cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rehabilitation of Indian Creek Watershed Structure #2

The Indian Creek PL-566 Watershed project area includes 4,700 acres located north of Council Bluffs city limits in Western Iowa. Indian Creek Site 2 was constructed in 1975 with a low hazard rating to control grade and reduce sediment loading downstream. Site 2 formed an initial total sediment pool of 29 acres in two adjacent gullies. Water is allowed to flow between the two pool areas through six culverts in the upstream berm area and beneath a private access road. The structure has been studied and reclassified as high hazard in April 2004 once a detailed study showed seven residences and one business in the breach inundation area. The rehabilitation action is being planned and will be implemented under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act PL 83-566 as amended by PL 106-472. In addition, it is being planned and is in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended (NHPA) provisions. The alternative chosen to rehabilitate the dam to meet high hazard class criteria includes raising the top of dam three feet and adding new vegetated auxiliary spillway. This will give the structure a new 50-year design life.
Nitrogen-Containing Carbon Nanostructures as Oxygen-Reduction Catalysts

Nitrogen-containing carbon nanostructure (CNx) catalysts developed by acetonitrile pyrolysis have been studied to better understand their role in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in PEM and direct methanol fuel cell environments. Additional functionalization of the CNx catalysts with nitric acid has the ability to improve both the activity and selectivity towards ORR.
DNA topoisomerase and recombinase activities in Nae I restriction endonuclease

Nae I endonuclease must bind to two DNA sequences for cleavage. Examination of the amino acid sequence of Nae I uncovered similarity to the active site of human DNA ligase I, except for leucine 43 in Nae I instead of the lysine essential for ligase activity. Changing leucine 43 to lysine 43 (L43K) changed Nae I activity: Nae I-L43K relaxed supercoiled DNA to yield DNA topoisomers and recombined DNA to give dimeric molecules. Interruption of the reactions of Nae I and Nae I-L43K with DNA demonstrated transient protein-DNA covalent complexes. These findings imply coupled endonuclease and ligase domains and link Nae I endonuclease to the topoisomerase and recombinase protein families.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Cingulum Bundle in Children After Traumatic Brain Injury

Structural damage to the prefrontal-cingulate network has been implicated in cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Forty-six children who had sustained moderate-to-severe TBI and 43 children with extracranial injury were imaged using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were found in the cingulum bundles bilaterally in the TBI group. Cingulum ADC was related to frontal lesion volume, injury severity, and injury mechanism. Finally, cingulum DTI parameters were related to cognitive control measures. DTI detects TBI-related injury to the cingulum, which may facilitate advances in assessment and treatment.
“HETEROGENIZING” HOMOGENEOUS CATALYSTS

Abstract For many years, it has been customary to classify catalysts as “homogeneous” or “heterogeneous.” The former commonly operate through the formation of “intermediate compounds,” and the latter, by adsorption of the reactants on the catalyst surface. The line between the two is a fine one, for the distinction between adsorption and compound formation is not at all clear, and seems to be becoming less and less clear as we learn more about adsorption. In recent years, several writers [l-7] have stressed the point that there is a good deal of overlap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Experimental evidence supporting this point of view is accumulating, and while we are not prepared to say that there is no distinction, we can say with certainty that many homogeneous catalysts can be converted into heterogeneous ones, retaining the advantages of great activity and selectivity inherent in homogeneity and, at the same time, assuming the ready recovery which is the great advantage of heterogen...
Dual-energy liver CT: effect of monochromatic imaging on lesion detection, conspicuity, and contrast-to-noise ratio of hypervascular lesions on late arterial phase.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of use of dual-energy CT monochromatic imaging in the late hepatic arterial phase on hyperenhancing focal lesion detection and lesion conspicuity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. This prospective study included 72 patients imaged with a single-source dual-energy CT scanner. Late arterial phase imaging was performed with dual energies of 140 and 80 kVp, and the portal venous and delayed phases were performed with a single energy of 120 kVp. Two deidentified image sets were created: set A consisted of 77-keV images only, and set B consisted of 40-, 50-, 70-, and 77-keV images and iodine-based contrast material decomposition images. Two independent reviewers identified hypervascular lesions and subjectively scored lesion conspicuity. Contrast-to-noise ratios were calculated, and radiation dose (volume CT dose index) was recorded. RESULTS. The 128 lesions identified had a mean size of 1.7 ± 1.4 cm. There was no difference in lesion detection between the tw...
Sentential devices for conveying givenness and newness: A cross-cultural developmental study

Child and adult speakers of English, Hungarian, and Italian described nine triplets of pictures whose elements varied along the pragmatic dimension of givenness vs newness. In the first picture of each series, all elements were new. In the second and third pictures, one element increased in newness and the remaining elements increased in givenness. The devices analysed were ellipsis, pronominalization, emphatic stress, the indefinite article, the definite article, and initialization. The results indicated (a) marked differences between the languages, (b) early learning of the functions of the devices, (c) some changes with age, (d) a relation between changes in givenness and newness and use of each of the devices, and (e) baseline effects in the use of the devices.
Pivoting Micromirror Designs for Large Orientation Angles

