cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An experimental study of sandwich injection molding of two polymer melts using simultaneous injection

An experimental study of two phase flow of polymer melts relating to injection molding has been carried out. The experiments specifically concern rheological phenomena which may occur when two melts are simultaneously injected through a runner system leading to a mold cavity. Injection in the form of annulus-core configurations and simple stratified flow are investigated. A new injection molding method is proposed which is based upon the latter technique. Encapsulation of one melt by the other occurs in the runner system and formation of a sandwich structure in the cavity results. Annulus-core injected configurations were only found to be stable when the lower-viscosity melt is in the annular region.
Tutorial: RAM-based Circuits and Architectures for Multimedia and Signal Processing SOCs

In recent years, a growing class of SOCs has emerged for mobile applications, such as portable desktops, digital pens, audio- and video-based multimedia products, wireless communications and imaging systems, personal digital assistants, personal communicators and smart cards. These SOCs demand high-speed, high-throughput computations, complex functionalities and often real-time processing capabilities. The performance of these SOCs is mostly limited by lifetime of batteries. Thus, new design approaches and methodologies that produce more power-efficient and higher throughput designs are greatly desired. In recent years, the use of SIMD (single instruction multiple data) or MIMD (multiple instruction multiple data) architectures is spreading into the general DSP domain due to recent innovations that boost performance and flexibility of the architectures by several orders of magnitude. The Processor-in-Memory (PIM) environment provides a unique prospective because the impact of low-power techniques on performance is more sensitive in PIM than in standard RAM. The performance balancing in PIM architectures plays a critical role. Even though PIM concept is not new, recent breakthroughs pushed the application domain from traditional multimedia use to general signal processing use. This tutorial provides a unique overview and prospective of these recent developments to a much broader audience. The tutorial covers recent developments presented in literature and the most recent advances proposed by the author and his research group.
FDM systems and local adaptive slicing

Abstract Fabrication times for layered manufacturing systems can be significantly reduced by continuously maximizing the build layer thickness, within the bounds of the system's fabrication capabilities and the surface deviation tolerance derived from the part surface geometry. This paper describes how parts and features within a build volume can be adaptively sliced independently of each other such that each is fabricated with distinct build layer thicknesses. This enables significant reduction in fabrication times relative to conventional adaptive build layer thickness techniques. The new approach has been implemented on a FDM 1600 rapid prototyping system, together with a revised system calibration to ensure smooth surface transitions between dissimilar build layer thicknesses.
Perturbation theory for the electrical conductivity of quasiperiodic lattices

Small energy denominators are argued not to cause difficulties for studies of the electrical conductivity of quasicrystals by the present author, using perturbation theory.
Active Load Control for Airfoils using Microtabs

Micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) translational tabs are introduced for active load control on aerodynamic surfaces such as wind turbine rotor blades. Microtabs are mounted near the trailing edge of rotor blades, deploy approximately normal to the surface, and have a maximum deployment height on the order of the boundary-layer thickness. Deployment of the tab effectively changes the sectional chamber of the rotor blade, thereby changing its aerodynamic characteristics. A tab with tab height to blade section chord ratio, h/c, of 0.01 causes an increase in the section lift coefficient, C 1 , of approximately 0.3, with minimal drag penalty. This paper presents a proof of concept microtab design and the multi-disciplinary techniques used to fabricate and test the tabs. Computational and experimental wind tunnel results for a representative airfoil using fixed as well as remotely actuated tabs are compared. Although the specifics of load control limitations, including actuation and response times will require further research, the results presented demonstrate the significant potential for using microtabs for active load control.
Methyl substitution of a rexinoid agonist improves potency and reveals site of lipid toxicity.

(2E,4E,6Z,8E)-8-(3′,4′-Dihydro-1′(2′H)-naphthalen-1′-ylidene)-3,7-dimethyl-2,4,6-octatrienoic acid, 9cUAB30, is a selective rexinoid that displays substantial chemopreventive capacity with little toxicity. 4-Methyl-UAB30, an analogue of 9cUAB30, is a potent RXR agonist but caused increased lipid biosynthesis unlike 9cUAB30. To evaluate how methyl substitution influenced potency and lipid biosynthesis, we synthesized four 9cUAB30 homologues with methyl substitutions at the 5-, 6-, 7-, or 8-position of the tetralone ring. The syntheses and biological evaluations of these new analogues are reported here along with the X-ray crystal structures of each homologue bound to the ligand binding domain of hRXRα. We demonstrate that each homologue of 9cUAB30 is a more potent agonist, but only the 7-methyl-9cUAB30 caused severe hyperlipidemia in rats. On the basis of the X-ray crystal structures of these new rexinoids and bexarotene (Targretin) bound to hRXRα-LBD, we reveal that each rexinoid, which induced hyperlipid...
Russia's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent: Realistic or Uncertain?

