cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apodization for maximum encircled-energy ratio and specified Rayleigh limit*

Earlier workers have devised theoretical and numerical techniques for determining the diffraction pattern with the property that the maximum possible fraction of the total energy in the pattern is contained within a circle of arbitrarily fixed radius (maximum encircled-energy ratio). The numerical results indicate that the Rayleigh limit of resolution associated with this diffraction pattern exceeds the arbitrarily fixed radius, but there does not appear to be any other relationship between these two quantities. Accordingly we determine in this paper the diffraction pattern, and corresponding pupil function, for which the encircled-energy ratio for an arbitrarily specified circle is a maximum, subject to the constraint that the Rayleigh limit of resolution is also arbitrarily specified. The maximizing pupil function satisfies a linear, homogeneous Fredholm integral equation, the largest eigenvalue of which is the maximum possible encircled-energy ratio for the specified circle and Rayleigh limit. We give numerical results obtained using a Rayleigh–Ritz technique to solve the integral equation in the special case when the radius of the specified circle is equal to the specified Rayleigh limit.
Social validity of parent and teacher implemented assessment‐based interventions for challenging behaviour

This study sought to assess the social validity of teacher and parent implemented assessment‐based intervention for challenging behaviour in young children. The Behavior Intervention Rating Scale was completed by adults at the end of intervention for each participant. Overall ratings were high for both intervention acceptability and intervention effectiveness. As greater changes in child outcome were observed, social validity ratings improved. Finally, parents rated interventions as being more acceptable and more effective than did teachers.
Specificity and Inhibition of the Epidermal Cell Detachment Induced by Pemphigus IgG in Vitro

IgG isolated from sera of patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) has been shown to induce cell detachment when added to primary epidermal cell cultures (PEOC). We studied the specificity of this phenomenon. IgG fractions were purified from the sera of five patients with PV and control IgG fractions from the sera of normal donors and patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and anti-AB blood group sera (anti-AB). IgG fractious were added to PECC either at initial plating (0 hours), at media change (48 hours), or sequentially at both times, and cell detachment was quantitated at 72 and 96 hours. Significant cell detachment occurred only when PV IgG was added to the growth media sequentially at 0 and 48 hours ( p = 0.001), and this effect was dose-dependent for either dose. Substitution of an unrelated IgG (BP, SLE, or anti- AB) at either time points reduced cell detachment to near control values. Furthermore, cell detachment was inhibited by the addition of the proteinase inhibitors α 2 macroglobulin (70% inhibition of detachment), aprotinin (63% inhibition), soybean and lima bean trypsin inhibitor (62 and 64%, respectively), and pepstatin (49%), but not by the inhibitors chymostatin, leupeptin, or antipain. These data confirm that PV IgG induces increased cell detachment in PECC and shows that tins effect is specific for PV IgG, is dose-dependent, and may be inhibited by certain proteinase inhibitors.
Detection of equine arteritis virus by real-time TaqMan reverse transcription-PCR assay.

A one-tube real-time TaqMan® reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed for the detection of equine arteritis virus (EAV). The test was validated using the seminal plasma and nasal secretions of infected horses that were proven to contain EAV by traditional virus isolation in rabbit kidney thirteen (RK-13) cells, as well as a variety of cell culture-propagated European and North American strains of EAV. The primers and a fluorogenic TaqMan® probe were designed to amplify and detect a highly conserved region of open reading frame 7 (ORF7) of EAV. The real-time TaqMan® PCR assay detected EAV RNA in all samples that were confirmed to contain infectious EAV by virus isolation. The assay had an analytical sensitivity of 10 molecules of EAV RNA allowing the detection of EAV in clinical samples or tissue culture fluid (TCF) containing at least 200 viral RNA copies per ml. Thus, the one-tube real-time TaqMan® RT-PCR assay provides a rapid, accurate, quantitative, convenient and high sample throughput system for diagnosis of EAV infection, in a closed-tube format that minimizes the risk of cross-contamination.
Enzymology Approaching the New Millennium: What Would Emil Fischer Have Thought About Signal Transduction and Antineoplastic Drugs?

Abstract Advances in Enzyme Regulation, Vol. 37 Edited by George Weber. Oxford, Elsevier, 1997, NLG928.00/$573.00 (xiv +494 pages), ISBN 0-08-043095-3 .
Relapse prevention with sex offenders: practice, theory and research.

