cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long range dipole-dipole correlations in nitrobenzene-benzene solutions.

Hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) from liquid nitrobenzene-benzene solutions with nitrobenzene mole fraction in the range 0.001 < xNB < 1 was measured for several combinations of linear polarized incident and scattered light, for scattering angles near 90°. Polar collective modes are identified by their distinctive HRS polarization dependence. At all concentrations the nitrobenzene HRS intensity is dominated by the transverse polar collective mode contribution and the longitudinal collective mode contribution is near zero. The transverse polar mode HRS is due to long range dipole-dipole orientation correlations between the nitrobenzene molecules, such that the molecular dipoles are oriented transverse to the wave vector for each spatial Fourier component of the orientation distribution.
Rates for top quark production

Abstract Total rates for the production of top quarks at Tevatron energies are presented and compared with earlier work.
Diphosphene and Diphosphinylidene

The equilibrium structures of P(2)H(2) isomers and the associated isomerization transition states have been investigated systematically starting from self-consistent-field theory and proceeding to coupled cluster methods using a wide range of basis sets. For each structure, the geometry, energy, dipole moment, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and infrared intensities have been predicted. The global minimum has been confirmed to be planar trans-HPPH diphosphene, lying 3.2 kcal mol(-1) below cis-HPPH with the aug-cc-pVQZ CCSD(T) method upon inclusion of zero-point vibrational energy corrections. Diphosphinylidene, which has the connectivity PPH(2) and C(2v) symmetry, lies 25.2 kcal mol(-1) above the global minimum. The trans-cis isomerization reaction occurs via internal rotation with a barrier of 35.2 kcal mol(-1) using the cc-pVQZ Mk-MRCCSD (2e/2MO) method. This transition state exhibits multireference character and consequently properties were evaluated using CASSCF, MRCI, CASPT2, and Mk-MRCCSD methods with various basis sets. At the aug-cc-pVQZ CCSD(T) level, the transition state for the isomerization reaction between trans-HPPH and diphosphinylidene (planar PPH(2)) is predicted to be nonplanar with a torsional angle of 101.1 degrees . The corresponding barrier is estimated to be 48.2 kcal mol(-1).
Stress-strain analysis of single-lap composite joints under tension

Based on the laminated anisotropic plate theory, an analytical model is proposed to determine the stress and strain distributions of adhesive-bonded composite single-lap joints under tension. The laminated anisotropic plate theory is applied in the derivation of the governing equations of the two bonded laminates. The entire coupled system is then obtained through assuming the peel stress between the two laminates. With the Fourier series and appropriate boundary conditions, the solutions of the system are obtained. Based on the proposed model, the stress and strain distributions of the adherends and the adhesive can be predicted. The coupling effect between the external tension and the induced bending due to the asymmetry of composite laminates are also included. The two adherends can also have different materials and properties. An existing FEA code, ALGOR, is used as a comparison with this proposed analytical model. Results from this developed model are also compared with Goland and Reissner`s as well as Hart-Smith`s papers.
Construction of hexagonal prisms of variable size via coordination-driven multicomponent self-assembly

The coordination-driven self-assembly of supramolecular hexagonal prisms has been achieved upon mixing a hexakis[4-(4-pyridyl)phenyl]benzene donor ligand and carboxylate donor ligands such as sodium terephthalate, sodium (1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-dicarboxylate, sodium 4,4′-(diazene-1,2-diyl)dibenzoate, and 4,4′-dipyridyl with cis-Pt(PEt3)2(OTf)2 in a 1:3:6 ratio. Four assembled hexagonal prisms have been characterized by 31P and 1H NMR multinuclear spectroscopy as well as electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Molecular force-field simulations provide the possible conformation and size of each structure.
Is Abnormal mRNA Processing Responsible for the Low Percentage of Variants at Residue 27 of the Human α Chain

Mutants of the α chain commonly are present to the extent of 20-25% of a heterozygote's hemoglobin. A major exception is Hb Fort Worth (α227(β8)Glu→Glyβ2) which was first identified in a Black family by Schneider et al. (1) and has now been reported by Carstairs et al. (2) in a second Black family. In all heterozygotes, this variant accounts for only 4-5% of the total hemoglobin. As Carstairs et al. note, “The reason for the low quantity of Hb Fort Worth in heterozygotes (4-5%) remains unclear.” Perhaps, in a manner analogous to Hb E, abnormal mRNA processing may be responsible.
Beyond the Textbook

Every method has a saturation point and a point of diminishing returns. To go beyond both is to pass the point of no return. Emile de Sauze found that in promoting ability to remember vocabulary, writing a word five times is as effective as saying it twenty times or seeing it a hundred times.
Expert witness blinding strategies to mitigate bias in radiology malpractice cases: a comprehensive review of the literature.

