cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
XLVIII. Characteristics of the crater of the high intensity carbon arc

Summary The paper describes experimental investigations on the burning characteristics of a range of high intensity positive carbons. The properties studied were the rate of burn of the positive carbon with respect to the effects of external oxidation and internal evaporation (§ 5); the crater diameter and depth(§ 6); the arc voltage (§ 7); and the axial candles (§ 8). There exists, so far as the authors are aware, no theory of operation of the high intensity arc which supplies an explanation, even in a qualitative manner, of the mechanism of the arc in relation to the crater formation and other associated phenomena. An attempt at a theory is made in this paper, and the experimental results support reasonably well the assumptions on which the theory is based. An adequate explanation should be capable of predicting quantitative parameters such as the rate of burn and crater diameter, when certain constants of the lamp and carbons and the power input to tile lamp are given. While the present theory does not...
Ventral hippocampal ibotenic acid lesions block chronic nicotine-induced spatial working memory improvement in rats.

Chronic nicotine infusions have been found to significantly improve working memory performance in the radial-arm maze. This effect is blocked by co-infusions of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine. Acute nicotine injections also improve working memory performance in the radial-arm maze. This effect is also blocked by mecamylamine co-administration. Recent local infusions studies have demonstrated the importance of the ventral hippocampus for nicotinic involvement in memory. Local infusions of mecamylamine, DHbetaE or MLA impair working memory performance on the radial-arm maze. The current study was conducted to determine the importance of the ventral hippocampus for the chronic effects of nicotine. Rats were trained on the working memory task in an eight-arm radial maze. After acquisition they underwent either infusions of ibotenic acid lesions or vehicle infusions and received subcutaneous implants of osmotic minipumps that delivered either nicotine at a dose of 5 mg kg-1 day-1 or vehicle in a 2x2 design. The rats then were given 2 days of recovery and were tested on the radial-arm maze three times per week for the next 4 weeks. As seen in previous studies, in the sham lesioned group nicotine infusions caused a significant improvement in choice accuracy. In contrast no nicotine-induced improvement was seen in the rats after ibotenic acid lesions of the ventral hippocampus. The effect of nicotine was blocked even though this lesion did not cause a deficit in performance. Previous work showed that chronic nicotine infusion still caused a significant improvement in working memory performance in the radial-arm maze after knife-cut lesions of the fimbria-fornix carrying the septo-hippocampal cholinergic innervation. Thus it appears that it is the postsynaptic nicotinic receptors in the ventral hippocampus which are critically important for the expression of the chronic nicotine induced working memory improvement.
Vapor Intrusion: The Political Ecology of an Emerging Environmental Health Concern

This article explores the role of ethnography and political ecology theory amid an emerging environmental public health debate: vapor intrusion. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines vapor intrusion as the migration of volatile organic compounds from a contaminated groundwater source into overlying buildings. Like many other environmental health risks, vapor intrusion debates invoke particular socioenvironmental politics and expose complex and variegated negotiations with science, expertise, and policy. First, I expose the perceptions and experiences of scientists and regulators engaged in contemporary vapor intrusion (VI) debates. Next, I draw on ethnographic data from a community case study of residents' struggles and understandings of vapor intrusion and public health risk at an industrial hazardous waste site in Endicott, New York. This is followed by a discussion of the value of the political ecology of health perspective and its potential for informing yet another emerging ...
Functional and molecular characterization of rat intestinal prolidase.

Genetic deficiency of prolidase can lead to severe problems in child development, including mental retardation. However, the exact pathogenesis of the disease is unclear. To understand the enzyme's physiologic functions, we studied the regulation of rat intestinal prolidase. The results indicated that 1) the activities of intestinal prolidase and its kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) are site-dependent;2) the jejunal prolidase activity was the most sensitive to the dietary restriction, and the duodenal and jejunal but not colonic kinetic parameters changed with dietary restriction;3) the pH activity profile of jejunal prolidase at 24 h postfeeding was different from that at 48 h postfeeding, whereas the inhibition profiles of prolidase were qualitatively independent of dietary restriction; and 4) old-aged rats have lower prolidase activities in the small intestine. We also purified rat intestinal prolidase I to homogeneity. The characterization study indicated that the purified rat intestinal prolidase I is fairly similar to prolidase I from other species with a molecular weight of 116,000, which consisted of two monomers, 58,000 D each. The purified prolidase I has a Km value of 178 μM and a Vmax value of 601 μmol · min−1 · mg protein−1. Screening of a rat intestinal cDNA library produced a 1.8-kb fragment that encodes the rat intestinal prolidase. This enzyme has 494 deduced amino acid sequence, which is 96% or 86% identical to mouse or human erythrocyte prolidase I. This represents the first report of a successful attempt to purify and clone an intestinal prolidase and of investigation to study prolidase regulation by diet.
Machining, Assembly, and Characterization of a Mesoscale Double Shell Target