The U.S.-Russian nuclear relationship is not a Cold War anachronism, as many assume, but a vital constituent of a robust international body politic. War between Russia and America is unlikely, but misunderstanding and misperception with respect to their military ends and means are not. U.S. nuclear modernization plans impact on Russian perceptions of their great-power status and vice versa. The U.S. and Russia are downsizing their numbers of operationally deployed strategic nuclear weapons to meet the Moscow Treaty (SORT) requirements. Even Moscow Treaty–compliant forces will be well in excess of what some experts regard as necessary for deterrence.
Suppressive effects of chlorphenesin on lymphocyte function in mice and humans

Abstract The immunosuppressive action of chlorphenesin was investigated in a wide variety of in vitro assays for cellular immunity in humans and mice. Chlorphenesin, at doses of 20–50 μg/ml, inhibited mitogenic responses of both mouse and human B and T cells. These doses did not kill cells exposed to the drug for 72 hr. Mixed lymphocyte reactions in inbred strains of mice and in unrelated humans were also inhibited at concentrations of about 50 μg/ml. However, the generation of cytotoxic T cells in cell-mediated lympholysis assays was not inhibited to the same degree as proliferation in mixed lymphocyte reaction and the cytotoxic potential of presensitized mouse T cells for allogeneic targets was totally unaffected. These studies suggest that chlorphenesin may have a broad spectrum of suppressive effects both on T and B cells and that the predominant inhibition of proliferative responses in these cells may reduce the expansion of clones of immuno-competent cells in vivo .
Discoidin I-membrane interactions I. Discoidin I binds to two types of receptor on fixed Dictyostelium discoideum cells

Abstract Under physiological buffer conditions (17 mM Pi, pH 6.3), the endogenous lectin of Dictyostelium discoideum, discoidin I, binds to two types of receptors on the surface of glutaraldehyde-fixed, wild-type (NC-4) D. discoideum cells. We have designated these two types of receptors the carbohydrate or C sites and the ionic or I sites. Binding to the C sites is saturable with respect to discoidin I and is inhibited by hapten sugars (such as N- acetyl - d - galactosamine ), but not by increasing buffer ionic strength with NaCl or polyelectrolytes. The number of C sites increases about 4-fold during the first 8.5 h of suspension differentiation, reaching a capacity for about 2–104 discoidin I tetramers per cell. The binding activity of the C sites is reduced about 50% by sequential NaIO4 oxidation/NaBH4 reduction of the fixed cells, but it is not reduced by CHCl3-CH3OH extraction of the fixed cells. In marked contrast, binding to the I sites appears nonsaturable with respect to discoidin I, and it is inhibited by increasing buffer ionic strength with NaCl or polyelectrolytes (such as poly- l -glutamic acid or heparin), but not by hapten sugars. The I sites are present on both vegetative and differentiated fixed cells and can bind more than 106 discoidin I tetramers per cell. The binding activity of the I sites on fixed cells is not reduced by sequential NaIO4 oxidation/NaBH4 reduction, but is reduced 70 to 90% by CHCl3-CH3OH extraction. The data suggest that the I sites represent ionic lipids that bind discoidin I electrostatically.
Attentional flexibility in the thalamus: now we're getting SOMwhere

Loss of the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4 in somatostatin (SOM) inhibitory neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) enhances top-down cortical feedback, improving feature detection at the cost of reduced ability to switch attention. The study furthers our understanding of the circuit mechanisms underlying TRN function.
The separation of ethylbenzene from p‐ and m‐xylene by extractive distillation using mixtures of polychloro compounds

The use of a single compound as the agent in modifying the apparent relative volatility in extractive distillation is well known. In the separation of ethylbenzene from para- and meta-xylenes by extractive distillation, it was found that mixtures containing from two to four components were more effective than any known single compound. Hundreds of combinations of extractive agents were investigated in vapor-liquid equilibrium stills, and from these, twenty-seven different combinations of chlorinated organic compounds showed merit. The relative volatility of ethylbenzene to p-xylene is 1.06 and to m-xylene 1.08. The promising combinations were investigated in three glass perforated plate extractive distillation columns containing twelve, fifteen and nineteen theoretical plates, respectively. Of the twenty-seven different extractive agents tested in the columns, sixteen yielded a relative volatility greater than 1.20. The best one, a mixture of pentachlorophenol, benzene hexachloride and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, gave a relative volatility of 1.27. Other combinations approaching this relative volatility are pentachlorophenol, benzene hexachloride and 2,4-dichlorotoluene giving 1.25 and polychlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol, benzene hexachloride and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene giving 1.26, when used in the ratio of two parts of extractive agent to one part of ethylbenzene-xylene mixture. All the extractive agents boil sufficiently above xylene to make their recovery by distillation easy and complete. Life studies showed no excessive decomposition of any of them while in use.
Polar, functionalized diene-based material. III. Free-radical polymerization of 2-[(N,N-dialkylamino)methyl]-1,3-butadienes

