cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coulombic friction in metamaterials to dissipate mechanical energy

Abstract Product designs from a wide range of industries such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and others can benefit from new metamaterials for mechanical energy dissipation. In this study, we explore a novel new class of metamaterials with unit cells that absorb energy via sliding Coulombic friction. Remarkably, even materials such as metals and ceramics, which typically have no intrinsic reversible energy dissipation, can be architected to provide dissipation akin to elastomers. The concept is demonstrated at different scales (centimeter to micrometer), with different materials (metal and polymer), and in different operating environments (high and low temperatures), all showing substantial dissipative improvements over conventional non-contacting lattice unit cells. Further, as with other ‘programmable’ metamaterials, the degree of Coulombic absorption can be tailored for a given application. An analytic expression is derived to allow rapid first-order optimization. This new class of Coulombic friction energy absorbers can apply broadly to many industrial sectors such as transportation (e.g. monolithic shock absorbers), biomedical (e.g. prosthetics), athletic equipment (e.g. skis, bicycles, etc.), defense (e.g. vibration tolerant structures), and energy (e.g. survivable electrical grid components).
Electroconvulsive therapy in an adolescent patient with catatonia: a case report.

Catatonia is characterized by motor and behavioral symptoms and can arise in a wide variety of medical and psychiatric conditions. We describe the case of a 16-year-old female with a history of anx...
Interconnected Energy Hubs including DERs Targeted by FDI Cyberattacks

Smart Grid refers to a positive transformative force that streamlines integration of different infrastructures such as energy and Information/Communication Technology (ICT) together. Further, smart grid paves the way to integrate Distributed Generations (DGs) into different energy infrastructures such as electricity and gas networks. DG includes both renewable and non-renewable energy resources such as Photovoltaic (PV), Wind Turbine (WT), and Combined Heat and Power (CHP). Moreover, Electrical Storage (ES), Thermal Storage (TS), and Demand Response (DR) Programs are effectively utilized in smart grid. Moving different energy infrastructures containing Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) toward ICT results in Cyber-Physical Power Systems (CPPSs). CPPSs are vulnerable to cyberattacks that jeopardize reliability and stability of smart grid. In this paper, the energy and communication infrastructures are connected together to form Interconnected Energy Hubs (IEHs) containing different DERs. Then, False Data Injection (FDI) cyberattacks are applied on the developed IEHs including advanced energy hubs (EHs). The effectiveness of the presented IEHs and the employed FDI model are validated on the IEEE 14-bus system. The results demonstrate that attacker is able to successfully implement the developed FDI cyberattack on the presented IEHs.
Packaging A Top-cooled 650 V/150 A GaN Power Modules with Insulated Thermal Pads and Gate-Drive Circuit

This paper focuses on the design of a 650 V/150 A gallium-nitride (GaN) power module. Direct bonded copper (DBC) is applied as the insulated thermal pad to dissipate the heat generated by the GaN dies, where ceramics is employed for the thermal pad insulation. Printed circuit board (PCB) on the top of the GaN dies integrates the auxiliary power supply, the gate drive circuits and the decoupling capacitors, which can help the parasitic inductance reduction in the gate drive loop and the power loop to reduce the overshoot voltage across gate to source and drain to source. The packaged module exhibits high-current capability (150 A), high-compactness (45*33*9.6 mm3) and excellent thermal impedance from junction to heatsink. Taking advantages of the integrated gate-drive circuit, the proposed power module has simpler interface for users compared to regular GaN HEMTs on the market, which only needs PWM signal and non-isolated power supply to drive. To verify the electrical performance and thermal performance presented above, both double pulse test (DPT) and thermal test are conducted. DPT at 450 V/150 A shows around 54 V voltage spike only, which makes the proposed module suitable for high-power EV on-board charger or motor drive inverters.
Incidence of adnexal involvement among patients with clinical stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma

Objectives: Evaluate the incidence and pathological factors associated with isolated adnexal involvement among patients with clinical stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma undergoing hysterectomy. Methods: Patients without a history of another tumor diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 with clinical stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma who underwent hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with known tumor grade, size, status of lymphovascular invasion (LVSI), peritoneal cytology and regional lymph nodes were selected from the National Cancer Database. Patients with adnexal metastases as the only site of intraperitoneal extra-uterine tumor spread were identified. Predictors of isolated adnexal involvement were identified with logistic regression. Overall survival (OS) of patients with and without adnexal involvement was compared with the log-rank test following generation of Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: A total of 17911 patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified; 161 (0.9%) had adnexal metastases. Incidence of adnexal metastases was lower for patients with grade 1 (0.6%) tumors compared to those with grade 2 (1%) and grade 3 (1.7%) tumors, p 4 cm (OR 2.71, 95% CI: 1.47, 5.00) and age Conclusions: Isolated adnexal involvement is rare among patients with clinical stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma, and correlated with worse overall survival. Presence of LVSI and positive peritoneal cytology were the strongest predictors of adnexal involvement.
Poverty and Religious Affiliation Worldwide, 1970–2010

