cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of transfer functions with poles restricted to the negative real axis into two parallel R-C ladders and an ideal transformer

This paper presents a method of synthesizing a circuit to obtain a transfer function whose poles lie on the negative real axis and whose zeros lie anywhere in the complex frequency plane including the positive real axis by means of two parallel resistance-capacitance (R-C) ladders and an ideal transformer. The polynomial in the numerator of the given transfer function is first resolved into the difference of two component polynomials whose zeros are all negative real numbers. The method of resolution is based on conditions for collinearity of points that represent nth degree polynomials (with real coefficients) in n-dimensional space. The two component polynomial fractions for the given transfer function are then synthesized into two R-C ladders and the resulting network is the parallel combination of these two ladders through an ideal transformer and terminated by another R-C ladder. The method applies to more generalized cases and usually gives a network that contains less resistive and capacitive elements than any of the other methods available. If the resolution of the numerator polynomial is as a sum of polynomials instead of a difference, more than two components may be required. An expression for the upper bound to the least number of such components is also included in the paper.
Automated analysis of coronary artery disease by computed tomography.

Computer-assisted detection systems are widely used in many areas of radiology. Coronary computed tomography angiography is a growing area of clinical cardiology and computer-assisted detection systems play an integral part in analysis. Truly automated systems are still in clinical-trial stages, but manually assisted programs are in clinical use today for calcium scoring as well as plaque burden, composition, and stenosis analysis. They are being used as a tool for confirmation more than for diagnosis. Accurate plaque-composition analysis would be a critical tool for better understanding the mechanisms and effectiveness of novel therapies for coronary atherosclerosis. A need for a complete quick, safe, noninvasive plaque analysis is the goal of automated coronary stenosis detection systems; however, their potential clinical benefit remains unknown. Mt Sinai J Med 79:295–301, 2012© 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Selectivity of interferon action: Hormonal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase in rat hepatoma cells is much less sensitive to interferon than the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus or reovirus

Abstract The synthesis of the enzyme, tyrosine aminotransferase, can be induced in rat hepatoma cells in cell culture by treatment with adrenal steroids. Partial inhibition of the induction requires exposure of the cells to 200–700 times higher concentrations of a partially purified rat interferon preparation than those required for a comparable inhibition of reovirus or vesicular stomatitis virus replication. These results reveal the selectivity of interferon action.
Long-term effects of selective and nonselective endothelin receptor antagonists in mice with heart failure.

Abstract Background: The ET A and ET B receptors mediate vasoconstriction, aldosterone release, and fibrosis. However, the role of ET B receptors is still controversial because those expressed on endothelial cells also stimulate vasodilatation and may oppose the actions of the ET A receptor. Plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) are increased in heart failure (HF) and are associated with myocardial dysfunction. The relative efficacy of selective and nonselective ET antagonists in the treatment of HF is unclear. We hypothesized that blockade of ET A receptors may improve cardiac function and prevent left ventricular remodeling in mice with HF, and these effects may be mediated in part by activation of ET B . Methods and Results: A mouse model of chronic HF induced by myocardial infarction (MI) was used. Seven days after MI, mice were divided into vehicle, ET A -ant, or ET A/B -ant groups and treated for 23 weeks. Cardiac function, LV dimensions, and hemodynamics were evaluated in conscious mice before MI and during treatment. Histologic analysis of the heart and liver was performed at the end of the study. HF significantly decreased EF and increased LV dimensions, interstitial collagen fraction (ICF) and myocyte cross-sectional area (MCSA). Both ET A -ant and ET A/B -ant slightly increased EF but had no significant effect on LV dimensions, hypertrophy, or ICF. Both treatments decreased MCSA; however, this was only significant in the ET A/B -ant group. Conclusions: Both selective and nonselective ET-ant have similar slight effects on cardiac function and remodeling. This suggests that (1) ET B receptors do not mediate the beneficial cardiac effects of ET A -ant and (2) blockade of the ET system alone may not provide significant cardioprotection, at least in mice with HF induced by MI.
Neoliberalism and Education: An Introduction

Although neoliberalism has increasingly swayed global politics since the 1980s, only in the last decade has it become focus of much discussion within the Foundations of Education. Saddled with a co...
Recovery of rectified signals from hot-wire/film anemometers due to flow reversal in oscillating flows

Hot-wire/film anemometers have been broadly used in experimental studies in fluid mechanics, acoustics, and ocean engineering. Yet, it is well known that hot-wire/film anemometers rectify the signal outputs due to the lack of sensitivity to flow direction. This main drawback, in turn, makes them less useful for diverse fluctuating flow measurements. To solve this issue, a rectification recovery method has been developed based on reconstruction of the Fourier series expansion in conjunction with signal-squaring approach. This signal recovery method was experimentally examined and proven to be successful for both conventional and microfabricated hot-wire/film anemometers. The method was further applied to dipole field measurements, with data from recovered signals perfectly matching the analytical model of the dipole field.
A New Method for Dating Ancient Glass

