cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Fluid Flow on Freezing and Thawing of Saturated Porous Media

In this paper we obtain an analytical solution that describes the effect of seepage flow on the freezing and thawing of saturated porous media. This solution is obtained by using techniques from complex variable theory. Results are presented to show how fluid flow effects the shape and growth rates of frozen regions embedded in the porous media. The effect of a heat sink is included for both single and multiple frozen regions. Examples are presented to illustrate the effect of this ground water flow on the thawing of arctic permafrost with and without the presence of perma­frost protection devices.
PIXE as a Complement to Trace Metal Analysis of Sediments by ICP-OES

The adverse effects of metal contamination in sediments require methods that can quickly and accurately assess the extent of environmental pollution. Particle induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE) is demonstrated to be a viable alternative to an established method, which consists of acid digestion and Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to measure trace metals in sediment. The analysis of trace metal composition by both techniques on a NIST Standard Reference Material mud gives results that are consistent with the certified values for fourteen measured metals, seven of which are common to both methods. A comparison study conducted on a sediment core from a freshwater lake with a known chromium contamination in Muskegon County, MI also shows a good correlation between the methods for transition metals of environmental interest over a wide range of metal concentrations. Total sample preparation and analysis time for the PIXE measurements is roughly one third that of acid digestion and ICP-OES. Also, the acid digestion step does not elute all the metal, while the nondestructive PIXE approach is a total metals analysis method. However the PIXE method generally has higher limits of detection for many environmental metal contaminants. By combining the two techniques, the acid digestion elution factor can be quantified by running PIXE on an original sample and on the residue resulting from acid digestion.
Force measurements between layers of amphiphiles, polyelectrolytes and biomolecules

Force measurement techniques are providing increasing insight into the organization and properties of layers of organic molecules and biomolecules. Structural forces and forces of specific intermolecular interaction or recognition are being quantified for the first time using SFA and SFM methods. These data are essential for the rational design of biomolecular surfaces and bulk materials.
Processing of laminated hybrid ceramic composites

The thermoelastic response of ceramic composite laminates was studied in order to optimize their design and fabrication. Laminated ceramic composites were fabricated with induced thermal residual stresses resulting from subsequent cooling from elevated processing temperatures. Samples were fabricated by tape casting laminae of different compositions and then bonding them together by hot pressing to form the finished laminate. These laminates were analyzed to better understand the process occurring during hot pressing that produced bonded and consolidated composites. Calculated laminate properties were found to be comparable to measured values. Microprobe elemental analysis was used to determine the interlaminar and intralaminar reactions occurring during fabrication. X-ray diffraction stress analysis was used to verify predicted residual stress calculations. Residual stresses and stress-driven reactions were found to be contributing factors in the resulting microstructural variations found within the composites.
Further evidence for a different mode of action of caffeine and benzamide on mammalian cells

Post-treatment with 2 mM caffeine or 2 mM benzamide increased the lethality of MNNG (N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine) treated V79 cells; in the presence of 50 microM deoxycytidine, the caffeine effect was eliminated whereas the benzamide effect remained the same. Combined treatment with caffeine/benzamide alone produced a large amount of cell lethality which was eliminated by 50 microM deoxycytidine. Benzamide produced a strong inhibition of the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase activity present in cell-free extracts prepared from V79 cells with greater than 90% inhibition at 2 mM concentration; caffeine on the other hand did not produce any substantial inhibition of this activity in the 2-5 mM range. These results further substantiate our earlier hypothesis that the mode of action of caffeine and benzamide on eukaryotic cells containing DNA damage are not identical [S.K. Das, C.C. Lau and A.B. Pardee (1984) Mutation Res., 131, 71-79].
Environmental and chemical factors influencing the biodegradation of phthalic acid esters in freshwater sediments

Abstract A wide range of environmental and chemical factors influenced the biodegradation of simple and complex phthalic acid esters in an aquatic environment. The length and configuration of the alkyl phthalate diester significantly affected the primary biodegradation of di-n-butyl (DBP), di-2-ethylhexyl (DEHP), di-isooctyl (DIOP), and di-isononyl (DNIP) phthalate. After 14 days incubation in aerobic sediments at 22°C, less than 2% of the branched-chain alkyl phthalates—DEHP, DIOP and DINP (at μg concentrations)—were biodegraded, compared with 85% of the linear alkyl DBP. Primary biodegradation of DEHP, DIOP and DINP was significantly greater at high concentrations (> μ g litre −1 ) and high temperatures (> 22°C) in freshwater sediments. Pre-exposure of the sediments to DBP, DEHP, DIOP and DINP did not influence their biodegradation. The addition of organic nutrients significantly affected the primary biodegradation of DBP with varied results, depending on the nutrient, its concentration, and the time of addition. Neither inorganic nitrogen nor phosphorus alone or in combination influenced the degradation of DBP. The complex alkyl phthalate DEHP in sediments biodegraded under anaerobic conditions; even though the process was slow, both primary and ultimate degradation did occur.
Morphology and Transport Properties of Two-Dimensional Sheet Polymers

