cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CODA: Mobile interface for enabling safer navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles in real-world settings

Abstract Recent legislation opening commercial operations to small drones, also known as Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) under 55 lbs, is leading to increased use across many facets of society including first responders, news agencies, commercial entities, and hobbyists. However, the widespread use of such systems will be limited unless a few key hurdles are overcome, namely improved usability and support for safe operation in dynamic environments. To this end, we present the Collision and Obstacle Detection and Alerting (CODA) display, a novel interface that enables safe piloting of MAVs with a mobile device in obstacle-dense real-world settings. We describe the system design, architecture, and development. In addition, we present observations from a proof-of-concept technical demonstration and an empirical study with minimally-trained users. Results showed that CODA reduced collisions and improved operator awareness of obstacle proximity, confidence going around corners and perceived performance in avoiding walls and obstacles.
Mechanical behavior of ultralight nickel metamaterial

The mechanical response of ultralight kagome structures consisting of hollow nickel (Ni) nanotubes and solid Ni nanorods to compression is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. In both kagome architectures, 1 6 [ 112 ] Shockley partial dislocations and twin formation are observed under compression. The structure made from solid nanorods shows deformation near both the nodes and beams of the kagome lattice. The hollow kagome architecture has a higher yield point than the solid kagome structure. The deformation in the hollow nanotube structure is mostly localized in the nodal region for strains less than 11%. At higher strains, the deformation sets in all the struts and nodes of the hollow kagome lattice. Owing to this two-stage deformation mechanism, the hollow Ni nanotube kagome structure shows less bending and greater toughness than the solid Ni nanorod kagome architecture.
Task preparedness and L2 written production: Investigating effects of planning modes on L2 learners’ focus of attention and output

Abstract The present study examined the effects of written planning (WP) and oral planning (OP) on the complexity, accuracy, lexis, and fluency of L2 written production. This study also addressed the question of how attentional resources are distributed across different aspects of writing during planning and writing. To do so, 60 ESL learners were asked to perform an argumentative writing task under three different planning conditions: (1) in the WP condition participants had 10 min to take notes and 25 min to write, (2) in the OP condition participants had 10 min to verbalize their plans and 25 min to write, whereas (3) in the no planning condition participants had 25 min to write without planning time. Our findings indicate that both WP and OP promoted fluency, but the former facilitated syntactic complexity and accuracy while the latter promoted overall syntactic complexity and lexical complexity. Moreover, stimulated recalls show that, although WP and OP directed participants’ attention to content, complexity, and organization during planning, and language, monitoring, and complexity during writing, they differed from each other regarding lexical and grammatical encodings. These findings provide new venues for TBLT research by drawing insights into the role of pre-task planning modes in L2 written production and for L2 writing pedagogy by offering pedagogical implications for teachers to effectively use pre-task planning modes in L2 writing classrooms.
Neuron and astrocyte aggregation and sorting in three-dimensional neuronal constructs

Aggregation and self-sorting of cells in three dimensional cultures have been described for non-neuronal cells. Despite increased interest in engineered neural tissues for treating brain injury or for modeling neurological disorders in vitro, little data is available on collective cell movements in neuronal aggregates. Migration and sorting of cells may alter these constructs’ morphology and, therefore, the function of their neural circuitry. In this work, linear, adhered rat and human 3D neuronal-astrocyte cultures were developed to enable the study of aggregation and sorting of these cells. An in silico model of the contraction, clustering, and cell sorting in the 3D cultures was also developed. Experiments and computational modeling showed that aggregation was mainly a neuron mediated process, and formation of astrocyte-rich sheaths in 3D cultures depended on differential attraction between neurons and astrocytes. In silico model predicted formation of self-assembled neuronal layers in disk-shaped 3D cultures. Neuronal activity patterns were found to correlate with local morphological differences. This model of neuronal and astrocyte aggregation and sorting may benefit future design of neuronal constructs. Hasan and Berdichevsky report the use of 3D neuronal-astrocyte co-cultures in PDMS confinement to enable the study of aggregation, migration, contractility, and sorting of these cells. They show that aggregation is a neuron mediated process, and formation of astrocyte-rich sheaths in 3D cultures depends on differential attraction between neurons and astrocytes, highlighting the use of this model in future design of neuronal constructs.
Aerothermodynamic Measurement and Prediction for Modified Orbiter at Mach 6 and 10

Detailed heat-transfer rate distributions measured laterally over the windward surface of an orbiter-like configuration using thin-film resistance heat-transfer gauges and globally using the newly developed relative intensity, two-color thermographic phosphor technique are presented for Mach 6 and 10 in air. The angle of attack was varied from 0 to 40 deg, and the freestream Reynolds number based on the model length was varied from 4 x 10(exp 5) to 6 x 10(exp 6) at Mach 6, corresponding to laminar, transitional, and turbulent boundary layers; the Reynolds number at Mach 10 was 4 x 10(exp 5), corresponding to laminar flow. The primary objective of the present study was to provide detailed benchmark heat-transfer data for the calibration of computational fluid-dynamics codes. Predictions from a Navier-Stokes solver referred to as the Langley aerothermodynamic upwind relaxation algorithm and an approximate boundary-layer solving method known as the axisymmetric analog three-dimensional boundary layer code are compared with measurement. In general, predicted laminar heat-transfer rates are in good agreement with measurements.
What Are the Disciples Doing around Paul? The ‘Ring-Dance’ in Acts 14.20a:

Acts 14.20a contains a peculiar genitive absolute phrase that has been consistently overlooked by scholars and commentators. After Paul is stoned in Lystra and dragged out of the city, Luke notes t...
Wood pellets versus pulp and paper: Quantifying the impacts of wood pellets on the pulpwood markets in the southeastern United States

Abstract Since the early 2010s, the production of industrial wood pellet for overseas exports has grown considerably in the Southern United States (U.S.). In order to meet the increasing demand for woody biomass feedstock, the wood pellet mills in the U.S. South consume roundwood pulpwood along with low-valued logging residues and sawmill wood wastes. By estimating empirical roundwood pulpwood market models based on the bi-monthly time-series data, this study estimates the impacts of wood pellet production, precipitation, and the COVID-19 Pandemic on the hardwood and softwood pulpwood stumpage prices in 12 southeastern Atlantic coastal micro-markets. Results suggest that the wood pellet industry has led to an increase in pine pulpwood prices, but no statistically significant impact is found on the hardwood pulpwood prices. Rainfall is found to be a positive determinant of the roundwood pulpwood prices. Furthermore, since March 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic is estimated to lead about 6% decline in both pine and hardwood pulpwood prices. This study provides empirical evidence and additional insights on the timber market dynamics and how small roundwood markets have reacted to the additional wood demand from a growing bioenergy industry in the U.S. South.
Developing a performance criteria model for school foodservice: an application of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

This study developed a performance criteria model in terms of achieving the overall Child Nutrition Program (CNP) goal for school foodservice and utilized it in comparing conventional and centralized food production systems. The development and comparison procedures were conducted using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Current practices for monitoring performance criteria also were examined. Five questionnaires were developed to (a) identify a list of comprehensive performance criteria that were agreed upon by school foodservice experts; (b) evaluate two food production systems compared by school foodservice directors who have managed both systems in the same school district; and (c) investigate current practices for monitoring performance criteria reported by school foodservice directors managing large school districts.;Results indicated that customer satisfaction was the most important category in achieving the overall CNP goal, followed by financial management, meal quality, program management, and operations management. Two school foodservice directors, who responded and managed conventional and centralized food production systems in the same school district, suggested that the centralizing food production may be better in achieving the overall CNP goal. However, the optimum level of centralization in school foodservice operations is yet to be determined. Criteria related to food production, program management, and meal quality were monitored daily by most school foodservice directors. Although all performance criteria were monitored regularly by school foodservice managers, standards to determine whether current performance in various criteria were satisfactory or not were not consistent among school districts. Financial management was the area for which school foodservice directors needed the most assistance.;The performance criteria model developed can be used for strategic decision making in school foodservice. Priorities of criteria in the model can be customized to school districts with different goals by replicating the pairwise comparison process used in this study. Also, researchers need to identify levels of performance in each criterion by developing standards of performance for each criterion. This can assist school foodservice directors with evaluating performance in different criteria, especially for those criteria that directors have a difficult time monitoring.
A Study of Surfactant/Oil Emulsions for Fine Coal Flotation

Emulsification studies show that the combination of an oil-soluble surfactant and water-soluble surfactants with oil can produce a stable, water-dispersive emulsion. In particular, with the addition of a nonionic wetting surfactant, emulsified oil is highly dispersed in water with an oil/water droplet size of 5 to 35 um. Photography demonstrates that such droplets can quickly adsorb on and spread at the coal/water interface, significantly improving the flotation response of coal.
Transport processes in lakes and oceans

The researchers studying transport processes in lakes and oceans include physical, chemical and biological oceanographers, geologists, meteorologists, environmentalists and civil, chemical and mechanical engineers. These comprise an exceedingly varied group of disciplines, having the distinct advantage that problems can be approached from a wide range of viewpoints. However, it can also lead to serious disadvantages, with probably the most serious and wasteful being that, due to a number of factors, a researcher might not take advantage of previous work accomplished in a disciplinary field other than that of his own interest. Some of these factors are, of course, the different training researchers may have had and the approaches to research in the various disciplines. Equally important is the fact that the findings of each discipline are usually published in the specialty journals of the particular discipline and, in general, may not be read by workers in another discipline. Findings from research may likewise, not be presented in terms readily understood by researchers in another discipline.
Internal and External Barriers Impacting Non-Food Cellulosic Biofuel Projects in the United States

