cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of the Internet on the out-of-print book market: Implications for libraries

AbstractThis study presents the results of an analysis of the offers by out-of-print dealers to buy and to sell items in AB Bookman's Weekly during two periods (1982 and 1992) compared with availability and prices in 2004 in Used.addall.com, a metasearch site for out-of-print materials. After searching 786 items with 690 valid cases, the authors discovered a high availability of items in all four samples (95%) and a significant decline in prices in inflation-adjusted dollars (−48.7% for 1982 sell ads and −43.4% for 1992 sell adds). The items in the sample were most heavily concentrated in history, arts, and literature but would be of interest to many libraries. The more important implications for libraries include the following: (1) the distinction between in-print and out-of-print in regards to availability has disappeared; (2) materials in the out-of-print market are often less expensive than when published; (3) retrospective buying projects are feasible; and (4) for monographs, purchase may be a reason...
SMART sensors for homeland security applications

New SMART approaches to fast, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low false indication, self communicating, distributed sensor networks for detection of chemical, biological and radiation threats are being developed at PNNL. These new sensors have their roots in clever combinations of high affinity ligands, self assembled monolayers, shape-specific receptor surfaces, mesoporous superstructures, rapidly fabricated single-chain antibodies, stabilized enzyme reactors and manipulated micro-beads for optical, mass, and direct electronic transduction. Assemblies of these SMART materials and structures are able to efficiently reject the bulk of highly cluttered physical environmental backgrounds, collect the product of interest with extremely high selectivity, concentrate it and present it for efficient and sensitive detection. The general construction methodology for these structures and examples of new sensor systems for detecting chemical, biological and nuclear materials of concern in the Homeland Security context is presented.
Reconciling Privacy and Access Interests in E-Government

Abstract Privacy is both the most often cited and the least understood rationale for information policy aimed at protecting the disclosure of governmental information. The use of privacy as a means of limiting governmental information sharing has expanded rapidly in recent years, as a variety of interests—all seemingly concerned with informational privacy—have emerged in the policy making arena. Governments increasingly turning to e-government solutions must confront privacy issues while maintaining access to governmental information. One of the most contentious privacy–access issues concerns the digitization of court records. Historically open to the public in paper form with limited exceptions, electronic court filings raise novel privacy issues unimagined by keepers of paper-based records systems. This paper looks at the rules that a number of municipal and state governments have adopted in order to move court records online. It examines the new court rules in light of the origins of informational priv...
Magnetohydrodynamic shock waves in a gas mixture

The properties of the non-relativistic propagation of a plane shock wave in a gas mixture of charged particles in the presence of an external uniform magnetic field, oriented in a direction transverse to the direction of propagation, are studied. Expressions for the pressure, density and velocity ratios are obtained. It is shown that the presence of a transverse magnetic field narrows down the range of values of the density ratio.
Dynamic response of a cantilever in liquid near a solid wall

Abstract The dynamic response of a Bimorph® cantilever ( 10 mm ×1 mm ×0.5 mm) is investigated experimentally in air and in Fluorinert™ (3M™) liquids with varying viscosity but nearly the same density. The gap height d between the cantilever and a solid surface is varied from millimeter to micrometer range and the response of the cantilever is interpreted in terms of added mass ma and viscous damping coefficient cv. Key dimensionless parameters based on the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equations include the kinetic Reynolds number Rk=ωb2/4η (ω is the circular frequency and η the kinematic viscosity) and the dimensionless gap height d/b, where b is the cantilever width. The added mass increases (and resonance frequency decreases) with increasing fluid density and decreasing d/b, where the dimensionless gap height d/b has a stronger effect. The added mass coefficient is independent of Rk for Rk>270 and d/b>0.01. The N–S equations can be linearized when d/b>0.1. In liquids, the viscous damping coefficient increases (and the Q-factor decreases) with increasing dynamic viscosity (decreasing Rk) and decreasing d/b. In general, the viscous terms in the N–S equations affect the viscous damping coefficient at all gaps. The implications of the results on sensor design are briefly discussed.
Efficient performance function interpolation scheme and its application to statistical circuit design

A concept of ‘maximally’ flat polynomial interpolation of circuit responses (or performance functions) is proposed, developed and exploited. This kind of simple approximation of circuit behaviour proves extremely useful for Monte Carlo statistical yield estimation and optimization. Application of the resulting interpolating polynomials may substantially reduce the number of actual, time-consuming circuit analyses. Results of all available circuit analyses can be utilized to construct the interpolating polynomials, even if their number is not sufficient for a full unique quadratic or higher-order interpolation. This is accomplished by selecting the maximally flat interpolation in which all higher-order-term coefficients are minimized in the least squares sense. More importantly, a low-cost updating of the interpolating polynomials is developed in order to accommodate the results of additional circuit simulations as they become available. Examples of this approximation of circuit responses as well as its application to yield estimation and optimization are shown.
Characterization of slow conformational dynamics in solids: dipolar CODEX

