cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient Behavior of the Velocity Profile in Channel Flow of a Langmuir Monolayer

We have observed the surface pressure-driven flow of Langmuir monolayers through a narrow channel by means of Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The monolayers, composed of long chain carboxylic acids, were studied in a “hexatic” liquid crystalline mesophase (L2 phase). The velocity profile across the channel demonstrated transient behavior; i.e., it evolved from the expected parabolic shape to triangular as a function of flow rate, location along the channel, and time elapsed after start-up of flow. These transient effects appear to be related to the total strain in the system and suggest the importance of elasticity in the monolayer flow response. For situations in which the velocity profile was triangular, the distribution of domain widths across the channel indicated that the degree of domain stretching was systematically less than expected from the amount of strain the monolayer had experienced. This implied that elasticity of domain boundaries and/or slippage between domains resists domain stretching ...
A Discrete Dislocation Plasticity Analysis of Plane-Strain Indentation of a Single-Crystal Half-Space by a Smooth and a Rough Rigid Asperity

A discrete dislocation plasticity analysis of plane-strain indentation of a single-crystal half-space by a smooth or rough (fractal) rigid asperity is presented. The emission, movement, and annihilation of edge dislocations are incorporated in the analysis through a set of constitutive rules [1,2]. It is shown that the initiation of the first dislocation is controlled by the subsurface Hertzian stress field and occurs in the ±45° direction with respect to the normal of the crystal surface, in agreement with the macroscopic yielding behavior of the indented halfspace. For fixed slip-plane direction, the dislocation density increases with the applied normal load and dislocation source density. The dislocation multiplication behavior at a given load is compared with that generated by a rough indenter with a fractal surface profile. The results of the analysis provide insight into yielding and plastic deformation phenomena in indented single-crystal materials.© 2010 ASME
Inmate Mothers: Legislative Solutions to a Difficult Problem

Abstract The vast majority of imprisoned women have children and a sizeable portion have either preschool children or infants. The detrimental effect of separation on both the children and the mother is well documented in the literature. The present study is intended as a survey of the legislatively established programs in the states for provision of in-house care of their children by the inmate mothers. This is a descriptive study which catalogs the types and quantity of programs available.
Abstract LB-190: Soluble E-Cadherin promotes cell invasion but not proliferation in prostate cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Metastasis is responsible for the majority of prostate cancer-related deaths. Despite progress in early detection and management, there remains no effective, long-term cure for metastatic prostate cancer, partially due to the unclear molecular mechanism of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Clinical reports discovered that soluble E-cadherin (sE-Cad, the cleaved ectodomain of human E-Cadherin protein) was elevated in body fluids and serum of patients with a variety of cancers, and its serum levels have been shown to correlate positively with metastatic cancers and disease invasiveness. However, little is known about the role of sE-Cad in metastasis, or the molecular mechanism of its abnormal accumulation in cancerous microenvironment. Our lab generated C4-2 prostate cancer cell lines which would secret synthetic sE-Cad by Doxycycline induction. We found that increased sE-Cad in the conditioned medium promotes cell invasion, but not cell proliferation. We analyzed the protein subcellular localizations in different cell compartments (membrane, cytoskeleton, nucleus and cytoplasm) and observed increased binding of synthetic sE-Cad to membrane E-Cadherin, indicating that sE-Cad could promote cell motility by interacting with membrane proteins and possibly disrupting the cell-cell adhesion. This work is supported by Wake Forest University institutional funds to KC Balaji and by NIH grant CA079448 to X Fang. Citation Format: Xiaolan Fang, K. C. Balaji, Bita NickKholgh, Kenneth Gyabaah. Soluble E-Cadherin promotes cell invasion but not proliferation in prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-190. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-LB-190
Electron Affinities, Ionization Energies, and Fragmentation Energies of Fen Clusters (n = 2−6): A Density Functional Theory Study

The electronic and geometrical structures of the ground and exited states of Fen, Fen-, and Fen+ are computed by density functional theory. Because the assignment of the ground states of Fe3, Fe3-, Fe4, and Fe4- is controversial, these systems are studied using several different functionals. It appears that the LSDA and B3LYP methods do not work well for iron clusters and should be avoided. The number of unpaired electrons in the neutral ground states is 6(Fe2), 10(Fe3), 14(Fe4), 16(Fe5), and 20(Fe6). The number of unpaired electrons in the ground states of the anions and cations differ by one from the corresponding neutral, except for Fe4+, which has three fewer unpaired electrons than Fe4. The computed DFT adiabatic electron affinities and ionization potentials of the neutral clusters are in good agreement with experiment. Fragmentation energies are in qualitative agreement with experiment, where the error is about 1 eV for the dissociation energy of the iron dimer. The natural bond analysis allows one ...
An empirical prediction for stellar metallicity distributions in nearby galaxies

