cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Direct-Injection, Low-Temperature Combustion of Diesel Fuel in an Optical Engine Utilizing a 15-Hole, Dual-Row, Narrow-Included-Angle Nozzle

Low-temperature combustion of diesel fuel was studied in a heavy-duty, single-cylinder optical engine employing a 15-hole, dual-row, narrow-included-angle nozzle (10 holes x 70/mD and 5 holes x 35/mD) with 103-/gmm-diameter orifices. This nozzle configuration provided the spray targeting necessary to contain the direct-injected diesel fuel within the piston bowl for injection timings as early as 70/mD before top dead center. Spray-visualization movies, acquired using a high-speed camera, show that impingement of liquid fuel on the piston surface can result when the in-cylinder temperature and density at the time of injection are sufficiently low. Seven single- and two-parameter sweeps around a 4.82-bar gross indicated mean effective pressure load point were performed to map the sensitivity of the combustion and emissions to variations in injection timing, injection pressure, equivalence ratio, simulated exhaust-gas recirculation, intake temperature, intake boost pressure, and load. High-speed movies of natural luminosity were acquired by viewing through a window in the cylinder wall and through a window in the piston to provide quasi-3D information about the combustion process. These movies revealed that advanced combustion phasing resulted in intense pool fires within the piston bowl, after the end of significant heat release. These pool fires are a result of fuel-filmsmore » created when the injected fuel impinged on the piston surface. The emissions results showed a strong correlation with pool-fire activity. Smoke and NO/dx emissions rose steadily as pool-fire intensity increased, whereas HC and CO showed a dramatic increase with near-zero pool-fire activity.« less
Differential-polarization dual-beam FT-IR spectrometer for surface analysis

Abstract A new system for reflection—absorption Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is described. It is based on an optical subtraction of the two output beams of a cube-corner interferometer, which are recombined, orthogonally polarized and passed onto a single detector, where only the difference signal of the two components is detected. The dynamic range of the signal is thereby reduced by at least an order of magnitude. Owing to the cube-corner reflectors the dual-beam optics are relatively simple and readily convertible for operation in the conventional single-beam mode. First results with an incompletely optimized system show high photometric accuracy and equal signal-to-noise ratio compared to the single-beam operation. Methods for further improving its performance are proposed.
Effects of Temperature on Reproduction in Guinea Fowl

The effects of four temperature regimens on the onset and maintenance of semen and egg production, fertility, hatchability, and feed consumption by guinea fowl were examined. Temperatures of 26.7 and 21.1 C hastened the onset of egg and semen production in guinea fowl. However, egg and semen production rates of guineas exposed to ambient or 15.6 C minimum temperatures eventually increased to the level of those exposed to the higher temperatures. This suggests that it may be possible to initiate production by exposure to a warm environment and then reduce the environmental temperature after egg and semen production has been well established. There were no statistically significant differences in fertility or hatchability. Differences seen in feed conversion were mainly due to delayed onset of egg production in the lower temperature regimens. Thus, it appears that proper winter management of guinea breeders would involve exposure to a warm temperature for some period of time.
Ethanol inhibition of L-type Ca2+ channels in PC12 cells: role of permeant ions.

The effects of acute ethanol exposure on voltage-activated Ca2+ channels in undifferentiated pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were investigated using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Concentrations of ethanol (5, 25 and 50 mM), at or below blood alcohol levels which constitute legal intoxication significantly reduced Ca2+ currents evoked from a holding potential of −30 mV. Ethanol-induced inhibition of current was voltage-dependent in some cases, but this was not consistently observed. Inhibition of currents was reversible and was not due to an osmotic effect. The non-inactivating nature of the current, the inhibition of the current by nifedipine, and the lack of inhibition by ω-conotoxin, indicated that the current was carried through high-voltage activated, L-type Ca2+ channels. Since intracellular Ca2+ levels were highly buffered by exchange with the contents of the patch pipet, ethanol-induced inhibition of currents in PC12 cells is not likely to involve either a change in driving force due to a change in intracellular Ca2+ levels or potentiation of Ca2+-dependent Ca2+ channel inactivation by the influx of Ca2+. The degree of inhibition by 25 mM ethanol was the same when either Ca2+, Ba2+ or Na+ was used as the current-carrying ion. This equivalency suggests that the channel's ion selectivity filter is not a site of action for ethanol.
Diagnostic sampling and gross pathology of New World camelids

This article provides an overview of tests and appropriate samples to send to a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for the diagnosis of common diseases of New World Camelids (NWC) such as abortions, congenital anomalies, anemia, enteritis, endoparasitism, gastric ulcer, hepatic lipidosis, encephalitis, pneumonia, dermatosis, neoplasia and cryptococcosis. Unique anatomic features of NWC and common findings encountered during gross necropsy examination are briefly reviewed.
Soldaderas in the Mexican Military: Myth and History

