cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conductive paint-filled cement paste sensor for accelerated percolation

Cementitious-based strain sensors can be used as robust monitoring systems for civil engineering applications, such as road pavements and historic structures. To enable large-scale deployments, the fillers used in creating a conductive material must be inexpensive and easy to mix homogeneously. Carbon black (CB) particles constitute a promising filler due to their low cost and ease of dispersion. However, a relatively high quantity of these particles needs to be mixed with cement in order to reach the percolation threshold. Such level may influence the physical properties of the cementitious material itself, such as compressive and tensile strengths. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of utilizing a polymer to create conductive chains of CB more quickly than in a cementitious-only medium. This way, while the resulting material would have a higher conductivity, the percolation threshold would be reached with fewer CB particles. Building on the principle that the percolation threshold provides great sensing sensitivity, it would be possible to fabricate sensors using less conducting particles. We present results from a preliminary investigation comparing the utilization of a conductive paint fabricated from a poly-Styrene-co-Ethylene-co-Butylene-co-Styrene (SEBS) polymer matrix and CB, and CB-only as fillers to create cementitious sensors. Preliminary results show that the percolation threshold can be attained with significantly less CB using the SEBS+CB mix. Also, the study of the strain sensing properties indicates that the SEBS+CB sensor has a strain sensitivity comparable to the one of a CB-only cementitious sensor when comparing specimens fabricated at their respective percolation thresholds.
Mechanical properties of thin films on substrates

Thin films that are used primarily for their optical, electronic, magnetic and chemical properties are not generally considered to be structural elements. Nonetheless, when thin films are auached to substrates, they are often found to support very high stresses which can cause both deformation and fracture to occur. Thus, the mechanical properties of thin films on substrates are of technological importance. In particular, the mechanical properties of optical thin films must be sufficient to insure their mechanical integrity and dimensional stability over the lifetime of the device in which they are used. The origins and consequences of internal stresses in thin films and variations in strength and stiffness from those expected of bulk materials are discussed. Two measurement techniques are presented. In the first, curvatures induced in a substrate by stresses in an attached thin film are measured to determine those stresses. The second technique involves determining the hardness and elastic modulus of a thin film while it is attached to a substrate using a depth-sensing indentation device.
A study of active attenuation of broadband noise

The use of controlled sound, generated by unidirectional secondary sources, in cancelling primary noise of low frequency in long ducts is investigated. It is shown that for broadband primary noise, say four octaves, the simple arrangement of two secondary speakers used in many experimental studies is not efficient. This inefficiency manifests itself by a very low available output for part of the frequency band (0·16 times that of a single speaker) and by an unacceptably slow decay of the cross modes which may confuse the sensing device. The plane waves and the cross modes generated by rectangular or circular loud-speakers which are mounted on a duct wall are investigated. It is seen that an increase of the size of the loudspeaker reduces its efficiency and at the same time slows down the decay of the cross modes. Consequently, the inefficiency of a particular unidirectional arrangement cannot be corrected by the use of larger speakers. The plane wave generated by a secondary source consisting of four speakers is calculated. It is shown that such an arrangement generates unidirectional sound of amplitude at least 1·3 times that of a single speaker over a frequency range of 51/3 octaves.
New Concepts in Adaptive Control Using Multiple Models

The concept of using multiple models to cope with transients which arise in adaptive systems with large parametric uncertainties was introduced in the 1990s. Both switching between multiple fixed models, and switching and tuning between fixed and adaptive models was proposed, and the stability of the resulting schemes was established. In all cases, the number of models needed is generally large (cn where n is the dimension of the parameter vector and c an integer), and the models do not “cooperate” in any real sense. In this paper, a new approach is proposed which represents a significant departure from past methods. First, it requires (n+1) models (in contrast to cn) which is significantly smaller, when “n ” is large. Second, while each of the (n+1) models chosen generates an estimate of the plant parameter vector, the new approach provides an estimate which depends on the collective outputs of all the models, and can be viewed as a time-varying convex combination of the estimates. It is then shown that control based on such an estimate results in a stable overall system. Further, arguments are given as to why such a procedure should result in faster convergence of the estimate to the true value of the plant parameter as compared to conventional adaptive controllers, resulting in better performance. Simulation studies are included to practically verify the arguments presented, and demonstrate the improvement in performance.
The problem of edge cracks in an infinite strip

The elastostatic plane problem of an infinite strip containing two symmetrically located internal cracks perpendicular to the boundary is formulated in terms of a singular integraL equation with the derivative of the crack surface displacement as the density function. The solution of the problem is obtained for various crack geometries and for uniaxial tension applied to the strip away from the crack region. The limiting case of the edge cracks is then considered in some detail. The fundamental function of the integral equation is obtained and a numerical technique for solving the singular integral equations with this particular type of fundamental function which is characteristic of the edge cracks is described. The stress intensity factor for the complete range of net ligament-to-width ratio is calculated. The results also include the solution of the edge crack problem in an elastic half plane.
SU-E-T-202: Statistical Analysis of Patient's Treatment Site Specific QA Using MapCHECK2 for Local Delivery Guideline

