cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluation of Intel® transactional synchronization extensions for high-performance computing

Intel has recently introduced Intel® Transactional Synchronization Extensions (Intel® TSX) in the Intel 4th Generation Core™ Processors. With Intel TSX, a processor can dynamically determine whether threads need to serialize through lock-protected critical sections. In this paper, we evaluate the first hardware implementation of Intel TSX using a set of high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, and demonstrate that applying Intel TSX to these workloads can provide significant performance improvements. On a set of real-world HPC workloads, applying Intel TSX provides an average speedup of 1.41x. When applied to a parallel user-level TCP/IP stack, Intel TSX provides 1.31x average bandwidth improvement on network intensive applications. We also demonstrate the ease with which we were able to apply Intel TSX to the various workloads.
Complications of Chronic Otitis Media and Cholesteatoma

The incidence of complications of chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma has decreased since the proliferation of antibiotics early in the twentieth century. However, these complications continue to occur, and can be lethal if they are not identified and treated properly. Therapy for the complications associated with chronic otitis media, unlike that of acute otitis media, usually involves surgical intervention. As medical (antibiotic) therapy continues to improve, and new imaging techniques are introduced, less invasive treatment modalities may be shown to be as effective as the classic, time-tested, surgical options.
Auto identification technology and its impact on patient safety in the Operating Room of the Future.

Automatic identification technologies, such as bar coding and radio frequency identification, are ubiquitous in everyday life but virtually nonexistent in the operating room. User expectations, based on everyday experience with automatic identification technologies, have generated much anticipation that these systems will improve readiness, workflow, and safety in the operating room, with minimal training requirements. We report, in narrative form, a multi-year experience with various automatic identification technologies in the Operating Room of the Future Project at Massachusetts General Hospital. In each case, the additional human labor required to make these `labor-saving' technologies function in the medical environment has proved to be their undoing. We conclude that while automatic identification technologies show promise, significant barriers to realizing their potential still exist. Nevertheless, overcoming these obstacles is necessary if the vision of an operating room of the future in which all...
Potentiostatic step technique to study ionic transport in mixed conductors

Abstract A potentionstatic step technique was used to measure oxygen transport in the mixed-conducting perovskite SrCo1−xFexO3-t σ where x=0.2, 0.5 and 0.8. A solid state sealed electrochemical cell configuration was employed for this purpose featuring a single crystal yttria-stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte. The chemical diffusion coefficient of oxygen was found to be fast but highly thermally activated. At 850°C, the chemical diffusion coefficient for oxygen was in the range 10−7–10−6 cm2/s with the SrCo0.5Fe0.5O3−σ composition exhibiting the higher value. Such rapid rate of oxygen transport makes this material attracti or oxygen selective membranes for high temperature gas separation applications.
Embodying emergent masculinities: Men engaging with reproductive and sexual health technologies in the Middle East and Mexico

We employ Raymond Williams's concept of “emergence” to capture new forms of embodied masculinities in the Middle East and Mexico, two sites marked by powerful local stereotypes of manliness. Men there are enacting “emergent masculinities”—living out new ways of being men in attempts to counter forms of manhood that they see as harmfully hegemonic. They do this partly through engagements with emergent health technologies, including assisted reproductive technologies for male infertility and pharmaceutical technologies for erectile dysfunction that today are reshaping sociopolitical and intimate realities. We argue that masculinities research within anthropology must account for these ongoing, embodied changes in men's enactments of masculinities over time on both individual and societal levels. Furthermore, we heed R. W. Connell's advice that reformulations of hegemonic masculinity theory must consider new comparative geographies, forms of masculine embodiment, and social dynamics of masculinity around the globe.
Synthesis of ISIS 2105 Containing the Abasic Site Model Compound 1,4-Anhydro-2-deoxy-D-Ribitol

Abstract An indirect method for investigating evidence of the formation of full length deadenylated phosphorothioate oligonucleotide (ISIS 2105) as a degradation product is reported through synthesis of its deadenylated analog. Alternatively, use of Leumann's method for the synthesis of authentic deadenylated ISIS 2105 using the tert-butyldimethylsilyl protecting group at the anomeric hydroxyl function of the furanose ring failed in our hands.
Hepatic contribution to newly made fatty acids in adipose tissue in rats and inhibition of hepatic and extrahepatic lipogenesis from glucose by dietary corn oil

