cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Etiologic factors in learning disorders of children.

Abstract Learning difficulties in the early grades are usually in the area of reading, writing and spelling. Until recently, most of the literature on reading difficulties has emphasized emotional factors as a cause. It has been our experience that many learning difficulties are not solely on an emotional basis but may result from organic or physiological dysfunctions which can easily miss detection. The differential diagnosis should consider: 1. (1) Specific reading disability, which may involve difficulty in discriminating, integrating, memorizing or reproducing the involved visual, auditory and/or kinesthetic symbols, in lack of fine muscle coordination, or in combinations of these. 2. (2) The hyperkinetic syndrome, which is expressed in hyperactivity, distractability, short attention span, emotional lability, cyclic behavior, low frustration tolerance, poor impulse control, over-reactivity to excitement, temper outbursts and clumsiness which might be explained in terms of nervous system dysfunction. 3. (3) Learning difficulties which might be associated with unrecognized dull normal intelligence, hearing difficulty, visual problems, seizures, speech defects, chronic illness, physical handicaps, cultural and environmental factors, inadequate rest, frequent changes of school, physical and emotional immaturity. The longer these problems are unrecognized, the greater the occurrence of associated emotional problems. When we consider the potential effect on adulthood of the success or failure of one's years at school, the effort expended in careful diagnostic work-up can be most rewarding to the physician as well as to the child and his parents.
HyCare: Hybrid Coding-Aware Routing with ETOX Metric in Multi-hop Wireless Networks

Network coding has been shown to improve the performance of the multi-hop wireless networks, by taking advantage of the "mix and broadcast" style communication. In this work, we explore coding-aware routing to further improve end-to-end throughput in the multi-hop wireless networks. A heuristic routing metric ETOX and a novel routing framework HyCare are proposed to route the packets when inter-session network coding protocol is incorporated. Using Network Locality as a heuristic, ETOX homogenizes coding opportunities with other measurements into routes selection. Different from previous attempts on such kind of design, e.g., ERC, ETOX is an unconditional link metric that can be used in many existing routing protocols. It is included in our proposed hybrid routing framework HyCare, which possesses both link-state routing and reverse forwarding functionality. While HyCare can work as an independent routing protocol, it can also collaborate with underlying network coding protocol so as to acquire more accurate ETOX values. Extensive performance evaluation shows significant enhancement for different settings, thereby validating our design methodology.
The Elemental and Isotopic Composition of Galactic Cosmic Ray Nuclei

Galactic cosmic rays represent a directly accessible sample of matter that originates outside the solar system. The elemental and isotopic composition of this sample of high-energy matter contains a record of nucleosynthesis in other regions of the galaxy, and of subsequent nuclear and electromagnetic interactions that have altered its composition. There have recently been significant new advances in reading this record, brought about in large part by the launch of new high-resolution instrumentation. In particular, measurements of the abundances of individual elements have now been extended into the upper 2/3 of the periodic table, and the individual isotopes of a number of heavy cosmic ray nuclei have recently been resolved.
Solving identification problem for asynchronous finite state machines using genetic algorithms

A Genetic Algorithm, embedded in a simulation-based method, is applied to the identification of Asynchronous Finite State Machines. Two different coding schemes and their associated crossover operations are examined. It is shown that one operator / coding pair outperforms the other in that the scheme reduces noticeably the production of invalid chromosomes thus increasing the efficiency and the convergence rate of the evolution process.
Vieillissement en bonne santé : l’expérience suisse

The quantitative importance of ageing both in developed or in developing countries raised the subtle question of the quality of life of the ageing person. Precise definitions of life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and quality of life are presented. Then, presentation of the results of two cross-sectional studies performed with the same methodology at a 15-year time interval in French-speaking Switzerland illustrates compression of morbidity theory, with increased longevity, increased good perception of health and increased quality of life. Moreover, quantitative data concerning the longevity impact of hospital geriatric care are presented from Geneva. The 4-year survival rate of over 85 year old women, discharged from the hospital for acute care, reached 48%. Explanations of these outstanding medical progresses on longevity and socio-economical challenges of extreme ageing are discussed in the world context.
Heavy metal contamination of sediments in stormwater management systems: the effect of land use, particle size, and age

Sediments from stormwater retention ponds, roadside swales and street sweepings have to be disposed of or reused periodically. Information on their pollution is needed to establish reuse and disposal regulations and to schedule clean out and street-sweeping activities. This study examines the heavy metal contamination in these sediments and the factors that affect this contamination. Results show that the particle size distribution of the sediments depends on differential erosion processes of natural soils, land use, and technical limitations of street sweepers. Pond and swale sediments are more polluted with heavy metals than natural soils, but street sweepings are not. This can be explained by the high clay contents of sediments in ponds and swales and the very low clay content of sweepings. Land use is an important factor for the heavy metal pollution of ponds and swales, but does not considerably affect heavy metals in street sweepings. Within a given type of land use, heavy metal concentrations in pond sediments increase with age.
Throwing and diving: not so simple challenges for computer animation

