cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How School Law Scholars Teach about Religion in Public Schools: An Analysis of Graduate and Undergraduate Textbooks

Through an examination of undergraduate and graduate school law textbooks, this article speaks to scholars' interpretations of the law regarding religion and public schools. The most widespread issues that authors covered included student prayer, holiday displays, the distribution of religious material, and curricular challenges. Contrary to the central hypothesis in this study, one group of scholars does not necessarily take a more “accomodationist” or “separationist” approach to teaching about religion and schools. Still, there were some differences between textbooks worth noting: Some of the textbooks included more in-depth examination of certain topics and some authors only highlighted certain lower court cases. These differences did not seem to indicate a strategic attempt to promote an “accomodationist” or “separationist” viewpoint. Indeed, this study is significant because the authors of school law textbooks have the potential to directly influence teachers' and principals' knowledge about this are...
Microsphere-based duplexed immunoassay for influenza virus typing by flow cytometry

We have developed a rapid, duplexed microsphere-based immunoassay for the characterization of influenza virus types that has the potential to overcome many of the limitations of current detection methods. The assay uses microspheres of two sizes, each coupled to an influenza type A- or type B-specific monoclonal antibody (MAb), to capture influenza viruses in the sample. A cocktail of fluorescently labeled, influenza-specific polyclonal antibodies then binds the captured viruses. The sandwich complexes are measured using a multiparameter flow cytometer. The assay can distinguish between influenza types A and B in a single reaction with good reproducibility and high sensitivity. Detection sensitivity is much higher than that of commercially available influenza diagnosis quick kits: the FLU OIA (Thermo Biostar) kit and the Directigen Flu A+B kit (Becton Dickinson). The multiplexing capabilities of the current assay, which are not possible with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the commercially available kits, reduce sample handling and consume fewer costly reagents. This assay represents a more efficient and sensitive method of characterizing influenza types. With inclusion of influenza subtype-specific antibodies as capture antibodies, this microsphere-based immunoassay can be expanded to differentiate among influenza types and subtypes in a single reaction to improve world-wide influenza surveillance.
CoTuner: a framework for coordinated auto-configuration of virtualized resources and appliances

In cloud computing, virtual machines (VMs) tend to be configured and reconfigured on the fly for the provisioning of an elastic computing environment. Their resident applications often have a number of performance-critical parameters that need to be configured in response to the change of workload and VM resources. The interplay of these two levels of configuration requires autoconfiguration of the cloud systems in a coordinated manner. In this paper, we propose a framework, namely CoTuner, for this purpose. At the heart of the framework is a self-learning and automated control approach. The approach is a hybrid of reinforcement learning and the Nelder-Mead optimization techniques. It is further enhanced by the use of systems knowledge to accelerate the learning process. Experimental results demonstrate that the approach gains more than 15% performance improvement over independent tuning of VMs and application parameters. It can drive the cloud system into an optimal or near-optimal configuration in less than 50 trial-and-error iterations.
The everyday accomplishment of work and family: Exploring practical actions in daily routines

Research investigating the challenges of managing work and family responsibilities has been rife across many social science disciplines over the past 30 years. The following study contributes to the growing body of communication scholarship by problematizing the everyday routine; in doing so, it explores the micro‐practices of navigating work and family life. Through the analysis of 35 women's accounts of their daily work and family routines and conflict scenarios, results are reported including the detailing of three superordinate practical action clusters: routinizing, improvising, and restructuring, along with related commonsense rules. Results are then discussed in terms of the relational nature of work and family routines. Findings argue for examining how work and family balance and conflict get played out in daily practice. Finally, limitations and future directions are discussed.
Prenatal diagnosis and caring

Although the science of prenatal diagnosis is rapidly expanding, the art of caring for these patients is poorly understood and taught. Prenatal diagnosis programs must acknowledge the psychosocial consequences of electing to undergo prenatal testing, receiving either normal or abnormal test results, and choosing to continue or terminate a pregnancy with an identified fetal defect. There are suggestions from the literature of interventions to assist families under these circumstances (Table 3). Prospective studies of patient adaptation are needed; however, on the basis of the retrospective studies and common sense, a reasonable plan for patient support and care can be established. Prenatal diagnosis programs must demand not only excellent medical knowledge and technical expertise but also compassionate and continued care for the patient, her partner, and family.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A p(66)Be(49) NEUTRON THERAPY BEAM: I. CENTRAL AXIS DEPTH DOSE AND OFF-AXIS RATIOS

Results of measurements of central axis depth doses, off-axis ratios, and wedge filter effects are presented for a p(66)Be(49) neutron beam. All measurements were made and are reported in tissue equivalent solution. Algorithms that reproduce the various measured characteristics of the beam are also discussed.
Electronic spectroscopy of jet-cooled anthracene/(H2O)n clusters (n=1–16): comparisons of inhomogeneous structure

