cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multispectral Sensor for In-Situ Cotton Fiber Quality Measurement

Reflectance spectra of cotton fiber samples having different fiber quality levels were measured with a high-resolution spectrophotometer. Reflectance spectra of the cotton samples were processed with waveband averaging and wavelet analysis, and then related to micronaire by using multiple linear regression. Regression models indicated that the micronaire had a strong correlation (r2 = 0.89) with the reflectance values at seven 100-nm wavebands (1120, 1296, 1550, 1664, 1852, 2020, and 2340 nm). In wavelet analysis, six wavelet regressors were identified and entered into the regression model. These models also indicated a very strong correlation between micronaire and reflectance spectra in the wavelet domain (r2 = 0.97). A prototype of cotton fiber quality sensor was developed based on the characteristics of the cotton fiber reflectance spectrum. The sensor consists of a VisGaAs camera, optical bandpass filters, halogen light source, and an image collection and process system. The sensor was tested in the laboratory conditions. Images of lint samples at three near infrared (NIR) wavebands (1450, 1550, and 1600 nm) were acquired and analyzed to determine the relationship between the image pixel value and cotton fiber micronaire. Results showed that the sensor was capable of accurately assessing the fiber micronaire (r2 = 0.99). This sensor could be used for measuring cotton fiber quality along with their corresponding spatial data from GPS as cotton is harvested in fields, which makes it possible to generate cotton fiber quality maps. It also has the potential being used for segregating cotton based on fiber quality during harvesting.
Bipolar chip design for a VLSI microprocessor

In this paper, a pseudo-custom approach to bipolar VLSI chip design is presented, and a hierarchical structure of logic macros assembled from building blocks is described. A strategy of placing the logic macros along with algorithmically designed PLA structures and ROS with a placement aid, and of wiring the placement with an automatic wiring program, is discussed. The paper also focuses on the implementation of this strategy in terms of technology, chip structure, and chip design methodology. In addition, chip statistics are presented and their implications are discussed.
Equalization of the TE and TM complex eigenvalues of 90°-root-top reflectors and waxicons using thin-film dielectric coatings

Abstract The net TE (s) and TM (p) complex eigenvalues (reflection coefficients) of metallic 90°-roof-top reflectors and waxicons can be equalized by use of single thin-film dielectric coatings of appropriate thickness for each plane mirror of a roof-top or cone of a waxicon. This removes the anisotropy associated with these elements when used in laser resonators. Results are presented for devices that operate at 10.6 μm wavelength and that are made of a silver substrate coated with a zinc sulphide thin film. Deviations from the condition of equal complex eigenvalues caused by small film-thickness and angle-of incidence errors are also determined.
Effect of oral nitroethane and 2-nitropropanol administration on methane-producing activity and volatile fatty acid production in the ovine rumen.

Strategies are sought to reduce economic and environmental costs associated with ruminant methane emissions. The effect of oral nitroethane or 2-nitropropanol administration on ruminal methane-producing activity and volatile fatty acid production was evaluated in mature ewes. Daily administration of 24 and 72 mg nitroethane/kg body weight reduced (P < 0.05) methane-producing activity by as much as 45% and 69% respectively, when compared to control animals given no nitroethane. A daily dose of 120 mg 2-nitropropanol/kg body weight was needed to reduce (P < 0.05) methane-producing activity by 37% from that of untreated control animals. Reductions in methane-producing activity may have been diminished by the last day (day 5) of treatment, presumably due to ruminal adaptation. Oral administration of nitroethane or 2-nitropropanol had little or no effect on accumulations or molar proportions of volatile fatty acids in ruminal contents collected from the sheep. These results demonstrate that nitroethane was superior to 2-nitropropanol as a methane inhibitor and that both nitrocompounds reduced ruminal methanogenesis in vivo without redirecting the flow of reductant generated during fermentation to propionate and butyrate.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory: NASA's first dedicated carbon dioxide mission

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory is scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in January 2009. This Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) mission carries and points a single instrument that incorporates 3 high-resolution grating spectrometers designed to measure the absorption of reflected sunlight by near-infrared carbon dioxide (CO2) and molecular oxygen bands. These spectra will be analyzed to retrieve estimates of the column-averaged CO2 dry air mole fraction, X(sub CO2). Pre-flight qualification and calibration tests completed in early 2008 indicate that the instrument will provide high quality X(sub CO2) data. The instrument was integrated into the spacecraft, and the completed Observatory was qualified and tested during the spring and summer of 2008, in preparation for delivery to the launch site in the fall of this year. The Observatory will initially be launched into a 635 km altitude, near-polar orbit. The on-board propulsion system will then raise the orbit to 705 km and insert OCO into the Earth Observing System Afternoon Constellation (A-Train). The first routine science observations are expected about 45 days after launch. Calibrated spectral radiances will be archived starting about 6 months later. An exploratory X(sub CO2) product will be validated and then archived starting about 3 months after that.
The Adsorption of Gold, Palladium, and Platinum from Acidic Chloride Solutions on Mesoporous Carbons

