cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential regulatory elements of nematode vitellogenin genes revealed by interspecies sequence comparison

The nematode,Caenorhabditis elegans, has a six-member gene family encoding vitellogenins, the yolk protein precursors. These genes are expressed exclusively in the intestine of the adult hermaphrodite. Here we report the cloning of all five members of the homologous gene family from anotherCaenorhabditis species,Caenorhabditis briggsae. Nucleotide sequence analysis of these genes reveals they are about 85% identical to theC. elegans genes in the coding regions. Oveerall similarity is much reduced in noncoding and flanking regions. However, two repeated heptamers, previously identified in the upstream regions of theC. elegans genes, are largely conserved in both location and sequence inC. briggsae. Conservation of certain of these heptamers suggests that proteins bound at these positions may be especially important to promoter function and/or regulation. Comparative sequence analysis also suggests the possibility that the first 70 bases of the vitellogenin mRNAs can be folded into stable secondary structures. Almost all base differences between the two species occur in sequences predicted to be unpaired, suggesting that the ability to form intrastrand base pairs has been selected duringCaenorhabditis evolution.
Probing photodynamic damage in nucleic acids with a damage-specific DNA binding protein: a comparison of the B and Z DNA conformations.

—We have employed a damage-specific DNA binding protein from human cells as a probe for base damage in polymers irradiated with white light in the presence of methylene blue. Protein-recognizable damage is introduced only into guanine-containing polymers and quenching of damage introduction by H2O and sodium azide suggest the involvement of a singlet oxygen mechanism. Using poly d(G-m5C), we have demonstrated that the left-handed double helical Z conformation is much less susceptible to guanine photooxidation than is the usual B conformation. We speculate that this difference in reactivity may reflect steric hindrance at the purine C-4 position and could provide some insight into the initial steps of the reaction between singlet oxygen and guanine in nucleic acid polymers.
Genesis of the myofibroblast in lung injury and fibrosis.

Tissue injury incites a repair response with a key mesenchymal component that provides the essential connective tissue for subsequent regeneration or pathological fibrosis. The fibroblast is the major mesenchymal cell type to be implicated in this connective tissue response, and it is in its activated or differentiated form that it participates in the repair process. The myofibroblast represents such an activated mesenchymal cell and is a key source of extracellular matrix and inflammatory/fibrogenic cytokines as well as participating in wound contraction. Although successful healing results in gradual disappearance of myofibroblasts, their persistence is associated with chronic and progressive fibrosis. Thus, elucidation of the mechanism involved in the genesis of the myofibroblast should provide insight into both pathogenesis of chronic fibrotic diseases and therapeutic strategies for their management and control. Although the fibroblast is a well-documented progenitor cell for the myofibroblast, recent...
How to Negotiate with North Korea

This article evaluates the February 13th agreement at the 2007 six-party talks that officially is known as “Initial Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement.” The agreement's effectiveness is evaluated based on the negotiating and behavioral styles of both Washington and Pyongyang. This article shows that in the pre-negotiation phase, Washington's Graduated Reciprocation in Tension-reduction strategies were more effective than the well-known Tit-for-Tat strategies to induce North Korea to engage in the six-party talks. I also show that principled negotiation strategies were effectively applied, and that the weak Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement led the two countries to reach an agreement. Finally, this article demonstrates that several strategic provisions were added in the post-negotiation phase in order to secure the fulfillment of the agreement.
Effects of multi-component diffusion and heat release on laminar diffusion flame liftoff

Abstract Numerical simulations were conducted of the liftoff and stabilization phenomena of laminar jet diffusion flames of inert-diluted C 3 H 8 and CH 4 fuels. Both non-reacting and reacting jets were investigated, including multi-component diffusivities and heat release effects (buoyancy and gas expansion). The role of Schmidt number for non-reacting jets was investigated, with no conclusive Schmidt number criterion for liftoff previously arrived at in similarity solutions. The cold-flow simulation for He-diluted CH 4 fuel does not predict flame liftoff; however, adding heat release reaction lead to the prediction of liftoff, which is consistent with experimental observations. Including reaction was also found to improve liftoff height prediction for C 3 H 8 flames, with the flame base location differing from that in the similarity solution – the intersection of the stoichiometric and iso-velocity (equal to 1-D flame speed) is not necessary for flame stabilization (and thus liftoff). Possible mechanisms other than that proposed for similarity solution may better help to explain the stabilization and liftoff phenomena.
Fast Variational Interconnect Delay and Slew Computation Using Quadratic Models

