cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progress on broadband control and deformable mirror tolerances in a 2-DM system

The Stroke Minimization algorithm developed at the Princeton High Contrast Imaging Laboratory has proven symmetric dark hole generation using minimal stroke on two deformable mirrors (DM) in series. We extend the concept of minimizing DM actuation to achieve symmetric dark holes in broadband light. This requires simultaneously correcting both amplitude and phase aberrations over the bandwidth. Here we address the relationship of amplitude and phase aberrations with wavelength and the implication for wavefront control and design tolerances. This drives the number of deformable mirrors, their locations in the optical path, and design constraints on the deformable mirrors. Broadband suppression is achieved experimentally by using three wavelengths to define the bandwidth of correction in the optimization problem. This windowed approach to Stroke Minimization makes the optimization in wavelength tractable and allows for estimation only at a single wavelength which reduces the number of exposures required for correction. The output of the estimation algorithm is extended to the higher and lower wavelengths by establishing a functional relationship of the image plane electric field in wavelength. The accuracy of the functional relationship will ultimately bound the achievable bandwidth, therefore as a metric these results are also compared to estimating each wavelength separately.
Looking inward: the mind's eye focuses on mental representations.

by other cognitive factors such as momentary attention. Nobre et al. (2008), building on their and others’ earlier work, have conducted a very interesting study that does just this; they have investigated, using behavioral and physiological measures, the effects of attention on representations held in one form of mental store – visual short term memory (VSTM). VSTM is a short-term (a few seconds) limited-capacity store of visual information (e.g., Zhang and Luck, 2008). Nobre et al. (2008) investigated whether the retrieval of information from VSTM could be influenced by focused attention. The authors utilized a paradigm similar to those used in studies of the effects of covert selective attention on vision using predictive precues (e.g., Mangun and Hillyard, 1991). However, instead of precuing the location to which attention should be directed in future, the authors used retrodictive cues (spatial retro-cues) that indicated the location of a relevant target in an array presented in the past (1–2 s previously) with 100% probability. In comparison to neutral retro-cues that gave no information about the likely location in the array of the relevant item, performance to indicate whether a subsequently presented probe stimulus had in fact been anywhere in the array was improved with the spatial retro-cues. Importantly, the Looking inward: the mind’s eye focuses on mental representations
Lead-Free Ceramic Ball Grid Array: Thermomechanical Fatigue Reliability

Flip-chip carriers have become the preferred solution for high-performance, application-specific integrated circuit and microprocessor devices. Typically, these are packaged in organic or ceramic ball grid array (BGA) packages, which cover a wide range of package input/output (I/O) capabilities required for high-performance devices, typically, between 300 to more than 1,600 I/O. Recently, there has been a move toward Pb-free solders as replacement alloys for standard, eutectic Sn/Pb and other Pb-based BGAs. The leading solder that has emerged from various Pb-free solder evaluations by industry and academic consortia is the Sn/Ag/Cu (SAC) alloy. One of the primary issues with changing solders is the reliability of the joints when these are subjected to thermomechanical fatigue (TMF). This evaluation has previously been conducted on SAC ceramic ball grid array (CBGA) assemblies in a 1.27-mm pitch.1 However, with the need to shrink the I/O pitch to accommodate higher wiring density, it has become increasingly important to conduct TMF reliability assessments in a 1-mm pitch format. This paper describes such an evaluation conducted using SAC BGA assemblies. The results show that, for a 1-mm pitch, the Pb-free SAC CBGA solution provides superior reliability as compared to the standard Sn/Pb CBGA solutions. This finding is an added incentive for a new CBGA offering employing the new Pb-free, SAC, single-alloy, self-aligning system.
Aerosol Sampling with a Side Port Probe

Abstract A most important consideration in determining particulate concentration in a gas stream is that of obtaining a true sample. This report describes an experimental investigation of a side port probe and a conventional sampling probe for obtaining aerosol samples from a duct. Sampling bias for both types of probe was determined experimentally over a wide range of test conditions using monodispersed aerosols from 0.5 to 10 microns in diameter. Sampling bias was shown to be a function of the inertial impaction parameter and duct to probe velocity ratio. Experimental results are presented. Operational limits over which a sampling probe can be used are shown as a function of the permissible sampling error.
An improved preparation of highly specific tubulin antibodies

Abstract Highly specific antibodies to tubulin were obtained by immunization of rabbits with tubulin preparations which had been purified from mouse brain by repeated cycles of in vitro polymerization/depolymerization and subsequent sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This purification scheme yielded tubulin preparations absolutely devoid of actin and other minor contaminants commonly observed in such preparations. The specificity of the tubulin antibodies was demonstrated by immunodiffusion, microcomplement fixation and indirect immunofluorescence. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed specific binding of these antibodies to the spindle apparatus of cells undergoing mitosis and furthermore, to colchicine-sensitive cytoplasmic fibers of tissue culture cells.
For Richer, for Poorer: Money as a Topic of Marital Conflict in the Home

