cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capsule degradation in azotobacter

Abstract Enzymic degradation of Azotobacter capsular polysaccharide by the depolymerases from azotophage lysates of A . vinelandii , and from a strain of A . chroococcum was examined. The molecular size of the capsular polysaccharide was examined by molecular sieve chromatography both before and after exposure to the capsule depolymerase. The depolymerase appears to attack the polysaccharide substrate in a random fashion which results in polysaccharide fragments of a random size distribution. The ester linkages and hexuronic acids were proportionally the same in all fractions before degradation, but ester linkages were absent from the smaller polysaccharide molecules after enzyme action. The ester linkages were not the substrate bonds broken by the enzyme, but, in the case of some azotophage enzymes, they appeared to play a role in enzyme activity, possibly as recognition sites.
Hydrogen-induced cracking in two linepipe steels

Linepipe steels are susceptible to hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC) in wet, sour gas environments. Two commercially produced linepipe steels were investigated with regard to HIC on cathodic charging. Both steels, B and C, showed a high banded microstructure consisting of alternative layers of polygonal ferrite and a mixture of non-ferritic constituents (pearlite, bainite, and martensite-austenite). The degree of banding was higher in Steel B than in Steel C. Also present were elongated inclusions in Steel B, while in Steel C they were more or less equiaxed. On cathodically hydrogen-charging in the absence of external stress, microvoids formed at low current densities at or around inclusions. On prolonged charging, these voids grew and propagated parallel to the bands, running along the interface between ferrite/non-ferrite constituents, along inclusions lodged in the non-ferritic consitituents, and at places through the non-ferritic constituents. Steel B, not unexpectedly, showed more severe permanent microstructural damage than Steel C, leading to the conclusion that a high banded structure and/or the presence of elongated inclusions is deleterious to resistance against HIC.
Health system studies of pain in older adults: can we save the "golden years"?

How can we prevent pain from spoiling the “golden years” of our lifetimes? The article in this issue describing the patterns of care for older adults with low back pain (LBP), by Weiner et al. [1], documents a looming challenge to our field and to society. A demographic tidal wave of “baby boomers,” who have survived the illnesses and injuries of middle age, will soon inundate our healthcare system. As this cohort inexorably swells the demographic category of “older adult,” which today promises a longer life, it will face a growing risk for chronic degenerative disease causing chronic pain that will compromise the quality of that longer life. Case in point, Jana Mossey and I recently analyzed the data from a 2-year prospective study of the pain, depression, functioning, and healthcare utilization in a sample of 169 well-off, insured older adults who have full access to the excellent medical care available in the Philadelphia region [2]. We found that 37.7% had pain causing moderate to severe impairment of functioning. More telling, pain present at the beginning of the study …
Digital Identity: How Social Media Are Influencing Student Learning and Development in College

AbstractIdentity development is one of the central tasks for young adults during the college years. Social media appear to be reshaping in fundamental ways the processes by which college students explore, clarify, and affirm their personal identities. In this article the authors examine how social media are shaping a new form of digital identity development in college and some of the opportunities and risks that social media present for student learning and development during the college years
Effect of submicrometer transducer spacing on the readback signal in saturation recording

Experimental results for frequency response and halfpulse width of digital recording signals have been obtained for submicrometer transducer spacings, for the case of a flexible disk flying in close proximity to a rigidly mounted conventional ferrite recording head. Using optical flying heights rather than an "effective spacing," together with a modification of the Williams-Comstock writeprocess slope criterion, we have obtained excellent agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions. This suggests that the notion of effective spacing can be avoided.
Traumatic fracture of the abdominal aorta: rupture of a calcified abdominal aorta with minimal trauma

Abstract We report the case of an elderly man whose infrarenal abdominal aorta ruptured when the patient fell getting out of bed. Unique features of this case are the lack of aneurysmal disease, the insignificant nature of the trauma, and the severe, rigid atherosclerotic plaque in the infrarenal aorta. Pathologic examination of the resected aorta demonstrated the point of rupture to be at the junction of atherosclerotic plaque and normal aorta, suggesting that atherosclerosis is a predisposing factor in traumatic rupture of the abdominal aorta. (J VASC SURG 1988;8:184-6.)
Status of the CDF silicon detector

Abstract The eight layer, 750 k channel CDF Run II silicon detector is an essential part of the heavy flavor tagging and forward tracking capabilities of the CDF experiment. A summary of the experience in commissioning and operating this double sided silicon detector during the first 2 years of Run II is given.
Scaling up CBOs for second‐order devolution in welfare reform