A solid state NMR experiment is introduced for probing relatively slow conformational exchange, based on dephasing and refocusing dipolar couplings. The method is closely related to the previously described Centerband-Only Detection of Exchange or CODEX experiment. The use of dipolar couplings for this application is advantageous because their values are known a priori from molecular structures, and their orientations and reorientations relate in a simple way to molecular geometry and motion. Furthermore the use of dipolar couplings in conjunction with selective isotopic enrichment schemes is consistent with selection for unique sites in complex biopolymers. We used this experiment to probe the correlation time for the motion of 13C, 15N enriched urea molecules within their crystalline lattice.
Safety and utility of flecainide acetate in the routine care of patients with supraventricular tachyarrhythmias: Results of a mmulticenter trial

Patients with supraventricular arrhythmias have been safely and effectively treated with flecainide. We conducted an open-label, 20-center trial to define further the safety and efficacy profile of oral flecainide in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias, including atrial tachycardias (ectopic or multifocal), atrial-ventricular tachycardias (reentrant), paroxysmal atrial fibrillation/flutter (PAF), and chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF). Our study population of 151 patients with documented supraventricular arrhythmias requiring treatment included 67 with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), 67 with PAF (symptoms of = 15 days)> The initial flecainide dose of 100 mg twice daily could be increased by 50 mg bid every 4 days to a maximum of 200 mg twice daily. Patients who were effectively treated could receive flecainide for 1 year. The study was terminated April 26, 1989, in response to interim results reported by the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). All patients were removed from the study by August 1989. At study termination 87% of PSVT, 73% of PAF, and 56% of CAF patients had improved symptomatically while on flecainide therapy. Eleven patients experienced cardiac adverse experiences: proarrhythmic events (3 patients), new or worsened congestive heart failure (7 patients), sinus pauses (1 patient). Cardiac side effects appeared to be more frequent in patients in the CAF group (5/17 patients), all of whom had structural heart disease. Overall, 45 (67%) PSVT, 43 (64%) PAF, and 9 (56%) CAF patients reported at least 1 noncardiac adverse experience; the most common were abnormal vision, dizziness, and headaches. One patient from the CAF group died; the death was considered to be unrelated to flecainide. Flecainide appears to be safe and effective treatment for patients with supraventricular arrhythmias of a variety of mechanisms and appears particularly effective for patients with PSVT. The efficacy is lowest and side effects most frequent in patients with CAF, as seen with other trials of antiarrhythmic medication in these patients. In the context of the CAST experience and other trials of antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with CAF, the balance of risk and benefit of therapy should be considered carefully before initiating treatment.
George and Ira Gershwin Collection

The lyrics and music of the song “Summertime,” written by George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward for the opera Porgy and Bess, are probably familiar to anyone who appreciates music. It is a song I often find myself singing. This October 2010 will mark the 75th Anniversary of the first production of the opera. In honor of this anniversary I explored the George and Ira Gershwin Collection of the Music Division at the Library of Congress, with a foucs on Porgy and Bess related materials. Although there are a few smaller collections of Gershwin materials with unique items worthy of exploration located across the United States, this collection, currently at over 600,000 items, is by far the largest. Ira Gershwin was born in 1896, and his brother George in 1898. Uncontested to the present day as one of the greatest songwriting teams in the history of American music, it is hardly surprising that the George and Ira Gershwin Collection at the Library of Congress is monumental. As the collection is a part of the larger Performing Arts collection it can be accessed using the “search within” tool leading straight to this collection where the materials can be browsed using the finding aid. Alternately, the page can be accessed directly at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu010014 This detailed search tool is over 170 pages long and allows the user to browse the collection by material type (ex. music, correspondence, biographical materials, . . . etc.). Materials within each individual category are then further subdivided according to what makes most sense given the material type for ease of browsing (i.e. music is organized alphabetically by show title and then within each show alphabetically by song title). The George and Ira Gershwin Collection contains material representing the period between
La VE-cadhérine prend des chemins de traverse

