cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Family of Classical Determinate Stieltjes Moment Problems with Discrete Solutions

It follows from a theorem attributed to Favard [1] that the sequence of n-th denominators Qn(a, z) of a continued fraction of the form $$ \frac{{z{b_1}}}{{z + {b_2}}}\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{} \\-\end{array}\frac{{{b_2}{b_3}}}{{z + {b_3} + {b_4}}}\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{} \\-\end{array}\frac{{{b_4}{b_5}}}{{z + {b_5} + {b_6}}}\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{} \\-\end{array} \cdots \begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{} \\-\end{array}\frac{{{b_{2n {2^b}2n-1}}}}{{z+{b_{2n-1}}+{b_{2n}}}}\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{}\\-\end{array}\cdots $$ Where $$ {b_n}:=\frac{1}{{4[4{{(n+a)}^2}-1]}},n\geqslant1,a\geqslant - \frac{1}{2},$$ forms an orthogonal polynomial sequence (OPS) with respect to a distribution function, Ψ(a,t) on R. It was recently shown [4] that the Q n (a,z) satisfy the following asymptotic formulas $$\mathop{{\lim }}\limits_{{x \to \infty }} \frac{{{{Q}_{N}}(a,z)}}{{{{z}^{n}}}} = o{{F}_{1}}\left( {a + \frac{3}{2};\frac{1}{{16z}}} \right) = \Gamma \left( {a + 3/2} \right){{\left( {4\sqrt {{ - 2}} } \right)}^{{a + {{{\tfrac{1}{2}}}_{J}}_{{a + \tfrac{1}{2}}}}}}\left( {\frac{1}{{2\sqrt {{ - z}} }}} \right) $$ where the convergence is uniform on compact subsets of 0 < ∣z∣ < ∞ J v (w) denotes the Bessel function of the first kind of order v. In this paper we prove, using continued fraction methods, that, the distribution function Ψ(a,t) is a step function with jumps ℷk(a)=-2gk(a)/(2a+1)at the zeros qk(a),k=1,2,3,…,of\( [{J_{a+\frac{1}{2}}}(\frac{1}{{2\sqrt{-z} }}) \)The connection with Lommel polynomials is discussed.
Coherence Effects in Heavy-Ion-Atom Collisions

A new approach to charge capture and ionization by highly stripped projectiles is described and shown to explain cross-section systematics through the Periodic Table. Oscillations in cross section with respect to charge state observed around atomic number 70 are explained as an f-wave resonance in the target-electron-projectile scattering. The ratio of H2 to H cross sections for both light and heavy projectiles is shown to fit a two-center coherent scattering model; independent scattering by the two centers is not a good assumption for velocities below 4 a.u. Similar coherence effects are predicted in stripping by molecular gases even in multielectron processes where the independent atom model might be thought valid. Recent experiments on the forward peak of electrons ejected from the projectile show interesting structure which can be partly explained without invoking interference effects.
Central nervous system control of circadian rhythmicity in the cockroach

1. We found no evidence that the thoracic ganglia which effect locomotory movements are themselves autonomously (circadian) rhythmic in their activity. 2. The abdominal ganglia play no role in effecting the rhythmicity of the thoracic ganglia, and hence, of locomotion. 3. We found positive evidence that the suboesophageal ganglion does not control the locomotory rhythm by a rhythmic secretion of a hormonal agent. It does, on the other hand, control activity level by a neural channel. 4. The evidence is strong that the driving oscillation is in the brain, in fact in the protocerebrum. 5. The pars intercerebralis suppresses (by a hormonal channel) the level of activity. It also, and separately, mediates locomotory activity by a hormonal channel. 6. The pars intercerebralis can however only cause rhythmicity of locomotion when it has intact neural connections with the optic lobes. 7. The driving oscillation in the nervous system responsible for the circadian rhythm of locomotory activity is thus — probably — localized in the optic lobes. 8. Animals in which the left optic tract and the right optic nerve have been severed display a freerunning rhythm in a 24 hour light/dark cycle: the driving oscillation in the left optic lobe is uncoupled from the pars intercerebralis which it therefore cannot drive; the oscillation in the right optic lobe can drive the pars intercerebralis but is uncoupled from the right compound eye.
Assimilating Remote Sensing Observations of Leaf Area Index and Soil Moisture for Wheat Yield Estimates: An Observing System Simulation Experiment

Observing system simulation experiments were used to investigate ensemble Bayesian state updating data assimilation of observations of leaf area index (LAI) and soil moisture (theta) for the purpose of improving single-season wheat yield estimates with the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CropSim-Ceres model. Assimilation was conducted in an energy-limited environment and a water-limited environment. Modeling uncertainty was prescribed to weather inputs, soil parameters and initial conditions, and cultivar parameters and through perturbations to model state transition equations. The ensemble Kalman filter and the sequential importance resampling filter were tested for the ability to attenuate effects of these types of uncertainty on yield estimates. LAI and theta observations were synthesized according to characteristics of existing remote sensing data, and effects of observation error were tested. Results indicate that the potential for assimilation to improve end-of-season yield estimates is low. Limitations are due to a lack of root zone soil moisture information, error in LAI observations, and a lack of correlation between leaf and grain growth.
Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization of 4-Vinylbenzaldehyde

