cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Five Facet of Mindfulness Questionnaire

The Five Facet of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is widely used to assess mindfulness. The present study provides a psychometric evaluation of the FFMQ that includes item response theory (IRT) analyses and evaluation of item characteristic curves. We administered the FFMQ, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Ruminative Response Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to a heterogenous sample of 240 community-based adults. We estimated internal consistency reliability, item-scale correlations, categorical confirmatory factor analysis, and IRT graded response models for the FFMQ. We also estimated correlations among the FFMQ scales and correlations with the other measures included in the study. Internal consistency reliabilities for the five FFMQ scales were 0.82 or higher. A five-factor categorical model fit the data well. IRT-estimated item characteristic curves indicated that the five response options were monotonically ordered for most of the items. Product-moment correlations between simple-summated scoring and IRT scoring of the scales were 0.97 or higher. The FFMQ accurately identifies varying levels of trait mindfulness. IRT-derived estimates will inform future adaptations to the FFMQ (e.g., briefer versions) and the development of future mindfulness instruments.
Utility of Motor and Somatosensory Evoked Potentials for Neural Thermoprotection in Ablations of Musculoskeletal Tumors

Abstract Purpose To characterize the utility of monitoring transcranial electrical motor evoked potentials (TCeMEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) for neural thermoprotection during musculoskeletal tumor ablations. Materials and Methods Retrospective review of 29 patients (16 male; median age, 46 y; range, 7–77 y) who underwent musculoskeletal tumor radiofrequency ablation (n = 8) or cryoablation (n = 22) with intraprocedural TCeMEP and SSEP monitoring was performed. The most common tumor histologies were osteoid osteoma (n = 6), venous malformation (n = 5), sarcoma (n = 5), renal cell carcinoma (n = 4), and non–small-cell lung cancer (n = 3). The most common tumor sites were spine (n = 22) and lower extremities (n = 4). Abnormal TCeMEP change was defined by 100-V increase above baseline threshold activation for a given myotome; abnormal SSEP change was defined by 60% reduction in baseline amplitude and/or 10% increase in latency. Results Abnormal changes in TCeMEP (n = 9; 30%) and/or SSEP (n = 5; 17%) occurred in 12 procedures (40%) and did not recover in 5 patients. Patients with unchanged TCeMEP/SSEP activities throughout the procedure (n = 18) did not have motor or sensory symptoms after the procedure; 3 (60%) with unrecovered activity changes and 2 (29%) with transient activity changes had new motor (n = 1) or sensory (n = 4) symptoms. Relative risk for neurologic sequelae for patients with unrecovered TCeMEP/SSEP changes vs those with transient or no changes was 7.50 (95% confidence interval, 1.66–33.9; P = .009). Conclusions Abnormal activity changes of TCeMEP or SSEP during percutaneous ablative procedures correlate with postprocedural neurologic sequelae.
Separation of electron-electron and electron-proton correlation in multicomponent orbital-optimized perturbation theory.

The multicomponent orbital-optimized second-order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory (OOMP2) method is the first multicomponent MP2 method that is able to calculate qualitatively accurate protonic densities, protonic affinities, and geometrical changes due to nuclear quantum effects in multicomponent systems. In this study, two approximations of the multicomponent OOMP2 method are introduced in an effort to demonstrate that, in orbital-optimized multicomponent methods, performing the orbital-optimization process with only electron–proton correlation is sufficient to obtain accurate protonic properties. Additionally, these approximations should reduce the computational expense of the multicomponent OOMP2 method. In the first approximation, the first-order wave function is written as a linear combination of one-electron one-proton excitations rather than as a linear combination of one-electron one-proton and two-electron excitations as in the original multicomponent OOMP2 method. Electron–electron correlation is included perturbatively after the orbital-optimization procedure has converged. In the second approach, the first approximation is further modified to neglect all terms in the orbital-rotation gradients that depend on the two-electron molecular-orbital integrals, which, assuming a fixed-sized protonic basis set, reduces the computational scaling for the orbital-optimization iterations to Ne3, where Ne is a measure of the electronic system size, compared to the Ne5 scaling of the original multicomponent OOMP2 method. The second approximation requires one Ne5 step after orbital convergence to compute the electron–electron correlation energy. The accuracy of the calculated protonic densities, protonic affinities, and optimized geometries of these approximations is similar or improved relative to the original multicomponent OOMP2 method.
Risk factors for increased shoulder Cutibacterium acnes burden.