Several issues related to the manufacture of precision meso-scale assemblies have been identified as part of an effort to fabricate an assembly consisting of machined polymer hemispherical shells and machined aerogel. The assembly, a double shell laser target, is composed of concentric spherical layers that were machined on a lathe and then assembled. This production effort revealed several meso-scale manufacturing techniques that worked well, such as the machining of aerogel with cutting tools to form low density structures, and the development of an assembly manipulator that allows control of the assembly forces to within a few milliNewtons. Limitations on the use of vacuum chucks for meso-scale components were also identified. Many of the lessons learned in this effort are not specific to double shell targets and may be relevant to the production of other meso-scale devices.
Concise Review: Current Concepts in Bone Marrow Microenvironmental Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) behavior is governed in large part by interactions of the blood system with the bone microenvironment. Increasing evidence demonstrates the profound role the local HSC microenvironment or niche plays in normal stem cell function, in therapeutic activation and in the setting of malignancy. A number of cellular and molecular components of the microenvironment have been identified thus far, several of which are likely to provide exciting therapeutic targets in the near future. Clinically effective strategies for niche manipulation, however, require careful study of the interaction of these niche components. Some of the key findings defining these regulatory interactions are explored in this concise review, with special emphasis on potential translational applications.
Design of Controllers for Quadratic Stability and Disturbance Attenuation of Uncertain Systems

In this paper, we discuss the design of controllers that provide quadratic stability and a desirable disturbance attenuation level (through an appropriately small L 2 gain) for systems with time varying, real and structured uncertainty. It is shown that for a class of systems, the problem of designing dynamic output feedback can be separated into two stages, each an easily solvable convex problem. This information could be used in system design and configuration. Two examples are presented to illustrate the proposed approach.
Memristor based programmable threshold logic array

In this work, we utilized memristors in the realization of power and area efficient programmable threshold gates. Memristors are used as weights at the inputs of the threshold gates. The threshold gates are programmed by changing the memristance to enable implementation of different Boolean functions. A new threshold gate-array architecture is proposed and evaluated for power, area and delay metrics. The CAD setup that was utilized in the evaluation of the aforementioned architecture, can also be used to analyse the performance of emerging computing technologies. The proposed architecture achieves an average power reduction of 75% and area (transistor count) reduction of 75% when compared to look-up-table (LUT) based logic with some delay penalty.
Differential geometry and the forming of aligned fibre composites

Abstract In this paper it is shown that certain aspects of the forming of aligned fibre composites into complex shapes can be treated as a mapping problem. By application of differential geometry theory we show that the required in-plane shear to form an ideal complex shape is related to part curvature and the initial fibre placement. In order to draw fibre mappings for various complex shaped parts we present several new algorithms which are used with existing computer-aided design software. A particularly powerful aspect of the algorithm allows complex curvature parts to be approximated using flat facets. Finally, results from room temperature forming experiments are given which demonstrate broad agreement with theory, and a specific correlation between the calculated ideal in-plane shear and the observed fibre misalignment.
From Measurement to Management: Breaking through the Barriers to State and Local Performance

The Winter Commission’s aspirations for improvement of governance at the state and local level resulted in proposals to modernize public institutions and systems to remove the barriers on executive and managerial authority to act. Improving government performance and accountability to citizens requires leadership to empower employees by reducing rules, increasing discretion, and rewarding innovation. The performance measurement movement and its related performance management movement are public management trends of wide influence in state and local government that are both an adjunct to, and a reflection of those aspirations. Case studies of cities that have sought to develop and use performance measurement and engage citizens demonstrate great potential to improve governance and manage for results that citizens want. But even exemplary jurisdictions face challenges using evidence-based, data-driven performance management approaches. Promoting best practice requires better scholarship to understand the determinants of successful implementation, adoption, and use of performance measurement. The outcomes of performance management systems are generally unmeasured and little is known about their cost effectiveness or endurance over time. The promise is there, but our expectations should be tempered.
Planning a safe drilling path for cochlear implantation surgery using image registration techniques

