cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PMMA-TiO2 Fibers for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Water Pollutants

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a promising photocatalyst that possesses a redox potential suitable for environmental remediation applications. A low photocatalytic yield and high cost have thus far limited the commercial adoption of TiO2-based fixed-bed reactors. One solution is to engineer the physical geometry or chemical composition of the substrate to overcome these limitations. In this work, porous polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) substrates with immobilized TiO2 nanoparticles in fiber forms were fabricated and analyzed to demonstrate the influence of contaminant transport and light accessibility on the overall photocatalytic performance. The influences of (i) fiber porosity and (ii) fiber architecture on the overall photocatalytic performance were investigated. The porous structure was fabricated using wet phase inversion. The core-shell-structured fibers exhibited much higher mechanical properties than the porous fibers (7.52 GPa vs. non-testability) and maintained the same degradation rates as porous structures (0.059 vs. 0.053/min) in removing methylene blue with comparable specific surface areas. The highest methylene blue (MB) degradation rate (kMB) of 0.116 min−1 was observed due to increases of the exposed surface area, pointing to more efficient photocatalysis by optimizing core-shell dimensions. This research provides an easy-to-manufacture and cost-efficient method for producing PMMA/TiO2 core-shell fibers with a broad application in water treatment, air purification, and volatile sensors.
A Preliminary Report of Gonadal-Sparing TBI Using a VMAT Technique.

Abstract Reproductive toxicity is common after total body irradiation (TBI) and has major quality of life implications for patients. In that context, this is the first report of gonadal-sparing volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) TBI, successfully delivered in a boy and a girl with aplastic anemia. Both patients' VMAT TBI plans demonstrated improved gonadal sparing versus simulated conventional 2-dimensional (2D) approach (mean testes dose, 0.45 Gy VMAT vs 0.72 Gy 2D; mean ovary dose, 0.64 Gy VMAT vs 1.47 Gy 2D). Planning target volume coverage was also improved for both cases with the VMAT plan versus conventional 2D plan (2 Gy D90% vs 1.9 Gy D90%, respectively). Given these dosimetric advantages, the present study can serve as a proof-of-concept for further prospective studies evaluating this technique for wider applications in populations receiving TBI.
Sufi Qur'ānic Exegesis and Theomorphic Anthropology

Of all the various ideological controversies in the history of Islamic thought, a highly contentious area is that which surrounds the ontological nature of the Divine attributes or Ṣifāt Allah. Questions surrounding God’s attributes and what delineations to be made between this nature and Being, known as Dhāt Allah, preoccupied some of the greatest classical participants in the ‘ilm al-kalām systematic theological disputation tradition. Therefore, this study engages Qur’ānic paradigms of theomorphic anthropo-logy and re-interrogations by Sufi thinkers. A rich debate occurred within the Islamic Scholarship on the nature of the Divine attributes and their interrelationship with Banī Adam. Many of the mystical Sufi scholars, such as Ibn ‘Arabī, Mūlla Sadra, Nāṣir Khusraw, and Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī all articulated onto-theological concepts in their writing. These works became known as Waḥdat al-Wujūd, Tajallī Allah, Tajallī al-Nafs’ Nafs-e ‘Aql, and Nafs-e Kūl. Consequently, this paper argues that the idea of Divine immanence articulated in concepts like ‘Tajallī al-Nafs’ is not a later retrojection onto Qur’ānic material. Rather, it is the Qur’ānic material that was exegeted with a meaningful and consistent hermeneutic, which resulted in their theosophical understandings.
A Learning-based Load, PV and Energy Storage System Control for Nearly Zero Energy Building

Large volumes of data are generated by advanced meters and sensors in modern buildings. A learning-based control method is proposed in this paper to benefit both power system operation and end-use facilities by utilizing these big data. Different from the other control methods, this paper aims to generate accurate control policies for building loads using deep learning instead of pre-setting by customers. Firstly, the learning models predict solar power supply, fixed loads (FLs), customers’ comfort index requirement, controllable loads (CLs) and the daily driving cycles of EVs of a building based on the history data. Then, the information predicted using the learning models is applied to an optimization algorithm to minimize the deviation between the on-site PV generated energy and the actual building energy consumption by properly scheduling building loads, EVs charging cycles and Energy Storage System (ESS). The optimization algorithm aims to achieve nearly zero energy building (ZEB) and to find a highly efficient and economic management scheduling by considering customers’ comfort demand. The proposed learning strategy is developed and compared by using four different machine learning methods based on the data from Pecan Street project of past three years. The non-linear optimization problem is solved by using CPLEX solver.
Measurement of Dysregulation in Children and Adolescents

