cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observational estimates of entrainment and vertical salt flux in the interior of a spreading river plume

[1] Observational estimates of entrainment and vertical salt flux into the tidally pulsed Columbia River plume are presented. Drifting buoys deployed in ebbing plume water downstream of the lift-off region are used to make measurements of velocity, salinity, and horizontal divergence in the surface layer. Drifters released near the river mouth, shoreward of the propagating ocean-plume front, catch up to the front, consistent with classical models of plume front circulation. During their offshore transit, drifter streamwise velocities decrease while salinities increase. Assuming drifter-measured quantities are representative of plume-averaged quantities, conservation equations evaluated between adjacent spreading drifters are used to determine the plume depth and entrainment velocity throughout the experiment. This approach provides knowledge of the mixing involved between the active lift-off region and the offshore ocean-plume front as the flow evolves. Because the surface drifters do not downwell at the ocean-plume front, we do not estimate mixing in that region. We find that entrainment and vertical salt flux are largest near the river mouth, as expected, with typical values of O(10−3 m s−1) and O(10−2 practical salinity units (psu) m s−1), respectively, and that these quantities steadily decrease as the drifters move offshore. Profiles of water properties following the drifters provide knowledge of vertical stratification (0.5–4 psu m−1 at the plume base) allowing for discrete estimates of the eddy diffusivity of salt KS. Typical plume values of KS are O(10−3 m2 s−1), similar to estimates made in other plume systems and 2 orders of magnitude larger than open ocean eddy diffusivity estimates.
Evidence that the dopamine D4 receptor is a susceptibility gene in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Evidence that the dopamine D4 receptor is a susceptibility gene in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
The ontological argument

The purpose of the present paper is twofold. My first aim is to clearly articulate a necessary condition for the ontological argument to provide anyone with a good reason to believe that the statement "God exists" is true. My second aim is to show that it is doubtful that this condition is ever met. It will become apparent that if the ontological argument were to work, it would be a peculiarly simple argument. The criticism of the argument ought to have a comparable simplicity and I believe that what I shall say meets this requirement. We need not tarry long over the question as to the proper form of existence claims. Theists who do not think the ontological argument can succeed will agree with those who propose it that God is a necessary being. What is distinctive of the ontological argument is only that the route to the conclusion that God exists is taken to involve no more than a deep reflection on the very idea of a necessary being. We may represent the claim upon which theists agree and to which proponents of the ontological argument give special place in this way:
The requirement for mechanical coupling between head and S2 domains in smooth muscle myosin ATPase regulation and its implications for dimeric motor function.

A combination of experimental structural data, homology modelling and elastic network normal mode analysis is used to explore how coupled motions between the two myosin heads and the dimerization domain (S2) in smooth muscle myosin II determine the domain movements required to achieve the inhibited state of this ATP-dependent molecular motor. These physical models rationalize the empirical requirement for at least two heptads of non-coiled α-helix at the junction between the myosin heads and S2, and the dependence of regulation on S2 length. The results correlate well with biochemical data regarding altered conformational-dependent solubility and stability. Structural models of the conformational transition between putative active states and the inhibited state show that torsional flexibility of the S2 α-helices is a key mechanical requirement for myosin II regulation. These torsional motions of the myosin heads about their coiled coil α-helices affect the S2 domain structure, which reciprocally affects the motions of the myosin heads. This inter-relationship may explain a large body of data on function of molecular motors that form dimers through a coiled-coil domain.
Efficient implementation of ultrasound waveform tomography using data blending

Ultrasound waveform tomography is a promising tool for breast cancer characterization. However, the method is very time-consuming for large datasets acquired using a synthetic-aperture ultrasound tomography system consisting of hundreds to thousands of transducer elements. We introduce a data blending approach to ultrasound waveform tomography to greatly improves the computational efficiency. This method simultaneously simulates ultrasound waves emitted from multiple transducer elements. A random phase is applied to each source to distinguish the effect of different sources. The random phase helps eliminate the unwanted cross interference produced by different sources. This approach greatly reduces the computation time of ultrasound waveform tomography to one tenth of that for the original ultrasound waveform tomography.
Experimental and Computational Investigations of Phase Change Thermal Energy Storage Canisters

Two sets of experimental data for cylindrical canisters with thermal energy storage applications were examined in this paper: 1) Ground Experiments and 2) Space Experiments. A 2-D computational model was developed for unsteady heat transfer (conduction and radiation) with phase-change. The radiation heat transfer employed a finite volume method. The following was found in this study: 1) Ground Experiments, the convection heat transfer is equally important to that of the radiation heat transfer; Radiation heat transfer in the liquid is found to be more significant than that in the void; Including the radiation heat transfer in the liquid resulted in lower temperatures (about 15 K) and increased the melting time (about 10 min.); Generally, most of the heat flow takes place in the radial direction. 2) Space Experiments, Radiation heat transfer in the void is found to be more significant than that in the liquid (exactly the opposite to the Ground Experiments); Accordingly, the location and size of the void affects the performance considerably; Including the radiation heat transfer in the void resulted in lower temperatures (about 40 K).
Discovering missing click-through query language information for web search

