cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A traction-free-edge hybrid-stress element for the analysis of edge effects in cross-ply laminates

Abstract A hybrid-stress formulation is presented for the analysis of multilayer cross-ply laminates under uniform inplane strain and a special-purpose element is developed for which the traction-free edge conditions are exactly satisfied. Results obtained for interlaminar stress distributions are shown to converge to large, but finite, values near the free edge. The importance of exact representation of the traction-free edge conditions is examined by comparison of results with those obtained by other investigators and by using an analogous multilayer hybrid-stress element in which the free-edge conditions are approximately satisfied. It is concluded that exact representation of the free-edge conditions is required if accurate point-by-point stress distribution in the vicinity of the free-edge are essential, as in the study of laminate strength and failure.
The flow characteristics of fluidized magnetite powder in an inclined open channel

Abstract The flow characteristics of a fluidized bed of magnetite in an inclined open channel were studied experimentally. Data were obtained on the effects of mass feed rate of solids, channel inclination, superficial gas velocity and channel length on the depths of flowing beds of 139-μm and 169-μm magnetite particles. It was observed that channel inclination and superficial gas velocity have very pronounced effects on the bed depth and shape of the free surface profile of the flowing bed. Under some operating conditions, the flow became unstable, resulting in the formation of flow-rate oscillations. The effect on flow behavior of a narrow defluidized region caused by a discontinuity in the distributor plate was also studied. For certain operating conditions, it was possible to apply the liquid analogy approach, based on the laminar flow of non-Newtonian fluids in pipes, to the flowing bed of magnetite. A friction factor versus generalized Reynolds number correlation, characterized by a power-law model and originally developed for laminar flow of non-Newtonian fluids, showed good agreement with the experimental results. The flowing bed of 139-μm magnetite displayed different non-Newtonian characteristics, depending on the superficial gas velocity and depth of the bed. For a superficial gas velocity of 2.3umf and 40 mm bed depth, the flowing bed behaved like a Bingham plastic fluid, while at a 55-mm bed depth it exhibited pseudoplastic behavior.
Causality in biological systems

Abstract This essay examines the origins of the term ‘cause-effect’, and analyses the widespread conviction that DNA is the primary source of information in a cell, and that selective gene expression is the basis for differentiation. It is suggested that this dogma is not realistic and, therefore, is detrimental to our thinking, teaching and research.
Biochemical genetics of alpha-amylase isozymes of the chicken pancreas.

In the chicken population at large, three electrophoretically distinct pancreatic α-amylase isozymes were discovered. The isozymes were designated Pa 1, Pa 2, and Pa 3. The local population of chickens, however, possessed only isozymes Pa 2 and Pa 3 present as three phenotypes: Amy2 B, consisting of isozyme Pa 2; Amy2 BC, consisting of isozymes Pa 2 plus Pa 3; and Amy2 C, consisting of isozyme Pa 3. Pancreatic biopsy permitted the establishment of a breeding flock with defined amylase phenotypes. Matings of this flock established that amylases are inherited as codominant alleles at a single genetic locus. Further, there was no evidence of ontogenetic modification of the amylase isozymes. It was observed that amylase isozymes Pa 2 and Pa 3 each generated a family of at least three faster-migrating amylolytic proteins. These post-translationally modified amylases were designated Pa Xa, Pa Xb, and Pa Xc, where X represents the number of the progenitor amylase. Structural analyses of purified amylases demonstrated that all amylase isozymes are nonglycosidated, monomeric molecules of molecular weight 55,000. In addition, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that the faster-migrating amylases are produced by deamidation of asparagine and/or glutamine residues.
Broadband fiber sources for gyros

Recent research has indicated that broadband fiber sources are a viable alternative to superluminescent diodes for fiber-optic gyro applications. The key issues in using such sources are possible source configurations, the effects of feedback, source power output, and the stability of such sources in the gyro system. Both Nd:silica and Er:silica sources are discussed with an emphasis on superfluorescent fiber sources pumped by laser diodes. In both media, 100 mW of pump power can produce more than 10 mW of source power with a spectral width in excess of 10 nm. Furthermore, such sources have consistently produced mean wavelength thermal coefficients of less than 10 ppm/C.
Diagnostic peritoneal lavage through an abdominal stab wound

Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) is one of the most useful tools in the diagnosis of intraperitoneal injuries secondary to stab wounds. The lavage catheter is inserted into the peritoneal cavity through a surgical incision or a blind puncture. Complications related to the catheter insertion were previously reported in both techniques. We describe 2 cases in which the lavage catheter was inserted through the stab wound itself after local wound exploration clearly demonstrated violation of the peritoneum. We suggest that in anterior abdominal stab wounds, the DPL can be safely and effectively performed through the stab wound if penetration to the peritoneum is diagnosed.
Facilitating representation and retrieval of structured cases: Principles and toolkit

