cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Would You Let Your Child Play Football? Attitudes Toward Football Safety

An estimated 1.6 million to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur each year in the United States, and many are related to football. This has generated much discussion in the media on the perceived safety of the sport. In the current study, researchers asked 230 individuals various questions about attitudes toward safety in football. Approximately 92.6% of participants indicated they would allow their child to play football; these participants were more likely to be female (χ2 = 5.23, p > .05), were slightly younger (t= −2.52, p < .05), and believed an athlete could suffer a higher number of concussions before becoming excessive (t = 2.06, p < .05). Findings suggest most individuals are comfortable with their children playing football, and future studies are needed to clarify factors that inform this opinion.
Attitudes toward wilderness study areas: a survey of six southeastern Utah counties.

Southeastern Utah is a region of world-renowned red-rock sandstone formations, large tracts of federal public land, rural communities centered on agriculture and extractive industries, and is often at the epicenter of environmental protection efforts in the western United States. Environmental groups have proposed formal Wilderness designations for much of the region’s public land—proposals that have been actively fought by rural community leaders who do not want large areas “locked-up” from traditional livelihood and recreational uses. The debate over wilderness designation in the region has been characterized in the media as one that is particularly contentious and polarizing. A survey of southeastern Utah residents was conducted in order to better understand this conflict. The survey focused on attitudes toward wilderness designation and management. We found that residents of southeastern Utah have negative attitudes towards the designation and management of Wilderness Study Areas. We propose that these attitudes should be carefully considered and engaged in future policy and management decisions. We suggest that negative opinions expressed by residents of southeastern Utah are not directed primarily at the concept of environmental protection but rather at the strong perception that these programs and initiatives have been carried out in a heavy-handed manner and dominated by outside influences that have overwhelmed local “voices.”
Human Relaxin in the Amnion, Chorion, Decidua Parietalis, Basal Plate, and Placental Trophoblast by Immunocytochemistry and Northern Analysis*

Immunocytochemistry and Northern analysis were used to show that relaxin is a product of intrauterine tissues of pregnancy. In addition, tissues from a patient without ovarieshad similar results on both immunocytochemistry and Northern analysis as tissues from intact patients. The parietal decidua was clearly the major source of relaxin within the uterus and the relaxin mRNA (1.2 kilobases) from this tissue was detected with a 48-mer oligonucleotide probe designed to hybridize with both H1 and H2 relaxin gene transcripts. The mRNA isolated fromthe placental trophoblast was slightly smaller (1.1 kilobases), and the placental basal plate which has both maternal and fetal cells contained relaxin mRNAs of both sizes. Two monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) raised to synthetic human relaxin (H2) gave different patterns of localization in the fetal membranes,membranes, decidua and placenta. One Mab (RLX8) stained the chorioniccytotrophoblast in the fetal membranes and all of the cells in the placental basal plate. The...
Optimal design configurations of fault-tolerant systems

Fault tolerance is an essential architectural attribute for achieving high reliability in many critical applications of digital systems. Automatic recovery and reconfiguration mechanisms play a crucial role in implementing fault tolerance because an uncovered fault may lead to a system or subsystem failure even when adequate redundancy exists. An excessive level of redundancy may even reduce the system reliability in addition to consuming system resources. Therefore, an accurate reliability analysis must account for not only the system structure but also the system fault and error handling behavior. The models that capture the fault and error handling behavior are called coverage models. The appropriate coverage modeling approach depends on the type of fault-tolerant techniques used. This paper describes and demonstrates a solution methodology that determines optimal design configurations that maximize the reliability of fault-tolerant systems subject to imperfect fault coverage and resource constraints. It is assumed that the system consists of several subsystems in series where each subsystem contains multiple redundant components. The problem formulation considers the generic type of fault-tolerant mechanisms and associated coverage models for each subsystem. The objective of the optimal design is to select the design configuration, type of components, and fault-tolerant mechanism for each subsystem from the applicable/available choices. Optimal solutions are determined based on an equivalent problem formulation and integer programming. The methodology presented here is flexible and can accurately model a wide range of faulttolerant systems used in safety-critical applications. The methodology is successfully demonstrated on a large problem with 14 subsystems and 4 component choices for each subsystem.
M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic findings in normal ferrets sedated with ketamine hydrochloride and midazolam.

