cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Vision for a Spot Market for Interdomain Connectivity

In this paper we consider an alternative possibility for routing money in the Internet ecosystem based on a spot market for interconnection service that operates alongside, or in addition to, the traditional contract service model. Recent work by others showed that under certain assumptions, enabling transit providers (i.e., networks that carry packets between networks) to sell their excess capacity on a best-effort basis improves both provider profit and consumer surplus. While prior work only focused on pricing strategies, we explore the technical feasibility of such a market in this paper. We consider what is needed to make such a spot market possible and focus on the interaction between technical and economic considerations. In particular, we describe two approaches that demonstrate how economic software defined exchanges (ESDXs) can be used as trusted intermediaries to tie the forwarding service to the flow of money.
Algorithms Acting Badly: A Solution from Corporate Law

Sometimes algorithms work against us. They offer many social benefits, but when they discriminate in lending, manipulate stock markets, or violate expectations of privacy, they can injure us on a massive scale. Only one-third of technologists predict that artificial intelligence will be a net positive for society. Law can help ensure that algorithms work for us by imposing liability when they work against us. The problem is that algorithms fit poorly into existing conceptions of liability. Liability requires injurious acts, but what does it mean for an algorithm to act? Only people act; and algorithms are not people. Some scholars have argued that the law should recognize sophisticated algorithms as people. However, the philosophical puzzles (are algorithms really people?), practical obstacles (how do you punish an algorithm?), and unexpected consequences (could algorithmic “people” sue us back?) have proven insurmountable. This Article proposes a more grounded approach to algorithmic liability. Corporations currently design and run the algorithms that have the most significant social impacts. Longstanding principles of corporate liability already recognize that corporations are “people” capable of acting injuriously. Corporate law stipulates that corporations act through their employees because corporations have control over and benefit from employee conduct. When employees misbehave, corporations are in the best position to discipline and correct them. This Article argues that the same control and benefit rationales extend to corporate algorithms. If the law were to recognize that algorithmic conduct could qualify as corporate action, the whole framework of corporate liability would kick in. By exercising the authority it already has over corporations, the law could help ensure that corporate algorithms work largely in our favor.
Observational aspects of the low-frequency intraseasonal variability of the atmosphere in middle latitudes

An integrated description of the planetary-scale structures that emerge as organized entities on intraseasonal temporal scales in the middle latitudes is developed. Spatial scales of atmospheric motions involved in the generation of variability in the LF range are specified. An overview of the 3D structure of the seasonally averaged eddies in which the intraseasonal fluctuations are superposed is presented. The generation and maintenance mechanisms possibly responsible for the existence of the seasonal, quasi-stationary disturbances are discussed. It is shown that in the LF, low-zonal wavenumber part of the spectrum, the power displayed by standing variance exceeds that of propagating variance and vice versa for HFs and wavenumbers.
Temporal Evaluation of ASR Cracking in Concrete Specimens Using Acoustic Emission

AbstractThe effect of steel reinforcement on the distribution of alkali-silica reaction (ASR) damage in concrete blocks is studied by leveraging acoustic emission sensing with a data-driven approac...
Protein synthesis with conformationally constrained cyclic dipeptides

Abstract We have synthesized several conformationally constrained dipeptide analogues as possible substrates for incorporation into proteins. These have included three cyclic dipeptides formed from Boc derivatives of 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, ornithine and lysine, having 5-, 6-, and 7-membered lactam rings, respectively. These dipeptides were used to activate a suppressor tRNA transcript, the latter of which had been prepared by in vitro transcription. Using modified E. coli ribosomes described previously, these activated suppressor tRNAs enabled the incorporation of the three cyclic dipeptides into dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) at positions 18 and 49. The suppression yields increased with increasing lactam ring size and were found to proceed in suppression yields ranging from 3.4 to 8.9% at two different protein sites for the 5-, 6- and 7-membered lactam dipeptides. The greater facility of incorporation of the 7-membered lactam prompted us to prepare two 7-membered cyclic acylhydrazides (4 and 5) by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDCI)-mediated cyclization of amino acids having selectively protected hydrazine functional groups in their side chains. In common with the lactam dipeptides, acylhydrazide dipeptides 4 and 5 could be used to activate the same suppressor tRNA transcript and to incorporate the cyclic dipeptides into DHFR. They were incorporated into the same two DHFR sites in suppression yields ranging from 8.3 to 11.2%.
Hobbes’s model of refraction and derivation of the sine law

