cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Q-Learning Scheduling for Tracking Current Control of Switched Reluctance Motor Drives

This paper presents a novel technique for controlling the current of Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) drives based on reinforcement learning. The proposed current controller is based on a new scheduled Q-learning. Solving the infinite horizon linear quadratic tracker (LQT) problem for an unknown dynamic system of SRM drive, a new control scheme relying on the Q-learning algorithm is introduced for that purpose. The reference current generator of the SRM drive has been incorporated into the augmented system. A Q-learning algorithm is implemented to obtain the optimum solution of Algebraic Riccati Equation (ARE) with the absence of any data about system dynamics of SRM or the reference current generator. Additionally, a scheduling mechanism switches between Q matrices to allow for a nonlinear control using a table of Q-learning cores. After the introduction of the control scheme, a simulation has been designed to evaluate the performance of the proposed controller.
MELTING IN THE MANTLE: PHASE RELATIONSHIPS IN NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC PERIDOTITE–H 2 O AND PERIDOTITE–H 2 O–CO 2 SYSTEMS AT HIGH PRESSURES

ABSTRACT To investigate the proposal that kimberlites and associated rocks originate by anatexis of mantle peridotite in a H2O–and CO2–rich environment, phase relationships of four peridotite (lherzolite) nodules and one websterite nodule were investigated to 1200°C and 30 kbar in the presence of H2O and H2O–CO2 vapors with controlled oxygen fugacity. Solidus temperatures, which are a function of various parameters including bulk composition, total pressure, and aH2o, are considerably (120–200°C) lower than previous determinations. Melting of garnet lherzolite, even in the presence of a vapor of 50/50 mol.% H2O/CO2 (XvH2O = 0.5), begins at depths of less than 150 km beneath the continental shields. This investigation was augmented by a study of the stability of phlogopite in the system K2O–MgO–CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O to 35 kbar at PeH2O ≪ PT and ≃ PT. The reaction phlogopite + enstatitess + diopsidess ⇌ forsterite + pyrope + liquid occurs at about 1350°C at 35 kbar. These temperatures are considerably higher than those of the vapor–saturated solidii of the peridotite nodules, reflecting the absence of Fe and Na and the very low values of aH2O. In experiments with the nodules, phlogopite appeared only when the compositions were spiked with phlogopite. Amphiboles occurred in all experiments with the nodules at pressures below 20–25 kbar. These amphiboles become enriched in pargasite component relative to tschermakite component with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature. Temperatures indicated by the compositions of orthopyroxenes coexisting with clinopyroxenes are approximately 100°C lower than those obtained from previously published pyroxene geothermometers. Liquids under conditions of XVH2O ≥ 0.6 are rich in SiO2 and mimic andesites. For more CO2–rich compositions, liquids are usually nepheline normative and rich in CaO and A12O3, resembling melilitite lavas, which commonly accompany kimberlites.
Some of us die: a Black feminist researcher’s survival method for creatively refusing death and decay in the neoliberal academy

I engage Black feminist thought in this genre-blending text to further theorize Black feminist memory work, a visual research tool for embodied reflexivity. Using my lived experience surviving bere...
Examining risk and crisis communications of government agencies and stakeholders during early-stages of COVID-19 on Twitter

During COVID-19, social media has played an important role for public health agencies and government stakeholders (i.e. actors) to disseminate information regarding situations, risks, and personal protective action inhibiting disease spread. However, there have been notable insufficient, incongruent, and inconsistent communications regarding the pandemic and its risks, which was especially salient at the early stages of the outbreak. Sufficiency, congruence and consistency in health risk communication have important implications for effective health safety instruction as well as critical content interpretability and recall. It also impacts individual- and community-level responses to information. This research employs text mining techniques and dynamic network analysis to investigate the actors' risk and crisis communication on Twitter regarding message types, communication sufficiency, timeliness, congruence, consistency and coordination. We studied 13,598 pandemic-relevant tweets posted over January to April from 67 federal and state-level agencies and stakeholders in the U.S. The study annotates 16 categories of message types, analyzes their appearances and evolutions. The research then identifies inconsistencies and incongruencies on four critical topics and examines spatial disparities, timeliness, and sufficiency across actors and message types in communicating COVID-19. The network analysis also reveals increased communication coordination over time. The findings provide unprecedented insight of Twitter COVID-19 information dissemination which may help to inform public health agencies and governmental stakeholders future risk and crisis communication strategies related to global hazards in digital environments.
Inductive pulsed plasma thruster model with time-evolution of energy and state properties