M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic values were obtained from 30 normal adult ferrets (14 neutered females, 13 neutered males, 3 intact males) sedated with an intramuscular combination of keta mine hydrochloride and midazolam. Routine M-mode measurements of the left and right ventricle, left atrium (LA) and aorta (AO) and Doppler measurements of aortic and pulmonic outflow, and mitral inflow were recorded. The following values were calculated: LA:AO diameter, ratio of peak E: peak A wave velocity (E:A ratio) for mitral inflow, and stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI) for both pulmonary and aortic outflow tracts. Maximal aortic velocities (AOmax) and velocity-time integral values (A0 VTI) were significantly less than corresponding pulmonary outflow tract values (PAmax PA VTI) but there was no difference in calculated values for SV, CO or CI. Calculated CO values were in the range expected based on the size of the species. Difficulties in aligning the aortic outflow tract for Doppler imaging may make pulmonary outflow Doppler values more consistent for use in estimating volume flow in ferrets.
Psychological Well-Being and Intensity of Employment in Individuals with a Spinal Cord Injury

This article describes a retrospective cross-sectional study that examined the relationship of varying levels of employment and psychological well-being (as characterized by satisfaction with life, societal participation, and depressive symptoms). Data from 2,875 individuals enrolled in the National Model SCI System are analyzed. Results support the value of employment in sustaining and improving psychological well-being among persons with a spinal cord injury. Part-time employment provided significant psychological advantages over unemployment status. Although greater exploration of the issue is necessary, the findings in this study suggest that there may be little difference between part-time and full-time employment with regard to the psychological benefits. Key words: employment, psychological well-being, spinal cord injury, work intensity
Genetic relationships among pig behavior, growth, backfat, and loin muscle area

The objective of this study was to estimate repeatabilities and heritabilities for measures of pig behavior and their relationship with performance. Measures of behavior and performance included the backtest, resident-intruder test, human approach test (HAT), novel object test (NOT), d 1 BW, backfat depth (BF), loin muscle area (LMA), ADG in the farrowing house, ADG, 21-d BW, and 140-d BW (W). Each behavioral trait was measured twice. The study consisted of 95 litters from 31 sires with an average of 3 litters per sire (n >or= 457). Between 7 and 14 d of age, the backtest was conducted by placing each pig in a supine position for 60 s. Total time spent struggling (TTS) and total number of attempts to struggle (TAS) were recorded. The resident intruder test involved 2 nursery pigs, a resident pig and an unfamiliar intruder pig. The resident pen was divided in half by a solid partition. A resident pig was placed in the test area, and an intruder pig was then introduced. Latency until an attack occurred (LAT) and total number of attacks over 2 tests (RIS) were recorded. Amount of time taken for each finishing pig to make snout contact with an unfamiliar human or object was recorded. Dam and sire effects influenced all traits (P < 0.01). Sex and pen affected LAT, RIS, HAT, and NOT (P < 0.10). Repeatabilities of TTS, TAS, RIS, LAT, HAT, and NOT were 0.38, 0.21, 0.07, 0.08, 0.17, and 0.11, respectively. The phenotypic correlations of TTS with TAS and HAT with NOT were 0.61 and 0.34, respectively. Phenotypic correlation between RIS and LAT was -0.85. Total time spent struggling and TAS tended to be phenotypically correlated with 21-d BW and ADG in the farrowing house. Total attempts to struggle were phenotypically correlated with BF (0.15). Latency until an attack occurred was phenotypically correlated with LMA (0.23). Resident intruder score was phenotypically correlated with ADG (-0.13), W (-0.13), and LMA (-0.21) and estimated to be lowly heritable (h(2) = 0.12). Heritabilities of TTS and TAS were 0.31 and 0.53, respectively. Genetic correlation of TAS with ADG and W was 0.38. Genetic correlations of TTS with BF, W, and TAS were 0.14, 0.18, and 0.81, respectively. The backtest is a heritable and repeatable measure of a behavioral characteristic in pigs that is phenotypically and genetically correlated with performance.
Androgenic control of spontaneous seminal emission in hamsters

Abstract Eight male hamsters produced a total of 24 seminal plugs in 7 days while they were caged individually and prevented from genital grooming. In one week beginning 18 days after castration there were no emissions. Androgen treatment was initiated and in the week that followed 17 daily injections of Testosterone treatment the 8 males again delivered 24 plugs. Individual differences in frequency of emission before castration reappeared postoperatively under the influence of equal amounts of exogenous hormone.
Soil-induced variability in root systems of creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) and tarbush (Flourensia cernua)

Abstract Creosotebush ( Larrea tridentata ) and tarbush ( Flourensia cernua ) are two of the major shrub invaders of grassland in many desert areas of southern New Mexico. Soils and root systems associated with these two shrubs were studied at three sites on an alluvial fan piedmont. The soils have formed in alluvium derived from monzonite, rhyolite, and andesite, in deposits ranging in age from late Holocene to middle Pleistocene. Soil age, carbonate morphology, particle size, and landscape position were found to be major factors associated with root variability. The stage I carbonate that occurs in youngest soils has relatively little influence on root distribution because the carbonate consists only of thin coatings on sand grains and pebbles. But the increasing carbonate that occurs in stages II, III, and IV results in denser zones of carbonate that control the routes for movement of both soil water and roots. Not only do individual nodules and cemented pebbly zones grow and eventually merge, they also represent zones of restricted hydraulic conductivity, funneling soil water and roots to as yet uncemented parts of the horizon. Continued carbonate accumulation leads to a plugged horizon and an overlying stage IV laminar horizon that is a barrier to roots. Particle size controls the time and amount of carbonate required for formation of these horizons. Calciargids of late Pleistocene age that averaged 4% and 32% by volume of gravel and contained 415 and 317 kg m −2 of pedogenic carbonate had only stage III horizons. In contrast, a Petrocalcid of the same age and averaging 63% by volume of gravel required only 205 kg m −2 of carbonate to form the stage IV horizon. Roots penetrated occasional openings in the stage IV horizon. Runoff from soils sloping 2% reduces the number of days with available soil water at various depths as compared to 1% slopes below. At the 2% slope, roots did not extend below 2 m depth, whereas at the 1% slope roots extended to as much as 5 m depth.
Dysphagia Screening: Contributions of Cervical Auscultation Signals and Modern Signal-Processing Techniques

