cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF FORMATION OF LANTHANIDE SQUARATE COMPLEXES

The thermodynamic parameters of complexation of the lanthanide ions by squarate anions have been measured by potentiometric and calorimetric titrations. The design and operation of the calorimeter is described as it has some unique features. The complexes are weaker than analogous complexes with other hydroxy-keto ligands due to a more endothermic enthalpy of complexation.
Micromechanical Characterization of Dielectric Thin Films

A nanoindenter has been used to obtain Young’s modulus and hardness data for a variety of dielectric thin films including silicon carbide, boron nitride, silicon carbonitride, and silicon oxide. These films, were synthesized by low pressure and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and had a thickness from 0.25 to a few microns. For the BN films, the modulus and hardness of the films decreased significantly as the deposition temperature increased while the reverse was true for the SiC films. In both cases, these changes were related to variations in the compositions of the deposits due to the onset of different reactions as the temperature is increased. Silicon carbonitride films oxidized slowly when synthesized at temperatures below 200° C and the Young’s modulus of these films increased at higher deposition temperatures. For silicon dioxide, there was little change in the composition of the films over the deposition temperature range investigated (375-475° C), thus correspondingly, small variations in the micromechanical properties of the material. However, moisture and hydrogen removal caused by an anneal at 800° C resulted in an significant increase in the modulus and hardness of these films.
Platelet aggregation and sphingomyelinase D activity of a purified toxin from the venom of loxosceles reclusa

A facile and quantitative assay for measuring the activity of sphingomyelinase D in recluse spider venom has been developed using L-alpha-[palmitoyl-1-14C]lysophosphatidylcholine as substrate. This assay avoids the problem of substrate insolubility that occurs when sphingomyelin and other insoluble lipids are used as substrates. This assay has been employed in gel filtration and isoelectric focusing isolation techniques to purify sphingomyelinase D from spider venom. The purified sphingomyelinase exhibits four active enzyme forms in isoelectric focusing with pI values of 8.7, 8.4, 8.2, and 7.8. Each active form when examined in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gave an estimated molecular weight of 32 000. The four active enzyme forms were immunologically cross-reactive with each other as demonstrated with radioimmune assays using an antiserum developed to one of the active forms. Each active form hydrolysed sphingomyelin to release choline and produce N-acylsphingosine phosphate. One of the active enzyme forms was characterized further in dermonecrosis and platelet aggregation measurements. This purified sphingomyelinase D was identified as a poisonous toxin that can developed typical dermonecrotic spider lesions when injected into experimental animals at levels expected to be delivered in a normal bite. Furthermore, the purified toxin acts to aggregate human blood platelets. The toxin-induced platelet aggregation has been related to serotonin release as aggregation occurs, and it has been shown to be inhibited by EDTA over the range of 0.6 yo 3.0 mM EDTA. It is suggested that spider-induced dermonecrosis could result in part from platelet aggregation at and near the site of envenomation.
Interpretive Social Science : An Overview

Mainstream social sciences in the 20th century have always been highly fragmented, with considerable isolation among disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and political science and many disconnected islands of theory and research pursued within each field. Today, even more fundamental epistemological questions about the nature of human action or social life and the proper way to explain or understand it are hotly debated and remain quite unresolved. This article argues that it may be helpful broadly to classify diverse approaches to social or human science as (a) explanatory, (b) descriptivist, (c) critical, (d) postmodern/social constructionist, and (e) hermeneutic or interpretive approaches to such inquiry. Every such typology is shaped by its own epistemological ideals and value commitments. The authors try to make their commitments explicit and explain some of the ways they feel that an interpretive social science or hermeneutic viewpoint offers a relatively coherent view of social inquiry that a...
The shape of the ultraviolet inactivation curve for transforming DNA

THE very unusual inverse square kinetics of ultraviolet inactivation of transforming DNA were first reported by Rupert and Goodgal1, and subsequently there was speculation that these kinetics result from blocks to recombination formed by ultraviolet lesions in the DNA2 (ref. 2). We show here that when the recipient cell lacks both excision arid postreplication repair, the ultraviolet inactivation of transforming DNA becomes a simple exponential rather than an inverse square relation. The data suggest that the square root kinetics observed with repair-proficient recipient cells result from repair processes themselves rather than from the recombination between irradiated transforming DNA and recipient DNA.
Third-codon transversion rate-based _Nymphaea_ basal angiosperm phylogeny -- concordance with developmental evidence

