cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of H.R. 847: 9/11 Health and Compensation Act

This is my statement to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law and the Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the Committee on the Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives, March 31, 2009, regarding proposals to expand the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.The September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 (VCF) was a uniquely successful short-term administrative program to compensate victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks while limiting litigation against innocent third parties who had also been victimized by the attacks. Unfortunately, The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009 (H.R. 847) in its current form, while an improvement over earlier versions of this legislation, fails to fully protect innocent third parties from unfair litigation, does not have many of the advantages that made the VCF successful, and magnifies the disadvantages and fairness problems of the VCF.
Charge density waves in individual nanoribbons of orthorhombic-TaS3

Orthorhombic-TaS3 is a quasi-1D material that undergoes a Peierls' transition to become a charge density wave conductor at low temperatures. Electrical transport measurements of individual single-crystalline TaS3 nanoribbons prepared by a novel bottom-up method from elemental precursors indicate a depression of the Peierls' ordering temperature to 205 K, broadening of the electric-field-induced depinning of the charge density wave below the Peierls' transition temperature, and a greatly increased threshold voltage for nucleation of charge density wave dislocations posited to be a result of surface confinement and finite size effects. Single-nanoribbon measurements of broad-band noise indicate discrete phase slip events near the depinning threshold. Three distinct regimes are identified with the normalized noise spectrum showing a distinctive maxima near the threshold voltage for depinning of the charge density wave, corresponding to sampling of different metastable states that balance ordered and sliding charge density waves.
Winter precipitation versus snow‐survey for forecasting on Skagit River, Washington

This article is a discussion of an able paper prepared by George Holmes Moore, Chief Hydrographer for the Seattle Light Department, in which he proposes to forecast the month-by-month flow of the Skagit River at Diablo Dam. Mr. Moore uses certain comparisons of the monthly precipitation and the monthly mean inflow over a period of 25 years. The correspondence between Dr. J. E. Church and Mr. Moore during the period of July 9, 1937, to September 9, 1937 forms the basis for the preparation of the paper.
Adventures in energy conversion

A speculative survey is projected of the technological opportunities beckoning at the frontiers of knowledge in the realm of energy conversion. American industry is urged to venture its support, in spite of the considerable risks, for the rewards are substantial.
High quality InGaP micropillars directly grown on silicon

High quality lattice-mismatched micron-sized InGaP pillars directly grown on silicon are studied using time-resolved photoluminescence. Micropillars with single-crystalline wurtzite phase exhibit bright photoluminescence and very long lifetimes, promising for optoelectronic devices and solar cell applications.
Performance-aware multicore programming

Multicore processors have become the CPU trend currently due to the fact that performance is hard to be gained by simply increasing clock rates, which had been true over the past decades in computer industry. Yet, multicore programming is still in its infant stage as programmers are not trained to write parallel programs and technology constraints require manual tuning to achieve high performance. We report our multicore programming experience via optimization techniques such as global memory coalescence and thread divergence avoidance with a detailed performance evaluation on a classical dot product application. After applying these optimization techniques, the dot product application achieves a speedup of 3.57 compared to its non-optimization counterpart. These techniques can be directly applied to other applications as dot product has been used in many scientific applications.
Effects of simulated acid precipitation on growth and nodulation of leguminous plants.

Soil samples were collected from the Panther Lake, Sagamore Lake and Woods Lake watersheds of the Adirondack region of New York. The first two soils were from under coniferous canopy and the second from under a deciduous canopy. Agricultural soil was tested for comparative purposes. Simulated acid rain was applied to the soil samples for 14 days before seeds of Arlington red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and Viking birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) were sown. Results show that, based on nodule numbers and depth, nodulation of birdsfoot trefoil was more tolerant to acidity than that of red clover. The depth to which nodulation occurred was reduced with decreasing pH of the simulated rain. Yield and nitrogen content of both plant species were significantly reduced in two soils. Under the test conditions, the legumes were stunted and neither species nodulated in Sagamore soil. The enhancement of plant growth and nitrogen uptake in both plants in Howard soil (pH 6.7) may be a reflection of improved nutrient availability arising from chemical action of the more acid solutions. (JMT)
The utility of humility: Self-esteem, information search, and problem-solving efficiency

