cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of the difference in electrical resistance under the land and channel in a PEM fuel cell

Previous studies have shown experimentally that the current density in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell can be significantly higher under the land than under the channel in most practical operating cell voltage ranges [14]. In order to determine if the difference in electrical resistances under the land and the channel is a major cause for the observed local current density differences, a dedicated experimental study has been conducted to separately measure the electrical resistance under the land and channel and to isolate the in-plane (lateral) resistance from the total resistance of the gas diffusion electrode (GDE). First, a special test fixture is designed such that the electron paths under both the land and the channel are identical to those in a real operating fuel cell and the electrical resistance under each area can be measured separately. Using this test fixture, the total electrical resistances under the land and the channel are measured separately. The results show that the total electrical resistance under the channel is much higher than that under the land except in the case with very narrow channels. Secondly, in order to determine the source(s) of the difference in electrical resistance under the different areas, the in-plane resistances of the GDE and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) are measured. The results show that the difference in lateral resistance between the areas under the land and the channel is negligibly small. Thirdly, basic analyses show that the difference in direct voltage loss caused by the higher electrical resistance under the channel is significant; besides, the resistance difference can result in a large enough variations in local overpotential to cause significant local current density differences. Therefore, the difference in local electrical resistance under the land and channel is large enough to be a major cause for the observed local current density differences.
A Polar Copper–Boron One-Electron σ-Bond

Virtually all chemical bonds consist of one or several pairs of electrons shared by two atoms. Examples of σ-bonds made of a single electron delocalized over two neighboring atoms were until recently found only in gas-phase cations such as H_2^+ and Li_2^+ and in highly unstable species generated in solid matrices. Only in the past decade was bona fide one-electron bonding observed for molecules in fluid solution. Here we report the isolation and structural characterization of a thermally stable compound featuring a Cu–B one-electron bond, as well as its oxidized (nonbonded) and reduced (two-electrons-bonded) congeners. This triad provides an excellent opportunity to study the degree of σ-bonding in a metalloboratrane as a function of electron count.
A review of criterion validation research on the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress for Families with Chronically Ill or Handicapped Members.

The Questionnaire on Resources and Stress for Families with Chronically Ill or Handicapped Members (QRS) has been used as a research instrument in studies that compared parents of clinical groups with normal controls, parents of children with different clinical conditions, and pre- and postinterventions. These studies are analyzed in terms of the relationship of 15 QRS scales to child variables (e.g., age, degree of handicap); parent variables (e.g., marital status, educational level); and family variables (e.g., nationality/culture). It was concluded that the QRS fulfills four requirements for an acceptable level of validity: (1) the relationship between predictor and criterion scores is statistically significant; (2) use of the test probably results in more correct decisions than would be made by resorting to base rates alone; (3) the test possesses some utility; it would result in some gain to the user; and (4) the test provides some unique information.
Better Understanding of the Species with the Shortest Re26+ Bonds and Related Re27+ Species with Tetraguanidinate Paddlewheel Structures

A series of compounds has been made containing quadruply bonded Re2(hpp)4X2 species (hpp = the anion of 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2a]pyrimidine), where X is CF3SO3 (1), CF3CO2 (2), and F (3). The distances of 2.1562(7), 2.1711(5), and 2.1959(4) A for 1−3 show significant effects of the σ and π electron donating ability of the axial ligands on the metal−metal distance. With the weakly coordinating triflate ligand the Re−Re distance is the shortest for any quadruple bonded species known. In addition to examining the effects of axial ligands on the Re2(hpp)42+ core, our study of the Re2(hpp)43+ core is being extended beyond the preliminary results previously reported in only one compound [Re2(hpp)4Cl2]PF6 (Dalton Trans. 2003, 1218). We now report the structural characterization by both X-ray and neutron diffraction of the compound [Re2(hpp)4F](TFPB)2, 4 (TFPB = the anion tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate), and a detailed study by EPR spectroscopy of [Re2(hpp)4Cl2]PF6 at 9.5, 34.5, and ...
T(H)2 bias: Mina tips the balance.

Tipping the balance of early cytokine production can lead to lineage bias and, potentially, immune-mediated pathology. Mapping of a leishmania-susceptibility region has identified a gene that may determine the extent of T helper type 2 bias in naive helper T cells.
Kinetics, mechanism and thermodynamics of the reversible reaction of methylglyoxal (CH_3COCHO) with sulfur (IV)