The direct reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of 4-vinylbenzaldehyde (VBA) was established as a new synthetic method for the preparation of well-defined poly(vinylbenzaldehyde) (PVBA), a polymer having reactive aldehyde side chain substiuents. RAFT polymerization of VBA was investigated using S-1-dodecyl-S'-(α,α'-dimethyl-α"-acetic acid)trithiocarbonate (DDMAT) as chain transfer agent (CTA) and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as initiator in 1,4-dioxane or 2-butanone at 70-75 °C for 7.5-22.5 h. With 45-76% of monomer conversion, the resulting PVBA had well controlled number-average molecular weight (M(n)) and low polydispersity (PDI < 1.17). The living characteristic of the RAFT polymerization process was confirmed by the linearity between the M(n) values of PVBA and monomer conversions. Well-defined PVBA was further used as a macromolecular chain transfer agent (macro-CTA) in RAFT polymerization of styrene (St), and a block copolymer PVBA-b-PSt with relatively low polydispersity (PDI = 1.20) was successfully synthesized.
An analytical solution representing groundwater-surface water interaction

[1] An analytical solution is developed and used to examine groundwater–surface water interaction at streams; we consider two-dimensional, steady groundwater flow in the vertical plane. The aquifer is idealized as an infinite strip, and the streambed is modeled as a horizontal equipotential. Segments of constant recharge are applied along the boundaries of the infinite strip. Explicit analytical solutions for the complex potential and complex specific discharge are developed using conformal mapping, the method of images, and boundary integral techniques. The expressions for the complex specific discharge may be used to identify and quantify the numerous groundwater flow regimes first identified by Nield et al. [1994]. We demonstrate this by evaluating the conditions required for transition from a flow-through regime to a flow-through regime with a zone of reverse flow.
Indoor lighting preferences and bulimic behavior: an individual differences approach

Abstract Previous research suggests that evening constitutes a high-risk environment that increases the probability of binge eating and purging. One possible explanation for this finding is that exposure to dimmer light promotes behavioral disinhibition, thus undermining self-regulatory control and adherence to one's dietary standards, resulting in the disinhibited eating that is the hallmark of bulimia. Two studies (n=245 and 156) tested the hypothesis that individual differences in preference for dimmer lighting while eating are directly associated with bulimic behavior in restrained eaters but unrelated to bulimic behavior in nonrestrained eaters. Undergraduates completed questionnaire measures of indoor lighting preferences, dietary restraint, bulimic behavior, and several other variables. Results of both studies showed that, as hypothesized, preference for dimmer light while eating correlated positively with bulimic behavior in restrained eaters (rs between 0.31 and 0.58) but was unrelated to bulimic behavior in nonrestrained eaters. Study 3 found that participants who reported clinically significant levels of bulimic symptomatology preferred dimmer lighting while eating than did participants who were identical in dietary restraint but whose bulimic symptomatology was not clinically significant. The discussion applies Carver and Scheier's [Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F., 1998. On the self regulation of behaviour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press] self-regulation theory to explain individual differences in lighting preference as they pertain to bulimia.
Plurality of Methodologies to Bridge the Gap Between Research and Practice: A Case Study in Infertility Research

This article discusses the benefit of combining a quantitative and qualitative approach in studying social phenomena and illustrates it relative to the experience of individuals struggling with infertility. The combined use of the two methodologies allows capturing a comprehensive, nuanced and expansive picture of infertility, providing information to help bridge the gap between research and practice, and offering implications for policy and further research. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs140185
Glycogen synthesis correlates with androgen-dependent growth arrest in prostate cancer

