cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convergence Doesn't Show Lexically-Specific Phonetic Detail

Can phonetic convergence be lexically specific, providing evidence that representations include word-specific phonetic detail, or does it occur only at a phonological level? Some studies find more convergence in lower frequency words, which is interpreted as evidence for word-specific representations. However, this result has not been consistently replicated, and provides only indirect evidence for word-specific convergence. I more directly test the possibility of word-specific convergence in a shadowing task with different words manipulated in opposing directions; word-specific acoustic details are reflected in immediate repetition, but not in the post-task productions that would indicate shifts in the representation. I also examine a possible alternative source of apparent frequency-conditioned convergence. In a reading task with no exposure to other speakers, frequency was a predictor of speakers becoming more similar to each other in their second reading of a word; because effects of repetition are influenced by lexical frequency, apparent frequency-conditioned convergence can be produced as an artifact of the repetition inherent in shadowing tasks.
Mica kink-band geometry as an indicator of coseismic dynamic loading

Abstract Recognizing that exhumed shear zones had a seismogenic history is an important prerequisite for microstructural studies of energy partitioning in the earthquake source region. Using optical measurements of kinked micas along the Sandhill Corner shear zone, a seismogenic fault/shear zone exhumed from the base of the frictional-to-viscous transition, we demonstrate that their geometric properties are statistically different from kinks in micas that underwent regional deformation and metamorphism. Kink-band asymmetries and the angles of external rotation are larger in rocks from the Sandhill Corner shear zone, whereas kink-band widths are smaller. Our data show remarkable similarities to kink bands from dynamic deformation experiments, meteorite impacts, and nuclear explosion sites, suggesting a dynamic origin for their formation. Our results suggest that mica kink bands may be a useful indicator of dynamic loading and paleoseismicity in the rock record.
A high-throughput DNA FISH protocol to visualize genome regions in human cells.

Summary Here, we describe an end-to-end high-throughput imaging protocol to visualize genomic loci in cells at high throughput using DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, automated microscopy, and computational analysis. This is particularly useful for quantifying patterns of heterogeneity in relative gene positioning or differences within subpopulations of cells. We focus on important experimental design and execution steps in this one-week protocol, suggest ways to ensure and verify data quality, and provide practical solutions to common problems. For complete details on the generation and use of this protocol, please refer to Finn et al. (2019) .
Précis of Take a Look at This! Form, Function, and Productivity of English Light Verb Constructions

English light verb constructions (LVCs), such as make an offer and take a bath, are semi-productive constructions: while some novel combinations of a light verb and eventive or stative noun are acceptable, others are not. LVCs tend to occur in families defined by a shared light verb and semantically similar nominal complements, but it remains mysterious precisely how such families are circumscribed; this presents both theoretical and natural language processing (NLP) challenges. This research first aims to address the void in linguistic resources identifying LVCs in a consistent fashion with the development of annotation guidelines for LVCs within the PropBank project. Using the resulting annotated corpus of LVCs, another theoretically important question of why LVCs exist alongside semantically similar lexical verbs is addressed: corpus evidence demonstrates that the ease and variety with which LVCs can be modified is the primary motivating factor for their use over a lexical verb. Finally, large-scale acceptability studies are used to examine the constraints on LVC productivity; the results reveal the importance of statistical preemption in modeling productivity.
Complex staged reconstruction and limb salvage in a patient with traumatic arteriovenous fistula and non-healing wounds of the calf

Abstract Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are vascular anomalies that may result in uncontrollable hemorrhage and non-healing wounds that are challenging to manage and require complex surgical reconstruction with thoughtful reconstructive strategies. In this case report, we present a patient with a threatened limb from a traumatic AVF and chronically infected hematoma. He required complex staged endovascular and open reconstruction followed by negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for optimal wound healing with excellent results. Polyvinyl alcohol particles were used as selective pre-operative embolic agents to achieve tissue ischemia prior to hematoma excision and reconstruction with pedicled nerve transfer to decrease neuroma formation. NPWT with instillation of Dakin's solution and dwell time was used to reduce the dead space while promoting the formation of granulation tissue and treating the infection by reducing the bioburden. After 1 week of NPWT, there was excellent granulation tissue with retraction of the wound allowing for split thickness skin grafting. The graft healed completely and allowed him to return to his baseline function and resume his dancing career at 1 year follow-up.
Investigating the effect of changing ammunition on the composition of organic additives in gunshot residue (OGSR).