Abstract This paper examines some of the problems encountered by computer animators trying to create realistic motions of linked figures such as animal (e.g. human) forms. In particular, two 2D examples are presented, that of a three-link arm throwing a ball into a basket, and a high diver performing a complex dive from a platform. These simplified problems raise a number of difficulties for traditional animation tools since they involve both externally influenced motion due primarily to gravity, and internal control of the joints of the linkages. A survey of past animation methods is outlined, and the sample problems are viewed in these contexts. Recent work in applying wavelet methods to the spacetime constraints paradigm, and methods for higher level decompositions of motion sequences are briefly discussed.
A Colombian Version of the Children's Embedded Figures Test

Translation of the Children's Embedded Figures Test for use with children in Colombia is described. Results show that the Colom bian version has acceptable reliability (r = .80) and construct validity.
Count Beust and Germany, 1866–1870: Reconquest, Realignment, or Resignation? *

On August 22, 1866, a month and a half after the disaster of Sadowa, Francis Joseph I of Austria wrote to his mother: “If you have the whole world against you and absolutely no friends, chances of success are few, but we must resist as long as we can, do our duty until the last, and finally perish honorably.” To his council of ministers he put it less dramatically and less plaintively on September I: For a long time to come Austria would have to eschew war in all forms and for all purposes.
Parameterization of Mean Residence Times in Idealized Rectangular Dead Zones Representative of Natural Streams

AbstractThree-dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes modeling, validated against experimental data, is used to parameterize the flow features and time scales in idealized rectangular cavities for a wide range of width-to-length ratios, 0.4≤W/L≤1.1, and Reynolds number based on the depth, 5,000≤RD≤20,300, representative of isolated dead zones in small natural streams. The flow features for this parameter range are similar to open cavity flows and consist of a mixing layer spanning the entire length of the dead zone together with a single main recirculation region. The Langmuir time scale (ratio of dead-zone volume to discharge) based on the assumption of a well-mixed dead zone is found to be a function of the mean rotation time scale (inverse of average rotation rate) within the dead zone, the momentum thickness of the upstream boundary layer, and the dead-zone width. The entrainment coefficient, used to relate the exchange velocity to the average free- stream velocity, is shown to be directly related...
Properties of 13B and 20Na: The second-class current problem

Abstract The half-lives of 13 B and 20 Na are measured: t 1 2 ( 13 B ) = 17.33 ± 0.17 ms ; t 1 2 ( 20 Na ) = 442 ± 5 ms . The mass difference is measured: 20 Na− 20 Ne = 13.892 ± 0.007 MeV. Combined with other data these measurements lead to ( ft ) + /( ft ) − = 1.166 ± 0.026 for A = 13 and 1.054 ± 0.023 for A = 20. If these numbers were to be directly interpreted in terms of secondclass currents we should find for the induced tensor coupling constant: g IT (13) = (2.6 ± 0.5) × 10 −3 ; g IT (20) = (1.5 ± 0.6) × 10 −3 .
Heritability and Heterogeneity: The Irrelevance of Heritability in Explaining Differences between Means for Different Human Groups or Generations

Many psychometricians and behavioral geneticists believe that high heritability of IQ test scores within racial groups coupled with environmental hypotheses failing to account for the differences between the mean scores for groups lends plausibility to explanations of mean differences in terms of genetic factors. This two-component argument cannot be sustained when viewed in the light of the conceptual and methodological themes introduced in Taylor (2006). These themes concern the difficulties of moving from the statistical analysis of variance (AOV) of observed traits (often summarized in a heritability estimate) to investigation (through regression analysis and experiments) of measurable genetic factors (e.g., the presence or absence of specific alleles at one or more loci) and measurable environmental factors. One such theme is that quantities (“effects”) estimated by an AOV of observed traits cannot be equated with measurable genetic or environmental factors involved in the development of those traits. Once this distinction is clear, the argument that environmental factors have failed to explain the differences lacks weight because it does not consider whether genetic factors have been more successful. This article exposes additional flaws in the lines of thinking associated with the two-component argument, with the distinction between passive, reactive, and active associations between genetic and environmental factors, and with the reciprocal causation models Dickens and Flynn propose in order to reconcile high estimates of heritability and large IQ test score gains between generations. Human heritability estimates are irrelevant in developing explanations of differences across groups or across generations. My critique is directed at opening up more conceptual space for deriving empirically validated models of developmental pathways whose components are heterogeneous and differ among individuals at any one time and over generations.
Spontaneous Loading of Positively Charged Macromolecules into Alginate-Templated Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Microcapsules

