cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An experimental and kinetic modeling study of methyl formate low-pressure flames

The oxidation of methyl formate (CH3OCHO), the simplest methyl ester, is studied in a series of burnerstabilized laminar flames at pressures of 22–30 Torr and equivalence ratios (U) from 1.0 to 1.8 for flame conditions of 25–35% fuel. Flame structures are determined by quantitative measurements of species mole fractions with flame-sampling molecular-beam synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry (PIMS). Methyl formate is observed to be converted to methanol, formaldehyde and methane as major intermediate species of mechanistic relevance. Smaller amounts of ethylene and acetylene are also formed from methyl formate oxidation. Reactant, product and major intermediate species profiles are in good agreement with the computations of a recently developed kinetic model for methyl formate oxidation [S. Dooley, M.P. Burke, M. Chaos, Y. Stein, F.L. Dryer, V.P. Zhukov, O. Finch, J.M. Simmie, H.J. Curran, Int. J. Chem. Kinet. 42 (2010) 527–529] which shows that hydrogen abstraction reactions dominate fuel consumption under the tested flame conditions. Radical–radical reactions are shown to be significant in the formation of a number of small concentration intermediates, including the production of ethyl formate (C2H5OCHO), the subsequent decomposition of which is the major source of observed ethylene concentrations. The good agreement of model computations with this set of experimental data provides a further test of the predictive capabilities of the proposed mechanism of methyl formate oxidation. Other salient issues in the development of this model are discussed, including recent controversy regarding the methyl formate decomposition mechanism, and uncertainties in the experimental measurement and modeling of low-pressure flame-sampling experiments. Kinetic model computations show that worst-case disturbances to the measured temperature field, which may be caused by the insertion of the sampling cone into the flame, do not alter mechanistic conclusions provided by the kinetic model. However, such perturbations are shown to be responsible for disparities in species location between measurement and computation.
Elastic yielding after step shear and during LAOS in the absence of meniscus failure

This work examines the possibility that the previously observed elastic yielding, i.e., nonquiescent relaxation after a large step shear (Ravindranath and Wang, Macromolecules 40:8031–8039, 2007) is due to an intrinsic experimental difficulty technically known as edge fracture. By redesigning the rheometric apparatus to eliminate edge failure, we show by an example of a well-entangled polymer solution that elastic yielding still occurs in the absence of any edge failure. We are also able to confirm that shear banding during large amplitude oscillatory shear (Ravindranath and Wang, J Rheol 52:341–358, 2008a) is an inherent rheological characteristic related to internal yielding of the entanglement network.
Toward the Fullness of Christ: A Catholic Vision of Ecumenism

This article locates the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s recent document Dominus Iesus against the background of great ecumenical advance in North America and elsewhere and a series of highly encouraging ecumenical statements published by John Paul II. Its most contentious statement is a reiteration and clarification of the Vatican II teaching in Lumen Gentium that the church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church. It distinguishes among churches in the proper sense, with valid episcopate and eucharist, and defective ecclesial communities. The church of Christ cannot subsist in them but only in the Catholic Church. The article points out, nevertheless, that since all these bodies are recognized as having elements of the church, the operation of grace is still ecclesial and not individual and secondly that a pneumatologically orientated Christology sees ecumenism as a response in grace to the divine economy.
Discriminating regional functional networks in pediatric epilepsy

This study introduces a correlation-based threshold analysis on region-of-interest connectivity networks calculated from functional MRI and based on the auditory description decision task (ADDT) language paradigm. The correlation threshold using the proposed method is determined to ensure that optimal connectivity is obtained with a minimum number of edges. Empirical evaluations on patients with epilepsy and control groups demonstrate that such correlation thresholds lead to significantly different connectivity networks of left and right temporal lobe when comparing the control group with patients and in ascertaining these networks relative to the location of the seizure focus. Interestingly, such thresholds did not show similar trends when using the AAL 90 template for the whole brain, which emphasize the need for the proposed regional connectivity concept. Also, most of the demographic and clinical parameters, such as handedness, age, gender, and seizure onset duration are shown not to have any effect on these thresholds.
Histiocytosis X: Report of an oral soft tissue lesion without bony involvement

The case of a 65-year-old white man with painful oral soft tissue granulomatous lesions of histiocytosis X is reported. The clinical course and diagnostic and therapeutic measures are described. The manifestation of symptomatic oral soft lesions with no definable lesions of bone and the age of the patient are not consistent with the usual presentation of this disease, and thus emphasize its clinical variability. The rationale for the therapeutic regimen and the prognosis are reviewed.
Reflection symmetry detection to reduce the state space of Markovian models

A model-based evaluation of a system's design often considers to what degree components need to be available multiple times in order to reach a desired level of availability, reliability or dependability. Multiple components of the same kind then lead to models with regular structures. In stochastic models, especially Markovian models, such regularities have been studied for a long time and are used to establish lumpability results that help to achieve a significant state space reduction and alleviate the effects of the infamous state space explosion problem. In this paper, we introduce a new procedure to identify and reduce Markovian models that are built in a compositional manner based on sharing state variables. This procedure can also detect symmetries based on reflection in spatial models where state variables can commute. The results extend existing work of Obal, McQuinn, and Sanders and will contribute to Mobius, a multi-paradigm, multi-solution framework for the model-based dependability and performance assessment of systems.
The effect of aging on glutathione peroxidase-i knockout mice-resistance of the lens to oxidative stress.

