cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling and Control of Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloys (FSMA) Actuators

FSMAs like Ni-Mn-Ga have attracted significant attention over the last few years. As actuators, these materials offer high energy density, large stroke, and high bandwidth. These properties make FSMAs potential candidates for the new generation of actuators. The preliminary dynamic characterization of Ni-Mn-Ga illustrates evident nonlinear behaviors including hysteresis, saturation, first cycle effects, and dead zone. In order to control precisely the position output, a dynamic model is presented for a Ni-Mn-Ga actuator. The actuator model consists of the dynamics of the actuator, kinematics of the actuator, constitutive model of the material, and reorientation kinetics. Simulations results are presented to demonstrate the dynamic behavior of the actuator. Then, a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control algorithm is developed based on the simulation model. The simulation results of step response reveal that the controllable position is between the residual displacement and the maximum stroke. This range is determined by the properties of materials and the stiffness of the spring. The tracking are achieved with the PID controller when the reference are with the valid range.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
On the Capacity and System Design of Relay-Aided Underwater Acoustic Communications

In underwater acoustic communications (UAC), frequency-dependent signal attenuation, long propagation delay and doubly-selective fading channels render reliable communications a challenging problem, especially at long distances. To enhance reliability and to extend range, relay communications have been extensively studied in terrestrial environments. However, their application to UAC has not been thoroughly explored. In this paper, we analyze the capacity of relay-aided (RA- )UAC. The result shows a prominent capacity increase in RA-UAC systems, when compared with traditional direct-link UAC. In addition, effects of various system parameters on capacity are also evaluated. These parameters include source-to-destination distance, transmit power allocation and relay location. To realize the benefits of RA-UAC, special considerations are to be taken in practical RA-UAC system designs. To account for and to take advantage of the unique characteristics of UAC channels, we develop a practical asynchronous amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system for UAC. To collect the ample multipath energy and diversity enabled by this relaying protocol, we also employ the precoded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) as the basic physical layer module. Our system resolves both the time synchronization difficulty and frequency selectivity of UAC. Simulations and comparisons are presented to verify our analysis and design.
Object-oriented simulation to support research in manufacturing systems

Simulation is a popular tool for modelling and analysing modern manufacturing systems. Choosing an appropriate simulation approach for a long-term research activity is not an easy task. This report discusses the issues involved in selecting a simulation approach to support research in real-time resource allocation decisions in manufacturing. A review of current directions in simulation software is presented. Specialized simulation needs of university-based research are described. After evaluating our needs with respect to the available options, we found that an object-oriented programming paradigm suits our needs best.
Organophosphorus and methylcarbamate teratogens: Structural requirements for inducing embryonic abnormalities in chikckens and kynurenine formamidase inhibition in mouse liver

The methylcarbamate insecticide carbaryl and the organophosphorus (OP) insecticides Diazinon and dicrotophos inhibit chicken embryo kynurenine formamidase (KFase) which results in a decreased concentration of NAD in the embryo and abnormal feathering and micromelia. These compounds are also potent in vivo inhibitors of mouse liver KFase. About 80 OP compounds and carbamates were synthesized or obtained to examine the structural requirements for in vitro and in vivo mouse liver KFase inhibition and teratogenic potency when injected into hen eggs. Compounds newly recognized as potent in vitro or in vivo KFase inhibitors and as teratogens include: the dimethylcarbamate analog of carbaryl; 10-dialkyl phosphate and dialkyl phosphorothionate analogs of Diazinon with varied 2- and 6-pyrimidyl substituents; 3- and 4- but not 2-pyridyl diethyl phosphorothionates; 2-pyridon-4-yl diethyl phosphorothionate with some structural similarities to dicrotophos; pyrazinyl diethyl phosphorothionate; the cyclic ethyl phosphorothionate of 2-hydroxymethyl-6-methyl-3-pyridinol. The position, size, and branching of N-heterocyclic ring substituents in the OP compounds determine their potency and the type of teratogenic signs produced. The ethyl phenylphosphonate and ethyl phenylphosphonothionate analogs of diazinon are not active in vivo nor are a variety of OP compounds and carbamates modeled after N-formyl-l-kynurenine, the KFase substrate.
Novel ammonium hexafluoroarsenate salts from reaction of (CF3)2NH, CF3N(OCF3)H, CF3N[OCF(CF3)2]H, CF3NHF and SF5NHF with the strong acid HF/ASF5.

