cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complex formation and ionic conductivity of polyphosphazene solid electrolytes

Abstract The linear poly[(alkoxy)phosphazene], [NP(OC 2 H 4 OC 2 H 4 OCH 3 ) 2 ] n (MEEP), has been synthesized and investigated as a polymeric electrolyte host material. Amorphous solvent free polymersalt complexes formed with a variety of mono-, di-, and trivalent salts and exhibit high ionic conductivity. The conductivity varies with changes in the identify of the cation, the anion and the salt concentration. It also exhibits a non-Arrhenius temperature dependence. For alkali-metal salt complexes the cations and anions both contribute to the ionic conductivity. The complex (LiSO 3 CF 3 ) 0.25 ·MEEP exhibits a conductivity at room temperature which is 2.5 orders of magnitude greater that the corresponding poly(ethylene oxide) complex.
Software analytics for digital games: keynote abstract

Software and its development generates an inordinate amount of data. Development activities such as check-ins, work items, bug reports, code reviews, and test executions are recorded in software repositories. User interactions that reflect how customers experience software are recorded in telemetry data, run-time traces, and log files and helps to track application and feature usage and expose performance and reliability. Software analytics takes this data and turns it into actionable insight to better inform decisions related to software.In this talk, I will summarize our efforts in the area of software analytics with a special focus on digital games. I will present several examples of games studies, which we have worked on at Microsoft Research such as how players are engaged in Project Gotham Racing, how skill develops over time in Halo Reach and Forza Motorsports, and the initial experience of game play. I will also point out important differences between games development and traditional software development. The work presented in this talk has been done by Nachi Nagappan, myself, and many others who have visited our group over the past years.
Argon-induced g-factor shift in potassium

The $g$ factor of the $^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ Van der Waals molecule KAr has been measured relative to the $g$ factor of free potassium using molecular-beam magnetic-resonance techniques. A theoretical treatment of the $g$ factor of the molecule is presented that predicts the $g$ factor to be shifted from the value for the free potassium atom by an amount proportional to the ratio $\frac{\ensuremath{\gamma}}{B}$, where $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $B$ are the spin-rotational and rotational constants of the molecule, respectively. The experimental results show the molecular $g$ factor to be less than the value for free potassium by approximately 25 ppm, in agreement with the prediction.
An instrument system to measure boundary-layer conditions at the sea floor

Abstract An instrument system (data-collecting devices mounted on a tripod platform) has been built for measuring currents and sediment motion within 2 m of the sea floor. The platform is an aluminum tripod capable of sinking to depths of 200 m and returning to the surface. This platform contains its own lighting system and electrical power. Twelve shipboard controlled electrical outputs provide power for the sensing elements. The system is capable of: ( 1 ) providing continuous observation of the sea floor by means of underwater television; ( 2 ) continuously measuring the velocity profile (6 current meters and 1 direction vane) within 2 m of the bottom; ( 3 ) taking, on command, stereophotographs of the bottom for determination of bed configuration; ( 4 ) sampling the suspended sediment within 2 m of the bottom, and ( 5 ) measuring water depth. All data are transmitted continuously to shipboard and recorded on paper tape. This system has been used on several occasions in inshore waters for continuous periods up to 32 h.
Effect of Hypoxia/Ischemia on Bicuculline‐Induced Seizures in Immature Rats: Behavioral and Electrocortical Phenomena

The relation between hypoxia/ischemia and subsequent alterations in seizure susceptibility in developing brain remains unclear. We assessed the behavioral and electrocorticographic (ECoG) effects of hypoxic/ischemic brain damage on bicuculline (BIC)-induced seizures in 7-day postnatal rats, and determined maturational changes in seizure susceptibility, behavior and ECoG activity. Rat pups were subjected to unilateral common carotid artery ligation, followed by exposure to 8% O2 at 37 degrees C for 2 h, an insult that produces brain damage in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to carotid artery occlusion. The experimental group consisted of rat pups previously subjected to hypoxia/ischemia; control littermates received neither arterial ligation nor systemic hypoxia. Experimental animals received 4, 5, or 6 mg/kg BIC subcutaneously (s.c.) at 2 and 24 h, and at 3, 7, and 21 days of recovery from hypoxia/ischemia. Two animals at each interval of recovery, 1 each from the experimental and control groups, were used for ECoG monitoring. After BIC injection, animal behavior was observed for 2 h. Behaviors and seizures were classified in five categories based on severity, duration, and character: 1, mild irritability; 2, few clonic seizures and agitation; 3, few tonic-clonic seizures with swimming movements; 4, frequent tonic-clonic seizures with apneic episodes; 5, continuous tonic-clonic seizures and death. Rat pups previously subjected to hypoxia/ischemia had lesser seizure susceptibility than controls at 2-h recovery (p < 0.05) and greater susceptibility than controls at 24 h (p < 0.05). Tonic seizures were prominent at 2 and 24 h in both the experimental and control groups, whereas lesion-sided circling was prominent only in the hypoxic/ischemic rat pups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Variation in Wage-Ratios

