cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of n-butane addition on reformer gas combustion: Implications for the potential of using reformer gas for an engine cold start

A major reason for the increased hydrocarbon (HC) emissions during the cold-start phase of the Federal Test Procedure is that the engine must be operated fuel rich in order to obtain suitable idle quality and driveability. Significant reductions in HC emissions would be obtained if the engine could be operated at the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio or, preferably, lean of stoichiometric. In this work, we investigate the possibility of starting an engine on reformer gas/air mixtures during the cold start and then adding increasing, amounts of HC fuel to transition into fully warmed-up operation on gasoline. The laminar flame speeds and lean flammability limits of reformer gas/air mixtures with different amounts of n -butane addition are investigated numerically. The results indicate, that the flame speeds are dramatically reduced with even as little as 10% n -butane addition. Although the flame temperature is increased with n -butane addition, the fact that the H and O radicals react preferentially with n -butane leads to a reduction in the radical pool and a consequent flame speed reduction. While the lean flammability limit of reformer gas/air mixtures is leaner than n -butane/air mixtures at 1 atm, at 10 atm the trend reverses and the flammability limit of pure reformer gas/air mixtures is richer than that of n -butane/air mixtures. The present results indicate that in order to obtain the full benefit of reformer gas operation during cold start, the amount of hydrocarbon fuel in the fuel mixture must initially be kept to a miniumum. Immediately following catalyst light-off, the level of liquid fuel being fed to the engine can then be increased.
The impact of investment on price competition in unlicensed spectrum

Opening ”prime” spectrum to unlicensed usage can lower the costs for offering wide area wireless services but may also lead to greater congestion due to multiple providers operating in the same band. To mitigate congestion, service providers may invest in more infrastructure or better technology. The costs of such investments must be weighed against the potential gains in revenue, which in turn will depend on the investments of other competing providers in the shared spectrum. This paper studies such trade-offs for multiple competing providers in a common unlicensed band. We extend models from earlier work on price competition with congestible resources to include the investment decisions of service providers using a common band of spectrum. Several models are considered to capture different ways investment might impact the congestion due to both a provider’s own customers and those of other providers. For each model, we study a game in which providers decide on both the level of investment and the price of their service. Interestingly, in most cases, the equilibrium of the resulting game is shown to be that only a single provider invests and charges monopoly prices. On the other hand, multiple providers may enter the market when the dominant effect of investment is to reduce congestion due to the customers of other providers.
Plasmodium falciparum in Culture: Improved Continuous Flow Method*

A new design of flow vessel provides a method for continuous culture of P. falciparum in a settled layer of human erythrocytes with a slow flow of culture medium over them. The parasitemia is kept fluctuating from approximately 1%, just after addition of fresh erythrocytes, to approximately 10%, 2 or 3 days later. Each vessel provides each week 3 harvests, each containing approximately 0.6--1 X 10(9) parasites.
The beta function for QCD with dynamical Wilson fermions

Abstract We present preliminary data for a calculation of the QCD beta function with two flavors of Wilson fermions. For the simulation of QCD we use the Hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm and for the calculation of the beta function (or rather its integral over a scale change of 2) we use the method of matching of ratios of plaquettes and ratios of products of plaquettes with the same perimeter. We find that at β = 6.0 perturbative scaling has not set in where as at β = 6.8 it clearly has. The transition region is being probed in detail and early indications are that it is near β = 6.25. Since the matching is done for the integral of the beta function this implies that perturbative scaling is expected above β = 6.0.
Arsenic metabolism in algae and higher plants

Abstract As a result of low oceanic phosphate levels, arsenate is coabsorbed by marine algae and converted into a variety of organoarsenic compounds. Accumulation of these arsenic derivatives in plants and other organisms has been documented by many investigators. We have identified one of the major arsenic‐containing products as O‐phosphatidyltrimethylarsoniumlactate, a phospholipid similar in structure to lecithin. The distribution of the phospholipid and other arsenic compounds in various marine species is described. Arsenate metabolism by bacteria, yeasts, fungi, algae, and higher plants is compared. The function of symbiotic root mycorrhizal systems in detoxication of environmental arsenate is discussed.
archAR: an archaeological augmented reality experience

We present an application for Android phones or tablets called “archAR” that uses augmented reality as an alternative, portable way of viewing archaeological information from UCSD’s Levantine Archaeology Laboratory. archAR provides a unique experience of flying through an archaeological dig site in the Levantine area and exploring the artifacts uncovered there. Using a Google Nexus tablet and Qualcomm’s Vuforia API, we use an image target as a map and overlay a three-dimensional model of the dig site onto it, augmenting reality such that we are able to interact with the plotted artifacts. The user can physically move the Android device around the image target and see the dig site model from any perspective. The user can also move the device closer to the model in order to “zoom” into the view of a particular section of the model and its associated artifacts. This is especially useful, as the dig site model and the collection of artifacts are very detailed. The artifacts are plotted as points, colored by type. The user can touch the virtual points to trigger a popup information window that contains details of the artifact, such as photographs, material descriptions, and more.
Ribonuclear foci at the neuromuscular junction in myotonic dystrophy type 1.

In myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) the muscle fibers express RNA containing an expanded CUG repeat (CUGexp). The CUGexp RNA is retained in the nucleus, forming ribonuclear foci. Splicing factors in the muscleblind (MBNL) family are sequestered in ribonuclear foci, resulting in abnormal regulation of alternative splicing. In extrajunctional nuclei, these effects on splicing regulation lead to reduced chloride conductance and altered insulin receptor signaling. Here we show that CUGexp RNA is also expressed in subsynaptic nuclei of muscle fibers and in motor neurons in DM1, causing sequestration of MBNL1 protein in both locations. In a transgenic mouse model, expression of CUGexp RNA at high levels in extrajunctional nuclei replicates many features of DM1, but the toxic RNA is poorly expressed in subsynaptic nuclei and the mice fail to develop denervation-like features of DM1 myopathology. Our findings indicate that subsynaptic nuclei and motor neurons are at risk for DM1-induced spliceopathy, which may affect function or stability of the neuromuscular junction.
Regulation by various hormones and agents of adenosine-3′,5′-monophosphate levels in islets of langerhans of rats

Abstract Regulation by various hormones and agents of adenosine-3′,5′-monophosphatc (cyclic AMP) levels in intact islets of rat pancreas was studied, employing either the prelabeling technique or the protein kinase catalytic method. Many agents were found to increase islet cyclic AMP levels. These include corticotropin, glucagon, isoproterenol, prostaglandins (E1, E2, A1, and F1), secretin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, β-adrencrgic agonists, tolbutamide and GTP. Epinephrine caused a slight decrease in islet cyclic AMP level, but in the presence of z-adrenergic blockers, they conversely increased the cyclic AMP levels. Isoproterenol, on the other hand, increased cyclic AMP levels and its effect was abolished by β-adrenergic blocking agents. The evidence presented further substantiates the contention that in rat islet plasma membranes there exist both α- and β-ardenergic receptors and that cyclic AMP levels in islets are closely modulated by α- and β-adrenergic receptor activation.
X-ray emission from foil-exited sulphur beams

Emission of $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ x rays from foil-excited sulphur beams at 40, 50, and 55 MeV has been observed. Lifetimes of the $(1s2p)^{3}P_{2}$ state in helium-like and the $(1s2s2p)^{4}P_{\frac{5}{2}}$ state in lithium-like sulphur, which decay partially by magnetic-quadrupole transitions, have been determined. The energies of several transitions to the ground state in two- and three-electron sulphur ions have been determined by using a Doppler-tuned spectrometer and observing the beam both downstream and close to the exciting foil. It is pointed out that the identification of lines in the prompt spectrum of such highly ionized systems in terms of configuration-averaged satellites is inappropriate.
Methodological Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials of Postoperative Epidural Analgesia: Validation of the Epidural Analgesia Trial Checklist as a Specific Instrument to Evaluate Methodology

Background: The overall benefits of epidural analgesia are controversial, in part because of the varying quality of methodology in published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We performed a systematic review of available RCTs to examine the methodological quality of epidural analgesia trials. Current instruments for evaluating the quality of methodology are generic; thus, we also developed a specific assessment tool named Epidural Analgesia Trial Checklist (EATC). Methods: The National Library of Medicine9s PubMed database was searched (1966 to January 2006) for RCTs of epidural analgesia. All RCTs that had epidural infusion analgesia in at least 1 study arm and as primary intervention for randomization were included. Two independent reviewers were given blinded full-text paper versions of each article and reviewed all articles for inclusion in this study. Study characteristics were extracted from accepted RCTs, and reviewers completed the standardized 7-item Jadad score, 22-item Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist, and 8-item EATC for evaluation of methodological quality. Results: A total of 321 articles met all inclusion criteria. The overall median (first, third quartiles) Jadad, CONSORT, and EATC scores were 2 (1, 3), 10 (8, 11), and 4 (3, 6) (of maximum scores of 5, 22, and 8), respectively. For all assessments, we found significantly higher methodological study quality for articles with a larger study population size, those written by a first author affiliated with an anesthesiology department, and studies published after release of the CONSORT statement with a significant overall increase in methodological quality over time. There was no effect on methodological quality with regard to region of publication or number of centers. There was relatively high interrater agreement when using the EATC (κ = 0.92). The items most frequently lacking from the studies captured using the EATC were appropriate description/definition of adverse effects (11.8% of all studies properly reported this), proper presentation of visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores (31.2%), and assessment of VAS pain both at rest and with activity (39.9%). Conclusions: Methodology scores for epidural analgesia RCTs have improved over time. The EATC seems to correlate well with other commonly used generic assessments for methodological RCT quality and be useful for assessing methodological quality of epidural RCTs. Future epidural analgesia RCTs should focus on improving appropriate description/definition of adverse effects, proper presentation of VAS pain scores, and assessment of VAS pain both at rest and with activity.
Effects of modified tall oil on body composition and serum and tissue levels of cholesterol, phospholipids, and ∝-tocopherol in adult ovariectomized rats

