cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transport and structural properties of osmotic membranes in high-salinity desalination using cascading osmotically mediated reverse osmosis

Abstract Management of high-salinity brines is a global environmental challenge. Recently, we proposed a novel cascading osmotically mediated reverse osmosis (COMRO) technology for energy-efficient hypersaline desalination. In this study, a transport model is established for COMRO. We investigate the impacts of hydraulic pressure and salinity on transport and structural properties of thin-film composite osmotic membranes in COMRO. Our results show that transport properties are not affected by transitory pressure changes on the order of hours. But on longer timescales, on the order of days, the membrane undergoes compaction/relaxation in response to pressurization/depressurization, with water and salt permeabilities declining/recovering accordingly. Importantly, the water and salt permeabilities change in the same proportion. We found that this is due to morphological changes of the active-support interlayer altering the effective membrane area. The membrane structural parameter is demonstrated to be consistent at different salinities. As salinity increases, both water and salt permeabilities increase, but salt permeability rises substantially more. Lastly, the presented transport model is validated by good agreement between experimental and predicted water fluxes. This study advances the understanding of membrane transport and structural properties in the emerging COMRO technology, and provides insights into water and salt transport for other osmotic membrane processes.
Optimal Nursing Home Shift Scheduling: A Two-Stage Stochastic Programming Approach

In this paper, we study a nursing home staff schedule optimization problem under resident demand uncertainty. We formulate a two-stage stochastic binary program accordingly, with objective to minimize the total labor cost (linearly related to work time) incurred by both regular registered nurses (RRNs) and part-time nurses (PTNs). As a significant constraint, we balance RRNs’ total amount of work time with residents’ total service need for every considered shift. Besides, we restrict feasible shift schedules based on common scheduling practice. We conduct a series of computational experiments to validate the proposed model. We discuss our optimal solutions under different compositions of residents in terms of their disabilities. In addition, we compare the total labor costs and an RRN scheduling flexibility index with the given optimal solution under different combinations of RRNs and PTNs. Our analysis offers an operational approach to set the minimum number of nurses on flexible shift schedules to cover uncertain the service needs while maintaining a minimum labor cost.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Marketing Science and Field Experiments

This editorial introduces the special issue on marketing science and field experiments. We compare the characteristics of the papers that were submitted and accepted for the special issue and provi...
Navigating Potentially Traumatic Conservative Religious Environments as a Sexual/Gender Minority

Although many religions are becoming increasingly accepting of sexual and gender minority (SGM) identities and experiences, SGMs continue to report traumatic experiences with religion. SGMs describe traumatic experiences experienced in conservative religious environments on three levels: structural (e.g., discriminatory policies, institutionalized homophobia), interpersonal (e.g., stigma, closeting, rejection), and intraindividual (e.g., internalized homo-/transnegativity, internalized spirituonegativity). SGMs report a variety of responses to conservative religious environments including not experiencing trauma, compartmentalization of trauma from the positives of religion, rejecting religious teachings and practices, rejecting a sexual/gender minority identity, and integrating their sexual/gender and religious identities in a way that minimizes the impact of traumatic experiences. To assist mental health professionals in understanding and working with SGMs from conservative religious environments, we discuss barriers to reporting trauma, the types of traumatic experiences reported, the various strategies to dealing with these experiences and resultant identity conflict, and the mental health implications of these strategies.
Direct oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with morbid obesity after intermediate- or high-risk pulmonary emboli.

There is little reported on the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in morbid obesity after venous thromboembolism (VTE). In this observational study, patients were followed up after intermediate- or high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) at the University of Rochester Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic 2-4 months after the initial event. All patients had echocardiography and V/Q imaging regardless of symptoms. Outcomes of interest were the rates of recurrent VTE, thrombus resolution and development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in patients with morbid obesity treated with a DOAC compared to treatment with vitamin K antagonists and to non-morbidly obese patients after PE. Using the electronic medical record, recurrent events were assessed up to 12 months after the event. 107 patients (body mass index (BMI)>40 kg·m-2, n=32; BMI 30-39.9 kg·m-2, n=39; BMI 40 kg·m-2, n=19; BMI 30-39.9 kg·m-2, n=27; BMI<30 kg·m-2, n=24). There were no recurrent events within the first 12 months of initial diagnosis based on symptoms and imaging in any patient. There was no difference in rate of residual unmatched perfusion defect with DOACs or conventional anticoagulation (49% versus 49%). This finding remained in the subset of morbidly obese patients (47% versus 50%). For the overall cohort, there was no difference in the rate of CTEPH development based on anticoagulation with a DOAC (5% versus 8% with warfarin). There were no major bleeding complications with a DOAC. DOAC therapy appears to be effective and safe in morbid obesity even after intermediate- or high-risk PE. ​.
A Practical Introduction to Network Neuroscience for Communication Researchers

