cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Larval settlement into marine soft-sediment systems: Interactions with the meiofauna

Abstract The distribution and abundance of organisms exhibiting complex life cycles, like marine invertebrates, reflect ecological processes operating at all stages in the life history. Few studies have yet considered the mortality patterns of larvae and juveniles. To test whether the permanent meiofauna play a role in macrofaunal larval site-selection, and/or if permanent meiofaunal predators or competitors and disturbers are a significant source of mortality for newly settled macrofaunal juveniles, a series of manipulations of meiofauna were performed. Densities of (1) predatory turbellarians alone, and (2) other meiofauna, were increased in small boxes placed on a holding table in a shallow subtidal habitat. Natural settlement into meiofauna manipulations was examined approximately monthly for a year. Other experiments were conducted to examine the relative importance of site-selection and post-settlement mortality and to determine if settlement was density-dependent or density-independent. Densities of spionid, cirratulid, terebellid, capitellid, and maldanid polychaetes, oligochaetes, bivalves, and amphipods were all reduced by high densities of turbellarians, and sometimes by other meiofauna. Turbellarian predation was responsible for significant post-settlement mortality, but spionids, cirratulids, terebellids, and maldanids also appeared to avoid dense turbellarian treatments. Bivalve densities were reduced by high densities of other meiofauna, probably due to their sedimentary disturbance. Syllid polychaete densities were higher in turbellarian treatments, suggesting that they select for areas with high densities of their prey (small turbellarians). The effects of meiofauna on settlement and survival were greatest in spring and summer. The results of these experiments suggest larval settlement patterns and early juvenile survival should be considered in developing general models of life history and community structure for soft-sediment systems.
Noninvasive detection of left ventricular dysfunction with a portable electrocardiographic gated scintillation probe device

Abstract A comparison of left ventricular function data derived from a low cost, portable electrocardiographic gated scintillation probe (nuclear stethoscope) with conventional scintiangiographic data was performed in 68 patients. Ejection fraction correlation (r = 0.86, p
Demographic influences and suggested cut-scores for the Beck Depression Inventory in a non-clinical Spanish speaking population from the US-Mexico border region

The Beck Depression Inventory-I (BDI-I) is a self-report measure of depressive symptomatology that is widely used in both research and clinical settings. While the Spanish language version of the BDI-I is frequently used in the USA, there are currently no available guidelines to determine depressive symptomatology base rates in Spanish speaking populations using this instrument. In the present study, base rates of depressive symptoms and demographic influences on the BDI-I were measured in a non-clinical Spanish speaking population from the US-Mexico border region. A sample of 198 neurologically normal Spanish speaking individuals, mostly of Mexican decent, completed the BDI-I as part of a larger neuropsychological norming study. The results indicated that while there were no effects of age or education on overall BDI-I scores, those with lower education tended to report higher severity of individual symptoms. Consistent with findings in other populations, women endorsed a greater number of depressive sym...
Manganese deficiency alters high-density lipoprotein subclass structure in the sprague-dawley rat

Abstract Dietary manganese affects lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. In the Sprague-Dawley rat, manganese deficiency affects high-density lipoprotein composition and may alter lipoprotein structural stability. This study assessed the effects of manganese on high-density lipoprotein subclass structure, dynamics, and mobility, using fluorescence quenching and fluorescence polarization techniques. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets deficient or adequate in manganese. High-density lipoprotein1 (HDL1, density 1.05 to 1.077 kilograms/liter) and high-density lipoprotein2 (HDL2, density 1.077 to 1.21 kilograms/liter) were separated by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Iodide quenching of intrinsic (tryptophan) fluorescence showed that there were at least two types of fluorophores in both lipoprotein subclasses. Differences in dynamics and accessibility were noted in HDL1 (deficient, Ksv = 16.9 (mol/L)−1, fa = 20%; adequate, Ksv = 9.8 (mol/L)−1, fa = 27%) and in HDL2 (deficient, Ksv = 0.89 (mol/L)−1, fa = 100%; adequate, Ksv= 4.71 (mol/L)−1, fa = 36%). Differences in polarized fluorescence emission were seen in HDL2 but not in HDL1 (deficient, P = 0.193; adequate, P = 0.213). There were no differences in dynamics, accessibility, or polarized fluorescence in apolipoproteins from either subclass. The data suggest structural changes in HDL1 and changes in the rotational motion of the proteins in HDL2. These changes may affect HDL metabolism in the rat.
The Eritrean HRD Project (1998-2005): A critical assessment of its high rate of brain drain

This study critically analyses the 'Eritrean HRD Project' (EHRDP), a major workforce development project that was implemented in this eastern African country between 1998 and 2005. In this project, 674 Eritrean nationals were sent overseas to pursue higher education in various fields. The findings of the study indicate that 431 or 64% of the project trainees did not return home after graduating. To gain some insights into why this turned out to be the case, the study analysed the perceptions of the 'abscondee-graduates'. The study presents some policy implications of the brain drain as well as suggests frontiers for future research.
The Evolution of Crosstalk in Signaling Networks