Guided by a family stress perspective, we examined the hypothesis that discussing money would be associated with the handling of marital conflict in the home. Analyses were based on dyadic hierarchical linear modeling of 100 husbands' and 100 wives' diary reports of 748 conflict instances. Contrary to findings from previous laboratory-based surveys, spouses did not rate money as the most frequent source of marital conflict in the home. However, compared to non-money issues, marital conflicts about money were more pervasive, problematic, and recurrent, and remained unresolved, despite including more attempts at problem solving. Implications for professionals who assist couples in managing their relationships and family finances are discussed.
Reactive sputter deposition of epitaxial (001) CeO2 on (001) Ge

Abstract The growth of epitaxial (001) CeO 2 on a (001) Ge surface using a reactive sputter deposition method is reported. Hydrogen gas (4%H 2 /Ar sputtering gas) is introduced during film growth in order to reduce or eliminate the presence of the GeO 2 from the semiconductor surface during the initial nucleation of the metal oxide film. A metal cerium target was used as the cation source, with water vapor serving as the oxidizing species. Epitaxial films were sputter deposited at a substrate temperature of 550 °C in a H 2 O vapor pressure of approximately 10 −3 Torr. The hydrogen partial pressure and substrate temperature were selected to be sufficiently high such that the germanium native oxides are thermodynamically unstable. The Gibbs free energy of CeO 2 is larger in magnitude than that of the Ge native oxides, making it more favorable for the metal oxide to reside at the interface in comparison to the native Ge oxides.
Design and merit of a river-aquifer model for optimal use of agricultural water

A stream-aquifer model was needed to assess the impact of alternate strategies of management for maximum beneficial agricultural use of water. The design of the model is discussed in detail in this paper. The design of a model specific to a particular area of the South Platte river basin in eastern Colorado was complex. The complexity resulted from the size of the system, from the need to simulate the system both at an operational time scale (week) and at a long-term planning horizon (10 yr.) and from the administration of a complicated water rights structure.
Synthesis of two discrete vibratory systems using eigenvalue modification.

without an axial force. If the force P in each segment is specified, the analysis of either static or dynamic problems is straightforward. This is the case, for example, for beam-columns and for rotating beams. Problems in the elastic stability of columns can be handled by applying an arbitrary lateral force (or moment) and calculating the deflection with a series of successively greater axial forces. Southwell's method4 can then be applied to determine the buckling load. Incidentally, for a uniform column with any combination of end conditions, the exact expression for the elastic buckling load can be found directly from the stiffness matrix of the single beam segment. If the ends of the beam are restrained so as to prevent axial displacements, the axial force P is a nonlinear function of the lateral displacements. The customary assumption3 is that the deflection curve is a cubic. In this case, the axial force due to the stretching of the neutral axis of the beam segment shown in Fig. 3 is
Adolescent disc dysplasia and back pain

Abstract Purpose Adolescent disc dysplasia can be a cause of significant back pain and functional impairment in patients. We present a case series of patients inflicted with adolescent disc dysplasia (ADD). Methods A retrospective search was performed identifying patients presenting with ADD. Radiographic studies and advanced imaging were described. We documented presenting symptoms and clinical course. Results Six patients were identified. All patients presented with mechanical back pain, which worsened with flexion and extension. Magnetic resonance imaging was most accurate imaging modality. Conclusion Among our patient cohort, treatment for adolescent disc dysplasia consisted of a combination of physical therapy and bracing. Neither approach proved to be very effective, with only one patient asymptomatic at follow-up.
Combination therapy versus monotherapy as initial treatment for stage 2 hypertension: A prespecified subgroup analysis of a community-based, randomized, open-label trial