The increasing adoption of brain imaging methods has greatly augmented our understanding of the neural underpinnings of communication processes. Enabled by recent advancements in mathematics and co...
Sex estimation from morphology in living animals and dinosaurs

Author(s): Motani, R | Abstract: Sexual dimorphism is a prevalent feature of sexually reproducing organisms yet its presence in dinosaurs has recently been questioned. However, the inferred absence of sexual dimorphism may be a methodological artefact, rooted in the lack of systematic knowledge concerning how sexual dimorphism of living animals behaves statistically. To start building such knowledge, I re-analysed published data of 139 species of living animals that are sexually dimorphic. The previous method used for dinosaurs recognized only 5% of the living species correctly as dimorphic. This low rate is largely caused by the tilting of ordinated multivariate space due to interactions between size and shape dimorphisms, low signal/noise ratios and inclusion of outliers. The rate can be improved to 50% by modifying the method but not further, unless the information on the sex of individual specimens is used. Such information is unavailable in dinosaurs, so sexual dimorphism probably cannot be established for a large proportion of sexually dimorphic dinosaurs. At the same time, about 32% of the 139 are strongly sexually dimorphic, and can be re-sexed from shape with misclassification rates below 0.05. A reassessment of dinosaurian data suggests that sexual dimorphism likely existed at least in some species, such as Allosaurus fragilis.
Neuroimaging and diagnosis

Abstract The diagnosis of dural arteriovenous fistula may be anticipated in patients with pulsatile tinnitus, ophthalmologic symptoms, or an intracranial hemorrhage. Patients presenting focal or global neurological deficits or even Parkinsonism or dementia may have a more circuitous route to their ultimate diagnosis. Noninvasive imaging modalities may harbor a variety of clues. Particularly lesions with cortical venous reflux may be identified by enhancing serpiginous or “corkscrew” veins seen on CT angiography or contrast-enhanced MRI. These “wandering” veins do not form a well-organized nidus or harbor discrete supply from typically enlarged pial feeders in contrast to pial arteriovenous malformations.
The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black voters and the realignment of American politics in the 20th century, by Keneshia N. Grant: Philadelphia, Temple University Press, 2020

Keneshia Grant has authored a valuable contribution to the already rich body of scholarship on the Great Migration. Focusing on the relationship between northern migration and Black political parti...
Cadherin puncta are interdigitated dynamic actin protrusions necessary for stable cadherin adhesion

Cadherins harness the actin cytoskeleton to build cohesive sheets of cells using paradoxically weak bonds, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In one popular model, actin organizes cadherins into large, micrometer-sized clusters known as puncta. Myosin is thought to pull on these puncta to generate strong adhesion. Here, however, we show that cadherin puncta are actually interdigitated actin microspikes generated by actin polymerization mediated by three factors (Arp2/3, EVL, and CRMP-1). The convoluted membranes in these regions give the impression of cadherin clustering by fluorescence microscopy, but the ratio of cadherin to membrane is constant. Nevertheless, these interlocking fingers of membrane are important for adhesion because perturbing their formation disrupts cell adhesion. In contrast, blocking myosin-dependent contractility does not disrupt either the interdigitated microspikes or lateral membrane adhesion. "Puncta" are zones of strong cell-cell adhesion not due to cadherin clustering but that occur because the interdigitated microspikes expand the surface area available for adhesive bond formation and increase the asperity of the cell surface to promote friction between cells.
All in: Using Poker Chips to Maximize Class Participation and Facilitate Discussion

In this paper, I developed a strategy to improve class participation — using poker chips as incentives for students — which I have implemented with very promising results. The basic idea is to provide students with an incentive to speak up in class, but not punish those who are uncomfortable doing it — therefore, I designed class participation to be optional. This strategy provides quantification of class participation and feedback to instructor. Findings show that students responded well to the poker chip incentive: on average, class participation increased by 45%. About 38% of class (or nine students per class) spoke up at least once in every class period. Students also benefited directly from speaking up: 40% of them were able to improve their grades using the bonus points.
Discussion of “The Effects of Corporate Governance and Product Market Competition on Analysts' Forecasts: Evidence from the Brazilian Capital Market”

Abstract In this discussion of Almeida and Dalmacio (2015), we highlight some theoretical considerations that links analyst forecast properties with two disciplining mechanisms (i.e. product market competition and corporate governance) and also provide some directions for future research especially in the Brazilian context.
Portfolio analysis of solar photovoltaics: Quantifying the contributions of locational marginal pricing and power on revenue variability