The degree of crosstalk observed in signaling networks varies widely across evolution. In eukaryotes, crosstalk is widespread, with some kinases acting on hundreds of downstream targets. In bacteria, however, signaling pathways are essentially completely isolated from one another. It is currently unclear what pressures have driven the evolution of these vastly different topologies. The basic "building block" of eukaryotic signaling networks is a pair of enzymes, one that modifies a substrate (e.g. a kinase) and one that undoes this modification (e.g. a phosphatase). We recently used mathematical models to show that adding crosstalk to this type of system can increase ultrasensitivity and couple signal responses, behaviors that could yield phenotypic benefits for eukaryotic cells. In contrast, bacterial networks utilize Two-Component Signaling (TCS), in which a single enzyme (the sensor Histidine Kinase, or HK) acts as both kinase and phosphatase for its downstream Response Regulator (RR). We found that crosstalk always reduces signal response in TCS, providing an explanation for the experimental observation that engineering crosstalk into bacterial cells dramatically reduces their fitness. The pressure to maintain signaling responses is also sufficient to quantitatively explain the kinetic preference of HKs for their cognate substrates. Using our models, we characterized a set of “near-neutral” evolutionary pathways that would allow bacteria to minimize the impact of crosstalk as they evolve new HK-RR pairs through duplication and divergence of existing pathways. Analysis of HK sequences confirmed that most TCS pathways evolve via the trajectories we predicted. Our work thus indicates that the different topologies of eukaryotic and bacterial signaling networks likely arise from fundamental differences in the behavior of the motifs from which the networks themselves are constructed. These differences have important consequences for both the function and the evolutionary dynamics of information processing systems within cells.
PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 15N2H3H-LABELED DNA FROM BACILLUS SUBTILIS AND ESCHERICHIA COLI PHAGE T2.

Abstract Bacillus subtilis and T2 phage have been grown on a medium containing the following isotopically labeled compounds: 15 N 2 H 4 Cl, thymidine- 3 H, deuterated sugars, and deuterated amino acids. The growth rates, titers, and thymidine- 3 H uptake are reported. 15 N 2 H 3 H-DNA has been isolated from these two organisms. Some physical properties of these DNA samples are reported. Studies on genetic activity of the B. subtilis DNA do not reveal any change produced by the substitution of 15 N 2 H 3 H for 14 N 1 H.
Modeling the absorption of intense, short laser pulses in steep density gradients

A subroutine which calculates the absorption of short pulse electromagnetic radiation in a material has been installed into the laser fusion modeling program called LASNEX. Calculational results show the necessity for NLTE physics to account for ionization, the development of non-exponential density profiles for the expanding plasma and movement of the critical point toward the surface which results in Doppler shifts of the reflected light. Comparison of calculations of local scale lengths with experiments shows not only good agreement but the correct scaling with intensity.
Intracellular antigen staining: Quantitative immunofluorescence

Staining of intracellular antigens by immunological reagents is dependent on free diffusion of antibodies into and out of cells. This is accomplished by disruption of the cell membrane by organic solvents or detergents. Organic solvents dehydrate the cell and denature proteins, with the effect of preserving the integrity of the cell to varying degrees dependent on the solvent used. The use of detergents is more variable in effect, but does not preserve the cell unless a fixative such as formaldehyde is used. Immunological staining has been employed for many years and the literature documents that different antigen/antibody combinations require different cell pretreatments. Quantitative analysis is relatively new but the same in every respect except that reagents for staining must be used under saturating conditions and controls must be carefully designed. This article is a review of current literature, methods under development in my laboratory, and relevant issues.
Molecular microbial ecology: land of the one-eyed king

Studies of microbial biodiversity have made astounding discoveries of late due to the use of methodologies based on phylogenetic analyses of small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences. Although there are limitations to these methods, they can nonetheless be very useful if these limitations are kept in mind. These limitations range from technical problems such as obtaining representative genomic DNA and suitable primers, to conceptual problems such as defining and using meaningful taxonomic units of diversity (species). Here we discuss several of the limitations inherent in studies of microbial diversity that must be considered when interpreting the results obtained using these approaches.
Wear transitions in monolithic alumina and zirconia-alumina composites