Like all physicians, radiologists in the United States are subject to frequent and costly medical malpractice claims. Legal scholars and physicians concur that the US civil justice system is neither precise nor accurate in determining whether malpractice has truly occurred in cases in which claims are made. Sometimes, this inaccuracy is driven by biases inherent in medical expert-witness opinions. For example, expert-witness testimony involving "missed" radiology findings can be negatively affected by several cognitive biases, such as contextual bias, hindsight bias, and outcome bias. Biases inherent in the US legal system, such as selection bias, compensation bias, and affiliation bias, also play important roles. Fortunately, many of these biases can be significantly mitigated or eliminated through the use of appropriate blinding techniques. This paper reviews the major works on expert-witness blinding in the legal scholarship and the radiology professional literature. Its purpose is to acquaint the reader with the evidence that unblinded expert-witness testimony is tainted by multiple sources of bias and to examine proposed strategies for addressing these biases through blinding.
Intraluminal latex injection: An aid to the histological identification of renal tubules

Intraluminal injections of neoprene or latex have been used for several years as a means of determining the exact site of fluid collection along the renal tubule during micropuncture experiments. After the tubules have been injected, it is the usual practice to excise a small wedge of tissue surrounding the injected tubule or nephron and then treat the tissue with concentrated hydrochloric acid to effect solidification of the latex column and maceration of the surrounding tissue. The latex "cast" is then dissected free of the macerated tissue and appropriate measurements are taken from the anatomic point of reference (glomerulus for proximal tubule, macula densa for distal tubule) to the site of puncture. The location of the puncture site can then be expressed in terms of its relative distance from the beginning of the proximal or distal convoluted tubule. However, since the epithelium of the injected tubule undergoes maceration in the hydrochloric acid, direct and parallel histological observations at the site of puncture have not been possible as a rule. The present report describes the use of intraluminal latex injections to aid in the histological identification and characterization of the epithelium at the exact site of micropuncture. The technique can also be used to aid in the positive identification of the epithelium within other segments of the same tubule that are more distant from the site of puncture. Use of this technique permits the simultaneous evaluation of function and structure under identical physiological conditions via an analysis of the composition of tubule fluid and an examination of cellular structure with light and electron microscopy.
Water, conflict and cooperation: Geographical perspectives

This article addresses the question of whether water as a geographic feature enhances the likelyhood that a state would go to war. Over the past few decades, geopolitical literature on water's role in international conflict has increased, and the 1990s have seen a turn toward considering water in terms of cooperation, rather than conflict. Drawing on a vast literature on geography's role in international relations, and analysing key concepts of ‘hydro‐strategic territory’ and ‘environmental security’, the article examines the validity of this claim. Through a critical examination of the hydropolitics of the Middle East, it is established that while water may be a source of international tensions, it is more often the subject of intense negotiation that an object or cause of armed conflict.
Exclusion of the branchio-oto-renal syndrome locus (EYA1) from patients with branchio-oculo-facial syndrome.

In addition to craniofacial, auricular, ophthalmologic, and oral anomalies, the distinctive phenotype of the branchio-oculo-facial (BOF) syndrome (MIM 113620) includes skin defects in the neck or infra/supra-auricular region. These unusual areas of thin, erythematous wrinkled skin differ from the discrete cervical pits, cysts, and fistulas of the branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome (MIM 113650). Although the BOF and BOR syndromes are sufficiently distinctive that they should not be confused, both can be associated with nasolacrimal duct stenosis, deafness, prehelical pits, malformed pinna, and renal anomalies. Furthermore, a reported father and son [Legius et al., 1990, Clin Genet 37:347-500] had features of both conditions. It was not clear whether they had an atypical presentation of either BOR or BOF syndrome, or represented a private syndrome. In light of these issues, we selected the BOR locus (EYA1) as a possible gene mutation for the BOF syndrome. In five BOF patients, there were no mutations detected in the EYA1 gene, suggesting that it is not allelic to the BOR syndrome.
Monoclonal gammopathy in the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

IgG paraproteins were detected in the serum of three patients with the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS). Two distinctly different monoclonal IgG paraproteins occurred in one patient separated by an interval of four years. One of the patients who had a paraprotein also had reticulum-cell sarcoma. However, no evidence of malignant disease was present in the other two patients with monoclonal immunoglobulins, nor did the sera of five additional WAS patients with malignancy contain detectable paraproteins. The development of monoclonal gammopathy is discussed in relation to the unique immunodeficiency found in this disorder and to the high frequency of malignant reticuloendotheliosis in these children.
A novel advance directives course provides a transformative learning experience for medical students.

