cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RECENT RENEWABLE ENERGY DRIVEN DESALINATION SYSTEM RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH-AMERICA

Abstract This paper summarizes the current status of renewable energy driven water desalination projects built or designed in North America. It considers both solar and wind energy as the energy sources. It discusses results of experimental projects and assessments that have been made of them. It also includes a discussion of advances in development of components that have been used in such systems. The following processes are considered: simple distillation, multistage flash distillation, freeze separation, vapor compression, electrodialysis, and reverse osmosis (RO). As indicated, the paper specifically addresses projects of North American origin. Among the most successful renewable energy driven plants to date have been those that use RO. Reverse osmosis is, in fact, the most commonly used method of conventionally powered desalination in the United States. For example, approximately 100 RO systems are known to be operating in Florida. For that reason a particular effort has been directed at describing those developments in RO technology in North America that can be applied in renewable energy driven applications. Similarly, advances in wind energy system design make wind turbines more readily usable for powering RO systems reliably and cost effectively than they could do so in the past. The paper discusses these advances in the context of desalination, and suggestions are made for future development which could further enhance wind energy's potential for use in desalination.
GaInAs/InP nanopillar arrays for long wavelength infrared detection

Nanopillar devices have been fabricated from GaInAs/InP QWIP material grown by MOCVD. Using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching techniques, large, regular arrays of nanopillars with controllable diameters ranging from 150 nm to less than 40 nm have been reproducibly formed. Photoluminescence experiments demonstrate a strong peak wavelength blue shift for nanopillar structures compared to the as-grown quantum well material. Top and bottom metal contacts have been realized using a polyimide planarization and etchback procedure. I-V and noise measurements have been performed. Optical measurements indicate photoconductive response in selected nanopillar arrays. Device peak wavelength response occurs at about 8 μm with peak device responsivity of 420 mA/W. Peak detectivity of 3×10 8 cmHz 1/2 /W has been achieved at -1V bias and 30 K.
The staged sequential development of the anus and rectum in human embryos and fetuses

Abstract Human embryos do not normally have an "external cloaca"; they have at the most, a slight anal depression, but no proctodeum. The division of the cloaca into the anus and urogenital sinus is a process which involves spatially continuous mesoblastic and endodermal proliferations of the cloacal wall. This results in the establishment of a horseshoe-shaped septum, which constricts onto the cloacal membrane because of cellular growth. The cloacal folds represent the heaped-up mesoblast around the cloacal orifice. Within the folds at the locus of the urorectal septum in front of the anus, the mesoblast is an inseparable part of the septal structure. In contradistinction, the separated anal tubercles fuse medially to separate the cloaca from the tailgut. These folds do not, however, contribute to the formation of an "external cloaca." The apparent cephalocaudal and dorsoventral growth is explicable within the recognized parameters of axial cell migrations and proliferations.
Naltrexone effects on diazepam intoxication and pharmacokinetics in humans

The opiate antagonist naltrexone (NTX) blocks relapse drinking in alcoholics and modifies some of the subjective effects of alcohol intoxication. Benzodiazepines have demonstrated cross-dependence and cross-tolerance to alcohol. Furthermore, benzodiazepine intoxication has effects on mood and psychomotor performance that are similar to alcohol intoxication. The effects of NTX on diazepam intoxication were investigated in non-drug abusing individuals. Eighteen men and eight women were randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg NTX or placebo PO, on two different occasions in a within-subjects, crossover, double-blind protocol. Diazepam was taken by mouth, 90 min after NTX. At -90, 45, 75, 135, 210 min, subjects were tested with repeated assessments of several mood and sensation scales and a computer-generated psychomotor test battery (CTB). Blood samples were also obtained and analyzed for serum diazepam levels. Diazepam induced several sensations and mood effects similar to those induced by alcohol. Negative mood states such as sedation, fatigue, and anxiety were higher for NTX than for placebo. Positive mood states such as friendliness, vigor, liking the effects of diazepam, and feeling high from diazepam were all lower for NTX than for placebo. There were no group differences on the CTB performance. NTX delayed the time to reach peak diazepam levels, so that peak levels occurred at 75 min for placebo compared to 135 min for NTX. A sub-analysis was conducted with 14 subjects who were FHP for alcoholism, but no differences were found on these outcome measures.
Application of Composite Fracture Models to Coated Fabrics

The primary mode of failure in structures composed of coated fabrics is often by means of propagation of a tear or crack. Fracture models used for metal structures have generally not worked well for these materials. This investigation pro vides an evaluation of several fracture models developed for continuous fiber com posites to predict failure in coated fabrics. The inherent flaw model, the point stress model, and the modified singularity model were all found to correlate well with ex perimental data from strength testing of coated fabrics.
The Rush Started Here II: Hard Rock Gold Mining in North Carolina, 1825 to 1864

