cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heidegger and Gandhi: A Dialogue on Conflict and Enmity

While Heidegger and Gandhi share the conviction that conflict is an inevitable feature of the human condition, they differ on what that conflict entails and what it may accomplish. For Gandhi, human finitude means that any individual and any culture will have only a partial perspective on the truth, whether in religious matters or in questions of justice, and therefore conflict is the necessary result of these differences. Although Heidegger also argues that we are finite beings, he would disagree with Gandhi’s view that we may critique ourselves and our institutions in the light of a truth that, if only partially glimpsed, transcends our particularity. For Heidegger, there is no transcendence to a world of timeless principles and ideals, only the immanence of historical belonging. This means that while Heidegger believes that conflict plays a role in refining a community’s sense of its own historical destiny, he would condemn as nihilism Gandhi’s view that conflict can invite us to transcend ourselves. For Heidegger, genuine conflict reveals the opponents as incommensurable enemies; for Gandhi, the goal of conflict must always be the possibility of reconciliation, and conflict must unfold in a way to promote this. The essay argues that Gandhi’s position on what I call soft enmity offers a more promising understanding of the dialectic between our rootedness in historical traditions and our need to judge those traditions by standards that go beyond them.
The Tudor Discovery of Ireland. By ChristopherMaginn and Steven G.Ellis. (Dublin, Ireland: Four Courts Press, 2015. Pp. 207. $74.50.) : Book Review

Among the papers of William Cecil, the great Elizabethan statesman, resides a set of treatises on Irish affairs—known as the “Hatfield Compendium”—that reveal what the early Tudor court knew of Iri...
Adolescent impulsivity as a sex-dependent and subtype-dependent predictor of impulsivity, alcohol drinking and dopamine D2 receptor expression in adult rats.

Impulsivity is a personality trait associated with a heightened risk for drug use and other psychiatric conditions. Because impulsivity-related disorders typically emerge during adolescence, there has been interest in exploring methods for identifying adolescents that will be at risk to develop substance use disorders in adulthood. Here, we used a rodent model to assess inhibitory control (impulsive action) and impulsive decision making (impulsive choice) during adolescence (43-50 days old) or adulthood (93-100 days old) and then examined the impact of development on these impulsivity traits by re-testing rats 50 days later. Impulsive action was not stable from adolescence to adulthood in male rats and was lowest in adult male rats, relative to adolescents and female rats. Impulsive choice was stable across development and unaffected by age or sex. Next, we examined the connection between our model of impulsivity and two measures relevant to substance abuse research: the initiation of voluntary alcohol drinking and dopamine D2 receptor (D2 R) expression in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex. Consumption of saccharin-sweetened ethanol during 30-minute sessions in adulthood was associated with adolescent, but not adult, impulsive action, particularly in male rats. Prelimbic D2 R expression was reduced in individuals with high levels of impulsive choice, and this relationship appeared to be strongest among female rats. The results of this study demonstrate that impulsive choice, along with its connection to D2 R expression, is relatively unchanged by the process of development. For impulsive action, however, individual levels of impulsivity during adolescence predict drinking in adulthood despite changes in the measure during development.
Programmable Droplets for Interaction

We present a design exploration on how water based droplets in our everyday environment can become interactive elements. For this exploration, we use electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) technology as the underlying mechanism to precisely control motion of droplets. EWOD technology provides a means to precisely transport, merge, mix and split water based droplets and has been widely explored for automating biological experiments in industrial 1 and research settings 2. More recently, it has been explored for DIY Biology applications. In our exploration we integrate EWOD devices into a range of everyday objects and scenarios to show how programmable water droplets can be used as information displays, interaction medium for painting and personal communication.
Rheology and performance evaluation of Polyoctenamer as Asphalt Rubber modifier in Hot Mix Asphalt

The high amount of scrap tires that are generated annually in the United States are stored in stockpiles, landfills and dumps all over the United States. Tires are mostly composed of rubber; and they can be recycled to obtain two types of ground tire rubber (GTR), ambient and cryogenic. Tire recycling can help reduce the accumulations of scrap tires, while the GTR can be used in many applications in different industries. The asphalt industry has used GTR in highway pavement construction since the 1960’s. GTR can be blended with any conventional asphalt binder to produce asphalt rubber binders, that due to the elastomeric properties of the GTR, will have better performance at high and intermediate temperatures than conventional binders. However, one of the challenges of asphalt rubber technology is its high viscosity, which increases its mixing and compaction temperatures when compared to conventional asphalts. The objective of this research is to characterize the effects of the binder additive polyoctenamer (PO) on the rheological properties of laboratory-produced asphalt rubber binders with a base asphalt of PG46-34 and two different types of ground tire rubber (ambient and cryogenic); also, to see the effects of PO in the characterization of the performance of asphalt rubber mixtures. The laboratory-produced binders were evaluated following the Superpave binder specification and testing procedures. Densities, viscosities, complex modulus (G*), mass losses, creep stiffness were obtained from the binders. The statistical analysis performed on the binders demonstrated that the addition of PO improves the viscosities of asphalt rubber thereby obtaining a reduction in the estimated mixing and compaction temperatures. The binder grading demonstrates that PO does not affect negatively the
Analytical Simulation of Boiling Water Reactor Pressure Suppression Pool Swell

