cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Gramian Based Approach to Nonlinearity Quantification and Model Classification

This paper introduces a new method for quantifying the nonlinearity of a process. The approach compares the controllability and observability gramians of a system that is linearized at its steady state operating point to empirical gramians, which are computed from data collected within an operating region of the nonlinear process. This comparison results in two measures for the nonlinearity of the input-output behavior of a process: one for the nonlinearity in the input-to-state behavior (controllability) and one for the nonlinearity in the state-to-output behavior (observability). This is important for controller/observer design, as well as model reduction, because it indicates when it is appropriate to replace a nonlinear model with a linearization around its operating point. In addition, severely nonlinear models can be identified as being Wiener-like models, Hammerstein-like models, or nonlinear in both input-to-state and state-to-output behavior. The proposed approach is illustrated with several examples comparing this method with nonlinearity measures used in the literature.
Methods for correlating molecules and some optimized valence configuration results on the diatomic molecules Li2, Be2, B2 C2, N2, F2; BN, BeO, LiF, HeNe; CO and BF

Popular computational methods for correlating molecules are first summarized and evaluated. Then recent results obtained by the method of Optimized Valence Configurations on the titled diatomic molecules are presented. All of these correlated wavefunctions are below the Hartree-Fock result in energy. The significance of various excitations and the changing nature of effective correlating orbitals with bond polarity is discussed. Some problems in correlating molecules are outlined.
Contraception: what every internist should know.

The human costs of unintended pregnancy—abortion and parenting under difficult circumstances—are high. For this reason, all physicians who treat female patients should be knowledgeable about the basics of contraception—both its practical uses and its public health impact. This knowledge will make physicians, including internists, better able to counsel and provide contraceptives for individual patients and to advocate for availability and access. This article discusses the problem and determinants of unintended pregnancy and reviews contraceptive methods.
Magnetic hardening in SmCox–Co multilayers and nanocomposites

SmCox–Co (x=3.5, 4, and 5) nanostructured multilayers have been prepared by dc and rf sputtering. Magnetic hardening has been found in the as-deposited thin films. The effects of the Co and hard-phase layer thicknesses and the effect of the Cr underlayer have been studied. Further magnetic hardening has been achieved by heat treating the samples. A remarkable increase of the coercivity has been obtained in the nanocomposite films, with coercive force up to 40 kOe. Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and magnetic force microscopy observations have been performed to understand the nanostructure and the domain structure.
SPECTROSCOPY AND CONFINEMENT

In this talk I progress semi-historically from the potential model as applied to heavy onia states to the QCD string dynamics of light quark mesons. The virtues and problems of the potential model are reviewed. Some of the difficulties are solved by the introduction of QCD string confinement. The method of solving string models numerically is outlined and some recent analytic results are discussed. We end by exploring some consequences of the model and how the observed light quark mesons can be classified simply.
Twin-seeded BaTiO3 ceramics

Abstract Grain size is important in the barium titanate ceramics used as capacitors and thermistors. Normally this is controlled by chemical additives and firing schedules, but growth twins also lead to increased grain size. Seeding experiments described in this paper demonstrate how the twins can be used to produce large-grained BaTiO3 ceramics.
Japan's Struggle with Internationalism: Japan, China and the League of Nations, 1931-1933

The Mukden incident and after towards an international commission, November-December 1931 problems, foreign and domestic the creation of Manchukuo the Shanghai crisis, January-March 1932 arrival of the Lytton Commission Lytton in Manchuria hiatus in Tokyo and Peking, May-June 1932 rush for recognition of Manchukuo the Lytton Report and Japan crisis at Christmas the assembly resolves, January-February 1933 climax and aftermath some concluding thoughts.
Convex Combination Approximation for the Min-Cost WSN Point Coverage Problem

This paper presents a new algorithm for finding better approximation solutions to the min-cost point coverage problem in wireless sensor networks. The problem is to compute a deterministic sensor deployment plan, with minimum monetary cost on sensors, to cover the set of targets spread across a geographical region such that each target is covered by multiple sensors. This is a Max-SNP-complete problem. Our approximation algorithm, called alpha-beta approximation, is a convex combination of greedy LP-rounding and greedy set-cover selection. We show that, through a large number of numerical simulations on randomly generated targets and sites, alpha-beta approximation produces efficiently better approximation results than the best approximation algorithm previously known. In particular, the alpha-beta approximation in our experiments never exceeds an approximation ratio of 1.07, providing up to 14.86% improvement over previous approximation algorithms.
Impact of penicillin susceptibility on medical outcomes for adult patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia.

