cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Economic Order Quantities, Volume Discounts, and Wealth Maximization

This study challenges the generally accepted managerial decision to accept a quantity discount if total, perperiod inventory and acquisition costs are reduced. In this paper, the economic order quantity model is reformulated within an explicit wealth maximization framework, and the reformulated model is then utilized to analyze inventory decisions when volume discounts are available. The results of the study indicate that the traditional method of analyszing volume discount opportunities may invoke wealth decreasing decisions.
Functional Organization of Crayfish Abdominal Ganglia: I. The Flexor Systems

For insect ganglia, Altman (Advances in Physiological Science, Vol. 23. Neurobiology of Invertebrates. New York: Pergamon Press, pp. 537-555, '81) proposed that individual neuropils control different motor activities. A corollary of this hypothesis is that motor neurons involved in many behavioral functions should branch in more neuropils than those active in fewer behaviors. In crayfish, the abdominal fast-flexor muscles are active only during the generation of the powerstroke for tailflips, whereas the slow-flexor muscles are involved in the maintenance of body posture. The slow flexors are thus active in many of the crayfish's behavioral activities. To test the generality of Altman's idea, we filled groups of crayfish fast-flexor and slow-flexor motor neurons with cobalt chloride and described their shapes with respect to the ganglionic structures through which they pass. Individual fast flexors were also filled intracellularly with HRP. Ganglia containing well-filled neurons were osmicated, embedded in plastic, and sectioned. Unstained sections were examined by light microscopy and pertinent sections were photographed. We found that the paths of the larger neurites were invariant, that the dendritic domains of fast and slow motor neurons occupied distinctive sets of neuropils, and that dendrites of slow motor neurons branched in more ganglionic structures than did those of fast motor neurons. These results are consistent with Altman's hypothesis.
Compact, tunable source of monochromatic, highly-directional x-rays

I propose a new radiation-generating device called the laser undulator x-ray source (LUXUS). In particular, I demonstrate that LUXUS has the potential to generate a highly-directional, monochromatic beam of x-rays which is continuously tunable over multiple orders of magnitude in photon energy. In the configuration used as a model, the photons will be seen to have energies lying between 18 eV and 45 KeV when the electron accelerator energy is varied over the range 1 - 50 MeV. Reduced to its essentials, LUXUS consists of (1) a high-current, cyclic electron induction accelerator (such as a 'rebatron') in a racetrack configuration, (2) a high-finesse Fabry-Perot resonator used as a power-buildup cavity, and (3) a high-power, CW, injection-locked Nd:YAG laser to which, in turn, the Fabry-Perot resonator is locked. With a mean accelerator current of 1000 A and a Nd:YAG laser of 15 W output, an x-ray flux approximately 1013 photon/s should be possible at any selected energy within the x-ray range mentioned above (18 eV to 45 KeV). Important applications in medicine--including digital subtractive angiography, x-ray mammography, and general monochromatic radiography--will be discussed briefly.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Functionality and Microbial Stability of Ultrapasteurized, Aseptically Packaged Refrigerated Whole Egg

Raw, liquid whole egg was ultrapasteurized and aseptically packaged to extend the refrigerated shelf-life and maintain functional quality. Nine processes ranged from 63.7–72.2°C for 2.7 to 192.2 sec and resulted in shelf-lives ranging from 4 to >24 weeks at 4°C. Egg pasteurized by an essentially conventional process (26.2 set, 63.7°C), aseptically packaged and stored at 4°C spoiled in 4–8 weeks. Overall, little or no change was observed in the chemical (protein and solids contents, soluble protein, pH) and functional properties (performance in cakes and custards) of the ultrapasteurized, aseptically packaged, 4°C refrigerated egg compared to raw egg. Egg of acceptable quality may be produced by this process with a 3–6 months shelf-life at 4°C.
Highly efficient and regioselective production of trisubstituted alkenes through heck couplings catalyzed by a palladium phosphinito PCP pincer complex

Abstract The PCP ligand precursor 1,3-bis(diisopropylphosphinito)benzene is conveniently prepared from the reaction of chlorodiisopropylphosphine and resorcinol in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine. Refluxing the bis(phosphinito)benzene with Pd(COD)Cl2 in toluene for 5 h yields the palladium complex PdCl{C6H3-2,6-(OPPri 2)2} (1). The molecular structure of the complex was determined through a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. The complex is a highly efficient catalyst for the olefinic coupling of aryl bromo and iodo compounds under aerobic conditions. Disubstituted alkenes were obtained in good yields from the catalytic coupling of styrene and aryl iodides, whereas styrene reactions with aryl bromides yield exclusively trisubstituted alkenes. Trisubstituted alkenes were also obtained from the reactions of 1,1 disubstituted alkenes (α-methylstyrene, n-butylacrylate) and bromobenzene. Conditions have been found which result in the regioselective product ion of one isomer of the trisubstituted alkene products in≥90% yield.
Synthesis of calcium silicate hydrate/polymer complexes: Part II. Cationic polymers and complex formation with different polymers