A model for pulsed inductive plasma acceleration is presented that consists of a set of circuit equations coupled to both a one-dimensional (1D) equation of motion and an equation governing the partitioning of energy. The latter two equations are obtained for the plasma current sheet by treating it as a single element of finite volume and integrating the governing equations over that volume. The integrated terms are replaced where necessary by physically equivalent approximations that are calculated through the solution of other parts of the governing equation set. The model improves upon previous 1D performance models by permitting the time-evolution of the temperature consistent with the time-varying energy flux into the plasma. The plasma state properties are also more realistically modelled and evolved in time, allowing for the tailoring of the model to different gases that may be chosen as propellants. Computational results for argon propellant are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the model. The model produces a result where efficiency is maximized at a given value of the electrodynamic scaling term known as the dynamic impedance parameter. The scaling of different energy sinks as a function of the dynamic impedance parameter provides insight into the global energy partitioning in these types of accelerators. Results from the present model deviate from the previous version where temperature is selected as an input without regard for the energy that would be deposited to heat the gas to that temperature. Qualitatively and quantitatively, the model predicts specific impulse values that compare favourably with those measured for two separate inductive pulsed plasma thrusters. Efficiency is underpredicted in the regime where data are available, but the trends in the data and simulations follow similar trajectories that appear to be converging towards a predicted peak efficiency as the dynamic impedance parameter is increased.
New olenelline trilobites from the Northwest Territories, Canada, and the phylogenetic placement of Judomia absita

This is the author's accepted manuscript, the published version is available here http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z02918p028f.pdf
Analysis considerations in industrial split-plot experiments with non-normal responses

Non-normal responses are common in many industrial experiments. When there are factors whose levels are difficult and/or costly to control, an experiment is typically run within a split-plot context. Industrial split-plotexperiments have received a great deal of attention in the literature in the normal response, linear model setting. Generalized linear models have been proposed for the analysis of completely randomized designs when the response is non-normal. When one uses a completely randomized design, there is an implication that responses are independent. For split-plot experimentation there is an assumption that responses within a given whole plot are correlated. To account for this correlation, generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) can be used for analysis. Generalized linear mixed models fall into two categories: population-averaged models and batch-specific models. We give an expository treatment of GLMM and discuss the differences in interpretations of the population-averaged and batch-specific models using an example from film manufacturing.
Protozoa and helminths.

This chapter educates laboratorians, biosafety personnel, and health care workers about the potential hazards of working in settings in which exposures to viable parasites could occur. It provides information about parasites that have caused or could cause accidental infections in laboratorians and health care workers. Factors that influence whether infection and disease develop after accidental exposures are also provided in this chapter. The chapter focuses on the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas’ disease (American trypanosomiasis), and African trypanosomiasis. Summary data about 180 occupationally acquired cases of infection with the protozoa that cause these diseases are provided in this chapter. Blood and tissue protozoa of potential relevance to laboratorians and health care workers are also discussed in this chapter. Few laboratory-acquired helminthic infections have been reported. Even if laboratorians became infected by ingestion of infective eggs or through penetration of skin by infective larvae, they typically would have low worm burdens and few, if any, symptoms because most helminths do not multiply in humans. The fact that some of the persons who acquired parasitic infections did not recall discrete exposures suggests that subtle exposures (e.g., contamination of unrecognized microabrasions and exposure through aerosolization or droplet spread) can result in infection.
Quantitative determination of nitrilotriacetic acid and related aminopolycarboxylic acids in inland waters. Analysis by gas chromatography.

Abstract Quantitative methods were developed for detecting nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) iminodiacetic acid (IDA), N-methyl-iminodiacetic acid (NMIDA), glycine (GLY), sarcosine (SARC), and N-oxalyl-iminodiacetic acid (N-oxalyl-IDA) in a variety of water samples and N-nitroso-iminodiacetic acid (N-nitroso-IDA) in river water. NTA, NMIDA, and N-oxalyl-IDA were converted to their corresponding n -butyl esters; IDA, GLY, and SARC were converted to N-trifluoroacetyl n -butyl ester derivatives; N-nitroso-IDA was converted to the N-trifluoroacetyl n -butyl ester derivative of IDA. These volatile derivatives were separated and analyzed on an ethylene glycol adipate gas chromatographic column. For quantitative analysis, the amount of each amino acid injected was 3 to 200 ng, and the amount of each amino acid separated from the water sample was 0.25 to 1000 μg. Response values for NTA, IDA, NMIDA, GLY, and SARC were reproducible and showed no statistical bias for river water sample concentrations of 20 to 0.025 mg/l. Relative standard deviations ranged from 8 to 13%. The response value for N-nitroso-IDA varied with concentration but was reproducible at any given concentration. Each or all of the above amino acids could be detected in samples of river water, well water, water containing nitrate ions, water containing formaldehyde, primary sewage effluent, and secondary sewage effluent.
What is a Merger?: The Case for Taxing Cash Mergers Like Stock Sales