The click-through information in web query logs has been widely used for web search tasks. However, it usually suffers from the data sparseness problem, known as the missing/incomplete click problems, where large volume of pages receive few or no clicks. In this paper, we adapt two language modeling based approaches to address this issue in the context of using web query logs for web search. The first approach discovers missing click-through query language features for web pages with no or few clicks from their similar pages' click-associated queries in the query logs, to help search. We further propose combining this content based approach with the random walk approach on the click graph to further reduce click-through sparseness for search. The second approach follows the query expansion method and utilizes the queries and their clicked web pages in the query logs to reconstruct a structured variant of the relevance based language models for each user-input query for search. We design experiments with a publicly available query log excerpt and two TREC web search tasks on the GOV2 and ClueWeb09 corpora to evaluate the search performance of different approaches. Our results show that using discovered semantic click-through query language features can statistically significantly improve search performance, compared with the baselines that do not use the discovered information. The combination approach that uses discovered click-through features from both random walk and the content based approach can further improve search performance.
Library of Medical Computer Programs

Excerpt To the editor: The Combined Computer Users Groups of The Society for Research and Education in Primary Care Internal Medicine (SREPCIM) and the Society for Medical Decision Making are estab...
Limit behavior of solutions of singular difference equations

Abstract Necessary and sufficient conditions for a solution { z k } of the difference equation A z k+1 + B z k = b, k ⩾0 , with A singular, to be a convergent sequence of vectors are given under a variety of assumptions. Theoretical results on iterative schemes for solving Ax = b by singular splittings, A = A + B , are given first. In particular, the case when A = A ∗ and A is positive semi-definite is considered. Then applications to discrete control problems and backwards population projection are discussed.
Manipulation of alkylglycerolipid levels in cultured cells. Fatty alcohol versus alkylglycerol supplements.

Abstract Ehrlich ascites cells and monolayers of L-M cell fibroblasts were grown in medium containing either long-chain fatty alcohols or alkylglycerols. The cells were then analyzed to determine the contribution of these lipid precursors to the synthesis of complex lipids for the purpose of defining the most efficient system to elevate the levels of ether phospholipids. Label from high specific activity [1- 14 C]hexadecanol, [1- 14 C]octadecanol, and [1- 14 Cloctadecenol was incorporated into alkyi linkages ( C -18:1 > C -16:0 > C -18:0); however, similar labeling of acyl groups occurred. Increasing the amount of hexadecanol in the growth medium resulted in a higher percentage of 14 C-labeled acyl groups than alkyl linkages at all concentrations of the alcohol supplement. Supplements of rac -[1- 14 C]hexadecylglycerol to the growth media were assimilated into phospholipids, which significantly increased as a function of the amounts added. Mass determinations of the alkyl ether phospholipid content in L-M cells incubated for 24 h with an alkylglycerol mixture (10.8 μg/ml) showed an approximate 70% increase over control levels; supplementation had only a slight effect on the alk-1-enyl content. The systems described will be useful for investigating biophysical and biochemical effects of alkyl ether enrichment in membranes.
Steroid hormone enhancement of neurite outgrowth in identified insect motor neurons involves specific effects on growth cone form and function.

Dramatic reorganization of dendrites and axonal terminals is a hallmark of neuronal remodeling during metamorphosis in the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta. The dendritic and axonal arbors of leg motor neurons regress in late larval stages, then regrow during adult development. Ecdysteroids, the insect steroids that trigger metamorphosis, control both regression and outgrowth in vivo and stimulate neuritic growth in cultured pupal leg motor neurons. To identify subcellular targets of ecdysteroid action in these neurons, we examined the dynamic and structural features of branching and their modulation by ecdysteroids in vitro. Delayed treatment of pupal leg motor neurons with ecdysteroid led to a robust enhancement of neuritic branch accumulation accompanied by a subtle effect on total neuritic length. Repeated imaging revealed that branch formation occurred almost exclusively at the growth cone; interstitial branching was extremely rare. Ecdysteroid treatment significantly enhanced both the formation and retention of branches at the growth cone. Branches formed via two distinct processes: engorgement (of fine protrusions) and condensation (of lamellae) with the relative contributions of these mechanisms being unaltered by ecdysteroid. Confocal imaging of the cytoskeleton demonstrated that growth cones consisted of microtubule-based domains fringed by actin-based filopodia. Treated growth cones were larger and displayed increased numbers of microtubule-based branches, whereas filopodial density was unaffected. These findings indicate that ecdysteroid enhances neuritic branching by altering growth cone structure and function, and suggest that hormonal modulation of cytoskeletal interactions contributes significantly to neuritic remodeling during metamorphosis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 38: 27–45, 1999
Biomimetic Superhydrophobic and Highly Oleophobic Cotton Textiles

