cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Internal Labor Markets on Newspaper Industry Personnel Practices

Media industries in the United States have consolidated significantly in the second half of the last century. One consequence of the consolidation is a restructuring of the way the industries construct and access their labor markets. As the media group integrates or even coordinates the hiring of personnel, the Internal Labor Market can be expanded to cover all or major parts of the media company. Creation of what is termed here an Extended Internal Labor Market has the potential to alter personnel practices in the group. This article tested this expectation in one specific area, the hiring of and investment in journalists, for one type of media, the daily newspaper industry. One indicant of quality hiring is the location and employment of journalists who are members of racial or ethnic minority groups. It was predicted in this article that daily newspapers that are part of an optimally configured Extended Internal Labor Market would be more likely to hire minority journalists than other newspapers. These newspapers also were expected to be more likely to value professional development of their journalists, and to provide encouragement for their journalists to engage in both internal and external training activities. The data are generally consistent with the hypotheses. The size of the company plays an important role in understanding the relationships. href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a788032662~db=all~order=pageACCESS TO FULL TEXT
ADAMTS1/METH1 Inhibits Endothelial Cell Proliferation by Direct Binding and Sequestration of VEGF165

ADAMTS1 is a metalloprotease previously shown to inhibit angiogenesis in a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays. In the present study, we demonstrate that ADAMTS1 significantly blocks VEGFR2 phosphorylation with consequent suppression of endothelial cell proliferation. The effect on VEGFR2 function was due to direct binding and sequestration of VEGF165 by ADAMTS1. Binding was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and cross-linking analysis. Inhibition of VEGF function was reversible, as active VEGF could be recovered from the complex. The interaction required the heparin-binding domain of the growth factor, because VEGF121 failed to bind to ADAMTS1. Structure/function analysis with independent ADAMTS1 domains indicated that binding to VEGF165 was mediated by the carboxyl-terminal (CT) region. ADAMTS1 and VEGF165 were also found in association in tumor extracts. These findings provide a mechanism for the anti-angiogenic activity of ADAMTS1 and describe a novel modulator of VEGF bioavailability.
Who Is My Neighbour

Christian theologians and official church organisations frequently admonish members and believers to allow their economic decisions to be governed by concern for economic justice, the common good, or service to one′s neighbour. Friedrich Hayek, on the other hand, claims that today′s large population and living standards have been made possible by a shift from a morality of serving the known needs of neighbours to one of following abstract rules of the market. Elaboration and development of Hayek′s thesis shows that (1) individuals are probably unable to be efficient when they try to help others, (2) one may be able to serve 30 or 40 neighbours by seeking justice but larger numbers will be better served by following the rule of “buying cheap and selling dear”, and (3) many people would suffer economic hardship if the social teachings of theologians and the pronouncements of official organisations were taken seriously by Christians.
Games as motivation in computer design courses: I/O is the key

The design of computer games can be a powerful motivator as students learn about computer architecture and design. Students in classes where computer designs are developed and implemented (usually on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)) seem much more highly motivated if their computer design can be used for something visual and interactive when the project is complete. However, ensuring that the student teams can have a working game by the end of a semester requires careful planning of how their computer designs will interact with the world. Keyboard inputs and VGA outputs are a relatively simple set of I/O interfaces that open up significant new potential for development of game applications on the student's own computer designs. In this paper we describe the curriculum of a computer design course that uses game design as a "carrot" to encourage active student exploration and deeper understanding of computer architecture, I/O subsystems, and computer implementation.
Sports supplements. Can dietary additives boost athletic performance and potential

Nutritional sports supplements, many of which are endorsed by professional athletes, are increasing in popularity among casual and adolescent sports enthusiasts, bodybuilders, and weight lifters. Because many people consider nutritional additives to be "natural" and therefore "safe," patients may not consider the possible effects of those substances when taken in high doses or in combination with medications. Drs Rubinstein and Federman present an interesting overview of several sports supplements and examine the consequences and caveats of their use, as well as the reasons for their popularity.
Feasibility assessment of burnup credit in the criticality analysis of shipping casks with boiling water reactor spent fuel

Considerable interest in the allowance of reactivity credit for the exposure history of power reactor fuel currently exists. This burnup credit'' issue has the potential to greatly reduce risk and cost when applied to the design and certification of spent fuel casks used for transportation and storage. Recently, analyses have demonstrated the technical feasibility and estimated the risk and economic incentives for allowing burnup credit in pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel shipping cask applications. This report summarizes the extension of the previous PWR technical feasibility assessment to boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel. This feasibility analysis aims to apply simple methods that adequately characterize the time-dependent isotopic compositions of typical BWR fuel. An initial analysis objective was to identify a simple and reliable method for characterizing BWR spent fuel. Two different aspects of fuel characterization were considered:l first, the generation of burn- up dependent material interaction probabilities; second, the prediction of material inventories over time (depletion). After characterizing the spent fuel at various stages of exposure and decay, three dimensional (3-D) models for an infinite array of assemblies and, in several cases, infinite arrays of assemblies in a typical shipping cask basket were analyzed. Results for assemblies without a basketmore » provide reactivity control requirements as a function of burnup and decay, while results including the basket allow assessment of typical basket configurations to provide sufficient reactivity control for spent BWR fuel. Resulting basket worths and reactivity trends over time are then evaluated to determine whether burnup credit is needed and feasible in BWR applications.« less
Regulation of insect prothoracic glands: Existence of a haemolymph stimulatory factor in Manduca sexta