In this chapter, we provide a novel description of the religious composition of the poorest 20% of global society, around a billion citizens in the lowest part of the income distribution globally. The aim is to characterize a group of people with shared identity and sometimes political interests and behaviours that transcend national borders. Religions traditionally offer ways of coping with poverty, including offering meaning and hope for people in need. It could also steer financial wealth flows. The religious composition of a country or a region may also affect the level of social support and level of financial transfers, as welfare and social welfare systems can be organized through religious groups and indirectly affected by the degree of social welfare. Some religious groups have relatively large shares living in poverty. These religions may motivate different political behaviour if a large share of their compatriots is poor. For instance, this could motivate a stronger preference for transfers within the particular religions—but may also lower the ability to implement an effective, universal and sufficiently generous social security scheme as the economic burden would be too high on the rest of the community. We end the chapter by proposing poverty alleviating measures that take into account religious differences, and that may become thereby more effective.
The effects of body composition (percent fat) on acclimatization to heat

Nine fully acclimatized men falling in the lean, medium and obese categories of body composition were observed during heat exposure periods for four days following acclimatization decay periods of various lengths in order to determine the effects of body composition on the decay and reinduction of acclimatization. The physiological variables taken into consideration were core temperature, "DuBois" mean skin temperature, heart rate, weight loss due to perspiration and the temperature differential between the core and surface. All of the men were subjected to an acclimatization schedule of twelve daily sessions in order to insure that they were all fully acclimatized. Three decay, or non-exposure, periods of four, eight and twelve days were each followed by four days of reinduction. It was determined that body composition does not affect the rate of decay or reinduction of acclimatization, although this parameter as well as the extent of decay and the duration of the reinduction period does affect the physiological variables monitored in this study. Language: en
Nielsen fixed point theory on manifolds

The study of fixed points of continuous self-maps of compact manifolds involves geometric topology in a significant way in topological fixed point theory. This survey will discuss some of the questions that have arisen in this study and indicate our present state of knowledge, and ignorance, of the answers to them. We will limit ourselves to the statement of facts, without any indication of proof. Thus the reader will have to consult the references to find out how geometric topology has contributed to our knowledge in this area. But we hope this overview can supply a framework for a more detailed investigation of this important and, as we shall see, very active branch of fixed point theory. Let X be a compact connected topological manifold, possibly with boundary, and let f :X → X be a map. The fixed point set of f is Fix(f) = {x ∈ X: f(x) = x}. The principal object of study in topological fixed point theory, denoted MF [f ], is the minimum number of fixed points among all maps homotopic to f . Thus, for instance, MF [f ] = 0 means that there is a map g homotopic to f such that g(x) 6= x for all x ∈ X. In principle, to calculate MF [f ] we would have to examine the fixed point sets of every map homotopic to f . Fixed point theory makes use of a homotopy invariant, called the Nielsen number of f , the computation of which requires only a knowlege of the map f itself. There are many detailed presentations of the Nielsen number; the standard texts are [3], [13] and [24]. The definition of the Nielsen number requires two concepts, the first of which is easy to describe. Define an equivalence relation on Fix(f) by declaring x, x′ ∈ Fix(f) equivalent if there is a path, call it α, in X from x to x′ such that α is homotopic to f(α) by a homotopy keeping the endpoints fixed. The equivalence classes are called fixed point classes, often abbreviated fpc, and a fpc is represented by the symbol F. There are only a finite number of fpc for a map of a compact manifold. The second concept required for the definition of the Nielsen number is more difficult to describe precisely, so we will limit ourselves here to an informal approach that we hope will offer some insight into how a fixed point theorist might think about this concept. A
Proteins of Aquatic Origin as Foods for Human Consumption

Publisher Summary The natural synthesis of proteins is the result of a series of transformations in which a number of chemical elements combine in a specific fashion, the energy for this process being furnished by the sun. The single most important agent responsible for this unique process is the chlorophyll of plants. Over 70% of the solar energy that strikes the earth hits the salt waters of the oceans and the fresh waters of the rivers, lakes, and swamps, almost all of which contain the chemicals required for plant growth. A large untapped resource of aquatic proteins, suitable for human consumption, exists in the world's waters and can be increased by aquaculture techniques. More extensive and profitable exploitation of this resource depends on industrialization of the fishing industry and expansion of the food processing industries, which, in turn, depend on a greater demand for food products containing proteins of aquatic origin. A large protein resource, little of which has been tapped so far, exists and can be created in the world's waters. Methods exist, and are being developed, to harvest, process, and utilize this resource. Versatile, varied, and nutritive products can presently be manufactured from the resource, but much work must be done to harvest and utilize the resource economically, and to bring the processed foods to the consumers in a form they accept and at a price they can afford.
Heightened Enablement in the Unpredictable Arts

