cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality of Service Provision for Modern Telecommunication Infrastructures in Transport and Industrial Logistic Solutions

The political and economic landscape of Europe has changed dramatically in recent years. Accession of new member states to European Economic Community (EEC) presents a new challenge to guarantee steady economic developments of all regions in Europe. To facilitate the essential flow of available natural and technological resources all across Europe, the EEC Commission being the world’s largest economy requires most advanced and sophisticated Logistics solutions including, International, Transport, Warehousing and Web Logistics. This paper presents the survey and the current state of the art in the area of Quality of Service (QoS) provision for modern Telecommunication Infrastructures in Transport and Industrial Logistic Solutions. The paper presents current state of the Logistics Systems in India and Japan and IRU World’s Congress on Transport and Technologies of Tomorrow. The paper further discusses the issues related to new developments and research challenges the areas of the International, Transport, Warehousing and Web Logistics technologies. The results of the survey presented in this article may be well applied in the Czech Ministry of Transportation current efforts to facilitate the faster economic integration of the Czech Republic within the EEC. The paper is structured in following manner. The first section present the introduction to European integration and applied logistics. The second and third sections discuss the issues of today’s logistics utilizing the large Chemical Plant in India. The third section provide reference to the IRU 29th World Congress on Transport and Technology of Tomorrow. The fourth section presents case study on the Total Logistic Control Software Solution. Section five introduces the current evolution of E-M-U Commerce technologies and Network Convergence. Section six presents the concept of Quality of Service Provision in the current Telecommunications Infrastructures. Finally, section seven presents conclusions and further research directions.
Design of a Hybrid Manipulator for Painting Highway Signage

This paper presents the design of a parallel/serial manipulator aimed at painting signage on highway pavement. The manipulator consists of a planar 2-link parallel mechanism coupled to a translational mechanism. Detailed kinematics are employed to understand the resultant workspace, feasible paths, and manipulability. Based on the analysis, optimal design parameters are selected to allow for the painting of symbols within a full highway lane width.
Behind the Couch

U nder the light of the logic of patients, or under the glare of cross-examination, my journey brought the confusing intersection of psychiatry and law into full view for me. At first, as a new recruit to psychiatry, I blamed it all (or mostly) on the “other side.” The law seemed rigid and simplistic. The discourse of the judges and lawyers seemed circuitous, if not dishonest. Each case was presented as the obvious conclusion of a studious review of previous cases. But as I became studious enough myself to know some of the cases, I saw that their conclusions were twisted to support outcomes desired for other reasons.
Separation of correlated signals using signal canceler constraints in a hybrid CM array architecture

In this paper, we present a hybrid implementation of the multistage constant modulus (CM) array for separating correlated signals. Using a cascade architecture of the CM array with a series of adaptive signal cancelers, we derive a parallel set of constrained beamformers. The canceler weights provide estimates of the direction vectors of the captured signals across the cascade stages, which are used in a parallel implementation of the linearly constrained CM (LCCM) array. Since the direction vectors are obtained directly fromthe canceler weights, the hybrid implementation does not require prior knowledge of the array response matrix. If the source signals are sufficiently separated in angle, then they can be captured individually across the parallel stages. When the sources are correlated, the cascade CM array does not completely cancel the captured signals, and previous versions of the parallel CMarray do not always capture different sources across the stages. These problems are handled by the proposed hybrid LCCM architecture based on the signal canceler constraints. Computer simulations for example cochannel scenarios are provided to illustrate some properties of the system.
Diamond-like carbon coatings for orthopaedic applications: an evaluation of tribological performance.

A detailed investigation of the tribological behaviour of vacuum arc diamond-like carbon coated Ti-6Al-4V against a medical grade ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is conducted in this work in order to investigate the potential use of diamond-like carbon coatings for orthopaedic appplications. Lubricated and non-lubricated wear experiments are performed using a standard pin-on-disc wear tester. The coefficient of friction is monitored continuously during testing and wear rate calculations are performed using surface profilometry measurements of worn disc surfaces. Sliding wear tests show the existence of two distinct friction and wear regimes distinguished by physically different mechanisms. In the first stages of wear, adhesion and abrasion are the dominant mechanisms of wear while fatigue processes are activated later in the tests. The effects of diamond-like carbon coating structure, surface roughness and lubrication on tribological behaviour are presented. Optimal process-structure-property design for vacuum arc plasma deposition is utilized in order to obtain strong adhesion to the titanium alloy substrate. Diamond-like carbon coatings significantly improve the friction and wear performance of the orthopaedic bearing pair and show exceptional promise for biomedical applications.
The Relationship Between Intelligence and Psychological Well-Being in Incoming College Students

