cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of diluents on knock rating of gaseous fuels

AbstractConcerns on energy security, emissions, and the recent hike in the price of fossil fuels have prompted the rapidly growing interest in the use of various alternative and renewable fuels, including low heating value fuels such as land-filled gases, biogases, coal bed methane gases, and others. Generally, the low heating value (btu) fuels contain substantial amounts of diluents such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapour, and other trace gases in the fuel composition. The present contribution describes the results of the investigation of knock in a single-cylinder variable compression ratio (CR) spark-ignition engine fuelled with gaseous fuels, such as natural gas, methane, and hydrogen, in the presence of different amounts of diluents, specifically carbon dioxide and nitrogen, in the fuel mixture in order to represent closely the general composition of land filled and biogases in practice. The knock characteristics of the fuels were quantitatively evaluated in terms of the methane number using v...
Comments on the Grays' Four Hundred Year Cycle in Human Ability

In the Journal of Cycle Research (7:43–48, April, 1958) S.W. and N.E. Gray published “Evidence for a 400-Year Cycle in Human Ability”, which might have been more accurately called “Human Achievement” since ability refers to potential, but the 25,000 lives they reviewed were finished and realized. They took the names of historic personages listed in the 1935 edition of the Columbia Encyclopedia and classified them, without rating or ranking, each as an equivalent unit, according to their occurrence in time; or, more exactly, counting how many individuals, eminent enough to have won inclusion in this encyclopedia, were alive in each decade between 500 B.C. and A.D. 1800. The authors recognize that essentially their data do not cover “human history”, but “the western world and its Mediterranean fringes”.
Image registration and multimodal imaging of reticular pseudodrusen.

PURPOSE. To characterize reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) by using a point-to-point comparison of the reticular pattern on infrared reflectance (IR), autofluorescence (AF), and red-free (RF) images registered with en face sections of the choroid from spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans. METHODS. A cross-sectional, retrospective study of all patients with the diagnosis of AMD who presented to the Doheny Retina Institute between December 2007 and November 2009 was conducted to identify patients with RPD. IR, AF, and RF images were obtained using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and were manually registered to OCT choroidal sections to study the location of RPD. The main outcome measured was point-to-point localization of RPD across multiple imaging modalities. RESULTS. Of the 153 patients with AMD, 51 had RPD. In all 51 patients (97 eyes), RPD appeared as areas of hypoautofluorescence and hyporeflectance on AF and IR imaging, respectively, and as hyporeflective interlacing networks on RF. Reticular lesions on AF, IR, and RF images consistently colocalized with stromal regions between large choroidal vessels on registered en face choroidal sections. In contrast, outer retinal changes and subretinal deposits tended to localize immediately adjacent to the RPD. CONCLUSIONS. Point-to-point correlation of registered IR, AF, and RF images consistently localizes the reticular pattern to the intervascular choroidal stroma on en face OCT sections. In contrast, subretinal deposits and disturbances of the inner outer segment on OCT did not colocalize with the RPD, and may represent secondary mechanical or biologic disturbances in the overlying RPE and outer retina. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52:5743‐5748) DOI:10.1167/iovs.10-6942
Solution ion effects on the surface exchange of selenite on calcite

The adsorption of SeO{sub 3} on CaCO{sub 3}(s) was evaluated in equilibrium CaCO{sub 3}(aq) suspensions over a range in pH and SeO{sub 3} concentration in the absence and presence of the cosolutes, Mg, SO{sub 4}, and PO{sub 4}. Selenite was adsorbed by CaCO{sub 3}(s) in a manner consistent with its exchange on anionic specific surface sites saturated with CO{sup 2{minus}}{sub 3}/HCO{sup {minus}}{sub 3} that were quantified by H{sup 14}CO{sub 3} isotopic exchange. This exchange process was described very well using the computer program FITEQL and half-reactions for the surface exchange of HCO{sup {minus}}{sub 3}, CO{sup 2{minus}}{sub 3}, HSeO{sup {minus}}{sub 3}. The cosolutes SO{sub 4} and PO{sub 4} decreased SeO{sub 3} sorption by direct competition or site blockage, and these effects were also predicted using the surface exchange model. By contrast, the sorption of SeO{sub 3} was not influenced by Mg because the two ions sorbed over different pH regions and exchanged with different surface sites that appeared to be distinct and noninteractive. Evaluation of SeO{sub 3} sorption over a wide concentration range suggested that the surface of CaCO{sub 3}(s) was heterogeneous and that SeO{sub 3} had access to less than 5% of the total anion specific surface sites.
Propranolol Reduces Bupivacaine Clearance