Case-Based reasoning (CBR) applications are increasingly used for problems involving structured data, especially in process-oriented domains. Available CBR frameworks rely primarily on flat case representations, leaving developers of process-oriented CBR systems without general-purpose tools aimed at their needs. This paper discusses needs to support structure-based retrieval for CBR and how they have been addressed in the development of the Structure Access Interface (SAI), a toolkit for representation and retrieval of structured cases which is now available for general use. Integrating SAI into a CBR project eliminates the need for developing a storage scheme for graph data structures and facilitates the development of retrieval algorithms by (1) providing useful code for common retrieval tasks and (2) delineating the tasks which may require domain-specific implementations. SAI maintains flexibility through its customizability yet carries solutions for many common tasks for CBR developers, as well as illuminating some general principles for addressing common representation and retrieval needs for process-oriented CBR tasks and the relationship between CBR needs for structured retrieval and needs and methods in graph oriented database research. The paper closes with an evaluation of SAI's scalability and demonstration of the value of enabling developers to select retrieval methods suited to their tasks. It closes with a discussion of SAI's relationship to the growing body of work on graph databases.
Towards the Design of a Fully Actuated Invertible Flying Quadrotor MAV

In this paper, we present the transmission mechanism design for a fully actuated Invertible Flying Quadrotor (IFQ) micro aerial vehicle (MAV). At the heart of the mechanism is a gearbox which couples and counter rotates two pairs of shafts that have the quadrotor propellers mounted at their ends. This mechanism will allow for the IFQ to follow aggressive maneuvers, hover at an arbitrary attitude, and have sustained inverted flight capabilities. The paper presents the mechanical design challenges and solutions in designing such a transmission mechanism with minimal weight along with low cost and easy manufacturing. The dynamic model for the IFQ MAV is presented along with an optimal open loop trajectory control scheme and related simulations. An approach for a full closed loop control scheme is also discussed. A prototype of the mechanism has been manufactured and functionally tested. The entire transmission mechanism was able to be prototyped with a weight of only approximately 100 grams.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Light measurement methods related to forage yield in a grazed northern conifer silvopasture in the appalachian region of eastern USA

The Appalachian region is characterized by hilly topography and a humid temperate climate. In most areas agriculture is limited to pasture although the native climax vegetation is a species-diverse forest. Silvopasture systems can help diversify and increase farm income. Information is needed on the yield response of forage grown as an understory crop among trees. The light environment of a conifer silvopasture was characterized by three methods, a hand-held photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) meter for quick measurements over a large area, fixed PAR meters recorded using data loggers for a large number of measurements over time, and hemispherical photography with software to calculate seasonal direct beam radiation. Light data were considered in terms of forage yield. Plots were harvested when forage reached 20–25 cm in height after which the entire area was grazed by sheep. There were limitations to all methods of quantifying radiation environment for predicting yield. Yield decreased linearly with decreased PAR; however, data variability was high and correlations, while statistically significant, were weak. Grazed silvopastures are dynamic with shifting yield patterns in response to the interactions between the spatially variable soil, changing seasonal environment, and spatially variable animal impacts for each grazing event.
rRNA mutations that inhibit transfer-messenger RNA activity on stalled ribosomes.

In eubacteria, stalled ribosomes are rescued by a conserved quality-control mechanism involving transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and its protein partner, SmpB. Mimicking a tRNA, tmRNA enters stalled ribosomes, adds Ala to the nascent polypeptide, and serves as a template to encode a short peptide that tags the nascent protein for destruction. To further characterize the tagging process, we developed two genetic selections that link tmRNA activity to cell death. These negative selections can be used to identify inhibitors of tagging or to identify mutations in key residues essential for ribosome rescue. Little is known about which ribosomal elements are specifically required for tmRNA activity. Using these selections, we isolated rRNA mutations that block the rescue of ribosomes stalled at rare Arg codons or at the inefficient termination signal Pro-opal. We found that deletion of A1150 in the 16S rRNA blocked tagging regardless of the stalling sequence, suggesting that it inhibits tmRNA activity directly. The C889U mutation in 23S rRNA, however, lowered tagging levels at Pro-opal and rare Arg codons, but not at the 3′ end of an mRNA lacking a stop codon. We concluded that the C889U mutation does not inhibit tmRNA activity per se but interferes with an upstream step intermediate between stalling and tagging. C889 is found in the A-site finger, where it interacts with the S13 protein in the small subunit (forming intersubunit bridge B1a).
VeCure: A practical security framework to protect the CAN bus of vehicles