Studies on the adsorption characteristics of gold, palladium, and platinum on mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) and sulfur-impregnated mesoporous carbon (CMK-3/S) evaluated the benefits/drawbacks of the presence of a layer of elemental sulfur inside mesoporous carbon structures. Adsorption isotherms collected for Au(III), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) on those materials suggest that sulfur does enhance the adsorption of those metal ions in mildly acidic environment (pH 3). The isotherms collected in 1 M HCl show that the benefit of sulfur disappears due to the competing influence of large concentration of chloride ions on the ion-exchanging mechanism of metal ions sorption on mesoporous carbon surfaces. The collected acid dependencies illustrate similar adsorption characteristics for CMK-3 and CMK-3/S in 1-5 M HCl concentration range. Sorption of metal ions from diluted aqueous acidic mixtures of actual leached electronic waste demonstrated the feasibility of recovery of gold from such liquors.
Odor intensity and characterization studies of exhaust from a turbojet engine combustor

Sensory odor tests of the exhaust from a turbojet combustor operating at simulated idle conditions were made by a human panel sniffing diluted exhaust gas. Simultaneously, samples of undiluted exhaust gas were collected on adsorbent substrates, subsequently removed by solvent flushing, and analyzed chemically by liquid chromatographic methods. The concentrations of the principal malodorous species, the aromatic (unburned fuel-related) and the oxygenated (partially burned fuel) fractions, as determined chromatographically, correlated well with the intensity of the odor as determined by sniffing. Odor intensity increased as combustion efficiency decreased. Combustor modifications which increased combustion efficiency decreased odor intensity.
Possible line sums for a qualitative matrix

Abstract Given m -ordered row sums r 1 ,…,r m and n -ordered column sums c 1 ,…,c n , we characterize the sign patterns for which there is a real m -by- n matrix B with row sums r 1 ,…,r m and column sums c 1 ,…,c n . Situations in which there is a symmetric solution or in which there is a skew-symmetric solution are characterized, and circumstances in which there is a solution when + 's or − 's are relaxed to 0 are also determined. Most generally, our principal result may be used to characterize those sign patterns for which for given vectors x , v∈ R n and y , u∈ R m there is a real m -by- n matrix B such that Bx=y and v T =u T B .
Structure and optical properties of several organic-inorganic hybrids containing corner-sharing chains of bismuth iodide octahedra.

Two organic−inorganic bismuth iodides of the form (H3N−R−NH3)BiI5 are reported, each containing long and relatively flexible organic groups, R. The inorganic framework in each case consists of distorted BiI6 octahedra sharing cis vertexes to form zigzag chains. Crystals of (H3NC18H24S2NH3)BiI5 were grown from a slowly cooled ethylene glycol/2-butanol solution containing bismuth(III) iodide and AETH·2HI, where AETH = 1,6-bis[5‘-(2‘ ‘-aminoethyl)-2‘-thienyl]hexane. The new compound, (H2AETH)BiI5, adopts an orthorhombic (Aba2) cell with the lattice parameters a = 20.427(3) A, b = 35.078(5) A, c = 8.559(1) A, and Z = 8. The structure consists of corrugated layers of BiI52- chains, with Bi−I bond lengths ranging from 2.942(3) to 3.233(3) A, separated by layers of the organic (H2AETH)2+ cations. Crystals of the analogous (H3NC12H24NH3 )BiI5 compound were also prepared from a concentrated aqueous hydriodic acid solution containing bismuth(III) iodide and the 1,12-dodecanediamine (DDDA) salt, DDDA·2HI. (H2DDDA)Bi...
Effect of substitutional defects on Kambersky damping in L10 magnetic materials

Kambersky damping, representing the loss of magnetic energy from the electrons to the lattice through the spin orbit interaction, is calculated for L10 FePt, FePd, CoPt, and CoPd alloys versus chemical degree of order. When more substitutional defects exist in the alloys, damping is predicted to increase due to the increase of the spin-flip channels allowed by the broken symmetry. It is demonstrated that this corresponds to an enhanced density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level, owing to the rounding of the DOS with loss of long-range order. Both the damping and the DOS of the Co-based alloy are found to be less affected by the disorder. Pd-based alloys are predicted to have lower damping than Pt-based alloys, making them more suitable for high density spintronic applications.
Optimization of cRNA probe in situ hybridization methodology for localization of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in rat brain: a detailed protocol.