A bedrock principle of patent law is that an applicant must sufficiently disclose the invention in exchange for the right to exclude. The essential facet of the disclosure requirement is enablement, which compels a patent applicant to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) how to make and use the full scope of the claimed invention without undue experimentation. Enablement problems may arise when the applicant claims an invention broadly with a dearth of supporting data or examples. This is problematic in unpredictable fields like chemistry because a PHOSITA often needs a specific and detailed teaching in order to practice the full scope of the claimed invention. Yet the current patent examination framework allows a patentee to obtain a broad claim encompassing millions of compounds enabled by a trivial amount of supporting disclosure. The problem here is that undue patent scope can have a chilling effect on other scientists who are trying to elucidate how to make and use the claimed invention while the inventor does not know how to do so. In an effort to bridge the disconnect between patent law and the experimental sciences, I propose a new approach to the prima facie case of nonenablement for patent applications in the unpredictable arts. After examining the PHOSITA's role in the enablement analysis, I elucidate the problems with the current framework for the enablement inquiry, propose a new framework, and explain why it mitigates problems with the current framework. I conclude by discussing some of the concerns that accompany the new framework and explain how the proposal mitigates these concerns.
An Adaptive Error Control Mechanism for Wireless ATM

In order to provide a ubiquitous telecommunications network which merges the concepts of wireless mobile communications and the use of ATM as a transport mechanism, the problem of the high and variable bit error rate of the wireless network must be addressed. This paper provides an adaptive error control coding feedback mechanism to alleviate this problem in wireless ATM networks. The scheme combines convolutional coding, optimal interleaving, puncturing, and channel state estimation to achieve an appropriate error correction scheme. Periodic feedback is provided to the source machine indicating changes in the channel state and triggering changes in the coding scheme.
Corrosion resistance of PM2000 ODS steel in high temperature supercritical carbon dioxide

Corrosion of PM2000 ODS steel in supercritical CO2 at 650 °C and 20 MPa for 3000 h was studied. The corrosion performance of the alloys was evaluated by weight change measurements, and the surface oxide scale was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. PM2000 ODS steel showed significantly better corrosion resistance compared to austenitic stainless steels and nickel based alloys tested in the same conditions. The high corrosion resistance is attributed to the formation of a dense and protective aluminum-rich oxide layer on the surface. The oxide layer thickness was only about 200 nm after 3000 h exposure.
OXIDATION AND HEAT TRANSFER STUDIES IN GRAPHITE CHANNELS: II. THERMAL CHANGES WITH TIME AND DISTANCE IN AIR-COOLED GRAPHITE CHANNELS

In an air-cooled graphite channel in which heat is being generated by oxidation, the length of channel cooled is a function of the heat transfer coefficient. No diameter effect other than that accounted for by the heat transfer coefficient was observed. Cooling rates and temperature differences (between the graphite and air) vary very slowly in the cooled section of the channel. Temperature changes vary rapidly with time in the section of channel in which more heat is generated than is removed by the air stream. These changes do not affect the cooled section of channel. (auth)
Pyrometry inside an arc furnace using a ray-tracing correction for surface emissivity

A general method using a ray-tracing analysis has been developed to improve the accuracy of surface temperatures measured by pyrometry inside a furnace. This method allows temperature correction for enclosed non-ideal black-body surfaces, having temperature gradients, by taking into account the contributions from the reflected fraction of the pyrometer field-of-view. The development has been made possible by the recent availability of internal furnace scanning pyrometry technology for complete temperature profile measurements inside furnaces. The correction method can be expressed in terms of the solution of a square matrix having a dimension corresponding to the number of spatially resolved points in the temperature profile, with the number of non-zero elements depending on the number of field-of-view reflective surface bounce points used in the analysis. The utility of this method is demonstrated for the correction of 19-point temperature profiles measured inside a dc arc furnace. Reflective contributions from two, three, and four field-of-view surface bounce points are considered. Generally, the lower the surface emissivity and the higher the temperatures, the more bounces needed in the analysis. It is shown that there can be significant corrections to internal furnace temperatures measured by pyrometry when temperature gradients exist.
Evaluation of the geopositioning accuracy of QuickBird imagery

QuickBird satellite imagery, provided by DigitalGlobe Inc., has the highest resolution, among the satellite imaging systems that are commercially available. The QuickBird imaging system simultaneously collects 67-72 centimeter resolution stereo panchromatic and 2.44-2.88 meter resolution multispectral images. In this research, a QuickBird stereo pair of basic imagery product that was taken over Tampa Bay, FL, was acquired and its geopositioning accuracy evaluated based on Rational Function (RF) models.
How to Prevent Hard Cases from Making Bad Law: Bear Stearns, Delaware and the Strategic Use of Comity