Abstract The tribological properties of composite materials can be improved by its specially designed microstructure. Four zirconia-alumina composites (ZrO 2 -Al 2 O 3 ) and a monolithic alumina were compared under paraffin oil lubricated wear test to investigate the effect of grain size, the residual stress and the phase transformation on the wear transitions. The tensile stress on the contact surface has been identified as the dominant stress which initiates the fracture wear of brittle materials. Wear transition occurs in the brittle materials when the tensile stress at the contact exceeds the critical value. The effect of zirconia content on the mean grain size of alumina and the wear transition resistance of the materials are presented. The dominant factors for the high wear transition resistance of ZrO 2 -Al 2 0 3 composites are attributed to the fine grains with narrow size distribution within the material, the compressive residual stress on the surface due to phase transformation of zirconia and the low elastic moduli of ZrO 2 -Al 2 0 3 composites. The fine grain of the composites and compressive residual stress improve the wear transition resistance, while the low elastic moduli of the composites increase the contact area and reduce the contact tensile stress. The wear transition mechanism of alumina and ZrO 2 -Al 2 0 3 composites are compared by transmission electronic microscopy. During the tribological contact, ZrO 2 -Al 2 0 3 composites generate dense dislocations and twins within the fine alumina and zirconia grains to absorb input energy, while monolithic alumina generates the transgranular cracks.
A comparison study of nonlinear control techniques for the RTAC system

Abstract In this paper, we implement the recently developed energy- and entropy-based hybrid control framework for stabilization of Lagrangian systems on the experimental testbed of the Rotational/Translational Proof-Mass Actuator (RTAC) system. In addition, on the same experimental platform, we implement the sliding mode control framework for stabilization of underactuated dynamical systems and compare the performances of all three controllers. The concept of an energy-based hybrid controller involves a hybrid controller that exploits the feature that the states of the dynamic controller may be reset to enhance the overall energy dissipation in the closed-loop system. We give a detailed description of the hardware layout for the testbed and present the experimental results. The real-time data indicate that the energy- and entropy-based hybrid controllers result in almost the same closed-loop system behavior with the same control effort. However, hybrid controllers use significantly less control effort and stabilize the system in a shorter period of time than the sliding mode controller.
Guided Navigation Control of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle using Global Positioning Systems and Inertial Navigation Systems

This paper demonstrates the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) in order to develop an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) devised to perform a wide variety of outdoor tasks. There are many applications for autonomous UGVs such as tactical and surveillance applications, exploration of areas inaccessible by humans. Capable to navigate to a specific location, and control their motion depending on their surroundings without human intervention. The inertial navigation system makes use of Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) to measure the change to the UGV's positional parameters, orientation and speed which are continuously monitored and updated. With the advent of GPS, and the positional data from the inertial system the positional information is computed leading to a more accurate control of the UGV; which otherwise suffers from integration drift that occurs with the implementation of inertial systems alone. Autonomous control of the UGV is implemented by coupling GPS sensor and Mission Planner, a tool to map waypoints from Google Maps. Furthermore, system stability and ideal PID (Proportional, Integral and Derivative) values are determined using bicycle modeling analysis to achieve better estimates and control of the UGV. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v4i3.5183
Identification and characterization of a catalytic base in bacterial luciferase by chemical rescue of a dark mutant.

Mutation of the His44 residue of the α subunit of Vibrio harveyi luciferase to an alanine was known to reduce the enzyme bioluminescence activity by five orders of magnitude [Xin, X., Xi, L., and Tu, S.-C. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 11255−11262]. We found that the residual activity of the αH44A luciferase was markedly enhanced by exogenously added imidazole and other simple amines. The peak luminescence intensity in nonturnover assays was linearly proportional to levels of αH44A and the rescue agent, indicating a lack of significant binding under our experimental conditions. The rescue effect of imidazole was pH dependent and quantitatively correlated well with the amount of imidazole base. The rescue efficiencies of imidazole and amines were found to be regulated by both their molecular volume and pKa. A Bronsted analysis revealed a β value of 0.8 ± 0.1. The enhancement of αH44A activity by imidazole took place after the formation of the flavin 4a-hydroperoxide intermediate. The predominant form of the flav...
The human parvovirus B19 non-structural protein 1 N-terminal domain specifically binds to the origin of replication in the viral DNA.

The non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of human parvovirus B19 plays a critical role in viral DNA replication. Previous studies identified the origin of replication in the viral DNA, which contains four DNA elements, namely NSBE1 to NSBE4, that are required for optimal viral replication (Guan et al., 2009). Here we have demonstrated in vitro that the NS1 N-terminal domain (NS1N) binds to the origin of replication in a sequence-specific, length-dependent manner that requires NSBE1 and NSBE2, while NSBE3 and NSBE4 are dispensable. Mutagenesis analysis has identified nucleotides in NSBE1 and NSBE2 that are critical for NS1N binding. These results suggest that NS1 binds to the NSBE1–NSBE2 region in the origin of replication, while NSBE3 and NSBE4 may provide binding sites for potential cellular factors. Such a specialized nucleoprotein complex may enable NS1 to nick the terminal resolution site and separate DNA strands during replication.
Lipoxygenase pathway and hydroperoxy acids: Possible relevance to aspirin-induced asthma and hyperirritability of airways in asthmatics

