cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A High-Resolution Amperometric Acetylcholine Sensor Based on Nano-Assembled Carbon Nanotube and Acetylcholinesterase Thin Films

We demonstrate a carbon nanotube based high-resolution biosensor for acetylcholine sensing. Carbon nanotubes are deposited on a silicon wafer in a repeated fashion with layer-by-layer nano self-assembly technique. With nano-assembled acetylcholinesterase molecules on the surface, the carbon nanotube biosensor is capable of detecting acetylcholine at an ultra-low concentration of 100 pM. The sensitivity of the acetylcholine sensor is measured as 7.2 µA/decade. The real-time measurement shows the response time of the biosensor is approximately 6 sec. Both the carbon nanotube film and the acetylcholinesterase film are crucial in the sensing process. Due to its high resolution, fast response, small size, and low cost, the carbon nanotube biosensor has tremendous potential for applications in medical research and clinical diagnosis.
Modeling and analysis of proximity losses in high-speed surface permanent magnet machines with concentrated windings

Surface permanent magnet (SPM) machines can be designed with fractional slot-concentrated windings (FSCW) to achieve extended speed ranges. High-speed operation can lead to significant levels of proximity losses in the stator windings due to substantial spatial harmonic magnetic fields in the air-gap as well as the high-frequency currents themselves. An integrated analysis tool is presented in this paper to calculate the strand- and bundle-level proximity losses in slotted stator conductors without requiring finite element analysis. A combination of analysis techniques, including Laplace equation solutions and conformal mapping, is used to estimate the magnetic field in each stator slot, providing the basis for proximity loss estimation. The match between losses estimated using the analytical model and finite element analysis is very promising.
Ethnic marketing — city trip

Abstract Muzaffer Uysal, Associate Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University, and Joseph O'Leary, Professor of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, investigate whether differences exist in the travel motivations, activities, and travel group type of blacks and whites from a national sample of travellers in the US population. Information from this study is intended to provide a basis for comparing the majority and minority groups both in terms of the factors that push people to travel and in the activities that may pull the tourist to an area, to warrant different kinds of marketing action.
A Tale of Two States: Do Consumers See Mental Health Insurance Parity When Shopping on State Exchanges?

All insurance products sold on the health insurance exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act are required to offer mental health and substance use disorder benefits in compliance with requirements of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). This column identifies two dimensions of parity compliance that consumers observe while shopping for insurance products offered on two state-run exchanges. The authors discuss a number of apparent discrepancies with the requirements of MHPAEA in these observable dimensions, emphasizing the potential impact of these factors on consumers’ decisions about plan enrollment. The analysis reveals a nuanced picture of how insurance issuers are presenting behavioral health benefits to potential enrollees and illustrates broader concerns about parity compliance and the potential for selection on the exchanges. Four specific discrepancies are highlighted as areas for further evaluation.
Electrical and optical properties of aqueous dispersions of lyotropic liquid crystallites and vesicles

Aqueous dispersions of sodium 4-(1′-heptylnonyl)benzenesulfonate (SHBS) show pronounced low-frequency (10-105 Hz) dielectric constants. Dielectric constants (as high as 40,000 at weight fractions of 0.02) and conductivities depend strongly on the frequency and the details of preparation—stirring, dialysis, heating and cooling, sonication, etc.—reflecting the size distribution of the dispersed charged particles. Combination of dielectric, conductivity, spectroturbidimetric, viscosity, and other data reveal that in unsonicated dispersions particle sizes range from 100 μm to less than 0.04 μm. After extensive dialysis the conductivity drops 3-fold and the viscosity rises 30-fold or more, evidently because of increased interparticle interactions. Over weeks and months the conductivity and viscosity tend to recover. Extended sonication yields predominantly vesicles of diameters 36 to 45 nm and much lower polydispersity. The ζ-potential of micron-size spherulites is estimated from microelectrophoresis to be 10 to 20 mV and decreases with increasing NaCl concentration.
Temperature dynamics and control of a water-cooled fuel cell stack

Abstract In this paper, a time-varying proportional-integral (PI) controller is designed for controlling the temperature of a water-cooled 5 kW hydrogen fuel cell stack. This controller is designed using a mathematical model for the stack temperature, which is derived using basic chemical engineering material and energy balances. The controller affects the stack temperature by changing the flow rate of cooling water that passes across the stack. The model is then analyzed using a number of power demand profiles to determine the effectiveness of the controller. The results show that a time-varying PI controller is adequate for maintaining the stack temperature within 5 K of the target point.
Fatigue crack growth in magnesium single crystals under cyclic loading: Molecular dynamics simulation