In a merger, neither the assets nor the stock of one corporation are physically transferred to another corporation. Rather, the two corporations are unified by operation of law. The absence of a physical transfer of assets or stock obscures the tax effects of a merger. To determine these effects, a merger must be analogized to a sale of assets or a sale of stock. These alternative analogies yield significantly different results when the consideration for the merger is cash. When a cash merger is analogized to an asset sale, a 35% corporate tax is normally imposed. By contrast, no corporate tax normally results when a cash merger is analogized to a stock sale. Mergers have long been taxed like asset sales. Although analogizing cash mergers to asset sales was once defensible, changes in the law have eroded all support for this treatment. More significantly, well-counseled taxpayers can easily avoid the corporate tax resulting from the asset sale analogy. Thus, the continued treatment of cash mergers as asset sales merely traps the unwary. If a cash merger were instead analogized to a stock sale, the same tax consequences would apply to all. To level the playing field, therefore, the asset sale analogy should be abandoned and mergers should be taxed like stock sales.
Lifetime Measurements on Carbon Stripper Foils

One of the most exciting recent developments in accelerator technology is the new breed of electrostatic accelerators. These machines have terminal potentials of 25 million volts and higher and are being built to accelerate intense beams of heavy ions. One such accelerator is now nearing completion at ORNL. A crucial component in these—as in any electrostatic accelerator—is a tiny bit of carbon in the form of a very thin foil. These foils, called stripper foils, are used to strip electrons from atoms so that they will be accelerated to high energy by the electrostatic potential. While carbon foils are not the only method of stripping electrons, they have a number of advantages over the alternative gas strippers. In particular, they produce higher charge states which are essential for providing the energetic ions required for heavy ion physics experiments. Because of the importance of stripper foils to the most efficient operation of the new ORNL accelerator, we are quite interested in their properties and in improving their performance.
N‐pyrrolidine functionalized C60‐fullerenes/epoxy nanocomposites

A series of functionalized C60-fullerene/epoxy nanocomposites were prepared, and their respective ultimate tensile strengths were determined. The functionalization route of the fullerenes was performed using the Prato reaction, with modified amino acids, resulting in the formation of N-pyrrolidine rings across the [6,6] junctions. Characterization of the functionalized fullerenes was done using Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight (LDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were affected by the type of modified amino acid, the degree of functional group attachment, and the consequent degree of dispersion into the epoxy matrix. A specially blended diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy, having a low viscosity and high strain-to-failure was prepared by adding 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether to DGEBA. The lower viscosity blended epoxy allowed for easier mixing of the fullerenes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Poster abstract: Shipping data from heterogeneous protocols on packet train

The maturity and availability of network protocols have enabled wireless sensor networks (WSN) designers to build heterogeneous applications by composing different protocols. A common heterogeneous application combines data collection and dissemination for environmental monitoring with node retasking. While these co-located protocols on the same node have different goals, many of them share requirements and characteristics. Examples of commonalities include the use of bi-directional traffic for reliable transmissions and tree for packet routing. This work explores how the MAC layer can reduce the network transmission overhead of heterogeneous applications by taking advantage of protocol commonalities to aggregate outgoing packets. In other words, this aggregation creates a train of packets destined to the same receiver. Finally, we discuss a strawman implementation of packet train and how our data center monitoring deployment leverages it.
Chemical and spectrochemical analysis of standard silicate samples

Abstract Chemical and spectrochemical analysis of six standard silicate samples, G-1, W-1, T-1, GR, syenite-1, and sulfide ore-1 are reported. Special spectrographic techniques and variations of standard methods of chemical analysis are briefly described. Some results by the techniques of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry are included, as well as a radiometric determination of uranium in syenite-1.
Cyclic mechanical compression increases mineralization of cell-seeded polymer scaffolds in vivo

Despite considerable documentation of the ability of normal bone to adapt to its mechanical environment, very little is known about the response of bone grafts or their substitutes to mechanical loading even though many bone defects are located in load-bearing sites. The goal of this research was to quantify the effects of controlled in vivo mechanical stimulation on the mineralization of a tissue-engineered bone replacement and identify the tissue level stresses and strains associated with the applied loading. A novel subcutaneous implant system was designed capable of intermittent cyclic compression of tissue-engineered constructs in vivo. Mesenchymal stem cell-seeded polymeric scaffolds with 8 weeks of in vitro preculture were placed within the loading system and implanted subcutaneously in male Fisher rats. Constructs were subjected to 2 weeks of loading (3 treatments per week for 30 min each, 13.3 N at 1 Hz) and harvested after 6 weeks of in vivo growth for histological examination and quantification of mineral content. Mineralization significantly increased by approximately threefold in the loaded constructs. The finite element method was used to predict tissue level stresses and strains within the construct resulting from the applied in vivo load. The largest principal strains in the polymer were distributed about a modal value of -0.24% with strains in the interstitial space being about five times greater. Von Mises stresses in the polymer were distributed about a modal value of 1.6 MPa, while stresses in the interstitial tissue were about three orders of magnitude smaller. This research demonstrates the ability of controlled in vivo mechanical stimulation to enhance mineralized matrix production on a polymeric scaffold seeded with osteogenic cells and suggests that interactions with the local mechanical environment should be considered in the design of constructs for functional bone repair.
Sensory Detection of Food Rapidly Modulates Arcuate Feeding Circuits

