cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virtual prototype interface for the Air Force Manned SpacePlane project

The advent of requirements for worldwide deployment of space assets in support of Air Force operational missions has resulted in the need for a Manned SpacePlane (MSP) that can perform these missions with minimal preflight preparation and little, if any, in-orbit support from a mission control center. Because successful mission accomplishment will depend almost completely upon the MSP crew and the on-board capabilities of the spaceplane, the MSP user interface is a crucial component of successful mission accomplishment. In recognition of this fact, the USAF Phillips Laboratory in conjunction with USAF Space Command initiated the Virtual SpacePlane (VSP) project. To function effectively as an MSP interface development platform, the VSP must demonstrate the capability to simulate anticipated MSP missions and portray the MSP in operation throughout its entire flight regime, from takeoff through space operations and on to recovery via a horizontal landing at an airfield. Therefore, we architected, designed, and implemented a complete VSP that can be used to simulate anticipated Manned SpacePlane missions. The primary objective of the VSP is to be a virtual prototype for user interface design and development, the VSP software architecture and design facilities uncovering, refining and validating MSP user interface requirements. The Virtual SpacePlane reuses software components developed for the Virtual Cockpit and Solar System Modeler (SM) distributed virtual environment (DVE) applications, the Common Object Database (CODB) architecture, and Information Pod (Pod) interface tools developed in our labs. The Virtual Cockpit and Solar System Modeler supplied baseline interface components and tools, 3D graphical models, vehicle motion dynamics models, and DVE communication capabilities. Because we knew that the VSP's requirements would expand and evolve over the life of the project, we use the CODB architecture to facilitate our use of Rapid Evolutionary and Exploratory Prototyping to uncover application requirements and evaluate solutions. The Information Pod provides the paradigm and architectural framework for the user interface development. To achieve accurate and high fidelity performance for the VSP throughout its operational regime, the system integrates aerodynamics and astrodynamics models from the VC, SM and other sources into a single seamless high fidelity model of the VSP's dynamics. In this paper we discuss the background to the VSP project, its requirements, and the current user interface design. We summarize the VSP's current status and outline our plans for further VSP interface development and testing.
Recent Experiments on the KSU EBIS

Abstract The CRYEBIS at KSU is in operation since the spring of 1989. The experimental efforts undertaken since then were focused on two projects: In one the interaction of the produced ions with the electron beam in the source is studied. In the second project the ions are extracted from the source and the interaction with a solid surface is investigated. Here we report on first results of these experiments.
On Graphs With Small Ramsey Numbers, II

There exists a constant C such that for every d-degenerate graphs G1 and G2 on n vertices, Ramsey number R(G1,G2) is at most CnΔ, where Δ is the minimum of the maximum degrees of G1 and G2.
Investigation of the microcracking behavior of bismaleimide composites during thermal aging

Samples of 16-ply, quasi-isotropic bismaleimide composites were aged in convection ovens at 150°C, 177°C, and 204°C for up to 16,000 hours. As a measure of degradation, transverse microcrack density was characterized as a function of time, temperature, and ply depth. Times required to reach onset and saturation crack density were delayed on the tool side of the laminate, for lower temperatures, and for deeper ply depths. Saturation crack densities ranged from 35 cracks/cm to 46 cracks/cm, depending on ply depth. Master curves were constructed for each ply level to express all time-temperature data for that ply as a single reference curve. A mass transfer analysis further suggests that diffusion is the controlling mechanism in the degradation process. Finally, a prediction of the degradation behavior in the 120,000-h lifetime of the HSCT aircraft for a sustained temperature of 150°C indicates that ∼13 plies will have reached initiation in a quasi-isotropic laminate.
Indirect implant-supported fixed provisional restoration in the esthetic zone: fabrication technique and treatment workflow.

UNLABELLED Treatment objectives of an implant-supported fixed provisional restoration include shaping/preservation of the gingival soft tissue contour, functional and esthetic substitution of the missing dentition during postsurgical healing, and definitive prosthesis fabrication stages. Fixed provisional restoration can also serve as an esthetic and functional blueprint in the fabrication of the definitive restoration. Despite its common use and important indications, limited information is available on the various aspects of the provisional fabrication and treatment. This article presents a production technique and treatment workflow of a laboratory-fabricated, screw-retained fixed provisional restoration. Provisional restoration is fabricated using layering technique and internal stain characterization. The soft tissue profile of the working cast is modified according to the coronal contour of the diagnostic wax-up. Upon delivery, the provisional contour is reevaluated and modified as necessary. The developed emergence profile of the provisional restoration is transferred to the master cast via customized impression copings. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Laboratory-fabricated implant-supported provisional restorations allow the esthetic and functional substitution of the missing dentition and the shaping of the soft tissue profile, and can act as a blueprint in the fabrication of definitive restorations.
The Phase Diagram of Iron and the Temperature of the Inner Core.

