cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of a single wavelength wiggler in PEP as a circular polarized hard X-ray source

Three single-wavelength planar wigglers have been installed in the positron-electron project (PEP) storage ring in order to obtain better luminosities for high-energy physics. Two of them are located next to the X-ray undulators and can be used as synchrotron radiation sources, providing circularly polarized hard X-rays, without any major changes of the lattice and beam lines during dedicated operation of PEP. Circularly polarized hard X-rays can be obtained by selecting radiation produced in the middle of the center pole and observing this radiation above and below the orbital plane. As in the case for a bending magnet, the “out of plane” radiation has circular polarization components of opposite handedness above and below the orbital plane. Calculations presented here show that, in this way, the brightness of 90% circularly polarized 75-keV X-rays is 1.9 × 1014 photons s−1 mm−2 mrad−2 at 0.1% bandwidth when PEP is operated at 8 GeV, 20 mA in the low emittance mode and the wiggler operates at 1.3 T. This is brightness higher than that of any other source in the world. A disadvantage to this scheme is that operation of the wiggler increases the electron beam emittance due to the nonzero dispersion at the wiggler location. The emittance increases by a factor of 1.5 for the example given above. This disadvantage could be eliminated by reducing the dispersion function to zero at the wiggler location. Possible limitations due to high power density on the crotch of PEP beamline are discussed.
Surface analytical investigation of nearly-frictionless carbon films after tests in dry and humid nitrogen

Abstract In this paper, we attempt to elucidate the near-surface chemistry of the sliding contact interfaces of nearly-frictionless carbon (NFC) films subjected to sliding in dry and humid nitrogen environments. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), along with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we determined the chemical state of the rubbing surfaces of NFC films and correlated these findings with the friction and wear test results. Tribological tests were performed in a ball-on-disk machine under a 5 N load and at sliding velocities of 0.2 to 0.3 m/s. An air-tight flexi-glass enclosure was used to create and maintain the dry and wet nitrogen environments. When tested in dry nitrogen, the NFC film provided a friction coefficient of ≈ 0.006 at steady state. However, when tests were performed in humid nitrogen, the friction coefficients increased by factors of 5 to 10 (depending on the humidity level). In both cases, the amount of wear was very low and hard to quantify, especially on the disk side. Imaging 3-D ToF-SIMS of the sliding contact surfaces of the NFC films revealed mostly C2H and C2H2 within the wear tracks after testing in dry nitrogen. XPS confirmed the presence of mostly C–C and C–H bonded species within the same wear tracks. However, the surfaces that were rubbed in humid nitrogen contained large amounts of C–O and C O bonded species, in addition to C–C and C–H. We concluded that super-low friction of NFC in dry nitrogen was mainly associated with the hydrogen termination of its surface carbon atoms, while the much higher friction of NFC in humid nitrogen was perhaps due to oxidation and/or hydroxyl ion termination of its surface carbon atoms.
Multiculturalism and rationality

Do cultures differ with respect to judgments of rationality? If so, does it follow that rationality is culturally specific, or that cultures have their own `rationalities'? If so, does it further f...
Fructosyltransferase and Invertase Activities in Leaf Extracts of Six Temperate Grasses Grown in Warm and Cool Temperatures

Summary Sucrose-sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (SST) and invertase activities were measured at 10, 25 and 50 °C in enzyme preparations from leaves of six grass species grown at 25/15 °C or 10/5 °C. The synthesis of kestoses by SST and the hydrolysis of sucrose by invertase were monitored by anion exchange chromatography. In vitro SST activities in extracts of plants grown at cool temperatures were much higher than in extracts from warm grown plants in all species except Phleum pratense L. 1-Kestose was the dominant trisacharide synthesized in all species except Dactylis glomerata L. in which 6-kestose was usually dominant. Extracts of Secale montanum Guss . also synthesized significant amounts of 6-kestose. Neokestose was not synthesized in vitro by extracts of any of the six species. Some fructan synthesis in D. glomerata L. and P. pratense L. may occur via SST in addition to the proposed mechanism of phlein sucrase. The high temperature optima for β-fructofuronosidase activity and the low temperature optima for fructosyltransferase activity is consistent with the hypothesis that invertase does not significantly contribute to kestose synthesis under normal growth conditions. Both plant growth temperature and in vitro enzyme incubation temperature appear to alter the proportions of 1-kestose and 6-kestose produced by enzyme extracts of grasses. A better understanding of fructan metabolism will facilitate selection for improved plant growth under cool temperatures.
Capsule Commentary on Turner et al., The Impact of Hospitalist Discontinuity on Hospital Cost, Readmissions, and Patient Satisfaction