The fatigue crack propagation behavior of magnesium single crystal was analyzed using molecular dynamics simulation. The inter-atomic potential used in this investigation is Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potentials. The studies of the mechanism of fatigue crack growth in different crystal orientation were performed using Center Crack (CC) specimens while Edge Crack (EC) specimens were employed to investigate the effects of strain rate and temperature. For CC specimen, the periodic boundary conditions were assigned in the x and z direction, while for EC specimen, only z direction was allowed periodic boundary conditions. In order to study the orientation dependence of fatigue crack growth mechanism, 10 crystal orientations of initial crack were analyzed and the simulation results reveal that the fatigue crack growth rate and the crack path vary significantly with the crystallographic orientations of initial crack. The growth rate of orientation D is the highest and the resistance of fatigue crack growth of orientation B is the highest. The analysis of the influences of strain rate was carried out on the orientation F and the results revealed that the growth rate of fatigue crack decreasing with increasing strain rate. The fatigue crack growth rates of different orientation decrease with increasing temperature.
Effect of inoculation on the biodegradation of wathered Prudhoe Bay crude oil

Enrichment cultures from oil-contaminated beach material from Prince William Sound, Alaska, generated both a mixed bacterial community of indigenous, oil-degrading marine microorganisms and a pure culture oil-degrader, strain EI2V. The mixed and axenic cultures were used in comparative shake flask studies of inoculation on biodegradation of Prudhoe Bay crude oil. Within 12 h following inoculation of homogenized, oiled beach material with the mixed culture, total CO2 production was increased 2-fold relative to a noninoculated control. Moreover, measurements of phenanthrene degradation (as determined by the release of14CO2 from [9-14C]phenanthrene) showed a 2-or 3-fold greater degradation when inoculated with either strain EI2V or with the mixed culture, respectively. However, as medium was replaced by a simulated tidal cycle, the observed stimulation of CO2 production decreased, and the addition of strain EI2V had no greater effect on total CO2 production than the addition of inorganic nutrients alone. Chemical analysis of oil recovered after 7 days incubation also suggested that, while these cultures are capable of efficient biodegradation of Prudhoe Bay crude in liquid culture, inoculation of beach material with high numbers of these microorganisms had little effect on the rate and extent of biodegradation of weathered crude oil. Overall, the sustained stimulatory effect was no greater than that observed with the addition of inorganic nutrients alone.
Cytochemical Studies of Responses of Corticotropes and Thyrotropes to Cold and Novel Environment Stress

Cold stress stimulates the release of both ACTH and TSH from the pituitary. More striking changes in ACTH content have been seen in the intermediate lobe after cold stress. Therefore, this study was designed to test responses of individual anterior lobe corticotropes to cold exposure. Male rats were exposed to either 30 min of cold (+3–5 C), 30 min of a novel, temperate environment (+24 C) or were unstressed (+24 C). Pituitaries were fixed and embedded in preparation for immunolabeling for ACTH or TSH-β at the light (semithin sections) and electron microscopic levels. The semithin sections were used to measure areas of corticotropes and thyrotropes with Bioquant image analysis equipment. Separate groups of pituitaries were dissociated and the cells were cultured for 2 or 15 h. Then the cells were stimulated for 5–10 min with biotinylated analogs of corticotropin-releasing hormone (bio-CRH) or arginine vasopressin (bio-AVP) to detect the target cells cytochemically. A third group of dissociated cells were ...
Routine housework and tripartite marital commitment

This study assumes that performing household labor is a method of maintaining the marital relationship and investigates whether higher marital commitment (personal, moral, and structural) is associated with more time spent on housework. Data taken from the second wave of the National Survey of Families and Households on 3,428 paired spouses in the United States were used to test research hypotheses. Results indicate that (a) husbands with higher moral commitment, or those married to a wife with lower moral commitment, do more routine housework, and (b) husbands with stronger personal commitment do less routine housework and their wives do more. The interplay of gender ideology and marital commitment as they pertain to housework performance for each gender is discussed.
The effects of attenuation of frequency segments on binaural localization of sound

Perceived location of tonal stimuli d narrow noise bands presented in two-dimensional space varies in an orderly manner with changes in stimulus frequency. Hence, frequency has a referent in space that is most apparent during monaural listening. The assumption underlying the present study is that maximum sound pressure level measured at the ear canal entrance for the various frequencies serves as a prominent spectral cue for their spatial referents. Even in binaural localization, location judgments in the vertical plane are strongly influenced by spatial referents. We measured sound pressure levels at the left ear canal entrance for 1.0-kHz-wide noise bands, centered from 4.0 kHz through 10.0 kHz, presented at locations from 60° through −45° in the vertical plane; the horizontal plane coordinate was fixed at −90°. On the basis of these measurements, we fabricated three different band-stop stimuli in which differently centered 2.0-kHz-wide frequency segments were filtered from a broadband noise. Unfiltered broadband noise served as the remaining stimulus. Localization accuracy differed significantly among stimulus conditions (p<.01). Where in the vertical plane most errors were made depended on which frequency segment was filtered from the broadband noise.
Pitfall of venous occlusion plethysmography.

