cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear Temporal Stability Analysis of a Low-Density Round Gas Jet Injected Into a High-Density Gas

It has been observed in previous experimental studies that round helium jets injected into air display a repetitive structure for a long distance, somewhat similar to the buoyancy-induced flickering observed in diffusion flames. In order to investigate the influence of gravity on the near-injector development of the flow, a linear temporal stability analysis of a round helium jet injected into air was performed. The flow was assumed to be isothermal and locally parallel; viscous and diffusive effects were ignored. The variables were represented as the sum of the mean value and a normal-mode small disturbance. An ordinary differential equation governing the amplitude of the pressure disturbance was derived. The velocity and density profiles in the shear layer, and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) were the three important parameters in this equation. Together with the boundary conditions, an eigenvalue problem was formulated. Assuming that the velocity and density profiles in the shear layer to be represented by hyperbolic tangent functions, the eigenvalue problem was solved for various values of Froude number. The temporal growth rates and the phase velocity of the disturbances were obtained. The temporal growth rates of the disturbances increased as the Froude number was reduced (i.e. gravitational effects increased), indicating the destabilizing role played by gravity.
Effect of Movement Instruction on Steady Beat Perception, Synchronization, and Performance

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of movement instruction on beginning instrumentalists' steady beat perception, synchronization, and performance. Seventy sixth-grade students were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The treatment group received movement instruction generated from general music, dance, and theoretical ideas. The control group received “traditional rhythm instruction, ” operationalized through qualitative description of normal classroom activities. After 10 weeks of instruction, a researcher-designed battery of tests was administered. A t-test of the perception measure showed that the groups did not differ significantly, t (66) = .84, p = .41. The ability to synchronize taps to a musical stimulus varied significantly as a function of group membership, t (68) = 4.22, p = .0001, favoring the treatment group. Performances differed significantly as a function of group, favoring the treatment group, t (68) = 5.74, p = .0001. There were low positive correlati...
Variation of parameters and the method of Kryloff and Bogoliuboff

Abstract The method of variation of parameters invented by Lagrange (1, 2) in 1774 remains the most powerful procedure for obtaining particular solutions of nonhomogeneous ordinary linear differential equations. The general outlines of the method of variation of parameters also have been utilized, in an astonishingly successful manner, to obtain the approximate solution of certain nonlinear ordinary differential equations, in a method associated with the names of Kryloff and Bogoliuboff (3). A feature of both methods which is not motivated nor made plausible by these and other writers, in particular of textbooks, is the apparently arbitrary artifice of requiring that a certain linear combination (of solutions of the null differential equation corresponding to the nonhomogeneous equation) be made to vanish. Here it is shown that when the linear differential equation is of the second order, 1 and the linear combination concerned is required to be a differentiable function f rather than zero (in the particular solution obtained using this condition), the terms containing f vanish identically and the solution reduces to that given by the classical method of variation of parameters. Thus Lagrange's choice of zero for f, rather than being arbitrary, may be justified on the ground that it is the most judicious one for a function whose form does not matter and which therefore may be determined on the sole basis of convenience. In contrast to the just-noted situation with the method of variation of parameters, it is shown here that the previously-noted condition on the linear combination in question is essential to the method of Kryloff and Bogoliuboff. That is, if this linear combination is required to be an analytic function F, the Kryloff-Bogoliuboff “equations of the first approximation” are not recovered unless F is identically zero.
Irradiation-Induced Changes in Milk Fat,

Summary Gamma irradiation of milk fat under reduced atmospheric pressure produced free monocarbonyls at a rate proportional to irradiation dose. The 2-thiobarbituric acid number and total carbonyls increased, but not at a linear rate. Small quantities of hydroperoxides were produced; radiation dosages higher than 1.5Mrad decreased the concentration. The flavor of the irradiated fat appeared to have three components: hydrolytic rancidity, oxidized, and candle-like. The monocarbonyls of irradiated fat were isolated and analyzed by gas chromatography and as 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatives. Alkanals predominated and their order of decreasing concentration in the irradiated fat was: C 16 , C 15 , C 14 , C 12 , C 10 , C 6 , C 8 , C 7 , C 4 , iso-C 4 , C 9 , C 5 , C 3 , C 2 , C 1 . Methyl ketones also were produced by irradiation and the following compounds were found: C 15 , C 11 , C 9 , C 7 , C 5 , C 4 . Indirect evidence is presented indicating that the long-chain aldehydes are responsible for the candle-like defect. It is suggested that the long-chain aldehydes and methyl ketones are produced via hydrolytic rather than oxidative mechanisms.
1.75 h –1 kpc SEPARATION DUAL ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AT z = 0.36 IN THE COSMOS FIELD

