cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Effect of Electric Charges on the Scavenging of Aerosol Particles by Clouds and Small Raindrops

Abstract A theoretical model is described which determines the efficiency E with which aerosol particles of radius r are collected by water drops of radius a due to the combined action of Brownian diffusion, thermo- and diffusiophoresis and electric forces, in the absence of inertial impaction effects. The results of this model are combined with the results of our earlier model which determines the collection efficiency of drops for particles due to the combined action of inertial impaction, thermo- and diffusiophoresis and electric forces, in the absence of effects due to Brownian diffusion. Both models combined quantitatively determine the variation of E vs r for 0.001≤r≤10 μm, and 42≤a≤310 μm, for relative humidities up to and including 100%, and for electric charges on drops and aerosol particles ranging in magnitude up to that found under thunder-storm conditions. In particular, a combination of both models allows a quantitative description of the particle size range where the collection efficiency o...
Productivity improvement of a recombinant fermentation through decrease of growth rate differentials

The growth rate differential caused by the overexpression of a cloned gene accelerates takeover of bioreactor by plasmid-free cell population and results in productivity decrease. In an attempt to improve productivity of a recombinant fermentation by decreasing growth rate differentials, the par locus from pSC101 was inserted into a multicopy plasmid, pPLc-RP4.5, giving rise to pPLP that is the same plasmid as pPLc-RP4.5 except for the presence of the par locus. It was found that pPLP content in the pPLP-bearing strain was decreased by about 30% as compared to that in the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing strain although the presence of the par locus significantly increased plasmid stability. To see the effects of the par locus on specific growth rates, specific growth rates of the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing strain, pPLP-bearing strain and host strain were measured using a two-stage continuous culture system. It was observed that the specific growth rates of the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing strain were lower than those of the host strain but the specific growth rates of the pPLP-bearing strain were similar to those of the host strain at the same growth conditions. These results suggest that the par locus decreased the growth rate differentials caused by the overproduction of β-galactosidase in the pPLP-bearing strain. In batch cultures, even though the pPLP-bearing strain and the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing strain gave similar specific productivities, the pPLP-bearing strain showed a significant increase in cell density as compared to the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing strain. As a result, the pPLP-bearing cells produced more β-galactosidase per volume per time than the pPLc-RP4.5-bearing cells.
REM sleep-suppressing effects of atropine in cats vary with environmental temperature

Abstract Because the occurrence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is critically dependent upon an animal's thermal balance, acute pharmacological treatments may effect REM sleep through effects on thermoregulation. We describe how manipulating ambient temperature ( T a ) alters the REM sleep-suppressing effects of systematically-administered atropine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, in adult cats. At a T a of 23°C, atropine (0.5 mg/kg) produced a significant reduction in REM sleep time that persisted for about 8 h of a 16 h recording period. Hypothalamic temperature fell below control levels for about 4 h following atropine. At a T a of 30°C, the same dose of atropine had no significant effect on REM sleep time, or hypothalamic temperature. These findings indicate the importance of considering the possible role of thermoregulation in drug-induced effects on REM sleep.
Husbands' and wives' household work: moving towards egalitarianism?

Whether husbands are increasing their time in household tasks, especially when their wives are employed, has been a topic of debate in recent years. Several studies have found that husbands are participating in more child care now than in the past. But are husbands also doing other tasks now? Is there any relationship between the amounts of time that husbands and wives allocate to various household tasks? Are there any weekday versus weekend differences? A small sample of husbands and wives recorded their time spent in various activities for 7 consecutive days. The findings reveal that wives spent more time in general doing household tasks than did their husbands. Employed wives and their husbands both decreased their total time in household work, compared with full-time homemakers and their husbands. At weekends, however, both employed wives and homemakers decreased their overall time in household work while the husbands increased theirs. The t-test revealed that at weekends there were no significant differences in the times allocated to various household tasks by employed wives and their husbands, and significant differences only in time spent in child care and food preparation/clean-up by homemakers and their spouses. There appears to be a more egalitarian approach by husbands and wives to household tasks at weekends than on weekdays, even when the wives are not employed. Although these findings should not be generalized to the population, they indicate an intriguing possible trend which deserves further investigation.
Use of the DiversiLab repetitive sequence-based PCR system for genotyping and identification of Archaea.

