cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fracture Simulation Using an Elasto-Viscoplastic Virtual Internal Bond Model With Finite Elements

A virtual internal bond (VIB) model for isotropic materials has been recently proposed by Gao (Gao, H., 1997, Elastic Waves in a Hyperelastic Solid Near its Plane Strain Equibiaxial Cohesive Limit, Philos. Mag. Lett. 76, pp. 307-314) and Gao and Klein (Gao, H., and Klein, P., 1998, Numerical Simulation of Crack Growth in an Isotropic Solid With Randomized Internal Cohesive Bonds, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 46(2), pp. 187-218), in order to describe material deformation and fracture under both static and dynamic loading situations. This is made possible by incorporating a cohesive type law of interaction among particles at the atomistic level into a hyperelastic framework at the continuum level. The finite element implementation of the hyperelastic VIB model in an explicit integration framework has also been successfully described in an earlier work by the authors. This paper extends the isotropic hyperelastic VIB model to ductile materials by incorporating rate effects and hardening behavior of the material into a finite deformation framework. The hyperelastic VIB model is formulated in the intermediate configuration of the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient framework. The results pertaining to the deformation, stress-strain behavior, loading rate effects, and the material hardening behavior are studied for a plate with a hole problem. Comparisons are also made with the corresponding hyperelastic VIB model behavior.
SU-E-T-648: Range Uncertainty in Proton Therapy Due to Variable Biological Effectiveness

Purpose: Traditionally, dose in protonradiotherapy is prescribed as Gy(RBE) by scaling up the physical dose by 10%. This not only increases the absolute dose but also translates in a forward shift of the falloff of the beam and consequently its range. However, if the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of protons is considered to vary with linear energy transfer (LET), dose and (alpha/beta)_x‐rays, this shift will depend on these three parameters. We aim to show how much the range changes as a function of these three parametersMethods: Three beams of different ranges incident on a computational phantom consisting of different regions of interest (ROIs) were used. Each ROI was assigned with (alpha/beta)_x‐rays values between 0.5Gy and 20Gy. The distribution of the dose‐averaged LET within each ROI was obtained from a Monte Carlo simulation. The RBE values within the ROIs were calculated for doses between 1 and 15Gy using an in‐house developed biophysical model. DVHs of the RBE weighted doses were extracted for each ROI for a ‘fixed‐RBE’ (RBE=1.1) and a ‘variable‐RBE’ (RBE=f(d,alpha/beta,LET)), and the percentage difference in range was obtained from the difference of the percentage volumes at 80% of the doseResults: Range shifts in normal tissue of the order of 3mm to 7mm were measured for a shallow and a deep beam respectively, when a 1Gy dose normalized to the mid‐SOBP was delivered. As dose increased to 15Gy, the shifts decreased to 1mm and 5mm respectively for the same tissues and depthsConclusions: When the distal edge of the SOBP lays on normal tissue, the range shift increases with physical range but decreases with increasing dose or (alpha/beta)_x‐rays. The results of our study allow a quantitative consideration of RBE‐caused range uncertainties as a function of treatment site and dose in treatment planning
The Ninth Plenary Assembly of the CCIR

The International Radio Consultative Committee held its Ninth Plenary Assembly in Los Angeles, California, April 2 through 29, 1959. The CCIR studies the technical factors affecting international radio telecommunications and makes recommendations to administrations which are of importance in the international allocation and usage of the radio spectrum. These studies are made by fourteen Study Groups, each dealing with certain aspects of international telecommunication. At the Los Angeles meeting, the technical aspects of relatively new techniques for conservation of spectrum space were considered. Transmission and receiving standards, propagation characteristics, monitoring methods, modulation techniques including single sideband and stereo sound broadcasting, and the new international aspects of telecommunication with and between space vehicles were among the many topics considered by the Assembly.
PIECEWISE-LINEAR VIRTUAL KNOTS

Various theorems for classical piecewise-linear (PL) knots are shown to carry over to PL virtual knots. We then classify PL virtual knots up to edge index six.
Modeling and Simulation of Traffic with Integrated Services at Media Getaway Nodes in Next Generation Networks

This paper is devoted to modeling and simulation of traffic with integrated services at media gateway nodes in the next generation networks, based on Markov reward models MRM. The bandwidth sharing policy with the partial overlapped transmission link is considered. Calls arriving to the link that belong to VBR and ABR traffic classes, are presented as independent Poisson processes and Markov processes with constant intensity and/or random input stream, and exponential service delay time that is defined according to MRM. Traffic compression is calculated using clustering and learning vector quantification e.g., self-organizing neural map. Numerical examples and simulation results are provided for communication networks of various sizes. Compared with the other methods for traffic compression calculations, the suggested approach shows substantial reduction in numerical complexity.
Apotemnophilia: Two cases of self‐demand amputation as a paraphilia