Some high molecular weight cationic polymers, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDC) and poly(4-vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride) (PVC), have been incorporated into the calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) structure during precipitation of quasicrystalline C–S–H from aqueous solution. Expansion of the interlayer spacing [0.9 nm (PDC), 1.5 nm (PVC)] and a high-carbon content provided evidence that these polymers were intercalated between layers of C–S–H when Ca/Si <1.0. Intercalation characteristic properties strongly depended on both of the type of polymer and Ca/Si ratio in C–S–H. Poly(4-vinyl-1-methylpyridinium bromide) and methyl glycol chitosan (iodide) also interacted with C–S–H, probably by surface adsorption. The C–S–H/polymer complexes were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance magic angle spinning, and 13C cross-polarization, magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Mechanisms of intercalation of different kinds of polymers between the C–S–H layers are discussed.
Trust, privacy, and legal protection in the use of software with surreptitiously installed operations: An empirical evaluation

The class of software which is "surreptitiously installed on a user's computer and monitors a user's activity and reports back to a third party on that behavior" is referred to as spyware "(Stafford and Urbaczewski in Communications of the AIS 14:291---306, 2004)". It is a strategic imperative that software vendors, who either embed surreptitious data collection and other operations in legitimate software applications or whose software is unwittingly used as a delivery vehicle for surreptitious operations, understand users' perceptions of trust, privacy, and legal protection of such software to remain competitive. This paper develops and tests a research model to explore application software users' perceptions in the use of software with embedded surreptitious operations. An experiment was undertaken to examine whether the presence of spyware in application software impacts users' perceptions and beliefs about trustworthiness of the application software, privacy control of the software vendor, United States legal protection, and overall trust of the software vendor. The results indicate users of software with spyware, versus users of software without spyware, have lower trust perceptions of a software vendor. Further examination of trustworthiness as a multi-dimensional construct reveals a software vendor's competence in appropriately using private user information collected and the user's belief that the vendor will abide by acceptable principles in information exchange are important influences in gaining users' overall trust in a vendor. User trust in software utilization is critical for a software vendor's success because without it, users may avoid a vendor's software should the presence of spyware be discovered. Software vendors should respond to the strategic necessity to gain users' trust. Vendors must institute proactive and protective measures to demonstrate that their software should be trusted. These protections could take the form of technological approaches or government legislation, or both.
Breast MR Imaging: What the Radiologist Needs to Know

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast is being performed more frequently to improve primary and recurrent tumor detection, characterization, and response to therapy. Sensitivity of this test approaches 90% and the specificity ranges from 37% to 100%. We present a concise tutorial for the general radiologist with a pictorial review of common lesions identified with breast MRI.
Spatial and Temporal Arrangements, Parental Authority, and Young Adults' Postdivorce Experiences

This research examines how the structure of children's time and space impacts parent–child relationship dynamics postdivorce. Our central research question is whether parent–child relationship quality and degree of perceived parental authority are associated with the amount of time spent with a parent and the type and amount of personalized space a child has at parents' homes after a divorce. We analyze the reports of 22 adolescents surveyed and interviewed in the northwestern United States in 2007. Most notably, the quality of personalized space for children, regardless of the amount of private space available, was significantly and positively related to parent–child relationship quality. Amount of time spent with a parent was also significantly and positively associated with parent–child relationship quality. Level of parental authority was partially positively associated with both quality of personalized space and amount of time spent with a parent. Our results confirm that these factors do indeed play...
Micelle formation and CMC of gemini surfactants: a thermodynamic model

Gemini surfactants possess a structure resembling a pair of conventional single chain surfactants covalently connected by a spacer. The spacer can vary in length and chemical structure. In this paper, the aggregation behavior of gemini surfactants is examined on the basis of a free energy model developed by extending our theory for conventional surfactants. Free energy contributions beyond those considered for conventional surfactants arise because of the spacer. They originate from the fact that (a) the spacer shields the hydrophobic core of the aggregate from contact with water, (b) the spacer constrains the distance between the head groups, thus imposing non-uniformity in charge distribution at the aggregate surface, (c) the spacer prevents the two linked tails from having a packing conformation inside the micelle identical to that of analogous unlinked single chain surfactants, and (d) the spacer can be partially buried inside the micelle core provided its length and the molecular interactions allow it. Illustrative calculations for gemini surfactants with tail lengths of 5‐16 carbon atoms and various spacers are discussed here. The spacers considered include the polymethylene chain and a combination of polymethylene chain with NCH3 ,O , S, and aromatic groups. The predicted critical micelle concentration (CMC), micelle aggregation number, sphere-to-rod transition parameter (K) and shape of aggregates are compared with available experimental data. A comparative analysis of the magnitude and shape dependence of the individual contributions to the free energy shows that the nonuniform charge distribution at the aggregate surface and the additional packing constraint on the tails, both originating from the short length of the spacer, play a central role in determining the equilibrium shape of the aggregates. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Problematic healthcare insurance: a comparison with successful models.

