cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Don\'t Get Above Your Raisin\': Country Music and the Southern Working Class

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Bill Malone Year: 2005 Pages: 432 Publisher: University of Illinois Press ISBN: 0-252-07366-5 (soft cover). Prices: $24.95 USD(soft cover).
Use of yttrium for the recovery of tritium from lithium at low concentrations

A particularly difficult problem for first-generation fusion power reactor systems is the recovery of tritium at very low concentration levels from the reactor blanket when lithium metal is the principal tritium breeding medium. On the basis of recent data and reasonable extrapolations, the authors show that it is likely that yttrium metal can be used to extract tritium from lithium at concentrations as low as 10/sup -6/ atom fraction tritium in lithium under conditions that are practicable for commercial power machines. 26 refs.
Cooperative Configuration Change in EuPd 2 Si 2

$4{f}^{7}\ensuremath{\rightleftarrows}4{f}^{6}+e$ charge fluctuations (inferered from $^{151}\mathrm{Eu}$ M\"ossbauer spectroscopy) in Eu${\mathrm{Pd}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$ show a strong nonlinear thermal dependence when compared to those observed in dilute Eu in La${\mathrm{Pd}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$. This nonlinear behavior is well described by extending the interconfigurational fluctuation model to include a cooperative intersite coupling of the interconfigurational fluctuation excitation energy to the $4f$ occupation number. Eu nuclear vibrational damping occurs in the region of greatest charge instability.
Sarah Ellis's The Women of England: Domestic Happiness and Gender Performance

As both a reaction and a complement to Lockean liberalism and the mechanism of capitalist markets, separate spheres ideology fostered an expectation that domestic women work to off-set fears about ...
Identifying VAR models under rational expectations

Abstract This paper shows that the exclusion restrictions used to identify structural vector autoregressions (SVARs) generally yield inconsistent parameter estimates under rational expectations. I develop an alternative method of identifying rational-expectations models within the SVAR framework that circumvents the need of imposing stringent identifying restrictions on the dynamic processes for technologies, preferences, and other mechanisms (e.g., adjustment costs). These strong restrictions may explain why rational-expectations models are frequently rejected by the data. Two empirical examples demonstrate the feasibility and potential advantages of this alternative modeling strategy.
Trypanosoma brucei brucei:Characterization of an ODC Null Bloodstream Form Mutant and the Action of Alpha-difluoromethylornithine

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a key enzyme in the polyamine synthesis pathway in African trypanosomes. We report here the characterization of an ODC null bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei brucei mutant, created by replacing the ODC gene with antibiotic resistant marker genes through transfection and homologous recombination. The null mutant expresses no ODC mRNA or protein and does not have ODC enzymatic activity. We tested the attenuation of the bloodstream form ODC- mutants in mice, and showed that these mutants cannot multiply and are quickly cleared from the blood. We also tested the effect of DFMO on this ODC null mutant.
Stable isotope methodology and gas chromatography mass spectrometry in a pharmacokinetic study of phenobarbital

A pharmacokinetic study of phenobarbital labeled with stable (nonradioactive) isotopes [1,3-15N, 2-13C] was conducted in patients undergoing chronic drug treatment for epilepsy. A pulse dose of stable isotope labeled phenobarbital was administered when plasma concentration of unlabeled phenobarbital was at a steady state. Plasma concentration-time profile of the labeled drug was obtained from serial blood samples using a gas chromatography mass spectrometry computer system. The data were used for pharmacokinetic analysis of the absorption, elimination and clearance of phenobarbital. Currently, this method is being used to study mechanisms of drug-drug interactions during antiepileptic therapy.
Calculation of the crystal field hamiltonian for an arbitrary distribution of ligands

Abstract A simple FORTRAN routine is given for the calculation of the terms which occur in the crystal field Hamiltonian based upon a point charge model. The results may be readily applied to the generation of matrix elements by operator equivalents or any of the other commonly used methods. A table of the numerical factors is given for the most common geometries.
Ellen Thomas Receives 2012 Maurice Ewing Medal: Citation

Ellen Thomas was awarded the 2012 Maurice Ewing Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 5 December 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “significant original contributions to the scientific understanding of the processes in the ocean; for the advancement of oceanographic engineering, technology, and instrumentation; and for outstanding service to the marine sciences”.
Lagrangian dispersion in turbulent flow from laser transit anemometry

The Lagrangian dispersion function in turbulent flow can be determined from measurements of the probability that a particle which is observed in a small volume is not observed in a similar size volume downstream. In this work a single-detector method is proposed to detect the particle arrivals in a multiple series of scattering volumes; the probability can be determined from the digital record over a long time compared to the turbulent integral time scale. The method is tested at locations downstream of a water spray nozzle and a submerged jet of dilute polymer solutions.
Instructional Coherence in Chinese Mathematics Classroom--A Case Study of Lessons on Fraction Division.