Abstract Background : Current guidelines suggest consideration of initial combination therapy for patients with stage 2 hypertension, but rates of hypertension treatment and control in clinical practice vary according to age, race, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Objective : This was a prespecified subgroup analysis of one of the primary efficacy end points—mean change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 6 weeks —in a previously published community-based, randomized, open-label trial comparing valsartan monotherapy with valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) combination therapy as initial treatment for high-risk patients with stage 2 hypertension. Methods : Eligible participants with stage 2 hypertension (SBP ≥160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥100 mm Hg) were treated with valsartan 160 mg/d or valsartan/HCTZ 160/12.5 mg/d for 2 weeks, followed by forced titration to valsartan 320 mg/d or valsartan/HCTZ 320/12.5 mg/d for an additional 4 weeks. In addition to the primary blood pressure end point (change in SBP at 6 weeks), secondary blood pressure end points at 6 weeks included changes in DBP and the proportion of patients achieving a blood pressure control threshold of 2 , respectively). Results : The randomized trial included 1668 patients (756 [45.3%] female, 392 [23.5%] black, 109 [6.5%] Hispanic, 220 [13.2%] elderly, 970 of 1641 [59.1%] obese, 166 [10.0%] with diabetes, 467 [28.0%] smokers) with stage 2 hypertension. Among those allocated to combination therapy compared with monotherapy, the mean (SD) change in SBP at 6 weeks was -27.4 (18.5) and -19.3 (17.7) mm Hg in women, -21.4 (17.6) and -12.6 (18.5) mm Hg in black subjects, -21.7 (17.6) and -16.3 (16.5) mm Hg in Hispanic subjects, -25.5 (20.2) and -16.9 (17.9) mm Hg in the elderly, and -23.6 (18.1) and -15.9 (16.2) mm Hg in obese subjects. With the exception of the results for Hispanics, all comparisons of combination therapy and monotherapy were statistically significant (P ≤0.01). A higher proportion of those receiving valsartan/ HCTZ compared with valsartan monotherapy reached the JNC 7-defined blood pressure goal (44.5% vs 29.1%, respectively; P Conclusions : Across various subgroups of patients with stage 2 hypertension, combination therapy was consistently associated with a significantly greater reduction in SBP than monotherapy. With the exception of a significantly greater increase in dizziness compared with monotherapy, combination therapy was well tolerated. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00154271.
Contribution of MKP-1 regulation of p38 to endotoxin tolerance

Endotoxin tolerance has been characterized as diminished TNF-alpha expression after a second LPS stimulus and is dependent on new protein synthesis. LPS-induced expression of TNF-alpha is partly regulated by the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, which post-transcriptionally stabilizes TNF-alpha mRNA. The dual-specific phosphatase, MKP-1, has been shown to negatively regulate p38 via dephosphorylation. We hypothesized that MKP-1 expression induced during tolerance regulates TNF-alpha expression by inhibiting p38 activity. To test this hypothesis, tolerance was induced in THP-1 cells, and naive or tolerized cells were rechallenged 18 h later with LPS (1 microg/mL) and TNF-alpha production was measured. Under similar conditions, nuclear proteins were isolated after LPS stimulation and were analyzed for phospho-p38 and MKP-1 by Western blot. Transient overexpression of MKP-1 was achieved using an adenoviral expression strategy and infected cells subsequently treated with LPS for TNF-alpha production and p38 activation. Results showed that LPS tolerance was induced as reflected by decreased TNF-alpha. Induction of LPS hyporesponsiveness could be mimicked by overexpression of MKP-1 but not beta-gal. MKP-1 expression was noted only in LPS-tolerized or Ad-MKP-1 infected cells. In the canonical and Ad-MKP-1-mediated tolerance models, decreased phospho-p38 activity was observed. MKP-1s role in mediating endotoxin tolerance was further confirmed by demonstrating the inability to fully tolerize peritoneal macrophages isolated from MKP-1 null mutant (vs. wild type) mice (24% vs. 72% reductions, respectively). These data demonstrate that the dual specific phosphatase MKP-1 is an important mediator of endotoxin tolerance via p38 regulation.
VLSI design of inverse-free Berlekamp-Massey algorithm

The Berlekamp-Massey iterative algorithm for decoding BCH codes is modified to eliminate the calculation of inverses. This new algorithm is useful in the practical application of multiple-error-correcting BCH or RS codes. A VLSI architecture is developed for this algorithm.< >
Vertical cloud structure of Jupiter's Equitorial Plumes

Multiple-scattering radiative transfer calculations were used to deduce the vertical cloud structure (VCS) of Jupiter's equatorial region. The VCS model of the equatorial plumes is obtained through an analysis of Voyager images of the 6190-A methane band and the 6000-A continuum, and ground-based 8900-A methane band images. The VCS of the equatorial plumes is found to be consistent with the hypothesis that the plumes are caused by upwelling at the ammonia condensation level produced by buoyancy due to latent heat release from the condensation of water clouds nearly three scale heights below the plumes.
Hydraulic Performance of Aggregate Beds with Perforated Pipe Underdrains Flowing Full

AbstractResults are presented from an experimental study of the stage discharge relationship for a porous pipe buried under loose laid aggregate. A series of steady-state experiments were performed in which the depth of flow over the pipe was measured for a given pipe discharge. The stage-discharge relationship for the entire system is well described by an orifice equation when the water surface in the aggregate trench was horizontal and the pipe was running full at the outlet. An energy equation analysis shows that the dominant energy losses are due to flow through the small side wall orifices into the pipe and from friction losses along the pipe. Friction losses in the aggregate are shown to be negligible, which again supports the orifice equation model. Discharge coefficients are reported for three commonly available porous pipes. The results of this research can be used in the sizing and placement of subsurface drains in aggregate filled storm water infiltration practices such as infiltration trenches...
Uncooled Semiconductor Detectors for IR to UV Remote Sensing

