cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Another proof of B. Sury’s theorem

For a central simple algebra A over a global field with an involution of the second kind τ, an explicit description of the group SU(A,τ)/[U(A,τ), U(A,τ)] is given. It is another proof for B. Surg’s theorem. Bibliography: 11 titles.
Searching for the Multiplier in One-Constraint Optimization Problems

One-constraint optimization problems are approached via Lagrange multipliers. Sequential search schemes for generating suitable trial multiplier values are compared, and it is shown that, in general, the minimax sequential search is bisection. For certain applications, it pays to design search procedures that take advantage of special structure, such as recursively defined functions. An efficient, one-pass search procedure based on bisection for a multi-item, multi-echelon inventory problem is also presented.
Survival mechanisms of the central mudminnow (Umbra limi), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) for low oxygen in winter

Three species (central mudminnow, fathead minnow and brook stickleback) survive when a northern Wisconsin lake becomes anoxic in winter. Some gas bubbles beneath the ice contained as much as 11° oxygen when the lake water contained <0.30 mg 1−1 dissolved oxygen. Experiments conducted in the field determined that gas bubbles prolonged survival of all species, especially the mudminnow and stickleback. In the laboratory, brook sticklebacks exhibited the lowest and fathead minnows the highest routine metabolic rate corrected for weight. Rate of gill ventilation of all three increased from 20 to 70 beats per minute as oxygen levels declined from 4.0 to 0.25 mg 1−1. At low oxygen levels they moved to the upper one-third of the test tanks. Small size, low metabolic rate, tolerance of low oxygen conditions and reduced activity resulted in reduced demand for dissolved oxygen. Head shape, ventilation rate, vertical movement and utilization of high oxygen microzones also enhanced exploitation of low levels of dissolved oxygen. Central mudminnows used oxygen directly from gas bubbles found under the ice.
Electrodynamics of neutron stars

Abstract Although the standard model for radio pulsars is a rotating magnetized neutron star and the vast majority (if not all) of pulsars are thought to have appreciable inclination angles between the spin and magnetization axes, most theoretical papers use simplified field models (e.g., aligned spin axis and magnetic dipole axis). Deutsch long ago gave exact (in vacuo) closed expressions for these inclined fields (modulo some typos and oversights), but these expressions were rather clumsy and required extensive hand processing to convert into ordinary functions of radius and angle for the electromagnetic fields. Moreover, these expressions were effectively written down by inspection (no details of the derivations given), which leaves the reader with little physical understanding of where the various electric and magnetic field components come from, particularly near the neutron star surface where many models assume the radio emission is generated. Finally, rather little analysis of what these fields implied was given beyond speculation that they could accelerate cosmic rays. As pulsar models become more sophisticated, it seems important that all researchers use a consistent set of underlying fields, which we hope to present here, as well as understand why these fields are present. It is also interesting to know what happens to charged particles from the star that move in these fields. Close to the star, ambient particles tend to simply E × B drift around the star with the same rotational velocity as the star itself. But far from the star, charged particles are accelerated away in the wave zone, as was first pointed out by Ostriker and Gunn. We expand their calculations using more general fields and elucidate the particle's dynamics accordingly. Very efficient acceleration is observed even for particles starting at >103 light-cylinder distances. We also stress the effects of a non-zero radial magnetic field. Electrons are accelerated to much higher energies than, say, protons (not to the same energy as when the two cross a fixed potential drop). We pay particular attention to particles accelerated along the spin axis (particles that might be involved in jet formation). An important limitation to the present work is the neglect of collective radiation reaction. Single particle radiation reaction (e.g., Compton scattering of the wave flux) is not an accurate estimate of the forces on a plasma. We are working on remedying this limitation.
Transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing disease: experience with 136 patients.

Since first described in 1932,1 Cushing disease has challenged endocrinologists and neurosurgeons alike. It is well established that untreated Cushing disease is associated with high mortality.2 After the introduction of transsphenoidal microsurgery in the treatment of pituitary disorders by Hardy,3 this treatment method was applied to the surgical management of Cushing disease with encouraging early results.4–8 Trans-sphenoidal microsurgery has since been established as the preferred treatment choice in the management of Cushing disease. Nevertheless, even treated Cushing disease can be associated with increased mortality compared to the general population.9,10
Activating Autoantibodies to the Beta-1 Adrenergic and M2 Muscarinic Receptors Facilitate Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Graves' Hyperthyroidism