Variations in wage-ratios in different areas: conductors and brakemen, 370; typists and stenographers, 370; telephone operators and typists, 370; office work, 370; painters and plumbers, 372; common labor and skilled labor, 373. — Analysis of wage-ratios among railroad workers: engineers, conductors, brakemen, section men, 374. — National differences in these ratios, 375. — Swedish experience, 378. — Engineers and firemen, 378. — American experience, 379. — Length-of-service ratios, 380. — Economic ratios in general, 382.
Advanced Space Nuclear Reactors from Fiction to Reality

Abstract The advanced nuclear power sources are used in a large variety of science fiction movies and novels, but their practical development is, still, in its early conceptual stages, some of the ideas being confirmed by collateral experiments. The novel reactor concept uses the direct conversion of nuclear energy into electricity, has electronic control of reactivity, being surrounded by a transmutation blanket and very thin shielding being small and light that at its very limit may be suitable to power an autonomously flying car. It also provides an improved fuel cycle producing minimal negative impact to environment. The key elements started to lose the fiction attributes, becoming viable actual concepts and goals for the developments to come, and on the possibility to achieve these objectives started to become more real because the theory shows that using the novel nano-technologies this novel reactor might be achievable in less than a century.
Human stem-progenitor cells from neonatal cord blood have greater hematopoietic expansion capacity than those from mobilized adult blood.

Abstract Objective In this study we compared the hematopoietic capacity of CD34 + cell preparations from neonatal cord blood (CB) vs adult mobilized peripheral blood (PBSC) before and after ex vivo culture. Methods CD34 + cell preparations purified from CB or PBSC were cultured in serum-free medium containing FKT: FLT-3 ligand (FL), KIT ligand (KL), and thrombopoietin (TPO). Results After 1–4 weeks ex vivo culture, CB CD34 + cell preparations had greatly increased numbers of total cells, CD34 + cells, and colony-forming cells (CFC). In contrast, ex vivo–cultured PBSC CD34 + cell preparations generated far less in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity. Nonobese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient mouse (NOD/SCID) engrafting potential (SEP) was maintained in ex vivo–cultured CB CD34 + cell preparations, whereas ex vivo–cultured PBSC lost SEP. CB CD34 + cells continued to proliferate throughout 3 weeks ex vivo, whereas after 1 week, no additional cell divisions were detected in PBSC CD34 + cells. After 3 weeks in culture, the average CB CD34 + cell had divided more than 5 times, as compared to only 2 times for the average PBSC CD34 + cell. Conclusion CB CD34 + cell preparations generated massively increased in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity and maintained SEP during 1- to 4-week ex vivo cultures. In contrast, ex vivo–cultured PBSC CD34 + cell preparations generated far less in vitro assessed hematopoietic capacity and decreased SEP. The differences in the in vitro proliferative indices of membrane dye-labeled CD34 + cells from CB vs PBSC correlated with these functional differences.
Examining nitrogen isotope ratios as a paleoproxy

The relative consumption of nutrients by diatoms in the ocean, with regard to both supply and demand of nitrate, affects the nitrogen isotope composition of diatoms. Sedimentary nitrogen isotope ratios are often used as a proxy for past conditions. However, there are uncertainties associated with these nitrogen isotope proxies. Bulk sediment nitrogen isotope ratios differ from fossil diatom-bound nitrogen isotope ratios. To learn more about these uncertainties, Horn et al. measured nitrogen isotopes in five different species of cultured diatoms. The results indicate that there are significant interspecies variations in the offsets between isotope ratios in the total biomass and isotope ratios in the diatom-bound nitrogen. These differences should be considered when interpreting nitrogen isotope ratios. (Paleoceanography, doi:10.1029/2010PA002080, 2011)
Adhesive analysis of voids in Class II composite resin restorations at the axial and gingival cavity walls restored under in vivo versus in vitro conditions.

Objectives Adhesive analysis, under the scanning electron microscope of microtensile specimens that failed through the adhesive interface, was conducted to evaluate the amount of voids present at the axial versus gingival cavity walls of class II composite restorations restored under in vivo and in vitro conditions.
Stabilization and augmentation of the neutral deoxyribo nuclease in mammalian tissues

Abstract Aqueous extracts of beef pancreas rapidly lose their DNAase I activity upon incubation at 37°. If albumin, peptone, or a variety of other proteolytic substrates is added to the extract, not only is there no loss of activity, but a several-fold increase in activity is observed. Mouse kidney or intestine, which normally show no DNAase I activity, will exhibit an appreciable, though not great, activity if similarly incubated with albumin. Once crystallized commercial DNAase also loses activity upon incubation, but not in the presence of albumin or peptone. The proposed mechanism for these findings in the case of crude tissue extracts is that of protection of the DNAase against proteolysis, while co-existent DNAase inhibitor is destroyed. In the case of the instability of crystalline DNAase, the albumin or peptone protects against denaturation.
Species richness in plant genera disjunct between temperate eastern Asia and North America

