cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recovery of Water from Atmospheric Air in Arid Climates

Abstract The possibility of using hydrated salts supported on carrier beds for extracting water from cool night air and solar energy for recovering the moisture for use as drinking water is dealt with. Equipment for obtaining sorption data in the laboratory is described. The rate of water adsorption by salts from air is a linear function of relative humidity, the amount adsorbed depending on the partial pressure of water exerted by the hydrated salt or by the aqueous salt that results on exposure to the moist air. To assure maximum adsorption it is important to select salts whose saturated aqueous solution exhibits minimal aqueous tension. Hydrated salts supported on carriers, composed of as widely different materials as porous glass, sand, and fibrous board, all release water equally well on heating, despite their large differences in physical makeup.
On cages for girth pair (6, b )

Abstract The girth pair of a graph G is the pair ( a , b ) where a and b are the lengths of shortest even and odd cycles of G , respectively. We determine the size of smallest cubic graphs with girth pairs (6, 7), (6, 9) and (6, 11).
Nonviral Direct Conversion of Primary Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts to Neuronal Cells

Transdifferentiation, where differentiated cells are reprogrammed into another lineage without going through an intermediate proliferative stem cell-like stage, is the next frontier of regenerative medicine. Wernig et al. first described the direct conversion of fibroblasts into functional induced neuronal cells (iNs). Subsequent reports of transdifferentiation into clinically relevant neuronal subtypes have further endorsed the prospect of autologous cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders. So far, all published neuronal transdifferentiation protocols rely on lentiviruses, which likely precludes their clinical translation. Instead, we delivered plasmids encoding neuronal transcription factors (Brn2, Ascl1, Myt1l) to primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts with a bioreducible linear poly(amido amine). The low toxicity and high transfection efficiency of this gene carrier allowed repeated dosing to sustain high transgene expression levels. Serial 0.5 µg cm−2 doses of reprogramming factors delivered at 48-hour intervals produced up to 7.6% Tuj1+ (neuron-specific class III β-tubulin) cells, a subset of which expressed MAP2 (microtubule-associated protein 2), tau, and synaptophysin. A synapsin-red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter helped to identify more mature, electrophysiologically active cells, with 24/26 patch-clamped RFP+ cells firing action potentials. Some non-virally induced neuronal cells (NiNs) were observed firing multiple and spontaneous action potentials. This study demonstrates the feasibility of nonviral neuronal transdifferentiation, and may be amenable to other transdifferentiation processes.
Signal/background separation by wavelet packets for detection of microcalcifications in mammograms

We developed a method of weighted wavelet packets for separation of small, low contrast signals from large, inhomogeneous background. Our method was applied to the enhancement of microcalcifications on digital mammograms, which appear as small bright spots superimposed on the background representing the structure of breast tissue, for improvement of the performance of our computer-aided diagnosis scheme for detection of clustered microcalcifications. Our method first approximates signals if interest by a set of wavelets that are extracted from a wavelet packet dictionary by means of the matching pursuit algorithm. The selected set of wavelets is then subjected to a supervised learning process for optimization of the weights assigned to individual time-frequency tiles for enhancement of the microcalcifications and suppression of the background structures. In an analysis of 82 regions of interest extracted from our mammographic database, our new method showed a sensitivity of 92 percent and a specificity of 75 percent. Our new method is shown to perform better than our previous method based on the fixed-weight, orthogonal wavelet transform.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Objective Measurement of Corneal Light Scattering after Excimer Laser Keratectomy

Purpose: To obtain objective measurements of corneal light scattering after excimer laser keratectomy, and to evaluate the relation of light scattering to clinical haze grading and visual acuity. Methods: The authors measured best-corrected visual acuity, subjective clinical haze grade, and corneal light-scattering index in patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) (n = 26) and phototherapeutic keratectomy (n = 8), preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months or later. Corneal light scattering was correlated with visual acuity and clinical haze grade. Results: Corneal light scattering increased after PRK and was reduced after phototherapeutic keratectomy. Corneal light-scattering index showed a stronger positive correlation with logMAR visual acuity ( r = 0.57) than clinical haze grading ( r = 0.34). Corneal light-scattering index ( P P Conclusions: Excimer laser surgery affects corneal light scattering. Ablations with depths greater than 80 μm produce significantly higher levels of haze than those less than 80 μm. Objective measurement of corneal light scattering may be useful in monitoring the outcome of excimer keratectomy.
Binaural and frequency representation in the primary auditory cortex of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus

This study examines the binaural and frequency representation in the primary auditory cortex (AC) of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, by using an ear-phone stimulation system. All 306 cortical neurons studied were excited by contralateral sound stimulation but they were either excited, inhibited or not affected by ipsilateral sound stimulation. These cortical neurons were columnarly organized according to their binaural and frequency-tuning properties. The excitation-excitation columns which occupy about 15% of the AC are mainly aggregated within an oval-shaped area of the central AC. The excitation-inhibition neurons and binaural neurons with mixed properties are distributed in the remaining 85% of the surrounding primary AC. Although the best frequency (BF) of these neurons shows a tendency to decrease from high to low along the anteroposterior axis of the primary AC, systematic variation in BF is not always consistent across the entire mapping area. In particular, BFs of cortical neurons isolated in the anterior AC vary quite unsystematically such that neurons with similar BFs are aggregated in isolated patches. Isofrequency and binaural columns are segregated into bands that intersect each other.
Modulation of heart rate variability during severe hemorrhage at different rates in conscious rats.

