cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smectic Phase in a Colloidal Suspension of Semiflexible Virus Particles

Aqueous suspensions of micron-length, charged, semiflexible fd virus particles are studied experimentally in order to explore properties of the cholesteric-smectic phase transition in a system approximating flexible, hard rods. Through comparison of this system with (1) computer simulations of hard, rigid rods, (2) experiments on tobacco mosaic virus, a rigid, charged virus, and on pf1, a flexible, charged virus, and (3) with recent theories of the nematic-smectic transition in flexible rods, we argue that flexibility raises the volume fraction at the phase transition, lowers the ratio of the smectic periodicity to the contour length, and drives the transition first order.
An algorithm for wide aperture 3D SAR imaging with measured data

We utilize eight circular passes of measured airborne X-Band radar data to form a novel reflectivity surface estimate. Our previous work demonstrated reflectivity surface estimation from narrow aperture multi-pass data and this work extends those results to wide apertures. Narrow aperture surface estimates are co-registered in the three spatial dimensions and combined non-coherently to form a wide-aperture data product. For the purpose of visually conveying the scene reflectivity content a surface is formed from the wide angle data product. The subject of this work is not on the optimality of the methods nor the global convexity of the cost functions. Instead, these results give us one of the first glimpses at measured wide angle three dimensional SAR image products and provide a qualitative benchmark against which to measure future wide angle three dimensional synthetic aperture radar autofocus and imaging algorithms.
Mortgage Refinancing with Asymmetric Information

Information asymmetry exists between the lender and the borrower regarding the holding period of the mortgaged real estate; the lender does not know how long the borrower plans to own the house. This information asymmetry allows the cost of obtaining a mortgage to deviate from its value to the borrower. As a result, the exercise price of the option to refinance becomes the cost to the borrower of obtaining a new mortgage instead of the outstanding balance of the existing mortgage as used in previous models. The option to refinance is a sequential option; after the borrower refinances, a new option is obtained to refinance again in the future. A mortgage refinancing model is developed taking information asymmetry and sequential refinancing into account. The model is used to solve for (1) the value to the borrower of a callable mortgage and (2) the minimum interest rate differential between the contract rate of the existing mortgage and the market interest rate needed to justify refinancing.
Restoration of Faint Object Camera (FOC) imaging data: considerations when choosing FOC point spread functions (PSFs)

We present a discussion of the various sources of FOC Point Spread Functions (PSFs), and the problems associated with their use. In particular, we highlight the time variability of the PSF halo structure and indicate some of the causes. We examine the usefulness of the PSF modelling software, TinyTim, and show that although this software creates visually similar images, these similarities are to a large extent superficial. We conclude by showing that the theoretical PSFs produced by TinyTim are inadequate for the restoration of high S/N FOC point source images. We also conclude that, because of 'breathing', there is a strong likelihood that empirical PSFs, whether pre-existing or specifically obtained, may not be sufficient either.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of rice stem borer infestation on grain yield and yield components

Greenhouse studies were conducted by artificially infesting potted rice plants with first instar larvae of Maliarpha separate/la and Sesamia botanephaga Tarns and Bowden at two stages of plant growth, namely: early tillering stage and at the booting stage. Early infestation by M. separatella resulted in reduction of plant height and the number of filled grains. At the booting stage, the number of filled grains and their weight were higher in uninfested plants. Infestation by S. botanephaga at both stages of plant growth mainly affected the number of productive tillers. Grain weight was unaffected. Field studies on individual hills gave erratic results and there were instances when hills containing tillers bored by M. separatella produced higher yields than unattacked hills.
Relación entre el modelo de cinco factores y las dimensiones del trastorno de personalidad latente del Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales, cuarta edición

El presente estudio comparo la estructura latente de los trastornos de personalidad (TP) clasificada en el Manual Diagnostico y Estadistico de los Trastornos Mentales, cuarta edicion, con el modelo de cinco factores (MCF) de las dimensiones de la personalidad general. En el estudio se incluyo a 742 individuos que residian en la comunidad y participaban en el Hopkins Epidemiology of Personality Disorders Study. Utilizando el International Personality Disorder Examination los psicologos evaluaron los TP clasificados en el Manual Diagnostico y Estadistico de los Trastornos Mentales, cuarta edicion y las dimensiones TP se derivaron previamente utilizando un analisis de factor dicotomico. Se administro a todos los individuos el Revised NEO Personality Inventory, un parametro del MCF. La relacion entre las dos series de conceptos teoricos relacionados con la personalidad se examino utilizando un marco de validez del concepto teorico y, asimismo, coeficientes de correlacion de Pearson, modelos de regresion lineal multiples y modelos de regresion spline. Cada uno de los cinco factores de TP manifesto correlaciones ligeras o moderadas con diversas dimensiones NEO; en conjunto, el dominio NEO y las puntuaciones de faceta explicaron de una quinta a una tercera parte de la variancia en las dimensiones TP. Se identificaron ejemplos de relaciones no lineales entre las dimensiones de la personalidad. Se observo una correspondencia modesta entre las dimensiones TP y los rasgos de MCF, y estos solo explicaron parcialmente la variancia de los TP. Los parametros dimensionales de la personalidad general pueden ser una alternativa apropiada al Manual Diagnostico y Estadistico de los Trastornos Mentales, cuarta edicion. Si los rasgos de inadaptacion adicionales definen mejor el dominio de los TP sigue siendo un objetivo importante de la investigacion futura.
A crop water stress index and time threshold for automatic irrigation scheduling of grain sorghum