In a loss-of-coolant accident, the pressure suppression pool of a boiling water reactor swells as a steam/air mixture is expelled from the drywell into the pool and large gas bubbles are formed beneath the surface. Many tests have been performed to quantify pool swell loads, but analytical methods have been limited in their ability to provide accurate loading estimates. With advancement of numerical methods, it is now feasible to numerically simulate the pool swell process. A finite difference solution algorithm is used to solve the transient imcompressible equations for the liquid flow field. Boundary conditions at the fluid-gas interface are determined using a simplified gas flow model. The program is used to simulate several pool swell tests: comparison of the simulation with test data shows good agreement.
AGE-RELATED ANTLER CHARACTERISTICS IN AN INTENSIVELY MANAGED AND NUTRITIONALLY STRESSED MOOSE POPULATION

We studied age-related antler characteristics of moose ( Alces alces ) in Alaska Game Management Unit 20A (during 2007–2010) because of concerns about poor antler development given the population’s high density and unusually low nutritional status. A comparative study was conducted in and near our study area in the early 1970s, when moose density was lower and nutritional status was moderate. Poor antler development was an important concern for 2 reasons: 1) low annual recruitment of bull moose into the harvestable 50-inch (127-cm) antler class in the study area might restrict local harvest when the “Intensive Management” harvest objective was to specifically reduce moose density, and 2) retarded antler growth in yearling and 2-year-old bulls could bias bull:cow and yearling:cow ratios. Regression analysis of antler spread over age indicated that average antler spreads of 50 inches (127 cm) occurred when bulls reached an estimated age of 6.0 years. When using corrected annuli counts of known-age animals, bulls reached antler spreads of 50 inches (127 cm) at 5.6 years of true age in the 1970s versus 6.2 years in this study. We surmised that the difference of <1 year was not a significant management concern, particularly given the wide variation in antler spread in each age class. As a result, we retained a strategy that restricted harvest largely to bulls with antler spreads ≥50 inches (127 cm). During low-level aerial surveys, 22% (11/51) of known-aged, radio-collared yearling bulls, had spiked antlers ≤3 inches (7.6 cm) in length, which likely resulted in their misclassification as females during standard surveys. Presumably, 19% (8/43) of known-age, 2 year-old bulls would probably be misclassified as yearling bulls based solely on brow and main palm separation, the primary characteristic used to distinguish between yearling and 2 year-olds. When antler spread and antler length were used as primary aerial classification criteria, we correctly classified all known-aged, 2 year-old bulls. We recommend survey personnel be trained to scrutinize subadult moose to reduce the likelihood of misclassifying yearling and 2 year-old bulls with retarded antler growth in high-density, nutritionally stressed moose populations.
Increasing Burden of Hepatic Encephalopathy Among Hospitalized Adults: An Analysis of the 2010-2014 National Inpatient Sample

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, contributing significant burden on healthcare systems. We aim to evaluate trends in clinical and economic burden of HE among hospitalized adults in the USA. Using the 2010–2014 National Inpatient Sample, we identified adults hospitalized with HE using ICD-9-CM codes. Annual trends in hospitalizations with HE, in-hospital mortality, and hospital charges were stratified by the presence of acute liver failure (ALF) or cirrhosis. Adjusted multivariable regression models were evaluated for predictors of in-hospital mortality and hospitalization charges. Among 142,860 hospitalizations with HE (mean age 59.3 years, 57.8% male), 67.7% had cirrhosis and 3.9% ALF. From 2010 to 2014, total number of hospitalizations with HE increased by 24.4% (25,059 in 2010 to 31,182 in 2014, p < 0.001). Similar increases were seen when stratified by ALF (29.7% increase) and cirrhosis (29.7% increase). Overall in-hospital mortality decreased from 13.4% (2010) to 12.3% (2014) (p = 0.001), with similar decreases observed in ALF and cirrhosis. Total inpatient charges increased by 46.0% ($8.15 billion, 2010 to $11.9 billion, 2014). On multivariable analyses, ALF was associated with significantly higher odds of in-hospital mortality (OR 5.37; 95% CI 4.97–5.80; p < 0.001) as well as higher mean inpatient charges (122.6% higher; 95% CI + 115.0–130.3%; p < 0.001) compared to cirrhosis. The presence of ascites, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatorenal syndrome was associated with increased mortality. The clinical and economic burden of hospitalizations with HE in the USA continues to rise. In 2014, estimated national economic burden of hospitalizations with HE reached $11.9 billion.
Mild Cognitive Impairment and Decline in Resting State Functional Connectivity after Total Knee Arthroplasty with General Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND Research shows that older adults can have a decline in three key resting state networks (default mode network, central executive network, and salience network) after total knee arthroplasty and that patients' pre-surgery brain and cognitive integrity predicts decline. OBJECTIVES First, to assess resting state network connectivity decline from the perspective of nodal connectivity changes in a larger older adult surgery sample. Second, to compare pre-post functional connectivity changes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) versus non-MCI. METHODS Surgery (n = 69) and non-surgery (n = 65) peers completed a comprehensive preoperative neuropsychological evaluation and pre- and acute (within 48 hours) post-surgery/pseudo-surgery functional brain magnetic resonance imaging scan. MCI was classified within both (MCI surgery, n = 13; MCI non-surgery, n = 10). Using standard coordinates, we defined default mode network, salience network, central executive network, and the visual network (serving as a control network). The functional connectivity of these networks and brain areas (nodes) that make up these networks were examined for pre-post-surgery changes through paired samples t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS There was a decline in RSN connectivity after surgery (p < 0.05) only in the three cognitive networks (not the visual network). The default mode and salience network showed nodal connectivity changes (p < 0.01). MCI surgery had greater functional connectivity decline in DMN and SN. Non-surgery participants showed no significant functional connectivity change. CONCLUSION Surgery with general anesthesia selectively alters functional connectivity in major cognitive resting state networks particularly in DMN and SN. Participants with MCI appear more vulnerable to these functional changes.
Small mammal tree seed selection in mixed forests of the Eastern United States