Abstract Populations of control, C, and glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) knockout mice, K, were studied over a period of 2 years. No significant difference was observed between the C and K populations with respect to longevity, vitality, weight, lens biochemistry or morphology based on light and electron microscopy. It was concluded that under normal animal room barrier facilities, GPx-1 is not required. Furthermore, C and K lenses placed in organ culture and observed over a 24 hr period were indistinguishable. Organ cultured C lenses degraded medium H 2 O 2 levels at only a slightly greater rate than K lenses and this did not appear to change with age. However, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was degraded less effectively by K lenses and this deficiency increased with age. No indication of change in redox non-protein SH (equivalent to GSH) status was observed between C and K whole lenses or epithelial cell fractions. With H 2 O 2 stress, the drop in C and K non-protein SH was comparable and there was little change with age. Examination of the impact of photochemical stress with 1.5 μ M riboflavin and 4% O 2 upon choline transport indicated considerable damage with both C and K lenses, but little difference between the two populations until 1 or 2 years of age when the K lenses appear more vulnerable. With TBHP, the detrimental effect on the K lenses is greater and is observed earlier than with photochemical stress suggesting that the K lens membrane function is more susceptible to phospholipid hydroperoxide stress than are C lenses. Light and electron microscopy of the oxidative stressed lenses indicates significant damage which was generally somewhat greater in the K lenses. TBHP was a more potent oxidant than photochemically generated oxidants particularly at the anterior pole. The overall results suggest that under normal conditions, at any age, the lens does not require the presence of GPx-1 but depending on the type of oxidative stress, the enzyme may significantly contribute to its defense and this dependency may increase with age.
Multicultural education and racism in American schools

The events, both legal and illegal, that have led to the miseducation of American groups, particularly minorities of visible distinction, have been many and span centuries. Some of these occurrences were carried out in conjunction with a doctrine that had as its basis a premise of racial superiority. Consequently, our schools of today, whether by design or due to a lack of awareness on the part of many educators, are a product of this doctrine of racial superiority. The purpose of this paper is to review how racism, expressed through attitudes and court decisions, has come to demand the antidote of multicultural education, and to offer suggestions as to how multicultural education can be invaluable in
Statistical Mechanics of the Steady State

The description of steady-state phenomena, near equilibrium, in terms of Gibbs ensembles is discussed. The Liouville equation is modified to include external nonconservative forces which prevent the system from reaching equilibrium. The steady state ensembles are then obtained as (approximately) time-independent solutions to the Liouville equation; such ensembles depend linearly on the thermodynamic parameters which characterize the deviation from equilibrium. With the aid of the steady state ensembles the linear relations between the thermodynamic fluxes and forces are obtained.
Sensitivity analysis of amplitude versus offset (AVO) method

When the amplitude versus offset (AVO) method is used to predict he occurrence of hydrocarbons, it is more commonlv accompanied by the forward modeling of angle-depend& plane. P-wave reflection coefficients. However. the uncertainty associated with estimating P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, end density of the relevant reservoir layers may affect the computed reflection coefficients, thus influencing the oonclusions about pore fluids. An analytical and numerical model study was undertaken to assess the effect of uncertainty in each parameter on the predicted amplitude variation with offset. To ensure that we selected all possible kinds of reservoir models in our assessment, these models (two-layered) were clessified by contrasb in P-wave velocity, Poisson’s ratio, and density. Out of twenty-seven possible classes of models classified by the above scheme, only six were not considered to represent maiistic reservoir models; hence, they were not included in our assessment. For the rest of the classes, the effect of velocity and density parameter changes on reflection coefficienb were computed using the exact Zoepprits equations. Although the reflection coefficient changes varied from model to model, certain generalisations about these changes could still be made if the variables were properly selected and if velocity end density values were changed within certain restrictions. These geacreliutions could be explained using en l pproximste equation of reflection coefficients.
An Optical Phenomenon

A SHORT time ago, when experimenting with a cubical mirror, I noticed the following peculiar phenomenon:—
THE EFFECTS OF APNEA AND BRADYCARDIA ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW VELOCITY (CBFV) IN THE PRETERM INFANT