Abstract For firms developing and managing portfolios of PV assets in utility, commercial, and residential markets the financial performance of the portfolio is a highly relevant business decision factor. Informative metrics are required to quantify the revenue variance of a spatially distributed portfolio of PV assets as well as the individual asset. Financial analysis uses a risk measure known as ‘beta’ to describe the movement of assets relative to a broader portfolio. We define a measure termed the ‘solar beta’ that describes the movement of solar PV revenues at a given site with that of a portfolio of sites. The solar beta incorporates correlation between a site and portfolio, and the volatility of a site relative to the portfolio. We also derive and discuss a method to decompose revenue variance of individual PV assets into components representing price, power, and the interplay among diurnal/seasonal cycles and prevailing weather conditions. This decomposition and the solar beta are illustrated using nine modeled sites following a N–S trend within the PJM Interconnection. We find that revenue variance of a PV asset depends more on diurnal, seasonal, and meteorological fluctuations than on price fluctuations at a particular site. Specifically, the contribution of power variance exceeds the contribution of price variance by roughly a factor of five. Changes in mean market price have a larger effect on revenue variance compared to a proportional change in mean power production. The solar beta was found to be near 1.0 for most sites, indicating strong covariance within the portfolio due in large part to high correlation rather than similar volatility ratios. Lower beta values were found for sites at the perimeters of the study region, due to change in climate regime and population-power consumption cycles, implying portfolio risk reduction when these sites are included.
The relation between polycrystal deformation and single-crystal deformation

A phenomenological description of crystallographic slip and pencil glide in single crystals is outlined, with emphasis on the behavior under prescribed strains. Theoretical relations are established between these single-crystal properties and the behavior of quasi-homogeneous, quasi-isotropic polycrystals deforming uniformly on a macroscopic scale, at subdiffusive temperatures. Experimental comparisons between single crystals and polycrystals are reviewed, considering flow stress, work hardening, temperature and strain rate effects, and various effects of grain size.
Telephone interviews with parents of 4th graders support nutrition education using innovative strategies for low-income families and after-school programs (625.5)

Fuel for Fun: Cooking with Kids is a school-based cooking program for 4th graders (n=415, 8 schools). To design a family component, professional phone interviews were held with their parents (n=24, 41.7 ± 5.7 y ) who represented all surveyed parents (n=85)-white, female, high school graduates, 63% eating competent (EC), 54% normal weight. 38% used at least 1 assistance program (WIC 25%; food banks 21%; SNAP 17%). Assistance program usage was associated with greater interest in label reading (P=.022), meal planning (P=.019), and affordable meals (P=.013). Parents preferred programs on Friday (63%) or Thursday (50%) from 6-8 PM (63%) on cooking skills, active indoor and nutrition games. Preferred participation incentives were having a child involved in activities (96%), give-aways (83%) and being served dinner (79%). 3 topics with definite interest were easy-to-fix home meals, food prep with children, and affordable home meals. Families being more physically active was of greater interest than food prep. EC...
Causes and effects of noncompliance in cardiac patients

This study affirms that compliance with medical regimen in a university cardiac clinic favorably influences patient outcome. The multiplicity of factors influencing compliance are emphasized, as is the need for continuing physician evaluation of compliance, and attempts to favorably influence it.
Partially Digested Adult Cardiac Extracellular Matrix Promotes Cardiomyocyte Proliferation In Vitro

Stimulating or maintaining the proliferative capacity of postnatal mammalian cardiomyocytes is a major challenge to cardiac regeneration. Previously, it is found that fetal cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) can promote neonatal rat cardiomyocyte proliferation in vitro better than neonatal or adult ECM. It is hypothesized that partial digestion of adult ECM (PD-ECM) would liberate less crosslinked components that promote cardiomyocyte proliferation, similar to fetal ECM. Neonatal rat cardiac cells are seeded onto substrates coated with adult rat cardiac ECM that has been solubilized in pepsin-HCl for 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, or 48 h. Cardiomyocyte proliferation and fold-change in numbers from 1 to 5 d are highest on 1 and 3 h PD-ECM compared to other conditions. Sarcomeres tend to mature on 24 and 48 h PD-ECM where low proliferation is observed. 3 h PD-ECM is primarily composed of Fibrillin-1, Fibrinogen, and Laminins while 48 h PD-ECM is dominated by Collagen I. Our results suggest that adult ECM retains regenerative cues that may be masked by more abundant, mature ECM components. PD-ECM provides a simple yet powerful approach to promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation.
SH2-PLA: a sensitive in-solution approach for quantification of modular domain binding by proximity ligation and real-time PCR.

