cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and localization of the mouse homologue of the yeast V-ATPase 21-kDa Subunit c" (Vma16p).

We have identified a cDNA encoding the mouse homologue of the yeast V-ATPase 21-kDa subunit c′′ (Vma16p). The encoded protein contains 205 amino acid residues with five putative membrane spanning segments and shows 48% identity and 64% similarity to the yeast protein. Despite this homology, however, the mouse cDNA does not complement the phenotype of a yeast strain in which the VMA16 gene has been disrupted. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the 21-kDa subunit is expressed in most tissues examined and showed an expression pattern almost identical to that of the 16-kDa proteolipid subunit (subunit c). The presence of multiple mRNA species suggests the existence of alternatively spliced forms of the 21-kDa subunit which, from Southern blot analysis, are derived from a single gene. Promoter analysis using the luciferase reporter gene revealed that a region 186 bases upstream of the initiation site is sufficient to show a low level of transcriptional activity but that transcription is significantly enhanced by inclusion of the region −186 to −706. The 21-kDa protein was Myc-tagged and the 16-kDa protein was HA-tagged and the tagged proteins were co-expressed in COS-1 cells in order to study their intracellular localization by immunofluorescence microscopy. Both proteins showed significant punctate and perinuclear staining and were predominantly co-localized throughout the cell, consistent with their presence in the same V0 complexes. Selective permeabilization of cells with digitonin (to permeabilize the plasma membrane) or Triton X-100 (to permeabilize both intracellular and plasma membranes) followed by immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that the carboxyl terminus of the 21-kDa subunit is exposed on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane whereas the carboxyl terminus of the 16-kDa subunit is located on the lumenal side of the membrane.
POLYNOMIAL AND POWER FUNCTIONS FOR GLACIAL VALLEY CROSS-SECTION MORPHOLOGY

An empirical evaluation of glacial trough cross-section shape is performed on seven vertical cross-sections in three Sierra Nevada valleys glaciated during the late Quaternary. Power and second-order polynomial functions are fitted by statistical regression. Power functions are very sensitive to subtle valley-bottom topographic features and require precise specification of the valley-bottom-centre location. This dependency is problematic given under-representation of valley bottoms by conventional contour-sampling methods, and the common alteration of valley-bottom morphology by non-glacial processes. Power function exponents vary greatly in response to these and other non-genetic factors and are not found to be reliable indicators of overall valley morphology. Second-order polynomials express overall valley shape in a single robust function. They are applied to both bedrock- and sediment-floored glacial valleys with negligible statistical bias except where side-slopes are stepped or convex-upward or where valley form is asymmetrical. They can describe alluviated or severely eroded valleys, and can objectively identify indi-vidual components of polymorphic valleys, because valley bottom and centre locations need not be specified. Mathematical expressions of parameters useful for geomorphic measurements and glaciological modelling are analytically derived from the polynomials as functions of the three polynomial coefficients. These parameter equations provide estimates of valley side-slopes, mean and maximum depth, midpoint location, width, area, boundary length, form ratio and symmetry.
Eclipsing variable stars: a survey of the field

Abstract This paper first presents an extremely brief general survey of the history of the study of eclipsing stars from the time of John Goodricke to the present. The next section discussed international co-operation in the field. It includes a short discussion of existing publications and active observatories which deal with the systematization and distribution of information concerning eclipsing systems, and emphasizes cases in which active co-operation and frequent interchange of information between observers is of fundamental importance. The final section indicates certain areas in which future research may yield advances in our knowledge of these systems which will be important both for our understanding of the systems themselves and also for a greater insight into many of the general astrophysical problems which can be thus attacked.
The effect of early posttrabeculectomy intraocular pressure spike in the collaborative initial glaucoma treatment study.

PURPOSE To examine effects of early postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) spike in patients undergoing primary trabeculectomy in the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study. PATIENTS AND METHODS We identified patients with IOP spike ≥5 mm Hg above the baseline IOP on postoperative day 1 and those without IOP increase. The mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), and corrected PSD of the visual field (VF) were compared at 6 months and years 1, 2, 3, and 5 after surgery, as was the IOP. RESULTS Seventeen of 300 patients (5.7%) had IOP spike. After controlling for baseline VF severity in a generalized linear regression model that addressed change in MD, PSD, and corrected PSD, or in a logistic regression model for ≥3 dB of MD change, comparison between the groups revealed no significant difference at all time points examined (P>0.05). Patients with IOP spike had significantly higher mean IOP at years 3 and 5 of follow-up (P≤0.04). CONCLUSIONS Among Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study patients, early posttrabeculectomy IOP spike ≥5 mm Hg above baseline IOP was not associated with subsequent VF loss, but was associated with significantly higher IOP during long-term follow-up.
Evaluation and analysis of a face and voice outdoor multi-biometric system

