cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model-based 3D object pose estimation from linear image decomposition and direction of arrival analysis

This paper presents enhancements and new results related to a method for model-based object recognition which uses a single, comprehensive analytic object model representing the entirety of a suite of gray-scale views of the object. Object orientation and identity are directly established by this method from arbitrary views, even though these views are not related by any geometric image transformation. The approach is also applicable to multi-sensor real and complex data, such as radar and thermal signatures. The object model is comprised of a reduced reciprocal image set generated from a Fourier representation of an object image suite. The projection of an acquired image onto the reciprocal basis yields samples of a complex exponential, the phase of which reveals the pose parameters. Estimation of this phase for several degrees of freedom corresponds to the plane wave direction of arrival (DOA) problem; thus the pose parameters can be found using DOA solution techniques. Results are given which illustrate the performance of an implementation of this method using camera acquired images.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The growth and morphology of FRTL-5 thyroid epithelial cells grown as multicellular spheroids in vitro.

FRTL-5 cells, a diploid line of differentiated rat thyroid epithelial cells, have been grown as multicellular spheroids in spinner culture. Spheroids were initiated by seeding FRTL-5 cells either into Lab-Tek dishes or culture flasks with a 0.5% agar base. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH, >1.0 mU/ml) was required for initial cell aggregation and spheroid growth. After 1 wk cellular aggregates were transferred to suspension culture in spinner flasks. As with FRTL-5 monolayer cultures, continued spheroid growth required the addition of TSH to the culture medium. The most unique characteristic of the FRTL-5 spheroids was the development of central lumina similar to thyroid follicles in vivo. Follicular structures were absent from spheroids not stimulated with TSH. In the presence of TSH epithelial cells seem metabolically active with morphological evidence of biosynthesis of thyroglobulin-like material and basal laminar-like components. In contrast, all evidence of cellular metabolic activity is absent from cells in spheroids maintained in the absence of TSH. Thus, nontransformed FRTL-5 cells grown as three-dimensional multicellular spheroids responded to hormonal manipulation in a manner comparable to follicular epithelial cells in vivo. This spheroid model might therefore prove to be a very effective tool for investigating aspects of thyroid physiology and pathology in vitro.
Survival, growth and suckling behavior of neonatally bulbectomized rats

Abstract The importance of the olfactory bulbs in the neonatal rats ability to suckle, and hence survive and grow, was evaluated using modified surgical and post-operative rearing conditions. More than 90% of two-day-old bilaterally bulbectomized pups survived surgery and recovered sufficiently to gain weight and grow at near-normal rates. However, these pups were markedly deficient in their ability to locate and attach to their anesthetized mothers' nipples. They did however, manage to attach when held in direct contact with these nipples. As expected, washing olfactory cues for suckling from the nipple surface with methylene chloride-ethanol severely disrupted the suckling behavior of their normal and unilaterally bulbectomized littermates. Removing these cues had no effect on the attachment behavior of bilaterally bulbectomized pups, demonstrating that neonatal rats possess sufficient behavioral plasticity to utilize other cues for suckling in the absence of olfaction.
THE EFFECT OF PROLONGED TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ADMINISTRATION ON THE IMMATURE AND ADULT FEMALE RAT

THE SYNTHETIC ANDROGENS, testosterone and testosterone propionate, given over a relatively short period, have been found to stimulate the ovary of the normal rat. In adult rats, Korenchevsky et al. (1) observed a 29 per cent average increase in ovarian weight and an increase in the number and size of corpora lutea, as compared with controls, after daily hypodermic injections of 1.5 mg. of testosterone propionate for 21 days. Wolfe and Hamilton (2) likewise found moderately enlarged corpora lutea with daily injections for 10 days of 0.5 mg. of testosterone propionate, but only in those animals which were in estrus or metestrus at the start of the experiment. When treatment was begun in diestrus the corpora lutea varied in size but were generally no larger than those of controls. McKeown and Zuckerman (3) who administered daily doses of 0.2 mg. of testosterone propionate for 10 days to adult rats noted enlarged corpora lutea, whether the animals were in estrus, proestrus or diestrus at the start.
Strain patterns in an ice cap and implications for strain variations in shear zones

Glacier flow is a form of gravity tectonics in thin sheets, characterized by the development of large strains, foliation and folds. Strain is difficult to measure in ice, but numerical methods provide a good means of estimating cumulative strains. In simple terms, flow in an ice cap involves vertical flattening at the center with bottom-parallel shear increasing in intensity downwards and outwards. In steady state, cumulative strains will be plane if flow is two-dimensional, as in parts of many valley glaciers and some ice caps, and of flattening type if lateral extension occurs normal to the flow direction, as in many ice sheets. In both radial and plane flow, strain gradients will be large vertically and low horizontally outwards. Cumulative strain magnitude can be extremely large near the base and at the margin. Z is everywhere sub-vertical. If flow is unsteady, more complex strain patterns develop, even if changes in the flow field are slight. Over bedrock ridges, flow perturbations can lead locally to rotations greater than those of the quasi-simple shear acting near the base in steady state flow. This may cause the X-direction of the cumulative strain to rotate through the ‘shear plane’ in the neighborhood of the perturbation, in which case strain magnitudes subsequently diminish, leading to low or zero strains in plane flow, and to constrictional strains in radial flow. In the latter case, X lies horizontal and perpendicular to the flow direction, and we have local constrictional strain in an overall flattening field. The zones of perturbed strain tend to be associated with the inverted limbs of recumbent folds. Shear zones in rocks are expected to show similar patterns of strain perturbation.
The psychodynamics of a work stoppage at the Tenth Pan American Games