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 created a paradigm shift in the financing, organization, and delivery of welfare programs in the United States. The act shifted revenue and authority to states, giving them great discretion to determine the specifics of their programs. First-order devolution, combined with time limits and work requirements, set in motion a chain of events that moved Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients into the labor force and off state welfare rolls. Second-order devolution shifted revenue and authority to community-based organizations (CBOs) to help former recipients remain employed, advance to higher paying jobs, and move their families toward economic self-sufficiency. Early findings from project innovations in Texas and other states raise doubts about the capacity of these organizations to achieve these goals. State funders will need to provide ongoing technical assistance and support to “scale up” the capacity of CBOs to plan, implement, and manage local innovations in welfare reform.
The POU Gene Brn-5 Is Induced by Neuregulin and Is Restricted to Myelinating Schwann Cells

The POU family of transcription factors plays a vital role in controlling cell-fate determination and the timing of cellular events in a number of tissues, including the nervous system. One such POU protein, SCIP, is expressed by Schwann cells in a tightly delimited developmental window termed promyelination. In the PNS, promyelination is functionally defined as the period following Schwann cell exit from the cell-cycle, but prior to the onset of myelination. Previous transgenic and gene ablation studies have shown that SCIP is a myelin-competence factor in the Schwann cell, where it is required for entry into, and the subsequent maintenance of promyelination. To further understand the molecular biology of the promyelination-to-myelination transition in the Schwann cell, we have undertaken a series of DDRTPCR studies to identify genes that are expressed during this phenotypic flux. Through these studies we have identified another POU gene, Brn-5, the expression of which has not previously been appreciated in the Schwann cell. Here we show that the developmental expression patterns of Brn-5 and SCIP are inverse, with Brn-5 stably expressed in the adult myelinating Schwann cell, but virtually absent during promyelination. Further, we show that the induction of the two genes is independent, with SCIP induction requiring activation of adenyl cyclase, whereas Brn-5 induction requires only GGF2. In addition, the induction of Brn-5 is exquisitely sensitive to neuregulin concentration, with higher levels inhibiting its expression. Following nerve injury, when GGF2 levels are elevated in the distal nerve, Brn-5 expression disappears, and SCIP is reexpressed.
The activity of lactase (Streptococcus thermophilus) in milk and sweet whey

Abstract Activity of lactase (Streptococcus thermophilus) in milk, sweet whey and milk salts was 33, 27 and 18%, respectively, of the activity in phosphate buffer containing a similar level of magnesium ions. The decrease is due primarily to the unfavorable ionic environment in milk products. Milk proteins activated the enzyme only slightly in buffer (6–14%), but seemed to ameliorate the inhibiting effect of the ionic environment in milk and whey. Activity in raw milk was 6–8% less than in the same milk heated to 63 or 85°C for 30 min.
VARIATION IN IMMUNOASSAYS OF PLASMA ET-1 IN CORD BLOOD. † 1248

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent, endothelial-derived vasoconstricting agent which may be an important modulator of perinatal vascular tone. The development of techniques to assay plasma ET-1 levels provides an opportunity to investigate the role of ET-1 in a variety of perinatal disorders. To date, however, these assays have revealed widely varying results, which may be due to inherent differences in purification/detection methods. Normally, ET-1 is close to zero, but increased levels in cord blood have been reported. Most of the reports of ET-1 levels are based on a radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. There are three antigen-antibody assays available. We compared the ET-1 levels in cord blood of 8 full term, healthy neonates using: 1] an RIA kit (Peninsula Laboratories, Belmont, CA), which uses rabbit anti-ET-1 serum specific for the peptide; 2] an EIA kit (Cayman Chemical, Ann Harbor, MI), which uses acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as substrate; and 3] an EIA kit (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN) which uses an antibody to ET-1 conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The purification methods also differ between the three methods. Each sample was divided into three 1.0 ml plasma aliquots, and each aliquot was analyzed in duplicate according to the manufacturer's specifications for each kit. Duplicate aliquots are averaged and shown in pg ET-1/ml plasma. In spite of almost identical x ± SD, the variance between the assays with the most comparable results (RIA/HRP) was 34.3± 27.8% (range = 3-76.2%) (n=8). Plasma ET-1 measurements may have prognostic value, but interpretation of immunoassays of ET-1 is limited, due to differences in purification procedures, antibody specificity, sensitivity of the assay and available sample size. Table
Different Effects of Individual Identification Systems on Chicken Well-Being