Flowering plants (angiosperms) appeared on Earth rather suddenly approximately 130 million years ago and underwent a massive expansion in the subsequent 10-12 million years. Current molecular phylogenies have predominantly identified _Amborella_, followed by _Nymphaea_ (water lilies) or _Amborella_ plus _Nymphaea_, in the ANITA clade (_Amborella_, Nymphaeales, Illiciaceae, Trimeniaceae and Austrobaileyaceae) as the earliest angiosperm. However, developmental studies suggest that the earliest angiosperm had a 4-cell/4-nucleus female gametophyte and a diploid endosperm represented by _Nymphaea_, suggesting that _Amborella_, having an 8-cell/9-nucleus female gametophyte and a triploid endosperm, cannot be representative of the basal angiosperm. This evolution-development discordance is possibly caused by erroneous inference based on phylogenetic signals with low neutrality and/or high saturation. Here we show that the 3rd codon transversion (P3Tv), with high neutrality and low saturation, is a robust high-resolution phylogenetic signal for such divergences and that the P3Tv-based land plant phylogeny cautiously identifies _Nymphaea_, followed by _Amborella_, as the most basal among the angiosperm species examined in this study. This P3Tv-based phylogeny contributes insights to the origin of angiosperms with concordance to fossil and stomata development evidence.
The divisor class group of a semigroup ring

(1980). The divisor class group of a semigroup ring. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 8, No. 5, pp. 467-476.
Fiber texture and surface composition of evaporated gold films on quartz

Abstract The fiber texture, surface composition and homogeneity of polycrystalline films of gold 300–2000 A thick evaporated onto quartz in the pressure range from 1.5 × 10 −2 to 2 × 10 −7 Pa were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy and gas sorption experiments. No qualitative differences are observed between the films characterized here and previous results reported for glass substrates: a (111) fiber orientation is observed and is enhanced as the substrate temperature, during or after the deposition, is increased. The percentage of gold present at the surface and the surface homogeneity are more sensitive to the cleaning and outgassing procedure than to the actual pressure during deposition. The uniformity of the quartz substrate has little influence on the surface homogeneity of the gold film.
A non-isothermal technique using thermal x-ray diffraction to follow the kinetics of polymer crystallization, solid state phase transformations and the determination of the length of the crystalline segment

Abstract We previously introduced a non-isothermal technique using TGA to study the kinetics of solid—solid transformations. TGA can only be applied to systems undergoing weight change. For this reason, a technique using Thermal X-ray Analysis (TXA) was developed. The technique involves the determination of the % crystallinity vs. temperature curve and its first derivative. The following equation was derived and found to be applicable. The Klug and Alexander technique for the quantitation of a crystalline compound in a powder mixture using an internal standard was used to determine the crystallinity of each sample studied. The technique was applied to the phase transformation for a semicrystalline, low density, chemically cross-linked polyethylene polymer. The enthalpy for the crystalline-amorphous transformation was found to be 13.2 kcal/equiv. For a high density, non-crosslinked polyethylene, the enthalpy was 20.8 kcal/equiv. A technique to calculate the length of the crystalline segment from the kinetic data was also developed and showed that the crystalline lengths were 65 and 30 A, respectively.
Tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) studies of isobutane, n‐butane and propane sorption in β‐ and Y‐zeolites

A TEOM is used to elucidate the adsorption/desorption characteristics of alkylation reactants on USY- and β-zeolites. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms were obtained on USY- and β-zeolites using n-butane, isobutane and propane as proxy reactant molecules (T = 303–398 K, adsorbate partial pressure 0–1.2 bar). Analysis of the transient adsorption/desorption profiles of these molecules from either a bed of the zeolite or pelletized particles of the crystals (with mean size < 1 μm) demonstrate that diffusion in the secondary meso-/macroporous structure formed in the packing or the pellets controls the overall sorption rates. The experimental adsorption/desorption profiles from the pelletized zeolites were regressed with available mathematical models to obtain effective meso-/macropore diffusivities for reactant molecules, and nearly perfect fits of the experimental and the modeled profiles. Taking into account the dead volume in the system, a criterion for reliable measurements of either micropore or mesopore diffusivities by the TEOM technique is derived. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Experimental measurement of wrinkling in membranes undergoing planar deformation

True membranes are no-compression structures which exhibit the unique response of wrinkling. Prediction of the associated wrinkle parameters is of practical importance. Accurate measurement of membrane wrinkling has heretofore not been presented in the literature; among other requirements, noncontact methods must be used. First, some background information on membrane wrinkling prediction and measurement is given. Then, an experimental apparatus is discussed within which a membrane was subject to planar loading. The measurement system consisted of a capacitance-based noncontact displacement sensor mounted in anXYZ frame. A computer controlled the forces applied to the membrane, as well as the motion of theXYZ frame during data acquisition. Results are presented and conclusions are drawn regarding the wrinkle parameters.
The effect of short-term auditory deprivation on the control of intraoral pressure in pediatric cochlear implant users.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 2 speech measures (peak intraoral air pressure [IOP] and IOP duration) obtained during the production of intervocalic stops would be altered as a ...
Development of a Live Attenuated Dengue Virus Vaccine Using Reverse Genetics