Abstract Reactions of the fluorinated amines (CF3)2NH, CF3N(OCF3)H, CF3N[OCF(CF3)2]H, CF3NHF and SF5NHF with the strong acid HF/AsF5 form the corresponding ammonium salts Rf1Rf2NH2+AsF6− and RfNFH2+ AsF6− in high yield. [Rf1=CF3, Rf2=CF3, CF3O, (CF3)2CFO; Rf=CF3, SF5] The colorless crystalline solids are stable for prolonged periods at 22°C in sealed FEP containers. They have dissociation pressures at 22°C ranging from ∼5 torr (RfNFH2+ AsF6−) to ∼50 torr [CF3N(OCF3)H2+AsF6−]. 19F NMR and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify the compounds.
Total quality management and the performance measurement barrier

Total quality management is now a comprehensive management system. Yet many companies are still trying to combine TQM with an inappropriate performance measurement system to their own detriment. This article points out the dangers of overreliance on traditional financial and cost‐based measurement systems. The essence of the problem is that financial information does not focus on the client’s needs nor on whether the company is meeting them. The article then provides ten guidelines on how performance measurement systems have typically changed in companies that have successfully implemented TQM. These guidelines can be used by companies to identify weaknesses in their own performance measurement systems.
Self-administration education and polypharmacy in mechanical circulatory support patients.

tomography scans (A) illustrate the correct location of the micropump and its components after implantation, but before cannula breakage, and (B) show the breakage of the wire-reinforced cannula (arrow) 55 days after implantation. Intraoperative images show (C) the broken cannula (arrow) after the right subclavian pump pocket was dissected and (D) thrombus formation (arrow) within the micropump outflow port. Intraoperative fluoroscopy images show (E) the 2 Amplatzer occluder devices (*) within the inflow cannula and (F) proof of total obstruction after retrograde injection of contrast agent with no contrast on the proximal side of the cannula (arrow). Case Anecdotes, Comments and Opinions 1141
A projection decomposition for bivariate discrete probability distributions

Let $Q = \{ \operatorname{Prob} (X = x_i ,Y = y_j )\} $ for $x_1 < \cdots < x_m ,y_1 < \cdots < y_n$. A new matrix decomposition of Q is given in terms of certain projections on linear spaces relat...
Disease-associated mutations in the extracytoplasmic loops of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator do not impede biosynthetic processing but impair chloride channel stability.

Consistent with its function as a chloride channel regulated entirely from the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) glycoprotein exposes little of its mass on the exterior surface of cells. The first and fourth extracytoplasmic loops (ELs) contain ∼15 and 30 residues, respectively; the other four ELs are extremely short. To examine the influence of missense mutants in ELs detected in patients with cystic fibrosis, we have expressed them in mammalian (baby hamster kidney (BHK21)) cells and assessed their biosynthetic processing and chloride channel activity. In contrast to previous findings that 18 of 30 disease-associated missense mutations in cytoplasmic loops caused retention of the nascent polypeptides in the endoplasmic reticulum, all the EL mutants studied matured and were transported to the cell surface. This pronounced asymmetry is consistent with the notion that endoplasmic reticulum quality control of nascent CFTR is exerted primarily on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Although this set of EL mutations has little effect on CFTR maturation, most of them seriously compromise its chloride channel activity. Substitutions at six different positions in EL1 and single positions in EL2 and EL4 all destabilized the open state, some of them severely, indicating that the ELs contribute to the stability of the CFTR ion pore.
Evaluation for Warm-Mix Additive-Modified Asphalt Binders Using Spectroscopy Techniques

AbstractThe recent increased interest in “fingerprinting” or identifying commonly used construction materials such as asphalt binders is expected to continue in years to come. To capture the basic fingerprint of asphalt binders, spectroscopy devices can be handy and useful. In particular, this study evaluated the effects of two warm-mix asphalt (WMA) additives, Sasobit and aspha-min, on the chemical compositions of a performance grade binder (PG 64-22). Spectroscopy techniques including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) were used in this study. Mass precipitated asphaltenes and maltenes and straight-run asphalt binder samples were analyzed using these techniques, and test results were compared with the rheological data. The effectiveness of an antistripping agent (ASA), AD-here HP Plus, on a WMA-modified binder was also evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of aging on chemical compositions of the ASA-modified binder...
Meso-13C-labeled porphyrins for studies of ground-state hole transfer in multiporphyrin arrays.

Understanding electronic communication among interacting chromophores provides the foundation for a variety of applications. The ground-state electronic communication in diphenylethyne-linked zinc-porphyrin dyads has been investigated by a novel molecular design strategy that entails introduction of a 13C-atom (*) at specific sites of the porphyrins where there is substantial electron density in the relevant frontier (highest occupied) molecular orbital. The site of 13C substitution is at a meso-position, either the site of attachment of the linker (proximal, “P”) or the site trans to the linker (distal, “D”). The substituents (R) at the non-linking meso-positions are mesityl, tridec-7-yl (“swallowtail”), or p-tolyl groups. Altogether five isotopically labeled porphyrin dyads have been prepared. The hole/electron-transfer properties of one-electron oxidized dyads have been examined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The introduction of the meso-13C label provides a “clock” (via the hyp...
All-atom computer simulations of amyloid fibrils disaggregation.