Abstract The species richness of 109 amphi-Pacific disjunct genera was examined in eastern Asia and North America. Although the entire flora of eastern Asia contains approximately one-third more species than that of North America, the difference in species richness among disjunct taxa is less. When woody and herbaceous genera are considered separately, the former exhibit a strong diversity bias favouring eastern Asia whereas there is no significant difference in diversity between continents among herbaceous genera. This result is not due to habitat differences between woody and herbaceous genera, because the disjunct herbs inhabit primarily moist forests and woodlands. This result is also not related to relative phylogenetic advancement, even though older major lineages of plants tend to have a predominance of woody taxa. Woody genera are distributed in lower latitudes than herbaceous genera on both continents, and both woody and herbaceous genera are distributed in lower latitudes in eastern Asia than in North America. The North American temperate flora is primarily a relict of a flora formerly more widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Contemporary patterns of diversity suggest that the effects of climate changes in the late Tertiary were less severe in eastern Asia and promoted diversification, but were more severe in North America and may have caused widespread extinction. The difference in the effect of climate change on diversity in herbaceous and woody lineages reflects the different ecological relationships of species having these contrasting life forms. Clearly, the contemporary floras of eastern Asia and North America bear the imprint of history and emphasize the important interface between ecological relationships and evolutionary responses.
Impact of long-term naltrexone treatment on growth hormone and insulin secretion in hyperandrogenic and normal obese patients

The growth hormone (GH) response to stimulation tests is impaired in obesity. Moreover, obese patients exhibit a "paradoxical" increase of GH to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulation after food ingestion; this paradoxical response is reversed by naloxone infusion. On the other hand, beta-endorphin seems to exert profound effects on insulin release. Recent studies also demonstrated an impairment of GH response to several stimuli in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition associated with obesity, hyperinsulinism, and insulin resistance. Chronic inhibition of opioid tone by the opioid antagonist naltrexone (NTX) is able to reduce the insulin response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in hyperinsulinemic PCOS patients. Since insulin and GH may reciprocally influence their secretion and the opioid system may have a role in the pathogenesis of hyperinsulinemia and reduced GH secretion, we have explored the involvement of these neuroendocrine mechanisms in essential obesity and in obesity associated with hyperandrogenism by a long-term treatment with an opiate antagonist. We tested seven obese patients affected by PCOS, seven matched women with essential obesity (EO), and five non-obese control subjects. All patients, in the follicular phase, underwent an OGTT (75 g) and basal hormone assay. Two days later, patients were subjected to a GHRH test. The patients then had 4 weeks of treatment with NTX 50 mg/d. Following continuation of the treatment, OGTT and GHRH tests were repeated. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) plasma concentrations were also determined in the basal condition before and after NTX treatment. NTX treatment reduced fasting insulin levels in patients with EO (P < .05) and restored a normal GH response to GHRH without affecting IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels. In PCOS subjects, NTX reduced the insulin response to a glucose load and failed to modify the blunted GH response to GHRH. Our data suggest a significant difference in opioid system function in PCOS and EO subjects, indicating a particular form of obesity in PCOS. The opiate antagonist treatment in EO may act through the reduction of negative insulin feedback on GH secretion. In PCOS patients, the failure to improve GH secretion in obese hyperandrogenized patients may be related to a high opioidergic tone or to the inhibitory predominance of other neurotransmitters.
On the syntheses and properties of some hexafluorobismuthate (V) salts and their in the metathetical synthesis of NF+4 salts

Abstract The salts LiBiF6, NaBiF6, KBiF6, CsBiF6 and NF4BiF6 were prepared and characterized. Differences in the observed numbers and relative intensities of some of the Raman bands of these salts are explained by crystal effects. Solubilities of these salts in anhydrous HF at -78° were determined and compared to those of the corresponding SbF-6salts. It was shown that, contrary to a previous report, CsBiF6 does not exhibit any unusual properties such as forming a mushy volatile HF adduct. The potential of NF4BiF6 based metathetical processes for the production of other NF+4 salts was evaluated. The novel H3O+BiF-6salt was prepared and characterized. The usefulness of BiF5 for water removal from HF is briefly discussed.
Prospects of a visible (green) chemical laser

The experimental conditions for a 1.25-kW visible (green) chemical laser are detailed. In this system, a supersonic oxygen–iodine laser is optically coupled straightforwardly to a nitrogen fluoride DFlike supersonic flow. The design conditions presented here are based on previously unpublished experimental and theoretical results that are shown to be in good agreement.
Effects of dietary phenethyl isothiocyanate, ellagic acid, sulindac and calcium on the induction and progression of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced esophageal carcinogenesis in rats.