In this study, we examined the instructional coherence in a Chinese mathematics classroom by analyzing a sequence of four videotaped lessons on the topic of fraction division. Our analysis focused on the characteristics of instructional coherence both within and across individual lessons. A framework was developed to focus on lesson instruction in terms of its content and process and the teacher's use of classroom discourse. The analyses of lesson instruction were further supplemented with the analyses of teaching materials and interviews with the teacher. The findings go beyond previous studies that mainly focused on a single lesson to provide further evidence about Chinese teachers' instructional practices and their possible impact on students' learning. In particular, the teacher tried to help students build knowledge connections and coherence through lesson instruction. Results also suggest that coherent curriculum and the teacher's perception of the knowledge coherence facilitated the teacher's construction of coherent classroom instruction.
Reliable Simulation on the Performance of InGaAsP Optical Quantum-Well Electroabsorption Modulator

Accurate and reliable simulation of the performance of InP-based QW-EAM’s was executed, which yielded essentially identical results to the experimental data. Subsequently, asymmetric double quantum wells are predicted to enhance slope efficiency by more than 300 %.
Defocus electron microscopy of multiphase polymers: use and misuse.

Abstract Application of defocus microscopy to the imaging of multiphase polymers is investigated. Theoretical image contrast of ideally phase separated, model objects is predicted by application of the transfer theory of imaging. The calculations are in good agreement with observed images of a polypropylene film. Easy recognition of the cross-hatched structure of polypropylene, however, necessitates the use of very high defocus values. Application of this defocus technique to more complex systems causes problems. Defocused images of a polyurethane film are found to be indistinguishable from those of a carbon film or an amorphous polystyrene film, i.e. the image is dominated by the spatially filtered noise structure. It is suggested that previous electron-micrographs of domain structures of polyurethanes have been misinterpreted.
Race Discourses and Antiracist Practices in a Local Women's Movement

Increasingly, feminist scholars examine how the stability of racial hierarchies is maintained through discourse. This article explores the importance of race discourse in the construction of white women's accounts explaining their race politics. Specifically, the author examines the connections between race discourse and politics as they emerged in interviews with white women involved in a local women's movement between 1972 and 1999. The interviews revealed five discursive strategies women used to talk about race and the movement's antiracist practices. In addition, one of the most important contributions of this study is the evidence it provides of the relationship between the discursive construction of an “invisible white self” and the broader structure of power relations.
On knowing the auxiliary of a verb that cannot be named: Evidence for the independence of grammatical and phonological aspects of lexical knowledge

We report the case of an Italian anomic subject who was invariably able to provide the auxiliary of verbs he failed to produce in oral naming tasks. This pattern of performance contrasts with that of another Italian-speaking patient documented by Miceli and Caramazza (1988) who showed a selective impairment in accessing syntactic features of words, but not their phonological forms. This double dissociation suggests that syntactic and phonological information in the lexicon are accessed independently and represented in distinct neural structures.
Performance of Networked XML-Driven Co-Operative Applications

Web services are an emerging software technology that employ XML, e.g., W3C’s SOAP [1], to share and exchange data. They are a building block of cooperative applications that communicate using a network, they may serve as wrappers for legacy data sources, integrate multiple remote data sources, filter information by processing queries (function shipping), etc. Web services are based on the concept of “software and data as a service”. With those that interact with an end user, a fast response time is the difference between the following two scenarios: (1) users issuing requests, retrieving their results, and visiting the service repeatedly, and (2) users issuing requests, waiting for response and walking away prior to retrieving their results, with a lower likelihood of issuing future requests for this web service. One may employ a middleware to enhance performance by minimizing the impact of transmission time. This is accomplished by compressing messages. This paper identifies factors that this middleware must consider in order to reduce response time. In particular, it must ensure the overhead of compression (increased CPU time) does not exceed its savings (lower transmission time).
Superior Students' Occupational Preferences and Their Fathers' Occupations

The relationship between the occupational preferences of 147 superior students and their fathers' occupations was traced over the 4-year period that the students attended high schools in Wisconsin. Analysis of the data indicated that both male and female superior students tended to state vocational preferences at the professional level early in high school and to maintain this preference throughout. Their occupational preferences were generally at a higher level than those of their fathers. There was no trend away from general preferences for work at a professional level toward naming of specific occupations within that level. The results suggest that theories of vocational development that imply that stages are passed through during later adolescent periods do not apply to the superior student population of this study.
Head-up tilt test with clomipramine challenge in vasovagal syndrome--a new tilt testing protocol.