We have reexamined an earlier rat study in which the authors concluded that 60 min after [U-14C]-glucose injection half of labeled fatty acids found in adipose tissue had been made in liver and then transported to the adipose tissue. We have shown that even under conditions in which the lipogenic role of the liver is optimized (fed-refed rats on a fat-free, high-carbohydrate diet), almost none of the labeled fatty acids found in adipose tissue of rats 60 min after they were fed a labeled glucose test meal was derived from the liver. This conclusion was based experimentally on (a) the use of the blocking agent Triton WR 1339 to measure the total labeled triglyceride fatty acids (TGFA) synthesized and secreted by the liver in 60 min and (b) comparison of plasma TGFA-14C data with radioactivity found in liver and in adipose tissue in 60 min. Without using Triton WR 1339, mathematical analysis of plasma TGFA-14C following the glucose test-meal leads one to the same conclusion: 97% of14C-labeled fatty acids found in adipose tissue at 60 min was made in situ. Additional studies in rats established that the source of error in the earlier studies was an incorrect assumption that dietary corn oil could inhibit hepatic lipogenesis from glucose C without inhibiting fatty acid synthesis in adipose tissue. In our studies, 10% corn oil inhibited equally both hepatic and adipose tissue fatty acid synthesis from glucose C under conditions that precluded any significant transport of labeled TGFA-14C from liver to adipose tissue.
Dirofilariasis in wild canids from the Gulf coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana, U.S.A.

Abstract Heartworms, Dirofilaria immitis, were recovered from 17 out of 24 (71%) coyotes, Canis latrans, 38 out of 46 (83%) coyote × red wolf hybrids and all of 8 (100%) red wolves, Canis rufus gregoryi, collected from the Gulf coastal prairies of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Intensities of infection ranged from 1 to 176 ( x =25 ) worms per host. There was a significantly (P
Does residential parking supply affect household car ownership? The case of New York City

This paper investigates the impact of residential parking supply on private car ownership, the relationship at the heart of the debate on whether residential parking regulations could be used as a demand management strategy to influence travel behavior. However, no empirical studies have sufficiently answered the question. Many believe that parking has little or no effect on car ownership, while others disagree. The paper analyzes 770 households randomly selected from a household travel survey in the New York City region, and measures their complete parking supply, including garage size, driveway spaces, and on-street parking availability, using Google Streetviews and Bing Maps. Results from a nested logit model show that parking supply can significantly determine household car ownership decisions, even after controlling for the endogeneity between the two. Their influence actually outperforms household income and demographic characteristics, the often-assumed dominant determinants of car ownership. Different parking types also behave differently: driveway spaces are more important to car ownership than garages probably because many residents in the study region do not use a garage for car storage. On-street parking is also important to households with off-street parking. Implications for residential parking policies like the maximum off-street parking standard, resident parking permit, and street cleaning are also discussed.
Elevated cardiac troponin T levels in critically ill patients with sepsis

Abstract Background It is known that troponin elevations have prognostic importance in critically ill patients. We examined whether cardiac troponin T elevations are independently associated with in-hospital, short-term (30 days), and long-term (3 years) mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock after adjusting for the severity of disease with the Acute Physiology, Age and Chronic Health Evaluation III system. Methods We studied the Mayo Clinic's Acute Physiology, Age and Chronic Health Evaluation III database and cardiac troponin T levels from patients admitted consecutively to the medical ICU. Between January 2001 and December 2006, 926 patients with sepsis had cardiac troponin T measured at ICU admission. In-hospital, short-term, and long-term all-cause mortality were determined. Results Among study patients, 645 (69.7%) had elevated cardiac troponin T levels and 281 (30.3%) had undetectable cardiac troponin T. During hospitalization, 15% of the patients with troponin T P P P Conclusions In patients with sepsis who are admitted to an ICU, cardiac troponin T elevations are independently associated with in-hospital and short-term mortality but not long-term mortality.
The use of MRI to quantify multi-phase flow patterns and transitions: an application to horizontal slug flow

Abstract In this paper we discuss the current benefits and limitations of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine multi-phase fluid flow patterns and transitions. The advantages and disadvantages are highlighted in the context of an ongoing collaborative research effort between the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine MRI Center and the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU). Of particular interest, are the MRI measurements of the liquid volumetric flux distribution, the void fraction and the interfacial area concentration for slug flow in a horizontal air–water system. The data presented herein is unique relative to the slug flow conditions examined and the method implemented for data acquisition. The special scanning sequences designed by UCSF were capable of imaging at repetition intervals as fast as 7 ms.
The gypsy moth: How integrated is pest management?