Birch was the pioneer of understanding the earth's core: that the core was mostly iron; that the solid inner core was nearly pure iron; that the liquid core had most of the impurities; and that the phase diagram (p.d.) of pure iron was complicated with several phases and triple points (t.p.). In 1972 he said, “5000°K, for the central temperature ... may have some standing as an upper limit.” I reconstruct the phase diagram accounting for new experiments and theories arising in the subsequent two decades. I stretch Birch's p.d. to account for the experiments of BOEHLER et al. (1990), BROWN and McQUEEN (B&M) (1982, 1986), and Yoo et al. (1992, 1993). BOEHLER (1993) reports the e-γ-liquid t.p. at 100 GPa. This t.p. plus the solid-solid (ss) transition at 200 GPa reported by B&M require an additional high T phase, α', which has been suggested to be bcc. The new α' phase requires another t.p. near 190 GPa, which implies that the inner core is made largely of bcc iron. I suggest a Tm of about 6500°K for pure iron at the inner core-outer core boundary pressure. The Tm of the inner core itself will be affected by possible inner core impurities and by outer core impurities of larger concentration. To paraphrase Birch, 5700°K for the central temperature may have some standing as an upper limit.
The gastric HK-ATPase: structure, function, and inhibition

The gastric H,K-ATPase, a member of the P2-type ATPase family, is the integral membrane protein responsible for gastric acid secretion. It is an α,β-heterodimeric enzyme that exchanges cytoplasmic hydronium with extracellular potassium. The catalytic α subunit has ten transmembrane segments with a cluster of intramembranal carboxylic amino acids located in the middle of the transmembrane segments TM4, TM5,TM6, and TM8. Comparison to the known structure of the SERCA pump, mutagenesis, and molecular modeling has identified these as constituents of the ion binding domain. The β subunit has one transmembrane segment with N terminus in cytoplasmic region. The extracellular domain of the β subunit contains six or seven N-linked glycosylation sites. N-glycosylation is important for the enzyme assembly, maturation, and sorting. The enzyme pumps acid by a series of conformational changes from an E1 (ion site in) to an E2 (ion site out) configuration following binding of MgATP and phosphorylation. Several experimental observations support the hypothesis that expulsion of the proton at 160 mM (pH 0.8) results from movement of lysine 791 into the ion binding site in the E2P configuration. Potassium access from the lumen depends on activation of a K and Cl conductance via a KCNQ1/KCNE2 complex and Clic6. K movement through the luminal channel in E2P is proposed to displace the lysine along with dephosphorylation to return the enzyme to the E1 configuration. This enzyme is inhibited by the unique proton pump inhibitor class of drug, allowing therapy of acid-related diseases.
Full-frame compression of discrete wavelet and cosine transforms

At the foreground of computerized radiology and the filmless hospital are the possibilities for easy image retrieval, efficient storage, and rapid image communication. This paper represents the authors' continuous efforts in compression research on full-frame discrete wavelet (FFDWT) and full-frame discrete cosine transforms (FFDCT) for medical image compression. Prior to the coding, it is important to evaluate the global entropy in the decomposed space. It is because of the minimum entropy, that a maximum compression efficiency can be achieved. In this study, each image was split into the top three most significant bit (MSB) and the remaining remapped least significant bit (RLSB) images. The 3MSB image was compressed by an error-free contour coding and received an average of 0.1 bit/pixel. The RLSB image was either transformed to a multi-channel wavelet or the cosine transform domain for entropy evaluation. Ten x-ray chest radiographs and ten mammograms were randomly selected from our clinical database and were used for the study. Our results indicated that the coding scheme in the FFDCT domain performed better than in FFDWT domain for high-resolution digital chest radiographs and mammograms. From this study, we found that decomposition efficiency in the DCT domain for relatively smooth images is higher than that in the DWT. However, both schemes worked just as well for low resolution digital images. We also found that the image characteristics of the `Lena' image commonly used in the compression literature are very different from those of radiological images. The compression outcome of the radiological images can not be extrapolated from the compression result based on the `Lena.'© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Further Evidence on Components of Facial Attractiveness