Purpose The aim of the study was to randomly compare clomipramine, used as a challenge-agent during head-up tilt test, with isoproterenol, used in the conventional test, in patients with vasovagal syndrome. Subjects and methods The serotonergic re-uptake inhibitor clomipramine was infused (5mg in 5min) at the start of head-up tilt test (Clom-HUT) in 126 patients (mean age 41+/-16 years) with positive history of recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope, and in 54 healthy control subjects (mean age 46+/-15 years). All subjects had also been tested with a conventional 60 degrees head-up tilt test (Con-HUT) for 30 min and, if negative, isoproterenol infusion was performed at the end of the test. The two tests were performed in a random order with a 24-h interval between them. Results Fifty-two of the 126 patients (41%) and two of the 54 controls had a positive response to Con-HUT. In the Clom-HUT the proportion of patients who experienced a positive response increased to 83% (105 subjects), while this happened only to four control subjects. The predictive accuracy of Clom-HUT increased compared to Con-HUT from 58 to 86%, respectively. Conclusion The results indicate an increased responsiveness of central serotonergic neural system in subjects with vasovagal syndrome, the activation of which leads to sympathetic withdrawal. The use of clomipramine infusion during tilt test seems to improve considerably its diagnostic value.
Statistical methods for regular monitoring data

Summary. Meteorological and environmental data that are collected at regular time intervals on a fixed monitoring network can be usefully studied combining ideas from multiple time series and spatial statistics, particularly when there are little or no missing data. This work investigates methods for modelling such data and ways of approximating the associated likelihood functions. Models for processes on the sphere crossed with time are emphasized, especially models that are not fully symmetric in space–time. Two approaches to obtaining such models are described. The first is to consider a rotated version of fully symmetric models for which we have explicit expressions for the covariance function. The second is based on a representation of space–time covariance functions that is spectral in just the time domain and is shown to lead to natural partially nonparametric asymmetric models on the sphere crossed with time. Various models are applied to a data set of daily winds at 11 sites in Ireland over 18 years. Spectral and space–time domain diagnostic procedures are used to assess the quality of the fits. The spectral-in-time modelling approach is shown to yield a good fit to many properties of the data and can be applied in a routine fashion relative to finding elaborate parametric models that describe the space–time dependences of the data about as well.
Paleotemperature and paleosalinity history of the estern Mediterranean during the Late Quaternary

Abstract Faunal and isotopic studies of continuous deep-sea cores were used to determine the paleotemperature and paleosalinity history of the eastern Mediterranean for the last 500,000 years. Temperature-related changes in the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages appear to be synchronous with glacial/interglacial changes in the open ocean. The oxygen isotopic records reveal fluctuations of up to 5%, much higher than the average open ocean glacial/interglacial amplitude. The abnormally high depletions in both 18 O and 13 C are consistently associated with sapropel layers and they are considered to be due to reduced surface salinities. The apparent phase difference between the isotopic and faunal records for stages 1–7 (last 250,000 years) does not represent real temporal leads or lags, but is due instead to regional salinity changes in the isotopic record superimposed on the global ice volume effect. A detailed study of Termination II (127,000 yr. B.P.) in a core east of Crete reveals a distinct set of paleoceanographic events associated with this rapid deglaciation. These include: (1) a rapid increase in surface water temperatures at about 127,000 yr. B.P.; (2) the deposition of sapropel D at about 125,000 yr. B.P.; (3) a localized increase in surface productivity also at 125,000 yr. B.P.; and (4) the return to normal open-marine conditions by about 120,000 yr. B.P.
Using Sport Science to Improve Coaching: A Case Study of the American Record Holder in the Women's Hammer Throw

Conclusions from biomechanical data can make a significant difference in the performance of athletes in the hammer throw if properly understood by coaches. By utilizing this scientific approach to the hammer throw event, the throws coach will be able to determine more accurate adjustments and devise training stimuli to better accommodate the athlete. In this case study, we have attempted to bridge the gap between the researcher and the coach in our approach to teaching the hammer throw, by integrating biomechanical analysis. We have employed the use of video analysis as an essential part of our coaching/teaching system. This USATF Women's development hammer project is an example in which the cooperation between sport science and coaching helped to produce an American record of 73.87m by Erin Gilreath in the women's hammer in 2005.
Enzymatic conversion of 5'-phosphate-terminated RNA to 5'-di- and triphosphate-terminated RNA

Abstract We have isolated from vaccinia virus cores an enzyme, 5'-phosphate-polyribonucleotide kinase, that in the presence of ATP and Mg2+ catalyzes the conversion of 5'-phosphate and 5'-diphosphate termini of RNA to the 5'-triphosphate species. With the exception of dATP, other nucleoside triphosphates were inactive as phosphate donors; activity with dATP was 10% of that observed with ATP. The purified enzyme did not phosphorylate 5'-hydroxyl- or 5'-monophosphate-terminated polydeoxyribonucleotides, although a variety of 5'- monophosphate-terminated RNA chains were active as phosphate acceptors. By using a coupled system of 5'-phosphate-polyribonucleotide kinase and guanylyltransferase in the presence of ATP, GTP, Mg2+, and S-adenosylmethionine, capping of 5'-P-, 5'-PP-, and 5'-PPP-RNA was demonstrated; in the absence of 5'-phosphate-polyribonucleotide kinase only 5'-PPP-RNA was capped by guanylyltransferase.
Estimating the impact of fuel-switching between liquid fuels and electricity under electricity-sector carbon-pricing schemes