Results are presented on three different approaches which show room temperature infrared sensing. The first approach is based on transitions from the light/heavy hole to the split-off band in p-doped GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure showing a response threshold of 3.4 µm and operating up to a temperature of 330 K. The peak responsivity at 2.5 µm was ~1.5 mA/W with a D* of 2.3×10 6 Jones at 330 K. The split-off threshold can be extended to longer wavelengths by using different materials. The second approach is based on capacitance variations in a quantum dot (QD) embedded dielectric medium. The incident IR photons induce charge separation inside the QDs and effectively change the dielectric properties varying the capacitance. Initial devices using PbS and ZnO QDs in paraffin have shown detection at 310 K in both the visible-NIR range. Using other materials and sizes of dots the range can be tailored for applications in other ranges including the UV range. The third approach uses tunneling quantum dot infrared photodetector (TQDIP) structures providing multi-color characteristics, and bias dependent wavelength selectivity. Here a tunneling barrier is used to block the dark current while permitting the photocurrent to pass through due to resonance effects. A preliminary TQDIP detector showed room temperature response at 6 and 17 µm with responsivity of 75 mA/W and 150 mA/W, respectively. The peak detectivity of ~10 7 Jones was reported for both peaks.
Beyond the Cholinergic Hypothesis: The Effect of Metrifonate and Other Cholinesterase Inhibitors on Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer’s Disease

Preliminary studies suggest that non-cognitive behavioural and personality alterations in Alzheimer's disease may benefit from agents which inhibit central acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A double-blind, placebo-controlled, 26-week study of the AChE inhibitor metrifonate using the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory (NPI) to assess the effects of treatment on neuropsychiatric symptoms observed statistically significant mean change differences favouring treatment in the total NPI score and in symptoms of depression, apathy and hallucinations, as well as a nearly significant difference in aberrant motor behaviours. These data are consistent with previous studies and are believed to represent the first large prospective, controlled study demonstrating a beneficial effect of AChE inhibitor therapy on neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. The nature of non-cognitive symptom responses to AChE inhibitor therapy and their potential impact on caregivers is discussed.
Accommodating the Legal Process: A Review of Richard Rosner's Critical Issues in American Psychiatry and the Law

Traditionally psychiatrists have had little respect for the legal process. Three issues have contributed to this disrespect-criminal insanity, criminal responsibility, and involuntary commitment. In regard to each of these issues, psychiatrists typically have seen the legal process as restricting the development of more modern, humane, and enlightened views. According to the dominant psychiatric view held prior to 10 or 15 years ago, legal definitions of insanity were outdated because these definitions had made it impossible to apply noncognitive factors in determining whether a person could be held responsible for a crime. Further, psychiatry viewed criminal law in general as archaic because law so limited the consideration of Freudian insights regarding the role of the unconscious. This psychiatric critique was both intense and basic. Criticism was made of the entire legal process. Law was primitive, relentless, and inflexible, while psychiatry was forbearing and understanding. The legal process was whimsical, subjective, and irrational, while psychiatry was based on carefully defined and objective scientific theories. Psychiatrists contrasted the soundness of their training in the scientific method to the narrow, unscientific methods of legal inquiry with its archaic, almost quaint, reliance on precedent.' According to the late Jonas Robitscher, a leading forensic psychiatrist, as late as the 1960s, the "constant theme of forensic psychiatric literature" was "the courts and the legal system and legislatures were being regressive, or unfair to criminals, or disrespectful to modern psychiatry because they were not seeking help from behavioral scientists."' A professional mythology existed that saw law as an alien and restrictive
Efficiency in Integral Facility Design Problems.

An example of design might be a warehouse floor (represented by a setS) of areaA, with unspecified shape. Givenm warehouse users, we suppose that useri has a known disutility functionf isuch thatH i(S), the integral off iover the setS (for example, total travel distance), defines the disutility of the designS to useri. For the vectorH(S) with entriesH i(S), we study the vector minimization problem over the set {H(S) :S a design} and call a design efficient if and only if it solves this problem. Assuming a mild regularity condition, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for a design to be efficient, as well as verifiable conditions for the regularity condition to hold. For the case wheref iis thel p-distance from warehouse docki, with 1<p<∞, a design is efficient if and only if it is essentially the same as a contour set of some Steiner-Weber functionf λ=λ1 f 1+⋯+λ m f m ,when the λ i are nonnegative constants, not all zero.
Naked amoebae in biofilms collected from a temperate freshwater pond.