The procedure currently used for cochlear implementation requires wide surgical exposure to identify anatomic landmarks. At our institution a minimally invasive technique is being developed that will permit to perform the procedure with a small burr hole. This technique does, however, require identifying pre-operatively a surgical path that reaches the cochlea without touching sensitive structures. This path can be found interactively by localizing a point in the facial recess and another point in the basal turn of the cochlea in the pre-operative CT images. Unfortunately, this is a difficult task because these structures are small and difficult to visualize. As an alternative, outlines of those two structures can be drawn first by a qualified surgeon in one image volume selected as an atlas. This atlas can then be registered to other image volumes to permit automatic localization. In this work a 12 parameter affine registration is performed first using mutual information as a similarity measure. After that a non rigid registration algorithm is applied to register the ear in the atlas to the patient's ear. The structures outlined in the atlas are deformed using the computed transformations and the resulting intensity centroids are used to draw the required safe path. The developed algorithm has been tested on eleven ears. In every instance, the path was deemed acceptable.
A Qualitative Study of Career Exploration among Young Adult Men with Psychosis and Co-occurring Substance Use Disorder

Objective: This article explores the meaning and importance of career exploration and career development in the context of integrated treatment for young adults with early psychosis and substance use disorders (i.e., co-occurring disorders). Methods: Twelve young adult men (aged 18 to 35 years) with co-occurring disorders recruited from an integrated treatment center completed a series of three semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Purposive sampling ensured participants represented a range of substance abuse treatment stages. Results: Participants had a mean age of 26 (SD = 3) and identified as White. Two-thirds of participants (n = 8, 67%) had diagnosed schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, three (25%) had bipolar disorder, and one (8%) had major depression; four (33%) also had a co-occurring anxiety disorder. The most common substance use disorders involved cannabis (n = 8, 67%), cocaine (n = 5, 42%), and alcohol (n = 5, 42%). ...
A kinetic study of the hydrous alteration of amorphous MgSiO smokes: Implications for cometary particles and chondrite matrix

Measurements of the rate of hydrous alteration of amorphous Mg-SiO smokes are reported as a function of temperature, as inferred by observing changes in the infrared spectra of these materials. It is shown that under the conditions reported for the nucleus of Comet Halley, based on measurements made by the Vega and Giotto missions, amorphous, anhydrous Mg-SiO smokes would become hydrated within several weeks in the dusty regolith observed on the surface. However, if such grains were released in 'jets' or from loose ice fragments, then previously amorphous grains would retain their anhydrous nature. Similarly, brief periods of aqueous activity on meteorite parent bodies would convert amorphous, fine-grained material to hydrated phyllosilicates much more rapidly than coarse mineral grains. A kinetic model might therefore be developed to explain the observed textural relationships in the matrices of carbonaceous chondrites such as Mokoia, where amorphous phyllosilicates are intimately associated with coarse anhydrous grains.
Picture processing grammar and its applications

A method for the description of the hierarchical structure of two-dimensional pictures is proposed. The model is called picture-processing grammar. It can be regarded as an extension of phrase-structure grammars to the two-dimensional case. A picture analysis program is described. It accepts picture-processing grammar in tabular form and processes pictures using that grammar. Experiments have been performed to analyze hand-written numerals, mathematical expressions and line drawings. Some practical applications are discussed.
Stochastic optimization of low-loss optical negative-index metamaterial

Optical metamaterial consisting of metal-dielectric composites creates a complicated system that is not amenable to analytical solutions. This presents a challenge in optimizing these intricate systems. We present the application of three nature-inspired stochastic optimization techniques in conjunction with fast numerical electromagnetic solvers to yield a metamaterial that satisfies a required design criterion. In particular, three stochastic optimization tools (genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and simulated annealing) are used for designing a low-loss optical negative index metamaterial. A negative refractive index around −0.8+0.2i is obtained at a wavelength of 770 nm. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is found to be the most efficient in this case.
Pico-second pulse radiolysis of cyclohexane solutions

A rapid (t < 500 psec) transfer of singlet energy is observed in the picosecond pulse radiolysis of dilute (10−3–10−2 M) solutions of aromatic solutes in cyclohexane. This event is not associated with any ion neutralization reaction, but is a direct transfer of energy from an excited state of cyclohexane (te < 500 psec) to the solute.
Diffusion coefficients and the time auto-correlation function of density fluctuations

Abstract It is shown that the time autocorrelation function of density fluctuations of an adsorbate correctly yields the chemical diffusion coefficient, defined by Fick's law, over a wide variety of conditions. Relations between the chemical diffusion coefficient and the tracer or self diffusion coefficient are also given and discussed.
The acute hyperbaric toxicity of carbon monoxide.

