cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in perceptions of neighborhood environment and Cardiometabolic outcomes in two predominantly African American neighborhoods.

Perceived neighborhood characteristics, including satisfaction with one’s neighborhood as a place to live, are associated with lower obesity rates and more favorable cardiovascular risk factor profiles. Yet, few studies have evaluated whether changes in perceived neighborhood characteristics over time may be associated with cardiometabolic health indicators. Changes in perception of one’s neighborhood (2013–2016) were determined from a cohort of residents who lived in one of two low-income urban neighborhoods. Changes were categorized into the following: improvement vs. no change or worsening over the three-year time-period. Multivariable linear regression was used to measure the association between perceived improvement in each of the neighborhood characteristics with cardiometabolic outcomes (BMI, SBP, DBP, HbA1c, HDL-c) that were assessed in 2016, and compared with those who perceived no change or worsening of neighborhood characteristics. Models were adjusted for age, sex, income, education, marital status, physical function, neighborhood, and years spent in neighborhood. To examine potential sex differences, follow-up models were conducted and stratified by sex. Among the 622 individuals who remained in the same neighborhood during the time period, 93% were African American, 80% were female, and the mean age was 58 years. In covariate-adjusted models, those who perceived improvement in their neighborhood safety over the time period had a significantly higher BMI (kg/m2) than those who perceived no improvement or worsening (β = 1.5, p = 0.0162); however, perceived improvement in safety was also significantly associated with lower SBP (mmHg) (β = − 3.8, p = 0.0361). When results were stratified by sex, the relationship between improved perceived neighborhood safety and BMI was only evident in females. These findings suggest that perceived neighborhood characteristics may impact cardiometabolic outcomes (BMI, SBP), but through differing pathways. This highlights the complexity of the associations between neighborhood characteristics and underscores the need for more longitudinal studies to confirm the associations with cardiometabolic health in African American populations.
Infected subgaleal hematoma in a 4-month-old girl

Abstract Subgaleal hematoma is an uncommon, but potential sequela of birth trauma and instrument-assisted delivery of neonates, as well as head trauma in young children. A rare complication is an infection of the subgaleal hematoma, which typically happens due to concomitant scalp lacerations. Escherichia coli is the most common causative pathogen in peripartum cases, and Staphylococcus aureus predominates in trauma cases. An even more rare complication is infection of the hematoma with intact overlying skin, the proposed mechanism of action of which is a hematogenous spread of the bacteria. In this case, we report a 4-month-old unimmunized girl who sustained a subgaleal hematoma after a falling incident that did not result in any scalp laceration. She presented 5 days later with fever, irritability, increased scalp swelling, skin erythema, and site tenderness. Her blood culture remained sterile, but the hematoma aspirate culture grew Streptococcus pneumoniae. The patient had a recent upper respiratory tract infection that we suspected to be the primary source of infection. She responded well to antibiotic therapy and required no surgical intervention. Conclusion: Subgaleal hematoma infection should be suspected in a child who presents with increased hematoma swelling, irritability, fever, and local signs of infection. Early recognition and treatment with antibiotics can prevent further complications, such as abscess formation and skull osteomyelitis.
Obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension: a bidirectional relationship.

Citation:Mesarwi O, Malhotra A. Obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension: a bidirectional relationship. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(8):1223–1224.
NINE NEW SPECIES AND 11 COUNTRY RECORDS OF CYCLOCEPHALA (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: DYNASTINAE) FROM PANAMA AND COSTA RICA

Nine new species of Cyclocephala are described from Panama and/or Costa Rica. They are C. dissimulata, C. isthmiensis, C. nigritarsis, C. nike, C. pan, C. rorschachoides, C. santaritae, C. williami, and C. zodion. New country records for Panama and/or Costa Rica are given for C. ampliata Bates, C. atripes Bates, C. brittoni Endrodi, C. castaniella Bates, C. confusa Endr6di, C. kaszabi Endrodi, C. macrophylla Erichson, C. nigerrima Bates, C. porioni Dechambre, C. prolongata Arrow and C. quadripunctata H6hne. "What's the use of their having names, " the gnat said, "if they won't answer to them?" "No use to them," said Alice; "but it's useful to the people that name them, I suppose." Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland During the course of my studies on the dynastine scarabs of the Neotropics, I have encountered numerous new species and records of distribution. Most of these are in genera in the tribe Cyclocephalini. This paper describes those species and records I have for Panama and Costa Rica. I have worked extensively there during the past 15 years with the goal of providing a detailed faunistic survey of the Dynastinae of Panama and Costa Rica. This paper represents the first result of that survey. A complete synopsis of all the dynastine fauna is in preparation. Endrodi (1985) provided the most recent key to the genus Cyclocephala. The new species described here are all associated to that key in order that the reader will know where in the couplets each species will fall out. Appropriate notations can then be made for future reference. Keeping current with new species in such a large genus can often prove frustrating. In my own system, I make notations of new species in the most recent key as mentioned above. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, I also maintain a notebook arranged by genus with photocopies of diagnostic characters illustrated in every new publication describing new species. In this way, I note in the key that something has since been described, and I can immediately go to the illustrated notebook (and subsequently the paper itself) to confirm the status of the beetle before me. It is an eminently simple, yet workable, system. In this paper I list several new country records. Although I and a few others have known of these occurrences for several years, they have never been formally placed in any publication with which I am familiar. The purpose of listing these records is to get them into the literature as well as to provide those
Instabilities due to Electrostatic Tuning of Frequency-Split in Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscopes

In order to improve the angular rate sensitivity in Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscopes (CVG), an electrostatic frequency tuning mechanism is often used to reduce the split in the resonant frequency of gyroscopes. In this paper, the effect of the amplitude-frequency coupling, as a ramification of the electrostatic frequency tuning, on gyroscope operation in the open-loop angular rate mode is studied. We demonstrate that the amplitude-frequency coupling results in instability in the resonant frequency along the drive axis which degrades the noise performance of a CVG. We present a model that describes the non-linear dynamics of a gyroscope along the drive axis, including the amplitude-frequency coupling terms beyond the Duffing and quintic nonlinearity. Analytical equations were derived to estimate the correlation between frequency noise and amplitude noise. The non-linear electrostatic spring stiffness and the frequency noise in a Dual Foucault Pendulum (DFP) gyroscope were characterized and a good agreement with the predictive analytical model was observed. Our study suggests that as the required tuning voltage for mode-matching is increased, the frequency stability in the gyroscope degrades and the quadrature noise limits the noise performance of the gyroscope. In the case of the DFP gyroscope, we demonstrated that a reduction of the drive amplitude, which reduces the amplitude-frequency coupling, resulted in a 3 times improvement in the Angle Random Walk (ARW) and Bias Instability (BI).
The Continuity of Justification Defenses

This Article presents a legal theory of legal justification. It examines the elements of offense definitions and justification defenses--or, more accurately, the conjunctions and disjunctions between these elements--to resolve a longstanding issue in the theory of legal punishment. The unjustified actor who believes she is justified seems to deserve an acquittal, while the justified actor who does not know he is justified seems to deserve conviction. But we face a dilemma: we seem to have to acquit both or convict both. This Article shows a principled way to rule the mistakenly unjustified actor within, and the mistakenly justified actor out of, the class of justified actors, thus matching our legal judgments to our moral judgments concerning these cases. The route to this conclusion is as important as the conclusion itself. Much of the argument employs tables of elements and the conjunctions and disjunctions between them. These tables are illuminating--surprisingly so for such a simple device. This elements analysis serves to demonstrate some elementary points, such as the existence of a genuine difference between offenses and justification defenses. And it can demonstrate more complex and surprising points, such as the unavailability--on any view of wrongdoing and justification--of attempt liability as a second best solution to the dilemma presented by mistakes in justification. The Article also uses Aristotelian punishment theory as a complement to elements analysis. The use of virtue ethics is not simply a matter of equating solutions to moral issues with solutions to legal issues. That would not be the legal analysis of a legal problem that is promised here. Instead, the justification defenses are portrayed as the product of the specification of competing ends--a distinctively Aristotelian model of deliberations on ends-- making the case that the justification defenses, even taken as permissions that cancel the prohibition for reasons that conflict with the prohibition, are continuous with criminal offenses.
Structural validity of a computerized neurocognitive battery for youth affected by human immunodeficiency virus in Botswana.

Children born to mothers infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during pregnancy experience increased risk of neurocognitive impairment. In Botswana, HIV infection is common among youth, but standardized cognitive screening is limited. The Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (PennCNB), a tool that streamlines evaluation of neurocognitive functioning, was culturally adapted for use among youth in this high-burden, low-resource setting. The present study examined the structural validity of the culturally adapted PennCNB. A cohort of 7-17-year-old children living with HIV (HIV +) and HIV-exposed-uninfected (HEU) children were enrolled from the Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence in Gaborone, Botswana. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were performed on speed, accuracy, and efficiency measures for 13 PennCNB tests. Fit of the confirmatory factor analysis was acceptable, which supports the design of the battery measuring four neurocognitive domains: Executive functioning, episodic memory, complex cognition, and sensorimotor/processing speed. However, the model revealed high interfactor correlation. Exploratory factor analysis suggested that tests assessing executive functioning and sensorimotor/processing speed clustered together rather than forming differentiable factors. Overall, this research provides valuable insight into the structural validity of a neurocognitive battery adapted for use in a non-Western setting, suggesting that the PennCNB could serve as a useful tool for the assessment of neurocognitive function in Botswana and, potentially, other resource-limited settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Overhead Athletes

