cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remarks of discretization and linear equivalence of continuous time nonlinear systems

We investigate the effect of sampling on linear equivalence for continuous time systems. It is shown that the discretized system is linearizable by state coordinate change for an open set of sampling times if and only if the continuous time system is linearizable by state coordinate change. Also, for n=2, we show that even though the discretized system is linearizable by state coordinate change and feedback, the continuous time affine complete analytic system is linearizable by state coordinate change only. Also, we suggest a method of proof when n ? 3.
Induction of long-term allograft survival by anti-immunoglobulin, anti-thymocyte serum, and donor antigen.

Abstract Heterologous anti-immunoglobulin (AI) is a potent immunosuppressant which prolongs H-2-incompatible skin graft survival and in conjunction with anti-thymocyte serum (ATS) results in greater prolongation of graft life than either antiserum used alone. Combination treatment of recipient mice with AI, ATS, and donor spleen cells produces long-term allograft survival to the lifetime of the host and can result in specific immune unresponsiveness of sufficient strength to permit acceptance of a second set graft.
Field Test on Conversion of Natural Watershed into Kinematic Wave Rectangular Plane

AbstractConversion of a natural watershed into its equivalent kinematic wave rectangular plane has long been a concern in the practice of storm water numerical simulations. Based on the principles of mass and energy, the actual watershed and its virtual kinematic wave plane can be related by the watershed shape factor that involves the waterway length and slope and watershed area. In this study, two dimensionless watershed shape functions are derived to use parabolic function and trigonometric sine curve for watershed conversion. These two watershed shape functions produce good agreements with the maximum overland flow length method for hypothetical square watersheds. Also, these two watershed shape functions are able to reproduce similar kinematic wave plane widths as reported in a calibrated model. Furthermore, in this study, these two watershed shape functions are tested by nine observed rainfall events and three levels of modeling details. These 54 case studies reveal that the parabolic shape function...
Effects of organic acids on growth performance and digestive enzyme activities of juvenile red drum Sciaenops ocellatus

Abstract In aquaculture species, organic acids and their salts have been shown to trigger beneficial effects on mineral absorption, nutrient digestibility and growth performance by reducing the pH in the digestive tract through H + ion deposition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if calcium lactate (CaLac), citric acid (CA) and potassium diformate (KDF) can improve growth performance of juvenile red drum ( Sciaenops ocellatus ) and if improved performance is in part due to an increase in digestive enzyme activities. A basal diet was formulated to contain 40% crude protein and six experimental diets were prepared by supplementing the basal diet with 1.5% or 3.0% CaLac, 0.75% or 1.5% CA and 0.75% or 1.5% KDF. One hundred eighty juvenile red drum were stocked in 110-L glass aquaria (20 fish/aquarium), and diets were fed to fish in triplicate aquaria at a rate approaching apparent satiation, twice daily, for 8 weeks in two separate trials. At the end of each feeding trial, growth performance indicators were obtained and four fish per aquarium were euthanized to measure pH of the digestive tract contents as well as to evaluate the digestive enzyme activities. The pH of the experimental diets was lowered by the addition of 0.75% CA (pH 5.63), 1.5% CA (pH 5.36) and 1.5% KDF (pH 5.79) when compared with the basal diet (pH 6.15). Moreover, the pH values of the stomach contents were correlated with the pH of the experimental diets. Additionally, based on the weight gain results, it seems that organic acids at a 1.5% dose can improve growth performance in juvenile red drum, although only the weight gain in the 1.5% CA treatment (1547%) was significantly higher than the basal treatment (1357%). This enhanced performance may be in part due to an increment in the activity of digestive enzymes, because pepsin activity, pancreatic enzyme activities (trypsin and lipase) and intestinal enzyme activities (leucin-aminopeptidase and phosphatases) were higher with the inclusion of organic acids in the diet.
Triangular Resection for Repair of Mitral Regurgitation Due to Degenerative Disease

p egenerative mitral valve disease is now the most common cause of mitral regurgitation in an aging Western opulation because of a decline in postinflammatory rheuatic valve pathology.1 The diagnosis of mitral valve proapse caused by leaflet degeneration can easily be made by chocardiography. Recent guidelines and publications ave underlined the importance of the early echocardioraphic diagnosis and quantification of mitral regurgitaion leading to prompt surgical correction of moderate-toevere regurgitation before the onset of left ventricular LV) dilation and decreased LV function. This is also the ase in asymptomatic patients.2 Mitral repair offers the dvantage of improved perioperative and long-term surival, greater regression of LV dimension, and the mainteance of LV function. Mitral repair has durability at least quivalent to replacement and offers the freedom from ong-term anticoagulation. Despite the advantages of miral valve repair, it is currently only performed in roughly 0% of patients undergoing operation for mitral regurgiation in the United States according to the Society of horacic Surgeons’ voluntary database. The remaining ajority undergo mitral valve replacement. This practice ay be due to the assumption that reparative techniques re complicated. Some of the more intricate procedures reviously popularized have led to the perception that itral valve repair is an elitist operation and may not be ndertaken successfully by the community cardiac sureon. The purpose of this article is to familiarize all cardiac urgeons with a more user-friendly, reproducible, and duable valve repair. Mitral regurgitation secondary to degenerative valve disase is most commonly caused by segmental leaflet prolapse ue to ruptured or elongated chordae tendineae. Statistically, he middle of the posterior leaflet, or P2, is the most common ulprit and, fortuitously, also the easiest leaflet to repair. The echniques for the repair of this particular lesion will be decribed. A durable repair can be performed in approximately 8% of patients with a mortality of less than 1%.3
Polynucleotide recognition and strand scission by Fe-bleomycin