Abstract The effects of elevated pressures (25, 50, 75, and 100 psig) on the toxicity of carbon monoxide (CO) in guinea pigs, rats, and mice were examined in a series of 4-hr exposures. The partial pressure of oxygen (pO 2 ) was maintained between 140 and 160 mm Hg during all exposures. The LC50 values (lethal concentration of carbon monoxide for 50% of the animals exposed) expressed in milligrams per cubic meter of CO, were not appreciably altered by increases in pressure within the range studied. At death, the blood carboxyhemoglobin concentrations showed very little variation regardless of the exposure pressure.
Biochemical and genetic characterization of wheat (Triticum spp.) kernel polyphenol oxidases

Genetic variability of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was evaluated in hexaploid, tetraploid, and aneuploid wheat (Triticum spp.). A DNA probe to kernel-specific PPO hybridized to PPO clones from an immature wheat kernel cDNA library but not to clones from a seedling cDNA library. Recombinant protein and antibody were developed from the kernel-specific PPO. PPO transcript and antigenic proteins were most abundant during kernel development and decreased rapidly at physiological maturity. PPO proteins were more abundant in immature kernels, but PPO activity was greater in mature kernels. Wheat kernel antigenic protein bands of � 58, 60, 62, and 75 kD were identified; immunoprecipitated proteins of � 60 and � 62 kD were confirmed to be PPOs by LC-MS/MS. The 2D chromosome was implicated as a major locus of PPO activity in cultivar (cv.) ‘Chinese Spring’ based on antigenic staining intensity of � 60–62 kD proteins and kernel PPO activity in aneuploid lines. The � 58 kD protein was not well-correlated with kernel PPO activity, while the � 75 kD protein was likely a PPO precursor. Tropolone completely inhibited PPO activity extracted from mature kernels but not from immature kernels. Total PPO activity in mature kernels is thus a function of specific PPO isoforms present, their abundance, and activation levels. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Remittances, investment and growth in sub-Saharan Africa

Several studies have examined the impact of remittances on economic growth, yet the results remain largely inconclusive. I present an analysis of the relationship between remittances and per capita growth, and investigate whether the impact of remittances on growth is through capital accumulation or other mechanisms. Using data for sub-Saharan African countries and dynamic empirical models, I find that there is a positive relationship between remittances and growth, as well as a positive interaction effect between remittances and financial depth on growth. The findings also reveal threshold values for two main indicators of financial development, above which the total effect of remittances on growth is positive. The results further provide evidence for the existence of an investment channel through which remittances affect growth, and indirect evidence that remittances contribute towards a stable macroeconomic environment, and hence, growth, through a consumption smoothing effect.
The impending demise of the icon: A critique of the concept of iconic storage in visual information processing

Without disputing the experimental evidence that subjects have available most of the content of brief displays for a fraction of a second, or that visual stimuli Persist after their physical termination for a similar time, I argue that this evidence is irrelevant to perception. Specifically, the notion of an icon as a brief storage of information persisting after stimulus termination cannot possibly be useful in any typical visual information-processing task except reading in a lightning storm. Since the visual world that provides the stimuli for perception is continuous and not chopped up by tachistoscopes, and since our eyes and heads are rarely motionless, no realistic circumstances exist in which having a frozen iconic storage of information could be helpful. Rather, the presence of such an icon interferes with perception. This paper examines instances of normal perception, and then reviews experimental evidence on temporal integration, saccadic suppression, masking, and the photoreceptor basis of visual persistence, to further demonstrate that a storage of excitation cannot be a useful device for storing information. Finally, I note that little would have to be changed in our theories of visual perception or information processing if we simply forgot all about the icon and iconic memory as an early stage of processing.
Comparing the decompositions produced by software clustering algorithms using similarity measurements

Decomposing source code components and relations into subsystem clusters is an active area of research. Numerous clustering approaches have been proposed in the reverse engineering literature, each one using a different algorithm to identify subsystems. Since different clustering techniques may not produce identical results when applied to the same system, mechanisms that can measure the extent of these differences are needed. Some work to measure the similarity between decompositions has been done, but this work considers the assignment of source code components to clusters as the only criterion for similarity. We argue that better similarity measurements can be designed if the relations between the components are considered. The authors propose two similarity measurements that overcome certain problems in existing measurements. We also provide some suggestions on how to identify and deal with source code components that tend to contribute to poor similarity results. We conclude by presenting experimental results, and by highlighting some of the benefits of our similarity measurements.
Infrared excesses of barium stars

A sample of thirty-one barium stars has been studied using JHKLMN photometry. Infrared excesses are found to occur in the H, M, and N bands. The H-excess appears to correlate with the barium intensity (defined by the abnormal strength of the 4554 A BaII line), whereas the excesses in M and N do not. Two mechanisms are suggested for the production of these excesses: (1) redistribution of energy from the Bond-Neff optical depression into the infrared, and (2) thermal emission from residual material associated with mass transfer in a binary system. The correlation of the H-excess with suppressed optical flux is suggestive of energy redistribution, but the M- and N-excesses might indicate thermal energy from gas and dust.
The Economics Of Location-Based Tax Incentives By