The Bear Stearns/JP Morgan Chase merger placed Delaware between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, the deal's unprecedented deal protection measures - especially the 39.5% share exchange agreement - were probably invalid under current Delaware doctrine because they rendered the Bear Stearns shareholders' approval rights entirely illusory. On the other hand, if a Delaware court were to enjoin a deal pushed by the Federal Reserve and the Treasury and arguably necessary to prevent a collapse of the international financial system, it would invite just the sort of federal intervention that would undermine Delaware's role as the de facto provider of U.S. corporate law.Faced with a choice between undermining the delicate and subtle balance struck between managers and shareholders and standing in the way of the imperatives of national and international economic policy, Delaware found a third way that avoided both horns of the dilemma: it took advantage of a pending New York action to stay the Delaware action and avoid making any decision at all. In this article, we tell this story, analyzing the doctrinal issues under Delaware corporate and procedural law, and discussing the implications of this episode for our understanding of the landscape of US corporate law making.
Marginal Stockholder Tax Effects and Ex-Dividend Day Behavior-Thirty-Two Years Later

Since Elton and Gruber's (E&G) original article on taxes and ex-dividend price behavior was published in 1970, over 100 articles have appeared in the leading journals of financial economics examining whether prices fall by less than the dividends and, if so, whether or not the phenomenon is due to tax effects, market microstructure effects, or some other effect. The microstructure argument is the most serious alternative to the tax argument. All of the microstructure arguments state that the fall in stock price should be less than the dividend, regardless of whether the dividend is taxable or tax-advantaged. By testing ex-dividend effects on a sample of closed-end funds where dividends are taxadvantaged, we find that taxes should and do cause the fund price to fall by more than the amount of the dividend. This is consistent with a tax argument and inconsistent with a microstructure argument. Examining the sample of tax-free dividends, we find that the E&G and return measures change across two tax regimes exactly as theory suggests they should if taxes mattered. We then examine non-tax-advantaged closed-end funds. For these funds we should find the traditional ex-dividend tax effects: the fall in price on the ex-dividend date should be less than the dividend during periods when capital gains taxes are less than income taxes. This is what we find. Furthermore, the ex-dividend behavior of these funds generally moves in the direction we would expect across two changes in tax regimes. The taxable sample not only substantiates the tax effect, it also demonstrates that the fall in price greater than the dividend for closed-end municipal bond funds was not due to some peculiar aspect of either our methodology or the closed-end fund industry. Thirty-two years after E&G's original study, we find new and compelling evidence that taxes play an important part in affecting share price changes.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha increases aerobic glycolysis and reduces oxidative metabolism in prostate epithelial cells

BACKGROUND Chronic inflammation promotes prostate cancer formation and progression. Furthermore, alterations in energy metabolism are a hallmark of prostate cancer cells. However, the actions of inflammatory factors on the energy metabolism of prostate epithelial cells have not been previously investigated. This is the first study to report on the effect of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) on the glycolytic and oxidative metabolism, and the mitochondrial function of widely used prostate epithelial cells. METHODS Pre-malignant RWPE-1 and cancerous LNCaP and PC-3 cells were treated with low-dose TNFα. Glycolytic and oxidative metabolism was quantified by measuring extracellular acidification and oxygen consumption rates, respectively. ATP content and lactate export were measured by luminescence and fluorescence, respectively. Mitochondrial content and the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor co-activator 1 alpha (PGC-1α), and Cytochrome C were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS Our data suggest that TNFα increases glycolysis, ATP production, and lactate export, while it reduces oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial function in prostate epithelial cells. The highly aggressive PC-3 cells tend to be less responsive to the actions of TNFα than the pre-malignant RWPE-1 and the non-aggressive LNCaP cells. CONCLUSIONS Cellular energetics, that is, glycolytic and oxidative metabolism is significantly influenced by low-level inflammation in prostate epithelial cells. In widely used prostate epithelial cell models, the micro-environmental inflammatory cytokine TNFα induces aerobic glycolysis while inhibiting oxidative metabolism. This supports the hypothesis that low-level inflammation can induce Warburg metabolism in prostate epithelial cells, which may promote cancer formation and progression. Prostate 73: 1538–1546, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Solubility of the buffer assemblage pyrite + pyrrhotite + magnetite in NaCl solutions from 200 to 350°C