Hunger is controlled by specialized neural circuits that translate homeostatic needs into motivated behaviors. These circuits are under chronic control by circulating signals of nutritional state, but their rapid dynamics on the timescale of behavior remain unknown. Here, we report optical recording of the natural activity of two key cell types that control food intake, AgRP and POMC neurons, in awake behaving mice. We find unexpectedly that the sensory detection of food is sufficient to rapidly reverse the activation state of these neurons induced by energy deficit. This rapid regulation is cell-type specific, modulated by food palatability and nutritional state, and occurs before any food is consumed. These data reveal that AgRP and POMC neurons receive real-time information about the availability of food in the external world, suggesting a primary role for these neurons in controlling appetitive behaviors such as foraging that promote the discovery of food.
Economic development and the rise of market systems

Traditional views of dualistic development emphasize differences in behavior between the traditional and modern sectors. In this article it is argued that a better distinction concerns market networks. A traditional sector is characterized by a lack of market integration. Such market integration can be achieved only through dramatic growth of a domestic market for basic agricultural goods. This will most likely involve the simultaneous protection and taxation of the agricultural sector. Thus, protectionism was an appropriate strategy of development, but most nations protected the wrong sector (industry) at the wrong time in the process of long-run development.
Asymptotic solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for a charged sphere, and implications.

Abstract The Poisson-Boltzmann equation is solved for the exterior of a sphere carrying a fixed surface charge, in the limit as the ionic strength tends to zero, by a perturbation method. The result (known already from the work of Gronwall, La Mer & Sandved, 1928 ) is that the Poisson-Boltzmann solution is uniformly approximated by the Debye-Huckel solution. The sphere problem is used to illustrate a proposed sufficient condition which can be applied to more general problems. For such problems, satisfaction of the condition implies that the Debye-Hiickel solution uniformly approximates the Poisson-Boltzmann solution. Some problems satisfying the criterion are briefly discussed.
Arthroscopically assisted treatment of acute septic knees in infants using the micro-joint arthroscope

Five infants with an acute hematogenous septic arthritis of the knee were treated with arthroscopically assisted drainage using the Micro-Joint Arthroscope (MJA; Linvatec, Largo, FL) combined with antibiotic therapy and early postoperative motion. The average patient age was 16 months (range, 4 to 24 months). No surgical or anesthetic complications occurred. All knees were clinically and radiologically normal at an average follow-up of 26 months.
The crystal growth of gypsum in an ammoniacal environment

Abstract The kinetics of crystallization of calcium sulfate dihydrate has been studied in ammonia solutions at 65° as a function of supersaturation, ionic strength and added electrolytes. The rate of reaction follows an equation first-order in relative supersaturation with respect to the calcium concentration under conditions in which the concentration of sulfate ion is effectively constant during the reaction. The crystal growth proceeds towards equilibrium much more rapidly as compared with the process at low ionic strengths. Copper ion and anions such as phosphate, carbonate and molybdate, reduce the reaction rate and also appear to influence the kinetics of crystallization. Calcium sulfate hemihydrate, anhydrite and calcium carbonate crystals are effective nucleators for the growth of gypsum under the conditions of this work.
Predicting athletic performance using the five-factormodel of personality

Abstract The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine if the dimensions of thefive-factor model of personality could be used as predictors of athletic performance and (b) todemonstrate the utility of the five-factor model as a theoretical paradigm capable of organizingpersonality research on athletic competition. Subjects were 79 female athletes from four differentwomens NCAA Division 1 soccer teams. All subjects completed a bipolar adjective scaledesigned to measure the five factors. Coaches ratings on several performance dimensions andactual game statistics were also collected. Regression analyses indicated that the personalitydimensions of neuroticism and conscientiousness explained approximately 23% of the variancein coaches ratings, while conscientiousness was the sole predictor of actual games statistics,explaining about 8% of the variance. The potential theoretical and empirical value of thesefindings were discussed.
Biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral methods, and hypnosis in dermatology: is it all in your mind?