Whereas there has been extensive theoretical and experimental investigation of the properties of linear polymer chains in solution, there has been far less work on sheet-like polymers having 2D con...
Secondary defects in quenched and aged platinum

Quenched and aged Pt, investigating secondary defects for vacancies clustering modes by transmission electron and field-ion microscopy
Diversity at Christian Colleges: It's About Mission

A qualitative case study methodology was used to determine what drives four Christian colleges attempting to become more diverse communities and what role their mission plays in seeking the change they desire. The focus was on analyzing the tension between the institutions' missions as Christian colleges and their desire to become more ethnically diverse, as well as the role of their history in either helping or hindering their efforts. The research also explored whether an institution's denomination helped or hindered its diversity efforts. The final goal of the study was identifying how these institutions were coordinating and monitoring their efforts to become more diverse. Results identified that all four institutions were making some level of progress within each of the dimensions. All four institutions share drivers in their efforts to become more diverse as well as tensions between their mission as Christian colleges and their desire for more diversity. None of the participants believed their respe...
The Effects of Acceleration on High-Ability Learners: A Meta-Analysis

Current empirical research about the effects of acceleration on high-ability learners’ academic achievement and social— emotional development were synthesized using meta-analytic techniques. A tota...
Traffic Signal Timing Optimization: Choosing the Objective Function

Choosing an appropriate objective function in optimizing traffic signals in urban transportation networks is not a simple and straightforward task because the choice likely will affect the set of constraints, modeling variables, obtained outputs, and necessary computer and human resources. A methodology for selection of an appropriate objective function for the problem of signal timing optimization was developed. The methodology was applied to a realistic case study network under four demand patterns (symmetric, asymmetric, undersaturated, oversaturated). Selection is made from a pool of five candidates: minimizing the delay, minimizing the travel time, maximizing the throughput-minus-queue, maximizing the number of completed trips (or trip maximization), and maximizing the weighted number of completed trips (or weighted trip maximization). Findings indicate that for all demand patterns, weighted trip maximization improved network performance compared with the other objective functions. Weighted trip maxi...
PRODUCTION AND RECOVERY OF ELECTRON-INDUCED RADIATION DAMAGE IN A NUMBER OF METALS

The changes in residual electrical resistance produced by bombardment with high-energy electrons were measured for a number of metals as a function of electron energy in the range from 0.5 to 1.4 MeV. The irradiations were performed at \ensuremath{\lesssim}20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, and recovery measurements were made up to 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The production curves were analyzed using simple displacement theory and the following values were found for the average threshold energies: Al, 32 eV; Au, g40 eV; Ag, 28 eV; Cu, 22 eV; Fe, 24 eV; Mo, 37 eV; Ni, 24 eV; Ti, 29 eV; and W, g35 eV. Approximate values for the resistivities of Frenkel pairs (in units of \ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\Omega} cm per at.%) were also obtained as follows: Al, 3.4; Ag, 1.4; Cu, 1.3; Fe, 12.5; Mo, 4.5; Ni, 3.2; and Ti, 42. In the case of Al it was necessary to take secondary defect production into account and a number of representative theoretical curves, based on different assumptions concerning the process of secondary defect production, are included. The behavior of Zn was anomalous in that the added resistivity was not a linear function of electron dose at 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K.
Dynamic gene expression patterns in animal models of early and late heart failure reveal biphasic-bidirectional transcriptional activation of signaling pathways

Altered cardiac gene expression in heart failure (HF) has mostly been identified by single-point analysis of end-stage disease. This may miss earlier changes in gene expression that are transient and/or directionally opposite to those observed later. Myocardial datasets from the largest microarray data repository (Gene Expression Omnibus) yielded six HF studies with time-course data. Differentially expressed transcripts between nonfailing controls, early HF ( 2 wk) were determined, and analysis of KEGG pathways and predicted regulatory control elements performed. We found that gene expression followed varying patterns: Downregulation of metabolic pathways occurred early and was sustained into late-stage HF. In contrast, most signaling pathways undergo a complex biphasic pattern: Calcium signaling, p53, apoptosis, and MAPK pathways displayed a bidirectional response, declining early but rising late. These profiles were compatible with specific microRNA (miRNA) and transcription regulators: Estrogen-related receptor-α and myocyte-enhancer factor-2 binding sites were overrepresented in the promoter regions of downregulated transcripts. Concurrently, there were overrepresented binding sites for E2f and ETS family members (E-Twenty Six, including Gabp, Elf1, and Ets2), serum response and interferon regulated factor in biphasic-bidirectional and late-upregulated transcripts. Binding sites for miRNAs downregulated by HF were more common in upregulated transcripts (e.g., miRNA-22,-133a/b, and -150 in early HF and miRNA-1,-9,-499 in late HF). During the development of HF, gene expression is characterized by dynamic overlapping sets of transcripts controlled by specific interrelated regulatory mechanisms. While metabolic gene classes show early and sustained downregulation in HF, signaling pathways undergo a complex biphasic pattern with early down- and more pronounced late upregulation.
Frontal white matter integrity in adults with Down syndrome with and without dementia

