cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fatigue crack growth and closure at high cyclic strains

The concept of a cyclic J-integral (ΔJ) is considered, and equations are given for estimating its value. Fatigue crack growth rate data for an alloy steel are analyzed using ΔJ and rough crack closure measurements. Without the plasticity correction of ΔJ, there is an extreme lack of correlation for cases of cracks growing under reversed plastic strain. Including a correction for crack closure along with ΔJ gives good correlation of growth rates among various geometries and degrees of plasticity.
Antiproliferative Activity of Apples Is Not Due to Phenolic-Induced Hydrogen Peroxide Formation

Anticancer compound screening of natural products using tumor cell lines has been commonly used to identify anticancer drugs. Two highly significant anticancer drugs, paclitaxel (Taxol) and camptothecin, were discovered using tumor cell lines by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) screening program of plants. It has been recently reported that the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation by fruit extracts was indirectly caused by phenolic-induced H2O2 production in the cell culture media, suggesting that many previously reported effects of flavonoids and phenolic compounds on cultured cells might be from an artifact of H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The objective of the present study was to determine if apple extracts induced H2O2 formation in common cell culture media and to investigate if the antiproliferative activity of apple extracts was due to phenolic-induced H2O2 formation. It is reported here that apple extracts did not induce H2O2 formation in WME, DMEM, or DMEM/Ham F12 media with the cell c...
Nonlinear System Identification of Systems with Periodic Limit-Cycle Response

A nonlinear system identification methodology based on the principle of harmonic balance and bifurcation theory techniques like center manifold analysis and normal form reduction, is presented for multi-degree-of-freedom systems. The methodology, called Bifurcation Theory System IDentification, (BiTSID), is a general procedure for any nonlinear system that exhibits periodic limit cycle response and can be used to capture the bifurcation behavior of the nonlinear systems. The BiTSID methodology is demonstrated on an experimental system single-degree-of-freedom system that deals with self-excited motions of a fluid-structure system with a sub-critical Hopf bifurcation. It is shown that BiTSID performs excellently in capturing the stable and unstable limit cycles within the experimental regime. Its performance outside the experimental regime is also studied. The application of BiTSID to experimental multi-degree-of-freedom systems has also been very successful. However in this study only the results of the single-degree-of-freedom system are presented.
Cramér–Rao sensitivity limits for astronomical instruments: implications for interferometer design

Multiple-telescope interferometry for high-angular-resolution astronomical imaging in the optical–IR–far-IR bands is currently a topic of great scientific interest. The fundamentals that govern the sensitivity of direct-detection instruments and interferometers are reviewed, and the rigorous sensitivity limits imposed by the Cramer–Rao theorem are discussed. Numerical calculations of the Cramer–Rao limit are carried out for a simple example, and the results are used to support the argument that interferometers that have more compact instantaneous beam patterns are more sensitive, since they extract more spatial information from each detected photon. This argument favors arrays with a larger number of telescopes, and it favors all-on-one beam-combining methods as compared with pairwise combination.
A Study of Intracellular Ice Formation in Jurkat Cells

The objective of this study was to characterize the IIF behavior of Jurkat cells in isotonic conditions in the absence of any cryoprotective agents. The Jurkat cells were collected from culture and then washed and re-suspended in Dulbecco’s Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS). The freezing experiments were carried out at defined freezing protocols and at various freezing rates of 5, 20, 30 and 50 °C/min. The results suggest there was no substantial evidence of intracellular ice formation at lower cooling rates of 5, 20 and 30° C/min. The first conspicuous indication of intracellular ice formation (IIF) was observed at a freezing rate of 50 °C/min. At this cooling rate, unlike the usual sudden blackening of cells, the cells suddenly grew and exploded suggesting the formation of intracellular ice, which was reminiscent of a prior observed phenomenon for IIF.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
THE META-ANALYSIS OF RESPONSE RATIOS IN EXPERIMENTAL ECOLOGY

Meta-analysis provides formal statistical techniques for summarizing the results of independent experiments and is increasingly being used in ecology. The response ratio (the ratio of mean outcome in the experimental group to that in the control group) and closely related measures of proportionate change are often used as measures of effect magnitude in ecology. Using these metrics for meta-analysis requires knowledge of their statistical properties, but these have not been previously derived. We give the approximate sampling distribution of the log response ratio, discuss why it is a particularly useful metric for many applications in ecology, and demonstrate how to use it in meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of response-ratio data is illustrated using experimental data on the effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on plant biomass responses.
Pressure bubbles stabilization features in the Stokes problem

Abstract The standard finite element approximation using equal-order-linear-continuous velocity–pressure variables is enriched with velocity and pressure bubble functions to model the Stokes problem. We show by static condensation that these bubble functions give rise to a stabilized method involving least-squares forms of the momentum and of the continuity equations. In particular, pressure bubbles play a key role in explaining the addition of the least-squares form of the continuity equation in a stabilized method for Stokes.
Assessment of the usefulness of semipermeable membrane devices for long-term watershed monitoring in an urban slough system