Previous research has attempted to assess the relative influence of various facial components on over-all facial beauty by correlating attractiveness ratings of components with ratings of general attractiveness. Based on 45 females' self-ratings, Terry and Brady ( 1 ) reported that the mouth ( r = .54) was the most important determinant, followed by the eyes ( r = .51), hair ( r = .49), and nose ( r = .47). As self-ratings might be affected by each other, Terry and Davis ( 2 ) had 25 males and 25 females rate isolated components, created by dissecting photographs of other persons. An identical order of importance was obtained: mouth ( r = .53), eyes ( r = .44), hair ( T = .34), and nose ( r = .31). As a logical extension the present study had judges make ratings of intact photographs of other persons. Individually 25 male and 25 female Caucasian undergraduates were presented with a shuffled deck of black and white pictures from a college yearbook; 4 male and 10 female Caucasians were shown. The stimulus persons' eyes, noses, mouths, eyebrows, complexions, chins, hair, expressions, and over-all attractiveness were rated in this order on a 10-point scale of attractiveness (1, 2) . Inclusion of all of these facial components provided a context within which the ratings of mouth, eyes, hair, nose, and over-all could be made. Product-moment correlations between each judge's ratings of over-all attractiveness and the individual components were assumed to measure the influence the separate components had on the over-all ratings. The absolute values of these coefficients were transformed to zs, and an analysis of variance of sex of judge x facial component was computed. The only significant F ratio was for the main effect of component ( P = 4.22, d f = 7/336, p < .01). Averaging across all judges, the ratings of attractiveness of the components were correlated with over-all attractiveness as follows: eyes .68, nose .61, mouth .72, eyebrows .69, complexion .69, chin .64, and expression .76. It is not surprising that the most important component was expression. Not only does this involve additional components, particularly the eyes and mouth, which are related to over-all attractiveness but it also conveys affect. Although the coefficients are larger than have been reported previously, the order of importance of the mouth, eyes, hair, and nose in determining facial attractiveness remained constant. This order has emerged from selfratings ( I ) , from ratings of dissected photographs of other persons ( 2 ) , and now from ratings of intact photographs of others. The eye region has generally been assumed to be the most influential component of the face, and yet it has been consistently shown to be secondary to the oral region in determining over-all attractiveness. This discrepancy might be due to the real possibility that some of the judges wore eye correctives, which have been shown to be detrimental to self-ratings ( 4 ) and to ratings of others (3 ) . The eye region apparently is the most influential component when it is not modified by correctives ( 1 ) .
Image Processing On A Versatile VLSI Array Processor

The CBAP (Cross-Bus Array Processor) is a versatile VLSI array processor which can be used for a variety of matrix operations. It is easy to operate and is more efficient than systolic arrays in many aspects. In this paper, we explore the possibility of applying this VLSI array to image processing. For image feature extraction and pattern classification involving matrix operations, this array processor is obviously simple and effective. With appropriate buffer provision, 2-D convolution can be executed at the raster-scan image acquisition rate. Several neighborhood operations such as thinning, min/max filtering, and median filtering, can be performed as well. Other applications also presented here include finding the largest/smallest k gray levels and multi-threshold region labeling.
Green engineering education through a U.S. EPA/academia collaboration.

The need to use resources efficiently and reduce environmental impacts of industrial products and processes is becoming increasingly important in engineering design; therefore, green engineering principles are gaining prominence within engineering education. This paper describes a general framework for incorporating green engineering design principles into engineering curricula, with specific examples for chemical engineering. The framework for teaching green engineering discussed in this paper mirrors the 12 Principles of Green Engineering proposed by Anastas and Zimmerman (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2003, 37, 94A-101A), especially in methods for estimating the hazardous nature of chemicals, strategies for pollution prevention, and approaches leading to efficient energy and material utilization. The key elements in green engineering education, which enlarge the "box" for engineering design, are environmental literacy, environmentally conscious design, and beyond-the-plant boundary considerations.
Platelet Binding and Biodistribution of 99mTc-rBitistatin in Animal Species and Humans

Abstract Introduction 99m Tc recombinant bitistatin (rBitistatin) is a radioligand for α IIb β 3 (glycoproteins IIb/IIIa) receptor on platelets and is being developed as a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical for in vivo imaging of acute thrombi and emboli. Prior to the first administration of [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin to human subjects, its biodistribution and effects on platelets were evaluated in animals. This paper reports findings in animal studies in comparison with initial findings in normal human subjects. Methods [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin was administered to mice, guinea pigs and dogs to assess time-dependent organ distribution, urinary excretion and blood disappearance rates. Blood samples were analyzed to determine radioligand binding to circulating platelets and the extent of plasma protein binding. The effect of [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin on circulating platelet count was determined. These factors were also determined in normal human subjects who received [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin as part of a Phase I clinical trial. Results The main organs that accumulated [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin were kidneys, liver and spleen in all animal species and humans. The main organs seen on human images were the kidneys and spleen. Liver uptake was fainter, and soft-tissue background was low. [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin bound to circulating platelets in blood, with a higher percentage of binding to platelets in guinea pigs and dogs compared to that in humans. Plasma protein binding was low and of little consequence in view of platelet binding. The main route of excretion was through the urine. [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin did not affect platelet counts in humans or dogs. Conclusions [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin, when administered at low doses for imaging, has no adverse effects on platelets and has the qualitative biodistribution predicted by animal studies. [ 99m Tc]rBitistatin was found to bind to circulating platelets in humans, suggesting that it will be able to bind to activated platelets in vivo in patients with acute thrombi.
A Probability Model for Golf Putting