Abstract Small mammals play a critical role in forest ecosystems as both seed predators and dispersers; they have been shown to affect tree species composition within forests and may significantly reduce recruitment rates of certain tree species, many of which are commercially valuable. Thus, understanding small mammal seed preference is essential for both animal ecologists and foresters. Although extensive research on small mammal seed choice has been conducted both in North America and Europe, limited knowledge is available on: (1) the effects of silvicultural practices on seed choice; (2) seed selection – as most studies focus on seed use; and (3) certain understudied seed-small mammals interactions – e.g. few studies have concurrently examined both coniferous and deciduous seeds from North American mixed forests, and the seed selection of some small mammal species is not well-known (e.g. Napaeozapus). To contribute to filling these gaps, our study focused on the following objectives: (1) to quantify seed selection of seven forest seed species by small mammal species within the mixed forests of the eastern US; (2) to evaluate the influence of silvicultural practices on seed choice; (3) to explore relationships between seed choice and environmental factors such as weather and microhabitat. We conducted a series of cafeteria-style experiments in the field and in the laboratory; 2459 seed choice events, mostly by four small mammal species (Peromyscus maniculatus, Myodes gapperi, Napaeozapus insignis, and Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) were analyzed using multinomial mixed-effect models, allowing us to determine the probability of selection for each seed species. We identified a consistently high-preference seed (Pinus strobus) and one low-preference seed (Betula papyrifera). All other species (Acer rubrum, Picea rubens, Tsuga canadensis, Quercus rubra, and to some extent, Abies balsamea) had intermediate preference levels. Indeed, selection varied also by small mammal species (e.g. Acer rubrum was the top choice for Myodes gapperi in the field). Further, we found that the silvicultural practices examined here (even-aged management, two-stage shelterwood, and unmanaged) did not directly influence seed choice, whereas illumination (night- and day-time light levels), rain, and temperature did, and the magnitude of the effects varied by small mammal species. Our results show that in mixed forests, small mammals may impact seeds of economically valuable trees (e.g. Pinus strobus and Acer rubrum), whereas they may ignore seeds of less valuable trees (e.g. Betula papyrifera and Abies balsamea). We recommend that forest managers consider small mammal communities when developing forest regeneration plans.
Photoelastic Analysis of Folded-Plate Structures

Two span folded plates with interior column and gable supports are studied by means of three dimensional photoelasticity. Small scale epoxy models fabricated from two commercially available epoxy resins were stress frozen and sliced to reveal complete force distributions. The results are compared with theoretical solutions developed at Princeton. Difficulties inherent to the experimental approach are described and solutions are suggested.
(U-Th)/He Chronology

Abstract (U-Th)/He chronometry is a radiometric dating method based on the accumulation of radiogenic helium produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium, thorium, and samarium in geologic materials. Helium retention in a mineral is largely dependent upon temperature. The technique is commonly referred to as (U-Th)/He thermochronology because (U-Th)/He dates usually reflect the sample's thermal history rather than the sample's formation age. U and Th bearing accessory minerals like apatite, zircon, and titanite are the most common targets for (U-Th)/He dating, but numerous other minerals are under investigation for use as He chronometers. The temperature sensitivities of the most common He dating targets are ~ 60–70 °C for apatite and ~ 150–180 °C for zircon and titanite. Consequently, (U-Th)/He dating is most typically used to constrain upper crustal and lower temperature processes.
Smart augmented reality instructional system for mechanical assembly towards worker-centered intelligent manufacturing