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed at eight sites within the Buffalo Slough, near Portland, Oregon, to (1) measure the spatial and seasonal distribution of dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and organochlorine (OC) compounds in the slough, (2) assess the usefulness of SPMDs as a tool for investigating and monitoring hydrophobic compounds throughout the Columbia Slough system, and (3) evaluate the utility of SPMDs as a tool for measuring the long-term effects of watershed improvement activities. Data from the SPMDs revealed clear spatial and seasonal differences in water quality within the slough and indicate that for hydrophobic compounds, this time-integrated passive-sampling technique is a useful tool for long-term watershed monitoring. In addition, the data suggest that a spiking rate of 2–5 μg/SPMD of permeability/performance reference compounds, including at least one compound that is not susceptible to photodegradation, may be optimum for the conditions encountered here.
The thermochemistry of formic acid–halide anion clusters

Abstract Bond dissociation energies for formic acid–halide ion clusters have been measured using energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation in a flowing afterglow-tandem mass spectrometer. The resulting 0 K bond energies (in kJ mol −1 ) are D(HCOOH–X − ) = 114 ± 9, 70 ± 7, and 52 ± 9 for X = Cl, Br, and I, respectively. The second bond energies are D[(HCOOH)X − –HCOOH] = 50 ± 9, 43 ± 7, and 45 ± 9, respectively. These results are compared to empirical correlations, semiempirical calculations, and previously determined values where available.
Type Size and Performance of the Elderly on the Wonderlic Personnel Test

Corporations concerned with fair employment practices often use selection instruments. The purpose of this study was to determine if an enlarged-print version of the Wonderlic Personnel Test would significantly improve the scores of elderly subjects. One hundred sixteen individuals between the ages of 40 and 84 served as subjects in the experiment. Although print size was not significantly related to the overall score on the test, older individuals tended to score lowerthan their younger counterparts. The results of this study cast doubt on the validity of the age adjustments recommended for the Wonderlic and demonstrate the need for further research in this area.
Hardware virtualization trends

As Intel is rolling out its Vanderpool processor virtualization technology and AMD its Secure Virtual Machine technology, we are only seeing the first wave of processor virtualization assists. Over the next few years the x86 space will change dramatically. We will see the introduction of massive multi-core, 64-bit, 2 nd generation processor virtualization capabilities, I/O isolation capabilities, and hardware security assists.Both Intel and AMD are differentiating their processors by providing enhancements that enable you to run multiple virtual machines in such a way that the guest is unaware that it is being virtualized. Ironically, largely because these technologies have been unavailable for so long, Linux and Windows are going into a different direction: paravirtualization. With paravirtualization the guest operating system collaborates closely with the virtual machine monitor through a set of well defined software interfaces. This approach does not require any new hardware features at all and has the potential of performing much better. So, this raises an interesting dilemma: Some of the new virtualization capabilities may already be obsolete before they are brought to market.In this talk I will discuss the new virtualization technologies that will be introduced over the next few years, how they help virtualization, what challenges they pose and how these virtualization technologies will likely consolidate.
Spiny mouse's (Acomys Cahirinus) use of its distance senses in prey localization.

This study examined the relative importance that olfaction, audition and vision played in the spiny mouse's localization of insect prey. These three senses were blocked singly or in various combinations so that a mouse was tested under 8 different situations with a tethered live cricket and four with a dead cricket. The mice did not rely on one particular sense more than the others, but in certain situations olfaction and audition proved more important than vision in the localization of a live cricket. In the case of a stationary cricket, the mice relied more on olfaction than vision. This pattern of use is what would be expected of a nonspecialized omnivore and may represent what ought to be found in many other rodent species.
Positive charge generation due to species of hydrogen during NBTI phenomenon in pMOSFETs with ultra-thin SiON gate dielectrics

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) of pMOSFETs with ultra-thin SiON gate dielectrics was investigated. We focused our attention on the behavior of hydrogen atoms released from the interface under NBT stress. From the transient characteristics of pMOSFETs after NBT stresses were stopped, it was found that a portion (60%, in our case) of hydrogen atoms released by the NBT stress remain in a 1.85-nm-thick NO-oxynitride gate dielectric. The existence of the hydrogen in the gate dielectric was shown to lead to the generation of positive charges.
Sensor system design for building indoor air protection

