cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing the Lipid Membrane Dipole Potential by Atomic Force Microscopy

The electrostatic properties of biological membranes can be described by three parameters: the transmembrane potential, the membrane surface potential, and the membrane dipole potential. The first two are well characterized in terms of their magnitudes and biological effects. The dipole potential, however, is not well characterized. Various methods to measure the membrane dipole potential indirectly yield different values, and there is not even agreement on the source of the membrane dipole moment. This ambiguity impedes investigations into the biological effects of the membrane dipole moment, which should be substantial considering the large interfacial fields with which it is associated. Electrostatic analysis of phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes with the atomic force microscope reveals a repulsive force between the negatively charged probe tips and the zwitterionic lipids. This unexpected interaction has been analyzed quantitatively to reveal that the repulsion is due to a weak external field created by the internal membrane dipole potential. The analysis yields a dipole moment of 1.5 Debye per lipid with a dipole potential of +275 mV for supported phosphatidylcholine membranes. This new ability to quantitatively measure the membrane dipole moment in a noninvasive manner with nanometer scale spatial resolution will be useful in identifying the biological effects of the dipole potential.
Intraguild Predation and Native Lady Beetle Decline

Coccinellid communities across North America have experienced significant changes in recent decades, with declines in several native species reported. One potential mechanism for these declines is interference competition via intraguild predation; specifically, increased predation of native coccinellid eggs and larvae following the introduction of exotic coccinellids. Our previous studies have shown that agricultural fields in Michigan support a higher diversity and abundance of exotic coccinellids than similar fields in Iowa, and that the landscape surrounding agricultural fields across the north central U.S. influences the abundance and activity of coccinellid species. The goal of this study was to quantify the amount of egg predation experienced by a native coccinellid within Michigan and Iowa soybean fields and explore the influence of local and large-scale landscape structure. Using the native lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata as a model, we found that sentinel egg masses were subject to intense predation within both Michigan and Iowa soybean fields, with 60.7% of egg masses attacked and 43.0% of available eggs consumed within 48 h. In Michigan, the exotic coccinellids Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis were the most abundant predators found in soybean fields whereas in Iowa, native species including C. maculata, Hippodamia parenthesis and the soft-winged flower beetle Collops nigriceps dominated the predator community. Predator abundance was greater in soybean fields within diverse landscapes, yet variation in predator numbers did not influence the intensity of egg predation observed. In contrast, the strongest predictor of native coccinellid egg predation was the composition of edge habitats bordering specific fields. Field sites surrounded by semi-natural habitats including forests, restored prairies, old fields, and pasturelands experienced greater egg predation than fields surrounded by other croplands. This study shows that intraguild predation by both native and exotic predators may contribute to native coccinellid decline, and that landscape structure interacts with local predator communities to shape the specific outcomes of predator-predator interactions.
Experimental analysis of high-frequency stress waves in a ring

AbstractThis paper deals with the photoelastic analysis of stress waves in a thick ring subjected to transient high-frequency loading. The device used to apply the loading is a piezo-electric transducer which initially produces four cycles of a 31·25 kHz toneburst. The loading pulse can be reproduced with high precision. The ring is illuminated with a flash of approximately 0·5 μs duration which can be delayed in a continuously adjustable manner. Isochromatics and isoclinics can be directly observed as static patterns. Photoelastic data are supplemented by measurements obtained with a capacitance gauge used as a dynamic lateral extensometer. Satisfactory agreement is found between tangential stresses near the free boundary of the ring determined from photoelastic data and those determined from capacitance-gauge measurements. As examples of complete determination of stress distributions, the separated principal stresses are obtained along an axis of symmetry and a vectorial representation of the principal ...
Optimal Pricing of Seasonal Products in the Presence of Forward-Looking Consumers

We study the optimal pricing of a finite quantity of a fashion-like seasonal good in the presence of forward-looking (strategic) customers. We distinguish between two classes of pricing strategies: contingent and announced fixed-discount. In both cases, the seller acts as a Stackelberg leader announcing his pricing strategy, while consumers act as followers taking the seller's strategy as given and determining their purchasing behavior. In each case, we identify a subgame-perfect Nash equilibrium and show that given the seller's strategy, the equilibrium in the consumer subgame is unique and consists of symmetric threshold purchasing policies. For both cases, we develop a benchmark model in which customers are nonstrategic (myopic). We conduct a comprehensive numerical study to explore the impact of strategic consumer behavior on pricing policies and expected revenue performance. We show that strategic customer behavior suppresses the benefits of price segmentation, particularly under medium-to-high values of heterogeneity and modest rates of decline in valuations. However, when the level of consumer heterogeneity is small, the rate of decline is medium-to-high, and the seller can optimally choose the time of discount in advance, segmentation can be used quite effectively even with strategic consumers. We find that the seller cannot avoid the adverse impact of strategic consumer behavior even under low levels of initial inventory. We argue that while the seller expects customers to be more concerned about product availability at discount time, he cannot use high-price “betting” strategies as he would in the case of low inventory and myopic customers. Under certain qualifications, announced fixed-discount strategies perform essentially the same as contingent pricing policies in the case of myopic consumers. However, under strategic consumer behavior, announced pricing policies can be advantageous to the seller, compared to contingent pricing schemes. Interestingly, those cases that announced discount strategies offer a significant advantage compared to contingent pricing policies. They appear to offer only a minimal advantage in comparison to fixed-pricing policies. Finally, when the seller incorrectly assumes that strategic customers are myopic in their purchasing decisions, it can be quite costly, reaching potential revenue losses of about 20%.
Imaging of the multiple-ligament-injured knee.