Interconnects constitute a dominant source of circuit delay for modern chip designs. The variations of critical dimensions in modern VLSI technologies lead to variability in interconnect performance that must be fully accounted for in timing verification. However, handling a multitude of inter-die/intra-die variations and assessing their impacts on circuit performance can dramatically complicate the timing analysis. In this paper, a practical interconnect delay and slew analysis technique is presented to facilitate efficient evaluation of wire performance variability. By harnessing a collection of computationally efficient procedures and closed-form formulas, process variations are directly mapped into the variability of the output delay and slew. An efficient method based on sensitivity analysis is implemented to calculate driving point models under variations for gate-level timing analysis. The proposed adjoint technique not only provides statistical performance variations of the interconnect network under analysis, but also produces delay and slew expressions parameterized in the underlying process variations in a quadratic parametric form. As such, it can be harnessed to enable statistical timing analysis while considering important statistical correlations. Our experimental results have indicated that the presented analysis is accurate regardless of location of sink nodes and it is also robust over a wide range of process variations.
The logical form of the proposition expressed by a metadata record

Metadata records are a ubiquitous and foundational feature of contemporary information systems. However, while their simple surface structure may lead us to think that the semantics of a metadata record is unproblematic and easily discerned, our analysis of an example record suggests otherwise. We show three possibilities for the logical form of the proposition expressed by a metadata record. All three are substantially different in the first order constructs utilized, and no two can be recognized as equivalent for the purposes of information organization. The semantics of the common metadata record is elusive. The main source of this problem appears to be the identifier attribute. Although identifier attributes have the syntactic appearance of any other attribute in the metadata vocabulary, this uniformity conceals their potential for assuming a distinctive semantic role, and one which appears to cross the traditional object language / metalanguage boundary, suggesting that translation of colloquial metadata records into logic-based knowledge representations does not take place entirely at a first-order level.
Discrete linear optimal control systems with essentially quadratic cost functionals

This paper considers the optimal control problem of discrete linear systems with essentially quadratic cost functionals. Both closed target set and free endpoint problems are considered. Also, both bounded and unbounded controllers are considered. It is shown that Pontryagin's maximum principle is not only necessary but also sufficient for a number of cases. The existence and the uniqueness of the optimal controller are proved. This optimal control problem of discrete systems has been studied by many people. However, most of the previous results are concerned with the case of unbounded controllers. This paper presents a more unified method of studying such problems in the sense that basically the same geometrical approach is applied to both bounded and unbounded controllers.
The advent of recombinant pertussis vaccines.

The pertussis ingredient of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine has long been known to cause a high rate of mild-to-moderate side effects in infants. Even though epidemiologic data suggest that the relationship between DTP vaccination and catastrophic neurologic events of infancy may be purely temporal, this has not lessened the public demand for a less-reactive pertussis vaccine. The biotechnology industries, in collaboration with government and academic laboratories, have responded by using recombinant DNA methods to produce defined pertussis components for such vaccines
Reading the WordsHer, His, Him:Implications for Parsing Principles Based on Frequency and on Structure

Abstract Two questionnaire studies and two experiments investigated the processing of the pronouns her and him/his . The questionnaires and the first experiment searched for effects of lexical preferences in resolving the temporary syntactic category ambiguity of the word her. Contingent frequency based on a verb's preference for a human vs an inanimate direct object demonstrably affected the final interpretation of an ambiguous her following the verb in an off-line questionnaire study. However, it did not influence on-line processing times for SPEC versus NP uses of her. This result is surprising from the perspective of current lexically based models of ambiguity resolution. Experiment 2 addressed how potential antecedents for the unambiguous pronouns him and his are identified. Both Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 showed that NP uses of personal pronouns like her and him could be processed more easily than SPEC uses of her and his. Experiment 2 showed that this difference largely reflected differences in difficulty of choosing an antecedent for the pronoun. To account for the processing of her, we proposed that the parser initially builds an underspecified syntactic representation, fixing further details and disambiguating the category of her as subsequent information becomes available. Comprehension proceeds by attempting to find an antecedent for the personal pronoun, with the preferred candidate a syntactically available within-sentence antecedent if one exists.
9 Persons: Natural, Functional, or Ethical Kind?

In this paper, I examine alternative views of personhood and how they affect our understanding of life and death. Building on David Wiggins's insight that our concept of person tries to hold in a single focus our nature as a biological being, a subject of consciousness, and a locus of moral values, I argue against views that try to reduce persons to one of these aspects at the expense of the others. Thought experiments that have been prominent in the literature on personal identity are criticized on grounds that they sunder persons from the moral and cultural context in which they appear and ignore an essential relational aspect of persons. I argue for a substantive view of persons that understands persons as "constituted by" but not identical to human organisms, and that treats persons as having essential relational properties. Persons are thus beings whose nature is not determined entirely by their biology or psychology but is, in part. a matter of individual, moral, and cultural construction. I argue that such a view provides the best theoretical grounding to answer the more practical, bioethical questions concerning the beginning and end of life.
Thermal conductivity of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 in the mixed state