Repetitive elements are short stretches of DNA that are randomly distributed throughout the chromosomes of prokaryotes. The use of PCR primers to amplify intervening sequences of DNA between specific repetitive elements in Bacteria has become a standard method for rapidly genotyping bacterial strains and providing good resolution between multiple strains within a single species. Rapid, standardized methods for high resolution genotyping of Archaea are not widely available. We evaluated the DiversiLab system from Bacterial Barcodes that utilizes a kit-based repetitive sequence-based (rep-PCR) method that has been optimized for genotyping DNA was extracted from the source organisms using either a standard chemical DNA extraction kit or Whatman FTA® paper. Rep-PCR was performed using an archaeal primer set and, the products were run on an Agilent, Lab-on-a-Chip DNA analyzer. Results were analyzed and compared using DiversiLab web-based software from Bacterial Barcodes. Seventy-nine strains representing 27 genera of Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota were analyzed. All the organisms could be successfully genotyped and the results were reproducible. We could not detect differences in rep-PCR profiles between DNA extracted using the chemical extraction kit and FTA® paper. Thus far, 14 genera and 32 species of methanogens have been analyzed, and all yielded unique genotypes. For halophiles, 11 genera and 28 different species were analyzed, and all yielded unique genotypes. A comparison of 7 different strains of Halobacterium salinarium demonstrated that 6 of the 7 strains had a unique genotype. A comparison of 4 strains of Methanosarcina mazei indicated that each strain produced a unique genotype. There was little systematic inference that could be made from dendrograms comparing different strains, species, and genera of Archaea based on UPGMA cluster analysis. Based on these results, rep-PCR was a useful tool for the genotyping and strain identification of Archaea.
Plasmapheresis therapy for rare but potentially fatal reaction to rituximab

Rituximab (Rituxan), a genetically engineered chimeric murine and human IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against CD20 antigen, is an emerging drug used for a wide spectrum of disease processes and found to be relatively safe. We report a near-fatal reaction to rituximab, which started 30 min after infusion and worsened over 24 to 48 h, resulting in hemodynamic and respiratory compromise that necessitated both intubation and high-dose vasopressors. Subsequent treatment with plasmapheresis helped stabilize and improve the patient's clinical condition, and the patient was discharged home on hospital day 5. There is no specific treatment for these severe and sometimes fatal reactions except supportive care with plasmapheresis. With the increased use of rituximab therapy in the medical management of numerous diseases, those in the medical community need to be cognizant of the rare fatal or near-fatal infusion reaction and the benefit that may accrue from plasmapheresis therapy. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Medical Treatment of Uterine Leiomyoma

Uterine leiomyomas (also called myomata or fibroids) are the most common gynecologic tumors in the United States. The prevalence of leiomyomas is at least 3 to 4 times higher among African American women than in white women. Pathologically, uterine leiomyomas are benign tumors that arise in any part of the uterus under the influence of local growth factors and sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. These common tumors cause significant morbidity for women and they are considered to be the most common indication for hysterectomy in the world; they are also associated with a substantial economic impact on health care systems that amounts to approximately $2.2 billion/year in the United States alone. Uterine myomas cause several reproductive problems such as heavy or abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pressure, infertility, and several obstetrical complications including miscarriage and preterm labor. Surgery has traditionally been the gold standard for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas and has typically consisted of either hysterectomy or myomectomy. In recent years, a few clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of orally administered medications for the management of leiomyoma-related symptoms. In the present review, we will discuss these promising medical treatments in further detail.
Computation of Some Exact Properties of Wald's Sprt when Sampling from a Class of Discrete Distributions

An algorithm is developed for determining exact values of the Operating Characteristic and Average Sample Number functions for Wald's Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) when observations are drawn from a discrete, Koopman-Darmois density with positive probability on the nonnegative integers. The sample size distribution and percentiles of sample size are also considered. An example is given for the negative binomial distribution.
On vector-valued asymptotic martingales

Abstract In contrast to the vector-valued martingale which converges strongly almost everywhere if and only if the Banach space E has the Radon-Nikodym property, the vector-valued asymptotic martingale converges strongly almost everywhere if and only if E is of finite dimension.
The solubilization and properties of the ATPase from the Keilin-Hartree heart muscle preparation.

Abstract The Keilin-Hartree heart muscle preparation (HMP) is derived from physically disintegrated mitochondria and contains all of the components for electron transport from succinate or NADH to molecular oxygen. This preparation, like mitochondria, has been extensively used in the study of intracellular respiration. However, in contrast to mitochondria, HMP does not catalyze the phosphorylation during the substrate oxidation and is thus known as a non-phosphorylating particle. On the other hand, since the conceptual formulation and some experimental evidence have indicated multiple steps for the oxidative synthesis of ATP, the term, non-phosphorylating, has become less significant. The knowledge on the extent of the incompleteness of the phosphorylating apparatus in HMP is a prerequisite to the undertaking of the project on the reconstitution of a unified phosphorylating system from non-phosphorylating particles. The present communication briefly reports this facet of the problem: the solubilization of ATPase from HMP; the reconstitution of particulate, oligomycin-sensitive ATPase from the soluble enzyme; and related observations.
Effects of 5-azacytidine in Syrian golden hamsters : toxicity, tumorigenicity, and differential modulation of bronchial carcinogenesis