Soldaderas in the Mexican Military: Myth and History. ELIZABETH SALAS. Austin, University of Texas Press, 1990. 163 pp. $11.95 (paper). ISBN 0-292-77638-1.
Conversational Time Patterns of Japanese-American Adults and Children in Same and Mixed-Gender Dyads

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the influence of age and gender on conversational time patterns of Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii. In addition, the study examined the influence of the gender composition of the conversational dyads (male-male, female-female, male-female) on the conversational behaviour of the participants. Adults and children engaged in a 20-minute conversation with a partner of the same age and of the same or opposite gender. The results indicate that there were few gender differences among the children, but that adult males were more active vocally than adult females. Also, the adults tended to achieve congruence on a larger number of the conversational parameters than the children and did so in same-and mixed-gender dyads. Finally, the results for dyad gender suggest that the adult females tended to exhibit different vocal styles in same-and mixed-gender dyads, such that their conversational patterns in mixed-gender dyads were similar to those of the male ad...
Individual differences in using geometric and featural cues to maintain spatial orientation: cue quantity and cue ambiguity are more important than cue type.

Two experiments explored the role of environmental cues in maintaining spatial orientation (sense of selflocation and direction) during locomotion. Of particular interest was the importance of geometric cues (provided by environmental surfaces) and featural cues (nongeometric properties provided by striped walls) in maintaining spatial orientation. Participants performed a spatial updating task within virtual environments containing geometric or featural cues that were ambiguous or unambiguous indicators of self-location and direction. Cue type (geometric or featural) did not affect performance, but the number and ambiguity of environmental cues did. Gender differences, interpreted as a proxy for individual differences in spatial ability and/or experience, highlight the interaction between cue quantity and ambiguity. When environmental cues were ambiguous, men stayed oriented with either one or two cues, whereas women stayed oriented only with two. When environmental cues were unambiguous, women stayed oriented with one cue.
Evaluation of nonholonomic needle steering using a robotic needle driver

Accurate needle placement is a common need in the medical environment. While the use of small diameter needles for clinical applications such as biopsy, anesthesia and cholangiography is preferred over the use of larger diameter needles, precision placement can often be challenging, particularly for needles with a bevel tip. This is due to deflection of the needle shaft caused by asymmetry of the needle tip. Factors such as the needle shaft material, bevel design, and properties of the tissue penetrated determine the nature and extent to which a needle bends. In recent years, several models have been developed to characterize the bending of the needle, which provides a method of determining the trajectory of the needle through tissue. This paper explores the use of a nonholonomic model to characterize needle bending while providing added capabilities of path planning, obstacle avoidance, and path correction for lung biopsy procedures. We used a ballistic gel media phantom and a robotic needle placement device to experimentally assess the accuracy of simulated needle paths based on the nonholonomic model. Two sets of experiments were conducted, one for a single bend profile of the needle and the second set of tests for double bending of the needle. The tests provided an average error between the simulated path and the actual path of 0.8 mm for the single bend profile and 0.9 mm for the double bend profile tests over a 110 mm long insertion distance. The maximum error was 7.4 mm and 6.9 mm for the single and double bend profile tests respectively. The nonholonomic model is therefore shown to provide a reasonable prediction of needle bending.
Treatment of aortic dissections with endovascular stent grafts

The management of aortic dissections remains controversial. Knowledge regarding the extent and specific pathophysiology of each dissection is critical prior to intervention. Cross-sectional imaging techniques coupled with intravascular ultrasound or hemodynamic measurements are vital. In the setting of ischemia with significant true lumen compromise, the placement of a proximal endovascular graft has a high likelihood of dramatically improving the diameter of the true lumen, alleviating distal ischemia. Caution must be taken when branch vessels are involved in the dissection. Adequate true lumen flow with persistent end-organ ischemia is best handled with branch vessel stenting. Combined true lumen compresssion and branch vessel dissection requires both visceral vessel stenting and proximal endovascular grafting. Using these techniques, we have been able to achieve a mortality rate of less than 35% in a patient population that previously suffered mortality rates in excess of 50%. However, application of these technologies to asymptomatic or nonischemic dissections is not warranted outside the context of investigational trials.
The Bottoming‐Out Experience and the Turning Point: A Phenomenology of the Cognitive Shift From Drinker to Nondrinker

The bottoming-out experience (BOE) is commonly considered the catalyst to sobriety. A phenomenological study was conducted to gain an understanding about this occurrence for alcoholics. Results indicated two distinct experiences: the BOE and the turning point.
Double-blind randomized study of oral temafloxacin and cefadroxil in patients with mild to moderately severe bacterial skin infections