We report a biomimetic procedure to prepare superhydrophobic cotton textiles. By in situ introducing silica particles to cotton fibers to generate a dual-size surface roughness, followed by hydrophobization with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), normally hydrophilic cotton has been easily turned superhydrophobic, which exhibits a static water contact angle of 155° for a 10 μL droplet. The roll-off angle of water droplets depends on the droplet volume, ranging from 7° for a droplet of 50 μL to 20° for a 7 μL droplet. When a perfluoroalkyl chain is introduced to the silica particle surface, the superhydrophobic textile also becomes highly oleophobic, as demonstrated by a static contact angle of 140° and a roll-off angle of 24° for a 15 μL sunflower oil droplet.
Comment on “Assessing flood hazard on dynamic rivers”

N. Pinter, R. Thomas, and J. H. Wlosinski (Eos, 31 July 2001) propose an alternative to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' methodology for estimating stage-frequency curves in the Upper Mississippi River System Flow Frequency Study (UMRSFFS). They suggest that the stage-frequency relationship can be obtained through direct analysis of the period of record stages adjusted for trends and present a stage-frequency curve for St. Louis (Fig. 5, p.339). However, the direct analysis of stages proposed by these authors produces erroneous results, and their results will undoubtedly differ significantly from the stage-frequency curves that will be produced by the UMRSFFS. Their methodology is not acceptable as an alternative for flood risk estimation because it: (1) uses an at-site regression estimator of the flood distribution, which is subject to significant sampling error and cannot easily be used to infer the underlying flood population; (2) does not account for the effect of reservoir regulation and other human activities on the flood flow record; (3) assumes that the stage-discharge data have been uniformly recorded; (4) assumes the stage non-stationarity can be represented by a simple linear trend model that assumes that channel changes have occurred uniformly over time; and (5) ignores many factors that cause a large natural variability in the stage-discharge relationship.
Properties of reverse hazard functions

Abstract For continuous distributions reverse hazard is defined as the probability density divided by the cumulative probability, F ( x ) ; whereas the usual hazard function is the density divided by the survivor function, 1 − F ( x ) . Reverse hazard corresponds to the conditional density of an immediate failure or state change, conditioned by the fact that the state change occurred. For example, of all the items that failed, the proportion of those items that immediately failed is reverse hazard. Reverse hazard exhibits many symmetrical properties with hazard. In this paper a set of theorems are developed that explicate the properties of reverse hazard for both continuous and discrete probability distributions. Taken together, hazard and reverse hazard are a powerful set of theoretical constructs that are valuable for understanding stochastic systems.
Geochemical weathering increases lead bioaccessibility in semi-arid mine tailings.

Mine tailings can host elevated concentrations of toxic metal(loid)s that represent a significant hazard to surrounding communities and ecosystems. Eolian transport, capable of translocating small (micrometer-sized) particles, can be the dominant mechanism of toxic metal dispersion in arid or semiarid landscapes. Human exposure to metals can then occur via direct inhalation or ingestion of particulates. The fact that measured doses of total lead (Pb) in geomedia correlate poorly with blood Pb levels highlights a need to better resolve the precise distribution of molecularly speciated metal-bearing phases in the complex particle mixtures. Species distribution controls bioaccessibility, thereby directly impacting health risk. This study seeks to correlate Pb-containing particle size and mineral composition with lability and bioaccessibility in mine tailings subjected to weathering in a semiarid environment. We employed X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), coupled with sequential...
Developmental differences in infants' use of an object's shape to grasp it securely

This study examined twenty two 11- and 13-month-old infants' approach and grasp of two objects-one symmetric and one asymmetric-in an effort to understand infants' use of shape information to plan motor action. At first contact, all infants grasped the asymmetrical object further from its center of mass than the symmetrical object. In addition, results highlighted developmental differences in infants' abilities to correct for less stable hand placements, to maintain control of the objects without dropping, strategies used to obtain the objects, and latencies to grasp the objects. Older infants showed more effective skills in each of the aforementioned areas. Implications for our understanding of the development of processing of visual information for action are discussed.
Removal of high‐abundance proteins for nuclear subproteome studies in rice (Oryza sativa) endosperm

Endosperm is a highly specialized storage organ with three sets of genomes. It is one of the most economically important organs in plants. Endosperm development involves parental imprinting and endoreduplication. A thorough study of the endosperm proteome, particularly the nuclear proteome, may provide critical insight into the regulation of seed development. Unfortunately, endosperm is extremely rich in starch grains and protein bodies of different sizes, making proteome studies on nonstorage proteins, particularly the low-abundance proteins, very challenging. Here we have developed a chromatographic method to remove large starch grains and an electrophoresis method to recover low-abundance proteins, respectively. Using these methods, we have identified 468 proteins from the nuclear enriched fraction of rice endosperm, including transcription factors, histone modification proteins, kinetochore proteins, centromere/microtubule binding proteins, and transposon proteins. Among the 468 proteins, 208 (44%) are hypothetical proteins, indicating that the endosperm proteome is poorly explored. In addition, analyses of the MS/MS data using BioWorks 3.1 have identified 59 putative acetylated proteins and 40 putative methylated proteins. Our studies have developed a method to remove starch grains and recover low-abundance proteins, respectively. The methods should be applicable to other organisms.
Ritmestoornissen na Fontan-circulatie