This article highlights the breadth of measures available for measuring emotion dysregulation, or facets thereof, in children and adolescents, and reviews in detail a subset of these measures. We describe broadband measures and measures that are specific to emotion dysregulation, including observational tools, clinical interviews, and rating scales. Furthermore, we discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and psychometric properties of each approach and specific contexts or populations in which certain methods may be particularly useful. Finally, recommendations for thorough assessment of emotion dysregulation in future studies are provided.
Learning experience design for augmented reality

Recent years have seen a growing interest in augmented reality (AR) technologies due to their potential for simulating real-life situations and creating authentic learning tasks. Studies have shown that AR enables engaging and interactive learning experiences (e.g. Bressler and Bodzin 2013; Klopfer and Sheldon 2010) and can benefit student learning (e.g. Bonner and Reinders 2018; Siegle 2019). However, although research in AR for education is not scarce, educators often do not have a learning experience design (LXD) approach that is supported by the recent findings of learning sciences and instructional design models. To bridge this gap, the present study introduces an AR-learning prototype developed by using SAM I (Successive Approximation Model I), and the Threshold Concepts Framework, employed for meaningful integration of AR into the learning process. A pre-survey and a post-survey method were utilised in the data gathering process to gauge students’ experience with the AR module. The findings show that the majority of students have not had educational experiences with AR prior to the study, and they struggled to find ways to incorporate this technology into their content areas in a meaningful way. Nonetheless, participants realised the value of AR and stated that they most likely would use this technology in the future. Based on the findings, the authors present a set of suggestions for instructors and LXDs, and provide recommendations for future research. This article is part of the special collection: Mobile Mixed Reality Enhanced Learning edited by Thom Cochrane, James Birt, Helen Farley, Vickel Narayan and Fiona Smart. More papers from this collection can be found here.
State expenditures and inequality in the U.S

This paper investigates whether the expenditure ratio (measured as total spending divided by total revenues) of a state in the U.S. is correlated with the inequality level of that state. Although t...
Prevalence and predictors of parental depressive episodes: Results from a 15-year longitudinal study.

Abstract Background: Depression affects approximately 7.5 million parents in the United States each year. Parental depression has detrimental consequences for both the parent and the parent-child relationship. The purpose of this study was to: (1) understand the prevalence of parental depressive episodes longitudinally, (2) identify the risk and protective factors for parental depressive episodes, and (3) compare the risk and protective factors for depressive episodes among mothers and fathers. Methods: We used six waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to descriptively examine parental depression over a period of 15 years. We used logistic and fixed effects regressions to assess the association between a number of demographic, health and parenting variables and maternal and paternal depression. Results: Our sample was primarily Black (48%) and Hispanic/Latino (27%). Fathers had a slightly lower prevalence of depression compared to mothers at all waves (approximately 13% averaged across waves for fathers, compared to 18% for mothers). Factors negatively correlated with depression among mothers and fathers included: social support, employment, and better-perceived health. Factors positively associated with depression for mothers and fathers were substance misuse and having a parent with a history of depression, anxiety, or drug misuse. Limitations: Our study was unable to identify causal relationships and the directionality of the relationship between depression and other variables of interest. Conclusions: We found that parental depression is prevalent in a sample of predominantly racially minoritized parents. Addressing comorbidities and increasing social support access may help manage parental depression and ensure a healthy child development.
Maternal Alkalosis and Fetal Oxygenation

There are two conventional approaches available for the investigation of placental transfer. The first is to derive a mathematical model of the placenta. On the basis of this model, the response of the placenta to a change can be predicted. The second method is to perform experiments on living animals, and observe the response of the animal to a change. Sometimes the two methods are compatible and sometimes they are not. Where there is disagreement, it is often due to the complex nature of the animal response. The response that was predicted from the mathematical model may exist, the the ability of the investigator to observe this response will be hindered by compensatory reflexes which mask the predicted response.
Secretory Function of the Primate Oviduct

The fluid contained within the oviductal lumen constitutes the milieu in which spermatozoa, ova, and the recently fertilized ovum survive and function. The biological processes which are known to occur at the oviductal level include capacitation of spermatozoa, fertilization, and cleavage. Thus, over and above its ability to transport gametes, the oviduct functions to provide an appropriate environment for the gametes, for the fertilization process, and for the fertilized ovum during the early stages of development. These environmental influences have not as yet been adequately assessed in laboratory species, and certainly in the primate, both monkey and human, there are glaring deficiencies in our knowledge. In the rabbit, in vitro fertilization has been accomplished in a chemically defined medium with ova and spermatozoa which have not been exposed to the tubal environment (Seitz et al., 1970). By standard techniques, the fertilization process in vitro is indistinguishable morphologically from that observed in vitro. Yet consistently fewer in vitro -fertilized and -cultured rabbit embryos develop to term following transfer to surrogate dams than do in in vivo-fertilized embryos (Mills et al., 1973). Thus a chemically defined medium which will support fertilization and early cleavage may not in fact provide all that is necessary for subsequent normal development. Conversely, it is known that tubal fluid constitutes a satisfactory medium for in vitro fertilization (Suzuki and Mastroianni, 1968)
The Eureka Myth: Creators, Innovators, and Everyday Intellectual Property