The potential inhibitory effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), ellagic acid (EA), sulindac and supplemental dietary calcium (SDC) on N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced esophageal carcinogenesis were evaluated in rats utilizing an abbreviated (5 week) NMBA treatment protocol which allowed administration of the putative inhibitors throughout the experiment (i.e. beginning 2 weeks prior to NMBA treatment) or following completion of NMBA dosing only. PEITC at 500 p.p.m. significantly inhibited tumor incidence and multiplicity when given before and during, but not following, NMBA treatment. Neither sulindac at 125 p.p.m. nor SDC (2% versus 0.5% in control diet) inhibited tumor development when given during or following NMBA treatment. EA, which was administered only following NMBA treatment, significantly reduced the incidence (66.7% versus 100% in NMBA controls), but not the multiplicity, of esophageal tumors at the high-dose (4000 p.p.m.) level. Together these findings indicate that: (i) PEITC selectively inhibits the induction but not the subsequent progression of NMBA-induced esophageal tumors; (ii) EA may repress esophageal tumor development when administered following NMBA treatment; (iii) at the doses administered, neither sulindac nor SDC possess significant inhibitory activity against NMBA-induced esophageal carcinogenesis in the rat.
Joint clock offset and skew estimation for inactive nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks

We incorporate the clock skew in the message exchange mechanism of [3], without which the clock synchronization problem remains practically unsolved. For the offset-only case, we determine the ML estimators through a simple application of convex optimization, alleviating the need for the graphical search mentioned in [3]. We also propose estimators that outperform the ML estimators in terms of MSE. For the joint estimation of clock offset and skew, we show that the likelihood maximization can be equivalently represented as a linear program and can be solved efficiently by any gradient descent method.
New characterization strategies for streamlining the commercialization of nanomaterials

Characterization and measurement science lies at the core of fundamental and applied research, technology development, and commercialization in every scientific discipline. Unfortunately, the importance of the characterization process and its burden on time and money resources is often overlooked and becomes a bottleneck to technology development and commercialization[1]. The ad hoc approach to characterization that is widely used today in nanomaterial/technology research and commercialization leads to poor decision making that slows progress. This paper presents a new integrative approach for characterization in all stages of nanomaterials/nanotechnology development that incorporates 1) improved and simplified sample preparation that results in reproducible and accurate data, 2) the ability to perform multitechnique high-resolution nanoscale characterization on the same sample for direct correlation of results, and 3) the ability to probe the behavior of materials under a wide range of different environmental/processing conditions to allow for real-time or sequential ex-situ characterization of the behavior of these materials. Combined, this strategy reduces uncertainty and redundancy, provides new insights to materials behavior, embeds a consistent platform for characterization that can be applied from idea inception to commercialized product, and ultimately saves time and money. We provide a practical application of this strategy to understand the behavior of nanosilver embedded on surfaces and the implications of understanding the fate and reactivity of these materials under conditions that mimic their real-world environments. The strategy employed in this work can be applied by manufacturers, technology developers, and regulatory agencies for a broad range of materials and applications to help guide informed policy decisions, ensure safe products, and reduce the time to market.
Measurements in gauge mediated SUSY breaking models at the CERN LHC

Characteristic examples are presented of scenarios of particle production and decay in supersymmetry models in which the supersymmetry breaking is transmitted to the observable world via gauge interactions. The cases are chosen to illustrate the main classes of LHC phenomenology that can arise in these models. A new technique is illustrated that allows the full reconstruction of supersymmetry events despite the presence of two unobserved particles. This technique enables superparticle masses to be measured directly rather than being inferred from kinematic distributions. It is demonstrated that the LHC is capable of making sufficient measurements so as to severely over-constrain the model and determine the parameters with great precision.
Quantitative estimates of interplate coupling inferred from outer rise earthquakes

Interplate coupling plays an important role in the seismogenesis of great interplate earthquakes at subduction zones. The spatial and temporal variations of such coupling control the patterns of subduction zone seismicity. We calculate stresses in the outer rise based on a model of oceanic plate bending and coupling at the interplate contact, to quantitatively estimate the degree of interplate coupling for the Tonga, New Hebrides, Kurile, Kamchatka, and Marianas subduction zones. Depths and focal mechanisms of outer rise earthquakes are used to constrain the stress models. We perform waveform modeling of body waves from the GDSN network to obtain reliable focal depth estimates for 24 outer rise earthquakes. A propagator matrix technique is used to calculate outer rise stresses in a bending 2-D elastic plate floating on a weak mantle. The modeling of normal and tangential loads simulates the total vertical and shear forces acting on the subducting plate. We estimate the interplate coupling by searching for an optimal tangential load at the plate interface that causes the corresponding stress regime within the plate to best fit the earthquake mechanisms in depth and location.
Spousal involvement in CPAP adherence among patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose To determine the effects of spousal involvement on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence and response to CPAP problems in male patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Estimating the Economic Impact of Natural and Social Disasters, with an Application to Hurricane Katrina