The bulk free-radical polymerization of 2-[((N,N-dialkylamino)methyl]-1,3-butadiene with methyl, ethyl, and n-propyl substituents was studied. The monomers were synthesized via substitution reactions of 2-bromomethyl-1,3-butadiene with the corresponding dialkylamines. For each monomer the effects of the polymerization initiator, initiator concentration, and reaction temperature on the final polymer structure, molecular weight, and glass-transition temperature (T g ) were examined. Using 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator at 75 °C, the resulting polymers displayed a majority of 1,4 microstructures. As the temperature was increased to 100 and 125 °C using t-butylperacetate and t-butylhydroperoxide, the percentage of the 3,4 microstructure increased. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that all of the T g values were lower than room temperature. The T g values were higher when the majority of the polymer structure was 1,4 and decreased as the percentage of the 3,4 microstructure increased. The Diels-Alder side products found in the polymer samples were characterized using NMR and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods. The polymerization temperature and initiator concentration were identified as the key factors that influenced the Diels-Alder dimer yield.
Teaching Computational Economics in an Applied Economics Program

Effective teaching of computational methods to economists in an introductory graduate-level course requires difficult choices regarding the material to be covered, the level at which the material will be covered, and the role of assigned exercises, laboratory sessions, and required readings. In this paper, I discuss the goals that I set and the pedagogical choices that I make in teaching computational methods to doctoral students in economics in a quarter-length course. The discussion is based on 15 years of teaching computational methods to students with a broad range of research interests and professional objectives. I also discuss some of the pedagogical obstacles that I often face when teaching the course and how I address them. I hope that the discussion will provide a useful starting point for instructors wishing to develop computational methods courses in other economics graduate programs.
Absolute configurational assignment of self-organizing asymmetric tripodal ligand-metal complexes.

The solution configuration of labile coordination complexes may be difficult to determine, even in cases in which the solid state structure is known. We have previously synthesized a series of chiral ligands which form pseudo-C3-symmetric complexes with ZnII and CuII salts that possess an available electrophilic coordination site. Molecular modeling of ZnII complexes of the chiral ligand N,N-bis[(2-quinolyl)methyl]-1-(2-pyridyl)ethanamine (α-MeBQPA) showed that the spatial arrangement of the heterocyclic arms is controlled by a substituent on one methylene arm, resulting in the adoption of an enantiomeric conformation displaying a propeller-like asymmetry. In this paper we report the application of the exciton chirality method to the determination of the conformation of asymmetric metal-ligand complexes in solution. There is a good correlation between the predicted and the observed Cotton effects, demonstrating that the geometry in solution closely resembles that predicted by computational simulations and those obtained by X-ray crystallographic studies of metal complexes with racemic and enantiomerically pure ligands. The X-ray crystallographic structure of the first optically pure complex in this series is reported. Chirality 9:616–622, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Perceived risk as a factor influencing attitudes toward physically disabled children

The effects of perceptions of risk on attitudes toward handicapped children were studied. Five hundred twenty two nonhandicapped children between the ages of 8 and 19 were assigned to one of four experimental conditions in a basic 2×2 (Risk×Interview) paradigm. Some subjects were assigned to a high risk condition whereby if they indicated they would like to be friends with a handicapped peer, they were told that they might actually have to befriend a handicapped youngster who was about to enter their class; other subjects were not told about any personal involvement with the handicapped child. In the Interview factor, about half the subjects were informed that their attitudes would be known to other group members, the other half of subjects were told their attitudes would remain private. The 2×2 paradigm was studied with children at three ages levels: 8–11; 12–15; 16–19. Results revealed three significant main effects, generally supporting the hypothesis regarding the effects of risk factors.
The clinical pharmacology of intranasal l-methamphetamine

We studied the pharmacology of l-methamphetamine, the less abused isomer, when used as a nasal decongestant. 12 subjects self-administered l-methamphetamine from a nonprescription inhaler at the recommended dose (16 inhalations over 6 hours) then at 2 and 4 (32 and 64 inhalations) times this dose. In a separate session intravenous phenylephrine (200 μg) and l-methamphetamine (5 mg) were given to define alpha agonist pharmacology and bioavailability. Physiological, cardiovascular, pharmacokinetic, and subjective effects were measured. Plasma l-methamphetamine levels were often below the level of quantification so bioavailability was estimated by comparing urinary excretion of the intravenous and inhaled doses, yielding delivered dose estimates of 74.0 ± 56.1, 124.7 ± 106.6, and 268.1 ± 220.5 μg for ascending exposures (mean 4.2 ± 3.3 μg/inhalation). Physiological changes were minimal and not dose-dependent. Small decreases in stroke volume and cardiac output suggesting mild cardiodepression were seen. Inhaled l-methamphetamine delivered from a non-prescription product produced minimal effects but may be a cardiodepressant.
On Hitting Children: A Review of Corporal Punishment in the United States

