cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron energetics in the Enceladus torus

[1] The inner magnetosphere of Saturn contains both neutral gas and plasma whose composition is dominated by water group ion species. This gas is distributed in a torus-shaped region located near the orbit of Enceladus. The source of this gas is the predominately water vapor plume located in the south polar region of Saturn's icy satellite Enceladus. The electron distribution in the torus comprises two populations: a relatively cold ( 10 eV) suprathermal tail. This paper describes model calculations of the electron energy distribution and energetics in the torus in order to explore how the observed electron distributions can be explained. A thermal electron energy equation is numerically solved, and electron temperatures are calculated. A separate electron energy deposition model determines suprathermal electron fluxes as functions of energy. The main suprathermal electron population is due to photoelectron production from the absorption of solar radiation by water and other neutral species, and this is demonstrated by a comparison of the model results with recently published Cassini data. The model includes heating of thermalized electrons by fresh photoelectrons and by hot pickup ions and also includes cooling by collisions with water and other neutral species. Calculated electron temperatures for the thermal population are about 104 − 2 × 104 K (i.e., 1–2 eV), values which are somewhat lower than recently published Cassini Langmuir probe electron temperature values of 2–3 eV.
Bone status among postmenopausal women with different habitual caffeine intakes: a longitudinal investigation.

Objective: Caffeine consumption has been proposed as a risk factor for bone loss in postmenopausal women. Past epidemiologic studies on caffeine and bone have been confounded by covariates including cigarette and alcohol use, differing levels of physical activity and hormone replacement therapy. The purpose of the study was to use a longitudinal design to determine the relationship between habitual dietary caffeine intake and postmenopausal bone status.Methods: Data were collected at two time points separated by two years; 138 women with little or no exposure to tobacco or to drugs known to affect bone status were seen at Visit 1, and 112 returned for Visit 2. Ninety-two of these subjects had received no drugs known to affect bone status over the two-year interval and were kept in the sample. Nutrient and caffeine intake were assessed from three-day diet records. Bone measurements were made by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).Results: Correlation analyses indicated no association between dietary caf...
A Voxel-Based Approach for Imaging Voids in Three-Dimensional Point Clouds

With recent advances in technologies, reconstructions of three-dimensional (3D) point clouds from multi-view aerial imagery are readily obtainable. However, the fidelity of these point clouds has not been well studied, and voids often exist within the point cloud. Voids in the point cloud are present in texturally flat areas that failed to generate features during the initial stages of reconstruction, as well as areas where multiple views were not obtained during collection or a constant occlusion existed due to collection angles or overlapping scene. A method is presented for identifying the type of void present using a voxel-based approach to partition the 3D space. By using collection geometry and information derived from the point cloud, it is possible to detect unsampled voxels such that voids can be identified. A similar line-of-sight analysis can then be used to pinpoint locations at aircraft altitude at which the voids in the point clouds could theoretically be imaged, such that the new images can be included in the 3D reconstruction, with the goal of reducing the voids in the point cloud that are a result of lack of coverage. This method has been tested on high-frame-rate oblique aerial imagery captured over Rochester, NY.
The Determination of Flash Temperature in Intermittent Magnetic Head/Disk Contacts Using Magnetoresistive Heads: Part II—Experimental Investigation

The flash temperature during intermittent head/disk contacts was measured using specially fabricated magnetoresistive heads. Microasperities were intentionally created on disk substrates, and ZrO 2 was sputtered on disc surfaces as overcoat. It was found that with a disk spinning speed of 20 mp/s, flash temperature could reach 50 to 100 o C for transient contact (head was moving in disk radial direction), but less than 40 o C for dwell on track contact (head was stationary)
Pressure drop characteristics for turbulent flow in a straight circular tube situated downstream of a bend

Abstract Experiments are performed to quantify the effects of a bend on the pressure distributions and friction factors in a straight tube situated downstream of a bend. Results are reported for parametric values of the Reynolds number (5000–80 000), bend turn angle (0, 90, and 180 deg), and the flow delivery configuration at the inlet of the bend (either a hydrodynamic development tube or a sharp-edged inlet). The 0 deg turn angle corresponds to the no-bend case, which serves as a baseline against which the with-bend cases are compared. It is found that the substantial circumferential pressure variations which exist in a bend dissipate almost immediately when the flow passes from the bend into the downstream-positioned straight tube. With the bend in place, the axial pressure gradients in the entrance region of the tube are smaller than the fully developed gradients at the lower Reynolds numbers and larger at the higher Reynolds numbers. A lengthwise-linear pressure variation is attained for all cases at an axial distance of 20 diameters or less from the tube inlet. Compared with the measured no-bend baseline values, the fully developed with-bend friction factors display deviations no greater than 9%, but with larger deviations (up to 18%) when compared to straight-tube correlations from the literature.
Detection of progressive macular thickness loss using optical coherence tomography in glaucoma suspect and glaucomatous eyes