5-Azacytidine (AZC) was studied in a lung cancer model in outbred and syngeneic (F1D) hamsters wherein benzol[a]pyrene (BP) from sustained release implants (SRI) induces preneoplastic mucosal changes which progress to bronchogenic cancer. In pilot studies to evaluate AZC toxicity, a dose schedule of 5 mg/kg biweekly was found suitable and was then used for long-term administration in all subsequent studies. Three groups of outbred hamsters were studied: BP SRi alone (n = 60), BP SRI + AZC (n = 60), and AZC alone (n = 54). AZC treatment was begun 3-5 days after SRI placement. Sixty-one days after the start of the experiment, seven or eight hamsters were sacrificed from each group. Later sacrifices were at 3-week intervals in groups receiving BP SRI and at 6-week intervals in the AZC only group. Four groups of F1D syngeneic hamsters were studied: BP SRI alone (n = 50); BP + AZC starting 3-5 days after SRI placement and continuing until death (n = 52); BP + AZC from 3 to 5 days until 75 days after SRI placement (n = 49); BP + AZC starting 80 days after SRI placement and continuing until death (n = 52). Hamsters (n = 9-14) from each group were sacrificed at 120, 150, 180, and 220 days after SRI implantation. AZC alone was not carcinogenic under these conditions. Both outbred and F1D hamsters treated with early or continuous AZC had slower rates of neoplastic change from BP SRI than did animals receiving BP SRIs alone or BP + late AZC. The incidence of epidermoid cancer were the same for all regimens, but the tumors in those receiving AZC early in carcinogenesis were smaller than in those receiving late or no AZC. The incidences of nonepidermoid cancer were lower in those receiving AZC during early carcinogenesis, and larger tumors were noted in the absence of AZC. Thus, within the study period in this unique hamster lung cancer model, AZC given early in carcinogenesis inhibited only the later (promotional) phase of BP epidermoid carcinogenesis, but inhibited all phases of nonsquamous cancer development induced by BP. This differential modulation of bronchial carcinogenesis, which occurs from AZC given during preneoplastic stages, may prove useful for delineating molecular mechanisms underlying specific phenotypic types of bronchogenic cancers.
Hepatic fibrosis in the mucopolysaccharidoses

The mucopolysaccharidoses are a group of clinically progressive, heritable, lysosomal storage disorders. Many organ systems are affected due to widespread accumulation of incompletely degraded mucopolysaccharide. The novel finding of hepatic fibrosis in each of six cases of mucopolysaccharidosis examined at autopsy (including examples of Hurler syndrome, Hunter syndrome, and Sanfilippo syndrome) is described. In each instance, the liver was diffusely involved by fibrosis that outlined the lobules, and there was extensive hepatocyte and Kupffer cell vacuolization. The pattern of hepatic fibrosis is not explained by either cardiac failure or drug toxicity. It is hypothesized that the hepatic fibrosis is due to the abnormal accumulation of a hepatotoxic metabolite. The frequency and severity of liver disease in the mucopolysaccharidoses deserve further study. In particular, with the advent of bone marrow transplantation as therapy for some of the mucopolysaccharidoses, the question of whether cirrhosis develops in these patients and, if so, what its rate of progression is, should be addressed.
Global Simplified Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Model at L-Band

A simplified atmospheric radiative transfer model at L-band has been developed for the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) forward brightness temperature (level 1) simulator. The upwelling and downwelling brightness temperatures and the total loss factor of the atmosphere are modeled as polynomial functions of pressure, temperature, and water vapor density near the Earth's surface, as well as incidence angle. The model has been developed and verified by using global radiosonde data, and the model error is within the 0.1 K error budget (atmosphere portion) of the SMAP brightness temperature (Level 1B) product.
Pseudocyesis following sterilization: role of the pseudofather.

This case report of pseudocyesis following tubal ligation illustrates that knowledge of a patients significant interpersonal relationships can increase understanding of her pseudocyetic symptoms and may suggest particular methods of intervention. Pseudocyesis is the condition in which a womanconsciously believes herself to be pregnant and develops ostensible pregnancy symptoms in the absence of actual pregnancy. Pseudocyesis is considered to be a conversion symptom and is distinguished from other forms of false pregnancy such as hallucinatory pregnancy stemming from psychosis and simulated pregnancy. Its most commonly occurring signs and symptoms include amenorrhea gradual abdominal enlargement breast changes sensations of fetal movement morning nausea and vomiting weight gain and occasionally a positive pregnancy test. The presumed psyschological etiology of pseudocyesis stems from observations that pregnancy can be the direct fulfillment of intense wishes or represent powerful fears. A neuroendocrine etiology attributes the physiologic changes in pseudocyesis to alterations in pituitary ovarian function mediated by neurotransmitters in the pituitary and/or hypothalamus. The most common treatment of pseudocyesis is to confront the patient and persuade here that she is not pregnant. Another strategy is to make no interventions and allow the condition to run its course. Psychotherapy is the most frequently recommended treatment. In this case in addition to examining the patient much of the examination and brief intervention focused on the pseudofather who was found to be more cooperative. In this 24-year-old sterilized wife the pseudocyesis appeared to represent a mixed voluntary and involuntary effort to regain the role of a pregnant woman in order to increase contact with her husband. It has been reported that pseudocyesis is not uncommon among women who have undergone sterilization surgery. This history indicates the important role of the pseudofathers caring response to his wifes supposed pregnancy. She was able to keep in contact with him more easily because of this event. The husband may have indirectly contributed to the pseudocyesis by his expressed interest in again becoming a father. His increased attention and concern for his wife reinforced her belief that she was pregnant until he was persuaded by the opinions of several physicians. Her belief was unshakable until the husband became convinced of the false pregnancy.
The health effects and ecological significance of chlorine residuals in water

