cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-component Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of Richtmyer–Meshkov instability and mixing induced by reshock at different times

Turbulent mixing generated by shock-driven acceleration of a perturbed interface is simulated using a new multi-component Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model closed with a two-equation \(K\)–\(\epsilon \) model. The model is implemented in a hydrodynamics code using a third-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory finite-difference method for the advection terms and a second-order central difference method for the gradients in the source and diffusion terms. In the present reshocked Richtmyer–Meshkov instability and mixing study, an incident shock with Mach number \(M\!a_{\mathrm{s}}=1.20\) is generated in air and progresses into a sulfur hexafluoride test section. The time evolution of the predicted mixing layer widths corresponding to six shock tube test section lengths are compared with experimental measurements and three-dimensional multi-mode numerical simulations. The mixing layer widths are also compared with the analytical self-similar power-law solution of the simplified model equations prior to reshock. A set of model coefficients and initial conditions specific to these six experiments is established, for which the widths before and after reshock agree very well with experimental and numerical simulation data. A second set of general coefficients that accommodates a broader range of incident shock Mach numbers, Atwood numbers, and test section lengths is also established by incorporating additional experimental data for \(M\!a_{\mathrm{s}}=1.24\), \(1.50\), and \(1.98\) with \(At=0.67\) and \(M\!a_{\mathrm{s}}=1.45\) with \(At=-0.67\) and previous RANS modeling. Terms in the budgets of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate equations are examined to evaluate the relative importance of turbulence production, dissipation and diffusion mechanisms during mixing. Convergence results for the mixing layer widths, mean fields, and turbulent fields under grid refinement are presented for each of the \(M\!a_{\mathrm{s}}=1.20\) cases.
Microglial Scavenger Receptors and Their Roles in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasing in prevalence with the aging population. Deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain of AD patients is a hallmark of the disease and is associated with increased microglial numbers and activation state. The interaction of microglia with Aβ appears to play a dichotomous role in AD pathogenesis. On one hand, microglia can phagocytose and clear Aβ, but binding of microglia to Aβ also increases their ability to produce inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and neurotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Scavenger receptors, a group of evolutionally conserved proteins expressed on the surface of microglia act as receptors for Aβ. Of particular interest are SCARA-1 (scavenger receptor A-1), CD36, and RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products). SCARA-1 appears to be involved in the clearance of Aβ, while CD36 and RAGE are involved in activation of microglia by Aβ. In this review, we discuss the roles of various scavenger receptors in the interaction of microglia with Aβ and propose that these receptors play complementary, nonredundant functions in the development of AD pathology. We also discuss potential therapeutic applications for these receptors in AD.
Diffusion of methane and carbon dioxide in carbon molecular sieve membranes by multinuclear pulsed field gradient NMR.

Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes are promising materials for energy efficient separations of light gases. In this work, we report a detailed microscopic study of carbon dioxide and methane self-diffusion in three CMS membrane derived from 6FDA/BPDA(1:1)-DAM and Matrimid polymers. In addition to diffusion of one-component sorbates, diffusion of a carbon dioxide/methane mixture was investigated. Self-diffusion studies were performed by the multinuclear (i.e., 1H and 13C) pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR technique which combines the advantages of high field (17.6 T) NMR and high magnetic field gradients (up to 30 T/m). Diffusion measurements were carried out at different temperatures and for a broad range of the root-mean-square displacements of gas molecules inside the membranes. The diffusion data obtained from PFG NMR are compared with the corresponding results of membrane permeation measurements reported previously for the same membrane types. The observed differences between the transport diffusivi...
Children's strategies for interpreting complex comparative questions*

Fifty-four children aged between 3 and 6 were asked questions such as ‘Which box is Xer than it is Z?,’ where Xer was taller, shorter, fatter, or thinner and Z was tall or fat, in the context of five rectangles of varying dimensions. For most questions, the largest rectangle was chosen most often as an answer, regardless of the adjectives used. The older children often chose the Xest rectangle in the array, indicating interpretation of only the first clause of the question. After providing feedback on incorrect answers for the five-year-old children, a post-test showed a decrease in frequency of choices of the largest rectangle, no change in frequency of choices of the Xest rectangle, and, for some questions, an increase in the frequency of choices of the correct rectangle. The results are interpreted to mean that the linguistic strategy of attending to the first clause is more resistant to change than the more primitive non-linguistic preference for choosing the largest object without interpreting the sentence.
Mesoscale variability in time series data: Satellite-based estimates for the U.S. JGOFS Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series Study (BATS) site

