cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The environmental impact of suburbanization

The U.S. population is increasingly spreading out, moving to the suburbs, and migrating from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt. This paper uses recent household-level data sets to study some of the environmental consequences of population suburbanization. It measures the increase in household driving, home fuel consumption, and land consumption brought about by population dispersion. Suburban households drive 31 percent more than their urban counterparts, and western households drive 35 percent more miles than northeastern households. Despite increased vehicle dependence, local air quality has not been degraded in sprawling areas, thanks to emissions controls. Technological innovation can mitigate the environmental consequences of resource-intensive suburbanization. © 2000 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Chaotic signals and physical systems

The methods for establishing a phase space or state space for a physical system from measurements of a scalar time series are reviewed, and the implications for the analysis of signals of the geometry of strange attractors are discussed. Classifying the physical systems by invariants on the attractor is seen to be the analog of classifying linear systems by the resonant response frequencies. The statistical properties of deterministic systems are used to perform this classifying. Methods for separating a chaotic signal of interest from contamination such as high dimensional noise are discussed. An example of a signal from a nonlinear circuit whose equations of evolution are unknown is discussed in detail and all the items mentioned are illustrated. >
p t dependence of transverse flow in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

The strength of transverse flow is examined as a function of transverse momentum {ital p}{sub {ital t}} using a simple, transversely moving thermal model and a more realistic, relativistic transport model. It is shown that the {ital p}{sub {ital t}} dependence reveals useful information about the collective flow that is complementary to that obtained from the standard in-plane transverse momentum analysis. Interesting features of using the {ital p}{sub {ital t}} dependence to study the equation of state of the superdense hadronic matter formed in relativistic heavy-ion collisions are demonstrated. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
DC zonal micro-grid architecture and control

DC micro-gird architecture and its control have been proposed in this paper. A bidirectional PWM rectifier is used as a backup for DC micro-grid to balance the power when the management ability of the local micro-grid is limited. A power management algorithm is also proposed based on this configuration. The DC zonal micro-grid proposed here has the advantage of maximum utilization of local distributed resource and smooth transition among different modes. Simulation results are given to verify the effectiveness of the theory.
Distributed Microphone Arrays for Digital Home and Office

With the proliferation of pervasive computing in digital home and office environment there is an increasing demand for hands-free audio and video interfaces. Microphone arrays are already present on desktops and mobile computers, and camera arrays are in transition from being highly sophisticated prototypes to become affordable consumer devices soon. Thanks to increasing CPU power of general-purpose computers and higher bandwidth in wired and wireless networks, it now becomes possible to perform array signal processing of audio using networked sensors, actuators and computers. This paper presents components of a prototype system developed to support hands-free audio capture for audio recording and voice recognition based on multiple wirelessly networked laptops with onboard microphone arrays. Several key technologies demonstrated in this system include: 1) time synchronization scheme for distributed audio input devices that uses wireless network; 2) localization algorithms to reconstruct the geometry of audio sensors and speakers in a room; 3) cascaded beamforming algorithms for signals captured by distributed microphone arrays. This paper discusses both theoretical and practical aspects of mapping array signal processing algorithms on a distributed network of general-purpose computers with integrated audio sensors. Our experimental results demonstrate great potential of distributed audio arrays for hands-free command-and-control when compared to an array located on a single platform
Monte Carlo Prediction of Radiative Heat Transfer in Inhomogeneous, Anisotropic, Nongray Media

A Monte Carlo solution technique has been formulated to predict the radiative heat transfer in three-dimensional, inhomogeneous participating media which exhibit spectrally dependent emission and absorption and anisotropic scattering. Details of the technique and selected numerical sensitivities are discussed. The technique was applied to a problem involving a medium composed of a gas mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen and suspended carbon particles. A homogeneous medium was modeled to examine the effect of total pressure and carbon-particle concentration on radiative heat transfer. Variation in total pressure, over the range studied, had minimal effect on the amount of heat radiated to the enclosure walls and on the radiative-flux distribution within the medium. Increases in the carbon particle concentration produced significantly higher heat fluxes at the boundaries and altered the radiative flux distribution. The technique was then applied to an inhomogeneous medium to examine effects of specific temperature and carbon particle concentration distributions on radiative heat transfer. For the inhomogeneous conditions examined, the largest radiative flux divergence occurs near the center of the medium and the regions near some enclosure walls act as energy sinks.
Coding for free space optical communications

Free-space optical (FSO) systems that are robust in the presence of atmospheric turbulence are discussed in this invited paper: (i) coded-OFDM, (ii) coded MIMO concept, and (iii) raptor code based FSO systems.
Much Ado About Something: An Ethic of the Common Good for Information Technology

