cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance Analysis of Assembly Systems With Bernoulli Machines and Finite Buffers During Transients

Serial lines and assembly systems are two of the most fundamental production system structures used in practical manufacturing environments. While serial lines have been studied extensively in production systems literature and practice, assembly systems have received much less attention. Among existing results on assembly systems, most are focused on steady state performance evaluation, system properties, and improvement. On the other hand, transient behavior of such systems remains largely unexplored. In the framework of assembly systems with Bernoulli machines and finite buffers, this paper develops a mathematical model for transient analysis and derives closed-form formulas to calculate the real-time production rate, consumption rates, work-in-process, and probabilities of machine starvation and blockage, during transients. Then, an improved computationally efficient algorithm for transient performance evaluation in Bernoulli serial lines is proposed. Based on the improved algorithm, an effective and efficient method for transient performance evaluation in Bernoulli assembly systems is derived. Finally, the method is extended to complex assembly system structures.
Liquid Mediated Adhesion of Ultra-Flat Solid Surfaces

The presence of a liquid film between contacting ultra-flat surfaces can produce high levels of adhesion. The liquid film may be a pre-existing film of lubricant or may be a capillary condensate. This paper considers the meniscus and viscous components to the adhesion. Different regimes are identified which are distinguished by differing quantities of liquid in the gap between the surfaces. The role of surface roughness is also evaluated. The force required to separate the surfaces in the tangential direction is considered. The magnitude of this force is dependent not only on the adhesion but also on the separation rate and loading conditions.
Logrolling, Earmarking, and Vote Buying

In an important and provocative paper Christopher Freiman recently has defended the view that vote-buying should be legal in democratic societies. Freiman offers four arguments in support of this claim: that vote buying would be ex ante beneficial to both the buyers and sellers of votes; that voters enjoy wide discretion in how they use their votes, and so this should extend to selling them; that vote markets would lead to electoral outcomes that better reflect voters’ preferences; and that vote-buying is relevantly similar to other democratic practices that are currently legal, such as logrolling and earmarking. In this paper I will address the last of Freiman’s arguments. I will argue that there are significant disanalogies between vote buying and both logrolling and earmarking, and that these differences justify the legal prohibition of the former practice while legally permitting the latter two.
Opportunities and Challenges in Generalizable Sensor- Based Affect Recognition for Learning

Recent years have witnessed major research advances in sensor- based affect recognition. Alongside these advances, there are many open ques- tions about how effectively current affective recognition techniques generalize to new populations and domains. We conducted a study of learner affect with a population of cadets from the U.S. Military Academy using a serious game about tactical combat casualty care. Using the study data, we sought to repro- duce prior affect recognition findings by inducing models that leveraged pos- ture-based predictor features that had previously been found to predict affect in other populations and learning environments. Our findings suggest that features and techniques, drawn from the literature but adapted to our setting, did not yield comparably effective models of affect recognition. Several of our affect recognition models performed only marginally better than chance, and one model actually performed worse than chance, despite using principled features and methods. We discuss the challenges of devising generalizable models of af- fect recognition using sensor data, as well as opportunities for improving the accuracy and generalizability of posture-based affect recognition.
Repairing Minor Bone Defects: Augmentation & Autograft

Numerous options exist for management of minor bone defects associated with TKA. Biomechanical data demonstrate that filling defects with methylmethacrylate, with or without screw augmentation, results in inferior load transfer. Rectangular augmentations may be superior to angular wedges due to reduction in shear stresses. Controversy persists regarding superiority of use of bone graft versus augmentation. The author favors bone graft for cavitary defects, massive bone loss, and in younger patients in whom additional revision surgery is likely. Prosthetic augmentation is favored in peripheral defects of moderate size in more elderly patients.
Adoption of Low Earth Orbit Satellite Systems: A Diffusion Model under Competition

Low Earth Orbit Satellite (LEOS) systems have started providing communication with one phone number throughout the world. In this paper, the diffusion process of the two LEOS systems is analyzed under competition. We simulate the diffusion process under different scenarios. In these scenarios, we analyze issues related to the timing of product introduction, technology advantage and potential customer base. A model of the potential customer base with network externality is presented. We found that the timing of product introduction can have significant impact on the follower in the market. We found that a follower firm with more advanced technology would have higher probability to succeed in competing against the first mover. In addition, the increase in the potential customer base favors the firm with advanced technology. The network externality effect in the growth of the customer base favors both firms but could be an barrier for the follower to create a critical mass and beat the incumbent firm.
What You See is How You Act: Perceived and Actual Centrality in Motivation and Performance