Abstract Measurements of the S0→S1 electronic excitation spectra of anthracene/(H2O)n clusters (n=1–16) are reported. Preliminary data on perylene/(H2O)n, n=1–8, are included for comparison with the anthracene work and with literature data involving benzene. Near-threshold ionization and ion photodissociation measurements were employed to ensure correct identification of the species being studied. However, such measurements also reveal significant differences in the dissociation energies of the ionized clusters. Several cases are reported for anthracene/(H2O)n, including n=4, 5, 10, 14, and 15, where the spectra are much simpler than for other clusters of similar size. These results are discussed in connection with literature calculations for pure water clusters, which have suggested that water tetramers, and possibly pentamers, can act as building blocks for larger clusters.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 does not ameliorate the age-related decline in presumptive inhibitory synapses in layer 2 of rat sensorimotor cortex

Abstract Four old (29 months) Brown Norway×Fischer 344 (BN×F344) rats received intracerebroventricular infusion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and four middle-aged (18 months) and four old (29 months) rats received infusion of saline for 28 days. Sensorimotor cortex containing Layer 2 was blocked and processed for electron microscopy. Thin (700 A) and semithin (1 μm) sections were collected from the same anatomical space for quantification of synapses and neurons, respectively, using the physical disector. Numerical density (Nv) of presumptive inhibitory synapses in Layer 2 of sensorimotor cortex has been reported to decline with age Poe et al., 2001, Brunso-Bechtold et al. [Brain Res. 872 (2000) 125]. Infusion of IGF-1 did not affect the density of synapses or neurons when old IGF-1 animals were compared with old saline animals.
Ultrafast laser-induced self-organized conical micro/nano surface structures and their origin

Abstract We have investigated the origin and subsequent evolution of self-organized conical micro/nano structures in silicon surface upon irradiation of multiple ultrafast laser pulses in the gaseous environments of SF 6 and He. Localized circular surface waves are observed in ultrafast laser exposed regions under various states of polarization. These localized circular surface waves interfere with each other to produce scattering sites for subsequent pulses. Additional exposure gives rise to ripples. The period of the ripple structures is usually on the order of the wavelength of the irradiating laser pulse (800 nm) in the central region of the laser spot while towards the edge of the spot, ripple periods are much smaller (∼500 nm). Also, we have observed that the period of the localized circular surface wave appear to be unrelated to the laser wavelength. With further laser exposure, the initial ripple structure breaks down into surface roughness due to further formation of localized circular surface waves on already produced ripples. This initial surface roughness evolves into sharp and regular array of self-organized conical micro/nano surface structures due to self-masking phenomenon. We have also demonstrated that for laser assisted conical micro/nano structure formation in silicon, presence of a reactive gas is not necessary, although it enhances the etching process as well as makes the structures sharper.
Early intervention for mass violence: What is the evidence? What should be done?

Incidents of mass violence, such as the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, have the capacity to produce profound emotional distress in thousands of people. Such distress is a normal human emotional response in the wake of such devastation, and in the vast majority of cases this distress remits in the weeks following the traumatic event. Despite the fact that only a small percentage of individuals fail to adjust positively following trauma, the magnitude and scope of incidents of mass violence dictate that a large number of individuals may develop enduring psychopathology as a result of such events. This article reviews the empirical literature bearing on early interventions for trauma victims that have been developed to date. Promising cognitive-behavioral interventions that appear to overcome significant limitations of traditional early intervention approaches are delineated and discussed. Although early interventions for trauma remain underdeveloped and understudied, practice guidelines gleaned from preliminary but promising treatment approaches are offered. Attention to PTSD risk factors is paramount in order to facilitate the identification of individuals most likely to benefit from early posttraumatic treatment. These risk factors are presented and discussed in order to facilitate assessment and treatment planning.
Free radical damage in neonatal rat cardiac myocyte cultures: Effects of α-tocopherol, trolox, and phytol

Abstract A number of investigations have implicated free radicals in the progressive of ischemic/reperfusion injury. α-Tocopherol has been found to attenuate alterations due to ischemia and reperfusion in an isolated heart model. The present study was intended to directly examine neonatal rat cardiac ventricular cells cultures exposed to a free radical generating system catalyzed by xanthine oxidase. The effectiveness of α-tocopherol in the attenuation of the resulting changes and the mechanism by which by which the effects of α-tocopherol may be exerted were evaluated. Cultures were either nontreated or pretreated for 18 h with 20 μM α-tocopherol or the subcomponents of the α-tocopherol molecule, phytol and Trolox. Exposure of cell cultures to free radicals resulted in significant increases in lipid peroxidation products, release of both lactate dehydrogenase and 3H-arachidonate, and stuctural alterations. Pretreatment with α-tocopherol showed significant attenuation of the changes associated with exposure to free radicals. Trolox and phytol at equal molar doses were not as effectivene as α-tocopherol in protecting the myocytes against injury. Thus, α-tocopherol seems beneficial in its ability to reduce free radical-mediated changes by functioning as a lipophilic antioxidant. Additionally, the intact, native α-tocopherol molecule exceeded the protective capabilities of either of its subcomponents.
Female Moth Calling and Flight Behavior Are Altered Hours Following Pheromone Autodetection: Possible Implications for Practical Management with Mating Disruption.

