cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Active control of interlaminar stresses in laminated composites by through-thickness thermal gradients

In this paper, we propose a method to actively control interlaminar stresses near the free edges of laminated composites by through-thickness thermal gradients. Theoretical solutions are given for optimal steady-state through-thickness temperature distributions under uniaxial loading that are required to eliminate or reduce the interlaminar stresses below a prescribed level. The optimal solutions are obtained by minimizing appropriate performance indices that are functions of the far-field properties, with respect to the through-thickness temperature differences. In the second part, an experimental investigation is conducted on a glass/epoxy cross-ply laminate with embedded piezoelectric sensors and a thermal heater. Through the experiment, a feasibility of the thermal control of interlaminar stresses is demonstrated.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Signal transduction during natural killer cell activation: inside the mind of a killer.

Interest in signal transduction during NK cell activation has been spurred by the recognition that novel activating and inhibitory receptors initiate interacting signals that dictate the nature of specialized antimicrobial and antitumor responses. Recent advances in our understanding of these complex signaling processes have been fueled by the molecular characterization of specific activating receptors (e.g., the FcγRIII multisubunit complex, KAR) and inhibitory receptors (e.g., human KIR, human CD94/NKG2, and murine Ly49). However, certain aspects of these analyses are complicated by the heterogeneous nature of the receptor–ligand interactions occurring during the development of a cytotoxic response. Future advances will depend in part on the molecular identification of the involved receptors and second messengers and on the development of experimental models for genetically manipulating the signaling elements. It will remain important to investigate both activating and inhibitory signaling pathways, since the emerging theme is that the balance of these opposing forces determines the functional outcome of an NK cell's interaction with its target.
Alzheimer caregiver stress: Basal natural killer cell activity, pituitary-adrenal cortical function, and sympathetic tone

The association between Alzheimer caregiving and natural killer (NK) cell activity and basal plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, β-endorphin, prolactin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and neuropeptide Y was determined in 100 spousal Alzheimer caregivers and 33 age-and gender-comparable control volunteers upon intake into a study of the psychological and physiologic impact of caregiving. The relationship between these physiologic measures and individual characteristics such as age, gender, medical status, severity of stress, severity of depressive symptoms, and caregiver burden was tested. In addition, the association between NK activity and alterations of the neuroendocrine measures was investigated. As compared to controls, the Alzheimer caregivers had similar levels of NK activity and of basal plasma neuroendocrine hormones and sympathetic measures. While older age and male gender status were associated with increased levels of ACTH, neither medical caseness, severity of life stress, nor severity of depressive symptoms was associated with alterations in any of the multiple physiologic domains. Classification of Alzheimer caregiver burden identified caregivers who were mismatched in terms of the amount of care they were required to provide and the amount of respite time received. The mismatched caregivers had significantly higher basal plasma ACTH but no change in other physiological measures, as compared to non-mismatched caregivers. NK activity was negatively correlated with plasma levels of neuropeptide Y but not with any of the other neuroendocrine measures. Based on this cross-sectional evaluation of NK activity and neuroendocrine and sympathetic measures, we conclude that most Alzheimer caregivers do not show evidence of altered basal physiology.
Early Mesopotamian Constitutional Development

R ELIGION excepted, few aspects of civilization in the ancient Near East hold the attention of modern students for long as they press on to the serious study of the Greeks. As pertinent today as it was nineteen hundred years ago is the observation by the Jewish historian Josephus of "the current opinion that, in the study of ancient history, the Greeks alone deserve serious attention" (A>gainst Aqpion, I. 2). Particularly is this true in the area of politics where an unchanging "Oriental despotism" is commonly contrasted with the variety and uniqueness of the Greek achievement. The view that the Greeks "invented politics" is a pardonable exaggeration that effectively points up the difficulty of naming a form of government unknown to this gifted people. Among the many types of polity which the Greeks experienced and to which they affixed enduring names, five may be singled out as marking basic stages in their constitutional development: monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, democracy, and, finally, a return to tyranny. The Greeks called their earliest form of government monarchy because
ERBP, a novel estrogen receptor binding protein enhancing the activity of estrogen receptor.

Abstract To understand the mechanism by which estrogen receptor (ER) activates transcription in a tissue specific fashion, we isolated ERα binding protein (ERBP) by performing yeast two-hybrid screening with human mammary gland cDNA library. ERBP is a nuclear protein and its mRNA is ubiquitously expressed. The in vitro interaction of ERBP with ERα was demonstrated by GST pull-down assay and this interaction was enhanced by estrogen. In addition, ERBP also bound to PPARγ, RXRα, and ERβ. ERBP interacted with the DNA binding domain and the hinge region of ERα. There are two ERα binding regions on ERBP. The binding of ERBP region at C-terminus to ERα is increased by estrogen while the binding of ERBP region at N-terminus is not affected by estrogen. The interaction of ERBP with ERα was further confirmed in vivo by immunoprecipitation. Transient transfection experiment demonstrated that ERBP enhanced the transcriptional activity of ERα.
Computed molecular surface electrostatic potentials of the nonionic and zwitterionic forms of glycine, histidine, and tetracycline