The impact of penicillin susceptibility on medical outcomes for adult patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia was evaluated in a retrospective cohort study conducted during population-based surveillance for invasive pneumococcal disease in the greater Atlanta region during 1994. Of the 192 study patients, 44 (23%) were infected with pneumococcal strains that demonstrated some degree of penicillin nonsusceptibility. Compared with patients infected with penicillin-susceptible pneumococcal strains, patients whose isolates were nonsusceptible had a significantly greater risk of in-hospital death due to pneumonia (relative risk [RR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1‐4.3) and suppurative complications of infection (RR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1‐19.3), although only risk of suppurative complications remained statistically significant after adjustment for baseline differences in severity of illness. Among adults with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, infection with penicillin-nonsusceptible pneumococci is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcome. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most commonly identified pathogen in patients with community-acquired pneumonia and is responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity. Recent studies have documented an alarming increase in the rate of antimicrobial drug resistance among isolates of S. pneumoniae from patients with community-acquired pneumonia [1‐4]. In 1 surveillance program involving 27 United States medical centers in 1997, the overall level of penicillin nonsusceptibility was 43.8%, with 27.8% of isolates demonstrating intermediate susceptibility to penicillin (MIC, 0.1‐1 mg/mL) and 16% resistant
Oriented Arrays of Graphene in a Polymer Matrix by in situ Reduction of Graphite Oxide Nanosheets

Graphite oxideNafion hybrids with a high degree of alignment are cast from aqueous solution in the absence of any external field and reduced in situ by exposure to hydrazine to produce grapheneNafion hybrids (see image). Dramatic enhancement of electrical conductivity indicates sufficient accessibility of the inorganic nanosheets to the reducing agent, through the nanochannels formed by the polymeric ionic domains.
Unique and redundant functions of ATM and DNA-PKcs during V(D)J recombination

Lymphocyte antigen receptor genes are assembled through the process of V(D)J recombination, during which pairwise DNA cleavage of gene segments results in the formation of four DNA ends that are resolved into a coding joint and a signal joint. The joining of these DNA ends occurs in G1-phase lymphocytes and is mediated by the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), two related kinases, both function in the repair of DNA breaks generated during antigen receptor gene assembly. Although these proteins have unique functions during coding joint formation, their activities in signal joint formation, if any, have been less clear. However, two recent studies demonstrated that ATM and DNA-PKcs have overlapping activities important for signal joint formation. Here, we discuss the unique and shared activities of the ATM and DNA-PKcs kinases during V(D)J recombination, a process that is essential for lymphocyte development and the diversification of antigen receptors.
Stuttering in Children: An Overview:

Stuttering is defined and distinguished from normal disruptions of speech rhythm. The variable “fluency” is defined as the rate, continuity, and ease of speech production. Its development in normal...
Mapping the phases of Glacial Lake Algonquin in the upper Great Lakes region, Canada and USA, using a geostatistical isostatic rebound model

This study reviews Glacial Lake Algonquin, examines the Main and two “Upper Group” phases in northern Michigan and nearby Ontario, reports their spatial extents, and reassesses the lake history in light of isostatic rebound. Our paper presents the most accurate and detailed maps of Glacial Lake Algonquin in this region that have yet been published. Fieldwork was conducted at 243 ancient shoreline sites, which yielded position data that support geostatistical models that represent differentially upwarped water planes. Model parameters that describe water plane tilt are reported for the Main, Ardtrea and Upper Orillia phases. Geostatistical water plane models were used to adjust a digital contemporary elevation model, thereby creating a digital proglacial elevation model for each phase. Maps of these phases and the data that support them suggest (1) proto-Cockburn Island, Ontario existed as an islet in the lake that was deglaciated before the outlet at North Bay, Ontario was opened, (2) the Main and Ardtrea phases of the lake extended into the northern Lake Michigan basin, and (3) the Main and Ardtrea water planes intersect at places near Little Traverse Bay (by Lake Michigan) and Thunder Bay (by Lake Huron). Mapped isobases generally conform to those published in other works and suggest the regional pattern of isostatic adjustment has not changed substantially during the last 13,000 years.
Radial squeezed states and Rydberg wave packets

We outline an analytical framework for the treatment of radial Rydberg wave packets produced by short laser pulses in the absence of external electric and magnetic fields. Wave packets of this type are localized in the radial coordinates and have p-state angular distributions. We argue that they can be described by a particular analytical class of squeezed states, called radial squeezed states. For hydrogenic Rydberg atoms, we discuss the time evolution of the corresponding hydrogenic radial squeezed states. They are found to undergo decoherence and collapse, followed by fractional and full revivals. We also present their uncertainty product and uncertainty ratio as functions of time. Our results show that hydrogenic radial squeezed states provide a suitable analytical description of hydrogenic Rydberg atoms excited by short-pulsed laser fields.
Interconnect density capabilities of computer generated holograms for optical interconnection of very large scale integrated circuits.

