cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of the ReaxFF Reactive Force Field to Reactive Dynamics of Hydrocarbon Chemisorption and Decomposition

We report here reactive dynamics (RD) simulations of the adsorption and decomposition of a gas of 20−120 methane, ethyne, ethene, benzene, cyclohexane, or propene molecules interacting with a 21 A diameter nickel nanoparticle (468 atoms). These RD simulations use the recently developed ReaxFF reactive force field to describe decomposition, reactivity, and desorption of hydrocarbons as they interact with nickel surfaces. We carried out 100 ps of RD as the temperature is ramped at a constant rate from 500 to 2500 K (temperature programmed reactions). We find that all four unsaturated hydrocarbon species chemisorb to the catalyst particle with essentially no activation energy (attaching to the surface through π electrons) and then proceed to decompose by breaking C−H bonds to form partially dehydrogenated species prior to decomposition to lower order hydrocarbons. The eventual breaking of C−C bonds usually involves a surface Ni atom inserting into the C−C bond to produce an atomic C that simultaneously with ...
High-resolution land cover change detection based on fuzzy uncertainty analysis and change reasoning

Land cover change detection is an important research and application area for analysts of remote sensing data. The primary objective of the research described here was to develop a change detection method capable of accommodating spatial and classification uncertainty in generating an accurate map of land cover change using high resolution satellite imagery. As a secondary objective, this method was designed to facilitate the mapping of particular types and locations of change based on specific study goals. Urban land cover change pertinent to surface water quality in Raleigh, North Carolina, was assessed using land cover classifications derived from pan-sharpened, 0.61 m QuickBird images from 2002 and 2005. Post-classification map errors were evaluated using a fuzzy logic approach. First, a 'change index' representing a quantitative gradient along which land cover change is characterized by both certainty and relevance, was created. The result was a continuous representation of change, a product type that retains more information and flexibility than discrete maps of change. Finally, fuzzy logic and change reasoning results were integrated into a binary change/no change map that quantified the most certain, likely, and relevant change regions within the study area. A 'from-to' change map was developed from this binary map inserting the type of change identified in the raw post-classification map. A from-to change map had an overall accuracy of 78.9% (κ = 0.747) and effectively mapped land cover changes posing a threat to water quality, including increases in impervious surface. This work presents an efficient fuzzy framework for transforming map uncertainty into accurate and practical change analysis.
Multiple Scattering and Radiation Damping. II

The analysis of multiple elastic scattering by a system of fixed scatterers in terms of two-body collision matrices is extended to large bodies. The dynamical theory of particle wave propagation in crystals is formulated and discussed from this viewpoint, as an extension of Ewald's theory to scatterers of finite size. A theory of wave propagation in a random medium, including disordered crystals, is obtained as the limiting case for a crystal with infinite unit cell. Contrary to the usual approach, this analysis considers a definite "frozen" configuration of the medium; statistical averaging over configurations may be used on the intensities obtained.In crystals and dense liquids, radiation damping is compensated by the reaction of surrounding scatterers. Therefore, it is found convenient to restate the basic equations of multiple scattering in terms of a matrix $\ensuremath{\beta}$ which is essentially the Green's function for the single scattering event, with "standing wave" rather than "outgoing wave" boundary conditions. This has the advantage of eliminating the spurious radiation damping terms at the outset; one obtains nonattenuated waves in nondissipative crystals or dense liquids by a simple expansion method.Application is made to the following problems: the equivalent of the Lorentz-Lorenz formula for matter waves; index of refraction for an interaction of the form of a one-level Breit-Wigner formula; attenuation of long waves in a disordered crystal containing protons with random spins; double refraction effect in a liquid or crystal containing protons with partially oriented spin.
MOLECULAR-PHENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS IN THE ANDROGEN INSENSITIVITY SYNDROME