Introduction Relapse prevention (RP) is now applied to sex offending. It has been questioned as to whether RP is worthwhile. This paper aims to evaluate this technique. The Rochester RP programme The purpose of the Rochester RP programme is to refine and strengthen skills gained in the prison department's sex offender treatment programme. The objective of the programme is to teach prisoners to recognize the chain of events leading up to their current offences and to practise strategies to interrupt this chain. Theoretical basis for RP Stopping an undesired behaviour and maintaining abstinence are two different problems. RP aims to address the maintenance problems. At the centre of RP theory is a study of the conditions that can turn lapse into relapse. Yet RP has been criticized as a lot of jargon saying very little. Ward and Hudson criticize RP constructs and their interaction. Such debates have few implications for clinical work and most of the criticism flies in the face of clinical experience. Research basis for RP Risk factors for sex offenders are being identified. Local evaluation of the Rochester programme suggests that prisoners do learn to identify risk factors and to develop coping strategies. As yet, however, there is no evidence as to whether RP works or not. Discussion A way to improve the efficacy of an RP programme may be to augment it with additional modules, e.g. behaviour therapy, drug treatment, continued work with the same prison staff and relaxation training. Conclusion RP theory is sound in essence but suffers from an overlay of cumbersome vocabulary. Reliable research is emerging. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Oxidative stress increases hepatocyte iNOS gene transcription and promoter activity

Hepatocyte expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is initiated by the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1). In the presence of oxidative stress, IL-1beta mediated hepatocyte iNOS expression and NO synthesis are significantly increased. To determine the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for oxidative stress augmentation of hepatocyte iNOS expression, rat hepatocytes in primary culture were stimulated with IL-1beta (250 U/mL) in the presence and absence of benzenetriol (BZT, 0-100 microM), an autocatalytic source of superoxide at physiologic pH. Nuclear runon analysis demonstrated that BZT was associated with increased iNOS gene transcription in the setting of IL-1 stimulation. Transient transfection of a plasmid construct composed of the rat hepatocyte iNOS promoter and a chloramphenicol transferase reporter gene demonstrated that the combination of BZT and IL-1 significantly increased iNOS promoter activity in comparison to that of IL-1beta alone. These data indicate that BZT-mediated oxidative stress increases IL-1beta induced iNOS gene transcription and iNOS promoter activity.
The ethics of debating both sides II

(1963). The ethics of debating both sides II. The Speech Teacher: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 242-247.
The bacterial cell surface.

This article deals with some of the foci of activity and current problems in the complex and multidisciplinary field of bacterial cell surface studies.
IONOSPHERIC PROBING WITH LONG WAVELENGTH RADIO WAVES.

Abstract This paper deals with techniques of ionospheric probing using ground based facilities and frequencies in the region from about 10 Hz to 100 kHz. Primary emphasis is placed on VLF and LF probing; however, some attention is given to the ELF portion of the spectrum. The height regions of the lower ionosphere which potentially can be probed are examined in terms of various factors which determine the complex refractive index of the ionized medium. Measurement techniques and methods for data interpretation currently used for near vertical and oblique VLF/LF sounding are briefly described. Finally, a discussion of temporal and spatial resolutions obtainable by long wavelength probing is presented.
Modeling and Excitation Torque Estimation of an Engine Cold-Test Stand for Evaluating Driveline Design and Fault Diagnostics

The fault detection process becomes difficult in engine cold-testing when the test stands undergo torsional vibrations excited by various engine harmonics. In the context of vibration suppression and assembly faults diagnostics, this paper focuses on three main aspects: cold-test stand modeling and validation, estimation of cold-engine excitation torque, and evaluation of a fuel injector pulse diagnostic test. To analyze the vibratory torque of the cold-test stand driveline, an engine excitation model comprising of inertia torque and unfired gas pressure torque is needed. The gas pressure torque cannot be determined in the absence of engine gas pressure measurements. It is shown that this excitation torque can be estimated by assuming that the net torque during the unfired engine cycle is zero and by utilizing the firing engine gas pressure torque in the combustion stroke. The estimated excitation torque is employed to validate models of different cold-test stands and also to examine various driveline design alternatives. Using embedded sensitivity functions, it is found that by changing the inertia and stiffness of the rubber coupling, the torsional vibrations can be suppressed. Finally, the modified design is evaluated for an injector pulse diagnostic test. It is shown that the design modifications can also enhance sensitivity to faults if the injector pulse test is carried out at higher speeds.© 2007 ASME
UNCOVERED INTEREST ARBITRAGE, PURCHASING POWER PARITY AND RISK PREMIUMS ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE

The research for this paper focuses on the implied expected exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the Deutsche Mark. We use one year debt yield and one year inflation forecasts to derive expected exchange rates based on uncovered interest arbitrage and on the purchasing power parity relationship. We also explore the explanatory power of combinations of these two alternative expected exchange rates including what they might reveal regarding exchange rate premiums. Our results indicate that a combination of the two approaches which models a risk premium may be beneficial. We indicate some further work to be done along this line and provide a summary and conclusion based on the work reported here.
Stochastic Differential Equations in White Noise Space

We study infinite dimensional stochastic differential equations taking values in a white noise space. We show that under certain assumptions the distribution laws of the solution of such an equation induce generalized functions. The white noise integral equation satisfied by these generalized functions is derived. We apply the results to study the stochastic fluctuation of a two-dimensional neuron.
Evaluation of Infantilizing Intonation and Content of Speech Directed at the Aged.