Injuries and pathology to the dominant shoulder of an overhead athlete are multifactorial and complex. The stresses placed on the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints during a throw are immense. Overlapping signs and symptoms exist, making accurate diagnosis difficult for someone who is not fully aware of the complexity of the throwing mechanism. An understanding of the basic forces at work during each phase of the throwing cycle will result in an improved understanding of the possible profiles of injury. Shoulder problems can be secondary to abnormal mechanics, fatigue and imbalance of the shoulder musculature, scapular dyskinesis, capsular laxity or contracture, and repetitive microtrauma. Early discovery of symptoms and diagnosis, followed by rehabilitation with special attention to mechanics, will optimize the results of most dominant shoulder pathologies. If nonoperative management fails, arthroscopic techniques can be implemented to address many intra-articular abnormalities. A coordinated approach among athletic trainers, therapists, and physicians aids in the overall recovery of the overhead athlete.
Transient Analysis of Layered Composite Plates Using a Shear Deformation Theory

The simple Timoshenko-type shear deformation theory (see Yang, Norn’s, and Stavsky (1966)) of plates laminated of orthotropic layers is now wel 1-accepted for the linear, static and dynamic analysis (see Reddy (1980, 1981)). In the present paper a shear-deformable element is presented for the dynamic (transient), linear and geometrically nonlinear analysis of layered anisotropic composite-material plates. The element accounts for the transverse shear strains (i.e., the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia) and nonlinear strain-displacement relations (in the von Karman sense).
The Etiology and Pathogenesis of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: a Review of Current Hypotheses

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a broad clinical syndrome that is characterized by prolonged mucosal inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses, and is typically divided into two subtypes based on the presence or absence of nasal polyps. The etiology and pathogenesis of both forms remain areas of active research. Over the last 15 years, a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain all or part of the clinical CRS spectrum. These hypotheses reflect the concept that CRS results from a dysfunctional interplay between individual host characteristics and factors exogenous to the host. Six broad theories on CRS etiology and pathogenesis are discussed as follows: (1) the “fungal hypothesis,” (2) the “superantigen hypothesis,” (3) the “biofilm hypothesis,” and (4) the “microbiome hypothesis,” all of which emphasize key environmental factors, and (5) the “eicosanoid hypothesis” and (6) the “immune barrier hypothesis,” which describe specific host factors. These theories are reviewed, and the evidence supporting them is critically appraised.
Vascular compliance after nitroprusside in hypertension

The effect of sodium nitroprusside (NP) infusion on systemic arterial compliance in hypertensive subjects was assessed using pulse-contour analysis (PCA). Seven male patients aged 41 to 71 years (mean age 59 years) were studied after 30 minutes rest in the supine position and during continuous NP infusion. Proximal arterial compliance, C1, and distal arterial compliance, C2, were determined by analyzing the diastolic portion of a brachial artery pressure pulse and cardiac output (CO). During NP infusion, mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased by 19% (p >
Europa clipper instrument accommodation in the proposal phase

The proposed Europa Clipper mission would send a suite of instruments to Jupiter's Europa moon. The scope of these instruments objectives would range from gravity science, high resolution imaging of the icy surface, thermal and topographical imaging/mapping; to plasma science, neutral mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, and perhaps most importantly ice penetrating radar capability used for examining the potential liquid water ocean beneath the icy outer shell. Perhaps the largest test is solving these challenges in the proposal phase of the mission. In the pre-project timeframe, and nearly a year from instrument selection, broad assumptions must be made and used to drive the system design and implementation. Considerations include: optical fields of view of instruments (both direct and stray light), instrument thermal radiative fields of view (to other structures and to space), co-bore-sight requirements between instruments, and instrument stability over the life of the mission. Many of these items are addressed with the implementation of a dedicated instrument mounting platform, kinematically mounted to the avionics module of the spacecraft. This approach helps deal with the above considerations by placing the instruments outside the spacecraft avionics module in the Nadir direction. This allows for greater control of field of view obstructions (both optical and thermal) by moving instruments away from other structures. It also gives greater stability to instruments with coupled optical alignment requirements (i.e. the Short Wave Infrared Spectrometer and the High Resolution Reconnaissance Camera). Kinematic mounting also ensures that moments are not introduced into the mounting plate structure due to thermal gradients.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of amphiphile hydration. Effects of the gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition on the hydration of dioleoyl lecithin.