Abstract The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), an inroduced major pest of hardwood forests in the northeastern United States and more recently in eastern Canada, has been and continues to be a target for control programs ranging from eradication to benigh neglect. In the last several decades, increasing emphasis has been put on ‘integrated pest management’, at least administratively. This has encouraged wide-ranging research efforts, both basic and applied; substantial public monies have been available to support these studies. The concept of integrated pest managment, and its application to the gypsy moth, is examined in the context of what is being done to reduce populations of this defoliator. It is concluded that economic, political, and knowledge constraints combine to prevent widespread development and implementation of an IPM program for this defoliator, and that we do not yet have what can objectively be called an integrated pest-management program for the gypsy moth.
DNA analysis methods for recognizing species invasion: the example of Codium , and generally applicable methods for algae

Analysis of DNA can help to distinguish those morphological characters indicative of species difference from those representing retained traits or parallel evolution. This can be of great value in detecting recent invaders. The choice of which DNA characters to examine not only dictates the methodology to be used but must also be appropriate for the detection level sought. Restriction endonuclease fragment comparisons of plastid DNA have been used to assess Codium species; the results show C. fragile subsp. tomentosoides from east and west coast North America to be identical while sympatric endemic Codium species each display their own unique set of fragments. For species of other algae, plastid DNA fragment patterns are not necessarily identical across a morphological species, e.g. Pandorina morum. Such repetitive element probes as M13 and the use of RAPDs are more appropriate for analysis of populations within species. DNA base sequence comparisons of nuclear rDNA genes often yield too few variant bases between closely related species for reliable identifications. Analysis of the more variable Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region, lying between the small and large ribosomal subunit genes in nuclear DNA, yields more extensive base pair variation between species and relatively little within species; it may be an alternative choice for endonuclease restriction fragment analysis or for sequencing.
Topological Techniques for Sensitivity Analysis

Sensitivity criteria are reviewed and concisely formulated in terms of system flowgraphs. Formulas are developed for the sensitivity of a terminated two-port, if subject to variations of wide range of parameters, and the results are tabulated. The effectiveness of sensitivity calculations is demonstrated through numerous examples such as the voltage sensitivity of a regulated power supply. Other examples include a probabilistic model of failure modes in reliability. The techniques are thus extended to systems with predictable rather than measurable, parameters. The flowgraph approach provides 1) insight into system operation, 2) facilitates sensitivity calculations and 3) establishes a systematic approach to assess the effects of parameter variations.
Shrinking-horizon dynamic programming

We describe a heuristic control policy for a general finite-horizon stochastic control problem, which can be used when the current process disturbance is not conditionally independent of the previous disturbances, given the current state. At each time step, we approximate the distribution of future disturbances (conditioned on what has been observed) by a product distribution with the same marginals. We then carry out dynamic programming (DP), using this modified future disturbance distribution, to find an optimal policy, and in particular, the optimal current action. We then execute only the optimal current action. At the next step, we update the conditional distribution, and repeat the process, this time with a horizon reduced by one step. (This explains the name ‘shrinking-horizon dynamic programming’). We explain how the method can be thought of as an extension of model predictive control, and illustrate our method on two variations on a revenue management problem. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrogen and Deuterium Diffusion in Vanadium-Titanium Alloys

Hydrogen and deuterium diffusion coefficients were measured in vanadium-titanium alloys, containing up to 30 at. pct Ti, by Boltzmann-Matano techniques. Hydrogen and deuterium diffusivity decreased rapidly with titanium concentration. The diffusion coefficients showed an Arrhenius temperature dependence in each alloy between 230 and 473 K with activation energies that increased with titanium concentration. The diffusion coefficient decreased linearly with hydrogen concentration in all alloys. The terminal solid solubilities increased markedly with titanium concentration with deuterium showing a larger terminal solid solubility than hydrogen below ten percent titanium. The diffusion results do not fit a localized deep trapping of hydrogen by the titanium atoms.
Influence of Level of Meaningfulness on Conditioned Meaning

Summary.-The effects of initial level of meaningfulness of CS on acquisition of new meaning was studied. Three groups of 10 children each were trained to associate words of positive, negative, or neutral evaluative meaning with nonsense syllables. Meaningfulness of the CS (low, middle, or high) was a between-groups variable. Conditioning was effective for the low- and middle-meaningfulness groups, and the degree of conditioning was negatively related to meaningfulness. There is a great volume of research in which conditioning of word meaning has been examined. The basic principle underlying this research is that, if a word which elicits a specific "meaning" is employed as the UCS and is paired a number of times with a neutral stimulus as the CS, then the CS will acquire some component of the meaning of the UCS. Many of the first studies were done merely to demonstrate this phenomenon (Divesta, 1961; Staats & Staats, 1957). The majority of these studies employed paired-associate learning procedures and semantic differential ratings to evaluate a variety of conditioning parameters (Lohr & Staats, 1973). One area of interest in the study of acquired meaning concerns initial characteristics of the stimuli. Of particular focus here is the role of initial semantic characteristics of CS. There have been two basic lines of investiga- tion. One concerns the level of meaningfulness or associative meaning as it is typically defined (Noble, 1961) and the second involves evaluative meaning as determined by a semantic differential (Osgood & Suci, 1955). Research on associative meaning has indicated that stimuli of low initial meaningfulness condition more rapidly than those of high initial meaningfulness. Freeman and Suedfeld (1969), for example, found conditioning for nonsense syllables but not for national names. Similarly, in an experiment by Wilson (1978) significant conditioning effects were found for both levels of CS employed; however, a greater change in evaluative meaning was found for the syllables of low meaningfulness than for those of high meaningfulness. The present experiment was designed to investigate the hypothesis that initial level of meaningfulness of the CS will have a differential effect on its 'This research was partially supported by a grant from the MTSU graduate research committee.
Squalene: potential chemopreventive agent.