At pH ≤ 2 the following rate law for the formation of hydroxyacetylmethaneulfonate (HAMS) from methylglyoxal (MG) and S(IV) (H_2O•SO_2, SO_3^(2-))is obtained: d[HAMS]/dt = ((k_0α_1[H^+]/K_(a0)) + k_1α_1 + k_2α_2)[S(IV)][MG]_0)/(1 + K_d + K_d[H^+]/K_(a0)), where α_1 and α_2 are the fractional concentrations of HSO_3^- and SO_3^(2-), respectively; k_0, is the rate constant for the reaction of HSO_3^- with the carbocation aldehyde species (CH_3COC^+HOH); k_1, and k_2 are the rate constants for the reaction of unhydrated MG with HSO_3^- and SO_3^(2-), respectively; K_d is the dehydration constant of hydrated MG; and K_(a0) is the acid dissociation constant of the carbocation. At pH ≥4 the rate of formation of HAMS is determined by the rate of dehydration of the diol form of (hydrated) MG: d[HAMS]/dt = k_d[MG]/(l + K_d + _Kd [H^+]/K_(a0)), where k_d = k_w + k_H[H^+] + kOH[OH^-] + k_A[A] + kB_[B], and k_w is the intrinsic (water) rate constant; k_H and k_OH) are the specific acid and base rate constants; and k_A and k_B are the general acid (A) and base (B) rate constants. Between pH 2 and 4, biexponential kinetics are observed because, under our conditions, the rates of dehydration and of S(IV) addition become comparable. Over the pH range 0.7-7.0, the dissociation of HAMS follows the rate law: d[S(IV)]/dt = ((k_(-0)[H^+] + k_)-1) + k_(-2)K_(a3)/[H^+])K_(a4)[H^+][HAMS])/[H^+]]^2 + K_(a4)[H^+] + K_(a3)K_(a4)) where k_(-0) k_(-1), and k_(-2) are the reverse of the analogous forward rate constants defined above and K_(a3) and K_(a4) are the acid dissociation constants of the sulfortate anion and the sulfonic acid, respectively. Experiments to determine the effect of temperature on the rate (and equilibrium) constants indicate a marked effect of ΔS^* (and ΔS_(298)) on the relative magnitude of these constants.
Astrophysics: How tiny galaxies form stars.

Observations of two faint galaxies with a low abundance of elements heavier than helium show that the galaxies have an efficiency of star formation less than one-tenth of that of the Milky Way and similar galaxies. See Letter p.335 The first generations of stars formed from gas containing few or no elements heavier than helium (called 'metals' by astronomers). Star formation processes under these conditions would probably have been very different from those seen in galaxies today. Now, using the far-infrared capabilities of the Herschel Space Observatory, Yong Shi et al. have mapped the dusty regions of two nearby young galaxies where the extreme conditions resemble those prevailing in the primordial galaxies in the early Universe. They estimate the dust/gas ratio in regions dominated by atomic gas and use that to estimate the amount of gas in the star-forming regions. They find star formation that is only a tenth as efficient as that seen in normal, metal-rich galaxies today. This work provides a glimpse of how stars may have formed in the early Universe and a convenient model in which theoretical models for early galaxy evolution can be put to the test.
Analytical field-reversed equilibria derived from self-consistent particle orbits – Part I

An analytical approach to the calculation of a special class of field-reversed plasma equilibria is presented. The equilibria analysed are those of an infinite cylindrical plasma layer consisting of monoenergetic ions of fixed canonical angular momentum and 'cold' space-charge-neutralizing electrons immersed in a uniform field. An equation for the self-consistent orbits of the ions is derived and solved for field-reversing (and field-enhancing) equilibria characterized by the dimensionless parameters a/a0, ratio of plasma outer radius to ion gyroradius in the vacuum field, and s/a, ratio of inner to outer plasma radius. It is shown that field reversal is not possible for a/a0 < 2.0; strong field reversal requires both a/a02.0 and s/a1.0. The analytical approach is then generalized to permit the inclusion of additional particle groups (ions or energetic electrons) and/or base fields with a radial gradient. Applications of the generalized solutions are to be discussed in a subsequent paper.
On the utilization of market-based auction techniques for dynamic resource allocation in distributed sensor network systems

The rapid evolution of distributed sensor systems involving multiple heterogeneous sensors, the combination of mobile and stationary sensors, and dynamic information requirements presents a challenge for system resource utilization. On one hand, evolving standards and service oriented architecture concepts enables creation and use of multiple sensors and resources (including human reports). These technologies allow sensors and sources to be treated as Web services that can join the network at any time. On the other hand, traditional methods for optimizing these dynamic resources (e.g., classic optimization methods) are not feasible when the information requirements are rapidly changing, when there are multiple consumers of the requested information, and when the resources may dynamically appear (or disappear) from availability. This paper describes the concept of using a market-based approach for resource allocation. In this approach, sensors and network communications resources are treated as suppliers and human users (and data fusion algorithms) are treated as consumers. Dynamic auction methods are used to seek to match the dynamic information needs of the consumers with the capabilities of the suppliers. The "value" of the information to consumers is based on quantities such as accuracy, level of specificity, timeliness, etc. The paper describes the overall approach and presents results of numerical simulations.
Identification of a population of large granular lymphocytes obtained from the rheumatoid joint coexpressing the CD3 and CD16 antigens