Abstract The hydration of dioleoyl lecithin (DOL) and dimyristoyl lecithin (DML) has been measured as a function of temperature between −15 and −30 °C, using low-temperature proton magnetic resonance. The hydration of DOL is considerably higher than that of DML. We detect 9 mol of unfrozen water/mol of phospholipid at −25 °C (our “standard” temperature) for DOL, and only 6 mol of water/mol of phospholipid for DML. The gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition in DOL centered at ca. −19 °C is manifested by a 70% increase in hydration for both vesicles and dispersions. Preparations of either DML vesicles or vesicles of DOL which contain 33 mol% cholesterol would not be expected to undergo this phase transition, and the hydration increase observed for these preparations in the same range of temperature is less than 20%.
Activated Self-MHC-Reactive T Cells Have the Cytokine Phenotype of Th3/T Regulatory Cell 1 T Cells

In the present study, we show that human self-MHC-reactive (autoreactive) T cell clones are functionally distinct from Ag-specific T cell clones. Self-MHC-reactive T cells exhibited helper function for B cell Ig production when cultured with non-T cells alone, and they exhibit suppressor function when cultured with PWM- or rCD40 ligand (rCD40L)-activated non-T cells, whereas tetanus toxoid (TT)-specific clones exhibited only helper function in the presence of TT with or without PWM or rCD40L. Addition of neutralizing Abs to the cultures showed that the suppression was mediated by TGF-β but not by IL-10 or IFN-γ. The self-MHC-reactive clones also inhibited proliferation of primary CD4+ T cells and TT-specific T cell clones, but in this case the inhibition was mediated by both IL-10 and TGF-β. In further studies, the interactions between self-MHC-reactive T cell clones and non-T cells that led to suppressor cytokine production have been explored. We found that prestimulation of non-T cells for 8 h with PWM or for 48 h for rCD40L results in non-T cells capable of inducing self-MHC-reactive T cell to produce high levels of TGF-β and IL-10. In addition, these prestimulation times coincided with peak induction of HLA-DR and costimulatory B7 molecule (especially CD86) expression on B cells. Finally, addition of CTLA-4/Fc or blocking F(ab′)2 anti-CTLA-4 mAb, plus optimally stimulated non-T cells, to cultures of self-MHC-reactive clones inhibited the induction of TGF-β but not IL-10 or IFN-γ production. In summary, these studies show that activated self-MHC-reactive T cells have the cytokine phenotype of Th3 or T regulatory cell 1 and thus may be important regulatory cells that mediate oral and peripheral tolerance and prevent the development of autoimmunity.
Oxygenate, oxyalkyl and alkoxycarbonyl thermochemistry and rates for hydrogen abstraction from oxygenates

Ab initio molecular orbital theory calculations are performed at the complete basis set (CBS-Q) level to determine thermochemical parameters (ΔfH298, S298, CTp) of alcohols, methyl ethers, formates, acetates, hydroperoxides, methyl alkylperoxides and the corresponding methoxy, primary and secondary alkoxy radicals derived from these molecular families. A consistent set of 12 Benson groups transferable among these six molecular families is derived from CBS-Q results via regression together with 20 hydrogen bond increment (HBI) group values for estimating the thermochemistry of oxymethyl (˙CH2OX), oxyethyl (CH3CH˙OX), oxyisopropyl ((CH3)2C˙OX) with varying substituent X (= H, CH3, C(O)H, C(O)CH3, OH, OCH3) and alkoxycarbonyl (ROC(O)˙) radicals. These new groups are useful in estimating the thermochemistry of large oxygenated molecules and radicals involved in complex chemical reaction mechanisms. The kinetics of nearly 50 elementary bimolecular hydrogen abstraction reactions belonging to eight different reaction families viz., (i) CH3OX + H˙ → ˙CH2OX + H2, (ii) CH3OX + ˙CH3 → ˙CH2OX + CH4, (iii) CH3CH2OX + H˙ → CH3C˙HOX + H2, (iv) CH3CH2OX + ˙CH3 → CH3C˙HOX + CH4, (v) (CH3)2CHOX + H˙ → (CH3)2C˙OX + H2, (vi) HC(O)OR + H˙ → ˙C(O)OR + H2, (vii) HC(O)OR + ˙CH3 → ˙C(O)OR + CH4, (viii) ROOH + H˙ → ROO˙ + H2 are studied using transition state theory coupled with CBS-Q energetics. The calculated barrier height within a given reaction family varies with the nature of the β substituents. The reliability of the calculated variations in the barrier height with varying β substituents is determined through comparison of the calculated rate constants with the scarcely available experimental data. Thermodynamically consistent generic rate rules have been derived in terms of group additivity. New transferable supergroup values corresponding to the thermochemistry of the reactive moiety in transition structures are developed. The effect of non-next neighbor substituents on the enthalpy of the supergroup is quantified using Evans–Polanyi relations.
Ecosystem classification in a flat, highly fragmented region of Indiana, USA

