cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of linear distributed systems with random parameters and inputs

Abstract This paper is concerned with the statistical analysis of first-order linear distributed-parameter systems with random parameters and random inputs. In both cases, Gaussian processes are assumed. This work essentially extends the statistical theory available for analyzing random linear lumped-parameter systems to a restricted class of distributed-parameter systems.
Sulfanilamidopyridine (2-Para-aminobenzenesulfonamidopyridine) in Experimental Infections with Type XXII Pneumococcus.

SummaryExperimental infections with Type XXII pneumococcus, which are refractory to sulfanilamide therapy, can be treated satisfactorily with sulfanilamidopyridine. The amount of drug required for effective treatment is larger than that necessary in Types I, VII, and VIII infections (Whitby). Avirulent decapsulated Type XXII pneumococci have been isolated from the blood of mice treated with sulfanilamidopyridine. This supports the suggestion of Whitby, and Telling and Oliver that the drug exerts a definite action on the pneumococcus capsule.
In vitro velocity measurements down stream from the Ionescu-Shiley aortic bioprosthesis in steady and pulsatile flow.

Velocity measurements were made in vitro using laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) downstream from an lonescu-Shiley (IS) bioprosthetic aortic heart valve. Velocity measurements were made in both steady and pulsatile flow. A systematic, flow mapping approach to the measurement methodology showed that the IS valve generated a large jetlike flow constriction. The acceleration ratio, defined as the maximum mean velocity for the IS valve divided by that for no valve obstructing the flow, was as high as 2·4 for steady flow and 2·6 for pulsatile flow. It was concluded that the IS valve generated a flow quite unlike that observed by other in vestigators for the natural human aortic valve, after which the leaflet design of the IS valve was modelled. In addition, a comparative analysis of steady and pulsatile results was undertaken. It was found that the pulsatile flow results for the systolic ejection interval could be divided into three phases, denoted early, mid, and late systole, as defined by the flow structure at the data plane location. Only during midsystole were the pulsatile flow results approximated by the steady flow results. Also, it was found that the magnitude of the flow disturbance measured in steady flow tended to be an upper bound on that measured for pulsatile flow.
Operators are not Parameters, the Dimensions of Operators and Variables Must be Invariant, and Indices may not be Dimensioned: Rejoinder to Professors Folsom and Gonzalez

What is certain is that mathematics cannot possibly be a valid means (to advances in economic understanding) unless and until it is used properly. That means that dimensions must be used consistently and correctly. Barnett (Barnett, Quart J Austrian Econ, pp. 27–46, 2003) is about problems with the use of mathematics in economics involving the failure to use dimensions/units consistently and correctly. Professor Emeritus Folsom and Professor Gonzalez (Folsom and Gonzalez, Quart J Austrian Econ, pp. 45–65, 2005), hereinafter F&G, say, essentially, that what is correct therein is not new and that what is new is not correct. Additionally, they imply, by raising them, that I did not address issues that I should have, e.g., how to introduce dimensions into introductory economics and problems with the Cobb-Douglas (CD) function unrelated to dimensions. Herein, because of space limitations, I respond only to some of their criticisms. Responses to others are posted on the Ludwig von Mises Institute Working Papers site.
Leaf duration and the sequence of leaf development and abscission in northeastern urban hardwood trees

Abstract Urban trees provide both physical and esthetic benefits that are often related to the presence or absence of leaves. Periods of leaf development and leaf abscission and the duration of the leaf season were determined for twelve common urban tree species. Apple, Norway maple, and grey birch developed leaves earlier than other species. Green ash tended to lose leaves earlier than other species. Actual dates were not considered important, because of weather differences between years, but the order of phenologic stages should be similar each year. The average time during which crowns were 50% or more of full density ranged from 154 days for green ash to 192 days for apple. Most species that developed leaves early tended to retain them longer and to have long leaf durations. Green ash lost leaves first and had the shortest leaf season.
Stomatal conductance in Amazonian tree saplings in response to variations in the physical environment

In juvenile trees growing at the rainforest understory, light is the most limiting factor for growth. It has been assumed that stomata quickly respond to light irrespective of the physical conditions prevailing before leaf illumination. Nevertheless, so far this issue has not been addressed for saplings of Amazonian tree species. The aim of this study was to determine how stomatal conductance (g s) and photosynthetic parameters of Amazonian saplings respond to diurnal variation in the physical environment and to rainfall seasonality. Light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (P Nmax) and g s at light saturation (g smax) were measured in the dry (August) and rainy (January) season of 2008 in saplings of 10 Amazonian tree species (Minquartia guianensis, Myrcia paivae, Protium apiculatum, Guatteria olivacea, Unonopsis duckei, Rinorea guianensis, Dicypellium manausense, Eschweilera bracteosa, Gustavia elliptica, and Tapura amazonica). At the forest understory, variables of the physical environment were measured. Rainfall seasonality did not affect P Nmax and g smax, nor was the effect of species on P Nmax and g smax significant (p>0.05). The g s and P Nmax increased as the forest understory became brighter and warmer; as a result, P Nmax and g smax were higher at midday than early in the morning or in the afternoon. However, contrary to expectations, neither changes in air vapor pressure deficit nor air CO2 concentration at the forest understory affected stomatal opening. More investigation is needed to elucidate the role of environmental factors in modulating stomatal movements in juvenile trees growing beneath the dense canopy of tropical rainforests.
Intravenous Amiodarone for Acute Heart Rate Control in the Critically Ill Patient With Atrial Tachyarrhythmias

