cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of magnesium isotope fractionation during basalt differentiation: Implications for a chondritic composition of the terrestrial mantle

To investigate whether magnesium isotopes are fractionated during basalt differentiation, we have performed high-precision Mg isotopic analyses by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) on a set of well-characterized samples from Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii, USA. Samples from the Kilauea Iki lava lake, produced by closed-system crystal-melt fractionation, range from olivine-rich cumulates to highly differentiated basalts with MgO content ranging from 2.37 to 26.87 wt. %. Our results demonstrate that although these basalts have diverse chemical compositions, mineralogies, crystallization temperatures and degrees of differentiation, their Mg isotopic compositions display no measurable variation within the limits of our external precision (average δ 26 Mg= −0.36±0.10 and δ 25 Mg= −0.20±0.07; uncertainties are 2SD). This indicates that Mg isotopic fractionation during crystal-melt fractionation at temperatures of ≥1055 °C is undetectable at the level of precision of the current investigation. Calculations based on our data suggest that at near-magmatic temperatures the maximum fractionation in the 26 Mg/ 24 Mg ratio between olivine and melt is 0.07‰. Two additional oceanic basalts, two continental basalts (BCR-1 and BCR-2), and two primitive carbonaceous chondrites (Allende and Murchison) analyzed in this study have Mg isotopic compositions similar to the Kilauea Iki lava lake samples. In contrast to a recent report [U. Wiechert, A.N. Halliday, Non-chondritic magnesium and the origins of the inner terrestrial planets, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 256 (2007) 360–371], the results presented here suggest that the Bulk Silicate Earth has a chondritic Mg isotopic composition. © 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.
The Other Atlantic World

Despite the common imagination of the early modern Atlantic World as centered in the British-dominated North Atlantic, a broader perspective reveals that there is in fact another Atlantic World which is both larger and older than the English version, and whose general history responds to global but not necessarily European currents of history.1 Locating that "other" Atlantic World requires that we rethink its spatial and temporal dimensions.
Tracer diffusion of oxygen in YBa2Cu3O7- delta.

The tracer diffusion of $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ has been measured at temperatures from 300 to 850 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C at an oxygen partial pressure of 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$ Pa, and as a function of oxygen partial pressure at 600 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The diffusion of oxygen is strongly anisotropic. The faster component, associated with diffusion in the ab plane, has an activation energy of 0.97\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03 eV. There is no break in the Arrhenius plot at the orthorhombic-tetragonal transformation temperature. The diffusion coefficient is not a strong function of oxygen partial pressure from 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{3}$ to 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$ Pa at 600\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The results are compared to the predictions of the various theories of diffusion in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$.
A study of multiple bitemarks inflicted in human skin by a single dentition using geometric morphometric analysis

Criticisms of the forensic discipline of bitemark analysis state that the range of distortion in the shape of bitemark impressions in skin has not been scientifically established. No systematic statistical studies exist that explore this problem. As a preliminary investigation of this issue, a single dentition was mounted in a mechanical apparatus and used to create 89 bitemarks in human cadaver skin, both parallel and perpendicular to tension lines. Impressions of the same dentition were also created in wax. 2D scanned images of the biting dentition were obtained. Locations of incisal edges of all 6 anterior teeth as well as the midpoint of the canine were captured as landmarks in all specimens. This set of landmark data was then studied using established geometric morphometric methods. All specimen shapes were compared using Procrustes superimposition methods, and by a variation of Procrustes superimposition which preserves scale information. Match criteria were established by examining the range of variation produced by repeated measurements of the dentition for each class of specimen. The bitemarks were also compared to a population of 411 digitally scanned dentitions, again using the match criteria. Results showed that bitemarks in wax had lower measurement error than scanned images of the dentition, and both were substantially lower than measurement error as recorded in skin. None of the 89 bitemarks matched the measured shape of the biting dentition or bitemarks in wax, within the repeated measurements error level, despite the fact that all bitemarks were produced by this dentition. Comparison of the bitemarks to the collection of 411 dentitions showed that the closest match to the bitemarks was not always the same dentition that produced the bitemarks. Examination of Procrustes plots of matched shapes showed non-overlapping distributions of measurements of bitemarks in skin, wax, and the dentition. All had statistically significant differences in mean shape. Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical variates analysis (CVA) both showed clear segregation of the three types of data. The patterns of variance revealed by PCA showed several distinct patterns produced by skin distortion; alteration of relative arch width, and varying displacement of non-aligned teeth in the dentition. These initial results indicate that when multiple suspects possess similar dentitions, bitemark analysis should be approached with caution.
3D free-breathing late gadolinium enhancement 3T MRI: comparison with standard 2D Imaging

