cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A group theoretic approach to the global bifurcation analysis of an axially compressed cylindrical shell

Abstract The accurate prediction of the buckling load of thin shell structures is an important yet elusive goal. It is particularly important in the aerospace industry where thin shell members are commonly used as structural elements. Due to a lack of adequate analytical results, current practices in industry put heavy reliance on experimental testing and empirical data to supplement theoretical analysis (see D. Bushnell, Computerized Buckling Analysis of Shells, Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, 1985). This paper focuses on recent results of the group theoretic approach to a numerical, global postbuckling analysis of a perfect, axially compressed cylindrical shell with “built-in” end conditions. The “built-in” end conditions obviate the existence of a “trivial” membrane solution branch. The example of an axially compressed cylindrical shell was chosen because it is well known that for thin shells, the primary axisymmetric solution branch is riddled with closely spaced, symmetry-breaking bifurcation points. In a numerical arc-length continuation scheme, the close proximity of the bifurcation points on the primary path manifests itself in severe ill-conditioning of the tangent stiffness matrix. Group theory helps one systematically find an “optimal” set of basis vectors, or symmetry modes, which reflect the symmetry of a given solution path. The immediate payoff in using these symmetry modes as basis vectors is that the tangent stiffness matrix block-diagonalizes and the numerical ill-conditioning is avoided. Thus, an efficient and accurate technique for computing solution branches of a specific type and a subsequent diagnosis for symmetry-breaking bifurcations is made relatively simple. Understanding the global behavior of the perfect structure is crucial in identifying critical imperfections and will ultimately diminish the heavy reliance on expensive experimental verification.
Surgical Treatment of Pulmonary Stenosis: A Retrospection

Abstract The first operation by Blalock for pulmonary stenosis followed considerable laboratory investigation. It was done under conditions now considered primitive and demonstrated the feasibility of surgical relief for very sick, cyanotic children.
Direct Measurement of Equilibrium Constants for High-Affinity Hemoglobins

Abstract The biological functions of heme proteins are linked to their rate and affinity constants for ligand binding. Kinetic experiments are commonly used to measure equilibrium constants for traditional hemoglobins comprised of pentacoordinate ligand binding sites and simple bimolecular reaction schemes. However, kinetic methods do not always yield reliable equilibrium constants with more complex hemoglobins for which reaction mechanisms are not clearly understood. Furthermore, even where reaction mechanisms are clearly understood, it is very difficult to directly measure equilibrium constants for oxygen and carbon monoxide binding to high-affinity ( K D ≪ 1 μ M) hemoglobins. This work presents a method for direct measurement of equilibrium constants for high-affinity hemoglobins that utilizes a competition for ligands between the "target" protein and an array of "scavenger" hemoglobins with known affinities. This method is described for oxygen and carbon monoxide binding to two hexacoordinate hemoglobins: rice nonsymbiotic hemoglobin and Synechocystis hemoglobin. Our results demonstrate that although these proteins have different mechanisms for ligand binding, their affinities for oxygen and carbon monoxide are similar. Their large affinity constants for oxygen, 285 and ∼100 μ M −1 respectively, indicate that they are not capable of facilitating oxygen transport.
Cerebrospinal fluid S100B is elevated in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Postmortem demonstration of increased expression of biologically active S100B in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its relation to progression of neuropathological changes across the cortical regions suggests involvement of this astrocytic cytokine in the pathophysiology of AD. The hypothesis that the overexpression of S100B in Alzheimer brain is related to the progression of clinical symptoms was addressed in living persons by measuring S100B concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from AD patients with a broad range of clinical dementia severity and from healthy older persons. The effect of normal aging on CSF S100B concentrations also was estimated. CSF S100B did not differ between all 68 AD subjects (0.98±0.09 ng/ml (mean±S.E.M.)) and 25 healthy older subjects (0.81±0.13 ng/ml). When AD subjects were divided into mild/moderate stage and advanced stage clinical dementia severity by the established Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) criteria, S100B was significantly higher in the 46 mild/moderate stage AD subjects (1.17±0.11 ng/ml) than in either the 22 advanced stage AD subjects (0.60±0.12 ng/ml) or the healthy older subjects. Consistent with higher CSF S100B in mild to moderate AD, there was a significant correlation among all AD subjects between CSF S100B and cognitive status as measured by the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score. CSF S100B did not differ between healthy older subjects and healthy young subjects. These results suggest increased CNS expression of S100B in the earlier stages of AD, and are consistent with a role for S100B in the initiation and/or facilitation of neuritic plaque formation in AD brain.
Effect of Row Covers on Suppression of Bacterial Wilt of Muskmelon in Iowa

Abstract Spun polyester row covers, alone and in combination with insecticides, were evaluated for management of bacterial wilt of muskmelon at three locations in Iowa during 2003 and 2004. Followi...
Very-Low-Frequency Discrete Emissions received at Conjugate Points