The precise mechanisms(s) responsible for airway hyperreactivity to spasmogenic agents (for example, cholinergic stimulants, alpha-adrenergic agonists, histamine, PGF2 alpha and several other nonspecific stimuli) in asthmatics is not known. Substantial evidence exists fo the mediator, as well as modulatory, roles of the products of arachidonic acid metabolism operating via the cyclo-oxygenase pathway in the pathophysiology of lung diseases. Aspirin and other inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase induce severe bronchospasm and asthmatic attacks in a significant population of asthmatic patients. This adverse effect of aspirin is often attributed to inhibition of the synthesis and release of defensive "modulatory" endogenous prostaglandins (PGD and PGI2?) in the lungs. Thus, removal of their "negative feedback" mechanism on the allergic release of chemical mediators (e.g., histamine and SRS-A: leukotriene C and D) from lung mast cells could lead to an enhancement of the release of mediators and severity of asthmatic attacks. In addition to these mechanisms, recent work suggests the diversion of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism via the lipoxygenase pathway (especially after cyclo-oxygenase inhibition by aspirin and indomethacin), thereby leading to the formation of a new class of biologically active lipids: hydroperoxy acids (HPETE and HETE), leukotrienes (LTA, B, C, D, E) and SRS or SRS-A (LTC, LTD). The inherent or drug (aspirin)-induced deficiency or blockade of cyclo-oxygenases(s) and/or peroxidases in the lungs (and/or other body tissues, including leukocytes) leading to diversion of AA into the formation and accumulation of SRS (leukotrienes), especially in sensitive individuals, could explain the mechanism of aspirin-induced asthma, and probably the generalized syndrome of aspirin-tolerance. Furthermore, the hydroperoxy acids, leukotrienes, (SRS) may also sensitize receptors for other mediators and common nonspecific irritants, and/or induce airway contractions directly. Collectively, these mechanisms could account for airway hyperreactivity in asthma.
A comparative biochemical study of conifer pollen allergens

In the order Coniferales, only the family Cupressaceae is regarded as being a significant source of airborne allergens, withJuniperus ashei characterized as the most significat aeroallergen. Pollen of the closely related speciesJ. virginiana has been shown to cross-react withJ. ashei pollen, however,J. virginiana pollen is not considered an important aeroallergen. Although there have been several reports of allergies toPinus pollen, the pollen of this genus is regarded as hypoallergenic. Our previous studies have shown that pollen extracts ofJ. ashei, J. virginiana, J. pinchotii, Cupressus macrocarpa, Pinus echinata andP. taeda all contained several proteins with the same molecular weights including the reported allergen ofJ. ashei. The present study compared the biochemistry ofJ. ashei, J. virginiana andP. echinata pollen. A time course experiment ofJ. ashei, J. virginiana andP. echinata showed thatJ. ashei released a greater quantity of protein within the first minute of moistening. SDS-PAGE analyses showed that the reported allergen ofJ. ashei pollen extracts was released in large quantities within the first minute of extraction. It was also determined that individual pollen grains ofP. echinata contained a greater quantity of protein than the pollen ofJ. ashei andJ. virginiana, but due to the large size of pine pollen there was less protein per gram of pollen. Lipid analysis of these three taxa showed that the pollen ofP. echinata contained more lipid per grain and per gram of pollen. Results indicate that the rapid release of the reported allergen fromJ. ashei pollen contributes to the allergenicity of this species compared to bothJ. virginiana andP. echinata.
Experiences with a tampon-spermicide device

Abstract A tampon applicator is described in which a spermicidal solution is stored in the plunger and released into a disposable tampon just prior to insertion of the tampon. The experiences of 26 volunteers who used the device at the time of coitus suggest that the method is both acceptable and feasible, although four of the ten subjects attempting tampon removal by themselves experienced some difficulty. Postcoital studies of the cervical mucus near the time of ovulation were conducted on 16 subjects and no motile spermatozoa were found. This suggests a high degree of theoretical effectiveness.
Guidelines for writing a scientific paper: an address to beginners

Summary: Although writing a publishable scientific paper does not require extraordinary writing talent, it does require adherence to a few basic principles. First, choosing a forum for publication is important, since books and journals tend to be highly specialized. Second, following the instructions to authors for that publication is mandatory, and reading those instructions before even beginning the manuscript is advisable. Third, writing the abstract or summary requires a painstaking distillation of background, methods, and results; one should recognize that this is the only part of the work that most readers will ever see. Fourth, the other components of the typical scientific paper: introduction, methods, results, and discussion should constitute an appropriate expansion of the abstract. Results in particular are crucial and should be presented in terms of a few specific findings logically supported by selected data, with details presented in tables and figures that are themselves cogent and easy to follow. Fifth, the writer should review the paper carefully, eliminating all wordiness and clarifying statements that are not as meaningful as they could be. (Writers not proficient in English should ask a colleague to do this.) Following these principles will not guarantee publication, but will guarantee serious consideration of the submission.
Minimum hot/cold/electric utility cost for heat exchange networks