Propranolol reduces the clearance of lidocaine by both reducing hepatic blood flow and inhibiting lidocaine metabolism. The authors investigated the possibility that propranolol reduces the clearance of bupivacaine as well. Bupivacaine, 30-50 mg, was administered intravenously to six normal human volunteers, over 10-15 min on two occasions, at least 2 weeks apart. Propranolol, 40 mg orally every 6 h, was used on one occasion, beginning 24 h prior to the bupivacaine administration. The sequence of the sessions was randomized. Twenty-two venous blood samples were obtained over 36 h in order to determine bupivacaine clearance, terminal elimination rate constant, and volume of distribution. All subjects experienced mild CNS toxicity, consisting of tinnitus, facial tingling, or subtle visual disturbances, associated with peak venous plasma concentrations of 0.81 to 2.7 micrograms/ml. Mean bupivacaine clearance was 0.33 +/- 0.12 l/min for the control session and 0.21 +/- 0.12 l/min during propranolol use, a significant 35% reduction (P less than 0.01). The terminal elimination rate constant (beta) was 0.27 +/- 0.16 h-1 for the control session and 0.14 +/- 0.069 h-1 with propranolol (P less than 0.05); terminal elimination half-lives were 2.6 and 4.9 h, respectively. Volume of distribution was unchanged. Because bupivacaine clearance should be relatively insensitive to hepatic perfusion, it appeared that propranolol caused a substantial inhibition of bupivacaine metabolism at the level of the hepatocyte. These data suggest that concomitant use of propranolol could result in the accumulation of a toxic concentration of bupivacaine.
The Nonspherical Shape of Betelgeuse in the Mid-Infrared

Three-telescope interferometric observations from the Infrared Spatial Interferometer (ISI) are reported at spatial frequencies that resolve the size and shape of the star Betelgeuse (α Ori) at a wavelength of 11.15 μm with a bandwidth of 0.18 cm-1. The data include closure phase measurements, the first such measurements of a stellar disk in the mid-infrared. The data indicate a clear asymmetry of the stellar surface at these wavelengths. Mechanisms for generating the observed asymmetry via an elliptical shape or a hot spot near the southern limb of the star are discussed.
Microarray Analysis and Description of Smr1 Gene in Rat Penis in a Post-Radical Prostatectomy Model of Erectile Dysfunction

ABSTRACTPurpose: We focused on the post-radical prostatectomy model to advance the understanding of neurogenic erectile dysfunction. We attempted to identify previously undescribed molecular changes via gene discovery methods using GeneChip (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, California) microarray technology.Materials and Methods: Five male adult 120-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats underwent bilateral cavernous nerve neurectomy. Five age matched controls were prepared simultaneously. The penises were harvested on postoperative day 2 and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen. RNA was prepared and pooled into cut and uncut groups. Synthesis of cRNA was performed according to the GeneChip technical manual. Microarray analysis was performed on a U34A Rat Array (Affymetrix). This array has approximately 8,800 gene probe sets, approximately 6,600 known genes and approximately 2,200 estimated sequence transcripts.Results: Dramatic results were found during GeneChip microarray expression analysis. A total of 126 candidate genes were...
Robust hub network design problem

This paper presents a robust formulation for the uncapacitated single and multiple allocation hub location problem where demand is uncertain and its distribution is not fully specified. The proposed robust model is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear program and then transformed into a mixed integer conic quadratic program. An efficient linear relaxation strategy is proposed which is found to deliver the optimal solutions for all the cases considered in this paper. Numerical experiments suggest location of more number of hubs when accounting for demand uncertainty using robust optimization compared to the deterministic setting.
Speckle averaging for optical coherence tomography by vibration of a thin water film

A novel method for reducing the appearance of speckle within a single image acquisition in optical coherence tomography is presented. Local variations in the optical path length of beamlets within the beam diameter are introduced by vibrating a thin water film placed in a collimated section of the sample arm beam path. Consequent averaging of small numbers of adjacent depth scans results in a reduced appearance of speckle with no change in the axial point spread function. Reduced speckle images of a layered agar sample and thin reflective surfaces are shown.
Demystifying the magic of language: Critical linguistic case analysis of legitimation of authority

Abstract This study is an analysis two pieces of discourse which were embedded within a larger conflict in a religious organization over leadership and authority. Faced with a direct challenge to their authority, the elders of the church sought to legitimize their leadership through linguistic performances. Principles from linguistic criticism were used to analyze the nature of the challenge to authority and the resulting legitimation attempt. Specifically the discourse was analyzed in terms of transitivity, modality, grammatical transformations, classifications, speech acts, and implicatures. The study found that syntactic and semantic structures that challenged authority were ironic, filled with internal contradictions, inviting multiple readings. The most potent linguistic strategy employed was implicature which created double binds for the elders of the church and for members. The elders were disadvantaged in being forced to make any kind of statement regarding their authority. They walked a fine line...
Bichromatic force measurements using atomic beam deflections