To examine the rate of macular thickness loss using time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in functionally progressing versus non-progressing eyes, determined by standard automated perimetry (SAP). Glaucoma suspects (GS) and glaucomatous (G) eyes underwent SAP and OCT imaging every 6 months. Functional progression was determined using pointwise linear regression, defined as 2 contiguous locations losing ≥1.0 dB/year at P<1.0% in the same hemifield. The annual rate of macular thickness loss was calculated from inner and outer regions of the macular map. 72 eyes (43 GS and 29G) with ≥30 months of follow-up were enroled. Fourteen eyes demonstrated SAP progression. The annual rate of macular thickness loss (μm/year) in progressing eyes was faster (all P<0.05) than non-progressing eyes in temporal outer (−1.90±2.97 vs 0.33±2.77), nasal inner (−1.70±2.66 vs 0.14±2.76), superior inner (−2.15±4.57 vs 0.51±2.99), temporal inner quadrants (−2.58±5.05 vs −0.38±2.34), and the average of inner macular quadrants (−1.84±2.90 vs 0.03±2.10). The rate of loss in the nasal inner (P=0.02) and temporal outer (P=0.02) macular regions was associated with optic disc haemorrhage. Eyes with SAP progression have significantly greater rates of macular thickness loss consistent with glaucomatous retinal ganglion cell atrophy, as compared with non-progressing eyes.
Cyanide formation from glycine by nonproliferating cells of Chromobacterium violaceum.

Abstract Chromobacterium violaceum cells incubated in a chemically defined medium containing methionine and 14C-labeled glycine produced 14C-labeled cyanide. The cyanide carbon produced by the cells was derived from the methyl carbon of glycine. The carboxyl carbon of glycine, and the methyl carbon of methionine, are apparently only indirectly involved in the biogenesis of cyanide. The greatest portion of the carbons of glycine fixed in the cells appeared in the “protein fraction.” The fraction of the glycine carboxyl carbon present in the evolved carbon dioxide remained almost constant for 2–6 hours of incubation and was almost equivalent to the cyanide arising from the methyl carbon of glycine.
Update On Progress Toward A Crystal Streak Camera Using New Materials

Several new materials have electrooptical coefficients that are high in comparison with that of lithium niobate (31 x 10-12 m/V). These new materials are SrxBai,Nb206 (SBN:100x); Sr Ba 1 K1 Na Nb206 (BSKNN); and polymeric, ultrathin films. For SBN:60, SBN:75, and BSKNN, electrooptical coefficients of 400 x 10- m7 V, 1400 X 10 m/V, and 150 x 10-12 m/V, respectively, have been reported.' In this paper, we review the theory of light-steering machines and predict the theoretical performance of these systems using these new electrooptical materials. We include new, innovative methods for increasing the resolution of these systems. In addressing problems in fabricating the crystals, we discuss crystal properties that must be controlled if the development of a practical crystal streak camera is to be successful. Finally, we present our experimental results from a laboratory-built light deflector using SBN:60.
A Master S-N Curve Representation of Subsea Umbilical Tube Weld Fatigue Data

In this paper, some of the available duplex and super-duplex stainless steel umbilical tube fatigue data are analyzed using an equivalent nominal stress range parameter, which shares a great deal of similarity to the one used in the 2007 ASME Div 2 Code. The proposed fatigue parameter consists of nominal stress range, a size correction term RTt with RT being the tube radius and t being tube wall thickness, and a stress ratio term (1 − R) with R being applied stress ratio. With it, the available girth weld fatigue test data are shown to collapse into a narrow band. The equivalent nominal stress range parameter is also shown to be effective in correlating seam weld data collected from seam-welded umbilicals, but with a different slope in log-log based S-N plot. Coiling/uncoiling low-cycle effects can be addressed by introducing a pseudo elastic nominal stress definition. Miner’s rule can be used to combine both coiling/uncoiling effects with subsequent high-cycle fatigue loading.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Intracortical EEG for the Detection of Vasospasm in Patients with Poor-Grade Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