Background Cutibacterium acnes is the primary cause of shoulder surgery infections, but the predisposition to larger skin counts and potentially higher risk for postoperative infection remains unclear. This study aimed to quantify risk factors influencing endogenous C. acnes burden and to compare counts among 4 shoulder sites. Methods C. acnes counts were quantified via a detergent scrub technique for 173 participants. Bivariate and multivariable stepwise linear regression statistical analyses were used to investigate the association of sex, age, ethnicity, degree of hirsutism, diabetes, smoking status, body mass index, and location with counts. A separate Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed analyzing counts of East/Southeast Asians vs. all other ethnicities. Results Sex, age, degree of hirsutism, diabetes, smoking status, and body mass index were included in the multivariable stepwise linear regression analysis. The multiple regression analysis isolated individuals <40 years with the highest burden (P = .001). Males had a 191% increase in C. acnes counts compared with females (P = .001). Increased hirsutism was further indicated to be a risk factor for the male sex although not in a dose-dependent manner (P = .027). Wilcoxon rank-sum test results found that East/Southeast Asians had the lowest load (P = .019), although not significant in the multivariate model. Conclusion Surgical site C. acnes infections occur more frequently in younger males, and males <40 years with shoulder-specific hirsutism have the highest preoperative burden. East/Southeast Asians have lower raw counts of C. acnes compared with other ethnicities that may be related to less hirsutism.
Stochastic phenotypic switching in endothelial cell heterogeneity

Abstract Ubiquitous biological noise—random variation in the rate of molecular processes—is known to result in variable gene expression among isogenic cells. Such heterogeneity can synergize with phenotypic plasticity of the regulatory system to generate functionally distinct, dynamic phenotype-mosaics. Here we discuss parallels between phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental versus noise-driven variation. In a case study of in vivo mosaic heterogeneity, we detail evidence that in mice the endothelial von Willebrand factor (vWF) gene is expressed in a mosaic ON/OFF pattern in several capillary beds. This vWF mosaicism is dynamic; clonal analysis of cultured endothelial cells indicates that it is generated by random transitions of a noise-sensitive bistable switch. Finally, the hearts of vWF-null mice show abnormal capillary structure and cardiac dysfunction. Our findings suggest that stochastic phenotype switching may be a homeostatic strategy in the adult vasculature, and more generally, a requirement of healthy tissue function.
A diffusion synthetic acceleration approach to k-eigenvalue neutron transport using PJFNK

Abstract This paper investigates a diffusion synthetic acceleration (DSA) approach to the k-eigenvalue problem of the neutron transport equation. The novelties of this study reside in 1) casting the low-order diffusion equation directly as a nonlinear problem, which is solved with the PJFNK (preconditioned Jacobian-free Newton Krylov) method, circumventing the need for power iteration; 2) showing the appealing features on solving the diffusion equation with DSA compared with nonlinear diffusion acceleration (NDA) with a simplified model of ATR (Advanced Test Reactor); 3) proposing the DSA weak form for the discretization scheme with SAAF (self-adjoint angular flux) formulation that is stable with anisotropic scatterings; 4) showing the impact of the vacuum boundary coefficient of the low-order equation on the convergence of DSA. Both DSA and NDA are implemented in and tested with Rattlesnake code, the INL MOOSE-based radiation transport application for multi-physics modeling and simulations.
Curbside Consultation for the Nurse Practitioner: Qualitative Inquiry for Education, Policy, and Practice

Background and purpose Curbside consultation (CC), defined as pursuing information or recommendation regarding patient care, without request for formal consultation is a favored information source for nurse practitioners (NPs) when making clinical decisions in practice settings. Research and education concerning CC among NPs is lacking. The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of NP perceptions of interpersonal aspects of the CC process to inform NP clinical practice and education. Methods Qualitative descriptive design and inductive content analysis was used. Twenty primary care and specialty care NP were recruited using purposive sampling for conduct of individual interviews. Results Content analysis identified themes describing interpersonal components of the CC process. NP practiced in collaboration with physicians in variable roles within primary care and specialty care settings. These collaborations varied dependent upon supervisory relationships with physicians. Additional themes concerned NP professional experience and characteristics of experts desired for CC. These characteristics included NP perceptions of colleague experience and expertise, trust, and interpersonal relationship dynamics. Implications for practice CC processes for NPs are multidimensional, including interpersonal themes as components of this communication exchange. Given CC is a highly utilized resource for NPs, further inquiry is critical for understanding of its implications for NP practice, policy, and education internationally.
THE MOLECULAR ORGANIZATION OF SENDAI VIRUS NUCLEOCAPSIDS

ABSTRACT. The core of Sendai virus, a paramyxovirus, is a helical ribonucleoprotein (nucleocapsid) which is responsible for the synthesis of virus-specific RNAs. We report our progress on several approaches to understanding its structure:
Goose in the hole! A collection of goose bones from a medieval kiln site in Norfolk