This paper describes mechanical designed concepts for a class of pivoting micromirrors that permit relatively large angles of orientation to be obtained when configured in large arrays. Micromirror arrays can be utilized in a variety of applications ranging from optical switching to beam-front correction in a variety of technologies. This particular work is concerned with silicon surface micromachining. The multi-layer polysilicon surface micromachined process developed at Sandia National Laboratories is used to fabricate micromirror arrays that consists of capacitive electrode pairs which are used to electrostatically actuator mirrors to their desired positions and suitable elastic suspensions which support the 2 micrometers thick mirror structures. The designs described have been fabricated and successfully operated.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Lack of Release of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin by Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone

Abstract To assess the effect of TRH on the secretion of hCG, TRH in doses of 25 to 500 μg was administered to 10 pregnant women of 6 to 12 weeks or 16 to 20 weeks of gestation. There was no significant change in the serum hCG concentration during the ensuing 90 min. In women 6 to 12 weeks pregnant, doses of 25 μg, 100 μg, or 500 μg TRH elicited similar increments in serum TSH. Women 16 to 20 weeks pregnant had a slightly higher baseline TSH and a greater TSH response to TRH than the 6-12 week pregnant group. Although hCG may be an important thyroid stimulator in the first trimester of pregnancy, its secretion is not affected by TRH.
Quadratic postconflict affiliation among bystanders in a hamadryas baboon group

The tendency in primate groups for two opponents to affiliate shortly after a fight has been described as dyadic reconciliation. The response has been shown to restore disrupted relationships and curtail ongoing aggression. Rates of self-directed behaviour (e.g. scratching) are positively correlated with anxiety in primates and the rates decline after reconciliation, indicating that the response also functions to reduce postconflict tension. Third parties not involved in an aggressive interaction are also likely to affiliate with one of the combatants subsequent to a fight. Such ‘triadic’ interactions may also promote conflict resolution when, for instance, the relatives of a victim affiliate with their relative's aggressor. Because aggression in a group influences a bystander's behaviour with combatants, we hypothesized that aggression between two animals would also influence a bystander's behaviour with other bystanders. Such ‘quadratic’ postconflict interactions might also function to reduce postconflict tension or occur in patterns among kin subgroups to resolve conflict. We tested for quadratic interactions in an 18-member group of captive hamadryas baboons, Papio hamadryas hamadryas. Immediately following a fight, an uninvolved bystander was randomly selected for observation and its affiliative interactions with other bystanders and its displacement activities were recorded for 3 min. Rates of behaviour during these postconflict periods were compared to rates during 3-min baseline periods not preceded by aggression. Bystanders engaged in quadratic interactions by increasing affiliation with other bystanders following aggression. Bystanders directed affiliation to nonkin bystanders that were their preferred social partners. Displacement activities of bystanders were significantly higher during postconflict intervals compared to baseline intervals, and bystander displacement activity levels before affiliative contact with other bystanders were significantly higher than after contact. Apparently, bystanders become tense or anxious after witnessing aggression and affiliate with preferred partners to reduce the arousal.
Machine assessment of neonatal facial expressions of acute pain

We propose that a machine assessment system of neonatal expressions of pain be developed to assist clinicians in diagnosing pain. The facial expressions of 26 neonates (age 18-72h) were photographed experiencing the acute pain of a heel lance and three nonpain stressors. Four algorithms were evaluated on out-of-sample observations: PCA, LDA, SVMs and NNSOA. NNSOA provided the best classification rate of pain versus nonpain (90.20%), followed by SVM with linear kernel (82.35%). We believe these results indicate a high potential for developing a decision support system for diagnosing neonatal pain from images of neonatal facial displays.
Knowledge base refinement by monitoring abstract control knowledge

Abstract An explicit representation of the problem solving method of an expert system shell as abstract control knowledge provides a powerful foundation for learning. This paper describes the abstract control knowledge of the HERACLES expert system shell for heuristic classification problems, and describes how the ODYSSEUS apprenticeship learning program uses this representation to semi-automate “endgame” knowledge acquisition. The problem solving method of HERACLES is represented explicitly as domain-independent tasks and metarules. Metarules locate and apply domain knowledge to achieve problem solving subgoals, such as testing, refining, or differentiating between hypothesis; and asking general or clarifying questions. We show how monitoring abstract control knowledge for metarule premise failures provides a means of detecting gaps in the knowledge base. A knowledge base gap will almost always cause a metarule premise failure. We also show how abstract control knowledge plays a crucial role in using underlying domain theories for learning, especially weak domain theories. The construction of abstract control knowledge requires that the different types of knowledge that enter into problem solving be represented in different knowledge relations. This provides a foundation for the integration of underlying domain theories into a learning system, because justification of different types of new knowledge usually requires different ways of using an underlying domain theory. We advocate the construction of a definitional constraint for each knowledge relation that specifies how the relation is defined and justified in terms of underlying domain theories.
REVERSIBLE LOSS OF THE POTASSIUM EFFECT IN DISTILLED WATER