Background Clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is routinely performed during multiple breathholds in predefined 2D image orientations. 3D CMR is desirable, since it allows post-acquisition reformatting in any desired imaging plane. However, 3D CMR is hampered by long breath-hold duration, introducing patient discomfort and technical limitations. These limitations can be overcome by application of respiratory navigator techniques, for example to perform late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) CMR. The presently proposed 3D approach allows to: (1) perform 3D CMR during free-breathing; (2) increase image resolution; (3) average out heart rate variability by using a phase sensitive inversion recovery sequence (PSIR); (4) improve myocardial nulling, especially relevant at higher MR field strength such as 3T. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop and clinically test 3D free-breathing PSIR LGE CMR using a respiratory navigator approach at 3T in comparison to a standard 2D breath-hold sequence.
Effects of resting vagal tone on accessory atrioventricular connections.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of resting vagal tone on accessory atrioventricular (AV) connections. Atropine (0.04 mg/kg) was administered to 13 patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and was found to have the following effects on the accessory AV connection: the anterograde block cycle length shortened from 305 +/- 51 to 279 +/- 54 msec (mean +/- SD; p less than 0.001); the retrograde block cycle length shortened from 288 +/- 57 to 251 +/- 50 msec (p less than 0.001); and the effective refractory period measured at a basic drive cycle length of 400 msec shortened from 295 +/- 45 to 265 +/- 47 msec in the anterograde direction (p less than 0.001) and from 283 +/- 18 to 261 +/- 12 msec in the retrograde direction (p less than 0.01). During atrial fibrillation, the mean ventricular cycle length decreased from 434 +/- 88 to 352 +/- 56 msec (p less than 0.001), and the shortest preexcited RR interval decreased from 302 +/- 56 to 256 +/- 43 msec (p less than 0.01). In another...
Circadian clocks in antennal neurons are necessary and sufficient for olfaction rhythms in Drosophila.

Abstract Background: The Drosophila circadian clock is controlled by interlocked transcriptional feedback loops that operate in many neuronal and nonneuronal tissues. These clocks are roughly divided into a central clock, which resides in the brain and is known to control rhythms in locomotor activity, and peripheral clocks, which comprise all other clock tissues and are thought to control other rhythmic outputs. We previously showed that peripheral oscillators are required to mediate rhythmic olfactory responses in the antenna, but the identity and relative autonomy of these peripheral oscillators has not been defined. Results: Targeted ablation of lateral neurons by using apoptosis-promoting factors and targeted clock disruption in antennal neurons with newly developed dominant-negative versions of CLOCK and CYCLE show that antennal neurons, but not central clock cells, are necessary for olfactory rhythms. Targeted rescue of antennal neuron oscillators in cyc 01 flies through wild-type CYCLE shows that these neurons are also sufficient for olfaction rhythms. Conclusions: Antennal neurons are both necessary and sufficient for olfaction rhythms, which demonstrates for the first time that a peripheral tissue can function as an autonomous pacemaker in Drosophila . These results reveal fundamental differences in the function and organization of circadian oscillators in Drosophila and mammals and suggest that components of the olfactory signal transduction cascade could be targets of circadian regulation.
Lifetimes of Some 4p Levels in Argon I

Mean lives of four electronically excited atomic levels in Ar i have been determined using a method of delayed coincidence. The measured values of the mean lives of the 2p1 through 2p4 (Paschen notation) levels in neutral argon determined from transitions with associated wavelengths extending from 6677 to 7147 A are as follows: 2p1, 21±2 nsec; 2p2, 25±1 nsec; 2p3, 26±1 nsec, and 2p4, 31±2 nsec. The lifetimes were estimated to contain systematic errors varying from 5% to 15% and are presented in comparison with results of other workers.
Successful recruitment strategies for women in postpartum mental health trials

Recruiting women into research protocols allows investigators to examine the efficacies of treatments and to study other outcomes among women with mental illnesses. However, achieving recruitment goals has been difficult for researchers. The objective of this study was to examine the success rates of different strategies for recruiting women into clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of postpartum major depression. This is a descriptive study designed to examine which recruitment efforts, over a 4-year period, yielded women who participated in the studies. It was conducted in an outpatient clinic affiliated with a major urban teaching hospital where women of childbearing age sought treatment for affective disorders. All women (n=589) who called about our research studies were systematically screened. The women were either pregnant or in the postpartum period. Our results show that in both studies, obstetricians and other healthcare professionals referred a large number of women. These referrals yielded relatively high rates of participation. However, other methods were differentially successful for the two studies: media appearances and advertising resulted in almost 50% of the screening calls for the prevention study, whereas mass mailings and other promotional materials were more effective for the treatment study. Those materials contributed 44% of screening calls for the treatment study. Our conclusions were that women were most likely to enter the research studies when referred by an obstetrician or other professional.
APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES TO REMOTE SENSING