The findings in two cases show that self‐demand amputation (apotemnophilia) is related to erotization of the stump and to overachievement despite a handicap. The apotemnophiliac obsession represents an idee fixe rather than a paranoid delusion. It may be conceptually related to, though it is not identical with transsexualism, bisexuality, Munchausen syndrome, and masochism. As with most paraphilias it undoubtedly occurs more frequently, if not exclusively, in men. The two patients related apotemnophilia to recalled experiences of childhood which were necessary but not sufficient for a causal explanation. The precise etiology of the condition is not known, and there is no agreed‐upon method of treatment.
Small main-belt asteroid spectroscopic survey: Initial results

The spectral characterization of small asteroids is important for understanding the evolution of their compositional and mineralogical properties. We report the results of a CCD spectroscopic survey of small main-belt asteroids which we call the Small Main-belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (SMASS). Spectra of 316 asteroids were obtained, with wavelength coverage ranging from 4000 to 10000 A (0.4 to 1 micrometers). More than half of the objects in our survey have diameters less than 20 km. Survey results include the identification of the first object resembling ordinary chondrite meteorites among the main-belt asteroids (Binzel, R. P., et al, 1993) and observations of more than 20 asteroids showing basaltic achondrite spectral absorption features that strongly link Vesta as the parent body for the basaltic achondrite meteorites (Binzel, R. P., and S. Xu 1993). A potential Mars-crossing asteroid analog to ordinary chondrite meteorites (H chondrites), 2078 Nanking, is reported here. Through a principal component analysis, we have assigned classifications to the members of our sample. The majority of the small main-belt asteroids belong to S and C classes, similar to large asteroids. Our analysis shows that two new classes are justified which we label as J and O. Small asteroids display more diversity in spectral absorption features than the larger ones, which may indicate a greater variation of compositions in the small asteroid population. We found a few candidates for olivine-rich asteroids within the S class. Although the total number of olivine-rich candidates is relatively small, we present evidence suggesting that such objects are more prevalent at smaller sizes.
Double bubble tubular film extrusion of polybutylene terephthalate–polyethylene terephthalate blends

A technology has been developed to produce biaxially oriented films of blends of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using double bubble tubular film extrusion. The mechanical instabilities and the mechanisms associated with their sources of occurrence are described. Bubble stability varies substantially with deformation and composition. The films have been structurally characterized with wide angle X-ray diffraction and optical techniques. The individual phases in the blends oriented differently. We have proposed a model of crystalline morphology in biaxially oriented PBT/PET blend films. The structure of the film is related to processing conditions.
Backpacking-induced paresthesias.

Objective To evaluate the presence of numbness and paresthesias among long-distance backpackers on the Appalachian Trail. Methods Backpackers who hiked a minimum of 7 days were interviewed while hiking. Following their hike, a written questionnaire was mailed to the participants that explored the incidence of injuries and illnesses among hikers. Paresthesias were defined as either numbness or "phantom, burning, or shooting pains." A case-control analysis of risk factors for paresthesias was performed. Results Paresthesias were reported by 34% (96 of 280) of the backpackers completing the study. They included ulnar paresthesias (n=4), meralgia paresthetica (n=10), tarsal tunnel syndrome (n=6), digitalgia paresthetica (n=21), and nonspecific paresthesias (n=61). The most common symptom was numbness: 81% (78 of 96). Significant risk factors included a distance of >2000 miles (relative risk [RR] = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1–1.6; P=.01) and the duration of hiking (RR=2.0; 95% CI, 1.2–3.2; P=.004) for the longest quartile. Nonsignificant factors included backpack weight, initial body weight, percentage of weight loss, running shoe usage, and multivitamin usage. Ninety-eight percent of the paresthesias (94 of 96) had resolved by the time of follow-up (median = 30 days). Conclusions Paresthesias were a surprisingly common complaint among long-distance backpackers. Although they were distressing during backpacking, these neuropathies were self-limited and resolved after completion of hiking.
The Effects of Water Quality and Age on the Acute Toxicity of Copper to the Florida Apple Snail, Pomacea paludosa

Copper (Cu)-containing compounds have been used in Florida as fungicides, herbicides, and soil amendments, resulting in elevated Cu in the aquatic ecosystem. The Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa), a key species in south Florida, may be adversely affected by Cu. Water-quality parameters, such as hardness, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH, and alkalinity, affect metal bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic organisms; however, it is uncertain to what extent these factors affect Cu toxicity in the Florida apple snail. The research presented here characterized the acute (96-hour) toxicity of Cu in water to the Florida apple snail at various life stages and under different water-quality parameters. Cu was more toxic to juvenile than adult apple snails. There was no difference between the 96-hour LC50 at pH 5.5 and 6.5; however, the 96-hour LC50 values at pH 7.5 and 8.5 were greater than at lower pHs. The decrease in Cu2+ above pH 7, as predicted by the MINTEQ model, accounted for the pH effect. Cu toxicity decreased as DOC increased from 0.2 to 30 mg/L. Unlike other aquatic organisms, hardness had no effect on Cu toxicity to the Florida apple snail, suggesting another mechanism of toxicity. Whole-body tissue analysis indicated that the lethal body burden of 120-day-old snails exposed to Cu for 4 days was 30 mg/kg Cu dry weight. Multiple regression analysis indicated that Cu toxicity was a function of organism age, DOC, and pH.
Project-Line Interaction: JPL&#8217;s Matrix