This study investigated the relationship between intelligence and psychological well-being in young adults. Contradictory findings are presented about the relationship between intelligence and PWB in children and adolescents, and qualitative findings by Lovecky (J Couns Develop 64:572–575, 1986) in adults. For young adults, the authors predicted positive linear relationships between intelligence and PWB dimensions of Environmental Mastery, Autonomy, Personal Growth, Purpose in Life, and a curvilinear relationship between intelligence and the PWB dimension of Positive Relations with Others. These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 3,829 incoming first-year students at a large university using multiple regression of SAT scores (The College Board, SAT Reasoning Test, 1926–2005) and scores of these dimensions on a 54-item version (van Dierendonck, Personal Individ Differ 36:629–643, 2004) of Ryff’s (J Personal Soc Psychol, 57(6):1069–1081, 1989) Scales of Psychological Well-Being. Results supported a curvilinear relationship between SAT Verbal and Positive Relations with Others; significant relationships between SAT Math and Purpose in Life and Personal Growth were also discovered, but in the negative direction. Limitations, possible reasons for data trends, and potential application of results to university policy are discussed.
An FP Domain with Infinite Objects

We describe a basis for extending Backus's FP languages to apply to infinite data objects, including streams, using data objects called prefixes, which can be viewed as approximations of either finite or infinite sequences. The resulting set of data objects, together with its limit points, admits not only an infinite number of entries in a sequence, but also infinitely nested expressions. Elements in this domain include arbitrarily good finite approximations to any of the infinite objects of the domain.
Identifying Connected Classes for Software Reuse and Maintenance

Automated identification of reusable and maintainable software components based on dependency is explored. We develop an automated tool, JamTool [2], and describe how this tool can guide a programmer through measuring dependency of a program for software reuse and maintenance. We demonstrate JamTool’s ability through a case study to investigate whether this tool can be used to identify the connected classes for software reuse and maintenance.
Pisum sativum endonuclease. Studies on substrate specificity and possible use as a biochemical tool.

An endonuclease purified from germinating pea (Pisum sativum) seeds has been shown to catalyze the hydrolysis of heat-denatured single-stranded DNA. Since P. sativum endonuclease shows appreciable activity in the presence of DNA destabilizing agents and, unlike many similar endonucleases, significant activity at neutral pH, it is a potentially valuable tool for studies of the secondary structure of nucleic acids. The residual hydrolysis of duplex DNA is directed towards partially denatured, A,T-rich areas in native DNA. The rate of hydrolysis of deoxypolynucleotides was in the order poly(dT) greater than denatured DNA greater than poly(dA) greater than poly(dA-dT) = native DNA. Neither poly(dC), poly(dG) nor poly(dC).poly(dG) were attacked by the enzyme. Supercoiled, covalently closed circular phage PM2 form I DNA is converted to singly hit nicked circular form II and doubly hit linear from III duplexes. Prolonged treatment with enzyme does not further cleave the linear form III DNA. Addition of increasing concentrations of NaCl in the incubation mixture suppresses the conversion of form I to form II, but not the conversion of form II to form III, which is enhanced with the increasing ionic strength. The enzymatically relaxed circular form, I degree, obtained by unwinding of supercoiled DNA with a DNA-relaxing protein, is resistant to the action of the enzyme. Molecules with intermediate superhelix densities do not serve as substrates. The sites of cleavage of P. sativum endonuclease in PM2 DNA occur within regions that are readily denaturable in a topologically constrained superhelical molecule.
Cosmic Rays in the Local Interstellar Medium

Abstract Determination of the local interstellar spectrum of galactic cosmic rays at low energies (E⪝1 GeV) has long been a major goal of cosmic ray astrophysics. The question is of interest because of the possible effects that a large population of low energy cosmic rays may have on the local interstellar medium, on interstellar clouds, and, perhaps, on the boundary of the heliosphere itself. Because of the solar modulation of low energy cosmic rays, no direct information concerning the low energy interstellar spectrum of galactic cosmic rays is available from measurements made near earth. However, several estimates of the form of the interstellar spectrum have been put forth by use of indirect arguments and models of the modulation process. The Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft are now at such large radial distances from the sun (>45 AU for Pioneer 10) that, even though all are still apparently deep in the modulation region, observations from these spacecraft are beginning to provide meaningful tests of some of the suggested forms for the local interstellar spectrum. We review estimates of this spectrum and compare them to current observations from the spacecraft in the outer heliosphere which place at least a lower bound on the cosmic ray spectrum in the nearby interstellar medium. Using a standard model for the modulation process to extrapolate to larger radii the observed fluxes of anomalous components, believed to be accelerated near the modulation boundary, suggests limits on the radial extent of the modulation region in the heliosphere.
Control de saprolegniales por ácido acético, cloruro de sodio y verde malaquita en huevos de trucha arcoiris