This paper aims both to tackle the technical issue of deciphering Hobbes’s derivation of the sine law of refraction and to throw some light to the broader issue of Hobbes’s mechanical philosophy. I start by recapitulating the polemics between Hobbes and Descartes concerning Descartes’ optics. I argue that, first, Hobbes’s criticisms do expose certain shortcomings of Descartes’ optics which presupposes a twofold distinction between real motion and inclination to motion, and between motion itself and determination of motion; second, Hobbes’s optical theory presented in Tractatus Opticus I constitutes a more economical alternative, which eliminates the twofold distinction and only admits actual local motion, and Hobbes’s derivation of the sine law presented therein, which I call “the early model” and which was retained in Tractatus Opticus II and First Draught, is mathematically consistent and physically meaningful. These two points give Hobbes’s early optics some theoretical advantage over that of Descartes. However, an issue that has baffled commentators is that, in De Corpore Hobbes’s derivation of the sine law seems to be completely different from that presented in his earlier works, furthermore, it does not make any intuitive sense. I argue that the derivation of the sine law in De Corpore does make sense mathematically if we read it as a simplification of the early model, and Hobbes has already hinted toward it in the last proposition of Tractatus Opticus I. But now the question becomes, why does Hobbes take himself to be entitled to present this simplified, seemingly question-begging form without having presented all the previous results? My conjecture is that the switch from the early model to the late model is symptomatic of Hobbes’s changing views on the relation between physics and mathematics.
Lower AM-PAC "6-Clicks" Basic Mobility Score Predicts Discharge to a Postacute Care Facility among Patients in Cardiac Intensive Care Units.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the ability of the AM-PAC"6-Clicks" Basic Mobility Short Form to predict patient discharge destination (home vs postacute care facility) from the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), including patients from the cardiothoracic surgical ICU (CTS-ICU) and coronary care unit (CCU). Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized electronic medical records of patients in cardiac ICU (n = 359) in an academic teaching hospital in the southeastern region of United States from September 1, 2017, through August 31, 2018. Results The median interquartile range (IQR) age of the sample was 68 (75-60), 55% were men, median IQR "6-Clicks" score was 16 (20-12) at physical therapist evaluation, and 79% of the patients were discharged to home. Higher score on "6-Clicks" indicates improved function. A prediction model was constructed based on a machine learning approach using a classification tree. The classification tree was constructed and evaluated by dividing the sample into a train-test split using the Leave-One-Out cross-validation approach. The classification tree split the data into 4 distinct groups along with their predicted outcomes. Patients with a "6-Clicks" score > 15.5 and a "6-Clicks" score between 11.5 and 15.5 with primary insurance other than Medicare were discharged to home. Patients with a "6-Clicks" score between 11.5 and 15.5 with Medicare insurance and those with 6-Clicks score ≤ 11.5 were discharged to a postacute care facility. Conclusions Patients with lower "6-Clicks" scores were more likely to be discharged to a postacute care facility. Patients without Medicare insurance had to be significantly lower functioning indicated by lower "6-Clicks" scores for postacute care facility placement than those with Medicare insurance. Impact The ability of "6-Clicks" along with primary insurance to determine discharge destination allows for early discharge planning from cardiac ICUs.
Newton, the “Ancients,” and the “Moderns”

In the judgment of many 18th- and 19th-century historians, Newton’s life and work epitomize modern scientific progress. In this century, despite enormous contributions to our understanding of Newton’s extensive knowledge of, and interest in, the ancient world, for many interpreters and laymen alike, Newton remains either the inaugural progenitor of “an unassailable primacy in mathematics, enlightened rationalism, and experimentation” or the “dramatic climax” of the modern scientific enterprise.2
Review of 570 forceps operations

Abstract Realizing the high maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity incident to the promiscuous use of the obstetric forceps, I can only plead for less interference in the normal process of labor and the reservation of instrumental delivery for those cases presenting an absolute indication.
A heterostructure acoustic charge transport delay line for sonet radio adaptive multipath equalization

This paper presents the design for a HACT-based tapped delay line for adaptive equalization of frequency selective multipath faded channels for a wireless terrestrial digital microwave communication system. This approach allows monolithic integration of the electronics and improvements in insertion loss and noise figure over the SAW approach currently used in this system. >
Shifts in depth of water extraction and photosynthetic capacity inferred from stable isotope proxies across an ecotone of Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper) and Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush)