Many new biological and chemical sensors have been or are continuously being developed for infrastructure and environmental protection, e.g., for protecting the quality of water and indoor and outdoor air. However, there is a lack of fundamental system-level research leading to the development of sensor networks that both maximize protection and minimize the system cost for indoor air protection. Four key parameters are usually used to evaluate sensor performance: sensor sensitivity, probability of correct detection, false positive rate, and response time. The optimal design of a sensor system is affected by the above sensor performance parameters. This paper describes a preliminary study to: (1) identify simplified simulation and optimization strategies that can be used for sensor system design; (2) examine the relationships between sensor location, sensitivity, and quantity, and (3) use both detection time and total occupant exposure as optimization objective functions for sensor system design. Common building attack scenarios, using a typical chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agent, are simulated for a small commercial building. Genetic algorithm (GA) is then applied to optimize the sensor sensitivity, location, and quantity, thus achieving the best system behavior while also reducing the total system cost. Assuming that each attack scenario has the same probability for occurrence, optimal system designs that account for the simulated possible attack scenarios are obtained.
The Widow-Ascetic under Hindu Law

This article constitutes a fairly comprehensive, largely diachronic analysis of the restrictions placed upon the non-sexual behavior of widows by works of the classical Hindu legal tradition known as Dharmaśāstra. As such, it systematically examines an array of texts belonging to virtually all periods of Dharmaśāstra, beginning with the earliest surviving Dharmaśāstric works and proceeding chronologically forward. This article, therefore, provides a more detailed and reliable account of the rise of widow-asceticism within the orthodox Brahmanical communities that produced these texts than is hitherto available. In this way, it significantly contributes to our broader understanding of how Brahmanical attitudes toward women changed between roughly 300bce and 1500ce.
Theoretical study of the isomerization mechanism of azobenzene and disubstituted azobenzene derivatives

A series of azobenzenes was studied using ab initio methods to determine the substituent effects on the isomerization pathways. Energy barriers were determined from three-dimensional potential energy surfaces of the ground and electronically excited states. In the ground state (S0), the inversion pathway was found to be preferred. Our results show that electron donating substituents increase the isomerization barrier along the inversion pathway, whereas electron withdrawing substituents decrease it. The inversion pathway of the first excited state (S1) showed trans → cis barriers with no curve crossing between S0 and S1. In contrast, a conical intersection was found between the ground and first excited states along the rotation pathway for each of the azobenzenes studied. No barriers were found in this pathway, and we therefore postulate that after n → π* (S1 ← S0) excitation, the rotation mechanism dominates. Upon π → π* (S2 ← S0) excitation, there may be sufficient energy to open an additional pathway (...
Market gaming and market power mitigation in deregulated electricity markets

Market gaming is a daily routine in a deregulated electricity market. It has been reported extensively that producers have been gaming in the England and Wales power market ever since the market was deregulated. In June 1998, wholesale electricity prices settled at $7000/MWh in the Midwest US market. The replacement power prices settled at $9999/MWh on July 13, 1998 in the newly formulated California Power Exchange. Market power abuses have caught the concern and attention of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state regulatory commissions, and consumer groups. This paper examines different forms of electricity market power abuses and suggests mitigation strategies to minimize the effect of market power on the fledgling competitive markets in the US.
Evaluation and application of a three-dimensional water quality model in a shallow lake with complex morphometry

Abstract Fundamental hydrodynamic and ecological processes of a lake or reservoir could be adequately depicted by one-dimensional (1D) numerical simulation models. Whereas, lakes with significant horizontal water quality and hydrodynamic gradients due to their complex morphometry, inflow or water level fluctuations require a three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics and ecological analyses to accurately simulate their temporal and spatial dynamics. In this study, we applied a 3D hydrodynamic model (ELCOM) coupled with an ecological model (CAEDYM) to simulate water quality parameters in three bays of the morphologically complex Lake Minnetonka. A considerable effort was made in setting up the model and a systematic parameterization approach was adopted to estimate the value of parameters based on their published values. Model calibration covered the entire length of the simulation periods from March 29 to October 20, 2000. Sensitivity analysis identified the top parameters with the largest contributions to the sensitivity of model results. The model was next verified with the same setup and parameter values for the period of April 25 to October 10, 2005 against field data. Spatial and temporal dynamics were well simulated and model output results of water temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO), total phosphorus (TP) and one group of algae (Cyanobacteria) represented as chlorophyll a (Chla) compared well with an extensive field data in the bays. The results show that the use of the model along with an accurate bathymetry, a systematic calibration and corroboration (verification) process will help to analyze the hydrodynamics and geochemical processes of the morphologically complex Lake Minnetonka. An example of an ecological application of the model for Lake Minnetonka is presented by examining the effect of spatial heterogeneity on coolwater fish habitat analysis in 3D and under a scenario where horizontal spatial heterogeneity was eliminated (1D). Both analyses captured seasonal fish habitat changes and the total seasonal averages differed moderately. However, the 1D analysis did not capture local and short duration variabilities and missed suitable fish habitat variations of as much as 20%. The experiment highlighted the need for a 3D analysis in depicting ecological hot spots such as unsuitable fish habitats in Lake Minnetonka.
A loop layout design problem for flexible manufacturing systems