Dislocation of the knee is a rare but serious injury that results in extensive ligamentous disruption and not uncommonly is associated with potential limb-threatening vascular injury and neurologic compromise. Imaging of such injuries requires comprehensive evaluation of osseous and surrounding soft tissue and assessment of subtle forms of vascular injury. Plain radiographs should be the initial imaging test to radiographically confirm the direction of knee dislocation. Following documentation of knee dislocation, attention should be directed to the neurovascular status. In the presence of diminished or absent pulses of the lower extremity, no other imaging test is warranted because prompt intraoperative assessment of the popliteal artery patency is recommended, followed by appropriate vascular surgical intervention. 55 , 59 After initial assessment of the knee by plain radiographs, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has supplanted more conventional imaging techniques, such as computerized tomography (CT) and complex motion tomography in the evaluation of the surrounding soft tissue and osseous structures.
Redundant-wavelet watermarking with pixel-wise masking

An algorithm is presented which implements image watermarking in the domain of an overcomplete, or redundant, wavelet transform. This algorithm expands on a previous method which employs a traditional, critically sampled wavelet transform coupled with perceptually-based watermark casting and optimal Neyman-Pearson detection. Specifically, in the proposed method, the redundancy inherent in the transform facilitates detection of perceptually salient texture local to a given spatial location and guides the placement of watermarking energy so as to minimize the impact on perceptual image quality. Additionally, the optimal detection strategy is adjusted to account for the overcomplete ness of the transform. The performance of the proposed technique is compared to that of its critically sampled counterpart and greater robustness under attack by compression is observed.
A novel 3-hydroxyproline (3Hyp)-rich motif marks the triple-helical C terminus of tendon type I collagen.

Because of its unique physical and chemical properties, rat tail tendon collagen has long been favored for crystallographic and biochemical studies of fibril structure. In studies of the distribution of 3-hydroxyproline in type I collagen of rat bone, skin, and tail tendon by mass spectrometry, the repeating sequences of Gly-Pro-Pro (GPP) triplets at the C terminus of α1(I) and α2(I) chains were shown to be heavily 3-hydroxylated in tendon but not in skin and bone. By isolating the tryptic peptides and subjecting them to Edman sequence analysis, the presence of repeating 3-hydroxyprolines in consecutive GPP triplets adjacent to 4-hydroxyproline was confirmed as a unique feature of the tendon collagen. A 1960s study by Piez et al. (Piez, K. A., Eigner, E. A., and Lewis, M. S. (1963) Biochemistry 2, 58–66) in which they compared the amino acid compositions of rat skin and tail tendon type I collagen chains indeed showed 3–4 residues of 3Hyp in tendon α1(I) and α2(I) chains but only one 3Hyp residue in skin α1(I) and none in α2(I). The present work therefore confirms this difference and localizes the additional 3Hyp to the GPP repeat at the C terminus of the triple-helix. We speculate on the significance in terms of a potential function in contributing to the unique assembly mechanism and molecular packing in tendon collagen fibrils and on mechanisms that could regulate 3-hydroxylation at this novel substrate site in a tissue-specific manner.
Information Linkages in Local Economic Development

Profitable private investments may be bypassed in struggling regions due precisely to such regions' isolation, leading to a self-reinforcing cycle of marginalization. In many cases, development in such regions may be most effectively promoted by providing key information to the private and public sectors, thus addressing potentially significant market failures. In the case study project, the calculation of private and social returns have been particularly crucial in sparking both private investor interest and public support of this business venture. The project's example suggests an updated role for universities in the assistance of productive economic development programs.
Patient noncompliance: causes and solutions

This essay examines the subject of patient noncompliance with prescribed medications or other health regimens and its possible causes, and discusses possible solutions. Noncompliance or nonadherence to prescribed medical regimens may have serious detrimental effects on the patient's health and quality of life, and may lead to further morbidity or mortality. Proposed solutions to the problem of noncompliance are many (Table 3). If aggressively pursued, they may help improve the health of individual patients and the general community.
Carbon nanosphere adsorbents for removal of arsenate and selenate from water