Abstract A study of the various stressors faced by interns serving as security assistants at the Tenth Pan American Games and the coping mechanisms they utilized was undertaken during the months of July and August 1987. This study revealed that group development can be altered and maladaptive behavior can result among students experiencing high degrees of stress, frustration, and feelings of helplessness, who are subject to a leadership void. The data strongly support the need for planners of similar large-scale internship programs to consider group processes, organizational factors, and interpersonal relations if organizational goals are to be achieved, maladaptive coping mechanisms are to be avoided, and student stress is to be lessened.
The effective proton lifetime and non-exponential decay

Abstract Noting that in GUT models protons must be in the very early stage of the decay process. I establish a lower bound on the observable effective lifetime, depending on the ratio of the rms deviation of the proton energy spectrum to the theoretically calculated width. I find that if this ratio ranges from 1010.0±1 to 1, the lower bound on the effective lifetime climbs from 1030±2 yr to 1050±4 yr. I also argue that if protons are to avoid a form of kinematical fragmentation for one theoretical lifetime, then the effective lifetime for present day protons is longer than 1036 yr.
Design of a Fiber-Coupled Mid-Infrared Fuel Sensor for Pulse Detonation Engines

A mid-infrared laser absorption sensor is designed and used for time-resolved fuel concentration measurements in pulse detonation engines. A 3.39 μm helium-neon laser is fiber coupled to the engine, enabling optical absorption measurements for engine firing rates ranging from 5 to 40 Hz. Individual components (e.g., fiber-coupling lenses, optical fiber, and detectors) are optimized to minimize the effects of vibration and thermal emission. Fiber-coupling enables delicate components to be isolated from engine vibration and detonation pressure waves. The first-generation design is used to measure ethylene concentration with a single-cycle signal-to-noise ratio of ∼7 for fired tests. The sensor is redesigned and measurements are performed on a different engine at multiple axial locations to extract fuel time of flight and concentration. Ethylene and propane concentration measurements were made, demonstrating the versatility of the sensor for multiple fuels. Single-cycle measurements of ethylene for fired tests have a signal-to-noiseratio of ∼6 whereas measurements of propane have a signal-to-noise ratio of ∼80, reflecting the larger absorption coefficient of propane at this wavelength. Comparison of fired and unfired tests reveals the effects of cycle-to-cycle interactions for the fired tests. Time-resolved fuel concentration measurements are shown to be crucial for understanding engine dynamics in high-repetition-rate pulse detonation engines.
AC Characterization of Heated Microcantilevers for Femtogram-Level Thermophysical Property Measurement

This article investigates the electrothermal properties and responses of a doped silicon microcantilever under periodic (ac) Joule heating. To this end, a numerical model using a finite element analysis (FEA) was implemented to compute the steady periodic solutions in the frequency domain. The FEA results agree well with the cantilever ac behavior that was not possible with a previous 1-D analysis. Based on the acquired ac characteristics of the heated cantilever, its feasibility as a probe for nanoscale property measurement was studied by comparing the 3ω voltage signals before and after sampling 449 fg of polyethylene directly on the cantilever. The 3ω signal of the sampled cantilever is considerably different from that of the bare cantilever, suggesting that sample properties can be determined using the processes discussed here. The heater size effect on the ac behavior of the cantilever was also investigated, confirming that the high frequency region is closely related with the thermal diffusion at the heater. The obtained results willexpand the characterization and functionality of microcantilevers leading to advancements in localized thermal analysis.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Vaccine Design Reaches the Atomic Level

The genetic diversity of pathogens presents a challenge to the development of broadly effective vaccines. In this issue, Scarselli et al . combine atomic-level structural information with genomics and classical vaccinology to design a single immunogen that elicits protective immunity against more than 300 natural variants of the bacterial pathogen meningococcus B. This accomplishment provides a glimpse of the power of structure-based vaccine design to create immunogens capable of eliciting protective responses against genetically diverse pathogens.
Conserved Regional 3′ Grouping of Rare Codons in the Coding Sequence of Ocular Prosecretory Mitogen Lacritin