[1] Objectively analyzed fields of satellite sea surface temperature (SST, advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) Pathfinder) and sea surface height anomaly (SSHA, combined TOPEX/Poseidon–ERS-1/2) are used to characterize, statistically, the mesoscale variability about the U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series Study (BATS) site. These results are applied to the in situ BATS time series data and a local one-dimensional (1-D) physical upper ocean model to better understand the contribution of mesoscale eddies to the time series record and the model-data mismatch. Using a low-pass spatial filter, we decompose the anomalies from the seasonal cycle into two components: the large-scale, regional climate variability and a mesoscale signal. The mesoscale SST and SSHA fields are positively cross-correlated at a statistically significant level, consistent with near-surface isotherm displacements for cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies. The results from time-lagged cross-correlation analysis show that detectable eddy signatures exist in the in situ SST data and that eddies are a noticeable (∼10%) but not dominant error source for the 1-D model solution. Several factors may be at work: the 1-D model captures a more regional signal, whereas the BATS in situ data include small-scale spatial heterogeneity; the satellite data and 1-D model are indirectly coupled via the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis forcing data; and the satellite-based mesoscale variability estimates are also missing specific events because of the sparse space-time sampling of a polar orbiting, visible/infrared wavelength sensor. The mesoscale eddy cross-correlation signature did not show up clearly in a similar analysis conducted on the original anomaly fields, highlighting the fact that climate scale variability needs to be carefully removed to isolate the eddy signature.
An Approximate Test of Markov Chain Lumpability

Abstract Under certain conditions the state space of a discrete parameter Markov chain may be partitioned to form a smaller lumped chain that retains the Markov property. The problem of formulating lump-ability hypotheses when the transition probability matrix P is not known and is possibly of large dimension is discussed. An approximate test of these hypotheses is described, based on well-known nonparametric methods. The procedure is illustrated with an application to a Markov manpower model.
Charge dependence of a nanoscale supercrystal phase in a supported lipid bilayer.

We report the formation of a periodic supercrystal phase with hexagonal features and dimensions near 100 nm, in a supported phospholipid bilayer containing a mixture of the cationic DOTAP and the zwitterionic DSPC. Supercrystal phases with dimensions this small have never been seen in supported bilayer systems despite their relevance to raft formation in cellular structures. The formation, size, and separation of the hexagonal features were dependent on the cationic lipid concentration in the bilayer. These results indicate that small scale lipid domains may be stabilized by electrostatic repulsive forces.
Independent student projects in undergraduate engineering statistics and quality control courses

This paper considers the use of independent student data collection and analysis projects in the teaching of engineering statistics and quality control. It describes the possible forms such projects can take, gives some details of their use at Iowa State University, and argues for their effectiveness in improving learning.
The Pericardial Graft in Mitral Insufficiency: (A Morphological Study of the Aging Graft)

tricular systole. The animals survived the operation and their postoperative life was significantly longer than those of the control group. Murray’s experiments were repeated by Bailey and his associates2 (1951) who noticed that the vein graft loses its resilience and becomes a shrunken fibrotic band. Templeton and Gibbon3 (1949) sutured pieces of pericardial tissue in dogs, as free grafts within the right auricle. These grafts were also found to become shrunken and fibrotic. Free grafts of pericardial tissue were then used intraventricularly in the same fashion as free vein graft. The graft functioned for a while but after a few weeks it became functionally inadequate, because of shrinking and fibrosis. In order to preserve the blood supply of the transplant, a pedicled, tubular pericardial graft was later applied by the Bailey group4 � (1951). Since observations on dogs over a period of months indicated that these grafts functioned most adequately and showed no tendency to retract or become indurated, the method was subsequently applied to the human for the surgical correction of mitral insufficiency. In this so-called “ventricular pericardial tamponage” the pedicled graft is inserted through the wall of the left ventricle, made to pass between the chordea and the valve in proximity of the ostium and to function like a safety valve. Seven patients operated by this method showed some improvement, but subsequent attempts in 48 human beings were followed by high operative mortality (34.5 per cent) and the procedure was abandoned in favor of another. The new method, called “mitral suturing,” consisted of suturing the incompetent portion of the valve leaflets with a free pericardial strip, tied in a lasso fashion. The long end of the pericardial strip was drawn out of the opening in the atrial or yen
The issue of numerical uncertainty

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer codes have become an integral part of the analysis and scientific investigation of complex, engineering flow systems. Unfortunately, inherent in the solutions from simulations performed with these computer codes is error or uncertainty in the results. The issue of numerical uncertainty addresses the development of methods to define the magnitude of error or to bound the error in a given simulation. This paper reviews the status of methods for evaluation of numerical uncertainty, and provides a direction for the effective use of some techniques in estimating uncertainty in a simulation.
On the relevance of some spectral and temporal patterns for vowel classification