DOWDEN suggests that the six bursts of noise shown in Fig. 1 of our article consist of a pair of bursts seen three times at each end of the path, and that this interpretation provides support for a new theory of very-low-frequency emissions which he has published elsewhere.
A strontium isotope and trace element profile through the Partridge River Troctolite, Duluth complex, Minnesota

Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios down a 2,315 foot-long core (DDH-295) through the Partridge River Troctolite are lower in the depth range 710–1,410 feet (0.70443±22) than in the underlying and overlying rocks (0.70500±18). These initial ratio variations define three zones (I, II, and III) thought to be three intrusive units within the troctolite. The best estimate of the Rb-Sr age of the troctolite is 1,050±105 m.y. The olivine compositions and the abundances of the incompatible trace elements Zr, Y, and Rb show identical variations down the core, with downward repetitions of olivine iron-enrichment and incompatible trace element enrichments. Discontinuities in the olivine compositions and incompatible trace element abundances match the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio discontinuities in the core.
Applications of ultrafast lasers to two-photon fluorescence and lifetime imaging

Fluorescent probes have found widespread use in biomedical sciences. Particularly since they can be targeted to cellular compartments and further more can report on the properties of their environment such as calcium concentration. Near infrared ultrafast lasers find increasing use for fluorescence applications since femtosecond pulses with a few milliwatts of average power are sufficient to induce significant two photon fluorescence from the probe when focused into typical samples. The nonlinear optical excitation process allows sectioned imaging of 3-D samples without use of a confocal pinhole. In this paper we describe two aspects of multiphoton microscopy: the two- photon excitation cross section and the fluorescence lifetime. Of interest is the wavelength characterization of two-photon excitation cross-sections of fluorescence probes. We slowly modulate (~500Hz) the intensity envelope of the input laser pulse train and analyze the emission signal in terms of the amplitude and phase of the harmonics of this modulation. In effect this is a power study that allows separation of different order effects. An application of ultrafast laser excitation that exploits many of the features outlined above is measurement of pH gradients in the skin. This is essential to skin barrier function and disruption of the gradient is thought to be an indicating factor in many skin diseases. A probe for which the fluorescence lifetime varies with pH is used. We thus are able to tackle problems associated with inhomogeneous labeling. We have developed a two-photon laser-scanning lifetime microscope and present pH maps of skin obtained with this instrument.
Differential thermal analysis of sedimentary humic acids in the light of their origin

Abstract Results of studies on thermal decomposition using differential thermal analysis (DTA) of humic acids (HAs) extracted from the Szczecin Lagoon bottom sediments as dependent on their origin are presented in this paper. The results show that elemental composition and parameters of thermal decomposition can be promising parameters for classification of sedimentary HAs. Three types of sediments were distinguished according to their origin: allochthonous (mainly anthropogenous), terrestrial, and aquatic. Significant correlations were found between the HA elemental composition and the parameters of their thermal decomposition. The results show that nitrogen content in HAs is inversely proportional to aromaticity of HA molecules and to their heat of combustion.
Characteristics at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children younger than 6 years

Objective To characterize the prodrome, presentation, family history, and biochemical status at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) in children under age 6 years. Study design This was a retrospective chart review of patients hospitalized at diagnosis with T1D from 1990 to 1999 in a children's hospital. Results A total of 247 children were hospitalized, 44% of whom presented in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). When stratified by 2-year age intervals, only total carbon dioxide (tCO 2 ) was significantly lower in the youngest children ( P = .02), and the duration of candidiasis was significantly longer in those children presenting in DKA ( P = .004). Parents were more likely to recognize symptomatic hyperglycemia in children older than 2 years ( P 2 were significantly correlated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c); age-adjusted HbA1c was 0.64% higher in girls compared with boys ( P = .045), and each 1-mmol/L decrement in tCO 2 increased the age- and gender-adjusted HbA1c by 0.086% ( P Conclusions A high proportion of children under age 6 years present critically ill at the diagnosis of T1D. When any of the classic symptoms of diabetes or a yeast infection is present, a serum glucose level should be measured.
Modulation of inflammatory cytokines and mitogen-activated protein kinases by acetate in primary astrocytes.

Acetate supplementation attenuates neuroglia activation in a rat model of neuroinflammation by a mechanism associated with an increase in brain acetyl-CoA, an alteration in histone acetylation, and reduction of interleukin (IL)-1β expression. We propose that reduced astroglial activation occurs by disrupting astrocyte-derived inflammatory signaling and cytokine release. Using primary astroglial cultures, we found that LPS (0–25 ng/ml, 4 h) increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and IL-1β in a concentration-dependent manner, which was reduced by treatment with sodium acetate (12 mM). LPS did not alter H3K9 acetylation or IL-6 levels, whereas acetate treatment increased H3K9 acetylation by 2-fold and decreased basal levels of IL-6 by 2-fold. Acetate treatment attenuated the LPS-induced increase in TNF-α mRNA, but did not reverse the mRNA levels of other pro-inflammatory cytokines. By contrast, LPS decreased TGF-β1 and IL-4 protein and TGF-β1 mRNA, all of which was reversed with acetate treatment. Further, we found that acetate treatment completely reversed LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAPK p38 and decreased basal levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) by 2-fold. Acetate treatment also reversed LPS-elevated NF-κB p65, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta protein levels, and reduced basal levels of phosphorylated NF-κB p65 at serine 536. These results suggest that acetate treatment has a net anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-stimulated astrocytes that is largely associated with a disruption in MAPK and NF-κB signaling.
The effect of free-electron laser pulse structure on mid-infrared soft-tissue ablation: biological effects