Although apnea is a common neonatal problem, its impact on the cerebral circulation is unknown. CBFV was measured with the transcutaneous Doppler technique at the anterior fontanel. Determination of area under the velocity curve (A.U.V.C.) was utilized to quantitate CBFV. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of apnea on CBFV. Ten infants 15 sec. In each patient, the effects were similar. Initially, a decrease in diastolic flow velocity (DFV) occurred as the heart rate decreased. With marked brady-cardia (heart rate <80), a decrease in systolic flow velocity (SFV) developed and a further decrease in DFV was noted. SFV and DFV returned to baseline within sec. following the onset of spontaneous respiration, but with a delay in those requiring resuscitation. Simultaneous intra-arterial blood pressure (BP) recordings in 4 patients demonstrated similar changes in systolic and diastolic BP. Mean changes for 61 episodes is shown. The data show that apnea with bradycardia results in a progressive decrease in CBFV, most severe with heart rate <80. It seems possible that such repeated decreases in CBFV could cause or exacerbate cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury.
No-Cgmp Mediated Pulmonary Vasodilation In The Lamb Model of CDH † 1680

Purpose: Pulmonary hypertension plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We hypothesized that nitric oxide-cGMP mechanisms of pulmonary vasodilation may be altered in CDH. We examined the vasoactive properties of pulmonary vessels in fetal lambs with surgically created CDH. Methods: Left sided diaphragmatic hernias were created in 8 fetal lambs at 78 days gestation (term 140-145 days), followed by operative delivery at 139 days. Fourth generation pulmonary arteries (PA) and veins (PV) were isolated from both left (ipsilateral) and right (contralateral) lungs, and studied using standard tissue bath techniques. Basal activity of NO synthase (NOS) in endothelium intact vessels was assessed by measuring the contractile force to norepinephrine in the presence and absence of the competitive NOS inhibitor LNA. Relaxations to A23187 (receptor independent agonist for NOS), SNAP (NO donor), and zaprinast(cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor) were then examined in preconstricted vessels. Results: Both left and right PA contractile responses to NE were enhanced compared to controls. Relaxations to A23187, SNAP, and zaprinast in PA isolated from CDH lambs were similar to control lambs. In contrast, relaxations to A23187 and zaprinast were blunted in both left and right PV from CDH lambs compared to controls. Relaxations were significantly more blunted in left compared to right PV. Further, left PV from CDH lambs did not display an enhanced contractile response to NE following LNA pretreatment, while right PV did. Relaxations to SNAP were equivalent to controls in both right and left PV. Conclusion: We conclude that the NO-cGMP pathway is abnormal in the near term lamb with CDH. These abnormalities are most apparent in PV, and may reflect abnormal vascular NOS activity and/or content between left and right lungs. PA have NOS activity similar to controls, but appear to be hypersensitive to exogenous vasoconstrictors due to other mechanisms.
Identification of methicillin-susceptible or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrier status preoperatively using polymerase chain reaction in patients undergoing elective surgery with hardware implantation.

We compared bedside polymerase chain reaction to culture for identifying Staphylococcus aureus in patients about to undergo surgery with hardware implantation. Patients were screened for S. aureus carrier status at the preoperative clinic and on the day of surgery. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were calculated. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–4
Update in Hospice and Palliative Care

Abstract Background/Objective: The goal of this update in hospice and palliative care is to summarize and critique research published between January 1 and December 31, 2014 that has a high potential for impact on clinical practice. Design: To identify articles we hand searched 22 leading journals, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Fast Article Critical Summaries for Clinicians in Palliative Care. We also performed a PubMed keyword search using the terms “hospice” and “palliative care.” Measurements: We ranked candidate articles based on study quality, appeal to a breadth of palliative care clinicians, and potential for impact on clinical practice. Results: In this manuscript we have summarized the findings of eight articles with the highest ratings and make recommendations for clinical practice based on the strength of the resulting evidence.
MECHANISM OF HARDCORE FORMATION IN CHILL‐INJURED SWEET POTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS) ROOTS1

Hardcore in sweet potatoes is caused by chilling followed by non-chilling temperatures and appears as hard tissue after cooking. Changes in pectic substances and the involvement of tissue softening by beta-elimination of pectic substances were studied in relation to hardcore development. Pectic substances from cell wall, middle lamella extracts of hardcore tissue resisted degradation by betaelimination. This resistance was associated with reduced esterification and increased levels of bound cations. The mechanism of hardcore formation appears to involve activation of demethoxylation during chilling and rapid demethoxylation of pectic substances when subsequently exposed to nonchilling temperature. Demethoxylated pectic substances and pectate salts may then restrict degradation by beta-elimination and concomitant softening during cooking.
Comparison of chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil

Abstract We recently developed two rapid and precise chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soils. One method involves determination of the ammonia‐N produced by steam distillation of the soil sample with pH 11.2 phosphate‐borate buffer solution for 8 min. The other involves determination of the ammonium‐N produced by treatment of the soil sample with 2M KCl solution at 100°C for 4 hours. Studies using 33 Brazilian soils showed that the results obtained by these methods were highly correlated with those obtained by anaerobic and aerobic incubation methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soil. The two methods were further evaluated by applying them to 30 Iowa soils and by comparing their results and those obtained by other chemical methods with the results of the incubation methods considered to be the best laboratory methods currently available for assessment of potentially available organic N in soil. The chemical methods used included the acid KMnO4 method, the ...
Tuberculous Meningitis in Children.