Matrix structures are common in highly technical organizations. The matrix structure is most defined by this characteristic: that most people in the enterprise have two bosses. One resides in the programmatic organizations that make direct contact with the enterprise’s customers, and organize and manage work to meet customer expectations. The other boss lives in the line organizations, functional and service organizations that provide the enterprise with capability to accomplish the work. The JPL enterprise is organized as a matrix because that structure can optimize retention and development of knowledge, as well as flexibility in applying that knowledge to the programs and projects JPL conducts. A matrix is usually considered most effective for accomplishing current project and technology development work while maintaining and developing institutional capability for the future. Can programmatic and line organizations really work interdependently, to accomplish their work as a community? Does the matrix produce a culture in which individuals take personal responsibility for both immediate mission success and long-term growth? What is the secret to making a matrix enterprise actually work? This paper will consider those questions, and propose that developing an effective project-line partnership demands primary attention to personal interactions among people. Many potential problems can be addressed by careful definition of roles, responsibilities, and work processes for both parts of the matrix -- and by deliberate and clear communication between project and line organizations and individuals.
A fully digital control strategy for synchronous reluctance motor servo drives

For existing electric drives, the controller implementation is either totally analog or hybrid analog/digital, and the control algorithm broadly falls into two categories, average torque control (ATC) and instantaneous torque control (InsTC). In this paper, a fully digital-implementation oriented control strategy-incremental torque control (IncTC)-is proposed and verified with digital simulation. A TMS320C30 DSP-based implementation of the proposed IncTC is developed and tested. Experimental results given in the paper indicate that the proposed IncTC is valid and holds a great promise for reluctance motor digital control.
The Efficiency of a Bycatch Reduction Device Used in Skimmer Trawls in the Florida Shrimp Fishery

Abstract Of principal concern to those who regulate shrimp harvesting gear are the quantity and composition of nontargeted species (bycatch) harvested by any allowable gear type. The use of skimmer trawls in the Florida shrimp fishery is a contested issue, in part because little bycatch characterization data exist for this gear. We characterized skimmer trawl bycatch and evaluated the efficiency of the Florida Fisheye (FFE) bycatch reduction device in a skimmer trawl typically used by commercial fishermen in Apalachicola Bay, Florida, an area with an active fishery for white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus (also known as Penaeus setiferus). In general, the finfish bycatch in a 4.9-m-long × 3-m-wide skimmer trawl net equipped with an FFE was significantly lower than that in an identical net towed simultaneously but without the FFE; the two nets, however, did not differ in the quantity of shrimp retained. The magnitude of the reduction in bycatch in the FFE-equipped net varied between seasons (spring and fall)...
XPS analysis of sorption of selenium(IV) and selenium(VI) to mackinawite (FeS)

The Se 3d XPS spectra showed evidence of reduction of Se(IV) by contact with the mackinawite surface when certain assumptions were made, but there was no clear evidence for reduction of Se(VI). A continuous oxidation of surface Fe(II) was observed for FeS in contact with Se(IV), as indicated by a decrease of intensities of Fe(II)-S XPS peaks. S 2p spectra showed some evidence of oxidation of surface S(-II) associated with Se reduction that resulted in formation of polysulfides. However, the apparent change in S 2p spectra could be the result of overlap between S 2p and Se 3p peaks. FeS particles became red and attached to the wall of reaction vessels within 3–4 days after contact with Se(IV), suggesting that a new solid-phase, possibly Se(0), may have been produced. The low signal-to-noise of the S 2p peaks observed after 15 and 30 days contact with Se indicates increased amounts of sulfur in solution. This supports the existence of a reaction of Se with FeS in which discrete precipitates are formed and sulfide is released to solution. These observations support the conclusion that Se(IV) sorbs onto the surface of FeS and oxidizes surface species of iron and sulfur. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 84–93, 2013.
Synthesis and Characterization of a High‐Purity AlN Powder

High-purity AIN powder was synthesized by preparing high-purity (NH4)3 AIF6, decomposing the (NH4)3 AIF6 to AIF3, and reacting the AIF, at 800° to 1000°C with high-purity NH3. AIN powders could be synthesized with a cation purity of 99.99% and an oxygen content <0.2 wt%. The specific surface area depended on the process conditions and varied from 0.2 to 2.6 m2/g. The thermodynamics of the process are evaluated and the influence of various process parameters on the resulting powder characteristics are described.
The Limits of Noise Trading: An Experimental Analysis

