cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual stresses, interfacial adhesion and tribological properties of MoN/Cu composite coatings

Abstract Ceramic thin film coatings, such as MoN/Cu, are attractive for engine applications due to their low friction, high hardness and high wear resistance. However, there is a need to establish a reliable connection between the deposition parameters of the thin film and its tribological performance. In this study, two coating compositions, MoN and MoN with Cu were deposited on H-13 tool steel substrates in order to correlate compositional variables that result from processing to their respective tribological properties. The efficacy of the coating in protecting surfaces is highly dependent on its adhesion to the substrate and its tribological properties. Residual stresses resulting from the coating deposition were evaluated using an X-ray microprobe. Scratch testing was performed to measure the coating adhesion energy, and the wear rate was determined using a ball-on-flat contact configuration on a high frequency reciprocating test rig. It was observed that coatings with lower copper content performed better in the wear test and exhibited higher coating adhesion energy. A primary wear damage mechanism was coating removal by delamination and spallation, which is related to the adhesion energy. Since coating processing variables determine the structure and properties, and hence affect the tribological properties of these MoN based coatings, these parameters can be used to optimize coating composition for enhanced tribological performance.
A numerical technique for the investigation of the transport and dry deposition of chemically reactive pollutants

Abstract A numerical technique to approximate solutions to the atmospheric advection-diffusion equation, which applies the concept of Locally-One-Dimensional methods, and utilizes the Crank-Nicolson Galerkin method for the diffusion-dominated vertical transport and the Egan and Mahoney method for the advection-dominated horizontal transport, is discussed. This technique is used to simulate the dynamic response of an elevated plume to the growth and dissipation of the daytime mixing layer.
Neocuproine-Extended Porphyrin Coordination Complexes

A conjugated porphyrin system has been synthesized which is capable of binding metal ions through a β-fused neocuproine moiety. Its copper(I) and zinc(II) complexes have been studied spectroscopically, and notable differences between the two have been observed.
Database-oriented decision support systems

Decision support systems represent a new challenge for computer technology experts, management science specialists, and organizational theorists. This paper examines the related topics on the database design for decision support systems. The major emphasis is on the global conceptual model and the unified approach for database design. The entity-relationship model is used for illustrating the unified approach, and the various translation processes are also discussed. A practical example is given. Throughout the paper, the interfaces among the user, the model, and the database are stressed.
Optical Properties of N-Isopropylacrylamide Microgel Spheres in Water

Optical properties of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) microgel spheres in water have been investigated using light-scattering and turbidity methods. Two batches of NIPA microgel spheres with hydrodynamic radii of 132 and 216 nm were synthesized in water at 25 °C. Concentrations ranging from ∼0.01 to ∼14 wt % were obtained by dilution−condensation of the dispersions. The hydrodynamic radius distribution, the radius of gyration, and the molar mass of the microgel spheres were determined by combining dynamic and static light scattering. As the polymer concentration increases, the microgel spheres in dispersions exist in the liquid, crystalline, and glass states, while the optical appearance of the dispersions changes progressively from transparent to cloudy to colored (pink, green, blue, and purple gradually) and to transparent. The formation of large colloidal crystals in a very narrow concentration range (ca. 3∼5 wt %) at room temperature (∼18−22 °C) yields iridescent patterns from typical Bragg diffraction. ...
VLSI architectures for high speed recognition of context-free languages and finite-state languages

This paper presents two VLSI architectures for the recognition of context-free languages and finite-state languages. The architecture for context-free languages consists of n(n+1)/2 identical cells and it is capable of recognizing an input string of length n in 2n time units. The architecture for finite-state languages consists of n cells and it can recognize a string of length n in constant time. Since both architectures have characteristics such as modular layout, simple constrol and dataflow pattern, high degree of multiprocessing and/or pipelining, etc., they are very suitable for VLSI implementation.
Two approaches to the analysis of actual fires

Two calculations are described. One used only simple algebra to show the rate of development of a critical aspect of a fire. The other used one of our most elaborate computer based schemes to extend the results of full-scale fire tests to additional, important situations. Both provided useful results. The significance of this is that it is not the complexity of a calculation that is important but its relevance to the problem at hand.
Effects of respiratory gases on the frequency and duration of obstructive apneic episodes in a patient with the sleep apnea-hypersomnolence syndrome

We studied the effects of hyperoxia and hypercapnia on obstructive apneic episodes (OAE) in a 39-year-old male with the sleep apnea and hypersomnolence syndrome (SAHS). While inspiring room air, our patient spent approximately 50% of his non-REM sleep time in OAE. When the inspired gas was changed to 100% oxygen, the frequency of the OAE decreased slightly, but a statistically significant increase in the duration of each episode was noted. Additionally, a CO2 rebreathe under hyperoxic conditions was carried out during non-REM sleep; no OAE were noted during this rebreathe. Therefore, this latter observation suggests that hypercapnia under hyperoxic conditions may reduce the frequency of OAE in patients with the SAHS.
Asymptotic Form of the Wave Function for Three-Particle Scattering