This article analyzes the experiences of problematic health insurance models in Canada, France, Germany, and Spain, based on news reports, facts, and data. Those nations were selected because they represent typical socialist economies with nationalized health insurance systems. Major findings are that (a) these health insurance systems are not cheap, (b) they sometimes contribute to governments' own financial deficits, (c) there are significant restrictions for access to private health care, (d) many services are not covered, and (e) the insurance plans create conflict as to what treatment options are offered. The author also provides a description of the current U.S. health care insurance model and compares it with the European socialist model. What comes subsequently is an examination of two ideal models of efficient health care insurance: the ones of Switzerland and the Netherlands. This analysis ends with a discussion section that provides implications for U.S. health care and offers suggestions for f...
The role of mast cells after solid organ transplantation

Mast cells are best known as primary responders in allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and asthma. However, recent studies have shown that mast cells are functionally diverse cells with immunoregulatory properties that influence both the innate and adaptive immunities. Mast cells are capable of producing an array of both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, acting as antigen-presenting cells, and expressing a spectrum of costimulatory molecules. Moreover, mast cells seem to confer a certain degree of immune privilege to tissues in concert with T-regulatory cells and are essential players in fibrotic conditions. The following review of the literature serves to further define the role of mast cells in the immunologic reactions affecting transplanted solid organ grafts.
Dynamics and information processing in adaptive systems

An adaptive system is capable of functioning despite some degree of environmental uncertainty. This requires an ability to identify relevant states of the environment, to adjust the value of internal variables so as to maintain a characteristic pattern of activity and, of course, to respond appropriately to environmental stimuli. Biological systems have responded to this challenge by developing information processing systems that are highly compatible with their functions. In this paper we analyze the relationship between dynamics and information processing in biological systems and refer to basic principles of biological information processing. An important trend that can be observed is that the specialization of information processing functions increases with the complexity of the environment faced by the systems. At the level of human populations, man-made organizations in particular, our study suggests that the design of computer-based information systems must be sensitive to the existing biological infrastructure if they are to effectively extend the cognitive and computational capabilities of organizations.
GESTURE IN EARLY COUNTING: A DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS

This study is an examination of developmental changes in children's use of pointing gestures to achieve an accurate count. 42 children at 3 ages (2, 4, and 6 yr.) were required to count objects (2,...
Hypersonic viscous flow near the stagnation streamline of a blunt body. i - a test of local similarity

pressible laminar flow in rectangular ducts," J. Appl. Mech. 27,403(1960). 7 Singh, S. N., "Heat transfer in viscous incompressible fluids," Ph.d. Thesis, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagupur, India (1957). 8 Singh, S. N. and Nigam, S. D., "Heat transfer by laminar flow between parallel plates under the action of transverse magnetic field," Quart. J. Math. Appl. Mech. XIII, 85-98 (1960). 9 Hartmann, J., Hg-dynamics I, theory of the laminar flow of an electrically conducting liquid in a homogeneous magnetic field," Kgl. Danske Videnskab. Setskab Mat. Fys. Medd. 15 (1937). 10 Chang, C. C. and Yen, J. T., "Magneto-hydrodynamic channel flow as influenced by wall conductance," Z. Angew. Math. Phys. XIII, 3 (1962). 11 Whittaker, E. T. and Watson, G. N., Modern Analysis (Cambridge University Press, England, 1927), p. 36. 12 Singh, S. N., "The determination of eigen-functions of a certain Sturm-Liouville equation and its application to problems of heat transfer," Appl. Sci. Res. 7, 237-250 (1958).
1,2-Hydroxypyridonates as Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: TREN-1,2-HOPO

1,2-Hydroxypyridinones (1,2-HOPO) form very stable lanthanide complexes that may be useful as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). X-ray diffraction of single crystals established that the solid-state structures of the Eu(III) and the previously reported [Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43, 5452] Gd(III) complex are identical. The recently discovered sensitizing properties of 1,2-HOPO chelates for Eu(III) luminescence [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 10 067] allow for direct measurement of the number of water molecules coordinated to the metal center. Fluorescence measurements of the Eu(III) complex corroborate that, in solution, two water molecules coordinate the lanthanide (q = 2) as proposed from the analysis of NMRD profiles. In addition, fluorescence measurements have verified the anion binding interactions of lanthanide TREN-1,2-HOPO complexes in solution, studied by relaxivity, revealing only very weak oxalate binding (KA = 82.7 +/- 6.5 M-1). Solution thermodynamic studies of the metal complex and free ligand have been carried out using potentiometry, spectrophotometry, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The metal ion selectivity of TREN-1,2-HOPO supports the feasibility of using 1,2-HOPO ligands for selective lanthanide binding [pGd = 19.3 (2), pZn = 15.2 (2), pCa = 8.8 (3)].
Efficient Storage and Retrieval by Content and Address of Static Files