Infantilization was investigated in a sample of thirty-five elderly adults, both community residents (N = 18) and residents of institutions (N = 17). Respondents were presented with materials designed to elicit ratings of adult and infantilized speech content and intonation on the dimensions of “likeability,” “equality of treatment,” and “degree of respect.” Community and institutionalized elders rated adult speech in an equivalent fashion. However, community residents were more negative in their ratings of infantilizing speech content and intonation compared to their ratings of adult speech than were institutionalized elders. The negative regard that community elders had for infantilizing speech was particularly pronounced for intonation. Furthermore, community elders appeared particularly resentful of infantilizing speech intonation on the dimension of respect. There was no evidence to support the contention that infantilizing speech is high in nurturance. Adding to the findings of Ryan and co-workers, ...
Reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in signal transduction and gene expression

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced by cellular metabolic reactions, and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, clinical and epidemiologic studies have, in some cases, indicated that antioxidant nutrients may be effective in disease prevention. However, the efficacy of specific antioxidants in disease prevention is often both controversial and inconclusive. In an effort to elucidate the role of ROS and antioxidants in disease development and prevention, the chemistries of ROS and antioxidants have been examined extensively. Recently, molecular and cellular approaches have demonstrated that ROS and antioxidants can directly affect the cellular signaling apparatus and, consequently, the control of gene expression. This new research provides the link between ROS and antioxidant chemistries and the mechanisms of disease processes and prevention. This review illustrates how ROS function as potential intracellular and extracellular signaling molecules and how antioxidants can affect this process.
Fire Safe Councils in the Interface

Legislators exhort government agencies to work with the public to reduce fire hazards in the wildland–urban interface. However, working with an unorganized “public” is a challenge for agencies. We present survey research on fire safe councils in California, community-based groups that work to reduce wildfire hazards with a range of innovative mitigation activities. We find that many fire safe councils exhibit high capacity for bonding and bridging forms of social capital that enable them to work within their communities and with government agencies to improve fire management. Two sources of strength in this potentially expandable organizational model are (1) the grass-roots character of most councils, which emerge from and reflect their communities' specific needs and capacities, and (2) a statewide coalition of federal and state fire and land management agencies with other stakeholders, which legitimizes agency staff involvement at a local level and streamlines access to funding.
Effect of native and invasive cordgrass on Macoma petalum density, growth, and isotopic signatures

Abstract Ecosystem engineers can influence community and ecosystem dynamics by controlling resources, modifying the flow of energy or biomass, or changing physical characteristics of the habitat. Invasive hybrid cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora × Spartina foliosa ) is an ecosystem engineer in salt marshes in San Francisco Bay, California, U.S.A. that raises intertidal elevations and may be either increasing C 4 plant carbon input into food webs or tying up carbon in a form that is not usable by consumers. A manipulative experiment compared abundance, growth, and stable isotope (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) composition of the clam Macoma petalum (= M. balthica ) among native marsh, hybrid Spartina , and mudflats in central San Francisco Bay. We found higher densities (individuals m −2 ) of M. petalum on mudflats compared to either native or hybrid Spartina ( p Macoma petalum shell growth was significantly greater in mudflats than in either vegetation type in 2002 ( p = 0.005) but not 2003. Differences in shell growth between native and hybrid Spartina were not significant. Stable isotope results showed differences between habitats in δ 13 C but not δ 15 N. Carbon signatures of M. petalum placed in Spartina were much more depleted than the isotopic signature of Spartina . Neither native nor hybrid Spartina appears to be a significant carbon source for M. petalum in San Francisco Bay, and we found no evidence that hybrid Spartina contributes carbon to M. petalum beyond what is provided by S. foliosa , despite the hybrid's much greater biomass. Our results show that loss of mudflat habitat, rather than increased input of C 4 carbon, is the greatest effect of the invasion of hybrid Spartina on M. petalum .
Carbon monoxide induced ordering of adsorbates on the Rh(111) crystal surface: Importance of surface dipole moments

Abstract To better understand why carbon monoxide induces order in many adsorbed overlayers on metal surfaces, we have measured, from work function changes, the surface dipole moments on Rh(111) for adsorbed CO and for several coadsorbates — sodium, benzene, fluorobenzene, and ethylidyne — which form ordered, coadsorbed structures with CO on the Rh(111) surface. We find that those adsorbates with a positive surface dipole moment form ordered structures when coadsorbed with CO, which is determined to have a negative surface dipole moment. It is proposed that coadsorbing oppositely oriented dipoles strongly promotes the formation of ordered coadsorbed structures. Further, we find that the reduction of the C-O stretching frequency of coadsorbed CO is correlated to the magnitude of the dipole moment of the coadsorbates. This correlation is discussed in terms of the combination of various interactions.
Use of Mutated Self-Cleaving 2A Peptides as a Molecular Rheostat to Direct Simultaneous Formation of Membrane and Secreted Anti-HIV Immunoglobulins

