cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Work Science and Identity Formation for Doctoral Scholars Within Intellectual Communities

Three themes are central to preparing doctoral students for the professoriate: identity formation, scientific integration, and intellectual communities. In this article, we argue that these three themes are not separate pillars but interlocking circles. Our main thesis is that (1) social work must develop into a distinct integrative scientific discipline; (2) this recognition is core to the identity formation of doctoral scholars and, reflectively, their identity formation is central to the future development of social work as a scientific discipline; and (3) the sustainability of social work as a scientific discipline is dependent upon the development of intellectual communities. Developing social work as an integrative discipline will foster and congeal the identity of our scholars while allowing them to flourish within intellectual communities. Implications include nurturing a scientific sense of identity through a dialogical approach to doctoral education, creating and supporting intellectual communit...
Evaluation of trickle bed reactor models for a liquid limited reaction

The isothermal decomposition of hydrogen peroxide on a CuCr catalyst in a laboratory scale trickle bed reactor was used to test model predictions of the dependence of liquid reactant conversion on space time for different operating conditions. It is assured that the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is a first order liquid-limited reaction. Comparison of model predictions and experimental data indicates that both external mass transfer effects and incomplete external catalyst wetting need to be accounted for. Dudukovic's (1977) approximate model for the catalyst effectiveness factor adequately simulates both effects.
Optical sparse aperture imaging

The resolution of a conventional diffraction-limited imaging system is proportional to its pupil diameter. A primary goal of sparse aperture imaging is to enhance resolution while minimizing the total light collection area; the latter being desirable, in part, because of the cost of large, monolithic apertures. Performance metrics are defined and used to evaluate several sparse aperture arrays constructed from multiple, identical, circular subapertures. Subaperture piston and/or tilt effects on image quality are also considered. We selected arrays with compact nonredundant autocorrelations first described by Golay. We vary both the number of subapertures and their relative spacings to arrive at an optimized array. We report the results of an experiment in which we synthesized an image from multiple subaperture pupil fields by masking a large lens with a Golay array. For this experiment we imaged a slant edge feature of an ISO12233 resolution target in order to measure the modulation transfer function. We note the contrast reduction inherent in images formed through sparse aperture arrays and demonstrate the use of a Wiener-Helstrom filter to restore contrast in our experimental images. Finally, we describe a method to synthesize images from multiple subaperture focal plane intensity images using a phase retrieval algorithm to obtain estimates of subaperture pupil fields. Experimental results from synthesizing an image of a point object from multiple subaperture images are presented, and weaknesses of the phase retrieval method for this application are discussed.
High-pressure syntheses and properties of CoP2 and MnCoP4

Abstract Arsenopyrite-type CoP2 and marcasite-type MnCoP4 were prepared at a pressure of 65 kb. CoP2 is a diamagnetic semiconductor while MnCoP4 is antiferromagnetic and a poor metallic conductor.
Increased von Willebrand factor (vWf) binding to platelets associated with impaired vWf breakdown in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a disorder of systemic platelet aggregation. Evidence has accumulated that the aggregating agonist in TTP of all types is likely to be von Willebrand factor (vWf), especially unusually large vWf multimers derived from endothelial cells. Recent evidence indicates that a metalloproteinase involved in vWf breakdown is produced in inadequate amounts in children with chronic relapsing TTP. Chronic relapsing TTP is, therefore, likely to be a congenital enzyme deficiency. In adults with single episode or intermittent types of TTP, the vWf metalloproteinase is inhibited by autoantibodies that are present either transiently or intermittently in patient blood. Single episode and intermittent types of TTP in adults are likely to be short-term or recurrent autoimmune processes, respectively.
Low-potential lithium-ion reactivity of vanadium oxide aerogels

Abstract Vanadium oxide aerogels are electrochemically lithiated to 0.1 V vs. Li/Li+, yielding reversible capacities of ∼1000 mAh g−1 at charge/discharge rates of C/10. This reversible behavior is significantly different from crystalline orthorhombic V2O5, which exhibits a constantly decreasing capacity with cycling. The ability of the aerogel material to be deeply cycled lies in its unique morphology: high surface area, interconnected porosity, and a fibrous network structure enable lithium storage to occur. Ex situ TEM and XPS measurements indicate, respectively, that the fibrous morphology is retained at low potentials and that the oxidation state of vanadium changes from +5 to +2 during the electrochemical cycling.
Acceptability, satisfaction and cost of a model-based newsletter for elders in a cancer prevention adherence promotion strategy

