cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of a land-surface-transfer scheme (LSX) in a global climate model: the response to doubling stomatal resistance

One response of vegetation to future increases in atmospheric CO2 may be a widespread increase in stomatal resistance. Such a response would increase plant water usage efficiency while still allowing CO2 assimilation at current rates. The associated reduction in transpiration rates has the potential of causing significant modifications in climate on regional and global scales. This paper describes the effects of a uniform doubling of the stomatal resistance parameterization in a global climate model (GENESIS). The model includes a land-surface transfer scheme (LSX) that accounts for the physical effects of vegetation, including stomatal resistance and transpiration, which is described in detail in an appendix. The atmospheric general circulation model is a heavily modified version of the NCAR Community Climate Model version 1 with new treatments of clouds, penetrative convection, planetary boundary layer mixing, solar radiation, the diurnal cycle, and semi-Lagrangian transport of water vapor. The other surface models include multi-layer models of soil, snow and sea ice, and a 50-m slab ocean mixed layer. The effects of doubling the stomatal resistance parameterization are largest in heavily forested regions: tropical South America, and parts of the Northern Hemispheric boreal forests in Canada, Russia and Siberia in summer. The primary surface changes are a decrease in evapotranspiration, an increase in upward sensible heat flux, and a surface-air warming. Secondary effects include shifts in the ITCZ which cause large increases in precipitation, soil moisture and runoff in western tropical South America, and decreases in these quantities in northern subtropical Africa. Noticeable changes in relative humidity, cloudiness and meridional circulation occur throughout the troposphere. The global effects on atmospheric temperature and specific humidity are small fractions of those found in other doubled CO2 experiments. However, unlike doubled CO2 the signs of those changes combine to give relatively large reductions in relative humidity and cloudiness. It is suggested that the stomatal-resistance effect and other plant responses to large-scale environmental perturbations should be included in models of future climate.
Metabolic state determines sensitivity to cellular stress in Huntington disease: normalization by activation of PPARγ.

Impairments in mitochondria and transcription are important factors in the pathogenesis of Huntington disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein. This study investigated the effect of different metabolic states and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation on sensitivity to cellular stressors such as H2O2 or thapsigargin in HD. Striatal precursor cells expressing wild type (STHdhQ7) or mutant huntingtin (STHdhQ111) were prepared in different metabolic conditions (glucose vs. pyruvate). Due to the fact that STHdhQ111 cells exhibit mitochondrial deficits, we expected that in the pyruvate condition, where ATP is generated primarily by the mitochondria, there would be greater differences in cell death between the two cell types compared to the glucose condition. Intriguingly, it was the glucose condition that gave rise to greater differences in cell death. In the glucose condition, thapsigargin treatment resulted in a more rapid loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), a greater activation of caspases (3, 8, and 9), and a significant increase in superoxide/reactive oxygen species (ROS) in STHdhQ111 compared to STHdhQ7, while both cell types showed similar kinetics of ΔΨm-loss and similar levels of superoxide/ROS in the pyruvate condition. This suggests that bioenergetic deficiencies are not the primary contributor to the enhanced sensitivity of STHdhQ111 cells to stressors compared to the STHdhQ7 cells. PPARγ activation significantly attenuated thapsigargin-induced cell death, concomitant with an inhibition of caspase activation, a delay in ΔΨm loss, and a reduction of superoxide/ROS generation in STHdhQ111 cells. Expression of mutant huntingtin in primary neurons induced superoxide/ROS, an effect that was significantly reduced by constitutively active PPARγ. These results provide significant insight into the bioenergetic disturbances in HD with PPARγ being a potential therapeutic target for HD.
Analysis of a gas-phase partitioning tracer test conducted in an unsaturated fractured-clay formation

The gas-phase partitioning tracer method was used to estimate non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), water, and air saturations in the vadose zone at a chlorinated-solvent contaminated field site in Tucson, AZ. The tracer test was conducted in a fractured-clay system that is the confining layer for the underlying regional aquifer. Three suites of three tracers were injected into wells located 14, 24, and 24 m from a single, central extraction well. The tracers comprised noble gases (traditionally thought to be nonsorbing), alkanes (primarily water partitioning), perfluorides (primarily NAPL partitioning), and halons (both NAPL and water partitioning). Observations of vacuum response were consistent with flow in a fractured system. The halon tracers exhibited the greatest amount of retardation, and helium and the perfluoride tracers the least. The alkane tracers were unexpectedly more retarded than the perfluoride tracers, indicating low NAPL saturations and high water saturations. An NAPL saturation of 0.01, water saturation of 0.215, and gas saturation of 0.775 was estimated based on analysis of the suite of tracers comprising helium, perfluoromethylcyclohexane and dibromodifluoromethane, which was considered to be the most robust set. The estimated saturations compare reasonably well to independently determined values.
WE‐G‐103‐03: BEST IN PHYSICS (IMAGING) ‐ The Feasibility of An X‐Ray Differential Phase Contrast Tomosynthesis System Adapted From a Clinical Digital Breast Tomosynthesis System