Abstract We have investigated ab-plane thermal conductivity in single crystals of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 in the mixed state. We find that the ab-plane thermal conductivity, кab, below Tc depends on the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field. A simple empirical expression was found for кab H θ c ), which suggests that electron component of кab is responsible for the normal state behavior of the ab-plane thermal conductivity. However, the к anomaly in the superconducting state is attributed to an increase in its phonon component and a rapid decrease of quasiparticle scattering below Tc.
A Radioimmunoassay for Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (Gn-RH) in Serum

Double antibody radioimmunoassays have been developed to measure gonadotropinreleasing hormone (Gn-RH). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone, melanocyte-stimulating hormone inhibiting factor, various Gn-RH analogs and the components of serum per se did not appear to influence the assay. Serum containing endogenous or endogenous plus exogenous Gn-RH, crude hypothalamic extracts, and various Gn-RH analogues all produced inhibition curves which were parallel to those obtained with the synthetic Gn-RH standard. Exogenous Gn-RH could be quantitatively recovered from 200 μl of serum obtained from sheep in different reproductive states. Sensitivity of the radioimmunoassay ranged from 1 to 3.8 pg per assay tube with the more sensitive antibody. Using this same radioimmunoassay system the coefficient of variation for 12 samples in the same assay was 5.9% while the coefficient of variation for 2 samples in 6 different radioimmunoassays was 14.7%. The level of Gn-RH in serum of normal rams was 71 ± 1.4 (se) pg/ml as compar...
The Political Economics of California’s Proposition 65

Proposition 65 is an attempt to reform toxic chemical risk management in California and perhaps the US as well. The privatization of decisions about use of listed chemicals and decentralization of enforcement constitute major innovations. Whether or not these innovations will also improve the efficiency of toxic chemical risk management, Proposition 65 is a bold experiment in political economy with California as the laboratory. When the authors look at the particular policy instruments chosen by Proposition 65 - the warning requirement and the discharge prohibition - they become less enthusiastic. Labeling coupled with regulation of toxins may be an effective combination for reducing the risks facing society. However, the warning label requirement of Proposition 65 is probably too strong given the generally low levels of risk covered by the act, and it fails to give consumers information about actual or relative risks. It also fails to improve regulation of the major source of water pollution that is currently unregulated: pollution from nonpoint sources. Proposition 65 will likely increase the state's share of the responsibility for management of toxins in the environment. This added responsibility will probably be in areas where state regulation does not result in an undue burden onmore » interstate commerce or the production and distribution strategies of national firms. Such regulation, however, does impose costs that must be weighed against health and welfare benefits at the state and national levels. Other state claims of responsibility, particularly in the area of consumer product labeling, may ultimately be repudiated by a reassertion of federal power in Congress or the courts. The political and economic challenge is to balance states' desires to manage toxins in a way that reflects residents' preferences with the benefits of a uniform national market for manufacturing and distribution.« less
Chemistry of the phenoxathiins and isosterically related heterocycles. XIX.. The crystal and molecular structure of 1‐N,N‐dimethylamino‐2,3‐diazaphenoxathiin: An interesting product isolated from the reaction of o‐mercaptophenol with 3,4,5‐trichloropyridazine in N,N‐dimethylformamide

The isolation of 1-N,N-dimethylamino-2,3-diazaphenoxathiin and its molecular structure as determined by X-ray crystallography are described. The existence of a potential non-bonded interaction between the lone pair of electrons of the dimethylamino group nitrogen and sulfur atom are also discussed.
Job satisfaction, burnout, and perceived effectiveness of “in‐house” versus traditional school psychologists

The present study examined whether school psychologists who serve a single school (“In-House” group) differed from school psychologists who serve several schools concurrently (“Traditional” group) in the three areas of job satisfaction, burnout, and effectiveness as perceived by the school psychologist. A total of 63 school psychology practitioners were surveyed using a 28-item questionnaire developed specifically for this study that yielded scores for Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Perceived Effectiveness. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that the In-House group reported higher rates of satisfaction and perceived effectiveness and lower rates of burnout than did the traditional group. Items that distinguished between the two groups related to job diversity, caseload, others' familiarity with the school psychologist, the school psychologists' level of integration into school activities, and administrators' knowledge about the school psychologists' capabilities. Suggestions for further research and implications for current practice are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 237–243, 2003.
Issues Impacting The Application Of Semiconductor Lasers In Space Communications

Techniques for combining individual semiconductor lasers for use as a laser communication transmitter are discussed. The geometries, aging characteristics, radiation effects, and lifetimes of semiconductor lasers are reviewed, and the resulting effects on the laser communications transmitter are assessed.
Seismic response of annular cylindrical tanks

A study is made of the dynamic response of liquid containing, upright annular cylindrical tanks subjected to the horizontal component of a seismic excitation at its base. The tank is assumed to be rigid. Critical response quantities for rigid annular tanks are evaluated over wide ranges of parameters involved and the results presented in a form convenient for use in practical applications. The effect of tank flexibility on the response is then assessed by the procedure proposed by Veletsos and Yang (1977). Simple approximation equations for estimating the fundamental frequency of the outer tank wall-liquid and inner tank wall-liquid systems are proposed.
LSD subcultures: acidoxy versus orthodoxy.

