cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deformation of lithium-ion batteries under axial loading: Analytical model and Representative Volume Element

Abstract Using lithium-ion batteries requires an understanding of their deformation and failure under mechanical abuse. Properties of batteries under through-thickness loading has been the subject of various studies over recent years, however, in-plane properties are not yet fully understood. In-plane loading can lead to buckling, short circuit, or failure of connecting tabs. In this research, parameters controlling the in-plane deformation of cells are investigated, first by an analytical approach, then by a computational model of the cell’s Representative Volume Element (RVE). Analytical results show that cell lengths larger than the buckling wavelength do not affect the buckling strength thus allowing experimental results on a small specimen of the cell to be used for buckling analysis instead of expensive full cell testing. Computational models show that the RVE can be used to extract homogenized anisotropic material properties of full cells. Models of full cells calibrated from the analytical estimates and RVE were validated against experiments and show the efficiency of the approach, providing a tool for simulation of battery failures and designing efficient protective structures.
Not Just One Bet: Portfolio Managers' Cross Fund Risk-Taking

This paper documents that mutual fund managers who experience distress in one fund tend to subsequently take on more risk in other funds they manage. Specifically, portfolio managers decrease the cash holdings and increase the systematic risk component in their linked funds. This increased risk-taking appears to be primarily motivated by managers' compensation contracts and is value-destroying for fund investors. The response to the distress shock is smaller for portfolio managers with long-term incentive compensation contracts, longer-tenured managers, and teams with female managers. These results highlight fund spillover effects through common portfolio managers and agency conflicts in the mutual fund industry.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL NUMERICAL ANALYSES OF THE STABILITY OF Ag/BSCCO TAPE

Practical design considerations for HTS magnets require detailed magnetothermal analysis. Here we report investigations of the stability of high-T c superconducting tapes. As a result of the broad range of temperatures during a transition and the strong temperature dependence and anisotropy of the material properties, the finite element method (FEM) is used to solve the three-dimensional heat conduction equation. The heat source is determined using the operating current, the resistivity of the Ag and the critical current density of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox (BSCCO). The minimum quench energy is determined for infinitely long uniform sources in the BSCCO.
Raising and Passivization in Breton: An Argument for Anaphoric Traces

GB theory treats sentences like those in (1) as the result of the Move alpha transformation.
The signaling mechanisms of long distance intercellular calcium waves (far waves) in cultured human uterine myocytes.

Cultured human myocytes exhibit intercellular calcium waves that travel farther than 100 μm (‘far waves’). This work investigates the mechanism of far wave propagation. Culture lines were initiated from myometrial biopsies of term pregnant women. Calcium green-1 was used as a fluorescence probe for intracellular free calcium. Serial imaging was performed at a frame rate of 0.83 frames/s. Intercellular calcium waves were mechanically initiated by atraumatically applying small drops of mineral oil onto the surface of the monolayer. Each intercellular calcium wave was scored using a standardized grid, and points were assigned depending upon the distance the wave traveled and the fluorescent intensity observed within each region. Experiments were performed in the presence of inhibitors of gap junctions and connexin hemichannels (octanol), ATP (apyrase and MDL 12330 A), prostaglandins (indomethacin, high concentrations of lanthanum), the prostaglandin transporter, PGT (DIDS), and transmembrane calcium flux (low concentrations of lanthanum). Octanol, apyrase and MDL 12330 A failed to modify the far waves, indicating gap junctions, connexin hemichannels and ATP do not participate in the paracrine mechanism. Indomethacin at 30, 100 and 300 μM, in a dose dependent manner, reduced the far wave score to 0, suggesting a prostaglandin was critically involved in the mechanism. DIDS reduced the far wave score, but did not fully inhibit wave propagation, suggesting the presence of PGT-dependent and -independent components to the mechanism. Lanthanum at 0.1 mM had no effect, but at 1 mM, reduced the far wave score. These results are consistent with PGF2α and/or PGE2 being the signal molecule for the PGT-dependent component. Taken together, these data indicate that long distance intercellular calcium waves in cultured human myocytes utilizes a paracrine signaling mechanism, but with more than one extracellular signaling compound.
GMPLS testbed based on optical Ethernet

UMBC GMPLS testbed is an advanced optical Ethernet network that integrates robust GMPLS with re-configurable all-optical switching fabric. It takes advantage of the efficiency of statistical multiplexing of data streams and meanwhile supports QoS.
Sharing is caring: combination of theories

One of the main shortcomings of the traditional methods for combining theories is the complexity of guessing the arrangement of the variables shared by the individual theories. This paper presents a reformulation of the Nelson-Oppen method that takes into account explicit equality propagation and can ignore pairs of shared variables that the theories do not care about. We show the correctness of the new approach and present care functions for the theory of uninterpreted functions and the theory of arrays. The effectiveness of the new method is illustrated by experimental results demonstrating a dramatic performance improvement on benchmarks combining arrays and bit-vectors.
Carcinogenicity of N-[4-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] acetamide in Female Rats