Purpose: We statistically evaluated the results of dosimetry quality assurance (DQA) measurements and derived local confidence limits for different treatment site to establish our institutional guideline for patient's treatment site specific QA procedure. Methods: 104 patients were treated using IMRT and VMAT with head and neck (H&N) cancer (16 cases,15.4%), prostate or pelvis cancer (28 cases 26.9%), breast cancer (21 cases 20.2%), lung cancer (12 cases 11.5%) and brain tumor (27 cases, 26.0%) in which all H&N patients were treated using VMAT while others were treated with IMRT. All IMRT's composite‐fields were measured with MapCHECK2 while 16 H&N VMAT plans were undertaken using MapCHECK2 with an isocentric setup holder. The Distance‐to‐Agreement (DTA) 3%3mm criteria were used to evaluate the QA plans. The mean DTA values and standard deviations were used to develop the local confidence for each treatment site. Local confidence limits (CL) were derived using concept confident limit of (100‐mean)+1.96σ. T‐test was used to compare DTA 3%/3mm between different treatment site. Results: The percentage of points passing the DTA 3%/3mm for different treatment site as follow: H&N cancer was 96.8±2.2%, Prostate or pelvis cancer was 98.0±2.6%, Lung cancer was 97.5±3.1%, Brain tumor was 98.4±2.4%, Breast cancer was 99.4±1.1%. The Results shows breast IMRT DTA passing rate is significantly higher than lung IMRT(p=0.020), prostate or pelvis IMRT(p=0.028) and H&N VMAT (p=0.00005). Brain IMRT DTA passing rate is significantly higher than H&N VMRT(p= 0.045). Confident limit for H&N site is 7.6% (92.4% passing), prostate or pelvis cancer is 7.1% (92.9% passing), Breast site is 2.8%(97.1% passing), lung cancer is 8.6% (91.4% passing)and brain tumor is 6.2% (93.8% passing). Conclusion: This study indicates that different treatment site may have different degree of intensity modulation resulting different DTA passing rate. Different local confident limit may be needed for different treatment sites or techniques.
New ideas of space and time

There are reasons for believing that the gravitational constant, expressed in terms of atomic units, is not accurately constant, but varies slowly with the age of the universe. This requires a modification of Einstein's theory of gravitation. One may suppose that the element of distance occurring in Einstein's theory is not the same as that measured by atomic apparatus. It becomes possible to revive Weyl's geometry, a generalization of that used by Einstein, to account for the electromagnetic field. There is then no exact symmetry between positive and negative electric charge, or between past and future.
Time on market and sales price of residential housing: A note

This note extends the study of Kalra and Chan (1994). A simultaneous TOBIT equations model is established to address the simultaneity nature of time on the market (TOM) and sales price (SP) in the presence of censored sample bias. We find that both TOM and SP are positively related to each other.
Weak (1,1) bounds for oscillatory singular integrals

Pour un polynome P:R n ×R n →R et un noyau de Calderon-Zygmund K, l'operateur T f(x)=pv∫ exp [iP(x, y)], K (x-y) F (y) dy est de type faible sur L 1 , avec une borne dependant seulement de ||K|| CZ et le degre de P
MATERNAL CARE IN RELATION TO INFANT BEHAVIOR IN THE SQUIRREL MONKEY.

Observation of a mother squirrel monkey with her dead infant and an experiment with another mother and her viable 10-day-old infant are used to support the following points. (1) The typical, passive maternal care given by the squirrel monkey mother to her young is in part influenced by the behavior of the infant. (2) In response to certain behaviors of the infant, the squirrel monkey mother can exhibit behaviors that for her are otherwise improbable, including bipedal carrying and cradling of the infant. Implications of these findings for inferring the origin of bipedalism in primates are considered.
Effect of gender, ethnicity, pulmonary disease, and symptom stability on rehospitalization in patients with heart failure

Predicting rehospitalization risk may enable more tailored therapies for patients at high risk of rehospitalization. The objective of this study was to determine whether demographic, clinical, or psychological variables conferred increased risk of rehospitalization in a multiethnic, hospitalized, heart failure (HF) population. Demographic and clinical data were collected, with psychological and functional (6-minute walk test [6MWT]) variables obtained within 48 hours of discharge. Patients with HF (n = 72) were followed up for 90 days after discharge. Subjects' mean age was 62 +/- 18 years, with almost 1/2 nonwhite (n = 32) and 2/3 men (n = 47). Mean discharge brain natriuretic peptide was 825 +/- 716 ng/L, mean quality-of-life score was 34 +/- 21, and mean 6MWT distance was 186 +/- 99 m. Almost 1/2 (n = 34) were rehospitalized for cardiac reasons within 90 days. Women had a 2.5 times greater risk for rehospitalization than men. Both female gender and nonwhite ethnicity incurred > or =2 times greater risk of cardiac rehospitalization. Brain natriuretic peptide and 6MWT score did not predict rehospitalization risk. In conclusion, sociodemographic factors may be more powerful predictors of rehospitalization than known clinical markers in multiethnic patients hospitalized for HF. Evaluation for support services is needed to prevent rehospitalization, especially in women and nonwhites.
Media-based effects on the hydrolytic degradation and crystallization of electrospun synthetic-biologic blends.