Abstract The primary regulator of ecdysone biosynthesis by insect prothoracic glands is the prothoracicotropic hormone. However, it now appears that other factors, secondary regulators, may modulate prothoracic gland activity. One such factor has been isolated from the haemolymph of Manduca larvae. This haemolymph factor stimulates in vitro ecdysone synthesis by larval and pupal prothoracic glands by approx. 5-fold. It has an apparent mol. wt of ∼330 kD, is protease-sensitive and is heat labile, the latter clearly distinguishing it from the prothoracicotropic hormone. Further, its steroidogenic effects and those of prothoracicotropic hormone are additive. Treatment of larval or pupal prothoracic glands with both moieties simultaneously effects an approx. 10-fold increase in ecdysone synthesis. The haemolymph titre of the stimulatory factor is low at commitment of the last-larval instar, then increases by approx. 3-fold later in the instar during pharate-pupal development. This increase in the titre is sufficient to effect a significant increase in prothoracic gland activity that could be physiologically important. Thus, it appears that the fluctuating level of this haemolymph stimulatory factor may act in conjunction with prothoracicotropic hormone to regulate the haemolymph ecdysteroid titre by modulating the ecdysone biosynthetic activity of the prothoracic glands.
On the solution of local nonsimilar boundary-layer equations for standard and inverse flows

Abstract With the recent advances in numerical techniques and with the availability of high speed computers, the numerical solution of the boundary-layer equations does not impose much difficulty. The governing equations for momentum transfer and heat transfer can be solved accurately and efficiently in their partial differential equation form. Despite this capability, however, there are some problems in engineering in which it is still advantageous as well as convenient to obtain the solution of the boundary-layer equations by using approximate methods, such as Pohlhausen's method, ref. (1), local similarity methods (see ref. (2), for example) and local nonsimilarity methods, ref. (3). These methods avoid the complexity of solving partial differential equations and consider the solution of ordinary differential equations. In this note we discuss the solution of the boundary-layer equations by using the local nonsimilarity method of ref. (3). We consider two-dimensional incompressible laminar flows and obtain their solutions for standard and inverse boundary-layer flows by using an efficient and accurate numerical method described in ref. (4). The method can easily be extended to solve the energy equation, ref. (5), since the solution of that equation is independent of the momentum equation and being a linear ordinary differential equation, can be solved by simple integration methods once the solution of the momentum equation is obtained.
Slotted Photonic Crystal Single Nanobeam Cavity

Photonic crystal (PhC) nanobeam cavities have attracted considerable interest due to their compact mechanical structure, ultra-high Q-factors and low mode volumes (V approx. (l/n)3).
The hinge axis transfer procedure: A three-dimensional error analysis

T he face-bow transfer procedure has been controversial for many years. Stansbery’ described its use as futile and of no practical value, while Logan2 and others described its advantages and advocated its use. Several authors believe that it is necessary to accurately locate the true transverse hinge axis,3-6 while others argue that an arbitrary axis will produce acceptable clinical results.’ Use of the face-bow is generally acceptable and is incorporated into the curriculum of most dental schools. If a face-bow is not used, or if an arbitrary face-bow is used, an occlusal error is introduced. This results when the vertical dimension of the articulator is changed from that of the centric relation record to initial tooth contact and occurs because of the difference in rotational centers of the patient’s mandible and that of the articulator. The principal advantage of the face-bow is that centric relation records of various thicknesses can be used when the mandibular cast is mounted to an axis opening instrument without occlusal error. Theoretically, the occlusal error is zero if the true hinge axis is located on the patient and transferred to the instrument. Research has not considered the three-dimensional occlusal error that occurs as a result of error in bilateral location of the true hinge axis points on the patient. The purpose of this article is to quantify occlusal errors three dimensionally at the first molar region when an error is made in bilateral location of the true hinge axis.
Moving On Out: Black Pioneering in Chicago, 1915-1950