Abstract This study examined the relationship between self-esteem, information search, and problem-solving efficiency. It was hypothesized that while working on a problem-solving task, low self-esteem subjects would search for more information before offering problem solutions than would high self-esteem subjects. It was also hypothesized that, in contrast to previous findings on the relationship between self-esteem and performance, low self-esteem subjects would be more effective performers on this task where information search was functional. The problem required subjects to discover the relational rule among three numbers. Subjects could search for various amounts of information before offering their problem solutions. As expected, low self-esteem subjects searched for more information, search was functional, and low self-esteem individuals were significantly better performers on the task. These results are contrasted with previous studies of self-esteem and performance and discussed in terms of the importance of task demands and person × situation interactions.
Depression, medication adherence, and service utilization in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective Forgetting to take medications is an important cause of nonadherence. This study evaluated factors associated with forgetting to take medications in a large cohort of persons with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) participating in the University of California, San Francisco Lupus Outcomes Study (LOS). Relationships among adherence problems and service utilization (outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations) were also evaluated. Methods The cohort consisted of 834 LOS participants who provided self-reported frequency of forgetting to take medications as directed. Predictors of adherence and service utilization patterns included self-reported sociodemographics, disease-related characteristics (e.g., disease activity, recent SLE flare), and mental health characteristics (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and cognitive function screen). Health care utilization patterns included the presence and quantity of visits to rheumatologists, primary care physicians, other care providers, emergency departments, and hospitalizations. Results Forty-six percent of the LOS cohort reported forgetting to take medications at least some of the time. Depressive symptom severity was a strong predictor of adherence difficulties (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.02–1.05; P < 0.0001) after accounting for all other predictors. Persons reporting adherence difficulties had significantly greater numbers of outpatient rheumatology and primary care visits, and were more likely to visit the emergency department (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.04–2.04; P = 0.03). Conclusion Depression may be an important cause of medication adherence problems, and difficulties with adherence are significantly associated with high-cost service utilization, specifically emergency department visits. In an era of rapidly evolving treatments for lupus, identifying patients at risk for adherence problems may decrease medical expenditures and improve patient outcomes in SLE.
The Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM): A procedure for evaluating pesticide leaching threats to groundwater

Abstract A continuous simulation model that considers interactions of pesticides in surface runoff (in water and on eroded sediment), advection in percolating water, molecular diffusion, dispersion, uptake by plants, sorption to soil, and biological and chemical degradation is described. The model was partially performance tested for aldicarb using data from field sites in New York, Florida, and Wisconsin. The model was successfully tested with observed data at the sites using selected values for 1st-order degradation rate constants and sorption coefficients. The model was successfully calibrated to the observed data at the New York site using selected values for 1st-order degradation rate constants and sorption coefficients. Calibrated parameter values were within the reported range of measured values, suggesting the model effectively simulates relevant processes affecting the pesticide's movement. An example of model application for a hypothetical pesticide applied to wheat in Nebraska is provided.
Spin-induced orbital precession and its modulation of the gravitational waveforms from merging binaries.

Merging compact binaries are currently regarded as the most promising source of gravitational waves for the planned Earth-based LIGO/VIRGO laser-interferometer detector system, and will be an important source also for similar, lower-frequency detectors that might be flown in space (e.g., the proposed LISA mission). During the orbital inspiral, if one or both bodies are rapidly rotating, the general relativistic spin-orbit and spin-spin coupling (i.e., the "dragging of inertial frames" by the bodies' spins) cause the binary's orbital plane to precess. In this paper we analyze the resulting modulation of the inspiral gravitational waveform, using post2-Newtonian equations to describe the precession of the orbital plane, but only the leading-order (Newtonian, quadrupole-moment approximation) equations to describe the orbit, the radiation reaction, the inspiral, and the wave generation. We derive all the formulas one needs to readily compute the spin-modulated gravitational waveform (within the post-Newtonian approximation and the approximation that the precession frequency is much smaller than the orbital frequency). We also develop intuition into what the modulated signals "look like," by a variety of means. We provide approximate, analytical solutions for the precessional motion and the modulated waveforms for two important special cases: the case where the bodies have nearly equal masses and the case where one of the bodies has negligible spin. For these cases, for almost all choices of binary parameters, the motion is a simple precession of the orbital angular momentum around the nearly fixed direction of the total angular momentum, with a few tens of precession periods as the waves sweep through the LIGO/VIRGO observational band. However, when the spin and orbital angular momenta are approximately anti-aligned, there is a transitional-precession epoch during which their near cancellation causes the binary to "lose its gyroscopic bearings" and tumble in space, with a corresponding peculiar sweep of the waveform modulation. We also explore numerically the precessional behaviors that occur for general masses and spins; these typically appear quite similar to our special-case, simple-precession, and transitional-precession solutions. An Appendix develops several diagrammatic aids for understanding intuitively the relation between the precessing orbit and the modulated waveform.
Biochemical mechanisms and cancer risk assessment models for dioxin

Biologically realistic mechanistic models of carcinogenesis by TCDD are composed of equations representing biochemical events leading to altered expression of proteins involved in the response or equations representing the kinetics of proliferation of clones of mutant cells. A biochemically augmented physiological dosimetry model reproduces the observed altered expression of liver proteins in female rats exposed to dioxin. The model suggests that oxidation of estradiol to DNA reactive quinones or semiquinones by CYP1A2 protein induced by TCDD may contribute to an increased mutational rate. It suggests that TCDD-stimulated production of a peptide ligand of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and subsequent activation of the receptor's tyrosine kinase activity may increase the rate of proliferation of susceptible cells. These calculated quantities can serve as indices of toxicity and can be used to predict tumor incidence as a function of exposure.
Magnetoresistance of InMnAs magnetic semiconductors