Tissue engineering scaffold degradation in aqueous environments is a widely recognized factor determining the fate of the associated anchorage-dependent cells. Electrospun blends of synthetic polycaprolactone (PCL) and a biological polymer, gelatin, of 25, 50, and 75 wt% were investigated for alterations in crystallinity, microstructure and morphology following widely used in vitro biological exposures. To our knowledge, the effects of these different aqueous-based biological media compositions on the degradation of these blends have never been directly compared. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis exposed that differences in PCL crystallinity were observed following exposures to phosphate buffered solution (PBS), Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM) cell culture media, and DI water following 7 days of exposure at 37 °C. XRD data suggested that in vitro medium exposures aid in providing chain mobility and rearrangement due to hydrolytic degradation of the gelatin phase, allowing previously constrained, poorly crystalline PCL regions to achieve more intense reflections resulting in the presence of crystalline peaks. The dry, as-spun modulus of relatively soft 100 % PCL fibers was approximately 10 % of any gelatin-containing composition. Tensile testing results indicate that hydrated gelatin containing scaffolds on average had a fivefold increase in elongation compared to as-spun scaffolds. After 24-h of aqueous exposure, the elastic modulus decreased in proportion to increasing gelatin content. After 1 day of exposure, the 75 and 100 % gelatin compositions largely ceased to display measurable values of modulus, elongation or tensile strength due to considerable hydrolytic degradation. On a relative basis, common aqueous in vitro medium exposures (deionized water, PBS, and DMEM) resulted in significantly divergent amounts of crystalline PCL, overall microstructure and fiber morphology in the blended compositions, subsequently ‘shielding’ scaffolds from significant changes in mechanical properties after 24-h of exposure. Understanding electrospun PCL-gelatin scaffold dynamics in different aqueous-based cell culture medias enables the ability to tailor scaffold composition to ‘tune’ degradation rate, microstructure, and long-term mechanical stability for optimal cellular growth, proliferation, and maturation.
Stress reduces morphine's antinociceptive potency: dependence upon spinal cholecystokinin processes

The antinociceptive potency of opioids is altered by stress. We have shown that repetitive exposure of rats to noxious heat produced stress-induced analgesia as detected by the tail-flick test, but decreased the potency of the opioid beta-endorphin in the periaqueductal gray region of the midbrain (PAG). In this study, we examined the effects of this same stressor on the antinociceptive actions of the alkaloid narcotic, morphine, following either i.p. or intracerebral administration. Regardless of the route of administration, a significant reduction in the narcotic's ability to produce antinociception during stress was observed. The stress-induced reduction in morphine's potency was reversed by the intrathecal administration of the cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist L-365,260 (0.1 ng per rat), suggesting that spinal CCK-dependent 'anti-analgesic' processes are involved. Since stress influences the potency of narcotics, it may be an important physiological component to be considered in the clinical management of pain. Moreover, CCK receptor antagonists may improve the reliability of narcotic therapy.
Delayed wound closure: Indications and techniques

Delayed wound closure should be used in wounds that are contaminated or contain devitalized tissue. The wound should be left open for three to four days for observation to determine if infection is present or if the tissues are devitalized. This management technique allows the physician to control infection and provide surgical debridement. Leaving the wound open provides the opportunity to inspect and evaluate the wound to determine if a problem is present. The wound then can be repaired with minimal risk. It is beneficial that the wound healing process is not delayed using this technique of wound closure.
Mechanics of splitting in orthotropic materials

Abstract A theoretical study is made of splitting around the boundaries of elliptical holes in an orthotropic material. The splitting is modeled as a crack with both Mode I opening and Mode II sliding. The sliding resistance on the closed portion of the splitting crack is assumed to obey a Coulomb friction law. The stress intensity factors and the critical external load for splitting propagation are calculated as functions of splitting length. The dependence of stress intensity factors and the critical external load upon the length of splitting, the root radii of the hole, elastic orthotropy, frictional coefficient and the critical energy release rate is described in terms of a universal set of nondimensional parameters. It is found that splitting is unstable in the absence of frictional resistance and stable when sufficient frictional resistance is present. Elastic orthotropy, through its interaction with frictional resistance, tends to reduce the effects of frictional sliding resistance. The stress redistribution due to splitting is also studied. It is found that the splitting is very effective in relieving the high stress concentration ahead of the tips of cracks or at the boundaries of holes. Unlike the growth of splitting itself, the stress redistribution effect is insensitive to frictional resistance. The calculated results suggest that regardless of the root radii of a flaw, a splitting crack of the length of the original flaw reduces the stress concentration factor to less than 2.
Saturation and beaming in astrophysical masers. II - The fully saturated limit