This paper examines taxable sales in the Los Angeles and Miami metropolitan areas to find evidence of the short- and long-run effects of the Rodney King riots and Hurricane Andrew on their respective economies. The comparison of these two events shows that the King riots had a long-term negative effect on Los Angeles' economy while Hurricane Andrew had a short-term positive effect on the Miami economy. The paper also applies the contrasting experiences of Los Angeles and Miami to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. In some ways, Katrina is a hybrid of these two events since it combines elements of both a natural disaster and a social disaster. The paper examines how Katrina is similar to each of the previous incidents and how these similarities might affect the recovery of New Orleans following the storm.
The yellow agouti mutation alters some but not all responses to diet and exercise.

Objective: Effects of ectopic expression of the agouti signaling protein were studied on responses to diet restriction and exercise in C57BL/6J (B6) mice and obese B6 mice congenic for the yellow agouti mutation [B6.Cg-Ay (Ay)]. Research Methods and Procedures: Adult male Ay mice were either kept sedentary or exercised on a running wheel and fed ad libitum or diet restricted until weight matched to ad libitum-fed B6 control mice. Body composition, plasma lipids, leptin, and adiponectin were measured. mRNA levels for leptin, adiponectin, lipoprotein lipase, and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 were measured in a visceral (epididymal) and a subcutaneous (femoral) fat depot by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Correlations among traits exhibited one of three patterns: similar lines for B6 and Ay mice, different slopes for B6 and Ay mice, and/or different intercepts for B6 and Ay mice. Correlations involving plasma leptin, mesenteric and epididymal adipose weights, or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were most likely to have different slopes and/or intercepts in B6 and Ay mice. mRNA levels for leptin, Acrp30, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, and lipoprotein lipase in epididymal adipose tissue were not correlated with corresponding levels in femoral adipose tissue. Discussion: The agouti protein interferes with leptin signaling at melanocortin receptors in the hypothalamus of Ay mice. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the melanocortin portion of the leptin-signaling pathway mediates effects primarily on certain fat depots and on some, but not all, components of cholesterol homeostasis.
The Emergence of a Literate Rhetoric in Greece

The “invention” of the alphabet is widely seen as the defining characteristic of literacy in Greece. This article examines the development of written rhetoric; that is, how alphabetic writing was structured for a variety of functions, and how such functions reveal the heuristics that were developed. The article argues that the paragraph is the earliest and dominant feature of an alphabetic rhetoric, and the source for understanding the recursive dynamics of oral and written expression that contributed to the development of a literate rhetoric in Greece.
Prevalence of Deficient Retro-Aortic Rim and Its Effects on Outcomes in Device Closure of Atrial Septal Defects

Deficient retro-aortic rim is of concern as a risk factor for aortic erosion after device closure of atrial septal defects (ASD). However, its prevalence and contribution to technical failure and adverse outcomes have not been delineated. A single-center retrospective cohort study of children and adults undergoing cardiac catheterization for device occlusion of ASD from 1 January 1999 to 1 April 2012 was performed. Risk factors for technical failure and early adverse outcome were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. During the study period, 445 consecutive subjects with a median age of 5.9 years (range, 0.8–80 years) underwent catheterization. Of the subjects with reviewable echocardiograms, 60 % had deficient retro-aortic rim. No attempt at device closure was made for 3.6 % of the subjects. Of the remaining 429 subjects, 96 % underwent successful device occlusion. Major early adverse events occurred in 1.2 % (95 % confidence interval 0.4–2.7 %) of the cases, all of them either device embolization or malposition. Deficient retro-aortic rim was not a risk factor for composite outcome of technical failure or early major adverse event. No deaths, late reinterventions, or erosion events occurred during 2,395 total person-years (median, 5.8 years) of follow-up evaluation. Deficient retro-aortic rim was associated with increased risk of device impingement on the aorta, but no association was seen between device impingement or deficient retro-aortic rim and the development of new/progressive aortic insufficiency. Deficient retro-aortic rim is highly prevalent but did not increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Its contribution to the risk of aortic erosion could not be addressed by this study.
High-Definition Metrology Based Spatial Variation Pattern Analysis for Machining Process Monitoring and Diagnosis

