cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review: Sacred Scents in Early Christianity and Islam, by Mary Thurlkill

Mary Thurlkill, Sacred Scents in Early Christianity and Islam . Lanham/Boulder/New York/London: Lexington Books, 2016. Pp. xix + 191, ISBN: 9780739174524. $85.00. The historiography of late antiquity has awakened to the senses. Recent studies have elucidated the power of sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch for delineating religious experience and social boundaries throughout the late antique world. Susan Harvey's Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christianity and the Olfactory Imagination (University of California Press, 2006) deserves special note here, alongside studies by Beatrice Caseau, Georgia Frank, Deborah Green, Rachel Neis, and many others. Mary Thurlkill's intervention in this growing bibliography compares the role of “sacred scent” in the religions of late antiquity and the Islamic world. The book's scope is highly ambitious, ranging from the role of incense in Roman sacrifice to the spice-infused purity rituals prescribed by medieval Islamic jurists. As the author herself emphasizes, comparisons on this scale are challenging, perhaps inherently “messy” (163). Readers who seek a sharp, linear argument may find themselves frustrated by the book's sometimes-meandering style. Its comparative framework, however, yields some valuable insights. “Sensory Worlds,” the first of the book's three parts, considers the role of scent in defining domestic and civic spaces (ch. 1), culinary practices (ch. 2), and health and disease (ch. 3). Each chapter includes Roman, Christian, Jewish, and Islamic material that shows both the material underpinnings of the scent economy—especially Indian Ocean commerce in spices—and the various social settings where scents were deployed. In the Roman world, these settings included baths, banquets, theaters, funerals, temples, and even the Senate, though Cicero chastised Senators who dishonored their togas …
Does Patented Information Promote Progress

The strength of patents is often seen as their greatest weakness. Patents are said to represent a “tradeoff” between the benefits of public disclosure of new technical information and the burdens of private exclusivity over use of that information. The stronger the patent the greater the private benefit, potentially at the expense of society. And, when patents are too strong, they are seen as potentially “blocking” future technological progress, undermining society’s benefit of the bargain. The patent “tradeoff” and its attendant concerns currently take center stage in the debates over access to scientific research tools, patent thickets, and resource-draining patent litigation.This paper studies the patent “tradeoff” empirically and demonstrates that the private and social benefits of patents can work together, not in opposition. We exploit the statutory criteria of patent validity to analyze the impact that valid patents have on future technological progress. We find a significant positive relationship. By analyzing over 1500 U.S. patents held valid or invalid in courts, we show that valid patents give rise to more future inventions than invalid patents. This occurs during the full term of patent exclusivity, and it holds true for future developments made by third parties other than the patent owner. Crucially, we find that this effect hinges on the quantity and quality of the patent disclosure. Patents that are invalidated for lack of novelty have the weakest impact on future development, whereas patents which disclose more information tend to promote more future inventions and are more likely to be valid. Overall, we find a robust positive connection between information disclosure, patent validity, and future technological progress. This study provides direct empirical evidence of the fact that, and process by which, the public disclosure of patents spurs future technological progress. This informs concerns about patents blocking cumulative innovation. We demonstrate that, as a general rule, as the information content of a patent increases so do both its private value and the productive benefit to society. In so doing, we also introduce new metrics for analyzing the information content of issued patents, providing tools for future research.
Multivariate t-mixture-model-based cluster analysis of BATSE catalogue establishes importance of all observed parameters, confirms five distinct ellipsoidal sub-populations of gamma-ray bursts

Determining the kinds of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been of interest to astronomers for many years. We analyzed 1599 GRBs from the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) 4Br catalogue using $t$-mixtures-model-based clustering on all nine observed parameters ($T_{50}$, $T_{90}$, $F_1$, $F_2$, $F_3$, $F_4$, $P_{64}$, $P_{256}$, $P_{1024}$) and found evidence of five types of GRBs. Our results further refine the findings of Chattopadhyay and Maitra (2017) by providing groups that are more distinct. Using the Mukherjee et al. (1998) classification scheme, also used by Chattopadhyay and Maitra (2017), of duration, total fluence ($F_t = F_1 + F_2 + F_3 + F_4$)) and spectrum (using Hardness Ratio $H_{321} = F_3/(F_1 + F_2)$) our five groups are classified as long-intermediate-intermediate, short-faint-intermediate, short-faint-soft, long-bright-hard, and long-intermediate-hard. We also classify 374 GRBs in the BATSE catalogue that have incomplete information in some of the observed variables (mainly the four time integrated fluences $F_1$, $F_2$, $F_3$ and $F_4$) to the five groups obtained, using the 1599 GRBs having complete information in all the observed variables. Our classification scheme puts 138 GRBs in the first group, 52 GRBs in the second group, 33 GRBs in the third group, 127 GRBs in the fourth group and 24 GRBs in the fifth group.
Debiasing Evidence Approximations: On Importance-weighted Autoencoders and Jackknife Variational Inference