Androgen withdrawal in normal prostate or androgen-dependent prostate cancer is associated with the downregulation of several glycolytic enzymes and with reduced glucose uptake. Although glycogen metabolism is known to regulate the intracellular glucose level its involvement in androgen response has not been studied. We investigated the effects of androgen on glycogen phosphorylase (GP), glycogen synthase (GS) and on glycogen accumulation in the androgen-receptor (AR) reconstituted PC3 cell line containing either an empty vector (PC3-AR-V) or vector with HPV-E7 (PC3-AR-E7) and the LNCaP cell line. Androgen addition in PC3 cells expressing the AR mimics androgen ablation in androgen-dependent prostate cells. Incubation of PC3-AR-V or PC3-AR-E7 cells with the androgen R1881 induced G1 cell cycle arrest within 24 hours and resulted in a gradual cell number reduction over 5 days thereafter, which was accompanied by a 2 to 5 fold increase in glycogen content. 24 hours after androgen-treatment the level of Glucose-6-P (G-6-P) had increased threefold and after 48 hours the GS and GP activities increased twofold. Under this condition inhibition of glycogenolysis with the selective GP inhibitor CP-91149 enhanced the increase in glycogen content and further reduced the cell number. The androgen-dependent LNCaP cells that endogenously express AR responded to androgen withdrawal with growth arrest and increased glycogen content. CP-91149 further increased glycogen content and caused a reduction of cell number. Increased glycogenesis is part of the androgen receptor-mediated cellular response and blockage of glycogenolysis by the GP inhibitor CP-91149 further increased glycogenesis. The combined use of a GP inhibitor with hormone therapy may increase the efficacy of hormone treatment by decreasing the survival of prostate cancer cells and thereby reducing the chance of cancer recurrence.
Young age of onset colorectal cancers

Colorectal cancer is typically a condition of older patients with only 10 % diagnosed under the age of 50 years. Often, diagnosis is delayed, but certain factors such as inherited syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease, or a family history of colorectal cancer should heighten the clinician’s awareness. This study of young colorectal cancers describes the incidence of potential contributory factors that warrant early investigations and their effect on survival outcomes. A single-institution colorectal cancer database was queried for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer under the age of 50. Medical records were reviewed, and patients were grouped into familial, inflammatory bowel disease-related, or sporadic cancers. Sporadic cancers without existing family history were further evaluated for genetic and molecular changes including mutations in the oncogenes KRAS and BRAF, microsatellite instability, and methylator phenotype. One hundred thirty-five patients under the age of 50 with colorectal cancer diagnosed between 1994 and 2004 were identified. Slightly under half, (44.4 %) were women. Mean age at surgery was 42.1 ± 6.7 years. Nineteen patients (14 %) had a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome (11 hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), 8 familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)), and 19 (14 %) had inflammatory bowel disease (14 ulcerative colitis, 5 Crohn’s). Three patients had other cancers (brain, breast, and endometrial) and 20 % of patients had a family history of colorectal cancer outside of a defined syndrome. Overall, age-standardized 5-year survival was 66.8 % (stage I 100 %, stage II 76.5 %, stage III 63.0 %, and stage IV 0 %). Patients with genetic predisposition and inflammatory bowel disease had better 5-year survival when compared to the sporadic group (p = 0.025). Molecular profiles were available for 71 of the 77 sporadic cancers. All 71 tumors were microsatellite stable, and none had CpG island methylator phenotype. Twenty-three (32.4 %) were KRAS mutant. In our cohort, a family history of colorectal cancer, known hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease account for nearly half of all cases of young colorectal cancer. Prompt investigation of symptoms is essential in patients with Sporadic early-onset colorectal cancers, which appear to arise through the classical adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence.
Time variations in dose rate and γ spectrum measured at Tsukuba city, Ibaraki, due to the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

The time variations in the dose rate and γ spectrum of radio nuclides originating from the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station were measured at Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, during the period from 15th March to 9th April 2011. The radiation dose peaked three times during the period from 15th to 16th March (1.27 μSv/h at maximum). The contribution of Xe-133 to the dose rate was observed from the γ spectrum obtained from the 5 h measurement during the peaks on 15th and 16th March, indicating that radioactive plume passed through Tsukuba City at that time. After the peaks, a dose rate increase with rainfall was observed on 21th March, dominating the integral dose rate measured at Tsukuba City. The dose after the rainfall comes from I-131, Cs-134, and Cs-137 that can be observed as peaks in the spectra.
The Mitochondrial Genome of the Legume Vigna radiata and the Analysis of Recombination across Short Mitochondrial Repeats

The mitochondrial genomes of seed plants are exceptionally fluid in size, structure, and sequence content, with the accumulation and activity of repetitive sequences underlying much of this variation. We report the first fully sequenced mitochondrial genome of a legume, Vigna radiata (mung bean), and show that despite its unexceptional size (401,262 nt), the genome is unusually depauperate in repetitive DNA and "promiscuous" sequences from the chloroplast and nuclear genomes. Although Vigna lacks the large, recombinationally active repeats typical of most other seed plants, a PCR survey of its modest repertoire of short (38–297 nt) repeats nevertheless revealed evidence for recombination across all of them. A set of novel control assays showed, however, that these results could instead reflect, in part or entirely, artifacts of PCR-mediated recombination. Consequently, we recommend that other methods, especially high-depth genome sequencing, be used instead of PCR to infer patterns of plant mitochondrial recombination. The average-sized but repeat- and feature-poor mitochondrial genome of Vigna makes it ever more difficult to generalize about the factors shaping the size and sequence content of plant mitochondrial genomes.
Organic/inorganic complex pigments : Ancient colors Maya Blue