De afgelopen tientallen jaren heeft de chirurgische behandeling van aangeboren hartaandoeningen bij kinderen een grote vlucht genomen. Bij de correctie van verschillende hartaandoeningen wordt een zogenaamde Fontan- of eenkamercirculatie ontwikkeld. De langetermijnprognose wordt voor een belangrijk deel bepaald door het optreden van hartritmestoornissen. Dit stelt ons voor een relatief nieuwe en groeiende groep patienten die zich op diverse leeftijden presenteren met hartritmestoornissen.
Opioid receptor subtypes involved in the central inhibition of urinary bladder motility

Intracerebroventricular morphine consistently inhibited spontaneous urinary bladder contractions recorded from the anesthetized rat. This effect was reversed by naloxone and appeared to be exerted within the forebrain. Neither dynorphin-(1-13) nor U-50, 488 (kappa-agonists) affected bladder motility. Ethylketocyclazocine inhibited contractions only at higher doses, possibly due to mu-receptor interactions. Bladder activity was consistently inhibited by the mu-agonists morphiceptin and [D-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly-(ol)5]enkephalin (DAGO) and by [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE, delta-agonist). DAGO was the most potent compound tested. These observations support the involvement of mu- and possibly delta-receptors in the centrally mediated inhibition of urinary bladder motility by opioids.
Evaluation of a self-teaching program.

Abstract A self-teaching booklet on hypertension was evaluated in two populations: clients attending public health screening clinics and inpatients at a Veterans Administration hospital. Participants were randomized into an education or a control group. Evaluation consisted of measuring knowledge gained from the booklet immediately after reading it and retention of key concepts two weeks later. Men did better than women, and VA education participants did better than VA controls. No differences were detected between the public health education and control groups or the combined (VA and public health) education and control groups. The selfteaching booklet alone did not appear to yield a measurable amount of new knowledge. Health professionals, when educating patients and evaluating programs, should consider combinations of educational methods when using self-teaching programs.
A comparative analysis of the perceived influence of advanced placement and honors programs upon science instruction

These are two major models for advanced science instruction in American high schools, the traditional honors program and the Advanced Placement (AP) program of the College Entrance Examination Board. Using the self-reports of teachers who were experienced in teaching honors and AP courses to students of similar academic preparation and ability, the author examined the perceived influences of program format upon the use of basic teaching techniques, the laboratory experience, the pace of the course, curricular freedom, and student creativity. One of the most notable aspects of the AP program is the speed at which teachers move through the curriculum. In the rush to prepare students for the exam, most AP teachers adopt a strong lecture format and minimize student-centered activities such as laboratory experimentation, student projects, and student presentations. When laboratory work is not assessed on the national AP examination, such experiences are sacrificed to provide time for lecture. When laboratory experiments are assessed, however, teachers respond by allocating more time for laboratory work, and by upgrading their exercises to make them more quantitative and experimental than those used previously or those used in honors classes. Although AP is associated with a loss in curricular freedom and flexibility, teachers perceive no clear influence of program format upon student creativity.
The Impact of Relationships, Friendships, and Work on the Association Between Sexual Orientation and Disordered Eating in Men

Recent research has demonstrated increased eating pathology among single bisexual and gay (BG) men compared to BG men in relationships and all heterosexual men. BG men may be at elevated risk due to pressures to be lean to attract a male partner. No study has examined the specificity of this theory to relationship status or to eating pathology. BG (n = 23) and heterosexual (n = 326) men completed surveys to compare the impact of areas of life satisfaction on the association between sexual orientation and eating pathology, as well as another area of psychopathology (substance use problems). For BG men, but not heterosexual men, being single was associated with drive for thinness. Low friendship satisfaction was more strongly associated with drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms in BG men as compared to heterosexual men. Low work satisfaction was associated with substance use problems among BG men, but not among heterosexual men. Results suggest separate constellations of risk factors differentially impac...
Sensitivity Studies of the Navy's Global Forecast Model Parameterizations and Evaluation of Improvements to NOGAPS