1. We have described a general ribonucleotide probein situ hybridization methodology for localization of mRNA in frozen, unfixed tissue sections of brain. 2. The most important steps in obtaining consistent and reproducible autoradiographs with ribonucleotide probes were tissue acetylation and application of the radiolabeled probe to tissue sections under unsealed, glass coverslips. 3. Variability of the hybridization signal in tissue sections has been minimized to achieve a high degree of reproducibility within a given experiment as determined by densitometric analysis of rat glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA hybridization autoradiographs. 4. Tissue quality has been optimized for high-resolution anatomical localization of mRNA species by nuclear track emulsion. 5. The protocol is amenable to rapid, batchwise processing of tissue samples.
Time- and frequency-domain numerical simulation of linearized Euler equations

Linearized Euler solvers based on a high-resolution numerical scheme are presented. The approach is to linearize the numerical-flux vector as opposed to carrying through the complete linearization analysis with the dependent-variable vector written as a sum of a mean flow and a small perturbation. This allows the linearized equations to be maintained in conservation-law form in the time domain. A harmonic assumption regarding the nature of the unsteady perturbations results in a set of time-independent equations in the frequency domain. The linearized equations are used to compute unsteady flows in cascades arising from blade vibrations. The time-domain equations are solved in a time-accurate manner and the frequency-domain equations are solved using a local time-stepping procedure. Numerical solutions are compared to theoretical results, to other linearized computations, and to numerical solutions of the nonlinear Euler equations. The frequency-domain computations were found to be at least an order of magnitude faster than the corresponding time-domain computations
The Mid-Career Success Guide: Planning for the Second Half of Your Working Life

The article reviews the book “The Mid-Career Success Guide: Planning for the Second Half of Your Working Life,” by Sally J. Power.
Private and Public Opinion Discrepancy: the Anatomy of Market Valuation

The popular explanations of market bubbles, based on the classical economic assumption that market prices incorporate market participants’ private valuations, argue that bubbles are caused by the c...
Re-entrant superconductivity in a magnetically ordered superconductor: La1-xGdxRu2

Abstract We have measured the critical temperature (T c ) and the upper critical magnetic field (H c2 ) of La 1-x Gd x Ru 2 . At low concentrations of the magnetic impurity (Gd), the suppression of T c follows the expected Abrikosov-Gorkov (A-G) pair breaking curve. However, for larger concentrations, strong deviations below A-G are observed. Samples in this region (4. ⪝ × ⪝ 5. at. %) exhibit two T c 's. La 1-x Gd x Ru 2 is known to order magnetically, probably as a spin glass, and the magnetic ordering temperature (T M ) has been measured in the normal state. This T M curve intersects the T c curve in the concentration range where the T c curve is re-entrant and we therefore attribute the re-entrant T c behavior to the magnetic ordering of the Gd 3+ ions.
Effect of artificial light on the symptoms produced by two yellow mosaic viruses

During the winter months, greenhouse-grown cucumber plants infected with cucumber virus 4 may show abnormal symptoms indistinguishable from those caused by the closely related cucumber virus 3. Similarly, Turkish tobacco plants infected with yellow aucuba mosaic virus may be difficult to differentiate from plants infected with green aucuba mosaic virus. In both cases, it has been possible to verify the identity of the yellow-type virus in plants showing atypical symptoms by irradiation of the plants with 500-watt or 1000-watt light bulbs in suitable reflectors. Such illumination was found to cause the appearance of typical symptoms in cucumber virus 4 infected plants and in yellow aucuba mosaic diseased plants in 2–5 days.
HSPA;/LTE-A turbo decoder on GPU and multicore CPU

This paper compares two implementations of reconfigurable and high-throughput turbo decoders. The first implementation is optimized for an NVIDIA Kepler graphics processing unit (GPU), whereas the second implementation is for an Intel Ivy Bridge processor. Both implementations support max-log-MAP and log-MAP turbo decoding algorithms, various code rates, different interleaver types, and all block-lengths, as specified by HSPA; and LTE-Advanced. In order to ensure a fair comparison between both implementations, we perform device-specific optimizations to improve the decoding throughput and error-rate performance. Our results show that the Intel Ivy Bridge processor implementation achieves up to 2× higher decoding throughput than our GPU implementation. In addition our CPU implementation requires roughly 4× fewer codewords to be processed in parallel to achieve its peak throughput.
Aligning marketing strategies throughout the supply chain to enhance performance

Abstract A marketing strategy alignment model that incorporates marketing strategy alignment, supply chain performance, and organizational performance constructs is proposed and assessed. Data collected using an e-mail, Internet-based methodology from a sample of 117 managers with knowledge of their organizations supply chain activities are analyzed using a structural equation methodology. The data collected reflect the perceptions of the managers concerning the extent to which their firms have aligned marketing strategies with supply chain partners. Findings indicate that alignment of the marketing strategies by the partners throughout the supply chain is positively associated with supply chain performance and that supply chain performance is positively associated with organizational performance. Because this is an early study based on a relatively small, diverse sample, the findings of the study are considered preliminary. Based on the results, managers seeking to improve the performance of their organizations should work with supply chain partners to align marketing strategies throughout entire the supply chain. This is one of the first empirical studies to assess the relationships among marketing strategy alignment, supply chain performance, and organizational performance constructs.
A Linear Theory for the Jet Flap in Ground Effect