The spontaneous decay rate $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ of excited atomic states limits the radiative force on atoms to $\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k\ensuremath{\gamma}/2.$ This bottleneck in the dissipative exchange of momentum between atoms and light can be overcome by coherent control of the momentum exchange interactions. The bichromatic force provides such control by using stimulated instead of spontaneous emission to produce the force, while at the same time exploiting spontaneous emission to enable a dissipative interaction. It is implemented with two counterpropagating light beams, each containing two frequencies, whose phases, amplitudes, and frequency difference are carefully chosen. We have made precise measurements of the extremely large magnitude and velocity range of this bichromatic force, and have shown that its velocity dependence near the edge of its range is suitable for atomic beam slowing and laser cooling. Our measurements have corroborated various models and calculations of this bichromatic force.
Gain/bandwidth programmable PA control loop for GSM/GPRS quad-band cellular handsets

The analog power amplifier (PA) control loop of a fully integrated GSM/GPRS quad-band transceiver, suitable for GSM 850, GSM 900, DCS 1800, PCS 1900, and GPRS class 12 applications is presented. The control loop is based on a fully integrated PA controller (PAC) which meets applicable 3GPP GSM/GPRS specifications. Both the gain and the bandwidth of the PA control loop are programmable as well as the standby voltage delivered to the external PA: these features, together with a high driving capability (8.4 mA at 2.5 V), make this solution capable of interfacing many combinations of PAs, couplers, and detectors. The PAC has been integrated in a BiCMOS SiGe 0.35-/spl mu/m process and measures 0.33 mm/sup 2/. The current consumption from a single 2.8-V power supply is 2.8 mA without load and 7.2 mA in the application using Hitachi's PF08109B PA.
Inhibition of platelet aggregation by an irreversible local anesthetic.

Abstract Three known local anesthetic agents were examined for their ability to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate or epinephrine. Drug-treated platelet-rich plasma samples were filtered through agarose gel to remove free drug, and the ability of the platelets to aggregate was again determined. One of the local anesthetics contained a “one-armed” nitrogen mustard structure and appeared to produce an irreversible inhibition of aggregation. The other two agents gave a block of aggregation that was reversed upon gel filtration.
Estimation of wave frequency and azimuthal wavenumber of high-m ULF waves by ST-5 satellite observations at low altitudes

With short azimuthal scale lengths and high azimuthal wavenumbers (m), the high-m ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves in the magnetosphere occur due to drift and drift bounce resonances of energetic particles. Measuring the azimuthal wavenumber (m) of high-m ULF waves can be challenging in many types of observations. It requires multiple satellites that meet stringent separation requirements to confirm the short azimuthal wavelengths. The vast number of ground-based magnetometers cannot detect high-m waves because the variations in short horizontal scales are screened by the ionosphere. In our recent study [Le et al., JGR, 116, A08203, 2011], we discovered many events of high-m ULF waves in the ST-5 observations at altitudes ranging from several hundred km to over 1000 km. The wave frequencies observed by ST-5 are at the order of 0.1 Hz (in the Pc 2-3 band), but they are considerably Doppler shifted due to the rapid satellite motion at low altitudes. In this previous study we infer from ground-based observations of field line resonance that the frequency of high-m waves in the Earth frame should be less than 10 mHz. In this study, we make use of the pearl-on-a-string configuration of the three ST-5 satellites to estimate the wave frequency in the Earth's frame by using satellite data exclusively. The frequency, amplitude, and phase at each location can be calculated by the observations from the three ST-5 satellites. We find that the inferred wave frequencies in the Earth frame are indeed only several mHz. Consequently, the azimuthal wavenumber is determined essentially by the angular velocity of the spacecraft. We find that that azimuthal wavenumbers of the high-m waves observed by ST-5 range from 40 to 250. We also emulate the expected magnetic field oscillations along the ST-5 trajectories with a heuristic model of high-m waves, and the results suggest that the L-value of wave activity alone can explain why only one wave packet was observed in some events whereas two wave packets were observed in other events. These results suggest a new opportunity for many low-altitude satellites, such as the recently launched Swarm mission, to monitor the occurrence of the high-m waves and infer the state of energetic ions in the magnetosphere.
Understanding the Impacts of Local Policies on Distributed Photovoltaic Market Development

A growing body of literature discusses the impacts of state-level policies on the development of distributed photovoltaic (PV) markets both in the implementing jurisdictions and spilling into others. Localities (municipalities and counties) are also increasing their involvement in policy development to support clean energy markets. There is a barrier to knowing the impacts of the policies within a jurisdiction as well as how the patchwork of local policies interacts to contribute to national PV market developments. This barrier can result in an inability for localities to implement effective and efficient local policies. This paper aims to reduce this barrier by (1) summarizing local activities related to solar in 151 localities as a means of determining trends in local PV policy action, (2) looking critically at several local policy environments in two states to determine if successful policy strategies or interesting observations warrant further investigation on the impacts of local policy, and (3) outlining the challenges of and opportunities for developing improved data for supporting an understanding of local policy impacts on the national market.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Unequal desires: race and erotic capital in the stripping industry

Siobhan Brooks, Albany, NY, State University at New York Press, 2010, 135 pp., $19.95 (paper), ISBN 9781438432144 Unequal Desires: Race and Erotic Capital in the Stripping Industry examines racial ...
Too much interference: injection of double-stranded RNA has nonspecific effects in the zebrafish embryo.

