cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fatigue in Textile Fibers Part I. General Considerations; Fatiguing by Cyclic Tension: Instrumentation and Fatigue Lifetimes

Equipment on which six fiber specimens can be simultaneously fatigued in cyclic tension, at one common strain amplitude, has been developed and constructed. Fre quencies are continuously variable from zero to 18 cycles/sec, and the total stroke is adjustable from zero to 1 in. Provisions are made for the automatic taking up of the slack resulting from growth in each fiber and stopping of the machine at the conclusion of a test. The growth in each specimen and the time to rupture are recorded on a strip chart. Results on two viscose samples and one experimental acrylic sample suggest that the growth that occurs during the fatiguing has two phases, in both of which the increase in extension is substantially linear with the logarithm of time. The rate of extension (per unit log time) in the initial phase is at least twice as great as in the later phase. In a third viscose sample, of high crystallinity, in which the growth rate of extension and the extensions at break were both low, the distinction between the two phases prac tically vanishes. Fatigue lifetimes of the acrylic sample appear, from plots on probability paper of the individual lifetimes of the specimens, to conform better to a logarithmic normal distri bution than to the normal.
Contributions of scanning metrology uncertainty to milling force prediction

Abstract This paper describes an uncertainty evaluation for axial location-dependent cutting edge radius and angle values extracted from structured light scans of a variable pitch endmill. Two cases are evaluated: 1) a single scan of the endmill is performed and that scan is manually fit five times to record the cutting edge geometry for all teeth on the endmill; and 2) five scans of the endmill are performed and each scan is manually fit a single time. Both cases therefore include five manual fits. The standard deviations in radius and angle values are used to represent the statistical uncertainty and the two cases are compared. The mean standard deviations in radius are 0.005 mm and 0.007 mm; the mean standard deviations in angle are 0.066 deg and 0.092 deg. As expected, the uncertainties are higher with additional scans. The scan results are then used in a time-domain simulation to predict the cutting force profiles for the variable pitch endmill. It is shown that the two cases provide similar agreement between prediction and measurement due to the small measurement uncertainties.
Liposomes-based nanoplatform enlarges ultrasound-related diagnostic and therapeutic precision.

Ultrasound (US) is notable in the medical field as a safe and effective imaging modality due to its lack of ionizing radiation, non-invasive approach, and real-time monitoring capability. Accompanying recent progress in nanomedicine, US has been providing hope of theranostic capability not only for imaging-based diagnosis but also for US-based therapy by taking advantage of the bioeffects induced by US. Cavitation, sonoporation, thermal effects, and other cascade effects stimulated by acoustic energy conversion have contributed to medical problem-solving in the past decades although to varying degrees of efficacy in comparisons to other methods. Recently, the usage of liposomes-based nanoplatform fuels the development of nanomedicine and provides novel clinical strategies for antitumor, thrombolysis, and controlled drug release. Merging of novel liposome-based nanoplatforms and US-induced reactions has promise for a new blueprint for future medicine. In the present review article, the value of liposome-based nanoplatforms in US-related diagnosis and therapy will be discussed and summarized along with potential future directions for further investigations.
Literal text analysis of poly-class and polydrug overdose deaths in North Carolina, 2015-2019.

Abstract Background The literal text on death certificates was leveraged to enhance the examination of trends in the specific drugs and drug combinations involved in North Carolina (NC) overdose deaths from 2015 to 2019. Methods Using NC death certificate data, overdose deaths included those with a drug poisoning as the underlying ICD-10 cause-of-death code (n = 10,117). The literal text from three death certificate fields were searched for drug mentions by integrating a tool developed by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee with search terms originating from a National Center for Health Statistics/Food and Drug Administration collaboration. Descriptive statistics were calculated to evaluate substance classes, specific drugs, and drug combinations most frequently involved in these deaths over time. Results From 2015–2019, polydrug involvement in NC overdose deaths increased (71% in 2015 to 75% in 2019). During the study period, opioid involvement shifted from heroin and/or oxycodone in 2015 to predominantly fentanyl in 2019, with fentanyl involvement increasing from 15% to 58%. Psychostimulant involvement increased for both cocaine (2015: 21%, 2019: 35%) and methamphetamine (2015: 3%, 2019: 13%). Benzodiazepine involvement, including alprazolam and clonazepam, declined during the study period, while the involvement of alcohol and antiepileptics/sedative-hypnotics, specifically gabapentin, remained stable. The top polydrug combinations in 2019 were fentanyl + cocaine (15% of all overdose deaths), fentanyl + heroin (10%), fentanyl + cocaine + heroin (6%), and fentanyl + methamphetamine (4%). Conclusions Incorporation of literal text methodology into ongoing overdose surveillance can facilitate the identification of specific, emerging drugs and combinations and inform targeted overdose prevention approaches.
Conformal Space-Charge Limited Emission Modeling in the Neptune Em-Pic Code *