Con finalidad de determinar la eficacia, como agentes inhibidores del crecimiento fungico de Saprolegniales , en ovas de trucha arcoiris, se procedio a la evaluacion de tratamientos con acido acetico (100 ppm, 300 ppm y 500 ppm), cloruro de sodio (20o/ oo) y verde malaquita (2,5 ppm). Los parametros medidos fueron: la mortalidad total de los huevos hasta que estos presentaron el ojo visible y la deformidad de alevines con saco. Los tratamientos se aplicaron utilizando la tecnica de corte de flujo, efectuada dia por medio y con tiempos de 60 minutos de duracion. Este procedimiento abarco desde la fecundacion hasta la aparicion de los ojos. El verde malaquita, presento la menor mortalidad total de huevos (12,95%) seguido por el acido acetico a 500 ppm (19,96%). En las ovas muertas con hongos adheridos a su superficie se registro un 6,76 % para verde malaquita y un 11,72 % para el acido acetico a 500 ppm. Con el cloruro de sodio se obtuvo la mayor proporcion en ambos casos. Los huevos tratados con verde malaquita, registraronuna alta incidencia de alevines con saco deformes (13,5 %), mientras para los restantes tratamientos, fueron inferiores al 7%). Es posible concluir que el acido acetico en concentraciones de 500 ppm puede ser ulitizado como sustituto al verde malaquita para controlar infecciones micoticas en ovas, ya que no produce elevados niveles de mortalidad en los huevos y no induce a la formacion de alevines con saco deformes.
Nottingham Eczema Severity Scoring tool can identify children at high risk of food allergy to cow’s milk, egg and peanut

Results When HR IgE FHS were categorized by eczema severity, those with severe AD were more likely to have HR IgE to cow’s milk (x2 11.3, P < 0.001), egg (x2 6.5, P < 0.05) and peanut (x2 25.4, P < 0.0001) compared to those with mild to moderate AD. Those ≤ 2 years with severe AD were more likely to have multiple HR IgE FHS compared to those with mild to moderate AD for all combinations: cow’s milk and egg (x2 18.62, P < 0.0001); peanut and egg: (x2 24.72, P < 0.0001); cow’s milk and peanut (x2 16.37, P < 0.0001); cow’s milk, egg and peanut (x2 20.01, P < 0.0001).
An optimality criterion for the crossing number

A suffcient condition is given that a certain drawing minimizes the crossing number. The condition is in terms of intersections in an arbitrary set system related to the drawing, and is like a correlation inequality.
Notch2 activation by benzyl isothiocyanate impedes its inhibitory effect on breast cancer cell migration

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) is a promising anticancer constituent of edible cruciferous vegetables with in vivo efficacy against chemically induced as well as oncogene-driven breast cancer in experimental rodents. However, the mechanism underlying anticancer effect of BITC is not fully understood. This study was undertaken to determine the role of Notch signaling in anticancer responses to BITC as this pathway is often hyperactive in human breast cancer. Exposure of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SUM159 human breast cancer cells to pharmacologic concentrations of BITC (2.5 and 5 μM) resulted in cleavage (activation) of Notch1, Notch2, and Notch4, which was accompanied by induction of γ-secretase complex components Presenilin1 and/or Nicastrin. The BITC-mediated cleavage of Notch was associated with its transcriptional activation as revealed by RBP-Jk and Hes-1A/B luciferase reporter assays. Inhibition of cell migration or cell viability resulting from BITC exposure was not influenced by pharmacological suppression of Notch1 using a γ-secretase inhibitor or RNA interference of Notch1 as well as Notch4. On the other hand, the BITC-mediated inhibition of cell migration, but not cell viability, was significantly augmented by siRNA and shRNA knockdown of Notch2 protein. Furthermore, the BITC-mediated inhibition of MDA-MB-231 xenograft growth in vivo was associated with a significant increase in nuclear levels of cleaved Notch2 and Hes-1 proteins. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that (a) BITC treatment activates Notch2 in cultured and xenografted human breast cancer cells, and (b) Notch2 activation impedes inhibitory effect of BITC on cell migration.
Prospects of heavy quark physics in Run II with the DØ detector

After a successful Run I, DO is poised for an encore performance in Run II. This article summarizes the essential features of the DO upgrade that involve a central magnetic field, a new tracking system, upgraded muon detection, and enhancements to muon, calorimeter and the data acquisition electronics. The goals for top quark physics for Run II are outlined along with issues affecting the precision measurement of top quark mass and single top quark production. The prospects and issues determining the B physics capabilities of DO in Run II are addressed briefly and a study of the CP sensitivity in the mode B o d → J/ψK o s is also presented.
Inside the ordering room: characteristics of women's in-home sex toy parties, facilitators and sexual communication

