cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmission and Retention of Salmonella enterica by Phytophagous Hemipteran Insects

Several pest insects of human and livestock habitations are known as vectors of Salmonella enterica; however, the role of plant-feeding insects as vectors of S. enterica to agricultural crops remains unexamined. Using a hemipteran insect pest-lettuce system, we investigated the potential for transmission and retention of S. enterica. Specifically, Macrosteles quadrilineatus and Myzus persicae insects were fed S. enterica-inoculated lettuce leaf discs or artificial liquid diets confined in Parafilm sachets to allow physical contact or exclusively oral ingestion of the pathogen, respectively. After a 24-h acquisition access period, insects were moved onto two consecutive noninoculated leaf discs or liquid diets and allowed a 24-h inoculation access period on each of the two discs or sachets. Similar proportions of individuals from both species ingested S. enterica after a 24-h acquisition access period from inoculated leaf discs, but a significantly higher proportion of M. quadrilineatus retained the pathogen internally after a 48-h inoculation access period. S. enterica was also recovered from the honeydew of both species. After a 48-h inoculation access period, bacteria were recovered from a significantly higher proportion of honeydew samples from M. quadrilineatus than from M. persicae insects. The recovery of S. enterica from leaf discs and liquid diets postfeeding demonstrated that both species of insects were capable of transmitting the bacteria in ways that are not limited to mechanical transmission. Overall, these results suggest that phytophagous insects may serve as potential vectors of S. enterica in association with plants.
Multiple model adaptive algorithms for detecting and compensating sensor and actuator/surface failures in aircraft flight control systems

Multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) methods have been incorporated into the design of a flight control system for the variable in-flight stability test aircraft (VISTA) F-16, providing it with the capability to detect and compensate for sensor and control surface/actuator failures. The algorithm consists of a ‘front end’ estimator for the control system, composed of a bank of parallel Kalman filters, each matched to a specific hypothesis about the failure status of the system (fully functional or a failure in any one sensor or surface/actuator), and a means of blending the filter outputs through a probability-weighted average. For multiple failures, a hierarchical structure is used to keep the number of online filters to a minimum. To compensate for failed control surfaces or actuators, a ‘back end’ algorithm redistributes control commands (that would normally be sent to surfaces detected as having failed) to the non-failed surfaces, accomplishing the same control action on the aircraft. Failures are demonstrated detectable in less than one second, even at low dynamic pressure (20000ft and 0.4 Mach), with an aircraft output nearly identical to that anticipated from a fully functional aircraft in the same environment. Published in 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the United States.
Varieties of Regional Integration: The EU, NAFTA and Mercosur

Abstract The closing of the twentieth century witnessed the proliferation of regional trade areas: a reinvigorated EU became one of almost 170 integration efforts. The first comparative analyses have suggested that these RTAs, despite sharing broadly similar objectives, are remarkably different projects. This article contributes to these works by examining two under‐explored dimensions of variation: the laws of RTAs and how organizations – in particular interest groups, businesses and national administrations – have adjusted to their new legal environments. The article then suggests that the observable variation is likely to endure: the legal systems of RTAs reflect institutional realities in the member states, especially local legal traditions and power arrangements. The analysis focuses on the EU, NAFTA and Mercosur, using evidence from three realms: working women, dairy products and labour rights. The article concludes with some reflections on cross‐RTA trade and the possibility of future convergence, ...
Hydroxyl-Tagging-Velocimetry Measurements of a Supersonic Flow over a Cavity

DOI: 10.2514/1.47264 Hydroxyl-tagging-velocimetry measurements were made throughout the compressible flowfield of a Mach 2 air flow over a cavity. The supersonic flowfield simulates the pilot region of scramjet combustion under nonreacting conditions. In the hydroxyl-tagging-velocimetry method, ArF excimer laser (193 nm) beams pass through a humid gas flow, dissociating water to form a tagging grid of hydroxyl molecules. The hydroxyl-tagging-velocimetry grid density has been increased to 11 � 11 to yield up to 120 velocity vectors of the two-dimensional flow over a fixed time delay of 2–3 � s. Instantaneous single-shot measurements of two-dimensional flow patterns were made in the nonreacting Mach 2 flow over a wall cavity under low- and high-backpressure conditions. Single-shot profiles were analyzed to yield mean and rms deviation velocity profiles in the Mach 2 nonreacting flow. Compressibility greatly reducesthegrowthrateofthesupersonicshearlayerformedattheedgeofthecavity.Asetofvelocitydata(spanning the entire length of the cavity) for an open wall cavity in a supersonic flow under low- and high-backpressure conditions was compiled for validation of computational fluid dynamics models.
Cytokine activation of antibacterial activity in human pulmonary macrophages: Comparison of recombinant interferon-γ and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor

Abstract We examined the ability of two recombinant human cytokines, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rHu-GM-CSF) and interferon-γ (rHu-IFN-γ) to activate antibacterial mechanisms in human pulmonary macrophages (PM) and peripheral blood monocytes (PBM). Growth of Legionella pneumophila (LP) was assessed in PM or PBM which had been exposed to either rHu-IFN-γ (500–1000 u/ml) or rHu-GM-CSF (1 to 10,000 u/ml). In both PM and PBM exposed to 500 u/ml rHu-IFN-γ, growth of LP was reduced compared to cells exposed to media alone. By comparison, exposure of these cell types to rHu-GM-CSF had no detectable effect on bacterial replication. In order to investigate potential mechanisms accounting for this observation, the effect of these cytokines on the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-releasing capacity of cells was studied. Exposure of PM and PBM to rHu-IFN-γ (500 to 1000 u/ml) resulted in increased production of H 2 O 2 triggered by phorbol myristate acetate; when subjected to the same experimental conditions, rHu-GM-CSF-exposed cells exhibited no increase in H 2 O 2 production. To further clarify the role of rHu-IFN-γ-induced augmentation of oxidative metabolism on cellular inhibition of bacterial growth, an amount of catalase capable of completely neutralizing extracellular H 2 O 2 was added to cells before and during infection. This did not abrogate the antibacterial activity of rHu-IFN-γ. These studies demonstrate that rHu-IFN-γ but not rHu-GM-CSF is capable of augmenting the capacity of PM and PBM to restrict LP growth. These data suggest that the antibacterial activity of rHu-IFN-γ in this system may involve oxidative as well as nonoxidative mechanisms.
Analysis of the status of pre-release cracks in prestressed concrete structures using long-gauge sensors

Prestressed structures experience limited tensile stresses in concrete, which limits or completely eliminates the occurrence of cracks. However, in some cases, large tensile stresses can develop during the early age of the concrete due to thermal gradients and shrinkage effects. Such stresses can cause early-age cracks, termed ?pre-release cracks?, which occur prior to the transfer of the prestressing force. When the prestressing force is applied to the cross-section, it is assumed that partial or full closure of the cracks occurs by virtue of the force transfer through the cracked cross-section. Verification of the closure of the cracks after the application of the prestressing force is important as it can either confirm continued structural integrity or indicate and approximate reduced structural capacity. Structural health monitoring (SHM) can be used for this purpose. This paper researches an SHM method that can be applied to prestressed beam structures to assess the condition of pre-release cracks. The sensor network used in this method consists of parallel long-gauge fiber optic strain sensors embedded in the concrete cross-sections at various locations. The same network is used for damage detection, i.e. detection and characterization of the pre-release cracks, and for monitoring the prestress force transfer. The method is validated on a real structure, a curved continuous girder. Results from the analysis confirm the safety and integrity of the structure. The method and its application are presented in this paper.
Politics and Property Rights: The Closing of the Open Range in the Postbellum South

After the American Civil War, agricultural reformers in the South called for an end to unrestricted grazing of livestock on unfenced land. They advocated the stock law, which required livestock owners to fence in their animals, arguing that the existing system (in which farmers built protective fences around crops) was outdated and inhibited economic growth. The reformers steadily won their battles, and by the end of the century the range was on the way to being closed. In this study Shawn Kantor uses economic analysis to assert that contrary to traditional historical interpretation, this conflict was centered on anticipated benefits from fencing livestock rather than on class, cultural or ideological differences. The text seeks to show that the stock law brought economic benefits; and at the same time analyzes why the law's adoption was hindered in many areas where it would have increased wealth. Kantor's argument illuminates the dynamics of real-world institutional change, where transactions are often costly and where some inefficient institutions persist while others give way to economic growth.
On strong structural controllability of networked systems: A constrained matching approach

This paper examines strong structural controllability of linear-time-invariant networked systems. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for strong structural controllability involving constrained matchings over the bipartite graph representation of the network. An O(n2) algorithm to validate if a set of inputs leads to a strongly structurally controllable network and to find such an input set is proposed. The problem of finding such a set with minimal cardinality is shown to be NP-complete. Minimal cardinality results for strong and weak structural controllability are compared.
Is the Stroke Belt Disappearing? An Analysis of Racial, Temporal, and Age Effects

Background and Purpose The stroke risk among white residents of the coastal plain of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (the “Stroke Belt”) has been reported to be between 1.3 and 2.0 times the national average. In this study we examined (1) whether a similar excess risk exists for blacks in this region, (2) whether this regional excess stroke risk has decreased over time, and (3) whether the regional excess risk is consistent across ages from 45 to more than 85 years. Methods Using data from the Compressed Mortality File, we estimated the annual relative stroke mortality risk for black and white men and women in a region of 153 coastal plain counties and compared these rates to those for the remainder of the United States. Results The relative geographic excess risk of stroke death was similar for black residents and white residents of the Stroke Belt for both men and women. Despite the decline in stroke mortality, the relative increased risk of stroke death in the region has remained constant f...
Radiologic Intervention in the Acute Stroke Patient

