cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outlook for U.S. Gas Energy, Demand, and Competitiveness

The gas transmission and distribution industry believes that available supplies of gas energy will range from 23 to 31 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) by the year 2000, as conventional gas production is increasingly supplemented by supplies from supplemental and non-conventional sources. Under the right set of price and regulatory conditions, gas demand can increase in the traditional heating, industrial fuel and feedstock applications, as well as in such new non-traditional uses as cogeneration, natural gas vehicles and select gas use with coal. Gas prices are rising rapidly enough under the existing law between now and 1985, so that concerns of a sudden price increase after deregulation in that year may be somewhat overstated -- as long as indefinite price escalators, take-or-pay, and other issues in gas purchase contracts are fully resolved beforehand.
Effects of the initial condition on the axisymmetric free shear layer: Effects of the initial momentum thickness

Spurred by large discrepancies among previous data on the free shear layer, effects of the initial condition on the characteristic measures of an axisymmetric air free shear layer were investigated experimentally. The initial, boundary layer state (i.e., laminar or turbulent), momentum thickness Reynolds number Rϑe, and fluctuation intensity u″pe/Ue have been taken as three characteristic identifiers of the initial condition. The discrepancies among published data are reviewed, and data showing the effects of variations in Rϑe (at constant u″pe/Ue) for both initially laminar and tripped (turbulent) boundary layers are reported. It is found that the spread rate, similarity parameter, and peak turbulent intensity in the self‐preserving region are essentially independent of Rϑe, but dependent on whether the initial boundary layer is laminar or tripped (turbulent). Initially, tripped shear layers manifest two stages of linear growth. The virtual origin as well as the distance required for attainment of self‐preservation depend noticeably and systematically on Rϑe. The mean velocity and turbulence intensity profiles appear to reach self‐similarity together when the initial boundary layer is laminar, but not when the initial boundary layer is turbulent.
Tomato, Pests, Parasitoids, and Predators: Tritrophic Interactions Involving the Genus Lycopersicon

▪ Abstract Insect-plant interactions involving the cultivated tomato and its relatives in the genus Lycopersicon have been intensively studied for several decades, resulting in one of the best documented and in-depth examples of the mechanistic complexities of insect-plant interactions, which encompass both herbivores and their natural enemies. Trichome-mediated defenses are particularly significant in L. hirsutum f. glabratum and have been extensively implicated in negative tritrophic effects mediated by direct contact of parasitoids and predators with trichomes, as well as indirect effects mediated through their hosts or prey. Both constitutive and inducible defense traits of L. esculentum exert effects on selected parasitoids and predators. The effects of any particular plant defense trait on parasitoids and predators depend on the specific attributes of the plant trait and the details of the physical, biochemical, and behavioral interaction between the natural enemy, its host (prey), and the plant.
Field Detection of Schistosoma japonicum Cercariae in Environmental Water Samples by Quantitative PCR

A species-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was combined with two novel water-sampling methods and compared with the mouse bioassay for the quantitative detection of S. japonicum in surface waters. The novel methods were capable of capturing cercariae and, with subsequent analysis through qPCR, detecting the presence of a minimum of 1 cercaria.
The Psychology of Religion

As every one knows, psychology is a word to conjure with. We have today the Psychology of Art, the Psychology of Business, the Psychology of Advertising, the Psychology of Childhood, of Adolescence, and of Old Age, the Psychology of various great men and of various centuries and epochs, until one stands quite aghast at the psychological insight of our times, and feels that the key to everything and anything worth knowing must surely be in the hands of the omniscient psychologist. In fact, psychology would seem to have enlarged her bounds at the expense of every other subject, and to have chosen all knowledge to be her province; so that he who desires his book or treatise on any subject whatever to be regarded as strictly “modern” and “scientific” must needs endow it with a psychological title. This is indeed a short and easy method of becoming a psychologist; and the result is— as one might expect—that all the psychology contained in many of these works is spread, usually in large letters, upon the titlepage. All is not gold that glitters; neither is every treatise psychological which bears that mystic word upon its cover.In no field of serious inquiry are these remarks more pertinent than in that of religion. Our book-shelves and our periodicals are laden with works on “religious psychology,” most of which prove on examination to be hardly more psychological than anatomical or geographical. Treatises on theology and statistics, on Church history and Sunday-school methods, as well as that large and amorphous class of writings which twenty years ago would have appeared under the title “Philosophy of Religion”—all these are now pressing themselves upon our attention by the use of that potent shibboleth, “Psychology.” And yet, though one-half the works with titles of this nature have not much more to do with genuine psychology than with the weather, there is, I believe, a young branch of scientific inquiry which rightly deserves the name Psychology of Religion.
Predictors of systolic blood pressure in post-menopausal euthyroid women: A study of the NHANES continuous survey data 2007–2012