Abstract This study was undertaken to evaluate heart rate (HR) regulation during severe hemorrhage (HEM) at different rates of blood loss. Chronically instrumented male rats underwent HEM at one of three rates: slow (0.5 ml/min/kg; S-HEM), intermediate (1.0 ml/min/kg I-HEM), or 2.0 ml/min/kg (fast; F-HEM) until 30% of the estimated total blood volume (ETBV) was withdrawn. Heart rate variability analysis was performed and the absolute power within the low frequency (LF; 0.16–0.6 Hz) and high frequency (HF; 0.6–3 Hz) ranges was evaluated. During the first 15% of ETBV loss, arterial pressure (AP) was maintained while HR increased. The increase in HR was greatest in the S-HEM and I-HEM groups and was associated with a significant reduction in HF power in the S-HEM group only. As blood loss progressed, AP and HR declined in all treatment groups. The decrease in HR was associated with a significant increase in HF power in the F-HEM and I-HEM groups only. Parasympathetic blockade with atropine methyl bromide eliminated all decreases in HR, independent of the rate of hemorrhage. Blockade of parasympathetic activity also significantly increased the AP at ETBV losses ≥ 20% independent of the rate of hemorrhage. The effect of atropine on AP was most noticeable in the S-HEM and F-HEM groups. These results demonstrate that rate of blood loss has an important impact on autonomic regulation during severe HEM and support previous findings that neural strategies underlying autonomic control may vary depending on the rate of blood loss.
Fine structure and optical properties of biological polarizers in crustaceans and cephalopods

The lighting of the underwater environment is constantly changing due to attenuation by water, scattering by suspended particles, as well as the refraction and reflection caused by the surface waves. These factors pose a great challenge for marine animals which communicate through visual signals, especially those based on color. To escape this problem, certain cephalopod mollusks and stomatopod crustaceans utilize the polarization properties of light. While the mechanisms behind the polarization vision of these two animal groups are similar, several distinctive types of polarizers (i.e. the structure producing the signal) have been found in these animals. To gain a better knowledge of how these polarizers function, we studied the relationships between fine structures and optical properties of four types of polarizers found in cephalopods and stomatopods. Although all the polarizers share a somewhat similar spectral range, around 450- 550 nm, the reflectance properties of the signals and the mechanisms used to produce them have dramatic differences. In cephalopods, stack-plates polarizers produce the polarization patterns found on the arms and around their eyes. In stomatopods, we have found one type of beam-splitting polarizer based on photonic structures and two absorptive polarizer types based on dichroic molecules. These stomatopod polarizers may be found on various appendages, and on the cuticle covering dorsal or lateral sides of the animal. Since the efficiencies of all these polarizer types are somewhat sensitive to the change of illumination and viewing angle, how these animals compensate with different behaviors or fine structural features of the polarizer also varies.
Application of radiation-grafted hydrogels as blood-contacting biomaterials

Abstract This article reviews the interactions of radiation-grafted hydrogels with blood and its components, both in vitro and in vivo . It has been found that as the hydrogel water content increases for radiation-grafted hydrogels of moderate to high water contents (15–85%) they tend a) to adsorb fewer protein molecules, and to desorb them more readily in vitro , b) to form thrombus but to adhere the thrombi less readily in the in vivo canine ring tests, and c) to cause more rapid formation and greater volumes of platelet microemboli in the ex vivo A-V femoral baboon shunt. At low water contents (below 10%) the grafted HEMA/EMA copolymer “hydrogels” exhibit an unexpected minimum in platelet consumption, which may be related less to the absorbed water in the graft copolymer than to the polymer composition at the surface. These results suggest that special radiation graft copolymer compositions may be selected to fit specific biological needs.
Nicotinic Acid and Depression: Depression Following Cessation of Nicotinic Acid Use

Nicotinic acid (niacin, Vitamin B3) has been of psychopharmacologic interest for the last four decades. This began with a demonstration of its efficacy in the treatment of pellagral and in the treatment of other psychiatric conditions associated with its deficiency2.3. Although delirium and dementia are often the psychiatric manifestations of niacin deficiency, it should be remembered that depressive symptoms are frequently early presentations as wellM .
Length scales of convection-dispersion approaches to flow and tranport in porous media