Electromagnetic Particle-in-Cell (EM-PIC) simulations of modern high-power RF amplifiers and sources have seen considerable advances in the last decade in both solution accuracy and execution time. Electromagnetic "cut-cell" algorithms capture complex device geometry conformally on 3D Cartesian grids, while EM-PIC simulation codes have been optimized for multi-core CPUs and GPU accelerators. One challenge that remains is numerically modeling the interaction of particles and fields near cut-cell boundaries, where accurately interpolating near-surface fields from the Cartesian grid presents a challenge. Of particular relevance to device simulation is modeling space-charge limited (SCL) emission from arbitrary curved surfaces, both accurately and self-consistently, to correctly determine the emitted current distribution.
Stabilizing Hydrodynamic Bearing Oil Whip With μ-Synthesis Control of an Active Magnetic Bearing

Oil whip is a self-excited vibration in a hydrodynamic bearing which occurs when the rotation speed is above approximately twice the first natural frequency. Because of this, the oil whip phenomenon limits the operational speed of a rotor system on hydrodynamic bearings. Below the oil whip threshold, the related phenomenon of oil whirl can cause large vibrations at frequencies below half the rotation speed.A method is presented for stabilizing oil whip and oil whirl in a hydrodynamic bearing with an active magnetic bearing (AMB). The AMB controller is designed with μ-synthesis model-based robust control utilizing the Bently-Muszynska fluid film bearing model, which predicts the unstable phenomena. Therefore, the resulting AMB controller stabilizes the natural instability in the hydrodynamic bearing. Rotor speed is taken into account by use of a parametric uncertainty such that the method is robust to changes in running speed.The proposed method is demonstrated on an experimental hydrodynamic bearing test rig. Details of the test rig and implementation of the AMB controller design are presented. Waterfall plots for the controlled and uncontrolled system are presented which demonstrate the improved stability limit.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Monopsony and Salary Suppression: The Case of Major League Soccer in the United States:

Top tier professional soccer in the United States is operated by Major League Soccer (MLS). The MLS was established and operates under a single entity structure, such that all players negotiate and...
The Dynamics of Nitrogen Transformations in the Soil

As the nation’s agriculture becomes more intensive and the need to use the soil as a waste disposal system increases, contaminations of ground water aquifers with nutrients, particularly nitrate, can be expected to become a serious and widespread problem. Already surface water supplies are showing the signs of excessive fertility while reports of high nitrate wells increase in frequency. Nitrogen compounds in surface waters often are associated with enhanced eutrophication rates while high nitrate in waters consumed by humans or animals may give rise to health problems.
Telenin’s Method and the Method of Lines

The Method of Integral Relations, described in Chapt. 5, is one technique for reducing the amount of finite difference computation in the numerical solution of partial differential equations. The reduction is achieved by integrating the governing equations in one or more coordinate directions and representing unknowns in integrands by polynomials or trigonometrical expansions in the respective coordinates. We then solve ordinary or partial differential equations (of lower order) for the unknown coefficients in these expansions.
Expression of teratoma-associated antigens on murine ova and early embryos: Identification of two early differentiation markers☆

Abstract Specifically absorbed rabbit antisera to a mouse testicular teratoma were used to study the expression of three heteroantigens on cell surfaces of early mouse embryos. This antiserum is known to define three antigens on the surface of murine tumor cells, though it does not bind to cells of normal adult tissue. Antigen I, physically associated with H-2 antigens in L-cell plasma membranes and found on many transplantable mouse tumors (7), is expressed by ova and morulae. Antigen I persists on cells of the inner-cell mass beyond implantation, but is not detected on trophoblast. In contrast, antigen II, found on teratoma and hepatoma cells, is absent from cleavage embryos and is first expressed on differentiation of the trophoblast prior to implantation. Antigen III, which is apparently teratoma specific, is absent from all embryonic material studied.
Enjoying the Struggle

At once one of the most demanding and most rewarding of all professions, medicine can be tyrannizing or exhilarating. If the pressing responsibilities, sensitive interpersonal relationships, and strenuous time pressures in caring for patients are allowed to escalate to tedium or drudgery, the passion for medical practice will vanish. If patient care becomes overly demanding, onerous, or boring, enthusiasm and pleasure will fade, and both patient and physician will suffer. But that does not have to happen. The practice of medicine is admittedly a strict taskmaster, requiring daily decisions about puzzling, often life-threatening illnesses, as well as constant awareness of the newest, most authentic information. But medicine also offers endless opportunities for enjoyment, satisfaction, and exhilaration through intellectual advancement and service to patients.
Computerized intervention to increase motivation for diabetes self-management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a three-session computer intervention to improve diabetes management among African-American youth with type 1 diabetes. Methods: The 3 Ms (Medication, Meter, and Meals) intervention was based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of health behavior change and Motivational Interviewing approaches. Feasibility was assessed based on rates of intervention participation and intervention satisfaction using a mixed-methods approach. Participants included 23 youths aged 10–13. Results: Mean satisfaction rates from questionnaires were high across ratings for both general satisfaction and helpfulness of the intervention for improving diabetes care. Intervention participation rates were also high, with 87% completing all three sessions. Thematic analyses suggests that adolescents found the intervention helpful for changing their diabetes management behaviors, their thoughts about the importance of diabetes care, reminding them to com...
On solving structured integer programming problems with Lagrangean relaxation and/or decomposition