We present strong evidence for dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the z = 0.36 galaxy COSMOS J100043.15+020637.2. COSMOS Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the galaxy shows a tidal tail, indicating that the galaxy recently underwent a merger, as well as two bright point sources near the galaxy's center. The luminosities of these sources (derived from the HST image) and their emission line flux ratios (derived from Keck/DEIMOS slit spectroscopy) suggest that both are AGNs and not star-forming regions or supernovae. Observations from zCOSMOS, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, XMM-Newton, Spitzer, and the Very Large Array fortify the evidence for AGN activity. With HST imaging we measure a projected spatial offset between the two AGNs of 1.75 ± 0.03 h –1 kpc, and with DEIMOS we measure a 150 ± 40 km s–1 line-of-sight velocity offset between the two AGNs. Combined, these observations provide substantial evidence that COSMOS J100043.15+020637.2 is a merger-remnant galaxy with dual AGNs.
Impossibility of spontaneously breaking local symmetries and the sign problem

Elitzur's theorem stating the impossibility of spontaneous breaking of local symmetries in a gauge theory is reexamined. The existing proofs of this theorem rely on gauge invariance as well as positivity of the weight in the Euclidean partition function. We examine the validity of Elitzur's theorem in gauge theories for which the Euclidean measure of the partition function is not positive definite. We find that Elitzur's theorem does not follow from gauge invariance alone. We formulate a general criterion under which spontaneous breaking of local symmetries in a gauge theory is excluded. Finally we illustrate the results in an exactly solvable two dimensional Abelian gauge theory.
Quantitative analysis of parallelism and data movement properties across the Berkeley computational motifs

This work presents the first thorough quantitative study of the available instruction-level parallelism, basic-block-granularity thread parallelism, and data movement, across the Berkeley dwarfs/computational motifs. Although this classification was intended to group applications with common computation and (albeit coarse-grained) communication patterns, the applications analyzed exhibit a wide range of available machine-extractable parallelism and data motion within and across dwarfs.
Pharmacology and toxicology of terbium, thulium, and ytterbium chlorides☆☆☆

Abstract The pharmacology and toxicology of terbium, thulium, and ytterbium chlorides have been investigated. Both acute intraperitoneal and oral toxicity of the three chemicals was of the delayed type. The symptoms of such toxicity have been described and were identical for all three chemicals. The chronic oral ingestion of these materials by rats at three dosage levels revealed that ytterbium did not affect the growth rate, whereas both terbium and thulium at the 0.1 and 1.0% levels suppressed growth of both sexes during the 12-week period. However, the hemograms of the animals were not affected. Perinuclear vacuolization in the liver was the only histopathologic change found in all the tissues examined, and it appeared to be sex linked. The pharmacologic responses to all three compounds were mainly depressant on all systems studied, and death was associated with cardiovascular collapse coupled with respiratory paralysis. The greatest damage observed was on abraded skin, where ulcerations occurred that required 45 days for healing. Terbium was very irritating also to intact skin but did not produce scarring. This chemical produced transient damage to the cornea, and all three chemicals caused cojunctival ulcerations requiring 18 days for healing. The toxicologic effects of terbium, thulium, and ytterbium were compared with the effects of other rare elements.
On biorheology: Joint plenary lecture

Descriptions of biorheological phenomena go back into antiquity, but studies of flow properties of living matter began probably with the discovery of the circulation in blood capillary vessels byMalpighi in 1686 and the streaming in plant cells byCorti in 1774. Biorheology comprizes the study of the deformation and flow of living organisms and inanimate biological systems or of materials directly derived from living organisms. The term biorheology was introduced in 1948 (A. L. Copley, Proc. Internat. Congress on Rheology, Scheveningen, Holland, 1948, North-Holland Publ. Co., Amsterdam and Interscience Publishers, New York, 1949, Vol. 1, p. 47). Ever since, biorheology offered a framework to connect the sciences of biology with rheology. This frame, which proved to be secure, permits the application of a number of rheological treatments to biological systems. The different fields of biorheology, including hemorheology, have grown rapidly and to such an extent that any abridged survey will remain inadequate.Jean-Leonard-Marie Poiseuille first reported in 1835 hisin vivo studies “Recherches sur les causes du mouvement du sang dans les vaisseaux capillaires”, which led to the application of rheological treatments to the flow of blood. The discovery of the laws of flow was based on experiments whichPoiseuille was stimulated to make from his observations in living blood capillaries, resulting in his studies “Recherches experimentales sur le mouvement des liquides dans les tubes de tres petits diametres”. These reports, published from 1840 to 1842, were accepted throughout Europe. On the basis ofPoiseuille's findings,Maxwell, Jacobson Mathieu and others deduced from the fundamental equation ofNewton the well known formula for viscosity, which was later named afterPoiseuille. It will be demonstrated that there are other reciprocal stimuli from biology and rheology, which promise to continue to be fruitful. Numerous biological phenomena and processes await a rheological approach for the characterization of the flow properties involved and for quantitative studies. It will be shown that biorheology, in spite of its brief history as an organized science, is of growing importance in the biological and medical sciences. New knowledge gained in biorheology, as applied to the practice of medicine and surgery, will serve the well-being of the human species.
A cell-based cGMP assay useful for ultra-high-throughput screening and identification of modulators of the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway

We have established a rapid, homogeneous, cell-based, and highly sensitive assay for guanosine 3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) that is suitable for fully automated ultra-high-throughput screening. In this assay system, cGMP production is monitored in living cells via Ca2+ influx through the olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel CNGA2, acting as the intracellular cGMP sensor. A stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line was generated recombinantly expressing soluble guanylate cyclase, CNGA2, and aequorin as a luminescence indicator for the intracellular calcium concentration. This cell line was used to screen more than 900,000 compounds in an automated ultra-high-throughput screening assay using 1536-well microtiter plates. In this way, we have been able to identify BAY 58-2667, a member of a new class of amino dicarboxylic acids that directly activate soluble guanylate cyclase. The assay system allows the real-time cGMP detection within living cells and makes it possible to screen for activators and inhibitors of enzymes involved in the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway.
Ethanol Consumption and Early Murine Retrovirus Infection Influence Liver, Heart, and Muscle Levels of Iron, Zinc, and Copper in C57BL/6 Mice

The relative and combined roles of ethanol and murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) on the mineral status (Fe, Zn, and Cu) of liver (storage site), heart, muscle (nutrient mobile sites) were investigated. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to four groups: (a) uninfected mice fed isocaloric, adequate nutrient diet (NRC), (b) uninfected mice fed the NRC diet with 25% of energy derived from ethanol, (c) LP-BM5 retrovirus-infected mice fed the isocaloric NRC diet, and (d) retrovirus-infected mice fed the NRC diet with 25% of its energy derived from ethanol. The levels of Cu and Zn levels in the liver did not significantly change as a result of ethanol consumption. However hepatic Zn concentration was increased significantly in retrovirus-infected mice. This may be correlated to the increase in their liver weight. Ethanol administration significantly increased Fe concentration in the liver, yet significantly decreased concentration of Cu in the heart. Retrovirus infection alone, which had not proceeded to murine AIDS, resulted in a significant increase in heart Cu and Zn concentration as compared with uninfected mice. Retrovirus infection in C57BL/6 mice significantly increased Fe and Zn level/g of muscle. Early retrovirus infection alters tissue micronutrient levels, and may thus contribute to immunological changes.
Vimentin: the conundrum of the intermediate filament gene family

Intermediate filaments are a major component of the "cytoskeleton" of "higher" eukaryotes. These filaments are composed of a number of different, although structurally related, proteins. Different intermediate filament protein genes are expressed in different tissues. Spontaneous and experimentally produced mutations in the intermediate filament genes indicate that these filaments function to enhance the mechanical stability of epidermal and muscle cells. As a result, the use of transgenic mice with "knockout" or dominant negative mutations in IF genes has become an important approach for investigating the significance of IFs in other cell types. However, a knockout mutation of vimentin (-/-), the intermediate filament protein characteristically expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin, results in very subtle phenotypes that are not obviously related to cell fragility. Although experiments with cultured cells have described a variety of discrete changes in cell properties that are associated with vimentin expression or organization, there is no evidence yet that any of these properties are affected in the vimentin-/- mouse.
Effect of salt loading on nitric oxide synthase expression in normotensive rats.

Elevation of arterial blood pressure (BP) with high salt intake in Dahl salt-sensitive rats is associated and perhaps, in part, due to downregulation of renal and vascular production of nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expressions. Several recent studies have revealed a significant increase in BP in Sprague-Dawley rats on high salt intake. Given the apparent salt sensitivity of Sprague-Dawley rats, we hypothesized that chronic high salt intake may affect NO system in these rats in a manner resembling that reported in salt-sensitive (not salt-resistant) Dahl rats. The effects of a high salt diet (chow containing 8% NaCl) of 48-h or 3-week duration was studied on immunodetectable endothelial (eNOS), inducible (iNOS), and neuronal (nNOS) NOS expressions of relevant organs in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The results were compared with those obtained in the control animals fed a regular no-added salt diet (0.2% NaCl). Consumption of a high salt diet for 3 weeks induced hypertension (HTN) (158 +/- 6 v 115 +/- 5 mm Hg, P < .01) and widespread downregulation of iNOS expression in renal cortex, renal medulla, aorta, and heart. Similarly, chronic salt loading resulted in marked downregulation of eNOS expression in renal cortex and aorta and lowered expressions of nNOS in the brain, renal cortex, and renal medulla. In comparison, short-term salt loading resulted in significant reduction of iNOS in the renal cortex and aorta and of eNOS in the aorta together with significant elevation of nNOS expression in renal medulla and brain. Thus, chronic consumption of a high salt diet resulted in moderate HTN in normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats. This was accompanied by widespread downregulation of various NOS isotypes that undoubtedly contributed to the development and maintenance of HTN in this model.
IRON ABSORPTION FROM HUMAN MILK, SIMULATED HUMAN MILK AND PROPRIETARY FORMULAS