Remote sensing is a geographic analysis tool capable of producing large quantities of data in the spectral, temporal and spatial domains. Techniques for automating the image analysis process would be advanced by the inclusion of artificial intelligence techniques in the design of image processing systems. The remote sensing application which show promise for successful implementation of artificial intelligence techniques are intelligent onboard processing, advanced database interrogation, and the automated analysis of multispectral imagery.
Collisionless reconnection in the magnetotail

Abstract Recent developments regarding collisionless reconnection in current sheets with a finite normal magnetic field component (Bz) are reviewed. In 2-D x, z configurations the ion tearing mode is stabilized by the electron compressibility. When the y dependence is included, cross-field current instabilities can be excited. Of these, the drift kink mode appears to be particularly important. 3-D electromagnetic particle simulations indicate that this mode can act as the precursor to the growth of tearing modes and subsequent reconnection.
South Korea's space policy and its national security implications

Abstract Outer space has become a vital part of international security. Since Sputnik, space has been gradually militarized, if not yet weaponized. During the Cold War, fierce competition between the two superpowers extended to space. In the post-Cold War period, new powers have joined the military competition in outer space, most notably China, India, and the European Union. Other middle-sized nations have also shown strong interest and made significant efforts in this area. Yet compared to the abundant literature on the space policy of major powers, there has been little study of the space policy of middle-sized states. To fill the gap, this article focuses on the evolution of South Korea's space policy as it relates to its national security: how Seoul's space policy will enhance, and has been enhancing, South Korea's military capability. After briefly outlining the development of security-related space policy in general, including South Korea's neighbors, Seoul's space policy is examined, including its...
First Report of Trichodorus obtusus on Turfgrass in North Carolina, U.S.A.

In May 2014, 11 sandy soil samples were collected at a depth of about 5 to 15 cm from a golf course community in Wilmington, NC, composed of Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) from the fairway, St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) from the lawn, and Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) from the tee, all of which showed spotted yellowing and necrosis. Plant-parasitic nematodes were extracted from soil samples by a combination of elutriation and sugar centrifugal-flotation methods at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Nematode Assay Lab, Raleigh, NC. The results revealed the presence of several plant-parasitic nematodes, with a stubby-root nematode (Trichodoridae) present. Population densities of stubby-root nematodes were 10 to 90 (average 50) nematodes per 500 cm3 of soil. This species was clearly different from the parthenogenetic stubby-root nematode Nanidorus minor (Colbran, 1956) Siddiqi, 1974 commonly found in North Carolina because of the presence of males and larger b...
GPS-Free Terrain-Based Vehicle Tracking Performance as a Function of Inertial Sensor Characteristics

Prior experiments have confirmed that specific terrain-based localization algorithms, designed to work in GPS-free or degraded-GPS environments, achieve vehicle tracking with tactical-grade inertial sensors. However, the vehicle tracking performance of these algorithms using low-cost inertial sensors with inferior specifications has not been verified. The included work identifies, through simulations, the effect of inertial sensor characteristics on vehicle tracking accuracy when using a specific terrain-based tracking algorithm based on Unscented Kalman Filters. Results indicate that vehicle tracking is achievable even when low-cost inertial sensors with inferior specifications are used. However, the precision of vehicle tracking decreases approximately linearly as bias instability and angle random walk coefficients increase. The results also indicate that as sensor cost increases, the variance in vehicle tracking error asymptotically tends to zero. Put simply, as desired precision increases, increasingly larger and quantifiable investment is required to attain an improvement in vehicle tracking precision.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Wind Tunnel Investigation of Ground Wind Loads for Ares Launch Vehicle

A three year program was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Aeroelasticity Branch (AB) and Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) with the primary objective to acquire scaled steady and dynamic ground-wind loads (GWL) wind-tunnel data for rollout, on-pad stay, and on-pad launch configurations for the Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle (FTV). The experimental effort was conducted to obtain an understanding of the coupling of aerodynamic and structural characteristics that can result in large sustained wind-induced oscillations (WIO) on such a tall and slender launch vehicle and to generate a unique database for development and evaluation of analytical methods for predicting steady and dynamic GWL, especially those caused by vortex shedding, and resulting in significant WIO. This paper summarizes the wind-tunnel test program that employed two dynamically-aeroelastically scaled GWL models based on the Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle. The first model tested, the GWL Checkout Model (CM), was a relatively simple model with a secondary objective of restoration and development of processes and methods for design, fabrication, testing, and data analysis of a representative ground wind loads model. In addition, parametric variations in surface roughness, Reynolds number, and protuberances (on/off) were investigated to determine effects on GWL characteristics. The second windtunnel model, the Ares I-X GWL Model, was significantly more complex and representative of the Ares I-X FTV and included the addition of simplified rigid geometrically-scaled models of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) and Launch Complex 39B primary structures. Steady and dynamic base bending moment as well as model response and steady and unsteady pressure data was acquired during the testing of both models. During wind-tunnel testing of each model, flow conditions (speed and azimuth) where significant WIO occurred, were identified and thoroughly investigated. Scaled data from the Ares I-X GWL model test was used in the determination of worst-case loads for the analysis of Ares I-X FTV design wind conditions. Finally, this paper includes a brief discussion of the limited full-scale GWL data acquired during the rollout and on-pad stay of the Ares I-X FTV that was launched from KSC on October 28, 2009.
Two New Landmark Navigation Methods