The jet flap shows great potential for high-lift coefficients, CL'S of above 10 having been achieved in test. However, the flowfield is markedly influenced by ground effect, particularly at high lift and strong blowing. The two-dimensional inviscid problem is formulated with the usual linearization of boundary conditions. Four fundamental superposable cases are denned: due to jet angle, thickness, camber, and angle of attack. Using complex variables, and mapping into an auxiliary plane gives a boundary-value problem of the Riemann-HilbertPoincare type. Part of the solution is expressed in closed analytic form and the balance obtained by computer. The numerical method described is speedy and convergent, and is useful for other similar problems. The computer generated solution for a thin flat airfoil at arbitrary angle of attack, jet angle, and jet coefficient is presented graphically. It is in excellent agreement with experimental data, provided there is no wake blockage. Blockage effects are briefly discussed. Other jet flap problems that this method can solve are listed; this includes wind-tunnel wall corrections and cascades.
Teaching multiple programming paradigms: a proposal for a paradigm general pseudocode

Initial overexposure to the imperative programming paradigm can make it very difficult to introduce students to other paradigms, such as the functional, object oriented and logical paradigms. It is important that students be exposed to several programming paradigms early. Two techniques commonly used to accomplish this are a “survey of languages” approach and use of a language, such as Scheme, that overlaps several paradigms. We propose the use of a paradigm-general pseudocode that can then be translated into the most appropriate target language. This paper describes in detail the features and form of this pseudocode using familiar algorithms. This approach has been used successfully in an upper division class and we believe it can be refined and introduced earlier in the curriculum.
Metallothionein I reduction of cytochrome c

Abstract Using absorption spectroscopy we have found that metallothionein I at concentrations as low as 1uM reduces ferricytochrome c. This reduction is more potent than that of another abundant intracellular thiol, glutathione. Also, oxidation of ferricytochrome c which had been reduced by metallothionein I occurs more slowly than when the reductant was glutathione. Over a pH range of 6 through 9 there is no variation in the initial rate of metallothionein I reduction of ferricytochrome c. These data demonstrate a potent interaction between metallothionein I and ferricytochrome c.
Biologically inspired models for swarming

"Understanding" the behavior of a biological system typically means formulating a sensible model, postulating a feedback law (incorporating biologically plausible sensory measurements), and experimentally verifying that the model and feedback law are consistent with nature. This approach is illustrated well in the work of K. Ghose, T. K. Horiuchi, P. S. Krishnaprasad, and C. F. Moss (and colleagues) on insect pursuit by echolocating bats. In work of F. Zhang, E. W. Justh, and P. S. Krishnaprasad, similar modeling principles and feedback laws have also been shown to play an important role in biologically-inspired formation-control and obstacle-avoidance laws. Building on this earlier work, we seek to identify a bio-inspired framework for cooperative swarming, in which the apparently complicated trajectories of individuals are explained by feedback laws which take a relatively simple form. The objectives of such swarming (e.g., for teams of unmanned vehicles) could include rendezvous, target capture (or destruction), and cooperative sensing.
Metastability in two dimensions and the effective potential.

Using a lattice Langevin simulation we measure the decay rate of a metastable phase in (2+1)-dimensional classical scalar field theory coupled to a heat bath, which is equivalent to two-dimensional Euclidean quantum field theory at zero temperature. The nucleation barrier is found to be accurately predicted by the bounce configuration obtained from the tree-level ( classical'') effective action.
The antisymmetrized geminal power approximation to the excitation propagator

A consistent propagator approximation, denoted as the excitation propagator, is introduced. This propagator describes excitations between N-particle states and its approximation has properties required of consistent random phase approximation schemes. Several properties of this propagator are explored when based on a generalized antisymmetrized geminal power wavefunction. How singularities in the metric occur and how to remove them is discussed in detail. The excitation propagator is also contrasted with the principal (polarization) propagator.
Theory of plasticity applied to faulting, Mojave Desert, southern California

The Mojave Desert region, a triangle-shaped area in southern California, is bounded on the northwest by the left-slip Garlock fault and on the southwest by the right-slip San Andreas fault. Within the triangle partly defined by these two faults, right-slip northwest-trending and left-slip northeast-trending faults occur. The structural geology and fault pattern within the triangle are uniform and internally consistent and are markedly different from the structural geology and fault pattern of the areas to the north and south. To describe the pattern of faults and to interpret the mechanics of deformation of the triangle, a two-dimensional model from theory of plasticity is proposed wherein an analogy is made between the Mojave Desert triangle and L. Prandtl9s compressed cell. To simulate regional stresses, the cell is subjected to north-south compression. The maximum shear-stress trajectories developed in the theoretical model have the same orientation and sense of relative movement as the faults in the Mojave Desert area. The theoretical model may be used to predict the orientations and sense of movement along faults that might form in the future.
Redistribution of cytoplasmic components during germinal vesicle breakdown in starfish oocytes

