cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein interactions with lipid bilayers: The channels of kidney plasma membrane proteolipids

Proteolipids extracted from bovine kidney plasma membrane induce irreversible changes in the electrical properties of lipid bilayers formed from diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine. The interaction with the proteolipid produces channels which are cation selective. At low protein concentrations (i.e., <0.6 μg/ml), the single-channel conductance is approximately 10 pS in 100mm KCl and 3 pS in 100mm NaCl. In the presence of protein concentrations above 1 μg/ml, another population of channels appears. These channels have a conductance of about 100 pS in 100mm KCl and 30 pS in 100mm NaCl. Further, these channels are voltage dependent in KCl, closing when the voltage is clamped at values ≧30 mV. The steady-state membrane conductance, measured at low voltages, was found to increase proportional to a high power (2–3) of the proteolipid concentration present in one of the aqueous phases. In 100mm NaCl, the conductance increases at protein concentrations above 5 μg/ml, whereas in 100mm KCl in increases at protein concentrations above 0.6 μg/ml. These measurements indicate that the higher steady-state conductance observed in KCl at a given proteolipid concentration in a multi-channel membrane presumably results because more channels incorporate in the presence of KCl than in the presence of NaCl.
Boiling of small droplets

Analysis is reported of the boiling of small diameter suspended droplets, such as found in emulsions. A one-dimensional model considers both the energy and momentum equations, and effects of differences in fluid and thermodynamic properties between the droplet and the surrounding liquid are examined. Results are presented in the form of time varying bubble radius and temperature. The initial boiling of the droplet is insensitive to the surrounding liquid and droplet diameter, while the final evaporation rate is strongly affected by the properties of the surrounding liquid. After a droplet has completely evaporated, the vapor bubble expands and contracts via radial oscillations near the Minnaert frequency for isothermal bubbles. Thermal damping is observed but the model does not capture acoustic damping.
The effect of patent foramen ovale closure on visual aura without headache or typical aura with migraine headache.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of right-to-left (R to L) shunt in patients with visual aura and evaluate the effect of shunt closure on resolution of aura. Background Right-to-left shunting is associated with migraine headache (MH) with aura. Some patients present with visual aura without headaches. It is unclear whether visual aura without headache is a form of migraine or a transient neurologic dysfunction. Methods Of patients referred to the University of California, Los Angeles for suspected patent foramen ovale (PFO), 225 had visual aura with or without MH. Patients were assessed for a shunt and evaluated for MH and/or visual aura. They were divided into 3 groups: 1) visual aura associated with MH; 2) visual aura unrelated in time to MH; and 3) visual aura without MH. The frequency of R to L shunt was compared with a control group of 200 patients. Eighty patients underwent PFO closure. Residual shunts, MH, and visual aura were reassessed after 3 and 12 months. Results The prevalence of R to L shunt in Groups A, B, and C was 96%, 72%, and 67%, respectively, versus 18% in the control group (p Conclusions The similar distribution of R to L shunting in all 3 patient groups and the correlation between PFO closure and improvement of aura suggests a similar pathophysiology between the presence of PFO and the visual aura phenomenon, whether or not headache is present in the symptom complex.
Primary Screening Approach for Anti-Inflammatory Agents Utilizing an In Vivo and a New In Vitro Method

Several classes of standard pharmacological agents (approximately 38 different drugs) including anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, analgesic, immunosuppressive, antihistaminic, autonomic, and CNS agents were tested in the in vivo carrageenin-inflamed rat paw test (Test 1) and in an in vitro test involving their enhancement of the labilization of a purified rat liver lysosomal fraction by N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylazoformamide (Test II). In general, there was good correlation between Test I and Test II results. The relationship of the findings to a screening program for anti-inflammatory agents is discussed.
On the choice of boundary conditions in continuum models of continental deformation

Recent studies of continental deformation have treated the lithosphere as a viscous medium and investigated the time evolution of the deformation caused by tectonic and buoyancy forces. This paper examines the differences between (1) continuum models that keep velocity boundary conditions constant with time and (2) models that keep stress boundary conditions constant with time. These differences are demonstrated by using a simple example of a continental lithosphere that is subjected to horizontal compression. The results show that in (2) the indentation velocity decreases with time, while in (1) the indentation velocity remains constant with time.
Lasers in dermatology--1985.

