cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Correlation for the Estimation of Critical Micellization Concentrations and Temperatures of Polyols in Aqueous Solutions

An empirical correlation is presented for the estimation of critical micellization concentrations (CMC) and critical micellization temperatures (CMT) for poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers in aqueous solutions. The CMC and CMT are expressed as a function of the polyol molecular weight, composition, and temperature (for CMC determination) or concentration (in the case of CMT). The correlation was developed from experimental CMT data for a set of 12 polyols that covered a wide range of molecular weights (2900–14600) and poly(ethylene oxide) contents (30–80 wt%) and is based on a simple expression for the standard free energy of micellization. Such a correlation should be useful to practitioners of the field as it allows easy prediction of CMC and CMT for a wide range of polyols with a minimal number of input parameters.
External tools for collaborative medication scheduling

Medication adherence--taking medication as prescribed--is critical for successful self-care, especially among older adults. Adherence depends on developing and implementing plans for taking medications. Age-related cognitive declines that affect adherence may be mitigated using external tools that support patient-provider collaboration needed to develop these adherence plans. We tested the effectiveness of structured collaborative medication tools to support better medication planning and adherence practices. Evidence for benefits of collaborative tools has been mixed in terms of their usefulness for medication-scheduling tasks, perhaps because the tools have not been explicitly designed to support patient-provider collaboration. A total of 144 community-dwelling older adults participated in pairs and performed the role of a patient or provider in a simulated patient-provider medication-scheduling task. Each pair worked with a structured (MedTable and e-MedTable) or unstructured (Medcard) scheduling tool and completed four problems (2 simple and 2 complex). Performance was measured using the following: problem-solving (medication schedule) accuracy, problem-solving time, solution (schedule) optimality, tool usability, collaborative effectiveness, and subjective workload involved in creating the medication schedules. Participants using structured tools produced more accurate and optimal schedules. They also rated subjective workload as lower and thought that the structured tools were easier to use, reduced subjective workload associated with creating the schedules. There was also suggestive evidence that participants using the structured tools rated more highly the quality of their collaboration. Structured medication-scheduling tools have the potential to improve medication adherence among older adults because they support collaborative planning and reduce the cognitive load involved in creating these adherence plans.
Combinatorial study of the mushroom-to-brush crossover in surface anchored polyacrylamide.

We present a method for fabricating anchored polymers with a gradual variation of grafting densities on solid substrates. The technique for generating such structures comprises (i) formation of a molecular gradient of polymerization initiator on the solid substrate and (ii) polymerization from the substrate-bound initiator centers (“grafting from”). We measure the mushroom-to-brush transition in grafted polyacrylamides and show that the mushroom and brush behavior can be described using existing scaling theories.
Relaxation of spin-glass magnetization in Cd1-xMnxTe diluted magnetic semiconductors.

Relaxation of thermal-remanent magnetization and isothermal remanent magnetization of spin glass in ${\mathrm{Cd}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathit{x}}$Te diluted magnetic semiconductors have been studied at different conditions. Magnetization relaxation can be described by a power-law decay, M(t)=${\mathit{M}}_{0}$${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$ (tg${\mathit{t}}_{0}$ and ${\mathit{t}}_{0}$=2 s) with small values of \ensuremath{\alpha} or a logarithmic decay M(t)=${\mathit{M}}_{0}$(1-\ensuremath{\alpha} lnt) (tg${\mathit{t}}_{0}$ and ${\mathit{t}}_{0}$=2 s). Temperature and applied magnetic-field dependencies of the decay parameter \ensuremath{\alpha} have been measured. The above-band-gap photoexcitation has been used to generate free carriers (electrons and holes) in the sample and their effects on the spin-spin interaction of Mn ions have been studied. The dependence of the power-law decay parameter \ensuremath{\alpha} on excitation light intensity has also been measured. It is found that \ensuremath{\alpha} is proportional to the photogenerated carrier concentration. Furthermore, aging effects in the spin-glass state have also been studied by varying the time duration of the applied magnetic field. The transient responses of magnetization in the spin-glass state upon applying a magnetic field in the dark and under illumination have been measured and are found to follow a power-law time dependence, M(t)=${\mathit{M}}_{0}$+${\mathit{M}}_{1}$${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\beta}}}$. Temperature and the applied magnetic-field dependencies of the transient parameter \ensuremath{\beta} have been measured. A mechanism, involving an increased spin domain size under light illumination via free-carrier-Mn spin interaction, can explain our results very well.
Percentage points of a weighted Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic

Let F and G be the cumulative distribution functions corresponding to two independent random variables. Define the shift function, Δ(x), by F(x)=G(x+Δ(x)). Doksum and Sievers (1976) compared two confidence bands for Δ(x). The confidence band they found to be best requires the percentage points of a weighted form of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic. The goal in this paper is to supply a table of some of the exact percentage points.
Modeling the reaction synthesis of shock-densified titanium-silicon powder mixture compacts