As the culture of information technology grows and with it the exacerbation of associated problems, so does the body of literature that seeks to reflect on its impact and prospects. The advancements in information technology tend to be outpacing critical reflection and solid ethical analysis. The quality of the foundational ethical work done in information technology ethics has been inadequate, consisting of applied ethics or an appeal to law. This article considers how the richer perspective—the common good, as expressed through the lens of the Roman Catholic Church—can serve as a hermeneutic in the field of information technology ethics, offering a more substantial foundation to address pressing controversial issues associated with this burgeoning field and function as a guide for future developments in this industry. The common good can supplement the operative ways of appealing to law and business ethics to address crime and abuse associated with the World Wide Web with a specifically Roman Catholic p...
The effects of extraversion and expertise on virtual team interaction and performance

Investigates the effects of extraversion and team-member expertise on virtual team interaction and performance. 63 virtual teams of professional managers participated in an intellectual decision-making task using a Web-based conferencing tool. The results revealed the level of extraversion to be positively and significantly correlated with aggressive and constructive interaction styles. Differences in extraversion levels within virtual teams were positively and significantly correlated with a passive interaction style and negatively and significantly correlated with solution acceptance and perceived effectiveness. Average expertise was negatively and significantly correlated with a constructive interaction style and team errors. Average expertise also correlated highly and positively with the best member's expertise. In virtual team settings, extraversion was found to promote effective team interactions; teams with lower variances in extraversion did best, especially in teams with good knowledge to start off with. However, for the most part, group styles, and not individual personality or expertise, have predictive power on performance outcomes.
Solutions of the damped oscillator Fokker-Planck equation

The quantum theory of damping is presented and illustrated by means of a driven damped harmonic oscillator. The theory is formulated in the coherent state representation which illustrates very vividly the nearly classical nature of the problem. In this representation the reduced system density operator equation becomes a Fokker-Planck equation. Green's function solutions are found for the damped oscillator in closed form and as an eigenfunction expansion. In addition, a quantum regression theorem due to Lax is derived in the coherent state representation. The theorem allows two-time averages to be computed from one-time averages.
Nonlinear Model Reduction of von Kármán Plates Under Quasi-Steady Fluid Flow

A reduced-order model for von Karman plates, using a method of quadratic components, is presented in this paper. The method of quadratic components postulates the full kinematics of the plate as consisting of a combination of linear and quadratic components. This reduced model is then discretized in space with a Galerkin approximation and in time with an implicit integration scheme. The plate is coupled with a fluid flowing over it at a supersonic speed using a quasi-steady pressure model commonly referred to as piston theory. A static loading example is used to validate the model reduction of the plate with respect to other numerical and approximate solutions. The limit cycles of the plate coupled with piston theory are calculated via a cyclic method, and the results from parameter studies are compared to classical results. A previously unexplored regime of the limit cycle amplitudes is investigated; a second, coexisting, limit cycle is found that yields a discontinuity in the limit cycle amplitudes at a critical dynamic pressure.
Residential Crowding in the Context of Inner City Poverty

The accumulation of stressful experiences leads to increased risk for adverse outcomes as the adaptive capabilities of the organism are increasingly challenged. If this proposition is correct, then an important omission in environmental stress research has been the examination of crowding, noise, pollution, heat, poor housing quality, and other physical stressors in isolation of the naturalistic contexts in which they normally occur (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Cohen, Evans, Stokols, & Krantz, 1986; Petrinovich, 1979). This chapter examines residential crowding from an ecological perspective. Crowding is one among several, adverse environmental conditions more likely to occur for poor households and among ethnic minority families. The concentration of low income households in the inner city brings with it heightened exposure to environmental stressors. Housing in the inner city is often both relatively expensive and small. Those with limited financial resources must compromise on the size as well as the quality of their housing. Moreover, low income, minority families often must accept housing in less desirable neighborhoods characterized by poor physical conditions such as noise, pollution, physical decay, as well as cope with inadequate public services. These constraints on residential choice are magnified for ethnic minorities by housing discrimination or the need to be proximate to others who share a common language and culture.
Acute Inflammatory Response to Endotoxin in Mice and Humans

Endotoxin injection has been widely used to study the acute inflammatory response. In this study, we directly compared the inflammatory responses to endotoxin in mice and humans. Escherichia coli type O113 endotoxin was prepared under identical conditions, verified to be of equal biological potency, and used for both mice and humans. The dose of endotoxin needed to induce an interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration in plasma of ∼1,000 pg/ml 2 h after injection was 2 ng/kg of body weight in humans and 500 ng/kg in mice. Healthy adult volunteers were injected intravenously with endotoxin, and male C57BL/6 mice (n = 4 to 12) were injected intraperitoneally with endotoxin. Physiological, hematological, and cytokine responses were determined. Endotoxin induced a rapid physiological response in humans (fever, tachycardia, and slight hypotension) but not in mice. Both mice and humans exhibited lymphopenia with a nadir at 4 h and recovery by 24 h. The levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-6 in plasma peaked at 2 h and returned to baseline levels by 4 to 6 h. IL-1 receptor antagonist RA and TNF soluble receptor I were upregulated in both mice and humans but were upregulated more strongly in humans. Mice produced greater levels of CXC chemokines, and both mice and humans exhibited peak production at 2 h. These studies demonstrate that although differences exist and a higher endotoxin challenge is necessary in mice, there are several similarities in the inflammatory response to endotoxin in mice and humans.
City Steeple, City Streets: Saints' Tales from Granada and a Changing Spain

