cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative analysis of graduate-level systems engineering programs

Systems engineering is a discipline that has increasingly been part of both industry and academia. The number of both undergraduate and graduate programs that offer a systems engineering degree has multiplied throughout the years. The purpose of this research is to analyzed the curricula of graduate-level systems engineering programs to identify main patterns and concepts that are being taught. This analysis will lead to possible strengths and weaknesses of graduate programs with respect to topics that systems engineering, as a discipline, covers.
Systematic method to enhance the operating speed and precision of mechanical systems with nonlinear dynamics using integrated smart actuators

The operating speed and precision of computer controlled machines such as robot manipulators are limited mostly by the dynamic response limitations of their primary actuators. The dynamics of systems such as robot manipulators with revolute joints, even when the structural flexibility is not considered is highly nonlinear. The presence of dynamics nonlinearity places an even greater demand on the dynamic response of the prime actuators. This is the case since due to the nonlinear dynamics of such systems, the actuating torques (forces) required for accurate tracking of the desired motions must contain higher harmonics of the joint trajectory harmonics. Such higher harmonic components of the actuating torques become increasingly more significant as the operating speed of the system is increased and can cause serious vibration and control problems. In this paper, a systematic method is presented for optimal integration of smart (active) materials based actuators into the structure of robot manipulators for the purpose of minimizing the high harmonic components of the required actuating torques (forces). The proposed approach is based on the Trajectory Pattern Method (TPM). It is shown that with properly synthesized low harmonic motion trajectories and by minimizing the high harmonic components of the required actuating torques with properly sized and placed smart actuators, such computer controlled machines can operate at higher speeds, greater tracking precision and minimal vibration and control problems.
On the performance of integral buckle arrestors for offshore pipelines

Abstract This paper presents the results of a study on the effectiveness of integral buckle arrestors for offshore pipelines. A series of full scale experiments were conducted where the pressure at which buckles propagating quasi-statically crossed arrestors of various lengths and thicknesses was established. The crossover pressures were used to establish the parametric dependence of the arresting efficiency (as defined in Kyriakides and Babcock, ASME Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology102 (1980) and Proceedings of Offshore Technology Conference (1979)) of such devices. Buckles penetrated the arrestor in two modes: the flattening mode, where the arrestor and downstream pipe collapse in the same manner as the incoming buckle and the flipped mode, where the sense of collapse of the downstream pipe is orthogonal to the incoming buckle. The mode switch occurred in the neighborhood of efficiency of 0.7. The process of quasi-static engagement of an arrestor by a propagating buckle, the temporary arrest of the buckle and the eventual crossing of the arrestor were simulated through a finite element model. The model is based on finite deformation kinematics, incorporates J2-type plasticity with isotropic hardening, and allows for contact of the walls of the collapsed section of pipe upstream of the arrestor. The model was verified by simulating each of the 15 physical experiments conducted using the actual geometric and material characteristics of the test specimens. The crossover pressures of the simulations were within 5% from the measured values and the mode of crossover was predicted correctly as well. The model was subsequently used to extend the experimental parametric study of arrestor efficiency. Some limiting values of the parameters were established from the results and several design recommendations are made.
Achievable Degrees of Freedom on MIMO Two-way Relay Interference Channels

In this paper, we study new network information flow called multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) two-way relay interference channels where two links of relay systems are interfering with each other. In this system, we characterize the achievable total degrees of freedom (DOF) when all user nodes and relays have M and N antennas, respectively. We provide three different methods, namely, time-division multiple access, signal space alignment for network coding (SSA-NC), and a new interference neutralization (IN) scheme. In the SSA-NC scheme, one relay is selected to fully exploit the dimension of the chosen relay for network coding. For the IN, we propose a new relay transmission scheme where two relays cooperatively design the beamforming vectors so that the interference signals are neutralized at each receiver. By adopting three different relaying strategies, we show that the DOF of max { min(4N,2M ), \min (2N,2 ⌊\frac{4}{3}M ⌋ ), min(2N-1,4M) } is achieved for MIMO two-way relay interference channels.
Hydrophobic cooperativity as a mechanism for amyloid nucleation.