Abstract Adult ovariectomized rats were assigned by weight (initially 257 g) to an AIN-93G diet containing 8% ∝-tocopherol (∝TP)-stripped soybean oil or the same diet containing 1% modified tall oil (MTO) at the expense of soybean oil. Rats fed MTO had lower body weight, total body fat, and more lean tissue ( P P P
Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury: trends and future implications

Review supplemented by inception cohort. To review trends in the incidence, prevalence, demographic characteristics, etiology, injury severity and selected treatment outcomes of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). International review and US model systems cohort. An extensive literature review was conducted to identify all relevant studies of descriptive epidemiology of traumatic SCI. This review was supplemented by analyses of trends in US SCI epidemiology that are reflected in the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center and Shriners Hospital Spinal Cord Injury databases. Incidence and prevalence of traumatic SCI in the United States are higher than in the rest of the world. Average age at injury is increasing in accordance with an aging general population at risk. The proportion of cervical injuries is increasing, whereas the proportion of neurologically complete injuries is decreasing. Injuries due to falls are increasing. Recent gains in general population life expectancy are not reflected in the SCI population. Treatment outcomes are changing as a result of increasing age and changes in US health care delivery. Within the prevalent population, the percentage of elderly persons will not increase meaningfully until the high mortality rates observed among older persons significantly improve. Those who reach older ages will typically have incomplete and/or lower level injuries, and will have relatively high degrees of independence and overall good health.
Making the information systems outsourcing decision: A transaction cost approach to analyzing outsourcing decision problems

Abstract During the last several years outsourcing has emerged as a major issue in information systems management. As competitive forces impinge on business firms, senior managers are re-structuring their organizations with an eye on attaining or maintaining competitive advantage. Various strategies to IS outsourcing have emerged, for example, some outsourcers contract with a sole vendor while others contract with several. To date no studies have been done to determine which strategies are appropriate under what conditions. And while some firms have achieved varying degrees of success with any of these strategies, many have encountered significant difficulties. How then are managers to choose from a set of options that which is most appropriate for their firm? Outsourcing problems are complex and entail considerable implications for the strategy of the firm. A wrong decision can result in loss of core competencies and capabilities, and exposure to unexpected risks. Although many articles have appeared on outsourcing, few have extended the discussion beyond simple cost–benefit analysis. In this paper we discuss a transaction cost theory approach to the analysis of outsourcing decision making. Our approach provides managers with a strategy and techniques for analyzing some of the more subtle issues they may face when dealing with complex outsourcing decisions problems.
SEPTAL PLUGS IN A GREEN ALGA

Septal plugs, resembling those found in red algae, occur in the transverse wall between all cells in a newly discovered marine green alga, Pilinia earleae Gallagher & Humm.3 No plasmodesmata traverse the cross-wall, and the septal plug blocks cytoplasmic continuity between cells. The septal plug consists of an electron-translucent core bordered at each end by two electron-opaque caps. Cytochemical procedures demonstrate that the plug consists of protein and polysaccharide, but lacks peroxidase. The outer cap is highly proteinaceous while the inner cap is composed primarily of polysaccharide. The plug core is not routinely stained by Coomassie Blue but it is pronase sensitive and probably proteinaceous. Historically, septal plugs have been considered unique to the red algae and the fungi, but ultrastructural and biochemical data provide no support for derivation of the septal plug in this green alga from a symbiotic relationship. The discovery of septal plugs in a green alga makes the hypothesis of an independent origin of this structure in a number of plant groups more likely. THE SIMILARITY in fertilization processes and life cycles of the Florideophycidae (the major subclass of red algae) and the Ascomycota (a major group of fungi)iled Sachs (1874) to propose the evolution of the Ascomycota from the red algae. More recently, mycologists and phycologists have emphasized the similarity of pit connections (septal plugs) in the red algae to septal pores in the fungi (Ramus, 1969a; Lee, 197 1; Demoulin, 1974; Kohlmeyer, 1975). Pueschel (1977) has questioned the homology of these structures following additional ultrastructural studies, but emphasis is still placed
Standardization of severe sepsis management: a survey of methodologies in academic and community settings.