We combine star-formation histories derived from observations of high redshift galaxies with measurements of the z ∼ 0 relation between gas-phase metallicity, stellar mass and starformation rate to make an explicit and completely empirical connection between near-field and distant galaxy observations. Our approach relies on two basic assumptions: (1) galaxies’ average paths through time in stellar mass versus star-formation rate space are represented by a family of smooth functions that are determined by the galaxies’ final stellar mass and (2) galaxies grow and become enriched with heavy elements such that they always evolve along the mass–metallicity–star-formation rate relation. By integrating over these paths, we can track the chemical evolution of stars in galaxies in a model-independent way, without the need for explicit assumptions about gas inflow, outflow or star-formation efficiency. Using this approach, we present predictions of stellar metallicity (i.e. O/H) distribution functions for present day star-forming galaxies of different stellar masses and the evolution of the αelement stellar metallicity–mass relation since z ∼ 1. The metallicity distribution functions are fairly well described as Gaussians, truncated at high metallicity, with power-law tails to low metallicity. We find that the stellar metallicity distribution for Milky Way mass galaxies is in reasonable agreement with observations for our Galaxy, and that the predicted stellar mass versus mean stellar metallicity relation at z = 0 agrees quite well with results derived from galaxy surveys. This validates the assumptions that are implicit in our simple approach. Upcoming observations will further test these assumptions and their range of validity, by measuring the mean stellar mass–metallicity relation up to z ∼ 1, and by measuring the stellar metallicity distributions over a range of galaxy masses.
Synthesis of peptidomimetics, δ- And ε-lactam tetrazoles

A concise two-step procedure for the synthesis of novel δ-lactam tetrazoles has been established via the Ugi-azide reaction using 5-oxohexanoic acid along with primary amines, isocyanides, and azidotrimethylsilane followed by 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole-mediated intramolecular amide formation. Expansion to e-lactam tetrazole scaffolds was accomplished using methyl 6-oxoheptanoate via the same Ugi-azide reaction followed by basic hydrolysis and SOCl(2) activation to enable lactam formation.
Development and Validation of a Communication Inventory for Supervisors

The “Supervisory Inventory on Communication” (S.I.C.) was developed to meet the need for tools to help in the teaching of communication in business and industry. A preliminary draft of 160 items was mailed to 500 N.S.S.C. members and 120 responses were received. The final draft of 80 items was prepared and mailed to N.S.S.C. members. Responses were received from 136 members. An analysis of responses to the final draft of the S.I.C. was made to determine: “To what extent do N.S.S.C. members agree on definitions, philosophy, principles, and approaches to communication in industry and business?” The responses of the 136 N.S.S.C. members were tabulated and revealed the following: 1. Total Scores The average (mean) response was 74.9 correct items out of the 80. This was further broken down and showed an average score of 75.1 for academic N.S.S.C. members and 74.5 for non-academic N.S.S.C. members. 2. Item Analysis There were seven items out of 80 where more than 20% of the respondents disagreed with the scoring key answer. A disagreement of 34% with the scoring key response was the highest for any item of the S.I.C.
Rapid detection of protein tyrosine kinase activity in recombinant yeast expressing a universal substrate.

Yeast two-hybrid systems are powerful proteomics tools for the discovery of protein−protein interactions. However, these systems are typically unable to detect interactions dependent on post-translational modifications such as tyrosine phosphorylation. We report a novel yeast tribrid system that expresses a potentially universal protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) substrate to detect diverse PTKs. Validation with the oncogenic kinases v-Abl and v-Src, which exhibit divergent substrate specificities, demonstrated significant potential for cloning PTKs en masse from cDNA libraries. Keywords: molecular recognition • signal transduction • phosphotyrosine • Grb2 • SH2 • LexA • B42 • GFP
A model-based cluster analysis of social experiences in clinically anxious youth: links to emotional functioning

Social difficulties are commonly associated with anxiety disorders in youth, yet are not well specified in the literature. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of social experiences in clinically anxious children and examine the associations with indices of emotional functioning. A model-based cluster analysis was conducted on parent-, teacher-, and child-reports of social experiences with 64 children, ages 7–12 years (M = 8.86 years, SD = 1.59 years; 60.3% boys; 85.7% Caucasian) with a primary diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, and/or generalized anxiety disorder. Follow-up analyses examined cluster differences on indices of emotional functioning. Findings yielded three clusters of social experiences that were unrelated to diagnosis: (1) Unaware Children (elevated scores on parent- and teacher-reports of social difficulties but relatively low scores on child-reports, n = 12), (2) Average Functioning (relatively average scores across all informants, n = 44), and (3) Victimi...
A new approach to volterra-kernel estimation of bilinear systems