Objectives We studied activating autoantibodies to beta-1 adrenergic receptors (AAβ1AR) and activating autoantibodies to M2 muscarinic receptors (AAM2R) in the genesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Graves' hyperthyroidism. Background Atrial fibrillation frequently complicates hyperthyroidism. Both AAβ1AR and AAM2R have been described in some patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and AF. We hypothesized that their copresence would facilitate AF in autoimmune Graves' hyperthyroidism. Methods Immunoglobulin G purified from 38 patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism with AF (n = 17) or sinus rhythm (n = 21) and 10 healthy control subjects was tested for its effects on isolated canine Purkinje fiber contractility with and without atropine and nadolol. Immunoglobulin G electrophysiologic effects were studied using intracellular recordings from isolated canine pulmonary veins. Potential cross-reactivity of AAβ1AR and AAM2R with stimulating thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) antibodies was evaluated before and after adsorption to Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing human TSHRs using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results The frequency of AAβ1AR and/or AAM2R differed significantly between patients with AF and sinus rhythm (AAβ1AR = 94% vs. 38%, p Conclusions When present in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism, AAβ1AR and AAM2R facilitate development of AF.
Effects of Team-Based Learning on Social Studies Knowledge Acquisition in High School

AbstractThis randomized control trial examined the efficacy of team-based learning implemented within 11th-grade social studies classes. A randomized blocked design was implemented with 26 classes randomly assigned to treatment or comparison. In the treatment classes teachers implemented team-based learning practices to support students in engaging in dialogue about course content, application of content to solve problems, and use of evidence to support responses. Significant differences in favor of the treatment group on content acquisition were noted (Hedges's g =.19). Examination of differences in response to the treatment indicated groups of students classified with high or moderate pretest scores benefitted from the treatment, whereas a group of students classified with low pretest scores did not benefit from the treatment.
Rank factorizations of positive operators

The notion of a rank factorization of a positive operator through a cone is introduced and related to the nonnegative rank factorization of a nonnegative matrix. The concept is applied to the study of group inverses of certain positive operators.
Attraction, test anxiety, and similarity-dissimilarity of test performance

Eighty students were administered the Mandler-Sarason Test Anxiety Questionnaire and a specially constructed vocabulary test. Later they studied the vocabulary responses of a stranger that were similar to the S’s on 17, or 83%, of the 24 words. With objective cues to the correctness of his own response minimized by the difficulty of the items, the similarity or dissimilarity of the stranger’s response was the only evidence the S had of his own competence. Consequently, those who responded similarly were liked more than those responding dissimilarly (p<.001). This finding extends the generality of the similarity-attraction relationship to similarity and dissimilarity of ability. Unexpectedly, test anxiety attenuated the effect of similarity of ability on liking (p =.05) and of dissimilarity on disliking (p<.02). In addition, anxiety had the same influence on other judgments of the stranger, including his intelligence. An explanation of these effects stressed the test-anxious S’s tendency to devalue his own performance as a standard for judging the stranger on such dimensions as his attractiveness or intelligence.
Mechanisms of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency and Reactivation

The life cycle of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) consists of latent and lytic replication phases. During latent infection, only a limited number of KSHV genes are expressed. However, this phase of replication is essential for persistent infection, evasion of host immune response, and induction of KSHV-related malignancies. KSHV reactivation from latency produces a wide range of viral products and infectious virions. The resulting de novo infection and viral lytic products modulate diverse cellular pathways and stromal microenvironment, which promote the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The mechanisms controlling KSHV latency and reactivation are complex, involving both viral and host factors, and are modulated by diverse environmental factors. Here, we review the cellular and molecular basis of KSHV latency and reactivation with a focus on the most recent advancements in the field.
Wind-driven, variable-speed, variable-frequency, double-output, induction generators

ABSTRACT In this paper the performance of a self-excited, wind-driven, variable-speed, variable-frequency, double-output induction generator (VSVF-DOIG ) is presented This Generator will be used to supply frequency insensitive loads such as space heating. For the capacitor-excited machine, the stator frequency varies with the rotor speed, thereby yielding a small value of slip. Thus, the minimum capacitance under load can be approximately predicted in terms of the wind speed. The control methodology is the following. The rotor is short-circuited. As the rotor speed increases, the capacitance is diminished until the stator current, the stator voltage and the rotor speed reach their rated values. With further increases of the rotor speed, the capacitance, the stator current and the rotor current are held constant and additional power is extracted from the system by adjusting the resistive load in the rotor circuit. Hence this control strategy allows more than rated power to be extracted from the induction m...
Detection of pathogen transmission in neonatal nurseries using DNA markers as surrogate indicators.