A biometric sample collected in an uncontrolled outdoor environment varies significantly from its indoor version. Sample variations due to outdoor environmental conditions degrade the performance of biometric systems that otherwise perform well with indoor samples. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate such performance degradation in the case of a face and a voice biometric system. We also investigate how elementary combination schemes involving min-max or z normalization followed by the sum or max fusion rule can improve performance of the multi-biometric system. We use commercial biometric systems to collect face and voice samples from the same subjects in an environment that closely mimics the operational scenario. This realistic evaluation on a dataset of 116 subjects shows that the system performance degrades in outdoor scenarios but by multi-modal score fusion the performance is enhanced by 20%. We also find that max rule fusion performs better than sum rule fusion on this dataset. More interestingly, we see that by using multiple samples of the same biometric modality, the performance of a unimodal system can approach that of a multi-modal system.
Measurement of anions in the snow cover of the Adirondack mountains

Abstract Samples of snow from the Adirondack Mountains, a wilderness area in northern New York State, were analysed for inorganic ions by ion chromatography, a relatively new and convenient technique for the analysis of precipitations. Only nitrate and sulfate were found in appreciable quantities. The concentration of nitrate was larger than that of sulfate and the absence of chloride indicates most of these samples originated inland. The sampling techniques described would be useful in estimating the total nitrate and sulfate present in the meltwater of an entire watershed.
Complex Langevin equations and lattice gauge theory

We consider the use of complex stochastic equations in the evaluation of ensemble averages. For a certain class of functions, it is shown how to relate averages over real parameters to those over complex degrees of freedom. We apply these techniques to the Abelian lattice gauge theory and discuss its extension to the non-Abelian case.
Study of the kinetics of sewage sludge pyrolysis using DSC and TGA

Abstract Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to examine, in nitrogen, four sewage sludges at modest heating rates. A mechanism consisting of two independent reactions was derived for an undigested sludge. The parameters are: n1 = 10, E1 = 130 kJ mol−1, A1 = 1 × 1018s−1, n2 = 15, E2 = 250 kJ mol−1, A2 = 1 × 1025s−1, with initial weight fractions of W1 = 0.20, W2 = 0.43, the remainder being non-reactive ash. Analysis was performed by comparing Friedman multiple-heating-rate analyses of experimental and model curves in an iterative manner. DSC experiments provide an understanding of the pyrolytic reaction mechanism and heat transfer in the thermogravimetric analyser. DSC analysis of sewage sludge was sensitive to decomposition reactions of small quantities of organic salts in the sludge. Sewage sludge could be a profitable pyrolysis feedstock if mixed with municipal solid waste.
The natural interest rate of the forest: Macroeconomic requirements for sustainable development

Abstract The goal of sustainable development implies a society that is both economically and environmentally reproducible in the long run. The assumption of reproducibility of forests, a renewable resource, has important implications for a market economy. A profit-maximizing owner will let a forest continue to grow, or regenerate after harvesting, if that choice yields a greater net present value than immediate harvesting without regeneration. The choice depends in part on the relationship between the forest's growth rate and the owner's discount rate. For each forest, there is a threshold interest rate above which the owner will prefer harvesting without regeneration. The interest rate thus is not only the market price of capital; it must also stay below a critical level if the market is to allow forest conversation. This reflects the dual nature of forests, as both marketable assets and as parts of natural ecosystems. Such cases of dualism are important in the development of ecological economics, and can be seen as parallel to the dual nature of labor and wages in Marxian theory. For long-run sustainability, interest rates must be low enough to allow forest conservation. This might threaten disequilibrium in capital markets, and cause inflationary pressure. The solution is to lower the marginal rate of profit on new investments, bringing markets back to equilibrium at a lower interest rate – with the likely long-term consequence of slower economic growth due to slower capital formation.
Hope and hopelessness: A dialogue

This article is a critical dialogue between Lisa Duggan and Jose Esteban Munoz that meditates on questions of public feelings and politics. The authors approach hope and hopelessness as a dialectical formation, ultimately calling for both a critical modality of hope and insisting on the political necessity of engaging feelings of hopelessness that do not simply lead to complacency. The essay melds social theory with concepts from the psychological.
Mirror-folded free-space crossbars with holographic implementation

Free-space optical crossbars that utilize elements such as beam splitters and holograms can in principle be folded by two parallel plane mirrors and implemented in a single plane, or even in a single line, parallel to the mirrors. Such crossbars, each performing either a processing or an interconnection function, can in turn be cascaded along a common plane or line between a single set of two mirrors to perform a large class of operations. By use of all possible inputs and outputs, novel power-conserving operations can also be performed. We report on the holographic implementation of a reconfigurable 2 × 2 mirror-folded generalized crossbar with a thermoplastic holographic camera; the bypass, the exchange, and the broadcast states are demonstrated.
High resolution and frame rate image signal processor array design for 3-D imager