The starfish oocyte is relatively clear optically, and its nucleus, termed the germinal vesicle, is large. These characteristics allowed studies by confocal microscopy of germinal vesicle breakdown during maturation in living oocytes. Three fluorescent probes for cytoplasmic components were used: fluorescein 70 kDa dextran, which does not cross the nuclear pore of immature oocytes and probably behaves in the same way as soluble cytosolic proteins, YOYO-1, which was used to localize ribosomes, and DiI which labels the nuclear envelope and endoplasmic reticulum. The first change observable by transmitted light microscopy during maturation is a wrinkling of the germinal vesicle envelope. Several minutes before the wrinkling, the 70 kDa dextran began to enter the germinal vesicle; the ribosomes did not enter during this period. The dextran is likely to be passing through nuclear pores whose size limit has increased but which still exclude ribosomes. At the time of the wrinkling of the germinal vesicle envelope, both 70 kDa dextran and ribosomes entered as a massive wave. The characteristics of this entry indicate that the permeability barrier of the nuclear envelope bilayer has been disrupted. The disruption of the permeability barrier occurred in a local region rather than around the entire periphery. Also, the disruption was observed more often on the animal pole side of the germinal vesicle (26/34 oocytes). The endoplasmic reticulum entered the nuclear region more slowly. Cytochalasin B inhibited this movement and also inhibited characteristic endoplasmic reticulum movements seen at high magnification. The effects of cytochalasin indicate that mixing of endoplasmic reticulum with nuclear space is an active process involving actin filaments.
Study of spin–lattice relaxation and local motion in dissolved poly[2,2-propanediylbis(3,5-dimethyl-4, hydroxyphenyl)carbonate]

Proton and carbon-13 spin–lattice relaxation times are reported for 10-wt % solutions of tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate. The relaxation times for both nuclei were measured at two Larmor frequencies and as a function of temperature. These relaxation times are interpreted in terms of three motions: segmental motion, restricted rotational diffusion, and backbone methyl-group rotation. The Hall–Helfand correlation function is used to describe the segmental motion. Internal rotation is described by the usual Woessner approach and restricted anisotropic rotational diffusion by the Gronski approach. As demonstrated by its higher activation energy, correlated segmental motion appears to be slower than the unsubstituted polycarbonate of BPA. In addition, the single-transition processes seem to be still less important than correlated backbone transitions. Phenylene-group rotation is described in terms of restricted rotational diffusion instead of complete anisotropic rotation. The time scale for backbone methyl-group rotation is comparable to that in BPA, a fact indicative of weaker cooperativity between this motion and the other motions. Rotation of the methyl group attached to the phenylene ring is too fast to significantly contribute to relaxation except by partially averaging the dipole–dipole interactions. The higher activation energies for segmental motion observed in solution for this methyl-substituted polycarbonate relative to the unsubstituted polycarbonate parallel a significant increase in the glass transition temperature observed for the substituted material. The restricted pheylene-group rotation in solution is also parallelled by a large upward shift of the low-temperature loss peak in the glassy polymer.
Estimating scatterer properties in rat fibroadenomas using various mathematical form factors

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) imaging is a model-based approach aimed at lesion detection and classification. In this study, the RF backscattered signals from rat fibroadenomas were fit to various mathematical models to yield effective scatterer diameter (ESD) estimates which are tied to tissue microstructure. The goal of these experiments was to understand potential sources of scattering in live tissue across a wide frequency range and how results from different models compare to one another.
System requirements for super Terabit routing

Rapid growth of Internet and huge demand for higher data transfer rate created a challenge for network, processor and communication engineers. In this paper, we first discuss the deficiencies of the conventional routing switch architectures. Then, we present a novel switch strategy based on space and time division multiplexing and a system level architecture by which achieving several hundred of Terabits per second throughput for networking equipments becomes possible.
The fractional-order dynamics of brainstem vestibulo-oculomotor neurons

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and other oculomotor subsystems such as pursuit and saccades are ultimately mediated in the brainstem by premotor neurons in the vestibular and prepositus nuclei that relay eye movement commands to extraocular motoneurons. The premotor neurons receive vestibular signals from canal afferents. Canal afferent frequency responses have a component that can be characterized as a fractional-order differentiation (dkx/dtk where k is a nonnegative real number). This article extends the use of fractional calculus to describe the dynamics of motor and premotor neurons. It suggests that the oculomotor integrator, which converts eye velocity into eye position commands, may be of fractional order. This order is less than one, and the velocity commands have order one or greater, so the resulting net output of motor and premotor neurons can be described as fractional differentiation relative to eye position. The fractional derivative dynamics of motor and premotor neurons may serve to compensate fractional integral dynamics of the eye. Fractional differentiation can be used to account for the constant phase shift across frequencies, and the apparent decrease in time constant as VOR and pursuit frequency increases, that are observed for motor and premotor neurons. Fractional integration can reproduce the time course of motor and premotor neuron saccade-related activity, and the complex dynamics of the eye. Insight into the nature of fractional dynamics can be gained through simulations in which fractional-order differentiators and integrators are approximated by sums of integer-order high-pass and low-pass filters, respectively. Fractional dynamics may be applicable not only to the oculomotor system, but to motor control systems in general.
Arthroscopic subacromial decompression and rotator cuff debridement for stage II and stage III impingement