Abstract In this study, we phenotypically characterized large granular lymphocytes (LGL) among the synovial fluid mononuclear cells obtained from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Cytochemical and flow cytometric studies revealed an increased percentage of LGL in the synovial fluid mononuclear cells obtained from patients with RA compared to those without RA. Flow cytometric analysis revealed an expanded population of cells expressing a rare phenotype: CD3+ CD16+ . While these cells are seen in very low percentages in normal individuals ( 20 30 RA patients studied, these cells constituted from 20 to 80% of the total synovial fluid mononuclear cells. Furthermore, studies of synovial fluids with >20% CD3+ CD16+ cells failed to show significant cytolytic activity even after incubation with recombinant interleukin-2, while fluids with CD3+ CD16+ cells possessed normal cytolytic activity. Studies of matched blood and fluid in eight patients with RA demonstrated a significantly increased percentage of CD3+ CD16+ cells in synovial fluid compared to peripheral blood. Modulation and absorption studies did not provide evidence that the CD16 antigen present on these CD3 cells was due to passive adsorption of soluble CD16 antigens. Thus, while the relevance of these cells in the pathogenesis of RA is not clear, this report identifies CD3+ CD16+ cells in a disease state other than T cell lymphoproliferative disorders.
Frequency domain processing for cyclic prefix-assisted multi-h CPM block transmission

In this paper, frequency domain processing techniques for multi-h continuous phase modulation (CPM) receivers are proposed. First, for frequency domain processing, cyclic prefix-assisted block transmission of multi-h M-ary CPM is investigated. When appending cyclic prefix data, phase control data are needed to guarantee phase continuity of multi-h M-ary CPM. Second, M-ary CPM receivers using discriminator and frequency domain processing are proposed. The proposed multi-level M-ary multi-h CPM receivers detect information data by using the discriminator and equalizing CPM phase signals in the frequency domain. In addition, decomposition-based frequency domain channel equalizers over multi-path fading channels and frequency domain differential phase decoders over additive white Gaussian noise environments are investigated. It is shown that the proposed receivers has lower computational complexity than conventional M-ary CPM receivers using decomposition-based correlators and maximum-likelihood sequence estimators, e.g., Viterbi algorithm. In addition, the numerical simulation results show that the proposed CPM receivers has comparable bit error rate performance with conventional and multi-h M-ary CPM receivers.
A similarity assessment method for discovering and adapting business services

The advent and achievement of new mobile technologies makes it possible to offer online services to people whenever and wherever they are. Location-based services, in particular, concentrate on providing users with information about points of interest or on the support for navigation and routing tasks. One of the main challenges for these services is to adapt information to be retrieved to the user, taking into account user's preferences and contextual data (e.g., time, user's location, weather, etc.). This paper focuses on such challenging issues, proposing a context-aware discovery process that is based on two kinds of similarities (semantic and structural) to facilitate the identification of semantically related services and to make the user's request more precise and selective.
A peptide-based material for therapeutic carbon monoxide delivery

We report on the preparation of the first material for therapeutic delivery of CO. A peptide amphiphile was synthesized with a covalently attached ruthenium tricarbonyl. Self-assembled nanofiber gels containing this peptide spontaneously released CO with prolonged release kinetics compared to soluble CO donors. Oxidatively stressed cardiomyocytes had improved viability when treated with this peptide, demonstrating its potential as a biodegradable gel for localized therapeutic CO delivery.
Stability, Strong Stability, And Weak Stability Of Algorithms For Solving Linear Equations

Differing concepts of the stability of algorithms for solving linear equations are scrutinized. These concepts are expanded to two new concepts: strong stability and weak stability; examples are given for the need for these concepts.
Use of the scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) to retrieve soil moisture and surface temperature over the central United States

The 6.6-, 10.7-, and 18-GHz data from the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) for 1979, 1980, and 1982 have been used to derive soil moisture and surface temperature for the south central United States. The 1979 data have been used to calibrate the radiative transfer model parameters, and the 1980 and 1982 data were used to derive soil moisture and surface temperature that have been compared with the corresponding values from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalyses model outputs. These comparisons have shown that SMMR is able to qualitatively predict the seasonal cycle of land surface hydrological variability, and this information can be used for studies involving land-atmosphere interaction and hydrology. This study is of particular importance with the presence of both the Aqua satellite and the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite II that carry onboard the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR), which has channels similar to the SMMR, but with better spatial resolution. The results of this study will help us to plan for AMSR retrievals of soil moisture and surface temperature.
Mapping and prioritizing seasonal habitats for greater sage-grouse in Northwestern Colorado