Many previous studies suggested that the information necessary for the identification of vowels from continuous speech is distributed both within and outside vowel boundaries. This information appears to be embedded in the speech signal in the form of various acoustic cues or patterns: spectral, energy, static, dynamic, and temporal. In a recent paper we identified seven types of acoustic patterns that might be exploited by listeners in the identification of coarticulated vowels. The current paper extends the previous study and quantizes the relevance for vowel classification of eight types of acoustic patterns, including static spectral patterns, dynamical spectral patterns, and temporal-durational patterns. Four of these eight patterns are not directly exploited by current automatic speech recognition techniques in computing the likelihood of each phonetic model. These four new patterns proved to contain significant vowel information. Two of these four new patterns represent static spectral patterns lying outside of the currently accepted boundaries of vowels, whereas one is a double-slope dynamical pattern and another one is a simple durational pattern. The findings of this paper may be important for both automatic speech recognition models and models of vowel/phoneme perception by humans.
Report of a Workshop: Research Priorities for the Control of Trachoma

Trachoma, a major blinding disease affecting probably 500 million persons and causing blindness in seven million, results from infection with Chlamydia trachomatis [1]. It is without question the leading infectious cause of blindness. Chlamydial infections of the genital tract [2-4] and in neonates [2, 5] are frequent and important. The International Center for Epidemiologic and Preventive Ophthalmology held a workshop, sponsored by The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, from May 27 to June 1, 1984, to review current knowledge of trachoma. The meeting considered a wide range of research approaches leading to the ultimate control of blinding trachoma. This report highlights the discussion and emphasizes areas requiring further elucidation. Working papers prepared for this meeting will be published as a supplement to the Reviews of Infectious Diseases.
TH‐C‐217BCD‐07: Ultrasound Contrast Agents as Facilitator for Intracellular Transport of Drugs and Genes

Purpose: The non‐invasive feature of ultrasound applications and the unique capability of ultrasound interaction with biological systems offer a beneficial platform for innovative biomedical applications. The effective and concentrated nature of ultrasound interaction with gaseous particles, has prompted the development of microbubble‐based ultrasound contrast agents to enhance ultrasound imaging capability. Particularly, microbubbleultrasound contrast agents have been exploited as a vehicle for intracellular delivery of cell impermeant drugs and genes. Ultrasound excitation of microbubbles, accompanied by rapid radial oscillation and/or collapse, has shown promise as an advantageous non‐viral strategy to generate transient increase of cell membrane permeability (sonoporation), thereby allowing uptake of exogenous agents into the cell cytoplasm. However, little is known about the basic processes supporting ultrasound‐induced transport into and within the cytoplasm of living cells at the single cell level. Our research aims to gain understanding of the mechanism of sonoporation and to uncover the physical, chemical, and cellular factors affecting the sonoporation process and outcome, in order to successfully develop and translate sonoporation technology for targeted, safe delivery of drugs and genes. Methods: We developed a set of novel techniques to control microbubblecavitation in reference to single cells. We used simultaneous whole‐cell patch clamp recording and fluorescence microscopy for real time monitoring of sonoporation. Results: We obtained measurements regarding the rapid formation and resealing of ultrasound‐induced membrane pores. Based on sonoporation‐mediated influx of an intercalating fluorescent dye, we developed a model to measure the intracellular diffusion coefficient of cytoplasmic RNA/DNA and estimate the pore size generated during sonoporation. We demonstrated spatiotemporally controlled subcellular delivery and calcium signaling in targeted cells.Conclusion: Through controlling of ultrasound excitation of microbubbles near single cells, we obtained results that might reveal key information of sonoporation mechanisms and processes, that can guide the development of sonoporation at as an effective and robust delivery technology.
Invertebrate central neurons: Orthograde degeneration and retrograde changes after axonotomy

Abstract The time course of orthograde and retrograde degeneration after axonotomy was established for a pair of identified interneurons in the crayfish. The medial giant interneurons originate in the brain and send axons the entire length of the animal. These axons were transected midway along their course. The proximal portions of the axons continued to conduct impulses and maintained their synaptic connections for at least 1 year, but were often extremely convoluted, possibly indicating hypertrophy. The distal portions of the axons gradually withered away after transection, as evidenced by decreasing conduction velocities and cross-sectional area, but orthograde degeneration was extremely slow, and the isolated distal axons were still capable of impulse conduction and synaptic transmission up to 5 months later.
Determination of three-dimensional torso, heart and electrode geometries from magnetic resonance images

ECG (electrocardiogram) inverse solutions require accurate determination of three-dimensional torso, heart, and electrode geometries. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a noninvasive method for obtaining this information. Subjects initially undergo body surface potential mapping using a 195-channel data recording system. Limitations imposed by the intense magnetic field of the imaging system require that the metallic recording electrodes be replaced with nonmetallic oil-filled phantom electrodes. These are easily delineated in the MRI images. Transverse MRI sections of the subject are imaged at 10-mm intervals. Digital data representing the resulting images are transferred to a Macintosh II computer for definition of surface boundaries. This is a practical technique for obtaining geometrical data for ECG inverse solutions. >
The satiating effect of CCK-33 is produced by hormonal and paracrine mechanisms, but CCK-8 acts through only a paracrine mechanism in the rat.