Background: Inadequate physician training may be a barrier to physician–patient discussions of advance directives (ADs). Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an ADs course, which includes completing a directive, on medical students' perceived knowledge of and preparedness for discussing ADs with patients. All 4th-year medical students completed a 10-hr bioethics course comprising interactive lecture and small-group discussion formats. Curriculum content included ethical and legal aspects of ADs. An 8-item survey with free-text entry was administered 1 month after course completion. Internal consistency reliability of survey scores was determined. Two authors independently coded the free-text comments and reached consensus on underlying themes. Evaluation: Of the 89 students who completed the survey (response rate 80%), 87 (98%) felt more knowledgeable and 88 (99%) better equipped to counsel patients about ADs. Forty-two (47%) reported they had counseled others to complete...
Me5C5Ni(acac): A Monomeric, Paramagnetic, 18-Electron, Spin-Equilibrium Molecule

New synthetic procedures have been developed for Me5C5M(acac), M = Co or Ni. The crystal structures of these 17- or 18-electron monomers show that the compounds are isomorphous and in space group P1, with the planes defined by the Me5C5 ring and the M(acac) fragment perpendicular to within 5°. The Me5C5 ring in both molecules has an ene−allyl distortion which is rationalized by the low molecular symmetry (Cs), which removes the degeneracy in the e+ and e- ring orbitals. The electronic structure of the cobalt compound is 2A, as deduced from magnetic susceptibility and EPR spectroscopy. The electronic structure of the nickel compound depends upon the temperature. In the solid state, the compound is diamagnetic below 150 K, but it becomes paramagnetic with increasing temperature. The 1H NMR chemical shifts of the compound in solution are nonlinear in temperature, and a plot of δ vs T-1 yields an equilibrium constant of 0.47 at 303 K for the low spin ↔ high spin equilibrium. The 20-electron phosphine complex...
Laboratory formation of noncementing hydrates in sandy sediments

Natural hydrate-bearing sediment (HBS) predominantly exists in noncementing habit, and its limited availability for use in laboratory studies demands a time-effective and repeatable laboratory process for forming representative samples with natural accumulation habit. This study reports on a three-step laboratory process for forming noncementing methane hydrate in sandy sediments: (1) initial HBS formation under excess-gas conditions; (2) slow saline water (5 wt % CaCl2) injection under strictly controlled pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions; and (3) a temperature warming/cooling cycle. Changes in compressional wave velocity (Vp) of sediment, as well as P-T condition, were monitored throughout the tests. The evolution of Vp, in good agreement with rock physics model calculations, suggested that the transition from cementing hydrate into noncementing hydrate occurs during saline injection as well as temperature warming/cooling cycle. The proposed process appeared to be an efficient and consistent substitute for the existing methods, to form noncementing hydrate habit in sandy sediments.
Does muscle tension reflect arousal? Relationship between electromyographic and electroencephalographic recordings

Increased muscle tension and heightened arousal are the most consistent finding in patients with anxiety disorders. This study examined the relationship between frontalis and gastrocnemius electromyographic (EMG) and electroencephalographic activity on 14 female generalized anxiety disorder patients and 14 female control subjects. In GAD patients, gastrocnemius but not frontalis EMG was correlated with right but not left hemisphere activity. For the non-anxious subjects, there was a pattern for both beta 1 and beta 2 waves to be positively associated with both frontalis and gastrocnemius muscle tension levels. The results, while preliminary, suggest that EMG activity may reflect central nervous system arousal.
GIS Methods in Time-Geographic Research: Geocomputation and Geovisualization of Human Activity Patterns

AbstractOver the past 40 years or so, human activities and movements in space‐time have attracted considerable research interest in geography. One of the earliest analytical perspectives for the an...
Estimating plume dispersion: a comparison of several sigma schemes

Abstract The lateral and vertical Gaussian plume dispersion parameters are estimated and compared with fieldtracer data collected at II sites. The dispersion parameter schemes used in this analysis include Cramer'sscheme, suggested for tall stack dispersion estimates, Draxier's scheme, suggested for elevated and surfacereleases, Pasquill's scheme, suggested for interim use in dispersion estimates, and the Pasquill-Gifford schemeusing Turner's technique for assigning stability categories. The schemes suggested by Cramer, Draxler andPasquil estimate the dispersion parameters using onsite measurements of the vertical and lateral windvelocity variances at the effective release height. The performances of these schemes in estimating the dispersion parameters are compared with that of the Pasquill-GitFord scheme, using the Prairie Grass andKarlsruhe data. For these two experiments, the estimates of the dispersion parameters using Draxier's schemecorrelate better with the measurements than did estimates using th...
Comment on “The hologenomic basis of speciation: Gut bacteria cause hybrid lethality in the genus Nasonia”

Brucker and Bordenstein (Reports, 9 August 2013, p. 667) claim that adaptive codivergence of gut bacteria with hosts contributes to hybrid lethality. Yet, they provide no evidence for coadaptation of bacteria and Nasonia hosts. Their data on hybrid viability suggest that bacteria contribute to inviability only because intrinsic hybrid dysfunction increases susceptibility to free-living bacteria. Hologenomic speciation remains testable speculation without experimental support.
Learned taste aversions in rats as a function of dosage, concentration, and route of administration of LiCl.

