cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of neutral K and electromagnetic fields

Abstract The formulation of the presumed interaction of neutral K and electromagnetic fields developed in a previous paper is here extended to include the effect of electric charges. The interaction of the electromagnetic field with both the neutral K and Dirac fields is discussed. The field equations for the system involving all three fields are derived and a proof of Lorentz covariance of the theory is given. The presumed interaction is shown to lead to K o − K o transitions in suitable configurations of external fields. The interaction that leads to the electromagnetic decay of the neutral pion is formulated in an appendix from the same point of view as is taken in this series of papers with regard to the presumed interaction between neutral K and electromagnetic fields.
Data Fusion and Prediction for CBRN Transport and Dispersion for Security

If a toxic contaminant is released in the atmosphere, either by accident or by terrorist activity, the responsible agency must rapidly identify the source, forecast the path and fate of the contaminant, warn the public or military command, and take action to protect the public, military personnel and equipment, and infrastructure. This process could be difficult if the location and type of source are not known and if there is not a dense network of meteorological stations. If, however, there are contaminant sensors, then the source and meteorological conditions can be back-calculated using a genetic algorithm-based software package and the transport and dispersion of the contaminant better predicted by applying data assimilation methods. This paper describes a technique for developing a sensor data fusion/meteorological data assimilation hybrid system. This work also analyzes the impact of noise in the data and assesses how much data are needed to perform the desired calculations.
Formation and chemical structure of preasphaltenes in short residence time coal hydrogenolysis

Abstract The formation and chemical structure of preasphaltenes in short residence time coal hydrogenolysis were investigated. In short residence time coal hydrogenolysis, preasphaltenes are the major product. The maximum yield for this parametric study was obtained under reaction conditions of 500 °C and 21 s. The formation of preasphaltenes reached the maximum value in the initial stage of the liquefaction reaction. As the liquefaction reaction continued, the deoxygenation of preasphaltenes proceeded. However, the decrease in aromatic atoms bound to the hydroxy, methoxy and oxygen atoms of the diphenyl ether group (Arz.sbnd;O) is small, and the ArO functionality still remains abundant in preasphaltenes. Preasphaltene-I is characterized by carbon aromaticity (fa) of 0.6–0.7, aromatic rings of from 1 to 3–5 per condensed aromatic ring system, 55–70% substitution of aromatic ring carbons and C2–3 aliphatic substituents. The molecular weight ranges from 500 to 650, and is not much different from that of the asphaltenes. The fa values based on the Brown-Ladner method and on solid state CP/MAS 13C n.m.r. spectra data agree closely.
Price-Directed Control of a Closed Logistics Queueing Network

Motivated by one of the leading intermodal logistics suppliers in the United States, we consider an internal pricing mechanism for managing a fleet of service units (shipping containers) flowing in a closed queueing network. Nodes represent geographic locations, and arcs represent travel between them. Customer requests for arcs arrive over time, and the problem is to find an accept/reject policy that maximizes the long-run time average reward rate from accepting requests. We formulate the problem as a semi-Markov decision process and give a simple linear program that provides an upper bound on the optimal reward rate. Using Palm calculus, we derive a nonlinear program that approximately captures queueing and stockout effects on the network. Using its optimal Lagrange multipliers, we construct a simple functional approximation to the dynamic programming value function. The resulting policy is computationally efficient and produces superior economic performance as compared with other policies. Furthermore, it provides a methodologically grounded solution to the firm's internal pricing problem.
A Biological Definition of the Human Embryo

Attempts to define what an embryo is and when it comes into being face significant challenges due to the complexity of human development. Unlike mature humans, embryos are constantly in flux, with their composition and form changing dramatically over time. No obvious property or action defines an embryo at all stages of development.
Comparative evaluation of Aptima HIV-1 Qualitative RNA assay performance using plasma and serum specimens from persons with established HIV-1 infection.

Abstract Background Blood specimens for HIV testing are frequently collected using serum collection tubes. The Aptima HIV-1 RNA Qualitative test, originally approved for diagnostic use as a supplemental test for use with plasma, is now approved for use with serum, and may be used in new laboratory-based HIV testing algorithms which detect acute and established HIV infections. Objectives To compare the sensitivity of Aptima using serum and plasma specimens from persons with established HIV infection. Study design Parallel serum and plasma specimens were collected from 325 persons with established HIV-1 infection who had positive immunoassay (IA) and Western blot (WB) results. Samples with negative Aptima results were considered false-negative and were subjected to repeat testing. Aptima sensitivity for serum and plasma was calculated relative to IA and WB, and compared using the McNemar test. Results The sensitivity of Aptima using serum (97.23%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 94.81–98.73) was similar to that using plasma (97.54%, 95% [CI] 95.21–98.93) p =1.00. Five of ten specimens initially false-negative on either serum or plasma were reactive on repeat testing. No specimens initially classified as false-negative on both matrices were reactive on both matrices on repeat testing. Conclusions In specimens from persons with established infections, Aptima performed with similar sensitivity when used with serum or plasma. Using serum for immunoassay screening and supplemental testing may provide added convenience for laboratories.
Arousal-biased competition in perception and memory

