cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
tert.-butylpentafluorophenylmethylchlorosilane as a reagent for the formation of hydrolytically stable alkylsilyl derivatives with electron-capturing properties

The synthesis of a new silylating reagent, tert.-butylpentafluorophenylmethylchlorosilane (tert.-buflophemesyl chloride) is described. The reagent forms volatile derivatives of alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, thiols and amines which are suitable for gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. The tert.-buflophemesyl derivatives are many-fold more stable towards hydrolysis than the flophemesyl derivatives to conditions such as partitioning between organic solvents and acid or base, thin-layer chromatography and column chromatography. The mass spectra of the derivatives show characteristics of both the flophemesyl and tert.-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives and are suitable for compound identification.
Characterization of cross-reactive anti-DNA autoantibodies in murine lupus.

The role of crossreactive anti-DNA autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and its counterpart in the mouse (murine lupus) remains undefined. Five murine monoclonal anti-DNA autoantibodies tested in ELISA and immunofluorescence assays were found to cross-react with a variety of both nucleic acid and non-nucleic acid antigens. These included double stranded DNA (dsDNA), single stranded DNA (ssDNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and the murine thymoma cell lines WEHI-22, WEHI-7, and EL-4. The majority of the autoantibodies reacted with all antigens tested; none of the autoantibodies reacted with only one antigen. To determine if the multiple reactivities demonstrated by these hybridoma-derived monoclonal anti-DNA autoantibodies accurately reflects the in vivo, autoimmune environment, the same assays were used to measure the reactivities of autoantibodies secreted directly from unfused autoimmune spleen cells cultured in vitro. These spleen cell-derived autoantibodies were found to di...
Mesoporous-molecular-sieve-supported nickel sorbents for adsorptive desulfurization of commercial ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel

Abstract A high-performance nickel-based sorbent was developed by loading nickel on a mesoporous molecular sieve, MCM-48, for adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) of commercial ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) for fuel cell applications. The prepared sorbents were characterized by the N 2 adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), H 2 chemisorption, and transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the ADS performance was evaluated in a fixed-bed flow sorption system at 220 °C using a commercial ULSD with a sulfur content of 14.5 ppmw. Effects of the ultrasonic aid in incipient wetness impregnation (IWI), nickel loading amount and support materials on the sorbent performance were examined. It was found that the incipient wetness impregnation with the ultrasonic aid improved significantly the ADS performance of the sorbent by increasing the dispersion of nickel on the surface. Using MCM-48 as a support with 20 wt% nickel loading (Ni20/MCM-48) can lead to an excellent nickel-based sorbent with a breakthrough capacity of 2.1 mg-S/g-sorb for ADS of the ULSD at a breakthrough sulfur level of 1 ppmw. The alkyl dibenzothiophenes are likely adsorbed on the sorbent surface directly through an interaction between the sulfur atom and the exposed nickel atoms, and a part (∼6%) of the adsorbed alkyl dibenzothiophenes react further with the surface nickel to release the corresponding hydrocarbons. The desulfurization reactivity of the alkyl dibenzothiophenes is dependent on not only the number, but also the size of the alkyl substituents at the 4- and 6-positions of alkyl dibenzothiophenes.
Placental overgrowth and fertility defects in mice with a hypermorphic allele of epidermal growth factor receptor

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ERBB family of receptor tyrosine kinases that has been shown to play an important developmental and physiologic role in many aspects of pregnancy. We have previously shown in mice that Egfrtm1Mag nullizygous placentas have fewer proliferative trophoblasts than wild-type and exhibit strain-specific defects in the spongiotrophoblast and labyrinth layers. In this study we used mice with the hypermorphic EgfrDsk5 allele to study the effects of increased levels of EGFR signaling on placental development. On three genetic backgrounds, heterozygosity for EgfrDsk5 resulted in larger placental size with a more prominent spongiotrophoblast layer and increased expression of glycogen cell-specific genes. The C3HeB/FeJ strain showed additional placental enlargement of EgfrDsk5 homozygotes with a significant number of homozygous embryos dying prior to 15.5 days post-coitus (dpc). We also observed strain-specific subfertility in EgfrDsk5 heterozygous females and pregnancy loss was dependent on maternal factors rather than embryo genotype. Higher levels of phospho-EGFR were detected in the uterus of EgfrDsk5 heterozygotes but the structure of EgfrDsk5 heterozygous nonpregnant uteri appeared similar to wild-type. Collectively, our results demonstrate that mice with increased levels of EGFR signaling exhibit an extensive level of genetic background-dependent phenotypic variability. In addition, EGFR promotes growth of the placental spongiotrophoblast layer in mice, and EGFR expressed in the uterine stroma may play an underappreciated role in preparation of the uterus for embryo implantation.
Effect of laser surface melting on tensile properties of type 304L stainless steel