Objective. Nosocomial infections are a major problem confronting neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This study was conducted to determine if DNA markers designed from the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S DNA) can serve as surrogate indicators of nosocomial pathogen transmission in NICUs. Methods. Regions of cauliflower CaMV 35S promoter DNA were designed to serve as surrogate markers of microbial transmission pathways. Each of 6 pods within the NICU under study houses 8 newborn infants. DNA marker was placed on the telephone handle in only 1 of the 6 NICU pods (study pod). Bedside caregivers were blinded as to when placebo or marker were placed in the pod. Thirty-two samples were collected from predetermined sites within each pod at 0, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours and 7 days after DNA placement. Similar sites were sampled in each of the 6 pods. Additional samples were collected concurrently from areas of the NICU segregated from direct patient care. Polymerase chain reactions were performed on collected samples, and products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Results. One thousand three hundred samples of the environment and hands of personnel were collected and analyzed. Within the study pod, 58% of sites tested positive for the DNA marker throughout all time points; positive sites peaked at 8 hours (78%) and declined to 23% positive at 7 days. The other 5 pods had a mean of 18% of sites positive throughout the 7 days and exhibited a similar decline throughout time. The most consistently positive sites within all pods were the blood gas analyzers, computer mice, telephone handles, medical charts, ventilator knobs, door handles, radiant warmer control buttons, patient monitors, and personnel hands. In areas outside the pods, the nurse9s station, resident physician charting area, changing room, and staff break room had a mean of 50% positive sites throughout all time points. Conclusions. DNA markers proved useful as safe, surrogate indicators of microorganism transmission within and outside pods in the NICU. We speculate that utilization of these techniques in the hospital environment will provide important information about transmission of pathogens in the NICU, assist in developing and enforcing cleaning procedures, and permit testing of educational intervention programs targeting a decrease in nosocomial infections. nosocomial infection, neonatal intensive care, DNA marker, polymerase chain reaction, infection control.
Heat advection by groundwater flow through a heterogeneous permeability crust: A potential cause of scatter in surface heat flow near Parkfield, California

[1] Surface heat flow in the California Coast Ranges near Parkfield, California, exhibits substantial scatter, with differences as large as 20 mW m−2 over lateral distances of 5–70 km. This scatter has been an important limitation in using the heat flow data set to constrain geodynamic processes, but to date it has not been explained. Here we use a numerical model of coupled fluid and heat transport to test the hypothesis that heat advection by groundwater flow can generate the scatter. Our study significantly extends previous investigations in that we consider realistic and heterogeneous permeability architecture and topographic driving forces. We find that the magnitude and spatial characteristics of the scatter, including the standard deviation, variation in heat flow as a function of separation distance, and patterns of heat flow and elevation can be generated if the Tertiary sediments in the upper 2–3 km of the crust have a permeability ≥3 × 10−16 m2, allowing recharge of ∼0.5 cm yr−1 or higher. These permeabilities and recharge rates are consistent with existing constraints on both quantities, suggesting that groundwater flow offers a plausible explanation for the observed scatter in the heat flow data set. Last, although not the primary focus of this study, we demonstrate that for a range of reasonable permeability architectures, topographically driven groundwater flow would not mask a thermal anomaly associated with frictional heating on the San Andreas Fault.
The epidemiology of Pseudomonas cepacia in patients with cystic fibrosis

Pseudomonas cepacia has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen colonizing and infecting the respiratory tract of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Although assessment of outcomes associated with P. cepacia colonization has been difficult, controlled studies have shown that colonized patients experience more adverse outcomes compared with those not colonized. In the United States, an increasing trend in national incidence and prevalence of P. cepacia colonization has been shown, but cases have been unevenly distributed in a few centers. These estimates, however, may be biased by intercenter differences in laboratory methods for detecting P. cepacia in patient sputum. The source and mode of transmission of P. cepacia have not been adequately demonstrated, and may vary from center to center. Until further studies elucidate the epidemiology of P. cepacia in patients with CF, it may be prudent for CF centers to consider the use of selective media to isolate P. cepacia from sputa of patients with CF, to conduct investigations of clusters of P. cepacia-colonized patients, and to consider adopting infection control precautions recommended for control of multiply resistant gram negative organisms.
Experimental Investigation of Drilling Incorporated Electrochemical Discharge Machining

Electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) is a non-conventional micromachining technology, and is highlighted for non-conductive brittle materials. However, the outcomes of ECDM have many restrictions in application due to limitations on efficiency, accuracy, and machining quality. In this paper, a drilling incorporated ECDM process is presented and analyzed to enhance material removal rate in ECDM drilling process. Incorporating micro-drilling into ECDM significantly increases the rate of material removal, especially in deep hole drilling. As fundamentals of the machining process, material removal mechanisms have been investigated to account for the increment in material removal rate by incorporating micro-drilling. Vibration of tool electrode, induced by a piezo-actuator, was introduced to further enhance material removal rate. Quantitative studies were conducted to determine the appropriate process parameters of drilling incorporated ECDM with tool vibration.© 2014 ASME
Theoretical evidence for the generation of high pressure in bone cells.