This paper presents a high resolution and frame rate image signal processor (ISP) array design for three-dimensional (3-D) imager. Based on the through-silicon via (TSV) technology, the short connections of the 3-D integrated circuit (IC) can improve the performance and density. Hence, the 3-D imager is the best solution for high throughput image capture or video recorder applications. The proposed ISP array is based on high resolution CMOS image sensor (CIS) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) array to achieve three mega pixels (2048×1536) at 100 frames per second in 3-D imager. The architectural simulation results show the proposed design costs area 9000× 7000 μm2, average power 0.79 W and throughput 6.93 bps to verify the feasibility of high resolution and frame rate application for 3-D imager.
Toward the identification of readmissions and non-readmissions to mental hospitals

A 200-item biographical information blank was constructed to determine discriminating characteristics in the life history antecedents of readmissions and non-readmissions to mental hospitals. TheS population (N=240) was composed of 60 readmissions and 60 non-readmissions from each of two state mental institutions. A chi-square analysis was utilized to determine those items that discriminated between patients who had been readmitted to the hospitals and those patients who had not been readmitted. A total of 143 of the 200 items were significant in one hospital, while 114 items were significant in the other. Sixty-three items had one or more options that were significant in the same direction in both hospitals.
Acoustic Correlatives of Chest Wall Volumetric Motion During High Frequency Oscillation (HFO). 1503

The effective use of high frequency ventilation in the neonate depends on the ability to monitor degree of expansion as well as chest wall motion. Often, this is a subjective measure relative to motion previously observed or number of ribs expansion on CXR. Previously, we had shown that acoustics can be useful in determining propagation of oscillation as well as adequacy of expansion and functional residual capacity in a test lung (Snowbird, 1996). We now demonstrate volumetric correlates of acoustic output. A 3.5 kg rabbit was anesthetized. The animal was intubated via tracheostomy and ventilated with an InfantStar 950+ using HFO. Two unidirectional noise canceling Andrea microphones were placed inferior-lateral and at 45° from midline. These were connected to a TEAC M-63 amplifier/tape deck and in turn to an OPL-1 based sound card sampling at 22 KHz. A mercury string gauge vest plethysmograph was placed over the chest. Volumetric measurements were integrated for mean airway pressure, frequency, and amplitude settings. These were compared to acoustic sampling as presented. The correlation of tidal volume and acoustic output was 0.97 across groups. There is a definitive effect of increasing amplitude and frequency with respect to both acoustic output and volumetric motion of the chest wall. Acoustic assessment may be feasible for monitoring acute volumetric changes during high frequency ventilation. Figure
Enrollment of Education Majors at Public, Not-For-Profit, and For-Profit Postsecondary Institutions: An Empirical Analysis

This article offers a quantitative analysis of the growth of for-profit provision of teacher education in the United States. Data from all Title-IV-aid-participating institutions from 1996 to 2008 is analyzed to provide a comprehensive overview of the relative changes in enrollments of education majors at public, not-for-profit, and for-profit 4-year-and-above institutions. For-profits enroll a small, but rapidly expanding share of the education majors. Several possible reasons for the large increase in for-profit enrollments are explored and potential implications for teacher preparation are discussed. Concerns about the for-profit provision of teacher education are reviewed in light of this new data.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of ketotifen versus hydroxyzine in the treatment of pediatric mastocytosis.

To asses the efficacy of ketotifen (Zaditen; Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, Basel, Switzerland) for the treatment of pediatric mastocytosis, eight children who exhibited symptoms as a result of mastocytosis were enrolled in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of ketotifen versus hydroxyzine (Atarax; Roerig, New York, N.Y.). Efficacy of each drug was assessed by daily symptom scores and plasma- and 24-hour urine-histamine levels. After completion of the study, symptom scores revealed that seven of the eight children exhibited a greater reduction in symptoms while they were receiving hydroxyzine (p less than 0.05). The symptoms most likely to improve with treatment with hydroxyzine were flushing and abdominal pain. Analysis of plasma- and 24-hour urine-histamine levels at the beginning and end of each trial period of each drug revealed no significant differences (p greater than 0.20). Changes in 24-hour urine-histamine levels, but not plasma-histamine levels, correlated with changes in symptom scores. We conclude that ketotifen offers no advantage over hydroxyzine in the treatment of pediatric mastocytosis.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PEPTIDE-BINDING SPECIFICITY OF HLA-B*7301

Previous studies showed the human MHC class I heavy chain HLA-B*7301 has a sequence very divergent from other class I alleles. Despite the unusual sequence, we predicted B*7301 would retain the peptide-binding function typical of other HLA-A, B and C glycoproteins, and sequence similarity to B*2705 in a region of the peptide-binding site known as the B pocket suggested B*7301 would bind peptides with Arg at position 2. To test this hypothesis, the peptide-binding specificity of B*7301 was investigated. Sequence analysis of peptides bound endogenously by B*7301 indeed found selectivity for nonamer peptides possessing Arg at position 2 and a preference for small nonpolar residues such as Pro or Ala at the C terminus was also revealed. B*7301 therefore possesses the potential to function as a conventional antigen presenting class I glycoprotein. Functional similarities between B*7301 and B*2705 are discussed in the context of the association of B*27 subtypes with susceptibility to ankylosing sponylitis and arthritic diseases.
General circulation and transport in Saturn’s upper troposphere and stratosphere