Biofilms collected on Plexiglass substrates, from a freshwater pond in northern New York State, were examined microscopically for naked amoebae densities, sizes, diversity, and estimated C-biomass. Five samples were obtained during summer 2006 and 2007. The densities ranged from 109 to 136/cm(2) biofilm surface and 285 to 550/mg biofilm dry weight. Sizes ranged from 13 to 200 μm. Diversities ranged from 4.23 to 4.55. C-biomass ranged from 64 to 543 ng C/cm(2) and 125 to 1,700 μg C/g dry weight. Thirty morphospecies were identified among the five samples, including very large amoebae in the range of 100-200 μm. Large amoebae (≥ 50 μm) accounted for the largest proportion of the C-biomass.
Electron-Impact Ionization of Ne and Ar in the Eikonal and Born Approximations

Utilizing the first Born approximation and an eikonal/closure approximation plus Bethe's generalized-oscillator-strength (GOS) formalism, we evaluate $s$- and $p$-shell ionization of Ne and Ar. Partial-wave contributions to the GOS are calculated using an analytic independent-particle model (IPM) whose parameters have been established in previous work on excitation GOS's. For single ionization of Ne and Ar shells ($K$ shell excepted), total cross sections and cross sections differential in the energy of the secondary electron are calculated for electron-impact energies near threshold to 10 keV. The eikonal/closure approximation which is developed in detail for large atoms differs from the Glauber theory by not assuming sudden passage of the projectile in which the time dependence of the bound electron and the energy transfer to the projectile may be neglected. In the single-scattering limit, the theory produces a simple factor multiplying the usual Born approximation amplitude, which leads to improved agreement with experiment at low energy.
Iva annua var. macrocarpa: Extinct American Cultigen?1

Exceptionally large sumpweed achenes have been recovered from archaeological sites in the region extending from Kansas City and the Ozarks to eastern Kentucky and western North Carolina. Dates of occupation range from early first millennium B.C. to the first half of the second millennium A.D. Achene size progressed from slightly larger than modern achenes at the earliest sites to double the modern length at later sites. This is taken as evidence of evolution under domestication.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic implications of P-glycoprotein modulation

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a cell membrane-associated protein that transports a variety of drug substrates. Although P-gp has been studied extensively as a mediator of multidrug resistance in cancer, only recently has the role of P-gp expressed in normal tissues as a determinant of drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics been examined. P-glycoprotein is present in organ systems that influence drug absorption (intestine), distribution to site of action (central nervous system and leukocytes), and elimination (liver and kidney), as well as several other tissues. Many marketed drugs inhibit P-gp function, and several compounds are under development as P-gp inhibitors. Similarly, numerous drugs can induce P-gp expression. While P-gp induction does not have a therapeutic role, P-gp inhibition is an attractive therapeutic approach to reverse multidrug resistance. Clinicians should recognize that P-gp induction or inhibition may have a substantial effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of concomitantly administered drugs that are substrates for this transporter.
Optical Phase Transitions in Organo-Metallic Charge-Transfer Complexes

Abstract Semiconducting organometallic films such as copper tetracyanoquinodimethan (CuTCNQ) have been observed to switch between two stable states when exposed to optical radiation. Observations of switching between two states in these films have been made by Raman spectroscopic methods and direct observation of electrical resistance changes. Line or pattern generation is observed for exposure above certain threshold levels. These effects are observed in a wide range of Cu and Ag organometallic compounds. Optical switching in films such as copper and silver tetra cyanoquinodimethan (CuTCNQ and AgTCNQ) can be erased using CO2 laser radiation. Results on the wavelength and irradiance dependence of the optical switching threshold are also presented and interpreted in light of proposed switching mechanisms in these organic materials.
Depicting a Female Fraud: Sarah Howe and the Boston Women's Bank

During the past twenty years, a veritable bonanza of new scholarship, literary and historical, has argued that women played a vital economic role in the rise of capitalism in Europe and the America...
Environmentally compatible double coating concepts for sapphire fiber-reinforced γ-TiAl

Abstract Environmentally compatible interfaces based of double coating concepts have been developed for sapphire fibers in γ-TiAl matrix composites. The fiber coating design involves two layers with distinct functions: one in contact with the fiber which provides the debonding and sliding characteristics required for toughening, and a second one next to the matrix which protects the fiber and debond layer from diffusional interactions and mechanical degradation during processing. Three double coating systems were tested wherein the debond layer consisted of pyrolytic carbon, colloidal carbon or a mixture of carbon and alumina. The diffusion barrier was in all cases a dense alumina layer ⩽ 5 μ m thick. With the exception of the pyrolytic carbon, all other coatings were applied by slurry processing techniques. After composite consolidation, the coatings were evaluated using fiber push-out tests, whereupon each double coating was found to enable successful debonding and sliding of the sapphire fibers. The environmental compatibility of the coatings was tested by oxidizing the carbon in the debond layer at elevated temperatures. This produced measurable changes in the interfacial properties, but push-out tests confirmed that the coating design still allowed fiber debonding and sliding within the ranges desired for improving toughness.
Manifestations of Nonlocal Exchange, Correlation, and Dynamic Effects in X-Ray Scattering

We report precise measurements of differential x-ray scattering cross sections in Ne and He from 11{endash}22thinspthinspkeV and develop a method for obtaining predictions of comparable accuracy (1{percent} ). The measurement of ratios (total scattering in Ne to He and Compton to Rayleigh scattering in Ne) facilitates comparison to theories. We find evidence for the need to include nonlocal exchange, electron correlation, and dynamic effects for an accurate description at low Z and conclude that no single current theory is sufficient. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society }
Specific versus nonspecific binding of cationic PNAs to duplex DNA.