Two new methods for navigation on the land are reported. Both methods make use of landmarks which are in sight but whose positions are not known. Only angle measurements are needed. Although the methods were intended for guiding a Lunar Roving Vehicle as it travels on the lunar surface, they may also find applications on other planets as well as on Earth. Besides the mathematical details, two examples are also included to demonstrate the correctness of the method.
Complement Activation in Rats by Liposomes and Liposome-Encapsulated Hemoglobin: Evidence for Anti-lipid Antibodies and Alternative Pathway Activation

Intravenous injection of hemoglobin-containing liposomes (LEH) caused a significant reduction in plasma hemolytic complement activity in rats on a time scale of minutes. Liposomes without hemoglobin also caused complement consumption, but less than LEH while free hemoglobin was without effect. Consistent with complement activation, the LEH-induced drop in plasma hemolytic complement activity was closely paralleled by an increase in plasma thromboxane B2 level. Studies to determine the mechanism of complement activation demonstrated the presence of natural antibodies in rat serum against all lipid components of LEH, thus, the potential for classical pathway activation. Yet, in vitro incubation of LEH with rat serum showed that: 1) EGTA/Mg++, which inhibits complement activation through the classical pathway, did not inhibit complement consumption by LEH, and 2) the use of serum preheated at 50°C, which inhibits C activation through the alternative pathway by selectively depleting factor B, effectively reversed the complement-consuming effect of LEH. Consequently, LEI-induced complement activation in rat serum seems to involve primarily the alternative pathway.
Interpreting Variation in Bird Migration Times as Observed by Volunteers

Abstract As a result of changes in climate over the past 100 years, many birds are arriving at points along their migration routes earlier in the spring now than they did in the past. Increasingly, researchers are relying on a variety of data sources, such as naturalist journals and bird-club records, to document migration times. However, it is not clear whether researchers can successfully use different sources of data to compare changes in migration times. We examined 25 years of changes in migration times for 30 species of birds at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as documented by bird-club members and published in a regional bird journal. We found that, overall, birds arrived earlier in warmer springs in eastern Massachusetts. We compared our findings with those of previous studies in Massachusetts, which included data from a standardized bird-banding station and observations from a naturalist's journal and bird-club records. On a species-by-species basis, changes in migration times we...
Misalignment estimation for double-sided lenticular lens films based on low-dimensioned signal analysis

In this paper, a method integrating image processing and signal frequency is used to estimate relative misalignment of micro-structure the Double-sided Lenticular Lens Films (LLF). The pitch of the convex on each side of the LLF is 900μm. The main steps of this research consist of image denoising, edge detection and establishment of the misalignment v.s. image magnitude relation. A Butterworth low-pass filter is used to eliminate the noise due to debrits on the polymer substrate. The images that are acquired from LLFs for different relative misalignment quantities are used to analyze the spectrum and get its relation between misalignment position and frequency energy distribution. The experiment shows the proposed method may distinguish between cases with different relative misalignment of microstructure on LLF with a resolution of 20μm.
Characterization of human LH isohormones from fresh pituitary tissue

Abstract The pattern of human LH (hLH) microheterogeneity was determined using freshly obtained pituitary tissue. Chromatofocusing across a pH 9−6 gradient produced several, distinct peaks of hLH immunoreactivity between pH 8.5 and 6.8, as well as a ‘salt peak’. Chromatofocusing of the ‘salt peak’ across a pH 7−4 gradient yielded distinct peaks of hLH at pH 6.1, 5.6, and 5.4. Pituitary tissue obtained at surgery produced a virtually identical pattern. By gel filtration the elution volume of each major Chromatofocusing peak was similar to that of intact hLH, rather than those of the hLH subunits. The bioactivity/immunoreactivity ratios of the major Chromatofocusing peaks fell dramatically with decreasing pH, from ~ 8 at pH 8.5 to ~ 1 at pH
Thin-film photovoltaics: What are the reliability issues and where do they occur?

