geophysical data, we argue that the conventional data-intensive implementation of physically based hydrologic models that are complex and distributed is time-consuming for global assessment of the utility of proposed global satellite hydrologic missions. A more parsimonious approach is justified at the tolerable expense of accuracy before such missions begin operation. Such a parsimonious approach can subsequently motivate the identified international basins to invest greater effort in conventional and detailed hydrologic studies to design a prototype flood forecasting system in an effort to overcome the hydro-political hurdles to flood monitoring. Through a modeling exercise involving an open-book watershed concept, we demonstrate the value of a parsimonious approach in understanding the utility of NASA-derived satellite rainfall products. It is critical now that real-world operational flood forecasting agencies in the under-developed world come forward to collaborate with the research community in order to leverage satellite rainfall data for greater societal benefit for inhabitants in IRBs.
The validity and utility of disease detection methods and of occlusal therapy for temporomandibular disorders

Our evaluation of the clinical usefulness or devices for the diagnosis or treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) led to the conclusion that the only current gold standard for TMD is a global clinical examination, because none of the instruments can be said to provide more than ancillary documentation and none have proven diagnostic validity or utility. Regarding the therapeutic efficacy of occlusal adjustment, we could find no comparative studies that test the efficacy of occlusal adjustment in preventing TMD. The studies we reviewed on the relationship of occlusion to TMD are not convincing, powerful, or practical enough to make any recommendations about a causal association.
PEG drugs: an overview

No low molecular weight ( 20000), and especially employing PEG 40000 which is estimated to have a plasma circulating half life of approximately 8-9 h in the mouse. This recent resuscitation of small organic molecule delivery by high molecular weight PEG conjugates was founded on meaningful in vivo testing using established tumor models, and has led to a clinical candidate. Recent applications of high molecular weight PEG prodrug strategies to amino containing drugs are also detailed, and potential applications to proteins are proposed.
Design and Fabrication of Microelectromechanical Systems

An attempt has been made to summarize some of the important developments in the emerging technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) from the mechanical engineering perspective. In the micro domain, design and fabrication issues are very much different from those of the macro world. The reason for this is twofold. First, the limitations of the micromachining techniques give way to new exigencies that are nonexistent in the macromachinery. One such difficulty is the virtual loss of the third dimension, since most of the microstructures are fabricated by integrated circuit based micromachining techniques that are predominantly planar. Second, the batch-produced micro structures that require no further assembly, offer significant economical advantage over their macro counterparts. Furthermore, electronic circuits and sensors can be integrated with micromechanical structures. In order to best utilize these features, it becomes necessary to establish new concepts for the design of MEMS. Alternate physical forms of the conventional joints are considered to improve the manufacturability of micromechanisms and the idea of using compliant mechanisms for micromechanical applications is put forth. The paper also reviews some of the fabrication techniques and the micromechanical devices that have already been made. In particular, it discusses the fabrication of a motor-driven four-bar linkage using the “boron-doped bulk-silicon dissolved-wafer process” developed at The University of Michigan’s Center for Integrated Sensors and Circuits.
First- and second-level packaging of the z990 processor cage

In this paper, we describe the challenging first- and second-level packaging technology of a new system packaging architecture for the IBM eServerTM z990. The z990 dramatically increases the volumetric processor density over that of the predecessor z900 by implementing a super-blade design comprising four node cards. Each blade is plugged into a common center board, and a blade contains the node with up to sixteen processor cores on the multichip module (MCM), up to 64 GB of memory on two memory cards, and up to twelve self-timed interface (STI) cables plugged into the front of the node. Each glass-ceramic MCM carries 16 chips dissipating a maximum power of 800 W. In this super-blade design, the packaging complexity is increased dramatically over that of the previous zSeries® eServer z900 to achieve increased volumetric density, processor performance, and system scalability. This approach permits the system to be scaled from one to four nodes, with full interaction between all nodes using a ring structure for the wiring between the four nodes. The processor frequencies are increased to 1.2 GHz, with a 0.6-GHz nest with synchronous double-data-rate interchip and interblade communication. This data rate over these package connections demands an electrical verification methodology that includes all of the different relevant system components to ensure that the proper signal and power distribution operation is achieved. The signal integrity analysis verifies that crosstalk limits are not exceeded and proper timing relationships are maintained. The power integrity simulations are performed to optimize the hierarchical decoupling in order to maintain the voltage on the power distribution networks within prescribed limits.
Superconductivity and Metal–Insulator Phase Transition in a Layered Two‐Dimensional Fermi Gas