Abstract Variations of the crop water stress index (CWSI) have been used to characterize plant water stress and schedule irrigations. Usually, this thermal-based stress index has been calculated from measurements taken once daily or over a short period of time, near solar noon or after and in cloud free conditions. A method of integrating the CWSI over a day was developed to avoid the noise that may occur if weather prevents a clear CWSI signal near solar noon. This CWSI and time threshold (CWSI-TT) was the accumulated time that the CWSI was greater than a threshold value (0.45); and it was compared with a time threshold (CWSI-TT) based on a well-watered crop. We investigated the effectiveness of the CWSI-TT to automatically control irrigation of short and long season grain sorghum hybrids ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, NC+ 5C35 and Pioneer 84G62); and to examine crop response to deficit irrigation treatments (i.e. 80%, 55%, 30% and 0% of full replenishment of soil water depletion to 1.5-m depth). Results from automated irrigation scheduling were compared to those from manual irrigation based on weekly neutron probe readings. In 2009, results from the Automatic irrigation were mixed; biomass yields in the 55% and 0% treatments, dry grain yields in the 80% and 0% treatments, and WUE in the 80%, 55%, and 0% treatments were not significantly different from those in the corresponding Manual treatments. However, dry grain yields in the 55% and 30% treatments were significantly less than those in the Manual control plots. These differences were due mainly to soil water variability in the beginning of the growing season. This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that IWUE for dry grain yield was not significantly different for 30% and 55% treatments, and was significantly greater for Automatic control at 80%. In 2010, there were no significant differences in biomass, dry grain yield, WUE, or IWUE for irrigation control methods when compared across the same amount treatments. Similar results between irrigation methods for at least the highest irrigation rate (80% of soil water depletion) in 2009 and among all irrigation treatment amounts in 2010 indicate that the CWSI-TT method can be an effective trigger for automatically scheduling either full or deficit irrigations for grain sorghum in a semi-arid region.
On the critical behavior of the magnetization in high-dimensional Ising models

We derive rigorously general results on the critical behavior of the magnetization in Ising models, as a function of the temperature and the external field. For the nearest-neighbor models it is shown that ind⩾4 dimensions the magnetization is continuous atT c and its critical exponents take the classical valuesδ=3 andβ=1/2, with possible logarithmic corrections atd=4. The continuity, and other explicit bounds, formally extend tod>3 1/2. Other systems to which the results apply include long-range models ind=1 dimension, with 1/|x−y| λ couplings, for which 2/(λ−1) replacesd in the above summary. The results are obtained by means of differential inequalities derived here using the random current representation, which is discussed in detail for the case of a nonvanishing magnetic field.
Hypnotizability and Facets of Openness

Abstract Absorption, a correlate of hypnotizability, is related to a broader dimension of openness to experience, one construal of the “Big Five” structure of personality. But openness itself is very heterogeneous, and some of its facets may be unrelated to hypnotizability. A total of 651 subjects completed a questionnaire measuring three different aspects of openness—absorption, intellectance, and liberalism—before receiving the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A. The three dimensions were only modestly related to each other, and only absorption was significantly related to hypnotizability. Adding intellectance and liberalism to absorption did not enhance the prediction of hypnotizability. The results indicate that the various facets of openness are rather different from each other and that the “Big Five” structure may need to be expanded. Absorption and hypnosis share a kind of imaginative involvement that is not necessarily part of other kinds of openness, such as intellectance and ...
Rates of medication errors among depressed and burnt out residents: prospective cohort study.

Objective To determine the prevalence of depression and burnout among residents in paediatrics and to establish if a relation exists between these disorders and medication errors. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Three urban freestanding children’s hospitals in the United States. Participants 123 residents in three paediatric residency programmes. Main outcome measures Prevalence of depression using the Harvard national depression screening day scale, burnout using the Maslach burnout inventory, and rate of medication errors per resident month. Results 24 (20%) of the participating residents met the criteria for depression and 92 (74%) met the criteria for burnout. Active surveillance yielded 45 errors made by participants. Depressed residents made 6.2 times as many medication errors per resident month as residents who were not depressed: 1.55 (95% confidence interval 0.57 to 4.22) compared with 0.25 (0.14 to 0.46, P<0.001). Burnt out residents and non-burnt out residents made similar rates of errors per resident month: 0.45 (0.20 to 0.98) compared with 0.53 (0.21 to 1.33, P=0.2). Conclusions Depression and burnout are major problems among residents in paediatrics. Depressed residents made significantly more medical errors than their non-depressed peers; however, burnout did not seem to correlate with an increased rate of medical errors.
Mustelid, Squirrel, and Porcupine Population Trends during a Snowshoe Hare Cycle