In this study, the authors evaluated the effect of hospitalist discontinuity on cost, readmission and patient satisfaction.1 Discontinuity was measured by modifying two tools that are typically applied in the outpatient rather than inpatient setting: the Usual Provider of Care Index (UPC)2 and the Number of Physicians Index (NPI).3 The authors found that discontinuity was associated with increased costs, had no impact on patient satisfaction and trended toward fewer readmissions. Given the frequent discussion about the potential impact of discontinuity, high quality studies are needed. This study provides an excellent template for such work. First, the authors used discontinuity measurements that can be generalized across settings and schedules. Second, they included important covariates such as night versus day admission and weekday versus weekend admission. Third, they used important outcomes: cost, readmission and patient experience. In addition, the authors adjusted their models for patient length of stay, which is essential in any work exploring discontinuity. Length of stay certainly influences discontinuity, and the reverse may also be true. Therefore, understanding and accounting for length of stay is imperative. With respect to the curious finding that discontinuity may help prevent readmission, more work must be done. A prior multi-site study to explore the relationship between readmission and length of stay found that readmission rates were affected by both the individual patient length of stay and also by the hospital’s average length of stay.4 Even though the authors of the present study adjusted for patient length of stay, they could not adjust for the hospital’s average since it was a single site study. Therefore, the impact of length of stay may not be entirely accounted for in this study. On the other hand, the authors propose that the second look associated with discontinuity may be beneficial for patient care.5 Both of these theories should be evaluated in future work. In conclusion, this study is a solid first step in exploring how discontinuity impacts patient care. It also offers reassurance to those who worry that the discontinuity inherent in hospitalist services is detrimental to care.
Estimation of the population total when the population size is unknown

This paper considers the problem of estimating the population total when the population size is unknown. A sampling design, in which units are selected with equal probability, are sequentially marked and then returned back until a fixed number of repetitions occur, has been considered. This allows the estimation of the population size as well as the population total. A formula for confidence intervals for the population total is derived along with an approximately unbiased estimator for the variance of the estimator of the population total.
Diurnal wind-structure variations and dispersion of pollutants in the boundary layer

Abstract A coupled boundary-layer model and Lagrangian particle model are used to investigate the role of boundary-layer shear especially that produced by inertial oscillations in affecting the horizontal dispersion of pollutants on time-scales of 24–36 h. The coupled models show that the amplitude and the effective periods of the inertial oscillations are the main cause of nocturnal accelerating dispersion. The effective width of the plume in the morning is determined by whether the morning daytime mixing coincides with the phase of the inertial oscillation being at a maximum or minimum value. The phase of the oscillation is determined by latitude. Thus, latitude is shown to be an extremely important parameter in determining horizontal dispersion. An analytical model is introduced to investigate the role of external parameters such as latitude in influencing the horizontal dispersion. The analytical model is based on a simple Ekman-type model for the daytime and nighttime boundary layer. The Ekman model is used to provide initial conditions to an inertial oscillation regime between the nighttime boundary layer and the old daytime boundary layer. The analytical model was able to reproduce the magnitude and phase of the inertial oscillations reasonably well. However, the Ekman model overestimates the shear in the boundary layer causing the inertial oscillation to be too large. A semi-empirical method was used to provide more reasonable estimates of the daytime boundary-layer structure. This semi-empirical approach gave rates of the horizontal dispersion which were in general agreement with the numerical results.
Zebrafish as a model host for streptococcal pathogenesis

Streptococcal pathogens continue to evade concerted efforts to determine clear-cut virulence mechanisms, although numerous genes have been implicated in pathogenesis. A single species can infect a diversity of tissues, suggesting the expression of specific virulence factors based on the local tissue environment or stage of infection. In an effort to identify the interactions that occur between the host and pathogen that lead to activation of virulence mechanisms and contribute to specific streptococcal disease states, we have developed a unique animal model, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), to characterize specific virulence mechanisms utilized within various tissues in vivo. We are using this model host to study infection by two streptococcal species that represent two forms of streptococcal disease: a natural pathogen of fish and humans, Streptococcus iniae and a human-specific pathogen, Streptococcus pyogenes. S. iniae primarily causes a fatal systemic disease in the zebrafish following intra-muscular injection, with similar pathologies to that seen in human infections caused by Streptococcus agalactiae and S. pneumoniae. While the fatal infection by S. pyogenes causes a locally spreading necrotic disease confined to the muscle with pathology similar to what is observed in a human infection of necrotizing fasciitis. By studying pathogens that are virulent for both fish and humans and that mediate disease states in the zebrafish that are identical to those found in human streptococcal infections, we will be able to identify common virulence strategies shared by a number of Gram-positive pathogens.
Characteristics and effect of antiinflammatory drugs on adriamycin-induced inflammation in the mouse paw.