The importance-weighted autoencoder (IWAE) approach of Burda et al. defines a sequence of increasingly tighter bounds on the marginal likelihood of latent variable models. Recently, Cremer et al. reinterpreted the IWAE bounds as ordinary variational evidence lower bounds (ELBO) applied to increasingly accurate variational distributions. In this work, we provide yet another perspective on the IWAE bounds. We interpret each IWAE bound as a biased estimator of the true marginal likelihood where for the bound defined on $K$ samples we show the bias to be of order O(1/K). In our theoretical analysis of the IWAE objective we derive asymptotic bias and variance expressions. Based on this analysis we develop jackknife variational inference (JVI), a family of bias-reduced estimators reducing the bias to $O(K^{-(m+1)})$ for any given m < K while retaining computational efficiency. Finally, we demonstrate that JVI leads to improved evidence estimates in variational autoencoders. We also report first results on applying JVI to learning variational autoencoders.
The capricious electrostatic force: Revealing the signaling pathway in integrin α2-I domain

Integrins are cellular adhesion proteins located on cell surface. They are known to have open and closed conformations that correspond to high and low binding affinity to ligands, respectively. Int...
Imaging transcriptional dynamics

Recent advances in imaging techniques have enabled visualizations of nascent transcripts or individual protein molecules at high spatiotemporal resolution, revealing the complex nature of transcriptional regulation. Here, we highlight recent studies that have provided comprehensive insights to transcriptional dynamics using such quantitative imaging techniques. Specifically, they demonstrated that transcriptional activity is stochastic, and such transcriptional bursting is modulated by multiple components like chromatin environments, concentration of transcription factors, and enhancer-promoter interactions. Moreover, recent studies suggested that regulation of transcriptional activity is more complex than previously thought, by showing that transcription factors and RNA polymerases also move within the cell with distinct kinetics and sometimes form dynamic clusters to mediate transcriptional initiation.
The Struggle for Coexistence: On Competition and Assembling Tight Communities

From an aesthetic standpoint, the criteria are familiar. In Perennial Companions: 100 Dazzling Plant Combinations for Every Season, Tom Fischer (2009: 9) reviewed the conventional approach: “One of the greatest pleasures-and challenges—of gardening is combining plants to form pleasing juxtapositions of color, form, and texture.”
Minocycline to reduce chemoradiation-related fatigue in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A phase II randomized trial.

10017Background: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) experience substantial fatigue that may be exacerbated by inflammation-induced sickness during concurrent chemoradiation therapy (C...
Left ventricular mechanical dispersion predicts arrhythmic risk in mitral valve prolapse

Objective Bileaflet mitral valve prolapse (MVP) with either focal or diffuse myocardial fibrosis has been linked to ventricular arrhythmia and/or sudden cardiac arrest. Left ventricular (LV) mechanical dispersion by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a measure of heterogeneity of ventricular contraction previously associated with myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this study is to determine whether mechanical dispersion can identify MVP at higher arrhythmic risk. Methods We identified 32 consecutive arrhythmic MVPs (A-MVP) with a history of complex ventricular ectopy on Holter/event monitor (n=23) or defibrillator placement (n=9) along with 27 MVPs without arrhythmic complications (NA-MVP) and 39 controls. STE was performed to calculate global longitudinal strain (GLS) as the average peak longitudinal strain from an 18-segment LV model and mechanical dispersion as the SD of the time to peak strain of each segment. Results MVPs had significantly higher mechanical dispersion compared with controls (52 vs 42 ms, p=0.005) despite similar LV ejection fraction (62% vs 63%, p=0.42) and GLS (−19.7 vs −21, p=0.045). A-MVP and NA-MVP had similar demographics, LV ejection fraction and GLS (all p>0.05). A-MVP had more bileaflet prolapse (69% vs 44%, p=0.031) with a similar degree of mitral regurgitation (mostly trace or mild in both groups) (p>0.05). A-MVP exhibited greater mechanical dispersion when compared with NA-MVP (59 vs 43 ms, p=0.0002). Mechanical dispersion was the only significant predictor of arrhythmic risk on multivariate analysis (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.11, p=0.006). Conclusions STE-derived mechanical dispersion may help identify MVP patients at higher arrhythmic risk.
Thermodynamic properties of Sr-Sb alloys via emf measurements using solid CaF2-SrF2 electrolyte

Abstract The thermodynamic properties of Sr-Sb alloys were determined by electromotive force (emf) measurements to understand the solution and phase behavior of Sr in Sb. A Sr(s) | CaF2-SrF2 | Sr(in Sb) electrochemical cell was used to measure emf values at 833–1113 K for Sr mole fractions over xSr = 0.03–0.84. The activity of Sr in liquid Sb was as low as 6.9 × 10−13 at 973 K and xSr = 0.03, implying strong chemical interactions. Six intermetallic compounds were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD): SrSb2, Sr2Sb3, Sr11Sb10, Sr16Sb11, Sr5Sb3, and Sr2Sb. Phase transition temperatures were verified by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for xSr = 0.03–0.48. Integrating the thermodynamic properties of the Sr-Sb system from emf, XRD, and DSC measurements, three characteristic transition temperatures were newly defined and an experimentally-determined Sr-Sb phase diagram was constructed up to xSr = 0.50.
An Approach to Include Interfacial Wear Effects in Modeling Fatigue Crack Growth of Titanium Matrix Composites