In previous study the authors showed laser surface melting (LSM) to increase yield strength of 304 austenitic stainless steels. A consistent increase approximately 10% was also observed in the hardness of the melted layer compared to that of the substrate. Austentic stainless steels do not transform to martensite during laser processing. The microstructure is observed to contain only austenite and some retained {delta}-ferrite due to rapid cooling. Therefore, the hardness increase observed was interpreted to be due to microstructural modifications, namely in the formation of austenite {delta}-ferrite duplex structure as well as a refinement in the subgrain structure. The alloy used in this study, type 304L, is a lower carbon modification of type 304 for welding applications. Lower carbon content minimizes carbide precipitation in the heat affected zone of welds. In an annealed condition type 304L has lower mechanical properties than type 304. This paper reports on this present study which was undertaken to verify if a material that possesses an initially high yield strength, type 304L, would exhibit a similar increase in its yield strength and the magnitude of this enhancement at different test temperatures (22, 100, 200 and 300{degrees}C).
The spectrum of organ and systems pathology in human lyme disease

Lymphocytes, plasma cells, and mononuclear phagocytes are frequently found in human tissues infected by the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Experience has shown that these cells comprise the tissue bed inflammatory infiltrate in Lyme disease affecting the joint synovia, myocardium, and skin. While many differences otherwise exist, Lyme synovitis has lymphoplasmacellular similarities with rheumatoid synovitis, lymphoplasmacellular epimyocarditis similarities with syphilitic myocarditis, and occasionally synovial endarteritis obliterans. Silver staining can demonstrate the spirochete if a careful search is done.
Completing Book II of Archimedes’s On Floating Bodies

One need only glance at Archimedes’s Proposition 8 above to see thatOn Floating Bodies is several orders of magnitude more sophisticated than anything else found in ancient mathematics. It ranks with Newton’sPrincipia Mathematica as a work in which basic physical laws are both formulated and accompanied by superb applications.
A note on a paper of G. Wegner

Abstract G. Wegner has shown that the minimal number of vertices of a graph of girth 5 and valency 5 is 30. In this note, we give a simple proof of this result.
Playing Fair With Latino Parents as Parents, Not Teachers: Beyond Family Literacy as Assisting Homework

Family literacy has moved of late to the forefront of school reform, mostly because of the implementation of the No Child Left Behind policy. Family literacy has become a process of colonization: Standardization of the skill-based approach and Euro-American middle-class practices have become the norm for evaluating the involvement of all parents. In this article the authors present evidence for how homework and other school family literacy practices are massively striking Latino families. The authors argue that Latino parents should not be delegated the school's responsibilities of teaching children academics. These enlarged responsibilities exasperate socioeconomic, linguistic, and schooling inequities rather than alleviate them. The call is for schools to broaden and value the multiple and rich Latino family literacy practices by creating an ecology of parental engagement that implies the adjustment of the whole system.
Deuterium isotope effect on excited-state dynamics in an alternating GC oligonucleotide.

Isotope effects on the excited-state dynamics of single- and double-stranded GC-containing DNAs were studied by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. A pronounced deuterium isotope effect was observed in alternating d(GC)9·d(GC)9, but none was seen in the nonalternating or single-stranded variations investigated. These findings demonstrate that an interstrand process involving proton-coupled electron transfer contributes to the excited-state dynamics in DNAs having an appropriate base sequence.
Modeling and identification of pneumatic actuators

Pneumatic actuators are mechanically simple and robust, have good energetic properties due to air compressibility, and are relatively cheap. Despite these advantages they are difficult to control - pressure dynamics have typical timescales on the order of 100ms, and this delay can severely cripple simplistic control approaches. The solution is to use a model-based controller with a good model of the pressure dynamics. Here we present a general parametric model of these dynamics based on both a theoretical analysis and an empirical study with a humanoid robot.
Evidence That Phospholipase C from the Sperm Is Not Responsible for Initiating Ca2+ Release at Fertilization in Mouse Eggs

Release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores at fertilization of mammalian eggs is mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), but the mechanism by which the sperm initiates IP3 production is not yet understood. We tested the hypothesis that phospholipase C (PLC) activity introduced into the mouse egg as a consequence of sperm-egg fusion is responsible for causing Ca(2+) release. We demonstrated that microinjecting purified, recombinant PLCgamma1 protein into mouse eggs caused Ca(2+) oscillations like those seen at fertilization. However, the PLC activity in the minimum amount of purified PLCgamma1 protein needed to elicit Ca(2+) release when injected into eggs was approximately 500-900 times the PLC activity contained in a single sperm. This indicates that a single mouse sperm does not contain enough PLC activity to be responsible for causing Ca(2+) release at fertilization. We also examined whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) could have a role in this process, and found that several inhibitors of PI3K-mediated signaling had no effect on Ca(2+) release at fertilization.
Point mutations in Helicobacter pylori's fur regulatory gene that alter resistance to metronidazole, a prodrug activated by chemical reduction.