Squalene is a triterpene that is an intermediate of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway and it can be obtained from the diet. Olive oil contains 0.2 - 0.7% squalene. The average intake of squalene is 30 mg/day in the United States, however, when consumption of olive oil is high, the intake of squalene can reach 200 - 400 mg/day as observed in Mediterranean countries. The decreased risk for various cancers associated with high olive oil consumption may be due to the presence of squalene. Experimental studies have shown that squalene can effectively inhibit chemically-induced colon, lung and skin tumourigenesis in rodents. The protective effect is observed when squalene is given before and/or during carcinogen treatment. The mechanisms involved for the chemopreventive activity of squalene may include inhibition of Ras farnesylation, modulation of carcinogen activation and anti-oxidative activities. However, several factors must be taken into consideration when the evidence for the inhibition of carcinogene...
A direct neural projection from the nucleus of the solitary tract to the subfornical organ in the rat

A direct neuronal projection from the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) to the subfornical organ (SFO) in rats was demonstrated using the Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) anterograde tracing technique. Small deposits of PHA-L were iontophoretically placed within the caudal parts of the nucleus of the solitary tract. Brain sections were processed for visualization of PHA-L using the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique. PHA-L immunoreactive beaded axons were observed within the subependymal and central parts of the SFO. The results demonstrate an anatomical substrate for direct feedback from cardiovascular regions of the NTS to the SFO. This pathway may be important for relaying blood pressure and associated body fluid volume changes to the SFO.
Systolic ejection sounds in idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.

The occurrence of systolic ejection sounds (SS) in idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS) has been controversial. We examined the graphic studies of 42 patients with proved IHSS. Eight were felt to have early systolic “click-like” sounds. These sounds occurred only at times of significant hemodynamic subaortic obstruction and, in contrast to other ejection sounds, occurred at the time of the first peak of the carotid pulse. We conclude that early systolic sounds occasionally are present in IHSS, but their origin and nature are not similar to ejection sounds in other diseases.
Intraseptal morphine potentiates pentobarbital narcosis and hypothermia in the rat

Morphine injected intraseptally in the amounts of 35 and 70 nmol prolonged pentobarbital-induced narcosis in the rat. Pentobarbital-induced hypothermia was also potentiated by intraseptal injection of 70 nmol of morphine. These effects were antagonized when morphine was injected together with naltrexone (29 nmol). Naltrexone injected by itself into the septum did not significantly affect pentobarbital-narcosis and hypothermia. It is concluded that activation of mu opioid receptors in the septal region could affect the actions of pentobarbital.
Dynamics of a Simplified van der Pol Oscillator Revisited

In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of a simplified van der Pol oscillator are investigated. From the theory of nonsmooth dynamics, the structures of periodic and chaotic motions for such an oscillator are developed via the mapping technique. The periodic motions with a certain mapping structures are predicted analytically for m-cycles with n-periods. Local stability and bifurcation analysis for such motions are carried out. The (m:n)-periodic motions are illustrated. The further investigation of the stable and unstable periodic motions in such a system should be completed. The chaotic motion based on the Levinson donuts should be further discussed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Polarization observations of Jupiter at decameter wavelengths

Abstract The polarization of radiation from Jupiter has been studied during 1963 at frequencies of 16, 18, 22, and 26 Mc/s. Data has been analyzed burst-by-burst and the results are tabulated in detail for 3800 bursts. Histograms of occurrence probability and numbers of bursts have been prepared for each frequency. In general, for the period of the observations, most of the radiation at 22 and 26 Mc/s was right-handed polarized whereas at 16 and 18 Mc/s an appreciable proportion of bursts were left-handed. In particular, bursts observed when 300 The changes in polarization mode observed from one frequency to another may indicate magnetic and ionospheric conditions on Jupiter and allow parameters to be deduced to within quite narrow limits. This procedure is discussed in detail and it is pointed out that axial ratio, not necessarily a very significant quantity when observed at an antenna on the Earth, need not be calculated. It is suggested that daily polarization variations may be due to magnetic disturbances on Jupiter and thus associated with solar activity, also, that a search should be made for long term variations caused by changes in the electron density of the Jovian ionosphere and associated with the sunspot cycle.
Surface Cleaning Techniques: Ultra-Trace ICP-MS Sample Preparation and Assay of HDPE