Abstract Rats drank a 15% sucrose solution for 10 min and were then injected intraperitoneally with various volumes of 0.15 M LiCl to produce a learned taste aversion to the sucrose. A dose response curve was obtained between the volume of 0.15 M LiCl injected and the degree of aversion. With additional groups, the LiCl concentration was varied inversely with volume injected and it was found that the aversion was dependent on the absolute quantity of LiCl and not on the concentration or volume of solution. LiCl was also found to be equally effective in producing learned aversions whether administered intraperitoneally, subcutaneously, or by stomach tube. The dose-response curve indicated that a very strong aversion occurs at a dose of 3.0 mEq/kg and that the threshold dose for producing an aversion is approximately 0.15 mEq/kg. The threshold dose was discussed in relation to the amount normally given to human patients as a therapeutic dose. It was concluded that the rat is highly sensitive to learning a taste aversion with LiCl.
Turbulent Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Square Enclosure: Turbulence Model Comparisons

A CFD study using four engineering turbulence models has been performed to evaluate the convective heat transfer predictions for an air-filled square enclosure with a Rayleigh number of 1.58 × 109 . The four turbulence models considered are, as implemented by FLUENT: a k-e model, an RNG k-e model, a “realizable” k-e model, and a k-ω model. All of the turbulence models investigated employ the Boussinesq approximation to evaluate the unknown turbulent viscosity and use the ideal gas equation of state to evaluate the density in the body force term. The performance of all models was similar. Predicted Nusselt number distributions on the hot and cold walls were overpredicted when compared to experimental data. The predicted average Nusselt numbers were nearly 20% higher on the active walls, and 10% higher on the passive, horizontal walls.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Using peer, self, and counselor ratings to evaluate treatment progress

It is generally recognized that the evaluation of treatment progress requires multiple methods of assessment. To provide a basis for supplementing existing measures, the current study investigated the use of a peer rating methodology for evaluating the treatment progress of 381 probationers admitted to a four-month residential drug abuse facility. Self ratings of "working the program" (i.e., conscientiously participating in treatment) were compared with ratings by peers in the program and with ratings by counselors. Peer and counselor ratings were more highly correlated with each other than with client self ratings. Peer as well as self ratings detected differences between enhanced and standard counseling, and were related to individual difference measures known to be associated with treatment progress. In addition, peer midterm ratings of "working the program" were related to both self and counselor ratings of clients' endterm participation, and counselor ratings of the likelihood of remaining clean and sober. These findings support the use of peer ratings as additional indicators of treatment progress.
Some effects of minimizing articulation on short-term retention.

Articulation during reception or recall of messages was minimized by having Ss count aloud rapidly. Acoustic similarity of letters within a message was varied in two experiments. Superiority for recall of low similarity messages was not found when articulation was minimized during visual presentations, but was found with minimization during auditory presentations. It was concluded that both auditory and acoustic cues can be used to support short-term retention. In two experiments comparing visual and auditory presentations with articulation minimized, it was found that auditory presentations enjoyed an advantage for a few seconds after presentation. A functional view of short-term memory was suggested, in which retention is based on sensory buffers and rehearsal processes without postulating a structural short-term store separate from a long-term store.
High energy, short pulse fiber laser front end for kilo-Joule class CPA systems

We are developing an all fiber laser system optimized for providing input pulses for short pulse (1-10ps), high energy (~1kJ) glass laser systems. Fiber lasers are ideal solutions for these systems as they are highly reliable and enable long term stable operation. The design requirements for this application are very different than those commonly seen in fiber lasers. High-energy lasers often have low repetition rates (as low as one pulse every few hours), and thus high average power and efficiency are of little practical value. What is of high value is pulse energy, high signal to noise ratio (expressed as pre-pulse contrast), good beam quality, consistent output parameters and timing. Our system focuses on optimizing these parameters. Our prototype system consists of a mode-locked fiber laser, a compressed pulse fiber amplifier, a "pulse cleaner", a chirped fiber Bragg grating, pulse selectors, a transport fiber system and a large mode area fiber amplifier. We will review the system and present theoretical and experimental studies of critical aspects, in particular the requirement for high pre-pulse contrast.
Cost-sensitive boosting neural networks for software defect prediction