Abstract During the past several years, chlorine residuals and chlorinated organic compounds in drinking waters and aquatic environments have become a significant topic of study for scientists concerned about the quality of life in aquatic ecosystems as well as general public health. The effects of direct toxicity and/or carcinogenicity to human and aquatic life are the focal points for this concern. The effects of chloramines and chlorinated organic compounds present in the water distribution system after chlorination treatments are reviewed. Also discussed are the effects of chlorinated discharges from municipal secondary treatment plants and power plants on human health and aquatic life. The toxic significance of environmental chemicals are described.
The Use of Ortho-phthalaldehyde for Superior Fluorescent Visualization of Latent Fingerprints

In this note we report the encouraging results of a preliminary evaluation of the use of ortho-phthalaldehyde and a Babington nebulizer to create a spray for the fluorescent visualization of latent fingerprints on large area surfaces at crime scenes. The spray can provide very good resolution of minutiae in visualizing latent fingerprints on paper with advantages over fluorescamine in rapidity, cost, and convenience. Further work needed to establish the best procedure for its use is identified.
The strategic role of investor relations

This paper reports an empirical study conducted in British organisations focussing on the role of investor relations as part of a co‐ordinated marketing communications strategy. Consequently this study considers the greatly neglected research area of the management of relationships between national and international organisations and both investors and those others who might consider themselves significant financial stakeholders. It examines the organisational role of investor relations within a co‐ordinated communication programme and suggests that communication with financial stakeholders has a significant role to play as part of a developed corporate communication strategy.
Medical Student Professionalism Narratives: A Thematic Analysis and Interdisciplinary Comparative Investigation

Background Professionalism development is influenced by the informal and hidden curriculum. The primary objective of this study was to better understand this experiential learning in the setting of the Emergency Department (ED). Secondarily, the study aimed to explore differences in the informal curriculum between Emergency Medicine (EM) and Internal Medicine (IM) clerkships.
Regulation of local cerebral blood flow in normal and hypoxic newborn dogs

Local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) was measured autoradiographically in newborn puppies by an indicator fractionation technique using 4-iodo-[14C]antipyrine as the diffusible indicator. Measurements were obtained in unanesthetized, normotensive animals, and the sensitivity of blood flow to hypercapnia and acute hypoxia was determined in 32 brain structures. LCBF in normal and hypoxic puppies was correlated with local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) obtained under the same experimental conditions (Duffy et al, 1982). In normocapnic (PaCO2 33 mm Hg) control animals, highest rates of blood flow were found in gray matter nuclei of the brainstem, in the medulla oblongata, and in the posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus (50 to 77 ml/100 gm/min); far lower flows were recorded among white matter structures (5 to 11 ml/100 gm/min). The vasodilatory response to both hypercapnia and hypoxia was greatest among brainstem gray matter structures, intermediate among cortical and diencephalic gray matter structures, and least in white matter. When LCBF was plotted as a function of LCGU for control animals, a positive linear correlation was obtained for all structures (p less than 0.001), implying that in newborns, as in adults, cerebral blood flow and metabolism are physiologically coupled. In hypoxic puppies, no consistent relationship between LCGU and LCBF could be demonstrated; however, there was suggestion that the two measurements correlated inversely, presumably reflecting enhanced anaerobic glycolysis in structures (e.g., hemispheric white matter) that were not adequately protected by compensatory hyperemia. White matter damage, a frequent complication of perinatal hypoxia-asphyxia, may be a consequence in part of the limited capacity of white matter to vasodilate in response to te chemical "signals" of hypercapnia and lactic acidosis.
Electronic teaching files: Seven-year experience using a commercial picture archiving and communication system