There are four serotypes of dengue (DEN1–DEN4) virus that are endemic in most areas of Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and other subtropical regions. The number of cases of severe diseas...
Acquisition and support of goal-based tasks

Abstract To make plan-based expert systems more accessible to end users and to support user tasks effectively, we present a system that makes the functionality of AI-planning techniques seem natural and immediately understandable. In particular, we present a task support system with a graphical interaction language for the acquisition and display of plan knowledge, where the intended users are domain experts and novices and where previous computer literacy is not required. Based on existing theories in cognitive science and on our own experimental research, we propose a cognitive model of the users' view of tasks. The model postulates the domain experts' ability to recall relevant parts of self-performed tasks in the application domain. The validity of the model is demonstrated in a paper-and-pencil experiment. Employing a cognitive systems engineering approach, we use the cognitive model, a stage process model of knowledge acquisition, and requirements from the plan formalism to specify DACRON, a system for plan acquisition and task support. DACRON supports the acquisition of plan knowledge by providing graphical representations of domain entities from the users' point of view. DACRON checks the consistency of specified units and graphically aids the debugging process. DACRON also allows the animated presentation of the planning process and its results. To evaluate the usability of DACRON and the relevance of the acquired and displayed knowledge in application domains, experimental studies involving 39 users were conducted. The studies show that over 90% of the subjects could easily use DACRON to enter knowledge, and 80% of the entered knowledge was relevant and correct. In the case of knowledge display, subjects were able to use the displayed knowledge effortlessly and apply it to solve 95% of the domain problems presented.
Highly Size-Selective Ionically Crosslinked Multilayer Polymer Films for Light Gas Separation

Exceptionally high hydrogen permselectivity, exceeding that of any polymeric or porous inorganic systems, is achieved using an ionically crosslinked multilayer polymer thin film.
Integrative properties of radial oblique dendrites in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Summary Although radial oblique dendrites are a major synaptic input site in CA1 pyramidal neurons, little is known about their integrative properties. We have used multisite two-photon glutamate uncaging to deliver different spatiotemporal input patterns to single branches while simultaneously recording the uncaging-evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials and local Ca 2+ signals. Asynchronous input patterns sum linearly in spite of the spatial clustering and produce Ca 2+ signals that are mediated by NMDA receptors (NMDARs). Appropriately timed and sized input patterns (∼20 inputs within ∼6 ms) produce a supralinear summation due to the initiation of a dendritic spike. The Ca 2+ signals associated with synchronous input were larger and mediated by influx through both NMDARs and voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels (VGCCs). The oblique spike is a fast Na + spike whose duration is shaped by the coincident activation of NMDAR, VGCCs, and transient K + currents. Our results suggest that individual branches can function as single integrative compartments.
A Macroeconomic Analysis of Publicly Funded Health Care

In a general equilibrium, overlapping generations framework this paper examines how the tax-benefit system that underlies the U.S. health care system affects the well-being of different age groups, and the lifetime well-being of different socioeconomic groups, as well as society as a whole. We find that the optimal set and generosity of publicly funded health care programs is sensitive to the social welfare function and to the prices that various agents in society pay for medical care. Social welfare under the current financing system is also compared to alternative financing mechanisms such as Medical Savings Accounts.
Nail Disorders as Signs of Pediatric Systemic Disease

Herein, we describe some of the more common changes in the nail unit that can be seen in systemic diseases in children. Changes that can be seen are not limited to those discussed in the following pages. The presence of changes on multiple nails is suggestive of a systemic cause in an ill child. However, multiple nails can also be affected in primary inflammatory disorders and infections of the nail unit. When evaluating a pediatric patient with a nail disorder, it is important to perform a complete physical examination of the skin and oral mucosa, as other clues to the diagnosis of the nail problem may be found. A comprehensive family history is also important to uncover possible syndromic associations with nail disease or diseases that can manifest with nail changes.
Microbial resistance to metals in the environment.

Many microorganisms demonstrate resistance to metals in water, soil and industrial waste. Genes located on chromosomes, plasmids, or transposons encode specific resistance to a variety of metal ions. Some metals, such as cobalt, copper, nickel, serve as micronutrients and are used for redox processes, to stabilize molecules through electrostatic interactions, as components of various enzymes, and for regulation of osmotic pressure. Most metals are nonessential, have no nutrient value, and are potentially toxic to microorganisms. These toxic metals interact with essential cellular components through covalent and ionic bonding. At high levels, both essential and nonessential metals can damage cell membranes, alter enzyme specificity, disrupt cellular functions, and damage the structure of DNA. Microorganisms have adapted to the presence of both nutrient and nonessential metals by developing a variety of resistance mechanisms. Six metal resistance mechanisms exist: exclusion by permeability barrier, intra- and extra-cellular sequestration, active transport efflux pumps, enzymatic detoxification, and reduction in the sensitivity of cellular targets to metal ions. The understanding of how microorganisms resist metals can provide insight into strategies for their detoxification or removal from the environment.
Note on the computer inversion of Fourier transforms