Rates of capture in live traps set for snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus ) were used to index population trends of four mustelids ( Mustek frenata, M. erminea, M. vision, Mephitis mephitis ), three sciurids ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Glaucomys sabrinus, Spermophilus franklinii ), and the porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum ) at Rochester, Alberta, during 1965–1975. The Mustela species (weasels and mink) had a 10-year cycle synchronous with that of the snowshoe hare. About 81% of the annual variation in weasel numbers, as indexed by capture rates, was attributable to fluctuations of hares, voles ( Microtus and Clethrionomys ), and mice ( Peromyscus ). Onset of the cyclic decrease in hares was followed within 2 years by declines in sciurid, skunk ( Mephitis ), and porcupine populations that may have been a consequence of predator switching as hares became scarce.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Emergency Department: A Public Health Perspective

This article discusses racial and ethnic disparities from a public health perspective, specifically why they threaten to impede the efforts to improve the nation's health. The authors (1) provide background information, including a review of the Institute of Medicine report on health care disparities; (2) describe the racial and ethnic compositions of the individuals in the emergency department setting from the perspective of both the patient and health care provider; (3) discuss the most prevalent disease presentations to the emergency department that are likely to have racial and ethnic disparities; and (4) give conclusions and general recommendations on how to address disparities in emergency health care.
Regulation of assimilate import into sink organs: update on molecular drivers of sink strength.

Recent developments have altered our view of molecular mechanisms that determine sink strength, defined here as the capacity of non-photosynthetic structures to compete for import of photoassimilates. We review new findings from diverse systems, including stems, seeds, flowers, and fruits. An important advance has been the identification of new transporters and facilitators with major roles in the accumulation and equilibration of sugars at a cellular level. Exactly where each exerts its effect varies among systems. Sugarcane and sweet sorghum stems, for example, both accumulate high levels of sucrose, but may do so via different paths. The distinction is central to strategies for targeted manipulation of sink strength using transporter genes, and shows the importance of system-specific analyses. Another major advance has been the identification of deep hypoxia as a feature of normal grain development. This means that molecular drivers of sink strength in endosperm operate in very low oxygen levels, and under metabolic conditions quite different than previously assumed. Successful enhancement of sink strength has nonetheless been achieved in grains by up-regulating genes for starch biosynthesis. Additionally, our understanding of sink strength is enhanced by awareness of the dual roles played by invertases (INVs), not only in sucrose metabolism, but also in production of the hexose sugar signals that regulate cell cycle and cell division programs. These contributions of INV to cell expansion and division prove to be vital for establishment of young sinks ranging from flowers to fruit. Since INV genes are themselves sugar-responsive “feast genes,” they can mediate a feed-forward enhancement of sink strength when assimilates are abundant. Greater overall productivity and yield have thus been attained in key instances, indicating that even broader enhancements may be achievable as we discover the detailed molecular mechanisms that drive sink strength in diverse systems.
Particle Deposition in Aerosol Sampling Lines Caused by Turbulent Diffusion and Gravitational Settling

A model is presented for prediction of particle penetration through transport lines that are at arbitrary angles of inclination with respect to the vertical direction. There are, in the literature, previously reported models which describe the deposition of aerosol particles caused by either gravitational settling or turbulent deposition; however, a solution to the problem of combined gravitational and turbulent deposition has not been reported, ostensibly because of a special constraint which couples the two depositional mechanisms. Results of the analyses show there is in optimal inside diameter for inclined transport lines (Dopt) that is independent of tube length but depends upon particle diameter (Da), flow rate (Q), and angle of inclination. Aerosol penetration gradually decreases for tube sizes greater than Dopt, but it decreases dramatically for tube sizes less than Dopt,. Therefore, in selecting a tube size, it is recommended the value be somewhat greater than Dopt, (e.g., 1.25 Dopt). For horizon...
Lateral diffusion of an adsorbate at a chromatographic C18/water interface