Purpose: This work aims to investigate the feasibility of a grating‐based x‐ray differential phase contrast (DPC) tomosynthesis imaging system based on an absorption‐contrast DBT system currently available in the clinical practice. The main significance of this study is the potential improvement in lesion/calcification detection performance when the DPC mechanism is combined with the tomosynthesis imaging method. Methods: First, a framework was developed to simultaneously reconstruct differential phase contrast (edge information), phase contrast (electron density information), and absorption contrast images. Second, a physical phantom and a benchtop DPC imaging system (40 kVp, 80 micron pixel pitch) were used to evaluate the reconstruction framework as well as the contrast improvement with the DPC mechanism. Third, a DPC system was designed based on the current hardware of a clinical absorption DBT system (Hologic Selenia Dimensions), and the task‐based model observer detectability indices of the DPC tomosynthesis system were evaluated using a theoretical framework that quantitatively relates the noise properties of DPC‐DBT with absorption DBT. Results: Reconstructions of physical phantoms show improved signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) compared with absorption images acquired under the same exposure (SDNR_PMMA = 5.9 and 0.6 for DPC and absorption, respectively). Equivalent spatial resolution for the two contrast mechanisms was observed from the line profiles and artifact spread functions of a bead. Design parameters of the DPC‐DBT system are fully compatible with the current clinical system. The accuracy of the framework that predicts detectability in DPC‐DBT was validated experimentally, and it suggests that the DPC mechanism will Result in improved detectabilities of both small objects (e.g. calcification) and irregular‐shaped objects (e.g. spiculated lesions). Conclusion: It is feasible to build a DPC tomosynthesis system using the system setup of an existing clinical DBT system. The system shows promise in improving lesion and calcification detectability, and therefore merits further investigation.
Experimental Study of Subcritical to Supercritical Jet Mixing

Subcritical, near-critical and supercritical liquid jet was injected into an inert gaseous atmosphere. Density distribution is measured and density gradient profiles are inferred from the experimental data. The dark core and jet spreading angles are measured and compared with previous theoretical and experimental results. A method that allows for the detection of the structures in the jet core is appl ied. In the previous studies using the same facility 1,2 a jet at ambient temperature was injected into a c hamber at supercritical conditions. In the present study the jet is heated before injection into the chamber fro m subcritical to supercritical values, with a range of chamber to in jectant density ratios from 0.01 to 0.065. Further, the dark core lengths and the jet spreading angles of the jet at subcritical, near critical and supercritical condit ions are measured. Since the definition of the dark core length is not unique among existing studies, the algorithm that has been adopted to calculate the dark core lengths of the jet has b een based here on the change of density along the c entral portion of the jet. The subcritical and supercritical data are plotted against the chamber-to-injectant density r atio. Finally, the jet spreading angles have also been measured and pl otted against the density ratio, and have been comp ared with existing theories 12-14 and other experimental data 15-17 . The results indicate that for both the subcritica l and supercritical cases, the core lengths decrease with an increase of density ratio while the jet spreadi ng angles increase with an increase in the density ratio, following th e theoretical predictions closely.
Collegians steal legislators' fire

Unhampered by political “ties that bind” college students enact model constitution and progressive legislatin in annual conferences at Pennsylvania's state capital.
Capturing vertical profiles of aerosols and black carbon over the Indian Ocean using autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles

Measurements of the vertical distribution of aerosol properties provide essential information for generating more accurate model estimates of radiative forcing and atmospheric heating rates compared with employing remotely sensed column averaged properties. A month long campaign over the Indian Ocean during March 2006 investigated the interaction of aerosol, clouds, and radiative effects. Routine vertical profiles of aerosol and water vapor were determined using autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with miniaturized instruments. Comparisons of these airborne instruments with established ground-based instruments and in aircraft-to-aircraft comparisons demonstrated an agreement within 10%. Aerosol absorption optical depths measured directly using the unmanned aircraft differed from columnar AERONET sun-photometer results by only 20%. Measurements of total particle concentration, particle size distributions, aerosol absorption and black carbon concentrations are presented along with the trade wind thermodynamic structure from the surface to 3000 m above sea level. Early March revealed a well-mixed layer up to the cloud base at 500 m above mean sea level (m a.s.l.), followed by a decrease of aerosol concentrations with altitude. The second half of March saw the arrival of a high altitude plume existing above the mixed layer that originated from a continental source and increased aerosol concentrations by more than tenfold, yet the surface air mass showed little change in aerosol concentrations and was still predominantly influenced by marine sources. Black carbon concentrations at 1500 m above sea level increased from 70 ng/m 3 to more than 800 ng/m 3 with the arrival of this polluted plume. The absorption aerosol optical depth increased from as low as 0.005 to as much as 0.035 over the same period. The spectral dependence of the aerosol absorption revealed an absorption Angstrom exponent of 1.0, which is typical of an aerosol with most of its absorption attributed to black carbon and generally indicates the absorbing component originated from fossil fuel sources and other high-temperature combustion sources. The results indicate that surface measurements do not represent the aerosol properties within the elevated layers, especially if these layers are influenced by long range transport.
Temporal Causality and the Dynamics of Crime and Delinquency