Correlation analysis is applied to estimate the first and second-order kernels in a Volterra series expansion of bilinear systems. The kernels are estimated for a simulation model of a nuclear fission process. The method yields good estimates of the first-order kernel under noisy input-output measurements. However, the estimation of the second-order kernel is not satisfactory. A new approach to the estimation of second-order kernel is developed. The input-output relation of bilinear system is represented by an integral equation. A Wiener-Hopf type equation is obtained by cross-correlation of the input and the output. The estimation of the second-order kernel is significantly improved.
Independent dosimetric assessment of the model EP917 episcleral brachytherapy plaque

Purpose: To investigate the influence of slot design on dose distributions and dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for the model EP917 plaque for episcleral brachytherapy. Methods: Dimensions and orientations of the slots were measured for three model EP917 plaques and compared to data in the Plaque Simulator (PS) treatment planning software (version 5.7.6). These independently determined coordinates were incorporated into the MCNP Monte Carlo simulation environment to obtain dose from the plaques in a water environment and in a clinical environment with ocular structures. A tumor volume was simulated as 5 mm in apical height and 11 mm in basal diameter. Variations in plaque mass density and composition; slot length, width, and depth; seed positioning; and Ag-marker rod positioning were simulated to examine their influence on plaque central axis (CAX) and planar dose distributions, and DVHs. Results: Seed shifts in a single slot toward the eye and shifts of the{sup 125}I-coated Ag rod within the capsule had the greatest impact on CAX dose distribution. A shift of 0.0994 mm toward the eye increased dose by 14%, 9%, 4.3%, and 2.7% at 1, 2, 5, and 10 mm, respectively, from the inner sclera. When examining the fully-modeled plaque in the ocular geometry, themore » largest dose variations were caused by shifting the Ag rods toward the sclera and shifting the seeds away from the globe when the slots were made 0.51 mm deeper, causing +34.3% and −69.4% dose changes to the outer sclera, respectively. At points along the CAX, dose from the full plaque geometry using the measured slot design was 2.4% ± 1.1% higher than the manufacturer-provided slot design and 2.2% ± 2.3% higher than the homogeneous calculation of PS treatment planning results. The ratio of D{sub 10} values for the measured slot design to the D{sub 10} values for the manufacturer-provided slot design was higher by 9%, 10%, and 19% for the tumor, inner sclera, and outer sclera, respectively. In comparison to the measured slot design, a theoretical plaque having narrower and deeper slots delivered 30%, 37%, and 62% lower D{sub 10} doses to the tumor, inner sclera, and outer sclera, respectively. Conclusions: While the measured positions of the slots on the model EP917 plaque were in close agreement (<0.7 mm) with the PS values, small differences in the slot shape caused substantial differences in dose distributions and DVH metrics. Increasing slot depth by 0.1 mm decreased outer scleral dose by 20%, yet shifting the Ag rods in the seeds toward the globe by 0.1 mm increased outer scleral dose by 35%. The clinical medical physicist is advised to measure these types of plaques upon acceptance testing before clinical use to inspect slot shape and position for comparison with data used for treatment planning purposes.« less
The Kindness—and Money—of Strangers: Foreign Adoptions from Post-Communist Europe

Abstract This article compares the rates of intercountry adoption from 26 sending countries of the former Soviet Union and East Central Europe to 25 receiving countries during the period 2000–2006. While our data confirm that countries adopting foreign children have significantly higher incomes than those from which they adopt, they show no significant discrepancy in birth rates between the two groups, with some sending countries actually having lower birth rates than their corresponding receiving countries. We then suggest that high sending rates result, not from a large ‘surplus’ of children, but from institutions that can connect the sending countries' ‘surplus’ children with prospective parents in receiving countries, and that the legacies of communist rule include such institutions.
Protein Kinase C Activation Inhibits Glutamate Transport by Endothelial Cells

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in regulating endothelial cell glutamate transport was investigated. Glutamate transport studies were performed in confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells which were treated with the phorbol ester 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA, 0-1000 nM), a compound which directly activates PKC. TPA inhibited Na + -independent System x - AG glutamate transport by 70% but only slightly reduced Na + -dependent activity. The TPA-mediated reduction in transport activity was dose-dependent, beginning at 5 min and lasting for at least 24 hr. TPA inhibition of glutamate transport had two distinctive phases : an acute phase (<1 hr, not affected by either cycloheximide or actinomycin D) in which TPA decreased System x AG - glutamate transporter affinity (TPA K m = 522 ± 25 μM vs control K m = 329 ± 85 μM, P < 0.01) but did not alter transporter capacity (TPA V maX = 4426 ± 230 pmole/mg/min vs control V max = 4535 ± 750 pmole/mg/min, P = NS) and a chronic phase (4-24 hr) in which TPA inhibition of glutamate transport was due to a reduced transporter capacity (V max = 2895 ± 570 pmole/mg/min) without altering transporter affinity (K m = 370 ± 60 μM glutamate) and was abrogated by cycloheximide or actinomycin D. The protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine chloride abrogated TPA's inhibition effect in both the acute and chronic phases. These data indicate that protein kinase C activation decreases glutamate transport in human umbilical vein endothelial cells via protein synthesis dependent and independent mechanisms.
CO2 laser light characterization of low loss planar-photonic crystal self-collimated waveguides