We have investigated the ability of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to inhibit gene expression in a vertebrate, the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Injection of dsRNA corresponding to the T-box gene tbx16/spadetail (spt) into early wild-type embryos caused a rapid and dramatic loss of tbx16/spt mRNA in the blastula. mRNAs from the papc, tbx6, and gata1 genes, which depend on tbx16/spt function for their expression, were reduced, apparently mimicking the spt mutant phenotype. However, mRNAs from a number of genes that are unaffected by the spt mutation, such as beta catenin, stat3, and no tail, were also lost, indicating that the "interference" effect of tbx16/spt dsRNA was not restricted to the endogenous tbx16/spt mRNA. We compared the effects of injecting dsRNA from the zebrafish tbx16/spadetail, nieuwkoid/bozozok, and Brachyury/no tail genes with dsRNA from the bacterial lacZ gene. In each case the embryos displayed a variable syndrome of abnormalities at 12 and 24 h postfertilization. In blind studies, we could not distinguish between the effects of the various dsRNAs. Consistent with a common effect of dsRNA, regardless of sequence, injection of dsRNA from the lacZ gene was likewise effective in strongly reducing tbx16/spt and beta catenin mRNA in the blastula. These findings indicate that, despite published reports, the current methodology of double-stranded RNA interference is not a practical technique for investigating zygotic gene function during early zebrafish development.
Counter-ion effects in soluble monolayers

Abstract The surface isotherms for dodecylpyridinium halides adsorbed at the air/water interface were obtained from surface tension measurements. The solution of the Guastalla-Davies equation of state permitted the degree of ion-pair dissociation at the interface to be obtained in the presence of the Cl − , Br − , and I − ions.
Molecular Genetic Analysis of Human Vitamin D-Dependent Rickets Type 1(VDDR-1) by Direct Analysis of the CYP40 Gene • 714

Molecular Genetic Analysis of Human Vitamin D-Dependent Rickets Type 1(VDDR-1) by Direct Analysis of the CYP40 Gene • 714
3D localization of fluorescent microparticles using a rotating point spread function

We demonstrate single-image three-dimensional position localization of fluorescent microspheres embedded in a 3-D volume by engineering the point spread function of a wide-field fluorescent microscope to rotate continuously with defocus.
Influence of metalaxyl fungicide seed treatment on severity of rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) damage to corn (Zea mays) under no-tillage conditions

Abstract Fungicide seed treatments and soil insecticides were used in no-till fields to improve plant stand, decrease corn rootworm injury ratings, and increase yields in a 2-year study at two locations in Illinois. Throughout the study, the addition of the insecticide chlorpyrifos consistently decreased corn rootworm injury ratings. The fungicide seed treatment metalaxyl significantly decreased plant stand loss and reduced the number of stunted plants. The addition of metalaxyl to captan as a seed treatment significantly (P⩽0.05) reduced the rootworm injury ratings compared to captan alone in three of eight comparisons when chlorpyrifos was not applied for rootworm control. In the absence of chlorpyrifos, metalaxyl never reduced rootworm injury ratings below a 3.0. For this reason, metalaxyl should not be considered as an alternative to insecticides for rootworm control, but should be recognized by corn breeders and others as having a possible effect on a hybrid or inbred's susceptibility to rootworms.
Effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and preservatives on morphologic characteristics and migration of canine corneal epithelial cells in tissue culture.

Objective To determine the effects of commonly used ophthalmic corticosteroids, suprofen, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan and preservatives on morphologic characteristics and migration of canine corneal epithelium grown in cell culture. Animals studied Corneal epithelial cells harvested from the corneas of euthanized dogs were propagated in cell culture. Procedures Canine corneal epithelium was grown in tissue culture. The cells were treated with different corticosteroids, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, suprofen or preservatives at different concentrations after a defect was created in the monolayer. Cellular morphologic characteristics and closure of the defect were compared between test drugs and controls. Results Morphologically the cells treated with dexamethasone were essentially the same as controls. Prednisolone and hydrocortisone caused rounding and shrinkage of the cells. Both suprofen and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan caused no apparent changes in morphologic characteristics at the lowest concentrations tested, but at higher concentrations there was a concentration-dependent degree of rounding and shrinkage. Benzylkonium chloride and thimerosal caused rounding and shrinkage of all the cells at all concentrations tested. Dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and suprofen did not inhibit epithelial migration over the defects at the lowest concentrations tested. All other drugs and concentrations inhibited cellular migration. Conclusion Dexamethasone affected the morphologic characteristics and migration of corneal epithelial cells less than hydrocortisone and prednisolone; therefore, dexamethasone may be the drug of choice when a corticosteroid is indicated and an epithelial defect is present. Suprofen and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan caused a concentration-dependent effect on morphologic characteristics and migration. The preservatives caused severe changes and inhibited migration of the canine corneal epithelial cells at all concentrations and may therefore contribute to poor epithelialization of ulcers treated with preservative-containing drugs.
Mercury Contents of Soil, Mosses, and Conifers, Along an Urban-suburban Transect