There is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and higher rate of hypertension in post-menopausal (compared to pre-menopausal women). We analysed the cross-sectional National Health and Nutritional Examination and Survey 2007–2012 to look at the factors that affect systolic blood pressure in post-menopausal women. We also performed a linear regression with systolic blood pressure as the dependent variable and age, body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides, A1C and serum creatinine as independent variables. In the regression model, only body mass index was a significant predictor of systolic blood pressure (adjusted r2 of 0. 100, F(6, 740) = 14.74, standard error β = 0.08, standardized coefficient B = 0.31, p < 0.01).
Effect of low-level ESD on the lifetime of GMR heads

This paper describes an experiment to address the issue of latent damage due to ESD. Controlled low level discharge from an ESD simulator was applied to GMR heads to produce slight damage. These heads were then subjected to overvoltage stress testing at elevated ambient temperature. The heads subjected to minor ESD show increased scattering of the signal amplitude change vs. time. Although the average lifetime at the same bias remains unaffected by the zapping, statistical analysis show a reduction in 95 % confidence lifetime due to the increased scattering of the data.
Characteristics of age-related changes in cultured human vocal fold fibroblasts.

Objectives/Hypothesis Normal human vocal fold fibroblast (hVFF) primary cell lines are unavailable commercially and are very difficult to acquire, subsequently little is known about their characteristics. The purpose of this study was to compare the morphologic and proliferation characteristics and gene expression of hVFFs from different aged donors.
Complement C3a Enhances CXCL12 (SDF-1)-Mediated Chemotaxis of Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Cells Independently of C3a Receptor

Complement C3a promotes CXCL12-induced migration and engraftment of human and murine hemopoietic progenitor cells, suggesting a cross-influence between anaphylatoxin and chemokine axes. Here we have explored the underlying mechanism(s) of complement anaphylatoxin and chemokine cooperation. In addition to C3a, C3a-desArg and C4a but not C5a, are potent enhancers of CXCL12-induced chemotaxis of human and murine bone marrow (BM) stem/progenitor cells and B lineage cells. C3a enhancement of chemotaxis is chemokine specific because it is also observed for chemotaxis to CCL19 but not to CXCL13. The potentiating effect of C3a on CXCL12 is independent of the classical C3a receptor (C3aR). First, human BM CD34+ and B lineage cells do not express C3aR by flow cytometry. Second, the competitive C3aR inhibitor SB290157 does not affect C3a-mediated enhancement of CXCL12-induced chemotaxis. Third, enhancement of chemotaxis of hemopoietic cells is also mediated by C3a-desArg, which does not bind to C3aR. Finally, C3a enhances CXCL12-induced chemotaxis of BM cells from C3aR knockout mice similar to BM cells from wild-type mice. Subsequent studies revealed that C3a increased the binding affinity of CXCL12 to human CXCR4+/C3aR−, REH pro-B cells, which is compatible with a direct interaction between C3a and CXCL12. BM stromal cells were able to generate C3a, C3a-desArg, C4a, as well as CXCL12, suggesting that this pathway could function in vivo. Taken together, we demonstrate a C3a-CXCL12 interaction independent of the C3aR, which may provide a mechanism to modulate the function of CXCL12 in the BM microenvironment.
Enzymatically Modified Beef Tallow as a Substitute for Cocoa Butter

: Dark “chocolate” samples were formulated with either cocoa butter (CB), randomized tallow (RT) made with Candida antarctica (SP 435) lipase, or a beef tallow: stearic acid structured lipid (SL) made by acidolysis using Rhizomucor miehei (IM 60) lipase. Fatty acid composition, thermal profile, solid fat content (SFC), hardness, and polymorphic structure were determined for the fats and/or “chocolate” samples. An accelerated fat bloom study was performed on the “chocolate” samples. Neither of the modified tallows had a detrimental effect on the crystallization of CB after proper tempering of the “chocolates.” RT did not soften the “chocolate” and both of the modified lipids reduced bloom rates.
Phylogeography of the dusky shrew, Sorex monticolus (Insectivora, Soricidae): insight into deep and shallow history in northwestern North America.

Phylogenetic relationships among the dusky shrew (Sorexmonticolus) and eight related species (S. bairdi, S. bendirii, S. neomexicanus, S.ornatus, S. pacificus, S. palustris, S. sonomae and S.vagrans) were assessed using sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (801 bp). Analyses using parsimony and maximum likelihood revealed significant molecular variation not reflected in previous morphological studies of these species. Conversely, three morphologically defined species (S.bairdi, S.neomexicanus and S.pacificus) were poorly differentiated. Sorexornatus and S.vagrans represented basal taxa for a more inclusive group that included: (i) a widespread Continental clade containing S.monticolus (Arizona to Alaska, including S. neomexicanus); (ii) a Coastal clade containing S.monticolus (Oregon to south-east Alaska, including S. bairdi and S. pacificus); (iii) the semiaquatic species (S. bendirii and S. palustris); and (iv) S.sonomae. Additional subdivision was observed within the Continental clade corresponding to populations from the northern and southern Rocky Mountains. Average uncorrected sequence divergence between the Coastal and Continental clades was 5.3% (range 4.5-6.2%), which exceeds many interspecific comparisons within this species complex and within the genus Sorex. Lack of resolution of internal nodes within topologies suggests a deep history of rapid diversification within this group. Late Pleistocene/Holocene glacial perturbations are reflected in the shallow phylogeographic structure within these clades in western North America. Our results suggest also that S. monticolus is not monophyletic under current taxonomic nomenclature. This perspective on phylogeographic history was developed within a growing comparative framework for other organisms in western North America.
A preliminary report on pain thresholds in bulimia nervosa during a bulimic episode