Many local governments offer rich tax deals to firms to get these firms to come to their cities. In this brief essay, I review the economics of location-based tax incentives. I first address the positive economics of these incentives and present five theories of why these tax incentives occur. I then consider the normative aspects of these incentives and discuss the conditions under which these theories lead to optimal locations of firms and to optimal bundles of public goods. In general, I argue that tax incentives will generally lead to more efficient locational decisions. There may be undesirable redistributional consequences of these incentives, but these are best handled by national redistribution policy.
Integrated electronic nose system for detection of Salmonella contamination in meat

A novel metal oxide based electronic nose system was designed and developed to detect Salmonella contamination in packaged meat (beef). This system contained an array of metal oxide detectors and custom made electronics for acquiring olfactory signature of the volatile organic compounds in the headspace of the meat packages produced by detector arrays. The acquired signals were processed using three wavelet packet transforms (WPT) for simultaneous noise reduction and compression. The coefficients of wavelet packets were used as features for developing statistical classification models using bootstrapped linear and quadratic discriminant analysis techniques. The average total classification accuracies for classifying Salmonella contaminated meat samples were higher than 82% with highest average accuracy of about 88%.
The Science Behind Feminist Research Methods

Feminist science often is caricatured in oppositional terms — as a venture antagonistic to the scientific mission. Such portrayals not only misrepresent feminist science but also displace the fact that there are multiple feminist approaches toward science, each advancing particular notions of appropriate methods, objectivity, subjectivity, and the jurisdiction of scientific inquiry. Acquaintance with the variety of feminist approaches toward science will enable feminist scholars to better configure their research and strategies. Comprehending science itself as culture is crucial to these ends. A contextual perspective on science as culture will enhance our abilities to effect cultural change through our research projects. Such comprehension also will prepare us for improving the environment in which we work as well as the nature of that work.
Predicting interactive behavior of cytokines and their receptors by dielectric thermal analysis and thermogravimetry

Cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors serve as important protein biomarkers for chronic and infectious disease diagnosis. The development of biosensors capable of detecting cytokines or their soluble receptors in patient bodily fluids is a growing area of research. In an ongoing series of studies to understand the thermal analytical behavior of cytokines and their soluble receptors, dielectric thermal analysis (DETA) and thermogravimetry (TG) were used in investigations to determine if differentiations based on dielectric properties (e.g., conductivity) of the proteins could be identified. Permittivity (e′) and dielectric loss factor (e″) measurements were performed over a frequency range of 0.1–300,000 Hz. Up to 20 min, water associated with the samples was conductive, interacting with the proteins and affecting the temperature-dependent relaxation spectra of proteins. A trend analysis revealed differences between surface charge at 0.1 Hz and bulk charge at 300,000 Hz. In addition, the greatest change detected among proteins was due to the conductivity (dielectric loss factor). Beyond a 20 min drying time, the observed conductivity was due to intrinsic properties of the proteins with limited dependence on frequency. A 100% water loss was obtained for samples within 20–30 min by TG. Sample drying by TG could serve as a preparatory step in drying protein samples for further DETA and DSC analysis.
Progestogens influence cognitive processes in aging

Steroid hormones may alter mnemonic processes. The majority of investigations have focused on the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) to mediate learning. However, progesterone (P4), which varies across endogenous hormonal milieu with E2, may also have effects on cognitive processes. P4 may have effects in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex (PFC) and/or striatum to enhance cognitive performance. Cognitive performance/learning has been assessed using tasks that are mediated by the hippocampus (water maze), PFC (object recognition) and striatum (conditioning). Our findings suggest that progestogens can have pervasive effects to enhance cognitive performance and learning in tasks mediated by the hippocampus, PFC and striatum and that these effects may be in part independent of actions at intracellular progestin receptors. Progestogens may therefore influence cognitive processes.
Electric Fields Induced by EHV Transmission Over Irregular Terrain

A method for calculating electric fields induced by transmission lines over irregular terrain using a simulated surface charge distribution is outlined. The method approximates the two- dimensional physical charge distribution induced by the lines with a set of discrete line charges. Solution to the quasi-static electric field profiles is sought by constraining the discrete charge distribution such that the field is perpendicular to the surface at a finite set of points. The accuracy of the method depends on the number of charges used and the location of the charges. The analytical flat earth solution is used to establish accuracy as a function of charge configuration. Finally, the method is used to predict fields for irregular terrain. The predicted fields show good agreement with measured data in several examples where there was significant departure from the field predicted by a flat earth solution.
Heat transfer nanofluids based on carbon nanotubes