The satiating potencies of exogenous cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) and cholecystokinin-33 (CCK-33) depend on route of administration: the peptides are equipotent after ip administration, but CCK-33 is significantly more potent than CCK-8 after infusion into the hepatic portal vein (hpv). This suggests that CCK-33 has a hormonal and paracrine mode of action, while CCK-8 has only a paracrine mode of action. This hypothesis was confirmed in rats with abdominal vagotomies that spared the hepatic proper nerves: CCK-33 ip decreased 30-min intake of 10% sucrose significantly, but CCK-8 did not (Eisen et al., 2005). To test the hypothesis further, we prepared 7 male rats with chronic hpv catheters and abdominal vagotomies that spared the hepatic proper and gastroduodenal nerves. HPV infusions of CCK-33, CCK-8, or saline began 5 min before and continued for the first 7.8 min of 30-min access to sweetened condensed milk. The largest dose of CCK-33 (26.4 μg/kg) decreased intake >80%, but an equimolar dose of CCK-8 (8 μg/kg) did not (
Autocrine and paracrine roles of sphingosine-1-phosphate

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite that has been implicated in many biological processes, including cell migration, survival, proliferation, angiogenesis and immune and allergic responses. S1P levels inside cells are regulated tightly by the balance between its synthesis by sphingosine kinases and degradation by S1P lyases and S1P phosphatases. Activation of sphingosine kinase by any of a variety of agonists increases S1P levels, which in turn can function intracellularly as a second messenger or in an autocrine and/or paracrine fashion to activate and signal through S1P receptors present on the surface of the cell. This review summarizes recent findings on the roles of S1P as a mediator of the actions of cytokines, growth factors and hormones.
Families' understanding of brain death.

Context—Families' understanding of brain death may be a factor that contributes to decisions regarding organ donation.Objective—To examine factors related to families' understanding of brain death and how those factors affect families' decisions about organ donation.Design—Chart reviews were conducted on all deceased patients at 9 trauma hospitals. Interviews were then conducted with healthcare providers who spoke with families about organ donation and family decision makers.Setting—Southwest Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio.Participants—The sample consisted of 403 families of organ donor-eligible patients who reported that someone at the hospital told them the patient was brain dead.Main Outcome Measures—Families' awareness of brain-death testing procedures, understanding of brain death, and donation decision.Results—Most families (96%) were told their family member was brain dead, but only 28.3% were able to provide a completely correct definition of brain death. No association between the definition of ...
Oral Antiplatelet, Antithrombotic Efficacy of DMP 728, a Novel Platelet GPIIb/IIIa Antagonist

Background Currently used antiplatelet drugs, including aspirin and ticlopidine, are effective against certain but not all of the many endogenous platelet activators. Because of their limited efficacy, a significant number of serious thromboembolic complications still occur, highlighting the need for a more effective therapy. DMP 728 has been characterized as a potent and specific platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex (GPIIb/IIIa) antagonist. The goals of the present study were to determine the oral antiplatelet and antithrombotic efficacies of DMP 728 in various arterial thrombosis models in dogs. Methods and Results In conscious and anesthetized mongrel dogs, DMP 728 at 0.02 to 1.0 mg/kg PO in gelatin capsules produced dose-dependent antiplatelet effects in inhibiting ex vivo platelet aggregation induced by ADP and prolonging template bleeding time. DMP 728 effects on bleeding time prolongation could be reversed more rapidly than those on platelet aggregation inhibition. A maximal antiplatelet effect for DMP 728 was demonstrated at 1.0 mg/kg PO. DMP 728 demonstrated dose-dependent oral antiplatelet effects with an absolute oral bioavailability of 8% to 12% in dogs. Additionally, the antithrombotic efficacy of DMP 728 was examined after intravenous and oral administration at different doses in various models of arterial thrombosis. In the coronary artery Folts’ model in dogs, DMP 728 demonstrated maximal antithrombotic efficacy at 0.01 mg/kg IV and <0.6 mg/kg PO. Additionally, DMP 728 at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg IV or PO demonstrated 60% to 100% prevention of primary thrombosis ( P <.01) in an electrolytically induced carotid artery thrombosis model in dogs. Conclusions These data suggest that DMP 728, a low-molecular-weight GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonist, may have therapeutic potential as an oral antithrombotic agent in coronary and carotid artery thromboembolic disorders.
Chi–square tests for comparing vectors of proportions for several cluster samples

Test statistics are developed for comparing vectors of proportions obtained from several independent two–stage cluster samples. It is assumed that clusters are selected with probability proportional to size for each sample. Wald's general method of constructing quadratic forms is used to obtain a large sample chi–square test. More easily evaluted chi–square tests are derived from the Dirichlet–multinnomial model. Corresponding goodness–of–fit test for the Dirichlet–multinomial model are also derived.
Preconditions of Mayoral Leadership