Book reviewed in this article: Participant observation and interviews in San Francisco, New York, and London make it possible to present some of the distinguishing characteristics of the LSD and therapy subcultures. Characteristics discussed are: subcultural differentiation, status, relevant experience, sex, and religion. The relative utility of the (old) anxiety and the (new) alienation model is tested. The author suggests that new therapeutic values and strategies will be needed to “treat” LSD users.
Permeability of turkey eggs from hens with different hatchability rates

Abstract 1. 1. Permeability comparisons were made on egg shell and membranes from Small White turkey hens having average low (66%) and average high (90%) hatchability records after 15 weeks of production. 2. 2. Average permeabilities of egg shells with membranes in the dry state were higher in eggs from hens with a history of low hatchability (26.55 × 10−7 cm3 · mm · STP/sec · cm2 · T), as compared with eggs from hens with a history of high hatchability (23.39 × 10−7 cm3 · mm · STP/sec · cm2 · T). 3. 3. Lower permeability was found for egg membranes in the wet state.
Implications of Occupational Locus and Focus for Public Service Motivation: Attitudes Toward Work Motives across Nations

Is occupational locus or focus important for public service motivation? Does national context influence public service motivation? To answer both questions, the author examines attitudes toward work motives from national samples in 11 North American and Western European nations using multilevel binary logistic regression analysis. The findings demonstrate that the locus of an occupation in government and its focus on a public service activity both are important in shaping preferences for work motives related to public service motivation. Also, the preference for work motives held by citizens is correlated with the type of welfare regime in a nation. Although it is less pronounced, some evidence suggests that the type of welfare regime influences preferences toward work motives among government employees.
Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias and rate-related hypotension: cardiovascular effects and efficacy of intravenous verapamil.

IV verapamil is the preferred drug for the acute management of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (SVTs) in the absence of contraindications to its use. SVT complicated by hypotension has been considered a relative contraindication for the use of IV verapamil. However, the efficacy of IV verapamil in the management of "rate-related" hypotension has not been specifically addressed. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of IV verapamil in patients with SVTs and arterial hypotension. A retrospective and prospective study design was used. Inclusion criteria were SVT (QRS duration, less than 120 ms; R-R interval, regular or irregular), QRS rate of 140 or more, systolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or less, and normal mental status. We identified 21 episodes of SVT meeting inclusion criteria in 19 patients. SVT was due to atrioventricular node re-entry in 17, atrial fibrillation in three, and atrial flutter in one. There were seven men and 12 women, with a mean age (+/- SD) of 52 +/- 17 years. Systolic blood pressure before verapamil was 70 +/- 28 mm Hg, and QRS rate was 192 +/- 19. IV calcium was not administered before IV verapamil. After IV verapamil administration (mean dose, 6.5 +/- 4.3 mg), a positive response (conversion to sinus rhythm or ventricular rate of less than 120) was noted in 17 of 21 episodes (80%). Post-treatment systolic blood pressure increased to 98 +/- 16 mm Hg (P less than .005 vs pretreatment), and ventricular response rate decreased to 112 +/- 39 (P less than .001 by two-tailed paired t test).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Combined electron and ion projection microscopy

Abstract We have designed a bright, atomic-size gas ion source for imaging partly transparent samples in a geometric projection mode. Combined with electron holography, this ion projection microscope supplements the holograms by generating a shadow image with ions. Helium ions are used to sputter carbon fibers down to only a few nanometers in diameter, which were subsequently imaged with electrons. Hydrogen ions are used to deposit charges on carbon fiber networks, which can then be imaged and neutralized with a high electron flux. Finally, we present preliminary data of magnetic structures, taking advantage of the different deflections due to the Lorentz force of ions and electrons, and obtain complementary image information on small magnetic particles.
Chemotherapy of disseminated testicular cancer a random prospective study