Though widely used by business, industry, academia, and social service agencies as a mass communication vehicle, the effectiveness of newsletters has received limited critical review. The sound research base needed to support the use of newsletters in cancer prevention interventions was not found in the literature. This article details the development, design, use and evaluation of a health behavior model-based monthly newsletter for participants in three community-oriented cancer prevention studies. Depending on the extent of behavior change asked of them, participants reported reading 60-100% of the content. Participants in the three different cancer prevention interventions perceived the newsletters to be informative, accurate, and interesting. Costing as little as $0.36 per participant per issue, this strategy has implications for other types offield studies with similarly educated participants. The adherencepromotion strategy, of which the newsletters were a part, kept the participants in field studies long enough to test the study hypotheses and potentially improve their health, and reduce morbidity and mortality.
Recent developments in multifilament V 3 Ga a Nb 3 Sn wires in Japan

The state of development of multifilament V 3 Ga and Nb 3 Sn wires in Japan is reviewed with emphasis on the former as it is principally in Japan that V 3 Ga has undergone the most intensive development. Commercial sources for these materials are identified. A brief discussion is presented of the effort on commercial development of multifilament V 3 Ga wire in the United States.
Basal dislocation mobility in zinc single crystals

Experimental measurements of basal dislocation mobility and the strain-rate sensitivity of the flow stress have been made on 99.999% pure zinc single crystals. Dislocation mobility in the [1210] (0001) basal slip system was measured by observing slip band growth produced by load pulses of controlled amplitude and duration. Local rearrangement of dislocations occurs at a resolved stress of 7 lb./in.^2. Slip bands are formed at stresses greater than 7 lb./in.^2, and their growth velocities are in the range of 7 to 80 cm/sec for shear stresses between 7 and 12 lb./in.^2. The results of the experimental measurements of dislocation mobility are discussed in relation to current theories. A comparison of the strain-rate sensitivity and the mobility measurements shows that a significant change in the density of moving dislocations is associated with a change in strain-rate. This change in density has generally been ignored by previous investigators. A dislocation model is proposed to explain the observed strain-rate sensitivity.
Natural abundance δ15N and δ13C of DNA extracted from soil

Abstract We report the first simultaneous measurements of δ 15 N and δ 13 C of DNA extracted from surface soils. The isotopic composition of DNA differed significantly among nine different soils. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N of DNA was correlated with δ 13 C and δ 15 N of soil, respectively, suggesting that the isotopic composition of DNA is strongly influenced by the isotopic composition of soil organic matter. However, in all samples DNA was enriched in 13 C relative to soil, indicating microorganisms fractionated C during assimilation or preferentially used 13 C enriched substrates. Enrichment of DNA in 15 N relative to soil was not consistently observed, but there were significant differences between δ 15 N of DNA and δ 15 N of soil for three different sites, suggesting microorganisms are fractionating N or preferentially using N substrates at different rates across these contrasting ecosystems. There was a strong linear correlation between δ 15 N of DNA and δ 15 N of the microbial biomass, which indicated DNA was depleted in 15 N relative to the microbial biomass by approximately 3.4‰. Our results show that accurate and precise isotopic measurements of C and N in DNA extracted from the soil are feasible, and that these analyses may provide powerful tools for elucidating C and N cycling processes through soil microorganisms.
Time-Autonomy and Time-Controllability of 2-D Behaviours that are Tempered in the Spatial Direction

This paper studies the notions of time-autonomy and (exact) time-controllability of behaviours with respect to a certain mild space, which while being not too general, encompasses natural partial differential equation solutions and excludes certain pathological ones. We give an algebraic characterization of the property of time-autonomy and also give necessary and sufficient conditions for the time-controllability of behaviours with respect to the space of distributions on \open RR2 that are tempered in the spatial direction.
The molecular transformation of rabbit testis proacrosin into acrosin.

Abstract Partially purified rabbit testis proacrosin formed only one acrosin of 73,000 ± 3000 apparent molecular weight ( M r ) during the early phase of “autoactivation” at pH 8. Complete “autoactivation” then converted this acrosin to a 38,000 ± 3000 M r , acrosin. These results suggest the existence of a proacrosin dimer (73,000) or a dimer of proacrosin and an acrosomal membrane protein which were converted first to an acrosin dimer (73,000 M r ) or to an acrosin-membrane protein dimer and then to the acrosin monomer (38,000). The formation of a 73,000 ± 3000 M r acrosin from a 73,000 ± 3000 proacrosin is explainable by assuming that either a small activation pertide(s) is released or none at all.
Molecular flypaper and atherosclerosis: structure of the macrophage scavenger receptor

Abstract Macrophage scavenger receptors have been implicated both in the deposition of lipoprotein cholesterol in artery walls during the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and in host defense against pathogenic infections. The receptor's unusual ability to bind tightly to a very wide variety of ligands and its novel mosaic structure comprising α-helical coiled-coil, collagenous and cysteine-rich domains are described.
Alternate usage of two dimerization initiation sites in HIV-2 viral RNA in vitro.