Abstract We present a model for the general circulation and dynamical transport in Saturn’s upper troposphere and stratosphere and derive the effective advective circulation and eddy transport coefficients required for use in two-dimensional (latitude–altitude) photochemistry–transport models. A three-dimensional Outer-Planet General Circulation Model (OPGCM) is used to generate the transport data. We find that the OPGCM adequately captures the global-scale, pole-to pole temperature contrast, but overestimates mid- and high-latitude temperatures in the summer hemisphere by ∼5 K. In addition, the model reproduces the local temperature minimum seen at the equator in Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) 0.1-mbar data but not the local maximum in 1-mbar temperatures, suggesting that it is capturing the phase of Saturn’s Semiannual Oscillation associated with a temperature minimum at the equator but not the opposite phase. The meridional circulation at low latitudes is found to be dominated by a seasonally reversing Hadley circulation, characterized by upwelling near the equator, cross-equatorial flow from summer to winter hemisphere, and strong subsidence centered near 25° latitude in the winter hemisphere. The cross-equatorial flow induces an asymmetry in which the equatorial jet is found to be stronger in the winter than in the summer stratosphere. The location of the subsidence near 25°N for L s ∼ 310° coincides with local maxima in acetylene, diacetylene, and methylacetylene mixing ratios measured by Cassini/CIRS (Guerlet, S., Fouchet, T., Bezard, B., Moses, J.I., Fletcher, L.N., Simon-Miller, A.A., Flasar, F.M. [2010]. Icarus 209, 682–695). This result supports the suggestion by Guerlet et al. (2010) that the hydrocarbon abundances are enhanced at this latitude by pronounced downward transport of hydrocarbon-rich air from above. The lateral eddy diffusion coefficient is found to typically be ∼10 5 –10 6 m 2 s −1 at mid-latitudes, implying meridional eddy transport time scales of order 100–1000 years.
The in vitro activity of cefotaxime versus bacteria involved in selected infections of hospitalized patients outside of the intensive care unit

Abstract Cefotaxime, a parenteral third-generation cephalosporin in broad clinical use since the early 1980s, continues to possess extensive in vitro activity versus a variety of bacteria that are frequent causes of selected infections that commonly occur in hospitalized patients. Currently, bacteria with cefotaxime minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 8 μg/ml are considered to be susceptible, and therefore amenable to treatment with cefotaxime at dosages of 2 g intravenously (IV) every 6 or 8 h when causing monomicrobic infections in immunocompetent patients in whom adequate delivery of the drug to site(s) of infection can be assured. In fact, many common bacterial causes of infection typically have cefotaxime MICs 64 to 256-fold lower than the 8 μg/ml break point for susceptible. It is likely that selected monomicrobic infections in immunocompetent hospitalized patients due to such highly susceptible organisms could be treated with lower dosages of cefotaxime or with longer dosing intervals (e.g., I g IV every 8–12 h or 2 g IV every 12 h. Examples of such infections include Gram-negative pneumonia outside of the intensive care unit setting, community-acquired pneumonia, skin and-soft tissue infections, pyelonephritis, and uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections.
Identification of Highly Reactive Sequences For PLP-Mediated Bioconjugation Using a Combinatorial Peptide Library

Chemical reactions that facilitate the attachment of synthetic groups to proteins are useful tools for the field of chemical biology and enable the incorporation of proteins into new materials. We have previously reported a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-mediated reaction that site-specifically oxidizes the N-terminal amine of a protein to afford a ketone. This unique functional group can then be used to attach a reagent of choice through oxime formation. Since its initial report, we have found that the N-terminal sequence of the protein can significantly influence the overall success of this strategy. To obtain short sequences that lead to optimal conversion levels, an efficient method for the evaluation of all possible N-terminal amino acid combinations was needed. This was achieved by developing a generalizable combinatorial peptide library screening platform suitable for the identification of sequences that display high levels of reactivity toward a desired bioconjugation reaction. In the context of N-terminal transamination, a highly reactive alanine-lysine motif emerged, which was confirmed to promote the modification of peptide substrates with PLP. This sequence was also tested on two protein substrates, leading to substantial increases in reactivity relative to their wild-type termini. This readily encodable tripeptide thus appears to provide a significant improvement in the reliability with which the PLP-mediated bioconjugation reaction can be used. This study also provides an important first example of how synthetic peptide libraries can accelerate the discovery and optimization of protein bioconjugation strategies.
YIELD AND MINERAL CONCENTRATIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES OAT CULTIVARS USED FOR FORAGE