The androgen insensilivity syndrome (AIS) is a classic example of a hormone resistance disorder. In the presence of a 46,XY karyotype and normal or increased androgen levels, affected individuals have a female or ambiguous external genital phenotype, resulting from abnormalities of the intracellular androgon receptor (AR), required to mediate the action of androgens. Using polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and dideoxy sequencing, we have identified single nucleolide mutations in the AR gene causing amino acid (AA) substitutions in the AR in 16 AIS subjects (9 complete [CAIS], 7 partial [PAIS]). To determine whether a correlation exists between the specific molecular defect and its clinical expression, we have analyzed these mutations and 70 reported by others, with respect to the location, nature and functional effects of the AA change. The majority (89%) of AA alterations occurred in the steroid-binding domain (SBD), 70% in the central region, encoded by exons E, F and G of the AR gene. Mutations in exons D and E predominantly cause CAIS (CAIS:PAIS-4.4:1). In contrast, mutations in exons F, G and H, encoding the C-terminal region of the SBD, cause CAIS or PAIS with fairly equal frequency (CAIS:PAIS = 1-2:1). This suggests that the region encoded by exons D and E, plays a particularly critical role in AR function. Highly charged residues Arg (basic) and Asp (acidic) are the most frequently altered (57% of CAIS; 44% of PAIS). The phenotype resulting from the AA change appears lo correlate with the severity of the change: conversion of Arg to a markedly different AA, such as Cys, produces the CAIS phenotype, while a conservative change, Arg to His (also a basic AA), is associated with evidence of androgen action in vivo and retention of transactivation capacity by the AR, when analyzed in vitro. A number of sites in the AR gene appear to be mutational “hot spots” (Arg774, Arg855, Val866): although CAIS or PAIS may occur with different mutations at the same site, no single mutation has yet been found that produces CAIS in one kindred and PAIS in another. Analysis of recreated mutant receptors indicates that retention of androgen-dependent transactivation activity in vitro correlates in general with retention of AR function in vivo. These data may enable prediction of likely response to androgen in subjects with mutations causing PAIS.
Correlation of loss of CD4 T cells with plasma levels of both soluble form Fas (CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL) in HIV-infected infants

Fas and Fas ligand (FasL), members of the TNFR and TNF families of molecules involved in apoptosis, respectively, are expressed in membrane-associated as well as soluble forms. Soluble Fas (sFas) and sFasL were evaluated in sequential samples from 16 HIV-infected and 11 HIV-exposed uninfected infants at ages 0-13 months. Regardless of the state of infection, age-dependent decreases in peripheral CD4 T cell counts and increases in sFas and sFasL were noted. However, decreases of the percentage CD4 T cells were more prominent in HIV-infected infants, and this was correlated significantly with increased plasma levels of sFas and sFasL (P = 0.002 and 0.004, respectively). Moreover, the levels of sFas in HIV-infected infants were found to be directly correlated with plasma HIV RNA (P = 0.03) and were significantly increased as early as age <1 month and prior to the onset of CD4 T cell decline. In uninfected infants, there was no such correlation between CD4 counts and the levels of sFas/sFasL. Plasma levels of sFas and sFasL may thus be important indicators of disease progression in perinatal HIV infection.
Analysis of variants affecting the catalase developmental program in maize scutellum

The catalase of maize scutella is coded for by two loci, Cat1 and Cat2, which are differentially expressed in this tissue during early seedling growth. Two variant lines have been previously identified in which the developmental program for the expression of the Cat2 structural gene in the scutellum has been altered. Line R6–67 exhibits higher than normal levels of CAT-2 catalase in this tissue after four days of postgerminative growth. This phenotype is controlled by a temporal regulatory gene designated Car1. Line A16 exhibits a CAT-2 null phenotype. Further analysis of Car1 verifies the initial indication that it is trans-acting and exhibits strict tissue (scutellum) specificity. A screen of other available inbred lines uncovered eight additional catalase high-activity lines. All eight lines exhibit significantly higher than normal levels of CAT-2 protein. Two of these lines have been shown to be regulated by Car1 as in R6–67. Another line (A338) uncovered during the screen exhibits a null phenotype for CAT-2 protein and resembles A16. Catalase activity levels are low in the scutellum and no CAT-2 CRM (cross-reacting material) is present in the tissues of this line. Also, unlike most maize lines, CAT-2 cannot be induced in the leaf tissue of A338 upon exposure to light. Finally, a single line (A337), demonstrating a novel catalase developmental program, was identified.
Dehydration of Crystalline Theophylline Monohydrate and Ampicillin Trihydrate

Abstract: The dehydration kinetics of theophylline monohydrate and ampicillin trihydrate were measured by an X-ray powder diffraction technique in an open system. In the case of theophylline, the hydrate transforms directly to a crystalline anhydrous form with apparent zero-order kinetics. The loss of water from ampicillin trihydrate results in an amorphous state. Commercial micronized ampicillin trihydrate, which contains a small amount of excipients, exhibits a different kinetic order and a faster rate of transformation.
Problematic Students: Gatekeeping Practices of Academic Professional Psychology Programs.