Vehicles are being revolutionized by integrating modern computing and communication technologies in order to improve both user experience and driving safety. As a result, vehicular systems that used to be closed systems are opening up various interfaces, such as Bluetooth, 3G/4G, GPS, etc., to the outside world, thus introducing new opportunities for cyber attacks. It has been recently demonstrated that modern vehicles are vulnerable to several remote attacks launched through Bluetooth and cellular interfaces, allowing the attacker to take full control of the vehicle. The common root cause of these attacks is the lack of message authentication for the vehicle's internal bus system, called Controller Area Network (CAN). In this work, we propose VeCure - a practical security framework for vehicular systems, which can fundamentally solve the message authentication issue of the CAN bus. VeCure is designed to be compatible with existing vehicle system architectures, and employs a trust group structure and a novel message authentication scheme with offline computation capability to minimize online message processing delay and deployment cost. We built a proof-of-concept prototype on a testbed using Freescale's automotive development boards. The experimental results show that VeCure only introduces 50us additional delay to process a message, which is at least 20-fold faster than any existing solution.
Effect of various growth-promoting factors on preimplantation bovine embryo development in vitro

One-cell bovine embryos produced by in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) were cultured in chemically defined medium (CDM) to which the following growth-promoting factors were added separately: transferrin (Tf, 10 ug/ml), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), transforming growth factor-betal (TGF-beta1), insulin-like growth factor-one (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor-two (IGF-II), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and nerve growth factor (NGF), all at 10 ng/ml. The embryos were cultured for a total of 10 days and were assessed. The culture medium was changed every 2 days. There were no beneficial effects of growth factors on embryo development to morula or hatched blastocyst stages of development. However, supplementation with EGF approached significance (P<0.08) when compared with that of CDM alone at the blastocyst stage of development. The results suggest that supplementation with growth factors does not improve bovine IVM-IVF embryo development when cultured under chemically-defined conditions.
Males mate guard in absentia through extended effects of postcopulatory courtship in the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

The proximal mechanisms leading to monandry have been little studied in most insect orders, including Hymenoptera. In the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius, mated females are less attractive (less often mounted) than virgins and are unreceptive (unlikely to allow copulation). Which aspects of mating are responsible was tested by observing male responses toward females whose mating had been interrupted at various stages. All females were allowed to receive precopulatory courtship and to open their genital aperture to copulate. Then some were interrupted before copulation, some after copulation but before postcopulatory courtship, and some were allowed to complete postcopulatory courtship. Females that had copulated were not less attractive than females that had not. In contrast, females that had received postcopulatory courtship were clearly both less attractive and less receptive. Thus, postcopulatory courtship functions as extended mate guarding, by making the female less attractive and less receptive to subsequent males even after the original male is no longer present. The effect of postcopulatory courtship on female attractiveness was persistent but imperfect: when males were presented sequentially to mated females, most but not all males retreated without mounting, and a female could repulse more than twenty males in succession.
A Knowledge Based Decision Support System for Setup Reduction

The issue of setup reduction is important for firms seeking to incorporate advanced procedures and concepts such as flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) and just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing to improve manufacturing productivity. Investing adequate amounts in setup reduction is a complex decision affected by many factors including the existing level of automation, worker characteristics, product features, and the manufacturing environment. The consequences of improper investment (i.e., over- and underinvestment) includes possible disruption of manufacturing operations as well as wasted resources. Much of the knowledge involved in the investment decision is heuristic and experience-based, and takes on greater significance when the form of the setup reduction function is not known a priori. This paper describes the development of a knowledge-based decision support system (KBDSS) that combines both heuristic and procedural knowledge to provide support for the setup reduction investment decision. The system uses codified manufacturing expertise to improve both the accuracy and effectiveness of setup-reduction decision making. Use of the KBDSS is illustrated by two examples based on disparate manufacturing contexts.
Unconventional superconductors under a rotating magnetic field. I. Density of states and specific heat

We develop a fully microscopic theory for the calculations of the angle-dependent properties of unconventional superconductors under a rotated magnetic field. We employ the quasiclassical Eilenberger equations and use a variation of the Brandt-Pesch-Tewordt (BPT) method to obtain a closed-form solution for the Green's function. The equations are solved self-consistently for quasi-two-dimensional ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}({d}_{xy})$ superconductors with the field rotated in the basal plane. The solution is used to determine the density of states and the specific heat. We find that applying the field along the gap nodes may result in minima or maxima in the angle-dependent specific heat, depending on the location in the $T\text{\ensuremath{-}}H$ plane. This variation is attributed to the scattering of the quasiparticles on vortices, which depends on both the field and the quasiparticle energy, and is beyond the reach of the semiclassical approximation. We investigate the anisotropy across the $T\text{\ensuremath{-}}H$ phase diagram and compare our results with the experiments on heavy fermion $\mathrm{Ce}\mathrm{Co}{\mathrm{In}}_{5}$.
GROWTH AND COMMON STOCK VALUES