There is a great interest in studying phosphotyrosine dependent protein-protein interactions in tyrosine kinase pathways that play a critical role in many aspects of cellular function. We previously established SH2 profiling, a phosphoproteomic approach based on membrane binding assays that utilizes purified Src Homology 2 (SH2) domains as a molecular tool to profile the global tyrosine phosphorylation state of cells. However, in order to use this method to investigate SH2 binding sites on a specific target in cell lysate, additional procedures such as pull-down or immunoprecipitation which consume large amounts of sample are required. We have developed PLA-SH2, an alternative in-solution modular domain binding assay that takes advantage of Proximity Ligation Assay and real-time PCR. The SH2-PLA assay utilizes oligonucleotide-conjugated anti-GST and anti-EGFR antibodies recognizing a GST-SH2 probe and cellular EGFR, respectively. If the GST-SH2 and EGFR are in close proximity as a result of SH2-phosphotyrosine interactions, the two oligonucleotides are brought within a suitable distance for ligation to occur, allowing for efficient complex amplification via real-time PCR. The assay detected signal across at least 3 orders of magnitude of lysate input with a linear range spanning 1–2 orders and a low femtomole limit of detection for EGFR phosphotyrosine. SH2 binding kinetics determined by PLA-SH2 showed good agreement with established far-Western analyses for A431 and Cos1 cells stimulated with EGF at various times and doses. Further, we showed that PLA-SH2 can survey lung cancer tissues using 1 μl lysate without requiring phospho-enrichment. We showed for the first time that interactions between SH2 domain probes and EGFR in cell lysate can be determined in a microliter-scale assay using SH2-PLA. The obvious benefit of this method is that the low sample requirement allows detection of SH2 binding in samples which are difficult to analyze using traditional protein interaction assays. This feature along with short assay runtime makes this method a useful platform for the development of high throughput assays to determine modular domain–ligand interactions which could have wide-ranging applications in both basic and translational cancer research.
Forestry Mitigation Potential and Costs in Developing Countries Preface

The forest sector in Tanzania offers ample opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and sequestered carbon (C) in terrestrial ecosystems. More than 90% of the country's demand for primary energy is obtained from biomass mostly procured unsustainably from natural forests. This study examines the potential to sequester C through expansion of forest plantations aimed at reducing the dependence on natural forest for wood fuel production, as well as increase the country's output of industrial wood from plantations. These were compared ton conservation options in the tropical and miombo ecosystems. Three sequestration options were analyzed, involving the establishment of short rotation and long rotation plantations on about 1.7 x 106 hectares. The short rotation community forest option has a potential to sequester an equilibrium amount of 197.4 x 106 Mg C by 2024 at a net benefit of $79.5 x 106, while yielding a NPV of $0.46 Mg-1 C. The long rotation options for softwood and hardwood plantations will reach an equilibrium sequestration of 5.6 and 11.8 x 106 Mg C at a negative NPV of $0.60 Mg-1 C and $0.32 Mg-1 C. The three options provide cost competitive opportunities for sequestering about 7.5 x 106 Mg C yr -1more » while providing desired forest products and easing the pressure on the natural forests in Tanzania. The endowment costs of the sequestration options were all found to be cheaper than the emission avoidance cost for conservation options which had an average cost of $1.27 Mg-1 C, rising to $7.5 Mg-1 C under some assumptions on vulnerability to encroachment. The estimates shown here may represent the upper bound, because the actual potential will be influenced by market prices for inputs and forest products, land use policy constraints and the structure of global C transactions.« less
Determining the Contribution of Young Stars to Near Infrared Light

As part of an effort to determine the stellar origins of near infrared (NIR) light, we have measured the NIR photometric CO absorption index in different regions of the galaxy NGC 1309. This index measures the strength of the gravity-sensitive 2.3µm stellar absorption band and is a good indicator of young, cool supergiant stars. Our data suggest that such young supergiants dominate the 2µm light from active star forming regions in NGC 1309. The galaxy’s quiescent regions, in contrast, do not show evidence of young supergiants. It follows that the 2/µm light comes from different stellar populations in different places, and large changes in the 2µm surface brightness need not imply correspondingly large features in the galaxy’s mass distribution.
T-Independent Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Expression, Class-Switch Recombination, and Antibody Production by Immature/Transitional 1 B Cells