The reaction behavior of shock-consolidated Ti-Si powder mixture compacts, densified at 5 to 7 GPa pressure, was investigated to determine conditions required for solid-state reaction synthesis leading to the formation of dense Ti5Si3 intermetallic compounds with fine-grained microstructure. It was observed that at temperatures greater than 1000 °C, the heat released following reaction initiation in the solid state exceeds the rate of heat dissipation causing a self-propagating combustion-type reaction to take over the synthesis process forming highly porous reaction products. A reaction synthesis model was developed to allow the prediction of optimum conditions necessary to ensure that the bulk of the reaction in dynamically densified Ti-Si powder compacts occurs by rapid solid-state diffusion and without being taken over by the combustion process. The model incorporates mass and heat balance with the kinetics evaluated using experimentally determined apparent activation energies for solid-state and combustion reactions. Considering the decrease in activation energy (as measure of degree of shock activation), average particle size, and compact porosity as the main variables, the model plots the fraction reacted as a function of time for various postshock reaction-synthesis temperatures, illustrating the dominant reaction mechanism and kinetics. The results show that although changes in average particle size and compact porosity influence the synthesis temperature above which the reaction may be taken over by the combustion-type process, lowering of the activation energy via shock-compression influences the time for reaction completion in the solid state.
Eulerian Model for Mean Turbulent Diffusion of Particles in Free Shear Layers

A simple Eulerian model is developed to determine the qualitative mean transverse diffusion in a free shear flow of a particle with a drag coefficient inversely proportional to the particle Reynolds number. The model is based on integrating the particle equation of motion within a single time-varying eddy to yield a closed-form analytic expression for the turbulent diffusion. The description is based on an average local length scale and an average local timescale of the turbulence similar to previous Lagrangian stochastic diffusion models. The resulting expression indicates three important nondimenslonal parameters: a local Stokes number (ratio of particle response time to eddy lifetime), an eddy Froude number (ratio of rotational acceleration to gravitational acceleration), and a drift parameter (ratio of particle terminal velocity to turbulent rms fluctuations), where the third parameter is simply a function of the first two. The model yields a particle diffusion greater than that of a scalar for a local Stokes number of order unity, the value of which depends on the eddy Froude number
Step Shear Dynamics of Entangled Polymer Liquids

Nonlinear step shear dynamics of entangled solutions of an ultrahigh molecular weight polystyrene (PS20M, = 20.06 × 106 g/mol) in diethyl phthalate (DEP) are investigated. PS20M/DEP solutions with concentrations φ spanning the range from marginally entangled to highly entangled liquids are used to quantify the effect of entanglement density on dynamics. Step shear measurements are performed in a setting where errors due to interfacial slip can be determined and minimized. Two characteristic “separability” times λk1 = (16.5 ± 4.7)τRouse and λk2 ≫ τRouse are identified, beyond which nonlinear shear relaxation moduli G(γ,t) = σ(γ,t)/γ can be factorized into separate time-dependent G(t) and strain-dependent h(γ) functions. Contrary to expectations from theory, both separability times are stronger functions of polymer concentration (λk1 ∼ φ 0.7, λk2 ∼ φ3.2) than expected for a pure Rouse stretch relaxation route to factorability, λk ∝ τRouse ∼ φ 0. On the other hand, we find that a single shear damping functio...
Transoral robotic resection of a lingual thyroglossal duct cyst

Thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are epithelial rests of the thyroid gland left during embryologic descent from the tongue base. Thyroglossal duct cysts confined to the tongue base alone are even more unusual. We present a case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with complaints of sore throat, globus, and throat clearing for 10 years. On examination she was found to have a 2 × 1.5-cm cystic-appearing mass, left of midline in the vallecula. The patient had a transoral robotic resection of this vallecular cyst, which was subsequently found to be a lingual TGDC. We believe this is the first reported case of a TGDC that was successfully excised using a transoral robotic approach.
Problems associated with the use of dispersed pancreatic tissue for xenotransplantation: A possible solution