Three different procedures (HF/STO-3G, HF/3-21G, and B3P86/6-31+G**) were used to compute the electrostatic potentials on the molecular surfaces of glycine, histidine, tetracycline, and their zwitterions. These surface potentials were characterized in terms of a group of statistically defined quantities, which include the average deviation, the positive and negative average potentials, variances and extremes, and a balance parameter. The results were found to be qualitatively reasonably independent of the computational procedure. The zwitterions have much greater internal charge separations than the nonionic forms, although this is progressively diluted as the system increases in size. The statistical properties of the surface potentials permitted the determination of the solvation energetics of both the nonionic forms and the zwitterions. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 80: 1216–1223, 2000
Numerical simulations of triple-junction GaInP/GaAs/Ge solar cells to provide insight into fill-factor losses at high concentration

We have modeled a Ga 0.5 In 0.5 P/GaAs/Ge triple junction solar cell, including two Esaki diodes, to analyze how performance changes with illumination intensity. As has been observed experimentally, fill factor (FF) is the primary aspect of performance that limits efficiency at high concentration levels. The FF decreases because of series resistance and barriers created by the GaAs/GaInP back surface field. By adjusting carrier concentration or the material associated with the back surface field (BSF) and the carrier concentration in the absorber, FF losses can be reduced and efficiency enhanced at high concentration levels.
Placing blame: Making sense of Beslan

Abstract The aftermaths of terrorist spectacles are intensely consequential moments in the making of geopolitical meaning. This paper develops a critical geopolitical account of the ways in which key actors involved in the terrorist incident at School Number 1 in Beslan North Ossetia constructed its meaning and justified their actions. The event is examined from three perspectives: the terrorist's Beslan, the Kremlin's Beslan and the contested meaning of Beslan among Ossetians and others in the North Caucasus. Multiple sources are utilized in the construction of the account: an English language archive of Russian reporting on the event, accounts of the siege, statements by key protagonists, elite interviews in North Ossetia, and the results of a survey question in North Ossetia and the North Caucasus on Beslan. The paper examines the construction of blame by the various actors and relates it to indiscriminate geographies, sweeping acts of abstraction whose homogenizing effects make (counter)terrorist violence possible.
Clinical applications of diffusion tensor imaging and tractography in children

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a relatively new addition to routine MR imaging. DTI exploits the preferential movement of water protons within the brain along the axis of the axons. This anisotropic diffusion provides information about the immature brain prior to myelination, during maturation, and in normal and disease states, information that MRI cannot provide. By virtue of sensitivity to anisotropic movement of protons, DTI allows the core of larger individual white matter tracts to be visualized as discreet anatomic structures. DTI can also provide information about the microarchitecture of white matter in the form of metrics referred to as fractional anisotropy and diffusivity. The information contained within the diffusion tensor data can be used to create 3-D mathematical renderings of white matter or tractography. This article is an introduction to DTI for pediatric radiologists interested in exploring potential applications in children.
The talk radio phenomenon: An update

This article reviews talk radio research and summarizes articles from the trade and popular press that document the phenomenal growth in talk radio since 1987, when the Fairness Doctrine was abolished. Anecdotal evidence suggests that talk radio can have a powerful impact on public debate, especially regarding “hot button “ issues that arouse emotion and address voter frustration with the status quo. Examples include the successful defeat of the proposed Congressional pay raise in 1989 and the election to Congress of a Republican majority in 1994. Talk radio is less successful in rallying listeners on complex issues such as campaign financing reform.
Treatment patterns of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and laser therapy among patients with diabetic macular edema (DME)