Initial empiric treatment for central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis should include four antituberculous drugs until results of cultures and sensitivities are available. Treatment should include isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and either ethambutol or streptomycin. Total treatment should extend for 12 months. Daily therapy should be used for the first 2 months, followed by either twice a week treatment or continued with daily therapy for the duration with directly observed therapy (DOT) [1], Class III. Pyrazinamide should be included in all treatment regimes for the first 2 months of therapy. Corticosteroids should be used in the management of children with tuberculous meningitis [1]. Corticosteroids have been shown to decrease mortality, long-term neurologic complications, and permanent sequelae [2],[3], Class I. Prednisone is often used at a dosage of 1 to 2 mg/kg per day [1], Class III. Steroids should be used for 4 to 6 weeks, and then tapered over the next 2 to 3 weeks. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures and other infected sites must be aggressively pursued in order to obtain an organism for identification and sensitivities testing. Cranial CT scans with contrast should be included in the early diagnostic work-up of a child with suspected CNS tuberculosis infection. Hydrocephalus is often an early finding and may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis. Treatment of CNS tuberculosis should be for 12 months. All children with CNS tuberculosis should be promptly reported to the local public health department. Public health will facilitate the case-contact study and assist with follow-up and DOT after discharge. Directly observed therapy should be given for the entire treatment course [1], Class III. This is best accomplished with the collaboration of local public health services. Children with tuberculous meningitis should be evaluated in follow-up monthly. Monitoring should include determining adherence to drug treatment, an interval history for signs and symptoms of disease progression, careful physical examinations and evaluation for adverse effects of drugs. Liver function tests should be obtained at baseline, 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8 weeks, and then monthly for the first several months of treatment. Children with tuberculous meningitis should be tested for HIV infection, including pre- and post-test counseling [1], Class III.
Jejunal monilial bezoar following total gastrectomy

A case is reported of monilial bezoar involving the jejunum following total gastrectomy in a patient who was neither severely debilitated nor immunosuppressed. This condition should be differentiated from the more commonly occurring postgastrectomy phytobezoar.
Visually guided head movement in the African chameleon

Visually guided head movement was studied in the African chameleon. Within certain ranges of frequencies and amplitudes, the chameleons followed horizontal, sinusoidal cricket (bait) movement with sinusoidal head movement and no apparent eye movement. Although head movement lagged behind bait movement, the chameleons used head amplitudes that minimized the motion of the bait relative to the head.
Protein kinase A regulates AKAP250 (gravin) scaffold binding to the β2-adrenergic receptor

A-kinase-anchoring protein 250 (AKAP250; gravin) acts as a scaffold that binds protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C and protein phosphatases, associating reversibly with the β2-adrenergic receptor. The receptor-binding domain of the scaffold and the regulation of the receptor–scaffold association was revealed through mutagenesis and biochemical analyses. The AKAP domain found in other members of this superfamily is essential for the scaffold–receptor interactions. Gravin constructs lacking the AKAP domain displayed no binding to the receptor. Metabolic labeling studies in vivo demonstrate agonist-stimulated phosphorylation of gravin and enhanced gravin–receptor association. Analysis of the AKAP domain revealed two canonical PKA sites phosphorylated in response to elevated cAMP, blocked by PKA inhibitor, and essential for scaffold–receptor association and for resensitization of the receptor. The AKAP appears to provide the catalytic PKA activity responsible for phosphorylation of the scaffold in response to agonist activation of the receptor as well as for the association of the scaffold with the receptor, a step critical to receptor resensitization.
Comparison of chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron for control of Allium vineale L.