: In light of the disappointing clinical results with purified islets, we propose that a simple preparation of impure islets may provide a better graft for both future allogeneic and xenogeneic transplantation trials. We hypothesize that the simplest, least traumatic procedure to disperse the pancreas, which minimizes the disruption of normal cellular associations, will yield an islet graft of maximum viability. The peritoneal cavity is an attractive site for the transplantation of such preparations since it can accommodate nearly unlimited graft volumes, and is easily accessible. In the present study, we tested the ability of impure islet autografts transplanted in the peritoneal cavity to reverse diabetes in a preclinical model. Dogs (N=29) underwent total pancreatectomy and were divided into three groups: group I (N=7) received intraportal pure islets; group II (N=13) received intraperitoneal pure islets; group III (N=9) received intraperitoneal impure islets. There were no significant differences in islet mass transplanted in the groups: group I 11,686 ± 2,514 IE/kg, group II 10,274 ± 1,125 IE/kg, and group III 11,735 ± 1,497. At 15 months, all purified grafts in group I failed, and all but one purified graft in group II failed, while five impure grafts in group III continued to function (P < 0.05, versus group I and II, X2). Glucose disposal in dogs with functioning grafts did not differ between groups. In conclusion, free impure islets are able to engraft within the peritoneal cavity and reverse diabetes in a large animal. Impure islets grafts were superior to purified grafts in initial engraftment and long-term functional survival. Thus, the peritoneal cavity represents a site that can support the engraftment and long-term function of both impure islet allografts and possibly xenografts if sufficient immune suppression or tolerance is achieved.
Desarrollo de un repertorio representacional: el proceso del distanciamiento

ResumenLa hipotesis del distanciamiento se ha propuesto como una explicacion de como se adquiere un importante aspecto del desarrollo psicologico: la competencia representational. La hipotesis es que el desarrollo cognitivo se ve favorecido por la competencia en el manejo de la capacidad cognitiva que permite separar al sujeto del entorno inmediato. La hipotesis se basa en dos tipos significativos de interacciones que los nin experimentan: las interaccionescon objetosy situaciones, y las que implican relaciones interpersonales. Las estrategias de distanciamiento tienen que ver con la forma en que los padres se sirven de esos objetos y situaciones, asi como de esas relaciones interpersonales, en sus actividades conjuntas con los nin. Las investigacionesa que se alude en este articulo toman en consideracion los problemas relacionados con la coherencia y los cambios en las creencias de los padres, asi como su papel en el desarrollo de sistemas representacionales en el nino.
Development of windowless liquid lithium targets for fragmentation and fission of 400-kW uranium beams

Abstract The driver linac of the proposed rare isotope accelerator facility is designed to deliver 2×10 13 uranium ions per second at 400 MeV/u on target for radionuclide production via the fission and fragmentation mechanisms. The ion optics of the large acceptance, high-resolution fragment separators that follow the production target require primary beam spot widths of 1 mm. To cope with the resulting high power densities, windowless liquid lithium targets are being developed. The present designs build on existing experience with liquid lithium and liquid sodium systems that have been used for fusion and fission applications. However, no completely windowless systems have been developed or tested to date. For the beam power indicated above (400 kW), the flow requirements are up to about 20 m/s and 10 l/s linear and volume flow rates, respectively. The required target thickness is 1–1.5 g/cm 2 (2–3 cm lithium thickness). At this time a prototype windowless system with a lithium thickness of 1–2 cm is under construction. The prototype will be operated initially without beam in the Argonne liquid lithium test facility. The details of the design of the prototype and a progress report on its construction and testing will be presented.
Carbon isotope discrimination correlates with a range of ratios of phosphoenolpyruvate to total carboxylase activities found in two C3species

Summary The most widely used model that relates leaf carbon isotopic ratios to {ie489-1} ratios in C 3 plants suggests that PEPcase contributes approximately 6% of the carbon pool in these species. Variability in this contribution during leaf development is not only possible, but has been shown in studies where PEP-case activity is highest during the heterotrophic (carbon gained from import) stages of leaf development and declines as the leaf attains greater amounts of autotrophy (carbon gained from photosynthesis). We tested the hypothesis that variation in PEPcase: total carboxylase activities associated with carbon sources for leaf growth could affect carbon isotopic discrimination values on mixotrophic (carbon gained from import and photosynthesis) and autotrophic Nicotiana tabacum and Salix interior plants. A range of mean ratios of PEPcase: total carboxylase activities was achieved in these two C 3 species that correlated negatively with mean leaf carbon isotopic discrimination. These results indicate that the proportion of carbon fixed by PEPcase to total carboxylation could vary between different leaf developmental stages within and among different species and that this contribution can exceed 6%.
Effects of Atmosphere on Oblique Reconnaissance

This paper shows how atmospheric scattering can affect the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the spatial resolution, and the noise equivalent reflectance difference (NEAp) of an oblique CCD reconnaissance camera operating in the pushbroom mode. An example is given that compares these quantities for 75° and 85° oblique imagery with the near-nadir case for a flat, horizontal target. The effect of imaging the target at various azimuths with respect to the sun is examined.
All Work and No PLA Makes Jack a Dull Boy.