Two schemes to improve the accuracy of the Cooley-Tukey algorithm are presented. One scheme extends the truncated spectrum many-fold, and the other yields an increase in the number of samples. Both are achieved without increasing the memory capacity, but with a slight increase in computer time.
Distinguishing positional isomers of hexachlorinated biphenyls by ion–molecule reactions in a triple‐quadrupole instrument

The ion–molecule reaction between six hexachlorobiphenyl positive molecular ions and ammonia in a triplequadrupole instrument to yield [M + NH3 – HCl]+. ions gives products whose abundances differ by at least an order of magnitude under uniform conditions. This reaction offers a way of distinguishing many isomers by a reaction that is different from the other demonstrated route, the loss of HCl from [M + O – Cl]− ions.
Enzymatic sulfation of steroids—X. Pharmacological progesterone effects on rat liver glucocorticoid sulfotransferases and brief study of short-term effects of hormonal steroids on the enzymes

Abstract Hepatic cortisol sulfotransferase activity (HCSA) was elevated 126, 258 or 342 per cent (average values) in intact male rats given daily doses of 2.5, 6.0 or 12 mg progesterone (P) i.m. for 30–56 days. Examination of the effects of 12 mg doses given for intervals between 1 week and 4 months showed that HCSA nearly doubled in 7–9 days and that maximum HCSA elevations (averaging 340 per cent) occurred after 30–56 days of treatment. The elevation of P-mediated HCSA in males increased after either adrenalectomy or castration. In females, 12 mg P doses for 28–38 days did not affect HCSA. After 102–121 days of treatment, however, their HCSA decreased to 70–80 per cent of control values. Individual glucocorticoid sulfotransferase (STI, STII, and STIII) concentrations were similar in untreated and P-treated females. In males, 6.0 mg P doses elevated all three enzyme concentrations. STIII was the major enzyme present. STI and STII concentrations increased more modestly. P doses of 12 mg caused little additional STIII production, but increased the sum of STI and STII activities considerably. P elevated STI and STII higher in male castrates than in intact males. P-treated adrenalectomized and intact males, however, exhibited similar glucocorticoid sulfotransferase profiles. Thus, it appeared that P, or a closely related metabolite, mediated the observed HCSA elevation. Short-term effects of P and other hormones on STI, STII, and STIII production and possible roles for P in endocrine effects on the enzymes are discussed.
Emerging parasitic infections

It should come as no surprise that parasitic disease is on the rise. Many parasitic diseases currently appearing or reappearing in industrialized nations have a long history as public health problems in developing countries of the tropics, and several diseases previously thought to be under control in developing countries are increasing in incidence. The factors that influence emergence or re-emergence of protozoal and helminthic diseases are the same as those that affect other infectious diseases: a change in the parasite or the host that favors increased human infection or disease expression; any environmental or demographic change that favors increased human contact with the parasite; or increased recognition of a previously existing problem that had escaped detection or had been underestimated. In the case of parasitic infections, changes that affect the invertebrate vector can also be very important. Two parasitic infections that have recently come to widespread public attention in the United States are Cryptosporidium parvum and Cyclospora cayetanensis . These protozoans, causes of enteritis with persistent diarrhea, are usually acquired by ingestion of contaminated water or food. Parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium were first recognized as animal parasites around the turn of the century, and Cryptosporidium parvum has a surprisingly wide host range. It is estimated that over 90% of the dairy cattle herds in the United States are infected with this parasite, which may play a role in its transmission [1]. It was not until 1976 that the first human case was diagnosed, followed in 1981 by the first case in an AIDS patient. It is estimated that 10–15 percent of the chronic diarrhea and wasting observed in AIDS patients in the United States is due to infection with Cryptosporidium parvum ; this estimate increases to 30–50 percent for AIDS patients in developing countries [1]. Since 1983, …
Quantitative analysis of the burden of monitoring construction upon an infection control (IC) program