This paper is the first attempt to identify crime-delinquency relationship at the national level. We apply various techniques to identify the dynamic relationship between crime and delinquency rates in USA from 1987 to 2008. Two types of crime rates are observed, violent and property crime rate. The study finds strong short-term evidence that delinquency causes an increase in property crime rate for the years 1987 through 1995 and again 1996 through 2000, but no evidence for a long-term relationship in the full sample 1987 through 2008. The reverse effect of crime on delinquency rate is mostly insignificant. The property values work as a linkage between crime-delinquency relationship in the short-term data. One important finding of this study is the apparent exogeneity of the crime rate with respect to delinquency rate during the economic downturn. We also control for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, housing starts, and median weekly wage.
Differential parental care behaviors of arboreal and terrestrial microhylid frogs from Papua New Guinea

I studied the ecology of parental care behaviors displayed by two closely related sympatric species of microhylid frogs in Papua New Guinea that occupy different microhabitats. Adult removal experiments on the terrestrial frog Hylophorbus rufescens and the undescribed arboreal frog Oreophryne sp. “A” demonstrate a significant positive effect of parental attendance on offspring survivorship and differential causes of egg mortality between microhabitats. Desiccation was the primary cause of egg mortality for the arboreal frog, whereas predation was the main source of mortality for the terrestrial frog. These selection pressures (desiccation and predation) are comparable to two of Wilson’s “prime movers” of the evolution of parental care (harsh environment and predation) and may have driven and/or are maintaining the evolution of parental care behaviors in these Papuan microhylid frogs. These results highlight microhabitat-specific selection pressures in the evolution and maintenance of parental care behaviors.
Pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in mice: A comparison of spectral analysis of electroencephalogram and behavioral grading using the Racine scale

Pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) is a widely used seizure model in mice, and the Racine scale has been used to index seizure intensity. The goal of this study was to analyze electroencephalogram (EEG) quantitatively using fast Fourier transformation (FFT) and statistically evaluate the correlation of electrographic seizures with convulsive behaviors. Simultaneous EEG and video recordings in male mice in a mixed genetic background were conducted and pilocarpine was administered intraperitoneally to induce seizures. The videos were graded using the Racine scale and the root-mean-square (RMS) power analysis of EEG was performed with Sirenia Seizure Pro software. We found that the RMS power was very weakly correlated with convulsive behavior induced by pilocarpine. Convulsive behaviors appeared long before electrographic seizures and showed a strong negative correlation with theta frequency activity and a moderate positive correlation with gamma frequency activity. Racine scores showed moderate correlations with RMS power across multiple frequency bands during the transition from first electrographic seizure to SE. However, there was no correlation between Racine scores and RMS power during the SE phase except a weak correlation with RMS power in the theta frequency. Our analysis reveals limitations of the Racine scale as a primary index of seizure intensity in status epilepticus, and demonstrates a need for quantitative analysis of EEG for an accurate assessment of seizure onset and severity.
Interfacial stress analysis for multi-coating systems using an advanced boundary element method

This paper focuses on the interfacial stress analysis for multi-coating systems using an advanced boundary element method (BEM) developed earlier in [Luo JF, Liu YJ, Berger EJ (1998) Analysis of two-dimensional thin structures (from micro- to nano-scales) using the boundary element method. Comput. Mech. 22(5):404–412]. The advanced BEM with thin-body capabilities for two-dimensional linear elasticity is extended to general multi-domain problems and validated by the analytical solution of a special multi-coating problem. Detailed interfacial stress analysis for a two-layer coating system under uniform load distribution is investigated, through which the influence of coating thickness and material of the multi-coating system can be studied. The developed multi-coating analysis capability using the BEM provides not only a robust numerical tool for interfacial stress analysis of multi-coating systems with arbitrary coating thickness and number of coatings, but also the basis for future work concerning interface cracks, thermal effects and contact mechanics.
A 130 W 95%-efficiency 1 MHz non-isolated boost converter using PWM zero-voltage switching and enhancement-mode GaN FETs

A PWM or quasi-square-wave (QSW) zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) non-isolated boost converter using enhancement-mode GaN (eGaN) FETs is reported in this paper. The new converter topology requires small number of passive components, minimizes the converter switching loss under high-voltage high-frequency operations, and offers low-voltage stress across power transistors. A transformer-based floating gate driver with 30 ns propagation delay and 3 ns rising/falling time is developed to enable high-speed high-side gate driving of the eGaN power FET and thus high-frequency operation of the proposed ZVS converter. A 1-MHz switching frequency 130-W output power prototype circuit of the proposed boost converter has been implemented and the measured peak power efficiency achieves 95%.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa lasR mutants are associated with cystic fibrosis lung disease progression.