The laminar structure of weathering crusts on soda-lime-silica and on potash-lime-silica glasses is associated with variations in selective leaching due to seasonal variation of temperature and availability of water. The theory has been tested by counting the laminae in the crusts on seven glasses which had been buried or submerged at known dates in the 17th or 18th centuries, and on four glasses of less well known dates between the 3rd and 14th centuries. The agreement of the dates thus calculated with those expected from archaeological evidence warrants acceptance of the theory. Various sources of error in the calculated date are discussed. Further data on additional ancient glass samples will be published in Journal of Glass Studies. 6 refs.
Single-Phase Thermal Transport of Nanofluids in a Minichannel

Nanofluids have been proposed as a promising candidate for advanced heat transfer fluids in a variety of important engineering applications ranging from energy storage and electronics cooling to thermal processing of materials. In spite of the extensive studies in the literature, a consensus is lacking on if and how the dispersed nanoparticles alter the thermal transport in convective flows. In this work, an experimental investigation was conducted to study single-phase forced convection of Al 2 O 3 -water nanofluid in a circular minichannel with a 1.09 mm inner diameter. The friction factor and convection heat transfer coefficients were measured for nanofluids of various volume concentrations (up to 5%) and were compared with those of the base fluid. The Reynolds number (Re) varied from 600 to 4500, covering the laminar, transition, and early fully developed turbulent regions. It was found that in the laminar region, the nanofluids exhibit pronounced entrance region behaviors possibly due to the flattening of the velocity profile caused by the flow-induced particle migration. Three new observations were made for nanofluids in the transition and turbulent regions: (1) The onset of transition to turbulence is delayed; (2) both the friction factor and the convective heat transfer coefficient are below those of water at the same Re in the transition flow; and (3) once fully developed turbulence is established, the difference in the flow and heat transfer of nanofluids and water will diminish. A simple scaling analysis was used to show that these behaviors may be attributed to the variation in the relative size of the nanoparticle with respect to the turbulent microscales at different Re. The results from this work suggest that the particle-fluid interaction has a significant impact on the flow physics of nanofluids, especially in the transition and turbulent regions. Consequently, as a heat transfer fiuid, nanofluids should be used in either the laminar flow or the fully developed turbulent flow at sufficiently high Re in order to yield enhanced heat transfer performance.
A response to my critics: Democracy across Borders

It is a special privilege for me to have my book, Democracy across borders, discussed by insightful critics, all of whom in one way or another have contributed to emerging thinking about democracy, globalization, and international institutions. But it is also a privilege to have it discussed in this particular journal, which I see as a very good example of a transnational (rather than international) space for reflection and communication on matters of global politics. It is transnational, at least in part; not just because of what is discussed here, but also because of the norms that underlie its public form of communication: the norm of open access by which some of the barriers for the exercise of communicative freedom across borders are removed. Such communicative spaces did not exist even 10 years ago, although some people were already attempting to find new ways to realize communicative freedom. Other scholars may have objected that scholarly discussion should not be conducted this way, that it violated established norms of the profession and would always be marginal. However, those making such objections realized that the idea of open access would be potentially transformative, allowing the emergence of new publics and creating a dynamic process by which the norms of communicative freedom would be realized and strengthened by new institutions. Such a process might be described as transnationalization, a process that fills out the communicative infrastructure on which novel publics are based and through which they can reconstitute themselves for a variety of political purposes. (Published: 5 February 2010) Citation: Ethics & Global Politics, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2010, pp. 71-84. DOI: 10.3402/egp.v3i1.4855
Layout-driven RTL binding techniques for high-level synthesis using accurate estimators

The importance of effective and efficient accounting of layout effects is well established in High-Level Synthesis (HLS), since it allows more realistic exploration of the design space and the generation of solutions with predictable metrics. This feature is highly desirable in order to avoid unnecessary iterations through the design process. In this article, we address the problem of layout-driven register-transfer-level (RTL) binding as this step has a direct relevance to the final performance of the design. By producing not only an RTL design but also an approximate physical topology of the chip-level implementation, we ensure that the solution will perform at the predicted metric once implemented, thus avoiding unnecessary delays in the design process.
Osteoarthritis: The zinc link

Increased influx of zinc into chondrocytes — the cells that make up cartilage — has been found to activate matrix-degrading enzymes that cause the destruction of cartilage in osteoarthritis.
Evolution of the A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/83 (H5N2) influenza virus