From 1799 until the early 1830s, North Carolina's Piedmont had rich surface and near-surface gold deposits. Land owning farmers were interested in improving their finances through gold mining in the slow seasons. Those unable to work their deposits leased them to neighbors or landless prospectors for additional income. Over this thirty year period, the surface placer deposits were exhausted and ended the casual off-season gold mining. Dabblers and fair-weather farmers turned miners became entrepreneurs who sought investors for the hard rock mining necessaries of labor, machinery and processing technology. State government stepped in to help them by liberalizing the terms of incorporation for mining companies. The government support of mining stock companies facilitated private profits and improved the state (and ultimately federal) money supply by adding specie and advancing industrialization in mining and, contagiously, other industries and services such as textiles and the railroads. North Carolina's ea...
Productivity and quality improvement: an implementation framework

Most managers realise that their success is directly related to effective and continual implementation of process improvements in their organisations. A major managerial problem has been the inability to successfully implement change in many firms. Research shows that the effective application of team-oriented and data-focused total quality (TQ) improvement tools is not sufficient to assure the efficacious implementation of change. Nor were teams that utilised solely the logic tools of the theory of constraints (TOC) totally successful in implementing change in their organisations. Firms were more likely to achieve their improvement goals when they used a structured and repeatable method, rather than an ad hoc approach, for continuous improvement (CI). Viewing the situation from an operations management perspective, this paper presents a logical and well-structured framework for implementing the CI managerial philosophy to improve the productivity and quality of the organisation as a whole, as well as its work-performing processes.
Proving containment of bounded AFL

A study is made of necessary conditions in order for a bounded language V to be in the smallest [full] (semi-)AFL generated by a bounded language U. Two major classes of bounded languages are introduced. Specific necessary conditions are then derived for the case when U and V are both in one of these classes. For a wide variety of pairs (U, V) at least one of the necessary conditions is violated. The net result of these conditions is thus the establishment of techniques for proving that V is not in the smallest [full] (semi-)AFL generated by U. A typical example given is that the language is not in the smallest full AFL generated by the language .
Evidence against functionally significant aquaporin expression in mitochondria.

Abstract Recent reports suggest the expression of aquaporin (AQP)-type water channels in mitochondria from liver (AQP8) (Calamita, G., Ferri, D., Gena, P., Liquori, G. E., Cavalier, A., Thomas, D., and Svelto, M. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 17149–17153) and brain (AQP9) (Amiry-Moghaddam, M., Lindland, H., Zelenin, S., Roberg, B. A., Gundersen, B. B., Petersen, P., Rinvik, E., Torgner, I. A., and Ottersen, O. P. (2005) FASEB J. 19, 1459–1467), where they were speculated to be involved in metabolism, apoptosis, and Parkinson disease. Here, we systematically examined the functional consequence of AQP expression in mitochondria by measurement of water and glycerol permeabilities in mitochondrial membrane preparations from rat brain, liver, and kidney and from wild-type versus knock-out mice deficient in AQPs -1, -4, or -8. Osmotic water permeability, measured by stopped-flow light scattering, was similar in all mitochondrial preparations, with a permeability coefficient Pf ∼ 0.009 cm/s. Glycerol permeability was also similar (∼5 × 10–6 cm/s) in the various preparations. HgCl2 slowed osmotic equilibration comparably in mitochondria from wild-type and AQP-deficient mice, although the slowing was explained by altered mitochondrial size rather than reduced Pf. Immunoblot analysis of mouse liver mitochondria failed to detect AQP8 expression, with liver homogenates from wild-type/AQP8 null mice as positive/negative controls. Our results provide evidence against functionally significant AQP expression in mitochondria, which is consistent with the high mitochondrial surface-to-volume ratio producing millisecond osmotic equilibration, even when intrinsic membrane water permeability is not high.
Myocardial revascularization by means of cardiopneumopexy and ivalon graft.

Coronary heart disease is the leading single cause of death. Current methods of medical therapy are not adequate. Ancillary surgical aids may be of help in treatment of this disease. Cardiopneumopexy has been demonstrated in the laboratory and clinically to be an encouraging method of stimulating extracoronary and intracoronary collateral circulation. Ivalon grafts to by-pass the obstructed area in the coronary artery offer intriguing possibilities for the future. These surgical methods are no panacea; they are offered as actual and potential adjuncts to existing medical programs.
Absolute configurational assignments of secondary amines by CD-sensitive dimeric zinc porphyrin host.