Overall, stroke is a common disease that can have devastating results. Treatment of stoke has been, for the most part, supportive in nature. Recently, more aggressive intervention has been used, particularly thrombolysis. Although such intervention can have devastating consequences, it has shown some promise, particularly in the arena of intraarterial administration. Although much work is needed to find the ideal agents and methods of administration, screening of patients may hold the key to success and the limitations of complications. Determination of exactly which patients will benefit and which will not and which will have complications and which will not, remains for the most part an enigma. Only through further investigation in a controlled, collaborative manner can such information be obtained.
Polymer Films on Electrodes: Investigation of Ion Transport at Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Films by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy†

Electropolymerization, morphology characterization, and ion transport of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films doped with different counterions (chloride, ferrocyanide (FCN), and poly(p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS-)) on a platinum electrode were investigated using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) during both potential step (chronocoulometric) and cyclic voltammetric scans. An ultramicroelectrode (UME) tip was positioned close to the surface of a PEDOT-modified substrate electrode, and the responses of both electrodes to a substrate potential step or linear sweep were monitored simultaneously. Chloride or ferrocyanide (FCN) ejection during PEDOT reduction was shown to be a function of the reduction potential. The nature of the cation in the bulk solution was not found to be important in the kinetics of ion transport in PEDOT+/FCN- films. Direct evidence for the incorporation of cations of Ru(NH3)63+/2+ in a PEDOT film during its reduction was also obtained by SECM measurements. The adsorption...
CONJOINT EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LABELING, DISCLOSURE OF FOREST OF ORIGIN AND PRICE ON CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR WOOD PRODUCTS IN THE US AND UK

Abstract A study that conjointly analyzed the effects of environmental labeling, disclosure of forest of origin, and price on consumer preferences for wood products was conducted in the US and the UK. A choice-based elicitation tool was used to mimic a real-life situation where a single product was selected over a set of options. Data collected were analyzed using a conditional logit model. Certification issued by a government agency or an environmental non-government organization both had a favorable effect on consumer preference over a non-certified option. The most relevant implication of our findings was the negative effect that disclosing information about a product coming from tropical forests had on consumer preferences, even compared to a product of unknown origin. A decline in product preference was observed along higher price premiums as expected. The degree of sensitivity to price changes was affected by demographic characteristics. Model coefficients were used to estimate market shares of tropical wood products under different scenarios in both countries. Scenarios explored the effect of environmental certification and price premiums on product market shares.
Multiphysics Modeling of an Active Noise Control Device

Cost and availability of fast computer computers have made it affordable to solve complex engineering problems involving multiple physics using a single finite elements model. The practice is commonly referred to as multiphysics modeling. The objective in this study is to investigate the effectiveness of multiphysics modeling tools as applied to engineering design and analysis. Therefore, active noise control, which involves four different fields of sciences and engineering, has been chosen for the study. The physics involved in active noise control are: Electromagnetic, Structural vibration, Fluid, and Acoustic. The initial goal was to solve a simple noise cancellation problem using a single finite elements model and a personal computer. The task was rather difficult and inefficient. The approach presented here uses a single finite element model and combination of two modeling and analysis software. A well known active noise control methodology is used to cancel the noise radiated by a simply supported circular vibrating disk using a loudspeaker. Harmonic load is applied to the disk and the resulting displacements are fed to a controller designed using MATLAB/SIMULINK®. The output of the controller is used in the ANSYS® finite elements model to compute the acoustic field with and without control. The results show that more than one software packages running on separate personal computers are recommended for an effective multiphysics modeling.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
S(+)MDMA and 5-HT Evoke Dissimilar Ionic Currents in Human Serotonin Transporter-Expressing Cells

Although monoamine transporters translocate substrates (neurotransmitters) across the plasma membrane, a second less studied function is their ion channel-like activity which is responsible for the passive permeation of ions through the membrane. These currents are inward at resting membrane potential and would result in cell depolarization, which may enhance presynaptic excitability, and which would help explain the elevated release of neurotransmitter associated by psychostimulants. Here we compare the ionic currents evoked by serotonin (5-HT) and S(+)-3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (S(+)MDMA, ecstasy) in mammalian cells expressing the human serotonin transporter (hSERT). 5-HT as well as S(+)MDMA induce inward currents in hSERT-expressing cells. Although the conductances are similar, the S(+)MDMA induced-current reversal potential is strongly shifted towards the Na+ equilibrium potential, indicating a bigger contribution of Na+ to the overall current compared to 5-HT current. To measure changes in Na+ permeability induced by these compounds, the cells were pre-loaded with the Na+ sensor Asante NaTRIUM GREEN 2 and changes in intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) were monitored fluorometrically. Dose-response experiments show that 5-HT and S(+)MDMA have similar potency (EC50 ∼200 nM) in elevating the [Na+]i; however, S(+)MDMA increases [Na+]i at least 3 times with respect to 5-HT. In addition, the reconstitution of hSERT on a lipid bilayer in the presence of a Na+ gradient showed channel-like activity after the application of 5-HT or S(+)MDMA in the trans side. Taken together these results strongly suggest that S(+)MDMA-induced current is different in composition than the 5-HT current, and moreover it must be strongly depolarizing due to its higher Na+ content.Supported by RC1DA028112 and R01DA033930.
Psychiatric treatment of erectile dysfunction in urology outpatient clinic