PURPOSE Lacritin is a prosecretory mitogen in tears and, although a tear protein, it promotes basal tearing and lacrimal gland secretion. Since scale up is relevant to its potential use in the treatment of dry eye, we explored various mutagenic strategies to alter the stability, solubility, and translational efficiency of nascent lacritin, and discovered 3' clustering of rare human codons. METHODS Site-directed mutagenesis of lacritin coding cDNA "pLAC" generated 24 different nonsynonymous and 13 synonymous mutations. Nonsynonymous mutations altered amino acids with nonpolar, basic or acidic side chains to serine. Synonymous mutation progressively optimized human codons that are rare or uncommon in Escherichia coli without changing the amino acid specified. These changes were validated by sequencing and protein production, and analyzed via the "rare codon calculator" (RCC). Nonhuman primate and nonprimate lacritin coding sequences were extracted from Ensembl, and analyzed via RCC using codon usage appropriate for each species. RESULTS Superior yields were obtained by modification of individual hydrophobic residues or a predicted salt bridge, suggesting that production was limited by lacritin stability. Accordingly, elimination of rare codons increased yields less effectively. Importantly, RCC analysis of human, nonhuman primate (mouse lemur) and nonprimate (cat, tree shrew) lacritin coding sequences revealed remarkable 3' clustering of rare codons, unlike human lipocalin-1 and 21 other widely expressed human tear genes. CONCLUSIONS Lacritin protein yields were improved primarily by hydrophobic or salt bridge mutagenesis and less so by elimination of rare codons. The 3' clustering of rare codons is conserved in all lacritin orthologs examined.
Mechanism of repression of the inhibin α-subunit gene by inducible 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate early repressor

The rodent ovary is regulated throughout the reproductive cycle to maintain normal cyclicity. Ovarian follicular development is controlled by changes in gene expression in response to the gonadotropins FSH and LH. The inhibin alpha-subunit gene belongs to a group of genes that is positively regulated by FSH and negatively regulated by LH. Previous studies established an important role for inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) in repression of alpha-inhibin. These current studies investigate the mechanisms of repression by ICER. It is not clear whether all four ICER isoforms expressed in the ovary can act as repressors of the inhibin alpha-subunit gene. EMSAs demonstrate binding of all isoforms to the inhibin alpha-subunit CRE (cAMP response element), and transfection studies demonstrate that all isoforms can repress the inhibin alpha-subunit gene. Repression by ICER is dependent on its binding to DNA as demonstrated by mutations to ICER's DNA-binding domain. These mutational studies also demonstrate that repression by ICER is not dependent on heterodimerization with CREB (CRE-binding protein). Competitive EMSAs show that ICER effectively competes with CREB for binding to the inhibin alpha CRE in vitro. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate a replacement of CREB dimers bound to the inhibin alpha CRE by ICER dimers in ovarian granulosa cells in response to LH signaling. Thus, there is a temporal association of transcription factors bound to the inhibin alpha-CRE controlling inhibin alpha-subunit gene expression.
Matrix-limited fatigue properties in fibre composite materials

Cyclic stressing of fibre composites in the elastic-plastic region is discussed under the assumption of equal strains in the fibre and the matrix. Under conditions of alternating load, it is found that the strain decreases and the stress on the matrix increases with increasing number of cycles. Such a phenomenon appears to be a macroscopic version of the Orowan model of fatigue.
Efficient Mitosis in Human Cells Lacking Poleward Microtubule Flux

Summary Chromosome segregation relies on the dynamic properties of spindle microtubules (MTs). Poleward MT flux contributes to spindle dynamics through the disassembly of MT minus ends at spindle poles coupled to the continuous poleward transport of spindle MTs [1, 2]. Despite being conserved in metazoan cells, the function of flux remains controversial because flux rates differ widely in different cell types. In meiotic systems, the rate of flux nearly matches that of chromosome movement [3–5], but in mitotic systems, flux is significantly slower than chromosome movement [6–8]. Here, we show that spindles in human mitotic cells depleted of the kinesin-13 proteins Kif2a and MCAK lack detectable flux and that such cells frequently fail to segregate all chromosomes appropriately at anaphase. Elimination of flux reduces poleward chromosome velocity ∼20%, but does not hinder bipolar spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, or mitotic progression. Thus, mitosis proceeds efficiently in human cells lacking detectable poleward MT flux. These data demonstrate that in human cultured cells, kinetochores are sufficient to effectively power chromosome movement, leading us to speculate that flux is maintained in these cells to fulfill other functional roles such as error correction or kinetochore regulation.
Crop loss assessment for California: modeling losses with different ozone standard scenarios.