Are innovation and creativity helped or hindered by our intellectual property laws? In the two hundred plus years since the Constitution enshrined protections for those who create and innovate, we're still debating the merits of IP laws and whether or not they actually work as intended. Artists, scientists, businesses, and the lawyers who serve them, as well as the Americans who benefit from their creations all still wonder: what facilitates innovation and creativity in our digital age? And what role, if any, do our intellectual property laws play in the growth of innovation and creativity in the United States? Incentivizing the "progress of science and the useful arts" has been the goal of intellectual property law since our constitutional beginnings. The Eureka Myth cuts through the current debates and goes straight to the source: the artists and innovators themselves. Silbey makes sense of the intersections between intellectual property law and creative and innovative activity by centering on the stories told by artists, scientists, their employers, lawyers and managers, describing how and why they create and innovate and whether or how IP law plays a role in their activities. Their employers, business partners, managers, and lawyers also describe their role in facilitating the creative and innovative work. Silbey's connections and distinctions made between the stories and statutes serve to inform present and future innovative and creative communities. Breaking new ground in its examination of the U.S. economy and cultural identity, The Eureka Myth draws out new and surprising conclusions about the sometimes misinterpreted relationships between creativity and intellectual property protections.
Fast Two-Qubit Gates in Semiconductor Quantum Dots using a Photonic Microcavity

Implementations for quantum computing require fast single- and multiqubit quantum gate operations. In the case of optically controlled quantum dot qubits, theoretical designs for long-range two- or multiqubit operations satisfying all the requirements in quantum computing are not yet available. We have developed a design for a fast, long-range two-qubit gate mediated by a photonic microcavity mode using excited states of the quantum-dot-cavity system that addresses these needs. This design does not require identical qubits, it is compatible with available optically induced single-qubit operations, and it advances opportunities for scalable architectures. We show that the gate fidelity can exceed 90$%$ in experimentally accessible systems.
Hispanic Perceptions of Community Policing

Abstract The two core elements of community policing are community partnership and problem solving (Rosenbaum, 1994). A major challenge that continues for proponents of community policing is developing and evaluating programs in areas with diverse ethnic groups. While many agencies have successfully developed community policing programs, empirical evaluations of community policing are scarce in areas that include a variety of minority groups. This research explores the effectiveness of community policing by examining citizen satisfaction with local police. Analyses are conducted with data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics on Criminal Victimization and Perceptions of Community Safety in 12 United States cities. The results indicate that Whites and Hispanics have the most positive perceptions of police, while Blacks, Eskimos, Asians, and Pacific Islanders have negative perceptions of police.
Understanding Internet Protocols : Through Hands-On Programming

The Internet Protocol Stack and the Network Workbench Wide Area Network Topology Data Link Control Framing Data Link Control Error Detection Data Link Control ARQ Flow Control Ethernet LANs Token-Passing LANs and Bridging Network Layer: The Internet Protocol Network Layer: Routing Protocols Transport Layer: TCP Multicasting and Multimedia Application Layer: Servers and Clients Network Layer: Security and Firewalls Putting It All Together: Internetting Appendices Glossary Index.
Lumbar Laminotomy, Foraminotomy, Root Decompression, and Discectomy in the Lateral Position

The major objective in surgery of herniated lumbar discs is decompression of the involved nerve root or roots and cauda equina with restitution of the normal anatomical disposition of elements of the cauda equina within the spinal and root canals. Minimal manipulation of neural elements is imperative, as an anatomical environment that will preclude recurrent root entrapment at the operated region is provided.
Fasting alters basal and stimulated ion transport in piglet jejunum

Three-week-old piglets were used to study the effects of short-term fasting on jejunal ion transport. A 48-h fast significantly reduced mucosal weight, villus height, and crypt depth. Fasting increased basal short-circuit current (Isc), which reflects active ion transport, and total tissue conductance (Gt) of muscle-stripped jejunal sheets mounted in Ussing chambers. Increases in Isc evoked by carbachol, serotonin, histamine, prostaglandin E2, or Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin were significantly greater in the fasted piglets. Isc responses to mucosal D-glucose were also enhanced by the fast. Under basal conditions, unidirectional and net fluxes of Na+ and Cl-, as well as serosal-to-mucosal inulin fluxes, were significantly increased in fasted piglets. In fed piglets, carbachol increased net Cl- secretion by stimulating serosal-to-mucosal Cl- flux; Gt was not affected. In fasted piglets, carbachol increased net Cl- secretion by inhibiting mucosal-to-serosal fluxes with no effect on serosal-to-mucosal fluxes. In addition, carbachol significantly inhibited mucosal-to-serosal Na+ fluxes and reduced Gt in this group. Thus a 48-h fast increased unidirectional and net ion fluxes in piglet jejunum and enhanced ion transport responses to secretory agonists. The mechanism by which carbachol stimulated net Cl- secretion was also altered by the fast. These results suggest that the absence of luminal nutrition changes the ion transport characteristics of the jejunal epithelium.
Use of protective equipment among California farmers.