In nature, B cells produce surface immunoglobulin and secreted antibody from the same immunoglobulin gene via alternative splicing of the pre-messenger RNA. Here we present a novel system for genetically programming B cells to direct the simultaneous formation of membrane-bound and secreted immunoglobulins that we term a “Molecular Rheostat”, based on the use of mutated “self-cleaving” 2A peptides. The Molecular Rheostat is designed so that the ratio of secreted to membrane-bound immunoglobulins can be controlled by selecting appropriate mutations in the 2A peptide. Lentiviral transgenesis of Molecular Rheostat constructs into B cell lines enables the simultaneous expression of functional b12-based IgM-like BCRs that signal to the cells and mediate the secretion of b12 IgG broadly neutralizing antibodies that can bind and neutralize HIV-1 pseudovirus. We show that these b12-based Molecular Rheostat constructs promote the maturation of EU12 B cells in an in vitro model of B lymphopoiesis. The Molecular Rheostat offers a novel tool for genetically manipulating B cell specificity for B-cell based gene therapy.
Near-infrared guiding and tip-tilt correction for the UC Berkeley Infrared Spatial Interferometer

The UC Berkeley Infrared Spatial Interferometer (ISI) is a heterodyne stellar interferometer which operates in the mid-infrared between 9 and 12 microns. This wavelength range makes the ISI particularly well-suited to high resolution study of late-type stars and other objects surrounded by relatively cool dust, the emission from which peaks in the mid-infrared. Unfortunately, this same dust tends to reduce the amount of visible light available from the sources, making many interesting infrared objects too faint for the original telescope guiding system, which used a silicon CCD camera. This system has been replaced by a guiding and tip-tilt correction system based on an InSb IR camera and a fast, controllable tilting mount for one of the mirrors in the signal path. The new system has improved the quality of ISI fringe visibility data on bright sources and allowed the study of previously inaccessible objects.
Charge Transfer Enhances Two-Photon Absorption in Transition Metal Porphyrins

Two-photon absorption processes were investigated in electropolymerized Fe(III), Mn(III), and Co(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-hydroxytetraphenyl)porphyrin films. Degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) spectroscopy with 100 fs pulses in the near-IR spectral region was used. Metalloporphyrins with strong charge transfer (CT) transitions in the linear absorption spectra also show enhanced two-photon absorption. (Metalloporphyrin two-photon absorption cross section, δ, increases >10 times over that for the metal free porphyrin.) This effect was attributed to a two-photon induced charge transfer between the metal ion's d orbitals and the π-system of the porphyrin. Correlation of one- and two-photon absorption properties of transition metal porphyrins suggests a new and simple approach to improve organic materials for photonic applications.
Doctors and interrogators at Guantanamo Bay.

Dr. Gregg Bloche and Jonathan Marks write that mounting evidence from many sources, including Pentagon documents, indicates that military interrogators at Guantanamo Bay have used aggressive counter-resistance measures in systematic fashion to pressure detainees to cooperate.
Genetic diagnostics in plant breeding: RAPDs, microsatellites and machines

The science of mapping genetic traits, including those of agronomic interest, is well established and many genetic marker systems are available. However, the application of genetic diagnostics in plant breeding is in its infancy. The sample throughput and cost requirements are very different from those of medical DNA diagnostics. It will be necessary to automate the DNA isolation process, DNA amplification-based allele identification and data handling. Here, we discuss recent progress in the development of molecular technology for plant breeding.
The excretion of acid phosphatase as a measure of prostatic development during pubescence.

A RELATIVELY simple and reliable biochemical measure of physiologic pubescence would be a valuable adjunct to various anthropologic criteria of sexual development. Since the prostate is an organ which is very sensitive to stimulation by androgens (1, 2) a chemical procedure for assaying its secretory power was studied as a means of measuring the beginning of pubescence in the male. Since females have no, or only residual prostatic tissue (3), they can be regarded for the present purpose as a control group. It has been established by various means (4, 5, 6) that the enzyme, acid phosphatase, excreted in the urine, is derived mainly from the prostate. The present paper deals with the excretion of this enzyme by a group of children between the ages of 2 and 18 years, and by a small group of adults.1 METHOD Postabsorptive urine samples Urine samples for acid phosphatase determination were collected by the subjects in the morning directly after they had undergone a basal metabolism test and before breakfast. A...
Triplet excitons in BBL