Abstract We report on the magnetotransport properties of an InMnAs magnetic semiconductor thin film over the temperature range of 19–61 K. A small negative magnetoresistance is observed that becomes positive with increasing field. We find that the magnetoresistance of these films is well described by a semi-empirical model that takes into account the third order p – d exchange Hamiltonian describing the negative contribution and a two-band model for the positive contribution. The negative magnetoresistance of the film originates from spin-dependent scattering of carriers by localized magnetic moments while the positive magnetoresistance is attributed to conduction via spin-split hybridized p – d sub-bands with different conductivities and mobilities.
Nanocrystalline titanium-magnesium alloys through mechanical alloying

The solid solubility of magnesium in titanium under equilibrium conditions is reported to be extremely small. Mechanical alloying of a mixture of titanium and magnesium powders resulted in the formation of nanocrystalline (10–15 nm in size) grains of Ti–Mg solid solution. This solid solution has a metastable fcc structure with a = 0.426 nm and contains about 3 wt.% (6 at.%) magnesium in it. It is suggested that the fcc structure has formed as a result of the heavy mechanical deformation of the hep structure introduced during milling. High temperature annealing of the metastable solid solution led to its decomposition forming the equilibrium phases, viz., elemental titanium and magnesium.
Medullary ventral surface GABA receptors affect respiratory and cardiovascular function.

Abstract We previously demonstrated that GABA and muscimol administered either into the cisterna magna or the fourth ventricle to chloralose-anesthetized cats cause respiratory depression, hypotension, and bradycardia. Injection of these substances into the lateral and third ventricles had no effect. In order to localize the site of action, muscimol and GABA were applied by Perspex rings to the ventral surface of the medulla. Application of muscimol (0.25–2.6 μg) to Schlaefke's area in 6 cats reduced minute ventilation from 443 ± 38 to 291 ± 52 ml/min by reducing tidal volume from 31.8 ± 2.3 to 17.6 ± 1.4 ml, without changing respiratory rate and duration of inspiration. Hypotension and bradcardia were also observed. Application of GABA (0.14–4.86 mg) produced similar effects on respiratory activity and arterial blood pressure. No significant effects occured high doses of these agents were applied to Loeschcke's and Mitchell's areas. Application of bicuculline (5–25 μg) to Schlaefke's area had the opposite effect of muscimol and GABA on respiratory activity and blood pressure, and reversed the respiratory and cardiovascular depressant effects of both agents. We conclude that GABA receptors are present at Schlaefke's area, and that activation of these receptors results in respiratory depression, hypotension, and bradycardia. Our results suggest that GABA may be an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the modulation of respiratory and cardiovascular control.
Clinical Use of Prostaglandins as Oxytocin Substances

This is a progress report on a study being conducted at Yale to assess the effect of 2 prostaglandins PGF2a and PGE2 on the pregnant human uterus at term in regard to induction of labor and delivery of a normal fetus. This double blind study involved 40 volunteers who were randomly chosen to receive 1 of the prostaglandins or Syntocinon. Data on dosage and administration schedule is tabulated. No maternal or fetal complications were noted. There were no side effects among the 2 prostaglandin groups. The success rate was not as impressive as earlier studies by Dr. S.M.M. Karim. The form frequency and intensity of contractions did not differ for women in the 3 drug groups. Length of labors in the successful cases cannot be compared due to the small numbers in each Bishop score group. The course of prostaglandin-induced labor when plotted on a time/cervical dilation graph looks like a normal curve of labor with a long slow period preceding the accelerative phase. Vital signs for all the women remained normal throughout the treatment. Further study with a larger study population is necessary.
Computer-aided analysis of the electrophoretic regulating function omega

The omega function, defined for strong and monovalent weak electrolytes, is a useful regulating principle for the description of electrophoretic processes. The omega function profile, which is established by the initial electrolyte distribution in an electrophoretic column, will not be changed by current flow. The function is based solely upon migration and is only applicable to those regions where diffusional dispersion can be neglected. Computer simulations are used to follow the evolution of the concentration gradients of various electrophoretic systems and to verify the proposed constancy of the omega function profile. The limitations of the theory are investigated and the value of these predictions to the experimentalist is discussed.
Polyketides from dinoflagellates: origins, pharmacology and biosynthesis