A general chiroptical protocol for determination of absolute configuration of secondary amines including acyclic and cyclic aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, amino acids, and amino alcohols is described. The chiral substrate is linked to the achiral carrier moiety (3-N-Boc-amino-propyl-N-Boc-amino)acetic acid 1 (BocHNCH2CH2CH2BocNCH2COOH), which after deprotection, yields a bidentate conjugate, capable of forming a 1:1 host/guest complex with dimeric zinc porphyrin host 2. As in the cases of primary amines and secondary alcohols reported earlier, the complexation of secondary amine conjugates to porphyrin tweezer host 2 represents a stereodifferentiating process, where the large (L) group at the stereogenic center (assigned on the basis of conformational energies A value) protrudes from the porphyrin binding pocket. This leads to formation of host/guest complexes with a preferred porphyrin helicity that exhibit intense exciton split CD spectra. It was found that the chiral sense of porphyrin twist is cle...
The Cycling Performance and Surface Passivation Qualities of a Heterogeneous Amorphous NixSiOy/Polycrystalline NiSi2 Core Shell Nanowire Used as a Li-Ion Battery Anode

The cycling stability and the surface passivation qualities of a heterogeneous polycrystalline NiSi2/amorphous NixSiOy core-shell nanowires cycled in a Li ion half cell is reported. The nanowire morphology showed stable cycling and excellent charge rate capability having a stable capacity above 1700 mAh/g when cycled in a coin cell at 1/2 C and retaining a capacity of 300 mAhr/g when cycled at a 10 C charge rate. It is shown that the stable cycling is due to the passivation qualities of the oxide components within the amorphous shell which create a stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) during charging which is reduced during discharging through the conductive pathway provided by the Ni doping in the shell and NiSi2 in the core. The NiSi2 core interacts with Li through intercalation retaining its rigid core even while Li charged, the overall dimensions of the structure mitigate any pulverization issues, and the conductive core along with the Ni doping disallow any Li trapping leading to high columbic efficiency.
Biomechanical Evaluation of a 1-Stage Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Technique Using a Structural Bone Void Filler for Femoral Fixation

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a method of femoral fixation for complex revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions that would avoid a staged bone grafting approach. We evaluated the use of a calcium phosphate cement as a structural bone void filler that would allow for a single-stage revision ACL reconstruction with initial biomechanical properties equivalent to standard autologous bone–patellar tendon–bone primary ACL reconstruction. Methods We tested 11 matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric knees (N = 22). Controls were treated with autologous bone–patellar tendon–bone primary ACL reconstruction fixed with bioabsorbable interference screws with a 1-mm back wall. The contralateral knee of each pair had a large bone void created that would hamper subsequent femoral fixation to simulate revision ACL reconstruction conditions. This defect was filled with calcium phosphate cement arthroscopically. After solidification, the femoral tunnel was drilled through the bone void filler and native bone with a 1-mm back wall, allowing anatomic positioning. The autologous graft was then placed and fixed with a bioabsorbable interference screw. Specimens were then tested in an MTS machine (MTS Systems, Eden Prairie, MN) for load to failure according to a standard protocol and compared with matched controls. Results Failure loads for the control group averaged 312 N (standard deviation [SD], 127 N) and were not significantly different compared with the calcium phosphate cement revision group, which averaged 301 N (SD, 95 N) ( P = .80). Failure occurred at the femoral bone block in both groups but without screw pullout. Conclusions Statistical analysis failed to show a significant difference between the control group and the group undergoing structural bone void filler revision in this biomechanical evaluation of initial fixation strength. Clinical Relevance This technique may allow surgeons to perform a single-stage revision ACL reconstruction in the presence of a contained bone void and avoid the need for a staged procedure if clinical studies verify long-term incorporation of the bone void filler.
Arsenic Exposure, Diabetes Prevalence, and Diabetes Control in the Strong Heart Study

This study evaluated the association of arsenic exposure, as measured in urine, with diabetes prevalence, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance in American Indian adults from Arizona, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota (1989–1991). We studied 3,925 men and women 45–74 years of age with available urine arsenic measures. Diabetes was defined as a fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher, a 2-hour glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher, a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 6.5% or higher, or diabetes treatment. Median urine arsenic concentration was 14.1 µg/L (interquartile range, 7.9–24.2). Diabetes prevalence was 49.4%. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, diabetes risk factors, and urine creatinine, the prevalence ratio of diabetes comparing the 75th versus 25th percentiles of total arsenic concentrations was 1.14 (95% confidence interval: 1.08, 1.21). The association between arsenic and diabetes was restricted to participants with poor diabetes control (HbA1c ≥8%). Arsenic was positively associated with HbA1c levels in participants with diabetes. Arsenic was not associated with HbA1c or with insulin resistance (assessed by homeostatic model assessment to quantify insulin resistance) in participants without diabetes. Urine arsenic was associated with diabetes control in a population from rural communities in the United States with a high burden of diabetes. Prospective studies that evaluate the direction of the relation between poor diabetes control and arsenic exposure are needed.
Population Growth, Available Resources, and Quality of Life: China’s Post-Reform Economic Development