A subplantar injection of 5–100 μg adriamycin in the mouse hind paw produced a biphasic inflammatory response. The first phase peaked at 2h while the second, more severe phase peaked at four to five days. The magnitude of inflammation was dose related. Administration of [3H]adriamycin revealed that 78% of the drug was lost from the paw within one day. The loss of the remaining drug followed a biphasic decay curve. The first-phase half-life was 1.2 days, and the second-phase half-life was 16.0 days. Vascular permeability, as measured by the leakage of intravenously administered [125I]albumin, was increased between day 4 and day 8. Pathologically, the paw had mild edema and hemorrhage by 4 h after adriamycin injection. The most severe pathological response was seen at 5 days with diffuse inflammation characterized by edema of the dermis, cellular debris, and mononuclear inflammatory cells. By 10 days the inflammatory response was still present but the edema was milder. The antihistamine diphenhydramine, an H1-blocker, inhibited the first phase of inflammation at the highest dose tested but had no effect on the second phase of inflammation. The antihistamine metiamide, an H2-blocker; the antiserotonin drug, ρ-chlorophenylalanine; and the antiinflammatory drugs, aspirin, hydrocortisone, and ibuprofen failed to antagonize adriamycin-induced inflammation at 2 h or 5 days after adriamycin injection. Indomethacin reduced the inflammation after 5 days but only at toxic dose levels.
Postpartum fighting in the rat: nipple development and the presence of young.

In contrast to the fighting behavior exhibited by lactating rats with young, parturient rats whose young were removed and maternally sensitized nulliparous animals maintained with foster young showed virtually no aggression against an adult male. Although fighting behavior could be reinstated by giving young to lactating rats whose own offspring had been removed for 1, 2, or 4 days, such reinstatement did not occur following 8 days of litter removal. It subsequently was found that a significant amount of nipple regression occurred following 8 days of litter removal. The administration of a regimen of estradiol benzoate and progesterone, which produced nipple growth in ovariectomized virgin females, also produced fighting behavior in ovariectomized, maternally sensitized virgins.
Subjectivism and “Unmasking”

Barry Stroud' s The Quest for Reality is a fine book that requires and repays several re-readings. Among the book's many virtues is its appropriate skepticism towards the metaphysical ambition to treat some basic physical science as a fundamental ontology, an exhaustive account of what there is and how it hangs together. When Galileo concluded that mathematics was the key to the labyrinth of nature, he was prepared to treat all qualitative aspects of reality as sensational effects produced in us by a world that was essentially quantitative in character. This subjectivization of quality, its "introjection" into the mind, was perhaps initially driven by a reluctance to examine the abstractive preconditions of developing and deploying a quantitative vocabulary. Certain topics, among them sensed qualities, had to be set aside because they were not amenable to treatment in such terms. As Stroud emphasizes, to simply go on to suppose that such sensed qualities are not to be found in the world because they are not amenable to such treatment is unmotivated metaphysics, not a simple deliverance of any physical science. The question remains whether the metaphysics can be motivated, and the great sources of motivation for the introjection of quality have been the arguments from hallucination and variation. In this book, Stroud does not address those arguments, but rather aims for a result, which if achieved, would seriously inhibit the metaphysical ambition. Stroud focuses on color, in particular on two subjectivizing treatments of the colors, namely the error theory and the dispositional theory. Against the error theory, he aims to show that it is not coherently avowable; the so-called "unmasker" who ostensibly denies that external objects are colored is not in a position to find the very perceptions of color objects and the very beliefs about the colors of things that he deems non-veridical or false. Against the dispositionalist, Stroud argues that the theory is open to serious counterexample, which it cannot meet except by resorting to a gambit that undermines the very distinction which subjectivists care so much about, the distinction between so-called secondary qualities like the colors and primary qualities like being ovoid.
A tutorial on learning human welder's behavior: Sensing, modeling, and control

Abstract Human welder's experiences and skills are critical for producing quality welds in manual GTAW process. Learning human welder's behavior can help develop next generation intelligent welding machines and train welders faster. In this tutorial paper, various aspects of mechanizing the welder's intelligence are surveyed, including sensing of the weld pool, modeling of the welder's adjustments and this model-based control approach. Specifically, different sensing methods of the weld pool are reviewed and a novel 3D vision-based sensing system developed at University of Kentucky is introduced. Characterization of the weld pool is performed and human intelligent model is constructed, including an extensive survey on modeling human dynamics and neuro-fuzzy techniques. Closed-loop control experiment results are presented to illustrate the robustness of the model-based intelligent controller despite welding speed disturbance. A foundation is thus established to explore the mechanism and transformation of human welder's intelligence into robotic welding system. Finally future research directions in this field are presented.
The ARF family of transcription factors and their role in plant hormone-responsive transcription

Auxin response factors or ARFs are a recently discovered family of transcription factors that bind with specificity to auxin response elements (AuxREs) in promoters of primary or early auxin-responsive genes. ARFs have an amino-terminal DNA-binding domain related to the carboxyl-terminal DNA-binding domain in the maize transactivator VIVIPAROUS1. All but one ARF identified to date contain a carboxyl-terminal protein-protein interaction domain that forms a putative amphipathic α-helix. A similar carboxyl-terminal protein-protein interaction domain is found in the Aux/IAA class of auxin-inducible proteins. Some ARFs contain transcriptional activation domains, while others contain repression domains. ARFs appear to play a pivotal role in auxin-regulated gene expression of primary response genes.
Sudden and gradual compaction of shallow brittle porous rocks