Previous studies have shown that changing the pulse structure of the free electron laser (FEL) from 1 to 200 ps and thus reducing the peak irradiance of the micropulse by 200 times had little or no effect on both the ablation threshold radiant exposure and the ablated crater depth for a defined radiant exposure. This study focuses on the ablation mechanism at 6.1 and 6.45 microm with an emphasis on the role of the FEL pulse structure. Three different experiments were performed to gain insight into this mechanism. The first was an analysis of the ablation plume dynamics observed for a 1 ps micropulse compared with a 200 ps micropulse as seen through bright-field analysis. Negligible differences are seen in the size, but not the dynamics of ablation, as a result of this imaging. The second experiment was a histological analysis of corneal and dermal tissue to determine whether there is less thermal damage associated with one micropulse duration versus another. No significant difference was seen in the extent of thermal damage on either canine cornea or mouse dermis for the micropulse durations studied at either wavelength. The final set of experiments involved the use of mass spectrometry to determine whether amide bond breakage could occur in the proteins present in tissue as a result of direct absorptions of mid-infrared light into the amide I and amide II absorption bands. This analysis showed that there was no amide bond breakage due to irradiation at 6.45 microm on protein.
Connecting the coronaries: How the coronary plexus develops and is functionalized

The establishment of the coronary circulation is one of the final critical steps during heart development. Despite decades of research, our understanding of how the coronary vasculature develops and connects to the aorta remains limited. This review serves two specific purposes: it addresses recent advances in understanding the origin of the coronary endothelium, and it then focuses on the last crucial step of coronary vasculature development, the connection of the coronary plexus to the aorta. The chick and quail animal models have yielded most of the information for how these connections form, starting with a fine network of vessels that penetrate the aorta and coalesce to form two distinct ostia. Studies in mouse and rat confirm that at least some of these steps are conserved in mammals, but gaps still exist in our understanding of mammalian coronary ostia formation. The signaling cues necessary to guide the coronary plexus to the aorta are also incompletely understood. Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1 and its downstream targets are among the few identified genes that promote the formation of the coronary stems. Together, this review summarizes our current knowledge of coronary vascular formation and highlights the significant gaps that remain. In addition, it highlights some of the coronary artery anomalies known to affect human health, demonstrating that even seemingly subtle defects arising from incorrect coronary plexus formation can result in significant health crises.
Diabetic emergencies in children

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a common paediatric presentation, carries a significant mortality primarily as a result of cerebral oedema. The aetiology remains poorly understood. However, an understanding of the process of treatment and current guidelines discussed in this article is essential to maximize good outcome.
A new photochemically removable protecting group for amines

Abstract A new arylmethylsulfonyl chloride reacts with secondary or primary amines to give sulfonamides which can be photochemically cleaved, making it suitable for use as a photoremovable protecting group.
Thermodynamic Properties and Ideal-Gas Enthalpies of Formation for Cyclohexene, Phthalan (2,5-Dihydrobenzo-3,4-furan), Isoxazole, Octylamine, Dioctylamine, Trioctylamine, Phenyl Isocyanate, and 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydropyrimidine

The results of a study aimed at improvement of the group-contribution methodology for estimation of thermodynamic properties of organic substances are reported. Specific weaknesses where particular group-contribution terms were unknown, or estimated because of lack of experimental data, are addressed by experimental studies of enthalpies of combustion in the condensed phase, vapor-pressure measurements, and differential scanning calorimetric (dsc) heat-capacity measurements. Ideal-gas enthalpies of formation of cyclohexene, phthalan (2,5-dihydrobenzo-3,4-furan), isoxazole, octylamine, dioctylamine, trioctylamine, phenyl isocyanate, and 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine are reported. Two-phase (liquid + vapor) heat capacities were determined for phthalan, isoxazole, the three octylamines, and phenyl isocyanate. Liquid-phase densities along the saturation line were measured for phthalan and isoxazole in the temperature range 298 K to 425 K. The critical temperature and critical density of octylamine were determi...
Human papillomavirus, it's genes… and cancer vaccines

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is causally linked to the development of cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide. Recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of virus-like particle-based vaccines to induce neutralizing antibodies against HPV and prevent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Small fiber neuropathy in late-onset Pompe disease: a case report and prospective screening

compared with detailed physical testing of the same muscle groups. MR showed improved sensitivity for detection of abnormality in multiple muscle groups including those producing ankle eversion and dorsiflexion, knee flexion and extension, tongue movement, neck extension, elbow flexion and extension, andmost of the isolated movements of the shoulder. Color-codedmuscle map images were then generated to serve as clinical tools for display of complimentary MR and physical examination data and to facilitate more rapid interpretation of the dataset. We believe this integrated, quantitative approach to muscle group assessment will prove both robust and clinically useful in tracking progression and response to treatment in Pompe disease and other neuromuscular disorders.
The Coupling of Alfven and Compressional Waves.