In one of his discussions of the educational value of experience, John Dewey described a little boy building a boat. Is he building his boat to sail to a far-far-away land? Maybe… Maybe one day he ...
GaAs traveling-wave electrooptic waveguide modulator with bandwidth >20 GHz at 1.3 μm

A GaAs traveling-wave electrooptic waveguide polarization modulator In the coplanar strip configuration has been fabricated and characterized at an optical wavelength of 1.3 μm. The –3-dB optical bandwidth is measured to be >20 GHz. The device consists of an optical waveguide with a double-heterojunction structure of Al0.032Ga0.968As/GaAs/Al0.032Ga0.968As with dimensions of 2, 1.6, and 5 μm, respectively, for vertical confinement and a chemically etched ridge for lateral confinement. The ridge width Is 4.5 pm etched to a depth of 1.2 μm for dielectric loading. The optical waveguide is single mode. The structure is grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy at low pressure in a horizontal reactor. All epitaxial layers have doping n < 3 × 1014 cm−3 and are grown on a (001) semi-insulating GaAs substrate.1
Discussion on “A Hybrid Selection and Testing Procedure with Curtailment for Comparative Clinical Trials” by Elena M. Buzaianu and Pinyuen Chen

Abstract The present paper deals with the problem of testing new treatments against a control in two stages. The objective is to select treatments whose probability of success is greater by a specified quantity from that of the control. I propose a simpler selection rule by improvising upon the customary chi-squared test.
Gait and balance in adults with Friedreich's ataxia

Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is an autosomal recessive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness and sensory loss, balance deficits, and gait ataxia. Gait and balance impairments become worse as the disease progresses, but limited research has quantitatively assessed these deficits in adults with FA. The purpose of this study was to analyze gait and balance in this population and investigate the relationship between these variables. Eight subjects with genetically confirmed FA (29.4±9.0 years) and eight healthy, matched control subjects (29.6±9.1 years) participated in this study. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were examined using the GAITRite Walkway System while balance was examined utilizing the Biodex Balance System SD and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The FA group exhibited approximately 50% slower gait velocity and 32% shorter step and stride lengths compared to the control group for both comfortable and fast walking (p<0.001). Further, stride length variability in the FA group was 3.4 and 2.7 times that of controls for comfortable and fast walking, respectively (p<0.01). Subjects with FA took 72% longer to complete the limits of stability (LOS) test and attained an overall directional control score that was 50% that of controls (p<0.05). Lastly, age at FA symptom onset correlated with stride length variability during fast walking (p<0.05), and BBS and LOS test scores correlated with stride length variability during both comfortable and fast walking (p<0.05). Results demonstrate that adults with FA have significantly impaired gait and balance and several measures of these impairments are correlated.
Factors associated with outcome after hemicraniectomy for large middle cerebral artery territory infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Large or malignant middle cerebral artery infarction is associated with a high mortality rate. Hemicraniectomy reduces intracranial pressure and has been demonstrated to increase survival. Questions remain regarding selection of patients for surgery and functional outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts, operative reports, and images of patients who underwent hemicraniectomy for cerebral infarction at our institution between 1990 and 2002. Stroke volume and craniectomy area image analyses were performed with National Institutes of Health Image J software. Short-term outcome was measured with the Glasgow Outcome Scale. The requirement for second surgical decompression was also used as a measure of short-term outcome. Outcome 1 year after stroke was assessed with mailed self-report questionnaires to patients or providers with answers yielding information pertinent to the Barthel Index for physical disability, the Reintegration to Normal Living Index, and the Zung Depression Index. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to consider factors associated with outcome. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with large hemispheric infarcts (average volume, 407 cm 3 ) were treated with hemicraniectomy during the study period. Thirty-two patients survived more than 1 year after surgery. Twenty patients responded to a questionnaire scoring late physical disability (Barthel Index), quality of life (Reintegration to Normal Living Index), and depression (Zung Depression Index). The average Barthel Index score was 67. Barthel Index score and ability to walk were strongly correlated with age but not time to surgery, volume of infarction, or craniectomy size. Patients exhibited moderate to severe decrements in quality of life and increased incidence of depression across all age groups. Reoperation, an indicator for early operative failure, was required in six patients. These patients were significantly younger and had significantly higher volumes of cerebral infarction. CONCLUSION: Hemicraniectomy is life-saving treatment for large middle cerebral artery infarction. Good functional outcomes can be obtained but are less likely in older patients. Younger patients with large-volume strokes may benefit from multiple decompressions, if necessary.
Origins of species richness in the Indo‐Malay‐Philippine biodiversity hotspot: evidence for the centre of overlap hypothesis

The Indo-Malay-Philippine (IMP) biodiversity hotspot, bounded by the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula and New Guinea, is the epicentre of marine biodiversity. Hypotheses to explain the source of the incredible number of species found there include the centre of overlap hypothesis, which proposes that in this region the distinct faunas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans overlap. Here we review the biogeographical evidence in support of this hypothesis. We examined tropical reef fish distributions, paying particular attention to sister species pairs that overlap in the IMP hotspot. We also review phylogeographical studies of wide-ranging species for evidence of lineage divergence and overlap in the IMP region. Our synthesis shows that a pattern of isolation between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean faunas is evident across a wide range of taxa. The occurrence of sister species, with one member in each ocean, indicates that the mechanism(s) of isolation has been in effect since at least the Miocene, while phylogeographical studies indicate more recent divergences in the Pleistocene. Divergence in isolation followed by population expansion has led to an overlap of closely related taxa or genetic lineages in the hotspot, contributing to diversity and species richness in the region. These findings are consistent with the centre of overlap hypothesis and highlight the importance of this process in generating biodiversity within the IMP.
Multi Channel FM Reflection Profiler for Buried Pipeline Surveying