Summary N-[4-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] acetamide was fed to 70 female Sprague-Dawley weanling rats at a dosage of 0.199% by weight for 46 weeks, followed by 20 weeks of the control diet. Forty control rats received only ground diet for the entire 66 weeks. Rats were weighed and food consumption was determined biweekly at first and then monthly. With weekly palpation the first mammary tumor was detected at 16 weeks, and tumor incidences are based on the number of rats alive at this time. Every 1 or 2 weeks, 1 rat was sacrificed to determine any early pathological changes of the urinary tract or other internal organs. Of the 56 rats that survived 16 or more weeks, 52 had tumors with the following organ distribution: 47 mammary tumors (24 fibroadenomas and 23 adenocarcinomas), 6 salivary gland adenocarcinomas, 7 alveolar cell carcinomas of the lung, 2 transitional cell carcinomas of the kidney, 3 skin tumors (squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, mastocytoma), 1 small intestinal adenocarcinoma, and 1 splenic lymphosarcoma with hepatic metastases. A systemic lymphoreticular response involving the spleen and lymph nodes was seen in a majority of the rats, and several rats had edema, hemorrhage, and partial destruction of the adrenal gland. No tumors were found in the control rats. A fibroadenoma, an adenofibroma, and an adenocarcinoma of mammary origin and an adenocarcinoma of salivary gland origin were transplantable to the subcutaneous tissue of female Sprague-Dawley weanling rats with the following incidences of transplantable tumors: 7/24, 4/12, 9/12, and 14/24, respectively. Two of the 9 mammary adenocarcinomas that grew in recipient rats metastasized: one through the abdominal wall and into the liver, the other to the spleen.
Valuing Open Space and Land-Use Patterns in Urban Watersheds

This article presents the results of a hedonic property value analysis for an urban watershed in New Haven County, Connecticut. We use spatially referenced housing and land-use data to capture the effect of environmental variables around the house location. We calculate and incorporate data on open space, land-use diversity, and other environmental variables to capture spatial variation in environmental quality around each house location. We are ultimately interested in determining whether variables that are reflective of spatial diversity do a better job of describing human preferences for housing choice than broad categories of rural versus urban areas. Using a rich data set of over 4,000 houses, we study these effects within a watershed that includes areas of high environmental quality and low environmental quality as well as varying patterns of socioeconomic conditions. Our results suggest that, in addition to structural characteristics, variables describing neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics and variables describing land use and environmental quality are influential in determining human values. We also find that the scale at which we measure these spatially defined environmental variables is important.
Characterization of a heat-shock process for reduction of the nucleic acid content of Candida utilis.

A process for reducing the nucleic acid content of Candida utilis NRRL Y900 has been developed. The optimal process consists of heating the cells suspended in spent medium initially at pH 4.0 for various times at three different temperatures. Initially a heat-shock at 68 C for 1 to 3 sec is performed followed by incubation for 1 hr at 45 to 50 C and for a 2nd hr at 52 to 55 C. The distribution of degradation products has been characterized. Initially 90% of the nucleic acids were in a polymerized form (extractable by hot perchloric acid). After 30 min, much of this material was hydrolyzed but remained within the cell (extractable by cold perchloric acid). After 2 hr, most of the hydrolysis products leaked into the surrounding medium with only a small amount of low-molecular-weight material remaining within the membrane. Predominantly 3′-mononucleotides accumulated within the cell and eventually leaked from the cell.
A Review of “Presidential Leadership in Political Time: Reprise and Reappraisal”

Stephen Skowronek's Presidential Leadership in Political Time: Reprise and Reappraisal is one of those special moments when a legendary scholar revisits one of his greatest works. This slim volume ...
The Spec# Programming System: Challenges and Directions

The Spec# programming system [4] is a new attempt to increase the quality of general purpose, industrial software. Using old wisdom, we propose the use of specifications to make programmer assumptions explicit. Using modern technology, we propose the use of tools to enforce the specifications. To increase its chances of having impact, we want to design the system so that it can be widely adopted.
Effects of vinasse on sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) productivity

Vinasse is a corrosive and contaminant industrial liquid residue from alcohol distillation. Vinasse contains high levels of organic matter, potassium, calcium and moderate amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. The effects of several applications of mineral fertilization combined with vinasse on sugarcane productivity were evaluated, on plant-cane, first and second ratoon seasons (92-95). The experiment was established using a randomized split plot design with four replications. Treatments consisted of 3 chemical fertilizer doses in the main plots as: F0= 0 kg ha-1; F1= 180 kg ha-1 N + 160 kg.ha-1 P2O5 + 220 kg ha-1 K2O; F3= 80 kg ha-1 N + 45 kg.ha-1 P2O5 combined with 5 vinasse doses in the subplots as V0=0 m3.ha-1, V1=25 m3.ha-1, V2=50 m3.ha-1, V3=75 m3.ha-1 and V4=100 m3 ha-1. Sugar and cane yields increased with application of vinasse. Best results were obtained when using vinasse as 50 m3 ha-1 on plant-cane and 100 m3 ha-1 on first and second ratoons. The N, P2O5 and K2O sugarcane demands were supplied by the 50 m3 ha-1 vinasse dose (V2) in proportions of 55%, 72% and 100% respectively. Vinasse application demonstrated its efficiency as fertilizer material as well as reducing vinasse contaminant effects to waterways.
Statins and subarachnoid hemorrhage in Medicare patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms

BackgroundStatins have been shown to decrease aneurysm progression and rupture in two experimental settings: animals with cerebral aneurysm and humans with abdominal aortic aneurysms.AimsTo investigate statin use and outcomes in humans with unruptured cerebral aneurysms through Medicare administrative data.MethodsWe used a 40% random sample Medicare denominator file and corresponding inpatient, outpatient (2003-2011), and prescription (2006-2011) claims to conduct a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with unruptured cerebral aneurysms, between 2003 and 2011. We used propensity score-adjusted models to investigate the association between statin use and risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Secondary analyses repeated the main models stratified on tobacco use status and separately assessed other composite outcomes.ResultsWe identified 28 931 patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysms (average age 72.0 years, 72.6% female); mean follow-up was 30.0 months; 41.3% used statins. Overall, 593 patients d...
Comparing a Few Behavior Engineering Models

It is almost impossible to imagine Gilbert's behavior engineering model as other than a fundamental component of the field of performance improvement as we know it. The behavior engineering model has been freely used, reused, and reconfigured for various purposes by individuals in the field. This is so common that sometimes it is difficult to determine what is new or what is just being copied between versions. Here, three variants of the behavior engineering model are briefly compared. Unique features are identified and studied and elements that may make each well suited to certain uses are identified.
What Surprises Do Identical Twins Have for Identity Science

Experiments with biometric datasets from identical twins are helping to shape future research in face and iris recognition.
The behavioral economics of drug self-administration: A review and new analytical approach for within-session procedures

Behavioral–economic demand curve analysis offers several useful measures of drug self-administration. Although generation of demand curves previously required multiple days, recent within-session procedures allow curve construction from a single 110-min cocaine self-administration session, making behavioral–economic analyses available to a broad range of self-administration experiments. However, a mathematical approach of curve fitting has not been reported for the within-session threshold procedure. We review demand curve analysis in drug self-administration experiments and provide a quantitative method for fitting curves to single-session data that incorporates relative stability of brain drug concentration. Sprague–Dawley rats were trained to self-administer cocaine, and then tested with the threshold procedure in which the cocaine dose was sequentially decreased on a fixed ratio-1 schedule. Price points (responses/mg cocaine) outside of relatively stable brain cocaine concentrations were removed before curves were fit. Curve-fit accuracy was determined by the degree of correlation between graphical and calculated parameters for cocaine consumption at low price (Q 0) and the price at which maximal responding occurred (P max). Removing price points that occurred at relatively unstable brain cocaine concentrations generated precise estimates of Q 0 and resulted in P max values with significantly closer agreement with graphical P max than conventional methods. The exponential demand equation can be fit to single-session data using the threshold procedure for cocaine self-administration. Removing data points that occur during relatively unstable brain cocaine concentrations resulted in more accurate estimates of demand curve slope than graphical methods, permitting a more comprehensive analysis of drug self-administration via a behavioral–economic framework.
A mammalian scaffold complex that selectively mediates MAP kinase activation

The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) group of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases is activated by the exposure of cells to multiple forms of stress. A putative scaffold protein was identified that interacts with multiple components of the JNK signaling pathway, including the mixed-lineage group of MAP kinase kinase kinases (MLK), the MAP kinase kinase MKK7, and the MAP kinase JNK. This scaffold protein selectively enhanced JNK activation by the MLK signaling pathway. These data establish that a mammalian scaffold protein can mediate activation of a MAP kinase signaling pathway.
On positive order continuous operators

Abstract Let T : E → F be a positive operator between two Riesz spaces with F Dedekind complete. The main purpose of this paper is to provide elementary proofs for the following two theorems. 1. 1. The operator T is order continuous if and only if the null ideal of every operator satisfying 0≤ S ≤ T is a band. 2. 2. If T n denotes the order continuous component of T , then T n ( ν )= inf { ν α : } O ≤ ν α ↑ ν
Identifying the ecological causes of long-term declines of wetland-dependent birds in an urbanizing landscape