. Since the introduction of medical lasers in 1960, the skin has been a major site for applied laser research and therapy. Argon and carbon dioxide lasers have been the most widely used in clinical practice, and many diseases that were impossible or difficult to manage are now being effectively treated with these. Exciting developments today involve other systems, including tunable dye, ruby, neodymium-YAG, and low-energy lasers. Photodynamic therapy for cancer may provide a selective method of destroying clinically inapparent malignant cells. Lasers now seem to have become an integral part of the dermatologic surgeon's armamentarium.
Initial Results and Field Applications of a Polarization Imaging Camera

The SALSA linear Stokes polarization camera from Bossa Nova Technologies (520-550 nm) uses an electronically rotated polarization filter to measure four states of polarization nearly simultaneously. Some initial imagery results are presented. Preliminary analysis results indicate that the intensity and degree of linear polarization (DOLP) information can be used for image classification purposes. The DOLP images also show that the camera has a good ability to distinguish asphalt patches of different ages. These positive results and the relative simplicity of the camera system show the camera's potential for field applications.
Morphology of the perforating cartilage canals in the proximal tibial growth plate of the chick

Perforating canals arise exclusively from junctional canals just above the reserve zone and they do not branch after entering the proliferative zone. They are uniformly spaced and arranged in parallel array. The cartilage canals terminate near the beginning of the zone of hypertrophic cartilage cells. Vascular components within the perforating canals consist of a central arteriole surrounded by enlarged, interconnected capillaries which are individually in contact with the adjacent cartilage matrix. TEM shows that the capillary endothelium is extremely attenuated, possesses numerous fenestrations and lacks a continuous basement membrane. The central arteriole is enlarged through the midpart of the canal and then narrows to communicate with the capillaries near the bottom of the canal. The large capillaries ascend from their point of origin and recombine near the top of the growth plate to exit as a single venule. The vascular arrangement therefore describes a system in which the outgoing blood runs in close proximity, but counter to, the incoming blood. This vascular arrangement within the perforating cartilage canal would most likely allow the zone of maturing cartilage cells to receive the highest concentration of nutrients.
Mixed ${\cal H}_{2}/{\cal H}_{\infty}$ Observer-Based LPV Control of a Hydraulic Engine Cam Phasing Actuator

In this paper, a family of linear models previously obtained from a series of closed-loop system identification tests for a variable valve timing cam phaser system is used to design a dynamic gain-scheduling controller. Using engine speed and oil pressure as the scheduling parameters, the family of linear models was translated into a linear parameter varying (LPV) system. An observer-based gain-scheduling controller for the LPV system is then designed based on the linear matrix inequality technique. A discussion on weighting function selection for mixed H2/H∞ controller synthesis is presented, with an emphasis placed on examining various frequency responses of the system. Test bench results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Incorporating user control in automated interactive scheduling systems

In this paper, we report our findings on the impact of providing users with varying degrees of control in an automated interactive scheduling system. While automated scheduling techniques such as constraint optimization have been widely adopted in a variety of scheduling applications, such applications require that users relinquish a certain amount of control to the system. The implications of such a shift in control are not clear for people who oversee the scheduling of human activities, for example, case managers scheduling patient appointments in hospitals and clinics. We asked our participants to use a working prototype system for clinic scheduling to complete a series of scheduling problems that we designed. We varied the size of the problems---i.e., the number of patients to be scheduled---and the style of interaction in ways that are associated with different degrees of user control. We recorded standard usability metrics and conducted post-task written surveys and interviews. Our results suggest that although maintaining full user control decreases efficiency as the problem becomes larger, the participants still preferred to have full user control in completing scheduling tasks. We end with design implications in supporting users' increased acceptance of automated scheduling systems.
Metabolism of Dextromethorphan in vitro: Involvement of Cytochromes P450 2D6 AND 3A3/4, with a Possible Role of 2E1

Dextromethorphan (DMO), a cough suppressing synthetic analog of codeine, undergoes parallel O-demethylation to dextrorphan (DOP), and N-demethylation to 3-methoxymorphinan (MEM), in humans. 3-hydroxymorphinan, a didemethylated metabolite, is formed secondarily. O-demethylation activity is well established as an index reaction for CYP2D6. However, this pathway appears to be mediated by at least two different enzymes in vitro. N-demethylation activity has recently been proposed to reflect CYP3A3/4 activity. We investigated both pathways in vitro with microsomal preparations from three human livers to assess the value of DMO as a probe drug for CYP2D6 and CYP3A3/4, DMO O-demethylation displayed a biphasic pattern with a high-affinity site reflecting CYP2D6 activity (mean Ki for quinidine, 0.1 +/- 0.13 microM). Kinetic parameters for the two O-demethylation mediating enzymes predict an average relative intrinsic clearance (Vmax/K(m) ratio) of 96% of total O-demethylation mediated via the high-affinity enzyme. Thus, in vitro data confirms the usefulness of DMO O-demethylation as an index reaction to monitor CYP2D6 activity. The Eadie-Hofstee plot of DMO N-demethylation was consistent with single-enzyme Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Vmax varying from 3.3 to 6.8 nmol mg-1 min-1, K(m) from 231 to 322 microM). However, ketoconazole, a CYP3A3/4 inhibitor, reduced N-demethylation only by 60% and had a mean Ki an order of magnitude higher (0.37 microM) compared to other pure CYP3A3/4 mediated reactions. Troleandomycin, a mechanism based CYP3A3/4 inhibitor, inhibited MEM formation by an average maximum of 46%, with an IC50 varying from 1 to 2.6 microM. A polyclonal rat liver CYP3A1 antibody inhibited MEM formation only by approximately 50%. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), a mechanism based CYP2E1 inhibitor, reduced MEM formation at concentrations up to 150 microM between 33 and 43%. Chemical inhibitors of CYP2d6 (quinidine), CYP1A1/2 (alpha-naphthoflavone), and CYP2C9 (sulfaphenazole), as well as a goat rat liver CYP2C11 polyclonal antibody (inhibitory against human CYP2C9 and CYP2C19), had minimal effect on MEM formation rate, thus excluding an involvement of any of these enzymes. DMO N-demethylation is only partly mediated by CYP3A3/4, and therefore is not a reliable index reaction for CYP3A3/4 activity either in vitro or probably in vivo.
Using RS Technology to Estimate Net Primary Production of Rangeland Ecosystem in HulunBuir of China