Abstract Two length scales of one-dimensional transient flow and transport in porous media are introduced: The minimum mixing length, ls, also referred to as Lagrangean length scale, and the width of hydrodynamics spread, ls. The macroscopic path length, lc, in the medium causing hydrodynamic dispersion has to exceed markedly both lm and ls if the parameters derived from the application of convection-dispersion equations should be of predictive value. The length scales are derived and discussed. Particular attention is given to the hydrodynamic dispersion of soil moisture and its potential energy.
Effect of moisture absorption on the thermal properties of Bombyx mori silk fibroin films

Films of regenerated Bombyx mori silk are strongly affected by absorbed moisture, a phenomenon studied here by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Exposure of previously dried films to environments of controlled relative humidity produces test samples of well-defined equilibrium moisture content. Ultimate moisture uptake is as high as 20–23% (by weight) at 75% relative humidity. The glass transition temperature, Tg, drops by 40°C at moisture uptakes as low as 2%, and Tg depressions as large as 140°C are observed at higher relative humidity. The moisture-induced decrease of Tg is completely reversible, as a film remoistened and then redried possesses an unchanged Tg. Trends in Tg with water uptake correspond reasonably well to predictions of a classical thermodynamic theory, indicating that the plasticization effect of moisture on the combined silk-water system can be satisfactorily explained from macroscopic properties of the constituents without any reference to specific interactions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 401–410, 1997
Superplastic behavior of a single phase 60 Pb - 40 In alloy

Abstract We have demonstrated that the single phase, solid solution alloy 60 Pb - 40 In can be made superplastic. This appears to be the first observation of superlasticity in the Pb - In alloy system. Furthermore, the superplasticity is observed even in relatively coarse grained (50 to 80 μm) samples. This suggests that it may be possible to obtain superplastic flow of Pb - In at higher strain rates if a thermomechanical process such as cryogenic rolling could be used to produce a finer grain size.
TerrorWars: Boston, Iraq

This article queries the difference between experiencing an urban terror attack and experiencing war in an urban war zone. The case considered is the Boston marathon bombings of April 2013 and the lockdown that followed, a first in the USA. Official responses to the bombings exceeded militarised urban policing strategies in ways that arguably turned Boston into an urban war zone. To consider that proposition, I juxtapose events in Boston with US war operations around Al Tafar Iraq in 2004, as described by Kevin Powers in The Yellow Birds. I also consider responses to the lockdown by people in the area of the bombings, people waiting for delayed transportation during the lockdown and experts on anti-terrorism.
Viral isolation studies of inclusion positive biopsy from human connective tissue diseases.

Stimulated by the presence of virus-like intracellular inclusions in active lesions of systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis, virologic studies were carried out on inclusion-positive biopsies of involved tissues from several patients with active connective tissue diseases. Although infectious agents were not detected, the results are of interest in the context of continuing efforts to demonstrate possible infectious agents in these and other diseases.
Uncovering students’ thinking about thinking using concept maps

A method for uncovering students’ thinking about thinking, specifically their meta-strategic knowledge, is explored within the context of an ongoing, multi-year intervention designed to promote the development of students’ thinking dispositions. The development of a concept-map instrument that classroom teachers can use and an analytic framework for interpreting students’ responses is presented. In a preliminary study, the concept map instrument is piloted to evaluate changes in students’ conceptions of thinking after a year’s participation in classrooms where their teachers actively sought to make thinking more visible by noticing and naming the thinking observed as well as introducing and using thinking routines (Ritchhart and Perkins. Educational Leadership, 65(5), 57–61 2008). Concept maps from 239 students from grades 3 through 11 were analyzed. Results suggest that students’ conceptions of thinking do improve with age but also can be substantially developed through a classroom culture where thinking is modeled and rich opportunities for thinking are present. The concept map instrument itself proved to be a robust instrument for uncovering students’ thinking about thinking.
Neuroanatomic characterization of schizoaffective disorder using MRI: a pilot study

Abstract For over 50 years, there has been uncertainty in the conceptual understanding and neuropathogenesis of the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder (SCA). In order to better characterize SCA, we performed a quantitative assessment of MRI neuroanatomical structures in patients with SCA ( n =12), compared to patients with bipolar disorder (BPD) ( n =12) and healthy volunteers (HV) ( n =12). Patients diagnosed with SCA exhibited regional abnormalities on the striatum that resemble those seen in BPD. This study suggests that SCA has some neuroanatomical characteristics similar to BPD.
Extended methamphetamine self-administration enhances reinstatement of drug seeking and impairs novel object recognition in rats