When the topic of problematic students arises, there are often more questions than answers. Professional psychology programs may serve as gatekeepers for the profession, yet there is little guidance on intervening with problematic students. This study surveyed training directors (TDs) of American Psychological Association-accredited academic psychology programs regarding problematic student behaviors. Over half of the programs that responded had terminated at least 1 student during a 3-year period, with TDs citing inadequate clinical skills as the major reason. Despite accreditation policies, 54% of the programs did not have written guidelines for intervening with problematic students. Recommendations to promote consistent evaluation and intervention at the faculty, student, program, and national-policy level are discussed.
Preliminary tests of a marketing communications model

Two experimental tests of a previously published marketing communications model are reported in this paper. Data from both experiments are interpreted as supporting basic relationships suggested in the model. Negative linear, inverted U-shaped, and positive linear self-esteem/persuasibility relationships appearing in the data are very similar to those suggested in the oroginal model. Similar relationships between communication discrepancy and persuasibility also appeared in the data as predicted. Even though the reported experiments are of a preliminary nature and are not intended to be conclusive, the resulting data are interpreted as substantiating the validity of the proposed model and as lending additional credibility to the model's use as a marketing decision tool.
Waste as a Renewable Source of Energy: Current and Future Practices

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has been recognized by several states as a renewable source of energy. Worldwide, about 130 million tons of MSW are combusted annually in waste-to-energy facilities that produce electricity and steam for district heating and also recover metals for recycling. While being linked to environmental pollution prior to the implementation of Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) regulations, Waste-to-Energy (WTE) was recently named one of the cleanest sources of energy by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). However, the WTE industry often faces resistance and preconceptions based on past experience rather than current performance. Due to economic considerations that do not include environmental benefits, most of the U.S. MSW still ends up in landfills despite the fact that for every ton of MSW landfilled greenhouse gas emissions increase by at least 1.2 tons of carbon dioxide. While implemented research and development strategies focused on emissions, there is still a tremendous need for more efficient yet durable combustion technologies including flue gas recirculation and oxygen enrichment, environmentally and economically competitive reuse options for WTE residues, and also public education. The importance of WTE in the universal effort for sustainable development and its need for research and development resources has led to the formation of the Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council. Its principal goal is to improve the economic and environmental performance of technologies that can be used to recover materials and energy from solid wastes. This paper provides an overview of the current worldwide WTE practices, predominant technologies, and current research for advancing WTE as a renewable source of energy in the U.S. and elsewhere.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Wideband adaptive beamforming to control time sidelobes and null depth

High resolution radars use wide bandwidth waveforms to create images of unknown objects. In military systems, such radar images can be used for target identification and discrimination functions as long as the time sidelobes are kept low. However, the need for low sidelobes imposes constraints on the design of the radar in general, and the signal processing in particular. Furthermore, since military radars must operate in the presence of strong interference, wideband Adaptive Beam Forming techniques (ABF), such as Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP), are needed. This paper describes signal processing techniques for wideband digital radars that utilize stretch processing at each receiver. It analyzes the impact of stretch ABF techniques on time sidelobes, showing how sidelobe levels depend on the ABF architecture. It describes the impact of channel errors on time sidelobes and null depth, and proposes a digital filtering architecture for channel equalization, digital beamforming, and STAP.
Decreased Range of Motion Is Associated With Structural Hip Deformity in Asymptomatic Adolescent Athletes

Background:Decreased hip range of motion (ROM) is a common finding in patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).Purpose:To report the prevalence of decreased hip ROM in asymptomatic adolescent athletes and to correlate examination findings to signs of FAI on radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Study Design:Cross-sectional study (prevalence); Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 226 adolescent athletes presenting for state-mandated preparticipation physical examinations were assessed. Hip internal rotation was measured with the participant supine and the hip flexed to 90°. All participants with ≤10° of internal rotation were invited to return for standard radiographs and MRI of both hips. An age-matched control group, with >10° of internal rotation, underwent MRI examination only. Twenty-six athletes (13 study and 13 control) returned for clinical and radiographic examinations.Results:Nineteen athletes (34 hips, 8%) were found to have <10° of internal rotation. Eight athletes (13 hip...
Interdependence of Activation at rhaSR by Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein, the RNA Polymerase Alpha Subunit C-Terminal Domain, and RhaR

The Escherichia coli rhaSR operon encodes two AraC family transcription activators, RhaS and RhaR, and is activated by RhaR in the presence of L-rhamnose. beta-Galactosidase assays of various rhaS-lacZ promoter fusions combined with mobility shift assays indicated that a cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) site located at -111.5 is also required for full activation of rhaSR expression. To address the mechanisms of activation by CRP and the RNA polymerase alpha-subunit C-terminal domain (alpha-CTD) at rhaSR, we tested the effects of alanine substitutions in CRP activating regions 1 and 2, overexpression of a truncated version of alpha (alpha-Delta235), and alanine substitutions throughout alpha-CTD. We found that DNA-contacting residues in alpha-CTD are required for full activation, and for simplicity, we discuss alpha-CTD as a third activator of rhaSR. CRP and RhaR could each partially activate transcription in the absence of the other two activators, and alpha-CTD was not capable of activation alone. In the case of CRP, this suggests that this activation involves neither an alpha-CTD interaction nor cooperative binding with RhaR, while in the case of RhaR, this suggests the likelihood of direct interactions with core RNA polymerase. We also found that CRP, RhaR, and alpha-CTD each have synergistic effects on activation by the others, suggesting direct or indirect interactions among all three. We have some evidence that the alpha-CTD-CRP and alpha-CTD-RhaR interactions might be direct. The magnitude of the synergistic effects was usually greater with just two activators than with all three, suggesting possible redundancies in the mechanisms of activation by CRP, alpha-CTD, and RhaR.
Reports on meetings: Symposium on the Hydrology of Deltas, Bucharest, Romania, May 6”14, 1969