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator for vulnerability monitoring in arid ecosystem. Using MODIS remote sensing data and the improved solar energy efficiency, we estimated the NPP of grassland ecosystem of HulunBuir in 2006, and then output from the improved solar energy efficiency model was validated by the field survey data during growing season of 2006. Comparison of estimated NPP and field sampling NPP, the field sampling NPP was greater than estimated NPP, but there was better interdependency between the field sampling NPP and estimated NPP.The total NPP of grassland ecosystem in HulunBuir was 2.9×1013 gC/a in 2006, with an average of 261.01gC/m2•a. The average was the minimum in Xinbaerhuyou Banner, the maximum in Genhe. For the difference grassland types, lowland meadow was the maximum of unit area, the next was alpine meadow, and temperate steppe was the minimum.
Supersymmetry transformations in the operator formulation of string field theory

Abstract We present an explicit construction of supersymmetry generators in the operator formulation of open string field theory. Witten's open string theory is considered with the associated Neveu-Schwarz and Ramond sectors. A precise formulation of NS-R string overlaps and their construction in the Hilbert space is given. The connection with the fermion emission vertex is established.
Hybridization between an Invasive and a Native Species of the Crayfish Genus Orconectes in North-Central Ohio

Hybridization between native and invasive species is an important but little-studied factor in crayfish invasions, with few documented natural cases. Here, we report genetic evidence of hybridization between invasive O. rusticus (Girard, 1852) and native O. sanbornii (Girard, 1852) in the Huron River in north-central Ohio based on a combination of molecular markers: nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and allozymes. Although we found no fixed differences between the species at nuclear DNA loci, fixed differences in mtDNA and allozyme loci confirmed the presence of individuals of hybrid ancestry. We also found preliminary evidence of possible mitochondrial recombination and biparental inheritance (though the existence of rare haplotypes cannot be excluded at the present time). We examined morphological features of both species in sympatry and allopatry and confirmed species-diagnostic morphological features including gonopod traits and shape of the annulus ventralis. This study is the second to detect hybridization between O. rusticus and a congener, which suggests that this may be an important mechanism of invasion by O. rusticus when closely related species are present. Further study of this system, including more extensive sampling and additional molecular markers, is necessary to understand the extent and implications of hybridization for the native species.
Application of ionospheric tomography to single‐site location range estimation

The estimation of transmitter location based on radio frequency reception at a single site has long been a challenge. The standard technique for location estimation has typically used an active local vertical transmitter (ionosonde) to characterize the local ionosphere for propagation path modeling. A technique that is totally passive and yields a more comprehensive estimate of the propagation path is under development at Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin. This technique uses tomography to describe the two-dimensional state of the ionosphere over wide ionospheric swaths. ARL:UT deployed an array of Transit satellite receivers in nine locations along a 2000-km baseline from Pharr, Texas to Pierre, South Dakota. Transit signals received at these nine locations were analyzed using tomography algorithms to estimate the electron density distribution in the plane defined by a “best-fit” arc through the receiver array and best-fit arc along the satellite orbital path. Tomographic results were then compared with conventional propagation path estimates obtained using the local ionosonde. Initial results indicate that this completely passive system will provide ionospheric propagation path estimates better than the local ionosonde method.©1994 John Wiley & Sons Inc
FACTOR STRUCTURE STABILITY OF THE CALIFORNIA CRITICAL THINKING DISPOSITION INVENTORY ACROSS SEX AND VARIOUS STUDENTS' MAJORS