Radiative transfer in fully saturated maser clouds has been investigated using the 'four-stream' model equations of Alcock and Ross (1985). It is shown that a modest elongation of the maser cloud produces a substantial asymmetry in the maser output. The ratio of output fluxes in different directions is a strong function of the ratio of the corresponding chord lengths across the cloud. Arguments are presented that the asymmetries reported here for the 'four-stream' models closely mimic the asymmetries that should be expected in a real master cloud.
Predictive Testing and Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease (AD),2 the most common form of dementia, is a progressive degenerative neurological disorder characterized by the accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and τ protein neurofibrillary tangles in brain gray matter. There are currently no therapies to halt or reverse AD progression and no laboratory tests to make a definitive diagnosis. To date, the bulk of AD research has focused on amyloid-β deposition. In response to the largely disappointing results of β-amyloid–targeting therapies in clinical trials, it appears that interest may now be shifting toward apolipoprotein E (ApoE) as described in the recent Nature article, “The Forgetting Gene,” by Laura Spinney (1). With a projected 13.8 million Americans over the age of 65 living with AD by 2050, renewed focus on ApoE as both a therapeutic target and predictive test could have major impacts in delaying symptoms and slowing disease progression (2 …
Stacks and Torsors over Quivers

We study natural Grothendieck topologies on categories of quivers without and with relations, prove descent theorems for quiver representations, and introduce the notion of torsors over quivers.
Small and alternative press acquisitions

I am here again this year to expand upon one of my favorite acquisitions topics, which I touched on briefly at last year’s meeting: obtaining small and alternative press materials for your library. Like a good scholar, I reviewed Library Literature to see what was being written on this topic, and the results were depressing. Aside from Elliot Shore (the curator of the Contemporary Culture Collection at Temple University and coordinator of the federally funded Alternative Acquisitions Project) and James Danky (editor of the Collectors’ Network News and Newspapers and Periodicals Librarian of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin), no one is writing in library literature about the small and alternative presses. Since 1980, three articles have been indexed, all from the commercial periodical Collection Building. There were some notes indicating that Bill Katz does an annual round-up of 100 or so titles in W, and that Booklist has a regular feature called “Small Press Scene” in every second monthly issue. I found the Katz articles and liked them, but I flipped through six months worth of Booklist and failed to find one feature article by that title. I scanned the standard texts on collection development and acquisitions used by library students and practicing librarians and found not one word about acquiring small and alternative press material, not even in the impressive and thorough two-volume work by Stueart and Miller, Collection Development in Libraries: a Treatise, published in 1980 by JAI Press. What is going on here? I know we are in the 1980s now-almost everyone is over the Berkeley Barb, and Rolling Stone has become seriously Establishment. But the situation with the commercial publishing industry hasn’t changed. They are still conglomerating, still choosing what they will publish based on profit margins and market identities, and the need for alternative sources of information, new voices, new ideas and representation of minority opinions is greater than ever. What are we doing about it?
Liver-specific Inactivation of the Abetalipoproteinemia Gene Completely Abrogates Very Low Density Lipoprotein/Low Density Lipoprotein Production in a Viable Conditional Knockout Mouse

Conventional knockout of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein large subunit (lMTP) gene is embryonic lethal in the homozygous state in mice. We have produced a conditional lMTP knockout mouse by inserting loxP sequences flanking exons 5 and 6 by gene targeting. Homozygous floxed mice were born live with normal plasma lipids. Intravenous injection of an adenovirus harboring Cre recombinase (AdCre1) produced deletion of exons 5 and 6 and disappearance of lMTP mRNA and immunoreactive protein in a liver-specific manner. There was also disappearance of plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 and marked reduction in apoB-48 levels. Wild-type mice showed no response, and heterozygous mice, an intermediate response, to AdCre1. Wild-type mice doubled their plasma cholesterol level following a high cholesterol diet. This hypercholesterolemia was abolished in AdCre1-treated lMTP−/− mice, the result of a complete absence of very low/intermediate/low density lipoproteins and a slight reduction in high density lipoprotein. Heterozygous mice showed an intermediate lipoprotein phenotype. The rate of accumulation of plasma triglyceride following Triton WR1339 treatment in lMTP−/− mice was
Optimized Single-Stage Power-Split Hydraulic Hybrid City Bus

Power-split architecture is, in theory, an excellent drive train in city bus applications because it combines the advantages of series (control flexibility) and parallel (high-efficiency power transfer) architectures. However, the power split also increases the complexity of the drive train with more component choices and control degrees of freedom that, if not properly optimized, would result in significant power loss. The hydraulic hybrid drive train has the disadvantages of the low speed limit of the hydraulic pump/motor unit and the low energy density of the hydraulic accumulator. An extensive optimization study has been done to ensure the hydraulic hybrid city bus drive train runs at optimal conditions. This study analyzes all twelve basic power-split configurations before any component or control strategy optimization is done. One input coupled configuration is found suitable for use in a power-split hydraulic hybrid city bus.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Chronic Politics: Health Care Security from FDR to George W. Bush – By Philip J. Funigiello

Implacable opposition from effective interest groups, a government system with separation of powers, a fragmented Congressional legislative process, undisciplined political parties, and a political...
ASSESSMENT OF CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY OF THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS INVENTORY

This study was designed to assess criterion-related validity of the Leadership Skills Inventory. The student subjects were 113 girls and boys (Grades 6–11) who had recently completed a 1-wk. Leader...
The quantitative assessment of motor activity in mania and schizophrenia.