The epidemiological features of the H5N2 outbreak of influenza in poultry were studied by sequencing the HA genes of several viruses isolated during the epidemic. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the HA genes indicated there was a single introduction of virulent virus. The variation rate (silent mutations) in the HA gene of the virulent Ck/Penn virus was 9.0 or 14.4% per 10 years depending on the viruses compared and was similar to that in H3 HA gene of human influenza A virus. The virulent and avirulent viruses isolated after October 1983 were derived from a common ancestoral virus and the virulent virus did not supersede the avirulent virus, instead, the virulent and avirulent viruses coexisted and evolved separately during the course of the epidemic. The evolutionary changes in the HA of H5N2 viruses that occurred during the epidemic permitted us to establish that a virus (A/Chick/Washington/84) that was isolated 8 months after the last H5N2 virus had been isolated from poultry in Pennsylvania belonged to the family of potentially dangerous H5N2 viruses and was a direct descendent of the virus that spread to Maryland and Virginia. All of the virulent Ck/Penn viruses retained the amino acid changes at residues 13 and 69 in the HA.
Overview of the ASME “Solar Splash”: The Intercollegiate World Championship of Solar/Electric Boating

The objective of the ASME-sponsored Solar Splash is to promote the construction and competition of a solar-powered boat which can be built within a school year at a reasonable cost. Solar Splash was created to interest college students in solar energy, both as an energy source and in its engineering applications. The competition is designed to provide “hands-on” engineering experiences involving teamwork, develop project and program management skills, expose students to various technical disciplines, and require the use of system and people integration — while remaining a fun project. The 5 day event competition format includes points awarded for both engineering design components (design report, poster presentation, workmanship) and for boat performance (maneuverability, slalom, sprint, and endurance events).Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Superhydrophilic and solvent resistant coatings on polypropylene fabrics by a simple deposition process

A simple, yet general coating method to plasma treated polymeric substrates is presented. The method is based on electrostatic interactions between the surface functionalized nanoparticles and the charged substrate and leads to stable and solvent resistant multilayer coatings. The coatings render polypropylene (PP) hydrophilic and in the case of PP fabric superhydrophilic. The superhydrophilicity is attributed to the topography and increased roughness of the fabric compared to a planar, smooth substrate.
Problems in Implementing an AIDS Prevention Program for Injecting Drug Users

The authors present the design and implementation of an AIDS prevention program of information and counseling for injecting drug users (IDUs). Outreach worker attrition has been a major problem. IDUs tend to drop out of the intervention; they do not seek HIV antibody test results and reject drug treatment referrals.
Effects of sulforaphane and 3,3'-diindolylmethane on genome-wide promoter methylation in normal prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer cells.

Epigenetic changes, including aberrant DNA methylation, result in altered gene expression and play an important role in carcinogenesis. Phytochemicals such as sulforaphane (SFN) and 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) are promising chemopreventive agents for the treatment of prostate cancer. Both have been shown to induce re-expression of genes, including tumor suppressor genes silenced in cancer cells, via modulation of epigenetic marks including DNA methylation. However, it remained unclear the effects SFN and DIM on DNA methylation at a genomic scale. The goal of this study was to determine the genome-wide effects of SFN and DIM on promoter methylation in normal prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer cells. Both SFN and DIM treatment decreased DNA methyltransferase expression in normal prostate epithelial cells (PrEC), and androgen-dependent (LnCAP) and androgen-independent (PC3) prostate cancer cells. The effects of SFN and DIM on promoter methylation profiles in normal PrEC, LnCAP and PC3 prostate cancer cells were determined using methyl-DNA immunoprecipitation followed by genome-wide DNA methylation array. We showed widespread changes in promoter methylation patterns, including both increased and decreased methylation, in all three prostate cell lines in response to SFN or DIM treatments. In particular, SFN and DIM altered promoter methylation in distinct sets of genes in PrEC, LnCAP, and PC3 cells, but shared similar gene targets within a single cell line. We further showed that SFN and DIM reversed many of the cancer-associated methylation alterations, including aberrantly methylated genes that are dysregulated or are highly involved in cancer progression. Overall, our data suggested that both SFN and DIM are epigenetic modulators that have broad and complex effects on DNA methylation profiles in both normal and cancerous prostate epithelial cells. Results from our study may provide new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms by which SFN and DIM exert their cancer chemopreventive effects.
β-Filagenin, a Newly Identified Protein Coassembling with Myosin and Paramyosin in Caenorhabditis elegans