Background: Previous research suggests that adult bookstores are a unique way through which individuals may learn about sexuality or practice sexual communication. Recently, the woman-oriented in-home sex toy party industry has rapidly expanded in several countries. The purpose of this study was to document the characteristics of the parties, the women who run the parties (‘facilitators’) and facilitator-consumer communication about sexual health topics. Methods: Female facilitators for a large in-home sex toy party company in the USA were invited to participate in an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey. Results: A total of 1197 completed surveys were received. Most respondents were white (85.2%), heterosexual (91.6%), had at least some college education (76.3%) and were married (59.4%). Most parties were held in another woman’s home (88.3%), lasted 1–2 h (72.2%) and had 10 or fewer women in attendance (65.1%). At their most recent party facilitated, most respondents were asked questions about increasing desire/arousal (75.3%), orgasm (57.8%), desire discrepancy (56.4%), erection and ejaculation (73.8%), and vaginal dryness and lubrication (64.5%). Respondents who encountered sexual health questions or disclosures by consumers (those that were more ‘askable’) scored significantly higher on the Sexual Opinion Survey, indicating greater erotophilia. Conclusions: Results suggest that female in-home sex toy party facilitators have the potential to provide a diverse group of women with opportunities to access sexuality information, products and communication and that facilitators’ ‘askability’ is related to erotophilia. Implications for sexual health professionals are discussed.
The decomposition of cadmium carbonate in air and in vacuum

Cadmium carbonate powders were decomposed isothermally in air and in vacuum over the temperature range 563 to 773 K. The decomposition rates in vacuum were higher than those in air at corresponding temperatures. When decomposed in vacuum the carbonate phase experiences a total weight loss which is higher than that based on complete dissociation of CdCO3. The excess weight loss is attributed to stoichiometric deviations and the evaporative dissociation of CdO. On the basis of first-order kinetics, the activation energies for the decomposition of the carbonate in vacuum and in air were calculated as 185 and 177 kJ mol−1, respectively.
Current Topics of Immunohistochemistry as Applied to Skin Tumors

Suppressor oncogene p53 is expressed more frequently in the nodular portion than the superficial spreading portion of the same melanoma. PCNA expression follows the same pattern but it is strongly expressed already in the superficial spreading portion. CD34 is found to label dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. There is the mixture of negative strands but the immunostains are predominantly positive in the three cases studied. Neurogenic tumors are reactive but the intensity of staining is only moderate. Fibrous histiocytoma, dermatofibroma and other fibrohistiocytic tumors are non-reactive. CD34 is expressed in the outer root sheath of hair follicle below the sebaceous gland level. A case of piloepidermal cyst is CD34 positive. CD34 is expressed in vascular endothelial cells; not only hemangiomas but also lymphangiosarcoma is CD34 positive. A case of indeterminate cell histiocytosis following scabies and superficial variant of clear cell sarcoma are discussed as examples of new entities.
Surface chemical immobilization of parylene C with thermosensitive block copolymer brushes based on N‐isopropylacrylamide and N‐tert‐butylacrylamide: Synthesis, characterization, and cell adhesion/detachment

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM), poly(N-tert-butylacrylamide) (pNTBAM), and their copolymer brushes were covalently immobilized onto parylene C (PC) surfaces via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Contact angle measurement between 13 and 40°C showed that the hydrophobicity of the modified PC surfaces was thermally sensitive. Among these samples, PC grafted with pNIPAM (PC-NI), PC grafted with pNTBAM (PC-NT) and PC grafted with copolymer brushes containing pNTBAM and pNIPAM (PC-NT-NI) exhibited the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 29, 22, and 24°C, respectively. Cytocompatibility study for the modified surfaces was performed by 5 days human skin fibroblast culture at 37°C. Data showed that only a very small amount of cells adhered on the PC and PC-NI surfaces, while a significantly higher amount of cell adhesion and growth was observed on PC-NT and PC-NT-NI surfaces. Furthermore, cell detachment at the temperatures of 24 and 6°C were studied after the substrates were cultured with cells at 37°C for 24 h. The results showed that the cells on PC-NI formed the aggregations and loosely attached on the substrate after 30-min culture at 24°C, while no significant cell detachment was observed for PC-NT and PC-NT-NI samples at this temperature. By continuing the cell culture for additional 100 min at 6°C for PC-NT and PC-NT-NI, about 10 and 35% of the cells were found detached respectively, and the unattached cells aggregated on the substrate. In comparison, cells cultured on the tissue culture petri dish (TCP) exhibited no quantity and morphology changes at the culture temperatures of 37, 24, and 6°C. This study showed that: (1) immobilization of PC with nonthermal sensitive pNTBAM could provide PC surface thermal sensitive hydrophilicity; (2) the chlorines on the polymer brushes of PC-NT could be used to further initiate the ATRP pNIPAM and form block copolymer brushes; (3) the incorporation of pNTBAM into pNIPAM on PC-NT-NI could change the surface thermal hydrophilicity property, and be further applied to decrease the LCST of the modified PC surface; (4) grafted pNIPAM brushes on PC-NI by ATRP showed very low cell adhesion and proliferation in 5 days fibroblast culture at 37°C, and cell detached at 24°C; (5) the incorporation of pNTBAM into pNIPAM on PC-NT-NI decreased the thermal sensitivity of cell adhesion/detachment, cell detached at 6°C, but the cell adhesion and proliferation were significantly improved at a wide temperature range.
Conceptualizing community: A comparison of neighborhood characteristics of supportive housing for persons with psychiatric and developmental disabilities