The use of Lagrangean relaxation and Lagrangean decomposition to obtain bounds for (mixed-) integer programming problems is treated. It is assumed that the constraint set contains at least one, and in the case of Lagrangean decomposition multiple, structured subsets of constraints. Conditions under which strong bounds can be obtained are reviewed, some applications are presented, and computational results for some of these problems are reported. >
Speeding up ascending-bid auctions

In recent years auctions have grown in interest within the AI community as innovative mechanisms for resource allocation. The primary contribution of this paper is to identify a family of hybrid auctions, called survival auctions, which combine the benefits of both sealed-bid auctions (namely, quick and predictable termination time) and ascending-bid auctions (namely, more information revelation often leading, among other things, to better allocations and greater expected revenue). Survival auctions are multi-round sealed-bid auctions with an information-revelation component, in which some bidders are eliminated from the auction from one round to the next. These auctions are intuitive, easy to implement, and most importantly provably optimal. More precisely, we show that (a) the survival auction in which all but the lowest bidder make it into the next round (the auction lasts for (n - 1) rounds when there are n bidders) is strategically equivalent to the Japanese ascending-bid auction, which itself has been proven to be optimal in many settings, and that (b) under certain symmetry conditions, even a survival auction in which only the two highest bidders make it into the next round (the auction lasts only two rounds) is Nash outcome equivalent to the Japanese auction.
International Tax Competition A 21st-Century Restraint on Government

Globalization is knitting separate national economies into a single world economy. That is occurring as a result of rising trade and investment flows, greater labor mobility, and rapid transfers of technology.As economic integration increases, individuals and businesses gain greater freedom to take advantage of foreign economic opportunities. That, in turn, increases the sensitivity of investment and location decisions to taxation. Countries feel pressure to reduce tax rates to avoid driving away their tax bases. International “tax competition” is increasing as capital and labor mobility rises.Most industrial countries have pursued tax reforms to ensure that their economies remain attractive for investment. The average top personal income tax rate in the major industrial countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has fallen 20 percentage points since 1980. The average top corporate income tax rate has fallen 6 percentage points in just the past six years.Rising tax competition has caused governments to also adopt defensive rules to prevent residents and businesses from enjoying lower tax rates abroad. In the United States, such tax rules are hugely complex and affect the ability of U.S. companies to compete in world markets. Other defensive responses to tax competition include proposals to harmonize taxes across countries and to restrict countries from offering tax climates that are too hospitable to foreign investment inflows.Those defensive responses to tax competition are a dead end. They do nothing to promote economic growth or reform inefficient tax systems. A more constructive response to tax competition would be to learn from foreign reforms and adopt pro-growth tax policies at home. The United States should be a leader but has fallen behind on tax reform. For example, the United States now has one of the highest corporate tax rates among major nations. The chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, Glenn Hubbard, believes that “from an income tax perspective, the United States has become one of the least attractive industrial countries in which to locate the headquarters of a multinational corporation.”As international capital and labor mobility rises, the risks associated with not having an efficient federal tax structure increase. This country should respond to rising tax competition by moving toward a low-rate consumption-based system.
Molecular Pathways: Targeting the Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) in the Immunotherapy of Cancer

Novel immunotherapy approaches are transforming the treatment of cancer, yet many patients remain refractory to these agents. One hypothesis is that immunotherapy fails because of a tumor microenvironment that fails to support recruitment of immune cells, including CD8(+) T cells. Therefore, new approaches designed to initiate a de novo antitumor immune response from within the tumor microenvironment are being pursued. Recent evidence has indicated that spontaneous activation of the Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway within tumor-resident dendritic cells leads to type I IFN production and adaptive immune responses against tumors. This pathway is activated in the presence of cytosolic DNA that is detected by the sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and generates cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), which binds and activates STING. As a therapeutic approach, intratumoral injection of STING agonists has demonstrated profound therapeutic effects in multiple mouse tumor models, including melanoma, colon, breast, prostate, and fibrosarcoma. Better characterization of the STING pathway in human tumor recognition, and the development of new pharmacologic approaches to engage this pathway within the tumor microenvironment in patients, are important areas for clinical translation.
Neonatal Fellowship Training-Fellows' Viewpoints and the Role of Mentorship: Results of a National Survey † 1924

Neonatal Fellowship Training-Fellows' Viewpoints and the Role of Mentorship: Results of a National Survey † 1924
Relationship of running to musculoskeletal pain with age. A six-year longitudinal study.