The factor structure of the 1992 California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and its stability across sex and different types of college majors were examined in this exploratory study. Participants were 499 undergraduate students (151 men, 342 women, missing data = 6) at a four-year mid-Atlantic public university, ranging in age from 18 to 54 years (M = 23.3). Students were enrolled in majors classified as practice disciplines (nursing, education, and business) and nonpractice disciplines (English, history, and psychology). The inventory, a 75-item, forced-choice adjective checklist scale, yields seven subscores and a total score assessing the disposition toward critical thinking. Analysis indicated that, despite the small sample, the generated factor structure of the inventory was highly stable or similar for men and women for Factors I (Facione, et al. Truth-seeking) and II (Facione, et al. Open-mindedness) and was moderately stable for Factors IV (Facione, et al. Systematicity) and V (Facione, e...
Evaluation of anisotropic silk sponges containing cardiac ECM for cardiac tissue engineering

Current biomaterials used in cardiac tissue engineering are insufficient due to the lack of pertinent myocardium characteristics like anisotropy and necessary cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In this study, we take advantage silk, a biomaterial, to analyze effects of 0.2 mg/mL, 0.4 mg/ mL or 0.6 mg/mL addition of cardiac ECM to 3% wt/v silk solution prior to scaffold formation. We created 200 μm thick anisotropic and isotropic silk sponges coated with 100 μg/mL collagen I solution and seeded them with cardiac fibroblasts. The anisotropic scaffolds exhibited an increase in cell spreading, adhesion and cell count as opposed to the isotropic scaffolds. Also, 0.6 mg/mL cardiac ECM incorporation shows increased cell number and spreading compared to the 0.2 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL cardiac ECM/silk composite scaffolds. Thus, pore architecture and ECM concentration play significant roles in the creation of optimized silk constructs for cardiac tissue engineering.
Linear invariance and uniform local univalence

Pommerenke initiated the study of linearly invariant families of functions defined in the unit disk D. A holomorphic function f on D is called linearly invariant if the family of all Koebe transforms of f has finite linear invariant order. A function f is linearly invariant on D if and only if f is uniformly locally univalent in the hyperbolic sense; that is, there is an r > 0 such that f is univalent in every hyperbolic disk of radius r. We present two extensions of the notion of linear invariance to general planar regions, one involves the hyperbolic metric and the other the quasihyperbolic metric. We relate these two concepts of linear invariance to uniform local univalence relative to each of these metrics. For uniformly perfect regions all of these concepts coincide; we obtain various inclusion relations for non-uniformly perfect regions. Finally, we characterize entire functions which are uniformly locally univalent relative to the euclidean metric and establish a curious connection between function...
"Legitimate commerce" in the Eighteenth Century: The Royal African Company of England Under the Duke of Chandos, 1720–1726

Following the loss in 1712 of its previous monopoly over British trade with West Africa, the Royal African Company found itself unable to compete with smaller, lower-cost British slave traders and nearly collapsed entirely. Salvation seemed to arrive in 1720 in the person of James Brydges, the Duke of Chandos, who led a massive re-capitalization of the company and made the strategic decision to move its focus to the commodity trade between Europe and Africa and on the search for new botanical and mineral resources in Africa itself. While Chandos directed the RAC’s employees in implementing this radical new scheme, he kept it secret from his fellow shareholders, leading them to believe that his plans were aimed at revitalizing the company’s mature but declining line of business in the transatlantic slave trade. The Duke’s strategy, however, proved overly ambitious and failed to reverse the company’s decline.
Impaired Balance of Mitochondrial Fission and Fusion in Alzheimer's Disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neurons. In this study, we explored the involvement of an abnormal mitochondrial dynamics by investigating the changes in the expression of mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins in AD brain and the potential cause and consequence of these changes in neuronal cells. We found that mitochondria were redistributed away from axons in the pyramidal neurons of AD brain. Immunoblot analysis revealed that levels of DLP1 (also referred to as Drp1), OPA1, Mfn1, and Mfn2 were significantly reduced whereas levels of Fis1 were significantly increased in AD. Despite their differential effects on mitochondrial morphology, manipulations of these mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins in neuronal cells to mimic their expressional changes in AD caused a similar abnormal mitochondrial distribution pattern, such that mitochondrial density was reduced in the cell periphery of M17 cells or neuronal process of primary neurons and correlated with reduced spine density in the neurite. Interestingly, oligomeric amyloid-beta-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs) caused mitochondrial fragmentation and reduced mitochondrial density in neuronal processes. More importantly, ADDL-induced synaptic change (i.e., loss of dendritic spine and postsynaptic density protein 95 puncta) correlated with abnormal mitochondrial distribution. DLP1 overexpression, likely through repopulation of neuronal processes with mitochondria, prevented ADDL-induced synaptic loss, suggesting that abnormal mitochondrial dynamics plays an important role in ADDL-induced synaptic abnormalities. Based on these findings, we suggest that an altered balance in mitochondrial fission and fusion is likely an important mechanism leading to mitochondrial and neuronal dysfunction in AD brain.
Digital and hybrid computer simulation of power systems