The measurement of the organic additives in smokeless gunpowder is an attractive approach for the detection of handgun use because it provides compositional information that can help associate residues and unfired gunpowder. We investigate several factors that will be required to advance the characterization of organic gunshot residue (OGSR) as a useful forensic tool, including evaluating residue contamination from previously fired ammunition, particle-to-particle compositional variability, and compositional features resulting from the type of firing primer used. Using ammunition loaded with known smokeless powders containing different stabilizers, a sequence of shots was fired from a .357 magnum revolver, and the muzzle exit residues were collected. Compositional analysis of the residues, both in bulk and as single particles, showed only a trace of the previously fired powder in the first shot and none in subsequent shots. In an additional experiment testing conventional leaded and the new lead-free firing primers, the OGSR composition was found not to depend on the primer type.
Biosensors and Bio‐Based Methods for the Separation and Detection of Foodborne Pathogens

The safety of our food supply is always a major concern to consumers, food producers, and regulatory agencies. A safer food supply improves consumer confidence and brings economic stability. The safety of foods from farm-to-fork through the supply chain continuum must be established to protect consumers from debilitating, sometimes fatal episodes of pathogen outbreaks. The implementation of preventive strategies like hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) assures safety but its full utility will not be realized unless supportive tools are fully developed. Rapid, sensitive, and accurate detection methods are such essential tools that, when integrated with HACCP, will improve safety of products. Traditional microbiological methods are powerful, error-proof, and dependable but these lengthy, cumbersome methods are often ineffective because they are not compatible with the speed at which the products are manufactured and the short shelf life of products. Automation in detection methods is highly desirable, but is not achievable with traditional methods. Therefore, biosensor-based tools offer the most promising solutions and address some of the modern-day needs for fast and sensitive detection of pathogens in real time or near real time. The application of several biosensor tools belonging to the categories of optical, electrochemical, and mass-based tools for detection of foodborne pathogens is reviewed in this chapter. Ironically, geometric growth in biosensor technology is fueled by the imminent threat of bioterrorism through food, water, and air and by the funding through various governmental agencies.
Using Misperceptions of Masculinity among Young Fathers to Improve Health Behavior

Building upon previous research on social norms theory and masculinity theory, this article is an attempt to apply this research to an under-represented cohort of student fathers. The finding of a misperception of masculinity is consistent with a larger study of college men across years in school and at seven different colleges and universities. The original research can be found in the monograph entitled Forging the Male Spirit, edited by Merle Longwood et al. in 2012 with a brief synopsis of the Gender Role Conflict Survey created by James O’Neil. This article explains the opportunity this misperception presents to use the finding to create positive change in behavior in a cohort of young fathers that were studied. These student fathers are part of a larger group of participants in a grant funded program through the Minnesota Department of Health through the Office of Adolescent Health. The exciting implication of this finding is that the misperception of masculinity can be used to improve the health seeking behavior of student fathers for themselves and for their children.
Coordinating Intelligent Agents

This chapter will focus on how to get organizations - multiple software agents and perhaps humans - to coordinate thier activities when they are working on shared, loosely coupled problems, such as engineering design or information gathering. It will describe some useful representations (including taems [Task Analysis and Environment Modeling System]) for annotating an agent's representation of its activities, and some approaches (including GPGP [Generalized Partial Global Planning]) to designing coordination mechanisms that are adapted to some particular problem-solving environment. Examples will be drawn from various projects in distributed information gathering and distributed hospital patient scheduling.
Throughput analysis of channel surfing in jammed single-hop wireless networks

We develop a theoretical approach to derive system throughput for single-hop wireless networks where U users share a spectrum set θ U of n independent channels, and J jammers attack the system by selecting channels from a spectrum set θ J of N independent channels while θ U ⊆θ J . Users and jammers follow the given policies to randomly select channels at each time slot. The whole system can be modeled as a Markov chain. The key point is to derive the transition probability matrix and obtain the stationary distribution. Then, the theoretical system throughput can be computed straightforwardly. Another interesting problem is to study the system failure probability for the scenario where each user pair has multiple links. The network model is modified as: m user pairs share a spectrum set θ U and each user pair has c links. System failure happens when at least one user pair fails all of its links. A two-step approach is developed to compute the system failure probability for the modified model. Numerical experiments are used to validate theoretical results.
Physical support for evolution in reconfigurable devices

Summary form only given. In recent years, there have been several architectures introduced specifically with hardware evolution in mind. In addition to these devices, many research and commercial chips have emerged that, while not specifically designed for evolution nor even considered as evolvable hardware, possess the properties considered essential for evolvable systems. There are a minimum set of properties that must be supported required for hardware evolution to occur in an autonomous embedded environment. A device deemed evolvable typically supports one or more of the following properties: (i) having an architecture that is flexible and conducive to a wide variety of solutions in a given problem domain, (ii) having the ability to assess its own behavior and compare it with a standard, (iii) having the ability to deduce circuit modifications, and (iv) having the architectural support to modify the functionality of the hardware (on-line). This talk will explore contemporary commodity and research-grade single-chip devices that were not designed with evolution in mind, yet provide, at minimum, the foundation for evolution. Illustrative examples will be given when possible.
Airway Support Management: A Teaching Module