Female moths are known to detect their own sex pheromone—a phenomenon called “autodetection”. Autodetection has various effects on female moth behavior, including altering natural circadian rhythm of calling behavior, inducing flight, and in some cases causing aggregations of conspecifics. A proposed hypothesis for the possible evolutionary benefits of autodetection is its possible role as a spacing mechanism to reduce female-female competition. Here, we explore autodetection in two species of tortricids (Grapholita molesta (Busck) and Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris)). We find that females of both species not only “autodetect,” but that learning (change in behavior following experience) occurs, which affects behavior for at least 24 hours after pheromone pre-exposure. Specifically, female calling in both species is advanced at least 24 hours, but not 5 days, following pheromone pre-exposure. Also, the propensity of female moths to initiate flight and the duration of flights, as quantified by a laboratory flight mill, were advanced in pre-exposed females as compared with controls. Pheromone pre-exposure did not affect the proportion of mated moths when they were confined with males in small enclosures over 24 hours in laboratory assays. We discuss the possible implications of these results with respect to management of these known pest species with the use of pheromone-based mating disruption.
A quality assurance program for ancillary high technology devices on a dual-energy accelerator

Our facility has added high-technology ancillary devices to our dual-energy linear accelerator. After commissioning and acceptance testing of dual asymmetric jaws, dynamic wedge, portal imaging, and multileaf collimation (MLC), quality assurance programs were instituted. The programs were designed to be both periodic and patient specific when required. In addition, when dosimetric aspects were affected by these technologies, additional quality assurance checks were added. Positional accuracy checks (light and radiation) are done for both asymmetric jaws and MLC. Each patient MLC field is checked against the original simulation or digitally reconstructed radiographs. Off-axis factors and output checks are performed for asymmetric fields. Dynamic wedge transmission factors and profiles are checked periodically, and a patient diode check is performed for every new dynamic wedge portal. On-line imaging checks encompass safety checks along with periodic measurement of contrast and spatial resolution. The most important quality assurance activity is the annual review of proper operation and procedures for each device. Our programs have been successful in avoiding patient-related errors or device malfunctions. The programs are a team effort involving physicists, maintenance engineers, and therapists.
THE EFFECT OF CORTISONE UPON AMINO ACID ACTIVATING ENZYMES OF RAT LIVER CORRELATED WITH INCREASED TRYPTOPHAN PYRROLASE ACTIVITY1

Studies were conducted concerning possible variations in the activity of amino acid activating enzymes accompanying increased tryptophan pyrrolase activity in rat liver resulting from cortisone injection. Though cortisone injection produced the expected significant increase in tryptophan pyrrolase activity, it caused no significant rise in either the total or specific activity of several amino acid activating enzymes. It would appear that the administration of cortisone results in the increased synthesis of certain liver protein fractions (1–4). There is increasing indirect evidence that enhanced tryptophan pyrrolase activity following cortisone administration may involve the de novo synthesis of the apoenzyme. Ethionine has been shown to inhibit the cortisoneevoked stimulation of the enzyme and the inhibition is reversed by methionine. (5).
Which stem cells should be used for transplantation

In view of the ever-increasing demand for human stem cells for transplantation, we initiated in vitro and in vivo studies of human fetal bone marrow stem/progenitor cells derived from lost pregnancies
The Rise and Fall of the U.S.–Dakota War Hanging Monument: Mediating Old-Settler Identity Through Two Expansive Cycles of Social Change

This article compares outcomes of two activity systems formed to memorialize the mass hanging of 38 Dakota men during the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862. Operating in 1911–1912, the first system failed to address tensions between its old-settler subject and progressive values taking shape in the community, especially regarding capital punishment. Informed by the first system’s nonexpansive outcome and by native activism expressed during the Vietnam War era, the second system incorporated multiple community voices, resulting in an expansive commemorative outcome that continues today. Special attention is paid to the identity work one monument performed in both eras, mediating old-settler ideology through a violent local chronotope.
Treatment of Experimental Streptococcal Nephritis I. A Preliminary Report