Amyloidlike fibrils are found in many fatal diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, type II diabetes mellitus, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, and prion diseases. These diseases are linked to proteins that have partially unfolded, misfolded, and aggregated into amyloidlike fibrils. The kinetics of amyloidlike fibrils aggregation is still hotly debated and remains an important open question. We have utilized the GNNQQNY crystal structure and high-temperature molecular dynamics simulation in explicit solvent to study the disaggregation mechanism of the GNNQQNY fibrils and to infer its likely aggregation pathways. A hexamer model and a 12-mer model both with two parallel β-sheets separated by a dry side-chain interface were adopted in our computational analysis. A cumulative time of 1 μs was simulated for the hexamer model at five different temperatures (298 K, 348 K, 398 K, 448 K, and 498 K), and a cumulative time of 2.1 μs was simulated for the 12-mer model at four temperatures (298 K, 398 K, 448 K, and 498 K). Our disaggregation landscape and kinetics analyses indicate that tetramers probably act as the transition state in both the hexamer and the 12-mer simulations. In addition, the 12-mer simulations show that the initial aggregation nucleus is with eight peptides. Furthermore, the landscape is rather flat from 8-mers to 12-mers, indicating the absence of major barriers once the initial aggregation nucleus forms. Thus, the likely aggregation pathway is from monomers to the initial nucleus of 8-mers with tetramers as the transition state. Transition state structure analysis shows that the two dominant transition state conformations are tetramers in the 3-1 and 2-2 arrangements. The predominant nucleus conformations are in peptide arrangements maximizing dry side-chain contacts. Landscape and kinetics analyses also indicate that the parallel β-sheets form earlier than the dry side-chain contacts during aggregation. These results provide further insights in understanding the early fibrils aggregation.
A three-dimensional model to predict future oil discoveries in spatially connected multiple plays

A discovery-process model that had been devised previously to estimate the size distribution of oil and gas fields remaining to be discovered in a single producing horizon was adapted to a basin containing spatially connected multiple plays and producing horizons. This model used the concept of the area of influence of wells to estimate search effort. Other variables estimated from the historical drilling and discovery data are the effective basin size and the exploration-drilling efficiency. Data from the Midland Basin are used to illustrate how the model works.
Infant Formula, Tea, and Water Supplementation of Latino Infants at 4–6 Weeks Postpartum

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months-of-age. The authors examined prevalence and risk factors for use of infant formulas, water, and teas at 4-6 weeks in Latino infants in the San Francisco Bay Area, a group at high risk for future obesity. They recruited a cohort of pregnant Latina women (N = 201). Infant dietary recall and postpartum depressive symptoms were assessed at 4-6 weeks. The authors found that 105 women (53.1%) were feeding infant formulas and 48 (25.4%) were supplementing with tea or water. Of those providing water or tea, 60.0% were providing daily supplementation. In multivariate analyses, risk for infant supplementation with water or tea was associated with postpartum depressive symptoms (relative risk, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.0), cesarean delivery (relative risk, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-2.9), and infant formula use (relative risk, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.6). Early supplementation with water or teas and infant formulas should be discouraged in Latinos, given the high frequency observed in this population.
Post-Coring Entrapment Of Modern Air In Some Shallow Ice Cores Collected Near the Firn-Ice Transition: Evidence From Cfc-12 Measurements In Antarctic Firn Air and Ice Cores

Abstract. In this study, we report measurements of CFC-12 (CCl2F2) in firn air and in air extracted from shallow ice cores from three Antarctic sites. The firn air data are consistent with the known atmospheric history of CFC-12. In contrast, some of the ice core samples collected near the firn-ice transition exhibit anomalously high CFC-12 levels. Together, the ice core and firn air data provide evidence for the presence of modern air entrapped in the shallow ice core samples that likely contained open pores at the time of collection. We propose that this is due to closure of the open pores after drilling, entrapping modern air and resulting in elevated CFC-12 mixing ratios. Our results reveal that open porosity can exist below the maximum depth at which firn air samples can be collected, particularly at sites with lower accumulation rates. CFC-12 measurements demonstrate that post-drilling closure of open pores can lead to a change in the composition of bubble air in shallow ice cores through purely physical processes. The results have implications for investigations involving trace gas composition of bubbles in shallow ice cores collected near the firn-ice transition.
Esophageal cyst in the duodenum of a foal

A 21-day-old Thoroughbred colt was euthanized following a history of recurrent colic. A 4.5 cm in diameter, occlusive, submucosal cyst was identified in the duodenum at necropsy. Histologically, the cyst was surrounded by a smooth muscle wall and was lined by both squamous and attenuated cuboidal to columnar epithelium. A diagnosis of an esophageal cyst was made based on the gross and histologic findings.
Amphipathic polymers with stimuli-responsive microdomains for water remediation: Binding studies with p-cresol