Muscle thick filaments are stable assemblies of myosin and associated proteins whose dimensions are precisely regulated. The mechanisms underlying the stability and regulation of the assembly are not understood. As an approach to these problems, we have studied the core proteins that, together with paramyosin, form the core structure of the thick filament backbone in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We obtained partial peptide sequences from one of the core proteins, beta-filagenin, and then identified a gene that encodes a novel protein of 201-amino acid residues from databases using these sequences. beta-Filagenin has a calculated isoelectric point at 10.61 and a high percentage of aromatic amino acids. Secondary structure algorithms predict that it consists of four beta-strands but no alpha-helices. Western blotting using an affinity-purified antibody showed that beta-filagenin was associated with the cores. beta-Filagenin was localized by immunofluorescence microscopy to the A bands of body-wall muscles, but not the pharynx. beta-filagenin assembled with the myosin homologue paramyosin into the tubular cores of wild-type nematodes at a periodicity matching the 72-nm repeats of paramyosin, as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy. In CB1214 mutants where paramyosin is absent, beta-filagenin assembled with myosin to form abnormal tubular filaments with a periodicity identical to wild type. These results verify that beta-filagenin is a core protein that coassembles with either myosin or paramyosin in C. elegans to form tubular filaments.
A new suite of tnaA mutants suggests that Escherichia coli tryptophanase is regulated by intracellular sequestration and by occlusion of its active site

The Escherichia coli enzyme tryptophanase (TnaA) converts tryptophan to indole, which triggers physiological changes and regulates interactions between bacteria and their mammalian hosts. Tryptophanase production is induced by external tryptophan, but the activity of TnaA is also regulated by other, more poorly understood mechanisms. For example, the enzyme accumulates as a spherical inclusion (focus) at midcell or at one pole, but how or why this localization occurs is unknown. TnaA activity is low when the protein forms foci during mid-logarithmic growth but its activity increases as the protein becomes more diffuse, suggesting that foci may represent clusters of inactive (or less active) enzyme. To determine what protein characteristics might mediate these localization effects, we constructed 42 TnaA variants: 6 truncated forms and 36 missense mutants in which different combinations of 83 surface-exposed residues were converted to alanine. A truncated TnaA protein containing only domains D1 and D3 (D1D3) localized to the pole. Mutations affecting the D1D3-to-D1D3 interface did not affect polar localization of D1D3 but did delay assembly of wild type TnaA foci. In contrast, alterations to the D1D3-to-D2 domain interface produced diffuse localization of the D1D3 variant but did not affect the wild type protein. Altering several surface-exposed residues decreased TnaA activity, implying that tetramer assembly may depend on interactions involving these sites. Interestingly, changing any of three amino acids at the base of a loop near the catalytic pocket decreased TnaA activity and caused it to form elongated ovoid foci in vivo, indicating that the alterations affect focus formation and may regulate how frequently tryptophan reaches the active site. The results suggest that TnaA activity is regulated by subcellular localization and by a loop-associated occlusion of its active site. Equally important, these new TnaA variants are immediately available to the research community and should be useful for investigating how tryptophanase is localized and assembled, how substrate accesses its active site, the functional role of acetylation, and other structural and functional questions.
Colonization of crop residues by white-rot fungi : Cell wall monosaccharides, phenolic acids, ruminal fermentation characteristics and digestibility of cell wall fiber components in vitro

Abstract Objectives were to evaluate the effect of fungal treatment on monomers of structural carbohydrates, major cell wall phenolic acids and ruminal fermentability in vitro during small and large scale treatment process. Samples from two previously conducted experiments were used in the present study as follows: Samples from botanical fractions (leaf and stem) of rice straw colonized by Cyathus stercoreus (Cs), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Pc) and Pleurotus sajorcaju (Ps) were evaluated for in vitro fermentation characteristics, in vitro digestibility (IVD) of cell wall fiber constituents and changes in cell wall phenolic acids (PA) and monosaccharides. The same analyses were repeated for the second set of samples obtained from a large scale trial where rice straw was decayed with Cs in 5 kg batches. The effect of processing of straw, straw pre-soaked in water to achieve 80% moisture, also compared with unprocessed rice straw which served as a positive control. Xylose:arabinose ratio was higher for control rice stem than for leaf which suggests that arabinose substitution with xylose may differ between leaf and stem. Stem contained more p-coumaric acid (p-CA) and less ferulic acid (FA) than leaf, but total PA was higher for stem. Hemicellulose (HC) in rice leaf, calculated as the sum of monomers, was selectively and extensively consumed by Ps and Cs while Pc selectively consumed only glucose derived from cellulose. Arabinose and xylose were solubilized during Pc growth on leaf, but not metabolized. Consequently, less total PA degraded by Pc was found in leaf than with the other two fungi. IVDMD and p-CA were highly correlated ( r = −0.73) yet other factors such as the cellulose: p-CA ratio also contributed to the variation in IVDMD. Uronic acids were only partially degraded by fungal treatment. Of all fungi, Cs and Ps improved IVDMD of rice leaf; primarily because of increased digestion of cellulose. Increased IVDMD was further evident by a 1.7 fold increase in the total volatile fatty acid production. Processing of straw prior to fungal treatment decreased IVDMD by more than three-fold, but no apparent mechanism was found. Results of these experiments indicate that improvement of rice straw quality was dependent on fungal species, botanical fractions, and preparation of substrate prior to fungal decay.
A large thigh mass: a blood clot or a rare skeletal muscle metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.

Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a tumor known for its unusual presentations and high rate of metastasis. Metastasis to lung, liver, bone and brain are common, but to skeletal muscle(SM) is very rare. Because only 11% of the RCC metastases to SM present after 10 years of initial presentation, there is no general consensus for its annual surveillance.
Characterization of a thermally imidized soluble polyimide film

A soluble aromatic poly(amic acid) film was converted to a soluble polyimide by staging at 25 deg intervals to 325 C and characterized at each interval by several analytical methods. The behavior observed was consistent with an interpretation that a reduction occurred in molecular weight of the poly(amic acid) during the initial stages of cure before the ultimate molecular weight was achieved as a polyimide. This interpretation was supported by the results of solution viscosity, gel permeation chromatography, low angle laser light scattering photometry and infrared spectroscopy analysis. The results serve to increase the fundamental understanding of how polyimides are thermally formed from poly(amic acids).
Through the Screen, into the School: Education, subversion, ourselves in The Simpsons

There is little question that popular television shows influence the shaping of social norms, identities, and the ways we navigate daily life. High profile shows are also a common magnet for critical attention. No primetime television show has provoked as wide a range of reactions as Fox's The Simpsons. From shock radio to public broadcasting pundits pour condemnations, accolades, and adulations for this unique cartoon sitcom. From the masses to the literary elite, the world's most famous animated family touch one and all, from the raw funny bone to the higher intellect. In a parallel vein, there is no lack of strong and varied opinion regarding education in the USA, and few venues do a more effective job at representing its core controversies than this weekly cartoon. Here I angle a mirror at the primetime television screen and suggest some ways this animated series reflects inner, outer, and systemic relationships with education. The beauty of The Simpsons in this regard is that the translucent motility...
When hatchlings outperform adults: locomotor development in Australian brush turkeys (Alectura lathami, Galliformes)

Within Galliformes, megapods (brush turkey, malleefowl, scrubfowl) exhibit unique forms of parental care and growth. Hatchlings receive no post-hatching parental care and exhibit the most exaggerated precocial development of all extant birds, hatching with fully developed, flight-capable forelimbs. Rather than flying up to safety, young birds preferentially employ wing-assisted incline running. Newly hatched Australian brush turkeys (Alectura lathami) are extraordinarily proficient at negotiating all textured inclined surfaces and can flap-walk up inclines exceeding the vertical. Yet, as brush turkeys grow, their forelimb-dependent locomotor performance declines. In an attempt to elucidate how hatchlings perform so well, we analysed hindlimb forces and forelimb kinematics. We measured ground reaction forces (GRFs) for animals spanning the entire growth range (110–2000 g) as they ascended a variably positioned inclined ramp that housed a forceplate. These data are compared with a similar dataset for a chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) that exhibit a growth strategy typical of most other Galliformes and that demonstrate improved incline performance with increasing age. The brush turkeys' ontogenetic decline in incline running performance is accompanied by loss of traction at steep angles, reduced GRFs and increased wing-loading. We hypothesize that Australian brush turkeys, in contrast to other Galliformes, develop from forelimb-dominated young that exploit a variable terrain (e.g. mound nests, boulders, embankments, cliffs, bushes and trees) into hindlimb-dominated adults dependent on size and running speed to avoid predation.
Ion Mobility Spectrometry: Ion Source Development and Applications in Physical and Biological Sciences

The utility of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has been steadily growing, and it cuts across diverse areas in physical and biological sciences. The development of ion sources, particularly in the context of IMS, is described. IMS ion sources operate efficiently in ambient environment and yield ions for a wide range of complex molecules including biological materials. While significant progress has been made in this area through the development of a variety of ion sources, further research to address several key issues, namely, ionization processes, reaction chemistry, and overall system miniaturization for field deployment of IMS, is the primary focus of current activities. Aside from reviewing the present state of the art of ion sources for IMS, this paper has discussed the wide range of applications and current trends of research in the field.
The Impact of Chemical Protective Clothing on Military Operational Performance

Wearing chemical protective clothing (CPC) while conducting military operations limits a soldier's dexterity, mobility, command and control, communications, and endurance. A series of field studies was conducted to identify mission degradations from the protective clothing on the chemically contaminated battlefield. The studies differed in complexity but had a common goal of comparing task performance and endurance of soldiers wearing the full protective ensemble versus wearing the standard military field uniform. This article summarizes 3 U.S. Army programs. One of them is called the Physiological and Psychological Effects of the NBC Environment and Sustained Operations on Systems in Combat. A review of 19 studies concerning combat, combat support, and combat service support systems shows that most military tasks can be performed satisfactorily while CPC is worn, but usually, extra time is required to perform such tasks. Higher ambient temperatures and high workloads are especially detrimental to enduran...
Response of non–glufosinate-resistant cotton to reduced rates of glufosinate