Abstract In the design of hydrothermal solubility studies it is important that the system be completely defined chemically. If the solubilities of minerals containing m metallic elements are to be determined in hydrothermal NaCl solutions, the phase rule requires that a total of m + 6 independent intensive parameters be controlled or measured in order to determine completely the system. In this study the solubility of the univariant assemblage pyrite + pyrrhotite + magnetite has been determined in vapor saturated hydrothermal solutions from 200 to 350°C for NaCl concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 5.0 molal. At any temperature, oxygen and sulfur fugacities were buffered by the chosen assemblage. System pH was determined from excess CO 2 partial pressures and computed ionic equilibria. Equilibrium constants were calculated by regression analysis of solubility data. The results show that more than 10 ppm of each mineral can dissolve in typical hydrothermal solutions under geologically realistic conditions. Solubilities were best represented by the species Fe 2+ and FeCl + at 200 and 250°C; Fe 2+ , FeCl + and FeCl 2 0 at 300°C; and Fe 2+ and FeCl 2 0 at 350°C. Ore deposition would occur by lowering temperature, diluting chloride concentration, or by raising pH through wall rock alteration reactions.
Antagonistic interactions of hexamethylene bisacetamide in combination with 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine, adriamycin and harringtonine on the growth and differentiation of HL-60 cells in vitro☆

Abstract Selective killing of cancer cells by cytotoxic agents and the conversion of cancerous cells to normal state by differentiation agents represent two basically different approaches in chemotherapy. In this study, we examined the combination of the cell differentiation inducer, hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA), and the cytotoxic agents, 1-β- d -arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C), adriamycin (Adr) and harringtonine (HT), for cytotoxicity and induction of cell differentiation in HL-60 cells by measuring cell growth inhibition, morphological maturation and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. To determine quantitatively whether the effects produced by these combinations were additive, synergistic or antagonistic, we used a computer program based on the median-effect principle and isobologram equations (Adv. Enz. Reg., 22, 27—55, 1984), After 5-day exposure to each drug alone we found that the ED50s for cell growth inhibition were 0.01 μM for Ara-C, 0.012 μM for Adr, 0.017 μM for HT and 2.53 mM for HMBA. ED50s for differentiation were 0.089 μM (morphology), 0.06 μM (NBT) for Ara-C; 0.12 μM (morphology), 0.09 μM (NBT) for Adr; 0.04 μM (morphology) 0.06 μM (NBT) for HT; and 2.55 mM (morphology), 2.43 mM (NBT) for HMBA, respectively. At dose levels from ED50 to ED95, the combinations of Adr/HMBA and HT/HMBA produced antagonistic cytotoxic and cell differentiation effects. The combination of Ara-C/HMBA produced antagonistic cytotoxic effects but slight synergistic cell differentiation effects. On the basis of this study, we conclude that the equipotency combinations of the above three pairs of drugs do not synergistically enhance cytotoxicity or cell differentiation effects in vitro at effect levels high enough for the successful treatment of acute leukemia. Other combinations of cell differentiation agents with cytotoxic agents or biological response modifiers remain to be explored.
Choroid Plexus Tumors in Children: Significance of Stromal Invasion

OBJECTIVE: A group of choroid plexus tumors fit the cellular criteria for choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) except for invasion into the adjacent parenchyma, with associated loss of the normal villus architecture at the site of invasion. These tumors retain a benign cellular appearance. In the existing literature, it is unclear whether these tumors are classified as choroid plexus carcinomas or as CPPs. In our experience, although evidence of invasion is present, these tumors tend to exhibit benign behavior. We suggest that stromal invasion of this type remains consistent with a benign clinical course, although surgical results may demonstrate higher morbidity rates, given the invasive nature of the tumors. The failure to classify these tumors as CPPs may explain some of the variability in outcomes reported for various studies. METHODS: To study this question, clinical and histological data for children diagnosed with CPPs (either with or without stromal invasion) between 1985 and 1995 were examined. Only cases with pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging data were included in the series. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients with CPPs were identified, with 4 tumors being notable for stromal invasion. After gross total tumor removal, none of the eight children with CPPs received adjuvant therapy at our institution; all are alive without evidence of tumor recurrence after surgical excision (mean, 108 mo). Of the four patients with stromal invasion, three underwent gross total resection. The one patient who underwent subtotal resection received chemotherapy at another facility. All four of these patients are alive, after a mean of 100 months of follow-up monitoring. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that CPPs with a benign cellular appearance but with evidence of local parenchymal invasion and loss of the normal villus architecture at the site of invasion be classified as CPPs. Patients with these tumors respond to surgical therapy alone, without the need for adjuvant treatment.
Experimental studies of ion clustering: relationship to aerosol formation processes and some atmospheric implications

Abstract Studies of the clustering of molecules about ions are of both fundamental and practical interest. The results find immediate application in assessing the validity of classical expressions for nucleation phenomenon and provide a basis for further developments of nucleation theory. It is well known that the atmosphere contains substantial ion populations and their potential role in aerosol formation provides a strong coupling between the fields of atmospheric electricity and other areas of the atmospheric sciences. As a result of recent advances in high pressure mass spectrometry, the detailed processes involved in the continuous transition of a system from the gaseous to the condensed (aerosol) state can be investigated at the molecular level. Many of the recent findings in ion clustering are reported in literature devoted to fundamental chemistry and physics and are not in a form of immediate value to the researcher in the field of aerosol science. The purpose of this paper is to review recent progress in understanding ion clustering as it relates to the general mechanisms of gas-to-particle conversion. Laboratory data on the bonding of various negative and positive ion complexes is used to assess the validity of the classical model to ion-induced nucleation. Further consideration is given to the role of ion cluster-ion cluster interaction in aerosol formation.
On the probability density function of velocity gradients in fully developed turbulence