Inflammation elicits a splenic lymphopoiesis of unknown physiologic significance but one that juxtaposes developing B cells and exogenous Ag. We show that immature and transitional 1 (immature/T1) B cells constitutively express activation-induced cytidine deaminase and B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 in amounts that support accelerated plasmacytic differentiation and limited class-switch recombination. In vivo, activation of immature/T1 B cells by TLR ligands or bacterial vaccine rapidly induces T1 cells to divide, proliferate, and secrete IgM, IgG, or IgA Ab; in vitro, proliferation and differentiation are substantially enhanced by B cell-activating factor. We propose that inflammation-induced extramedullary lymphopoiesis represents a specialized mechanism for innate Ab responses to microbial pathogens.
Optimal Human Being: An Integrated Multi-level Perspective

Ken Sheldon's comprehensive new book addresses two questions: how can individuals best integrate the different facets of themselves to achieve "optimal human being", and how can researchers best integrate the different levels of analysis within the human sciences to understand "optimal human being" in general? In the process, the book supplies two new frameworks—one for viewing the human sciences as a group, and the other for viewing personality theory within that group. Optimal Human Being features a multi-level model that moves from biologically based levels of analysis to higher, socially based levels, and demonstrates how these different levels interact to determine behavior. The author then proposes a new way of looking at personality by examining four "tiers": organismic foundations, personality traits, goals/intentions, and self-concepts, and demonstrates how these levels relate to the state of optimal human being. The book concludes with two higher levels of analysis relevant to personality—social interaction and culture—and proposes a new profile of optimal human being.Intended for researchers and students in social and personality, clinical, developmental, and industrial psychology and other social sciences, the book will also serve as a supplement in a variety of courses including personality, positive psychology, well being, personal development, and motivation.
14 - Microwave Spectroscopy

This chapter discusses the state-of-the-art techniques being used in conventional microwave spectroscopy today, as well as explores three new molecular beam microwave techniques that are the current hotbed of activity in the field. It is these latter techniques that are revolutionizing the field once again by allowing the study of species that would have been considered much too difficult a decade ago. The cooling effect attained by the rapid expansion of the molecular beams in these spectrometers greatly simplifies the rotational spectra of large species, resulting in spectra that are readily assignable because only the lowest energy levels of the species are populated. In addition, the expansion process permits species in the molecular beam to cluster with the carrier gas or other species in the beam; the spectra of these clusters provide structural information about van der Waals complexes and hydrogen-bonded dimers, trimers, and tetramers.
A new dense silica polymorph: A possible link between tetrahedrally and octahedrally coordinated silica

We present the discovery of a novel dense silica polymorph retrieved from shock-wave and diamond-anvil cell experiments. This polymorph is the first observed silicate composed of face-sharing polyhedra and it has a density similar to stishovite. Sterical constraints on the bond angles induce an intrinsic disorder of Si positions, such that the Si-coordination is transitional between four-and sixfold. The structure provides a mechanism for this coordination change in silica and other silicates at high temperature that is fundamentally different from mechanisms at 300 K. The new polymorph also illustrates how the face-sharing polyhedra, naturally occurring along previously proposed compression mechanisms for dense silicate melts, can be constructed without inferring unphysically small bond angles.
Identification of translin and trax as components of the GS1 strand-specific DNA binding complex enriched in brain

In previous gel-shift assays, we identified a protein complex, referred to as GS1, that binds in a sequence-specific manner to single-stranded DNA and is highly enriched in brain. As an initial step in clarifying the function of this complex, we have undertaken studies aimed at defining its protein components. In particular, we focused on identifying two protein bands that were covalently labeled when the GS1-DNA complex was subjected to UV irradiation to induce cross-linking between the radiolabeled probe and GS1 components. By following GS1 binding activity through a series of conventional chromatographic steps, as well as an affinity column based on the DNA oligonucleotide used for gel-shift assays, we were able to achieve approximately 500,000-fold enrichment of GS1 compared with that in crude cerebellar extracts used as starting material. This highly purified fraction contained both protein bands detected by UV cross-linking in crude extracts. Sequencing of peptides derived from these proteins led to their identification as Translin and Trax, interacting proteins identified in studies of DNA recombination in lymphocytes. A distinct line of research has provided evidence that a complex containing Translin can bind to specific mRNAs and block their translation. Whether one or both of these proposed functions of the Translin/Trax complex explains the high basal level of GS1 binding activity present in the brain remains to be determined.
Using Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrometry to probe the injected neutral gas in a plasma having a high ionization fraction