Abstract The structural basis of sequence-selective DNA recognition by Fe-bleomycin (Fe-BLM) has been studied by the use of BLM congeners in which the two functional domains are separated by spacers of variable length. Fe-bleomycin has also been shown to recognize and cleave RNA, which may constitute a new target of therapeutic importance for BLM.
Two Flagellar Genes, AGG2 and AGG3, Mediate Orientation to Light in Chlamydomonas

Ciliary membranes have a large repertoire of receptors and ion channels that act to transduce information from the environment to the cell. Chlamydomonas offers a tractable system for dissecting the transport and function of ciliary and flagellar membrane proteins. Isolation of ergosterol and sphingolipid-enriched Chlamydomonas flagellar membrane domains identified potential signaling molecules by mass spectroscopy. These include a membrane protein and a matrix flavodoxin protein that are encoded by the AGG2 and AGG3 genes, respectively. Agg2p localizes to the proximal flagellar membrane near the basal bodies. Agg3p is distributed throughout the flagellar matrix, with an increased concentration in the proximal regions where Agg2p is located. Chlamydomonas cells sense light by using a microbial-type rhodopsin [1], transduce a signal from the cell body to the flagella, and alter the waveform of the flagella to turn a cell toward the light. Protein depletion by RNA interference reveals that both AGG gene products play roles in the orientation of cells to a directional light source. The depleted strains mimic the phenotype of the previously identified agg1 mutant, which swims away from light. We propose that the localization of Agg2p and Agg3p to the proximal region of the flagella may be important for interpreting light signals.
Postirradiation Hyperthermia Selectively Potentiates the Merocyanine 540-Sensitized Photoinactivation of Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells¶

Abstract Lung cancer has long been considered a disease that might benefit from the dose escalation of radio/chemotherapy afforded by a stem cell transplant. However, the clinical experience with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation in lung cancer has been disappointing, with most trials showing little or no improvement in long-term survival. Unfortunately, lung cancer has a tendency to metastasize to the bone marrow, and lung cancer cells are known to circulate in the peripheral blood. Therefore, there is concern that autologous stem cell grafts from lung cancer patients may reinoculate recipients with live tumor cells. Photochemical purging of stem cell grafts with Merocyanine 540 (MC540) is highly effective against a wide range of leukemia and lymphoma cells and is well tolerated by normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Most solid tumor cells (including lung cancer cells), however, are only moderately sensitive or refractory to MC540-mediated photodynamic therapy ...
Homotopy theory of simplicial sheaves in completely decomposable topologies

Abstract There are two approaches to the homotopy theory of simplicial (pre-)sheaves. One developed by Joyal and Jardine works for all sites but produces a model structure which is not finitely generated even in the case of sheaves on a Noetherian topological space. The other one developed by Brown and Gersten gives a nice model structure for sheaves on a Noetherian space of finite dimension but does not extend to all sites. In this paper we define a class of sites for which a generalized version of the Brown–Gersten approach works.
Racemization of Amino Acids in Nature

The amino acids in living organisms are optically active. However, once biologically synthesized amino acids are isolated from the biochemical processes which maintain their optical activity, racem...
Experimental Study of Dispersion of Particles at a Two-Fluid Interface

When small particles like, flour, pollen, etc., contact an air-liquid interface, they disperse rapidly in the lateral direction. Using direct numerical simulation (DNS) we showed that the rapid dispersion is due to the fact that the capillary force pulls particles into the interface causing them to accelerate to a large velocity. The vertical motion of a particle during its adsorption causes a radially-outward lateral flow on the interface that causes nearby particles to move away. The goal of this study is to experimentally analyze the reasons for the rapid dispersion of particles when they are simultaneously adsorbed at a two-fluid interface. Specifically, we will analyze the effect of particle size on the oscillatory behavior of a single particle, as it is being trapped at an air-water interface. The diameter of a particle will be varied between 300–850 μm. Our experimental setup consists of a high speed camera with a resolution of 512×512 pixel and the recording speed up to 3000 frames per second which is connected to a 12X microscope. The camera outputs are analyzed to determine the frequency and amplitude of oscillation during adsorption. The measured amplitudes and frequencies for the micro glass spheres used in the experiment were found to be in qualitative match with the DNS results.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A divided city: Cape Town