Two opposing intellectual traditions and their contem- porary developments regarding the relations among population, available resources, and quality of life as reflected in economic growth are reviewed. What is at issue is whether population growth is detrimental to or beneficial for economic development. Neither of the extreme views gives a complete picture of the interplay among population, resources, and quality of life. Following previ- ous literature on the topic, this paper establishes a more balanced approach that considers the function linking population and quality of life not constant but variable and regards the limitedness of resources as not absolute but relative to regions and societies. The proposed approach is more flexible in better explaining the relation between population and economic growth. China is examined as a case in point to shed light on the interaction of population growth, economic development, and available resources, and its recent post-economic reform experiences showcase the appropriateness of the synthetic approach.
Dedicated Rewriting: Automatic Verification of Low Power Transformations in RTL

We present dedicated rewriting, a novel technique to automatically prove the correctness of low power transformations in hardware systems described at the Register Transfer Level (RTL). We guarantee the correctness of any low power transformation by providing a functional equivalence proof of the hardware design before and after the transformation. We characterize low power transformations as rules, within our system. Dedicated rewriting is a highly automated deductive verification technique specially honed for proving correctness of low power transformations. We provide a notion of equivalence and establish the equivalence proof within our dedicated rewriting system. We demonstrate our technique on a non-trivial case study. We show equivalence of a Verilog RTL implementation of a Viterbi decoder, a component of the DRM SoC, before and after the application of multiple low power transformations.
FOOD FROM SEED‐DISPERSAL MUTUALISM SHIFTS SEX RATIOS IN COLONIES OF THE ANT APHAENOGASTER RUDIS

Workers of Aphaenogaster rudis collect seeds of many species of spring-flowering, perennial herbs. This is part of a seed-dispersal system (myrmecochory) for which benefits to plants are documented, but consequences to ants have not been quantified. To test the predictions that colony size or reproductive output will be enhanced as a consequence of ants collecting seeds, we conducted a field experiment in a forest near Gambier, Ohio, in June and July 1993. Experimental colonies receiving seeds of Sanguinaria canadensis (N = 24 colonies) had ∼3.5 times as many gynes as control colonies (N = 27). Only 25% of control colonies produced any gynes, whereas 65% of experimental colonies did so. Control colonies produced as many males as experimental colonies. Access to seeds shifted the mass and numerical investment ratio in colony reproductive output toward female bias but did not affect the number of workers or queen size. These data support the hypothesis that myrmecochory is a true mutualism. Additionally, the experiment indicates that resource levels influence investment ratios in reproductive ants.
The movement characteristics of rabbit spermatozoa before and after activation

Spermatozoa were flushed with mineral oil from the lower isthmus of the rabbit oviduct at four hours postcoitus (pc) and 11 hours pc. Videotapes were made of sperm behavior in the native isthmic fluid and after dilution of the fluid with culture medium. The tapes showed that, initially, spermatozoa in the native isthmic fluid were virtually immotile, but immediately resumed movement on contact with the culture medium. Isthmic sperm motility then evolved over a five- to 10-minute interval into the characteristic biphasic pattern of activated movement. Cine films of isthmic spermatozoa taken with a high-speed camera were analyzed to determine flagellar beat frequency, maximum flagellar curvature, and swimming velocity. Progressiveness ratios and hydrodynamic power outputs were then calculated for individual spermatozoa. Two phases of activated sperm movement, a whiplash phase and a progressive phase, were identified and characterized. The power output of activated spermatozoa increased twentyfold in comparison with the preactivated state. The power output of activated spermatozoa did not differ between the two phases of activated movement.
Hawks, Doves, and International Cooperation:

How does the hawkish or dovish nature of the domestic opposition in one state influence its own, as well as an international opponent’s, negotiating behavior? I show that doves, when negotiating in...
Regulation of plant defense responses in Arabidopsis by EDR2, a PH and START domain‐containing protein

We have identified an Arabidopsis mutant that displays enhanced disease resistance (edr2) to the biotrophic powdery mildew pathogen Erysiphe cichoracearum. Inhibition of fungal growth on edr2 mutant leaves occurred at a late stage of the infection process and coincided with formation of necrotic lesions approximately 5 days after inoculation. Double-mutant analysis revealed that edr2-mediated resistance is suppressed by mutations that inhibit salicylic acid (SA)-induced defense signaling, including npr1, pad4 and sid2, demonstrating that edr2-mediated disease resistance is dependent on SA. However, edr2 showed normal responses to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000. EDR2 appears to be constitutively transcribed in all tissues and organs and encodes a novel protein, consisting of a putative pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and a steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid-transfer (START) domain, and contains an N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence. The PH and START domains are implicated in lipid binding, suggesting that EDR2 may provide a link between lipid signaling and activation of programmed cell death mediated by mitochondria.
Space scale analysis for image sampling and interpolation