To study the feasibility of utilizing intracortical electroencephalography (ICE) including quantitative EEG (qEEG) analysis for the detection of vasospasm in five consecutive poor-grade SAH patients. Intracortical electroencephalography (ICE) was obtained via a single miniature parenchymal 8-contact depth electrode placed at the bedside. Quantitative EEG parameters, calculated on surface EEG and ICE, included alpha/delta ratio (ADR), mean amplitude, suppression percent, and total power. Percent changes between averaged values over 4–6 h of baseline EEG and EEG prior to angiography were calculated. The entire continuous qEEG recording for each patient was then reviewed to determine optimal automated alarm criteria. ICE ADR was the most accurate for predicting angiographic vasospasm (5/5). ICE ADR decreased between baseline and follow-up by 42% (from 0.56 ± 0.07 to 0.32 ± 0.03) for those with vasospasm (N = 3) compared to 17% (0.62 ± 0.06 to 0.51 ± 0.03) for those without (N = 2). A sustained decrease in the ICE ADR from baseline (>25% for ≥4 h) occurred in all three patients with angiographically confirmed vasospasm and not in the two without; this decline occurred 1–3 days prior to angiographic confirmation. Intracortical EEG is promising for detecting ischemia from vasospasm in poor-grade SAH patients, may be superior to scalp EEG, and allow automated detection, particularly using the ADR. Larger studies are needed to better define the effectiveness of this approach.
Activation of Transforming Growth Factor β in Chondrocytes Undergoing Endochondral Ossification

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has well-documented roles in chondrocyte maturation and endochondral ossification, but the mechanisms of TGF-β activation during these processes remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed TGF-β activation in chick embryo resting, proliferating, and hypertrophic chondrocytes in culture. We found that both levels and activation of TGF-β increased substantially with maturation. The majority of TGF-β produced by resting cells over culture time remained latent, but a larger portion produced by proliferating and hypertrophic cells was activated with increasing maturation. Zymography of gelatin gels revealed that matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were expressed by each population and that MMP-13 characterized hypertrophic chondrocytes and to a lesser extent proliferating chondrocytes in late cultures. Treatment with pharmacologic agents revealed that both MMPs and serine proteases are involved in activation. However, because inhibition of MMPs almost completely prevented TGF-β activation, MMPs appear crucial for activation. During culture, inclusion of the tetracycline-derived, collagenase/gelatinase inhibitor chemically modified nonantimicrobial tetracycline (CMT-8) at concentrations specific for MMP-13 inhibition resulted in complete inhibition of TGF-β activation by proliferating and hypertrophic chondrocytes. These results show that TGF-β production, release, and activation are regulated developmentally in chondrocytes. Our findings point to a strict mode of regulation of this potent factor to elicit diverse and highly specific effects during chondrocyte maturation and ossification.
Primitive and derived patterns of relative growth among species of iorisidae

Evolutionary lineages may be described as series of successively modified ontogenies ( Gould, 1977 ). Because of this important link between evolutionary change and ontogenetic modification, insight into phylogenetic relationships may be gained through comparing patterns of growth among species. Here, patterns of relative growth among the species of Lorisidae (Nycticebus coucang, Nycticebus pygmaeus, Loris tardigradus, Perodicticus potto and Arctocebus calabarensis) are described and compared. External postcranial measurements were taken on captive N. coucang, L. tardigradus, N. pygmaeus and P. potto throughout growth, and comparable skeletal measurements were obtained for adult A. calabaraensis. Scaling trends were analysed with standard bivariate regression techniques and principal components analysis. Nycticebus coucang, N. pygmaeus and P. potto generally have coinciding growth trajectories, while those for L. tardigradus are consistently steeper than those for the other lorisids. Ontogenetic data for N. coucang, N. pygmaeus and P. potto, as well as adult data for A. calabarensis, were clearly separated from data for L. tardigradus along the second component in the principal components analysis. Postcranial growth patterns for L. tardigradus are most likely derived among the species of Lorisidae, while Nycticebus, Perodicticus, and perhaps Arctocebus have mainly retained primitive patterns of relative growth.
Do Polynomials Adequately Describe the Hypsometry of Monadnock Phase Watersheds

Hypsometry has been shown to be a useful tool in geomorphic analysis of watersheds with the use of third-degree polynomial equations to express the hypsometric curve. Despite its usefulness with watersheds in the equilibrium stage, the third-degree polynomial has been found to be inadequate to describe the hypsometry of Monadnock phase watersheds. Three other equations — a modified third-degree polynomial with a rational term, a sigmoidal model, and a double exponential — were used to determine hypsometric attributes of 32 Monadnock phase watersheds and compared to the third-degree polynomial form. The three other equations were found to be better fits for Monadnock phase watersheds than the third-degree polynomial equation, regardless of which ratio — area or elevation — was plotted as the independent variable. Due to the occasional failure of each functional form to give logical values for hypsometric attributes, the importance of using more than one form equation is discussed. After determining the best-fit equation for each watershed, the usefulness of hypsometric attributes is discussed in relation to erosion processes within Monadnock phase watersheds.
TH‐B‐BRA‐01: Educational Course Therapy