BACKGROUND: Monitoring construction projects is an integral part of hospital IC programs. Regulatory agencies mandate that IC policies adhere to environment of care standards. This university medical center is an 800-bed hospital with 45 affiliated clinics. Recently, the IC program has devoted considerable resources to monitoring construction activities in the hospital and clinics. OBJECTIVE: To quantify IC time and labor costs expended in monitoring construction activities in our medical center. METHODS: Infection control practitioners (ICPs) recorded the number of 1) construction projects and 2) hours devoted to monitoring those sites during 2003-2004. To calculate IC construction labor costs for 2004, we multiplied the number of IC hours devoted to construction activities by an average ICP hourly wage of $30.63. We also recorded the number of times that projects were altered due to IC input and the number that deviated from IC recommendations on follow-up visits. RESULTS: During 2004, which was a typical year for construction, there were a total of 22 new construction projects and 45 incidental renovations (e.g., water leaks and mold remediation) at the medical center. The estimated cost of these construction projects was $76,971,266. ICPs attended a total of 56 planning meetings and made a total of 144 site visits. In total, ICPs devoted an estimated 427 hours related to monitoring construction renovations in 2004 (estimated cost = $13,079.01). Due to IC input, 54 construction plans were altered. Of the 67 construction projects, a total of 67 deviated from original IC recommendations. CONCLUSION: Monitoring construction is fundamental to the duties of IC and to the goal of maintaining a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors. Monitoring construction involves planning, meetings, infection prevention strategies, and rounding in involved areas. Twenty-five percent (25%) of ICPs' time is spent on construction during any standard period of time. In addition, incidental events place additional time demands upon the ICP. Responsibilities related to construction required significant IC resources at this medical center in 2004.
Solving second-order differential equations with variable coefficients

A method is developed in which an analytical solution is obtained for certain classes of second-order differential equations with variable coefficients. By the use of transformations and by repeated iterated integration, a desired solution is obtained. This alternative method represents a different way to acquire a solution from classic power series techniques and other approaches. It is, at times, more involved than traditional methods.
Governance, economy, and foreign aid

Much of the current donor discussion of governance takes place outside of a historical or theoretical context. This article locates the governance issue within recent political science, development management, and institutional economics literature. The review focuses on accountability, participation, transparency, and predictability or the rule of law, and includes a discussion of the impact of these variables upon economic performance. It concludes that donors can best assist good governance to develop by helping to foster conditions under which developing societies can push their governments to deliver the accountability, transparency and rule of law that sustainable development requires.
The point spectra of some LQR problems

We present a sufficient and in some cases necessary condition for determining the spectra of a wide class of LQR problems in an abstract Hilbert space.
The appropriateness of analysis of variance to the statistical analyses of dental clinical trials

Abstract The extreme skewness and kurtosis of dental caries increments raise a question concerning the validity of analysis of variance for the statistical analysis of dental clinical trials. While it is acknowledged that moderate departures from normality do not strain the validity of parametric methods, the extent to which such departures from normality may be tolerated is not well known. In order to test the appropriateness of analysis of variance procedures in the statistical analysis of dental caries clinical trials, the increments in caries from clinical trials were simulated by computer for groups of varying size and number by random sampling from populations showing highly skewed distributions of new caries counts. Populations with both zero and nonzero true differences in the caries increments were sampled. Analysis of results of 320,000 simulated trials involving over 57 × 106 observations indicates that in spite of the extreme skewness and kurtosis of distributions of new caries counts, conclusions drawn from analysis of variance methods may be accepted with probabilities of Type I and II errors no greater than those predicted from normal distribution statistical theory. The evidence of the simulations suggests that analysis of variance and Dunnett's t-test, using the tabled critical values of F or t, may provide slightly conservative tests of significance. These results are in the same direction as predicted from the application of theoretical procedures and supply a justification for the extension of these theoretical procedures to distributions possessing the extreme skewness and kurtosis of caries count distributions, when the sample sizes and number of treatment groups are similar to those actually encountered in dental clinical trials.
Indirect M-MRAC for systems with time varying parameters and bounded disturbances

The paper presents a prediction-identification model based adaptive control method for uncertain systems with time varying parameters in the presence of bounded external disturbances. The method guarantees desired tracking performance for the system's state and input signals. This is achieved by feeding back the state prediction error to the identification model. It is shown that the desired closed-loop properties are obtained with fast adaptation when the error feedback gain is selected proportional to the square root of the adaptation rate. The theoretical findings are confirmed via a simulation example.
Atomic site preferences and its effect on magnetic structure in the intermetallic borides M2Fe(Ru0.8T0.2)5B2 (M=Sc, Ti, Zr; T=Ru, Rh, Ir)

The site preference for a class of intermetallic borides following the general formula M{sub 2}Fe(Ru{sub 0.8}T{sub 0.2}){sub 5}B{sub 2} (M=Sc, Ti, Zr; T=Ru, Rh, Ir), has been explored using ab initio and semi-empirical electronic structure calculations. This intermetallic boride series contains two potential sites, the Wyckoff 2c and 8j sites, for Rh or Ir to replace Ru atoms. Since the 8j site is a nearest neighbor to the magnetically active Fe atom, whereas the 2c site is a next nearest neighbor, the substitution pattern should play an important role in the magnetic structure of these compounds. The substitution preference is analyzed based on the site energy and bond energy terms, both of which arise from a tight-binding evaluation of the electronic band energy, and are known to influence the locations of atoms in extended solids. According to these calculations, the valence electron-rich Rh and Ir atoms prefer to occupy the 8j site, a result also corroborated by experimental evidence. Additionally, substitution of Rh or Ir at the 8j site results in a modification of the magnetic structure that ultimately results in larger local magnetic moment on the Fe atoms. - Graphical abstract: The site preference for electron rich atoms tomore » occupy the 8j (gray) site is identified in these intermetallic borides, while the magnetic structure is modified as a function of the substituted atoms band center. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We identify the energetics dictating the site preference in a series of intermetallic borides. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Establish substitution rules for use in future directed synthetic preparations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Identified changes in magnetic structure that accompany the site preference.« less
Capacity reduction and fire load factors for LRFD of steel columns exposed to fire