Housing and services for persons with developmental disabilities (DD) have been shaped by the normalization approach, a commitment to full integration within the general community. In contrast, housing and services for persons with psychiatric disabilities (PD) have had various and sometimes conflicting goals, including provision of custodial care, promotion of therapeutic community, and community integration. This cross-field study compares the neighborhood characteristics of publicly-funded housing for the PD and DD populations in a metropolitan community. The aim of the study was to examine whether the contrasting housing approaches are reflected at an ecological level and to consider how these findings relate to the goal of community integration for people with PD and DD. Administrative databases provided residential addresses of 1932 residents with PD living in 297 locations and 1716 residents with DD living in 749 locations in the city of Philadelphia. The 2000 U.S. Census and city's police department database provided information on neighborhood characteristics. Geographic information system (GIS) methodology generated maps displaying the distribution of housing locations in relation to spatial dispersion, distress, stability, safety, and race/ethnic diversity. Statistical analyses compared neighborhood characteristics of the DD and PD populations. Findings indicated that the DD population in supportive housing was more spatially dispersed, and lived in less distressed, less unstable, more secure, but equally racially/ethnically diverse neighborhoods when compared to the PD population in supportive housing. Greater geographic dispersal among persons with DD may be the result of more emphasis on normalization within policies and programs determining the location of their housing. The higher funding levels for housing and residential support for persons with DD also provided programs with the option of placing people in higher income neighborhoods. Given that community integration has emerged as an organizing principle within mental health services over other models, policymakers in the field of psychiatric disabilities may have much to learn from the normalization movement for people with developmental disabilities.
Prions--not your immunologist's pathogen.

A colleague and fellow immunologist, we will call her “Anne,” lifts her index and middle fingers on each hand and bows them in “air quotes” as she says prion “immunology” during my student’s thesis committee meeting. Anne says she works on “malaria, a real pathogen that elicits a real immune response.” Now, I am pretty sure Anne believes prions exist, but does she have a point about the immune response they elicit? The answer may surprise you. Prions are remarkable, enigmatic pathogens that are quite different than most disease-causing entities. According to the prion hypothesis, prions are infectious agents devoid of instructional nucleic acid [1]. They propagate themselves without a genetic code, instead enciphering their infectious nature structurally, within the protein conformation itself. Mounting evidence supports the prion hypothesis, including the generation of infectious prions from purified recombinant protein [2]. Soon after Prusiner coined the term “prion,” his and Charles Weissmann’s labs discovered that a cellular gene encodes the prion agent [3]. Strangely, though, Prusiner had already demonstrated that infectious prions did not include nucleic acid, suggesting that prions infect without transmitting the gene encoding them. So attention turned to the host, in which this gene also encodes a normal form of the agent, called cellular prion protein (PrPC), that was later shown to be absolutely required to generate both genetic and acquired prion diseases [4]. And so, all the armchair immunologists reading this article right now pause and say, “Wait a minute…” while Anne chimes in with “prion immunology.” Here we go.
An empirical comparison of use-in-motion evaluation scenarios for mobile computing devices

There is a clear need for evaluation methods that are specifically suited to mobile device evaluation, largely due to the vast differences between traditional desktop computing and mobile computing. One difference of particular interest that needs to be accounted for is that mobile computing devices are frequently used while the user is in motion, in contrast to desktop computing. This study aims to validate the appropriateness of two evaluation methods that vary in representativeness of mobility, one that uses a treadmill to simulate motion and another that uses a controlled walking scenario.The results lead to preliminary guidelines based on study objectives for researchers wishing to use more appropriate evaluation methodologies for empirical, data-driven mobile computing studies. The guidelines indicate that using a treadmill for mobile evaluation can yield representative performance measures,whereas a controlled walking scenario is more likely to adequately simulate the atual user experience.
Globules and star formation

The principal properties of dark globules are reviewed. Optical and radio (CO) data suggest masses in the range 20 to 750M⊙, radii 0.15 to 1.2 parsecs. There is no evidence for fragmentation. The dust density inside near-spherical globules varies inversely as the cube of the distance from the center. There is evidence to show that several globules are in a state of collapse.
Influence of colorants on crystallization and mechanical properties of lithia-based glass-ceramics.