Summary 1 In western North America, juniper trees (Juniperus spp.) are apparently encroaching into numerous communities including sagebrush-dominated (Artemisia tridentata) valleys, where, as density of juniper increases, the density and condition of sagebrush decline but juniper condition appears unaffected. 2 We examined stable isotope proxies of plant gas exchange and relative depth of soil water extraction of Juniperus osteosperma and Artemisia tridentata as their relative densities changed across a transition zone in northern Utah, USA. Measurement of 13C and 18O of foliage allowed separation of the contributions of stomatal and biochemical factors to differences in mean intercellular CO2 concentration, while deuterium composition of stem water served as an indicator of the relative depth of water extraction. 3 Leaf δ13C of juniper and, to a lesser extent, of sagebrush increased with decreasing density of juniper. Foliage 18O did not vary significantly with juniper density, indicating that this was primarily caused by an increase in photosynthetic capacity rather than decreased supply of CO2. Increased foliage nitrogen concentration of both species with decreasing juniper density is also consistent with increased photosynthetic capacity. 4 The much greater mean age of juniper trees in the high juniper density plots may explain their lower photosynthetic capacity. 5 Averaged across densities, juniper always extracted water deeper in the profile than did sagebrush, but in June and August, only the high juniper density plots showed an effect. Sagebrush is either restricted from using water at greater depth in the presence of juniper at high density or was in such poor condition that deep-water sources were not necessary to maintain their reduced function. 6 Ecotones can serve as useful, spatially constrained stages for examining resource partitioning and relationships among plant species. We observed spatial and temporal variation in resource use and partitioning of limited resources that will enable better design of manipulative experiments to explicitly examine competition.
Design of the Transit Access Point hardware platform

Our objective is to design, analyze, prototype and experimentally study the theoretical underpinnings for a wireless internet that simultaneously achieves deployability, scalability, high performance and a cost-effective economic model. A core building block will be what we call wireless Transit Access Points. A transit access point, or TAP, is a wireless base station with two major features. First, like any standard base station, it provides wireless data services to mobile users. Second, and more importantly, a TAP is capable of high speed wireless links to other TAPs. These connections utilize multiple antennas at each end to dramatically increase the spectral efficiency and throughput of the link. Such TAP-to-TAP links are designed to supplement, or even replace, the wired network infrastructure usually required when deploying wireless data systems. This paper presents the custom hardware platform designed for the TAPs project.
Smooth Interpolation of Orientations

The problem of smoothly interpolating between a given sequence of orientations is discussed. Methods of representing orientations are described and some of the more interesting and useful properties of orientation matrices, SO(3), are covered. It is shown how quaternions relate to this problem and several methods of smoothly interpolating quaternions are presented.
A Direct Utility Model for Market Basket Data

Market basket data reflect purchases from multiple product categories, some of which are complements and others that are substitutes. Consumers are more likely to make joint purchases from categories that are complements, and less likely to make joint purchases from categories that are substitutes. Consumers are also more likely to make joint purchases during large-expenditure shopping trips, and when they are quickly satiated. In this paper, we develop a direct utility model for cross-category demand that separates these effects. A non-homothetic utility function is specified where brands within categories are assumed to be near-perfect substitutes, with the possibility of complements, substitutes, or independence across categories. Our model is applied to scanner-panel data that contains four inside categories (laundry detergent, fabric softener, paper towel, and toilette tissue) and an outside good. Results indicate purchase complementarity between laundry detergent and fabric softener, and purchase substitutability among other category pairs. We show that failing to account for satiation leads to mis-estimation of complementarity, and that variation in expenditure changes the relative composition of the market basket.
Routing in 2-d meshes: a tutorial

As we know, the performance of networks systems is dependent on the end-to-end cost of communication mechanisms. Routing is a process of finding a path from the source node to the destination node in a given network system. The ability to route message efficiently becomes increasingly important. Routing in mesh-connected networks, such as 2-D meshes, has been commonly discussed due to the structural regularity for easy construction and the high potential legibility for variety of algorithms.
A six-dimensional H(2)-H(2) potential energy surface for bound state spectroscopy.

We present a six-dimensional potential energy surface for the (H2)2 dimer based on coupled-cluster electronic structure calculations employing large atom-centered Gaussian basis sets and a small set of midbond functions at the dimer’s center of mass. The surface is intended to describe accurately the bound and quasibound states of the dimers (H2)2, (D2)2, and H2–D2 that correlate with H2 or D2 monomers in the rovibrational levels (v,j)=(0,0), (0,2), (1,0), and (1,2). We employ a close-coupled approach to compute the energies of these bound and quasibound dimer states using our potential energy surface, and compare the computed energies for infrared and Raman transitions involving these states with experimentally measured transition energies. We use four of the experimentally measured dimer transition energies to make two empirical adjustments to theab initio potential energy surface; the adjusted surface gives computed transition energies for 56 experimentally observed transitions that agree with experime...
AI-based planning for data analysis tasks [for Earth sciences]

Describes the application of a domain-independent planner, COLLAGE, (Co-Ordinated Localized aLgorithms for Action Generation and Execution), to the task of planning data-retrieval and data-preparation steps performed by Earth scientists. They describe the nature of this process, its inherent difficulties, the potential benefits of automation, and why AI-based planning is particularly suitable for carrying out this automation. The COLLAGE architecture and the progress made on the development of a prototype implementation are outlined. Two features of COLLAGE that make it particularly useful are its use of localized searching and a diverse and extendable set of plan construction techniques. >
Hierarchical color clustering for segmentation of textured images