Candace Slater's new book focuses on narratives concerning Fray Leopoldo de Alpandeire (1864-1956), a Capuchin friar from Granada and probably the most popular nonconsecrated saint today in all of Spain. In tracing the emergence of a group of contemporary legends about Fray Leopoldo, Slater discusses both the stories she tape-recorded in the streets of Granada and the friar's official biography. She underscores the essential pluralism of the tales, their undercurrent of resistance to institutional authority, and their deep concern for the relationship between past and present. Bearing witness to the subtlety and resilience of even the most apparently conservative folk-literary forms, these stories are not only about the role of saints and miracles in an increasingly secular and industrial society but, first and foremost, also about the legacy of the Franco years.
Radial heating of a galactic disc by multiple spiral density waves

We consider a differentially rotating, 2D stellar disc perturbed by two steady-state spiral density waves moving at different pattern speeds. Our investigation is based on direct numerical integration of initially circular test-particle orbits. We examine a range of spiral strengths and spiral speeds and show that stars in this time-dependent gravitational field can be heated (their random motions increased). This is particularly noticeable in the simultaneous propagation of a two-armed spiral density wave near the corotation resonance (CR), and a weak four-armed one near the inner and outer 4:1 Lindblad resonances. In simulations with two spiral waves moving at different pattern speeds, we find: (i) the variance of the radial velocity, σ 2 R , exceeds the sum of the variances measured from simulations with each individual pattern; (ii) σ 2 can grow with time throughout the entire simulation; (iii) σ 2 R is increased over a wider range of radii compared to that seen with one spiral pattern; and (iv) particles diffuse radially in real space, whereas they do not when only one spiral density wave is present. Near the CR with the stronger, two-armed pattern, test-particles are observed to migrate radially. These effects take place at or near resonances of both spirals, so we interpret them as the result of stochastic motions. This provides a possible new mechanism for increasing the stellar velocity dispersion in galactic discs. If multiple spiral patterns are present in the Galaxy, we predict that there should be large variations in the stellar velocity dispersion as a function of radius.
From Perception to Action: Temporal Integrative Functions of Prefrontal and Parietal Neurons

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DPFC) and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are anatomically and functionally interconnected, and have been implicated in working memory and the preparation for behavioral action. To substantiate those functions at the neuronal level, we designed a visuomotor task that dissociated the perceptual and executive aspects of the perception-action cycle in both space and time. In that task, the trial-initiating cue (a color) indicated with different degrees of certainty the direction of the correct manual response 12 s later. We recorded extracellular activity from 258 prefrontal and 223 parietal units in two monkeys performing the task. In the DPFC, some units (memory cells) were attuned to the color of the cue, independent of the response-direction it connoted. Their discharge tended to diminish in the course of the delay between cue and response. In contrast, few color-related units were found in PPC, and these did not show decreasing patterns of delay activity. Other units in both cortices (set cells) were attuned to response-direction and tended to accelerate their firing in anticipation of the response and in proportion to the predictability of its direction. A third group of units was related to the determinacy of the act; their firing was attuned to the certainty with which the animal could predict the correct response, whatever its direction. Cells of the three types were found closely intermingled histologically. These findings further support and define the role of DPFC in executive functions and in the temporal closure of the perception-action cycle. The findings also agree with the involvement of PPC in spatial aspects of visuomotor behavior, and add a temporal integrative dimension to that involvement. Together, the results provide physiological evidence for the role of a prefrontal-parietal network in the integration of perception with action across time. Language: en
Complete cDNA Sequence, Genomic Structure, and Chromosomal Localization of the LPA Receptor Gene,lpA1/vzg-1/Gpcr26

The lpA1/Gpcr26 locus encodes the first cloned and identified G-protein-coupled receptor that specifically interacts with lysophosphatidic acid. A murine fulllength cDNA of size consistent with that seen on Northern blots (3.7 kb) was determined using 3* rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Analysis of genomic clones revealed that the gene is divided into five exons, with one intron inserted in the coding region for transmembrane domain VI and one exon encoding the divergent 5* sequence in another published cDNA clone variant (orphan receptor mrec1.3). This structure differs from the intronless coding region for a homologous receptor, Edg1, but is identical to another more similar orphan receptor (lp A2) that has been deposited with GenBank. Using backcross analysis, both exons 1 and 4 mapped to a proximal region of murine Chromosome 4 indistinguishable from the vacillans gene. Exon 4 also mapped to a second locus on proximal Chromosome 6 in Mus spretus, and this partial duplication was confirmed by Southern blot. The genomic structure indicates a distinct, divergent evolutionary lineage for the vzg-1/lp A1 subfamily of receptors compared to those of homologous orphan receptor genes. © 1998 Academic Press
Equivalent Effects of Topically-Delivered Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Dermal Fibroblasts in the Ischemic Rabbit Ear Model for Chronic Wounds