An upper bound on the area of a computer generated hologram (CGH) required to form space variant connections between N transmitters and N × F detectors is determined. The analysis is performed without employing paraxial or small transmitter divergence angle approximations. It is shown that a previously proposed method for performing space variant interconnects has limited usefulness for connecting transmitters with large divergence angles. A new architecture employing a double pass CGH is introduced, and an expression is derived for the interconnect density capabilities of this architecture.
Transient evolution of the polarization-dispersion vector's probability distribution

We determine the transient evolution of the probability distribution of the polarization dispersion vector both analytically and numerically, using a physically reasonable model of the fiber birefringence. We show that, for all practical birefringence parameters, the distribution of the differential group delay (DGD), which is the magnitude of the polarization dispersion vector, becomes Maxwellian in just a few kilometers, except in the tail region, where the DGD is large. In this limit, the approach to a Maxwellian distribution takes much longer, of the order of tens of kilometers. In addition, we show that in the transient regime the DGD distribution is very different from Maxwellian. We also find that the probability-distribution function for the polarizationdispersion vector at the output of the fiber depends upon the angle between it and the local birefringence vector
Evaluation of Dietary Intake Data Using the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels

We discuss the problem of assessing nutrient intake relative to the tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for the nutrient proposed by the Institute of Medicine and focus on 2 important topics: the estimation of usual nutrient intake distributions and the extent to which intakes above the UL can be considered risky. With the information that is currently available for most nutrients, it is not possible to estimate the proportion of individuals in a group with intakes that place them at risk. This is because the shape of the dose-response curve needed to carry out a risk assessment is unknown for most nutrients. Thus, intakes above UL cannot be declared to be unsafe. Intakes below the UL, however, are likely to pose no risk to individuals in the group. Because determining the proportion of individuals with intakes below the UL requires estimation of an upper-tail percentile of the intake distribution, the use of 1-d intake data or otherwise unadjusted intake data are likely to lead to severely biased estimates. It is important to remove within-individual variance in intakes from daily intakes so that the tails of the usual intake distribution are accurately estimated. Underreporting of the amount of nutrients consumed will tend to shift the estimated usual nutrient intake distribution downwards. In this case, the true proportion of individuals with intakes below the UL is likely to be overestimated.
Fiddler crabs facilitate Spartina alterniflora growth, mitigating periwinkle overgrazing of marsh habitat

Ecologists have long been interested in identifying and testing factors that drive top-down or bottom-up regulation of communities. Most studies have focused on factors that directly exert top-down (e.g., grazing) or bottom-up (e.g., nutrient availability) control on primary production. For example, recent studies in salt marshes have demonstrated that fronts of Littoraria irrorata periwinkles can overgraze Spartina alterniflora and convert marsh to mudflat. The importance of indirect, bottom-up effects, particularly facilitation, in enhancing primary production has also recently been explored. Previous field studies separately revealed that fiddler crabs, which burrow to depths of more than 30 cm, can oxygenate marsh sediments and redistribute nutrients, thereby relieving the stress of anoxia and enhancing S. alterniflora growth. However, to our knowledge, no studies to date have explored how nontrophic facilitators can mediate top-down effects (i.e., grazing) on primary-producer biomass. We conducted a field study testing whether fiddler crabs can facilitate S. alterniflora growth sufficiently to mitigate overgrazing by periwinkles and thus sustain S. alterniflora marsh. As inferred from contrasts to experimental plots lacking periwinkles and fiddler crabs, periwinkles alone exerted top-down control of total aboveground biomass and net growth of S. alterniflora. When fiddler crabs were included, they counteracted the effects of periwinkles on net S. alterniflora growth. Sediment oxygen levels were greater and S. alterniflora belowground biomass was lower where fiddler crabs were present, implying that fiddler crab burrowing enhanced S. alterniflora growth. Consequently, in the stressful interior S. alterniflora marsh, where subsurface soil anoxia is widespread, fiddler crab facilitation can mitigate top-down control by periwinkles and can limit and possibly prevent loss of biogenically structured marsh habitat and its ecosystem services.
Time course of changes in markers of myogenesis in overloaded rat skeletal muscles

During the process of compensatory muscle hypertrophy, satellite cells are thought to proliferate, differentiate, and then fuse with existing myofibers. We hypothesized that early in this process changes occur in the expression of cellular markers indicative of the onset of myogenic processes. The plantaris muscles of rats were overloaded via the unilateral ablation of synergists. Groups of rats were killed at time points from 6 h to 12 days. Changes in muscle gene expression (mRNA) of cyclin D1, p21, myogenin, MyoD, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I, mRNA and peptide) were measured. Cyclin D1 (a cell cycle marker) was increased after 24 h of overloading and corresponded with changes in muscle DNA content. In contrast, p21 and myogenin, markers of cellular differentiation, were increased after just 12 h. Muscle IGF-I peptide levels were also increased at early time points. The results of this study indicate that myogenic processes are activated in response to increased loading at very early time points (e.g., 12 h) and that IGF-I may be modulating this response. Furthermore, these findings suggest that some cells may have been differentiating very early in the adaptation process before events leading to cellular proliferation have been initiated.
Grandparental transfers and kin selection