Summary The response of natural and planted stands of Allium vineale L. to chlorsulfuron and metsulfuron was determined in field experiments in Illinois, U.S.A., in 1982 and 1983. In natural stands very low rates of either herbicide controlled A. vineale. Chlorsulfuron, applied in the spring at 20 g ha−1, reduced aerial bulblet production by 99% but when it was applied in the fall it reduced aerial bulblet production by only 59%. All rates of metsulfuron (5–20 g ha−1), at both times of application, effected better than 94% reduction in plant density and yield of aerial bulblets. In a glasshouse experiment, plants derived from aerial bulblets were more susceptible to chlorsulfuron than plants derived from soft offset bulbs. Soft offset bulbs were, therefore, used to establish a uniform stand of A. vineale in the field. In this experiment, non-linear regression analysis showed that metsulfuron was two to three times more active than chlorsulfuron. GR95 values calculated from the computed regression equations show that metsulfuron and chlorsulfuron, applied in April at 5 and 15 g ha−1, respectively, reduced aerial and underground bulb production by 95%.
Measurement of the electroplastic effect in Nb

The procedures employed to measure the electroplastic effect resulting from the application of a high-density ( approximately 105 A cm-2) electric current pulse of 120 mu s duration during the plastic deformation of Nb in a uniaxial tension test are described in detail. Special attention is focused on eliminating the side effects of the current, such as result from Joule heating and the pinch effect. Thermally activated plastic-flow theory is employed to calculate the side contributions of thermal softening and load oscillations resulting from inertia effects. The electron-dislocation interaction contribution is derived for Nb and found to be about four times that for the FCC metals Al and Cu, and to increase with an increase in the plastic deformation rate just before the application of the current pulse.
The SpectrumWare approach to wireless signal processing

The SpectrumWare project is applying a software oriented approach to wireless communication and distributed signal processing. Advances in processor and analog-to-digital conversion technology have made it possible to implement virtual radios that directly sample wide bands of the RF spectrum and process these samples in application software. The elimination of dedicated hardware introduces tremendous flexibility into a wireless communication system. Our approach goes further than the software implementation of traditional signal processing functions. We use processor and network memory to temporally decouple the sample streams from the software modules so that the bulk of the processing can be realized within virtual time programming environments. Decoupling relaxes the temporal constraints on the processing algorithms and their execution. This paper describes the SpectrumWare concept, our experimental approach, and the implications that this approach has for wireless signal processing algorithms.
Isotope dilution quantification of 200Hg2+ and CH3201Hg+ enriched species-specific tracers in aquatic systems by cold vapor ICPMS and algebraic de-convoluting

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) method for the determination of enriched species-specific mercury tracers at ng L −1 levels (ppt) in zooplankton and aquatic samples from biological tracer experiments. Applying a cold vapor sector field ICPMS method a high sensitivity was obtained, i.e., 10 6 cps for 1 μg L −1 of natural mercury measured on 202 Hg + , which in turn enabled the measurement of mercury isotope ratios with a 0.6–1.4%R.S.D. precision for a 50 ng L −1 standard. This method was used to quantify CH 3 201 Hg + and 200 Hg 2+ tracers in zooplankton from a biological tracer experiment with the aim of investigating the effects of algal density and zooplankton density on mercury bioaccumulation in zooplankton in a fresh water system. For quantification purposes a known amount of 199 Hg + was added to the zooplankton samples before digestion. The digested samples were analyzed and the resulting ICPMS spectra split into four spectra one for each of the four sources of mercury present in the sample (CH 3 201 Hg + , 200 Hg 2+ , 199 Hg 2+ and natural mercury) using algebraic de-convoluting. The CH 3 201 Hg + and 200 Hg 2+ tracers were quantified using an isotope dilution approach with the added 199 Hg + . Detection limits were 0.6 and 0.2 ng L −1 for 200 Hg + and CH 3 201 Hg + , respectively. The coefficient of variation on the tracer determinations was approximately 18% CV estimated from the analysis of real samples with tracer concentrations in the −1 range. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of species-specific mercury tracers in zooplankton samples from a biological tracer experiment.
Thermal stability and growth kinetics of Co2Si and CoSi in thin‐film reactions

We have investigated the growth of Co2Si and CoSi around 400 °C in samples of Si/Co and Si/CoSi/Co. We selected the Co‐Si system because CoSi is known to have a larger heat of formation than Co2Si, hence the former should be favorable for formation from the viewpoint of free energy change or driving force. However, we found that Co2Si is the one which always grows first. This leads us to conclude that it is not the driving force but rather the kinetics which governs the selective growth of thin‐film intermetallic compounds. Thus, we propose here that the first phase formation is selected by the one with the lowest kinetic barrier.
The Digital Leaflet: Quantitative Image Analysis and 3-D Digital Reconstruction of the Aortic Valve Leaflet

Current efforts in tissue engineering center on designing viable replacements to resolve limitations that arise in existing medical technologies such as mechanical and biological valvular prosthetic devices. The realization of such tasks is complicated by the intricate, regionally variant structural and mechanical properties observed in the native aortic valve leaflet (AVL) [1–2, 4]. To design and construct such a valve, a detailed understanding of native leaflet microstructure and function is required. As such, creating a computational framework incorporating structural and functional characteristics spanning from the cell to organ level would be highly valued [3, 6]. The current study utilizes histological sectioning techniques to evaluate and reconstruct the 3D microstructure of the complete AVL. In addition to gaining further insight into leaflet structure function relationships, the current study will lay the basis for the development of analytical tools involving physiologically accurate 3D finite element representations.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Eta® Analysis of Portfolios: The Economy Matters