Abstract Electronic transitions in poly-benzimidazobenzophenanthroline (BBL) have been modelled by applying ab initio Hartree–Fock techniques to the ground and triplet states of various molecular analogues. We find that the triplet states are strongly localized to a single unit cell, leading to a Frenkel exciton picture of the excited state.
Do We Know a Vector From a Scalar? Why Measures of Association (Not Their Squares) Are Appropriate Indices of Effect

Variance accounted for - calculated by squaring one of the various measures of association - is the most common estimate of experimental effect or strength of association reported in communication studies. However, methodologists in other social science disciplines have made compelling cases that the statistic itself, not its square, is the appropriate index of shared variation. The basic principles and arguments for interpreting unsquared measures of effect are presented and the implications for the practice of communication theory and research are discussed.
Multiresolutional schemata for unsupervised learning of autonomous robots for 3-D space operation

This paper describes a novel approach to the development of a learning control system for autonomous space robot (ASR) which presents the ASR as a 'baby' -- that is, a system with no a priori knowledge of the world in which it operates, but with behavior acquisition techniques that allows it to build this knowledge from the experiences of actions within a particular environment (we will call it an Astro-baby). The learning techniques are rooted in the recursive algorithm for inductive generation of nested schemata molded from processes of early cognitive development in humans. The algorithm extracts data from the environment and by means of correlation and abduction, it creates schemata that are used for control. This system is robust enough to deal with a constantly changing environment because such changes provoke the creation of new schemata by generalizing from experiences, while still maintaining minimal computational complexity, thanks to the system's multiresolutional nature.
Public Virtue and Collections of Moral Anecdotes for Children: La Morale en action

The Morale en action by Laurent-Pierre Berenger was an early nineteenth-century bestseller, ranking second only to Fleury’s Catechisme on the provincial market. This essay articulates the distinction between the fictional narrative tradition found in the texts of Arnaud Berquin, and the historical, anecdotal tradition exemplified by the texts of Berenger. The contemporary appeal of Berenger’s collection lay in its self-inscription in the same conservative public discourse surrounding the ‘prix de la vertu’. Berenger, as the humble ‘compilateur’, participated doubly in this movement: through the content of his collections, with their goal of publicizing virtuous acts in order to inspire readers to imitation; and through his own work as a collector, which he places in the same category of public utility as the narratives of virtues that he collects.
Finite element analysis of microelectrotension of cell membranes

Electric fields can be focused by micropipette-based electrodes to induce stresses on cell membranes leading to tension and poration. To date, however, these membrane stress distributions have not been quantified. In this study, we determine membrane tension, stress, and strain distributions in the vicinity of a microelectrode using finite element analysis of a multiscale electro-mechanical model of pipette, media, membrane, actin cortex, and cytoplasm. Electric field forces are coupled to membranes using the Maxwell stress tensor and membrane electrocompression theory. Results suggest that micropipette electrodes provide a new non-contact method to deliver physiological stresses directly to membranes in a focused and controlled manner, thus providing the quantitative foundation for micreoelectrotension, a new technique for membrane mechanobiology.
A distributed mutual exclusion solution derived from real-life examples

This paper presents a distributed mutual exclusion solution which is derived from a real-life situation which requires mutual exclusion. The proposed algorithm uses a dynamic information structure and requires between 0 and N message exchanges per critical section invocation, where N is the number of nodes in the network. The algorithm is also proved to be free from deadlock and starvation.
Differential intracavity phase spectroscopy and its application to a three-level system in samarium

A technique of differential intracavity phase spectroscopy is introduced. The measured beat frequency between the two counterpropagating fields in a ring laser directly yields the differential phase shift due to the presence of an atomic vapor. In an unstabilized laser cavity, phase differences near ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ are measured. This technique is used to study the nonlinear dispersion associated with a three-level $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ system in atomic samarium. Sub-Doppler resonances and population trapping are observed, both of which are attributed to the coherences between the two lower levels of the $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ level structure. Solutions of the density matrix describing the system are also presented, and good qualitative agreement is found between the calculations and the measurements.
Plasma levels after repository injections of penicillin in water-in-oil emulsions.

ConclusionsThe previous observation that only a slight and inconstant prolongation of penicillin blood levels is obtained by the use of a water-in-oil emulsion is confirmed. The present findings suggest further that a substantial increase in the intramuscular dose of penicillin in the same volume of saline will give considerably higher and better sustained plasma levels than the smaller dose given in a water-in-oil emulsion and the disadvantages of the latter method are thus avoided.
Scattered image reconstruction of Pulsar B0834+06