The asymptotic form of the wave function for scattering from an initial state of one-particle incident on a bound pair at energies above the breakup threshold is given. Unknown corrections are rigorously square integrable. The discussion is valid only for short-range forces.
Free-Fall Lifeboats: Experimental Investigation of the Impact of Environmental Conditions on Technical and Human Performance

Free-fall lifeboats offer a means to evacuate a ship or offshore installation rapidly, without the lowering operations associated with conventional davit launched lifeboats on wire falls. The performance of free-fall lifeboats during launch and sail-away has been investigated using a model test campaign. The main focus of the experimental evaluation was on the performance of this evacuation system in a range of different weather conditions. Measurements were also made of motions during the launch process, which are relevant to occupational safety issues. Examples of the tests are presented with a focus on results that warrant scrutiny in terms of human health and performance. The results lead us to question the IMO criteria used to assess the occupational safety of free-fall lifeboats.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Wood-mediated geomorphic effects of a jökulhlaup in the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming

A jokulhlaup burst from the head of Grasshopper Glacier in Wyoming's Wind River Mountains during early September 2003. Five reaches with distinct sedimentation patterns were delineated along the Dinwoody Creek drainage. This paper focuses on a portion of the jokulhlaup route where erosion of the forested banks created 16 large logjams spaced at longitudinal intervals of tens to hundreds of meters. Aggradation within the main channel upstream from each logjam created local sediment wedges, and the jams facilitated overbank deposition during the jokulhlaup. Field surveys during 2004 and 2006 documented logjam characteristics and associated erosional and depositional features, as well as initial modification of the logjams and flood deposits within the normal seasonal high-flow channel. Overbank deposits have not been altered by flows occurring since 2003. Field measurements supported three hypotheses that (i) logjams present along the forested portions of the jokulhlaup route are larger and more closely spaced than those along adjacent, otherwise comparable stream channels that have not recently experienced a jokulhlaup; (ii) logjams are not randomly located along the jokulhlaup route, but instead reflect specific conditions of channel and valley geometry and flood hydraulics; and (iii) the presence of logjams facilitated significant erosional and depositional effects. This paper documents a sequence of events in which outburst floodwaters enhance bank erosion and recruitment of wood into the channel, and thus the formation of large logjams. These logjams sufficiently deflect flow to create substantial overbank deposition in areas of the valley bottom not commonly accessed by normal snowmelt peak discharges, and through this process promote valley-bottom aggradation and sediment storage. Changes in the occurrence of glacier outburst floods thus have the potential to alter the rate and magnitude of valley-bottom dynamics in these environments, which is particularly relevant given predictions of worldwide global warming and glacial retreat. Processes observed at this field site likely occur in other forested catchments with headwater glaciers.
Modeling of a hydraulic wind power transfer system uitilizing a proportional valve

Hydraulic circuits can transfer remarkable amount of energy in the desired direction without taking large space. To implement this technology for harvesting energy of wind appropriately, models of the system are required. Hydraulic wind power technology has benefits of eliminating expensive and bulky variable ratio gearbox and its costly maintenance while enabling the integration of multiple wind turbines. In this paper, the dynamics of different hydraulic elements are studied, nonlinearities are taken into account, pressure dynamics in different parts of the system are studied, and the motor load effects are considered. Ultimately, a non-linear state space representation of the system is introduced. Results of the mathematical model and the Matlab SimHydraulics model are compared to verify of the proposed model. The comparison demonstrates that the mathematical model captures major functions of the hydraulic circuit and can model the system behavior under different operating conditions.
Crashworthiness Design Using a Hybrid Cellular Automaton Algorithm

Crashworthiness design is an evolving discipline that combines vehicle crash simulation and design synthesis. The goal is to increase passenger safety subject to manufacturing cost constraints. The crashworthiness design process requires the modeling of the complex interactions involved in a crash event. Current approaches utilize a parameterized optimization approach that requires response surface approximations of the design space. This is due to the expensive nature of numerical crash simulations and the high nonlinearity and noisiness in the design space. These methodologies usually require a significant design effort to determine an initial design. In this research, a non-gradient approach to topology optimization is developed for crashworthiness design. The methodology utilizes the cellular automata paradigm to generate a concept design.© 2006 ASME
Influence of inclusion content on fatigue crack