This symposium was organized by Unesco with the collaboration of the Romanian government and the support of IASH. The printed program included 41 papers-6 from the U.S., 7 from USSR, 14 from Romania, 2 from India, and one each from England, Canada, Belgium, Poland, Italy, and the Netherlands. U.S. papers are listed below.
Advances in the Surgical Pediatric Urologic Armamentarium

The surgical armamentarium of the pediatric urologist has changed greatly in the past 2 decades on account of new technology and careful adaptation of minimally invasive techniques in children. Conventional laparoscopy, robotic-assisted laparoscopy, laparoendoscopic single-site surgery, and endourologic surgery have, to varying degrees, provided new approaches to urologic surgery in the pediatric population. This article reviews the technology and adaptations behind these recent advances as well as their current applications in management of urologic disease in children.
Chance-Constrained Programming with Joint Constraints

Miller and Wagner have shown that a deterministic equivalent of a joint chance-constrained programming model with independent random right-hand-side elements is a concave programming problem. This paper obtains similar equivalents for chance-constrained programming models with coefficient matrices whose elements are normally distributed and with dependent random right-hand-side elements.
Disambiguation, Binding, and the Unity of Visual Consciousness

Recent findings in neuroscience strongly suggest that an object's features (e.g., its color, texture, shape, etc.) are represented in separate areas of the visual cortex. Although represented in separate neuronal areas, somehow the feature representations are brought together as a single, unified object of visual consciousness. This raises a question of binding: how do neural activities in separate areas of the visual cortex function to produce a feature-unified object of visual consciousness? Several prominent neuroscientists have adopted neural synchrony and attention-based approaches to explain object feature binding. I argue that although neural synchrony and/or attentional mechanisms might function to disambiguate an object's features, it is difficult to see how either of these mechanisms could fully explain the unity of an object's features at the level of visual consciousness. After presenting a detailed critique of neural synchrony and attention-based approaches to object feature binding, I propos...
Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils of an arid urban ecosystem.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental pollutants produced by incomplete combustion sources such as home heating, biomass burning, and vehicle emissions. PAH concentrations in soils are influenced by source inputs and environmental factors that control loss processes and soil retention. Many studies have found higher concentrations of these pollutants in soils within cities of temperate climates that have a centralized urban core. Less is known about the factors regulating PAH abundance in warm, arid urban ecosystems with low population densities but high traffic volumes. The relative importance of sources such as motor vehicle traffic load and aridland ecosystem characteristics, including temperature, silt, and soil organic matter (SOM) were explored as factors regulating PAH concentrations in soils near highways across the metropolitan area of Phoenix, AZ (USA). Highway traffic is high compared with other cities, with an average of 155,000 vehicles/day. Soils contained low but variable amounts of SOM (median 2.8 ± 1.8% standard deviation). Across the city, median PAH concentrations in soil were low relative to other cities, 523 ± 1,886 μg/kg, ranging from 67 to 10,117 μg/kg. Diagnostic ratio analyses confirmed that the source of PAHs is predominantly fuel combustion (i.e., vehicle emissions) rather than petrogenic, biogenic, or other combustion sources (coal, wood burning). However, in a multiple regression analysis including traffic characteristics and soil properties, SOM content was the variable most strongly related to PAH concentrations. Our research suggests that dryland soil characteristics play an important role in the retention of PAH compounds in soils of arid cities.
The effects of feedback and lateral connections on perceptual processing: A study using oscillatory networks

We model neural dynamical behavior during object perception using the principle of sparse coding in multilayer oscillatory networks. The network model consists of units with amplitude and phase variables, and allows the propagation of higher-level information to lower levels via feedback connections. We show that this model can replicate findings in the neuroscience literature, where measurements have shown that neurons in lower level visual areas respond in a delayed fashion to missing contours of whole objects. We contrast the behavior of feedback connections with that of lateral connections by selectively disabling these in our model to examine their contributions to object perception. This paper successfully extends the previously reported capabilities of oscillatory networks by applying them to model perceptual tasks.
Laser-absorption mass flux sensor for high-speed airflows