BACKGROUND: Agriculture is a hazardous industry associated with many occupational injuries and illnesses. We describe California farmers' self-reported exposure to five agricultural hazards and their use of protective equipment. METHODS: A telephone survey of 1,947 California farmers recorded information on occupational exposure, health outcomes and use of protective equipment to lessen risk from exposure to dust, sun, noise, pesticides and tractors. RESULTS: Over 93% of respondents reported using personal protection around pesticides; however, fewer than 1/3 used consistent protection against other hazards. Younger age and male sex were associated with better use of protection from dust, noise, pesticide and tractors, but negatively associated with sun protection. There was no consistent relationship of protective behaviors with cigarette smoking, living on the farm, marital status, or time in non-administrative farmwork. Risk perception was strongly associated with behavior; farmers concerned about specific health problems were much more likely to use protective equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Some farmer characteristics are associated with more safe behaviors, but efforts to encourage protective behaviors on farms should be broadly based in view of a lack of a single risk-taking profile among California farmers.
Tissue factor activity under flow

Coagulation processes under flow conditions are fundamentally different when compared to whole blood clotting in a tube. Due to red blood cell migration toward the center of the vessel, platelet concentrations are elevated several-fold in the plasma layer near the wall or thrombus. Evaluation of platelet function, coagulation proteases, and pharmacological agents can utilize closed systems of constant volume that lack flow (eg. intracellular calcium measurement, automated calibrated thrombography) or include flow (eg. aggregometry or cone-and-plate viscometry). However, these laboratory approaches fail to recreate the fact that intravascular thrombosis is an open system where blood is continually flowing over a thrombotic site. In open systems, the rapid accumulation of platelets at a surface leads to platelet concentrations greatly exceeding those found in whole blood and the delivery/removal of species by convection may impact the efficacy of pharmacological agents. During a clotting event under flow, platelets can accumulate via adhesion receptors to concentrations that are 10 to 50-fold higher than that of platelet-rich plasma. Using controlled in vitro perfusions of whole blood, it is possible to determine the critical level of surface tissue factor needed to trigger full scale coagulation on collagen. Such in vitro perfusion systems also allow a determination of the potency of anti-platelet agents as a function of wall shear rate.
Developmental changes in the amount and functional state of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase.

Abstract The effect of postnatal development on the activity of liver microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase was determined in male Wistar rats between 25 and 200 days of age using p-nitrophenol as aglycone. Enzyme activity (measured at 1.0 mM UDP-glucuronic acid, 0.05 mM p-nitrophenol) decreased 55% between 25 and 88 days of age and was constant thereafter. Treatment of microsomes with palmitoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine, which allows for an estimation of the amount of enzyme, showed approximately a four-fold decrease in enzyme concentration during the same period. This decrease was confirmed by Western blotting of microsomes with anti-UDP-glucuronosyltransferase antiserum. The fact that a nearly four-fold decline in enzyme concentration led to only a 55 decrease in activity indicates that there was an increase in activity per molecule of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase as the concentration of enzyme decreased. Treatment of microsomes with high pressure or detergent caused a greater extent of enzyme activation in microsomes prepared from 25 than 200 day old rats, suggesting that a fraction of the enzyme in older rats was activated in untreated microsomes. Fatty acid analysis of liver microsomal lipids during postnatal development revealed changes in docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) which correlated with levels of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity.
Intelligent multimodal and hyperspectral sensing for real-time moving target tracking

Real time moving target tracking and identification with hyperspectral imagery is still very challenging with conventional sensors and algorithms. The increased information content of hyperspectral imaging has enabled improved classification and quantification of targets of interest. However, recording hyperspectral data for target classification is very time consuming. We design a sensor platform with multi-modalities, consisting of a dual-panoramic peripheral vision system and a narrow field-of-view hyperspectral fovea. Thus, we only need to capture hyperspectal images in regions of interest. This design is inspired by the human vision system where the periphery vision of the retina is used to detect motion and the fovea of the retina is used to recognize objects. The proposed intelligent sensors design is also supported by real-time algorithms for target detection, tracking and identification. Only hyperspectral data for areas of interest are captured for target classification and recognition. Important issue such as multimodal sensing component cooperation, region of interest extraction, target tracking, hyperspectral image analyzing and target signature identification are discussed.
Toward RNase inhibitors: thermodynamics of 2′-CMP/RNase-A binding in multi-ion buffer