Subjects with bulimia nervosa (BN) have been shown to exhibit abnormal satiety responses. Short-term satiety is largely mediated by afferent vagal activity. Activation of afferent vagal fibers has also been found to stimulate a descending pain inhibitory pathway that leads to elevation in somatosensory pain thresholds. Therefore, the study of pain thresholds in BN subjects may lead to a better understanding of afferent vagal function in this disorder. In this preliminary study, pressure pain thresholds were assessed in nine subjects with BN on 3 consecutive days during a binge-eating and vomiting (B/V) episode, during a normal meal, and after an overnight fast. A significant time versus condition effect was found with a significant change in the pain threshold in BN subjects under the B/V condition only. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that vagal afferent activation by a B/V episode also activates the descending pain inhibitory pathway.
Kuck Receives Computer Pioneer Award

Parallel computing researcher David Kuck has been named winner of the 2011 IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award “for pioneering parallel architectures including the Illiac IV, the Burroughs BSP, and Cedar; and for revolutionary parallel compiler technology including Parafrase and KAP Tools.”
Development of a Vertical Stiffness Relationship for Belted Radial Tires

Abstract Vertical stiffness is a fundamentally important property of tires. This property is often expressed by some empirical formula not directly tied to the physics of the tire. It would be useful to have a physics‐based formula that could reliably predict vertical stiffness from a minimum set of pertinent, easily obtained parameters. This paper extends the ring model used by Koutny in his thermodynamic studies of tire stiffness and applies it directly to the question of vertical stiffness without regard to thermodynamics. A master curve of tire vertical stiffness is obtained that includes all tires that meet the assumptions of the model, regardless of size. A simple formula for tire vertical stiffness is developed from the master curve. The formula is correlated to a wide variety of tire stiffness measurements. One use of such a formula could be to develop more reliable tire load capacity standards. In the course of the analysis, it is found that the vertical stiffness depends significantly on the str...
Linear GaAs FET solid state amplifier (16 watt saturated, 10 watt linear power) development for the DSCS III satellite program

DSCS III satellites are being further improved with the incorporation of a linear solid-state amplifier (LSSA). The LSSAs use improved GaAs FETs as power devices. Current DSCS III SSAs provide 10 W of saturated power, while the LSSAs provide 10 W of linear power. The LSSA is incorporated in two of the four channels with high linear power traffic demands. The LSSA increases the traffic handling capability by 1.6 to 2 times without significantly increased DC power subsystem demands. Overall system reliability is increased through device and component reliability improvement. LSSA component performance test data and communications channel simulator performance data are presented. The LSSA design has completed proto-flight environmental, thermal, radiation-hardness assurance, and electromagnetic compatibility tests. It will be incorporated into seven DSCS III satellites. >
Sideband Interpretation of Optical Information and the Diffraction Patterns of Unsymmetrical Pupil Functions

This report shows how the pattern information in an object through which a coherent beam of light is passed can be transformed into information existing in the focal plane. The information in the focal plane can be interpreted as sidebands of a zero-frequency carrier. There is also a close connection between the sideband interpretation and the sampling theorem of information theory and this connection is derived and discussed.The mathematical methods used in the first (one-dimensional) part of the following analysis are an application to optics of certain classical methods in modulation and communication theory. These are the method of symmetrical and antisymmetrical sideband distribution, the method of paired echoes and sampling theorem analysis.In the two dimensional analysis, a more general method of separating functions into symmetrical and antisymmetrical parts is used. This leads to a new general analysis of the diffraction patterns of unsymmetrical pupil functions. In the course of the analysis a two-dimensional quadrature function is used. The quadrature function in one dimension is the Hilbert transform.
A marine oligobacterium harboring genes known to be part of aromatic hydrocarbon degradation pathways of soil pseudomonads.