Abstract Switching from liquid fuels to electricity in the transportation and heating sectors can result in greenhouse gas emissions reductions. These reductions are maximized when electricity-sector carbon emissions are constrained through policy measures. We use a linear optimization, generation expansion/dispatch model to evaluate the impact of increased electricity demand for plug-in electric vehicle charging on the generating portfolio, overall generating fuel mix, and the costs of electricity generation. We apply this model to the PJM Interconnect and ISO-New England Regional Transmission Organization service areas assuming a CO2 pricing scheme that is applied to the electricity sector but does not directly regulate emissions from other sectors. We find that a shift from coal toward natural gas and wind generation is sufficient to achieve a 50% reduction in electricity-sector CO2 emissions while supporting vehicle charging for 25% of the vehicle fleet. The price impacts of these shifts are sensitive to demand side price responsiveness and the capital costs of new wind construction.
The Relationship Between Parental Involvement and Urban Secondary School Student Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis is undertaken, including 52 studies, to determine the influence of parental involvement on the educational outcomes of urban secondary school children. Statistical analyses are done...
Whole pelvic radiotherapy versus prostate only radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced or aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma.

Purpose To determine whether whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) or prostate-only radiotherapy (PORT) yields improved biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) in patients with advanced or aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma. Methods and Materials Between 2000 and 2007, a consecutive sample of 277 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and at least a 15% likelihood of lymph node involvement who had undergone WPRT (n = 68) or PORT (n = 209) at two referral centers was analyzed. The median radiation dose in both arms was 75.6 Gy. The outcome measure was BDFS, as determined using the prostate-specific antigen nadir + 2 ng/mL definition of failure. BDFS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log–rank test. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess for confounding. Treatment-related toxicity was assessed using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events guidelines. The median follow-up was 30 months. Results WPRT patients had more advanced and aggressive disease at baseline (p Conclusion WPRT may yield improved BDFS in patients with advanced or aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma, but results in a greater incidence of acute toxicity.
Clonidine reduces hyperpolarization-activated inward current (Ih) in rat hypoglossal motoneurons.

Abstract We used intracellular recording techniques to investigate the actions of clonidine on hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in rat brainstem slices. Clonidine (10–100 μM) produced a small (2–6 mV), dose-dependent hyperpolarization in HMs, accompanied by an increase in peak input resistance ( R N ). It also slowed the time course of the depolarizing `sag' of the voltage response to constant hyperpolarizing current steps. These effects were mimicked by the α 2 -adrenoceptor ( α 2 -AR) agonist guanabenz, but not by the I 1 -imidazoline receptor agonists moxonidine or rilmenidine. Recorded in single-electrode voltage clamp mode, clonidine decreased input conductance of HMs and reduced the amplitude of a hyperpolarization-activated inward current ( I h ). Clonidine's effect on I h was three-fold: it shifted the half-activation voltage ( V 1/2 ) in the hyperpolarizing direction (by 4.4±0.7 mV at a dose of 10 μM), decreased the maximal current (by ∼20%), and slowed the time course of I h activation at all voltage steps. At the most hyperpolarized potential steps, clonidine slowed activation of I h dramatically, yielding a striking increase in the activation time constant. The α 2 -AR antagonists yohimbine and idazoxan reduced clonidine's effect on V 1/2 and on the I h activation time course, but neither blocked clonidine's reduction of the maximal current, nor its strong slowing of I h activation at the most hyperpolarized steps. We were unable to mimic or occlude clonidine's actions with the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ 22536 nor with the non-specific protein kinase inhibitor H-7. We conclude that clonidine hyperpolarizes HMs via a reduction of the amount of I h that is active at rest, and that the response is mediated in part by α 2 -ARs. Some effects of clonidine on these neurons do not appear to be receptor-mediated, and may be due to physical block by clonidine of I h channels.
New refinements and validation of the collection-6 MODIS land-surface temperature/emissivity product

Abstract According to the radiance-based (R-based) validation of the collection-5 or version-5 (C5 or V5) Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land-surface temperature (LST) level-2 products at 42 sites in a wide LST range in different seasons and years, the LST errors are within ± 2 K (within ± 1 K in most cases) for all the sites but six bare soil sites. The V5 LSTs are underestimated by more than 2 K and up to 4.5 K at the desert site near In-salah, Algeria. Three refinements were implemented in the V6.3.0 daily LST Product Generation Executive (PGE)16 code: 1) refine the original viewing angle dependent split-window algorithm by adding two sets of coefficients separately for retrieval of daytime and nighttime LSTs at bare soil pixels in the hot and warm bare soil zone (HAWBSZ) within latitude range from − 38° to 49.5°, 2) adjust the emissivity difference in bands 31 and 32 for bare soil pixels in HAWBSZ, and 3) incorporate the new refined split-window algorithm into the day/night algorithm for retrieving surface emissivity and temperature values at 6 km grids in HAWBSZ. The V6.3.0 PGE16 code was tested with C6 Aqua and Terra MODIS input data over a period of one year or longer in selected tile regions. The resulting C6 level-2 LST products were evaluated at five bare soil sites in north Africa, where radiosonde observation data for atmospheric temperature and water vapor profiles are available, with 12 R-based validation data sets as follows: the mean LST error is within ± 0.6 K in 10 validate data sets, 0.8 K in one data set (for daytime LSTs at SVU site) and 1.9 K in another set (for daytime LSTs at Farafra site). The standard deviation of the C6 LST validation errors is less than 0.5 K in all the 12 validation data sets but the data set for daytime LSTs at Farafra site at 0.7 K. Statistical and viewing angle dependence analyses of the retrieved surface emissivity values also indicate that the C6 level-3 LST products are much better than the previous C4.1 and C5 products.
Thermodynamic investigation of binary mixtures with weak charge transfer interactions