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) are at high risk for developing Alzheimer's disease after the age of 40 years. To detect white matter (WM) changes in the brain linked to dementia, fractional anisotropy (FA) from diffusion tensor imaging was used. We hypothesized that adults with DS without dementia (DS n = 10), DS with dementia (DSAD n = 10) and age matched non-DS subjects (CTL n = 10) would show differential levels of FA and an association with scores from the Brief Praxis Test and the Severe Impairment Battery. WM integrity differences in DS compared with CTL were found predominantly in the frontal lobes. Across all DS adults, poorer Brief Praxis Test performance correlated with reduced FA in the corpus callosum as well as several association tracts, primarily within frontoparietal regions. Our results demonstrate significantly lower WM integrity in DS compared with controls, particularly in the frontal tracts. DS-related WM integrity reductions in a number of tracts were associated with poorer cognition. These preliminary results suggest that late myelinating frontal pathways may be vulnerable to aging in DS.
Inhibition of rabbit duodenal bicarbonate secretion by ulcerogenic agents: Histamine-dependent and -independent effects

Abstract Background & Aims: The gastroduodenal epithelium is protected from acid-peptic damage, in part, by its ability to secrete bicarbonate. Patients with duodenal ulcer disease have impaired proximal duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion. We have shown in vitro that histamine inhibits prostaglandin-stimulated bicarbonate secretion in rabbit duodenal mucosa via histamine H 2 receptors and enteric nerves. In this study we examined whether the proulcerogenic compounds aspirin or ethanol regulate duodenal bicarbonate secretion and the involvement of histamine. Methods: Bicarbonate secretion by rabbit proximal duodenal mucosa was examined in vitro in Ussing chambers. Results: Aspirin and ethanol decreased basal and prostaglandin-stimulated bicarbonate secretion; the latter effect was specific for prostaglandin. The inhibitory effects of the two ulcerogenic compounds were at least additive. Ranitidine and tetrodotoxin abolished the inhibitory effects on stimulated, but not basal, secretion. Aspirin and ethanol also induced release of duodenal histamine. Conclusions: Aspirin and ethanol act by two distinct pathways to impair duodenal bicarbonate secretion. Both agents inhibit basal secretion via a histamine-independent and neurally independent pathway while they inhibit prostaglandin E 2 –stimulated secretion via histamine release, likely from mast cells, and actions on enteric nerves. Our findings may be of relevance to the understanding and potential treatment of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug–associated mucosal injury. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1998;114:527-535
Protein conformational heterogeneity as a binding catalyst: ESI-MS study of hemoglobin H formation.

Our previous studies of hemoglobin tetramer assembly in vitro suggested that the initial step in the oligomerization process, which ultimately dictates the high fidelity of the heterotetramer (α*β*)2 assembly, is the binding of a flexible heme-free β-globin chain to a highly ordered heme-bound α*-globin. In this work, we extend these studies to investigate formation of the homotetrameric hemoglobin H, whose formation in vivo is a well-documented clinical consequence of significant overexpression of β-globin in α-thalassemic disorders. Upon reconstitution of the isolated β-globin with excess heme, the predominant species in the ESI mass spectrum corresponds to the homotetramer β*4, alongside homodimeric species and monomeric β-globin chains in both apo and holo forms. The assembly process of the hemoglobin H homotetramer apparently follows a scenario similar to that of a normal heterodimeric hemoglobin (α*β*)2 species, with the asymmetric binding event between compact and flexible polypeptide chains being ...
Histone-deacetylase inhibition reverses atrial arrhythmia inducibility and fibrosis in cardiac hypertrophy independent of angiotensin

Atrial fibrosis influences the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly in the setting of structural heart disease where angiotensin-inhibition is partially effective for reducing atrial fibrosis and AF. Histone-deacetylase inhibition reduces cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, so we sought to determine if the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) could reduce atrial fibrosis and arrhythmias. Mice over-expressing homeodomain-only protein (HopXTg), which recruits HDAC activity to induce cardiac hypertrophy were investigated in 4 groups (aged 14-18 weeks): wild-type (WT), HopXTg, HopXTg mice treated with TSA for 2 weeks (HopX-TSA) and wild-type mice treated with TSA for 2 weeks (WT-TSA). These groups were characterized using invasive electrophysiology, atrial fibrosis measurements, atrial connexin immunocytochemistry and myocardial angiotensin II measurements. Invasive electrophysiologic stimulation, using the same attempts in each group, induced more atrial arrhythmias in HopXTg mice (48 episodes in 13 of 15 HopXTg mice versus 5 episodes in 2 of 15 HopX-TSA mice, P<0.001; versus 9 episodes in 2 of 15 WT mice, P<0.001; versus no episodes in any WT-TSA mice, P<0.001). TSA reduced atrial arrhythmia duration in HopXTg mice (1307±289 milliseconds versus 148±110 milliseconds, P<0.01) and atrial fibrosis (8.1±1.5% versus 3.9±0.4%, P<0.001). Atrial connexin40 was lower in HopXTg compared to WT mice, and TSA normalized the expression and size distribution of connexin40 gap junctions. Myocardial angiotensin II levels were similar between WT and HopXTg mice (76.3±26.0 versus 69.7±16.6 pg/mg protein, P=NS). Therefore, it appears HDAC inhibition reverses atrial fibrosis, connexin40 remodeling and atrial arrhythmia vulnerability independent of angiotensin II in cardiac hypertrophy.
When Analytic Narratives Explain