The supposition that the lower limb expands uniformly in circumference during venous occlusion has been investigated. The 3 compartments of the calf were found to expand to differing degrees depending on the volume of muscle within the compartment. The effect of this phenomenon on the measurement of venous outflow and capacitance using an overlapping strain gauge was assessed. When using an overlapping strain gauge, the anatomical site of overlap was found to alter the measured values of outflow and capacitance by as much as 50%. These errors do not arise with strain gauges designed to fit a small range of limb circumferences, so that no overlap occurs.The reproducibility of plethysmography may be enhanced by attention to the site and degree of overlap of gauges which are designed to fit all sizes of limb. Technicians performing venous occlusion plethysmography should be aware of these variations, so that the examination technique can be stan dardized.
Slow potential changes in cat brain during classical appetitive and aversive conditioning of jaw movement.

Abstract Slow potentials were recorded from several subcortical nuclei and from dura over motor cortex of thirty cats during classical conditioning of jaw movement using tone as conditioned stimulus, and acid or a meat-milk mix as unconditioned stimulus. Potentials in medial geniculate grew more positive during habituation and training. Slow potentials measured from lateral hypothalamus and splenial gyrus in experimental groups changed differently over the course of training than slow potentials measured from control groups. In splenil gyrus the foregoing effect was specific to groups receiving aversive reinforcement. No significant effects of treatment variables were found in motor corte xof medial ventral hypothalamus. The thalamic relay for gustatory input (VPM) appeared to be related to early development of behavioral conditioned responses, while being of little importance during response stabilization.
Thymidine analog methods for studies of adult neurogenesis are not equally sensitive

Adult neurogenesis is often studied by labeling new cells with the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and using immunohistochemical methods for their visualization. Using this approach, considerable variability has been reported in the number of new cells produced in the dentate gyrus of adult rodents. We examined whether immunohistochemical methods, including BrdU antibodies from different vendors (Vector, BD, Roche, Dako, Novocastra, and Accurate) and DNA denaturation pretreatments alter the quantitative and qualitative patterns of BrdU labeling. We also compared the sensitivity and specificity of BrdU with two other thymidine analogs, iododeoxyuridine (IdU) and chlorodeoxyuridine (CldU). We found that the number of BrdU-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus of adult rats was dependent on the BrdU antibody used but was unrelated to differences in antibody penetration. Even at a higher concentration, some antibodies (Vector and Novocastra) stained fewer cells. A sensitive BrdU antibody (BD) was specific for dividing cells; all BrdU-labeled cells stained for Ki67, an endogenous marker of cell proliferation. We also observed that DNA denaturation pretreatments affected the number of BrdU-labeled cells and staining intensity for a marker of neuronal differentiation, NeuN. Finally, we found that IdU and CldU, when used at molarities comparable to those that label the maximal number of cells with BrdU, are less sensitive. These data suggest that antibody and thymidine analog selection, as well as the staining procedure employed, can affect the number of newly generated neurons detected in the adult brain, thus providing a potential explanation for some of the variability in the adult neurogenesis literature.
Stimulus-evoked resetting of the dentate theta rhythm: relation to working memory.

THE relationship between memory and rhythmic neural activity in the dentate gyrus was investigated by analyzing spontaneous dentate field potentials in rats performing either a working or reference memory task. The baseline level of rhythmic theta activity was similar in both groups. Following an in
Validity of the Finite-Difference Droplet Collection Equation.

Abstract The validity of the finite-difference form of the droplet collection equation is examined. A derivation of this equation is presented in which emphasis is placed on the assumptions and approximations underlying the equation. The proper method of examining the validity of the equation is then discussed. This method involves comparing the dispersion in the behavior of the size distribution of a population with the predictions of the equation. The validity of the equation, when applied to a particular population subject to a particular type of collection probability, is quantitatively examined. The inferences drawn for this particular case are extrapolated to more general cases. It is shown, when the finite-difference collection equation is applied to populations with the naturally occurring “skewed-bell” type of size distribution, that its predictions at each time step are more valid for the small and large droplet sizes, at which there are, respectively, the greatest and least numbers of droplets....
Curved‐channel microchannel array plates

Microchannel array plates (MCPs) in which the channels are curved to inhibit ion‐feedback, in an identical manner to that employed in a conventional channel electron multiplier, have been fabricated and their performance characteristics have been evaluated. These devices represent a major advance in MCP technology since a single curved‐channel MCP can be operated stably at high gain in the pulse‐counting mode. Gains of greater than 106 electrons pulse−1 have been obtained at applied potentials of the order of 2000 V with maximum count‐rate capabilities exceeding 105 counts mm−2s−1 and lifetimes exceeding 2.5×1011 counts mm−2.
Advances in Ultrafast 2D Spectroscopy

This talk will cover recent developments in the use of femtosecond pulse shaping technology for collecting 2-D IR and 2-D Vis spectra and their applications to biophysical and energy related topics.
Methylphenidate and its ethanol transesterification metabolite ethylphenidate: brain disposition, monoamine transporters and motor activity.