Abstract Crop yield losses were estimated for ambient O 3 concentrations and for a series of potential O 3 air quality standards for California, including the current statewide 1-h oxidant (O 3 ) standard of 0·10 ppm (196 μg m −3 ), 12-h growing season averages, and other models. A model for statewide losses was developed using hourly O 3 data for all sites in the State, county crop productivity data, and available O 3 concentration-yield loss equations to determine potential yield losses for each crop in each county in California for 1984. Losses were based on comparison to an estimated background filtered air concentration of 0·025 or 0·027 ppm, for 12 or 7 h, respectively. Potential losses due to ambient air in 1984 were estimated at 19% to 25% for dry beans, cotton, grapes, lemons, onions, and oranges. Losses of 5% to 9% were estimated for alfalfa and sweet corn. Losses of 4% or less were estimated for barley, field corn, lettuce, grain sorghum, rice, corn silage, spinach, strawberries, sugar beets, fresh tomatoes, processing tomatoes, and wheat. Implementation of either a modified rollback to meet the current 1 h California O 3 standard (0·10 ppm) or a three-month, 12-h growing season average of 0·045 ppm was necessary to produce large reductions in potential crop losses.
Regulation of arbuscule formation by carbon in the plant

Arbuscules are proposed to be the key site of interchange of carbon between root cells and the hyphae of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. This paper addresses how carbon availability is a driving force in regulating location and function of arbuscules in cortical cells. We discuss physical and biological limitations on arbuscule position. Altered expression, specifically in the arbusculated cell, of genes that govern sucrose hydrolysis may create a sink for sucrose in these cells. We propose a role for vacuolar invertase and cytoplasmic sucrose synthase in catalyzing the intracellular hydrolysis of sucrose, thus maintaining a gradient for symplastic influx of sucrose into the arbusculated cell and establishing a gradient for hexose efflux to the apoplast for fungal utilization. AM fungi may regulate hydrolysis of sucrose by stimulating the expression and activities of plant invertases by the production of plant hormones as well as through acidification of the arbuscular interface. We speculate that altered plant defense gene expression in arbusculated cells is consistent with regulation by sugar-sensing mechanisms.
Cytostatic and apoptotic actions of TGF-beta in homeostasis and cancer.

The cytostatic and apoptotic functions of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) help restrain the growth of mammalian tissues; loss of these effects leads to hyperproliferative disorders and is common in cancer. However, tumour cells that are relieved from TGF-β growth constraints might then overproduce this cytokine to create a local immunosuppressive environment that fosters tumour growth and exacerbates the invasive and metastatic behaviour of the tumour cells themselves. For these reasons, there is a growing interest in understanding and therapeutically targeting TGF-β-mediated processes in cancer progression.
Ignorance may be optimal? Some welfare implications of rational versus non-rational expectations

Abstract We compare the lifetime utility of agents in a stationary non-rational expectations equilibrium to that obtained in a stationary rational expectations equilibrium. When government expenditures are financed by an inflationary tax, and agents in the non-rational expectations equilibrium underestimate inflation, it is shown that the non-rational expectations equilibrium is Pareto superior to the rational expectations equilibrium.
Incidence and clinical significance of false-negative sextant prostate biopsies.

AbstractPurpose: Since most patients do not undergo repeat sextant prostate biopsies after a biopsy is positive for prostate cancer, the true incidence of false-negative biopsies is not well defined. We assess the incidence and clinical significance of false-negative sextant prostate biopsies in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: A total of 118 patients with biopsy proved prostate cancer underwent repeat sextant prostate biopsy before enrollment in a prospective randomized trial of radical prostatectomy with or without neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Clinical parameters were assessed to determine potential sources of bias. Pathological parameters and prostate specific antigen relapse-free survival rates were compared to determine the clinical significance of false-negative biopsies.Results: Of the 118 patients 27 (23%) had a negative repeat sextant biopsy. Except for initial clinical stage, no differences were noted in the clinical or pathological parameters, or prostate specif...
The mechanism of action of Lithospermum ruderale.

The establishment of the activity of Lithospermum ruderale as a substance which produces pronounced suppression of the female reproductive cycle in mice (Cranston, 1945) has resulted in several inquiries into the exact mechanism whereby it produces its effect (Drasher and Zahl, 1946; Zahl, 1948). All of these investigations have led to the conclusion that Lithospermum acts by a direct suppression of the power of the anterior pituitary to produce adequate amounts of gonadotrophins. More recently, Cranston and Robinson (1949) have shown that the pituitaries of female mice which have received Lithospermum for a week or more show a marked reduction of gonadotrophin potency as was demonstrated by assay on immature female mice. Somewhat similar work has been in progress in this laboratory and, therefore, it seems advisable to confirm the experiments of Cranston and Robinson at this time as well as to bring forth evidence for the possible differential effect of Lithospermum upon the two major gonadotrophic secre...
Inhibition of Phosphorus and Water Passage Across Intact Roots by Polyethylene Glycol and Phenylmercuric Acetate

Application of polyethylene glycol or phenylmercuric acetate to intact bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. Red Wade) roots inhibited passage of phosphorus across the roots to the xylem. The same results occurred for foliar application of phenylmercuric acetate when time was allowed for absorption and distribution of the chemical in the plant. For both chemicals the inhibition of phosphorus was proportional to or greater than any accompanying restriction on water flow across the root.
Solvation of Carbohydrates in N,N′-Dialkylimidazolium Ionic Liquids: A Multinuclear NMR Spectroscopy Study