The interconnection pattern of the processing modules of a computerized manufacturing system affects its performance. In this article, we discuss a set of requirements that the interconnection network should satisfy. Subsequently, we concentrate on a simple and popular architecture, the loop network. The problem we address is to design the layout of the system so that the number of machines that the part types cross in their manufacturing process is minimized. We formulate the problem mathematically and solve it by a heuristic that obtains consistently better results than an earlier popular method.
The precipitation of black oxide coatings on flooded conifer roots of low internal porosity

The blackening of flooded roots of several conifer species was due to precipitation of mixed iron/manganese oxides on the root epidermis and throughout the cortex. These roots were not flood-adapted, and did not have obvious air-filled pore space for oxygen diffusion. Despite this, the amount of oxide precipitate, as measured for flooded roots of two species, red pine and black spruce, was 2240 and 2492 μg/g (dw) Fe and 684 and 1075 μg/g Mn. This compares favorably with oxide precipitation on the very porous roots of wetland species. Oxide precipitation was limited to the flooded roots and did not extend into the surrounding soil. As measured by the concentration of reduced Mn in the xylem sap, the cortical ‘oxide sheath’ did not prevent uptake of reduced ions into the stele.
Co-opting the Cell Wall in Fighting Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Potent Inhibition of PBP 2a by Two Anti-MRSA β-Lactam Antibiotics

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a global bacterial scourge that has become resistant to many classes of antibiotics, and treatment options for MRSA infections are limited. The cause of MRSA resistance to all commercially available beta-lactam antibiotics is the acquisition of the gene mecA, which encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP 2a). PBP 2a is a transpeptidase, which in contrast to the other transpeptidases of S. aureus does not experience inhibition by beta-lactam antibiotics. The lack of inhibition is due to a closed conformation for the active site for PBP 2a, which opens up only in the course of the catalytic function of the protein. Here we show that two new anti-MRSA antibiotics now undergoing clinical trials, ceftaroline and ME1036, are able to inhibit PBP 2a effectively, a process that is enhanced in the presence of a cell wall structural surrogate. It is likely that in the course of bacterial growth the occupancy of the allosteric site for the cell wall is co-opted by these antibiotics, and under these conditions the second-order rate constant for the encounter of the antibiotic and PBP 2a approaches the clinically useful value of 10(4)-10(5) M-1 s-1. These compounds are potent inhibitors of PBP 2a as well as PBPs from other species, and have potential as therapeutic agents for treatment of serious infections by MRSA and other resistant bacterial pathogens.
FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS: STRUCTURAL CHANGES DURING REACTION WITH CATIONS AND FORMALDEHYDE AS DEDUCED FROM ABSORBANCE MEASUREMENTS.

Abstract time and absorbance-temperature profiles of pure foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) were determined sequentially in the presence of sodium and magnesium ions and in formaldehyde (CH20). Changes in molecular structure were deduced from the shapes of the profiles and were verified by ultracentrifugal analyses. Virus broke down spontaneously at 10°C in 0.001 M Na+ to protein and hypochromic ribonucleic acid. The latter then denatured reversibly when heated. Mg++ at 10−3M markedly suppressed the spontaneous degradation of FMDV; lower concentrations were progressively less effective. CH20 at 0.25% completely degraded FMDV at 10°C at a sodium ion concentration, 0.02 M, where the virus was otherwise stable up to 53°C. CH20 did not lower the degradation temperature as much at higher concentrations of sodium ions where the virus was more stable. Possible mechanisms of the action of heat, cations, and CH20 on FMDV are discussed.
The etiology of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) type II: The pink protein modulates the processing and transport of tyrosinase

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is caused by reduced or deficient melanin pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes. OCA has different phenotypes resulting from mutations in distinct pigmentation genes involved in melanogenesis. OCA type 2 (OCA2), the most common form of OCA, is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the P gene, the function(s) of which is controversial. In order to elucidate the mechanism(s) involved in OCA2, our group used several antibodies specific for various melanosomal proteins (tyrosinase, Tyrp1, Dct, Pmel17 and HMB45), including a specific set of polyclonal antibodies against the p protein. We used confocal immunohistochemistry to compare the processing and distribution of those melanosomal proteins in wild type (melan-a) and in p mutant (melan-p1) melanocytes. Our results indicate that the melanin content of melan-p1 melanocytes was less than 50% that of wild type melan-a melanocytes. In contrast, the tyrosinase activities were similar in extracts of wild type and p mutant melanocytes. Confocal microscopy studies and pulse-chase analyses showed altered processing and sorting of tyrosinase, which is released from melan-p1 cells to the medium. Processing and sorting of Tyrp1 was also altered to some extent. However, Dct and Pmel17 expression and subcellular localization were similar in melan-a and in melan-p1 melanocytes. In melan-a cells, the p protein showed mainly a perinuclear pattern with some staining in the cytoplasm where some co-localization with HMB45 antibody was observed. These findings suggest that the p protein plays a major role in modulating the intracellular transport of tyrosinase and a minor role for Tyrp1, but is not critically involved in the transport of Dct and Pmel17. This study provides a basis to understand the relationship of the p protein with tyrosinase function and melanin synthesis, and also provides a rational approach to unveil the consequences of P gene mutations in the pathogenesis of OCA2.
Stabilization of nanoparticles under biological assembly conditions using peptoids