Abstract Background: Evidence-based therapies for severe sepsis include early antibiotics, early goal-directed therapy, corticosteroids, recombinant human activated protein C, glucose control, and lung protective strategies. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze methods, challenges, and outcomes observed by hospitals that implemented a hospital-wide sepsis management protocol incorporating evidence-based therapies. Methods: In a cross-sectional multi-center telephone survey over a 4-month period, clinicians (participants) responsible for developing a hospital sepsis protocol were questioned regarding its development and outcomes. Results: Participants completing surveys represented 40 hospitals (20 academic and 20 community). Twenty-seven percent of protocol champions were Emergency physicians or nurses. Sixty-three percent reported protocol development time of 6–12 months. Eighty-eight percent of participants reported protocol initiation in the Emergency Department. Three participants reported hiring a nurse educator to implement the protocol. Ninety-five percent of participants measure lactate as part of patient screening. Protocol therapies reported included early antibiotics (98%), early goal directed-therapy (EGDT) (98%), corticosteroids (80%), and activated protein C (73%). Contributions to success included having a protocol champion (85%) and sepsis education program (65%). Twenty-one participants had recorded patient-level data, totaling 2319 protocol patients, compared to 1719 non-protocol patients, with in-hospital mortality of 23% and 44%, respectively. Conclusions: Implementation of a sepsis management protocol incorporating evidence-based therapies can be accomplished in both academic and community hospitals, with minimal additional staffing. The presence of a protocol champion and education program is crucial to success, and may result in improved patient outcome.
Static and dynamic lattice changes induced by hydrogen adsorption on NiAl(110)

Static and dynamic changes induced by adsorption of atomic hydrogen on the NiAl(110) lattice at 130 K have been examined as a function of adsorbate coverage. Adsorbed hydrogen exists in three distinct phases. At low coverages the hydrogen is itinerant because of quantum tunneling between sites and exhibits no observable vibrational modes. Between 0.4 and 0.6 ML, substrate mediated interactions produce an ordered superstructure with $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ symmetry, and at higher coverages, hydrogen exists as a disordered lattice gas. This picture of how hydrogen interacts with NiAl(110) is developed from our data and compared to current theoretical predictions.
TH‐A‐BRC‐01: Ultrasound Based IGRT

While numerous image guidance tools have evolved in recent years, in‐room ultrasound(US) guidance remains a viable, efficient and still widely utilized tool for localization of prostate and other abdominal sites. In the presence of proper training and implementation, the method has been found to be an acceptably accurate, relatively inexpensive, non‐invasive method of localizing prostate that requires no delivered radiation dose. In this refresher course we will review the fundamentals of the US guidance process and discuss methods for implementation and ongoing QA of an effective US Guidance program.
A Review of Integrating Spirituality and Religion Into Counseling: A Guide to Competent Practice

Book reviewed in this article: Craig S. Cashwell and J. Scott Young, Eds. (2005). Integrating Spirituality and Religion Into Counseling: A Guide to Competent Practice
Cyanobacterial protein with similarity to the chlorophyll a/b binding proteins of higher plants: evolution and regulation.

Abstract We have isolated, from the prokaryotic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942, a gene encoding a protein of 72 amino acids [designated high light inducible protein (HLIP)] with similarity to the extended family of eukaryotic chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (CABs). HLIP has a single membrane-spanning alpha-helix, whereas both the CABs and the related early light inducible proteins have three membrane-spanning helices. Hence, HLIP may represent an evolutionary progenitor of the eukaryotic members of the CAB extended family. We also show that the gene encoding HLIP is induced by high light and blue/UV-A radiation. The evolution, regulation, and potential function of HLIP are discussed.
Representations into the hyperspace of a compact group

In [4], Trnkova proved that every commutative semigroup is embeddable in the power set of a commutative group under set product. In this paper, we will discuss the topological aspect of it. One such theorem is that the min interval is not embeddable in the hyperspace of a compact group.
The Affordance Structure Matrix: A Concept Exploration and Attention Directing Tool for Affordance Based Design

The theory of affordances has been adapted by the authors into a high-level approach to design known as affordance based design. One of the features that distinguishes the affordance based approach from function based approaches is that affordances are form dependent whereas functions are form independent. While delaying consideration of form can help maintain design freedom, considering the structure of multiple concept solutions early in the design process can preserve design freedom while allowing the designer to manipulate and refine concept structures and make prototypes early in the design process. In this paper we present a tool, the affordance-structure matrix, that aids the designer in mapping artifact structures to positive and negative affordances for the project. The affordance structure matrix can be used as an attention directing tool, focusing on the correlations within an individual concept architecture, or as a concept exploration tool, comparing the affordance-structure linkages across multiple concepts. The use of the affordance structure matrix is demonstrated using a case study examining two concept architectures for a household vacuum cleaner. The features of the affordance structure matrix are also contrasted with other existing matrix based tools for engineering design.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENTS ON THE HUMAN BODY