FOR ALMOST A GENERATION the identification and appraisal of "growth" stocks has been a topic of absorbing interest to investors. An almost unlimited volume of literature has discussed the features of growth industries and growth stocks and the advantages to be found in them. These advantages are said to include many things, but emphasis is usually laid upon sturdy quality, increasing earnings and dividends, and above all a high probability of substantial capital gains. It is obvious that an investor obtains satisfactory dividend returns and/or capital gains on stock investments only when he purchases them at reasonable prices. This is especially true of growth stocks, which admittedly should sell at prices which reflect their growth potential but which may be priced high or low because of speculation or uninformed trading. It is the purpose of this article to suggest some criteria for judging the reasonableness of the prices of growth stocks. Our presentation will be made in four steps: (1) We shall illustrate the price-earnings ratios and yields prevailing in April, 1954, on growth and non-growth stocks, and give some examples of price appreciation between 1940 and 1954 in such stocks. (2) We shall reaffirm and comment on some aspects of the theory that the market prices of stocks should be related to the discounted values of probable future dividends to be paid by the stocks. (3) We shall develop evidence on the speed of "growth" which has been attained during the past twenty-five years by major established corporations. (4) We shall present tables which will indicate the mathematical values at reasonable discount rates of stocks which are assumed to pay dividends at increasing rates in future years. These tables will have the function of disclosing the mathematical values of stocks if their dividends tend to grow at various possible rates for specified periods gf years, and, conversely, they will disclose the rates of growth and periods of growth which must be expected in order to justify some of the prices now being paid for growth stocks.
Lee Waves Associated with a Commercial Jetliner Accident at Denver International Airport

AbstractAt 1818 mountain standard time 20 December 2008, a Boeing 737 jetliner encountered significant crosswinds while accelerating for takeoff at the Denver International Airport (DIA), ran off the side of the runway, and burst into flames. Passengers and crew were able to evacuate quickly, and, although there were injuries, there were no fatalities. Winds around the time of the accident were predominantly from the west, with substantial spatial and temporal speed variability across the airport property. Embedded in this mostly westerly flow were intermittent gusts that created strong crosswinds for the north–south runways. According to the report from the National Transportation Safety Board, it was one of these strong gusts that initiated the events that led to the runway excursion and subsequent crash of the aircraft. Numerous aircraft reported significant mountain-wave activity and turbulence over Colorado on the day of the accident. To determine whether wave activity may have contributed to the str...
Feature Extraction by Gaussian Mixture With Rigidity Constraint

The performance of feature-aided tracking (FAT) relies largely on the quality of features extracted from signature sensors. In our previous work, we introduced a new FAT algorithm for tracking with ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and high resolutional range (HRR) measurements, where features were extracted from an HRR sensor using the technique of mixture density estimation. Although satisfactory results were achieved, an additional improvement is expected if a target rigidity constraint is incorporated. In this paper, we exploit the rigidity property of targets to alleviate the inherent local convergence problem of the expectation-maximization algorithm used in mixture density estimation. Simulation results show a performance improvement over the previous FAT algorithm.
Experimental Investigation of Laser-Assisted Thermoplastic Tape Consolidation

An experimental investigation of a novel approach for manufacturing of thermoplastic matrix composites, is described. The technique is based on using laser energy as the focused heat source to melt the matrix material for subsequent consolidation, and appears to be particularly suited for thermoplastic filament winding operations. An experimental set up is defined to produce multi ply rings, and the feasibility of this technique is demon strated by discussing several samples that were produced using Ryton AC40-60 prepreg tapes. The quality of consolidation is examined through cross-sectional micrographs.
Ratings on a Comprehensive Set of Counselor Competencies

The specific objectives of this study were (a) to collect and edit a comprehensive set of counselor competencies, (b) to operationally define the counselor competencies, and (c) to determine the specific competencies for which there is a high level of consensus of importance among counselor-educators. The 98 competencies included in this study were collected through an extensive review of the literature of the past 10 years. Fifty counselor-educators throughout the United States rated each of the 98 competencies for perceived level of importance and for when the competencies are to be acquired. Ninety competencies received a consensual rating ranging from important to critical, indicating that they need be acquired and demonstrated by counselor-trainees before the completion of practicum.
Differential modulation of spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release from hair cells: some novel hypotheses.