Social network centrality plays a key role in individuals’ work performance. While actual network centrality has long been theorized to impact individuals, we propose that actors’ perceived central...
High current table-top setup for femtosecond gas electron diffraction

We have constructed an experimental setup for gas phase electron diffraction with femtosecond resolution and a high average beam current. While gas electron diffraction has been successful at determining molecular structures, it has been a challenge to reach femtosecond resolution while maintaining sufficient beam current to retrieve structures with high spatial resolution. The main challenges are the Coulomb force that leads to broadening of the electron pulses and the temporal blurring that results from the velocity mismatch between the laser and electron pulses as they traverse the sample. We present here a device that uses pulse compression to overcome the Coulomb broadening and deliver femtosecond electron pulses on a gas target. The velocity mismatch can be compensated using laser pulses with a tilted intensity front to excite the sample. The temporal resolution of the setup was determined with a streak camera to be better than 400 fs for pulses with up to half a million electrons and a kinetic energy of 90 keV. The high charge per pulse, combined with a repetition rate of 5 kHz, results in an average beam current that is between one and two orders of magnitude higher than previously demonstrated.
Local Convex Conjugacy and Fenchel Duality

Abstract In this paper we introduce a notion of a convex conjugate function of a nonlinear function defined on a manifold specified by nonlinear equality constraints. Under certain assumptions the conjugate is defined locally around a point and upon conjugation yields the original function. Local versions of the Fenchel duality theorem are also proved.
A Spectrum of Logics of Questioning

This paper* is prompted by my belief that, before we try to develop a general theory of dialogues, it is advisable to try to gain first some real insights into some of the special kinds of dialogues which the prospective general theory eventually will have to cover.1 The case study carried out in this paper concerns one particularly simple kind of dialogue, viz. question-answer sequences where all the questions are addressed by the same speaker, called the Inquirer, to the same answerer, called Nature.2 The only important additional element is that the Inquirer is also allowed to draw logical inferences from Nature’s answers plus an initial theoretical premise T. These simple dialogues were first devised as models of information-seeking (empirical inquiry). Here they are studied also as special cases of a potential general theory of dialogues, illustrating the richness of the phenomena such a theory will have to cover.
Phosphorylation Sites on Tyrosine Hydroxylase

Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH), the rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of the catecholamine neurotransmitters, is regulated by protein phosphorylation. Previously, it has been demonstrated that tyrosine hydroxylase is phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PK A)(1–4) and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (Cam K) (5–6). Recently, calcium and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PK C) has been reported to phosphorylate tyrosine hydroxylase (7,8). More recently, Roskoski et al. (9) have demonstrated that tyrosine hydroxylase is also a substrate of cyclic GMP dependent protein kinase (PK G). This communication compares the sites in tyrosine hydroxylase that are phosphorylated by each of these kinases. An endogenous kinase has been found to be present in the preparation of the purified tyrosine hydroxylase. Using the sequence of tyrosine hydroxylase derived from the cDNA and the sequences of the phosphopeptides produced from tryptic digestion of the phosphorylated enzyme, the specific sites of phosphorylation can be identified.
Excessive gravitational blood pooling caused by impaired venous tone is the predominant non-cardiac mechanism of orthostatic intolerance.

1. In a group of 40 patients with orthostatic intolerance due to hypotension and/or tachycardia, we have compared the pathogenetic roles of impaired contractility of the arterioles and the veins by measuring contractile responsiveness of the arterioles, reflected by increases in diastolic blood pressure and of the veins reflected by measurements of reduction in venous diameter during intravenous noradrenaline infusions. 2. Compared with 27 healthy subjects, patients with diffuse autonomic insufficiency showed striking supersensitivity in diastolic blood pressure (six out of eight) and venous constrictive responses (seven out of eight patients) to noradrenaline, consistent with impaired arteriolar and venous innervation. 3. In contrast, the patients with hyperadrenergic orthostatic hypotension ( n =16) and orthostatic tachycardia ( n = 16) showed diastolic blood pressure responses to noradrenaline that were almost invariably within the 95% confidence limits of the changes in normal subjects but supersensitive constrictive responses of foot veins in 22 of 32 subjects and subnormal venous responses in two individuals. The rate of noradrenaline infusion calculated to cause 50% of maximal venous constriction (the ED 50 ) was significantly lower in the patients [mean (SEM) 6.8 (1.9) ng/min] than in the normal subjects [mean (SEM) 23.2 (3.0) ng/min, P 4. The finding of significantly supersensitive foot vein constrictive responses to noradrenaline infusion in the patients of all three groups and supersensitive blood pressure responses exclusively in the patients with diffuse autonomic insufficiency indicates that venous pooling in the legs was the predominant pathogenetic mechanism of orthostatic intolerance in all three types of patients studied. 5. Correction of the orthostatic hypotension and/or tachycardia by external compression in virtually all patients confirmed this conclusion.
Partial versus radical nephrectomy in the elderly: A surgical conundrum.