The solvation of carbohydrates in N,N′-dialkylimidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) was investigated by means of 13C and 35/37Cl NMR relaxation and 1H pulsed field gradient stimulated echo (PFG-STE) diffusion measurements. Solutions of model sugars in 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl), 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C═C2mim]Cl), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]) were studied to evaluate the effects of cation and anion structure on the solvation mechanism. In all cases, the changes in the relaxation times of carbon nuclei of the IL cations as a function of carbohydrate concentration are small and consistent with the variation in solution viscosities. Conversely, the 35/37Cl and 13C relaxation rates of chloride ions and acetate ion carbons, respectively, have a strong dependency on sugar content. For [C2mim][OAc], the correlation times estimated from 13C relaxation data for both ions reveal that, as the carbohydrate concentration increases, the reorientation rate of t...
Rotorcraft Handling Qualities in Turbulence

Rotorcraft are often required to perform tasks in environments where atmospheric disturbances can significantly affect performance and vehicle handling qualities. Establishing requirements for rotorcraft handling qualities in turbulence is thus of prime importance, particularly to the military. An analytical study is described that addresses this issue. First, a simplified approach to modeling the aerodynamic effects of turbulence on rotorcraft is presented. A structural pilot model employing a handling-qualities sensitivity function is next used to quantify handling qualities. Next, an hypothesis regarding the manner in which turbulence affects vehicle handling qualities is proposed. Finally, an example of the analytical approach is presented involving the longitudinal hover task of an AH-1G rotorcraft. In addition to the unaugmented vehicle, three levels of stability augmentation are considered, each involving different levels of feedback to achieve their goals.
Suppression of epithelial ovarian cancer invasion into the omentum by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its receptor

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of gynecological cancer death in women, mainly because it has spread to intraperitoneal tissues such as the omentum in the peritoneal cavity by the time of diagnosis. In the present study, we established in vitro assays, ex vivo omental organ culture system and syngeneic animal tumor models using wild type (WT) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) null mice to investigate the effects of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) and VDR on EOC invasion. Treatment of human EOC cells with 1,25D3 suppressed their migration and invasion in monolayer scratch and transwell assays and ability to colonize the omentum in the ex vivo system, supporting a role for epithelial VDR in interfering with EOC invasion. Furthermore, VDR knockdown in OVCAR3 cells increased their ability to colonize the omentum in the ex vivo system in the absence of 1,25D3, showing a potential ligand-independent suppression of EOC invasion by epithelial VDR. In syngeneic models, ID8 tumors exhibited an increased ability to colonize omenta of VDR null over that of WT mice; pre-treatment of WT, not VDR null, mice with EB1089 reduced ID8 colonization, revealing a role for stromal VDR in suppressing EOC invasion. These studies are the first to demonstrate a role for epithelial and stromal VDR in mediating the activity of 1,25D3 as well as a 1,25D3-independent action of the VDR in suppressing EOC invasion. The data suggest that VDR-based drug discovery may lead to the development of new intervention strategies to improve the survival of patients with EOC at advanced stages. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled “Vitamin D Workshop”.
Services: The Other 75% of the Economy

As nations grow and develop more as knowledge-based economies, services industries become a higher and higher fraction of the GDP. In the USA and some European economies, services comprise 75% of the GDP. While those figures do not yet represent most Asian economies, some of the fastest growing businesses in China, India and elsewhere in Asia are services businesses. In this presentation we focus on how a broadly-based engineering analysis of services, buttressed by principals of social sciences and management science, can lead to vastly improved designs and operations of services industries. We provide as illustrations various services in health care, technology-enabled education (including e-learning) and catastrophe response (including natural disasters such as hurricanes and typhoons, earthquakes and influenza pandemics).
pS2 expression induced by American ginseng in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Background: Alternative medicines are frequently used by patients with breast cancer for general health benefits. American ginseng, an herbal remedy, purportedly alleviates treatment-induced postmenopausal symptoms.
OXYGEN EVOLUTION FROM LYOPHILIZED ANACYSTIS WITH CARBON DIOXIDE AS OXIDANT

Abstract Lyophilized Anacystis nidulans , when resuspended in phosphate buffer (0.05 M phosphate, 0.1 M KCl, 0.04 M MgSO 4 ; pH 7) evolve O 2 when CO 2 is used as a hydrogen acceptor. Absorption and fluorescence characteristics of the lyophilized material and the effects of different intensity and wavelength of light on O 2 exchange, are reported.
Using Harel's Statecharts to Model Business Workflows

In this paper, we model business workflows using Harelâ€™s statecharts. Mapping to statecharts allows us to systematically identify potential workflow problems. It also allows us to investigate specific properties inherent in actual business workflows. Our research focuses on three desirable properties of active database systems â€” termination, confluence, and observable determinism. For termination and confluence, we develop algorithms to provide a theoretical lens linking desirable active database system properties to workflow management systems problems. We initially validate our algorithms by mapping business workflows from a case study. Our research thus builds preliminary theory by developing a systematic method for identifying workflow problems.
Vinyl carbamate epoxide, a major strong electrophilic, mutagenic and carcinogenic metabolite of vinyl carbamate and ethyl carbamate (urethane)