Abstract A large collection of goose bones was recovered from excavations at Wheatcroft Farm, Bradwell, Norfolk. The goose bones were of particular interest due to the large quantity present and the presence of medullary bone in some of the specimens. All of the goose bones derived from two 11th-12th century contexts found in close association with a grain drying kiln and related sunken structure. The majority of the bones came from a single posthole. Evidence from body part representation, butchery marks and the occurrence of medullary bone is examined. Domestic geese are common on medieval sites in England and the element distribution and butchery marks are suggestive of waste from carcass preparation for cooking, with the meatiest elements largely having been removed. It seems possible that goose ‘crowns’ were being prepared and then cooked in or close to the kiln. The presence of medullary bone is unusual due to the more seasonal laying behaviour of geese compared to chickens and is examined in detail.
A Same-Genus Screening Approach Reveals Novel Effectors and New Possibilities for Investigating Chlamydia Pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that rely on secreted effector proteins to establish their intracellular niche. In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology, Yanatori et al. describe a screen for Chlamydia pneumoniae effectors, performed in Chlamydia trachomatis, which identified several new proteins that are translocated during infection (I. Yanatori, K. Miura, Y. S. Chen, R. H. Valdivia, F. Kishi, J Bacteriol 203:e00511-20, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00511-20). More broadly, they demonstrate how new genetic approaches in C. trachomatis can be used to characterize the virulence factors of other Chlamydia species.
Screen-Printed Fabric Antennas for Wearable Applications

In this paper, two antennas for wearable applications are presented, including the development of new antennas on fabric substrates for communication with in-body and outside the body sensors. The design process for fabrication via screen printing on fabric substrates is outlined using commercially available conductive inks. The effects of non-conductive, paint-based inks as interface layers between conductive elements and fabric substrates of coplanar keyhole fabric antennas is presented along with wash sustainability and its effects on antenna resonance at 5.8 GHz over time. Fabrication of screen-printed radio frequency identification tag antenna includes placement of the tag chip. Accessibility of the tag is assessed by comparing reader data to distance between the reader and the tag at 915 MHz.
Design of Asymmetric Gerotor Pumps

A method to generate an asymmetric gerotor gearset based on an elliptical outer gear tooth rotated about its center is presented. While this profile type has been known since the mid \(20^{\text {th}}\) century, it has yet to be discussed in scientific literature. A case study is performed to quantify the effects of asymmetry on the size, flow ripple, wear rate, and contact stress of two pumps with the same geometric displacement. The results showed that applying asymmetry can have either a positive or a negative effect on each of the performance goals depending on the values of the other input parameters.
A fuel savings and benefit analysis of reducing separation standards in the oceanic airspace managed by the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center

Abstract New or improved satellite-based technologies are being introduced to improve the surveillance and communication capabilities in remote airspace. We study the benefits of reducing the separation standards among flights in the oceanic airspace managed by the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (New York Oceanic) based on these technologies. We develop a model that simulates the activities of aircraft, pilots, and air traffic controllers (ATC) at the microscopic level to study the benefits of doing so in 2020 and 2025. With pessimistic assumptions on the reduced separation standards, the system-wide fuel savings within New York Oceanic are about (in million gallons) 2.25 in 2020 and 3.21 in 2025. After excluding additional variable cost, the monetary value of the fuel savings is about (in million 2018 US dollars) 3.65 and 6.38, respectively. The fuel benefits are more significant for aircraft with light or medium maximum takeoff weight. Some determinants of the workload of ATC and pilots can reduce by about 10% to 20%. With optimistic assumptions on the reduced standards, the corresponding statistics are about 2 to 3 times as high. This study can be used, for example, by air traffic control agencies to conduct benefit-cost analyses of adopting new/improved technologies, by airlines to develop strategies to make the best use of satellite services, and by satellite service providers to design service charging schemes and conduct market analysis.
Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna for Cognitive Radio

This paper presents a pattern reconfigurable cube antenna system that operates at 5.8 GHz (C-band). The antenna consists of four radiating units that are controlled by a reconfigurable feeding network placed in the center. Each unit is a printed four-element array antenna attached at the circumference of the rectangular feeding network to form the 3D cube structure. Therefore, the azimuthal plane can be covered by four 90-degree incremental sectors. The network is composed of a reflective SP8T RF switch and a novel microstrip line configuration that allows four output ports. The four array units are connected to these ports yielding a larger antenna array system. Thus, the reconfigurable antenna can achieve eight radiation patterns out of four radiating units. A single sector or two adjacent sectors can be scanned at any single time. The antenna maintains a well-matched condition at the frequency of interest for all the eight alternative radiation states. The antenna realized gain is greater than 9.5 dBic and 5 dBic for the case of 1 and 2 active radiating units, respectively. The antenna is suitable for cognitive radio applications thanks to the multiple radiation patterns it offers, allowing spatial filtering that can be applied in a varying electromagnetic environment.
EphA2 and Ephrin-A5 Guide Eye Lens Suture Alignment and Influence Whole Lens Resilience.