The first measurement of the lateral diffusion coefficient of an adsorbate on a chromatographic surface is reported. Pattern-photobleaching/fluorescence-recovery was used to measure the lateral diffusion coefficient of acridine orange at the interface of water and a C[sub 18] chromatographic surface. Also, the diffusion coefficient of acridine orange in bulk water was measured by the relaxation of a transient holographic grating. The combined results show that the lateral diffusion coefficient of acridine orange at the water/C[sub 18] interface is 35 times smaller than its diffusion coefficient in bulk water: 1.3 ([+-]0.1) x 10[sup [minus]7] cm[sup 2]/s for the chromatographic interface vs 4.2 ([+-]0.5) x 10[sup [minus]6] cm[sup 2]s for bulk water. The slow diffusion at the water/C[sub 18] surface is interesting in light of previous measurements showing that acridine orange reorients rapidly in the plane of the interface, with an apparent microviscosity comparable to that of bulk water. The rotational and translational diffusion behaviors suggest that the adsorbed acridine orange occupies favored sites at the water/C[sub 18] interface which allow it to reorient freely, but these sites exchange slowly due to the slow dynamics of the C[sub 18] chains. 32 refs., 4 figs.
Plasma Cortisone Concentration as Measured by Radioimmunoassay

A radioimmunoassay for measurement of cortisone in plasma has been developed utilizing rabbit anti-sera against a cortisone-bovine serum albumin complex. To insure specificity thin layer chromatography was used because unchromatographed samples resulted in 10–20% higher values than the chromatographed, even though the cross reactivity with cortisol was only 0.68% and with corticosterone 1.15%. The sensitivity of the assay varies 50–79 pg with recovery of cortisone added to plasma found to be 94.2 ± 5.8 (sd). The mean morning plasma level of cortisone in young men was 2.6 μg/100 ml ± 0.5 (sd) and in women 1.96 ± 0.54. Evening levels decreased in relation to cortisol concentration. Pregnant women had elevation of cortisone levels comparable to that of cortisol. After dexamethasone suppression plasma cortisone levels decreased but following ACTH and usually during acute stress there were no significant changes noted. In patients with severe liver disease cortisone concentration tended to be lower than normal...
Molecular orbital modeling of aqueous organosilicon complexes: implications for silica biomineralization

Abstract Researchers recently have proposed that hypercoordinate Si-organic complexes can form in biologically relevant fluids, and they have reported the first evidence for a transient organosilicon complex generated within the life cycle of an organism (Kinrade et al., 2001b, 2002). These interpretations are based upon peak assignments of 29Si NMR spectra that invoke Si-polyol (e.g., Si-sorbitol) complexes with Si in five- and six-fold coordination states. However, ab initio analyses of the proposed organosilicon structures do not reproduce the experimentally observed 29Si NMR chemical shifts (Sahai and Tossell 2001, 2002 and this work). In place of the originally proposed structures, we have modeled one of the observed δ29Si values with a 5-fold Si-disorbitol complex involving 5-membered ring configurations (i.e., Si–O–C–C–O). The calculated δ29Si value of this new structure closely matches the observed δ29Si peaks in the −100 to −102 ppm range. Likewise, 29Si NMR peaks near −144 ppm were well fit by a model complex in which a 6-fold Si was complexed to three sorbitol molecules in 5-membered ring configurations. The ability to reproduce the observed NMR peaks using molecular orbital calculations provides support for the controversial role of hypercoordinate organosilicon species in the uptake and transport of silica by biological systems. The existence of such complexes in turn may explain other puzzles in Si biogeochemistry, such as the persistence of dissolved silica in concentrated biological fluids, the biofractionation of Si isotopes, and fractionation of Ge from Si.
Urban scale mapping of concrete degradation from projected climate change

Anthropogenic increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations and resultant changes in climate will have significant detrimental effects to urban infrastructure, from both extreme events and longer-term processes. Here we investigate impacts to concrete structures due to enhanced corrosion through increases in carbonation and chlorination rates. High and low emission scenarios (IPCC A1FI and B1) are used in combination with downscaled temperature projections and code-recommended material specifications are used to model carbonation and chloride-induced corrosion of concrete structures in the Northeast United States. The results suggest that current concrete construction projects will experience carbonation and chlorination depths that exceed the current code-recommended cover thickness by 2077 and 2055, respectively, well within the lifetimes of these buildings, potentially requiring extensive repairs. Geospatial modeling in the Boston metropolitan area is used to project building and block-level vulnerability of urban concrete structures to future corrosion, and related maintenance needs, and to project cover thickness degradation for the existing building stock. The methods described here can be used for city-specific modeling of long-term climate impacts on concrete infrastructure and provide a scientific basis for future-oriented construction codes.
Geographic Patterns of Genetic Differentiation among Collections of Green Sturgeon

Abstract The population structure of green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris has not previously been evaluated, although commercial and bycatch harvests may be impacting multiple populations of this species. Molecular markers were used to distinguish between green and white sturgeon A. transmontanus and to examine the genetic variation among green sturgeon collected from four locations along the West Coast of the United States between San Pablo Bay, California, and the Columbia River, Washington. Verification that putative green sturgeon samples were not white sturgeon was accomplished with a diagnostic restriction fragment length polymorphism in the mitochondrial cytochrome b locus. Genetic variation in green sturgeon was investigated using six microsatellite loci developed from published primers. Allele frequencies, the fixation index F ST, and observed heterozygosities were determined at three disomic and three tetrasomic loci amplified from fin tissue samples. Pairwise F ST values of 0.005 and −0.002 ind...
Microsolvation of a partially bonded complex by non-polar and weakly polar microsolvents: a microwave and ab initio study of HCN–SO3–Ar and HCN–SO3–CO