The world’s most sensitive radiation detection and assay systems depend upon ultra-low-background (ULB) materials to reduce unwanted radiological backgrounds. In this study, we evaluate methods to clean HDPE, a material of interest to ULB systems and the means to provide rapid assay of surface and bulk contamination. ULB-level material and ultra-trace-level detection of actinide elements is difficult to attain, due to the introduction of contamination from sample preparation equipment such as pipette tips, sample vials, forceps, etc and airborne particulate. To date, literature available on the cleaning of such polymeric materials and equipment for ULB applications and ultra-trace analyses is limited. For these reasons, a study has been performed to identify an effective way to remove surface contamination from polymers in an effort to provide improved instrumental detection limits. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy was utilized to assess the effectiveness of a variety of leachate solutions for removal of inorganic uranium and thorium surface contamination from polymers, specifically high density polyethylene (HDPE). Leaching procedures for HDPE were tested to optimize contaminant removal of thorium and uranium. Calibration curves for thorium and uranium ranged from 15 ppq (fg/mL) to 1 ppt (pg/mL). Detection limits were calculated at 6 ppq for uranium and 7 ppq for thorium. Results showed the most effective leaching reagent to be clean 6 M nitric acid for 72 h exposures. Contamination levels for uranium and thorium found in the leachate solutions were significant for ultra-low-level radiation detection applications.
Activation of bovine neutrophils by recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor-α

The in vitro effect of bovine recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rbTNF-alpha) on bovine neutrophil function and the possibility that rbTNF-alpha and recombinant bovine interferon-gamma (rbIFN-gamma) act synergistically were investigated. Treatment of neutrophils with rbTNF-alpha (0.05 micrograms/ml; approximately 50 U/ml) at 37 degrees C for 2.5 h resulted in enhancement of antibody independent neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity (AINC) and inhibition of random migration and chemotaxis. The same treatment resulted in a slight decrease in iodination and cytochrome C reduction, but did not affect Staphylococcus aureus ingestion, or antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Kinetic and inhibitor studies indicated that the action of rbTNF-alpha was rapid and was independent of protein and RNA synthesis by neutrophils. Evaluation of the synergistic activities of rbTNF-alpha and rbIFN-gamma indicated that treatment of neutrophils with these two cytokines simultaneously resulted in additive enhancement of AINC and inhibition of random migration and chemotaxis. There was no additive effect of the two cytokines on inhibition of iodination or cytochrome C reduction.
NMR chemical exchange as a probe for ligand-binding kinetics in a theophylline-binding RNA aptamer.

The apparent on and off rate constants for binding of theophylline to its RNA aptamer in the absence of Mg2+ were determined here by 2D 1H−1H ZZ-exchange NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the buildup rate of the exchange cross peaks for several base-paired imino protons in the RNA yielded an apparent kon of 600 M−1 s−1. This small apparent kon results because the free RNA exist as a dynamic equilibrium of inactive states rapidly interconverting with a low population of active species. The data found here indicate that the RNA aptamer employs a conformational selection mechanism for binding theophylline in the absence of Mg2+. The kinetic data found here also explain a very unusual property of this RNA−theophylline system: slow exchange on the NMR chemical shift time scale for a weakly binding complex. To our knowledge, it is unprecedented to have such a weakly binding complex (Kd ≈ 3.0 mM at 15 °C) show slow exchange on the NMR chemical shift time scale, but the results clearly demonstrate that slow exchange ...
Acetic Acid Reduction by H2 over Supported Pt Catalysts: A DRIFTS and TPD/TPR Study

Abstract The utilization of DRIFTS combined with TPD and TPR experiments resulted in the identification of molecular acetic acid, acyl species, and bidentate acetate species present on the titania surface plus CO adsorbed on Pt following acetic acid adsorption on Pt/TiO 2 catalysts at 300 K. TPR studies in the presence of H 2 provided evidence that reduction of acetic acid on TiO 2 -supported Pt begins via a reaction between adsorbed H atoms from the Pt surface and an acyl species on titania, and this pathway serves as the major route for production of acetaldehyde, which can be further hydrogenated to ethanol. The stability of the acetate species under the steady-state reaction conditions employed here discounts it as an active intermediate; however, at temperatures above 500 K these acetate groups may also become reactive intermediates to form acetaldehyde. The absence of both surface acyl species and stable acetate species on Pt/SiO 2 accounts for the lack of reduction activity on this catalyst and explains why only decomposition products were formed. Based on this new spectroscopic information, a reaction mechanism proposed recently was modified slightly to incorporate an acyl species as the principal intermediate, rather than molecular acetic acid, and the resulting rate expression not only gives an identical fit to the kinetic data, but also possesses thermodynamically meaningful parameters, such as the heat of adsorption of H 2 on Pt, that are consistent with literature values.
Advertising to the beat: An analysis of brand placements in hip-hop music videos