N ONINVASIVE airway support management is a relatively new treatment modality for pediatric patients requiring ventilatory assistance. Continuous positive airway pressure (C-PAP) and bilevel systems (Bi-PAP, Bi-PAP S/W) are examples of mechanisms presently being used to provide this support (Respironics, Inc., 1988). Children with poor respiratory effort such as sleep apnea, neuromuscular disorders, and spinal cord injury can benefit from noninvasive airway support management. Both methods of airway support can be used in acute as well as chronic situations, thereby avoiding complications associated with intubation and surgery. There are 10 children currently being followed at Children’s Hospital of Duke University Medical Center who are using C-PAP or bilevel systems. These children have been diagnosed with a variety of disorders from traumatic spinal cord injury to muscular dystrophy. Most are on a bilevel system because it is better tolerated and offers increased comfort. Therefore, it has a higher home compliance rate than C-PAP (Respironics, Inc., 1988). Because the C-PAP and bilevel systems are used infrequently in pediatric settings, it was necessary to develop a program to educate the nursing staff in the airway systems and preparing families for discharge and home use. The teaching module for staff includes a brief description, criteria checklists for family training, and guidelines for discharge preparations.
Empowering plant evo‐devo: Virus induced gene silencing validates new and emerging model systems

It is increasingly recognized that current established model systems are not sufficient to understand the evolution of biodiversity. The main limitation in developing additional model systems is the difficulty or inability to perform functional studies of target genes. Evolutionary developmental (evo-devo) biologists have adopted a transient transgenic technique, developed over the last decade for agricultural applications, which is allowing functional studies in the most disparate plant lineages. From monocots to dicots and from herbs to trees, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has opened up a world of opportunities in plant evo-devo.
Effects of diazepam on behavior and dopamine-containing substantia nigra units in freely moving cats.

Administration of diazepam at doses that produced ataxia (5–10 mg/kg IP) significantly decreased the discharge rate of substantia-nigral dopamine-containing neurons by 28.1% in freely moving cats. Diazepam also altered the characteristic decremental bursting pattern of these neurons, producing a steady rhythmic discharge pattern. Similar results were obtained with another centrally acting muscle-relaxant drug, mephenesin. However, the peripherally acting muscle relaxant dantrolene did not produce these effects. These data suggest that diazepam and other centrally acting muscle relaxants may produce their effects on motoric behavior in part by altering the dopaminergic input to the striatum.
Determination of the eigenfrequencies of a ferrite-filled cylindrical cavity resonator using the finite element method

A formulation of the Finite Element Method (FEM) particular to axisymmetric problems containing anisotropic media is compared to an analytic solution. In particular, the resonant frequencies of a longitudinally biased ferrite-filled cylindrical cavity are examined. For comparison, a solution of the characteristic equation for the lossless, ferrite-filled cylindrical waveguide was modified to give the resonant frequencies of the cylindrical cavity. This analytical solution was then used to examine the error in the FEM formulation for the anisotropic case. It is noted that the FEM formulation for anisotropic material presented, based on both node and edge-based elements, is found to be free of spurious solutions. >
Effects of Solvent Solubility Parameters on Organoclay Dispersions

With Hansen's solubility parameters, δo2 = δd2 + δp2 + δh2, the correlation between the degree of exfoliation of organically modified clays and the solvent in which the clay platelets are dispersed/mixed has been analyzed. It has been found that the dispersion force of the solvent, reflected by δd, is the principal factor determining whether the clay platelets remain suspended in the solvent while the polar (δp) and hydrogen-bonding (δh) forces affect primarily the tactoid formation/structure of the suspended platelets. The organically modified clays studied in this work precipitated in any solvent with molecules with moderately strong hydrogen-bonding groups. The correlation found has been used to correctly identify a solvent, trichloroethylene, which completely exfoliates the organically modified clay studied in this work.
High-speed fracture studies on bimaterial interfaces using photoelasticity—a review:

Dynamic photoelasticity and high-speed photography have been combined to study fracture of bimaterial interfaces in the subsonic and intersonic regimes. The response of isochromatic fringes to various interface fracture parameters is investigated. Next, a series of experiments is conducted with specially designed specimen geometries under different loading conditions to encompass the whole range of interfacial crack propagation behaviours. The photoelastic data obtained from these experiments is carefully analysed to obtain the crack velocity, complex stress intensity factor, mode mixity and dynamic energy release rate. Finally a fracture criterion in the subsonic regime is proposed and validated with the experimental results.
Electron microscopic investigation of lamellar mixtures of two close‐packed phases