Long‐term survivors of radiation therapy have an increased risk of developing second cancers, cardiovascular disease, and many other late effects. Population‐based epidemiological studies have established risk models to quantify the relationship between excess risk and radiationdose. The quantification of radiation‐related late effects and the use of modern delivery techniques to reduce such effects is an important and growing area of research in medical physics. Currently, in the United States there are more than ten million cancer survivors and this number is rapidly increasing due to improved treatments, more frequent screening, and greater life expectancy. As the population of survivors increases so too does the need to minimize the likelihood of cancer therapy related late effects and specifically those related to radiation therapy. This continuing education session will focus on the two most commonly reported late effects from radiation therapy, second cancers and cardiac toxicity. This session will provide an overview of the dosimetric techniques currently used in late effects studies, dose response models, and how data in the literature can be translated into clinical practice (now and in the future). The specific learning objectives for this session include: 1. To provide a general overview of the methods used in epidemiological studies of radiation‐related late effects. 2. To present an overview of the current knowledge on radiation‐related cardiac toxicity. 3. To present an overview of the current knowledge on radiation‐related second cancers. 4. To improve understanding of the results of late effects studies and their effect on the future practice of medical physics.
New Approaches to Modulating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Until recently, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been a devastating and generally fatal disease with no effective therapeutic. New developments in understanding the biology of the disease include a growing consensus that the lesions are mainly composed of cells that originated from resident fibroblasts. New developments in therapeutics include recommendations against several treatment regimes that have been previously used. On a positive note, the orally available drug pirfenidone has been approved for use in IPF in China, Japan, India, and the European Union, but not yet in the United States. Other possibilities for managing IPF include managing gastrointestinal reflux, and limiting excessive salt intake. A variety of potential therapeutics for IPF are in clinical trials; for instance, in a Phase 1b trial, intravenous injections of a recombinant version of the normal human serum protein Serum Amyloid P (SAP, also known as PTX2) improved lung function in IPF patients.
Decorated, tapered, and highly nonlinear granular chain.

It has been seen that inertial mismatches in 1D granular chains lead to remarkable energy absorption which increases with the number of spheres, $N$, and tapering, $q$. Short chains, however, are limited in that regard, and we therefore present one solution which greatly improves performance for any size chain. These strongly nonlinear and scalable systems feature surprisingly complicated dynamics and are inadequately represented by a hard-sphere approximation. Additionally, such systems have shock absorption capacities that vary as a function of position along the chain. In this Letter, we present results in the form of normalized kinetic energy diagrams to illustrate the impressive mitigation capability of both original and improved tapered chains.
Involvement of FOS and JUN in the activation of visna virus gene expression in macrophages through an AP-1 site in the viral LTR

Gene expression of visna virus is highly restricted in monocytes, but is induced when monocytes differentiate into macrophages. A previous study on differential regulation of visna virus gene expression revealed that a specific AP-1 site in the long terminal repeat of the viral DNA is required for phorbol-ester-induced gene expression in macrophages (Gabuzda, Hess, Small, and Clements, Mol. Cell. Biol., 9, 2728-2733). In the present investigation, we examined the association of two DNA binding proteins, the proto-oncogene proteins FOS and JUN, with this AP-1 site in the visna virus LTR. We demonstrated that the concentrations of these two proteins and their mRNAs increased in U937 cells after phorbol ester induction. Furthermore, the binding of cellular proteins from the U937 nuclear extracts to this AP-1 site was significantly decreased in the presence of antibodies to JUN and FOS. In vitro-translated JUN protein also binds to this AP-1 sequence, and this binding is enhanced by the FOS protein. These results indicate that JUN and FOS are directly involved in the differential regulation of visna virus gene expression.
Building large knowledge bases by mass collaboration

Acquiring knowledge has long been the major bottleneck preventing the rapid spread of AI systems. Manual approaches are slow and costly. Machine-learning approaches have limitations in the depth and breadth of knowledge they can acquire. The spread of the Internet has made possible a third solution: building knowledge bases by mass collaboration, with thousands of volunteers contributing simultaneously. While this approach promises large improvements in the speed and cost of knowledge base development, it can only succeed if the problem of ensuring the quality, relevance and consistency of the knowledge is addressed, if contributors are properly motivated, and if the underlying algorithms scale. In this paper we propose an architecture that meets all these desiderata. It uses first-order probabilistic reasoning techniques to combine potentially inconsistent knowledge sources of varying quality, and it uses machine-learning techniques to estimate the quality of knowledge. We evaluate the approach using a series of synthetic knowledge bases and a pilot study in the domain of printer troubleshooting.
KxC60 Structural evolution: Scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction

Abstract Epitaxial films of C 60 were grown on GaAs (110), doped with K. under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, and studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction. C 60 condensation at 470 K resulted in the growth of commensurate c (2 × 4) islands that converted to a two-domain, incommensurate close-packed structure by one monolayer. This close-packed layer acted as a template for layer-by-layer growth of fcc C 60 . The resulting multilayer films exposed nearly defect-free (111) surfaces when deposition was done at elevated temperature. When doped with K, these crystalline thin films maintained their fcc structure until x = 3. When x exceeded 3, the films transformed to body-centered structures and exposed (110) surfaces. The K 60 C 60 , phase exhibited a multi-domain bcc (110) surface with bcc [001] aligned with close-packed directions of the original fcc (111) surface, i.e. fcc [110]. This is consistent with lattice stretching along one of the three equivalent fcc (111) close-packed directions to achieve the transformation. Potassium doping was also accompanied by an increase in the surface vacancy concentration and a reduction in structural quality.
Numerical studies of one-electron hydrogenic impurity states in doped semiconductors. II. Fully compensated systems.