In the analysis of intergenerational transfer, several improvements can be made. First, following kin selection theory, grandparents have kin other than grandchildren in which to invest and therefore any investigation into grandparents should take this perspective. Secondly, how transfers actually enhance the survivorship of younger relatives such as grandchildren must be better measured, especially in the ethnographic literature. Finally, the problem of indirect investments or targeting must be considered.
Creep Cavitation in a Siliconized Silicon Carbide Tested in Tension and Flexure

Cavity formation was quantified in a grade of siliconized silicon carbide containing 33 vol% silicon. The type, size, and density of cavities were determined for smooth-bar specimens tested in both tension and bending, and for indented specimens tested in tension. In both tension and bending, the volume fraction of cavities was found to be proportional to the tensile creep strain. Cavities nucleated at random locations throughout the test specimen, eventually coalescing into cracks that were the source of failure at high temperatures. In tension, the strain to failure was about 1%. In flexure, stress relaxation at the tensile surface of test specimens helped stabilize cracks that formed during creep. As a consequence, strains to failure were about twice as large in bending as in tension. In tensile specimens containing large, >300 μm, indentation cracks, cavitation was profuse near the crack tips. At a volume fraction of about 3%, cavities coalesced to form secondary cracks near the tip of the indentation crack. Cracks advanced by linkage of cavitation cracks with the indentation crack. Crack growth was intermittent, requiring the buildup of cavities in front of the crack tip before crack advance could occur. If the indentation crack length was less than about 200 μm, cavity formation at the tip of the crack was not sufficient for crack advance. In such case, failure would have to occur by cavity coalescence and crack formation at some other location in the test specimen.
Effect of antiandrogen flutamide on measures of hepatic regeneration in rats

Male rat liver undergoes a process of demasculinization during hepatic regeneration following partial hepatectomy. The possibility that antiandrogens might potentiate this demasculinization process and in so doing augment the hepatic regenerative response was investigated. Adult male Wistar rats were treated with the antiandrogen flutamide (2 mg/rat/day or 5 mg/rat/day subcutaneously) or vehicle for three days prior to and daily after a 70% partial hepatectomy. At various times after hepatectomy, the liver remnants were removed and weighed. Rates of DNA and polyamine synthesis were assessed by measuring thymidine kinase and ornithine decarboxylase activities, respectively. Hepatic estrogen receptor status and the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase, an androgen-sensitive protein, were measured. Prior to surgery, the administration of 5 mg/day flutamide reduced the hepatic cytosolic androgen receptor activity by 98% and hepatic cytosolic estrogen receptor content by 92% compared to that present in vehicle-treated controls. After hepatectomy, however, all differences in sex hormone receptor activity between the treatment groups were abolished. The rate of liver growth after partial hepatectomy in the three groups was identical. Moreover, hepatectomy-induced increases in ornithine decarboxylase activity and thymidine kinase activity were comparable. These data demonstrate that, although flutamide administration initially alters the sex hormone receptor status of the liver, these affects have no effect on the hepatic regenerative response following a partial hepatectomy.
Fluoride Remineralization of Demineralized Bovine Tooth Enamel and Hydroxyapatite Pellets

Both bovine enamel and hydroxyapatite pellets were remineralized in a fluoride-containing remineralization solution after prior demineralization for various lengths of time. In both the enamel and pellet systems, the degree of remineralization attainable was directly related to the extent of prior demineralization, although the demineralized material was never 100% recovered in remineralization. In some cases, fluoride levels up to several thousand parts per million were found at depths as great as 50 μm from the surface. The stoichiometry of the remineralized material and electron microprobe examination were consistent with the formation of fluoridated hydroxyapatite rather than calcium fluoride.
Anomalous regulation of β-adrenoceptor signaling in brain regions of the newborn rat