This study examined the feasibility of establishing a satellite psychiatry service in a urology outpatient clinic for the express purpose of engaging men with inhibited sexual excitement in psychiatric treatment. This approach appeared to be more successful as judged by complete referrals and symptom remission than referral to a psychiatry clinic.
On the mechanism of lithium-induced renal tubular acidosis: Studies in the turtle bladder

The mechanism whereby lithium impairs urinary acidification was investigated in vitro with the bladder of the fresh water turtle. The effect of lithium was compared to that of choline or cesium. In the presence of 1% carbon dioxide, lithium (40 mM in the mucosa) failed to alter hydrogen ion secretion. Lithium also caused a significant decrease in sodium transport and in potential difference. Lithium failed to increase the passive loss of hydrogen ions from the mucosal solution, indicating that it does not affect the permeability of the mucosa to hydrogen ions. Bicarbonate secretion also was unchanged in lithium-treated hemibladders. Under open-circuit conditions, lithium caused a significant decrease in potential difference and, hence, caused a significant decrease in hydrogen ion secretion. Restoration of the potential difference, in the presence of lithium, to control levels caused a return of hydrogen ion secretion to the original value. These data demonstrate that in the turtle baldder lithium inhibits hydrogen ion secretion solely by reducing the potential difference and suggest that in vivo lithium causes an acidification defect not by directly inhibiting the hydrogen ion pump or causing a hydrogen ion backleak but by inhibiting sodium transport, thereby decreasing the favorable electric gradient for hydrogen ion secretion.
Galen's Four Temperaments and Four-Factor Theories of Personality: A Comment on "Toward a Four-Factor Theory of Temperament and/or Personality"

Merenda (1987) presented an interesting view of the prevalence of Galen's (cited in Kant, 1978) four temperaments in modern psychological theories of personality and of the different ways in which psychological theorists have attempted to account for Galen's four types. However, Merenda drew a parallel between Galen's four types and modern four-factor theories of personality. This is an error, as I explain herein.
Numerical study of nitrogen desorption by rapid oxygen purge for a medical oxygen concentrator

Efficient desorption of selectively adsorbed N2 from air in a packed column of LiX zeolite by rapidly purging the adsorbent with an O2 enriched gas is an important element of a rapid cyclic pressure swing adsorption (RPSA) process used in the design of many medical oxygen concentrators (MOC). The amount of O2 purge gas used in the desorption process is a sensitive variable in determining the overall separation performance of a MOC unit. Various resistances like (a) adsorption kinetics, (b) column pressure drop, (c) non-isothermal column operation, (d) gas phase mass and thermal axial dispersions, and (e) gas-solid heat transfer kinetics determine the amount of purge gas required for efficient desorption of N2. The impacts of these variables on the purge efficiency were numerically simulated using a detailed mathematical model of non-isothermal, non-isobaric, and non-equilibrium desorption process in an adiabatic column. The purge gas quantity required for a specific desorption duty (fraction of total N2 removed from a column) is minimum when the process is carried out under ideal, hypothetical conditions (isothermal, isobaric, and governed by local thermodynamic equilibrium). All above-listed non-idealities (a–e) can increase the purge gas quantity, thereby, lowering the efficiency of the desorption process compared to the ideal case. Items (a–c) are primarily responsible for inefficient desorption by purge, while gas phase mass and thermal axial dispersions do not affect the purge efficiency under the conditions of operation used in this study. Smaller adsorbent particles can be used to reduce the negative effects of adsorption kinetics, especially for a fast desorption process, but increased column pressure drop adds to purge inefficiency. A particle size range of ∼300–500 μm is found to require a minimum purge gas amount for a given desorption duty. The purge gas requirement can be further reduced by employing a pancake column design (length to diameter ratio, L/D<0.2) which lowers the column pressure drop, but hydrodynamic inefficiencies (gas mal-distribution, particle agglomeration) may be introduced. Lower L/D also leads to a smaller fraction of the column volume that is free of N2 at the purge inlet end, which is required for maintaining product gas purity. The simulated gas and solid temperature profiles inside the column at the end of the rapid desorption process show that a finite gas-solid heat transfer coefficient affects these profiles only in the purge gas entrance region of the column. The profiles in the balance of the column are nearly invariant to the values of that coefficient. Consequently, the gas-solid heat transfer resistance has a minimum influence on the overall integrated N2 desorption efficiency by O2 purge for the present application.
Carpal tunnel syndrome in breast cancer survivors with upper extremity lymphedema.