An approach has been developed that includes the effects of interfacial wear on the fiber-bridging behavior of titanium matrix composites during fatigue crack propagation. This approach uses a Coulomb friction-based fiber-bridging model in which the effect of fiber surface roughness on the clamping stress between the fiber and matrix is included. A previously developed wear model has been incorporated into this bridging model as a means to determine the reduction of the fiber surface roughness amplitude during fatigue cycling. As the roughness decreases, its contribution to the clamping stress also decreases, resulting in a lower interfacial shear stress. In order to include this effect in model fatigue crack growth rates, the combined Coulomb friction and wear models have been applied to a discrete composite model formulation. Crack growth predictions were then performed using a single set of input parameters by allowing the fiber surface roughness to decrease due to wear over a discrete increment of fatigue crack geometry based on bridging conditions determined by the composite model. These predictions correlated very well with experimental results for different loading conditions, especially those at relatively high crack growth rates.
34 Population Policy

During the past 70 years, governments around the world have designed and implemented population policies to address the different phases of the demographic transition, namely high mortality levels, high or low fertility levels, national and international migration flows, urbanization patterns, and the population aging crisis in some countries that have completed their demographic transition. The chapter first covers the population policy rationales and definitions, the population policy process as well as the research findings. Thereafter, the chapter turns to the population policies implementation issues, including the implementation approaches and the implementation results. The chapter relies extensively on concrete examples of population policies design and implementation in various parts of the world. To conclude, the chapter assesses the way forward for population policies and stresses their importance. It contends that is possible to intervene on demographic trends, with a reasonable level of efficiency, and within the human rights framework.
(9R,13R,14R)-7-(E)-Benzylidene-14-hydroxy-3,4- dimethoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one

The chiral title compound, C29H33NO4, crystallized from methanol. The absolute configuration was assigned by reference to an unchanging chiral center in the synthetic procedure.
Online Tensor Decomposition and Imputation for Count Data

Unveiling low-dimensional latent structure by means of multilinear decompositions of tensor data is central to data analytics tasks at the confluence of signal processing, machine learning and data mining. However, increasingly noisy, incomplete, and heterogeneous datasets (that deviate from e.g., Gaussian distributional assumptions) as well as the need for real-time processing of streaming data pose major challenges to this end. In this context, the present paper develops a novel online (adaptive) algorithm to obtain three-way decompositions of low-rank, Poisson-distributed tensors. Such (possibly incomplete) streams of count data arise with various applications including traffic engineering, computer network monitoring, genomics, photonics and satellite imaging. The proposed estimator minimizes a Poisson log-likelihood cost along with a separable regularizer of the PARAFAC decomposition factors, to trade-off fidelity for complexity of the approximation captured by the decomposition’s rank. Leveraging stochastic gradient descent iterations, a scalable, online algorithm is developed to learn the decomposition factors on-the-fly and perform data imputation as a byproduct. Preliminary numerical tests with simulated data and solar flare video confirm the efficacy of the proposed tensor imputation algorithm, as well as its convergence to the batch estimator benchmark.
Neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in human brain at single-cell resolution.

Single-cell RNA sequencing and single-nucleus RNA sequencing have recently provided the opportunity to investigate cellular and molecular aspects of neuro-immune interactions in the brain with unprecedented detail. Here, we highlight the major advances in human neuroimmunology reported this year based on these cutting-edge technologies. Here, Marco Colonna and Simone Brioschi highlight several key papers from 2019 that used single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing to provide exciting insights into the neuro-immune interactions that occur in the healthy and diseased brain.
Acoustic MEMS Sensor Array for Quench Detection of CICC Superconducting Cables

A novel quench detection method using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor technology has been investigated in use for high temperature superconducting (HTS) conductors such REBCO tape cables. The sensor array along a superconducting cable, such as a cable-in-conduit-conductor (CICC), is installed in a cooling channel. It will allow sensitive and quick detection for a local quench of a superconducting cable. This work has confirmed that a quench of a single REBCO tape can be detected in liquid nitrogen by a MEMS piezoelectric microphone sensor. The quench detection design utilizing a MEMS sensor array method is discussed for the case of a toroidal field (TF) magnets of a fusion Tokamak device.
Domain Importance in Subjective Well-Being Measures