Desensitization, an essential homeostatic response to excessive or continued beta-adrenoceptor (betaAR) stimulation, is deficient in immature cells. To determine the mechanisms underlying anomalous betaAR responses in newborn rats, we administered terbutaline, a beta2AR agonist, on postnatal day 2 and evaluated signaling through adenylyl cyclase (AC) in cell membrane preparations 4 h later. Although a small decrement in isoproterenol-stimulated AC was obtained in the forebrain, robust sensitization was seen in the brainstem and cerebellum, in association with heterologous increases in AC catalytic activity: increased basal, dopamine-stimulated and forskolin-stimulated AC. Superimposed on this global increase, there was a small degree of betaAR and dopamine receptor desensitization, characterized by decreases in the isoproterenol/forskolin and dopamine/forskolin AC activity ratios. Our results indicate that, in some immature brain regions, betaAR desensitization is masked by more substantial increases in the activity of signaling elements downstream from the receptors, resulting in sustained responses in the face of continued receptor stimulation. These effects are likely responsible for the maintenance of betaAR activity associated with neurotrophic input during synaptogenesis but may also contribute to adverse effects of betaAR agonists used in preterm labor.
The Metamorphosis of Marilyn Monroe

The four stages in American culture's perspectives on Marilyn Monroe, as represented in the popular press, are reviewed. The Rumored Marilyn, the Legendary Marilyn, and the Mythic Marilyn now have given way to a completely depersonalized visual icon.
Massive Data Visualization: A Survey

Today’s scientific and engineering problems require a different approach to address the massive data problems in organization, storage, transmission, visualization, ex- ploration, and analysis. Visual techniques for data exploration are now common in many scientific, engineering, and business applications. However, the massive amount of data collected through simulation, collection and logging is inhibiting the use of conventional vi- sualization methods. We need to discover new visualization methods that allow us to explore the massive multidimensional time-varying information streams and turn overwhelming tasks into opportunities for discovery and analysis.
The Merger of Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation (A): The Proposed Merger

In December 1997, the CEOs of Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation were evaluating the proposed terms of merger of their two firms. This transaction promised to change the competitive landscape among commercial banks, investment banks, and asset managers, not only in Europe, but also globally. The A case relates the strategic pressures toward consolidation in the global financial-services industry, the histories of the two firms, the prospective economic benefits of merger, and the terms of merger. The tasks for the students include the following: 1. Strategic assessment. Students must evaluate the forces of change in the industry and why a combination of these two firms might dominate strategic alternatives. 2. Economic and valuation analysis. Students must appraise the economic consequences of the proposed deal from the standpoint of shareholders of the two firms. At the heart of this analysis is a careful valuation of proposed synergies. The size and sources of the synergy values are particularly instructive. 3. Deal-structure analysis. Students must summarize the terms of the combination from the standpoints of appropriateness and fairness. In particular, this deal was structured as a merger of equals, with a low acquisition premium, sharing of power, and blending of the two sides. Whether such a structure was more appropriate than an outright acquisition is an important point of instruction in the case. 4. Communication strategy. Finally, students should address the challenges of how to present the deal to the various constituencies of the two firms: shareholders, regulators, customers, and employees. The B case (UVA-F-1422) describes the communication strategy and planning for postmerger integration. The C case (UVA-F-1423) summarizes the integration effort and the economic results over the five years following the transaction. It is recommended that the instructor distribute the A case for advance preparation by students and hold the B and C cases for discussion after the A case. This series of cases about the UBS-SBC merger was prepared to serve a number of learning objectives: 1. Exercise skills of valuation and strategic analysis. The cases assume that students have been exposed to standard concepts in these areas and are ready to apply them. 2. Survey the often arduous process by which M&A deals are developed and then implemented. These cases give detailed insight into the risks and difficulties of transaction management. 3. Explore the terms of merger and the wide range of choices in transaction design. A key lesson here is that a deal consists of much more than price. Students will see that issues regarding form of payment, governance, and social terms are vital aspects of a deal. 4. Consider the enormous challenges of postmerger integration. The cases report the integration strategies adopted in various lines of business and thereby afford the opportunity for comparing the motives and effects of different integration strategies.
From plastic bottle recycling to policy support: An experimental test of pro-environmental spillover

Abstract Little research has investigated the extent to which performance of one pro-environmental behavior (PEB) spills over to increase or decrease support for pro-environmental policies or the mechanisms underlying spillover effects. In this study, 283 U.S. university students were randomly assigned via situational manipulations to either recycle a water bottle, throw the bottle in the trash, or a control condition. All participants then completed surveys assessing environmental identity, guilt, and environmental worry, as well as support for a pro-environmental campus green fund. Results showed evidence for negative spillover among Democrats only, which was mediated by environmental identity: Democrats who recycled the water bottle had lower environmental identities and were less supportive of the green fund than those in the control condition. Neither Republicans nor Independents displayed spillover. The results have implications for those interested in increasing small, easy PEBs in hopes of gaining future support for environmental policies.
The Neighborhood Context of Latino Threat

In recent years, the size of the Latino immigrant population has swelled in communities throughout the United States. For decades, social scientists have studied how social context, particularly a ...
Cross-Layer Codesign for Secure Cyber-Physical Systems