Porous carbon nanospheres prepared using spray pyrolysis were evaluated as adsorbents for removal of arsenate and selenate in de-ionized (DI), canal, and well waters. The carbon nanospheres displayed good binding to both metals in DI water and outperformed commercial activated carbons for arsenate removal in pH > 8, likely due to the presence of basic surface functional groups, high surface-to-volume ratio, and suitable micropores formed during the synthesis.
On the onset of high-Reynolds-number grid-generated wind tunnel turbulence

Using an active grid devised by Makita (1991), shearless decaying turbulence is studied for the Taylor-microscale Reynolds number, Rλ, varying from 50 to 473 in a small (40 × 40 cm2 cross-section) wind tunnel. The turbulence generator consists of grid bars with triangular wings that rotate and flap in a random way. The value of Rλ is determined by the mean speed of the air (varied from 3 to 14 m s–1) as it passes the rotating grid, and to a lesser extent by the randomness and rotation rate of the grid bars. Our main findings are as follows. A weak, not particularly well-defined scaling range (i.e. a power-law dependence of both the longitudinal (u) and transverse (v) spectra, F11(k1) and F22(k1) respectively, on wavenumber k1) first appears at Rλ ∼ 50, with a slope, n1, (for the u spectrum) of approximately 1.3. As Rλ was increased, n1 increased rapidly until Rλ ∼ 200 where n ∼ 1.5. From there on the increase in n1 was slow, and even by Rλ = 473 it was still significantly below the Kolmogorov value of 1.67. Over the entire range, 50 [les ] Rλ [les ] 473, the data were well described by the empirical fit: . Using a modified form of the Kolmogorov similarity law: F11(k1) = C1*e2/3k1–5/3(k 1η)5/3–n1 where e is the turbulence energy dissipation rate and η is the Kolmogorov microscale, we determined a linear dependence between n1 and C1*: C1* = 4.5 – 2.4n1. Thus for n1 = 5/3 (which extrapolation of our results suggests will occur in this flow for Rλ ∼ 104), C1* = 0.5, the accepted high-Reynolds-number value of the Kolmogorov constant. Analysis of the p.d.f. of velocity differences Δu(r) and Δv(r) where r is an inertial subrange interval, conditional dissipation, and other statistics showed that there was a qualitative difference between the turbulence for Rλ 200 (strong turbulence). For the latter, the p.d.f.s of Δu(r) and Δv(r) had super Gaussian tails and the dissipation (both of the u and v components) conditioned on Δu(r) and Δv(r) was a strong function of the velocity difference. For Rλ 200 are consistent with the predictions of the Kolmogorov refined similarity hypothesis (and make a distinction between the dynamical and kinematical contributions to the conditional statistics). They have much in common with similar statistics done in shear flows at much higher Rλ, with which they are compared.
Angiotensin-induced defects in renal oxygenation: role of oxidative stress.

We tested the hypothesis that superoxide anion (O2−·) generated in the kidney by prolonged angiotensin II (ANG II) reduces renal cortical Po2 and the use of O2 for tubular sodium transport (TNa:QO2...
Phylogeny, classification and floral evolution of water lilies (Nymphaeaceae; Nymphaeales): a synthesis of non-molecular, rbcL, matK, and 18S rDNA data.

The water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) have been investigated systematically for decades because they are believed to represent an early group of angiosperms with relatively unspecialized floral organization. Although this group is small taxonomically, the relationships among genera of water lilies have eluded clarification and no single classification has become widely accepted. We present a well-corroborated phy- logeny of water lily genera that is based on agreement between non-molecular data and DNA sequences obtained from both organellar and nuclear genomes. For specific portions of the resulting phylogeny, we evaluate the support conferred by each separate data set in comparison to various combinations. This ap- proach enabled us to assess the potential benefits of further data acquisition, and also allowed us to evaluate the fundamental advantages and disadvantages of each data partition. Every data set contributed differently to the overall phylogenetic analysis and resolution of the cladogram. The 18S rDNA performed the most poorly, with homoplasious sites confounding some topological assessments in comparisons of closely related genera. However, as taxonomic distance increased, phylogenetic signal in the 18S rDNA data increased due to the expression of sequence variation in highly conserved sites. Even the 18S rDNA data were relatively congruent with the other data evaluated, and the resulting combined data analysis rendered a single maxi- mum parsimony tree with strong nodal support throughout. When floral features were evaluated using this well-corroborated phylogeny, the pleiomerous condition of water lily flowers showed several instances of secondary derivations. Although the actual morphological details of the first water lily flowers remain un- certain, it is clear that the flowers of extant water lilies do not necessarily depict the ancestral organization. Results of the phylogenetic analysis are used to encourage the adoption of an evolutionarily based classifi- cation system for water lilies.
Impaired Generation of CD8+ Thymocytes in Ets-1-Deficient Mice