Studies from our laboratory have shown that iron is better absorbed fron human milk than from cow milk and can provide sufficient iron for infants during their first year. This study was designed to compare iron availability from human milk with other formulas and determine factors responsible for its superiority. Adults were fed 100 ml of the following: human milk (HM), simulated human milk (SHM), simulated human milk containing added lactoferrin (SHM-L) and 2 commercial formulas (CF) containing iron, 12 mg/qt. The SHM resembled HM in concentration of protein, fat, carbohydrate, iron, total minerals, calcium and phosphorus. Fe59 was added to each feeding and iron incorporation into red cells was determined 14 days after each feed. Iron absorption was highest from HM (15.7%) and lowest from one of the CF (1.7%). The SHM supported a 9.3% absorption; addition of lactoferrin reduced this to 4.7%. Net iron absorption was 0.12 mg/L from HM and 0.20 and 0.37 mg/L from the iron enriched CF's. This study demonstrates that the enhanced iron absorption from HM is not a simple result of its gross composition or the presence of lactoferrin, and that HM, with only 6% of the iron of a leading CF, can provide as much as 60% of the iron derived from such a proprietary milk.
Differential breakdown of phylogenetically diverse ribosomal RNA's inserted via liposomes into mammalian cells

Liposomes were used to deliver ribosomal RNA's from the different organisms into cultivated mouse plasmacytoma cells. Ribosomal RNA from Escherichia coli was degraded intracellularly within 1 hour, whereas mouse and yeast ribosomal RNA's were degraded more slowly. This indicates that cells can discriminated between different ribosomal RNA's.
Association of a promoter variant in the inducible cyclooxygenase-2 gene (PTGS2) with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Pima Indians.

Recent studies have suggested that prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (PTGS2), also known as cyclo-oxygenase 2, plays an etiological role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PTGS2 generates prostaglandins, which negatively modulate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and functions as a mediator of the inflammatory response, which is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity. Moreover, the gene encoding this enzyme, PTGS2, is located on 1q25.2, a region that has been linked with early onset T2DM in Pima Indians. To determine the possible role played by PTGS2 in modulating susceptibility to T2DM, we screened approximately 7.0 kb of the gene, corresponding to the promoter, coding sequence, and flanking exon-intron boundaries, and identified five variants, including three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter, one intronic SNP, and one in the 3' untranslated region. With the exception of one rare promoter SNP (minor allele frequency /=0.95). Variant alleles at two markers, rs20417 and rs2066826, which are located in the promoter and intron 6, respectively, were in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other (D'=0.97) and were associated with a higher prevalence of T2DM. For marker rs20417, individuals with the variant CC genotype had a 30% higher T2DM prevalence compared with subjects with the GG genotype (odds ratio=1.6 per copy of C allele; P=0.01). The variant C allele of rs20417 has been associated with decreased PTGS2 promoter activity, thereby suggesting a possible biological consequence attributable to this polymorphism. These findings indicate that genetic variants in PTGS2 may play a role in mediating susceptibility to T2DM in Pima Indians and are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic inflammation may contribute to the development of T2DM in some individuals.
Early security patterns: A collection of constraints to describe regulatory security requirements

Security engineering involves systematically applying the accumulated experience and best practices, such as regulatory security requirements, to identify a repeatable solution that is cost-effective, continuously improved, and fulfills security expectations of the stakeholders. However, security principles and regulatory requirements are rarely applied systematically during system design. We outline a stepwise process to extract domain concepts and apply a lightweight formal modeling language, Alloy, for the representation of regulatory requirements as early security patterns. These patterns, as a collection of constraints describing regulatory requirements provide a template for the systematic integration and analysis of these constraints in a system context. Each pattern defines a constrained solution space that can be enforced in subsequent phases of secure system development, testing and operation.
Relationship Between Soil Moisture of Near Surface and Multiple Depths of the Root Zone Under Heterogeneous Land Uses and Varying Hydroclimatic Conditions

This paper presents an assessment of the relationship between near-surface soil moisture (SM) and SM at other depths in the root zone under three different land uses: irrigated corn, rainfed corn and grass. This research addresses the question whether or not near-surface SM can be used reliably to predict plant available root zone SM and SM at other depths. For this study, a realistic soil-water energy balance process model is applied to three locations in Nebraska representing an east-to-west hydroclimatic gradient in the Great Plains. The applications were completed from 1982 through to 1999 at a daily time scale. The simulated SM climatologies are developed for the root zone as a whole and for the five layers of the soil profile to a depth of 1·2 m. Over all, the relationship between near-surface SM (0–2·5 cm) and plant available root zone SM is not strong. This applies to all land uses and for all locations. For example, r estimates range from 0·02 to 0·33 for this relationship. Results for near-surface SM and SM of several depths suggest improvement in r estimates. For example, these estimates range from − 0·19 to 0·69 for all land uses and locations. It was clear that r estimates are the highest (0·49–0·69) between near-surface and the second layer (2·5–30·5 cm) of the root zone. The strength of this type of relationship rapidly declines for deeper depths. Cross-correlation estimates also suggest that at various time-lags the strength of the relationship between near-surface SM and plant available SM is not strong. The strength of the relationship between SM modulation of the near surface and second layer over various time-lags slightly improves over no lags. The results suggest that use of near-surface SM for estimating SM at 2·5–30 cm is most promising. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The valence of Ce in CeRu2 and CeIr3 thru superconductivity