In order to meet the increasing demand for reliable design and expansion of power networks, the use of system simulation must play a leading role in the power industry's future R & D programs. Digital com puters are already widely used in the analysis and design of large power networks. Hybrid computers offer a convenient alternative, especially where fast and accurate simulation of complex nonlinearities is required.In this article, general principles are presented for the computer simulation of interconnected power systems. The technique discussed is directly applicable to an all-digital simulation, but emphasis is also placed on a hybrid implementation in which the transmission por tion of the system is represented digitally, while theintegration and nonlinearities associated with termi nal apparatus are represented on the analog. Example studies are performed to illustrate the technique. Results include voltage waveforms for a three-phase line energization, and the modification of switching transients...
Hybrid Deposition Manufacturing: Design Strategies for Multimaterial Mechanisms Via Three-Dimensional Printing and Material Deposition

This paper describes a novel fabrication technique called hybrid deposition manufacturing (HDM), which combines additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as fused deposition manufacturing (FDM) with material deposition and embedded components to produce multimaterial parts and systems for robotics, mechatronics, and articulated mechanism applications. AM techniques are used to print both permanent components and sacrificial molds for deposited resins and inserted parts. Design strategies and practical techniques for developing these structures and molds are described, taking into account considerations such as printer resolution, build direction, and printed material strength. The strengths of interfaces between printed and deposited materials commonly used in the authors' implementation of the process are measured to characterize the robustness of the resulting parts. The process is compared to previously documented layered manufacturing methodologies, and the authors present examples of systems produced with the process, including robot fingers, a multimaterial airless tire, and an articulated camera probe. This effort works toward simplifying fabrication and assembly complexity over comparable techniques, leveraging the benefits of AM, and expanding the range of design options for robotic mechanisms.
Youth gangs and incarcerated delinquents: Exploring the ties between gang membership, delinquency, and social learning theory

This paper explores the conceptual and empirical ties between membership in youth gangs, youthful misconduct, and Akers's social learning theory. The adolescent population studied, however, is unique: it consists of adjudicated and incarcerated delinquents. The data for the study were obtained by conducting a census of all youths in the custody of the New Mexico Youth Authority in January 1991; more than 85 percent of all youths incarcerated on the administration day (258 young men and women) participated in the study. We found that gang members had acquired more pro-gang attitudes than nongang youths and were more favorably inclined toward gang activities; neither gang membership nor the gang-based social learning theory variables, however, were related uniformly to all forms of self-reported delinquency. We address the theoretical and policy implications of these findings.
Performance Measures for Neyman–Pearson Classification

In the Neyman-Pearson (NP) classification paradigm, the goal is to learn a classifier from labeled training data such that the probability of a false negative is minimized while the probability of a false positive is below a user-specified level alpha isin (0,1). This work addresses the question of how to evaluate and compare classifiers in the NP setting. Simply reporting false positives and false negatives leaves some ambiguity about which classifier is best. Unlike conventional classification, however, there is no natural performance measure for NP classification. We cannot reject classifiers whose false positive rate exceeds a since, among other reasons, the false positive rate must be estimated from data and hence is not known with certainty. We propose two families of performance measures for evaluating and comparing classifiers and suggest one criterion in particular for practical use. We then present general learning rules that satisfy performance guarantees with respect to these criteria. As in conventional classification, the notion of uniform convergence plays a central role, and leads to finite sample bounds, oracle inequalities, consistency, and rates of convergence. The proposed performance measures are also applicable to the problem of anomaly prediction.
LOW-TEMPERATURE VITREOUS BODIES*

The properties of a series of low-temperature bodies predominately comprised of clays and nepheline syenite are described. These bodies have a higher alumina content than the usual typical pottery bodies because of the high alumina content of nepheline syenite and clays and also because flint is introduced only in small amounts.
Nonprofits and evaluation: Managing expectations from the leader's perspective

The role of nonprofit human service executive directors in their organizations' program evaluation process is described. Recognizing that the leader's perspective from within the organization is fundamental to building capacity for and utilizing program evaluation, this study examines 42 executive directors to determine how they view program evaluation and what steps they took, if any, to build capacity for it in their organizations. The author explains how executive directors who recognize the external and internal organizational contexts for program evaluation, and who effectively balance the external pull with the internal push, are more likely to build long-term capacity for program evaluation. This involves various aspects of leadership commitment, including prioritizing, driving the process, managing the political environment, and incorporating organizational learning. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptive motion estimation using warping for video frame rate up-conversion

In this paper, a new motion compensated frame interpolation method is proposed based on the reliability of motion vectors determined by the block residual energy. Additional motion re-estimation is applied to those blocks where unreliable motion vectors are detected. The motion estimation algorithm employed in this work combines block-based motion estimation with optical flow-based estimation, resulting in a more accurate representation with only modest computational complexity. The experimental results show that it can improve the visual quality of the interpolated frames where competing methods fail.
Ugly Duckling by Day, Super Model by Night: The Influence of Body Image on the Use of Virtual Worlds