Software defect predictors which classify the software modules into defect-prone and not-defect-prone classes are effective tools to maintain the high quality of software products. The early prediction of defect-proneness of the modules can allow software developers to allocate the limited resources on those defect-prone modules such that high quality software can be produced on time and within budget. In the process of software defect prediction, the misclassification of defect-prone modules generally incurs much higher cost than the misclassification of not-defect-prone ones. Most of the previously developed predication models do not consider this cost issue. In this paper, three cost-sensitive boosting algorithms are studied to boost neural networks for software defect prediction. The first algorithm based on threshold-moving tries to move the classification threshold towards the not-fault-prone modules such that more fault-prone modules can be classified correctly. The other two weight-updating based algorithms incorporate the misclassification costs into the weight-update rule of boosting procedure such that the algorithms boost more weights on the samples associated with misclassified defect-prone modules. The performances of the three algorithms are evaluated by using four datasets from NASA projects in terms of a singular measure, the Normalized Expected Cost of Misclassification (NECM). The experimental results suggest that threshold-moving is the best choice to build cost-sensitive software defect prediction models with boosted neural networks among the three algorithms studied, especially for the datasets from projects developed by object-oriented language.
Mortality of the Korean population in Japan: a life table analysis of selected causes of death.

The average gains in life expectancy and in working life ages for Koreans in Japan and Japanese are examined when four selected causes of death are hypothetically eliminated. The life expectancy at birth of Korean males and females in Japan (1974–76) was 67·1 and 77·1 years, respectively. The largest increases in life expectancy at birth for Koreans in Japan and Japanese (both sexes) result when cardiovascular diseases are eliminated. At the working ages, 15–65 years, of Koreans in Japan and Japanese (both sexes) the largest gains result from elimination of malignant neoplasms. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to the public health services and acculturation of Koreans in Japan.
The effects of cashing‐out food stomps on household food use and the cost of issuing benefits

The recent report produced by Vice President Gore's committee on government efficiency highlights the importance of streamlining government operations. But often there are trade-offs between administrative streamlining and accomplishing substantive program objectives. This article examines these tradeoffs in the context of the Food Stamp Program, an important component of the United States' safety net for providing low-income assistance. We estimate impacts on both administrative costs and substantive outcomes (participant food expenditures) resulting from issuing program benefits in the form of checks rather than the usual food coupons. The findings, which are based on experimental tests of the cashout approach in parts of Alabama and California, suggest that significant cost savings can be attained through cashout but that these savings may be achieved at the cost of weakening the program's ability to achieve its substantive objective of encouraging food use.
Tailored lighting intervention improves measures of sleep, depression, and agitation in persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia living in long-term care facilities.

Light therapy has shown great promise as a nonpharmacological method to improve symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), with preliminary studies demonstrating that appropriately timed light exposure can improve nighttime sleep efficiency, reduce nocturnal wandering, and alleviate evening agitation. Since the human circadian system is maximally sensitive to short-wavelength (blue) light, lower, more targeted lighting interventions for therapeutic purposes, can be used.The present study investigated the effectiveness of a tailored lighting intervention for individuals with ADRD living in nursing homes. Low-level "bluish-white" lighting designed to deliver high circadian stimulation during the daytime was installed in 14 nursing home resident rooms for a period of 4 weeks. Light-dark and rest-activity patterns were collected using a Daysimeter. Sleep time and sleep efficiency measures were obtained using the rest-activity data. Measures of sleep quality, depression, and agitation were collected using standardized questionnaires, at baseline, at the end of the 4-week lighting intervention, and 4 weeks after the lighting intervention was removed.The lighting intervention significantly (P<0.05) decreased global sleep scores from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency. The lighting intervention also increased phasor magnitude, a measure of the 24-hour resonance between light-dark and rest-activity patterns, suggesting an increase in circadian entrainment. The lighting intervention significantly (P<0.05) reduced depression scores from the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia and agitation scores from the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory.A lighting intervention, tailored to increase daytime circadian stimulation, can be used to increase sleep quality and improve behavior in patients with ADRD. The present field study, while promising for application, should be replicated using a larger sample size and perhaps using longer treatment duration.
Statistical procedures based on a gradually increasing number of order statistics

For each n, X1(n),…Xn(n) are independent and identically distributed random variables.Y1(n) < … < Yn(n) are the ordered values of X1(n),… Xn(n). Kn is a positive integer, with . The joint distribution of a certain set of Kn +1 of the variables Y1(n),… Yn(n) is examined.It is shown that for all asymptotic probability calculations, this joint distribution can be assumed to be normal. Applications to asymptotic statistical inference are given.
Jane Addams on citizenship in a democracy

Jane Addams (1860—1935) was passionately committed to citizenship: her own and that of her neighbors around the world. As a feminist pragmatist she was inspired by the core American documents of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. Based on her multilevel approach to democracy, she is honored world-wide as a premier citizen, although her support of the citizenship of women and African Americans has been criticized, often harshly. This latter literature on Addams is documented here as unwarranted and inaccurate.
Undetermined and indeterminate kamma