Many wetland-dependent birds are thought to be experiencing significant population declines, although population trend data for this suite of birds are rare and the causes of declines poorly understood. We used a 26-year dataset (1980–2005) of wetland bird abundance and distribution among 196 wetlands in northeastern Illinois (i.e., Chicago and its suburbs) to evaluate population trends and identify underlying ecological causes. We used aerial photography and GIS to quantify wetland habitat structure (i.e., the extent of emergent vegetation) and changes in surrounding land use. We then evaluated how changes in land use affected the structure of wetlands and ultimately wetland bird populations. Of the 12 species analyzed, seven experienced significant declines, three showed non-significant declines, and two experienced significant increases. Population declines could not be attributed to wetland loss because none of our wetlands were destroyed. Concurrent research at these wetlands also suggests that neither low adult survival nor poor reproductive success were responsible for the declines. Increased development within 2 km of wetlands, however, was associated with extreme changes in the structure of wetlands. Wetlands tended either to lose much of their vegetation and become open ponds, or become rank stands of dense vegetation. Both changes made wetlands less suitable for many wetland birds. While “no net loss” legislation may protect wetlands from being filled or drained, development near wetlands appears to be altering hydrology, resulting in habitat degradation and population declines of several wetland-dependent bird species.
Sports in School: Source of Amity or Antipathy?

Objectives. Previous research looks at the impact of school sports on participants’ delinquency, but not at the impact on delinquency in schools; further, it does not control for school size or for unobserved school-level variables. This research fills that gap. It uses social capital theory to frame the impact of sports programs on both participants and nonparticipants. Social capital theory predicts that group cohesion will increase cooperative, pro-social behavior among those in the group; however, it can also increase uncooperative, antisocial behavior among those not in the group—particularly when in-group membership is seen as desirable. Social capital theory also predicts that larger schools will have more disturbances, but subgroups in large schools will reduce these adverse effects. Methods. The hypotheses were tested by looking at the relation between disturbances and interscholastic sports programs in Montgomery County, Maryland high schools. Using three years of data on each high school in the county, the study regresses disturbances on sports participation, holding constant demographic variables, school size, and a dummy variable for each school. Results. Larger schools have more disturbances, but bigger interscholastic sports programs mitigate these effects. Conclusions. The policy implications suggest that to foster cooperative behavior in high schools, it might be wise to limit school size, or to foster participation in varsity sports as school size increases.
I PREVENT Bacterial Resistance. An Update on the Use of Antibiotics in Dermatologic Surgery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prophylaxis may be given to prevent a surgical wound infection, infective endocarditis (IE), or infection of a prosthetic joint, but its use before cutaneous surgery is controversial. Our aim was to review the current literature and provide a mnemonic to assist providers in appropriately prescribing prophylactic antibiotics. METHODS AND MATERIALS We reviewed the current literature, including the new guidelines provided by the American Heart Association (AHA). RESULTS The new AHA guidelines recommend prophylaxis for patients with high risk of an adverse outcome from IE instead of high risk of developing IE. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Dental Association also provide guidelines. Given the paucity of conclusive studies, prophylaxis against a surgical wound infection is based more on clinical judgment. CONCLUSION The mnemonic we propose, "I PREVENT," represents: Immunosuppressed patients; patients with a Prosthetic valve; some patients with a joint Replacement; a history of infective Endocarditis; a Valvulopathy in cardiac transplant recipients; Endocrine disorders such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus; Neonatal disorders including unrepaired cyanotic heart disorders (CHDs), repaired CHD with prosthetic material, or repaired CHD with residual defects; and the Tetrad of antibiotics: amoxicillin, cephalexin, clindamycin, and ciprofloxacin.
Conformational and electronic preferences in rhodium(II) carboxylate and rhodium(II) carboxamide catalyzed carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions of N,N-disubstituted diazoacetoacetamides

Abstract Conformational preferences dominate electronic influences in governing regioselectivity for catalytic C-H insertion reactions of diazoacetoacetamides and allow the construction of β-lactams by insertion α and β to an ester functional group.
Chaotic and periodic dynamics of a slider-crank mechanism with slider clearance

Abstract The problem of a planar slider-crank mechanism with clearance at the sliding (prismatic) joint is investigated. In this study the influence of the clearance gap size, bearing friction, crank speed and impact parameters on the response of the system are investigated. Three types of responses are observed: chaotic, transient chaos and periodic. It is shown that chaotic motion is prevalent over a range of parameters which corresponds to high crank speeds and/or low values of bearing friction with relatively ideal impacts. Periodic response is generally observed at low crank speeds and also at low values of the coefficient of restitution. Poincare maps and statistical profiles of the impact locations and severity are used to characterize the motion and to obtain information regarding possible patterns of wear due to repeated impacts. As expected, chaotic motions lead to quite uniform distributions of impacts, while periodic motions lead to highly localized impact locations. It is also shown that the system response is essentially unpredictable over a wide range of parameters, thus casting doubt on the usefulness of such models for accurate prediction purposes.
Tumor-promoting activity of n-alkanes and 1-alkanols