The role of a group A, type 12 streptococcal polypeptide in the pathogenesis of acute nephritis is confirmed. Our proposal for treatment of this disease assumed the presence of an antibody to an antigenic complex, one member of which was the nephritogenic polypeptide of the streptococcus. We postulated that specific complementary residues of the streptococcus would block the nephritogenic antibody and arrest the disease. Preliminary evidence, based on the use of either antigenic residues of the streptococcus or heated nephritogenic polypeptide, suggests that this was a valid premise.
CCK receptor antagonists

1. The peptide hormone and neurotransmitter, cholecystokinin, is widely distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system and mediates a diverse number of biological functions. 2. Two receptor subtypes, CCK-A and CCK-B, have been identified by both pharmacological characterization and molecular cloning. The CCK-A receptor is the predominant peripheral CCK receptor subtype and the CCK-B receptor is the predominant central CCK receptor. In addition, there are discrete populations of CCK-A receptors in the brain and CCK-B receptors are present in gastric mucosa. 3. Subtype selective antagonists have been developed which discriminate between the two receptor subtypes. One of the major chemical classes has exploited a benzodiazepine template present in asperlicin which was initially discovered in a natural product screen for CCK receptor antagonists. 4. The structurally related benzodiazepines L-365,260, L-740,093, and YM022 are selective antagonists of the CCK-B receptor subtype. Their in vitro pharmacological profiles have been characterized using the human CCK-B receptor expressed in CHO cells. 5. L-365,260 behaves in a manner consistent with that of a competitive antagonist and both L-740,093 and YM022 behave as insurmountable CCK-B receptor antagonists in vitro.
TRANSIENT ABSORPTION STUDIES IN PURE RARE GASES FROM 2500 A TO 4000 A

The broad band absorption in electron beam excited rare gas plasmas was measured for neon, argon, krypton and xenon gas. A broad continuum emission from a xenon flashlamp was used as the probe source. Absorption data was obtained over a 1500 A range. Absorption peaks in argon, neon and xenon correlate well with the predicted peak absorption cross sections for the respective dimer ions. No absorption peak in krypton was observed. Secondary absorption peaks of comparable magnitude to the dimer absorption peak were also observed in argon and xenon.
Immunological cross-reactivity between a glycoprotein isolated from Trichophyton mentagrophytes and human isoantigen A.

A glycoprotein isolated form the cell wall of Trichophyton mentagrophytes was assessed for its cross-reaction with human blood group isoantigens. Rabbit antiglycoprotein antibodies agglutinated human erythrocytes of blood groups A 1 and A 2 , and precipitated Blood Group Substance A in agarose gels. Erythrocytes of blood group B were only slightly agglutinated, and O(Rho + ) and O(Rho - ) erythrocytes were not. Additionally, the glycoprotein was shown to specifically inhibit isoagglutination of erythrocytes of group A. Partial identity between the glycoprotein and a crude extract of the fungus was demonstrated by immunodiffusion. Analyses revealed the glycoprotein to be composed of approximately 17% protein and 80% carbohydrate. The glycoprotein was found by indirect immunofluorescence to be located in the mycelial cell wall. The possibility that cross-reacting antigens may lead to a chronic, spreading infection is discussed.
3-Isobutyl-1-Methylxanthine decreases renal cortical interstitial levels of adenosine and inosine

Abstract The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that endogenous cyclic AMP, via metabolism by phosphodiesterase, contributes to interstitial levels of adenosine in the renal cortex in vivo . This hypothesis was tested by determining the effects of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, on renal cortical interstitial levels of adenosine and inosine. Changes in renal cortical interstitial adenosine and inosine levels were assessed in rats by implanting microdialysis probes into the renal cortex and measuring adenosine and inosine levels in the dialysate exiting the kidney using high performance liquid chromatography. When added to the dialysate entering the kidney at concentrations of 0.5, 1 and 2.5 mM, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine significantly and dose-dependently decreased interstitial levels of both adenosine and inosine. The percentage changes from baseline of interstitial levels of adenosine and inosine were: −39 ± 6% and −19 ± 6%, respectively, with 0.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine; −45 ± 7 % and −24 ± 8 %, respectively, with 1 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine; and −56 ± 12 % and −38 ± 8 %, respectively, with 2.5 mM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. These data suggest that in the renal cortex, cyclic AMP metabolism via phosphodiesterase is an important source of renal interstitial adenosine.
Treatment of IFN-γ Transgenic Mice With Anti–IFN-γ Reveals the Remodeling Capacity of the Adult Pancreas