Fatigue crack growth rates were measured at room temperature in dry air for three 7075-T6 aluminum alloys with different inclusion content. Volume fractions of inclusions were determined for each alloy by the point count method with two different automated systems. Plots of the fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) vs the stress-intensity-factor range (ΔK) show a well defined change of slope at the transition between plane strain and plane stress fracture. This transition is associated with a marked increase in the amount of fracture by void growth around inclusions. The volume fraction and mean spacing of voids within the cyclic plastic zone have been determined as a function of ΔK by quantitative fractography. Fracture by voids is important when the mean spacing of such voids is approximately equal to the width of the cyclic plastic zone in the plane of the crack. It is concluded that the inclusion content increases the fatigue-crack growth rates only within the plane stress range, that is for values of the stress-intensity-factor range ΔK \s> 20 kpsi√in.
Simultaneous recording of photoreceptor potentials and the PIII component of the ERG

Abstract Photoreceptor potentials were recorded with microclectrodes from the Necturus retina after isolating the P III component of the electroretinogram (ERG) with NaCl and azide. Because both potentials exhibited several common characteristics, such as time of onset and of termination, polarity, configuration, and response to intermittent light stimulation, it was concluded that the photoreceptor potential and the P III are, at the very least, manifestations of the same process. It follows that the photoreceptor potential may be closely related to, if not directly responsible for, the a- and d-waves of the ERG. The battery which generates these potentials is probably not located in that part of the photoreceptor cell membrane impaled by the microelectrode since small quantities of KCl solution added to the vitreous were found to reduce the photoreceptor potential without noticeably affecting the ERG, while larger quantities of KCl, sufficient to isolate the P III component, resulted in the disappearance of the photoreceptor potential.
Patterns of Interpersonal Violence at the Fisher Site

Recent reanalysis of crania from the Late Prehistoric Fisher site in Will County, Illinois indicates relatively high levels of interpersonal violence. In the Big East and Big West mounds, cranial trauma was likely a result of repeated, low-level harassment of the villagers, resulting in the death of only a few people at a time. Numerous burials in the south-southwest mound, however, were interred in a large pit that reportedly contained at least 40 partially disarticulated individuals. Of those individuals from the mass burial pit, nearly all of the crania available for study showed evidence of perimortem trauma. These victims were likely the result of a large-scale attack that resulted in numerous deaths and subsequent abandonment of the site. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) of radiocarbon dates indicate that this violence was occurring between about A.D. 1225 and 1300, a period that seems to have been a particularly volatile one in Late Prehistoric Illinois.
The science and applications of emulsions — an overview

Abstract This review discusses the gradually developing scientific understanding of emulsions and microemulsions over the past 20 years, assesses some current issues and technological challenges, and ends with some speculations on future applications of “smart” emulsion systems.
Stimulation of the cardiopulmonary baroreflex enhances ventricular contractility in awake dogs: a mathematical analysis study

The cardiopulmonary baroreflex responds to an increase in central venous pressure (CVP) by decreasing total peripheral resistance and increasing heart rate (HR) in dogs. However, the direction of v...
Glycopeptides of human immunoglobulins—III: The use and preparation of specific glycosidases

Abstract A method is described by which it is possible to remove as much as 50 per cent of the sugar moieties from intact human immunoglobulins without disrupting the polpeptide chains or the inter- or intrachain bridges. Using specific glycosidases it is relatively easy to remove considerably greater amouns of carbohydrate from isolated glycopeptides; or to prepare intact molecules lacking various combinations of their saccharide components. In addition, the use of these enzymes permit the accumulation of considerable information regarding the sequence and anomeric configuration of the constituent sugars. A technique for preparing specific glycosidases from human epididymis and some of the properties of these enzymes are given.
Correlation of 4-hour vs. 24-hour contact skin penetration toxicity in the rat and rabbit and use of the former for predictions of relative hazard of pesticide formulations.

LD50 values were determined for 4- and 24-hr skin contact periods for 30 materials using both rats and rabbits as well as for 33 additional materials where only the 4-hr rat vs. the 24-hr rabbit results were compared. The correlations using relative ranks or the logarithms of the LD50 were better than those obtained with the raw data. The rat 4-hr vs. 24-hr and similarly the rabbit 4- vs. 24-hr LD50 were well correlated as were also the logarithmically adjusted rat 4-hr and rabbit 24-hr data. Poorer correlations were found in both species in comparing skin penetration vs. peroral LD50. While rat vs. rabbit skin penetration data were well correlated, the following formula should be used to convert the data: log Ŷ = 0.7383 (log X - 0.1480) - 0.3038where Ŷ = predicted rabbit 24-hour LD50X = rat 4-hr LD50 The rat 4-hr skin penetration test was utilized to compare the relative hazard of handling representative pesticide formulations. On the as-marketed formulation basis the solid forms were generally less toxic than the liquid forms.
Numb regulates glioma stem cell fate and growth by altering epidermal growth factor receptor and Skp1-Cullin-F-box ubiquitin ligase activity.