Martensitic and massive phases containing fine lamellae of two different close-packed structures have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The stacking sequences involved in the lamellar mixtures are ABCBCACAB and ABC, or AB and ABC, or ABC and CBA. The fine lamellae produce fringe patterns which are similar to fringe patterns due to single stacking faults. However, by tilting the foil images can be obtained that are incompatible with single stacking faults. Martensitische und massive Phasen, welche aus feinen Lamellen zweier verschiedener dichtestgepackter Strukturen bestehen, wurden mit Hilfe elektronenmikroskopischer Durchstrahlung untersucht. Folgende Stapelfolgen wurden beobachtet: ABCBCACAB und ABC, AB und ABC oder ABC und CBA. Diese feinen Lamellen erzeugen Kontrasteffekte, die Stapelfehlerkontrasten ahnlich sind, aber durch Kippen der Folie von letzteren unterschieden werden konnen.
Toxicity of Blastomyces dermatitidis.

Following injections of the insoluble portion of disrupted yeast cells ofBlastomyces dermatitidis animals exhibited a biphasic pyrogenic response, a decrease in total serum proteins, and there was no release of interferon.
Net Present Value and Economic Merit of Sexed Semen and Splitting Units of Semen for Australian Holsteins

Abstract Net present value of an artificial insemination sire was expected profit per semen unit due to genetic improvement for daughter lifetime milk production. Net present values were calculated for top 40 milk evaluation Australian Holstein sires from 4 studs by varying one of conception or survival rates, feed cost, herd production, herd genetic merit, age at first calving or discount rate, holding remaining parameters at population average. Sire transmitting values for mature equivalent milk ranged 62 to 549L and semen price $3.50 to $20. Average of cow transmitting values for mature equivalent milk was −97L. By region, milk was priced $.13 or $.23/L. Selection policy was top 5 sires for net present value with equal semen purchases. As probability of female embryo increased from 50 to 100% at no additional semen cost, average net present value per unit of 5 highest ranked sires increased from $3.41 to $13.43 and from $20.58 to $48.76 for $.13 and $.23/L milk. This represents a scale effect with identical sires selected for $.23/L milk. However, average semen price of selected sires increased from $4.50 to $7.60 for $.13/L milk due to sire reranking. Assuming halved semen price and a .1 decrease in conception rate affecting both net present value and semen requirement, dairy farmers could afford to pay at least an additional $2.19 per whole unit of semen for milk priced $.13/L and $3.50 per whole unit for $.23/L milk if that unit were to be split.
Cardiac hypertrophy in chronically anemic fetal sheep : Increased vascularization is associated with increased myocardial expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether the increase in fetal cardiac mass and cardiac output in chronic anemia is accompanied by changes in capillary density or size or changes in levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that has previously been shown to activate vascular endothelial growth factor gene transcription when cultured cells are subjected to hypoxia. STUDY DESIGN: Anemia was induced in near-term ovine fetuses by daily isovolemic hemorrhage. In five fetuses the heart was arrested in diastole, isolated, and fixed at physiologic pressures with adenosine-paraformaldehyde, and morphometric measurements of capillaries were made. In six fetuses cardiac expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 protein was detected by Western analysis and vascular endothelial growth factor messenger ribonucleic acid by Northern blot analysis. Eleven age-matched fetuses served as controls. RESULTS: The anemic fetuses compared with controls had a lower hematocrit (14.8% ± 0.7% vs 35.3% ± 1.5%) and a greater heart-to-body weight ratio (10.5 ± 1.1 vs 7.7 ± 0.5 gm/kg). The minimal capillary diameter was increased and the intercapillary distance was decreased in both right and left ventricles of anemic fetuses compared with controls. Vascular endothelial growth factor protein was increased 4.5-fold, vascular endothelial growth factor messenger ribonucleic acid 3.2-fold, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α protein 3.8-fold in ventricular tissue from anemic fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic fetal anemia cardiac hypertrophy is accompanied by anatomic changes in myocardial capillary morphometry along with induction of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. These results provide evidence for a pathway by which anemia-hypoxia may stimulate myocardial vascularization. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998;178:527-34.)
History and Policy Studies

This article deals with actual and potential contributions of history to policy studies. Some historians have attempted to influence specific policies through their writings, others have held policy-relevant positions in government agencies, while others have functioned in roles that have made them official preservers of our past. The authors discuss a number of ways in which history is relevant to policy studies-among them, the conception of history as a policy laboratory, as a source for perspective about the development of current policies, as a source of theoretically interesting rare or unique occurrences, and as a repository of values to which appeals can be made to justify current and proposed policies. Historians are becoming aware of the need for alternative careers to teaching in universities and this has led them to seek an increase in the number of policy-relevant positions for historians in government.
The Adolescent Self-Regulatory Inventory: The Development and Validation of a Questionnaire of Short-Term and Long-Term Self-Regulation