The Ets family of transcription factors function as key regulators of multiple aspects of immune cell development and function. To date, Ets-1 has been implicated in regulating early stages of thymic maturation and lymphocyte function and homeostasis. This report describes a novel role for Ets-1 in supporting later stages of thymic selection, in that positive selection of MHC class I-restricted CD4+CD8+ double-positive thymocytes is markedly inhibited in mice expressing a hypomorphic allele of Ets-1. This effect is thymocyte intrinsic, as Ets-1 mutant thymocytes fail to efficiently generate CD8+ single-positive thymocytes in mixed bone marrow chimeric backgrounds. Although peripheral CD8+ T cells are present in Ets-1 mutant mice, both CD4+ and CD8+ subsets contain an elevated proportion of cells with an effector memory (CD62L-CD44+) phenotype. In addition, while thymic expression of Thy1 is relatively normal, peripheral T cells isolated from Ets-1 mutant mice display a striking loss of Thy1 expression. These data identify Ets-1 as a key transcription factor regulating thymocyte positive selection and lineage commitment of MHC class I-restricted thymocytes.
Modeling Aspects of Theory of Mind with Markov Random Fields

We propose Markov random fields (MRFs) as a probabilistic mathematical model for incorporating the internal states of other agents, both human and robotic, into robot decision making. By using estimates of Theory of Mind (ToM), the mental states of other agents can be incorporated into decision making through statistical inference, allowing robots to balance their own goals and internal objectives with those of other collaborating agents. The MRF model is well-suited to domains in which the joint probability over latent (action) and observed (perceived) variables can be factored into pairwise interactions between these variables. Specifically, these interactions occur through functions that evaluate “local evidence” between an observed and latent variable and “compatibility” between a pair of latent variables. We will describe how experimental findings from the ToM literature can be explained using MRF models, and then show how this framework can be applied to a social robotics task. We will also describe how to use belief propagation on a multi-robot MRF as a novel approach to multi-robot coordination, with parallels to human collaboration strategies.
PHOTOSENSITIZED BLEACHING OF β‐CAROTENE WITH LIGHT AT 632·8 nm FROM A CONTINUOUS‐WAVE GAS LASER

— β-Carotene was not affected when irradiated with a monochromatic beam of light (632·8 nm) from a continuous-wave gas laser. However, β -carotene undenvent numerous changes when irradiated in the presence of the photosensitizing dye toluidine blue. Initially there was a considerable decrease in the absorbance of the β-carotene, accompanied by small shifts of the absorption maxima to shorter wavelengths as well as the formation of two new peaks at 400 and 375 nm. Ultimately a complete bleaching of the solution was observed. By the use of column and thin layer chromatography up to 13 different compounds including cis-isomers, epoxides and possibly hydroxy compounds were shown to be formed by the photosensitization of the β-carotene. These reactions were found to be oxygen-dependent.
Treatment of corneal squamous cell carcinoma using topical 1% 5-fluorouracil as monotherapy

The purpose of this report is to discuss the use of topical 1% 5-fluorouracil as a sole therapy for canine corneal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 12-year-old castrated male pug was evaluated for a well-demarcated, central, 3 mm in diameter, pale pink, raised, right corneal mass. An incisional biopsy was obtained using a #64 beaver blade after topical anesthesia and without sedation. A definitive diagnosis of corneal SCC was obtained after histopathologic evaluation of the biopsy. Topical 1% 5-fluorouracil ointment was applied to the right eye four times daily for 2 weeks followed by no treatment for 2 weeks, then treatment again twice daily for 2 weeks. The cornea remained free of recurrence 10 months after cessation of treatment. In dogs affected with corneal SCC, topical 1% 5-fluorouracil monotherapy may be a viable and cost-effective treatment option with minimal side effects. This chemotherapy agent may also have an effect on corneal pigmentation. Chronic cyclosporine therapy did not contribute to the pathogenesis of corneal SCC in the case described.
Risks to global biodiversity from fossil-fuel production exceed those from biofuel production.

Potential global biodiversity impacts from near-term gasoline production are compared to biofuel, a renewable liquid transportation fuel expected to substitute for gasoline in the near term (i.e., from now until c. 2030). Petroleum exploration activities are projected to extend across more than 5.8 billion ha of land and ocean worldwide (of which 3.1 billion is on land), much of which is in remote, fragile terrestrial ecosystems or off-shore oil fields that would remain relatively undisturbed if not for interest in fossil fuel production. Future biomass production for biofuels is projected to fall within 2.0 billion ha of land, most of which is located in areas already impacted by human activities. A comparison of likely fuel-source areas to the geospatial distribution of species reveals that both energy sources overlap with areas with high species richness and large numbers of threatened species. At the global scale, future petroleum production areas intersect more than double the area and higher total number of threatened species than future biofuel production. Energy options should be developed to optimize provisioning of ecosystem services while minimizing negative effects, which requires information about potential impacts on critical resources. Energy conservation and identifying and effectively protecting habitats with high-conservation valuemore » are critical first steps toward protecting biodiversity under any fuel production scenario.« less
Mechanistic Insights into Diuretic-Induced Insulin Resistance