The paper describes a hierarchical color clustering approach for the segmentation of textured images. It is a bottom-up type split and merge operation performed in two steps: first, the operation is carried out using the K-means algorithm in the local windows of an input image to capture the local textural primitives. This is performed in the (R,G,B)-color space. This results in two color classes per local window. Second, the merge operation is employed using the same K-means algorithm module to group the pattern classes resulting from the split operation. This forms the global boundaries of the texture fields present in the input scene, The proposed algorithm is also suitable for a special purpose VLSI chip implementation.
An Overview of Seam Tracking Technology

Automation of welding has been difficult to implement due to the extreme tolerances required on both joint preparation and fixturing the weld-parts. This necessitates sensing the joint geometry in order to correctly place the welding torch and also to control the welding process parameters. Seam tracking for welding automation has been implemented using a variety of sensing techniques based on mechanical, electrical, sonic, magnetic, and optical sensors (Jones et al. 1981; Justice 1983). Although each sensing method has its distinct advantages and disadvantages in a given production situation, the through-the-arc and 3-D vision sensing techniques have become the most popular approaches. In addition to the various sensing techniques, research efforts have also been directed towards development of robust seam tracking algorithms.
Magnetohydrodynamics Of Nematic Mesophases by E.S.R.

Abstract The transient behaviour of the director of a nematic mesophase subjected to spinning at frequency Ω in an applied magnetic field H 0 is investigated by E.S.R. All experiments were conducted with Ω > Ωc, Ωc = (ΔH2 0/2λ1). Here Δχ is the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility and λ1 is the rotational twist viscosity of the nematic. The theory of Leslie, Luckhurst and Smith is used to analyse Fourier transformed time domain data and their result for the dependence of ω, the director rotation rate, on Ω (ω = (Ω2 − Ω2)1/2) is confirmed for a range of values of H 0 and Ω. Values of Ωc for Phase IV, Phase V and the alkylcyanobiphenyls K15, K18 and K21 are reported. Linewidths in the frequency domain are shown to depend on the twist viscosity of the mesophase and possible evidence for micro-domains in Phase IV and Phase V is presented. The values of Ωc reported for Phase IV differ by a constant from the values calculated using literature values of Ω1 and Δχ.
The oxidation of Fe-Cr alloys containing an oxide dispersion or reactive metal additions

The oxidation of an iron-16% chromium alloy containing a dispersion of yttria particles and of iron-16 to 18% chromium alloys containing small additions of yttrium or zirconium has been studied at 1100 and 1200°C in 100 Torr oxygen. The yttria-containing alloy exhibited the excellent oxidation resistance usually associated with oxide-dispersion-containing alloys, having a thin, adherent, virtually iron-free scale which resisted the breakaway rapid oxidation behavior commonly found in Fe-Cr alloys in this composition range. Of the alloying additions intended to form a fine oxide dispersion during oxidation, only zirconium affected the oxidation behavior in a beneficial way, the scale on the yttrium-containing alloy being possibly less protective than that on the equivalent binary alloy.
The Poverty Gap in School Spending Following the Introduction of Title I

Abstract Title I of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act explicitly directed more federal aid for K-12 education to poorer areas for the first time in US history, with a goal of promoting regional convergence in school spending. Using newly collected data, we find some evidence that Title I narrowed the gap in per-pupil school spending between richer and poorer states in the short- to medium-run. However, the program was small relative to then-existing poverty gaps in school spending; even in the absence of crowd-out by local or state governments, the program could have reduced the gap by only 15 percent.
Uniform Singular Continuous Spectrum for the Period Doubling Hamiltonian

We consider the ergodic family of Schrodinger operators generated by the period doubling substitution and we prove that every element of this family has purely singular continuous spectrum.
Passive Pitch Control of Horizontal Axis Marine Hydrokinetic Turbine Blades

As the need for clean and renewable energy becomes greater, alternative energy technologies are becoming more and more prevalent. To that end, there has been a recent increase in research on marine hydrokinetic turbines to assess their potential as a reliable source of energy production and to expedite their implementation. These turbines are typically constructed from fiber reinforced composites and are subject to large, dynamic fluid forces. One of the benefits of composite materials is that the bend-twist deformation behavior can be hydroelastically tailored such that the blades are able to passively change their pitch to adapt to the surrounding flow, creating a nearly instantaneous control mechanism that can improve system performance over the expected range of operating conditions. These improvements include increasing energy capture, reducing instabilities, and improving structural performance. Practical constraints, however, lead to limitations in the scope of these performance enhancements and create tradeoffs between various benefits that can be achieved. This paper presents a numerical investigation into the capability of passive pitch control and combined active/passive pitch control to modify the performance of horizontal axis marine turbines with proper consideration of practical restrictions.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Genetic engineering, expression, and activity of a chimeric monoclonal antibody-avidin fusion protein for receptor-mediated delivery of biotinylated drugs in humans.