We present a laser-based concept for an air mass flux sensor based on the simultaneous measurement of density and velocity of O(2). The sensor uses wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy at 10 MHz of an AlGaAs laser diode in the b(1)Sigma(g)(+)(v' = 0)-X(3)Sigma(g)(-)(v'' = 0) system of O(2), combined with second-harmonic detection. The apparatus is demonstrated on a high-speed oxygen flow generated behind the incident shock wave in a shock tube. The measurement time is 0.5 ms for typical absorption levels of 0.5%.
A Theoretical Approach to Coal Flotation Washability Correlation

This research paper presents a theoretical derivation for analyzing and extracting the coal floatability information. The relationship between combustible recovery and ash recovery was derived. The basic assumptions and the theoretical approach based on statistical distributions are discussed. In addition, the significance of various parameters to describe the floatability, cleanability, and performance of a separation device have also been discussed. Potential uses of this approach have been suggested.
Evaluation of three commercial broth media for pigment detection and identification of a group B Streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae).

Detection of group B Streptococcus (GBS) strains at various bacterial concentrations was evaluated using three pigment-producing broth media. At 103 CFU/ml, StrepB carrot broth (SBCB), Granada instant liquid biphasic (IGLB), and Northeast Laboratory GBS screening medium (NEL-GBS) showed 100% detection, but at the lower bacterial counts, SBCB and IGLB were more sensitive than NEL-GBS after 24 h.
Community consultation by randomly reaching out to the community.

In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services established regulations that defined a narrow set of circumstances in which incapacitated and critically ill subjects could be enrolled in interventional clinical trials without their individual, prospective, informed consent. These regulations are commonly referred to as the “emergency exception from informed consent,” and the FDA has published a draft guidance about their implementation. Because individuals enrolled in clinical trials under the exception do not have the opportunity to individually consent to their participation, the regulations require protections and safeguards beyond those required in the usual circumstances. These protections include (1) a requirement that the planned study be publicly disclosed “to the communities in which the clinical investigation will be conducted and from which the subjects will be drawn” (“public disclosure”); (2) consultation “with representatives of the communities in which the clinical investigation will be conducted and from which the subjects will be drawn” (“community consultation”); (3) publication of the final study results once the trial is completed (“poststudy disclosure”); and (4) the use of an independent data monitoring committee or data and safety monitoring board to independently oversee the trial. The purposes of public disclosure and community consultation are quite different. The goal of public disclosure is to ensure that potential subjects are aware of the proposed research, whereas the goal of community consultation is to inform the institutional review board considering approval of the protocol about the patterns and diversity of community opinions regarding the acceptability of the proposed research. Commonly used methods of community consultation include hosting meetings for community members, Web-based methods, and telephone call-in systems. In addition, many investigators provide information and question-and-answer sessions at regularly scheduled community meetings.
The future of systematic information protection

Information plays a critical role in global economics as well as our security, safety, and quality of life. There is a growing disparity between the value of information and our capability to manage and protect it. Technical and policy research is needed to address this disparity. Fundamentally, we can not answer the following question, "how much security is enough?" We lack the capability to quantify the value of information, particularly information that has been processed and aggregated. We also face many difficulties when attempting to measure information security, characterize threats, understand vulnerabilities, or even formulate and sustain any specific security posture. As a result, we can not measure our risk and therefore can not manage it. Our efforts to address this problem can be divided into two categories, legal/policy and technical. Owners of physical assets, such as cash or gold, have the legal and technical means to augment fortification protections with armed guards and lethal force. From a legal perspective, protection of information is limited to fortification, in part because we lack sufficient attribution. From a technical perspective, we have built complex mountains of computer code on top of hardware architectures that will attempt to execute any arbitrary instructions. These systems cannot be effectively analyzed for vulnerabilities so as to ensure trustworthy and secure operation. Research is needed to address the systematic protection of information including information valuation, security metrics, strong attribution, trustworthy computing, sustainable security processes, and legal devices that will support comprehensive protection and risk management.
Defect-free and Defective Surfaces of the Pyrochlore Oxide La2Zr2O7: A Theoretical Study

In this work, the low index faces of lanthanum zirconate (La2Zr2O7, LZ) are studied at the level of density-functional theory, representing the first theoretical attempt to characterize the surfaces of a pyrochlore oxide. All possible surface terminations formed by cleaving a perfect crystal are considered, as well as selected defective surfaces. After deriving the expression for the free energy of an LZ surface, surface free energies are computed. The most stable surface terminations are identified, their geometric and electronic structures discussed, and a motivation provided for calculating ratios of certain surface free energies more accurately for comparison to experimental results that will be obtained.
Dynamic Properties of Microtubules at Steady State in the Presence of Taxol