e15046 Background: Whether increased risk of complication (Cx) is balanced by the renal preserving benefits of partial nephrectomy (PN) in those with shortened lifespan is unclear. We compared Cx a...
A comparison of satellite sensor bands for vegetation monitoring

The first four Landsat-D thematic mapper sensor bands were evaluated and compared to the RBV and MSS sensors from Landsats-1, -2, and -3; Colvocoresses' proposed 'operational Landsat' three-band system; and the French SPOT three-band system by using simulation/integration techniques and in situ collected spectral reflectance data. Sensors were evaluated with regard to their ability to discriminate vegetation biomass, chlorophyll concentration, and leaf water content. The thematic mapper and SPOT bands were found to be superior in a spectral resolution context to the other three sensor systems for vegetational applications. Significant improvements are expected for most vegetational analyses from Landsat-D thematic mapper and SPOT imagery over MSS and RBV imagery.
Influence of Caffeine on Blood Creatine Phosphokinase Levels in Swine

Eight stress-susceptible and eight normal pigs weighing 35 to 50 kg were studied to determine if caffeine administration would trigger the stress syndrome and affect blood CPK levels. The pigs were littermates of Yorkshire descent. One gram of caffeine (dissolved in 10 ml of saline-sodium benzoate solution) was infused into the pigs through a jugular catheter at a rate of 1.0 ml/min. Blood samples were collected through the catheter before caffeine administration and at specific intervals up to 8 hr after the caffeine administration for the determination of blood creatine phosphokinase levels. The pigs were sacrificed approximately 48 hr after caffeine administration, and M. longissimus pH and reflectance values were obtained 45 min and 24 hr postmortem. Caffeine administration stimulated the development of the signs associated with the porcine stress syndrome in seven of the eight pigs genetically classified as stress-susceptible, and only one control pig exhibited an early sign of the stress syndrome, muscle tremors. Blood CPK levels did not differ significantly between the normal and stress-susceptible groups until visual signs of the stress syndrome were no longer observed (approximately 45 min after caffeine administration). Stress-susceptible pigs had significantly higher blood CPK levels than controls 45 min after the initial caffeine administration. Physical stress received by the pigs during transport and the stress from being held in a new environment resulted in a greater elevation of blood CPK than did the stress administered through the caffeine infusion.
On Being Jaded: Walker Percy’s Philosophical Contributions

Familiarity, so the saying goes, breeds contempt. But, why should familiarity breed such a negative thing as contempt, or other negative orientations? Walker Percy, it would seem, has a lot to say about human jadedness, sometimes through the very means by which we are meant to inhabit ontological intimacy. One may (justifiably) not care much about, say sparrows, but intuitively people seem jaded about something that matters (or once mattered) to them in a deeper way. This chapter explores the personal or social sources of jadedness: is it an individual problem only, or caused by broader cultural factors? I attempt to sketch an initial theory of jadedness, and then expand that theory by attending to Percy’s unique philosophical contributions. I will argue, that there are at least two types of jadedness—a narrow, domain-specific psychological type and a global, existential type—that share structural similarities such as volitional and epistemic inertia, an unsettled loss of meaning, a faulty assumption of epistemic completion or superiority, and a foreclosure of ontological possibilities. I then show how Percy uniquely integrates these two types of jadedness within a broader framework of what it means to be human
Has Patronage Lost Its Punch in Malaysia

The personalistic linkages that generally define Malaysian politics come into sharp relief when candidates confront the imperative of winning office. Malaysia’s 14th general election (GE14), as oth...
Mechanical considerations for design and implementation of peripheral intraneural devices.

Objective. Neural interfaces designed to stimulate or record electrical activity from peripheral nerves have applications ranging from the electrical modulation of nerve activity as a therapeutic option (e.g. epilepsy and untreatable depression) to the design of prosthetics. Currently, most peripheral nerve interfaces are either cuff-style devices that wrap around the target nerve or intraneural devices that are implanted within the nerve. While the latter option offers higher specificity and signal-to-noise ratio, penetrating devices can cause significant damage to the nerve due to the high degree of mechanical mismatch. Because of this, there is interest in developing penetrating devices fabricated from soft or softening materials (materials having a low elastic modulus). However, there is currently a lack of understanding regarding implantation forces required for successful insertion, which is a constraint for soft device design. Softer devices require robust designs to achieve a critical buckling force that is larger than forces experienced during device insertion. Approach. This study comprehensively assesses insertion force under different implantation conditions, with three variations for implantation speed, angle, and device tip angle, during insertion of silicon shanks in rat sciatic nerve. Additionally, we report compression modulus for rat sciatic nerve at different compression rates to inform computational modeling. Main results. We found that insertion speed and angle had significant effects on peak insertion force. We observed lower insertion forces (10-60 mN) when the device was implanted at higher angles relative to the perpendicular insertion (80-125 mN). We also demonstrate use of a nerve-stabilizing device to keep the nerve immobile during implantation. Additionally, we found that compression modulus was significantly different in small and large strain regions of the stress-strain curve with values between 1500-4500 Pa depending on compression rate. Significance. This study provides information imperative to the design and successful implementation of soft penetrating peripheral nerve interfaces.
A moral argument for frozen human embryo adoption