Research has clearly demonstrated associations between corporal punishment of children and maladaptive behavior patterns such as aggression and delinquency. Hitting children is an act of violence and a clear violation of children's human rights. In this article, the position of the United States on corporal punishment of children is discussed. Professional and international progress on ending corporal punishment is explained, and the relationship between corporal punishment and child abuse is discussed. An appeal is made for prevention efforts such as parent education and removal of social sanctions for hitting children that may hold significant promise for preventing child maltreatment.
Expert system-user integrated adaptive systems

Abstract Many expert systems operate in dynamic environments where various pertinent environmental variables and conditions vary with the passage of time. These environmental variables and conditions may affect both the set of conditions applied to input variables of expert systems and the set of recommendations provided by expert systems. For this reason, expert systems developed according to dynamic structure will generate timely recommendations. To incorporate dynamic characteristics into the structure of expert systems, it is necessary to develop expert systems as adaptive systems. This paper intends to integrate concepts of learning and adaptiveness into expert system technology. Expert systems used to assist loan officers in improving the decision-making process of commercial loans are typical examples of expert systems that operate in dynamic environments. This paper illustrates that the quality of information provided to loan officers by expert systems may be improved when expert systems are designed as adaptive expert systems.
Stromal cells expressing elevated VCAM-1 enhance survival of B lineage tumor cells

In the current study we generated murine bone marrow stromal cells that constitutively express human VCAM-1. These stromal cell lines allow investigation of the contribution of VCAM-1 initiated signaling to tumor cell survival. Co-culture of ALL cell lines with stromal cells engineered to over express VCAM-1 enhanced survival of leukemic cells in a PI-3 kinase-dependent manner, compared to co-culture with parental stromal cells expressing only endogenous VCAM-1. These observations suggest that modulation of stromal cell VCAM-1 by specific chemotherapeutic drugs may have utility in decreasing residual disease. In addition, these novel lines provide an in vitro model in which other tumor types that interact with stromal cells in the bone marrow microenvironment may be evaluated to determine the contribution of VCAM-1 initiated signaling to modulation of treatment response.
Proximate Composition, Cholesterol, and Calcium Content in Mechanically Separated Fish Flesh From Three Species of the Gadidae Family

Minced fish flesh, as well as the intact fillet, from three species of the Gadidae family were analyzed for proximate composition, cholesterol, and calcium content. Minced fish meat produced from commercially scaled whiting had elevated levels of calcium (about 0.11%) over levels found in filleted flesh (0.03%). Hand scaling prior to mincing brought the calcium content close to levels found in skinless fillets. The minced flesh for all species had the following ranges of values for proximate composition expressed as percent of wet weight: protein, 14–17%; fat, 0.4–2.0%; moisture, 81–84%; ash, 0.5–1.9%.
The Lysophosphatidylinositol Receptor GPR55 Modulates Pain Perception in the Periaqueductal Gray.

Emerging evidence indicates the involvement of GPR55 and its proposed endogenous ligand, lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI), in nociception, yet their role at central pain processing has not been explored. Using Ca2+ imaging, we show here that LPI elicits concentration-dependent and GPR55-mediated increases in intracellular Ca2+ levels in dissociated rat periaqueductal gray (PAG) neurons, which express GPR55 mRNA. This effect is mediated by Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors and by Ca2+ entry via P/Q-type of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Moreover, LPI depolarizes PAG neurons and upon intra-PAG microinjection, reduces nociceptive threshold in the hot plate test. Both these effects are dependent on GPR55 activation, since they are abolished by pretreatment with ML-193, a selective GPR55 antagonist. Thus, we provide the first pharmacological evidence that GPR55 activation at central levels is pronociceptive, suggesting that interfering with GPR55 signaling in the PAG may promote analgesia.
Intimate partner violence among military veterans and active duty servicemen

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that has received increased attention in the military. We review existing literature regarding prevalence, consequences, correlates, and treatment of IPV perpetration among military veterans and active duty servicemen. Rates of IPV across these military populations range from 13.5% to 58%, with considerably lower rates obtained among samples not selected on the basis of psychopathology. For both military veterans and active duty servicemen, IPV results in significant victim injury and negative child outcomes, and problematic substance use, depression, and antisocial characteristics represent psychiatric correlates of IPV perpetration. For veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder also is an important correlate that largely accounts for the relationship between combat exposure and IPV perpetration. Additional correlates include military service factors, relationship adjustment, childhood trauma, and demographic factors. The only experimentally controlled IPV treatment study indicates that standard treatments are ineffective for active duty servicemen. Further research is needed to advance the development of etiological models of IPV among military populations, to determine whether such models necessarily differ from those developed among civilians, and to rigorously test IPV interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of these individuals.
Robotic-Assisted, Body-Weight–Supported Treadmill Training in Individuals Following Motor Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Background and Purpose. Performance of therapist-assisted, body-weight–supported treadmill training (BWSTT) to enhance walking ability of people with neurological injury is an area of intense research. Its application in the clinical setting, however, is limited by the personnel and labor requirements placed on physical therapists. Recent development of motorized (“robotic”) rehabilitative devices that provide assistance during stepping may improve delivery of BWSTT. Case Description. This case report describes the use of a robotic device to enhance motor recovery and ambulation in 3 people following motor incomplete spinal cord injury. Interventions. Changes in motor impairment, functional limitations, and locomotor disability were monitored weekly during robotic-assisted BWSTT and following transition to therapist-assisted BWSTT with the assistance of one therapist. Outcomes. Following this training, 2 patients recovered independent over-ground walking and another improved his gait speed and endurance. Discussion. The use of robotic devices may assist physical therapists by providing task-specific practice of stepping in people following neurological injury.
Inhibition of Aβ production and APP maturation by a specific PKA inhibitor