In subjective well-being (SWB) studies, domain importance typically refers tothe relative importance of various life domains. Although there appears to be a consensus that domain importance is an important topic, whether or not domain importance should be in- corporated into measures of SWB remains contentious. Even though recent studies that ex- aminedtheclaimsagainstincorporatingdomainimportance,alsoknownasdomainimportance weighting,intoSWB measuresfound thatbothconceptualand empiricalargumentshave been far from sufficient, insufficient evidence against importance weighting does not mean there is evidence tosupportimportance weighting. Conducting a secondary analysis, the current study investigates the role of domain importance in SWB measures without making any arbitrary assumptionsregardinghowdomainimportanceweightingshouldfunction.Resultsofthestudy show that the relationship between global life satisfaction and the sum of domain satisfaction scores did not remain constant across groups of different domain importance rating patterns. Thefindingssuggestthat,whentheresearchobjectiveistostudyvariabilityofresponsesatthe level of homogeneous subgroups, it is important to consider domain importance when using domain satisfaction to construct global SWB measures.
How Families Give and Receive: A Cross-Class Qualitative Study of Familial Exchange:

Support of family members has been a long-standing interest of social scientists. Contemporary American families must provide support to members in a historical context wherein family inequality co...
Compensating Online Content Producers: A Theoretical Analysis

The digital content industry is rapidly growing, and many platforms host a vast amount of content that is produced by independent producers. A major source of revenue for these platforms is adverti...
Millimeter-scale glass optical concentrator design and fabrication

Nonimaging optical concentrators have applications spanning from solar concentration to optical wireless, as well as collimation for LEDs. Using femtosecond laser irradiation followed by chemical etching (FLICE), the fabrication of millimeter-length concentrators from fused silica substrates with output diameters on the order of a hundred microns is demonstrated. The design of dielectric total internal reflection concentrators (DTIRC) is discussed, and ray trace simulations are provided that compare linear taper (LT) and CPC theta1-theta2 concentrator designs for two use cases: 1) as the primary concentrator and 2) as a secondary concentrator. When used with a spherical lens, an overall geometric concentration ratio of 1300 with 1.1 degree half acceptance angle can be achieved, per simulations. Compared to a ball lens with diameter around 1.5mm, widely used for coupling, a 3x larger acceptance angle can be achieved with a DTIRC of similar height.
Science and Anti-Science: Objectivity and Its Real Enemies

As political activist Ti-Grace Atkinson wrote in 1970: “whenever the enemy keeps lobbing bombs into some area you consider unrelated to your defense, it’s always worth investigating.”1
Specific Hydrolysis of the Cohesive Ends of Bacteriophage λ-Deoxyribonucleic Acid by Micrococcus luteus Ultraviolet Exonuclease

Abstract Conditions have been established under which Micrococcus luteus ultraviolet exonuclease cleaves off part of the 12-nucleotide-long single-stranded cohesive ends of λDNA, leaving either 3 or 4 nucleotides on each end, as determined by the repair incorporation of radioactive nucleotides into the remaining single-stranded ends by DNA polymerase I. This finding is supported by results from nearest neighbor and 3' end analyses which indicate that the cleavage is almost, but not completely, synchronous. The ultraviolet exonuclease-digested λDNA can be further degraded by Escherichia coli exonuclease III to increase the length of the single-stranded ends. After repair synthesis, the nucleotide sequence of the newly exposed segments can be determined without having to repeat the sequence analysis of the entire cohesive ends. The λDNA digested this way gave the expected incorporation of nucleotides by DNA polymerase I.
Chapter 21 Measurement of ATPase Activity Using [γ-32P]ATP

Publisher Summary ATPase activity plays an important part in the biochemical characterization of ciliary and flagellar enzymes such as dynein. The technique provides a useful criterion for assessing the purity of an enzyme preparation and investigating the mechanisms involved in coupling the ATPase and translocation activities of molecular motors and in regulating these motors. The two methods described in this chapter employ radiolabeled nucleotide and depend on measuring the release of inorganic phosphate. The first involves the formation of a phosphomolybdate complex that subsequently is extracted into an organic phase away from the unhydrolyzed nucleotide. This method has two disadvantages: there are multiple pipetting steps, some of which involve organic solvents, and thus significant errors can be introduced if care is not taken; and the organic extraction requires the use of benzene, which is a carcinogen. In the second method quantitation is achieved either by liquid scintillation counting or using a phosphorimager. In both cases, the sensitivity is significant and the small volume required enables measurements to be made in many different situations. The only potential disadvantage is, when the thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-based method is used in autoradiography, it may be necessary to expose the film overnight if the specific activity of the ATP solution is low. Both of the methods detailed are considerably sensitive than nonradioactive methods for measuring phosphate production. It is however, necessary to use colorimetric methods to follow the hydrolysis of nucleotides for which radiolabeled versions are not commercially available. The chapter describes the phosphomolybdate solution assay and phosphate assay using thin-layer chromatography—the reagents and solutions, and the procedure.
Flight-critical distributed systems: design considerations [avionics]