In the first half of the twentieth century, many African Americans placed their hopes in property ownership and upward mobility to legitimize black claims to full citizenship. However, “black pioneers” were caught between a hostile white world and the deteriorating conditions in the overcrowded ghetto. While this story is usually told from the vantage point of whites who reacted to such “invasions” with hostility and flight, I center the experiences of black pioneers who were agents of spatial and socioeconomic expansion as well as instigators of integration. Despite the legal and extralegal barriers erected to keep African Americans in the ghetto, black pioneers consistently demonstrated that they would not be contained by these artificial fences. Most often pioneers were from the black middle class, as these men and women had the means and the business connections to purchase homes in white areas.
Fuzzy information processing in seismic hazard analysis and decision making

Abstract This paper describes a methodology to incorporate vague information, based upon heuristic knowledge and expertise, into the conventional probabilistic approach for the seismic hazard analysis. The interval analysis method is introduced to process interval information with interpretation from Dempster and Shafer's evidence theory. The Vertex Method is discussed to handle fuzzy information which is a generalization of interval information. These methods, along with the current approach of seismic hazard analysis, are used to assess the seismic hazard for the San Francisco Bay Area in California and to provide information for deciding strengthening policy of existing buildings.
The lost legacy of Robert DeCourcy Ward in American geographical climatology

As a charter member of the Association of American Geographers and a well-respected scholar in academic meteorology, Robert DeCourcy Ward was an important figure in the earth sciences tradition of ...
Neurons in the cat's primary auditory cortex distinguished by their responses to tones and wide-spectrum noise.

Abstract In the cortex of barbiturate-anesthetized cats, area AI was identified by its tonotopic organization, and single neurons in that field were examined with regard to the shapes of their spike count-versus-intensity functions, the organization of their frequency-intensity response areas, and their responses to wide-spectrum noise, using calibrated sealed stimulating systems. Neurons whose pure tone rate intensity functions were monotonie in shape displayed V-shaped response areas that were open-ended at high tone intensities. In contrast, cells displaying nonmonotonic tone intensity functions tended to have circumscribed response areas; these cells were responsive to tones over limited ranges of both frequency and intensity. Monotonic neurons almost always responded to wide-spectrum noise stimuli, while nonmonotonic neurons often did not. The mean minimum latent period of monotonic cells (14.0 ms) was significantly shorter than that for nonmonotonic neurons (19.1 ms). For those cells that responded to both tones and noise, minimum latent periods for the two stimuli were similar or identical. Monotonic neurons tended to be horizontally segregated from nonmonotonic neurons across AI's middle cortical layers. The implications of these data for the nature of some neural mechanisms underlying the stimulus selectivity of cortical cells are discussed.
Hyponatremia Associated with Repeated Use of Levetiracetam

Levetiracetam (LEV) is increasingly used as adjunctive anticonvulsant therapy because of apparent low toxicity. Somnolence, asthenia, headache, dizziness, and nervousness are the most frequently reported side effects (1). We describe a patient, predisposed to the development of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), in whom hyponatremia developed after two challenges of LEV.
Ultrastructure of prothoracic glands during larval-pupal development of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta: a reappraisal

The structure of Manduca sexta prothoracic glands was investigated using a protocol that preserves membranes. During the last larval stadium, prothoracic gland cells increase in diameter, volume, protein content, and perhaps number, enhancing their capacity to produce ecdysteroids. The glands' strand-of-cells morphology, their in situ location, the presence of gap junctions between cells, and junctional foot-like structures within cells support previous findings that prothoracicotropic hormone stimulates ecdysteroidogenesis via Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release. A different method of tissue fixation from that previously used to investigate the ultrastructure of Manduca sexta prothoracic glands has revealed a significantly different ultrastructure. These new findings begin to define roles for endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria in ecdysteroid synthesis and support the hypothesis that the glands secrete the steroid hormone via exocytosis. The structural dynamics of the glands are discussed in the context of the glands' function during Manduca sexta larvalpupal development. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Networking in the endoplasmic reticulum.

The network of the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) is set up by cytoskeletal control of the movement and remodelling of polygonal rings of tubules, bundles of tubules and cisternal regions. We have developed a new image analysis tool, persistency mapping, to understand the framework upon which the plant ER remodels. With this new tool, we have explored the network nodes, called anchor/growth sites, that may anchor the network by attachment to the plasma membrane. We have determined how the polygonal ring structure depends on myosin XI-K for ‘opening’ and ‘closing’. With latrunculin B treatment, we have investigated the involvement of actin in the elongation and persistency of the tubules. We also show how the cytoskeleton is involved in directional diffusion within the membrane. This observation may lead to an answer to the question of what function this network structure serves in the cell. We propose that the ER acts as a trafficking network, delivering lipid, protein, calcium and signalling molecules to different regions of the cell. It does so by directional reduced dimensional diffusion. The ER network of tubules restricts the dimensionality of diffusion to near one-dimensional, whereas the cisternae reduce it to near two-dimensional. The cytoskeleton does not drive the diffusion, but participates by providing directionality to the diffusion.
The Effect of Low Versus High Approach-Motivated Positive Affect on Memory for Peripherally Versus Centrally Presented Information