Abstract An essential step in the replication cycle of all retroviruses is the dimerization of genomic RNA prior to or during encapsidation and budding. In HIV-1, a stem-loop structure in the genomic RNA called the dimerization initiation site, or DIS, has been well characterized. However, the identification of the structure(s) necessary for dimerization of HIV-2 genomic RNA has been less straightforward, as reflected by recent conflicting reports. Here, using a variety of mutant and wild-type RNA constructs and a systematic analysis of experimental conditions, we demonstrate that two dimerization sites in HIV-2 RNA are clearly discernible under different experimental conditions. A short sequence overlapping the primer binding site acts as the default dimerization site for wild-type viral RNA transcripts of several lengths provided that dimerization incubation conditions do not include a high heat step (>50 °C), and electrophoresis is carried out under mild conditions that do not deplete the RNA of magnesium. However, some RNA constructs are able to dimerize through stem-loop 1 (SL1), which is the structure homologous to the HIV-1 DIS, under certain experimental conditions. Interestingly, deletion or mutation of the default PBS dimerization site leads to efficient usage of the SL1 dimerization site. This study defines conditions under which each site may be used for dimerization and demonstrates, furthermore, the facility with which the two sites can substitute for each other. This is suggestive of a switching mechanism that may be used in the viral replication cycle.
A framework to examine fidelity of implementation of a hybrid instructional model for computer engineering courses

This paper describes a framework adopted to examine the fidelity level of the implemented curriculum in a computer engineering course. The framework allows education researchers to analyze how an applied hybrid instructional model impacts student learning methodically. This study helps to gain insights into how instructors' pedagogical and content knowledge has shaped the curriculum implementation. Factors that influence the intended, implemented, and learned curriculum are discussed.
Severe aggression in rats induced by mescaline but not other hallucinogens.

Pairs of male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamine (DMPEA), or 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA) IP prior to being placed in a shock-elicited aggression situation. When foot shock was delivered, controls struck each other with their forepaws, but never engaged in either biting or injurious fighting. Mescaline-treated rats (50 or 250 mg) rarely struck each other, but engaged in nearly lethal biting. While LSD (25–400 μg/kg), psilocin (2.0 mg/kg), and DMT (5 mg/kg) produced some biting, this did not significantly differ from controls and never resulted in injuries. At higher doses, psilocin, DMT, and DMPEA decreased the amount and intensity of fighting. Rats treated with 5-OHDA (8–200 mg/kg) or LSD (25–400 μg/kg) did not differ from controls. These results suggest that mescaline's ability to induce pathological aggression in rats exposed to foot shock is not shared by other hallucinogens or nonhallucinogenic mescaline analogues.
HPV virions hitchhike a ride on retromer complexes.

Nonenveloped viruses use cellular pathways to gain access to and traverse the cytoplasm of host cells. Indeed, many of the by now well-established pathways have been initially identified during the study of virus entry. In PNAS, Lipovsky et al. add to the growing list of transport pathways exploited by viruses by demonstrating that human papillomaviruses (HPV) hijack the retromer complex for trafficking from early endosomes to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) (1).
Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of affinity to retinoic acid receptors for new organosilicon-based retinoids

Facile synthetic routes to new silicon-containing ligands (1–4) for retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are reported. The design of these RAR ligands is based on a pharmacophoric model that divides the molecules into three regions (A, B, and C). The series of ligands is unique in region A due to their acyclic nature and the presence of alkyl-substituted silicon at the core. Substituted silyl groups that are generally viewed as protecting groups are used to fulfill pharmacophore requirements. Various alkyl substituents available on the silicon starting materials afford an opportunity to explore steric effects on binding. In region B of ligands 1–4, a cinnamate moiety maintains some degree of conjugation and planarity in the molecules. A biaryl group used in region B of another series of compounds is reported to lead to RARb selectivity. Finally, region C of the ligands contains a carboxylate group, a well know pharmacophore requirement for RAR ligands. The compounds prepared in this work were found to have micromolar to nanomolar affinity for these medically relevant target receptors. The proposed silane-containing ligands ‘represent a new series of siloacetylenic aryl acids that are worth of further investigation. They may serve as leads for the development of higher-affinity, more receptor-selective agents.
Vanadyl and vanadate inhibit Ca2+ transport systems of the adipocyte plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum.