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive psychostimulant, and chronic methamphetamine users show high rates of relapse. Furthermore, prolonged methamphetamine abuse can lead to psychiatric symptoms and has been associated with various cognitive dysfunctions. However, the impact of self-administered methamphetamine on cognitive dysfunction and relapse has not been concurrently examined in an animal model. The present study determined the effects of short- vs. long-access contingent methamphetamine on self-administration, extinction responding, reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking, and cognitive performance on an object exploration task. Long-Evans rats self-administered methamphetamine i.v. (0.02 mg/infusion) or received saline during daily sessions (1 or 2 h) for 10 days, followed by either maintained short- (1 or 2 h) or long-access (6 h) self-administration for 14 days. Lever responding was extinguished prior to reinstatement, which consisted of presentation of drug-paired cues or a priming injection of methamphetamine (1.0 mg/kg). Animals were also tested on an object exploration task prior to self-administration and at 10–12 days after cessation of self-administration, thus providing a comparison of pre-methamphetamine exposure with post-methamphetamine exposure. Long-access methamphetamine self-administration resulted in escalation of daily intake. Furthermore, animals in both short- and long-access groups showed robust conditioned-cued and drug-primed reinstatement, with long access resulting in enhanced methamphetamine-primed reinstatement. Methamphetamine self-administration also led to access-dependent impairments on novel object recognition but failed to impair recognition of spatial reconfiguration. Extended methamphetamine self-administration enhances drug-primed reinstatement and decreases novel object recognition, indicating that prolonged contingent methamphetamine increases motivation for drug seeking following withdrawal while increasing cognitive deficits.
Multiwavelet based moment method under discrete Sobolev-type norm

Multiwavelets are successfully applied to Galerkin's method for solving integral equations. High precision and fast convergence are demonstrated because of the desirable properties of multiwavelets, including compact support, symmetry and antisymmetry, regularity (continuity and smoothness), explicit expressions, and more importantly, the orthogonality under a Sobolev-type inner product. As a result, numerical integrations in the testing procedure are carried out explicitly. Numerical examples are conducted for electromagnetic waves scattering from smooth surfaces and surfaces with sharp edges, and propagating along microstrips with finite thickness. The new algorithm demonstrates significant improvement over the traditional MoM in terms of momery and CPU time up to two orders of magnitude. The new algorithm is easy to implement and program. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 40: 47–50, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.11282
Observing the deoxy myoglobin and hemogobin signals from rat myocardium in situ

1H NMR proximal histidyl NδH signals of deoxy hemoglobin (Hb) and myoglobin (Mb) are distinguishable in the rat myocardium in situ. In the normoxic resting state, the blood and tissue pO2 is sufficient to saturate both Mb and Hb. No deoxy Mb or Hb signals are detected. Under 12% inspired O2, the erythrocyte Hb is partially desaturated and yields the α and β proximal histidyl NδH signals of deoxy Hb. The detection of the Hb signals clarifies the debate about the NMR visibility of erythrocyte Hb in vivo and augments the strategy to observe tissue pO2.
Weighing In: The Taste-Engineering Frame in Obesity Expert Discourse

Objectives. We sought expert opinion on the problems with 2 dominant obesity-prevention discourse frames—personal responsibility and the environment—and examined alternative frames for understanding and addressing obesity.Methods. We conducted 60-minute, semistructured interviews with 15 US-based obesity experts. We manually coded and entered interview transcripts into software, generating themes and subthematic areas that captured the debate’s essence.Results. Although the environmental frame is the dominant model used in communications with the public and policymakers, several experts found that communicating key messages within this frame was difficult because of the enormity of the obesity problem. A subframe of the environmental frame—the taste-engineering frame—identifies food industry strategies to influence the overconsumption of certain foods and beverages. This emerging frame deconstructs the environmental frame so that causal attributes and responsible agents are more easily identifiable and pr...
Electrical inexcitability of nerves and muscles in severe infantile spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is one of the most common fatal autosomal recessive disorders, characterised by progressive degeneration of anterior horn cells. Before the advent of genetic testing, the diagnosis of SMA was based on clinical, histopathological, and electrophysiological features. In 1992, the International SMA Consortium defined diagnostic criteria of proximal SMA based on clinical findings.1 In SMA type I (severe; Werdnig-Hoffmann disease), affected persons have onset of symptoms before 6 months of age and are never able to sit without support. Electromyography demonstrates denervation features. In early 1995, the candidate gene, the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene, was identified, making the confirmation of SMA by DNA analysis possible.2 With the availability of a genetic test for SMA, many investigators are refining the diagnostic criteria published by the Consortium. Studies involving hundreds of patients with proximal SMA have disclosed a subset of patients who fulfill at least one exclusion criterion defined by the Consortium.3 We identified an infant with severe SMA who fulfilled two exclusion criteria and also showed inexcitability of all nerves as well as muscles. This report will further delineate the wide range of …
Indivisibility of the photon