Some people (e.g., Drs. Paul and Susan Lim) and, with them, organizations (e.g., the National Embryo Donation Center) believe that, morally speaking, the death of a frozen human embryo is a very bad thing. With such people and organizations in mind, the question to be addressed here is as follows: if one believes that the death of a frozen embryo is a very bad thing, ought, morally speaking, one prevent the death of at least one frozen embryo via embryo adoption? By way of a three-premise argument, one of which is a moral principle first introduced by Peter Singer, my answer to this question is: at least some of those who believe this ought to. (Just who the "some" are is identified in the paper.) If this is correct, then, for said people, preventing the death of a frozen embryo via embryo adoption is not a morally neutral matter; it is, instead, a morally laden one. Specifically, their intentional refusal to prevent the death of a frozen embryo via embryo adoption is, at a minimum, morally criticizable and, arguably, morally forbidden. Either way, it is, to one extent or another, a moral failing.
Student-created video: an active learning approach in online environments

The purpose of this study was to investigate student-created video as an active learning approach in an online environment to inform instructional practices of student-created video in STEM. Data a...
Decompression of Cavernous Sinus for Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain From Perineural Spread of Tumor: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Head and neck malignancies with perineural spread are rare. Patients can present with neuropathic pain and cranial nerve palsies.1 Skull base approaches for surgical decompression are a consideration for patients to provide symptom relief.2 We demonstrate a frontotemporal extradural approach for a patient with worsening visual symptoms and refractory neuropathic pain in the V1, V2, and V3 distributions and briefly review the relevant anatomy.3-7 A 41-yr-old female with a poorly differentiated carcinoma of the head and neck with an infiltration of the cavernous sinus and perineural spread along the trigeminal nerve presented with severe neuropathic facial pain and anesthesia. She had previously undergone radiosurgery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an interval increase in perineural disease within the cavernous sinus with extension intradurally. Her pain was medically refractory. A 2-dimensional intraoperative video illustrates the microsurgical decompression of her perineural invasion along the skull base as a palliative procedure. The patient recovered well postoperatively and had a symptomatic improvement in her pain and visual symptoms. Her preoperative facial numbness persisted postoperatively as expected. Postoperative imaging demonstrates a gross total resection of the intradural component of the tumor with decompression and expected expansion of the cavernous sinus. Because of the retrospective nature of this report, informed consent was not required. Images within the video have been reproduced from Fukuda et al4 with permission from © Georg Thieme Verlag KG; and Matsuo et al5 by permission of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Characteristics and Prognostic Associations of Echocardiographic Pulmonary Hypertension With Normal Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients ≥90 Years of Age.

The high prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in elderly patients is well known. However, much remains unknown about those population. We sought to find the clinical characteristics of echocardiographic PH and the prognostic factors in patients ≥90 years of age. We retrospectively reviewed 310 patients ≥90 years of age (median age 92 years, 64% women) diagnosed as echocardiographic PH (peak systolic pulmonary arterial pressure ≥40 mm Hg) with normal left ventricular systolic function. We defined left heart disease (LHD) as significant left-sided valve diseases, left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction by using echocardiography. The endpoint was all-cause death at 2,000 days after diagnosis. LHD was found in 92% of patients. During the median follow-up of 367 days (interquartile range, 39-1,028 days), 151 all-cause deaths (49%) occurred. Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that right ventricular fraction area change
Effect of chemotherapy on default mode network connectivity in older women with breast cancer.