Abstract The kinetics of amyloid fibril formation are in most cases explained by classical nucleation theory, yet the mechanisms behind nucleation are not well understood. We show using molecular dynamics simulations that the hydrophobic cooperativity in the self-association of the model amyloidogenic peptide STVIYE is sufficient to allow for nucleation-dependent polymerization with a pentamer critical nucleus. The role of electrostatics was also investigated. Novel considerations of the electrostatic solvation energy using the Born–Onsager equation are put forth to rationalize the aggregation of charged peptides and provide new insight into the energetic differences between parallel and antiparallel β-sheets. Together these results help explain the influence of molecular charge in the class of fibril-forming hexapeptides recently designed by Serrano and collaborators.
Response of simulated propellant and explosives to projectile impact—I. Material behavior and penetration studies

Summary As the first part of a broad investigation of the response of two propellant and explosive simulants to projectile impact, this paper first delineates their measured mechanical behavior under static and dynamic loading. Subsequently, a detailed description is given of the damage patterns generated upon penetration and perforation of homogeneous disks or composites where these disks were constrained axially by metallic plates or completely confined by the addition of a circumferential steel band. The two substances, labeled Propergol A and B, are composed of particle-embedded polymers and were found to be highly viscoelastic. Properties were determined from quasi-static, creep and relaxation and Hopkinson bar tests, as well as from acoustic wave experiments. Ballistic limits were determined both for pure Propergol and combinations of this material with adjacent metallic plates. On the basis of areal density, monolithic Propergol exhibits a substantially lower perforation resistance than steel, aluminum, or Propergol disks either prefaced or sandwiched by metallic plates. Damage patterns observed in the vicinity of the ballistic limit include radial and conical cracking, cylindro-conical (or mushroom) plugging for blunt projectiles, specimen cleavage due to slow crack propagation in constrained samples upon removal of the constraint, and debonding and rebonding in the interior around the projectile trajectory. In this velocity regime, fragmentation is minimal; at higher speeds, plug formation is inhibited and the phenomenon is fragmentation dominated. This feature and phenomenological or numerical analyses of the processes are discussed in subsequent papers.
Evaluation of clinical measures of equilibrium

Objective: Evaluate the clinical utility of several simple measures of static and dynamic equilibrium in human subjects. In particular, one proposed clinical measure, the Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (CTSIB) was compared with dynamic posturography for the measurement of postural control capabilities. Study Design: Cross-sectional study of normal subjects and prospective observational study of the same performance measures in vestibular disorder patients. Setting: Academic tertiary care referral center. Participants: Data were collected for all test measures from a group of normal subjects (ages, 20 to 79 years), as well as for a group of patients undergoing treatment for vestibular dysfunction. Results: Data suggest that several semiquantitative clinical tests of static and dynamic equilibrium can be helpful in evaluating and monitoring patients with chronic vestibular dysfunction. The CTSIB results seem to correlate well with dynamic posturography, suggesting that this measure may be useful in identifying patients with abnormal postural control. Formal dynamic posturography testing appears to be more sensitive in detecting abnormal postural control and more exact in defining the specific pattern of dysfunction. Conclusion: Simple clinical measures of static and dynamic equilibrium can reliably distinguish vestibular disorder patients from normal subjects. Dynamic posturography continues to play an important role in the functional evaluation and management of vestibular disorder patients.
Nasal mask positive pressure ventilation in paediatric patients with type II respiratory failure

Summary We report our experience with nasal mask ventilation in children and adolescents with type II respiratory failure admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over an 18-month period. Seven patients were treated with nasal mask ventilation during part of their PICU stay. All showed significant improvement in arterial pH, PaCO2, and PaO2/FiO2 from presentation to discharge, although at discharge PaCO2 and PaO2/FiO2 fell outside of the normal range. Complications occurred in four patients. When compared to 11 patients with type II respiratory failure not treated with nasal mask ventilation, the nasal mask ventilation group had a similar PICU length of stay and incidence of complications. We conclude that nasal mask ventilation may be useful in maintaining near normal alveolar ventilation in selected children with type II respiratory failure and that a prospective study of this technique is indicated.
Aging and Attentional Biases for Emotional Faces

We examined age differences in attention to and memory for faces expressing sadness, anger, and happiness. Participants saw a pair of faces, one emotional and one neutral, and then a dot probe that appeared in the location of one of the faces. In two experiments, older adults responded faster to the dot if it was presented on the same side as a neutral face than if it was presented on the same side as a negative face. Younger adults did not exhibit this attentional bias. Interactions of age and valence were also found for memory for the faces, with older adults remembering positive better than negative faces. These findings reveal that in their initial attention, older adults avoid negative information. This attentional bias is consistent with older adults' generally better emotional well-being and their tendency to remember negative less well than positive information.
Inhibition of carbon uptake and stimulation of nitrate uptake at low salinities in Fucus distichus (Phaeophyceae)

Inorganic carbon and nitrate uptake were examined in whole plants of Fucus distichus L. (Powell) incubated in dilutions of synthetic ocean water and media with different concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl−. Reduction in salinity from normal seawater (33 ppt) decreased carbon uptake rate but increased nitrate uptake rate by 50% each. Substitution of K+ for Na+ at constant ionic strength decreased nitrate uptake. Substitution of K+ or mannitol for Na+ decreased carbon uptake. Neither the uptake of nitrate or carbon was changed by substituting SO42- for Cl−. Ionophores, valinomycin and monensin, inhibited both nitrate uptake and carbon fixation from 20 to 70% of control rates. The stimulation of nitrate uptake at low salinity may be beneficial to plants in estuarine tidal environments in which nitrate is supplied by the fresh water source.
Study of glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase: History and molecular biology