Dinoflagellates, unicellular marine protists, produce some of the largest and most complex polyketides identified to date. The biological activities of these compounds are quite diverse. Compounds having potential therapeutic value as anti-cancer agents as well as deadly neurotoxins, whose production has resulted in severe public health hazards and economic hardships, are represented in this group of secondary metabolites. Stable isotope feeding experiments have firmly established the polyketide origins of representative compounds from each of the three structural classes, the polyether ladders, the macrocycles and the linear polyethers. Yet some unusual labeling patterns have been observed in each class. Pendant methyl groups are most often derived from C-2 of acetate and deletions of C-1 of acetate are common. Studies on the biosynthesis of dinoflagellate derived polyketides at the genomic level have not been reported, in part due to the peculiarities of the dinoflagellate nucleus and the lack of a dinoflagellate transformation system. Nevertheless, a fundamental understanding of the genetics of polyketide biosynthesis by dinoflagellates could be the catalyst for developing several fruitful avenues of research. Dinoflagellate derived polyketides are reviewed with special emphasis on pharmacology and biosynthesis.
Retroperitoneal lymph nodes in transitional cell carcinoma of the kidney and ureter.

The incidence of transitional cell carcinoma of the kidney and ureter is low and for that reason limited data exists regarding the appropriate management of regional retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Lymph node metastases have consistently been associated with an adverse prognosis. However, five-year cancer-specific survival following nephroureterectomy and lymphadenectomy for patients with lymph node involvement ranges from 0–39%, suggesting a therapeutic benefit. This review covers the primary tumor characteristics associated with lymph node involvement, imaging of the lymph nodes, as well as the rationale, role, patient selection, suggested anatomic templates, and technical considerations for lymphadenectomy.
Genomics in the light of evolutionary transitions.

Molecular biology has entrenched the gene as the basic hereditary unit and genomes are often considered little more than collections of genes. However, new concepts and genomic data have emerged, which suggest that the genome has a unique place in the hierarchy of life. Despite this, a framework for the genome as a major evolutionary transition has not been fully developed. Instead, genome origin and evolution are frequently considered as a series of neutral or nonadaptive events. In this article, we argue for a Darwinian multilevel selection interpretation for the origin of the genome. We base our arguments on the multilevel selection theory of hypercycles of cooperative interacting genes and predictions that gene-level trade-offs in viability and reproduction can help drive evolutionary transitions. We consider genomic data involving mobile genetic elements as a test case of our view. A new concept of the genome as a discrete evolutionary unit emerges and the gene–genome juncture is positioned as a major evolutionary transition in individuality. This framework offers a fresh perspective on the origin of macromolecular life and sets the scene for a new, emerging line of inquiry—the evolutionary ecology of the genome.
Enterprise architectural framework for supply-chain integration

The concept of supply chain is about managing coordinated information and material flows, plant operations, and logistics. It provides flexibility and agility in responding to consumer demand shifts without cost overlays in resource utilization. The fundamental premise of this philosophy is; synchronization among multiple autonomous business entities represented in it. That is, improved coordination within and between various supply‐chain members. Increased coordination can lead to reduction in lead times and costs, alignment of interdependent decision‐making processes, and improvement in the overall performance of each member as well as the supply chain. Describes architecture to create the appropriate structure, install proper controls, and implement principles of optimization to synchronize the supply chain. A supply‐chain model based on a collaborative system approach is illustrated utilizing the example of the textile industry.
Highly Sensitive Fluorescent Probes for Zinc Ion Based on Triazolyl-Containing Tetradentate Coordination Motifs

Two new 1,2,3-triazolyl-containing N4-tetradentate ligands show nanomolar affinity for Zn2+ under physiological conditions. Furthermore, they are easily derivatizable to afford fluorescent probes suitable for sensitive Zn2+ detection. Structural characterizations in both solid and solution states suggest that N3 and N2 in the 1,2,3-triazolyl moiety coordinate with Zn2+ in A and B to afford five-membered and six-membered coordination rings, respectively. The probes show sensitive fluorescence enhancement and ratiometric responses to Zn2+.
SAMPLING AND MINIMUM PHASE FROM BOTH A CONTINUOUS AND DISCRETE POINT OF VIEW

Examples show that the sampling operation–i.e., the change from the continuous time domain to the discrete time domain–does not necessarily preserve the minimum-phase property. Further examples can be constructed to show that the resampling operation on the discrete time domain does not necessarily preserve the minimum-phase property. Finally it can be shown that the minimum-phase property can be either created or destroyed by sampling or resampling.
Small lesions in the heart identified at electron beam CT: calcification or noise?