We demonstrate nondefect mid-infrared waveguides based on the self-collimation effect in photonic crystals (PhCs). Due to the spatial dispersion properties serving to confine and route light, propagation loss as low as 2.56 dB/mm is obtained in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based waveguide. The efficiency, together with their ability of arbitrary and structureless routing of electromagnetic beams, of these self-collimation devices provide a potential candidate for miniaturizing devices.
Transient expression of adheron molecules during chick retinal development.

Neuritogenesis and synapse formation are transient phenomena mediated in part by filopodial attachments (Tsui, Lankford, and Klein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82:8256–8260 1985). These attachments can be labeled by antisera against adherons, adhesive microparticles isolated from cell culture media (Tsui, Schubert, and Klein, J. Cell Biol. 106:2095–2108 1988). Here, two monoclonal antibodies raised against adherons have been found to recognize transiently expressed membrane antigens of developing avian retina. Early in development, monoclonal antibody (mAb) AD1 stained antigens that spanned the entire tissue. With time, immunoreactivity became restricted to optic fiber, ganglion cell, and inner plexiform layers. Immunoblots of embryonic day (E) 13 retina showed a broad band at 66–72 kD for particulate fractions and a fine band at 70 kD for suluble fractions. The particulate forms disappeared as retinas matured, but the soluble form did not. mAb AD2 initially labeled retina antigens of optic fiber, ganglion cell, and inner plexiform layers (IPL). Labeling in the plexiform layer showed discrete lamina. Immunoreactivity first appeared at E9, peaked at E15, and then disappeared shortly after hatching. In isolated cells, AD2 labeled small cell surface aggregates. Cytoarchitectural studies, using whole mount transmission electron microscopy, showed AD2 antigen in cell surface microfilaments, including some that joined filopodia together. The adheron antigens recognized by mAbs AD1 and AD2 thus were (1) topographically restricted; (2) associated with cell surfaces; and (3) developmentally down-regulated. This pattern suggests a role in developmentally transient cell surface phenomena, such as neurite extension or junction biogenesis. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assessment of the aversion of hens to different gas atmospheres using an approach-avoidance test

Approach-avoidance tests were conducted to evaluate the responses of laying hens to different gas atmospheres. Twelve hens were trained in a test apparatus consisting of a raised entry chamber connected by a descending chute to a lower chamber into which gas could be injected. Feed was removed from hens overnight before training sessions, and layer feed was presented in the lower chamber as the stimulus to motivate hens to proceed through the apparatus. Once hens were trained to a stable minimum time taken to eat after being placed in the apparatus, approach-avoidance tests were initiated. These resembled training sessions except that they were conducted in mid-afternoon, with feed having been removed from the hens in the morning, and one of six gas treatments was injected into the lower chamber. The gas atmospheres evaluated were: air, 30% CO2-in-air, 45% CO2-in-air, 60% CO2-in-air, 70% Ar/30% CO2, and Ar. Each hen was tested once in random order with each atmosphere. Days of testing were alternated with days of retraining to minimize extinction of the learned response and the chance that exposure to a given atmosphere might affect a hen in its next test. Exposure to 45% CO2-in-air and Ar appeared to elevate the time taken by hens to leave the upper chamber of the test apparatus in the subsequent retraining session, but the retraining appears to have extinguished any carryover effect because latencies to leave the upper chamber were small and not different between treatments during tests. Hens were evidently able to detect all the atmospheres enriched with CO2, and the number of stops and retreats made during the approach to the lower chamber did not differ between these atmospheres. The control and Ar treatments had the lowest incidences of stops and retreats. Every hen but one was stunned on its first encounter with a CO2-enriched atmosphere. Similarly, every hen but one was stunned in Ar. Overall, there were no significant differences among the stunning gas treatments in the percentages of hens stunned. Hens in the 30% CO2-in-air treatment entered the lower chamber at almost the same frequency as in the Ar treatment. Most hens became stunned in the corridor when exposed to 60% CO2-in-air, while the percentages of hens entering the lower chamber before being stunned were intermediate for 45% CO2-in-air and 70% Ar/30% CO2. From a behavioral standpoint, there does not appear to be a welfare disadvantage to the use of mixtures of up to 60% CO2-in-air to stun/kill chickens compared to 70% Ar/30% CO2. The results do suggest a modest welfare advantage for Ar, but not one so substantial that it could not be readily balanced by other welfare related considerations.
The 'Mini-Gregorian', a shaped subreflector feed system for the Arecibo radiotelescope