Maya Blue is an ancient blue pigment composed of palygorskite clay and indigo. It was used by the ancient Maya and provides a dramatic background for some of the most impressive murals throughout Mesoamerica. Despite exposure to acids, alkalis, and chemical solvents, the color of the Maya Blue pigment remains unaltered. The chemical interaction between palygorskite and indigo form an organic/inorganic complex with the carbonyl oxygen of the indigo bound to a surface Al(3+) in the Si-O lattice. In addition indigo will undergo an oxidation to dehydroindigo during preparation. The dehydro-indigo molecule forms a similar but stronger complex with the Al(3+). Thus, Maya Blue varies in color due to the mixed indigo/dehydroindigo complex. The above conclusions are the result of application of multiple techniques (X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis/thermal gravimetric analysis, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy) to the characterization of the organic/inorganic complex. A picture of the bonding of the organic molecule to the palygorskite surface forming a surface complex is developed and supported by the results of density functional theory calculations. We also report that other organic molecules such as thioindigo form similar organic/inorganic complexes thus, opening an entirely new class of complex materials for future applications.
The Relation Between Helical Spring Compliances With Free and Fixed End Rotations

A helical spring that is constrained to no rotation has a compliance that is typically more than 95% of the compliance of springs constrained to free rotation when restricted to symmetric wires made from materials with Poisson’s ratio between 0 and 1/2. It is shown that the shape of the spring wire can be designed so the spring will not twist when it is extended nor extend when it is twisted. The constrained spring versus a freely rotating spring with the helix angle equal to π/4 has the largest reduction in compliance in the limits of beam theory. Spring compliances for torsion and extension with quite complex helical spring geometries are found to be related by a dimensionless ratio of compliances in a very simple equation that only depends on Poisson’s ratio and the helical, spring angle, ψ. Springs made from materials with negative Poisson’s ratio, however, can have a very substantial reduction in compliance; the no rotation compliance is zero when Poisson’s ratio is −1. There are large changes in spring compliances for springs with geometric coils that are elongated rectangles or flattened ellipses.
Joint Coding and Stochastic Data Transmission for Uplink Cloud Radio Access Networks

We study the uplink cloud radio access networks using quantize and forward as an underlying relaying scheme. In all previous works, each radio unit (RU) is assumed to choose a compression rate equal to an instantaneous backhaul capacity. In this letter, we consider a more general network model for which each RU is equipped with a queue whose arrival rate is equal to a compression rate and departure rate is equal to a current backhaul capacity. For each time slot, it can choose a higher compression rate than the given backhaul capacity as long as the queue is stable. Using the principle of stochastic network optimization, we present a distributed algorithm to find the compression rate of each RU such that a time-averaged sum-rate is maximized subject to the queue stability. Under the optimal compression policy, some of RUs are active with a higher compression rate and the others are silent, for a given time slot, which is completely different from the conventional approach that all RUs are always active.
Feeling Embodied and Being Displaced: A Phenomenological Exploration of Hospital Scenes in Rabih Alameddine's Fiction

Rabih Alameddine is a Lebanese American author whose experimental work has been hailed as provocative for its rich exploration of Arab, Arab American, philosophical, queer, and transnational themes. Alameddine has published three novels—Koolaids: The Art of War (1998); I, the Divine: A Novel in First Chapters (2001), and The Hakawati: A Story (2008)—and a collection of short stories, The Perv (1999). Alameddine’s work features prominently in any discussion of contemporary Arab American literature because of his commercial success and critical acclaim. Although Alameddine explores a variety of themes including sexuality, madness, and HIV/ AIDS, most secondary literature written about Alameddine’s work tends to focus on the experience and implications of exile and displacement. Some characters choose to leave Lebanon as a result of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-90). Others are pushed away because of familial conflict, career, or sexuality, a narrative that corresponds with what we usually term displacement. Critics’ focus on exile and displacement, however, foregrounds these concepts as a gateway to understanding Alameddine’s critiques of Lebanon, the United States, or the condition of exile itself, to the exclusion of the material body. Scenes that take place within hospitals imply that exile is tied not only to memory but also to illness. Instead of pathologizing exile, Alameddine’s fiction holds up the hospital space and illness as a means of working through displacement. Characters reject the idea that normalcy or belonging is a state to which they should aspire, regardless of whether that norm or belonging is constituted in sexual, bodily, or mental terms. They are most at home in themselves when they are in a state of difference. This article maps out a set of possibilities for understanding the relationship in Alameddine’s fiction between being physically displaced and feeling materially embodied. This essay’s analysis of embodiment draws directly on phenomenology as a mode of reading. Here, critics “[emphasize] the importance of lived experience, the intentionality of consciousness, the significance of nearness or what is ready-to-hand, and the role of repeated and habitual actions in shaping bodies and worlds” (Ahmed 2). This approach understands characters as subjects who act upon others (objective subjects) and who are also perceived as objects who are acted upon by others (subjective objects). Usually, they are simultaneously both “literally and figuratively mak[ing] sense of, and to, both ourselves and others” (Sobchack 2). However, there are moments in Alameddine’s fiction when his characters cannot or refuse to
Lessons learned from school-based teacher preparation programs