Pancreatic expression of gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) initiates a cascade of pathogenic changes that include pancreatic inflammation, islet cell destruction, hyperglycemia, and islet regeneration. In this study, we explore the developmental plasticity of the adult pancreas and particularly its ability to return to normoglycemia and to remodel itself from an advanced pathogenic state. This was approached by treating adult transgenic mice with a pulse of anti-IFN-gamma antibody and determining the functional and morphological status of the pancreas. We demonstrated that anti-IFN-gamma antibody administration led to the reduction of hyperglycemic blood glucose levels in transgenic mice. We also observed that the pancreas returned from a profoundly perturbed state toward normality. Analysis of the mitotic index indicated that cell proliferation previously associated with islet cell regeneration was greatly reduced after anti-IFN-gamma administration. Our results highlight the ability of the adult pancreas to remodel itself and return from a complex pathological state to normalcy once the trophic signal inducing this pathology is removed. These data also suggest that anti-IFN-gamma administration may have important clinical implications for treatment of chronic pancreatitis in humans.
New Routes To Nitrides: Synthesis Of A Highly Colored Lithium Tantalum Oxynitride

The synthesis of a new lithium tantalum oxynitride is described. The compound, LiTaO3-3xN2x was synthesized by reacting LiTaO3 with anhydrous ammonia at temperatures ranging from 773 K to 1173 K. Depending on the reaction temperature the sample color changes from white to tan (773 K) to bright orange (973 K) to red (1123 K). The color appears to be the result of a p-d transition consistent with a charge transfer from localized nitrogen states to a band of predominately metal character. Electrical and magnetic measurements indicate that the material is a diamagnetic insulator.
ALTERED THEOPHYLLINE PHARMACOKINETICS DURING ACUTE RESPIRATORY VIRAL ILLNESS

The plasma half-life of theophylline was determined during and 1 month after serologically confirmed upper-respiratory-tract viral illness in six children with chronic asthma. In this group the plasma-theophylline half-life (mean = 419.8 min) was significantly longer during the acute stage of their illness than 1 month later (mean 249.9 min). There was no appreciable change in half-life in 4 patients who were febrile but in whom seroconversion did not occur. These preliminary results suggest that certain upper-respiratory-tract viral infections may affect theophylline metabolism.
An internet overlay architecture for global scale wireless sensor networks

The problems, such as environmental monitoring for global warming, currently under research by scientists and engineers are complex, inter-related worldwide phenomena that require global scale sensor networks to study and understand. Cost and resource constraints prohibit organizations, even national governments, and industrial and academic consortiums from deploying sensor networks on a global scale. Therefore, it is increasingly necessary for research groups to provide access to their non-proprietary, unclassified sensor networks so that the data may be analyzed without compromising its integrity, and at times repurposed by scientists and engineers studying other aspects of inter-related phenomena. This paper proposes a global scale wireless sensor network (GSWSN) architectural framework with the Internet providing backbone connectivity among geographically disperse sensor network sites, and discusses the challenges inherent to this undertaking.
Analyzing the nature of police involvements: A research note concerning the effects of forms of police mobilization

Studies of the police have reported that much of the work patrol persons do is service-oriented. However, many of those researches relied upon citizen-initiated involvements as units of analysis. Here the distinction has been made between reactive and proactive forms of police mobilization. When activity data are analyzed in this fashion, it is found that the police initiate a larger proportion of law enforcement activities than was supposed. The implications for research are discussed.
Depressive symptoms and production of proinflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro

One potential pathway by which depression may impact health is through modulation of immune function. Depressed individuals have been shown to display reductions in measures of cellular immune competence as well as elevated markers of systemic inflammation. The current study assessed the in vitro production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to mitogen stimulation within a community-based sample of 79 midlife women. Results indicate that midlife women with higher levels of depressive symptoms (as assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) and greater body mass index (BMI) displayed diminished production of IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha by stimulated PBMCs, as compared with their less-depressed counterparts. These relationships remained after controlling for such health-related variables as age, recent sleep disruption, physical activity level, and self-reported medical history. In contrast, depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with circulating levels of the same proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha) obtained from serum samples available for a subset of 62 of the study participants. Moreover, circulating proinflammatory cytokine levels were not significantly associated with the in vitro proinflammatory cytokine production outcomes. Further research is needed to clarify the clinical significance of the current study findings, and the extent to which in vitro tests of stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production are associated with other measures of cellular immune function and/or circulating markers of systemic inflammation obtained across various study populations.
THE RATE OF CHANGE IN THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF WAGES AS A VECTOR