A general overview of the Mini-Gregorian project is presented. The 'Mini-Gregorian' is a subreflector feed system intended to accomplish two primary goals. The first is to demonstrate the validity of the synthesis and analysis methods used to design the new subreflector feed system for the Arecibo telescope. The second is to provide a feed system at frequencies above 3 GHz, where construction of line feeds is nearly impossible. The Mini will also provide verification of the surface accuracy of the spherical primary and a diagnostic tool for the effects of aperture blockage. >
Solution-Processed HafSOx and ZircSOx Inorganic Thin-Film Dielectrics and Nanolaminates

New thin-film dielectrics and nanolaminates have been synthesized via aqueous-solution deposition of Hf and Zr sulfates, where facile gelation and vitrification of the precursor solution have been achieved without organic additives. X-ray reflectivity, imaging, and metal-insulator-metal capacitor performance reveal that smooth, atomically dense films are readily produced by spin coating and modest thermal treatment (T < 325 °C). Dielectric characteristics include permittivities covering the range of 9–12 with breakdown fields up to 6 MV cm–1. Performance as gate dielectrics is demonstrated in field-effect transistors exhibiting small gate-leakage currents and qualitatively ideal device performance. The low-temperature processing, uniformity, and pore-free nature of the films have also allowed construction of unique, high-resolution nanolaminates exhibiting individual layers as thin as 3 nm.
Abortion and mental health: quantitative synthesis and analysis of research published 1995–2009

Background Given the methodological limitations of recently published qualitative reviews of abortion and mental health, a quantitative synthesis was deemed necessary to represent more accurately the published literature and to provide clarity to clinicians. Aims To measure the association between abortion and indicators of adverse mental health, with subgroup effects calculated based on comparison groups (no abortion, unintended pregnancy delivered, pregnancy delivered) and particular outcomes. A secondary objective was to calculate population-attributable risk (PAR) statistics for each outcome. Method After the application of methodologically based selection criteria and extraction rules to minimise bias, the sample comprised 22 studies, 36 measures of effect and 877 181 participants (163 831 experienced an abortion). Random effects pooled odds ratios were computed using adjusted odds ratios from the original studies and PAR statistics were derived from the pooled odds ratios. Results Women who had undergone an abortion experienced an 81% increased risk of mental health problems, and nearly 10% of the incidence of mental health problems was shown to be attributable to abortion. The strongest subgroup estimates of increased risk occurred when abortion was compared with term pregnancy and when the outcomes pertained to substance use and suicidal behaviour. Conclusions This review offers the largest quantitative estimate of mental health risks associated with abortion available in the world literature. Calling into question the conclusions from traditional reviews, the results revealed a moderate to highly increased risk of mental health problems after abortion. Consistent with the tenets of evidence-based medicine, this information should inform the delivery of abortion services.
Lateralized and focal clinical, EEG, and FLAIR MRI abnormalities in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Abstract Objective : Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive fatal prion disorder with typical clinical findings of dementia, motor dysfunction, and myoclonus and characteristic electroencephalographic (EEG) findings of bilateral synchronous periodic sharp waves. Advances in neuroimaging capabilities with diffusion-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have shown promise in the non-invasive diagnosis of CJD. This series illustrates the correlation between the lateralized and focal clinical, EEG, and MRI FLAIR sequence abnormalities in 8 patients (7 men and one woman 55–73 years old) with CJD. Methods : A case series of 8 patients, evaluated at Mayo Clinic, who had a history of rapidly progressive lateralized or focal neurologic dysfunction and laboratory findings consistent with CJD between 1996 and 1999 were identified. EEG, MRI of the head with FLAIR sequence, and cerebrospinal fluid studies were performed in all patients. Results : Mean time to death from symptom onset was 4 months. Symptoms were lateralized to the left hemisphere in 5 patients and to the right hemisphere in two. One patient showed bilateral occipital lobe involvement. In all patients, the EEG showed lateralized or focal periodic sharp waves that colocalized with clinical cerebral dysfunction. FLAIR MRI images revealed increased signal in the cortical ribbon and deep gray matter corresponding to the lateralized clinical and EEG findings in 7 patients. The other patient had bilateral occipital increased signal on FLAIR MRI. Conclusions : CJD may present with lateralized or focal cortical syndromes with colocalizing EEG and MRI findings. With the appropriate clinical history and laboratory evaluation, the corresponding areas of increased signal on FLAIR MRI provide supportive evidence of the disease. Significance : CJD can sometimes present with more focal or lateralized clinical findings, and the colocalizing EEG and MRI findings can help make or confirm the diagnosis of CJD.
A simplified treatment of the theory of optimal regulation of Brownian motion