With the proliferation of so-called "smart" components and the availability of small, low-cost, and high-speed data networks, avionics that have traditionally been centralized are becoming distributed. A distributed approach offers many potential benefits, such as reduced development time and cost, simplified system installation, increased flexibility for system expansion or modifications, and greater reuse of proven components. The distributed approach can also reduce the risk associated with design errors by splitting complex hardware and software into more manageable components. However, distributed systems also introduce new challenges in meeting real-time deadlines and providing fault tolerance. This paper examines the many design considerations and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each. Emerging automotive drive-by-wire alternatives are compared for application to aerospace systems. This paper is based on a Draper Laboratory-sponsored effort to look at flight-critical distributed systems and to evaluate emerging hardware and software for building them.
Small intermediate fault segments can either aid or hinder rupture propagation at stepovers

[1] Large-scale geometrical complexities along faults are known to be likely endpoints for coseismic rupture, as suggested by analysis of historic ruptures and corroborated by models of rupture on bent or discontinuous faults. However, natural faults also include smaller-scale complexities. We use the 3D finite element method to model dynamic ruptures on strike-slip fault stepovers with a smaller intermediate fault between the main strands. We find that such small faults can have a controlling effect on rupture behavior and ground motion intensity and distribution. In particular, the intermediate fault can either aid or prevent rupture propagation across the stepover, depending on its length and basal depth. The results have important implications for hazard assessment of faults with large- and small-scale geometrical complexities, and also suggest that more site-specific modeling studies may be necessary to develop realistic rupture scenarios for individual complex fault systems.
Implementing a delegation model design of an HPCC application using concert/C

The emerging High-Performance Computing and Communication (HPCC) environment is significantly changing the way in which processes cooperate. In this paper, we identify some of the difficulties involved in modeling HPCC applications. We choose a specific application to illustrate these challenges: the collection and analysis of time series data for the observation of seismic sensored phenomena. We advocate the suitability of the delegation model to design HPCC applications, and we describe a delegation model design of the time series application. We validate the use of the Concert/C language as a tool for supporting the delegation model and report our experience in using Concert/C to implement the application.
Artificial ion beam instabilities. I - Linear theory. II - Simulations

Some of the important plasma instabilities that result when an artificial ion beam is injected into the ionospheric F region are studied using linear Vlasov theory. The variation in wave spectra at the receiver as the receiver and plasma gun separate perpendicularly to the magnetic field is consistent with a beam density decrease at or near the receiver. At separation distances that are large fractions of the beam gyrodiameter, usually narrow-band waves near the background lower hybrid and H+ gyroharmonic frequencies are measured. These observations are consistent with waves expected to be generated by beam densities on the order of or less than a few percent of the background density. At smaller separation distances, broadband waves are usually observed with frequencies from zero up to and above the lower hybrid frequency. Electrostatic particle simulation studies of the plasma instabilities indicate that the broadband fluidlike lower hybrid instability is the most important for background particle heating. Perpendicular H+ heating is more efficient than perpendicular O+ or parallel electron heating for the drift velocity regime most relevant to past experiments.
Computer simulation modeling of recreation use: Current status, case studies, and future directions

This report compiles information about recent progress in the application of computer simulation modeling to planning and management of recreation use, particularly in parks and wilderness. Early modeling efforts are described in a chapter that provides an historical perspective. Another chapter provides an overview of modeling options, common data input requirements, and useful model outputs. The bulk of the report consists of case studies that illustrate a broad array of recreational situations and management applications for simulation modeling. A final chapter describes some future directions for modeling work. Although simulation of recreation use is already a tool for planning and management, its utility could be greatly enhanced with further work in software development, increased understanding of appropriate methodologies, and greater attention to model verification and validation.
What’s Fair Depends on What I Start With: The Influence of an Outcome Decision Aid and Initial Economic Position on Cost Reporting Misrepresentation

Managers can use private information to strategically misrepresent costs and consume additional resources at the expense of the firm. However, past research has demonstrated that managers do not always fully misrepresent, thus failing to display economically rational decision making. This paper proposes that misrepresentation is a joint function of managers’ economic self interest and situation-dependent, fairness beliefs. Specifically, managers choose a culturally defensible fairness belief that maximizes self-interest, given an initial “advantaged” or “disadvantaged” economic position. Experimental results show that “advantaged” managers, i.e., those who receive more than do comparable managers misrepresent less, while “disadvantaged” managers, i.e., those who receive less than do comparable managers misrepresent more. An accounting decision aid that increases the salience of the consequences of the misrepresentation increases this effect. The results suggest that managers’ initial economic positions influence implemented fairness beliefs. In addition, increasing the salience of the effect of a managers’ decisions -- for example, through the use of an accounting system -- can increase or decrease misrepresentation, depending upon initial economic position.
Interaction between instream axial flow hydrokinetic turbines and uni-directional flow bedforms