Ethylphenidate is formed by metabolic transesterification of methylphenidate and ethanol. Study objectives were to (a) establish that ethylphenidate is formed in C57BL/6 (B6) mice; (b) compare the stimulatory effects of ethylphenidate and methylphenidate enantiomers; (c) determine methylphenidate an
What is Program Evaluation? Generating Knowledge for Improvement

In this introductory article, we discuss the nature of Program Evaluation, describing the concepts that underlie our formal and informal evaluative efforts. Program Evaluation, like any deliberate inquiry process, is about learning. The process explicates program purposes, activities, and outcomes and generates knowledge about their merit and worth. This knowledge can inform planning and lead to program improvement. We present and discuss various definitions of Program Evaluation, focussing on its purposes and uses. We also provide an overview of the inquiry process, grounding the search for merit and worth in the American Evaluation Association’s Guiding Principles for Evaluators. Because program evaluations are typically conducted to inform decision makers, we discuss aspects of professional practise that contribute to the use of an evaluation.
α-Glycerophosphate Dehydrogenase Activity in Rat Spermatozoa

Rat spermatozoa were unusually rich in a-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) activity. Significant amounts appeared in the testes coincident with the first appearance of mature spermatozoa, and the increased enzyme activity of the testes paralleled the increasing numbers of step 18-19 spermatids present during maturation. The GPD activity of the epididymis was also due to the spermatozoa contained therein. When spermatogenesis was prevented by making an immature testis cryptorchid, GPD activity failed to develop in the testis or associated epididymis. When the germ cells of a mature testis were destroyed by administering dimethylbenzanthracene to the rat, no spermatozoa or GPD activity were present 38 days later; however, the epididymis still retained spermatozoa and GPD activity. Estrogen administered to an adult male rat markedly decreased the spermatozoa content and the GPD activity in both the testis and epididymis; estrogen also prevented the normal development of spermatogenesis and GPD in the matu...
Application of differential electrochemical mass spectrometry to the electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid at a modified Bi/Pt electrode surface

The design and construction of a differential electrochemical mass spectrometry system is presented. This system has been employed in the study of the reaction products and intermediates during the electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid on Pt(111) and deliberately stepped platinum surfaces, modified with irreversibly adsorbed Bi (Biad).
Circumstellar and interstellar material in the CO3 chondrite ALHA77307: An isotopic and elemental investigation

Abstract We have carried out a NanoSIMS C, N and O ion imaging study of the CO3.0 chondrite ALHA77307. The distribution of O-anomalous grains in ALHA77307 is similar to that observed in other primitive meteorites, and is dominated (84%) by 17 O-rich Group 1 grains from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars of close-to-solar metallicity. Four percent of the grains belong to Group 2, whose 18 O depletions suggest cool-bottom processing in low-mass stars during the AGB phase, while 8% are Group 4 grains with likely origins in Type II supernova (SN) ejecta. One ferromagnesian silicate has a very high 17 O enrichment; nova explosions have been suggested as sources for such grains, but recent models with updated reaction rates show large discrepancies with the grain data, leaving the origins of these grains uncertain. Most of the grains are silicates (86%) with the remainder consisting of oxides (8%), three silica grains and two ‘composite’ grains composed of multiple subgrains with different elemental compositions. The elemental compositions of the silicates are similar to those found in other studies, with a predominance of non-stoichiometric compositions and high (up to 44 at.%) Fe concentrations. A comparison of isotopic and elemental compositions for all presolar silicates shows that olivine compositions are overabundant in Group 4 grains compared to grains from Groups 1 and 2. This may reflect injection of presolar material from a nearby supernova into the early solar nebula and incorporation into parent bodies before alteration of compositions through irradiation and sputtering in the interstellar medium, as is likely to have occurred for the Group 1 and 2 grains from more distant AGB stars. The matrix material in ALHA77307 contains abundant carbonaceous hotspots with excesses in 15 N. However, unlike CR chondrites, the insoluble organic matter (IOM) in ALHA77307 does not have a bulk N isotopic anomaly, consistent with Raman evidence that it has experienced more processing than IOM from CR chondrites. Nevertheless, secondary processing has clearly not been so pervasive as to lead to complete destruction of N isotopic anomalies in this meteorite. Moreover, presolar silicate abundances and elemental compositions show little evidence for thermal processing, indicating a decoupling of the effects of metamorphism on organic matter and matrix silicates.
Head and neck sarcomas: analysis of the SEER database.

ObjectiveTo summarize the epidemiology of sarcomas occurring in the head and neck and identify prognostic factors for patient survival.Study Design and SettingCross-sectional analysis of the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program.MethodsThe SEER 18 registries, comprising sarcoma diagnoses made from 1973 to 2010, were queried for sarcomas arising in the head and neck. Pediatric and adult patients were analyzed separately, and multivariate and propensity-matched analyses were performed to identify predictors of disease-specific survival.ResultsIn all, 11,481 adult cases and 1244 pediatric cases were identified. In adults, the most common histologic subtypes were malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), Kaposi sarcoma, and hemangiosarcoma, while in the pediatric cohort, the most common histologic subtypes were rhabdomyosarcoma, MFH, and osteosarcoma. Cause-specific 2-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 76%, 66%, and 61% for adults and 84%, 73%, and 71% for pediat...
Gender and Race: (What) Are They? (What) Do We Want Them To Be?