Introduction: Lymphedema has long been considered a risk factor for median nerve compression at the wrist and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This association is based on limited and poor quality data. We analyzed the association between lymphedema and CTS. Methods: Breast cancer survivors with upper extremity lymphedema and electrophysiologically confirmed CTS were assessed retrospectively. The severity of lymphedema was graded using the National Institutes of Health Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03. The severity of CTS was graded in accordance with accepted criteria. Results: Nineteen patients (38 sides) met the criteria for analysis. There was no association between presence of lymphedema and CTS (P = 0.66) or between lymphedema severity and CTS severity (P = 0.79). There were no cases of infection or worsening lymphedema as a result of needle EMG. Conclusions: These findings do not support lymphedema as an etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of CTS. Muscle Nerve 51: 864–869, 2015
The effect of temperature on heart-beat frequency in the cockroach, Periplaneta americana☆☆☆

Abstract The heart-beat frequency of the American cockroach gives a linear plot against temperature over the range 12–40°C; below 12° the frequency deviates considerably from linearity. In intact cockroaches the heart continues beating well below the cold stupor temperature of the animal: to 1·8° in cold-adapted and to 4° in warm-adapted individuals. No differences were found between the sexes, and, except for the cold-inactivation temperatures, no differences between cold-adapted, room-adapted, and warm-adapted individuals. Also, no significant differences were encountered when the temperature was falling during the tests in contrast to when it was rising. Constraint or irritation of the specimen raises the values about 30 per cent. Semi-isolated heart preparations give the same linear relationship but are inactivated at 8–9°C. It is suggested that the automaticity resident in the heart is inactivated at 8–9° and supplanted at lower temperatures by stimulating impulses from the central nervous system. The same hypothesis could account for the deviation from linearity shown by intact cockroaches below 12°. Q10 values rise gradually from 1·3 at the highest temperatures to 2·5 at the lowest temperatures. Correspondingly, the μ values of Arrhenius plots (calculated from tangents to the curve) change gradually from 7000 to 18,000. In the range of 20–25° the Q10 is just under 2 and the μ value 12,000–13,000.
Markovian model for the evaluation of reliability of computer networks with intermittent faults

For a system suffering from intermittent and permanent faults, various Markov models describing the intermittent and permanent faults are developed. Keeping the transition rate for the permanent fault constant, it is shown that the reliability and mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) of a module under intermittent and permanent faults decrease steadily with an increase in intermittent fault transition rates. However, if one evaluates the reliability and MTTF of a system for only permanent failures, one can find that they have larger values than those seen when both types of faults are present in the system. >
Targeting MYCN in Neuroblastoma by BET Bromodomain Inhibition

Bromodomain inhibition comprises a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer, particularly for hematologic malignancies. To date, however, genomic biomarkers to direct clinical translation have been lacking. We conducted a cell-based screen of genetically defined cancer cell lines using a prototypical inhibitor of BET bromodomains. Integration of genetic features with chemosensitivity data revealed a robust correlation between MYCN amplification and sensitivity to bromodomain inhibition. We characterized the mechanistic and translational significance of this finding in neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer with frequent amplification of MYCN. Genome-wide expression analysis showed downregulation of the MYCN transcriptional program accompanied by suppression of MYCN transcription. Functionally, bromodomain-mediated inhibition of MYCN impaired growth and induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma. BRD4 knockdown phenocopied these effects, establishing BET bromodomains as transcriptional regulators of MYCN. BET inhibition conferred a significant survival advantage in 3 in vivo neuroblastoma models, providing a compelling rationale for developing BET bromodomain inhibitors in patients with neuroblastoma.
Comparative study of the dissociation energies of Ni2 and Ni+2

Computations at the internally contracted averaged coupled-pair-functional level of theory yield a dissociation energy (Do) for Ni2(+) that is 0.17 eV larger than that of Ni2. This finding is consistent with the collision-induced dissociation experiments of Lian, Su, and Armentrout, but rules out the results from the resonant two-photon dissociation experiments of Lessen and Brucat, which predict that the Do value of Ni2(+) is about 1 eV larger than that of Ni2.
Determination of scatter factor parameters and electron disequilibrium for monoenergetic photon beams.