Purpose Fine focusing of light by the eye lens onto the retina relies on the ability of the lens to change shape during the process of accommodation. Little is known about the cellular structures that regulate elasticity and resilience. We tested whether Eph-ephrin signaling is involved in lens biomechanical properties. Methods We used confocal microscopy and tissue mechanical testing to examine mouse lenses with genetic disruption of EphA2 or ephrin-A5. Results Confocal imaging revealed misalignment of the suture between each shell of newly added fiber cells in knockout lenses. Despite having disordered sutures, loss of EphA2 or ephrin-A5 did not affect lens stiffness. Surprisingly, knockout lenses were more resilient and recovered almost completely after load removal. Confocal microscopy and quantitative image analysis from live lenses before, during, and after compression revealed that knockout lenses had misaligned Y-sutures, leading to a change in force distribution during compression. Knockout lenses displayed decreased separation of fiber cell tips at the anterior suture at high loads and had more complete recovery after load removal, which leads to improved whole-lens resiliency. Conclusions EphA2 and ephrin-A5 are needed for normal patterning of fiber cell tips and the formation of a well-aligned Y-suture with fiber tips stacked on top of previous generations of fiber cells. The misalignment of lens sutures leads to increased resilience after compression. The data suggest that alignment of the Y-suture may constrain the overall elasticity and resilience of the lens.
The Future of Quantum Theory of Angular Momentum

THE QUANTUM THEORY OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM began with Bohr’s enunciation of the rules for the quantization of orbital angular momentum in 1913, and the refinement of these rules by Sommerfeld [1] and Lande [2] within the framework of the old quantum theory. A basic result for angular momentum in modern quantum theory, which we call The First Fundamental Result, was given in the third foundational paper in 1926 by Born, Heisenberg, and Jordan [3], who not only gave the basic commutation relations for the components of the total angular momentum J, but all finite-dimensional Hermitian matrix representations of these components. Dirac [4] simultaneously deduced these basic commutation relations using his algebraic approach to quantum mechanics, and later gave a marvelously brief derivation of their matrix representations in his book [5]. Further developments, including the famous Pauli matrices and results relating to angular momentum selection rules for transitions in atomic systems, are given in the papers by Heisenberg and Jordan [6], Pauli [7], and Guttinger and Pauli [8]. These works, and the books by Born and Jordan [9] and Condon and Shortley [10], fixed the framework for much of the developments in angular momentum theory, which was hardly distinguishable from the general quantum theory in the context of which it was developed for the purpose of giving a consistent description of the spectra of atoms. Little emphasis was given to the universal and distinctive role of symmetry.
Surgical Management of Aortic Valve Stenosis

The time-tested management of patients with severe aortic stenosis has been surgical aortic valve replacement (sAVR). The advances in AVR have progressed over the last 60 years with developments in the heart lung machine, type of valve prosthesis, minimally invasive approaches, and transcatheter techniques. There are currently over 80 types of prosthetic valves available for use. This chapter will provide an overview of the various surgical approaches for AVR as well as the types of aortic valve prosthesis.
Comparing Spectroscopic Techniques for the Measurement of Phosphorus in Wastewater

Animal and plant wastes contain recoverable phosphorus that can be repurposed as fertilizer. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy are compared for the measurement of phosphorus in salt solutions, then wastes. There is no impact of nitrate or chloride on phosphate measurements by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, but high concentrations interfere with phosphorus measurement by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Greenhouse and swine waste can be analyzed by either technique, but more dilution is required for analysis by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and for swine waste. Swine waste has ∼8 times more phosphorus than greenhouse waste and is the more viable waste source for phosphorus recovery.
The Prospects of Cooperation in a Bipolar World

S WORLD politics freezes into a bipolar mold, policies in every sphere of human activity are affected by calculations of the relative strength of America and Russia. A good crop in Western Germany is chiefly evaluated, not in economic or humanitarian terms, but according to its effect upon Soviet-American power. The question whether Italy is to receive economic assistance is entangled with estimates of how the economic recuperation of the Italian peoples will affect the spread of communism. Whether Koreans or Chinese are to have medical aid becomes subordinated to the Russo-American balance of power in Asia. Every expansion of population, every decline in the death rate, every upswing in production, every drop or rise in the standard of living, every amelioration in the respect position of the colored peoples, every advance in scientific knowledge, every radio broadcast, every movement of students or traders or tourists or displaced persons across frontier lines, every addition to transportation facilities (by air, sea, or land), every movement of raw materials, foodstuffs, semi-processed products, machine tools or consumer goods: In a word every social change is promptly weighed in the scale pans of power and responded to accordingly. The prospects of cooperation depend upon whether the demands, expectations, and identifications of Russians and Americans can be modified to include cooperation.' It is no exaggeration to say that World War I was a traumatic shock to the West, mainly because it happened at all. Business civilization had a dream of its own, the legend of a peaceful, prosperous, and fraternal future. It was the dream told round the world by Cobden, who spoke of the perfectibility of man as the peoples of the earth learned to buy and sell freely in One Big Market.2 The businessman's utopia has not been unchallenged; and the princi-
Law and Economics: Empirical Dimensions

This article surveys the importance of empirical work in the economic analysis of law. It describes the history of economics as a positive science and then explains how the positivist approach has in recent years led to an increased emphasis on empirical scholarship within the field of law and economics.
A POU homeo domain protein related to dPOU-19/pdm-1 binds to the regulatory DNA necessary for vital expression of the Drosophila choline acetyltransferase gene.