A multifactor ecosystem classification of the Bluffton Till Plain Subsection of Indiana was created to characterize and organize ecosystem units within the Framework for Hierarchical Ecosystem Classification, which is used in forests throughout the eastern United States. The Bluffton Till Plain is a relatively flat landscape, typified by an undulating plain comprised of glacial till. The region is largely agrarian with forests scattered as distinct woodlots. Through examination of relationships among vegetation, soil, and landform characteristics, the Bluffton Till Plain has been organized into 3 ecological land-types (ELT) and 12 ecological land-type phases (ELTP). Nine herbaceous plant communities were described in the region, and they have been used to indicate site characteristics distinctive of each ELTP. Plant communities were found to be strongly related to landform topography, soil horizon depths, and soil texture through a process that identified communities with cluster analysis and related them to site characteristics with Classification and Regression Tree analysis. The most important factors in determining differences between plant community composition were the landform and landform component, which are related to the swell-and-swale topography of the till plain.
New application of infrared CCD camera

In this paper, the new application of IRCCD camera is introduced. This application is to detect a presence and location of natural gas such as methane or propane gas. In order to detect the presence and location of the gas, an infrared light source and IRCCD camera are used. The natural gas has the special absorption within 3 to 5 micron. When the infrared light from background surroundings goes through the gas, its intensity is reduced by this gas absorption. If the intensity which goes through the gas is very weak, it is difficult to observe the difference. The performance without infrared light source was evaluated before. It was difficult to apply for normal environmental monitoring. Therefore, the infrared light source to increase an intensity from background surroundings was used. To increase the intensity, irradiation to the background surroundings from an observing site, then the reflected light from the background surroundings goes through the gas into the observing site. Therefore, the reflected light which is added to emitted light from the background can be observed. It can make the performance of detecting the gas higher.
The Sexual Performance Perfection Industry and the Medicalization of Male Sexuality

Proponents of new medical technology and pharmacology have succeeded in convincing ever-growing numbers of individuals of the necessity of treating men with sexual dysfunction from a purely medical perspective. This article presents arguments for the deleterious effects of this medicalization of male sexuality. It is asserted that endorsement of what the author has labeled the sexual performance perfection industry paradigm obscures the more insidious and pervasive social and psychological causes of sexual distress.
An Analytic Model for Heterojunction Tunnel FETs With Exponential Barrier

This paper presents an analytic model for double-gate tunnel FETs with an exponential barrier. By carrying out the Wentzel-Kramer–Brillouin integral in closed form, an $I$ – $V$ model is formulated in terms of a single integral of a continuous function with respect to energy. The model shows that source degeneracy helps the linear region $I_{\mathbf {ds}}$ – $V_{\mathbf {ds}}$ characteristics, but degrades the saturation current. Also investigated is the role of the effective density of states on the debiasing of $V_{\mathbf {gs}}$ due to channel inversion charge at low $V_{\mathbf {ds}}$ . A high effective density of states is shown to lead to superlinear $I_{\mathbf {ds}}$ – $V_{\mathbf {ds}}$ characteristics.
Predictors of postoperative hematocrit and association of hematocrit with adverse outcomes for coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: To determine predictors of low intensive care unit (ICU) admission hematocrit, and to determine if low hematocrit is associated with postoperative outcomes for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 8417 patients who underwent CABG surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass in New York in 2007. Patients with very low ICU admission hematocrit (≤21.9%) and low ICU admission hematocrit (22.0% to 25.9%) were identified. Significant independent predictors of low and very low ICU admission hematocrit, and the independent impact of each of these states on adverse outcomes were identified. Results: A total of 1.1% had very low hematocrit and 8.3% had low hematocrit. Significant independent predictors for either low or very low hematocrit included older age, females, lower body surface area, lower ventricular function, Hispanic ethnicity, non-Caucasian race, high creatinine, previous cardiac surgery, absence of left main disease, and emergency transfer to the operating room following catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients with hematocrit ≤21.9% had significantly higher risk-adjusted rates of postoperative bleeding (adjusted OR = 4.37, 95% CI [1.97, 9.68, respiratory failure (adjusted OR = 2.85, 95% CI [1.45, 5.63]), and one or more complications than patients with normal hematocrit. Patients with hematocrit between 22.0% and 25.9% also had higher complication rates. Conclusion: It is important for cardiovascular surgical teams to be aware of risk factors that predispose patients to unacceptable hematocrit values, to monitor values closely, and to treat accordingly in the operating room when low values occur. (J Card Surg 2010;25:638-646)
Corrigendum to “Characterization of substances released from crumb rubber material used on artificial turf fields” [Chemosphere 80 (3) (2010) 279–285]

It was brought to our attention that in Table 4 there are unusual units for the data presented from the leaching experiments. Accordingly these data were reviewed and the following corrections are submitted for the leaching experiments described in the manuscript. Please find the corrected Table 4 below. We are sorry for any inconvenience. The third table provided in Appendix Supplementary Material, is corrected to:
Estimating vertical diffusion from routine meteorological tower measurements