Certain ribonucleases (RNases), such as eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, are associated with pathological conditions (e.g. asthma and inflammatory bowel disease) and can even be overtly cyto(neuro)toxic. It has been proposed that small-molecule inhibitors should have therapeutic utility. We used isothermal titration microcalorimetry to characterize reversible inhibitor cytidine 2'-monophosphate (2'-CMP) binding to RNase-A in a multi-ion buffer at 37 degrees as a representative system. The estimated parameters were: K(d)=13.9 microM; DeltaG degrees =-6.90 kcal/mol; DeltaH degrees =-15.7 kcal/mol; and DeltaS degrees =-0.028 kcal/mol-K ('enthalpy-driven' interaction). These data should assist drug design of small-molecule inhibitors of homologous RNase catalytic domains.
Radiofrequency ablation of slow pathway in patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. Do arrhythmia recurrences correlate with persistent slow pathway conduction or site of successful ablation

Background Residual slow pathway conduction in the form of persistent jump in the atrioventricular (AV) conduction time or atrial echo beats is a common finding after successful radiofrequency (RF) ablation of the slow pathway in patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Sites of successful RF ablation of the slow pathway may be located anteriorly in the tricuspid annulus (cephalad to the coronary sinus os) or posteriorly (at, within, or caudal to the coronary sinus os). The aim of this study was to investigate whether arrhythmia recurrences correlate with persistent slow pathway conduction or site of successful ablation. Methods and results Among 55 patients with symptomatic AVNRT having RF ablation, 23 patients (42%) (group 1) had evidence of persistent dual AV nodal pathway physiology and/or echo beats, whereas in 32 patients (group 2), slow pathway conduction had been completely eliminated. With regard to ablation sites, 14 patients (25%) (group A) had their slow pathway successfully ablated at an inferoposterior site, whereas in 41 patients (group B), the ablation site was located anteriorly to the coronary sinus os. The study patients included 17 men and 38 women, aged 37 +/- 18 years. The electrophysiological study and RF ablation were performed in a single session in 50 patients (91%). After the first session, the technique was successful in all patients (100%), with elimination of AVNRT and without affecting AV conduction. A mean of 9 +/- 6 lesions were applied. The total procedure time averaged 4 +/- 1 hours. Fluoroscopy time was 41 +/- 25 minutes. Except for transient AV block in 1 patient, no other complications occurred. Over 12 +/- 8 months, a total of 7 patients (13%) had recurrence of AVNRT, and 6 of them underwent successful repeat slow pathway RF ablation. Recurrence rate was 9% (2 patients) for group 1, with persistent jump or echo beats, and 16% (5 patients) for group 2, without residual slow pathway conduction (P = NS). Five of the recurrences (71%) were noted in group A and 2 in group B. Thus, the recurrence rate was 36% for group A (5 of 14 patients), with posterior ablations, and 5% for group B (2 of 41 patients), with anterior sites of successful RF ablation (P Conclusions After successful RF ablation of the slow pathway in patients with AVNRT, residual slow pathway conduction does not correlate with clinical tachycardia recurrences. However, the site of successful RF ablation of the slow pathway does correlate with arrhythmia recurrences. More recurrences are observed when the site is located inferoposteriorly, at or below the os of the coronary sinus, as compared with medial and anterior locations of the ablation site.
Crystal Bases for Kac–Moody Superalgebras

Abstract In this paper, we introduce the notion of crystal bases of Kac–Moody superalgebras. We prove the existence of the crystal bases for integrable modules following Kashiwara's grand loop argument and we also prove the tensor product rule for these bases. We simplify his argument without introducing the notion of the boson structure on the U− q( g ).
A test of the relationship between affective and continuance commitment using non‐recursive models

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of Meyer & Allen's (1984) commitment scales. Results supported a three-factor solution which included a bidimensional continuance commitment construct. Causal links between affective commitment and the two emergent dimensions of continuance commitment (personal sacrifices and low alternatives) were then studied with non-recursive models. Only one significant relationship emerged—the sacrifice component of continuance commitment had a positive effect on affective commitment. This finding was interpreted from a self-justification perspective.
THE EFFECTS OF MOTORCYCLE HELMETS ON HEARING AND THE DETECTION OF WARNING SIGNALS

Measurements of the at-ear helmet-generated aerodynamic noise and helmet insertion loss were carried out for the two major types of motorcycle helmets. From these data and existing information on noise generation by flow around a bare head it was found that for quiet motorcycles at typical operating speeds a significant part of the riders at-ear noise is generated by the air flow. An assessment of the possibility of hearing damage was then carried out. It was found that only with extremely high usage would there be a significant risk of hearing damage for either the bare headed or helmeted rider. Helmets did, however, give significant protection. Detection of warning signals was then considered. It was found that under none of the conditions investigated here did the helmet put its wearer at a disadvantage compared with the bare headed rider, and at typical constant speeds the helmet gave a rider an advantage in the detection of warning signals.
A new family of higher order nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations

There has been much investigation of higher order nonlinear degenerate equations of the form where M is a specified function and H is the quadratic first order energy functional . The energy functional arises in many physical models, but is not universal among higher order parabolic equations. Recent investigations have motivated the study of other energy functionals, such as for p ? 2. We undertake such a study here, proving the existence of weak solutions for appropriate boundary conditions, nonnegativity and positivity properties of solutions. Moreover, an entropy dissipation?entropy estimate for solutions of this equation is obtained. Support properties and long time behaviour of solutions are also discussed for various cases.
Nonuniform distribution of cell proliferation in the adult teleost retina

Teleost fish continue to grow throughout life, and their eyes enlarge correspondingly. Within the eye, the retina grows by stretching existing tissue and adding new cells. Cell addition occurs in two ways: First, all cell types except rod photoreceptors are added circumferentially at the edge of the eye where the retina meets the iris; second, rod photoreceptors are generated from a population of rod progenitor cells which divide throughout the outer nuclear layer (ONL). To determine the spatial distribution of rod progenitor cells across the teleost retina, we labeled dividing cells with an antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) throughout a 24 h period. We found a significantly higher density of dividing rod precursor cells at the nasal and temporal margins than in the central retina throughout the 24 h cycle. At night, the density of dividing cells is significantly greater at the nasal pole of the eye. The difference between cell division at the center and the margin was reduced at night when the density of cell division in the central retina increased significantly. Taken together, these data suggest that the eye grows asymmetrically, with more cells added at the nasal pole. Possible developmental causes and functional consequences of the reported distribution of cell divisions in time and location are presented.
Microcontact printing of indium metal using salt solution “ink”

Abstract Poly(dimethlysiloxane) stamps were made from Si masters fabricated using photolithography and anisotropic etching. GaCl 3 and In(NO 3 ) 3 were microcontact printed onto Si substrates, creating arrays of micron size metal salt deposits. The In(NO 3 ) 3 deposits were further processed by annealing in an N 2 :H 2 (9:1) forming gas environment at 600 °C which converted the deposits into In metal. The ability to inexpensively pattern metal arrays on semiconductor surfaces has implications for ohmic contacts and, with additional processing, arrays of semiconductor crystallites for optoelectronic applications.
Business Technology Strategy for an Energy Information Company

Entel1 produces information, data and knowledge, while supporting the energy industry. It sells this content to governments, universities, companies and non-government organizations NGOs. It generates forecasts, analyzes energy trends and produces historical data; however, Entel needs to transform itself from a relatively traditional content company to one that exploits digital technology for greater market share and profitability. As the energy industry explodes, the company needs to re-think its products, services and client focus. Technology drives most of these challenges. In this paper, the author presents the business technology strategy developed at Entel. It's an elaborate strategy that calls for the expansion of the overall business model as well as the identification of alternative processes and technologies that will enable the expanded business model.
Orbital fractures and ocular injury: is a postoperative ophthalmology examination necessary?

Purpose To determine whether formal ophthalmology evaluation is necessary after operative repair of orbital fractures and the association of an ocular injury to the severity of facial injury. Patients and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with orbital fractures undergoing operative repair from 2005 to 2013. Subjects were included if they had undergone reconstruction of orbital floor fractures and had data from pre- and postoperative examinations by the oral and maxillofacial surgery and ophthalmology services available. The predictor variables included the service performing the ocular examination (oral and maxillofacial surgery or ophthalmology) and the number of fractures present. The outcome variables were the presence of pre- and postoperative ocular injuries. Logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship of the fracture number to ocular injury. Results A total of 28 subjects had undergone repair of orbital fractures with preoperative and postoperative examinations performed by both services. Preoperative ocular injuries were found in 17 of the 28 subjects. Those detected by oral and maxillofacial surgeons were limited to changes in visual acuity, pupillary response, and extraocular muscle dysfunction in 11 subjects. Two subjects had new postoperative ocular findings that were considered minor and did not alter management. An increasing number of facial fractures was associated with an increased risk of ocular trauma. Those with 3 or more fractures had an odds ratio of 14.625 (95% confidence interval, 2.191 to 97.612, P = .006) for the presence of ocular injury. Conclusions Operative repair of orbital fractures did not lead to new ocular injuries that would change the management. Thus, those without preoperative ocular injuries will not require a formal postoperative ophthalmology examination. However, the subjects with more fractures had an increased likelihood of ocular injuries.
Developments in chlorine detection in concrete using NMR