Expression of the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) gene in Drosophila melanogaster is responsible for production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and is necessary for viability. In previous studies, we have shown that the regulatory region for normal ChAT expression is large and composed of multiple regulatory elements (Kitamoto et al., 1992; Kitamoto and Salvaterra, 1993). In this study, using various lengths of 5′ flanking DNA fused to wild type ChAT cDNA, we have defined a 0.3 kilobase (kb) region of the cis-regulatory DNA, which is essential for restoring viability of Cha lethal mutants. DNase I footprinting analysis of this 0.3 kb DNA revealed a protected 22 bp sequence that contains an octamer-like motif (ATTCAAAT) with one base difference from the consensus octamer motif (ATGCAAAT). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and Southwestern blot analysis confirmed the presence of specific binding factor(s) for the 22 bp sequence in embryo nuclear extracts, and competition studies established the importance of the octamer-like motif for high-affinity binding. Using the 22-mer as a probe, we have isolated a cDNA clone encoding the Drosophila POU homeo domain protein, dPOU-19/pdm-1, whose target genes and specific binding sequences have not been identified. We propose that vital expression of the Drosophila ChAT gene is regulated by a member of the dPOU-19/pdm-1 putative transcription factor family.
Reinforcement by carbon black considered as a rate process

Following a survey of the behaviour of elastomers loaded with carbon black, a mechanism of reinforcement is proposed which is based upon theDannenberg's concept of “mobile absorption” or “molecular slippage” of elastomer macromolecules on the carbon black surface, and treats their motion as a rate process. The behaviour of single molecular chains is described in detail.
SINR-based connectivity enhancement in wireless ad hoc networks

We address the issue of wireless ad hoc network connectivity by using a tail model that is derived from the signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR). The SINR model more accurately describes link connectivity than the traditionally used disk model in the real-world. We first assess the network connectivity by measuring the conductance of the network and find the bottleneck location of the network, and then deploy a relay node to improve the connectivity at the bottleneck. A partition algorithm is proposed to address the first problem, and an optimization problem is proposed to address the relay node deployment problem. The relay node deployment problem is solved by using approximate convex optimization models, and the approximation performance is analyzed. Simulation results show that the partition algorithm based on the SINR model identifies the network bottleneck more accurately than the previous methods based on the binary model. It also verifies that the relay node can significantly relieve the bottleneck and make the network more tightly knit.
Graph Ear Decompositions and Graph Embeddings (Extended Abstract)

Ear decomposition of a graph has been extensively studied in relation to graph connectivity. In this paper, a connection of ear decomposition to graph embeddings is exhibited. It is shown that constructing a maximumpaired ear decomposition of a graph and constructing a maximum-genus embedding of the graph are O (e log n)-time equivalent. This gives a polynomial time algorithm for constructing a maximum-paired ear decomposition.
A three-curves theorem for viscosity subsolutions of parabolic equations

We prove a three-curves theorem for viscosity subsolutions of fully nonlinear uniformly parabolic equations F(D 2 u, t, x) - u t = 0.
A statistical model of input glitch propagation and its application in power macromodeling

Power macromodeling technique can result in huge underestimation without the consideration of input glitches. In this paper, we propose a statistical model for the propagation of input glitches and their effects on circuit power consumption. Based on this model, we develop an analytical power macromodeling approach incorporating input glitches. Specifically, we divide the macromodel parameter space into three regions and characterize each region separately. We have evaluated the proposed technique on ISCAS85 and LGSynth93 benchmark circuits. Compared with switch level simulation results, the average power estimation errors are 1.8% and 3.1% for combinational and sequential circuits, respectively. Our model also provides useful insight for glitchy circuit identification and input glitch power reduction.
Distributed service and network management using intelligent filters

This work addresses two capabilities important to the management of distributed services. First, in order to be able to determine the root cause of a service-affecting fault, network management information must be correlated with service management information. Second, since distributed services often span many management domains, it must be possible to communicate trouble information securely from one management domain to another.
Angular Diameters of the Red Giants 46 Leo and ø AQR and Parameters of Some Binary Systems from Occultation Observations

Angular diameters of (0”.0056 ± 0.0011 and 0”.0049 ± 0.0008 have been calculated for the red giants 46 Leo and o Aqr respectively from occultation observations. The occultation curves of α Lib andƐCap show that they are binary systems. The separation of the components of the visual binary e Ari, as calculated from its occultation curve, is 1.3 times its reported value. The occultation curve of a Leo shows distortion effects which are attributed to irregularities in the lunar limb.
Some topics in regenerative steady-state simulation