BACKGROUND: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a form of diabetic retinopathy caused by continued leakage from retinal blood vessels. The use of antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections has gained in popularity in the treatment of DME due to satisfactory efficacy, while laser photocoagulation is still the first-line therapy. Examining anti-VEGF treatment patterns may improve understanding of real-world medication-taking behaviors. OBJECTIVES: To (a) compare demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment patterns of anti-VEGF (bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and pegaptanib) and laser therapies among DME patients and (b) determine predictors of switching and anti-VEGF therapy initiation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted with Texas Medicaid medical and prescription claims (January 1, 2008-December 31, 2012) for patients who were aged 18-63 years, continuously enrolled 1 year pre- and post-index, diagnosed with DME and treated with anti-VEGF or laser therapies. Treatment patterns included treatment frequency and switching between anti-VEGF and laser therapies. Logistic regression and multinomial analysis were used to determine factors associated with switching and initiation of anti-VEGF therapy, while controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: DME patients (N = 2,201) were aged 54.7 (SD ± 7.9) years; 63.1% were female; 59.1% were Hispanic; and 10.3% were visually impaired. CCI mean score was 6.5 (SD ± 3.1), and patients were on 2.6 (SD ± 3.3) unique prescription medications. Anti-VEGF users had significantly (P < 0.0001) fewer prescriptions compared with laser users (1.9 [SD ± 3.1) vs. 2.8 [SD ± 3.3], respectively). Laser was the most commonly used (84.9%) therapy from 2009 to 2011; however, anti-VEGF use increased from 11.7% in 2009 to 21.8% in 2011 (P < 0.0001). Patients received 1.5 (SD ± 0.7) laser surgeries compared with 1.7 (SD ± 1.1) anti-VEGF injections per eye annually. Switching from laser to anti-VEGF injections was 9.7%, while switching from anti-VEGF injections to laser surgery was 42.2%. Patients who switched from antiVEGF injections to laser surgery were more likely to be Hispanic (OR = 1.415, 95% CI = 1.037-1.930); male (OR = 1.341, 95% CI = 1.053-1.709); have fewer prescriptions (OR = 0.944, 95% CI = 0.905-0.985); and less likely to have no visual impairment (OR = 0.641, 95% CI = 0.449-0.915). Multinomial regression results showed anti-VEGF users were more likely to remain on the same therapy if they had more prescriptions (OR = 1.094, 95% CI = 1.029-1.172) or were female (OR = 1.441, 95% CI = 1.024-2.041). Anti-VEGF initiators had fewer prescriptions (OR = 0.917, 95% CI = 0.868-0.947) and initiated in 2011 vs. 2009 (OR = 2.363, 95% CI = 1.777-3.141). CONCLUSIONS: Although anti-VEGF use is increasing, laser use is still more prevalent. Over 40% of patients who initiated on anti-VEGF injections switched to laser surgery. Additional research should be conducted to determine factors associated with this high rate of switching.
Introduction: The Elements of Procedure: Are They Separately Portable?

In his introduction to the International Encyclopedia of Comparative Law, Rene David asks the question whether the law is a body of rules or a set of remedies.' My answer would certainly be both, though some of my colleagues, and probably more of my students, think there is no such thing as a right without a remedy, or a judgment without a marshal or sheriff.2 The latter view implies that we would not play fair but for the fear of suit, or respect the rights of others but for the fear of going to jail. The same attitude is reflected in the practice in France and other countries that provide that parties, as contrasted with witnesses, may not give evidence, and in any event may not testify under oath, because it is assumed that they will lie to defend their own cause.
The Constitution of the Alter Ego in Husserl's Transcendental Phenomenology

This paper explores Husserl's phenomenological description of the constitution of the alter ego within the sphere of transcendental subjectivity. It is important at the start to point out that the Other plays a crucial role in securing the intersubjective nature of the experienced world. Although Husserl goes on in the "Fifth Cartesian Meditation" to consider the constitution of an objective world common to all subjects and the establishment of a community of monads, my primary focus in this paper will be the examination of the initial steps whereby the sense, "other ego," is constituted by the transcendental ego. My main task, then, will be to examine the reduction to the sphere of ownness, the appresentative transfer of sense from ego to alter ego, and the criterion of harmonious behavior. My primary criticisms will center around certain difficulties inherent in the attempt to uncover a primordial sphere of ownness and problems that arise from a shift in concern from the life-world (everyday) attitude to the attitude following the performance of the epoche. Part I of the paper will consist of a general discussion of Husserl's phenomenological project, Part II will be a detailed study of the alter ego, and Part III a general statement of problems and objections.
Effect of alterations of key active site residues in O6-alkylguanine-DNA Alkyltransferase on its ability to modulate the genotoxicity of 1,2-dibromoethane.

The production of mutations and the reduction in survival of cells treated with α,ω-dihaloalkanes is greatly enhanced by the presence of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT), a DNA repair protein that removes O6-alkylguanine adducts from DNA [Liu, L., Hachey, D. L., Valadez, G., Williams, K. M., Guengerich, F. P., Loktionova, N. A., Kanugula, S., and Pegg, A. E. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 4250−4259]. The effects of alterations to key residues in the active site of AGT were studied using AGTs with point mutations. It was found that mutants of AGT at positions Tyr114, Arg128, Pro140, Gly156, Gly160, and Tyr158 did not bring about the increase in genotoxicity of 1,2-dibromoethane seen with wild-type AGT, although these mutants, with the exception of those at Tyr114 and Arg128, are known to have sufficient AGT repair function to be able to protect cells from alkylating agents. The R128A mutant was able to react with 1,2-dibromoethane at the Cys145 acceptor site, but the resulting AGT-Cys145S-(CH2)2Br wa...
Multi-institutional analysis of sequential intravesical gemcitabine and mitomycin C chemotherapy for non–muscle invasive bladder cancer

Objective Apart from cystectomy, few treatment options exist for the management of bacillus Calmette-Guerin refractory non–muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We report a multi-institutional experience with sequential intravesical combination chemotherapy using gemcitabine and mitomycin C (MMC) for NMIBC in the treatment of high-risk patients.
Ras-related protein 1 and the insulin-like growth factor type I receptor are associated with risk of progression in patients diagnosed with carcinoma in situ