Not only does distilled water take away the irritability of Nitella but it also changes its behavior toward potassium. In normal cells potassium is strongly negative to sodium but after sufficient exposure to distilled water this effect disappears. It can be restored by returning the cells to their normal environment or to a suitable nutrient solution. This change in the protoplasm seems to be chiefly in its outer surface.
Recalibration of Perceived Distance in Virtual Environments Occurs Rapidly and Transfers Asymmetrically Across Scale

Distance in immersive virtual reality is commonly underperceived relative to intended distance, causing virtual environments to appear smaller than they actually are. However, a brief period of interaction by walking through the virtual environment with visual feedback can cause dramatic improvement in perceived distance. The goal of the current project was to determine how quickly improvement occurs as a result of walking interaction (Experiment 1) and whether improvement is specific to the distances experienced during interaction, or whether improvement transfers across scales of space (Experiment 2). The results show that five interaction trials resulted in a large improvement in perceived distance, and that subsequent walking interactions showed continued but diminished improvement. Furthermore, interaction with near objects (1-2 m) improved distance perception for near but not far (4-5 m) objects, whereas interaction with far objects broadly improved distance perception for both near and far objects. These results have practical implications for ameliorating distance underperception in immersive virtual reality, as well as theoretical implications for distinguishing between theories of how walking interaction influences perceived distance.
Assessing Play and Exploratory Behaviors of Infants and Toddlers

Abstract An instrument was designed to assess developmental levels of children birth to three years. The study instrument was divided into six scales with five developmental levels. The validation sample consisted of 15 subjects. Children from birth to 30 months were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Children from 30 to 36 months were assessed with the Stanford-Binet Scale. All 15 subjects were assessed with the six scales of the study instrument. Scores from the study instrument were correlated with adjusted psychometric scores with the significance level varying from .0001 to .0005. The stratified study sample consisted of 191 subjects. Interobserver agreement was calculated on 40 paired observations. Correlations for observer pairs = .99 for each scale. A Guttman scalogram analysis resequenced the scales. Coefficient of scalability, reproducibility index, reliability, and unidimensionality all met preset levels of acceptability.
Contraction Accelerates Myosin Heavy Chain Synthesis Rates in Adult Cardiocytes by an Increase in the Rate of Translational Initiation

The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanism by which contraction acutely accelerates the synthesis rate of the contractile protein myosin heavy chain (MHC). Laminin-adherent adult feline cardiocytes were maintained in a serum-free medium and induced to contract at 1 Hz via electrical field stimulation. Electrical stimulation of contraction accelerated rates of MHC synthesis 28%, p < 0.05 by 4 h as determined by incorporation of [3H]phenylalanine into MHC. MHC mRNA expression as measured by RNase protection was unchanged after 4 h of electrical stimulation. MHC mRNA levels in messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes and translating polysomes were examined by sucrose gradient fractionation. The relative percentage of polysomebound MHC mRNA was equal at 47% in both electrically stimulated and control cardiocytes. However, electrical stimulation of contraction resulted in a reproducible shift of MHC mRNA from smaller polysomes into larger polysomes, indicating an increased rate of initiation. This shift resulted in significant increases in MHC mRNA levels in the fractions containing the larger polysomes of electrically stimulated cardiocytes as compared with nonstimulated controls. These data indicate that the rate of MHC synthesis is accelerated in contracting cardiocytes via an increase in translational efficiency.
Long-term outcomes and patterns of tumor progression after gamma knife radiosurgery for benign meningiomas.

Object To characterize the timing and patterns of long-term treatment failure after Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for benign meningiomas. Methods Data were retrospectively reviewed in 116 patients who underwent 136 GKRS treatments for benign intracranial meningiomas from 1996 to 2004. Patients with atypical or malignant meningiomas were excluded. Surgical resection preceded GKRS in 72 patients (62%). The median tumor volume was 3.4 cm, and the median prescription dose to the 50% isodose line was 16 Gy. Results The median follow-up time was 75 months (range, 4-146 months). Overall tumor control was achieved in 128 of 136 lesions (94%), of which tumor size was stable in 68% and decreased in 26%. Seven patients experienced disease progression in 8 tumors, occurring at a mean time of 90 months. The overall 5-year and 10-year actuarial tumor control rate was 98.9% and 84%, respectively. Characteristics corresponding to tumor progression included insufficient tumor coverage (98% vs 93%, P = .007), cavernous sinus lesions, and meningiomatosis. Complications after GKRS developed in 8% of patients, in whom the mean tumor volume was nearly double that in patients with no adverse effects (11 vs 5.7 cm3, P = .003). Conclusions GKRS demonstrates excellent long-term tumor control in the management of benign meningiomas. Tumor progression occurred at a mean time of 7.5 years after GKRS, reinforcing the need for long-term surveillance despite initial tumor control. Treatment failure was related to undercoverage of lesions in the majority of cases, with the remainder demonstrating evidence of abnormal tumor biology.
Screening of a peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cDNA library to isolate a Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor clone.