Soil, moss, and conifer twig and needle, samples were collected along an urban-suburdan transect in Connecticut. All samples were analyzed for mercury content. In general, both the mosses and tree tissues contained higher concentrations of mercury than did the soil. Except for the plant samples collected at the origin of the transect adjacent to an electric generating facility, where the mercury in a moss exceeded that in a Juniperus virginiana tree, the floral components that were sampled proved comparable. Moss sampling would probably give the more reliable indication of urban-industrial mercury contamination.
Knowledge Sifter: ontology-driven search over heterogeneous databases

Knowledge Sifter is a scaleable agent-based system that supports access to heterogeneous information sources such as the Web, open-source repositories, XML-databases and the emerging Semantic Web. User query specification is supported by a user agent that accesses multiple ontologies using an integrated conceptual model. A collection of cooperating agents supports interactive query specification, refinement, decomposition, and processing, as well as result ranking and presentation. The Knowledge Sifter architecture is general and modular so that ontologies and information sources can be easily incorporated. A proof-of-concept implementation depicts Knowledge Sifter using a domain ontology together with geospatial and semantic name services to enhance query formulation and to search image databases such as Lycos and TerraServer.
Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest for Cardiovascular Lesions: Technical Considerations and Results

Abstract During a six-year period (1979 to 1984), the technique of hypothermic circulatory arrest was used to operate on 128 patients. Our technique included induction of hypothermia (20° to 24°C) by femoral artery cannulation for return of oxygenated blood, "open" aortic reconstruction, and brief periods of circulatory arrest (range, 5 to 31 minutes; mean, 13 minutes). Eighty patients had dissecting aneurysms of the ascending aorta (42 acute, 38 chronic), 28 had fusiform aortic arch aneurysms, and 13 had annulo-aortic ectasia. Seven had other procedures. Ages ranged from 14 to 79 years (mean, 54 years). Of the 113 patients (88%) who survived the operation and were discharged, 107 are currently alive and well. Only 15 of the 21 deaths occurred within 30 days of operation, and 5 (33%) were in severely hypotensive patients whose operations were begun during active resuscitation. Of the 80 patients admitted with ascending aortic or arch dissection, an in-hospital mortality of 7.5% was achieved. A marked reduction was observed in such complications as postoperative hemorrhage, renal failure, and pulmonary insufficiency with our current hypothermic perfusion methods. Moreover, none of the five neurological complications could be attributed to anoxic cerebral injury during the period of circulatory arrest. This experience indicates that moderate levels of hypothermia provide adequate cerebral protection for most cardiovascular procedures, and our results encourage continued use of this method.
We Men Must Love Our Boys

Men are called on to step forward to mentor boys and young men whenever possible, but especially in situations where boys are in households where there is no father. The weakening of the nuclear family is in large part due to the absent father in the generations since World War II. The social institution that will replace the traditional nuclear family will likely depend on such mentoring relationships. Both the institution and nature of the relationship are being created in a time of rapid social change. It is argued that mentors as fathering figures will be important for the well-being of both boys and girls, women and men in the 21st century, but that boys are in an especially precarious situation. Originally given as an address at the biannual gathering of men at Newcastle University in Australia in 2009, the text singles out the words of the title as starting points for reflection on the importance of mentoring relationships between men and boys throughout the West. Address delivered October 8, 2009, at the 8th Australian Men’s Gathering, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The text has been revised for publication here, but I have tried to retain the feel of spontaneity of my plenary presentation.
Got traffic?: an evaluation of click traffic providers

Internet advertising has been a highly profitable means by which companies and organizations can pay to attract visitors to their Web sites. Over time, satisfying the demand for this service has evolved into a market of "click traffic" providers that use various models to direct visitors to customer sites. Well-known premium providers like Google AdWords use pay-per-click auctions, for instance, while a variety of bargain providers offer click traffic in bulk. In this paper, we evaluate the quality of purchased click traffic from a range of such traffic providers. Using multiple instances of a custom Web site, we purchase click traffic to our sites from nine providers. In each case, we characterize click traffic directed to the sites using a variety of metrics, including timing properties, access patterns on the site, network properties of the hosts accessing the site, correlation with blacklists, etc. We find that providers differ substantially, and that these characteristics correlate with click quality: the traffic you get is the traffic you pay for.
ON THE SIZE OF LINKS IN Kn, n, Kn, n, 1, AND Kn

For all n ≥ 4, and all even 4 ≤ s, t ≤ 2n - 4 with s + t = 2n, we show that every spatial embedding of Kn, n contains a non-trivial link involving and s-cycle and a t-cycle. We use this result to prove that for all n ≥ 3, 3 ≤ u, v ≤ 2n - 2 with u + v = 2n + 1, every spatial embedding of Kn, n, 1 has a non-trivial link involving a u-cycle and a v-cycle. These results imply that every embedding of Kn, for n ≥ 4, has non-trivial links of all possible sizes.
Governments do Compete for Citizens ‐ in Australia