Vinyl carbamate epoxide (VCO) was found to possess strong electrophilic, mutagenic and carcinogenic activities. It reacted with water at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 (phosphate buffer) to form glycolaldehyde and several related reducing compounds; none of these products were mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. Under these conditions VCO had a half-life (determined chemically and mutagenically) of approximately 10.5 min. This half-life was progressively lowered by increasing concentrations of chloride ion (liver, serum and isotonic levels). This ion reacted with VCO to form chloroacetaldehyde. VCO also reacted with other nucleophiles such as glutathione, DNA and its constituent guanine and adenine bases. The purine adducts formed by VCO in DNA in vitro and in vivo were released by weak acid treatment and consisted of 7-(2'-oxoethyl)guanine and N2,3-ethenoguanine as major products with 1,N6-ethenoadenine as a minor product. VCO was a strong direct mutagen in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535 and TA100 but was only weakly active in the TA98 mutant. VCO was a stronger initiator of carcinogenesis in the skin of CD-1 mice and in the liver of infant male B6C3F1 mice than its metabolic precursors vinyl carbamate (VC) and ethyl carbamate (EC). Unlike VC and EC, VCO was a strong complete carcinogen in the skin of CD-1 mice and induced papillomas and carcinomas following repetitive administration of sub-ulcerogenic doses. VCO also exhibited some carcinogenic activity in the lungs of mice and in the s.c. and mammary tissue of female Sprague-Dawley rats. These data and those from other recent studies support the conclusion that VCO is a major strong electrophilic, mutagenic and carcinogenic metabolite of EC and VC in the mouse.
Hard X-rays from the Crab pulsar.

Pulsed high energy X rays from Crab Nebula pulsar NP 0532 measured by balloon-borne X ray telescope
Dynamics of Thermally-Insulated Nonequilibrium Stefan Problem

We study a two-phase Stefan problem with kinetics. Here we prove existence of a finite-dimensional attractor for the problem without heat losses. Fot the most part we use a more elegant technique of energetic type estimates in appropriately defined weighted Sobolev spaces as opposite to the parabolic potentials of [9]. We demonstrate existence of compact attractors in the Sobolev spaces and prove that the attractor consists of sufficiently regular functions. This allows us to show that the Hausdorff dimension of the attractor is finite.
Phytoplankton growth dynamics in offshore Lake Erie during mid-winter

Abstract The phytoplankton community in offshore Lake Erie in mid-winter was active but little net growth was occurring which suggests that high reported accumulations of phytoplankton in this lake in February are likely the product of previous bloom conditions. We measured phytoplankton dynamics as size-specific growth and loss rates of phytoplankton using dilution assays and antibiotic assays in ice-covered offshore waters of Lake Erie during the mid-winter period in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Total chlorophyll- a specific rates (average ± standard deviation) measured using dilution assays for growth ([0.72 ± 0.35/d]) and loss ([0.98 ± 0.36/d]) were closely matched. Growth and loss rates of picocyanobacteria determined using an antibiotic technique ranged from − 0.10 to 1.22/d and − 0.11 to − 2.35/d, respectively. The results indicate a trend of higher grazing rate than growth rate but that this difference is not significantly different from zero, suggesting a state of phytoplankton population size equilibrium at this time of year in the waters sampled.
N-heterocyclic carbene–palladium complex immobilized on silica nanoparticles: Recyclable catalyst for high yield Suzuki and Heck coupling reactions under mild conditions

Abstract N-heterocyclic carbene–palladium (NHC–Pd) complexes immobilized on ∼10 nm silica nanoparticles were synthesized. Because of the very high surface area and small size, these nanoparticles remain suspended in a variety of solvents with the catalyst sites readily accessible to the reactants. The catalysts showed excellent activity towards Suzuki coupling reaction of different aryl iodides and bromides with phenyl boronic acid using isopropanol: H2O as solvent. They were also effective for Heck coupling. The nano-sized particles can be easily recovered and repeatedly reused without loss of activity.
Ecological dynamics and complex interactions of Agrobacterium megaplasmids.