Several aspects of the typical thin-film polycrystalline solar-cell structure can be susceptible to reliability issues. Potential reliability issues for CIGS and CdTe cells are discussed and their probable physical causes are presented. These possible problems include the metallic back contacts, the grain boundaries in polycrystalline materials, the primary cell junctions, the transparent front contacts, and the edges delineating the cells. A general principle is that reliability issues are always localized to specific areas and never spread uniformly over a cell.
The measurement, use and interpretation of the temperature coefficient of resistance of metallizations

Abstract A review is given of the measurement and use of the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of Al-based metallizations used as electrical interconnects in microelectronic circuits. The TCR has various reliability-related applications in the measurement of temperature and the characterization of a metallization for its susceptibility to electromigration failure and for the magnitude of its residual resistivity. Applications reviewed include the characterization of wafer-level test stations.
A bridge between academic and community radiation oncology treatment planning.

Purpose To evaluate Telesynergy (TS) as a method of interactive treatment planning between academic and community radiation oncology departments. Methods Through a grant from the National Cancer Institute to improve cancer outcomes for underserved populations, community radiation oncologists at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) in Wilmington, North Carolina, partnered with those at the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. TS suites were installed at both sites to facilitate teleconferencing and review of treatment planning for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer at NHRMC who were enrolled on a clinical trial of chemoirradiation underwent IMRT planning utilizing commercial software. NHRMC physicians contoured tumor targets and adjacent healthy organs. Physics staff at NHRMC generated an initial IMRT plan for each patient. Radiation oncologists at UNC then reviewed individual IMRT plans via TS conferences. ...
Updated estimates of condom effectiveness

PIP: This paper reports results of a study concerning the effectiveness of condoms in preventing HIV transmission. The study expands on a 1993 meta-analysis that pooled the results of a number of studies of HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples to arrive at an overall condom effectiveness estimate of 69%. A meta-analysis of studies that compared seroconversion rates among couples who regularly use condoms and those who used them inconsistently was conducted to determine the use and/or effectiveness of condoms in preventing HIV transmission. Results of the analysis indicated that condoms are 90-95% effective when used consistently. To illustrate the impact of differential assumptions regarding the effectiveness of condoms in preventing the transmission of HIV, a community of gay men is considered in which the prevalence rate of HIV infection is 20%, supposing each man has sex once a week with a monogamous partner from the same population. The expected annual incidence of HIV infection in this community is 13% if condoms are never used, while consistent use of 95% effective condoms would reduce the incidence to about 1%. In this example, the probability of transmission for 52 acts of condom-protected intercourse is less than for a single act of unprotected intercourse. Moreover, inconsistent condom use also offers some protection against HIV in which the reduction achieved by using condoms 50% of the time is equal to almost half the reduction associated with consistent use.
A convergence theorem for Grossberg learning

Abstract We prove a convergence theorem for Grossberg's learning rule, Δwt = δt(xt − wt). This rule is used to update weights leading into a single processing unit by randomly choosing training sequences x = ( x 0 , x 1 , x 2 …) from a finite set Y of training patterns. An implementation of this rule requires a particular choice of a sequence δ = (δ0, δ1, δ2,…) of positive learning rate parameters. We prove that the only function this rule can have is to cause wt to converge in probability to the probabilistic centroid of Y, and that it will do so if and only if δt converges to 0 and the series Σδt diverges. Convergence of δt to 0 quantifies the requirement that learning be sufficiently stable to converge to a single state. Divergence of Σδt quantifies the requirement that learning be sufficiently plastic to reach any given state from any starting state.
Research on combustion instability and application to solid propellant rocket motors. II.

Unstable motions must be anticipated as a possible problem in solid-propellant rocket motors; the characteristics of an instability depend primarily on the geometry of the motor and composition of the propellant. It is the purpose of this paper to review mainly the current state of analyses of combustion instability in solid-propellant rocket motors, but appropriate measurements and observations are cited. The work discussed has become increasingly important, both for the interpretation of laboratory data and for predicting the transient behavior of disturbances in full-scale motors. Two central questions are addressed: linear stability and nonlinear behavior. Several classes of problems are discussed as special cases of a general approach to the analysis of combustion instability. Application to motors, and particularly the limitations presently understood, are stressed.
Flexibility and the value of on-orbit servicing: New customer-centric perspective

A new customer-centric perspective on on-orbit servicing, where the value of on-orbit servicing is studied independently from its cost, is proposed. A framework is developed that captures the value of e exibility provided by on-orbit servicing to space systems. Several options are made available to space missions through on-orbit servicing, such as the option to service for life extension or to upgrade, that need not be set before launch; they can be exercised after the spacecraft has been deployed, depending on how events unfold (market changes, new military contingency, etc. ). It is argued that only by accounting for this e exibility that the true value of on-orbit servicing can beevaluated. Applications of this framework to both nonproe t and commercial systems areprovided that demonstrate the usefulness of this new perspective on on-orbit servicing.
The Relevance of Non-financial Performance Measures for CEO Compensation: Evidence from the Airline Industry