Delineating and prioritizing areas where wildlife occur on a seasonal basis is critical for successful conservation and management of at-risk populations. Many local populations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are of conservation concern in western North America because of continuing habitat loss and degradation caused by changing land use. To manage populations, wildlife managers need accurate, high-resolution maps of different seasonal habitats, guidelines for managing habitat at landscape scales, and quantitative tools to inform habitat prioritization and management. We conducted population-level, multi-scale, resource selection function (RSF) analyses with generalized estimating equations (GEE) using locations from 2006 to 2010 to model and map greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats in the Parachute-Piceance-Roan population in northwestern Colorado. Areas selected by greater sage-grouse in all seasons had a mix of habitats with a sagebrush component, less rugged topography, and less non-sagebrush habitat. Selection or avoidance of most vegetation classes was best supported at the 100-m or 400-m scale in all seasons. Birds selected sagebrush and sagebrush-grassland at intermediate elevations during breeding and winter and more diverse sagebrush habitats at higher elevations in summer and fall. Absolute validation index (AVI) analyses indicated that although most use locations were concentrated within a highly restricted portion of the study area in each season, a much larger proportion of the study area was required to encompass seasonal use locations for most individuals in the population. Our study illustrates the utility of multi-scale RSF analyses with GEE for accurately mapping habitat and AVI analyses for informing prioritization efforts for populations of greater sage-grouse. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Dynamic characterization of web application interfaces

Web applications are increasingly prominent in society, serving a wide variety of user needs. Engineers seeking to enhance, test, and maintain these applications and third-party programmers wishing to utlize these applications need to understand their interfaces. In this paper, therefore, we present methodologies for characterizing the interfaces of web applications through a form of dynamic analysis, in which directed requests are sent to the application, and responses are analyzed to draw inferences about its interface. We also provide mechanisms to increase the scalability of the approach. Finally, we evaluate the approach's performance on six non-trivial web applications.
Platelet-Activating Factor and Bacteremia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension

Background. Acute lung injury is a common complication of gram-negative sepsis. Pulmonary hypertension and increased lung vascular permeability are central features of lung injury following experimental bacteremia. Platelet-activating factor is a prominent proinflammatory mediator during bacterial sepsis. Our previous studies have demonstrated that exogenous administration of platelet-activating factor (PAF) induces pulmonary edema without causing pulmonary hypertension. Interestingly, inhibition of PAF activity during Escherichia coli bacteremia prevents the development of both pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary edema. These data suggest that PAF contributes to pulmonary hypertension during sepsis, but that this is unlikely to be a direct vascular effect of PAF. The goal of the present study was to investigate the mechanism by which acute E. coli bacteremia induces pulmonary injury and to define the role that PAF plays in this injury. We hypothesized that the effects of PAF on pulmonary hypertension during bacteremia are due to the effects of PAF on other vascular mediators. Several studies suggest that PAF induces the expression of endothelin-1 (ET), a potent peptide vasoconstrictor. Further, our previous studies have implicated ET as a central mediator of systemic vasoconstriction during bacteremia. We therefore sought to assess whether ET is modulated by PAF. E. coli has also been demonstrated to increase endothelial production of nitric oxide (NO), which contributes to maintenance of basal vascular tone in the pulmonary circulation. We hypothesized that PAF might increase pulmonary vascular resistance during bacteremia by activating neutrophils, increasing expression of ET, and decreasing the tonic release of NO. Furthermore, we hypothesized that hypoxic vasoconstriction did not contribute to pulmonary vasoconstriction during the first 120 min of E. coli bacteremia. Methods. Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and arterial blood gases (ABG) were measured in anesthetized spontaneously breathing adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats. E. coli (10 9
VIII. New tools: Young feminism in the rural west:

I am the product of a second-wave feminist. Towards the late 1970s my mother left the Latter Day Saint Church (the Mormons), divorced my father, and became a feminist. I remember my mother picking me up after school one day and wearing a button on her tweed jacket, ‘‘ERA, Yes!’’ I asked my mother ‘‘What is ERA?’’ And she responded, ‘‘Equal Rights Amendment, honey, Equal Rights; that is what we are asking for.’’ She emphasized the ‘‘we’’ meaning ‘‘you and me, daughter.’’ With much support and guidance from my family (mother in particular), I obtained my first academic position in a small town in the rural, western United States. Traditional gender norms are enforced in that region by an overt system of surveillance, geographic isolation, and fear of cultural change (Little & Panelli, 2003). There is also a strong tradition and history of violence and hyper-masculinity in the area (Aho, 1995; Campbell, Bell, & Finney, 2006; Kimmel & Ferber, 2000). It was both exhilarating and frightening to identify and behave as a multicultural feminist violence prevention scholar and activist in that space. Like many young feminists I started writing a blog to counter that culture (Madden & Zickuhr, 2011). Writing the blog gave me a venue for analyzing, critiquing, and wrestling with my challenges of working in a traditional, conservative community. Madden and Zickuhr (2011) recently published a report documenting women’s social networking site use. The researchers found that women ages 18–29 are the ‘‘power users of social networking’’ and there are no significant demographic differences among those users (p. 3). The Internet has become a site for feminist activism that is accessible to women despite our intersectional differences. Regardless of race, class, sexual identity, ability, and geographic location young
Building on Success—Potential to Improve Coverage of Multiple Health Interventions Through Integrated Delivery With Routine Childhood Vaccination