We derive a model, using trigonometry and the Normal distribution, for the probability that a golf putt is successful. We describe a class activity in which we lead the students through the steps of examining the data, considering possible models, constructing a probability model and checking the fit. The model is,of necessity, oversimplified, a point which the class discusses at the end of the demonstration.
CONTROLLING PERFORMANCE OF BLUEBUNCH WHEATGRASS AND SPOTTED KNAPWEED USING NITROGEN AND SUCROSE AMENDMENTS

Range- and wildlands are being invaded by nonindigenous plants, resulting in an unprecedented, rapid change in plant community composition across the United States. Successional management predicts that species per- formance may be modified by resource availability. The objective of this study was to determine whether species perfor- mance could be altered by modifying soil nitrate (NO3 -) and ammonium (NH4 +) concentrations within an Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis)/bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) plant association. We planted bluebunch wheat- grass and spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) in an addition series at 2 sites in southwestern Montana. Each plot in the addition series matrix was divided into thirds, and we applied nitrogen (N) to a subplot and sucrose to a 2nd subplot. The remaining subplot was not amended and considered a control. Nitrogen amendment tended to enhance the perfor- mance of spotted knapweed, while sucrose amendment had no effect. Bluebunch wheatgrass performance was not affected by either amendment. Sucrose treatments only decreased soil NO3 - at the more productive site. Regression models for predicting bluebunch wheatgrass and spotted knapweed biomass accounted for only about 30% of the variation, suggesting other processes in addition to interference were responsible for explaining relative plant perfor - mance. We recommend that land managers prevent activities that increase soil N concentration while the effectiveness of carbon amendments as a means to decrease soil N concentrations and shift interference relationships is further investigated.
Tournaments for Ideas

Governments and foundations have successfully harnessed tournaments to spur innovation. Yet this tool is not widely used by firms. This article presents a framework for managers seeking to organize tournaments for ideas. It examines the theoretical underpinnings of tournaments and then connects this analysis with three recent innovations—the power of the network, the wisdom of crowds, and the power of love—that can boost the effectiveness of tournaments.
Study of mechanisms of electric field-induced DNA transfection. III. Electric parameters and other conditions for effective transfection.

Electric parameters, osmolality, temperature, and pH of the suspending medium and the growth phase of cells, etc., are known to influence the efficiency of the pulsed electric field (PEF)-induced DNA transfection of cells. PEF-induced transfection of Escherichia coli JM105 by plasmid DNA PUC18, PUC19, PBR322, and PMSG has been used as a model system to establish quantitative relationships between these parameters and transfection efficiency. The main findings are summarized for experiments using unipolar square wave PEF. (a) For a given field strength (up to 6 kV/cm), the transfection efficiency (TE) was linearly dependent on the pulse width (up to 1 ms). (b) When field strength is fixed, Log [TE] correlated with the number of pulses applied. Similarly, when field duration was fixed, Log [TE] correlated with the number of pulses. (c) In the absence of MgCl2, TE showed a maximal value at 50 mM sucrose and was reduced by several fold at lower and higher sucrose concentrations. Cell survival was nearly constant in the range 1–300 mM sucrose. (d) E. coli in the early and mid-exponential growth phases was more susceptible to PEF for DNA transfection than it was in the stationary phase. (e) For a given set of electric parameters, TE was the highest at neutral pH and was greatly reduced at acidic and alkaline pH. (f) Increasing the temperature from 0 to 37 degrees C resulted in the reduction of TE by three orders of magnitude. This could reflect a rapid shrinking of pores at higher temperatures. (g) TE was inversely proportional to the square of the size of the plasmid DNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A role for GABAergic inhibition in electrosensory processing and common mode rejection in the dorsal nucleus of the little skate, Raja erinacea

The electrosensory primary afferents in elasmobranchs are responsive to electric potentials created by the animal's own ventilation, while the second-order neurons (AENs) which receive this afferent input in the medulla suppress responses to ventilatory potentials but retain their extreme sensitivity to electric signals in the environment. Ventilatory potentials are common mode signals in elasmobranchs and a common mode rejection mechanism is one way the AENs suppress ventilatory noise. By pressure injecting the GABA-A receptor antagonist SR95531 while extracellularly recording from AENs, we tested the hypothesis that the subtractive circuitry that selectively reduces common mode signals in AENs utilizes GABA, and that a GAB-Aergic component of the dorsal nucleus commissural pathway mediates crossed inhibition of AENs. Local application of SR95531 increased the spontaneous activity and the responsiveness of AENs to electrosensory stimuli. AEN responses to a common mode stimulus were selectively increased compared to responses to a localized stimulus due to SR95531 application. Contralateral inhibition of AENs was blocked by SR95531, indicating that GABAergic commissural cells may inhibit AENs when the contralateral side of the body is stimulated, as with common mode stimulation. We conclude that GABAergic inhibition contributes significantly to the shaping of AEN responses including common mode rejection.
The structure and mobility of carbon on Ru(001)