Abstract A sketch of Cape Town’s history since its 1652 foundation is offered. A mixed Afro–euro–asian people, the Coloureds, evolved during the era of Dutch and then British colonialism. By the time of apartheid’s imposition from 1948 onwards they had become Cape Town’s majority population group. Now, half a century later, the defeat of apartheid has brought a great influx of Black African poor from distant parts of South Africa, persons whom White rule’s infamous Pass Laws had formerly prohibited from Cape Town. The results: the metropolis has in the last twenty years doubled in population and has not only seen an immense growth in self-built shantytowns and in basic low-income housing, but also a change in complexion. An African majority is now in view, with attendant social tensions and social possibilities.
Minimization of disjunctive normal forms of fuzzy logic functions

Abstract In this paper, we present a consistent theory for the minimization of fuzzy functions given in disjunctive normal form by studying the structure of such functions. An O(N 2 ) time algorithm is given for minimization of a fuzzy function consisting entirely of elementary phrases. The minimal form in this case is shown to be unique (i.e., the minimal form consists of a unique set of phrases). By introducing the notion of standard complex minterms and standard minterms a tabular method is presented and illustrated for the minimization of a disjunctive normal form consisting of entirely complex phrases. The method resembles the well-known Quine-McCluskey tabular procedure for Boolean function minimization. The minimal form in this case may not be unique in general. Finally, the approach is extended for the case of minimization of an arbitrary disjunctive normal form consisting of both elementary as well as complex phrases.
Endocytosis of Functional Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Green Fluorescent Protein Chimera

A chimera of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been engineered by fusing GFP to the carboxyl terminus of EGFR. Data are provided to demonstrate that the GFP moiety does not affect the expected functioning of EGFR. EGFR-GFP becomes phosphorylated at tyrosine residues in response to EGF and is capable of phosphorylating endogenous substrates and initiating signaling cascades. EGF-dependent association of the chimeric receptor with the clathrin adaptor protein AP-2, involved in endocytosis, and with Shc adaptor protein, which binds in close proximity to the fusion point, is not affected by the GFP moiety. Receptor down-regulation and internalization occur at rates similar to those in cells expressing wild-type EGFR. Western blot analysis reveals that lysosomal degradation of EGFR-GFP proceeds from the extracellular domain and that GFP is not preferentially cleaved. Time-dependent co-localization of EGFR-GFP and Texas Red-conjugated EGF in living cells using digital deconvolution microscopy demonstrates the trafficking of ligand-receptor complexes through the early and multivesicular endosomes followed by segregation of the ligand and receptor at the late stages of endocytosis. Time-lapse optical analysis of the early stages of endocytosis reveals localization of EGFR-GFP in the tubular-vesicular endosomal compartments. Rapid dynamics of membrane movement and fusion within these compartments were observed. This approach and the fidelity of the biochemical properties of the EGFR-GFP demonstrate that real-time visualization of trafficking and protein interactions of tyrosine kinase receptors in the presence or absence of the ligand are feasible.
Complex convexity and the geometry of Banach spaces

The notion of PL-convexity was introduced in [4]. In the present article several results are proved which related PL-convexity to various aspects of the geometry of Banach spaces. The first section introduces the moduli of comples convexity and makes a comparison with the more familiar modulus of uniform convexity. It is shown that unconditional convergence of implies convergence of . In the next section the moduli and are shown to be related. The method of proof gives rise to a theorem about strict c-convexity of Lp(X) and a result on the representability in Lp(X).
Reservoir Permeability Estimation From Time-Lapse Log Data

This paper presents a method to estimate permeability using time-lapse log data. The reservoir permeability values are also obtained by history matching production data and analyzing core data. These permeability values are in agreement with the estimates derived from logs. When a well is drilled, mud filtrate invades the formation around the borehole. The volume of mud-filtrate invasion is related to time, formation permeability, and other wellbore and formation parameters. As mud-filtrate invasion progresses, unique saturation profiles and, thus, unique profiles of resistivity and water saturation, are created in the formation surrounding the borehole. Therefore, the data from well logs change with time. By observing and analyzing the changes in log data vs. time, one can estimate formation permeability.
Reflective Team Supervision after a Frightening Event on a Psychiatric Crisis Service.