Security attacks may have disruptive consequences on cyber-physical systems, and lead to significant social and economic losses. Building secure cyber-physical systems is particularly challenging due to the variety of attack surfaces from the cyber and physical components, and often to limited computation and communication resources. In this paper, we propose a cross-layer design framework for resource-constrained cyber-physical systems. The framework combines control-theoretic methods at the functional layer and cybersecurity techniques at the embedded platform layer, and addresses security together with other design metrics such as control performance under resource and real-time constraints. We use the concept of interface variables to capture the interactions between control and platform layers, and quantitatively model the relation among system security, performance, and schedulability via interface variables. The general codesign framework is customized and refined to the automotive domain, and its effectiveness is demonstrated through an industrial case study and a set of synthetic examples.
A Review of "Data Visualizations and Infographics. Library Technology Essentials, #8."

Data Visualizations and Infographics by Sarah K. C. Mauldin, volume 8 in the Library Technology Essentials series, is a how-to-do-it book that teaches readers to display their data through visualiz...
Experimental study on a novel minimization method of top burr formation in micro-end milling of Ti-6Al-4V

This paper investigates the top burr formation mechanism and minimization method in the micro-end milling of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V. The top burr formation procedure has been systematically deduced to reveal the reason for the occurrence of a top burr considering the cutting trajectory of the micro-milling tool, the chip thickness h, and the variation in the micro-milling force F p. A new method to minimize the top burr in micro-end milling of Ti-6Al-4V is proposed in this study: resin coating is fabricated to control and reduce the top burr size by absorbing the W p energy. A series of micro-end milling experiments were performed to test this new method. The experimental measurement results prove that the method in this study significantly reduces the top burr size in the micro-end milling of Ti-6Al-4V. Two different top burr formation modes during micro-end milling have been found, and the effect of the minimum chip thickness h m on the top burr size is revealed. When h is below h m, large squeezing and tearing result in a poor surface and large top burrs; when h is above h m, the top burr size suddenly decreases. The relations between the top burr size variation b l, b w, and the cutting-force work W p are determined and discussed. Based on the new technology that this study develops, a series of micro-milling surfaces with the smallest top burr size to date worldwide are achieved. The knowledge obtained from this study is expected to be an important contribution to top burr minimization in micro-machining.
Value of Radiological Imaging on Detecting Bone Metastasis in Pediatric Neuroblastoma

Purpose:To compare the diagnostic value of X-ray computed tomography(CT) and magnetic resonance image(MRI) on detecting bone metastasis in pediatric neuroblastoma.Methods: Forty seven neuroblastoma with bone metastasis cases were evaluated and analyzed respectively on plain X-ray,CT and MRI.Results:In all the 47 cases with bone metastases,89.2% metastatic lesions were located in long tubular bones,iliac,cranium and vertebrae.Morphologically,the percentages of osteolytic and mixed pattern were 71.4% and 28.6% respectively,there was no sclerotic pattern in all the 47 cases.The features on plain X-ray and CT were moth-eaten,irregular and tiny lesions,part of the cases were with peripheral sclerosis or periosteal reactions.CT showed more tiny changes at cranium,vertebra and pelvis.It was low signal intensity on T1WI,high signal intensity on T2WI.The MR images showed the infiltration earlier and further than CT.Conclusions:X-ray is mainly used for detecting bone metastasis in pediatric neuroblastoma,which especially demonstrates the lesions in long tubular bones.CT provides a detailed image,particularly in cranium,vertebra and pelvis.MRI is used for detecting bone marrow and intraspinal metastasis at an earlier stage.
Crystallization and Nucleation Phenomena in CW Surface Melted Alloys

Other contributors to this text have described the thermal history which pulse melting produces in solid surfaces. Also described have been the rudiments of the theory which applies to solidification interface velocities and crystallization phenomena. There are many similarities between the pulsed regime and the continuous wave or cw regime of surface melting. In one respect, however, there is an important difference. With pulsed heating, the isotherm and resolidification velocities depend on the pulse length and thermal properties of the materials. In cw processing, the maximum velocity that the solidification interface or any isotherm can reach is that of the traveling energetic beam. In addition, the dependence of interface velocity on depth from the surface is distinctly different for cw processing as compared to pulse processing. With a greater degree of control over the solidification velocities of interest using the cw alternative and with the aid of finite-element heat flow computer codes, one can hope to identify and understand the various nucleation and growth processes which occur on surface melting. Here, by way of example, we will highlight several phenomena involved in the nucleation and growth of crystalline phases and of glass formation in cw-processed surface alloys.
Testing the Resilience of Ethnic, Linguistic, and Regional Cleavages in the Face of Economic Hard Times: A Comparison of the Pre and Post-Crisis Presidential Elections in Ukraine