The scattered radio image of a pulsar, as a result of the radio wave passing through the turbulent interstellar plasma, is a valuable probe of the plasma turbulence. However the scattering angles are so small, typically a few milli-arcsec, that the radio image cannot be resolved even with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Recently we [1] combined the secondary spectrum [2] technique with VLBI astrometry to resolve the ambiguities in reconstructing the scattered image of pulsar B0834+06 at 327 MHz with an angular resolution 100 times finer than would have been possible with VLBI alone. However this technique can only reconstruct the outer portion of the image and it does not provide an estimate of the axial ratio of the plasma turbulence. Here we present a significant advancement of the technique which allows reconstruction of the central part of the image in two dimensions, providing an estimate of the axial ratio of the anisotropic turbulence. This technique relies on modeling a peculiar feature of the two dimensional Fourier transform of the dynamic spectrum (the secondary spectrum), called a "reverse arclet". For the 327 MHz observations of B0834+06 the secondary spectrum exhibits many identical reverse arclets. They originate from the interference between offset bright points and the core of the brightness distribution. The technique has also been tested using simulated data that confirms the image reconstruction algorithm.
Equilibria and thermodynamic properties of the plutonium-hydrogen system

Abstract Equilibrium, kinetic and X-ray diffraction data show the existence of two stability regimes in the PuH system. A metastable solid solution between CaF2-type PuH1.9 and AlFe3-type PuH3.0 forms at low temperatures and behaves as an ideal solid solution. Equilibrium and calorimetric results show that the enthalpy of formation varies linearly from −38 to −50 kcal mol−1 between the lower phase boundary and the trihydride. The stable regime established at high temperature is similar to those of the MF2-MF3 (M  lanthanide) systems. A series of CaF2-related phases apparently forms between PuH1.9 and PuH2.5; a non-stoichiometric hexagonal (LaF3-type) hydride exists in the range PuH2.9–PuH3.0. A procedure for preparing pure hexagonal PuH3.00 is described and the hysteresis behavior of the PuH system is discussed.
MACAW: a media access protocol for wireless LAN's

In recent years, a wide variety of mobile computing devices has emerged, including portables, palmtops, and personal digital assistants. Providing adequate network connectivity for these devices will require a new generation of wireless LAN technology. In this paper we study media access protocols for a single channel wireless LAN being developed at Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center. We start with the MACA media access protocol first proposed by Karn [9] and later refined by Biba [3] which uses an RTS-CTS-DATA packet exchange and binary exponential back-off. Using packet-level simulations, we examine various performance and design issues in such protocols. Our analysis leads to a new protocol, MACAW, which uses an RTS-CTS-DS-DATA-ACK message exchange and includes a significantly different backoff algorithm.
Steroid-Responsive Encephalopathy and Autoimmune Thyroiditis in a Young Boy

Steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis is a relatively uncommon entity in the pediatric population. Although the pathogenesis of steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis is uncertain, an autoimmune mechanism is suspected to be the most likely cause. Seizures of unknown etiology are a common presenting sign in the pediatric intensive care unit, and steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis should be considered as a possible cause of recurrent seizures. The outcome of steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis is variable in children, and is partly dependent on early diagnosis and the administration of intravenous steroids. Only 31 pediatric cases of steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis were described in the English-language literature since 1966. Very few were reported in the United States or among males. We describe a 13-year-old boy presenting with a new onset of seizures as a manifestation of steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis. This report presents, to the best of our knowledge, the youngest male with steroid-responsive encephalopathy with autoimmune thyroiditis, and the only reported child with other autoimmune manifestations in addition to encephalopathy.
Fallopian Bridge Technique in Surgery for Chronic Ear Disease

Disease that lies in the posterior mesotympanum, including inflammatory polyps, cholesterol granuloma, and cholesteatoma, is often difficult to extirpate. The literature reflects a divided and often controversial opinion regarding the removal of the bony posterior canal wall to reach this disease. Recently, endoscopic visualization has been advocated to enhance exposure. Employing a fallopian bridge technique wherein the bone medial to the facial nerve is opened into the posterior mesotympanum the authors have used this approach in selective circumstances to optimize the eradication of disease. Three hundred patients undergoing tympanomastoidectomy were included in this analysis. The fallopian bridge technique was attempted in 58 cases and was successfully employed in 42 patients. Indications as well as limitations for this procedure are discussed.
Harvest residue and competing vegetation affect soil moisture, soil temperature, N availability, and Douglas-fir seedling growth