Seventy-eight patients with disseminated testicular cancer were entered on a random prospective study evaluating three separate remission induction arms. Therapy with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (20 mg/M2 for five consecutive days every three weeks for 3-4 courses) and bleomycin (30 units intravenous push weekly for 12 consecutive weeks) was constant. Patients were allocated at random to one of the following induction regimens (in combination with platinum plus bleomycin): (1) vinblastine 0.4 mg/kg every three weeks for four courses; (2) vinblastine 0.3 mg/kg every three weeks for four courses; or (3) vinblastine 0.2 mg/kg plus Adriamycin 50 mg/M2 every three weeks for four courses. All patients received maintenance therapy with vinblastine 0.3 mg/kg once a month for 20 months (total therapy two years) unless progressive disease intervened. The incidence of granulocytopenic fever and sepsis was highest with regimen 1, as 9 patients (35%) developed granulocytopenic fever requiring hospitalization and antibiotics; only 4 (15%) patients on regimen 2 developed granulocytopenic fever. No patients on regimen 2 had documented sepsis. Fifty-three patients (68%) achieved complete remission and an additional 11 patients were rendered free of disease with surgical resection of residual localized disease. Fifty-three patients (68%) remain alive and continuously free of disease from 15+ to 39+ months. There was no difference in the complete remission rate or disease-free status with the higher dosage of vinblastine (regimen 1) during remission induction therapy compared to the less toxic lower dosage of vinblastine (regimen 2). This suggests that dosage reduction of vinblastine to 0.3 mg/kg can produce equivalent therapeutic results with diminished toxicity, and we no longer recommend the 0.4 mg/kg vinblastine dosage.
Steven P. Erie, Vladimir Kogan and Scott A. Mackenzie 2011: Paradise Plundered: Fiscal Crisis and Governance Failures in San Diego. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

A review of the book "Paradise Plundered: Fiscal Crisis & Governance Failures in San Diego," by Steven P. Erie, Vladimir Kogan, and Scott A. Mackenzie is presented.
High Blood Pressure Trends in Children and Adolescents in National Surveys, 1963 to 2002

Background— Secular trend data on hypertension in children and adolescents are scarce and inconsistent. In the face of growing obesity, we sought to assess high blood pressure (HBP) secular trends in children and adolescents enrolled in national surveys and to determine whether the HBP trend reversed its course with the rise in obesity. Methods and Results— National survey data obtained from multistage probability sampling of the US noninstitutionalized population from 1963 to 2002 were examined; 8- to 17-year-old non-Hispanic blacks and whites and Mexican Americans were included. HBP ascertainment was based on age-, gender-, and height percentile–specific systolic and diastolic BPs. Weighted analyses were performed to account for the complex design. The BP, pre-HBP, and HBP trends were downward from 1963 to 1988 and upward thereafter. Pre-HBP and HBP increased 2.3% (P=0.0003) and 1% (P=0.17), respectively, between 1988 and 1999. Obesity increase, more so abdominal than general obesity, partially explaine...
Energetic electronic processes on extraterrestrial surfaces

Astronomical bodies without atmospheres are subject to irradiation with energetic photons and particles. The resulting surface alterations are evident in the optical reflectance spectra discernible through remote optical sensing from Earth. Here I review the most important processes initiated by electronic excitations and ionizations by ions. These include electronic desorption or sputtering, chemical reactions, and charge transfer. It is argued that dissociative electron attachment and Auger initiated desorption play a role in desorption of ice mantles on grains in dense interstellar molecular clouds. The paper describes the essentials of laboratory simulations and points out to opportunities for atomic collision physicists to contribute to important astrophysical and planetary problems, including the evolution of galactic matter and the possible extraterrestrial genesis of life.
The best test of Ph.D. student success.

In their Education Forum “Performance-based data in the study of STEM Ph.D. education” (16 July, p. [282][1]), D. F. Feldon, M. A. Maher, and B. E. Timmerman suggest that graduate education could be improved by the implementation of performance-based assessments. They do not acknowledge that a performance-based system already exists in graduate work: quality (not quantity) of publications. Feldon, Maher, and Timmerman downplay publication as an indicator of student performance because of the involvement of mentors and peers, but input from multiple parties is a necessary and productive aspect of collaborative research. Collaboration benefits individual success and leads to innovation. Failing to recognize published work as a predictor of effectiveness as a researcher trivializes employers' ability to distinguish poor research from quality research, and by extension, the graduate student's ability to conduct research and collaborate effectively. Adding standardized testing to the graduate curriculum neither benefits research nor serves as an accurate indicator of an individual's problem-solving ability. Recently, Hazari et al. ([ 1 ][2]) found that being “learning-oriented” rather than “performance-oriented” predicted success at the graduate level. This research implies that—if assessments were added to the curriculum (a move I discourage)—assessments of student interest in learning would be a better indicator of program effectiveness than the performance-based assessments advocated by Feldon, Maher, and Timmerman. 1. [↵][3]1. Z. Hazari, 2. G. Potvin, 3. R. Tai, 4. J. Almarode , Phys. Rev. Spec. Top. Phys. Educ. Res. 6, 010107 (2010). [OpenUrl][4][CrossRef][5] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1191269 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [4]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPhys.%2BRev.%2BSpec.%2BTop.%2BPhys.%2BEduc.%2BRes.%26rft.volume%253D6%26rft.spage%253D010107%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1103%252FPhysRevSTPER.6.010107%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [5]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.6.010107&link_type=DOI
Modeling of membrane action in a two-layer reinforced soil system