Peanut crop losses due to insect and pest infestation cost peanut farmers nearly 20% of their annual yields. The conventional use of chemicals to combat this problem is costly and toxic to humans and livestock and leads to the development of resistance by target insects. Transgenic plants expressing a trypsin inhibitor gene in tobacco and cowpea have proven to be efficient for resistance against insects. Therefore, a transgenic peanut overexpressing a trypsin inhibitor gene could be an alternative solution to the use of toxic chemicals. Five Bowman−Birk trypsin inhibitor (BBTI) proteins were previously isolated from peanut. However, to date, neither cDNA nor genomic DNA sequences are available. The objective of this research was to screen a peanut cDNA library to isolate and sequence at least one full-length peanut BBTI cDNA clone. Two heterologous oligonucleotides were constructed on the basis of a garden pea (Pisum sativa) trypsin inhibitor nucleotide sequence and used as probes to screen a peanut lambd...
Measuring the impact of nutrition education and physical activity on older adults participating in government sponsored programs.

A longitudinal, four-year study (2004–2007) with a cohort of 139 older adults (majority women;71%) was conducted to examine the impact of community-based nutrition and physical activity programs on health outcome measures. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected and nutrition screening was performed. Blood pressure, serum cholesterol and glucose levels, and pulse rate were also measured. The blood pressure, both mean systolic and diastolic, 141(± 19.0)/79.3 ± 9.7 (2004) vs. 127.8 ± 10.9/73.8 ± 10.2 mm Hg (2007), were improved (p < 0.05) in women. There were also improvements (p < 0.05 in both men and women) in pulse rate between 2004 and 2007. There is no doubt that nutrition education and exercise programs together enhanced the overall health and well being of these older adults. However, our findings emphasize the need for further systematic study and for appropriate biometric assessments to evaluate the full impact of nutrition education and physical activity interventions in older adults.
Colour association influences honey bee choice between sucrose concentrations

Certain colours associated with floral food resources are more quickly learned by honey bees (Apis mellifera) than are other colours. But the impact of colour, and other floral cues, on bee choice behaviour has not yet been determined. In these experiments, colour association and sugar concentration of reward were varied to assess how they interact to affect bee choice behaviour. Thirty-five bees were individually given binary choices between blue and yellow artificial flowers that contained either the same rewards or rewards of different sucrose concentrations. Honey bee choice between sucrose concentrations was affected by colour association and this effect was greatest when absolute difference between rewards was the lowest. The honey bee's ability to maximize energetic profitability during foraging is constrained by floral cue effectiveness.
First flights of a new airborne thermal infrared imaging spectrometer with high area coverage

A new airborne thermal infrared imaging spectrometer, "Mako", with 128 bands in the thermal infrared covering 7.8 to 13.4 microns, has recently completed its engineering flight trials. Results from these flights, which occurred in September 2010 and included two science flights, are presented. The new sensor flies in a Twin Otter aircraft and operates in a whiskbroom mode, giving it the ability to scan to ±40° around nadir. The sensor package is supported on a commercial 3-axis-stabilized mount which greatly reduces aircraft-induced pointing jitter. The internal optics and focal plane array are operated near liquid helium temperatures, which in conjunction with a fast f/1.25 spectrometer enables low noise performance despite the sensor's small (0.55 mrad) pixel size and the high frame rate needed to cover large whisk angles. Besides the large-area-coverage scan mode (20 km2 per minute at 2-meter GSD from 12,500 ft. AGL), the sensor features a scan mirror pitch capability that enables both a high-sensitivity mode (longer integration times using frame summing, covering a smaller spatial region) and a multiple-look mode (multiple looks at a smaller region in a single aircraft overpass, for discriminating plume motion, for example).
Are Returns to Education on the Decline in Venezuela and Does Mission Sucre Have a Role to Play

Abstract Anecdotal evidence points to a falling standard of living for the educated in Venezuela. During this same period, President Hugo Chavez implemented several education reforms. We focus on a major university education reform known as Mission Sucre and its potential impact on returns to university education. First, we show that returns to education decreased significantly in Venezuela from 2002 to 2008. Subsequently, we explore the impact of the program on non-program participants and provide evidence that a substantial part of the falling returns at the tertiary level can be linked to Mission Sucre. Our results suggest that the reform created a negative externality on students who did not participate in the program, leading to a 2.7 percentage point decline in returns to university education for non-Mission Sucre students in the 23–28 age cohort.
Multisublevel transport and magnetoquantum oscillations in quantum wires