Capacity reduction and fire load factors corresponding to the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) format are developed for steel columns exposed to fire. A sample deterministic framework to determine fire and steel temperatures and the capacity of steel columns is adopted for this analysis to structure the methodology. A specific number of parameters that affect the structural response, including the fire load, ratio of floor area to the total area of the fire compartment, opening factor, thermal absorptivity of compartment boundaries, thickness, density and thermal conductivity of insulation, dead load, and live load are taken as random variables. Mechanical and sectional properties of steel (e.g., yield strength, cross-sectional area, etc.), are also considered to be random variables. The effect of active fire protection systems (e.g., sprinklers, smoke and heat detectors, fire brigade, etc.), in reducing the probability of occurrence of a severe fire is included. Given the choice of framework and based on detailed reliability analyses, it is shown that the capacity reduction and fire load factors should vary depending on the presence of active fire protection systems in a building.
X-Ray emission yields from both surfaces of thin targets bombarded with a 200-MeV H − beam

Abstract A modified commercial energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer was used to measure the yields of characteristic X-rays from elemental and alloy targets irradiated by a 200-MeV negative-hydrogen beam. In most cases the entry surface, which was bombarded by both electrons and protons, gave about a factor of 2 higher yield than the exit surface where the stripped protons emerged.
Delivering and Assessing Music Reference Services

The nature of music collections and their use means that patrons have always required specialized guidance from librarians to access what they need. Currently, library patrons' expectations are growing as collections and their delivery modes evolve. Music reference services must adapt to effectively address these needs. This article examines the challenges to delivering effective music reference service, the basics of reference assessment, and how assessment models such LibQual+, the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program, and the Reference Effort Assessment Data Scale can help librarians build patron-centered music reference services.
Maltreatment, conscience functioning and dopamine β hydroxylase in emotionally disturbed boys

OBJECTIVE: Identify associations among early maltreatment, sufficiencies, and psychopathological interferences in the domains of conscience functioning and low serum dopamine beta hydroxylase activity. METHOD: Nineteen emotionally disturbed boys screened for maltreatment experiences were compared according to age at onset of maltreatment, enzyme activity, and their conscience functioning in the domain of moral valuation. They were also compared in conscience functions to 19 age and sex matched normal counterparts. RESULTS: Subjects who endured maltreatment prior to 36 months had developmental delays and interferences with functioning in more conscience domains than those who were either spared such experiences or who endured maltreatment later in life. Subjects with low enzyme activity had significantly more interference with authority and peer valuation than subjects with high enzyme activity. Greater interference with valuation was associated with lower enzyme activity and more frequent abuse prior to 36 months. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial sequelae of early maltreatment have been identified in the domains of conscience. An association has been established between pathological interference in the domain of moral valuation and a putative neurobiologic sequelae of early maltreatment. Implications for future research in the psychobiology of maltreatment are discussed. Language: en
Gas-driven water volcanism and the resurfacing of Europa

We have analyzed the problem of how pathways are created for the resurfacing by water or volatiles for a Europa model in which there is an ocean underlying a thin ice shell (∼10-km thickness). Open cracks propagating downward cannot reach the ocean unless the relative tension in the ice is both very high (∼100 bar) and applied very rapidly (⪅10^4−10^5sec); there is no known way to satisfy these criteria. Water-filled cracks propagating upward can approach the surface for relative tensions of 5–10 bar, comparable to the stresses induced by the eccentricity tide. Exsolution of plausible gas species (CO_2, CO, CH_4, SO_2) can then occur at the crack tip. The application of linear elastic fracture mechanics shows that the gas-filled portion of the crack pinches off from the water-filled portion and may rise rapidly to the surface, entraining some water. Many of these cracks may end up as intrusions rather than extrusions because of partial freeze-out of CO_2 and water on the walls of the crack. The resulting eruption is initially gas dominated, but may include a subsequent less extended eruption of foam. There may not be a direct relationship between the resurfacing process described here and the currently known geologic features observed on the surface. The main problem with this or any model for tapping the ocean is the propagation of cracks through the soft ice immediately overlying the ocean.
E-Cigarette Prevalence and Correlates of Use among Adolescents versus Adults: A Review and Comparison