Abstract Quality and efficiency are crucial indicators of any manufacturing company. Many companies are suffering from a shortage of experienced workers across the production line to perform complex assembly tasks. To reduce time and error in an assembly task, a worker-centered system consisting of multi-modal Augmented Reality (AR) instructions with the support of a deep learning network for tool detection is introduced. The integrated AR is designed to provide on-site instructions including various visual renderings with a fine-tuned Region-based Convolutional Neural Network, which is trained on a synthetic tool dataset. The dataset is generated using CAD models of tools and displayed onto a 2D scene without using real tool images. By experimenting the system to a mechanical assembly of a CNC carving machine, the result of a designed experiment shows that the system helps reduce the time and errors of the given assembly tasks by 33.2 % and 32.4 %, respectively. With the integrated system, an efficient, customizable smart AR instruction system capable of sensing, characterizing requirements, and enhancing worker’s performance has been built and demonstrated.
Human and insect bookworms

This article attempts to rethink what conservationists have seen as the damage done to manuscripts by insects from the insects’ perspective. We have learned so much in recent years about the agency of the ruminants whose skins make up the leaves of medieval manuscripts, but we have yet to hear much from the bookworm. Small wonder: the cow gives its skin for the conservation of texts, while the bookworm, the natural enemy of the librarian, steals our words like a ‘þeof in þystro’ [‘a thief in the dark’], in the words of the Exeter riddle. This article reconsiders this ancient rivalry between human and insect bookworms as a mutually constitutive partnership, and even as a co-authorship of the text or, in Barad’s words, an entanglement.
China, Currency Misalignments, and Industry Demands for Trade Protection in the United States

It is well known that currency misalignments lead governments to raise trade barriers. Less well known is that the protectionist response to currency misalignments varies by industry. I argue that industries with high exchange rate pass-through (where exchange-rate changes are more fully transmitted to product prices) are more likely to seek trade protection during misalignments than industries with low pass-through. I also argue that industries with global supply chains are less likely to seek trade protection during misalignments than industries that source inputs domestically. I evaluate these arguments with evidence from a 2010 congressional proposal to impose trade barriers on nations like China that are perceived to engage in currency manipulation. I find support for the claim that exchange rates have differential affects across industries: high pass-through industries explicitly supported this proposal while industries dependent on global supply chains took positions against it. I also show that the location of supporting and opposing industries across congressional districts correlates with two types of congressional behaviors: cosponsoring and roll-call voting on the 2010 currency proposal. Exchange rates appear to induce pressures for targeted trade barriers only in industries where competitiveness is unambiguously harmed by misalignments.
The Voice of the Customer: Managing Customer Care in Twitter

In recent years, managing customer sentiment—particularly on social media—has become crucial as more customers use social media to seek help from firms. Therefore, we strive to determine an optimal strategy to manage customer sentiment on social media sites such as Twitter. We also aim to identify factors and external events that can influence the effectiveness of customer care. To understand the antecedents of digital customer care, we model a diffusion process of customer sentiment over time. This diffusion process is influenced (or controlled) by the firm through the strategy employed to respond to customer tweets. We then use real data consisting of sentiments expressed by customers directed at Twitter’s service accounts of four major U.S. telecommunication-service providers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile) to estimate the parameters in our analytical model and shed several insights into digital customer care in this industry. First, we find a clear separation among the firms in terms of digital customer care effectiveness. Second, we find that good customer care is not merely a matter of responding to customer tweets. Third, the quality of digital customer care that customers expect varies across firms: Customers of higher priced firms (e.g., Verizon and AT&T) expect better customer care. Fourth, seemingly unrelated events (such as signing an exclusive contract with a celebrity) can impact digital customer care. Our study has important implications for managers as it can help firms determine the optimal strategy to influence customer sentiment.
ECH gyrotron system for the tara tandem mirror

Tailoring the hot electron energy distribution provides a means of manipulating the electrostatic potential in the plasma which can in turn provide electrostatic plasma confinement. Production of a hot electron population is a result of electron cyclotron heating at the fundamental and second harmonic provided by pulsed 28 GHz gyrotons (75 ms, 200 kW). Corrugated bends with carborundum sections reduce the nonsymmetric mode content. Both focused and unfocused Vlasov antennas are used to launch the rf power. Water loads are used to determine the efficiency of the corrugated waveguide system and Vlasov antennas. In the vacuum vessel radiation monitors determine the absorption by the plasma.
Performance evaluation of temperature effect on hot in-place recycling asphalt mixtures