Abstract There are many advantages and challenges associated with school‐based teacher preparation programs. Five such programs are briefly described in this paper. The Center for Excellence in Education at Northern Arizona University operates the Flagstaff Partnership Program, the Sedona Partnership Program, the Rural Special Education Program, the Rural Multicultural Training Collaborative, and the Praxis Program. Based upon our experiences with these programs, four important variables have been identified that need to be considered to maximize the likelihood that a school‐based teacher preparation program will succeed. These variables are (a) the importance of the personnel in the program, (b) the importance of administrative support for the program, (c) the importance of flexibility and risk‐taking, and (d) a focus on new conceptions of quality. Each of these variables is briefly described in this paper.
Deck modeling for seismic analysis of skewed slab-girder bridges

Abstract Seismic analysis of slab-girder single-span skewed bridges is greatly simplified if one can assume the concrete deck to be rigid in its own plane. In effect, the deck can be replaced with a rigid bar and this will eliminate many degrees of freedom associated with the superstructure. In this study, the importance of this modeling assumption, in conjunction with AASHTO’s seismic analysis methods, is highlighted. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of this assumption on analysis, a parametric study is performed on bridges with skews ranging from 0 to 60 degrees and with spans up to 30 m. It is assumed that the bridges are elastically supported with elastomeric or pinned bearings in the longitudinal direction, and cross-frames in the skew direction at each end. Linear finite element response spectrum dynamic analysis is performed on bridges with decks modeled as rigid and flexible shell elements. The effects of deck stiffness on the translational and torsional periods of vibration are noted. Stresses for flexible decks are evaluated and shown to be negligible. Seismic demand on supporting elements with rigid and non-rigid decks are compared. It is shown that the rigid deck assumption simplifies the analysis and is valid for practical ranges of slab-girder bridges.
Evidence for effective suppression of recombination in the chromosome 17q21 segment spanning RNU2-BRCA1

Characterization of associations between polymorphic sites located throughout the approximately 200-400-kb variable-length region spanning RNU2-BRCA1 reveals nearly complete linkage disequilibrium. This segment spans the RNU2 array, which includes 6-30 tandem copies of the U2 snRNA gene, and an adjacent region containing NBR1, the LBRCA1 pseudogene, NBR2, and BRCA1 in a tandemly duplicated structure. A series of biallelic polymorphisms define two common haplotypes that do not vary significantly, in structure or frequency, between populations of primarily European (n=275) or Asian (n=34) ancestry. Lower-frequency variants occurring at distantly located sites within this region also show very strong associations. The rarer haplotype classes appear to be distinguished by mutational alteration and are not recombination products of the two major classes. The two major haplotypes also exhibit significantly different allele-length distributions for local simple tandem-repeat markers. The conservation of extensive distinct chromosomal haplotypes during a long period of human population expansion and divergence indicates that selective forces or specific chromosomal mechanisms result in effective recombination suppression. The extreme degree of long-range linkage disequilibrium at this locus may be exceeded only by that reported for the human MHC locus, where allele-specific functional interactions are believed to be significant. These findings have implications for the estimation of the time of origin of BRCA1 mutations having a founder effect, the interpretation of the significance of rare allelic variants, and the study of the origins of modern populations.
Permeability of arthrodial membrane to water: A first measurement using in vivo techniques

Despite differences in surface morphology and fine structure, the permeabilities of untreated scorpion sternite and pleural cuticle to water are similar (0.69 versus 0.79 μg·cm−2·h−1·mm Hg−1). Hexane applied to pleural membrane increased its permeability 9-fold, but neither hexane nor chloroform: methanol had much effect on sternite permeability. When sternite cuticle was treated with 1.0 N KOH followed by chloroform: methanol, permeability increased about three times over control values. In contrast, cockroach pronotum, which is 17 times more permeable than scorpion sternite, exhibited a marked increase in permeability when treated with just hexane. In both the scorpion pleuron and cockroach pronotum, disruption of the lipid barrier caused by rubbing is partially responsible for the higher permeabilities observed following solvent treatment.
Studies in software reengineering: Capturing navy legacy software

This report is a summary of the continuing efforts of several teams at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Divsion (NSWCDD) to evaluate technologies and to define and refine a process to reengineer Navy legacy CMS-2 code into Ada. This effort involves tool and technology evaluation, methodology definition, and cost model definition.
Against the Doctrine of Microphysical Supervenience