Abstract Pure n -alkanes and 1-alkanols promoted papilloma growth in the skin of Swiss mice which had been treated with a noncarcinogenic dose of dimethylbenzanthracene. Decanol, dodecane, and tetradecane were the most potent; hexanol, hexane, and octane were inactive. One-fourth of the papillomas became squamous cell carcinomas. A difference of two carbon atoms separated equipotent alkanes and alkanols. The tumor-promoting effect of these substances was not identical with that of a croton extract studied under similar conditions.
A model for replication of the ends of linear chromosomes

Linear chromosomes possessing internal repeats of their terminal sequences can form intramolecular crossed-strand exchanges that allow replication of the chromosome ends. Evidence is discussed that such a mechanism may be utilized during replication of herpes simplex virus DNA and during replication of macronuclear DNA from the hypotrichous ciliate Oxytricha.
High-pressure hydriding of Zircaloy

Abstract The hydriding characteristics of Zircaloy-2(Zry), sponge zirconium (as a liner on Zry plate), and crystal-bar zirconium exposed to pure H2 at 0.1 MPa or 7 MPa and 400°C were determined in a thermogravimetric apparatus. The morphology of the hydrided specimens was also examined by optical microscopy. For all specimen types, the rate of hydriding in 7 MPa H 2 was two orders of magnitude greater than in 0.1 MPa H 2 . For Zry, uniform bulk hydriding was revealed by hydride precipitates at room temperature and on one occasion, a sunburst hydride. In addition, all specimen types exhibited a hydride surface layer. In a duplex Zry/sponge-Zr specimen, Zry is more heavily hydrided than the sponge Zr layer.
Neuroprotective effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease by blocking microglial activation.

SPECIFIC AIMSParkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatment, characterized by a massive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra par...
Use of the Rand Structured Implicit Review Instrument for Quality of Care Assessment.

ABSTRACT The Rand Structured Implicit Review Instrument is a 27-item instrument that rates process quality of care for patients with five common illnesses. This study reports on the use of this instrument for hospitalized patients with long lengths of stay. A total of 120 medical records were reviewed by multiple physician reviewers for patients discharged with congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia. Mean inter-rater reliability was assessed for a subsample of six records by kappa score. A multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the relationship between process ratings for the quality of documentation, assessment, monitoring, and therapy and overall quality of care scores, controlled for physician judgments about patients’ prognosis and selected patient characteristics. Each reviewer also evaluated the instrument. Mean kappa for trichotomized ratings of quality of care was 0.50. The majority of all quality of care ratings were in the good or very good range (77.5%). The full regression model, including process subscale quality ratings, prognostic items, and patient characteristics, accounted for 38% of the total variance in the quality of care ratings. Items measuring the quality of assessment (p
Crossing borders in love, war, and history: French families during world war II

This article addresses the many borders crossed by historians and those we study. It focuses on two families involved in a custody dispute in German-occupied Paris during World War II. Sometimes freely and sometimes under duress, the family members crossed physical borders between occupied and unoccupied parts of France, and perhaps between countries. They also crossed boundaries of expected family roles, religion, and moral behavior. Anti-Jewish laws and attitudes affected their lives and options at every turn. Historians too confront boundaries of evidence: Our informed historical imagination can offer likely conclusions to the stories we tell, but, in the end, we cannot go beyond where the evidence leads us.
THE ROLE OF SURFACE DIFFUSION IN THE LANGMUIR-HINSHELWOOD MECHANISM

(1981). THE ROLE OF SURFACE DIFFUSION IN THE LANGMUIR-HINSHELWOOD MECHANISM. Chemical Engineering Communications: Vol. 11, No. 4-5, pp. 317-325.
Fault and adversary tolerance as an emergent property of distributed systems' software architectures

Fault and adversary tolerance have become not only desirable but required properties of software systems because mission-critical systems are commonly distributed on large networks of insecure nodes. In this paper, we describe how the tile style, an architectural style designed to distribute computation, can inject fault and adversary tolerance. The result is a notion of tolerance that is entirely abstracted away from the functional properties of the software system. The client may specify what fraction of the network is faulty or malicious (e.g., 25%) and the acceptable system failure rate (e.g., 2-10), and the system's architecture adjusts automatically to ensure a failure rate no higher than the one specified. The technique is entirely automated and consists of a "smart redundancy" mechanism that brings the failure rate exponentially close to 0 by slowing down the execution speed linearly.
Bioinfogrid:. Bioinformatics Simulation and Modeling Based on Grid

Genomics sequencing projects and new technologies applied to molecular genetics analysis are producing huge amounts of raw data. In future the trend of the biomedical scientific research will be based on computing Grids for data crunching applications, data Grids for distributed storage of large amounts of accessible data and the provision of tools to all users. Biomedical research laboratories are moving towards an environment, created through the sharing of resources, in which heterogeneous and dispersed health data, such as molecular data (e.g. genomics, proteomics), cellular data (e.g. pathways), tissue data, population data (e.g. Genotyping, SNP, Epidemiology), as well the data generated by large scale analysis (eg. Simulation data, Modelling). In this paper some applications developed in the framework of the European Project ”Bioinformatics Grid Application for life science BioinfoGRID” will be described in order to show the potentiality of the GRID to carry out large scale analysis and research worldwide.
Cultivating Constructivism: Inspiring Intuition and Promoting Process and Pragmatism