In a recent paper, ‘The Impedance Angle and Thyroid Disease,‘ Dr. M. A. B. Brazier (1) has severely criticized work along related lines which has been carried out jointly by the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Metabolism Clinic of the Massachusetts General Hospital. This work has been reported in two earlier papers (2, 3). Brazier’s comments are of a nature which seems likely to cause unwarranted confusion and misunderstanding regarding the true significance of our study. It appears desirable, therefore, to restate certain facts regarding this study, with particular emphasis on those points which have been brought into question. This is done in the hope of preserving that clarity of outlook without which the real value of any investigation must inevitably be obscured. There are two major questions involved in the objections which Brazier has raised regarding the studies reported by us. One is concerned with the measuring technique: the other with t...
Erythroblastic islands: niches for erythropoiesis

Erythroblastic islands, the specialized niches in which erythroid precursors proliferate, differentiate, and enucleate, were first described 50 years ago by analysis of transmission electron micrographs of bone marrow. These hematopoietic subcompartments are composed of erythroblasts surrounding a central macrophage. A hiatus of several decades followed, during which the importance of erythroblastic islands remained unrecognized as erythroid progenitors were shown to possess an autonomous differentiation program with a capacity to complete terminal differentiation in vitro in the presence of erythropoietin but without macrophages. However, as the extent of proliferation, differentiation, and enucleation efficiency documented in vivo could not be recapitulated in vitro, a resurgence of interest in erythroid niches has emerged. We now have an increased molecular understanding of processes operating within erythroid niches, including cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, positive and negative regulatory feedback, and central macrophage function. These features of erythroblast islands represent important contributors to normal erythroid development, as well as altered erythropoiesis found in such diverse diseases as anemia of inflammation and chronic disease, myelodysplasia, thalassemia, and malarial anemia. Coupling of historical, current, and future insights will be essential to understand the tightly regulated production of red cells both in steady state and stress erythropoiesis.
Phase I study of high-dose cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide.

To test the feasibility of a regimen of high-dose cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide (VP-16; VIPP regimen), we registered 15 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in a phase I trial of the Northern California Oncology Group. One cycle of treatment consisted of high-dose cisplatin given at 100 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8, VP-16 given at 60–75 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1–3, plus ifosfamide given at 1.0–1.2 g/m2 i.v. on days 1–3; cycles were repeated every 28 days. There were 13 men and 2 women; the median age was 59 years (range, 47–72 years). The median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was 90 (range, 70–100). All patients were assessable for toxicity and response. The median number of cycles delivered per patient was two (range, one to four). Hematologic toxicity was dose-limiting and required de-escalation of the ifosfamide and VP-16 doses. Ten patients developed a white blood count of <1000/mm3 and seven patients developed a platelet count of <50,000/mm3. The duration of cytopenia increased progressively with each subsequent cycle of therapy. Two patients required antibiotics for neutropenic fever with documented infections (pneumonia, bacteremia). Seven patients received red blood cell transfusions for a hemoglobin level of <8 gm/dl. Grade III or IV non-hematologic toxicities were uncommon and involved one patient each with grade 3 ototoxicity and grade 3 neurotoxicity. Five patients developed laboratory evidence of renal salt wasting. The overall response rate was 33% (5/15) with a complete response being achieved by two patients (13%) and a partial response being attained by three (20%). The overall median survival was 44 weeks. We conclude that although this regimen demonstrated activity, hematologic toxicity limited its use in the palliative treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. Using hemopoietic growth-factor support to permit dose escalation, this schedule of VIPP may be of interest in a number of different chemotherapy-sensitive tumor types.
μ to e in R-symmetric supersymmetry

We demonstrate that $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}e$ slepton mixing is significantly more restricted than previously thought within the already remarkably flavor-safe $R$-symmetric supersymmetric standard model. We calculate bounds from $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e\ensuremath{\gamma}$, $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3e$, and most importantly, $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e$ conversion. The process of $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e$ conversion is significantly more restrictive in $R$-symmetric models since this process can occur through operators that do not require a chirality flip. We delineate the allowed parameter space, demonstrating that maximal mixing is rarely possible with weak scale superpartners, while $\mathcal{O}(0.1)$ mixing is permitted within most of the space. The best approach to find or rule out $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}e$ mixing in $R$-symmetric supersymmetric models is a multipronged attack looking at both $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e$ conversion as well as $\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}e\ensuremath{\gamma}$. The redundancy eliminates much of the parameter space where one process, but not both processes, contains amplitudes that accidentally destructively interfere. We briefly discuss implications for searches of slepton flavor violation at the LHC.
Tuning of whispering gallery modes of spherical resonators using an external electric field

In this paper we investigate the electrostriction effect on the whispering gallery modes (WGM) of polymeric microspheres and the feasibility of a WGM-based microsensor for electric field measurement. The electrostriction is the elastic deformation (strain) of a dielectric material under the force exerted by an electrostatic field. The deformation is accompanied by mechanical stress which perturbs the refractive index distribution in the sphere. Both strain and stress induce a shift in the WGM of the microsphere. In the present, we develop analytical expressions for the WGM shift due to electrostriction for solid and thin-walled hollow microspheres. Our analysis indicates that detection of electric fields as small as ~500V/m may be possible using water filled, hollow solid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microspheres. The electric field sensitivities for solid spheres, on the other hand, are significantly smaller. Results of experiments carried out using solid PDMS spheres agree well with the analytical prediction.
The Ethics of Non-Realist Fiction: Morality’s Catch-22