PURPOSE: To identify a minimum definition of coronary artery calcification (CAC) at electron beam computed tomography (CT) that would give repeatable results and be accurate as a marker for coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hyperattenuating (> 130 HU) foci 0.69-3.09 mm2 in area were evaluated for 256 subjects who underwent two sequential electron beam CT examinations to determine the percentage of hyperattenuating foci seen on a first examination that were seen again on a second examination. Accuracies of varying minimum definitions of CAC were determined in 160 subjects who underwent electron beam CT and coronary arteriography. RESULTS: Hyperattenuating foci more than 2 mm2 in area were seen again at a second examination in more than 50% of cases (P < .0001). At this minimum definition of CAC, the sensitivity and specificity for identifying any angiographically defined coronary artery disease were 82% and 85%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The 2-mm2-area definition of CAC was reliable and provi...
The Performance of U.S. Wind and Solar Generating Plants

Using data on hourly outputs and spot prices for a sample 25 wind and nine solar generating plants covering all seven U.S. ISOs for 2011 and up to 12 adjacent months, this study examines capacity factors, average output values, and several aspects of intermittency. Most performance measures studied vary substantially within and between ISOs, and some vary substantially over time. Implications for research, market design, and policies to support renewable generation are briefly discussed.
Foundational Methodology for Creating Supplemental, FHWA-specific, Roadside Element Data Set, toward Using Big Data Techniques☆

Abstract The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency of the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT), provides crashworthiness data sets serving as a starting point for highway research. Although the information has provided guidance to safety researchers and decision-makers for vehicle damage and occupant injury research, crash environment fields have been inadequate to serve the growing surveillance burden placed upon the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), another agency of the US DOT. Recent advances in NHTSA data reporting, however, have allowed for supplemental data acquisition, at no added cost. The 2008 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) release marked the first instance in which the geographical location was reported for fatal crashes and placed in the public domain. This opened a technological linkage with mapping tools to improve understanding of the crash environment. Further, improved photography introduced in the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Study and concurrent improvements in image capture for the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System provided better understanding of the crash scene. This paper provides the manual data extraction approach used in identifying candidate crashes and codification of roadside elements. Currently, FHWA is securing access to the Second Strategic Highway Research Program data, representing large stores of video. Leveraging recent FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research findings, in data mining and video capture, and lessons from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Institutes of Health, the current project seeks to extend the manual approach to big data extraction.
Comparison of methods to determine degree of pyritization

Abstract Degree of pyritization (DOP) is a measure of the ratio pyrite iron/(pyrite iron + reactive iron) that can be related to the depositional environment of a sediment. Several methods of DOP determination have been used but not systematically evaluated. The determination/extraction of reactive (usually acid soluble) iron is critical to the DOP determination, and the method generally used is reaction of the sample for 1 to 2 min with hot 12 N HCl. We present results for timed experiments with 1 N, 6 N, and 12 N HCl on three different samples. We also show that a 24 h room temperature treatment with 1 N HCl is equivalent to the 24 h treatment with Na-dithionite. Experiments with several suites of samples show that all three of these methods leach comparable amounts of iron; therefore, the DOP values are similar. However, the 1 N HCl, 24 h procedure is preferable because laboratory handling is less and easier.
Demonstration of developmental anomalies in mouse fetuses by transfer of murine cytomegalovirus DNA-injected eggs to surrogate mothers

To study the potential consequences of sperm-mediated sexual cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission, an in vitro model of microinjection of murine CMV (MCMV) DNA into uninfected fertilized murine ova was used. After microinjected ova were cultured to blastocysts and transferred to pseudopregnant mice, the effect of the DNA on implantation and development was analyzed. At various times, the sites of implantation in the endometrium were examined. Reductions in litter size, fetal growth retardation, resorption of embryos, and fetal maldevelopment, which often involved the central nervous system, were observed. The presence of MCMV DNA sequences in DNA derived from fetuses was detected by the polymerase chain reaction followed by oligonucleotide hybridization. By in situ DNA-DNA cytohybridization and indirect immunofluorescence assays the viral sequences and antigens were localized primarily to the brain, salivary gland, and skin of maldeveloped fetuses. These results establish the potential consequences of sperm-mediated CMV transmission and induction of fetal anomalies.
Accelerating arithmetic kernels with coherent attached FPGA coprocessors

The energy efficiency of computer systems can be increased by migrating computational kernels that are known to under-utilize the CPU to an FPGA based coprocessor. In contrast to traditional I/O-based coprocessors that require explicit data movement, coherently attached accelerators can operate on the same virtual address space than the host CPU. A shared memory organization enables widely accepted programming models and helps to deploy energy efficient accelerators in general purpose computing systems. In this paper we study an FFT accelerator on FPGA attached via the Coherent Accelerator Processor Interface (CAPI) to a POWER8 processor. Our results show that the coherent attached accelerator outperforms device driver based approaches in terms of latency. Hardware acceleration delivers a 5× gain in energy efficiency compared to an optimized parallel software FFT running on a 12-core CPU and improves single thread performance by more than 2×. We conclude that the integration of CAPI into heterogeneous programming frameworks such as OpenCL will facilitate latency critical operations and will further enhance programmability of hybrid systems.
Development of a Mechatronic Platform and Validation of Methods for Estimating Ankle Stiffness During the Stance Phase of Walking