Escalating demand, along with EPAct 2005, has led the United States government to assume a twofold leadership approach of energy security and environmental practices. This has initiated several important issues pertaining to cellulosic biofuel production. However, little is known about what is needed for the U.S. to lead long-term renewable energy security, how the US will develop and implement leading environmental energy practices, what supply capabilities and refining technologies are available to produce renewable fuels, and how funding can be used to adopt available technologies. This article examines geographical aspects, operational status, and barriers tending to prevent the successful commercialization of non-food cellulosic ethanol projects in the U.S. from secondary sources. Outcomes of this research can be used to further understand inhibitors that impact the production and commercialization of ethanol from non-food cellulosic sources.
High-speed vision-based autonomous indoor navigation of a quadcopter

A monocular vision-based approach to indoor autonomous navigation for an off-the-shelf, low-cost Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) quadcopter is presented. Our approach is fully automated and relies on the extraction and analysis of the visual contours of the surrounding physical environment to successfully steer the MAV in hallways and to turn at intersections. All image analysis and processing necessary for deriving and controlling the flight trajectory take place off-board on a system external to the MAV. This permits the use of sophisticated multithreaded real-time algorithms that do not limit the speed of the drone. Furthermore, due to the elimination of on-board processing and possibly the use of additional sensors for realizing such autonomy, stock drones can be used and flight times realized on a single charge remain unaffected. We describe a prototype implementation on a Parrot AR.Drone quadcopter and initial results for autonomous navigation in a structured indoor environment that establishes the viability of the approach.
Modification of the Stratification and Velocity Profile within the Straits and Seas of the Indonesian Archipelago

Abstract : The gap in understanding basic ocean physics of the Indonesian seas is most acute in the northeastern seas: the Halmahera Sea, Maluku Sea, the Seram Sea and the northern Banda Sea (Spice Islands). Besides the monsoonal forcing there is an abundance of intraseasonal features of varied scales, derived from: the energetic Pacific western boundary currents that project into the region by way of the Mindanao and Halmahera Retroflections (Eddies); localized winds blowing through the gaps between the islands composing the Spice Island configuration, inducing submesoscale clockwise and counterclockwise wind stress structures; strong tidal currents amidst the array of small seas and narrow passages. These factors make for a vigorous turbulent environment, yet it is necessary to develop a quantitative grasp of the associated small scale ocean processes to properly model the regional circulation, and its role in the climate and marine ecosystems. The objective of N00014-10-1-0317 was to develop and present this theme to our Indonesian colleagues, with the intention of developing a field activity in the Spice Island region. The broader research questions to be addressed are: How does the stratification, velocity/transport respond to remote and local forcing? What are the dominant physical and dynamical balances that characterize the flow & mixing at different locations and scales? How well do models simulate the observed characteristics? The justification of the program is the premise that: improved understanding of the ocean processes within the northeastern seas of Indonesia, keyed to the complex geography and intraseasonal ocean/atmosphere activity, will provide the basis of improved high resolution ocean modeling with applications to such areas as understanding of the nutrient fluxes and larvae trajectories, and associated food chain structures that will allow for informed management of marine living resources.
Resonant modes in triangular dielectric cavities

reviewed; each mode is a superposition of only six planewave components. We describe how the mode information is useful for determining which modes will be confined if the dielectric is surrounded by a lower index dielectric (or vacuum), rather than a perfect conductor, using the conditions for TIR. A careful analysis shows that when a mode is strongly confined in the cavity by TIR, Dirichlet boundary conditions apply (approximately) to the relevant Helmholtz equation for both the TM and TE polarizations. The simple plane wave components of each mode can be analyzed in terms of Maxwell’s equations and the related Fresnel amplitude ratios, which are slightly different for TM and TE polarizations.[18] These differences are shown to imply longer estimated lifetimes for the TE modes, enhanced by a factor of the order of the squared index ratio (n/n ′ ) 2 , when compared to the lifetime of the corresponding TM mode. Obviously some error is made compared to employing a more technically complete solution of Maxwell’s equations such as boundary element methods;[11] the fields discussed here for the dielectric mismatch boundary are not close to the true fields unless the mismatch is very large. This approach, however, should approximately determine the symmetries of the confined modes and give reasonable estimates for the dielectric mismatch needed for their confinements. The improvement of confinement for finite–height prisms with the same cross sections, allowing for nonzero longitudinal wavevector kz, is also discussed.
The Psychology of Nuclear Proliferation: Introduction: life in a nuclear-capable crowd

This book is an analysis of why some – but only some – political leaders decide to endow their states with nuclear weapons. It finds that decisions to go or not to go nuclear result not from the international structure, but rather from individual hearts. Simply put, some political leaders hold a conception of their nation's identity that leads them to desire the bomb; and such leaders can be expected to turn that desire into state policy. The book's focus on individual leaders is unusual in the social-scientific literature on proliferation and non-proliferation. Indeed, most authors on the subject hardly even bother to ask the question of how leaders come to desire nuclear weapons. Instead, they simply adopt a tragic sensibility, viewing nuclear weapons as a symptom of a fallen humanity's raw quest for power. More than a few even explicitly and unironically refer to nuclear weapons as “temptations,” to those who succumb to those temptations as “nuclear sinners,” and to the goal of non-proliferation efforts as the construction of an inevitably fragile “nuclear taboo.” This book takes a different tack. It starts its analysis by pointing out the basic fact of the history of nuclear proliferation: the large and fast-growing number of nuclear-weapons capable states, contrasted with the small and slow-growing number of actual nuclear weapons states. This combination of widespread capability with widespread restraint, which has persisted despite numerous shocks, is baffling until one sheds the tragic sensibility.
The restructuring of non-residential uses in the post-socialist metropolis