The far-ranging distribution of genes for aromatic hydrocarbon catabolism, predominantly studied in soil pseudomonads, is extended to a marine oligobacterium by finding five homologous sequences in a 5.7-kb chromosomal DNA from a new isolate, Cycloclasticus oligotrophus RB1. RB1 is capable of growth in unamended seawater or mineral salts media supplemented with a variety of aromatic compounds, including toluene, o-, m-, or p-xylenes, as sole carbon sources. The five open reading frames, designated xylM, K, G, C1, and C2, are 57% A+T-rich. XylM is predicted to be an integral membrane protein; XylK and XylG possess glutathione S-transferase (GST) and 2-hydroxy-5methyl-6-oxohexa2,4-dienoate dehydrogenase activities, respectively; XylC1C2 are homologs of the large and small subunits of the iron sulfur protein component of the biphenyl dioxygenase (e.g., BphA1A2).
The formation of Mg,Fe-silicates by reactions between amorphous magnesiosilica smoke particles and metallic iron nanograins with implications for comet silicate origins

This thermal annealing experiment at 1000 K for up to 167 h used a physical mixture of vapor phase-condensed magnesiosilica grains and metallic iron nanograins to test the hypothesis that a mixture of magnesiosilica grains and an Fe-source would lead to the formation of ferromagnesiosilica grains. This exploratory study found that coagulation and thermal annealing of amorphous magnesiosilica and metallic grains yielded ferromagnesiosilica grains with the Fe/(Fe + Mg) ratios in interplanetary dust particles. Furthermore, decomposition of brucite present in the condensed magnesiosilica grains was the source for water and the cause of different iron oxidation states, and the formation of amorphous Fe3+-ferrosilica, amorphous Fe3+-Mg, Fe-silicates, and magnesioferrite during thermal annealing. Fayalite and ferrosilite that formed from silica/FeO melts reacted with forsterite and enstatite to form Mg, Fe-silicates. The presence of iron in different oxidation states in extraterrestrial materials almost certainly requires active asteroid-like parent bodies. If so, the possible presence of trivalent Fe compounds in comet P/Halley suggests that Halley-type comets are a mixture of preserved presolar and processed solar nebula dust. The results from this thermal annealing experiment further suggest that the Fe-silicates detected in the impact-induced ejecta from comet 9P/Temple 1 might be of secondary origin and related to the impact experiment or to processing in a regolith.
Second Generation Asian-Indian Reactions To Asian-Indian And American Magazine Advertisements

This paper is an extension of a previous study which addressed cultural perceptions of first generation Asian-Indians. The current study includes second generation Asian-Indians in the U.S. (The United States of America) and compares their reactions to the first generation subjects regarding Indian magazine advertisements versus American magazine advertisements of the same product class. The results indicate that cultural perceptions of the second generation Asian-Indian are similar to cultural perceptions of first generation Asian-Indians in the earlier study. In general, both generations appear to prefer Indian advertisements more than the corresponding American advertisements. This offers opportunities for U.S. marketers to continue to develop culturally attuned advertising strategies to effectively reach the growing and affluent Asian-Indians in the U.S.
Sex speeds adaptation by altering the dynamics of molecular evolution

Sex and recombination are pervasive throughout nature despite their substantial costs. Understanding the evolutionary forces that maintain these phenomena is a central challenge in biology. One longstanding hypothesis argues that sex is beneficial because recombination speeds adaptation. Theory has proposed several distinct population genetic mechanisms that could underlie this advantage. For example, sex can promote the fixation of beneficial mutations either by alleviating interference competition (the Fisher-Muller effect) or by separating them from deleterious load (the ruby in the rubbish effect). Previous experiments confirm that sex can increase the rate of adaptation, but these studies did not observe the evolutionary dynamics that drive this effect at the genomic level. Here we present the first, to our knowledge, comparison between the sequence-level dynamics of adaptation in experimental sexual and asexual Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations, which allows us to identify the specific mechanisms by which sex speeds adaptation. We find that sex alters the molecular signatures of evolution by changing the spectrum of mutations that fix, and confirm theoretical predictions that it does so by alleviating clonal interference. We also show that substantially deleterious mutations hitchhike to fixation in adapting asexual populations. In contrast, recombination prevents such mutations from fixing. Our results demonstrate that sex both speeds adaptation and alters its molecular signature by allowing natural selection to more efficiently sort beneficial from deleterious mutations.
Paternal aging and increased risk of congenital disease, psychiatric disorders, and cancer

As couples are increasingly delaying parenthood, the effect of the aging men and women on reproductive outcomes has been an area of increased interest. Advanced paternal age has been shown to independently affect the entire spectrum of male fertility as assessed by reductions in sperm quality and fertilization (both assisted and unassisted). Moreover, epidemiological data suggest that paternal age can lead to higher rates of adverse birth outcomes and congenital anomalies. Mounting evidence also suggests increased risk of specific pediatric and adult disease states ranging from cancer to behavioral traits. While disease states associated with advancing paternal age have been well described, consensus recommendations for neonatal screening have not been as widely implemented as have been with advanced maternal age.
Methods of Feeding Layers and Breeders