The genetic engineering, expression, and validation of a fusion protein of avidin (AV) and a chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the human insulin receptor (HIR) is described. The 15 kDa avidin monomer was fused to the carboxyl terminus of the heavy chain of the HIRMAb. The fusion protein heavy chain reacted with antibodies specific for human IgG and avidin, and had the same affinity for binding to the HIR extracellular domain as the original chimeric HIRMAb. The fusion protein qualitatively bound biotinylated ligands, but was secreted fully saturated with biotin by COS cells, owing to the high level of biotin in tissue culture medium. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were permanently transfected with a tandem vector expressing the fusion protein genes, and high expressing cell lines were isolated by methotrexate amplification and dilutional cloning. The product expressed by CHO cells had high binding to the HIR, and migrated as a homogeneous species in size exclusion HPLC and native polyacrylamide gel...
Oleaginous fungal lipid fermentation on combined acid- and alkali-pretreated corn stover hydrolysate for advanced biofuel production

A combined hydrolysis process, which first mixed dilute acid- and alkali-pretreated corn stover at a 1:1 (w/w) ratio, directly followed by enzymatic saccharification without pH adjustment, has been developed in this study in order to minimize the need of neutralization, detoxification, and washing during the process of lignocellulosic biofuel production. The oleaginous fungus Mortierella isabellina was selected and applied to the combined hydrolysate as well as a synthetic medium to compare fungal lipid accumulation and biodiesel production in both shake flask and 7.5 L fermentor. Fungal cultivation on combined hydrolysate exhibited comparable cell mass and lipid yield with those from synthetic medium, indicating that the integration of combined hydrolysis with oleaginous fungal lipid fermentation has great potential to improve performance of advanced lignocellulosic biofuel production.
Effect of luminance and duration of interstimulus interval upon human reaction time.

Visual reaction times were recorded for paired flashes varying in luminance and duration of interstimulus interval, for three well-trained observers. The data indicated that there is a rough approximation to Bloch’s law at short flash separations but a greater departure from this relationship as flash separation increases. There is a gradual decrease over time, of the amount of flash energy from the second flash integrated to effect the behavioral response. The upper limit of integration for the low-luminance value was estimated to lie between 120 and 160 ms. The intensity–time relation found with the limits of this study was best described by a parabolic function of the form Rt = axb+c, where a and c are constants and b is a slope constant. The reaction time becomes longer as the duration of interstimulus interval increases. The well-established luminance function was found, where reaction time becomes shorter to increases of luminance.
Dynamics of Interfacial Pattern Formation

A phenomenological model of dendritic solidification incorporating interfacial kinetics, crystalline anisotropy, and a local approximation for the dynamics of the thermal diffusion field is proposed. The preliminary results are in qualitative agreement with natural dendritelike pattern formation.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN GIBBERELLIN AND VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON STEM GROWTH

LOCKHART, JAMES A. (U. Hawaii, Honolulu.) Interactions between gibberellin and various environmental factors on stem growth. Amer. Jour. Bot. 48(6): 516-525. Illus. 1961.-The interactions between gibberellin and various environmental factors on stem elongation of greenhousegrown Phaseolus vulgaris have been studied in steady-state growth systems. The action of gibberellin was found to be independent of rate of accumulation of photosynthetic products, root activity, temperature, water availability and both ultraviolet and X-radiation. It was also shown that gibberellin interacts completely with red/far-red radiation given at the end of the daily light period. This interaction is complete even when maximum growth rates are experimentally reduced by limiting various independent factors. These results are interpreted as demonstrating that red/farred radiation controls rate of stem elongation in greenhouse-grown plants through an effect on the endogenous gibberellin system of the plant. None of the other environmental factors studied seems to act through the gibberellin system. STEM elongation of many species of plants is subject to substantial control by quality and intensity of the incident light, even when plants are grown under optimum environmental conditions. Downs, Hendricks, and Borthwick (1957) showed that total elongation of specific internodes of many greenhouse-grown species could be substantially affected by the ratio of red to far-red radiation received at the beginning of the daily dark period. This work was, in part, anticipated by the findings of Stolwijk (1952). He compared the influence of irradiation, by various portions of the visible spectrum following the daily light period, on gr9wth responses of various plant species. Stem elongation, internode elongation and number of expanded internodes were all found to be functions of wavelength of light given at that time. The present paper is presented with a 2-fold
Colonoscopy Issues Related to Women