The incidence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension continues to rise worldwide. The proportion of patients with hypertension at risk for developing diabetes mellitus is also growing secondary to aging and increased obesity rates.1 Several guidelines recommend thiazide diuretics as either first-line or add-on antihypertensive therapy to achieve blood pressure goals.2 Concern over negative metabolic effects associated with thiazide diuretics, however, dates back >3 decades.3 A substantial fraction of patients with hypertension have additional cardiovascular risk factors, and many have elevated fasting glucose and are at risk for developing diabetes mellitus.4 Impaired fasting glucose itself increases the risk for cardiovascular events.5 Any medication that worsens insulin sensitivity, ie, thiazide diuretics or most β-blockers will hasten the development of diabetes mellitus in those with impaired fasting glucose.6 Large observational studies demonstrate that thiazide diuretics and most β-blockers increase the incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus compared with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers or calcium channel blockers.7 To further support this observation, a network-based meta-analysis of hypertensive agents showed that RAS blockers were the agents least likely to be associated with the development of diabetes mellitus, whereas thiazides had a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus compared with placebo.7 The mechanism traditionally associated with this increased risk of diuretic-associated diabetes mellitus is a reduction in serum potassium. A meta-analysis of 59 studies involving 83 thiazide diuretic treatment arms found a significant correlation between the degree of diuretic-induced hypokalemia and an increase in plasma glucose.8 Moreover, there is evidence that prevention of hypokalemia with K+ supplementation …
Singular perturbation analysis of a flexible beam used in underwater exploration

This article focuses on the analysis of a flexible beam based on two approaches of singular perturbations and feedback linearisation. First, a model is obtained for a flexible beam consisting of flexible joints and actuators for underwater positioning and/or tracking control leading to a singularly perturbed structure based on the slow phenomena due to the rigid portion and fast phenomena due to the flexible part of the system. Next, two ways are given for introducing the small parameter responsible for time-scale behaviour, one using a separate small parameter for each beam joint and beam link and the second using a single small parameter with appropriate scaling. Using the singular perturbation approach, the original systems are decoupled into slow and fast subsystems. The main objective is to use a feedback linearisation approach and design a proportional-integral-derivative computed-torque, composite (slow and fast) controller for improving the tracking performance. An illustrative example is provided.
Theta bursts in the olfactory nerve paired with β-adrenoceptor activation induce calcium elevation in mitral cells: A mechanism for odor preference learning in the neonate rat

Odor preference learning in the neonate rat follows pairing of odor input and noradrenergic activation of beta-adrenoceptors. Odor learning is hypothesized to be supported by enhanced mitral cell activation. Here a mechanism for enhanced mitral cell signaling is described. Theta bursts in the olfactory nerve (ON) produce long-term potentiation (LTP) of glomerular excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in the periglomerular (PG) and external tufted (ET) cells. Theta bursts paired with beta-adrenoceptor activation significantly elevate mitral cell (MC) calcium. Juxtaglomerular inhibitory network depression by beta-adrenoceptor activation appears to increase calcium in MCs in response to theta burst stimulation.
The Effects of Aging and Training on Skeletal Muscle

Aging results in a gradual loss of muscle function, and there are predictable age-related alterations in skeletal muscle function. The typical adult will lose muscle mass with age; the loss varies according to sex and the level of muscle activity. At the cellular level, muscles loose both cross-sectional area and fiber numbers, with type II muscle fibers being the most affected by aging. Some denervation of fibers may occur. The combination of these factors leads to an increased percentage of type 1 fibers in older adults. Metabolically, the glycolytic enzymes seem to be little affected by aging, but the aerobic enzymes appear to decline with age. Aged skeletal muscle produces less force and there is a general "slowing" of the mechanical characteristics of muscle. However, neither reduced muscle demand nor the subsequent loss of function is inevitable with aging. These losses can be minimized or even reversed with training. Endurance training can improve the aerobic capacity of muscle, and resistance training can improve central nervous system recruitment of muscle and increase muscle mass. Therefore, physical activity throughout life is encouraged to prevent much of the age-related impact on skeletal muscle.
Binaural Localization of Multiple Sources in Reverberant and Noisy Environments

Sound source localization from a binaural input is a challenging problem, particularly when multiple sources are active simultaneously and reverberation or background noise are present. In this work, we investigate a multi-source localization framework in which monaural source segregation is used as a mechanism to increase the robustness of azimuth estimates from a binaural input. We demonstrate performance improvement relative to binaural only methods assuming a known number of spatially stationary sources. We also propose a flexible azimuth-dependent model of binaural features that independently captures characteristics of the binaural setup and environmental conditions, allowing for adaptation to new environments or calibration to an unseen binaural setup. Results with both simulated and recorded impulse responses show that robust performance can be achieved with limited prior training.
Surface-wave ray tracing equations and Fermat's principle in an anisotropic earth