Individual identification is a common method used in animal research. This study was designed to examine if commonly used identification systems (i.e., leg bands, wing bands, neck tags, and livestock markers) have different effects on hens' behavioral and physiological homeostasis. At 18 wk of age, hens were paired in all combinations of treatments and control (unmarked hens; n = 10) in a novel cage for 5 trials of 1 h each to test the effects of identification markers on social behaviors. Wing-banded hens tended to exhibit increased feather pecking compared with control hens (P 0.10). At 20 wk of age, absolute fluctuating asymmetry (FA), but not relative FA, of shank length and width was more significant in leg-banded hens (P < 0.05) and tended to be significant in wing-banded hens (P < 0.10), compared with control hens. Asymmetry of the shank is often a result of high stress levels, including social stress. Body weight measured at 20 wk of age showed that hens with leg bands were significantly lighter than control hens (P < 0.05), possibly as a result of decreased access to resources, increased metabolism, or decreased appetite due to elevated stress. Increased absolute FA and decreased BW could be evidence of a disruption of the hens' physiological homeostasis due to increased stress. Hens with leg bands also tended to have lower percentage of heterophils (P < 0.10), indicative of increased stress and reduced immunocompetence. Our findings provide clear evidence of the negative effects of wing and leg band identification systems on hens' well-being, altering both physiological and behavioral homeostasis. Without knowledge of the effects, the use of individual identification systems could lead to misinterpretation of experimental results.
Interlaced Euler scheme for stiff systems of stochastic differential equations

In deterministic as well as stochastic models, stiff systems, i.e., systems with vastly different time scales where the fast scales are stable, are very common. It is well known that the implicit Euler method is well suited for stiff deterministic equations (modeled by ODEs) while the explicit Euler is not. In particular, once the fast transients are over, the implicit Euler allows for the choice of time steps comparable to the slowest time scales of the system. In stochastic systems (modeled by SDEs) the picture is more complex. While the implicit Euler has better stability properties over the explicit Euler, it underestimates the stationary variance. In general, one may not expect any method to work successfully by taking time steps of the order of the slowest time scale. We explore the idea of interlacing large implicit Euler steps with a sequence of small explicit Euler steps. In particular, we present our study of a linear test system of SDEs and demonstrate that such interlacing could effectively deal with stiffness. We also discuss the uniform convergence of mean and variance.
An experimental investigation of the pulsation frequency of flames

Measurements of the pulsation frequency in non-premixed flames were conducted for gaseous and liquid fuels. Measurements were performed over a wide range of Froude number (≈10−4 to ≈103), Reynolds number (≈10 to ≈103) and burner diameter (0.0074 m to 0.30 m). The fuel velocity at the burner exit had a weak influence on the pulsation frequency for some diameters. The Strouhal number plotted as a function of the inverse Froude number was shown to correlate the measurements determined here as well as measurements reported in the literature for pulsations in flames burning gaseous, liquid and solid fuels over 14 orders of magnitude in Froude number. Previous measurements of the effect of enhanced gravitational level on the pulsation frequency were also interpreted in terms of the Strouhal number—Froude number relationship. Stability limits in flames were investigated. The critical fuel velocity needed to initiate pulsations was measured as a function of burner diameter for methane and propane flames. Flow visualization was used to measure the pulsation frequency of an isothermal buoyant gas stream over a range of Froude number (10−3 to 1). A plot of the Strouhal number as a function of the inverse Froude number also correlated the measurements, but yielded a different power law exponent than the reacting flow case.
Smoking Moms and Methylation

Since the 1970s when it was first proposed, the developmental origins of adult health hypothesis has gained momentum. The idea that the in utero environment influences health later in life is being confirmed by numerous epidemiological and experimental studies. The main mechanism driving these influences appears to be of epigenetic origin, in which genes are modified without altering the DNA sequence. Smoking during pregnancy is thought to create an in utero environment that is detrimental to the future health of the fetus, but data that describe the mechanistic underpinnings are scarce. Now, Maccani and colleagues begin to fill in these knowledge gaps by comparing the epigenetic status of placentas from smoker and nonsmoker mothers and the relationship of epigenetic changes to the gestational age of the fetus. The authors used Human Methylation27 BeadChip technology to examine the methylation status of 21,551 autosomal CpG loci and found that 1918 of the loci in multiple genes had differential methylation-status patterns associated with maternal smoking. They then focused on characterizing methylation patterns of specific loci within the RUNX3 gene. This gene is known to be significantly associated with airway hyperresponsiveness and asthma, which in turn are associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy. Methylation values in seven RUNX3 loci were significantly associated with maternal smoking; two of these were associated with decreased gestational age, and one with increased risk for preterm birth. A major limitation of the study is the use of the Methylation27 platform to assess methylation status. Repeating the same study with the Methylation450 array platform should yield considerably more information about the developmental origins of adult disease, specifically asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness. J. Z. Maccani et al ., Placental DNA methylation alterations associated with maternal tobacco smoking at the RUNX3 gene are also associated with gestational age. Epigenomics 5 , 619–630 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/epi.13.63?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed&
Competition and the quality of public schools