As with many pathogenic bacteria, agrobacterial plant pathogens carry most of their virulence functions on a horizontally transmissible genetic element. The tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid encodes the majority of virulence functions for the crown gall agent Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This includes the vir genes which drive genetic transformation of host cells and the catabolic genes needed to utilize the opines produced by infected plants. The Ti plasmid also encodes, an opine-dependent quorum sensing system that tightly regulates Ti plasmid copy number and its conjugal transfer to other agrobacteria. Many natural agrobacteria are avirulent, lacking the Ti plasmid. The burden of harboring the Ti plasmid depends on the environmental context. Away from diseased hosts, plasmid costs are low but the benefit of the plasmid is also absent. Consequently, plasmidless genotypes are favored. On infected plants the costs of the Ti plasmid can be very high, but balanced by the opine benefits, locally favoring plasmid bearing cells. Cheating derivatives which do not incur virulence costs but can benefit from opines are favored on infected plants and in most other environments, and these are frequently isolated from nature. Many agrobacteria also harbor an At plasmid which can stably coexist with a Ti plasmid. At plasmid genes are less well characterized but in general facilitate metabolic activities in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, such as the ability to breakdown plant exudates. Examination of A. tumefaciens C58, revealed that harboring it’s At plasmid is much more costly than harboring it’s Ti plasmid, but conversely the At plasmid is extremely difficult to cure. The interactions between these co-resident plasmids are complex, and depend on environmental context. However, the presence of a Ti plasmid appears to mitigate At plasmid costs, consistent with the high frequency with which they are found together.
Over the Fence: Learning about Education for Sustainability with New Tools and Conversation:

The metaphor of talking ‘over the fence’ underscores the neutrality of tools. Shovels and hoes do the job, but the gardener creates the transformation of earth to food. Each garden requires a uniqu...
εPKC May Contribute to the Protective Effect of Hypothermia in a Rat Focal Cerebral Ischemia Model

Background and Purpose— Protein kinase C epsilon (ePKC) has been implicated as a neuroprotectant in vitro. We studied ePKC activation (by its localization and proteolysis) in a rodent stroke model and correlated the effects of hypothermia with ePKC activity after cerebral ischemia. Methods— Rats were subjected to permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion plus 1 hour of bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. Body temperatures were maintained at 37°C or 30°C during common carotid artery occlusion. Brains were harvested at 10 minutes, 4 hours, and 24 hours after common carotid artery release, and the cortex corresponding to the ischemic core and penumbra was dissected. ePKC localization after stroke was assessed by Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy. A caspase-3 inhibitor was used to test whether ePKC cleavage is caspase dependent. Results— ePKC in the membrane fraction and whole-protein homogenates decreased moderately in the penumbra but decreased markedly in the ischemic core. Hypo...
Geocomposite Capillary Barrier Drain System with Fiberglass Transport Layer

A geocomposite capillary barrier drain (GCBD) removes water from soil while pore pressures remain negative, that is, the soil to be drained does not need to be saturated. GCBDs are being evaluated for inclusion in pavement systems, particularly between the base course and subgrade layer. The GCBD system comprises a capillary barrier layer (a geonet) sandwiched between transport layers (certain geotextiles). Improved GCBD performance is expected with a transport layer that has a greater affinity for water compared with conventional geotextiles. After many materials were evaluated, a woven fiberglass product was selected for further evaluation as a transport layer. A GCBD with a fiberglass transport layer was placed between a subgrade and a base course in a 3-m-long sloped test device used to measure lateral drainage. Water was infiltrated on the top of the base course, and drainage from the GCBD and the soil layers was collected. Measurements of soil suction were made within the soil layers. The GCBD performance was evaluated during three test phases: constant rate infiltration, subsequent drainage with no infiltration, and transient infiltration corresponding to a design storm. The GCBD was successful in draining sufficient water under suction to prevent positive pore water pressures from developing in the base course and to limit water movement into the underlying subgrade soil.
Promoting Social Interaction between Young Children with Hearing Impairments and Their Peers

The study examined the effects of two interventions on the peer social interaction of 105 young children with and without hearing impairments. Total positive peer interaction and interaction of children with peers of different hearing status increased from preintervention to postintervention but decreased after the intervention was withdrawn. The integrated-activities intervention resulted in greater gains in total positive peer interaction than the social skills intervention. Children with hearing impairments interacted as frequently with their same-status peers as did the children without hearing impairments with their same-status peers. Results indicate the benefits of long-term interventions conducted within small, stable groups of children with and without hearing impairments.
Exact parametric analysis of stochastic Petri nets

An algorithm for exact parametric analysis of stochastic Petri nets is presented. The algorithm is derived from the theory of decomposition and aggregation of Markov chains. The transition rate of interest is confined into a diagonal submatrix of the associated Markov chain by row and column permutations. Every time a new value is assigned to the transition, a smaller Markov chain is analyzed. As a result, the computational cost is greatly reduced. >
The Implicit Function Theorem with Applications in Dynamics and Control

The implicit function theorem is a statement of the existence, continuity, and difierentiability of a function or set of functions. The theorem is closely related to the convergence of Newton’s method for nonlinear equations, the existence and uniqueness of solutions to nonlinear difierential equations, and the sensitivity of solutions to these nonlinear problems. The implicit function theorem is presented, and high order sensitivity equations are generated using implicit difierentiation. Once a nominal solution is known, these sensitivities are used to construct a family of neighboring solutions. Based on results presented in the paper, the implicit function approach shows great promise compared with current methods in generating families of neighboring solutions to problems in dynamics and control.
Metal-dielectric photonic bandgap structures: highly nonlinear, transmissive composite optical materials