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency was discovered in the 1950s. The history of the development of knowledge about G6PD deficiency is reviewed here. In the first decade after its discovery, the clinical manifestations of G6PD deficiency began to be understood. In the second decade, attention was focused on the degree of variability of this enzyme and the distinction of the various biochemical variants from one another. In the last decade, it has been possible to understand the mutations that effect this enzyme at the DNA level. Some 40 different mutations have now been characterized. Analysis of these mutations indicates that, while diversity sometimes exists within a mutation considered biochemical homogeneous, more often variants thought to be distinct prove to be identical. The study of G6PD mutations is beginning to provide insight into structurefunction relationships. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microscopic and electrochemical monitoring of the cathodic degradation of polyimide-coated A1 metallization

Abstract Cathodic degradation of polyimide-coated aluminum metallization on Si substrates has been investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy simultaneously with either light optical or acoustic microscopy. Water uptake by the polyimide can be monitored using the coating capacitance and correlates with a change in the polyimide acoustic response. The capacitance of a defect increases with the area degraded by cathodic corrosion due to external cathodic bias.
Sustaining the Momentum: Olympics as Potential Catalyst for Enhancing Urban Transport

Positive urban impacts of the Olympic Games are often publicized but seldom evaluated empirically. Through analysis of Olympic transport plans and expert interviews, this paper tests whether transport measures implemented during the games were sustained in four host cities. The paper consists of three main parts. The first provides an overview of the challenges the Olympics impose on urban transport systems, primarily in terms of passenger transport. The second part reviews the long-term transport goals each city intended to achieve through the Olympics and categorizes transport measures implemented to handle the Olympic peak demand. The third part analyzes comparatively how the cities changed and, in particular, which of the measures that supported the passenger operations were sustained. Although planners, governments, and residents intended to use the Olympic Games as a catalyst for lasting transport improvements, actual implementations were mainly temporary. Only in a few instances did Olympic efforts...
Robot path planning using Field Programmable Analog Arrays

We present the successful application of reconfigurable Analog-Very-Large-Scale-Integrated (AVLSI) circuits to motion planning for the AmigoBot robot. Previous research has shown that custom application-specific-integrated-circuits (ASICs) can be used for robot path planning. However, ASICs are typically fixed circuit designs that require long fabrication times on the order of months. In contrast, our reconfigurable analog circuits called Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAAs) implement a variety of AVLSI circuits in minutes. We present experimental results of online robot path planning using FPAA circuitry, validating our assertion that FPAA-based AVLSI design is a feasible approach to computing complete motion plans using analog floating-gate resistive grids. We demonstrate the integration of FPAA hardware and software with a real robot platform and hardware in the loop simulations, present the trajectories developed by our planner and provide analysis of the time and space complexity of our proposed approach. The paper concludes by formulating metrics that identify domains where analog solutions to planning may be faster and more efficient than traditional, digital robot planning techniques.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the sensitive determination of arylamide-deoxynucleoside adducts

Abstract Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) are tested for the determination of arylamide adducts of deoxyguanosine. Fifteen matrices were tested for the sensitive determination of N-(guanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene, (dG-C8-AAF), a compound whose structure is representative of carcinogen–DNA adducts formed by nitroaromatic and arylamine carcinogens. Eight matrices allow adduct detection when 560 fmole or less is introduced into the TOFMS. Two matrices, α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT), promoted adduct detection when 56 fmol or less of adduct is introduced into the TOFMS. The other seven matrices did not permit dG-C8-AAF adduct detection at the low pmol level. In all determinations the limit of detection (LOD) is based on the nucleic acid–arylamide, BH+2 fragment ion formed by the cleavage of the glycosidic bond. The relation between matrix structure and the mechanism of analyte ionization is discussed as well.
Acid clouds and precipitation in eastern Colorado

Abstract Rain and snow samples were collected at the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains and analyzed for chemical composition. Many precipitation samples had pH values considerably more acidic than the 5.6 value of pure water containing only an equilibrium amount of atmospheric CO2. Clear and considerable dependencies of the acidity on seasonal synoptic scale weather patterns are demonstrated. Cloud water samples, collected by aircraft over eastern Colorado, also showed low pH values. The acidity of clouds was greatest near the city of Denver.
LIVELIHOOD DEMANDS AND THE SPREAD OF AIDS: THE CASE OF MALAWI