Our everyday surroundings besiege us with information. The battle is for a share of our limited attention and memory, with the brain selecting the winners and discarding the losers. Previous research shows that both bottom-up and top-down factors bias competition in favor of high priority stimuli. We propose that arousal during an event increases this bias both in perception and in long-term memory of the event. Arousal-biased competition theory provides specific predictions about when arousal will enhance memory for events and when it will impair it, which accounts for some puzzling contradictions in the emotional memory literature.
Dynamic Metabolic Adjustments and Genome Plasticity Are Implicated in the Heat Shock Response of the Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Approximately one-third of the open reading frames encoded in the Sulfolobus solfataricus genome were differentially expressed within 5 min following an 80 to 90°C temperature shift at pH 4.0. This included many toxin-antitoxin loci and insertion elements, implicating a connection between genome plasticity and metabolic regulation in the early stages of stress response.
On the relationship between Clayton's skill score and expected value for forecasts of binary events

Following upon previous efforts to associate standard measures of forecast skill to relative economic value, the connection is established between the Clayton skill score and the range of users who realise positive value from the forecasts. It is also shown that, whereas the maximum relative value that can be obtained from a set of forecasts is based on the probabilities conditioned on the observations, the range of users for whom the forecasts provide positive relative value is based on the probabilities conditioned on the forecasts.
Sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction are compromised in teratospermic domestic cats.

The efficiency of sperm capacitation and of the acrosome reaction was studied in the teratospermic domestic cat to evaluate further the etiology of compromised zona pellucida penetration and oocyte fertilization. Specific objectives were to compare normospermic and teratospermic cat ejaculates for 1) the kinetics and timing of sperm capacitation in vitro as determined by an ionophore-induced acrosome reaction; 2) the incidence of spontaneous acrosomal loss; 3) the ability of capacitated, swim-up processed sperm to acrosome-react in response to chemical (calcium ionophore) or physiological (solubilized zonae pellucidae) inducers; and 4) differences in acrosomal ultrastructure by use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Acrosomal status was determined with the fluorescent probe Arachis hypogaea (peanut) agglutinin. The timing of in vitro capacitation differed (p 0.05) between cat groups (range, 7.6-17.8%). In swim-up separated sperm from normospermic cats, ionophore A23187 was a more potent inducer (p 0.05). Sperm motility patterns over time indicated that differences in acrosomal status were not influenced by cell death. The frequency of abnormal acrosomes detected by TEM was higher (p 0.05) the proportion of sperm cells with malformed acrosomes (swim-up, 33.5 +/- 3.5%; washed, 26.6 +/- 4.6%). These results indicate that sperm from teratospermic cats exhibit a high incidence of malformed acrosomes detectable only at the ultrastructural level. Nevertheless, acrosomal dysfunction is not related exclusively to structural defects because > 40.0% of swim-up separated sperm with structurally normal acrosomes still are incapable of completing the acrosome reaction. This suggests that compromised capacitation and acrosomal dysfunction may be responsible for low fertilization success in the teratospermic domestic cat.
Decentralized mediation security

Information systems that use the mediation architecture are well suited to accessing heterogeneous data in a distributed environment. These mediation systems utilize a central security mediator that is primarily concerned with securing the internal structure of the mediation system. The current problem with this approach is that clients are unable to have authority and administer the security of their data during the collaboration with the mediation system. This creates a black box scenario from the perspective of the client towards the mediation system, which can have great consequences in transactions that deal with sensitive data within an untrusted environment. In this paper, we present a solution in the form of a decentralized mediator that provides all parties involved in a transaction within the mediation system autonomy over their security that is security model independent and dynamic at runtime. Our approach allows the client to manage the access to data during a transaction with the mediation system.
The dependence of root system properties on root system biomass of 10 North American grassland species

Dependence of the properties of root systems on the size of the root system may alter conclusions about differences in plant growth in different environments and among species. To determine whether important root system properties changed as root systems aged and accumulated biomass, we measured three important properties of fine roots (tissue density, diameter, and C:N) and three biomass ratios (root:shoot, fine:coarse, and shallow:deep) of monocultures of 10 North American grassland species five times during their second and third years of growth. With increasing belowground biomass, root tissue density increased and diameter decreased. This may reflect cortical loss associated with the aging of roots. For non-legumes, fine root C:N decreased with increasing root biomass, associated with decreases in soil solution NO3 − concentrations. No changes in fine root C:N were detected with increasing belowground biomass for the two legumes we studied. Among all 10 species, there were generally no changes in the relative amounts of biomass in coarse and fine roots, root:shoot, or the depth placement of fine roots in the soil profile as belowground biomass increased. Though further research is needed to separate the influence of root system size, age of the roots, and changes in nutrient availability, these factors will need to be considered when comparing root functional traits among species and treatments.
Safety and use of autologous blood donation during the third trimester of pregnancy.