The article studies the hydromagnetic wave propagation characteristics in a mixture of cold and hot plasma in the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Electron and ion distribution functions with a temperature anisotropy and a density gradient are used to obtain the dispersion equation by solving the Vlasov equation and Maxwell equations. From the solutions of the dispersion equation we find that the Alfven waves can couple to unstable drift mirror waves under certain conditions. The polarization of the coupled waves is studied for varying parameters of temperature anisotropy and the cold to hot density ratio. From detailed comparison of the theoretical results with the low-frequency wave properties observed in the magnetosphere we propose that the storm-associated magnetic field oscillations with periods of 100-600 s might be caused by the coupling of Alfven waves and the unstable drift mirror waves.
The Berkeley Tricorder: wireless health monitoring

The advancement of precision micropower amplifiers, microcontrollers, and MEMs devices have allowed for a paradigm shift from traditionally large and costly health monitoring equipment only found in hospitals or care centers to smaller, wireless, low powered portable devices that can provide continuous monitoring for a number of applications. Along these lines, we have developed a small wireless health monitoring device, named The Berkeley Tricorder, capable of monitoring a wide range of health-related signals, and have vetted it in a number of human trials. We will present a number of different real-time visualization tools that have been developed, and discuss some relevant applications for the Tricorder as a platform. Real time wireless telemetry from the device will be demonstrated.
Transcriptional analysis of the UL1 gene of equine herpesvirus 1: a gene conserved in the genome of defective interfering particles.

Abstract Defective interfering particles (DIPs) of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) are biologically active, in that they mediate the coestablishment of oncogenic transformation and persistent infection in permissive, primary hamster embryo fibroblasts. The DIP genome is composed of EHV-1 sequences originating from the L-terminus (mapping units (m.u.) 0.00–0.023), the junction of the unique long (UL) region and the internal inverted repeat (IR) (m.u. 0.78–0.79 and 0.99–1.00), and the central portion of the IR (m. u. 0.83–0.87 and 0.91–0.95). The nature of one of the genes (UL1) mapping at the L-terminus was analyzed at the RNA level by Northern blot hybridization and S1 nuclease analyses. These data, and DNA sequencing analyses reported previously revealed that the UL1 gene: (1) contains a major open reading frame (ORF) of 258 amino acids, (2) is a homologue of the ORF2 gene of varicella zoster virus (VZV), (3) is conserved in the genome of DIPs of EHV-1, (4) encodes a 1.2-kb early (E) mRNA that is transcribed toward the short region of the genome, (5) utilizes a transcription initiation site approximately 1120 nucleotides from the L-terminus, and (6) utilizes a transcription termination site approximately 2211 nucleotides from the L-terminus. These initial studies serve as the basis of future work to determine the dunction of the UL1 gene in cytolytic infection, and its potential role in EHV-1 persistent infection.
On single-server closed queues with priorities and state dependent parameters

A wide class of closed single-channel queues is considered. The more general model involvesm +w + 1 “permanent” customers that occasionally require service. Them customers are of the first priority and the rest are of the second priority. The input rate and service of customers depend upon the total number of customers waiting for service. Such a system can also be described in terms of servicing machines processes with reserve replacement and multi-channel queues with finite waiting room. Two dual models, with and without idle periods, are treated. An explicit relation between the servicing processes of both models is derived. The semi-regenerative techniques originally developed in the author's earlier work [4] are extended and used to derive the probability distribution of the processes in equilibrium. Applications and examples are discussed.
A Summary of JPL Single Event Upset Test Data from May 1982, Through January 1984

A summary of eleven JPL tests for single event upset (SEU) performed at various accelerators, from May 1982 through January 1984, is presented. This data may be regarded as an update or follow-on to the large compilation of JPL data taken through May 1982, published in the 1983 IEEE issue of this conference. For brevity, most of the data is given for the most ionizing beam used, only. Whenever available, both cross section and LET threshold is tabulated.
Neuronopathy in the motor neocortex in a chronic model of multiple sclerosis.