Emotions influence attention and processes involved in memory. Although some research has suggested that positive affect categorically influences these processes differently than neutral affect, recent research suggests that motivational intensity of positive affective states influences these processes. The present experiments examined memory for centrally or peripherally presented information after the evocation of approach-motivated positive affect. Experiment 1 found that, relative to neutral conditions, pregoal, approach-motivated positive affect (caused by a monetary incentives task) enhanced memory for centrally presented information, whereas postgoal, low approach-motivated positive affect enhanced memory for peripherally presented information. Experiment 2 found that, relative to a neutral condition, high approach-motivated positive affect (caused by appetitive pictures) enhanced memory for centrally presented information but hindered memory for peripheral information. These results suggest a more complex relationship between positive affect and memory processes and highlight the importance of considering the motivational intensity of positive affects in cognitive processes.
Stimuli and the texture of experience

Evidence from human language learning and stimulus control of learned and unlearned behavior suggests that generalization and categorization are based on principles of similarity that have evolved to favor the perception of recurrent events and extended objects. The perceptual similarities are typically more complex than, and only occasionally approximated by, physical similarity. In some, but not all, cases, perceptual similarity is tantamount to innate knowledge.
Factory management: converting the shopfloor

With so many different departments, many manufacturing companies seem to have forgotten the most fundamental one – the shopfloor. Alistair Ross puts the spotlight back on the real profit makers.
Transcription elongation: TLKing to chromatin?

Abstract The tousled-like kinases have been implicated in chromatin deposition, but surprising new findings in Caenorhabditis elegans indicate they have a role in transcription elongation. Are these apparently distinct functions of tousled-like kinases related?
A new high-precision optical technique to measure magnetostriction of a thin magnetic film deposited on a substrate

The drive in data storage technology towards utilizing magnetic films with lower magnetostriction (to reduce the magnetoelastic energy term) and reduced thickness has resulted in the requirement for more sensitive, reliable, and easy-to-use tools to monitor magnetostriction. A measurement tool based on an in-plane rotating and saturating magnetic field and laser-beam-deflection technique, which is able to meet these requirements, is described. The tool developed offers high accuracy, large dynamic range, long-term stability, simple sample insertion, and a fast, easy measurement procedure. With this tool, the measurement of small magnetostriction coefficients of thin soft-magnetic films can become a simple, fast, and reliable procedure, thus helping the development of magnetic thin-film production processes and routine composition control. >
An example of numerical nonconvergence of a variable-metric method

An example is given where truncation error, caused by finite computer arithmetic, leads to the BFGS variable-metric method becoming stuck, despite the approximated Hessian matrix, the gradient vector, and the search vector satisfying analytical conditions for convergence. A restart criterion to eliminate the problem is suggested.
Nitric oxide: biologic effects on muscle and role in muscle diseases

Nitric oxide is a ubiquitous cell-signaling molecule involved in regulation of numerous homeostatic mechanisms and in mediation of tissue injury. Nitric oxide influences contraction, blood flow, and metabolism, as well as myogenesis. Nitric oxide exerts its influence by activation of guanylate cyclase and nitrosylation of proteins, which include glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, the ryanodine receptor and actomyosin ATPase. Skeletal muscle expresses all three isoforms of the nitric oxide synthase, including a muscle-specific splice variant; expression of the isoforms is fiber-type specific and influenced by age and disease. Nitric oxide produced with certain systemic conditions and local inflammation is likely toxic to skeletal muscle, either directly or in reactions with oxygen-derived radicals. Although nitric oxide impacts on many functions in muscle, its effects are subtle, and much work remains to be done to determine its importance in the pathogenesis of muscle diseases.
Male-male sexual behavior in Japanese quail: being "on top" reduces mating and fertilization with females.

Male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) engage in vigorous same-sex sexual interactions that have been interpreted as aggressive behavior reflecting dominance relationships. The consequences of this behavior for reproductive success, and whether it is a form of competition over mating and fertilization, are unclear. Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of seeing or interacting with another male on a male's subsequent mating and fertilization success with females. A vigorous interaction with another male in which the subject performed more cloacal contact movements (movements to try to make contact with the other bird's cloacal opening) reduced subsequent mating and fertilization success with a female to a similar extent as a prior mating with a different female. Receiving one or more cloacal contacts from another male was less detrimental for subsequent success. The mere presence of another (stimulus) male delayed mating initiation in those male subjects that approached the stimulus first instead of the female. These results do not support the idea that the male “on top” in male–male sexual interactions is the dominant bird who goes on to achieve greater reproductive success. Instead, the results are consistent with male–male sexual behavior as an occasionally costly by-product of strong mating motivation.
Complexities of Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Respiratory Disease in the Elderly