We report the results of a numerical study of one-electron hydrogenic impurity states in fully compensated semiconductors. The wave functions are linear combinations of 1s orbitals centered on the N impurity sites. Diagonal Coulomb interactions, overlap, and two- and three-center integrals are taken into account, as are Coulomb interactions with the N compensating impurities. Screening effects are introduced through an exponential cutoff in the interactions. Calculations are carried out for arrays of 664 and 1008 donor impurities distributed at random on a diamond lattice. Data are presented for the densities of states and the localization indices. A criterion for Anderson localization is established, and a lower limit is given for the critical density. Comparisons are made with the corresponding results for uncompensated arrays. The relevance of our findings to experimental studies of the metal-insulator transition is briefly discussed.
Glandular (seromucinous) hamartoma of the nasopharynx

Abstract Glandular hamartomas of the upper aerodigestive tract are uncommonly encountered. Presented is a case of such a hamartoma that occurred in the soft palate and vomer.
α, β, γ, and δ T Cell Antigen Receptor Genes Arose Early in Vertebrate Phylogeny

A series of products were amplified using a PCR strategy based on short minimally degenerate primers and R. eglanteria (clearnose skate) spleen cDNA as template. These products were used as probes to select corresponding cDNAs from a spleen cDNA library. The cDNA sequences exhibit significant identity with prototypic (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta T cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes. Characterization of cDNAs reveals extensive variable region diversity, putative diversity segments, and varying degrees of junctional diversification. This demonstrates expression of both alpha/beta and gamma/delta TCR genes at an early level of vertebrate phylogeny and indicates that the three major known classes of rearranging antigen receptors were present in the common ancestor of the present-day jawed vertebrates.
Spectral synthesis of Jordan-like operators

Necessary conditions and sufficient conditions are given for an operator acting on a separable Hilbert space whose root spaces are pairwise orthogonal and have dense linear span to admit spectral synthesis; that is, for each of its closed invariant subspaces to be the closed linear span of the root vectors it contains.
Performance of Honeywell RICMOS-IV SOI transistors after irradiation to 27 Mrad(Si) by 63.3 MeV protons

Abstract We present results of an exposure of Honeywell RICMOS-IV SOI transistors produced in a developmental run to 2 × 10 14 63.3 MeV protons at the UCD cyclotron radiation test beam (27 Mrad (Si)). In terms of surface damage, this corresponds to almost twice the dose expected for the CMS pixel detector during its useful life at the LHC collider. The irradiated transistors include n-channel MOSFETs similar to the front-end transistors of a pixel readout suitable for use at hadron colliders. Data are presented for MOSFETs on radiation-induced changes in thresholds, transconductance, maximum voltage gain and noise. Circuit simulations using the measured noise data indicate that the pixel readout would continue to function satisfactorily in the CMS radiation environment.
Synthesis and Solid State Structure of Fluorous Probe Molecules for Fluorous Separation Applications.

Abstract A series of colored hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon tagged 1-fluoro-4-alkylamino-anthraquinones and 1,4-bis-alkylamino-anthraquinone probe molecules were synthesized from a (fluorinated) alkyl amine and 1,4-difluoroanthraquinone to aid in the development of fluorous separation applications. The anthraquinones displayed stacking of the anthraquinone tricycle and interdigitation of the (fluorinated) alkyl chains in the solid state. Furthermore, intramolecular N–H⋯O hydrogen bonds forced the hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon tags into a conformation pointing away from the anthraquinone tricycle, with the angle of the tricycle plane normal and the main (fluorinated) alkyl vector ranging from 1° to 39°. Separation of the probe molecules on fluorous silica gel showed that the degree of fluorination of the probe molecules plays only a minor role with most eluents (e.g., hexane/ethyl acetate and methyl nonafluorobutyl ethers/ethyl acetate). However, toluene as eluent caused a pronounced separation by degree of fluorination for fluorocarbon, but not hydrocarbon tagged probe molecules on both silica gel and fluorous silica gel. These studies suggest that hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon tagged anthraquinones are useful probe molecules for the development of laboratory scale fluorous separation applications.
A MULTILEVEL NUMERICAL MODEL QUANTIFYING CELL DEFORMATION IN ENCAPSULATED ALGINATE STRUCTURES