Objective. To determine, by longitudinal study, whether long-distance running, maintained for many years, is associated with increased musculoskeletal pain with age. Methods. A 6-year prospective longitudinal study of 410 runners' club members and 289 community controls, age 53-75 years at study initiation, was conducted. Subjects were also categorized as ever-runners (n = 488) and never-runners (n = 211). The primary dependent variable was pain score as indicated on a horizontal double-anchored analog scale; data for this variable were available beginning in 1987. Statistical adjustment for age, education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, history of arthritis, and presence of other major medical conditions was done by analysis of covariance. Further analyses of previously reported associations of regular vigorous physical activity with decreased disability and mortality after 9 years were performed. Results. The degree of musculoskeletal pain was slightly lower in the exercise group compared with controls, and the difference was statistically significant for women but not for men. Average adjusted pain scores for men were 18.3 (SEM 0.8) in runners' club members, 20.2 (1.2) in controls, 18.6 (0.8) in ever-runners, and 20.3 (1.6) in never-runners. For women, these scores were 17.5 (1.8) in runners' club members versus 22.8 (1.4) in controls (P < 0.05), and 17.2 in ever runners versus 23.7 (1.5) in never-runners (P < 0.002). Disability had continued to develop in runners' club members at a rate only one-third that in the controls after 9 years of observation. Mortality over 9 years consisted of 51 deaths, of which 41 were in the control group and only 10 were among runners' club members. Conclusion. Vigorous running activity over many years is not associated with an increase in musculoskeletal pain with age, and there may be a moderate decrease in pain, particularly in women. Vigorous physical activity is associated with greatly decreased levels of disability and with decreased mortality rates.
Wnt signaling activation in adipose progenitors promotes insulin-independent muscle glucose uptake

Adipose tissues provide circulating nutrients and hormones. We present in vivo mouse studies highlighting roles for Wnt signals in both aspects of metabolism. β-catenin activation in PPARγ-expressing fat progenitors (PBCA) decreased fat mass and induced fibrotic replacement of subcutaneous fat specifically. In spite of lipodystrophy, PBCA mice did not develop the expected diabetes and hepatosteatosis, but rather exhibited improved glucose metabolism and normal insulin sensitivity. Glucose uptake was increased in muscle independently of insulin, associated with cell-surface translocation of glucose transporters and AMPK activation. Ex vivo assays showed these effects were likely secondary to blood-borne signals since PBCA sera or conditioned media from PBCA fat progenitors enhanced glucose uptake and activated AMPK in muscle cultures. Thus, adipose progenitor Wnt activation dissociates lipodystrophy from dysfunctional metabolism and highlights a fat-muscle endocrine axis, which may represent a potential therapy to lower blood glucose and improve metabolism.
Aligning the honors program with AGU's mission

Over the past 2 years, AGU's Honors and Recognition (H&R) Committee (http://www.agu.org/about/governance/committees_boards/honors-recog.shtml) has been working to better align the Union medals, awards, and prizes with AGU's new vision, core values, and strategic plan. The changes described below have been approved by the AGU Council. The H&R Committee reviewed and evaluated its charge to see how it can be aligned to better support AGU's strategic plan (http://www.agu.org/about/strategic_plan.shtml). The committee formally defined medals, awards, and prizes. Medals are given for a scientific body of work in Earth and space sciences. Awards are related to science, society, and talent pool goals. Prizes are presented jointly by AGU and some other nonprofit, for-profit, government, and/or nongovernmental entities and involve significant funding.
The Magnetostriction of Pure and Alloyed Bi Single Crystals