The extensive literature on the relationship between economic hard times and election outcomes largely predicts that voters will reject incumbents in the face of economic crisis or, as in the East European context, turn to parties and candidates that are associated with greater stability and stronger social protection agendas. This literature fundamentally assumes that voting behavior is determined by material self-interest and, thus, expects socioeconomic cleavages to be the most powerful predictors of electoral outcomes during times of economic crisis. In ethnically heterogeneous states, however, even in the face of economic crisis, ethnic-based cleavages may replace socioeconomic cleavages as the most powerful predictors of electoral outcomes, if these cleavages are politicized by ethnic elites or political parties. In this paper, we test the resilience of Ukraine’s distinct “national identity” cleavage, defined by ethnic, linguistic, and regional societal divisions, in the post-crisis presidential election. The economic crisis, which had an especially devastating effect on Ukraine, should have made socioeconomic inequalities especially evident and strengthened socioeconomic cleavages. Therefore, the comparison of pre and post-crisis voting behavior in Ukraine serves as a rigorous test of the relative salience of ethnic versus economic factors in an ethnically diverse setting. We hypothesize that, in Ukraine, ethnic Russians and Russophones voted differently from voters united on the basis of Ukrainian national identity and that, despite the economic hardships associated with the latest crisis, the national identity cleavage remains the most persistent point of political contention. According to competing hypotheses, Ukraine’s dominant national identity cleavage mattered significantly less in the post-crisis election because economic voting occurred across usually dominant cleavage lines. Additionally, socioeconomic cleavages, including differences among poorer and richer voters and urban and rural voters, serve a much greater, if not dominant, role in the post-crisis context. To test these hypotheses, we use (1) models of ecological inference to ascertain the most powerful predictors of individual vote choice across Ukraine’s electoral districts in both presidential elections and (2) conduct a difference in differences test of the effect of the economic crisis on voting behavior in Ukraine. We also evaluate the candidates’ platforms in both presidential elections to determine which cleavages served as the main targets of political competition. Our findings strongly suggest that while economic voting did occur at a higher rate in the post-crisis election, the national identity cleavage remained the most important point of political competition and the primary predictor of vote choice, especially among minority ethnic Russian voters.
Alterations In HLA-DR Expression In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Are Associated with An Elevated Tricuspid Regurgitant Jet Velocity and Pulmonary Hypertension of Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract 2640 Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is characterized by a chronic inflammatory vasculopathy. An elevated tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRV) by echocardiography in SCA patients is not only reflective of possible pulmonary hypertension but is also associated with increased mortality risk, relative systemic hypertension, and renal disease, all of which suggest this is a marker of a more diffuse vasculopathy. We hypothesized that differential gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) occurs in SCA patients with an elevated TRV and might reflect the role of inflammation in sickle vasculopathy. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 15 steady-state SCA patients (7 of whom had a TRV > 2.5 m/sec). Three cases with increased TRV had right heart catheterization that confirmed the presence of pulmonary hypertension. PBMCs were isolated via a Ficoll separation. RNA was isolated and amplified using the Ambion Illumina Total RNA Prep Kit, and then hybridized to Illumina Human HT-12 V3 Expression Bead Chips and scanned. Expression data was background corrected, log-transformed, and strictly filtered to consider only probes showing expression in each sample and significant expression in at least half of either group of samples. Differential expression was tested for significance using a t-test performed on both native and rescaled datasets, and only probes reaching a significance of p MYOM2 , observed almost exclusively in SCA patients with a normal echocardiogram (p=0.007 and 0.008 respectively). Differential PBMC gene expression across the HLA-DRB1 locus has been associated in other populations with impaired immunity and increased susceptibility to sepsis. Our previous genetic studies have identified a potential link between the HLA loci and leg ulcers, another hemolytic complication associated with an elevated TRV in 219 SCA cases when compared with 1180 controls. In those studies, HLA-B was found to be in linkage disequilibrium with 3 genes found to be significantly associated with leg ulcers. This suggests the possibility that these heritable loci may play a role in disease modulation in SCD. PBMCs in SCA patients might have a pro-inflammatory phenotype and this may play a role in the vasculopathy and increased mortality risk observed in these patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Noise exposure among federal wildland fire fighters

Wildland fire fighters use many tools and equipment that produce noise levels that may be considered hazardous to hearing. This study evaluated 174 personal dosimetry measurements on 156 wildland fire fighters conducting various training and fire suppression tasks. Noise exposures often exceeded occupational exposure limits and suggest that wildland fire fighters may be at risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss, particularly those operating chainsaws, chippers, and masticators. The authors recommend a comprehensive approach to protecting these fire fighters that includes purchasing quieter equipment, noise and administrative controls, and enrolling these fire fighters into a hearing conservation program.
Long-term trends and synchrony in dissolved organic matter characteristics in Wisconsin, USA, lakes: Quality, not quantity, is highly sensitive to climate