This paper offers a short introduction to the regenerative method of steady-state simulation output analysis. The paper also contains several new results. In particular, it is shown that regenerative methods necessarily apply to steady-state simulations that are ‘well-posed’ in a certain precise sense. The paper also describes a bias-reduction algorithm that takes advantage of regenerative structure.
Fluid performance study for groove grinding a nickel-based superalloy using electroplated cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheels

The performance of three water-based grinding fluids was analyzed and compared to a neat oil tested under the same process conditions. Light optical and scanning electron microscopy observations show the mechanism of metal deposition that leads to CBN wheel failure for water-based fluids. To improve the performance of the water-based fluids, a new nozzle layout is proposed that would prevent metal deposition on the CBN wheels. The proposed solution is not chemical, but mechanical in nature and the presented setting should be optimized in the future to assure satisfactory performance of the CBN wheels with water-based fluids.
Kinetics and Mechanistic Studies on the Reaction between Cytochrome c and Tea Catechins

Green tea is characterized by the presence of an abundance of polyphenolic compounds, also known as catechins, including epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). In addition to being a popular beverage, tea consumption has been suggested as a mean of chemoprevention. However, its mode of action is unclear. It was discovered that tea catechins can react with cytochrome c. When oxidized cytochrome c was mixed with catechins commonly found in green tea under non-steady-state conditions, a reduction of cytochrome c was observed. The reaction rate of the catechins was dependent on the pH and the nature of the catechin. The pseudo-first order rate constant obtained increased in the order of EC < ECG < EGC < EGCG, which is consistent with previously reported superoxide reduction activities and Cu(2+) reduction activities of tea catechins.
Re-thinking country risk: insights from entrepreneurship theory

Abstract Though country risk analysis is a well-established field within international business, evidence indicates that established measures of country risk are unreliable predictors of actual volatility. Conventional strategies aimed at minimizing or otherwise avoiding downside risk are likely to yield limited results at best; at worst, these strategies will lead managers to miss entrepreneurial opportunities, which are likely to be greatest during conditions of disequilibrium. Drawing from entrepreneurship theory, I propose an alternative perspective from which to approach country risk. By focusing on both the downside and upside elements of country risk, strategies may be devised to harvest upside volatility while containing downside volatility. Rather than being something to always avoid, country risk becomes an opportunity to profit from uncertainty.
Experimental Measurements of the Thermal Conductivity of Nanoparticle Packed Beds

Experimental measurements of heat transfer across packed beds of ceramic and metallic nanoparticles are presented. Round disk-shaped cakes of nanoparticles approximately one millimeter thick and 6.75 millimeters diameter are produced by packing either copper or silica nanoparticles into a mold. The thermal conductivity of these packed beds are then determined using a Guard-Heated Calorimeter under steady state conditions. SEM imaging of the packed beds indicates that the copper nanoparticles are neither monosized nor entirely spherical while the silica nanoparticles, are both highly spherical and monosized. However, both packed beds were found to have very similar effective thermal conductivities. The thermal conductivity of the copper nanoparticle packed bed is found to be 0.054 ± 0.006 W/m°C, while the thermal conductivity of silica nanoparticle packed bed is found to be 0.018 ± 0.007 W/m°C. As a result, it is seen that, at least in this limited comparison, particle material and thermal conductivity (metal with high conductivity, or ceramic with low conductivity), as well as the regularity of the nanoparticle itself (size distribution and sphericity) appear to have a small effect on overall packed bed thermal conductivity.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Astaxanthin in the American flamingo.

THE flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber, derives from its dietary carotenoids the conspicuous rich pink to red colours of its feathers, tarsal and pedal skin and lower bill-mandible. Captive flamingos gradually lose their rich pigmentation unless appropriate dietary measures are taken. The presumptive role of crustacean carotenoids in supplying pigmentation to the birds in Nature is given some support by observations in zoos1 and by Manunta's2 reported recovery of an astacene-like carotenoid from the fat of a flamingo.
Intrinsic Curvature of DNA Influences LacR-Mediated Looping

Protein-mediated DNA looping is a common mechanism for regulating gene expression. Loops occur when a protein binds to two operators on the same DNA molecule. The probability of looping is controlled, in part, by the basepair sequence of inter-operator DNA, which influences its structural properties. One structural property is the intrinsic or stress-free curvature. In this article, we explore the influence of sequence-dependent intrinsic curvature by exercising a computational rod model for the inter-operator DNA as applied to looping of the LacR-DNA complex. Starting with known sequences for the inter-operator DNA, we first compute the intrinsic curvature of the helical axis as input to the rod model. The crystal structure of the LacR (with bound operators) then defines the requisite boundary conditions needed for the dynamic rod model that predicts the energetics and topology of the intervening DNA loop. A major contribution of this model is its ability to predict a broad range of published experimental data for highly bent (designed) sequences. The model successfully predicts the loop topologies known from fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements, the linking number distribution known from cyclization assays with the LacR-DNA complex, the relative loop stability known from competition assays, and the relative loop size known from gel mobility assays. In addition, the computations reveal that highly curved sequences tend to lower the energetic cost of loop formation, widen the energy distribution among stable and meta-stable looped states, and substantially alter loop topology. The inclusion of sequence-dependent intrinsic curvature also leads to nonuniform twist and necessitates consideration of eight distinct binding topologies from the known crystal structure of the LacR-DNA complex.
A new approach to study adsorbed proteins on biomaterials: Immunogold staining