Rotational spectra of HCN–SO3–Ar and HCN–SO3–CO, and several of their isotopically substituted derivatives, have been observed by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Both complexes are symmetric tops with the Ar or CO weakly bound to the SO3 on the side opposite the HCN. The N–S and S–Ar distances in HCN–SO3–Ar are 2.5905(19) and 3.4465(50) A, respectively. In HCN–SO3–CO, the N–S and S–C distances are 2.6563(14) and 3.0109(48) A, respectively, representing a marked increase relative to the analogous distances in HCN–SO3 and SO3–CO. These results are in sharp contrast to previous work on HCN–HCN–SO3, in which the second HCN attaches to the HCN side of the HCN–SO3 and causes a large contraction of the partially formed N–S bond. Stark effect measurements have been performed and the resulting dipole moments are 4.230(10) D for HC15N–SO3–Ar and 3.678(11) D for HC15N–SO3–CO. These values are very near the differences between the dipole moments of the constituent dimers, suggesting that the dipole moments ...
An Empirical Analysis of Strategy Types

Using the PIMS SPIYR data base, which pools cross-section and timeseries data, an empirical study to identify business strategy types was undertaken. Using a two-stage methodological approach combining principal component and cluster analysis on both a consumer products and an industrial products data base, two sets of strategy typologies were identified. Six strategy types were identified for consumer products: (1) harvest, (2) builder, (3) cashout, (4) niche or specialization, (5) climber, and (6) continuity. For industrial products, four strategy types were identified: (1) low commitment, (2) growth, (3) maintenance, and (4) niche or specialization. A discussion of the characteristics of each strategy type is offered.
Theoretical determinations of the ambient conformational distribution and unimolecular decomposition of n-propylperoxy radical.

The conformational distribution and unimolecular decomposition pathways for the n-propylperoxy radical have been generated at the CBS-QB3, B3LYP/6-31+G** and mPW1K/6-31+G** levels of theory. At each of the theoretical levels, the 298 K Boltzmann distributions and rotational profiles indicate that all five unique rotamers of the n-propylperoxy radical can be expected to be present in significant concentrations at thermal equilibrium. At the CBS-QB3 level, the 298 K distribution of rotamers is predicted to be 28.1, 26.4, 19.6, 14.0, and 11.9% for the gG, tG, gT, gG‘, and tT conformations, respectively. The CBS-QB3 C−OO bond dissociation energy (ΔH(298 K)) for the n-propylperoxy radical has been calculated to be 36.1 kcal/mol. The detailed CBS-QB3 potential energy surface for the unimolecular decomposition of the n-propylperoxy radical indicates that important bimolecular products could be derived from two 1,4-H transfer mechanisms available at T < 500 K, primarily via an activated n-propylperoxy adduct.
Survival of fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci in storm drain sediment

Abstract This study defined major factors influencing the survival of the bacterial indicators, fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal streptococci (FS), in separate storm drain sediments during dry weather periods. FC and FS abilities to survive were determined by field sampling and experimental treatments of laboratory stream models. The effects of interspecific competition, antagonism, and predation on FC and FS survivals were determined using recirculating models that contained either untreated drain water and sediment, cycloheximide-treated drain sediment, or autoclaved drain water and sediment seeded with drain isolates of FC and FS. Storm drain sediment FC and FS counts were stable at 105/100 ml during dry weather (4–6 days), with little or no bacterial supplementation from the water (101–102/100 ml). Untreated (control) model FC and FS populations stabilized at 103/100 ml for 7–9 days. In cycloheximide-treated models, FS and FC survived at 104 and 105/100 ml, respectively. In autoclaved-seeded models, FS and FC initial counts of 104/100 ml increased to and stabilized at 107–109/100 ml. Separate storm drain sediments serve as reservoirs of high concentrations of FC and FS during warm, dry weather periods. FC exhibited some ability to multiply in drain sediment. Native microfloral competition/antagonism (including bacterial predation) and protozoan predation are major biotic factors influencing FC and FS survivals. During warm, dry weather periods, abiotic factors were generally stable and had minimal affects on FC and FS survivals.
Properties of furnace-annealed, high-resistivity, arsenic-implanted polycrystalline silicon films

The approach to equilibrium of the grain structure and electrical properties has been studied in high-resistivity, As-implanted polycrystalline silicon films on thermally oxidized silicon wafers. Thermal annealing parameters are found to be critical in determining the film sheet resistance. Results from spreading resistance analysis, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy indicate that As diffusion down the grain boundaries into the film leads to a large fraction of the As being left in inactive grain boundary sites. Reactivation of the As is negligible when processing temperatures are 900 °C or lower. A relatively simple diffusion model has been developed that can fit the As concentration profile over the entire film thickness. This makes the model applicable to normal integrated circuit processing conditions where film thickness effects and nonequilibrium dopant distributions are important.
Bayesian uncertainty quantification of recent shock tube determinations of the rate coefficient of reaction H + O2 OH + O