Abstract Field research was conducted for 2 yr to determine the effect of reduced rates of glufosinate on growth and yield of non–glufosinate-resistant cotton. Rates of 3.4, 6.7, 13, 26.5, 52.5, and 105 g ha−1, representing 0.008, 0.016, 0.031, 0.063, 0.125, and 0.25 of an effective use rate (420 g ha−1), were applied to cotton at the two-, five-, or nine-node growth stage. Based on analysis of visual injury, cotton response decreased as application timing was delayed in one of the three experiments. Injury response was increased slightly with application at the five- compared with the two-node growth stage and was not significant for the latest application timing (nine-node stage) in two of three experiments. In two of the three experiments, plant height reduction response was lowest at the five-node stage and greatest at the nine-node stage. Regardless of application timing, plant dry weight was negatively affected only with the highest rate of glufosinate. Glufosinate application, based on node above w...
Simulation of Infiltration and Surface Runoff - A Windows-Based Hydrologic Modeling System HYDROL-INF

Simulation of infiltration and surface runoff, two closely-correlated processes during rainfall events (wet time periods), is critical to water quantity and quality studies for both surface and subsurface systems. Partitioning rainfall into these two primary water pathways is fundamental to any hydrologic modeling. In a continuous hydrologic model, it is also essential to simulate drainage and redistribution of soil water between two rainfall events (dry time period). A new algorithm is proposed to simulate infiltration into a layered soil profile of arbitrary initial water distributions under unsteady rainfall and the resultant surface runoff. Two distinct periods, preponding and post-ponding, are taken into account. The model tracks the movement of the wetting front along the soil profile, checks the ponding status, and handles the shift between ponding and non-ponding conditions. The model is further extended to complex rainfall patterns that include both wet time periods with unsteady rainfall and dry time periods without rainfall by incorporating a compartmental model that accounts for drainage and redistribution in the soil profile. Furthermore, a Windowsbased modeling system, HYDROL-INF, is developed, which integrates preprocessing of data, model run, and post-processing in a user-friendly Windows interface. To facilitate parameter estimation, a parameter database is developed and incorporated. Additionally, the HYDROL-INF system also includes some useful hydrologic tools/calculators that can be used in applied hydrologic investigations.
A New Measure of Introversion-Extroversion

(1941). A New Measure of Introversion-Extroversion. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 111-124.
Endodontic infection caused by localized aggressive periodontitis: A case report and bacteriologic evaluation

A rare case of a periodontally induced endodontic lesion in a systemically healthy subject of 28 years is described. The patient, having presented with severe attachment loss on the palatal and distal aspects of his maxillary right second premolar, was diagnosed with localized aggressive periodontitis. He had never received periodontal treatment. The tooth was nonvital and showed all signs of symptomatic apical periodontitis. It was also free of any restoration. All clinical findings clearly suggested that the endodontic problem was caused by the aggressive periodontal disease. Bacteriologic screening of the pocket and the root canal, by using "checkerboard" DNA-DNA hybridization analysis, revealed diverse flora in the periodontal lesion. The sample obtained from the root canal exhibited DNA from a limited number of species, including black-pigmented anaerobic rods. No bacterial DNA was found in the root canal that was not also recovered from the periodontal pocket.
Tissue stiffness from tactile imaging

Tactile imaging uses a passive pressure sensitive sensor to record the reaction pressure distribution on its surface. When pressed into and scanned over tissue of interest, it generates an image that is dependent on the mechanical properties and geometric distribution of the structures within the tissue. Since pathology is related to tissue stiffness, stiffness measurement would be of great use to provide insight into disease processes and an aid to diagnosis. We have developed an algorithm that inverts the tactile image and determines the salient features of the underlying tissue. The features of interest are the stiffness and depth of the background tissue and the stiffness and size of a round inclusion. A finite element model was constructed in order to simulate the tactile imaging process. The analysis was performed on models spanning an experimentally determined range of material properties. By analyzing each pressure frame and performing a least-squares fit between the pressure frames and the model features we were able to determine an inverse relationship to extract tissue stiffness from tactile frames.
The contribution of eddies to striations in absolute dynamic topography

[1] Distinct 4 year averages of absolute dynamic topography reveal striations in all ocean basins during 1993–2008. Striations are alternating mesoscale jet-like structures observed in time-averaged zonal geostrophic velocity, u¯. They are characterized by speeds O(1 cm s–1) and are nominally separated by 200 km in the meridional direction. Similar patterns have been observed in sea level anomaly, mean dynamic topography, and Argo float measurements. Use of a tracked-eddy database in concert with a contour identification and eddy removal algorithm demonstrates that eddies are a dominant source of striations in u¯ in the South Pacific (20°S–50°S, 200°E–280°E). Eddies with lifetimes ≥ 4 weeks account for 46–57% of the variance in u¯ and correlation coefficients between total and eddy-only u¯ are 0.90–0.93. Attention is given to the ability of the algorithm to correctly identify eddies and suggests that a more appropriate bound on the variance due to eddies is ∼ 30–70%. This permits the existence of latent zonal jets and/or β-plumes. Additional findings of the study include (1) a large number of eddies having a broad range of amplitudes and scales contribute most to the eddy-induced patterns and (2) the standard deviation of u¯ does not decay inversely with averaging period as proposed by a model of random eddies.
‘Colonial reflection’ and territoriality: The peripheral origins of sovereign statehood