Abstract A scheme is presented whereby valences for Ceof 3.9 inCeRu2 and 3.6 inCeIr3 are assigned thru superconductivity. Isostructural superconductors XRu2 and XIr3 (X = La, CeandTh) are required. The superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) of pseudo-binary compounds have been measured. The compositional variation of Tc going directly from the La (trivalent) to the Th (tetravalent) compound is matched by that going from the La to the Ce to the Th compound when an intermediate valence is assigned to Ce. It is argued that Ru 4d-bands and Ir 5d-bands are responsible for the superconductivity, and that valence electrons supplied by the X ions toward filling those bands determine Tc. Constant Ce valences are assumed, and account is taken for Ce 4f resonant state depression of Tcin (X, Ce)Ir3 pseudo-binary compounds.
Breast cancer risk accumulation starts early: prevention must also.

Nearly one in four breast cancers is diagnosed before the age of 50, and many early-stage premalignant lesions are present but not yet diagnosed. Therefore, we review evidence to support the strategy that breast cancer prevention efforts must begin early in life. This study follows the literature review methods and format. Exposures during childhood and adolescence affect a woman’s long-term risk of breast cancer, but have received far less research attention than exposures that occur later in life. Breast tissue undergoes rapid cellular proliferation between menarche and first full-term pregnancy, and risk accumulates rapidly until the terminal differentiation that accompanies first pregnancy. Evidence on childhood diet and growth in height, and adolescent alcohol intake, among other adolescent factors is related to breast cancer risk and risk of premalignant proliferative benign lesions. Breast cancer prevention efforts will have the greatest effect when initiated at an early age and continued over a lifetime. Gaps in knowledge are identified and deserve increase attention to inform prevention.
On a Pair of Equations Occurring in Swirling Viscous Flow with an Applied Magnetic Field

The differential equations governing the similarity solutions of the boundary layer induced by a swirling flow over an infinite disk are investigated. A weak magnetic field is applied, and this can be decisive for the existence of similarity solutions. If the external swirling flow decays liker −n , wherer is the distance from the axis, then the character of the solution changes atn=n 0 ∼0.1217, $$n = \tfrac{1}{3}$$ ,n=1, and possibly atn=3. A ladder structure develops forn 0 <n<1, with a remarkable similarity to the ladder structure investigated in [7].
Renal tubular acidosis in infants and children. Clinical course, response to treatment, and prognosis

Nine children with proximal renal tubular acidosis and four with distal renal tubular acidosis have been followed for periods ranging from six months to eight years. The patients with proximal renal tubular acidosis, predominantly male, presented with growth retardation and acidemia at ages 2 to 19 months. Treated with high-dose alkali therapy, most of these patients have shown improvement in growth rate. Now, one to eight years after diagnosis, seven of the nine patients are completely normal without therapy. The patients with distal renal tubular acidosis, 2 boys and 2 girls, presented at ages 4 to 13 years with growth retardation, polyuria, and recurrent episodes of acidosis and dehydration. Three had nephrocalcinosis and hypokalemia, and all demonstrated a renal concentrating defect. Three to eight years after diagnosis these patients continue to require low-dose alkali therapy; the renal concentrating defect and nephrocalcinosis persist, although the glomerular filtration rate has normalized.
Indentation analysis: applications in the strength and wear of brittle materials

SUMMARY Some recent developments in the principles and applications of indentation fracture in brittle materials are surveyed. Attention is focused on ‘sharp’ indenters, for which precursor ‘plasticity’ is an essential element of the crack development. A major consequence of this plasticity is a residual contact stress field which exerts a dominant influence on ensuing mechanical behaviour. This influence is discussed in relation to strength and wear properties of brittle ceramics. Emphasis is placed on the advantages of the indentation method as a means of producing controlled cracks for evaluating material fracture parameters and for gaining insight into flaw micromechanics.
Thermoelastic Finite Element Analysis of Subsurface Cracking Due to Sliding Surface Traction

A linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis of subsurface crack propagation in a half-space subjected to moving thermomechanical surface traction was performed using the finite element method. The effect of frictional heating at the sliding surface on the crack growth behavior is analyzed in terms of the coefficient of friction, crack length-to-depth ratio, and Peclet number. The crack propagation characteristics are interpreted in light of results for the directions and magnitudes of the maximum shear and tensile stress intensity factor ranges, respectively. It is shown that, while frictional heating exhibits a negligible effect on the crack propagation direction, it increases the in-plane crack growth rate and reduces the critical crack length at the onset of out-of-plane crack growth at the right tip due to the tensile mechanism (kink formation). The effect of frictional heating becomes more pronounced with increasing contact friction, crack length-to-depth ratio, and Peclet number. Crack mechanism maps showing the occurrence of opening, slip, and stick regions between the crack surfaces are presented for different values of crack length-to-depth ratio, coefficient of friction, and position of thermomechanical surface traction.
Dynamic Pricing in e-Services under Demand Uncertainty