ABSTRACT: Biofeedback can improve cutaneous problems that have an autonomic nervous system component. Examples include biofeedback of galvanic skin resistance (GSR) for hyperhidrosis and biofeedback of skin temperature for Raynaud's disease. Hypnosis may enhance the effects obtained by biofeedback. Cognitive-behavioral methods may resolve dysfunctional thought patterns (cognitive) or actions (behavioral) that damage the skin or interfere with dermatologic therapy. Responsive diseases include acne excoriee, atopic dermatitis, factitious cheilitis, hyperhidrosis, lichen simplex chronicus, needle phobia, neurodermatitis, onychotillomania, prurigo nodularis, trichotillomania, and urticaria. Hypnosis can facilitate aversive therapy and enhance desensitization and other cognitive-behavioral methods. Hypnosis may improve or resolve numerous dermatoses. Examples include acne excoriee, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, dyshidrotic dermatitis, erythromelalgia, furuncles, glossodynia, herpes simplex, hyperhidrosis, ichthyosis vulgaris, lichen planus, neurodermatitis, nummular dermatitis, postherpetic neuralgia, pruritus, psoriasis, rosacea, trichotillomania, urticaria, verruca vulgaris, and vitiligo. Hypnosis can also reduce the anxiety and pain associated with dermatologic procedures.
CYP119 plus a Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7 ferredoxin and 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductase constitute a high-temperature cytochrome P450 catalytic system.

The cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes catalyzes a broad range of oxidative processes involved in the metabolism of fatty acids, biosynthesis of sterols, and elimination of drugs and xenobiotic...
Feeding, assimilation, and growth of mud snail larvae, Nassarius obsoleyus (Say), on three different algal diets☆

Abstract Nassarius obsoletus (Say) veliger larvae were fed three different phytoplankton diets in the laboratory: Isochrysis galbana Parke, Thalassiosira pseudonana (Hust.) Hasle & Heimdal, and Dunaliella tertiolecta Butcher. The relationship between growth rate and ability of the larvae to ingest and assimilate the different algae was investigated. To properly design the assimilation experiments, certain basic aspects of the feeding biology of the gastropod larvae were studied: the relationship between container size and feeding rate, light level and feeding rate, rate of gut evacuation in the presence and absence of food, and filtration and ingestion rates as a function of food concentration. Growth rates, ingestion rates, and efficiencies of carbon retention varied with the algal species provided, although relative growth could not be predicted from measurements of relative rates of carbon uptake from the different phytoplankton species. Larval growth rates are probably determined primarily by the abilities of the different algal species used in our experiments to provide necessary micro-nutrients. Retention efficiencies (carbon retained/carbon ingested) were low, ranging between ≈9 and 17%. Estimates of maximum assimilation efficiencies for young Nassarius obsoletus veligers are also much lower than most values reported for other Zooplankton.
Acadian orogeny: an abrupt and brief event.

Rubidium-strontium dating indicates the Barre-type granites in eastern Vermont were emplaced at least 380 x 106 years ago. This result suggests the Acadian orogeny was more abrupt than previously suspected, and is consistent with the hypothesis that the orogeny involves a collision between two sialic plates.
Sleep disorder, depression, and suicidality in female sexual assault survivors.

The role of sleep in psychiatric illness in general, and depression and suicidality in particular, is poorly understood and has not been well researched despite the pervasiveness of sleep complaints in these conditions. As an exploratory, hypothesis-generating study, female sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (n = 153) who had enrolled in a nightmare-treatment program were assessed for subjectively determined sleep breathing and sleep movement disorders. Diagnoses of potential disorders were based on clinical practice parameters and research algorithms from thefield of sleep disorders medicine. Potential sleep breathing and sleep movement disorders were present in 80% of the participants (n = 123) and included three subgroups: sleep-disordered breathing only (n = 23); sleep movement disorder only (n = 45); and both sleep disorders (n = 55). Based on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Suicide subscale, participants with potential sleep disorders suffered greater depression (Cohen's d = .73-.96; p < .01) and greater suicidality (Cohen's d = .57-.78; p < .05) in comparison to participants without potential sleep disorders. The group with both sleep disorders suffered from the most severe depression and suicidality. A provisional hypothesis is formulated that describes how sleep disorders may exacerbate depression and suicidality through the effects of chronic sleep fragmentation.
Cyclosporine Modulates the Response to Hypoxia-Reoxygenation in Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells

Background Depletion of macrophages, neutrophils, or lymphocytes confers only partial protection against experimental lung reperfusion injury, suggesting that inflammatory responses in other cell types contribute to tissue injury. Endothelial cell activation has previously been shown to be critical to the development of ischemia-reperfusion injury in other vascular beds. Furthermore, cyclosporine (CSA) reduces in vivo lung reperfusion injury through attenuated secretion of proinflammatory mediators. These studies determined whether pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC), subjected to hypoxia and reoxygenation, promote inflammation and whether CSA afforded any modulation of that response. Methods Isolated rat PAEC were subjected in vitro to 2 hours hypoxia followed by up to 4 hours reoxygenation. Cells were pretreated with CSA or a cremaphor vehicle. Differences in activation of signaling kinases and transcription factors were assessed, as was cytokine-chemokine protein secretion. Results There was significant signaling kinase (extracellular signal regulated kinase [ERK 1/2]) activation by 15 minutes reoxygenation, which was temporally associated with marked activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and early growth response one (EGR-1). At 4 hours reoxygenation there were significant increases in chemokine protein secretion. The CSA decreased ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and significantly attenuated transcription factor transactivation at 15 minutes reoxygenation. The CSA was found to be selective in reducing cytokine-chemokine elaboration at 4 hours reoxygenation. Conclusions Hypoxia-reoxygenation induces ERK 1/2 phosphorylation, as well as transactivation of the transcription factors NFκB and EGR-1 in PAEC. Cyclosporine selectively reduces proinflammatory mediator secretion, likely by transcriptional regulation through NFκB and EGR-1. This is the first demonstration of ERK 1/2 inhibition afforded by CSA.
Comparison between knife-edge and frisbee-shaped surrogate surfaces for making dry deposition measurements: Wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling

Dry deposition is a major pathway for atmospheric contaminant movement from the atmosphere to the earth surface. Despite its importance, there is no generally accepted direct method to measure dry deposition. Recently, the interest in using surrogate surfaces to measure dry deposition is growing, primarily because of their ease of use. However, a problem with these surfaces is extrapolating the results obtained to natural surfaces. There are two popular surrogate plates used to measure dry deposition. One had a sharp leading edge (knife-edge) (KSS), and the other has a smooth-edge (frisbee-shaped) (FSS). In this study, the performances of these two surrogate surfaces to directly measure gas dry deposition were explored using wind tunnel experiments and two-dimensional (2D) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models. Although the fluid fields above these two plates were different, both created laminar boundary layers (distance above the surface where the velocity gradient is constant) with a constant thickness after approximately five cm. In the wind tunnel, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) deposition to gold-coated filters was used to measure deposition velocities (Vd) in part because for this combination deposition is air-side controlled. The GEM Vd to both surfaces increased with increasing wind speeds. Based on both measurements and CFD simulations, the Vds to the FSS were approximately 30% higher and more variable than to the KSS when the wind flow was parallel to the surfaces. However, when the angle between the surfaces and the wind was varied the Vds to the FSS were less dependent on the incident angle than to the KSS.
Ductile-brittle transition in random porous Au.

We report experimental results describing the mechanical breakdown of random porous Au which is a new material specifically developed for this study. Digital image analysis was used to characterize the microstructures of the samples which varied by more than 2 orders of magnitude in length scale. The porous Au undergoes a microstructurally controlled ductile-brittle transition. Similar transitions have been found in numerical simulations by Kahng {ital et} {ital al}. (Phys. Rev. B 37, 7625 (1988)).
Lysine Nζ-decarboxylation in the BlaR1 protein from Staphylococcus aureus at the root of its function as an antibiotic sensor

The structure of the surface domain of the BlaR1 protein of Staphylococcus aureus, a β-lactam antibiotic sensor/signal transducer, is essentially identical to that of the class D β-lactamases, which are antibiotic resistance enzymes. Both proteins have an unusual N-carboxylated lysine within their active sites, which promotes a serine for acylation by the antibiotic. N-Carboxylated lysine also catalyzes hydrolytic deacylation of the acyl-enzyme species in the β-lactamase. The situation with the BlaR1 protein is different in that on acylation of serine N-carboxylated lysine experiences decarboxylation, whereby the process is arrested in the acyl-protein stage. As such, BlaR1 experience acylation by the antibiotic that it senses, an event that enjoys longevity for at least the duration of one bacterial generation. We report herein the production of S-(4-butanoate)-cysteine, as a surrogate of N-carboxylated lysine at position 392 of the BlaR1 protein. This unnatural amino acid cannot experience N-decarboxyla...
Cell-Free Nitrogenase and Hydrogenase from Actinorhizal Root Nodules

Field-grown alder (Alnus glutinosa) root nodules were disrupted in liquid nitrogen to release the actinomycete endophytes. The endophytes were broken by mild sonic oscillation and yielded a cell-free nitrogenase preparation capable of reducing acetylene and protons. In addition, the preparation carried a cell-free uptake hydrogenase.
Future Goddard data processing and data distribution systems