Microphysical Supervenience (MS) Necessarily, if atoms A, through An compose an object that exemplifies intrinsic qualitative properties Ql through Qn then atoms like Al through An (in all their respective intrinsic qualitative properties), related to one another by all the same restricted atom-to-atom relations as A, through An, compose an object that exemplifies Q, through Qnj MS is a conjunction of two theses. The first thesis is that an object's intrinsic qualitative properties supervene on the intrinsic qualitative properties
Sintering of YBa2Cu3O7−x compacts

Abstract Heating of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x compacts above about 930°C is shown to induce liquid formation. Presence of the liquid phase results in excellent densification, but limited superconducting properties. Sintering below 930°C occurs primarily by solid-state diffusion. Although the density of these samples is low, the superconducting properties are similar to those of the dense materials produced via liquid-phase sintering. The highest current densities (≈ 500 A/cm 2 ) have been obtained in these solid-state sintered samples.
A new technique for closed loop control of discrete stochastic nonlinear systems

A new approach for optimum control of discrete stochastic nonlinear systems is developed from practical engineering assumptions. Systems amenable to this new approach include optimum guidance and navigation systems for space and terrestrial vehicles, optimum closed-loop process controllers, and optimum controllers for systems with unknown parameters. The solution is obtained by expansion of the stochastic cost function in a power series around a deterministic trajectory with the assumption of linear perturbation estimation and control about that trajectory. Optimization of the expanded cost function gives necessary conditions dependent on the covariance matrices and the deterministic portion of the cost. When the necessary conditions are solved, a set of open-loop controls, perturbation controller gains, and perturbation estimator gains are obtained that can be precomputed and implemented into the system.
Silicon-Based Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (IPNs): Synthesis and Properties

Both condensation and hydrosilylation reactions have been successfully applied for the synthesis of silicon-based interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) consisting of a stable Si-O and Si-C linkage. We adopted a ladder silsesquioxane oligomer (LDS 1; commercial name, Glass Resin GR100) and a polycarbosilane (PCS) by hydrosilylation polymerization of bifunctional Si-H and Si-vinyl monomers as the two components for the IPN. The combined LDS/PCS curing system was studied to try to obtain homogeneously cured material, which may lead to IPN formation, by using both reactions selectively in one pot for chain-extending and cross-linking of both components, respectively. We synthesized the cured LDS/PCS; LD3PCS = 8/2, 5/5, and 2/8 [wt/wt]. Tuning the rates of the two reactions to each other was important for obtaining a transparent cured product. The morphology of the cured LDS/PCS (8/2) was examined by TEM and AFM. TEM analysis showed a good miscibility with an nm level of LDS/PCS (8/2). The thermal and mechanical properties of the LDS/PCS (8/2) cured sample were better than the calculated values from each component's value. The experimental data imply the IPN structure of the cured LDS/PCS.
Bosonic mean-field theory of quantum Heisenberg spin systems: Bose condensation and magnetic order

We discuss the mean-field approach to the quantum Heisenberg ferromagnet and antiferromagnet on bipartite lattices using the Schwinger boson representation, with the constraints imposed on the average. The low-dimensional results of Arovas and Auerbach (Phys. Rev. B. 38, 316 (1988)) are derived simply by using a Hartree-Fock decomposition and the Peierls variational principle. We study the models below their critical temperatures in three dimensions (and at zero temperature in {ital d}=2 dimensions) by identifying magnetic ordering with Bose condensation of the Schwinger bosons. This novel interpretation enables us to compute the low-temperature (in the ordered regime) thermodynamic properties and dispersion relations, which agree with the results of spin-wave theory. We also extract critical properties that are related to those of the spherical model. A brief discussion of the limitations of the approach is also presented.
Effect of altering the type of enamel conditioner on the shear bond strength of a resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of changing the type of enamel conditioner on the shear bond strength of a resin-reinforced glass ionomer within half an hour after bonding the bracket to the tooth. Freshly extracted human molars were collected and stored in a solution of 0.1% (weight/volume) thymol. The teeth were cleaned and polished. The teeth were randomly separated into 4 groups according to the enamel conditioner/etchant and adhesive used: group I, teeth were conditioned with 10% polyacrylic acid and brackets were bonded with a resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive; group II, teeth were conditioned with 20% polyacrylic acid and brackets were bonded with a resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive; group III, teeth were etched with 37% phosphoric acid and the brackets were bonded with a resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive; group IV, teeth were etched with 37% phosphoric acid and the brackets were bonded with a composite adhesive. The results of the analysis of variance comparing the 4 experimental groups (F = 24.87) indicated the presence of significant differences between the groups (P =.0001). In general, the shear bond strengths were significantly greater in the 2 groups etched with 37% phosphoric acid. This was true for both the resin-reinforced glass ionomer (x = 6.1 ± 2.7 MPa) and the composite (x = 5.2 ± 2.9 MPa) adhesives. On the other hand, the shear bond strengths were significantly lower in the two groups conditioned with polyacrylic acid. The bond strength of the resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive conditioned with 10% polyacrylic acid (x = 0.4 ± 1.0 MPa) was significantly lower than the group conditioned with 20% polyacrylic acid (x = 3.3 ± 2.6 MPa). The present findings indicated that the bond strength of the resin-reinforced glass ionomer adhesive can be significantly increased in the initial half hour after bonding if the enamel is etched with 37% phosphoric acid instead of being conditioned with either 10% or 20% polyacrylic acid. The clinician needs to take these properties into consideration when ligating the initial archwires. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2000;118:288–94)
Internal State Assignments for Asynchronous Sequential Machines