Non-contact high-definition measurement technology, such as laser holographic interferometry, makes it feasible to quickly inspect dimensional variation at micron level, providing up to 2 million data points over a surface area of up to 300×300 mm2 . Such high-definition metrology (HDM) data contain rich spatial variation information but it is challenging to utilize this information for process monitoring and control. The spatial distribution of the data is in high-dimensional form and may show nonlinear patterns. Conventional statistical process monitoring and diagnostic schemes based on simple test statistics and linear statistical process models are incapable of capturing the complex surface characteristics as reflected by large amounts of spatial data. This paper develops a framework for efficient monitoring of spatial variation in HDM data using principal curves and quality control charts. Since large scale surface variation patterns (caused by fixturing and part bending) may camouflage those in the smaller scale (generally associated with tooling conditions), it is essential to separate the patterns in these scales and monitor them individually. At each scale, process monitoring is implemented in a sequential manner by monitoring the overall spatial features followed by localized variation identification if an out-of-control condition is detected. To examine the overall spatial characteristics, a principal-component-analysis (PCA) filtered principal curve regression is proposed in conjunction with multivariate control charts whereby nonlinear patterns of spatial data are extracted and monitored. When the overall monitoring indicates a problem, the identification of a surface variation change can be achieved through localized monitoring over each surface region based on variogram pattern analysis and control charts. The location of surface region change provides clues for variation source diagnosis. The proposed method is illustrated using simulated HDM data.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Food Research: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract Research accomplishments and future trends in a given field can be described in terms of number and quality of publications, impact of findings on the clientele of researchers, or the notoriety of researchers. The present discussion will give an overview of past and present publications on dairy technology and of selected research topics that illustrate the evolution of some important innovations and how a variety of disciplines interacted to foster these developments.
Meeting Reports: SES-III Meeting

On September 19-21, 2005, the Synchrotron Environmental Science III (SES-III) conference was held at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), in Upton, New York. Continuing the tradition established by previous SES conferences held at Argonne National Lab, SES-III brought together the diverse community of scientists who apply synchrotron-based radiation techniques to study the biological and geochemical aspects of both local and global environmental issues. The conference included two days of topical sessions that addressed the application of innovative synchrotron methods in environmental science along with applications in bioavailability and remediation science. The third day included a workshop on microbeam methods. Attendees reported on environmental science activities conducted at synchrotron facilities worldwide.
Toughening of nylon 6 with grafted rubber impact modifiers

Recent work has shown that nylon 6/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blends can be made tough by the addition of some polymer additives that are chemically reactive with nylon 6 and physically compatible with the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) phase of ABS. Imidized acrylic polymers (IA) represent a successful example of such additives that improve the dispersion of ABS in the nylon 6 matrix and render the blends tough. This article examines the possibility of toughening nylon 6 with ethylene/propylene/diene elastomer grafted with SAN copolymer (EPDM-g-SAN). This EPDM-g-SAN consists of 50% rubber and 50% SAN by weight. However, it was found that the same IA that works well to disperse ABS materials of similar rubber content is not as effective for EPDM-g-SAN, primarily because the EPDM forms the continuous phase, not SAN, and, thus, interfaces with nylon 6 during melt blending. Maleated elastomers like maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-propylene copolymer (EPR-g-MA) and styrene-(ethylene-co-butylene)-styrene triblock copolymer (SEBS-g-MA) were more effective for dispersing EPDM-g-SAN in the nylon 6 matrix than IA. Various mechanisms that improve the dispersion are discussed.
Effects of annealing on Ti Schottky barriers on n-type GaN

The authors investigate the Schottky barrier heights of Ti films deposited on n-type GaN. The effective barrier height Φb0 is measured by current-voltage measurements against temperature. An increasing barrier height Φb0 from ~200 meV (as-deposited) to 250 meV after annealing at temperatures as low as 60°C is observed. After annealing at 230°C and above, a stable Φb0 of 450 meV is measured. The increase in Φb0 is not due to any macroscopic interfacial reaction.
The effect of abnormal cell proportion on specimen classifier performance

In two previous papers we developed formulas relating the performance (error rates) of a two-class specimen classifier to the performance of a preceding two-class classifier and the number of cells examined (K. R. Castleman and B. S. White, Analytical and Quantitative Cytology 2:117, 1980 and K. R. Castleman and B. S. White, Cytometry 1:156, 1980.). This analysis assumed a certain proportion (p) of abnormal cells on an abnormal specimen. In this paper we examine what happens when a system designed assuming one value of p is presented with a positive specimen having a different abnormal cell proportion. We show that the specimen false negative error rate increases dramatically as p decreases below the design value, and conversely. This suggests that the specimen classification performance of a particular system should be quoted only with reference to the abnormal cell proportion of the specimens used for testing.
Physical mapping of complex mRNA populations by “criss-cross” DNA-RNA hybridization

Abstract The “criss-cross” hybridization technique, originally developed to construct restriction enzyme-generated linkage maps of DNA was adapted to allow simulataneous size estimates of mRNAs, and their location on such physical maps. The technique consists of blot transferring a 32 P-labeled, gel-fractionated mRNA population to a nitrocellulose filter to which a restriction digest of DNA has previously been blot transferred. The RNA transfer is performed under hybridization conditions and perpendicular to the axis of the DNA pattern. The width of the bands in the DNA and RNA gels are controlled such that the resulting matrix allows every mRNA species to cross every restriction fragment band. Thus whenever an mRNA band intersects a DNA band containing complementary sequences, hybridization can occur, and be detected by autoradiography. Each spot in the resulting pattern has size and map location characteristics determined by the electrophoretic mobility of the mRNA band (relative to ribosomal RNA markers) and the physical coordinates of the DNA fragment on the restriction map. As an example of the technique, at least 12 of the late mRNAs of adenovirus type 2 were located on the Sma I physical map of the 35 kbp genome of the virus. In addition, the transciption orientation of mRNAs was determined by hybridization to separated strands of the Bam HI fragments.
Contribution of Activation Products to Fusion Accident Risk: Part I. A Preliminary Investigation