The tissue-phantom-ratio (TPR) is expressed as the product of the phantom scatter factor (SF), an electron disequilibrium factor, and an attenuation factor, equal to the zero-area TPR. The scatter factor, as a function of depth d and field sizes, has been described by two parameters a and w, SF (d,s)=1+asd/(ws+d). We have determined the parameters a and w for 20 monoenergetic photon beams between 1 and 20 MeV. Pencil-beam energy-deposition kernels were obtained using Monte Carlo simulations. The kernels were used to calculate broad-beam depth-dose data, which were converted to TPR and fitted to the equation above using an iterative search over a-w space. The parameter a is nearly equal to the attenuation coefficient for all energies while the parameter w increases with energy. The resulting a and w compare favorably to values determined for clinical photon beams, as a function of the measured attenuation coefficient. With the scatter factor determined, we isolated the electron disequilibrium factor for each monoenergetic beam. It can be characterized as a quadratic function of the depth. The coefficients of the quadratic function can be related to the range of the most energetic secondary electron produced.
Verifying security invariants in ExpressOS

Security for applications running on mobile devices is important. In this paper we present ExpressOS, a new OS for enabling high-assurance applications to run on commodity mobile devices securely. Our main contributions are a new OS architecture and our use of formal methods for proving key security invariants about our implementation. In our use of formal methods, we focus solely on proving that our OS implements our security invariants correctly, rather than striving for full functional correctness, requiring significantly less verification effort while still proving the security relevant aspects of our system.We built ExpressOS, analyzed its security, and tested its performance. Our evaluation shows that the performance of ExpressOS is comparable to an Android-based system. In one test, we ran the same web browser on ExpressOS and on an Android-based system, and found that ExpressOS adds 16% overhead on average to the page load latency time for nine popular web sites.
Graphical representation of medical information in the Visual Chart

The utility of a medical records system is related to the ease of data and information entry and the usefulness and functionality of the data and information representation. We present a brief review of traditional and graphical entry and representation methods. We then present developments in the Visual Chart, a computer-based medical record interface containing time- and problem-oriented views based on iconic representations of medical events. The Visual Chart uses many graphical entry and representation methods and may provide a more intuitive and useful way of interacting with medical data and information. >
Spatial variation in RNA:DNA ratios of Diporeia spp. in the Great Lakes region

article i nfo Over the past two decades, Diporeia in all of the Laurentian Great Lakes, except Superior, have declined dra- matically. These declines have seemingly coincided with expansion of invasive Dreissena polymorpha and D. bugensis, however the exact mechanisms underlying decreasing Diporeia densities are obscure. We explored the use of RNA:DNA (R/D) ratios as a conditional index for Diporeia by experimentally demonstrating that Diporeia R/D responds to periods of starvation. Moreover, during 2008-2009 we collected Diporeia from throughout the Great Lakes and Cayuga Lake (New York, USA), and used R/D ratios to index condition of these in situ collected animals. We evaluated spatial and temporal variation of nucleic acid indices using clas- sification and regression tree (CART) analysis with a suite of environmental variables included as potential predictors. Diporeia R/D of in situ collected specimens exhibited pronounced spatial and temporal variation, but multiple CART models described only a small amount of this variation. While we observed some variation in Diporeia R/D among lakes, nucleic acid ratios appeared to respond weakly to Diporeia population charac- teristics and local environmental conditions. Specifically, CART analyses revealed that Diporeia R/D was par- ticularly low at extreme depths, and interestingly, Diporeia nucleic acids were not strongly associated with the presence of dreissenids. In summary, while a limited amount of variation in Diporeia R/D was attributable to environmental conditions, the majority of Diporeia R/D variation was unaccounted for. Hence, the causa- tive factors underlying spatio-temporal variation of Diporeia R/D and the mechanistic reasons for Diporeia declines in the Great Lakes remain largely unknown.
Variation in fecundity and other reproductive traits in freshwater mussels

SUMMARY 1. Life histories of the highly diverse and endangered North American freshwater mussel fauna are poorly known. We investigated reproductive traits of eight riverine mussel species in Alabama and Mississippi, U.S.A.: Amblema plicata, Elliptio arca, Fusconaia cerina, iizmpsilis ornafa, Obliquaria refzexa, Pleurobema decisum, Quadrula asperata and Q. pustulosa, and compare our results with existing life history information for other species. 2. These eight species had reproductive traits characteristic of large, outcrossing populations: hermaphrodites were rare, we found no evidence of protandry, and sex ratios were even or slightly male-biased. 3. Age at sexual maturity varied among species, ranging from cl to 2 years for L. ornata to 3-9 years for Q, asperafa. In all species, most mature females participated in reproduction and fertilisation success was high. 5. Fecundity was related positively to both length and age, but length was the best predictor. In six species, fecundity increased exponentially with increasing size; in two species the rate of increase in fecundity declined in larger animals. In four species, fecundity declined in older animals. These latter results indicate weak reproductive senescence; however, in all species, older individuals continued to produce large numbers of offspring. Mean annual fecundity differed widely among species ranging from 9647 to 325 709. Within-species differences in fecundity were found among rivers and among populations within a river. 6. The wide variation in reproductive traits among species indicates the existence of widely divergent life history strategies in freshwater mussels.
Aspiration in Infants and Children