The dynamic properties of steady-state microtubules in the presence of the antitumor drug taxol and GTP, but in the absence of microtubule-associated proteins have been studied. The molecular rate constants for the loss or gain of subunits at steady state was found to be dramatically decreased as compared with that for microtubules formed in the presence of GTP and microtubule-associated proteins but in the absence of taxol [Zeeberg, B., Reid, R., and Caplow, M. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 9891–98991. In light of this change it was surprising to find that the degrees of directionality for subunit flux into the microtubule at steady state are nearly identical within 1.5% of each other) in the two systems. One mechanism to account for this would be for taxol to cause a nearly identical decrease in the rate constants for subunit dissociation at both ends of the microtubule, with no effect on the rate constants for subunit addition. Similar results have previously been found in studies with an endogenous effector of the microtubule steady state, a protein kinase [Jameson, J. L. and Caplow, M. (1981) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 78, 3413–34171. In this case it was found that phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins altered the molecular rate constants for tubulin subunit addition and dissociation, but had no effect on the degree of directionality for subunit flux. It will be of interest to determine whether other exogenous or endogenous effectors also act in a manner such as to leave the directionality unaltered.
Distal regulatory functions for the uvrC of E. coli

We find that the uvrC gene is preceded by three promoters (P1, P2 and P3), identified by heparin-resistant RNA polymerase-DNA complex formation, P2 and P3 promoters are located proximal to the 5' end of the uvrC gene, while the P1 promoter is separated from the uvrC structural gene by an interposed DNA region of more than 1 kb. We have reported that P2 and P3 are not sufficient to promote uvrC complementation. However, plasmids containing the direct fusion of the P1 promoter to the uvrC gene complements the uvrC defect. Insertion of IS1 downstream from the P1 promoter leads to efficient synthesis of the uvrC protein as measured in maxicells. Fusion of the lac promoter to the uvrC structural gene can substitute for in vivo regulatory functions. We conclude that uvrC protein synthesis is controlled in a complex manner and that a distal promoter, P1, is required.
STATISTICS OF NATURAL TIME-VARYING IMAGES

Natural time-varying images possess substantial spatiotemporal correlations. We measure these correlations-or equivalently the power spectrum-for an ensemble of more than a thousand segments of motion pictures and we find significant regularities. More precisely, our measurements show that the dependence of the power spectrum on the spatial frequency, f, and temporal frequency, w, is in general non-separable and is given by f−m−1F(w/f), where F(w/f) is a non-trivial function of the ratio w/f. We give a theoretical derivation of this scaling behaviour and show that it emerges from objects with a static power spectrum ∼f−m, appearing at a wide range of depths and moving with a distribution of velocities relative to the observer. We show that in the regime of relatively high temporal and low spatial frequencies the power spectrum becomes independent of the details of the velocity distribution and that it is separable into the product of spatial and temporal power spectra with the temporal part given by the u...
The Impact of Terrorism on Financial Markets

The terrorist attacks that have occurred in the past few years around the world have raised international awareness of the danger of terrorism and its complex repercussions on the financial markets. This paper explores the ways in which financial markets reacted to the attacks and the authorities' responses. Well-functioning financial markets, bolstered by the prompt and effective reaction of the relevant authorities, were generally efficient in absorbing shocks stemming from terrorist attacks. The paper discusses market and regulatory responses to the terrorist attacks and the elements that should be strengthened so as to further enhance the resilience of financial markets to terrorism.
Thermal conductance switching based on the actuation of liquid droplets through the electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) phenomenon

Thermal conductance switches enable active and reconfigurable thermal control and management for a wide variety of applications. We demonstrate a thermal conductance switch based on the actuation of liquid droplets in a co-planar electro-wetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) configuration. By eliminating the need for relative motions of two heat transfer surfaces, the device provides a significant advantage in the mechanical design of adaptive thermal control systems. Proof-of-concept devices are constructed and characterized to confirm the mechanism of droplet detachment and attachment for thermal switching. Numerical simulation is performed to elucidate the experimentally measured thermal performance and identify thermocapillary flows as an important contributor to heat transfer for certain dielectric liquids. The present work provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of novel thermal conductance switches and offers physical insights to help systematically design the switches for practical applications.
Performance Analysis of Concatenated Convolutional Codes for STBC Systems in Pulse Jamming