L'A. etudie les paralleles et les differences entre les genres et les races du point de vue de l'epistemologie feministe. Distinguant les projets conceptuel, descriptiviste et analytique de definition des notions de genre et race, l'A. defend une theorie critique feministe et anti-raciste qui peut servir comme instrument dans le combat contre l'injustice, les inegalites et les oppressions sociales, en vue d'une redefinition normative de l'action des femmes et des gens de couleur dans le cadre de la communaute.
Therapeutic Strategies for Language Disordered Children: The Impact of Visual Imagery on Verbal Encoding in Vocabulary Instruction

This investigation focused on the impact of visual imagery on the strategies of categorization and verbal rehearsal in group vocabulary instruction among language disordered children. Sixteen sixth and seventh grade language disordered students were divided into two groups. These groups were taught twenty target vocabulary items through instruction revolving around the verbal encoding strategies of categorization and verbal rehearsal. One group was taught the words using an approach which emphasized visual imagery; the other did not receive this type of emphasis. Results of this investigation indicate that visual imagery may enhance verbal encoding strategies in vocabulary instruction among language disordered children. Implications of the results are discussed.
Both the paired domain and homeodomain are required for in vivo function of Drosophila Paired

Drosophila paired, a homolog of mammalian Pax-3, is key to the coordinated regulation of segment-polarity genes during embryogenesis. The paired gene and its homologs are unusual in encoding proteins with two DNA-binding domains, a paired domain and a homeodomain. We are using an in vivo assay to dissect the functions of the domains of this type of molecule. In particular, we are interested in determining whether one or both DNA-binding activities are required for individual in vivo functions of Paired. We constructed point mutants in each domain designed to disrupt DNA binding and tested the mutants with ectopic expression assays in Drosophila embryos. Mutations in either domain abolished the normal regulation of the target genes engrailed, hedgehog, gooseberry and even-skipped, suggesting that these in vivo functions of Paired require DNA binding through both domains rather than either domain alone. However, when the two mutant proteins were placed in the same embryo, Paired function was restored, indicating that the two DNA-binding activities need not be present in the same molecule. Quantitation of this effect shows that the paired domain mutant has a dominant-negative effect consistent with the observations that Paired protein can bind DNA as a dimer.
Estimating development cost for a tailored interactive computer program to enhance colorectal cancer screening compliance.

The authors used an actual-work estimate method to estimate the cost of developing a tailored interactive computer education program to improve compliance with colorectal cancer screening guidelines in a large multi-specialty group medical practice. Resource use was prospectively collected from time logs, administrative records, and a design and computing subcontract. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the uncertainty of the overhead cost rate and other parameters. The cost of developing the system was $328,866. The development cost was $52.79 per patient when amortized over a 7-year period with a cohort of 1,000 persons. About 20% of the cost was incurred in defining the theoretic framework and supporting literature, constructing the variables and survey, and conducting focus groups. About 41% of the cost was for developing the messages, algorithms, and constructing program elements, and the remaining cost was to create and test the computer education program. About 69% of the cost was attributable to personnel expenses. Development cost is rarely estimated but is important for feasibility studies and ex-ante economic evaluations of alternative interventions. The findings from this study may aid decision makers in planning, assessing, budgeting, and pricing development of tailored interactive computer-based interventions.
Taphonomic degradation of molluscan remains during thirteen years on the continental shelf and slope of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract In 1993, SSETI (Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative) deployed shells of a suite of molluscan species in a variety of environments of preservation (EOPs) covering a range of depths and sediment types on the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf and upper slope, with the goal of measuring taphonomic rates over an extended period of time. SSETI retrieved shells from these EOPs after 2, 8, and 13 years. The degree of shell degradation was significantly influenced by species, elapsed time-since-deployment, and EOP. A suite of ‘physical’ taphonomic processes, such as dissolution, abrasion, discoloration, and edge alteration, increased in severity over the 13 years; fragmentation occurred in some species. Dissolution proceeded apace; however the incidence of chalkiness declined from high levels observed after a few years while the more extreme levels of dissolution, such as the development of a soft or deeply-dissolved surface, rose significantly in frequency. The incidence of original color declined, while fading of original color increased. Brown-to-red and green discoloration rose rapidly in the first eight years and then declined, leaving a faded shell surface. Between-habitat differences in degradation rate were significant for most taphonomic attributes. Between-species differences were minor in comparison. Thus, taphofacies, the product of the independent actions of a suite of taphonomic processes, originate from and provide information on environmental conditions. Species composition has a lesser inherent influence on the outcome. Not uncommonly, the rates of change in shell condition differed significantly between EOPs although the direction of change was coincident. This was particularly true of the summary indices such as maximum discoloration or the average degree of dissolution. The taphonomic process is nonlinear in time. Nonlinearity is EOP-dependent, becoming a defining attribute leading to disparate taphofacies types. Some taphonomic processes cannot proceed expeditiously without prior alteration of the shell through other taphonomic means. Some taphonomic conditions such as chalkiness can be intermediate states. The presumption that similar taphonomic characteristics between EOPs indicate similar environmental processes operating at similar rates is falsified by SSETI sites in which similar taphonomic indices at Year 13 accrued from different time-varying degradational rates during the preceding years.
A type theory for memory allocation and data layout