This paper investigates the role of non-financial performance measures in executive compensation. Using a sample of airline firms we document that passenger load factor, an important non-financial measure for firms in this industry, is positively associated with CEO cash compensation. This association is significant after controlling for traditional accounting performance measures (return on assets) and financial performance measures (stock returns). This evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that non-financial measures provide incremental information about CEOs’ actions over financial measures and hence, receive a positive weight in compensation contracts. We also explore cross-sectional differences in the importance of non-financial performance measures. We find weak evidence that CEO power and the noise of financial performance measures impact the relationship between non-financial performance measures and cash compensation.
Multi-electrode array capable of supporting precisely patterned hippocampal neuronal networks

Accurate positioning of primary mouse hippocampal neurons on electrodes enables the recording from and stimulation of specified individual neurons on a multi-electrode array (MEA). In this work, positive dielectrophoresis (DEP) is applied to actively recruit hippocampal neurons to the electrodes of a MEA, whereas microstructures such as chambers and trenches are created to effectively define a patterned neuronal network. We present here the effective pretreatment methods, to improve cytocompatibility of cured thin SU-8 epoxy, commonly used in the fabrication of MEAs. The functionality of our novel MEA is proven by the successful recording of spontaneous and stimulated neuronal potentials from primary hippocampal neurons, including the propagation of evoked neuronal bursts between electrodes.
Formation of Methanol by an Enzyme in an Ectopic Pinealoma

THE tissue of origin of a tumour is conventionally determined by histological examination. It has been possible to identify some tumours by their secretion of substances specific to tissue into the general circulation, Thus phaeochromocytomata—tumours which originate in chromaffin tissue—secrete large amounts of catecholamines, hormones normally manufactured by chromaffin tissue. Malignant carcinoids, derived from the enterochromaffin cells of the intestine, may secrete serotonin, a normal product of enterochromaffin cells. Phaeochromocytomata and malignant carcinoids respectively contain high concentrations of catecholamines and serotonin. These tumours presumably also contain the enzymes required to synthesize these compounds. Similar unique biochemical characteristics have not yet been described for tumours within the central nervous system. Recent studies from this laboratory have identified at least two enzymes which are highly localized in specific sites in the central nervous system. It was found that hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase (HIOMT), the enzyme which O-methylates N-acetylserotonin to form melatonin1, is present almost exclusively in the pineal gland of several mammalian species2. HIOMT activity has been found to be of comparable magnitude in the pineal glands of human beings from 3 to 70 years of age, suggesting that calcification of the human pineal gland during adulthood does not interfere with this biochemical function3. Melatonin, the product of the enzyme action, has been found to exert an inhibitory influence on gonadal growth and on the oestrous cycle in rats4. Wurtman et al.5 have identified melatonin and HIOMT activity in a metastatic parenchymatous pinealoma and suggested the utility of this enzymatic assay in the diagnosis of this tumour.
“We're at Now, Now”: Spaceballs as Parodic Tourism

The shift from modernity to postmodernity reflects a fundamental restructuring of social and cultural life. At such dizzying and disorienting moments of social change, culture's inhabitants seek out new cultural art forms—forms that offer symbolic resources for negotiating the contours of the emerging social landscape. This essay contends that Mel Brooks's 1987 film Spaceballs constituted an innovative form of storytelling known as parodic tourism. As rhetorical analysis demonstrates, by drawing upon the cultural memory of viewers through intertextual allusions, the film fosters an interactive experience that offers viewers the mental equipment needed to navigate life in postmodernity. [R]apid and pervasive change creates the need to develop new ways of understanding the world and of interpreting our experience.— Mark C. Taylor (2001), The Moment of Complexity, p. 19
Helping to solve healthcare's most critical safety and quality problems.

PATIENTS expect and deserve safe, highquality healthcare that is free from preventable harmful events. In the United States, 247 people die every day as a result of a healthcare-associated infection.1 This is equivalent to a Boeing 767 aircraft crashing daily. Another staggering statistic is that nearly 100 000 people enter a hospital and die from an infection they acquired while receiving treatment of an unrelated condition.2 Studies have found that hand hygiene—the most basic, low-cost, and low-technology infection prevention and control strategy—is ignored by half of healthcare workers.3,4 It is estimated that at least one-third of healthcareassociated infections could be eradicated simply by following current guidelines and recommendations.4 So why is washing our hands an issue that still plagues healthcare? Why is this simple practice so hard to do consistently? Moreover, the media is critical of healthcare’s seeming inability to correct what appear to be “commonsense” avoidable pa-
Signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio and their trade-offs with resolution in axial-shear strain elastography.