[1] Porous brittle rocks fail in shear and compaction. Rate and state friction describes such failure on a planar surface, while end-cap failure describes the failure of a continuum. Both formalisms include Coulomb failure in shear at low normal tractions. Rate and state friction includes slow compaction of gouge by normal traction when shearing is not occurring. Rate and state friction also represents slow compaction of porous sandstone. End-cap failure includes both grain crushing and shear. Micromechanically, all these mechanisms involve exponential creep at stresses of a few gigapascals. Rate and state friction is modeled by tabular real contacts where shear and extrusion occur. The observed compaction rate depends on the normal traction to a modest power of ∼27 for gouge and ∼10 for sandstone. End-cap failure involves grain cracking in the neighborhood of the grain-grain contact. Its rate should depend on the normal traction raised to a power of ∼100. This strong rate dependence is not measurable in practice as a failure cascade commences once some grains crack. Materials with pointy contacts including unwelded tuff and “regolith” in the uppermost tens of meters that has repeatedly been damaged by strong seismic waves compact in this manner at dynamic stresses modestly above their ambient lithostatic stress. This failure produces significant nonlinear attenuation of compressional P waves with sustained dynamic accelerations that are a modest fraction of the ambient acceleration of gravity.
Modeling and Experiments of Laser Cladding With Droplet Injection

Laser aided Directed Material Deposition (DMD) is an additive manufacturing process based on laser cladding. A full understanding of laser cladding is essential in order to achieve a steady state and robust DMD process. A two dimensional mathematical model of laser cladding with droplet injection was developed to understand the influence of fluid flow on the mixing, dilution depth, and deposition dimension, while incorporating melting, solidification, and evaporation phenomena. The fluid flow in the melt pool that is driven by thermal capillary convection and an energy balance at the liquid-vapor and the solid-liquid interface was investigated and the impact of the droplets on the melt pool shape and ripple was also studied. Dynamic motion, development of melt pool and the formation of cladding layer were simulated. The simulated results for average surface roughness were compared with the experimental data and showed a comparable trend.
Study of Complex Networked Control System Exponential Stability

An integrated model considering all complex factors was provided. Combined with data Loss Tolerance and build an asynchronous dynamic system consisting observer and controller in the closed-loop system. The necessary and sufficient conditions to make the system index stable were analyzed.
A note on vector flux models for radiation dose calculations.

Abstract This paper reviews and extends modelling of anisotropic fluxes for radiation belt protons to provide closed-form equations for vector proton fluxes and proton flux anisotropy in terms of standard omnidirectional flux models. These equations provide a flexible alternative to the data-based vector flux models currently available. At higher energies, anisotropy of trapped proton flux in the upper atmosphere depends strongly on the variation of atmospheric density with altitude. Calculations of proton flux anisotropies using present models require specification of the average atmospheric density along trapped particle trajectories and its variation with mirror point altitude. For an isothermal atmosphere, calculations show that in a dipole magnetic field, the scale height of this trajectory-averaged density closely approximates the scale height of the atmosphere at the mirror point of the trapped particle. However, for the earth's magnetic field, the altitudes of mirror points vary for protons drifting in longitude. This results in a small increase in longitude-averaged scale heights compared to the atmospheric scale heights at minimum mirror point altitudes. The trajectory-averaged scale heights are increased by about 10–20% over scale heights from standard atmosphere models for protons mirroring at altitudes less than 500 km in the South Atlantic Anomaly. Atmospheric losses of protons in the geomagnetic field minimum in the South Atlantic Anomaly control proton flux anisotropies of interest for radiation studies in low earth orbit. Standard atmosphere models provide corrections for diurnal, seasonal and solar activity-driven variations. Thus, determination of an “equilibrium’ model of trapped proton fluxes of a given energy requires using a scale height that is time-averaged over the lifetime of the protons. The trajectory-averaged atmospheric densities calculated here lead to estimates for trapped proton lifetimes. These lifetimes provide appropriate time-averaging intervals for equilibrium models of trapped proton fluxes.
Inhibition of neurogenic plasma exudation and bronchoconstriction by a K+ channel activator, BRL 38227, in guinea pig airways in vivo

Abstract Intravenous administration of a K+ channel activator, BRL 38227, inhibited cigarette smoke-induced plasma exudation in guinea pig airways in vivo in a dose-dependent manner with an approximate ED50 of 6 μg/kg. BRL 38227 also inhibited vagally induced plasma exudation and bronchoconstruction but did not inhibit substance P-induced plasma exudation or neurokinin A-induced bronchoconstriction. K+ channels modulate neurotransmission in the airways and K+ channel activators may have therapeutic potential in bronchial diseases including asthma and chronic bronchitis.
Confirmation of the Discrepancy Between the Theoretical and Experimental Ground-State Energies of H 2

A double-precision calculation of the dissociation energy of the hydrogen molecule has been carried out and the results confirm the existing discrepancy with the experimental value, the discrepancy being one order of magnitude larger than the experimental error.
Claims and disclaimers: Whose expertise counts?