Abstract Interaction of ethylene with Ru(001) at temperatures above 300 K causes carbon to be deposited on the surface. Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) of CO adsorbed on the precarburized surface shows that at carbon coverages below 0.5 ML the CO bond to the surface is weakened, but the adsorption capacity is only slightly diminished. At carbon coverages above 0.5 ML, CO adsorption sites are blocked. Temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) of the carbon layer shows a first-order peak at 570 K which indicates carbon-oxygen neighbors and a peak at ≈ 650K that requires mobility in the surface layer. CO TDS, TPO, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and SIMS all show that annealing the carbon layer causes growth of graphitic islands that starts at ≈ 600 K and is complete at ≈ 900 K. Temperatures above 1145 K cause dissolution of carbon into the bulk. The island formation, which requires a minimum carbon coverage, is indicated by increased CO uptake, a high-temperature TPO peak, loss of the AES carbidic feature, and restricted isotope mixing in the C 2 − ions in SIMS of 13 C deposited on an annealed 12 C surface. The SIMS experiments demonstrate the use of this technique for the study of proximity and structure in surface layers.
Comparative mapping of the cri du chat and DiGeorge syndrome regions in the great apes.

Structural variations between great ape and human chromosomes due to pericentric inversions and translocations have created at apparent controversy during the reconstruction of hominoid phylogeny. One such variation involves human chromosome 5, which is equivalent to chromosome 4 in chimpanzee and orangutan but equivalent to segments of chromosomes 4 and 19 in gorilla. Obviously, neither banding patterns nor centromeric indecies in these chromosomes match. The pathological condition of cri du chat syndrome is due to the cytogenetic deletion of band p15. 2 of chromosome 5. Is this region involved during pericentric inversion of apes chromsome 4? We used a human cosmid probe for cri du chat syndrome as a phylogenetic marker in search of the aforementioned question. The genomic sequences for cri du chat syndrome region were conserved in chimpanzee (PTR4) and orangutan (PPY4) but displayed a positional divergence in gorilla on chromosome 19(GGO19). In addition, we used a human cosmid DNA probe for DiGeorge syndrome which is located on chromosome 22 band q11.2 and was conserved within band 23q11.2 in apes. The loci specific human genomic probes may help to describe the inversions and translocations for other chromsomes.
Development of a Series of P(CH(2)N=CHR)(3) and Trisubstituted 1,3,5-Triaza-7-phosphaadamantane Ligands

The synthesis and structure of a series of novel phosphine ligands derived from the condensation of P(CH2NH2) with aldehydes are described. Depending on the reaction conditions, either substituted tris(iminomethyl)phosphine, P(CH2N=CHR)3, or 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane structures substituted at the "lower rim", PTAR3, are obtained.
Comparative gene array analysis of TNF-α-induced MAPK and NF--κB signaling pathways between retinal ganglion cells and glial cells

TNF-alpha has recently been identified to be a mediator of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, while glial cells are relatively protected against this death stimulus. To identify molecular mechanisms that control diverse responses of RGCs and glial cells to TNF-alpha, we studied differential gene expression between primary cultures of RGCs and glial cells exposed to TNF-alpha using cDNA array analysis of MAPK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. Findings of this comparative analysis demonstrated differential regulation of various genes between RGCs and glial cells exposed to TNF-alpha. RT-PCR confirmed the differential expression of selected genes, and immunocytochemistry demonstrated gene products in cultured cells. Immunolabeling with phosphorylation site-specific antibodies also revealed differential post-translational modifications of selected proteins between cell types. Identification of signaling molecules differentially regulated in RGCs and glial cells can improve our understanding of the diverse cellular responses and provide targets for neuroprotective interventions in several neurodegenerative conditions.
Commercial fishing practices on offshore juvenile flatfish nursery grounds on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland

Analyses of the 1985 to 1989 juvenile flatfish survey data from the Grand Bank off the east coast of Newfoundland has delimited two major areas of juvenile American plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides, concentrations: one on the northern slope and one on the southern edge of the bank. A major concentration of juvenile yellowtail flounder, Limanda ferruginea, was distributed in the area of the Southeast Shoal on the southern Grand Bank. Juveniles of both species shared their distribution with their adult population and there was some overlap by juveniles of both species on the southern Grand Bank. These areas of concentrations are hypothesized to be oceanic nursery sites for both Grand Bank species. The northern plaice nursery area is fished heavily by the Canadian otter-trawler fleet because the majority of the adult population is located in this area. The southern nursery area for plaice is fished heavily by many otter-trawl fleets of other nations since it is located outside of Canada's 200-mile fishing boundary. The southern nursery area for juvenile yellowtail flounder straddles the 200-mile boundary and, consequently, is fished heavily by Canadian (inside) and non-Canadian (outside) fleets. The implications of these dual fisheries on the southern Grand Bank is discussed in terms of discarding of under-sized fish by the Canadian fleet inside the 200-mile boundary and the directed effort on juveniles outside the boundary.
Multiscale Terrain Characterization Using Fourier and Wavelet Transforms for Unmanned Ground Vehicles