Abstract A mathematical formulation is presented for the minimum hot/cold/electric utility cost problem for heat exchange networks. The formulation allows optimal integration of heat exchangers, heat engines and heat pumps in heat exchange networks. Both heat exchangers and heat pumps/engines may consume hot/cold utilities, while heat engine pumps generate/consume electric utility. Calculation of the optimum does not require any prior commitment to network structure. Application of the technique to an existing industrial facility indicates potential cost savings of 50–330% (depending on the method) compared with the pinch optimum.
Interaction between surface protein antigens of Streptococcus mutans and human salivary components

The potential involvement of surface antigens (Ags) I/II and III of Streptococcus mutans in its adherence to salivary pellicle-coated tooth surfaces was investigated. The binding of radiolabelled Ag I/II to hydroxyapatite was increased by pretreating the mineral with human parotid saliva, and binding was maintained in the continuous presence of saliva. Binding of Ag III to hydroxyapatite was inhibited by pretreatment with, or in the presence of, saliva. Various aminohexoses, and also tris, inhibited the binding of Ag I/II. When Ags I/II and III were tested for their ability to bind to salivary components separated by SDS gel electrophoresis, several proteins capable of binding Ag I/II were identified, notably 2 proteins of apparent relative molecular mass 28,000 and 38,000. Analysis of these proteins, isolated by micro-preparative electrophoresis, indicated high proportions of proline, glycine, and glutamic acid, and overall compositions similar to basic proline-rich salivary proteins.
A study of hydrogen peroxide decomposition in ammonia-peroxide mixtures (APM)

The stability of ammonia-peroxide mixtures (APM) has been investigated as a function of temperature (24-65^oC), dilution ratio (1:1:5-1:2:100) and Fe^2^+ concentration (0-10ppb) using an optical concentration monitor. The results show that the change in hydrogen peroxide concentration increased with an increase in temperature and Fe^2^+ concentration in a four hour period. The decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide increased with an increase in solution pH in the range of 8.0 to 9.7. The kinetic analysis of experimental data showed that the H"2O"2 decomposition reaction follows a first order kinetics with respect to both H"2O"2 and OH^- concentrations. In the presence of Fe^2^+, hydrogen peroxide decomposition followed a first order reaction kinetics with respect to H"2O"2 concentration. The calculated rate constant increased with an increase in temperature and Fe^2^+ concentration. The apparent activation energy of H"2O"2 decomposition was calculated to be 65+/-3kJ/mol. In the presence of Fe^2^+, the activation energy was calculated to be 50+/-5kJ/mol.
Nitrogen Fixation and Delayed Leaf Senescence in Soybeans

Delayed leaf senescence has been found in a soybean population which maintains its chlorophyll and ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activity in leaves and nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) activity in root nodules throughout seed maturation. Incorporation of delayed leaf senescence into an agronomically desirable genetic background may help to increase seed yield and symbiotic nitrogen fixation during seed development.
Whatever Happened to Simultaneity? Transnational Migration Theory and Dual Engagement in Sending and Receiving Countries

The transnationalism literature has focused on the transborder social networks that immigrants in the receiving country maintain with their sending countries and has not sufficiently examined how such transborder connections enable them to become simultaneously engaged in both nation-states. This paper argues that simultaneity is an important part of transnationalism that distinguishes it from long-distance nationalism. We therefore need to more extensively analyse how immigrants’ transborder involvement in their home country simultaneously affects their participation in the host country. I suggest four ways in which the dynamic relationship between home- and host-country engagement can be conceived. The first is a zero-sum relationship, where increased engagement in one country leads to decreased involvement in the other. The second involves the side-by-side co-existence of sending- and receiving-country engagement without one directly influencing the other. The third is a positively reinforcing relation...
Theory of High-Energy Inelastic Collisions between Molecular Systems. Dissociation of H 2 + on Collision with H 2

Inelastic collisions between the hydrogen molecule ion (${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$) and the hydrogen molecule are investigated theoretically within the framework of the first Born approximation. The possibility that ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ may be in an excited vibrational state before the collision takes place is given special consideration. Appropriate sums of the theoretical cross sections are identified with the experimental measurements of the cross section ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}$, for the dissociation of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ into a proton and hydrogen atom, and of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}$, where ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}$ is the ionization cross section of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$. Agreement is good between theory and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}$ for collision energies greater than 50 keV and between theory and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2}$ for collision energies greater than 1 MeV. Any discrepancies between experiment and theory can be identified as either the expected failure of the Born approximation at low energies or the omission of certain inelastic processes in the theoretical results.
Ba-Zr codoped sodium bismuth titanate by novel alkoxyless wet chemical route: processing and electromechanical behavior