Abstract Vanadate and vanadyl have many insulin-mimetic effects on cellular metabolism and also have been shown to alter cellular Ca 2+ fluxes. In this report, vanadate and vanadyl, like insulin, are shown to inhibit the plasma membrane (Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ )-ATPase/Ca 2+ transport system as well as Ca 2+ transport by endoplasmic reticulum from rat adipocytes. Ca 2+ transport by the endoplasmic reticulum was inhibited half-maximally ( I 50 ) by vanadate and vanadyl at concentrations of 30 and 33 μ m , respectively. Inhibition of the plasma membrane Ca 2+ transport by vanadate and vanadyl was less sensitive, with I 50 values of 144 and 92 μ m , respectively. These I 50 values for plasma membrane Ca 2+ transport were similar when measured under conditions of calmodulin-stimulated and noncalmodulin-stimulated Ca 2+ transport. The predominant effect of both ions on the kinetic parameters of Ca 2+ transport was a substantial decrease in the V max by 43–46% for both transport systems. An increase in intracellular Ca 2+ following the inhibition of the (Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ )-ATPase/Ca 2+ pump in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum by these vanadium ions may result, at least in part, in the observed insulin-mimetic alterations in cellular metabolism.
A digitally controlled DC/DC converter for an RF power amplifier

This paper describes design and implementation of a digitally controlled dc/dc converter that provides a dynamically adjustable supply voltage for a radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA). The techniques employed in the design include a combination of constant-frequency continuous conduction mode (CCM) and a variable-frequency discontinuous conduction mode to achieve very high converter efficiency over a wide range of output power levels. The variable-frequency converter control is accomplished using a current-estimator circuit, which eliminates the need for current sensing. A field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital controller implementation allows programmability of the mode transition and other controller parameters. In the complete experimental system, which consists of the digitally controlled dc/dc converter and a class-E RFPA operating at 10GHz, experimental results show that the overall system efficiency is significantly improved over a wide range of RFPA output power levels.
Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty of Infrainguinal Vessels

In the last decade, percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) has been used with increasing frequency to treat infrainguinal atherosclerotic lesions. In hopes of better delineating the role of PTA, we undertook a retrospective analysis of infrainguinal PTA in one hospital over a 7-year period. The charts of all patients receiving infrainguinal PTA from 1989 to 1996 were reviewed. Demographics, site and type of lesion, and results of treatment were recorded. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method following current Society of Vascular Surgery/International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (SVS/ISCVS) guidelines. Differences in times to first failure were tested using the log rank method. Failures were documented by duplex ultrasound. All patients requiring repeat intervention underwent contrast angiography. In selected patients with stenotic lesions 3 cm in length as well as occlusions, and surgical revascularization may be a more appropriate initial therapeutic procedure.
The student leadership institute.

Today’s health care environment demands professionals who accept leadership opportunities to move their profession forward and to ultimately better serve their patients.[1][1] Leadership skills must be passed on to the next generation of pharmacists to bring about the necessary changes in the
EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC TRAINING ON FRAME DEPENDENCE.

Forty-four normal adults were screened on the rod and frame test and two groups, each consisting of seven persons who made relatively large errors, were given training specifically designed to improve their performances. The first group received instructions on how to resist the influence of the tilted frame and how to use bodily cues. The second group received the same training, plus feedback and discussion of each judgment. The first group did not improve. The second did, but the improvement was transient and disappeared upon later retesting under standard conditions. Test-retest correlations within both groups were high.
The Stefan Problem Solved Via Conjugate Gradient-Like Iterative Methods On a Parallel Vector Machine

The aim of this paper is to illustrate the validity and efficiency of iterative methods for solving large linear systems arising from the finite element discretizations of the equation governing conduction-controlled solidi fication processes. Starting from the basic enthalpy equation, two alternative formulations are obtained and fixed-grid finite element discretizations are devel oped. These discretizations yield a set of nonlinear equations that are linearized using the Newton-Raph son scheme. The linearized equations are used as a basis for evaluating different iterative methods of the conjugate gradient type. Symmetric scaling and in complete factorization preconditioning of the linear equations are used to improve the convergence prop erties of the iterative methods. Vectorization and paral lelization are also employed to make full use of the CRAY-2 supercomputer. The results indicate that the implementation of currently available iterative solvers leads to efficient solution methodologies for phase change problems.
Characterization of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rad2 protein, a FEN-1 homolog

FEN-1 proteins are a family of nucleases essential for lagging strand DNA synthesis. A gene with sequence similarity to FEN-1 protein-encoding genes, rad2 +, has been identified in Schizosaccharomyces pombe . We report the overexpression, purification, and character-ization of the putative S.pombe FEN-1 homolog, Rad2p. A GST-Rad2p fusion protein was over-expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and purified to near homogeneity by GST affinity chromatography. Although Rad2p had been previously classified as a putative FEN-1 protein based on amino acid homology, there has been no biochemical evidence demonstrating flap endonuclease activity. DNA cleavage analysis of several different oligodeoxynucleotide structuresindicates that GST-Rad2p possesses both 5'-flap endonuclease and 5'-->3' double-stranded DNA exo-nuclease activities. GST-Rad2p incises a 5'-flap and a 5'-pseudo-Y structure one base 3' of the branch point in the duplex region and also degrades double-stranded DNA. This is the first report on the biochemical characterization of S.pombe Rad2p. The potential roles of Rad2p in DNA excision repair and other nucleic acid reactions are discussed.
Can We Approach Zero Relapse in Breast Cancer