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression and rotator cuff debridement was performed on 61 consecutive patients with either stage II or stage III impingement syndrome: 27 with no actual tear of the cuff (group IIa); 21 with a partial-thickness tear (group IIb); and 13 with full-thickness tears (group III). Patients were seen in follow-up at a minimum of 2 years (mean 27.7 months). Apical oblique and outlet radiographic views of the shoulder were used to evaluate both preoperative subacromial pathology and to document removal of adequate bone postoperatively. Patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using both the UCLA Shoulder Rating Scale and Neer's criteria: Twenty-four of the 61 cases were compensation related. Mean motion improved postoperatively for all stages of impingement. For all patients, preoperative UCLA and Neer ratings were unsatisfactory. In group IIa, postoperative UCLA and Neer ratings improved in 22 patients to an 81% satisfactory result rate. In group IIb, 17 patients had major improvement in UCLA and Neer ratings (also an 81% satisfactory result rate). In group III, there were 10 satisfactory and three unsatisfactory results for a 77% satisfactory result rate. Of the 10 satisfactory results, eight were in patients who were either retired or worked at sedentary jobs that did not demand above-shoulder activities and strength, and whose principal preoperative complaint was pain. All 10 of these patients had relief of their pain; the three unsatisfactory results were all compensation cases in manual laborers, one later having a satisfactory result from an open cuff repair.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Spherically symmetric attenuation within the Earth from normal mode data

SUMMARY Observations of the attenuation of free oscillations after large earthquakes are used to determine the spherically symmetric dissipative structure within the Earth. We model intrinsic attenuation of seismic energy between 0.3 and 10mHz with a frequency-independent Q model. The resolving power of our data indicates that simple models of Q can explain our observations and that we do not have enough information to constrain detailed absorption band models. The average shear Q is relatively well constrained for the mantle and is 250 f 2 per cent. The shear Q in the inner core is mostly constrained by new observations of PKIKP equivalent modes and is 110 f 25 per cent. This is lower than in some previous models, which have used possibly erroneous observations of core modes, though the new models still predict too little attenuation to match the observations of strong differential attenuation of the BC and DF branches of PKP at frequencies of about 1 Hz. Agreement between the mode and body-wave data sets should probably not be expected since it now seems likely that the PKIKP data sense an absorption band which is distinct from that sensed by the mode data. The distribution of bulk attenuation in the Earth remains ill-constrained though bulk attenuation is required somewhere to explain the attenuation of the radial modes. Successful models tend to put significant bulk Q in the upper mantle.
Pre-receptor regulation of the androgen receptor.

Abstract The human androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor and mediates the induction of genes involved in the development of the male phenotype and male secondary sex characteristics, as well as the normal and abnormal growth of the prostate. We have identified the pair of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs) that regulate ligand access to the AR in human prostate. We find that type 3 3α-HSD (aldo-keto reductase (AKR)1C2) catalyzes the NADPH dependent reduction of the potent androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT) to yield the inactive androgen 3α-androstanediol (3α-diol). We also find that RoDH like 3α-HSD (RL-HSD) catalyzes the NAD+ dependent oxidation of 3α-diol to yield 5α-DHT. Together these enzymes are involved in the pre-receptor regulation of androgen action. Inhibition of AKR1C2 would be desirable in cases of androgen insufficiency and inhibition of RL-HSD might be desirable in benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Thermoresponsive fluconazole gels for topical delivery: rheological and mechanical properties, in vitro drug release and anti-fungal efficacy

AbstractThe aim of this study was to develop thermosensitive gels using poloxamers for topical delivery of fluconazole (FLZ). Eight different formulations containing 1% FLZ in poloxamer and a particular co-solvent (propylene glycol (PG) or Transcutol-P) of various concentrations were prepared. The gels were characterized for transition temperatures, rheological and mechanical properties. FLZ permeability and antifungal effect of the gels were also evaluated. Except for one formulation, all gels exhibited thermosensitive property, i.e. transformed from Newtonian (liquid-like) behavior at 20 °C to non-Newtonian (gel-like) behavior at 37 °C. Transcutol-P increased the transition temperature of the formulations, while the opposite effect was observed for PG. At 37 °C, formulations with high poloxamer concentrations (17%) resulted in high viscosity, compressibility and hardness. Formulations containing 17% poloxamer and 20% Transcutol-P and 10% PG, respectively, exhibited high adhesiveness. No significant diff...
Staggered cell-intrinsic timing of ath5 expression underlies the wave of ganglion cell neurogenesis in the zebrafish retina.