OBJECTIVE The authors demonstrate the value of reflective team supervision as part of the informal curriculum in an emergency psychiatry setting after a potentially traumatizing adverse event. METHOD The article gives a case presentation of a violent adolescent who eloped from his hospital Emergency Department and provides a description of team supervision sessions that facilitated informal learning for residents and medical students after this event. RESULTS Reflective team supervision sessions after this event resulted both in improved resident well-being and learning opportunities, as well as hospital quality improvement designed to prevent future elopements. CONCLUSIONS Reflective team supervision can be an essential component of trainee education to enhance residents' well-being and to promote both systems-based practice and practice-based learning. This can be an excellent forum to explore themes of humility, self-reflection, and professional growth. Language: en
Critical fusion frequency as a function of stimulus intensity and wavelength composition

Critical fusion frequency (CFF) values for a white and three colored targets were obtained on five Ss over a wide range of scotopic and photopic luminance levels. All the target:intensity values were taken from a decibel (dB) scale of luminance whose reference level was set at 10−10 L [10−6 trolands (Tr)] of white light. The major findings indicated that (a) the obtained curves relating CFF and stimulus intensity showed discontinuities at about 47 dB (.05 Tr), the approximate value of the photopic threshold, and (b) the CFF-intensity functions for the white and colored stimuli: were coincident above the photopic threshold, while in the scotopic range the blue curve exhibited marked lateral displacement over decreasing luminance values, the red function showed no displacement from the photopic functions, and the green and white curves were intermediate between those for blue hundred. The results were compared, on the same intensity scale with the findings of two other CFF studies and with recent reaction time research which provided similar support for the predictions of the duplicity theory of vision.
Molecular and immunological characterization of a Gq protein from ventral and lateral eye of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus.

GTP binding proteins of the Gq family have been implicated in phototransduction in rhabdomeral photoreceptors. In this study we used molecular and immunochemical techniques to characterize a GTP-binding protein α subunit of the Gq family in ventral and lateral photoreceptors of the horseshoe crab,Limulus polyphemus. Both ventral photoreceptors and lateral eye retinular cells became strongly labeled with an antibody directed against the common carboxyl tail of two Gq family proteins, Gαq and Gα11. This antibody also labeled a 42 kDa band on Western blots of proteins from ventral photoreceptor cell bodies, ventral photoreceptor axons, lateral eyes and lateral optic nerves. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), along with degenerate oligonucleotide primers designed against conserved regions of known Gαq and Gα11 proteins, was used to isolate a cDNA from ventral eye RNA which encodes a protein with high identity to known Gq proteins. Ribonuclease protection assays showed that the corresponding message was expressed in ventral eye, but these assays, as well as Northern blots, failed to detect expression in lateral eye. Therefore, while photoreceptors of both ventral and lateral eyes contain a Gq-like protein, the mRNA encoding the Gq protein in the ventral eye may differ in nucleotide sequence from its latetal eye counterpart.
Wave transformation for beach nourishment projects

Abstract Descriptions of refraction and shoaling for input to one-line planform models of beach nourishment response are discussed. Three equations for bulk longshore sediment transport rate are compared to a small-scale laboratory data set, using up to three different descriptions of wave transformation. A simple, analytical description of wave transformation is presented that is consistent with the accuracy of the available equations describing longshore sediment transport rate. The simple approach appears favorable when compared to more rigorous descriptions of wave transformation for a gross estimate of beach nourishment evolution on a shoreline that is initially relatively straight. A new governing equation and analytical solution for beachfill evolution, including the effects of project-induced wave transformation, are presented. The analytical solution may be used as a design aid to indicate the influence of beachfill parameters (depth to toe, taper length) on beachfill lifetime.
Cross-Banded Filamentous Aggregation in the Human Dermis

Cross-banded filamentous aggregations (CBFA) with a periodic banding pattern (850–1250 A) have been found frequently in the stroma of squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas of the skin. In these tumors, the aggregations were commonly associated with the basal lamina and abnormal fibrils. No CBFA was found where collagen fibrils did not show degradative changes. Less frequently, CBFAs were found in the skin lesions of primary and secondary amyloidoses, in inflammatory foci of a halo nevus, and in other skin lesions. CBFAs were similar to the Luse's bodies which have previously been found in normal and abnormal tissues of the central nervous system. Although some investigators have equated the aggregates with the fibrous-long-spacing (FLS) type of collagen, FLS collagen prepared in our laboratory showed a longer periodicity (2,200 A) than that of CBFA. Staining with ruthenium red significantly increased the electron density of CBFA, suggesting that CBFA contains acid mucopolysaccharides.
Modeling wheel-induced rutting in soils: Rolling

Theoretical models for predicting penetration of non-driving (towed) rigid cylindrical wheels rolling on frictional/cohesive soils are presented. The models allow for investigating the influence of soil parameters and wheel geometry on the relationship between the inclined rolling force and wheel sinkage in the presence of permanently formed ruts. The rolling process is simulated numerically in three dimensions using the finite element code ABAQUS. The numerical simulations reveal that the advanced three-dimensional process of rutting can be regarded as steady, and an approximate analytic model for predicting sinkage under steady-state conditions, which accounts for three-dimensional effects, is also developed. The differences between wheel rolling and wheel indentation (considered in a separate paper) are discussed. Numerical and analytic results are compared with test results available in the literature and obtained from preliminary small-scale experiments, and general agreement is demonstrated.
Burying key evidence: the social bond between dogs and people