I argue in this article that one of the factors in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi is that young adults who are sexually most active, at their peak in desiring to improve their economic status, and culturally responsible for meeting family needs, engage in migrant work that involves circular migration to and from workplaces. With spouses left behind, if married, the young adult males fulfill their sexual desires by engaging in multipartner sexual relations with whatever partners they find in their travels. HIV/AIDS, coming into such a social landscape in the 1980s, only found a social environment conducive to the spreading of the disease. To address the matter, we need to promote what I have termed community entrepreneurship in home communities of these young adults. Community entrepreneurship will, over the long run, reduce the young adults’ involvement in circular migration. Promoting community entrepreneurship demands developing human capital, social capital, and organizational capital in rural Malawi.
Infant Attention to Facial Expressions and Facial Motion

Three-month-old infants were shown moving faces and still faces on videotape in a paired-comparison situation. Motion type was clearly specified, and facial expression and motion were separately varied. Infants saw a still face, internal motion on the face (i.e., motion of the internal features), and whole object (i.e., side-to-side) motion, each with happy and neutral expressions. Infants showed preference for expressions when the face was still and when it showed internal motion. Facial expression and facial motion were equally preferred, and both appeared to be salient dimensions of the face for three-month-old infants.
Variability of Doppler US measurements along the common carotid artery: effects on estimates of internal carotid arterial stenosis in patients with angiographically proved disease.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of variability of common carotid arterial (CCA) velocities on velocity ratios used to assess internal carotid arterial (ICA) stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Doppler ultrasonographic (US) velocity measurements were obtained at three levels in the CCA and in the carotid bulb and ICA in all patients referred for carotid US between September 1996 and October 1997. Only ICAs (n = 98, in 57 patients) without ipsilateral CCA disease at angiography were analyzed. The range of CCA peak systolic velocities (PSVs) and end diastolic velocities (EDVs) and velocity ratios were calculated for each CCA measurement. For each ICA/CCA velocity ratio, receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed. RESULTS: CCA PSV and EDV ranges averaged 23.1 cm/sec ± 15.7 (SD) and 5.1 cm/sec ± 3.6, respectively. For a given side, the difference averaged 1.0 ± 1.3 for PSV ratios and 2.7 ± 6.9 for EDV ratios, depending on where CCA measurements were taken. By using a threshold of 60% stenosis as in...
Algorithms and optimality of scheduling soft aperiodic requests in fixed-priority preemptive systems

In this paper, we investigate the problem of scheduling soft aperiodic requests in systems where periodic tasks are scheduled on a fixed-priority, preemptive basis. First, we show that given any queueing discipline for the aperiodic requests, no scheduling algorithm can minimize the response time of every aperiodic request and guarantee that the deadlines of the periodic tasks are met when the periodic tasks are scheduled on a fixed-priority, preemptive basis. We then develop two algorithms: Algorithm \(\mathcal{L}\) is locally optimal in that it minimizes the response time of the aperiodic request at the head of the aperiodic service queue. Algorithm \(\mathcal{G}\) is globally optimal in that it completes the current backlog of work in the aperiodic service queue as early as possible.
Association of 59iron oxide with alveolar macrophages during alveolar clearance

Long-Evans hooded rats were exposed for 2 b to aerosols of hydrated, radio-labeled iron (59Fe) oxide (MMAD = 1.6 μm; s`g = 3.0) in order to produce a low mass burden of particles (≅ 30 μg) in the lung. The kinetics of particle clearance and the association of the particles with alveolar macrophages (AM) were measured. Two to four hours after exposure, lavaged particles were linearly related to AM numbers harvested, and 60% of the 59Fe activity was physically associated with AM. By 24 b, > 90% of the lavaged particles were associated with AM. Such an association was found for at least 75% of the particulate burdens in the lungs. If all the 59Fe is assumed to be AM associated, the 59Fe per AM predicts the total AM population size to be 2.14 × 107 cells. This number, in conjunction with the alveolar clearance rate of the particles, suggested the number of AM leaving the lung daily was 2.8 × 205 cells.
Fast methods for determining instabilities of elastic-plastic damage models through closed-form expressions

SUMMARY Fast methods for determining the onset of instability for elastic–plastic damage models under multiaxial loading conditions are developed. On the basis of the general Hadamard instability criterion, we derive a closed-form expression to determine the onset of instability, the bifurcation directions and the polarization vector. The results of the present analytical method are compared with solutions using a numerical minimization method. Excellent agreement and significantly faster computations are achieved for the onset of instability and the directions of the instability mode and the polarization vector when using these new methods. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole) as a cathode for rechargeable lithium batteries with dramatically improved performance.