The topic of this essay is how non-realistic novels challenge our philosophical understanding of the moral significance of literature. I consider just one case: Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. I argue that standard philosophical views, based as they are on realistic models of literature, fail to capture the moral significance of this work. I show that Catch-22 succeeds morally because of the ways it resists using standard realistic techniques, and suggest that philosophical discussion of ethics and literature must be pluralistic if it is to include all morally salient literature, and not just novels in the “Great Tradition” and their ilk.
Dynamic thermal, transport and mechanical model of fuel cell membrane swelling

When polymer electrolyte membrane materials are exposed to liquid water, they swell and distort. This frustrates the process of depositing liquid catalyst ink directly onto the membrane. We present a model predicting the transient compositional, thermal, and mechanical response of a membrane undergoing changes in water content. The model describes coupled heat and mass transfer and solid mechanics and is capable of describing the large changes in size and shape exhibited by a swelling membrane. Simulation results are presented for sorption and desorption and for the process of drying a saturated piece of membrane with an aqueous coating applied. We suggest that the well-established discrepancy in the rate of sorption and desorption may be partially due to pressure-driven diffusion effects absent in other models but present in ours. We also demonstrate that the model can represent the transient curling behavior of a membrane undergoing nonuniform changes in water content. The model will later be used to predict manufacturing defects caused by swelling-induced wrinkling.
Effect of Alkyl Sulfates on the Phase Behavior and Microstructure of Alkyl Polyglucoside Microemulsions

The effects of adding alkyl sulfate surfactants to water−n-alkyl β-d-glucopyranoside (CmβG1) and water−alkyl ethylene glycol ether (CkOC2OCk)−CmβG1 mixtures are systematically explored. In a water−C10βG1−sodium decyl sulfate (SDeS) mixture, miniscule amounts of SDeS (SDeS:C10βG1 molar ratio of 0.0025) cause the upper miscibility gap of the water−C10βG1 mixture to vanish. Adding small amounts of alkyl sulfates to water−CkOC2OCk−CmβG1 mixtures increases the surfactant efficiency, shifts the single-phase microemulsion region to higher temperatures, and shrinks the three-phase region. These phenomenological phase behavior observations are explained in terms of electrostatic effects introduced by the addition of an ionic surfactant to nonionic micelles and monolayers. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements from several D2O−CkOC2OCk−CmβG1−alkyl sulfate mixtures containing equal amounts of D2O and CkOC2OCk are analyzed using a model for bicontinuous microemulsions. The values obtained from this analy...
Effects of food structure and nutritional quality and animal nutritional state on intake behaviour and food preferences of sheep

Abstract There is evidence of the independent effects of plant physical and chemical characteristics on foraging, but little has been done to determine how these traits interact to affect food selection. We determined if the nutritional state of lambs ( Ovis aries ) affected intake behavior and preference for foods with different ratios of protein/energy (alfalfa: high proportion protein/energy; barley: high proportion energy/protein), presented in different physical forms (whole or ground). Changes in nutritional state were induced by altering the nutritional composition of the basal diet (high [Ep] or low [eP] proportion of energy/protein). We determined preference for barley and alfalfa (whole or ground) when lambs were fed (1) a nutritionally balanced diet with a 15-h (overnight) fast (Period 1), (2) an unbalanced diet (Ep or eP) with a 15-h (overnight) fast (Period 2), and (3) an unbalanced diet without a fast (Period 3). Averaged across the three periods, all lambs preferred barley to alfalfa ( P P P P P P >0.05). These differences in intake of energy and protein by lambs fed the unbalanced diets led to a steady increase in the ratio of protein/energy selected by lambs fed the balanced basal diet and diet Ep during Periods 1, 2, and 3 (7.9, 11.7, 13.9 g CP/MJ), and a constant ratio of protein/energy selected by lambs fed the balanced basal diet and diet eP during Periods 1, 2, and 3 (7.6, 8.1, 8.1 g CP/MJ; P P
Multiscale Mountain Waves Influencing a Major Orographic Precipitation Event

Abstract This study combines high-resolution mesoscale model simulations and comprehensive airborne Doppler radar observations to identify kinematic structures influencing the production and mesoscale distribution of precipitation and microphysical processes during a period of heavy prefrontal orographic rainfall over the Cascade Mountains of Oregon on 13–14 December 2001 during the second phase of the Improvement of Microphysical Parameterization through Observational Verification Experiment (IMPROVE-2) field program. Airborne-based radar detection of precipitation from well upstream of the Cascades to the lee allows a depiction of terrain-induced wave motions in unprecedented detail. Two distinct scales of mesoscale wave–like air motions are identified: 1) a vertically propagating mountain wave anchored to the Cascade crest associated with strong midlevel zonal (i.e., cross barrier) flow, and 2) smaller-scale (<20-km horizontal wavelength) undulations over the windward foothills triggered by interaction...
Io's sodium emission cloud