Knowledge of the neutral gas composition in a discharge is important for understanding the chemical processes involved in both etching and deposition environments. We have performed a test to see if Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectrometry can be used to measure the density of the injected neutral gas in a plasma having a high ionization fraction (≥1%). The results from the test are compared to results [R. L. McClain, Ph.D. thesis, Department of Chemistry and Engineering Research Center for Plasma‐Aided Manufacturing, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1991 (unpublished)] found with an IR diode laser. For this measurement, using a FTIR spectrometer represents a major improvement over using an IR diode laser, in terms of both cost and time. Finally, we discuss methods that one should employ to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio when using FTIR spectrometry for similar measurements. If one employs these methods, then one should be able to use FTIR spectrometers to accurately monitor neutral ga...
Water-Soluble Flavor and Odor Precursors of Meat. 4. Influence of Cooking on Nucleosides and Bases of Beef Steaks and Roasts and Their Relationship to Flavor, Aroma and Juiciness

SUMMARY: Cooking resulted in significant increases in adenylic acid, total purine nucleosides and bases of 80 beef roasts of eight different cuts. It decreased the contents of inosinic acid, guanylic acid and sum of individual nucleotides (adenylic, cytidylic, uridylic, inosinic and guanylic acids) in these samples. Significant differences were also found between the various constituents of raw and cooked samples of the beef cuts.
Pulse-level interference and meteor processing of arecibo ISR data

Abstract We introduce a simple but effective order statistics filter for the pulse-level interference and meteor processing of Arecibo ionosphere observation data. Using this filter and the techniques introduced by Wen et al. [2005. Adaptive filtering for the separation of incoherent scatter and meteor signals for Arecibo Observation Data. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 67, 1190–1195] we effectively remove/separate the unwanted signals, such as impulsive interference and meteor returns, encountered during incoherent scatter radar (ISR) observations of the ionosphere. We further analyze the separated signals to obtain uniquely “cleaned” incoherent scatter power data and scientifically valuable meteor parameters. We present the processed incoherent scatter results from 22/23 March 2004 observations and the altitude and the speed distributions of the separated meteor signals. The nighttime photochemical E-region is clearly revealed for the first time as a result of meteor and interference removal. Additionally, these results reveal the first major bias in large aperture radar meteor headecho results—the meteor speed distribution is flattened by the absence of at least 50% of the events with duration less than 10 ms revealed by meteor-specific observations. Meteor data derived from standard incoherent scatter data always displays this bias.
Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during sprouting of alfalfa seeds

Aims:Escherichia coli O157:H7 was monitored daily during sprouting of alfalfa seeds inoculated at high (3·92 log10 cfu g–1) and low (1·86 log10 cfu g–1) levels to assess the extent of pathogen growth during production. Methods and Results: Sprouts and rinse water were tested by direct and membrane filter plating on modified sorbitol MacConkey agar and BCM O157:H7(+) agar; the antibody-direct epifluorescent filter technique; and rapid immunoassays. The pathogen reached maximum populations after one and two days of sprouting seeds inoculated at high and low levels, respectively; in either case, populations of 5–6 log10 cfu g–1 were reached. Detection limits of two rapid immunoassays, Reveal and VIP, without enrichment were determined to be 5–7 log10 cfu ml–1. Conclusions: These results show the ability of E. coli O157:H7 to grow to high levels during sprouting; however, because these levels may be below detection limits, it is necessary to include enrichment when monitoring sprout production for E. coli O157:H7 by the rapid test kits. Significance and Impact of the Study: The data indicate that sprouts may harbor high levels of pathogens. The appropriate use of rapid test methods for pathogen monitoring during sprouting is indicated.
A queueing system where customers require a random number of servers simultaneously

Abstract A closed single node queueing system with multiple classes is analyzed numerically. The node consists of M identical servers fed by a single queue. Each customer of class r, 1 ⩽ r ⩽ M, acquires r servers simultaneously at the beginning of its service. All r servers are released at the same time upon completion of its service. The service time of a class r customer is exponentially distributed with a mean depending on r. This queueing model is analyzed with a view to obtaining performance measures such as throughput, distribution of busy servers, and queue-length distribution.
Stress analysis of thick, curved composite laminates

Abstract A finite element code was developed for calculating stresses and strains in thick, curved composite laminates subjected to an arbitrary, but consistent, combination of forces and displacements. The laminate may be arbitrarily curved in one plane but must have no curvature in the other two perpendicular planes. The analysis was formulated using anisotropic, bilinear quadrilateral and trilinear hexahedral continuum elements. A computer code was then written for either three-dimensional or two-dimensional (plane stress or plane strain) analysis of curved laminates. The accuracy of the computer code was evaluated by generating numerical results for three problems for which analytical solutions exist, and by comparing the numerical and analytical results. In every case the agreement between the numerical and analytical results was excellent.
Effect of Short-Term Feed Deprivation on Shell Quality in Laying Hens