Abstract Transport in one-dimensional (1D) wires show interesting properties due to restricted 1D phase space. We calculate 1D transport properties to a controlled accuracy and examine the effect of combined elastic and inelastic scattering on the conductance G and the thermoelectric power S of a single-quantum-well wire (SQWR) and tunnel-coupled double-quantum-well wires (DQWR's) in a perpendicular magnetic field. The field dependence of G and S are strikingly different in ballistic and diffusive regimes. Interwell tunneling in DQWR's distorts the conductance and the TEP drastically from those of a SQWR and yields a sign anomaly for S .
Expression, purification and functional characterization of IκB kinase-2 (IKK-2) mutants

NF-κB signaling plays a pivotal role in a variety of pathological conditions. Because of its central role in the overall NF-κB regulation, IKK-2 is a viable target for drug discovery. In order to enable structure-based design of IKK-2 inhibitors, we carried out a rational generation of IKK-2 mutants based on induced-fit docking of a selective IKK-2 inhibitor, PHA-408, into the homology model of IKK-2. One mutant we have characterized is a catalytically inactive form of IKK-2, D145A IKK-2, wherein the catalytic aspartic acid, D145 was replaced with alanine. Unlike the WT enzyme, D145A IKK-2 is devoid of kinase activity despite its ability to bind ATP with high affinity and is not phosphorylated at the T loop. In addition, this mutant binds a diverse collection of inhibitors with comparable binding affinities to WT IKK-2. Another interesting mutant we have characterized is F26A IKK-2 (F26 is an aromatic residue located at the very tip of the Gly-rich loop). Pre-incubation of F26A IKK-2 with PHA-408 revealed the role of F26 in the time-dependent binding of this inhibitor. Thus, functional characterization of these mutants provides the first evidence showing the role of a Gly-rich loop residue of a kinase in binding kinetics. These two mutants along with others that we have identified could be used to validate homology models and probe the interactions of IKK-2 with a variety of inhibitors.
Response: Declining States, Declining Rights?

Tilly presents basically the following picture. Over modern history, states have grown stronger. For the last two centuries, workers' rights have in creased within most states, especially those in Europe and North America. The two trends are more closely linked than is often acknowledged, in that the process of seeking to extend the rights of workers aided, indeed re quired, the strengthening of state structures. Today (more or less since 1945, or is it since the 1970s?), the power of states is declining. So is the degree to which workers' rights are guaranteed. Once again, the two are linked.
The intralobular distribution of ethanol-inducible P450IIE1 in rat and human liver.

Perivenular hepatocytes are the first cells within the liver lobule to display signs of toxicity following long-term alcohol use. In an attempt to explain this phenomenon, we have examined the hepatic intralobular distribution in rats and man of P450IIE1, a P-450 isozyme that not only oxidizes ethanol but is also inducible by this agent. Frozen liver sections and microsomes were prepared from male Sprague-Dawley rats pair-fed liquid diets containing 36% of total calories as either ethanol or carbohydrate (control) for 10 to 21 days. Frozen sections or microsomes were also prepared from liver biopsy samples obtained from 17 male patients with diverse drinking histories. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using the peroxidase-antiper-oxidase method after liver sections were reacted with monospecific antibody (IgG) directed against human P450IIE1. Immunoreaction intensity was blindly rated in order to provide a semiquantitative assessment of P450IIE1 levels in perivenular, midzonal and periportal hepatocytes. At low applied anti-P450IIE1 IgG concentrations (2.5 μg per ml), P450IIE1 immunostaining was observed exclusively within the perivenular area in sections from all ethanol-treated rats, whereas no visible immunoreaction was found in sections from their pairfed controls. At higher applied antibody concentrations (15 μg per ml), panlobular antigen immunostaining was observed in five of the six ethanol-treated animals, and P450IIE1 could now also be detected in perivenular hepatocytes from the control rats. In accordance with these immunohistochemical findings, protein blotting with anti-P450IIE1 IgG revealed a 7.5-fold increase in liver microsomal P450IIE1 content in ethanol-treated animals when compared to their pair-fed controls. With human liver, perivenular P450IIE1 immunostaining was observed only in biopsy sections obtained from recently drinking alcoholics (abstinence period of 1 day) when limiting concentrations (5 μg per ml) of the primary antibody were used. Increasing the applied anti-P450IIE1 IgG concentration to 15 μg per ml resulted in perivenular staining of the immunogen in liver sections from abstinent alcoholics (abstinence period of 4 to 8 days) and nondrinkers as well. Immunoblot analysis of human liver microsomes disclosed that the hepatic microsomal P450IIE1 content in recently drinking alcoholics was 4-fold higher than that found in nondrinkers. Our results show that, in both rats and in man, P450IIE1 is normally localized within the perivenular region, or zone 3, of the liver lobule, and that induction of P-450IIE1 by prolonged alcohol consumption occurs primarily within the same acinar region. Since P450IIE1-catalyzed ethanol oxidation results in the formation of acetaldehyde, an established cytotoxin, and free radicals capable of peroxidizing cell membranes, the elevated P450IIE1 levels found in perivenular hepatocytes after chronic alcohol intake suggest that increased production of ethanol-derived toxic metabolites occurs in zone 3 cells, which, in turn, may explain their enhanced susceptibility to alcohol-mediated damage.
Factors affecting the implementation outcome of a mainframe software package: a longitudinal study