As Theravāda Buddhist thought developed, there was a tendency to elaborate on the original teachings through the proliferation of scholastic categories. Two categories developed to lend analytic precision to the concept ofkamma are those of undetermined (aniyata) and indeterminate (avyākata)kamma. This paper analyzes these two concepts as developed in theTipi\({\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\cdot}$}}{t} }\)aka and clarified in theAtthasālinī.
Electro-elastomers: Large deformation analysis of silicone membranes

Abstract Electro-elastomers are large strain smart materials capable of both sensing and actuation. Typical electro-elastomer setups consist of either a silicone or acrylic membrane sandwiched between two compliant grease electrodes. Silicone electro-elastomers have maximum elastic strains between 200% and 350%. Acrylic electro-elastomers are more widely employed due to larger actuation strains but are softer than silicone and have a lower force output [Goulbourne, N.C., Frecker, M., Mockensturm, E.M., Snyder, A.J., 2003. Modeling of a dielectric elastomer diaphragm for a prosthetic blood pump. In: Proceedings of SPIE, Smart Structures and Materials: EAPAD, San Diego; Goulbourne, N.C., Mockensturm, E.M., Frecker, M., 2005b. Quasi-static and dynamic inflation of a dielectric elastomer membrane. In: Proceedings of SPIE, Smart Structures and Materials: EAPAD, San Diego]. A numerical formulation for the large deformation response of electro-elastomer membranes subject to electromechanical loading is derived in this paper. The approach is based on modifying the elastic membrane theory of Green, Adkins, and Rivlin [Adkins, J.E., Rivlin, R.S., 1952. Large elastic deformations of isotropic materials IX. The deformation of thin shells. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A Mathematical and Physical Sciences 244, 505–531; Green, A.E., Adkins, J.E., 1970. Large Elastic Deformations. Oxford University Press, London]. The electro-elastic stress state is defined as the combination of the electrical Maxwell stress and the mechanical stress for hyperelastic materials [Goulbourne, N.C., Mockensturm, E.M., Frecker, M., 2005a. A nonlinear model for dielectric elastomer membranes. ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics 72, (6) 899–906]. This paper augments our previous work by presenting a mathematical solution procedure for simulating the field responsive behavior of silicone electro-elastomers configured for both in-plane and out-of-plane deformation. Thin axisymmetric membranes subject to electromechanical loads are the focus of this investigation. The numerical analysis shows that there is a delicate balance between the electrical and the mechanical portions of the stress, which must be maintained for the overall stress to remain tensile and by extension the electro-elastomer to remain stable. It is shown that at very high voltages the stress can become negative ultimately leading to transducer failure. For sensing applications, the varying capacitive behavior of electro-elastomers is used to extract information about the membrane’s deformed state.
Configuration of fully replicated distributed database system over wide area networks

The cost and performance of a distributed database system (DDS) depends on data distribution and database server configuration across the network. An inappropriate allocation of data and database severs could result in a DDS which is either too costly or unacceptably slow. This paper models the optimal configuration of fully replicated DDS. The problem is formulated as an integer linear programming problem and a solution procedure based on Lagrangian relaxation and subgradient optimization is proposed. The proposed solution procedure was computationally tested under various scenarios regarding communication, processor costs, and transaction characteristics.
Optimal topology design for dynamic networks

In this paper, we examine optimization-based methods for designing the network topology when the desired topology should have certain global variational properties, such as minimal power consumption for information exchange links, or supporting fast convergence of consensus-based distributed protocols. We first classify the optimization-based methodology for three distinct categories, namely, for construction of optimal non-geometric networks, time-invariant geometric networks, and time-varying geometric networks. We then proceed to propose optimization-based algorithms for each class of problems that aim to allocate the limited resources, e.g., communication ranges, in the most efficient way while achieving optimal performance. Examples and applications of the developed methodology are also examined.
Convergent and Divergent Trends in National Educational Systems

We here undertake a systematic assessment of whether and how far the educational systems of nations are becoming more alike. The elements of educational systems may conveniently be grouped into the Ideational and Legal, Structural, Demographic, Administrative and Financial, and Dynamic realms. For each of these realms we review the evidence with regard to a number of specific dimensions, presenting both historical and contemporary data to assess the pattern of crossnational change. Some thirty such dimensions are briefly assessed here, including such topics as teacher-pupil ratios, the spread of the comprehensive school, and the level of expenditures for education. Divergence, parallel change, and invariance appropriately describe the pattern observed in some instances. But the overwhelming weight of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, indicates that the tendency for national educational systems to converge on common structures and practices is pervasive, deep, and often accelerating. Such convergence is manifested at all levels of the educational system, and it affects virtually every major aspect of that system. In conclusion we sketch the elements of causal model suggesting lines of investigation needed to explain the observed regularities.
Detection and correction of bad pixels in hyperspectral sensors