Observers of city politics have often stated that political leadership—usually mayoral leadership—is a crucial ingredient in a city's ability to deal with its problems. And studies of successful leaders in urban systems have led to the formulation of a model of the “political entrepreneur” who is adept at accumulating political resources and pyramiding them to gain increased influence. Based on four years of observation of politics in Oakland, California, this study suggests that successful mayoral leadership and resource-pyramiding may be limited by governmental structure, the personality of the mayor, and the nature of the political system. In Oakland, fragmented institutional authority and the council-manager form of government have created obstacles for elected officials. A privately oriented, “nonpolitical” mayor has avoided publicity and has tended to underutilize, rather than pyramid, his resources. Finally, in an amorphous political system characterized by a lack of group and party activity, a mayor is denied both information and support. By examining the ways in which the performance of Oakland's mayor diverges from a model of political leadership, we can identify some of the factors that support or limit such leadership.
Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) tris(pyrazolyl)borate complexes with 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-carboxy-phenol: Formation of coordinated phenoxyl radical

Abstract Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) tris(pyrazolyl)borate complexes with 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-carboxy-phenol were synthesized and characterized crystallographically (Ni and Co complexes), spectroscopically and electrochemically. It was found that oxidation of Ni and Co complexes resulted in the formation of coordinated phenoxyl radical and diphenoquinone, whereas only quinone formed in the case of Mn complex and free 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-carboxy-phenol.
Generation of 45 femtosecond pulses at 3 μm with a KNbO3 optical parametric amplifier

Abstract We present the design and characterization of a two-stage Ti:sapphire-pumped optical parametric amplifier based on BBO and KNbO 3 . After compression, the pulses are 45 fs in duration with 400 cm −1 of bandwidth in the 3 μm wavelength range which is important for spectroscopy of hydride stretching vibrations. We discuss the choice of nonlinear crystals for each stage, describe the compression of mid-infrared pulses using materials with normal and anomalous dispersion, and characterize the output after each stage of the OPA.
Norovirus Disease Surveillance Using Google Internet Query Share Data

Google Internet query share (IQS) data for gastroenteritis-related search terms correlated strongly with contemporaneous national (R(2) = 0.70) and regional (R(2) = 0.74) norovirus surveillance data in the United States. IQS data may facilitate rapid identification of norovirus season onset, elevated peak activity, and potential emergence of novel strains.
STYLE AND RICARDO LEÓN1

Author's Summary.— A discussion of the cliche suggested by Julio Casares' criticism in Critica Profana of Ricardo Leon; his theory of predominant ear-memory as its cause; its conflict with psykchologists' findings.
Parental Reinforcement of Recurrent Pain: The Moderating Impact of Child Depression and Anxiety on Functional Disability

OBJECTIVE To examine whether children's distress moderates the relationship between parental responses to children's pain behaviors and functional disability. METHODS Participants were 215 children (ages 8 to 16 years) diagnosed with either headaches, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or sickle cell disease. Children and parents completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographics, pain, depression, anxiety, parental solicitous responses to pain behaviors, and functional disability. RESULTS Hierarchical linear regressions computed for parental responses to children's pain significantly predicted child functional disability, controlling for children's pain intensity. Significant interactions between parental solicitous behaviors and child depressive symptoms (beta =.74, p <.01) and between solicitous behaviors and child anxiety symptoms (beta =.91, p <.01) indicated that for children with more psychological distress, parental solicitous behaviors were associated with greater child functional disability. CONCLUSIONS Child psychological distress may exacerbate the impact of parental solicitous responses to pain on functioning, suggesting the potential role of family intervention to enhance optimal functioning in children with recurrent pain.
IDDQ defect detection in deep submicron CMOS ICs

Traditional testing is based on applying signals to circuit inputs and observing logic stale of outputs. However, with the introduction of CMOS technology a new test technique emerged, that is based on applying signal inputs and observing standby electrical current. This technique is known as IDDQ testing. In most CMOS circuits, when all inputs are frozen in place and circuit transient activities settle down, the current drops by 3-5 orders of magnitude below normal levels. During testing, if there is a deviation from this behavior a defect is detected. While parametric test of electric current has always been popular (including in bipolar and NMOS technologies) to detect a short between power supply lines, the promise of IDDQ test is that it will also allow detection of bridging between signal nets and transistor stuck-on faults in CMOS circuits. However, in reality, the resolution of the size of the defect is limited by the magnitude of stand-by current. Since normal process variation can cause a shift in stand-by current by two orders of magnitude, choosing a single threshold for IDDQ defect detection is impractical. Many ideas have been proposed to overcome this problem, most of which are based on choosing an adaptive cut-off point for a wafer, or a lot. In this paper, we suggest a technique, that in concept, is akin to setting an individual cutoff point for a die. The concept has been validated based on actual data.
PREDICTING THE EFFECTS OF LOAD RATIO ON THE FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH RATE AND FATIGUE THRESHOLD