Sequence-specific polymers are proving to be a powerful approach to assembly and manipulation of matter on the nanometer scale. This has been most impressive in the case of DNA, and progress has been made toward templating inorganic nanoparticles using DNA nanostructures. One obstacle to this progress is that inorganic nanomaterials are often incompatible with DNA assembly conditions, which involve aqueous solutions high in either or both monovalent and divalent salt. Synthetic oligopeptide ligands have been shown by others to improve nanoparticle stability in high concentrations of monovalent salt. Ligands that are peptoids, or sequence-specific N-functional glycine oligomers, allow precise and flexible control over the arrangement of binding groups, steric spacers, charge, and other functionality. We have synthesized short peptoids that can prevent the aggregation of gold nanoparticles in high-salt environments including divalent salt, and allow coadsorption of a single DNA molecule. This degree of precision and versatility is likely to prove essential in bottom-up assembly of nanostructures and in biomedical applications of nanomaterials.
Making use of the cognitive apprenticeship framework in an undergraduate robotics course (abstract only)

Modern robotics are at the locus of several related disciplines including computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and others. The interleaving of these disciplines within a single robotic system can make teaching the fundamentals of robotics to undergraduate students within a traditional computer science curriculum a challenging task. One way to address this challenge is with an immersive, experiential approach that exposes students to these different facets of robot design in context. This poster describes the application of the Cognitive Apprenticeship (CA) framework to an undergraduate robotics course comprising of projects that touch on several different engineering disciplines. CA techniques are used to help students gain insight and understand how contributions from a variety of domains are interwoven to build a functioning robotic system. Throughout the class, students work on teams to complete projects at different levels of abstraction using two different robot platforms. Students learn about software design and implementation by constructing reactive paradigm behaviors on a Khepera III robot in the first part of the course. Later, students construct a quadcopter UAV from a kit, handling all aspects of construction, calibration, and configuration. This work focuses on two perspectives of this course: the use of the CA framework as a structure for experiential learning and also to describe a set of projects that emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of robotics.
Effect of Bromide Ions on the Electrochemical Behavior of Iron

Abstract The kinetics of active anodic dissolution of iron in acidic bromide solutions as well as the evolution of hydrogen have been investigated. The kinetics are analogous to those reported previously [Chin, Nobe, J. Electrochem. Soc., Vol. 119, p. 1457 (1972); Kuo, Nobe, ibid, Vol. 125, p. 853 (1978)] for iron in acidic chloride solutions. In addition to the active region, the anodic behavior in the passive and transpassive regions has been examined. The effects of Br− on the passive behavior of Fe in 0.5M H2SO4 (pH 0.3) are quite similar to the effects of chloride ions, as reported previously [Nobe, Tobias, Corrosion, Vol. 20, No. 8, p. 263 (1964)]. Complete breakdown of passivity occurs at about 2mM Br−. In neutral and acidic concentrated bromide solutions, high rate electrodissolution of Fe, which appears to be controlled by mass transfer, is obtained above 0 V vs SCE. At potentials just below this region, a black salt film completely covers the Fe surface. However, at potentials above approximatel...
The Juggler algorithm: a hybrid deformable image registration algorithm for adaptive radiotherapy

Fast deformable registration can potentially facilitate the clinical implementation of adaptive radiation therapy (ART), which allows for daily organ deformations not accounted for in radiotherapy treatment planning, which typically utilizes a static organ model, to be incorporated into the fractionated treatment. Existing deformable registration algorithms typically utilize a specific diffusion model, and require a large number of iterations to achieve convergence. This limits the online applications of deformable image registration for clinical radiotherapy, such as daily patient setup variations involving organ deformation, where high registration precision is required. We propose a hybrid algorithm, the "Juggler", based on a multi-diffusion model to achieve fast convergence. The Juggler achieves fast convergence by applying two different diffusion models: i) one being optimized quickly for matching high gradient features, i.e. bony anatomies; and ii) the other being optimized for further matching low gradient features, i.e. soft tissue. The regulation of these 2 competing criteria is achieved using a threshold of a similarity measure, such as cross correlation or mutual information. A multi-resolution scheme was applied for faster convergence involving large deformations. Comparisons of the Juggler algorithm were carried out with demons method, accelerated demons method, and free-form deformable registration using 4D CT lung imaging from 5 patients. Based on comparisons of difference images and similarity measure computations, the Juggler produced a superior registration result. It achieved the desired convergence within 30 iterations, and typically required <90sec to register two 3D image sets of size 256×256×40 using a 3.2 GHz PC. This hybrid registration strategy successfully incorporates the benefits of different diffusion models into a single unified model.
The Evolution of Internal Market Structure