BACKGROUND Integrating delivery of nonvaccine interventions with childhood vaccinations has been suggested as a mechanism to accelerate progress toward Millennium Development Goals. METHODS Demographic health surveys from 28 sub-Saharan African countries were analyzed to determine potential coverage with 5 nonvaccine interventions that could be delivered to children, mothers, and families during routine infant vaccinations. Potential coverage levels were calculated among households with children aged 12-23 months, based on existing coverage of interventions and vaccinations. FINDINGS Most (>60%) children in families that had not received nonvaccine interventions had been vaccinated. If nonvaccine interventions could be delivered with vaccinations, the median percentage of households owning a bed net could increase from 46% to 92% and those with improved or treated sources of water from 55% to 91%. The median percentage of children who had received vitamin A supplementation could increase from 66% to 90%. Mothers who have been tested for human immunodeficiency virus could increase from 16% to 86%. CONCLUSIONS In Africa, vaccination programs could provide a platform to substantially increase coverage of nonvaccine interventions. Studies are needed to investigate programmatic approaches to optimize the selection, adoption, and long-term utilization of these interventions and to assess the impact on vaccination and other intervention coverage.
The role of trait-based approaches in understanding stream fish assemblages

SUMMARY 1. The use of trait-based approaches to examine the ecology of stream fish assemblages is increasing. However, selection of traits that will be useful in testing spatial or temporal hypotheses about ecological organisation is currently limited by availability of data, rather than empirical evaluation. 2. We analysed two data sets of stream fish assemblages to compare taxonomy and traitbased approaches. The Wabash River temporal data set is based on 25 years of boat electrofishing collections over a 230-km river distance. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management data set of stream collections in the state of Indiana was selected to represent a spatial database. We compared several trait-based approaches: reproductive guilds, life history variables, biomonitoring metrics, ecosystem-based functional guilds and feeding and ecosystem interaction guilds. 3. Analyses of fish assemblages that are designed to detect how environmental variation structures fish assemblages can expect similar results using taxonomic or trait-based approaches. Results of trait-based approaches will vary according to the spatial extent of the region and the number of unique entities of trait groups for a given data set. However, taxonomic analyses accounted for more variation than any trait-based analyses.
On the relative scattering of P- and S-waves

Summary. Using a single scattering approximation, we derive equations for the scattering attenuation coefficients of P- and S-body waves. We discuss our results in the light of some recent energy renormalization approaches to seismic wave scattering. Practical methods for calculating the scattering attenuation coefficients for various earth models are emphasized. The conversions of P- to S-waves and S- to P-waves are included in the theory. The earth models are assumed to be randomly inhomogeneous, with their properties known only through their average wavenumber power spectra. We approximate the power spectra with piecewise constant functions, each segment of which contributes to the net, frequency-dependent, scattering attenuation coefficient. The smallest and largest wavenumbers of a segment can be plotted along with the wavevectors of the incident and scattered waves on a wavenumber diagram. This diagram gives a geometric interpretation for the frequency behaviour associated with each spectral segment, including a ‘transition’ peak that is due entirely to the wavenumber limits of the segment. For regions of the earth where the inhomogeneity spectra are concentrated in a band of wavenumbers, it should be possible to observed such a peak in the apparent attenuation of seismic waves. We give both the frequency and distance limits on the accuracy of the theoretical results.
Dataflow analysis for concurrent programs using datarace detection

Dataflow analyses for concurrent programs differ from their single-threaded counterparts in that they must account for shared memory locations being overwritten by concurrent threads. Existing dataflow analysis techniques for concurrent programs typically fall at either end of a spectrum: at one end, the analysis conservatively kills facts about all data that might possibly be shared by multiple threads; at the other end, a precise thread-interleaving analysis determines which data may be shared, and thus which dataflow facts must be invalidated. The former approach can suffer from imprecision, whereas the latter does not scale.We present RADAR, a framework that automatically converts a dataflow analysis for sequential programs into one that is correct for concurrent programs. RADAR uses a race detection engine to kill the dataflow facts, generated and propagated by the sequential analysis, that become invalid due to concurrent writes. Our approach of factoring all reasoning about concurrency into a race detection engine yields two benefits. First, to obtain analyses for code using new concurrency constructs, one need only design a suitable race detection engine for the constructs. Second, it gives analysis designers an easy way to tune the scalability and precision of the overall analysis by only modifying the race detection engine. We describe the RADAR framework and its implementation using a pre-existing race detection engine. We show how RADAR was used to generate a concurrent version of a null-pointer dereference analysis, and we analyze the result of running the generated concurrent analysis on several benchmarks.
Performing self on the witness stand: Stance and relational work in expert witness testimony:

Underpinned by the assumption that social categorizations emerge from discursive practices performed within the interactional context, this study examines the discursive process in which an expert ...
Collaborative writing in a statistics and research methods course.

I apply two writing techniques—collaborative writing and peer review—to an experimental project in a statistics and research methods course. Student reactions to the collaboration and peer exercise are discussed.
Towards Spatial Window Queries Over Continuous Phenomena in Sensor Networks

Recent research on sensor networks has focused on the efficient processing of declarative SQL queries over sensor nodes. Users are often interested in querying an underlying continuous phenomenon such as a toxic plume, whereas only discrete readings of sensor nodes are available. Therefore, additional information estimation methods are necessary to process the sensor readings to generate the required query results. Most estimation methods are computationally intensive, even when computed in a traditional centralized setting. Furthermore, energy and communication constraints of sensor networks challenge the efficient application of established estimation methods in sensor networks. In this paper, we present an approach using Gaussian kernel estimation to process spatial window queries over continuous phenomena in sensor networks. The key contribution of our approach is the use of a small number of Hermite coefficients to approximate the Gaussian kernel function for subclustered sensor nodes. As a result, our algorithm reduces the size of messages transmitted in the network by logarithmic order, thus saving resources while still providing high-quality query results.
Ecosystem effects of water column minnows in experimental streams

We used red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) as a model to examine ecosystem effects of water column stream minnows (Cyprinidae) in experimental streams. Benthic primary productivity, benthic invertebrate abundance, water column nutrient concentrations, size distribution of benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM), and sedimentation rates were measured across a range of fish densities (0–26.6 fish m–2) over a 35-day period. In addition, effects of fish density on algal standing crop and benthic invertebrates in experimental streams were examined over a longer time span (156 and 203 days). After 35 days, benthic primary productivity was positively associated with fish density, with an approximate three-fold increase in productivity between experimental streams stocked with no fish and those with 26.6 fish m–2. No effects on other ecosystem properties were detected after 35 days. Additionally, there was no effect on algal standing crop after 156 or 203 days and no effect on benthic invertebrates after 203 days. Because red shiners fed primarily on terrestrial insects, this experiment suggests that water column minnows can affect primary productivity in streams by transporting nutrients from terrestrial sources to the benthic compartment of the ecosystem. However, this effect may only be important in streams or during periods when nutrients are limiting.
Performance and Calibration of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Towed below the Surface

Abstract A towed acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) system was tested. The instrument was deployed from ships of opportunity and towed at depths between 5 and 25 m. The towed system carries upward- and downward-looking ADCPs. The instrument platform is stable in most operating conditions at ship speeds up to 4.5 m s−1. Large discrepancies are found, however, between the ship's velocity obtained from bottom-tracking ADCP pulses and that from navigational data. These are explained with a magnetic compass bias that varies with the ship's heading direction. Both the ship and the tow platform induce magnetic fields that bias the ADCP compass. An in situ compass calibration scheme is thus necessary and requires accurate navigational data. In our main study area, it is found that the Global Position System provides absolute and relative positions to within 88 and 4 m, respectively. These accuracies are sufficient for calibration purposes. With our calibration scheme the towed ADCP system performs as well a...
Intraspecific Nest Parasitism of Wood Ducks in Natural Cavities: Comparisons with Nest Boxes

Abstract Wood duck (Aix sponsa) hens are known to lay eggs in nests of other wood ducks. Low levels of intraspecific nest parasitism can increase the number of ducklings produced, but at high levels, increased numbers of eggs are offset by reduced hatching success and elevated nest abandonment. Such effects have been observed in nest boxes, stimulating interest in the role of intraspecific nest parasitism in natural cavities. We found high rates of nest parasitism (85% of nests) in natural cavities by applying microsatellite genetic markers to examine maternity for clutches laid in floodplain and upland forests. Clutch sizes, number of parasites per nest, and the number of parasitic eggs deposited per nest were greater in tree cavities located in floodplain than in upland forests (35.2%, 63.6%, 75.0% greater, respectively; P < 0.05), although the proportions of nests parasitized were similar (100% of floodplain nests versus 80% of upland nests, P = 0.11). We compared our data to almost 40 years of publish...
When Comparing Alternative Fuel-Vehicle Systems, Life Cycle Assessment Studies Should Consider Trends in Oil Production