The effect of the load ratio, R, on fatigue crack growth behaviour is analysed on the basis of the recently proposed inelastic discrete asperities model. A wide range of load ratios, both positive and negative, are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on compressive excursions, i.e. negative R loadings. The inelastic discrete asperities model is a micro-mechanical analysis based on the plastic crushing of a single asperity (or multiple asperities) located on the crack face close to the crack tip and under dominantly plane strain conditions. Experimental data have indicated that the primary crack face contacts which obstruct closure are immediately adjacent to the crack tip, although segments of the crack face more distant from the crack tip are not neglected. However, the more distant asperities are a part of the past crack advance history which does not influence current behaviour. By use of this model, it is shown that the effect of the load ratio can be adequately predicted once some baseline information on mechanical material properties and surface roughness is provided. The model also provides useful trend information and explains many of the observed phenomena, e.g. the 'saturation' of the compressive underload effects. For a constant applied nominal stress intensity factor range, ΔK nom , it is shown that the effective stress intensity factor range, ΔK eff ,initially decreases as the positive R decreases (corresponding to the increasing influence of closure), reaches a minimum around R=0, and then starts increasing with negative R (corresponding to the plastic crushing of the asperities which reduces closure), eventually reaching a saturation level below ΔK nom . Conversely, for an assumption of a constant ΔK eff , the applied ΔK nom increases as the positive load ratio decreases, reaching a maximum around R=0, and then decreases with more negative R values, eventually reaching again a saturation level (above ΔK eff ). It is also shown that the effect of material hardness can be directly analysed based on this model.
Ground‐motion modelling at regional distances for earthquakes in a continental interior, II. Effect of focal depth, azimuth and attenuation

Multiple-mode surface-wave signals are used to model ground motion at distances of 50 to 500 km for an earthquake source in a continental interior. Motion on a thrust fault is used as the earthquake model. Theoretical ground-motion time histories are generated for this source for various focal depths, receiver azimuths and medium-attenuation models. A shallow source will generate greater values for the ground motion than the same source at a greater depth. Two anelastic attenuation models are considered, one appropriate to the central and eastern United States and the other to southern California. The effects of the difference in the attenuation models are seen at distances greater than 100 km for periods greater than 1.5 sec.
A Best Practice Approach for Automating IT Management Processes

In an effort to bring more structure to the task of automating systems management, we introduce an approach for incrementally introducing best-practice-based automation into IT service delivery and management. Our approach is process-centric, using best-practice processes to structure the automation, scope out high-value automation opportunities, identify interaction points between automation and its broader environment, and expose the overall impact of automation on the service delivery organization. We illustrate our approach by applying it to a specific example: reducing the cost of IT Change Management via a system that automates changes in the domain of software lifecycle management (such as installation/deployment and configuration).
Direct delocalization for calculating electron transfer in fullerenes

A method is introduced for simple calculation of charge transfer between very large solvated organic dimers (fullerenes here) from isolated dimer calculations. The individual monomers in noncentrosymmetric dimers experience different chemical environments, so that the dimers do not necessarily represent bulk-like molecules. Therefore, we apply a delocalizing bias directly to the Fock matrix of the dimer system, and verify that this is almost as accurate as self-consistent solvation. As large molecules like fullerenes have a plethora of excited states, the initially excited state orbitals are thermally populated, so that the rate is obtained as a thermal average over Marcus thermal transfers.
The importance of autopsy after failed delivery room resuscitation

This female infant was born at 34 weeks of gestation by spontaneous vaginal delivery following increasing polyhydramnios and premature rupture of membranes. At 22 weeks of gestation, a left-sided diaphragmatic hernia with minimal mediastinal shift and a favourable head-to-lung ratio had been diagnosed. After delivery, following a short period of bag-mask ventilation with apparently appropriate chest excursions, oro-tracheal intubation was performed without difficulty by a senior neonatologist. When no chest excursions were visible despite high inspiratory pressures, endotracheal tube malposition was assumed and bag-mask ventilation …
Potential interference mechanism for the detection of explosives via laser-based standoff techniques

A variety of laser-based standoff techniques are currently being developed for the detection of explosives. Many approaches focus on the detection of NO as an indicator for the presence of nitro-based explosives. One of these approaches uses lasers to vaporize the explosive molecules residing at or near a surface, photo-dissociate the molecules resulting in vibrationally hot NO, and then perform laser-induced fluorescence on the vibrationally hot NO. Most related reports have focused on using 236 nm or 247–248 nm for the laser excitation of vibrationally hot NO. In addition, a recent report suggests the use of 532 nm to desorb, vaporize, and photo-fragment explosive samples. We report here on energy transfer from laser-excited N2 to NO and its consequences for the detection of nitro-based explosives. A potential interference mechanism was found for using 532 nm and 236 nm. The interference mechanism is based upon multi-photon excitation (532 nm) or two-photon excitation (236 nm) into excited states of molecular nitrogen and subsequent energy transfer from nitrogen to NO, followed by NO luminescence. Such interference mechanisms highlight the complexity of the explosive detection problem and the need for complementary approaches to improve the detection capabilities.
X pinch source characteristics for X-rays above 10 keV