This paper attempts to measure the rate of change in the size distribution of wages over time in a rigorous, analytic way, and to relate that change to the business cycle. The basic problem for which this paper provides a solution is to relate changes in a size distribution to levels of and changes in single-dimensioned variables (unemployment, Gross National Product, and the consumers price index). Let F stand for the cumulative relative size distribution of wages, a function of wages. F takes on values zero through one. Let F be a given value of F, e.g., F= 0.25. The proposed solution to the basic problem is to measure the rate of change in consecutive F's at F. The composite of such measurements at F over time forms a vector, the length of which depends upon the number of time periods observed. The number of vectors thus derived depends upon the number of values of F selected. The various vectors are then related to the general economic conditions and the respective values of F. The general economic conditions have a differential effect on the various vectors; e.g., those wage earners with relatively low wages are affected differently by a given turn of the business cycle than are those with high wages. The paper includes several supplementary investigations: (a) estimating each of the annual cumulative relative size distributions of wages for a specific analytic function, (b) relating analytically the size distribution construct to the Lorenz curve concept and the Gini coefficient, (c) predicting and simulating size distributions for various economic conditions, (d) formulating tax trade-offs, and (e) suggesting further uses and extensions.
Two-Dimensional Computer Simulation of Salinity Gradient Solar Pond Operation

This study is concerned with computer modeling of flow and thermal analysis of solar ponds with a salinity gradient. Solar ponds have been used as an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for collection of solar energy for low temperature thermal applications. A two-dimensional unsteady computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed and used for numerical study of stability analysis of the pond, as well as heat and mass transfer in the salt gradient solar ponds. Salinity gradient was created in order to stabilize the pond and to restrict convective motions induced by buoyancy driven solar radiation heating during the period of operation.Fluent® commercial software was enhanced with the implementation of User Defined Functions (UDF) and was used in these simulations. The user defined scalar model was included for analyzing the convection and diffusion of the salt concentration in the solar pond. In addition, user defined functions were developed for relating the water density to temperature and salt concentration, as well as, the amount of solar radiation absorption in the solar pond as functions of thermo-physical properties. In the absence of flow exchange, the natural convection in the pond was simulated and the stability of the pond was verified. Development of salt concentration was also studied, and time evolution of temperature distribution in a small scale salinity gradient solar pond was analyzed. For the case of flow exchange at the bottom of the pond, the energy production was evaluated, and the temperature, concentration and flow field were simulated.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Gas-liquid mass transfer in a multi-stage perforated-disk type stirring cascade

Abstract Experimental study is conducted to determine interphase mass transfer of a solute (carbon dioxide) in gas-liquid systems (air and water) in counter-current flow through a three-stage perforated-disk type stirring cascade. Test results over the entire cascade can be correlated as NTU F NTU F∞ = j Df j Df∞ = 1 − exp (− V g / V g∞ ) wherein NTU, j D and V g are the number of transfer unit, modified mass transfer factor and gas flow rate, respectively, based on the liquid phase (f). The subcript ∞ denotes an asymptotic value. The criterion corresponding to the state of overflow limit is determined by a certain value of the separation factor A (using the subscript fl for overflow limit) beyond which the stirrer is flooded with the gas resulting in undersirable dispersion and high power requirement. Within the range of A = A fl , the overall mass-transfer performance may be predicted by NTU f = j Df Sc − 2 3 f = 1.03 × 10 −4 A 0.6 Re 0.449 r in which Scf is the liquid-phase Schmidt number and Rer expressed the impeller (disk) Reynolds number.
Top Management Team Tenure and Top Manager Causal Attributions at Declining Firms Attempting Turnarounds

Do members of long-tenured top management teams perceive organizational problems differently than members of shorter-tenured teams? We examined this question using the reasons that chief executive officers and other top managers at firms attempting turnarounds offered for their firms' performance declines. Drawing insights from social psychology and the literature on organizational decline and turnaround, we predicted that top managers who were members of management teams where many top executives had been replaced would be more likely to attribute performance problems to causes that were internal to the firm, stable, and controllable than top managers from longer-tenured teams. The results confirmed our predictions and suggest that the composition of the top management team, which can be altered through the replacement of executives, is strongly associated with the perception of problems at firms attempting to recover from firm-threatening performance declines.
Journalists' views of advertiser pressures on agricultural news

All major journalism ethical codes explicitly state that journalists should protect editorial copy from undue influence by outside sources. However, much of the previous research on agricultural information has concentrated on what information various media communicate (gatekeeping studies) or communication's role in increasing innovation adoption (diffusion studies). Few studies have concentrated specifically on organizational and structural constraints that might adversely affect agricultural journalists' ethical standards; those that have, focus largely on farm magazines. A study of newspaper reporters who cover agricultural news found that the most pressing ethical concern is the effect of advertiser (agri-business) pressure on editorial copy, and that their concerns in general parallel those of farm magazine writers and editors. The majority reported being in situations in which they might be exposed to advertiser pressure, including pressures to change or withhold editorial copy. Large minorities suggested that advertising pressures affect the overall environment in which agricultural journalists work, and more than one in ten said they allow advertiser pressures to influence editorial decisions. The newspaper reporters who cover agricultural beats showed slightly more resistance to advertiser pressure than did farm magazine editors in a parallel study.
Genomic identification of a putative circadian system in the cladoceran crustacean Daphnia pulex