Medical anthropologists have long recognized that interactions between state, clinical, scientific and lay participants transform understandings of illness. There are competing claims to knowledge in such interactions, which may be in tension with concepts of jurisdictional authority and assumptions about what constitutes different types of expertise. This paper focuses on the regulatory processes of the Food and Drug Administration in order to examine the social processes involved in negotiating and sustaining domains of knowledge across various boundaries of authority. I use the example of the way roles of commercial interests, patient interest groups and federal oversight agencies in defining and caring for health "problems" appear to be shifting with new modes of circulating information about prescription drugs. What counts as "medical expertise" when decisions about taking pharmaceuticals are moved away from former gatekeepers (physicians and insurance plans) to patients who are reframed as consumers...
Effects of some representative petroleum refinery effluent compounds on photosynthesis and growth of natural marine phytoplankton assemblages: Part 1—cresols☆

Abstract The effects of cresols on the photosynthesis and growth of natural marine phytoplankton assemblages from the Scripps Pier at La Jolla, California, USA were measured. In two experiments, in which dinoflagellates were the dominant algae, photosynthesis (measured by 14 C uptake) was inhibited at concentrations > 100 μg litre −1 and the concentration giving half-maximal photosynthesis was 10,000 μg litre −1 . In a third experiment, in which diatoms were dominant, photosynthesis was not inhibited until levels > 10,000 μg litre −1 were reached and the half-maximal concentration was 20,000 μg litre −1 . These experiments suggested that dinoflagellates were more sensitive to cresols than diatoms. However, the reverse was true in an experiment using cultures. In a long-term growth experiment (natural assemblages from the Scripps Pier), only a level of 88,000 μg litre −1 completely inhibited growth. There was a two-day lag in growth at 8500 μg litre −1 , but the algae recovered and grew as well as the controls which contained no cresols. This experiment was started with a mixed diatom-dinoflagellate-microflagellate population but only the diatoms grew. High concentrations of cresols (> 900 μg litre −1 ) resulted in a decrease in the diatom Skeletonema costatum , compared with the controls. Otherwise there was no selection for resistant species. In these experiments, cresols were measured by extraction with methylene chloride from seawater followed by measurement by UV absorption. In all experiments cresol levels decreased with time. This was attributed to uptake by phytoplankton and bacterial degradation.
A two-dimensional vertical non-hydrostatic σ model with an implicit method for free-surface flows

An implicit finite difference model in the a co-ordinate system is developed for non-hydrostatic, two-dimensional vertical plane free-surface flows. To accurately simulate interaction of free-surface flows with uneven bottoms, the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and the free-surface boundary condition are solved simultaneously in a regular transformed a domain using a fully implicit method in two steps. First, the vertical velocity and pressure are expressed as functions of horizontal velocity. Second, substituting these relationship into the horizontal momentum equation provides a block tri-diagonal matrix system with the unknown of horizontal velocity, which can be solved by a direct matrix solver without iteration. A new treatment of non-hydrostatic pressure condition at the top-layer cell is developed
Identification of the Calmodulin Binding Domain of Connexin 43

Calmodulin (CaM) has been implicated in mediating the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of gap junctions. This report identifies a CaM-binding motif comprising residues 136-158 in the intracellular loop of Cx43. A 23-mer peptide encompassing this CaM-binding motif was shown to bind Ca(2+)-CaM with 1:1 stoichiometry by using various biophysical approaches, including surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and NMR. Far UV circular dichroism studies indicated that the Cx43-derived peptide increased its alpha-helical contents on CaM binding. Fluorescence and NMR studies revealed conformational changes of both the peptide and CaM following formation of the CaM-peptide complex. The apparent dissociation constant of the peptide binding to CaM in physiologic K(+) is in the range of 0.7-1 microM. Upon binding of the peptide to CaM, the apparent K(d) of Ca(2+) for CaM decreased from 2.9 +/- 0.1 to 1.6 +/- 0.1 microM, and the Hill coefficient n(H) increased from 2.1 +/- 0.1 to 3.3 +/- 0.5. Transient expression in HeLa cells of two different mutant Cx43-EYFP constructs without the putative Cx43 CaM-binding site eliminated the Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Cx43 gap junction permeability, confirming that residues 136-158 in the intracellular loop of Cx43 contain the CaM-binding site that mediates the Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of Cx43 gap junctions. Our results provide the first direct evidence that CaM binds to a specific region of the ubiquitous gap junction protein Cx43 in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, providing a molecular basis for the well characterized Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Cx43-containing gap junctions.
Climate response to tropical cyclone-induced ocean mixing in an Earth system model of intermediate complexity