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have garnered considerable attention in plastic surgery. Via proliferation/differentiation or the elaboration of paracrine factors, MSC and their adipose-derived stem cell counterparts (ADSC) have been suggested to stimulate cutaneous wound healing. Previous reports have been limited by a lack of appropriate controls and the lack of a clinically-relevant context or ability to extrapolate to human wound healing. Objectives: The authors qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the ability of ADSC to improve wound healing in an ischemic variant of their well-established rabbit ear wound model. Methods: To incorporate ischemia, a major pathophysiologic factor in human chronic wounds, into our model, two of the three main arteries to the rabbit ear were ligated before wounding. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)–labeled ADSC or rabbit dermal fibroblasts (RDF) were then applied to wounds and histologic parameters of healing quantified. Results: At Postoperative Day (POD) 1, both cell types were present in a uniform distribution across wounds and positive for the proliferation marker Ki-67. By POD 7 and continuing through POD 10, ADSC and RDF contributed similarly to the accumulation of stratified “neogranulation” across the wound bed. No statistically-significant differences were observed between ADSC and RDF in terms of this positive effect on granulation ( P = .2–.3 for comparison of mean granulation tissue gaps and areas). Conclusions: ADSC and RDF can be delivered topically to wounds, resulting in a high level of engraftment in the ischemic background. Cellular wound therapy holds promise for chronic wound healing as well as other antiscarring therapies, but further studies are warranted before full clinical translation.
Sequential Recruitment of SAGA and TFIID in a Genomic Response to DNA Damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic genes respond to their environment by changing the expression of selected genes. The question we address here is whether distinct transcriptional responses to different environmental signals elicit distinct modes of assembly of the transcription machinery. In particular, we examine transcription complex assembly by the stress-directed SAGA complex versus the housekeeping assembly factor TFIID. We focus on genomic responses to the DNA damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) in comparison to responses to acute heat shock, looking at changes in genome-wide factor occupancy measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation-microchip (ChIP-chip) and ChIP-sequencing analyses. Our data suggest that MMS-induced genes undergo transcription complex assembly sequentially, first involving SAGA and then involving a slower TFIID recruitment, whereas heat shock genes utilize the SAGA and TFIID pathways rapidly and in parallel. Also Crt1, the repressor of model MMS-inducible ribonucleotide reductase genes, was found not to play a wider role in repression of DNA damage-inducible genes. Taken together, our findings reveal a distinct involvement of gene and chromatin regulatory factors in response to DNA damage versus heat shock and suggest different implementations of the SAGA and TFIID assembly pathways that may depend upon whether a sustained or transient change in gene expression ensues.
Updates on the cytogenetics and molecular genetics of bone and soft tissue tumors: osteosarcoma and related tumors.

In this Update, the cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings in osteosarcoma (OS) and some related tumors published since our book appeared in 1994 [1] will be presented and reviewed. Osteosarcoma is uncommon (i.e., 2.4% of all childhood cancers), with ∼1000 new cases diagnosed yearly in the United States. It is, however, the most common nonhematologic malignant tumor of bone in children (56% of all malignant tumors of bone) and adults [2]. The peak incidence of OS occurs in the second decade (5.6 per million children under 15 years of age), with an additional smaller peak after age 50 [3]. The tumors typically arise in the metaphyseal regions of long bones, with the distal femur, proximal tibia, and proximal humerus representing the three most common sites [4]. Almost all OS are of high grade and have a poor prognosis [5], with 10%–20% having detectable metastases at diagnosis. Only ∼10% of patients with OS achieve longterm disease-free interval [6–8]. The conventional OS type, arising in the intramedullary cavity of bone, represents ∼75% of all OS. These tumors frequently penetrate and destroy the cortex of the bone and extend into the surrounding soft tissues. The unifying histologic feature present in all types and subtypes of OS is the presence of malignant osteoid produced by the neoplastic cells [9]. Certain genetic or acquired conditions increase the risk of OS (e.g., metallic orthopedic prostheses and ionizing radiation) [10,11]. Patients with hereditary retinoblastoma have a high risk of second cancers, 50% of which are OS [12]. Osteosarcoma can arise in patients with Paget disease of bone, enchondromatosis, hereditary multiple exostoses, and fibrous dysplasia [13].
Adaptive tracking control of a permanent magnet stepper motor driving a mechanical load