The financial support from Lockheed Martin and the KAUST-Cornell Center for Energy and Sustainability (KAUST-CU) are greatly appreciated. MAL is supported by a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. This work is based upon research conducted at the Cornell high energy synchrotron source (CHESS) which is supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of General Medical Sciences under NSF award DMR-0936384. The authors gratefully acknowledge assistance from CHESS staff scientist Dr. Darren Dale, and prior synthesis of the BMTTD molecule by Dr. Jay C. Henderson.
Metal contamination and post-remediation recovery in the Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana

ABSTRACT The legacy of acid mine drainage and toxic trace metals left in streams by historical mining is being addressed by many important yet costly remediation efforts. Monitoring of environmental conditions frequently is not performed but is essential to evaluate remediation effectiveness, determine whether clean-up goals have been met, and assess which remediation strategies are most effective. Extensive pre- and post-remediation data for water and sediment quality for the Boulder River watershed in southwestern Montana provide an unusual opportunity to demonstrate the importance of monitoring. The most extensive restoration in the watershed occurred at the Comet mine on High Ore Creek and resulted in the most dramatic improvement in aquatic habitat. Removal of contaminated sediment and tailings, and stream-channel reconstruction reduced Cd and Zn concentrations in water such that fish are now present, and reduced metal concentrations in streambed sediment by a factor of c . 10, the largest improvement in the district. Waste removals at the Buckeye/Enterprise and Bullion mine sites produced limited or no improvement in water and sediment quality, and acidic drainage from mine adits continues to degrade stream aquatic habitat. Recontouring of hillslopes that had funnelled runoff into the workings of the Crystal mine substantially reduced metal concentrations in Uncle Sam Gulch, but did not eliminate all of the acidic adit drainage. Lead isotopic evidence suggests that the Crystal mine rather than the Comet mine is now the largest source of metals in streambed sediment of the Boulder River. The completed removal actions prevent additional contaminants from entering the stream, but it may take many years for erosional processes to diminish the effects of contaminated sediment already in streams. Although significant strides have been made, additional efforts to seal draining adits or treat the adit effluent at the Bullion and Crystal mines would need to be completed to achieve the desired restoration. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Analytical data for all post-remediation samples is available at: http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18344.
Leaf photosynthetic traits scale with hydraulic conductivity and wood density in Panamanian forest canopy trees

We investigated how water transport capacity, wood density and wood anatomy were related to leaf photosynthetic traits in two lowland forests in Panama. Leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity ( k(L)) of upper branches was positively correlated with maximum rates of net CO(2) assimilation per unit leaf area ( A(area)) and stomatal conductance ( g(s)) across 20 species of canopy trees. Maximum k(L) showed stronger correlation with A(area) than initial k(L) suggesting that allocation to photosynthetic potential is proportional to maximum water transport capacity. Terminal branch k(L) was negatively correlated with A(area)/ g(s) and positively correlated with photosynthesis per unit N, indicating a trade-off of efficient use of water against efficient use of N in photosynthesis as water transport efficiency varied. Specific hydraulic conductivity calculated from xylem anatomical characteristics ( k(theoretical)) was positively related to A(area) and k(L), consistent with relationships among physiological measurements. Branch wood density was negatively correlated with wood water storage at saturation, k(L), A(area), net CO(2) assimilation per unit leaf mass ( A(mass)), and minimum leaf water potential measured on covered leaves, suggesting that wood density constrains physiological function to specific operating ranges. Kinetic and static indices of branch water transport capacity thus exhibit considerable co-ordination with allocation to potential carbon gain. Our results indicate that understanding tree hydraulic architecture provides added insights to comparisons of leaf level measurements among species, and links photosynthetic allocation patterns with branch hydraulic processes.
Dissimilatory Arsenate Reduction with Sulfide as Electron Donor: Experiments with Mono Lake Water and Isolation of Strain MLMS-1, a Chemoautotrophic Arsenate Respirer

Anoxic bottom water from Mono Lake, California, can biologically reduce added arsenate without any addition of electron donors. Of the possible in situ inorganic electron donors present, only sulfide was sufficiently abundant to drive this reaction. We tested the ability of sulfide to serve as an electron donor for arsenate reduction in experiments with lake water. Reduction of arsenate to arsenite occurred simultaneously with the removal of sulfide. No loss of sulfide occurred in controls without arsenate or in sterilized samples containing both arsenate and sulfide. The rate of arsenate reduction in lake water was dependent on the amount of available arsenate. We enriched for a bacterium that could achieve growth with sulfide and arsenate in a defined, mineral medium and purified it by serial dilution. The isolate, strain MLMS-1, is a gram-negative, motile curved rod that grows by oxidizing sulfide to sulfate while reducing arsenate to arsenite. Chemoautotrophy was confirmed by the incorporation of H(14)CO(3)(-) into dark-incubated cells, but preliminary gene probing tests with primers for ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase did not yield PCR-amplified products. Alignment of 16S rRNA sequences indicated that strain MLMS-1 was in the delta-Proteobacteria, located near sulfate reducers like Desulfobulbus sp. (88 to 90% similarity) but more closely related (97%) to unidentified sequences amplified previously from Mono Lake. However, strain MLMS-1 does not grow with sulfate as its electron acceptor.
An optimization result with application to optimal spacecraft reaction wheel orientation design