A shift in oat (Avena sativa L.) production from grain to forage (hay and grazing) is occurring in the southeastern USA. However, most available cultivars were developed for improved grain production, rather than forage yield. We field tested several standard and new oat releases over 2 years, using repeated clippings to determine forage yield, nutrient uptake, and the potential to match plant nutrients with cattle mineral dietary needs. There were no differences in total annual forage yield among the tested cultivars within years but there was a difference between years. Forage tissue phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) were sufficient, potassium (K), sulfur (S), and manganese (Mn) were excessive, and iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) were occasionally or frequently deficient to meet daily cattle dietary mineral needs. Sulfur, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn may be the most challenging to regulate in U.S. Coastal Plain soils at concentrations that satisfy both, oat and cattle nutritional requirements.
Rake reception for a CDMA mobile communication system with multipath fading

The performance of a rake receiver for direct-sequence (DS) spread spectrum communications on multipath fading channels depends on the number and type of multipath components present at the channel output. The focus in this paper is on noncoherent combining of the outputs of the taps of the rake receiver in a code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system that employs DS spread spectrum with binary DPSK data modulation. It is shown that the advantages and disadvantages of a rake receiver, as compared with a standard correlation receiver, depend greatly on the fading characteristics of the individual multipath components. In general, rake receivers are more appropriate for DS systems with a smaller number of chips per data symbol and for channels that have only diffuse, Rayleigh fading multipath components. On the other hand, a correlation receiver is preferred for DS systems with a large number of chips per data symbol if the channel has a strong specular multipath component in addition to one or more diffuse components. The probability of error on the channel is determined as a function of the chip rate for doubly selective fading channels, and the pairwise error probability is evaluated for a CDMA system with binary convolutional encoding and Viterbi decoding. The effects of the Doppler spread and the interleaving depth on the performance of the system and the choice of chip rate are discussed. >
Structural and Biochemical Analysis of the McLeod Erythrocyte Membrane

The abnormal erythrocyte of the McLeod phenotype displays a reduced Kell blood group expression, an abnormal morphology in about 30% of the total red blood cell population and a decrease in water permeability. These parameters have previously been shown to be independent of membrane lipid composition, microviscosity and electrolyte transport. Findings such as these seem to implicate the involvement of a defective membrane protein. The present study investigated membrane composition by utilizing two techniques: freeze-fracture electron microscopy and discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic scans revealed no apparent band additions or deletions showing McLeod membrane protein composition to be normal. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy did show a significant increase in intramembrane particle density. These findings may be resolved by proposing a dissociation of the band 3 glycoprotein. Unlinkage of this polypeptide, thought to be involved in water transport and intramembranous particle composition, could account for the decreased water transport and increased particle density seen in the McLeod erythrocyte membrane.
An overview of the PTRAN analysis system for multiprocessing

PTRAN (Parallel TRANslator) is a system for automatically restructuring sequential FORTRAN programs for execution on parallel architectures. This paper describes PTRAN-A: the currently operational analysis phase of PTRAN. The analysis is both broad and deep, incorporating interprocedural information into dependence analysis. The system is organized around a persistent database of program and procedure information. PTRAN incorporates several new, fast algorithms in a pragmatic design.
The Role of Negotiated Belief Structures in Strategy Making

This article introduces the concept of a negotiated belief structure to help analyze how political and information-processing forces work to create decision premises within a strategy-making group. Negotiated belief structures are defined as the beliefs or assumptions that underscore a strategic decision, the enacted beliefs or assumptions that reflect the politics of decision-making. Negotiated belief structures may be limited, contested, contextual, or dialectical in nature. These types of belief structures and their implications for strategic decision making are discussed and a prescription for managing the strategymaking process is suggested.
Physiological and Molecular Determinants of Insulin Action in the Baboon

OBJECTIVE— To quantitate insulin sensitivity in lean and obese nondiabetic baboons and examine the underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms responsible for impaired insulin action to characterize a baboon model of insulin resistance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— Twenty baboons received a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with skeletal muscle and visceral adipose tissue biopsies at baseline and at 30 and 120 min after insulin. Genes and protein expression of key molecules involved in the insulin signaling cascade (insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1, p85, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt, and AS160) were sequenced, and insulin-mediated changes were analyzed. RESULTS— Overall, baboons show a wide range of insulin sensitivity (6.2 ± 4.8 mg · kg −1 · min −1 ), and there is a strong inverse correlation between indexes of adiposity and insulin sensitivity ( r = −0.946, P r = −0.72, P CONCLUSIONS— The obese baboon is a pertinent nonhuman primate model to examine the underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms responsible for insulin resistance and eventual development of type 2 diabetes.
Photodegradation in a stress and response framework: poly(methyl methacrylate) for solar mirrors and lens