A simple and high-efficiency approach to loading macromolecules into microscale carriers is presented. Calcium-cross-linked alginate hydrogel microspheres were fabricated by an emulsification technique and then used as negatively charged templates to form polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings. A calcium ion chelator, EDTA, was used to free the Ca2+-cross-linked alginate hydrogel within {poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/poly (styrene sulfonate)}4 ({PAH/PSS}4) coating, allowing partial release of alginate. The retention of alginate in {PAH/PSS}4 microcapsule was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and confocal microscopy. Real-time confocal microscopy was used to investigate the loading process of positively charged macromolecules (dextran-amino, and peroxidase) into alginate-templated microcapsules, which showed the loading occurred in <2 min for dextran-amino and <10 min for peroxidase, respectively. A high loading efficiency of 25 μg peroxidase in ∼1.0 × 107 microcapsules (2.5 pg POx/capsule) was achieved with a ...
Stage¿Discharge Relations for Low-Gradient Tidal Streams Using Data-Driven Models

Development of stage-discharge relationships for coastal low-gradient streams is a challenging task. Such relationships are highly nonlinear, nonunique, and often exhibit multiple loops. Conventional parametric regression methods usually fail to model these relationships. Therefore, this study examines the utility of two data-driven computationally intensive modeling techniques namely, artificial neural networks and local nonparametric regression, to model such complex relationships. The results show an overall good performance of both modeling techniques. Both neural network and local regression models are able to predict and reproduce the stage-discharge multiple loops that are observed at the outlet of a 28.5 km 2 low-gradient subcatchment in southwestern Louisiana. However, the neural network model is characterized with higher prediction ability for most of the tested runoff events. In agreement with the physical characteristics of low-gradient streams, the results indicate the importance of including information about downstream and upstream water levels, in addition to water level at the prediction site.
'European Courts Protect Women and Witches': Colonial Law Courts as Redistributors of Power in Swaziland, 1920-1950

The imposition of colonial law on Swaziland by the British administration in 1907 led to a reallocation of power among various elements and groupings of traditional Swazi citizenry. The main beneficiaries were young, educated women who resorted to the colonial courts for protection against the discriminatory justice of traditional chiefs' courts in matters of physical and sexual abuse, and of forced marriage. Among the greatest losers were those individuals practising forms of ritual specialisation, principally healers and diviners, both of whom were looked upon indiscriminately by the colonial authorities as practitioners of ‘witchcraft’ and as consequent threats to civilised practises and to their own jurisdiction. To the degree that many of these practitioners were female, the access of Swazi women to this means of independence and upward mobility in a markedly sexually exploitative society was blocked. Likewise, to the degree that chiefs, whose overall powers had been severely truncated by the imposit...
Optimal design of injection/extraction wells for the surface dissolution CO2 storage strategy

Abstract Implementing geological carbon sequestration at a scale large enough to mitigate anthropogenic emissions will involve the injection of supercritical CO 2 into deep saline aquifers. The principal technical risks associated with such injection are that (i) buoyant CO 2 will migrate out of the storage formation; (ii) pressure elevation during injection will limit storage rates and/or fracture the storage formation; and (iii) groundwater resources will be contaminated, directly or indirectly, by brine displaced from the storage formation. An alternative to injecting CO 2 as a buoyant phase is to dissolve it into brine extracted from the storage formation, then inject the CO 2 -saturated brine into the storage formation. This “surface dissolution” strategy completely eliminates the risk of buoyant migration of stored CO 2 . It greatly mitigates the extent of pressure elevation during injection. It nearly eliminates the displacement of brine. To gain these benefits, however, it is essential to determine the costs of this method of risk reduction. In this work, we compute the pressure field for typical injection patterns and quantify the restriction imposed by this field on the design of the process. We also develop an analytical framework for optimization of the process, and hence for cost minimization.
Control of a Species-Difference by Means of a Difference in an Inductor

HITHERTO, experimental analyses of species differences by the use of xenoplastic transplantations have shown that the distinguishing characteristics are inherent in the tissues themselves. This is especially true when one considers organs which owe their differentiation to induction from other parts. The inductor of one species, although able to produce an effect on tissues of another species, acts only as a release mechanism calling forth certain potencies without impressing the characteristics of its own species on the reacting system.
Molecular mapping of functional antibody binding sites of alpha 4 integrin.