We provide evidence of cortical neuronopathy in myelin oligoden-drocyte glycoprotein peptide-induced experimental autoimmune en-cephalomyelitis, an established model of chronic multiple sclerosis. To investigate phenotypic perturbations in neurons in this model, we used apoptotic markers and immunohistochemistry with antibodies to NeuN and other surrogate markers known to be expressed by adult pyramidal Layer V somas, including annexin V, encephalopsin, and Emx1. We found no consistent evidence of chronic loss of Layer V neurons but detected both reversible and chronic decreases in the expression of these markers in conjunction with evidence of cortical demyelination and presynaptic loss. These phenotypic perturbations were present in, but not restricted to, the neocortical Layer V. We also investigated inflammatory responses in the cortex and subcortical white matter of the corpus callosum and spinal dorsal funiculus and found that those in the cortex and corpus callosum were delayed compared with those in the spinal cord. Inflammatory infiltrates initially included T cells, neutrophils, and Iba1-positive microglia/ macrophages in the corpus callosum, whereas only Iba1-positive cells were present in the cortex. These data indicate that we have identified a new temporal pattern of subtle phenotypic perturbations in neocor-tical neurons in this chronic multiple sclerosis model.
Fusion of lung lobes and vessels in mouse embryos heterozygous for the forkhead box f1 targeted allele

Previously, we showed that newborn forkhead box (Fox)f1(+/−) mice with diminished pulmonary FoxF1 levels died of severe lung hemorrhage and exhibited abnormal formation of alveolar sacs and capilla...
Functional Analysis of the Combined Role of the O-Linked Branching Enzyme Core 2 β1-6-N-Glucosaminyltransferase and Dimerization of P-selectin Glycoprotein Ligand-1 in Rolling on P-selectin

Leukocyte P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is expressed as a homodimer and mediates leukocyte rolling through interactions with endothelial P-selectin. Previous studies have shown that PSGL-1 must be properly modified by specific glycosyltransferases including α1,3-fucosyltransferase-VII, core 2 β1–6-N-glucosaminyltransferase (C2GlcNAcT-I), one or more α2,3-sialytransferases, and a tyrosulfotransferase. In addition, dimerization of PSGL-1 through its sole extracellular cysteine (Cys320) is essential for rolling on P-selectin under shear conditions. In this report, we measured the contributions of both C2GlcNAcT-I glycosylation and dimerization of PSGL-1 to adhesive bonds formed during tethering and rolling of transfected cell lines on purified P-selectin. Tethering to P-selectin under flow increased with dimerization compared with cells expressing monomeric PSGL-1 (referred to as C320A). The rolling defects (decreased cellular accumulation, PSGL-1/P-selectin bond strengths and tethering rates, and increased velocities and skip distance) demonstrated by transfectants expressing monomeric PSGL-1 could be overcome by increasing the substrate P-selectin site density and by overexpressing C2GlcNAcT-I in C320A transfectants. Two molecular weight variants of PSGL-1 were isolated from cell lines transfected with PSGL-1, C320A, and/or C2GlcNAcT-I cDNAs, and these differences in electrophoretic mobility appeared to correlate with C2GlcNAcT-I expression. C320A transfectants expressing low molecular weight PSGL-1 had lower C2GlcNAcT-I levels (measured by reactivity to core 2 specific linkage antibody, CHO-131) and compromised rolling on P-selectin (regardless of site density) compared with C320A cells with high levels of C2GlcNAcT-I and high molecular weight PSGL-1. Both C2GlcNAcT-I glycosylation and PSGL-1 dimerization increased the rate of tethering to P-selectin under flow, whereas C2GlcNAcT-I levels primarily influenced tether bond strength.
Ego defense and aesthetic distortion: experimenter effects.

Summary The “arousal-control” hypothesis of aesthetic representation states that the greater the arousal value of an object, the greater the degree of disguise required before a representation of the object can be called aesthetic Four studies were conducted to find the personality correlates of subjects who by their behavior support the hypothesis A strong experimenter effect was discovered in two male-run studies, supporters of the hypothesis were sensitizers, while in the two female-run studies, supporters were repressors Evidence suggests that the differences may be attributed to the degree of homosexual anxiety evoked in the subjects
Assessment of an Expanded Functional Disability Scale for Older Adults With Diabetes

Although prior literature has shown the plausibility of combining the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) items to form an expanded scale for measuring the degree of functional decline, this has not been shown in older adults with diabetes who are disproportionately affected by functional disability. Using the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data, we evaluated the factor structure of the pooled ADL and IADL items. Based on our study comprising 2,158 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) with diabetes, the unidimensional model exhibited good fit. Despite well-fitting indices, high correlations were observed between the latent constructs (>.70) of the multi-factor models, suggesting a lack of discriminant validity. These findings provide empirical support for a combined scale that can comprehensively and efficiently characterize the extent of functional disability in older adults with diabetes for research, risk adjustment, and evaluation in pat...
Positioning identities: A discursive approach to the negotiation of gendered categories