In image processing operations involving changes in the sampling grid, including increases or decreases in resolution, care must be taken to preserve image structure. Structure includes regions of high contrast, such as edges, streaks, or corners, all indicated by large gradients. The authors consider the use of local spatial analysis for both sampling and interpolation. Anisotropic diffusion is considered as a directional smoothing technique that preserves structure. This is used in conjunction with a method of directional interpolation, which is also based on structure analysis. >
Short-term grazing exclusion effects on riparian small mammal communities

Abstract Grazing of livestock in streams and associated riparian habitats (hereafter referred to as riparian zones) may affect small mammal communities by influencing vegetation, water quality, and other site characteristics. To better understand these effects, we compared vegetation structure, and abundance and richness of small mammals in grazed riparian zones and similar areas where livestock had recently (1–2 years) been excluded in southwest Pennsylvania, 1998 and 1999. Mammalian species richness and abundance (all species combined, meadow voles [Microtus pennsylvanicus Ord], and meadow jumping mice [Zapus hudsonius Zimmermann]) were greater on sites where livestock had been excluded than grazed areas. These findings are likely the result of greater litter cover and increased vertical vegetation obstruction observed on these sites. Because small mammal communities respond quickly to relaxation of grazing in riparian zones, subsidy programs exist to partially pay for fencing, and landowners may potent...
External Shocks, Conflict and Learning as Interactive Sources of Change in U.S. Security Policy

Scholars studying the processes that lead to significant alterations in public policies have identified two major sources of change: policy-oriented conflict and policy-oriented learning. Many investigations of specific cases of consequential policy change also suggest that “shocks” from outside the policy subsystem, (that is, the specific political arena where a policy issue is formulated and implemented) are often necessary for significant policy change to occur. Rather than being competing explanations of policy change, this paper argues that external shocks, conflict, and learning often interact to generate windows of opportunity which enable policies to be significantly altered. These perspectives on policy change are then qualitatively applied to recent changes in U.S. national security policy which have allowed formerly secret spy satellite technology to be used in commercial data gathering systems. The final part discusses the implications of this research for the theory of policy change and for U.S. national security policy.
Using normative scenarios in landscape ecology

The normative landscape scenario is one of many types of scenario methods that are used by landscape ecologists. We describe how normative landscape scenarios are different from other types and how these differences create special potential for engaging science to build landscape policy and for exploring scientific questions in realistic simulated landscapes. We describe criteria and a method for generating normative scenarios to realize this potential in both policy and landscape ecology research. Finally, we describe how the method and criteria apply to an interdisciplinary project that proposed alternative scenarios for federal agricultural policy and related futures for agricultural watersheds in Iowa, USA.
Instability mechanisms in cooperative control

We consider a motion coordination problem with second order agent dynamics and examine the closed-loop robustness with respect to switching topology, variation of link gain, and unmodeled dynamics. In each case, we illustrate with examples possible instability mechanisms and discuss under what conditions stability is maintained.
Acute extracellular acidification increases nuclear associated protein levels in human melanoma cells during 42°C hyperthermia and enhances cell killing

Acute acidification is being investigated as a strategy to sensitize human melanoma to 42°C hyperthermia. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of hyperthermia and acute extracellular acidification on the nuclear associated protein (NAP) levels, heat shock protein (hsp) 70 and hsp27 content, and cell survival of human melanoma cells cultured at pH 7.3 or pH 6.7. It was observed that NAP levels increased slightly in both populations after 2h of heating and then decreased to control levels with increasing time of heating at the growth pH. However, the NAP levels continued to increase in cells acutely acidified to pH 6.3 prior to and during heating. Hsp70 was induced to comparable levels in cells heated at their growth pH; however, the hsp27 levels were greater in cells cultured and heated at pH 6.7 than in cells cultured and heated at pH 7.3. Acute acidification to pH 6.3 prior to and during heating suppressed the 42°C induction of hsp70 and hsp27 in both cell populations. The melanoma cel...
Statistical assessment of a laboratory method for growing biofilms.