To examine autologous blood donation during the third trimester of pregnancy, records of 272 blood donors who donated by standard procedures were reviewed. The incidence of vasovagal reactions at autologous donation was 2.1% (7/341) versus 1.1% (1370/121,539) at homologous donation (p = 0.17). Follow-up was available for 199 of these donors and 10 additional donors with fetal monitoring. Infant morbidity and mortality rates were not higher than expected; 0.5% (1 /214) was stillborn. Although 11 (24/209) of deliveries was associated with autologous transfusion, only 4.3% (9/209) would have had a hemoglobin level
Las Navas and the restoration of Spain

Many of the leaders on the Christian side at Las Navas soon became deeply aware of the significance of their victory. Equally, Muslim writers considered the battle a turning point in the history of al-Andalus. Historians now would now generally tend to give more weight to long-term weaknesses in Andalusi society and the growing strengths of the Christian kingdoms than to the outcome of an individual battle. Nevertheless, there is a slight tendency to exaggerate Almohad weakness and Christian strength in providing explanations for the completion of the Christian conquest. It might not have mattered in the long term if the result of Las Navas had been different, but history is sufficiently unpredictable for us to give some weight to the events which actually happened.
A floating spherical gaussian orbital model of molecular structure V. computer programs

The computer program which has been developed for the fsgo model is described. The total energy is calculated and minimized with respect to variation of a set of parameters which may include all nuclear and orbital positions and orbital radii. Simplifications due to symmetry are included. The required integrals are summarized and FORTRAN listings of the programs are given.
Transparency: A Regime Value Linked With Ethics

The argument presented in this article is a relatively basic one but one that has been overlooked by students of public administration ethics. The analysis is grounded in the writing and ideas of J...
An algorithm for feedback stabilization with respect to saturating controls using universal formulas for control-Lyapunov functions

Smooth control-Lyapunov functions (CLFs) have been used extensively in modern feedback control design. CLF's were used to give explicit universal formulas for feedback stabilization. These formulas give feedback which render systems globally asymptotically stable with respect to the origin and which are 'almost smooth' for systems with smooth vector fields. The feedbacks are also real analytic on R/sup n/(0) for cases where the known CLF is real analytic and the system has real analytic vector fields. By a universal formula, one can define an expression for a stabilizing feedback law in terms of the directional derivatives of the given CLF in the directions of the vector fields that define the system. The exact definitions of universal formulas and CLF's are given. This paper extends the results of Malisoff et al. (1999) by giving universal formulas for control systems on R/sup n/.
Defect reduction in large lattice mismatch epitaxial growth through block copolymer full wafer patterning

The introduction of defects during the growth of large lattice mismatched III–V materials typically occurs through the injection of 60° dislocations from the surface of the film or islands once a critical thickness or size has been reached. The threading segments from these dislocations lead to electrically active states which deteriorate device performance. Strain relaxation at the earliest stages of growth allows for the development of misfit arrays without the addition of threading segment. Forming and strain relieving small islands can be achieved by intentional patterning as long as the lateral length scale is on the order of the solid state diffusion length. Self-assembly method can be used to produce dense arrays of quantum dots. However, these arrays often develop a multi-modal size distribution as growth proceeds, and the initially pseudomorphic quantum dots evolve into relaxed islands, resulting in a loss of control of the island size and spatial distributions. Large islands form complex defect structures containing a high density of threading dislocations. External patterning on a nanoscale can provide control over island size and placement. Selective epitaxy can constrain the growing epitaxial material to within the patterned mask openings. Once relaxation occurs, the film growth process continues through island coalescence. Patterning at the required length scale and densities (mask openings of ∼20 nm on a 40 nm pitch) would need e-beam lithography, a slow and time-demanding process.
Should we delight the customer

Critics have suggested that delighting the customer “raises the bar” of customer expectations, making it more difficult to satisfy the customer in the next purchase cycle and hurting the firm in the long run. The authors explore this issue by using a mathematical model of delight, based on assumptions gathered from the customer satisfaction literature. Although delighting the customer heightens repurchase expectations and makes satisfying the customer more difficult in the future, and the delighting firm is injured by raised customer expectations, the (nondelighting) competition is hurt worse through customer attrition to the delighting firm. If customers forget delighting incidents to some degree from occasion to occasion, the delighting firm suffers if it is in a position to take customers from the competition. If taking customers from the competition is difficult, the delighting firm actually benefits from customer forgetting, because the same delighting experience can be repeated again, with the same effect.
Considering polarization in MODIS-based cloud property retrievals by using a vector radiative transfer code