Currently, there are no applied molecular markers to aid in predicting risk of carcinoma in situ (CIS) progression to invasive cancer, and therefore, all women diagnosed with CIS undergo surgery. Standard assessment of protein expression in fixed tissue by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is not quantitative and hence is not well suited for measuring biomarkers. In this study, we developed an original analytical method for IHC quantification. Using our novel image-based uniplex (IBU) method, quantitative protein profiling was performed on 90 samples of the breast (17 histologically normal tissues, 16 benign lesions, 15 CIS, and 42 invasive carcinomas). Differences between groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mixed effects models. Measuring protein expression on a continuous scale revealed a significant increase in Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1) and the insulin-like growth factor type I receptor (IGF-IR) in conjunction with the presence of cancer invasion. Women with invasive cancers were four times more likely to have increased levels of Rap1 [odds ratio (OR) = 3.91; P = 0.0002] and IGF-IR (OR = 4.33; P < 0.0001) than women with non-invasive lesions. Furthermore, expression of both proteins was also increased significantly in CIS adjacent to invasive tumors compared with non-cancerous tissue. These novel findings of a significant up-regulation of Rap1 and IGF-IR in CIS progressing to invasive cancers warrant further investigation of Rap1 and IGF-IR together as a dual biomarker to aid in predicting risk of progression and ultimately providing non-surgical treatment options to those at lower risk.
Influence of oscillatory and ramped freezing rates on off-eutectic solidification

Abstract A numerical study was performed on oscillatory and ramped freezing of off-eutectic mixtures in the absence of convection and beginning with the steady state. When the growth rate is steadily increased, the incorporation of the minority constituent increases toward the eutectic composition. If the ramp rate is high or the length of the ramp is long, the concentration goes through a maximum. At the end of the ramp the composition drops and asymptotically approaches the steady state, for which the solid composition equals the bulk melt composition. A sinusoidally varying freezing rate produces an oscillatory composition in the solid, although it is asymmetrical. In only one or two periods a quasi-steady state is reached in which subsequent cycles are identical. The solid composition averaged over one period decreases increasingly below the bulk melt composition as the frequency of the oscillations increases, their amplitude increases, the distribution coefficient decreases, and as the bulk melt composition deviates increasingly from the eutectic. Thus if the feed composition is off-eutectic, unintentional fluctuations in freezing rate give rise to deviations of the average solid composition from the eutectic. Large amplitude fluctuations give rise to single-phase bands. The critical amplitude for such banding decreases (banding more likely) as the frequency increases, as the bulk melt deviates from eutectic, and as the distribution coefficient increases (gap narrows between eutectic and maximum single-phase concentration).
Socioeconomic status and race as predictors of treatment-seeking behavior for pelvic organ prolapse

Objective We sought to evaluate the prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) among a diverse group of women and to determine if race/ethnicity and/or socioeconomic status (SES) are factors in treatment-seeking behavior. Study Design All data were collected from the National Institutes of Health–supported Boston Area Community Health Survey. SES was calculated by a 2-factor index that combined household income with years of education. Inferential statistics comprised 1-way analysis of variance, with a post hoc Scheffe test performed to evaluate whether there were differences between individual groups. A χ 2 test was used to evaluate whether distributions were equal among the various questions by race/ethnicity and SES category. Results A total of 3205 women were included in the analysis. Hispanic ethnicity and younger age were associated with POP ( P P P = .007 and P P = .027 and P = .019, respectively). A regression model showed that women were 4.9% more likely to seek treatment for every year younger they were, across the range of age. Although women of a higher SES were more likely to have POP, SES was neither associated with a higher likelihood of seeking treatment nor with the surgical management of prolapse. Conclusion Hispanic ethnicity and younger age were associated with seeking treatment for POP. Hispanics were more likely than whites or blacks to proceed with surgical management. There was no correlation of SES with any of the above factors.
Retinal vessel cannulation with an image-guided handheld robot

Cannulation of small retinal vessels is often prohibitively difficult for surgeons, since physiological tremor often exceeds the narrow diameter of the vessel (40–120 µm). Using an active handheld micromanipulator, we introduce an image-guided robotic system that reduces tremor and provides smooth, scaled motion during the procedure. The micromanipulator assists the surgeon during the approach, puncture, and injection stages of the procedure by tracking the pipette and anatomy viewed under the microscope. In experiments performed ex vivo by an experienced retinal surgeon on 40–60 µm vessels in porcine eyes, the success rate was 29% (2/7) without the aid of the system and 63% (5/8) with the aid of the system.
Effects of methylmercury on the motor and sensory innervation of the rat extensor digitorum longus muscle