The modern international system is commonly argued to have originated within Western Europe and spread globally during centuries of colonialism. This article argues, instead, that the character of ...
Thrombin Generation in Normal Subjects and Cardiac Patients

A refined, reliable thrombin generation test with good sensitivity for both hypo- and hypercoagulability is described. When serial thrombin generation curves were obtained in cardiac patients subjected to standardized treadmill stress, fluctuations of the clotting system were observed in some and a marked tendency to hypercoagulability in others. The relationship of in vitro hypercoagulability as reflected by thrombin generation to an increased tendency to thrombosis remains to be determined.
Differential Expression of Plasticity-Related Genes in Waking and Sleep and Their Regulation by the Noradrenergic System

Behavioral studies indicate that the ability to acquire long-term memories is severely impaired during sleep. It is unclear, however, why the highly synchronous discharge of neurons during sleep should not be followed by the induction of enduring plastic changes. Here we show that the expression of phosphorylated CRE-binding protein, Arc, and BDNF, three genes whose induction is often associated with synaptic plasticity, is high during waking and low during sleep. We also show that the induction of these genes during waking depends on the activity of the noradrenergic system, which is high in waking and low in sleep. These molecular results complement behavioral evidence and provide a mechanism for the impairment of long-term memory acquisition during sleep.
Nucleation and growth of mercury on Pt nanoelectrodes at different overpotentials

Three-dimensional nucleation and growth on active surface sites are fundamentally important initial stages of electrodeposition of metals. Electrodeposition of Hg is a widely employed model for studies of such processes because the near-ideal hemispherical growth of its liquid nuclei can be used to check the existing theory. In this article we discuss nucleation/growth of Hg at 50–100 nm radius Pt electrodes. Recently, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to demonstrate that a nanoelectrode of this size has a single active site for Ag nucleation, at which the growth of a single nucleus was monitored (Chem. Sci., 2012, 3, 3307). Here we report similar observations for Hg nucleation/growth at relatively low overpotentials (e.g., 25 to 75 mV). However, at higher overpotentials (e.g., ≥100 mV), the kinetics of this process changed, and very fast multiple nucleation of Hg was observed. Possible origins of this phenomenon are discussed.
Complex Litigation: Defendant Classes

Commentary and analysis of the ability of litigants to create a defendant’s class under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. Not only does Rule 23 permit defendant classes, but defendant classes also raise challenging procedural issues as well as interesting strategic possibilities. Although defendant classes are less common than plaintiff classes, courts will certify defendant classes if the Rule 23 class certification requirements are satisfied. When a court certifies both a plaintiff and defendant classes, this creates a bilateral class action. Historically, defendant classes were more prevalent in the English chancery courts during the 17th and 18th centuries. A proposed defendant class must satisfy the same Rule 23(a) certification requirements as a plaintiff class, including that the defendant class may be maintained under one of the Rule 23(b) class categories. Satisfying the requirements for class certification typically are more complex than for plaintiff classes. In particular, it often is more difficult to designate and adequate or typical class representative to represent the class, as multiple defendants may have conflicting interests. The article discusses the leading case of LaMar v. H & B Novelty & Loan Co., 489 F.2d 461 (9th Cir. 1973), refusing to certify a defendant class, as well as federal courts that have permitted defendant classes under Rule 23(b)(2). Defendant classes sometimes may be deployed strategically to assert counterclaims against the plaintiff class.
Outcomes of Home-Support Consultation on the Maintenance of Bicycle-Riding Skills for Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACTBicycle riding is a functional motor skill that increases physical activity opportunities, social interaction, and independence. However, bicycle riding is difficult for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to learn. This study examined the effectiveness of home-support consultation (HSC) on increasing the maintenance of independent bicycle riding following initial skill acquisition. Fifty-one youth with a confirmed ASD diagnosis learned to ride a two-wheeled bicycle during a training camp. Twenty-nine riders enrolled in a HSC intervention to promote distributed practice of the learned skill. The control cohort (N = 22) was exempt from the HSC intervention. One year following initial skill acquisition, 62.07% of the HSC cohort compared to 36.36% of the control cohort still reportedly displayed the skill. Within the HSC cohort, riders who reported at least 8 weeks of practice following acquisition on average maintained the skill. Implications of home consultation are discussed.
Peripheral blood harvest of unaffected CD34+ CD38- hematopoietic precursors in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) arises from somatic mutation of a bone marrow progenitor that disrupts glycosylinositol phospholipid (GPI) anchoring of cell surface proteins. We recently characterized the expression of GPI-anchored decay acclerating factor (DAF) and CD59 during hematopoietic development in PNH marrow. We found that, although a subset of early hematopoietic precursors identified by the CD34+CD38- phenotype exhibits normal DAF and CD59 expression, DAF and CD59 are absent on the majority of CD34+CD38- cells. Pluripotent CD34+CD38- hematopoietic stem cells normally circulate in the peripheral blood and can be collected by apheresis, cryopreserved, and later used for reconstitution of hematopoiesis. In this study, we examined the phenotypes of CD34+ cells that are released into the blood of PNH patients. Analyses of apheresis samples from three affected individuals showed discrete populations of circulating DAF+CD59+CD34+ and DAF-CD59-CD34+ cells. Variable proportions of CD34+CD38- cells were present within the peripheral blood CD34+ cells of each patient, but in all three cases the DAF+CD59+CD34+CD38- cell subset subset. Because CD34+ cells lacking CD38 antigen are highly enriched for self-renewing hematopoietic stem cells, these findings indicate that apheresis samples can serve as a source of unaffected stem cells for autologous marrow transplantation of PNH patients.
Teaching and learning curriculum programs: Recommendations for postgraduate pharmacy experiences in education