Background Increased motor activity is a cardinal feature of the mania of Bipolar Disorder (BD), and is thought to reflect dopaminergic dysregulation. Motor activity in BD has been studied almost exclusively with self-report and observer-rated scales, limiting the ability to objectively quantify this behavior. We used an ambulatory monitoring device to quantify motor activity in BD and schizophrenia (SCZ) patients in a novel exploratory paradigm, the human Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM).
Comparison and Relationship of Body Composition Methods in Swimmers Aged 12 to 18

Abstract Three body composition methods for determining body fat (%) and fat-free mass (FFM) were compared in youth competitive swimmers (X age ±SD = 15.06 ±1.77 years.). Relationship among methods was also examined. Thirty-one youth including 17 females (55%) and 14 males (45%) volunteered. Subjects were requested to refrain from exercise on the test day and were randomly assigned regarding order of testing methods applied. Measurements from a lunar dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) instrument, hydrodensitometry (HD) employing underwater weighing and skinfold thickness (SK) employing the Slaughter et al (1988) equation were compared with respect to %fat and FFM. Lung residual volume was estimated from vital capacity after Wilmore (1969). A 1-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences (p
The effect of cyclooxygenase-2 expression on tumor vascularity in advanced stage ovarian serous carcinoma

BACKGROUND Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) seems to be involved at various steps in the processes of malignant transformation and tumor progression. Investigations have shown that COX-2 overexpression is associated with increased proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and angiogenesis. METHODS Specimens from 125 patients with high-grade, advanced-stage (Stage III–IV) serous ovarian carcinoma were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for COX-2, p53, bcl-2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and Her-2/neu expression and for CD34-stained microvessel density (MVD). Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the correlations between COX-2 expression and 1) clinicopathologic characteristics, 2) tumor MVD, and 3) expression of other molecular markers. The effect of COX-2 expression on survival was determined using survival analysis. RESULTS Increased COX-2 expression was significantly correlated with tumor MVD (Spearman rank correlation test: r = 0.41; P < 0.001). There was no association observed between COX-2 expression and expression levels of EGFR, Her-2/neu, bcl-2, or p53. Patients who had tumors that showed high COX-2 expression had a worse prognosis compared with patients who had tumors with low expression (death hazard ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–3.5; P < 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that COX-2 expression was the strongest predictor of survival among the different prognostic factors analyzed. CONCLUSIONS The current study demonstrated that COX-2 expression was correlated significantly with survival in patients with high-grade, high-stage serous ovarian carcinoma. Expression of COX-2 also was correlated with tumor angiogenesis but not with EGFR, Her-2/neu, or p53 expression. In addition to their prognostic significance, a better understanding of the biology of these molecular changes may help identify new targets for therapy in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Cancer 2003;98:1423–9. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11650
Modelling Intra-City Time-Dependent Travel Speeds for Vehicle Scheduling Problems

Many research papers have presented mathematical models for vehicle scheduling. Several of these models have been embedded in commercial decision support systems for intra-city vehicle scheduling for launderies, grocery stores, banks, express mail customers, etc. Virtually all of these models ignore the important issue of time-dependent travel speeds for intra-city travel. Travel speeds (and times) in nearly all metropolitan areas change drastically during the day because of congestion in certain parts of the city road network. The assumption of constant (time-independent) travel speeds seriously affects the usefulness of these models. This is particularly true when time windows (earliest and latest stop time constraints) and other scheduling issues are important. This research proposes a parsimonious model for time-dependent travel speeds and several approaches for estimating the parameters for this model. An example is presented to illustrate the proposed modelling approach. The issue of developing algorithms to find near-optimal vehicle schedules with time-dependent travel speeds is also discussed. The modelling approach presented in this paper has been implemented in a commercial courier vehicle scheduling system and was judged to be ‘very useful’ by users in a number of different metropolitan areas in the United States.
Cyclolysis: A Diagnosis of Two Extratropical Cyclones

Abstract This paper presents a diagnosis of the slow decay of two extratropical cyclones that occurred over the central United States in March and November 1999. Results reveal that vertical superposition of the cyclone and upper-level troughs is not required for cyclone decay to occur. In both cases, decay commenced while the upper-level trough was still upstream from, and thus upper-level cyclonic vorticity was present above, the cyclone. Failure of the upstream tilt in both trough systems to yield cyclone intensification was attributed largely to the advection of cold air, primarily at lower to middle levels, into each cyclone's interior. Also of interest is the fact that latent heat release also contributed to the decay of both cyclones. This latter result was a consequence of the location of the cyclones in the outer portion of their respective heating regions. Finally, more rapid decay of the two cyclones was prevented by middle- and lower-tropospheric adiabatic warming that occurred in the statical...
MEASURING THE STRENGTH OF INTERVARIABLE RELATIONS