> L’angiogenese est un processus developpemental hautement regule, qui correspond a la mise en place de nouveaux vaisseaux sanguins a partir de vaisseaux pre-existants, impliquant la croissance, la migration et l’organisation des cellules endotheliales, element fondamental de la paroi vasculaire [1]. Les VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factors) forment une famille unique de facteurs angiogeniques, la seule capable de provoquer une perte de l’etancheite des vaisseaux sanguins (Figure 1). En effet, au-dela de son role essentiel au cours de l’angiogenese, le VEGF a initialement ete decouvert comme un facteur de permeabilite vasculaire [2]. Chez l’adulte, la dereglement de l’expression du VEGF est impliquee dans une grande variete de conditions pathologiques, comme l’inflammation, les reactions thrombotiques, ainsi que la progression des cancers [3]. Meme si des progres ont ete realises dans la comprehension de la signalisation intracellulaire par laquelle le VEGF promeut la croissance, la survie et la migration endotheliale, comment le VEGF controle l’etancheite vasculaire reste encore mal connu, plus de 20 ans apres sa decouverte [2]. Des etudes in vivo et in vitro avaient montre l’implication des tyrosine kinases de la famille Src dans l’augmentation de la permeabilite vasculaire par le VEGF, via la regulation des jonctions intercellulaires [4-6]. Parallelement, l’ablation genetique de la VE-cadherine ou l’inhibition de sa fonction adhesive augmente la permeabilite NOUVELLE
SU‐FF‐J‐10: Optimization of Position Compensated Plans (PCPs) for Adaptive Radiotherapy

Purpose: Position compensated plans (PCPs) have been proposed as a method to adapt treatment delivery based on the daily patient position. In this approach, multiple plans are created in which the isocenter is displaced based on anticipated daily offsets. The plan that most closely matches the daily position is then selected for treatment. The goal of this study is to determine the optimal isocenter spacing of PCP for intensity‐modulated whole‐pelvic radiotherapy (IM‐WPRT). Method and Materials: The setup errors for 46 patients treated with IM‐WPRT were measured and the dosimetric effect of these errors on the volume of normal tissue and PTV irradiated was quantified. This analysis demonstrated that the anterior/posterior (AP) setup error had the greatest effect on the change in volume of normal tissue irradiated. Thus, PCPs were created with the isocenter shifted in the ±AP direction. In order to determine the optimal PCP spacing, random errors (σ) were varied from 0.1 to 1.0 cm in steps of 0.1 cm. For each random error, the daily setup deviation was sampled for 25 fractions for 100 hypothetical patients. The PCP correction scheme used the original plan plus two plans with isocenter displacements ranging from 0–2 cm in steps of 0.1 cm. The optimal PCP spacing was defined as the one which minimizes the RMS error in the AP direction. Results: A linear relationship was observed between the random setup error and the optimal PCP spacing. In particular, for the case of two additional PCPs, the required spacing is equal to ±1.22 σ. That is, for a random error of 4 mm, two PCP plans with spacings of ±4.9 mm will minimize the RMS variations in daily setup uncertainties. Conclusion: PCPs with AP isocenter displacements of ±1.22 σ represent an effective means of adapting treatment in IM‐WPRT based on the daily set‐up deviations.
Calcium ions, active zones and synaptic transmitter release

Abstract New information about the composition, organization and function of presynaptic terminals is helping to elucidate the means by which calcium ions trigger exocytotic secretion of neurotransmitters. Ca 2+ channels of various types are found in presynaptic terminals and may be clustered at active zones, the specialized sites of neurotransmitter secretion. Consideration of the spatial and temporal profile of Ca 2+ signals within presynaptic cytoplasm suggests that influx from a number of Ca 2+ channels may contribute to the Ca 2+ signal responsible for triggering a vesicular exocytosis event, and that this signal results in a transient elevation of Ca 2+ concentration on the order of 100 μm at sites of secretion. A great deal of information has been obtained on the identity and properties of vesicle-associated molecules potentially involved in mediating exocytosis. One vesicle-associated protein, synapsin I, appears to be a Ca 2+ -sensitive link between vesicles and the presynaptic cytoskeleton. Ca 2+ -dependent regulation of active zone structure via synapsin I or other molecules may be an important mechanism underlying synaptic plasticity.
Avoiding paralogy: diploid loci for allotetraploid blue sucker fish (Cycleptus elongatus, Catostomidae)

The blue sucker (Cycleptus elongatus) is a widespread North American catostomid fish that appears to be declining throughout much of its range. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of eleven microsatellite loci developed for population genetic studies in the genus. We show that an additional step of cloning and sequencing can be useful in isolating paralogous loci that often co-amplify in polyploid organisms. Finally, we present results of cross-species amplifications tests in nine other taxa, including four catostomids.
Automated brain extraction from T2-weighted magnetic resonance images.