Atopic diseases such as rhinitis and asthma are relatively common in children and young adults. However, many patients aged >65 years are also affected by these disorders. Indeed, the literature suggests that between 3–12% and 4–13% of individuals in this age range have allergic rhinitis and asthma, respectively. However, these numbers are most likely underestimates because atopic diseases are frequently not considered in older patients. The diagnosis of both allergic rhinitis and asthma in older patients is more difficult than in younger patients because of a wide differential diagnosis of other diseases that can produce similar symptoms and must be excluded. Furthermore, treatment of these disorders is complicated by the potential for drug interactions, concern about the adverse effects of medications, in particular corticosteroids, and the lack of drug trials specifically targeting treatment of older patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma.
A Chemical Kinetics Model for Glass Fracture

The authors utilize a chemical-kinetics-based model to describe the rate of crack extension in vitreous silica as a function of the applied stress and the presence of reactive species. Their approach builds upon previous fracture models that treat the atomic bond rupture process at the crack tip as a stress-enhanced hydrolysis reaction. They derive the stress dependence for siloxane hydrolysis from measurements of hydrolysis rates for strained silicate ring structures. The stress dependence determined for siloxane hydrolysis yields an activation volume of 2.0 cm[sup 3]/mol, which is in good agreement with the stress dependence determined for silicate glass fracture. This result supports previous fracture models that are based on absolute reaction rate theory and predicts an exponential dependence of crack extension rate on applied stress intensity.
Aspartate Release and Signalling in the Hippocampus

The Ca(2+)-dependent release of aspartate from hippocampal preparations was first reported 35 years ago, but the functional significance of this process remains uncertain. Aspartate satisfies all the criteria normally required for identification of a CNS transmitter. It is synthesized in nerve terminals, is accumulated and stored in synaptic vesicles, is released by exocytosis upon nerve terminal depolarization, and activates postsynaptic NMDA receptors. Aspartate may be employed as a neuropeptide-like co-transmitter by pathways that release either glutamate or GABA as their principal transmitter. Aspartate mechanisms include vesicular transport by sialin, vesicular content sensitive to glucose concentration, release mainly outside the presynaptic active zones, and selective activation of extrasynaptic NR1-NR2B NMDA receptors. Possible neurobiological functions of aspartate in immature neurons include activation of cAMP-dependent gene transcription and in mature neurons inhibition of CREB function, reduced BDNF expression, and induction of excitotoxic neuronal death. Recent findings suggest new experimental approaches toward resolving the functional significance of aspartate release.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell with Compositionally Graded Cathode Functional Layer Deposited by Pressure Assisted Dual-Suspension Spraying

Abstract In this work, the benefit of compositionally grading a cathode functional layer (CFL) for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is explored. Cells are prepared wherein either a standard cathode functional layer (SCFL) or a linearly compositionally graded cathode functional layer (CGCFL) is placed between the cell electrolyte and cathode current collecting regions. The electrochemical performance of these cells is compared with a SOFC cell containing no CFL. All cells are fabricated using a pressurized dual-suspension spraying system. Electrolytes, cathode functional layer, and cathode current collecting materials are deposited on a powder compacted anode support. SEM and EDAX area maps are taken to study the resulting micro-structures and to verify that the desired CFL profiles are produced. The EDAX area map verifies that a compositionally graded CFL and a SCFL are obtained. The cells are analyzed using impedance spectroscopy to evaluate the electrochemical performances of each cell. The open circuit voltage (OCV) and peak power densities of all three cells are 1.04 V with 80 mW cm −2 , 1.12 V with 108 mW cm −2 , and 1.08 V with 193 mW cm −2 at 850 °C for the SCFL cell, the cell without a CFL, and the compositionally graded CFL cell respectively. The results show that this approach is a viable means for producing SOFC functional layers with unique composition and interfacial properties.
Elements of Computer-Aided Circuit Analysis

A survey is made of the principal techniques, procedures, and routines that are used in present programs for computeraided circuit analysis. Programs (simulators) are reviewed and selected features compared for the four major classes of circuit analysis: linear dc and ac, nonlinear dc, nonlinear transient, and linear pole zero.
Mixin-Based Programming in C++

Combinations of C++ features, like inheritance, templates, and class nesting, allow for the expression of powerful component patterns. In particular, research has demonstrated that, using C++ mixin classes, one can express layered component-based designs concisely with efficient implementations. In this paper, we discuss pragmatic issues related to component-based programming using C++ mixins. We explain surprising interactions of C++ features and policies that sometimes complicate mixin implementations, while other times enable additional functionality without extra effort.
Assessment of a government-subsidized supermarket in a high-need area on household food availability and children's dietary intakes.