Abstract Hot in-place recycling (HIR) is a novel technique to rehabilitate the surface layer of the pavements, in which recycling agents are commonly utilized to restore the binder rheological properties of reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP). Considering the energy consumption and smoke issue, the heating temperatures for HIR containing 100% RAP mix are usually controlled around 110 °C, which is significantly lower than that for the traditional hot mix asphalt (HMA). . To evaluate the effect of temperature on the performance of 100% recycled asphalt mixtures after the HIR process, the materials obtained from an HIR project were remixed and compacted at different temperatures (110 °C, 120 °C, and 130 °C). The asphalt mixture performance tester, asphalt pavement analyzer test, Superpave indirect tension tests, and moisture susceptibility tests were conducted to evaluate the performances of the HIR mix. The staged extraction tests were used to identify the mobilized RAP binders under different temperatures. It was revealed that mixtures heated with a higher temperature exhibit better cracking and moisture resistance performances. It was also found that a larger proportion of the RAP binders can be activated to coat the aggregates at a higher mixing temperature, which may increase the rutting potential.
Explainable AI Framework for Imaging-Based Predictive Maintenance for Automotive Applications and Beyond

Predictive maintenance applications for a wide variety of industrial and commercial components are increasingly utilizing imaging-based sensors along with AI (artificial intelligence)/ML (machine learning) based analytics to determine wear of components. Credibility of the analytics, especially for component health, is strongly dependent on explainability. We initially introduce an explainable framework involving a novel light transmission image processing–based methodology utilizing statistical distance metrics (e.g., Wasserstein distance (WD), Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic) for discriminative classification of unstructured images combined with Bayesian inference/regression to estimate wear level for an air filter application. Subsequently, we incorporate neural network–based models into this framework to develop an AI framework retaining a high level of explainability. The explainable elements of this novel AI model include generation of a statistical distance pseudometric with a feedforward neural network as a discriminative classifier, a spatial block bootstrapping approach to generate synthetic training data, and the use of this discriminant classifier as a predictor in a Bayesian inference/regression model to predict wear levels with 95% prediction and credible intervals. This explainable AI framework can be extended to other families of applications utilizing synthetically generated unstructured and structured images in predictive maintenance and health monitoring.
What really drives the deployment of renewable energy? A global assessment of 118 countries

Abstract Climate change poses unprecedented risks to human society. Ample scientific evidence suggests that greenhouse gas emissions are the primary contributor to climate change. Large-scale greenhouse gas emissions are mainly caused by the consumption of fossil fuels. Thus, promoting renewable energy is one key strategy to mitigate these emissions and combat climate change. In this study, we investigate some potential driving forces of renewable energy deployment. We analyze panel data from 118 countries worldwide from 1995 to 2015. Results show that countries that are more vulnerable to climate change and have less carbon-intensive economies deploy higher shares of renewable energy in their total energy consumption. However, carbon tax has a statistically insignificant influence on renewable energy deployment. This study complements the literature by exploring the impact of climate change vulnerability, carbon intensity, and carbon taxes on renewable energy deployment. The findings imply that countries become more supportive of renewable energy when their economies are less intertwined with fossil fuels and when relevant policies are in place to provide incentives on renewables.
Identification and Inference with Many Invalid Instruments

We analyze linear models with a single endogenous regressor in the presence of many instrumental variables. We weaken a key assumption typically made in this literature by allowing all the instruments to have direct effects on the outcome. We consider restrictions on these direct effects that allow for point identification of the effect of interest. The setup leads to new insights concerning the properties of conventional estimators, novel identification strategies, and new estimators to exploit those strategies. A key assumption underlying the main identification strategy is that the product of the direct effects of the instruments on the outcome and the effects of the instruments on the endogenous regressor has expectation zero. We argue in the context of two specific examples with a group structure that this assumption has substantive content.
Using Ecological Diversity Analyses to Characterize the Availability of Healthy Food and Socio-Economic Food Deserts

“Food deserts” are usually defined as geographic areas without local access to fresh, healthy food. We used community ecology statistics in supermarkets to quantify the availability of healthy food and to potentially identify food deserts as areas without a diverse selection of food, rather than a binary as to whether fresh food is present or not. We test whether produce diversity is correlated with neighborhood income or demographics. Abundance and diversity of fresh produce was quantified in supermarkets in Broward County, Florida, USA. Neighborhood income level and racial/ethnic makeup were retrieved from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey. Although diversity varied, there were no communities that had consistently less available fresh food, although the percent of a neighborhood identifying as “white” was positively correlated with produce diversity. There may be fewer choices in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of minorities, but there were no consistent patterns of produce diversity in Broward County. This method demonstrates an easy, inexpensive way to characterize food deserts beyond simple distance, and results in precise enough information to identify gaps in the availability of healthy foods.
Perception of Speech in Aphasia: Its Relation to Language Comprehension, Auditory Processing, and Speech Production.