Microbial biofilms have been grown in laboratories using a variety of different approaches. A laboratory biofilm reactor system, called the CDC biofilm reactor (CBR) system, has been devised for growing biofilms under moderate to high fluid shear stress. The reactor incorporates 24 removable biofilm growth surfaces (coupons) for sampling and analysing the biofilm. Following preliminary experiments to verify the utility of the CBR system for growing biofilms of several clinically relevant organisms, a standard operating procedure for growing a Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm was created. This paper presents the results of a rigorous, intra-laboratory, statistical evaluation of the repeatability and ruggedness of that procedure as well as the results of the experiments with clinically relevant organisms. For the statistical evaluations, the outcome of interest was the density (c.f.u. cm−2) of viable P. aeruginosa. Replicate experiments were conducted to assess the repeatability of the log density outcome. The mean P. aeruginosa log10 density was 7·1, independent of the coupon position within the reactor. The repeatability standard deviation of the log density based on one coupon per experiment was 0·59. Analysis of variance showed that the variability of the log density was 53 % attributable to within-experiment sources and 47 % attributable to between-experiments sources. The ruggedness evaluation applied response-surface design and regression analysis techniques, similar to those often used for sensitivity analyses in other fields of science and engineering. This approach provided a quantitative description of ruggedness; specifically, the amount the log density was altered by small adjustments to four key operational factors – time allowed for initial surface colonization, temperature, nutrient concentration, and fluid shear stress on the biofilm. The small size of the regression coefficient associated with each operational factor showed that the method was rugged; that is, relatively insensitive to minor perturbations of the four factors. These results demonstrate that the CBR system is a reliable experimental tool for growing a standard biofilm in the laboratory and that it can be adapted to study several different micro-organisms.
Hidden-Markov model based sequential clustering for autonomous diagnostics

Despite considerable advances over the last few decades in sensing instrumentation and information technology infrastructure, monitoring and diagnostics technology has not yet found its place in health management of mainstream machinery and equipment. The fundamental reason for this being the mismatch between the growing diversity and complexity of machinery and equipment employed in industry and the historical reliance on ldquopoint-solutionrdquo diagnostic systems that necessitate extensive characterization of the failure modes and mechanisms (something very expensive and tedious). While these point solutions have a role to play, in particular for monitoring highly-critical assets, generic yet adaptive solutions, meaning solutions that are flexible and able to learn on-line, could facilitate large-scale deployment of diagnostic and prognostic technology. We present a novel approach for autonomous diagnostics that employs model-based sequential clustering with hidden-Markov models as a means for measuring similarity of time-series sensor signals. The proposed method has been tested on a CNC machining test-bed outfitted with thrust-force and torque sensors for monitoring drill-bits. Preliminary results revealed the competitive performance of the method.
Motivation and Justification: A Dual‐Process Model of Culture in Action1

This article presents a new model of culture in action. Although most sociologists who study culture emphasize its role in post hoc sense making, sociologists of religion and social psychologists tend to focus on the role beliefs play in motivation. The dual‐process model integrates justificatory and motivational approaches by distinguishing between “discursive” and “practical” modes of culture and cognition. The author uses panel data from the National Study of Youth and Religion to illustrate the model's usefulness. Consistent with its predictions, he finds that though respondents cannot articulate clear principles of moral judgment, their choice from a list of moral‐cultural scripts strongly predicts later behavior.
Design and Fabrication of Nano Antenna for Carbon Nanotube Infrared Detector

This paper reports on fabrication of a novel nanoscale antenna with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based sensor for sensitive infrared detection. CNTs are used as sensing element for detecting both near and middle wave infrared. By using the nanoassembly of CNTs and standard photolithography processes, a nanosized antenna is designed and integrated to enhance the electric field intensity at the position of the sensing element creating a very sensitive infrared nanosensor. The efficiency of nano antenna was studied experimentally by measuring and comparing the photocurrent response of the sensor to one without the antenna. The photocurrent was increased 10 fold after integrating the nano antenna. This implies that the electric field in the vicinity of the detector is enhanced by the nano antenna. The proposed fabrication process enables easy and direct integration of the nano antenna into the manufacturing of infrared devices. Therefore, this opens the possibility of developing high fidelity infrared sensors with a wide sensing range. Moreover, a novel approach was employed to consider and include quantum effects in the analysis and design for the nano antenna, which uses the Green's function for finding the near field effect from the antenna. As a result, these effects were verified and demonstrated experimentally in this paper.
ESTIMATION OF AVERAGE HETEROZYGOSITY AND GENETIC DISTANCE FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS

The magnitudes of the systematic biases involved in sample heterozygosity and sample genetic distances are evaluated, and formulae for obtaining unbiased estimates of average heterozygosity and genetic distance are developed. It is also shown that the number of individuals to be used for estimating average heterozygosity can be very small if a large number of loci are studied and the average heterozygosity is low. The number of individuals to be used for estimating genetic distance can also be very small if the genetic distance is large and the average heterozygosity of the two species compared is low.
Flying infrared for low level operations (FLILO) system description and capabilities