Abstract Decisions made during stand regeneration that affect subsequent levels of competing vegetation and residual biomass can have important short-term consequences for early stand growth, and may affect long-term site productivity. Competing vegetation clearly affects the availability of site resources such as soil moisture and nutrients. Harvest residues can also impact the availability of site resources. We examined second- and third-year seedling performance of a Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) plantation with different vegetation control and biomass retention treatments on a highly productive site in the coast range of Washington. Treatments included a bole-only harvest without vegetation control (BO − VC), a bole-only harvest with complete vegetation control (BO + VC), and a total tree harvest with complete vegetation control that also included removal of all coarse woody debris and harvest residues (TTP + VC). The objectives of the study were to determine if vegetation control and residue retention treatments affected soil moisture, soil temperature, and apparent nitrogen (N) availability, and whether these differences in site resources were correlated with seedling size and growth. In both the second and third growing seasons, volumetric soil moisture at 0–20 cm depth was lowest on plots that did not receive vegetation control (BO − VC). Seedlings on these plots also had the lowest diameter and volume growth. In year 2, which was fairly moist, volume growth on TTP + VC plots was slightly higher than on BO + VC plots. TTP + VC plots did have lower soil moisture, but soil temperatures were slightly warmer. In year 3, a drier year, growth was greatest on BO + VC plots, which had consistently higher soil moisture levels. Apparent N availability in year 3 also varied with vegetation control. Douglas-fir foliar N concentrations averaged 2.3% on the plots where competing vegetation was eliminated, compared to 1.8% on plots where competing vegetation was not controlled. Douglas-fir foliar N concentrations did not differ between residue retention treatments, although N concentrations of competing vegetation were higher where residual biomass was retained. Higher apparent N availability was correlated with greater seedling growth. Based on results from years 2 and 3, it appears that soil moisture, particularly late in the growing season, had the greatest effect on seedling growth in both years. Available N may also have played a role, although the effects of N cannot be completely separated from those of soil moisture. When soil moisture is adequate, it appears that available N and soil temperature exert greater influence on growth. Vegetation control and residue retention can influence all three of these factors. The relative importance of each factor may depend on the year-to-year variation in environmental conditions.
Nucleic acid sequence design via efficient ensemble defect optimization.

We describe an algorithm for designing the sequence of one or more interacting nucleic acid strands intended to adopt a target secondary structure at equilibrium. Sequence design is formulated as an optimization problem with the goal of reducing the ensemble defect below a user-specified stop condition. For a candidate sequence and a given target secondary structure, the ensemble defect is the average number of incorrectly paired nucleotides at equilibrium evaluated over the ensemble of unpseudoknotted secondary structures. To reduce the computational cost of accepting or rejecting mutations to a random initial sequence, candidate mutations are evaluated on the leaf nodes of a tree-decomposition of the target structure. During leaf optimization, defect-weighted mutation sampling is used to select each candidate mutation position with probability proportional to its contribution to the ensemble defect of the leaf. As subsequences are merged moving up the tree, emergent structural defects resulting from crosstalk between sibling sequences are eliminated via reoptimization within the defective subtree starting from new random subsequences. Using a Θ(N^3) dynamic program to evaluate the ensemble defect of a target structure with N nucleotides, this hierarchical approach implies an asymptotic optimality bound on design time: for sufficiently large N, the cost of sequence design is bounded below by 4/3 the cost of a single evaluation of the ensemble defect for the full sequence. Hence, the design algorithm has time complexity Ω(N^3). For target structures containing N ∈{100,200,400,800,1600,3200} nucleotides and duplex stems ranging from 1 to 30 base pairs, RNA sequence designs at 37°C typically succeed in satisfying a stop condition with ensemble defect less than N/100. Empirically, the sequence design algorithm exhibits asymptotic optimality and the exponent in the time complexity bound is sharp
Verifying interoperability and application performance of PDCs in synchrophasor system solution

This paper presents a new test methodology for verifying the interoperability and application performance of synchrophasor system solution containing PMUs, PDCs, and communication network. Two types of tests are defined to evaluate the performance of synchrophasors system components from two different aspects: design and application tests. The interoperability between PMUs and PDCs can be verified by a design test. A fault location algorithm using two-end synchronized measurement is used to evaluate the application performance. We have developed a special device, referred to as “Imparator.” that can emulate different network conditions by introducing impairments such as packet losses and delays. In addition, the imperator can measure performance characteristics of PDCs, such as data processing time. Nine commercial PMUs, three PDCs, and reference GPS receiver are selected to perform the tests. The test results at the end show that the PDCs meet the most of the functional requirements, and interoperability issues exist between the PMUs and PDCs of different vendors.
Performance of High Flow Rate Samplers for Respirable Particle Collection