Summary Petroleum from unconventional reserves is making an increasingly important contribution to the transportation fuel supply, but is generally more expensive and has greater environmental burdens than petroleum from conventional sources. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) of alternative fuel-vehicle technologies typically consider conventional internal combustion engine vehicles fueled by gasoline produced from the average petroleum slate used in refineries as a baseline. Large-scale deployment of alternative fuel-vehicle technologies will decrease petroleum demand and lead to decreased production at the economic margin (unconventional oil), but this is not considered in most current LCAs. If marginal petroleum resources have larger impacts than average petroleum resources, the environmental benefits of petroleum demand reduction are underestimated by the current modeling approaches. Often, models include some consequential-based impacts (such as indirect land-use change for biofuels), but exclude others (such as avoided unconventional oil production). This approach is inconsistent and does not provide a robust basis for public policy and private investment strategy decisions. We provide an example to illustrate the potential scale of these impacts, but further research is needed to establish and quantify these marginal effects and incorporate them into LCAs of both conventional and alternative fuel-vehicle technologies.
The Lipogenic Effect of Insulin Revisited

Insulin promotes lipogenesis and suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis. Paradoxically, the positive effect of insulin on lipid production in liver is maintained under conditions of insulin resistance, unlike its defective action on gluconeogenesis. In this chapter, we revisit this gluconeogenesis-selectivity notion by reviewing evidence that in fact, under normo-insulinemic conditions, insulin acutely reduces de novo lipogenesis in liver. This is mediated by the ability of insulin pulses in portal vein to phosphorylate the Carcino-Embryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (CEACAM1), an abundant protein in liver that promotes hepatic insulin clearance in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. In the presence of sustained hyperinsulinemia, pulsatility of insulin release diminishes together with its signaling, giving way to its chronic positive effect on lipogenic genes transcription. This would set the stage to redefine hepatic insulin resistance as a comprehensive process that includes defective insulin action in glucose as well as lipid production.
A Flight Test Technique for Precise Angle-of-Attack Measurements with Application to Laminar Flow Control Flight Research

Flight data collected on a wing glove testbed are very sensitive to flight conditions (e.g., Mach number, Reynolds number, aircraft weight). Previous laminar flow control flight research has typically been narrowly focused on single point designs such as the cruise condition. The objectives for the present experiment are to collect these data across a range of flight conditions and provide stabilized flow data suitable for computational validation. To accomplish this, a flight test technique was developed to set and hold the angle of attack of a wing glove. This is accomplished via lateral-directional flight control inputs which are not susceptible to pilot-induced oscillations like pitch inputs. When applied to laminar flow control, this flight test technique is shown to be able to reasonably hold angle of attack to ±0.1°. Further, a combination of flight control inputs can compensate for asymmetric wing glove installation and position flight control surfaces for optimal data collection and comparison to computational models. Finally, a research pilot display was developed to display flow conditions at the wing glove and enable efficient flight data collection.
Effects of consistent or deviant modeling cues on the adoption of a self-imposed standard

This study investigated the effects of consistent or deviant modeling cues exhibited by 0, 1, 2, or 3 successively presented models upon children’s adherence to an explicitly stated stringent standard which they had been previously taught. Ss who observed deviant social models were less likely to precisely adhere to the stated rule than those in the no-model control group, while those who observed consistent models were more likely to do so. Moreover, the pattern of results suggests that the influence of modeling cues in this situation is one of relatively precise matching rather than a generalized inhibition or disinhibition effect.
Determination of myoglobin saturation of frozen specimens using a reflecting cryospectrophotometer

This report describes a method and instrumentation for determining myoglobin (Mb) oxygen saturation in skeletal muscle. Canine gracilis is frozen in situ using a liquid N2-cooled copper block. Transverse section surfaces of frozen unstained muscle are observed at -110 degrees C using a microspectrophotometric system. The Mb saturation is determined using epi-illumination and a four-wavelength optical method. A special aperture permits illumination of a 20-microns-square area, and the radius of the catchment volume is estimated to be approximately 60 microns, with the strongest signal arising from the central region. The equibestic wavelengths used were 546.6, 570.5, and 584.1 nm. The method was validated using the nonlinear multicomponent analysis method of Lubbers. End-point (0 and 100% saturation) calibration was set using ischemic and adenosine-treated highly oxygenated muscles, respectively. The effects of hemoglobin (Hb) and metmyoglobin (metMb) signal contamination were evaluated experimentally and by computer-mixing simulations. Mb saturation determinations adjacent to large vessels are to be avoided. MetMb and capillary Hb do not interfere with the determination. The reproducibility of the method is estimated to be +/- 5%.
Several Questions in the Construction of Moral Environment