The existence of a magnetostrictive effect (Joule effect) in nonferromagnetic substances, first demonstrated by Kapitza for large transient fields, is here shown for steady fields of moderate (20 to 25 kg) values. Pure (99.97 percent) Bi single crystals and crystals with dissolved foreign atoms are used. A recording dilatometer permitted measurements of a change in length of 2.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ cm. The sum of errors amounted to approximately 10 percent. The modulus of magnetostriction ($m$) is defined by $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}l}{l}=\frac{1}{2}m{H}^{2}$. For pure Bi crystals $m=+5.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ (elongation) parallel to trigonal axis and $m=\ensuremath{-}7.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ (contraction) normal to trigonal axis. Bi crystals with Pb, Sn and Te in concentration within the solubility range were studied. Sn and Pb (electropositive) first cause the contraction normal to the trigonal axis to diminish and finally with increasing concentrations, cause an elongation, Sn being four times as effective as Pb. Parallel to the axis small concentrations of Sn decrease the elongation, larger concentrations increase the elongation. The effect of Pb in this direction is small. Te (electronegative) produced a much larger specific effect but no change in sign. The effect was of the same order of magnitude for the two principal crystal orientations. The data are discussed with special reference to the influence of foreign atoms on the magnetic susceptibility, studied previously by Goetz and Focke. It was found that the change of the stress coefficient of the susceptibility with the concentration of foreign atoms normal to the principal axis is inversely proportional to the concentration and furthermore: the variation of the stress coefficient with the concentration is nearly equal to the variation of the susceptibility at higher concentrations, in other words the stress coefficient of the susceptibility is proportional to the susceptibility itself. It is furthermore concluded that the results presented justify the previous assumption of the existence of two types of insertion of foreign atoms in the crystal lattice, i.e., selective adsorption for small concentrations and volume absorption for larger concentrations.
Electron scattering in InSb

Abstract This paper considers the effects of electron scattering by acoustical and optical phonons as well as electron-hole scattering on the mobility and thermoelectric power of intrinsic InSb. The cyclotron resonance mass 0.013 m 0 and the conduction band theory of K ane are used in the calculations. An analysis of the pressure experiments permits an heuristic extension of K ane's theory to finite temperatures. Scattering by optical modes via the polar interaction is the dominant mechanism determining the mobility between 200 and 500°K. The theoretical mobility agrees closely with experiment over the specified temperature range for a reasonable value of the effective ionic charge e * . Excellent agreement is also obtained between the theoretical thermoelectric power, which is independent of e * , and experiment. The calculations include an extension to the case of non-parabolic bands of the transport theory due to H owarth and S ondheimer , which is necessitated by the failure of the relaxation time approximation for polar scattering. Except for small piezoelectric effects, not considered here, deformation potential scattering is the dominant mechanism for acoustical phonons. This mechanism is negligible for all temperatures. Electron-hole scattering is comparable with polar scattering above 50°K, but does not contribute appreciably for lower temperatures.
Inferring recent human phylogenies using forensic STR technology

Abstract STR loci are characterized by extremely high mutation rates and thus, high levels of length polymorphism both within and among populations. In addition, much of the observed variation is believed to be nearly selectively neutral. Because of these features, STRs are ideal markers for genetic mapping, intra-species phylogenetic reconstructions and forensic analysis. In the present study, we investigate the application of five STR loci (CS1PO, TH01, TPOX, FGA and vWA) routinely used in forensic analysis for delineating the phylogenetic relationships of 10 human populations representing the three major racial groups (African–Caribbean, Croatian from the island of Hvar, East Asian, Han Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, UK Caucasian, US Caucasian and Zimbabwe). The resulting tree topology exhibited strong geographic and racial partitioning consistent with that obtained with mtDNA haplotypes, Y-chromosome markers, SNPs, PAIs (polymorphic Alu insertions) as well as classic genetic polymorphisms. These findings suggest that forensic STR loci may be particularly powerful tools and provide the necessary fine resolution for the reconstruction of recent human evolutionary history.
X-ray crystal structure of glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase from Escherichia coli.

Glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase (GAR-syn) catalyzes the second step of the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway; the conversion of phosphoribosylamine, glycine, and ATP to glycinamide ribonucleotide (GAR), ADP, and Pi. GAR-syn containing an N-terminal polyhistidine tag was expressed as the SeMet incorporated protein for crystallographic studies. In addition, the protein as isolated contains a Pro294Leu mutation. This protein was crystallized, and the structure solved using multiple-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) phase determination and refined to 1.6 A resolution. GAR-syn adopts an α/β structure that consists of four domains labeled N, A, B, and C. The N, A, and C domains are clustered to form a large central core structure whereas the smaller B domain is extended outward. Two hinge regions, which might readily facilitate interdomain movement, connect the B domain and the main core. A search of structural databases showed that the structure of GAR-syn is similar to d-alanine:d-alanine ligase,...
Limitations to the use of Sb as a Surfactant During SiGe MBE

The use of Sb as a surfactant in suppressing Ge segregation during SiGe alloy growth was investigated as a function of Sb surface coverage, Ge alloy concentration, and alloy thickness using xray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Unlike previous studies where Sb was found to completely quench Ge segregation into a Si capping layer, we find that Sb can not completely prevent Ge segregation while Si and Ge are being co-deposited. This results in the production of a non-square quantum well with missing Ge at the beginning and extra Ge at the end of the alloy. We also found that Sb does not relieve strain in thin films but does result in compositional or strain variations within thick alloy layers.
Mutational and selective effects on copy-number variants in the human genome