Abstract Data from an instrumented meteorological tower are used to calculate vertical dispersion coefficients and vertical diffusivities using surface layer concepts. The tower instrumentation is similar to that at many power plant sites and only a temperature gradient and wind speed are required for the calculations. The calculated vertical turbulence compares well with bivane data collected on the tower. Calculations of vertical dispersion also compare well with dispersion data collected at other sites.
Reduced Order Model of a Bladed Rotor With Geometric Mistuning: Comparison Between Modified Modal Domain Analysis and Frequency Mistuning Approach

Mistuning has traditionally been modeled through the changes in Young’s moduli of blades, or equivalently through perturbations in the stiffness matrices associated with blades’ degrees of freedom. Such a mistuning is termed as Frequency Mistuning because it alters the blade alone frequencies without altering the mode shapes component associated with the blades. Many reduced order models have been developed for frequency mistuning [1–7]. Although frequency mistuning has been developed for Young’s Modulus mistuning, it is applied to geometric mistuning in the literature. In this paper frequency mistuning is applied to a geometrically mistuned system and the results from Subset of Nominal Modes (SNM) [5] technique, a reduced order model based on frequency mistuning, are compared with those from Modified Modal Domain Analysis (MMDA). It is shown that frequency mistuning analysis is unable to capture the effects of geometric mistuning in general, whereas MMDA provides accurate estimates of natural frequencies, mode shapes and forced response.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
At the water's edge: nitric acid as a weak acid.

Nitric acid plays a role in many important chemical processes that happen in our environment, often at surfaces where less is known about its reactive behavior. Recent studies have shown that undissociated nitric acid is present on the surface of a nitric acid solution. Using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we show that a nitric acid molecule present on an aqueous solution surface structures and orients in a way that significantly reduces its ability to be the strong dissociating acid that it is in aqueous solution. Hydrogen bonding to surface solvating water molecules plays a key role in this altered molecular behavior.
Consumers' price perceptions of promoted products

Abstract Two experiments examined how perceptions of various types of promotions affect consumers' perceptions of price. The first experiment found that offering the same product in the context of a sale or with a coupon lowered consumers' price perceptions to a greater extent than offering it in the context of a rebate. Study Two examined how the time at which the savings of a promotion are received and the effort required to redeem the savings affect price perceptions. When savings were received at the time of purchase, price perceptions were lower than when savings were delayed.
Synthesis and structural determination of 3,5-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone analogs of curcumin

Abstract Analogs of cytotoxic compound 3,5-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone (1) were synthesized and their molecular structures were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, ESI–MS, IR spectra and X-ray crystallography. The central ring of the piperidin-4-one ring assumes a sofa conformation with two benzylidene rings connected through E,E oriented groups. The compound 1 crystallized in triclinic space group P 1 ¯ . In order to obtain potentially more efficacious compounds, three dimers of 3,5-bis(2-fluorobenzylidene)-4-piperidone were synthesized. The two molecules of 1 were conjugated together via N oxalyl N (3), N fumaryl N (4) or N DTPA N (5) linkers. Compound 3 crystallized in monoclinic space group P21/n.
Discrete system identification and iterative solutions of linear systems

A framework is illustrated for analysing and synthesizing parameter identification algorithms from the viewpoint of iterative solutions of linear algebraic equations. The Kudva-Narendra identification procedure is converted into an iterative vector scheme. This scheme is interpreted as being a Jacobi simultaneous over-relaxation method and then reformulated as a successive over-relaxation method. In these identification schemes, the coefficients are up-dated at each iteration based upon the latest measurements of the plant inputs and outputs. Through the framework advocated in this paper, numerical methods technology can potentially provide insights for developing improved identification algorithms and guidelines for their implementation. It is noted that stable adaptive observers can also be designed within this framework for the simultaneous estimation of both the plant state and parameters from input-output measurements.
Enzyme-assisted reforming of glucose to hydrogen in a photoelectrochemical cell.

Abstract Hydrogen gas has been produced by reforming glucose in a hybrid photoelectrochemical cell that couples a dye-sensitized nanoparticulate wide band gap semiconductor photoanode to the enzyme-based oxidation of glucose. A layer of porphyrin sensitizer is adsorbed to a TiO2 nanoparticulate aggregate sintered to a conducting glass substrate to form the photoanode. Excitation of the porphyrin results in electron injection into the TiO2, and migration to a microporous platinum cathode where hydrogen is produced by hydrogen ion reduction. The oxidized sensitizer dye is reduced by NADH, regenerating the dye and poising the NAD+/NADH redox couple oxidizing. The NAD+ is recycled to NADH by the enzyme glucose dehydrogenase, which obtains the necessary electrons from oxidation of glucose. The reforming of glucose produces gluconolactone, which hydrolyzes to gluconate; the electrochemical potential necessary to overcome thermodynamic and kinetic barriers to hydrogen production by NADH is provided by light. The...
Evidence that Brown Adipose Tissue Is a Glucocorticoid Target Organ