This manuscript presents a study in which the factor structure and validity of the Adolescent Self-Regulatory Inventory (ASRI) were examined. The ASRI is a theoretically-based questionnaire that taps two temporal aspects of self-regulation (regulation in the short- and long-term). 169 students in the 6th, 8th, and 10th grades of a small, Midwestern school district completed self-report questionnaires focused on self-regulation, parenting behaviors, and psychological adjustment. 80 parents also participated. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the internal consistency of the long-term and short-term factors was satisfactory. Requirements for concurrent and construct validity were met. The ASRI also demonstrated incremental validity, as the inclusion of the long-term factor with a comparison questionnaire significantly increased the proportion of explained variance in adolescent-reported parental warmth, externalizing, and prosocial behavior. The ASRI has the potential to move research on self-regulation in adolescence in a viable new direction.
Prednisone decreases CSF somatostatin in healthy humans: Implications for neuropsychiatric illness

Several neuropsychiatric illnesses, including depression and Alzheimer's disease, are reported to be characterized by hypercortisolemia and by reduced levels of cerebrospinal fluid somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (CSF-SLI). To investigate a possible causal linkage between these abnormalities we administered prednisone, 80 mg orally per day for 5 days, to 9 healthy volunteers. We observed significant prednisone-induced reductions in CSF-SLI. Moreover, the magnitude of these reductions was inversely related to the magnitude of prednisone-induced reductions in plasma ACTH levels, suggesting a functional interaction between circulating corticosteroids, central somatostatin and pituitary ACTH release.
Guardians of the Gulf: A History of America's Expanding Role in the Persian Gulf, 1833-1992

Palmer traces the history of America' s involvement in the Gulf from 19th-century commercial activity to the Gulf War. He argues that the Gulf War was the logical outcome of America's escalating involvement, but that the prosecution of the war reflected US uncertainty in the region. The book shows how once Britain's influence had declined America was compelled by astrategic and economic considerations to fill the power vacuum. It initially exercised ints influence through the the Shah of Iran, but after his fall in 1979 was forced to take a more active and direct involvement to guarantee the survival of friendly states. The Gulf War was the logical out come of this development. However, the fact that the war was fought only to attain limited objectives reflects US reluctance to get too deeply involved in the politics of the region.
Breed Differences in Egg Production of Domestic Fowl Held at High Environmental Temperatures

ABSTRACT NUMEROUS studies at various geographic locations over a period of several years indicate rather conclusively that high environmental temperature is one of the major factors influencing the decline in egg production during the summer months. Winchester (1940), Byerly et al. (1947), Wilson (1948), Ragab and Assem (1953) and others have shown that reproductive performance of domestic fowl is adversely affected by high environmental temperatures. Bruckner (1936) found that in a poultry house artificially heated to a mean temperature of 60°F., the health, body weight, and egg size of the birds were adversely affected. Gutteridge et al. (1944) increased the environmental temperature of laying pullets by the use of artificial heat and insulation over a range of 37.8°F. to 59.9°F. and got no effect upon egg production. Hutt (1938) reported breed differences in susceptibility to extreme heat. White Leghorns withstood drastic increases in environmental temperatures better than did Rhode Island Reds . . .
Business Process Digitalization and New Product Development: An Empirical Study of Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers

Previous research has largely ignored how business process digitalization across the value chain enhances firm innovation. This article examines the relationship between the extensiveness of business process digitalization (BPD) and new product development (NPD) in a sample of 85 small U.S. manufacturers. Scores of extensiveness was derived from the number of adopted e-business practices regarding inter and intra-firm activities such as: customer and supplier services (computer-aided design and manufacturing), employee services (education/training), and industry scanning (technology sourcing). We found that (1) NPD is positively related to the extensive use of BPD, and (2) the relationship between NPD and the extensiveness of BPD is stronger in more mature firms than that in younger firms. We conclude that small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) production innovation strategies are positively associated with the strategic use of BPD and span spatial, temporal, organizational, and industry boundaries thus aiding SME global competitiveness.
Expression of activated MAP kinase in Xenopus laevis embryos: evaluating the roles of FGF and other signaling pathways in early induction and patterning.