Abstract Control of heart rate in critically ill patients who develop atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter can be difficult. Amiodarone may be an alternative agent for heart rate control if conventional measures are ineffective. We retrospectively studied intensive care unit patients (n = 38) who received intravenous amiodarone for heart rate control in the setting of hemodynamically destabilizing atrial tachyarrhythmias resistant to conventional heart rate control measures. Atrial fibrillation was present in 33 patients and atrial flutter in 5 patients. Onset of rapid heart rate (mean 149 ± 13 beats/min) was associated with a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 20 ± 5 mm Hg (p
Large-scale synthesis of single- and multiwalled carbon nanotubes by microwave CVD

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an interesting class of nanostructures which can be thought of as arising from the folding layer of graphite (a graphene sheet) to form a hollow cylinder composed of carbon hexagons. However, practical applications are still limited by the intricate process of synthesis and the inability of present day methods for large scale production of carbon nanotubes. Moreover high quality nanotubes with functionalization capability with polymers are desired for polymer MEMS, Nanodevices and BioMEMS. In this paper, an innovative CVD approacah using microwave energy was developed for large scale production of single wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). Straight and helical carbon nanotubes were obtained when acetylene decomposed over the cobalt catalyst at 700°C created by microwave field. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of microwave driven MWNTs revealed their homogeneous nature. The high resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed typical MWNT has 26 layers. The average diameter of the tubes was observed 20-30 nm. Electronc microscope observations showed higher yield of nanotubes obtained from microwave CVD than thermal filament CVD method.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Stimulus encoding and the transfer of stimulus differentiation

Three experiments investigated the transfer of stimulus differentiation in an A-B, A-D paradigm using trigram, random shape, and letter-matrix stimuli, respectively. Consistent with previous findings, no transfer of differentiation in the form of a paradigm by stimulus similarity interaction was obtained with trigram stimuli. In contrast, transfer of differentiation was obtained in accord with the classic hypothesis using shapes and letter matrices. The transfer results were interpreted in terms of an encoding stability hypothesis.
Ganglioside GM3 Depletion Reverses Impaired Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice by Activating IGF-1 and Insulin Receptors

Ganglioside GM3 mediates adipocyte insulin resistance, but the role of GM3 in diabetic wound healing, a major cause of morbidity, is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether GM3 depletion promotes diabetic wound healing and directly activates keratinocyte (KC) insulin pathway signaling. GM3 synthase (GM3S) expression is increased in human diabetic foot skin, ob/ob and diet-induced obese diabetic mouse skin, and in mouse KCs exposed to increased glucose. GM3S knockout in diet-induced obese mice prevents the diabetic wound-healing defect. KC proliferation, migration, and activation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) are suppressed by excess glucose in wild-type cells, but increased in GM3S -/- KCs with supplemental glucose. Co-immunoprecipitation of IR, IR substrate 1 (IRS-1), and IGF-1R, and increased IRS-1 and Akt phosphorylation accompany receptor activation. GM3 supplementation or inhibition of IGF-1R or PI3K reverses the increased migration of GM3S -/- KCs, whereas IR knockdown only partially suppresses migration.
Response of superficial proximal convoluted tubule to decreased and increased renal perfusion pressure : in vivo microperfusion study in rats