Glioblastoma contains a hierarchy of stem-like cancer cells, but how this hierarchy is established is unclear. Here, we show that asymmetric Numb localization specifies glioblastoma stem-like cell (GSC) fate in a manner that does not require Notch inhibition. Numb is asymmetrically localized to CD133-hi GSCs. The predominant Numb isoform, Numb4, decreases Notch and promotes a CD133-hi, radial glial-like phenotype. However, upregulation of a novel Numb isoform, Numb4 delta 7 (Numb4d7), increases Notch and AKT activation while nevertheless maintaining CD133-hi fate specification. Numb knockdown increases Notch and promotes growth while favoring a CD133-lo, glial progenitor-like phenotype. We report the novel finding that Numb4 (but not Numb4d7) promotes SCFFbw7 ubiquitin ligase assembly and activation to increase Notch degradation. However, both Numb isoforms decrease epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, thereby regulating GSC fate. Small molecule inhibition of EGFR activity phenocopies the effect of Numb on CD133 and Pax6. Clinically, homozygous NUMB deletions and low Numb mRNA expression occur primarily in a subgroup of proneural glioblastomas. Higher Numb expression is found in classical and mesenchymal glioblastomas and correlates with decreased survival. Thus, decreased Numb promotes glioblastoma growth, but the remaining Numb establishes a phenotypically diverse stem-like cell hierarchy that increases tumor aggressiveness and therapeutic resistance. STEM CELLS2012;30:1313–1326
The Political Geography of Protest in Neoliberal Jordan

The armed services and the security apparatuses will protect the march of reform. (King Abdullah II on the occasion of Army Day, June 10, 2005) Studies of protest activities predominantly hav...
Calibration-free wavelength-modulation spectroscopy for measurements of gas temperature and concentration in harsh environments

We present a practical implementation of calibration-free wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second harmonic detection (WMS-2f) for measurements of gas temperature and concentration in harsh environments. The method is applicable to measurements using lasers with synchronous wavelength and intensity modulation (such as injection current-tuned diode lasers). The key factors that enable measurements without the on-site calibration normally associated with WMS are (1) normalization of the WMS-2f signal by the first harmonic (1f) signal to account for laser intensity, and (2) the inclusion of laser-specific tuning characteristics in the spectral-absorption model that is used to compare with measured 1f-normalized, WMS-2f signals to infer gas properties. The uncertainties associated with the calibration-free WMS method are discussed, with particular emphasis on the influence of pressure and optical depth on the WMS signals. Many of these uncertainties are also applicable to calibrated WMS measurements. An example experimental setup that combines six tunable diode laser sources between 1.3 and 2.0 mum into one probe beam for measurements of temperature, H(2)O, and CO(2) is shown. A hybrid combination of wavelength and frequency demultiplexing is used to distinguish among the laser signals, and the optimal set of laser-modulation waveforms is presented. The system is demonstrated in the harsh environment of a ground-test scramjet combustor. A comparison of direct absorption and 1f-normalized, WMS-2f shows a factor of 4 increase in signal-to-noise ratio with the WMS technique for measurements of CO(2) in the supersonic flow. Multidimensional computational fluid-dynamics (CFD) calculations are compared with measurements of temperature and H(2)O using a simple method that accounts for the influence of line-of-sight (LOS) nonuniformity on the absorption measurements. The comparisons show the ability of the LOS calibration-free technique to gain useful information about multidimensional CFD models.
Ocular complications of tangier disease

Tangier disease, or familial high-density lipoprotein deficiency, is an inherited disorder resulting in tissue deposition of excessive cholesterol esters. Although associated corneal clouding has been reported to produce little visual impairment, this patient with Tangier disease had corneal clouding, decreased corneal sensation, and cicatricial ectropion and experienced slowly progressive marked visual impairment. All ocular cases of Tangier disease are reviewed. Ectropion and incomplete eyelid closure may precede corneal clouding and should be recognized as signs associated with Tangier disease. The combination of exposure keratopathy and corneal infiltration can cause significant visual impairment.
The Longitudinal Relationship between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension Skills in Second-Grade Children.