Summary. Ray tracing equations for surface waves in an anisotropic earth are derived in two ways: first, from the Hamilton’s canonical equations, and secondly, from Fermat’s principle. Phase velocity, including its azimuthal variation, is required to solve the equations, but group velocity is eliminated from the equations. The difference of direction between the wave vector and the ray path is one of the features of wave propagation in an anisotropic media and the equations explicitly show dependence upon such an angle. By putting that angle to be zero, ray tracing equations in a transversely isotropic (or simply isotropic) medium are obtained. In an isotropic medium, phase traveltime, which is an integration of phase slowness along the ray path, is stationary. In an anisotropic medium, phase travel-times is not stationary. Instead, phase slowness projected onto the ray path and integrated along the ray path is stationary. Ray tracing by the bending method in an anisotropic media should utilize such a stationary quantity. In a weakly anisotropic medium, however, the angle ($a) between the wave vector and the ray path is small and cos $, - 1 up to first order in $a. Thus phase traveltime is approximately stationary in a weakly anisotropic medium.
Instantaneous reactive power p-q theory and power properties of three-phase systems

This paper investigates how power phenomena and properties of three-phase systems are described and interpreted by the Instantaneous Reactive Power (IRP) p-q Theory. This paper demonstrates that this theory misinterprets power properties of electrical systems or provides some results that at least defy a common sense or meaning of some notions in electrical engineering. For example, it suggests the presence of an instantaneous reactive current in supply lines of purely resistive loads and the presence of an instantaneous active current in supply lines of purely reactive loads. Moreover, it suggests that line currents of linear loads with sinusoidal supply voltage contain a nonsinusoidal component. This paper shows, moreover, that the IRP p-q Theory is not capable to identify power properties of three-phase loads instantaneously. A pair of instantaneous values of p and q powers does not allow us to conclude whether the load is resistive, reactive, balanced, or unbalanced. It is known that a load imbalance reduces power factor. However, the IRP p-q Theory does not identify the load imbalance as the cause of power factor degradation.
Intelligent vehicle power management using machine learning and fuzzy logic

We present our research in optimal power management for a generic vehicle power system that has multiple power sources using machine learning and fuzzy logic. A machine learning algorithm, LOPPS, has been developed to learn about optimal power source combinations with respect to minimum power loss for all possible load requests and various system power states. The results generated by the LOPPS are used to build a fuzzy power controller (FPC). FPC is integrated into a simulation program implemented by using a generic simulation software as indicated in reference and is used to dynamically allocate optimal power sources during online drive. The simulation results generated by FPC show that the proposed machine learning algorithm combined with fuzzy logic is a promising technology for vehicle power management.
Semantics guided regression test cost reduction

Software maintainers are faced with the task of regression testing: retesting a modified program on an often large number of test cases. The cost of regression testing can be reduced if the size of the program is reduced and if old test cases and results can be reused. Two complimentary algorithms for reducing the cost of regression testing are presented. The first produces a program called Differences that captures the semantic change between Certified, a previously tested program, and Modified, a changed version of Certified. It is more efficient to test Differences, because it omits unchanged computations. The program Differences is computed using a combination of program slices. The second algorithm identifies test cases for which Certified and Modified produce the same output and existing test cases that test new components in Modified. The algorithm is based on the notion of common execution patterns. Program components with common execution patterns have the same execution pattern during some call to their procedure. They are computed using a calling context slice. Whereas an interprocedural slice includes the program components necessary to capture all possible executions of a statement, a calling context slice includes only those program components necessary to capture the execution of a statement in a particular calling context. Together with Differences, it is possible to test Modified by running Differences on a smaller number of test cases. This is more efficient than running Modified on a large number of test cases. A prototype implementation has been built to examine and illustrate these algorithms.
Plasmonic Nanostructures for Organic Photovoltaic Devices

We report the latest progress on plasmonic nanostructures for organic photovoltaic devices. Three aspects will be discussed: plasmon-exciton interaction, combined optical and electrical modeling and plasmon enhanced frequency upconversion.
Use of a metadata documentation and search tool for large data volumes: The NGEE arctic example

The Online Metadata Editor (OME) is a web-based tool to help document scientific data in a well-structured, popular scientific metadata format. In this paper, we will discuss the newest tool that Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed to generate, edit, and manage metadata and how it is helping dataintensive science centers and projects, such as the U.S. Department of Energy's Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) in the Arctic to prepare metadata and make their big data produce big science and lead to new discoveries.
Optimal Power Flow with Random Wind Resources