Purpose Recommendations for the development and support of teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) experiences within postgraduate pharmacy training programs are discussed. Summary Recent attention has turned toward meeting teaching- and learning-related educational outcomes through a programmatic process during the first or second year of postgraduate education. These programs are usually coordinated by schools and colleges of pharmacy and often referred to as “teaching certificate programs,” though no national standards or regulation of these programs currently exists. In an effort to describe the landscape of these programs and to develop a framework for their basic design and content, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Pharmacy Practice Section’s Task Force on Student Engagement and Involvement, with input from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, reviewed evidence from the literature and conference proceedings and considered author experience and expertise over a two-year period. The members of the task force created and reached consensus on a policy statement and 12 recommendations to guide the development of best practices of TLC programs. The recommendations address topics such as the value of TLC programs, program content, teaching and learning experiences, feedback for participants, the development of a teaching portfolio, the provision of adequate resources for TLC programs, programmatic assessment and improvement, program transparency, and accreditation. Conclusion TLC programs provide postgraduate participants with valuable knowledge and skills in teaching applicable to the practitioner and academician. Postgraduate programs should be transparent to candidates and seek to ensure the best experiences for participants through systematic program implementation and assessments.
Backpropagation-neural-network-based intelligent prognostic methodology and its application

Intelligent prognostic methodology framework was proposed from the perspective of realizing system function of intelligent prognostic to predict and prevent failures.Performance assessment and residual life prediction models based on BackPropagation(BP) neural network were established.The effectiveness and prediction error of BP models were studied in particular.From the perspective of application,updating and dynamic prediction of model were realized.With the increasing of collection data,the prediction model was adjusted.And the dynamic assessment value was attained based on the adjusted model.The proposed method was implemented in a blade material fatigue analysis system at Harbin Steam Turbine Company.The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method were verified by blade material performance analysis and residual life prediction.
Numerical research on characteristics of rotating pulverized-coal classifier

Rotating pulverized-coal classifier is an important part of pulverizing system,and its major performance indexes are export coal fineness,comprehensive separating efficiency and air resistance,which will directly affect the economy of coal pulverizing system and boiler. The internal flow field of rotating pulverized-coal classifier was simulated with Fluent,the flow field distribution of classifier and change trend of every performance index with the rotor speed changing were gotten, which can provide theoretical basis for more understanding the characteristics of rotating pulverized-coal classifier.
International Comparison of Carbon Reduction Policies and the Implications for China

In response to the global climate changes,reducing carbon emissions has become a worldwide consensus and a "new normal state" of the world economy.This paper gives a detailed description of the two main policy tools for carbon reduction: the basic connotation,economic theoretical basis,advantages and disadvantages of the carbon tax and the carbon trading markets.Combined with China’s actual situation,this paper presents the policy recommendations that China should adopt the two carbon reduction policies to collect carbon taxes and to establish carbon trading markets,boost actively the international coordination and convergence of all kinds of carbon reduction policies,and race to control the commanding height of future economical and social development.
Bipedal Balancing: A New Approach

Progress in the development of a walking robotic biped depends on an understanding of the process of achieving and maintaining balance. Based upon the inverted pendulum model, Raibert has built a hopping monoped able to remain upright [1]. More recently, Furusho and Masubuchi built a bipedal walking machine [2] able to demonstrate a true walking gait. However, as with Raibert’s hopping machine, the motion of the machine is constrained to the sagittal plane. No one has yet demonstrated a biped able to maintain balance in three dimensions.