Monitoring chloride concentration and transport in concrete structures susceptible to corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement is a challenge as difficult as it is important. An embedded sensor based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) would be a good solution to the problem because it would make a non-destructive atom-specific measurement of the presence and concentration of chloride. The important question is the scale of the device required to detect the chloride. Laboratory experiments to detect chloride in a cement matrix using pulse-NMR were conducted to assess the potential of this application; they provided a basis for projecting the scale of a device that would have a good chance of success. The coils were cm-scale and the magnetic field was 2.35 T. NMR signals were obtained from both aqueous chloride solution and samples of both regular and white portland cement. The experiments demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a cm-scale cement sample volume is so small, even after averaging, that sample volumes much lower than that are unlikely to produce measurable signals at fields of 1 T or below. Thus the potential for realizing an embedded NMR-based sensor including the magnet is low. Parametric studies identify feasible alternative coil diameters and magnetic field strengths for detecting chloride ion concentrations in hardened concrete.
Study of crystal transformations by an evolved gas analysis technique

Small organic molecules can be entrapped within inorganic crystalline materials during precipitation. The material has no apparent influence on solid-solid transition temperatures, but some of it is released during the transition.
Metabolism of amlodipine in the rat and the dog: A species difference

1. Following oral and i.v. doses of 14C-amlodipine to rat and dog, 40–50% of the dose was excreted in the urine indicating that the oral dose was well absorbed. Urinary and faecal excretion in rat was essentially complete within 48 h but was prolonged during 168 h in dog.2. Metabolite patterns were dissimilar for rat and dog for both urine and faeces. The majority (about 95%) of the urinary metabolites were identified for both species; unchanged drug accounted for 10% and 2% of the urinary radioactivity in rat and dog respectively.3. In rat, the principal route of metabolism involved cleavage of the 5-methoxy-carbonyl group of both the parent dihydropyridine and its pyridine analogue. In contrast, metabolism in dog involved oxidative deamination of the 2-aminoethoxy-methyl side-chain.4. Secondary metabolism in both rat and dog was similar to that of other calcium channel blockers of the dihydropyridine class, with oxidation to the pyridine form being followed by aliphatic hydroxylation in the 6-position o...
Inter-particle coating variability in a continuous coater

The influence of particle axial motion on inter-particle coating variability is studied in a rotating drum continuous coater. A mathematical framework based on renewal theory is developed and an expression for inter-particle coating variability is obtained that accounts for the variance in the residence time of particles inside the coater. This model makes no assumptions on the nature of the particle axial motion. Discrete element method simulations have shown, however, that the particle axial motion can be accurately modeled by a combination of advective and diffusive motion characterized by an axial Peclet number. Using this advective-diffusive model, it was found that in order to maintain an inter-particle coating variability of less than 1%, typical of what might be needed for functional pharmaceutical tablet coatings, a Peclet number of 20,000 is required. Such a large Peclet number would necessitate essentially plug flow for typical continuous coater lengths of 1–2 m, or coater lengths of at least 15 m for typical feed rates and spherical particle diffusion coefficients.
The Effects of Note-Taking and Review on Sensemaking and Ethical Decision Making

The effectiveness of case-based learning in ethics education varies widely regarding how cases are presented. Case process instruction may impact case-based ethics education to promote sensemaking processes, ethical sensemaking strategy use, and ethical decision making (EDM) quality. This study examined two teaching techniques, notes and review, and participants completed note-taking and review activities examining a case-based scenario during an ethics education course. Results suggest that providing case notes in outline form improves sensemaking processes, strategy use, and EDM quality. In addition, combining processes of provided notes and passive review results in incremental, additive performance via certain ethical sensemaking strategies and EDM quality.
Types of gaze movement: Variable interactions of eye and head movements

Abstract The patterns of coordinated eye-head movement in gaze shift are influenced by preconditions of the experimental protocol, such as the predictability and amplitude of the stimulus and the subject's endeavor to move as instructed, either naturally or as fast as possible. Gaze-shift movements fall into four distinct types with respect to eye-head latency, each one involving particular gaze-shift errors and head acceleration trajectories.
Traumatic Diaphragmatic Hernia Presenting as a Chest Wall Mass

A patient with traumatic diaphragmatic hernia had his lesion present remotely after thoracoabdominal trauma as an asymptomatic chest wall mass. This is a rare and, perhaps, unique presentation of this entity.
A Further Look at Flexibilities and Elasticities: Reply

In Huang (1994), I estimated an ordinary (quantity dependent) and an inverse (price dependent) demand system by using U.S. quarterly meat data. The model focused on allocating meat expenditures by assuming implicitly that the concerned four kinds of meats are separable from other goods in a consumer's preference. By weak separability, the meat demands are a function of total meat expenditures and meat prices. Using the statistical estimates, I illustrated that the common practice of inverting a matrix of elasticity estimates to obtain measures of flexibilities, or vice versa, can cause sizable measurement errors. I concluded that it is not proper to use elasticities or flexibilities from inverted matrices for agricultural policy and program analyses. Eales favors using elasticities or flexibilities from inverted matrices instead of using elasticities or flexibilities estimated directly. He says my conclusion is a consequence of conditional demand specification for meats. In fact, the meat demand structure in my article is not a conditional demand system, such as that derived from a two-stage budget allocation of total consumer expenditures. Therefore, his first and third concerns related to use of a conditional de-
Predicting performance on the Raven's Matrices: The roles of associative learning and retrieval efficiency.