Essentially nothing is known about the molecular underpinnings of crustacean circadian clocks. The genome of Daphnia pulex, the only crustacean genome available for public use, provides a unique resource for identifying putative circadian proteins in this species. Here, the Daphnia genome was mined for putative circadian protein genes using Drosophila melanogaster queries. The sequences of core clock (e.g. CLOCK, CYCLE, PERIOD, TIMELESS and CRYPTOCHROME 2), clock input (CRYPTOCHROME 1) and clock output (PIGMENT DISPERSING HORMONE RECEPTOR) proteins were deduced. Structural analyses and alignment of the Daphnia proteins with their Drosophila counterparts revealed extensive sequence conservation, particularly in functional domains. Comparisons of the Daphnia proteins with other sequences showed that they are, in most cases, more similar to homologs from other species, including vertebrates, than they are to those of Drosophila. The presence of both CRYPTOCHROME 1 and 2 in Daphnia suggests the organization of its clock may be more similar to that of the butterfly Danaus plexippus than to that of Drosophila (which possesses CRYPTOCHROME 1 but not CRYPTOCHROME 2). These data represent the first description of a putative circadian system from any crustacean, and provide a foundation for future molecular, anatomical and physiological investigations of circadian signaling in Daphnia.
Reducing specific energy consumption in Reverse Osmosis (RO) water desalination: An analysis from first principles

Abstract The previously derived characteristic equation of RO in Li, 2010 [ 8 ] is used to describe single- or multi-stage ROs with/without an energy recovery device (ERD). Analysis is made at both the theoretical limit (with analytical solutions provided if possible) and practical conditions (using constrained nonlinear optimization). It is shown that reducing specific energy consumption (SEC) normalized by feed osmotic pressure, or NSEC in ROs can be pursued using one or more of the following three independent methods: (1) increasing a dimensionless group γ = A total L p ∆π 0 / Q f , (2) increasing number of stages, and (3) using an ERD. When γ increases, the feed rate is adversely affected and the NSEC reduces but flattens out eventually. Using more stages not only reduces NSEC but also improves water recovery. However, The NSEC flattens out when the number of stages increases and ROs with more than five stages are not recommended. Close to the thermodynamic limit where γ is sufficiently large, the NSEC of ROs up to five stages approaches 4, 3.60, 3.45, 3.38 and 3.33 respectively. The ERD can significantly reduce the NSEC, theoretically to 1, while the corresponding recovery approaches zero. The NSEC becomes larger when the required water recovery increases. It is found that a combination of all three methods can significantly reduce the NSEC while maintaining a high recovery and a reasonable feed or permeate rate. An NSEC around 2.5–2.8 with an 80% water recovery may be possible using 3–5 RO stages and an ERD of 90% efficiency operated at a γ about 3–5 (or Q f = 0.2–0.3 A total L p ∆π 0 ).
Wavefront-aberration sorting and correction for a dual-deformable-mirror adaptive-optics system

Many next-generation adaptive optics (AO) systems for vision will have two deformable mirrors (DMs) instead of one: a high-stroke, low-resolution mirror (the woofer) and a low-stroke, high-resolution mirror (the tweeter). We developed a zonal wavefront-control algorithm and validated it using simulations. Rather than separating the woofer and tweeter corrections into two independent control processes or using a modal decomposition, the algorithm we proposed uses wavefront slope measurements from a single Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor to generate control signals for both deformable mirrors within a single zonal control. A Lagrange multiplier is chosen to integrate two DMs into a single-DM wavefront control, and a damped least-squares control is employed to suppress the correlation between the two DMs.
A Reconstruction Error Based Framework for Multi-Label and Multi-View Learning

A significant challenge to make learning techniques more suitable for general purpose use is to move beyond i) complete supervision, ii) low dimensional data, iii) a single label and single view per instance. Solving these challenges allows working with complex learning problems that are typically high dimensional with multiple (but possibly incomplete) labelings and views. While other work has addressed each of these problems separately, in this paper we show how to address them together, namely semi-supervised dimension reduction for multi-label and multi-view learning (SSDR-MML), which performs optimization for dimension reduction and label inference in semi-supervised setting. The proposed framework is designed to handle both multi-label and multi-view learningsettings, and can be easily extended to many useful applications. Our formulation has a number of advantages. We explicitly model the information combining mechanism as a data structure (a weight/nearest-neighbor matrix) which allows investigating fundamentalquestions in multi-label and multi-view learning. We address one such question by presenting a general measure to quantify thesuccess of simultaneous learning of multiple labels or views. We empirically demonstrate the usefulness of our SSDR-MML approach, and show that it can outperform many state-of-the-art baseline methods.
Comparative placental steroid synthesis. II. C19 steroid metabolism by guinea-pig placentas and fetal adrenals in vitro