Alzheimer's disease is characterized pathologically by extracellular amyloid beta protein (Abeta) deposition in the brain. The Abeta peptide, a 39-42 amino acid fragment, is derived from defined proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) [Glenner et al., Appl. Pathol. 2 (1984) 357-369; Selkoe, Neuron 6 (1991) 487-498] and is the primary component of senile plaques. Although it is known that intracellular APP is subjected to posttranslational modification, the molecular mechanism that regulates the APP processing is not completely clear. In the present study, we demonstrates that H89, a specific inhibitor for cAMP dependent protein kinase A (PKA), inhibits Abeta production and APP secretion in a dose dependent manner in cells stably transfected with human APP bearing a 'Swedish mutation'. Concurrent with the effect, H89 inhibits C-terminal fragment of the APP. We also found that the PKA inhibitor abolishes the mature form of intracellular APP and accumulates the immature form. Finally, direct administration of H89 into brains of transgenic mice overexpressing human APP shows that the compound inhibits Abeta production in the hippocampal region. Our data suggests that PKA plays an important role in the maturation of APP associated with APP processing.
Reducing risk, increasing protective factors: Findings from the Caribbean Youth Health Survey

Abstract Purpose To identify the prevalence of health-compromising behaviors, and the risk and protective factors associated with them among youth in the Caribbean, and to predict the likelihood of these outcomes given the presence or absence of the risk and protective factors. Methods Analyses were done on the results of a 1997–98 survey of over 15,500 young people in nine countries of the Caribbean Community. The four health-compromising behaviors studied included violence involvement, sexual intercourse, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Logistic regression was used to identify the strongest risk and protective factors, and also to create models for predicting the outcomes given combinations of the risk and protective factors. Results Rage was the strongest risk factor for every health-compromising behavior for both genders, and across all age groups, and school connectedness was the strongest protective factor. For many of the outcomes studied, increased protective factors were associated with as much or more reduction of involvement in health-compromising behaviors than a decrease in risk factors. Conclusion This research suggests the importance of strengthening the protective factors in the lives of vulnerable youth not just reducing risk.
An Empirical Analysis of Students’ Learning and Achievements: A Motivational Approach

The present study details a theoretical-conceptual model, scoping the interrelations between antecedents (academic buoyancy, emotional and physiological states, task value), cognitive processes (habitual action, critical reflection), and adaptive outcomes (academic engagement, academic achievement) in the context of educational psychology. 294 (151 men, 143 women) first-year university students participated in this study. Likert-scale inventories were administered to students and used to elicit relevant data; for example, we used the Academic Buoyancy Scale [1, 2], and the Task value subscale of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)[3]. Academic achievement was collated from students’ overall marks in the unit educational psychology. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses supported, in part, the conceptual model with some statistical significant paths. In general, on the basis of the findings yielded, there are significant implications for research development and educational practices.
Interactions of NBU1 IntN1 and Orf2x Proteins with Attachment Site DNA

NBU1 is a mobilizable transposon found in Bacteroides spp. Mobilizable transposons require gene products from coresident conjugative transposons for excision and transfer to recipient cells. The integration of NBU1 requires IntN1, which has been identified as a tyrosine recombinase, as well as Bacteroides host factor BHFa. Excision of NBU1 is a more complicated process, involving five element-encoded proteins (IntN1, Orf2, Orf2x, Orf3, and PrmN1) as well as a Bacteroides host factor and a cis-acting DNA sequence. Little has been known about what role the proteins play in excision, although IntN1 and Orf2x have been shown to be the only proteins absolutely required for detectable excision. To determine where IntN1 and Orf2x bind during the excision of NBU1, both proteins were partially purified and tested in DNase I footprinting experiments with the excisive attachment sites attL and attR. The results demonstrate that IntN1 binds to four core-type sites that flank the region of cleavage and strand exchange, as well as six arm-type sites. A unique feature of the system is the location of DR2a and DR2b arm-type sites immediately downstream of the attL core. The DR1a, DR1b, DR3a, and DR3b arm-type sites were shown to be required for in vitro integration of NBU1. In addition, we have identified one Orf2x binding site (O1) on attL as well as a dA+dT-rich upstream element that is required for Orf2x interactions with O1.
Dynamics of Rapid Localized Heating in Nanosecond Pulse Discharges for High Speed Flow Control