Amphipathic, stimuli-responsive water-soluble polymers have been investigated as potential remediation agents for micellar enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF). The systems represent divergent architectural types, a triblock ABA copolymer of PEO-PPO-PEO, an n-octylamide modified poly(sodium maleate-alt-ethyl vinyl ether), and the transport protein, bovine serum albumin. Each type exhibits stimuli-dependent microphase separation or domain formation in response to temperature, pH, and/or ionic strength changes. Segmental associations result in hydrophobic clusters resembling those present in small molecule surfactant micelles. The effects of such segmental aggregation on sequestration of a model hydrophobic foulant, p-cresol, have been investigated using equilibrium dialysis. The favorable molar binding values, the large hydrodynamic dimensions of the stable polymer aggregates, and potential reversibility of foulant loading could have commercial utility in high flow rate, multiple-pass remediation processes. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 2290–2300, 1999
Molecular dynamics simulation of phase transitions in model lung surfactant monolayers.

Abstract To explore the role of individual lung surfactant components in liquid-condensed (LC)/liquid-expanded (LE) phase transitions the MARTINI coarse-grained (CG) model is used to simulate monolayers containing DPPC and additional lipid or peptide components. Our analysis suggests that the LC phase forms from the LE phase via a nucleation and growth mechanism, while the LC–LE transition occurs by melting that originates from defects in the monolayer. On the time scale of our simulations, DPPC monolayers display a substantial hysteresis between the ordering and disordering transitions, which is decreased by the addition of a second component. In binary mixtures of DPPC with lung surfactant peptide fragment SP-B1–25, the ordered side of the hysteresis loop is abolished altogether, suggesting that SP-B1–25 effectively nucleates disorder in the monolayer on heating. SP-B1–25 is observed to perturb the packing of the surrounding lipids leading to local fluidization of the monolayer and to aggregate within the LE phase. In 1:1 DPPC:POPC monolayers, a high concentration of unsaturated phospholipid leads to a substantial decrease in the LC–LE and LE–LC transition temperatures. Adding cholesterol to pure DPPC increases the LC–LE and LE–LC transition temperatures and increases the order on the disordered side of the hysteresis loop leading to a phase of intermediate order, which could be the liquid-disordered (Ld) phase. Cholesterol is also observed to show a preference for LC–LE domain boundaries. The results of our molecular dynamics simulations coincide with many experimental observations and can help provide insight into the physiological roles of individual surfactant components.
Comments and corrections on “crystallization during polymerization of diphenylsilylene by a chemical transport reaction”

Needlelike crystals of a phenylsilicon compound synthesized on crystallization during polymerization in a transport reaction in a temperature gradient, which were thought earlier to be polymeric diphenylsilylene, are shown to be actually tetraphenylsilane. Similarly produced crystals of the germanium analog led, in contrast, to polydiphenylgermylene. An overall reaction scheme uniting both reactions is suggested.
Design of a Variable Radius Piston Profile Generating Algorithm

One of the main sources of efficiency loss in heat engines is the inability of a sinusoidally displaced piston engines to approximate the ideal heat volumetric cycles the engines require. While attempts have been made to address this issue in the past, recent developments in Stirling engine technology utilizing rolling diaphragm seals on the cylinders has offered an opportunity to greatly increase the correlation between an engines volume-time profile to the ideal profile. By changing the radius of the piston used to drive the rolling diaphragm connection over its length, the piston can effectively be used as a ”transfer function” translating the sinusoidal displacement of the crankshaft into a near ideal heat cycle volumetric displacement. This work presents a methodology for determining the ideal shape of such a piston, and a model used to most effectively match a desired input linear displacement profile with output volumetric displacement profile, without compromising the operating conditions required to maintain the diaphragm itself.
Physical-Chemical and Solvent Considerations in Evaluating the Influence of Carbon Chain Length on the Skin Sensitization Activity of 1-Bromoalkanes

The murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) is an internationally accepted assay for identification of contact allergens. The LLNA has also been used in research studies to evaluate contact allergen potency, as well as chemical structural-allergenic activity relationships. The 1-bromoalkanes have been used in such a manner as they represent a chemical series with generally the same chemical reactivity but differing in alkane carbon chain length-dependent lipid solubilities. Previous reports noted a biphasic LLNA response with increasing carbon chain length that peaked at the 16-carbon chain (C16) of 1-bromohexadecane (delivered in an acetone-olive oil [AOO] vehicle; 4:1). In the present study, this biphasic LLNA response was confirmed, and 1-bromoalkane chemical-physical factors were explored using both modeling tools and further laboratory studies to help understand this finding. Volatility and effect of vehicle on 1-bromoalkanes' sensitizations were assessed. Selected 1-bromoalkanes were tested in the LLNA using the polar, protic vehicle, tetrahydrofuran-butanol (THF-BuOH; 1:1), to compare to the nonpolar (aprotic) vehicle AOO 1-bromoalkanes-LLNA responses. Enhanced 1-bromoalkane LLNA responses were observed using the THF-BuOH vehicle but with the greatest activity still observed for 1-bromohexadecane (C16). The shorter 1-bromoalkanes were subject to volatile losses upon application with approximately 75% volatile loss from a surface of 1-bromohexane (C6) within 5 min at room temperature. It is concluded that multiple factors, in addition to lipid solubility, including vehicle, solvation, and retention on the skin surface contribute to the apparent potency of 1-bromoalkanes in the LLNA.
Methods of Belowground Movement in Erythronium americanum