Abstract People have been burying or otherwise ritually disposing of dead dogs for a long time. They sometimes treat other animals in such a fashion, but not nearly as often as dogs. This presentation documents the consistent and worldwide distribution of this practice over about the past 12,000–14,000 years. Such practices directly reflect the domestic relationship between people and dogs, and speak rather directly to the timing of canid domestication. In doing so, they contradict recent genetics-based inferences, thus calling into question the legitimacy of focusing mostly on genetic factors as opposed to other factors. This discussion seeks to work towards a sound framework for analyzing and thus understanding the social compatibility between people and dogs. That compatibility is directly signified by the burial of dogs, with people often responding to the deaths of individual dogs much as they usually respond to the death of a family member. Moreover, that special social relationship continues, as illustrated clearly by the establishment, maintenance, and ongoing use of several modern dog cemeteries, in different countries of the world.
An Instruction Fetch Unit for a High-Performance Personal Computer

The instruction fetch unit (IFU) of the Dorado personal computer speeds up the emulation of instructions by prefetching, decoding, and preparing later instructions in parallel with the execution of earlier ones. It dispatches the machine's microcoded processor to the proper starting address for each instruction, and passes the instruction's fields to the processor on demand. A writeable decoding memory allows the IFU to be specialized to a particular instruction set, as long as the instructions are an integral number of bytes long. There are implementations of specialized instruction sets for the Mesa, Lisp, and Smalltalk languages. The IFU is implemented with a six-stage pipeline, and can decode an instruction every 60 ns. Under favorable conditions the Dorado can execute instructions at this peak rate (16 mips).
An efficient self-collimating photonic crystal coupling technique in the RF regime

In this paper, we present both numerical and experimental results for the waveguiding of light using a low-index-contrast (LIC) self-collimating photonic crystal (SCPhC) in the RF frequency regime. This waveguiding structure utilizes the unique interactions of light with the periodic structure of the photonic crystal (PhC) to propagate a beam of light without divergence. This design also employs materials with a low index contrast (LIC), which reduces the electromagnetic signature of the PhC. This SCPhC was designed by extracting its dispersion contours and numerically simulating it using HFSS, a commercial 3-D, full-wave FEM software. In particular, we addressed the issue of coupling the PhC to a coaxial medium by designing an input/output (I/O) coupler consisting of a coaxial-to-waveguide transition, a rectangular waveguide and a tapered dielectric transition. We fabricated the SCPhC with a rigid polyurethane foam slab and Rexolite polystyrene rods using an automated CNC router to drill the periodic lattice in the slab. We also fabricated the dielectric segments of the I/O couplers with Rexolite slabs using an automated milling machine. Using these I/O couplers and SCPhC slab, we simulated and subsequently measured experimentally an insertion loss, for the entire system, of -3.3 dB through a 24" PhC slab, and a coupling loss of -0.95 dB at each coupler-PhC interface.
THE ROLE OF COMPUTER MODELS IN FULL-SCALE BRIDGE LABORATORY TESTS

The role of computer modeling in an extensive series of curved steel bridge laboratory tests recently completed at the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) is discussed. Computer models were involved extensively throughout the process, from design of the testing frame to analysis of data that were produced. Predicted results from a series of finite-element models are compared with data recorded from nine tests that occurred during construction. Results from the tests and from finite-element analyses are also compared against those produced using the V-load method, a simplified curved bridge analysis tool. The use of computer-generated Monte Carlo simulations to help reduce and analyze data generated during the construction tests is also discussed.
Investigating the effects of news sharing and political interest on social media network heterogeneity

We investigated whether SNS use promotes the encounters with dissimilar ideas.Frequent SNS use entails a greater chance of interacting with heterogeneous others.News sharing activities mediate the link between SNS use and network heterogeneity.Political interest moderates the link between news sharing and network heterogeneity. This research investigated whether the use of social networking services (SNSs) promotes or restricts the likelihood of citizens' exposure to political disagreement by focusing on two different types of news sharing activities on SNSs - news externalizing and internalizing - and on individuals' level of political interest. The results show that frequent SNS use may entail higher chances of interacting with heterogeneous others, but the influence is only indirectly exerted through its effects on two news sharing activities. Findings also indicate that political interest and news sharing activities interact with each other in predicting the degree of network heterogeneity. The study is conducted with a nationally representative survey.
QUANTITATIVE CHANGES IN GIBBERELLIN AND RNA CORRELATED WITH SENESCENCE OF THE SHOOT APEX IN THE ‘ALASKA’ PEA