Picosecond CARS spectroscopy and phased-locked schlieren imaging are used to measure time-resolved temperature and visualize compression waves in a diffuse filament, nanosecond pulsed discharge sustained between a pair of spherical electrodes in nitrogen and air at P=100 torr. The discharge generates stable plasma with high specific energy loading (up to ~0.5 eV/molecule), and with spatial dimensions sufficiently large to enable laser diagnostic studies. The results demonstrate that significant temperature rise, up to ∆T~200 K, occurs both in nitrogen and in air, on the time scale shorter than the acoustic time scale. The characteristic time for the rapid temperature rise in air, ~100 ns, is significantly shorter compared to that in nitrogen, ~1 µs. In air, a second significant temperature rise, up to ∆T~350 K, occurs on a time scale of ~100-500 µs. This “slow” temperature rise is almost entirely missing in nitrogen. Phase-locked schlieren images demonstrate a near cylindrical shape compression wave formed around the discharge filament, both in nitrogen and in air. An additional, near spherical shape compression wave is formed near the cathode, due to significant energy release in the cathode layer of the discharge. The compression waves, caused by rapid localized heating quantified by the present measurements, are similar to the ones produced by a surface nanosecond pulse discharge in atmospheric air used for high-speed flow control, where comparable temperature rise was detected previously.
A framework for comparing alternative formalisms for plausible reasoning

We present a logical relationship between a small number of intuitive properties for measures of belief and the axioms of probability theory. The relationship was first demonstrated several decades ago but has remained obscure. We introduce the proof and discuss its relevance to research on reasoning under uncertainty in artificial intelligence. In particular, we demonstrate that the logical relationship can facilitate the identification of differences among alternative plausible reasoning methodologies. Finally, we make use of the relationship to examine popular non-probabilistic strategies.
Role of Vma21p in assembly and transport of the yeast vacuolar ATPase.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae vacuolar H-ATPase (V-ATPase) is a multisubunit complex composed of a peripheral membrane sector (V1) responsible for ATP hydrolysis and an integral membrane sector (V0) required for proton translocation. Biogenesis of V0 requires an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized accessory factor, Vma21p. We found that in vma21 cells, the major proteolipid subunit of V0 failed to interact with the 100-kDa V0 subunit, Vph1p, indicating that Vma21p is necessary for V0 assembly. Immunoprecipitation of Vma21p from wild-type membranes resulted in coimmunoprecipitation of all five V0 subunits. Analysis of vma strains showed that binding of V0 subunits to Vma21p was mediated by the proteolipid subunit Vma11p. Although Vma21p/proteolipid interactions were independent of Vph1p, Vma21p/Vph1p association was dependent on all other V0 subunits, indicating that assembly of V0 occurs in a defined sequence, with Vph1p recruitment into a Vma21p/proteolipid/Vma6p complex representing the final step. An in vitro assay for ER export was used to demonstrate preferential packaging of the fully assembled Vma21p/proteolipid/Vma6p/ Vph1p complex into COPII-coated transport vesicles. Pulse-chase experiments showed that the interaction between Vma21p and V0 was transient and that Vma21p/V0 dissociation was concomitant with V0/V1 assembly. Blocking ER export in vivo stabilized the interaction between Vma21p and V0 and abrogated assembly of V0/V1. Although a Vma21p mutant lacking an ER-retrieval signal remained associated with V0 in the vacuole, this interaction did not affect the assembly of vacuolar V0/V1 complexes. We conclude that Vma21p is not involved in regulating the interaction between V0 and V1 sectors, but that it has a crucial role in coordinating the assembly of V0 subunits and in escorting the assembled V0 complex into ER-derived transport vesicles.
Child Abuse and Family Stress

Child abuse is one example of violence in the family. This paper reviews sources of stress on the family, and especially considers infants as specific sources of stress within the family system. The problems of unrealistic expectations, use of physical punishment for child training and discipline, and the escalation from punishment to abuse are explored. Abuse cases are currently managed through mandatory reporting, official investigation, and disposition by authoritative bodies. This system of management appears both inadequate and inappropriate. Effective prevention programs are needed. This paper reviews current prevention efforts using three criteria of assessment. The mass media are presented as an important untapped resource for prevention efforts. Attractive media programs can address parents' feelings as well as provide information and advice. Language: en
Role of right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex in self-conscious emotional reactivity