Fluent readers can read connected text with accuracy, automaticity, and prosody. Without practice, automaticity cannot develop in reading, and readers must focus their attention on decoding, limiting their ability to simultaneously comprehend. Researchers have traditionally assumed that fluency and comprehension have a unidirectional relationship whereby fluency affects comprehension. However, a recent study by Klauda and Guthrie suggests that the relationship between fluency and comprehension may be reciprocal over time; that is, comprehension may also predict fluency. In the present study we examine this reciprocal relationship using structural equation modeling. We test various models that measure the relationship between fluency and comprehension over 3 time points spanning an academic year. The results indicate that compared to the traditional model in which fluency predicts concurrent comprehension, models exhibiting a reciprocal relationship do not fit the data better. We discuss the implications o...
X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry Studies of X-Ray-processed Solid CO2

Solid CO2 films have been grown on a stainless steel substrate and processed by X-ray bombardment for up to 6 hr.. The reactions induced were monitored using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mass spectrometry. The XPS results are twofold: direct X-ray photolysis of the CO2 ice produced CO and an unidentified O product, possibly atomic O; secondary effects resulting from surface reactions between CO, O, and residual H from the vacuum environment produced H2CO, CH3OH, and a water ice cap on the CO2 film. The rate of production of CO from direct X-ray photolysis of CO2 is measured to be 5.4 × 102 molecule photon-1, corresponding to a formation cross section of 4.7 × 10-20 cm2. The growth rate for the water cap is calculated to be 2.6 × 10-4 monolayers s-1 for a partial pressure of H equal to 2 × 10-10 Torr. The appearance of gas-phase products from the film showed a time lag which indicates that the diffusion of the product species in the bulk CO2 is affected by some time-dependent process, possibly the creation of defects in the film. A model for the observed time dependence of the dissociation products in the gas phase yields diffusion coefficients in the CO2 of 5 × 10-12 and 1 × 10-12 cm2 s-1, for O and CO, respectively.
Raman Thermometry of an Electro-Thermal Microactuator

Experimentally measured temperature profiles along the micron-scale beam of a working thermal actuator are reported for the first time. Using a surface Raman scattering technique, temperature measurements are obtained in a noncontact fashion with submicron spatial resolution and to within an uncertainty of better than ±10 K. The experimental data are used to validate computational predictions of the actuator thermal performance with reasonable agreement between the data and predicted temperatures.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Critical Differentiation and the Twice Oppressed Social Class and Giftedness

Within disciplines, certain theoretical, ontological, and heuristic frameworks evolve toward axiomatic status over time. This evolution can limit disciplinary growth. Interdisciplinary theorizing can introduce trouble into such frameworks and add the tension necessary for the creation of new knowledge. This theoretical essay provides educators with new ways of thinking about teaching disadvantaged gifted youth. Differentiation, an educational philosophy, is reconceptualized as a form of critical pedagogy termed critical differentiation. The concept of the twice oppressed is presented. This concept suggests that it is possible for children to be oppressed based on social category as well as gifted classification. As in the case of the twice exceptional child who may struggle in classrooms with both dyslexia and giftedness, the twice oppressed child may struggle with both poverty and giftedness. Critical differentiation, or a merger of critical pedagogy and differentiation, may become a step toward resolvin...
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE VENTRAL INTERSEGMENTAL ABDOMINAL MUSCLES OF THE INSECT RHODNIUS PROLIXUS DURING THE MOLTING CYCLE : II. Muscle Changes in Preparation for Molting

The development of the ventral intersegmental abdominal muscles of Rhodnius prolixus is triggered by feeding. The early muscle (1 day after feeding) contains essentially nonstriated fibrils. However, in cross-sections, areas indicating early I bands, Z lines, and A bands can be recognized. Interdigitating thick and thin myofilaments do not assemble into a precise lattice until sometime between 4 and 5 days after feeding. As development continues, the number of fibrils increases, the region corresponding to the Z line increases in density, and the fibrils contain more recognizable striations. The newly formed fibrils broaden as myofilaments are added peripherally. At all stages throughout development, the ratio of thin to thick myofilaments is always 6:1. The formation of fibrils in the abdominal muscles of Rhodnius is different from that in chick embryo skeletal muscle. The major differences are that at all stages in Rhodnius there are (1) a constant ratio of thin to thick myofilaments, and (2) detectable Z-line material. Other findings in Rhodnius suggest (1) that fusion of mononucleated cells with the multinucleated muscle cell occurs, (2) that microtubules develop in the tendon cell concomitantly with development of myofibrils in the associated muscle cell, and (3) that filaments 55A in diameter aggregate into microtubules.
Nonlinear dynamics of viscoelastic flow in axisymmetric abrupt contractions