The authors introduce a macroeconomic factor model, the Eta model, and its various applications. The underlying message regarding the Eta model, be it for replication, wealth maximization, or wealth preservation, is that “the economy matters.” The core feature of the Eta model is its replication methodology, from which portfolios could be customized to fit the risk–reward preferences of investors with respect to the economy. They then evaluate the portfolios against the Dimensional Fund Advisors Core Equity 1 Portfolio, which adopts the methodology promoted by the Fama–French three-factor model.
Surveying Thermally-defoliated Cotton Plots with Color-infrared Aerial Photography

Thermal defoliation is a nonchemical alternative for terminating cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth and preparing it for harvest, making the technique ideal for cotton grown in sustainable systems. For large cotton fields, growers need assistance in examining the effectiveness of thermal defoliation because green leaves remaining in the field reduces the price grade of the cotton and increase the time needed to harvest the fields. We qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated aerial color-infrared photographic transparencies of two study sites to determine the feasibility of using color-infrared aerial photography as a tool for surveying cotton plots subjected to thermal defoliation. Treated canopies appeared brown and in mixtures of brown and red tones on the colorinfrared transparencies, leading to their separation from the control plant canopies (appearing in a red color). Quantitative analysis indicated that the green, red, and/or near-infrared light sensitive layers of the film significantly contributed to the color differences observed between the thermally-defoliated plots and the control plots. The results indicate that color-infrared aerial photography has high potential as a tool for assisting growers in surveying thermally-defoliated cotton fields. After visiting suspect areas identified on the photography, producers may opt to reapply the treatment.
Binding of 2-Acetylnaphthalene to gamma-Cyclodextrin: Stoichiometry of the Dimer Complex

Naphthalene derivatives have the capability of forming higher order complexes than the typical 1:1 stoichiometry with all three of the common cyclodextrins (alpha, beta, and gamma). The 2-acetylnaphthalene (2-AN)/gamma-cyclodextrin (gamma-CD) system exhibits a long wavelength fluorescence emission at higher gamma-CD concentrations, which has been assigned to an excimer band from bound 2-AN dimer. On the basis of the fact that only free 2-AN and the bound dimer fluoresce in this system, we have proposed mathematical models to decide whether the dimer formula is (2-AN)2/gamma-CD or (2-AN)2/(gamma-CD)2. Our analysis indicates that the latter formula is the correct one. This result is unanticipated, given the fact that a single gamma-CD cavity could accommodate two naphthalene rings.
Merit, Management, and Neutral Competence: Lessons from the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, FY 1988–FY 1997

Despite the centrality of merit principles to governance in the United States over the past century, scant empirical research examines linkages between institutions, and outcomes in the implementation of merit system protections. We argue that the fate of merit principles depends, at a minimum, on two influences that may compete with neutral competence. The first is partisan responsiveness by counter bureaucracies charged with holding agencies accountable to merit principles. The second influence is the sacrifice of merit in the interest of managerial rerogatives at the agency level. This exploratory study assesses both of these influences within the federal government. Our data consist of personal interviews, analyses of U.S. Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) processes, case loads, and decisions between fiscal years 1988 and 1997, and a brief case study of the Justice Department. We find that the MSPB is largely the neutral and competent agency that Congress intended to create when it enacted the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Less positively, our analysis also reveals that federal agencies vary in how well their personnel actions fare with the MSPB. This finding is especially germane to reinventing-government reforms that decentralize personnel management to agencies or to line operators within agencies.
Brain tissue pressure: physiological observations in anesthetized cats.

✓ This study of direct tissue pressure measurement from brain parenchyma in 25 anesthetized cats focuses on steady-state observations and responses to some common physiological manipulations. Tissue pressure recording by a needle system can be done accurately without significant alterations of the blood-brain barrrier, brain water content, regional cerebral blood flow, and cerebrovascular reactivity to changes in PaCO2 and cerebral perfusion pressure. Methodological details, including in vitro and in vivo validation, are described.
An analog CMOS Viterbi detector for digital magnetic recording

A fully-integrated analog Viterbi detector is presented. Four chips, each containing two VA (Viterbi algorithm) dicode detectors, have been fabricated in the standard 2- mu m, double-poly, p-well MOSIS CMOS process. By externally interleaving the two-dicode outputs, each part operates at over 40 Mb/s on a PR class IV (PR4) channel. The chip consumes under 100 mW from a single 5-V supply. The active area is 1.8 mm*1.8 mm (2.2 mm*2.2 mm with pads). Two main functions are implemented by the Viterbi detector: (1) metric calculation and (2) survivor sequence storage (path memory). The path memory is straightforward, digital, and is designed using true single-phase clocked flip-flops. >
Uniformity and performance of selectively oxidized VCSEL arrays