Purpose: To develop and implement an automated and robust technique to extract brain from T2-weighted images. Materials and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 75 adult volunteers to acquire dual fast spin echo (FSE) images with fat-saturation technique on a 3T Philips scanner. Histogram-derived thresholds were derived directly from the original images followed by the application of regional labeling, regional connectivity, and mathematical morphological operations to extract brain from axial late-echo FSE (T2-weighted) images. The proposed technique was evaluated subjectively by an expert and quantitatively using Bland–Altman plot and Jaccard and Dice similarity measures. Results: Excellent agreement between the extracted brain volumes with the proposed technique and manual stripping by an expert was observed based on Bland–Altman plot and also as assessed by high similarity indices (Jaccard: 0.9825 ± 0.0045; Dice: 0.9912 ± 0.0023). Conclusion: Brain extraction using the proposed automated methodology is robust and the results are reproducible. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:822–829. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Original surface disturbances from wave records

The general formulation of water waves generated by an instantaneous axisymmetric free surface disturbance on an initially quiescent body of water is recalled. The initial conditions characterizing the localized original disturbances are defined by the sum of a static departure of the free surface from the still water level and a free surface velocity distribution. A general solution is presented in the form of Fourier integrals which are solved by the fast Fourier transform in preference to the more limited method based on the stationary phase approximation. Based on this theoretical approach, the inverse problem is defined, allowing the determination of the initial disturbances from the wave records taken at a distance from the origin. The method is applied to explosion generated water wave records in shallow water. Analytical linear disturbances are defined as an equivalent mode of generation to the complex nonlinear dissipative physical process resulting from underwater explosion. A predictive mathematical moel is presented in a parametrized form, which could be related to the explosion yield, depth of burst and water depth.
Automatic Telephone Warning Systems for Animal and Plant Laboratories or Production Systems

Abstract Extended experience with an automatic telephone dialing system in the Missouri Climatic Laboratory has demonstrated its effectiveness as a warning system. These relatively inexpensive units can be used in any laboratory or production facility with telephone service to alert responsible personnel to out-of-tolerance condition.
Testing linear restrictions on non-linear models

Abstract This note shows that the significance level and power of the F-test for a linear hypothesis is affected by non-linearity, but not systematically.
Ophthalmic hazards associated with laser endoscopy.

It is well documented that work with lasers poses a risk of ocular radiation damage. We specifically investigated the risk of intense backflash during laser treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding. Two well-characterized models of mucosal reflections are used to document flashback levels on several standard fiberoptic endoscopes. Both argon and neodymium–YAG laser sources are evaluated. Filter attachments that will provide adequate protection from the flashback hazard are also described.
Specialization of ceramic production: A sherd assemblage based analytic perspective

Abstract One expectation of emergent complexity is that as ceramic craft specialization increases it is reflected by increasingly homogeneous products due to the modified organization of craft production by specialists. This question has most often been addressed by analysis of sub-sets of larger ceramic assemblages consisting of intact vessels from idiosyncratic contexts. However, excavations often do not yield appropriate whole vessel sub-sets. In order to evaluate the changing context of the organization of ceramic production, we engage a robust methodological approach to the analysis of ceramic sherd assemblages, rather than intact vessels, rooted in cluster analysis but which we rigorously evaluate by other means. We successfully employ this method to assess changes in the organization of ceramic production through a 1000 year sequence leading to the emergence of the Tarascan state, and conclude in this case that no significant reorganization of ceramic production occurred with Tarascan state formation.
A Pipeline Model for Estimating Fishing Mortality in Salmon Mark-Selective Fisheries

Abstract A model was developed to estimate fishing-induced mortality and exploitation rates for unmarked salmon Oncorhynchus spp. in mark-selective fisheries. This model is analogous to a pipeline, and the basic idea is similar to that of the change-in-ratio method used for estimating animal abundance. During spawning migration, a unidirectional movement occurs from the ocean to near shore and into freshwater. A series of nonselective and selective fisheries consequently catch these fish on their migration path. The model functions as follows: First, a cohort analysis is completed for the coded-wire-tagged fish to obtain their initial abundance and fishery-specific exploitation rate. Second, fishery-specific exploitation rates of unmarked fish are derived. Third, the initial abundance of unmarked fish is obtained from the total exploitation rate and escapement and then the ratio between the abundances of unmarked and marked fish is estimated for each fishery. Finally, the fishery-specific mortality of unm...
1610 THE ASYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX (ATNR): INFANT INDICATOR OF LATER DEVELOPMENT

The ATNR of 249 subjects was scored as absent or present at serial well baby examinations (2,4,6,9,12 months). The ATNR was present at 2 months in 89% of subjects, 42% at 6 months, and persisted in 8% at 12 months. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Mental (Me) and Motor (Mo), were administered at one year. Data obtained were grouped by reflex activity--absent (−) and present (+)--and compared to outcome measures. Mean score for Me and Mo by ATNR activity for 2, 6, and 12 months are displayed below. Significant differences (p<.05) are noted (*). Absent ATNR activity at either 2 months or 12 months was associated with higher mean outcome scores. This finding reflects two populations--one with lower ATNR activity at two months and higher mean outcome scores and one with higher ATNR activity at 12 months and lower mean outcome scores. Similar findings were noted for the tonic labyrinthine and positive support reflexes. The differential disappearance of brainstem mediated motor reflex patterns reflects differential central nervous system maturation as measure in both cognitive and motor areas.
Cluttering and stuttering exhibited in a young professional