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa with mutations in the transcriptional regulator LasR chronically infect the airways of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), yet the prevalence and clinical implications of lasR mutant infection are unknown.
Relation of Low and Moderate Intensity Exercise with Acute Mood Change in College Joggers

This study investigated a possible relationship between exercise intensity and mood alteration that commonly is associated with physical activity. 91 college students completed the Profile of Mood States before and after 20 min. of jogging at three intensities: 55%, 75%, and 79% of age-adjusted maximum heart rate on different occasions. Exercisers also completed a demographic inventory, a Lie Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Contrary to our expectations, the interaction between exercise intensity and pre-post mood benefits was not significant. Supporting the manipulation of exercise intensity, the univariate interaction between exercise intensity and pre-post exercise scores on Fatigue was significant. Joggers reported short-term mood benefits on the combined subscales of the Profile of Mood States, and each subscale contributed to the benefits. Thus, regardless of the low- or moderate-intensity, participants reported that they "felt better" after exercising.
TNF-α-Induced Apoptosis of Macrophages Following Inhibition of NF-κB: A Central Role for Disruption of Mitochondria

Previously, we established that suppressing the constitutive activation of NF-κB in in vitro matured human macrophages resulted in apoptosis initiated by a decrease of the Bcl-2 family member, A1, and the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm). This study was performed to characterize the mechanism of TNF-α-induced apoptosis in macrophages following the inhibition of NF-κB. The addition of TNF-α markedly enhanced the loss of Δψm and the induction of apoptotic cell death. Although caspase 8 was activated and contributed to DNA fragmentation, it was not necessary for the TNF-α-induced loss of Δψm. The inhibition of NF-κB alone resulted in the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria, while both cytochrome c and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase/direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding protein with low pI were released following the addition of TNF-α. Furthermore, c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, which was sustained following treatment with TNF-α when NF-κB was inhibited, contributed to DNA fragmentation. These observations demonstrate that cytochrome c and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase/direct inhibitor of apoptosis-binding protein with low pI may be differentially released from the mitochondria, and that the sustained activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase modulated the DNA fragmentation independent of the loss of Δψm.
Three-Axis Attitude Control Using Redundant Reaction Wheels with Continuous Momentum Dumping

A description of an attitude control system for a three-axis stabilized spacecraft is presented. A globally stabilizing nonlinear feedback control law is derived that enables tracking of an arbitrary time-varying reference attitude. This new control incorporates integral feedback while avoiding any quadratic rate feedback components. A redundant cluster of four or more reaction wheels is used to control the spacecraft attitude, and three magnetic torque rods are used for purposes of continuous autonomous momentum dumping. The momentum dumping strategy can employ general torque rod orientations, and it is developed to take advantage of a redundant set of reaction wheels.
SELECTION OF lys2 MUTANTS OF THE YEAST SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE BY THE UTILIZATION OF α-AMINOADIPATE

Normal strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae do not use α-aminoadipate as a principal nitrogen source. However, α-aminoadipate is utilized as a nitrogen source by lys2 and lys5 strains having complete or partial deficiencies of α-aminoadipate reductase and, to a limited extent, by heterozygous lys2/+ strains. Lys2 mutants were conveniently selected on media containing α-aminoadipate as a nitrogen source, lysine, and other supplements to furnish other possible auxotrophic requirements. The lys2 mutations were obtained in a variety of laboratory strains containing other markers, including other lysine mutations. In addition to the predominant class of lys2 mutants, low frequencies of lys5 mutants and mutants not having any obvious lysine requirement were recovered on α-aminoadipate medium. The mutants not requiring lysine appeared to have mutations at the lys2 locus that caused partial deficiencies of α-aminoadipate reductase. Such partial deficiencies are believed to be sufficiently permissive to allow lysine biosynthesis, but sufficiently restrictive to allow for the utilization of α-aminoadipate. Although it is unknown why partial or complete deficiencies of α-aminoadipate reductase cause utilization of α-aminoadipate as a principal nitrogen source, the use of α-aminoadipate medium has considerable utility as a selective medium for lys2 and lys5 mutants.
Implementing virtual memory in a vector processor with software restart markers