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial hygienists (ACGIH) lowered the threshold limit value (TLV) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure from 0.05 to 0.025 mg m(-3) in 2006. For a working environment with an airborne dust concentration near this lowered TLV, the sample collected with current standard respirable aerosol samplers might not provide enough RCS for quantitative analysis. Adopting high flow rate sampling devices for respirable dust containing silica may provide a sufficient amount of RCS to be above the limit of quantification even for samples collected for less than full shift. The performances of three high flow rate respirable samplers (CIP10-R, GK2.69, and FSP10) have been evaluated in this study. Eleven different sizes of monodisperse aerosols of ammonium fluorescein were generated with a vibrating orifice aerosol generator in a calm air chamber in order to determine the sampling efficiency of each sampler. Aluminum oxide particles generated by a fluidized bed aerosol generator were used to test (i) the uniformity of a modified calm air chamber, (ii) the effect of loading on the sampling efficiency, and (iii) the performance of dust collection compared to lower flow rate cyclones in common use in the USA (10-mm nylon and Higgins-Dewell cyclones). The coefficient of variation for eight simultaneous samples in the modified calm air chamber ranged from 1.9 to 6.1% for triplicate measures of three different aerosols. The 50% cutoff size ((50)d(ae)) of the high flow rate samplers operated at the flow rates recommended by manufacturers were determined as 4.7, 4.1, and 4.8 microm for CIP10-R, GK2.69, and FSP10, respectively. The mass concentration ratio of the high flow rate samplers to the low flow rate cyclones decreased with decreasing mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and high flow rate samplers collected more dust than low flow rate samplers by a range of 2-11 times based on gravimetric analysis. Dust loading inside the high flow rate samplers does not appear to affect the particle separation in either FSP10 or GK2.69. The high flow rate samplers overestimated compared to the International Standards Organization/Comite Europeen de Normalisation/ACGIH respirable convention [up to 40% at large MMAD (27.5 microm)] and could provide overestimated exposure data with the current flow rates. However, both cyclones appeared to be able to provide relatively unbiased assessments of RCS when their flow rates were adjusted.
An interdisciplinary program for education and outreach in hybrid & Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering at Michigan Technological University

The automotive industry is in a transformation towards powertrain electrification, requiring automotive engineers to develop and integrate technologies from multiple disciplines. Michigan Technological University is rolling out a new program in interdisciplinary master of engineering degree and graduate and undergraduate certificates in Advanced Electric Drive Vehicle Engineering. Distinctively we are focusing our education program at the vehicle level and the interconnection to the electric grid. The vehicle level aspects of the program include vehicle requirements, integration of propulsion technologies, safety, diagnostics, control and calibration. Michigan Tech and our industrial partners see these as critical limiting factors in the development and production of advanced electric transportation systems. Additionally, the effort leverages the existing distance learning program in electric power. The result are an interdisciplinary program that meets the needs of the transportation and power industries and provides students with a unique skill set that will accelerate the Introduction
Data integration in the RODIN multidatabase system

The problems of object identification and data integration in heterogeneous multidatabase systems are addressed. The requirement that object identity be an equivalence relation often is not considered, and is shown to require evaluation of recursive queries against external schemas when translating even simple queries against integrated schemas. Data integration facilities which enforce the properties of object identity being an equivalence relation are presented, including techniques for translation of queries of the integrated data.
Maximum Lift-to-Drag Ratio Airfoils at Moderate Supersonic Speeds

Maximum lift-to-drag ratio airfoils at moderate supersonic speeds are determined using linear theory and second-order theory. Two cases are investigated: 1) given length and thickness and 2) given length and enclosed area. The indirect methods of the calculus of variations are employed, and it is shown that the optimum airfoil is a diamond shape for case 1 and is biconvex for case 2. If linear theory is employed, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio airfoil has maximum thickness at mid chord and is symmetric with respect to the chord. Its geometry is identical with that of the minimum drag airfoil and is totally insensitive to changes in the Mach number. If nonlinear theory is used, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio airfoil has maximum thickness in the rear half and is asymmetric with respect to the chord (the upper contour is thicker than the lower contour). Its geometry is different from that of the minimum drag airfoil and, for a given surf ace-aver aged friction coefficient, is only slightly sensitive to changes in the Mach number.
Archiving raw crystallographic data

This article describes some of the activities of the IUCr Diffraction Data Deposition Working Group and introduces a collection of articles discussing the archiving of diffraction images.
Osmotic and mechanical fragilities of erythrocytes of monkeys infected with P. knowlesi malaria.

SummaryExperiments with the blood of control and of Macaca mulatta monkeys infected with Plasmodium knowlesi indicate that the parasitized red blood cells develop increased osmotic fragility and in vitro are selectively destroyed by mechanical trauma. Consequently, it is suggested that because of this increased mechanical fragility of the red blood cells the motion of the circulation in vivo plays a part in the production of the hemolytic anemia in malaria of monkeys and, by analogy, of man.
Phenomenological and Interpretive-Structural Approaches to Economics and Sociology: Schutzian Themes in Adolph Lowe's Political Economics

Lowe's “interpretive-structural” approach to economics has important areas of contact with Schutzian social inquiry. Elaboration of Lowe's approach may thus play a role in the development of a phenomenological economics, while the work of Schutz and his followers can contribute to the elaboration of Lowe's interpretive-structural approach. A key issue to be worked out will be the relative importance of structural factors, or what we have here called transsubjective structures, and their relation to human motivations and behaviors.