Self-conscious emotions such as embarrassment arise when one's actions fail to meet salient social expectations and are accompanied by marked physiological and behavioral activation. We investigated the neural correlates of self-conscious emotional reactivity in 27 patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a neurodegenerative disease that disrupts self-conscious emotion and targets brain regions critical for emotional functioning early in the disease course, and in 33 healthy older controls. Subjects participated in an embarrassing karaoke task in which they watched a video clip of themselves singing. They also watched a sad film clip; these data were used to control for non-self-conscious emotional reactivity in response to audiovisual stimuli. Using Freesurfer to quantify regional brain volumes from structural magnetic resonance imaging, right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) gray matter volume was the only brain region that was a significant predictor of self-conscious emotion. Smaller pACC volume was associated with attenuated physiological and behavioral self-conscious emotional reactivity, and this relationship was not specific to diagnosis. We argue that these results reflect the significant role that right pACC plays in the visceromotor responding that accompanies self-conscious emotion and that neurodegeneration in this region may underlie the self-conscious emotional decline seen in bvFTD.
Comments on "The analysis of deployable umbrella parabolic reflectors"

In a recent paper (see abstr. B28664 of 1972), Ingerson and Wong show, using geometrical relations, that the entire deployable reflector can be thought of as being made up of an infinite number of parabolas. They give an expression for the focal length of this infinite collection of parabolas and then state incorrectly that `The infinite collection of parabolas has a continuous distribution of foci. Thus, if a primary feed is placed in focus for one parabola, it is out of focus for the rest of the collection'. This statement is evidently the result of improper application of geometrical optics (surface normals are not taken into account) and provides a wrong physical picture of the focusing and the axial defocusing in the umbrella parabolic reflectors
Versatile and cheap: a global history of soy in the first half of the twentieth century*

This article traces the complex and shifting organization of soy's production and consumption from Northeast China to Europe and the United States. It focuses on a set of national and transnational actors with differing interests in the global and national spread of soybeans. The combination of these actors in certain spatiotemporal contexts enabled a fundamental change in soy from an Asian to an American cash crop. At the beginning of the twentieth century, soy rapidly became Northeast China's cash crop, owing to steadily increasing Western demand. However, the versatility of soy – and soy oil in particular – offered a highly successful response to the agricultural and industrial challenges that the United States faced during the Great Depression and the Second World War. By the end of the war, American farmers in the Midwest cultivated more soybeans than their Chinese counterparts.
Vehicle System Development: A Challenge of Ultra-Large-Scale Systems

Scale and complexity have been the topical elements of the vehicle system development for years. Whereas traditional systems engineering methods have been believed to be the solution to vehicle design challenges, recent shifts in the vehicle domain question their adequacy. Specifically, the character of vehicle systems, and their development environment, has shifted away from singular-use independent systems to multipurpose collaborating systems. The characteristics of this change are contained within the themes of scale, diversity, and dynamics. Each of these dimensions is contributing to the "wickedness" of vehicle systems in understanding, development, deployment, and maintenance. Such complexity and dynamics of interactions, by both users and developers, make vehicle systems exhibit the characteristics of ultra-large scale (ULS) systems. The scale and concerns of vehicle system development challenge traditional approaches, and demand new fundamental research to reason the design, manage the scale, and create the capability for developing future vehicle systems.
Globalization and location choice: an analysis of US multinational firms in 1980 and 2000

In this paper we examine foreign location choices of the top 100 US multinational corporations (MNCs) in 1980 and 2000. We first ask whether there has been a change in MNC foreign location choice in this two-decade period. Second, we explore the underlying reasons of location change by focusing on country-level factors, accounting for firm-, industry- and regionallevel explanations. Our findings suggest, first, that the extent of MNCs’ activities around the globe is more extensive than assumed by regionalists’ arguments and well beyond Ohmae’s TRIAD, but still less widespread than claimed by the globalists – the two main traditions within the globalization– regionalization debate. Second, we uncover an interesting de-location pattern in this period. Third, we develop an integrative framework where both economic and institutional-cultural arguments are shown to influence MNCs’ foreign location choice in different ways. We conclude with a discussion of our
Reporting Quality and Information Consistency of Randomized, Controlled Trials Presented as Abstracts at the American Urological Association Annual Meetings

Purpose: We assessed the quality of randomized, controlled trial reporting in abstracts from the annual meetings of the American Urological Association and determined whether the information provided is consistent with subsequent full text publications.Materials and Methods: All randomized, controlled trials presented in abstract form at the 2002 and 2003 American Urological Association annual meetings were identified for review. A systematic PubMed® search based on authorship and key words from the study title was done to identify all subsequent full text publications. A standardized evaluation form was developed based on the published literature, pilot tested in a separate sample and applied by 2 independent reviewers.Results: A total of 126 randomized, controlled trials were identified for review, including 56 in 2002 and 70 in 2003. Approximately a third of the trials (43 or 34.1%) identified the study design as a randomized, controlled trial in the abstract title. The method of randomization, allocat...
Effects of Sex and Sexual Orientation on Self-Reported Attraction and Viewing Times to Images of Men and Women: Testing for Category Specificity