The Advanced Avionics and Flight Controls group of Boeing Advanced Airlift and Tanker Systems, is dedicated to integrating, prototyping, demonstrating, evaluating and testing advanced state-of-the-art technologies that are: a) new systems, candidates for future aircraft use (for new and in-service aircraft); b) solutions to old or new/upcoming requirements and needs. The group's mission is to transition the applicable technologies into Boeing platforms. One of the research areas investigated, is that of enhanced vision systems (EVS).
The Use of Vertical Wind Shear versus Helicity in Interpreting Supercell Dynamics

A series of idealized simulations of supercell storms are presented for environments representing straight through circular hodographs to clarify the character of the storm dynamics over the large spectrum of hodograph shapes commonly observed. The primary emphasis is on comparing and contrasting recent theories of supercell dynamics, based on updraft‐shear interactions, storm-relative environmental helicity (SREH), and Beltrami-flow solutions, to help clarify the degree to which each theory can represent the essential storm dynamics. One of the particular questions being addressed is whether storm dynamics are significantly different for straight versus curved hodographs, which has become a point of some controversy over recent years. In agreement with previous studies, the authors find that the physical processes that promote storm maintenance, rotation, and propagation are similar for all hodograph shapes employed, and are due primarily to nonlinear interactions between the updraft and the ambient shear, associated with the localized development of rotation on the storm’s flank. Significant correlations between the updraft and vertical vorticity are also observed across the shear spectrum, and, in agreement with predictions of linear theories associated with SREH, this correlation increases for increasing hodograph curvature. However, storm steadiness and propagation must already be known or inferred for such concepts to be applied, thus limiting the applicability of this theory as a true predictor of storm properties. Tests of the applicability of Beltrami solutions also confirm reasonable agreement for purely circular hodographs, for which the analytical solutions are specifically designed. However, analysis of the model results indicates that the terms ignored for such solutions, representing the nonlinear effects associated with storm rotation, are more significant than those retained over most of the hodograph spectrum, which severely limits the general applicability of such analyses.
Community-Based Health Financing and Child Stunting in Rural Rwanda

Objectives. We analyzed the likelihood of rural children (aged 6–24 months) being stunted according to whether they were enrolled in Mutuelles, a community-based health-financing program providing health insurance to rural populations and granting them access to health care, including nutrition services.Methods. We retrieved health facility data from the District Health System Strengthening Tool and calculated the percentage of rural health centers that provided nutrition-related services required by Mutuelles’ minimum service package. We used data from the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey and performed multilevel logistic analysis to control for clustering effects and sociodemographic characteristics. The final sample was 1061 children.Results. Among 384 rural health centers, more than 90% conducted nutrition-related campaigns and malnutrition screening for children. Regardless of poverty status, the risk of being stunted was significantly lower (odds ratio = 0.60; 95% credible interval = 0.41, ...
Superficially invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder associated with distant cutaneous metastases

Cutaneous metastases from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder are rare and most often associated with a deeply invasive primary tumor. This case report describes a 69-year-old male with previously resected superficially invasive primary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who presented with distant cutaneous and central nervous system metastases associated with recurrent bladder cancer. In addition, this case highlights the differential diagnosis of metastatic carcinomas that display a CK7/CK20 positive immunophenotype including transitional cell carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and rare gastric carcinomas.
Serologic assays for influenza surveillance, diagnosis and vaccine evaluation

Serological techniques play a critical role in various aspects of influenza surveillance, vaccine development and evaluation, and sometimes in diagnosis, particularly for novel influenza virus infections of humans. Because individuals are repeatedly exposed to antigenically and genetically diverse influenza viruses over a lifetime, the gold standard for detection of a recent influenza virus infection or response to current vaccination is the demonstration of a seroconversion, a fourfold or greater rise in antibody titer relative to a baseline sample, to a circulating influenza strain or vaccine component. The hemagglutination-inhibition assay remains the most widely used assay to detect strain-specific serum antibodies to influenza. The hemagglutination-inhibition assay is also used to monitor antigenic changes among influenza viruses which are constantly evolving; such antigenic data is essential for consideration of changes in influenza vaccine composition. The use of the hemagglutinin-specific microneu...
Binding energies from diffusion Monte Carlo for the MB-pol H2O and D2O dimer: A comparison to experimental values

The diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) method is applied to compute the ground state energies of the water monomer and dimer and their D2O isotopomers using MB-pol; the most recent and most accurate ab inito-based potential energy surface (PES). MB-pol has already demonstrated excellent agreement with high level electronic structure data, as well as agreement with some experimental, spectroscopic, and thermodynamic data. Here, the DMC binding energies of (H2O)2 and (D2O)2 agree with the corresponding values obtained from velocity map imaging within, respectively, 0.01 and 0.02 kcal/mol. This work adds two more valuable data points that highlight the accuracy of the MB-pol PES.
Treatment of Perianal Fistulas With ND: YAG Laser—Results in Twenty Cases

