cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Searching the evidence for the intercalation of bromine in high-rank coal

Abstract Similar to graphite, meta -anthracite absorbs bromine at room temperature to a concentration close to that of stage-2 graphite-bromine. Subsequent desorption at room temperature was incomplete, indicating that 88% of the bromine was loosely held and 12% was relatively strongly held in the meta -anthracite. The rate of bromine absorption and the amount and rate of bromine desorption were greater for meta -anthracite than for graphite. X-Ray diffraction, electron diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry showed the absence of intralayer or interlayer intercalate ordering in brominated meta -anthracite after desorption, hence yielding no evidence for intercalation. We conclude that the meta -anthracite was not intercalated. The ignition temperature of meta -anthracite was lowered by ≈ 80 °C by the bromination.
A low-complexity LUT-based squaring algorithm

The computation of large modular multi-exponentiation is a time-consuming arithmetic operation used in cryptography. The standard squaring algorithm is well-known and the Guajardo-Paar algorithm fixes the improper carry handling bug produced by the standard squaring algorithm, but produces error-indexing bug. In this paper, a novel squaring algorithm is proposed, which stores base products in the Look-Up Table before the squaring computation and base size comparison method. The proposed algorithm can not only evaluate squaring efficiently but also avoid bugs produced in other proposed algorithms (the Guajardo-Paar algorithm and the Yang-Heih-Laih algorithm). The performance of the proposed algorithm is 1.615 times faster than the standard squaring algorithm and much faster than other algorithms.
The management of early pregnancy: Colombian folk concepts of fertility control.

Abstract Population researchers have long debated the extent to which women throughout time may have controlled their own fertility. The lack of sophisticated contraceptive technology until recently led to the belief that longterm fluctuations in birth rates were the result of circumstance rather than deliberate birth control practices. Case materials from Cali, Colombia are presented to show one way women influenced the frequency and timing of births without modern contraceptives. Women in Cali take advantage of the ambiguity about when a pregnancy begins to practice early pregnancy control. The Colombian folk pharmocopeia contains a large number of substances to bring on a late menstrual period and to induce an early abortion. Users often do not distinguish between the two effects. Voluntary abortion is illegal, socially disapproved, and subject to strong negative sanction. Yet the difficulty distinguishing between a late menstrual period and an early abortion allows women a degree of unsanctioned choice. They recognize an intermediate state when a potential pregnancy may be reversed, because it is too early to confirm its existence. Cali women control fertility during this early pregnancy period while avoiding guilt and social disapproval.
Dynamic Response of Ductwork Laboratory Exhaust Systems

A numerical model based on the method of characteristics is developed to analyze unsteady flows in laboratory ductwork systems. Damper opening and/or closing initiate time-variable boundary conditions at hood inlets. Minor losses and ductwork friction are included, as well as interaction with fans. Extensive data are obtained from two university laboratory systems for purposes of code verification. Comparisons between experiments and simulations demonstrate the accuracy and versatility of the numerical model.
Biogeochemical inferences of mobility of early Holocene fisher‐foragers from the Southern Sahara Desert

North Africa is increasingly seen as an important context for understanding modern human evolution and reconstructing biocultural adaptations. The Sahara, in particular, witnessed a fluorescence of hunter-gatherer settlement at the onset of the Holocene after an extended occupational hiatus. Subsequent subsistence changes through the Holocene are contrary to those documented in other areas where mobile foraging gave way to settled agricultural village life. In North Africa, extractive fishing and hunting was supplanted by cattle and caprine pastoralism under deteriorating climatic conditions. Therefore, the initial stage of food production in North Africa witnessed a likely increase in mobility. However, there are few studies of paleomobility in Early Holocene hunter-gatherer Saharan populations and the degree of mobility is generally assumed. Here, we present radiogenic strontium isotope ratios from Early Holocene fisher-forager peoples from the site of Gobero, central Niger, southern Sahara Desert. Data indicate a relatively homogeneous radiogenic strontium isotope signature for this hunter-gather population with limited variability exhibited throughout the life course or among different individuals. Although the overall signature was local, some variation in the radiogenic strontium isotope data likely reflects transhumance into the nearby Air Massif. Data from Gobero were significantly less variable than in other worldwide hunter-gatherer populations, including those thought to be fairly sedentary. Strontium data from Gobero were also significantly different from contemporaneous sites in southwestern Libya. These patterns are discussed with respect to archaeological models of community organization and technological evolution.
The effect of stimulus intensity upon the localization of sound sources on the median plane

Experimental results reported in this paper and reported by Davis and Stephens [1] define the relationship between sound intensity and subjects' accuracies in localizing a sound source on the median plane. For white-noise intensities greater than 40 dB SL, localization accuracy is independent of intensity level. For white-noise intensities less than 40 dB SL, localization accuracy decreases with decreasing sound level. We hypothesize that this decrease in accuracy occurs because the direction-dependent spectral cues encoded by the outer ear are obscured by auditory system noise.
Linearly Rising Regge Trajectories and the Isovector Form Factor F1V(t)