Background Helicobacter pylori's Fur regulatory protein controls transcription of dozens of genes in response to iron availability, acidity and oxidative stress, and affects the vigor of infection and severity of disease. It is unusual among Fur family proteins in being active both when iron-loaded and iron-free. Metholodolgy/Principal Findings We tested if H. pylori fur mutations could affect resistance to metronidazole (Mtz), an anti-H. pylori prodrug rendered bactericidal by chemical reduction. Point mutations were made by PCR in DNA containing fur and a downstream chloramphenicol resistance gene, and were placed in the H. pylori chromosome by transformation of a fur-deletion (Δfur) strain. Several substitutions affecting H. pylori Fur's ∼10 residue N terminal arm, which has no counterpart in prototype (E. coli-type) Fur proteins, increased Mtz resistance, as did mutations affecting the region between DNA binding and dimerization domains. Three types of mutations decreased resistance more than did Δfur: substitutions affecting the N-terminal arm; substitutions affecting the metal binding pocket; and nonsense mutations that resulted in a truncated Fur protein with no C-terminal dimerization domain. Most metal binding pocket mutations were obtained only in fur genes with additional inactivating mutations, and thus seemed deleterious or lethal because they. Conclusions/Significance These results establish that H. pylori Fur's distinctive N terminal arm is functional, and more generally illustrate that point mutations can confer informative phenotypes, distinct from those conferred by null mutations. We propose that fur mutations can affect Mtz susceptibility by altering the balance among Fur's several competing activities, and thereby the expression of genes that control cellular redox potential or elimination of bactericidal Mtz activation products. Further analyses of selected mutants should provide insights into Fur interactions with other cellular components, metabolic circuitry, and how H. pylori thrives in its special gastric niche.
Efficient algorithms for self assembling non-rectangular nano structures

Nano fabrication with biomolecular/DNA self assembly is a promising area of research. Building nano structures with self assembly is both efficient and inexpensive. Soloveichik and Winfree (SIAM J Comput 36(6):1544---1569, 2007) formalized a two dimensional (2D) tile assembly model based on Wang's tiling technique. Algorithms with an optimal tile complexity of $$\left(\Uptheta\left(\frac{\log(N)}{\log(\log(N))}\right)\right)$$ were proposed earlier to uniquely self assemble an N × N square (with a temperature of ? = 2) on this model. However efficient constructions to assemble arbitrary shapes are not known and have remained open. In this paper we present self assembling algorithms to assemble a triangle of base 2N ? 1 (units) and height N with a tile complexity of $$\Uptheta(\log(N)).$$ We also describe how this framework can be used to construct other shapes such as rhombus, hexagon etc.
Inhibition of lipid oxidation by encapsulation of emulsion droplets within hydrogel microspheres

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess whether the oxidation of polyunsaturated lipids could be inhibited by encapsulating them within protein-rich hydrogel microspheres (size range 1–100 μm). Filled hydrogel microspheres were fabricated as follows: (i) high methoxy pectin, sodium caseinate, and casein-coated lipid droplets were mixed at pH 7, (ii) the mixture was acidified (pH 5), (iii) casein was cross-linked using transglutaminase, (iv) the pH was adjusted to pH 7. Samples were stored in the dark at 55 °C and were monitored for lipid hydroperoxide formation and headspace propanal. Oxidation of fish oil (1% vol/vol) in the microspheres was compared with that in oil-in-water emulsions stabilised by either sodium caseinate or Tween 20. Emulsions stabilised by Tween 20 oxidised faster than either microspheres or emulsions stabilised by casein, while microspheres and the casein stabilised emulsion showed similar oxidation rates. Results highlight the natural antioxidant properties of food proteins.
Will-To-Fight: Japan’s Imperial Institution And The U.S. Strategy To End World War II

AbstractSun Tzu asserts that true success is not winning every battle fought, but subduing the enemy’s will without fighting at all. The author asserts that the U.S. planning efforts for post-WWII Japan from 1942 to 1945 reveal a unique period where military and political planners actively pursued a greater understanding of the role an enemy’s will-to-fight plays in conflict. The historical record reveals an iterative — and often heated — discourse among experts in diplomacy, governance, political culture, anthropology, and military intelligence. Consequently, Allied commanders entertained and ultimately executed a war plan for the occupation of Japan with fewer forces and less fighting than called for by the alternative plan for invasion. The fundamental difference in the two plans — an assumed effect that safeguarding the Imperial Institution would have on the Japanese people’s will-to-fight. In the end, meaningful discourse enabled Allies to target the enemy’s will separately from their means, enabling...
Transformation of Plasmid DNA into E. coli Using the Heat Shock Method

Transformation of plasmid DNA into E. coli using the heat shock method is a basic technique of molecular biology. It consists of inserting a foreign plasmid or ligation product into bacteria. This video protocol describes the traditional method of transformation using commercially available chemically competent bacteria from Genlantis. After a short incubation in ice, a mixture of chemically competent bacteria and DNA is placed at 42 degrees C for 45 seconds (heat shock) and then placed back in ice. SOC media is added and the transformed cells are incubated at 37 degrees C for 30 min with agitation. To be assured of isolating colonies irrespective of transformation efficiency, two quantities of transformed bacteria are plated. This traditional protocol can be used successfully to transform most commercially available competent bacteria. The turbocells from Genlantis can also be used in a novel 3-minute transformation protocol, described in the instruction manual.
The not-so-great escape