Although urinary sodium excretion is positively influenced by acute changes in renal perfusion pressure, micropuncture studies show highly conflicting results concerning the response of superficial proximal tubule sodium reabsorption to changes in renal perfusion pressure. In the present study, the changes of superficial proximal reabsorption to decreased and increased renal perfusion pressure were determined in rats by an in vivo microperfusion method. In vivo microperfusion was selected as the method to determine the proximal sodium reabsorption because this method made it possible to deliver a constant fluid and electrolyte load to the proximal tubule without the influence of possible changes of glomerular filtration rate. Renal perfusion pressure was decreased from normal pressure by inflating a suprarenal aortic cuff and was increased from the normal level by the occlusion of celiac and mesenteric arteries and the infrarenal aorta. Although fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) in the urine was decreased from 1.24 +/- 0.23% to 0.45 +/- 0.11% (n = 7, p less than 0.01) when renal perfusion pressure was decreased from 125 +/- 6 to 99 +/- 3 mm Hg, absolute tubular reabsorption by the superficial proximal convoluted tubules was not increased (from 4.4 +/- 0.5 to 4.2 +/- 0.3 nl/min/mm, n = 22). When the renal perfusion pressure was elevated from 126 +/- 4 to 149 +/- 4 mm Hg, tubular reabsorption by the superficial proximal tubules was decreased from 4.1 +/- 0.3 to 2.5 +/- 0.3 nl/min/mm (n = 36, p less than 0.01) with an accompanying increase in FENa (from 1.28 +/- 0.24% to 2.29 +/- 0.37%, n = 9, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The energy conservation equation in the reflector mapping problem

Abstract We consider here an inverse problem in geometric optics consisting of finding a reflector surface that transforms a given input energy density pattern into a prespecified output energy pattern on the far field. We derive a single explicit relation expressing the ray tracing and energy conservation equations in terms of the polar radius of the reflector and its first and second derivatives. Conditions are given for existence of a solution to a boundary value problem describing a reflector system which transforms a nonaxially symmetric input energy density into a uniform output energy distribution.
Initial Investigations of a Shallow-Layer Algal Production System

A system for the intensive cultivation of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum is described and evaluated. Unique features of the system include: (a) the incorporation of solar heat collection device which transmits only photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to the growing culture; (b) the formulation of a new seawater enrichment medium that promotes physiological responses not previously observed in culture; and (c) the use of a foam fractionation device which separates microalgae, from the culture media, adds CO2-enriched air, and/or simultaneously recirculates the growing culture in shallow layers through an interconnecting series of hemicylindrical channels. The outdoor system demonstrated that very high ash-free dry weight yields of Phaeodactylum tricornutum are produced, a result of high photosynthetic efficiency. Actual yield over an eight-day period was equivalent to 39.57 ash-free dry tons/acre-year. Observed photosynthetic efficiency, based on photosynthetically active radiation incident upon the external surface of the system, is 13.1 percent, nearly three times the limit previously considered economically practical. The data indicate that greater yields may be expected using this system at locations receiveing higher insolation. A conservative projection is that 80 ash-free dry tons/acre-year will be realized in land regions receiveing 3 × 1010 Btu/acre-year total solar radiation. It is concluded that this system clearly warrants further investigation to determine its capacity to produce large and economical quantities of algal biomass for use as potential petroleum-fuel substitutes. The development of a comprehensive and systematic bio-engineering program is recommended to upgrade and evaluate the system to its full potential.Copyright © 1979 by ASME
The distribution of substance P, enkephalin, and serotonin immunoreactivities in the area postrema of the rat and cat

With the use of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique the distribution of substance P (SP), enkephalin (ENK), and serotonin (5HT) immunoreactivities were described in the area postrema of the rat and cat. In both species, immunoreactivity in the area postrema was differentially distributed as either fibers only, or cell bodies and fibers. In the rat and cat, ENK had the greatest accumulation of immunoreactive fibers, followed by 5HT and SP. In the area postrema of the rat the majority of SP-, ENK-, and 5HT-immunoreactive fibers were along the ventral and ventrolateral borders, with fewer immunostained fibers at the dorsal surface. The area postrema of the cat had the majority of SP-, ENK-, and 5HT-immunoreactive fibers at the ventral and lateral borders, with fewer immunostained fibers at the dorsal and medial borders. In both species, the area postrema's central region contained the fewest immunostained fibers. In general, for each putative neurotransmitter examined, immunostained fibers in both species progressively decreased in number rostrocaudally. Serotonin- and ENK-immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the rat area postrema; in the cat area postrema only ENK-immunoreactive cell bodies were present. The area postrema of both species lacked SP-immunoreactive cell bodies. The heterogeneous distribution of immunoreactive fibers and cell bodies within the area postrema of the rat and cat may reflect the different functions of the area postrema in both species.
Role of Antilipopolysaccharide Antibodies in Serum Bactericidal Activity against Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Healthy Adults and Children in the United States