Michael van Notten suggested in these pages that consumers of national laws should use supranational legislatures to allow themselves to choose between competing suppliers of law. His proposal was greeted as outlandish, if intriguing. But, Australian economist John Ray reveals, it is already happening.
Social control of egg‐laying rate in queens of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta*

ABSTRACT Social control of egg-laying rate in queens of the fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) was studied by experimental manipulation of the number of larvae, pupae and workers in colonies, and the age and size of larvae and workers. Workers and pupae do not stimulate oviposition by queens. The number of fourth instar larvae, on the other hand, bears a positive log-log relationship to the queen's egg-laying rate. Such larvae are needed both to stimulate and maintain oviposition. Their withdrawal results, within 48 h, in a decline in queen oviposition almost to zero. Their addition to broodless nests results in peak laying in about 4 days. Larvae in the first three stadia and early in the fourth stadium have a much lower effect upon queen fecundity. Sexual larvae are only c. 5% as stimulating on a weight basis, but equivalent on an individual basis. Several associated measures are positively correlated to egg-laying rate: weight of the queen, the number of her vitellogenic follicles per ovariole, total vitellogenic follicles, the time she spends feeding and (usually) the number of workers in the retinue that cares for her. The egg volume is negatively correlated with laying rate, so that queens lay more eggs for the same expenditure of material as laying rate increases. As body size of workers increases, they become less effective in transmitting the larval stimulation to the queen, but worker age has no effect on this ability. For a given number of larvae, queens in small, naturally growing colonies lay fewer, larger eggs than do queens in experimental colonies, but their fecundity increases more rapidly in relation to number of larvae. When larvae are fed vital-dyed food in one experimental colony, and then transferred to an undyed colony, the dye is rapidly transferred to worker crops, and into the queen's eggs, indicating bulk movement of material from larvae to workers to the queen and eggs. Large larvae are more effective at this than small larvae. Fourth instar larvae may be a digestive and metabolic caste that processes protein for egg production by the queen. If that is the case, the queen and fourth instar larvae are linked in a positive feedback loop. Either the logarithmic relation of fecundity to larval numbers or physical limits of the queen may set the maximum egg-laying rate, and thus determine maximum colony size. The data do not allow a clear choice between these alternatives.
Selenoprotein K Knockout Mice Exhibit Deficient Calcium Flux in Immune Cells and Impaired Immune Responses

Selenoprotein K (Sel K) is a selenium-containing protein for which no function has been identified. We found that Sel K is an endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane protein expressed at relatively high levels in immune cells and is regulated by dietary selenium. Sel K−/− mice were generated and found to be similar to wild-type controls regarding growth and fertility. Immune system development was not affected by Sel K deletion, but specific immune cell defects were found in Sel K−/− mice. Receptor-mediated Ca2+ flux was decreased in T cells, neutrophils, and macrophages from Sel K−/− mice compared with controls. Ca2+-dependent functions including T cell proliferation, T cell and neutrophil migration, and Fcγ receptor-mediated oxidative burst in macrophages were decreased in cells from Sel K−/− mice compared with that in cells from controls. West Nile virus infections were performed, and Sel K−/− mice exhibited decreased viral clearance in the periphery and increased viral titers in brain. Furthermore, West Nile virus-infected Sel K−/− mice demonstrated significantly lower survival (2 of 23; 8.7%) compared with that of wild-type controls (10 of 26; 38.5%). These results establish Sel K as an endoplasmic reticulum-membrane protein important for promoting effective Ca2+ flux during immune cell activation and provide insight into molecular mechanisms by which dietary selenium enhances immune responses.
Deep-sea benthic boundary layer communities and food supply: A long-term monitoring strategy

Long-term monitoring of deep-ocean processes is essential for understanding the potential impacts of climate variation on the deep sea. A suite of autonomous and cabled instrumentation has been developed to allow continuous measurements of food supply availability, species composition and abundance, and organism activity. A sedimentation sensor combines a traditional sediment trap configuration with a digital-imaging system and fluorometer to monitor food supply. A digital time-lapse camera system captures high-resolution images of the sea floor to monitor benthic fauna and sediment processes. A bottom-transiting vehicle conducts photographic transects across the sea floor and measures sediment community oxygen consumption at multiple sites. An upward-looking acoustic array measures backscatter targets, pelagic fauna, passing through an insonified field above the sea floor. Although these instruments can be deployed autonomously, cabled observatories can now provide continuous power and real-time communications for sustained monitoring of deep-sea benthic boundary layer communities.
A Complexed Precursor Approach To The Synthesis Of Ternary Transition Metal Nitrides