The paper presents three procedures for coding the internal states of asynchronous sequential switching circuits. Resulting codes insure that the circuit will function according to flow table specifications independent of variations in transmission delays within the circuit. The assignment methods produce codes that allow one to maximize the operating speed of the circuit and are applicable to completely or incompletely specified sequential machines.
A hierarchical approach to modeling hurricane disaster relief goods distribution

The need to create effective plans for distributing aid after a hurricane is of increasing importance in the transport community, as recent research suggests stronger storms will be affecting more people located in highly populated areas. Studies show that not all people will choose to evacuate an at-risk region or seek protection at shelters. To this point there have been relatively few efforts exploring the use of geographic information systems in conjunction with spatial optimization models in post-hurricane settings to accomplish efficient placements of facilities for distributing relief services. Despite the fact that hurricane relief strategies could benefit from a standardized methodology that reliably provides efficient placements for relief facilities, no research has examined the possibility of implementing a hierarchical structure among these facilities. This paper suggests a type of hierarchical capacitated-median model for this purpose. Two variations of this model are tested and their solutions are compared to that of a non-hierarchical version of the capacitated-median model. Findings suggest that if there is limited availability of certain services it could be useful to employ the use of a hierarchical capacitated-median problem to help place distinct facilities that provide different levels of assistance.
Modeling the fractional magnetic states of magnetostructural transformations

Abstract The large inverse magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in the off-stoichiometric Heusler alloys occurs at a critical temperature near room temperature. At this temperature, the material is in a mixed-state and can have a variable ratio of two stable magnetic crystallographic-states; a high magnetization state (HM) and a low magnetization state (LM). The field-induced thermal hysteresis in the virgin curve of Ni50Mn35In15 and the virgin first-order reversal curves (VFORC) are presented. A model is introduced to describe the descending branches of these curves based on the different magnetic fields of conversion (from HM to LM). Using limited measurements, the model is used as a tool to determine the fractions of the two crystallographic-states within the mixed-state region.
Management of traumatic popliteal vascular injuries in a level I trauma center: A 6-year experience

Abstract Introduction Popliteal vascular trauma remains a challenging entity, and carries the greatest risk of limb loss among the lower extremity vascular injuries. Operative management of traumatic popliteal vascular injuries continues to evolve. We aim at describing our experience with such complex injuries, with associated patterns of injury, diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, and outcomes. Methods From January 2006 to September 2011, 191 adult trauma patients presented to an urban level I trauma center in Miami, Florida with traumatic lower extremity vascular injuries. Variables collected included age, gender, mechanism of injury, and clinical status at presentation. Surgical data included vessel injury, technical aspects of repair, associated complications and outcomes. Results Forty-seven (24.6%) patients were diagnosed with traumatic popliteal vascular injuries. Mean age was 38.1 ± 16.1 years, and the majority of patients were males (43 patients, 91.4%). There were 21 (44.7%) penetrating injuries, and 26 (55.3%) blunt injuries. Vascular repair with saphenous venous interposition graft and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) grafting were performed in 36 (70.7%) and 2 (3.9%) patients, respectively. Blunt popliteal injuries were significantly more associated with major tissue loss, and length of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays. The risk for amputation is increased with longer ICU stays and the use of PTFE grafting for vascular repair. The overall mortality rate in this series was 8.5%. Conclusions Blunt popliteal vascular injuries are associated with increased morbidity compared to penetrating trauma. Early restoration of blood perfusion, frequent use of interposition grafts with autogenous saphenous vein, and liberal use of fasciotomies play important role to achieve acceptable outcomes.
A Nanosecond Molecular Dynamics Trajectory for a B DNA Double Helix: Evidence for Substates