Abstract In this study, a full-vector, adding–doubling radiative transfer model is used to investigate the influence of the polarization state on cloud property retrievals from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite observations. Two sets of lookup tables (LUTs) are developed for the retrieval purposes, both of which provide water cloud and ice cloud reflectivity functions at two wavelengths in various sun-satellite viewing geometries. However, only one of the LUTs considers polarization. The MODIS reflectivity observations at 0.65 μm (band 1) and 2.13 μm (band 7) are used to infer the cloud optical thickness and particle effective diameter, respectively. Results indicate that the retrievals for both water cloud and ice cloud show considerable sensitivity to polarization. The retrieved water and ice cloud effective diameter and optical thickness differences can vary by as much as ±15% due to polarization state considerations. In particular, the polarization state has more influence on completely smooth ice particles than on severely roughened ice particles.
Studies on the electron transport chain at subzero temperatures: Electron transport at site III

Abstract At subzero temperatures the rate of electron transfer between cytochrome a 3 and a ( c and c 1 ) is markedly slowed down, while that between cytochrome a 3 and oxygen remains relatively fast. This is manifested by a high energy of activation (~16 kcal in the temperature range +19 °C to −16 °C) for the oxidation of cytochrome c and low energy of activation (~4 kcal) for the oxidase-oxygen reaction. Kinetic studies indicate that in the α region both cytochrome a 3 and a contribute to the absorbance changes. The spectrum of the immediate product of the oxidase-oxygen reaction exhibits an absorbance band at 428 nm with negligible absorbance at 405 nm. While the 428 nm band reaches the steady-state, further disappearance of the 445 nm band is accompanied by a net increase of 405 nm absorbance. The data suggest the existence of an intermediate in the oxidase-oxygen reaction.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 action in the brain increases energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity in obese rats.

OBJECTIVE The hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) exerts diverse, beneficial effects on energy balance and insulin sensitivity when administered systemically to rodents with diet-induced obesity (DIO). The current studies investigate whether central FGF21 treatment recapitulates these effects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS After preliminary dose-finding studies, either saline vehicle or recombinant human FGF21 (0.4 μg/day) was infused continuously for 2 weeks into the lateral cerebral ventricle of male Wistar rats rendered obese by high-fat feeding. Study end points included measures of energy balance (body weight, body composition, food intake, energy expenditure, and circulating and hepatic lipids) and glucose metabolism (insulin tolerance test, euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, and hepatic expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism). RESULTS Compared with vehicle, continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of FGF21 increased both food intake and energy expenditure in rats with DIO, such that neither body weight nor body composition was altered. Despite unchanged body fat content, rats treated with intracerebroventricular FGF21 displayed a robust increase of insulin sensitivity due to increased insulin-induced suppression of both hepatic glucose production and gluconeogenic gene expression, with no change of glucose utilization. CONCLUSIONS FGF21 action in the brain increases hepatic insulin sensitivity and metabolic rate in rats with DIO. These findings identify the central nervous system as a potentially important target for the beneficial effects of FGF21 in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.
The relationship between non-suicidal self-injury and borderline personality disorder symptoms in a college sample

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a major concern in both clinical and non-clinical populations. It has been approximated that 65-80% of individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) engage in some form of NSSI. Despite such high co-morbidity, much still remains unknown about the relationship between NSSI and BPD symptomatology. The goal of the current study was to identify individual BPD symptoms and higher order BPD factors that increase one’s vulnerability of NSSI engagement among a college sample. It was hypothesized that the BPD factor of emotion dysregulation and the BPD symptoms of affect instability and intense anger/aggression would be associated with the presence and frequency of NSSI. Seven hundred twenty four undergraduates (61.2% female) completed self-report measures of BPD symptomology and NSSI history. Regression analyses revealed that among the individual BPD symptoms, past suicidality, impulsivity, chronic emptiness, and identity disturbance were each significantly, positively associated with lifetime history of NSSI, whereas unstable relationships were negatively associated with lifetime history of NSSI. The BPD symptom associated with NSSI frequency was dissociation. Among the BPD factors, emotion dysregulation and disturbed relatedness were both associated with NSSI history, but only disturbed relatedness was associated with NSSI frequency. Findings show partial support for the importance of emotion dysregulation in the relationship between NSSI and BPD symptomatology, but also suggest that the relationship may be more complex and not solely based on emotion dysregulation.
Active systems for sound attenuation in ducts

Passive attenuation of sound in ducts is related to wavelength, and therefore requires large silencers at low frequencies. Active methods using auxiliary sound sources placed in the duct wall provide an economical solution to the problem. To achieve high attenuation, adaptive electronic control has to be applied. The microphone in the upper portion of the duct provides the time function of the controlled signal. The 'zero' microphone has to be strategically located to eliminate the adverse effects of evanescent waves, radiated by the secondary sources. Reflections from the duct termination or the duct discontinuities can cause instability of the system. While suitable attenuations under the first mode cutoff frequency have been obtained, the cross-modes in the duct require different microphone configurations than the low-frequency plane wave field. >
The Picard iterative approximation to the solution of the integral equation of radiative transfer—part I. The plane-parallel case