A B S T R A C T Senescence of shoot apices of Pisum sativum L. 'Alaska' as measured by cessation of stem elongation was delayed by removal of flowers and by treatment with gibberellin A3 and was hastened by treatment with AMO-1618 (2 isopropyl4-dimethylamino-5-methylphenyl-1-piperidinecarboxylate methyl chloride). Ontogenetic changes in relative endogenous gibberellin levels and in capability of gibberellin biosynthesis in deflowered and control plants were determined indirectly by studying time-course changes in the sensitivity, as indicated by the growth response, of these plants to applied gibberellin and AMO-1618. The results of these experiments suggest that the endogenous gibberellin level varies directly with the growth rate. Analyses of total RNA and protein in shoot tips of deflowered and control plants revealed that the levels of these substances also vary directly with growth rate throughout ontogeny. It is concluded that decreases in endogenous gibberellin, RNA and protein are factors correlated with senescence of the shoot apex.
Reaction Time for Pediatric Audiometry

A substantial part of reaction time (RT), the time elapsed between presentation of a stimulus and the subject’s response, reflects a central delay during which the brain processes the input and ela...
Learning through Doing: Undergraduate Political Science Education and Social Science Research.

The University of Santa Clara has taken two steps to promote research as an integral part of the baccalaureate program. First, the university has established an annual series of undergraduate research conferences in political science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and biology, which permits gifted students to present their original research papers to faculty and their peers. In political science, for example, these conferences have been held since 1976 involving 65 students from 25 colleges and universities. Second, the College of Science and Department of Political Science have sponsored an experimental senior workshop in which students and faculty conduct basic social science research as a team effort. This article's purpose is to describe this course and evaluate the results.
On the Propagation and Interaction of Spherical Blast Waves

The characteristics and the scaling laws of isolated spherical blast waves have been briefly reviewed. Both self-similar solutions and numerical solutions of isolated blast waves are discussed. Blast profiles in the near-field (strong shock region) and the far-field (weak shock region) are examined. Particular attention is directed at the blast overpressure and shock propagating speed. Consideration is also given to the interaction of spherical blast waves. Test data for the propagation and interaction of spherical blast waves emanating from explosives placed in the vicinity of a solid propellant stack are presented. These data are discussed with regard to the scaling laws concerning the decay of blast overpressure.
An Examination of Parental Attachments, Parental Detachments and Self-Esteem across Hetero-, Bi-, and Homosexual Individuals

This study compares heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals’ level of detachment and attachment with parental figures in self-esteem reporting. An electronic survey was distributed via convenience and snowballing techniques to approximately 600 respondents, with the sample being grouped as heterosexuals, bisexuals and homosexuals. Results indicate that the LGBT population experiences a statistically higher level of parental detachment than heterosexuals, and that self-esteem reporting is statistically different across group variables such as sexual orientation and age. This finding bolsters the idea that support networks (other than parental relationships) may be present and active across sexual minority groups. Limitations to the study as well as recommendations for future research are discussed.
Shear axial modes in a PCTSCM Part I: piezoelectric stiffening and selective attenuation

The material properties of a piezoelectric continuously twisted structurally chiral medium (PCTSCM) vary helicoidally along the axial direction. Since the degree of piezoelectric coupling can be engineered to a reasonable extent, PCTSCMs are promising candidates for future transduction devices. In this paper, we implement the quasi-electrostatic approximation for axial propagation modes in PCTSCMs, particularly for those with hexagonal 6mm reference crystal symmetry. Axial propagation of shear modes is affected by piezoeletric stiffening. Axial propagation displays selective attenuation and can be classified into three zones. The zone of selective attenuation can be altered by the degree of piezoelectric stiffening as well as by the spatial frequency of the PCTSCM.
Successful treatment of severe refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura with liposomal doxorubicin

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is refractory to initial treatment (steroids and splenectomy) in 25 to 30% of patients. These patients have a significant risk of fatal hemorrhage. Two patients with ITP refractory to multiple interventions and severe depression of platelet counts responded to treatment with liposomal doxorubicin with a return of platelet counts to normal. The drug is easily administered and was well tolerated. Use of this drug in refractory ITP merits further study.
Web-enabling for competitive advantage: a case study of Himalayan adventures

This case emphasis is on the reduction of the logistical aspects of adventure travel and increase in the customer base by using the Web-enabling information technology resources. A global travel company, Himalayan Adventures (HA), based in Pakistan wants to build a one-stop electronic commerce store for its customers. Through this website, HA hopes to provide all of their travel services, visa details, health and safety insurance, weather information, flight reservations, police registration, currency exchange, travel itineraries, sale and purchase of equipment, souvenirs and communication requirements. To implement the online store for HA, the owner, Abdul Bari, is planning to utilize the Porter electronic business model in analyzing the market needs, and identifying the appropriate information technology to gain a strategic advantage. This project, once implemented, will compliment the already existing HA brick model with a bricks-and-clicks model. On the initial investment of $70,000 per year for three years, the incremental net present value created by the project is $174,079.
Within-person variability in urinary bisphenol A concentrations: Measurements from specimens after long-term frozen storage