Ordered type theory is an extension of linear type theory in which variables in the context may be neither dropped nor re-ordered. This restriction gives rise to a natural notion of adjacency. We show that a language based on ordered types can use this property to give an exact account of the layout of data in memory. The fuse constructor from ordered logic describes adjacency of values in memory, and the mobility modal describes pointers into the heap. We choose a particular allocation model based on a common implementation scheme for copying garbage collection and show how this permits us to separate out the allocation and initialization of memory locations in such a way as to account for optimizations such as the coalescing of multiple calls to the allocator.
Size of sampling unit strongly influences detection of seedling limitation in a wet tropical forest.

Seedling limitation could structure communities, but often is evaluated with sampling units that are orders of magnitude smaller than mature plants. We censused seedlings for 5.5 years in five 1 × 200-m transects in a wet Neotropical forest. For 106 common species (≥ 10 seedlings in a transect), we calculated prevalence (occurrence of ≥ 1 newly emerged seedlings per sampling unit) at 1 m2 and at 1 m × mature crown diameter units by aggregating adjacent quadrats. For most species, prevalence was 2–25% at 1 m2, but 20–92% at mature crown scales. Increased prevalence arose from broadly distributed seedlings within transects, with unoccupied segments generally shorter than crown diameters. At the landscape scale, 69% of 301 species were locally rare (< 10 seedlings) and only 16% were represented in all transects (maximally separated by 2.4 km). Nonetheless, for more common species, much lower estimates of seedling limitation at mature crown scales suggest weaker influence of seedling limitation on community dynamics than previously assumed.
Effect of Hydroxyzine and Meperidine on Arterial Blood Gases in Healthy Human Volunteers

Because hydroxyzine hydrochloride is frequently used to tranquilize patients, who are receiving narcotic analgesics for pain relief, its effect alone and in combination with meperidine on arterial blood gases and ventilation in patients at rest was evaluated in 65 healthy volunteers, who gave informed consent. Hydroxyzine hydrochloride, 1.5 mg/kg IV given over 30 seconds, caused no decrease but rather a significant (P < .001) increase in Pao2 and no increase in Paco2 and/or pH at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes (N = 29; mean age = 47.0 years). Meperidine, 1.5 mg/kg IV given over 30 seconds, caused a significant (P < .01) reduction in Pao2 at 5 minutes indicating ventilatory depression but no increase in Paco2 and/or pH (N = 19; mean age = 32.4 years). The combination of the same doses of hydroxyzine with meperidine IV caused a significantly greater decrease in Pao2 only at 10 minutes but a greater increase in Paco2 and pH at all times for 60 minutes than did meperidine alone (N = 17; mean age = 39.5 years), which indicates greater ventilatory depression with the combination than with hydroxyzine alone. However, Pao2, Paco2 and pH remained within the awake normal ranges for Pao2, Paco2, and pH for the age group of volunteers even at 10 minutes after IV injection of the drug combination when most of the volunteers were asleep. In conclusion, hydroxyzine even when given IV in excess of the maximum IM therapeutic doses caused no changes in Pao2, Paco2 or pH, which would indicate clinically important ventilatory depression. Furthermore, blood gases remained in the normal awake range even after the combined IV administration of hydroxyzine and meperidine in excess of the maximum IM therapeutic doses.
Neural circuit architecture defects in a Drosophila model of Fragile X syndrome are alleviated by minocycline treatment and genetic removal of matrix metalloproteinase