The demise of the socialist economic system and its subsequent restructuring has led to profound changes in the spatial patterns of non-residential urban activities in cities of Central and Eastern Europe. The most important and visible trend of urban development during the transition period has been the decentralization of economic activities, a process which has played a major part in the transformation of the post-socialist city. The end of state monopoly over the production and distribution of goods and services in the Eastern Europen countries has shattered the ailing body of the socialist economic system into numerous pieces, which have been scattered throughout the urban landscape. The ossifying presence of the state in all economic affairs has been replaced with neo-liberal policies unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit of the populace, which has become much more engaged in the appropriation of urban space. The privatization of assets and the introduction of land rent have been the two determinant factors governing the process of urban spatial readjustments within the reality of a new market-oriented social environment. After the collapse of the communist regime, the post-socialist economies of Central and Eastern Europe were faced with another major challenge, besides the need to make the transition to market based systems. The former socialist states had to catch up with the process of global economic restructuring, which had been artificially delayed by the unrelenting preoccupation of socialist authorities with industrial growth. Thus, the first half of the 1990s became a painful period in which most radical economic changes had to be initiated and carried forward. A deep economic crisis set in, but the processes of economic restructuring slowly began to move forward. While agricultural and industrial production greatly declined, the service sector managed to expand and increase its share in the national economies (Szelenyi, 1996). By the end of the decade, the progress in transforming the CEE economies was clearly underway, reflected in significant changes of the national labor force strictures (Figure 5.1). Most countries saw a dramatic decrease in the share of agricultural employment, paralleled by a similar but softer drop in the share of industrial jobs. Thus, while in Russia and Hungary employment in the
Optimal energy management for solar car race

This paper describes a solar car simulation and race strategy program developed for the University of Illinois Sunrayce 95 solar car race team. The goal is to complete the ten-day race course in the minimum total running time, using solar energy alone. In cloudy weather, even the most competitive cars can become energy-limited. The strategic choice in that case, is how fast to drive the car at any point. This can be posed as a global time-minimization problem over the entire race. By breaking up the course into twenty or so segments, the problem can be made tractable enough to solve on a (vintage 1995) portable computer in a few minutes. The parameters varied are the average speeds on each of the segments. A model of the car, information about the course, and weather forecasts all contribute to the calculation of the net drain on the car's storage batteries over each segment. The main constraints are the minimum and maximum battery charge. This article discusses the algorithms used, some of our strategic insights and expectations prior to the race, and how our plans fared in the competition.
Genetic and epigenetic changes in early carcinogenesis

Studies of human epithelial cells and fibroblasts from healthy individuals are providing novel insights into how early epigenetic and genetic events affect genomic integrity and fuel carcinogenesis. Key epigenetic changes, such as the hypermethylation of the p16 promoter sequences, create a previously unappreciated pre-clonal phase of tumorigenesis in which a subpopulation of epithelial cells is positioned for progression to malignancy [1]. These key changes precede the clonal outgrowth of premalignant lesions and occur frequently in healthy, disease-free individuals [2]. Prior work from our laboratory has shown that surrounding stroma can dramatically influence tumorigenesis. Proper stromal-epithelial interactions can actually suppress the expression of preneoplastic phenotypes in epithelial cells and, conversely, altered stromal-epithelial interactions can promote the probability that preneoplastic lesions progress to malignancy [3]. Understanding more about these early events should provide novel molecular candidates for prevention and therapy of cancer.
Graft polymerization of styrene onto starch by simultaneous cobalt-60 irradiation

Starch-g-polystyrene copolymers have been prepared by the simultaneous /sup 60/Co irradiation of starch--styrene mixtures, and copolymers have been characterized with respect to weight per cent polystyrene (% add-on) and also the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of polystyrene grafts. In a typical polymerization, 4g each of starch and styrene were blended with 1 ml water and 1.5 ml of an organic solvent; the resulting semisolid paste was irradiated to a total dose of 1 Mrad. With ethylene glycol, acetonitrile, ethanol, methanol, acetone, and dimethylformamide as the organic solvent, values for % add-on ranged from 24% to 29%. The highest % add-on (43%) and the highest conversion of styrene to grafted polymer (76%) were obtained when the organic solvent was omitted, and water alone was used. When water was also omitted, polymerization of styrene was negligible; however, graft copolymer was formed in the absence of water when either ethylene glycol or ethanol was added. Attempts were unsuccessful to achieve a % add-on greater than 43% by doubling the amount of styrene in the polymerization recipe. Mixtures of equal weights of starch and styrene are relatively nonviscous, but these mixtures thicken when either water or ethylene glycol is blended in. Reasonsmore » for this thickening action and the possible influence of thickening on the graft polymerization reaction were explored.« less
Privacy and Reliability in Crowdsourcing Service Delivery