Given the compelling strength of its theory, research, and practice, why does constructivism remain at the fringes of our field rather than comprising the mainstream? Constructivism assumes that humans create knowledge in ever-changing contexts, rather than the more common view that nature reveals to us its own innate, foundational “way that it is” that confers meaning to us. Acknowledging the human desire for certainty might inform our response to our critics. We might understand individuals’ choices between these two views as based on intuition, temperament, and core beliefs that determine whether one accepts dominant discourses or seeks alternatives. Advancing and fostering constructivism might benefit from appealing to the latter population. Two approaches might assist in that appeal. First, we might actively embrace a process view of ontology that comprehends phenomena in terms of interrelated, changing relationships rather than a container of fixed entities with innate permanent characteristics. Sec...
Aspects of 3D shape reconstruction

The ability to reconstruct the three dimensional (3D) shape of an object from multiple images of that object is an important step in certain computer vision and object recognition tasks. The images in question can range from 2D optical images to 1D radar range profiles. In each case, the goal is to use the information (primarily invariant geometric information) contained in several images to reconstruct the 3D data. In this paper we apply a blend of geometric, computational, and statistical techniques to reconstruct the 3D geometry, specifically the shape, from multiple images of an object. Specifically, we deal with a collection of feature points that have been tracked from image (or range profile) to image (or range profile) and we reconstruct the 3D point cloud up to certain transformations-affine transformations in the case of our optical sensor and rigid motions (translations and rotations) in the radar case. Our paper discusses the theory behind the method, outlines the computational algorithm, and illustrates the reconstruction for some simple examples.
Photoconductivity measurements of the electronic structure of organic solar cells

Experimental and theoretical studies of the electronic structure of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells are reported. The photoconductivity spectral response of the solar cells has a weak absorption band extending from the band-gap energy down to 1 eV due to charge-transfer optical excitation at the interface between the polymer and the fullerene. The low-energy absorption indicates an exponential band tail of localized states and an absorption model based on the one-electron joint density of electronic states accounts for the data. Transient photoconductivity measurements of the carrier mobility exhibit a temperature-dependent carrier dispersion. Data analysis for the particular case of transport in the BHJ structure is developed. A multiple trapping model of the dispersive transport is consistent with localized band tail states having a comparable density-of-states distribution to those observed by optical absorption. Theoretical calculations of the density of states including disorder in the \ensuremath{\pi}-\ensuremath{\pi} spacing of the polymer chains also shows exponential band tailing. A density-of-states model is developed from the data and is discussed.
The KTP laser: An emerging tool in pediatric otolaryngology

Summary Purpose To report the frequency and spectrum of use of the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser in a tertiary referral pediatric otolaryngology practice and to focus on a novel use for the KTP laser which has not previously been described in the literature. Design A retrospective chart review of the operative log database of a pediatric otolaryngologist in a tertiary referral setting over a seven year period. Results Out of 2886 cases, a total of 49 (1.7%) involved the use of the KTP laser. These included 7 otologic cases, 3 laryngeal cases, 31 subglottic/tracheal cases, 1 esophageal case and 7 nasal cases. One of these cases involved a previously unreported use of the KTP laser, closure of a tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF). Conclusion The KTP laser is an important operative tool in pediatric otolaryngology and new uses for this laser continue to emerge. One of these, KTP closure of a TEF offers pediatric otolaryngologists the potential for significant changes in management of this congenital problem with reduced surgical morbidity. Familiarity with the KTP laser and expertise in its use and applications is essential in providing state-of-the-art care to pediatric otolaryngology patients in a tertiary referral center.
Purine Synthetic Capacities of De Novo and Salvage Pathways in Rat Hepatoma 3924A Cells

The relative contribution of denovo and salvage pathways for nucleotide synthesis in neoplastic tissues is one of the important factors in cancer chemotherapy. Although almost all antipurine and antipyrimidine I metabolites aim at denovo pathways as target sites, our previous investigations have suggested the possible role of salvage pathways in circumventing the action of the inhibitors of denovo synthesis (1-4). For purine nucleotide synthesis the denovo and the salvage synthetic enzymes, amidophosphoribosyltransferease (EC 2.4.2.14), adenine phosphoribosyl-transferase (APRT; EC 2.4.2.7) and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase (HGPRT; EC 2.4.2.8), share the common substrate, PRPP, and are inhibited by the end products, purine nucleotides (5-7). These facts suggest that the inhibition of purine denovo synthesis might be compensated by purine salvage synthesis in chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the potential synthetic capactities of purine denovo and salvage pathways in neoplastic cells as reflected in enzyme speific activities and incorporation rates of [14C]formate, [14C]adenine, [14C] hypoxanthine and [l4C]guanine into purine nucleotides and nucleic acids.
Tractability of tensor product problems in the average case setting