With the advent of electronic imaging and the internet, the ability to create, search, access, and archive digital imaging teaching files has dramatically improved. Despite the fact that a picture archival and communication system (PACS) has the potential to greatly simplify the creation of, archival, and access to a department or multifacility teaching file, this potential has not yet been satisfactorily realized in our own and most other PACS installations. Several limitations of the teaching file tools within our PACS have become apparent over time. These have, at our facility, resulted in a substantially reduced role of the teaching file tools for conferences, daily teaching, and research purposes. With the PACS at our institution, academic folders can only be created by the systems engineer, which often serves as an impediment to the teaching process. Once these folders are created, multiple steps are required to identify the appropriate folders, and subsequently save images. Difficulties exist for those attempting to search for the teaching file images. Without pre-existing knowledge of the folder name and contents, it is difficult to query the system for specific images. This is due to the fact that there is currently no fully satisfactory mechanism for categorizing, indexing, and searching cases using the PACS. There is currently no easy mechanism to save teaching, research, or clinical files onto a CD or other removable media or to automatically strip demographic or other patient information from the images. PACS vendors should provide much more sophisticated tools to create and annotate teaching file images in an easy to use but standard format (possibly Radiological Society of North America’s Medical Image Resource Center [MIRC] format) that could be exchanged with other sites and other vendors’ PAC systems. The privilege to create teaching or conference files should be given to the individual radiologists, technologists, and other users, and an audit should be kept of who has created these files, as well as keep track of who has accessed the files. Vendors should maintain a local PACS library of image quality phantoms, normal variants, and interesting cases and should have the capability of accessing central image repositories such as the RSNA’s MIRC images. Commercial PAC systems should utilize a standard lexicon to facilitate the creation and categorization of images, as well as to facilitate sharing of images and related text with other sites. This should be combined with a very easy to use mechanism to write images and related text when appropriate onto removable media (while maintaining a high level of security and confidentiality) to make it easier to share images for teaching, research, or clinical purposes.
Two cellular proteins that interact with a stem loop in the simian hemorrhagic fever virus 3'(+)NCR RNA.

Abstract Both full-length and subgenomic negative-strand RNAs are initiated at the 3′ terminus of the positive-strand genomic RNA of the arterivirus, simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV). The SHFV 3′(+) non-coding region (NCR) is 76 nts in length and forms a stem loop (SL) structure that was confirmed by ribonuclease structure probing. Two cell proteins, p56 and p42, bound specifically to a probe consisting of the SHFV 3′(+)NCR RNA. The 3′(+)NCR RNAs of two additional members of the arterivirus genus specifically interacted with two cell proteins of the same size. p56 was identified as polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) and p42 was identified as fructose bisphosphate aldolase A. PTB binding sites were mapped to a terminal loop and to a bulged region of the SHFV 3′SL structure. Deletion of either of the PTB binding sites in the viral RNA significantly reduced PTB binding activity, suggesting that both sites are required for efficient binding of this protein. Changes in the top portion of the SHFV 3′SL structure eliminated aldolase binding, suggesting that the binding site for this protein is located near the top of the SL. These cell proteins may play roles in regulating the functions of the genomic 3′ NCR.
Categorization and Representation of Physics Problems by Experts and Novices

The representation of physics problems in relation to the organization of physics knowledge is investigated in experts and novices. Four experiments examine (a) the existence of problem categories as a basis for representation; (b) differences in the categories used by experts and novices; (c) differences in the knowledge associated with the categories; and (d) features in the problems that contribute to problem categorization and representation. Results from sorting tasks and protocols reveal that experts and novices begin their problem representations with specifiably different problem categories, and completion of the representations depends on the knowledge associated with the categories. For, the experts initially abstract physics principles to approach and solve a problem representation, whereas novices base their representation and approaches on the problem's literal features.
Benign Solid Tumors of the Liver: Management in the Modern Era

Recently, there has been a growing interest in solid benign liver tumors as the understanding of the pathogenesis and molecular underpinning of these lesions continues to evolve. We herein provide an evidence-based review of benign solid liver tumors with particular emphasis on the diagnosis and management of such tumors. A search of all available literature on benign hepatic tumors through a search of the MEDLINE/PubMed electronic database was conducted. New diagnostic and management protocols for benign liver tumors have emerged, as well as new insights into the molecular pathogenesis. In turn, these data have spawned a number of new studies seeking to correlate molecular, clinicopathological, and clinical outcomes for benign liver tumors. In addition, significant advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care have reduced the morbidity and mortality of liver surgery. Despite current data that supports conservative management for many patients with benign liver tumors, patients with severe preoperative symptomatic disease seem to benefit substantially from surgical treatment based on quality of life data. Future studies should seek to further advance our understanding of the underlying pathogenesis and natural history of benign liver tumors in order to provide clinicians with evidence-based guidelines to optimize treatment of patients with these lesions.
Gravity before Einstein and Schwinger before gravity1