Abstract The present Picard Iterative (PI) approach is designed to be a compromise between the generality of Monto Carlo techniques and the numerical efficiency of the existing analytical approaches. The PI method, like the Successive Orders of Scattering approach, begins with the integral equation form of the radiative transfer equation (RTE). Starting with an approximate radiance field, the PI performs a fixed-point iteration. The solution converges in approx. 10 iterations for C1 water cloud phase functions and in approx. 20 iterations for highly peaked cirrus-type phase functions. The PI iteration (1) is unaffected by a vertical inhomogeneities; (2) converges even for highly peaked phase functions; and (3) can be extended to 3-D geometries. However, it is less efficient for (1) optically thick, but homogeneous, media; and (2) media with a weakly peaked scattering phase function.
Terminal-end functionalization of chondroitin sulfate for the synthesis of biomimetic proteoglycans

Abstract Chondroitin sulfate (CS) based bottle brush proteoglycan mimetics may be employed to restore tissue functionality. Synthesis of CS bottle brush structures requires immobilization of CS at its terminal end. In this study, we investigated commercially available natural CS for use in CS bottle brush synthesis. A terminal primary amine on CS was identified and utilized to conjugate amine-reactive vinyl monomers ( i.e. acrylic acid and allyl glycidyl ether). Conjugation of vinyl monomers to the CS terminal amine was confirmed using a fluorescamine assay, 1 H NMR, and ATR-FTIR. CS was also immobilized onto epoxy functionalized surfaces via the CS terminal primary amine as confirmed by contact angle measurements of surface wettability. Attachment of polymeriziable end groups to CS and attachment of CS to functionalized substrates demonstrated here are the first steps towards synthesis of CS bottle brush PG mimics.
A MONOGRAPH OF NUPHAR (NYMPHAEACEAE)1

Abstract The genus Nuphar (Nymphaeaceae) is described to include 11 species native to fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere. This assessment utilized morphometric analyses, cladistic analyses, evaluation of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, and seed and pollen fertility estimations. Evolutionary reconstructions position the genus at the base of the family, most closely allied to Barclaya. Comprehensive cladistic analyses of morphological and molecular data have permitted a general phylogenetic interpretation of the genus. Two major evolutionary lineages are evident and recognized taxonomically at the section level. One (sect. Nuphar) includes N. lutea, N. × spenneriana, N. japonica, and N. × saijoensis, with an ultimate branch involving N. pumila and N. microphylla. The other lineage (sect. Astylus) includes N. polysepala, N. × rubrodisca, N. variegata, N. sagittifolia, and N. advena. All studies illustrate high morphological variability and close relationships of species within each section. The biol...
Border Safety: Quality Control at the Nuclear Envelope

The unique biochemical identity of the nuclear envelope confers its capacity to establish a barrier that protects the nuclear compartment and directly contributes to nuclear function. Recent work uncovered quality control mechanisms employing the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machinery and a new arm of endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD) to counteract the unfolding, damage, or misassembly of nuclear envelope proteins and ensure the integrity of the nuclear envelope membranes. Moreover, cells have the capacity to recognize and triage defective nuclear pore complexes to prevent their inheritance and preserve the longevity of progeny. These mechanisms serve to highlight the diverse strategies used by cells to maintain nuclear compartmentalization; we suggest they mitigate the progression and severity of diseases associated with nuclear envelope malfunction such as the laminopathies.
Control of Weeds Harmful to Water Uses in the West

An extensive program of controlling aquatic and ditchbank weeds in irrigation and drainage canals in seventeen western states prevented weed losses of $15,860,026 in one typical year, an annual saving of $7,746,729 over control costs. The improved methods used were developed in a research program conducted since 1947 by the United States Agricultural Research Service in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and several state agricultural experiment stations. Expansion of the cooperative research program in 1961 resulted in the development of several effective and other promising chemical methods of controlling submersed weeds in ponds, lakes, and reservoirs; also of the most troublesome water-wasting phreatophytes growing on river flood plains, along small streams, and around reservoirs. However, moost of these methods are expensive and are not used extensively in the West. Investigations are being continued to discover more effective, less expensive, and safer chemical, mechanical, biological, and ecological methods of controlling weeds harmful to water uses in the West.
The design, validation, and performance of Grace

The design, validation and performance of Grace, a GPU-accelerated micromagnetic simulation software, are presented. The software adopts C+ + Accelerated Massive Parallelism (C+ + AMP) so that it runs on GPUs from various hardware vendors including NVidia, AMD and Intel. At large simulation scales, up to two orders of magnitude of speedup factor is observed, compared to CPU-based micromagnetic simulation software OOMMF. The software can run on high-end professional GPUs as well as budget personal laptops, and is free to download.
Do desires provide reasons? An argument against the cognitivist strategy