Due to the anonymity and low pay of workers in crowd sourcing platforms, there may be concerns regarding reliability and privacy-preservation when using such platforms to deliver services. This paper describes a technique for jointly providing privacy and reliability through stochastic perturbation of micro task definitions and fusion rules to combine the work of several workers. A mathematical model of a crowd sourcing system using this technique is proposed and precise threshold conditions on loss of privacy when workers collude are provided. Tradeoffs between privacy, reliability, and cost are determined.
Card Regulation of Mycobacterial Transcription Initiation

A staggering 30% of the world's population is infected with latent tuberculosis (WHO 2010). As such, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) represents a major global burden to public health, and understanding its pathology is crucial to improving therapies. CarD is a transcription factor essential for Mtb survival and pathogenesis. CarD is known to bind both RNA polymerase (RNAP) as well as DNA. Weakening CarD's interactions with RNAP improves efficacy of Rifampicin, which demonstrates the immediate clinical potential of CarD as a therapeutic target. The mechanism of CarD's interaction with mycobacterial RNAP and DNA during transcription is unknown, although ChIP-seq data shows CarD is most often located on promoter DNA throughout the genome suggesting that CarD is involved in initiation of transcription. CarD is also found at all rRNA promoters, so it is possible that CarD's essentiality arises from its role in regulation of rRNA levels during growth and latency. Therefore, to understand this essential component of Mtb pathogenesis, we aim to elucidate the mechanism of CarD-mediated regulation of transcription initiation at mycobacterial rRNA promoters.
Intrathecal Baclofen Overdose Followed by Withdrawal: Clinical and EEG Features

Intrathecal baclofen therapy is increasingly used to alleviate medically intractable spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, and generalized dystonia. Complications like overdose or withdrawal can occur and could be the result of pump malfunction (device-related) or refilling and programming mistakes (human errors). This report describes a case, with emphasis on electroencephalographic changes, of a 12-year old male on long-term intrathecal baclofen therapy who had sequential occurrence of both acute inadvertent baclofen overdose followed by withdrawal symptoms. During baclofen intoxication, electroencephalography documented periodic generalized epileptiform discharges, occasionally followed by intermittent electro-decremental responses on a background of diffuse delta slowing (1-2 Hz). During withdrawal, mild generalized slowing during wakefulness was observed along with the appearance of high-amplitude, sharply contoured delta activity resembling frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity in sleep. To our knowledge, this temporal profile of electroencephalographic features during baclofen intoxication followed by withdrawal has not been described before in pediatric patients. It is important for treating physicians to recognize the evolution of this electroencephalographic pattern in order to avoid misinterpretation of diagnosis and prognosis.
Effect of the anesthetizing agent triethylamine on western equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis viral titers in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)

Triethylamine (TEA) is a chemical compound that provides an effective means to anesthetize mosquitoes. The mosquitoes remain alive but are incapacitated for several hours; they do not recover following treatment. There was no effect on the titers of infectious virus recovered from western equine encephalomyelitis or St. Louis encephalitis virus-infected Culex tarsalis Coquillett and Aedes dorsalis (Meigen) that were anesthetized with TEA prior to storage at -70 degrees C. Furthermore, TEA had no effect on isoenzyme profiles of uninfected Cx. tarsalis.
A shockwave profile model for traffic flow on congested urban arterials

In this paper a new traffic flow model for congested arterial networks, named shockwave profile model (SPM), is presented. Taking advantage of the fact that traffic states within a congested link can be simplified as free-flow, saturated, and jammed conditions, SPM simulates traffic dynamics by analytically deriving the trajectories of four major shockwaves: queuing, discharge, departure, and compression waves. Unlike conventional macroscopic models, in which space is often discretized into small cells for numerical solutions, SPM treats each homogeneous road segment with constant capacity as a section; and the queuing dynamics within each section are described by tracing the shockwave fronts. SPM is particularly suitable for simulating traffic flow on congested signalized arterials especially with queue spillover problems, where the steady-state periodic pattern of queue build-up and dissipation process may break down. Depending on when and where spillover occurs along a signalized arterial, a large number of queuing patterns may be possible. Therefore it becomes difficult to apply the conventional approach directly to track shockwave fronts. To overcome this difficulty, a novel approach is proposed as part of the SPM, in which queue spillover is treated as either extending a red phase or creating new smaller cycles, so that the analytical solutions for tracing the shockwave fronts can be easily applied. Since only the essential features of arterial traffic flow, i.e., queue build-up and dissipation, are considered, SPM significantly reduces the computational load and improves the numerical efficiency. We further validated SPM using real-world traffic signal data collected from a major arterial in the Twin Cities. The results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the model. We expect that in the future this model can be applied in a number of real-time applications such as arterial performance prediction and signal optimization.
The Cauchy integral and analytic continuation