Julian Schwinger was a child prodigy, and Albert Einstein distinctly not; Schwinger had something like 73 graduate students, and Einstein very few. But both thought that gravity was important. They were not, of course, the first, nor is the disagreement on how one should think about gravity, which was highlighted at the June 2012 meeting of the American Astronomical Society, the first such dispute. Explored here are several views of what gravity is supposed to do: action at a distance versus luminiferous ether, universal gravitation versus action only on solids, finite versus infinite propagation speed, and whether the exponent in the 1/r2 law is precisely two, or two plus a smidgeon (a suggestion by Simon Newcomb among others). Second, an attempt is made to describe Julian Schwingers early work and how it might have prefigured his source theory, beginning with his unpublished 1934 paper on the interaction of several electrons, through his days at Berkeley with Oppenheimer, Gerjuoy, and others, to the application of nuclear physics ideas to radar, and of radar engineering techniques to nuclear physics. Those who believe that good jobs are difficult to come by now might want to contemplate the couple of years Schwinger spent teaching introductory physics at Purdue before moving on to the Radiation Laboratory in 1942. © 2014 Published by NRC Research Press.
On the transport theory of Schottky barriers to polycrystalline silicon thin films

A theoretical investigation of electronic transport in metal contacts to polycrystalline silicon thin films is presented. Calculations based upon the reported values of grain-boundary potentials indicate that the thermionic emission theory may be applied to the majority-carrier transport only for low bias voltages. At larger bias voltages, one needs to take account of the voltage lost to the space-charge regions adjacent to the grain boundaries, and a transition from electrode-limited to bulk-limited majority-carrier transport results. We further demonstrate that the injection of minority carriers can dominate the dark current for a range of grain size and interface state densities at the grain boundaries. Under these conditions, the current obeys an \exp (qV/2kT) dependence reminiscent of space-charge recombination, although the origin of the current in this case is minority-carrier diffusion current, with recombination only at grain boundaries in the neutral region. This is a special case of the "high-injection" regime observed in single crystals, but in the present situation it is found even for low bias voltages as a consequence of the band bending at the grain boundaries, which makes the material nearly intrinsic at these points. Finally, we show that the effective minority-carrier diffusion length for the injected carriers under dark conditions itself increases with bias voltage V approximately as \exp (qV/2kT) , in striking contrast to previous treatments.
Powering the planet with solar fuel

With energy swiftly rising to the top of the world's agenda, Harry B. Gray at the California Institute of Technology looks at how chemistry can help to harness the power of the Sun to meet the world's energy needs.
TU-G-217BCD-09: Integration of Recent NEMA (MITA) XR-25 CT Dose-Check Standard into Clinical Practice

Purpose: The aim of this work is to implement vendor mandated alert value (AV) and notification value (NV) Dose‐Check metrics into neuro radiology CT exams without adversely affecting clinical workflow and to evaluate these tools as a method of active dose monitoring. Methods: The NV represents an expected ‘reasonable’ CTDIvol (or DLP) value, and is assigned at the group level of the protocol prescription; projected surpassing of the NV displays a simple warning message. Preliminary NV implementation included neurological exams, which normally utilize manual (rather than modulated) tube current. Appropriate NV levels were established using internal population DLP metrics, ACR Dose Index Registry results, AAPM recommendations, and projected CTDIvol values. When an NV alert is issued, the technologist attains and documents radiologist approval and then proceeds with the exam. The AV is as a threshold that is compared to the maximum cumulative CTDIvol at any scan location for a given examination. If the forthcoming scan is projected to surpass the AV, login credentials are required to proceed with the scan. Our institution collectively established an AV of 1000 mGy to allow for expected high doses commonly observed for cerebral perfusion exams. Results: Effective implementation requires a balance of appropriate alerting and reasonable clinical interruption. After three months, we have received 6 NV alerts (2 T‐spine, 2 C‐spine, 2 Neck). Alerts came about from manual modification of the standard protocol by the technologist. On average, the projected CTDIvol exceeded the NV by 8.4% for spine and 18.5% for neck. No adverse effects on clinical workflow have been experienced. Conclusions: Active monitoring using AV and NV is a useful, non‐invasive tool in minimizing the likelihood of gross overdose (AV) and of abnormal incremental overdose (NV). Future work will involve implementing the NV values for the abdomen exams that use tube current modulation.
Power recovery with multi-anode/cathode microbial fuel cells suitable for future large-scale applications