Abstract A growing body of empirical research has provided provocative evidence that competition from private schools improves student achievement in neighboring public schools. However, this uniform conclusion has been based on fundamentally different empirical specifications. This study examines the importance of these different specifications by presenting new evidence on the relationship between public school quality and competition from private schools. This evidence is based on a unique data set that contains consistently defined high school graduation rates for the unified school districts in 18 states. The results indicate that empirical strategies which rely exclusively on ordinary least-squares (OLS) can lead to misleading inferences because of omitted variables bias and the simultaneous determination of the demand for private schools and public school quality. Nonetheless, two-stage least-squares (2SLS) estimates indicate that competition from private schools does have a positive and statistically significant impact on the high school graduation rates of neighboring public schools.
Effects of Growth Conditions on the Barrier Properties of a Human Skin Equivalent

Purpose Development of transdermal and topical formulations requires extensive skin permeation testing and the availability of reproducible test models. We have worked on development of a Human Skin Equivalent (HSE) by culture with a combination of additives, including the PPAR-α agonist clofibrate, in order to simulate the cutaneous barrier of human skin.
Where Have We Been? Where Are We Going?

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible” Lord Kelvin ca. 1895, British Mathematician and Physicist2 “But what ... is it good for?” Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.3
A new design concept for indraft wind-tunnel inlets with application to the national full-scale aerodynamic complex

The present inlet design concept for an indraft wind tunnel, which is especially suited to applications for which a specific test section flow quality is required with minimum inlet size, employs a cascade or vaneset to control flow at the inlet plane, so that test section total pressure variation is minimized. Potential flow panel methods, together with empirical pressure loss predictions, are used to predict inlet cascade performance. This concept has been used to develop an alternative inlet design for the 80 x 120-ft wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. Experimental results show that a short length/diameter ratio wind tunnel inlet furnishing atmospheric wind isolation and uniform test section flow can be designed.
African American Adolescents' Perceptions of Family Interactions: Kinship Support, Parent–Child Relationships, and Teen Adjustment

This study examined perceived kinship support and parenting practices for 158 African American adolescents in the 9th and 10th grades. Kinship support showed direct associations with teen outcomes that, for work orientation and school orientation, were partially mediated by parenting practices. With a few exceptions, kinship support was positively associated with youth adjustment for teens from single-parent and 2-parent homes, teens with college educated and less educated parents, and for girls and boys. Both kinship support and maternal warmth predicted self-reliance, work orientation, and school orientation. Kinship support was the primary predictor of ethnic identity.
Admissions Criteria for Ranking Master's-Level Applicants to Clinical Doctoral Programs

All APA-approved doctoral programs in clinical psychology were surveyed to determine their admissions and credit transfer policies for students from master's-level programs. The results indicated that Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, recommendations, and research involvement were consistently rated as most important in ranking applicants for admission. The doctoral programs varied in the weights assigned to graduate versus undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs). Most programs indicated that students with a master's degree could reduce the time needed to complete their doctoral requirements by about a year. However, about one third of the schools indicated that little or no reduction in time was possible.
Predictors of Cheating among Early Adolescents: Academic and Social Motivations.

Abstract This study examined the relations between middle school students' self-reported cheating and several indicators of academic and social motivation. It was hypothesized that students' academic self-efficacy and personal and classroom goal orientations would predict cheating. Social motivations were presumed to predict cheating above and beyond achievement motivation. Four dimensions of relationships within schools were measured: participation structure, teacher commitment and competence, teacher respect, and sense of school belonging. Logistic regression analyses were used to predict classification as a cheater or noncheater. Although academic motivation variables predicted cheating, the addition of the relationship variables significantly improved the classification rates. The final model included grade in school, academic self-efficacy, extrinsic goal orientation, participation structure, teacher commitment, and teacher respect.
Approximation of curves by polygons

Abstract Let A be a smooth curve in a Euclidean space E given by an arc length parametrization f: [0, 1] → E. Let πn = {0 = t0 ≤ t1 ≤ … ≤ tn = 1} be a partition of [0, 1] and let Pn be the polygon with vertices f(t0), f(t1),…, f(tn). Let L(A) and L(Pn) denote the lengths of A and Pn, respectively. The paper investigates the behavior of n2 |L(A) − L(Pn)| when the partition πn is induced by the sequence nθ(mod 1) for some irrational number θ. It turns out that this behavior depends on the partial quotients of the continued fraction expansion of θ.
Modeling pipeline crevice corrosion under a disbonded coating with or without cathodic protection under transient and steady state conditions

Abstract Underground steel pipelines are protected by coatings and cathodic protection (CP). The pipeline corrosion occurs when the coating is disbonded away from a defect or holiday to form a crevice and the corrosion rate varies temporally and spatially in the crevice. In the presence of dissolved oxygen (O2) in soil ground water, a differential O2 concentration cell may develop in the crevice because O2 diffuses more readily into the crevice through the holiday than through the disbonded coating. CP can decrease or eliminate the O2 concentration cell depending on the potential applied at the holiday. Since the coatings are usually non-conductive, CP is unable to protect the steel surface deep inside the crevice. The transport of dissolved O2, and that of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) if present, into the crevice through holiday can be key to determining the crevice corrosion rate. In this work, the transient and steady state behavior of the corrosion process is investigated. The effect of the cathodic portion of iron vs. ferrous ion redox reaction on the crevice corrosion rate, which is often neglected traditionally, is further studied. At steady state, the effect of dissolved O2 on the crevice corrosion rate and the added effect of dissolved CO2 are mathematically modeled.
Progressive myoclonic epilepsies: Recent genetic advances