Objective: To assess the impact of a new government-subsidized supermarket in a high-need area on household food availability and dietary habits in children. Design: A difference-in-difference study design was utilized. Setting: Two neighbourhoods in the Bronx, New York City. Outcomes were collected in Morrisania, the target community where the new supermarket was opened, and Highbridge, the comparison community. Subjects: Parents/caregivers of a child aged 3–10 years residing in Morrisania or Highbridge. Participants were recruited via street intercept at baseline (presupermarket opening) and at two follow-up periods (five weeks and one year post-supermarket opening). Results: Analysis is based on 2172 street-intercept surveys and 363 dietary recalls from a sample of predominantly low-income minorities. While there were small, inconsistent changes over the time periods, there were no appreciable differences in availability of healthful or unhealthful foods at home, or in children’s dietary intake as a result of the supermarket. Conclusions: The introduction of a government-subsidized supermarket into an underserved neighbourhood in the Bronx did not result in significant changes in household food availability or children’s dietary intake. Given the lack of healthful food options in underserved neighbourhoods and need for programmes that promote access, further research is needed to determine whether healthy food retail expansion, alone or with other strategies, can improve food choices of children and their families.
Ceramic Filters Impregnated with Silver Nanoparticles for Point-of-Use Water Treatment in Rural Guatemala

The technological performance and social acceptance of ceramic water filters impregnated with silver nanoparticles for point-of- use water treatment were investigated in the laboratory and in the field in the Guatemalan highland community of San Mateo Ixtatan. In the laboratory, filters were constructed with clay and sawdust collected from the Guatemalan community and were tested to determine the effects of percent sawdust and silver nanoparticle treatment on the transport and removal of E. coli. For ceramic filters without silver treatment, size- exclusion and/or sorption is the mechanism of removal and a lower mass-percent sawdust corresponds to greater bacteria removal. The addition of silver nanoparticles to the ceramic filters improved the performance for all mass percentages of sawdust relative to filter media without nanoparticle treatment. Filters with higher porosity achieved higher bacteria removal than those with lower porosity, suggesting an increase in burnable material percentage is advantageous, assuming structural integrity is not compromised. Subsequent to laboratory testing, ceramic filters were manufactured with local materials and labor in San Mateo Ixtatan, Guatemala, and distributed to 62 households in this peri-urban community. The study participants were randomly divided into two groups, and filters were tested periodically over 23 months or 12 months. Filtered effluent samples were tested for turbidity reduction, bacteria removal, and silver leaching. Over the course of the study, the average percent reduction in total coliforms and E. coli was 87% and 92%, respectively. The average effluent turbidity was 0.18 neph- elometric turbidity units (NTUs) and average effluent concentration of ionic silver was 0:02 mg=L (below the U.S. EPA standard of 0: 1m g=L). Filters distributed to the second study group consistently performed better than the first study group as manufacturing techniques improved and contact with researchers increased. Overall, users were satisfied with the filters, citing them as easy to use and maintain while improving water quality. The findings of this study suggest that locally manufactured ceramic filters can significantly improve the microbiological quality of water when used as a point-of-use water-treatment technology. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870 .0000330. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Pathogens; Disinfection; Bacteria; Developing countries; Filters; Nanotechnology; Guatemala; Water treatment; Rural areas.
Interference-free wireless power transfer system for biomedical implants using multi-coil approach

Low-frequency (1-20 MHz) inductive coupling is a leading technique to power biomedical implants wirelessly. Even though these are non-radiating systems, the external and the implant coils can cause sufficient radiated electric field to exceed the federal standards for communication. A multi-coil-based wireless power transfer (WPT) technique is developed to selectively control the currents in the external and implant coils to reduce the radiated electric field. A four-coil WPT system, which can achieve more than 37% reduction in the radiated electric field as compared with a two-coil WPT system with the same dimensions and design constraints, is implemented and used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Nuclear Chromodynamics: Implications of QCD for Nuclear Physics

In these lectures we will discuss the synthesis of quantum chromodynamics with nuclear physics: nuclear chromodynamics.1 In quantum chromodynamics, QCD, the fundamental degrees of freedom of hadrons and nuclei are the quanta of quark and gluon gauge fields which obey an exact internal SU(3) color symmetry.2 If QCD is correct, then by extension it must also be the fundamental theory of nuclear forces and nuclear physics. Thus one of the most interesting questions in nuclear physics is the transition between the conventional meson-nucleon degrees of freedom to the quark and gluon degrees of freedom of QCD. As we probe to shorter distances then the meson-nucleon degrees of freedom must break down; thus we will be interested in new nuclear phenomena, new physics intrinsic to composite nucleons and mesons, and new phenomena outside the range of traditional nuclear physics.
Modulation of Cl−/OH− exchange activity in Caco-2 cells by nitric oxide

The present studies were undertaken to determine the direct effects of nitric oxide (NO) released from an exogenous donor,S-nitroso-N-acetyl pencillamine (SNAP) on Cl−/OH− exchange activity in huma...
Multi-user Parallel Channel Access for high efficiency carrier grade wireless LANs