Strong evidence that Io's sodium emission is due to resonant scattering is given by our observations which show a monotonic increase of emission intensity with residual solar intensity. In addition we detected no emission during three eclipse observations of Io. We propose a resonant scattering model with two spacial components comprising an optically thick atmosphere extending 1000 km above Io's surface surrounded by an optically thin cloud which forms a partial torus around Jupiter. In this model, sodium atoms are sputtered from Io's surface by heavy energetic ions which are accelerated in a plasma sheath around Io. The atoms sputtered from the surface collide with atoms in Io's atmosphere so the equipartition of kinetic energy is established. During Io's day, sodium and other atmospheric constituents are ionized, giving rise to the ionosphere observed by Pioneer 10. Atoms escape by means of Jeans escape from the critical level, which is at the top of the atmosphere and the base of the cloud.
Posttransplant eosinophilic gastroenteritis in children

Abstract The cause of eosinophilic gastroenteropathy in older children and adults is unknown. In this report, two post–liver transplantation children treated with low-dose cyclosporine A and alternate-day low-dose prednisone are described who were administered a single bolus administration of a lympholytic dose of corticosteroids without taper and who developed intestinal symptomatology several weeks later. Histologic examination of mucosal biopsy specimens from various regions of the gastrointestinal tract showed an intense eosinophilic infiltration of the mucosa and lamina propria. The patients recovered after corticosteroid administration was tapered. Post-transplant gastroenteric eosinophilic inflammation may need to be considered in patients on immunomodulatory medications who have chronic intestinal symptomatology. (Liver Transpl Surg 1997 Nov;3(6):591-3)
Segregation, poverty, and empowerment: health consequences for African Americans

Cities in the United States have undergone major social transitions during the past two decades. Three notable factors in these shifts have been the development of a black political elite sustained rates of black poverty, and intensified racial segregation. Indications of the effect of these social forces on black-white differentials in health status have begun to surface in the research literature. This article reports analyses of data from all U.S. cities with a population of 50,000, at least 10 percent of which is black. These results indicate substantial geographic variation in black-white infant mortality rates. Racial residential segregation, black political empowerment, and black and white poverty are the characteristics that distinguish cities that have a high degree of disparity in black-white infant mortality from cities that do not. Language: en
A high-speed, high-sensitivity silicon avalanche photodiode in 130-nm CMOS

We report a Si avalanche photodiode (APD) based on a p+/NW/p-sub structure, fabricated using a 130-nm CMOS technology. The devices achieved maximum bandwidth of 2.4 GHz and highest avalanche gain of more than 104.
Gen Y's addiction to web 2.0: Problem or strategy?

Looming on the horizon is a long-term threat that could endanger your company's very existence. That threat is a coming shortage of workers. But there's more bad news: the employees now entering the workplace, dubbed Generation Y, will be very difficult and expensive to retain. What must your company do to attract and keep this newest generation of workers? And is their addiction to Web social networking a problem or a strategy? © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Association Between Psychiatric Disorders and the Progression of Tobacco Use Behaviors

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the progression of tobacco use and the patterns of comorbidity of tobacco use and psychiatric disorders. Method The authors conducted analyses of prospective and retrospective reports, collected from 1988 to 1998, of a sample of high-and low-risk youths identified on the basis of the presence or absence of a parental history of substance abuse or dependence. Results A parental history of substance use disorders was associated with regular tobacco use and nicotine dependence, but not with experimentation for all youths. Individual and composite psychiatric diagnoses were strongly associated with nicotine dependence, but not with regular use or experimentation. While the presence of an affective disorder and drug abuse/dependence generally increased the risk for co-occurring nicotine dependence, analyses based on the temporal onset of disorders showed that it was the initiation of alcohol or drug use that predicted the progression to nicotine dependence. For low-risk youths, oppositional defiant disorder was the single psychiatric risk factor that predicted the transition to nicotine dependence. Conclusions This study adds to the accumulating evidence that has implicated comorbid psychiatric disorders in the etiology and subsequent course of nicotine dependence. In addition, family history may represent an important indicator of an increased risk for nicotine dependence.
Distribution of cholesterol between blood cells and plasma in rabbit and man.