In this research we investigate the behavior of noise traders and their impact on the market. We do this in an experimental market setting that allows us to determine not only how noise traders fare in a competitive asset market with other traders, but also how the equilibrium changes if a securities transactions tax ("Tobin tax") is imposed. We find that noise traders lose money on average: they do not engage in extensive liquidity provision, and their attempt to make money by trend chasing is unsuccessful as they lose most in securities whose prices experience large moves. Noise traders adversely affect the informational efficiency of the market: they drive prices away from fundamental values, and the further away the market gets from the true value, the stronger this effect becomes. With a securities transaction tax, noise traders submit fewer orders and lose less money in those securities that exhibit large price movements. The tax is associated with a decrease in market trading volume, but informational efficiency remains essentially unchanged and liquidity (as measured by the price impact of trades) actually improves. We find no significant effect, however, on market volatility, suggesting that at least this rationale for a securities transaction tax is not supported by our data.
Cyclic hydroxamic acid inhibitors of prostate cancer cell growth: Selectivity and structure activity relationships

BACKGROUND Clinical symptoms of prostatitis, prostatodynia, and benign prostatic hyperplasia are relieved by the pollen extract cernilton, and the water-soluble fraction of this extract selectively inhibits growth of some prostate cancer cells. A cyclic hydroxamic acid, DIBOA, has been isolated from this extract and mimics its cell growth-inhibitory properties, but the specificity of DIBOA for inhibition of prostate cell growth has not been reported. METHODS The in vitro growth inhibitory effects of DIBOA and nine structurally related compounds on DU-145 prostate cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and COS-7 monkey kidney cells were determined by treatment of the cells with various concentrations of the compounds for 2–6 days. RESULTS The compounds exhibited a wide range of potencies, but none of them exhibited selective inhibition of DU-145 cell growth. MCF-7 cells were more sensitive to DIBOA than either DU-145 cells or COS-7 cells. 3,4-dihydroquinoline-2(1H)-one, compound (4), and 1-hydroxy-6-chloro-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one, compound (7), selectively inhibited MCF-7 cell growth at a concentration of 10 μg/ml. 1-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one, compound (3), and compound 7 were the most potent inhibitors of DU-145 cell growth. Treatment of DU-145 cells with 3 (100 μg/ml) substantially decreased the number of viable cells within 2 days, and no viable cells remained in the culture by day 4. CONCLUSIONS It is unlikely that DIBOA, compound (1), is responsible for the selective growth inhibition of prostate cancer cells by the water-soluble fraction of the pollen extract cernilton. Cell morphology results indicate that the growth-inhibitory effects of DIBOA and structurally related agents on DU-145 cells are due to their ability to cause cell death. Prostate 34:92–99, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structural interactions between kisspeptin and GnRH neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus of the male rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) as revealed by double immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy.

Kisspeptin is recognized to play a critical role in eliciting the pubertal resurgence of pulsatile GnRH release, the proximal trigger of puberty in higher primates. Expression of the kisspeptin receptor (GPR54) by GnRH neurons indicates a direct action of kisspeptin on the GnRH neuronal network. The purpose of the present study was to examine the distribution of kisspeptin cell bodies in the monkey hypothalamus and to assess the structural basis for the stimulatory action of kisspeptin on the GnRH neuronal network. Three castrated male rhesus monkeys, 39–51 months of age, were deeply anesthetized and their brains perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS. Serial 25-μm coronal sections throughout the hypothalamus were prepared, and immunopositive neurons identified using a cocktail of specific primary antibodies (sheep anti-kisspeptin at 1:120,000, and rabbit anti-GnRH at 1:100,000) detected with fluorescently tagged secondary antibodies (antisheep, Alexa Fluor 488; antirabbit, Cy3) in combination with confocal microscopy. Kisspeptin perikarya were found only in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) almost exclusively in the posterior two-thirds of the arcuate nucleus. Surprisingly, kisspeptin-beaded axons made only infrequent contacts with GnRH neurons (kisspeptin and GnRH profiles abutting in a 0.5- to 1.0-μm optical section) in the MBH. In the median eminence, kisspeptin and GnRH axons were found in extensive and intimate association. GnRH contacts on kisspeptin perikarya and dendrites were observed. These findings indicate that nonsynaptic pathways of communication in the median eminence should be considered as a possible mechanism of kisspeptin regulation of GnRH release, and provide an anatomical basis for reciprocal control of kisspeptin neuronal activity by GnRH.
Snakebite Survivors and Exchange Relations in Ngawbe Society

Information on snakes and snake-related phenomena among Third World peoples is scarce in the cross-cultural literature. Anthropological interest in snakes has appeared from time to time, changing, as it were, to fit the contemporary perspective that framed theoretical discourse. The material that has been produced over the years is scattered with respect to the peoples it represents and sketchy with regard to snakes, the outcome of snakebite, and other aspects of snake-related phenomena. The present essay reviews the anthropological study of snakes and snakebite, describes important notions concerning snake-related phenomena among the study population, then examines the significance of the snakebite survivor as a core symbol in the conceptual order of indigenous medicine practiced among Ngawbe, inhabitants of an Indigenous Reserve in western Panama.
Significance of non-isotropic scattering from vegetation for geobotanical remote sensing