Abstract A numerical model is formulated to assess tensile membrane action in a two-layer soil system reinforced by a geotextile. The analysis is based on a two-dimenasional plane strain model of the static equilibrium of an elastic membrane placed at the interface between a granular base and a compressible subgrade. The theory of stochastic stress diffusion in particulate media is used to describe the transmission of load through the gravel base, and a Winkler model is assumed for the subgrade. The model incorporates a Mohr-Coulomb criterion for the frictional interaction at the gravel-fabric interface, and it allows for incomplete anchorage. The numerical solution is provided by an iterative finite difference scheme. The influence of the anchorage conditions on the load-deflection response of the system is illustrated, and it is shown that the performance of high tensile modulus fabrics are affected to a higher degree by an incomplete anchorage than lower modulus fabrics.
Magnetic properties of compositionally modulated Fe/Cr thin films

Abstract The squareness of Fe/Cr CMS hysteresis loops is discussed in terms of the temperature dependence of the coercivity and the anisotropy field. The magnetic moment of the Fe atoms is that of the bulk though the layers are thin enough to induce a surface anisotropy of 0.1 erg/cm 2 .
25Gb/s 1V-driving CMOS ring modulator with integrated thermal tuning

We report a high-speed ring modulator that fits many of the ideal qualities for optical interconnect in future exascale supercomputers. The device was fabricated in a 130nm SOI CMOS process, with 7.5μm ring radius. Its high-speed section, employing PN junction that works at carrier-depletion mode, enables 25Gb/s modulation and an extinction ratio >5dB with only 1V peak-to-peak driving. Its thermal tuning section allows the device to work in broad wavelength range, with a tuning efficiency of 0.19nm/mW. Based on microwave characterization and circuit modeling, the modulation energy is estimated ~7fJ/bit. The whole device fits in a compact 400μm2 footprint.
Computation of Unsteady Flowfield over a Hydrofoil, Including Boundary Layer and Wake

A time-accurate, two-dimensional, semi-implicit pressure-based Navier± Stokes solver for incompressibleows is used to carry out the numerical simulation of the unsteadyow over a hydrofoil. A low-Reynolds-number form of the two-equation turbulence model is used to account for the turbulence effects. To improve the accuracy of the numerical scheme, a central differencing plus arti® cial dissipation scheme is implemented to provide a precise control of the numerical dissipation. An inner-loop iteration scheme is used at each time step to account for the nonlinear effects. The information on the upstream time-dependentow is speci® ed from the experimental data. The results show that the characteristics of theunsteady boundary layersalong the foil surfaces are predicted very well by the numerical method, including the amplitude of the velocityuctuation and the phase angle changes as well asow features near the surfaces. The instantaneousow® eld is presented at various locations along the hydrofoil surfaces and downstream of the hydrofoil. Both the computational and experimental results are interpreted to improve physical understanding of theow phenomena inside unsteady boundary layers.
Bandwidth constraints on problems complete for polynomial time

Abstract A graph G =( V , E ) has bandwidth k under a layout L:V → 1 1 {1,…,¦V¦} if, for all {x, y}∈E, ¦L(x,−L(y)¦⩽k . Bandwidth constraints on several problems that are complete for P (under long space reductions) are considered. In particular, the solvable path system problem and the and⧹or graph accessibility problem under various bandwidth constraints are used to prove results about subclasses of P . In general, restricting the bandwidth of problems complete for P results in complete problems for subclasses of P defined by simultaneous time-space bounds or defined by space bounds on alternating Turing machines. For instance, these results are used to show that the class SC, of sets accepted in polynomial time and simultaneous polylog space, can be characterized as the class reducible by log space transformations to sets accepted by one-way log log n space bounded alternating Turing machines. An upper bound on the space requirements for the solvable path system problem under various bandwidth constraints is given by SPS (t(n))∈ D SPACE(f(n)log n) . This yields, as a corollary, the result ASPACE (f(n)) (- ∪ k →lcub0rcub) D SPACE(2 k f(n)) for functions f that are suitably constructible and do not grow more rapidly than some logarithm function. This extends the known result: ASPACE(f(n)) = ∪ k →lcub0rcub) D TIME(2 k f(n)) , which only applies to functions that grow at least as rapidly as a logarithm function.
Optimize agricultural product size sorting operation by dynamic programming method