This paper provides the globally optimal solution for both minimizing and maximizing the squared Frobenious norm of YQX (where X and Y are arbitrary compatibly dimensioned matrices) over the class of orthogonal matrices Q. The specialization of this optimization result to 3 dimensions is found applicable to optimally orienting spacecraft reaction wheel actuators with respect to specified torque, momentum storage and power requirements.
A Dictionary of Sociolinguistics

A DICTIONARY OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS. Joan Swann, Ana Deumert, Theresa Lillis, and Rajend Mesthrie. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2004. Pp. x + 368. $28.00 paper.This book is intended as a resource for sociolinguists and scholars in related fields who deal with sociolinguistic concepts. Though not specifically aimed at the field of SLA, this book is a valuable resource for scholars in that field.
INDIVIDUAL ITEM FORECASTING MODEL EVALUATION

A computer simulation experiment was conducted to evaluate and compare seven individual item forecasting models across five different demand patterns. Results indicate the best model varies depending upon the demand pattern, the time period forecast, the noise level of the demand pattern, and to a lesser extent the measure of forecast error. Across all demand patterns, exponential double smoothing was best for the long run forecast and at least second best for the short run regardless of noise level in the demand patterns. Analysis of models within a demand pattern yielded, in most cases, several models as ranking equally well. The adaptive model developed here did not perform as well as some other models. For example, it ranked no better than third on a step function demand pattern.
Modeling and optimizing military air operations

Dynamic programming has recently received significant attention as a possible technology for formulating control commands for decision makers in an extended complex enterprise that involves adversarial behavior. Enterprises of this type are typically modeled by a nonlinear discrete time dynamic system. The state is controlled by two decision makers, each with a different objective function and different hierarchy of decision making structure. To illustrate this enterprise, we derive a state space dynamic model of an extended complex military operation that involves two opposing forces engaged in a battle. The model assumes a number of fixed targets that one force is attacking and the other is defending. Due to the number of control commands, options for each force, and the steps during which the two forces could be engaged, the optimal solution for such a complicated dynamic game over all stages is computationally extremely difficult, if not impossible, to propose. As an alternative, we propose an expeditious suboptimal solution for this type of adversarial engagement. We discuss a solution approach where the decisions are decomposed hierarchically and the task allocation is separate from cooperation decisions. This decoupled solution, although suboptimal in the global sense, is useful in taking into account how fast the decisions should be in the presence of adversaries. An example scenario illustrating this military model and our solution approach is presented.
SILC and NBTI in pMOSFETs With Ultrathin SiON Gate Dielectrics

Degradation of pMOSFETs under negative gate bias stress has been intensively studied, bearing in mind the macroscopic and phenomenological similarity between stress-induced leakage current (SILC) and negative bias temperature instability (NBTI). By investigating the electrical characteristics of small-size pMOSFETs, the microscopic mechanisms of the degradation have been vividly revealed. In particular 1) NBTI-induced positive charge generation leading to a decrease in gate hole current and 2) some kind of leak path formation giving rise to SILC are found to occur in parallel, but not simultaneously. This finding enables us to conclude that SILC and NBTI in pMOS are not linked directly at least from the microscopic perspective despite their macroscopic similarity. These results have brought about new insights into the degradation of pMOS under negative gate bias, which is now quite important to CMOS reliability
Who is taking French and why

: In the Spring 1996 semester, first- and fourth-semester students at Arizona State University were surveyed to find out why they had chosen to study French, whether they planned to continue studying French, and what courses they would like to see offered. The responses to this survey indicated that our students plan to visit France or a French-speaking area, that they are most interested in gaining fluency in French, and that they would like to see a variety of classes offered. Although literature classes were a popular option for many students, a considerable number indicated interest in classes in French for special purposes, language classes, and culture classes. These responses tell us that offering a range of diverse classes can attract and retain students in French programs.
How Many More Indians? An Argument for a Representational Ethics of Native Americans:

This article explores the persistence of stereotypical representations of Native Americans as brand images and situates a call for change within an ethics of representation. American Spirit Cigarettes are used as an illustrative case study to demonstrate that these representations cannot be relegated to less enlightened times, rather endure because naturalization is part of commodified racism. The present essay argues for engagement in representational ethics on the part of communicators to interrupt the contribution of stereotypes to the maintenance of colonial ideologies.
Replication-Competent or Attenuated, Nonpropagating Vesicular Stomatitis Viruses Expressing Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Antigens Protect Mice against RSV Challenge