Abstract Consider a stochastic control problem where the state variable follows a Brownian motion. The flow reward is a function of the state, which can be regulated with a lump-sum and linear cost of adjustment. Using a discrete approximation, a simple exposition of the control problem is developed. The value matching conditions that hold for any given control parameters, and the smooth pasting conditions that hold for the optimal control are derived. Some extensions and economic applications of the method are also discussed.
Lexical Encoding Sequences and Language Change: Color Terminology Systems

Lexical reconstructions of Proto-Polynesian (Branstetter 1977), Proto-Miwok (Callaghan 1979), and Proto-Mayan (Fox 1977; Kaufman 1964, 1969) basic color term vocabularies are presented and compared. Although these reconstructed systems accord with the well-known Berlin and Kay (1969) color encoding sequence, they all contain a subtle distortion They generally are as large as color term systems found in contemporary daughter languages. Considering the additive nature of the color encoding sequence, these reconstructions are unlikely. Comparative linguistic evidence is presented suggesting that all three systems are over-reconstructed. Encoding sequences, then, prove to be instruments of considerable usefulness to add to the traditional tool kit of historical linguistics. [cognitive anthropology, color classification, language change, language universale, Mayan languages, Miwok languages, Polynesian languages]
The Right Angle: Visual Portrayal of Products Affects Observers' Impressions of Owners

Consumer products have long been known to influence observers’ impressions of product owners. The angle at which products are visually portrayed in advertisements, however, may be an overlooked factor in these effects. We hypothesize and find that portrayals of the same product from different viewpoints can prime different associations that color impressions of product and owner in parallel ways. In Study 1, automobiles were rated higher on status- and power-related traits (e.g., dominant, powerful) when portrayed head-on versus in side profile, an effect found for sport utility vehicles (SUVs)—a category with a reputation for dominance—but not sedans. In Study 2, these portrayal-based associations influenced the impressions formed about the product’s owner: a target person was rated higher on status- and power-related traits when his SUV was portrayed head-on versus in side profile. These results suggest that the influence of visual portrayal extends beyond general evaluations of products to affect more specific impressions of products and owners alike, and highlight that primed traits are likely to influence impressions when compatible with other knowledge about the target. C � 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Forest gradient response in Sierran landscapes: the physical template

Vegetation pattern on landscapes is the manifestation of physical gradients, biotic response to these gradients, and disturbances. Here we focus on the physical template as it governs the distribution of mixed-conifer forests in California’s Sierra Nevada. We extended a forest simulation model to examine montane environmental gradients, emphasizing factors affecting the water balance in these summer-dry landscapes. The model simulates the soil moisture regime in terms of the interaction of water supply and demand: supply depends on precipitation and water storage, while evapotranspirational demand varies with solar radiation and temperature. The forest cover itself can affect the water balance via canopy interception and evapotranspiration. We simulated Sierran forests as slope facets, defined as gridded stands of homogeneous topographic exposure, and verified simulated gradient response against sample quadrats distributed across Sequoia National Park. We then performed a modified sensitivity analysis of abiotic factors governing the physical gradient. Importantly, the model’s sensitivity to temperature, precipitation, and soil depth varies considerably over the physical template, particularly relative to elevation. The physical drivers of the water balance have characteristic spatial scales that differ by orders of magnitude. Across large spatial extents, temperature and precipitation as defined by elevation primarily govern the location of the mixed conifer zone. If the analysis is constrained to elevations within the mixed-conifer zone, local topography comes into play as it influences drainage. Soil depth varies considerably at all measured scales, and is especially dominant at fine (within-stand) scales. Physical site variables can influence soil moisture deficit either by affecting water supply or water demand; these effects have qualitatively different implications for forest response. These results have clear implications about purely inferential approaches to gradient analysis, and bear strongly on our ability to use correlative approaches in assessing the potential responses of montane forests to anthropogenic climatic change.
Reductionism and Antireductionism: Rights and Wrongs

: Scholars are divided as to whether reduction should be a central strategy for understanding the world. While reductive analysis is the standard mode of explanation in many areas of science and everyday life, many scholars consider reductionism a sign of “intellectual naivete and backwardness.” This article makes three points about the proper status of antireductionism: First, reduction is, in fact, a centrally important epistemic strategy. Second, reduction to physics is always possible for all causal properties. Third, there are, nevertheless, reasons why we want science to discover properties and explanations other than reductive physical ones.
Patterns of tooth size variability in the dentition of primates.