A towed multi-channel FM acoustic reflection profiler has been developed for locating and generating images of buried objects. One significant application of this sonar is buried pipeline surveying. The multi-channel reflection profiler uses 16 line arrays mounted in a towed vehicle to determine the position and burial depth of an 18 inch steel pipe filled with concrete buried under 1.5 meters of sand. This sonar will allow a survey vessel to continuously track a buried pipeline providing a continuous record of pipe burial depth and position.
ABri peptide associated with familial British dementia forms annular and ring-like protofibrillar structures

Amyloid plaque deposition involves the aggregation of normally soluble proteins into insoluble amyloid fibrils (fibrillization) and proceeds through intermediates with distinct morphologies, including spherical aggregates, protofibrils, and mature fibrils. Recently, a novel annular protofibril-like intermediate with unique pore-like properties was produced by alpha-synuclein, A beta-Arctic and amylin, which are proteins associated with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and type-II diabetes. The observation of annular structures coupled with size selective channel-like activity by these proteins suggests that these structures may be responsible for vesicle permeability by ion-channel formation. Using atomic force spectroscopy, we report here that the ABri peptide associated with familial British dementia produces similar annular and ring-like protofibril structures during the following sequence of events: spherical aggregates (0.4-1.5 nm height)-->chain-like protofibrils (1.5-2.3 nm height)-->ring-like protofibrils and annular protofibrils (1.5-2.3 nm height). This suggests that ABri fibrillization occurs in a similar fashion to other amyloidogenic proteins and that the annular protofibrillar structures may represent a common amyloid intermediate.
Identification of nitroxide radioprotectors

The nitroxide Tempol, a stable free radical, has recently been shown to protect mammalian cells against several forms of oxidative stress including radiation-induced cytotoxicity. To extend this observation, six additional water-soluble nitroxides with different structural features were evaluated for potential radioprotective properties using Chinese hamster V79 cells and clonogenic assays. Nitroxides (10 mM) were added 10 min prior to radiation exposure and full radiation dose-response curves were determined. In addition to Tempol, five of the six nitroxides afforded in vitro radioprotection. The best protectors were found to be the positively charged nitroxides, Tempamine and 3-aminomethyl-PROXYL, with protection factors of 2.3 and 2.4, respectively, compared with Tempol, which had a protection factor of 1.3. 3-Carboxy-PROXYL, a negatively charged nitroxide, provided minimal protection. DNA binding characteristics as studied by nonequilibrium dialysis of DNA with each of the nitroxides demonstrated that Tempamine and 3-amino-methyl-PROXYL bound more strongly to DNA than did Tempol. Since DNA is assumed to be the target of radiation-induced cytotoxicity, differences in protection may be explained by variabilities in affinity of the protector for the target. This study establishes nitroxides as a general class of new nonthiol radioprotectors and suggests other parameters that may be exploited to find even better nitroxide-induced radioprotection.
Singularities in conformally flat spacetimes

Abstract It is shown that the energy density must diverge at least as fast as 1/t along certain null geodesics near a strong curvature singularity in any conformally flat spacetime.
Comment on "Resolution of RungeKutta-Nystrom Condition Equations through Eighth Order"

Rastogi, R. P., Kishore, K., and Deepak, D., "Heterogeneous Combustion of Aluminized Propellants," AIAA Journal, Vol. 14, Feb. 1976, pp. 229-234. Wooldridge, C. E. and Muzzy, R. J., "Internal Ballistics Considerations in Hybrid Rocket Design," Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 4, Feb. 1967, pp. 255-262. Marxman, G. A., Wooldridge, C. E., and Muzzy, R. J., "Fundamentals of Hybrid Boundary Layer Combustion," Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Heterogeneous Combustion edited by H. G. Wolfhard, I. Glassman, and L. Green Jr., Vol. 15, 1964, Academic Press, New York, pp. 485-522. Seifert, H. S., "Hybrid Rocket Theory and Design," Jet, Rocket, Nuclear, Ion and Electric Propulsion: Theory and Design, Vol. 7, ed. by W.H.T. Loh, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1968, pp. 332-335. The value for/?5 was omitted in the typesetting.
A Critique of the Analytical Methods Used in Examining Decomposition Data Obtained From Litter Bags

The study of plant litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems commonly employs litter bags to compare the loss of mass among species, among sites, and under various experimental manipulations, or to investigate the process itself. Analysis of the resulting data is quite variable among investigators, and at times inappropriate. Two general analytical approaches to the examination of decomposition data are reviewed. Analysis of variance is useful if the intent is to compare treatment means, but does not directly test hypotheses regarding decomposition rates. If the intent is to determine rate constants, than fitting mathematical models to data is the more appropriate analysis. Single and double exponential models best describe the loss of mass over time with an element of biological realism. See full-text article at JSTOR
Metabolism of lactic acid in fermented cucumbers by Lactobacillus buchneri and related species, potential spoilage organisms in reduced salt fermentations.