The purpose of this article is to broaden and sharpen the use of positioning in social science inquiry. Historically, positioning has either been aligned with ethogenic and ontological constructionist views of discourse/identity or post-structural projects interested in positioning as means to uncovering how people’s minds work or how an ordered extant exterior world shapes and constitutes human action. Rather than looking through acts of positioning to minds or worlds, the present chapter offers an epistemic discursive psychological view of positioning as sets of local discursive processes whereby speakers elegantly exploit the features of ordinary talk so as to make relevant their own and/or other’s identities as part of some social business that has an interactional logic as well as here-and-now relational consequences. The discursive dexterity of positioning is illustrated through an analysis of the negotiation of gendered identity categories.
Electromechanical hysteresis and coexistent states in dielectric elastomers

When a voltage is applied to a layer of a dielectric elastomer, the layer reduces in thickness and expands in area. A recent experiment has shown that the homogeneous deformation of the layer can be unstable, giving way to an inhomogeneous deformation, such that regions of two kinds coexist in the layer, one being flat and the other wrinkled. To analyze this instability, we construct for a class of model materials, which we call ideal dielectric elastomers, a free-energy function comprising contributions from stretching and polarizing. We show that the free-energy function is typically non-convex, causing the elastomer to undergo a discontinuous transition from a thick state to a thin state. When the two states coexist in the elastomer, a region of the thin state has a large area, and wrinkles when constrained by nearby regions of the thick state. We show that an elastomer described by the Gaussian statistics cannot stabilize the thin state, but a stiffening elastomer near the extension limit can. We further show that the instability can be tuned by the density of cross links and the state of stress.
Classification Tree Prediction Models for Dental Caries from Clinical, Microbiological, and Interview Data

Caries prediction by Classification And Regression Tree (CART) analysis is an appropriate and powerful alternative or complement to the commonly used classification methods of logistic regression and discriminant analysis, both parametric and nonparametric. The binary classification tree method discussed in this article is designed for complex data and does not require assumptions about the predictor variables or about the presence or absence of interactions among the predictor variables. Furthermore, the results give insight into the structures and interactions in the data and are easy to interpret and apply. In preliminary applications of the CART algorithms to data from The University of North Carolina Caries Risk Assessment Study, the method produced prediction rules having sensitivities and specificities that were similar to or slightly better than those associated with logistic and discriminant analyses. The classification trees constructed tended to involve far fewer predictor variables than requir...
After the deal: Talk, trust building and the implementation of negotiated agreements

Abstract The success of a negotiated agreement depends on implementation and implications for future exchange between the parties. This paper examines structural, affective and contractual factors that influence implementation behavior. Predictions derived from contract theory and recent negotiation theories were tested in two laboratory studies involving the negotiation of an employment contract. In Experiment 1 trust formation facilitated by so-called “cheap” talk and the provision of a sufficient contingent contract promoted vigorous contract implementation. Positive affect induced in the employer prior to negotiation had no discernable effect on subsequent implementation. In Experiment 2 induced employee positive affect did motivate implementation behavior but the effect hinged on the form of the contract. Small talk before contracting increased employee’s willingness to be financially vulnerable in subsequent exchange with the employer. Implications for general negotiation theory are considered.
Gangliosides as High Affinity Receptors for Tetanus Neurotoxin

Tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is an exotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani that causes paralytic death to hundreds of thousands of humans annually. TeNT cleaves vesicle-associated membrane protein-2, which inhibits neurotransmitter release in the central nervous system to elicit spastic paralysis, but the molecular basis for TeNT entry into neurons remains unclear. TeNT is a approximately 150-kDa protein that has AB structure-function properties; the A domain is a zinc metalloprotease, and the B domain encodes a translocation domain and C-terminal receptor-binding domain (HCR/T). Earlier studies showed that HCR/T bound gangliosides via two carbohydrate-binding sites, termed the lactose-binding site (the "W" pocket) and the sialic acid-binding site (the "R" pocket). Here we report that TeNT high affinity binding to neurons is mediated solely by gangliosides. Glycan array and solid phase binding analyses identified gangliosides that bound exclusively to either the W pocket or the R pocket of TeNT; GM1a bound to the W pocket, and GD3 bound to the R pocket. Using these gangliosides and mutated forms of HCR/T that lacked one or both carbohydrate-binding pocket, gangliosides binding to both of the W and R pockets were shown to be necessary for high affinity binding to neuronal and non-neuronal cells. The crystal structure of a ternary complex of HCR/T with sugar components of two gangliosides bound to the W and R supported the binding of gangliosides to both carbohydrate pockets. These data show that gangliosides are functional dual receptors for TeNT.
Optical spatial quantization for higher performance analog to digital conversion