Hyperspectral sensors may use a 2D array such that one direction across the array is spatial and the other direction is spectral. Any pixels therein having very poor signal-to-noise performance must have their values replaced. Because of the anisotropic nature of information at the array, common image processing techniques should not be used. A bad-pixel replacement algorithm has been developed which uses the information closest in both spectral and spatial sense to obtain a value which has both the spectral and reflectance properties of the adjacent terrain in the image. A simple and fast implementation that `repairs' individual bad pixels or clusters of bad pixels has three steps; the first two steps are done only once: (1) Pixels are flagged as `bad' if their noise level or responsivity fall outside acceptable limits for their spectral channel. (2) For each bad pixel, the minimum-sized surrounding rectangle is determined that has good pixels at all 4 corners and at the 4 edge-points where the row/column of the bad pixel intersect the rectangle boundary (five cases are possible due to bad pixels near an edge or corner of the detector array); the specifications of this rectangle are saved. (3) After a detector data frame has been radiometrically corrected (dark subtraction and gain corrections), the spectral shapes represented by the rectangle edges extending in the dispersion direction are averaged; this shape is then interpolated through the two pixels in the other edges of the rectangle. This algorithm has been implemented for HYDICE.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Combined effect of DGD and PDL evaluated in field testbed for 128-Gb/s PDM-QPSK signal

We experimentally investigated the combined effect of DGD and PDL in installed fibers for the first time. The experimental results show that the Q-factor variation caused by PDL decreases as the DGD value increases.
Tube Dependence A Reactive Eating Behavior Disorder

This article focuses on the issue of tube dependence (TD) in infancy and early childhood. The condition occurs in patients after temporary tube feeding and must be considered as an unintended side ...
Comparison study of solid/liquid separation techniques for oilfield pit closures

Extensive bench-scale and full-scale experiments were conducted at the LSU Solids Control Environmental Laboratory in order to evaluate application of the solids-liquid separation technology to oilfield waste pit volume reduction. The experiments addressed chemical conditioning of various pit slurries such as water-base and oil-base mud reserve pit slurries, mixed sludge from offshore operations, and oil production pit slurry. Effective treatment was found for the majority of the waste samples with pH adjustment and with nonionic and low-charge anionic, high molecular weight polymers. Ultimate dewaterability of various samples was determined by use of the belt press bench simulator. Bench simulators of belt press filtration, vacuum filtration and centrifuge sedimentation were used for design and optimization of the full-scale tests. Alternative solid-liquid separation techniques such as vacuum filtration, belt press filtration, screw press filtration and centrifuging were pilot-tested using field-size equipment and 200 bbls samples of water-base mud, reserve pit slurry and production pit sludge. The test data were analyzed at various operating conditions using a new graphical technique. Also, four typical oilfield solid-bowl centrifuges and a modern solid-bowl dewatering decanter were compared in a series of full-scale tests. Finally a preliminary process study on the mechanism of centrifuge separation of flocculatedmore » sludges was performed.« less
Inhibition of VEGFR2 prevents DMBA-induced mammary tumor formation.

Preinvasive mammary pathologies in humans and rat chemical carcinogenesis model systems have an increased microvascular density relative to normal tissue. This suggests the possibility of preventing invasive breast cancer by inhibiting angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic growth factor, commonly involved in tumor-induced angiogenesis. Here, we show that both VEGF and VEGFR2 expression increase with histological progression to invasive disease in the rat 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) model. Other VEGF receptors, VEGFR1, neuropilin 1 and neuropilin 2, are constitutively expressed throughout progression. To examine whether VEGF signaling is functionally relevant to tumor-induced endothelial tubule formation in vitro and for tumor formation in vivo, we utilized the VEGFR2 inhibitor, ZD6474. In vitro endothelial cell tubulogenesis induced by isolated mammary organoids or carcinoma in situ from DMBA-treated rats is inhibited by ZD6474, in a dose-dependent fashion. The administration of ZD6474 to DMBA-treated rats inhibits the formation of atypical ductal hyperplasia and carcinoma in situ by greater than 95% (P<0.05), when administered 1 week or 6 weeks post-DMBA initiation. Invasive disease was absent in all ZD6474 cohorts. These data support the hypothesis that progression of DMBA-induced preinvasive mammary pathologies to palpable disease requires angiogenesis via a VEGF-dependent mechanism.
Programmed-temperature pyrolysis of vitrinites of various rank

Abstract Nine vitrinites separated from coals of various rank (69–93% carbon, daf) were studied by programmed-temperature pyrolysis. Samples were heated at 11°C/min in a stream of helium which swept the pyrolysis products into a flame-ionization detector. With the experimental system used this responds only to hydrocarbons below C 10 . For all the vitrinites the curve of detector response as a function of temperature showed a single maximum and the temperature of the peak maximum was found to be located at higher temperatures for the higher-rank samples. The temperature of the peak maximum was not very sensitive to rank between 70% and about 90% carbon but varied rapidly outside this range. This suggests that the mechanism which generates low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons from coal changes above approximately 90% carbon.
Five-factor model personality traits as predictors of perceived and actual usage of technology

Understanding the adoption and use of technology is extremely important in the field of information systems. Not surprisingly, there are several conceptual models that attempt to explain how and wh...
Distribution of cytochrome oxidase in an early cleavage stage of Dendraster.