According to the cognitivist strategy, the desire to bring about P provides reasons for intending to bring about P in a way analogous to how perceiving that P provides reasons for believing that P. However, while perceiving P provides reasons for believing P by representing P as true, desiring to bring about P provides reasons for intending to bring about P by representing P as good. This paper offers an argument against this view. My argument proceeds via an appeal to what I call the non-substitutability of perception, the thesis that, given that there is no independent evidence for P, one cannot substitute something that fails to provide reasons with respect to P for the perceptual experience that P, without altering the rational permissibility of believing that P. By contrast, I argue that it is always possible to substitute something that fails to provide reasons for a desire without altering the rational permissibility of an intention based on said desire. I take this to show that a desire does not provide reasons in a way analogous to perceptual experience.
An Experimental and Theoretical Study of Heat Conduction and Vulcanization of Rubber Compounds in Molds

Abstract A fundamental study on curing of rubber compounds in molds is presented. We have measured the thermal conductivity of a range of rubber compounds determining the influence of carbon black, other fillers, and oil. The heats of reaction associated with the curing kinetics of model compounds were measured. A mathematical model is proposed to predict the temperature profiles for curing a reactive slab. This involves inclusion of an energy generation rate, which depends on time and temperature. This is expressed through a Damkohler number. Solutions of the heat conduction equation are interpreted in terms of the Fourier number and the Damkohler number. Calculations are carried out using experimentally determined thermal conductivities and curing kinetics. Thick parts are shown to heat up more slowly (associated with the Fourier number) and to show greater overshoots of cure temperature (associated with the Damkohler number).
Progress in Halide Glass Fibers

Fluoride glasses are being considered for use in long distance, mid-infrared transmitting optical fibers. The multi-phonon edge of these fibers is shifted to longer wavelengths compared to silica fibers. The intrinsic loss is therefore lower (< 0.01 dB/km) and occurs at about 2.5 microns. Applications for these fibers include ultra-low loss communication links, radiation resistant links, remoting of IR focal plane arrays and IR power delivery. In addition, this ultra low loss optical fiber may be used for fiber guided missiles with capability for distances longer than 500 km. Most of the interest however, has been focused on development of ultra long (thousands of kilometers), repeaterless communication links. Such repeaterless links may decrease system cost and cable weight, while increasing overall reliability and ease of repair compared to silicate optical fibers.
Depth of Pupation in Four Species of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Sand With and Without Moisture

Larvae (late 3rd instars) of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), B. cucurbitae (Coquillett), B. latifrons (Hendel), and Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann) were placed in either wet or dry sand for pupation. In dry sand, 91.1, 93.6, and 97.2% of the pupation by B. latifrons,B. cucurbitae, and B. dorsalis , respectively, occurred at a depth of 0 -5.5 mm. The remainder of the Bactrocera spp. pupated within 11 mm of the surface. More C. capitata (54.0%) pupated at 5.5-11 mm than at 0-5.5 mm (42.5%) and 3.5% moved down to 27.5 mm. In wet sand (5% water by weight), 95.5% of al14 species pupated at depths of 0-27.5 mm. Mortality of pupae was greatest in the dry sand at 0-5.5 mm. Cumulative mortality was 50% greater in dry sand than in wet sand. This indicates that both pupation depth and survival are affected by the moisture content of the sand. However, C. capitata is better adapted to the dry conditions than are the Bactrocera spp.
EFFECTS OF N-(4-HYDROXYPHENYL)RETINAMIDE ON VITAMIN A METABOLISM IN RATS

Chronic administration of the anticancer drug N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-retinamide (4-HPR) causes reductions in the plasma levels of vitamin A and its transport protein, retinol-binding protein. Here, we used model-based compartmental analysis to study effects of 4-HPR on the whole-body kinetics of vitamin A metabolism in rats. Rats (n = 8) were fed a purified diet containing vitamin A (approximately 49 nmol retinol/day) plus 0 or approximately 50 mumole 4-HPR/(kg body wt.day). Plasma retinol kinetics were monitored for 35 days after intravenous administration of [3H]retinol-labeled plasma. 4-HPR caused an 80% reduction in plasma retinol; after 40 days of treatment with 4-HPR, liver vitamin A levels were 2.33 times higher than those of control rats. A three compartment model, in which plasma retinol exchanges with two extravascular compartments, was required to fit data for both groups. Vitamin A input was via the central plasma compartment, while irreversible loss was via the larger extravascular compartment. The time retinol spent in plasma before reversible or irreversible exit was normal (1.7 hr) in 4-HPR-treated rats, but the rate of plasma retinol turnover was reduced, and the recycling of retinol to plasma was delayed and reduced. Vitamin A utilization was significantly lower in 4-HPR-treated rats (20 nmol retinol/day vs 42 nmol/day in controls). We conclude that 4-HPR partially blocks access and thus binding of retinol to retinol-binding protein and may therefore lead to vitamin A accumulation in certain cells.
Applications of Pi-z、Pi-ta~2 Genes in Japonica Rice Breeding with Blast Resistance in Yunnan