A randomized, double-blind, multicenter study was conducted in 374 patients to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a 7-10-day regimen of oral temafloxacin (600 mg b.i.d.) or oral cefadroxil (500 mg b.i.d.) in the treatment of mild to moderate staphylococcal or streptococcal infection of the skin or skin structure. Specimens from the infected skin lesion were obtained for culture. A dermatologic assessment was made within 48 hours of starting therapy, 0-48 hours post-treatment, and once during the 5-9 days following the last dose of study drug. The most common diagnoses were abscess, superficial skin infection, cellulitis, and infection of the hair follicle/sweat gland. Clinical response rates exceeded 95% in both the temafloxacin and cefadroxil groups. A higher bacterial eradication rate was demonstrated in the temafloxacin-treated patients (91%) than in those receiving cefadroxil (84%). This was statistically significant in the subset of infections caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis (100% versus 81%, respectively; p = 0.032). Both regimens were well tolerated. These results indicate that temafloxacin is useful in the treatment of mild to moderate skin and skin structure infections caused by staphylococci or streptococci.
Finite-size scaling analysis of spin correlations and fluctuations of two quantum dots in a T-shape geometry

Abstract The study of interacting nanostructures such as quantum dots is a playground for several novel numerical approaches. Recently developed methods such as the time-dependent density matrix renormalization approach or the embedded-cluster approximation rely on the numerical solution of clusters of finite-size. For the interpretation of numerical results, it is important to understand finite-size and boundary effects. Here, we study spin fluctuations and spin–spin correlations of two dots coupled in a T-shape geometry. Depending on odd–even effects, quite different results emerge from clusters that do not differ much in size.
An analysis of the paraxial wave equation

Function theoretic methods are used to characterize solutions of the paraxial wave equation in an isotropic homogeneous medium in 3-space. A new class of function theoretic solutions whose singularities are manifested as sectionally analytic functions is constructed via integral transforms.
Hydrodynamic and Thermal Performance of a Vapor-Venting Microchannel Copper Heat Exchanger

Two-phase microfluidic cooling has the potential to achieve low thermal resistances with relatively small pumping power requirements compared to single-phase heat exchanger technology. Two-phase cooling systems face practical challenges however, due to the instabilities, large pressure drop, and dry-out potential associated with the vapor phase. Our past work demonstrated that a novel vapor-venting membrane attached to a silicon microchannel heat exchanger can reduce the pressure drop for two-phase convection. This work develops two different types of vapor-venting copper heat exchangers with integrated hydrophobic PTFE membranes and attached thermocouples to quantify the thermal resistance and pressure-drop improvement over a non-venting control. The first type of heat exchanger, consisting of a PTFE phase separation membrane and a 170 micron thick carbon-fiber support membrane, shows no improvement in the thermal resistance and pressure drop. The results suggest that condensation and leakage into the carbon-fiber membrane suppresses venting and results in poor device performance. The second type of heat exchanger, which evacuates any liquid water on the vapor side of the PTFE membrane using 200 ml/min of air, reduces the thermal resistance by almost 35% in the single-phase regime in comparison. This work shows that water management, mechanical and surface properties of the membrane as well as its attachment and support within the heat exchanger are all key elements of the design of vapor-venting heat exchangers.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Dynamic Eco-Driving for Signalized Arterial Corridors and Its Indirect Network-Wide Energy/Emissions Benefits

There are various strategies being considered to reduce fuel consumption and emissions from the transportation sector. From the transportation operations perspective, one strategy that has gained interest worldwide is eco-driving. Eco-driving typically consists of changing a person's driving behavior based on providing general advice to the driver, such as accelerating slowly, driving smoothly, and reducing high speeds. More advanced dynamic eco-driving provides real-time advice to drivers based on changing traffic and infrastructure conditions for even greater fuel and emission savings. The concept of dynamic eco-driving takes advantage of real-time traffic sensing and infrastructure information, which can then be communicated to a vehicle with a goal of reducing fuel consumption and emissions. This article considers dynamic eco-driving in an arterial corridor with traffic control signals, where signal phase and timing (SPaT) information of traffic lights is provided to the vehicle as it drives down the ...
Effect of relative humidity on the rate of dissolution of aluminium in iodine‐methanol solution

In the isolation of surface films from aluminium alloys, by dissolving the metal in iodine-methanol solution, the rate at which the aluminium is dissolved depends upon the relative humidity of the atmosphere in contact with the solution. Controlled-humidity experiments have shown that, at 30°c, the most favourable relative humidity is about 38%.
The Impact of Business on Protestantism, 1900–29

The effects of religion on business have inspired much schohrly inquiry, but the effects of business on religion have yet to be studied systematically. The following article draws several themes from a study of commercial periodicals, the religious press, and biographies. The indifference to theology of many businessmen furthered the interdenominational movement. This influence, coupled with a demand for “efficiency in religious affairs, stimulated a movement to merge churches. Some businessmen and religious leaders urged that such business techniques as advertising be adapted to the use of churches. A substantial body of literature arose which sought to transform religious prophets into businessmen and religious texts into manuals explaining how to succeed in business.
Effects of temperature on the ultrastructure of severed crayfish motor axons