The 'graininess' in the energy content of light is reported in experiments ranging from the blackbody spectrum and photo-electric effect to revivals in the Jaynes-Cummings model. Laser shot noise and antibunching of correlations in resonance fluorescence signify a departure from continuous wave behavior for light. Such phenomena underlie the unique sense in which a photon is regarded as an indivisible particle, experimentally tied to the fact that a beam splitter does not split a single photon of a two-photon pair. We consider three arguments for indivisibility - quantization of energy, particle-like fluctuations, and which-way measurements. We argue that in each case, photon indivisibility is an inference based on energy conserving interactions where the detection mechanism involves countable electrons subject to space and bandwidth limitations. The indivisibility of the photon thus remains an open question, and one that we can use to probe the foundations of quantum electrodynamics.
Optical Features of Nanosize Iron and Molybdenum Sulfide Clusters

In the bulk state FeS 2 and MoS 2 are optically opaque, narrow bandgap semiconductors with no optical applications. We demonstrate that nanosize FeS 2 and MoS 2 have bandgaps that can be adjusted to the visible and even UV region of the spectrum by control of the cluster size. This opens up a host of applications of these materials as inexpensive solar photocatalysts. We demonstrate that the band-gap of both materials shifts to the blue with decreasing size but ceases shifting when a size of ∼ 3 nm (in the case of MoS 2 ) is attained. We interpret this observation as a change from bulk quantum confinement of the hole-electron pair of a tiny semiconductor to a set of discrete molecular-like transitions more characteristic of a large molecule. Room temperature photoemission studies of these clusters demonstrate that, while photoemission shifts to the blue with increasing bandgap for large clusters, small clusters have photoemission exclusively from trapped sub-bandgap surface states. Chemical modification of the surface to introduce hole or electron traps can result in either an enhancement or a decrease in the photoluminescence. In addition, we report our results concerning chemical purification and preliminary surface characterization of MoS 2 clusters by chromatography.
Conflict, Uncertainty, and the Role of Planning and Analysis in Public Policy Innovation

Innovation by “groping along,” in which appointed public officials experiment during program implementation after little, if any, initial planning and analysis, has been promoted as a more accurate model of policy innovation than the rational comprehensive model of policy change. Analysis of two cases of environmental regulatory policy innovation suggests that administrative agencies may be more likely to follow the conventional model of the policy cycle when high levels of conflict are likely to accompany policy initiatives. The cases also suggest, however, that public officials will experiment during the innovation process when they are uncertain about the nature of the problem and the probable impacts of alternative solutions.
Selectivity versus conversion and optimal operating policies for plants with recycle

A simple and fast procedure is developed for determining optimal steady state operating policies for chemical plants with recycle. This article improves upon the previous findings by Griffin et al. (Ind Eng Chem Res. 2006;45:8056-8062) and now provides a more general classification procedure for process chemistries that have reversible reactions or reactions of unequal overall order or both. Selectivity vs. conversion relationships are indirectly determined herein, requiring only the reaction orders of reaction species. The effect of these relationships allows process chemistries to be classified into two equivalence classes: bounded and nonbounded. This classification has important implications for the optimal operation and plantwide control structure of a flexible plant with spare equipment capacity. For instance, using the classification procedure and decision tree developed in this article, it can be determined quickly whether or not it is economically optimal to operate the reactor at the holdup constraint under all operating conditions (bounded) or away from the constraint with a variable holdup operating policy (nonbounded). © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008
Smart sleep: Sleep more to reduce delay in duty-cycled wireless sensor networks

A simple random walk (SRW) has been considered as an effective forwarding method for many applications in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) due to its desirable properties. However, a critical downside of SRW - slow diffusion or exploration over the space, typically leads to longer packet delay and undermines its own benefits. Such slow-mixing problem becomes even worse under random duty cycling adopted for energy conservation. In this paper, we study how to overcome this problem without any sacrifice or tradeoff, and propose a simple modification of random duty cycling, named Smart Sleep, which achieves more power-saving as well as faster packet diffusion (or smaller delay) while retaining the benefits of SRW. We also introduce a class of p-backtracking random walks and establish its properties to analytically explain the fast packet diffusion induced by Smart Sleep. We further obtain a necessary condition to achieve an optimal performance under our Smart Sleep, and finally demonstrate remarkable performance improvement via independent simulation results over various network topologies.
Diffusion-based thermal tomography