Abstract A simple model of the mechanical behavior of the bone cell-bone matrix composite has been used to compute the hydrostatic pressure which may be developed within osteocytes when bone is placed under stress. Using current estimates of the elastic properties of long bones and single osteons it is shown that predicted pressures are within the range known to affect cellular function.
Sequential clinical scheduling with patient no-shows and general service time distributions

A sequential clinical scheduling method for patients with general service time distributions is developed in this paper. Patients call a medical clinic to request an appointment with their physician. During the call, the scheduler assigns the patient to an available slot in the physician's schedule. This is communicated to the patient before the call terminates and, thus, the schedule is constructed sequentially. In practice, there is very limited opportunity to adjust the schedule once the complete set of patients is known. Scheduled patients might not attend, that is, they might “no-show,” and the service times of those attending are random. A myopic scheduling algorithm with an optimal stopping criteria for this problem assuming exponential service times already exists in the literature. This work relaxes this assumption and develops numerical techniques for general service time distributions. A special case in which service times are gamma distributed is considered and it is shown that computation is ...
Pest and disease resistance enhanced by heterologous suppression of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytochrome P450 gene CYP72A2.

The functional role of the Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cytochrome P450 gene CYP72A2 was investigated in transgenic plants. N. tabacum plants transformed with a sense or antisense CYP72A2 construct exhibited diminished heights, branched stems, smaller leaves and deformed flowers. Western blot analysis revealed reduced levels of a 58 kDa protein corresponding to CYP72A2, suggesting that the CYP72A2 homolog was suppressed in the sense and antisense plants. Transgenic plants had increased resistance to Manduca sexta larvae that consumed about 35% to 90% less of transgenic versus control leaves. A virulent strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci induced a disease-limiting response followed by a delayed and decreased development of disease symptoms in the transgenics. CYP72A2 gene mediated resistance suggests that the plant-pest or -pathogen interactions may have been modified by changes in bioactive metabolite pools.
On the twist performance of a multiple-cell active helicopter blade

This paper discusses how torsional stiffness is related with twist actuation in an integrally twist actuated rotor blade. It shows that increase in torsional stiffness does not necessarily reduce the twist actuation. Improvements in twist actuation for a realistic airfoil-shaped beam can be achieved while controlling the blade torsional stiffness within aeroelastic requirements. These design trends can be studied once an appropriate anisotropic beam analytical formulation with integral anisotropic piezoelectric actuators is developed. The new analytical model revises and extends the closed form solution for thin-walled multi-cell beams based on the variational-asymptotical method and introduces the distributed anisotropic piezoelectric actuator effects along the cross section of the blade. The model is applied to specifically investigate the relationship between twist actuation performance and torsional stiffness of a realistic active blade. In this study, both analytical expressions and numerical examples are examined. The results show that the torsional stiffness can be increased by up to 20% with an increase in twist actuation of approximately 5% from their corresponding baseline values. Moreover, the results also indicate that a single-cell model is insufficient to address qualitatively and quantitatively the complex interaction that exists among the wall members of a two-cell airfoil cross section.
The Influence of Report Cards on the Validity of Grades Reported to Parents

Schools rely heavily on report cards when communicating with parents about students' performance in school. But how do the various characteristics of report cards contribute to or detract from the validity of the grading information? Samples of reporting forms gathered from elementary, middle, and high schools throughout Wisconsin were content analyzed to determine their influence on validity. The results are presented for the kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and high school samples, and trends across grade levels are also examined. The relationship of the findings to the meaningfulness of the information typically found on report cards is discussed, and suggestions are offered for improving the validity of the inferences parents make from report cards.
Primal-dual interior-point approach to compute the L1 solution of the state estimation problem

A solution to the single-snapshot non-linear L/sub 1/ estimation of the power transmission network is presented. The non-linear L/sub 1/ estimation problem is formulated as a non-linear program and solved using a primal-dual interior-point approach. The efficiency of this approach is dependent on the numerical procedure used to solve the reduced Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) system of equations. It is shown that two mathematically equivalent formulations of the non-linear programming problem can be obtained. These formulations lend themselves to fundamentally different numerical procedures to solve the reduced KKT system. Numerical testing on IEEE systems is used to quantify the performance of the interior-point approach on both formulations. Comparisons are also carried out with a recent implementation of an iteratively reweighted least-squares method for non-linear L/sub 1/ regression.
Role of Rim Tyr/Trp Residues in Interfacial Activation of Phospholipase C Enzymes