Structural analysis reveals mechanisms of drug resistance to HIV-1 protease inhibitors. These results have implications for the design of drugs and therapeutic strategies to combat drug resistance in AIDS.
Optimization of semibatch polymerization reactions

Abstract Dynamic chemical processes often require a multiobjective formulation for complete process optimization. Specifically, semibatch copolymerization systems are analyzed using vector-objective techniques to determine the tradeoffs between the different goals: narrow the copolymer composition and polydispersity distributions, and minimize the time of reaction. Due to the complexities of the detailed kinetic models, simpler tendency models are evaluated by fitting proposed reaction networks to experimental data. Simulation studies of an acrylonitrile—styrene copolymer and a step-wise oligomer are then used to determine optimal production schemes.
Unruptured cerebral aneurysms do not shrink when they rupture: multicenter collaborative aneurysm study group.

BACKGROUND: The International Study of Intracranial Aneurysms found that for patients with no previous history of subarachnoid hemorrhage, small (< 7 mm) anterior circulation and posterior circulation aneurysms had a 0% and 2.5% risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage over 5 years, respectively. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cerebral aneurysms shrink with rupture. METHODS: The clinical databases of 7 sites were screened for patients with imaging of cerebral aneurysms before and after rupture. Inclusion criteria included documented subarachnoid hemorrhage by imaging or lumbar puncture and intracranial imaging before and after cerebral aneurysm rupture. The patients were evaluated for aneurysm maximal height, maximal width, neck diameter, and other measurement parameters. Only a change of ≥ 2 mm was considered a true change. RESULTS: Data on 13 patients who met inclusion criteria were collected. The median age was 60, and 11 of the 13 patients (84.6%) were female. Only 5 patients had posterior circulation aneurysms. None of the aneurysms had a significant decrease in size. One aneurysm decreased by 1.8 mm in maximum size after rupture (7.7%). Six aneurysms had an increase in maximum size of at least 2 mm after rupture (46.2%) with a mean increase of 3.5 mm (± 0.5 mm). CONCLUSION: Unruptured aneurysms do not shrink when they rupture. The large percentage of ruptured small aneurysms in previous studies were likely small before they ruptured.
Fluorescence from molecules between mirrors

Abstract A quantum theory calculation is presented of the fluorescence lifetime of an oriented molecule held at a fixed position between a pair of parallel infinite mirrors. When the molecule lies close to one of the mirrors and the mirror—mirror separation greatly exceeds λ, the wavelength of the transition, the results of the classical theory of Kuhn are recovered. In particular it is shown that the molecule does not fluoresce during a period comparable to the half-life of the isolated molecule if the transition is polarized parallel to the mirror. It fluoresces at twice the isolated molecule rate if the transition dipole is perpendicular to the mirror. A brief discussion is given of the problems of molecular interactions with real metal surfaces and the proton fields of optical wave guides.
SU-GG-T-196: Fabrication of A 3D Moving Phantom

Purpose: A moving phantom without computer interface was fabricated to simulate the motions of external contours in 1D, semi‐2D, and semi‐3D translational movements using a single motor, and to investigate the geometrical distortion and the resolution of a moving object. Method and Materials: A moving phantom consists of a base plate, a motor, 3 adaptors, a phantom supporter, and a pelvic phantom. A single motor with 10 steps of speed controller is used to convert the rotating movements to translation (up/down) movements. It rotates a metal wheel (20cm diameter and 2cm width, and made of stainless steel to stabilize the motion) with three options (+/− 1, 1.5, 2cm amplitude), one of which can easily be replaced to select the amplitude of the up/down movements. The metal wheel moves a bar, which is connected to one of the adaptors. There are three different adaptors: 1D, semi‐2D, and semi‐3D adaptors, one of which can be replaced. A pelvic phantom (30cm diameter * 20 cm height * 10cm width) can be installed on the top of the adaptors. Resolution plate and geometrical plate can be inserted to investigate the resolution or geometrical distortion of the moving phantom. Results: The moving mechanism can move the ∼ 10 Kg phantoms, when it is completely filled up with water. The simulated 2/3D motions were verified with +/−0.5, +/− 1.0, and +/− 1.5cm options. Conclusion: This phantom will be used to investigate the dosimetric effects from uniform scanning proton beam as well as to systematically determine the dynamic resolution or uniformity of the 4D CT scanner.
Neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma in a child with multiple neurofibromatosis. Implications for the mutational origin of neuroblastoma.

The case of a child affected with neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroma and neurofibromatosis is reported. Germinal mutation is probably the cause of this coincidence. In view of the dominant inheritance of neurofibromatosis and of pheo-chromocytoma, the inference is made that neuroblastoma generally may be attributable to a dominant mutation which in the past has been lethal, but which, as a result of therapeutic progress, may be inherited by the offspring of survivors in the future, as has been noted for retinoblastoma.
Re: Prevalence of ejaculatory disorders in urban men-results of a random-sample survey.