Traditional vector architectures often lack virtual memory support because it is difficult to support fast and precise exceptions for these machines. In this paper, we propose a new exception handling model for vector architectures based on software restart markers, which divide the program into idempotent regions of code. Within a region, the processor can commit instruction results to the architectural state in any order. If an exception occurs, the machine jumps immediately to the exception handler and kills ongoing instructions. To restart execution, the operating system has just to begin execution at the start of the region. This approach avoids the area and energy overhead to buffer uncommitted vector unit state that would otherwise be required with a high-performance precise exception mechanism, but still provides a simple exception handling interface for the operating system. Our scheme also removes the requirement of preserving vector register file contents in the event of a context switch. We show that using our approach causes an average performance reduction of less than 3% across a variety of benchmarks compared with a vector machine that does not support virtual memory.
Angiotensin II type 1 and 2 receptors in conduit arteries of normal developing microswine

Objective — To identify vascular cells capable of responding to angiotensin II (Ang II) generated in conduit arteries, we examined the Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) in the thoracic aorta (TA) and abdominal aorta (AA) and branches in 90-day fetal, 3-week postnatal, and 6-month adult microswine. Methods and Results — By autoradiography (125I-[Sar1Ile8]-Ang II with or without AT1R- or AT2R-selective analogues or 125I - CGP 42112), there were striking rostrocaudal differences in (1) AT2R binding at all ages (prominent in AA wall and branches, sparse in TA wall and branches) and (2) a non-AT2R binding site for CGP 42112 (consistently evident in postnatal TA and branches but absent in AA and branches). Furthermore, patterns of AT2R distribution in infradiaphragmatic arteries were developmentally distinct. In fetal AAs, high-density AT2Rs occupied the inner 60% of the medial-endothelial wall. In postnatal AAs, AT2Rs were sparse in the medial-endothelial wall but prominent in a circumferential smooth muscle α-actin–negative cell layer at the medial-adventitial border, occupying ≈20% to 25% of the AA cross-sectional area. AT1R density in the TA and AA medial-endothelial wall increased with age, whereas AT2R density decreased after birth. Conclusions — A novel AT2R-positive cell layer confined to postnatal infradiaphragmatic arteries physically links adventitial and medial layers, appears optimally positioned to transduce AT2R-dependent functions of local Ang II, and suggests that adventitial Ang II may elicit regionally distinct vascular responses.
Comparisons of conventional, 3-D, optical, and RF interconnects for on-chip clock distribution

This paper analyzes the performance of different interconnect technologies for on-chip clock distribution, including conventional, three-dimensional, optical, and radio frequency interconnects. Skew, power, and area usage were estimated for each of these technologies based on the 2001 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. Our results indicate that most of the skew and power are associated with local clock distribution. Consequently, since the alternative clock distribution approaches that have been proposed focus on global clock distribution, we have not found significant advantages over conventional clock distribution in terms of skew and power. Furthermore, it was found that low skews could be attained with conventional clock distribution schemes if the clock signals are not scaled down.
Trust management and adversary detection for delay tolerant networks

Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) have been identified as one of the key areas in the field of wireless communications. They are characterized by large end-to-end communication latency and the lack of end-to-end path from a source to its destination. These characteristics pose several challenges to the security of DTNs. Especially, Byzantine attacks give serious damages to the network in terms of latency and data availability. Using reputation-based trust management systems is shown to be an effective way to handle the adversarial behavior in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs). However, because of the unique characteristics of DTNs, the techniques to build a trust mechanism for MANETs do not apply to DTNs. Our main objective in this paper is to develop a robust trust mechanism and an efficient and low cost malicious node detection technique for DTNs. Inspired by our recent results on reputation management for online systems and e-commerce, we developed an iterative malicious node detection mechanism for DTNs which is far more effective than existing techniques. Our results indicate the proposed scheme provides high data availability and packet-delivery ratio with low latency in DTNs under adversary attacks.
Dual drug delivery device for chronic pain management using micromachined elastic metal structures and silicon microvalves

This paper describes a dual-chamber drug delivery microsystem that provides regulated flow from two spring- pressurized balloon reservoirs using independent microvalves. A preliminary prototype has been constructed with the primary components. Micromachined bulk metal springs (Co-Ni-Cr alloy), with an in-plane spring constant exceeding 300 N/m, are used in conjunction with 18.8 mL reservoirs, and provide 15 kPA pressure when the balloons are fully inflated. A piezoresistive pressure sensor that is embedded in the microvalves monitors reservoir pressure with a sensitivity of 250 ppm/kPa, and is used to regulate bolus delivery. Two control plans for the valve and their respective limitations are presented. In a demonstration of regulated bolus delivery, 1.5 mL bolus doses are delivered at different rates.
Motion of corrugated plates separated by a viscous fluid