A series of experiments were completed to investigate the interactions between relatively large-scale sediment dunes and axial flow hydrokinetic turbines. Baseline experiments were completed under clear water conditions to assess local scour impacts of single and two-turbine installations. Spatio-temporal measurements of bed elevation were obtained simultaneously with turbine voltage output, from which a measure of the instantaneous rotor angular velocity was used as a proxy for turbine response to unsteady loads. These experiments were completed in a mobile bed of 1.8 mm coarse sand with migrating bedforms. A bedform tracking routine was used to analyze streamwise bed elevation profiles to estimate bedform geometric characteristics and their corresponding impact on turbine performance. Cross-correlation analysis was also performed, investigating critical relationships between approaching bedform crest location, height and the corresponding turbine voltage output. In parallel with the analysis on bedform effects on turbine performance, an extended region downstream of the rotor location was analyzed to investigate how bedform geometric characteristics changed along the channel after turbine deployment.
Plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition of tin oxide coatings

A feasibility study was performed to assess the potential of plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition as a method for the coating of carbon fibre bundles. Rayon-based carbon filaments, in 2000-filament tows, were coated with SnO2. Direct-current and hollow-cathode discharges generated in an SnCl4-O2 medium helped to deposit the SnO2 coatings on fibres that were heated to approximately 800°C, by plasma bombardment, and kept in the plasma for 15 min. Both routes were shown to produce uniform and well adhered coatings, and also to offer advantages in terms of processing temperature and the possibility of continuous processing.
Natural Convection Patterns in Right-Angled Triangular Cavities with Heated Vertical Sides and Cooled Hypotenuses

The present investigation deals with the numerical computation of laminar natural convection in a gamma of right-angled triangular cavities filled with air. The vertical walls are heated and the inclined walls are cooled while the upper connecting walls are insulated from the ambient air. The defining apex angle α is located at the lower vertex formed between the vertical and inclined walls. This unique kind of cavity may find application in the miniaturization of electronic packaging severely constrained by space and/or weight. The finite volume method is used to perform the computational analysis encompassing a collection of apex angles α compressed in the interval that extends from 5° to 63°. The height-based Rayleigh number, being unaffected by the apex angle α, ranges from a low 103 to a high 106. Numerical results are reported for the velocity field, the temperature field and the mean convective coefficient along the heated vertical wall. Overall, the matching between the numerically predicted temperatures and the experimental measurements of air at different elevations inside a slim cavity is of ordinary quality. For purposes of engineering design, a Nu¯H correlation equation was constructed and also a figure-of-merit ratio between the Nu¯H and the cross sectional area A of the cavity was proposed.
Real-time simultaneous measurements of ink drop velocity and diameter in thermal ink-jet printhead using laser scattering techniques

The velocity and diameter of ink drops are important parameters in ink-jet printing technology. They affect print quality and the control of the gray scale. We report here an exploratory experiment in which the velocity and diameter of drops from thermal ink-jet print heads were measured nonintrusively, simultaneously and in real-time. A laser phase Doppler particle analyzer was used in the experiment. The velocity was deduced from the Doppler signal and the diameter from the spatial phase difference of the scattered intensity. From an analysis using geometrical optics, it was determined that the optimum condition for sizing absorbing spheres such as ink drops was that the signal detected be limited to externally reflected rays. The intensity of rays refracted as a fraction of rays reflected by ink drops could vary significantly over their size range and compounded size interpretation. By considering the scattered intensity, the analysis showed that the best placement of the detectors for the present application was at 90 degree(s) scattering angle, using a perpendicularly polarized light source. In this configuration, twice refracted rays (no internal reflection) were absent. The detected signal was dominated by externally reflected rays. In order to measure ink drop diameter accurately, the complex refractive index m of several ink-jet inks was measured. A typical value was m equals 1.37 - (iota) 0.0049 at 0.6328 micrometers wavelength. Monodisperse droplets produced with a piezo-electric squeeze tube drop generator were used to calibrate the instrument. With the optimized configuration the drop velocity and diameter of two commercial thermal ink-jet heads and an experimental prototype were measured.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thermally Annealed Solid State Polymerization of 2,3-Dicyano-5,7-Dimethyl-6H-1,4-Diazepine: An NMR Study

ABSTRACT The thermally annealed solid state polymerization of 2,3-dicyano-5,7-dimethyl-6H-1,4-diazepine( A) was studied by 1H, 13C, and 15N CP/MAS solid state NMR spectroscopy, and by a 1H solution state NMR deuterium exchange experiment of A. Collectively, the NMR data suggests that a tautomeric form of the monomer is responsible for the solid state reactivity of the crystalline monomer. The solid state polymerization of crystalline A proceeds as a heterogeneous decomposition of the crystalline lattice resulting in an insoluble, amorphous material. A plausible reaction scheme involving a tautomeric form of A is proposed. The scheme is consistent with the NMR spectra.
Evaluating the chemical spatial resolution of imaging fiber chemical sensors