Chemotherapy may impair cognition and contribute to accelerated aging. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of chemotherapy on the connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) in older women with breast cancer. This prospective longitudinal study enrolled women aged ≥ 60 years with stage I–III breast cancer (CTx group) and matched healthy controls (HC group). Study assessments, consisting of resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and the Picture Sequence Memory (psm) test for episodic memory from the NIH Toolbox for Cognition, were obtained at baseline and within one month after the completion of chemotherapy for the CTx group and at matched intervals for the HC group. Two-sample t-test and FDR multiple comparison were used for statistical inference. Our analysis of the CTx group (N = 19; 60–82 years of age, mean = 66.6, SD = 5.24) compared to the HC group (N = 14; 60–78 years of age, mean = 68.1, SD = 5.69) revealed weaker DMN subnetwork connectivity in the anterior brain but stronger connectivity in the posterior brain at baseline. After chemotherapy, this pattern was reversed, with stronger anterior connectivity and weaker posterior connectivity. In addition, the meta-level functional network connectivity (FNC) among the DMN subnetworks after chemotherapy was consistently weaker than the baseline FNC as seen in the couplings between anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and retrosplenial (rSplenia) region, with ΔFNC(‘ACC’,’rSplenia’)=-0.14, t value=-2.44, 95 %CI=[-0.27,-0.10], pFDR<0.05). The baseline FNC matrices of DMN subnetworks were correlated with psm scores (corr = 0.58, p < 0.05). Our results support DMN alterations as a potential neuroimaging biomarker for cancer-related cognitive impairment and accelerated aging.
Battlefield urologic injuries: the Gulf War experience

Abstract Background: We sought to ascertain the incidence and type of urologic injuries requiring operations during the Gulf War. Study Design: Of the 31 United States urologic surgeons deployed to the Persian Gulf theater of operations, 11 responded to a survey concerning the type and frequency of urologic trauma surgical procedures. Results: The 11 urologic surgeons performed a total of 55 surgical procedures, 30 of which were for urologic injuries. Most injuries were due to fragmentation devices. Only 17% involved the kidney and none involved the ureter; 83% involved the pelvic organs and external genitalia. The majority of surgical procedures performed for these injuries were conservative (organ sparing). Anecdotal observations by the surgeons suggested that the use of the flak vest may have led to a shift away from abdominal injuries to injuries of the pelvis and genitalia. Conclusions: Urologic injuries in the Gulf War primarily involved the pelvis and genitalia and were frequently managed conservatively. The prevalence of fragmentation injuries and use of the flak vest may explain this observation.
Phase differentiation via combined EBSD and XEDS

Summary Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and orientation imaging microscopy have become established techniques for analysing the crystallographic microstructure of single and multiphase materials. In certain instances, however, it can be difficult and/or time intensive to differentiate phases within a material by crystallography alone. Traditionally a list of candidate phases is specified prior to data collection. The crystallographic information extracted from the diffraction patterns is then compared with the crystallographic information from these candidate phases, and a best-fit match is determined. Problems may arise when two phases have similar crystal structures. The phase differentiation process can be improved by collecting chemical information through X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) simultaneously with the crystallographic information through EBSD and then using the chemical information to pre-filter the crystallographic phase candidates. This technique improves both the overall speed of the data collection and the accuracy of the final characterization. Examples of this process and the limitations involved will be presented and discussed.
Structural requirements for high affinity binding of complex ligands by the macrophage mannose receptor

The mannose receptor of macrophage and hepatic endothelial cells discriminates between endogenous and exogenous sugar-bearing structures. Previous competition studies have indicated that the receptor binds the monosaccharides mannose, fucose, and N-acetylglucosamine but displays much higher affinity for multivalent oligosaccharides, such as those found on the surface of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The hydrodynamic properties of the receptor have been examined, revealing that the receptor is a monomer. This result suggests that multiple carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) in the extracellular domain of a single receptor polypeptide cooperate to achieve high affinity binding of complex ligands. In order to determine the importance of individual CRDs, properties of receptor segments containing groups of CRDs expressed in insect cells have been examined. The results indicate that two of the CRDs (4 and 5) form a protease-resistant, ligand-binding core but that five CRDs in tandem (4-8) are required to match the affinity of the intact receptor for yeast mannan. A consequence of the organization of the receptor is that both valency and geometry of glycoconjugates are important determinants of binding affinity.
The initiation of peritoneal dialysis: planning the initial prescription.

The initiation of peritoneal dialysis (PD) requires that the nephrologist address certain key issues. These include patient selection for PD, the timing of the placement of the PD catheter, the timi
Investment Research: How Much is Enough?