Abstract A framework for predicting the likely short and long term outcome of an organization's effort to implement an off-the-shelf software package is proposed and then field tested. The framework considers the initial fit of the proposed system from the perspectives of both the manager/end users and members of their information systems staffs. Due to moderate collinearity among the independent variables, the field test data were analyzed using ridge regression. It was concluded that the short term success of an implementation effort was determined mostly by three factors, as viewed from the perspective of the potential user of the application. Those three factors, in order, were: the relative advantage of the application to the user, the compatibility of the application with the work norms of the user, and the applications lack of complexity or difficulty in use by the potential adopter. Over the long term, while these factors remained significant for continued success, it was important that the application also not be overly complex from the perspective of the information systems support staff. These findings lead to a strategy for software package evaluation and implementation. First, a thorough understanding of the impact of an application on its intended end-users is critical to successful implementation. This understanding is similar to the insight gained from the systems analysis process in custom software development. Second, even in cases where an application fits well with user needs and capabilities, long term viability is also dependent upon a competent and capable information systems support staff.
Interaction between water molecules and zinc sulfide nanoparticles studied by temperature-programmed desorption and molecular dynamics simulations

We have investigated the bonding of water molecules to the surfaces of ZnS nanoparticles (∼2−3 nm sphalerite) using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The activation energy for water desorption was derived as a function of the surface coverage through kinetic modeling of the experimental TPD curves. The binding energy of water equals the activation energy of desorption if it is assumed that the activation energy for adsorption is nearly zero. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of water adsorption on 3 and 5 nm sphalerite nanoparticles provided insights into the adsorption process and water binding at the atomic level. Water binds with the ZnS nanoparticle surface mainly via formation of Zn−O bonds. As compared with bulk ZnS crystals, ZnS nanoparticles can adsorb more water molecules per unit surface area due to the greatly increased curvature, which increases the distance between adjacent adsorbed molecules. Results from both TPD and MD show that the water binding energy increases with decreasing t...
Preparation and properties of water-insoluble derivatives of ribonuclease T1.

Abstract Several enzymatically active water-insoluble ribonuclease T1 (ribonucleate guaninenucleotide-2′-transferase (cyclizing), EC 2.7.7.26) derivatives were prepared. One of these, Sepharose T1, which was prepared by chemically coupling ribonuclease T1 to Sepharose, was further characterized. The enzyme derivative was stable and had no detectable residual soluble enzymatic activity. Substrate specificity of the enzyme derivative remained unaltered. Kinetic values were similar to the free, native enzyme.
Steam hydrolysis of pine (Pinus radiata) sawdust

Pine (Pinus radiata) sawdust was steam-exploded at 300 and 500 psig and at times varying from 30 s to 5 min. Indexes used to monitor the process were: water solubility (WS), enzyme digestibility (ED), in vitro rumen digestibility (RD) and reducing sugars (RS). Kinetic data showed that, at 300 psig, degradation increases with time asymptotically to a maximum value. At 500 psig a similar maximum is reached at times around 1 min, but the values of parameters decrease thereafter. Increases in ED, WS and RS ranged from 3 to 7 times. Addition of acid as catalyst induced further improvements varying from about 8 to 13 times the original values. SEM work showed extensive disruption at the ultrastructural level.
Recall-precision trade-off: a derivation

The inexact nature of document retrieval gives rise to a fundamental recall precision trade-off: generally, recall improves at the expense of precision, or precision improves at the expense of recall. This trade-off is borne out empirically and has qualitatively intuitive explanations. In this article, we explore this relationship mathematically to explain it further. We see that the recall-precision trade-off hinges on a deceleration in the proportion of relevant documents which are retrieved, successively, over time. Further, we examine several mathematical functions sharing this property and conclude that the equation that best models recall as a function of time is the logarithm of a quadratic function. Our conclusion meets the following requirements: the function we derive predicts non-decreasing recall over time until the last relevant document is retrieved (regardless of the density of relevant documents in the collection) without imposing any artificial restrictions on either what percentage of the collection would need to be examined to achieve perfect recall or what the level of precision would be at that time. Other models examined fail to meet one or more of these criteria. © 1989 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Circumscribed Interests in Higher Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Exploratory Study:

Circumscribed interests are a fascinating and an understudied phenomenon insome individuals withautism spectrum disorders (ASD). Research in this area is likely to contribute to our understanding of ASDs and to advancing developmental knowledge on learning processes used to adapt to the demands of everyday social life. This study reports on a survey of special interests in 96 children and adolescents with higher functioning ASD. The survey included listing of up to three special interests for each child, and the rating of level of interference of a given interest upon children’s activities when by themselves and when in contact with family members, peers, and other adults. This information was collected for both preschool and elementary school years. Special interests were classified into eight categories in terms of their nature (rather than topic), which included the ways through which the interest was manifest and pursued. Results indicated that circumscribed interests (a) are the norm rather than the exception in this population (75% and 88% of the sample for the younger and the older age periods, respectively), (b) most frequently involve verbal learning and memorization of facts (65% and 81% for the younger and the older age periods, respectively), (c) often involve an element of interest in letters and numbers in the preschool years (35% of the sample), (d) greatly interfere with activities pursued by oneself or with others, and (e) level of interference is predictive of lower social and communicative adaptive behavior later in life. Given the ubiquity of circumscribed interests in this population, their verbal nature, and the passion that children with ASD invest in these pursuits, we suggest the need for studies that will trace the longitudinal course of learning profiles from early childhood and possible interventions that may address these areas.
History of climate modeling

The history of climate modeling begins with conceptual models, followed in the 19th century by mathematical models of energy balance and radiative transfer, as well as simple analog models. Since the 1950s, the principal tools of climate science have been computer simulation models of the global general circulation. From the 1990s to the present, a trend toward increasingly comprehensive coupled models of the entire climate system has dominated the field. Climate model evaluation and intercomparison is changing modeling into a more standardized, modular process, presenting the potential for unifying research and operational aspects of climate science. WIREs Clim Change 2011 2 128–139 DOI: 10.1002/wcc.95 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Hard Cosmic X-ray Sources

A review of the observational status of X-ray sources detected in the 20 ≃ 500 keV range is presented. Of the approximately 115 sources listed in the March 1972 edition of the UHURU 2–6 keV sky survey catalog, about 15 sources have been studied in hard X-rays. Most of the data have been obtained from balloons, although the OSO-3, and more recently the OSO-7, have contributed. With the exception of CEN A, the SMC, and possibly M-87, all the sources detected at higher energies are galactic and heavily concentrated in the galactic plane. The Crab Nebula has been measured to about 500 keV in continuous emission and a component at the ≃33 ms pulsar period comprising about 20% of the total emission has been detected to ~10 MeV. Objects such as SCO-1 and CYG-2 are characterized by an exponential spectrum, which varies over a 10 min. time scale about a factor of two, and a flatter spectrum extending to above 40 keV which exhibits independent variability. Objects such as CYG-1 and possibly CYG-3 have a multi-component power law spectrum extending to over 100 keV, and may vary many factors over a period of weeks. Other sources generally not yet identified with optical or radio candidates, located in the Galactic Center and the Centaurus/Crux region also show considerable variability, and in one case may have been detected to nearly 500 keV. Only upper limits at about 2 × 10−4 photon (cm2 s keV)−1 in the 20–50 keV range exist for most supernova remnants and extragalactic sources.
Student culture vs group work in computer science

Our industrial advisory boards tell us that our students are well prepared technically, but they lack important group work skills. Simply adding project courses and requiring that assignments be done in groups has not improved the situation. A careful study of student culture in Computer Science has uncovered barriers to collaboration, which can be overcome only by pervasive changes in the way we approach our curriculum.
Compliance with handwashing and barrier precautions

Compliance with handwashing and barrier precautions remains suboptimal in all health care settings and among all types of staff. Interventions to increase compliance include educational and motivational programmes, providing individual and group feedback on performance, modifying and improving equipment available, changing administrative policy and sanctions, and increasing staff commitment with role modelling. Single, isolated interventions are unlikely to meet with sustained success. A theory-based, multifaceted approach is indicated.
The role of dust particles with large gyroradii in the '2/3' fall-down process

The authors consider the Alfven-Arrhenius fall-down process and propose a mechanism whereby the Rosseland electric field (the field needed to maintain quasineutrality) may be responsible for the capture and confinement of large-gyroradius dust particles within a plasma shell stratified along the direction of the magnetic-field lines. For these particles, the effect of the magnetic force is rather weak, and they move with a constant z component of the angular momentum in a one-dimensional equivalent potential (gravitational plus centrifugal). This has a maximum at the equator and a minimum at the '2/3' points, i.e. the points where the field-aligned components of the gravitational and centrifugal forces balance. It is shown that under suitable initial conditions these are points of maximum dust density and minimum plasma density. The plasma-planetisemal transition is therefore expected to take place at the '2/3' points in accordance with the Alfven-Arrhenius mechanism. It is also shown that the fraction of infalling dust particles that can accrete onto the equatorial plane by the Alfven-Arrhenius and Rosseland mechanisms is rather small ( approximately (L/R/sub e/) >
Synthesis of pseudo-random pattern testable designs