The authors present a nonlinear control development that can be used to design an adaptive tracking controller for a permanent magnet (PM) stepper motor driving a mechanical load. This development is based on modern but fundamental concepts quickly identified and understood by most in the control field. The proposed controller compensates for parametric uncertainty in the motor/load model while yielding a global uniform asymptotic stability (GUAS) result for the motor position tracking error. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed adaptive tracking controller. >
Sanxingdui: a new Bronze Age site in southwest China

One of the splendours of early Chinese history is the sudden apparent rise of a skilled bronze metallurgy in the Shang period, and a correspondingly vital research question is to locate the centre of that technology. New discoveries from Sanxingdui, within China, reported here, question the primacy of north China in the late 2nd millennium BC
An MRI-defined measure of cerebral lesion severity to assess therapeutic effects in multiple sclerosis

Assess the sensitivity of the Magnetic Resonance Disease Severity Scale (MRDSS), based on cerebral lesions and atrophy, for treatment monitoring of glatiramer acetate (GA) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). This retrospective non-randomized pilot study included patients who started daily GA [n = 23, age (median, range) 41 (26.2, 53.1) years, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score 1.0 (0, 3.5)], or received no disease-modifying therapy (noDMT) [n = 21, age 44.8 (28.2, 55.4), EDSS 0 (0, 2.5)] for 2 years. MRDSS was the sum of z-scores (normalized to a reference sample) of T2 hyperintense lesion volume (T2LV), the ratio of T1 hypointense LV to T2LV (T1/T2), and brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) multiplied by negative 1. The two groups were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum tests; within group change was assessed by Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Glatiramer acetate subjects had less progression than noDMT on T1/T2 [(median z-score change (range), 0 (-1.07, 1.20) vs. 0.41 (-0.30, 2.51), p = 0.003)] and MRDSS [0.01 (-1.33, 1.28) vs. 0.46 (-1.57, 2.46), p = 0.01]; however, not on BPF [0.12 (-0.18, 0.58) vs. 0.10 (-1.47,0.50), p = 0.59] and T2LV [-0.03 (-0.90, 0.57) vs. 0.01 (-1.69, 0.34), p = 0.40]. While GA subjects worsened only on BPF [0.12 (-0.18, 0.58), p = 0.001], noDMT worsened on BPF [0.10 (-1.47, 0.50), p = 0.002], T1/T2 [0.41 (-0.30, 2.51), p = 0.0002], and MRDSS [0.46 (-1.57, 2.46), p = 0.0006]. These preliminary findings show the potential of two new cerebral MRI metrics to track MS therapeutic response. The T1/T2, an index of the destructive potential of lesions, may provide particular sensitivity to treatment effects.
Relative 11C-PiB Delivery as a Proxy of Relative CBF: Quantitative Evaluation Using Single-Session 15O-Water and 11C-PiB PET

The primary goal of this study was to assess the suitability of 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (11C-PiB) blood–brain barrier delivery (K1) and relative delivery (R1) parameters as surrogate indices of cerebral blood flow (CBF), with a secondary goal of directly examining the extent to which simplified uptake measures of 11C-PiB retention (amyloid-β load) may be influenced by CBF, in a cohort of controls and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Nineteen participants (6 controls, 5 AD, 8 MCI) underwent MR imaging, 15O-water PET, and 11C-PiB PET in a single session. Fourteen regions of interest (including cerebellar reference region) were defined on MR imaging and applied to dynamic coregistered PET to generate time–activity curves. Multiple analysis approaches provided regional 15O-water and 11C-PiB measures of delivery and 11C-PiB retention that included compartmental modeling distribution volume ratio (DVR), arterial- and reference-based Logan DVR, simplified reference tissue modeling 2 (SRTM2) DVR, and standardized uptake value ratios. Spearman correlation was performed among delivery measures (i.e., 15O-water K1 and 11C-PiB K1, relative K1 normalized to cerebellum [Rel-K1-Water and Rel-K1-PiB], and 11C-PiB SRTM2-R1) and between delivery measures and 11C-PiB retention, using the Bonferroni method for multiple-comparison correction. Results: Primary analysis showed positive correlations (ρ ≈0.2–0.5) between 15O-water K1 and 11C-PiB K1 that did not survive Bonferroni adjustment. Significant positive correlations were found between Rel-K1-Water and Rel-K1-PiB and between Rel-K1-Water and 11C-PiB SRTM2-R1 (ρ ≈0.5–0.8, P
Going positive: The effects of negative and positive advertising on candidate success and voter turnout:

Given the depth of research on negative advertising in campaigns, scholars have wondered why candidates continue to attack their opponents. We build on this research by considering real-world campaign contexts in which candidates are working in competition with each other and have to react to the decisions of the opposing campaign. Our results suggest that it is never efficacious for candidates to run attack ads, but running positive ads can increase a candidate’s margin of victory. These results are conditioned by two factors: candidates must both stay positive and out-advertise their opponent. Second, the effects of positive advertising are strongest in areas where the candidate is losing or winning by a large margin—areas where they might be tempted to not advertise at all.
Gamma and He Ion Radiolysis of Copper Oxides