This paper investigates the use of the Fourier transform and Wavelet transform as methods to supplement the more common root mean squared elevation and power spectral density methods of terrain characterization. Two dimensional terrain profiles were generated using the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot fractal equation. The Fourier and Wavelet transforms were used to decompose these terrains into a parameter set. A two degree of freedom quarter car model was used to evaluate the vehicle response before and after the terrain characterization. It was determined that the Fourier transform can be used to reduce the profile into the key frequency components. The Wavelet transform can effectively detect discontinuities of the profile and changes in the roughness of the profile. These two techniques can be added to current methods to yield a more robust terrain characterization.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Parameter estimation and multichannel fusion for classifying averaged ERPs

A parameter estimation and classification fusion approach is developed to classify averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) recorded from multiple channels. It is shown that the parameters of the averaged ERP ensemble can be estimated directly from the parameters of the single-trial ensemble. The parameter estimation methods are applied to independently design a Gaussian likelihood ratio classifier for each channel. A fusion rule is formulated to classify an ERP using the classification results from all the channels. Very importantly, it is shown that parametric classifiers can be designed and evaluated without having to collect a prohibitively large number of single-trial ERPs. It is also shown that the performance of a majority rule fusion classifier is consistently superior to the rule that selects a single best channel.
A continuous record of Holocene eolian activity and vegetation change at Lake Ann, east-central Minnesota

Wind-blown silt and sand in the lacustrine sediments of Lake Ann in east-central Minnesota provide a continuous record of Holocene eolian activity of the adjacent Lake Ann dune field. Results of grain size, loss-on-ignition, and especially magnetic susceptibility determinations indicate the variable quantities of eolian material present in the lacustrine sediments. Comparison of this eolian component with the vegetation history determined by pollen analysis indicates that dunes were apparently not present during Late Wisconsin (late glacial) and early Holocene times when trees were common on the Anoka Sand Plain. Dune development began about 8000 yr B.P. when arboreal vegetation was seriously reduced by dry conditions. The middle Holocene history is subdivided into three distinct episodes, each with a similar sequence of events: (1) drought and reduced vegetation cover, (2) increased eolian flux, (3) increased precipitation and tree cover, and (4) slow decline in eolian erosion. Maximum eolian flux during these episodes occurs at ca. 7400, 5800, and 4900 yr B.P. The mid-Holocene climate at Lake Ann is similar to that inferred for other Midwest sites, such as Elk Lake in northwestern Minnesota, where intervals of dryness or strong winds occur when eolian activity is high at Lake Ann. Dune activity in east-central Minnesota appears to have been primarily initiated by severe droughts of relatively brief duration during the general aridity of the mid-Holocene interval.
The event-related optical signal (EROS) in visual cortex: replicability, consistency, localization, and resolution.

We previously reported a fast and localized noninvasive event-related optical signal (EROS) elicited by visual field quadrant stimulation in occipital brain areas (Gratton, Corballis, Cho, Fabiani, & Hood, 1995). We now present a replication and extension of that experiment. In addition, we propose a new method for estimating the cross-validity of the results based on intersubject correlations, report further data on the localization of EROS, and present an analysis of its spatial resolution. The results replicate our original findings. The intersubject correlation is generally quite high (r = .6-.8). The spatial resolution analysis indicates that activities from cortical areas located approximately 1.5 cm apart are measurable independently without cross talk. This study provides further support for the idea that noninvasive optical imaging can be used to derive images of brain activity combining good spatial and temporal resolution.
The effects of litter size on the bioenergetics and water requirements of lactating Mus musculus.

Abstract 1. 1. Caloric intake and water needs were measured in house mice, Mus musculus , rearing litters of three, six, nine and twelve young. 2. 2. For the 3 weeks of lactation net caloric requirements of females nursing litters increased by 31·0 to 80·9 per cent over values for control mice. Food requirements were proportional to litter size and were highest during the last week of lactation. 3. 3. Water intake of lactating mice increased by 37·7 to 128·1 per cent above baseline. 4. 4. Assimilation efficiency appeared unaffected by lactation. 5. 5. Growth of the young was inversely related to litter size and efficiency of net production was highest for mice nursing litters of three. Efficiencies for females with litters of six, nine and twelve were similar.
Adverse effects of thermal dissociation of alkyl ammonium ions on nanoclay exfoliation in epoxy–clay systems

Abstract It has been shown recently that storage modulus of intra-gallery epoxy plays a crucial role in producing exfoliated clay structures in epoxy-nanoclay systems. In this study, the possibility of thermal dissociation of alkyl ammonium ions used as cation exchange agents of layered silicate clays and its effects on plasticization of epoxy networks and the growth of storage modulus of intra-gallery epoxy were investigated. It was found that at cure temperatures higher than the dissociation temperature, primary amines were generated from the thermal dissociation of alkyl ammonium ions and the excess chloride salt, which reacted readily with the epoxy molecules and formed linear chains. In addition, such reactions resulted in an excess of diamine curing agents, which in turn caused additional plasticization of epoxy networks and lowered the values of intra-gallery storage modulus. In such cases, only intercalated epoxy composites were produced.
Interactions Between Metazoans and Large, Agglutinating Protozoans: Implications for the Community Structure of Deep-Sea Benthos