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss the major systematic errors of the U.S. Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS), version 3.2, and to describe several tuning experiments of NOGAPS parameterizations. It is found that despite its overall good performance, major systematic errors exist in the forecast model. These errors lead to a warmer atmosphere with less precipitation and eddy kinetic energy than is observed. Some of the errors may be attributed to the lack of horizontal and vertical resolution, but most of the errors are due to inadequacies and incorrect assumptions in the physical parameterizations. We present a list of the systematic errors of the operational 5-day forecasts and results of a 1-yr integration with climatological sea surface temperatures. One of the prominent features of NOGAPS integrations is a large diurnal oscillation in the global mean averages. This oscillation is traced to large differences in total albedo over the land and sea areas. We pres...
A fluorescent ligand rationally designed to be selective for zinc(II) over larger metal ions. The structures of the zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes of N,N-bis(2-methylquinoline)-2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine

Abstract The metal ion coordinating properties of the ligands N,N-bis(2-methylquinoline)-2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine (DQPEA) and N,N-bis(2-methylquinoline)-2-(2-aminomethyl)pyridine (DQPMA) are presented. DQPEA and DQPMA differ only in that DQPEA forms six-membered chelate rings that involve the pyridyl group, whereas DQPMA forms analogous five-membered chelate rings. These two ligands illustrate the application of a ligand design principle, which states that increase of chelate ring size in a ligand will result in increase in selectivity for smaller relative to larger metal ions. The formation constants (log K1) of DQPEA and DQPMA with Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) are reported. As expected from the applied ligand design principle, small metal ions such as Ni(II) and Zn(II) show increases in log K1 with DQPEA (six-membered chelate ring) relative to DQPMA (five-membered chelate ring), while large metal ions such as Cd(II) and Pb(II) show decreases in log K1 when the chelate ring increases in size. In order to further understand the steric origin of the destabilization of complexes of metal ions of differing sizes by the six-membered chelate ring of DQPEA, the structures of [Zn(DQPEA)H2O](ClO4)2 (1) [triclinic, P 1 ¯ , a = 9.2906(10), b = 10.3943(10), c = 17.3880(18) A, α = 82.748(7)°, β = 88.519(7)°, γ = 66.957(6)°, Z = 4, R = 0.073] and [Cd(DQPEA)(NO3)2] (2) [monoclinic, C2/c, a = 22.160(3), b = 15.9444(18), c = 16.6962(18) A, β = 119.780(3)°, Z = 8, R = 0.0425] are reported. The Zn in (1) is five-coordinate, with a water molecule completing the coordination sphere. The Cd(II) in (2) is six-coordinate, with two unidentate nitrates coordinated to the Cd. It is found that the bonds to the quinaldine nitrogens in the DQPEA complexes are considerably stretched as compared to those of analogous TPyA (tri(pyridylmethyl)amine) complexes, which effect is attributed to the greater steric crowding in the DQPEA complexes. The structures are analyzed for indications of the origins of the destabilization of the complex of the large Cd(II) ion relative to the smaller Zn(II) ion. A possible cause is the greater distortion of the six-membered chelate ring in (2) than in (1), as evidenced by torsion angles that are further away from the ideal values in (2) than in (1). Fluorescence properties of the DQPMA and DQPEA complexes of Zn(II) and Cd(II) are reported. It is found that the DQPEA complex of Zn(II) has increased fluorescence intensity compared to the DQPMA complex, while for the Cd(II) complex the opposite is found. This is related to the greater strain in the six-membered chelate ring of the Cd(II) DQPEA complex as compared to the Zn(II) complex, with resulting poorer overlap in the Cd–N bond, and hence greater ability to quench the fluorescence in the Cd(II) complex.
Cancer of the larynx: A new staging system and a re-appraisal of prognosis and treatment☆

Abstract In an inception cohort of 192 patients with carcinoma of the larynx, we have examined the prognostic role of the diverse clinical manifestations that were present before the first therapeutic decision. Subsequent survival was found to be most prominently related to the types of symptoms, anatomic topography, and associated major co-morbid ailments. These symptomatic, anatomic, and co-morbid aspects of classification were combined to form a new composite 4-category staging system that produces a more quantitatively distinctive prognostic gradient than the conventional TNM anatomic arrangements. The Composite S-A-C Stage Delta is demarcated by either extra-laryngeal anatomic spread or major co-morbidity or both. The remaining three stages depend on symptomatic patterns. S-A-C Stage Gamma contains patients with pharyngo-esophageal or ‘external’ symptoms. S-A-C Stage Beta is demarcated by respiratory, systemic, or regionally ‘referred’ symptoms. S-A-C Stage Alpha is reserved for patients with only local or cord symptoms. The 5-yr survival rates, regardless of therapy, in the four stages were: Alpha , 36 41 (88%); Beta , 35 58 (60%); Gamma , 17 39 (44%) and Delta , 8 54 (15%) . Although the S-A-C stages produced important prognostic gradients within the same TNM stage, survival rates within the same S-A-C stage were not substantially affected by differences either in TNM stage or in the duration of symptoms before treatment. In addition to showing distinctive trends in the rates of subsequent metastasis and deaths due to cancer, the S-A-C stages were associated with a prognostic gradient for other forms of death, due to non-neoplastic disease. The choice of treatment was related to the S-A-C stage in which a patient was encountered. Surgery was selected most often for patients in stages Beta and Gamma, whereas radiotherapy was chosen most often for the Alpha and Delta stages. Within the Alpha and Beta S-A-C stages, the outcomes of radiotherapy seemed at least as successful as those of surgery; but in stages Gamma and Delta, surgery seemed superior to radio-therapy. These analyses indicate that careful history taking and attention to the patient's total clinical state provide crucial data for estimating prognosis and evaluating treatment in patients with laryngeal cancer.
Automated and on-demand provisioning of virtual machines for database applications