Abstract It has been generally accepted that even in the absence of mechanical stimulation of the transductional elements, a resting depolarizing current exists which is ultimately responsible for the spontaneous release of neurotransmitter. Movement of the transductional elements modulates this resting current and thereby the evoked release of neurotransmitter occurs. Recent data from our laboratory and others have led us to question whether the relationship between spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release is as simple as stated. Indeed, a variety of experimental manipulations appear to influence the two modes of release differently. Examination of our results and the results of others has led us to four hypotheses: 1. 1. the two modes of neurotransmitter release are processed differently by the hair cells; 2. 2. cyclic AMP is involved in spontaneous but not evoked neurotransmitter release; 3. 3. there is a positive feedback step involving an excitatory amino acid and its receptor on the hair cell in evoked neurotransmitter release and; 4. 4. different pools of calcium are involved according to the mode of release. Accordingly, there may be several biochemical steps between the transductional movement of the stereocilia at the apex of the hair cells and the ultimate release of the neurotransmitter at the base of these cells. Some of these biochemical steps are different depending on whether the mode of release is spontaneous or evoked. These biochemical steps may amplify or at least interact with the biophysical processes previously described in the hair cells.
A common theoretical basis for surface forces apparatus, osmotic stress, and beam bending measurements of surface forces

Abstract In the last two decades, several techniques for measuring the interactions of surfaces or macromolecules through a solvent phase have been developed. These methods include the surface forces apparatus, the osmotic stress device, and most recently a beam bending experiment. This paper summarizes a statistical mechanical framework that can be used to compare and contrast the different methods. We demonstrate that while the SFA provides an elegant direct measure of surface forces in a single ideal pore, the OS and BB methods provide unique in situ measurements of the solvation force. These in situ measurements provide information about self-assembly in solution (OS) and can be used to characterize pore morphology in microporous thin films (BB).
Volumetric quantification of lung nodules in CT with iterative reconstruction (ASiR and MBIR).

Purpose: Volume quantifications of lung nodules with multidetector computed tomography (CT) images provide useful information for monitoring nodule developments. The accuracy and precision of the volume quantification, however, can be impacted by imaging and reconstruction parameters. This study aimed to investigate the impact of iterative reconstruction algorithms on the accuracy and precision of volume quantification with dose and slice thickness as additional variables. Methods: Repeated CT images were acquired from an anthropomorphic chest phantom with synthetic nodules (9.5 and 4.8 mm) at six dose levels, and reconstructed with three reconstruction algorithms [filtered backprojection (FBP), adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR), and model based iterative reconstruction (MBIR)] into three slice thicknesses. The nodule volumes were measured with two clinical software (A: Lung VCAR, B: iNtuition), and analyzed for accuracy and precision. Results: Precision was found to be generally comparable between FBP and iterative reconstruction with no statistically significant difference noted for different dose levels, slice thickness, and segmentation software. Accuracy was found to be more variable. For large nodules, the accuracy was significantly different between ASiR and FBP for all slice thicknesses with both software, and significantly different between MBIR and FBP for 0.625 mm slice thickness with Software A and for all slice thicknesses with Software B. For small nodules, the accuracy was more similar between FBP and iterative reconstruction, with the exception of ASIR vs FBP at 1.25 mm with Software A and MBIR vs FBP at 0.625 mm with Software A. Conclusions: The systematic difference between the accuracy of FBP and iterative reconstructions highlights the importance of extending current segmentation software to accommodate the image characteristics of iterative reconstructions. In addition, a calibration process may help reduce the dependency of accuracy on reconstruction algorithms, such that volumes quantified from scans of different reconstruction algorithms can be compared. The little difference found between the precision of FBP and iterative reconstructions could be a result of both iterative reconstruction's diminished noise reduction at the edge of the nodules as well as the loss of resolution at high noise levels with iterative reconstruction. The findings do not rule out potential advantage of IR that might be evident in a study that uses a larger number of nodules or repeated scans.
Antisense inhibition of CD44 tailless splice variant in human articular chondrocytes promotes hyaluronan internalization.

Objective To determine whether alternatively spliced variants of CD44, in particular a short, intracellular tail CD44 isoform, are used by articular chondrocytes to modulate the functions of this matrix receptor. Methods Normal human articular chondrocytes were cultured with or without interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and the relative expression of CD44 exon 19 and CD44 exon 20, hyaluronan synthase 2, aggrecan, and GAPDH messenger RNA (mRNA) was determined using reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Next, CD44 exon 19 mRNA was selectively inhibited by the use of antisense oligonucleotides. The effects of exon 19 loss were analyzed by matrix assembly and hyaluronan internalization assays. Results Human articular chondrocytes express varying levels of exon 19 (short tail)– and exon 20 (long tail)–containing CD44 mRNA. Both CD44 mRNA are up-regulated by IL-1α. Selective inhibition of CD44 exon 19 results in enhanced hyaluronan internalization and smaller cell-associated matrices. Conclusion The expression of a natural CD44 decoy-like receptor by articular chondrocytes modulates the function of this matrix receptor.
Measurement of oxidant-induced signal transduction proteins using cell imaging