We consider a set of static files or inventories, each consisting of the same number of entries, each entry a binary word of the same fixed length selected (with replacement) from the set of all binary sequences of that length, and the entries in each file sorted into lexical order. We also consider several retrieval questions of interest for each such file. One is to find the value of the jth entry, another to find the number of entries of value less than k.When a binary representation of such a file is stored in computer memory and an algorithm or machine which knows only the file parameters (i.e. number of entries, number of possible values per entry) accesses some of the stored bits to answer a retrieval question, the number of bits stored and the number of bits accessed per retrieval question are two cost measures for the storage and retrieval task which have been used by Minsky and Papert. Bits stored depends on the representation chosen: bits accessed also depends on the retrieval question asked and on the algorithm used.We give firm lower bounds to minimax measures of bits stored and bits accessed for each of four retrieval questions, and construct representations and algorithms for a bit-addressable machine which come within factors of two or three of attaining all four bounds at once for files of any size. All four factors approach one for large enough files.
Nuclear spin polarization of 3He in 23Na(5s)3He spin-exchange collisions

Abstract The formation of bound, excited sΣ states of alkali- 3 He and alkali- 21 Ne molecules leads, in spin-exchange collisions, to significant enhancement of the nuclear spin polarization of gaseous 3 He and 21 Ne compared to that produced in ground state collisions. Calculations for Na(5s)- 3 He spin-exchange collisions are presented.
Tocopherols as carry-through antioxidants.

1. Tocopherols have been found to be carry-through antioxidants in lard. 2. Gamma tocopherol, which is a better antioxidant than alpha tocopherol, is also a better carry-through antioxidant. 3. Higher levels of tocopherol provide increased carry-through stability although the AOM stability of lard is decreased. 4. Combinations of BHA with tocopherol in lard provide increased carry-through stability but do not increase the AOM stability.
Research note: Revisiting the classification of household composition among elderly people

The note updates comments written a decade and a half ago on our need for a standard schemata for comparing the living arrangements of elderly people around the world. Perforce limiting our view to populations living in private households, the note considers different schema beginning with an examination of household size and head/nonhead data and proceeding to schemes using ever more detailed data on “relation to household head” information and data on marital status. The best scheme will of course depend on the data available and on the study's theoretical ideas, but if the ideas have to do with the nature of the family then it would seem that one is best off using a combination of information on people's relation to the household head and information on marital status to indicate family household composition. The six-category scheme (alone, spouse only, with married child[ren], with unmarried child[ren], with other relatives, with non-kin) might best be collapsed into a bivariate or trivariate categorical dependent variable for purposes of multivariate regression.
What Determines the Composition of SEPs in Gradual Events

Gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events are evidently accelerated by coronal/interplanetary shocks driven by coronal mass ejections. This talk addresses the different factors which determine the composition of the accelerated ions. The first factor is the set of available seed populations including the solar wind core and suprathermal tail, remnant impulsive events from preceding solar flares, and remnant gradual events. The second factor is the fractionation of the seed ions by the injection process, that is, what fraction of the ions are extracted by the shock to participate in diffusive shock acceleration. Injection is a controversial topic since it depends on the detailed electromagnetic structure of the shock transition and the transport of ions in these structured fields, both of which are not well understood or determined theoretically. The third factor is fractionation during the acceleration process, due to the dependence of ion transport in the turbulent electromagnetic fields adjacent to the shock on the mass/charge ratio. Of crucial importance in the last two factors is the magnetic obliquity of the shock. The form of the proton-excited hydromagnetic wave spectrum is also important. Finally, more subtle effects on ion composition arise from the superposition of ion contributions over the time history of the shock along the observer’s magnetic flux tube, and the sequence of flux tubes sampled by the observer.
Predictors and Moderators of Parent Training Efficacy in a Sample of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Serious Behavioral Problems

The Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology—Autism Network reported additional benefit when adding parent training (PT) to antipsychotic medication in children with autism spectrum disorders and serious behavior problems. The intent-to-treat analyses were rerun with putative predictors and moderators. The Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ) and the Hyperactivity/Noncompliance subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist were used as outcome measures. Candidate predictors and moderators included 21 demographics and baseline measures of behavior. Higher baseline HSQ scores predicted greater improvement on the HSQ regardless of treatment assignment, but no other predictors of outcome were observed. None of the variables measured in this study moderated response to PT. Antipsychotic medication plus PT appears to be equally effective for children with a wide range of demographic and behavioral characteristics.
A Rapid Library Screen for Tailoring β-Peptide Structure and Function