Abstract POULTRYMEN are vitally interested in methods of feeding layers and breeding hens to produce the greatest net returns. No one method has been devised that produces the greatest profit in terms of high egg production, low mortality, low labor, low feed cost and high hatchability. Every known feeding method is subject to some variations, and most of them have given satisfactory results with individual poultrymen. Although the free choice method of feeding has been used in Massachusetts many years, poultrymen have constantly asked about its merits compared with feeding all-mash or hand feeding of grain with hopper fed mash. Thus, this experiment was set up with the purpose of answering the above question. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Kennard and Bethke (1926) reported a test using the “Big Five” mash (equal parts bran, middlings, yellow corn meal, ground oats and meat scraps) and a scratch feed of 2 parts cracked corn, 1 . . .
Life Tables for the Frit Fly, Oscinella frit, in Reed Canarygrass in Virginia

Life tables of Oscinella frit (L.) were prepared for the spring and summer generations of 3 consecutive years. Mortality of the insect prior to entry into the host was regarded as the key factor that regulated population changes in reed canarygrass. Frequent rainfall during the egg-laying season was the most probable cause of mortality in this stage. The life table trend index was normally less than 100% suggesting that frit fly populations are not especially suited to reed canarygrass.
The Strategic Bombing of Germany in World War II: Costs and Accomplishments

As interest in World War II increases, it releases what seems to be a never-ending flood of literature. While the volume of this material is staggering, gaps and controversial areas remain. One especially troublesome subject is strategic bombing. Although much has been written about the bombing, few studies merit either the term "analytical" or the term "scholarly." First-person and journalistic accounts of derring-do predominate. Perhaps in no other field of history do so many "feel" and believe so much, rely on so little analysis and proof, and yet write so much.' The following is a summary and assessment of the strategic bombing efforts in Europe during World War II. It focuses on the costs and accomplishments of the bombing, on what bombing did and did not do. Other aspects of the bombing, such as lessons, morality, and criticisms, are left to other studies.
DNA-binding studies of a tetraalkyl-substituted porphyrin and the mutually adaptive distortion principle.

This investigation explores DNA-binding interactions of various forms of an alkyl-substituted cationic porphyrin, H2TC3 (5,10,15,20-tetra[3-(3′-methylimidazolium-1′-yl)]porphyrin). The motivating idea is that incorporating alkyl rather than aryl substituents in the meso positions will enhance the prospects for intercalative as well as external binding to DNA hosts. The ligands may also be applicable for photodynamic and/or anticancer therapy. Methods employed include absorbance, circular dichroism, and emission spectroscopies, as well as viscometry and X-ray crystallography. By comparison with the classical H2T4 system, H2TC3 exhibits a higher molar extinction coefficient but is more prone to self-association. Findings of note include that the copper(II)-containing form Cu(TC3) is adept at internalizing into single-stranded as well as B-form DNA, regardless of the base composition. Surprisingly, however, external binding of H2TC3 occurs within domains that are rich in adenine–thymine base pairs. The diffe...
The Dynamic Impact of Buying 'Fit Products' on Customer Learning and Profitability in Multichannel Settings

Many retailers enable customers to purchase both online and offline. We posit that the type of product purchased in this multichannel environment, “fit” or “non-fit”, impacts customer learning and profitability, and that purchasing fit products offline is especially effective at creating high value customers. Using longitudinal transactional data from a national outdoor-product retail chain, we use a multivariate hidden Markov model (HMM) to investigate how customers choose both product and channel in a multichannel environment. The HMM identifies two states – an “exploratory” state characterized by higher likelihood to purchase fit products offline, lower purchase amount, and longer inter-purchase time; and a “trusting” state where customers are more likely to buy all product types online, buy more, and buy more frequently. We find that fit-product purchases accelerate customer migration to the trusting state, especially if those purchases are made offline. Marketing communications play a key role by enhancing the likelihood the customer migrates to the trusting state. Our findings identify a strategic role that fit products and retail stores play in customer development, and show that marketing can help implement this strategy.
Lessons for Flint’s Officials and Parents From Our 1970s Newark Lead Program

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Elevated blood lead levels in children associated with the Flint drinking water crisis: a spatial analysis of risk and public health response," by M. Hanna-Attisha and colleagues in a 2016 issue.
249 FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY IN THE ADULT AND MATERNAL IMMUNOREACTIVITY TO THE MALE FETUS.