CME CME Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 hour of AMA PRA category 1 credit at CME.TheOncologist.com
Improved clock-gating through transparent pipelining

This paper re-examines the well established clocking principles of pipelines. It is observed that clock gating techniques that have long been assumed optimal in reality produce a significant amount of redundant clock pulses. The paper presents a new theory for optimal clocking of synchronous pipelines, presents practical implementations and evaluates the clock power benefits on a multiply/add-accumulate unit design. Transistor level simulations show that dynamic clock power dissipation can be reduced by 40-60% at pipeline utilization factors between 20-60%, on top of traditional stage-level clock gating, without affecting pipeline latency or throughput.
Analysis of HmsH and its role in plague biofilm formation

The Yersinia pestis Hms+ phenotype is a manifestation of biofilm formation that causes adsorption of Congo red and haemin at 26 °C but not at 37 °C. This phenotype is required for blockage of the proventricular valve of the oriental rat flea and plays a role in transmission of bubonic plague from fleas to mammals. Genes responsible for this phenotype are located in three separate operons, hmsHFRS, hmsT and hmsP. HmsH and HmsF are outer membrane (OM) proteins, while the other four Hms proteins are located in the inner membrane. According to the Hidden Markov Method-based predictor, HmsH has a large N terminus in the periplasm, a β-barrel structure with 16 β-strands that traverse the OM, eight surface-exposed loops, and seven short turns connecting the β-strands on the periplasmic side. Here, we demonstrate that HmsH is a heat-modifiable protein, a characteristic of other β-barrel proteins, thereby supporting the bioinformatics analysis. Alanine scanning mutagenesis was used to identify conserved amino acids in the HmsH-like family that are critical for the function of HmsH in biofilm formation. Of 23 conserved amino acids mutated, four residues affected HmsH function and three likely caused protein instability. We used formaldehyde cross-linking to demonstrate that HmsH interacts with HmsF but not with HmsR, HmsS, HmsT or HmsP. Loss-of-function HmsH variants with single alanine substitutions retained their β-structure and interaction with HmsF. Finally, using a polar hmsH : : mini-kan mutant, we demonstrated that biofilm development is not important for the pathogenesis of bubonic or pneumonic plague in mice.
Challenges to introducing and managing disturbance regimes for Holocarpha macradenia, an endangered annual grassland forb

Introducing rare plants to new sites for conservation to offset effects of habitat destruction requires detailed knowledge of habitat requirements, plant demography, and management needs. We conducted a factorial experiment replicated at three coastal prairie sites to test the effects of clipping frequency and litter accumulation on seed germination, seedling survival, reproduction, and seedling recruitment of introduced populations of the endangered, tall-stature, annual forb, Holocarpha macradenia (DC.) E. Greene. Clipping favored H. macradenia, primarily by enhancing seed germination and flower production. Litter accumulation had no effect on seed germination, even after 5 years of treatments. Seedling recruitment was highly site specific with large numbers of recruits recorded at only one of three sites. Although recruitment of seedlings was higher in clipped plots for 2-3 years, by 4-5 years after introduction very few seedlings survived to reproduction in any treatment. We attribute this result to a combination of poor habitat quality, small population size, and lack of a seed bank. We were unsuccessful in introducing this relatively well-studied species of concern to apparently suitable habitat at multiple sites in multiple years, which suggests that translocating rare plant populations to mitigate for habitat destruction is an expensive and highly uncertain endeavor.
A universal calculus for stream processing languages

Stream processing applications such as algorithmic trading, MPEG processing, and web content analysis are ubiquitous and essential to business and entertainment. Language designers have developed numerous domain-specific languages that are both tailored to the needs of their applications, and optimized for performance on their particular target platforms. Unfortunately, the goals of generality and performance are frequently at odds, and prior work on the formal semantics of stream processing languages does not capture the details necessary for reasoning about implementations. This paper presents Brooklet, a core calculus for stream processing that allows us to reason about how to map languages to platforms and how to optimize stream programs. We translate from three representative languages, CQL, StreamIt, and Sawzall, to Brooklet, and show that the translations are correct. We formalize three popular and vital optimizations, data-parallel computation, operator fusion, and operator re-ordering, and show under which conditions they are correct. Language designers can use Brooklet to specify exactly how new features or languages behave. Language implementors can use Brooklet to show exactly under which circumstances new optimizations are correct. In ongoing work, we are developing an intermediate language for streaming that is based on Brooklet. We are implementing our intermediate language on System S, IBM's high-performance streaming middleware.
Head-mounted displays and the measurement of performance in a virtual world