In this paper, we report the effort to prepare a stable su spension of carbon nanotube s in a hydro philic thermal transfer fluid with the motivation of enhancing its properties such as thermal conductivity and freezing point . The process of creating these fluid s involves the dispersion of carbon nanoparticles into the thermal transport fluid through intermittent sonication and the use of additives such as surfactants. I. Nomenclature
Order or Movement?: The Literature of Political Development as Ideology

The term “political development” originated during the cold war. After World War II, the prevalent attitude in the United States toward the Third World resembled that toward Europe: Unless economic progress and political stability were encouraged by the United States, these areas would turn Communist. Underlying foreign aid was the sober calculation that communism would lose its appeal once men's bellies were full. Robert Packenham reports that when AID officials were asked in the mid-sixties how they viewed development, “one of the most common responses was, in effect, that political development is anti-Communist, pro-American political stability.”
Selecting the Best Location for a Meteorological Tower: A Case Study of Multi-objective Constraint Optimization

Using the problem of selecting the best location for a meteorological tower as an example, we show that in multi-objective optimization under constraints, the traditional weighted average approach is often inadequate. We also show that natural invariance requirements lead to a more adequate approach – a generalization of Nash’s bargaining solution.
Evolutionary genome engineering using a restriction–modification system

Modification of complex microbial cellular processes is often necessary to obtain organisms with particularly favorable characteristics, but such experiments can take many generations to achieve. In the present article, we accelerated the experimental evolution of Escherichia coli populations under selection for improved growth using one of the restriction–modification systems, which have shaped bacterial genomes. This resulted in faster evolutionary changes in both the genome and bacterial growth. Transcriptome/genome analysis at various stages enabled prompt identification of sequential genome rearrangements and dynamic gene-expression changes associated with growth improvement. The changes were related to cell-to-cell communication, the cell death program, as well as mass production and energy consumption. These observed changes imply that improvements in microorganism population growth can be achieved by inactivating the cellular mechanisms regulating fraction of active cells in a population. Some of the mutations were shown to have additive effects on growth. These results open the way for the application of evolutionary genome engineering to generate organisms with desirable properties.
EFFECT OF ENTRANCE CONDITION ON FRICTIONAL LOSSES AND TRANSITION TO TURBULENCE IN MINICHANNEL FLOWS

In studying the fluid flow and heat transfer in microchannels and minichannels, various claims have been made regarding transition at Reynolds numbers significantly below 2300. As a first step in identifying the reasons for such reports on early transition, the effect of entrance geometry on the pressure drop and transition to turbulence was studied in a conventional channel of 19 mm inside diameter (Kandlikar and Campbell [1]). As a second step, the effect of entrance condition on pressure drop and transition to turbulence is studied in small channels with diameters of 1.067 mm and 0.457 mm. The two entrance conditions employed for both channels are re-entrant and smooth. The experimental results show the effect of entrance condition on local friction factor, transition Reynolds number, and Hagenbach’s factor.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Silicon-based THz circuits, systems and applications

Silicon-based circuits in the sub-mmWave regime (>300GHz to 1THz) have become a reality and an increasingly popular topic for research. Are existing circuits ready for building practical systems? Are there compelling applications worth pursuing? This forum will address these questions; lead researchers in the area will review the current state-of-the art, discern the applications where silicon can make an impact, and outline the remaining challenges to tackle different usage scenarios.
Limit Analysis of Simply Supported Circular Shell Roofs

Plastic collapse of a partial circle cylindrical shell simply supported at each end with the longitudinal edges free is investigated for the case of uniform radial loading. The principles of Limit Analysis applicable to a plastic-rigid structure are utilized to develop upper and lower bounds for the collapse pressure parameter, P. Bounds are obtained for a wide range in shell shape parameters with the deviation between the mean of the bounds and either bound varying between 2 and 25 per cent.
An examination of the relationship among consumer lifestyles, ethnocentrism, knowledge structures, attitudes and behavioural tendencies: a comparative study in two CIS states

The objective of this study is to investigate ethnocentric and/or regiocentric behaviour of Azeri and Kyrgyz consumers. In particular, the study focuses on how ethnocentrism explains consumers' attitudes, intentions and actual purchasing behaviour towards products from major sourcing countries. Data for the study were collected through personal interviews in four districts of Greater Bishkek: the capital city of Kyrgyz Republic, and Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. Survey findings lend greater support to earlier studies conducted in the USA, Western and Eastern Europe and Japan. Non-ethnocentric Kyrgyz and Azeri consumers have significantly more favourable belief structures, attitudes, intentions and the resultant purchasing behaviour regarding imported products compared to their ethnocentric Azeri and Kyrgyz consumer counterparts. The findings of the study offer important research, public policy and managerial implications for companies, government agencies and international donor agencies alike who...
Prenatal, perinatal, and childhood vitamin D exposure and their association with childhood allergic rhinitis and allergic sensitization