Large, agglutinating protozoans belonging to the Foraminiferida (suborder Astrorhizina) and the Xenophyophorea are conspicuous, often dominant faunal elements in the deep sea. A review of known and suspected interactions between these forms and metazoans reveals a potentially significant role for the protozoans in structuring deep-sea metazoan assemblages. Direct interactions include provision to metazoans of (a) hard or stable substratum, (b) refuge from predators or physical disturbance, and (c) access to enhanced dietary resources. In some instances, rhizopod tests may provide a nursery function. Xenophyophore modification of flow regimes, particle flux, bottom skin friction and sediment characteristics appear likely and are believed to account for altered composition and abundance of meiofauna and macrofauna in the vicinity of rhizopod tests. Some analogous interactions are observed between metazoans and biogenic sediment structures in shallow water. However, metazoan-rhizopod associations are hypothesized to be more highly developed and complex in the deep sea than are comparable shallow-water associations, due to rhizopod abilities to enhance scarce food resources and to low rates of disturbance in much of the deep sea. Agglutinating rhizopods appear to be a significant source of heterogeneity on the deep-sea floor and large tests often represent “hotspots“ of metazoan activity. As such, they are hypothesized to have contributed to the origin and maintenance of metazoan diversity in the deep sea by providing distinct microenvironments in which species can specialize.
Aristotelian and Ramist Rhetoric in Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan: Pathos versus Ethos and Logos

'General bibliographies for the study of Renaissance rhetoric include P. Kuentz, "Bibliographie pour I'etude de la rhetorique," XVII' Siecle, 80-81 (1968), 133-42; Keith V. Erickson, Aristotle's Rhetoric: Five Centuries of Philological Research (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1975); and James J. Murphy, Renaissance Rhetoric: A Short-Title Catalogue, Garland Reference Library of the Humanities, vol. 237 (New York: Garland, 1981). Important general surveys on Renaissance and later rhetoric include Wilbur Samuel Howell, Logic and Rhetoric in England, 1500-1700 (1956; rpt. New York: Russell & Russell, 1961); Wilbur Samuel Howell, Eighteenth-Century British Logic and Rhetoric (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1971); Peter France, Rhetoric and Truth in France: Descartes to Diderot (Oxford: Clarendon, 1972); and Marc Fumaroli, Lage de I'eloquence: Rhetorique et <'res literaria» de la Renaissance au seuil de I'epoque classique, Hautes Etudes Medievales et Modernes, 43 (Geneve: Droz, 1980). Other studies in whole or in part on Ramus and Ramism include Perry Miller, The New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century (1939; rpt. 1954; rpt. Boston: Beacon, 1961); Walter J. Ong, S.J., "Hobbes and Talon's Ramist Rhetoric in English," Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, 1 (1949-53), ed. Bruce Dickins and A. N. L.
Phonon transmission through defects in carbon nanotubes from first principles

The original published version of this article may be found on the Physical Review B website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.77.033418 Copyright (2008) American Physical Society
Adaptive Rescaling Maximizes Information Transmission

Adaptation is a widespread phenomenon in nervous systems, providing flexibility to function under varying external conditions. Here, we relate an adaptive property of a sensory system directly to its function as a carrier of information about input signals. We show that the input/output relation of a sensory system in a dynamic environment changes with the statistical properties of the environment. Specifically, when the dynamic range of inputs changes, the input/output relation rescales so as to match the dynamic range of responses to that of the inputs. We give direct evidence that the scaling of the input/output relation is set to maximize information transmission for each distribution of signals. This adaptive behavior should be particularly useful in dealing with the intermittent statistics of natural signals.
Computer aides to medical diagnosis—problems and progress

Computers are increasingly being used in medicine for a variety of applications, as outlined below: 1. Business—patient billing, record-keeping 2. Retrieval—patient records, medical literature 3. Laboratory control systems 4. Statistical data processing 5. Simulation—physiologic models 6. Teaching programs 7. Medical diagnosis and decision-making In this paper we will restrict our discussion to the use of computers as an aid to diagnosis and decision-making. We will consider the question, “Why use computers as an aid to diagnosis?”, and review in general terms what progress has been made in this application. We will then discuss some of the methods and problems in current approaches to computer-aided diagnosis, and conclude with a few speculations and suggestions for the future.
Parallel Tightly Coupled Solver for Unsteady Hypersonic Ablation of Graphite