Hip-hop is a multi-billion-dollar industry influencing everything from fashion to advertising. The current study documents the overwhelming presence of brands in hip-hop music videos. Through the use of content analysis, we capture not only the branded products and their associated categories, but also the execution and connotation of those placements. Findings indicate that over 93% of all hip-hop videos contained some reference to branded products varying in prominence, prestige and consumption. Further, brand managers have many opportunities available with respect to brand placement in hip-hop – several of those opportunities are highlighted herein.
Metastable b.c.c. phases in the VNi and NiIn systems

Abstract Vanadium-nickel alloys containing 33 to 53 at.% Ni and NiIn alloys containing 15 to 50 at.% In were investigated after rapid quenching by splat cooling. In the VNi system, a metastable b.c.c. (W-A2) phase was found to replace the σ-phase occurring in equilibrium. A similar metastable phase occurs in the NiIn system with an indium content of 16 to 25 at.%. The mean atomic volumes, structural relationships and possible free-energy relationships of the metastable and equilibrium phases are presented.
Planetary Variations of Stratospheric Temperatures

Abstract Radiances emitted from the atmosphere near 669.3 cm−1 in the center of the 15-µm CO2 band were measured from the Nimbus 3 satellite. Changes in observed radiance correspond to weighted temperature changes of the upper 100 mb of air. The seasonal march of latitudinally averaged radiances is presented from 80°N to 80°S. The latitudinal and seasonal variations of radiance are removed from the data. The residuals emphasize the fact that winter polar stratospheric warmings are accompanied by stratospheric coolings in the Tropics and summer hemisphere. A warming of about 7°K near latitude 50° is accompanied by a cooling of about 1°K at the Equator. However, much larger warmings at latitudes near the poles do not produce correspondingly large coolings at the Equator. The synoptic distributions of radiances on 2 days are discussed: (1) the day when the average latitudinal radiance was a minimum in polar latitudes and (2) the day when the polar warming reached its maximum. The wave number 1 pattern in mid...
Nanoparticle formation using a plasma expansion process

We describe a process in which nanosize particles with u narrow size distribution are generated by expanding a thermal plasma carrying vapor-phase precursors through a nozzle. The plasma temperature and velocity profiles are characterized by enthalpy probe measurements. by calorimetric energy balances. and by a model of the nozzle flow. Aerosol samples are extracted from the flow downstream of the nozzle by means of a capillary probe interfaced to a two-stage ejection diluter. The diluted aerosol is directed to a scanning electrical mobility spectrometer (SEMS) which provides on-line size distributions down to particle diameters of 4 nmt. We have generated silicon, carbon, and silicon carbide particles with number mean diameters of about 10 not or less, and we have obtained some correlations between the product and the operating conditions. Inspection of the size distributions obtained in the experiments, together with the modeling results, suggests that under our conditions silicon carbide formation is initiated by nucleation of extremely small silicon particles from supersaturated silicon vapor, followed by chemical reactions at the particle surfaces involving carbon-containing species from the gas phase.
15 years experience with helium ion radiotherapy for uveal melanoma

Purpose: To review the long-term experience of helium iontherapy as a therapeutic alternative to enucleation for uveal melanoma,particularly with respect to survival, local control, and morbidity.Methods and Materials: 347 patients with uveal melanoma were treated withheluim ion RT from 1978-1992. A nonrandomized dose-searching study wasundertaken, with doses progressively reduced from 80 GyE in fivefractionsto 48 GyE in four fractions, given in 3-15 days, mean of 7days. Results: Local control was achieved in 96 percent of patients, withno difference in the rate of local control being seen at 80, 70, 60, or50 GyE in five fractions. At the lowest dose level of 48 GyE in fourfractions, the local control rate fell to 87 percent. Fifteen of 347patients (4 percent) had local regrowth in the eye requiring enucleation(12 patients), laser (1 patient) or reirradiation (2 patients). The timeof appearance of local regrowth ranged from 4 months to 5 yearsposttreatment, with 85 percent occurring within 3 years. Of the 347patients, 208 are alive as of May 1, 1997. The median follow up of allpatients is 8.5 years, range 1-17 years. Kaplan-Maier (K-M) survival is80 percent at 5 years, 76 percent at 10 years, and 72 percent at 15 yearsposttreatment. Patients with tumors notmore » involving the ciliary body have a15-year K-M survival of 80 percent. The results for patients whose tumorsinvolved the ciliary body are poor, with a 15-year K-M survival of 43percent. Seventy-five percent of patients with tumors at least 3.0 mmfrom the fovea and optic nerve, and initial ultrasound height less than6.0 mm, retained vision of 20/200 or better posttreatment. Patients withtumors larger than 6 mm in thickness, or with tumors lying close to theoptic nerve or fovea, have a reduced chance of retaining useful vision.The enucleation rate is 19 percent, 3 percent for local failure and 16percent because of complications of the helium RT, particularlyneovascular glaucoma, which occurred in 35 percent of patients.Conclusions: Local control and retention of the eye are excellent.Complications of therapy reduce vision and eye preservation. Twenty-fourpercent of patients manifested distant metastases 6 to 146 monthsposttreatment, mean of 43 months, median of 36 months. Late-appearingdistant metastases do not appear to be caused by persistent tumor in theeye. The risk of metastases is high for patients with tumors greater than7 mm in initial ultrasound height (37 percent), anterior tumors involvingthe ciliary body (47 percent), and in those with local failure (53percent). Patients with tumors not involving the ciliary body and initialdimensions less than 10 mm had only an 8 percent chance of death frommelanoma. A search for effective adjuvant therapy is needed for patientsat high risk of metastases (large tumors, ciliary body involved, localregrowth in eye).« less
Unidirectional lasing from InGaN multiple-quantum-well spiral-shaped micropillars