Utility computing delivers compute and storage resources to applications as an 'on-demand utility', much like electricity, from a distributed collection of computing resources. There is great interest in running database applications on utility resources (e.g., Oracle's Grid initiative) due to reduced infrastructure and management costs, higher resource utilization, and the ability to handle sudden load surges. Virtual Machine (VM) technology offers powerful mechanisms to manage a utility resource infrastructure. However, provisioning VMs for applications to meet system performance goals, e.g., to meet service level agreements (SLAs), is an open problem. We are building two systems at Duke - Shirako and NIMO - that collectively address this problem. Shirako is a toolkit for leasing VMs to an application from a utility resource infrastructure. NIMO learns application performance models using novel techniques based on active learning, and uses these models to guide VM provisioning in Shirako. We will demonstrate: (a) how NIMO learns performance models in an online and automatic fashion using active learning; and (b) how NIMO uses these models to do automated and on-demand provisioning of VMs in Shirako for two classes of database applications - multi-tier web services and computational science workflows.
Properties of FERRALIUM alloy 255 duplex austenitic-ferritic stainless steel for sour gas well applications

Some of the properties of a 25 pct chromium duplex stainless steel, FERRALIUM ® alloy 255,* as related to sour gas well applications are presented. Autoclave tests have demonstrated negligible corrosion rates in NaCl-, CO2-, and H2S-containing environments to 200 ‡C (400 ‡F). The duplex stainless steel exhibited resistance to environmental embrittlement for a broad range of H2S concentrations. At high H2S concentrations stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is found to occur. Sigma phase formation is detrimental to SCC resistance. Heat treatments at temperatures of 1040 ‡C to 1150 ‡C (1900 ‡F to 2100 ‡F), which are above the sigma-phase formation temperatures, did not have a measurable effect on SCC as determined with plastically deformed two-point beam specimens.
Background K+ current in isolated canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes.

The current-voltage (I-V) relation of the background current, IK1, was studied in isolated canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes using the whole-cell, patch-clamp technique. Since Ba2+ and Cs+ block IK1, these cations were used to separate the I-V relation of IK1 from that of the whole cell. The I-V relation of IK1 was measured as the difference between the I-V relations of the cell in normal Tyrode (control solution) and in the presence of either Ba2+ (1 mM) or Cs+ (10 mM). Our results indicate that IK1 is an inwardly rectifying K+ current whose conductance depends on extracellular potassium concentration. In different [K+]0's the I-V relations of IK1 exhibit crossover. In addition the I-V relation of IK1 contains a region of negative slope (even when that of the whole cell does not). We also examined the relationship between the resting potential of the myocyte, Vm, and [K+]0 and found that it exhibits the characteristic anomalous behavior first reported in Purkinje strands (Weidmann, S., 1956, Elektrophysiologie der Herzmuskelfaser, Med. Verlag H. Huber), where lowering [K+]0 below 4 mM results in a depolarization.
Daily chlormadinone acetate as an oral contraceptive

Abstract Two-hundred and sixty-seven patients took chlormadinone acetate, 0.5 mg daily, for a total of 3,199 months. The overall pregnancy rate and the rate for method failure were 4.5 and 3.7 pregnancies/100 women years, respectively, as calculated by the Pearl formula. Similar results were obtained using the life-table method. The main advantage of this oral contraceptive was its lack of estrogenic side effects. The major disadvantages were the relatively high pregnancy rate and the high incidence of abnormal bleeding among its users.
Applications of laser tweezers in complex fluid rheology

Recent advances in the methods and applications of laser tweezers in complex fluid rheology are reviewed. Optical micromanipulation provides the ability to probe the mechanics, interactions, and structure of polymer and colloidal materials at the nano- and microscales. Applications in the areas of microrheology, micromechanics, and measurement of colloidal interactions are discussed. Significant developments in the past year include rotational microrheology, the role of nano- and microscale fluid structure in microrheological measurements, and the first quantitative measurements of three-body interactions in colloidal suspensions.
Cement paste hydrated in Sr(OH)2