With great interest, we read the article by Vakalopouloset al. (2011), which evaluated the prevalence of ejacula-tory disorders in Greek urban men. After reﬂection, thereare several concerns that deserve further discussion andexplanation.First, the title is inaccurate. The authors use the term‘ejaculatory disorders’, but should consider using the term‘early ejaculation disorders’ (EED), as ejaculatory disorderis too broad in respect to this article. ‘Ejaculatory disor-ders’ encompasses not only EED, but also anejaculation,delayed ejaculation, retrograde ejaculation and painfulejaculation (Colpi et al., 2004). The authors state that thedeﬁnition of the prevalence of lifelong PE according tothe International Society for Sexual Medicine has not yetbeen determined. However, in a recent peer-reviewedpublication, the prevalence of lifelong PE was noted to be2.3% (Serefoglu et al., 2011), which also matches theﬁndings of Waldinger (2008) who estimated the preva-lence at 2–5%. In the present study, the authors deter-mine the prevalence of lifelong PE to be 17.7%, which ismuch higher than expected and determined by otherrecent research. Further clariﬁcation is needed to explainthis discrepancy.In conclusion, we have a number of questions that theauthors should address to help the readers interpret thedata. What differentiates lifelong PE from the other PEsyndromes? Similarly, what were the criteria for deﬁningEED? What were the ranges of intravaginal ejaculationlatency times (IELT) for EED and lifelong PE?A. Gokce, E. C. Serefoglu & W. J. G. HellstromTulane University School of Medicine – Urology,New Orleans, LA, USAE-mail: whellst@tulane.eduReferenceColpi G, Weidner W, Jungwirth A, Pomerol J, Papp G, Harg-reave T, Dohle G (2004) EAU guidelines on ejaculatory dys-function. Eur Urol 46:555–558.Serefoglu EC, Yaman O, Cayan S, Asci R, Orhan I, Usta MF,Ekmekcioglu O, Kendirci M, Semerci B, Kadioglu A (2011)Prevalence of the complaint of ejaculating prematurely andthe four premature ejaculation syndromes: results from theTurkish Society of Andrology Sexual Health Survey. J SexMed 8:540–548.Vakalopoulos I, Dimitriadis G, Varnava C, Herodotou Y,Gkotsos G, Radopoulos D (2011) Prevalence of ejaculatorydisorders in urban men: results of a random-sample survey.Andrologia 43:327–333.Waldinger MD (2008) Premature ejaculation: advantages of anew classiﬁcation for understanding etiology and prevalencerates. Sexologies 17:30–35.
Middle and Late Miocene Paleoslope in Southeastern Caliente Range, California: ABSTRACT

Independent lines of evidence indicate a generally westward regional slope in the vicinity of the southeastern Caliente Range during the middle and late Miocene epoch. Regional lithofacies variation of middle Miocene strata suggests a north-trending shoreline. Lateral variation and internal structures of middle Miocene basalt flows (the lower and middle flows of the "Triple" basalts of Eaton, 1939) indicate that the lava flowed westward. Pebble imbrication within non-marine pebbly sandstones of probable late Miocene age (Caliente Formation of Hill, Carlson, and Dibblee, 1958) likewise denotes westward-flowing paleocurrents. Extrapolation according to Sternberg's Law of the systematic lateral increase in size of the larger clasts suggests a granitic source for these sedime ts in what is now the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley. Knowledge of paleoslope direction can facilitate the environmental interpretation of lithofacies variation and sedimentary structure in other units of the same sequence. In the Caliente Range, the middle Miocene Branch Canyon Formation of Hill, Carlson, and Dibblee (1958) is a sandstone facies transitional between marine and non-marine sedimentary deposits. Among the many types of cross-stratification present in this sandstone, one distinctive type consists of irregularly spaced, laterally graded foresets in tabular units up to 5 feet thick. This type of cross-bedding is consistently inclined toward the west. Because this direction is normal to the strand line, this particular facies may be interpreted as foreshore terrace deposits of an ancient beach. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1082------------
Principals’ experiences of being evaluated: a phenomenological study

This phenomenological study sought to understand principals’ lived experiences of being evaluated with reliance on the principles of developmental supervision and adult learning theory. Analysis of interview data from 16 principals revealed 3 major constructs in principal evaluation: evaluation is a complex, constantly changing system; principal evaluation is a year-long continuous process; and, effective principal evaluation is transparent, planned, and aligned with personal and system goals. Principal evaluation incorporated experiential and self-directed learning, and emphasized structure, collaboration, and ownership of the process by principals. Directive informational and collaborative interpersonal approaches were favored by principals and their evaluators. The findings contribute new knowledge about the phenomenon and have implications for reconceptualization and redesign of principal evaluation processes.
Global Maximization of a Generalized Concave Multiplicative Function

This article presents a branch-and-bound algorithm for globally solving the problem (P) of maximizing a generalized concave multiplicative function over a compact convex set. Since problem (P) does not seem to have been studied previously, the algorithm is apparently the first algorithm to be proposed for solving this problem. It works by globally solving a problem (P1) equivalent to problem (P). The branch-and-bound search undertaken by the algorithm uses rectangular partitioning and takes place in a space which typically has a much smaller dimension than the space to which the decision variables of problem (P) belong. Convergence of the algorithm is shown; computational considerations and benefits for users of the algorithm are given. A sample problem is also solved.
Far-infrared reflectivity of indium doped Pb1-xSnxTe