Thermal imaging is one of the fastest growing areas of nondestructive testing. The basic idea is to apply heat to a material and study the way the temperature changes within the material to learn about its composition. The technique is rapid, relatively inexpensive and most importantly has a wide coverage area with a single experimental measurement. One of the main goals in thermal imaging has been to improve flaw definition through advanced image processing. Tomographic imaging is a very attractive way to achieve this goal. Although there have been some attempts to implement tomographic principles for thermal imaging, they have been only marginally successful. One possible reason for this is that conventional tomography algorithms rely upon wave propagation (either electromagnetic or acoustic) and are inherently unsuitable for thermal diffusion without suitable modifications. In this research program, a modified approach to thermal imaging is proposed which fully accounts for diffusion phenomena in a tomographic imaging algorithm. Here, instead of the large area source commonly used in conventional thermal imaging applications, a raster scanned point source is employed in order to provide the well defined source- receiver positions required for tomographic imaging. A thermal diffusion modified version of ART is used for image reconstruction. Examples of tomographic images are presented from synthetically generated data to illustrate the utility of the approach.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ecohydrology of water-limited environments: A scientific vision

[1] Water-limited environments occupy about half of the Earth's land surface and contain some of the fastest growing population centers in the world. Scarcity or variable distributions of water and nutrients make these environments highly sensitive to change. Given the importance of water-limited environments and the impacts of increasing demands on water supplies and other natural resources, this paper highlights important societal problems and scientific challenges germane to these environments and presents a vision on how to accelerate progress. We argue that improvements in our fundamental understanding of the links between hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological processes are needed, and the way to accomplish this is by fostering integrated, interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving and hypothesis testing through place-based science. Such an ecohydrological approach will create opportunities to develop new methodologies and ways of thinking about these complex environmental systems and help us improve forecasts of environmental change.
Theoretical Analysis of using Identity Based PKI as the Authentication method in SQL

There are many authentications models used with SQL such as Forms-Based Authentication. This work will explore the possibility of using Identity Based PKI as the authentication model for SQL. The work looking at both sides SQL authentication and PKI from history of view then present Identity PKI based for SQL and the pros and cons of such model
Characterization of fluor concentration and geometry in organic scintillators for in situ beta imaging

Development of a small area (1-2 cm/sup 2/) in situ beta imaging device includes optimization of the front end scintillation detector which is fiber optically coupled to a remote photon detector. Thin plastic scintillation detectors, which are sensitive to charged particles, are the ideal detectors due to the low sensitivity to ambient gamma backgrounds. The light output of a new binary plastic scintillator was investigated with respect to increasing concentrations of the fluor ([0.5%] to [2.0%] by weight), and varying thickness cylindrical configurations of the intended imaging detector. The new fluor had an emission maximum increasing from 431 to 436 nm with increasing fluor concentration The decay time(s) had two components (0.38, 1.74 nsec). There was an /spl sim/20% increase in light output with increasing fluor concentration, measured with both /sup 204/Tl betas and conversion electrons from /sup 207/Bi. The highest light output of this new scintillator was measured to be /spl sim/30% lower than BC404. Simulations predicted the 1.5 mm scintillator thickness at which light output and energy absorption for /spl sim/700 keV electrons (e.g. from /sup 204/Tl, /sup 18/F) were maximized, which corresponded with measurements As beta continua are relatively featureless, energy calibration for the thin scintillators was investigated using Landau distributions, which appear as distinct peaks in the spectra. As the scintillators were made thinner, gamma backgrounds were shown to linearly decrease.
The Arcadia, Oklahoma, Storm of 17 May 1981: Analysis of a Supercell during Tornadogenesis

Abstract On 17 May 1981, an extensive dataset was collected for a supercell thunderstorm that produced an F2 tornado near Arcadia in central Oklahoma. Coordinated dual-Doppler scans of the storm by 10-cm research radars were collected at approximately 5-min intervals from 30 min before the tornado touched down until 15 min after the tornado had dissipated. The Arcadia storm was also well sampled by a 444-m-tall instrumented tower. The low-level inflow, updraft, mesocyclone, and rear precipitation core of the supercell all passed across the tower. A comparison of the instrumented tower measurements with a dual-Doppler synthesis reveals that the latter qualitatively resolved the low-level flow. However, the magnitudes of the low-level horizontal winds and updraft speed were underestimated. In addition, the vertical shear of the horizontal wind in the lowest kilometer was unresolved in the Doppler winds. In the storm environment, horizontal vorticity was strong (∼1.5 × 10−2 s−1) and approximately streamwise ...
Variation of signal strength and electromagnetic field pattern in conveyor-based radio frequency identification systems

In this paper, we study the characteristics and variation of RF signal strength and electromagnetic (EM) field pattern in a conveyor-based RFID application, and their impact on readability of passive UHF RFID tags. Read-rate (number of reads per second) and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) are employed as a measure of the signal strength within the EM field. It is shown that EM field patterns significantly change depending on the position of tagged case(s) containing metal products, and the number of cases within the read zone. The presence of metal can create read null points in proximity distance to the reader resulting from multipath reflections from objects in the conveyor system environment. Understanding how such significant factors affect the signal strength and EM field pattern is essential for designing an optimised RFID system to achieve a desired level of performance.
Clobazam for treatment of epilepsy