Using the Fermi-liquid approach with vertex corrections, the effects of exchange and correlation are considered in a layered two-dimensional electron gas. It is shown that the interaction in the particle-hole channel can induce the metal-insulator phase transition when the Fermi momentum is comparable with the inverse interlayer spacing, p F 1/c. The possibility of superconductivity in the region between the insulator and normal metal phases, taking into account the particle-hole excitations, is discussed. A smooth crossover from weak to strong coupling superconductivity with the decrease of the 2D carrier density is obtained. The results suggest a new way in the explanation of the phase diagram of layered high-T C superconductors.
Experimental Measurements of Low-Frequency Intermolecular Host−Guest Dynamics

A direct temporal measurement of the internal motion of a host−guest bimolecular complex is reported. Time-resolved polarization spectroscopy is used to monitor the motion of a guest chromophore, anthracene-1,3-dicarboxylate, bound to a bis(guanidinium) host molecule through a combination of hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces. The dynamics of the bound chromophore is well described by an overdamped oscillator model. Through simple modeling, it is possible to estimate the frequency of the host−guest potential and the range of the guest chromophore's angular displacement.
Interactive marketing and the law: The future rise of unfairness

Abstract In the 20th century, the marketing law concept of deception evolved from the earlier legal concept of fraud. Stronger remedies also evolved to address the possibility of deception on a mass scale. In the 21st century, with the rise of interactive marketing, deception will continue as a primary concern, but additional emphasis will be placed on fairness to consumers. Practices that cause substantial unavoidable consumer injury without countervailing benefits will receive greater scrutiny in four areas: consumer control over advertising and the sales transaction, the targeting of vulnerable audiences and discrimination related to such targeting, the provision of information to consumers, and lastly, psychological pressure to buy, particularly as applied to targeted, vulnerable audiences.
Observations on the characteristics of a fluidized bed for the thermal shock testing of brittle ceramics

The heat transfer characteristics of a fluidized bed used as a quenching medium for the thermal stress testing of brittle ceramics, were determined by measurements of the thermal shock behaviour of rods of a soda-lime—silica glass. The heat transfer coefficient was found to be strongly dependent on the mean particle size of the powder and air flow rate, and was relatively independent of the position within the bed. The results indicate that the heat transfer coefficient during thermal shock fracture may have a value lower than that obtained under heat transfer conditions which more closely resemble steady state. The heat transfer data inferred from the quenching experiments with the glass gave excellent agreement between calculated and measured values for the thermal shock behaviour for rods of a polycrystalline aluminium oxide. It is concluded that fluidized beds are excellent inert quenching media with variable heat transfer coefficient controlled by particle size and flow rate.
directCell: hybrid systems with tightly coupled accelerators

The Cell Broadband Engine® (Cell/B.E.) processor is a hybrid IBM PowerPC® processor. In blade servers and PCI Express® card systems, it has been used primarily in a server context, with Linux® as the operating system. Because neither Linux as an operating system nor a PowerPC processor-based architecture is the preferred choice for all applications, some installations use the Cell/B.E. processor in a coupled hybrid environment, which has implications for the complexity of systems management, the programming model, and performance. In the directCell approach, we use the Cell/B.E. processor as a processing device connected to a host via a PCI Express link using direct memory access and memory-mapped I/O (input/output). The Cell/B.E. processor functions as a processor and is perceived by the host like a device while maintaining the native Cell/B.E. processor programming approach. We describe the problems with the current practice that led us to the directCell approach. We explain the challenge in programming, execution control, and operation on the accelerators that were faced during the design and implementation of a prototype and present solutions to overcome them. We also provide an outlook on where the directCell approach promises to better solve customer problems.
Structure and Proposed Mechanism for the pH-Sensing Helicobacter pylori Chemoreceptor TlpB

pH sensing is crucial for survival of most organisms, yet the molecular basis of such sensing is poorly understood. Here, we present an atomic resolution structure of the periplasmic portion of the acid-sensing chemoreceptor, TlpB, from the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. The structure reveals a universal signaling fold, a PAS domain, with a molecule of urea bound with high affinity. Through biophysical, biochemical, and in vivo mutagenesis studies, we show that urea and the urea-binding site residues play critical roles in the ability of H. pylori to sense acid. Our signaling model predicts that protonation events at Asp114, affected by changes in pH, dictate the stability of TlpB through urea binding.