In the development of materials for enhanced photovoltaic (PV) performance, it is critical to have quantitative knowledge of both their initial performance and their performance over the required 25-year warranted lifetime of the PV system. Lifetime and degradation science, based on an environmental stress and response framework, is being developed to link the inten- sity and net stress to which materials, components, and systems are exposed to the responses observed and their subsequent degradation and damage accumulation over the lifetime. Induced absorbance to dose (IAD), a metric developed for solar radiation durability studies of solar and environmentally exposed materials, is defined as the rate of photodarkening or photobleaching of a material as a function of radiation dose. Quantitative degradation rates like IAD, determined over a wide range of stress intensities and net stresses, have the potential to predict degradation, failure, and power loss rates in photovoltaic systems over time caused by damage accumulation. Two grades of poly(methyl methacrylate) were exposed and evaluated in two cases of high- intensity ultraviolet exposures. A three- to six-fold increase in photodarkening was observed for one acrylic formulation when exposed to UVA-340 light when compared with concentrated xenon-arc exposure. The other, more highly stabilized acrylic formulation, showed up to three times more photodarkening in the same exposure. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1.JPE.2.022004)
Peristerite exsolution in metamorphic plagioclase from the Lepontine Alps: An analytical and transmission electron microscope study

Transmission and analytical electron microscopy were used to examine relationships between microstructures and compositions in greenschist- and amphibolite-facies metamorphic plagioclase (albite and oligoclase) from the Lepontine Alps (Switzerland and Italy). Two kinds of exsolution microstructures related to the peristerite miscibility gap (;An1‐25) were observed: lamellae, in bulk compositions ranging from a few mole percent anorthite to ;An10‐15, and tweeds, in bulk compositions from almost pure albite to ;An15‐18. Lamellae are typically 15 to 35 nm thick. Individual lamellae in crystallographically homogeneous or tweedy areas commonly have highly irregular spacings or end at dislocations or subgrain boundaries, suggesting formation by heterogeneous nucleation. Tweeds are characteristically diffuse, and probably formed by spinodal decomposition. Many tweeds have one exsolution direction that is consistently sharper or coarser than the other. Tweeds and lamellae may be intergrown in patches with irregular, curving boundaries, some of which define narrow stripes several micrometers long. Exsolution directions in these tweeds are approximately parallel and perpendicular to the lamellae. The perpendicular direction is usually less diffuse or more regular than the parallel direction, and may continue between widely spaced individuals in patches of lamellae. Tweeds in these intergrowths appear to be slightly more sodic than adjacent areas with lamellae. Except near fractures and in areas with high dislocation densities, differences in microstructures within a single grain almost invariably reflect differences in composition. Microstructural variability within single grains, and among different grains from the same hand sample, was so large that it was impossible to identify systematic relationships between microstructures and metamorphic grade.
Non‐contrast‐enhanced peripheral angiography using a sliding interleaved cylinder acquisition

Purpose To develop a new sequence for non-contrast-enhanced peripheral angiography using a sliding interleaved cylinder (SLINCYL) acquisition. Methods A venous saturation pulse was incorporated into a three-dimensional magnetization-prepared balanced steady-state free precession sequence for non-contrast-enhanced peripheral angiography to improve artery-vein contrast. The SLINCYL acquisition, which consists of a series of overlapped thin slabs for volumetric coverage similar to the original sliding interleaved ky (SLINKY) acquisition, was used to evenly distribute the venous-suppression effects over the field of view. In addition, the thin-slab-scan nature of SLINCYL and the centric-ordered sampling geometry of its readout trajectory were exploited to implement efficient fluid-suppression and parallel imaging schemes. The sequence was tested in healthy subjects and a patient. Results Compared to a multiple overlapped thin slab acquisition, both SLINKY and SLINCYL suppressed the venetian blind artifacts and provided similar artery-vein contrast. However, SLINCYL achieved this with shorter scan times and less noticeable artifacts from k-space amplitude modulation than SLINKY. The fluid-suppression and parallel imaging schemes were also validated. A patient study using the SLINCYL-based sequence well identified stenoses at the superficial femoral arteries, which were also confirmed with digital subtraction angiography. Conclusion Non-contrast-enhanced angiography using SLINCYL can provide angiograms with improved artery-vein contrast in the lower extremities. Magn Reson Med 74:727–738, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Latency & area measurement and optimization of asynchronous nanowire crossbar system