Colonoscopy is the preferred method of screening for colorectal cancer in women. The longer, more redundant female colon is frequently more difficult for the endoscopist to navigate and most studies show longer insertion times, lower completion rates, and more discomfort associated with the procedure in women, all of which may be exacerbated by hysterectomy. To improve female patients' compliance with colorectal cancer screening we need to understand the barriers to participation prevalent among women. This article reviews the findings of several studies and discusses some steps to improve cancer screening for women.
Assessing improvements in the Dexamethasone Suppression Test using receiver operating characteristic analysis

Abstract This article demonstrates methods by which receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis may be used to evaluate and improve the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST). ROC indices provide a description of nonbinary diagnostic tests that is independent of any particular cutoff and that allows investigators to use rigorous mathematical methods for selecting cutoffs and assessing overall performance. In this study, ROC analyses of previously published data suggest that 1. (1) the accuracy of the DST might be improved by using a 0.5-mg oral steroid dose; 2. (2) incorporation of dexamethasone serum levels does not improve the performance of the DST; and 3. (3) the serum cortisol level used to define “no suppression” (or DST “positivity” ) should be varied to take into account diagnostic alternatives, prior probability of affective disorder, and the clinical goal for performing the test (e.g., maximizing utility, increasing information).
Surface complexation model for strontium sorption to amorphous silica and goethite

Strontium sorption to amorphous silica and goethite was measured as a function of pH and dissolved strontium and carbonate concentrations at 25°C. Strontium sorption gradually increases from 0 to 100% from pH 6 to 10 for both phases and requires multiple outer-sphere surface complexes to fit the data. All data are modeled using the triple layer model and the site-occupancy standard state; unless stated otherwise all strontium complexes are mononuclear. Strontium sorption to amorphous silica in the presence and absence of dissolved carbonate can be fit with tetradentate Sr2+ and SrOH+ complexes on the β-plane and a monodentate Sr2+complex on the diffuse plane to account for strontium sorption at low ionic strength. Strontium sorption to goethite in the absence of dissolved carbonate can be fit with monodentate and tetradentate SrOH+ complexes and a tetradentate binuclear Sr2+ species on the β-plane. The binuclear complex is needed to account for enhanced sorption at hgh strontium surface loadings. In the presence of dissolved carbonate additional monodentate Sr2+ and SrOH+ carbonate surface complexes on the β-plane are needed to fit strontium sorption to goethite. Modeling strontium sorption as outer-sphere complexes is consistent with quantitative analysis of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) on selected sorption samples that show a single first shell of oxygen atoms around strontium indicating hydrated surface complexes at the amorphous silica and goethite surfaces. Strontium surface complexation equilibrium constants determined in this study combined with other alkaline earth surface complexation constants are used to recalibrate a predictive model based on Born solvation and crystal-chemistry theory. The model is accurate to about 0.7 log K units. More studies are needed to determine the dependence of alkaline earth sorption on ionic strength and dissolved carbonate and sulfate concentrations for the development of a robust surface complexation database to estimate alkaline earth sorption in the environment.
Faculty attitudes on integrating faith and learning at religious colleges and universities : A research note

Reflecting the broader secularization debates, considerable research and disagreement exists over the degree to which religious higher education is distinct from its secular counterpart. One crucial and controversial way in which religious colleges and universities can differ from the secular academy is to integrate faith and learning by including faith-based perspectives in the core curriculum. Faculty surveys from six religious colleges and universities reveal a separatist camp and an integrationist camp. We use logistic regression to examine faculty positions on integrating faith and learning. Among the most powerful predictors of faculty attitudes are the type of institution (research university or liberal arts college) and the denomination of the faculty member (same as the denomination that sponsors the school or different).
Age-related differences in corpus callosum area of capuchin monkeys.

Abstract Capuchin monkeys ( Cebus apella ) are New World primates with relatively large brains for their body size. The developmental trajectories of several brain regions—including cortical white matter, frontal lobe white matter, and basal ganglia nuclei—are similar to humans. Additionally, capuchins have independently evolved several behavioral and anatomical characteristics in common with humans and chimpanzees—including complex manipulative abilities, use of tools, and the use of precision grips—making them interesting species for studies of comparative brain morphology and organization. Here, we report the first investigation into the development of the corpus callosum (CC) and its regional subdivisions in capuchins. CC development was quantified using high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images from 39 socially reared subjects (male n =22; female n =18) ranging in age from 4 days (infancy) to 20 years (middle adulthood). The total area of the CC and the subdivisions of the genu, rostral midbody, medial midbody, caudal midbody, and splenium were traced from the midsagittal section. Total CC area displayed significant differences across this time span and was best explained by quadratic growth. Sustained linear growth was observed in the subdivisions of the genu, rostral midbody, and splenium; sustained quadratic growth was seen in the subdivision of the medial midbody. Differences in growth were not detected in the subdivision of the caudal midbody. Females had a larger raw area of the total CC and of the medial midbody and caudal midbody throughout the lifespan. Our results indicate that capuchins show continued white matter development beyond adolescence in regions related to cognitive and motor development.
OPTIMAL INFORMATION ORDERING IN SEQUENTIAL DETECTION PROBLEMS WITH COGNITIVE BIASES