We report here the results of the three molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the d(CGCGAATTCGCG) duplex, two for 500 ps and one extended to 1 ns, as a response to serious questions about the sensitivity of the results to trajectory length and choice of starting structure. In 1992 we reported a 140-ps MD on the d(CGCGAATTCGCG) duplex including water and counterions. This simulation utilized the GROMOS force field,2 and irreversible base pair opening events were observed, as with other force field^.^.^ A second simulation employed a harmonic restraint function with GROMOS to assure that Watson-Crick base pairing was maintained intact. The results in the latter case were found to be consistent with available experimental data in comparison both with crystal structure datal and with 2D-NOESY buildup curves obtained from NMR spectro~copy.~~~ Subsequent studies of hydrogen bond interaction energies in Watson-Crick base pairs revealed that GROMOS underestimates these interactions. When a hydrogen bond potential7 was added, the energies compared closely with corresponding experimental data and ab initio quantum mechanical calculations.* The simulations described herein are based on GROMOS with this modification. The current studies also utilize a longer range switching function, which feathers the truncation of potentials over the length scale from 7.5 to 11.5 A and eliminates the tendency of charged groups to cluster at the cutoff limit when potentials are truncated too abr~ptly.~ We treat the effect of counterions implicity, using a reduced charge of -0.24 eu on the phosphate groups.IO All current simulations are carried out using free MD on the dodecamer duplex surrounded by - 3500 water molecules in a hexagonal prism elementary cell of constant volume, treated under periodic boundary conditions to model dilute aqueous (1) Swaminathan, S.; Ravishanker, G.; Beveridge, D. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1991, 113,5027.
Uses and abuses of coefficient alpha.

The article addresses some concerns about how coefficient alpha is reported and used. It also shows that alpha is not a measure of homogeneity or unidimensionality. This fact and the finding that test length is related to reliability may cause significant misinterpretations of measures when alpha is used as evidence that a measure is unidimensional. For multidimensional measures, use of alpha as the basis for corrections for attenuation causes overestimates of true correlation. Satisfactory levels of alpha depend on test use and interpretation. Even relatively low (e.g., .50) levels of criterion reliability do not seriously attenuate validity coefficients. When reporting intercorrelations among measures that should be discriminable, it is important to present observed correlations, appropriate measures of reliability, and correlations corrected for unreliability. Presentation of coefficient alpha (hereinafter alpha; Cronbach, 1951 ) as an index of the internal consistency or reliability of psychological measures has become routine practice in virtually all psychological and social science research in which multiple-item measures of a construct are used. In this article I describe four ways in which researchers' use of alpha to convey information about the operationalization of a construct or constructs can represent a lack of understanding or can convey less information than is actually required to evaluate the degree to which measurement problems are or are not a concern in the interpretation of the research results. In each instance, I will also indicate which additional or supplementary information is necessary to evaluate the measurements used in the research.
Cognitive enhancement: a comparative review of computerized and athletic training programs

Cognitive enhancement refers to any type of improvement in cognitive performance following targeted interventions. Cognitive training is a rapidly growing market with potential to further expand in the future. Several computerized software programs promoting cognitive enhancement have been developed in recent years, with controversial results and implications. Within the research field, advances have been made regarding our understanding of the benefits inherent to cognitive programs, mainly involving working memory mechanisms and videogame training paradigms. In a distinct literature, physical exercise has been shown to broadly enhance cognitive functions, in humans and animals. In this article, we bring together these two trends of research in a comparative review, leading the discussion to an emerging third approach: designed sports training. Specifically designed sports, which tax working memory and spatial ability by incorporating motion in three-dimensional space, are an optimal way to combine the b...
Public preferences for anterior tooth variations: a web-based study.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine the public's preferences for five esthetic variations, with the goal of linking preferences to demographic data such as age, gender, country of residence, and race. Materials and Methods: Using photo-editing software, five pairs of images with anterior tooth variations were put on a Web page with forms to collect demographic data and ranking of the image pairs. Opinions were solicited by sending out a large number of e-mails with a short study description and an invitation to access the Web page. The responses were tabulated and analyzed with logistic regression (alpha = 0.05). Results: Valid responses were received from 2185 computer users in 45 countries. Because of the small number of respondents from most countries, only the responses from the United States and Canada (n = 1934) were analyzed. Variables collected were birth date, gender, race or ethnic background, and last dental visit. Analysis indicated that different variables were significant for different questions. Last dental visit and the interaction of gender and race were not significant in any of the models. Strongest preferences concerned diastema and midline shift and the weakest concerned whiteness and proportion. The largest minority view was the straight embrasures. Statistically significant differences were attributable to age, gender, and race. Females had stronger preferences in all conditions. Respondents younger than 40 years of age had stronger preferences for whiteness and against diastema, and whites strongly rejected the diastema. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE This study provides guidelines about the public's preferences concerning some commonly encountered conditions in esthetic dentistry.
A Cube Tiling of Dimension Eight with No Facesharing

A cube tiling of eight-dimensional space in which no pair of cubes share a complete common seven-dimensional face is constructed. Together with a result of Perron, this shows that the first dimension in which such a tiling can exist is seven or eight.