We present a dynamic factor-analytic choice model to capture evolution of brand positions in latent attribute space. Our dynamic model allows researchers to investigate brand positioning in new categories or mature categories affected by structural change such as entry. We argue that even for mature categories not affected by structural change, the assumption of stable attributes may be untenable. We allow for evolution in attributes by modeling individual-level time-specific attributes as arising from dynamic means. The dynamic attribute means are modeled as a Bayesian dynamic linear model (DLM). The DLM is nested within a factor-analytic choice model. Our approach makes efficient use of the data by leveraging estimates from previous and future periods to estimate current period attributes. We demonstrate the robustness of our model with data that simulate a variety of dynamic scenarios, including stationary behavior. We show that misspecified attribute dynamics induce temporal heteroskedasticty and correlation between the preference weights and the error term. Applying the model to a panel data set on household purchases in the malt beverage category, we find considerable evidence for dynamics in the latent brand attributes. From a managerial perspective, we find advertising expenditures help explain variation in the dynamic attribute means.
Workup and Staging of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

This article reviews current approaches for workup and staging in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Careful clinical examination and detailed imaging are discussed to accurately classify the extent of local, regional, and distant disease. Most patients with LABC receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy as initial treatment, and, in such patients, it is critical to accurately delineate the initial extent of disease because the initial clinical stage affects subsequent local-regional treatment decisions. Emphasis is placed on sonography, which is used extensively at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for regional lymph node staging. Other modalities discussed in this article include mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), and PET/computed tomography (CT). Conventional imaging (chest radiography, bone scan, and abdominal CT scans) techniques used in the evaluation of possible metastatic disease are discussed. In addition, the role of sentinel lymph node mapping in LABC patients is reviewed.
TEM observations of the motion of crack tip produced dislocations during cyclic loading in aluminum

In the present work, the direct observations by TEM of crack-tip deformation has been extended to study the effect of cyclic loading on the motion of crack-tip generated dislocations. Under a high vacuum condition, some of the dislocations which were emitted from the crack tip during tensile loading returned to the crack tip as the load was reduced. As the load was increased again, the dislocations were re-emitted from the crack tip and moved away from the crack tip along the same slip plane. This is believed to be the first direct observation of the interaction between dislocations and a crack tip during cyclic loading.
Locus of Control and God-Dependence:

To determine the relation between Internality and dependence on God 25 adults were given the Rotter I-E scale and a question identifying God-dependence. Results were significant in the direction of...
Genetic evidence for multiple parentage in eastern kingbirds ( Tyrannus tyrannus )

Electrophoretic analysis was performed on 28 families of eastern kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) from northern Michigan to estimate the occurrence of multiple parentage. Out of 19 families used in the final analysis, at least one putative parent was excluded in 9 families, or 18 out of 60 offspring (30% of offspring). Distribution of exclusion types conforms most closely to a model of quasi-parasitism, rather than extra-pair fertilizations, with secondary females laying their eggs in the primary female's nest, but “random” brood parasitism cannot be ruled out as an additional or alternative source of stray genes. Based on the model of random parasitism, an estimated 39% of all offspring in this population may be unrelated to one or both of the putative parents, or 53% based on a model of quasi-parasitism. Heretofore, eastern kingbirds have been considered to be exclusively monogamous; no behavioral evidence for alternative reproductive strategies has ever been reported for this species.
Phosphorylation of Proteins in Normal and Regenerating Goldfish Optic Nerve

Within 6 h after radiolabeled phosphate was injected into the eye of goldfish, labeled acid-soluble and acid-precipitable material began to appear in the optic nerve and subsequently also in the lobe of the optic tectum, to which the optic axons project. From the rate of appearance of the acid-precipitable material, a maximal velocity of axonal transport of 13-21 mm/day could be calculated, consistent with fast axonal transport group II. Examination of individual proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that approximately 20 proteins were phosphorylated in normal and regenerating nerves. These ranged in molecular weight from approximately 18,000 to 180,000 and in pI from 4.4 to 6.9. Among them were several fast transported proteins, including protein 4, which is the equivalent of the growth-associated protein GAP-43. In addition, there was phosphorylation of some recognizable constituents of slow axonal transport, including alpha-tubulin, a neurofilament constituent (NF), and another intermediate filament protein characteristic of goldfish optic axons (ON2). At least some axonal proteins, therefore, may become phosphorylated as a result of the axonal transport of a phosphate carrier. Some of the proteins labeled by intraocular injection of 32P showed changes in phosphorylation during regeneration of the optic axons. By 3-4 weeks after an optic tract lesion, five proteins, including protein 4, showed a significant increase in labeling in the intact segment of nerve between the eye and the lesion, whereas at least four others (including ON2) showed a significant decrease. When local incorporation of radiolabeled phosphate into the nerve was examined by incubating nerve segments in 32P-containing medium, there was little or no labeling of the proteins that showed changes in phosphorylation during regeneration. Segments of either normal or regenerating nerves showed strong labeling of several other proteins, particularly a group ranging in molecular weight from 46,000 to 58,000 and in pI from 4.9 to 6.4. These proteins were presumably primarily of nonneuronal origin. Nevertheless, if degeneration of the axons had been caused by removal of the eye 1 week earlier, most of the labeling of these proteins was abolished. This suggests that phosphorylation of these proteins depends on the integrity of the optic axons.
Longitudinal sleep EEG trajectories indicate complex patterns of adolescent brain maturation