Abstract We have measured, as a function of temperature, the reflectivity from 40 to 240 cm -1 of films of Pb 1−x Sn x Te grown from sources with x = .21 and .25 on BaF 2 substrates. In the x = .21 sample the plasma reflectivity minimum abruptly shifts from 110 cm -1 to 190 cm -1 as the temperature is lowered from 40 to 8 K. This shift corresponds to large changes in DC transport behavior that have been attributed to the indium level entering the band at about 40 K. Fits of the reflectivity to a classical two-oscillator (plasmon-phonon) model give values for the carrier plasma frequency which are in excellent agreement with values that can be calculated from DC Hall measurements with a two-band model for the carrier effective mass.
Scanner-efficient diffusion tensor imaging of human cardiac microstructure using the fast composite splitting reconstruction algorithm

Background Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been shown [1] to be extremely promising for characterizing the hierarchical microstructure of myocardium. DTI studies are hampered by lengthy acquisition times, needed for high spatial resolution and/or improved SNR. Compressed sensing (CS) algorithms recover data from under-sampled acquisitions, and have been used [2] to reduce scan time in MRI. The fast composite splitting algorithm (FCSA) [3] impressively outperforms other classical CS reconstruction methods by providing more accurate results in less CPU time. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of applying FCSA CS to DTI of an excised human heart. To our knowledge, this is the first time CS reconstruction has been applied to DTI of a human heart.
Nuclear Export Receptors: From Importin to Exportin

In a literal sense, export receptors may next interact with proteins of the nuclear pore (for example,Powers et al. 1997xPowers, M.A., Forbes, D.J., Dahlberg, J.E., and Lund, E. J. Cell Biol. 1997; 136: 241–250Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (152)See all ReferencesPowers et al. 1997; see alsoDoye and Hurt 1997xDoye, V. and Hurt, E. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 1997; 9: 401–411Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (192)See all ReferencesDoye and Hurt 1997). Another option is that other soluble factors may be required to bind exportins to the pore. Rip/Rab may belong to an as-yet-uncharacterized class of proteins that act as “itinerant” nucleoporins, soluble at some times and docked at the pore at others. By forming a Rip/exportin 1/Rev-NES complex, such proteins could act to dock the exportins at the pore. Indeed, evidence for such a complex was recently found (Neville et al. 1997xNeville, M., Lee, L., Stutz, F., Davis, L., and Rosbash, M. Curr. Biol., in press. 1997; See all ReferencesNeville et al. 1997).In the broader sense of where export receptors go next, questions for the future include: Do more exportins exist? If so, are they importin β–related or different? Are there specialized exportins that have distinct cargoes? Does signal transduction alter the exportins used? With exportins now in hand, meaningful experiments on the mechanism of export will soon follow.
Music Reference for the General Reference Librarian

ABSTRACT This article serves as a resource for reference librarians in undergraduate academic libraries who are not specialists in music, but occasionally answer reference questions about music. The emphasis is on standard musical reference works, several relevant databases, and select Websites which have proven durable, all emphasizing Western art music (“classical music”). It is not meant in any way to advocate replacing music Specialists.
The reaction of O2 with Al(1 1 0): a medium energy ion scattering study of nano-scale oxidation

Abstract We have used medium energy ion scattering to study oxygen transport and oxidation kinetics of Al(1 1 0) at elevated temperatures in dry oxygen. Oxidation results in the formation of a stable stoichiometric Al2O3 layer with fairly abrupt interfaces. The time dependence of the film growth follows inverse logarithmic law, in agreement with the Cabrera–Mott (field-assisted) oxidation mechanism. The dependence of the growth rate on pressure is parabolic. Microscopic details on oxidation mechanism are studied by re-oxidizing a thin oxide layer with isotopically labeled oxygen. The depth profiling of oxygen traces in the oxide shows that oxygen ions are mobile species transported via migration of oxide network defects. This migration across the film is the rate-limiting step controlling oxidation.
Signalling: Efficiency and equilibrium

Abstract This paper explores the differences with respect to the existence of equilibrium in continuous versus discrete signalling models. Contrary to prior claims, we show that there is no qualitative difference; in either case efficient and/or inefficient equilibria can exist.
Diabetes and the risk of sudden cardiac death, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