The progressive myoclonic epilepsies are a rare group of debilitating epileptic encephalopathies characterized by myoclonic seizures, progressive neurological dysfunction and dementia. In the past year advances in gene mapping have isolated gene loci for the majority of progressive myoclonic disorders, paving the way for specific diagnosis, more accurate prognosis and risk calculation, as well as opening the potential for prenatal and pre-symptomatic diagnosis in at risk families.
STM studies of near-optimal doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

Abstract In this paper, we summarize our Scanning Tunnelling Microscope (STM) studies of the density of electronic states in nearly optimally doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ in zero field. We report on the inhomogeneity of the gap structure, density of states modulations with four-lattice constant period, and coherence peak modulation.
Concise Total Syntheses of the Lycopodium Alkaloids (±)-Nankakurines A and B via Luciduline

Total syntheses of the Lycopodium alkaloids nankakurines A and B have been accomplished in 6 and 7 steps, respectively, via a sequence that passes through a third Lycopodium alkaloid, luciduline, and forgoes the use of protecting groups on nitrogen. Key features include a short preparation of luciduline followed by a concise and stereoselective aminoallylation/ring-closing metathesis protocol to fashion the spiropiperidine ring common to nankakurines A and B.
Evidence for the utilization of extracellular [γ-32P]ATP for the phosphorylation of intracellular proteins in the squid giant axon

Proteins in the squid giant axon were labeled with 32P by in vitro incubation of isolated axoplasm with radioactive [gamma-32P]adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and separated by polyacrylamide sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The two major phosphorylated regions on the gel had molecular weights of 400,000 and 200,000. These two peaks appear to be neurofilament proteins of squid axoplasm. The same set of proteins was phosphorylated in the axoplasm regardless of whether the [gamma-32P]ATP was applied in situ intracellularly or extracellarly. These results suggest that ATP in the extracellular space is, by some ATP-translocation mechanism, utilized in the process of intracellular phosphorylation. Measurements of the apparent influx of ATP across the squid axon membrane yielded results consistent with the view that ATP in the extracellular fluid could be transported into the axoplasm.
Technology Integration into Pre-service Teacher Training

This study evaluated the perceptions of pre-service teachers in their ability to integrate technology into a learning environment based on coursework and student teaching experiences. Pre-service teachers were surveyed using the 2008 ISTE/NETS*T standards as a framework. Results were collected across four academic years at a university that has identified technology as an underlying theme. Conclusions from the study provide an insight into technology savvy characteristics of pre-service teachers. Results also show that technology modeling and program design within a teacher education program can have a significant impact on pre-service teachers, thus improving their perceptions about their ability to integrate technology.
Patterns of domestic conflict: 1919-39 and 1946-66

'Research for this paper has been supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant GS-2420. Data was assembled by a group of ten students at the State University of New York at Binghamton that included Burkhard H. Blob, Sharon Fundis, Joseph J. Hogan, Michael J. Karger, Ellen A. Lubetsky, Royene Lukas, Brant D. Maltby, Ronald Sarner, Rodney S. Soltis, and Yves Veenstra. Their diligence and good humor while being "chained" to microfilm readers is gratefully acknowledged. 2Data were collected for virtually all nations independent (for whatever length of time) between 1919 and 1966. For the purpose of maintaining a stable sample through time, however, the present analysis is confined to the 51 nations maintaining independence throughout each of the 2 1-year periods. For a listing of these countries, see Table 2. 3The years 1940-45 are omitted because of wartime conditions that might abnormally influence the range or intensity of domestic conflict for many countries. A corollary assumption (substantiated in large measure by both Rummel, 1963, and Tanter, 1966) is that under relatively normal conditions domestic conflict does not vary noticeably with changes in international events. An analysis such as Singer and Small's forthcoming "Wages of War", of course, would require data for the years in question. Data A ssemblY
Heat and Water Exchange in Human Airways

The intrathoracic airways of humans play a prominent part in conditioning inspired air. During inspiration the air is warmed and humidified by the movement of heat and water from the mucosa as a direct function of the temperature and vapor pressure gradients that exist. In this process, the mucosa is cooled. During expiration, the gradients are reversed, and heat and water are given back into the airways. At low levels of ventilation, most of the conditioning process takes place in the upper air passages; however, as ventilation rises, more and more of the tracheobronchial tree becomes involved, and incompletely conditioned air penetrates deeply into the distal airways before it is brought to equilibrium with body conditions. It is likely that the heat required to condition the inspired air is derived from the bronchial circulation, but this has not yet been definitely proved. In normal persons, the thermal events associated with the conditioning of inspired air do not produce any changes in pulmonary mec...
Substitution in families of languages