Background The role of early-life vitamin D in childhood allergy is controversial. Objective We sought to assess vitamin D exposure in early life by multiple modalities and ascertain its association with childhood allergic rhinitis and allergic sensitization. Methods One thousand two hundred forty-eight mother-child pairs from a US prebirth cohort unselected for any disease were studied. Vitamin D exposure was assessed by measures of maternal intake during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels in mothers during pregnancy, cord blood, and children at school age (median age, 7.7 years; interquartile range, 1.0 years). Tests for associations between vitamin D exposure with ever allergic rhinitis, serum total IgE level, and allergen sensitization at school age were conducted. Results The correlations between maternal intake of vitamin D during pregnancy and serum 25(OH)D levels in pregnant mothers, cord blood, and children at school age were weak to moderate ( r = −0.03 to 0.53). Each 100 IU/d of food-based vitamin D intake during the first and second trimesters (equivalent to the amount of vitamin D in an 8-ounce serving of milk) was associated with 21% and 20% reduced odds of ever allergic rhinitis at school age (odds ratios of 0.79 [95% CI, 0.67-0.92] and 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68-0.93]), respectively. There were no associations between maternal supplemental vitamin D intake or serum 25(OH)D levels at any time point with ever allergic rhinitis. There were no associations between any vitamin D exposure and serum total IgE level or allergen sensitization at school age. Conclusions Inclusion of foods containing vitamin D in maternal diets during pregnancy may have beneficial effects on childhood allergic rhinitis.
Fabrication of Textile Antennas and Circuits With 0.1 mm Precision

We present a new selection of E-fibers (also referred to as E-threads) and associated embroidery process. The new E-threads and process achieve a geometrical precision down to 0.1 mm. Thus, for the first time, accuracy of typical printed circuit board (PCB) prototypes can be achieved directly on textiles. Compared to our latest embroidery approach, the proposed process achieves: 1) 3 × higher geometrical precision; 2) 24 × lower fabrication cost; 3) 50% less fabrication time; and 4) equally good RF performance. This improvement was achieved by employing a new class of very thin, 7-filament, Elektrisola E-threads ( diameter ≈ 0.12 mm, almost 2 × thinner than before). To validate our approach, we “printed” and tested a textile spiral antenna operating between 1-5 GHz. Measurement results were in good agreement with simulations. We envision this textile spiral to be integrated within a cap and unobtrusively acquire neuropotentials from wireless fully-passive brain implants. Overall, the proposed embroidery approach brings forward new possibilities for a wide range of applications.
Grabbing a Place on the Totem Pole: How Newspaperman H. Allen Smith Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Book Business

Abstract Newspaperman H. Allen Smith delighted Americans in 1941 with his book Low Man on a Totem Pole, which was stuffed with bawdy, folksy observations of a cross-section of humanity, from celebrities to strip-tease artists to everyday oddballs. This article offers a glimpse of American humor between the world wars as it tracks Smith's evolution, both professionally and personally, from a newspaper reporter to a successful humorist and book author. It uses letters, newspapers clippings, and other written documents contained in Morris Library's Special Collections at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, as well as excerpts from Low Man, Smith's first successful book. This article also explores how Smith's relationship with H. L. Mencken, a luminary in the writing field and a long-time Smith idol, changed during this time period. Finally, it examines where Smith's writing fits in light of larger trends in between-war humor and how his work influenced modern humorists familiar to readers today.
N-Glycopeptide Profiling in Arabidopsis Inflorescence

This study presents the first large-scale analysis of plant intact glycopeptides. Using wheat germ agglutinin lectin weak affinity chromatography to enrich modified peptides, followed by electron transfer dissociation (ETD)(1) fragmentation tandem mass spectrometry, glycan compositions on over 1100 glycopeptides from 270 proteins found in Arabidopsis inflorescence tissue were characterized. While some sites were only detected with a single glycan attached, others displayed up to 16 different glycoforms. Among the identified glycopeptides were four modified in nonconsensus glycosylation motifs. While most of the modified proteins are secreted, membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), or Golgi-localized proteins, surprisingly, N-linked sugars were detected on a protein predicted to be cytosolic or nuclear.
Limits of Functions of Two Variables

length, and area calculations suited for a first-year calculus course. Instructors looking to avoid parameterizing the ellipse could discuss only the area problem and the semicircular case of the arc length problem. It is also interesting to note that employing the usual approximation for the perimeter of a semi-ellipse, π √ (a2 + b2)/2, does not result in a simpler problem. Students and instructors looking to extend this problem could model the bread slices with curves other than ellipses.
Embryo implantation rates in oocyte donation: a prospective comparison of tubal versus uterine transfers *