The steady-state and time-dependent flow transitions observed in a well-characterized viscoelastic fluid flowing through an abrupt axisymmetric contraction are characterized in terms of the Deborah number and contraction ratio by laser-Doppler velocimetry and flow visualization measurements. A sequence of flow transitions are identified that lead to time-periodic, quasi-periodic and aperiodic dynamics near the lip of the contraction and to the formation of an elastic vortex at the lip entrance. This lip vortex increases in intensity and expands outwards into the upstream tube as the Deborah number is increased, until a further flow instability leads to unsteady oscillations of the large elastic vortex. The values of the critical Deborah number for the onset of each of these transitions depends on the contraction ratio β, defined as the ratio of the radii of the large and small tubes. Time-dependent, three-dimensional flow near the contraction lip is observed only for contraction ratios 2 [les ] β [les ] 5, and the flow remains steady for higher contraction ratios. Rounding the corner of the 4:1 abrupt contraction leads to increased values of Deborah number for the onset of these flow transitions, but does not change the general structure of the transitions.
Quaternary Divergence and Holocene Secondary Contact via the Northwest Passage in the Circumpolar Lathyrus japonicus (Leguminosae)

Abstract We used the geographic distribution of genetic diversity in the beach pea, Lathyrus japonicus (Leguminosae) to reconstruct the location of a Pleistocene refugium and Holocene range expansion. DNA sequence data for the chloroplast ndhF-trnH spacer from a global sample of 22 populations in Asia, North America, and Europe were used to assess broad-scale, circumpolar patterns. The cpDNA data revealed five haplotypes including two largely allopatric, widespread haplotypes (one Pacific, the other Atlantic and inland in the Great Lakes). Three geographically restricted haplotypes were also recovered: one each in New Jersey, Lake Champlain, and the Pacific Northwest. The distribution of isozyme variation at 14 loci for 38 populations of beach peas from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, Lake Champlain, and the Great Lakes was used to reconstruct a North American history. One subset of allozymes was found on the Atlantic Coast and in the Great Lakes; a second subset was widespread from nort...
The association between physical activity and subclinical atherosclerosis: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Prior reports regarding the association between physical activity and subclinical cardiovascular disease have not been consistent. The authors assessed physical activity and walking pace via questionnaire among 6,482 US adults aged 45-84 years without prior clinical cardiovascular disease participating in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis from 2000 to 2002. Ankle-brachial index (ABI), coronary artery calcification, and internal and common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. Metabolic equivalent-hours/week of physical activity were calculated. These data were analyzed by using multivariable linear or relative prevalence regression in gender-specific strata. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, clinic site, education, income, and smoking (model 1), increasing total, moderate + vigorous, and intentional-exercise physical activity were not associated with IMT or coronary artery calcification in either gender. These factors were associated with increased ABI (P < 0.05) in women only. Walking pace was associated favorably with common carotid IMT, ABI, and coronary artery calcification in men and with common carotid IMT and ABI in women (all P < 0.05) after adjustment for model 1 variables. These associations were attenuated and, for common carotid IMT, no longer significant when lipids, hypertension, diabetes, and body mass index were added to the model. These data suggest that walking pace is associated with less subclinical atherosclerosis; these associations may be mediated by cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Interaction between a 54-Kilodalton Mammalian Cell Surface Protein and Cowpea Mosaic Virus

Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), a plant virus that is a member of the picornavirus superfamily, is increasingly being used for nanotechnology applications, including material science, vascular imaging, vaccine development, and targeted drug delivery. For these applications, it is critical to understand the in vivo interactions of CPMV within the mammalian system. Although the bioavailability of CPMV in the mouse has been demonstrated, the specific interactions between CPMV and mammalian cells need to be characterized further. Here we demonstrate that although the host range for replication of CPMV is confined to plants, mammalian cells nevertheless bind and internalize CPMV in significant amounts. This binding is mediated by a conserved 54-kDa protein found on the plasma membranes of both human and murine cell lines. Studies using a deficient cell line, deglycosidases, and glycosylation inhibitors showed that the CPMV binding protein (CPMV-BP) is not glycosylated. A possible 47-kDa isoform of the CPMV-BP was also detected in the organelle and nuclear subcellular fraction prepared from murine fibroblasts. Further characterization of CPMV-BP is important to understand how CPMV is trafficked through the mammalian system and may shed light on how picornaviruses may have evolved between plant and animal hosts.
Middle and upper thermospheric odd nitrogen: 1. A new analysis of rocket data

We evaluate the NRLMSISE-00 model for calculations of odd nitrogen (NO, N(4S)) in the middle to upper thermosphere (z = 140-250 km). NRLMSISE-00 incorporates new data on O 2 that improves the agreement between odd nitrogen models and data significantly. In particular, the photochemical calculation that uses NRLMSISE-00 predicts a NO solar cycle variation that is significantly less than previous calculations and that agrees well with the NO observations. This agreement is consistent with the inference from FUV solar occultation data that the O 2 abundance above 140 km varies weakly with solar activity and that the O 2 vertical profile at solar maximum is sensitive to other factors besides molecular diffusion. Residual discrepancies remain with the comparison of calculated to observed N( 4 S), which may be due to a combination of theoretical deficiencies and uncertainties in the observations.
Estimating modes of a complex dynamical network from impulse response data: Structural and graph‐theoretic characterizations