We consider optimal power-flow calculations based on statistics (means and variances) of wind-power that are assumed known hour ahead. In real-time, adjustments of these calculations to the true wind power amounts have been proposed using affine control and chance constraints on generation and transmission [1]. We study how correlated wind power sources affect the optimized power plan and cost. We also explore how the errors in wind forecasting statistics, due to real-time control actions to limit wind oscillations (ramping) or just simple misinformation, affect costs. There are direct extensions to the case where random/flexible demands/loads are correlated and similarly predictable.
Genetic Variation in Larval Survival and Growth and Response to Selection by Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Tomato

Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) originating from potato in Massachusetts (UM strain) differed from those originating from potato in New York (NY strain) in their ability to use tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller, as a host. Larvae from the UM strain had higher survival and weighed more on tomato than larvae from the NY strain. Both strains responded to selection for adaptation to tomato. Larval survival to 4-d and the weight of 4-d-old larvae significantly increased in the NY strain after adults and larvae were maintained on tomato for 3 generations. The UM strain did not respond to selection during 4 generations; but 4-d-old larvae reared on tomato were significantly larger after 12 generations of selection than in the unselected control. In both strains, weights of larvae reared on tomato increased when selection on tomato occurred only during the larval stage. Reciprocal crosses between the selected and unselected strains provided no evidence for sex linkage or cytoplasmic inheritance of the differences in larval survival and larval weight on tomato. Similarly, there was no evidence that the food plant of the mother affected the survival of her offspring on either tomato or potato. However, there was evidence that the choice of food plant made by the mother during larval and adult stages affected the 4-d weight of her offspring on tomato; this effect was observed in the unselected NY strain, but not in a UM strain that had been selected in the larval stage on tomato for 8 generations. Increased adaptation to tomato was not associated with a decrease in adaptation to potato, as measured by weight and survival of 4-d-old larvae.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients who relapse after autologous transplantation

Increasing numbers of patients have received autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT) for hematologic malignancies. Since only a fraction of these patients are cured, physicians are more frequently faced with the dilemma of how to manage relapse post-transplant. Potential advantages of allogeneic transplantation (alloBMT) over ASCT include lack of graft tumor contamination and presence of a graft-versus-tumor effect. For this reason, patients who relapse after ASCT are often considered candidates for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. However, there is limited knowledge on the outcome of alloBMT in patients who relapse after ASCT. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 20 patients with malignant lymphoma (n = 14) and AML (n = 6) who underwent alloBMT after failing an ASCT. The median age was 30 (17-41) years and the interval from ASCT to alloBMT was 10.5 (2-25) months. Seventeen patients died between 0.3 to 11 months (median 2.0) after alloBMT, all due to BMT-related toxicities. Three patients remain alive and free of disease at 1.1, 1.2 and 2.5 years after alloBMT. Sixteen of the 18 evaluable patients (89%) developed grade II-IV acute GVHD. Patients undergoing alloBMT after ASCT have a very high treatment-related mortality and incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD. Alternative treatments with salvage chemotherapy, radiation or investigational approaches should be considered in patients who relapse after ASCT.
Comments on Thomas Wartenberg’s Big Ideas for Little Kids

This short commentary offers praise for Tom Wartenberg’s book Big Ideas for Little Kids and raises questions about who is best qualified to lead a philosophy discussion with children, and how we ar...
Relationship between Slow Cook-off Behaviour and Thermal Decomposition Characteristics of Solid Propellant

The relationship between slow cook-off behaviour and thermal decomposition characteristics of NEPE propellant and HTPB propellant was analyzed by simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry (DSC-TG), scanning electronic microscope(SEM)and slow cook-off test. A porous state generated in the decomposition of ammonium perchlorate(AP)at low temperature is the main reason causing HTPB propellant reacting violently in the slow cook-off test. The energy released by nitrates at lower temperature enables NEPE propellant to ignite before AP and HMX begin to decompose, which show that NEPE propellant has a milder reaction in slow cook-off test.
Survey on mental health status of secondary students and influence factors in Yuyao

Objective To investigate mental health status in Health Education School of Yuyao City and influence factors.Methods In 2013 June to December, all of 598 students from Health Education School of Yuyao City were selected, and questionnaire and statistical analysis were done in the survey. Results The mental health status among secondary students in Yuyao were worse than other students in the same age. Learning anxiety, sensitivity to people, and tended to loneliness,remorse, allergic tendency, body symptom, horror tendency and impulsive tendency were the common negative induced emotion. Family factors, the relationship between teachers and students, and students relations were the main factors influencing the mental health status. Senior student were better than junior students in learning anxiety, accused the tendency and impulsive tendency. Conclusion Mental health of secondary school students is more fluctuant than other students at same age. Psychological crisis intervention should be put on family factors, the relationship between teachers and students, and students relations to prevent adverse event.
Burdens of Political Responsibility: Narrative and the Cultivation of Responsiveness