Japan strains was used as standard varieties and resistance identification method was synchronized with breeding,the performance of Pi-z,Pi-ta2 genes was analyzed in blast resistant rice breeding in Yunnan from 2002 to 2007.The result showed that till 2007 Pi-ta2,Pi-z and Pi-zt genes were still of utilization value in rice producing reigns of Yunan,and resistance of Pi-ta2 had distinct inconformity between leaf resistance and spike resistance to blast,while the other two had the same performance.Pi-z had more obvious effect in improving resistance of breeding materials in different resistant breeding combinations.
Thymectomy in multiple sclerosis: Two preliminary trials

In two preliminary trials, thymectomy was performed on 35 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with (Group I) or without (Group II) azathioprine therapy for I year. Formal studies of clinical neurologic status were conducted at yearly intervals after operation. Each group was compared with carefully matched control patients. Group I patients showed significant improvement in total functional groups (Kurtzke scale) and pyramidal functions 1 and 2 years following thymectomy. Other individual functions showed no significant difference. There was a statistical improvement in disability status (Kurtzke) for patients with relapsing-remitting MS 1 and 2 years following thymectomy. This subset also had a significant decrease in MS exacerbations. Group II patients showed none of the favorable trends seen in Group I. Functional groups, disability status scale, and exacerbations were similar to those of the control patients. Several studies indicate azathioprine therapy alone is of questionable benefit in MS. In myasthenia gravis (MG), the full immunosuppressive effect of thymectomy may not be realized for several years. Therefore, it is possible that in Group I patients a dual mechanism of immunosuppression—azathioprine and thymectomy—is yielding a favorable response not yet apparent in the Group II patients having thymectomy alone. If our data still appear favorable after a third follow-up year, a formal pilot study will be undertaken.
Critical Surfaces for Commercial Nb3Sn Ribbon and Nb-25%Zr Wire

Superconductors with properties that make their application to magnet construction attractive are now a commercial reality, The problems of stability and predictability that plagued the superconducting magnet designer now appear to be solvable [1,2]. Magnets of certain types and sizes can now be designed with a high degree of confidence that the finished product will perform as predicted from the tabulated characteristics of the superconductor. The magnet design problem is usually stated in terms of the magnetic field intensity and geometry, cost, operating temperatures, and for some special applications (e.g., the space program), weight. The three prime variables which define the usefulness of a superconductor are temperature T, magnetic field H, and current I. A surface in this space HIT defines the boundary between resistive and nonresistive (superconducting) behavior. The optimum solution to the magnet system design problem will lie on this surface for a material chosen with regard to the other variables of cost, strength, weight, etc.
UBL’s Liability to Be Killed

In this chapter the book returns to the specifics of the Osama bin Laden raid and investigates whether his case meets the conditions laid out earlier for the liability account of permissible harm. The case, as it turns out, is highly irregular because bin Laden’s threat was (primarily) indirectly imposed by the collective agency of al-Qaeda. Moreover, killing bin Laden on the liability account would be a kind of pre-emptive killing. These nonstandard features of the case make meeting the conditions for liability more difficult. However, this chapter argues that, first, these nonstandard aspects do not block liability in principle and that, second, the conditions for liability were in fact met in this case. This is demonstrated through the use of several thought experiments, designed to isolate the various moral aspects involved in the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Potential for International Rivalry as Governments Pursue Jobs

For national and subnational governments, the pursuit of employment opportunities for their people constitutes a top imperative. Not only is the level of employment perhaps the foremost determinant of public sentiment about the health of an economy, but there is reason to think that employment policies may unleash positive externalities that would not be enjoyed without government involvement. In an world in which goods, services, capital, and sometimes labor all flow back and forth across borders, there is, however, a danger that one government’s policies will be taken amiss by other governments. This paper attempts to categorize the sorts of interventions one might see in attempts to create jobs and provides an analytical review of a number of relevant international trade literatures that have developed to address such concerns. It also looks at the rules that exist among existing institutions governing the pursuit of jobs and asks what additional institutions might be necessary. Finally, it attempts to characterize interventions by their potential for stirring conflict and to draw conclusions about how such conflict could best be avoided.
Heat-Related Hospitalizations in Older Adults: An Amplified Effect of the First Seasonal Heatwave