We report unidirectional emission from lasing in In0.09Ga0.91N/In0.01Ga0.99N multiple-quantum-well spiral micropillars. Our imaging technique shows that the maximum emission comes from the notch of the spiral microcavities at an angle about 40° from the normal of the notch. At room temperature, the spiral microcavity lases near 400 nm when optically pumped with 266 or 355 nm light. A reduction in the lasing threshold and an improvement in unidirectionality occurs when the microcavity is selectively pumped near its boundary.
Distal terminal axonopathy produced by 2,4-dithiobiuret: effects of long-term intoxication in rats

It has been well established that 2,4-dithiobiuret (DTB) intoxication in rats produces a rapidly progressive hindlimb paralysis within days. The cause of this has, until recently, been explained on the basis of a physiological abnormality that involves a prejunctional impairment in the neuromuscular transmission alone. The morphological correlate of the electrophysiological abnormalities has now been provided. This study describes the sequential morphological alterations resulting from a chronic long-term DTB intoxication (1 mg/kg per day, IP) in the rat nervous system up to 48 days. The findings indicate that DTB neurotoxicity evolves as a central peripheral distal axonopathy initially affecting the motor nerve terminals which show accumulation of interconnecting branched tubulovesicular profiles. With continued exposure, nerve terminal swelling and degeneration took place. Similar pathological changes in distal axons were observed progressively involving the small intramuscular nerve bundles close to the nerve terminals. Central nervous system axons in the long descending tracts of spinal cord and the cerebellar vermis showed similar changes but to a lesser extent in later stage of intoxication.
A new Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) from Cerro Pirre, Panama

While preparing a treatment of the genusRhynchospora forFlora Mesoamericana, a new species from Cerro Pirre was discovered.Rhynchospora pirrensis, described and illustrated here, can be distinguished from other species in sectionPaniculatae by its long, broad, mostly basal leaves and its punctatepapillose achenes. A key to all the broad-leaved species of that section is provided.
Escape probability for negative electron affinity photocathodes: calculations compared to experiments

A Monte Carlo technique has been used to calculate the electron energy distributions and the escape probabilities (EP) for the negative electron affinity (NEA) GaAs transmission photocathode. The results are compared with experimental data. A simple model, which assumes electrons from the (Gamma) minimum and that ideal conditions exist at the semiconductor-vacuum interface, does not work properly. Different types of scattering in the activation layer and a nonideal interface are considered as possible causes for the discrepancies between calculations and experiments. The results show that a non-ideal interface could be the best candidate for explaining the behavior of the electron angular distribution.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analog/hybrid simulation of rail vehicle lateral dynamics

Analog/hybrid computer simulation is a promising tool for research into the lateral dynamics of rail vehi cles. The complexity and nonlinearity of these dynamics makes hybrid computing cost-effective. This paper describes the progressive development of analog/ hybrid simulations beginning with the basic model of the trao-degree-of-freedom wheezset and evolving into a complex, multi-degree-of-freedom, nonlinear model of a freight car. Simulation results include the limit-cycle behavior of a nonlinear wheelset model and the response of an idealized model of a freight- car. Extension of this work to more realistic freight-car models is discussed.
Application of a method of Szemeredi

Let ℬ = {bi:b1 <b2<…} be an infinite sequence of positive integers that exceed 1 and are pairwise coprime, so thatAssume also thatLet A=Aℬ denote the sequence of ℬ-free numbers, that is, of positive integers divisible by no element of ℬ. This concept, generalizing square-free and k-free numbers, derives from Erdos [2] who proved in 1966 that there exists a constant c, 0<c<l, independent of ℬ, such that the interval (x, x+xc) contains elements of A provided only that x is large enough. This result of Erdos was shown by Szemeredi [7] in 1973 to hold with c=½+e, if x≥xo(e, ℬ), and quite recently Bantle and Grupp [1] have sharpened Szemeredi's result to c=9/20+e.
STEADY STATES OF SELF-GRAVITATING INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUID WITH AXIAL SYMMETRY