Abstract In addition to their capacity to damage macromolecules, oxidants play important roles in initiation of a number of signal transduction pathways. These include phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of members of the extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) family of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and events leading to activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB). These cascades are key to transcriptional upregulation of genes important for cell survival, apoptosis, proliferation, transformation, and inflammation. To complement biochemical assays, cell-imaging approaches are necessary to detect the phosphorylated proteins of these cascades and their nuclear translocation, i.e., activation in cells. Protocols for these studies are presented, and the advantages of in situ microscopy-based techniques to detect oxidant-induced signaling pathways are discussed.
A Numerical Model of Radar Scattering from Steep and Breaking Waves

Ocean gravity waves can be rather steep and even breaking depending on wind speed. Analytical modeling of both the evolution of such strongly nonlinear waves and electromagnetic (EM) scattering from them is currently impossible. At the same time, numerical modeling of these processes poses a significant challenge in terms of the complexity of codes and computational time. In this study, we employ an efficient and fast numerical solver which is based on a uniform approach equally convenient when dealing with both hydrodynamic and EM parts of the problem. As a result, a sequence of large-scale wave profiles is produced that follows through all stages of wave breaking. The small-scale roughness is treated statistically by employing the Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum, and it is added on top of smooth gravity waves. Using the EM code, the scattering problem is solved assuming an impedance boundary condition. The same spline description of the surface profiles of gravity waves is used in both hydrodynamic and EM codes. Backscattering cross sections and corresponding Doppler spectra were the subjects of this study. The numerical calculations demonstrate spike events, with the backscattered signal at horizontal polarization exceeding the backscattering signal at vertical polarization.
Apparatus independence in proofs of non-locality

In standard proofs of non-locality in quantum mechanics assumptions regarding the statistical independence of the states of the measuring apparatuses are made. Recently, proofs by A. Elby [1], and by R. Clifton, M. Redhead, and J. Butterfield [2,3] have been put forward in which it is claimed that such assumptions are not needed. In this paper I argue that Elby's proof and the first proof of Clifton, Redhead, and Butterfield are fallacious, and that their second proof, though valid, does make assumptions regarding the statistical independence of apparatus states. I further argue that any valid proof must make assumptions regarding the probabilities of apparatus states.
Four nightmares for net neutrality

What is the economic substance behind net neutrality, the populist policy debate du jour? The authors assesses the basic economics behind net neutrality. To be sure, this debate has many arcane facets. For example, a couple years ago the FCC legally exempted US broadband firms - cable modem and DSL providers - from what are known as "common carrier" obligations. Phone companies have lived under these obligations for decades. In brief, common carriers are not responsible for the content of a message; they are responsible for carrying it and not altering it. This ruling recently survived a Supreme Court review (in a case called Brand-X). Why does that matter? It shapes the Internet. Sure, it's arcane, but it's too important not to understand
Incidence of Wrong-Site Surgery Among Foot and Ankle Surgeons

In 1998, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons initiated the "sign your site" campaign to address the issue of wrong-site surgery (WSS). Using a confidential online survey sent to 1094 active members of the American Academy of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the authors assessed participation in the "sign your site" campaign and the occurrence of WSS encountered during their careers. A total of 319 responses were received (response rate = 29.2%). In all, 41 of 310 respondents (13%) reported performing WSS at least once, with 4 surgeons (1%) reporting the occurrence twice in their careers; 70 of 310 (23%) surgeons reported that they had prepped the wrong surgical site, but the error was recognized prior to making an incision. In all, 302 of 309 respondents (97.7%) reported that they were aware of the "sign your site" initiative. Since the introduction of the campaign, significantly more (89.2% vs 49.2%) foot and ankle surgeons routinely mark the surgical site (P < .001). The Joint Commission revised the universal protocol for surgical site verification requiring an individual directly involved in a surgical procedure to mark the site as of January 1, 2009. The authors believe this revision will lower the incidence of WSS further.
Unique analogues of anandamide: arachidonyl ethers and carbamates and norarachidonyl carbamates and ureas.