In this work, a novel model-based latency/area measurement and optimization method for the newly proposed Asynchronous Nanowire Reconfigurable Crossbar Architecture (ANRCA) is presented and validated. ANRCA is based on a self-timed logic referred to as the Null Convention Logic (NCL). Since there is no global clocking and clock distribution network, all failure modes related to timing will be either eliminated or relaxed. The proposed architecture is anticipated to have higher manufacturability and robustness that are critical factors in nanoscale systems due to nondeterministic nature of nanoassembly. In order to facilitate efficient programming and flexible reconfiguration, a new hierarchical reconfigurable architecture for ANRCA is also proposed. Various configurable logic block structures have been considered and also their programming and reconfiguration issues are discussed. The proposed measurement and optimization method can be used to estimate area and latency measurements for different configurable logic blocks and also applied to find the optimal structure for the given arbitrary logic to map. As a case study, a full adder (i.e., combinational logic block) with input and output registrations (i.e., sequential elements) has been implemented on the proposed configurable logic block structures to validate the proposed measurement and optimization method.
The Significance of Color Remains: A Study of Life Chances, Mate Selection, and Ethnic Consciousness Among Black Americans

Using data from the National Survey of Black Americans, a national probability sample of black adults interviewed in 1980 (N-2,107), wefind that blacks with lighter skin have higher socioeconomic status, have spouses higher in socioeconomic status, and have lower black consciousness than those with dark skin. Only the correlations of skin color with black consciousness variables are eliminated when we control for respondent's age, gender, and current and background socioeconomic status. We also find the impact of skin color on socioeconomic status among black Americans to be as great as the impact ofrace (black-white) on socioeconomic status in American society. We detect little evidence that the association between skin color and socioeconomic status changed during the 30-year period between 1950 and 1980. The association between skin color and lie chances appears to be an aspect of black life in America that persists in spite of many social, political, and cultural changes that have affected black Americans in the present century.
Knife mill operating factors effect on switchgrass particle size distributions

Abstract Biomass particle size impacts handling, storage, conversion, and dust control systems. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) particle size distributions created by a knife mill were determined for integral classifying screen sizes from 12.7 to 50.8 mm, operating speeds from 250 to 500 rpm, and mass input rates from 2 to 11 kg/min. Particle distributions were classified with standardized sieves for forage analysis that included horizontal sieving motion with machined-aluminum sieves of thickness proportional to sieve opening dimensions. Then, a wide range of analytical descriptors were examined to mathematically represent the range of particle sizes in the distributions. Correlation coefficient of geometric mean length with knife mill screen size, feed rate, and speed were 0.872, 0.349, and 0.037, respectively. Hence, knife mill screen size largely determined particle size of switchgrass chop. Feed rate had an unexpected influence on particle size, though to a lesser degree than screen size. The Rosin–Rammler function fit the chopped switchgrass size distribution data with an R2 > 0.982. Mass relative span was greater than 1, which indicated a wide distribution of particle sizes. Uniformity coefficient was more than 4.0, which indicated a large assortment of particles and also represented a well-graded particle size distribution. Knife mill chopping of switchgrass produced ‘strongly fine skewed mesokurtic’ particles with 12.7–25.4 mm screens and ‘fine skewed mesokurtic’ particles with 50.8 mm screen. Results of this extensive analysis of particle sizes can be applied to selection of knife mill operating parameters to produce a particular size of switchgrass chop, and will serve as a guide for relations among the various analytic descriptors of biomass particle distributions.
Development of a Compact Broadband Folded Hybrid Coupler on Multilayer Organic Substrate

We present the design and fabrication of a wide bandwidth folded hybrid coupler on a multilayer organic substrate. The coupler is designed with a tandem connection of two 5-sections with a coupling of 8.34 dB. We propose a novel center coupling structure that achieves tight coupling while being compatible with printed circuit board fabrication processes. The folded coupler achieves a bandwidth of 2 to 18 GHz with 42% reduction in size.
Statistical Exploration of the Dual Supply Voltage Space of a 65nm PD/SOI CMOS SRAM Cell

This paper describes the application of a novel variability-driven statistical analysis methodology to study the stability/performance of SRAM designs in 65nm PD/SOI technology. Our objective is to explore the design-yield space for wordline and bitline voltage assignments in dual supply SRAM while taking into consideration the impact of random process variations. Two possible scenarios are studied: namely wordline connected to the SRAM cell power supply, and wordline connected to the logic power supply. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time a fully statistical analysis is performed, and results are in excellent agreement with hardware measurements.
An explanation for the H Ly α longitudinal asymmetry in the equatorial spectrum of Jupiter: An outcrop of paradoxical energy deposition in the exosphere

An analysis of the Voyager EUV spectra of the Jupiter sunlit equatorial emissions shows no evidence for a substantial dependence of atomic hydrogen abundance on magnetic longitude, required by earlier theories of the H Ly-alpha longitudinal asymmetry. An explanation for the H Ly-alpha bulge phenomenon is advanced in this work that conforms to the observations and does not require a strong asymmetry in atomic hydrogen abundance. It is proposed that the H Ly-alpha bulge is caused by a combination of proton collisional transfer of H(2s) atoms in the H(2p) state, and production through recombination of H2(+) and H3(+), in an asymmetric ionosphere. According to the present model a large fraction of the observed H Ly-alpha emission from the equatorial region is electron excited, at least at times of solar maximum.
Productive tensions: approaching community technology design