The effect of substitution in families of languages, especially an AFL (i.e., abstract family of languages), is considered. Among the main results shown are the following: The substitution of one AFL into another is an AFL. Under suitable hypotheses, the AFL generated by the family obtained from the substitution of one family into another is the family obtained from the substitution of the corresponding AFL. A condition is given for the AFL generated by the substitution closure of a family to be the substitution closure of the AFL generated by the family.
Polymeric Coating of Optical Silica Fibers, and a Nanomaterial-Based Coating System

This paper consists of two parts - the review and the extension. The review part deals primarily with the mechanical behavior of the existing polymer coated fiber optics structures subjected to thermally induced and/or mechanical loading in bending, tension, compression, or to various combinations of such loadings. The extension part of the article addresses a possible new generation of optical fiber coatings and deals with the application of nano-particle materials (NPMs) as an attractive and promising substitute for the existing optical fiber coatings.
REGGI and the American Rare Donor Program

The American Rare Donor Program (ARDP) was formed in 1998 to provide rare blood units for patients in need. Members of the program identify rare donors and submit donor information for entrance into a database, REGGI. Information on patients in need of rare blood is also submitted and entered into REGGI. REGGI serves to match phenotypes of registered donors with patients having the respective antibodies. A search process for available units ensues, and blood is provided to the patient. This report provides information on REGGI and its use in the ARDP.
High Performance FFT Algorithms for Cache-Coherent Multiprocessors

Computing one-dimensional fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) on microprocessors requires different algorithms, depending on whether the problem fits in the data cache. This paper describes efficient algorithms for both cases. Some implementations of out-of-cache one-dimensional FFTs use a six-step approach to reduce the number of cache misses. The six-step approach may be altered into a seven-step approach that allows increased data cache reuse. A natural parallelism is also developed. Performance results using these techniques are given for the Hewlett-Packard HP 9000 V-Class V2250 server.
FUNCTION BASED RISK ASSESSMENT: MAPPING FUNCTION TO LIKELIHOOD

Risk assessments are necessary to anticipate and prevent accidents from occurring or repeating. This paper focuses specifically on the relationship between function and risk by presenting a mathematical mapping from product function to risk likelihood. This type of mapping will aid designers by removing the subjectivity of the likelihood value from a risk element, provide three key risk element properties (design parameter, failure mode, and likelihood) for numerous risk elements with one simple mathematical calculation, and provide a means for inexperienced designers to effectively address risk in the conceptual design phase. In addition, the level of detail a functional model should be written in to produce adequate likelihood risk assessments is examined. Three case studies are used to validate the proposed mapping: A spacecraft orientation subsystem, a subsystem to guide science instruments on an extraterrestrial, and subsystems from a Bell 206 rotorcraft. The work described in this paper continues is part of ongoing research relating function to failure.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of insect pest population under viral infection

The interrelationship between pathogen infection and host mobility is of great importance for successful spread of disease in spatial pest population. As spread of infection depends on horizontal transmission of pathogen, there are numerous factors like susceptibility, latent period, host movement that influence overall effectiveness of the control policy. Initiation of new infection cycle depends on density of infected inoculum in the site. So, spatial movement of infected hosts during the course of infection influence the dynamics. Also, infected individuals are more vulnerable to predators and hence production of virus particles in the site depends on predation to some extent. We derive a four dimensional delayed reaction-diffusion model in one spatial dimension and compute the minimum travelling speed of transmission of infection. We show that the minimum speed is sensitive to several parameters of the system. For example, the minimum speed decreases only with increase in delay in lysis process, but otherwise it increases with increase in force of infection, diffusivity of infectives or per capita virus production. A concluding discussion with numerical simulation is presented in the end.
Microinjection into Xenopus oocytes: a precise semi-automatic instrument and optimal parameters for injection of mRNAs.