Cervical auscultation is the recording of sounds and vibrations caused by the human body from the throat during swallowing. While traditionally done by a trained clinician with a stethoscope, much work has been put toward developing more sensitive and clinically useful methods to characterize the data obtained with this technique. The eventual goal of the field is to improve the effectiveness of screening algorithms designed to predict the risk that swallowing disorders pose to individual patients’ health and safety. This paper provides an overview of these signal-processing techniques and summarizes recent advances made with digital transducers in hopes of organizing the highly varied research on cervical auscultation. It investigates where on the body these transducers are placed in order to record a signal as well as the collection of analog and digital filtering techniques used to further improve the signal quality. It also presents the wide array of methods and features used to characterize these signals, ranging from simply counting the number of swallows that occur over a period of time to calculating various descriptive features in the time, frequency, and phase space domains. Finally, this paper presents the algorithms that have been used to classify these data into “normal” and “abnormal” categories. Both linear as well as nonlinear techniques are presented in this regard.
Atmospheric photooxidation of isoprene part II: The ozone‐isoprene reaction

A series of experiments have been performed to study the ozone-isoprene reaction in a smog chamber by adding externally produced O_3 to the hydrocarbon in the dark. A chemical tracer, methyl cyclohexane, was added to probe the OH formation in the system. O(^3P) formation was also examined using the known distribution of products that are unique to the O(^3P)-isoprene reaction (part I). The results provide clear evidence that both OH and O(^3P) are produced by the O_3-isoprene reaction directly in large quantities; about 0.68 ± 0.15 and 0.45 ± 0.20 per O_3-isoprene reaction, respectively. These additional radicals severely complicate the analysis of the O_3 reaction, hence, computer kinetic modeling was necessary to ascertain the products of the O_3 reaction itself, corrected for OH and O(^3P) reactions. The product distribution, which differs dramatically from that published previously, is: 67 ± 9% methacrolein, 26 ± 6% methyl vinyl ketone, and 7 ± 3% propene, accounting for 100 ± 10% of the reacted isoprene. Applicability of these results to the gas-phase O_3 reaction with other unsaturated hydrocarbons is briefly discussed.
Effects of Microwave Heat, Packaging, and Storage Temperature on Fatty Acid and Proximate Compositions in Rice Bran

The effect of microwave heat, packaging methods, and storage temperatures on proximate and fatty acid compositions of rice bran during 16 weeks of storage was examined. Freshly milled raw rice bran was adjusted to 21% moisture content and microwave heated for 3 min. Raw and microwave-heated brans were packed in zipper-top bags and/or vacuum-sealed bags and stored at 4-5 and/or 25 degrees C for 16 weeks. The moisture content decreased significantly from an initial 8.4 to 6.4% in microwave-heated samples regardless of packaging methods and storage temperatures. Protein, fat, linoleic, and linolenic contents did not change significantly in all raw and microwave-heated samples during 16 weeks of storage. The microwave-heated rice bran packed in zipper-top bags can be stored at 4-5 degrees C for up to 16 weeks without adverse effect on proximate and fatty acid composition quality under the conditions employed in this study.
Annotated bibliography of books on experimental design

There is now a large number of books on experimental design on the market. This review provides an annotated bibliography of some texts. They have been selected for their general interest and relevance to industry, and are based in part upon information provided by the authors. A summary table is included which indicates the major topic areas covered, the technical level, the emphasized field of application, and other pertinent information. The determination of which books to include and exclude is necessarily a somewhat arbitrary one. In general the guide is limited to those that deal principally with ‘design of experiments’; thus books that are mainly concerned with analysing experimental data and linear models have been excluded. Similarly, judgement was required in describing the books and in preparing the summary table. Further information on other books that deal with ‘design of experiments’ is available in my contribution on the same topic as printed in the Encyclopaedia of Statistical Sciences, Vol. 2 (Wiley, 1982) of which this survey is an edited version. It is reproduced by kind permission of the editors of The Encyclopaedia of Statistical Sciences, Samual Kotz, Norman Johnson and Campbell B. Read.
Phosphatidate phosphatase, a key regulator of lipid homeostasis