One of the most important concepts in the theory of approximation by analytic functions is that of analytic continuation. In a typical problem, for example, there is generally a region Ω, a Banach space B of functions analytic in Ω and a subfamily ℱ ⊂ B, each member of which is analytic in some larger open set, and one might be asked to decide whether or not ℱ is dense in B. It often happens, however, that either ℱ is dense or the only functions which can be so approximated have a natural analytic continuation across ∂Ω. A similar phenomenon is also known to occur even for approximation on sets without interior. In this article we shall describe a method for proving such theorems which can be applied in a variety of settings and, in particular, to: ( 1 ) the Bernstein problem for weighted polynomial approximation on the real line; ( 2 ) the completeness problem for weighted polynomial approximation on bounded simply connected regions; ( 3 ) the Shapiro overconvergence problem for sequences of rational functions with sparse poles; ( 4 ) the Akutowicz-Carleson minimum problem for interpolating functions. Although we shall present no new results, the method of proof, which is based on an argument of the author [ 6 ], seems sufficiently versatile to warrant exposition.
Error analysis at the NSF-Arizona AMS facility

This article presents a detailed explanation of the analytical method used to monitor and quantify measurement uncertainties at the NSF-Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) Laboratory. The method is applicable to all of the isotopes measured at the facility, including 14C, 10Be, 129I and 26Al. It is used for a variety of analytical purposes, including: calculation of random machine error (rme), calculation of radiocarbon dates, and as an indicator of daily and long-term machine performance. An algorithm for a diagnostic program used to monitor rme is described in detail. The performance of the AMS machine as measured by rme calculations is given for the most recent six month period. The long-term accuracy of the machine is discussed in terms of blind sample analyses made under the Third (TIRI), Fourth (FIRI) and Fifth (VIRI) International Radiocarbon Intercomparisons.
Equilibrated moisture content of several carbon phenolic composites

Moisture is known to alter many of the mechanical properties of polymeric based composites significantly. Estimation of the quantity of water in a composite is often necessary to maintain given margins of safety. The amount of moisture in any given material is a function of, among other things, the relative humidity of the environment in which it is stored. This study focuses on the relationship between relative humidity and the equilibrated moisture content of several variants of two distinctly different carbon phenolic composites
Neonatal Cyanosis: Diagnostic and Management Challenges

Neonatal central cyanosis is always a sign of serious pathological processes and may involve diverse organs and impose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Here, we report an unusual presentation of Ebstein's anomaly, a rare congenital heart malformation, as the cause of central cyanosis in a one-week-old full-term infant. Initiation of PEG1 therapy in neonates with Ebstein's anomaly always needs a very careful consideration because of a high risk for the development of a “circular shunt” leading to severe deterioration of multiple organs perfusion.
A major autoepitope is present on the amino terminus of a human SS-A/Ro polypeptide.

Abstract A human SS-A/Ro antigen is present on the polypeptide component of a particle composed of hyRNA and a 60 kD protein. We have now purified the Wil-2 cell 60 kilo dalton (kD) SS-A/Ro protein and determined its amino-terminal amino acid sequence. A synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 7 to 24 of this sequence (RoSP7-24) exhibited enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) binding activity with immunodiffusion-defined, monospecific anti-SS-A/Ro sera. In addition, ELISA binding of monospecific anti-SS-A/Ro sera to native SS-A/Ro antigen was partially inhibited (35%) by KLH-RoSP7-24. Sera from patients known to frequently produce precipitating anti-SS-A/Ro antibody (subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus [SCLE], 56 patients; Sjogren's syndrome [SS], 41 patients; mothers of infants with neonatal LE [NLE], 10 individuals; infants with congenital heart block [CHB], 5 patients) were tested for reactivity to RoSP7-24 in ELISA. Overall, 38% of SCLE sera, 36% of SS sera, 50% of maternal NLE sera and 20% of CHB infant sera had anti-RoSP7-24 binding levels greater than 2 standard deviations above the mean of that of normal individuals. Of the sera which had anti-SS-A/Ro detected by double immunodiffusion and/or counterimmunoelectrophoresis, 68% of SCLE patients, 71% of SS patients, 55% of NLE mothers and 20% of CHB infants had significantly elevated RoSP7-24 ELISA binding levels. These findings strongly suggest that a major autoepitope of native human SS-A/Ro resides on the amino terminal portion of the Wil-2 SS-A/Ro 60 kD polypeptide. Observations pertaining to internal structural features and antibody-binding sites on the SS-A/Ro polypeptide as well as a presumed RNA binding site are also discussed.
A River Lost : The Life and Death of the Columbia