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is a measure of deviation from bilateral symmetry and has been shown to have a strong correlation with developmental instability. FA has also been associated with negative health outcomes and developmental disorders in humans. We postulated that development of maternal immunoreactivity to male fetuses would cause greater developmental instability in the later-born male fetuses. We expected the FA in males with older brothers to be greater than that of males without older brothers or females with or without older brothers. To test this hypothesis, we made six bilateral measurements of the hand and arm: hand width, hand length, length of the third proximal phalange, ulnar length, and the full length of the hand and arm. These measurements were then used to calculate the mean FA of study subjects, which included hospital inpatients and outpatients, visitors, and staff. A comparison of the mean asymmetries of the 77 males with older brothers, 88 males without older brothers, 123 females with older brothers, and 106 females without older brothers showed no significant difference between the four groups. Further studies should be performed to confirm our conclusion on maternal immunoreactivity and FA since this study included a limited number of morphological traits and relatively few male participants.
Stability of suspended graphene under Casimir force

We consider a graphene sheet suspended above a conducting surface. Treating graphene as an elastic membrane subjected to Casimir force, we study its stability against sagging towards the conductor. There exists a critical elevation at the edges below which the central part of the suspended graphene nucleates a trunk that sinks under the action of the Casimir force. The dependence of the critical elevation on temperature, dimensions, and the elastic stress applied to the graphene sheet is computed.
Quantum Phase Diffusion Noise Measurements in a CW Optical Parametric Oscillator

It has long been predicted that the phase difference between the signal and idler subharmonic outputs of an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) undergoes a random walk process, similar to the phase diffusion of a laser [1]. In this work, we present what is, to our knowledge, the first measurements of the quantum phase diffusion noise of a cw OPO.
Molecular Genetics of Pancreatic Neoplasms

Pancreatic neoplasms have a wide range of histologic types with distinct clinical outcomes. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have greatly deepened our understanding of pancreatic neoplasms. Now, the exomes of major histologic types of pancreatic neoplasms have been sequenced, and their genetic landscapes have been revealed. This article reviews the molecular changes underlying pancreatic neoplasms, with a special focus on the genetic changes that characterize the histologic types of pancreatic neoplasms. Emphasis is also made on the molecular features of key genes that have the potential for therapeutic targets.
Hot oxygen escape from Mars: Simple scaling with solar EUV irradiance

The evolution of the atmosphere of Mars and the loss of volatiles over the lifetime of the solar system is a key topic in planetary science. An important loss process for atomic species, such as oxygen, is ionospheric photochemical escape. Dissociative recombination of O2+ ions (the major ion species) produces fast oxygen atoms, some of which can escape from the planet. Many theoretical hot O models have been constructed over the years, although a number of uncertainties are present in these models, particularly concerning the elastic cross sections of O atoms with CO2. Recently, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission has been rapidly improving our understanding of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars and its interaction with the external environment (e.g., solar wind), allowing a new assessment of this important loss process. The purpose of the current paper is to take a simple analytical approach to the oxygen escape problem in order to (1) study the role that variations in solar radiation or solar wind fluxes could have on escape in a transparent fashion and (2) isolate the effects of uncertainties in oxygen cross sections on the derived oxygen escape rates. In agreement with several more elaborate numerical models, we find that the escape flux is directly proportional to the incident solar extreme ultraviolet irradiance and is inversely proportional to the backscatter elastic cross section. The amount of O lost due to ion transport in the topside ionosphere is found to be about 5–10% of the total.
A distributed deterministic spiral search algorithm for swarms

As robot swarms become more viable, efficient solutions to fundamental tasks such as swarm search and collection are required. We propose the distributed deterministic spiral algorithm (DDSA) which generalises a spiral search pattern to robot swarms. While being an effective search strategy in its own right, the DDSA is also a useful point of comparison for other swarm search strategies. Such a benchmark for robot swarm search is currently needed but missing. As a case study, we compare the DDSA to a biologically-inspired central-place foraging algorithm that uses stochastic search, memory, and communication to efficiently collect resources in a variety of different resource distributions.
Implementation of a platform-agnostic working memory span task using mobile device technology

Working Memory Span (WMS) tasks are some of the most commonly used tools in cognitive psychology. These tasks involve the presentation of a set of items in a specified sequence. The participant is then asked to recall the sequence of items in forward or reverse order with performance quantified by the maximum number of items correctly recalled. Though initially the test was developed for verbal administration, now with modern computing, these tasks are generally administered via a digital interface. As a result, a variety of implementations have been developed but generally target either research or consumer domains. There has yet to be an offering capable of making the necessary transition from validation in the research lab, through implementation in the clinic, to distribution directly to the consumer. The main barrier has been lack of an open, approachable architecture, robust enough for basic scientists but also technically scalable for wide distribution to consumers. Recent advances in software technology provide the necessary infrastructure for the development of a robust offering. We have developed a WMS task, built on the latest in multi-platform gaming technology, to act as a blueprint for how future tasks can be developed, tested, and distributed. Our implementation describes some of the fundamental principles necessary for cultivation of a rich ecosystem of health diagnostic and therapeutic software.
A Control Framework for Anthropomorphic Biped Walking Based on Stabilizing Feedforward Trajectories