The aim of these experiments was to determine whether brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a glucocorticoid target organ. The interscapular fat pad from adrenalectomized rats was used in steroid-binding experiments to ascertain whether BAT contained glucocorticoid receptors. Bound and free steroids were separated by Sephadex chromatography. The time course of [3H]dexamethasone (9α-fluoro-16α-methyl- 16β,17α,21-trihydroxypregna-l,4-diene-3,20-dione) binding to BAT cytosol reached a plateau between 1 and 2 h at 0 C and remained stable for 5 h; there was extensive decay by 24 h. Cytosol incubated with increasing concentrations of [3H]dexamethasone for 3 h at 0 C exhibited a saturable number of binding sites. Scatchard analysis showed the binding to be to a homogeneous class of binding sites with an apparent dissociation constant of 6.5 nM and a concentration of 161 fmol/mg cytosol protein. The relative potency of a variety of steroids for the BAT-binding site was assessed by competi tive binding assay. The site res...
Commentary: Using Scales Assessing Functional Impairment in Supplemental Security Income Eligibility Determination

The 10-year review of scales assessing functional impairment by Winters et al. (2005) in this issue provides an informative, well-organized, and exhaustive review of the literature. The construct of functional impairment is differentiated from the severity of disorder. Scales in each category are reviewed in a uniform manner covering the following headings: general description, scales and scoring, normative data, psychometric properties, applications, and advantages and disadvantages. The focus on functional impairment is attributed to three sources: (1) DSM-IV system, which requires distress or impairment, not just signs and symptoms but a measure of ‘‘caseness’’; (2) a need by providers, administrators, and parents to track treatment outcomes via improvement in functioning; and (3) the field of outcomes research. The authors include a section devoted to the selection of an appropriate scale based on the user’s need for overall measure, domain specific, strength based or level, and types of services needed. The findings indicate that most scales are fairly new and may not have the benefit of field research or thorough psychometric testing. However, it is clear that there are some scales that are better suited to address different clinical and research purposes and that scales are being used more and more in the public sector. The authors conclude with a section on future directions that poses three areas that merit future work. The third area focuses on the identification of appropriate versus inappropriate applications of the scales and raises the issue of using these scales to determine eligibility of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Winters et al. (2005) write, ‘‘Further research is needed to ascertain how these scales function for specific populations, contexts, and purposes. For example, use of the scales to determine eligibility for services or entitlements such as SSI may predispose them to rater bias.’’ Given the prominent role functional impairment plays in the determination of SSI benefits for children, this commentator suggests that the utility of such scales receive consideration as to how they may contribute to a complicated SSI eligibility determination process. This commentary provides an overview of the SSI eligibility process and the importance of appreciating functional impairment with regard to SSI, discusses some of the concerns raised by the authors’ with regard to the use of functional assessment scales and SSI determination, and suggests that such scales would aid those involved with SSI assessments.
Crossover at a bicritical point: behavior of the hard susceptibility

Abstract We show how to use the minimal subtraction scheme and asymmetric renormalization procedure to calculate the crossover behavior of the hard susceptibility in the case of an anisotropic system near a bicritical point. The effective exponent governing the singular temperature dependence of the hard susceptibility changes from γN to 1−αM as T → Tc, where N is the total number of spin components, M is the number of soft components, γN is the O(N) susceptibility exponent and αM is the O(M) specific heat exponent. The full crossover function is obtained using a trajectory integral approach.
Antecedents and consequences of personal attachment in cross-cultural cooperative ventures

This study examines how personal attachments between boundary spanners within cross-cultural international cooperative ventures (ICV) are established and their association with venture performance. Results of analysis of 282 ICVs in an emerging market, the People's Republic of China, show that the development depends on factors at three levels. At the individual level, attachment is an increasing function of overlap in tenure between boundary spanners. At the organizational level, attachment is heightened by goal congruity between the parent firms but is impeded by cultural distance. At the environmental level, market disturbance and regulatory deterrence lead to strong attachments. Such attachments may stimulate an ICV's process performance and increase financial returns.
Towards Reliable Scheduling Schemes for Long-lived Replaceable Sensor Networks

To address energy constraint problem in sensor networks, node reclamation and replacement strategy has been proposed for networks accessible to human beings and robots. The major challenge in realizing the strategy is how to minimize the system maintenance cost, especially the frequency in replacing sensor nodes with limited number of backup nodes. New duty cycle scheduling schemes are required in order to address the challenge. Tong et al. have proposed a staircase-based scheme to address the problem based on ideal assumptions of sensor nodes that are free of failure and have regular energy consumption rate. Since sensor nodes are often deployed in outdoor unattended environment, node failures are inevitable. Energy consumption rates of sensor nodes are irregular due to manufacture or environmental reasons. Hence, this paper proposes several new schemes to achieve reliable scheduling for node reclamation and replacement. Extensive simulations have been conducted to verify that the proposed scheme is effective and efficient.
Three-illumination-beam phase-shifted holographic interferometry study of thermally induced displacements on a printed wiring board.