Nerves containing opener and closer motor axons in the right claws of crayfish were severed and the animals maintained in three groups at 16, 22 or 28°C. After selected intervals ranging from 5 to 80 days the nerves were prepared for electron microscopy and examined 1.5 to 2 cm distal to the cut. The findings of our earlier study (Nordlander and Singer, '72) that motor axons of animals kept at 16°C showed no morphological evidence of degeneration was confirmed. At the elevated temperatures, however, 30% of the animals showed motor axon degeneration. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of degeneration between the 22 and 28° groups. In early stages degenerating axons were characterized by a central core of amorphous material in which some microtubules were embedded, a surrounding area with mitochondria and assorted vesicles, and often an interrupted or totally lacking axolemma. By two weeks after cutting the axons had completely degenerated. In some animals the axonal sheath later degenerated but in others it persisted for up to eight weeks. Motor axons which failed to degenerate at the higher temperatures showed reactive changes like those occurring at 16°C except that the changes progressed more rapidly; the glial wrappings were loosely arranged; glial cytoplasm swelled with organelles including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi elements; and in advanced stages, regenerating axons appeared within the glial wrappings.
Age-related behavioral and neurobiological changes: A review with an emphasis on memory.

This review focuses on age-related memory loss and its neurobiological correlates. A considerable body of evidence indicates that performance on tests of learning and memory declines with increasing age. Performance decrements have been documented in both human and animal studies employing tests of short- and long-term memory. In reviewing this voluminous literature, we have attempted to identify the critical factors accounting for the task-selective nature of these deficits. Important variables include task complexity, attention, and situational pacing requirements. Neurobiological changes associated with aging appear to be specific to particular anatomical regions and neurotransmitter systems. Most experimental interest has been directed toward the role of dopamine and acetylcholine in relation to memory deficits associated with aging. Norepinephrine has frequently been implicated in processes related to memory, including arousal, attention, and neural plasticity. In view of the role of norepinephrine in memory-related functions, we suggest that noradrenergic involvement in age-related memory dysfunction should receive more serious consideration.
Delivery of antibiotics to the eye.

Abstract The drug delivery systems which are currently available in general use are ineffective in the production of bacteriostatic concentrations of antibiotics in the aqueous humor of man for a period of days. An analysis of the parental, subconjunctival, and topical routes of administration of the antibiotics to the eye is made. Examples of recent studies are given to indicate approaches that can be made for the more effective use of antibiotics in the eye. These examples include the use of an initial large dose for parental administration, studies on the mechanism of penetration of drug into the eye after subconjunctival injection and the use of antibiotics suspended in ointment for topical use.
Study of the aerodynamics of in-plane motion

AbstractA computational analysis is performed of the unsteady aerodynamics associated with the blade sections of helicopter rotors in forward flight. The unsteady flow is studied through solutions of the two- dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations together with a strongly coupled two-equation model of turbulence. Two motions are studied.The first motion is that of an aerofoil subjected to harmonic in-plane oscillations. The influence of advance ratio and reduced frequency is investigated. It is shown that, in the absence of shock waves, the flow is periodic with a reduced frequency equal to that of the forcing motion. However, the flow development lags behind the forcing motion. Furthermore, for constant reduced frequency the phase lag is independent of advance ratio.In addition to harmonic motion, the aerodynamic response to a step change in Mach number is investigated. Using an assumed form of the response of lift coefficient to a step change in Mach number, a lift transfer operator for s...
The effects of yttrium ion implantation on the oxidation of nickel-chromium alloys. I. The microstructures of yttrium implanted nickel-chromium alloys

Yttrium ions of 150 keV energy were implanted into the alloys Ni-20Cr, Ni-4Cr, and into nickel. The microstructures were then characterized using transmission electron microscopy, selected area channeling patterns and back-scattered electron images. Low yttrium fluences between 1×1014 and 5× 1015 Y+/cm2 did not alter the microstructures of Ni-20Cr. However, fluences of 1×1016, 5×1016, and 7.5×1016 caused the crystalline structures of the alloy to be replaced by an amorphous phase. Fluences of 7.5×1016 Y+/cm2 also rendered Ni-4Cr and nickel amorphous. Self-ion implantation experiments on Ni-20Cr did not cause the amorphous phase to form. The depth distribution of elements in Ni-20Cr following yttrium ion implantation (7.5× 1016 Y+/cm2) was determined by Auger electron spectroscopy. This showed in addition to the added yttrium a surface depletion in nickel concentration and a simultaneous enrichment in chromium concentration. At approximately 500 A, the chromium concentration is approximately 32 at.%. This depletion/enrichment zone extends throughout the implanted layer. Annealing the Ni-20Cr implanted with 7.5×1016 Y+/cm2 in vacuum for one hour at 600°C resulted in the recrystallization of Ni-Cr solid solution and the formation of very fine grains of Y2O3. Annealing at 800°C for 5 minutes showed recrystallized Ni-Cr, Y2O3, and an additional phase or phases.
Volcanic rock-hosted gold and base-metal mineralization, associated with Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic, back-arc extension in the Carolina terrane, southern Appalachian Piedmont