Abstract Although it has been known for quite some time that individual leaves display non-Lambertian scattering at wavelengths of strong absorption in the visible part of the spectrum, while displaying near-Lambertian behaviour at wavelengths of little absorption in the near-infrared, this is widely ignored in geobotanical remote sensing investigations. Preliminary data show that non-Lambertian behaviour may have a significant effect on the ratio of infrared/red reflectance with changing illumination and observation angles, but little or no efTect on the location of the steep rise in reflectance from the red to the infrared (‘red edge’). These results indicate the need for a complete assessment of directional scattering from different vegetation and canopy types, and strongly suggest the need for caution in interpretation of observational data taken without regard for illumination and observation angles.
The baby boom and its explanations

Explanations of the marked rise in the birthrate that occurred in the US during the late 1940s and the 1950s the "baby boom" were examined in light of the recent research on the nature and magnitude of its demographic components. Discussion includes a review of the fertility surveys that derived from concern about postwar fertility trends the kind and relative importance of the demographic components constituting the fertility increase of the period an assessment of explanations of the baby boom and a reinterpretation of the rise in average family size that was a demographically small but theoretically significant part of the increase in the birthrate. Clearly the baby boom had many causes. Theories about the effects of economic prosperity and relative cohort size offer aggregate level bases for accounting for the 2 major contributing factors to the baby boom namely earlier childbearing and the increase in the proportion of women having at least 2 children. Yet these explanations are incomplete unless some operating role is assigned to other factors. This is particularly clear in explaining the proportion of women having at least 2 children. This proportion increased substantially during the baby boom years but family sizes also became more homogeneous as the relative number of large families decreased. In the aggregate more and more couples enjoyed conditions that enabled them to realize this "normative" fertility. These conditions did not foster an increase in "discretionary" fertility beyond the norm. The individual level mechanisms inplied by the hypothesis that fertility moves procyclically with economic conditions and that it varies inversely with cohort sizes do not seem to have operated at higher parities. Analysis of the explanations of the slight increase in average family size occurring during the baby boom -- much of which was attributable to unintended fertility suggest that social and cultural factors during the era supported having families while at the same time increasing the cost of having large families. If economic prosperity made marriage and family formation easier increasing labor force participation among married women of childbearing ages in the absence of changes in traditional sex role attitudes made having large families more difficult.
Age- and Sex-Related Risk Factors for Adolescent Suicide

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the impact of age and sex on adolescent suicide risk. Method A standard psychological autopsy protocol was used to compare 140 suicide victims with 131 community controls. The risk factors for older (≥16 years) and younger, and for male and female suicide were compared. Results Mood disorders, parental psychopathology, lifetime history of abuse, availability of a gun, and past suicide attempt conveyed significant risk for suicide across all 4 demographic groups. Psychopathology, particularly substance abuse (alone and comorbid with mood disorder), was more common and conveyed a much higher risk for suicide in the older versus younger adolescents. Younger suicide victims showed lower suicidal intent. Males chose more irreversible methods, and conduct disorder was both more prevalent and a more significant risk factor in males. Conclusions The increased rate of suicide in older versus younger adolescents is due in part to greater prevalence of psychopathology, namely substance abuse, and greater suicidal intent in the older population. The increased rate in males is less easily explained, but it may stem from method choice and the greater prevalence of and risk conveyed by conduct disorder in males.
The fundamental units, processes and patterns of evolution, and the Tree of Life conundrum

Background The elucidation of the dominant role of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the evolution of prokaryotes led to a severe crisis of the Tree of Life (TOL) concept and intense debates on this subject.
Superoxide and peroxynitrite in atherosclerosis.

Abstract The role of reactive oxygen species in the vascular pathology associated with atherosclerosis was examined by testing the hypothesis that impaired vascular reactivity results from the reaction of nitric oxide (.NO) with superoxide (O2-), yielding the oxidant peroxynitrite (ONOO-). Contractility studies were performed on femoral arteries from rabbits fed a cholesterol-supplemented diet. Cholesterol feeding shifted the EC50 for acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation and impaired the maximal response to ACh. We used pH-sensitive liposomes to deliver CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD; superoxide:superoxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.15.1.1) to critical sites of .NO reaction with O2-. Intravenously injected liposomes (3000 units of SOD per ml) augmented ACh-induced relaxation in the cholesterol-fed group to a greater extent than in controls. Quantitative immunocytochemistry demonstrated enhanced distribution of SOD in both endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells as well as in the extracellular matrix. SOD activity in vessel homogenates of liposome-treated rabbits was also increased. Incubation of beta very low density lipoprotein with ONOO- resulted in the rapid formation of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. Our results suggest that the reaction of O2- with .NO is involved in the development of atherosclerotic disease by yielding a potent mediator of lipoprotein oxidation, as well as by limiting .NO stimulation of vascular smooth muscle guanylate cyclase activity.
Hierarchical building recognition