This paper discusses the current systems used at the Goddard Space Flight Center for processing spacecraft data, as well as the future system prospects. While current systems rely significantly on minicomputers, future systems will emphasize workstations. Space data formats will become more structured, and the increased application of space data standards will permit greater flexibilities in ground data processing, data distribution and savings in mission and data operations.
COOL COMMUNITIES: STRATEGIES FOR HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION AND SMOG REDUCTION

Abstract Adopting our ‘cool communities’ strategies of reroofing and repaying in lighter colors and planting shade trees can effect substantial energy savings, directly and indirectly. In our target city of Los Angeles, annual residential air-conditioning (A/C) bills can be reduced directly by about US$100 M and, because these strategies serve to cool the air in the Los Angeles basin and reduce smog exceedance levels by about 10%, an additional savings of US$70 M in indirect cooling and US$360 M in smog-reduction benefits—a total savings of about US$1/2 B per year—is possible. Trees are most effective if they shade buildings, but the savings are significant even if they merely cool the air by evapotranspiration. In Los Angeles, avoided peak power for air conditioning can reach about 1.5 GW (more than 15% of the city's air conditioning). Generalized to the entire US, we estimate that 25 GW can be avoided with potential annual benefits of about US$5 B by the year 2015. Recent steps taken by cities in the warm half of US towards adoption of cool communities include (1) incorporation of cool roofs in the revised ASHRAE building standards S90.1 and (2) inclusion of cool surfaces and shade trees as tradeable smog-offset credits in Los Angeles. Other step underway include (1) plans by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve heat island mitigation measures in the state implementation plan to comply with ozone standards and (2) plans for ratings and labeling of cool surfaces.
Spin and statistics in massive (2+1)-dimensional QED

Abstract We reexamine the questions of spin and statistics of nonrelativiic charged particles coupled to a topologically massive abelian gauge field. We show that these particles obey fractional statistics and carry an extra (gauge invariant) spin so that the generalized spin statistics relation is fulfilled. In particular, if the topological mass is obtained from integrating out heavy fermion fields, two flavors of fermions are needed to turn bosons into fermions. We also show, by explicitly considering the Dirac vacuum in the presence of a heavy point particle, that screening charge is exponentially localized and that the fermions do not contribute to the (gauge invariant) spin of the particle.
NATO and the anticipatory use of force

Only since the end of the Cold War, and particularly since September 2001, have questions of anticipatory action arisen in alliance deliberations concerning the use of force. In initiating their Balkan operations, it should be recalled, the allies did not face direct threats, but intervened toterminate conflicts and human rights abuses and to shape their security environment. It has been difficult for the alliance to get to grips with the new security challenges presented by terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction because of its history, its intrinsic character, and the nature of the new security challenges. Its history includes a strictly reactive posture during the Cold War and its interventions from a position of overwhelming superiority in the Balkan conflicts. The new security challenges place under stress the alliance's intrinsic character as a permanent coalition of sovereign independent states committed to collective defence because these challenges may endanger specific allies to differing degrees (in contrast with the overarching Soviet threat during the Cold War) and revealdiff erences in interests, capabilities and strategic cultures among the allies. The allies have not yet resolved questions concerning the legality and legitimacy of the antici patory use of force, nor have they fully explored the implications of concepts such as ‘constructive abstention’ and ‘NATO in support’ with regard to preemptive or preventive operations undertaken by a group of allies.
A critical analysis of tumor morphology and hormone treatments in the untreated and estrogen‐treated responsive and refractory human prostatic carcinoma

This study was done to compare the ultrastructural features of prostatic cancer cells in both untreated and estrogen-treated responsive and refractory patients. Analysis of previously untreated and estrogen-treated carcinomas showed that the tumors possessed well- and poorly-differentiated acini, and invasive cells. Malignant acini contained numerous columnar (secretory) cells in untreated, but few in treated individuals. Two distinct types of basal cells were observed in untreated and treated acini: type I (light) and type II (dark) cells. In both untreated and treated tumors, type I cells were characterized by having round nuclei with many small aggregates of euchromatin, large nucleoli, and electron-lucent nucleoplasm. The type II cells had highly pleomorphic nuclei, folded nuclear envelope—sometimes deficient in localized areas, euchromatin, many small aggregates of heterochromatin, large pleomorphic nucleoli, and relatively electron-opaque nucleoplasm. In some sections, both types of basal cells penetrated through the acinar basal lamina and became invasive. Prostatic carcinomas which were or subsequently became refractory to estrogens showed more abundant type II basal cells than responsive patients. It is postulated that the type II basal cells as well as some type I basal cells are endocrine unresponsive from the outset. Furthermore the tumor possesses a heterogeneous population of cancer cells. While androgen-dependent tumor cells such as columnar cells may be destroyed by endocrine therapy, these endocrine unresponsive cells continue to proliferate, metastasize, and kill the patient. Therefore, we suggest that patient with advanced prostatic carcinoma initially may be given endocrine therapy to reduce tumor burden caused by endocrine-sensitive cells. In addition, early treatment with chemotherapy or radiation may be used to destroy unresponsive endocrine-insensitive cells, before these cells lines have a chance to proliferate and to develop into refractory carcinoma. Cancer 40:2836-2850, 1977.
Relationships among flare images at different wavelengths