Recently we described a β-decapeptide (β53-1) that folds into a 14-helix in aqueous solution, binds the oncoprotein hDM2 with submicromolar affinity, and inhibits the interaction of hDM2 with a peptide derived from the activation domain of p53 (p53AD). The solution structure of β53-1 in CD3OH revealed an unexpected C-terminal unwinding that staggers the side chains comprising the hDM2 recognition epitope to better mimic those of p53AD. The structure−function relationship implied by this distortion suggested that a library of β53-1 analogues possessing diversity along a nonrecognition face might contain molecules possessing greater affinity for hDM2. Here we describe (1) β-peptide synthesis protocols that produce high quality one-bead-one-β-peptide libraries suitable for on-bead screening without purification, (2) a versatile, scalable on-bead screen, and (3) a simple tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) decoding method. Using this procedure, we identified β53-1 analogues with improved structural and functiona...
The relationship between shelterwood cuts and crown thinnings and the abundance and distribution of birds in a southern New England forest.

Forest regeneration methods such as shelterwood treatments have been shown to substantially increase the diversity of bird species, specifically of species that prefer early seral forests, now rare in the eastern United States. Stand improvement techniques such as thinnings have also been found to increase avian diversity under some conditions. A sustainably managed forest, however, must simultaneously apply regenerative harvesting with stand improvements, and the effect of such treatment combinations on bird community composition is not clear. We compared bird distribution and abundance on shelterwood cuts, crown thinnings, and unmanaged stands at the Yale Myers Forest, a large privately owned and actively managed forest in southern New England. Bird abundance and species diversity was highest in shelterwood cuts and lowest in unmanaged forest, with thinnings being intermediary. Different suites of species inhabited the three treatments, with 18 of 49 common species differing significantly in their abundances between treatments. Characteristics of the vegetation that were directly influenced by silvicultural intervention, including canopy openness, seedling regeneration and vertical structural diversity, appeared to be the dominant drivers of bird abundance. The abundances of some species or groups of species were correlated with the number of trees retained in the implementation of the forestry practices. In conjunction with the conservation of a variety of mature forest habitats, regenerative cuts and stand improvement techniques can be used together to sustain a diverse assemblage of bird species.
An East Coast winter storm precipitation climatology

Using a previously compiled climatology of East Coast winter storms (ECWS), an ECWS precipitation climatology was developed for the eastern United States from 1951–1952 to 2005–2006, using an automated procedure. Non-ECWS precipitation that may have occurred during ECWS events was excluded through the development of a decision process based on knowledge of the characteristics of extratropical storms and aided by ECWS case study analyses. The main components used by this decision process were the location of precipitation and pressure gradients, and the presence of additional cyclones, not meeting the ECWS criteria. A sensitivity analysis of the ECWS precipitation climatology was conducted, which considered the change in the climatology if non-ECWS precipitation was not excluded by the decision process. The highest average percentages of snowfall from ECWS occur in the Middle Atlantic and southern New England regions. These heavily populated metropolitan areas typically receive 45% of snowfall from ECWS. The highest average percentages of annual precipitation from ECWS are generally 20–25% and are located along the East Coast from Virginia northward to Maine. For the metropolitan centres of the Northeast, and for northern New England, El Nino years seem to indicate above average precipitation and snowfall amounts from ECWS, as well as an above average overall percentage of precipitation and snowfall from ECWS. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Robot-human interaction with an anthropomorphic percussionist

The paper presents our approach for human-machine interaction with an anthropomorphic mechanical percussionist that can listen to live players, analyze perceptual musical aspects in real-time, and use the product of this analysis to play along in a collaborative manner. Our robot, named Haile, is designed to combine the benefits of computational power, perceptual modeling, and algorithmic music with the richness, visual interactivity, and expression of acoustic playing. We believe that when interacting with live players, Haile can facilitate a musical experience that is not possible by any other means, inspiring users to collaborate with it in novel and expressive manners. Haile can, therefore, serve a test-bed for novel forms of musical human-machine interaction, bringing perceptual aspects of computer music into the physical world both visually and acoustically.
The effects of thermal exposure on the structural and mechanical integrity of carbon fibres

The chemical composition and the structural parameters and mechanisms that control the oxidative and thermal stabilities of PAN-based C6000, IM6 and T300 carbon fibres used in high performance composites are reported. The fibres contain significant quantities (2.7 to 7.0 wt%) of chemically bound nitrogen. The higher nitrogen containing fibres tend to be more susceptible to oxidation. In the 1200 to 2500 ° C temperature exposure region, in an inert atmosphere, simultaneous graphitization and nitrogen loss occurs. The nitrogen loss process is predominantly diffusion controlled by the fibre molecular level porosity. The higher nitrogen containing fibre, T300, readily loses its structural integrity at 2500 ° C, because the high nitrogen evolution paths result in a network of poorly interconnected graphitic crystals.
Presence of a Fibronectin Type III Domain in a Plant Protein