The mechanical properties of human joints (i.e., impedance) are constantly modulated to precisely govern human interaction with the environment. The estimation of these properties requires the displacement of the joint from its intended motion and a subsequent analysis to determine the relationship between the imposed perturbation and the resultant joint torque. There has been much investigation into the estimation of upper-extremity joint impedance during dynamic activities, yet the estimation of ankle impedance during walking has remained a challenge. This estimation is important for understanding how the mechanical properties of the human ankle are modulated during locomotion, and how those properties can be replicated in artificial prostheses designed to restore natural movement control. Here, we introduce a mechatronic platform designed to address the challenge of estimating the stiffness component of ankle impedance during walking, where stiffness denotes the static component of impedance. The system consists of a single degree of freedom mechatronic platform that is capable of perturbing the ankle during the stance phase of walking and measuring the response torque. Additionally, we estimate the platform's intrinsic inertial impedance using parallel linear filters and present a set of methods for estimating the impedance of the ankle from walking data. The methods were validated by comparing the experimentally determined estimates for the stiffness of a prosthetic foot to those measured from an independent testing machine. The parallel filters accurately estimated the mechatronic platform's inertial impedance, accounting for 96% of the variance, when averaged across channels and trials. Furthermore, our measurement system was found to yield reliable estimates of stiffness, which had an average error of only 5.4% (standard deviation: 0.7%) when measured at three time points within the stance phase of locomotion, and compared to the independently determined stiffness values of the prosthetic foot. The mechatronic system and methods proposed in this study are capable of accurately estimating ankle stiffness during the foot-flat region of stance phase. Future work will focus on the implementation of this validated system in estimating human ankle impedance during the stance phase of walking.
Simulation of Semivolatile Organic Compound Microtransport at Different Time Scales in Airborne Diesel Soot Particles

The microtransport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in airborne diesel soot particles over time scales ranging from 0.18 s to 11.9 h was studied via a smog chamber experiment and simulated using radial diffusion models. The sorption of the PAHs by particles over long time periods (i.e., minutes to hours) was studied by monitoring the gas and particle-phase concentrations in the chamber over the course of the experiment (11.9 h). Additionally, the desorption of PAHs from particles over short time scales (i.e., tenths of seconds to several seconds) was observed by passing the aerosol through a large gas-phase stripping device and a sampling denuder to remove the aerosol's gas phase, thus causing the PAHs to desorb from the particles. The results of each experimental test were compared to simulation results using a one-layer model and four dual-impedance radial diffusion models. The dual-impedance models were able to closely reproduce the experimental results of each test, while the one-layer model...
Work and family life

OVERVIEW Work/Family Linkages Gender Roles and Work/Family Linkages THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF FAMILIES Family Responsibility for Economic Provision The Worker-Earner Role of Men and Women Participation in the Worker-Earner Role Problems in Performing the Worker-Earner Role Unpaid Contributions to family Well-Being THE WORKER-EARNER ROLE AND FAMILY LIFE Husband's Worker-Earner Role Wife's Worker-Earner Role The Worker-Earner Role in One-Parent Families Family Coping Efforts WORK ROLE CHARACTERISTICS AND FAMILY LIFE Structural Characteristics of Work Psychological Dimensions of Work Joint Effects of Husbands' and Wive's Work Role Characteristics on Family life INDIVIDUAL WORK/FAMILY ROLE COORDINATION Multiple Roles, Role Strain, and Role Expansion The Effects of Multiple Roles on Women's Lives Coping With Role Conflict The Work/Family Life Cycle Sequential Work/Family Role Staging Symmetrical Work/Family Role Allocation POLICY ISSUES Economic Policies Family-Oriented Personnel Policies
Studies on the Biology of the Periodontium of Marmosets: VIII. The Effect of Folic Acid Deficiency on the Marmoset Oral Mucosa

Marmoset oral mucosa has been shown to be extremely sensitive to folic acid deficiency induced experimentally by dietary and dietochemical means. Histologically, the most prominent deficiency-related changes were an interference with the maturation of the epithelial cells, impairment of keratinization, and an increased susceptibility to ulceration and secondary infection.
A single GluN2 subunit residue controls NMDA receptor channel properties via intersubunit interaction

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels that are present at most excitatory mammalian synapses. The four GluN2 subunits (GluN2A-D) contribute to four diheteromeric NMDAR subtypes that have divergent physiological and pathological roles. Channel properties that are fundamental to NMDAR function vary among subtypes. We investigated the amino acid residues responsible for variations in channel properties by creating and examining NMDARs containing mutant GluN2 subunits. We found that the NMDAR subtype specificity of three crucial channel properties, Mg(2+) block, selective permeability to Ca(2+) and single-channel conductance, were all controlled primarily by the residue at a single GluN2 site in the M3 transmembrane region. Mutant cycle analysis guided by molecular modeling revealed that a GluN2-GluN1 subunit interaction mediates the site's effects. We conclude that a single GluN2 subunit residue couples with the pore-forming loop of the GluN1 subunit to create naturally occurring variations in NMDAR properties that are critical to synaptic plasticity and learning.
Optimal control systems with low sensitivity to small time delays