The measures of information theory, suitably modified, can be used as measures of the strength of intervariable relations. This paper defines the normalized transmission between two variables; it is a measure of the degree to which knowledge of one variable is helpful in guessing the value of the other, and it can be applied to static or dynamic relations. The usefulness of the measure is illustrated by an example consisting of seven weather variables, where it is shown that the normalized transmission leads to a natural partition of the system into subsystems, within which the intervariable relations are strong and between which they are weak. Normalized transmission is also compared with other measures of relatedness.
Understanding the Hastings Algorithm

The Hastings algorithm is a key tool in computational science. While mathematically justified by detailed balance, it can be conceptually difficult to grasp. Here, we present two complementary and intuitive ways to derive and understand the algorithm. In our framework, it is straightforward to see that the celebrated Metropolis–Hastings algorithm has the highest acceptance probability of all Hastings algorithms.
Prader-Willi Syndrome: Clinical and Genetic Findings.

Abstract Since the initial medical description by Prader, Labhart and Willi in 1956 of individuals with overlapping features, the Prader-Willi syndrome has become recognized as a classical but sporadic genetic syndrome. Prader-Willi syndrome is the most common genetic cause of life-threatening obesity in humans. It is estimated that there are 350,000-400,000 people with this syndrome worldwide. Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA knows of more than 3,400 persons with Prader-Willi syndrome in the USA out of an approximate 17,000-22,000. Prader-Willi syndrome with an incidence of 1 in 10,000 to 25,000 individuals and Angelman syndrome, an entirely different clinical condition, were the first examples in humans of genetic imprinting. Genetic imprinting or the differential expression of genetic information depending on the parent of origin plays a significant role in other conditions including malignancies.
Assessing California Groundwater Susceptibility Using Trace Concentrations of Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds

Twenty-four halogenated volatile organic compounds (hVOCs) and SF6 were measured in groundwater samples collected from 312 wells across California at concentrations as low as 10–12 grams per kilogram groundwater. The hVOCs detected are predominately anthropogenic (i.e., “ahVOCs”) and as such their distribution delineates where groundwaters are impacted and susceptible to human activity. ahVOC detections were broadly consistent with air-saturated water concentrations in equilibrium with a combination of industrial-era global and regional hVOC atmospheric abundances. However, detection of ahVOCs in nearly all of the samples collected, including ancient groundwaters, suggests the presence of a sampling or analytical artifact that confounds interpretation of the very-low concentration ahVOC data. To increase our confidence in ahVOC detections we establish screening levels based on ahVOC concentrations in deep wells drawing ancient groundwater in Owens Valley. Concentrations of ahVOCs below the Owens Valley sc...
Supramolecular tailoring of protein–nanoparticle interactions using cucurbituril mediators

Supramolecular modification of nanoparticle surfaces through threading of cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) onto surface ligands is used to regulate protein–nanoparticle interactions.
The guinea pig as a model for effects of maternal nutrition on pregnancy outcome

Abstract The guinea pig has several characteristics which make it a useful model for the effects of nutrition on reproduction, but the nutrient requirements of the pregnant guinea pig have received little study. Since, in our experience, diets that support good growth in young animals may not be adequate for pregnancy, we compared the outcome of pregnancy in guinea pigs fed a purified diet (Cas) with that of animals fed a commercial “natural foods” diet (Com). To determine the effects of decreased feed intake which frequently accompanies nutritional deficiencies, the diets were fed either ad libitum (AL) throughout pregnancy or at a restricted level (RI) during the last half. Feed restriction was increased from 20 to 50% to mimic the effect of an animal's becoming increasingly deficient. Females fed the two diets did not differ in weight gain during pregnancy, number per litter, or birth weight of the pups. ComAL had a larger percentage of young born alive than did CasAL and better survival of the young. All CasRI and two-thirds of ComRI delivered one to two weeks before term. Comparison of the purified diet with other purified diets and with the Recommended Nutrient Allowances suggested that while adding arginine and additional calcium to the diet might help females with reduced feed intake, some other factor is probably responsible for the differences in survival of neonates of ad libitum-fed females. Nonetheless, the purified diet can be used satisfactorily for studies of the effects of maternal nutrition on pregnancy outcome.
SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR RADIOASSAY OF BLOOD GLUCOSE.

RADIOACTIVITY in blood glucose following injection of 14C-labelled precursor has been determined during numerous metabolic investigations. In most cases, either a comparatively large volume of sample1 or a considerable amount of carrier glucose2 has been used to prepare a sufficient quantity of glucosazone. Both these methods have disadvantages. Obtaining a large blood sample is nearly impossible in small animals and also has serious limitations on repeated sampling in large animals, while the addition of carrier glucose is limited to blood glucose which has a relatively high specific activity. Some investigators have counted glucosazone for radioassay at infinite thickness3 while others have converted it to CO2 and counted it as BaCO3 at infinite thickness1.
The type A behavior pattern in children: relationships with performance on speed oriented tasks.