Comprehensive descriptions of large insertion/deletion or segmental duplication polymorphisms (SDs) in the human genome have recently been generated. These annotations, known collectively as structural or copy-number variants (CNVs), include thousands of discrete genomic regions and span hundreds of millions of nucleotides. Here we review the genomic distribution of CNVs, which is strongly correlated with gene, repeat and segmental duplication content. We explore the evolutionary mechanisms giving rise to this nonrandom distribution, considering the available data on both human polymorphisms and the fixed changes that differentiate humans from other species. It is likely that mutational biases, selective effects and interactions between these forces all contribute substantially to the spectrum of human copy-number variation. Although defining these variants with nucleotide-level precision remains a largely unmet but critical challenge, our understanding of their potential medical impact and evolutionary importance is rapidly emerging.
Could climate change capitalism

Economist Nicholas Stern's latest book is a rare and masterly synthesis of climate-change science and economics. His 'global deal' could change capitalism for the better, says Robert Costanza.
Flutter Analysis Using Nonlinear Aerodynamic Forces

The nonlinear effects of transonic aerodynamic forces on the flutter boundary of a typical section airfoil are studied. The flutter speed dependence on amplitude is obtained by utilizing a novel variation of the describing function method which takes into account the first fundamental harmonic of the nonlinear oscillatory motion. By using an aerodynamic describing function, traditional flutter analysis methods may still be used while including the effects of aerodynamic nonlinearities. Results from such a flutter analysis are compared with those of brute force time-marching solutions. The aerodynamic forces are computed by the LTRAN2 aerodynamic code for an NACA 64A006 airfoil at Mx = 0.86.
An analysis of the moisture‐related properties of hydrolyzed polyester

Alkaline hydrolysis causes pitting of the surface of polyester (PET) fibers and films and improves their wettability, as indicated by contact angle measurements. The enhanced wettability is due to an increase in either the number or the accessibility of polymer hydrophilic groups to water and/or an increase in the roughness of sample surfaces. The increase of void space in the PET yarn and fabric structure, induced by treatment in aqueous NaOH together with the increased wettability of the fibers, was effective in improving the moisture transport properties of the materials. The NaOH-treated PET fabrics transported the water further than isolated corresponding yarns, possibly because, in the fabrics, the spaces between the yarns acted as an additional reservoir that permitted further wicking to occur. It is apparent from immersion and equilibrium wicking capacity tests that a hydrophilic topical finish, as well as a change in the yarn/fabric structure and the hydrophilicity of their surfaces can increase the water holding capacity of PET fabric. The moisture regain and water retention values of the samples were determined, and it was found that such tests are not sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between the hydrophilicity of nontreated PET fabrics and that of PET fabrics modified either by application of a topical finish or by NaOH treatment.
Reproducibility of regional apportionments of pollution aerosol in the Northeastern United States

Abstract Regional apportionments of sulfate and Se in pollution aerosol have been reproduced to within 10% for winter and summer at Narragansett, RI, and for summer at Underhill, VT, over a 3-yr period. Agreement of observed variability of apportionments with earlier estimates of their uncertainties served to empirically confirm both error-propagation methods and original uncertainties assigned to regional signatures. Winter apportionments at Underhill were more variable because of systematic differences in meteorology.
Gross Output: A New Revolutionary Way to Confuse Students about Measuring the Economy

Even considered only as a measure of aggregate economic output, GDP is problematic because, of necessity, it includes many arbitrary, politically charged and ideological assumptions and conventions that undermine its usefulness. For example, housing services are estimated and included in GDP, but in-home work is not. Similarly, government spending on goods and services is included as a final good at cost, not as an intermediate good. Early on, when they were creating the aggregate income accounts, there was a debate about whether government spending on goods and services should be considered an intermediate good or a final good. Possibly, in part because of a desire of some of those designing the measure to make it politically easier to increase government spending, the decision was made to include government spending on goods and services as a final output at cost, not as an intermediate good. This decision meant that increases in government spending on goods and services increases GDP directly, whereas had the other decision been made, increases in government spending would not have increased GDP; instead they would have lowered productivity. To design an accounting measure choices had to be made. If the GDP measure was used as the rough gauge for the economic component of social welfare that it was meant to be, it would have been fine. But when that rough gauge becomes a carefully watched statistic, and tenths of a percentage point differences are represented as implying something important has happened, as is currently the case, then the measure is being misused. To the degree that the new gross output measure undermines the misuse of GDP figures, it is something to be applauded.
Metabolomic effects in HepG2 cells exposed to four TiO2 and two CeO2 nanomaterials