High volatility of the e-services market, due to increasing competition, low life cycle of products, and easy availability of information about competing service offerings to customers, makes the demand for service offerings quite uncertain. Revenue management in such markets calls for real-time techniques to learn the demand and its dependence on both the price and the service level associated with the service offering. We assume firms reply on exploratory approaches for demand estimation, in which firms experiment with different service offerings in order to simultaneously learn the demand while doing business. Such exploration and learning process can be costly without supervision. As reported by Rothschild (Journal of Economic Theory, 9 185-202, 1974), traditional Bayesian dynamic control approaches may conclude with suboptimal offerings. We propose a novel demand learning approach that is guaranteed to converge to the optimal offering. The approach combines simulated annealing algorithm with Bayesian learning. We further present intelligent techniques that adaptively reduce the effort of exploration on suboptimal service offerings so as to improve the long-run average profit.
Reactions of ground state Cr+ with C2H6, C2H4, cyclo-C3H6, and cyclo-C2H4O: bond energies for CrCH+n (n = 1–3)

Abstract The reaction of ground state chromium ions with ethane, ethene, cyclopropane and ethylene oxide has been studied using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. A predominant process in all these reactions is CC bond cleavage to form CrCH+n. Modeling of the translational energy dependence of endothermic reactions yields the bond energies D0(Cr+−CH) = 75±8, D0(Cr+−CH2) = 53.8±1.9, and D0(Cr+−CH3) = 30.2±2.3 kcal mol−1. These values provide a direct comparison between experiment and theoretical calculations suggesting that Cr+ forms a single, double, and triple bond with the ligands CH3, CH2, and CH, respectively. Bond energies for CrO, CrO+, CrC2H+2, CrC2H+4, and CrCO+ are also evaluated.
Modeling and optimization of HVAC systems using artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

Intelligent energy management and control system (EMCS) in buildings offers an excellent means of reducing energy consumptions in HVAC systems while maintaining or improving indoor environmental conditions. This can be achieved through the use of computational intelligence and optimization. The paper thus proposes and evaluates a model-based optimization process for HVAC systems using evolutionary algorithm for optimization and artificial neural networks for modeling. The process can be integrated into the EMCS to perform several intelligent functions and achieve optimal whole-system performance. The proposed models and the optimization process are tested using data collected from an existing HVAC system. The testing results show that the models can capture very well the system performance, and the optimization process can reduce cooling energy consumption by about 11% when compared to the traditional operating strategies applied.
Complications of CO2 laser surgery of the larynx

The use of the surgical laser has become commonplace in many medical centers, however the limitations of its use need to be assessed. The complications of laser use are based on the physics of the instrument and the equipment used. Direct laser effects include burns of tissue unintended for lasing, and endotracheal tube (E-T) ignition. Secondary effects occur as immediate consequences of lasing, such as E-T tube obstruction, internal E-T ignition, or mucosal charring. A case of airway obstruction is presented. Delayed effects relate to healing. Suggestions are made to help avoid the outlined complications.
Mixed SI (R) epidemic dynamics in random graphs with general degree distributions

Analytical description of disease propagation on random networks has become one of the most productive fields in recent years, yet more complex contact patterns and dynamics have been resorted to numerical study. In this paper, an epidemic model is defined in which each individual, once infected, has chances to recover from infection at certain rate. The chance is represented by a parameter [email protected]?[0,1]. This model can be viewed as an interpolation between classical SI model (q=0) and SIR model (q=1). We develop a low-dimensional system of non-linear ordinary differential equations to model the mixed susceptible-infected (-recovered) SI (R) epidemics on random network with general degree distributions. Both the final size of epidemics and the time-dependent behaviors are derived within this simple framework. In addition, we present the exact transmissibility and the epidemic threshold for this model.
Analysis of Secondary Organic Aerosol Compounds from the Photooxidation of d-Limonene in the Presence of NOX and their Detection in Ambient PM2.5

Chemical analysis of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from the photooxidation of a d-limonene/NOX/air mixture was carried out. SOA, generated in a smog chamber, was collected on Zefluor filters. To determine the structural characteristics of the compounds, the filter samples were solvent extracted and derivatized using analytical techniques that characterize functional groups contained in the compound: BF3-methanol derivatization was used for carboxylic groups, BSTFA for acidic and nonacidic hydroxyl groups, and PFBHA for ketone and aldehyde groups. The resulting derivative compounds were analyzed by GC−MS in the methane CI and EI modes. GC−MS analysis showed the occurrence of 103 oxygenated organic compounds in the filter extracts, 28 of which were identified. The major components include five tracer compounds previously identified from the photooxidation of α-pinene/NOX or β-pinene/NOX systems, C4−C6 linear dicarboxylic acids, ketolimononaldehyde, limonic acid, and ketolimonic acid. Time profiles, yield...
Polyneuropathies Associated with Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