Abstract Integrin alpha 4 beta 1 is a leukocyte receptor for fibronectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). It is important in inflammatory recruitment of leukocytes, lymphopoiesis, and a number of development events. Here we have mapped a panel of functional monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing the integrin alpha 4 chain, using murine/human chimeric constructs expressed in COS7 cells. We find that: 1) mAbs that induce homotypic aggregation (epitope A mAbs) map to the most N-terminal 100 amino acids of the human alpha 4 chain; 2) mAbs that block adhesion of alpha 4 beta 1 to VCAM-1 and fibronectin (epitope B mAbs) map to a 52-amino-acid region between residues 152 and 203 of human alpha 4; 3) epitope B mAbs that do or do not induce aggregation (epitope B2 and B1 mAbs, respectively) map to the same regions and are therefore indistinguishable by this analysis; 4) mAbs that neither induce homotypic aggregation nor block adhesion (epitope C mAbs) map to a distinct region of the molecule comprising amino acids 422-606. The N-terminal region of the alpha 4 chain identified by functional A and B epitope mAbs does not correspond to ligand binding sites identified in other alpha subunits, such as cation binding sites or the “I-domain,” which alpha 4 lacks, and thus represents a novel site for epitope functionality among the integrins.
The biaxial deformation and yield behavior of bisphenol‐a polycarbonate: Effect of anisotropy

The biaxial tension stress-strain-yield behavior of glassy bisphenol A-polycarbonate has been investigated at constant octahedral shear stress rate and at 25°C and −40°C. The specimens possess a small amount of anisotropy. Hill′s criterion for yielding of anisotropic materials is modified to take into account the sensitivity of the yield locus to the hydrostatic stress component. This modified yield criterion fits the 25°C data quite well. However, the data at −40°C cannot be fitted using reasonable parameters.
Quantitative analysis of policy decisions

The use of quantitative models for highway safety policy analysis is discussed. The importance of interaction between managers and model analysts is emphasized for the development and application of these models. Two examples are presented. First, the trade-off between injury cost and fuel savings as a function of vehicle weight reduction is analyzed. Second, passive restraint effectiveness and its interaction with vehicle size is studied.
Can statistical average be affected by its observer

In classical statistical mechanics, it is tacitly assumed that the only side effect of the measuring process is to produce fluctuations in the measured system. In other words, the system's average property is not affected by the observer. The present letter discusses this assumption in terms of aGedankenexperiment.
Imitation is not the “Holy Grail” of comparative cognition

We commend Byrne & Russon for their effort to expand and clarify the concept of imitation by addressing the various levels of behavior organization at which it could occur. We are concerned, however, first about the ambiguity with which these levels are defined and second about whether there is any particular need for comparative cognition to keep focusing on imitation as an important intellectual faculty. We recommend stricter definitions of hierarchical behavioral levels that will lend themselves to operational definitions and continued study of how animal subjects organize their goal-directed behavior as opposed to whether it is or is not imitation.
Phase stable RF-over-fiber transmission using heterodyne interferometry

We demonstrate stable transmission of 3GHz over 300m of fiber with less than 0.017 degree (17fs) RMS phase error. An interferometer measures optical phase delay, providing information to a feed-forward correction of RF phase.
Enhanced Sulfur and Coking Tolerance of a Mixed Ion Conductor for SOFCs: BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2–xYbxO3–δ

The anode materials that have been developed for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are vulnerable to deactivation by carbon buildup (coking) from hydrocarbon fuels or by sulfur contamination (poisoning). We report on a mixed ion conductor, BaZr(0.1)Ce(0.7)Y(0.2-)(x)Yb(x)O(3-delta), that allows rapid transport of both protons and oxide ion vacancies. It exhibits high ionic conductivity at relatively low temperatures (500 degrees to 700 degrees C). Its ability to resist deactivation by sulfur and coking appears linked to the mixed conductor's enhanced catalytic activity for sulfur oxidation and hydrocarbon cracking and reforming, as well as enhanced water adsorption capability.
Correlations Among Records of Unrelated Cows in the Same Herd and the Same and Different Year-Seasons

Abstract Correlations were computed between pairs of first-lactation milk records of unrelated Holstein cows in New York, where the records were made in the same herd and same year-season of freshening, and in the same herd but different year-seasons of freshening. Records were expressed as deviations from herd-mate averages. The average correlation between pairs in the same herd-year-season was .01. The average correlation when the pair of records was made one season apart was .08, and two seasons apart was .06. The pattern of correlations between a pair of records made more than 1 or 2 yr apart appears to be unpredictable.
Superoxide Modulates Myogenic Contractions of Mouse Afferent Arterioles

Reactive oxygen species enhance or impair autoregulation. Because superoxide is a vasoconstrictor, we tested the hypothesis that stretch generates superoxide that mediates myogenic responses. Increasing perfusion pressure of mouse isolated perfused renal afferent arterioles from 40 to 80 mm Hg reduced their diameter by 13.3±1.8% (P 50 μmol/L caused contractions but at 25 μmol/L inhibited myogenic responses (7.4±0.8%; P<0.01). In conclusion, increasing the pressure within afferent arterioles led to Ca(2+)-independent increased vascular superoxide production from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, which enhanced myogenic contractions largely independent of NO, whereas H(2)O(2) impaired pressure-induced contractions but was not implicated in the normal myogenic response.
Modeling of Selective Carbon Nanotubes Growth for Non-classical Memory Applications

Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) have unique properties that make them potentially useful in wide variety of applications in nanoelectronics. However, these applications are feasible only if SWNTs have specific chirality. Therefore optimization of experimental conditions for Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) growth of SWNT in order to increase its selectivity is of great practical importance. This rational optimization is impossible without knowledge of mechanistic kinetics of CVD. It is not probably feasible to extract the information on mechanism for SWNT synthesis from experimental data. The chemical origin of the reaction barriers and intermediates, however, could be analyzed using molecular simulations. Here we propose multiscale computer modeling of CVD process. Our approach is to extract the structure of the intermediates from molecular dynamics trajectories, conduct the transition state search, predict the free energy activation barriers, build the kinetic model of the growth process, and implement it in kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to predict the optimal experimental conditions necessary to produce desired chirality of SWNT.
Mountain Dew or mountain don't?: a pilot investigation of caffeine use parameters and relations to depression and anxiety symptoms in 5th- and 10th-grade students.

BACKGROUND: Caffeine, the only licit psychoactive drug available to minors, may have a harmful impact on students' health and adjustment, yet little is known about its use or effects on students, especially from a developmental perspective. Caffeine use in 5th- and 10th-grade students was examined in a cross-sectional design, and relations and potential mediators of caffeine use to depression and anxiety symptoms were investigated. METHODS: Children (n = 135) and adolescents (n = 79) completed a measure of naturalistic use of caffeinated and noncaffeinated beverages. Furthermore, daily availability, perceived benefits, and stimulating, psychological, and withdrawal effects of caffeinated and noncaffeinated beverages were assessed. Measures of depression and anxiety were also administered. RESULTS: Fifth and 10th graders used caffeine frequently. Depression was positively related to caffeine use for both cohorts, though mediated by caffeine withdrawal effects. Surprisingly, anxiety was unrelated to use. Fifth graders reported less daily access to caffeine, but more psychological and stimulating effects of caffeine than 10th graders. CONCLUSIONS: Although both children and adolescents experience negative caffeine-related outcomes, intake is seemingly not greatly limited in either cohort. In particular, youth appear vulnerable to increased depressive symptoms with increasing caffeine consumption. Implications for school policy regarding students' caffeine use are discussed.
Youth debt, mastery, and self-esteem: Class-stratified effects of indebtedness on self-concept

Young adults at the turn of the 21st century came of age in a time of unprecedented access to credit but slowed growth in earnings, resulting in a dramatic increase in indebtedness. Debt has been little studied by sociologists, even though it is increasingly important in financing both attainment and a middle-class lifestyle, especially for youth in the transition to adulthood. We study the consequences of indebtedness for young adults’ sense of mastery and self-esteem as stratified by class. Young adulthood is a crucial developmental period for mastery and self-esteem, which then serve as a social psychological resource (or deficit) into the adult years. Research suggests that young people have divergent perspectives on debt: some focus on credit as a necessary investment in status attainment, while others worry that readily available credit invites improvidence that can erode the self-concept as debt encumbers achievement and future consumption and increases a sense of powerlessness. We find that both education and credit-card debt increase mastery and self-esteem, supporting the hypothesis that young people experience debt as an investment in the future, and contradicting the expectation that debt used to finance current spending will lower mastery and self-esteem. Our expectation that debt effects are accentuated for those of lower- and middle-class origins but blunted for those of upper-class origins is supported. We find, however, that the positive effects of debt appear to wane among the oldest young adults, suggesting the stresses of debt may mount with age. We conclude that further study of the long-term consequences of debt will be essential for advancing contemporary stratification theory and research.
Isolation of Cholesterol-requiring Mutant Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells with Defects in Cleavage of Sterol Regulatory Element-binding Proteins at Site 1

The synthesis and uptake of cholesterol requires transcription factors designated sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are bound to membranes in a hairpin orientation with their transcriptionally active NH2-terminal segments facing the cytosol. The NH2-terminal segments are released from membranes by two-step proteolysis initiated by site 1 protease (S1P), which cleaves in the luminal loop between two membrane-spanning segments. Next, site 2 protease (S2P) releases the NH2-terminal fragment of SREBP. The S2P gene was recently isolated by complementation cloning using Chinese hamster ovary cells that require cholesterol for growth, due to a mutation in the S2P gene. A similar approach cannot be used for S1P because all previous cholesterol auxotrophs manifest defects in S2P, which is encoded by a single copy gene. To circumvent this problem, in the current studies we transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells with the S2P cDNA, assuring multiple copies. We mutagenized the cells, selected for cholesterol auxotrophy, and identified two mutant cell lines (SRD-12A and -12B) that fail to cleave SREBPs at site 1. Complementation analysis demonstrated that the defects in both cell lines are recessive and noncomplementing, indicating a mutation in the same gene. These cells should now be useful for expression cloning of the sterol-regulated S1P gene.
Chemical modification of lactase for immobilization on carboxylic acid-functionalized microspheres