Rational choice modeling originating in economics is sweeping across many areas of social science. This paper examines a popular methodological proposal for integrating formal models from game theory with more traditional narrative explanations of historical phenomena, known as “analytic narratives”. Under what conditions are we justified in thinking that an analytic narrative provides a good explanation? In this paper I criticize the existing criteria and provide a set of my own. Along the way, I address the critique of analytic narratives by Jon Elster.
Convergent Morphological Evolution Detected by Studying Proteins of Tree Frogs in the Hyla eximia Species Group

Protein studies have uncovered an apparent case of convergent evolution among North American tree frogs. The species Hyla eximia and Hyla regilla are so similar in external morphology that the "wrightorum" subspecies is assigned by some authorities to H. eximia and by others to H. regilla. Yet microcomplement fixation experiments show that "wrightorum" albumin, though virtually indistinguishable from authentic H. eximia albumin, differs as much from H. regilla albumin as from albumins of species outside the genus Hyla, such as Acris crepitans. The morphological resemblance of "wrightorum" to H. regilla is thus probably due to convergence.
Naucoridae Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Tanzania

The East African country of Tanzania was surveyed extensively for its fauna of saucer bugs (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Naucoridae) in July and August 2010 and August 2013. Previously, two subfamilies, three genera and six species were known from the country. All taxa previously recorded from Tanzania were re-collected, with the exception of two species, Neomacrocoris karimii Poisson and N. usambaricus (Montandon). We added three genera (Aneurocoris, Ctenipocoris, and Laccocoris) and eight species; thus, the known naucorid fauna of Tanzania now includes six genera and 14 species. Included in the collections were two undescribed species of Neomacrocoris. An annotated list and illustrated key to the species are presented.
Minimum mass bar for axial vibration at specified natural frequency.

Minimum mass bar design for axial vibration of beam with load distribution at specified natural frequency
Changes in the lungs of lambs after intratracheal injection of lipopolysaccharide from Pasteurella haemolytica A1

Summary Ten lambs aged 8 weeks were inoculated intratracheally through the tracheal wall with lipopolysaccharide from Pasteurella haemolytica A1 and examined in chronological sequence by light and electron microscopy for pulmonary lesions. An acute fibrinopurulent pneumonia was produced, which resolved within 72 h but bore many resemblances to field cases of pneumonic pasteurellosis. Sequestration of neutrophils in the capillaries of the lungs and aggregation of surfactant in the alveoli occurred rapidly, followed by swelling of the alveolar and capillary endothelia, oedema, haemorrhage, and emigration of neutrophils into the interstitium and small air spaces of the lungs. Necrosis of isolated neutrophils was a constant feature. Alveolar, interstitial and intravascular macrophages and lymphoid cells increased slowly to become the predominant inflammatory cells at 72 h. A surprising feature was the transient appearance of multinucleated cells in the lungs at 2 and 6 h after inoculation. It is concluded that lipopolysaccharide makes a major contribution to the pathogenesis of P. haemolytica infection in the lungs of sheep.
Three experiments in speechreading

Abstract Three speechreading factors were examined: whether the speechreader can identify the /h/ before the vowel in monosyllabic words, whether the speechreader can identify the initial or final consonant voicing in mono-syllabic words not otherwise different, and whether syllable stress can be identified by speechreading. Subjects were undergraduate students in a speechreading course. The identification of the /h/ before a vowel and the identification of voicing were not made on better than a chance basis. Subjects did not identify dissyllabic words spoken with correct stress better than with incorrect stress, but the identification of syllable stress with spoken numbers was better than chance.
Rhesus Cytomegalovirus Encodes Seventeen MicroRNAs that are Differentially Expressed in vitro and in vivo

Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) miRNAs are important for regulation of viral infection and evasion of host immune responses. Unfortunately, the importance of HCMV miRNAs cannot be addressed in vivo due to the species specificity of CMVs. Rhesus CMV (RhCMV) infection of rhesus macaques provides an important model system for HCMV pathogenesis due to the genetic similarity between the viruses. In this report, seventeen RhCMV miRNAs were identified using Next Generation Sequencing. In fibroblasts, RhCMV miRNAs associate with Argonaute proteins and display several patterns of expression, including an early peak in expression followed by decline and accumulation throughout infection. Additionally, RhCMV encodes an HCMV miR-US5-2 homologue that targets the 3′ UTR of RhCMV US7. Finally, examination of salivary gland tissue from infected animals revealed the presence of a subset of viral miRNAs. This study highlights the importance of the RhCMV model system for evaluating the roles of CMV miRNAs during viral infection.
Preparing Teachers to Support Struggling First-Grade Readers