Abstract Background Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic contaminant of food and water associated with adverse developmental effects in laboratory animals. BPA has recently been linked to morbidity in adult humans, but studies of developmental effects in humans are methodologically more difficult. The ability to measure BPA in urine samples after long-term storage could aid in such studies. Because the half-life of BPA is Methods We measured total BPA concentration by mass spectrometry in first-morning urine samples from 60 premenopausal women. We selected from each woman's stored daily collections three urine samples approximately 2 and 4 weeks apart. Samples were selected from both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle to assess cycle effects. Temporal variability was assessed with mixed model regression and correlations. Results BPA levels had an inter-quartile range from 1.1 to 3.1 ng/mg creatinine, slightly higher than levels in specimens from NHANES collected 3–11 years later. The Spearman correlation was approximately 0.5 for samples 2 weeks apart and 0.3 for samples 4 weeks apart. Menstrual cycle phase did not influence levels. BPA tended to increase during the three-year collection period, but not significantly. Conclusions The similar distribution to NHANES samples and correlation of BPA levels taken at 2-week intervals provide indirect evidence that BPA is relatively stable during long-term freezer storage. The correlations indicate generally stable exposures over periods of weeks. These findings suggest that developmental effects of BPA exposure could be investigated with measurements from stored urine.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES AND UNIT PERFORMANCE: A CONTINGENCY PERSPECTIVE

This paper introduces a contingency framework for selecting knowledge management processes based on the underlying knowledge characteristics of the organizational work being conducted in a work uni...
Singular forward scattering in the 2D Hubbard model and a renormalized Bethe ansatz ground state.

In a recent Letter we argued that the existence of an upper Hubbard band necessarily would lead to Luttinger liquid ({ital Z}=0) properties for a strongly interacting electron gas, as opposed to Fermi liquid. In this paper we identify the singular-scattering diagrams and make a hypothesis about the form of the ground state of the 2D Hubbard model.
Campaign Advertising and Democratic Citizenship

Concern about the state of American democracy is a staple of political science and popular commentary. Critics warn that levels of citizen participation and political knowledge are disturbingly low and that seemingly ubiquitous political advertising is contributing to the problem. We argue that political advertising is rife with both informational and emotional content and actually contributes to a more informed, more engaged, and more participatory citizenry. With detailed advertising data from the 2000 election, we show that exposure to campaign advertising produces citizens who are more interested in the election, have more to say about the candidates, are more familiar with who is running, and ultimately are more likely to vote. Importantly, these effects are concentrated among those citizens who need it most: those with the lowest pre-existing levels of political information.
Market Microstructure of the Pink Sheets

We study the microstructure of the Pink Sheets and assess the ability of existing theory to capture salient features of this relatively unstructured and unregulated market. Clustering patterns in quotes, quoted spreads, and trade prices indicate that market participants have endogenously selected price-dependent tick sizes for different stocks. Clustering intensity varies across stocks as a function of proxies for information availability. Similarly, the bid-ask spread varies as a function of volatility and liquidity. We design a tick size schedule for the Pink Sheets that conforms to the clustering present in quotes, and track measures of market quality after the market adopted the schedule in 2006. No evidence of deterioration is found, suggesting that the market's endogenously selected tick sizes are robust.
Analysis of Virtualization Technologies for High Performance Computing Environments

As Cloud computing emerges as a dominant paradigm in distributed systems, it is important to fully understand the underlying technologies that make Clouds possible. One technology, and perhaps the most important, is virtualization. Recently virtualization, through the use of hyper visors, has become widely used and well understood by many. However, there are a large spread of different hyper visors, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of some of today's commonly accepted virtualization technologies from feature comparison to performance analysis, focusing on the applicability to High Performance Computing environments using Future Grid resources. The results indicate virtualization sometimes introduces slight performance impacts depending on the hyper visor type, however the benefits of such technologies are profound and not all virtualization technologies are equal. From our experience, the KVM hyper visor is the optimal choice for supporting HPC applications within a Cloud infrastructure.
Blue Gene/L torus interconnection network

The main interconnect of the massively parallel Blue Gene®/L is a three-dimensional torus network with dynamic virtual cut-through routing. This paper describes both the architecture and the microarchitecture of the torus and a network performance simulator. Both simulation results and hardware measurements are presented.
Compound mixed Poisson distributions I

The concept of compound mixed Poisson distributions in actuarial science is used to represent such variables as the total amount of claims or losses payable by an insurer. In this paper, comprehensive collections of approximate forms are derived for the compound mixed Poisson distribution. The calculations involve use of several special functions and their properties. We believe that the results will serve as an important reference in actuarial science.
A SerpinB1 Regulatory Mechanism Is Essential for Restricting Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Generation