FGF signaling has been implicated in germ layer formation and axial determination. An antibody specific for the activated form of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was used to monitor FGF signaling in vivo during early Xenopus development. Activation of MAPK in young embryos is abolished by injection of a dominant negative FGF receptor (XFD) RNA, suggesting that MAPK is activated primarily by FGF in this context. A transition from cytoplasmic to nuclear localization of activated MAPK occurs in morula/blastula stage embryo animal and marginal zones coinciding with the proposed onset of mesodermal competence. Activated MAPK delineates the region of the dorsal marginal zone before blastopore formation and persists in this region during gastrulation, indicating an early role for FGF signaling in dorsal mesoderm. Activated MAPK was also found in posterior neural tissue from late gastrulation onward. Inhibition of FGF signaling does not block posterior neural gene expression (HoxB9) or activation of MAPK; however, inhibition of FGF signaling does cause a statistically significant decrease in the level of activated MAPK. These results point toward the involvement of other receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways in posterior neural patterning.
A methodological note on ordered Q-Sort ratings

Patterns of ratings using the Q-Sort method and the Likert-type method are compared. Ordering effects are found in Q-Sort ratings that are not present in Likert-type ratings. Specifically, item order is related to both item variance and item placement, such that items appearing near the end of the Q-Sort have less variance and more central placement. This finding is verified across three measures in several datasets spanning nearly 20 years of research. Such item order effects appear to attenuate average absolute relationships (covariances and correlations) between items appearing near the end of the Q-Sort and other measures. Randomization of items may be (in some situations) a viable course of action to minimize these effects at a sample level.
Density imaging using a multiple-frequency DBIM approach

Current inverse scattering methods for quantitative density imaging have limitations that keep them from practical experimental implementations. In this work, an improved approach, termed the multiple-frequency distorted Born iterative method (MF-DBIM) algorithm, was developed for imaging density variations. The MF-DBIM approach consists of inverting the wave equation by solving for a single function that depends on both sound speed and density variations at multiple frequencies. Density information was isolated by using a linear combination of the reconstructed single-frequency profiles. Reconstructions of targets using MF-DBIM from simulated data were compared with reconstructions using methods currently available in the literature, i.e., the dual-frequency DBIM (DF-DBIM) and T-matrix approaches. Useful density reconstructions, i.e., root mean square errors (RMSEs) less than 30%, were obtained with MF-DBIM even with 2% Gaussian noise in the simulated data and using frequency ranges spanning less than an order of magnitude. Therefore, the MFDBIM approach outperformed both the DF-DBIM method (which has problems converging with noise even an order of magnitude smaller) and the T-matrix method (which requires a ka factor close to unity to achieve convergence). However, the convergence of all the density imaging algorithms was compromised when imaging targets with object functions exhibiting high spatial frequency content.
The InfoCanvas: information conveyance through personalized, expressive art

This paper describes the design of a highly versatile ambient display, the InfoCanvas. Through a novel interface, people identify information of interest and then "paint" an appealing and meaningful representation of it on a virtual canvas for later communication back to them. This new form of interaction with information allows people to keep tabs on useful, but peripheral, information in a calm, unobtrusive manner.
The Swarm Computer, an analog cellular-swarm hybrid architecture

The “killer apps” of cellular and swarm computing are image processing and optimization, respectively; however, applying these platforms to general-purpose computing remains impractical. Designing systems within the restrictive framework of cellular automata is extremely difficult, though often very efficient and scalable. On the other hand, swarm networks are very powerful but difficult to implement in hardware. Here we introduce a hybrid model, the Swarm Computer, which is both practical to program and efficient to implement. Applications in astrophysics and image processing are considered.
Refinements to the treatment of scattering in Vlasov-Boltzmann calculations.

A new treatment of scattering, which conserves the total angular momentum and accounts for differences in {ital n}-{ital n}, {ital n}-{ital p}, and {ital p}-{ital p} cross sections, is proposed for use in the Vlasov-Nordheim (or Boltzmann-Uhling-Uhlenbeck) simulations of heavy-ion collisions. This treatment is used in the classical Vlasov-Boltzmann simulations of the collisions between two equal mass ({ital A}=50) nuclei at {ital E}{sub lab}{approx gt}400 MeV/nucleon. By comparison with the exact results for such collisions, it is shown to be significantly more accurate than the commonly used method in which the angular momentum is not exactly conserved.
The Influence of Road Surface Properties on Vehicle Suspension Parameters Optimized for Ride - Design Trends for Global Markets