In the developing nervous system, progenitor cells must decide when to withdraw from the cell cycle and commence differentiation. There is considerable debate whether cell-extrinsic or cell-intrinsic factors are most important for triggering this switch. In the vertebrate retina, initiation of neurogenesis has recently been explained by a `sequential-induction9 model– signals from newly differentiated neurons are thought to trigger neurogenesis in adjacent progenitors, creating a wave of neurogenesis that spreads across the retina in a stereotypical manner. We show here, however, that the wave of neurogenesis in the zebrafish retina can emerge through the independent action of progenitor cells – progenitors in different parts of the retina appear pre-specified to initiate neurogenesis at different times. We provide evidence that midline Sonic hedgehog signals, acting before the onset of neurogenesis, are part of the mechanism that sets the neurogenic timer in these cells. Our results highlight the importance of intrinsic factors for triggering neurogenesis, but they also suggest that early signals can modulate these intrinsic factors to influence the timing of neurogenesis many cell cycles later, thereby potentially coordinating axial patterning with control of neuron number and cell fate.
Full and reduced-order-robust adaptive observers for chaotic synchronization

Full- and reduced-order adaptive observers are presented for state reconstruction of nonlinear systems with uncertainty having unknown bounds. The observers use nonlinear gains that are smoothened versions of classical sliding-mode gains and they are continuously updated to guarantee a globally stable observation error. These observers are applied to Chua's circuit in a chaotic synchronization scheme with possible application to secure communications. A performance comparison of full- and reduced-order observers is also included.
The Application of a Statistical Trend Analysis Model to Ground Water Monitoring Data from Solid Waste Landfills

A statistical trend methodology is used to compare ground water quality between eight landfill sites in western Michigan as a case study. Monitoring data were collected over a 15-year period on 36 parameters at a upgradient and downgradient well selected at each of the eight sites. This yielded a total of 576 monitoring data sets available for analysis. New trend and contamination indices are introduced that are used to compare ground water contamination between these eight sites. These indices are used to assess each landfill`s relative potential for environmental harm. Many questions remain unanswered, but what is demonstrated here is that this type of methodology has the potential to be used to assess trends of ground water chemistry concentrations at landfill sites in a region. A specific purpose of such an assessment could be to provide a quantified basis for the prioritization of funds allocated for cleanup of contaminated landfill sites. Having a technical capability to reduce large amounts of ground water monitoring data to appropriate summaries, which then can be used to assess environmental contamination between several sites, could also have important economic and health implications in other settings. Hopefully this paper will encourage further development of such technologiesmore » for these purposes.« less
Goodwill Hunting: An Economically Efficient Online Feedback Mechanism for Environments with Variable Product Quality

Most online feedback mechanisms publish unbiased statistics (usually averages) of past ratings. Such mechanisms fail in environments where the same seller sells products of many different qualities, such as marketplaces of used cars and collectibles. This paper presents a novel feedback management mechanism that succeeds in facilitating efficient transactions in such settings. One particularly interesting aspect of this mechanism is that it uses the threat of biased future reporting of quality in order to induce sellers to truthfully declare the quality of their items.
A Tale of Three Carboxylates: Cooperative Asymmetric Crystallization of a Three-Dimensional Microporous Framework from Achiral Precursors†

Chirality Induction in Porous MOF The chiral induction reagent (e.g., D-, L-camphoric acid) exhibits two distinct roles: (1) enable and catalyze growth of chiral crystals, and (2) control bulk chirality of Mn3(HCOO)4(adc) crystals (H2adc = adamantane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid. Time-dependent experiments show the initial crystallization of an achiral phase Mn(adc), which persists in the absence of chiral induction agent, but is slowly converted into enantioenriched Mn3(HCOO)4(adc) in the presence of chiral induction agent such as D-camphoric acid, operating in synergy with in situ generated formate.
Review: developmental origins of neural tumours: old idea, new approaches.

T. N. Phoenix, D. S. Currle, G. Robinson and R. J. Gilbertson (2012) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology38, 222–227 Developmental origins of neural tumours: old idea, new approaches The recent convergence of pathology, cancer research and basic neurobiology disciplines is providing unprecedented insights to the origins of brain tumours. This new knowledge holds great promise for patients, transforming the way we view and develop new treatments for these devastating diseases.
RECENT CHANGES AND TRENDS IN THE PRACTICE OF APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY

The emergent global economy of the 21st century will create an ever greater need for research-based information and pragmatic utilization of social science skills, creating new work opportunities for applied anthropologists in a variety of settings. However, anthropologists may need to adjust their traditional roles and tasks, approaches and methods, and priorities and guidelines to practice their craft effectively. Anthropological training and education must be based in sound ethnographic techniques, using contemporary tools, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary knowledge in order to accommodate faster-paced work environments and to disseminate their findings efficiently to a diverse audience while fulfilling the goal of empowering and enabling humans around the world to address social, economic, and health issues, along with other pressing concerns facing their communities.
Optimal surface detection in intravascular ultrasound using multi-dimensional graph search