The Bacillus thuringiensis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (btPI-PLC) as a model system and mammalian PI-PLCδ1 without an intact PH domain have been examined for the contribution of rim aromatic groups to protein binding to vesicles and the correlation of this with catalytic activity. In the bacterial enzyme, two tryptophan residues (Trp47 in the two-turn helix B and Trp242 in a disordered loop) are critical for binding to interfaces; of the many several Tyr residues mutated, replacement with alanine at several sites (close to helix B as well as the active site) weakens membrane binding. For many of these residues the loss in binding affinity approximates what is predicted for an Ala for Trp (or Tyr) substitution. If a single Tyr is modified there is little effect on the catalytic activity measured with mM substrate (although for Y88A an increase in specific activity is seen). In the mammalian enzyme, one Trp is in the hydrophobic rim ridge and could be analogous to Trp47 in bacterial PI-PLC. Replacement of the rim Trp has little effect on binding of the protein to non-substrate containing vesicles (measured by RET of the protein to labeled PE incorporated into the vesicles). However, the activity is significantly reduced. These results (and analyses of other surface variants) are discussed in terms of the multi-domain structure of the mammalian PLC contributing to binding but with X-Y domain exhibiting similar conformational changes to the bacterial enzyme.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 cell fusion occurs in the presence of ammonium chloride-inhibited glycoproteins

Abstract Previously it was shown that NH 4 Cl inhibits fusion caused by syncytia-inducing strains derived from the KOS strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). In the present study it is shown that the same effect extends to other syncytia-promoting strains, tsB5 and MP. Incubation in the presence of NH 4 Cl specifically prevented the accumulation of mature viral glycoproteins which were replaced with glycoprotein species of increased mobilities on sodium dodecyl sulfate-gels. These NH 4 Cl-inhibited glycoproteins in MP-infected cells were transported to the cell surface in significant quantities and were able to promote cell fusion during continued incubation in the absence of NH 4 Cl and protein synthesis. We conclude that NH 4 Cl inhibits cell fusion by direct interactions with cell-surface molecules.
Origin of bulklike structure and bond length disorder of Pt37 and Pt6Ru31 clusters on carbon: comparison of theory and experiment.

We describe a theoretical analysis of the structures of self-organizing nanoparticles formed by Pt and Ru−Pt on carbon support. The calculations provide insights into the nature of these metal particle systemsones of current interest for use as the electrocatalytic materials of direct oxidation fuel cellsand clarify complex behaviors noted in earlier experimental studies. With clusters deposited via metallo-organic Pt or PtRu5 complexes, previous experiments [Nashner et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 7760; Nashner et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 8093; Frenkel et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2001, 105, 12689] showed that the Pt and Pt−Ru based clusters are formed with fcc(111)-stacked cuboctahedral geometry and essentially bulklike metal−metal bond lengths, even for the smallest (few atom) nanoparticles for which the average coordination number is much smaller than that in the bulk, and that Pt in bimetallic [PtRu5] clusters segregates to the ambient surface of the supported nanoparticles. We explain these o...
Evidence that auroral zone electric fields act in opposition to superrotation of the upper atmosphere

Abstract The average auroral zone electric field pattern has been studied to determine whether such fields can, as has been suggested, drive the super-rotation of the upper atmosphere. It is shown that the local time averaged meridional electric field is small and, in fact, poleward, which would tend to drive a prevailing westerly wind. When averaged only over the dayside, where ion drag should be most important due to the higher ion density, the poleward average is even more pronounced. Thus at high latitudes ion drag acts to drive a prevailing neutral wind to the west. Model calculations indicate that without including electric fields the prevailing wind at mid-latitudes should be to the west, due to higher ion drag on the dayside. Including the present results will increase ion drag on the dayside and further enhance this effect. These results thus suggest that at middle and high latitudes the upper atmosphere does not superrotate.
Condorcet Efficiency of Borda Rule under the Dual Culture Condition

Abstract The Condorcet winner in an election is a candidate who could defeat each of the other available alternatives by majority rule in a series of pairwise votes. The Condorcet efficiency of a voting procedure is the conditional probability that it will elect the Condorcet winner, given that a Condorcet winner exists. The study considers the Condorcet efficiency of Borda Rule, which assigns weights of (1, 1 2 , 0) respectively to each voter's first, second, and third ranked candidates, and elects the candidate with the most total points. A closed form representation is obtained for the Condorcet efficiency of Borda Rule with large electorates under the dual culture condition for three-candidate elections. Borda Rule is shown to perform very well over the range of dual culture probability vectors.
New Applications of X‑ray Tomography in Pyrolysis of Biomass: Biochar Imaging

We report on the first ever use of nondestructive micrometer-scale synchrotron-computed microtomography (CMT) for biochar material characterization as a function of pyrolysis temperature. This innovative approach demonstrated an increase in micron-sized marcropore fraction of the cotton hull (CH) sample, resulting in up to 29% sample porosity. We have also found that initial porosity development occurred at low temperatures (below 350 °C) of pyrolysis, consistent with chemical composition of CH. This innovative technique can be highly complementary to traditional BET measurements, considering that Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) analysis of pore size distribution cannot detect these macropores. Such information can be of substantial relevance to environmental applications, given that water retention by biochars added to soils is controlled by macropore characteristic among the other factors. Complementing our data with SEM, EDX, and XRF characterization techniques allowed us to develop a better understanding...
Them without us: The ultimate in sexual politics