Summary form only given, as follows. Experiments have been carried out using the XP pulser (470 kA peak current, 100 ns fwhm pulse duration) at Cornell University to investigate the geometric and spectral parameters of the X pinch x-ray source for photon energy E > 10 keV. The X pinch is known to emit sub-ns bursts of x-ray radiation in the 1.5-5 keV energy range from /spl sim/1 micron dense plasma sources. Using a pinhole camera with different filters to image a variety of objects on each pulse has shown that X pinches radiated up to 100 keV, and that the source size and duration of radiation vary with the photon energy range. For example, several mm thick metal objects have been imaged with 30 keV x-rays in a low magnification scheme, and the /spl sim/10 micron scale image resolution implies a source size for this radiation of at most a few tens of microns. This radiation is believed to be due to electron beams accelerated across the minidiode that forms just as an X pinch emits its soft x-ray burst.
The Khmer Rouge and the Re-Visioning of the Khmer Empire: Buddhism encounters Political Religion

In this paper I revisit and ultimately reexamine one of the most intriguing totalitarian movements of the 20th century. By employing the seminal thoughts of Eric Voegelin, I assert that the Democratic Kampuchean regime of the Khmer Rouge, in modern day Cambodia, from 1975 to 1979, can and should be examined as a ‘political religion’. Although atheist and anti-religious in its official rhetoric, Democratic Kampuchea contained at its core an all-encompassing spiritual-religious experience that drove the totalitarian movement. For the Communist Party of Kampuchea’s leaders, or Angkar, this revolution embodied a Voegelinian “re-divinization of man and society,” or more broadly speaking, a re-visioning of the Khmer Empire. I first relate a brief history of the Khmer religious meta-narrative over successive kingdoms and empires, and then point out that the Khmer Rouge politico-religious experience starts with the ‘death of god’, or the destruction of the previous faith including the Sangha, wats, and monks. Total physical, social, and emotional transformation follows with the influence of Theravada Buddhist understanding at its roots, and subsequently climaxing with the birth of a counter-religion, with the substitution of Angkar as its new “god”.
Discretization of continuous ECG based risk metrics using asymmetric and warped entropy measures

We investigate several entropy based approaches to finding cut points for discretizing continuous ECG-based risk metrics. We describe two existing approaches, Shannon entropy and asymmetric entropy, and one new approach, warped entropy. The approaches are used to find cut points for the end point of cardiovascular death for three risk metrics: heart rate variability (HRV LF-HF), morphological variability (MV) and deceleration capacity (DC). When trained on multiple instances of training set containing 2813 patients, warped entropy yielded the most robust cut-offs. The performance of the cutoffs obtained using warped entropy from the training sets was compared with those in the literature using a Naive Bayes classifier on corresponding test sets. Each test set contained 1406 patients. The resulting classifier resulted in a significantly (p&#60;0.05) improved recall rate at the expense of a lower precision.
All Hands on Deck: Maximizing Existing Resources to Improve Students’ Basic Writing Skills

This essay recognizes that students struggle with grammar and punctuation at law schools at every tier and employers constantly lament graduates’ writing abilities. I emphasize that, to achieve a level of mastery in law students’ writing and to make sure students are practice-ready, all law faculty must take an interest in bettering students’ written communication skills. I then describe the many teaching strategies adopted at TMSL to help students’ master grammar, punctuation, and style, such as a partnership with the English Department and use of online grammar exercises. Through this essay, I not only share my teaching expertise but also highlight the many innovative programs at TMSL.
‘Dirty Tricks’ and Section One of the Sherman Act: Federalizing State Unfair Competition Law

Recently antitrust litigation has been characterized by the efforts of private parties to fit within section 1 of the Sherman Act conduct which normally would be triable under state law, or “garden variety” actions. However, state and federal antitrust laws do not regulate the same conduct. The federal courts apply a per se test based on the unlawful activities already determined by the Supreme Court. If not per se, then it applies the rule of reason. Under the rule of reason, liability is determined after a consideration of the various factors enumerated in Chicago Board of Trade decision. One primary consideration is the impact of the practice on competition within the relevant market. In federal courts, plaintiffs can be entitled to treble damages and attorney’s fees, which makes bringing state actions in federal court advantageous.This article examines two questions: whether Section 1 of the Sherman Act is applicable to “garden variety” competitive torts, and, if yes, then the second issue is whether the conduct should be deemed a per se violation or whether the legality of the challenged activity should be tested by the “rule of reason.” This article also adds a suggested approach for the rule of reason’s application.
Fabrication of YBa2Cu3O7−x Superconducting Wires by Spray Deposition