[1] We introduce a parameterization of ocean mixing by tropical cyclones (TCs) into an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. The parameterization is based on previously published global budgets of TC-induced mixing derived from high-resolution satellite measurements of anomalous sea surface temperatures along storm tracks. Recognizing the caveats introduced, for example, by the simplified model structure, we find that the representation of realistic TC-induced mixing substantially alters the equilibrium conditions of (1) the thermal structure of the upper ocean, (2) the surface energy budget, and (3) the circulation in the equatorial to subtropical Pacific Ocean. These changes result in warmer upwelling regions in the eastern equatorial Pacific and an overall increase in ocean heat content consistent with the recent TC heat pump hypothesis. Spatial variability in the mixing appears to be a key factor in the modeled response. We find no substantial influence of the considered TC-induced mixing on poleward ocean heat transport in the analyzed model. Our results suggest that climate-sensitive mixing feedbacks are plausible; however, the large-scale effect is mainly confined to the subtropical Indo-Pacific region for present-day TC climatology.
SAC-1 solution of problem #7

This note reports on various aspects of our experience in using the SAC-1 system to solve Problem #7, submitted by S. C. Johnson and R. L. Graham, [1]. In solving the problem, several separate SAC-1 main programs were written for the various parts of the problem. These separate programs could, in principle, have been combined into a single main program. The SAC-1 solution involved the use of seven of the ten currently released SAC-1 subsystems. With reference to Loos' bibliography, [2], the seven subsystems used were CO-12, CO-13, CO-14, CO-17, CO-15, CO-16 and CO-19; CO-18, CO-31 and CO-32 were not needed.
Going by the book: A response to Stuart Wright

(1999). Going by the book: A response to Stuart Wright. Terrorism and Political Violence: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 69-73.
Delayed, Multi-Step Inverse Structural Filter for Robust Force Identification

Abstract An extension of the inverse structural filter (ISF) force reconstruction algorithm is presented that utilizes data from multiple time steps simultaneously to improve the accuracy and robustness of the ISF. The ISF algorithm uses a discrete-time system model of a structure and the measured response to estimate the forces causing the response. The proposed algorithm, dubbed the delayed, multi-step ISF (DMISF), is compared with the original ISF and with the sum of weighted accelerations technique (SWAT) and the classical frequency domain (FD) inverse method in terms of both accuracy and sensitivity to errors in the forward system model. The SWAT and ISF algorithms are capable of estimating the forces acting on a structure in real time, or when time data is available over such a short duration that FD methods cannot be applied effectively. The new DMISF can be created from a forward system model identified by any standard modal analysis algorithm, so one can leverage expertise with a particular system identification methodology. In contrast, the previously presented ISF was derived directly from experimental data using a proscribed technique. The theory behind the algorithms is presented, after which their performance is demonstrated using laboratory test data. The results of a Monte Carlo simulation are also presented, illustrating the nature of the sensitivity of the methods to errors in the modal parameters of the forward system. The DMISF algorithm is shown to yield a stable inverse system for the structure of interest whereas the traditional ISF is unstable, and hence gives erroneous estimates of the input forces.
Quantification of repolarization reserve to understand interpatient variability in the response to proarrhythmic drugs: a computational analysis.

Background "Repolarization reserve" is frequently invoked to explain why potentially proarrhythmic drugs cause, across a population, a range of changes to cardiac action potentials (APs). However, the mechanisms underlying this interindividual variability are not understood quantitatively. Objective The purpose of this study was to perform a novel analysis of mathematical models of ventricular myocytes to quantify repolarization reserve and gain insight into the factors responsible for variability in the response to proarrhythmic drugs. Methods/Results In several models of human or canine ventricular myocytes, variability was simulated by randomizing model parameters and running repeated simulations. With each randomly generated set of parameters, APs before and after simulated 75% block of the rapid delayed rectifier current (I Kr ) were calculated. Multivariable regression was performed to determine how much each model parameter attenuated or exacerbated the AP prolongation caused by the I Kr -blocking drug. Simulations with a human ventricular myocyte model suggest that drug response is influenced most strongly by (1) the density of I Kr , (2) the density of slow delayed rectifier current I Ks , (3) the voltage dependence of I Kr inactivation, (4) the density of L-type Ca 2+ current, and (5) the kinetics of I Ks activation. The analysis also identified mechanisms underlying nonintuitive behavior, such as ionic currents that prolong baseline APs but decrease drug-induced AP prolongation. Finally, the simulations provided quantitative insight into conditions that aggravate the drug response, such as silent ion channel mutations and heart failure. Conclusion These modeling results provide the first thorough quantification of repolarization reserve and improve our understanding of interindividual variability in adverse drug reactions.
Gene-based SNP mapping of a psychotic bipolar affective disorder linkage region on 22q12.3: association with HMG2L1 and TOM1.