A simple fluctuation argument a la Landau suggests why probability density functions of velocity gradients of turbulent velocity fields are often found to have a close to exponential tail. The detailed functional form depends on the assumptions made concerning the intermittency.
Dual two level inverter carrier SVPWM with zero common mode voltage

Conventional Space Vector PWM (CSVPWM) Voltage Source Inverters (VSI) are commonly used for adjustable speed drives. However, common mode voltage produced by these drives causes problems such as electromagnetic interference. A Space Vector PWM scheme for a dual converter has been presented in the past for eliminating common mode voltage while providing more maximum output voltage than a CSVPWM regulated VSI. In this paper, a carrier based implementation of that scheme has been presented. The algorithm does not require any square root or trigonometric calculations required by the Space Vector approach, but generates the duty ratios directly from the reference output phase voltages by simple logical operations. The paper also presents a method capable of producing switching sequence similar to CSVPWM for good output voltage quality. It requires sector determination, again from logical operations, but not the exact position of the reference output voltage space vector.
The teleost sperm membrane progestogen receptor : Interactions with xenoestrogens

Abstract Although a wide variety of xenobiotic organic compounds have been shown to disrupt endocrine function by binding to nuclear steroid receptors, it is not known whether they can cause endocrine disruption by binding to steroid membrane receptors. The ability of four nonsteroidal estrogenic compounds to bind to the 17,20β,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20β-S) receptor on Atlantic croaker ( Micropogonias undulatus ) sperm membranes was investigated in the present study. All four estrogenic compounds (Kepone, o,p′-DDE,2′,4′,6′-PCB-4-OH and zearalenone) displaced [ 3 H]-20β-S from its receptor over a range of concentrations (100 nM–10 μM). These results suggest that steroid membrane receptors may be sensitive to interference by endocrine disrupting chemicals. The demonstration that Kepone can exert direct effects on croaker sperm resulting in a decrease in sperm motility in an in vitro bioassay system provides preliminary evidence in support of this hypothesis.
Deposition kinetics of humic matter-coated hematite in porous media in the presence of Ca2+

Column filtration experiments were conducted to determine the deposition kinetics of the humic matter-coated hematite (α-Fe2O3) colloids on quartz grains in the presence of Ca2+. Three well-characterized humic substances were used. Our results indicate that several mechanisms are responsible for the differences in the attachment efficiencies of these particles. The relative importance of each mechanism varies depending upon the type of humic matter used. Systems coated with the peat humic acid, which is the least acidic, the most hydrophobic and has the highest molecular size of all the samples used here, had the highest stability at approximately [Ca2+] < 0.002 M, despite their lower electrophoretic mobilities. This behavior may be attributed to the greater electrosteric interactions brought about by the adsorbed humic acid. At higher Ca2+ concentrations, however, the stability of the peat humic acid-coated systems was drastically reduced owing to the effect of cation bridging and/or hydrophobic interactions. Our experimental set up does not allow unequivocal determination of the underlying cause of the observed differences between the attachment efficiencies of the particles coated with the two fulvic acids used here. Such differences may be controlled by electrostatic, hydrophobic or electrosteric interactions, or a complex combination of these.
A Biomechanical Comparison of Intralaminar C7 Screw Constructs with and without Offset Connector Used for C6-7 Cervical Spine Immobilization : A Finite Element Study.

Objective The offset connector can allow medial and lateral variability and facilitate intralaminar screw incorporation into the construct. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical characteristics of C7 intralaminar screw constructs with and without offset connector using a three dimensional finite element model of a C6-7 cervical spine segment. Methods Finite element models representing C7 intralaminar screw constructs with and without the offset connector were developed. Range of motion (ROM) and maximum von Mises stresses in the vertebra for the two techniques were compared under pure moments in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Results ROM for intralaminar screw construct with offset connector was less than the construct without the offset connector in the three principal directions. The maximum von Misses stress was observed in the C7 vertebra around the pedicle in both constructs. Maximum von Mises stress in the construct without offset connector was found to be 12-30% higher than the corresponding stresses in the construct with offset connector in the three principal directions. Conclusion This study demonstrated that the intralaminar screw fixation with offset connector is better than the construct without offset connector in terms of biomechanical stability. Construct with the offset connector reduces the ROM of C6-7 segment more significantly compared to the construct without the offset connector and causes lower stresses around the C7 pedicle-vertebral body complex.
Coupling optical and electrical gating for electronic readout of quantum dot dynamics