Moral environment includes natural environment and social environment. Social environment plays a major role in moral environment, which includes economic,political,cultural (mental), international and historical environment. The environment can transform people, change their moral appearances. Practice is the link between people and the environment. People can positively remake the environment through social practice. We should have high social sense of responsibility to publicize noble examples and educate the ones who spoil the environment.
Dynamic Response of Power Transmission Towers by the Action of Wind Load

A method for estimation of dynamic characteristics of coupled transmission towers by the action of wind load is recommended.Therefore,estimation standard for dynamic response of power transmission towers by the action of wind load is established and analyzed by finite element models.The result shows that the energy estimation standard can examine dynamic characteristics of the structure effectively and the simulation result shows that the energy standard is effective in performance evaluation of large-scale transmission tower by the action of wind load.
A new image for fear and emotion.

We experience many emotions every day, but as a topic of study emotion has been neglected until recently. Now, however, with the development of sophisticated techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, the neural basis of emotion can be studied. Four new reports have used slightly different approaches, and conclude that the amygdala — a complex structure within the temporal lobes of the brain — is involved in the responses to fear.
Transverse Colon Conduit: a Method of Urinary Diversion After Pelvic Irradiation

Patients with pelvic malignancies often require irradiation as part of the treatment protocol or as definitive treatment for the malignancy. Subsequent urinary diversion with the low lying small bowel or the descending colon often results in increased morbidity. Therefore, a method of urinary diversion using the transverse colon conduit in an end-to-end ureterocolic anastomosis as described by Wallace was used. Several advantages with this method are identifiable easily and are described. The satisfactory results in the last 30 patients who underwent this procedure after pelvic irradiation are presented. The ureterocolic anastomosis with reflux is of particular importance since it allows retrograde conduitograms to be performed at later dates to evaluate the urothelium for possible recurrent disease.
Foreign Independent Directors and the Quality of Legal Institutions

Foreign directors can affect firm value through their advising and monitoring functions. However, the demand for these directors, as well as their effect on firm performance is likely to be influenced by firm- and country-level characteristics. In a large sample of non-U.S. firms, we find that foreign directors are more likely to be associated with firms that have more foreign operations and an international shareholder base, and firms that are located in countries with a limited supply of potentially qualified domestic directors -- countries with a smaller, less well-educated populace and lower levels of capital market development. We also find that the association between foreign directors and firm performance is more positive in countries with lower quality legal institutions, and when the director comes from a country with higher quality legal institutions than the firm's host country. Our study highlights the importance of considering national demographic factors and levels of capital market development when modeling the supply and demand for foreign directors, and also underscores the importance of institutional quality in the foreign director's home and host country when assessing the effect of that director on firm performance.
Temporal Information Partitioning Networks (TIPNets): A process network approach to infer ecohydrologic shifts

In an ecohydrologic system, components of atmospheric, vegetation, and root-soil subsystems participate in forcing and feedback interactions at varying time scales and intensities. The structure of this network of complex interactions varies in terms of connectivity, strength, and timescale due to perturbations or changing conditions such as rainfall, drought, or land use. However, characterization of these interactions is difficult due to multivariate and weak dependencies in the presence of noise, non-linearities, and limited data. We introduce a framework for Temporal Information Partitioning Networks (TIPNets), in which time-series variables are viewed as nodes, and lagged multivariate mutual information measures are links. These links are partitioned into synergistic, unique, and redundant}{redundant, synergistic, and unique information components, where synergy is information provided only jointly, unique information is only provided by a single source, and redundancy is overlapping information. We construct TIPNets from 1-minute weather station data over several hour time windows. From a comparison of dry, wet, and rainy conditions, we find that information strengths increase when solar radiation and surface moisture are present, and surface moisture and wind variability are redundant and synergistic influences, respectively. Over a growing season, network trends reveal patterns that vary with vegetation and rainfall patterns. The framework presented here enables us to interpret process connectivity in a multivariate context, which can lead to better inference of behavioral shifts due to perturbations in ecohydrologic systems. This work contributes to more holistic characterizations of system behavior, and can benefit a wide variety of studies of complex systems.
Performance Evaluation of Wideband Microwave Direction-of-Arrival Estimation Using Luneburg Lens

In this letter, a wideband passive direction-finding (DF) system utilizing Luneburg lens is investigated. A number of detectors are placed uniformly on the surface of the equatorial plane of the Luneburg lens. Based on the received signal amplitude distribution at the detectors, the direction of arrival (DoA) is estimated using the correlation method. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) of the DoA estimation are calculated for various lens sizes, signal-to-noise ratios, and number of detectors within the frequency band from 9 to 11 GHz. To examine the proposed DF system performance, the Cramer–Rao bound on the RMSEs of the DoA estimation is derived and compared to the simulated RMSEs using the correlation method.