In urban areas, buildings are often used as landmarks for localization. Reliable and efficient recognition of buildings is crucial for enabling this functionality. Motivated by the applications which would enhance visual localization and navigation capabilities, we propose in this paper a hierarchical approach for building recognition. In the first recognition stage the model views are indexed by localized color histograms computed from dominant orientation structures in the image. This novel representation enables quick retrieval of a small number of candidate buildings from the database. In the second stage the recognition results are refined by matching previously proposed SIFT descriptors associated with local image regions. For this stage, we propose a method for selecting discriminative SIFT features and a simple probabilistic model for integration of the evidence from individual matches based on the match quality. This enables us to eliminate the sensitive choice of threshold for match selection as well as the sensitivity to the number of features characterizing different models. The proposed approach is validated by extensive experiments, with images taken in different weather conditions, seasons and with different cameras. We report superior recognition results on a publicly available database and one additional database of buildings we collected.
Carbon Nanotube Meshes for Separating Proteins Electrophoretically

We report the development of a simple microfluidic device, which uses a carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane (CNTM) to separate two proteins based on their molecular weights (MW). The device was fabricated by traditional microfabrication techniques and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Protein A (MW= 42 kDa) and aprotinin (MW= 6.5 kDa) were flowed through the CNTM in separate identical electrophoresis runs. The larger protein was observed to accumulate ahead of the CNTMs, whereas in the case of the smaller protein, no accumulation was observed, indicating that the buildup was due to the larger size of the higher MW protein. Electrophoresis on protein mixtures of 1) protein A and aprotinin and 2) protein A and lysozyme (MW= 17 kDa) was also performed and it was observed that only Protein A formed bands, wheras, the smaller proteins did not.
The Increasing Role of Electronic Toys in the Lives of Infants and Toddlers: Should We Be Concerned?

In recent years, thre has been a rapid increase in the number of electronic toys and toys linked to electronic media that are being marketed for infants and toddlers. This article explores what this latest trend might mean for the development, behaviour and play of very young children. It concludes that these toys can be harmful in both the short and long term and recommends strategies for counter-acting the potential problems. Two-year-old Maurice throws a balloon-like ball and hits a tall wicker basket. He laughs at his grandma and points to the ball. She responds, 'It hit the basket.' He gets the ball. This time he throws it in and cheers. So does she. He hands her the ball saying, 'You do it.' Over the next 10 minutes they go through several variations in their give-and-take play with each other and the ball. They try to knock the basket over with the ball, throw the ball high in the air to get it into the basket, and play a simple game of catch - always commenting on what happens as they go. Then Maurice spots his new electronic 'Rock-n-Roll Ernie' toy - a stuffed version of Ernie from the television show Sesame Street, who is wearing sunglasses and a simulated black leather jacket and holding a guitar. Maurice pushes a button on the guitar and Ernie begins to bounce and sing, 'Rock Around the Clock Tonight.' Maurice bounces up and down a few times and asks his grandma to 'dance' too. When Ernie stops, Maurice repeats the button pushing, dance cycle two more times. Then he returns to the ball and resumes the game of catch with his grandma.
Discussion of The Role of Accruals in Asymmetrically Timely Gain and Loss Recognition

The accrual process is central to financial accounting. Accruals adjust cash flows to reported earnings and form the building blocks for the balance sheet. Given the importance of accruals to financial accounting, it is surprising how sparse the modeling of the overall accrual process has been within the literature. Until recently, the "state of the art" empirical approach modeled total accruals as a function of the change in sales and property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) (Jones [1991]). Recently, working capital accruals have been more formally modeled as a function of firms' selling activity and past, present, and future operating cash flows (e.g., Dechow, Kothari, and Watts [1998], Dechow and Dichev [2002]). Ball and Shivakumar incorporate conditional conservatism, an important feature of the earnings process, into existing accruals models. Specifically, they recognize that accruals are expected to be an asymmetric function of firm performance, in which economic losses are captured by the accruals process in a more timely manner than gains. Their evidence documents a robust asymmetry in the relation between accruals and economic losses and gains, and demonstrates that accruals models that incorporate this asymmetry have superior explanatory power. The authors' innovation advances
Heuristic search based approach to scheduling, allocation and binding in Data Path Synthesis

In this paper, we present a novel heuristic search based approach (VITAL) to Data Path Synthesis. The approach is flexible as it is based on a generalized heuristic search algorithm and is capable of trading off between the solution quality and the computation time. The search algorithms are based on computation of cost estimates which are lower bound on the achievable cost. The approach achieves a higher degree of integration compared to other approaches, and provides closer cost estimates by performing allocation and partial binding sub-tasks during scheduling. It supports a variety of design styles, design constraints and component types, resulting in a versatile system. Experiments on several existing benchmark designs show that even VITAL-NS, which follows strictly one path in the search tree, gives excellent results.
Saddle-Point Excitons and Fano Resonances in Semiconductor Superlattices