Abstract The Matthews Youth Test for Health (MYTH) was completed by teachers to evaluate 85 fifth- and sixth-grade boys. Type A and B groups of 20 boys each were selected based on MYTH scores. Each boy performed a signalled reaction time task and a perceptual search task. No performance difference was found between the Type A and B boys on the reaction time task. On the perceptual search task, each boy had to scan a set of pictures and report the number of “Snoopy's” seen in each picture. A group difference in response time was found, with the Type A boys having a mean of 5.98 s versus 7.87 for the Type B boys.
Structural stability for time-periodic one-dimensional parabolic equations

Denote Q = [w x [0, L] x R. The nonlinear term f is assumed to satisfy the following conditions: (F.l) f: Q + R is of class C’; (F.2) f(t+l,x,U)=f(t,x,U)for all tE[W, XE[O, L] and UER. Define a self-adjoint operator A in X= L2(0, L) by A$ := -t,bxx for $ E D(A) = H2(0, L) A HA(O, L). For each c1 E R, let A” be the fractional power of A and X” = D(A”) be the fractional power space equipped with the graph norm II+11 Xn = 1111/11X + IIA”I)II X. Throughout this section we fix a < c1< 1. By the above assumptions (F.l)-(F.2), for any u0 = $ E X”, there exists a unique local (in time) classical solution u(t, x) = u(t, x; $) of
Preliminary observations on lactoferrin secretion in human vaginal mucus: variation during the menstrual cycle, evidence of hormonal regulation, and implications for infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae

The concentration of the iron-binding protein lactoferrin was measured in vaginal mucus of women throughout the menstrual cycle. Lactoferrin is proposed to limit growth of mucosal pathogens such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Lactoferrin concentration in mucus was highest just after menses (62.9 to 218 µ/mg of protein) and lowest (3.8 to 11.4 µ/mg of protein) just before menses. Overall concentration of mucus protein showed no variation with menstrual cycle, and little lactoferrin was detectable in cell debris. Plasma lactoferrin did not show the variation seen in vaginal mucus. Because of the suggestion of hormonal influence on vaginal lactoferrin, its concentration was determined in women receiving oral contraceptive therapy. Mean lactoferrin concentration in women taking oral contraceptives was significantly lower than in the control group (never exceeding 19.8 µ/mg of protein) and showed no monthly variation. Vaginal lactoferrin appears to be under hormonal control. Variation in vaginal lactoferrin concentration may result in alterations in susceptibility to bacterial pathogens such as Neisseriae gonorrhoeae.
Chemistry of NO2 on Mo(110): decomposition reactions and formation of MoO2

Abstract Synchrotron-based high-resolution photoemission and ab initio self-consistent field (SCF) calculations have been used to study the chemistry of nitrogen dioxide on Mo(110). The Mo surface reacts readily with nitrogen dioxide, decomposing the molecule into adsorbed NO and O adatoms at temperatures between 100 and 150 K. The majority of the NO produced further dissociates (NOads→Nads+Oads) between 250 and 350 K. Dosing of NO2 at 300 K leads to full decomposition of the molecule and in addition O is deposited on the Mo(110) surface by the reaction: NO2,gas→NOgas+Oads. Two important factors make easy the dissociation of NO2 on Mo(110). The first one is a transfer of electrons from the metal into the 6a1 orbital of NO2 that weakens the bonds within the molecule. The second one is the very large stability of the N and O atoms on Mo(110). The ab initio SCF calculations predict that on Mo(110) nitrogen dioxide probably adopts η2-O,O or η2-N,O bonding configurations as precursors for dissociation of the molecule. Molybdenum has a larger ability to cleavage NO bonds than late transition metals (Rh, Pt, Pd, Ag, Au) but a lower ability than W. At high temperatures (∼1000 K), the reaction of NO2 with Mo(110) produces pure films (thickness>20 A) of polycrystalline MoO2. Nitrogen dioxide is a much better oxidizing agent than molecular oxygen. The MoO2 films are good models for studying the chemical properties of molybdenum oxide surfaces, and can be used in the synthesis of Al2O3 (2Al+1.5MoO2→Al2O3+1.5Mo) or mixed-metal oxide systems.
Larrabee: a many-core Intel® architecture for visual computing

The ample supply of transistors provided by advancements in process technology, combined with the increased difficultly to exploit single thread performance, moved the industry to populate several cores on a single die. This talk presents Larrabee -- the next bold step in this direction.Larrabee is a many-core visual computing architecture. Larrabee uses multiple in-order X86 CPU cores that are augmented by a wide vector processor unit, as well as some fixed function logic blocks. This provides dramatically higher performance per watt and per unit of area than out-of-order CPUs on highly parallel workloads. It also greatly increases the flexibility and programmability of the architecture as compared to standard GPUs. A coherent on-die 2nd level cache allows efficient inter-processor communication and high-bandwidth local data access by CPU cores. The customizable software graphics rendering pipeline for this architecture uses binning in order to reduce required memory bandwidth, and increase opportunities for parallelism relative to standard GPUs. The Larrabee native programming model supports a variety of highly parallel applications that use irregular data structures.
Hydrogenation of polystyrene in CO2-expanded liquids: The effect of catalyst composition on deactivation