Placental homogenates from guinea-pigs at 16, 20, 35 and 55 days gestation were incubated with 7α-3H-dehydroepiandrosterone and 4-14C-androstenedione and analyzed for conversion products by reverse isotope dilution methods. 14C-3α-Hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, 14C-androstane-3α, 17β-diol and 3Handrost-5-ene-3β, 17β-diol were isolated from homogenates incubated with substrates for 2 hours. 3H, 14C-Testosterone was isolated from preparations incubated for 15 minutes or with high substrate: tissue ratios. Androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione, 5α-androstane-3, 17-dione, 5β-androstanedione derivative and C18 steroid formation could not be demonstrated. These results demonstrate the capacity of guinea-pig placentas to convert dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenedione to testosterone and to derivatives reduced in ring A (5α) and at carbon 17. The activity of the Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme system appears to have been rate limiting. Homogenates of adrenals from 44–55 day old fetuses converted 4-14C-pregnenolone to androst-4-ene-3, 17-dione and 6β- and 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione. A guineapig fetal-placental unit is postulated, with steroid metabolic characteristics different from the human unit. Both permit reduction of fetal adrenal cortisol production and placental removal of C19 steroids.
Cutability comparisons of Charolais crossbred bulls and steers.

Seventy-two sides (eighteen sides from each sex-breed group) from carcasses of half-blood or three-quarters-to-seven-eighths-blood Charolais bulls or steers of known history and age, handled alike from weaning to slaughter, were used. All cattle were fed in a commercial feedlot (average days-on-feed was 186) and slaughtered in a commercial packing plant. Comparisons were made for percentages of (1) untrimmed wholesale cuts, (2) partially boneless subprimals (trimmed of fat in excess of 1·9 cm), (3) partially boneless retail-ready cuts (trimmed of fat in excess of 0·95 cm) and (4) boneless retail-ready cuts (trimmed of fat in excess of 0·95 cm). Bulls had higher percentages than steers of chuck and round at all stages of trim. Steers had higher percentages of untrimmed, wholesale loin and partially boneless shortloin (1·9 cm fat) than bulls but steer percentages of shortloin cuts trimmed to 0·95 cm of fat did not differ from those of bulls. Bulls averaged 48·05%, while steers averaged 45·45%, major boneless, closely trimmed retail-ready cuts. After the lean trim was adjusted to 25% chemical fat, bulls had 27·70% lean trim and 5·65% fat trim while steers had 24·30% lean trim and 12·15% fat trim. No difference in the percentage of retail-ready cuts was attributable to breed; however, the three-quarters-to-seven-eighths-blood Charolais group had a lower percentage of standardized fat trim and a slightly higher percentage of bone than the half-blood group.
Retention and Attrition Factors for Female Certified Athletic Trainers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Setting

Abstract Context: Organizational effectiveness and the continuity of patient care can be affected by certain levels of attrition. However, little is known about the retention and attrition of femal...
The Maximum Flow Network Interdiction Problem: Valid inequalities, integrality gaps, and approximability

We present two classes of polynomially separable valid inequalities for the Maximum Flow Network Interdiction Problem. We prove that the integrality gap of the standard integer program is not bounded by a constant, even when strengthened by our valid inequalities. Finally, we provide an approximation-factor-preserving reduction from a simpler interdiction problem.
The ability of hospital ventilation systems to filter Aspergillus and other fungi following a building implosion.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the ability of hospital air handling systems to filter Aspergillus, other fungi, and particles following the implosion of an adjacent building; to measure the quantity and persistence of airborne fungi and particles at varying distances during a building implosion; and to determine whether manipulating air systems based on the movement of the dust cloud would be an effective strategy for managing the impact of the implosion. DESIGN: Air sampling study. SETTING: A 976-bed teaching hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. METHODS: Single-stage impactors and particle counters were placed at outdoor sites 100, 200, and 400 m from the implosion and in five locations in the hospital: two oncology floors, the human immunodeficiency virus unit, the cardiac surgical intensive care unit, and the ophthalmology unit. Air handling systems would operate normally unless the cloud approached the hospital. RESULTS: Wind carried the bulk of the cloud away from the hospital. Aspergillus counts rose more than tenfold at outdoor locations up to 200 m from the implosion, but did not increase at 400 m. Total fungal counts rose more than sixfold at 100 and 200 m and twofold at 400 m. Similar to Aspergillus, particle counts rose several-fold following the implosion at 100 and 200 m, but did not rise at 400 m. No increases in any fungi or particles were measured at indoor locations. CONCLUSION: Reacting to the movement of the cloud was effective, because normal operation of the hospital air handling systems was able to accommodate the modest increase in Aspergillus, other fungi, and particles generated by the implosion. Aspergillus measurements were paralleled by particle counts.