After a two-decade absence, Washington Post journalist Blaine Harden returned to his small-town birthplace in the Pacific Northwest to follow the rise and fall of the West's most thoroughly conquered river. Harden's hometown, Moses Lake, Washington, could not have existed without massive irrigation schemes. His father, a Depression migrant trained as a welder, helped build dams and later worked at the secret Hanford plutonium plant. Now he and his neighbors, once considered patriots, stand accused of killing the river. As Blaine Harden traveled the Columbia-by barge, car, and sometimes on foot-his past seemed both foreign and familiar. A personal narrative of rediscovery joined a narrative of exploitation: of Native Americans, of endangered salmon, of nuclear waste, and of a once-wild river now tamed to puddled remains. Part history, part memoir, part lament, "this is a brave and precise book," according to the New York Times Book Review. "It must not have been easy for Blaine Harden to find himself turning his journalistic weapons against his own heritage, but he has done the conscience of his homeland a great service."
The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies, by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee

It is not too frequently that one sees the work of information technology (IT) academics making it to The New York Times Science Best Sellers list. Brynjolfsson, Professor at the MIT Sloan School o...
Announcing the first signal: Policy aspects

Abstract The detection of an extraterrestrial signal will be a profound event in human history. Procedures for announcing the first signal should be developed with probable global impacts of the announcement in mind. In particular, those procedures should maximize the credibility of the announcement and minimize unwarranted apprehensions. Discussions should begin soon to develop a policy towards announcing the first signal that is acceptable to all groups involved in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Experiences in preparing for the announcement of other major events with widespread implications - a nuclear accident and the possible occurrence of a major earthquake - can be usefully examined in order to identify some of the factors that must be considered in developing a policy to announce the first signal.
Examination of fungal growth and aflatoxin production on marihuana

Under favorable growth conditions,Aspergillus flavus andA. parasiticus produced aflatoxins on marihuana. Cultures ofA. flavus ATCC 15548 produced both aflat oxin B1(AFB1) and G1(AFG1). The production of AFG1 was substantially greater than that of AFB1. Cultures ofA. flavus NRRL 3251 andA. parasiticus NRRL 2999 produced only AFB1. All natural flora cultures tested negative for aflatoxins. NoAspergilli sporulations were observed in these cultures. In the cultures inoculated with known toxigenic fungi, the highest mean level for total aflatoxins was 8.7 μg/g of medium. Marihuana appears not to yield large quantities of these mycotoxins but sufficient levels are present to be a potential health hazard for both the user and the forensic analyst who is in daily contact with such plant material. Careful processing, storage, and sanitation procedures should be maintained with marihuana. If these conditions are disregarded due to the illicit status of marihuana, the potential for mycotoxin contamination must be considered.
Eolian dunes: Computer simulations and attractor interpretation

A simple computer-simulation algorithm for the transport of sand by wind produces forms resembling barchan, crescentic ridge, linear, and star natural dune classes. Sand is moved as slabs composed of many grains that are picked up at random, transported in a specified direction, and deposited (1) with a probability that depends on the local presence or absence of sand or (2) in shadow zones in the lee of dunes. The simulated dune fields are interpreted as complex systems, with sand-dune classes being dynamical attractors of these systems. The evolution of dunes once formed becomes decoupled from the details of eolian sand transport.
‘Natural experiments’ and CO2-induced Climate Change: The controversy drags on — An editorial

Il s'agit de l'application qui a ete tres controversee, tant du point de vue methodologique que de celui des conclusions, des «experiences naturelles» de S.B. Idso (Science 1980, 207, 1462) a l'effet de serre du au CO 2 . L'auteur du present editorial poursuit la polemique
Human alveolar type II cells secrete and absorb liquid in response to local nucleotide signaling.

A balance sheet describing the integrated homeostasis of secretion, absorption, and surface movement of liquids on pulmonary surfaces has remained elusive. It remains unclear whether the alveolus exhibits an intra-alveolar ion/liquid transport physiology or whether it secretes ions/liquid that may communicate with airway surfaces. Studies employing isolated human alveolar type II (AT2) cells were utilized to investigate this question. Human AT2 cells exhibited both epithelial Na+ channel-mediated Na+ absorption and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-mediated Cl− secretion, both significantly regulated by extracellular nucleotides. In addition, we observed in normal AT2 cells an absence of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator regulation of epithelial Na+ channel activity and an absence of expression/activity of reported calcium-activated chloride channels (TMEM16A, Bestrophin-1, ClC2, and SLC26A9), both features strikingly different from normal airway epithelial cells. Measurements of alveolar surface liquid volume revealed that normal AT2 cells: 1) achieved an extracellular nucleotide concentration-dependent steady state alveolar surface liquid height of ∼4 μm in vitro; 2) absorbed liquid when the lumen was flooded; and 3) secreted liquid when treated with UTP or forskolin or subjected to cyclic compressive stresses mimicking tidal breathing. Collectively, our studies suggest that human AT2 cells in vitro have the capacity to absorb or secrete liquid in response to local alveolar conditions.
Fournier's gangrene: an analysis of repeated surgical debridement.