Abstract As the climate changes, plants will need to respond to new environmental scenarios to survive. Belowground movements are one way in which plants respond to lethal temperatures. Plants use various methods to control belowground movements, notably contractile roots and droppers. I monitored populations of Erythronium americanum (Trout Lily) for contractile roots and documented the capacity of both annual corm growth and droppers to move the corm deeper in the soil. There was no evidence of contractile roots. While both corm growth and droppers lowered the corms, droppers provided for greater movement. Shallower corms produced longer droppers, and the average depth of a new corm formed from a dropper was consistent among corms of various original depths. Erythronium americanum can, therefore, use droppers to control corm depth, thus providing it a mechanism with which to escape potentially dangerous soil temperatures.
Technological discontinuities and interfirm cooperation: what determines a startup's attractiveness as alliance partner?

Incumbent firms often face severe challenges when confronted with technological discontinuous change. However, interfirm cooperation between incumbents and new entrants has been suggested as one way that incumbents can adapt to radical technological change. In particular, the authors are interested in the question of how incumbent pharmaceutical firms go about selecting alliance partners from the population of new biotechnology firms, in their quest to commercialize a discontinuous innovation. The authors propose that a startup's new product development, economies of scale, public ownership, and geographic location in a regional technology cluster are positively associated with the startup's attractiveness as an alliance partner. The authors find broad support for their model.
Evaluation of average length as an estimator of exploitation status for the Florida coral-reef fish community

Simulation and empirical analyses were conducted to evaluate the utility and robustness of average length (Lbar) of animals in the exploited population as an estimator of fishing mortality (F), and therefore as an indicator of exploitation status for Florida coral-reef fish. Simulation results showed that the Lbar estimator of fishing mortality was relatively insensitive to trends in recruitment, and demonstrated favourable properties for detecting statistical differences between sustainable and non-sustainable rates of exploitation. Rates of F estimated from fishery-dependent size composition data were comparable to F estimates from catch-and-effort time-series. Average length was also estimated from fishery-independent diver surveys for 22 species in the exploited snapperegrouper complex. A majority of snapperegrouper species are currently fished unsustainably in the Florida Keys, though overfishing appears most severe for long-lived, slow-growing fish.
Lyme disease in transgenic mice expressing the Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin epitope implicated in human neuroborreliosis

Because of an association of human neuroborreliosis with the development of an antibody response against an antigen in neural tissue that cross-reacts with an epitope on the flagellin protein of Borrelia burgdorferi, C3H transgenic mice were created that expressed the flagellin epitope (amino acids 213–224) as a fusion protein with myelin basic protein. The transgenic mice expressed the flagellin epitope selectively in myelinated regions of the nervous system. Both transgenic and non-transgenic mice developed an antibody response to the flagellin epitope during B. burgdorferi infection and both developed arthritis and carditis. However, no lesions were found in the central nervous system of either type of mouse for up to 8 weeks after infection. The data indicate that expression of the flagellin 213–24 epitope in mice does not result in neurologic disease, suggesting that B. burgdorferi flagellin antibodies may not be directly implicated in neuroborreliosis.
Intertrochanteric Fractures of the Femur

1. The importance of adequate reduction of the medial cortex of the fractured femoral neck and of placement of the nail against the anterior cortex at the fracture site and flush against the inferior cortex of the femoral neck is emphasized. 2. The results from the use of the 150-degree nail in 100 patients are presented. The results from the use of 150-degree I- beam nail are encouraging. It appears from this small series that a large percentage of patients suffering from intertrochanteric fractures can begin to walk with one crutch or one cane shortly after surgery without interfering with union or jeopardizing the position of the nail and the fragments.
Response of the Rat Aortic Media to Hypertension: Morphological and Chemical Studies