Aside from the decision to enter the equity market, the most fundamental question an investor faces is whether to passively hold the market portfolio or to do investment research. The thesis of this paper is that there is no scientifically reliable procedure available which can be applied to estimate the marginal product of investment research. In light of this imprecision, investors become forced to rely on some combination of judgment, gut instinct, and marketing imperatives to determine both the research approaches they employ and the capital they allocate to each approach. However, decisions based on such nebulous criteria are fragile and subject to dramatic revision in the face of market movements. These revisions, in turn, can exacerbate movements in asset prices.
Genetics of Root Hair Formation

There has been a great deal of recent progress in our understanding of the genetic control of root hair development, particularly in Arabidopsis thaliana. This chapter summarizes the genes and gene products that have been identified using forward and reverse genetic approaches. The involvement of these genes at various stages of root hair development is described, including the specification of the root hair cell type, the initiation of the root hair outgrowth, and the elongation (tip growth) of the root hair.
Inhibition of DNA excision repair in human cells by arabinofuranosyl cytosine: effect on normal and xeroderma pigmentosum cells.

The antineoplastic agent arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C) produces an inhibition of the pyrimidine dimer excision system of human DNA repair. Alkaline sucrose gradient analysis of DNA from normal human skin fibroblasts exposed to 20 J/m/sup 2/ of ultraviolet radiation (254 nm) shows an accumulation of DNA single-strand breaks when DNA repair is attempted in the presence of 10 ..mu..M ara-C. Cells from complementaion groups of xeroderma pigmentosum that are defective in early steps of excision repair show reduced numbers of DNA single strand breaks/10/sup 8/ daltons when compared with normal cells. Cesium chloride gradient analysis of radioactive precurser uptake during repair replication indicates that ara-C causes a 6 to 56% reduction in the number of nucleotide bases inserted into the DNA at concentrations of 1 and 10 ..mu..M, respectively. These concentrations result in the substitution for deoxycytidine (dCyd) by ara-C of 40 and 100%, respectively, in repaired regions. Repair inhibition is reversed by 50% upon removal of ara-C and by > 95% with the addition of 100 ..mu..M dCyd. Chromatography of digested DNA shows that incorporated ara-C is not removed during dCyd reversal, suggesting that ara-C incorporation per se does not play a significant role in the inhibition of repair synthesis.more » The repair inhibition observed here is dependent on 2 mM hydroxyurea, presumably due to reduction in the intracellular pool of dCyd. The overall results suggest the possibility that ara-C is a weak competitive inhibitor of DNA polymerases associated with ultraviolet-induced excision repair.« less
Transport properties of doped CsBi4Te6 thermoelectric materials

In previous investigations we have introduced a variety of new chalcogenide-based materials with promising properties for thermoelectric applications. The chalcogenide CsBi 4 Te 6 was previously reported to have a high ZT product with a maximum value at 260K. In order to improve this value, a series of doped CsBi 4 Te 6 samples has been synthesized. Current doping studies have been very encouraging, with one sample found to have a maximum power factor of 51.5 μW/cm·K 2 at 184 K. This paper reports on material characterization studies through the usual transport measurements to determine optimum doping concentration for various dopants.
Compression Neuropathy of the Radial Nerve Due to Ganglion Cysts

Ganglions of the upper extremity are common. Radial nerve dysfunction, particularly radial sensory dysfunction, is a rare finding in association with a ganglion. We present our experience with two such ganglia and a review of the literature.
Predicting Program Completion Among Families Enrolled in a Child Neglect Preventive Intervention

Objective: An exploratory analysis of self-report data gathered by the Family Connections program is used to build a predictive model of program completion. Method: The sample includes 136 families in a poor, urban neighborhood who meet risk criteria for child neglect. Families are randomly assigned to receive 3- or 9-month interventions. Bivariate analyses compare families who did and did not complete services. Logistic regression analysis identifies service-completion predictors for 136 families for whom pre- and post-data are available. Results: More caregivers in the 3-month group complete services. Completers have more children and report a more positive alliance with their workers. Depressive symptoms, worker alliance, and treatment-group status predict service completion in the final model. Conclusions: Findings and implications for practice are discussed.
Book Review of Teachers’ Stories by Mary Renck Jalongo and Joan P. Isenberg

(1996). Book Review of Teachers’ Stories by Mary Renck Jalongo and Joan P. Isenberg. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 88-90.
Limiting behaviour of a thin plasma sheet for a transverse magnetic field

It is shown that a thin magnetoplasma sheet behaves as if it were isotropic, provided that the conductivity is sufficiently high and the d.c. magnetisation is parallel to the sheet. The result lends confidence to the use of boundary or ‘jump’ conditions, which relate the electromagnetic fields on the two sides of the sheet.
Photodefinable benzocyclobutene as an optical waveguide material

Optical channel waveguides with single-mode dimensions have been fabricated using a photodefinable polymer system based on the benzocyclobutene resin and a bisarylazide photo- crosslinking agent. This photo-polymer offers a simple technique for fabricating optical interconnects in multi-chip modules. The processing conditions and developer selection required for the fabrication of benzocyclobutene optical waveguides is presented. With the losses in the waveguide typically less than 1 dB/cm, this material system is suitable for use in a variety of optical interconnect problems.
Biotransformation products and mineralization potential for hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in abiotic versus biological degradation pathways with anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) and Geobacter metallireducens