Abstract Samples of hydrating Type I portland cement paste were soaked in a saturated Sr(OH) 2 solution at 80°C for periods from 7 to 28 days. This treatment generates a new and, as yet, unidentified material. The new material has a characteristic X-ray pattern, contains strontium, and is less porous and much stronger than hydrated cement paste. The 28-day modulus of rupture is increased 60% over that of hydrated cement paste soaked in saturated Ca(OH) 2 solution at 80°C. Evidence is presented that this new material occupies an increased volume and thereby produces an early, chemically-induced, prestress with the result that the 7-day modulus of rupture is about 10% greater than the 28-day value.
On cyclicity of commutants

In this note an example is given of a Hilbert space operator whose commutant is not finitely cyclic. The example settles in the negative a conjecture of D. A. Herrero.
The ethical implications of prospective payment and corporate medical practice: A research agenda

The major trends in the growth of prospective payment and the corporatization of medical practice in the United States are examined. In particular, the ethical implications of these changes in the context of the multiple system goals of access, cost containment, and quality are considered. Considerable concern is being expressed that with the dominant emphasis on cost containment, the principles of access and quality might be compromised. This paper formulates a research agenda to address this question, based on a review and synthesis of empirical evidence and hypotheses about the probable or actual impact of these changes on the multiple health system goals. A basic premise is that ethical judgments should be grounded in empirical evidence about what actually is or will be.
Fixed-Phase Observations of RS Canum Venaticorum and BY Draconis Systems

We present our data set of same-hemisphere, or fixed-phase, observations of five RS Canum Venaticorum and BY Draconis binaries made with the Solar-Stellar Spectrograph at Lowell Observatory. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of intrinsic variability in the components of these systems, and to compare it with variability arising from rotational modulation and from long-term, activity cycle–related variability. We obtain fixed-phase observations by observing tidally locked binaries with near–integral-day periods. The fixed-phase observations reveal that the intrinsic variability of the stellar hemispheres is significantly less than the variability induced by rotational modulation or by long-term, activity-cyclic evolution, but only when several spectral features are considered in tandem. Fixed-phase "flickering" of the stellar hemispheres is often apparent at a higher level than the rotational or long-term modulation in individual activity indicators. Interpretation of rotational or long-term modulation in active, late-type stars using data that do not allow quantification of the fixed-phase variability of the stars (i.e., data that do not span several rotational periods) is extremely risky.
The January Effect

This paper uses broad samples of value-weighted and equally-weighted returns to document the fact that abnormally high rates of return on small-cap stocks continued to be observed during the month of January. The January effect in small cap stock returns is remarkably consistent over time, and does not appear to have been affected by passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. This finding adds new perspective to the traditional tax-loss selling hypothesis, and suggests the potential relevance of behavioral explanations. After a generation of intensive study, the January effect is alive and well, and continues to present a daunting challenge to the Efficient Market Hypothesis.
Simulated Moving Bed Cascades for Ternary Separations

Seven cascades for simulated moving bed systems are developed for ternary separations with linear isotherms. The minimum desorbent-to-feed ratio, D/F, was determined for each cascade using the equi...
Peer-based HIV risk assessment: a step-by-step guide through the teachable moment.

Abstract Peer educators in HIV prevention have influence with other students beyond the narrowly defined traditional activities of workshop presentations or outreach projects. Training HIV prevention peer educators to be prepared for the “teachable moments” when other students seek their assistance on assessing risk for HIV infection is a necessary new emphasis in the training curriculum. HIV risk assessment can be approached as an educational intervention that requires interpersonal skills, but does not cross the invisible barrier into “counseling.”
Determinants of Success on the ETS Business Major Field Exam for Students in an Undergraduate Multisite Regional University Business Program

Extending previous studies, the authors examined a larger set of variables to identify predictors of student performance on the Educational Testing Service Major Field Exam in Business, which has been shown to be an externally valid measure of student learning outcomes. Significant predictors include gender, whether students took the SAT, and grades (using grade point averages for either business core and preadmission courses, or loadings on four factors identified as general, quantitative, accounting, and management). Site (on- or off-campus), age, transfer status, and major (accounting vs. business administration) were not significant. In a further extension of previous studies, the authors discovered significant interactions between some predictors.
A Rabbit Model of Inhalation Injury

In the course of developing a model of inhalation injury, the relationship between the severity of pulmonary injury and specific techniques and doses of smoke exposure was examined in pairs of rabbits simultaneously exposed to smoke. In group I (5 pairs), one animal in each pair was exposed to smoke with a breath hold (BH) at the end of each exposure; the second animal received an exposure producing the same level of carboxyhemoglobin without BH. In group II (6 pairs), both animals were exposed to 25 units of smoke simultaneously, with BH. In group III (3 pairs), one animal received a 20-unit exposure and the other a 25-unit exposure, both with BH. In group IV, 9 animals received 25-unit exposures with BH and were observed for 4 days. Groups V and VI served as controls. Smoke exposure with BH regularly produced severe injury in terms of decreased PaO2 and histopathologic changes, while exposure without BH did not, despite high levels of carboxyhemoglobin after smoke inhalation. The mean differences in percent residual PaO2 (PaO2 at 48 hours x 100/pre-injury PaO2) and in extravascular lung water (EVLW) at 48 hours within pairs of animals receiving 25 units with BH were 12.3% +/- 5.33%, and 0.271 +/- 0.157 mL/g, respectively. Histologic findings such as necrotic tracheobronchitis with pseudomembrane were consistently present. No differences were observed between animals receiving exposure of 20 and 25 units. During the 4 days of observation, three animals in group IV died. PaO2 was lowest on the second day and rose thereafter in all surviving animals except in one that had massive pneumonia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reversible association of caffeine and of some caffeine homologs in aqueous solution.