Volcanogenic mineral deposits in the Carolina terrane, southern Appalachian Piedmont,include Kuroko-type polymetallic massive sulfide deposits and disseminated gold-pyrite deposits associated with propylitic, silicic, argillic, and advanced argillic alteration. Host rocks are metavolcaniclastic and metaepiclastic rocks of a Neoproterozoic-Early Cambrian magmatic arc. The favorable gold horizon is the transition from a lower succession of andesitic and rhyolitic pyroclastic rocks with basal mafic lavas to an upper sequence of epiclastic sedimentary units and minor lava and ash flows. Kuroko-type deposits are associated with mafic to bimodal volcanic rocks in the upper sequence. Whole-rock oxygen isotope analyses indicate that gold mineralization is associated with a transition from hydrothermal systems dominated by isotopically relatively light (δ18O = -6‰ to -10‰) waters, typical of high-latitude subaerial systems, to seawater (δ18O = 0‰). Plots of δ18O vs. SiO2 of the host rocks show a compositional gap associated with mineralization at the subaerial to submarine transition. Values of δ18O for the hydrothermal waters, lithostratigraphic analyses, and tectonic models of the Carolina terrane demonstrate that mineralization coincided with extension in a rifted arc.
122 ASSESSMENT OF ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY AND VECTORCARDIOGRAPHY IN THE DETECTION OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR HYPERTENSION IN PATIENTS WITH POST OPERATIVE RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BOOK

The electrocardiogram (ECG) and vectorcardiogram (VCG) have been used as a predictor of right ventricular pressure (RVP) elevation. However, in cases of postoperative (PO) tetralogy of Fallot (TF), the correlation between the ECG and VCG and increased RVP remains controversial due to the ECG pattern of right bundle branch block (RBBB). 21 patients (pts) with TF with PO RBBB by ECG, 3 to 17 yrs, who underwent cardiac catheterization at least 1 year PO, were evaluated. All 21 had ECG's while 11 had VCG's. Group A included 9 pts (4 with VCG) whose RVP ≥ 46mmHG; Group B included 12 pts (7 with VCG) whose RVP ≥ 45mmHG. Multiple ECG and VCG parameters were compared to RVP. Among Group A pts with VCG, the right maximal spatial voltage (RMSV) and the terminal anterior forces (TAF) were both greater than lmV (mean 1.2mV and 1.52mV, respectively) in all pts. In Group B, the RMSV was less than lmV (mean 0.61mV) in 11 of 11 pts, while the TAF was less than 1mV (mean 0.67mV) in 10 of 11. On the ECG of Group A, 55% of patients had a qR pattern in V1 (0% in Group B), while 45% had a right superior axis (RSA) (10% in Group B). Numerous other ECG and VCG parameters measured were not useful. Thus, the RMSV and the TAF of the VCG appear helpful in predicting residual RVP elevation, while the ECG, except for the presence of a qR in V1 or RSA, is not helpful.
Marital support and remission of treated depression. A prospective pilot study of mothers of infants and toddlers.

Eighteen married mothers of infants and toddlers were evaluated before and after 12 weeks of antidepressant treatment for major depressive disorder. The women were assessed at baseline on Snyder's marital disaffection and disharmony subscales and on selected clinical measures to evaluate these factors as correlates of remission. Remission was defined as a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score < or = 7 at week 12. Twelve women remitted; six did not. Nonremitted women reported high disaffection toward their husband, were in an episode of which the onset was not childbirth related (i.e., onset not within 3 months after giving birth), or their youngest child was older than 6 months. Results showed that initial symptom severity was no different for the nonremitted and remitted women. Thus, the relationships between low disaffection, late onset, and not having a child under 6 months and nonremission appear to be independent of initial severity of depressive symptoms.
Wear of UHMWPE from sliding, rolling, and rotation in a multidirectional tribo-system