Abstract Objectives: We wanted to determine if there was a difference in outcome for those patients with Fournier's disease who underwent numerous debridements as opposed to only one initial debridement. Methods: The records of 19 patients with the diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene were reviewed retrospectively at our institution. Special attention was placed on demographic data, primary managing service, as well as wound cultures, and the number and timing of surgical debridements. Patients were also classified by a collection of variables at presentation and given a score named the Fournier's Severity Index. We utilised the Fournier's Severity Index (FSI) as developed by Laor et al. which included a number of vital sign data as well as laboratory values collected at admission in the emergency room. Results: The average FSI was 9.1 ranging from 0 to 15. The mean FSI of survivors was 8.6 versus 12.4 of non-survivors. The surgical management of this disease process was also critically examined. The average number of repeated debridements was 3.5 ranging from 1 to 8. Both the FSI and the number of debridements were attempted to be used to predict outcome. Outcome was measured in the variables length of stay (days) and survival. A regression analysis revealed the number of debridements to be positively related to the length of stay (LOS). This was the opposite as expected at the beginning of the study. Also FSI was not predictive of LOS. Conclusions: Fournier's gangrene is a disease process with a wide variability in presentation. The FSI does give some indication about the likelihood of survival based on variables which can be recorded upon presentation. It also provides an efficient way to characterize the acuity of presentation and compare patients. While the repeated nature of debridements may be considered the accepted standard of care in these patients, this was not found to be predictive of outcome.
Enhancement of Heparin Cofactor II Anticoagulant Activity

Heparin cofactor II (HCII) is a serpin whose thrombin inhibition activity is accelerated by glycosaminoglycans. We describe the novel properties of a carboxyl-terminal histidine-tagged recombinant HCII (rHCII-CHis(6)). Thrombin inhibition by rHCII-CHis(6) was increased >2-fold at approximately 5 microgram/ml heparin compared with wild-type recombinant HCII (wt-rHCII) at 50-100 microgram/ml heparin. Enhanced activity of rHCII-CHis(6) was reversed by treatment with carboxypeptidase A. We assessed the role of the HCII acidic domain by constructing amino-terminal deletion mutants (Delta1-52, Delta1-68, and Delta1-75) in wt-rHCII and rHCII-CHis(6). Without glycosaminoglycan, unlike wt-rHCII deletion mutants, the rHCII-CHis(6) deletion mutants were less active compared with full-length rHCII-CHis(6). With glycosaminoglycans, Delta1-68 and Delta1-75 rHCIIs were all less active. We assessed the character of the tag by comparing rHCII-CHis(6), rHCII-CAla(6), and rHCII-CLys(6) to wt-rHCII. Only rHCII-CHis(6) had increased activity with heparin, whereas all three mutants have increased heparin binding. We generated a carboxyl-terminal histidine-tagged recombinant antithrombin III to study the tag on another serpin. Interestingly, this mutant antithrombin III had reduced heparin cofactor activity compared with wild-type protein. In a plasma-based assay, the glycosaminoglycan-dependent inhibition of thrombin by rHCII-CHis(6) was significantly greater compared with wt-rHCII. Thus, HCII variants with increased function, such as rHCII-CHis(6), may offer novel reagents for clinical application.
Anion influences on the solid state coordination chemistry of copper–bispyrazole materials

Abstract The reactions of the p-xylene-bridged and methylene-bridged bipyrazolyl ligands 1,4-bis[(3′,5′-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4′-yl)methylene]benzene (xdpH 2 ) and bis[(3′,5′-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4′-yl)]methane (mdpH 2 ) with the appropriate copper salt have provided eight unique members of the Cu/bipyrazole/X system with X = Cl − , Br − , I − and SO 4 2− . The anionic component of [Cu(xdpH 2 )(H 2 O)]Cl·H 2 O ( 1 ·H 2 O) acts as a simple charge-compensating counterion. In contrast, the anionic units of [Cu(xdpH 2 )Cl 2 ]·2DMF ( 2 ·2DMF), [Cu(xdpH 2 )Cl 2 (DMF)]·DMF ( 3 ·DMF), [Cu 2 (xdpH 2 ) 2 Br 2 ] ( 4 ), [Cu(mdpH 2 )Br 2 ] ( 5 ), [Cu 4 (xdpH 2 ) 4 I 4 ] ( 6 ), [Cu 2 (xdpH 2 ) 2 (SO 4 )]·H 2 O ( 7 ·H 2 O) and [Cu 2 (xdpH 2 ) 2 (SO 4 )]·2H 2 O ( 8 ·2H 2 O) are involved in bonding to the copper sites. Compounds 1 , 4 , and 6 – 8 contain Cu(I) sites while compounds 2 , 3 , and 5 are polymers of Cu(II). Compounds 1 – 5 and 7 are one-dimensional, while 8 is two-dimensional and 6 is three-dimensional. Considering the {Cu 4 I 4 } clusters of 6 as nodes, the structure is a fivefold interpenetrated framework with individual networks adopting the common {3 3 .12 3 } topology in Schlafli notation.