S 18, a young adult professional, was self-referred for stuttering. Assessment indicated deficits consistent with both stuttering and cluttering, including prolongations, syllable repetitions, secondary escape behaviors, rapid speech rate, and poor expressive language. The client had no awareness of cluttering characteristics. Therapy goals included improved breath control, slowed rate, easier onset of articulation, and increased awareness of speech. Progress toward therapeutic goals was consistent. However, his motivation decreased as therapy progressed. He was discharged from direct treatment after 13 months, at which time he could employ therapeutic techniques to improve his fluency and intelligibility when speech was disordered.
Focal lesions of visual cortex—Effects on visual evoked potentials in rats

Focal lesions were placed in the visual cortex of Long-Evans hooded rats, immediately below skull screw recording electrodes. Lesions were produced by heat, and extended an average depth of about 0.9 mm below the cortical surface. Evoked potentials recorded from the electrode overlying the cortical lesion were compared with simultaneously recorded potentials from a contralateral homotopic site. The effects of the lesion were selective. Flash-evoked potential peaks P1, P2, and N2 were depressed by the lesion, and peaks N1 and P3 were augmented; peak N3 was unaffected. Pattern reversal evoked potential peak N3 was depressed by the lesion, and peaks N1 and P2 were made more distinct. The results emphasized that different peaks have different generators, and suggest in particular that flash-evoked potential peaks P1 and N2, and peak N3 of the pattern reversal-evoked potential require the superficial layers of the cortex.
Counterplanning: A strategy-based model of adversary planning in real-world situations

Abstract Plan formulation and plan comprehension in adversary situations constitute integral components of human reasoning. A process model based on heuristic strategies is presented for decision making in obstructive and constructive counterplanning situations. The former situation is characterized by an actor striving to thwart the goals and plans of a second actor. The latter is the dual situation; it provides general means for an actor to pursue his goals in spite of attempts by others to block his initial plans. The model has been implemented as part of the politics system, a computer program that understands brief natural language accounts of international political conflicts.
Induction of the multixenobiotic defense mechanism (MXR), P-glycoprotein, in the mussel Mytilus californianus as a general cellular response to environmental stresses

A multixenobiotic resistance mechanism (MXR) related to the P-glycoprotein multidrug transporter protein (p-gp) has been identified and characterized in several marine invertebrates. p-gp activity and protein titer is induced by exposure to toxins, supporting the suggestion that the role for this transporter is protection from xenobiotics by reducing accumulation of toxins in cells. In this study, we report on the specificity of the induction of the transporter by various chemical and physical stressors. p-gp substrates (including the pesticides pentachlorophenol and chlorthal) as well as non-substrates (including DDE and sodium arsenite) induced p-gp activity and protein titer in the gill tissues of the mussel Mytilus californianus. Similarly, mussels exposed to heat shock of 20°C or 25°C exhibited increased p-gp titer and activity compared to mussels held at ambient (12°C) temperature seawater. Some of the same treatments that induced an increase in p-gp caused a concomitant increase in hsp70, but hsp induction was not always associated with induction of the p-gp protein. These findings suggest that p-gp induction in mussels may be part of a general cellular stress response. This response, however, does not appear to be always coupled with the hsp70 response in mussels.
Seeking confidence in the diagnosis of systemic AL (Ig light-chain) amyloidosis: patients can have both monoclonal gammopathies and hereditary amyloid proteins.

Investigators in the United Kingdom have shown that hereditary amyloidosis can be misdiagnosed as Ig light-chain (AL) amyloidosis because family history is an ineffective screen, and tissue staining used to type amyloid is unreliable. Misdiagnosis of AL can lead to inappropriate use of chemotherapy and failure to diagnose a hereditary disease. Over a 3-year period we sought to determine how often both possible sources of amyloidosis occurred in the same patient. We employed an algorithm based on established data and patterns of amyloidosis in order to focus the screening effort. Of 178 consecutive patients referred for amyloidosis, 54 were screened by polymerase chain reaction techniques with primers designed to detect transthyretin, apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein AII, fibrinogen Aα, and lysozyme variants. Three patients (6% of those screened and 2% of symptomatic patients) had both a monoclonal gammopathy and a hereditary variant. These results justify further study of screening for hereditary variants in patients with apparent AL, and highlight the need for practical techniques for identifying fibrils extracted from tissue.
High-speed sensor-based systems for mobile robotics