In this paper we investigate the impact of pulse jamming on Alamouti space-time block codes (STBC). We find the worst case duty cycle of a pulse jammer that maximizes the bit-error-rate (BER). We show that, like the single antenna case, with pulse jamming the BER is an inverse linear function of the signal-to-jammer power ratio (SJR). In addition, we study the transmit antenna correlation effects on the STBC system performance in terms of BER and find the corresponding optimal jamming strategy. We find that as the correlation increases, the BER maximizing duty cycle of a pulse jammer increases. As an anti-jamming technique that mitigates the jamming effects, we concatenate convolutional codes with the STBC system. The numerical result shows that convolutional codes improves the BER of the system by as much as 30 dB at 10 -- 5 BER at the expense of lowering the data rate.
The Cobbler Wears No Shoes: A Lesson for Research Instruction

This article discusses the importance of a teacher's enthusiasm for the material to helping students learn. The idea for this article arose out of informal conversations with legal writing colleagues some of whom seemed resigned to the fact that legal research is a boring subject and there isn't much we can do to change that. This article argues that passion for the material is essential to good teaching because it increases student motivation (especially intrinsic motivation) as well as their self-efficacy. The article discusses motivational theory in the context of how a teacher's classroom attitudes influence, for better or worse, students' desire to learn.
Design and Evaluation of Human–Machine Interface of Simulation Training System

Human–machine interface is an important component of the simulation training system. First, the general principle of the human–machine interface design is briefly introduced. Based on the principles, considering the specialty of the users of simulation training system and the feature of war field application, the tactical requirement of the interface design is discussed, as well as some typical problem in the design process. Finally, the evaluation index system for the human–machine interface of simulation training system is put forward, and some advices for the uniform design of the human–machine interface are provided.
Topiramate Compared to Acetazolamide in Treatment of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

The efficacy of topiramate in the treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) was compared to acetazolamide in an open-label study of 40 patients (age range 16-50, median 32 years; male/female ratio 5/35) at Ege University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey.
Ultrafast Raman Spectroscopy as a Probe of Local Structure and Dynamics in Photoexcited Conjugated Materials.

An important challenge in the study of conjugated organic materials is to relate the properties of transient states underlying macroscopic material responses directly with intra- and intermolecular structure. We discuss recent efforts using the vibrational sensitivity of time-resolved Raman spectroscopy to interrogate structural properties of transient excited and charge-separated states in conjugated oligomers and polymers in order to relate them to molecular conformations and material microstructures. We focus on recent work with excited-state Raman spectroscopy that provides mode-specific signatures of structural relaxation in oligo- and polythiophenes, examination of structural heterogeneities associated with exciton localization in different structural motifs of amorphous polymers, and interrogation of correlations between microstructure and properties and dynamics of charge-separated states within polymer aggregates. On the basis of these recent efforts, we provide an outlook for further applying th...
Between the technology acceptance model and sustainable energy technology acceptance model: Investigating smart meter acceptance in the United States

Abstract This study investigated a set of social-psychological predictors affecting smart meter support and adoption intention based on the Technology Acceptance and Sustainable Energy Technology Acceptance Models among 711 U.S. residents. Despite low levels of adoption in the U.S., this study suggested that the majority of our participants supported smart meter technology and were willing to adopt this technology. Two perceived technology attributes – usefulness and risk to privacy – had direct effects on support for smart meter installation and adoption intention, while the other technology attribute, perceived cost, had no impact. Individual differences in trust in one’s utility company and problem perception related to energy issues affected support and adoption intention through the mediators of perceived usefulness and privacy risk. Problem perception also had direct effects on support and adoption intention. Democrats reported higher levels of trust in utility companies and problem perception than non-Democrats. This study provides useful insights for utility managers, researchers and policy makers.
Relation of Reinforcement Sensitivity on Vocational Interest and Self-Efficacy:

Using the constructs of the behavioral activation system (BAS) and behavioral inhibition system (BIS), as defined by the reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality, the purpose of this study w...
Factors Associated With Parents' Intent to Vaccinate Adolescents for Human Papillomavirus: Findings From the 2014 National Immunization Survey-Teen.

Introduction While factors associated with receipt of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination have been well characterized, less is known about the characteristics associated with parents' intent to have their adolescent children vaccinated. This study aimed to examine factors associated with parental intention toward HPV vaccination. Methods We analyzed data on 10,354 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years from the 2014 National Immunization Survey-Teen. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics of mothers and adolescents, as well as a health care provider recommendation with parents' intention to have their children receive HPV vaccine. Results Among unvaccinated adolescents, Hispanic ethnicity (boys adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-2.61; and girls AOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.05-2.35), mothers with less than a high school diploma (boys AOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.58-3.67; and girls AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.02-3.38), and having a health care provider recommend the vaccine (boys AOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.52-2.31; and girls AOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.05-1.82) were significantly associated with parents' intention to have their adolescent child vaccinated within the next 12 months. In addition, non-Hispanic black race was a significant predictor of parents' intent to vaccinate for boys (AOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.35-2.65). Conclusion Maternal education and Hispanic ethnicity were the strongest predictors of parental intent to vaccinate against HPV, followed by provider recommendation. As HPV vaccination rates in the United States remain below the Healthy People 2020 goal, messages may need to be targeted based on maternal education, race/ethnicity, and provider recommendation.
Effects of Autogenous Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate on Radiographic Integration of Femoral Condylar Osteochondral Allografts.