A new chemical synthesis approach has been developed in which ternary transition metal nitride powders are synthesized from hydrolyzed alkanoamine complexed precursors. In this technique, two different metal chlorides are dissolved in a common solvent such as acetonitrile, then reacted with ethanolamine to form a highly viscous solution which settles out of the solvent phase. Simultaneous evaporation of the solvent and forced hydrolysis of the remaining liquid results in the formation of a precipitate which can be filtered and dried. The precursor is heat treated in ammonia to form the corresponding ternary nitride. The approach has been successfully used to synthesize Ni 3 Mo 3 N, FeWN 2 , and Ti 3 AlN powders, each of which have been characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
A survey of selected coral and fish assemblages near the Waianae Ocean Outfall, Oahu, Hawaii, 1994

In 1994, coral growth and fish abundance were monitored at stations located at and in the vicinity of the Waianae Ocean Outfall. This report summarizes the results of that survey and comparatively analyzes the data with data collected in previous sampling years. From 1986 to 1994, no significant differences were seen in the species composition or relative abundances of fish populations at Station W-2 (the sunken ship Mahi), which is located 1.2 km south of the diffuser. However, from 1986 to 1994 fish abundance and species richness increased at Station W-3, which is located at the diffuser. At Station WW, which is located 1 km from shore, fish were abundant near and on the armor rock covering the pipeline. Fish species at all stations were essentially the same as those seen in similar natural biotopes around Hawaii. As for coral growth, no significant differences were seen in total mean coral cover at selected quadrats from 1993 to 1994 or for previous years at Station W-2. At Station W-3, corals were seen growing on the diffuser pipe and on the riser discharge ports. In 1986, when the diffuser began operation at a discharge rate of 1.5 mgd, no corals were seen at this location. At inshore station WW corals seen off the pipeline were sparsely distributed, but on the armor rock over the pipeline both corals and fishes were numerous and thriving. Station WW, a new station set up in 1994, replaces Station W-4, which was located near the diffuser in the artificial fish haven. Station W-4 was not surveyed because in 1992 Hurricane Iniki covered the bottom with coarse sand. The water was clear (10- to 16-m horizontal visibility) at all stations surveyed, and the surrounding sediments were clean and white. No significant deleterious effects resulting from outfall operation and discharge were seen on the biological community at the stations surveyed.
Adaptive frequency domain control of PWM switched power line conditioner

An adaptive frequency domain control algorithm for a pulse width modulation (PWM) switched active power line conditioner (PLC) is discussed. An active power line conditioner that minimizes harmonic current in the AC line and improves power factor to unity is recommended. A six switch pulse width modulated current source inverter implements the active PLC. Simulation results of the PLC adaptive frequency domain control using the PWM switching algorithm are presented. >
Cluster refinement for block placement

We propose an iterative optimization approach for mixedmacro-cell and standard-cell placement, which minimizes the chipsize and interconnection wire length at the same time. We present abranch-and-bound algorithm which efficiently searches for the optimalsolution by evaluating all of the possible configurations on theselected cluster to minimize the gap distance between the ceilingand the floor. A virtual grid and permutation order are generateddynamically to eliminate redundant branches, which was the causeof much higher complexity in other approaches. Experimentalresults on the MCNC benchmark circuits show that the algorithmachieves very competitive results to manual design.
Wireless underground sensor networks using commodity terrestrial motes

The concept of a wireless underground sensor network (WUSN) is introduced and applications are discussed. The feasibility of utilizing commonly available terrestrial wireless sensor network (WSN) hardware solutions in the underground environment is examined. Experiments are run to examine the packet error rate and the received signal strength of correctly received packets for a communication link between two underground sensors and between an underground sensor and an aboveground sensor.
Radiofrequency Treatment of Turbinate Hypertrophy in Subjects Using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Pilot Trial

Objectives: To estimate the treatment effect of temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TCRF) reduction of turbinate hypertrophy in patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and to assess the impact of study design on this estimate. Study Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical pilot trial. Methods: Twenty-two CPAP-treated patients with SDB with turbinate hypertrophy were randomly assigned to either TCRF turbinate treatment (mean energy 415 37 J/turbinate; n 17) or placebo control (n 5). Changes in nasal obstruction were evaluated between pretreatment and 4 weeks post-treatment. The primary outcome assessed changes in the blinded examiners’ findings of nasal obstruction on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included blinded patients’ and unblinded examiner assessments of nasal obstruction (VAS), nightly CPAP use, adherence, and tolerance, along with sleepiness and general health status scales. The treatment group findings were subtracted from the changes in the placebo group to yield treatment effect. Results: The primary outcome treatment effect by VAS was -0.9 cm (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.4, 0.7), and beyond the placebo effect of -1.5 cm (95% CI: -3.4, 0.3). The secondary treatment effect of the unblinded examiner was -3.0 cm (95% CI, -4.9, -1.1). A beneficial treatment effect was also seen on every secondary outcome
Encouraging Responses in Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention What Program Effects Remain 1 Year Later