Suspension design is influenced by many factors, especially by vehicle dynamics performance in ride, handling and durability. In the global automotive industry it is common to "customize" or tune suspension parameters so that a vehicle is more acceptable to a different customer base and in a different driving environment. This paper seeks to objectively quantify certain aspects of tuning via ride optimization, taking account of market differences in road surface spectral properties and loading conditions. A computationally efficient methodology for suspension optimization is developed using stochastic techniques. A small (B-class) vehicle is chosen for the study and the following main suspension parameters are selected for optimization-spring stiffness, damping rate and vertical tire stiffness. The road is characterized as a stationary random process, using scaling and shaping filters representative of comparable roads in India and the USA. A standard quadratic function is used, including terms for vertical body acceleration, tire load variations and workspace usage. Using the stochastic nature of the ride metrics obtained, it is found possible to further penalize large excursions in the suspension working space. Weighting parameters in the ride metric are selected to match a given design to the US market condition, so that re-optimization assuming conditions relevant to the Indian market immediately provides trend directions for retuning the suspension. It is also shown how assumed increases in payload (passenger numbers etc.) or different driving speeds may be included in the tuning process. Future integration of durability and handling criteria is also discussed. The result is an efficient tuning tool that may be used to support more detailed studies in simulation and track testing, helping to reduce the time to market when suspension tuning is required. Copyright Â© 2012 SAE International.
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of the human heart

Hartiala J, Sakuma H, Higgins CB. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of the human heart. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 1993; 53: 425-437.Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy have a great potential both for clinical cardiac diagnostics and for research in cardiac physiology, metabolism and disease.At the present time, cardiac MRI already is the method of choice in several clinical conditions, especially in imaging central vasculature and intra- and paracardiac masses. With the recent development of contrast agents and ability to measure both flow velocities and flow volume, the cardiac MRI is likely to have a profound role in evaluating coronary arterial disease as well as valvular heart disease. The limitations due to long imaging times of cardiac MRI-studies are likely to be overcome with the development of ultrafast imaging techniques in the near future.On the other hand, cardiac MRS is still a research tool, which needs technical improvements before it can be widely utilized in clinical work....
Stable cruciform formation at inverted repeat sequences in supercoiled DNA

Synopsis This paper analyzes equilibrium superhelical cruciform formation in a topologial domain of DNA containing inverted repeat sequences. The cruciform conformation is shown to he stable when the molecule is sufficiently negatively supercoiled but not when it is positively supercoiled. For a particular sequence containing a single inverted repeat, onset of stability occurs at a degree of negative superhelicity that depends critically on the number of base pairs separating the repeat copies. The free energy associated with the stable cruciform state is constant, independent of the degree of superhelicity, up to the point where the complete inverted repeat participates in the cruciform. In contrast, the free energy of the alternative, unextruded state grows approximately quadratically with the superhelical deformation. Therefore, a degree of negative supercoiling occurs at which the cruciform state becomes energetically favored. The equilibrium properties of this cruciform extrusion transition vary with segment length, the positions and sizes of the inverted repeats involved, environmental conditions, and the degree of superhelicity imposed. In a segment containing multiple repeats, both tandem and inverted, of one or more sequences, the pattern of cruciforms that form is dependent on superhelicity in a complex way. Specific cruciforms may occur at equilibrium only in narrow ranges of superhelicity, their reabsorption being coupled to the extrusion of others.
Atomic collisions in the presence of laser radiation - Time dependence and the asymptotic wave function

A time-dependent, wave-packet description of atomic collisions in the presence of laser radiation is extracted from the more conventional time-independent, stationary-state description. This approach resolves certain difficulties of interpretation in the time-independent approach which arise in the case of asymptotic near resonance. In the two-state model investigated, the approach predicts the existence of three spherically scattered waves in this asymptotically near-resonant case.
Oxygen utilization rates in North Atlantic subtropical gyre and primary production in oligotrophic systems

If the observed distribution of dissolved oxygen in deep oceans below the euphotic zone is in stationary and steady state, then it can be assumed that the in situ consumption of oxygen is balanced by ‘ventilation’, or, in other words, physical transport of oxygen from regions of higher dissolved oxygen and ultimately the sea surface. It follows, therefore, that measurement or determination of those physical transport processes, coupled with observation of the oxygen distribution will lead to an estimate of the net oxygen utilization rate (OUR). The character of such an estimate is that it is a space and time average over scales governed by the nature (space and time scales) of the transport processes, the scale of the oxygen distribution, and the climatologic nature of the system. As such, one obtains an average which is characteristically of the order of 108 s, 108 cm or more, that is large compared with scales of biological variability. I report here some new determinations of oxygen utilization rates determined by tritium dating in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, compare them with other and previous estimates, and discuss their implications regarding primary production and nutrient cycling in an oligotrophic system.
Thermal hydraulic characterization of a heat pipe with extracapillary circulation