A novel optical spatial quantized analog-to-digital conversion scheme for real-time conversion at ultrahigh sampling frequencies is presented. At each sampling instant, the analog input voltage deflects an optical sampling pulse onto an array of photodetectos. The output code is derived from the output voltages of the photodetectors on which the optical beam lands. Particular benefits of the proposed architecture are significant reduction in jitter through the use of a mode-locked laser to generate the sampling pulses, high quantization bandwidth through a fully optical quantization scheme, and the system simplicity through the use of just one phase modulator and an embedded binary encoder in the binary-connected photodetector arrays. We experimentally demonstrate an eight-level quantization consuming only 7.2 pJ per quantization with 18-GHz bandwidth, projected to an estimated bandwidth of 30 GHz. Measured 8-ps full-width half-maximum photodetectors output voltages promise the potential of realizing a 3-bit 125-GS/s analog-to-digital converter.
Small-signal modeling and analysis of the double-input buckboost converter

Multi-input dc-dc power electronic converters have been gaining popularity in applications such as renewable energy sources and electric-drive vehicles due to their reduced part count and flexibility in integration. In this paper, the small-signal model of the double-input buckboost converter is developed. The model is then used for a multiple loop feedback design. Considering a photovoltaic-battery hybrid power system, the control objectives are threefold. These include output voltage regulation, constant power demand from the PV panel, and load accommodation by the battery pack. Two feedback compensation networks are designed based on the developed small-signal model. It is also demonstrated that the two inputs of the double-input buckboost topology can be controlled independently. This offers greater flexibility for the compensator design. The results of the time domain analysis are consistent with those of the theoretical model.
Variations of the mechanical properties of Acer saccharum roots

Longitudinal and transverse variations in the compressive strength σ c and stiffness measured in bending and torsion (E and G, respectively) were determined for wood samples removed from three old lateral roots of a large sugar maple Acer saccharum L. whose canopy had been heavily pruned on one side such that the three roots had loading conditions assumed to be dominated by different stresses: tensile stresses along the axis of root I, compressive stresses along root III, and torsional shear stresses in root II. Values of σ c , E, and G tended to decrease from the base toward the tip of each root, but maximized at approximately 1 m from the base (perhaps as a consequence of fibre fatigue near the base of the root system). Comparisons between the mechanical properties of wood sampled from the upper and lower root surfaces showed that the wood along the lower surface of roots I and II was stiffer and stronger; the reverse was found for root III. Longitudinal variations in the geometry and size of root transections resulted in a curvilinear pattern of root taper; maximum taper occurred at 1 m from each root base. These variations, which resulted in longitudinal changes in the second moment of area I and the polar second moment of area J, were sufficient to mask the effects of longitudinal variations in E and G on the flexural and torsional rigidity of roots (El and GJ, respectively) both of which decreased exponentially away from the base of the tree. Based on the correlations observed between the stresses presumed to dominate the loading conditions of each of the three roots and the mechanical properties of wood samples, it appears that the 'biomechanical plasticity' of woody roots holds the potential to maximize the individual ability of roots to cope with the dominant stresses attending their growth and development.
ACAT inhibition reverses LCAT deficiency and improves plasma HDL in chronic renal failure

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with increased risk of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and profound alteration of plasma lipid profile. Uremic dyslipidemia is marked by increased ...
The Differentiation of Social Behavior Toward an Explanation of Universal Interpersonal Structures

Investigations of the structure of social behavior across cultures have relied either on an empirical approach (Triandis, 1977), or on the conceptualization of interaction as resource exchange (Foa & Foa, 1974). This article critically reviews recent efforts to integrate the two approaches and proposes an alternative framework that considers interpersonal dimensions as emerging from the fundamental structure of resource exchange. Two different methodologies for the testing of this framework are described, along with preliminary supportive findings. The implications of this approach for the evolution of social behavior are discussed briefly.
A minimal protocol with public key cryptography for identification and privacy in RFID tags

We propose a protocol that minimizes the cryptographic effort on an RFID tag without requiring a backend database record for each tag. The protocol allows a tag to identify itself only to its owner. When a product is sold, the tag ownership is changed in a secure way. Security is based on public key cryptography, which is becoming economically practical for RFID tags. With this protocol, tag owners need not share secrets with each other or any central database and therefore privacy will be provided by technology, which is inherently more robust than public policy.
Optimal partitioning and balanced scheduling with the maximal overlap of data footprints

The paper proposes a scheme to tolerate the slow memory access latency for loop intensive applications in the system with memory hierarchy. The scheme takes into consideration of both the intermediate data and maximal overlap of data footprints for initial data. Furthermore, a schedule is presented to balance the ALU computation and memory operations. The memory requirement under such schedule is calculated. This schedule’s improvement in total execution time is approximately 20% over existing methods.
An Efficient Indexer for Large N-Gram Corpora