Genetic linkage studies in both bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) and schizophrenia have implicated overlapping regions of chromosome 22q. We previously reported that BPAD pedigrees containing multiple members with psychotic symptoms showed suggestive linkage to chromosome 22q12.3. Now we have tested 189 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning a 3 Mb region around the linkage peak for association with BPAD in 305 families, unrelated cases, and controls. SNPs were selected in or near genes, resulting in coverage at a density of 1 SNP per 6.7 kb across the 22 annotated genes in the region. The strongest signal emerged from family-based association analysis of an 11-SNP, 54 kb haplotype straddling the gene HMG2L1 and part of TOM1. A 3-marker haplotype of SNPs within TOM1 was associated with BPAD (allele-wise P = 0.0011) and with psychotic BPAD (allele-wise P = 0.00049). As hypothesized, the mean odds ratio for the risk alleles across the region was 1.39 in the psychotic but only 0.96 in the non-psychotic subset. Genotype-wise analyses yielded similar results, but the psychotic/non-psychotic distinction was more pronounced with mean odds ratios of 1.91 versus 0.8. Permutation of genotype-wise results for rs2413338 in HMG2L1 showed an empirical P = 0.037 for the difference between subsets. HMG2L1 is a negative regulator of Wnt signaling, a pathway of interest in psychotic BPAD as it is activated by both mood stabilizer and anti-psychotic medications. Further work is needed to confirm these results and uncover the functional variation underlying the association signal. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tetrafluoroborate selective Urushi electrode as a membrane matrix.

Urushi, a kind of natural oriental lacquer, has excellent durability and mechanical strength. Therefore, its use as a membrane matrix for tetrafluoroborate ion selective electrode was examined. A linear potential-concentration curve was obtained within the concentration range 10-1-10-5mol dm-3 tetrafluoroborate. The slope of the linear part of the curve was 55mV per decade change of the concentration with the electrode prepared from 50 wt% of tri-n-octylmethylammonium tetrafluoroborate and 50wt% of raw Urushi latex. This electrode exhibited a constant potential within the pH range 2-6. The static response time of the electrode was about 1min and the dynamic response time was about 10s. Utilization of other kinds of ion-exchanger and Urushi latex as electrode membranes was also examined. The selectivity coefficient for each electrode was measured. Two types of flow-through electrodes were prepared. They showed similar potential-concentration curves to that for the usual type electrode. The electrode was applied to the measurement of the formation rate of tetrafluoroborate from boric and hydrofluoric acids. The electrode could be used for more than 5 months.
Comparison of the SCD and FPD for HRGC determination of atmospheric sulfur gases

The FPD and the new SCD have been examined for their respective performance characteristics as sulfur selective detectors for HRGC in the determination of atmospheric sulfur gases. Overall, the SCD was an extremely selective and sensitive sulfur gas detector with lower MDLs than the FPD and fewer problems with interferences and noise stability, thus allowing the SCD more flexibility in capillary column selection. Modification of the FPD, however, provided more symmetrical peaks and greater resolution than the Sievers Model 350 SCD.
Effects of thymectomy on reproductive function and behavior

The effects of thymectomy in perinatal Long-Evans rat pups on their reproductive function in early adulthood were examined. Thymectomized females had decreased lordotic responsivity to estrogen, while thymectomized males exhibited differences in mount latency or postejaculatory interval; these results suggest a possible influence of the thymus on the normal development of the neural substrates of sexual behavior. Gonadal histology appeared unperturbed in rats of either sex. No statistical abnormalities in luteinizing hormone or testosterone levels were seen in male animals. Likewise, no disturbances were observed in the ability of females to exhibit normal positive feedback after estrogen and progesterone administration; negative feedback after unilateral ovariectomy (as judged by ovarian compensatory hypertrophy) was also normal. The timing of puberty was not statistically delayed in females, even though slowed growth rates were observed. A heightened surgical stress response, as judged by progesterone levels in experimental females, suggests that perinatal thymectomy may possibly alter the sensitivity of adults to stress.
An efficient Montgomery exponentiation algorithm by using signed-digit-recoding and folding techniques

Abstract The motivation for designing fast modular exponentiation algorithms comes from their applications in computer science. In this paper, a new CSD-EF Montgomery binary exponentiation algorithm is proposed. It is based on the Montgomery algorithm using the canonical-signed-digit (CSD) technique and the exponent-folding (EF) binary exponentiation technique. By using the exponent-folding technique of computing the common parts in the folded substrings, the same common part in the folding substrings can be simply computed once. We can thus improve the efficiency of the binary exponentiation algorithm by decreasing the number of modular multiplications. Moreover, the “signed-digit representation” has less occurrence probability of the nonzero digit than binary number representation. Taking this advantage, we can further effectively decrease the amount of modular multiplications and we can therefore decrease the computational complexity of modular exponentiation. As compared with the Ha–Moon’s algorithm 1.261718m multiplications and the Lou-Chang’s algorithm 1.375m multiplications, the proposed CSD-EF Montgomery algorithm on average only takes 0.5m multiplications to evaluate modular exponentiation, where m is the bit-length of the exponent.
Distortion matching with head-mounted displays