Lacan's understanding of feminine sexuation provides a way of reformulating the us/them or friend/enemy without losing the sense of antagonism that this distinction provides.
Fixed-rate compressed floating-point arrays

Current compression schemes for floating-point data commonly take fixed-precision values and compress them to a variable-length bit stream, complicating memory management and random access. We present a fixed-rate, near-lossless compression scheme that maps small blocks of 4(d) values in d dimensions to a fixed, user-specified number of bits per block, thereby allowing read and write random access to compressed floating-point data at block granularity. Our approach is inspired by fixed-rate texture compression methods widely adopted in graphics hardware, but has been tailored to the high dynamic range and precision demands of scientific applications. Our compressor is based on a new, lifted, orthogonal block transform and embedded coding, allowing each per-block bit stream to be truncated at any point if desired, thus facilitating bit rate selection using a single compression scheme. To avoid compression or decompression upon every data access, we employ a software write-back cache of uncompressed blocks. Our compressor has been designed with computational simplicity and speed in mind to allow for the possibility of a hardware implementation, and uses only a small number of fixed-point arithmetic operations per compressed value. We demonstrate the viability and benefits of lossy compression in several applications, including visualization, quantitative data analysis, and numerical simulation.
Nile sediment dispersal altered by the Aswan High Dam: The kaolinite trace

Abstract Proportions of kaolinite have increased substantially in lower River Nile clay mineral assemblages since emplacement in 1964 of the High Dam at Aswan, Egypt. Monitoring this recent increase can be used to help gauge sediment load changes induced by the High Dam in the lower River Nile, between the dam and Nile delta and, eventually, offshore in the Mediterranean's Levantine Basin. High kaolinite values (to 50%) are recorded north of the new Nile delta presently forming in Lake Nasser, and are even higher below the High Dam (to 70%). Kaolinite is introduced to Lake Nasser from adjacent desert terrains largely from wind transported material and wave erosion of lake margins. As the major clay component of the suspended sediment load in lake waters, this mineral is released through the dam. Additional kaolinite enters the Nile system just below the High Dam from late Pleistocene and older sections scoured by swift, turbulent Nile waters flowing northward of the dam. During the past 31 years, sediment containing higher concentrations of kaolinite (~30%) has migrated northward at a rate of ~ 10 km/year, and presently extends to Qena ~ 350 km north of the dam; this stretch defines the River Nile sector most altered since closure of the High Dam. It is predicted that enhanced proportions of kaolinite will be recorded at Cairo and the southern Nile delta within 50 years, and at the Mediterranean coast by the end of the next century.
Calnexin-dependent Enhancement of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Assembly and Surface Expression

The muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR)2 is a pentameric membrane ion channel assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum from four homologous subunits by mechanisms that are insufficiently understood. Nascent AChR subunits were recently found to form complexes with the endoplasmic reticulum-resident molecular chaperone calnexin. To determine the contribution of this interaction to AChR assembly and surface expression, we have now used transient transfection of mouse AChR subunits and calnexin into non-muscle cells. Co-transfection of calnexin along with AChR subunits into COS and HEK 293 cells was found to enhance AChR subunit folding and assembly, and to decrease degradation rates of newly synthesized AChR alpha-subunits, resulting in elevated surface expression of assembled AChR. Moreover, inhibition of the interaction between endogenous calnexin and AChR by castanospermine resulted in decreased AChR subunit folding, assembly, and surface expression in muscle and HEK 293 cells. Together, these findings provide evidence that calnexin directly contributes to AChR biogenesis by promoting subunit folding and assembly.
Shadowing tradespeople: Inefficiency in maintenance fieldwork

This research investigates current practices in Operations and Maintenance (OM and maintenance activities performed by the tradespeople have been recorded with time data corresponding to each activity. O&M inefficiencies categorized into two groups, Structural and Individual, are demonstrated through specific cases. A statistical analysis is used to show how O&M tasks, activities, and categories impact overall O&M performance. The results show that tradespeople vastly underutilize maintenance data in the field due to problems with data accessibility and reliability. Based on the shadowing activity results, we observed 12+% potential for improvement in maintenance time efficiency by providing proper information support.
Resonance Capture of Neutrons in Infinite Homogeneous Media

In a previous paper, a variational principle was introduced for 1 - p, the capture probability for neutrons slowing down in a homogeneous medium of infinite extent. In the present paper, the variational principle is used together with simple but accurate trial functions to obtain expressions for (i) corrections to the commonly used 'narrow resonance' formula for capture and (ii) interference effects in the capture of neutrons by closely spaced resonances.
Key assignment for enforcing access control policy exceptions in distributed systems