Abstract For total knee replacements (TKR), wear of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial bearing surface is a frequent cause for long term revisions and failure. In order to better understand the link between cross-shear motions and wear in TKR, a custom multidirectional tribo-system was developed and used to investigate the individual and combined effects of the different motions in TKR: two-directional (2D) sliding, rolling, and rotation, for a total of eight separate kinematic conditions. The wear rates and wear factors for these different motions were measured and compared, and the surfaces of the wear scars were examined to elucidate wear mechanisms in UHMWPE for a range of kinematic conditions. To mimic the tribological conditions in a TKR, polished cobalt–chromium (CoCr) spheres were articulated against flat, polished UHMWPE disks with physiologically relevant loading, speed, and lubrication environments. Wear factors of UHMWPE were found to have a range between 0.3 and 8.7×10−6 mm3/(Nm). The higher values corresponded to increasing motion complexity and cross-shear, with the "figure 8 shape"sliding path having the greatest effect. These results indicate that knee kinematics may have a significant effect on the longevity of TKR and should not be neglected when designing TKR.
An Optical Test Channel For A Scanned Laser System

Design, analysis and implementation of an optical test channel device in the laser scanned visual system for use in 2B33 helicopter simulator. Device capabilities include: lateral and angular color convergence monitoring for the multi-laser system; monitoring of the laser transmission system alignment between the laser table (source) and the scanner subsystem located on a three axis dynamic gantry; measurement of transmitted laser beam pupil size and divergence; and laser beam power analysis up to the scanner subsystem.
The study of waves, instabilities, and turbulence using Thomson scattering in laser plasmas

Summary form only given, as follows. Much basic work in plasma physics has been devoted to the study of wave properties in plasmas, of the nonlinear development of driven waves, and of the instabilities in which such waves may participate. The use of laser-plasma techniques has allowed us to extend such studies into new regimes. Such techniques and their results are the subject here. Once one chooses a physical problem within this subject area, it is now possible to design a laser-plasma experiment that is optimized for the study of that problem. The plasma can he designed to have a variety of density and flow-velocity profiles, the damping of ion acoustic waves and of electron plasma waves can be independently controlled, and the waves can be driven weakly or strongly. By using Nd-glass lasers and their harmonics one can non-invasively drive and diagnose the waves, using separate laser beams to produce the plasma, drive the waves, and diagnose their properties. I will use as examples some recent work with my collaborators, including the first experimental detection of ion plasma waves and the first direct observation of the plasma wave driven by the acoustic decay of laser light.
The Role of Glucosylated Serum Albumin in Monitoring Glycemic Control in Stable Insulin-Requiring Diabetic Out-Patients

To determine the value of glucosylated serum albumin (GSA) in assessing blood glucose control in stabilized diabetic out-patients, 15 insulin-requiring subjects were studied for 8-12 weeks. GSA was determined every 14 days, and glucosylated hemoglobin (GHb) was measured once or twice. Capillary blood glucose records were used to determine mean fasted and mean daily blood sugar concentrations (mean of fasted, preprandial, and bedtime values) during serial 7-day intervals preceding each GSA and GHb determination and also for 28-, 56-, and 84-day intervals preceding each GSA determination. GSA positively correlated with preceding weekly mean fasting and mean daily blood glucose concentrations for 1-11 weeks (r ranges, 0.40-0.64 and 0.46-0.64, respectively) without a temporal pattern. GSA positively correlated with mean fasted and daily blood sugar levels determined over the preceding 28, 56, and 84 days (r range, 0.54-0.74). In addition, GSA correlated with GHb when drawn within 14 days (r = 0.72) or 28 days (r = 0.65) of each other. When monitoring the glycemic control of stable insulin-requiring diabetic patients, GSA offers similar information to GHb, and the two tests may be used interchangeably.
Performance-Based Design of Drilled Shaft Bridge Foundations

The design of deep foundations for bridge structures should ideally consider the interaction between the soil and the foundation element to properly model the side and tip resistance components. A soil-structure interaction model, such as the t-z model method, can be utilized to develop a load-displacement curve for a deep foundation subjected to axial loads. The load-displacement curve represents the behavior of the deep foundation over a range of applied axial loads. More importantly, however, the load-displacement curve can be analyzed by using performance-based design criteria, such as a tolerable displacement corresponding to the service limit state. The tolerable displacement of an individual deep foundation element can be selected to correspond to a movement that would cause adverse performance, excessive maintenance issues, or functionality problems with the bridge structure. In this paper, a performance-based soil-structure interaction design approach for the strength and service limit state axia...
Optimum distribution of counter time

Abstract The statistical basis for optimum distribution of counting time between sample and background has been investigated for the case where several samples are counted per day. The minimum statistical counting error is obtained when the background counting time is increased by a weighting factor equal to the square root of the number of samples counted daily. This weighting factor is applied in addition to the usual factor based on ratio of sample counting rate to background counting rate.
Relationship of Plasma β-Carotene and Vitamin A to Luteal Function in Postpartum Cattle