Spatially resolved measurement of thermally induced surface displacements of printed wiring boards using phase-shifted holographic interferometry is discussed. Three separate holograms with three linearly independent illumination beams were recorded. The interferograms were viewed in real time from a fixed detector location, and phase maps corresponding to each illumination direction were generated with the phase-shifting interferometer. The phase maps are then used to compute the displacements on a point by point basis. The measurement accuracy is estimated to be ±0.004 μm out-of-plane and ±0.02 μm in-plane over a temperature range of 40°C. The system was tested on a through hole in a printed wiring board; the results of this test are discussed. Phase computation and unwrapping, data reduction, experimental geometry, surface preparation, and displacement computation are discussed.
Topic dynamics: an alternative model of bursts in streams of topics

For some time there has been increasing interest in the problem of monitoring the occurrence of topics in a stream of events, such as a stream of news articles. This has led to different models of bursts in these streams, i.e., periods of elevated occurrence of events. Today there are several burst definitions and detection algorithms, and their differences can produce very different results in topic streams. These definitions also share a fundamental problem: they define bursts in terms of an arrival rate. This approach is limiting; other stream dimensions can matter. We reconsider the idea of bursts from the standpoint of a simple kind of physics. Instead of focusing on arrival rates, we reconstruct bursts as a dynamic phenomenon, using kinetics concepts from physics -- mass and velocity -- and derive momentum, acceleration, and force from these. We refer to the result as topic dynamics, permitting a hierarchical, expressive model of bursts as intervals of increasing momentum. As a sample application, we present a topic dynamics model for the large PubMed/MEDLINE database of biomedical publications, using the MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) topic hierarchy. We show our model is able to detect bursts for MeSH terms accurately as well as efficiently.
Diligence and laziness in chinese agricultural production teams

Abstract A simple numerical game-theoretic framework is used to explore the effects of rising work disutility on individual household work effort decisions in Chinese agricultural production teams. Effects of changes in the importance of distribution ‘according to labor’, concern for other members of the team, and peer pressure on team work performance are discussed, and resolution of a ‘prisoner's dilemma’ situation is shown to be central to the eventual outcome.
Thermally stable γ-methalallylboranes

Abstract Syntheses are described for but-1-en-3-ylbis(dimethylamino)borane and but-1-en-3-yl(dimethylamino)methoxyborane, the first γ-methylallylboranes inert to thermal allylic rearrangement at ambient temperatures.
Binaural detection as a function of signal frequency and noise level

This is a continuation of work by a number of investigators on the dependency of binaural masking-level differences (MLDs) upon signal frequency and noise spectrum level. Monaural (SM) and binaural (Sn) signals of 150, 250, 500, and 1,200 Hz were employed. The spectrum level of correlated noise (NO) was varied between +10 and +55 dB. The results show that, with very low noise levels (+10 dB), the largest MLDs for monaural and binaural signals are obtained at 500 Hz (4 and 9 dB, respectively). As the noise level is raised to +55 dB, the signal frequency at which the largest MLDs occur shifts to 250 Hz (12 and 18 dB). At 150 Hz, the MLD increases from less than 1 and 3 dB to about 10 and 17 dB as the noise level is increased from +10 to +55 dB. At 1,200 Hz, the MLD is relatively independent of noise level. Data are presented to support the argument that the small MLDs found with low-frequency signals at low noise levels are a special case of the effects upon detection of reducing the correlation of the masker due to the presence of uncorrelated acoustic noise generated under earphones and internal auditory system noise.
Inclusive classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Critical variables

(1996). Inclusive classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Critical variables. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 35, Inclusive Schools: The Continuing Debate, pp. 51-57.
Disialoganglioside directed immunotherapy of neuroblastoma

Achieving a cure for metastatic neuroblastoma remains a challenge despite sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Most patients achieve remission, but a failure to eliminate minimal residual disease (MRD) often leads to relapse. Immunotherapy is potentially useful for chemotherapy-resistant disease and may be particularly effective for low levels of MRD that are below the threshold for detection by routine radiological and histological methods. Disialoganglioside (GD2), a surface glycolipid antigen that is ubiquitous and abundant on neuroblastoma cells is an ideal target for immunotherapy. Anti-GD2 monoclonal antibodies currently form the mainstay of neuroblastoma immunotherapy and their safety profile has been well-established. Although responses in patients with gross disease have been observed infrequently, histologic responses of bone marrow disease are consistently achieved in >75 percent of patients with primary refractory neuroblastoma. The advent of highly sensitive and specific molecular assays to measure MRD has confirmed the efficacy anti-GD2 antibody immunotherapy in patients with subclinical disease. Such markers will allow further optimization of other anti-MRD therapies. We review the current status of anti-GD2 clinical trials for neuroblastoma and novel preclinical GD2-targeted strategies for this rare but often lethal childhood cancer.