We explore the coherent transfer of electronic signatures from a strongly correlated, optically gated nanoscale quantum dot to a weakly interacting, electrically backgated microscale channel. In this unique side-coupled ``$T$'' geometry for transport, we predict a mechanism for detecting Rabi oscillations induced in the dot through quantum, rather than electrostatic means. This detection shows up directly in the dc conductance-voltage spectrum as a field-tunable split in the Fano lineshape arising due to interference between the dipole coupled dot states and the channel continuum. The split is further modified by the Coulomb interactions within the dot that influence the detuning of the Rabi oscillations. Furthermore, time resolving the signal we see clear beats when the Rabi frequencies approach the intrinsic Bohr frequencies in the dot. Capturing these coupled dynamics requires attention to memory effects and quantum interference in the channel as well as many-body effects in the dot. We accomplish this coupling by combining a Fock-space master equation for the dot dynamics with the phase-coherent, non-Markovian time-dependent nonequilibrium Green's function transport formalism in the channel through a properly evaluated self-energy and a Coulomb integral. The strength of the interactions can further be modulated using a backgate that controls the degree of hybridization and charge polarization at the transistor surface.
Nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and early growth of arrowleaf clover in response to root temperature and starter nitrogen

Nitrogen availability is important for rapid establishment of small seeded legumes and is influenced by soil N status and rapid development of N 2 fixation activity. Seedlings of arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum L. Savi) are exposed to soil temperatures (10-35°C) during the fall which can reduce seedling vigor by influencing N nutrition. Root temperature (18, 25, or 32°C) effects on N nutrition of arrowleaf clover receiving starter N was evaluated in two controlled experiments. Temperature influenced the N status of inoculated plants through an effect on N 2 fixation but not on starter N uptake []
The data alignment phase in compiling programs for distributed-memory machines

Abstract Programming distributed-memory machines requires that the data associated with a given computation be partitioned and distributed to the local storage of each individual processor. How this distribution is done affects the amount of data movement required and, therefore, the program performance. The alignment technique presented here focuses on minimizing the data movement between processors due to cross-references between multiple distributed arrays. It also simplifies, both conceptually and in practice, the task of data partition and communication generation in the context of a parallelizing compiler for distributed-memory machines. The problem of index domain alignment is formulated as finding a set of suitable alignment functions that embed the index domains of the arrays into a common index domain so as to minimize the cost of data movement. The cost function and the machine model used are abstractions of the current generation of SIMD and MIMD distributed-memory machines. The problem as formulated is shown to be NP-complete. A heuristic algorithm is devised and shown to both be efficient and provide excellent results.
Single-molecule direct RNA sequencing without cDNA synthesis

Methods for in-depth genome-wide characterization of transcriptomes and quantification of transcript levels using various microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies have emerged as valuable tools for understanding cellular physiology and human disease biology and have begun to be utilized in various clinical diagnostic applications. Current methods, however, typically require RNA to be converted to complementary DNA prior to measurements. This step has been shown to introduce many biases and artifacts. In order to best characterize the 'true' transcriptome, the single-molecule direct RNA sequencing (DRS) technology was developed. This review focuses on the underlying principles behind the DRS, sample preparation steps, and the current and novel avenues of research and applications DRS offers.
A microcantilever‐based pathogen detector

The ability to detect small amounts of materials, especially bacterial organisms, is important for medical diagnostics and national security issues. Engineered micromechanical systems provide one approach for constructing multifunctional, highly sensitive, real-time, immunospecific biological detectors. We present qualitative detection of specific Salmonella enterica strains using a functionalized silicon nitride microcantilever. Detection is achieved due to a change in the surface stress on the cantilever surface in situ upon binding of a small number of bacteria. Scanning electron micrographs indicate that less than 25 adsorbed bacteria are required for detection.
A Genetic Variant BDNF Polymorphism Alters Extinction Learning in Both Mouse and Human

Mouse models are useful for studying genes involved in behavior, but whether they are relevant to human behavior is unclear. Here, we identified parallel phenotypes in mice and humans resulting from a common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, which is involved in anxiety-related behavior. An inbred genetic knock-in mouse strain expressing the variant BDNF recapitulated the phenotypic effects of the human polymorphism. Both were impaired in extinguishing a conditioned fear response, which was paralleled by atypical frontoamygdala activity in humans. Thus, this variant BDNF allele may play a role in anxiety disorders showing impaired learning of cues that signal safety versus threat and in the efficacy of treatments that rely on extinction mechanisms, such as exposure therapy.
Wavelet sets in ℝ n

A congruency theorem is proven for an ordered pair of groups of homeomorphisms of a metric space satisfying an abstract dilation-translation relationship. A corollary is the existence of wavelet sets, and hence of single-function wavelets, for arbitrary expansive matrix dilations on L 2 (ℝ n). Moreover, for any expansive matrix dilation, it is proven that there are sufficiently many wavelet sets to generate the Borel structure ofℝ n.
Grain boundary partitioning of Ar and He