A hidden Markov model (HMM) approach was used to identify potential candidates in sequence databases for fibronectin type III domains in plants, a kingdom heretofore bereft of these structures. Fortuitously, one of the proteins uncovered had already had a crystal structure published, allowing direct structural confirmation of the existence of this domain in plants.
Influence of Bolting Parameters on the Ultimate Tensile Strength and Stiffness of Composite-Metal Joints#

The joining of dissimilar materials poses a challenge in mechanical structures. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of joining parameters such as bolt spacing, geometry configuration, and overlap length on ultimate failure strength and stiffness of composite-metal hybrid joints. Woven fiberglass/epoxy and unidirectional carbon-fiber/epoxy composites have been manufactured and tested under tensile loads to obtain their mechanical properties. Composite test coupons were joined to metal coupons of higher Young's modulus, varying the aforementioned parameters in each joint and tested to failure. It was found that the variation of the joining parameters affected unidirectional carbon-fiber/epoxy-steel joints more noticeably than the woven fiberglass-aluminum joints.
Pharmaco-MEG evidence for attention related hyper-connectivity between auditory and prefrontal cortices in ADHD.

The ability to attend to particular stimuli while ignoring others is crucial in goal-directed activities and has been linked with prefrontal cortical regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Both hyper- and hypo-activation in the DLPFC has been reported in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during many different cognitive tasks, but the network-level effects of such aberrant activity remain largely unknown. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we examined functional connectivity between regions of the DLPFC and the modality-specific auditory cortices during an auditory attention task in medicated and un-medicated adults with ADHD, and those without ADHD. Participants completed an attention task in two separate sessions (medicated/un-medicated), and each session consisted of two blocks (attend and no-attend). All MEG data were coregistered to structural MRI, corrected for head motion, and projected into source space. Subsequently, we computed the phase coherence (i.e., functional connectivity) between DLPFC regions and the auditory cortices. We found that un-medicated adults with ADHD exhibited greater phase coherence in the beta (14–30 Hz) and gamma frequency (30–56 Hz) range in attend and no-attend conditions compared to controls. Stimulant medication attenuated these differences, but did not fully eliminate them. These results suggest that aberrant bottom-up processing may engulf executive resources in ADHD.
Shell Model Calculation of Microscopic Grüneisen Parameters for Rocksalt‐Type Materials

The microscopic Gruneisen parameters have been calculated for the two optical modes in the Brillouin zone center and for the four modes at the Brillouin zone edge in [100] for nine alkali halides and MgO. A six parameter shell model which takes into account anion polarizability, non-central first nearest neighbor interaction and central forces between second neighbors has been used, and the pressure dependence of the frequencies is obtained from the assumption of a pressure independent core-shell force constant. The parameters of the model are determined from experimental data of the elastic constants, from the high and low frequency dielectric constants, from the pressure derivatives of these quantities, and from the zero pressure value of the transverse optical frequency in the zone center. Good to fair agreement with the available experimental data is found. It is suggested that the discrepancies are mainly due to the limited experimental accuracy. The results confirm that the B1 B2 phase transformation in alkali halides is not due to an instability of the TA mode at the [100] zone boundary. Die mikroskopischen Gruneisen-Parameter wurden fur die beiden optischen Schwingungen in der Mitte der Brillouin-Zone und fur die vier Schwingungen an der Oberflache der Brillouin-Zone in der [100]-Richtung fur neun Alkalihalogenide und MgO berechnet. Es wurde ein Schalenmodell mit sechs Parametern benutzt, in dem die Polarisierbarkeit der Anionen berucksichtigt wird und allgemeine Kopplungsparameter fur die Wechselwirkung zwischen nachsten Nachbarn und Zentralkrafte zwischen ubernachsten Nachbarn angenommen wurden. Fur die Berechnung der Druckabhangigkeit der Frequenzen wurde die Kraftkonstante fur die Wechselwirkung zwischen Kern und Schale als konstant angenommen. Die Parameter des Modells wurden aus den gemessenen elastischen Konstanten, aus der statischen und optischen Dielektrizitatskonstante, aus der Druckabhangigkeit dieser Grosen sowie aus der transversalen optischen Grenzfrequenz bei Atmospharendruck bestimmt. Die Ubereinstimmung mit den verfugbaren experimentellen Werten ist gut bis masig. Die auftretenden Unterschiede sind wahrscheinlich durch die begrenzte experimentelle Genauigkeit bedingt. Die Ergebnisse bestatigen, das die Phasenumwandlung von der B1- in die B2-Struktur nicht durch eine Instabilitat der transversalen akustischen Frequenz an der Oberflache der Brillouin-Zone in der [100]-Richtung ausgelost wird.
Diffusion approximation-based simulation of stochastic ion channels: which method to use?