New longitudinal sleep data spanning ages 6–10 yr are presented and combined with previous data to analyze maturational trajectories of delta and theta EEG across ages 6–18 yr in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. NREM delta power (DP) increased from age 6 to age 8 yr and then declined. Its highest rate of decline occurred between ages 12 and 16.5 yr. We attribute the delta EEG trajectories to changes in synaptic density. Whatever their neuronal underpinnings, these age curves can guide research into the molecular-genetic mechanisms that underlie adolescent brain development. The DP trajectories in NREM and REM sleep differed strikingly. DP in REM did not initially increase but declined steadily from age 6 to age 16 yr. We hypothesize that the DP decline in REM reflects maturation of the same brain arousal systems that eliminate delta waves in waking EEG. Whereas the DP age curves differed in NREM and REM sleep, theta age curves were similar in both, roughly paralleling the age trajectory of REM DP. The different maturational curves for NREM delta and theta indicate that they serve different brain functions despite having similar within-sleep dynamics and responses to sleep loss. Period-amplitude analysis of NREM and REM delta waveforms revealed that the age trends in DP were driven more by changes in wave amplitude rather than incidence. These data further document the powerful and complex link between sleep and brain maturation. Understanding this relationship would shed light on both brain development and the function of sleep.
Response-reinforcement interactions in multiple interval schedules

After responding was maintained on multiple variable-interval schedules of reinforcement, a limited-hold requirement was added to one component. Each scheduled availability of reinforcement terminated if no response occurred within a 1-sec period of time. Response rate increased and reinforcement rate decreased in the limited-hold component. Response rate in the unchanged VI component increased. When responding was extinguished in the changed component, positive behavioral contrast was observed in the unchanged VI component.
Visual hallucinations in a toddler: Accidental ingestion of a sympathomimetic over the counter nasal decongestant

Hallucinations are uncommonly encountered in the young child. The differential diagnosis of such behavior includes a number of potentially serious syndromes such as central nervous system malignancy, encephalitis, temporal lobe epilepsy, closed head trauma with frontal lobe contusion, hypoglycemia, drug intoxications, and childhood psychiatric syndromes. Organic explanations are most often discovered and frequently involve toxicologic causes. A case is presented of a toddler with hallucinations caused by inappropriately high doses of pseudoephedrine.
Reflective Knowledge and the Pyrrhonian Problematic

Section 1 of this chapter reviews the Pyrrhonian problematic, characterized as a multistage dialectic that begins with Agrippa’s Trilemma concerning a regress of reasons and ends with a version of the problem of the criterion. Section 2 reviews Sosa’s two-tier epistemology, giving special attention to (a) Sosa’s characteristic distinction between animal and reflective knowledge, (b) the value of reflective knowledge over mere animal knowledge, and (c) relations among human knowledge, animal knowledge, and reflective knowledge. Section 3 considers Sosa’s treatment of the Pyrrhonian problematic and the role of reflective knowledge in his solution to it. Section 4 offers an evaluation.
Investigations on the physiological controls of water and saline intake in C57BL/6 mice

To examine the behavioral and neural control of body fluid homeostasis, water and saline intake of C57BL/6 mice was monitored under ad libitum conditions, after treatments that induce water or salt intake, and after ablation of the periventricular tissue of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V). Mice have nocturnal drinking that is most prevalent after the offset and before the onset of lights. When given ad libitum choice, C57BL/6 mice show no preference for saline over water at concentrations up to 0.9% NaCl and a progressive aversion to saline above that concentration. Systemic hypertonic saline, isoproterenol, and polyethylene glycol treatments are dipsogenic; however, systemic ANG II is not. Intracerebroventricular injections of both hypertonic saline and ANG II are dipsogenic, and diuretic treatment followed by a short period of sodium deprivation induces salt intake. After ablation of the AV3V, mice can be nursed to recovery from initial adipsia and, similar to rats, show chronic deficits to dipsogenic treatments. Taken together, the data indicate that mechanisms controlling thirst in response to cellular dehydration in C57BL/6 mice are similar to rats, but there are differences in the efficacy of extracellular dehydration-related mechanisms, especially for systemic ANG II, controlling thirst and salt appetite.
Blends of nylon 6 with an ethylene-based multifunctional polymer. II: Property-morphology relationships