Although dynamic walking methods have had notable successes in control of bipedal robots in the recent years, still most of the humanoid robots rely on quasi-static Zero Moment Point controllers. This work is an attempt to design a highly stable controller for dynamic walking of a human-like model which can be used both for control of humanoid robots and prosthetic legs. The method is based on using time-based trajectories that can induce a highly stable limit cycle to the bipedal robot. The time-based nature of the controller motivates its use to entrain a model of an amputee walking, which can potentially lead to a better coordination of the interaction between the prosthesis and the human. The simulations demonstrate the stability of the controller and its robustness against external perturbations.
Beloved Countries: Labour, Landscape and the Politics of Conservation in Three Novels from KwaZulu-Natal

Lauretta Ngcobo’s And They Didn’t Die (1990) chronicles the lives of a group of rural South African women as they struggle against both the black and white patriarchies in which they are enmeshed and the dire environmental conditions in which they live. However, critics have tended to focus substantially more on Ngcobo’s interest in women than on the novel’s rural setting, the environmental problems that define it, or the longer literary history of which the novel is a part. This article re-examines And They Didn’t Die in order to show, in one vein, how the struggles that Ngcobo narrates are oriented towards environmental as well as gendered forms of justice. But the article also puts And They Didn’t Die in dialogue with both Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country (1948) and Jonny Steinberg’s Midlands (2002), two texts set in the same part of KwaZulu-Natal, in order to examine a problem important to ecocriticism both in South Africa and beyond: namely, the relationship between environmental history and lit...
Tachykinin and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivities and mRNAs in the mammalian enteric nervous system and sensory ganglia.

The enteric nervous system, which extends with continuity from the esophagus to the anal canal, including the hepatobiliary pathway and pancreas, comprises a large number of intrinsic (enteric) neurons embedded within the alimentary tract itself and the processes of extrinsic (efferent and afferent) neurons (Furness and Costa, 1987). It contains a heterogeneous population of neurochemically distinct types of neurons, which are characterized by different morphologies, projection patterns, pharmacological and electrophysiological properties and functions (Costa et al., 1987; Furness and Costa, 1987). During the past decade, a variety of chemical messengers, including bioactive peptides, or different combinations of them, have been recognized in enteric neurons and their terminals, and in extrinsic nerves supplying the enteric nervous system as well (Costa et al., 1986; Furness et al., 1988; Llewellyn-Smith, 1989; Sternini, 1988). The same chemical messengers can occur also in other neuronal structures, including primary sensory neurons and terminals (Gibbins et al., 1987; Ju et al., 1987).
Alfonso X, Brunetto Latini y la historia de las primeras traducciones de la Ética aristotélica = Alfonso X, Brunetto Latini and the history of early translations of Aristotelian Ethics

El presente articulo estudia la presencia de la Etica aristotelica en Las Siete Partidas de Alfonso X y el influjo de la obra vernacula alfonsi en Brunetto Latini, a raiz de la visita que este hizo a la corte alfonsi in 1260. Su discute el tema de las primeras traducciones de la Etica aristotelica asi como las mutuas relaciones e intercambios literarios y culturales entre ambos estudiosos. This article discusses the presence of the Aristotelian Ethics in the Siete Partidas of King Alfonso X and, in the light of Brunetto Latini’s visit to Alfonso’s court in 1260, the impact of Alfonso’s vernacular endeavors in Latini’s works. The topic of the early translations of Aristotelian Ethics is also discussed as well as the mutual relations and literary exchanges between the two scholars.
Power conversion efficiency-aware mapping of multithreaded applications on heterogeneous architectures: a comprehensive parameter tuning

Heterogeneous Multicore Processors (HMPs) are comprised of multiple core types (small vs. big core architectures) with various performance and power characteristics which offer the flexibility to assign each thread to a core that provides the maximum energy-efficiency. Although this architecture provides more flexibility for the running application to determine the optimal run-time settings that maximize energy-efficiency, due to the interdependence of various tuning parameters such as the type of core, run-time voltage and frequency, and the number of threads, the scheduling becomes more challenging. More importantly, the impact of Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) of the On-Chip Voltage Regulators (OCVRs) is another important parameter that makes it more challenging to schedule multithreaded applications on HMPs. In this paper, the importance of concurrent optimization and fine-tuning of the circuit and architectural parameters for energy-efficient scheduling on HMPs is addressed to harness the power of heterogeneity. In addition, the scheduling challenges for multithreaded applications are investigated for HMP architectures that account for the impact of power conversion efficiency. A highly accurate learning-based model is developed for energy-efficiency prediction to guide the scheduling decision. Using the predictive model, we further develop a PCE-aware scheduling scheme is developed for effective mapping of multithreaded applications onto an HMP. The results indicate that the proposed learning-based scheme outperforms the state of the art solution by 10% when there is no PCE gap between big and little cores. The energy-efficiency improves up to 60% when the PCE gap between big and little cores increases.
Radius and Ulnar Shaft Fractures