Immunogold staining techniques were applied to study the adsorption of fibrinogen and albumin on polymer surfaces. Colloidal gold particles were coated with antibodies (immunogold) and used to stain protein molecules adsorbed on surfaces. The two-dimensional distribution of immunogold particles was visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Since immunogold staining relies on antigen-antibody reactions, the distribution of fibrinogen and albumin on polymer surfaces could be observed even when both proteins were adsorbed simultaneously. The specific reaction also allows investigation of the change in orientation or conformation of one protein in the presence of the others. The surface distribution of fibrinogen and albumin was also examined on polymer surfaces which were exposed to blood in a canine ex vivo experiment. It was found that the sites where thrombi had embolized contained much less fibrinogen and albumin on them compared to portions of the surface where thrombi had not yet formed.
Solutions for correlations along the coexistence curve and at the critical point of a kagomé lattice gas with three-particle interactions.

We consider a two-dimensional (d=2) kagome lattice gas model with attractive three-particle interactions around each triangular face of the kagome lattice. Exact solutions are obtained for multiparticle correlations along the liquid and vapor branches of the coexistence curve and at criticality. The correlation solutions are also determined along the continuation of the curvilinear diameter of the coexistence region into the disordered fluid region. The method generates a linear algebraic system of correlation identities with coefficients dependent only upon the interaction parameter. Using a priori knowledge of pertinent solutions for the density and elementary triplet correlation, one finds a closed and linearly independent set of correlation identities defined upon a spatially compact nine-site cluster of the kagome lattice. Resulting exact solution curves of the correlations are plotted and discussed as functions of the temperature and are compared with corresponding results in a traditional kagome lattice gas having nearest-neighbor pair interactions. An example of application for the multiparticle correlations is demonstrated in cavitation theory.
A low-cost customized analog circuit design for optical coherence microscopy

Optical Coherence Microscopy (OCM) enables the acquisition of high resolution, en face images. Most current OCM systems are based on slow analog or high speed digital demodulation schemes. In this paper we demonstrate a low-cost, high speed analog fringe generation and demodulation method. A high power operational amplifier drives a mirrored piezoelectric stack mounted in the reference arm of the interferometer. The drive signal is synchronized with the demodulation frequency of two analog lock-in amplifiers, which extract the first and second harmonic power of the coherence fringes. Tenth order Bessel low-pass filters (LPFs) allow fast system response and reduce carrier frequency noise. Four outputs (X and Y components of first and second harmonic) are acquired with a low-cost data acquisition board and combined to eliminate the slow phase drift in the interferometer. C# software processes and displays the image, and performs automatic interferometer pathlength matching and adjustment. We present images of Arabidopsis leaf in situ, sections of carrot, and ex vivo rat ovary. Excellent image quality is achieved at acquisition speeds up to 40,000 samples/second.
Spectroscopy between parabolic states in hydrogen: Enhancement of the Stark-induced resonances in its photoionization

We present calculations of the photoionization spectrum of excited hydrogen using \ensuremath{\pi} polarization in the presence of a strong electric field as a function of the spherical (applicable to complex atoms) and parabolic quantum numbers of the excited state. We also present corresponding measurements of the photoionization yield from the individual parabolic states of n=2. Both the calculations and the measurements show an enhancement of the depth of the so-called ``Stark-induced modulation'' in the region E\ensuremath{\ge}0 when the initial excited state is a pure ${m}_{l}$=0 blue state, and disappear almost completely when the initial state is a pure ${m}_{l}$=0 red state. These results are understood using arguments based on the fact that the charge distribution of the Stark-induced states is tremendously extended up field. Because of the excellent signal to noise ratio of the enhanced modulations, we were able to measure the field dependence of the spacings with sufficient accuracy to confirm the (3/4) power law and rule out the recently suggested (2/3) power law.
RIGging an antiviral defense--it's in the CARDs.