Zwischen zwei gewellten Platten in relativer Bewegung zueinander befinde sich eine zahe Flussigkeit. Unter der Annahme einer Riffelung mit kleiner Amplitude werden die Storungslosungen der Navier-Stokes-Gleichungen bis zur zweiten Ordnung gefunden. Der Stromungswiderstand, hervorgerufen durch Druck und Schub, wird durch die Wellung vergrosert. Die Zunahme hangt nicht nur von der Wellenlange und Amplitude, sondern auch von der Richtung der Bewegung und der Riffelungen der zwei Platten ab. Two corrugated plates in relative motion are separated by a viscous fluid. Assuming small amplitude corrugations, perturbation solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations are found to second order. The drag, due to pressure and shear, is increased by the corrugations. The increase depends not only on wavelength and amplitude but also on the orientations of the motion and corrugation of the two plates.
The Effect of Patterned vs. Unpatterned Acoustic Bragg Reflector on Barium Strontium Titanate Solidly Mounted Resonator

Barium strontium titanate solidly mounted resonators were fabricated with patterned and unpatterned acoustic Bragg reflectors on a sapphire substrate. The patterned and unpatterned solidly mounted resonator devices had acoustic Bragg reflectors consisting of Pt/SiO 2 /Pt/SiO 2 . The s-parameters of both devices were measured. The results showed that the quality factor increased for the device with the patterned acoustic Bragg reflector structure. The quality factors for the devices with patterned and unpatterned acoustic Bragg reflector structures were 54 and 115 and 28 and 86, respectively at the resonant and antiresonant frequencies. This investigation shows how an unpatterened acoustic Bragg reflector can contribute to the degradation of the overall quality factor of the device.
Communication pattern anomaly detection in process control systems

Digital control systems are increasingly being deployed in critical infrastructure such as electric power generation and distribution. To protect these process control systems, we present a learning-based approach for detecting anomalous network traffic patterns. These anomalous patterns may correspond to attack activities such as malware propagation or denial of service. Misuse detection, the mainstream intrusion detection approach used today, typically uses attack signatures to detect known, specific attacks, but may not be effective against new or variations of known attacks. Our approach, which does not rely on attack-specific knowledge, may provide a complementary detection capability for protecting digital control systems.
Garlic prevents hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction underlies the development of high-altitude pulmonary edema. Anecdotal observations suggest a beneficial effect of garlic in preventing high-altitude symptoms. To ...
Variation in newborn size according to pregnancy weight change by trimester

BACKGROUND The timing of maternal weight change in pregnancy may be an important determinant of the newborn's size. OBJECTIVE The purpose was to identify effects of maternal weight change by trimester on newborn size, under the hypothesis that low weight gain early in pregnancy predicts proportionately smaller newborns. DESIGN Women planning to become pregnant were followed by clinic visits and questionnaires through delivery. This study includes 389 women and their singleton infants born at a gestational age of > or = 241 d. RESULTS In multiple regression analyses including a variety of potential confounders, maternal weight gain in the first and second trimesters predicted newborn weight (1-kg weight gain in the first trimester predicted a 31-g increase in newborn weight, P < 0.0007, and 1-kg weight gain in the second trimester predicted a 26-g increase in newborn weight, P < 0.007), but weight gain in the third trimester did not. Newborn ponderal index (in kg/m(3)) was predicted by weight gain in the first (1-kg weight gain predicted an added 0.21 units, P < 0.0003) and third (1-kg weight gain predicted an added 0.12 units, P < 0.03) trimesters but not in the second trimester. Newborn weight was 211 g lower (P < 0.006) and ponderal index 1.2 units lower (P < 0.02) in infants born to women who lost weight in the first trimester. CONCLUSIONS The use of measured prepregnancy weight in tests of the effect on newborn size of weight gain by time in pregnancy produces different results than does the use of recalled prepregnancy weight. Maternal weight change in the first trimester of pregnancy more strongly influences newborn size than does weight change in the second or third trimester.
Targeted Grazing in Southern Arizona: Using Cattle to Reduce Fine Fuel Loads☆,☆☆,★

Managing the risk of wildfires is a growing concern in the western United States. Targeted grazing, or managing livestock grazing to achieve specific vegetation goals, is one possible tool to treat fuels, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy. The goal of this study was to test the effect of targeted grazing on herbaceous fuel loads and fire behavior by 1) implementing targeted grazing in a field experiment and 2) using a fire model (BehavePlus) to evaluate changes in fire behavior resulting from treatments. We applied targeted cattle grazing using low-stress herding and strategic placement of low-moisture block supplement on rugged rangelands in southwestern Arizona using a herd of 58 Red Angus cows and two bulls. Six of the cows were initially fitted with global positioning system collars. We tested two grazing treatments: 1) herding and supplement versus 2) no herding and no supplement on two pairs of study sites and replicated this for 2 years. Herding and supplement affected both the distribution of cattle and herbaceous fuel loads. Despite light utilization (26%) in treated sites, the BehavePlus fire model predicted that herding and supplement reduced fire rate of spread by more than 60% in grass communities and by more than 50% in grass/shrub communities. Fuel treatments dropped flame lengths below a 1.2-m critical threshold under the moderate fuel moisture scenario in grass communities and below a 2.4-m critical threshold in grass/shrub communities under both moderate and extreme fuel moisture scenarios. These results suggest that targeted grazing could reduce the potential cost of fighting fires in conditions similar to this study site. However, implementing this type of treatment on other sites will require careful calibration of animal numbers, supplement amounts, and length of herding periods relative to the specific context and goals.
Performance on Behalf of the Environment