Recent observations from Africa have rekindled interest in the role of serum bactericidal antibodies in protecting against systemic infection with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. To determine whether the findings are applicable to other populations, we analyzed serum samples collected from healthy individuals in the United States. We found that all but 1 of the 49 adult samples tested had robust bactericidal activity against S. Typhimurium in a standard in vitro assay. The activity was dependent on complement and could be reproduced by immunoglobulin G (IgG) purified from the sera. The bactericidal activity was inhibited by competition with soluble lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from S. Typhimurium but not from Escherichia coli, consistent with recognition of a determinant in the O-antigen polysaccharide. Sera from healthy children aged 10 to 48 months also had bactericidal activity, although it was significantly less than in the adults, correlating with lower levels of LPS-specific IgM and IgG. The lone sample in our collection that lacked bactericidal activity was able to inhibit killing of S. Typhimurium by the other sera. The inhibition correlated with the presence of an LPS-specific IgM and was associated with decreased complement deposition on the bacterial surface. Our results indicate that healthy individuals can have circulating antibodies to LPS that either mediate or inhibit killing of S. Typhimurium. The findings contrast with the observations from Africa, which linked bactericidal activity to antibodies against an S. Typhimurium outer membrane protein and correlated the presence of inhibitory anti-LPS antibodies with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Vocational Education in the Third World: revisiting the debate

Abstract This article revisits the unresolved international debate, taking place since the 1960s, on the issue of vocational education. Is the introduction of pre‐vocational programmes at the pre‐university levels of the education systems of the developing nations the answer to the growing problem of unemployment among the educated in these countries? It argues that current inflationary economic conditions and the acute dearth of public sector jobs appear to be causing school graduates to be more willing to receive vocational training in order to earn a more secure living. It is therefore suggested that the nature and practice of vocational education be redefined to suit the current needs of both students and society.
Global fitting of single spin asymmetry: an attempt

We present an attempt of global analysis of semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering $\ensuremath{\ell}{p}^{\ensuremath{\uparrow}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\pi}X$ data on single spin asymmetries and data on left-right asymmetry ${A}_{N}$ in ${p}^{\ensuremath{\uparrow}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}X$ in order to simultaneously extract information on the Sivers function and the twist-three quark-gluon Efremov-Teryaev-Qiu-Sterman function. We explore different possibilities such as the node of the Sivers function in $x$ or ${k}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ in order to explain ``sign mismatch'' between these functions. We show that ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering data and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ STAR data can be well described in a combined fit based on both the transverse momentum dependent and collinear twist-three factorization formalisms; however, ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ BRAHMS data are not described in a satisfactory way. This leaves the question open of a solution to the ``sign mismatch.'' Possible explanations are then discussed.
The `upstream wake' of swimming and flying animals and its correlation with propulsive efficiency

The interaction between swimming and flying animals and their fluid environments generates downstream wake structures such as vortices. In most studies, the upstream flow in front of the animal is neglected. In this study, we demonstrate the existence of upstream fluid structures even though the upstream flow is quiescent or possesses a uniform incoming velocity. Using a computational model, the flow generated by a swimmer (an oscillating flexible plate) is simulated and a new fluid mechanical analysis is applied to the flow to identify the upstream fluid structures. These upstream structures show the exact portion of fluid that is going to interact with the swimmer. A mass flow rate is then defined based on the upstream structures, and a metric for propulsive efficiency is established using the mass flow rate and the kinematics of the swimmer. We propose that the unsteady mass flow rate defined by the upstream fluid structures can be used as a metric to measure and objectively compare the efficiency of locomotion in water and air.
Direct injection of paraffin into the breast: mammographic, sonographic, and MRI features of early complications.

OBJECTIVE. We present the mammographic, sonographic, and MRI features of the early complications of breast augmentation by direct injection of liquid paraffin. We also examined the imaging features in patients with paraffinoma, a later complication of these injections.CONCLUSION. Early complications of breast augmentation by direct injection of liquid paraffin differ in appearance from paraffinoma, which is a late complication of the same procedure. On mammography, early lesions appear as multiple circumscribed, noncalcified masses in the retroglandular and subpectoral regions. Sonography reveals multiple cystic masses within the breast parenchyma, retroglandular region, ipsilateral axilla, and pectoral muscle. MRI shows parenchymal and retroglandular fluid collections, which are hypointense on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted and fat-suppressed T2-weighted images, that do not enhance.
Mechanisms of endocrine resistance in breast cancer: an overview of the proposed roles of noncoding RNA

Endocrine therapies such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are the standard treatment options for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients. However, resistance to these agents has become a major clinical obstacle. Potential mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapies have been identified, often involving enhanced growth factor signaling and changes in the expression or action of the estrogen receptor, but few studies have addressed the role of noncoding RNA (ncRNA). Two important types of ncRNA include microRNA (miRNA) and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). miRNAs are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression via translational inhibition or degradation of mRNA transcripts, while lncRNAs are larger RNA molecules that have been shown to play a role in multiple cellular maintenance functions such as protein scaffolding, chromatin looping, and regulation of mRNA stability. Both miRNA and lncRNA have recently impacted the field of breast cancer research as important pieces in the mechanistic puzzle of the genes and pathways involved in breast cancer development and progression. This review serves as an overview of the roles of miRNA and lncRNA in breast cancer progression and the development of endocrine resistance. Ideally, future experiments in the field should include identification of ncRNAs that could be potential therapeutic targets in endocrine-resistant tumors, as well as ncRNA biomarkers that facilitate more tumor-specific treatment options for endocrine-resistant breast cancer patients.
A Personal Journey in Understanding Physical Touch as a Nursing Intervention