Perceived safer than tobacco cigarettes, prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing. Analyses of cartridges suggest that e-cigarettes may pose health risks. In light of increased use and the potential for consequences, we searched Google Scholar and Pubmed in July of 2013 using keywords, such as e-cigarette and vaping, to compare differences and similarities in prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette use among adolescents (grades 6-12) versus adults (aged ≥18 years). Twenty-one studies focused on e-cigarette use. Ever-use increased among various age groups. In 2011, ever-use was highest among young adults (college students and those aged 20-28; 4.9%-7.0%), followed by adults (aged ≥18; 0.6%-6.2%), and adolescents (grades 6-12 and aged 11-19; <1%-3.3%). However, in 2012 adolescent ever-use increased to 6.8% and, among high school students, went as high as 10.0%. While the identified common correlate of e-cigarette use was a history of cigarette smoking, a notable proportion of adolescents and young adults who never smoked cigarettes had ever-used e-cigarettes. E-cigarette use was not consistently associated with attempting to quit tobacco among young adults. Adults most often reported e-cigarettes as a substitute for tobacco, although not always to quit. Reviewed studies showed a somewhat different pattern of e-cigarette use among young people (new e-cigarette users who had never used tobacco) versus adults (former or current tobacco users). Research is needed to better characterize prevalences, use correlates, and motives of use in different population groups, including how adolescent and young adult experimentation with e-cigarettes relates to other types of substance use behaviors.
CT appearance of the duodenum and mesenteric vessels in children with normal and abnormal bowel rotation

Background Demonstration of the third duodenal segment (D3) in retroperitoneal location has been recently proposed as a method for excluding malrotation.
Icing Analysis of Fan Rotor at Part Load Conditions

Numerical simulations have been performed to investigate the supercooled water droplet trajectories and ice accretion in a fan rotor blade under part load conditions. An Eulerian-Lagrangian approach is used in formulating the flow and droplet governing equations in the rotating reference frame. A one-way interaction model is used to model the effects of momentum and energy exchange effects with the flow on the droplets as they travel through the rotor. Simulation results are presented for the flow field at 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% design rotational speeds. Results showing the droplet trajectory paths and collection efficiency contours at part load conditions highlight the influence of engine speed and blade geometry. A heat transfer analysis shows the effect of speed on droplet temperature rise. Based on the impingement statistics and computed flow characteristics, a quasi-3D analysis of the ice accretion over the rotor blade is also conducted using the code LEWICE. Results are presented for the ice shape variation along the span and rotor speeds. It was found that the accreted ice mass and shape is highly dependent on rotor speed and local flow velocity.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Educational Interventions in Learning Disabilities

Child psychiatrists and other mental health professionals play a key role in recognizing, diagnosing, and planning treatment for children and adolescents with learning disabilities. A review of educational issues related to diagnosis and educational interventions for the preschooler, elementary school child, and adolescent is presented.
Books Briefly Noted

This work is a general collection of book notes considering a group of catalogues, monographs and edited collections in the fields of museum and material culture studies.
Effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the abundance and respiration rates of probiotic bacteria

Effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on probiotic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis) were tested in two experiments, with the following treatments: (i) UV treatment – using fluorescent and UV-lamps and (ii) Control – CTRL, using fluorescent lamps. Bacterial abundance and respiration were evaluated every 24 h for 3 days for Experiment 1, and at 0, 6 and 24 h for Experiment 2. In the Experiment 1, total UV dose was 4 336.41 mW cm 2 . UV treatment presented small respiration rates only on day 3, while in the CTRL oxygen consumption was always high. On all days, the abundance of the Bacilli exposed to UV was significantly smaller than that of the CTRL. The second experiment, with total UV dose of 1 445.47 mW cm 2 , presented oxygen consumption in the UV treatment only during the first 6 h. In the CTRL, oxygen consumption increased from the beginning due to the bigger abundance Bacilli cells. Small coccus-shaped bacteria ocurred in the UV treatment of both experiments. It may be concluded that exposure to UV, normally used for water disinfection, can inactivate probiotic bacteria.
Quantitative analysis of cloisite 93A infused into linear low-density polyethylene and maleated linear low-density polyethylene in a supercritical carbon dioxide medium

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is a widely used polymer that can benefit from the enhanced barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties offered by nanoclay fillers. However, optimal property enhancement requires complete exfoliation and uniform dispersion, both of which are difficult to achieve with nanoclay fillers. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) processing is an inexpensive and environmentally benign method for exfoliating and dispersing clays into polymers. In a scCO2 medium under controlled environments, the organically modified clay Cloisite 93A was infused into LLDPE and maleated linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE-g-MA). Upon microscopic inspection, it was evident that clay infusion was achieved near the surface of the polymer pellet, but no clay found its way into the interior of the pellet. In this article, we describe an analytical method for determining the amount of nanoclay infused into a polymer matrix via Fourier transform infrared analysis. Using this method, we determined the weight percentage of Cloisite 93A infused into LLDPE and LLDPE-g-MA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Presynaptic modulation of glutamate and dynorphin release by excitatory amino acids in the guinea-pig hippocampus.