Abstract Isothermal vapor—liquid equilibrium data for the toluene + nitrobenzene, ethylbenzene + nitrobenzene, propylbenzene + nitrobenzene and butylbenzene + nitrobenzene systems were obtained at 100°C. The data are found to be consistent. Excess volumes for the same systems were obtained at 25°C. An attempt is made to interpret the data in terms of charge transfer interactions.
Policy Dissension and Party Discipline: The July 2005 Vote on Postal Privatization in Japan

This article examines party discipline and party cohesion or defection, offering as an illustration the rebellion over postal privatization in 2005 by members of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It explores the importance of party rules – especially the seniority rule and policy specialization for district rewards – as intervening variables between election rules and party defection in a decentralized and diverse party. It is argued that in such cases, party rules like seniority can help prevent defection. When these rules are changed, as in the postal case of 2005, defection is more probable, but it is found that the relationship between defection and seniority is likely to be curvilinear, and also that the curvilinearity is conditional upon each legislator's having different incentives for vote, policy and office.
Managing hair loss in midlife women

Hair is considered one of the most defining aspects of human appearance. Hair loss, or alopecia in women is often met with significant emotional distress and anxiety. In midlife, women may encounter various hormonal and age-related physiologic changes that can lead to alterations in hair texture and growth. The most significant hormonal alteration is the onset of menopause in which there is a cessation of ovarian estrogen production. This decrease in estrogen is known to have deleterious effects on the skin and cutaneous appendages. As our understanding of the molecular and hormonal controls on the hair follicle has grown, there has been increased interest in the various modulators of hair growth, including the potential role of estrogen. Further study of hair changes in midlife women provides an important opportunity for identification of the complex regulation of hair growth as well as identification of treatment targets that may specifically benefit women. In this review, management of hair loss in midlife women is discussed with a focus on three most commonly encountered clinical conditions: female pattern hair loss, hair shaft alterations due to hair care, and telogen effluvium.
Differential activation of the JNK signal pathway by UV irradiation and glucose deprivation.

Exposure of mammalian cells to ultraviolet (UV) light or glucose deprivation activates c-Jun NH 2 -terminal protein kinase (JNK). However, the exact mechanism by which UV induces JNK activation is not yet understood completely. Previously, we have observed that glucose deprivation activates the ASK1-SEK1-JNK signal transduction pathway. In the present study, we reveal that UVC irradiation-induced JNK activation has a different signal transduction pathway from glucose deprivation. UVC irradiation increases the interaction between JIP3 and MEKK1, SEK1, while glucose deprivation increases the interaction between JIP3 and ASK1, SEK1, and JNK. UVC irradiation activates MEKK1 rather than ASK1. We also observed that MEKK1 interacted with Grb2 and Grb2-MEKK1 complex was recruited to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) after UVC irradiation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that UVC-induced JNK activation adopts a different signaling cascade (EGFR-Grb2-MEKK1-SEK1-JNK) from glucose deprivation (ASK1-SEK1-JNK).
Airway complications after isolated lung transplantation

Bronchial complication remains a significant cause of morbidity after lung transplantation. Ischemia, infection, and rejection are important predisposing factors in the development of this complication. The reported incidence of this complication greatly varies among institutions, and controversy still exists as to the best surgical technique to minimize the incidence. Donor selection, preservation technique, and recipient management are likely important factors when deciding on the surgical technique. Complete dehiscence of an anastomosis is a rare event but usually requires a surgical revision and frequently is fatal. Partial bronchial dehiscence, stenosis, malacia, and obstructing granulation tissue or tumor can usually be managed with endoscopic techniques by using laser resection or cryoablation with or without stent placement in addition to treatment of associated rejection and infection. The overall incidence of post-lung transplant bronchial complication has declined over the years. Future advances in the donor preservation and recipient management of subclinical rejection and infection are likely to further reduce this significant morbidity after isolated lung transplantation.
Dynamic Visual Inspection: Queueing Models

Dynamic visual inspection is required in many different industrial contexts. This article will focus on the process of inspecting items moving along a conveyor belt for defects of one form or another. A limited capacity queueing model (LCQM) of subjects' behavior in dynamic visual inspection tasks is proposed. The LCQM is shown to fit the results from a recent study by Wentworth and Buck (1982). In addition, it is shown how one can increase both productivity and profits in dynamic visual inspection tasks using the LCQM. Language: en
Woofing and weeping with animals in the last days