Physical touch is a critical concept in the nursing profession and an essential component in patient healing. Literature sources reviewed in this article support the presence of both positive and negative patient responses to nurses' touch. Comprehensive steps to ensure positive responses to touch are proposed. This article reports a registered nurse's transitional journey through nursing school and related experiences and concludes with an advanced appreciation for physical touch as a nursing intervention. The article integrates research and personal experience to emphasize the importance of touch in the author's life and in nursing. Although there are many uses of the word touch, in this document, the term refers to physical touch.
A High Incidence of Native Portal Vein Thrombosis in Veterans Undergoing Liver Transplantation

The incidence of native portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver transplant recipients has been reported to range from 2.1 to 13.8%. We have identified an inordinately high incidence of PVT in a consecutive series of U.S. veterans receiving liver transplants. Between October 1989 and February 1994, 88 consecutive U.S. veterans received 99 orthotopic liver transplants under primary Tacrolimus (Prograf, formerly FK506) based immunosuppression. A number of clinical features were examined in an effort to identify risk factors for PVT and outcome was compared to patients without PVT. Native PVT was present in 23/88 (26%) patients. All of these patients were male U.S. veterans with a mean age of 47 years. When compared to the 65 patients without PVT, we found no significant difference with respect to underlying liver disease, age, Childs-Pugh score (mean = 12), UNOS status as defined prior to April 1995 (95% UNOS 3 or 4), previous abdominal surgery, or liver volume. Median blood loss for patients with PVT (21 units of packed red blood cells) was greater than for those without PVT (14 units, P = 0.04). Portal thrombectomy was performed in 11 patients, 11 patients required mesoportal jump grafts, and 1 patient had an interposition graft. Standard veno-venous bypass was used in 10 patients with single bypass utilized for the remainder. Actuarial patient survival for all patients at 1, 2, and 4 years was 88, 85, and 79%, respectively. There was no significant difference in patients with or without PVT. Patients with PVT had poorer graft survival than patients without PVT (86% vs 65%, 1 year; 81% vs 65%, 2 years; 81% vs 61%, 4 years; P = 0.03); however, this was not related to technical problems with the portal venous inflow. PVT occurred in 26% of U.S. veterans undergoing liver transplantation. These patients had significantly higher operative blood loss and poorer graft survival. The high incidence of postnecrotic cirrhosis in a predominantly male group of patients with advanced disease, as is evident by the high mean Childs-Pugh score and UNOS status, perhaps accounts for our observations.
Blood Flow Measurements and the "Look Through" Artifact in Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured (intra-arterial injections of 133Xe) and electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded periodically before, for two hours during, and for one and one-fourth hours after middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in 20 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). A CBF-Pacoco2 response curve for these animals under barbiturate anesthesia was created from CBF values prior to MCA occlusion and during the time a steady state was being achieved. The animals were subdivided into four groups (five monkeys in each) on the basis of Pacoco2 values: 20, 36, 40, and 60 mm Hg. CBF values from this study were compared to previous results obtained with 35Kr. The phenomenon of "look through" and the importance of recognizing this artifact and its significance in analyzing CBF results in areas of focal ischemia are discussed. The present results were correlated with cerebral ATP and lactate concentrations in ischemic regions determined in previous studies using this preparation at these Pac...
DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF FINITE SIZED ELASTIC RUNWAYS SUBJECTED TO MOVING LOADS: A COUPLED BEM/FEM APPROACH

SUMMARY The transient response of a finite elastic plate, resting on an elastic half-space, and subjected to moving loads is considered here. Both the cases of an elastic foundation alone, as well as a finite sized elastic plate resting on an elastic foundation are considered. The numerical methods employed are: (1) the time-domain boundary element method for the elastic foundation and (2) a combination of the time-domain boundary element method for the soil and the semi-discrete finite element method for the finite sized elastic plate. Both constant as well as linear-time-interpolation schemes are included in the BEM. The integration is carried out analytically in time. The analytical solution for a moving point load on an infinite elastic plate resting on an elastic half-space is derived here. This is used as a benchmark against which the present numerical solution is compared with. The accuracy of the numerical method is also verified by comparing the solutions with some existing numerical results; the comparison with the solutions based on a Winkler foundation model reveals the limitations of the applicability of such a model, especially in the cases of high velocities of the moving load. This is because neither the inertia of the foundation, nor the behaviour of the foundation as a continuum, can be properly accounted for in Winkler’s model. A parametric study is conducted, and the influences of velocity of the moving load, load distribution, etc. on the dynamic response of the soil/runway system are investigated. Furthermore, the present computational method is applied to the problem of a transport airplane taxiing on a concrete pavement resting on a typical soil. The responses of pavements are presented for different taxiing velocities.
Evolutionary theory in letters to the editor.