Studies suggest that diabetes may specifically elevate the risk of sudden cardiac death in excess of other heart disease outcomes. In this study, we examined the association of type 2 diabetes with the incidence of sudden cardiac death when compared to the incidence of non-sudden cardiac death and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI). We used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study to examine the incidence of sudden and non-sudden cardiac death and non-fatal MI among persons with and without diabetes in follow-up from the baseline data collection (1987–1989) through December 31, 2001. There were 209 cases of sudden cardiac death, 119 of non-sudden cardiac death, and 739 of non-fatal MI identified in this cohort over an average 12.4 years of follow-up. In analyses adjusted for age, race/ARIC center, gender, and smoking, the Cox proportional hazard ratio of the association of baseline diabetes was 3.77 (95% CI 2.82, 5.05) for sudden cardiac death, 3.78 (95% CI 2.57, 5.53) for non-sudden cardiac death, and 3.20 (95% CI 2.71, 3.78) for non-fatal MI. Elevated risk for each of the three outcomes associated with diabetes was independent of adjustment for measures of blood pressure, lipids, inflammation, hemostasis, and renal function. Among those with diabetes, the risk of cardiac death, but not of non-fatal MI, was similar for men and women. Findings from this prospective, population-based cohort investigation indicate that diabetes does not confer a specific excess risk of sudden cardiac death. Our results suggest that diabetes attenuates gender differences in the risk of fatal cardiac events.
The Limit Exceedance Factor Importance Measure: An Application to the Prism Reactor Design

Probabilistic Risk Assessment has several different standard importance measures for structures, systems, and components (SSCs). These importance measures are Risk Achievement Worth (RAW), Risk Reduction Worth (RRW), and Fussell-Vesely (FV). In particular, RAW and FV have been used to identify SSCs of low risk significance. However, when designing a conceptual reactor with a safety goal in mind such as those proposed in various technology neutral frameworks, these importance measures are quite crude. RAW is defined such that a component is always in the failed state, and a designer may not be looking to remove a system but to simplify it to improve economics. The Limit Exceedance Factor has been developed as a more informative importance measure when there is a goal in mind. It is defined as the factor by which the failure probability of a component may be multiplied by such that the end state (e.g. core damage) frequency exceeds a limit. With a living PRA available throughout the design process, it could allow a designer to know how much room there is for possible simplification in redundant systems. Alternatively, in the case where a system does not meet the frequency limit it can show which systems might be ideal targets for improvement to reach the limit. For a sodium-cooled fast reactor design, using the goals and limits outlined in NUREG-1860 (Technology Neutral Framework), one end state that must stay below a threshold is a very large release due to an energetic scenario. Several SSCs can be identified as risk insignificant with RAW values below two. The other SSCs tend to have very high RAW values on the order of one thousand. When the LEF is applied to the SSCs that seem to be very important using traditional importance measures, we see that some may actually have a fairly wide margin from their cited failure probabilities and still maintain the frequency goal.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Student Engineers Reaching Out: Case studies in service learning and a survey of technical need

We introduce Student Engineers Reaching Out (SERO), an EPICS team at the University of Notre Dame committed to Service Learning founded in engineering curricula. Two SERO case studies highlight the framework, implementation, challenges, and shared benefits of our unique Service Learning course developed specifically for engineers. The first study demonstrates the progressive refinement of a single project and the second study involves completion of numerous varied projects for a single client. For both studies we examine the application of Kolb's Learning Cycle, the Action Research cycle, and correlations with Community Based Research (CBR). Based on the success of the case studies, a comprehensive survey of the local non-profit community was undertaken. The overwhelming magnitude and variety of technical community needs are presented as new opportunities for additional Service Learning projects in engineering curricula.
Evaluation of a nutrition education intervention for women residents of Washington, DC, public housing communities

We designed, implemented and evaluated an educational intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among urban African-American women. Women aged 20-50 years (n=212) from 11 public housing communities participated in seven 90-min classes with a professional nutritionist. Our prospective pre- and post-test design, with 4-month follow-up, assessed the relationship between attendance and dietary change, using three 24-hour recalls per time point. Mean change in average daily dietary values for fruits and vegetables, calories and percent calories from fat (post-test versus pre-test, follow-up versus pre-test) was compared by class attendance, to evaluate the impact of class attendance on dietary change. Attendance varied from zero (35%) to five to seven classes (42%). Baseline dietary recalls showed average daily consumption of 3.05 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2416 calories and 35.8% calories from fat. No improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption, but statistically significant decreases in total calories and percent calories from fat, were seen at both endpoints. Women attending five to seven classes had the greatest dietary improvements, averaging, at post-test and follow-up, respectively, 246.2 and 324.5 fewer calories and 3.08 and 2.97% fewer calories from fat. Results suggest that, for some residents of low-resource communities, small group interventions are popular, effective vehicles for nutrition education.
Capture and Brief Invasive Procedures Using Electronarcosis Does Not Appear to Affect Postrelease Habits in Male Atlantic Sturgeon During the Spawning Season

AbstractWith advances in technology and demand for life history information, researchers are increasingly conducting invasive procedures on fish that require an anesthetic. This study examined the effectiveness of electronarcosis as a field anesthetic on Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus during the spawning season in the James River, Virginia. Concerns about sampling Atlantic Sturgeon during spawning runs prompted our examining whether movements after capture, narcosis, and tagging were noticeably modified. An electronarcosis system, which consisted of a power supply, fiberglass tank, and hardware cloth, were set up both on land and on a sampling boat. During the spawning season Atlantic Sturgeon were caught and implanted with Vemco V16 telemetry tags using electronarcosis as an anesthetic. Anesthesia induction, surgery, and recovery averaged 5 min. Telemetry data from the tagging year was compared with returning fish tagged in previous years. This showed movements during the spawning seas...
Accounting for the Poor