Older adults are highly vulnerable to the detriment of extreme weather. The rapid non-linear increase in heat-related morbidity is difficult to quantify, hindering the attribution of direct effects of exposure on severe health outcomes. We examine the effects of ambient temperatures on heat-related hospitalizations (HH) among the elderly in presence of strong seasonality and by assessing the effects caused by the first and subsequent seasonal heatwaves. We empirically derived the thresholds for a heatwave episode in Boston MSA based on 16 years of daily observations. We compared the health risks of heatwaves using the proposed and four alternative definitions. 701 cases of HH in older residents of Boston area were examined using harmonic regression models, designed to capture the non-linear effects of ambient temperatures and heatwave episodes when the night-time temperature is above 65.5 °F for 3 consecutive nights. The overall relative risk of HH associated with a heatwave episode was 6.9 [95%CI:4.8–9.8]. The relative risk of HH associated with the first heatwave increases up to 13.3 [95%CI:7.4–24.0]. The risk declined to 3.7 [95%CI:2.4–5.8] for the subsequent heatwave. Four other commonly used heatwave definitions confirmed these findings. Public health actions have to target the first heatwave to maximize the impact of preventive measures.
Occupational exposure of aldehydes resulting from the storage of wood pellets

ABSTRACTAn exposure assessment was conducted to investigate the potential for harmful concentrations of airborne short chain aldehydes emitted from recently stored wood pellets. Wood pellets can emit a number of airborne aldehydes include acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, valeraldehyde, and hexanal. Exposure limits have been set for these compounds since they can result in significant irritation of the upper respiratory system at elevated concentrations. Formaldehyde is a recognized human carcinogen and acetaldehyde is an animal carcinogen. Thus, air sampling was performed in a wood pellet warehouse at a pellet mill, two residential homes with bulk wood pellet storage bins, and in controlled laboratory experiments to evaluate the risk to occupants. Using NIOSH method 2539, sampling was conducted in five locations in the warehouse from April–June 2016 when it contained varying quantities of bagged pellets as well as two homes with ten ton bulk storage bins. The aldehyde concentrat...
Guaranteeing dynamic performance in nonlinear non-smooth power systems

Abstract Performance specifications place restrictions on the dynamic response of many systems, including power systems. It is often convenient to know parameter values that induce limiting behaviour, Le., force the system to just meet the specification. This limiting behaviour is a form of grazing bifurcation, and can be formulated as a boundary value problem. The paper develops a numerical shooting method for computing such bifurcation parameter values, and an optimization algorithm for finding bifurcation values that are closest to a given parameter set.
The Use of a Selective Clinical Experience in a Psychiatry Clerkship

After discussing the problems in teaching clinical psychiatry to medical students, the authors describe the program at the Downstate Medical Center. They pay particular attention to the role of the course coordinator, the priority of medical student education in a department of psychiatry, the value of small group teaching, and the advantages of a clinical perceptorship given by individual faculty members. Further, the introduction of a system is described in which students choose their clinical assignment. After the introduction of this system student interest in psychiatry improved, the number of unsatisfactory grades decreased, and the number of outstanding grades increased. Following its adoption in psychiatry, all the clinical departments in the medical school inaugurated a similar self-selection method.
Comparing Carnot, Stirling, Otto, Brayton and Diesel Cycles

Comparing the efficiencies of the Carnot, Stirling, Otto, Brayton and Diesel cycles can be a frustrating experience for the student. The efficiency of Carnot and Stirling cycles depends only on the ratio of the temperature extremes whereas the efficiency of Otto and Brayton cycles depends only on the compression ratio. The efficiency of a Diesel cycle is generally expressed in terms of the temperatures at the four turning points of the cycle or the volumes at these turning points. How does one actually compare the efficiencies of these thermodynamic cycles? To compare the cycles, an expression for the efficiency of the Diesel cycle will be obtained in terms of the compression ratio and the ratio of the temperature extremes of the cycle. It is found that for a fixed temperature ratio that the efficiency increases with compression ratio for the Otto, Brayton and Diesel cycles until their efficiency is the same as that of the corresponding Carnot cycle. This occurs at the point where the heat input to the cy...
Dual Regulation of Virulence Genes of Agrobacterium Plasmid pTiC58

Agrobacterium tumefaciens plasmid pTiC58 contains a cluster of genes spanning approximately 30 kb that are essential for virulence (Vir). The Vir region of pTiC58 is composed of at least six complementation groups much like the Vir region of octopine Ti plasmids (Klee et al., 1983; Hille et al., 1984; Hooykaas et al., 1984, Lundquist et al, 1984). These groups are designated virA, virB, virG, virC, virD, and virE, and occur in the same order in octopine and nopaline Ti plasmids (Fig. 1). Each Open image in new window complementation group seems so far to be organized as an operon, and genes that have been compared at the level of DNA sequence or antibody cross reaction show considerable homologies (Hagiya, et al., 1985; Hirooka & Kado, 1986; Close et al., in press; Yanofsky et al., in press; Winans et al., in press; Hooykaas et al., unpublished). One function of the Vir genes is to process a section of the pTi plasmid that is transferred and integrated into plant genomes (T-DNA) (Alt-Moerbe et al., 1986).