Introduction: The landscape of antiepileptic drugs is constantly evolving with new compounds being released onto the market on a regular basis. Most new agents are, at least initially, approved for use as adjunctive treatment of localization-related (focal) epilepsy, and only rarely are new medications released for other types of epilepsy. Though it has been in use in other countries, clobazam is now approved for use in the USA, and specifically in the treatment of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, a type of (symptomatic or cryptogenic) generalized epilepsy. Areas covered: This paper discusses the pharmacology of clobazam as well as the definition and nosologic boundaries of Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. General (adult) neurologists are under the erroneous impression that Lennox–Gastaut syndrome is limited to childhood, and this common misconception indicates a lack of understanding of the group of generalized epilepsies. With this paper, readers will gain a better understanding of the limits of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome...
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of an iron-fortified food product in female soldiers during military training: relations between iron status, serum hepcidin, and inflammation

Background: Iron status degrades in female soldiers during military training. Inflammation-mediated up-regulation of hepcidin, a key mediator of iron homeostasis, may be a contributing factor. Objective: We measured the efficacy of an iron-fortified food product for maintaining iron status in female soldiers during basic combat training (BCT) and examined relations between iron status, serum hepcidin concentrations, and inflammation. Design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Volunteers received an iron-fortified food product (total dose = 56 mg Fe/d) or a placebo twice daily during the 9-wk BCT course. Iron-status indicators, serum hepcidin concentrations, and markers of inflammation were measured pre- and post-BCT. Results: BCT affected iron status; serum ferritin concentrations decreased (P 0.05), and concentrations of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and hemoglobin and the red cell distribution width increased (P 0.05). Consumption of the iron-fortified food product attenuated declines in iron status in iron-deficient anemic soldiers; a group-by-time interaction was observed for hemoglobin and sTfR concentrations (P 0.05). Serum hepcidin concentrations were not affected by BCT; however, hepcidin concentrations were lower in iron-deficient anemic soldiers than in those with normal iron status (P 0.05) and were positively associated with serum ferritin (P 0.05) and C-reactive protein (P 0.05) concentrations pre- and post-BCT. Conclusions: Twice-daily consumption of an iron-fortified food product improved iron status in iron-deficient anemic soldiers but not in iron-normal or iron-deficient nonanemic soldiers. Serum hepcidin concentrations were not affected by training but were associated with iron status and inflammation pre- and post-BCT. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT 01100905. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29185.
Untestable fault identification through enhanced necessary value assignments

In this paper, we propose novel low-cost methods that combine static logic implications and binary resolution to significantly increase the number of non-trivial signal relations learned from the circuit. The proposed method first applies resolution techniques to learn new static single-node implications and then uses them to learn powerful multi-node implications. All the newly learned relations help in extracting more necessary assignments for a given fault, potentially increasing the chance for a conflict to occur among the necessary assignments. Experimental results on ISCAS89 and ITC99 benchmarks show that our method can identify significantly more untestable faults compared to existing non branch-and-bound based techniques.
Fabrication of MEMS Tonpilz Transducers

Tonpilz transducers consist of a heavy tail mass, a piezoelectric spring, and a light head mass. Miniaturized tonpilz transducers are potentially interesting for the 10 to100 MHz frequency range in imaging transducers due to their high efficiency and output capabilities. Piezoelectric thin films can be used as the active element in the construction of miniaturized tonpilz structures. A 4-10 µm film is necessary for the mass-spring-mass system to resonate at these high frequencies. In this work, fabrication and characterization of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thick films on conductive oxide LaNiO3 (LNO) coated silicon on insulator (SOI) substrates will be reported for this application. First, conductive LNO thin films, approximately 300 nm in thickness, were grown on SOI substrates by a metal-organic decomposition (MOD) method. The room temperature resistivity of the LNO was 6.5×10-4 ?cm. Randomly oriented PZT (52/48) films up to 7 µm thick were then deposited using a sol-gel process on the LNO coated SOI substrates. 20 mol.% excess lead was added to the solutions to compensate for lead volatilization during film heat treatments. PZT films with LNO bottom electrodes showed good dielectric and ferroelectric properties. The dielectric permittivity (at 1 kHz) was over 1000. The remanent polarization of PZT films was larger than 26 µC/cm2. The e31,f coefficient of PZT thick films was larger than -6.5 C/m2 when poled at -75 kV/cm for 15 minutes. A silver layer approximately 40 µm thick was screen- printed onto the PZT film to form the tail mass of the tonpilz structure. Elements were diced and the bulk silicon was removed by dry and wet-etching methods to leave the p-type silicon layer as tonpilz head mass. Fabrication of MEMS tonpilz microstructures will also be presented.
Using Student Knowledge to Enhance Inquiry: A Theoretical and Practical View of Negotiation in a Science Classroom