Abstract Multi-anode/cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) incorporate multiple MFCs into a single unit, which maintain high power generation at a low cost and small space occupation for the scale-up MFC systems. The power production of multi-anode/cathode MFCs was similar to the total power production of multiple single-anode/cathode MFCs. The power density of a 4-anode/cathode MFC was 1184 mW/m3, which was 3.2 times as that of a single-anode/cathode MFC (350 mW/m3). The effect of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was studied as the preliminary factor affecting the MFC performance. The power density of MFCs increased with COD concentrations. Multi-anode/cathode MFCs exhibited higher power generation efficiencies than single-anode/cathode MFCs at high CODs. The power output of the 4-anode/cathode MFCs kept increasing from 200 mW/m3 to 1200 mW/m3 as COD increased from 500 mg/L to 3000 mg/L, while the single-anode/cathode MFC showed no increase in the power output at CODs above 1000 mg/L. In addition, the internal resistance (Rin) exhibited strong dependence on COD and electrode distance. The Rin decreased at high CODs and short electrode distances. The tests indicated that the multi-anode/cathode configuration efficiently enhanced the power generation.
Heterochronic mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Mutations in the Caenorhabditis elegans genes lin-14, lin-28, and lin-29 cause heterochronic developmental defects: the timing of specific developmental events in several tissues is altered relative to the timing of events in other tissues. These defects result from temporal transformations in the fates of specific cells, that is, certain cells express fates normally expressed by cells generated at other developmental stages. The identification and characterization of genes that can be mutated to cause heterochrony support the proposal that heterochrony is a mechanism for phylogenetic change and suggest cellular and genetic bases for heterochronic variation.
Swarm Intelligence for Electrical Design Space Exploration

Today's high speed electrical systems exhibit ever increasing complexity generation after generation. This increased complexity results in additional design parameters which the system designer must choose carefully to obtain the optimum design. Often, the number of these design variables is large enough that a brute-force search of the design space is not feasible. Statistical techniques like design of experiments (DoE) cannot accurately find the best and worst case corners. This paper introduces the concept of swarm intelligence for the first time for electrical design space exploration. Specifically, the discrete particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to arrive at an optimum combination of design parameters for various electrical interfaces. The PSO algorithm is shown to have great potential as a robust and efficient alternative to statistical techniques currently used in high speed electrical design optimization.
Influencing Health and Well-Being Internationally Using an Occupation-Based Perspective: Reflections From Cambodia

This article describes the experience of two occupational therapy educators who have spent time doing disability-related work in Cambodia, a country that is in the process of rebuilding its economic, education, and health infrastructure after years of war and turbulence. The authors describe their experiences, and reflect on important principles of working overseas including: setting aside assumptions and pre-laid plans; letting the reality on the ground guide decision-making and action; respecting local culture; creating strong programs through local participation and capacity-building; attending to systems issues; building bridges through attention to language and communication; and valuing the unique contributions that occupational therapy can make to international development efforts.
Charging Steeds or Maidens Doing Good Deeds? A Re-Interpretation of Qur'āan 100 (al-‘;ādiyāt)

In A Challenge to Islam for Reformation, Gunter Luling (2003) argues that about one-third of the Qur'ānic text is based on ancient Christian Arabic hymns that were reworked and given a new meaning by the Qur'ān editors after the Prophet's death. This was possible because the Uthmanic mushaf lacked dots, which allowed for different readings. In this essay, I reconstruct the first five verses of Koran 100 (wa-l-‘ādiyāt) by changing the dotting scheme of four words. Informed by a close examination of the syntactic structure and vocabulary of these verses and a comparison with cognates in Syriac and Hebrew, two languages with a clear influence on the Qur'ān, this reconstruction results in a narrative that is more coherent semantically and syntactically than the traditional interpretation. Whereas in the traditional interpretation these verses describe steeds charging into battle, in my reconstruction they refer to maidens bringing light to the world.
Development of Biodegradable Nanocarriers Loaded with a Monoclonal Antibody

Treatments utilizing monoclonal antibody therapeutics against intracellular protein-protein interactions in cancer cells have been hampered by several factors, including poor intracellular uptake and rapid lysosomal degradation. Our current work examines the feasibility of encapsulating monoclonal antibodies within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles using a water/oil/water double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. This method can be used to prepare protective polymeric nanoparticles for transporting functional antibodies to the cytoplasmic compartment of cancer cells. Nanoparticles were formulated and then characterized using a number of physical and biological parameters. The average nanoparticle size ranged from 221 to 252 nm with a low polydispersity index. Encapsulation efficiency of 16%–22% and antibody loading of 0.3%–1.12% were observed. The antibody molecules were released from the nanoparticles in a sustained manner and upon release maintained functionality. Our studies achieved successful formulation of antibody loaded polymeric nanoparticles, thus indicating that a PLGA-based antibody nanoformulation is a promising intracellular delivery vehicle for a large number of new intracellular antibody targets in cancer cells.
The prediction of interaction behavior in small groups: Zero history vs. intact groups