Abstract • Objectives. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that colorants such as AgNO3 and FeCl3 act as co-nucleating agents with P2O5 in the Li2OAl2O3CaOSiO2 system and that the addition of either colorant and P2O5 produces a greater effect on crystallization and selected mechanical properties than the use of P2O5 alone. • Methods. Microstructural effects were observed by SEM and optical microscopy. Mechanical properties were determined to monitor the effects of structural changes after crystallization. These include controlled-flaw flexure strength, fracture toughness (KIC), and Vickers hardness (VHN). • Results. Based on a glass composition of 27.84 mol% Li2O, 2.45 mol% Al2O3, 5.88 mol% CaO, and 63.84 mol% SiO2 (LACS), the mechanical properties of LACS glass-ceramics were influenced by P2O5, the colorant type, and the colorant concentration. The mean strength of the glass-ceramic disks without P2O5 increased with AgNO3 concentration to a peak value of 188 MPa at a concentration of 0.78 mmol%. The maximum value of controlled-flaw flexure strength increased from 120 MPa for one of the FeCl3 groups to 188 MPa for one of the AgNO3 groups. The maximum fracture toughness of glass-ceramic disks without P2O5 ( 2.45 MPa·m 1 2 ) was associated with a AgNO3 concentration of 0.58 mmol%. This value was significantly greater (p≤0.05) than that of the corresponding group ( 1.90 MPA·m 1 2 ) which also contained P2O5. There was no significant change in KIC of glass-ceramic specimens containing P2O5 as the AgNO3 concentration increased. The increase in controlled-flaw flexure strength and fracture toughness of specimen groups containing 0.58 to 0.78 mmol% AgNO3 support its use as a colorant and as a nucleating agent in LACS glass-ceramics. • Significance The development of tougher, higher strength glass-ceramics can be controlled by the use of colorants that are also effective as nucleating agents. Although certain colorants are believed to act synergistically when used in combination with known nucleating agents to enhance the fracture toughness of glass-ceramics, this effect was not observed in this study for the combined use of AgNO3 and the classical nucleating agent, P2O5. In fact, the colorant used in this study (AgNO3) was more effective than P2O5 as a nucleating agent for lithia-based glass-ceramics.
Voluntary Participation and Self-Governance: A Study of Community Health Volunteering in Kolkata, India

Participatory strategies have generated a critical body of work examining the meaning of empowerment and urban policy-making in societies undergoing a shift from government to governance. Discussio...
Viscous flow over a shrinking sheet with an arbitrary surface velocity

Abstract In this paper, an analytical solution in a closed form for the boundary layer flow over a shrinking sheet is presented when arbitrary velocity distributions are applied on the shrinking sheet. The solutions with seven typical velocity profiles are derived based on a general closed form expression. Such flow is usually not self-similar and the solution can only be implemented when the mass transfer at the wall is prescribed and determined by the moving velocity of the wall. The characteristics of the flows with the typical velocity distributions are discussed and compared with previous similarity solutions. The flow is observed to have quite different behavior from that of the self-similar flow reported in the literature and the results demonstrate distinctive momentum and energy transport characteristics. Some plots of the stream functions are also illustrated to show the difference in flow field between the shrinking sheet and the stretching sheet. An integral approach to solve boundary layer flow over a shrinking or stretching sheet with uncoupled arbitrary surface velocity and wall mass transfer velocity is outlined and the effectiveness of this approach is discussed.
Acousmate: History and de-visualised sound in the schaefferian tradition

The word 'acousmatic' has a strange and complicated history. Recent Schaefferian accounts have replicated Francois Bayle's sketch of the 'histoire du mot' from his Musique acousmatique-in particular, the assumed synonymy between 'acousmatique' and 'acousmate'. However, this synonymy is mistaken. The word 'acousmate' was first coined in an article from 1730 to describe a strange noise heard one evening in the small French village of Ansacq. A discussion of the article follows, which shows how the word is unrelated to the Pythagorean acousmatics, and how its author understood his 'acousmate' in the context of contemporary natural science. Additionally, a sketch of the term's changing signification in three discourses-scientific, psychological and literary-is presented. The goal of this article is to articulate a set of problems concerning the historiography of acousmatic listening in the Schaefferian tradition. These problems include: 1) the need to authorise a practice of musique acousmatique, which has limited historical investigation to moments where the word 'acousmate' or 'acousmatique' appear in the archive; 2) a mistaken assumption that 'acousmate' and 'acousmatique' are synonymous, which has forced together historical moments that are not in fact affiliated; 3) an adherence to this affiliation, which has foreclosed the opportunity to consider acousmatic listening as a set of culturally and historically specific practices concerning the relationship of seeing and hearing.
Hepatic adenosine triphosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, and uridine diphosphoglucose levels in fasted, adrenalectomized, and cortisol-treated rats

Abstract An investigation of the effects of tissue isolation procedures on hepatic intermediates reveals that the usual methods for killing unanesthetized rats initiate, within seconds, large losses of ATP, and increases in glucose-6-P, obscuring in vivo levels. The magnitude, time-course and some factors influencing these changes are presented. In view of these findings and the recent interest in the possibility that changes in ATP and glucose-6-P may be important in the regulation of glycogen synthesis, an evaluation of the effects of fasting, adrenalectomy, and cortisol treatment on ATP, glucose-6-P and UDP-glucose levels was undertaken, using techniques which are shown to give reliable values for these intermediates in vivo. Although fasting lowers glucose-6-P and UDP-glucose, contrary to earlier reports it has no effect on ATP. Moreover in fasting animals neither adrenalectomy nor cortisol treatment significantly alters ATP or glucose-6-P levels. It is concluded that although nutritional status may influence glycogen synthesis through alterations in glucose-6-P levels, it seems unlikely that changes in glucose-6-P or ATP levels are responsible for the decreased glycogen levels following adrenalectomy or the increase in glycogen synthesis following cortisol treatment. UDP-glucose measurements, however, confirm the conclusion of others that an early glucocorticoid action is the direct or indirect activation of the glycogen synthetase reaction, since UDP-glucose levels are increased after adrenalectomy and are decreased early during cortisol-induced glycogen synthesis.
Hypertension and cardiac disease in minorities