The problems associated with assessing visual performance during translation and rotation in a virtual world are presented. Two studies are summarized that highlight the difficulties in defining and measuring the optical and visual variables that pilots use during the control of a craft in simulated flight. The analysis suggests that gaze line-of-sight (LOS), based on craft orientation, should be used to describe the visual information available to an observer. Head-mounted displays that utilize a headtracker provide a technology that can be used for determining an observer's LOS and generating a virtual world display. Such head-mounted displays put observers in a graphical world that exists no matter where they look.
Two-dimensional components in microwave circuits and systems-a review

Examples of 2-D planar components in microwave circuits and systems include resonators, radial stubs, power dividers, hybrids, and various types of microstrip patch antennas. The author reviews modeling and analysis techniques for this class of microwave components. Currently, research is in progress on making 2-D analysis algorithms faster by reducing double summations in Green's functions and Z-matrix expressions to equivalent single numerical summations. Also, computer-aided design methods are being developed for 2-D circuit components and for integrated antennas. >
Speech enhancement based on a combined multi-channel array with constrained iterative and auditory masked processing

While a number of studies have investigated various speech enhancement and noise suppression schemes, most consider either a single channel or array processing framework. Clearly there are potential advantages in leveraging the strengths of array processing solutions in suppressing noise from a direction other than the speaker, with that seen in single channel methods that include speech spectral constraints or psychoacoustically motivated processing. In this paper, we propose to integrate a combined fixed/adaptive beamforming algorithm (CFA-BF) for speech enhancement with two single channel methods based on speech spectral constrained iterative processing (Auto-LSP), and an auditory masked threshold based method using equivalent rectangular bandwidth filtering (GMMSE-AMTERB). After formulating the method, we evaluate performance on a subset of the TIMIT corpus with four real noise sources. We demonstrate a consistent level of noise suppression and voice communication quality improvement using the proposed method as reflected by an overall average 26dB increase in SegSNR from the original degraded audio corpus.
HYDROLOGIC MITIGATION USING ON-SITE RESIDENTIAL STORM-WATER DETENTION

On-site storm-water detention systems can be used to mitigate the hydrologic effects of residential development and to provide a supplemental water supply at the scale of single residences. A three-year rainfall record from a site in the Puget lowland, Washington state, is used in a simple mass-balance model to simulate outflow from single- and multiple-purpose detention systems. Simulations are compared to time series of measured runoff from Evans Creek, a 37 km2, rural basis, and a 0.37 km2, zero-order forested subbasin. Discharge from a small on-site reservoir is sensitive to both the storage capacity and maximum controlled release rate of the system for extreme high flows (those exceeded 1% of the time) and low flows (those exceeded 80% of the time). An intermediate range of discharges (those exceeded 10–30% of the time) is primarily sensitive to release rate, rather than its storage capacity, suggesting that single-purpose systems with small reservoirs can be effective for hydrologic mitigation over ...
Fuel puddle model and AFR compensator for gasoline-ethanol blends in flex-fuel engines

Ethanol is being increasingly used as an alternative fuel to petroleum-based gasoline and diesel derivatives. Currently available flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) can operate on a blend of gasoline and ethanol in any concentration of up to 85% ethanol (93% in Brazil) with minimum hardware modifications. This flexibility if partly achieved through the closed-loop air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) control which maintains automatically operation around the stoichiometric ratio. Precise transient AFR control depends however on a feedforward compensator that reduces the transient effects of fuel puddle dynamics. An accurate and tunable model of the fuel puddle dynamics for gasoline-ethanol blends is, thus, necessary for the purpose of air-to-fuel ratio control. In this paper, we propose a physics-based fuel puddle model that may be used for control purposes in FFVs. In particular, the gasoline-ethanol blend is modeled using several chemical compounds and is parameterized by ethanol content. The model consists of a droplet evaporation model and a singlepuddle vaporization model. The droplet evaporation model is simulated off-line to generate port wall-impacting factors of injected fuel to be used in a single-puddle vaporization model. The single-puddle vaporization model is a cycle-based model that may be simulated on-line to characterize fuel puddle dynamics in port fuel injected engines. To verify the validity of the model, simulation results are compared with limited experimental data. A transient fuel compensator based on the proposed model is also formulated.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT BREACH AS A SOURCE OF STRAIN FOR EMPLOYEES