Abstract The effect of catalyst composition on the hydrogenation of the aromatic rings of polystyrene dissolved in carbon dioxide-expanded decahydronaphthalene (CO 2 -DHN) was studied using a slurry reactor at 150 °C. Catalyst deactivation occurred within 15 min of the addition of CO 2 to the reactor when 5% Pd/SiO 2 or 5% Pd/Al 2 O 3 was used as the catalyst. The deactivation is believed to be a consequence of CO formation via the reverse water-gas shift reaction, as CO was observed at the end of each hydrogenation reaction. In an effort to convert CO to CH 4 before the poisoning of Pd sites occurred, a methanation catalyst such as 5% Ru/Al 2 O 3 or 65% Ni/SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 was physically mixed with 5% Pd/SiO 2 or 5% Pd/Al 2 O 3 and used to hydrogenate PS. Carbon monoxide concentrations decreased, but no significant improvements in aromatic ring hydrogenation were observed. When a catalyst containing both a hydrogenation and methanation function in a single catalyst particle (1.6% Ru/4.2% Pd/SiO 2 ) was used, the degrees of hydrogenation in CO 2 -DHN matched those obtained when neat DHN was the solvent. Furthermore, no CO was detected when the reaction was catalyzed by the bimetallic catalyst. These results suggest that the methanation function must be proximate to the hydrogenation (reverse water-gas shift) function in order for aromatic ring hydrogenation to proceed as rapidly in a CO 2 -expanded solvent as in the unexpanded solvent.
Fact and fad in the surgical treatment of periodontal disease.

Although surgical treatment is an effective method of eliminating many periodontal conditions, surgery is no panacea; it cannot be relied on to produce the desired results without employing other treatment methods indicated by the requirements of individual cases. Only infrequently is it necessary to employ surgical procedures to create soft tissue and bone contours artificially.
Crack-tip fields for fast fracture of an elastic-plastic material

Abstract A n asymptotic analysis of the near-tip fields is given for transient crack propagation in an elastic-plastic material. The material is characterized by J 2 flow theory together with a bilinear effective stress-strain curve. Both plane stress and plane strain conditions have been considered. Explicit results are given for the order of the crack-tip singularity, the angular position at which unloading occurs, and the angular variation of the near-tip stresses, all as functions of the crack-tip speed and the ratio of the slopes of the two portions of the bilinear stress-strain relation. It was found that the results are much more sensitive to the elastic-plastic constitutive relation than to the crack speed. This result is important for numerical analyses of dynamic crack propagation problems.
Translocation of the α-isozyme of protein kinase C during stimulation of rat parotid acinar cells by phorbol ester and carbachol

Protein kinase C activity was detected in the cytosolic fraction of quiescent parotid acinar cells; the particulate fraction contained a much smaller proportion of the enzyme. Protein kinase C activity was increased in the membrane fraction and decreased in the cytosol after exposure of intact cells to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or the muscarinic-receptor agonist carbachol. The effect of PMA was potentiated by a subthreshold concentration of ionomycin. Immunoblot analysis with anti-protein kinase C antibodies revealed that the protein kinase C-alpha isoform is expressed in rat parotid cells. Other Ca(2+)-dependent isoforms were not detected. Further, agonist stimulation caused the redistribution of protein kinase C-alpha from cytosol to a membrane fraction. Agonists may promote parotid acinar cell activity, including amylase secretion, by increasing the affinity of protein kinase C-alpha for the membrane fraction, presumably via a rise in Ca2+ and diacylglycerol derived from polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis.
Conjugation of the 15-kDa Interferon-induced Ubiquitin Homolog Is Distinct from That of Ubiquitin

The biological effect of type 1 interferons is proposed to arise in part from the conjugation of ubiquitin cross-reactive protein (UCRP), the ISG15 gene product, to intracellular target proteins in a process analogous to that of its sequence homolog ubiquitin, a highly conserved 8.6-kDa polypeptide whose ligation marks proteins for degradation via the 26 S proteasome. Inclusion of CoCl2 during the purification of recombinant UCRP blocks the proteolytic inactivation of the polypeptide occurring by cleavage of the carboxyl-terminal glycine dipeptide required for activation and subsequent ligation. Intact UCRP supports a low rate of ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1)-dependent ATP:PPi exchange but fails to form a stoichiometric E1-UCRP thiol ester or undergo transfer to ubiquitin carrier protein (E2). The binding affinity of E1 for UCRP is significantly diminished relative to that of ubiquitin. These results suggest that UCRP conjugation proceeds through an enzyme pathway distinct from that of ubiquitin, at least with respect to the step of activation. This was confirmed for an in vitro conjugation assay in which 125I-UCRP could be ligated in an ATP-dependent reaction to proteins present within an A549 human lung carcinoma cell extract and could be competitively inhibited by excess unlabeled UCRP but not ubiquitin. Other results demonstrate that 125I-UCRP conjugation is significantly increased in cell extracts after 24 h of incubation in the presence of interferon-β, consistent with the late induction of UCRP conjugating activity. Thus, interferon-responsive cells contain a pathway for UCRP ligation that is parallel but distinct from that of ubiquitin.