Despite recent advances in both prevention and treatment, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the United States. One of the major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, is a leading cause of stroke, kidney disease, and diseases of the heart and coronary circulation. Essential hypertension is the most common cause of systemic blood pressure elevation and it responds readily to both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment. More patients visit physicians and receive prescriptions for the treatment of hypertension than for any other medical disorder. Nevertheless, more than a million Americans die each year from the direct or indirect effects of hypertension. Over the last two decades, significant progress has been made in reducing mortality from cardiovascular disease. Through public health programs like the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, increasing numbers of hypertensive patients have been detected, treated and controlled. As a result, the number of deaths from stroke, kidney disease, and coronary artery disease has declined significantly. For both blacks and Hispanics, however, the decreases in cardiovascular mortality have been less striking. Many factors could account for this disparity, among them the availability of health care facilities in minority neighborhoods, and the health-care-seeking behavior of the patients themselves. Understanding epidemiologic and pathophysiologic data regarding differences between blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites will help reduce hypertension-related morbidity and mortality.
‘Suddenly you've become somebody else’: A study of pregnancy and the creative woman

Abstract This pilot study is a woman-centered exploration of the effects of pregnancy on a woman artist's work, asking what changes in the work occur during pregnancy or as a result of pregnancy. Conventionally, conditions for artistic creation and for reproduction have been thought to be mutually exclusive, the one requiring self-centeredness and the other, selflessness. The women in this study reported instead that their work was augmented by this change and its product, motherhood. Subject matter and imagery, use of time, attitude about the world and the self were seen in retrospect—if not always at the time—to have benefitted. Having enough time to spend on one project or the other was the most significant conflict reported. Recent theories about and explorations of women's lives and ideas, particularly regarding preparation for motherhood, support what the subjects of this study reported about the multi- layered complexity of the experience. Beauvoir, Rich, Ruddick and Gilligan provide the theoretical background: patriarchal culture's use of biology marks women off as being significantly different from men; while this bodily distinction has been used to limit women, it need not be and may instead be a source of power and growth; maternal thinking has its own previously unacknowledged structures; and women's development, particularly in the valued category of morality, has a different basis than men's, in responsibility rather than in rights. Instead of dividing art from life, motherhood, if not pregnancy specifically, allowed, demanded, or called up a vision of enlargement and unity in social, spiritual, and universal terms, a transcendent philosophy that is not an escape but an embrace.
Reflectivity metrics for optimization of anti-reflection coatings on wafers with topography

Anti-reflection coatings are commonly used in advanced photolithography in order to minimize CD variability caused by deviations in resist thickness and in the films and structures comprising the substrate. For a planar film stack, reflectivity calculations are a critical tool for optimization of parameters such as coating thicknesses and optical properties of anti-reflection coatings (TARCs and BARCs). However, with the exception of the first lithography layer, all layers on a production wafer have some degree of topography, so that reflectivity calculations for a planar film stack are not strictly correct. In this study, we evaluate three different reflectivity metrics that can be applied to wafers with topography: reflectivity for simplified planar film stacks, standing wave amplitude, and reflected diffraction efficiencies. Each of these metrics has a simple, physical meaning that will be described in detail in the presentation. We then evaluate how well these reflectivity metrics correlate with CD variability for two different example lithography steps: implant layers with STI (where a developable BARC might be used), and Litho-Etch-Litho-Etch style double patterning.
Effects of hyaluronidase upon the distribution of plasma albumin and red blood cells in normal and ischemic myocardium

Abstract The effects of hyaluronidase have been determined upon the whole blood, red cell, intravascular and extravascular plasma equivalents, and water content of normal and ischemic myocardium of the dog. Neither ischemia nor hyaluronidase, alone or combined, affects the myocardial content of red cells or intravascular plasma. Ischemia produces a marked increase in the water content and extravascular plasma equivalent, presumably as a result of increased capillary permeability. Hyaluronidase also increases the extravascular plasma equivalent, but not the water content, of the normal myocardium. In a region rendered ischemic as the result of coronary artery ligation, the increase in water content is largely prevented by the hourly intravenous injection of hyaluronidase. It is concluded that this enzyme reduces localized edema after coronary ligation by virtue of its actions as a spreading factor and as a lymphagogue.
The use of bulk collectors in monitoring wet deposition at high-altitude sites in winter