The influence of plasma concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamin A on in vivo progesterone production by bovine corpora lutea after gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced LH release was assessed in 39 postpartum dairy cows. Thirty Holsteins and nine Jerseys were given 100 micrograms gonadotropin-releasing hormone on d 12 of an estrous cycle, which began from 30 to 49 d postpartum. Concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamin A in plasma and progesterone and LH in serum were determined prior to gonadotropin-releasing hormone injection (0 h); serum progesterone and LH concentrations were also determined 1, 2, and 3 h after injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Serum concentrations of progesterone and LH were increased by gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Incremental progesterone production in an analysis of covariance was influenced by breed as well as the interactions of breed with vitamin A, of season with beta-carotene, and of season with vitamin A. The regression coefficients were positive for beta-carotene and negative for vitamin A in all cases. In conclusion, luteal function in the postpartum cow appears to be related to plasma concentrations of beta-carotene and vitamin A.
GABAergic and glutamatergic axons innervate the axon initial segment and organize GABA(A) receptor clusters of cultured hippocampal pyramidal cells.

We have studied gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor (GABA(A)R) clustering within the axon initial segment (AIS) in low-density cultures of hippocampal pyramidal cells following GABAergic and glutamatergic innervation of the AIS. Large, intensely fluorescent, and postsynaptic GABA(A)R clusters were present in the AIS. More than 95% of these clusters colocalized with presynaptic GABAergic or glutamatergic terminals, forming matched or mismatched synapses, respectively. Less than 5% of the GABA(A)R clusters of the AIS did not colocalize with GABAergic or glutamatergic terminals, suggesting that GABA(A)Rs normally do not form clusters unless the AIS received GABAergic or glutamatergic innervation. Few or no clusters of the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) receptors or the postsynaptic density-95 protein (PSD-95) were found in the AIS, even when the AIS was innervated by glutamatergic axons. Glutamatergic innervation of the AIS that formed mismatched synapses with postsynaptic GABA(A)R clusters mainly occurred when the AIS did not receive GABAergic innervation. However, when the AIS was innervated by GABAergic axons, the formation of matched GABAergic synapses predominated and coincided with large reductions in both the density of glutamatergic terminals from the AIS and the mismatching of GABA(A)R clusters. A similar effect was observed at axo-dendritic synapses, where GABAergic innervation also led to a large decrease in mismatched GABA(A)R clusters and a smaller, but significant, decrease in glutamatergic terminal density in dendrites that received GABAergic innervation. We hypothesize that competition between GABAergic and glutamatergic innervation of the AIS in the intact hippocampus leads to the exclusive presence of GABAergic inhibitory synapses in the AIS of pyramidal cells.
Diffusion Monte Carlo studies of low energy ro-vibrational states of CH5+ and its deuterated isotopologues

Abstract The lowest energy ro-vibrational states of CH 5 + and its deuterated isotopologues with J ⩽ 1 are investigated using Diffusion Monte Carlo. The energies of the excited states are consistent with earlier calculations, and the rotational energies are close to the values one would obtain using vibrationally averaged rotational constants. This leads to the conclusion that at this level of excitation, rotations and vibrations are relatively decoupled. This is further verified by analysis of projections of the probability amplitudes onto various coordinates. Finally, challenges associated with applying fixed-node DMC to the evaluation of rotationally excited states of highly fluxional molecules are discussed along with strategies for addressing these challenges.
Bone marrow–derived stem cells preserve cone vision in retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa is a heritable group of blinding diseases resulting from loss of photoreceptors, primarily rods and secondarily cones, that mediate central vision. Loss of retinal vasculature is a presumed metabolic consequence of photoreceptor degeneration. A new study shows that autologous bone marrow-derived lineage-negative hematopoietic stem cells, which incorporate into the degenerating blood vessels in two murine models of retinitis pigmentosa, rd1 and rd10, prevent cone loss. The use of autologous bone marrow might avoid problems with rejection while preserving central cone vision in a wide variety of genetically disparate retinal degenerative diseases.
Prevalence and arrangement of lignified vascular elements in 6-day-old alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seedlings raised in reduced gravity

Summary The influence of gravity on the formation of lignified vascular elements was investigated through a comparison of leguminous seedlings raised in reduced gravity and controls raised on the ground in identical hardware. Tissues of 6-day-old alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) cotyledons, hypocotyls, and roots taken from both experimental groups were sectioned and studied for evidence of distinctions in prevalence and arrangement of lignified vascular elements. Within hypocotyl tissue, the prevalence of lignified vessel elements was 20% lower among flight seedlings than ground seedlings (P
Is Your Endowment Campaign To Be or Not To Be

Those charged with planning a library endowment campaign would proceed with more confidence and enthusiasm if they had greater assurance of success. Although a crystal ball is not available to the hearty souls who accept (or are assigned) the campaign task, the emerging fundraising profession is making regular use of a special precampaign study process which results in fairly accurate projections.
Metrics for shot boundary detection in digital video sequences