AbstractSurface interactions between an enzyme and support influence the retention of activity after immobilization. Chemical modification of enzymes prior to immobilization may be used to alter these interactions and enhance activity retention. Lactase (A. oryzae) was covalently conjugated to P(S/V-COOH) microspheres, with surface carboxylic acid densities of 9 μeq/g and 137 μeq/g, using carbodiimide chemistry. Under optimum pH and temperature conditions, activity retention was greater when the enzyme was conjugated to microspheres containing a lower density of surface carboxylic acid groups (32% activity retention) than when the enzyme was conjugated to microspheres having a greater density of surface carboxylic acid groups (11% activity retention). Chemical modification of lactase carboxylic acid groups with glucosamine prior to immobilization was evaluated as a means to increase activity retention. Under optimal conditions, modification resulted in a 17% decrease in soluble enzyme activity compared to...
Shock-induced flow separation and the orbiter thermal protection system

Abstract The Space Shuttle orbiter's thermal protection system (TPS) is composed of reusable tiles separated by narrow gaps that accommodate the contraction and expansion of the aluminum structure that the tiles protect. When local pressure gradients exist, air flows through the tile gaps and releases heat energy by convection. The gaps represent a heat short to the structure, strain isolator pad (SIP), and filler bar. A typical problem is the pressure gradient created during entry by body flap deflection. After a brief description of how this problem affects the Space Shuttle orbiter, a theoretical and experimental review of the major parameters involved in gap heating are analyzed. Then, a review of well-known classical methods to resolve the gap aeroheating problem in the presence of a pressure gradient is presented, and a few solutions are illustrated to assess the sensitivity of each one. The following section starts with a basic relationship (called “eyeball” because of its simplicity) and follows the results up through the most modern engineering approach available in the literature. It shows that in all cases calculated significant areas of overtemperature were predicted. However, none of these methods could be correlated by experimental data. Lastly, the paper presents the solution obtained by using the most sophisticated method, based upon the Navier-Stokes equations. This approach shows excellent correlation with wind tunnel data. The application to four trajectory time points shows less severe results than the other methods. This can be explained by the introduction of a certain amount of conservatism to account for uncertainties inherent in the previous analyses. No correlation of this “exact solution” with the simple preestablished relationships has been found, indicating that more parameters than expected could be involved. However, an after-the-fact, semi-empirical engineering solution that fits the Navier-Stokes solution with good agreement was established.
E‐commerce standard user interface: an E‐menu system

Purpose – A rapidly growing segment of the internet is e‐commerce. The future of economic competitiveness for most enterprises relies on entrance and active participation in the e‐commerce market. About a third of the time users fail when they try to purchase products on an e‐commerce site. An essential problem with e‐commerce is that the controls and organization are different for each site. There is no standard way of building the navigation of the e‐commerce site. Most sites do not have a global navigation system and the local one may be confusing, like solving a maze. The goal of this study is to minimize users' look up time and make e‐commerce sites usable so visitors can easily and quickly access information. The objective of this study is to provide an implementation method by which an agent of the artificial intelligence (AI) user interface creates a standard navigation menu, called E‐menu, to increase the usability of e‐commerce.Design/methodology/approach – The selected E‐menu items are based on...
SSS: a hybrid architecture applied to robot navigation

Describes a three-layer architecture, SSS, for robot control. It combines a servo-control layer, a subsumption layer, and a symbolic layer in a way that allows the advantages of each technique to be fully exploited. The key to this synergy is the interface between the individual subsystems. The design of situation recognizers that bridge the gap between the servo and subsumption layers, and event detectors that link the subsumption layers and symbolic layers are discussed. The development of such a combined system is illustrated by a fully implemented indoor navigation example. The resulting robot was able to automatically map office building environments, and smoothly navigate through them at the rapid speed of 2.6 feet per second. >
Eating Military Base Stew

Sociologist Grace M. Cho investigates the origins of a Korean dish called budae jjigae (“military base stew”) and reveals its layered meanings for Korean American diasporic identity.
Magnesium, zinc, and chromium nutrition and athletic performance

Magnesium, zinc and chromium are mineral elements required in modest amounts for health and optimal performance. Accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that magnesium and zinc play significant roles in promoting strength and cardiorespiratory function in healthy persons and athletes. Differences in study designs, however, limit conclusions about recommendations for intakes of magnesium and zinc needed for optimal performance and function. The role of chromium in supporting performance is not well established. There is a compelling need to confirm and extend findings of beneficial effects of magnesium and zinc function and performance of humans. Suggestions for an experimental model and specific topics for research to advance knowledge of mineral nutrition to promote attainment of genetic potential for optimal performance are provided.
Modeling third harmonic generation from layered materials using nonlinear optical matrices: erratum.