This histochemical study examined the effects of chronic methylmercury (MeHg) intoxication on the motor and sensory innervation of extensor digitorum longus muscles. Light microscopic examination of silver-stained axons in the intramuscular nerve bundles of MeHg-treated rats showed Wallerian-like degeneration and a reduction in the number of nerve fibers. Disrupted axons were predominantly sensory because 22.2% of spindle afferents (Ia) and 90.0% of Golgi tendon organ (Ib) sensory fibers were completely degenerated whereas less than 1% of motor endings were totally destroyed. Partial disruption occurred in the cholinesterase and motor terminals of 13.7% of endplates. Our results demonstrated greater vulnerability of sensory nerves than of motor nerves to MeHg-induced degeneration. Thus, the abnormal reflexes, ataxia, and muscle weakness following MeHg poisoning appear related to reduction of proprioceptive feedback from muscles and tendons in addition to the documented lesions in the central nervous system.
Nonequilibrium roughening of interfaces in crystals under shear: application to ball milling.

A simple kinetic atomistic model is proposed for describing crystals submitted to sustained shearing, acting in competition with thermally activated diffusion. Monte Carlo simulations are performed on alloys with positive heats of mixing. The results provide a clear understanding of recent experiments showing that chemical mixing of immiscible elements can be induced by ball milling. At moderate shearing rates, an analytical model shows that such driven systems exhibit nonequilibrium roughening.
IUE views Europa: Temporal variations in the UV

Observations taken with the Intemational Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) show the first detection of temporal changes in the UV spectral reflectance of the Jovian quadrant of Europa's leading side between 15°-75° longitude over a time scale considered extraordinarily short for a large planetary object (commensurate with possible resurfacing events). The central trailing side region displays a 0.28 μm SO 2 absorption that has remained constant in relative depth over the past decade to within the instrument detection limits. A new 0.33 μm absorption feature is seen on the leading side.
How “Water for All!” policy became hegemonic: The power of the World Bank and its transnational policy networks

Abstract As recently as 1990, few people in the global South received their water from US or European water firms. But just 10 years later, more than 400 million people did, with that number predicted to increase to 1.2 billion people by 2015, transforming water in Africa, Asia, and Latin America into capitalized markets as precious, and war-provoking, as oil. This article explains how this new global water policy became constituted so quickly, dispersed so widely, with such profound institutional effects. It highlights the prominent role of transnational policy networks in linking environment and development NGOs and the so-called global water policy experts with Northern high-end service sectors, and the ways in which the World Bank facilitates their growth, authority, and efficacy. This phenomenon reflects the World Bank’s latest and perhaps most vulnerable development regime, which I call “green neoliberalism.”
Chemical and electrical properties at the annealed Ti/GaAs(110) interface

We present the results of a photoemission study of the annealed Ti/GaAs(110) interface, using soft x‐ray (SXPS), x‐ray (XPS), and ultraviolet (UPS) photoelectron spectroscopies to monitor the substrate and overlayer core levels and the valence band for Ti thicknesses between 6.7 and 20 monolayers and annealing temperatures between 200 and 425 °C. The SXPS data imply the formation of a stable Ti–As region near the Ti/GaAs interface that increases in width with temperature. Concomitant to this, the binding energy of the Ga changes from its room‐temperature position towards elemental Ga. The XPS data suggest the presence of elemental Ga at or near the overlayer surface. The UPS data suggest the possibility of cluster formation on the overlayer surface. In situ current–voltage (I–V) measurements were also made on thick‐film systems fabricated using similar methods to those used in the photoemission studies [i.e., cleaving, depositing metal (∼1000 A), and annealing in UHV]. The movement of Ti–As reaction produ...
Amplification of prolamin storage protein genes in different subfamilies of the Poaceae

Prolamins are seed storage proteins in cereals and represent an important source of essential amino acids for feed and food. Genes encoding these proteins resulted from dispersed and tandem amplification. While previous studies have concentrated on protein sequences from different grass species, we now can add a new perspective to their relationships by asking how their genes are shared by ancestry and copied in different lineages of the same family of species. These differences are derived from alignment of chromosomal regions, where collinearity is used to identify prolamin genes in syntenic positions, also called orthologous gene copies. New or paralogous gene copies are inserted in tandem or new locations of the same genome. More importantly, one can detect the loss of older genes. We analyzed chromosomal intervals containing prolamin genes from rice, sorghum, wheat, barley, and Brachypodium, representing different subfamilies of the Poaceae. The Poaceae commonly known as the grasses includes three major subfamilies, the Ehrhartoideae (rice), Pooideae (wheat, barley, and Brachypodium), and Panicoideae (millets, maize, sorghum, and switchgrass). Based on chromosomal position and sequence divergence, it becomes possible to infer the order of gene amplification events. Furthermore, the loss of older genes in different subfamilies seems to permit a faster pace of divergence of paralogous genes. Change in protein structure affects their physical properties, subcellular location, and amino acid composition. On the other hand, regulatory sequence elements and corresponding transcriptional activators of new gene copies are more conserved than coding sequences, consistent with the tissue-specific expression of these genes.
Synthesis and properties of semiconducting aromatic polyquinonediimines