A cryptographic key assignment scheme is proposed to enforce access control policies in which antisymmetric and transitive exceptions are included, in addition to the policies with partial ordered set (POSet) properties. In current literature, all proposed cryptographic key assignment schemes assume a user hierarchy model which can only enforce policies with POSet properties. The POSet properties are suitable for hierarchical systems. However, there are many systems, especially distributed systems handling indirect remote accesses, that cannot be modeled as a strict hierarchy. A new access control model named user hierarchy-with-exception and its enforcing key assignment scheme are proposed for those systems.There is only one key assigned to each user class in enforcing the user hierarchy model. The cost to achieve our more powerful scheme in the user hierarchy-with-exception model is one more key for each user class to memorize or one more step to access its own data.
NUTRIENT TURNOVER RATES IN ANCIENT TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

The use of nutrients by plants is linked to a variety of processes that scale from individual leaves to ecosystems. Theory and observations support a scaling in plants between nutrient use and growth rate (Reich et al., 2006; Enquist et al., 2007), and nutrient turnover rates have measurable downstream effects on litter decomposition rates (Kobe et al., 2005; Kazakou et al., 2006; Parton et al., 2007) and ecosystem productivity (Garnier et al., 2004). These are in turn linked to population dynamics (Shipley et al., 2006) and regional biogeochemical cycling (Chapin, 2003). All of these correlated properties and processes offer real opportunities to paleobiologists for placing firmer constraints on the operation of ancient terrestrial ecosystems, but until recently there have been few methods for quantifying paleonutrient cycling rates. Beginning in the 1970s, plant ecologists recognized the correlation of a core set of fundamental leaf traits: plants with high mass-based rates of photosynthesis tend to have high mass-based rates of respiration, high mass-based concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, low leaf mass per unit area, and short leaf lifespans (Fig. 1; Small, 1972; Reich et al., 1997; Westoby et al., 2002; Diaz et al., 2004; Wright et al., 2004; Whitfield, 2006). This trait axis represents a continuum of coordinated tradeoffs, whereby species investing in leaves with a high leaf mass per area have low photosynthetic rates but leaves are long-lived, such that their lower revenue of fixed carbon per unit time is compensated by a longer-lasting revenue stream (Reich et al., 1997; Westoby et al., 2002; Wright et al., 2004). This continuum is sometimes called the leaf economics spectrum (Wright et al., 2004) and is one component of a broader ecological continuum that runs from rapid resource acquisition (so called fast-return species) …
Measurement of Fabric Aesthetics: Analysis of Aesthetic Components

Effective research on the aesthetic characteristies of fabries is difficult because ex plicit definitions are lacking in this field. The most reliable tool is subjective evalua tion: therefore, words (loft, clammy, hard, etc.) become important research tools. Special meanings of these words become clear if they are logically arranged according to textile frames of reference.Fabric aesthetic character is defined as a relationship among a minimum of six concepts: STYIE, BODY, COVER, SURFACE TEXIURF, DRAPE, and RESILIENCEE. These con cepts can be described by how they are subjectively perceived, by possible subconcepts (e.g., COVFR can be partitioned into BOTTOM and TOP COVFR). by objective tests when available, and by common word pairs used to communicate their values (e.g., thick-thin, rough-smooth, etc.). To illustrate application of principles, subjective scales, identified by common words, were used for analyzing the COVFR concept in commercial, men's suiting fabries. These were then mathematically rela...
Toward a Reliable Measure of Attitudes On Safety-Belt and Child Safety-Seat Use

This study investigated the reliability ofan attitude scale on safety-belt and child safety- seat use. The scale, which consists of 17 behavior-oriented statements, was administered to 169 employees of a petroleum and chemical company. Based on analysis the reliability was high (r = 94) and all item correlations (p < .01) and statement-scale coefficients (p < .001) were statistically significant. An analysis of the structure of this scale suggests three underlying factors. Scores on the original scale and proposed subscales were also positively related to self-reported safety-belt use.
An in vitro evaluation of distractors used for osteogenesis