A matrix approach is formulated to describe third-harmonic (TH) generation in stacked materials in the small signal limit, in both transmission and reflection geometries. The model takes into account the contribution from the substrate to the total generated TH, interference of fundamental and nonlinear fields inside the stack, the nonlinear signal generation in forward and backward direction, the beam profile of the focused incident beam in the substrate, and the finite spectrum associated with short laser pulses. The model is applied to design stacks of thin films for efficient TH generation.
Introduction to special issue of Applied Optics on soft-x-ray projection lithography.

This special issue contains a collection of papers describing results that were presented at the Second Topical Meeting on Soft-X-Ray Projection Lithography sponsored by the Optical Society of America and held 6–8 April 1992 in Monterey, California, along with several additional papers submitted after that meeting. These papers are being published in this collection to make them readily available to a larger audience than would normally occur with a proceedings and also to take advantage of the critical review process.
Pseudoduplication-an ACOB technique for single-ended circuits

Analog circuit observer blocks (ACOBs) are a low-overhead design for test technique for analog and mixed-signal circuits that aim to reduce the need for precision in test. We present a new ACOB scheme, pseudoduplication, for single-ended switched capacitor filters. Fault detection is based on a data duplication code which is achieved without actual hardware duplication. Simulation is used to demonstrate how faults are detected. With layouts and simulation, we demonstrate that the overhead is not significant.
Learning-from-signals on edge devices

Machine learning tools are being developed that support increasingly complex learning-fromsignals on "edge" devices to meet the challenges of decentralized decision making. Edge devices in this context include any electronically enabled device that can sense, process and make decisions based on locally integrated information. Component systems that use algorithms and other technologies are required to provide sensing, signal processing, learning (model selection) and classification functions for edge devices. This article focuses on the algorithms and technologies for the component systems. It includes an introductory description of the architectures that enable these functions to be ported to edge devices which have limited resources so they can execute some machine learning processes.
Scattering Analysis of Periodic Structures Using Finite-Difference Time-Domain M

Periodic structures are of great importance in electromagnetics due to their wide range of applications such as frequency selective surfaces (FSS), electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures, periodic absorbers, meta-materials, and many others. The aim of this book is to develop efficient computational algorithms to analyze the scattering properties of various electromagnetic periodic structures using the finite-difference time-domain periodic boundary condition (FDTD/PBC) method. A new FDTD/PBC-based algorithm is introduced to analyze general skewed grid periodic structures while another algorithm is developed to analyze dispersive periodic structures. Moreover, the proposed algorithms are successfully integrated with the generalized scattering matrix (GSM) technique, identified as the hybrid FDTD-GSM algorithm, to efficiently analyze multilayer periodic structures. All the developed algorithms are easy to implement and are efficient in both computational time and memory usage. These algorithms are validated through several numerical test cases. The computational methods presented in this book will help scientists and engineers to investigate and design novel periodic structures and to explore other research frontiers in electromagnetics. Table of Contents: Introduction / FDTD Method and Periodic Boundary Conditions / Skewed Grid Periodic Structures / Dispersive Periodic Structures / Multilayered Periodic Structures / Conclusions
SOLUBILITY OF CALCIUM LACTATE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

The presence of calcium lactate (CaL2) crystals on the surface of Cheddar cheese is an appearance defect that consumer often attributes to mold. This problem is widespread in the cheese industry. The solubility of CaL2in water determines the likelihood of formation of CaL2crystals on the surface of Cheddar cheese. Very little fundamental work has been done to measure the solubility of CaL2at conditions appropriate to storage of cheese. CaL2is a moderately-soluble salt, with saturation concentrations that increase from about 2 g anhydrous CaL2/g water at 0°C to about 50 g anhydrous CaL2/g water at 60°C. The substantial variability in data available in the literature attests to the difficulties in accurately measuring solubility concentrations. The limited amount of data available in the literature suggest that a decrease in pH through addition of lactic acid leads to a decrease in solubility, and that addition of salt (NaCl) has no effect on solubility.
Statistical Aspects of Testing Alternate Fuels

Exemple d'utilisation d'une nouvelle procedure statistique pour l'evaluation des resultats d'essais d'endurance effectues avec des carburants de substitution
Python CS1 as preparation for C++ CS2