Sodium bismuth titanate (NBT) based ceramics have been shown to be a promising lead-free alternative to commercial piezoelectrics and high capacitance materials. This article reports a novel aqueous citrate gel route for the synthesis of (Na0.5Bi0.5)xBa1-xTiyZr1-yO3 powders. Instead of alkoxides, usually used in citrate gel route, aqueous citrate solutions of titanium and bismuth were prepared from their respective inorganic salts. These solutions were used to prepare powder of (Na0.5Bi0.5)0.88Ba0.12Ti0.96Zr0.04O3. The process produced an amorphous xerogel that was readily crystallized to a pseudocubic perovskite phase when calcined at temperatures as low as 500 °C. The decomposition and oxidation of the xerogel was studied using TG-DTA, which showed complete removal of volatile components by 580 °C. The formation of crystalline phases was studied using XRD. SEM was used to evaluate the sintering behavior of the powder. The powder exhibits significant sintering at temperatures 800–900 °C. The polarization behavior of the sintered material was similar to one prepared by conventional solid state route. A maximum polarization of ∼24 μC/cm2 and peak bipolar strain ∼0.095% at 44 kV/cm was achieved in the sintered material.
Changes in P3 waves with event repetition: Long-term effects on scalp distribution and amplitude ☆

Event-related brain potentials to tachistoscopically presented events were recorded from adults 24--36 years of age. Subjects counted the number of target events (P = 0.12) randomly interposed in sequences of background events (either P = 0.88 or P = 0.76). In some sequences, slides bearing the letter A were targets and those bearing the letter B were backgrounds; the reverse was true in the other sequences. Also interposed (P = 0.12) in these sequences of targets and backgrounds were one of two types of non-target events: in some sequences non-targets were slides (termed dims) bearing any one of the letters C to Z and having one-tenth the luminance of the target and background slides, while in the others, they were slides bearing 'novel' patterns, each consisting of a different, quasi-random, unrecognizable color pattern. The scalp amplitude distribution of P3 waves to novels were initially frontal, but, with repeated presentations of novel events, they became parietal. The scalp distributions of P3 waves to targets and dims were both initially parietal and did not change with repeated presentations of target and dim events. P3 amplitudes to targets were unaffected by repeated presentations of target events. However, P3 amplitudes to dims and novels were affected. P3 amplitudes to dims decreased linearly at Fz, Cz and Pz with repetition of dims. P3 amplitudes to novels decreased at Fz and increased at Pz with repetition of novels. An abbreviated analysis of possible effects of sequential event probabilities on P3 amplitudes and latencies to novels, dims and targets was performed and no effects were found. It is suggested that P3 waves may be affected by at least 4 factors: the facility with which events may be categorized by subjects, the importance attached to events (via task instructions, subjective assessment of the contents of events, etc.), a priori category probability, and sequential event structure.
Flow About a Stationary Sphere in a Slowly Rotating, Viscous Fluid

Analytical solutions are presented for the flow about a nonrotating sphere immersed in a slowly rotating fluid by the singular perturbation technique valid for small Reynolds numbers. Streamlines are plotted and the torque necessary to hold the sphere stationary is calculated. It is found that the transition from inflow near the equator to outflow near the poles takes place at an angle of 54.50 deg measured from the poles. Flow velocities and the stream function are also calculated for the problem when the sphere rotates with an angular velocity different from that of the fluid.
Identifying saltatory growth patterns in infancy: A comparison of results based on measurement protocol.

The present analyses address the question of how frequently time-intensive growth measurements need to be taken in order to provide sufficient data for the statistical identification of pulsatile saltatory growth patterns during infancy. The daily serial growth measurements of three infants during 4 months are analyzed in seven subsets, which include progressively fewer data points from daily to weekly intervals. Saltatory growth pulse identification and growth pattern analyses are compared between the temporally distinctive data sets by the saltatory algorithm and continuous curvilinear models. Statistically significant pulse identification and saltatory growth pattern resolution decrease with time intervals > 2-5 days in these data sets. These results suggest that the convenience of a Monday, Wednesday, Friday protocol may not be sufficient to characterize saltatory growth in individual infants, and the dependability factor is a significant source of error that may contribute to growth pattern misperception in data collected by infrequent protocols. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 9:343-355, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Assessing concrete-abstract performance in two response modes†

This study considers the question of the effect of providing two different response modes, free response and a multiple choice format, on concrete-abstract performance. If task format plays a role in subject response, then it also enters into a person's score on some intelligence test measures. This study, although preliminary in nature, provides evidence that response format may make a difference on an individual's concrete-abstract performance.
Recurrent cystic radiation necrosis of the brain.