Abstract A general dynamic programming method was developed for size sorting agricultural product so that optimization with respect to any decomposable (in dynamical programming sense) objective may be obtained. The theory was applied to solve papaya (a tropical fruit) package weight control problem. The result was significant and the actual mean box weight deviation from the labelled weight can be reduced approximately one-third compared to the present weight deviation as a result of the weight control method practised by the packers now.
Host-specific morphologies but no host races in the commensal bivalve neaeromya rugifera

Speciation by host shift is one of the explicit models of ecological speciation. A prerequisite of this model is the formation of host races (sympatric populations that show host-specific genetic structuring and phenotypes). Many members of the diverse marine bivalve superfamily Galeommatoidea have obligate commensal relationships with invertebrate hosts. Some species have the ability to occupy multiple host species, thereby providing potential opportunities to test for the formation of host races. The Northeast Pacific galeommatoidean Neaeromya rugifera attaches to two strikingly different hosts: the blue mud shrimp Upogebia pugettensis and the polychaete sea mouse Aphrodita spp. We tested if this host difference has resulted in the formation of host races using shell morphologies and genetic markers. We found that populations from different hosts differ significantly in shell morphology. However, based on mitochondrial makers, N. rugifera showed no distinct host-specific genetic structuring, indicating the existence of a panmictic population. We conclude that the host-specific morphologies these clams exhibit may reflect ecophenotypic plasticity rather than the existence of host races, but this needs to be corroborated with additional genetic data and larger sample sizes. The pronounced conchological variation within N. rugifera calls for further investigation of its taxonomic relationship with its poorly studied, but morphologically similar, sympatric congener Neaeromya compressa.
Population Structure in Gray Sunflower Seed Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Based on Analyses of Mitochondrial DNA and Microsatellites

We used mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) and microsatellites to study genetic diversity and population structure of the gray sunflower seed weevil, Smicronyx sordidus LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). A 400-bp fragment of mitochondrial 16S rDNA was amplified and sequenced from weevils collected from 20 geographic populations. Thirty-three unique mitochondrial DNA sequences (haplotypes) were identified based on 62 polymorphic sites. Sequence divergence among haplotypes ranged from 0.2 to 3.68%. Four of 33 haplotypes were shared among populations, but most (88%) were found in only one population. No geographical disjunctions could be correlated with cladogenesis shown by phylogenetic reconstruction of unique haplotypes. Haplotype 33 from Texas separated from a major clade composed of other gray and red sunflower seed weevil haplotypes. Analysis of molecular variance results revealed that most of the genetic variation observed in gray sunflower seed weevils was due to variation within populations. Nested clade analysis showed two main clades with significant geographic structure. Contiguous range expansion seemed to be the main mechanism of increased variation within the species. Significant differences were found in analyses of five polymorphic microsatellite loci in four geographically separated field populations from which multiple individuals could be collected from wild sunflowers. More genetic divergences occurred among weevil populations collected from sunflowers along the east-west axis than among weevil populations collected on a north-south axis. The overall results are consistent with current theories concerning the origin of the cultivated sunflower in central United States. The population represented by haplotype 33 from Texas is likely a new species that evolved independently.
Characteristics of Fine Particle Growth Events Observed Above a Forested Ecosystem in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California

Atmospheric aerosols from natural and anthropogenic processes have both primary and secondary origins, and can influence human health, visibility, and climate. One key process affecting atmospheric concentrations of aerosols is the formation of new particles and their subsequent growth to larger particle sizes. A field study was conducted at the Blodgett Forest Research Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California from May through September of 2002 to examine the effect of biogenic volatile organic compounds on aerosol formation and processing. The study included in-situ measurements of concentration and biosphere-atmosphere flux of VOCs, ozone, aerosol size distribution, aerosol physical and optical properties, and meteorological variables. Fine particle growth events were observed on approximately 30 percent of the 107 days with complete size distribution data. Average particle growth rates measured during these events were 3.8 ± 1.9 nm hr−1. Correlations between aerosol properties, trace gas co...
THE USE OF MANDATORY SENTENCING LEGISLATION AS SYMBOLIC STATEMENTS

Mandatory sentencing legislation often results in laws which use provisions and set penalties in order to make strong symbolic and political statements. Thus, in addition to protecting society, they are powerful vehicles for expressing moral outrage. This is especially evident in mandatory sentencing for drug and alcohol offenses. The present research examines the consequences of that practice on one state's criminal justice system. Interviews with key actors along with examinations of official documents, newspaper publicity and media campaigns illustrate the political decisions and symbolic statements which pervade driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) legislation. The process is studied from before the lawls enactment through its subsequent outcome.
Dynamically reconfigurable complex emulsions via tunable interfacial tensions