It has been an open problem to derive a necessary and sufficient condition for a linear tensor product problem S={S"d} in the average case setting to be weakly tractable but not polynomially tractable. As a result of the tensor product structure, the eigenvalues of the covariance operator of the induced measure in the one-dimensional problem characterize the complexity of approximating S"d, d>=1, with accuracy @e. If @?"j"="1^~@l"j 0, we know that S is not polynomially tractable iff lim sup"j"->"~@l"jj^p=~ for all p>1. Thus we settle the open problem by showing that S is weakly tractable iff @?"j">"n@l"j=o(ln^-^2n). In particular, assume that @?=limj->~@l"jjln^3(j+1), exists. Then S is weakly tractable iff @?=0.
Developmentally advanced EEG alpha power in gifted male and female adolescents

An electroencephalographic (EEG) study of gifted and average ability male and female adolescents, as well as college students of both sexes, was conducted to investigate further the relative contributions the left and right cerebral hemispheres during an eyes open (baseline) task in all groups. A total of 90 subjects had baseline EEG recorded in three groups with equal numbers of males and females: 30 gifted adolescents, 30 average ability adolescents, and 30 college-age subjects. Overall alpha power (8-12 Hz resting potential) was significantly greater in average ability subjects compared to both college-age subjects. Moreover, there were no significant differences in overall alpha power between college-age and gifted adolescent subjects. However, college-age and gifted adolescent subjects had different RH/LH patterns of activation such that at temporal and parietal locations college-age and gifted adolescent subjects had greater LH alpha power levels whereas gifted adolescents had greater RH alpha power. These findings suggest that gifted adolescents may have a developmentally enhanced state of brain activity, one that more closely resembles that of college-age adults to whom they also resemble in terms of cognitive development.
Theories of nonlocal plasticity

Abstract Deformation and rate theories of nonlocal plasticity are formulated. Constitutive equations are obtained for elasto-plastic solids extending Levy-von Mises and Prandtl-Reuss theories to include nonlocal effects. Combined elastic-plastic constitutive equations are given. A nonlocal deformation theory is also presented. Thermodynamical restrictions are studied.
Information, Uncertainty, and the Decision to Secede

Since 1980 almost half of all armed conflicts have been fought between governments and ethnic minority groups over self-determination, yet surprisingly little is known about when and why these conflicts occur. The few studies that do exist focus on the deep injustices and structural conditions that may cause some groups to seek greater autonomy or independence and others not. I argue that ethnic groups are much more strategic than current theories allow. Ethnic groups decide whether to challenge based in part on whether the government has made concessions in the past, and whether the government can be expected to do so again in the future. Data on all ethnic groups for the years 1940 to 2000 reveal that ethnic groups are significantly more likely to seek self-determination if the government has acquiesced to an earlier group of separatists, and if the government is unlikely to encounter additional ethnic challengers in the future. Grievances and opportunity matter, but so does the larger strategic environment in which the government and its ethnic groups operate.I thank Jon Caverley, Rui de Figueiredo Jr., Tanisha Fazal, Zoltan Hajnal, Oliver Kaplan, Jack Snyder, and participants at the Program on International Politics, Economics and Security at the University of Chicago for their very helpful comments and suggestions; Ted Gurr and David Quinn for their detailed information about the CIDCM data set; and Kathleen Cunningham and Idean Salehyan for excellent research assistance. Finally, I wish to thank the National Science Foundation for their support in funding this research.
Patterns of women's mood after delivery: A growth curve analysis

Abstract Background The course and predictors of women׳s mood following childbirth have informed clinically significant phenomena, such as postpartum depression (PPD), with some contradictory findings due to methodological limitations. It is important to further investigate mood during this unique period of time to inform assessment and improve interventions. Methods Recently delivered mothers ( n =216) recruited from the maternity unit at a University hospital completed sociodemographic questions and the Daily Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), a measure of Negative Affect (NA) and Positive Affect (PA), for 10 consecutive days. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV was administered to assess postpartum depression diagnosis. Results Growth curve modeling (GCM) techniques revealed average trends in mood following delivery. NA changed in a curvilinear fashion with a peak at day 5. PA declined rapidly during the days immediately following delivery and then stabilized. Women diagnosed with PPD experienced higher overall levels of NA and lower levels of PA from delivery to 10 days postpartum. Patterns of mood varied as a function of neuroticism and several well-established sociodemographic variables. Limitations Small sample size and relatively few ethnic minority participants may affect generalizability of the findings. Conclusions NA changed in a pattern consistent with the “peaking phenomenon”. Well-established risk factors of the blues had significant associations with mood from delivery to day 10. Increased understanding into the nature of NA and PA in the early postpartum, and its role in identifying women susceptible to experiencing PPD, can inform screening and therapeutic interventions for PPD.
Tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes in Tetrahymena pyriformis after infection of the cockroach Periplaneta americana.