A method of synthesizing scan designs that are testable with pseudorandom patterns is presented. The logic is first simplified by various transformations in a logic synthesis system. A fault simulator is then used to guide the placement of control points and observation points. In order to reduce the overhead, control points are shared when possible and a condensation network is used with the observation points. Experimental results which indicate that pseudorandom testability can be achieved with small area overheads using simple techniques are presented. >
Creating a geographic footprint from LIDAR data in ArcGIS

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), like radar, is an active remote sensing system. This technology involves the use of pulses of laser light directed toward the ground and measures the time of pulse return. The return time for each pulse, back to the sensor is processed to calculate the variable distance between the sensors and the various surfaces present on the ground. The project is to create a geographic footprint from LIDAR data, using Microsoft Visual Basic for Application (VBA) and ArcGIS. VBA is an across product language that allows users to create complex and fully functional applications. The problem at hand was to find the line beginning and the line end of each scan line and mark those points to extract the polygon outline. The maximum and minimum points, which will declare the left or right outermost points of the sample image, were found. These x and y connecting points cannot have openings or dangling lines when being shaped into a polygon. In order to avoid unwanted shapes, the programs used to arrange points to draw a polygon of the selected data were written. VBA was used to write the program codes and then the codes were integrated with ArcGIS software. This paper demonstrates specific examples regarding the creation of geographic footprint from LIDAR data in ArcGIS. The end product of the project can be useful for anyone working with LIDAR data
Real-time imaging of cancer cell chemotaxis in paper-based scaffolds

Cellular migration is the movement of cells, cultured as a monolayer; cellular invasion is similar to migration, but requires the cells to move through a three-dimensional material such as basement membrane extract or a synthetic hydrogel. Migration assays, such as the transwell assay, are widely used to study cellular movement because they are amenable to high-throughput screens with minimal experimental setup. These assays offer limited information about cellular responses to gradients in vivo because they oversimplify the threedimensional (3D) environment of a tissue. There are a number of invasion assays that support 3D cultures, some of which provide experimental control over the spatial and temporal gradients imparted on the culture. These assays, in their current form, are difficult to setup and maintain, and often require specialized laboratory equipment or engineering expertise. Here we describe a paper-based invasion assay in which cellular movement can be monitored in real-time with fluorescence microscopy. These assays are easily prepared and utilize materials commonly found in any laboratory: a single sheet of paper. These sheets are wax patterned to contain channels in which cells suspended in a hydrogel are seeded and cultured. Cell-containing sheets of paper are placed in a custom-built holder that allows gradients to form along the length of the channels. In this work, we compare the invasion of cells cultured in the presence and absence of an oxygen gradient. Our result support previous findings that oxygen is a chemoattractant, and selectively directs cellular movement in a 3D culture environment.
Acoustics in 3D Printing

3D-printed models do look good but lack realism due to lack of sound. This paper provides a print initiator an easy workflow interface for adding relevant acoustics (sound) to a model whose 3D printing is being triggered. Adding acoustics (sound) adds value to a 3D model by adding a life-like experience into a raw model.The following work presents an interactive workflow through which a print requestor can add a logical and desired acoustic (sound) in one of the following ways: select a sound from her own databaserecord or create a new sound on the spotselect a relevant or matching sound from a sound library offered by the system.The selected sound is subsequently inserted into a micro controller chip; the chip is insulated and positioned and placed in a 3D model. Additionally, the interfaces through which the inserted sound is triggered through any of external factors (like touch or push button) are discussed. Sound is then produced from the 3D Model.
Hot-carrier stress effects on gate-induced-drain leakage current in n-channel MOSFETs studied by hydrogen/deuterium isotope effect

The degradation of gate-induced-drain leakage (GIDL) current under hot-carrier stress (HCS) has been studied in n-channel MOSFETs that were annealed in hydrogen (H) or deuterium (D). It is found that the degradation of GIDL current (I/sub GIDL/) can be effectively suppressed by deuterium passivation of interface traps. By using the H/D isotope effect, the impacts of oxide charge trapping (/spl Delta/N/sub ox/) and interface trap generation (/spl Delta/N/sub it/) on I/sub GIDL/ are successfully separated. The results indicate that, depending on stress and measurement conditions, I/sub GIDL/ may increase or decrease under HCS. /spl Delta/N/sub ox/ alters I/sub GIDL/ at high electric fields by varying the band-to-band tunneling current. /spl Delta/N/sub it/ alters I/sub GIDL/ at a low electric field by introducing a trap-assisted leakage component. Furthermore, evidence of hole trapping at the peak substrate current stress is indisputably presented for the first time and its impact on I/sub GIDL/ is discussed.