Yeast Pah1p phosphatidate phosphatase (PAP) catalyzes the penultimate step in the synthesis of triacylglycerol. PAP plays a crucial role in lipid homeostasis by controlling the relative proportions of its substrate phosphatidate and its product diacylglycerol. The cellular amounts of these lipid intermediates influence the synthesis of triacylglycerol and the pathways by which membrane phospholipids are synthesized. Physiological functions affected by PAP activity include phospholipid synthesis gene expression, nuclear/endoplasmic reticulum membrane growth, lipid droplet formation, and vacuole homeostasis and fusion. Yeast lacking Pah1p PAP activity are acutely sensitive to fatty acid-induced toxicity and exhibit respiratory deficiency. PAP is distinguished in its cellular location, catalytic mechanism, and physiological functions from Dpp1p and Lpp1p lipid phosphate phosphatases that utilize a variety of substrates that include phosphatidate. Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is a major mechanism by which Pah1p PAP activity is regulated. Pah1p is phosphorylated by cytosolic-associated Pho85p-Pho80p, Cdc28p-cyclin B, and protein kinase A and is dephosphorylated by the endoplasmic reticulum-associated Nem1p-Spo7p phosphatase. The dephosphorylation of Pah1p stimulates PAP activity and facilitates the association with the membrane/phosphatidate allowing for its reaction and triacylglycerol synthesis.
A Geometric Terrain Methodology for Global Optimization

Global optimization remains an important area of active research. Many macroscopic and microscopic applications in science and engineering still present formidable challenges to current global optimization techniques. In this work, a completely different, novel and general geometric framework for continuous global optimization is described. The proposed methodology is based on intelligent movement along the valleys and ridges of an appropriate objective function using downhill, local minimization calculations defined in terms of a trust region method and uphill integration of the Newton-like vector field combined with intermittent SQP corrector steps. The novel features of the proposed methodology include new rigorous mathematical definitions of valleys and ridges, the combined use of objective function and gradient surfaces to guide movement, and techniques to assist both exploration and termination. Collisions with boundaries of the feasible region, integral curve bifurcations, and the presence of non-differentiabilities are also discussed. A variety of examples are used to make key concepts clear and to demonstrate the reliability, efficiency and robustness of terrain methods for global optimization.
Adaptations of amphibian arginase. II. Response to temperature.

Abstract 1. 1. The effect of temperature on the kinetic properties (Michaelis constant and maximum velocity) and specific activity of Rana pipiens liver and kidney arginase and purified bovine arginase was studied. 2. 2. Winter R. pipiens were found to have lower kidney and liver arginase Michaelis constants than summer R. pipiens, however, the maximum velocity did not vary with season. 3. 3. Incubation at 2°C resulted in a lower value for liver and kidney arginase K m than incubation at 25°C in R. pipiens. 4. 4. There was no difference in bovine arginase K m when incubation at 2°C was compared with incubation at 25°C.
Negotiated environmental and occupational health and safety agreements in the United States: lessons for policy

The interest in so-called voluntary approaches to supplement or replace formal environmental, or occupational health and safety regulation has taken on new importance in both Europe and the United States. These approaches fall into two sharp divisions: (1) industry-initiated codes of good practice focusing on environmental management systems or performance goals, and (2) negotiated agreements between government and individual firms or industry sector trade associations focusing on regulation or compliance. This paper addresses the latter. In the United States, the motivations behind negotiated agreements are manifold and sometimes contradictory including desires (1) to facilitate the achievement of legislated or mandatory environmental goals by introducing flexibility and cost-effective compliance measures, (2) to negotiate levels of compliance (standards) fulfilling legislative mandates, (3) to negotiate legal definitions of Best Available Technology and other technology-based requirements, and (4) to weaken environmental initiatives. Efforts in furtherance of negotiated agreements have thus been greeted with mixed results by the various stakeholders. In the context of an anti-regulatory climate in the United States, the Administrative Procedures Act has been amended to allow “negotiated rulemaking” in achieving regulatory agency mandates. However, even before this legal innovation, regulatory agencies have been negotiating regulations. Independent of this legal avenue, negotiated compliance with industry associations is being fostered through the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) “Commonsense Initiative” and with individual firms through “EPA's Project XL”, again with mixed reception. The proposed paper describes and analyses negotiated agreements in the United States in the context of (1) EPA efforts to ensure environmental protection and (2) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration efforts to ensure worker health and safety. These agreements can be described according to the following taxonomy: (a) Negotiated regulation (either preceding formal regulation or as a substitute for formal regulation); (b) Negotiated compliance (implementing regulation or informal agreements) (i) the means and timetable for coming into compliance with emission, effluent, or concentration requirements (ii) negotiation in the context of an enforcement action in which the firm is out of legal compliance (for example, encouraging cleaner production through the leveraging of penalty reductions). The criteria for evaluation include: environmental or health and safety outcomes, effects on stimulating technological change, time for development (time to completion)/implementation (likelihood of court challenge), stakeholder influence (ability of large firms to dominate outcome, environmentalists–industry, or labour–management balance of power),and administrative features.
The Land of Lincoln: Genesis of a Vernacular Region