Published data on tooth size in 48 species of non-human pri- mates have been analyzed to determine patterns of variability in the primate dentition. Average coefficients of variation calculated for all species, with males and females combined, are greatest for teeth in the canine region. In- cisors tend to be somewhat less variable, and cheek teeth are the least variable. Removing the effect of sexual dimorphism, by pooling coefficients of variation calculated for males and females separately, reduces canine variability but does not alter the basic pattern. Ontogenetic development and position in functional fields have been advanced to explain patterns of variability in the dentition, but neither of these appears to correlate well with patterns documented here. We tentatively suggest another explanation. Variability is inversely propor- tional to occlusal complexity of the teeth. This suggests that occlusal complex- ity places an important constraint on relative variability within the dentition. Even when the intensity of natural selection is equal at all tooth positions, teeth with complex occlusal patterns must still be less variable than those with simple occlusion in order to function equally well. Hence variability itself can- not be used to estimate the relative intensity of selection. Low variability of the central cheek teeth (Mi and M:) makes them uniquely important for estimating body size in small samples, and for distinguishing closely related species in the fossil record.
Effects of Milling and Other Repairs on Smoothness of Overlays on Asphalt Pavements

The application of asphalt overlays on existing pavements comprises a significant percentage of the maintenance activities undertaken to restore asphalt pavement condition. The improvement of surface smoothness from overlay construction is gaining increasing attention because smoother overlays are likely to have longer lives as a result of decreased dynamic loading and to provide fuel economy benefits and greater comfort to road users. This paper presents a study in which the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Pavement Condition Survey (PCS) data were used to investigate the effects of repairs, preoverlay condition, and surface and binder type on initial overlay (postoverlay) smoothness. Linear mixed-effect models were used in the analysis to take into account the variation across random-effect variables. The smoothness of overlays was measured in terms of the international roughness index (IRI). The analysis indicated that the pavement preoverlay condition (IRI) was the most important var...
Modeling the MTI electro-optic system sensitivity and resolution

We present an analysis methodology that offers efficient characterization of the Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) electro-optic system response to a wide range of user-specified system parameters and spectral scenarios. This methodology combines physics-based modeling of the MTI hardware with MTI prelaunch characterization data. The resulting models enable the user to generate application-specific sensitivity and resolution studies of the MTI image capture process, and aid in the development of calibration procedures and retrieval algorithms for MTI. In addition to quantifying the MTI response, the methodology developed in this paper is sufficiently general to permit the prototyping and evaluation of a variety of multispectral electro-optic systems. Finally, an example utilizing nominal orbital parameters and targeted MODTRAN scenarios that exercise the various spectral band functions is provided.
The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships: Honoring Traditions and Welcoming Innovation

It is an honor and privilege to write the editorial comment for this issue of The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships (JIR). Over the years, JIR has served as a mainstay for practitioners, e...
Metrics for degree of reordering in packet sequences

Out of order arrival of packets is an inevitable phenomenon on the Internet. Application performance can degrade to a great extent due to out-of-order arrival of packets. Metrics to characterize the degree of re-ordering will promote the evaluation of network protocols with respect to packet reordering as well as provide a uniformly defined quantitative measure for packet reordering. We define the concept of "reorder density function" (RD), which quantitatively measures the degree of reordering in sequences of packets. While the reorder density function can provide a comprehensive picture on reordering, measures such as mean and median of reorder density can be used when simpler metrics are desired. Results of reordering analysis using the above metrics for TCP and UDP based applications under different network conditions are presented.
Peroxide modified polyolefin blends: Part I. Effects on ldpe/pp blends with components of similar initial viscosities

As part of a broader research effort to prepare polyolefin blends with controlled rheological and mechanical behavior, LDPE/PP blends were peroxide modified through reactive processing in intensive batch mixers. Polymers with similar initial viscosities and elasticities were first melt mixed and then simultaneously reacted and mixed to produce blends whose reaction-modified components had very different molecular weights and molecular weight distributions. The rheological behavior of the blends in both shear and elongational flow were found to depend on composition, peroxide concentration, and, possibly, on the relative response rate of the individual components to peroxide attack. In general, the rheological properties of the reacted blends differed significantly from those of blends compounded in the absence of peroxide, and they were influenced by the presence of two components with vastly different structural and rheological characteristics: the degraded PP of low viscosity and elasticity, and a branched or crosslinked LDPE with increased viscosity and increased melt elasticity. Data from the batch experiments of this work are useful in defining process requirements for continuous reactive extrusion compounding, such as component characteristics, length of mixing/reaction zones, screw geometry, and sequence of feeding, as they relate to product characteristics.
Dependability evaluation of a fault-tolerant processor by GSPN modeling