The tensile properties and impact strength were measured of the three blend systems, nylon 6/CXA 3101, nylon 6/Plexar 3, and nylon 6/EVA, which had been prepared using a twinscrew compounding machine. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the fracture surfaces show that the domain size of the dispersed phase is much smaller in the nylon 6/CXA 3101 blends or nylon 6/Plexar 3 blends than in the nylon 6/EVA blends. This is attributed to the presence of a graft copolymer, formed by chemical reactions between carboxyl or anhydride groups present in the CXA 3101 (or Plexar 3) and the amino end groups of the nylon 6, at the boundaries of the dispersed and continuous phases. The SEM analysis of the fracture surfaces shows that no discrete particles are exposed on the fracture surface of either the nylon 6/CXA 3101 blends or nylon 6/Plexar 3 blends, supporting the theory that a graft copolymer, formed during melt blending, helped the discrete particles adhere to the continuous matrix.
Coordination Network Analysis: A Research Framework for Studying the Organizational Impacts of Service-Orientation in Business Intelligence

Business intelligence (BI) technology and research is maturing. In evidence, some practitioners have indicated a shift in the nature of their data warehousing challenges from being technical in nature to organizational. This research is based on a case study involving the BI services unit of a large, Fortune 500, financial services organization that is experiencing some of those "organizational" challenges. As a solution, this organization decided to implement a service-oriented enterprise (SOE) structure to address some of those challenges such as collaboration and standardization in a complex, interdependent environment. However, because of the newness of SOE and the limited volume of rigorous research in the area, it is difficult understand or estimate the organizational and human impacts it will have. This paper proposes a coordination network analysis as a research methodology for estimating and optimizing the impacts of SOE at the individual and group level
Nonstate Security and Political Participation: Reinforcing Ruling Party Support in South Africa

This article explores the relationship between nonstate security and political participation in South Africa. Since Hobbes, political philosophers have argued that the provision of security is a chief state responsibility, one that legitimates the relationship between state and society, yet in reality, various nonstate actors provide security. Therefore, this article explores the political consequences of nonstate security provision. Using Afrobarometer data collected in South Africa in 2011, I examine whether nonstate provision shapes citizens’ decision to protest and vote. I find that individuals’ reliance on nonstate security does affect protesting and voting, albeit in different ways: South Africans who rely on nonstate security are more likely to protest and less likely to vote, but only when they see the state as legitimate.
The PINCH–ILK–parvin complexes: assembly, functions and regulation

Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion is mediated by transmembrane cell adhesion receptors (e.g., integrins) and receptor proximal cytoplasmic proteins. Over the past several years, studies using biochemical, structural, cell biological and genetic approaches have provided important evidence suggesting crucial roles of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), PINCH and CH-ILKBP/actopaxin/affixin/parvin (abbreviated as parvin herein) in ECM control of cell behavior. One general theme emerging from these studies is that the formation of ternary protein complexes consisting of ILK, PINCH and parvin is pivotal to the functions of PINCH, ILK and parvin proteins. In addition, recent studies have begun to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the assembly, functions and regulation of the PINCH-ILK-parvin (PIP) complexes. The PIP complexes provide crucial physical linkages between integrins and the actin cytoskeleton and transduce diverse signals from ECM to intracellular effectors. Among the challenges of future studies are to define the functions of different PIP complexes in various cellular processes, identify additional partners of the PIP complexes that regulate and/or mediate the functions of the PIP complexes, and determine the roles of the PIP complexes in the pathogenesis of human diseases involving abnormal cell-ECM adhesion and signaling.
Eldercare in the United States and South Korea Balancing Family and Community Support

Despite a variety of differences in size, location, population characteristics, social organization, and cultural values and traditions, South Korea and the United States face dramatic increases in the numbers and proportions of older adults. Population aging raises profound questions about current and future eldercare arrangements in both countries. This article compares eldercare in the informal system of family caregiving and the formal system of government policies and public and private services in the United States and South Korea. Critical issues about changing conditions in each country and the impact of such changes for eldercare planning are addressed with attention to how the experiences of providing care for vulnerable elders in each country may be informative for the other.
Guaranteed avoidance feedback control

We consider a dynamical system under the control of two agents, one of whom desires to keep the system's state out of a given set regardless of the other agent's actions. The guaranteed avoidance conditions of [1] are generalized to admit "piecewise C1" test functions; this generalization permits application to a wider class of problems.