Clinical and experimental studies indicate that hypertension accelerates the development of arteriosclerosis. Morphological and chemical studies of the distended rat thoracic aorta were undertaken to define the structural and compositional alterations of the media which accompany hypertension and to relate these changes to increases in calculated medial stress. An 8-week period of hypertension was associated with significantly greater diameter, medial thickness, and cross-sectional area of the media of the thoracic aorta than in normotensive animals. Calculated wall tension was significantly higher in hypertensive animals, but the number of medial lamellar units was not greater than that usual in normotensive animals; this resulted in a strikingly elevated value for calculated tension per medial lamellar unit for the aortas of hypertensive animals. A highly significant linear relation was found between total tension and cross-sectional area of the media of the same segment. In addition, the absolute amounts of both medial elastin and collagen were increased in hypertensive animals; however, the percent of these elements remained essentially constant, indicating little change in the composition of aortic tissue. Increments in both fibrous proteins were linearly related to increases in calculated mural stress, and medial accumulations of elastin and collagen proceeded at similar rates. These findings demonstrate a linear relation among vessel dimensions and amounts of medial elastin and collagen and calculated wall tension.
Molecular processes that handle — and mishandle — dietary lipids

Overconsumption of lipid-rich diets, in conjunction with physical inactivity, disables and kills staggering numbers of people worldwide. Recent advances in our molecular understanding of cholesterol and triglyceride transport from the small intestine to the rest of the body provide a detailed picture of the fed/fasted and active/sedentary states. Key surprises include the unexpected nature of many pivotal molecular mediators, as well as their dysregulation - but possible reversibility - in obesity, diabetes, inactivity, and related conditions. These mechanistic insights provide new opportunities to correct dyslipoproteinemia, accelerated atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and other deadly sequelae of overnutrition and underexertion.
Modelling relationships among some test-taker characteristics and performance on EFL tests: an approach to construct validation

Construct validation has seen two proposals recently: the use of construct representation and nomothetic span variables through structural modelling and the concept of population generalizability. ...
COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY IN THE PRESENCE OF DISTURBANCE: A MICROCOSM EXPERIMENT

Ecologists know relatively little about the manner in which disturbance affects the likelihood of alternative community stable states and how the history of community assembly affects the relationship between disturbance and species diversity. Using microbial communities comprising bacterivorous ciliated protists assembled in laboratory microcosms, we experimentally investigated these questions by independently manipulating the intensity of disturbance (in the form of density-independent mortality) and community assembly history (including a control treatment with simultaneous species introduction and five sequential assembly treatments). Species diversity patterns consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis emerged in the controls, as several species showed responses indicative of a trade-off between competitive ability and ability to recover from disturbance. Species diversity in communities with sequential assembly, however, generally declined with disturbance, owing to the increased extinction risk of later colonizers at the intermediate level of disturbance. Similarities among communities subjected to different assembly histories increased with disturbance, a result due possibly to increasing disturbance reducing the importance of competition and hence priority effects. This finding is most consistent with the idea that increasing disturbance tends to reduce the likelihood of alternative stable states. Collectively, these results indicate the strong interactive effects of disturbance and assembly history on the structure of ecological communities.
Automatic Verification of Sequential Circuit Designs

Abstract Logical errors in sequential circuit designs are an important problem for circuit designers. They can delay getting a new product on the market or cause the failure of some critical device that is already in use. My research group has developed a verification method called temporal logic model checking for this class of circuits. In this approach specifications are expressed in a propositional temporal logic, and circuits are modeled as state-transition systems. An efficient search procedure is used to determine automatically if the specifications are satisfied by the transition system. The technique has been used in the past to find subtle errors in a number of non-trivial circuit designs. Recently, the size of the circuits that can be verified by model checking techniques has increased dramatically. By representing transition relations implicitly using Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs), we have been able to check some examples that would have required 10 20 states with the original algorithm. Various refinements of the BDD-based techniques have pushed the state count up to 10 100 . By combining model checking with various abstraction techniques, we have been able to handle even larger systems. In one example, we were able to verify a pipelined ALU with more than 10 1300 states (including 64 registers of 64 bits each). Although we believe that model checking is already useful for verifying some sequential circuit designs that arise in industry, additional research is needed to exploit the full power of this method. We conclude by discussing three of the most important research areas: • Use of abstraction and symmetry to achieve an even greater reduction in the size of the state-space that must be explored by this method. • Development of model checking techniques that can handle parameterized circuit designs without requiring each individual instance of the circuit to be verified. • Tool interfaces that facilitate the specification of complex circuits and aid the user in isolating the cause of errors that are detected during verification.
Religion and Volunteering in Four Sub-Saharan African Countries