Publisher Summary Speech is the first order process in the language communication chain. At the levels of production and perception, it serves as the primary interface with the linguistic code. In perception, the acoustic waveform is ultimately processed and perceived by the listener in terms of a grammatically, linguistically meaningful system. In production, these grammatical and meaningful attributes are transmitted in the final analysis by the speaker in terms of a set of physiological events. In aphasia, the breakdown of the language communication process is seen. However, what is not clear is why the patients may manifest a deficit in either comprehension or production of language. Many levels of language processing can be implicated in such disorders, that is, speech, phonology, syntax, semantics, and lexicon. It has been attempted to determine the extent to which a failure in either the speech perception or speech production mechanism contributes to the constellation of defects found in aphasia and to ascertain whether such failures can characterize the underlying basis of aphasic disorders. To address this issue, the chapter focuses on the ability of aphasics to perceive and produce the segmental properties of language.
Superfluidity of dipole excitons in the presence of band gaps in two-layer graphene

We propose to observe superfluidity of quasi-two-dimensional dipole excitons in double-layer graphene in the presence of band gaps. The energy spectrum of the collective excitations, the sound spectrum, and the effective exciton mass are functions of the energy gaps, density, and interlayer separation. The superfluid density ${n}_{s}$ and temperature of the Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition ${T}_{c}$ are decreasing functions of the energy gaps.
Oil-Grade Alloy 718 in Oil Field Drilling Applications

Due to continuous advancements in drilling technology, the materials in use have to fulfill higher demands in regards to mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The complex working loads and high vibration, the hostile downhole environments, together with the high working temperature and pressure encountered when operating in an ultra deep drilling environment, provide major challenges for the drilling tool materials. This paper focuses on the performance of oil-grade alloy 718 for applications in bottom hole assemblies (BHAs) under drilling conditions. Potentiodynamic polarization was applied to investigate the general characteristics of corrosion and pitting attack. Key influence factors including working temperature, cation species in corrosive medium, and post-mortem heat treatment were discussed. These results will help to direct the optimization strategy of Ni-base superalloys in oil field drilling. Overview Of Oil Grade Alloy 718 in Drilling Alloy 718 was invented more than 50 years ago but has been used in the oilfield for drilling tools for approximately the last 20 years. This is related to the fact that the demand for expensive, high strength, corrosion resistant oil grade materials was emerging in the 1990s with the development of expensive modules as part of the bottom hole assembly (BHA). A BHA normally includes modules used for logging while drilling (LWD), and measurement while drilling (MWD). Figure 1 shows the sketch of drill pipe together with the BHA and drill bit. Figure 1 Drill string with 1= drill pipe, 2= bottom hole assembly (BHA), and 3= drill bit
Simulating three‐dimensional grapevine canopies and modelling their light interception characteristics

Background and Aims The objective of this study was to develop a simplified approach to simulate three-dimensional (3D) grapevine canopies and model light interception. Methods and Results A re-sampling procedure was developed to generate a set of allometric parameters based on their sample mean and distribution derived from shoots of field-grown vines grown in response to variable amounts of irrigation and N fertiliser. A large number of 3D models of grapevine canopies was reconstructed with the plant architecture model YPLANT based on re-sampled allometric parameters. Approximately 80% of intercepted light by the canopies was shown to be captured by 20–30% of the leaves, with deficit-irrigated and N-stressed plants having a greater proportion of leaf area exposed to high and moderate light intensity throughout the day compared with that of non-stressed vines. The amount of daily absorbed light increased with increasing leaf area per vine and was highly affected by row direction. Conclusions Model predictions agreed with previously reported and measured amounts and patterns of light interception. Significance of the Study The approach described here simplifies previous attempts to represent the 3D architecture of a grapevine canopy, provides a good approximation to conditions vines may experience in the field and may be of practical use for field research and/or optimisation of canopy management practices in commercial production systems.
An application of metric cotype to quasisymmetric embeddings

We apply the notion of metric cotype to show that Lp admits a quasisymmetric embedding into Lq if and only if \( p\leq q \, {\rm or} \, q\leq p\leq 2\).
New Insights into the Evolution of the Human Diet from Faecal Biomarker Analysis in Wild Chimpanzee and Gorilla Faeces

Our understanding of early human diets is based on reconstructed biomechanics of hominin jaws, bone and teeth isotopic data, tooth wear patterns, lithic, taphonomic and zooarchaeological data, which do not provide information about the relative amounts of different types of foods that contributed most to early human diets. Faecal biomarkers are proving to be a valuable tool in identifying relative proportions of plant and animal tissues in Palaeolithic diets. A limiting factor in the application of the faecal biomarker approach is the striking absence of data related to the occurrence of faecal biomarkers in non-human primate faeces. In this study we explored the nature and proportions of sterols and stanols excreted by our closest living relatives. This investigation reports the first faecal biomarker data for wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei). Our results suggest that the chemometric analysis of faecal biomarkers is a useful tool for distinguishing between NHP and human faecal matter, and hence, it could provide information for palaeodietary research and early human diets.
Chapter 25 Neuromuscular junction disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on neuromuscular junction disorders. Disorders of neuromuscular transmission produce weakness that typically involves certain characteristic muscle groups and varies with activity. Acquired, autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common of these disorders that results from an acquired immunologic abnormality. The physiologic abnormality in MG results from a reduction in the concentration of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on the muscle endplate, the distortion and simplification of the postsynaptic muscle membrane, and the blockade of AChRs by antibodies attached to the muscle membrane. The diagnosis of MG is made by demonstrating abnormal neuromuscular transmission, elevated AChR antibodies, or both in a patient with clinical findings consistent with the disease. Abnormal neuromuscular transmission can be confirmed by electrodiagnostic testing. These tests are particularly valuable when clinical findings, antibody testing, and response to cholinesterase inhibitors do not give conclusive diagnostic information. Single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG) in MG is the most sensitive clinical test of neuromuscular transmission and shows increased jitter in some muscles in almost all patients with MG.
Deconstructing Kubo formula usage: Exact conductance of a mesoscopic system from weak to strong disorder limit