SummaryIn normal rabbits, the cholesterol content of whole blood is distinctly higher than that of serum or oxalated plasma prepared from the same blood sample. The blood cells of normal rabbits contain almost 2 1/2 times as much cholesterol as an equal volume of plasma. In cholesterol-fed rabbits, the cholesterol content of whole blood is definitely lower than that of serum or oxalated plasma. Cholesterol feeding does not influence the cholesterol content of the blood cells. Humans are unlike normal rabbits but simulate cholesterol-fed rabbits in the distribution of this sterol between cells and plasma. Cholesterol feeding produces an anemia in rabbits, an observation previously noted in the guinea pig by Okey and Greaves.7
Gonadal dysgenesis and leucine-sensitive hypoglycemia.

THE S Y N D R O M E of gonadal dysgenesis is characterized by short stature, sexual infantilism due to dysfunctional "streak" ovaries, and a broad spectrum of somatic abnormalities. Patients with Turner syndrome have been reported to have a greater frequency of diabetes mellitus, thyroiditis, and Addison disease. 1 Hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism have not been documented previously. This report describes two children with Turner syndrome and leucine-sensitive hypoglycemia.
Peer-to-peer system-based active worm attacks: Modeling, analysis and defense

Active worms continue to pose major threats to the security of today's Internet. This is due to the ability of active worms to automatically propagate themselves and compromise hosts in the Internet. Due to the recent surge of peer-to-peer (P2P) systems with large numbers of users and rich connectivity, P2P systems can be a potential vehicle for the attacker to achieve rapid worm propagation in the Internet. In this paper, we tackle this issue by modeling and analyzing active worm propagation on top of P2P systems, and designing effective defense strategies within P2P systems to suppress worm propagation. In particular: (1) we define two P2P-based active worm attack models: an offline P2P-based hit-list attack model and an online P2P-based attack model; (2) we conduct a detailed analysis on the impacts of worm propagation on top of P2P-based systems, and study the sensitivity of worm propagation to various P2P system and attack-related parameters; (3) finally, we propose defense strategies within the P2P system to combat worms. Based on extensive numerical analysis and simulation data, we demonstrate that P2P-based active worm attacks can significantly enhance worm propagation, and important P2P related parameters (system size, topology degree, host vulnerability, etc.) have significant impacts on worm spread. We also find that our proposed defense strategies can effectively combat worms by rapidly detecting and immunizing infected hosts.
OFDM for cognitive radio: merits and challenges

Cognitive radio is a novel concept that enables wireless systems to sense the environment, adapt, and learn from previous experience to improve the quality of the communication. However, CR requires a flexible and adaptive physical layer in order to perform the required tasks efficiently. In this article, CR systems and their requirement of a physical layer are discussed, and the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing technique is investigated as a candidate transmission technology for CR. The challenges that arise from employing OFDM in CR systems are identified. The cognitive properties of some OFDM-based wireless standards also are discussed to indicate the trend toward a more cognitive radio.
A software cybernetic approach to control of the software system test phase

A quantitative, adaptive process control technique is described using an industrially validated model of the software system test phase as concrete target to be controlled. The technique combines the use of parameter correction and model predictive control to overcome the problems induced by modeling errors, parameter estimation errors, and limits on the resources available for productivity improvement.
Copper(II) carboxylate tetramers formed from an enantiopure ligand containing a π-stacking supramolecular synthon: single-crystal to single-crystal enantioselective ligand exchange

An enantiopure ligand built from connecting the π⋯π stacking 1,8-naphthalimide supramolecular synthon with L-asparagine, Lasn−, forms tetrameric [Cu4(Lasn)8(py)(MeOH)]. The methanol ligand, located in a chiral pocket, is replaced enantioselectively when exposed to racemicethyl lactate vapor to yield [Cu4(Lasn)8(py)((S)-ethyl lactate)], in a single-crystal to single-crystal gas/solid transformation.
Circuit-aware Device Design Methodology for Nanometer Technologies: A Case Study for Low Power SRAM Design

In this paper, we propose a general Circuit-aware Device Design methodology, which can improve the overall circuit design by taking advantages of the individual circuit characters during the device design phase. The proposed methodology analytically derives the optimal device in terms of the pre-specified circuit quality factor. We applied the proposed methodology to SRAM design and achieved significant reduction in standby leakage and access time (11% and 7%, respectively, for conventional 6T-SRAM). Also, we observed that the optimal devices selected depend considerably on the applied circuit techniques. We believe that the proposed Circuit-aware Device Design methodology will be useful in the sub-90nm technology, where different leakage components (subthreshold, gate, and junction tunneling) are comparable in magnitude. Also, in this work, we have presented a design automation framework for SRAM, which is conventionally custom designed and optimized.
Experimental performance of a continuously tunable 40-GHz complex weight optical FIR filter using wavelength conversion and chromatic dispersion

We experimentally demonstrate a tunable and reconfigurable optical complex weight finite impulse response filter using conversion dispersion based delays with optical multicasting and multiplexing. Tuning capabilities of the filter tap amplitudes (0–10 dB), phases (0–2π) and free spectral rage (∼27 and 40 GHz) are experimentally demonstrated showing close agreement with theory.