Two copper oxides, cuprous and cupric oxide, were characterized using a variety of surface techniques including scanning electron microscopy, temperature-programmed desorption, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction to analyze changes in the oxide surface following irradiation with γ-rays and 5 MeV 4He ions. The radiation chemical yield for molecular hydrogen was also measured for copper oxide powders with adsorbed water as well as with slurries containing various amounts of water. The yield of hydrogen was found to be slightly greater than the yield expected for bulk water radiolysis, indicating some small radiation chemical effect of the oxide surface on water. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the amount of OH groups present on the cuprous oxide surface decreased as a result of the irradiation while the cupric oxide surface had an increase in OH groups on the surface. This result suggests tha...
Investigative Lies by the Police

This article looks at lying and deceit by the police in three investigative contexts: undercover work, searches and seizures, and interrogation. Relying principally on the work of moral philosopher Sissela Bok, it sets up a framework for evaluating such police deception. It then draws some conclusions about the extent to which the implications of this analysis can be reconciled with current constitutional doctrine, which by and large has acquiesced in, if not affirmatively sanctioned, police deception during the investigative phase. It turns out that, even when viewed from Bok's relatively Kantian perspective, some types of lies may be justified during the investigative process. Specifically, when the dupes of the lying are publicly targeted suspects--as is often the case with persons subjected to interrogation, for instance--lying is not necessarily wrong. At the same time, this justificatory condition for lying means that some aspects of current constitutional doctrine--particularly those having to do with intrusive undercover operations and pretextual searches and seizures--would need to be significantly modified if, as this article argues should be the case, we want to curtail immoral lying by the police.
Blood Pressure Distribution of High-risk Population Susceptible to Stroke in a Community of Huairou District of Beijing

[Objective]To understand the blood pressure distribution of high-risk population susceptible to stroke in Huairou district of Beijing,provide the basis for implementation of control measures,so as to reduce and delay the occurrence of stroke. [Methods]460 residents over 45 years old were randomly selected from a community by cluster sampling,and their blood pressure distribution was analyzed.The investigation included questionnaire and physical examination. [Results]The prevalence rate of hypertension in high-risk population susceptible to stroke was 62.3%.The prevalence rate among men and women was 64.3% and 61.2% respectively,and the difference was not significant(P0.05).Among the people with normal blood pressure in high-risk population susceptible to stroke,the detection rate of normal high value of blood pressure was 38.2%.Among high-risk population susceptible to stroke,112 people have been diagnosed with hypertension,which accounted for 29.3%.Among hypertension patients,38.4% were Class 2 or Class 3,which was higher than the prevalence rate of Class 1(34.0%). [Conclusion]The prevalence rate of hypertension in high-risk population susceptible to stroke was high.It is necessary to actively prevent and treat hypertension,so as to delay the occurrence of stroke,and reduce the incidence rate,disability rate and mortality rate of stroke.
Vibration Fault Solution for Unit of Fengshuba Hydropower Station after Capacity Enlarging Rehabilitate

Aiming at the high horizontal vibration of upper bracket for No.2 unit of Fengshuba Hydropower Station after capacity enlarging rehabilitate in trial running,the reason of vibration fault is analyzed.The influence of mechanical and electromagnetic force is solved effectively by dynamic balance and stability test.And it is found that the influence of hydraulic factor decreases obviously with the increasing of unit load.It is suggested that the unit should avoid running at the conditions of low load and low head to ensure its long-term stability and safety operation.
Optimizing the use of intravenous magnesium sulfate for acute asthma treatment in children

Summary Background Asthma is the most common pediatric chronic disease and currently affects 7.1 million children in the United States. Many children experience acute asthma exacerbations. Many children also require hospitalization despite treatment in an emergency department with current standard therapy (corticosteroids, albuterol, and ipratropium). These hospitalizations may be avoided if effective adjunctive therapies can be developed to adequately treat severe exacerbations. Methods Publications were searched in the PubMed database using the following keywords: magnesium AND asthma AND children AND randomized controlled trial. A total of 30 publications were returned. References of relevant articles were also screened. We included publications of controlled randomized trials where intravenous magnesium sulfate was studied in children (age < 18 years) with acute asthma (n = 7). We excluded studies in adults or trials with other formulations of magnesium (e.g., nebulized). Results Previous studies have demonstrated that intravenous magnesium sulfate (IV MgSO4) significantly improves respiratory function and reduces hospitalization rate in children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations. Current dosing regimens involve a short infusion of 25–75 mg/kg over 20 min (maximum 2–2.5 g/dose), though no studies have directly compared dosages for relative efficacy. Several studies suggest utilizing a peak plasma concentration of magnesium higher than 4 mg/dL as a surrogate of efficacy. This review summarizes the literature regarding the use of IV MgSO4 for the treatment of pediatric acute asthma. Conclusions We suggest that optimized dosing regimens could be developed using a linked pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic modeling and simulation approach. We propose the factors that should be considered in future clinical trial design in order to better understand the use of IV MgSO4 in pediatric acute asthma. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016; 9999:XX–XX. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Type I Signal Peptidase Is Required for Pilus Assembly in the Gram-Positive, Biofilm-Forming Bacterium Actinomyces oris