Recent evidence suggests that Lactobacillus buchneri may play an important role in spoilage-associated secondary fermentation of cucumbers. Lactic acid degradation during fermented cucumber spoilage is influenced by sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration, pH, and presence of oxygen. Objectives were to evaluate these factors on lactic acid utilization by L. buchneri, and to compare the biochemical changes to those which occur during fermented cucumber spoilage. Effects of NaCl (0, 2, 4, and 6% w/w), pH (3.8 vs 5.0), and aerobic environment were investigated using fermented cucumber media (FC) inoculated with spoilage microorganisms. At pH 3.8, L. buchneri degraded lactic acid in all NaCl concentrations. The highest rate of lactic acid utilization occurred in FC with 2% NaCl (P < 0.05). Lactic acid utilization was nearly identical under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, indicating that oxygen does not influence lactate metabolism by L. buchneri. Lactic acid utilization was accompanied by increases in acetic acid and 1,2propanediol, and Lactobacillus rapi was able to convert 1,2-propanediol to propionic acid and propanol. L. buchneri initiated spoilage in a wide range of environmental conditions that may be present in commercial cucumber fermentations, and L. rapi may act syntrophically with L. buchneri to produce the commonly observed spoilage metabolites. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
A time-dependent formalism for a scintillator system to count the number of beam particles

Abstract In this paper a beam counting method was studied for the effects of Poisson parameter variations as a function of time. Theoretical correction factors were determined assuming a time-dependent distribution function for the Poisson parameter. It was also shown that most of the effects of the time-dependent Poisson parameter were already included in the corrections obtained by using time-sequenced coincidences. The remaining correction factors were then estimated by modeling the time-dependent part of the distribution function with a sinusoidal term. The corrections obtained from this model were below 0.1% for average Poisson parameter values between 0.0 and 0.1. At higher average Poisson parameter values, the corrections could be as high as ∼ 1.5% at an average Poisson parameter of ∼ 1.0 for the 100 ns beam microstructure case.
Influence of feeding on haul-out patterns and sizes of sub-populations in harbour seals

Abstract Harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) in European waters are distributed in clusters. This pattern of distribution is approximately similar from year to year in the Kattegat-Skagerrak area. Haul-out patterns over the season showed distinct differences shallow bottoms and localities surrounded by between localities surrounded by deeper bottoms. A theory, based on certain aspects in the feeding ecology of harbour seals in the area, is presented to explain why seal groups of different sizes are maintained locally. The theory would also explain differences in haul-out patterns over the season at different localities. Alternative possibilities are discussed.
Frequency optimization for microwave imaging of biological tissues

Theoretical calculations are provided to show that 2 to 8 GHz represents a frequency region most suited for microwave imaging of biological tissue. The attenuation and spatial resolution are both adequate to yield useful diagnostic information.
Treatment research for children and youth exposed to traumatic events: moving beyond efficacy to amp up public health impact

Objective: Population-based demands for trauma services have accelerated interest in the rapid deployment of efficacious interventions to address the diverse mental health consequences of traumatic experiences. However, optimal strategies for supporting either implementation or dissemination of trauma-focused interventions within healthcare or mental healthcare systems are underdeveloped. Methods: This work offers suggestions for adapting treatment research parameters in order to advance the science on the implementable and practical use of trauma-focused interventions within a public health framework. To this end, we briefly examine the current status of research evidence in this area and discuss efficacy and effectiveness treatment research parameters with specific attention to the implications for developing the research base on the implementation and dissemination of effective trauma practices for children and adolescents. Results: Examples from current studies are used to identify approaches for developing, testing and enhancing strategies to roll out effective treatment practices in real-world settings. Conclusions: New approaches that reflect the contexts in which these practices are implemented may enhance the feasibility, acceptability, replicability and sustainability of trauma treatments and services, and thus improve outcomes for a broader population of youth and families.
Phase diagram for the ν = 0 quantum Hall state in monolayer graphene

The $\ensuremath{\nu}=0$ quantum Hall state in a defect-free graphene sample is studied within the framework of quantum Hall ferromagnetism. We perform a systematic analysis of the ``isospin'' anisotropies, which arise from the valley and sublattice asymmetric short-range electron-electron (e-e) and electron-phonon (e-ph) interactions. The phase diagram, obtained in the presence of generic isospin anisotropy and the Zeeman effect, consists of four phases characterized by the following orders: spin-polarized ferromagnetic, canted antiferromagnetic, charge density wave, and Kekul\'e distortion. We take into account the Landau level mixing effects and show that they result in the key renormalizations of parameters. First, the absolute values of the anisotropy energies become greatly enhanced and can significantly exceed the Zeeman energy. Second, the signs of the anisotropy energies due to e-e interactions can change upon renormalization. A crucial consequence of the latter is that the short-range e-e interactions alone could favor any state on the phase diagram, depending on the details of interactions at the lattice scale. On the other hand, the leading e-ph interactions always favor the Kekul\'e distortion order. The possibility of inducing phase transitions by tilting the magnetic field is discussed.
In search of Asian war brides.