Abstract A new apparatus for the injection of Xenopus oocytes is described which provides semi-automatic cell handling together with highly accurate and reproducible volume delivery. Using the system requires very little skill, yet it gives 6.3% average reproducibility in the 5 to 70 nl volume range. The instrument uses a fixed injector system driven by an Inchworm piezoelectric positioner or, in a low-cost versio, by a Rainin EDP-2 battery-operated motorized pipetted. A movable, vacuum-operated oocyte holder minimizes laterla movement of the oocyte during injection. Oocytes injected with the system show better survival and enhanced expression of mRNA compared with those injected with a widely used type of manual injector (Coleman, 1984).
Temperature dependence of minority‐carrier lifetime in vapor‐grown GaP

Minority‐carrier lifetimes in nitrogen‐doped GaP grown by vapor phase epitaxy have been measured using the diode reverse‐recovery technique. From the temperature dependence of the minority‐carrier lifetime and utilizing the recombination model of Shockley, Read, and Hall, a recombination level at 0.15–0.19 eV was determined. The center, which is predominantly nonradiative, can be attributed to a donor‐acceptor pair involving copper and an unknown donor.
Art as Neglected ‘Text’ for the Study of Gender and Religion in Africa

The visual and performing arts in Africa provide unique opportunities not just for the reinforcement of gender differences but also for the subversion or transcendence of those differences to ensure societal harmony. A close reading of the various forms of artistic expression provides valuable data on women's perceived mystical powers—procreation, metaphysical knowledge and intimate communication with the spirit world as well as their social and religious status.
Magnetic anisotropy of Fe, Mn and Ni substituted Er 2 Co 17 ternaries

The saturation magnetization, Curie temperature, easy direction of magnetization and anisotropy field of Er 2 Co 17-x M x compounds where M = Fe, Mn or Ni were investigated. It was not possible to prepare single phase materials for x > 6 when M = Mn and for x > 10 when M = Ni. The Mn containing ternaries possess an easy direction of magnetization along the c-axis whereas for Fe containing ternaries the easy direction changes from c-axis to basal plane for x > 10. In the case of Er 2 Co 17-x Ni x the easy direction changes from c-axis to basal plane with nickel substitution and the remains along the basal plane until x = 8 at which concentration the spins prefer the c-axis. At low temperatures Er 2 Fe 11 Co 6 , Er 2 Co 15 Ni 2 , and Er 2 Co 11 Co 6 show a tendency to deviate from the easy plane. The Curie temperature decreases with M substitution and the decrease is rapid when M = Mn. Er 2 Co 15 Mn 2 possess an anisotropy field of 133 kOe at 4.2 K as compared to 31 kOe for Er 2 Co 17 Ni. A model is proposed to explain the easy axis change as a function of M.
Passion simple and Madame, c'est a vous que j'ecris: "That's MY Desire"

No two texts better exemplify the contemporary "he said, she said" phenomenon than Annie Ernaux's Passion simple (Simple Passion) and Alain Gerard's Madame, c'est a vous que j'eeris (Madam, It Is To You That I Am Writing). Ernaux's book, published in 1991, recounts the author's heretofore hidden affair with a foreign businessman living temporarily in France. Dissatisfied with Ernaux's account, Gerard assumes the lover's identity and chronicles events from his perspective, making Madame, e'est a vous que j' ecris, published four years later, an explicit response to Passion simple. The result is a rare literary "tac au tac" very much in the public eye, in which a man and a woman both wish to tell their side of the story about a past sexual relationship. Furthermore, as is so often the case in these disputes, the two stories simply do not jibe, and there are reproaches, recriminations, accusations, and counter-accusations. However, it seems to me that what is most intriguing about this unusual pair is their disagreement over the definition of desire, and thus, how they illustrate the fundamental feminist notion that gender informs writing as well as reading.
A rapid simple radiometric assay for phospholipase A2 activity.

Abstract A rapid, simple radiochemical assay for phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity is described in which incubations of homogenized tissue were directly applied to columns of silica gel absorbent. The metabolites and substrate were eluted from the columns with two different solvent systems so that each could be separated and quantified.
Pan-nephric candidial abscesses.

Abstract This report illustrates the destructive nature of renal candidiasis in a neonate with a cloacal anomaly.
Room-Temperature Luminescence of Several Compounds on an α-Cyclodextrin-NaCl Mixture

Fifty-five organic compounds of various sizes and functionalities were investigated for solid-surface room-temperature fluorescence (RTF) and phosphorescence (RTP) on an 80% α-cyclodextrin-NaCl matrix. Forty-two of these compounds showed either RTP and/or RTF on this matrix. The relative RTP intensities of the compounds were compared, and the results showed that triphenylene gave the strongest RTP signal, while phenanthridine gave the weakest signal. The range of the RTP limit of detection of the phosphorescent compounds on an 80% α-cyclodextrin-NaCl mixture was determined to be between 0.2 ng and 15 ng. The results showed the general analytical potential of this approach because of the large number of compounds yielding luminescence signals and the selectivity and sensitivity achieved.
Spectra and structure of gallium compounds: V—Infrared and Raman spectra of gaseous, liquid and solid trimethylgallium