ABSTRACT The Gram-positive bacterium Actinomycesoris, a key colonizer in the development of oral biofilms, contains 18 LPXTG motif-containing proteins, including fimbrillins that constitute two fimbrial types critical for adherence, biofilm formation, and polymicrobial interactions. Export of these protein precursors, which harbor a signal peptide, is thought to be mediated by the Sec machine and require cleavage of the signal peptide by type I signal peptidases (SPases). Like many Gram-positive bacteria, A. oris expresses two SPases, named LepB1 and LepB2. The latter has been linked to suppression of lethal “glyco-stress,” caused by membrane accumulation of the LPXTG motif-containing glycoprotein GspA when the housekeeping sortase srtA is genetically disrupted. Consistent with this finding, we show here that a mutant lacking lepB2 and srtA was unable to produce high levels of glycosylated GspA and hence was viable. However, deletion of neither lepB1 nor lepB2 abrogated the signal peptide cleavage and glycosylation of GspA, indicating redundancy of SPases for GspA. In contrast, the lepB2 deletion mutant failed to assemble the wild-type levels of type 1 and 2 fimbriae, which are built by the shaft fimbrillins FimP and FimA, respectively; this phenotype was attributed to aberrant cleavage of the fimbrillin signal peptides. Furthermore, the lepB2 mutants, including the catalytically inactive S101A and K169A variants, exhibited significant defects in polymicrobial interactions and biofilm formation. Conversely, lepB1 was dispensable for the aforementioned processes. These results support the idea that LepB2 is specifically utilized for processing of fimbrial proteins, thus providing an experimental model with which to study the basis of type I SPase specificity. IMPORTANCE Sec-mediated translocation of bacterial protein precursors across the cytoplasmic membrane involves cleavage of their signal peptide by a signal peptidase (SPase). Like many Gram-positive bacteria, A. oris expresses two SPases, LepB1 and LepB2. The latter is a genetic suppressor of lethal “glyco-stress” caused by membrane accumulation of glycosylated GspA when the housekeeping sortase srtA is genetically disrupted. We show here that LepB1 and LepB2 are capable of processing GspA, whereas only LepB2 is required for cleavage of fimbrial signal peptides. This is the first example of a type I SPase dedicated to LPXTG motif-containing fimbrial proteins. Thus, A. oris provides an experimental model with which to investigate the specificity mechanism of type I SPases.
Structural and Na-ion conduction characteristics of Na3PSxSe4−x

The recent discovery of the isostructrual cubic Na3PS4 and Na3PSe4 as fast Na-ion conductors provided a general structural framework for the exploration of new sodium superionic conductors. In this work, we systematically investigated the structures and ionic conduction characteristics of a series of compounds with the general chemical formula of Na3PSxSe4−x. Synthesis of Na3PS4 under different conditions (e.g., temperature, reaction vessel, mass of the precursors) reveals the reactivity of the precursors with the reaction tubes, producing different polymorphs. X-ray diffraction studies on the solid solution phases Na3PSxSe4−x identified a tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition with increasing Se concentration. This observation is consistent with the computed stability of the tetragonal and cubic polymorphs, where the energy difference between the two polymorphs becomes very close to zero in Se-rich compositions. Furthermore, ab initio molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the fast Na-ion conduction in Na3PSxSe4−x may not be causally related with the symmetry or the composition of these phases. The formation of defects, instead, enables fast Na-ion conduction in this class of materials.
Markov point processes

A generalization of the independent increments property is to allow the distribution of the number of arrivals in an interval to depend on the number of arrivals accumulated at the beginning of the interval. That is, for all t1 < … < tn and all n: $$P\left[ {N\left( {{t_{n - 1}},{t_n}} \right)} \right] = k|N\left( {{t_{n - 1}}} \right) = {k_{n - 1}}, \ldots ,N\left( {{t_1}} \right) = {k_1}] = P\left[ {N\left( {{t_{n - 1}},{t_n}} \right)} \right] = k|N\left( {{t_{n - 1}}} \right) = {k_{n - 1}}]$$ or equivalently $$P\left[ {N\left( {{t_n}} \right) = {k_n}|N\left( {{t_{n - 1}}} \right) = {k_{n - 1}}, \ldots ,N\left( {t{}_1} \right) = {k_1}} \right] = P\left[ {N\left( {{t_n}} \right) = {k_n}|N\left( {{t_{n - 1}}} \right) = k{}_{n - 1}} \right] $$ This last is called the Markov property; if it is satisfied we have a Markov point process.
The origin of neutrino mass