Objective To compare pregnancy and implantation rates in tubal and uterine transfers during a hormonal replacement cycle in an oocyte donation program. Design Prospective randomized. Patients Forty-two consecutive patients who entered an oocyte donation program. Interventions Twenty-two patients were assigned for uterine transfer and 20 for tubal embryo transfer (ET). Results Twenty-three pregnancies were achieved, 12 (54.5%) after uterine transfers and 11 (57.9%) after tubal transfers. Implantation rates in both groups are not significantly different (17.4% uterine transfers versus 21.5% tubal ETs). Conclusions Our results suggest that in hormonal replacement cycles (uniform endometrial stimulation) there is no advantage in transferring embryos to the fallopian tube. Furthermore, embryo quality and endometrial receptivity appear to be significantly more important than the time of entrance of an embryo to the uterine cavity in determining its chances of implantation.
THE Middle School Social Studies Classroom: An Exploratory Study

AbstractThis study examined middle school student views of social studies along with the types of classroom environments found in social studies classes. In addition, classes taught by teachers with differing professional preparation were compared. Among this sample only 40% of the teachers teaching middle school social studies were found to have that area as their area of professional preparation. Students in these teachers' classes were more likely to identify social studies as their favorite class. Analysis of the environmental data using inferential techniques did not find statistically significant differences among the class environments based on teacher preparation. However, as an exploratory study, effect sizes were calculated and showed possible areas of difference not detected by the inferential tests. The implications are discussed, with areas for future research identified.
Organizing videogame metadata in CollectiveAccess

Local institutions need to organize information sets with complex information and attributes. Whether or not open source software has the ability to adequately provide a robust yet easy-to-use system for such institutions is a question raised frequently. To explore that question, a metadata schema created by the GAme MEtadata Research Group (GAMER) at the University of Washington was implemented in CollectiveAccess (CA), an open source cataloging software used by many organizations to manage digital collections, as a case study. As an organizational system, CA is appealing because it enables users to create metadata schema with relative ease. However, during implementation, issues emerged related to its potential as a long-term solution, including ease-of-use for both administrators and endusers. This poster explains and expands upon the issues encountered during the implementation process, focusing on how they might be resolved, and what the implications are for designing similar applications in the future.
A Framework for Proving Equivalences using PVS

This chapter presents an embedding of the dynamic semitics of VHDL in PVS. The semantics is embedded by defining a set of equivalence axioms between VHDL descriptions. We present a shallow embedding of the semantics that consists of a set of functions that describe the transformations that a signal undergoes during the simulation process.
Medical and Literary Discourses of Trauma in the Age of the American Civil War

More and more, trauma and modernity emerge as mutually constitutive categories. A whole range of Modernist cultural practices and achievements, no less than modern warfare, technology, and industry, as well as modern social and political developments, have entailed “the shock of the new.”1 As humanities scholars take stock of this fact, they converge on the insight that trauma is not timeless and transcendental but culturally and historically produced. The new histories of traumatic modernity are typically set in Europe: they begin (as Jill Matus explains in this volume) with railway disasters in Victorian Britain, move on to the clinics and consulting rooms of Paris and Vienna, pause in the early welfare states of central Europe, flourish in the mass mortality of the First World War, and then culminate in the horrors of the Holocaust. But this genealogy, which elsewhere I have helped to construct, is incomplete, in part because it leaves out America, which is obviously unacceptable.2 This chapter examines the medical discussion of trauma that was generated by physicians during and after the American Civil War of 1861–65, a militarized setting preceding the 1914–18 war by nearly half a century. Culturally and conceptually, two features mark this early episode: first, while fully formed empirically, American Civil War era writing about traumatic nerve injuries, in comparison with what follows, lacks key components, which makes it at most a kind of pre-discourse of trauma. Second, the interplay of medicine and creative literature, which lies at the center of the present volume, is in full play with this historical story, which has as its most important character a neurologist-novelist whose dual identities informed and fertilized one another.
Possessor extraction in Indonesian-type languages

This paper examines possessor extraction in three Indonesian-type languages: Indonesian, Javanese and Madurese. I show that possessor extraction patterns are best captured under an analysis in which the possessor undergoes movement from an internal possession structure to the left periphery of the clause; the possessum remains in an A position, while the possessor occurs in an A' position. Possessor movement is subject to general constraints on DP movement in each of these languages, and the voice system determines the ability of the possessor to extract. I discuss implications for the relationship between voice and DP extraction, and conclude that in Indonesian-type languages, voice determines both A and A' movement of any DP moving from within VoiceP.Â