1. Parvathi Mohan, MD 1. Children’s National Medical Center Washington, DC 1. Gastroesophageal Reflux . Orenstein SR. In: Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease . Wyllie R, Hyams JS, eds. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders;1993:337–369 2. Disorders of Deglutition . Tuchman DN. In: Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease . Walker WA, Durie PR et al, eds. Ontario, Toronto, Canada: B C Decker Inc; 2000:277–288 3. Vocal Cord Paralysis in Infants and Children . De Jong AL, Kuppersmith RB, Sulek M, Friedman EM. Otolaryngol Clin North Am . 2000;33:131–149 4. Advances in Pediatric Airway Radiology . Wiet GJ, Long FR, Shiels WE II, Rudman DT. Otolaryngol Clin North Am . 2000;33:15–28 Safe swallowing of solid foods and liquids is the result of a complex interaction of cranial nerves and muscles of the oral cavity, pharynx, and proximal esophagus. During the voluntary oral phase, the food bolus is altered in the mouth and propelled past the pharynx where the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts meet; precise coordinating mechanisms are crucial to prevent aspiration into the respiratory passage. Normal mechanisms of safe swallow include raising of the palate, epiglottic tilt, cord closure, primary peristalsis of the esophagus, and the tone and sequential relaxation of the upper and lower esophageal sphincters. Disorders affecting the central and peripheral nervous system and muscles of the previously noted structures, therefore, can affect swallowing mechanisms and lead to potentially dangerous sequelae. Aspiration may be defined as the accidental entry of a foreign …
Multiscale assessment of landscapes and watersheds with synoptic multivariate spatial data in environmental and ecological statistics

The paper attempts to provide a multiscale assessment of landscapes and watersheds using synoptic multivariate spatial data. Multiscale assessment is a frontier problem in environmental and ecological statistics today. The paper briefly deals with univariate surface data, multivariate signal data, and multicover categorical data, and applies stochastic conceptualization involving dendrogram trees and conditional entropies with special reference to the landscapes and watersheds of Pennsylvania.
Mining web logs to improve website organization

Many websites have a hierarchical organization of content. This organization may be quite different from the organization expected by visitors to the website. In particular, it is often unclear where a specific document is located. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to automatically find pages in a website whose location is different from where visitors expect to find them. The key insight is that visitors will backtrack if they do not find the information where they expect it: the point from where they backtrack is the expected location for the page. We present an algorithm for discovering such expected locations that can handle page caching by the browser. Expected locations with a significant number of hits are then presented to the website administrator. We also present algorithms for selecting expected locations (for adding navigation links) to optimize the benefit to the website or the visitor. We ran our algorithm on the Wharton business school website and found that even on this small website, there were many pages with expected locations different from their actual location.
Role of Turbidity Currents in Setting the Foreset Slope of Clinoforms Prograding into Standing Fresh Water

Clinoforms produced where sand-bed rivers flow into lakes and reservoirs often do not form Gilbert deltas prograding at or near the angle of repose. The maximum slope of the sandy foreset in Lake Mead, for example, is slightly below 1°. Most sand-bed rivers also carry copious amounts of mud as wash load. The muddy water often plunges over the sandy foreset and then overrides it as a muddy turbidity current. It is hypothesized here that a muddy turbidity current overriding a sandy foreset can substantially reduce the foreset angle. An experiment reveals a reduction of foreset angle of 20 percent due to an overriding turbidity current. Scale-up to field dimensions using densimetric Froude similarity indicates that the angle can be reduced to as low as 1° by this mechanism. The process of angle reduction is self-limiting in that a successively lower foreset angle pushes the plunge point successively farther out, so mitigating further reduction in foreset angle.
Effects of stability on the profiles of vertical velocity and its variance in katabatic flow

The atmospheric katabatic flow in the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains has been monitored by a network of towers and sodars for several years as part of the Atmospheric Studies in COmplex Terrain (ASCOT) program. We used three years of data from the network to explore the dependence on surface cooling and channeling by winds above the canyon of (1) profiles of the mean and variance of the vertical (perpendicular to the geopotential) component of motion and (2) the mean component of the wind perpendicular to the local terrain of Coal Creek Canyon. Previously we found that the magnitude of the near-surface temperature difference decreases with increasing surface cooling in light winds, apparently because of increasing turbulence caused when increasing drainage winds interact with surface topography. The variance of vertical velocity exhibits three types of vertical profiles, corresponding to different cooling rates and external wind speeds. The mean variance was found to depend strongly on a locally derived Richardson number.
Electric strength of XLPE containing acetophenone and other volatile substances

Measurements have been made of the AC breakdown strength and the impulse breakdown strength of samples of XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) to which known amounts of acetophenone, cumyl alcohol, alpha methyl styrene, and cumene were added. A Weibull analysis of the breakdown strengths shows that the presence of a small amount (less than 2 wt.%) of these substances has a small effect on the breakdown strength of unaged XLPE. All these substances have about the same effect: they increase the AC breakdown strength but decrease the impulse breakdown strength. >
On coordinated checkpointing in distributed systems