In axial-shear strain elastography, the local axial-shear strain resulting from the application of quasi-static axial compression to an inhomogeneous material is imaged. In this paper, we investigated the image quality of the axial-shear strain estimates in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNRasse) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNRasse) using simulations and experiments. Specifically, we investigated the influence of the system parameters (beamwidth, transducer element pitch and bandwidth), signal processing parameters (correlation window length and axial window shift) and mechanical parameters (Young's modulus contrast, applied axial strain) on the SNRasse and CNRasse. The results of the study show that the CNRasse (SNRasse) is maximum for axial-shear strain values in the range of 0.005–0.03. For the inclusion/background modulus contrast range considered in this study (<10), the CNRasse (SNRasse) is maximum for applied axial compressive strain values in the range of 0.005%–0.03%. This suggests that the RF data acquired during axial elastography can be used to obtain axial-shear strain elastograms, since this range is typically used in axial elastography as well. The CNRasse (SNRasse) remains almost constant with an increase in the beamwidth while it increases as the pitch increases. As expected, the axial shift had only a weak influence on the CNRasse (SNRasse) of the axial-shear strain estimates. We observed that the differential estimates of the axial-shear strain involve a trade-off between the CNRasse (SNRasse) and the spatial resolution only with respect to pitch and not with respect to signal processing parameters. Simulation studies were performed to confirm such an observation. The results demonstrate a trade-off between CNRasse and the resolution with respect to pitch.
Design of Switchyard Grounding Systems Using Multiple Grids

This paper addresses the problem of attaining low grounding resistances required in modern generating plant switchyards. A computerized procedure which considers up to three interacting ground grids is presented. This procedure establishes the minimum length of conductor required to attain a specified ground resistance. Mathematical justification of the minimizing procedure is included.
Modelling debris and shrapnel generation in inertial confinement fusion experiments

Modelling and mitigation of damage are crucial for safe and economical operation of high-power laser facilities. Experiments at the National Ignition Facility use a variety of targets with a range of laser energies spanning more than two orders of magnitude (∼14 kJ to ∼1.9 MJ). Low-energy inertial confinement fusion experiments are used to study early-time x-ray load symmetry on the capsule, shock timing, and other physics issues. For these experiments, a significant portion of the target is not completely vaporized and late-time (hundreds of ns) simulations are required to study the generation of debris and shrapnel from these targets. Damage to optics and diagnostics from shrapnel is a major concern for low-energy experiments. We provide the first full-target simulations of entire cryogenic targets, including the Al thermal mechanical package and Si cooling rings. We use a 3D multi-physics multi-material hydrodynamics code, ALE-AMR, for these late-time simulations. The mass, velocity, and spatial distribution of shrapnel are calculated for three experiments with laser energies ranging from 14 to 250 kJ. We calculate damage risk to optics and diagnostics for these three experiments. For the lowest energy re-emit experiment, we provide a detailed analysis of the effects of shrapnel impacts on optics and diagnostics and compare with observations of damage sites.
Frequency-resolved optical gating: the state of the art

Summary form only given. Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating (FROG) can completely measure ultrashort laser pulses in almost every situation. We have recently introduced a remarkably simple SHG FROG device that overcomes essentially all of the alignment difficulties of pulse-measurement devices. First, we replace the usual beam splitter, delay line, and beam combining optics with a single element, a Fresnel biprism. Second, we use a thick SHG crystal, which not only gives considerably more signal, but also simultaneously replaces the spectrometer. The resulting device, which we call GRating-Eliminated No-nonsense Observation of Ultrafast Incident Laser Light E-fields (GRENOUILLE), has zero sensitive alignment degrees of freedom and hence is extremely simple to align.
Incremental Prognostic Value of Post-Stress Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Volume by Gated Myocardial Perfusion Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

Background—The incremental prognostic value of post-stress left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and volume over perfusion has not been investigated. Methods and Results—We identified 1680 consecutive patients who underwent rest Tl-201/stress Tc-99m sestamibi gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and who were followed-up for 569±106 days. Receiver-operator characteristics analysis defined an EF 70 mL, and an end-diastolic volume >120 mL as optimal thresholds, yielding moderate sensitivity and high specificity in the prediction of cardiac death. Patients with an EF≥45% had mortality rates 70 mL and only mild/mo...
The role of the generations in identity formation: Erikson speaks to teachers of adolescents

(2005). The Role of the Generations in Identity Formation: Erikson Speaks to Teachers of Adolescents. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 79, No. 2, pp. 72-75.
Simultaneous determination of 3-nitro tyrosine, o-, m-, and p-tyrosine in urine samples by liquid chromatography-ultraviolet absorbance detection with pre-column cloud point extraction