In both research and textbook literature one often finds two ``different'' Kubo formulas for the zero-temperature conductance of a noninteracting Fermi system. They contain a trace of the product of velocity operators and single-particle (retarded and advanced) Green operators: $\mathrm{Tr}({v}_{x}{G}^{r}{v}_{x}{G}^{a})$ or $\mathrm{Tr}({v}_{x}\mathrm{Im}\ifmmode \hat{G}\else \^{G}\fi{}{v}_{x}\mathrm{Im}\ifmmode \hat{G}\else \^{G}\fi{}).$ The study investigates the relationship between these expressions, as well as the requirements of current conservation, through exact evaluation of such quantum-mechanical traces for a nanoscale (containing 1000 atoms) mesoscopic disordered conductor. The traces are computed in the semiclassical regime (where disorder is weak) and, more importantly, in the nonperturbative transport regime (including the region around localization-delocalization transition) where the concept of a mean free path ceases to exist. Since quantum interference effects for such strong disorder are not amenable to diagrammatic or nonlinear $\ensuremath{\sigma}$-model techniques, the evolution of different Green function terms with disorder strength provides insight into the development of an Anderson localized phase.
Role of UME6 in transcriptional regulation of a DNA repair gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae UV radiation and a variety of chemical DNA-damaging agents induce the transcription of specific genes, including several involved in DNA repair. One of the best characterized of these genes is PHR1, which encodes the apoenzyme for DNA photolyase. Basal-level and damage-induced expression of PHR1 require an upstream activation sequence, UAS(PHR1), which has homology with DRC elements found upstream of at least 19 other DNA repair and DNA metabolism genes in yeast. Here we report the identification of the UME6 gene of S. cerevisiae as a regulator of UAS(PHR1) activity. Multiple copies of UME6 stimulate expression from UAS(PHR1) and the intact PHR1 gene. Surprisingly, the effect of deletion of UME6 is growth phase dependent. In wild-type cells PHR1 is induced in late exponential phase, concomitant with the initiation of glycogen accumulation that precedes the diauxic shift. Deletion of UME6 abolishes this induction, decreases the steady-state concentration of photolyase molecules and PHR1 mRNA, and increases the UV sensitivity of a rad2 mutant. Despite the fact that UAS(PHR1) does not contain the URS1 sequence, which has been previously implicated in UME6-mediated transcriptional regulation, we find that Ume6p binds to UAS(PHR1) with an affinity and a specificity similar to those seen for a URS1 site. Similar binding is also seen for DRC elements from RAD2, RAD7, and RAD53, suggesting that UME6 contributes to the regulated expression of a subset of damage-responsive genes in yeast.
Pilot Slasher Yarn Drying Model Identification

The steady state and dynamic response of a pilot slasher were investigated. Continuous on-line recording of moisture was used to determine the response of the exit moisture to step changes in yarn speed. A method to determine the drying rate from steady state data was developed, and a model describing the relationship between yarn speed and percent moisture regain was proposed and evaluated. The model consists of two first order systems acting in parallel, where the model parameters are functions of yarn speed. This work points out basic operating characteristics of pilot and industrial slashers.
Poroelasticity of bones: a primer

The theory of poroelasticity deals with the mechanics of a fluid-saturated porous medium. A simplified description of the theory and its significance in relation to the growth and resorption of bone is presented.
Fragrance material review on 1,3-dimethyl-3-phenylbutyl acetate.