The talk reviews briefly historical development of the imaging of the Sun, and flare imaging in particular, at different wavelengths. The present state is then critically analyzed, emphasizing and demonstrating problems related to simultaneity of observed data, differences in time resolution, limitations of the imaged field of view, unequal spatial resolution, and alignment of the images. Prospects for the future are briefly sketched, including imaging in very hard X-rays and γ-rays.
Experimental Investigation and Visualization of Two-Phase Flow and Water Transport in Microchannels

In this paper we present an overview of the experimental work carried out as part of research geared towards the understanding of two-phase flow in microchannels. The greater scope of the project is to use the knowledge gained towards the development of strategies to improve water management in fuel cell applications. We have conducted pressure versus flow rate experiments in microchannels with contrasting hydrophobic characteristics and under different liquid water injection conditions. These measurements have been complemented with flow visualization studies using white light and fluorescence. As expected, parameters associated to surface energy such as hydrophobicity have a big influence on the flow. Under hydrophobic conditions the formation of slugs or blobs of size comparable to that of the microchannel greatly impedes the flow of air, especially at low pressure drops. On the other hand liquid water effects under hydrophilic conditions are only noticeable at large injection rates (100 µL/min). In contrast to their hydrophobic counterparts, two-phase flow in hydrophilic microchannels is characterized by the formation of a thin film of liquid. Only when the thickness of the film becomes substantial does it have an effect on the air flow.
Perceptions of Health and Self-Care Learning Needs of Outpatients With HIV/AIDS

Abstract Health promotion increases healthy behaviors, enhances health status, and decreases health care costs of chronically ill persons. As HIV has become a chronic illness, many HIV-positive persons may have health learning needs that affect their behaviors, health status, and health care costs. Health learning needs may be general or HIV specific. Social stigma may affect learning resource usage. We used Pender's Health Promotion Model and community-based health promotion principles as theoretical underpinnings for an exploratory study of perceived health and self-care learning needs, barriers, and preferred learning modalities of outpatients with HIV/AIDS. A nonrandom sample of 151 adults completed a researcher-designed self-report survey. Most (97%) expressed interest in health and self-care. Many identified multiple topics, learning barriers, and preferred learning modalities. A statistically significant difference (p = .027) was noted in communication needs of participants diagnosed with HIV versu...
A low-energy electron source for negative ionization experiments

Abstract A negative ionization source for a quadrupole mass analyzer is described. The ionization region can be exposed to laser light for the purpose of determining the effect of molecular excitation on electron capture cross-section. The low-energy electron source possesses an ionization region of approximately cylindrical geometry, the key element of which is an open helical grid. A flat-plate energy analyzer permits location of the electron gun at a position remote from the ionization region. The sensitivity of the system, ionization source plus quadrupole mass analyzer, for production of anions of sulfur hexafluoride has been found to be (0.013 ± 0.001) torr−1. A discussion of the qualitative aspects of source operation is also given.
A constructivist approach to designing business simulations for strategic management

The authors considered two principles of simulation design (simple rules and smart algorithms) and three essential attributes (choice of industries, employer-employee relationships, and real markets for products and participant services) for strategic management business simulations. They applied these considerations and a constructivist approach to develop a computer-assisted simulation, using it to investigate the concurrent and predictive relationships of market share and production experience on profitability. The authors found that the relationships are (a) as expected and stronger than those reported in an earlier study using a simulation of a more conventional design and (b) more consistent with a well-known series of field studies. They suggest that computer-assisted simulations developed through a constructivist approach may be used to advance the discipline of strategic management.
Supervision Strategies and Approaches for Female Parolees: Examining the Link Between Unmet Needs and Parolee Outcome

A number of parolees are returning to the community with programming needs that may not have been addressed during their incarceration; these unmet needs may subsequently affect their successful reintegration into the community. Although there is an increasing female parole population, there has been a paucity of research concerning female parolees. The current study examines the types of needs identified at intake from a sample of 546 female parolees. The results revealed the following. First, if a parolee was employed, had stable living arrangements, and was assessed as needing and receiving some type of drug and/or alcohol program intervention, she was less likely to fail on parole. Second, many of these women were underassessed for having needs for drug and alcohol treatment as well as employment, housing, and other assistance. This underassessment may be because of an increasing emphasis on parole supervision (i.e., custody) rather than treatment in parole agencies.