Because of the long presence of U.S. soldiers in Asia, war-bride marriages involving servicemen and Asian women have been formed throughout the century. The literature, however, contains little empirically sound information on Asian war brides. This analysis develops a methodology to identify war brides and applies it to estimate the number of war brides from the six major Asian groups, using the national 1980 Public Use Microdata Sample. Further analysis comparing Asian war brides with other groups of Asian wives tends to support the traditional and lower socioeconomic images commonly associated with Asian war brides.
Experimental petrology: Quantitative boundaries for petrogenesis

The paper is an overview of the current status on experimental petrology — its objectives and its major role in solving problems related to various earth processes. It describes how investigations related to solid-solid transitions, dehydration or decarbonation reactions, and melting studies have helped to formulate petrological models for the earth’s internal structure. It also describes how measurements of physical properties of minerals, melts and vapour under extreme conditions have provided vital information of fluid dynamics of magmatic systems. The paper narrates the role of experimental petrology in calibrating geophysical processes with petrological consequences. Model P-T-X (SiO_2)-fluid systems are considered to emphasize the role of various gas species in shifting the solidus in a P-T space, in degrees of melting and composition of the melt. Synthetic models and study of whole rock systems are considered to discuss the zonation and metasomatic processes in the mantle of the earth. The paper is also concerned with mantle convection and the uprise of thermal plumes, particularly, in the oceanic environment. It discusses the petrological structures associated with the plume and shows how static petrological maps are modified by the dynamics of the plumes.
3-D Mediated Detection and Tracking in Wide Area Aerial Surveillance

We address the problem of tracking many moving objects in wide area aerial surveillance. We propose that using 3-D information significantly improves performance over standard state of the art trackers, which rely on 2-D stabilization. We present and contrast two 3-D mediated approaches. The first approach assumes a dense 3-D model has previously been obtained. Given the camera poses, we can predict the image flow between frames and perform pixel-level classification for detection. The second approach instead computes the image flow, and relies on the epipolar geometry constraint to distinguish object motion from parallax. Our experiments on real imagery show a significant improvement in probability of detection (from 36% to 77%/67%), false alarm rate (from 75% to 3%/4%), and a speedup of an order of magnitude for the tracker itself. Using explicit 3-D improves the results, at a higher computational cost.
Design of PDT protocols using delta-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA)

The kinetics of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) synthesis, bioconversion to other metabolic products, and photobleaching were measured in cell cultures after incubation in media containing the metabolic precursor for heme synthesis, (delta) -aminolevulinic acid (5 ALA). A compartmental model described the kinetics in terms of rate constants for the three processes. The maximum amount of PPIX that can be attained in the cells and the concentration of 5 ALA in the medium that obtains this maximum were determined. Using this information, two dosimetry protocols are outlined which both involve complete photobleaching of the PPIX: (1) the classical acute protocol using maximum 5 ALA to produce maximum PPIX and a light treatment of about 0.5 - 1 hr, and (2) a novel prolonged protocol using continuous low-level 5 ALA delivery to produce only slightly elevated PPIX and an extended light exposure time of over 24 hrs.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A comparison between Hurst and Hausdorff measures derived from fractional time series

Abstract Fractional Gaussian and log-normal time series with prescribed spectral behaviour are generated by computational means. Fractal time series are often characterized by two measures: Hurst and Hausdorff. Time correlations in the synthetic fractional noises are evaluated with Hurst's rescaled range analysis. Estimates of the Hurst coefficient, K, attest to the validity of these noises as possible models for the simulation of hydrological records. The Hausdorff measure is related to the slope of the power spectrum. In contrast to previous studies, it is shown that these parameters are equal only for a limited range of values.
Experimental validation of a fuel-efficient robotic maneuver control algorithm for very large flexible space structures

The robotic maneuvering of large space structures is key to a number of future orbital missions. In this paper a large space structure maneuver control algorithm, recently proposed, is extended and experimentally validated. The method uses space robots' manipulators to control the vibration of the structures being maneuvered and their reaction jets perform the large motion maneuvers. The algorithm quickly damps out the vibrations and requires less fuel than reaction jet-based vibration control methods. The approach is called maneuver decoupled control. Its performance is demonstrated and quantitatively evaluated in simulation and experiments.
Stochastic uncertainty analysis for solute transport in randomly heterogeneous media using a Karhunen‐Loève‐based moment equation approach