Distortion is an issue that arises when designing Army Helicopter sensor packages. F-Theta versus F-Tan-Theta distortion is consistently one of the most important and least understood facets of the system. This is especially important when dealing with multiple sensors that have to use the same display. Arriving at the optimized optical solution can be a very involved and difficult design process. This paper explains what the problems are, the possible solutions, and the results of the design choices made along the way. It will elaborate on how each design choice affects image resolution, field of view (FOV), sensor fusion, and the apparent motion artifacts that are caused by mismatched distortions. The goal is to develop a better understanding of the problem, which will enable us to design the best possible optical system for the helicopter pilot.
Fibre optic pH sensors prepared by sol-gel immobilisation technique

An improved fibre optic sensor with extended lifetime for pH measurements has been developed. The sensor is based on the absorbance change of organic indicators immobilised in a silica matrix coated as a thin film onto a porous glass optical fibre by the sol-gel technique. This approach has allowed the development of a highly stable, chemically durable and ruggedised fibre optic pH sensor. The sensor also has potential application in aqueous solutions at high temperatures and in those containing organic solvents.
Trial of a terbutaline aerosol in the treatment of asthma and a comparison of its effects with those of a salbutamol aerosol.

Abstract Inhalation by a group of asthmatics of aerosols of 250 μg terbutaline and of 100 μg salbutamol was followed by the same mean maximum increase in FEV 1 . After inhalation of these doses of each drug there were rapid bronchodilator responses, the amplitudes of which were the same for 90 minutes. With these doses bronchodilatation was maintained at a higher level after terbutaline, the difference being statistically significant during the fourth hour. There were no clinically important cardiovascular or other unwanted effects after either drug. This may or may not be of clinical significance.
Use of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in Spinal Fusion Surgery for Older Adults With Lumbar Stenosis : Trends, Complications, Repeat Surgery, and Charges

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) were approved for use in spine surgery by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late in 2002. Two BMP products are approved in the U.S., both for use in conjunction with lumbar fusion surgery. These products were developed with the goals of increasing the likelihood of solid bone fusion and decreasing the need for iliac crest bone autograft in lumbar fusion procedures. By improving the likelihood of solid fusion, use of BMP might also reduce the need for subsequent revision surgery. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have suggested that, compared to fusion procedures without BMP, these products increase the likelihood of solid fusion.1–5 A smaller number of trials has examined the probability of repeat surgery, and suggests that repeat surgery is decreased with the use of BMP.3–6 However, these trials have been small, and other studies have yielded conflicting results.1,7 A meta-analysis favored BMP, but the difference in reoperation rates was not statistically significant.8 Most studies have included relatively few older adults, who are most likely to have surgery for spinal stenosis. However, a recent report noted that solid fusion rates – with or without BMP – were lower among adults over age 65 than among younger adults. The authors attributed this to weakened osteoinductive capacity in elderly patients.9 Several important questions remain regarding the use of BMPs. Patterns of use have not been well characterized. It is unclear, for example, whether BMP is being reserved for complex fusions, such as those involving multiple levels or revision operations, or is used more generally in less complex procedures, as well. There has been little surveillance since its introduction to assess the impact on reoperation rates in routine practice, outside the tightly controlled conditions of randomized trials. We therefore undertook an assessment of BMP use among Medicare patients undergoing surgery for spinal stenosis. Our goals were to: Examine trends in the use of BMP for this population Compare patients undergoing fusion with and without BMP to determine if there are differences in previous surgery, type of procedure performed, patient demographics, or comorbidity Examine hospital charges for surgery with and without BMP Examine rates of complications and of repeat surgery following fusion procedures with and without BMP, adjusting for any differences in patient demographic characteristics, procedural details, or comorbid medical conditions.
Ethnonational Identity, Security and the Implosion of Yugoslavia: The Case of Montenegro and the Relationship with Serbia

While traditional ethnic/religious rivals had been incorporated to form the modern multiethnic communist nation-state of Yugoslavia under the forceful presence of Marshall Broz Tito, the collapse of the communist bloc and ensuing revolutionary/democratization wave engulfing East-Central Europe created tremendous uncertainty and the perception of a power vacuum throughout the former communist bloc. Conflicts would erupt based on distinctions along traditional cultural/ethnic lines. The struggle for control and territory among Yugoslavia's political elite ultimately resulted in a series of secessionist conflicts in Croatia (1991–1992), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992–1995) and most recently Kosovo (1999).