Mechanical forces not only deform cells, but also alter their functions due to biological responses. While current biomanufacturing processes are capable of producing tissue scaffolds with cells encapsulated, it is essential to understand cell responses to process-induced mechanical disturbances. In this study the stresses and deformations of encapsulated cells under compressive loads are quantified via a multilevel nonlinear finite element approach. The macrolevel model is used to mechanically characterize the alginate-cell construct. At the microlevel, the effects of alginate concentration, cell model, and the microlevel geometric heterogeneity on cell deformation are examined. Cells are modeled as single phase inclusions containing only a nucleus phase; then as a two-phase inclusion comprised of a nucleus phase and cytoplasm phase. This study also analyzes the effects of two geometrical parameters—namely, cell size and cell distribution—on the local stress levels of the cell. Subsequent statistical analyses provide insight into the degree of influence of these factors. The study shows that cells embedded in a higher alginate concentration, 3% w/v, experience higher stress levels as compared to cells embedded in a lower alginate concentration, 1.5% w/v. Furthermore, analysis of the geometric heterogeneity indicates that there is a much higher stress concentration in areas where cells are clustered together as compared to areas where cells are relatively isolated.
Three‐dimensional analysis of thermally loaded cracks

The stress intensity factors for cracks in three-dimensional, thermally stressed structures are computed by using the boundary element method. While many boundary and volume-integral-based formulations are available for the treatment of thermoelastic problems in solids, the present analysis is based on a recently developed boundary-only formulation. The accuracy of the solutions in the present work is improved by using special elements at the crack front that accurately model the variation of displacement, temperature fields and singularity of traction, flux fields.
Optical pulse compression of a pulse trapped in an optical microcavity

We demonstrate that optical pulse compression can be realized by tuning the quality factor of an optical microcavity from a high value to a low value, with tuning time shorter than the photon lifetime.
Machine learning in ecosystem informatics and sustainability

Ecosystem Informatics brings together mathematical and computational tools to address scientific and policy challenges in the ecosystem sciences. These challenges include novel sensors for collecting data, algorithms for automated data cleaning, learning methods for building statistical models from data and for fitting mechanistic models to data, and algorithms for designing optimal policies for biosphere management. This presentation discusses these challenges and then describes recent work on the first two of these--new methods for automated arthropod population counting and linear Gaussian DBNs for automated cleaning of sensor network data.
Design issues for a distributed software engineering support system

This paper describes a programming support environment for the development of distributed processing applications. A key feature of this work is the inclusion of the object paradigm to provide needed abstraction in the design and implementation of distributed systems. Another is the use of compiled object languages for performance considerations. A graphical representation is employed to allow a visual presentation of object interaction and resource requirements. The system utilises a hierarchy of objects to represent interacting processes and processing elements. Other issues of name space binding, message–passing mechanisms, data marshalling, and run–time support are also discussed.
Competitive Status Signaling in Peer-to-Peer File-Sharing Networks

Internet peer-to-peer file sharing is a contemporary example of asymmetrical sharing in which "altruists" (file uploaders) share unconditionally with non-reciprocating "free riders" (file downloaders). Those who upload digital media files over the Internet risk prosecution for copyright infringement, and are more vulnerable to computer hackers and viruses. In an analysis of file-sharing behavior among university undergraduates (N=331), we found that significantly more males than females engaged in risky file uploading. Contrary to expectations, uploaders were not concerned about their reputation online and file sharers were not interested in identifying or chatting with uploaders while online. Among uploaders, males were more likely than females to be identified as uploaders by friends, to discuss uploading and to upload in the presence of peers. We interpret these results using costly-signaling theory, and argue that uploading is a costly signal in which males engage in avoidable risk taking as a means to compete for status among peers in social contexts other than the Internet.
Quantitative Relationship Between Scheduled Electrical Preventive Maintenance and Failure Rate of Electrical Equipment

One of the important total operating cost decisions made by the management of an industrial plant is how much money to spend for scheduled electrical preventive maintenance. The amount of maintenance of a component can affect its failure rate. Very little quantitative data have been collected and published on this subject. There is an optimum amount of scheduled electrical preventive maintenance that minimizes the total of the maintenance costs plus the costs associated with failures and power outages. Reliability surveys conducted by the IEEE Industry Applications Society Power Systems Reliability Subcommittee during 1973-1980 have shown that inadequate maintenance is a significant cause of electrical equipment failures in industrial plants. A summary of this IEEE data for several categories of electrical equipment is given. Also included is a summary of a recently published paper on this subject where an optimum maintenance interval has been determined for 23 categories of electrical equipment.
Wnt signaling: complexity at the surface