The use and importance of virtual worlds is growing worldwide but little is known about what influences participants to use them. The current study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), using sociometer theory, to explore influences on the use of virtual worlds. It is hypothesized that perceptions of body image are negatively related to the desire to become someone else, and that this and attitudes towards telepresence (i.e., sense of being there), social norms, and perceived behavioral control are positively related to the use of virtual worlds. Findings suggest that perceptions of body image through the desire to become someone else, attitudes toward telepresence, and subjective norms significantly affect the use of virtual worlds. Perceived behavioral control was found to have no significant impact on the use of virtual worlds. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Intelligent deburring of precision components

The author describes a strategy for using vision feedback for burr size and location determination, and then sensor feedback by combined force and acoustic emission sensing to position the deburring tool. In addition, the role of burr forming models in adjusting the machining parameters for product manufacture to minimize the burr size during machining is discussed. A proposal is made for a multifaceted approach to the prediction, process planning, and finishing operation for burr removal for precision component manufacture. Results of recent research at the University of California at Berkeley are presented to show the feasibility of this approach. >
Preliminary investigation of a polyethylene glycol hydrogel "nerve glue"

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel is a biocompatible semi-adherent gel like substance that can potentially augment nerve repair much like a fibrin sealant. Potential advantages of this substance include fast preparation and set up time, as well as adhesion inhibiting properties. The purpose of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of PEG hydrogel in this application. The sciatic nerves of 29 rats were transected and repaired using two 10-0 nylon sutures and either PEG hydrogel or fibrin glue. After 10 weeks, contraction forces of the reinnervated muscles were evaluated and histological assessment of scar tissue performed. Muscle strength testing revealed the average ratio of experimental to control sides for the fibrin glue group was 0.75 and for the PEG hydrogel group was 0.72 (no significant difference). Longitudinal sections through the nerve repair site showed no significant difference in nerve diameter but did demonstrate a significant reduction in scar thickness in the PEG hydrogel group (p < 0.01). Though further study is necessary to fully evaluate, PEG hydrogel results in less scar tissue formation and equivalent muscle recovery as fibrin sealant when applied as a nerve glue in a rodent sciatic nerve repair model.
Yes, Virginia, Nursing Does Have Laws:

In this article the author explores the possibility of the emergence of nursing laws as a natural consequence of the maturation and evolution of selected areas of nursing knowledge. To support this proposition, the evolution of social and scientific laws and their meanings are discussed. In addition, the roles that empirical validation and logical adequacy play in epistemological development, including the development of discipline-specific laws, are explored. Two areas of nursing knowledge in which laws may be emerging, as well as the foundation of these laws, are identified.
Studies on the Chemical Modifications of Metallo- Organic Charge-Transfer Complex Switching and Memory Storage Materials

In order to obtain desired switching and memory properties by carrying out chemical modifications on CuTCNQ-type charge-transfer complexes, systematic explorations on various donor and acceptor reactivities are necessary. Thus, the reactivities of thirty-three different metals with TCNQ and four organo-acceptors with Cu in an CH3CN solution were qualitatively studied, as well as the solvent effects on the complex film formation. Uniform coverage of Metallo-organic complex films were obtained (in the order of reactivities) on TCNQ complexes of Tl, Ca, Mg, Cu, Ag, Mn and Cd, as well as on Cu complexes of TCNQ(OET)2, BTCNQ and TCNQ(i-Pr)2. The donor reactivity is affected by its surface immunity (behavior) towards the acceptor attack and the solubility of the formed charge-transfer complex in the chosen solvent. The acceptor reactivity is affected mainly by a steric effect, followed by an inductive effect of the substituents. The complex film morphology and quality could be optimized by matching the relative reactivity of donor vs. acceptor and by choosing the appropriate solvent with proper solubility of the formed complex.
Syncope secondary to paroxysmal high grade AV block in a heavily trained man.

J.B. is a well-trained male with syncope due to paroxysmal AV nodal heart block who ultimately required a permanent pacemaker despite an initial attempt at cessation of training only. Baseline sinus node function was normal, but AV nodal conduction remained abnormal even after autonomic blockade supporting intrinsic AV nodal dysfunction. This case illustrates that vigorous physical training may unmask previously unrecognized intrinsic dysfunction of AV nodal conduction or, as previously reported for physical training induced sinus node dysfunction, cause AV nodal dysfunction. Simple cessation of training to treat this problem is often recommended but may not be adequate for some patients who remain at risk for recurrent syncope during the deconditioning period.
Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research, 1987–2003:

In this article, research conducted in the United States since 1987 on the effects of homework is summarized. Studies are grouped into four research designs. The authors found that all studies, regardless of type, had design flaws. However, both within and across design types, there was generally consistent evidence for a positive influence of homework on achievement. Studies that reported simple homework–achievement correlations revealed evidence that a stronger correlation existed (a) in Grades 7–12 than in K–6 and (b) when students rather than parents reported time on homework. No strong evidence was found for an association between the homework–achievement link and the outcome measure (grades as opposed to standardized tests) or the subject matter (reading as opposed to math). On the basis of these results and others, the authors suggest future research.
Hypnotizability and the Treatment of Phobic Behavior