Abstract Animal and vegetal cells of the 16-cell stage of the sand dollar, Dendraster, were disassociated and segregated in sufficient quantities for microchemical analyses of cytochrome oxidase. No significant difference in cytochrome oxidase activities was found in homogenates of these cells. Continued cleavage of animal and vegetal isolates led to unorganized masses of cells in which cytochrome oxidase activity was higher in derivatives of the mesomeres.
Real exposure: Field measurement of chemical plumes in headwater streams

In fluvial systems, organismic exposure to nonpoint source pollutants will fluctuate in frequency (exposure events), intensity (concentration), and duration. The reliance on lethal concentrations and static exposure in many laboratory studies does not adequately represent nor address exposure to in situ chemical plumes of fluvial habitats. To adequately address field exposure in a laboratory setting, one needs an understanding of the physics of chemical transmission within moving fluids. Because of the chaotic nature of turbulence, chemical plumes introduced to fluvial systems have a spatial and temporal microstructure with fluxes in chemical concentration. Consequently, time-averaged static exposure models are not ecologically relevant for the major reason of in situ distribution. The purpose of this study was to quantify in situ chemical distribution and dispersion within two physically different streams. Dopamine was introduced as a chemical tracer mimicking groundwater runoff. Chemical fluxes and stream hydrodynamics were simultaneously measured using a microelectrode and an acoustic Doppler velocimeter, respectively, at three heights of three downstream locations at each research site. Fine-scale measurements of the dopamine plume microstructure showed that organisms could be exposed to chemical fluctuations where concentrations are significantly greater than the overall time-averaged concentration. These measurements demonstrate that rather than relying on static exposure, standards for pollution must consider the concept of exposure being interdependently linked to flow of the fluid medium. The relationship between fluid dynamics, pollution exposure, and organism physiology are complex and must be evaluated in ways to mimic natural systems.
Scanning electron microscopic study of the hydrolytic degradation of poly(glycolic acid) suture.

This article reports the morphological observations on the surface changes of poly-(glycolic acid) sutures which have been exposed to various dosages of gamma irradiation (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10, 20 and 40 Mrad) and duration of immersion (0, 7, 14, 28, 48, 60, and 90 days) in a physiological saline buffer. The most important gross morphological characteristics of PGA suture hydrolytic degradation is the formation of surface cracks on the filaments. The regularity of the surface cracks increased with an increase in the gamma irradiation and the duration of hydrolysis. Surface cracks were not observed in irradiated sutures that had not been subjected to hydrolytic degradation. The arrangement of the surface cracks, their orientation on the filaments, and the direction of crack propagation provide very useful information for depicting the mechanism of hydrolytic degradation in this class of fibrous material. The microfibrillar model of fiber structure has been used as the basis for the proposed degradation mechanism of PGA in vitro. It is believed that hydrolysis occurs initially in the amorphous regions sandwiched between two crystalline zones, as tie-chain segments, free chain ends, and chain folds in these regions degrade into fragments. As degradation proceeds, the size of the fragments reachesmore » the stage at which they can be dissolved into the buffer medium. This dissolution removes the fragments from the amorphous regions, and surface cracks appeared.« less
Extended Reactive Capability of DFIG Wind Parks for Enhanced System Performance

This paper discusses the impact of utilizing the capability curve of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) based wind park on steady state and dynamic power system operation. The interconnection requirements set forth by FERC in order 661-A mandate the operation of wind parks within a power factor range of 0.95 leading and lagging. This operation drastically underutilized the reactive output of the machine. The results presented demonstrate that committing the full reactive capability of a DFIG park for generation dispatch produce a significant reduction in system losses. This additional reactive support was also found to improve post-fault voltage profiles by damping oscillations and preventing overshoots immediately after being subjected to a disturbance. This utilization of extended reactive limits in voltage control may prevent system collapse.
Opposition to FDI and financial shocks

Abstract We identify conditions under which emerging market's capitalists would oppose financial reform in an economy where entrepreneurs can borrow internationally, but foreign agents cannot hold domestic equity. A financial crisis that raises the domestic interest rate may induce the emerging market's capitalists to support opening up the economy to FDI. Even in these circumstances, the emerging market's capitalists would prefer a partial reform to a comprehensive one. If the attitude of capitalists is the obstacle to a comprehensive reform, a side payment from labor to the capitalists may be needed to induce a reform.