We introduce a new publicly available tool that implements efficient indexing and retrieval of large N-gram datasets, such as the Web1T 5-gram corpus. Our tool indexes the entire Web1T dataset with an index size of only 100 MB and performs a retrieval of any N-gram with a single disk access. With an increased index size of 420 MB and duplicate data, it also allows users to issue wild card queries provided that the wild cards in the query are contiguous. Furthermore, we also implement some of the smoothing algorithms that are designed specifically for large datasets and are shown to yield better language models than the traditional ones on the Web1T 5-gram corpus (Yuret, 2008). We demonstrate the effectiveness of our tool and the smoothing algorithms on the English Lexical Substitution task by a simple implementation that gives considerable improvement over a basic language model.
Characterization of Mechanical Loss in Piezoelectric Materials Using Temperature and Vibration Measurements

In this research, a unique approach for characterizing mechanical loss in piezoelectric materials is developed. Instead of characterizing mechanical loss through electrical measurements, thermal and mechanical measurements are used. A comprehensive heat transfer model has been developed to describe the temperature rise due to heat generation in piezoelectric materials in resonance conditions. Using this model, along with experimental temperature and vibration measurements, the mechanical quality factor can be calculated. Advantages of this method over electrical impedance methods include high sensitivity to change in losses due to precise temperature and vibration measurements and evaluation of losses from a single frequency (versus a frequency sweep). This method has been applied to a hard PZT ceramic at several frequencies near its fundamental resonance at a tip vibration velocity of 300 mm/s RMS. In these high power conditions, the standard deviation of the mechanical quality factor resulting from the impedance data was 15%, while those resulting from the new method are less than 2.5%. The results from the impedance measurements using a constant vibration velocity sweep agree with the magnitude of the quality factor calculated from new method, giving evidence to its validity.
A FINITE ELEMENT STUDY OF DIFFUSION-INDUCED MECHANICS IN LI-ION BATTERY ELECTRODE MATERIALS

In this paper, a Finite Element (FE) framework for studying diffusion induced mechanics of Li-ion battery electrode materials is presented. In a previous study [Vanimisetti and Ramakrishnan (2011), Proc. IMechE, Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 0954406211432668], a set of analytical expressions for the stress distribution in ideal geometries, such as slab and cylindrical shaped particles, were derived using thermal stress analogy while solutions for spherical particles already exist. However, the limitations of the analytical study in handling complex geometries, the material behavior and the functional parameters necessitated the development of an FE model based approach. A multi-physics model was developed in COMSOL® package linking diffusion phenomenon to stress development. The model was verified comparing the results with those of the earlier analytical studies. As an illustration, we use the model to make inferences with regard to the effect of electrode particle shape. Along similar lines, the diffusion-induced mechanics in silicon rod structures grown on copper current collector is also demonstrated.
Gleaner: mitigating the blocked-waiter wakeup problem for virtualized multicore applications

As the number of cores in a multicore node increases in accordance with Moore's law, the question arises as to what are the costs of virtualized environments when scaling applications to take advantage of larger core counts. While a widely-known cost due to preempted spinlock holders has been extensively studied, this paper studies another cost, which has received little attention. The cost is caused by the intervention from the VMM during synchronization-induced idling in the application, guest OS, or supporting libraries--we call this the blocked-waiter wakeup (BWW) problem. The paper systematically analyzes the cause of the BWW problem and studies its performance issues, including increased execution times, reduced system throughput, and performance unpredictability. To deal with these issues, the paper proposes a solution, Gleaner, which integrates idling operations and imbalanced scheduling as a mitigation to this problem. We show how Gleaner can be implemented without intrusive modification to the guest OS. Extensive experiments show that Gleaner can effectively reduce the virtualization cost incurred by blocking synchronization and improve the performance of individual applications by 16x and system throughput by 3x.
Application of Brown Planthopper Salivary Gland Extract to Rice Plants Induces Systemic Host mRNA Patterns Associated with Nutrient Remobilization

Insect saliva plays an important role in modulation of plant-insect interactions. Although this area of research has generated much attention in recent years, mechanisms of how saliva affects plant responses remain poorly understood. To address this void, the present study investigated the impact of the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens, Stal; hereafter BPH) salivary gland extract (SGE) on rice (Oryza sativa) systemic responses at the mRNA level. Differentially expressed rice mRNAs were generated through suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and classified into six functional groups. Those with the most representatives were from the primary metabolism (28%), signaling-defense (22%) and transcription-translation-regulation group (16%). To validate SSH library results, six genes were further analyzed by One-Step Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase-PCR. Five of these genes exhibited up-regulation levels of more than 150% of those in the control group in at least one post-application time point. Results of this study allow assignment of at least two putative roles of BPH saliva: First, application of SGE induces immediate systemic responses at the mRNA level, suggesting that altering of the rice transcriptome at sites distant to hoppers feeding locations may play an important role in BPH-rice interactions. Second, 58% of SGE-responsive up-regulated genes have a secondary function associated with senescence, a process characterized by remobilization of nutrients. This suggests that BPH salivary secretions may reprogram the rice transcriptome for nutritional enhancement. When these findings are translated onto ‘whole plant’ scale, they indicate that BPH saliva may play the ‘wise investment’ role of ‘minimum input today, maximum output tomorrow’.