Foreign glycoproteins expressed in recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) can elicit specific and protective immunity in the mouse model. We have previously demonstrated the expression of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) G (attachment) and F (fusion) glycoprotein genes in recombinant VSV. In this study, we demonstrate the expression of RSV F and G glycoproteins in attenuated, nonpropagating VSVs which lack the VSV G gene (VSVΔG) and the incorporation of these RSV proteins into recombinant virions. We also show that intranasal vaccination of mice with nondefective VSV recombinants expressing RSV G (VSV-RSV G) or RSV F (VSV-RSV F) elicited RSV-specific antibodies in serum (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) as well as neutralizing antibodies to RSV and afford complete protection against RSV challenge. In contrast, VSVΔG-RSV F induced detectable serum antibodies to RSV by ELISA, but no detectable neutralizing antibodies, yet it still protected from RSV challenge. VSVΔG-RSV G failed to induce any detectable serum (by ELISA) or neutralizing antibodies and failed to protect from RSV challenge. The attenuated, nonpropagating VSVΔG-RSV F is a particularly attractive candidate for a live attenuated recombinant RSV vaccine.
What Is It Like to Be a Psalmist? Unintentional Sin and Moral Agency in the Psalter*

This article takes up the problem of unintentional sin in Psalms 19, 90, and 119 to ask what it was like to be a psalmist on the issue of moral agency. In contrast to some reconstructions of ancient Israelite (and Near Eastern) religion, I argue that concerns about intentionality—specifically its lack—indicate that the psalmists were not akin to philosophical zombies: what psalmists did mattered along with how they did it, with knowledge or without. I situate this psalmic way of being with reference to sin vis-a-vis Carol Newsom's work on moral agency in the Hebrew Bible, arguing that moral agency in the Psalms (at least on this matter) nuances some of the categories offered thus far.
Reactive biomolecular divergence in genetically altered yeast cells and isolated mitochondria as measured by biocavity laser spectroscopy: rapid diagnostic method for studying cellular responses to stress and disease.

We report an analysis of four strains of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) using biocavity laser spectroscopy. The four strains are grouped in two pairs (wild type and altered), in which one strain differs genetically at a single locus, affecting mitochondrial function. In one pair, the wild-type + and a 0 strain differ by complete removal of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In the second pair, the wild-type + and a − strain differ by knock-out of the nuclear gene encoding Cox4, an essential subunit of cytochrome c oxidase. The biocavity laser is used to measure the biophysical optic parameter , a laser wavelength shift relating to the optical density of cell or mitochondria that uniquely reflects its size and biomolecular composition. As such, is a powerful parameter that rapidly interrogates the biomolecular state of single cells and mitochondria. Wild-type cells and mitochondria produce Gaussian-like distributions with a single peak. In contrast, mutant cells and mitochondria produce leptokurtotic distributions that are asymmetric and highly skewed to the right. These distribution changes could be self-consistently modeled with a single, log-normal distribution undergoing a thousand-fold increase in variance of biomolecular composition. These features reflect a new state of stressed or diseased cells that we call a reactive biomolecular divergence (RBD) that reflects the vital interdependence of mitochondria and the nucleus.
Cayley kinematics and the Cayley form of dynamic equations

The Cayley transform and the Cayleytransform kinematic relationships are an important and fascinating set of results that have relevance in Ndimensional orientations and rotations. In this paper th...
CONDITIONAL DISCRIMINATION LEARNING: A CRITIQUE AND AMPLIFICATION

Carter and Werner recently reviewed the literature on conditional discrimination learning by pigeons, which consists of studies of matching-to-sample and oddity-from-sample. They also discussed three models of such learning: the “multiple-rule” model (learning of stimulus-specific relations), the “configuration” model, and the “single-rule” model (concept learning). Although their treatment of the multiple-rule model, which seems most applicable to the pigeon data, is generally excellent, their discussion of the other two models is incomplete and sometimes inaccurate. Potential problems of terminology are discussed in the present paper, as are additional lines of research that deserve consideration by those interested in further work in this area. The issue of response versus stimulus selection (configuration versus compound-cue learning) is discussed in connection with the configuration model. Particular attention is given to Carter and Werner's criticism of the application, in studies with other species, of the learning set procedure in testing for single-rule learning. Some of the important related issues are: the bias for improvement on new problems in a series, the adequacy of a multiple-rule model to explain learning set formation, and evidence in favor of the single-rule model, at least in primates. Consideration of these additional contributions to the study of conditional discrimination learning emphasizes the usefulness of this task in the comparative study of cognitive processes.
The argument against the use of cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone in the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Mitoxantrone (MITX) and cyclophosphamide (CPM) are potent immunosuppressive agents with efficacy in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Both agents appear effective in those patients with active inflammatory disease but are probably less effective in patients with a secondary progressive (SP) course dominated by a degenerative component. Given these agents are effective patients with active inflammation the question arises as to whether they are more effective than high dose interferon therapy. Interferon beta administered at high dose and high frequency suppresses enhancing lesions by as much as 90% and brings about a 35% decrease in relapse rates in addition to decreasing the progression of disability. Interferons have an excellent safety profile even after years of administration. What then is the advantage of immunosuppressive agents such as cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone over safer and still effective treatments? The answer lies in the magnitude of effect in those with the most active and aggressive disease states. While interferons are safe and effective in those with mild or moderate inflammatory disease states, they are probably not sufficient to bring about control in disease that is highly active and resilient. Both mitoxantrone and cyclophosphamide have the ability to suppress inflammation that may be resistant to therapy with more conservative agents. Given the safety profile of these agents their use should be restricted to those patients with aggressive disease resistant to treatment with more conservative agents.
Dicentric chromosome stretching during anaphase reveals roles of Sir2/Ku in chromatin compaction in budding yeast.