Abstract The combined imaging and chemical sensing (CICS) technique permits the concurrent viewing of a remote sample's morphology and interfacial chemistry. It utilizes charge coupled device-based epifluorescence microscopy and imaging fiber chemical sensors (IFCSs). Traditionally, IFCSs have been fabricated by spin-coating a planar chemical sensing layer (polymer+indicator) across the distal polished imaging fiber face. The parameters affecting an imaging fiber's optical spatial resolution have been well documented. In this work, an IFCS's chemical spatial resolution was evaluated using fluorescent dye embedded microbeads. Beads were deposited atop polished imaging fiber faces and were recessed inside individual microwells that were etched across an imaging fiber's face. Negligible fluorescence from bead-containing microwells was captured by microwells neighboring bead-containing microwells. Conversely, significant fluorescence from beads atop polished imaging fibers was captured by neighboring cores. The background-subtracted contrast/noise ratio for a bead-containing microwell array was 800:1 and that for a bead-covered imaging fiber was 16:1. This is the first quantitative report of such observations and recommendations are made for future IFCS utilization with the CICS technique.
Asian American Women Caring for Elderly Parents

In Asian Amerncan families, women caringfor elderly parents are at risk when family and cultural obligations conflict with acculturation factors and employment. This descriptive correlational study...
Drug induced acute myopia with supraciliary choroidal effusion in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis

Acute transient myopia with shallowing of the anterior chamber is a rare idiosyncratic response to systemic and topical use of many medications1 including sulphonamides.2 Although many such cases have been reported in the past, they have been relatively rare in recent years. A-scan ultrasonography has been used to measure anterior chamber depth and lens thickness during the myopic phase.3 Ultrasound biomicroscopic (UBM) imaging during the acute phase has only been reported twice.4,5 We present a case of drug induced bilateral transient myopia with shallow anterior chambers, where UBM aided in the diagnosis and provided clues to the mechanism responsible for this reaction. A 39 year old white woman complained of acute onset of blurry vision and decreased visual acuity at distance starting on the morning of the day she presented to her primary ophthalmologist. On examination by the primary ophthalmologist the patient was found to have a myopic shift of 7.00 dioptres in both eyes and was noted to have narrow angles. She was referred the same day to JD for treatment of bilateral angle closure. Her medical history was significant for Wegener's granulomatosis diagnosed 1 year earlier and confirmed with a renal biopsy. She had been treated with Cytoxan and prednisone, despite which renal failure ensued. Approximately 4 months before presentation the patient had begun haemodialysis and 1 month before presentation she was started on peritoneal dialysis. The patient was maintained on a regimen of immunosuppressives, which included Cytoxan and prednisone. Twelve hours before presentation, she had received the first dose of Bactrim (160 mg trimethoprim and 800 mg sulphamethoxazole) as prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii . Her examination was significant for mild dehydration. The patient had recently noted a negative fluid balance on peritoneal dialysis. The patient had a negative family history for glaucoma …
On the quantum equivalence of commutative and noncommutative Chern–Simons theories at higher orders

Abstract We continue our investigation of the quantum equivalence between commutative and noncommutative Chern–Simons theories by computing the complete set of two-loop quantum corrections to the correlation function of a pure open Wilson line and an open Wilson line with a field strength insertion, on the noncommutative side in a covariant gauge. The conjectured perturbative equivalence between the free commutative theory and the apparently interacting noncommutative one requires that the sum of these corrections vanish, and herein we exhibit the remarkable cancellations that enforce this. From this computation we speculate on the form of a possible all-order result for this simplest nonvanishing correlator of gauge invariant observables.
Forward markets and changes in macroeconomic performance: The case of oil

Abstract The relationship between oil price shocks and macroeconomic performance may have weakened over the past two decades as a result of the growing use of forward markets in oil and a changing role for oil inventories in risk management. To demonstrate this, the paper develops a theoretical model of the macroeconomy under different oil market structures, and shows how changes in oil inventory decisions may have led to a declining oil price-GNP multiplier. The analysis relies on a simple neoclassical model of an open economy with fixed exchange rates that is subjected to a temporary change in the price of an imported intermediate good, oil. Simple calculations demonstrate that models not accounting for the growth of forward markets may overstate the short-term oil price-GNP multiplier by a factor of two.
1473 ABNORMAL CARDIORESPIROGRAPHIC (CRG) TRACINGS AND ELEVATED SERUM CREATINE PHOSPHOKINASE (CPK) IN INFANTS OF DRDG DEPENDENT MOTHERS. (IDDM)