The present study investigated the role of psychological contract breach in employees' experience of emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction. Employees (N = 161) from a large financial corporation completed questionnaires assessing work-related attitudes and behaviors. Fulfillment of organizational obligations predicted both emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction, and job demands predicted only emotional exhaustion. Supervisory support and control did not predict emotional exhaustion or job satisfaction when controlling for fulfillment of organizational obligations and job demands. The results suggest that psychological contract breach contributes to employee experience of job strain.
Why all Welfare States (Including Laissez-Faire Ones) Are Unreasonable*

Liberal political theory is all too familiar with the divide between classical and welfare-state liberals. Classical liberals, as we all know, insist on the importance of small government, negative liberty, and private property. Welfare-state liberals, on the other hand, although they too stress civil rights, tend to be sympathetic to “positive liberty,” are for a much more expansive government, and are often ambivalent about private property. Although I do not go so far as to entirely deny the usefulness of this familiar distinction, I think in many ways it is misleading. In an important sense, most free-market liberals are also “welfare-state” liberals. I say this because the overwhelming number of liberals, of both the pro-market and the pro-government variety, entertain a welfarist conception of political economy. On this dominant welfarist view, the ultimate justification of the politico-economic order is that it promotes human welfare. Traditional “welfare-state liberals” such as Robert E. Goodin manifestly adopt this welfarist conception. But it is certainly not only interventionists such as Goodin who insist that advancing welfare is the overriding goal of normative political economy. J. R. McCulloch, one of the great nineteenth-century laissez-faire political economists, was adamant that “freedom is not, as some appear to think, the end of government: the advancement of public prosperity and happiness is its end.” To be sure, McCulloch would have disagreed with Goodin about the optimal welfare-maximizing economic policy: the welfarist ideal, he and his fellow classical political economists believed, would best be advanced by provision of a legal and institutional framework — most importantly, the laws of property, contract, and the criminal code — that allows individuals to pursue their own interests in the market and, by so doing, promote public welfare. In general, what might be called the “classical-liberal welfare state” claims to advance welfare by providing the framework for individuals to seek wealth for themselves, while welfarists such as Goodin insist that a market order is seriously flawed as a mechanism for advancing human welfare and, in addition, that government has the competency to “correct market failures” in the provision of welfare.
The Arabidopsis thaliana Myo-Inositol 1-Phosphate Synthase1 Gene Is Required for Myo-inositol Synthesis and Suppression of Cell Death

l-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase (MIPS; EC 5.5.1.4) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of myo-inositol, a critical compound in the cell. Plants contain multiple MIPS genes, which encode highly similar enzymes. We characterized the expression patterns of the three MIPS genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and found that MIPS1 is expressed in most cell types and developmental stages, while MIPS2 and MIPS3 are mainly restricted to vascular or related tissues. MIPS1, but not MIPS2 or MIPS3, is required for seed development, for physiological responses to salt and abscisic acid, and to suppress cell death. Specifically, a loss in MIPS1 resulted in smaller plants with curly leaves and spontaneous production of lesions. The mips1 mutants have lower myo-inositol, ascorbic acid, and phosphatidylinositol levels, while basal levels of inositol (1,4,5)P3 are not altered in mips1 mutants. Furthermore, mips1 mutants exhibited elevated levels of ceramides, sphingolipid precursors associated with cell death, and were complemented by a MIPS1-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion construct. MIPS1-, MIPS2-, and MIPS3-GFP each localized to the cytoplasm. Thus, MIPS1 has a significant impact on myo-inositol levels that is critical for maintaining levels of ascorbic acid, phosphatidylinositol, and ceramides that regulate growth, development, and cell death.
Effect of water on sulfuric acid catalyzed esterification

Abstract This paper reports on an investigation into the impact of water on liquid-phase sulfuric acid catalyzed esterification of acetic acid with methanol at 60 °C. In order to diminish the effect of water on the catalysis as a result of the reverse reaction, initial reaction kinetics were measured using a low concentration of sulfuric acid (1 × 10 −3 M) and different initial water concentrations. It was found that the catalytic activity of sulfuric acid was strongly inhibited by water. The catalysts lost up to 90% activity as the amount of water present increased. The order of water effect on reaction rate was determined to be −0.83. The deactivating effect of water also manifested itself by changes in the activation energy and the pre-exponential kinetic factor. The decreased activity of the catalytic protons is suggested to be caused by preferential solvation of them by water over methanol. A proposed model successfully predicts esterification rate as reaction progresses. The results indicate that, as esterification progresses and byproduct water is produced, deactivation of the sulfuric acid catalyst occurs. Autocatalysis, however, was found to be hardly impacted by the presence of water, probably due to compensation effects of water on the catalytic activity of acetic acid, a weak acid.
A new generation of women veterans: Stressors faced by women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan

The extent of female service members' involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), in terms of both the number of women deployed and the scope of their involvement, is unprecedented. While many of the mental health readjustment issues of female service members are likely to mirror those of the majority male Veteran population, this newest generation of women Veterans may also face unique threats to their mental health. The goal of this review it to highlight emerging issues relevant to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan by reviewing the existing literature on gender-relevant issues among this cohort, as well as raising theoretically important issues that are worthy of further empirical investigation. Topics addressed include gender differences in combat experiences and in PTSD following combat exposure; sexual assault, sexual harassment and other interpersonal stressors experienced during deployment; women Veterans' experiences of premilitary trauma exposure; and unique stressors faced by women Veterans during the homecoming readjustment period. Given that most models of the impact of war zone deployment on PTSD are predicated on the experiences of male service members, women's expanding role in combat operations presents both an opportunity and a challenge to adapt these models to more effectively capture the experiences of female service members.
Marital discord and depression in middle-aged and older couples Is taxon status associated with depression?

Although a large literature links relationship discord with depression, most prior studies have evaluated relationship discord as a continuous variable and have examined this association in younger couples. Based on findings suggesting that the latent structure of marital discord is taxonic, this study evaluated whether taxon status was associated with depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older individuals and whether taxon status accounted for unique variance in depressive symptoms, over and above that which was accounted for by continuous measures of marital quality. This association was examined in a community sample of 502 couples who had been married at least 10 years and in which at least one spouse was 55 to 75 years old. There were statistically significant differences between taxon (discordant) and complement (nondiscordant) women and men in depressive symptoms, with discordant spouses reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms than nondiscordant spouses. For wives but not for husbands, tax...
Analysis of coating thickness variation during optical fiber Processing

During the mass production of silica-based optical fibers, a large fiber preform is softened in a high-temperature furnace and is drawn to a small fiber with a diameter of about 125 /spl mu/m. The hot fiber exiting the furnace is cooled rapidly by the surrounding air or by blowing a gas, and is subsequently coated with a polymer layer to provide a protection of the fiber surface. The overall quality of the fiber depends on the uniformity of the coating layer, which is strongly influenced by the manufacturing conditions. While the average thickness of the coating layer is extensively investigated in the literature, the studies on the coating thickness fluctuation lack a sound fundamental basis. In this paper, a linear perturbation analysis is adopted to predict the coating thickness variation under different processing conditions. An experimental correlation is developed to determine the initial amplitude of the thickness disturbance. Numerical results are presented for the first time to directly link the processing and geometric parameters with the coating thickness fluctuation in the final product. The results provide guidelines for selecting coating materials, system designs, and processing parameters to achieve uniform fiber coating layers.
Effects of Bit Allocation on Non-Contiguous Multicarrier-Based Cognitive Radio Transceivers

In this paper, we evaluate a cognitive radio transceiver employing both non-contiguous multicarrier modulation (NC-MCM) and adaptive bit allocation. Although NC-MCM and bit allocation have potential benefits with respect to enabling dynamic spectrum access (DSA) and increasing throughput, they also require the transmission of overhead information between the transmitter and the receiver. To reduce this overhead information, operating parameters can be assigned to a block of subcarriers, at the cost of some throughput. The trade-offs between subcarrier block size and two different bit allocation approaches for several DSA scenarios are assessed in this work. The results show that as percentage of available spectrum decreases, the throughput loss of systems employing larger subcarrier block sizes rapidly increases. Nevertheless, larger block sizes also yield greater reductions in transmission overhead.
A summary of arc flash energy calculations

Recent research has been published on the hazards of an electrical arc flash. The calculations required for determining arc-flash incident energy exposure for electrical workers are involved and sometimes difficult. The authors have completed arc-flash energy studies for many industrial sites, from small facilities to large chemical plants. This paper provides a summary of the results of these studies, with an emphasis on the wide range of results that were found. Learnings about electrical equipment design, installation and operation are discussed that were found to be associated with high arc-flash energy values. In addition, some methods are described to evaluate the arc-flash energy values for a facility that can help the owner determine the most effective arc flash hazard management policy.
A Review of: “Beyond Tests and Quizzes: Creative Assessments in the College Classroom By Richard Mezeske and Barbara Mezeske (Eds.)”

Beyond Tests and Quizzes: Creative Assessments in the College Classroom, edited by Richard Mezeske and Barbara Mezeske, provides a collection of re-conceptualized assessment techniques and strategi...
Feeding Schedule and Performance on Detours

4 monkeys under 24-hr. deprivation performed more often than 5 sated monkeys (1-hr. deprivation) on bent-wire detours, but the differences were small. This trend put in question the claim that chimpanzees fed 3 times a day performed better for motivational reasons than monkeys fed once.