Release of neutron-activation products in severe hypothetical fusion-reactor accidents may constitute a larger health hazard than that of the tritium released at the same time. Significant escape of activation products could result from lithium fires hot enough to melt and partly vaporize activated first-wall materials, or from other accident sequences that bring air into contact with activated structure hot enough to cause the formation of volatile metal oxides. Analysis of three combinations of structural materials and severe accident scenarios has been undertaken for an early conceptual tokamak reactor, using a simple consequence model based on that of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Reactor Safety Study (the Rasmussen report) to determine conceivable radiation doses near the plant boundary. No attempt was made to estimate probabilities for such severe events. In the cases of stainless-steel and molybdenum structures subject to massive lithium fires, the boundary doses far exceed those that would be produced by release of the entire plant inventory of tritium and are comparable to the doses similarly calculated for ''worst case'' light water reactor accidents. The case of niobium fusion reactor structure is more favorable. These results, based on an early fusion-reactor design not optimized with respect to safety characteristics, maymore » well portray a worst case picture of fusion accident consequences. They suggest, however, that the large potential safety advantages of fusion compared to fission are not necessarily inherent for all designs and choices of materials, and they motivate attention to the several available strategies for greatly reducing the potential for activation-product release from fusion reactors.« less
A time-motion study of ambulance-to-emergency department radio communications.

Objective. A prospective time-motion study of radio communication between inbound ambulances and emergency department (ED) triage personnel was conducted to assess hospital triage staff time utilized, and how often radio reports result in actions taken in the ED to prepare for patient arrival. The study hypothesis was that reports for “priority 2” (P2, nonemergent) patients rarely provide information that is acted upon in the ED prior to the patient's arrival. Methods. The study was conducted at an academic adult ED receiving 22,000 ambulances per year. An observer in the ED monitored and timed (to the second) all radio reports as well as the activities of triage nurses and arriving emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. Results. A convenience sample of 437 reports was collected: 83 priority 1 (P1, emergent) and 354 P2. Average report times (minutes:seconds) with ranges were 0:53 (0:07-1:57) for P1, and 0:44 (0:04-3:50) for P2. Only 16% of the P2 reports resulted in any preparatory action, and 55% of...
The time integrated far field for Maxwell's and D'Alembert's equations

For x large consider the electric field, E(t,x), and its temporal Fourier Transform, E(w,x). The D.C. component E(0,x) is equal to the time integral of the electric field. Experimentally, one observes that the D.C. component is negligible compared to the field. In this paper we show that this is true in the far field for all solutions of Maxwell's equations. It is not true for typical solutions of the scalar wave equation. The difference is explained by the fact that though each component of the field satisfies the scalar wave equation, the spatial integral of ∂ t E(t,x) vanishes identically. For the scalar wave equation the spatial integral of ∂ t u(t,x) need not vanish. This conserved quantity gives the leading contribution to the time integrated far field. We also give explicit formulas for the far field behavior of the time integrals of the intensity.
ABUNDANCE AND SIZE DISTRIBUTION DYNAMICS OF ABYSSAL EPIBENTHIC MEGAFAUNA IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC

The importance of interannual variation in deep-sea abundances is now becoming recognized. There is, however, relatively little known about what processes dominate the observed fluctuations. The abundance and size distribution of the megabenthos have been examined here using a towed camera system at a deep-sea station in the northeast Pacific (Station M) from 1989 to 2004. This 16-year study included 52 roughly seasonal transects averaging 1.2 km in length with over 35 600 photographic frames analyzed. Mobile epibenthic megafauna at 4100 m depth have exhibited interannual scale changes in abundance from one to three orders of magnitude. Increases in abundance have now been significantly linked to decreases in mean body size, suggesting that accruals in abundance probably result from the recruitment of young individuals. Examinations of size-frequency histograms indicate several possible recruitment events. Shifts in size-frequency distributions were also used to make basic estimations of individual growth rates from 1 to 6 mm/month, depending on the taxon. Regional intensification in reproduction followed by recruitment within the study area could explain the majority of observed accruals in abundance. Although some adult migration is certainly probable in accounting for local variation in abundances, the slow movements of benthic life stages restrict regional migrations for most taxa. Negative competitive interactions and survivorship may explain the precipitous declines of some taxa. This and other studies have shown that abundances from protozoans to large benthic invertebrates and fishes all have undergone significant fluctuations in abundance at Station M over periods of weeks to years.
Effects of a school-based nutrition program diffused throughout a large urban community on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption.