The success of machine vision systems in solving real-world problems will depend on how well they can balance the conflicting requirements of high accuracy, flexibility to operate under a wide range of environmental conditions, fast response time, and size constraints. Most machine vision systems developed in the past have sacrificed one or more of these factors in favor of the others. In this paper, we discuss our experience in developing high speed machine vision and world modeling systems for mobile robotics applications. A pipeline binocular stereo range detection system developed in our laboratory matches 256 x 256 pixel stereo image pairs in one second and generates 2- D and 3-D obstacle maps in near real-time. These obstacle maps then get integrated into pixel- and voxel-based dynamic world models. Using data provided by stereo cameras mounted on top of an indoor mobile robot, these systems have the capability to create very realistic models of the environment. An autonomous navigation system uses these environment models to successfully navigate a mobile robot in an indoor environment cluttered with dynamic and static obstacles.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dilation bands: A new form of localized failure in granular media

[1] We report a structure that is characterized by a localized increase in porosity or dilation within a tabular band of on average 1–2 mm thickness in porous, poorly consolidated sand. These dilation bands formed in predominantly opening-mode and provide a sharp contrast to planar opening-mode fractures or joints with two discrete surfaces in consolidated, low porosity brittle rock. Our observation of dilation bands, together with previously recognized shear and compaction bands, complete the spectrum of localized deformation modes along tabular bands in poorly consolidated sand and sandstone consistent with recent theoretical predictions of deformation localization in granular media.
Crushing failure during ice–structure interaction

Abstract Small-scale indentation tests were conducted with compliant structures and freshwater ice sheets. Besides measuring forces and displacements, we installed grid-based tactile pressure sensors at the ice–structure interface to measure the pressure generated during an interaction. Similar to the results of earlier studies, the results of the present study with compliant structures show that there is ductile deformation of ice at low indentation speeds and continuous brittle crushing at high indentation speeds. During a typical cycle of the dynamic ice–structure interaction at intermediate speeds, the ice–structure interaction results in variable rates of indentation into the ice, and the tactile sensor data indicate that the ice deforms in a ductile manner at the low indentation rate (the loading phase), and fails in continuous brittle crushing at the high indentation rate (the ejection phase). Theoretical estimates of global force are given in terms of non-simultaneous local force per unit width during continuous brittle crushing. We find the effective pressure measured during small-scale indentation tests to be close to those measured on full-scale structures, when the indentation rate is high in both situations.
Decision Processes for Multijurisdictional Planning and Management: Community Wildfire Protection Planning in Oregon

Recently, national fire policy has been redirected from a primary focus on suppression toward a more integrated and comprehensive approach developed at the community level. As part of this policy shift, Congress passed the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (P.L. 108-148) in 2003, encouraging communities to develop community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs) to guide wildfire mitigation efforts on both federal and nonfederal lands. This research examines U.S. Forest Service and community collaboration in the development of CWPPs through a case-study analysis of two CWPP efforts in Oregon. A decision process framework is used to examine the effectiveness of each community's planning effort to address the wildfire problem. Findings indicate that communites lack effective multijurisdictional decision processes and fail to adequately address all of the decision functions necessary to successfully mitigate the wildfire threat.
Hilbert–Pachpatte-type inequalities for semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions

Abstract Here we present Hilbert–Pachpatte-type general L p inequalities regarding semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions. We apply inequalities to specific cases of them.
Enhancement of condensation heat transfer with patterned surfaces

An experimental study of condensation heat transfer on surfaces with patterns of distinct hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions has been carried out. The patterned surfaces of 25.4 mm diameter comprised of 25% hydrophilic region and 75% hydrophobic region by area. Experiments were performed on surfaces with several feature sizes and shapes of the patterns. The feature sizes varied from 0.25 mm to 1.50 mm. Two types of pattern shapes were studied: circular hydrophilic regions on an otherwise hydrophobic surface (island-patterns), and hydrophilic region resembling a tree on a background of hydrophobic region (tree-pattern). Depending on the type of pattern on the condensation surface, the heat transfer coefficients were either higher or lower than that of the completely hydrophobic surface. For the range of inlet vapor velocities (about 0.05 m/s to 5 m/s), among all the surfaces, the highest heat transfer coefficient was observed for the patterned surface with the feature size of 0.25 mm, which was higher than that of a completely hydrophobic surface.
Acid-facilitated debenzylation of N-Boc, N-benzyl double protected 2-aminopyridinomethyl pyrrolidine derivatives

2-Aminopyridinomethyl pyrrolidines represent a class of highly potent and selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. Conditions for a Mitsunobu reaction of a naphthol and a hindered secondary alcohol were optimized to give good to excellent yields. A key step in the synthesis of these inhibitors is the deprotection of the benzyl group from the N-Boc and N-Bn double protected 2-aminopyridine ring at a late stage of the synthesis, which has been proven difficult in our previous syntheses. Acetic acid was found to facilitate the N-Bn deprotection.
Scenario planning for the national wind energy sector through Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