Summary form only given. We present a strategy, which uses photonic bandgap (PBG) resonances to simultaneously increase the transmission of a given thickness of metal and enhance its effective nonlinear refractive index. We demonstrate numerically that a PBG structure consisting of alternating metal and (linear) dielectric layers can impart a much larger nonlinear phase shift to a beam of light than a bulk sample containing the same thickness of metal. At the conference we will also present the most recent results of our experimental studies of the enhanced nonlinear optical properties of metal-dielectric PBG materials.
Heuristic drift-based model of the power scrape-off width in low-gas-puff H-mode tokamaks

A heuristic model for the plasma scrape-off width in low-gas-puff tokamak H-mode plasmas is introduced. Grad B and curv B drifts into the scrape-off layer (SOL) are balanced against near-sonic parallel flows out of the SOL, to the divertor plates. The overall particle flow pattern posited is a modification for open field lines of Pfirsch‐ Schl¨ uter flows to include order-unity sinks to the divertors. These assumptions result in an estimated SOL width of ∼2aρp/R. They also result in a first-principles calculation of the particle confinement time of H-mode plasmas, qualitatively consistent with experimental observations. It is next assumed that anomalous perpendicular electron thermal diffusivity is the dominant source of heat flux across the separatrix, investing the SOL width, derived above, with heat from the main plasma. The separatrix temperature is calculated based on a two-point model balancing power input to the SOL with Spitzer‐H¨ arm parallel thermal conduction losses to the divertor. This results in a heuristic closed-form prediction for the power scrape-off width that is in reasonable quantitative agreement both in absolute magnitude and in scaling with recent experimental data. Further work should include full numerical calculations, including all magnetic and electric drifts, as well as more thorough comparison with experimental data. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
Organizational identity and information systems: how organizational ICT reflect who an organization is

The work reported here contributes to our understanding of organizational identity regarding its influence on organizational action related to the development of information and communications technologies (ICT). The empirical basis of this work comes from case studies of integrated criminal justice information systems (IJIS). IJIS are organizational and technological ensembles created to facilitate inter-organizational information sharing among criminal justice agencies. The focus of these case studies was to examine how organizational identity shapes organizational ICT. This research found that organizational identity shapes an organization’s ICT-related processes and is reflected in the material configurations of an organization’s ICT; and that organizations with different identities exhibit those differences in their ICT. Three implications of this research are that organizational identity serves as both an enabler and constraint on organizational ICT development; organizational identity commitments will likely serve as a barrier to large-scale integration of different organizations’ systems; organizational identity is relatively static and difficult to change.
Constraining Interactions in Cosmology's Dark Sector

We consider the cosmological constraints on theories in which there exists a nontrivial coupling between the dark matter sector and the sector responsible for the acceleration of the universe, in light of the most recent supernovae, large scale structure and cosmic microwave background data. For a variety of models, we show that the strength of the coupling of dark matter to a quintessence field is constrained to be less than 7% of the coupling to gravity. We also show that long-range interactions between fermionic dark matter particles mediated by a light scalar with a Yukawa coupling are constrained to be less than 5% of the strength of gravity at a distance scale of 10 Mpc. We show that all of the models we consider are quantum mechanically weakly coupled, and argue that some other models in the literature are ruled out by quantum mechanical strong coupling.
Protestantism and Capitalism in Pre-Revolutionary England

It has become a truism of historical thought that some degree or kind of positive relationship exists between the ideology of Protestantism and the psychology of early capitalists. Statements of the nature of this relationship have varied, however, and have been often based upon inadequate sampling of the relevant literature or inexact analysis of Protestant social theory.
On the generation of scan-based test sets with reachable states for testing under functional operation conditions

Design-for-testability (DFT) for synchronous sequential circuits allows the generation and application of tests that rely on non-functional operation of the circuit. This can result in unnecessary yield loss due to the detection of faults that do not affect normal circuit operation. Considering single stuck-at faults in full-scan circuits, a test vector consists of a primary input vector U and a state S .We say that the test vector consisting of U and S relies on non-functional operation if S is an unreachable state, i.e., a state that cannot be reached from all the circuit states. Our goal is to obtain test sets with states S that are reachable states. Given a test set C, the solution we explore is based on a simulation-based procedure to identify reachable states that can replace unreachable states in C. No modifications are required to the test generation procedure and no sequential test generation is needed. Our results demonstrate that the proposed procedure is able to produce test sets that detect many of the circuit faults, which are detectable using scan, and practically all the sequentially irredundant faults, by using test vectors with reachable states. The procedure is applicable to any type of scan-based test set, including test sets for delay faults.
Experiences of patients with chronic gastrointestinal conditions: in their own words.

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are chronic conditions affecting millions of individuals in the United States. The symptoms are well-documented and can be debilitating. How these chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions impact the daily lives of those afflicted is not well documented, especially from a patient's perspective.