To examine the effect of changing the amide bond of anandamide (5, AN) to a less hydrolyzable moiety, analogues 1a−1l, 2a−2c, 3a−3c, and 4a−4h were synthesized from commercially available arachidonyl alcohol or arachidonic acid and tested for their pharmacological activity. Arachidonyl ethers 1a−1k were obtained through the coupling of the arachidonyl mesylate (6) (generated from the mesylation of arachidonyl alcohol) with the appropriate alcohol in potassium hydroxide. Arachidonyl ether 1l was obtained through the phase-transfer coupling of arachidonyl alcohol with 2-(2-iodoethoxy)tetrahydropyran (which was generated from its bromide) followed by cleavage of the tetrahydropyran group with Dowex resin. Arachidonyl carbamates 2a−2c were obtained through the coupling of arachidonyl alcohol with the appropriate isocyanates. Norarachidonyl carbamates 3a−3c and ureas 4a−4h were obtained through the coupling of the norarachidonyl isocyanate (generated from arachidonic acid using diphenyl phosphorazidate and tri...
Quantifying spatial variability and biogeochemical controls of ecosystem metabolism in a eutrophic flow-through wetland

Abstract Wetlands are highly dynamic ecosystems that exhibit large temporal and spatial gradients in biogeochemical and metabolic processes. While previous studies have documented temporal variability of wetland metabolism, very little is known regarding how wetland metabolism varies spatially. This is particularly relevant for constructed flow-through wetlands used to treat agricultural runoff due to growing concern over the potential for these systems to act as incubators of biological oxygen demanding (BOD) substances (i.e., algal biomass) and contributors to downstream hypoxia. This study employed a spatially explicit characterization of wetland water column properties using multiparameter water quality sondes, thus allowing the calculation of wetland metabolism across a range of spatial scales (meters to 100 s of meters). This study documented a high degree of spatial variability in metabolic rates within the wetland, with average gross primary productivity (GPP) ranging from 6.41 to 13.69 g O 2 m −2 d −1 , community respiration (CR) ranging from 4.85 to 9.79 g O 2 m −2 d −1 , and net ecosystem production (NEP) ranging from 0.35 to 2.42 g O 2 m −2 d −1 . Linkages between metabolic rates and environmental controls were quantified using a spatial/temporal statistical approach. Five key environmental parameters (turbidity, dissolved reactive phosphorus, ammonium, electrical conductivity, and temperature) were found to correlate with ecosystem metabolism. Results from this study show that despite high rates of primary productivity, high respiration rates limited NEP in this wetland due to high heterotrophic activity.
The effects of violations of independence assumptions in the one-way ANOVA

Abstract This article focuses on the relationship between true Types I and II error probabilities and the effects of departures from independence assumptions on hypothesis testing in the oneway analysis of variance. A method for constructing a useful class of nonidentity error correlation matrices suitable for studying this relationship is offered and explored. Special emphasis is placed on the numerical features of this relationship that can be easily exploited in the classroom. The perspective is adaptable to more complicated designs including regression models.
Efficient Ordering of Set Expressions for Symbolic Expansion

This paper gives an algorithm for efficiently ordering the terms and factors of a set (or Boolean) expression so that the work required for the symbolic expansion of the expression according to the distributive law is minimized. Formulas are given for computing the measure of work associated with any ordering of an expression. It is shown from these formulas that reordering the factors of the intersections can possibly reduce the cost of expansion, but this cost is invariant with respect to the ordering of the terms of the unions. A simple ordering algorithm is given for quickly determining an optimal (not necessarily unique) ordering of an intersection and a union. When this algorithm is applied to all intersections and unions in an expression, the resulting order is shown to minimize the total work over all possible orderings. Thus it is easy to establish an optimal ordering for an expression and estimate the machine time for its symbolic expansion before doing the expansion.
Clinical application of minimal residual neuroblastoma cell detection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

The highly sensitive method to detect neuroblastoma (NB) cells using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied in the practical clinics, and its efficacy was assessed in the present study. Human tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the catecholamine biosynthesis, was used as the marker for NB cells, and the expression of THmRNA was examined in 13 samples (four peripheral blood and nine bone marrow) harvested from seven patients (four with stage IV, one with stage III, two with stage II) using RT-PCR with our original primers. The positive signals for NB cells were detected in four samples (one peripheral blood and three bone marrow) by the PCR method, but were undetectable by the conventional histological examinations. In the present series, a case that showed a positive signal for NB cells in the peripheral blood showed a remarkably unfavorable clinical course, indicating that the circulating NB cells detected by the PCR method can be a sign of the progressively advanced NB, and may define a new prognostic factor suggesting higher risk. In another case, the PCR detection for the residual NB cells in the bone marrow provided important supporting evidence to determine the necessity of the additional chemotherapy and the suitable timing for bone marrow transplantation. This detection also guaranteed the safety of the bone marrow for transplantation. The PCR method was considered to be very beneficial in the selected cases. However, some problems such as the false-negative result in the negative urinary vanillylmandelic acid secretor were also highlighted in the present study.
Reducing irrelevant trace variations