Theoretical investigations of optical properties in semiconductor quantum wells and superlattices are presented. In particular, we introduce a line-shape theory for treating excitonic absorption in superlattices. This theoretical method allows one to accurately and efficiently calculate the Green’s function associated with the excitonic Hamiltonian of a realistic superlattice, including the mixing of heavy and light hole states (the valence band mixing) and inter-well tunneling of excitons. Realistic absorption spectra for a number of GaAs-Gal-xAlxAs superlattices were obtained with this method. Interesting features such as the saddle-point excitons and Fano resonances due to the interaction of discrete exciton states with continuum states are discussed. The theoretical predictions are in excellent agreement with available data.
Pocket reflectometry

We present a simple, fast solution for reflectance acquisition using tools that fit into a pocket. Our method captures video of a flat target surface from a fixed video camera lit by a hand-held, moving, linear light source. After processing, we obtain an SVBRDF.We introduce a BRDF chart, analogous to a color "checker" chart, which arranges a set of known-BRDF reference tiles over a small card. A sequence of light responses from the chart tiles as well as from points on the target is captured and matched to reconstruct the target's appearance.We develop a new algorithm for BRDF reconstruction which works directly on these LDR responses, without knowing the light or camera position, or acquiring HDR lighting. It compensates for spatial variation caused by the local (finite distance) camera and light position by warping responses over time to align them to a specular reference. After alignment, we find an optimal linear combination of the Lambertian and purely specular reference responses to match each target point's response. The same weights are then applied to the corresponding (known) reference BRDFs to reconstruct the target point's BRDF. We extend the basic algorithm to also recover varying surface normals by adding two spherical caps for diffuse and specular references to the BRDF chart.We demonstrate convincing results obtained after less than 30 seconds of data capture, using commercial mobile phone cameras in a casual environment.
Age at onset and familial risk in Alzheimer's disease

Objective: The authors investigated the relationship between probands’ age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease with the risk ofprimary progressive dementia in the probands’ first-degree relatives. Method: Two hundred probands with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease and I 79 nondemented elderly probands were recruited from the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, located at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Demographic and diagnostic data were collected on 1,398 ofthe first-degree relatives of the probands with Alzheimer’s disease and 955 first-degree relatives of the nondemented probands. Results: Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed a significant inverse relationship between age at onset ofAlzheimer’s disease in probands and greater familial risk in their relatives. Follow-up analyses indicated that the most commonly used age at onset cutoff point-65 years-was one ofthe points where an association with familial aggregation is least likely to be revealed; other onset cutoffages (e.g., 55, 70, and 75) better identified Alzheimer’s disease groups with differing familial/genetic risks. Conclusions: The authors conclude that patients with an earlier age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease than are patients with a later age at onset of the disease. An onset age of 70 best differentiated probands whose relatives were at higher risk from those whose relatives were at lower risk. (Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152:424-430)
Housing Advantages for the Better Connected? Institutional Segmentation, Settlement Type and Social Network Effects in Hungary's Late State-Socialist Housing Inequalities

This article contextualizes the market transition debate on the ongoing institutional transformation of former State socialist societies by examining the system of housing inequalities in Hungary three years before the regime change. It demonstrates that, by then, the differentiation of private housing ownership had already been so advanced that the private-public distinction hides important institutional variation within private ownership. As an alternative, the authors provide a four-category model of housing institutions for Hungary. The analysis shows that the rules of access to housing were quite differentiated by settlement type. Hence, the redistributive predominance of the socialist State weakens as we move from the urban to the rural context. Finally, the authors present empirical evidence that informal social network resources play a distinct role in structuring access to such significant assets as housing
Status of the Endemic Atitlan Grebe of Guatemala: Is It Extinct?

Efforts to determine the factors responsible for the long-term population decline of the Atitlan Grebe (Podilymbus gigas), a species restricted to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, led to the discovery that the only Podilymbus species present on Lake Atitlin in 1986-1987 was the Pied-billed Grebe (P. podiceps). Podilymbus gigas is similar to P. podiceps in color and form but is almost twice the weight, and is reported to be flightless. All Podilymbus grebes at Lake Atitlin in 1986-1987 appeared to be the same size, and the body masses and bill measurements of six captured grebes were within the range of P. podiceps, but not that of P. gigas. Grebe eggs measured at both Lake Atitlin and Laguna del Pino, another Guatemalan lake, were similar to each other and to eggs ofP. podiceps from North America. The territorial calls of male Podilymbus grebes recorded at Lake Atitlan, Laguna del Pino and West Toqua Lake in Minnesota did not differ significantly. It thus appears that P. gigas no longer occurs on Lake Atitlin and has been replaced, perhaps through competition or hybridization, by P. podiceps.
Alignment of Acentric Units in Infinite Chains: A “Lock and Key” Model