The medieval eschatological tradition of the ‘15 Signs of the Last Days’ pays special attention to the anguish of animals. This attention seems unnecessary, as animals will not be judged, or resurrected, but only destroyed. Their unnecessary cries might be heard as the cry of life for itself, now useless to God and humans, and also as a reminder to humans of the richness of the worlded selves they abandon in their fantasy of celestial life freed from the flux of worldly being.
Large-eddy simulations of turbulent methane jet flames with filtered mass density function

Abstract The filtered mass density function (FMDF) model (Jaberi et al. 1999 [1] ) is employed for large eddy simulations (LES) of “high speed” partially-premixed methane jet flames with the “flamelet” and “finite-rate” kinetics models. The FMDF is the joint probability density function (PDF) of the scalars and is determined via the solution of a set of stochastic differential equations. The LES/FMDF is implemented using a highly scalable, parallel hybrid Eulerian–Lagrangian numerical scheme. The LES/FMDF results are shown to compare well with the experimental data for all flow conditions when “appropriate” reaction and mixing models are employed.
Quantitative product study of russell termination reactions of peroxy radicals in the gas phase

Detailed product patterns have been obtained from flowing alkylperoxy radical mixtures by cryogenic trapping of the total gas stream, followed by analysis. A discharge flow reactor was used, and initiation of the reaction sequence was by O(3P) or Cl(2P) atoms. R H + O → R · + O H ( a 1 ) R H + C l → R · + H C l ( a 2 ) The gas composition was >98% O2, 1% RH and R R ′ C H · + O 2 → R R ′ C H O O · ( a 3 ) 2 R R ′ C H O O · → 2 R R ′ C H O · + O 2 ( a 4 ) 2 R R ′ C H O O · → R R ′ C = O + R R ′ C H O H + O 2 ( a 5 ) R R ′ C H O · → R C H O + R ′ · ( a 6 ) The β-scission reaction, a6, consumes virtually all alkoxy, hence carbonyl and alcohol products having the unaltered carbon skeleton of the RH reactant (≥50% of all products) were assigned exclusively to termination by reaction a5. Experiments were done in mixed primary and/or secondary and/or tertiary systems, and quantitative structural isomer analyses obtained. These establish that the formation mechanism for the unfragmented carbonyls and alcohols involves a peroxy radical dimer. An independent experiment showed the presence of O2(1Σ→3Σ) chemiluminescence which we attribute to termination by a5, in the isopropylperoxy system. It is claimed that these results are conclusive evidence for the occurrence of termination reaction, a5, by the concerted Russell mechanism: Download : Download full-size image
Manufacturing implementation of scatterometry and other techniques for 300-mm lithography tool controls

ABSTRACT Focus and dose control of lithography tools for leading edge semiconductor manufacturing are critical to obtaining acceptable process yields and device performance. The need for these controls is increasing due to the apparent limitation of optical water immersion lithography at NA values of approximately 1.35 and the need to use the same equipment for 45nm, 32nm, and 22nm node production. There is a rich history of lithographic controls using various techniques described in the literature. These techniques include (but are not limited to) Phase Grating Focus Monitoring 1 (PGFM), optical CD control using optical overlay metrology equipment (OOCD) 2,3 , and in more recent years optical scatterometry 4,5 . Some of the techniques, even though they are technically sound, have not been practical to implement in volume manufacturing as controls for various reasons. This work describes the implementation and performance of two of these techniques (optical scatterometry and OOCD) in a volume 300mm production facility. Data to be reviewed include:  General implementation approach.  Scatterometry dose and focus stability data fo r 193nm immersion and 248nm dry lithography systems.  Analysis of the stability of optical scatterometry dose and focus deconvolution coefficients over time for 193nm immersion and 248nm dry systems.  Comparison between scatterometry and OOCD techniques for focus monitoring of 248nm dry systems. The presentation will also describe the practical issues with implementing these techniques as well as describe some possible extensions to enhance the current capabilities being described. Keywords: lithography controls, manufacturing lithography controls, focus controls, scatterometry.
Adjusting DLCO for Hb and its effects on the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-specific Comorbidity Index

The Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) is used to counsel patients regarding the risk of transplantation and selection of conditioning regimens. Pulmonary disease, most frequently demonstrated by a decreased diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO), is the most prevalent comorbidity captured by the HCT-CI. The HCT-CI was validated using the Dinakara method for adjusting DLCO for Hb, but our institution and others utilize the Cotes method. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of using the Cotes method rather than the Dinakara method on the HCT-CI score. We reviewed pre-transplant pulmonary function tests in 73 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic SCT. Patients were stratified into low, intermediate or high-risk groups based on HCT-CI scores of 0, 1-2 or 3, respectively. We found that compared with the Dinakara method, the Cotes method increased the HCT-CI score in 45% of patients and resulted in total HCT-CI scores predictive of higher non-relapse mortality in 33% of patients. These results indicate that if an institution uses the Cotes method to adjust DLCO for Hb, their patients may be counseled to expect a higher risk of mortality than is actually predicted by the HCT-CI, and may be excluded from transplantation. Therefore, unless the HCT-CI is validated using other methods for correcting DLCO for Hb, the Dinakara method should be used.
Requirement for a serum component in cytotoxin ("lymphotoxin")-mediated target cell lysis.