SUMMARY Fragile X syndrome (FXS), caused by loss of the fragile X mental retardation 1 ( FMR1 ) product (FMRP), is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. FXS patients suffer multiple behavioral symptoms, including hyperactivity, disrupted circadian cycles, and learning and memory deficits. Recently, a study in the mouse FXS model showed that the tetracycline derivative minocycline effectively remediates the disease state via a proposed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition mechanism. Here, we use the well-characterized Drosophila FXS model to assess the effects of minocycline treatment on multiple neural circuit morphological defects and to investigate the MMP hypothesis. We first treat Drosophila Fmr1 ( dfmr1 ) null animals with minocycline to assay the effects on mutant synaptic architecture in three disparate locations: the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), clock neurons in the circadian activity circuit and Kenyon cells in the mushroom body learning and memory center. We find that minocycline effectively restores normal synaptic structure in all three circuits, promising therapeutic potential for FXS treatment. We next tested the MMP hypothesis by assaying the effects of overexpressing the sole Drosophila tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP) in dfmr1 null mutants. We find that TIMP overexpression effectively prevents defects in the NMJ synaptic architecture in dfmr1 mutants. Moreover, co-removal of dfmr1 similarly rescues TIMP overexpression phenotypes, including cellular tracheal defects and lethality. To further test the MMP hypothesis, we generated dfmr1;mmp1 double null mutants. Null mmp1 mutants are 100% lethal and display cellular tracheal defects, but co-removal of dfmr1 allows adult viability and prevents tracheal defects. Conversely, co-removal of mmp1 ameliorates the NMJ synaptic architecture defects in dfmr1 null mutants, despite the lack of detectable difference in MMP1 expression or gelatinase activity between the single dfmr1 mutants and controls. These results support minocycline as a promising potential FXS treatment and suggest that it might act via MMP inhibition. We conclude that FMRP and TIMP pathways interact in a reciprocal, bidirectional manner.
Sulfur and Saccharin Incorporation into Electrodeposited CoFe Alloys: Consequences for Magnetic and Corrosion Properties

Incorporation of sulfur into 2.4 T CoFe alloys during galvanostatic deposition has been studied. The results indicate that the main source of sulfur in magnetic deposit is saccharin used as an additive in the plating solution. The atomic percent of sulfur in deposit and the sulfur incorporation rate show strong dependence on saccharin concentration in the plating solution. This dependence has pronounced maximum at Csac 0.12 g L �1 , while for Csac 1.5 g L �1 the incorporation rate approaches constant value. A simple physical model is developed to describe the sulfur incorporation as a function of saccharin concentration having an excellent qualitative agreement with experimental data. The corrosion and magnetic properties of the electrodeposited 2.4 T CoFe alloys were found to be the strong function of the sulfur incorporation rate, and these results are discussed within the framework of the proposed sulfur incorporation model.
Substance Abuse in Children of Parents with Mental Illness: Risks, Resiliency, and Best Prevention Practices

Published research on the effects of parental mental illness diagnosis or symptoms on childhood substance abuse (SA) is reviewed. Family and environmental circumstances related to having a parent with a mental illness also put these children at risk for SA. Risk and protective factors for developing a substance use or related disorder in these children are summarized. Recommendations for SA prevention in children of parents with mental illness are presented and used to critique existing substance abuse prevention programs. Limitations of the research are noted vis-a-vis lack of participant racial/ethnic diversity, inconsistent results, methodological flaws, and few efficacy studies.
A conceptual design of a hydrogen-fluoride chemical laser driver for inertial confinement fusion

This paper summarizes the results of a study which assessed the potential of the hydrogen-fluoride (HF) chemical laser as a laser-fusion driver. The evaluation was made by designing a laser system in sufficient detail that potential problems could be identified. A summary of the laser design including amplifier parameters, electron-beam accelerator specifications, gas-handling system, pulse shape considerations, and net efficiency calculations is presented here. The final laser design consists of 20, 100 kJ final amplifiers, which combine to yield a 2 MJ laser output. The energy is delivered in a shaped pulse in which one-half of the energy is delivered in the last 3 ns. The pulse rate is 4 pulses per second and the net efficiency is approximately 3 percent. Consideration is also given to the consequences of varying certain laser parameters. The general conclusion obtained from this study is that the HF laser is an attractive laser candidate for laser-fusion applications.
WCI 02 Improvements on the Porter's Stemming Algorithm for Portuguese

The amount of textual information digitally stored is growing every day. However, our capability of processing and analyzing that information is not growing at the same pace. To overcome this limitation, it is important to develop semi-automatic processes to extract relevant knowledge from textual information, such as the text mining process. One of the main and most expensive stages of the text mining process is the text pre-processing stage, where the unstructured text should be transformed to structured format such as an attribute-value table. The stemming process, i.e. linguistics normalization, is usually used to find the attributes of this table. However, the stemming process is strongly dependent on the language in which the original textual information is given. Furthermore, for most languages, the stemming algorithms proposed in the literature are computationally expensive. In this work, several improvements of the well know Porter stemming algorithm for the Portuguese language, which explore the characteristics of this language, are proposed. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm executes in far less time without affecting the quality of the generated stems.
Mechanical energy dissipation using carbon fiber polymer–matrix structural composites with filler incorporation