How do cells fend off intracellular viruses that slip in below extracellular defensive 'radar screens'? The identification of a cytoplasmic RNA helicase that signals through CARD interactions links viral detection to the interferon-β induction pathway.
Kinks and the minimal surface equation in Minkowski space

Abstract The scalar field u is defined on 4 - D Minkowski space, and satisfies the nonlinear wave equation ϵ 2 □ u − V ′( u )=0 V(u) has minima at u = 0, 1 with V = 0. In the limit ϵ → 0 there are solutions in which regions with u = 0 or u = 1 are separated by layers of thickness ϵ about 3 - D time-like surfaces, called kinks. We show by singular perturbation analysis that the kink surfaces satisfy a minimal surface equation in Minkowski space. A kink with spherical time sections collapses to a point. But the generic fate of closed kinks is not necessarily collapse. We show that a kink with a microstructure of small ripples is stable against collapse. This result is based upon an asymptotic description of the coupling between large and small scales of kink geometry. The analysis is based upon Whitham's averaged Lagrangian method.
Nearest neighbor distances in uniform–random poly-dispersed microstructures

Abstract Nearest neighbor distributions are systematically studied in uniform–random microstructures containing impenetrable poly-dispersed spherical particles using computer simulation. The simulations are based on random sequential adsorption (RSA) algorithm. The computed nearest neighbor distance distributions and the mean nearest neighbor distances are unbiased and free of any edge effects. In the simulated microstructures, there are no spatial correlations among the spheres of different sizes. It is shown that the mean nearest neighbor distance 〈D〉 depends only on the sphere volume fraction f, number density NV, and coefficient of variation (CV) of the sphere size distribution CV; it is not sensitive to the other attributes of the size distribution function such as skewness. The mean nearest neighbor distance can be calculated using the following simple equation, which is deduced from large number of simulation. 〈 D 〉 N V 1 / 3 = K 1 + B f f 0 2 / 3 − ( 1 − exp ( − C V ⋅ f ) ) where K = ( 4 / 3 π ) − 1 / 3 Γ ( 4 / 3 ) ≈ 0.55396 , B = 2 − 1 / 6 ( 4 3 π ) − 1 / 3 Γ ( 4 3 ) − 1 ≈ 1.02625 , and f0 is the volume fraction in a closed pack structure (i.e., π / 18 or ∼0.74).
Stapling of an aortic arch aneurysm

Saccular aneurysms of the aortic arch are usually managed with patch graft aortoplasty or with tube graft replacement. In either case, hypothermic circulatory arrest is necessary. The use of stapling devices has revolutionized pulmonary and gastrointestinal surgery; however, these instruments have rarely been used in aortic surgery except during thromboexclusion procedures. We present a simple and seemingly innovative stapling method that eliminates the need for circulatory arrest.
Emergent antibiotic resistance: health risks and economic impact.

Perhaps there is no greater challenge related to emerging infections than the parallel emergence of antibiotic resistance. The relative utility of available antibiotics is eroding, tipping the balance in favor of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and few new drugs appear to be on the horizon. This paper will not deal with molecular mechanisms associated with antibiotic resistance, but instead will address three pertinent questions raised in 1994 by two United States senators: what is the magnitude of the problem? how did we get where we are? and, what can we do about it? Emphasis will be given to the socioeconomic factors that are accelerating the emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms in the United States. In addressing these questions, the author drew heavily on the findings of two study groups comprised of clinicians and people from the pharmaceutical industry and the basic microbiologic research community — the American Society for Microbiology's Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance [1] and the US Office of Technology and Assessment Advisory Panel on Antibiotic Resistance [2]. These two groups were convened in 1994–95 to evaluate the then incipient public health ‘emergency’ and to make recommendations to reverse the alarming trends. The alarm portending the end of the antibiotic era in the United States sounded in 1989 when the rapid increase in antibiotic resistance to vancomycin in enterococci began. Before that time there were essentially no vancomycin-resistant enterococci. The 20-fold increase in incidence observed in the brief interval between January 1989 and March of 1993 was especially alarming, because enterococci are one of the most common cause of hospital-acquired infections in the United States and vancomycin is often the last and only effective antibiotic against these organisms [3]. At the same time, pneumococci, the leading cause of pneumonia and death in the elderly, and one of the leading …
A study of the seasonal migration of ITCZ and the quasi-periodic oscillations in a simple monsoon system using an energy balance model

A zonally averaged global energy balance model with feedback mechanisms was constructed to simulate (i) the poleward limits of ITCZ over the continent and over the ocean and (ii) a simple monsoon system as a result of differential heating between the continent and the ocean. Three numerical experiments were performed with lower boundary as (1) global continent, (2) global ocean and (3) continent-ocean, with freezing latitudes near the poles. Over the continent, midlatitude deserts were found and the ITCZ migrates 25° north and south with seasons. Over a global swamp ocean results do not show migration of ITCZ with time but once the ocean currents are introduced the ITCZ migrates 5° north and south with seasons. It was found that the seasonal migration of ITCZ strongly depends on the meridional distribution of the surface temperature. It was also found that continent influences the location of the oceanic ITCZ. In the tropics northward progression of quasi-periodic oscillations called “events” are found during the pre- and post-monsoon periods with a period of 8 to 15 days. This result is consistent with the observed quasi-periodic oscillations in the tropical region. Northward propagation of the surface temperature perturbation appears to cause changes in the sensible heat flux which in turn causes perturbations in vertical velocity and latent heat flux fields.