As recent publications and conference presentations have turned to the considerable overlap in rhetoric and performance, scholars increasingly ask to what purpose and on whose behalf do we perform,...
Understanding Biofilms in Chronic Sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis is a burdensome disease that has substantial individual and societal impact. Although great advances in medical and surgical therapies have been made, some patients continue to have recalcitrant infections. Microbial biofilms have been implicated as a cause of recalcitrant chronic sinusitis, and recent studies have tried to better understand the pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis as it relates to microbial biofilms. Here, we provide an overview of biofilms in chronic sinusitis with emphasis on pathogenesis, treatment, and future directions. In addition, recent evidence is presented, elucidating the role of bitter taste receptors as a possible key factor leading to biofilm formation.
RENAL CLEARANCE OF GLUCOSAMINE IN THE RAT.

Discussion and summaryThat the clearance of exogenous glucosamine in the rat occurs at the same rate as that of inulin suggests that glucosamine might be a substance which after glomerular filtration does not undergo subsequent tubular reabsorption or secretion. The inability to change the renal clearance of glucosamine after elevation of plasma glucosamine concentrations from approximately 2 to 70 mg% indicates that excretion of glucosamine is probably independent of tubular secretion or reabsorption.Renal excretion of glucosamine in dogs was shown by Carter and Peters to be only by glomerular filtration. The clearance of glucosamine was identical to that of creatinine, and glucosamine did not interfere with the glucose reabsorption (glucose Tm) or with the secretion of N‘-methylnicotinamide by the dog or chicken kidney tubule(2).Equilibrium dialysis experiments showed that glucosamine was not bound to plasma proteins(2). Attempts to determine endogenous glucosamine or other hexosamine by the Dische and ...
Learning-related neuronal activity in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus during associative cerebellar learning

During delay eyeblink conditioning, rats learn to produce an eyelid-closure conditioned response (CR) to a conditioned stimulus (CS), such as a light, which precedes and coterminates with an unconditioned stimulus (US). Previous studies have suggested that the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNv) might play an important role in visual eyeblink conditioning by supplying visual sensory input to the pontine nuclei (PN) and also receiving feedback from the cerebellum. No prior study has investigated LGNv neuronal activity during eyeblink conditioning. The present study used multiple tetrodes to monitor single-unit activity in the rat LGNv during pre-exposure (CS only), unpaired CS/US, and paired CS-US training conditions. This behavioral-training sequence was used to investigate nonassociative- and associative-driven neuronal activity in the LGNv during training. LGNv neuronal activity habituated during unpaired training and then recovered from habituation during subsequent paired training, which may indicate that the LGNv plays a role in attention to the CS. The amplitude of LGNv neuronal activity correlated with CR production during paired but not unpaired CS/US training. Cerebellar feedback to the LGNv may play a role in modulating LGNv activity and attention to the CS during paired training. Based on the present findings, we hypothesize that the role of LGNv in visual eyeblink conditioning goes beyond simply routing visual CS information to the PN and involves modulation of attention.
The Effect of Output Controls, Process Controls, and Flexibility on Export Channel Performance:

The authors examine international distribution channels in terms of the coordination processes that govern the relationship between export manufacturers and their foreign-based distributors. Althou...
Development, implementation and evaluation of a patient handoff tool to improve safety in orthopaedic surgery.

Objective To develop, implement and test the effect of a handoff tool for orthopaedic trauma residents that reduces adverse events associated with the omission of critical information and the transfer of erroneous information. Design Components of this project included a literature review, resident surveys and observations, checklist development and refinement, implementation and evaluation of impact on adverse events through a chart review of a prospective cohort compared with a historical control group. Setting Large teaching hospital. Participants Findings of a literature review were presented to orthopaedic residents, epidemiologists, orthopaedic surgeons and patient safety experts in face-to-face meetings, during which we developed and refined the contents of a resident handoff tool. The tool was tested in an orthopaedic trauma service and its impact on adverse events was evaluated through a chart review. The handoff tool was developed and refined during the face-to-face meetings and a pilot implementation. Adverse event data were collected on 127 patients ( n = 67 baseline period; n = 60 test period). Intervention A handoff tool for use by orthopaedic residents. Main Outcome Measurements Adverse events in patients handed off by orthopaedic trauma residents. Results After controlling for age, gender and comorbidities, testing resulted in fewer events per person (25–27% reduction; P < 0.10). Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggests that our resident handoff tool may contribute to a decrease in adverse events in orthopaedic patients.
Estimation and detection information trade-off for x-ray system optimization