An experimental procedure has been developed that permits measurement of the partitioning of Ar and He between crystal interiors and the intergranular medium (ITM) that surrounds them in synthetic melt-free polycrystalline diopside aggregates. ^(37)Ar and ^(4)He are introduced into the samples via neutron irradiation. As samples are crystallized under sub-solidus conditions from a pure diopside glass in a piston cylinder apparatus, noble gases diffusively equilibrate between the evolving crystal and intergranular reservoirs. After equilibration, ITM Ar and He is distinguished from that incorporated within the crystals by means of step heating analysis. An apparent equilibrium state (i.e., constant partitioning) is reached after about 20 h in the 1450 °C experiments. Data for longer durations show a systematic trend of decreasing ITM Ar (and He) with decreasing grain boundary (GB) interfacial area as would be predicted for partitioning controlled by the network of planar grain boundaries (as opposed to ITM gases distributed in discrete micro-bubbles or melt). These data yield values of GB-area-normalized partitioning, K¯^(Ar)_(ITM), with units of (Ar/m^3 of solid)/(Ar/m^2 of GB) of 6.8 x 10^3 – 2.4 x 104 m^(-1). Combined petrographic microscope, SEM, and limited TEM observation showed no evidence that a residual glass phase or grain boundary micro-bubbles dominated the ITM, though they may represent minor components. If a nominal GB thickness (δ) is assumed, and if the density of crystals and the grain boundaries are assumed equal, then a true grain boundary partition coefficient (K^(Ar)_(GB) = X^(Ar)_(crystals)/X^(Ar)_(GB) may be determined. For reasonable values of δ, K^(Ar)_(GB) is at least an order of magnitude lower than the Ar partition coefficient between diopside and melt. Helium partitioning data provide a less robust constraint with K¯^(He)_(ITM) between 4 x 10^3 and 4 x 10^4 cm^(-1), similar to the Ar partitioning data. These data suggest that an ITM consisting of nominally melt free, bubble free, tight grain boundaries can constitute a significant but not infinite reservoir, and therefore bulk transport pathway, for noble gases in fine grained portions of the crust and mantle where aqueous or melt fluids are non-wetting and of very low abundance (i.e., <0.1% fluid). Heterogeneities in grain size within dry equilibrated systems will correspond to significant differences in bulk rock noble gas content.
Objective lens design for multiple-layer optical data storage

We discuss methods of compensating aberrations in multiple-layer storage with common objective lens designs and introduce a new class of objective lenses that could be useful for this technology. An optical system is designed based on a Galilean telescope and a Burch-type objective. The front negative lens is moved to compensate for thickness variations. Results are shown for the residual Strehl ratio for a Burch-type lens made from Corning C05-50 glass.
Interface Charge Engineering for Enhancement-Mode GaN MISHEMTs

We demonstrate an efficient approach to engineer the dielectric/AlGaN positive interface fixed charges by oxygen plasma and post-metallization anneal. Significant suppression of interface fixed charges from 2 × 1013 to 8 × 1012 cm-2 was observed. Experimental and theoretical electron mobility characteristics and the impact of remote impurity scattering were investigated. The reduction in oxide/semiconductor interface charge density leads to an increase of electron mobility, and enables a positive threshold voltage.
An Analysis of International Accounting Codes of Conduct.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has recently issued a revised “Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants” (IFAC Code). As a requirement for membership in IFAC, a national accounting organization must either adopt the IFAC Code or adopt a code of conduct that is not “less stringent” than the IFAC Code. In this paper, we examine the extent to which 158 national accounting organizations have adopted the revised IFAC Code as their own. Our results indicate that 80 of our sample organizations have adopted the IFAC Code (sometimes with minor modifications), while the remaining 78 opted not to utilize the model IFAC Code. We then test the hypothesis that national accounting organizations in lower income economies would be less likely to adopt the IFAC Code than those in high income economies. Our results do not support the hypothesis. We argue that one potential reason for such a finding is that adopting the IFAC Code may be a cost effective means of adopting a code of ethics for organizations in lower income economies.
Chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in infants with large von Willebrand factor multimers during remission

We studied two children with recurrent schistocytic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia beginning in the neonatal period. One patient had a stroke during one of the episodes of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The presence of unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers was demonstrated in both children during clinical and hematologic remissions. Treatment with corticosteroids and intravenous injections of immune globulin was unsuccessful in the one patient who received it. Immediate improvement occurred in both patients after the infusion of fresh-frozen plasma. Symptoms of thrombocytopenia continue to recur at regular intervals in the absence of periodic fresh-frozen plasma infusions. One of these children apparently has chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura; the second has a chronic relapsing disorder similar to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.