Abstract Objective. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate and compare the mechanical behaviors of distractors used for osteogenesis under various conditions by means of common engineering standards. Study design. Five groups of 5 synthetic mandibles were used in this study (N = 25). The first portion of the investigation compared mandibles without intervention (group A [controls]; n = 5), mandibles that had uniform osteotomies stabilized with an external distractor (group B; n = 5), and mandibles that had simulated sagittal osteotomies rigidly fixated with 3 positional screws (group C; n = 5). The second portion of the investigation compared uniform osteotomies (group B; n = 5) and uniform corticotomies (group D; n = 5) that were stabilized with the same external distractor. The last portion of the investigation compared osteotomies stabilized with an external distractor (group B; n = 5) and osteotomies stabilized with an internal distractor (group E; n = 5). Each construct was subjected to vertical loads on a mechanical testing unit. Common engineering standards, including yield load, yield displacement, maximum load, displacement at maximum load, and stiffness, were measured, recorded, and compared by means of a 1-way analysis of variance and a Scheffe multiple comparison test or independent-samples t test. The means between groups were considered significant for P Results. During the first portion of the investigation, no significant differences were noted between the control, rigidly fixated sagittal osteotomy, and external distractor with osteotomy groups for displacement at maximum load (P = .19). Significant differences were noted between groups for yield displacement (P = .009), yield load (P Conclusions. Different patterns of mechanical behavior were found between the control and rigidly fixated sagittal osteotomy groups and the external distractor group, between the corticotomy and osteotomy groups, and between the internal and external distractor groups.
Reliability and validity of child passenger safety restraint observations by community observers

Objective: To compare the accuracy of trained community observers for direct observation of child passenger restraint use to certified child passenger safety technicians who are either professional observers or community-based technicians, and to compare these three groups with a gold standard. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of interobserver agreement and accuracy in which 75 photos of children depicted in different child passenger restraint systems were rated by 9 observers total, with 3 representing professional observers, 3 representing certified child passenger safety technicians, and 3 representing trained community observers. For each photo, observers indicated type of restraint; the appropriateness of the harness, if applicable; and overall appropriateness of the restraint. A gold standard was established by consensus agreement of 2 certified car seat technician instructors. Results: The sensitivity and specificity for trained community observers in identifying broad groupings of restrain...
Lymphocyte β-adrenergic receptor binding in panic disorder

Lymphocyte beta adrenergic receptor binding using [125I]CNP was determined in patients with panic disorder (N=4) or agoraphobia with panic attacks (N=17) and age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (N=22). The patients showed a significantly lower number of β-adrenergic receptor binding sites and a significantly higher affinity of binding than healthy subjects. A past or present history of major depression in the patients did not alter these findings. These results are consistent with a growing body of knowledge implicating noradrenergic dysfunction in the pathophysiology of panic anxiety.
Fracture strength analysis of slurry cut mc-Si wafers

The fracture strength variation across the surface of multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers cut by multi-wire slurry sawing (MWSS) was studied in this paper. As-sawn 156×156mm2 mc-Si wafers were diced in two orthogonal orientations relative to the wire speed direction to yield small rectangular samples whose fracture strength was measured using the four line bending method. It is shown that the fracture strength of the wafer increases gradually from wire entry to wire exit along the wire speed direction whereas the variation in strength in the wire feed direction is small. Wafer samples bent in the orientation perpendicular to the wire speed direction show a slightly higher fracture strength than those bent parallel to the wire speed direction. Wafer samples from an interior and a corner brick show similar fracture strength variation. The results also reveal the critical role of abrasive-induced surface damage and the associated fracture strength of the silicon wafers.
A locus on mouse Chromosome 9 (Adip5) affects the relative weight of the gonadal but not retroperitoneal adipose depot

To identify the gene or genes on mouse Chromosome 9 that contribute to strain differences in fatness, we conducted an expanded mapping analysis to better define the region where suggestive linkage was found, using the F2 generation of an intercross between the C57BL/6ByJ and 129P3/J mouse strains. Six traits were studied: the summed weight of two adipose depots, the weight of each depot, analyzed individually (the gonadal and retroperitoneal depot), and the weight of each depot (summed and individual) relative to body size. We found significant linkage (LOD = 4.6) that accounted for the relative weight of the summed adipose depots, and another for the relative weight of the gonadal (LOD = 5.3) but not retroperitoneal (LOD = 0.9) adipose depot. This linkage is near marker rs30280752 (61.1 Mb, Build 34) and probably is equivalent to the quantitative trait locus (QTL) Adip5. Because the causal gene is unknown, we identified and evaluated several candidates within the confidence interval with functional significance to the body fatness phenotype (Il18, Acat1, Cyp19a1, Crabp1, Man2c1, Neil1, Mpi1, Csk, Lsm16, Adpgk, Bbs4, Hexa, Thsd4, Dpp8, Anxa2, and Lipc). We conclude that the Adip5 locus is specific to the gonadal adipose depot and that a gene or genes near the linkage peak may account for this QTL.
The pleasure principle: immersion, engagement, flow

While few critics writing on readers and hypertext have focused on the affective pleasures of reading hypertext fiction or interactive narratives like Myst, those who assess the experience of reading them tend to assume interactive texts should be either immersive or engaging. This study uses schema theory to define the characteristics of immersion and engagement in both conventional and new media. After examining how readers' experiences of these two different aesthetics may be enhanced or diminished by interface design, options for navigation, and other features, the essay concludes by looking beyond immersion and engagement to “flow, ” a state in which readers are both immersed and engaged.