A new class of poly-conjugated polymers has been obtained by condensation of anthraquinones with aromatic diamines in polyphosphoric acid. The polymers are black, intractable powders. Toward obtaining tractable materials, the effect of monomer structure on polymer tractability has been studied. Copolymerizations were also carried out to “soften” these materials. Electrical conductivities in the semiconducting range, 10−4- 10−8 (ohm cm)−1 were observed. Doping with iodine showed small increases.
An improved Newton interaction for the generalized inverse of a Matrix, with applications

Pan and Reif have shown that Newton iteration may be used to compute the inverse of an $n \times n$, well-conditioned matrix in parallel time $O(\log ^2 n)$ and that this computation is processor efficient. Since the algorithm essentially amounts to a sequence of matrix–matrix multiplications, it can be implemented with great efficiency on systolic arrays and parallel computers.Newton's method is expensive in terms of the arithmetic operation count. In this paper the cost of Newton's method is reduced with several new acceleration procedures. A speedup by a factor of two is obtained for arbitrary input matrices; for symmetric positive definite matrices, the factor is four. It is also shown that the accelerated procedure is a form of Tchebychev acceleration, whereas Newton's method uses a Neumann series approximation.In addition, Newton-like procedures are developed for a number of important related problems. It is also shown how to compute the nearest matrices of lower rank to a given matrix A, the generalized inverses of these nearby matrices, their ranks (as a function of their distances from A), and projections onto subspaces spanned by singular vectors; such computations are impodrtant in signal processing applications. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the numerical instability of Newton's method when applied to a singular matrix is absent from these improved methods. Finally, the use of these tools to devise new polylog time parallel algorithms for the singular value decomposition is explored.
Regulatory elements in the introns of the human HPRT gene are necessary for its expression in embryonic stem cells

Abstract We have examined the expression of transfected human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase minigenes (HPRT) in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. cDNA constructs of this gene that have been successfully used in somatic cell lines failed to confer hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine (HAT) resistance in ES cells. In contrast, constructs containing introns 1 and 2 from the HPRT gene produced a high frequency of HAT-resistant colonies. This observation allowed us to identify two sequences in these introns that influence expression of the HPRT gene in ES cells. One element, located in intron 2, is required for effective HPRT expression in these cells; the other element, located in intron 1, acts as an enhancer of HPRT expression. Using this information, we have constructed an HPRT minigene that can be used for either positive or negative selection in ES cell experiments. This dual capability allows the design of "in-out" procedures to create subtle changes in target genes by homologous recombination with the aid of this selectable minigene.
Die Winkelverteilung der kritischen Opaleszenz und die Messung molekularer Wechselwirkung

Das von Losungen von Polymeren gestreute sichtbare Licht zeigt eine fur das geloste Molekul charakteristische Winkelverteilung der Intensitat. In verdunnten Losungen kann daraus die Grose der Molekulknauel bestimmt werden. In knozentrierteren Losungen und in der Nahe des kritischen Mischungspunktes liefert die Winkelverteilung Aufschlus uber die Reichweite der molekularen Wechselwirkung. Visible light scattered by a solution of a polymer has an angular distribution of its mtensity which is characteristic for the polymer-molecule. In diluted solutions it is the size of the molecular coil which can be determined from the observed dissymmetry of scattering. In more concentrated solutions and in the vicinity of the critical solution point the dissymmetry determines the range of molecular interaction.
Study of the kinetics of the reactions of NO3 with HO2 and OH

The Absolute rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of NO3 with HO2 and OH have been determined using the discharge flow laser magnetic resonance method (DF-LMR). Since OH was found to be produced in the reaction of HO2 with NO3, C2F3Cl was used to scavenge it. The overall rate constant, k1, for the reaction, HO2 + NO3 → products, was measured to be k1=(3.0 ± 0.7)×10−12 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at (297 ± 2) K and P=(1.4 – 1.9) torr. This result is in reasonable agreement with the previous studies. Direct detection of HO2 and OH radicals and the use of three sources of NO3 enabled us to confirm the existence of the channel producing OH:HO2+NO3→OH+NO2+O2 (1a); the other possible channel is HO2+NO3→HNO3+O2 (1b). From our measurements and the computer simulations, the branching ratio, k1a/(k1a + k1b), was estimated to be (1.0). The rate coefficient for the reaction of OH with NO3 was determined to be (2.1 ± 1.0) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
First direct measurement of jets in $\sqrt{s_{\mathit {NN}}}=200~\mbox{GeV}$ heavy ion collisions by STAR