The purpose of this report is to provide education professors teaching early literacy methods courses with information for beginning teachers to support struggling first-grade readers. This analysis identifies the specific word structures children are expected to know by the end of first grade, and shows the actual learning rates of these sound-to-letter correspondences by students who are not achieving on grade level. The evidence presented herein shows the need for preservice teachers to fully understand how to assess and enhance phonemic awareness in young children, a building block for decoding, and to identify and concentrate on teaching alphabetic relations as part of the early literacy curriculum. Given the increasing numbers of students with diverse ethnic/language backgrounds and special needs in mainstream early childhood and primary grade settings, teacher education programs need to provide preservice teachers with the knowledge and skills required to meet the instructional needs of children fr...
Recombinant human erythroid potentiating activity enhances the effect of erythropoietin in mice.

: Endotoxin-free purified recombinant human erythroid potentiating activity (EPA) was administered to mice either alone or concomitantly with recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo). Epo treatment alone caused an increased hematocrit and reticulocyte count in the peripheral blood. In the spleen, the number of morphologically recognizable erythroid cells, CFU-E and BFU-E was also increased. Concomitant administration of EPA with Epo further enhanced erythropoiesis as judged by the same parameters. No significant effect on granulopoiesis was observed in association with Epo or combined Epo and EPA treatment. Our data indicates that EPA is active in vivo in augmenting the erythropoietic response to Epo.
A Robust Silicon-on-Insulator Static-Random-Access-Memory Architecture by using Advanced Actively Body-Bias Controlled Technology

This paper presents that advanced actively body-bias controlled (Advanced ABC) technology contributes to enhancing operation margins of static random access memory (SRAM). For the first time, significant enhancement of static noise margin (SNM) is successfully realized by using a body bias of load, access, and driver transistors while suppressing threshold-voltage variations. In this technology, well taps control the body potential of the load transistor and word lines also control the body potential of the access and driver transistors. It is demonstrated that the write and read margins of 65-nm-node silicon-on-insulator (SOI) SRAMs are improved by the Advanced ABC technology. Furthermore, it is found that the SNM is enhanced by 27% for 32 nm and 49% for 22 nm node. It is summarized that this technology is one of countermeasures for emerging generations.
Measurement of the scattering matrix with an intervening ionosphere

With the advent of radar scattering from the moon and earth satellites, it is interesting to examine the effect of the interposition of a magneto-ionic medium (the ionosphere) between the observer and the scatterer upon measurements of the scattering matrix. The integrated electron density of the ionosphere is of the order of 1013 electrons per centimeter squared, with diurnal variations of a factor of two. A typical value of the geomagnetic field is Vs gauss. For radar frequencies, the Faraday effect may be considered as a rotation of the plane of polarization without absorption. At 200 megacycles, the rotation is about ? each way. It varies as the inverse square of the frequency. For simplicity, the discussion is restricted to back-scattering; no new essential features appear in the general case. The scattering matrix of interest is, of course, that which would be present in the absence of the ionosphere, not that due to the composite system of scatterer plus ionosphere. The complication is that it can be observed only with the effect of the Faraday rotation superimposed.
Super‐stretched pachytene chromosomes for fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping and immunodetection of DNA methylation

Meiotic pachytene chromosome-based fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping is one of the most important tools in plant molecular cytogenetic research. Here we report a simple technique that allows stretching of pachytene chromosomes of maize to up to at least 20 times their original size. A modified Carnoy's II fixative (6:1:3 ethanol:chloroform:acetic acid) was used in the procedure, and proved to be key for super-stretching of pachytene chromosomes. We demonstrate that super-stretched pachytene chromosomes provide unprecedented resolution for chromosome-based FISH mapping. DNA probes separated by as little as 50 kb can be resolved on super-stretched chromosomes. A combination of FISH with immunofluorescent detection of 5-methyl cytosine on super-stretched pachytene chromosomes provides a powerful tool to reveal DNA methylation of specific chromosomal domains, especially those associated with highly repetitive DNA sequences.
A Teflon microreactor with integrated piezoelectric actuator to handle solid forming reactions.