In a paradigm that asked participants to rate the sexual attractiveness of male and female swimsuit models, Lippa, Patterson, and Marelich (2010) showed that heterosexual men’s category specificity exceeded heterosexual women’s in two ways: (1) Heterosexual men showed much larger differences in their attraction and viewing times to male versus female photo models than heterosexual women, and (2) heterosexual men’s attractions to female but not male models increased with model attractiveness whereas heterosexual women’s attractions to both sexes increased with model attractiveness. The current study used the same paradigm to study category specificity in homosexual and heterosexual participants. In addition to replicating previous findings for heterosexual men and women, the results showed that homosexual men were high on category specificity, like heterosexual men, whereas lesbians showed lower levels of category specificity than men, but sometimes higher levels than heterosexual women.
4H-silicon carbide modified-anode gate turn-off thyristor

Drift-diffusion model simulations of a pn-pn-pn type silicon carbide modified-anode gate turn-off (MA-GTO) thyristor structure indicate that the addition of thin n-p layers below the p-type anode region assists hole injection into the drift region of the thyristor. This allows current crowding to be avoided by increasing the dopant concentration of the n-type gated base layer without the consequence of a drastic increase in on-state voltage drop and holding current.
Beyond Adversarial: The Case for Game AI as Storytelling

As a field, artificial intelligence (AI) has been applied to games for more than 50 years, beginning with traditional two-player adversarial games like tic-tac-toe and chess and extending to modern strategy games, first-person shooters, and social simulations. AI practitioners have become adept at designing algorithms that enable computers to play games at or beyond human levels in many cases. In this paper, we argue that the traditional goal of AI in games—to win the game—is not the only, nor the most interesting goal. An alternative goal for game AI is to make the human player’s play experience “better.” AI systems in games should reason about how to deliver the best possible experience within the context of the game. The key insight of this paper is that approaching AI reasoning for games as storytelling reasoning makes this goal much more attainable. We present an overview of traditional game AI techniques as well as a few more recent AI storytelling techniques. We also provide a foundation for describing and reasoning about games as stories, citing a number of examples. We conclude by discussing the implications for future directions. Author Keywords Artificial intelligence, machine learning, story telling, narrative, drama management
NOCTURNAL ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN KIT FOXES

Abstract Kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) are nocturnal, monogamous, and territorial. We used telemetry to monitor nocturnal interactions of pair members with each other and neighboring foxes in central California during 1989–1991. Observed distances between mated foxes consistently were closer than expected by chance. This positive association probably resulted from a tendency for foxes to move around common den or foraging sites; mates did not exhibit concordant movement patterns. Nocturnal encounters probably are not necessary to maintain pair bonds because mates regularly share dens during the day throughout the year. Encounters may be more important during pair formation because members of recently formed pairs encountered each other more frequently (>16% of locations) than did established pairs (<13% of locations). Observed distances between neighboring foxes were not consistently closer or further apart than expected by chance, and encounters were rare (<2% of locations). Hence, direct interactions betw...
Health-care access among adults with epilepsy: The U.S. National Health Interview Survey, 2010 and 2013 ☆

Abstract Introduction Community-based and other epidemiologic studies within the United States have identified substantial disparities in health care among adults with epilepsy. However, few data analyses addressing their health-care access are representative of the entire United States. This study aimed to examine national survey data about adults with epilepsy and to identify barriers to their health care. Materials and methods We analyzed data from U.S. adults in the 2010 and the 2013 National Health Interview Surveys, multistage probability samples with supplemental questions on epilepsy. We defined active epilepsy as a history of physician-diagnosed epilepsy either currently under treatment or accompanied by seizures during the preceding year. We employed SAS-callable SUDAAN software to obtain weighted estimates of population proportions and rate ratios (RRs) adjusted for sex, age, and race/ethnicity. Results Compared to adults reporting no history of epilepsy, adults reporting active epilepsy were significantly more likely to be insured under Medicaid (RR = 3.58) and less likely to have private health insurance (RR = 0.58). Adults with active epilepsy were also less likely to be employed (RR = 0.53) and much more likely to report being disabled (RR = 6.14). They experience greater barriers to health-care access including an inability to afford medication (RR = 2.40), mental health care (RR = 3.23), eyeglasses (RR = 2.36), or dental care (RR = 1.98) and are more likely to report transportation as a barrier to health care (RR = 5.28). Conclusions These reported substantial disparities in, and barriers to, access to health care for adults with active epilepsy are amenable to intervention.
Effect of La Crosse Virus Infection on Insemination Rates in Female Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Aedes triseriatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) females orally infected with La Crosse virus after ingesting an infectious bloodmeal were compared for mating efficiency with females that ingested a noninfectious bloodmeal. After 14-d extrinsic incubation to allow for dissemination of the infection, all females were offered a second noninfectious bloodmeal and were placed in cages with age-matched males for 5 d. After 6 d, insemination rates were determined by detection of sperm in the spermathecae. Insemination rates of the La Crosse virus-infected females were significantly greater than in uninfected females.