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a fundamental driver of many lake processes. In the past several decades, many lakes have exhibited a substantial increase in DOM quantity, measured as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. While increasing DOC is now widely recognized, fewer studies have sought to understand how characteristics of DOM (DOM quality) change over time. Quality can be measured in several ways, including the optical characteristics spectral slope (S275–295), spectral ratio (SR), absorbance at 254 nm (A254), and DOC-specific absorbance (SUVA; A254:DOC). However, long-term measurements of quality are not nearly as common as long-term measurements of DOC concentration. We used 24 years of DOC and absorbance data for seven lakes in the North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research site in northern Wisconsin, USA, to examine temporal trends and synchrony in both DOC concentration and quality. We predicted lower SR and S275–295 and higher A254 and SUVA trends, consistent with increasing DOC and greater allochthony. DOC concentration exhibited both significant positive and negative trends among lakes. In contrast, DOC quality exhibited trends suggesting reduced allochthony or increased degradation, with significant long-term increases in SR in three lakes. Patterns and synchrony of DOM quality parameters suggest that they are more responsive to climatic variations than DOC concentration. SUVA was particularly responsive to the degree of soil moisture. These results demonstrate that DOC quantity and quality can exhibit different complex long-term trends and responses to climatic drivers, with implications for carbon cycling and microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems.
The Effect of Background Noise on Intelligibility of Dysphonic Speech.

Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the effect of background noise on the intelligibility of dysphonic speech and to examine the relationship between intelligibility in noise and an acous...
Stoichiometric Control of Electrocatalytic Amorphous Nickel Phosphide to Increase Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity and Stability in Acidic Medium

This work describes the electrocatalysis of amorphous nickel phosphide (Ni-P) electrodeposited onto copper metal foil, for its use as a non-noble metal catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5 M H2SO4. Although electrodeposition offers many advantages over conventional high temperature and high pressure fabrication techniques, there are very few reports on the preparation of Ni-P electrocatalysts via electrodeposition. This Ni-P electrocatalyst exhibits good activity in acidic medium, with a potential of –222 mV to achieve 10 mA cm–2 cathodic current density. This potential is comparable to that of electrodeposited Pt black (–104 mV), and much better than that of electrodeposited Ni (–480 mV). An unusual long-term stability in acidic medium was demonstrated by the –222 mV potential remaining constant after 5000 cyclic voltammetric sweeps in 0.5 M H2SO4. Importantly, the stoichiometry of the nickel phosphide films can be easily varied from an atomic % of phosphorus from 15 % to as high as 24 % by modifications to the electrodeposition conditions. Such a high phosphorous loading is greater than is generally reported with electrodeposited Ni-P materials. In addition, we observed Ni-P films electrodeposited at lower temperatures (∼ 3 °C) result in higher phosphorous loading, which gives rise to enhanced stability as well as activity. Electrodeposited amorphous Ni-P can therefore be used as an active, stable and Earth-abundant metal catalyst for the HER in acidic electrolytes.
Applications of sensing technology for smart cities

The industrial revolution and rapid urbanization of human society have put a great strain on the resource consumption and environmental issues. The concept of a smart city with advanced technology can play a vital role to overcome these challenges and make life more sustainable and environment greener. Sensing technology has an intense impact in this regard starting from smart design of the infrastructure to autonomous control and monitoring of the overall system. This paper presents an overview of the state-of-the-art sensor technologies that can play a vital role in the design of a smart city. This paper is aimed to provide a brief review of sensing technology on some selected platforms such as environmental monitoring, agriculture, and food safety as well as in security. By discussing the emergence of the low-power smart sensor and the associated challenges, this paper attempts to provide a future research direction.
Resolving Differences of Perspective in a VMT Session

According to influential theories of learning, individual learning is most effectively furthered by the resolution of differences—whether the differences are those of cognitive conflict in the individual’s mental processes or those of multiple perspectives interacting in group knowledge-building processes. This chapter investigates the methods used by virtual math teams to resolve differences of perspective having to do with the group’s approach to working on a problem. A fine-grained analysis of chat interaction shows how participants engage in artful ways to negotiate or produce agreement by using each other’s conclusions and appending them to their distinct, seemingly incompatible approaches. Participants negotiate which approach is in use, who is to participate in the unfolding of proffered approaches and in what order competing approaches are to be used. Participants also negotiate how solutions are to be assessed for adequacy and correctness. This interactional process of resolving differences drives the learning activity of the virtual math team by structuring the continuity of the discourse.