The detection of shot boundaries in video sequences is an important task for generating indexed videodatabases. This paper provides a comprehensive quantitative comparison of the metrics that have been applied toshot boundary detection. In addition, several standardizedstatistical tests that have not been applied to this problem,as well as three new metrics, are considered. A mathematicalframework for quantitatively comparing metrics is supplied.Experimental results based on a video database containing39,000 frames are included.
Reliability and Validity of Self-Efficacy for Learning Form (SELF) Scores of College Students

Abstract. We studied psychometric properties of the SELF with 223 college students. The SELF assesses students' self-efficacy beliefs regarding their use of specific self-regulatory processes in various areas of academic functioning. To determine the validity of SELF scores, the following outcome measures were studied: perceived responsibility, homework quantity, and homework quality. In addition, students' grades, standardized test scores (SAT), and instructor ratings of students' self-regulated skills were investigated. Students' scores on both the original SELF and an abridged form of the scale (SELF-A) were found to have a unitary factor structure and high level of internal reliability. Interestingly, the SELF-A was superior in its prediction of all validity measures except the SAT, which was comparable for the two forms.
Lanthanide Field Tracers Demonstrate Enhanced Transport of Transuranic Radionuclides by Natural Organic Matter

Transuranic (TRU) radionuclides buried 25 years ago in shallow unlined disposal trenches in a fractured shale saprolite had been detected in groundwater from downgradient monitoring wells and in surface water seeps. Field observations had suggested the actinide radionuclides were mobilized by natural organic matter (NOM) and rapidly transported with little retardation. A 73-day natural gradient tracer experiment injected trivalent lanthanides (Nd and Eu) as analogues to determine the mechanisms and rates of actinide transport at the field scale. Adsorption isotherms for 241Am and Eu with saprolite from the site confirmed a very high affinity for adsorption (R > 50 000) in the absence of NOM. However, reactive and nonreactive tracers arrived at approximately the same time along a 10-m long deep flow path, and anion-exchange chromatog raphy and filtration suggested that the mobile lanthanides in groundwater were a NOM complex. Although flow through a shallow flow path was intermittent, reflecting transient ...
A Theoretical Analysis of Individual Interests and Intracolony Conflict During Swarming of Honey Bee Colonies

Abstract Interactions within animal societies are a complex mix of co-operation and conflict. This paper examines how the individuals in the honey bee colony, a society exhibiting an extreme degree of co-operation, are, nonetheless, in conflict during certain of the colony's activities at the point of greatest conflict in honey bee social life: the division of the colony between queens during colony fission or swarming. Here, the decisions are made regarding which queens leave with swarms and how many swarms (queens) are produced. These choices are ultimately shaped by ecological consequences in terms of survival of the swarms produced. This analysis suggests an explanation of the initially counter-intuitive forfeit of the established nest by the mother queen, and a context for understanding the variation in worker behavior toward virgin queens. It also suggests that the "afterswarming syndrome" of behaviors, including piping behavior of queen bees, reflects the result of manipulation of virgin queens' interests by worker bees resulting in a resolution of conflict through a forced alignment of interests.
Optimal Imaged-based Defocus Estimates from Individual Natural Images

We present a general method for estimating defocus blur from first principles, given a set of natural scenes and properties of the vision system. Local, high-precision, signed estimates are obtained for a model human visual system.
The ideal vaccine: until death do us part.

Immunity induced by a vaccine should be like a happy marriage and last for the remainder of the vaccine recipient’s life. Unfortunately, “divorce” rates are high—especially for very safe vaccines, such as those based on protein, although immune responses induced by more reactogenic live vaccines are less fickle. A recent article by Kasturi et al.1 offers a potential solution to this problem: a nanoparticle vaccine that induces high and sustained antibody titers as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in mice and nonhuman primates. This vaccine thus achieves a full spectrum of immune responses, which is generally induced only by infectious replicating pathogens. Does this report herald the coming of a new era in vaccinology that will finally allow us to produce efficacious vaccines to complex pathogens that continue to plague the world (such as HIV-1, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, or Plasmodium falciparum), or does it instead represent yet another shotgun marriage with little staying power? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, the work presents a well-executed series of experiments that offer food for thought.
Elastomer foam nanocomposites for electromagnetic dissipation and shielding applications

A novel elastomer foamed nanocomposite has been developed with high electromagnetic dissipation and shielding properties. This light weight foamed fluorocarbon incorporates multi-walled carbon nanotubes at low loading concentrations to achieve levels of conductivity and energy shielding that surpass the requirements for electromagnetic static discharge (ESD) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Foaming the elastomer reduces that weight by 30% with minimal impact on ESD or EMI characteristics. The percolation threshold is at about 2% carbon nanotubes and the saturation conductivity occurs at 8% carbon nanotubes by weight. Combining the good electrical properties with the flexibility and fluid resistance of fluorocarbon yields a very versatile yet light weight material for a variety of ESD and EMI applications.