"Community + Culture" features practitioner perspectives on designing technologies for and with communities. We highlight compelling projects and provocative points of view that speak to both community technology practice and the interaction design field as a whole. Tad Hirsch, Editor
A new apparatus and method for measuring the myocardial electrical impedance spectrum

Myocardial electrical impedance (MI) is correlated to the vitality of the tissue. The authors describe a new apparatus and method for measuring MI in a clinically applicable way. The apparatus is embedded-controller-based and connects to the heart via two cardiac pacing leads. Impedance spectra are obtained from fast Fourier transform analysis of a current impressed on the myocardium and the resultant voltage drop. New spectra are determined automatically in real-time succession. The impedance measurement is unaffected by electrode polarization. This apparatus has its greatest potential use in determining the need for and type of resuscitation following coronary artery graft surgery intraoperatively and monitoring the viability of cardiac transplant surgery postoperatively. >
Investigation of a compressor rotor non-synchronous vibration with and without fluid-structure interaction

This paper study the non-synchronous vibration (NSV) of a high speed multistage axial compressor using rigid blade and vibrating blade with fluid-structural interaction(FSI). The unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations and mode based structural dynamic equations are solved. A low diffusion E-CUSP Reimann solver with a 3rd order WENO scheme for the inviscid fluxes and a 2nd order central differencing for the viscous terms are employed. A 1/7th annulus sector of IGV-rotor-stator is used with a time shifted phase lag BC at circumferential boundaries. An interpolation sliding boundary condition is used for the rotorstator interaction. The URANS simulation for rigid blades
Anomalous normal stresses in biopolymer networks with compliant cross-links

Cross-linked biopolymer filament networks that constitute the cytoskeleton in living cells show rich mechanical response including large strain stiffening and negative normal stresses. Here, we have studied these phenomena in the case where the cross-links act as flexible worm-like chain springs. We find that in contrast to the well-studied case of sparse networks with rigid cross-links that display negative normal stresses when subject to shear loading, flexible cross-links give rise to positive normal stresses during early stages of deformation. With increased loading, we observe a transition where the normal stresses become negative. In this regime, the ratio of the normal stresses to the shear stress is found to increase with increase in the density of cross-links, in distinct contrast to the behavior observed for rigid cross-links. We show that these anomalous properties can be understood by considering the way in which the applied load is shared by the extension of the cross-links and the bending and stretching of the filaments.
Robust vision-based pose control

The problem of controlling the spatial position and orientation of a robotic platform based on the image data obtained from a video camera mounted on that platform is considered. More specifically, we propose control laws that will cause the robot to achieve and maintain a fixed position and orientation with respect to a set of feature points in the scene. We demonstrate analytically that the proposed control scheme is globally convergent even in the presence of large calibration errors in both the intrinsic parameters of the camera and in the extrinsic parameters which relate the frame of reference of the camera to the body frame of the robot platform which is being controlled. Furthermore, no a priori knowledge about the structure of the scene is assumed.
Quantifying the importance of disease burden on perceived general health and depressive symptoms in patients within the Mayo Clinic Biobank

Deficits in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may be associated with worse patient experiences, outcomes and even survival. While there exists evidence to identify risk factors associated with deficits in HRQOL among patients with individual medical conditions such as cancer, it is less well established in more general populations without attention to specific illnesses. This study used patients with a wide range of medical conditions to identify contributors with the greatest influence on HRQOL deficits. Self-perceived general health and depressive symptoms were assessed using data from 21,736 Mayo Clinic Biobank (MCB) participants. Each domain was dichotomized into categories related to poor health: deficit (poor/fair for general health and ≥3 for PHQ-2 depressive symptoms) or non-deficit. Logistic regression models were used to test the association of commonly collected demographic characteristics and disease burden with each HRQOL domain, adjusting for age and gender. Gradient boosting machine (GBM) models were applied to quantify the relative influence of contributors on each HRQOL domain. The prevalence of participants with a deficit was 9.5 % for perception of general health and 4.6 % for depressive symptoms. For both groups, disease burden had the strongest influence for deficit in HRQOL (63 % for general health and 42 % for depressive symptoms). For depressive symptoms, age was equally influential. The prevalence of a deficit in general health increased slightly with age for males, but remained stable across age for females. Deficit in depressive symptoms was inversely associated with age. For both HRQOL domains, risk of a deficit was associated with higher disease burden, lower levels of education, no alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity. Subjects with deficits were less likely to report that they were currently working for pay than those without a deficit; this association was stronger among males than females. Comorbid health burden has the strongest influence on deficits in self-perceived general health, while demographic factors show relatively minimal impact. For depressive symptoms, both age and comorbid health burden were equally important, with decreasing deficits in depressive symptoms with increasing age. For interpreting patient-reported metrics and comparison, one must account for comorbid health burden.