The authors report the uniformity characteristics of low threshold 1,060 nm and high power 850 nm 8 x 8 individually addressable oxide-confined VCSEL arrays. Uniformity of lasing thresholds and operating characteristics are described, as well as thermal issues for 2-dimensional laser arrays.
Turning On Uracil-DNA Glycosylase Using a Pyrene Nucleotide Switch

Abstract Base flipping is a highly conserved process by which enzymes swivel an entire nucleotide from the DNA base stack into their active site pockets. Uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) is a paradigm enzyme that uses a base flipping mechanism to catalyze the hydrolysis of the N-glycosidic bond of 2′-deoxyuridine (2′-dUrd) in DNA as the first step in uracil base excision repair. Flipping of 2′-dUrd by UDG has been proposed to follow a “pushing” mechanism in which a completely conserved leucine side chain (Leu-191) is inserted into the DNA minor groove to expel the uracil. Here we report a novel implementation of the “chemical rescue” approach to show that the weak binding affinity and low catalytic activity of L191A or L191G can be completely or partially restored by substitution of a pyrene (Y) nucleotide wedge on the DNA strand opposite to the uracil base (U/A to U/Y). These results indicate that pyrene acts both as a wedge to push the uracil from the base stack in the free DNA and as a “plug” to hinder its reinsertion after base flipping. Pyrene rescue should serve as a useful and novel tool to diagnose the functional roles of other amino acid side chains involved in base flipping.
Nutritional Antioxidants as Therapeutic and Preventive Modalities in Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage

Several mechanisms have been forwarded to explain the etiology of exercise-induced muscle damage. Free-radical mediated processes appear to be an important component of the inflammatory mediated re...
Algebraic Evaluation of Temperatures and Heat Transfer Rates in Simple Bodies with a 1-D Composite Lumped Model. Its Connection to the Heisler/Gröber Charts

Calculations of temperature histories and heat transfer rates in simple bodies (infinite plate, infinite cylinder and sphere) have been traditionally explained in courses on heat transfer by way of...
Intrinsic Susceptibility of Rhesus Macaque Peripheral CD4+ T Cells to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus In Vitro Is Predictive of In Vivo Viral Replication

Previous studies with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques suggested that the intrinsic susceptibility of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to infection with SIV in vitro was predictive of relative viremia after SIV challenge. The present study was conducted to evaluate this parameter in a well-characterized cohort of six rhesus macaques selected for marked differences in susceptibility to SIV infection in vitro. Rank order relative susceptibility of PBMC to SIVsmE543-3-infection in vitro was maintained over a 1-year period of evaluation. Differential susceptibility of different donors was maintained in CD8+ T-cell-depleted PBMC, macrophages, and CD4+ T-cell lines derived by transformation of PBMC with herpesvirus saimiri, suggesting that this phenomenon is an intrinsic property of CD4+ target cells. Following intravenous infection of these macaques with SIVsmE543-3, we observed a wide range in plasma viremia which followed the same rank order as the relative susceptibility established by in vitro studies. A significant correlation was observed between plasma viremia at 2 and 8 weeks postinoculation and in vitro susceptibility (P < 0.05). The observation that the two most susceptible macaques were seropositive for simian T-lymphotropic virus type 1 may suggests a role for this viral infection in enhancing susceptibility to SIV infection in vitro and in vivo. In summary, intrinsic susceptibility of CD4+ target cells appears to be an important factor influencing early virus replication patterns in vivo that should be considered in the design and interpretation of vaccine studies using the SIV/macaque model.
Complex systems: Spotlight on mobility

The complexity in patterns of human mobility, migration and communication has been difficult to unpack. Researchers have now come up with a simple theory that captures the intricacy of such phenomena. See Letter p.96 Since the 1940s, planners needing to predict population movement, transport-network usage and even epidemics have turned to a model based on the 'gravity law'. This assumes that the number of individuals travelling between two locations is proportional to the population at the source and destination, and decays with distance. This approach has its limitations, because it looks at the flow between two specific points only. Here, Albert-Laszlo Barabasi and colleagues present an alternative model that takes into account population density at all intermediate points. Their parameter-free radiation model predicts a range of phenomena — from commuting and migrations to phone calls — much more accurately than the gravity model. Needing only data on population densities, which are easy to measure, the system can be used to predict commuting and transport patterns even in areas where data are not collected systematically.
Kinematic analysis of a large-scale leading edge fold, Lost River Range, Idaho