Abraham Lincoln is prominent in the business names across central Illinois. A review of Lincoln place and business names serves as the source to delimit the vernacular "Land of Lincoln." Lincoln as a town name is common in Illinois, although the state is not prominent as part of the overall nationalistic place-naming enterprise. Business names associated with the popularization of travel to Lincoln historic sites and the state's promotion of central Illinois as Mr. Lincoln's country serve as a gauge of the rise and extent of the Land of Lincoln. Within Illinois, the vernacular region focuses on Springfield and trends to the southeast where the Lincoln family entered the state.
t-designs in classical association schemes

Thet-designs in the eight infinite families of classical association schemes are characterized.
Binding energies for the inner hydration shells of Ca2+: An experimental and theoretical investigation of Ca2+(H2O)x complexes (x = 5–9)

Abstract The sequential bond energies of Ca2+(H2O)x complexes, where x = 5–9, are determined by collision-induced dissociation (CID) using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer with a recently developed electrospray ionization source. To our knowledge, this represents the first quantitative threshold CID study of multiply charged ions. The kinetic energy dependent cross sections are determined over a wide energy range to monitor all possible dissociation products and are modeled to obtain 0 and 298 K binding energies for loss of a single water molecule. These binding energies decrease monotonically for the Ca2+(H2O)5 complex to Ca2+(H2O)7 and plateau for Ca2+(H2O)7, Ca2+(H2O)8, and Ca2+(H2O)9. This suggests that six water molecules bind directly to the calcium ion and that three outer shell water molecules bind to inner shell water molecules through similar binding motifs. Our experimental results agree well with previous literature results obtained by equilibrium and BIRD studies. We also present an in-depth theoretical study of the structures and energetics of the Ca2+(H2O)x systems, employing several levels of theory. The present theoretical results focus on the larger hydrates (x = 8 and 9) where multiple low lying conformations are possible and there is little previous theory.
Synthesis of Na- and K-clinoptilolite endmembers

We report here the first synthesis of endmembers Na- and K-clinoptilolite. Na, K-clinoptilolites, formed principally in nature by the alteration of siliceous volcanic ash and tuffs deposited in the ocean or in continental saline, alkaline lakes, are the most abundant zeolites occurring as minerals. However, it has been found difficult to delineate in the laboratory the conditions which lead to the crystallization of these minerals at low-temperature and low-pressure conditions. In the reactant systems studied and in a temperature range 120–200 °C at autogenous pressure, Na-clinoptilolite crystallized with the addition of a small amount (1%) of seed crystals, and K-clinoptilolite was synthesized with or without seed. Intermediate Na, K-clinoptilolites also crystallized in the seeded and unseeded systems. Coexisting phases, depending on the reactant composition, included mordenite, phillipsite, gismondine (zeolite P1) and K-feldspar. An experimental basis has now been established to determine the kinetics and paragenesis of this zeolite occurring in very large amounts in ocean and continental sediments.
Analysis of the cytotoxic effects of ruthenium-ketoconazole and ruthenium-clotrimazole complexes on cancer cells

Ruthenium-based compounds have intriguing anti-cancer properties, and some of these novel compounds are currently in clinical trials. To continue the development of new metal-based drug combinations, we coupled ruthenium (Ru) with the azole compounds ketoconazole (KTZ) and clotrimazole (CTZ), which are well-known antifungal agents that also display anticancer properties. We report the activity of a series of 12 Ru–KTZ and Ru–CTZ compounds against three prostate tumor cell lines with different androgen sensitivity, as well as cervical cancer and lymphoblastic lymphoma cell lines. In addition, human cell lines were used to evaluate the toxicity against non-transformed cells and to establish selectivity indexes. Our results indicate that the combination of ruthenium and KTZ/CTZ in a single molecule results in complexes that are more cytotoxic than the individual components alone, displaying in some cases low micromolar CC50 values and high selectivity indexes. Additionally, all compounds are more cytotoxic against prostate cell lines with lower cytotoxicity against non-transformed epidermal cell lines. Some of the compounds were found to primarily induce cell death via apoptosis yet weakly interact with DNA. Our studies also demonstrate that the cytotoxicity induced by our Ru-based compounds is not directly related to their ability to interact with DNA.
Plaque-based sub-blistering dosimetry: Reaching PASI-75 after two treatments with 308-nm excimer laser in a generalized psoriasis patient