Much research has examined the relationship between religion and civic engagement, finding that more religious people are more likely to donate their time, energy, and money to community organizations. The overwhelming majority of the quantitative research on the relationship between religion and civic engagement has been done in Europe and North America. However, we know that many people living in sub-Saharan Africa volunteer their time, and because of the many economic, social, and health problems that plague the continent, the need for local volunteers is particularly acute. This article uses data from the 2000 World Values Survey and multivariate regression models to examine which dimensions of religion are associated with unpaid involvement in caregiving and political organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Special attention is given to the role of gender for understanding who volunteers for caregiving and political organizations. The findings show that socializing with religious friends is associated with an increased likelihood of volunteering for both types of organizations and that religious importance is associated with a greater likelihood of caregiver volunteering. Conversely, religious importance and service attendance are associated with a lower likelihood of volunteering for political organizations. As expected, women are more likely to volunteer for caregiving organizations and men are more likely to volunteer for political organizations.
Spectral Theory of Linear Operators

In this chapter we examine the spectral properties of operators commonly encountered in electromagnetics. We emphasize the role of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions in spectral theory since these quantities play an important role in many applications, as both mathematical and physical entities. The primary goal of this chapter is to present elements from the spectral theory of operators on infinite-dimensional spaces. Operators on finitedimensional spaces and their associated matrix representations are also briefly covered, as this material forms an appropriate starting point for discussion.
Crop Alternatives to Cotton in the Arkansas-Mississippi “Delta”—A Prognosis

IN 1949, more than ten per cent of the nation's cotton crop came from the Arkansas-Mississippi "delta" (State Economic Areas 8a and 1 respectively). It is often held that areas of this type have a comparative advantage in the cultivation of cotton vis a vis "upland" cotton areas, and that, with the absence of acreage allotments and price supports, cotton production would tend to concentrate in this area as a consequence of competitive elimination of "upland" cotton production. This paper studies the comparative advantage of cotton within the "delta" area with respect to two alternate crops: soybeans and corn, and considers three types of influences: (1) the effect of rising wage rates occasioned primarily by the largescale departure of much of the area's agricultural labor force, (2) the relative effect of supplemental irrigation upon the three crops mentioned, and (3) the effect of a downward shift of the price of cotton relative to corn and soybeans.
Uncorrected Hyperopia and Preschool Early Literacy: Results of the Vision in Preschoolers-Hyperopia in Preschoolers (VIP-HIP) Study.

Purpose To compare early literacy of 4- and 5-year-old uncorrected hyperopic children with that of emmetropic children. Design Cross-sectional. Participants Children attending preschool or kindergarten who had not previously worn refractive correction. Methods Cycloplegic refraction was used to identify hyperopia (≥3.0 to ≤6.0 diopters [D] in most hyperopic meridian of at least 1 eye, astigmatism ≤1.5 D, anisometropia ≤1.0 D) or emmetropia (hyperopia ≤1.0 D; astigmatism, anisometropia, and myopia Main Outcome Measures Trained examiners administered the Test of Preschool Early Literacy (TOPEL), composed of Print Knowledge, Definitional Vocabulary, and Phonological Awareness subtests. Results A total of 492 children (244 hyperopes and 248 emmetropes) participated (mean age, 58 months; mean ± standard deviation of the most hyperopic meridian, +3.78±0.81 D in hyperopes and +0.51±0.48 D in emmetropes). After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, and parent/caregiver's education, the mean difference between hyperopes and emmetropes was −4.3 ( P = 0.01) for TOPEL overall, −2.4 ( P = 0.007) for Print Knowledge, −1.6 ( P = 0.07) for Definitional Vocabulary, and −0.3 ( P = 0.39) for Phonological Awareness. Greater deficits in TOPEL scores were observed in hyperopic children with ≥4.0 D than in emmetropes (−6.8, P = 0.01 for total score; −4.0, P = 0.003 for Print Knowledge). The largest deficits in TOPEL scores were observed in hyperopic children with binocular near VA of 20/40 or worse (−8.5, P = 0.002 for total score; −4.5, P = 0.001 for Print Knowledge; −3.1, P = 0.04 for Definitional Vocabulary) or near stereoacuity of 240 seconds of arc or worse (−8.6, P P Conclusions Uncorrected hyperopia ≥4.0 D or hyperopia ≥3.0 to ≤6.0 D associated with reduced binocular near VA (20/40 or worse) or reduced near stereoacuity (240 seconds of arc or worse) in 4- and 5-year-old children enrolled in preschool or kindergarten is associated with significantly worse performance on a test of early literacy.
Determination of the Precision of an Automated Semen Analyzer

Introduction of computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) into a laboratory required the development of quality control procedures to ensure proper operation of the method. Results of three experiments designed to compare the performance of a commercial method for CASA to traditional semen analysis techniques are presented. Variances in the measurement of concentration, percent motility, linearity, and velocity were determined, and 95% confidence intervals were established for each parameter (concentration /1.2186, concentration × 1.2186), percent motility ± 10.733%, linearity ± 0.485, and velocity ± 6.87 μ/ sec. The CellSoft system performed reliably with any of three instrument operators. Results of concentration measurements using the CASA system and a traditional hemacytometer method compared favorably in the concentration range of 8.6 to 340 million sperm per milliliter. The CASA method overestimated concentrations below 8.6 million / mL and underestimated concentrations above 340 million / mL.
Work rate with noncontingent supplement of the reward