Colleges and universities are high-risk settings for sexual and relationship violence. To address these problems, institutions of higher education have implemented prevention programs, many of which train students as potential bystanders who can step in to help diffuse risky situations, identify and challenge perpetrators, and assist victims. The impact of bystander sexual and relationship violence prevention programs on long-term behavior of bystanders has remained a key unanswered question for those who seek to offer the most effective programs as well as for policy makers. In this study, the researchers experimentally evaluated the effectiveness of the Bringing in the Bystander® in-person program. Participants were 948 1st-year college students of whom 47.8% were women and 85.2% identified as White (15% also identified as Hispanic in a separate question) between the ages of 18 and 24 at two universities (one a rural, primarily residential campus and the other an urban, highly commuter campus) in the northeastern United States. To date, this is the first study to have found positive behavior changes as long-lasting as 1 year following an educational workshop focusing on engaging bystanders in preventing sexual and relationship violence. Even so, many questions remain to be answered about prevention and intervention of this type. More prospective research is needed on bystander-focused prevention of these forms of violence to help understand and better predict the complicated relationships both between and among the attitudes and behaviors related to preventing sexual and relationship violence. In this regard, we make specific recommendations for designing and evaluating programs based on our findings relating to the importance of moderators, especially two key understudied ones, readiness to help and opportunity to intervene.
Death on the Waiting List: A Failure in Public Health

In this issue of Annals, Michael and Jesus thoughtfully review current dilemmas and ethical challenges in organ donation from an emergency department (ED) perspective. It is well known that the US organ donation system is unable to meet its escalating demand for transplants, and recent pressures on the system require recognizing Schopenhauer’s wisdom. Among these approaches is the pursuit of organ donation from those who die from an unexpected circulatory-respiratory arrest in out-of-hospital or ED settings, so-called uncontrolled donation after circulatory determination of death. Although we agree that emergency practitioners need be aware of current organ donation policy, protocols, and expected roles, we would further advocate shared ownership in their innovation and evaluation. Our experience with implementing a program for uncontrolled donation after circulatory determination of death for New York City informed us about the need to recruit all stakeholders from community, governmental, academic, secular, and religious affiliations to ensure program acceptance and maximize potential for success. Emergency practitioners are critical to the planning of such efforts as initial hospital providers for these cases and to fulfill our commitment to the continuum of health, which focuses on disease prevention, chronic disease management, end of life care, and, when all else fails, organ donation as the last resort to sustain life (Figure). The commonest transplanted organ is the kidney. Most patients develop end-stage renal disease because of inadequate treatment of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Improving primary health care for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and treatable conditions of the liver will diminish the need for transplantation. The development of end-stage renal disease from hypertension is an inexcusable public health failure. Reviewing organ donation methods in the United States would lead one to believe that brain death is the commonest M
A practical method for evaluating worker allocations in large-scale dual resource constrained job shops

In two recent articles, Lobo et al. present algorithms for allocating workers to machine groups in a Dual Resource Constrained (DRC) job shop so as to minimize Lmax , the maximum job lateness. Procedure LBSA delivers an effective lower bound on Lmax , while the heuristic delivers an allocation whose associated schedule has a (usually) near-optimal Lmax value. To evaluate an HSP-based allocation’s quality in a given DRC job shop, the authors first compute the gap between HSP’s associated Lmax value and ’s lower bound. Next they refer this gap to the distribution of a “quasi-optimality” gap that is generated as follows: (i) independent simulation replications of the given job shop are obtained by randomly sampling each job’s characteristics; and (ii) for each replication, the associated quasi-optimality gap is computed by enumerating all feasible allocations. Because step (ii) is computationally intractable in large-scale problems, this follow-up article formulates a revised step (ii) wherein each simulat...
High performance web of things architecture for the Smart Grid domain

The increasing complexity in the management of Smart Grids is an essential factor in the creation of new technological infrastructures capable of managing the different devices involved in the network. This network has been converted into an example of the Internet of Things. In this regard, the Web of Things enables an improvement in the processing of these data. Besides, the large amount of data in the Smart Grid domain means that a high performance architectural design is able to manage concurrently the entire information processing ability. This paper presents an initial approach for a new architecture and the first results after the system implementation.
Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review: Medication Adherence Among Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

Objective To provide a comprehensive summary (systematic review) of medication adherence rates by assessment method and medication type for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), as well as identify important correlates for future research. Methods Articles assessing medication adherence and published between 1982 and February 2015 (n = 49) were identified using electronic databases. A meta-analysis of 14 studies examining demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors and medication adherence was conducted. Results Adherence rates ranged from 12% to 100% across all medications. Approximately 30% of studies reported associations between adherence and key demographic, medical, and psychosocial correlates. Mean effect sizes were small to moderate (r = .02-.53). Conclusions The wide range of adherence rates reported in the literature may be because of, in part, the use of variable assessment strategies. Future studies examining pediatric SCD adherence should incorporate key correlates with the goal of replication.