The IEEE 802.11 specification for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) supports 20 MHz channels utilizing bandwidths up to 160 MHz. However, the support of devices simultaneously transmitting over different, non-overlapping channels, is not specifically addressed. Recently, there has been interest in developing a 802.11 specification for Carrier Grade Wi-Fi which has led to the requirement for solutions with efficient frequency resource utilization that are not currently supported. In this paper we propose a Medium Access Control (MAC) method, called Multi-User Parallel Channel Access (MU/PCA) that enables simultaneous transmission to multiple devices of various bandwidths, while maintaining backward compatibility with 802.11. We present analytical and simulation results demonstrating the throughput gains that can be achieved using the proposed MU/PCA scheme as compared to the current Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme that is used in 802.11.
Growth of the thoracic spine in congenital scoliosis after expansion thoracoplasty.

Background: Children with congenital thoracic scoliosis associated with fused ribs with a unilateral unsegmented bar adjacent to convex hemivertebrae will invariably have curve progression without treatment. Surgery has been thought to have a negligible growth-inhibition effect on the thoracic spine in such patients because it has been assumed that the concave side of the curve and the unilateral unsegmented bar do not grow, but we are unaware of any conclusive studies regarding this assumption. Methods: The changes in the length of the concave and convex sides, anterior and posterior vertebral edges, posterior arch, and unilateral unsegmented bars of the thoracic spine were measured in the twenty-one children with congenital scoliosis and fused ribs after expansion thoracoplasty had been carried out with use of a vertical, expandable titanium prosthetic rib. Three of these children had undergone posterior spinal fusion previously. Measurements were made with use of a three-dimensional software program that analyzed baseline and follow-up computed tomography scans. The technique was validated through measurement of the thorax of a small female adult cadaver. Results: The patients without spine fusion had an average age of 3.3 years at the time of the baseline computed tomography scan, and the average duration of follow-up was 4.2 years. On the average, these patients showed significant growth (p < 0.0001) of the concave side of the thoracic spine (an increase in length of 7.9 mm/yr, or 7.1%/yr) and the convex side (8.3 mm/yr, or 6.4%/yr) compared with the baseline lengths. There was no significant difference in the increases in length (p = 0.38) between the concave and convex sides. Eleven patients with an unsegmented bar had an average 7.3% increase in the length of the bar (p < 0.0001). In the three children with prior spinal fusion, the increase in length averaged only 4.6 mm/yr (3%/yr) on the concave side of the thoracic spine and 3.7 mm/yr (2.2%/yr) on the convex side; both increases were significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Longitudinal growth of the thoracic spine in a normal child has been estimated to be 0.6 cm/yr between the ages of five and nine years. After expansion thoracoplasty, growth of the thoracic spine was approximately 8 mm/yr in our series of children with congenital scoliosis and fused ribs. After expansion thoracoplasty, both the concave and the convex side of the thoracic spine and unilateral unsegmented bars appeared to grow in these patients. When a thorax is already foreshortened by congenital scoliosis, control of spine deformity with expansion thoracoplasty allows growth of the thoracic spine, and it is likely that the longer thorax provides additional volume for growth of the underlying lungs with probable clinical benefit. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series [no, or historical, control group]). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Beurteilung der Geschlechterungleichheit im türkischen Rentensystem

Auszug Seit den 1990er Jahren wurde das Wohlfahrtsregime in der Turkei starker marktwirtschaftlich ausgerichtet. Die Einfuhrung des Individuellen Rentensystems (IRS), eines privat verwalteten Systems mit Beitragsprimat, ist ein Bestandteil dieser Entwicklung. In diesem Artikel wird ein autoregressives stochastisches Modell verwendet, um die Gesamtauswirkungen bestimmter Benachteiligungen auf die Rentenleistungen von Frauen in der Turkei aufzuzeigen. Zu diesen Benachteiligungen zahlen ein kurzeres Erwerbsleben, geringerer Verdienst, langere Lebenserwartung, Reallohnwachstum, Verwaltungskosten und Risikoaversion. Mit der Analyse der geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede im turkischen beitragsbezogenen System versteht sich der Artikel, der ein versicherungsmathematisches Modell verwendet, als Beitrag zur Diskussion.
Controlling manganese deficiency in sugarbeet with foliar sprays

Field experiments in 1987 and 1988 on peaty-loam, Mn-deficient soils of the Adventurers series in Cambridgeshire, UK, tested the response of sugarbeet to three forms of manganese fertilizer supplied as foliar sprays. The influence of a wetter and an adjuvant on manganese absorption and growth was also investigated.Cutonic and chelated forms of Mn, when applied at standard rates, were inefficient at increasing Mn concentrations in plants and alleviating deficiency symptoms during early summer. Mn concentrations in foliage increased rapidly after spraying with manganese sulphate, and most of the deficiency symptoms disappeared. These benefits were usually enhanced when manganese sulphate sprays were used with an adjuvant.Averaged over both years, yield without Mn was 8·83 t sugar/ha; the largest yield, 9·56 t/ha, was obtained with manganese sulphate plus adjuvant. Smaller benefits were obtained with the other forms of Mn. The adjuvant, when used with chelated Mn, appeared to depress sugar yields in both years. The likelihood of reducing the number of sprays required to control Mn deficiency on Fen soils was improved by using an adjuvant with manganous sulphate sprays.
The Effects of Early Work Experience on Young Women's Labor Force Attachment.