Cystic radiation necrosis is a rare complication of radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics have not been described. Serial MRI images were done on a patient who developed multiple cysts in the brain as a result of irradiation for his nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The characteristic MRI features included a slightly higher T 1 -weighted signal than cerebrospinal fluid, surrounding white matter edema as indicated by the high T 2 -weighted signal, and absence of gadolinium enhancement on the cyst wall. The adjacent gray matter in the anterior temporal lobes and inferior frontal lobes, which were included in the radiation field, had gadolinium enhancement. Dosimetry data and isodose contour maps revealed that his frontal lobes and anterior temporal lobes received 7920 cGy and 5040-6480 cGy of radiation respectively. Despite placement of multiple cysto-peritoneal shunts for decompression, new cysts eventually developed and previously shunted cysts enlarged in size. The management of cystic radiation necrosis of the brain remains unsatisfactory.
(Only) White Men have Class: Reflections on Early 19th-Century Occupational Classification Systems

The article examines the logic and functions of early 19th-century occupational classification systems and explores their implications for later systems. Efforts to collect occupational data in official censuses and surveys date from the late 18th century. Much of the existing literature on occupation statistics treats the data collection efforts of the late 18th and first half of the 19th centuries as a kind of “prehistory.” Many of the early efforts to collect occupational data were flops, turned up unexpected problems, and usually did not satisfy the goals of their creators, much less the more rigorous standards of 20th-century researchers. The article suggests that one must understand the origin of occupation statistics in the political debates of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The data were designed to capture the relevant work and social statuses of those groups active in the political realm. These groups were to be compared to one another, and all politically salient groups were to be comp...
Personality factors as predictors of sexting

''Sexting'' refers to sending and receiving sexually suggestive images, videos, or texts on cell phones. Nowadays, technology is embedded in communication between current and prospective romantic partners and understanding what may fuel sexting behavior warrants attention. 304 undergraduate participants (males=126 and females=178) completed an online questionnaire about their personality traits, sensation seeking, and problematic cell phone use and their engagement in sexting behaviors. Results suggest that men and those in romantic relationships are more likely to sext, particularly through text messaging. Those in relationships and women indicate requiring greater commitment in a relationship in order to engage in sexting. Extraversion predicted sexting with text messaging, and neuroticism and low agreeableness predicted sexting-sending a sexually suggestive photo, a photo in underwear or lingerie, and a nude photo. Problematic cell phone use also predicted engagement in sexting with text messages. Certain aspects of sexting may appeal as a risky behavior for those individuals with personality traits towards high-risk activities.
Rigid Body Collisions of Planar Kinematic Chains with Multiple Contact Points

This article deals with the rigid body collisions of planar, kinematic chains with an external surface while in contact with other surfaces. Two solution procedures that cast the impact equations in dierential and algebraic forms are developed to solve the general problem. The dierential formulation can be used to obtain three sets of solutions based on the kinematic, kinetic, and the energetic denitions of the coecient of restitution. Whereas the algebraic formulation can be used to obtain solutions based on the approaches presented in Whittaker (1904) and Brach (1990). A specic example of a planar, three-link chain with two contact points is studied to compare the outcomes predicted by each approach. A particular emphasis is placed on the energy loss that results from the application of each solution scheme. The circumstances where various methods lead to identical or distinct outcomes are investigated. Most importantly, the study elaborates on the rebounds at the non-colliding ends, a phenomenon that is observed only in multi-contact collisions. The interaction of the chain with the contact surfaces at the non-colliding contact points is examined and the dierences in the prediction of rebounds that arise from using various methods are investigated.
Comparing narratives of personal and preferred partner characteristics in online dating advertisements

This study explored online personal ads of 294 heterosexual and homosexual men and women in the United States through a qualitative analysis and comparison of participant-generated ''personal'' and ''preferred partner'' narratives. Nine characteristics were identified and combined into three overarching categories: physical, lifestyle, and personality characteristics. These three personal and preferred partner characteristics were examined for difference by gender, sexual orientation, age and desired relationship type of the advertisers. Main effects emerged for all four predictors, most notably for age and desired relationship type. Additionally, this study explored the possibility that personal and preferred partner narratives contained similar constellations of characteristics, finding significant correlations on all three variables, lending support for the matching hypothesis in dating partner characteristics.
Effects of water on combustion kinetics at high pressure

The effect of water on reaction mechanisms in high pressure combustion has been studied theoretically using the quantum chemical BAC-MP4 method combined with the Peng-Robinson equation of state to treat non-ideal gas effects. Transition state structures involving additional water molecules have been calculated using the BAC-MP4 method for the water gas shift reaction CO+H 2 O→CO 2 +H 2 going via the formic acid, HCOOH, intermediate. The resulting transition states can be stabilized due to water solvation effects. The magnitude of the Gibbs energy changes due to solvation were calculated using the Peng-Robinson equation of state. The results indicate large lowerings of the activation energies for the reaction when additional water molecules are included in the reaction mechanism. Also, we find that the transition state structures possess significant ionic character which leads to substantial stabilization due to the presence of surrounding water molecules. The temperature and pressure dependence of these effects are discussed with respect to the chemical mechanisms in combustion processes.
Modeling the Effect of Hemodynamics on Cardiac Growth During Embryonic Development

Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects about 1% of newborn babies in the US, and is the leading cause of non-infectious death in children. Abnormal blood flow dynamics during early development can lead to CHD. Although the effect of hemodynamic conditions on cardiac development — even under normal conditions — has been widely accepted, the mechanisms by which blood flow influences cardiac cell responses are only starting to emerge. Mathematical models of cardiac growth could then help elucidate key aspects of cardiac development.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
An Analog Mixed Signal Fourier Transform Pre-Processor for OFDM Receivers

An FFT pre-processing architecture that reduces the constraints on the Analog-to-Digital Converter in broadband Orthogonal-Frequency-Division-Multiplexing receivers is presented. System simulations demonstrate that the proposed approach has an improved dynamic range over the conventional approach. The proposed pre-processor replaces the typically 6-bit ADC and digital FFT processor in the broadband OFDM receiver with a more power efficient, wider dynamic range architecture. The new architecture is based on sequential sampling of the OFDM symbol and an analog-mixed-signal FFT pre-processor that transforms the OFDM symbols prior to digitization. This reduces the information conversion burden on the ADC, allowing the requisite six bits of ADC resolution to be reduced to two, thereby significantly lowering system power consumption. The increased dynamic range allows sensitivity to be improved as weak sub-channels are amplified before quantization and not subjected to the limitations of the conventional 6-bit ADC. A proof-of-concept 1-GigaSample per second IC in currently being fabricated in 130nm CMOS.
Recalling sexual behavior: a methodological analysis of memory recall bias via interview using the diary as the gold standard.

This study examined the effect of time lag on the validity of retrospective self‐reports of sexual behavior. Seventy‐five heterosexual students (44 women, 31 men) made daily recordings of sexual behavior, condom use, and alcohol or substance use for 1 month. Ability of respondents to recall sexual behavior recorded during this period was assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months after diary completion using recall interviews (25 interviewed at each interval). For vaginal intercourse, total recall error was significantly greater at 3 months than at 1 month post‐diary. For all other variables assessed, the 2‐ and 3‐month time intervals did not produce significant increases in total recall error. Higher frequency of vaginal intercourse, orgasm, and alcohol use prior to sexual activity were associated with total recall error for some but not all behaviors and outcomes. The results provide a partial validation of the diary‐interview recall model as a method for studying recall error.
Towards a scintillator based digital hadron calorimeter for the Linear Collider detector

The ability to distinguish physics signals that share common signatures involving multijet final states is crucial to the success of the future Linear Collider Detector (LCD). This translates into a requirement of attaining unprecedented precision in jet energy measurements. For example, to effectively separate W and Z bosons in their hadronic final states by reconstructing their invariant masses, one will require a jet energy resolution of dE/E<30%/sqrt(E), (E in GeV) which is about a factor of 2 better than the current best. The so-called "Energy-flow algorithms" (EFA) are widely believed to be the most promising to meet such an ambitious goal. EFAs have thus become an integral part of the general approach toward LCD design. The basic premise of EFAs is based on separating in a jet,. energy deposited by charged particles from those by neutrals, and substituting the former by more precise momentum measurements from the magnetized central tracker. A calorimeter optimized for EFAs must therefore have fine lateral and longitudinal segmentation necessary for tracking individual charged particles. As a possible solution, NICADD (Northern Illinois Center for Accelerator and Detector Development) proposes a digital hadronic calorimeter using scintillators as the active medium A digital (i.e., one- or two-bit readout) approach trades dynamic range to achieve finer spatial resolution. Responses of individual scintillating cells, an array of cells, and a 12-layer (12.7cm /spl times/ 12.7cm) prototype module, to radioactive source and cosmic rays have been measured. Systematic studies of cell response under different combinations of manufacturing techniques, wavelength-shifting fiber types, reflective coating agents, splicing techniques, and photo-detectors are discussed together with simulation tools and algorithms that are being developed concurrently.
Defining Progress in Educational Research

This paper addresses the question, What is progress in educational research? It is argued that the question is fundamental to understanding how effective educational research is and might be in improving practice. The paper begins with a discussion of the problem of partial specification. The consequences of this problem for defining the research-practice relationship are considered. Next, three solutions to the problem of partial specification are presented. It is shown that these solutions represent different approaches to defining progress in educational research. In addition, it is argued that these solutions have different implications for relating research to practice. The paper concludes by raising several questions that educational researchers need to consider if some type of rapprochement among definitions of progress in educational research is to be made.
KIS Approach to Data Management for Oil and Hazardous Material Response

ABSTRACT On August 28th, 2012 Hurricane Isaac made landfall on the lower peninsula of the state of Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River. A FEMA mission assignment under Emergency Suppo...
Exploring the Origins of the American Administrative State: Recent Writings on the Ambiguous Legacy of Alexander Hamilton

Books reviewed: Arnold A. Rogow, A Fatal Friendship: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. John Steele Gordon, Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Our National Debt. Peter McNamara, Political Economy and Statesmanship: Smith, Hamilton, and the Foundation of the Commercial Republic.