Excision of perianal fistulas using a 1.064 micron wavelength neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (ND:YAG) contact tipped laser with primary wound closure was used to treat 20 dogs with perianal fistulas. Overall, 19 of 20 (95%) dogs had resolution of fistulas after one or more ND:YAG treatments. The period of resolution ranged from 10 to 42 months with a mean of 22.9 months. Sixteen of 20 (80%) dogs had resolved fistulas after one laser excision. Three of the four recurrences underwent additional laser treatments with successful results. The total number of laser procedures ranged from one to three with a mean of 1.2 procedures. Postoperatively, anal tone as judged by digital rectal examination was reduced in about 60% of the cases, but clinical evidence of fecal incontinence only occurred in four of 20 cases. This was managed effectively with diet modification. The tendency toward loss of anal tone or fecal incontinence depended on the severity of preexisting anal stenosis. On a client survey, 19 of 20 owners believed that their animals experienced less pain during defecation after surgery and rated the results as excellent or good. The overall success rate using ND:YAG laser excision compared very favorably with previously reported studies of other methods of treatment for perianal fistulas in dogs.
Impedance-reflecting teleoperation with a real-time evolving neural network controller

A real-time evolving neural network controller (RTENNC) for controlling teleoperation systems with uncertainties is presented. Two different slave position controllers, the RTENNC and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, were experimentally compared using it one-degree-of-freedom test bed. With both controllers, force feedback to the master is obtained using measurements from a force sensor mounted on the slave manipulator. When various environments are explored with this system, the RTENNC provides better impedance reflection than the PID controller. For each environment, position tracking, force reflection, and the impedance ratio (the ratio of the sensed environment impedance to the impedance displayed to the human operator) were recorded in order to determine a measure of system transparency. "Adaptive transparency," the ability of simultaneous position following and force tracking between the master and slave for changing environment impedances, was higher for the RTENNC. The RTENNC resulted in an impedance ratio of approximately 1.0, whereas the PID controller had errors of about 20%.
Expert Systems as a Mindtool To Facilitate Mental Model Learning

This exploratory study investigated the question, Does the process of constructing an expert system model of a hydraulic drum braking system promote the formation of expert-like mental models? Thirty-three participants in three countries, who reported no knowledge of the subject domain in which the expert system was to be created, read encyclopedia extracts, viewed graphics, and then created small expert systems. The study was conducted via mainframe-mediated network using a variety of communication protocols. Participants' mental models were assessed using Pathfinder concept networks technique, troubleshooting tests, and prediction (change of state) tests. Each of the three measures was administered three times, as pretests, midtests, and posttests. Scores on all three measures suggested that there were small increases from pretest to midtest after participants studied the brake text and graphics. There were substantially larger increases in all scores from midtest to posttest when the expert system was constructed. In poststudy surveys and interviews participants responded that their knowledge in the subject domain had increased, that the creation of the expert system had been very helpful in learning the material, and that they had had fun doing it. When used as a mindtool, an expert system becomes a process, not the end product. It can facilitate a learning gain by engaging students, fostering their concentration, and assisting them in organizing systemic information.
Assessing the Intensity of Market Competition in the US Papaya Import Market

Most of the empirical work addressing imperfect competition in international agricultural trade has focused on grains and meats. The present study is an attempt to help fill the gap by assessing market competitiveness in the US fresh papaya market, which can be characterized as oligopolistic whereby Mexico, Belize, and Brazil are the main suppliers. In order to assess the intensity of competition among fresh papaya exporters in the US market, an inverse residual demand model is specified and estimated. The findings suggest that Mexico, Belize, and Brazil are completely constrained in exercising market power in the US fresh papaya market.
A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring systems on college students' academic learning

This meta-analysis synthesizes research on the effectiveness of intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) for college students. Thirty-five reports were found containing 39 studies assessing the effectiveness of 22 types of ITS in higher education settings. Most frequently studied were AutoTutor, Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces, eXtended Tutor-Expert System, and Web Interface for Statistics Education. Major findings include (a) Overall, ITS had a moderate positive effect on college students’ academic learning (g = .32 to g = .37); (b) ITS were less effective than human tutoring, but they outperformed all other instruction methods and learning activities, including traditional classroom instruction, reading printed text or computerized materials, computer-assisted instruction, laboratory or homework assignments, and no-treatment control; (c) ITS’s effectiveness did not significantly differ by different ITS, subject domain, or the manner or degree of their involvement in instruction and learning; and (d) effectiveness in earlier studies appeared to be significantly greater than that in more recent studies. In addition, there is some evidence suggesting the importance of teachers and pedagogy in ITS-assisted learning.