Identifying truly distinct traces is crucial for the performance and practicality of many dynamic analysis activities. For example, given a trace pool resulting from program failures, identifying the set of distinct traces can reduce the debugging effort by more quickly producing a smaller set of candidate fault locations. The process of discriminating valuable traces, however, is subject to the presence of irrelevant variations in the trace constitution, i.e., the sequence of events in a trace, that can make a trace appear unique when it is not, leading to the retention of a trace that adds no value. In this paper we present an approach to address inconsequential and potentially detrimental trace variations. The approach decomposes traces into segments on which irrelevant variations caused by event ordering or repetition can be detected and removed. The approach is illustrated on two well-known client dynamic analyses and is supported by an infrastructure to explore the approach
Annotated bibliography of trauma care systems categorization and regionalization

This document is from the Trauma Care Systems Repository, developed by the American College of Emergency Physicians Trauma Committee.
Modeling and Analysis of Spool Valves With Eccentric Clearance

Equations of motion of spool valves have been set up under ideal conditions without considering some important factors that may have a significant influence on dynamical behavior and performances of spool valves especially when valve sizes are small. In this paper, these factors are brought into considerations. One of them is the eccentric clearance existing between the spool and the sleeve of a valve due to fabrication errors. Another is the viscosity of a Newtonian fluid assumed to flow through the valve orifices, which generally results in shear forces acting on the valve spool. This paper discusses how equations of motion of spool valves are derived and solved with considerations of these factors. Concepts of Poiseuille flow and Couette flow are utilized to obtain axial forces acting on the valve spool. The resulting equations of motion of spool valves have the simple form of a second order linear ordinary differential equation under the imposed idealizations. The influences of these factors on the motion behavior of spool valves are in turn discussed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Efficient implementation selection via time budgeting: complexity analysis and leakage optimization case study

We present time budgeting as an efficient technique for implementation selection. We discuss discreteness in library and present an optimal algorithm for a special case of the problem. The algorithm is extended to construct a heuristic for the general case, and is experimented on the gate-level threshold voltage assignment problem in dual V/sub t/ technology. Experimental results show that our approach reduces the leakage current by close to an order of magnitude, with no or negligible delay penalty. Compared to existing algorithms, our technique outperforms a recent LP-based competitor by 33%.
Increased production of superoxide anion contributes to dysfunction of the arteriovenous fistula.

Vascular access dysfunction causes morbidity in hemodialysis patients. This study examined the generation and pathobiological significance of superoxide anion in a rat femoral arteriovenous fistula...
Rapid modeling of the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku‐oki earthquake with seismogeodesy

[1] Rapid characterization of finite fault geometry and slip for large earthquakes is important for mitigation of seismic and tsunamigenic hazards. Saturation of near-source weak motion and problematic integration of strong-motion data into displacements make this difficult in real time. Combining GPS and accelerometer data to estimate seismogeodetic displacement waveforms overcomes these limitations by providing mm-level three-dimensional accuracy and improved estimation of coseismic deformation compared to GPS-only methods. We leverage collocated GPS and accelerometer data from the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-oki, Japan earthquake by replaying them in simulated real-time mode. Using a novel approach to account for fault finiteness, we generate an accurate centroid moment tensor solution independently of any constraint on the slab geometry followed by a finite fault slip model. The replay of GPS and seismic data demonstrates that robust models could have been made available within 3 min of earthquake initiation.
Association of pericardial fat, intrathoracic fat, and visceral abdominal fat with cardiovascular disease burden: the Framingham Heart Study.

Aims The aim of this study was to assess whether pericardial fat, intrathoracic fat, and visceral abdominal adipose tissue (VAT) are associated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods and results Participants from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort underwent abdominal and chest multidetector computed tomography to quantify volumes of pericardial fat, intrathoracic fat, and VAT. Relations between each fat depot and CVD were assessed using logistic regression. The analysis of 1267 participants (mean age 60 years, 53.8% women, 9.7% with prevalent CVD) demonstrated that pericardial fat [odds ratio (OR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–1.57; P = 0.002] and VAT (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.11–1.57; P = 0.003), but not intrathoracic fat (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.93–1.39; P = 0.22), were significantly associated with prevalent CVD in age–sex-adjusted models and after adjustment for body mass index and waist circumference. After multivariable adjustment, associations were attenuated ( P > 0.14). Only pericardial fat was associated with prevalent myocardial infarction after adjusting for conventional measures of adiposity (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.03–1.82; P = 0.03). Conclusion Pericardial fat and VAT, but not intrathoracic fat, are associated with CVD independent of traditional measures of obesity but not after further adjustment for traditional risk factor. Taken together with our prior work, these findings may support the hypothesis that pericardial fat contributes to coronary atherosclerosis.