Rats were trained to work for food on a VI 1-min schedule. During the operant sessions, a buzzer sounded throughout intervals in which free pellets were delivered every 30 sec. Neither the appearance nor continuation of this superimposed condition altered established rates. However, upon buzzer-free-food termination, rates were depressed and became less regular.
Words that wound, bodies that shield: Corporeal responses to Westboro Baptist Church’s hate speech

AbstractIn the following essay, I argue that the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Snyder v. Phelps, together with the symbolic and spatial contexts surrounding funeral picketing, enables and constrains particular modes of community response to hate speech. Exploring community responses to Westboro Baptist Church’s hate speech reveals a mode of resistance based in corporeal presence, as counter-demonstrators’ bodies are used to shield mourners from messages of hate. The corporeal nature of these responses reasserts the boundaries between the public and private, and the sacred and profane, in ways that judicial responses do not.
Regiochemistry of Diels-Alder reaction of hexafluorothioacetone and dienes

AbstractOK The reaction of 2,2,4,4-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-dithiethane-1,3 (1) with various hydrocarbon dienes is not regioselective and results in the formation of two isomeric Diels-Alder cycloadducts with the ortho isomer predominating. The reaction of non-conjugated dienes involves ene-insertion of hexafluorothioacetone (HFTA), followed by Diels-Alder reaction of the product of the ene- reaction with a second mole of HFTA, while the reaction of 1,1,4,4-tetramethylbutadiene-1,3 and 2,5-dimethylhexadiene-1,5 results exclusively in HFTA insertion into the allylic C H bond.
Geospatial modeling approach to monument construction using Michigan from A.D. 1000–1600 as a case study

Building monuments was one way that past societies reconfigured their landscapes in response to shifting social and ecological factors. Understanding the connections between those factors and monument construction is critical, especially when multiple types of monuments were constructed across the same landscape. Geospatial technologies enable past cultural activities and environmental variables to be examined together at large scales. Many geospatial modeling approaches, however, are not designed for presence-only (occurrence) data, which can be limiting given that many archaeological site records are presence only. We use maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt), which works with presence-only data, to predict the distribution of monuments across large landscapes, and we analyze MaxEnt output to quantify the contributions of spatioenvironmental variables to predicted distributions. We apply our approach to co-occurring Late Precontact (ca. A.D. 1000-1600) monuments in Michigan: (i) mounds and (ii) earthwork enclosures. Many of these features have been destroyed by modern development, and therefore, we conducted archival research to develop our monument occurrence database. We modeled each monument type separately using the same input variables. Analyzing variable contribution to MaxEnt output, we show that mound and enclosure landscape suitability was driven by contrasting variables. Proximity to inland lakes was key to mound placement, and proximity to rivers was key to sacred enclosures. This juxtaposition suggests that mounds met local needs for resource procurement success, whereas enclosures filled broader regional needs for intergroup exchange and shared ritual. Our study shows how MaxEnt can be used to develop sophisticated models of past cultural processes, including monument building, with imperfect, limited, presence-only data.
Using gapped topological surface states of Bi2Se3 films in a field effect transistor

Three dimensional topological insulators are insulators with topologically protected surface states that can have a high band velocity and high mobility at room temperature. This suggests electronic applications that exploit these surface states, but the lack of a band gap poses a fundamental difficulty. We report a first principles study based on density functional theory for thin Bi2Se3 films in the context of a field effect transistor. It is known that a gap is induced in thin layers due to hybridization between the top and bottom surfaces, but it is not known whether it is possible to use the topological states in this type of configuration. In particular, it is unclear whether the benefits of topological protection can be retained to a sufficient degree. We show that there is a thickness regime in which the small gap induced by hybridization between the two surfaces is sufficient to obtain transistor operation at room temperature, and furthermore, that the band velocity and spin texture that are impo...
The Stars You Meet Along the Way - The Top 99 Presentation Dynamics Which Will Be Engraved in Your Memory (For the Wrong Reasons) (Special 2017 Edition)

This empirical study aims to catalogue 99 dynamics one is likely to observe in leading conferences, whatever the scholarly field. Our taxonomy employs a qualitative standard to identify 99 core irritants – also known as the ‘spirit breakers’ – that are likely to lead you to question why you ever agreed to attend the conference. We acknowledge our study’s limitations. While some speakers may be clearly identified as fitting one or more of these classes, others may only exhibit limited traits. No doubt categories can be further refined. Further research and analysis are required. Still, the study, in its present form, may enable one to reflect on his or her presentation style and skill. It may also facilitate bonding among the conference attendees, who can, for example, identify and tweet as many traits as they can for each presentation they must (or feel obliged to) attend.