We present a general inexpensive method for realizing a Teflon stack microreactor with an integrated piezoelectric actuator for conducting chemical synthesis with solid products. The microreactors are demonstrated with palladium-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions, which are prone to clogging microchannels by forming insoluble salts as by-products. Investigations of the ultrasonic waveform applied by the piezoelectric actuator reveal an optimal value of 50 kHz at a load power of 30 W. Operating the system at these conditions, the newly developed Teflon microreactor handles the insoluble solids formed and no clogging is observed. The investigated reactions reach full conversion in very short reaction times and high isolated yields are obtained (>95% yield).
Chrysomelidial in the defensive secretion of the leaf beetleGastrophysa cyanea Melsheimer

Larvae of the chrysomelid beetleGastrophysa cyanea produce a defensive secretion in their eversible thoracic and abdominal glands that is an effective repellent for small predators such as fire ants. This secretion is composed primarily of chrysomelidial, 2-(2-formyl-3-methyl-2-cyclopentenyl)propanal, and a compound tentatively identified as its enol lactone. Adaptations that optimize the effectiveness of the larval defensive exudate are discussed.
Becoming an Elementary Social Studies Teacher: A Study of Perspectives

Abstract Student teachers' perspectives toward social studies education are analyzed in this paper. Sixteen elementary-level student teachers were selected at two university teacher education programs. One year's observations and interviews with the student teachers and their colleagues provided the data. The 16 participants held one or more of six perspectives. They viewed social studies as a nonsubject, as human relations, as citizenship indoctrination, as school knowledge, as the integrative core of the elementary curriculum, and as education for social action. A case study of a representative student illustrated the complexity of how perspectives develop. These findings suggested that official conceptions of social studies have little to do with student teachers' beliefs and actions in the classroom and that methods courses should address this discrepancy.
Water column methane oxidation adjacent to an area of active hydrate dissociation, Eel river Basin

Abstract The role of methane clathrate hydrates in the global methane budget is poorly understood because little is known about how much methane from decomposing hydrates actually reaches the atmosphere. In an attempt to quantify the role of water column methanotrophy (microbial methane oxidation) as a control on methane release, we measured water column methane profiles (concentration and δ13C) and oxidation rates at eight stations in an area of active methane venting in the Eel River Basin, off the coast of northern California. The oxidation rate measurements were made with tracer additions of 3H-CH4. Small numbers of instantaneous rate measurements are difficult to interpret in a dynamic, advecting coastal environment, but combined with the concentration and stable isotope measurements, they do offer insights into the importance of methanotrophy as a control on methane release. Fractional oxidation rates ranged from 0.2 to 0.4% of ambient methane per day in the deep water (depths >370 m), where methane concentration was high (20–300 nM), to near-undetectable rates in the upper portion of the water column (depths
Interaction of 4.1-Mev Neutrons with Nuclei

The differential cross sections for elastic scattering of 4.1-Mev neutrons by Be, C, Al, Ti, Fe, Zn, Zr, Cd, Sn, Ta, W, Au, Pb, and Bi were measured using a biased scintillation detector with thresholds at about 2.0, 2.6, and 3.2 Mev. Multiple scattering corrections were made by an approximate method, the accuracy of which was investigated by Monte Carlo calculations. Inelastic collision cross sections and elastic transport cross sections were computed from the data. The experimental results are compared with theoretical cross sections calculated using the complex square-well potential of Feshbach, Porter, and Weisskopf.
Vibrational spectra of polycrystalline carbon subsulfide

Abstract The infrared and Raman spectra of polycrystalline C3S2 were measured in the region from 10 to 2500 cm−1 at 85°K, and the temperature dependence of the vibrational spectra above 85°K was studied. The fundamental and first overtone of the central carbon bending mode, V7 were observed under a variety of experimental conditions including a gas phase measurement of 2v7 at 300°K. The observation of an apparent change in the sign of the anharmonicity of the v7, bending mode in going from the gas to the solid phase can be interpreted on the basis of “quasilinear” behavior for C3S2. Additional features in the vibrational spectra of C3S2 support this interpretation. A reassignment of the stretching modes of C3S2 is supported by a vibrational analysis.
Global stability for infinite delay Lotka-Volterra type systems

Abstract In this paper, sufficient conditions are established for the global stability of the saturated equilibrium of an infinite delay, nonautonomous Lotka-Volterra type system. The present work is distinguished from previous work principally be allowing the system to be nonautonomous and relaxing the traditional requirement that the undelayed intraspecific competition dominates both the delayed intraspecific competition as well as the interspecific interactions. We require the undelayed intraspecific competition to dominate the latter but not the former.
Ultrafast Dephasing and Collective Effects in the Quantum Hall Effect Regime