This study provided tests of the general hypotheses that personality and communication apprehension are significant predictors of interaction behavior in small groups. Both hypotheses were confirmed. However it was found that the previous history of the group (zero‐history versus intact) had a major impact on the relationships between personality/communication apprehension and interaction behavior. The results suggest that extreme caution should be taken when attempting to generalize results from studies involving zero history groups, even if only generalizing to those same groups at later stages of their development.
More on new journals

I read your paean of complaint about publishing trends (July 1977 EOS) with limited sympathy. Several years ago I pointed out the most economical and efficient means of publishing Journal of Geophysical Research, namely, a monthly abstract journal covering all fields of geophysics, with number-coded abstracts. At the back of the journal would be a postage-paid reply ‘bingo’ card that would bring individual microfiche copies of desired papers ready for compact filing. The key feature of the system is the individual reprint on microfiche: it is useless to distribute a whole journal on a stack of microfiche, as no one can then develop a satisfactory filing system.
Convergence Analysis of Iterated Belief Revision in Complex Fusion Environments

We study convergence of iterated belief revision in complex fusion environments, which may consist of a network of soft (i.e., human or human-based) and hard (i.e., conventional physics-based) sensors and where agent communications may be asynchronous and the link structure may be dynamic. In particular, we study the problem in which network agents exchange and revise belief functions (which generalize probability mass functions) and are more geared towards handling the uncertainty pervasive in soft/hard fusion environments. We focus on belief revision in which agents utilize a generalized fusion rule that is capable of generating a rational consensus. It includes the widely used weighted average consensus as a special case. By establishing this fusion scheme as a pool of paracontracting operators, we derive general convergence criteria that are relevant for a wide range of applications. Furthermore, we analyze the conditions for consensus for various social networks by simulating several network topologies and communication patterns that are characteristic of such networks.
Factor Structure of the Comrey Personality Scales, the Personality Research Form—E, and the Five-Factor Model:

Summary.-According to McCrae and Costa, Norman's 1963 five-factor model of personality based on peer ratings provides a universal and comprehensive framework for describing individual differences in personality and also for interpreting different personality systems. This study tested the generality and comprehensiveness of the five-factor model using Comrey Personality Scales and Jackson's 1984 Personality Research Form-E. Separate principal axis analyses of scales from each inventory indicated three factors for the Comrey scales and five for the Research Form-E. The three Comrey factors were similar to Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Extraversion in the five-factor model, and the five Research Form-E factors were similar to those in the five-factor model. These results provided strong empirical evidence for the genert Goldberg, 1981; Norman, 1963). Norman (1963) labeled the five factors as Surgency, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Culture. More recently, Digman and Inouye (1986) described them as Introversion-Extraversion, Friendly Compliance-Hostile Noncompliance, Will, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. According to Goldberg (1981), these five major factors focus on important individual differences in personality and are very robust and general. According to McCrae and Costa (1986, 1989), Norman's five-factor model offers a universal and comprehensive framework for describing personality and also for interpreting different personality systems. As Noller, Law, and Comrey (1987) pointed out, an important question is whether the five-factor model of personality based on peer ratings is generalizable to personality assessed through self-report. Noller, Law, and Comrey (1987) addressed this issue by conducting a combined factor analysis for the scales from the Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (Cattell's 16 PF), the Comrey Personality Scales, and the Eysenck Personality Inventory and found support for all the factors except Culture in Norman's (1963) five-factor model of personality. However, an important limitation of Noller, et al.'s study involved the failure to test the generalizability issue directly by studying the factor structure of Cattell's 16 PF as well as of the
A Vlasov theory for laminated composite circular beams with thin-walled open cross section

A Vlasov type beam theory for open-cross-section thin-walled circular beams constructed from laminated composite materials is presented. Comparisons are made to a branched shell analysis for a series of laminated thin-walled open cross-section curved beams. The results show that reasonable accuracy can be obtained for a variety of beam types, with a considerable reduction in analysis cost.
Electronic states of florinated amorphous silicon

Abstract The electronic structures of florinated amorphous silicon (a-Si) and that with hydrogen atom incorporated are studied by means of the first principles orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals (OLCAO) method. The structural models employed are similar to those used in the study of hydrogenated a-Si in which the F atoms appear as SiF, SiF 2 , and SiF 3 in an otherwise perfect random tetrahedral network. To elucidate the bonding character, the local density of states (LDOS) of F, H and the Si atom to which they bond, are calculated and resolved into orbital components. The F 2s levels are localized well below the valence band (VB). In the VB region, the LDOS are dominated by F 2p components; in the conduction band (CB) region, F has negligible LDOS. In the case of SiF 3 , a gap state exists near the middle of the band gap with predominately Si 3s character. Results for the cases where F atoms are partially substituted by H atoms in SiF 2 and SiF 3 are also presented. It is found that the presence of H atoms has a pacifying effect near the gap region due to the effective bonding between Si 3s, Si 3p, and H 1s wave functions.