Wnts are secreted proteins that are essential for a wide array of developmental and physiological processes. They signal across the plasma membrane by interacting with serpentine receptors of the Frizzled (Fz) family and members of the low-density-lipoprotein-related protein (LRP) family. Activation of Fz-LRP promotes the stability and nuclear localization of β-catenin by compromising the ability of a multiprotein complex containing axin, adenomatosis polyposis coli (APC) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) to target it for degradation and block its nuclear import. The Fz-LRP receptor complex probably accomplishes this by generating multiple signals in the cytoplasm. These involve activation of Dishevelled (Dsh), possibly through trimeric G proteins and LRP-mediated axin binding and/or degradation. However, individual Wnts and Fzs can activate both β-catenin-dependent and -independent pathways, and Fz co-receptors such as LRP probably provide some of this specificity. Additional, conflicting data concern the role of the atypical receptor tyrosine kinase Ryk, which might mediate Wnt signaling independently of Fz and/or function as a Fz co-receptor in some cells.
Toward a Comparative Politics of Gender Research in which Women Matter

I ask whether comparative politics of gender (CPG) can maintain its normative roots in concerns related to social justice as it moves increasingly away from its interdisciplinary moorings in gender/women's studies and gravitates toward disciplinary concerns. I call for a broad framework for CPG, examining 1) the range and relevance of the questions we ask, the utility of interdisciplinarity, and the range of methods employed; 2) the research collaborations we develop, especially outside of the US-Europe nexus; 3) the way our work is disseminated; and 4) how it engages the policy and practitioner community.
Perceptions of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome by Children and Their Parents

Assessed perceptions of acquired immune deficiency syndrome in school-aged children and their parents. Using a hierarchical regression analysis, parent attitudes toward AIDS were found to be significant predictors of a child's attitudes toward persons with AIDS, but were not significant predictors of a child's knowledge of AIDS. The child's own knowledge level served as a significant predictor of the child's attitudes and vice versa.
Investigation of the effects of treatment planning variables in small animal radiotherapy dose distributions.

Purpose: Methods used for small animal radiation treatment have yet to achieve the same dose targeting as in clinical radiation therapy. Toward understanding how to better plan small animal radiation using a system recently developed for this purpose, the authors characterized dose distributions produced from conformal radiotherapy of small animals in a microCT scanner equipped with a variable-aperture collimator. Methods: Dose distributions delivered to a cylindrical solid water phantom were simulated using a Monte Carlo algorithm. Phase-space files for 120 kVp x-ray beams and collimator widths of 1–10 mm at isocenter were generated using BEAMnrc software, and dose distributions for evenly spaced beams numbered from 5 to 80 were generated in DOSXYZnrc for a variety of targets, including centered spherical targets in a range of sizes, spherical targets offset from centered by various distances, and various ellipsoidal targets. Dose distributions were analyzed using dose volume histograms. The dose delivered to a mouse bearing a spontaneous lungtumor was also simulated, and dose volume histograms were generated for the tumor,heart, left lung, right lung, and spinal cord. Results: Results indicated that for centered, symmetric targets, the number of beams required to achieve a smooth dose volume histogram decreased with increased target size. Dose distributions for noncentered, symmetric targets did not exhibit any significant loss of conformality with increasing offset from the phantom center, indicating sufficient beam penetration through the phantom for targeting superficial targets from all angles. Even with variable collimator widths, targeting of asymmetric targets was found to have less conformality than that of spherical targets. Irradiation of a mouse lungtumor with multiple beam widths was found to effectively deliver dose to the tumor volume while minimizing dose to other critical structures. Conclusions: Overall, this method of generating and analyzing dose distributions provides a quantitative method for developing practical guidelines for small animal radiotherapytreatment planning. Future work should address methods to improve conformality in asymmetric targets.
Motivational Interviewing: III. On the Ethics of Motivational Intervention

This article is intended to promote consideration and discussion of ethical issues in motivational interventions. The popular concept of client “denial” encompasses a broad range of motivational behaviors including lying, perceptual bias, unawareness, ambivalence, resistance and reactance. The “problem of motivation” typically arises when a therapist perceives a problem and sufficient need for change in someone who does not share this perception. In considering how to respond to such situations, one can conceive of a continuum of levels of readiness to change, and of therapeutic strategies ranging from passivity to coercion. Ethical concerns arise when there is a perceived mismatch between readiness level and intervention strategy. Motivational interviewing is a middle way between passivity and coercion, seeking to evoke intrinsic motivation for change by making salient the inconsistency of problem behavior and that which is more deeply valued. The concern that this approach is “manipulative” combines a descriptive element and an evaluative component. Three possible descriptive meanings are discussed: that it effectively alters behavior, that it does so in persons not seeking or requesting change, and that it may operate through processes not immediately apparent. Ethical concerns regarding motivational intervention are considered within this broader context.
Opportunistic Networks for Emergency Applications and Their Standard Implementation Framework