This research note presents the results of a content analysis of 234 letters to the editors that discuss evolutionary theory and were published in American newspapers. We find that letters to the editor both support and hinder the cause of teaching evolutionary theory in American secondary schools. On the one hand, anti-evolutionary theory messages are marginalized in the letters section. This marginalization signals a low level of legitimacy for creationism. It might also contribute to the sense of tension that sustains creationist identities. On the other hand, relatively few letters explicitly note the fact that scientists or the scientific community accept evolution. Interestingly, the obscuration of the scientific community’s support for evolutionary theory occurs both in letters supporting and opposing evolutionary theory.
Response to Comment on: Maruthur et al. Does Genetic Ancestry Explain Higher Values of Glycated Hemoglobin in African Americans? Diabetes 2011;60:2434–2438

We appreciate the interest of Dagogo-Jack (1) in our study of genetic ancestry and HbA1c in African Americans (2). We interpret his major concerns as follows: 1 ) HbA1c values may have a glucose-independent genetic component and 2 ) in our study, adjustment for glucose did not fully account for HbA1c values ≥6.5%. Our goal was to evaluate if differences in genetic ancestry might explain differences in HbA1c between individuals of …
Describing the Bricolage: Conceptualizing a New Rigor in Qualitative Research

Picking up on Norman Denzin's and Yvonna Lincoln's articulation of the concept of bricolage, the essay describes a critical notion of this research orientation. As an interdisciplinary approach, br...
It Takes More than Technical Knowledge to be an Effective Human Factors Professional

This paper describes the results of a study which examined behaviors which can be used to describe effective Human Factors Professionals. The study showed that there is more to being an effective HFP than just technical knowledge. We identified specific behavioral patterns that do not reflect technical knowledge but that do seem to underlie HFP effectiveness and ineffectiveness. Our results also show that besides technical knowledge, the personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience may also be important for HFP effectiveness because they are likely to dispose HFPs to behave in ways that result in more effective and successful interactions with clients and product teams. Using this data we plan to develop training programs to help HFPs interact with their product teams more effectively and to create selection instruments that can identify HFP applicants who have the personality characteristics that lead to effectiveness.
Prevention of mechanical stretch-induced endothelial and smooth muscle cell death in experimental vein grafts

Vein grafts, a unique type of blood vessels, are subject to increased tensile stress due to exposure to arterial blood pressure, and have been used to study the mechanism of mechanical regulation of vascular remodeling. As shown in a previous study, the average tensile stress in an experimental vein graft could be two orders of magnitude higher than that in a vein upon reopening of blood flow. This stress has been shown to be associated with smooth muscle cell (SMC) death and SMC actin filament degradation within one day, followed by SMC proliferation after five days after surgery. However, it remains unclear whether tensile stress and strain were responsible for the early death of SMCs. This study was designed to clarify this issue.
Switching noise picked up by a planar dipole antenna mounted near integrated circuits

For applications in which antennas are located near or in integrated circuits (ICs), the switching noise from digital circuits can interfere with the operation of antennas. This paper presents a study of the switching noise picked up by a planar dipole antenna from a divide-by-128 IC located near the antenna. To develop understanding of the measurement results, a lumped-element simulation model has been developed. Quantitative agreements between the measurements and simulations for numerous experiments have been obtained. The measurements indicate that by selecting the signal frequency on the antennas much greater than the circuit frequency, the immunity from switching noise can be improved. The measurements also showed that circuits such as buffers are relatively noisier, and emanate more noise at higher operating frequencies. Finally, the measurements showed that using antennas with a differential or balanced feed structure can substantially reduce the coupling of switching noise (/spl sim/20 dB) which is mostly common-mode in nature.
Bringing the Systems Analysis and Design Course into 21^st Century: A Case Study in Implementing Modern Software Engineering Principles

While today's IT students may have a theoretical knowledge of all the phases in the systems development lifecycle, they often have little exposure to software development core practices. Few are able to build a new system from scratch. This paper examines a pedagogical approach to modern software engineering based on "doing" systems development from day one. Course materials were produced by Agile methodology expert, Alistair Cockburn. Early results from an implementation of the experimental approach to the systems analysis and design course are examined.
Classification using a Radial Basis Function Neural Network on Side-Scan Sonar Data

Detecting and classifying mines among natural formations and man-made debris along the sea floor can be a tedious task. To reduce operator dependency, an automated computer aided detection and classification system is needed. Our proposed automated system uses a two-step process. First the images are normalized and then a supervised learning method, radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), is applied to a side-scan sonar (SSS) data set. This method is able to extrapolate beyond the training data and successfully classify mine-like objects (MLOs).
Community Language Learning: Is It a Method?