Using time resolved four-wave-mixing (FWM) spectroscopy and many-body theory we investigate the role of non-instantaneous collective and correlation effects in the dynamics of the cold two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in large magnetic fields. We find a strong non-Markovian magnetoexciton dephasing and a strong time-dependent Coulomb coupling between the Landau levels (LL), governed by the dynamics of the inter-LL magnetoplasmon (MP) excitations. Our results show that ultrafast spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying collective and strong correlation effects on the nanoscale.
Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy: Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Objective To discuss the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the management of diabetesrelated renal disease. Methods We review the published data from animal studies and clinical trials and outline the adverse effects that may limit the use of these drugs. Results Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease and dialysis in the United States. With improving measures to optimize blood glucose control and blood pressure, the progression from mild proteinuria to overt renal insufficiency can now be retarded or even arrested. Studies of therapeutic interventions have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have a superior beneficial effect on nephropathy. Few adverse effects are associated with use of these drugs: a nonproductive cough is the most frequent side effect, and angioedema and agranulocytosis are the most serious (albeit rarely reported) effects. Conclusion Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should be considered as first-line therapy for patients with diabetes who have microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria. (Endocr Pract. 1996; 2:215-219)
Cocaine Use and the Likelihood of Nonfatal Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Data From the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background—Numerous case series have implicated cocaine use as a cause of both myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke on the basis of the temporal relationship between drug use and event onset. Increasing cocaine use in the US population, especially in younger individuals, mandates a more extensive investigation of this relationship. Methods and Results—We determined the association of cocaine use with self-reported physician diagnosis of MI or stroke in a nationally representative sample of 10 085 US adults aged 18 to 45 years who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 46 nonfatal MIs and 33 nonfatal strokes were reported. After adjusting for differences in age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholesterol level, body mass index, and cigarette smoking, persons who reported frequent lifetime cocaine use had a significantly higher likelihood of nonfatal MI than nonusers (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 58) but n...
Introducing name authority into an ETD collection

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate a workflow for establishing name authority in uncontrolled collections. Design/methodology/approach – The authors developed a workflow incorporating command-line tools and tested it in the electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) collection. The authors narrowed the scope of the study to born-digital ETDs in the collection and to contributor names, including chairs and committee members. Findings – This workflow can save staff time and allows for flexible implementation depending on staff numbers and skills as well as institutional needs. Originality/value – This workflow could be used by other institutions with little or no modification, as it does not rely on specialized software or extensive expertise.
Effects of Verbal and Verbal-Motor Responses on Meter Conceptualization in Third-, Fourth-, and Fifth-Grade Children

My purpose was to determine the effects of grade level and response mode on the ability of second-semester third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students to identify and conceptualize meter in music. Thirty-six subjects at each grade level were divided into two response-mode groups. Subjects in the verbal-motor response groups were asked to respond verbally and to use specific conducting motions; verbal-response-mode subjects used only verbal responses. A two-way analysis of variance indicated that both main effects of grade level and response mode were significant, indicating that scores on the meter-concept test improved with increasing age and as a result of using the verbal-motor response mode. Analysis of simple effects indicated that fourth- and fifth-grade subjects in the verbal-motor response mode were superior to fourth- and fifth-grade subjects in the verbal response mode; mode of response, however, did not result in a significant difference in third-grade subjects.
Occlusion edge blur: a cue to relative visual depth

We studied whether the blur/sharpness of an occlusion boundary between a sharply focused surface and a blurred surface is used as a relative depth cue. Observers judged relative depth in pairs of images that differed only in the blurriness of the common boundary between two adjoining texture regions, one blurred and one sharply focused. Two experiments were conducted; in both, observers consistently used the blur of the boundary as a cue to relative depth. However, the strength of the cue, relative to other cues, varied across observers. The occlusion edge blur cue can resolve the near/far ambiguity inherent in depth-from-focus computations.
Quantitative phase-contrast confocal microscope

We present a quantitative phase-contrast confocal microscope (QPCCM) by combining a line-scanning confocal system with digital holography (DH). This combination can merge the merits of these two different imaging modalities. High-contrast intensity images with low coherent noise, and the optical sectioning capability are made available due to the confocality. Phase profiles of the samples become accessible thanks to DH. QPCCM is able to quantitatively measure the phase variations of optical sections of the opaque samples and has the potential to take high-quality intensity and phase images of non-opaque samples such as many biological samples. Because each line scan is recorded by a hologram that may contain the optical aberrations of the system, it opens avenues for a variety of numerical aberration compensation methods and development of full digital adaptive optics confocal system to emulate current hardware-based adaptive optics system for biomedical imaging, especially ophthalmic imaging. Preliminary experiments with a microscope objective of NA 0.65 and 40 × on opaque samples are presented to demonstrate this idea. The measured lateral and axial resolutions of the intensity images from the current system are ~0.64μm and ~2.70μm respectively. The noise level of the phase profile by QPCCM is ~2.4nm which is better than the result by DH.
Ecological Settings and State Economies as Factor Inputs in the Provision of Outdoor Recreation

State parks play a substantial role in the provision of outdoor recreation opportunities within the United States. Park operators must make crucial decisions in how they allocate capital expenditures, labor, and parkland to maintain recreation opportunities. Their decisions are influenced, in part, by the ecological characteristics of their state’s park system as well as the vitality of their state’s economy. In this research, we incorporate the characteristics of states’ ecosystems and their local economies into a formal production analysis of the states’ park systems from the years 1986 to 2011. Our analysis revealed all three factors of production were positive and inelastic. Expenditures on labor had the largest effect on both park utilization and operational expenditures. Our analysis also found a large degree of variability in the effects of ecological characteristics on both utilization and operating expenditures. Parkland utilization and operational expenditures were more elastic in areas such as Oceania and Mediterranean California relative to other ecological regions. These findings lead us to conclude that state park operators will experience variable levels of difficulty in both accommodating increasing demands for recreation from state parks and maintaining the existing quality of outdoor recreation provided within their system.
Magnification variations in reflection electron microscopy using diffracted beams