High dependability has become a paramount requirement for computing systems, as they are increasingly used in business & life critical applications. Advances in the design & manufacturing of semiconductor devices have increased the performance of computing systems at a dazzling pace. However, smaller transistor dimensions, lower power voltages, and higher operating frequencies have negatively impacted dependability by increasing the probability of occurrence of transient & intermittent faults. This paper discusses the main trends in dependability of semiconductor devices, and presents a candidate architecture for a fault-tolerant microprocessor. Dependability of the processor is analyzed, and the advantages provided by fault tolerance are underscored. The effect of the higher rates of occurrence of the transient & intermittent faults on a typical microprocessor is evaluated with the aid of GSPN modeling. Dependability analysis shows that a five times increase of the rate of occurrence of the transients leads to about five time lower MTBF, if no error recovery mechanisms are employed. Significantly lower processor availability is also observed. The fault-tolerant processor is devised to mitigate the impact of the higher transient & intermittent fault rates. The processor is based on core redundancy & state checkpointing, and supports three levels of error recovery. First, recovery from a saved state (SSRC) is attempted. The second level consists of a retry (SSRR), and is activated when the first level of recovery fails. Processor reset, followed by reintegration under the operating system control (RB), is the third level of recovery. Dependability analysis, based on GSPN, shows that fault-tolerance features of the processor preserve the MTBF, even if the rate of the transient faults nearly doubles. In terms of availability, a four-time increase of the rate of occurrence of the transients is compensated. The effect of intermittent faults is also analyzed. A five-time increase of the failure rate of the intermittent faults may lower MTBF by 31% to 33%. MTBF decreases even more, by 45% to 67%, if bursts of errors are considered. Intermittent faults have a negative impact on availability as well. Maintaining the dependability of complex integrated circuits to the level available today is becoming a challenge as semiconductor integration continues at a fast pace. Fault avoidance techniques, mainly based on process technology & circuit design, will no be able to fully mitigate the impact of higher rates of occurrence of transient & intermittent faults. As a result, fault-tolerant features, specific to custom designed components today, ought to be employed by COTS circuits, in the future. Enhanced concurrent error detection & correction, self checking circuits, space & time redundancy, triplication, and voting all need to be integrated into semiconductor devices in general, and microprocessors in particular, in order to improve fault & error handling.
A Primer for Real-Time Simulation of Large-Scale Networks

Real-time network simulation refers to simulating computer networks in real time so that the virtual network can interact with real implementations of network protocols, network services, and distributed applications. In this paper, we present the motivation behind real-time network simulation and compare it against other major networking research tools, including analytical models, physical testbeds, simulation, and emulation. We introduce PRIME, a parallel real-time network simulator, and provide a summary of techniques that allow PRIME to model large-scale networks and interact with many real applications under the real-time constraint. We also discuss ongoing research efforts that will allow real-time network simulation to assume important roles at supporting future networking research.
Spacecraft complexity subfactors and implications on future cost growth

During the last ten years the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has used a set of cost-risk subfactors to independently estimate the magnitude of development risks that may not be covered in the high level cost models employed during early concept development. Within the last several years the Laboratory has also developed a scale of Concept Maturity Levels with associated criteria to quantitatively assess a concept's maturity. This latter effort has been helpful in determining whether a concept is mature enough for accurate costing but it does not provide any quantitative estimate of cost risk. Unfortunately today's missions are significantly more complex than when the original cost-risk subfactors were first formulated. Risks associated with complex missions are not being adequately evaluated and future cost growth is being underestimated. The risk subfactor process needed to be updated.
Bayesian Networks in Educational Assessment: The State of the Field

Bayesian networks (BN) provide a convenient and intuitive framework for specifying complex joint probability distributions and are thus well suited for modeling content domains of educational assessments at a diagnostic level. BN have been used extensively in the artificial intelligence community as student models for intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) but have received less attention among psychometricians. This critical review outlines the existing research on BN in educational assessment, providing an introduction to the ITS literature for the psychometric community, and points out several promising research paths. The online appendix lists 40 assessment systems that serve as empirical examples of the use of BN for educational assessment in a variety of domains.
The American College of Cardiology’s In-Training Examination: A Robust Assessment Tool for Fellows, Training Programs, and the Cardiovascular Community∗

The assessment of competence is a critical element of graduate medical education. During the past decade, medical training programs have shifted from an historic focus on a fixed curriculum—in which the number of procedures performed, scope of lectures attended, and months of clinical rotations