In this article, we examine women’s labor force experience during the early life course in order to assess the conditions conducive to the establishment of stable labor force careers. To represent the complexity of women’s work trajectories during young adulthood, we develop a conceptual framework that depicts a broad range of work activity profiles. Empirical results obtained using the NLSY show that three aspects of early experience influence mature women’s labor force attachment, namely the amount of experience accumulated; the timing of work experience; and the volatility of that experience. Above and beyond these experience measures, we also find that background factors influence adult women’s attachment to the market. The conclusion discusses the policy implications of these results.
A Retrospective Study of Pancreatic Tumors in Slaughter Cattle

Sixteen primary pancreatic tumors were found in a retrospective study of bovine pancreatic lesions detected in slaughtered cattle. Eleven islet cell tumors and three pancreatic exocrine carcinomas were identified based on light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Nine of 11 islet cell tumors were classified as malignant. Metastatic sites included iliac, mediastinal, hepatic, and mesenteric lymph nodes, peritoneum, mesentery, and liver. Six cows with multiple islet cell tumors also had pheochromocytomas. All 11 islet cell tumors had positive immunoreactivity to insulin and somatostatin. Three tumors also contained cells immunoreactive for glucagon and two tumors contained pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactive cells. Immunoreactivity of tumor cells in metastatic sites was similar to their respective primary tumors. All exocrine pancreatic carcinomas metastasized widely and were immunonegative for insulin, somatostatin, glucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide. No mixed endocrine-exocrine tumors were identified...
Formation of β‐SiAION as an Intermediate Oxidation Product of SiC–AIN Ceramics

The oxidation mechanisms in SiC-AlN solid solutions, exposed at 1370°C for 200 h in air, have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), analytical and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), and X-ray diffraction techniques. Five hot-pressed compositions, including pure SiC and pure AIN, were examined. Assuming parabolic rate behavior, the values of the parabolic rate constants based on oxide layer thickness increased by over 2 orders of magnitude by increasing AIN contents from 0% to 62%. A continuous amorphous phase containing cristobalite and mullite crystallites was present at the oxide layer in 13% AIN and 27% AIN samples. Two reaction layers were found in the oxidized SiC–62% AIN solid solution. The inner layer consisted of a mixture of β-SiAION and graphite phases, while the outer layer consisted of mullite as a major phase and cristobalite as a minor phase. The oxidation proceeded in two stages: a partial oxidation of SiC–AIN to β-SiAION and carbon (graphite), and a final oxidation of β-SiAION to mullite + SiO2.
Lack of mitochondrial topoisomerase I (TOP1mt) impairs liver regeneration

The liver has an exceptional replicative capacity following partial hepatectomy or chemical injuries. Cellular proliferation requires increased production of energy and essential metabolites, which critically depend on the mitochondria. To determine whether Top1mt, the vertebrate mitochondrial topoisomerase, is involved in this process, we studied liver regeneration after carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. TOP1mt knockout (KO) mice showed a marked reduction in regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation. The hepatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) failed to increase during recovery from CCl4 exposure. Reduced glutathione was also depleted, indicating increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). Steady-state levels of ATP, O2 consumption, mtDNA, and mitochondrial mass were also reduced in primary hepatocytes from CCl4-treated KO mice. To further test whether Top1mt acted by enabling mtDNA regeneration, we tested TOP1mt KO fibroblasts and human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells and measured mtDNA after 3-d treatment with ethidium bromide. Both types of TOP1mt knockout cells showed defective mtDNA regeneration following mtDNA depletion. Our study demonstrates that Top1mt is required for normal mtDNA homeostasis and for linking mtDNA expansion with hepatocyte proliferation.
Low-power wireless video systems

This article presents the design principles for implementing low-power wireless video systems through the use of two examples, a single-chip digital video camera and a wireless video-on-demand system. The discussion focuses on the architectural and circuit techniques developed specifically for silicon integration of high-performance low-power wireless video systems. The proposed single-chip digital camera incorporates a parallel architecture to perform MPEG-2 encoding in real time, while the video-on-demand system employs an error-resilient compression algorithm to guard against the transmission errors often encountered in wireless communication. Both wireless video systems, one for encoding and the other for decoding, dissipate only tens of milliwatts of power, achieving a power reduction two orders of magnitude below standard solutions.