We present the first measurement of reconstructed jets in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions. Utilizing the large coverage of the STAR Time Projection Chamber and Electromagnetic Calorimeter, we apply several modern jet reconstruction algorithms and background subtraction techniques and explore their systematic uncertainties in heavy ion events. The differential energy spectrum for inclusive jet production in central Au+Au collisions at \(\sqrt{s_{\mathit{NN}}}=200~\mbox{GeV}\) is presented. In order to assess the jet reconstruction biases, this spectrum is compared with the jet cross section measured in \(\sqrt{s}=200\) GeV p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary N–N collisions to account for nuclear geometric effects.
Calculation of Disk Temperatures in Gas Turbine Rotor-Stator Cavities Using Conjugate Heat Transfer

The present study deals with the numerical modeling of the turbulent flow in a rotor-stator cavity with or without imposed through flow with heat transfer. The commercial finite volume based solver, ANSYS/FLUENT is used to numerically simulate the problem. A conjugate heat transfer approach is used. The study specifically deals with the calculation of the heat transfer coefficients and the temperatures at the disk surfaces. Results are compared with data where available. Conventional approaches which use boundary conditions such as constant wall temperature or constant heat flux in order to calculate the heat transfer coefficients which later are used to calculate disk temperatures can introduce significant errors in the results. The conjugate heat transfer approach can resolve this to a good extent. It includes the effect of variable surface temperature on heat transfer coefficients. Further it is easier to specify more realistic boundary conditions in a conjugate approach since solid and the flow heat transfer problems are solved simultaneously. However this approach incurs a higher computational cost. In this study, the configuration chosen is a simple rotor and stator system with a stationary and heated stator and a rotor. The aspect ratio is kept small (around 0.1). The flow and heat transfer characteristics are obtained for a rotational Reynolds number of around 106 . The simulation is performed using the Reynolds Stress Model (RSM). The computational model is first validated against experimental data available in the literature. Studies have been carried out to calculate the disk temperatures using conventional non-conjugate and full conjugate approaches. It has been found that the difference between the disk temperatures for conjugate and non-conjugate computations is 5 K for the low temperature and 30 K for the high temperature boundary conditions. These represent differences of 1% and 2% from the respective stator surface temperatures. Even at low temperatures, the Nusselt numbers at the disk surface show a difference of 5% between the conjugate and non-conjugate computations, and far higher at higher temperatures.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Advanced neutron tomography

A neutron tomography system has been developed as nondestructive technique for quantitative assessment of impurity concentrations in metal castings. Neutrons maximize the sensitivity for certain isotrope while tomography provides the 3D density information. A specific application is the detection of hydrogen down to 200 ppm weight in aircraft engine compressor blades. A number of preprocessing corrections have been implemented for the projection images in order to achieve the detection requirements at a testing rate tree blades per hour. Among the procedures are corrections for neutron scattering and beam hardening in titanium alloy samples.
Inhibition of Urinary Excretion of Iodinem131-Labeled Corticotropin by Probenecid

ABSTRACT Corticotropin, having a biologic activity of 4 units per mg, was labeled with I131 and given intravenously to 6 male patients. None of the patients had evidence of renal disease. The protein-bound radioactivity of serial urine and serum specimens was determined. The mean renal plasma clearance in the 6 patients was 2.07 ml per minute. These studies were repeated in the same patients while they received 0.5 g of probenecid every four hours. Probenecid reduced the mean renal plasma clearance to 0.93 ml per minute and caused a marked reduction in external counting rates over the kidneys. The electrophoretic pattern of the labeled corticotropin was similar to that obtained from the ten-minute serum specimen and the protein-bound iodine found in the urine. These findings are good evidence that the protein-bound radioactivity in the urine was excreted by way of the renal tubules. One to 2 per cent of the labeled material was excreted during the first six hours after administration and negligible amount...
The intrinsic method for curve definition

Abstract A curve definition scheme is described. This technique is based upon the specification of the intrinsic profiles of curvature and torsion as a function of arc length. Curve generation depends upon the numerical integration of the Serret-Frenet equations. Several examples are given to illustrate the type of results obtained for plane curves. The advantages of the intrinsic technique are that it produces explicit information about both the analytical and graphical properties of a curve, and it fits nicely into current drafting practice.
Raising the Academic Standards Bar: What States Are Doing to Measure the Performance of Students with Disabilities

In the past decade, 49 states have adopted rigorous curriculum standards. This has resulted in a significant impact on special education policy and practice. A research team consisting of 12 doctoral students and a faculty advisor at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, reviewed published state standards, primary assessment procedures, and provisions related to participation by students with disabilities, to determine answers to six questions: (a) Have states adopted standards assessment criteria? (b) Are states using performance rewards and sanctions to motivate educators and students? (c) Do states require all students with disabilities to participate in the state assessment process? (d) Have states developed policies regarding testing accommodations for students with disabilities? (e) Do states link assessment performance to high school graduation? (f) How are states approaching alternate assessments? Research across states found differences in the ways in which assessment issues ...
Three Considerations Before Advising 5-α-Reductase Inhibitors for Chemoprevention