We analyze the ignition delay in hydrogen–oxygen combustion and the important chain -branching reaction H + O2 OH + O that occurs behind the shock waves in shock tube experiments. We apply a stochastic Bayesian approach to quantify uncertainties in the theoretical model and experimental data. The approach involves a statistical inverse problem, which has four “components” as input information: (a) model, (b) prior joint probability density function (PDF) of the uncertain parameters, (c) experimental data, and (d) uncertainties in the scenario parameters. The solution of this statistical inverse problem is a posterior joint PDF of the uncertain parameters from which we can easily extract statistical information. We first perform a parametric study to investigate how the level of the total uncertainty (which we define as the sum of model uncertainty and experimental uncertainty) affects the uncertainty in the rate coefficient k1 of the reaction H + O2 OH + O, which is “most likely” expressed by k1=1.73×1023T−2.5exp(−11550/T) cm3 mol−1 s−1 over the experimental temperature range 1100–1472 K. We also introduce the idea of “irreducible” uncertainty when considering other parameters in the system. After statistically calibrating the parameters modeling the rate coefficient k1, we predict its 95% confidence interval (CI) for different temperature regimes and compare the CI against the values of k1 obtained deterministically. Our results show that a small uncertainty in gas temperature (±5 K) introduces appreciable uncertainty in k1. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 586–597, 2012
Network-embedded FEC for optimum throughput of multicast packet video $

Forward error correction (FEC) schemes have been proposed and used successfully for multicasting realtime video content to groups of users. Under traditional IP multicast, application-level FEC can only be implemented on an end-to-end basis between the sender and the clients. Emerging overlay and peer-to-peer (p2p) networks open the door for new paradigms of network FEC. The deployment of FEC within these emerging networks has received very little attention (if any). In this paper, we analyze and optimize the impact of network-embedded FEC (NEF) in overlay and p2p multimedia multicast networks. Under NEF, we place FEC codecs in selected intermediate nodes of a multicast tree. The NEF codecs detect and recover lost packets within FEC blocks at earlier stages before these blocks arrive at deeper intermediate nodes or at the final leaf nodes. This approach significantly reduces the probability of receiving undecodable FEC blocks. In essence, the proposed NEF codecs work as signal regenerators in a communication system and can reconstruct most of the lost data packets without requiring retransmission. We develop an optimization algorithm for the placement of NEF codecs within random multicast trees. Based on extensive H.264 video simulations, we show that this approach provides significant improvements in video quality, both visually and in terms of PSNR values.
Energy-Based Limit Cycle Compensation for Dynamically Balancing Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Machines

In this paper we present an energy-based algorithm to minimize limit cycles in dynamically balancing wheeled inverted pendulum (IP) machines. Because the algorithm is not based on absolute values of parameters, the performance is robust and accounts for mechanical reconfiguration and wear. The effects of phenomena such as drive-train friction, rolling friction, backlash and sensor bandwidth are well known, causing either limit cycles or instabilities in IP balancing machines and yet compensation or control design to mitigate these effects are not well known. The effects of these non-linearities can be observed in the energy behavior of IP balancing machines, hence, as a broader goal we seek to establish an energy-based framework for the investigation of non-linearities in this class of machines. We successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm on a two-wheeled IP balancing machine, “Charlie”, developed in our laboratory. As an example we show a reduction in the amplitude of limit cycles over a 10 second period from 220 degrees in wheel angle and 15 degrees in pitch to 9.9 degrees and 1.3 degrees respectively.
Multizeta Values for , Their Period Interpretation, and Relations between Them

We provide a period interpretation for multizeta values (in the function eld context) in terms of explicit iterated extensions of tensor pow- ers of Carlitz motives (mixed Carlitz-Tate t-motives). We give examples of combinatorially involved relations that these multizeta values satisfy. The multizeta values introduced and studied originally by Euler have been pur- sued again recently with renewed interest because of their emergence in studies in mathematics and mathematical physics connecting diverse viewpoints. They occur naturally as coecients of the Drinfeld associator, and thus have connections to quantum groups, knot invariants and mathematical physics. They also occur in the Grothendieck-Ihara program to study the absolute Galois group through the funda- mental group of the projective line minus three points and related studies of iterated extensions of Tate motives, Feynman path integral renormalizations, etc. We re- fer the reader to papers on this subject by Broadhurst, Cartier, Deligne, Drinfeld, Ecalle, Furusho, Goncharov, Homan,
Seeking consilience for sustainability science: physical sciences, life sciences, and the new economics