Abstract The Mahogany Creek-Buck Creek structure within the Lost River Range, Idaho, is a large-scale, leading edge fold which developed in late Paleozoic outer shelf stratigraphy during the Sevier orogeny. Incremental strain histories determined from antitaxial fibrous pressure shadows are used to quantify temporal variations in the magnitude and orientation of elongation as a function of structural position around the leading edge of this northward and eastward propagating blind thrust. Plane strain is indicated by coaxial, up-dip extension on cleavage planes. On the backlimb of the structure, the Bluebird Mountain Formation, a calcareous sandstone, has deformed by flexural-flow whereas the forelimb of the structure records spin through a fixed steeply plunging incremental extension direction. The flat limb ahead of the anticline exhibits top-to-the foreland simple shear. In contrast, the underlying Surrett Canyon Formation, a thick-bedded limestone, has experienced flexural-flow localized within thin zones on both limbs of the anticline. Samples from the anticlinal hinge zone suggests kinematic partitioning with pin lines which were variably distributed within each unit and which were temporally transient. Finite elongations are greatest in the hinge and above the foreland flat in the Bluebird Mountain Formation but are negligible in the Surrett Canyon Formation, except within the mechanically active interbeds of the hanging wall and within the footwall adjacent to the fault along the northernmost exposures. Strain histories in the hanging wall do not vary significantly along strike, while the footwall varies from undeformed in the south to penetratively deformed in the north. Thus, the strain data are consistent with self similar along-strike fold development in the hanging wall during strike-parallel ramp propagation. Forward thrust propagation may have been blunted by a combination of fold-accommodated shortening and footwall deformation to the north. Once the fold had tightened and fold shortening required greater differential stress, forward fault propagation resumed, transporting the anticline onto the upper flat with little change in hanging wall fold geometry or strain distribution.
Calibrating vascular plant abundance for detecting future climate changes in Oregon and Washington, USA

Abstract We propose using future vascular plant abundances as indicators of future climate in a way analogous to the reconstruction of past environments by many palaeoecologists. To begin monitoring future short-term climate changes in the forests of Oregon and Washington, USA, we developed a set of transfer functions for a present-day calibration set consisting of climate parameters estimated, and species abundances measured, at 107 USDA Forest Service FIA (Forest Inventory and Analysis) Phase 3 plots. For each plot, we derived climate estimates from the Daymet model database, and we computed species abundance as quadrat frequency and subplot frequency. We submitted three climate variables (mean January temperature, MJAT; mean July temperature, MJUT; and mean annual precipitation transformed to natural logarithms, MANPt) to canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), and verified their importances in structuring the species frequency data. Weighted averaging-partial least squares regression (WA-PLS) provided the means for calculating six transfer functions. In all cases, based on performance statistics generated by leave-one-out cross-validation, we identified two-component WA-PLS models as the most desirable. The predictive abilities of our transfer functions are comparable to, or better than, those reported in the literature, probably due both data quality and statistical considerations. However, model overfitting as a result of spatial autocorrelation remains a possibility. The large errors associated with our MJAT transfer functions connote that even the highest amount of change in mean January temperature predicted for Oregon and Washington for 2010–2039 would be indistinguishable from current conditions. The higher predictions indicate that our MJAT transfer functions may be able to track climate changes by the 2040s. Our MJUT transfer functions can detect change in mean July temperature under the highest projection for 2010–2039. Our MANPt transfer functions will be of limited use until the 2070s, given the predictions of only slight changes in mean annual precipitation during the early part of the twenty-first century. Our MJAT and MANPt transfer functions may prove useful at the present time to verify relative climatic stability. Because the predicted climate values sometimes deviate substantially from the observed values for individual plots, our transfer functions are appropriate for monitoring climatic trends over the entire Pacific Northwest or large regions within it, not for assessing climate change at individual plots.
A Unique Portable Signal Acquisition/Processing Station

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, there are experimental applications requiring digital signal acquisition as well as data reduction and analysis. A prototype Signal Acquisition/Processing Station (SAPS) has been constructed and is currently undergoing tests. The system employs an LSI-11/23 computer with Data Translation analog-to-digital hardware. SAPS is housed in a roll-around cart which has been designed to withstand most subtle EMI/RFI environments. A user-friendly menu allows a user to access powerful data acquisition packages with a minimum of training. The software architecture of SAPS involves two operating systems, each being transparent to the user. Since this is a general purpose workstation with several units being utilized, an emphasis on low cost, reliability, and maintenance was stressed during conception and design. The system is targeted fur mid-range frequency data acquisition; between a data logger and a transient digitizer.
Relational Aggression in College Students' Dating Relationships

This study focused on romantic relational aggression, a variable that appears to predict intimate partner violence but remains understudied in the college population. College student participants (N = 260) between the ages of 18 and 25 who reported that they had been in a romantic relationship during the past year completed measures of romantic relational aggression, sex role attitudes, acceptance of couple violence, and trait anger. Although respondent gender and sex role attitudes predicted romantic relational aggression as expected, gender did not moderate the relationship between sex role attitudes and relational aggression. Acceptance of violence predicted the perpetration of romantic relational aggression above and beyond the effects of trait anger and sex role attitudes. Trait anger also predicted romantic relational aggression.