Background:Transplantation of fresh osteochondral allografts (OCAs) is an attractive treatment option for symptomatic articular cartilage lesions in young, healthy patients. Because the lack of OCA...
A cohesive-frictional force field (CFFF) for colloidal calcium-silicate-hydrates

Abstract Calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel is a cohesive-frictional material that exhibits strength asymmetry in compression and tension and normal-stress dependency of the maximum shear strength. Experiments suggest the basic structural component of C-S-H is a colloidal particle with an internal layered structure. These colloids form heterogeneous assemblies with a complex pore network at the mesoscale. We propose a cohesive-frictional force field (CFFF) to describe the interactions in colloidal C-S-H materials that incorporates the strength anisotropy fundamental to the C-S-H molecular structure that has been omitted from recent mesoscale models. We parameterize the CFFF from reactive force field simulations of an internal interface that controls mechanical performance, describing the behavior of thousands of atoms through a single effective pair interaction. We apply the CFFF to study the mesoscale elastic and Mohr–Coulomb strength properties of C-S-H with varying polydispersity and packing density. Our results show that the consideration of cohesive-frictional interactions lead to an increase in stiffness, shear strength, and normal-stress dependency, while also changing the nature of local deformation processes. The CFFF and our coarse-graining approach provide an essential connection between nanoscale molecular interactions and macroscale continuum behavior for hydrated cementitious materials.
Propolis envelope in Apis mellifera colonies supports honey bees against the pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae

Honey bees have immune defenses both as individuals and as a colony (e.g., individual and social immunity). One form of honey bee social immunity is the collection of antimicrobial plant resins and the deposition of the resins as a propolis envelope within the nest. In this study, we tested the effects of the propolis envelope as a natural defense against Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB) disease. Using colonies with and without a propolis envelope, we quantified: 1) the antimicrobial activity of larval food fed to 1–2 day old larvae; and 2) clinical signs of AFB. Our results show that the antimicrobial activity of larval food was significantly higher when challenged colonies had a propolis envelope compared to colonies without the envelope. In addition, colonies with a propolis envelope had significantly reduced levels of AFB clinical signs two months following challenge. Our results indicate that the propolis envelope serves as an antimicrobial layer around the colony that helps protect the brood from bacterial pathogen infection, resulting in a lower colony-level infection load.
Deconstructing Law's Normativity

Many contemporary philosophers of law believe that one of the central problems of the field is that of explaining the normativity of law. But it is not clear that this is a problem at all, or at least that it is different from the problems that have been exhaustively addressed and analyzed for generations. Once we deconstruct the alleged problem of normativity into its component parts, we can appreciate that legal normativity is either conditional, or is instead but a small variation on age-old questions about the moral obligation, if any, to obey the law simply because of its status as law. There are interesting modern versions of these positions, but in the final analysis David Enoch is correct in labeling the problem of legal normativity as a “pseudo-problem.”
A data modeling method for power trading operation based on horizontal and vertical dimension integration

Data structure of power trading operation is complex and changeable. The traditional data modeling method is based on the horizontal table or the vertical table, which is unable to adapt to data explosion as the power trading reform. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of horizontal or vertical tables were analyzed. Then a dimension data modeling method based on the vertical and horizontal integration was proposed, i.e. the data is described by the means of the vertical dimension attribute, while the data entity is stored in the horizontal table. Using this method, attributes of power trading operation can be added or deleted dynamically without efficiency decline. Finally, the feasibility of the data modeling method proposed in this paper was validated through illustration of data retrieval, data analysis and data statistics.
Impatient patients: a DIY usability approach in diabetes wearable technologies

As wearable medical technologies take on an increasingly prominent role in how health care is delivered, pressure to make the development process for such devices shorter increases. This case study will recount one attempt at a do-it-yourself (DIY) development process and collaborative usability testing. I argue that these efforts can complement traditional usability methods used in the development process of a wearable diabetes technology and provide more immediate access to technologies that can meet the diverse needs of end users. The case involves an open source DIY project developed by parents of children with type 1 diabetes in order to remotely monitor the blood sugar levels of their children.