IF WE look deep into the universe, we see stars and galaxies of all shapes and sizes. What we do not see, however, is that the universe is filled with particles called neutrinos. These particles – which have no charge and have little or no mass – were created less than one second after the Big Bang, and large numbers of these primordial low-energy neutrinos remain in the universe today because they interact very weakly with matter. Indeed, every cubic centimetre of space contains about 300 of these uncharged relics.
Contribution of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation to twentieth-century global surface temperature trends

Natural multidecadal climate variability contributes to global mean surface temperature trends. This study quantifies those from the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, finding that the largest contributions are during the positive phase, which accelerates warming. Longer-term externally forced trends in global mean surface temperatures (GMSTs) are embedded in the background noise of internally generated multidecadal variability1. A key mode of internal variability is the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), which contributed to a reduced GMST trend during the early 2000s1,2,3. We use a novel, physical phenomenon-based approach to quantify the contribution from a source of internally generated multidecadal variability—the IPO—to multidecadal GMST trends. Here we show that the largest IPO contributions occurred in its positive phase during the rapid warming periods from 1910–1941 and 1971–1995, with the IPO contributing 71% and 75%, respectively, to the difference between the median values of the externally forced trends and observed trends. The IPO transition from positive to negative in the late-1990s contributed 27% of the discrepancy between model median estimates of the forced part of the GMST trend and the observed trend from 1995 to 2013, with additional contributions that are probably due to internal variability outside of the Pacific4 and an externally forced response from small volcanic eruptions5. Understanding and quantifying the contribution of a specific source of internally generated variability—the IPO—to GMST trends is necessary to improve decadal climate prediction skill.
The Development and Evaluation of a Statistical–Dynamical Tropical Cyclone Genesis Guidance Tool

AbstractThe National Hurricane Center (NHC) has stated that guidance on tropical cyclone (TC) genesis is an operational forecast improvement need, particularly since numerical weather prediction models produce TC-like features and operationally required forecast lead times recently have increased. Using previously defined criteria for TC genesis in global models, this study bias corrects TC genesis forecasts from global models using multiple logistic regression. The derived regression equations provide 48- and 120-h probabilistic genesis forecasts for each TC genesis event that occurs in the Environment Canada Global Environmental Multiscale Model (CMC), the NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS), and the Met Office's global model (UKMET). Results show select global model output variables are good discriminators between successful and unsuccessful TC genesis forecasts. Independent verification of the regression-based probabilistic genesis forecasts during 2014 and 2015 are presented. Brier scores and reliabili...
Analysis of nonpolar resistive switching exhibited by Al/Cu x O/Cu memristive devices created via room temperature plasma oxidation

Resistive memory devices based on plasma oxidized copper have been shown previously; however, the influence of the reactive ion etch (RIE) power on device operating parameters has not been established. To investigate this relationship, Cu x O was produced on blanket ECD copper substrates by room temperature plasma oxidation under varying RIE powers levels. The RIE power was varied from 100–300 W, yielding copper oxide thicknesses ranging from 40–625 nm, as determined by SIMS analysis. This analysis also indicated that Cu:O atomic ratios of the resulting films increased from 1:1–3:2 with increasing RIE power. Following copper oxide formation, 400 nm thick aluminum top contacts (100 um diameter) were patterned with a shadow mask, resulting in Al/Cu x O/Cu resistive memory devices. Devices from each sample exhibited both stable bipolar and unipolar switching behaviors over repeated set/reset measurements; however, device stability decreased with oxide thickness such that the RIE 100 W sample (∼40nm oxide) possessed the best switching characteristics. This nonpolar behavior was operable with set and reset voltages of ± 2–3 V and ± 0.5V, respectively, with an average maximum reset current less than 8 mA (Fig. 1A & 1B). R OFF /R ON ratios of up to 4,000 were observed.
Taking Qualitative Methods a Step Further to Team Science

Pratt and Bonaccio's (2016) focal article properly reviews and identifies the need for qualitative research methods in our field. However, they overlooked one important benefit—team science—that is crucial to current organizations. Despite the fact that qualitative research in team science is lacking, we suggest that with qualitative research we can gain more insight into what teams need in order to be effective. According to Kozlowski and Bell (2003), team dynamics are historically looked at in a static way in teams research, solely focusing on individuals’ perceptions of the team at a given time as opposed to multilevels over time. In an attempt to further expand on how qualitative research can examine constructs that purely quantitative methods may not, the purpose of this commentary is to highlight importance of qualitative research regarding its ability to capture team dynamics as they occur in the real world. The need for qualitative methods exists across various components (i.e., inputs, team emergent states, processes, outputs) when it comes to teams. We argue that how these components appear, happen, and, more importantly, evolve over time should be taken into consideration. The current commentary highlights how qualitative research can start to fill the gap of understanding team dynamics and how to improve team practices by taking time into consideration.