The Raman spectra (50–3500 cm−1) have been recorded for gaseous, liquid and solid trimethylgallium. The infrared spectra (40–4000 cm−1) have also been recorded for trimethylgallium in the vapor and crystalline states. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed and the out-of-plane, GaC3 deformation is assigned to an infrared band observed at 150 cm−1 in the spectrum of the vapor. The vibrational spectrum of the solid is very simple which indicates that the molecule remains monomeric. Only one lattice mode was observed in the far infrared spectrum and none in the Raman spectrum. The spectrum of the solid can best be interpreted on the basis of C3 site symmetry with either one or two molecules per unit cell. Normal coordinate calculations for the skeletal modes have been carried out utilizing a four atom approximation.
Non-topographical contrast enhancement in the olfactory bulb

Contrast enhancement within primary stimulus representations is a common feature of sensory systems that regulates the discrimination of similar stimuli. Whereas most sensory stimulus features can be mapped onto one or two dimensions of quality or location (e.g., frequency or retinotopy), the analogous similarities among odor stimuli are distributed high-dimensionally, necessarily yielding a chemotopically fragmented map upon the surface of the olfactory bulb. While olfactory contrast enhancement has been attributed to decremental lateral inhibitory processes among olfactory bulb projection neurons modeled after those in the retina, the two-dimensional topology of this mechanism is intrinsically incapable of mediating effective contrast enhancement on such fragmented maps. Consequently, current theories are unable to explain the existence of olfactory contrast enhancement. We describe a novel neural circuit mechanism, non-topographical contrast enhancement (NTCE), which enables contrast enhancement among high-dimensional odor representations exhibiting unpredictable patterns of similarity. The NTCE algorithm relies solely on local intraglomerular computations and broad feedback inhibition, and is consistent with known properties of the olfactory bulb input layer. Unlike mechanisms based upon lateral projections, NTCE does not require a built-in foreknowledge of the similarities in molecular receptive ranges expressed by different olfactory bulb glomeruli, and is independent of the physical location of glomeruli within the olfactory bulb. Non-topographical contrast enhancement demonstrates how intrinsically high-dimensional sensory data can be represented and processed within a physically two-dimensional neural cortex while retaining the capacity to represent stimulus similarity. In a biophysically constrained computational model of the olfactory bulb, NTCE successfully mediates contrast enhancement among odorant representations in the natural, high-dimensional similarity space defined by the olfactory receptor complement and underlies the concentration-independence of odor quality representations.
Minimization of threshold voltage variation in SOI MOSFETs

SOI NMOS devices incorporating the constant dose design concept were fabricated. The devices had a gate oxide of 8 nm, a buried oxide of 380 nm, and a silicon film thickness (t/sub Si/) that ranged between 42 nm to 53 nm. All measurements were taken on long channel (L/sub eff/>2 /spl mu/m) devices. The devices implanted with the lowest energy of 20 keV are less sensitive to t/sub Si/ variations than those with the higher implant energy conditions. For comparison, the threshold voltage (V/sub T/) calculated from the analytical model of Lim et al. (1983) is also shown for the constant substrate dopings of 3/spl times/10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ and 4/spl times/10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/. The V/sub T/ sensitivity to t/sub Si/ variations was reduced considerably by using the constant dose design concept.
On Maximizing Coverage in Gaussian Relay Channels

Results for Gaussian relay channels typically focus on maximizing transmission rates for given locations of the source, relay, and destination. We introduce an alternative perspective, where the objective is maximizing coverage for a given rate. The new objective captures the problem of how to deploy relays to provide a given level of service to a particular geographic area, where the relay locations become a design parameter that can be optimized. We evaluate the decode-and-forward (DF) and compress-and-forward (CF) strategies for the relay channel with respect to the new objective of maximizing coverage. When the objective is maximizing rate, different locations of the destination favor different strategies. When the objective is coverage for a given rate, and the relay is able to decode, DF is uniformly superior in that it provides coverage at any point served by CF. When the channel model is modified to include random fading, we show that the monotone ordering of coverage regions is not always maintained. While the coverage provided by DF is sensitive to changes in the location of the relay and the path loss exponent, CF exhibits a more graceful degradation with respect to such changes. The techniques used to approximate coverage regions are new and may be of independent interest.
Randomly switching systems: Models, analysis, and applications

This work provides a survey on some of the recent progress of switching diffusion systems. In recent years, switching diffusion systems have gained much popularity owing to their flexibility in modeling and their nature to conveniently depict the coexistence of continuous dynamics and discrete events. In this paper, we begin with a number of motivating examples to display a variety of applications that can be covered by switching diffusions. Then we study several important properties of the underlying systems. First weak stability is treated, and then ergodicity is considered, which provides us with a useful tool to replace the time-varying system measures by an ergodic or limit measure. Stability for equilibria is also examined. For the totally degenerated diffusions (i.e., no Gaussian noise case), we are dealing with switched ordinary differential equations. A somewhat surprising discovery is an insight different from the well-know Hartman-Grobman theorem regarding linearization. Numerical approximation for the solution of controlled switching diffusions are also considered.