AbstractBackground: Generalized UVB phototherapy has been established as an effective and safe treatment for chronic plaque-type psoriasis for decades and in recent years, targeted 308-nm excimer laser has emerged as an equally safe and more effective treatment option. While traditional dosimetry for laser has been determined either through minimal erythema dose (MED) or a combination of the patient’s Fitzpatrick skin type and the level of plaque induration, we have developed “Plaque-based Sub-blistering Dosimtery” based on observations that administering anywhere from 8 to 16 multiples of MED to psoriatic plaques has resulted in clearance after one treatment with longer remission rates than the traditional dosing protocol.Case report: The authors describe a case in which a patient achieved PASI 75 following only two treatments with 308 nm excimer laser using this new protocol. Biopsies taken before and after treatment reveal a dramatic decrease in CD4 + T cells as well as TNF-alpha- and IL-2-producing T ...
Tribological Behavior of SiC‐Whisker/Al2O3 Composites against Carburized 8620 Steel in Lubricated Sliding

Mineral oil lubricated sliding tests of Sic-whisker (SiCw,)/A1203 composites and monolithic alumina against carburized 8620 steel were conducted on a cylinder-on-cylinder machine. The wear rate of the composites was one or two orders of magnitude less than that of pure alumina. Hot-pressed 25 wt% SiCw,/A1203 composite had a lower wear rate than sintered and HIPed 7.5 wt% SiC/Al2O3 composite under the same conditions. The weight loss of the steel mating ring against the 25 wt% SiCw, composite was a factor of four lower than against the 7.5 wt% SiCw, composite, but the former was a factor of 50 to 60 less than that against pure alumina. The composites showed lower friction coefficients than alumina during the run-in stage. The friction coefficients decreased with initial wear. The steady-state friction coefficient decreased with increasing load up to 500 N for hot-pressed 25 wt% SiC,/Al203 composite. Further, SEM observation showed much less microfracture in composites than in alumina. EDAX analysis revealed less Fe transfer from the steel ring to the composites than to pure alumina. Wear by microfracture and by adhesion in composites was suggested to be suppressed by SIC whiskers. This in turn reduced wear of the steel because of the generation of fewer hard particles.
Symbiotic Relationship Between Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) and Fusarium solani (Moniliales: Tuberculariaceae)

We found evidence of a symbiotic relationship between Fusarium solani (Martius) and Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari). Females of H. hampei colonizing coffee beans infested with F. solani produced significantly more progeny than those colonizing sterile beans. Beans infested by F. solani had significant amounts of ergosterol, which was not present in sterile beans. Fecundity and survival of H. hampei was positively correlated with the content of ergosterol in their diet. Other evidence of symbiosis includes the presence of F. solani spores caught in cuticular protuberances, known as asperites, on the pronotal area of female H. hampei. The asperites are flat and arranged in a radial pattern presenting a pronounced inclination directed to the center of this radial pattern which originates at a protuberance on the pronotal area. The asperites appear to increase the chances of fungal deposition on the pronotum when female beetles bore into infested coffee beans. The existence of a mutualistic association between H. hampei and F. solani and the role of the pronotal structures as primitive mycangia are discussed.
An Unreasonable Argument against Student Free Speech.

Abstract The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Morse v. Frederick (2007), perhaps better known as the “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” case, contains a widely reported concurrence by Justice Clarence Thomas. Challenging well-established precedent, Thomas argues that students should have no constitutional rights in school. In this essay David Blacker argues that, while philosophically interesting, Thomas’s argument is unreasonable on legal hermeneutic grounds and should therefore be rejected, even by those who may be sympathetic to its conclusions. Toward his own argument, Blacker provides, first, an account of what is reasonable and unreasonable in the juridical context of the students’ rights debate and, second, an explanation of how Thomas’s argument fits into the “unreasonable” category. Still further toward these ends, Blacker analyzes the Morse case in light of the current constitutional framework for student free-speech rights (with a heuristic). He concludes with speculation about the role nostalgia plays in Thomas’s line of reasoning.
The utility of genetics in marine fisheries management: a simulation study based on Pacific cod off Alaska

Information on genetic population structure has been documented in many marine fish species, but it is not always incorporated into management plans. This study examines how conservation status and...
Factors associated with utilization of healthcare resources among epilepsy patients.

Summary Purpose To determine those variables associated with utilization of healthcare resources in epilepsy patients. Methods We interviewed 256 epilepsy patients. Target variables included the number of clinic visits, ER visits and in-patient admissions over the past year and AEDs currently being used. Predictor variables were age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income, insurance, seizure frequency and QOLIE-10 results. We used univariate analysis to determine those factors associated with the target variables and multivariate analysis to ascertain those independently significant. Results On univariate analysis, higher seizure frequency and poorer QOLIE-10 scores were associated with the number of clinic visits, ER visits and in-patient admissions. Increased seizure frequency and male gender were associated with higher use of AEDs. Using ordinal logistic regression, QOLIE-10 scores was the only variable associated with the number of clinic visits. Both seizure frequency and QOLIE-10 scores were independently associated with the number of in-patient admissions while seizure frequency and male gender remained independently associated with AED use. Using binary logistic regression, QOLIE-10 scores and seizure frequency were independently associated with the number of ER visits. Conclusion Seizure frequency and quality of life are major factors associated with utilization of healthcare resources in epilepsy patients.
A Blast-Load Calculation for a Simple Open Structure