[1] A new approach has been developed for solving solute transport problems in randomly heterogeneous media using the Karhunen-Loeve-based moment equation (KLME) technique proposed by Zhang and Lu (2004). The KLME approach combines the Karhunen-Loeve decomposition of the underlying random conductivity field and the perturbative and polynomial expansions of dependent variables including the hydraulic head, flow velocity, dispersion coefficient, and solute concentration. The equations obtained in this approach are sequential, and their structure is formulated in the same form as the original governing equations such that any existing simulator, such as Modular Three-Dimensional Multispecies Transport Model for Simulation of Advection, Dispersion, and Chemical Reactions of Contaminants in Groundwater Systems (MT3DMS), can be directly applied as the solver. Through a series of two-dimensional examples, the validity of the KLME approach is evaluated against the classical Monte Carlo simulations. Results indicate that under the flow and transport conditions examined in this work, the KLME approach provides an accurate representation of the mean concentration. For the concentration variance, the accuracy of the KLME approach is good when the conductivity variance is 0.5. As the conductivity variance increases up to 1.0, the mismatch on the concentration variance becomes large, although the mean concentration can still be accurately reproduced by the KLME approach. Our results also indicate that when the conductivity variance is relatively large, neglecting the effects of the cross terms between velocity fluctuations and local dispersivities, as done in some previous studies, can produce noticeable errors, and a rigorous treatment of the dispersion terms becomes more appropriate.
Vascular Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and Reduced Nitric Oxide Production Precede the Onset of Peripheral Insulin Resistance

Objectives— Obesity causes inflammation and insulin resistance in the vasculature as well as in tissues involved in glucose metabolism such as liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. To investigate the relative susceptibility of vascular tissue to these effects, we determined the time course over which inflammation and insulin resistance develops in various tissues of mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and compared these tissue-based responses to changes in circulating inflammatory markers. Methods and Results— Adult male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a control low-fat diet (LF; 10% saturated fat) or a high-fat diet (HF, 60% saturated fat) for durations ranging between 1 to 14 weeks. Cellular inflammation and insulin resistance were assessed by measuring phospho-IκBα and insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt, respectively, in extracts of thoracic aorta, liver, skeletal muscle, and visceral fat. As expected, HF feeding induced rapid increases of body weight, fat mass, and fasting insulin levels compared to controls, each of which achieved statistical significance within 4 weeks. Whereas plasma markers of inflammation became elevated relatively late in the course of DIO (eg, serum amyloid A [SAA], by Week 14), levels of phospho-IκBα in aortic lysates were elevated by 2-fold within the first week. The early onset of vascular inflammation was accompanied by biochemical evidence of both endothelial dysfunction (reduced nitric oxide production; induction of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and insulin resistance (impaired insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS). Although inflammation and insulin resistance were also detected in skeletal muscle and liver of HF-fed animals, these responses were observed much later (between 4 and 8 weeks of HF feeding), and they were not detected in visceral adipose tissue until 14 weeks. Conclusions— During obesity induced by HF feeding, inflammation and insulin resistance develop in the vasculature well before these responses are detected in muscle, liver, or adipose tissue. This observation suggests that the vasculature is more susceptible than other tissues to the deleterious effects of nutrient overload.
GENDERED PATHWAYS A Quantitative Investigation of Women Probationers' Paths to Incarceration

Although qualitative research in the area of gender-responsive offending pathways has grown extensively, little quantitative work has been conducted. This study utilizes interview and survey data t...
Net Returns from Using Genetically Superior Sires

Abstract The net present value of a unit of semen from a genetically superior sire is compared with the net present value of a unit from a sire with predicted difference milk of zero. The method includes all ensuing female progeny and lactations in as many future generations as desired. Variables include conception rate for the initial unit of semen, probabilities of survival of cows to various ages, predicted difference milk and fat for the sire, price of milk, mature equivalent production factors to convert to actual yield, probability of female calves, age at first calving, calving interval, costs of extra feed and health care for daughters of superior sires, minimum attractive annual rate of return, years to recover investment, and the base price of a unit of semen from an average bull with predicted difference of zero. For a fixed set of parameters, the net present value varies linearly with the predicted difference for dollar value (PD$) of the bull. In a typical example with milk selling for $22.05/100 kg, the net present value for semen from a bull with PD of +454 kg compared with an average bull is .39 PD$, .25 PD$, .05 PD$ for years of investment recovery 20, 10, and 4, the latter representing one lactation from the initial daughter. Returns are from milk only. Semen from genetically average bulls with high rates of conception is as valuable as semen from high PD bulls with average conception. Conception rate influences whole lactations in addition to genetic superiority.