To study the effects of stochastic ion channel fluctuations on neural dynamics, several numerical implementation methods have been proposed. Gillespie’s method for Markov Chains (MC) simulation is highly accurate, yet it becomes computationally intensive in the regime of high channel numbers. Many recent works aim to speed simulation time using the Langevin-based Diffusion Approximation (DA). Under this common theoretical approach, each implementation differs in how it handles various numerical difficulties – such as bounding of state variables to [0,1]. Here we review and test a set of the most recently published DA implementations (Dangerfield et al., 2012; Linaro et al., 2011; Huang et al., 2013a; Orio and Soudry, 2012; Schmandt and Galan, 2012; Goldwyn et al., 2011; Guler, 2013), comparing all of them in a set of numerical simulations that asses numerical accuracy and computational efficiency on three different models: the original Hodgkin and Huxley model, a model with faster sodium channels, and a multi-compartmental model inspired in granular cells. We conclude that for low channel numbers (usually below 1000 per simulated compartment) one should use MC – which is both the most accurate and fastest method. For higher channel numbers, we recommend using the method by Orio and Soudry (2012), possibly combined with the method by Schmandt and Galan (2012) for increased speed and slightly reduced accuracy. Consequently, MC modelling may be the best method for detailed multicompartment neuron models – in which a model neuron with many thousands of channels is segmented into many compartments with a few hundred channels.
Metric spaces and ideals of functions

In each metric space ( X, d ) there is defined the space Lip X of complex-valued, bounded, and uniformly Lipschitzian functions. In the algebra Lip X , it is natural to ask for ideals closed in various notions of convergence, and also to identify the invertible elements. In particular, are the invertible elements exactly those with no zero in X ? Wiener's Tauberian Theorem in Fourier analysis is the first and most remarkable example of this harmonious state of affairs. A moment's reflection confirms that, for the algebra Lip X , this is true only for compact metric spaces X , the trivial examples in our investigation. We therefore introduce a type of convergence weaker than convergence in norm; it has already proved useful in some problems in descriptive set theory and reflects in a subtle way the metric properties of X . A sequence ( f n ) in Lip X converges strongly to g , written s – lim f n = g , if ∥ f n ∥≦ C in the Banach space Lip X and lim f n (x)=g(x) for each element x of X . In Section 3 we explain how this is really a type of convergence in the dual space of a certain Banach space . This brings us to the edge of some recondite questions about iterated (or even transfinite) limits, and we have adhered to the notion of strong limits to avoid these questions. To illustrate the differences between these two approaches, we mention this problem: which maximal ideals of Lip X are closed with respect to strong convergence of sequences? This is not the problem studied in Section 1.
NASA Earth Science Image Analysis for Climate Change Decisions

This talk will briefly outline the ways in which NASA observes the Earth, then describes the NASA satellite measurements, and then proceeds to show how these measurements are used to understand the changes that are occurring as Earth's climate warms.
Health Insurance and Child Support

This DataWatch examines the extent of the child support system's increasing efforts to require nonresident parents to provide health insurance for their children. More than half of children who have public insurance only and more than one-fourth of uninsured children live in families that could be affected by the child support system. Nonresident fathers now provide insurance to only 15 percent of children living with their mother. More than one-third of such children have public insurance only. Thus, if the child support system could ensure children's coverage through nonresident fathers, taxpayer spending on public insurance could decrease.
Minimizing the Cost of Mine Selection Via Sensor Networks

In this paper, we study sensor enabled landmine networks by formulating a minimum-cost mine selection problem. The problem arises in a target defence scenario, where the objective is to destroy the intruding targets using the minimum-cost pre-deployed mines. Due to the problem complexity, we first transform it using a novel bucket-tub model, and then propose several approximation algorithms. Among them, it is shown that the layering algorithm can achieve an approximation ratio of alpha ldr f, where alpha ges 1 is the tunable relaxation factor and f is the maximum number of mines that a target is associated with, and that the greedy algorithm has an approximation ratio of Sigma j R j , where R j is the coefficient in the related integer program. We also present a localized greedy algorithm which is shown to produce the same solution set as the global greedy algorithm. Theoretical analysis and extensive simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Uplift of the Longmen Shan and Tibetan plateau, and the 2008 Wenchuan (M = 7.9) earthquake