In this paper, multiple future scenarios are developed using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) based approach for the national wind energy sector of a developing country. Building scenarios with FCM is a very new approach and three FCM-based scenarios are developed for the national wind energy sector. An expert panel was used to develop these scenarios. The developed scenarios help to establish a future vision of the national wind energy sector. In the economic growth scenario, energy security concerns emerged as a dominant driver, leading towards utilization of the indigenous wind resources. In the favoring policies scenario, scarcity of financial resources is an important concern because the country is not making good economic growth. Finally, climate change and emissions of greenhouse gases are the dominant concerns in the third scenario. These scenarios provide a detailed overview of probable future landscape of the wind energy sector. Moreover, these developed scenarios also provide a basis for long-term energy planning for the national energy sector.
Quantitative analysis of the optic nerve of the North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana): an electron microscopic study.

On the basis of an electron microscopic examination of the optic nerve of the North American opossum it was estimated that the nerve has approximately 100,000 axons, of which 98% are myelinated, The myelinated axons ranged from 0.3 to 6.7 μm in diameter (mean 1.6 μm), while unmyelinated axons were 0.2 to 1.6 μm in diameter (mean 0.6 μm). Axoplasm and axon (axoplasm plus myelin) diameter spectrums were unimodal and positively skewed. The mean of the ratio of axoplasm to axon diameter was 0.69. However, this ratio varied widely across axons and was nonlinearly distributed, decreasing with axon diameter. An inverse relationship between axon density and the proportion of large-diameter axons was noted. A region having a low axon density and a high proportion of large-caliber axons was located dorsally in a cross section obtained near the eye. However, in sections obtained near the optic chiasm, regions having the highest proportion of large-diameter axons were in the ventral periphery of the nerve. It is suggested that within the 40-mm length of the nerve, there may be a change from a retinotopic organization to an organization of axons according to their diamerer and central targets.
Development of Equipment for Compacting Soil–Cement into Plastic Molds for Design and Quality Control Purposes

In current soil–cement practice, a disconnection exists between laboratory mixture design, pavement layer thickness design, and construction quality control. A device was developed to integrate all three of those aspects by allowing compaction of soil–cement into single-use plastic cylinder molds. The device was a metal split-mold design that surrounded the slightly modified plastic mold to prevent distortion of the specimen during compaction. Compaction was performed by use of two methods: a custom-built compaction frame (similar in concept to the ASTM D-1632 device) and a manual modified-Proctor hammer. This paper’s objectives are (a) to demonstrate the feasibility of using the new device to produce suitable specimens and (b) to discuss possible applications. More than 750 soil–cement specimens were compacted under laboratory conditions with the new device. Specimens were analyzed for final dimensions (e.g., diameter and height), variability in unconfined compressive strength, and elastic modulus. Analy...
Value functions for RL-based behavior transfer: a comparative study

Temporal difference (TD) learning methods (Sutton & Barto 1998) have become popular reinforcement learning techniques in recent years. TD methods, relying on function approximators to generalize learning to novel situations, have had some experimental successes and have been shown to exhibit some desirable properties in theory, but have often been found slow in practice. This paper presents methods for further generalizing across tasks, thereby speeding up learning, via a novel form of behavior transfer. We compare learning on a complex task with three function approximators, a CMAC, a neural network, and an RBF, and demonstrate that behavior transfer works well with all three. Using behavior transfer, agents are able to learn one task and then markedly reduce the time it takes to learn a more complex task. Our algorithms are fully implemented and tested in the RoboCup-soccer keepaway domain.
RESERVING TIME FOR DADDY: THE SHORT AND LONG-RUN CONSEQUENCES OF FATHERS' QUOTAS

To motivate fathers to take parental leave, several nations have reformed their leave programs to increase compensation and reserve some leave for fathers. Though takeup has increased, it is unclear whether fathers are responding to nancial incentives or changed constraints or the ‘daddy-only’ labels. Moreover, although paternity leave may facilitate temporary changes in the division of household labor, little is known about whether these eects persist in later years. This paper examines these issues while studying the Quebec Parental Insurance Program (QPIP), a landmark reform to parental leave that increased benets for all parents and reserved some weeks for fathers. I exploit plausibly exogenous program variation and data on benet
Comparison of Experimental with Theoretical Melting of the Yeast Genome and Individual Yeast Chromosome Denaturation Mapping Using the Program Meltsim