We present a novel paradigm of opportunistic networks or oppnets in the context of emergency preparedness and response (EPR). Oppnets constitute the category of ad hoc networks where diverse systems, not employed originally as nodes of an oppnet, join it dynamically in order to perform certain tasks they have been called to participate in. After describing the oppnets and their operation, we discuss the oppnet virtual machine (OVM) - a standard implementation framework for oppnet applications. Oppnets can significantly improve effectiveness and efficiency of EPR one of the six mission areas within the national strategy for homeland security. They can also improve other diverse applications, including agriculture, environment, healthcare, manufacturing, surveillance, and transportation. Oppnets should create new application niches as yet hard to imagine. To the best of our knowledge we have been the first to work on oppnets.
Objective quality assessment of digitally transmitted video

The authors discuss an automated, objective video quality measurement system being developed for use in measuring end-to-end user performance. The method is based on extraction and classification of features from sampled input and output video. The extracted features quantify many of the distortions present in modern digital compression and transmission systems. These distortions include video compression artifacts resulting from spatial compression (blocking, edge blurring/smearing, etc.) and temporal compression (image persistence, jerky motion, etc.). Since the quality of the motion and still portions of a video scene can differ dramatically, an algorithm that segments each video frame into motion and still parts has been developed. >
Forced-Gradient Tracer Tests and Inferred Hydraulic Conductivity Distributions at the Mobile Site

Four single-well tracer tests and a two-well tracer test performed in a 21-m thick confined granular aquifer at a field site near Mobile, Alabama, are described. The data from these tests together with previously published data from a single-well test and a two-well test allow one to begin to develop a three-dimensional picture of the hydraulic properties of the study aquifer. A consistent feature of all the tests is a high hydraulic conductivity zone which appears in the bottom third of the aquifer. This result is in agreement with hydraulic conductivity distributions inferred from previous aquifer thermal energy storage experiments at the same site. In some locations the new tests indicated high hydraulic conductivity zones in the upper third of the aquifer which were not detected in the previous two-well test and single-well tests performed at the same site but at different locations. Despite the three-dimensional spatial variations of hydraulic conductivity indicated by these tests, it was possible to predict the major features of the tracer concentration as a function of time at the withdrawal well in the two-well test by means of an available numerical model assuming perfect stratification at the test site and using a hydraulic conductivity distribution inferred from a single-well test. The apparent success of the model prediction presented here, as well as the success of a similar numerical simulation of the previous two-well test reported earlier, seem to support the conclusion that the study aquifer has an approximately stratified flow field at the test site. These field test results provide further evidence that reliable predictions of solute transport in a real aquifer will depend on a sufficiently detailed knowledged of the major features of the three-dimensional advection pattern in the aquifer. Based on this study and previous studies, it appears that a healthy mixture of viewpoints and techniques (geologic, hydrologic, geophysical, etc.) will be necessary to characterize the transport properties of natural ground-water systems.
TESTING ADAPTIVE PLASTICITY TO UV: COSTS AND BENEFITS OF STEM ELONGATION AND LIGHT-INDUCED PHENOLICS

On exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV), many plant species both reduce stem elongation and increase production of phenolic compounds that absorb in the UV region of the spectrum. To demonstrate that such developmental plasticity to UV is adaptive, it is necessary to show that the induced phenotype is both beneficial in inductive environments and maladaptive in non-inductive environments. We measured selection on stem elongation and phenolic content of seedlings of Impatiens capensis transplanted into ambient-UV and UV-removal treatments. We extended the range of phenotypes expressed, and thus the opportunity for selection in each UV treatment, by pretreating seedlings with either a low ratio of red:far-red wavelengths (R:FR), which induced stem elongation and reduced phenolic concentrations, or high R:FR, which had the opposite effect on these two phenotypic traits. Reduced stem length relative to biomass was advantageous for elongated plants under ambient UV, whereas increased elongation was favored in the UV-removal treatment. Selection favored an increase in the level of phenolics induced by UV in the ambient-UV treatment, but a decrease in phenolics in the absence of UV. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that reduced elongation and increased phenolic concentrations serve a UV-protective function and provide the first explicit demonstration in a wild species that plasticity of these traits to UV is adaptive. The observed cost to phenolics in the absence of UV may explain why many species plastically upregulate phenolic production when exposed to UV, rather than evolve constitutively high levels of these compounds. Finally, pretreatment with low R:FR simulating foliar shade did not exacerbate the fitness impact of UV exposure when plants had several weeks to acclimate to UV. This observation suggests that the evolution of adaptive shade avoidance responses to low R:FR in crowded stands will not be constrained by increased sensitivity to UV in elongated plants when they overtop their neighbors.