The human system, driven largely by economic decisions, has profoundly affected planetary ecosystems as well as the energy supplies and natural resources essential to economic production. The challenge of sustainability is to understand and manage the complex interactions between human systems and the rest of nature. This conceptual article makes the case that meeting this challenge requires consilience between the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, which is to say that their basic assumptions must be mutually reinforcing and consistent. This article reviews the extent to which economics is pursuing consilience with the sciences of human behavior, physics and ecology, and the impact full consilience would have on the field. The science of human behavior would force economists to redefine what is desirable, while physics and ecology redefine what is possible. The challenges posed by ecological degradation can be modeled as prisoner's dilemmas, best solved through cooperation, not competition. Fortunately, science reveals that humans may be among the most cooperative of all species. While much of the mainstream economic theory that still dominates academic and the policy discourse continues to ignore important findings from other sciences, several sub-fields of economics have made impressive strides towards consilience in recent decades, and these are likely to change mainstream theory eventually. The question is whether these changes can proceed rapidly enough to solve the most serious problems we currently face.
A simulation procedure for sample size determination in electric utility load research

Estimating the customer demand for electricity plays a crucial role in the equitable determination of customer electric utility rates. To estimate the customer demand accurately, it is necessary to determine the appropriate sample size. Due to the unique requirements imposed by the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, existing procedures to determine sample size fail to provide the optimal sample size that will satisfy the re quirements at the minimum cost. The objective of this study is to develop and describe a simulation based procedure that is capable of achieving both criteria. The effectiveness of the pro cedure is tested for selected distributions of electrical demand. The study also identifies other instances where similar sample size determination problems occur and how the newly developed procedure can be used in these situations as well.
Non-smooth geodesic flows and the earthquake flow on Teichmüller space

Thurston generalized the notion of a twist deformation about a simple closed geodesic on a hyperbolic Riemann surface to a twisting or shearing along a much more complicated object called a measure geodesic lamination. This new deformation is called an earthquake and it generates a flow on the tangent bundle of Teichmuller space. In this paper we study the earthquake flow. We show that the flow is not smooth and that it is not the geodesic flow for an affine connection. We also derive the explicit form of the system of differential equations which earthquake trajectories satisfy.
Simulation of Liquid Lubricant Injection in Electromagnetic Launcher Armatures

It has been suggested that an external electrically conducting liquid be introduced into the armature-rail interface of an electromagnetic launcher in order to suppress the velocity skin effect and delay the transition to arcing. In the present study, the liquid is introduced by injection from the armature. Since previous studies of liquid flow in the interface have shown that, depending on operating conditions, regions of reverse flow can be formed, it is not clear at what locations the liquid should be injected, or even if such injection can be effective. This paper seeks to answer these questions. The flow field produced by injection is simulated through the solution of a generalized 1-D Reynolds equation, taking into account the Lorentz force, the surface roughness of the armature and the rail, and the liquid injection. Two interface geometries, as well as a variety of injection locations and injection rates, are investigated
Through the Prism of Black Psychology: A Critical Review of Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Africology as Seen Through the Paradigmatic Lens of Black Psychology

This paper attempts to address the invisibility of Africana psychological theory, research, and methodology in Africology by synthesizing the competing definitions, schools of thought, and research agendas in Black Psychology. Attention will be given to the various ways in which Black psychologists have attempted to deconstruct and reconstruct traditional psychological thought as well as construct new definitions, theories, measurements, and conceptual frameworks for understanding and interpreting the psychological experiences of people of African descent. Although psychology was identified by Karenga as one of the core components in the emerging discipline of African-American Studies, very few of the existing institutes, programs, and departments of African-American Studies include psychology as a major part of their curriculum. As a psycho-historical endeavor, a primary concern of Africana Psychology is with understanding how the historical experiences of being an African in America have impacted African-American psyches. Thus, it is argued that if the discipline of Africology is attempting to fully understand Africana experiences, Africology must reexamine the importance of psychology and its role in aiding Africana scholars interpret and understand the experiences of people of African descent in the Americas and throughout the diaspora.
Recalculation of the Faraday Constant Due to A New Value for the Atomic Weight of Silver.

A report of the Faraday constant as detennined at NBS via silver coulometry and atomic weight measurements is presented. The uncertainty of the reported result represents a five-fold improvement over measurements made at NBS 20 years ago. The result should contribute to an analysis of the self-consistency of several other fundamental constants measurements. Experimental details have been reported in other publications which are cited in the text.
Measuring Single-Domain Antibody Interactions with Epitopes in Jet Fuel Using Microscale Thermophoresis