Although peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are neutral by themselves, they are usually appended with positively charged lysine residues to increase their solubility and binding affinity for nucleic acid targets. Thus obtained cationic PNAs very effectively interact with the designated duplex DNA targets in a sequence-specific manner forming strand-invasion complexes. We report on the study of the nonspecific effects in the kinetics of formation of sequence-specific PNA-DNA complexes. We find that in a typical range of salt concentrations used when working with strand-invading PNAs (10–20 mM NaCl) the PNA binding rates essentially do not depend on the presence of nontarget DNA in the reaction mixture. However, at lower salt concentrations (<10 mM NaCl), the rates of PNA binding to DNA targets are significantly slowed down by the excess of unrelated DNA. This effect of nontarget DNA arises from depleting the concentration of free PNA capable of interacting with DNA target due to adhesion of positively charged PNA molecules on the negatively charged DNA duplex. As expected, the nonspecific electrostatic effects are more pronounced for more charged PNAs. We propose a simple model quantitatively describing all major features of the observed phenomenon. This understanding is important for design of and manipulation with the DNA-binding polycationic ligands in general and PNA-based drugs in particular.
Macrostress changes during anodic dissolution of electroplated cobalt

Abstract The variation of the residual macrostress with thickness during anodic dissolution was investigated using a modified length-change method. The stress, which originally developed during the electrodeposition of cobalt on a platinum substrate, was initially compressive, changed to tensile as the thickness increased, reached a maximum value and then levelled off. During anodic dissolution, the tensile maximum and the compressive stresses were not observed. There was a small increase in the tensile macrostress after plating ceased and before dissolution started which is attributed to hydrogen diffusing out of the deposit. As the thickness of the deposit decreased during dissolution, the stress decreased parabolically to zero.
On the dynamics of oscillators with bi-linear damping and stiffness☆

Abstract The long time response of a class of harmonically excited, single degree-of-freedom, strongly non-linear oscillators is analysed. The non-linearity appears in both the damping and restoring forces, which are bi-linear functions of the system velocity and displacement, respectively, The existence and stability of single-crossing, periodic solutions is analysed, using a formulation which is appropriate for general piecewise linear systems. The oscillator examined is found to exhibit a regular behavior for some combinations of its parameters. However, there are sets of parameters for which the system undergoes bifurcations which may lead to loss of stability of periodic solutions and the appearance of chaotic response. Results obtained by the present methodology are compared with findings of previous studies on similar systems. Phenomena characterizing the response of the system are investigated in detail.
A Note on the Application of the Theory of Coherence to Surfactant Flooding

This study shows that in surfactant flooding, the computation of the solution for processes tractable by the method of coherence can be significantly simplified for systems such that the phase equilibria satisfy expression. In view of the fact that many physical systems obey quite closely this distribution in the high concentration range, it is anticipated that utilization of the property of constant gamma1, in the construction of gamma1 paths, would result in computational expediency without loss in accuracy. This approach possibly can be extended to also describe systems when a third microemulsion phase is generated at intermediate salinity concentrations. Finally, the advantages offered by such phase equilibria could be further exploited in the study of the behavior of more complex processes, such as the simultaneous injection of microemulsions and steam, currently under consideration.
An efficient operant choice procedure for assessing delay discounting in humans: initial validation in cocaine-dependent and control individuals.

Delay discounting is the decline in a consequence's control of behavior as a function of its delay, and may be a fundamental behavioral process in drug dependence. Human delay-discounting studies have usually relied on choices between hypothetical rewards. Some human tasks have assessed delay discounting using operant procedures with consequences provided during the task, as in nonhuman animal studies. However, these tasks have limitations such as long duration, potentially indeterminate data, or confounding the effect of delay with probability. A study in 20 cocaine-dependent volunteers and 20 demographically matched non-cocaine-dependent volunteers was designed to investigate a novel operant delay-discounting task providing monetary reinforcement by coin delivery throughout the task (Quick Discounting Operant Task; QDOT). Participants completed a hypothetical delay-discounting procedure, a potentially real reward delay-discounting procedure, and an existing operant delay-discounting task: the Experiential Discounting Task (EDT). The QDOT resulted in complete data for all participants, showed systematic effects of delay that were well described by a hyperbolic function, had a maximum duration of 17 min, and resulted in relatively little variability in session earnings. QDOT performance was significantly, positively correlated with performance on the EDT but not the other tasks. The QDOT resulted in an effect size between the groups that was similar to most other delay discounting tasks examined, and showed the cocaine-dependent participants to delay discount significantly more than the control participants. The QDOT is an efficient operant human delay-discounting task that may be useful in a variety of experimental settings.
Quantum mechanical effects on the surface tension of simple liquids