This study investigated extracellular electron shuttle-mediated RDX biodegradation and the distribution of ring cleavage metabolites generated by biological degradation (cells) versus the products formed by abiotic degradation (reduced electron shuttles), and when the two pathways were acting simultaneously. All pathways were influenced by pH. Buffered suspensions (pH 6.8/7.9/9.2) were performed with cell-free anthrahydroquinone-2,6-disulfonate as the sole electron donor, cells (Geobacter metallireducens) + acetate, or cells/acetate + anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate as an electron shuttle. The metabolites identified included methylenedinitramine, formaldehyde, nitrous oxide, nitrite, ammonium and carbon dioxide. As pH increased, the rates of RDX reduction by AH2QDS also increased. Cells alone reduced RDX faster at the lower pH values. However, at all pH the rates of the electron shuttle-mediated pathways were consistently the fastest, and the proportion of carbon present as formaldehyde, which is a precursor to mineralization, was highest in the presence of electron shuttles. Formaldehyde accounted for 45/51/54% of the carbon in electron shuttle amended cell suspensions as opposed to 13/42/45% of carbon without shuttles at the pH 6.8/7.9/9.2, respectively. Approximately 7–20% of RDX was mineralized to CO2 in the presence of cells at all pH tested; AQDS increased the extent of 14CO2 produced. Nitrous oxide and nitrite were end products in the strictly abiotic pathway, but nitrite was depleted in the presence of cells to form ammonium. Understanding the different products formed in the abiotic versus biological pathways and the influence of pH is critical to developing mixed biotic–abiotic remediation strategies for RDX.
ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTRUM OF THE ACETYL RADICAL

THE electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of the acetyl radical, CH3CO, has been detected during and after photolysis of biacetyl at 77° K. Small (100 mg) samples of biacetyl were distilled into thin-walled quartz tubes and degassed. The samples were placed in the V-4546 quartz Dewar accessory of a Varian V-4500 spectrometer, and irradiated under liquid nitrogen with a low-pressure mercury arc.
Engineering Development of the Free Ocean CO 2 Enrichment (FOCE) Experiment

Globally, the burning of fossil fuels for energy production produces over 25 gigatons of CO2 per year and this material is released directly into the atmosphere. While approximately half of the CO2 has remained in the atmosphere long-term, most of the rest has been absorbed by the surface ocean. This has resulted in a lowering of the surface ocean pH by about 0.1 units since the beginning of the industrial revolution and if society is able to stabilize atmospheric CO2 levels at twice their pre-industrial concentrations will result in a lowering of surface ocean pH by 0.25 units. While many are asking the question of whether we should pursue direct ocean CO2 sequestration, the FOCE experiment is asking what will be the impact of the pH change on the ocean. In order to address this question, MBARI science and engineering have designed a small-scale in situ CO2 enrichment experiment to assess the chemical and biological impacts in a manner analogous to the land-based Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiments. This prototype design is testing the ability to control pH within a fixed but freely exchanging volume of sea water. The technology concept for the experiment is based on a small ring structure using a central valve to direct the flow of pH altering fluid. The initial phase of the project uses concentrated HCl mixed with sea water and includes directional and volume control to achieve a desired pH offset. Control feedback is obtained by using pH sensors in the center of the control volume. Other aspects of the design that address the inherent time delays and noise of the associated pH signal are also discussed. Test results will show the capability of the system to maintain close loop control of pH in a given volume. Sea trials then demonstrate the ability of this initial system at a selected site to control pH to specified average level over a given amount of time. Further discussion includes systems in-situ results analysis, corrective actions, upgrades, and the anticipated next phase for FOCE including the use of CO2 addition to change the local chemistry
Unmasking moral dichotomies: can feminist pedagogy overcome student resistance?