Abstract Serum was found to play an essential role in cytotoxin-mediated target cell lysis. The degree of cytotoxic activity on target L cells was directly related to the concentration of sera in the media incubating the L cells. Furthermore, when ether-ethanol-extracted sera were used in the incubation media, almost no cytotoxic activity was found, indicating that a lipid component of sera, removed by the extraction procedure, might be involved in the action of cytotoxin. The effects of increased sera concentrations and extracted sera occur primarily in the initial 24-hr incubation of L cells (prior to the addition of cytotoxin) rather than when cytotoxin is added, indicating that serum acts by influencing target cell susceptibility to cytotoxin rather than on cytotoxin itself.
A 12-year-old girl with asthma, pneumonia, and pneumatoceles.

CHIEF COMPLAINT A 12-year-old girl with a history of mild persistent asthma came to the emergency department with a 24-hour history of respiratory distress. She reported the sudden onset of shortness of breath accompanied by right shoulder pain and rightsided pleuritic chest pain. She was unable to lie flat. She was in her usual state of health until 1 month earlier when she began to take frequent naps after school and to have difficulty climbing stairs because of easy fatigability. These symptoms were all attributed to her asthma. There was a 1-week history of mild nonproductive cough with wheeze. She denied fever or other systemic symptoms.
The Non- Human Primate Model of Endometriosis: Research and Implications for Fecundity

The development of an animal model of endometriosis is crucial for the investigation of disease pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention. These models will enhance our ability to evaluate the causes for the subfertility associated with disease and provide a first-line validation of treatment modulators. Currently rodents and non-human primate models have been developed, but each model has their limitations. The aim of this manuscript is to summarize the current findings and theories on the development of endometriosis and disease progression and the effectiveness of therapeutic targets using the experimental induced model of endometriosis in the baboon (Papio anubis).
Automated Solid Phase Extraction and Hplc Analysis of Ibuprofen in Plasma

Abstract Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, widely used in arthritis and other disorders. We describe a high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the analysis of ibuprofen in plasma, using an automated solid phase extraction technique (the Varian AASPR). In this method ibuprofen was extracted from 0.5 ml of plasma by application to a C2 extraction cartridge followed by “on line” elution with the HPLC mobile phase (55% acetonitrile / 45% 0.02 H phosphate buffer; pH 3.0), at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. The analytical column was a Nucleosil C18 column and the fluorescence detector was set at 253 nm (excitation wavelength) and 300 nm (emission wavelength). Chromatography was complete in less than 10 mins and the limit of detection was 1.3 /μg/ml. The method is linear through the range of 1.0 to 100.0 /μg/ml with a mean correlation coefficient of 0.9964. Absolute recovery of ibuprofen from the spiked plasma samples ranged from 77.8% to 86.5%. The method was shown to be precise wit...
Individual Differences in Recovery Time From Attentional Capture

Working memory capacity reflects a core ability of the individual that affects performance on many cognitive tasks. Recent work has suggested that an important covariate of memory capacity is attentional control, and specifically that low-capacity individuals are more susceptible to attentional capture by distractors than high-capacity individuals are, with the latter being able to resist capture. Here, we tested an alternative account according to which all individuals are equally susceptible to attentional capture, but high-capacity individuals recover more quickly than low-capacity individuals. Using psychophysical and electrophysiological methods, we measured recovery time from attentional capture. In two experiments, we found that high- and low-capacity individuals showed equivalent attentional capture effects in the initial moments following capture, but that low-capacity individuals took much longer to recover than high-capacity individuals did. These results suggest that the poor attentional control associated with low capacity is due to slow disengagement from distractors.
Delayed liver regeneration in peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α‐null mice

Peroxisome proliferator chemicals, acting via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (Pparα), are potent hepatic mitogens and carcinogens in mice and rats. To test whether Pparα is required for hepatic growth in response to other stimuli, we studied liver regeneration and hepatic gene expression following partial hepatectomy (PH) of wild-type and Pparα-null mice. Pparα-null mice had a 12- to 24-hour delay in liver regeneration associated with a delayed onset and lower peak magnitude of hepatocellular DNA synthesis. Furthermore, these mice had a 24-hour lag in the hepatic expression of the G1/S checkpoint regulator genes Ccnd1 and cMyc and increased expression of the IL-1β cytokine gene. Hepatic expression of Ccnd1, cMyc, IL-1r1, and IL-6r was induced in wild-type mice, but not Pparα-null mice, after acute exposure to the potent Pparα agonist Wy-14,643, indicating a role for Pparα in regulating the expression of these genes. Expression of the fatty acid ω-hydroxylase gene Cyp4a14, a commonly used indicator gene for Pparα activation, was strongly induced in wild-type mice after hepatectomy, suggesting that altered hepatocyte lipid processing may also contribute to the impaired regeneration in mice lacking the Pparα gene. In conclusion, liver regeneration in Pparα-null mice is transiently impaired and is associated with altered expression of genes involved in cell cycle control, cytokine signaling, and fat metabolism. (HEPATOLOGY 2002;36:544-554.)
WE-D-BRB-04: Evaluation of MatriXX in Peripheral Dose Regions for IMRT and VMAT Dose Verifications