Widely recognized as the gold standard for biological recognition, antibodies have been used to develop bioscavengers, enzyme-like catalytic therapies, and highly specific diagnostic clinical tests. The discovery of camelid antibodies in the 1990s has extended the useful range of antibodies into pH extremes, high temperature, and high salt conditions due to increased stability. However, determining the binding properties of these molecules prior to use under these conditions has not been widely employed because the most precise biophysical methods, surface plasmon resonance, and isothermal titration calorimetry, are not compatible with highly complex matrices. Herein, we demonstrate the use of microscale thermophoresis as a rapid, simple method to detect binding of a single-domain antibody in the presence of jet fuel/water mixes; a complex, harsh environment. This work provides key data to quantifying binding for the development of a sensor for detection of microbial growth in fuel.
Peristaltic transport due to finite amplitude bending and contraction waves

This analysis demonstrates theoretically that a lateral bending wave propagating along the walls of a two-dimensional channel filled with a viscous incompressible fluid will induce a mean flow. In addition to this ‘pure’ bending wave, another possible condition is investigated: that of the superposition of an area contraction wave propagating with the same speed as the lateral bending wave. This second condition, called complex wave motion, takes into account the slight occlusion which occurs naturally at the amplitude peaks when a finite amplitude bending wave propagates along the walls of a container. A perturbation solution is found which satisfies NavierStokes equations for the case in which wave amplitude/wavelength is ‘ small ’. However the wave amplitude is finite, in the sense that it is of the same order as the channel width. Under these conditions, the occlusion at the amplitude peaks is allowed to be of the same order as the channel width. For the case of a pure bending wave the motion induced by the peristaltis is found to be of second order in the pertui bation parameter, whereas in the more realistic case a first-order pumping effect is obtained.
I-guides in progress: two prototype applications for museum educators and visitors using wireless technologies to support science learning

We describe I-Guides, an information technology research project in progress at the Exploratorium, a hands-on museum of science, art, and human perception. Building upon the findings from the Electronic Guidebook Project [Hsi, 2003], various configurations of RFID technologies, handheld computers, and network-based applications are being developed to support nomadic inquiry and extend the museum experience for two different audiences: museum visitors and museum educators. For museum visitors, this project is exploring ways to enable visitors to intentionally capture their museum experiences for later reflection and investigation of personally relevant science ideas via the Web. For museum educators, this project is designing a wireless handheld Web resource and digital library infrastructure to support educators in making effective uses of exhibits and exhibit-based content for inquiry-based teaching. An overview of research as well as planned design studies, working prototypes, and evaluation activities are described.
A Computer Program for Assessing the Reliability of Nominal Scales Using Varying Sets of Multiple Raters.

This program computes multiple judge reliability levels under the following conditions: different sets of judges perform the ratings; the number of judges is a constant; and the scale of measurement is nominal.
Blood cell telomere lengths and shortening rates of chimpanzee and human females

Objectives Slower rates of aging distinguish humans from our nearest living cousins. Chimpanzees rarely survive their forties while large fractions of women are postmenopausal even in high-mortality hunter–gatherer populations. Cellular and molecular mechanisms for these somatic aging differences remain to be identified, though telomeres might play a role. To find out, we compared telomere lengths across age-matched samples of female chimpanzees and women. Methods We used a monochrome multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction to assay canonical telomere repeats in blood cells from captive female chimpanzees (65 individuals; age: 6.2–56.7 years) and compared them to the same measure in human females (43 individuals; age: 7.4–57.3 years). Results Our samples showed little difference in attrition rates between the species (∼0.022 T/S per year for chimpanzees and ∼0.012 T/S per year for humans with overlapping 95% confidence intervals), but telomeres were twice as long in chimpanzees as in humans (T/S ratios = 2.70 and 1.26, respectively). Conclusions Based on the longevity differences, we initially hypothesized that telomere shortening rates would be faster in chimpanzees than in humans. Instead, it is shorter telomere length that appears to be the derived state in humans. This comparison indicates that better characterization of physiological aging in our closest living relatives will be indispensable for understanding the evolution of distinctive human longevity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:452–460, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analytical thermal model for multilevel VLSI interconnects incorporating via effect

The authors present compact analytical thermal models for estimating the temperature rise of multilevel VLSI interconnect lines incorporating via effect. The impact of vias has been modeled using (1) a characteristic thermal length and (2) an effective thermal conductivity of ILD (interlayer dielectric), k/sub ILD,eff/, with k/sub ILD/,/sub eff/=k/sub ILD//spl eta//, where /spl eta/ is a physical correction factor, with 0</spl eta/<1. Both the spatial temperature profile along the metal lines and their average temperature rise can be easily obtained using these models. The predicted temperature profiles are shown to be in excellent agreement with the three-dimensional (3-D) finite element thermal simulation results. The model is then applied to estimate the temperature rise of densely packed multilevel interconnects. It is shown that for multilevel interconnect arrays, via density along the lines can significantly affect the temperature rise of such interconnect structures.
A novel design approach for small dual-band Sierpinski gasket monopole antennas

We propose a novel design technique for a small dual-band Sierpinski gasket monopole antenna using the first and second resonant bands by controlling the flare angle and the similarity factor of the Sierpinski gasket. A ratio less than 2 has been successfully achieved between the first and second bands.