In this paper sequential detection problems are treated in the context of cognitive biases. We present a general bias model and we design a generalized sequential probability ratio test (GSPRT) to mitigate the bias impact following a composite hypothesis testing approach. We also derive an optimal ordering of the incoming observations for fast detection defined in terms of the average sample number (ASN) of observations. We verify through numerical analysis that the designed detector fulfills the time and accuracy requirements. Results show that its performance emulates that of a Bayesian detector optimized for fast sequential detection in absence of biases.
Implicit Fatigue Design of Piping Systems for License Renewal of B31.1 Plants

The fatigue analysis of older vintage nuclear power plants was normally performed following the implicit method defined in the USAS B31.1, Power Piping Code. The USAS B31.1 Code applies reduction factors to allowable stresses for loadings with specific numbers of cycles. This effectively reduces stress amplitudes due to thermal bending and prevents fatigue damage from occurring. However, it does not provide sufficient detail to address the environmental impacts on fatigue when license renewal application is prepared for a specific plant. Explicit fatigue analyses were performed for many components in plants whose piping was designed by the implicit fatigue analysis methods. Over the years, modified or improved plant operating procedures may have been implemented. More sophisticated calculations became available for use on several components for which some explicit fatigue analyses is required to address the environmental effects for 60 years of operation. This paper addresses the type of information required to evaluate the effect of environmental factors on fatigue in a license renewal application for plants with reactor coolant system pressure boundary piping designed to B31.1 Code.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Long-lasting incubation of conditioned fear in rats

Background In 1937, Diven reported that human fear responses to cues previously paired with shock progressively increase or incubate over 24 hours. Since then, fear incubation has been demonstrated in both humans and nonhumans. However, the difficulty of demonstrating long-lasting fear incubation in rodents has hampered the study of the underlying mechanisms of this incubation. Here, we describe a rat procedure where fear reliably incubates over time. Methods We trained food-restricted rats to lever-press for food pellets in daily 90-min sessions. We then gave each rat 100 30-sec tones co-terminating with a .5-sec .5-mA footshock over 10 days (10 pairings/day). Groups of rats ( n = 10–15) were then given four presentations of the tone (the fear cue) 2, 15, 31, or 61 days after fear conditioning training and were assessed for conditioned suppression of lever-pressing. Results We found that conditioned fear responses were significantly higher 31 and 61 days after fear training than after 2 or 15 days. In control experiments, we showed that extensive tone-shock pairing is necessary for the emergence of fear incubation and that it is unlikely that non-associative factors contribute to this incubation. Conclusions We describe a procedure for generating reliable and long-lasting conditioned fear incubation. Our procedure can be used to study mechanisms of fear incubation and might provide a model for studying the mechanisms of delayed-onset posttraumatic stress disorder that occur in a sub-population of people previously exposed to chronic stressors.
Correlation of moist strength with contact angles for polymer powder agglomerates

Abstract The results of an experimental study of the effect of liquid-solid contact angle on the crushing strength of wet agglomerates are presented. Agglomerates formed from model systems of polymer particles were used so that contact angles measured on film-cast and/or heat-pressed surfaces derived from the powders could be relatively easily obtained. It is shown that, for the polymer systems studied, the effect of contact angles on the crushing strength of moist agglomerates is well correlated by the available capillary theories. The relationship between crushing strength and tensile strength is a part of this theoretical prediction which is also considered here.
Childbirth education in 1980.

A questionnaire was developed to elicit information from childbirth educators regarding their preparation; their clients; their business arrangements; and their opinions on class content, national guidelines, and certification. From 776 questionnaires mailed, 238 usable responses were obtained Persons of varying backgrounds enter childbirth education through a variety of routes, practice in a variety of settings, and use varied content. A majority agree that there is a need for national guidelines for preparation and content.
TH‐D‐351‐03: Streaking Artifacts Reduction in Four‐Dimensional Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography

Purpose: In order to track tumor motion for patients with lungcancer four‐dimensional CBCT (4D CBCT) techniques have been introduced to deal with respiratory motion by gating projections into several phases. However, due to the limited gantry rotation speed, fewer than 100 projections are available for the image reconstruction at each phase. Thus, severe undersampling streaking artifacts plague 4D CBCTimages. In this presentation, we propose a simple scheme to significantly reduce the streaking artifacts. Method and Materials: A prior image is first reconstructed using all of the cone‐beam projection data without gating. This image volume is then reprojected to generate a synthesized projection data set. The difference projections generated from these two data sets are then gated and reconstructed to generate a difference image for each respiratory phase. The difference image is added back to the prior image to generate the final 4D CBCTimage volume for each phase. A home‐made motion phantom was built and scanned on a Varian Trilogy system. Projection data were retrospectively gated based on the phase information. Results: For a given phase, only ∼12 projections were selected (i.e. one projection for each respiratory cycle) to reconstruct the 4D CBCTimages. The fidelity of stationary objects was preserved and descent reconstructions of moving objects were obtained. Streak artifacts were significantly reduced in the reconstructed images. A figure of merit to characterize the streak artifacts strength was introduced and about 70% streak artifacts reduction was achievable compared with traditional FDK reconstruction.Conclusion: An algorithm has been proposed to reduce undersampling streaking artifacts in 4D CBCT. In physical phantom studies, we demonstrated that the streaking artifacts were effectively mitigated (70% reduction compared with FDK reconstruction). This correction scheme enables gating of the 4D CBCT data in a very narrow window (12∼95ms) which significantly improves the temporal resolution.
Isolated congenital bowed long bones.

An infant with prenatal bowed long bones is reported. History of bowed leg bones in the mother during her infancy and improvement of the bowed bones in the child and mother support benign nature of the condition and probable A.D. inheritance.
IBM multimedia search and retrieval system

IBM Multimedia Search and Retrieval System is a Webbased technology that makes digital photos and video searchable through automated classification and indexing [3]. IBM system is unique in that it learns as it goes, helping users search immense multimedia content repositories faster and more effectively than ever before. Marvel uses multi-modal machine learning techniques for bridging the semantic gap for multimedia content analysis and retrieval. It automatically annotates images and videos by recognizing the semantic entities-such as scenes, objects, events, and people-that are depicted in the content.
Evaluation and Treatment of Constipation and Fecal Impaction in Adults

Constipation is a common complaint that physicians encounter. Understanding the patient's definition of constipation and focusing the history and physical examination provide clues to the underlying cause. Initially, an empiric treatment trial is recommended. For patients with warning symptoms or those in whom treatment fails, a limited diagnostic work-up is suggested. Tests of physiologic function are reserved for patients whose condition is refractory to therapy. Fecal impaction can be considered extreme constipation. The pathophysiologic features of fecal impaction are discussed, and recommendations are provided for treatment and prevention.
Effect of storage on the biochemistry of cytochrome P-450 from the housefly, Musca domestica☆

Abstract Spectral characteristics of microsomal cytochrome P-450, prepared from the abdomens of insecticide-resistant and insecticide-susceptible houseflies, were compared following different periods of storage under seven different sets of conditions. No measurable loss of cytochrome P-450 occurred when dilute suspensions of microsomes in buffered sucrose were stored under nitrogen at −20°C for periods up to 6 months. The type I binding of benzphetamine declined in certain storage media but, at the same time, the type II binding of pyridine remained constant and the type III binding of ethyl isocyanide increased slightly. These findings, as well as the implications of denaturation of cytochrome P-450 to cytochrome P-420, are discussed.
Effect, of Light on the Flammability of Nomex Fabric:

Nomex fabrics have been irradiated in a xenon-arc Weather-Ometer, and the resulting changes in combustion char acteristics, tensile properties, and degree of discoloration were measured. The ignition and hurning proprties of ir radiated and unirradiated specimens were determined with the TRI Flammahility Analyzer employing burning con figurations of 45° and the horizontal (12 o'clock). Indications are that the limiting oxygen index is reduced and the burning rate increased as irradiation time is increased. Flammability results obtained with DOC FF 3-71 were not conclusive. Nevertheless, the reduction in flame resistance of Nomex as a result of irradiation appears to be less of a potential problem than the concomitant decrease in tenacity.
Deformation behavior of ultrafine-grain (UFG) AZ31B Mg alloy at room temperature

To facilitate the wider application of wrought Mg alloys as structural materials, it is desirable to improve the formability and minimize the strength anisotropy inherent in these materials due to low symmetry of their hexagonal close-packed crystal structure. Grain refinement provides a potential approach to achieve these goals in Mg alloys. A study of grain refinement processing is presented in a companion paper [Yang Q, Ghosh AK. Acta Mater, in press]. The present paper deals with the formability of ultrafine-grain (UFG) Mg close to room temperature that has not been explored in the past. The present work examines such effects in UFG Mg prepared from hot-rolled plates by severe plastic deformation. Tension and compression tests in both in-plane and normal-to-plane directions are carried out on coarse- and fine-grain AZ31B Mg alloy at room temperature. It is found that the strain rate sensitivity of flow stress increases considerably due to grain refinement, and it enhances post-uniform elongation in a tension test. At the same time, yield strength is significantly enhanced and becomes more isotropic in the UFG alloy compared to the coarse-grain alloy. A rationale for enhanced strain rate sensitivity is presented, but this topic will be explored in greater detail in future papers.