Economists and other social scientists have long tried to understand the nature of poverty and how poor people make decisions. For example, T.W. Schultz, a Nobel Laureate, former professor of economics at the University of Chicago, and former president of the American Economic Association, spent his career working in development and agricultural economics. In his 1980 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Schultz suggests that there is some accounting for the behavior of the poor in agriculture. “Farmers, the world over, in dealing with costs, returns, and risks are calculating economic agents.Within their small, individual, allocative domain they are fine-tuning entrepreneurs, tuning so subtly that many experts fail to recognize how efficient they are” (Schultz 1980).
Tobacco endgames: what they are and are not, issues for tobacco control strategic planning and a possible US scenario.

Tobacco ‘endgame’ discourse has emerged in recognition of the nature of the global public health emergency created by tobacco use and tobacco promotion. This discourse is a promising development, but translating it into action requires developing some consensus, at least by countries or regions. It also requires negotiating some of the recurring tensions within the tobacco control movement, contributing to risks for the movement as visionaries clash with pragmatists. This paper outlines one combination of approaches that might hold promise for the US situation. Every significant achievement in tobacco control was preceded by many influential people saying it couldn't be done, wouldn't work, or would create new problems. The risks of not envisioning an endpoint for the tobacco epidemic are far greater than the risks of attempting any endgame solutions and failing.
Evaluation of Blackhead Preventive Drugs with Regard to Growth and Feed Efficiency of Turkeys

Abstract HISTOMONIASIS (Blackhead) has been a problem to turkey producers for many years and is still considered one of the more important turkey diseases. Many chemotherapeutic agents have been tested for the control of this disease. Wehr and Olivier (1946) found that phenothiazine would not control the disease. This was also found to be true for meta-amino-parahydroxy-phenylarsine hydrochloride and 2 metanilamido-5-chloropyrimidine in tests by Jaquette and Marsden (1947). DeVolt and Holst (1948, 1949) studied the effect of chlorohydroxyquinoline and iodochloroxyquinoline on blackhead in turkeys. They found these drugs would prevent the disease but growth was depressed due to a decreased food intake. The prophylactic action of 2-amino-5-nitrothiazole on blackhead was studied by Jungherr and Winn (1950), Seeger et al. (1950), DeVolt et al. (1951, 1954) and Grumbles et al. (1952a,b). These workers all reported that the drug would prevent blackhead as long as it was present in the feed but that …
Effects of blade flexural rigidity on drag force and mass transfer rates in model blades

We created a model physical system to investigate the role of blade rigidity in setting forces and rates of mass exchange for a blade exposed to unsteady flow in a vortex street. Using a combination of experimental and theoretical investigations, we find that, broadly, both the forces and the mass exchange are higher for more flexible blades. Below a critical value of the dimensionless blade rigidity, inertial forces from the rapidly deforming blades become significant, increasing both the time-averaged and instantaneous forces on the blade. Mass transfer is also affected by blade rigidity. As blades deform, they alter the relative fluid motion at the blade surface, affecting mass fluxes. We developed a novel experimental method that simulates nutrient uptake to a blade using the transport of a tracer compound into polyethylene models. Through these experiments and modeling, we demonstrate that increased blade flexibility is associated with increased mass transfer to blades.
A quantitative study of user satisfaction in online video streaming

In this paper we propose a quantitative model to study user satisfaction level in online video streaming, which features great variety across video access sessions under the impact of network conditions and user-specific factors. By applying survival analysis to video session duration ratio, which in our study is regarded to be a measure of user satisfaction level, we find user satisfaction is not only related to network QoS factors, such as buffer time and buffer count, but also susceptible to the users' inclination to the contents of videos. Based on Cox regression model, we analyze the quantitative relationship between user satisfaction level in video streaming and several predictor variables such as buffer count rate, buffer time rate and video popularity degree. Experimental results prove that the model can accurately evaluate user satisfaction levels of our test video access sessions with high probability.
Set-shifting in children with autism spectrum disorders Reversal shifting deficits on the Intradimensional/Extradimensional Shift Test correlate with repetitive behaviors

Research examining set-shifting has revealed significant difficulties for adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, research with high-functioning children with ASDs has yielded mixed results. The current study tested 6- to 13-year-old high-functioning children with ASD and typically developing controls matched on age, gender, and IQ using the Intradimensional/Extradimensional (ID/ED) Shift Test from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Children with ASDs completed as many ED shifts and reversal ED shifts as controls; however, they made significantly more errors than controls while completing the ED reversal shifts. Analyses on a subset of cases revealed a significant positive correlation between ED reversal errors and the number of repetitive behavior symptoms in the ASD group. These findings suggest that high-functioning children with ASDs require additional feedback to shift successfully. In addition, the relationship between set-shifting and non-social symptoms suggests its utility as a potentially informative intermediate phenotype in ASDs.