We have used mitotic spindle forces to examine the role of Sir2 and Ku in chromatin compaction. Escherichia coli lac operator DNA was placed between two centromeres on a conditional dicentric chromosome in budding yeast cells and made visible by expression of a lac repressor– green fluorescent fusion protein. Centromeres on the same chromatid of a dicentric chromosome attach to opposite poles 50% of the time, resulting in chromosome bridges during anaphase. In cells deleted for yKU70, yKU80 ,o rSIR2, a 10-kb region of the dicentric chromosome stretched along the spindle axis to a length of 6 m during anaphase. On spindle disassembly, stretched chromatin recoiled to the bud neck and was partitioned to mother and daughter cells after cytokinesis and cell separation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that Sir2 localizes to the lacO region in response to activation of the dicentric chromosome. These findings indicate that Ku and Sir proteins are required for proper chromatin compaction within regions of a chromosome experiencing tension or DNA damage. The association of Sir2 with the affected region suggests a direct role in this process, which may include the formation of heterochromatic DNA.
Invasive Fungal Infections in Acute Leukemia

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) is among the leading causes for morbidity, mortality, and economic burden for patients with acute leukemia. In the past few decades, the incidence of IFI has increased dramatically. The certainty of diagnosis of IFI is based on host factors, clinical evidence, and microbiological examination. Advancement in molecular diagnostic modalities (e.g. non-culture-based serum biomarkers such as β-glucan or galactomannan assays) and high-resolution radiological imaging has improved our diagnostic approach. The early use of these diagnostic tests assists in the early initiation of preemptive therapy. Nonetheless, the complexity of IFI in patients with leukemia and the limitations of these diagnostic tools still mandate astute clinical acumen. Its management has been further complicated by the increasing frequency of infection by non-Aspergillus molds (e.g. zygomycosis) and the emergence of drug-resistant fungal pathogens. In addition, even though the antifungal armamentarium has expanded rapidly in the past few decades, the associated mortality remains high. The decision to initiate antifungal treatment and the choice of anti-fungal therapy requires careful consideration of several factors (e.g. risk stratification, local fungal epidemiologic patterns, concomitant comorbidities, drug-drug interactions, prior history of antifungal use, overall cost, and the pharmacologic profile of the antifungal agents). In order to optimize our diagnostic and therapeutic management of IFI in patients with acute leukemia, further basic research and clinical trials are desperately needed.
Compositional control of anisotropy of remanent and induced magnetization in synthetic samples

Anisotropy of remanent and induced magnetization was found to be compositionally controlled in synthetic samples of varying proportions of chlorite (a platy paramagnet), manganese oxide (an isotropic paramagnet), and magnetite (an anisotropic ferrimagnet). Grains were magnetically aligned in a 100 mT field, then uniaxially compressed at 27.6 MPa to produce an L-S fabric. Anisotropy of anhysteretic susceptibility (AAS) and anisotropy of magnetic low-field susceptibility (AMS) are coaxial, and anhysteretic susceptibility is consistently more anisotropic than low-field susceptibility. AMS increases with the addition of oblate magnetite, but decreases with addition of isotropic Mn2O3 to chlorite. These experiments demonstrate that magnetic anisotropy depends on the shape, relative magnetic intensity, and proportion of the magnetic minerals.
Hypertension and Brain Health: Setting Limits National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Organizational Update

Stroke incidence and mortality have been steadily declining in the United States over the past 2 decades. In the last 5 years, stroke dropped from the third to the fifth leading cause of death in the United States! Experts attribute these trends to better control of risk factors and system-wide improvements in stroke care. Efforts to control hypertension, the most important stroke risk factor, seem to have had the most substantial influence. Given hypertension’s role in the close association between cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment and dementia, control of risk factors is likely also contributing to recent declines in the incidence of dementia. Despite this good news, we must remain diligent in our prevention efforts. Overall stroke prevalence is increasing as a result of aging of our population, and racial and ethnic minorities continue to suffer a disproportionate burden of stroke. The CDC estimates that 200 000 preventable deaths from stroke and heart disease occur each year. In 1993, the …