In the seven cases reported in chapters 5, 6, and 7, I have emphasized the similarities between the clinical symptoms and hypnotic behavior. Further suggestive evidence of their relatedness lies in the frequently episodic nature of the clinical picture, at times strange and dramatic; its limited duration and tendency to recur; its inaccessibility to logic; its tendency to run its course autonomously; and when intense, its near-total absorption of the patient who becomes disconnected from his other experiences and activities, although at some level continues to be aware of them. In addition, all the patients reported were highly hypnotizable.
The co-creation experience from the customer perspective: its measurement and determinants

– Companies increasingly opt for co-creation by engaging customers in new product and service development processes. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the customer experience in co-creation situations and its determinants. , – The conceptual framework addresses the customer experience in co-creation situations, and its individual and environmental determinants. To examine the degree to which these determinants affect the customer experience in co-creation situations, the author starts by proposing and testing a multidimensional co-creation experience scale (n=66). Next, the author employs an experiment to test the hypotheses (n=180). , – Higher levels of customer role readiness, technologization, and connectivity positively affect different co-creation experience dimensions. The impact of these dimensions on the overall co-creation experience, however, differs according to customers’ expectations in terms of co-creation benefits. Therefore, the author concludes that the expected co-creation benefits determine the importance of the level of customer role readiness, technologization, and connectivity for the co-creation experience. , – This research generates a better understanding of the co-creation experience by providing insight into the co-creation experience dimensions and their relative importance for customers with different expectations in terms of co-creation benefits. Additionally, this research addresses the implications of customer heterogeneity in terms of expected co-creation benefits for designing co-creation environments, thereby helping managers to generate more rewarding co-creation experiences for their customers.
Automatic Authentication Method and Scanner

An automatic authentication system is introduced for authenticating manufactured goods. It includes authentication marks each composed of an analog mark and a digital mark, and an authentication scanner. The system's reliability, security, efficiency, and economy are discussed and found to be desirable.
Engineering and Material Considerations in Islet Cell Transplantation

The successful application and optimization of cell transplantation will require quantitative engineering design and analysis of cells and materials in which relevant biological processes remain complex and incompletely defined. This report primarily reviews the engineering and material considerations in islet cell transplantation, including established biological constraints and biohybrid devices for cell delivery, as well as available barrier materials and the associated processing strategies directed at the control of solute transport, barrier permeability, and host responses at the biological-material interface. Also described are current areas of investigation with particular promise as enabling technologies for accelerating the clinical effectiveness of islet cell transplantation.
The effects of array calibration errors on DF-based signal copy performance

This paper studies the effect of array calibration errors on the performance of various direction finding (DF) based signal copy algorithms. Unlike blind copy methods, this class of algorithms requires an estimate of the directions of arrival (DOAs) of the signals in order to compute the copy weight vectors. Under the assumption that the observation time is sufficiently long, the following algorithms are studied: classical beamforming, least squares, total least squares, linearly constrained minimum variance beamforming, and structured stochastic estimation. Expressions for the mean-square error of the signal estimates are derived as a function of the calibration errors for both the case where the DOAs are known precisely and for the case where the DOAs must be estimated.
Effects of systemic hypotension on postnatal intestinal circulation: role of angiotensin

Systemic hypotension causes a greater degree of vasoconstriction in intestine from 3- than from 35-day-old postnatal swine. To determine the basis for this age-dependent difference, systemic hypote...
Percutaneous Access to the Kidney: Endoscopic

Proper access to the renal collecting system presents the greatest challenge for the urologist performing percutaneous nephrolithotomy for large renal stones. This chapter describes a technique for percutaneous renal access in which placement of a ureteral access sheath and ureteroscopy in the prone position provide direct visualization of percutaneous needle placement through the kidney. Nephrolithotomy tract dilation and sheath placement occur in a similar fashion to standard PCNL, but with the advantage of direct visualization. With this technique, precise renal access can be obtained with fewer renal punctures, optimized position of the access into a superior pole posterior calyx, decreased complication rates, and improved stone clearance.
The application of operational tripping schemes [power systems]

The privatisation of the electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom has introduced new operational problems for the National Grid Company (NGC). This paper explains the reasons for an increased use of operational tripping schemes (OTS).
Statistical optimization of cultural conditions of an halophilic alpha-amylase production by halophilic Streptomyces sp. grown on orange waste powder