Continuous respiratory & heart rate monitoring were done during the first 5 postnatal days in 12 IDDM & 19 normal infants (control). The results showed abnormal CRG patterns in the IDDM such as: (1) significantly (p<0.01) higher baseline heart rate. (BHR), beat to beat (BBV) & long term (LTV) variability, and resp. rate (RR) - See Table, (2) exaggerated response of HR to stimuli such as light, noise or pain, and (3) frequent & spontaneous occurences of large (Δ40 bpm), brief, rise and fall in HR giving a characteristic “wave-like” appearance to the tracings. The BBV & LTV changes were also more intense (p<0.02) in the IDDM with moderate to severe, as compared to mild withdrawal. Treatment of the withdrawal with drugs, did not abolish the CRG abnormalities despite distinct clinical improvement. Serum CPK (normal = 80 - 450 IU/L) was also analyzed in 16 IDDM during the first 2-7 days of life. Eleven infants (69%) had markedly elevated CPK levels (Mean = 1313 ± 401 IU/L; range = 459 - 5123), & predominantly of the MM fraction (89%). The elevated CPK did not correlate with the infant's birth weight, GA or Apgar score, but was usually found in the infants with significant tremors & hypertonicity. Conclusion: The chronic exposure of infants to drugs of abuse, in utero, induces striking changes in their CRG patterns postnatally & elevation of their serum CPK isoenzymes. These new findings may provide a probe which can be used to study this group of infants, ante-natally & postnatally.
On the Inadequacy of the Ethnic/Civic Antinomy: The Language Politics of Bulgarian Nationalism

The significance of language and literature as formative to national identity is a major trope within studies of nationalism. The act of imagining and realizing a nation and a nation-state along th...
Correlations of the Kahn Intelligence Test and the WAIS-R IQs among mentally retarded adults

Correlations of scores on the WAIS—R and Kahn Intelligence Test: Experimental (KIT) were examined. The 21 subjects were moderately and severely adaptively impaired adults. The WAIS—R is frequently ...
Decimations of linear recurring sequences

Abstract We exploit a connection between decimations and products to deduce the generating polynomials of decimations of linear recurring sequences over an arbitrary field from known results concerning products. We also discuss ways of computing such polynomials.
Differential Regulation of Angiotensin II Receptor Subtypes in Rat Kidney by Low Dietary Sodium

Abstract This study was designed to determine whether expression of renal messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding the two known angiotensin II type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor subtypes (AT 1A and AT 1B ) can be regulated by dietary sodium. Seven-week-old male Wistar rats were fed a low-sodium diet (0.07%, n=9) or a normal-sodium diet (0.5%, n=9 [control]) for 14 days. A rat AT 1 complementary DNA (cDNA) probe, which hybridizes to mRNA encoding both the AT 1A and AT 1B receptor subtypes, and cDNA probes, which are selective for AT 1A or AT 1B mRNA, were used in Northern blot or in situ hybridization analysis. By use of Northern blot analysis, renal mRNA levels for the AT 1 and AT 1A receptors in rats fed a low-sodium diet were found to be increased twofold ( P 1B mRNA content was not detected by Northern blot analysis, quantitative image analysis of in situ hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled cRNA probe made from AT 1B cDNA was used. In situ hybridization analysis indicated that AT 1B mRNA was expressed in the proximal and collecting tubules of the kidney in rats fed a normal-sodium diet. The low-sodium diet significantly decreased the percent positive staining area of AT 1B mRNA in the renal cortex (5.51±0.77% versus 2.73±0.35%, P P 1 mRNA levels in the kidney induced by low sodium intake is the result of a selective increase in AT 1A mRNA and suggest that AT 1A is the predominant receptor subtype of AT 1 in the kidney. The data also suggest that dietary sodium differentially modulates the expression of genes encoding AT 1 receptor subtypes, because there is an inverse relationship between the expression of the AT 1A and AT 1B subtypes in response to a low-sodium diet. The functional implications are discussed.
SOI-enabled three-dimensional integrated-circuit technology

We have demonstrated a new 3D device interconnect approach, with direct back side via connection to a transistor in a 3D stack, resulting in a reduced 3D footprint by an estimated ∼40% as well as potential for lower series resistance. We have demonstrated high yield 3D through-oxide-via (TOV) with a 40% size reduction to 1.0 µm and with an associated exclusion zone reduced by a factor of 2, substantially smaller than in bulk-Si 3D through-silicon-via (TSV) approaches. These significant enhancements were demonstrated with our 3D technology based on conventional SOI wafers.
Use and Nonuse of a Rail Trail Conversion for Physical Activity: Implications for Promoting Trail Use

BackgroundThere is limited research examining both use and nonuse of trails for physical activity.PurposeSuch research might enable health educators to better promote physical activity on trails.MethodsWe used random digit dialing methods to survey 726 respondents in 2012.ResultsThe majority (75.1%) of respondents reported not using the trail in the previous 6 months. The odds of using the trail were greater among adults compared to older adults and those with a high school degree or college degree compared to those with less than a high school degree. Fifteen percent of trail users reported using the trail regularly (i.e., at least 30 minutes, 3 days/week). Trail characteristics preferred by trail users and reasons for not using the trail among nonusers were also examined.DiscussionThese findings might be useful for health educators promoting physical activity on trails.Translation to Health Education PracticePersons promoting physical activity on trails should highlight those trail characteristics prefe...