Teachers of ESL/EFL are faced with a plethora of teaching 'methods' many of which are based on conflicting theoretical claims and widely varying designs and classroom procedures. A compara tively recent phenomenon, CLL emerged out of the humanism of modern counselling therapy as a reaction to the audiolingual pre scriptions of behavioural psychology and structural linguistics which had dominated previous decades. The principal barriers to successful adult foreign language learning are seen to lie in the anxiety and negative emotions of the human learning situation. Language should therefore be learned in small communities of learners whose motiva tion for learning is the desire to communicate with each other. A community nurtures the natural learning process which develops in a warm environment through mutual support and co-operation. Upon examination, CLL as a methodology evidences serious shortcomings. Among these are included a lack of specification of syllabus, model of linguistic competence or of the...
New Perspectives for Education

Being asked to prepare visionary remarks on a global theme is a doubly daunting task. While my remarks are directed toward education, the connections to research and science transfer are clear, practical, and intellectually accessible. The immediate “world” we know, our day-to-day world, is
Consequences of the Route to Persuasion

In the preceding chapters of this monograph we have outlined how the Elaboration Likelihood Model accounts for the initial attitude changes induced by persuasive messages, and we have reviewed the evidence for the ELM. We have seen that there are two qualitatively different routes to persuasion, which are moderated by a continuum of elaboration likelihood. When the elaboration likelihood is high, people follow the central route to persuasion as they attempt to scrutinize the issue-relevant information presented. This processing may proceeed in either a relatively objective or a relatively biased manner. When the elaboration likelihood is low, people follow the peripheral route to persuasion. Under this second route, attitudes are influenced by relatively simple cues in the persuasion context that either become directly associated with the advocacy or allow an inference as to the likely correctness or desirability of a particular attitude position without necessitating a personal evaluation of the issue-relevant arguments presented. The last postulate of the ELM proposes that there are at least three important consequences of the route to persuasion: attitudes formed or changed via the central route will show greater temporal persistence, resistance to counterpropaganda, and prediction of behavior than attitudes formed or changed via the peripheral route. In Chapter 1 we provided the justification for this postulate. In this chapter we review the evidence for this proposition.
The Case of the Talking Blanket

A government official in a developing country requests cash to purchase an air ticket to make a personal trip and to purchase the services of a prostitute in return for overlooking a safety and environmental violation.
Prospective evaluation of the impact of intermenstrual bleeding on natural fertility.

Objective To evaluate the impact of an episode of intermenstrual bleeding on the probability of conception in a menstrual cycle (fecundability). Design Prospective, time-to-pregnancy cohort study. Setting Community-based cohort. Patient(s) Women trying to conceive, ages 30 to 44 years, without known infertility. Intervention(s) Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) Current cycle and subsequent cycle fecundability. Result(s) A total of 549 women provided 1,552 complete cycles for analysis. Intermenstrual and luteal bleeding were reported in 36% and 34% of cycles, respectively. Ninety-three percent of all intermenstrual bleeding was luteal. Cycles in which women had intermenstrual bleeding or luteal bleeding were statistically significantly less likely to result in conception (fecundability ratio [FR] 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16–0.34; and FR 0.22; 95% CI, 0.14–0.33). Women with an episode of intermenstrual and luteal bleeding had a statistically significant increase in the probability of pregnancy in the subsequent cycle (FR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.15–2.25; and FR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.52–2.87, respectively). Conclusion(s) Intermenstrual bleeding statistically significantly decreases the odds of conceiving in that cycle but does not appear to negatively impact a woman's immediate future reproductive potential. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT01028365.
Population Studies on the Big-Headed Grasshopper Aulocara elliotti

Widely separated populations of Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) were found to vary in several respects, but these variations could not be correlated to changes in density among the populations studied. When widely separated populations or segments of what is usually considered to be a single population were subjected to applied stresses of temperature extremes and starvation, their resistance was found to be population (area) dependent. Mechanisms such as genetic segregation, physiological degradation, and environment are discussed as possible explanations of population response and behavior. No single factor appears to provide a reasonable explanation. A case is presented to demonstrate the existence of subpopulations or even separate populations within a narrowly denned area of occurrence.
Effect of endomycorrhizae formed by Endogone mosseae on growth of Citrus.