The Longmen Shan mountain range, which defines the eastern margin of the Himalayas, exhibits greater topographic relief than anywhere else in the Tibetan plateau. It was the site of the devastating 2008 Wenchuan magnitude-7.9 earthquake. Prior to the earthquake, geodetic and geologic surveys measured little shortening across the range front, prompting vigorous debate about the forces producing the topography of this mountain belt. Now Judith Hubbard and John Shaw present evidence from balanced geologic cross-sections that suggests that crustal shortening is a primary driver for uplift of the Longmen Shan and the Tibetan plateau, and that the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was a product of this shortening process. This paper presents balanced geologic cross-sections showing that crustal shortening, structural relief and topography are strongly correlated in the Longmen Shan mountain range front, suggesting that crustal shortening is a primary driver for uplift and topography of the Longmen Shan on the flanks of the Tibetan plateau. The authors conclude that the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake is an active manifestation of this shortening process. The Longmen Shan mountain range, site of the devastating 12 May 2008 Wenchuan (M = 7.9) earthquake, defines the eastern margin of the Himalayan orogen and exhibits greater topographic relief than anywhere else in the Tibetan plateau. However, before the earthquake, geodetic and geologic surveys measured little shortening across the range front1,2,3, inspiring a vigorous debate about the process by which the topography of the mountain belt is produced and maintained. Two endmember models have been proposed: (1) brittle crustal thickening, in which thrust faults with large amounts of slip that are rooted in the lithosphere cause uplift4, and (2) crustal flow, in which low-viscosity material in the lower crust extrudes outward from the Tibetan plateau and inflates the crust north and east of the Himalayas5,6,7. Here we use balanced geologic cross-sections to show that crustal shortening, structural relief, and topography are strongly correlated in the range front. This suggests that crustal shortening is a primary driver for uplift and topography of the Longmen Shan on the flanks of the plateau. The 2008 Wenchuan (M = 7.9) earthquake, which ruptured a large thrust fault along the range front causing tens of thousands of fatalities and widespread damage, is an active manifestation of this shortening process.
Phenotypically Plastic Responses of Larval Tiger Salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum, to Different Predators

Abstract Studies of prey responses to different predators are needed to investigate costs and benefits of particular antipredator responses and to unravel community-level effects on phenotypic plasticity. We reared laboratory-bred larvae of Arizona Tiger Salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum with either of two common predators, diving beetle larvae (Dytiscus sp.) or dragonfly naiads (Anax junius). Relative to controls, salamander larvae in both predator treatments had shorter snout–vent lengths and deeper tails; these differences may be related to increased swimming ability. In addition, larvae reared with dragonfly naiads had shorter tails than those reared with diving beetle larvae, possibly in response to different predator foraging strategies or differences in strength of selection imposed by each. Salamander larvae from predator treatments weighed less than controls, with salamanders reared with dragonflies weighing the least. This suggests that salamanders respond more strongly to dragonfly naia...
Filling regions in binary raster images: A graph-theoretic approach

Filling regions in raster images is the term given to the problem of extracting a connected region (that contains some preselected seed pixel) and filling it with some color. A connected region is formally defined as the collection of all pixels that are in the transitive closure of a pixel-connectivity operator that is applied to the seed. For example, the 4-pixel-connectivity operator selects all pixels that are (spatially) 4-connected to the pixel operand, and have the same color. This problem can be solved relatively easily if the fill color is distinguishable so that every pixel, once colored (i.e. flagged OLD) will not be considered again. In binary images, the fill “color” is usually a binary pattern and therefore, a “colored” pixel may still have its previous (e.g., black or white) color. This fact makes the problem non-trivial.In this paper, a region to be filled is represented as a connected directed a-cyclic planar graph in which nodes are regular regions (defined below) that are easy to handle. An arc connects a regular region to its neighbor below which shares a common horizontal sub-boundary. Based on this abstract representation of a region, a formulation of the filling problem is developed as a variant of graph traversing. The difficulties imposed by filling with a binary pattern, and the avoidance of an explicit description of the graph are explored and a solution is presented. This solution utilizes the frame buffer (that is used to display the image) for improved efficiency of a graph traversal algorithm.This method turns out to be similar to [Lieberman-78], that is shown here to be incorrect. The complexity of the new algorithm is 0(N*L+ N*Log N), compared to 0(N*L*Log N) there, where N is the number of nodes in the graph and L is the average composite degree of each node. A proof of correctness for the new algorithm is given too.
Automatic grid refinement and higher order flux discretization for diffusion modeling

The authors point out that modern numerical process simulators are becoming increasingly complicated in both physical models and domain shape. Grid generation is difficult for these simulators because of the inherently transient nature of the problems being solved. Here, adaptive grid refinement is considered for use in solving diffusion problems. Higher order approximations to the discretized diffusion flux are also studied. Several methods of both adaptive grid refinement and discretization are investigated and compared in terms of CPU time and final discretization error. All the methods are directly applied to the one-dimensional version of SUPREM-IV. >
Querying source code using an algebraic query language

Querying and analyzing source code interactively is a critical task in reverse engineering and program understanding. Current source code query systems lack sufficient formalism and offer limited query capabilities. We introduce the formal framework of Source Code Algebra (SCA), and outline a source code query system based on it. SCA provides a formal data model for source code, an algebraic expression-based query language, and opportunities for query optimization. An algebraic model of source code addresses the issues of conceptual integrity, expressive power, and performance of a source code query system within a unified framework. >