YBa2Cu3O7−x superconducting wires have been fabricated by spray deposition/pyrolysis of metal nitrate solutions using commercial carbon fibers as the substrate, followed by heating in air and annealing in O2. The Tc of the wires have been found to be 82 K and the Jc to be 2150 A/cm2 in zero field at 77 K. The heating/pyrolysis process was further studied by TGA and SEM. SEM pictures showed that the superconducting phase formed by slow heating/annealing was well-aligned and well-connected along the axial direction of the wires.
Air-lubricated die for extrusion of rubber compounds

Abstract The flow of a rubber compound through a die is an essential step of a rubber extrusion operation. The die forms the compound into the desired shape. In many cases, the output of the extruder is limited by the resistance of flow in the die. Too high pressure losses in the die may additionally result in an excessive increase of the temperature, and unwanted crosslinking of the rubber compound may occur. Various possibilities are available to reduce the resistance of flow in the die. The simplest one is elevation of the processing temperature, which leads to reduction of viscosity. This can be done, however, only within some limit. Reduction of the pressure losses in the die may also be achieved by decreasing the die length, but this option produces larger swelling. Other more innovative procedures may be suggested. Evidence exists that the pressure losses in the die can be reduced by introducing sound or ultrasonic waves of high intensity into the die zone. In this paper, we present what we believe...
The Cephalostatins. 24. Isolation, Structure, and Cancer Cell Growth Inhibition of Cephalostatin 20

For the purpose of advancing knowledge of the structural variations available in the natural cephalostatins contained in the marine worm Cephalodiscus gilchristi, the isolation and structure of the 20th member (1) has been accomplished (10–7 % yield). In turn cephalostatin 20 (1) proved to be enough for an initial SAR study comprising six important human cancer cell lines. A parallel objective was aimed at the possible discovery of a natural cephalostatin with a more accessible structure for total synthesis and/or synthetic modifications, but with powerful cancer cell growth inhibition.
Past the power law: Complex systems and the limiting law of restricted diversity

Probability distributions have proven effective at modeling diversity in complex systems. The two most common are the Gaussian normal and skewed-right. While the mechanics of the former are well-known; the latter less so, given the significant limitations of the power-law. Moving past the power-law, we demonstrate that there exists, hidden-in-full-view, a limiting law governing the diversity of complexity in skewed-right systems; which can be measured using a case-based version of Shannon entropy, resulting in a 60/40 rule. For our study, given the wide range of approaches to measuring complexity (i.e., descriptive, constructive, etc), we examined eight different systems, which varied significantly in scale and composition (from galaxies to genes). We found that skewed-right complex systems obey the law of restricted diversity; that is, when plotted for a variety of natural and human-made systems, as the diversity of complexity (primarily in terms of the number of types; but also, secondarily, in terms of the frequency of cases) a limiting law of restricted diversity emerges, constraining the majority of cases to simpler types. Even more compelling, this limiting law obeys a scale-free 60/40 rule: when measured using , 60%(or more) of the cases in these systems reside within the first 40% (or less) of the lower bound of equiprobable diversity types—with or without long-tail and whether or not the distribution fits a power-law. Furthermore, as an extension of the Pareto Principle, this lower bound accounts for only a small percentage of the total diversity; that is, while the top 20% of cases constitute a sizable percentage of the total diversity in a system, the bottom 60% are highly constrained. In short, as the central limit theorem governs the diversity of complexity in normal distributions, restricted diversity seems to govern the diversity of complexity in skewed-right distributions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2016
Cluster Analysis and Evaluation on Tourism Island Construction Area in Hainan Province

Using tourism penetration index,adopting SAS9. 1 software and cluster analysis method,the clustering analysis was conducted on 17cities in Hainan Province. These areas can be divided into three categories: comprehensive infiltration,hotel gathered,low infiltration. On this basis,according to the specific characteristics of different areas,the relevant advices of construction of international tourism island in Hainan Province were put forward.
Stock Complexes for Fisheries Management in the Gulf of Mexico

AbstractThe Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 2006 required that regional fishery management councils implement annual catch limits and accountability measures for all federally managed stocks by 2011. Many managed species are data limited and no formal stock assessment has been done for them. One possible approach to managing unassessed species is to assign them to assemblages that are managed as units. The utility of this approach was evaluated using fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data from the Gulf of Mexico. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed several consistent assemblages among the 42 reef fish species managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. Pearson correlation matrices, nodal analyses, and a weighted mean cluster association index integrated results across cluster analyses and provided additional guidance regarding the placement of rare species into groups. Productivity–susceptibility analysis and life history were also considered, as di...
Financial Institutions, Financial Instability, and the Pace of Investment

Bankers, both commercial and investment, finance and “broker” the acquisition and control of capital assets by firms, and the “ownership” of firms by households.