1. Plasma cell dyscrasias: Definition and diagnostic evaluation.- 2. Epidemiology of polyneuropathies associated with plasma cell dyscrasias.- 3. Neurochemistry and neuroimmunology of peripheral nerve.- 4. Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and nonmalignant IgM monoclonal gammopathies.- 5. Nonmalignant IgG and IgA gammopathies.- 6. Multiple myeloma.- 7. Osteosclerotic myeloma.- 8. Amyloidosis.- 9. Diagnostic approach to patients with polyneuropathies associated with monoclonal proteins.- 10. Future directions.
A direct method for synthesizing low-order optimal feedback control laws with application to flutter suppression

A direct method of synthesizing a low-order optimal feedback control law for a high order system is presented. A nonlinear programming algorithm is employed to search for the control law design variables that minimize a performance index defined by a weighted sum of mean square steady state responses and control inputs. The controller is shown to be equivalent to a partial state estimator. The method is applied to the problem of active flutter suppression. Numerical results are presented for a 20th order system representing an aeroelastic wind-tunnel wing model. Low-order controllers (fourth and sixth order) are compared with a full order (20th order) optimal controller and found to provide near optimal performance with adequate stability margins.
Comments on Cho and Sells, “A lexical account of inflectional suffixes in Korean”

The analysis of Korean inflectional suffixes provided in Cho and Sells (1995) is reviewed, and the advantages of this account are enumerated. Two problems with this approach are then explored: (a) the exclusion of the possibility that many of the suffixes which they treat may be phrasal affixes of some kind and (b) the use of a feature ‘ type ’ with novel syntactic and morphological properties to account for much of the distributional behavior of the inflections. An alternative account for some of the facts which Cho and Sells examine is sketched using the Miller-Halpern theory of edge inflections within Generalized Phrase Structure Grammar. Finally, the properties of the feature ‘ type ’ are related to recent phrase structural accounts of gerund phrases and other mixed category phenomena.
Improving the privacy of optical steganography with temporal phase masks

Temporal phase modulation of spread stealth signals is proposed and demonstrated to improve optical steganography transmission privacy. After phase modulation, the temporally spread stealth signal has a more complex spectral-phase-temporal relationship, such that the original temporal profile cannot be restored when only dispersion compensation is applied to the temporally spread stealth signals. Therefore, it increases the difficulty for the eavesdropper to detect and intercept the stealth channel that is hidden under a public transmission, even with a correct dispersion compensation device. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach and display insignificant degradation in transmission performance, compared to the conventional stealth transmission without temporal phase modulation. The proposed system can also work without a clock transmission for signal synchronization. Our analysis and simulation results show that it is difficult for the adversary to detect the existence of the stealth transmission, or find the correct phase mask to recover the stealth signals.
Packaging-induced failure of semiconductor lasers and optical telecommunications components

Telecommunications equipment for field deployment generally have specified lifetimes of <100,000 hr. To achieve this high reliability, it is common practice to package sensitive components in hermetic, inert gas environments. The intent is to protect components from particulate and organic contamination, oxidation, and moisture. However, for high power density 980 nm diode lasers used in optical amplifiers, we found that hermetic, inert gas packaging induced a failure mode not observed in similar, unpackaged lasers. We refer to this failure mode as packaging-induced failure, or PIF. PIF is caused by nanomole amounts of organic contamination which interact with high intensity 980 nm light to form solid deposits over the emitting regions of the lasers. These deposits absorb 980 nm light, causing heating of the laser, narrowing of the band gap, and eventual thermal runaway. We have found PIF is averted by packaging with free °2 and/or a getter material the sequesters organics.
Origin of alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase isozymes in Drosophila melanogaster and their functional relationship in the alpha-glycerophosphate cycle.

The basis for the differentiation of l-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (α-GPDH) into larval and adult isozymes in Drosophila melanogaster was investigated by the correlation of a lack of appearance of each isozyme during development within Drosophila bearing α-GPDH “null” alleles and by the study of a putative conversion factor. Conversion studies indicate the presence of a heat-labile RNase-resistant conversion factor present in crude larval extracts with the ability to convert GPDH-1 to GPDH-2 and GPDH-3 but not vice versa. In addition, “null” mutations at the Gpdh locus obliterate all isozymatic species of α-GPDH in all developmental stages. These observations suggest that all α-GPDH isozymes are the product of a single structural gene and that the multiple forms of this enzyme arise during successive developmental stages through an epigenetic modification of the primary Gpdh + polypeptide. Finally, observations are reported which bear on the functional divergence of the α-glycerophosphate cycle in the adult and larval stage of development.
Using Dual-Loop Event Data to Enhance Truck Data Accuracy