Concentrations of dissolved ions from samples collected by wet/dry collectors were compared to those collected by bulk collectors at Halfmoon Creek and Ned Wilson Lake in western Colorado to determine if bulk collectors can be used to monitor wet deposition chemistry in remote, high-altitude regions in winter. Hydrogen-ion concentration was significantly lower (p 0.05) at Halfmoon Creek. Wet deposition concentrations were predicated from bulk deposition concentrations through linear regression analysis. Results indicate that anions (chloride, nitrate and sulfate) can be predicted with a high degree of confidence. Lack of significant differences between seasonal (winter and summer) ratios of bulk to wet deposition concentrations indicates that at sites where operation of a wet/dry collector during the winter is not practical, wet deposition concentrations can be predicted from bulk collector samples through regression analysis of wet and bulk deposition data collected during the summer.
Implementation of adaptive beamforming algorithms on parallel processing DSP networks

In this paper we address the problem of implementing a Least Squares problem, like that arising in the adaptive beamforming case, on a multiprocessor network comprising of general purpose DSP processors. Although optimal array processors have been proposed for this problem, an implementation on a generalized network is a flexible and more modular and reconfigurable solution, suited for a highly dynamic environment with changing applications and problem sizes. The parallelization issues have been explored and a scheme for an efficient implementation has been described.
LIFE HISTORY OF ALMYRACUMA PROXIMOCULI JONES AND BURBANCK, 1959 (CRUSTACEA: CUMACEA) FROM INTERTIDAL FRESH-WATER SPRINGS ON CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS

ABSTRACT The estuarine cumacean Almyracuma proximoculi is found year-round in the immediate vicinity of intertidal fresh-water springs in the northeastern United States. Each of two intensively studied populations of A. proximoculi synchronously produce two generations per year. The following developmental stages occur: first manca, second manca, juvenile, juvenile male, mature male, juvenile female, preparatory female, marsupial female, and intermediate female. There are minor differences in life history parameters between populations and major differences between generations. Compared to the overwintering generations the summer generations have more rapid intramarsupial and extramarsupial developmental rates, have markedly lower fecundities, are shorter-lived, and produce smaller adults. These differences are apparently due to the influence of ambient temperature. Life history parameters and extramarsupial development patterns of other cumaceans are compared to those of A. proximoculi.
Evaluation of protection in a mouse model after vaccination with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculois protein cocktails

Whole-cell vaccines successfully reduce signs of clinical disease and fecal shedding of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), however, these vaccines have some limitations. The present study was conducted to identify MAP proteins that might be candidates for the development of an improved vaccine. MAP proteins were screened for immunogenicity in naturally infected cattle and selected based upon reactivity in the interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and Western blot assays. Proteins (MAP1087, MAP1204, MAP1272c, and MAP2077c) were arrayed into 4 overlapping cocktails containing 3 proteins each. The efficacy of the proteins within these cocktails as vaccine candidates was evaluated by subcutaneous immunization of mice, followed by challenge with live, virulent MAP. All MAP protein cocktails significantly reduced the recovery of live MAP from the ileum, while cocktails 1 and 3 reduced colonization in the liver. No significant differences were seen in the mesenteric lymph node or spleen, however, cocktail 1 reduced viable MAP in the mesenteric lymph node compared to other treatments. Stimulation of splenocytes upregulated antigen-specific IFN-γ and IL-23 secretion in all treatment groups, regardless of vaccination. Interestingly, IL-4 was moderately downregulated for vaccinates compared to control infected mice. An increase in total CD25 expression was noted for 3 of the 4 vaccinate groups upon stimulation of splenocytes with a whole cell sonicate of MAP, with this effect becoming more significant within CD4CD25+ and CD8CD25+ subpopulations. The present study demonstrated that MAP proteins are useful as vaccine candidates to reduce MAP tissue burden.
Historical background on performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Abstract In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996, which is summarized in this special issue of Reliability Engineering and System Safety . This performance assessment was the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This paper provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project.
Self-Triality of the Ashkin-Teller Model

It is shown that the Ashkin-Teller model has self-triality, which is a generalization of Kramers-Wannier self-duality proposed some time ago and illustrated with examples. In the Hamiltonian formalism, it means that the original Hamiltonian may be reexpressed in terms of either of two disorder variables without change of form and that the relation between all three variables is fully symmetric.
Effects of angiotensin on canine renal blood flow.

SummaryChanges in canine renal blood flow in response to intra-arterial injections of angiotensin were studied in innervated and chronically denervated kidneys under a variety of conditions. In all cases, angiotensin decreased renal blood flow. Angiotensin was equally effective in reducing renal blood flow in innervated kidneys, reserpinized kidneys, kidneys treated with lidocaine, and in chronically denervated kidneys. These results suggest that the renal vasoconstrictor action of angiotensin is largely independent of an intact renal vasomotor innervation.