Stable 3-nitro tyrosine (3-NO(2)-Tyr), o-, m-, and p-tyrosine isomers induced by oxidation of tyrosine residues in protein were considered important biomarkers for the existence of toxic oxidizing agents peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) and OH*, which could lead to such diseases as acute lung injury, neurodegenerative disorders, atherosclerosis, cancers and many other diseases. Therefore, development of an accurate, simple and sensitive method to simultaneously detect o-, m-, and p-tyrosine and 3-NO(2)-Tyr is necessary. Fluorescence detection is highly sensitive to o-, m-, and p-tyrosine, but it cannot be used to detect 3-NO(2)-Tyr, due to the strong fluorescence-quenching characteristic of the NO(2) group. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive reversed HPLC-UV method, combined with pre-column cloud point extraction (CPE), to simultaneously determine o-, m-, and p-tyrosine and 3-NO(2)-Tyr. The procedure included derivatization of a sample with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxy-succinimidyl carbomate (AccQ) at 0.20 mol/l borate buffer (pH 8.80) for 30 min at 70 degrees C, and pre-concentration with surfactant cloud point extraction. The surfactant-rich phase was then diluted with deionized water and injected directly into the to HPLC column for analysis. A C(18) column (3.9 mm i.d. x 300 mm) was used for gradient elution separation at 25 degrees C and the detection wavelength was at 254 nm. Nineteen general amino acids showed no interference. The detection limits of p-, o-, m-Tyr and 3-NO(2)-Tyr were between 5 and 15 nmol/l. The linear range was from 0.05 to approximately 100 micromol/l.
PARASITISM AND A SHORTAGE OF REFUGES JOINTLY MEDIATE THE STRENGTH OF DENSITY DEPENDENCE IN A REEF FISH

Various predator–prey, host–pathogen, and competitive interactions can combine to cause density dependence in population growth. Despite this possibility, most empirical tests for density-dependent interactions have focused on single mechanisms. Here we tested the hypothesis that two mechanisms of density dependence, parasitism and a shortage of refuges, jointly influence the strength of density-dependent mortality. We used mark–recapture analysis to estimate mortality of the host species, the bridled goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum). Sixty-three marked gobies were infected with a copepod gill parasite (Pharodes tortugensis), and 188 were uninfected. We used the spatial scale at which gobies were clustered naturally (4 m2) as an ecologically relevant neighborhood and measured goby density and the availability of refuges from predators within each goby's neighborhood. Goby survival generally declined with increasing density, and this decline was steeper for gobies with access to few refuges than for gob...
Molecularly tagged simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239 synthetic swarm for tracking independent infection events.

Following mucosal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission, systemic infection is established by one or only a few viral variants. Modeling single-variant, mucosal transmission in nonhuman primates using limiting-dose inoculations with a diverse simian immunodeficiency virus isolate stock may increase variability between animals since individual variants within the stock may have substantial functional differences. To decrease variability between animals while retaining the ability to enumerate transmitted/founder variants by sequence analysis, we modified the SIVmac239 clone to generate 10 unique clones that differ by two or three synonymous mutations (molecular tags). Transfection- and infection-derived virus stocks containing all 10 variants showed limited phenotypic differences in 9 of the 10 clones. Twenty-nine rhesus macaques were challenged intrarectally or intravenously with either a single dose or repeated, limiting doses of either stock. The proportion of each variant within each inoculum and in plasma from infected animals was determined by using a novel real-time single-genome amplification assay. Each animal was infected with one to five variants, the number correlating with the dose. Longitudinal sequence analysis revealed that the molecular tags are highly stable with no reversion to the parental sequence detected in >2 years of follow-up. Overall, the viral stocks are functional and mucosally transmissible and the number of variants is conveniently discernible by sequence analysis of a small amplicon. This approach should be useful for tracking individual infection events in preclinical vaccine evaluations, long-term viral reservoir establishment/clearance research, and transmission/early-event studies. IMPORTANCE Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission is established by one or only a few viral variants. Modeling of limited variant transmission in nonhuman primates with a diverse simian immunodeficiency virus isolate stock may increase the variability between animals because of functional differences in the individual variants within the stock. To decrease such variability while retaining the ability to distinguish and enumerate transmitted/founder variants by sequence analysis, we generated a viral stock with 10 sequence-identifiable but otherwise genetically identical variants. This virus was characterized in vitro and in vivo and shown to allow discrimination of distinct transmission events. This approach provides a novel nonhuman primate challenge system for the study of viral transmission, evaluation of vaccines and other prevention approaches, and characterization of viral reservoirs and strategies to target them.
A Multidimensional Scaling Stress Evaluation Table

This article presents a probability table for the evaluation of stress values generated by multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedures employing stress formula 1. This table is based on the probability distribution of stress values from 587,200 random similarity matrices of different sizes processed to yield results for several dimensions.
On the redundancy of trellis lossy source coding

It is well known that trellis lossy source codes have better performance/complexity tradeoff than block codes, as shown by simulations. This makes the trellis coding technique attractive in practice. To get a better understanding of this fact, this paper studies the redundancy of trellis coding for memoryless sources and compares it with a similar result for block codes.