Previous studies have shown that performance on Williams and Pearlberg's (2006) complex associative learning task is a good predictor of fluid intelligence. This task is similar in structure to that used in studying the fan effect (Anderson, 1974), as both tasks involve forming multiple associations and require retrieval in the face of interference. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relations among complex associative learning, working memory, and fluid intelligence. Specifically, we asked whether retrieval efficiency, as measured by the fan effect, could account for the relation between complex associative learning and performance on Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices. Consistent with previous findings, complex associative learning predicted Raven's performance, but the fan effect did not account for this relation. Notably, the learning phase of the fan effect task was significantly correlated with both complex associative learning and Raven's performance, providing further suppo...
Determination of relaxation factors for high cell peclet number flow simulation

Abstract For the numerical simulation of transport problems with high cell Peclet number, the coefficient matrix of finite difference equations may lose the diagonal dominance if a scheme more accurate than the first-order upwind is used to approximate the convection terms. Hence, in many cases it is difficult to choose a suitable relaxation factor a priori for these schemes when the commonly used iterative method is applied to obtain the convergent solution. However, it is found that after appropriate normalization, an easier determined relaxation factor useful to all three schemes studied here, i.e., second-order central differencing, second-order upwinding, and QUICK, exists. Two model problems are used to compare the performances among the three schemes. The second-order central differencing is found to be less efficient in the cases investigated. Without the aid of the normalization, the second-order upwind scheme has the widest range of allowable values for the relaxation factor. Yet QUICK may be computationally more efficient after normalization. This is mainly because the number of iterations needed for QUICK is less sensitive to the choice of the relaxation factor when the optimum value isn't known. For a flow problem with non-constant velocities, the present method becomes the iterative algorithm with different relaxation parameters for different points, i.e., a local relaxation method. It is demonstrated that, in addition to helping choose the relaxation factors, this idea may also substantially reduce the computing time compared with the iterative algorithm with the uniform relaxation factor for all the grid points.
Neuronal calcium channels: Splicing for optimal performance

Calcium ion channels coordinate an astounding number of cellular functions. Surprisingly, only 10 Ca(V)alpha(1) subunit genes encode the structural cores of all voltage-gated calcium channels. What mechanisms exist to modify the structure of calcium channels and optimize their coupling to the rich spectrum of cellular functions? Growing evidence points to the contribution of post-translational alternative processing of calcium channel RNA as the main mechanism for expanding the functional potential of this important gene family. Alternative splicing of RNA is essential during neuronal development where fine adjustments in protein signaling promote and inhibit cell-cell interactions and underlie axonal guidance. However, attributing a specific functional role to an individual splice isoform or splice site has been difficult. In this regard, studies of ion channels are advantageous because their function can be monitored with precision, allowing even subtle changes in channel activity to be detected. Such studies are especially insightful when coupled with information about isoform expression patterns and cellular localization. In this paper, we focus on two sites of alternative splicing in the N-type calcium channel Ca(V)2.2 gene. We first describe cassette exon 18a that encodes a 21 amino acid segment in the II-III intracellular loop region of Ca(V)2.2. Here, we show that e18a is upregulated in the nervous system during development. We discuss these new data in light of our previous reports showing that e18a protects the N-type channel from cumulative inactivation. Second, we discuss our published data on exons e37a and e37b, which encode 32 amino acids in the intracellular C-terminus of Ca(V)2.2. These exons are expressed in a mutually exclusive manner. Exon e37a-containing Ca(V)2.2 mRNAs and their resultant channels express at higher density in dorsal root ganglia and, as we showed recently, e37a increases N-type channel sensitivity to G-protein-mediated inhibition, as compared to generic e37b-containing N-type channels.
The Accelerative and Adhesive Bonding Capabilities of Surface-active Accelerators

PolySAM-1, a multifunctional surface-active amine polymerization accelerator, and several simpler surface-active amine promoters were evaluated for their accelerative and adhesion-promoting potentials. Diametral tensile strength measurements, performed on composites prepared from a bis-GMA resin formulation with tribasic calcium phosphate as the filler, were used to assess the adhesive bonding capabilities of these amines.