The yeast S. cereviseae represents the first eukaryotic organism whose genome has been entirely sequenced as a result of the Human Genome Project(1). In this report we demonstrate the good agreement between an experimental high resolution melting curve of total nuclear S. cereviseae DNA and the theoretical melting calculated for the complete yeast DNA genome (12,067,277 bp: Saccharomyces Genome Database) by the statistical thermodynamics program MELTSIM, parameterized for long DNA sequences(2,3). The experimental and theoretical melting curves are both fairly symmetrical and possess nearly identical Tm values. Calculated melting of coding and flanking DNA regions indicates that flanking DNAs are more (A+T)-rich than coding sequences and account for the earliest melting DNA. Calculated melting curves of the 16 individual yeast chromosomes are very similar and with few exceptions exhibit symmetric melting curves. MELTSIM was also used to calculate a theoretical denaturation map of Chromosome III DNA. The agreement between MELTSIM calculated and experimental melting data demonstrates our ability to accurately simulate long DNA sequence melting in complex eukaryotic genomes, whose sequences are becoming increasingly available for study in public databases. This has important consequences for the understanding of sequence dependent energetic properties of DNA in their biological sequence context and also for their potential use in biomaterials applications.
Projector Monte Carlo method

A simulation method for the calculation of properties of lattice field theories is studied. This method involves the numerical evaluation of projection operators onto low-lying quantum states. It is an alternative to the standard Monte Carlo evaluation of path integrals or the trace of the partition function and has many advantages. As an illustration, it is applied to a one-dimensional many-fermion system.
Cuff leak tests: analysis of diagnostic accuracy in observational cohorts of patients with acute respiratory failure

Cuff leak tests provide clinicians with information about upper airway narrowing and may help predict weaning success. However, most clinical trials reporting this measurement are small, and the utility of this test remains uncertain. We identified all clinical studies using cuff leak tests in the PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases using multiple search terms, including cuff leak test, laryngeal edema, extubation , and stridor , and abstracted quantitative information on cuff leaks and outcomes (stridor and reintubation). We reviewed six studies which included 958 patients with acute respiratory failure in intensive care units. Eighty-two patients (8.5%) had postextubation stridor. The weighted mean cuff leak was 119 (±51) mls in the patients with stridor and 313 (±24) mls in patients without stridor (P<0.01). Sixty-six patients required reintubation. The presence of stridor had a sensitivity of 0.60 (95% CI 0.48-0.72), a specificity of 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.97), and a positive likelihood ratio of 13.4 (95% CI 6.9-25.7) for predicting reintubation. No single clinical parameter consistently predicted stridor. Patients with postextubation stridor have smaller cuff leak volumes than patients who do not have stridor and are more likely to require reintubation. Cuff leak measurements can improve decision making with extubation protocols.
A data mining approach to study the significance of nonlinearity in multistation assembly processes

Linear models of multistation manufacturing processes are commonly used for variation reduction and other quality improvement purposes. Yet the nonlinear nature of variation propagation in multistation manufacturing processes makes people inevitably wonder at what point does the linear model cease to provide a reasonable approximation of the nonlinear system. This paper presents a data mining method to study the significance of nonlinearity effects in a multistation process. The data mining method consists of two major components: (i) an aggressive factor covering design, which uses a design set of affordable size to assess the significance of nonlinearity in a multistation process with hundreds of variables; (ii) a multiple-additive-regression-tree-based predictive model, which can help identify the critical, influential factors and partial dependence relationships among the factors and the response. Using the data mining approach, insights are garnered about how these critical factors affect the signifi...
Fanconi's Syndrome in a Dog With Primary Hypoparathyroidism

An 11-year-old castrated male mixed breed dog was referred for evaluation of muscle twitching, polyuria, polydipsia, anorexia, and periocular alopecia. Primary hypoparathyroidism was diagnosed by documenting decreased serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone and ionized calcium. Neurological, gastrointestinal, and dermatological signs resolved after calcium repletion. Initially, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol PO was required to correct the hypocalcemia. Dihydrotachysterol, in combination with oral calcium supplementation, was used for long-term maintenance of normal serum calcium concentration. Aminoaciduria, glucosuria, and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis were consistent with a diagnosis of Fanconi's syndrome. This diagnosis was further supported by the presence of hypokalemia and increased urinary fractional excretion of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Renal tubular dysfunction resolved after oral supplementation with calcium and vitamin D3. Fanconi's syndrome in this dog may have been caused by decreased serum concentration of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, which was secondary to decreased parathyroid hormone production.
The influence of thermophoresis effects during deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films with nanocrystalline silicon inclusions

Silicon cluster formation is known to occur within silane plasmas when a capacitively-coupled deposition reactor is operated at high gas chamber pressures. These clusters are sensitive to the thermophoretic forces that will, depending on the sign of the thermal gradient, direct them toward or away from the silicon film's growing surface. We have developed a dual-chamber deposition system that produces nanocrystalline silicon particles (roughly 3-5 nm in diameter) in a flow-through reactor, and injects these particles into a separate capacitively-coupled plasma chamber where the amorphous film is produced. The structural, optical and electronic properties of these mixed-phase materials are investigated as a function of the controllable thermal gradient applied across the silane plasma during deposition.