Abstract A toxicologic and dermatologic review of 1,3-dimethyl-3-phenylbutyl acetate when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented. 1,3-Dimethyl-3-phenylbutyl acetate is a member of the fragrance structural group Aryl Alkyl Alcohol Simple Acid Esters (AAASAE). The AAASAE fragrance ingredients are prepared by reacting an aryl alkyl alcohol with a simple carboxylic acid (a chain of 1 to 4 carbons) to generate formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate and carbonate esters. This review contains a detailed summary of all available toxicology and dermatology papers that are related to this individual fragrance ingredient and is not intended as a stand-alone document. Available data for 1,3-dimethyl-3-phenylbutyl acetate were evaluated, then summarized, and includes: physical properties, acute toxicity, skin irritation, mucous membrane (eye) irritation, skin sensitization, elicitation, phototoxicity, and photoallergy data. A safety assessment of the entire AAASAE will be published simultaneously with this document. Please refer to Belsito et al. (2012) for an overall assessment of the safe use of this material and all AAASAE in fragrances. Belsito, D., Bickers, D., Bruze, M., Calow, P., Dagli, M., Fryer, A.D., Greim, H., Hanifin, J.H., Miyachi, Y., Saurat, J.H., Sipes, I.G., 2012. A toxicologic and dermatologic assessment of aryl alkyl alcohol simple acid esters when used as fragrance ingredients.
Safety and acceptability of a baggy latex condom.

Abstract A total of 104 couples participated in a randomized crossover trial to compare a new baggy condom with a straight-shaft condom produced by the same manufacturer. Participants completed a coital log after using each condom. All couples used five condoms of each type. Among 102 couples who did not report major deviations from the protocol, the breakage rate was eight of 510 (1.6%) for the baggy condom, and six of 510 (1.2%) for the standard condom (rate difference, RD = 0.4%, 95% confidence interval of the RD, CI = −1.0%; +1.8%). Slippage was reported in 50 baggy condom logs and in 58 standard condom logs; the slippage rate was 50 of 510 (9.8%) for the baggy condom, and 58 of 510 (11.4%) for the standard condom (RD = −1.6%, 95% CI = −5.4%; +2.2%). Slippage was most often partial (
Charged Liquid Cluster Beam Technique and Deposition of Manganese Doped Zinc Silicate for Plasma Display Panels

The charged liquid cluster beam technique is inherently suited to fabricating uniform, conformal coatings of controlled chemical compositions and stoichiometries. The technique has the ability to produce and use nanometer-scale charged drops of liquid precursors for thin film deposition and to utilize atomic scale mixing present in liquid precursors to achieve a film of uniform stoichiometry. Films of manganese doped zinc silicate, (Zn1−δMnδ)2SiO4, have been deposited using the CLCB technique. The deposition conditions were found to have a large impact on the morphology and photoluminescence intensity of the films. No phases other than zinc silicate were detectable with manganese contents up to δ=0.08.
Circulant and skew-circulant matrices as new normal-form realization of IIR digital filters

Normal-form fixed-point state-space realization of IIR (infinite-impulse response) filters are known to be free from both overflow oscillations and roundoff limit cycles, provided magnitude truncation arithmetic is used together with two's-complement overflow features. Two normal-form realizations are derived that utilize circulant and skew-circulant matrices as their state transition matrices. The advantage of these realizations is that the A-matrix has only N (rather than N/sup 2/) distinct elements and is amenable to efficient memory-oriented implementation. The problem of scaling the internal signals in these structures is addressed, and it is shown that an approximate solution can be obtained through a numerical optimization method. Several numerical examples are included. >
Simulated tetanic hyperpolarization by sodium loading of a neuronal system in which active transport is linked to the Frankenhaeuser-Huxley equations.

Tetanic hyperpolarization for theXenopus node is simulated by means of iterative solutions of the Frankenhaeuser-Huxley excitation equations together with an active transport current density term which is dependent on sodium and potassium levels as well as the ADP/ATP ratio. All time-dependent variables at the end of one interspike interval are introduced as initial conditions for the next response, whereupon all time-dependent changes in voltage and permeability factors appear identical for the third and fourth responses of a sequence. Net change in internal sodium concentration is zero throughout the third and fourth intervals if sodium loading of the system is initially adjusted to a critical level. Extent of tetanic hyperpolarization is a function of the pump conductance.
SEARCHING FOR TEN TARGETS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Ss were given extensive practice in scanning through lists of printed symbols for particular targets. By the thirteenth day, they scanned as rapidly when searching for any of 10 different targets as when searching for any of five, or for one target alone. These results are compatible with the assumption that many subsystems for processing visual information can operate in parallel, at least in situations where a high degree of accuracy is not required.
Next-generation nanotechnology laboratories with simultaneous reduction of all relevant disturbances

The tremendous variety of nanotechnology experiments and tools to fabricate and characterize ever-smaller structures down to molecular or even atomic scales leads to stringent demands for appropriate, so-called “silent”, premises that allow such susceptible experiments to be conducted. Reducing dimensions means smaller absolute optical and electrical signal levels, and consequently reduced signal-to-noise ratios. Hence, in addition to short-range disturbances inside the laboratory, remote long-range noise sources have to be considered for next-generation laboratories that aim at screening the disturbances and keeping the remaining values at utmost constancy. We present a novel laboratory concept that addresses simultaneously all the disturbances relevant for nanotechnology, namely, vibrations, electro-magnetic fields, temperature, humidity, and sound. Particular attention was paid to tackling the mutual derogation of the various measures to enable unprecedented performance of the novel research platform.