The economic vitality of Washington State depends on continuing and even increasing strong foreign trade levels. Improving the mobility of freight traffic on Washington's streets and highways is an important factor in achieving this goal. The Washington State Department of Transportation (Washington State DOT) has devoted significant time and resources to investigating ways to improve freight mobility on its freeway networks. The primary type of sensor used by the department to collect truck volume and speed data on Washington State freeways is a dual-loop detection system. However, recent studies of the Washington DOT classification system found that the quality of dual-loop truck data being collected was questionable because of four main problems: (a) split of loop signals for multiunit trucks, (b) cross talk between adjacent loops, (c) constrained sensitivity adjustments of discrete levels at loop amplifiers, and (d) unsuitable thresholds of on-time differences between the two single loops of a dual-lo...
Effects of langmuirian adsorption on potentiostatic relaxation of diffusion-limited reversible electrode reactions

Summary A theoretical treatment is given of the effect of Langmuirian adsorption on Nernstian, diffusion-limited electrode reactions at a plane electrode under potentiostatic conditions. Relaxation currents generally consist of three components, an instantaneous initial conversion of adsorbed reactant to product, the same diffusional component that would be observed in the absence of adsorption, and a time-distributed adsorptive component due to interconversion between adsorbed and diffusing species. The magnitude, sign, and time-constant associated with the time-distributed adsorptive component vary widely with experimental conditions. In favorable situations the magnitudes of both adsorptive components can be determined conveniently by extrapolation of two separate linear segments of a chronocoulometric plot of charge vs. square root of time to time zero. This feature and other prominent effects of adsorption are shown to be qualitatively independent of the detailed form of the adsorption isotherms.
The cellular origin of laminin determines its role in blood pressure regulation

Laminin of different cellular sources has distinct functions. In addition to vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), aorta also contains a small population of nestin(+) cells, whose function remains unknown. This study investigates the role of SMC- and nestin(+) cell-derived laminin in blood pressure (BP) regulation and SMC contractibility. Using mice with laminin deficiency in SMCs (SKO) or nestin(+) cells (NKO), we examined laminin-dependent changes in BP. Contractile protein expression was reduced in SKO but not NKO mice, consistent with their, respectively, low and normal baseline BP measurements. At the ultrastructural level, SKO SMCs maintained the contractile phenotype with reduced elasticity, whereas NKO SMCs switched to the synthetic phenotype and showed degeneration. Additionally, angiotensin II (Ang II) significantly increased BP in SKO but not NKO mice. It also enhanced contractile proteins to the same levels and induced SMC degeneration in both knockout mice. These data suggest that SMC laminin regulates BP via modulating contractile protein expression, whereas nestin(+) cell-derived laminin contributes to SMC phenotypic switch.
The Role of Transcarinal Needle Aspiration in the Staging of Bronchogenic Carcinoma

Transcarinal needle aspiration for staging subcarinal nodes was performed in 134 consecutive patients with suspected bronchogenic carcinoma at the time of diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy using a prototype 20-gauge by 1-cm needle. The aspiration was performed before examination of the lower airways to avoid cellular contamination. Twenty-four patients had benign primary disease and negative needle aspirates. The transcarinal needle aspirate was positive in 15 percent of the 110 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. There were no false-positives, and the transcarinal needle aspirate was the only evidence of unresectability in 69 percent (11/16) of those in whom it was positive. In addition, two subgroups of patients were identified in whom the aspirate is most likely to be positive—patients with endobronchial tumors (24 percent; 15/63) and those with an abnormal carina at bronchoscopy (38 percent; 8/21). No complication occurred. We conclude that transcarinal needle aspiration is a low-risk procedure that can save a significant number of patients the morbidity and cost of surgical staging and that it should be performed at the time of diagnostic bronchoscopy in all patients with an endobronchial lesion or a visually abnormal carina.
Experimental study of diffusion-based extraction from a cell suspension

A recently proposed application of microfluidics is the post-thaw processing of biological cells. Numerical simulations suggest that diffusion-based extraction of the cryoprotective agent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from blood cells is viable and more efficient than centrifugation, the conventional method of DMSO removal. In order to validate the theoretical model used in these simulations, a prototype was built and the flow of two parallel streams, a suspension of Jurkat cells containing DMSO and a wash stream that contained neither cells nor DMSO, was characterized experimentally. DMSO transport in a rectangular channel (depth 500 μm, width 25 mm and overall length 125 mm) was studied as a function of three dimensionless parameters: depth ratio of the streams, cell volume fraction in the cell solution, and the Peclet number (Pe) based on channel depth, average flow rate and the diffusion coefficient for DMSO in water. In our studies, values of Pe ranged from O(103) to O(104). Laminar flow was ensured by keeping the Reynolds number between O(1) and O(10). Experimental results based on visual and quantitative data demonstrate conclusively that a microfluidic device can effectively remove DMSO from liquid and cell laden streams without compromising cell recovery. Also, flow conditions in the microfluidic device appear to have no adverse effect on cell viability at the outlet. Further, the results demonstrate that we can predict the amount of DMSO removed from a given device with the theoretical model mentioned previously.