NETosis (neutrophil extracellular trap [NET] generation), a programmed death pathway initiated in mature neutrophils by pathogens and inflammatory mediators, can be a protective process that sequesters microbes and prevents spread of infection, but it can also be a pathological process that causes inflammation and serious tissue injury. Little is known about the regulatory mechanism. Previously, we demonstrated that serpinb1-deficient mice are highly susceptible to pulmonary bacterial and viral infections due to inflammation and tissue injury associated with increased neutrophilic death. In this study, we used in vitro and in vivo approaches to investigate whether SerpinB1 regulates NETosis. We found that serpinb1-deficient bone marrow and lung neutrophils are hypersusceptible to NETosis induced by multiple mediators in both an NADPH-dependent and -independent manner, indicating a deeply rooted regulatory role in NETosis. This role is further supported by increased nuclear expansion (representing chromatin decondensation) of PMA-treated serpinb1-deficient neutrophils compared with wild-type, by migration of SerpinB1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of human neutrophils that is coincident with or preceding early conversion of lobulated (segmented) nuclei to delobulated (spherical) morphology, as well as by the finding that exogenous human recombinant SerpinB1 abrogates NET production. NETosis of serpinb1-deficient neutrophils is also increased in vivo during Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection. The findings identify a previously unrecognized regulatory mechanism involving SerpinB1 that restricts the production of NETs.
A candidate set based analysis of subgoal interactions in conjunctive goal planning

Subgoal interactions have received considerable attention in AI Planning. Earlier analyses by Korf [11] and Joslin and Roach [6] were done in terms of the topology of the space of world states. More recent analyses by Barrett and Weld [1] and Veloso and Blythe [14] were done in terms of the nature of the planner. In this paper, we will argue that subgoal interactions are best understood in terms of the candidate sets of the plans for the individual subgoals. We will describe a generalized representation for partial plans that applies to a large class of refinement planners, and discuss the notion of mergeability and serial extensibility of these partial plans. The concepts of independence and serializability of subgoals are derived by generalizing mergeability and serial extensibility over classes of partial plans. Unlike previous work, our analysis also applies to multi-method refinement planners such as UCP [7]. We will show that all existing characterizations of serializability differ only in terms of the specific class of partial plans that they implicitly address. Finally, we will use our interaction analysis to explore factors affecting the selection of a refinement planner for a given domain.
Branchiomma luctuosum (Polychaeta: Sabellidae): a non-indigenous species at Valencia Port (western Mediterranean Sea, Spain)

A population of the non-indigenous polychaete Branchiomma luctuosum, has been detected in Valencia Port (western Mediterranean Sea, Spain), representing the most western record of this species in the Mediterranean Sea and the first record from the Iberian Peninsula, as its original distribution is Indo-Pacific (Red Sea). It was found in both hard and soft substrates, grouped in small aggregates or isolated specimens. The observation of uncini using a SEM shows three rows of a few small teeth surmounting the main fang. This species was also compared with its congenerics recorded in the Mediterranean Sea, and its possible vector of introduction is discussed.
Historical and political roots of the Community Mental Health Centers Act.

Certain features of American life have contributed powerfully to development of the community mental health movement. Among the features may be included pluralism, pragmatism, emphasis on short-term goals, solution of problems by accretion of new structures, veneration for change, and uneven development. The influence of these factors on the patterning of mental health programs and legislation is delineated.
Influence of Processing Method on the Grain Boundary Character Distribution and Network Connectivity

There exists a growing body of literature that correlates the fraction of “special” boundaries in a microstructure, as described by the Coincident Site Lattice Model, to properties such as corrosion resistance, intergranular stress corrosion cracking, creep, etc. Several studies suggest that the grain boundary character distribution (GBCD), which is defined in terms of the relative fractions of “special” and “random” grain boundaries, can be manipulated through thermomechanical processing. This investigation evaluates the influence of specific thermomechanical processing methods on the resulting GBCD in FCC materials such as oxygenfree electronic (ofe) copper and Inconel 600. We also demonstrate that the primary effect of thermomechanical processing is to reduce or break the connectivity of the random grain boundary network. Samples of ofe Cu were subjected to a minimum of three different deformation paths to evaluate the influence of deformation path on the resulting GBCD. These include: rolling to 82% reduction in thickness, compression to 82% strain, repeated compression to 20% strain followed by annealing. In addition, the influence of annealing temperature was probed by applying, for each of the processes, three different annealing temperatures of 400, 560, and 800°C. The observations obtained from automated electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) characterization of the microstructure are discussed in terms of deformation path, annealing temperature, and processing method. Results are compared to previous reports on strainannealed ofe Cu and sequential processed Inconel 600. These results demonstrate that among the processes considered, sequential processing is the most effective method to disrupt the random grain boundary network and improve the GBCD.