Abstract A newly isolated strain from the water of the salt marsh of Ain Mlila in Algeria identified as Streptomyces sp. 20r was investigated for its potential to produce amylolytic enzymes. The production optimization of α-amylase using an agroindustrial residue (orange waste) as the sole carbon source was performed with statistical methodology based on Plackett–Burman experimental designs. Among the various parameters screened, the effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources were investigated. The production of the α-amylase, proteins and biomass was achieved using the statistical method of Plackett–Burman design at N=24, namely 24 experiments and 23 factors in which 19 are real ones and 4 dummy. The production medium is prepared using orange waste powder at 30 °C under agitation. Statistical analysis showed that the changes in substrate concentration (5–15%), NaCl (0–6.5%), inoculum size (5–10%) and pH (5–9) were positively affecting the production and giving the highest level of α-amylase activity corresponded to 8.26 U/mL in submerged fermentation after 5 days of cultivation.
The CHAS Data: Obtaining Estimates of Housing Market Affordability

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data provide vital information on housing affordability measures. This article presents potential uses of the CHAS data, as well as limitations of the data. Researchers should explore the benefits of using CHAS data to examine the role of affordable housing market structure on the persistence of urban issues.
Human Agency in Islamic Moral Reasoning

Abstrak : Konsep “human agency” pada umumnya dikaitkan kemampuan otonom manusia untuk menentukan pilihan dan tindakannya sendiri, kemampuan manusia untuk memberikan perlawanan terhadap kemapanan, atau ketertundukan diri manusia terhadap suatu otoritas atau aturan tertentu. Dalam konteks tradisi pemikiran hukum Islam, human agency ternyata tidak hanya terdapat dalam bentuk ketertundukan diri terhadap otoritas teks al-Qur’an dan hadis, tapi juga ada bentuk-bentuk yang lainnya. Tulisan saya ini berusaha untuk menunjukkan bahwa dalam tradisi uṣūl fiqh terdapat kaidah-kaidah hukum yang memberikan ruang bagi berkembangnya teori human agency tidak hanya berorientasi pada keniscayaan manusia untuk tunduk terhadap otoritas teks keagamaan, tapi juga konsep human agency yang berbasis pada otonomi dan semangat anti kamapanan dalam diri manusia. Dengan mengupas konsep-konsep dalam usul fiqih seperti qiyās, istiḥsān, istiṣlāḥ, dan istiṣḥāb, kita akan mengetahui bahwa tindakan etik seseorang dalam Islam tidak semata bersumber dari teks keagamaan tetapi juga berdasarkan pemikiran otonom manusia yang pada ujungnya melahirkan konsep-konsep human agency yang lebih kontekstual, bukan tekstual. Kata kunci : human agency, otonomi manusia, otoritas teks religius, uṣūl fiqh, nalar syari‘at Abstract : The notion of human agency is generally associated with human capability to be autonomous in making choices and action, the human ability to make acts of resistance toward certain hegemonic and established rules or authorities. In the context of the tradition of Islamic legal thought, human agency is not merely contained in the term of human submission to the transmitted authority of the Quran and hadith, but also in another forms. This paper tries to show that there are legal maxims in the tradition of uṣūl fiqh that enable for the development of the idea of human agency which does not merely have an orientation to the human necessity of submission to the religious scriptural authority, but also the concept of human agency which based on human nature to be autonomous and resistant. While elaborating some concepts in the uṣūl fiqh such as qiyās, istiḥsān, istiṣlāḥ, and istiṣḥāb we would find out that one’s ethical act in Islam does not merely proceed from religious scripture but it is also based on the human’s autonomous thoughts which would culminate in the emerging of more contextual, not textual, concepts of human agency. Keywords : Human agency, human autonomous capability, religious scriptural authority, uṣūl fiqh, shariʿa reasoning
Potentiation of toxicity of malathion by triorthotolyl phosphate.

SummaryToxicity of malathion to male rats was markedly increased after treatment of animals with TOTP. At 24 hours after dermal application or intraperitoneal administration of 110 mg/kg of TOTP the LD50 of malathion was reduced from normal value of 1100 mg/kg to 12.5 and 8.2 mg/kg respectively. The increased susceptibility of rats to malathion persisted for as long as 14 days after treatment with TOTP. When TOTP was given 24 hours after malathion no potentiation was observed. TOTP inhibited enzymatic detoxification of malathion thus providing an explanation for its potentiating action. These findings indicate that the problem of potentiation of toxicity of organic phosphate insecticides extends beyond those agents commonly used for insecticidal purposes.
Semantic Properties of Selected Evaluation Adjectives

This article presents a methodology for determining the psychological meaning to respondents of several commonly used adjectives for evaluating products and advertisements. It also includes an inve...
Concordancing and Corpora for K-12 Teachers: Project MORE

This paper describes the technology-based training initiatives developed for public school teachers in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It focuses on the uses of corpora and concordancing in in-services and coursework designed for ESL, sheltered-content ESL and content-area teachers and describes how these groups of teachers have responded to the initial training. The challenges of introducing K-12 teachers to the applications of corpora and concordancing are highlighted and recommendations for overcoming these obstacles are presented.