In this paper we develop a simple analytic model for the steady state of self-gravitating incompressible nonswirling gas in three dimensions with axial symmetry which is based on the hydrodynamic equations for stratified fluid. These equations are then reduced to a system of two equations for the mass density and the gravitational field. Numerical solutions of these equations under different modeling assumptions (with special attention to the isothermal case) are then used to study the patterns of the resulting steady state of the fluid.
Deformation Frontogenesis: Observation and Theory

Abstract A low-level deformation frontogenesis event that occurred during the Stormscale Operational and Research Meteorology-Fronts Experiment Systems Test (STORM-FEST) field program is analyzed in the context of semigeostrophic theory. The observed evolution and vertical structure of the potential temperature and alongfront wind fields are compared to that predicted by both numerical and analytical solutions of the semigeostrophic equations initialized at the onset of the deformation frontogenesis. The model solutions provide relatively accurate predictions of the surface potential temperature distribution 5 h later, when the frontogenesis ended. The point along the front with the steepest potential temperature gradient is observed to move closer to the point with the highest relative vorticity by an amount that is in rough agreement with the model prediction. Vertical profiles of potential temperature from soundings show a nearly mixed layer below ∼400 m that cannot be predicted by the inviscid solutio...
The Impact of Training on Virtual Project Teams: A TIP Investigation

As organizations adapt to competitive pressure and simultaneously leverage scarce resources, workers are increasingly operating in virtual project teams where members may never meet face to face. One of the factors that can affect how well virtual project teams communicate is relational links. This study explores the effects of relational link development training on group interactions by administering training to selected groups and tracking measurements of their cohesiveness, perceptions of the process, satisfaction with outcomes over time, and tracking group communications using McGrath's TIP theory as a framework. This project compared virtual project teams trained in the concept of relational links with teams that received no training. All electronic communications between team members were recorded and analyzed using McGrath's time, interaction, and performance TIP framework and all teams completed pre and post surveys measuring their levels of cohesion, perceptions of the process and satisfaction with outcomes. It was found that teams that received training spent more time in the member support function, more time in the inception mode, and less time in the conflict resolution mode. In addition, teams receiving training had higher ending levels of cohesion, perception of the process and satisfaction with outcomes.
Race versus Class? Racial Composition and Class Voting, 1936–1992

It is often suggested that racial divisions reduce the political importance of class. This article examines this hypothesis by modeling the strength of class voting in a State as a function of the State's racial composition, using data on presidential elections from 1936 to 1992. Class voting among whites is found to be smaller where the black share of the population is larger. Because the relation is nonlinear, changes in the distribution of the black population explain a significant part of the decline in class voting from the 1930s through the 1970s. However, the effect of racial composition on class voting has declined in recent years, suggesting that the competition between race and class divisions is becoming less pronounced
Formation of interconnected morphologies via nanorod inclusion in the confined assembly of symmetric block copolymers

We have investigated the effect of nanorods on the symmetry breaking of a model diblock copolymer under cylindrical confinement using coarse-grained molecular dynamics. Unlike nanoparticles, nanorods can readily be interconnected with each other and also induce connection across self-assembly domains at much lower loading than nanoparticles. Such interconnecting nanorods, when incorporated within the nanofiber confined assembled block copolymer, have great potential for providing highly conductive pathways for energy applications, such as battery electrodes and separators. Symmetric block copolymers (BCP) under cylindrical confinement with a nanorod aspect ratio (N) of 1, 5, and 10 are examined with three different types of nanorod–BCP attractions: (a) neutral nanorods, (b) A (wall-attractive phase)-attractive nanorods, and (c) B (wall-repulsive phase)-attractive nanorods. The system was studied with both selective and neutral walls, which affect the orientation of the interconnected nanorod network. Upon close examination of the BCP–nanorod self-assembly, we discovered that the ratio of the interphase distance to the nanorod aspect ratio (I/N) can be correlated to the onset of nanorod interconnectivity and formation of asymmetrical interconnected BCP morphology. By developing a phase diagram with respect to I/N, one can predict the formation of desired BCP morphology and the critical loading of nanorods for connected morphologies in cylindrical confinement.
Supporting reliable and atomic transaction management in multidatabase systems

Transaction management in multidatabase systems (MDBSs) is complicated by the autonomy requirement, especially in the case of failure. We demonstrate necessary and sufficient conditions for supporting reliable and atomic transaction management in MDBSs. Most previous work assumes single version histories and conflict serializability; this precludes the use of multiversion scheduling protocols in the local database systems. To deal with multiple versions, it is necessary to extend conflict serializability to one-copy serializability. A decentralized transaction management scheme is presented for use in MDBSs which assumes local histories are one-copy serializable and cascadeless. Only a minimum access restriction is imposed on global update subtransactions. Our scheme not only ensures global serializability in the face of failures, but also ensures freedom from global deadlocks. >