The problem of reducing trajectory sensitivity to small time delays is considered. State and output feedback gains are computed, so that the system performs optimally with low sensitivity. The delay is assumed to be expected to occur in the plant or in the feedback path. Numerical examples are discussed.
Saving Black America?: A Womanist Analysis of Faith-Based Initiatives

This essay considers the complexities associated with faith-based initiatives for poor black people, as these initiatives have become one antipoverty strategy within some black churches. Deploying a womanist perspective on public policy, my contention is that faith-based initiatives have a contradictory nature in relation to ameliorating poverty among blacks. While these initiatives provide the necessary funding for many religious organizations such as black churches that are already doing antipoverty work, these initiatives simultaneously fail to consider how free-market institutions exacerbate poverty in general and black poverty in particular. Black churches must acknowledge that faith-based initiatives are an insufficient strategy for the amelioration of poverty if such a strategy is not situated alongside more structural and class-based efforts to ameliorate systemic injustice.
Theoretical Study of the Impact of Particulate Matter Gravitational Settling on Ambient Coarse Particulate Matter Monitoring for Agricultural Emissions

The particle size distributions (PSDs) of particulate matter (PM) in the downwind plume from simulated sources of a cotton gin were analyzed to determine the impact of PM settling on PM monitoring. The PSD of PM in a plume varies as a function of gravitational settling. Gravitational settling has a greater impact on the downwind PSD from sources with PSDs having larger mass median diameters (MMDs). The change in PSD is a function of the source PSD of emitted PM, wind speed, and downwind distance. Both MMD and geometric standard deviation (GSD) in the downwind plume decrease with an increase in downwind distance and source MMD. The larger the source MMD, the greater the change in the downwind MMD and GSD. Also, the greater the distance from the source to the sampler, the greater the change in the downwind MMD and GSD. Variations of the PSD in the downwind plume significantly impact PM10 sampling errors associated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PM10 samplers. For the emission sources with MMD 10 m, the PM10 oversampling rate increases with an increase in downwind distance caused by the decrease of GSD of the PSD in the downwind plume. Gravitational settling of particles does not help reduce the oversampling problems associated with the EPA PM10 sampler. Furthermore, oversampling rates decrease with an increase of the wind speed.
Capillary-to-fiber ratio of hind limb muscles in the male Syrian golden hamster.

The hamster has been the accepted model of emphysema since the 1970s, demonstrating disease-related effects on respiratory skeletal muscle. However, there is scant information available about the model's ability to replicate the peripheral skeletal muscle changes seen in human disease, such as alterations in capillarity. The present study described the capillary-to-fiber ratio (C/F) of normal hamster plantaris, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles in eight animals. C/F was 1.72 ± 0.38 for plantaris, 1.95 ± 0.40 for gastrocnemius, and 2.22 ± 0.43 for soleus. C/F of soleus was significantly greater (P < 0.01) than plantaris. The C/F of hamster hindlimb muscles varies from those seen in rat species, and having baseline data on hamsters makes it possible to determine the effects of emphysema on C/F in this model. Anat Rec Part A 277A:272–274, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chemical proteomics from a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy perspective.

Proteomics is the study of the protein complement of a genome and employs a number of newly emerging tools. One such tool is chemical proteomics, which is a branch of proteomics devoted to the exploration of protein function using both in vitro and in vivo chemical probes. Chemical proteomics aims to define protein function and mechanism at the level of directly observed protein–ligand interactions, whereas chemical genomics aims to define the biological role of a protein using chemical knockouts and observing phenotypic changes. Chemical proteomics is therefore traditional mechanistic biochemistry performed in a systems-based manner, using either activity- or affinity-based probes that target proteins related by chemical reactivities or by binding site shape/properties, respectively. Systems are groups of proteins related by metabolic pathway, regulatory pathway or binding to the same ligand. Studies can be based on two main types of proteome samples: pooled proteins (1 mixture of N proteins) or isolated...
Impaired leukotactic responsiveness in patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus.