Fractures of the radius and ulna are commonly encountered injuries. They can be caused by both direct and indirect trauma to the forearm. Compared to other bones, fractures of the radius and ulna have a high ratio of open to closed injuries, so a thorough soft tissue examination is essential and a high index of suspicion is warranted with associated forearm abrasions and lacerations. This chapter focuses on the basics of ulnar and radial shaft (diaphyseal) fractures, their management and the common complications associated with their care.
Microarray-Based Gene Profiling Analysis of Müller Glia-Derived Retinal Stem Cells in Light-Damaged Retinas from Adult Zebrafish

Microarray-based gene profiling has become an important technique to measure changes in gene expression on a genome-wide scale. Recently, cell-specific microarrays have been reported to study changes in gene expression of a particular cell type in several model organisms. Here, we describe a protocol to prepare RNA samples for microarray analysis of isolated Muller glia-derived retinal stem cells from light-damaged adult zebrafish expressing a fluorescent marker in Muller cells using enzymatic retinal dissociation followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
The Christmas Mountains caldera complex, Trans-Pecos Texas

The Christmas Mountains caldera complex developed approximately 42 Ma ago over an elliptical (8×5 km) laccolithic dome that formed during emplacement of the caldera magma body. Rocks of the caldera complex consist of tuffs, lavas, and volcaniclastic deposits, divided into five sequences. Three of the sequences contain major ash-flow tuffs whose eruption led to collapse of four calderas, all 1–1.5 km in diameter, over the dome. The oldest caldera-related rocks are sparsely porphyritic, rhyolitic, air-fall and ash-flow tuffs that record formation and collapse of a Plinian-type eruption column. Eruption of these tuffs induced collapse of a wedge along the western margin of the dome. A second, more abundantly porphyritic tuff led to collapse of a second caldera that partly overlapped the first. The last major eruptions were abundantly porphyritic, peralkaline quartz-trachyte ash-flow tuffs that ponded within two calderas over the crest of the dome. The tuffs are interbedded with coarse breccias that resulted from failure of the caldera walls. The Christmas Mountains caldera complex and two similar structures in Trans-Pecos Texas constitute a newly recognized caldera type, here termed a laccocaldera. They differ from more conventional calderas by having developed over thin laccolithic magma chambers rather than more deep-seated bodies, by their extreme precaldera doming and by their small size. However, they are similar to other calderas in having initial Plinian-type air-fall eruption followed by column collapse and ash-flow generation, multiple cycles of eruption, contemporaneous eruption and collapse, apparent pistonlike subsidence of the calderas, and compositional zoning within the magma chamber. Laccocalderas could occur else-where, particularly in alkalic magma belts in areas of undeformed sedimentary rocks.
Why Are Patients Readmitted? An Analysis of Adverse Events Leading to Readmission, Reintervention, or Reoperation After Bariatric Surgery

Background: To compare the 30-day adverse events after bariatric surgery and to identify the underlying risk factors. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a prospectively maintained database of obe...
A framework for the assessment of contribution of base layer performance towards resilience of flexible pavement to flooding

Flood-induced moisture damage of flexible pavements is a serious concern for many road authorities. Reports from several studies confirm the significant structural damage that is caused by flooding...
Child Obesity, School Food Environments, and the Best Interest of the Child

This article is about child obesity, school food, and the key role schools can play in creating environments that can enhance children’s eating patterns and lifestyle behaviors and, thus, can support the realization of children’s best interest in relation to food and health. In contrast to the traditional approach that frames the obesity problem as a personal issue or as a matter of parental responsibility, this article argues that the prevention of child obesity should be interpreted as a State obligation under both international and domestic laws. Analysis turns to the example of the Healthy, Hunger Kids Free Act, adopted in the United States in 2010 to provide healthier schools nutrition standards, and its most recent rollback by the Trump administration. As in such a case, whenever governments may fail to fulfill their obligations due to political changes or conflicting interests, the article argues that schools can become agents of change by fostering environments that increase children’s daily consumption of healthier food and promote physical activity.
Data fusion for a vision-aided radiological detection system: Correlation methods for single source tracking

Abstract Data fusion between 3D vision sensors and radiological sensors can enable data improvements and novel applications for nuclear safeguards. While the radiological sensors allow for nuclear threat detection, the addition of a 3D vision sensor can allow for improved threat detection when using its ability to track objects in a scene. Ten measurements were taken that involved three to four people walking in a room where one of the persons carried a Cf-252 source in a backpack. A data-fusion algorithm was used to correlate the radiological and vision data. The vision trajectory with the highest correlation value was selected as the trajectory carrying the radiological material. Filtering and refining the radiological and vision data was also explored in search of improvements. For unaltered data, the data-fusion approach correctly identified to the source-carrying trajectory for all ten measurements in all cases except when using data where counting statistics were low or the signal-to-background ratio was low. Filtering and refining the data improved the correlation values for all trajectories as expected. The presented algorithm has proven to be an effective means of data fusion between the two different types of sensor data. These initial results show the effectiveness of incorporating 3D vision in radiological detection systems.