Polar chains built from acentric building units are of importance to investigate the mechanisms driving the polar alignment in the solid state. Our attempts to engineer polar chains in mixed metal oxide fluorides M′(2,2′-bpy)(H2O)2MOxF6–x compounds [M′/M = Cu/Ti, Cu/V, Cu/Nb, Cu/Mo, Zn/Mo, and Zn/W] were successful using a combination of acentric anions [MOxF6–x]2– and acentric cations [M′(2,2′-bpy)(H2O)2]2+. A new general insight is also revealed: the alignment of polar units can be described with a “lock and key” model. The role of both the key (the acentric unit) and the lock (its environment) on the polarity in infinite chains is discussed.
Electrical Alternans and Vulnerability to Ventricular Arrhythmias

Background Although electrical alternans (alternating amplitude from beat to beat on the electrocardiogram) has been associated with ventricular arrhythmias in many clinical settings, its physiologic importance and prognostic implications remain unknown. Methods To test the hypothesis that electrical alternans is a marker of vulnerability to ventricular arrhythmias, we developed a technique to detect subtle alternation in the morphologic features of the electrocardiogram (which would not be detectable by visual inspection of the electrocardiogram). In a group of 83 patients referred for diagnostic electrophysiologic testing, we prospectively examined whether levels of alternans predicted vulnerability to arrhythmias as defined by the outcome of electrophysiologic testing and arrhythmia-free survival. Results Sustained ventricular arrhythmias were induced during electrophysiologic testing in 32 of the patients (39 percent). In this group, low-level electrical alternans (a beat-to-beat change in amplitude o...
Countermeasures of Medical Rescues for Emergency Cyanide Leakage

The paper is discussing emergency treatment of cyanide leakage and the corresponding countermeasures by summing up current state and the damage of cyanide leakage in our countries in recent years, intoxication mechanism of cyanide, clinical manifestations and the principles of how to deal with the emergency, therefore to provide evidence for scientific decision of emergency rescues.
Analysis on Epidemiological Characteristics of Varicella,Shandong Province,2010-2013

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of varicella in Shandong province,2010-2013,so as to provide basis for varicella control. Methods All the data were collected from Disease Surveillance Information Reporting System and Public Health Emergency Events Reporting System of Chinese Information System for Disease Control and Prevention,and the data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results A total of 71 644 varicella cases were reported in Shandong province,2010-2013,and one case died.The average incidence of varicella during 2010-2013 was18.68/105.Most of cases occurred in spring and winter.The number of male cases was more than the females and the sex ratio(boys to girls)was 1.37∶1.Most cases were 4to 8years old,and 10 to 24years old,and the incidence of varicella was 114.55/105,34.80/105 respectively.During 2010-2013,the number of outbreaks was 38.Most of them happened in the elementary schools. Conclusion Children are high-risk population.Surveillance should be strengthened in kindergartens and elementary schools.It is critical to isolate varicella case timely and improve vaccine coverage for varicella control.
Wireless Sensor Networks Free Scale Routing Algorithm Based on Embedded Technology

A kind of sensor router algorithm based on free scale networks' character is brought forward.The algorithm could realize self-organized creating and dynamic adjusting topology,and form virtual backbone network on the topology to support entire network data routing.High redundancy routing design principle is adopted so as to improve the reliability.And data fusion function is also included,in which each backbone network node fuse redundancy data gathered before spread.All these functions can obtain sensed object's information more effective and reduce spread cost and accordingly improve life cycle of the network.
Immunogenicity of cholecystokinin octapeptide-conjugated antigens in pigs

An improved antigen is required to raise antiserum titers against cholecystokinin higher than those observed in previous studies to demonstrate the effect of immunoneutralization of cholecystokinin on feed intake in swine. Four immunogenic carrier proteins were compared. Unsulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK8ns) was conjugated to each of human serum globulin (HSG), BSA, Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD). Forty crossbred swine (four from each of 10 litters, 78 d of age, 22 kg BW) were randomly assigned to the four conjugated antigens by litter. The primary and three booster doses of antigen were injected at 14-d intervals. A blood sample was drawn before the primary dose on d 1 to assess basal nonspecific binding of antigen. Additional blood samples were drawn on d 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 71, and 92 to follow the time course of antiserum titer expression (d 1 = day of primary dose). Titer is the serum dilution that binds 50% of 1 fmol of radiolabeled antigen. Titers, compared by ANOVA of log titer values, were different between antigens (P < .01) and between litters (P < .01). Mean titer (n = 40; 10 pigs, four samples/pig) during the period after the immune response (d 50, 57, 71, and 92) was 55, 115, 176, and 535 for BSA, HSG, KLH, and PPD, respectively. It is concluded that the carrier protein component has an important effect on immunogenicity of conjugated CCK antigens in pigs; BSA was inferior and KLH and PPD were superior to HSG.
Analcime and Thompsonite in Humboldt County, Nevada

(1976). Analcime and Thompsonite in Humboldt County, Nevada. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 283-285.