The neutrophil leukocytes of 30 patients with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus were tested for leukotactic activity and compared with 30 age-matched controls to determine whether patients with uncomplicated juvenile diabetes mellitus have abnormal leukotactic responsiveness. The mean leukotactic index of patients with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus was significantly lower than that of controls (p < 0.001). The leukotactic defect was not related to the duration of diabetes, or to the degree of control. Following incubation of the neutrophils of juvenile diabetics with insulin, the mean leukotactic index increased to normal levels. The leukotactic activity of control leukocytes after incubation with insulin remained unchanged. Random mobility and nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction by the neutrophils of juvenile diabetic patients did not differ from that of controls. Leukotactic responsiveness in patients with uncomplicated juvenile onset diabetes is similar to that described in patients with adult onset diabetes and may explain, at least in part, the severity and chronicity of infections suffered by diabetic patients.
A Void Growth and a Cyclic Model in Ductile Material Using Mechanism-Based Strain Gradient Crystal Plasticity Theory

This paper addresses the problem of theoretically predicting the evolution of void for a single crystal in ductile material accounting to the size and orientation effects. In this paper, a new damage model is derived based on the theory of mechanism-based strain gradient crystal plasticity (MSG-CP). By imposing the Taylor dislocation model into a widely used Gurson model (1), we extend the Gurson model to account for the void size effect. Meanwhile, we consider the crystal orientation effect by using MSG-CP to describe the behavior of matrix. Numerical simulation has been conducted under axisymmetric loading condition for cylindrical void and under spherical symmetric tension for spherical void. It reveals that the damage of a ductile porous material has strong orientation-dependence and size-dependence on microscale level. The traditional conclusion that the larger the void size is the faster it grows is also verified by the new model. Additionally, we add a kinematic hardening law to the MSG-CP theory, and have analyzed a hysteresic response of a single crystal under cyclic loading.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Supporting a grounded theory with an audit trail: an illustration

An audit trail can enhance the rigor and transparency of qualitative research. It can serve as a means of holding up to scrutiny the methodological and theoretical decisions made throughout the research process. However, what constitutes an audit trail is often narrowly conceived and inadequately explained. This article elucidates the process of creating an audit trail as a trustworthiness technique applied to the grounded theory methodology. In particular, it presents, as an illustration, an audit trail that supports a theory of stakeholder collaboration developed from a study of community‐based antipoverty projects in Jamaica. The antipoverty projects were supported by social funds – special grants from the national government to non‐governmental and community‐based organizations, which sponsored and organized the projects.
Structural studies of some new lamellar magnesium, manganese and calcium phosphonates

Abstract Layered phosphonate salts of divalent metal ions (Mg, Ca and Mn) are prepared by combining solutions of soluble metal salts and alkyl- or arylphosphonic acids. In this way the compounds Mg(O3PCnH2n+1)·H2O (n=1−12), Mg(O3PC6H5)·H2O, Mg(HO3PCH(C6H5)2)2·8 H2O, Mn(O3PCH3)·H2O, Mn(O3PC6H5)·H2O, Ca(O3PCnH2n+1)·H2O (n⩽5), Ca(HO3PC6H5)2 and Ca(HO3PCnH2n+1)2 (n⩾6) were prepared. The M(O3PC6H5)·H2O compounds show good thermal stability, losing lattice water at 250–300°C without further decomposition below 550°C. Compounds derived from alkylphosphonic acids decompose at lower temperatures. The Mg(O3PCnH2n+1)·H2O series, Mg(O3PC6H5)·H2O, and Mn(O3PC6H5)·H2O group Pmn21; for the latter compound unit cell dimensions (A) are a=5.733, b=14.298, c=4.931. The structure consists of roughly coplanar layers of metal atoms coordinated by phenylphosphonate groups above and below. Each metal atom is coordinated by five phosphonate oxygens and one lattice water molecule. Mg(O3PCnH2n+1·H2O adopts a similar structure; infrared spectra indicate all-trans alkyl chains. In Mg(HO3PCH(C6H5)2)2·8 H2O, Mg(H2O)2+6 ions and lattice water lie in hydrogen-bonded sheets; the benzhydryl groups lie above and below and make van-der-Waals contacts between layers.
Weighted Lipschitz spaces and their analytic characterizations

Weighted Lipschitz spaces are studied where the growth function varies, i.e., $$|f(x + h) - f(x)| \leqslant C\rho (h)$$ and where the growth function may also depend on x. Connections between a functionf defined on the complex unit circle and its analytic extensionF to the inside are given. In particular, theory relating the Lipschitz growth of the boundary function and derivative growth of the analytic function is developed. An atomic decomposition of the boundary values of a weighted Besov space is also obtained.
Postsynaptic control of lumbar motoneuron excitability during active sleep in the chronic cat

A correlated intracellular and extracellular study of lumbar motoneuron excitability during sleep and wakefulness was performed in the chronic, unanesthetized, undrugged, normally respiring cat. Experiments were designed to reveal the extent to which hypotonia during active sleep in mammals is dependent on postsynaptic inhibition of somatic motoneurons. Variations in the antidromic field potential, antidromic and orthodromic spike, EPSP, membrane input resistance and rheobasic current were studied. No change in motoneuron excitability occurred when quiet wakefulness was compared to quiet sleep. A decrease in excitability was present, due to postsynaptic inhibition, during active sleep. Further phasic decreases in excitability, also due to postsynaptic inhibition, occurred during active sleep in conjunction with clusters of rapid eye movements.