siderations that strongly influence the decision about the use of 5--reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) for the chemoprevention of prostate cancer. First, 5-ARIs do not prevent prostate cancer, they just prevent men from undergoing diagnostic biopsies. Because 5-ARIs reduce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels by at least 50%, patients and their physicians can be lulled into a false sense of security. In the first sevenyearsoftheProstateCancerPreventionTrial(PCPT),although 25% fewer men on finasteride were diagnosed with prostate cancer, this occurred largely because 15% fewer men underwent a diagnostic biopsy.Inthemenonfinasteridewhoactuallyunderwentabiopsy,the risk of a positive biopsy was reduced by only 10% (biopsies were positive in 26.5% of men on finasteride and in 29.5% of men on placebo; a 3% absolute difference which was not statistically significant [95% CI, 0.81 to 1.0]). 2 Thus,finasteride will have no significant effect on reducing the risk of cancer in men who are followed closely and undergo a biopsy because of an elevated PSA or abnormal digital rectal examination, which is the exact setting where it would be used for prevention. For the patient who watched his father die from pros
Quantization of a constituent-string model in four dimensions

In superstring theories, anomalies and mathematical divergences (though they cancel) and the necessity to quantize in ten dimensions are attributable to the strings being extended physical objects, i.e., strings consisting of an infinite number of ``beads.'' Therefore, it is interesting to consider a ``string'' generated by a single ``bead'' which tends toward oscillation with infinite velocity between two spatial points in some Lorentz frame. This picture has been realized classically in earlier work on the constituent model. The Lagrangian is given in terms of a set of generalized harmonic-oscillator normal coordinates and displays a gauge symmetry due to parametric invariance. The model is quantized by going to the Hamiltonian formalism (using constraint theory) and assuming the usual quantum conditions for the normal coordinates and their conjugate momenta. In analogy to the relativistic free string model, a set of orthonormal invariant supplementary conditions are applied. Constituents are defined in terms of the normal coordinates and form two-body composite particles. For any composite (observable) particle of real mass, it is shown that in its rest frame the time oscillations of its constituents vanish and its internal orbital angular momentum is a linear function of the (mass${)}^{2}$. Only composites of equal mass can couple in this model, thereby eliminating couplings between physical and unphysical masses. The invariant scattering amplitude for two-particle (meson) scattering is calculated and is a crossing-symmetric function of a linear trajectory function \ensuremath{\alpha}(z)=\ensuremath{\alpha}'z-${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0}$. .AE
The Profitability of Day Traders

We used two distinct methodologies to examine the profitability of a sample of U.S. day traders. The results show that about twice as many day traders lose money as make money. Approximately 20 percent of sample day traders were more than marginally profitable. We found evidence that day-trader profitability is related to movements in the Nasdaq Composite Index.
The TCP SACK-aware snoop protocol for TCP over wireless networks

TCP continues to be the most important transport layer communication protocol. Several solutions have been proposed to address the known problems that TCP faces when running over wireless networks. Of these solutions, the Snoop protocol, a link layer retransmission strategy, has been shown to be the most effective. However, not all TCP versions have been analyzed using the Snoop protocol. In fact, we recently showed that TCP Vegas and TCP SACK exhibit opposite performance results when utilized with and without the Snoop protocol. In this paper we analyze this behavior and introduce the TCP SACK-aware Snoop protocol for wired cum wireless networks. We show how to make the Snoop protocol TCP SACK-aware and why using the Snoop protocol is in fact worse than not using any mechanism at all. The TCP SACK-aware protocol improves the performance of TCP SACK by around 30% compared to the plain Snoop protocol and by about 8% in an environment where no TCP enhancing mechanism is in place.
Social networks and loss of capital

Economic sociologists and white-collar criminologists offer competing predictions about the outcomes of socially embedded transactions. Economic sociologists stress the protective and beneficial role of social networks. Their evidence shows that social ties improve transaction outcomes. White-collar criminologists focus on the harmful and exploitative role of social networks. Their evidence shows that social ties facilitate successful economic crimes. Our case permits a critical test of the protective versus harmful effects of social ties: a business that operated as a legitimate enterprise and also engaged in ongoing financial fraud. This case is strategic because the role of social networks ex post is theoretically ambiguous for a legitimate-fraudulent business. Do social networks lower, raise, or have no effect on the probability of loss of capital, given that an investment has been made? The probability of loss of capital depends on due diligence and type of social tie. Investors who fail to conduct due diligence and do not use social ties have a 79% probability of loss of capital, controlling for other factors. Investors who conduct due diligence (and do not use social ties) have a 49% probability. Investors with preexisting social ties to the principals, sales representatives, or employees of the company (and do not conduct due diligence) have a 39% probability of loss, while those with this type of social tie who also conduct due diligence have a 14% probability. Investors with preexisting social ties to prior investors are not significantly more or less likely to lose their capital. Even in a business that was partly fraudulent, preexisting social ties to the company played a protective and beneficial role. Ironically, fraudulent behavior lowered the probability of loss for investors with this type of social tie: Illegal practices allowed the company to favor friends and acquaintances in the ex post allocation of proceeds.