The main challenge of this project is to determine whether the state-of-the-art hydrocode (MAZ) can accurately predict the blast loads on a simple open structure. The structure being considered is a 30’ × 30’ square slab raised to an elevation of 14’ by four 2’ × 2’ square posts at the corners. A blast calculation was performed to determine the pressure loads on the lower surface of the slab when a small charge of TNT is detonated below its center. The predicted pressure-time histories at selected locations on the lower surface of the slab were given to the experimentalists for gage ranging purposes prior to the tests. The posttest comparison of the measured and predicted pressure-time histories show excellent agreement in the peaks and impulses associated with the first pulse. However, the predicted second pulse arrived much earlier than the measured second pulse. Since the origin of the second pulse is expected to be a result of the collapse of the initial void created by the expansion of the first blast, a posttest calculation is made with a much larger but coarser grid to calculate this late-time collapse. The posttest calculation showed a second pulse that is in agreement with the measured. We conclude that MAZ is able to accurately predict the blast loads; but, the capacity of the current class of desktop machines often forces the analysts to break up physical problems into manageable pieces. Despite the rapid advances in desktop computers, a significant amount of engineering judgment is still required in practice.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Maternal Employment and Child Behavioral Outcomes A Household Economics Analysis

This research employs the household economics approach to study the effects of maternal employment and substitute child care on the social behavior of a national sample of 4- and 5-year-old children. Mothers from the National Longitudinal Survey's youth cohort were asked to rate their child's social behavior using items from the Behavioral Problems Index. The household economics approach predicts that behavioral outcomes for children of employed mothers will differ from those of children whose mothers were not employed to the extent that the substitution of market goods and services for nonmarket goods and services is imperfect. The study tests three hypotheses analyzing the interactions of family income and emotional support level with indicators of maternal employment and use of substitute child care. In general, the findings do not support the contention that maternal employment is associated with negative behavioral outcomes for young children. The findings of this and related studies suggest redirect...
Trajectory and flow properties for a rod spinning in a viscous fluid. Part 1. An exact solution

An exact mathematical solution for the low-Reynolds-number quasi-steady hydrodynamic motion induced by a rod in the form of a prolate spheroid sweeping a symmetric double cone is developed, and the influence of the ensuing fluid motion upon passive particles is studied. The resulting fluid motion is fully three-dimensional and time varying. The advected particles are observed to admit slow orbits around the rotating rods and a fast epicyclic motion roughly commensurate with the rod rotation rate. The epicycle amplitudes, vertical fluctuations, arclengths and angle travelled per rotation are mapped as functions of their initial coordinates and rod geometry. These trajectories exhibit a rich spatial structure with greatly varying trajectory properties. Laboratory frame asymmetries of these properties are explored using integer time Poincare sections and far-field asymptotic analysis. This includes finding a small cone angle invariant in the limit of large spherical radius whereas an invariant for arbitrary cone angles is obtained in the limit of large cylindrical radius. The Eulerian and Lagrangian flow properties of the fluid flow are studied and shown to exhibit complex structures in both space and time. In particular, spatial regions of high speed and Lagrangian velocities possessing multiple extrema per rod rotation are observed. We establish the origin of these complexities via an auxiliary flow in a rotating frame, which provides a generator that defines the epicycles. Finally, an additional spin around the major spheroidal axis is included in the exact hydrodynamic solution resulting in enhanced vertical spatial fluctuation as compared to the spinless counterpart. The connection and relevance of these observations with recent developments in nano-scale fluidics is discussed, where similar epicycle behaviour has been observed. The present study is of direct use to nano-scale actuated fluidics.
In situ quantification of spatial and temporal variability of hyporheic exchange in static and mobile gravel-bed rivers

Seepage meters modified for use in flowing water were used to directly measure rates of exchange between surface and subsurface water in a gravel- and cobble bed river in western Pennsylvania, USA (Allegheny River, Qmean = 190 m3/s) and a sand- and gravel-bed river in Colorado, USA (South Platte River, Qmean = 9·7 m3/s). Study reaches at the Allegheny River were located downstream from a dam. The bed was stable with moss, algae, and river grass present in many locations. Median seepage was + 0·28 m/d and seepage was highly variable among measurement locations. Upward and downward seepage greatly exceeded the median seepage rate, ranging from + 2·26 (upward) to − 3·76 (downward) m/d. At the South Platte River site, substantial local-scale bed topography as well as mobile bedforms resulted in spatial and temporal variability in seepage greatly in exceedence of the median groundwater discharge rate of 0·24 m/d. Both upward and downward seepage were recorded along every transect across the river with rates ranging from + 2·37 to − 3·40 m/d. Despite a stable bed, which commonly facilitates clogging by fine-grained or organic sediments, seepage rates at the Allegheny River were not reduced relative to those at the South Platte River. Seepage rate and direction depended primarily on measurement position relative to local- and meso-scale bed topography at both rivers. Hydraulic gradients were small at nearly all seepage-measurement locations and commonly were not a good indicator of seepage rate or direction. Therefore, measuring hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivity at in-stream piezometers may be misleading if used to determine seepage flux across the sediment-water interface. Such a method assumes that flow between the well screen and sediment-water interface is vertical, which appears to be a poor assumption in coarse-grained hyporheic settings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of spatio-temporal regional features For 3D face analysis