Summary We examine the role played by a linear dynamical network's topology in inference of its eigenvalues from noisy impulse-response data. Specifically, for a canonical linear-time-invariant network dynamics, we relate the Cramer–Rao bounds on eigenvalue estimator performance (from impulse-response data) to structural properties of the transfer function and in turn, to the network's topological structure. We begin by reviewing and enhancing algebraic characterizations of such eigenvalue estimates, which are based on pole-residue and pole-zero representations of the network's dynamics. We use these results to characterize mode estimation in networks with slow-coherency structures, finding that stimulus and observation in each strongly connected network subgraph is needed for high-fidelity estimation. We also obtain spectral and graphical characterizations of estimator performance for other graph classes (e.g., trees) and for the general case. These characterizations are used to determine the role of measurement and actuation locations in estimation performance. Finally, application of our results in dynamical-network security is illustrated through a simple example, and a concrete procedure for network mode estimation that draws on our structural results is introduced to conclude the article. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi-objective design optimization of Surface Mount Permanent Magnet machine with particle swarm intelligence

An efficient multi-objective design method with particle swarm optimization (PSO) is developed for surface mount permanent magnet machines to reduce the complexity in the PMSM machine design. First an analytical model of the PMSM machinepsilas geometry is developed and results are verified by finite element analysis. With proper design specification and assumption, the design input variables in this model can be reduced to as low as two, which significantly simplifies the optimization process. PSO is then applied to this analytical model. Compared to the traditional machine design methods, this proposed algorithm finds the optimized solution with fast computation and high convergence.
Comparison of Cheng's Index- and SSR Marker-based Classification of Asian Cultivated Rice

Abstract A total of 100 cultivated rice accessions, with a clear isozyme-based classification, were analyzed based on Cheng's index and simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker. The results showed that the isozyme-based classification was in high accordance with that based on Cheng's index and SSR markers. Mantel-test revealed that the Euclidean distance of Cheng's index was significantly correlated with Nei's unbiased genetic distance of SSR markers (r = 0.466, P ≤ 0.01). According to the model-based group and cluster analysis, the Cheng's index- and SSR-based classification coincided with each other, with the goodness of fit of 82.1% and 84.7% in indica, 97.4% and 95.1% in japonica, respectively, showing higher accordance than that within subspecies. Therefore, Cheng's index could be used to classify subspecies, while SSR marker could be more efficient to analyze the subgroups within subspecies.
Electron Energies in Oxides

Construction of outer-electron energies in oxides is reviewed within the context of an ionic model. The 5s and 6s conduction bands of Group-B metals are distinguished from the s bands of other main-group oxides. Localized 4f n configuration energies are located relative to the edges of the broad bands in rare-earth oxides, and some physical properties imparted by 4f electrons in mixed-valent or intermediate-valent oxides are indicated. Conditions for localized versus itinerant d electrons and for ionic versus covalent bonding in the transition-metal oxides are stressed in addition to the location of the Fermi energy relative to the edges of the broad s and p bands.
Elimination of DC offset in accurate phasor estimation using recursive wavelet transform

DC offset has significant effect on extracting fundamental frequency components. It directly impacts the accuracy of the fundamental frequency component based protective relaying algorithms. This paper proposes a novel method for estimating the fundamental phasor while eliminating the dc offset using improved recursive wavelet transform. The proposed approach converges to the actual value in less than one cycle, and the computation burden is fairly low because of the recursive formula. Studies indicate that to achieve a certain level of accuracy, the higher sampling frequency one uses, the shorter data window the computation needs, and vice versa. Comparing with conventional DFT filter, simulation results demonstrate that the proposed phasor estimation method achieves better performance.
Trajectory inverse kinematics by conditional density modes

We present a machine learning approach for trajectory inverse kinematics: given a trajectory in workspace, to find a feasible trajectory in angle space. The method learns offline a conditional density model of the joint angles given the workspace coordinates. This density implicitly defines the multivalued inverse kinematics mapping for any workspace point. At run time, given a trajectory in the workspace, the method (1) computes the modes of the conditional density given each of the workspace points, and (2) finds the reconstructed angle trajectory by minimising over the set of modes a global, trajectory-wide constraint that penalises discontinuous jumps in angle space or invalid inverses. We demonstrate the method with a PUMA 560 robot arm and show how it can reconstruct the true angle trajectory even when the workspace trajectory contains singularities, and when the number of inverse branches depends on the workspace location.
Blade-Vortex Interaction Airloads Prediction Using Multidisciplinary Coupling