A commonly used process implemented in thermal protection systems for hypersonic aerospace vehicles is ablation. Ablation is a process of removing material from a surface through chemical reactions and sublimation. In order to accurately predict the ablation rates from a surface, several sub-processes must be accounted for including hightemperature chemically reactive gas dynamics, heat conduction into the solid and the ablation mechanisms at the surface. These physical process are in reality highly coupled but in most past simulations they are either loosely coupled or only a subset of processes is accounted for. In this study a tightly coupled solver is developed for ablation of graphite. An intrinsically coupled set of equations is derived that accounts for the release of material from the surface into gas and the resulting movement of the surface. A numerical methodology is presented that can be used to solve these governing equations, which includes modified finite-volume methods, and a novel reactive-Riemann solver that treats the surface as another wave in the Riemann problem, and its recession velocity as the wave speed. Results are presented for ablation of a sphere-cone, over a range of conditions with prevailing oxidation or sublimation. Computational results compare favorably to available experimental data. The developed solver has been applied to ablative surface with a small cavity-like defect. The areas with maximum heat fluxes at the defect surface were identified. It is shown that at the defect surface the ablation mechanism switches from oxidation/nitridation regime to much faster sublimation-dominated regime.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Genotypes and In Vitro Protease Inhibitor Susceptibilities of Isolates from Individuals Who Were Switched to Other Protease Inhibitors after Long-Term Saquinavir Treatment

An understanding of the mechanisms of virologic cross-resistance between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitors is important for the establishment of effective treatment strategies for patients who no longer respond to their initial protease inhibitor. Protease gene sequencing results from patients treated with saquinavir showed significant increases in the frequency of the G48V protease mutation in patients receiving higher doses of the drug. In addition, all six patients who developed the G48V mutation during saquinavir therapy developed the V82A mutation either on continued saquinavir or after a switch to nelfinavir or indinavir. In vitro susceptibility assays showed that all 13 isolates with reduced susceptibilities to two or more protease inhibitors had either the G48V or L90M mutation, along with an average of six other protease mutations. Reduced susceptibility to nelfinavir was found in 14 isolates, but only 1 possessed the D30N mutation. These results suggest that mutations selected in vivo by initial saquinavir therapy may provide more cross-resistance to the other protease inhibitors than has been previously reported.
Connecting to the future: How the perception of future impacts engineering undergraduate students' learning and performance

The purpose of this study is to examine how engineering students' conceptualization of their future is related to the factors which have been studied related to students' retention. Two Future Time Perspective (FTP) constructs, Connectedness and Perceived Instrumentality, were included to measure students' conceptualization of their future. The results indicated that students who tended to connect their present to engineering future career (Connectedness) believed they were more capable of learning course materials, reported they used more collaborative learning strategies as well as engaged more in knowledge building behaviors, and have higher grades. Also, student who perceived their current learning as being helpful for their future learning and career (Perceived Instrumentality) believe they were more capable of learning course materials and reported more engagement in knowledge building behaviors. Our study contributes to the recent trend of engineering education reform which advocates increasing the connection between students' daily learning and future careers, by introducing Future Time Perspective (FTP), a widely studied theory in psychology. Our findings provide educators guidelines for incorporating connections to the future into curricula content and instructional design.
Double homozygous waltzer and Ames waltzer mice provide no evidence of retinal degeneration

PURPOSE: To determine whether cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15 can substitute for one another in the maintenance of the retina and other tissues in the mouse. Does homozygosity for both v and av mutant alleles (i.e., a double homozygous mouse) cause retinal degeneration or an obvious retinal histopathology?METHODS: We generated mice homozygous for both Cdh23(v-6J) and Pcdh15(av-Jfb) alleles. The retinal phenotypes of double heterozygous and double homozygous mutant mice were determined by light microscopy and electroretinography (ERG). Histology on 32 different tissues, scanning electron microscopy of organ of Corti hair cells as well as serum biochemical and hematological examinations were evaluated.RESULTS: ERG waves of double heterozygous and double homozygous mice showed similar shape, growth of the amplitude with intensity, and implicit time for both rod and cone pathway mediated responses. Mice homozygous for both Cdh23(v-6J) and Pcdh15(av-Jfb) mutations showed no sign of retinitis pigmentosa or photoreceptor degeneration but, as expected, were deaf and had disorganized hair cell sensory bundles.CONCLUSIONS: The simultaneous presence of homozygous mutant alleles of cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15 results only in deafness, not retinal degeneration or any other additional obvious phenotype of the major organ systems. We conclude that in the mouse cadherin 23 or protocadherin 15 appear not to compensate for one another to maintain the retina. (Less)
The Biblical View of Time

It is by no means fortuitous that our contemporary world is deeply occupied with the problem of time. The literature which has gathered about this problem is not only abundant but also notable for the ways in which various disciplines have sought to wrestle with it. The natural scientist, the philosopher, the theologian, the historian, the sociologist, the poet, and the writer of fiction and drama have all engaged in a common encounter with the mystery of this basic givenness of our human existence. Yet, while it is true that periods like our own incite reflection on time's meaning, the problem plays a role in the history of human thought quite beyond that of the pressures and hazards of eras of social crisis.