3D facial representations have been widely used for face recognition and facial expression recognition. Both local and global features can be extracted from either static or dynamic models in both spatial and temporal domains. 3D local features are referred to the features in regional facial areas while 3D global features are referred to the features from the entire facial region. In this paper, we address the issue of performance assessment of facial analysis in terms of global features versus local features, static models versus dynamic models, and spatial domain versus temporal domain. Based on the existing work of using 3D spatio-temporal HMM for facial analysis, we propose to extend it to a local-temporal HMM in order to provide an explicit comparison of global features and local features. A dynamic 3D facial expression database and a static facial expression database are used for experiments. The performance for six prototypic facial expression classification and face identification is analyzed and reported.
Reliable Anonymous Multicasting in Disruption Tolerant Networks

Disruption tolerant networks (DTNs) are characterized by opportunistic connectivity due to frequent network partitioning. Protocols used in wired and wireless networks have assumed the existence of end-to-end paths from a source to a destination, which is not true in DTNs applications. Our focus in this work is to propose a scheme that deterministically guarantees message delivery to all multicast receivers in DTNs making controlled use of non-multicast nodes to reduce message delivery latency. The paper also introduces a new measure called termination delay and simulation results show that our scheme has much smaller termination delay than schemes in literature. Second, we extend our reliability scheme to provide anonymity of multicast receivers in the group. We show through simulations that even in the presence of malicious nodes the performance degradation of message delivery latency and termination latency is not any worse than schemes currently proposed in literature.
ComicKit: acquiring story scripts using common sense feedback

At the Media Lab we are developing a resource called StoryNet, a very-large database of story scripts that can be used for commonsense reasoning by computers. This paper introduces ComicKit, an interface for acquiring StoryNet scripts from casual internet users. The core element of the interface is its ability to dynamically make common-sense suggestions that guide user story construction. We describe the encouraging results of a preliminary user study, and discuss future directions for ComicKit.
Diffusion in glassy polymers

Two versions of the free-volume theory of diffusion are compared by considering differences in the predictions for the activation energy for the diffusion process. A number of data-theory comparisons for free-volume theory are discussed and evaluated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 785–788, 2003
Room-Temperature Time–Resolved Photoluminescence Studies of UV Emission from GaN/AlN Quantum Wells

Room temperature time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) studies of multiple quantum well (MQW) structures of the binaries GaN and AlN grown by molecular beam epitaxy are reported. The eventual application of these structures is for GaN intersubband IR light emitters. However, as an initial study, the structures are evaluated at UV to investigate materials parameters relevant to IR light emission. The nominally 0.9, 1.3 and 1.5 nm GaN quantum wells are clad by 6nm of AlN on top of a thick AlN buffer grown on sapphire. All samples consisted of 20 quantum wells. The observed peak energy of the emission spectrum is in excellent agreement with a model that includes the strong confinement present in these structures and the existence of the large built-in piezoelectric field and spontaneous polarization present inside the wells. Furthermore, consistent with screening of the in-well field as carriers are injected in the well, a clear blue shift of the emission is observed at short times after carrier injection. Subsequently, as the carriers recombine, the peak emission red-shifts and the screening of the field is reduced. Moreover, the observed lifetimes were energy dependent as should be expected from field dependent elongation of lifetimes due to spatial separation of the injected carriers. Specifically, the decay time at high energies can be fitted by a stretched exponential with a beta value of 0.8 which is consistent with carrier spatial separation. The lifetimes obtained from the fitting are of the order of 1ns, longer than the reported recombination lifetimes in similar GaN/AlGaN MQW’s. On the low energy side of the PL feature the intensity time decay becomes exponential with lifetimes ranging from 3 to 10ns. The strong UV emission at room temperature makes these structures promising for UV emitters.
The effects of modifiers in supercritical fluid chromatography

Investigations have been initiated to examine the basic elements of resolution and how they vary individually and collectively in terms of modifiers used in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Capacity factors (k′) have been determined for a mixture of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons from SFC experiments as function of modifier identity and concentration using different stationary phases. Using carbon dioxide as the primary mobile phase, the modifiers investigated included methanol, 2-methoxy ethanol, 1-propanol, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetonitrile, sulfur hexafluoride, and freon 11.