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of negotiation in a science classroom, specifically how teachers can improve their student's ability to construct a scientific claim by focusing on their students' knowledge and how it changes throughout the unit. The paper will attempt to define key aspects of negotiation, the student’s role in negotiation, the teacher’s role in promoting negotiation, and how negotiation can potentially increase the opportunity for conceptual change in students. Negotiation will be discussed as a notion of assimilation, accommodation, and a relationship of construction and critique.
Versión de la "Guerra de la venganza", Texto mitológico de la Baja California indígena

This mythological text, "The War of Revenge", was told in Paipai, a Yuman language of northern Baja California. Mixco (1984) has published an English-Paipai version also. The same story in Kiliwa was published in 1939 by Meigs. It relates a battle between humans, led by a wise man and a god, in which the latter wins and throws the wise man's head into the heavens where it becomes a comet.
Stabilization of MgAl2O4 spinel surfaces via doping

Abstract Surface structure of complex oxides plays a vital role in processes such as sintering, thin film growth, and catalysis, as well as being a critical factor determining the stability of nanoparticles. Here, we report atomistic calculations of the low-index stoichiometric magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4) surfaces, each with two different chemical terminations. High temperature annealing was used to explore the potential energy landscape and provide more stable surface structures. We find that the lowest energy surface is {100} while the highest energy surface is {111}. The surfaces were subsequently doped with three trivalent dopants (Y3+, Gd3+, La3+) and one tetravalent dopant (Zr4+) and both the surface segregation energies of the dopants and surface energies of the doped surface were determined. All of the dopants reduce the surface energy of spinel, though this reduction in energy depends on both the size and valence of the dopant. Dopants with larger ionic radius tend to segregate to the surface more strongly and reduce the surface energy to a greater extent. Furthermore, the ionic valence of the dopants seems to have a stronger influence on the segregation than does ionic size. For both undoped and doped spinel, the predicted crystal shape is dominated by {100} surfaces, but the relative fraction of the various surfaces changes with doping due to the unequal changes in energy, which has implications on equilibrium nanoparticle shapes and therefore on applications sensitive to surface properties.
Enzyme Assisted Formation of Fatty Acid Hydroperoxide

Lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) catalyzes the dioxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids to form their corresponding hydroperoxides. Reduced derivatives of these have the potential to replace ricinoleic acid in industrial products. Currently ricinoleic acid is obtained from castor oil, a commodity that is imported into the U.S. at the level of thirty thousand metric tons per year (1). A method for immobilizing lipoxygenase was developed, and the use of this immobilized preparation to produce the hydroperoxide of linoleic acid (HPOD) in aqueous buffer-organic solvent mixtures was investigated.
Higher-order transformation and the distributed data problem.

The distributed data problem, is characterized by the desire to bring together semantically related data from syntactically unrelated portions of a term. Two strategic combinators, dynamic and transient, are introduced in the context of a classical strategic programming framework. The impact of the resulting system on instances of the distributed data problem is then explored.
Effect of Ionophorous Anticoccidials on Invasion and Development of Eimeria: Comparison of Sensitive and Resistant Isolates and Correlation with Drug Uptake

Abstract Prophylactic levels of three ionophorous antibiotics, monensin, salinomycin, and lasalocid, were administered to groups of chickens and turkeys. All three ionophores markedly inhibited invasion of cecal tissues by sporozoites of ionophore-sensitive (IS) Eimeria tenella. Monensin and salinomycin also reduced invasion in turkeys by sporozoites of E. adenoeides, but lasalocid only minimally inhibited invasion. Invasion of ceca of monensin-medicated chickens was significantly greater by sporozoites of ionophore-resistant (IR) E. tenella than of the IS isolate. Concomitant experiments showed significant differences in [14 C]monensin accumulation among IS and IR isolates of E. tenella. The decreased uptake of monensin by the IR isolates appeared to be accompanied by a decrease in responsiveness to the activity of monensin as well as to two other ionophores, salinomycin and narasin in cell culture. The amount of monensin, salinomycin or narasin required to inhibit development of E. tenella by 50% was 20 to 40 times higher for the IR isolates than for the IS ones. Collectively, the data suggest that differences in ionophore accumulation by IS and IR isolates of E. tenella might reflect differences in membrane chemistry and that these differences are responsible for the expressions of resistance that were observed in these studies. This expression of resistance appears to be common to all ionophores tested.
Histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1) regulates Ca2+ signaling in mouse fibroblasts and neuronal cells via store-operated Ca2+ entry pathway

Recent findings indicate that histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1) is implicated in the pathophysiology of certain psychiatric disorders and also exhibits tumor suppressor propertie...
Cognitive Response to Motor Tasks Using NIRS: Pilot Studies of Adults With And Without Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Near-infrared optical spectroscopy is employed to investigate the cognitive response to motor tasks in the prefrontal cortex of adults with and without cerebral palsy.