Abstract Excitatory amino acid agonists and antagonists were evaluated for their ability to affect the concomitant release of endogenous l -glutamate and dynorphin A(1–8)-like immunoreactivity from guinea-pig hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes. Previous work in this laboratory demonstrated that l (+)2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate inhibits the potassium-evoked release of these endogenous neurotransmitters from guinea-pig but not rat hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate excitatory amino acid agonists as indices to the functional properties of this l (+)2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate-sensitive glutamatergic autoreceptor on mossy fiber terminals. Low micromolar concentrations of quisqualate, but not kainate, N-methyl- d -aspartate , nor RS-alphaamino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoazole-propionic acid, significantly inhibited the potassium-evoked release of both l -glutamate and dynorphin A(1–8)-like immunoreactivity. Quisqualate-induced inhibition of l -glutamate release from mossy fiber terminals was antagonized by the non-N-methyl- d -aspartate antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. In contrast, high concentrations of kainate enhanced the potassium-evoked release of l -glutamate and dynorphin A(1–8)-like immunoreactivity, and this potentiation was blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. Kainate (1 mM) was the only agonist which significantly enhanced the basal release of l -glutamate, whereas the spontaneous efflux of dynorphin A(1–8)-like immunoreactivity was not affected by any of the agonists tested. The results presented in this paper suggest the existence of inhibitory and excitatory presynaptic glutamatergic autoreceptors that act to modulate the release of endogenous l -glutamate- and prodynor-phin-derived peptides from guinea-pig hippocampal mossy fiber terminals. These inhibitory and excitatory autoreceptors, which are sensitive to quisqualate/ l (+)2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate or kainate, respectively, may play an important role in regulating synaptic activity at glutamatergic synapses throughout the central nervous system.
Visual memory: What do you know about what you saw?

Recent studies of visual perception are bringing us closer to an understanding of what we remember - and what we forget - when we recall a scene.
Permanent transvenous synchronous cardiac pacing.

We have described the development of a J-shaped electrode catheter designed to lodge in the right atrial appendage. Stable location of the catheter without fixation occurs in the dog with satisfactory long-term P wave pickup. The electrode catheter was modified for clinical use and permanent transvenous synchronous cardiac pacing has been successfully established in six patients. The synchronous atrioventricular mode was used in four patients and the sequential atrioventricular mode in two patients. Follow up of these patients ranges from 1 to 19 months with stable synchronous or sequential pacing in all.
Km values of influenza virus neuraminidases for a new fluorogenic substrate, 4-methylumbelliferone N-acetyl neuraminic acid ketoside.

Abstract A fluorogenic substrate of neuraminidase, 4-methylumbelliferone N -acetylneuraminic acid ketoside (MUN), was synthesized. K m values were obtained for Clostridium perfringens neuraminidase and strains of A- and B-type influenza neuraminidase from chicken red blood cell influenza virus eluates.
Comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography applied to the analysis of complex mixtures

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography is applicable to the analysis of complex petroleum mixtures. A kerosene sample analyzed by this method generates over six thousand chromatographic peaks. The chromatogram is orthogonal such that the second dimension separation is independent of the first. Aliphatics, aromatics, and naphthalene derivatives form distinct bands of peaks on the chromatographic plane with further subdivisions within each band based on chemical structure. With a nonpolar first column and a moderately polar second column, the first dimension separation is based largely on substance volatility while the second dimension separation is based on polarity. Each chromatographic peak has a pair of characteristic retention times, providing a more reliable identification. Peak capacity is much greater than that obtainable from any one-dimensional separation.
Polyisoprenoid amphiphilic compounds as inhibitors of squalene synthesis and other microsomal enzymes.

Abstract Analogues of farnesyl pyrophosphate containing a farnesyl moiety and a variety of amine residues replacing the pyrophosphate have been synthesized. Most of these compounds were effective inhibitors of the synthesis of squalene and presqualene pyrophosphate from farnesyl pyrophosphate. 50% inhibition was obtained at concentrations between 50 and 100 μM. These analogues also inhibited other microsomal enzymes so they apparently function as general inhibitors of microsomal enzymes.
Laser writing correction of polymer waveguide fanouts

Conventional optical waveguide fabrication by lithographic techniques can result in waveguide devices that cannot be repaired or corrected after the fabrication process. Especially when encountering error due to imperfect fabrication, a time consuming costly error correction re-fabrication would be required. We report on the non-lithographic laser writing fabrication of polymer waveguide on a newly developed 4′-hydroxy-4-nitroazobenzene dye functionalized polymer film that can avoid the error correction re-fabrication. The laser writing correction of power splitting ratio on waveguide directional coupler and y-branch fanouts has been demonstrated.