Purpose: To evaluate MatriXX and to develop a MatriXX correction technique for IMRT and VMAT dose verifications in peripheral (low) dose regions. Method and Materials: We compare a 2D ion chamber array — MatriXX with a reference Exradin A12 ion chamber in solid water phantoms. Comparisons were performed for a number of cases that involve different gantry and MLC dynamics including open beam, sweeping MLC gap mimicking IMRT, oscillating sweeping MLC gap mimicking VMAT, as well as clinical IMRT and RapidArc plans. Results: We have identified four types of error associated with MatriXX dose in peripheral regions: (1) Pixel‐dependent positive bias which is independent of dose level, cumulative over time, and dependent on operation parameters; (2) Over‐response to scattered beams by 2.0% on average for regions 2 – 15 cm from the field edge where patient and collimator scatters dominate; (3) Angular dependence up to 11% and 8% for primary and scattered (peripheral) radiations, respectively; (4) Round‐off error due to insufficient precision in conversion of raw signals to MatriXX software data for very small doses. In order to extend the application of MatriXX to peripheral regions, we have developed a method to correct for these errors. With corrections, MatriXX shows good agreement with A12 in all cases involving different gantry and/or MLC dynamics as well as the clinical plans. For both primary and peripheral doses, MatriXX shows good dose linearity down to about 1 – 2 cGy with an accuracy of within 1% of the local doses. Conclusion: Inherent dose errors of MatriXX were identified and thoroughly studied. A correction method was developed and successfully tested by a series of experimental and clinical plans. Therefore, we have demonstrated that, with proper corrections, MatriXX can be used for accurate 2D peripheral (low) dose measurements.
A Gyroscopic Top which will Walk Down Steps

IN his book on “Gyrostatics and Rotational Motion”, the late Prof. Andrew Gray explained how a top can be made to move along two parallel horizontal wires when they are rocked so as to change the point of support from one wire to the other. A few years ago, I discovered that a spinning top will automatically walk down two parallel wires arranged as an inclined plane.
Premature birth in rats induced by ethionine injection.

THE injection of pregnant rats with certain antimeta-bolites, such as ethionine, in sub-lethal doses, may result in resorption or stillbirth1–4. We wish to report the effect of smaller, repeated doses of ethionine on the course and outcome of pregnancy in rats. Daily subcutaneous injections, in the doses listed in Table 1, were given from the twelfth day of pregnancy until delivery. Control animals received saline injections. All injections were in a volume of 1 ml. The date of conception was established by the first appearance of sperm on vaginal smears.
From great depression to great recession

Abstract This paper presents an overview of the history of thought on the factor content of trade. It emphasizes that the conditions of factor price equalization do not hold. It describes a theory of destructive trade that is at the root of the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. Jobs outsourced to low-wage countries may have long-run effects on unemployment in countries that are abundant in capital.
MORPHOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY OF TUMOR TYPES INDUCED BY X, GAMMA, AND BETA IRRADIATION OF A TOBACCO HYBRID

Radiation-induced tumors of an interspecific hybrid, Nicotiana glauca x N. langsdorffii, were of 6 morphological types: white-smooth; green-smooth; green- tomentose; purple-pigmented; green-leafy and stalked, although all intergrades could be found in 1 tomor mass, The morphological responses were essentially the same after treatment with acute x rays, chronic gamma or beta rays. Gamma rays were from an external cobalt-60 source and beta rays from iniernally deposited P/ sup 32/. The histology of the 6 morphological tumor types was not distinctive in terms of meristem, vascular, and surface development, but rather followed an ontogenetic series from nonorganoid to organoid. The resuits are discussed in terms of abnormal genome and physiological imbalances, and are compared to similar responses from infection with crown gall and wound-tumor virus. (auth)
Robust and resilient control design for cyber-physical systems with an application to power systems

The tradeoff between robustness and resilience is a pivotal design issue for modern industrial control systems. The trend of integrating information technologies into control system infrastructure has made resilience an important dimension of the critical infrastructure protection mission. It is desirable that systems support state awareness of threats and anomalies, and maintain acceptable levels of operation or service in the face of unanticipated or unprecedented incidents. In this paper, we propose a hybrid theoretical framework for robust and resilient control design in which the stochastic switching between structure states models unanticipated events and deterministic uncertainties in each structure represent the known range of disturbances. We propose a set of coupled optimality criteria for a holistic robust and resilient design for cyber-physical systems. We apply this method to a voltage regulator design problem for a synchronous machine with infinite bus and illustrate the solution methodology with numerical examples.