The differences in the surface tensions of the various isotopic species of a given simple substance are calculated. The surface tension is expressed in terms of the quantum mechanical pair distribution function and an expansion of the distribution function in powers of h2 is utilized. Calculations are made assuming a Lennard-Jones potential of interaction and the validity of the superposition approximation. An approximate theory of corresponding states is used to relate the surface tensions of the isotopes at different temperatures.
Role of Interstitial Fluid Pressurization in TMJ Lubrication

In temporomandibular joints (TMJs), the disc and condylar cartilage function as load-bearing, shock-absorbing, and friction-reducing materials. The ultrastructure of the TMJ disc and cartilage is different from that of hyaline cartilage in other diarthrodial joints, and little is known about their lubrication mechanisms. In this study, we performed micro-tribometry testing on the TMJ disc and condylar cartilage to obtain their region- and direction-dependent friction properties. Frictional tests with a migrating contact area were performed on 8 adult porcine TMJs at 5 different regions (anterior, posterior, central, medial, and lateral) in 2 orthogonal directions (anterior-posterior and medial-lateral). Some significant regional differences were detected, and the lateral-medial direction showed higher friction than the anterior-posterior direction on both tissues. The mean friction coefficient of condylar cartilage against steel was 0.027, but the disc, at 0.074, displayed a significantly higher friction coefficient. The 2 tissues also exhibited different frictional dependencies on sliding speed and normal loading force. Whereas the friction of condylar cartilage decreased with increased sliding speed and was independent of the magnitude of normal force, friction of the disc showed no dependence on sliding speed but decreased as normal force increased. Further analysis of the Peclet number and frictional coefficients suggested that condylar cartilage relies on interstitial fluid pressurization to a greater extent than the corresponding contact area of the TMJ disc.
Christopher Winch and Peter Wells, Nene College, Northampton

Abstract: This paper records both dissatisfaction and evidence of poor current standards of literacy, notably in the area of the written word, among higher education students. It also suggests what may be done to remedy the situation.
Separated flows developing under increasingly adverse pressure gradients

Experimental results are presented for separating flows over a NASA GA(W)-1 airfoil with 2-percent trailing-edge thickness, with emphasis on the mean velocity data that demonstrate flowfield similarity downstream of separation. The length scale presently employed was selected because it furnishes the requisite matching point between the outer, mixing region flow and the back-flow.
SU‐FF‐T‐439: Using Electron Beam Modifiers in the DPM Monte Carlo Code for Electron Beam Treatment Planning

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of modeling patient‐specific beam modifiers for electron beams using the DPM MC code. Methods and material: We investigate the applicability of modeling a beam modifier ‘applicator’(vs. a multiple source model or beam fitting approach) inside the DPM code for electron beam dose calculation. DPM is only used for in‐phantom calculations; however, we have included beam modifiers such as Jaws, MLCs and now applicators within the code to improve its clinical applicability. Varian 21EX (Type III) was modeled for beam energies (6, 9 and 12 MeV) using the BEAMnrc MC code. The patient‐independent components were simulated once and the phase space (PS) is stored just below the ion chamber. As a first approximation, a preliminary model of the applicator blocks all the particles through the applicators but allows those in the open beam region. Verification of the beam modifier model with diode measurements and full PS simulations was performed using percent depth doses (PDDs) and profiles for various energies for the standard 15×15 cm2 cutout, and for square and rectangular cutouts from 4×4 to 25×25 cm2 in a homogeneous geometry. Results: PDD calculations with DPM beam modifiers showed agreement within 2% with measurements and full PS simulation for the 6MeV beam. The 9 and 12 MeV PDD calculations showed discrepancies up to 4% in the surface buildup region, and a slightly larger difference in the tail. A full 3‐d simulation currently takes roughly 10mins on 8 processors to achieve a relative uncertainty of less than 1% in voxels > dmax/2 using a 2×2×2 mm3 voxel size. Conclusions: Preliminary investigation of dose calculations with beam modifiers in DPM MC code shows good agreement with measurement. Future work will focus on modeling 16 and 20 MeV beams and their verification in a homogeneous and heterogeneous medium.
A PLS dummy variable approach to assess the impact of jar attributes on liking