It is difficult to evaluate nanomaterials potential toxicity and to make science-based societal choices. To better assess potential hepatotoxicity issues, human liver HepG2 cells were exposed to four TiO2 and two CeO2 nanomaterials at 30 ug ml−1 for three days with dry mean primary particle sizes ranging from 8 to 142 nm. Two nanomaterials were also run at 3 ug ml−1. A metabolomics study was then performed using three mass spectroscopy dependent platforms (LC and GC). Five of the six nanomaterials strongly reduced glutathione concentration. The two strongest effects were from exposures to a TiO2 (59 nm) and a CeO2 (8 nm), both from NanoAmor. The decreases in the GSH system were observed in (a) GSH precursors (glutamate and cysteine), (b) GSH itself and (c) GSH metabolites (the gamma-glutamyl condensation products with glutamate, glutamine, alanine, valine and also 5-oxoproline and cysteine–GSH). The glutathione decreases were the largest decreases seen among the 265 biochemical metabolites determined and is consistent with nanomaterials acting via an oxidative stress mode of action. CeO2, but not TiO2, increased asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration and thus possible decreases in iNOS activity and NO concentration could result. One CeO2 (8 nm from NanoAmor) increased concentrations of many lipids, particularly fatty acids. Similar statistically significant elevations were seen in several other classes of lipids (lysolipid, monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol and sphingolipid) but not in all classes of lipids (glycerolipid, carnitine and fatty acid dicarboxylate). None of the other 5 nanomaterials had this lipid effect. Thus, metabolomic analysis of nanomaterial treated HepG2 cells revealed several previously unknown biochemical effects.
Structural Basis for Clinical Longevity of Carbapenem Antibiotics in the Face of Challenge by the Common Class A β-Lactamases from the Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Bacteria resistant to antibiotics are being selected in a relatively short time, and cases of infections resistant to treatment by all known antibiotics are being identified at alarming rates. The primary mechanism for resistance to β-lactam antibiotics is the catalytic function of β-lactamases. However, imipenem (a β-lactam) resists the action of most β-lactamases and is virtually the last effective agent against the vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive bacteria, as well as against multiple antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative organisms. Here, we report the crystal structure, to 1.8 A resolution, of an acyl−enzyme intermediate for imipenem bound to the TEM-1 β-lactamase from Escherichia coli, the parent enzyme of 67 clinical variants. The structure indicates an unprecedented conformational change for the complex which accounts for the ability of this antibiotic to resist hydrolytic deactivation by β-lactamases. Computational molecular dynamics underscored the importance of the motion of the acyl−enzyme inter...
Two-dimensional equalization in holographic optical memory

The potential advantages of volume optical storage were recognized almost 30 years ago and since that time many research efforts have focused on improving the underlying materials and devices for use in such systems. Recent progress in these supporting technologies have made possible several system-level demonstrations of volume optical storage. These recent demonstrations have verified the feasibility of volume memory systems for offering large volumetric storage capacities, fast access times, and very high data transfer rates realized via the parallel two-dimensional (2D) nature of the stored data. The success of these volume storage testbeds have served to ignite additional research into supporting two-dimensional or page-oriented interface technologies such as parallel 2D data detection and error correction. This application therefore provides a strong impetus to study traditional communication theoretic topics such as signaling, equalization, coding, etc. , in the context of highly parallel 2D channels. The storage and retrieval processes associated with holographic optical memory systems are complex. In order to model a specific memory architecture (e.g. , 90 degree Fourier plane photorefractive memory), many physical parameters must be specified (e.g., focal lengths, material constants, modulator and detector details, etc.). We have elected to utilize a simplified model of these systems for equalizer design purposes, in which the recording and retrieval physics are captured through the behavior of a "channel." We consider a coherent optical channel (i.e., linear in electric field) suffering from finite-contrast and post-detection additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) . This coherent system produces a measured intensity that represents a quadratic function of the stored data, complicating the simple 151 channel model that is familiar to traditional communications applications.
Accessing properties of electron wave packets generated by attosecond pulse trains through time-dependent calculations

We present a time-dependent method for calculating the energy-dependent atomic dipole phase that an electron acquires when it is ionized by the absorption of a single ultraviolet photon. Our approach exactly mirrors the method used to experimentally characterize a train of attosecond pulses. In both methods the total electron phase is measured (calculated) via a two-photon interference involving the absorption or emission of an additional infrared photon in the continuum. In our calculation we use a perfect (zero spectral phase) light field and so extract the atomic dipole phase directly from the electron wave packet. We calculate the atomic phase for argon, neon, and helium at low infrared intensities and compare them to previous perturbative calculations. At moderate infrared probe intensities, we find that that the dipole phase can still be reliably determined using two-photon interference, even when higher-order processes are non-negligible. We also show that a continuum structure, in this case a Cooper minimum in argon, significantly affects the probability for infrared absorption and emission over a range of energies around the minimum, even at low infrared intensities. We conclude that well-characterized attosecond pulse trains can be used to examine continuum structures in atoms and molecules.
Role of cell membrane Na,K-ATPase for survival of human lymphocytes in vitro