Experimental studies involving partitioning between two solvents suggest that caffeine undergoes rather marked association in aqueous solution, existing primarily as monomer, dimer, and tetramer. A graphical method has been utilized to estimate the association constants for the dimerization and tetramerization equilibria in water. Similar studies with 7-ethyltheophylline and 7-propyltheophylline indicate that they also undergo considerable association in aqueous solution forming dimeric and tetrameric associated species. The degree of association decreases as the length of the side chain increases. In contrast, 1-ethyltheobromine appears to exist in aqueous solution only in monomeric and dimeric forms.
SU-E-T-386: A Monte Carlo Dose Calculation Framework for Electron Beams On Varian TrueBeam

Purpose: The design of the linac head is different for TrueBeam than Clinac, and there are differences in measured dose distributions in water phantoms between TrueBeam and Clinac for electron beams. Therefore, MC models for Clinac may not be applied directly to the Truebeam linac. The purpose of this study is to validate a Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation framework for electron beams on Varian TrueBeam with phase space files provided by Varian. Methods: The particle histories from the phase space file were used as input for the down-stream simulation including jaws, applicators, and water phantom. MC packages BEAMnrc/DOSYXZnrc were used. The down-stream beam components were modeled according to manufacturer specifications and the dose distributions were compared with the measured data of standard cones. The measurements were performed in a water phantom with a p-type electron field diode (diameter 0.2cm) and ion chamber (CC13). Depth dose and orthogonal profiles at depths defined by R{sub 1} {sub 0} {sub 0}, R{sub 5} {sub 0}, Rp were compared. Results: Preliminary results for a 16 MeV phase space and 10x10, 15x15, and 20x20 cm{sup 2} applicator are presented. Simulations were run for a statistical uncertainty of <2% at depth of maximum dose formore » a voxel resolution of 0.5x0.5x0.2cm{sup 2}. Dose and range differences for the PDD profiles were within 2% and 1 mm, respectively. Dose differences within the central 80% of the beam width for the orthogonal profiles at depth of maximum dose were less than 2% for the 10x10, 15x15, and 20x20 cm{sup 2} applicator, respectively. Conclusion: Varian electron phase space files simulations are in agreement with measured commissioning data. These phase space files can be used in the simulation of TrueBeam linacs, and will provide reproducibility across publications. Analyses for all electron energies and standard applicators are under way and results will be included in the presentation.« less
Attitude heritability, attitude change and physiological responsivity

Abstract This study explores the role of attitude heritability in connection with attitude change as a result of attitude discrepant behavior. Thirty four subjects were given high or low choice to write an essay which was discrepant from either a high heritability attitude or a low heritability attitude. High heritability attitudes were more resistant to change than low heritability attitudes. Attitude change was associated with greater electrodermal responding and faster heart rate for high heritability attitudes but not for low heritability attitudes.
Satellite-derived rain rates in vertically sheared tropical cyclones

[1] When tropical cyclones interact with environmental vertical wind shear, they often take on an asymmetric structure. Prior observational and modeling studies have identified a preference for rainfall enhancement in the directions that are down shear and also to the left of the shear vector (in the Northern Hemisphere). This study composites hundreds of snapshots of the rain fields for Atlantic tropical cyclones between 1988–2004, taken from satellite-borne passive microwave radiometer estimates. Quadrant mean rain rates are fairly symmetrical in weakly sheared hurricanes. For cases with shear greater than 10 m s−1, the favored downshear and left-of-shear quadrants have a factor of two greater rain rates in the inner core than the non-favored quadrants. Beyond 100 km from the center, this asymmetry increases to a factor of four or more. The magnitude of the asymmetry is greater for tropical storms, although the mean rain rates are less.
OPTIMIZED DESIGN, FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PZT UNIMORPH MICROACTUATORS FOR DEFORMABLE MIRRORS

This paper describes an optimization of PZT unimorph membrane microactuators in view of their application to deformable mirrors (DMs).
Roughness element shape effects on heat transfer and skin friction in rough-wall turbulent boundary layers

Abstract Stanton number and skin friction coefficient results are presented for zero pressure gradient incompressible turbulent boundary layer air flows over two rough surfacescomposed of 1.27 mm base diameter by 0.635 mm high truncated cones spaced in staggered arrays two ( L/d 0 = 2) and four diameters( L/d 0 = 4)