A new algorithm is proposed for the detection of optimal surfaces in multi-dimensional datasets. The algorithm is based on multi-dimensional dynamic programming. Cost functions were derived using a cylindrical object model by resampling the raw image data along perpendiculars to a prior contour. Radial and angular smoothing filters were used together with a radial derivative operator to convert the data into a cost function. The algorithm was applied To IVUS image sequences of explanted peripheral arterial segments. The algorithm was assessed by comparing the arterial wall estimates obtained from tracings, obtained slice by slice, by an expert human. The slope and intercept were: 1.06/spl plusmn/0.05, -57/spl plusmn/255 pixels, respectively. The slope and intercepts were not different from unity and zero, respectively (p>0.2). The algorithm is capable of recovering surfaces in 3D, has fixed memory requirements, and is fast.
Demographic Trends in the United States: A Review of Research in the 2000s

Demographic trends in the 2000s showed the continuing separation of family and household due to factors such as childbearing among single parents, the dissolution of cohabiting unions, divorce, repartnering, and remarriage. The transnational families of many immigrants also displayed this separation, as families extended across borders. In addition, demographers demonstrated during the decade that trends such as marriage and divorce were diverging according to education. Moreover, demographic trends in the age structure of the population showed that a large increase in the elderly population will occur in the 2010s. Overall, demographic trends produced an increased complexity of family life and a more ambiguous and fluid set of categories than demographers are accustomed to measuring.
Secondary immunodeficiencies, including HIV infection

Extrinsic factors can adversely affect immune responses, producing states of secondary immunodeficiency and consequent increased risk of infections. These immunodeficiencies, which can be encountered in routine clinical practice, arise from a number of conditions, such as treatment with glucocorticoids and immunomodulatory drugs, surgery and trauma, extreme environmental conditions, and chronic infections, such as those caused by HIV. The most common cause of immunodeficiency is malnutrition, affecting many communities around the world with restricted access to food resources. Protein-calorie deficiency and micronutrient deficiencies have been shown to alter immune responses; of note, recent progress has been made in the influence of vitamin D deficiency in causing failure of immune activation. Other categories of disease that might present with secondary immunodeficiency include metabolic diseases and genetic multisystemic syndromes. The immune defects observed in secondary immunodeficiency are usually heterogeneous in their clinical presentation, and their prognosis depends on the severity of the immune defect. Management of the primary condition often results in improvement of the immunodeficiency; however, this is sometimes not possible, and the risk of infections can be reduced with prompt antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis.
Target infrared signature using automatic model based laser radar alignment

The IR signature of a combat vehicle has a complex relationship to both the internal and external environment of the vehicle. The signature depends upon a great number of parameters and varies constantly over time. This paper presents a method for the development of a statistical database useable for estimating the range of variations of IR signature characteristics that may be expected in a real environment. The technique consists of using a 3-D computer modelbase of vehicles along with laser radar (LADAR) range imagery to align the 3-D models with the sensed IR imagery. The resulting statistical database will greatly aid in the development of future model based IR and IR-LADAR automatic target recognition (ATR) systems.
Up against the wall: ecotourism, development, and social justice in Costa Rica

Nearly one-quarter of Costa Rica's export earnings derive from an expanding tourist sector, one that is increasingly diversified in a mix of tourist niches. Ecotourism is the fastest growing niche and its promises are featured in a range of sites and practices, including the largest multinational hospitality and hotel corporations. These companies promote a vision of sustainability that relies on expanding consumption of ‘environmental' amenities through profit-driven global corporations – a vision that is, to some, antithetical to the very meaning of ecotourism. Our study explores the historical evolution of tourist development in Costa Rica, specifically large-scale coastal development, as a means for national development. Amid pressures to attract foreign direct investment in a neoliberal era, Costa Rica has struggled to maintain its developmentalism, which includes social welfare, environmental protection, and public goods, including coastal preservation and public access. We argue Costa Rica's simult...
Contests with deadly weapons: telson sparring in mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda)

Mantis shrimp strike with extreme impact forces that are deadly to prey. They also strike conspecifics during territorial contests, yet theoretical and empirical findings in aggressive behaviour research suggest competitors should resolve conflicts using signals before escalating to dangerous combat. We tested how Neogonodactylus bredini uses two ritualized behaviours to resolve size-matched contests: meral spread visual displays and telson (tailplate) strikes. We predicted that (i) most contests would be resolved by meral spreads, (ii) meral spreads would reliably signal strike force and (iii) strike force would predict contest success. The results were unexpected for each prediction. Contests were not resolved by meral spreads, instead escalating to striking in 33 of 34 experiments. The size of meral spread components did not strongly correlate with strike force. Strike force did not predict contest success; instead, winners delivered more strikes. Size-matched N. bredini avoid deadly combat not by visual displays, but by ritualistically and repeatedly striking each other9s telsons until the loser retreats. We term this behaviour ‘telson sparring9, analogous to sparring in other weapon systems. We present an alternative framework for mantis shrimp contests in which the fight itself is the signal, serving as a non-lethal indicator of aggressive persistence or endurance.