Coordinated checkpointing simplifies failure recovery and eliminates domino effects in case of failures by preserving a consistent global checkpoint on stable storage. However, the approach suffers from high overhead associated with the checkpointing process. Two approaches are used to reduce the overhead: first is to minimize the number of synchronization messages and the number of checkpoints, the other is to make the checkpointing process nonblocking. These two approaches were orthogonal in previous years until the Prakash-Singhal algorithm combined them. In other words, the Prakash-Singhal algorithm forces only a minimum number of processes to take checkpoints and it does not block the underlying computation. However, we found two problems in this algorithm. In this paper, we identify these problems and prove a more general result: there does not exist a nonblocking algorithm that forces only a minimum number of processes to take their checkpoints. Based on this general result, we propose an efficient algorithm that neither forces all processes to take checkpoints nor blocks the underlying computation during checkpointing. Also, we point out future research directions in designing coordinated checkpointing algorithms for distributed computing systems.
Ca(OH)2‐Based Calcium Looping Process Development at The Ohio State University

The cyclic calcium oxide-calcium carbonate (CaO-CaCO3) process is a promising option for large-scale CO2 control. Important advantages include high-temperature operation, inexpensive sorbent feedstock, and high CO2 capture capacity of CaO. However, decreasing sorbent reactivity over multiple cycles, due to high-temperature sintering, presents a major challenge for further progress. The Ohio State University (OSU) has led the development of a novel three-step calcium looping (CaO-Ca(OH)2-CaCO3) process for post- and precombustion CO2 capture. An overview of OSU's work is provided, highlighting the differences in this approach when compared to competing efforts in this field.
Statistics of extremes in climate change

This editorial essay concerns the use (or lack thereof) of the statistics of extremes in climate change research. So far, the statistical theory of extreme values has been primarily applied to climate under the assumption of stationarity. How this theory can be applied in the context of climate change, including implications for the analysis of the economic impacts of extremes, is described. Future research challenges include the statistical modeling of complex extreme events, such as heat waves, and taking into account spatial dependence in the statistical modeling of extremes for fields of climate observations or of numerical model output. Addressing these challenges will require increased collaboration between climate scientists and statisticians.
A Lyapunov function for the Energy-Casimir method

Provides a tutorial exposition for the Energy-Casimir method and constructs a Lyapunov function to prove stability for systems having at least two integrals of motion. Stabilization of the intermediate axis rotation of an asymmetric rigid spacecraft by applying input torque along the minor or major axis is reconsidered. For the axially symmetric spacecraft, the authors construct a linear torque applied at the symmetry axis which Lyapunov stabilizes rotation about a transverse principal axis. >
Micro/nano structure size effect on superhydrophobicity and anti reflection of single crystalline Si solar cells

Si surface modification is of great significance for a variety of applications, such as hydrophobic treatment, surface passivation of photovoltaic devices, and microelectronic devices. In this study, a facile way of forming superhydrophobic surfaces is reported that uses KOH etching and Au assisted HF/H2O2 etching of silicon wafers. The Au layer was deposited onto a pyramidal silicon wafer via e-beam evaporation. By controlling the evaporation and etching times, the effect of micro/nano scale roughness was manipulated and superhydrophobic surfaces with reduced hysteresis were generated. Light reflection on the as prepared black surfaces was measured to assess the efficiency for low cost solar cell applications. The two scale roughness surface showed a much reduced reflectance compared to that of pyramid textured silicon surfaces which are commonly employed in high efficiency solar cells. The effect of micro/nano size on light reflection properties was also studied. This approach offers a new way both to theoretically study the surface roughness effect and to investigate engineering applications of self-cleaning surfaces in solar cells. Such surface could also be applied in plastic packaging of IC device.
Black Women's Bodies and The Nation: Race, Gender and Culture

Black Women's Bodies and the Nation develops a decolonial approach to representations of Black women's bodies within popular culture in the US, UK and the Caribbean and the racialization and affective load of muscle, bone, fat and skin through the trope of the subaltern figure of the Sable-Saffron Venus as an 'alter/native' (Truillot, 2003). Enslavement, colonialism and settlement in the metropole created the Black woman's body as both other/same and deeply affective whether read as fear, disgust, contempt or fascination. Her body draws attention to the negotiations through which the semblance of consensus on the citizen body is created at the same time as Black women's bodies as Sable-Saffron Venus alter/natives rupture the collective body formed through the (re)iteration, (re)interpretation and (re)presentation of the meanings of muscle, bone, fat and skin. This dismantling of body norms reveals other modes of being through disalienation's (Cesaire, 2000) refusal of the racial epidermal schema (Fanon, 1967).