Hens with feed withheld for 24 hr had poorer shell quality for the next 3 days. Hens with feed withheld for the first 8 hr (0400 to 1200 hr) of the 16-hr light cycle showed no decline in shell quality, but those with feed withheld the last 8 hr (1200 to 2000 hr) had poorer shell quality on the following day. When the period from 1200 to 2000 hr was divided into 2 periods (1200 to 1600 hr and 1600 to 2000 hr), feed restriction during the 1600 to 2000-hr period caused a decline in shell quality on the next day, but removal during the 1200 to 1600-hr period had no effect on shell quality. Shell quality was related to the feed intake of the hens, because about 34% of their feed intake was during the period 1600 to 2000 hr. Hens fed a low Ca diet (.7%) from 1200 to 2000 hr had poorer shell quality but not as poor as those with feed withheld. Feeding a high Ca diet (7.6%) from 0400 to 1200 hr prior to feed restriction from 1200 to 2000 hr, or giving oyster shell during the period of feed removal, improved shell quality, but not to the level of the full-fed birds. Daily feed restriction from 1200 to 2000 hr caused a reduction in shell quality for the first 4 days after which shell quality returned, but a slight decline in egg production was noted. These hens were able to consume approximately 70% of the feed consumed by the full-fed birds.
VARIATION IN NUTLET MORPHOLOGY OF LIMNANTHES

Morphological features of nutlets of all members of the genus Limnanthes were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Eight distinct nutlet types are recognized on the basis of presence or absence, size, shape, density, and color of tubercles and associated filamentous or globular background structures. Some taxa (e.g., L. macounii, L. bakeri) display only one nutlet type, some (e.g., L. floccosa floccosa) have different types in different populations, and others (e.g., L. alba, L. striata) have two or more types within populations. Four classes of nutlets are designated as subtypes on the basis of their forms varying between the eight types recognized. The relationships among various taxa on the basis of nutlet types are schematically diagrammed and compared with other classification schemes. Results suggest that the proposed details of nutlet morphology should be considered in an identification key. Preliminary evidence indicates that certain highly sculptured (tuberculate) nutlet types with large surface areas occur more often in wetter habitats and that variation in this trait in different Limnanthes species might be adaptively associated with geographical distribution patterns.
Atropine, scopolamine and hippocampal lesion effects on alternation performance of rats.

Abstract Interactions between effects of hippocampal lesions and cholinergic blocking agents were examined using two behavioral tasks, delayed spatial alternation and go-no go temporal alternation. Atrophine and scopolamine were administered to control rats and to rats with lesions in three areas of the hippocampal formation. Large hippocampal lesions disrupted performance on both tasks as did administration of atrophine or scopolamine to control rats and to rats with lesions in restricted areas of the hippocampus. However, the effects of atropine and scopolamine on performance of rats with large lesions involving all regions of the hippocampal formation depended upon the alternation task used. Atropine and scopolamine disrupted delayed spatial alternation performance of all groups tested, but atropine failed to significantly disrupt go-no go alternation performance of the group with large unrestricted hippocampal lesions. Both the size of the lesion and the behavioral task were found to be important determinants of the effects of cholinergic blockers on the performance of rats with hippocampal lesions.
Prospects of cascade solar cells

Abstract Cascade solar cells may now be the only promising approach to achieve high conversion efficiency; however, several technical problems have to be solved first. It is hoped that enough effort and time will be given to this structure so that an efficiency of over 30% can be achieved. Organometallic chemical vapor deposition seems to be the most suitable growth technique for this structure. Thus, it is suggested that current activities should be directed to solve problems associated with this technique.
A Comparison of the Volatile-Solvent Method with the Vacuum-Oven Method for Determining Moisture Content of Cheese

Summary Toluene removes moisture rapidly without causing undue charring or decomposition of the material and is recommended as a very satisfactory distilling liquid. Coating the corks with collodion, correcting for the density of water, and using a paraffin or glycerine bath at 140° to 150°C., are improvements which increase the efficiency and accuracy of the distillation method. This method gives results for cheese which are slightly higher than the results obtained by the vacuum-oven method. It is considered undesirable to boil the material more than one and one-half hours when the rate of boiling is properly regulated. Closer checks are obtained on duplicate samples by the vacuum-oven method than by the distillation method. The latter method is much more rapid and is very accurate for determinations on cheese.
Highly Diverse Endophytic and Soil Fusarium oxysporum Populations Associated with Field-Grown Tomato Plants