(1971). Effect of Endomycorrhizae Formed by Endogone Mosseae on Growth of Citrus. Mycologia: Vol. 63, No. 6, pp. 1222-1226.
The role of substance use motives in the associations between minority stressors and substance use problems among young men who have sex with men

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) report higher rates of substance use than their heterosexual peers and minority stress has been posited as a risk factor for substance use. The associations between specific types of minority stress and substance use have been inconsistent throughout the literature and few studies have examined mechanisms underlying these associations. Drawing on minority stress theory and the motivational model of alcohol use, we propose that one mechanism underlying these associations may be people's motivations for using substances, including using substances to cope with negative emotions and to enhance pleasure. The goals of the current study were: (1) to examine the associations among minority stressors, substance use motives, and substance use problems; and (2) to examine substance use motives as mediators of the associations between minority stressors and substance use problems. Baseline self-report data were used from a cohort of 370 YMSM enrolled in a larger study of substance use and sexual behavior. Results indicated that using marijuana to cope mediated the association between victimization and marijuana use problems. Using other drugs to cope mediated the associations between victimization and drug use problems and between internalized stigma and drug use problems. Drinking to cope and to enhance pleasure mediated the association between internalized stigma and alcohol use problems. In sum, substance use motives, especially using substances to cope, act as mechanisms through which certain types of minority stress influence substance use problems among YMSM.
Imaging of reconstituted biological channels at molecular resolution by atomic force microscopy

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we obtained high-resolution surface images of the bacterial outer membrane channels Escherichia coli OmpF porin and Bordetella pertussis porin that were reconstituted in artificial bilayer membranes as two-dimensional crystalline arrays. These porins were chosen because they are among the most extensively studied proteins of this type and are known for their well-defined crystalline nature in the native membrane. Such reconstituted membrane proteins are ideal specimens to assess the suitability and resolution of AFM for imaging biomembranes and associated proteins. Although OmpF porin often showed a mixed pattern of rectangular and hexagonal arrays with approximately 8.4 x 9.8- and approximately 7.2-nm-spacings, respectively, B. pertussis porin showed mostly a rectangular pattern with an approximately 7.9 x 13.8-nm spacing. The packing patterns of the E. coli OmpF porin in the membrane are very close to those found in electron-microscopic studies. When B. pertussis porin was imaged in a buffer solution, its trimeric subunits were apparently resolved, and the surface of each monomer revealed beadlike structures. This is the first report of such a high-resolution structural analysis of B. pertussis porin by any imaging method. We also imaged the lipid bilayer itself as an internal control for imaging and to further ascertain the resolution. Individual polar head groups of bilayer lipid molecules were resolved, suggesting the intrinsic resolution of AFM for bioimaging.
Redundancy and Abundance

The words redundancy and abundance have many different meanings in various areas outside the fields of motor control and biomechanics. Before trying to define and analyze these terms in specific ways that would make them useful for analysis of biological movements, it makes sense to look at the meanings of these words in other areas and try to summarize the main similarities and differences in these two words.
Seismic response analysis of single-degree-of-freedom yielding structures with fluidic self-centering systems

Abstract Analyses of single-degree-of-freedom yielding structures with fluidic self-centering systems are performed for a wide range of parameters and the results are utilized to (a) illustrate the effect of the added fluidic self-centering devices on the behavior of the structural system, and (b) to arrive at conclusions on the appropriate strategy for selection of the structural system and self-centering system properties for design. The results suggest that the primary structural system could be designed for a base shear force not less than 75% of the minimum base shear force prescribed in ASCE 7-2010 for the building exclusive of the self-centering system, and that the drift criteria would be satisfied and the residual drift will be minimal when the fluidic self-centering system is designed for a preload equal to about (or more than) 20% of the story shear yield strength and a viscous damping ratio of at least 10% of critical under elastic frame conditions. Simplified methods of analysis are then presented and verified by comparison to nonlinear response history analysis results. The simplified methods of analysis are found to be reasonably accurate for most practical cases of structural system and self-centering system parameters except for cases of long period structures and when near-fault, pulse-like ground motions are considered.
Determinants and Consequences of Public Expenditures

The positive theory of the public sector, as with other subdivisions of economics, has as its concern the formulation and testing of behavioral hypotheses. Economists’ interests in the positive aspects of government behavior naturally lie in those hypotheses that concern real or financial resources. The main hypotheses relevant to the positive theory of public economics encompass those that deal with the determination of levels of public expenditures and revenues along with those that explain the consequences of such outlays and revenue collections upon the economic status of society. Because this book is concerned with public expenditures, positive theories of taxation and tax incidence and the empirical studies of these matters are excluded from discussion here, except insofar as revenue considerations are relevant to expenditure determination. Furthermore, as the introductory chapter explains, stabilization aspects of expenditures are not systematically examined in this study, and, therefore, there is no development here of those aspects of positive theory that deal with the effects of budget policy on aggregate demand.