How can human beings acknowledge and experience the burdens of political responsibility? Why are we tempted to flee them, and how might we come to affirm them? Jade Larissa Schiff calls this experience of responsibility 'the cultivation of responsiveness'. In Burdens of Political Responsibility: Narrative and the Cultivation of Responsiveness, she identifies three dispositions that inhibit responsiveness - thoughtlessness, bad faith, and misrecognition - and turns to storytelling in its manifold forms as a practice that might facilitate and frustrate it. Through critical engagements with an unusual cast of characters (from Bourdieu to Sartre) hailing from a variety of disciplines (political theory, phenomenology, sociology, and literary criticism), she argues that how we represent our world and ourselves in the stories we share, and how we receive those stories, can facilitate and frustrate the cultivation of responsiveness.
Mellow writes: extending lifetime in resistive memories through selective slow write backs

Emerging resistive memory technologies, such as PCRAM and ReRAM, have been proposed as promising replacements for DRAM-based main memory, due to their better scalability, low standby power, and non-volatility. However, limited write endurance is a major drawback for such resistive memory technologies. Wear leveling (balancing the distribution of writes) and wear limiting (reducing the number of writes) have been proposed to mitigate this disadvantage, but both techniques only manage a fixed budget of writes to a memory system rather than increase the number available.In this paper, we propose a new type of wear limiting technique, Mellow Writes, which reduces the wearout of individual writes rather than reducing the number of writes. Mellow Writes is based on the fact that slow writes performed with lower dissipated power can lead to longer endurance (and therefore longer lifetimes). For non-volatile memories, an N1 to N3 times endurance can be achieved if the write operation is slowed down by N times.We present three microarchitectural mechanisms (Bank-Aware Mellow Writes, Eager Mellow Writes, and Wear Quota) that selectively perform slow writes to increase memory lifetime while minimizing performance impact. Assuming a factor N2 advantage in cell endurance for a factor N slower write, our best Mellow Writes mechanism can achieve 2.58× lifetime and 1.06× performance of the baseline system. In addition, its performance is almost the same as a system aggressively optimized for performance (at the expense of endurance). Finally, Wear Quota guarantees a minimal lifetime (e.g., 8 years) by forcing more slow writes in presence of heavy workloads. We also perform sensitivity analysis on the endurance advantage factor for slow writes, from N1 to N3, and find that our technique is still useful for factors as low as N1.
The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-RO, is upregulated during megakaryocyte differentiation and Is associated with the c-Kit receptor.

We have recently isolated a cDNA encoding a novel human receptor-type tyrosine phosphatase, termed PTP-RO (for a protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor omicron), from 5-fluorouracil–treated murine bone marrow cells. PTP-RO is a human homologue of murine PTPλ and is related to the homotypically adhering κ and μ receptor-type tyrosine phosphatases. PTP-RO is expressed in human megakaryocytic cell lines, primary bone marrow megakaryocytes, and stem cells. PTP-RO mRNA and protein expression are upregulated upon phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment of the megakaryocytic cell lines CMS, CMK, and Dami. To elucidate the function of PTP-RO in megakaryocytic cells and its potential involvement in the stem cell factor (SCF)/c-Kit receptor pathway, COS-7 and 293 cells were cotransfected with the cDNAs of both the c-Kit tyrosine kinase receptor and PTP-RO. PTP-RO was found to be associated with the c-Kit receptor in these transfected cells and the SCF/Kit ligand induced a rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of PTP-RO. Interestingly, these transfected cells demonstrated a decrease in their proliferative response to the SCF/Kit ligand. In addition, we assessed the association of PTP-RO with c-Kit in vivo. The results demonstrated that PTP-RO associates with c-Kit but not with the tyrosine kinase receptor FGF-R and that PTP-RO is tyrosine-phosphorylated after SCF stimulation of Mo7e and CMK cells. Antisense oligonucleotides directed against PTP-RO mRNA sequences significantly inhibited megakaryocyte progenitor proliferation. Therefore, these data show that the novel tyrosine kinase phosphatase PTP-RO is involved in megakaryocytopoiesis and that its function is mediated by the SCF/c-Kit pathway.
Reasoning under Scarcity

ABSTRACTPractical deliberation consists in thinking about what to do. Such deliberation is deemed rational when it conforms to certain normative requirements. What is often ignored is the role that an agent's context can play in so-called ‘failures’ of rationality. In this paper, I use recent cognitive science research investigating the effects of resource-scarcity on decision-making and cognitive function to argue that context plays an important role in determining which norms should structure an agent's deliberation. This evidence undermines the view that the norms of ‘ideal’ rationality are necessary and universal requirements on deliberation. They are a solution to the problems faced by cognitively limited agents in a context of moderate scarcity. In a context of severe scarcity, the problems faced by cognitively limited agents are different and require deliberation structured by different norms. Agents reason rationally when they use the norms best suited to their context and cognitive capacities.