In reflection electron microscope images obtained using electron beams diffracted at a small angle from the surfaces of bulk specimens, it is observed that the magnification in directions almost parallel to the incident beam appears to increase rapidly with distance from the in-focus position in both directions. An explanation for this effect is offered in terms of the curvature of the lines of energy flow around the cross-over of the electron beam formed by the condenser action of the fore-field of the objective lens.
Water Surface Topography Retrieved from Color Images

AbstractSubmerged objects viewed through wavy water surfaces appear distorted by refraction. An imaging system exploiting this effect is implemented using a submerged planar light source designed so that color images reveal features of small-amplitude waves in a wind-wave tank. The system is described by a nonlinear model of image formation based on the geometry of refraction, spectral emission from the light source, radiative transfer through the water and surface, and camera spectral response. Surface normal vector components are retrieved from the color image data using an iterative solution to the nonlinear model. The surface topography is then retrieved using a linear model that combines surface normal data with a priori constraints on elevation and curvature. The high-resolution topographic data reveal small-amplitude waves spanning wavelength scales from capillary through short gravity wave regimes. The system capabilities are demonstrated in the retrieval of test surfaces, and of a case of wind-dr...
Growth of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in radiometric, Middlebrook and egg-based media.

Abstract The ability of BACTEC radiometric 7H12 broth, Middlebrook 7H10 Tween broth, Middlebrook 7H10 agar, and Herrold's egg-yolk medium to provide early detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was evaluated. The minimum detection times in days for the various media were:7H12, 9; 7H10 agar, 23 (plate), 28 (slant); 7H10 Tween broth; 27; and Herrold's egg-yolk medium, 43 (plate), 49 (slant). The radiometric broths provided the earliest detection of M. paratuberculosis , and 3625 organisms ml −1 were required to produce a positive, radiometric growth-index reading. Of the non-radiometric plate and slant media evaluated, microscope examination of the translucent 7H10 agar plate resulted in the earliest detection and highest mean colony counts (387) as compared with Herrold's egg-yolk agar plate (208). Similar results were noted for 7H10 and Herrold's egg-yolk agar slants; however, accurate colony counts could not be determined because of confluent growth. All media were supplemented with 2 ωg ml −1 of mycobactin J and excess amounts of this supplement inhibited the growth of M. paratuberculosis in radiometric 7H12 media.
Unusually long mRNA species coding for human alpha and beta interferons.

Each of the several intronless interferon (IFN) alpha S genes is embedded in 4- to 5-kilobase (kb) DNA homology units which are arranged more or less in tandem in the human genome. In addition to the expected 0.8- to 1.4-kb-long IFN-alpha S mRNA species, we have detected polyadenylylated RNA molecules approximately 2-2.7, 3.5-4.5, and 7-8 kb long derived from IFN-alpha S genes in the cytoplasm of Sendai virus-induced bromodeoxyuridine-treated human lymphoblastoid (Namalwa) cells. These transcripts were detected by electrophoresis of cytoplasmic polyadenylylated RNA through agarose-CH3HgOH gels followed by blothybridization using an IFN-alpha 1 (a prototype alpha S) cDNA probe and also by translation of the eluted RNA into biologically active IFN in the Xenopus oocyte assay. At least some of these long translationally active RNA molecules appear to represent functional mRNA species because they can be detected in polysomes. In addition, the oocyte translation assay has revealed the presence of unusually long (2-8 kb) IFN-beta mRNA species both in Sendai virus-induced Namalwa cells and in poly(I) . poly(C)-induced diploid human fibroblasts (FS-4). The detection of very long IFN-alpha 1-related mRNA species suggests that some of the DNA sequence features observed in the flanking homology units may affect the transcription of the IFN-alpha S genes. Our hybridization analyses also indicate that the 1.8-kb human IFN-alpha L mRNA(s) shows no detectable cross-hybridization with an IFN-alpha 1 cDNA probe. Thus, this mRNA is derived from a gene(s) that is distinct from the IFN-alpha S set.
A note on finite replenishment inventory systems with continuous deterministic demand

Abstract The necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for determining the optimal number of replenishment cycles and their start times in a deterministic continuous-time finite replenishment inventory model with a finite planning horizon. The differences between this model and its instantaneous replenishment counterpart are pointed out. It is shown that an optimal solution can always be found when the number of replenishment cycles is preset, the demand function is increasing and the replenishment rate is sufficiently large. It is also shown that when the number of replenishment cycles is unspecified, the problem can be solved by first determining the optimal cycle start limes for a given number of cycles m and then optimizing over m.