Continuous carbon fiber composites with enhanced mechanical energy dissipation (vibration damping) under flexure are provided by incorporation of fillers between the laminae. Exfoliated graphite (EG) as a sole filler is more effective than carbon nanotube (SWCNT/MWCNT), halloysite nanotube (HNT), or nanoclay as sole fillers in enhancing the loss tangent, if the curing pressure is 2.0 (not 0.5) MPa. The MWCNT, SiC whisker, and HNT as sole fillers are effective for increasing the storage modulus. The combined use of a storage modulus-enhancing filler (CNT, SiC whisker, or HNT) and a loss tangent-enhancing filler (EG or nanoclay) gives the best performance. With EG, HNT, and 2.0-MPa curing, the loss modulus is increased by 110%, while the flexural strength is decreased by 14% and the flexural modulus is not affected. With nanoclay, HNT, and 0.5-MPa curing, the loss modulus is increased by 96%, while the flexural strength and modulus are essentially not affected. The filler incorporation is more effective for crossply than unidirectional composites. The highest fraction of mechanical energy dissipated is 11%. The loss tangent enhancement is primarily contributed by the innermost interlaminar interfaces, indicating shear deformation dominance in damping. The filler incorporation increases the interlaminar interface thickness, which remains below ~10 μm.
POLYETHERSULFONE AND POLYPHENYLSULFONE HOLLOW FIBER TRILAYER MEMBRANES SPUN FROM LEWIS ACID : BASE COMPLEXES-STRUCTURE DETERMINATION BY SEM, DSC, AND OXYGEN PLASMA ABLATION

Abstract Hollow fiber membranes of polyethersulfone and polyphenylsulfone were prepared from propionic acid: N -methylpyrrolidone Lewis acid:base complex solvent system and from noncomplexing N -methylpyrrolidone/formamide solvent/nonsolvent mixture. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that both membranes prepared from the complexing system exhibit “first heat” glass transition temperatures higher than those of bulk polymers from which the membranes were prepared. The elevated T g 's result from increased fractional free volume incorporated into the membranes by accelerated sol-to-gel transition in the phase inversion process. Structures of the membranes were further examined by scanning electron microscopy, oxygen plasma ablation, and oxygen and nitrogen gas permeation. Measurements on silicone coated membranes show much higher permeation rates for the complex spun membranes than for those spun from the noncomplexing system with only slight differences in selectivity. Differences in gas flux rates across untreated and oxygen plasma etched specimens indicate profound differences in skin and substructure morphologies. These are discussed in terms of combined effects of enhanced fractional free volume, reduced separating layer thickness and greater porosity of both skin and substructure for membranes prepared from the complexing system.
Push type enteroscopy is preferable to upper endoscopy in evaluation of iron deficiency anemia

PUSH TYPE ENTEROSCOPY IS PREFERABLE TO UPPER ENDOSCOPY IN EVALUATION OF IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA A Chak, G Cooper, M Canto, B Pollack, MV Sivak, Jr. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio. Occult gastrointestinal blood loss is generally investigated with colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with iron deficiency anemia. A source may not be identified even after the performance of these two diagnostic tests. AIM: To measure the additional diagnostic yield of examining the proximal jejunum of patients with iron deficiency anemia. METHODS: All patients with newly discovered iron deficiency anemia who had a) nondiagnostic colonoscopy; b) no symptoms referable to upper tract; and c) no EGD performed in previous 6 months were eligible. Standard EGD was initially performed with the Olympus SIF100 enteroscope, and was followed by gastric overtube assisted enteroscopy, Upper tract and jejunal sources of blood loss were noted. The small bowel was biopsied in patients without an identifiable bleeding source. RESULTS: Thirty one consecutive patients (13 men, mean age 71) who met study criteria between 2/93 and 8/96 were studied. Patients had a mean hematocrit of 29% (range, 18 to 46%) mean serum iron of 25.5 ug/dl, and a mean iron saturation of 7.8%. Eleven (35%) patients had a bleeding source that required only EGD for identification; 8 (26%) patients had a source only in the jejunum; 2 (6%) patients (1 with sprue) had a source in upper tract as well as jejunum. No source of blood loss was identified in 10 patients. No complications were noted, EGD examination required a mean of 7.8 minutes. On the average, examination of the jejunum required an additional 16.8 minutes. The endoscopist rated the entcroscopy as causing moderate discomfort in 6/31 (19%) patients, whereas the remainder had mild or no discomfort. Using Medicare reimbursement figures, a strategy of performing EGD first followed by PTE if EGD is nondiagnostic would have cost $656 per patient, whereas the strategy of performing EGD with FFE as the initial test in all patients costs $433 per patient. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Performance of PTE along with EGD increases the diagnostic yield from 41% to 67% when evaluating the upper tract of asymptomatic patients with iron deficiency anemia. 2. Performing EGD/PTE as the initial diagnostic test is a cost effective diagnostic approach in these patients.
Dynamic optimization of a multimachine power system with a FACTS device using identification and control ObjectNets

This work presents a novel technique for dynamic optimization of the electric power grid using brain-like stochastic identifiers and controllers called ObjectNets based on neural network architectures with recurrence. ObjectNets are neural network architectures developed to identify/control a particular object with a specific objective in hand. The IEEE 14 bus multimachine power system with a FACTS device is considered in this paper. The paper focuses on the combined minimization of the terminal voltage deviations and speed deviations at the generator terminals and the bus voltage deviation at the point of contact of the FACTS device to the power network. Simulation results are provided for the identifier and controller ObjectNets for the generators and the FACT device.