How suitable is a Python-based CS1 course as preparation for a C++-based CS2 course? After fifteen years of using C++ for both CS1 and CS2, the Computer Science Department at Michigan State University changed the CS1 course to Python. This paper examines the impact of that change on the second course in the sequence, CS2, which kept C++ as its primary language. We report results on a CS2 class which had a mixture of students who had used either C++ or Python from our CS1 course. The CS2 class covered the same topics as previously, though with some changes, and even gave the same final exam as a previous offering. Independent samples t-tests were used to compare students from the Python group with students from the non-Python group on three outcomes: final exam grade, programming projects scores, and final grade for the course. The main result was that there were no significant differences between the groups for all three outcomes. In addition, multiple regression analysis showed that students' past performance (overall GPA) in the University predicted final grades, final exam scores, and programming project scores for the course, but there was no effect of the programming language feature: Python or non-Python. We feel this shows that the Python-based CS1 course prepared students for the C++-based CS2 course as well as the C++-based CS1 course did---while exposing them to a different, powerful and useful language.
The association between filial piety and loneliness among Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area

Background: Loneliness is an important health indicator for psychological well-being. This study aims to examine the association between filial piety and loneliness among Chinese older adults in the U.S. Methods: Data were drawn from the PINE study, a population-based study of 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and above in the greater Chicago area. Severity of loneliness was the dependent variable. Independent variables were the expectation and perceived receipt of filial piety, examined in six domains. Negative Binomial Regression analyses were conducted. Results: Lower levels of perceived filial piety receipt were associated with greater severity of loneliness (Ratio of Expected Severity: 0.92, 0.91-0.94) after adjusting for socio-demographics and medical co-morbidities. Expectation of filial piety was not associated with severity of loneliness. Conclusion: Our findings indicate higher perceived receipt of filial piety may protect older adults from loneliness. Our study suggests that cultural sensitivity need to be considered in the detection and intervention of loneliness.
Keith Breckenridge. Biometric State: The Global Politics of Identification and Surveillance in South Africa, 1850 to the Present

Keith Breckenridge's ambitious book tells the history of 150 years of efforts to create biometric systems, largely based on fingerprint registries, to help the state identify individual South Afric...
A template for building global partnerships: The Joining Forces conference goes across the Atlantic from the US to the UK.

Abstract Joining Forces is a comprehensive national initiative within the United States to mobilize all sectors of society to give service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned. This national initiative begun in April 2012 was led by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. The Joining Forces initiative is charged with enhancing the well-being and psychological health of the military family by providing mental health care services, integrating community-based services to reduce homelessness, substance abuse for veterans and military families. This manuscript addresses how one university with its global partners joined together to host an innovative conference addressing the research, education, and practice needs of healthcare professionals caring for military, veterans, and their families.
Assessing spatial covariance among time series of abundance

For species of conservation concern, an essential part of the recovery planning process is identifying discrete population units and their location with respect to one another. A common feature among geographically proximate populations is that the number of organisms tends to covary through time as a consequence of similar responses to exogenous influences. In turn, high covariation among populations can threaten the persistence of the larger metapopulation. Historically, explorations of the covariance in population size of species with many (>10) time series have been computationally difficult. Here, we illustrate how dynamic factor analysis (DFA) can be used to characterize diversity among time series of population abundances and the degree to which all populations can be represented by a few common signals. Our application focuses on anadromous Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), a species listed under the US Endangered Species Act, that is impacted by a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Specifically, we fit DFA models to 24 time series of population abundance and used model selection to identify the minimum number of latent variables that explained the most temporal variation after accounting for the effects of environmental covariates. We found support for grouping the time series according to 5 common latent variables. The top model included two covariates: the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in spring and summer. The assignment of populations to the latent variables matched the currently established population structure at a broad spatial scale. At a finer scale, there was more population grouping complexity. Some relatively distant populations were grouped together, and some relatively close populations - considered to be more aligned with each other - were more associated with populations further away. These coarse- and fine-grained examinations of spatial structure are important because they reveal different structural patterns not evident in other analyses.
Evaluation of Oxisuran as an Immunosuppressive Agent

SummaryOxisuran, 2-[(methylsulfinyl)-acetyl]pyridine, is a new immunosuppressive agent which is reported to act as a differential inhibitor of cell-mediated immunity. Published studies have shown that it prolongs skin graft survival in mice, rats, and dogs. The present experiments demonstrate that it is also an immunosuppressive agent in the transplantation of other organs. Oxisuran produced significant prolongation of functional survival time of heterotopic cardiac allografts in rats. In addition, using a rat kidney-transplant model, there was significant reduction of in vitro cytotoxicity of thoracic duct cells against target kidney cells, whereas the humoral antibody response was unchanged.We thank Dr. H. H. Freedman of Warner-Lambert Research Institute, Morris Plains, NJ, for helpful advice and data concerning oxisuran and for generously supplying us with this immunosuppressive agent.