SYNOPSIS. Activities of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in extracts of Tetrahymena pyriformis S, axenically recovered after living in the hemocoel of female cockroaches Periplaneta americana for 48 hr, were compared with activities in ciliates not exposed to the cockroach. Malic dehydrogenase activity was depressed after recovery from the cockroach; isocitric and succinic dehydrogenases and α-ketoglutaric oxidase activities were unchanged. Citrate synthetase activity was increased, and pyruvi oxidase activity decreased, after ciliates had been in the cockroach. These alterations persisted for several hundred generations after recovery from the insect.
Developing Professional Consensus on the Teaching of Culture: Report on a Survey of Secondary and Postsecondary German Teachers1

This article reports the results of a survey, conducted in fall 2009 on behalf of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), to explore German teachers’ perceptions regarding their preparation in the area of culture teaching, what components they considered essential in developing cultural understanding in their students, and what materials they found useful in developing cultural literacy in the German classroom. A two-part questionnaire, soliciting quantitative as well as qualitative data, was distributed electronically to 2500 AATG members. The response rate was 31%, including 469 respondents from the pre-collegiate levels and 277 respondents from the post-secondary level.
The Linear Feedback Stabilization System for Scyllac

A linear feedback stabilization system is being designed, tested, and constructed for the 5-m toroidal sector of Scyllac. Each closed loop consists of an optical plasma position detector, resolver and preamplifier, power amplifier, and one-turn load coil to apply the magnetic field for plasma position control. This paper describes the entire system; however, the major engineering effort is on the power amplifier and therefore is the point of major emphasis in this paper. The final stage of each closed loop in the linear power amplifier is made up of two Machlett ML-8618 magnetically-beamed power tubes operated in push-pull at plate currents up to 500 amperes. The output is coupled through a step-down transformer to the load so that up to 5 kA will be available for plasma position control. The design goal is to have a risetime of 0.2 ?sec in the load coils. There are thirty closed loops which together can provide a peak power of 1 Gigawatt.
Development of an aluminum hull panel for high-speed craft

Abstract The design of aluminum hull structures for high speed craft must satisfy strength, weight and producibility requirements. Since these requirements often conflict with each other, there are a number of possible designs. One design is the floating frame, where the bottom hull panel has alternating ‘floating’ transverse frames that are welded on top of the longitudinal stiffeners. This paper presents the results of a three part investigation of an aluminum floating frame which includes 1. design of an aluminum hull panel that satisfies classification rules; 2. completion of finite element analysis and full scale validation on a test panel; and 3. optimization of the panel to obtain a minimum weight design. The finite element analysis correlated well with the strains and deflections obtained from the experimental tests. The subsequent optimization analysis showed that by proper selection of the panel components and the selection of available extrusions, the weight of the original panel design could be reduced by approximately 15%.
Expression of Otx homeodomain proteins induces cell aggregation in developing zebrafish embryos.

In the zebrafish embryo, cells fated to give rise to the rostral brain move in a concerted fashion and retain tissue coherence during morphogenesis. We demonstrate here that Otx proteins have a dramatic effect on cell-cell interactions when expressed ectopically in the zebrafish embryo. Injection of zebrafish Otx1 or Drosophila otd RNAs into a single cell at the 16-cell stage results in aggregation of descendants of the injected cell. The Otx/Otd homeodomain is necessary for aggregation and appears to be sufficient for the effect when substituted for the homeodomain of an unrelated homeodomain protein. When cells containing injected zOtx1 RNA are limited to the area that is normally fated to become the anterior brain and neural retina, the induced aggregates contribute to anterior brain and retina tissues. In many other embryonic regions, which do not express endogenous zOtx1, the aggregates appear to be incompatible with normal development and do not integrate into developing tissues. By using an activatable Otx1-glutocorticoid receptor fusion protein that results in the stimulation of cell association, we demonstrate that cell aggregates can form as a result of Otx1 activity even after gastrulation is completed. Time-lapse analysis of cell movements show that cell aggregation occurs with only a slight inhibition of the rate of convergence. These results suggest that promotion of cell adhesion or mediation of cell repulsion may be one of the normal functions of the Otx proteins in the establishment of the anterior brain.
Approximate theory of acoustic waveguide of metamaterials

We theoretically examine the propagation of sound in a waveguide bounded by a metamaterial formed by an array of small Helmholtz resonators. The field equation is shown to be similar to that governing sound in a bubbly liquid. The effects of dissipation on the wave dispersion are examined. In particular, it is shown that the energy in a monochromatic wave train is not transported by the real part of the complex group velocity unless dissipation is absent. We further derived the envelope equation and show that in a one-dimensional waveguide, energy is transported forward despite the backward motion of the envelope peak.