Abstract Heat pipe devices, for their typical working mechanisms, are particularly suitable for zero gravity applications, and have also been considered for applications in space satellites with nuclear propulsors, thanks to the absence of mobile systems for the coolant fluid circulation. The present work reports the results of experimental tests carried out on a heat pipe facility designed to investigate the thermal–hydraulic performance of a water heat pipe. The device layout, configuration and geometry, allow to simulate a heat pipe working utilizable in space applications and so under zero gravity conditions. The evaporating section, completely lined by wicks (sintered stainless steel), and nearly plane shaped, is housed in a cylindrical container. Two test series were performed with reference to different heater sizes (heated plate—wick contact surface size), obtaining for the evaporating heat flux q ″ ev a value of 13 W·cm −2 in the 1st series and of 20 W·cm −2 in the 2nd one, using a smaller heater size. This result means a potential possibility to use more compact evaporators and to work at higher system operating pressure values. It was possible to establish the increase of the limit heat flux q ″ evl versus the operating pressure in a range of 50–400 kPa. The condensate subcooling, due to the subcooler in the external channel, sensibly affects the boiling and the wick dispriming. In conclusion, it is necessary to point out that the obtained results are only preliminary and relative to a pilot test section. Further tests will be carried out with appropriate changes in the configuration, in the geometry and in the operating conditions.
Complementary and alternative medicine use among US adults with common neurological conditions

Our objective was to determine patterns, reasons for, and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in US adults with common neurological conditions. We compared CAM use between adults with and without common neurological conditions (regular headaches, migraines, back pain with sciatica, strokes, dementia, seizures, or memory loss) using the 2007 National Health Interview Survey of 23,393 sampled US adults. Adults with common neurological conditions used CAM more frequently than those without (44.1 vs. 32.6%, p < 0.0001); differences persisted after adjustment. For each CAM modality, adults with common neurological conditions were more likely to use CAM than those without these conditions. Nearly half of adults with back pain with sciatica, memory loss, and migraines reported use of CAM. Mind/body therapies were used the most; alternative medical systems were used the least. Over 50% of adults with common neurological conditions who used CAM had not discussed their use with their health care provider. Those with neurological conditions used CAM more often than those without because of provider recommendation, or because conventional treatments were perceived ineffective or too costly. Significant correlates of CAM use among adults with common neurological conditions include higher than high school education, anxiety in the prior year, living in the west, being a former smoker, and light alcohol use. CAM is used more frequently among adults with common neurological conditions than those without. More research on the efficacy of CAM use for common neurological conditions is warranted.
Effect of Water Vapor Pressure on Moisture Sorption and the Stability of Aspirin and Ascorbic Acid in Tablet Matrices

A study of the effects of temperature and humidity conditions on the stability of aspirin and ascorbic acid in various solid matrices was conducted. Among the diluents studied, cellulose and calcium sulfate were found to confer maximum stability on formulations of aspirin and ascorbic acid. The tablet matrices were found to sorb water according to Van der Waal's adsorption mechanisms. The stability of the drugs was found to vary according to an interrelationship between tablet hardness and the moisture sorption of the compressed matrix. Two parameters, ( a ) the stability ratio or the ratio of the residual drug concentration of the tableted drugs in closed containers to the residual drug concentration of exposed tablet samples and ( b ) the moisture uptake of the dosage units in closed containers, were established to evaluate the packaging methods. Cellophane or aluminum foil strip packaging single dosage containers were found to be superior to well-closed glass or plastic containers as moisture barriers under the intermediate-to-high water vapor pressure conditions studied.
Role-play validation of the assertion inventory

The Assertion Inventory (AI) (Gambrill & Richey, 1975), a 40-item questionnaire, collects two types of information about assertive behavior: (a) degree of discomfort felt in specific situations; and (b) judged probability of engaging in a behavior. Ss are categorized into one of four groups: Assertive (low discomfort and high assertion), Unassertive (high discomfort and low assertion), Doesn't Care (low discomfort and low assertion), or Anxious Performer (high discomfort and high assertion). The purpose of the study was to validate the Al using a role-play format. Two experiments comprised the study. The Ss were 96 undergraduates (48 in Experiment 1 and 48 in Experiment 2). The AI scores were maximally representative of each Al category. The results of experiment 1 were congruent with inventory scores; the results of Experiment 2 were not. Potential consequences of social desirability and the use of role-play as an outcome measure are discussed.
Some Ideas for Using Cases in the Classroom

Abstract This chapter provides ideas about how to use cases in the classroom. The more “alive” the learning experience, the more the students are interested and involved in their own learning. Cases can provide the realism that can make a topic come alive. This chapter describes five mechanisms used in the development and implementation of cases in the classroom. These mechanisms help the students develop technical skills, professional conduct, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The five mechanisms are: use of practitioners, use of consultations, use of role-playing, use of peer evaluations, and use of grading sheets.