Scholarship on feminist pedagogy suggests that challenges to traditional forms of knowledge help university students overcome resistance to discussions about oppression. Because students assume that ‘truth’ is objective, they are unwilling to consider alternative voices from the ‘margins’. This paper theoretically argues and empirically examines whether feminist pedagogy expands students' morally dichotomous frameworks and, thus, decreases students' avoidance, denial, and resentment towards critical analysis. I showed students in three Women, Gender and Society classes videos I created that depicted a lecturer and three students negotiating gendered‐conflict in the classroom. My goal was to see if exposure to feminist pedagogy throughout the semester reduced the likelihood that students used morally, dichotomous frameworks to resist engaging in analysis about oppression, inequality and difference.
Progressive Education and Democracy: Inseparable Conceptions

(2005). Progressive Education and Democracy: Inseparable Conceptions. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 31-33.
Broadband electrical impedance matching for piezoelectric ultrasound transducers

This paper presents a systematic method for designing broadband electrical impedance matching networks for piezoelectric ultrasound transducers. The design process involves three steps: 1) determine the equivalent circuit of the unmatched piezoelectric transducer based on its measured admittance; 2) design a set of impedance matching networks using a computerized Smith chart; and 3) establish the simulation model of the matched transducer to evaluate the gain and bandwidth of the impedance matching networks. The effectiveness of the presented approach is demonstrated through the design, implementation, and characterization of impedance matching networks for a broadband acoustic emission sensor. The impedance matching network improved the power of the acquired signal by 9 times.
Undergraduate research experience as preparation for graduate school

Graduate students learn to be sociologists in part by doing research. Many undergraduate institutions whose roles have been primarily defined by teaching have inadequately addressed the need of their students to obtain research experience. When such opportunities are available, and when they are properly structured and coordinated with the undergraduate curriculum, advantages accrue to both students and the profession. This paper examines curricular and extracurricular ways to strengthen undergraduate research opportunities as preparation for graduate school. It is suggested that such preparation is also beneficial to many students who do not go on to graduate school.
Nitrous oxide emissions from a large, impounded river: the Ohio River.

Models suggest that microbial activity in streams and rivers is a globally significant source of anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas, and the leading cause of stratospheric o...
Quality, quantity and total expenditures on publicly provided goods: the case of public mental hospitals

Abstract This paper proposes a positive model of public sector resource allocation for goods where quality, as well as quantity, is a salient dimension. The model views decisions about quality, quantity, and total expenditures as occuring within a ‘zone of contention’, bounded by minimum requirements for quality and quantity - reflecting technological, regulatory and legal constraints - and a maximum ceiling on total expenditures. The model is consistent with a number of alternative views of the political market place. It is formally derived from a Stone- Geary-type objective function. For purposes of estimation, the model can be transformed into a special case of the CALM model [Fischer and Kamlet (1984)]. The identification requirements for the CALM model are derived. The model is then applied to state expenditures on mental hospitals.
Exact conditional inference for two uniform populations

We discuss the nature of ancillary information in the context of the continuous uniform distribution. In the one-sample problem, the existence of sufficient statistics mitigates conditioning on the ancillary configuration. In the two-sample problem, additional ancillary information becomes available when the ratio of scale parameters is known. We give exact results for conditional inferences about the common scale parameter and for the difference in location parameters of two uniform distributions. The ancillary information affects the precision of the latter through a comparison of the sample value of the ratio of scale parameters with the known population value. A limited conditional simulation compares the Type I errors and power of these exact results with approximate results using the robust pooled t-statistic.
Rotational Correlation Functions in Neutron Scattering by Molecular Gases

The incoherent neutron scattering cross section of molecular gases is evaluated in terms of classical rotational time correlation functions. The calculation emphasizes the Gaussian behavior of the intermediate scattering function but also treats non-Gaussian effects. Explicit expressions applicable to spherical, linear, and symmetric molecules are given and applied to C${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$, HCl, and N${\mathrm{H}}_{3}$. Comparisons with exact quantum-mechanical calculations and experimental data show the Gaussian approximation to be reasonably accurate. In the case of C${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$, the inclusion of the leading non-Gaussian term brings the agreement to within about 1% of the exact results. The present approach considerably reduces the amount of computation relative to exact calculations; moreover, it permits a physically intuitive and potentially tractable extension to liquids and solids.
Modeling split crack growth behavior in a unidirectional composite under fatigue loading

Abstract In this investigation, split crack growth behavior in a notched unidirectional glass/epoxy composite was studied. The behavior was found to be non-traditional compared with homogeneous materials. It was found that the driving force, J , developed for static loading is not an appropriate parameter to describe the growth of a split crack under fatigue loading. Modification of the Tirosh model by considering material degradation due to fatigue showed promise. The parameter, J′ which accounts for the reduction of shear yield strength at the fiber-matrix interface due to fatigue was shown to be a proper driving force for split crack growth. Two different relations were proposed for life prediction. Both of these relations provided reasonable estimates of life based on the initial and the final split crack length and the ratio of stress amplitude to ultimate notched tensile strength of the composite.
On the variability and predictability of daily temperatures in the Arctic

Daily maximum and minimum temperature data from 54 stations in Alaska and northern Canada are used to evaluate temporal changes in the variance and autocorrelation of the daily anomalies from 1950–...