Lymphocytes are primordial immune cells with variable life times. Besides genetic programming, extracellular factors interacting with cell surface receptors might alter cell survival. We investigated whether the activity of the membrane-embedded Na,K-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.37) or sodium pump (NKA) plays a role for cell survival since this ubiquitous system establishes the vital transmembrane Na and K gradients as well as the resulting high intracellular K/Na ratio required for macromolecule synthesis; furthermore, the system exposes an extracellular inhibitory receptors for cardioactive steroids and palytoxin. Isolated human lymphocytes were incubated in vitro and their viability assessed by exclusion of trypan blue. Various incubation conditions were compared; in RPMI-1640 medium cell viability was preserved for 30 h at 37 °C. Externally added ouabain, a hydrophilic cardioactive steroid, blocked the [86Rb]potassium uptake at nanomolar concentrations. Despite pump inhibition ouabain did not alter lymphocyte survival, even at 10 mM for 30 h. By contrast, the hydrophilic toxin palytoxin, the most potent animal poison described so far, killed all cells within 2 h at 10 nM; this toxin is known to act via the sodium pump and to provoke deadly cation-leaks by unmasking a channel component. Intracellular Na increased and K decreased as measured by atomic absorption spectrometry in presence of palytoxin; cell swelling was seen by electron microscopy. Ouabain protected the cells from the toxic effect of palytoxin. The results reveal a pivotal role of NKA integrity for lymphocyte survival.
Matching Attributes across Overlapping Heterogeneous Data Sources Using Mutual Information

Identifying matching attributes across heterogeneous data sources is a critical and time-consuming step in integrating the data sources. In this paper, the author proposes a method for matching the most frequently encountered types of attributes across overlapping heterogeneous data sources. The author uses mutual information as a unified measure of dependence on various types of attributes. An example is used to demonstrate the utility of the proposed method, which is useful in developing practical attribute matching tools.
Epicardial Adipose Tissue: A Benign Consequence of Obesity?

The obesity epidemic has emerged as one of the most critical public health problems worldwide that is closely associated with the development of metabolic and cardiovascular disease.1 With increasing obesity, adipose tissue accumulates in multiple body compartments both within and surrounding internal organs with potential to negatively alter their biological function. In addition to increased fat mass, obesity is associated with functional abnormalities in adipose tissue that are linked to inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, vascular dysfunction, impaired angiogenesis, and insulin resistance.2 These perturbations are particularly evident with visceral obesity, which has been most closely linked to cardiovascular risk.3,4 Recently, interest has focused on the potential role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), which shares embryological origin with abdominal visceral fat, as a modulator of cardiovascular function, owing to its immediate anatomic proximity to the coronary vasculature and myocardium with shared microcirculation. Epicardial fat measured by different methods, including echocardiography, CT, and MRI, correlates with degree of intra-abdominal visceral adiposity. It has been suggested that EAT represents the visceral fat depot of the heart, displaying high metabolic activity and capacity for production of several mediators with paracrine effects that may regulate cardiovascular homeostasis.5 See Article by Tanami et al Several lines of evidence suggest that EAT could play …
On the discretization of problems involving periodic planar tilings

Features related to the discretization of problems characterized by simple periodic tilings using cells of various shapes are discussed. Various cell geometries that tile the plane periodically are considered. Equivalent problems are identified, where the discretization can take place on a parallelogram, regardless of the shape of the original cell. These equivalent problems also suggest a numbering of the equations that results in matrices with interesting and useful properties. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phase Behavior of Near-Monodisperse Semifluorinated Diblock Copolymers by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Well-defined diblock copolymers of pentafluorostyrene and methyl methacrylate with narrow molecular weight distributions (PDI < 1.15) were successfully synthesized by atom transfer radical polymeri...
The relation between convergence micropsia and retinal eccentricity.

Abstract Subjects adjusted the size of a test spot, seen at various levels of convergence, until it appeared to match a standard spot viewed with a fixed amount of convergence. With foveal viewing, subjects made the test spot physically larger as convergence increased in order to keep its perceived size constant (“convergence micropsia”). This was equally true whether the test spot was viewed with one or both eyes. Convergence micropsia was reduced when the test spot was presented outside the fovea; this result of non-foveal viewing occurred whether or not accommodation was paralyzed.
Stimulated Raman scattering from individual water and ethanol droplets at morphology-dependent resonances

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from an individual liquid droplet (~30-microm radius) has been observed for H(2)O, D(2)O, and ethanol. The occurrence of a series of spectrally narrow peaks that are regularly spaced in wavelength is consistent with morphology-dependent resonances of the droplet, which acts as an optical resonator. The input intensity required to achieve the SRS threshold for the droplet is considerably less than that for the liquid in an optical cell.