Predictions of blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise, using blade airloads obtained from a coupled aerodynamic, structural, and acoustics methodology, are presented. This methodology uses an iterative, loosely-coupled trim strategy for exchanging information between the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code OVERFLOW-2 and the computational structural dynamics (CSD) and rotorcraft comprehensive code CAMRAD-II. Results are compared to the HART-II rotor baseline conditions. It is shown that this state-of-the-art CFD/CSD approach is able to capture BVI induced blade airloads and noise radiation characteristics. Predicted BVI airloads on the advancing and retreating sides agree well with the measured data. Although the BVI airloads and noise amplitudes are generally under-predicted, the CFD/CSD coupled methodology provides an overall noteworthy improvement over the lifting line aerodynamics with free-wake models typically used for CSD comprehensive analysis.
NAD(P)H oxidase-induced oxidative stress in sympathetic ganglia of apolipoprotein E deficient mice.

Abstract Superoxide anion (O 2 •− ) is increased throughout the arterial wall in atherosclerosis. The oxidative stress contributes to lesion formation and vascular dysfunction. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that NAD(P)H oxidase-derived O 2 •− is increased in nodose sensory ganglia and sympathetic ganglia of apolipoprotein E deficient (apoE −/− ) mice, an established animal model of atherosclerosis. O 2 •− measured ex vivo by L-012-enhanced chemiluminescence was increased by 79 ± 17% in whole sympathetic ganglia from apoE −/− mice ( n = 5) compared with sympathetic ganglia from control mice ( n = 5) ( P 2 •− was not elevated in nodose ganglia from apoE −/− mice. Dihydroethidium staining confirmed the selective increase in O 2 •− in sympathetic ganglia of apoE −/− mice, and revealed the contribution of both neurons and non-neuronal cells to the O 2 •− generation. We investigated the enzymatic source of increased O 2 •− in sympathetic ganglia of apoE −/− mice. The mRNA expression of gp91phox, p22phox, p67phox, and p47phox subunits of NAD(P)H oxidase measured by real time RT-PCR was increased ∼ 3–4 fold in sympathetic ganglia of apoE −/− mice ( n = 5) compared with control ganglia ( n = 5). NADPH oxidase activity measured by lucigenin chemiluminescence was increased by 68 ± 12% in homogenates of sympathetic ganglia from apoE −/− mice ( n = 7) compared with control ganglia ( n = 7) ( P 2 •− generation. We speculate that oxidative stress in sympathetic ganglia may contribute to impaired baroreflex control of sympathetic nerve activity.
A Cost-Effective Modeling Approach for Simulating Phase Change and Flow Boiling in Microchannels

High-fidelity simulation of flow boiling in microchannels remains a challenging problem, but the increasing interest in applications of microscale two-phase transport highlight its importance. In this paper, a volume of fluid (VOF)-based flow boiling model is proposed with computational expense-saving features that enable cost-effective simulation of two-phase flow and heat transfer in realistic geometries. The vapor and liquid phases are distinguished using a color function which represents the local volume fraction of the tracked phase. Mass conservation is satisfied by solving the transport equations for both phases with a finite-volume approach. In order to predict phase change at the liquid-vapor interface, evaporative heat and mass source terms are calculated using a novel, saturated-interface-volume phase change model that fixes the interface at the saturation temperature at each time step to achieve stability. Numerical oscillation of the evaporation source terms is thus eliminated and a non-iterative time advancement scheme can be adopted to reduce computational cost. The reference frame is set to move with the vapor slug to artificially increase the local velocity magnitude in the thin liquid film region in the relative frame, which reduces the influence of numerical errors resulting from calculation of the surface tension force, and thus suppresses the development of spurious currents. This allows use of non-uniform meshes that can efficiently resolve high-aspect-ratio geometries and flow features and significantly reduces the overall numerical expense. The proposed model is used to simulate the growth of a vapor bubble in a heated 2D axisymmetric microchannel. The bubble motion, bubble growth rate, liquid film thickness, and local heat transfer coefficient along the wall are compared against previous numerical studies.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Using Antibiotic Conjugated Magnetic Nanoparticles and a Magnetic Field for the Treatment of Bone Prosthetic Infections

Bacterial infection of bone (called osteomyelitis) is of great concern to the medical community. In addition to bone, numerous medical devices are susceptible to microbial colonization when implanted. These infections are chronic since bacteria form a robust adhesion to surfaces, can be protected by sticky slime matrix (called a biofilm) from the body’s immune system (which would otherwise naturally clear the bacteria), and antibiotic treatments may not resolve such infections (due to antibiotic resistance). Here, the multifunctional properties of magnetic nanoparticles (termed here superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, or SPION) will be explored for their antibacterial activity, magnetic properties, and drug deliverable properties. This study provides a first step towards the development of a new type of pharmaceutical useful for orthopedic or other device related infections by demonstrating physical (magnetic) control of antibiotics towards bacteria and biofilms.