Emulsions are of critical importance for research and for applications in the medical sciences, food industry and elsewhere. This paper describes a one-step method that exploits the temperature-sensitive miscibility of hydrocarbon, silicone and fluorocarbon liquids to make three- and four-phase complex emulsions with highly controllable morphologies. The geometry of the emulsions can be accurately tuned between encapsulated and Janus configurations by varying the balance of interfacial tensions controlled through mixtures of surfactant or by stimuli such as light or pH. The ability to reversibly 'present' and 'hide' specific liquidliquid interfaces within the droplet and tune the droplet morphology offers interesting practical possibilities.
The effect of solar tracking resolution to the defocus of a giant fresnel lens for a solar stove

A solar stove using a giant Fresnel lens has been developed in the Energy and Fuel Cell Laboratory at the University of Arizona. Solar tracking is required to control the Fresnel lens to maintain a stationary focal point on the heat transfer surface of the solar stove. A two-axis passive control system for solar tracking is adopted. Characteristics of the optical system are analyzed in order to find a reasonable tracking and adjustment frequency and overall system control accuracy. Defocus of the lens due to the angular offset (related to tracking resolution) of the lens’ axis versus the sunray and the change of the shape of the focal point on a static plate is calculated. The results of the analysis are used in the design of the control algorithm which has been implemented in the control system of the prototype solar stove. The proposed tracking scheme is expected to improve heat collection, thermal protection and thereby reduction of heat loss in the solar stove.© 2012 ASME
Direct measurement of vortex diffusivity in thin films of 4He.

We report direct measurements of vortex diffusivity, D, as a function of temperature through the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. We find that D is a rapidly varying function of temperature near the transition. It is very small well below the transition, increases to \ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{\Elzxh}/m at the static transition temperature, and apparently diverges at the point where the superfluid density vanishes. The diffusivity appears to be insensitive to the presence of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ impurities and to the nature of the substrate.
A low overhead error correction system for multi-track recorders

An error correction system for use with multitrack parallel recording of High Density Digital Recording on magnetic tape is described. The system corrects for error bursts of any length on two tracks, simultaneously, providing improvements in bit error rate on the order of 106Calculated theoretical performance curves are provided and compared with actual test data. The test described is one in which new, unconditioned magnetic tape was used, which provided an uncorrected error rate on the order of 10-5and a corrected, or output error rate less than 1 in 1010.
Direct climate effects of perennial bioenergy crops in the United States

Biomass-derived energy offers the potential to increase energy security while mitigating anthropogenic climate change, but a successful path toward increased production requires a thorough accounting of costs and benefits. Until recently, the efficacy of biomass-derived energy has focused primarily on biogeochemical consequences. Here we show that the biogeophysical effects that result from hypothetical conversion of annual to perennial bioenergy crops across the central United States impart a significant local to regional cooling with considerable implications for the reservoir of stored soil water. This cooling effect is related mainly to local increases in transpiration, but also to higher albedo. The reduction in radiative forcing from albedo alone is equivalent to a carbon emissions reduction of , which is six times larger than the annual biogeochemical effects that arise from offsetting fossil fuel use. Thus, in the near-term, the biogeophysical effects are an important aspect of climate impacts of biofuels, even at the global scale. Locally, the simulated cooling is sufficiently large to partially offset projected warming due to increasing greenhouse gases over the next few decades. These results demonstrate that a thorough evaluation of costs and benefits of bioenergy-related land-use change must include potential impacts on the surface energy and water balance to comprehensively address important concerns for local, regional, and global climate change.
Fractured rock hydromechanics: from borehole testing to solute transport and CO2 storage

The paper was prepared with partial support of the US Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The perception of information relevance

The effect of experimentally induced information relevance on Ss’ perception of information relevance and information importance in complex environments was investigated. Ss received 10 informative messages in each of four Y2-h periods. Twenty per cent, 40%, 60%, or 80% of that information was relevant (permitted meaningful responding). A constant 80% of all information was important. Ss’ perceptions of information relevance and importance were obtained on rating scales. It was found that experimentally induced increasing relevance resulted in increasing perceptions of relevance and importance; however, perceptions of relevance and importance were higher than induced relevance at all but the 80% point.
Dislocation/obstacle interactions during low dose irradiation creep of nickel

Abstract Analyses of interactions between gliding dislocations and irradiation induced obstacles indicated that loop unfaulting, loop annihilation, and loop sweeping can control low dose irradiation creep in fcc metals. Dislocation reactions remove glide barriers from active slip planes and rationalize rapid creep rates observed in deuteron irradiated nickel. Irradiation creep experiments revealed that pre-irradiation reduced irradiation creep rates in annealed Ni whereas preirradiation had little effect on creep rates in cold-worked Ni. Dislocation/obstacle interactions and the role of the applied stress in barrier removal processes were related to observed irradiation creep responses.