BACKGROUND: Obesity among US children has increased in recent years. Although increased fruit and vegetable consumption has not been directly linked to obesity prevalence, it has been posited that more fruits and vegetables (FV) could reduce the consumption of high-fat, energy-dense foods and may protect against childhood illnesses including asthma and other respiratory diseases. The purpose of this current research was to assess the impact of a large public school district's hybrid approach to nutrition education programming on attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption. METHODS: A total of 12 elementary schools from the Los Angeles Unified School District (9 intervention schools, 3 control schools) were randomly selected to participate in a “hybrid” school-based nutrition education program. Data were collected at baseline (beginning of school year) and postintervention data (end of school year 9 months later). Linear mixed models were developed to assess the impact of the intervention. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in a significant change in teacher influence on students' attitudes toward FV (p < .05) and students' attitudes toward vegetables (p < .01), even after adjusting for gender, grade, and race/ethnicity. Although not statistically significant, there was a slight increase in fruit and vegetable consumption from pretest to posttest for both the intervention and control schools. CONCLUSION: The hybrid model reflects a more accurate representation of school-based interventions. More research is needed to identify the specific components of this model that are most successful in impacting fruit and vegetable consumption among US children.
Short-term item memory in successive same-different discriminations.

Pigeons were tested in a successive same–different (S/D) discrimination procedure to examine the short-term memory for individual items in sequences of different or identical pictures. Item-by-item analyses of pecking behavior within single trials revealed this S/D discrimination emerged at the earliest possible point in the sequence — the presentation of the second item. Further, by comparing peck rates at points where different types of sequences diverged (e.g. ABA versus ABC), we determined that the pigeons remembered the first item for at least 4–8 s and across one to two intervening items. These results indicate that this S/D discrimination was controlled by relational comparisons of pictorial content across memories of specific items, rather than the detection of low-level perceptual “transients” between items. A second experiment supported this conclusion by showing increased discrimination with longer first item viewing times, consistent with encoding of details about individual pictures. These findings further support a qualitative similarity among birds and primates in possessing a general capacity to judge certain types of stimulus relations, such as stimulus identity and difference. Implications for the temporal continuity of experience in animals are also considered.
An Improved Grafting Technique for Mature Arabidopsis Plants Demonstrates Long-Distance Shoot-to-Root Transport of Phytochelatins in Arabidopsis

Phytochelatins (PCs) are peptides that function in heavy-metal chelation and detoxification in plants and fungi. A recent study showed that PCs have the ability to undergo long-distance transport in a root-to-shoot direction in transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). To determine whether long-distance transport of PCs can occur in the opposite direction, from shoots to roots, the wheat (Triticum aestivum) PC synthase (TaPCS1) gene was expressed under the control of a shoot-specific promoter (CAB2) in an Arabidopsis PC-deficient mutant, cad1-3 (CAB2∷TaPCS1/cad1-3). Analyses demonstrated that TaPCS1 is expressed only in shoots and that CAB2∷TaPCS1/cad1-3 lines complement the cadmium (Cd) and arsenic metal sensitivity of cad1-3 shoots. CAB2∷TaPCS1/cad1-3 plants exhibited higher Cd accumulation in roots and lower Cd accumulation in shoots compared to wild type. Fluorescence HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry analyses directly detected PC2 in the roots of CAB2:TaPCS1/cad1-3 but not in cad1-3 controls, suggesting that PC2 is transported over long distances in the shoot-to-root direction. In addition, wild-type shoot tissues were grafted onto PC synthase cad1-3 atpcs2-1 double loss-of-function mutant root tissues. An Arabidopsis grafting technique for mature plants was modified to obtain an 84% success rate, significantly greater than a previous rate of approximately 11%. Fluorescence HPLC-mass spectrometry showed the presence of PC2, PC3, and PC4 in the root tissue of grafts between wild-type shoots and cad1-3 atpcs2-1 double-mutant roots, demonstrating that PCs are transported over long distances from shoots to roots in Arabidopsis.
Active property checking

Runtime property checking (as implemented in tools like Purify or Valgrind) checks whether a program execution satisfies a property. Active property checking extends runtime checking by checking whether the property is satisfied by all program executions that follow the same program path. This check is performed on a symbolic execution of the given program path using a constraint solver. If the check fails, the constraint solver generates an alternative program input triggering a new program execution that follows the same program path but exhibits a property violation. Combined with systematic dynamic test generation, which attempts to exercise all feasible paths in a program, active property checking defines a new form of dynamic software model checking (program verification). In this paper, we formalize and study active property checking. We show how static and dynamic type checking can be extended with active type checking. Then, we discuss how to implement active property checking efficiently. Finally, we discuss results of experiments with media playing applications on Windows, where active property checking was able to detect several new security-related bugs.