X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) systems perform complex imaging tasks to detect and estimate system parameters, such as a baggage imaging system performing threat detection and generating reconstructions. This leads to a desire to optimize both the detection and estimation performance of a system, but most metrics only focus on one of these aspects. When making design choices there is a need for a concise metric which considers both detection and estimation information parameters, and then provides the user with the collection of possible optimal outcomes. In this paper a graphical analysis of Estimation and Detection Information Trade-off (EDIT) will be explored. EDIT produces curves which allow for a decision to be made for system optimization based on design constraints and costs associated with estimation and detection. EDIT analyzes the system in the estimation information and detection information space where the user is free to pick their own method of calculating these measures. The user of EDIT can choose any desired figure of merit for detection information and estimation information then the EDIT curves will provide the collection of optimal outcomes. The paper will ﬁrst look at two methods of creating EDIT curves. These curves can be calculated using a wide variety of systems and ﬁnding the optimal system by maximizing a ﬁgure of merit. EDIT could also be found as an upper bound of the information from a collection of system. These two methods allow for the user to choose a method of calculation which best ﬁts the constraints of their actual system.
The mechanical reduction of early acquired cholesteatomas in children : Indications and limitations

The standard treatment for acquired cholesteatoma involves surgical removal of the lesion and reconstruction of the tympanic membrane. In some children, these lesions can be treated more conservatively. We conducted a retrospective study of 29 ears in 24 children who had been treated for early acquired cholesteatoma with mechanical reduction and a tympanostomy tube. Outcomes measures included hearing status, the postoperative appearance of the tympanic membrane, and the need for additional surgery. We found that anterior and inferior pars tensa lesions, with or without squamous debris, can be successfully reduced, but that posterosuperior retractions respond less well when the ossicular chain has been eroded. None of the children who responded to mechanical reduction required major reconstructive surgery later. We conclude that mechanical reduction of retraction pocket cholesteatomas with tympanostomy tube placement is sufficient to restore normal hearing and a normal tympanic membrane appearance in selected children with early lesions. We also identified several important prognostic features, including the patient's age, the specific location of the retraction pocket on the tympanic membrane, the extent of the pocket, ossicular chain involvement, and the patient's adenoid status.
Surviving suicide loss: recommendations for research

Mounting scientific evidence documents that bereavement by suicide can have a powerful and sometimes devastating impact on survivors. Accordingly, the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention in the United States has recently worked to formulate national guidelines to mitigate the harmful after-effects of suicide in social and family systems. The present article addresses one of four strategic directions addressed by the Task Force, namely the development of goals and objectives for surveillance, research and evaluation of the impact of suicide loss. Recommendations range from methodological guidelines for the conduct of future studies to specific content areas of research relevant to the design and implementation of public health, peer support and professional psychotherapeutic attention for communities, families and individuals affected by suicide loss.
Getting Beyond Impressions: An Evaluation of Engagement with Breast Cancer-related Facebook Content.

Background: Reaching young adults with health messages has been a documented challenge in public health. Public health researchers have initiated studies to assess how social media are changing health communication. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched social media-based health education initiatives on Facebook to increase knowledge of breast health and breast cancer among women under age 45 and those at higher risk for developing the disease. The current study used digital analytics and metrics to describe the impact of these social media efforts on health communication. Methods: Engagement rate was calculated by taking the average engagement rate for 574 posts published by the CDC Breast Cancer Facebook page in multiple categories, including CDC campaign specificity, content type, time of day, and year posted. Linear regression was used to model the effect of campaign content. Results: Engagement rate (ER) was highest for content shared for the Know:BRCA campaign posts (ER =6.4), followed by the non-campaign related posts (ER=5.5), and the Bring Your Brave posts (ER =4.6). Overall engagement rate decreased from 2014–2016. Photos consistently produced the most significant engagement rate overall. Conclusions: We found that users were more likely to click, share, comment, or like the content of the post that had photos. These data suggest that that branded, visual content is more effective in facilitating engagement. These findings will be used to adjust both free and paid social media efforts for the CDC Breast Cancer Facebook page.
The Kerry Initiative: A Last Rolling of the Dice?

After President Obama’s re-election another US peace initiative was launched and vigorously pursued by the new Secretary of State, John Kerry. The stakes were high as the consequences of yet another failure were well understood by all stakeholders. In this chapter the author offers his analysis of what went wrong and why any future negotiations should be based on a more substantive framework (end game parameters) to be endorsed by the international community. The chapter, therefore, includes an annex, where Serry, building on discussions in the framework of the Quartet, offers his understanding of fair and balanced parameters.