ABSTRACT The diversity and genetic differentiation of populations of Fusarium oxysporum associated with tomato fields, both endophytes obtained from tomato plants and isolates obtained from soil surrounding the sampled plants, were investigated. A total of 609 isolates of F. oxysporum were obtained, 295 isolates from a total of 32 asymptomatic tomato plants in two fields and 314 isolates from eight soil cores sampled from the area surrounding the plants. Included in this total were 112 isolates from the stems of all 32 plants, a niche that has not been previously included in F. oxysporum population genetics studies. Isolates were characterized using the DNA sequence of the translation elongation factor 1α gene. A diverse population of 26 sequence types was found, although two sequence types represented nearly two-thirds of the isolates studied. The sequence types were placed in different phylogenetic clades within F. oxysporum, and endophytic isolates were not monophyletic. Multiple sequence types were found in all plants, with an average of 4.2 per plant. The population compositions differed between the two fields but not between soil samples within each field. A certain degree of differentiation was observed between populations associated with different tomato cultivars, suggesting that the host genotype may affect the composition of plant-associated F. oxysporum populations. No clear patterns of genetic differentiation were observed between endophyte populations and soil populations, suggesting a lack of specialization of endophytic isolates.
Intraosseous hemangiosarcoma with metastasis in a three-month-old llama.

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Optical beam propagation for a partially coherent source in the turbulent atmosphere

The extended Huygens-Fresnel principle is used to formulate general expressions of the mutual intensity function for a finite optical source with partial spatial coherence propagating in the weakly turbulent atmosphere. Formulations are developed for both the focused and collimated Gaussian beam. Generalized criterion for the effective far-field range is defined in terms of the source aperture, optical wave number, source coherence, and characteristic length associated with the atmospheric turbulence. Beam spread and lateral coherence length in the near and far field are investigated for a combination of parameter variations and the physical implications discussed. Finally, analytic results are calculated and plotted to illustrate the functional behavior of relevant physical parameters.
Teacher Education Students with Disabilities: Participation and Achievement Factors:

Students with disabilities are entering teacher education programs in expanding numbers; yet, they are experiencing varying degrees of success. Factors impacting students' with disabilities participation and achievement in teacher education programs are presented and federal legislation affecting their involvement in teacher preparation programs is reviewed. Additionally, conditions affecting students' with disabilities admission, performance of essential teaching functions, accommodation provision, and accessibility in teacher education programs are examined. Issues involving basic skills competency testing, essential teaching function interpretation and performance, faculty attitude, and student self-advocacy skills are discussed. Recommendations for future research also are presented.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE RADIATION RESISTANCE OF YERSINIA PESTIS SUSPENDED IN RAW GROUND PORK

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague. While rare, pharyngeal plague in humans has been associated with consumption or handling of meat prepared from infected animals, and the risks of contracting plague from consumption of deliberately contaminated meat are currently unknown. Ionizing radiation can inactivate foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica in refrigerated and frozen raw meat. The radiation resistance of avirulent Y. pestis suspended in raw ground pork was 0.16 (±0.02), 0.27 (±0.02), 0.36 (±0.02) and 0.54 (±0.03) kGy when irradiated at 10, 0, -10 and -20C, respectively. When incorporated into a three-dimensional mesh, the predictive equation followed a parabolic fit (R 2 = 0.84) where log 10 reduction = -0.264 - (0.039 x temperature) - (3.833 x dose) - (0.0013 x temperature 2 )- (0.728 x dose 2 ). A radiation dose of 1.35 kGy would inactivate 5 log 10 of Y. pestis in refrigerated (0C) ground pork, while a radiation dose of 2.7 kGy would be required for frozen (-20C) product. These results indicate that Y. pestis could easily be controlled in refrigerated and frozen raw ground meat using ionizing radiation.
Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase as a diagnostic aid in problem drinkers.

Abstract Blood samples of 41 individuals (16 female and 25 male) identified as having alcohol-related life problems of from 1 to 44 yr duration were assayed for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) activities. Information on individual drinking habits was obtained at the onset of the study along with GGTP and SGOT determinations. Individuals' drinking habits and enzyme activities were compared at onset, at 3 and at 12 months following termination. At the onset of the study none of the individuals exhibited GGTP activities within the normal range; however, as the study progressed from 3 to 12 months an increasing number of individuals' enzyme activities fell within the normal range. At 1 yr a significant correlation was found between the amount of alcohol consumed and GGTP. The binding characteristics of serum GGTP from subjects consuming large amounts of alcohol and from those consuming no alcohol were examined on Con A chromatography. The elution profile for individuals consuming large amounts of alcohol showed the presence of two forms of the enzyme, GGTP. The abstinent individuals had only one of the isoenzymatic forms of the enzyme in the serum. The significant correlation of GGTP with alcohol consumption and more importantly the presence of multiple enzyme forms may be of value as a diagnostic aid and as an outcome assessment with problem drinkers.