Abstract JAR (just-about-right) and hedonic scales are widely used together to provide directional information for product reformulation or optimization in consumer testing or market research studies. Since JAR scales have their ‘best/ideal’ score in the middle, the relationship between JAR and hedonic data is no longer linear, which makes linear regression models inappropriate for describing this non-linear relationship. A novel dummy variable transformation approach was proposed to make linear regression models appropriate for modeling non-linear relationships between JAR-Scale predictors and hedonic liking. In the dummy variable approach, each of the original JAR-Scale variables is transformed into a pair of two dummy variables according to a representation scheme and then these paired dummy variables are used with an appropriate regression procedure to model the non-linear relationship between hedonic liking and JAR-Scale variables. A data set was used to demonstrate the proposed method for explaining liking data from JAR data.
Two aspects of electro-optical-correlator implementation

The form of reference mask functions and choice of c.c.d. clocking are considered for real implementations of an electro-optical correlator. The prefiltering of reference functions (with an inverse sine filter) is described, as is a clocking system which utilises all receptor sites in an interlaced, interline transfer c.c.d.
Automatic array algorithm animation in C

This paper describes an elegant method for automatically animating an arbitrary array algorithm in C++.
Variant and Invariant High-Probability Requests: Increasing Appropriate Behaviors in Children with Emotional-Behavioral Disorders.

This study examined the effects of variant versus invariant high-probability (high-p) request sequences on the performance of requests to initiate a social bid by young children with emotional-behavioral disorders. In the initial phases of the investigation, a multiple baseline design showed that the delivery of invariant sequences (i.e., high-p requests delivered in the same sequence) produced initial increases in compliance to requests to initiate a social bid to a peer. However, increases were not maintained across the invariant condition. The delivery of variant high-p sequences produced increases in compliance to requests to initiate social bids that were maintained across the variant condition. In a follow-up condition, the number of requests within the pool of the variant and invariant high-p requests were controlled. Results of the follow-up condition replicated those found in the initial condition. Implications for applied use and future research are discussed.
Change, Self-organization and the Search for Causality in Educational Research and Practice

Causality is an inextricable part of the educational process, as our understanding of what works in education depends on our ability to make causal attributions. Yet, the research and policy literature in education tends to define causality narrowly as the attribution of educational outcomes to intervention effects in a randomized control trial context. This reduction of the educational process to simple input – output relationships leaves important questions unattended about how change is produced in educational systems, and how observed results can be predicted based on the propensity toward change in the baseline settings of those systems. This paper considers these questions from a Complex Dynamical Systems perspective, and concludes that answers to them can qualify the findings from at least some experiments.
A division algorithm with prediction of quotient digits

A division algorithm with a simple selection of quotient digits including prediction is possible if the divisor is restricted to a suitable range. The conditions that the divisor must satisfy to have the quotient digit q i+1 predicted while computing R i+1 are determined. Some implementation considerations are also given.
Silicon and matrix macromolecules: new research opportunities for old diseases from analysis of potential mechanisms of breast implant toxicity

An understanding of the normal and essential integration of the element silicon in biosystems, as well as knowledge of its fundamental chemistry, are crucial to understanding its role in health and disease. Modern organosilicon chemistry, based in part on the artificial silicon-carbon bond, coincided with the emergence of the biomaterials and bioengineering fields fifty years ago, and was thought to be a fortunate coincidence according to conventional wisdom that high-molecular-weight polymeric siloxanes were chemically and biologically inert. These concepts have been challenged by reports of silicone migration and degradation following insertion of gel-filled breast implants, claims of a novel systemic illness appearing in many breast implant recipients, and investigations implicating varied and permeating immunotoxic mechanisms of disease causation by breast devices. The present study develops additional potential pathogenetic ideas based on alterations of cell biochemistry by silicon-containing compounds, and offers correlation of the patients' diverse clinical features with plausable disruption of basic biological processes. This in turn raises new questions concerning everyday environmental exposure, has broad implications for multiple other diseases, can provide alternative directions for future investigative research, and may contribute to the ongoing redefinition of immune dysfunction and inflammation.
On the Scalability of Supervised Learners in Metagenomics

Metagenomics deals with the study of micro-organisms such as prokaryotes that are found in samples from natural environments. The samples obtained from the environment may contain DNA from many different species of micro-organisms including bacteria and archea. Micro-organisms are responsible for most of the symbiotic activity on earth. They are also responsible for the complex chemical reactions which take place on the surface of the earth, which help maintain earth’s ecological balance. With the increase in genome sequencing projects there has been a considerable increase in the amount of assembled sequencing data. In this article, we apply supervised learners namely decision trees, Bayesian networks and decision tables to see how the performance degrades when the number of species present in the metagenomic sample increases. We also try to see how the performance of the metagenomic sample changes as the percentage of unknown sequences in the metagenomic sample is varied.
Secure Computer Systems: A Retrospective

Eight years after the completion of the "Secure Computer Systems" series, basic questions about that work are being raised. Is the model useful? Is it overly restrictive? Are further modeling efforts necessary to address current problems? This paper addresses those questions in a personal view of the development and the utility of the "Secure Computer Systems" security model.