A simple ansatz for the isovector Dirac form factor is examined. A fit to an approximate dipole form is achieved, and deviations from this form are also accounted for. A ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ is no longer necessary; the next vector meson used in the saturation has a mass of approximately 1.7 GeV. The fit also gives a $\ensuremath{\rho}\mathrm{NN}$ coupling constant which has the right value, as well as providing a good value for the necleon charge radius.
Investigation of fireclay dust from rotary furnaces

Dust removed during the firing of clay raw materials into grog in rotary furnaces consists mainly of dehydrated material with a low plasticity and bonding capacity. The temperature of vitrification of the dust is higher than for the original raw materials. Therefore, with the use of dust for firing into grog it is necessary to densify it before firing (for example briquetting) and to increase the temperature in the kiln.
Evaluation of the transplacental toxicity of diethylstilbestrol with the scanning electron microscope.

Exposure in utero to the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) is associated with reproductive tract lesions in male and female CD‐1 mice. The scanning electron microscope was used to evaluate the luminal surface of the vagina, cervix, and uterus following prenatal exposure to DES. Abnormalities that have been observed include urethral openings in the cervicovaginal area, squamous metaplasia of the uterus, glandular elements in the vagina, and abnormal cell surface features in the vaginal epithelium.
Self-supporting bishops:

This article proposes that it would benefit the Church of England to have self-supporting bishops alongside stipendiary bishops at this time.
Single-mode electro-optically tuned Nd:YVO(4) laser.

The design and operating characteristics of a single-mode electro-optically tuned Nd-doped YVO4 laser are described. Tuning is accomplished by means of a section of LiTaO3 included in the 600-μm-long cavity. The laser has been tuned electronically over a range of >10 GHz and thermally over a range of >100 GHz without mode hopping.
Effects of finite aperture on the performance of guided-mode resonant filters

Guided mode resonant filters (GMRFs) are potentially useful as wavelength selective devices for DWDM telecom and sensor applications. These elements consist ofa high frequency grating deposited on an optical waveguide. In this presentation we investigate several approaches to modeling the characteristics of finite aperture GMRFs. Experimental GMRFs were fabricated with photoresist gratings with different grating characteristics and apertures were deposited on planar waveguides with specific refractive indices and thickness in sol-gel materials. Good agreement between our model prediction and experimental data for the reflection efficiency and spectral bandwidth were found. Limiting the aperture of GMRF below a few millimeters reduces the diffraction efficiency and increases the spectral bandwidth.
On the Role of Bubbles in Metallic Splat Nanopores and Adhesion

Highly nanoporous surfaces were observed on the underside of Ni splats. Experiments varying process parameters and substrate treatments were performed to determine the mechanism of pore formation. A theory of impact-induced bubble nucleation and freezing into pores is presented, and calculations are compared with experimental results. Pore formation and morphology is strongly dependent on substrate (a) thermal properties as they affect time for bubble growth before solidification into pores and (b) roughness as submicron scratches enhance nucleation by providing heterogeneous sites and several micron grooves reduce the driving force for nucleation. Splat pull-off experiments are shown that suggest bubble nucleation and pore formation strongly affect adhesion, and represent a strong contribution to the effectiveness of surface roughening. Finally, this observation shows the potential for the manufacturing of high-surface area materials using thermal spray.
The Viability of Salmonella on Artificially Contaminated Vegetables

Abstract THE observation of two outbreaks of Salmonella pullorum infection in State Hospital patients (Felsenfeld and Young, 1944) who had no contact with poultry, and who had eaten no poultry or raw eggs, raised the problem of the source of these organisms in such an outbreak. In seeking the answer to this problem a question presented itself to the authors. Does Salmonella pullorum transferred by the droppings of poultry upon vegetables survive long enough to become a source of infection when the vegetables are consumed raw? As it was not possible to find the answer to this question in the literature, a procedure of artificially contaminating vegetables was decided upon, the viability of the contaminating organisms to be determined at definite intervals thereafter. For comparative purposes parallel experiments were run with the following types of Salmonellae: S. typhimurium, S. montevideo, S. oranienburg, and S. pullorum. METHODS Fourteen types of vegetables were . . .
Comparison of the properties of native and pentaammineruthenium(III)-modified xylanase☆

Two xylanases, xynA of Bacillus pumilus and xyn II of Trichoderma reesei, were purified and then modified by the attachment of pentaammineruthenium, thereby resulting in the generation of a xylanase with veratryl alcohol oxidase activity. Hydrolytic activity of T. reesei xyn II on soluble xylans was unchanged by modification with pentaammineruthenium; however, modification of B. pumilus xynA greatly reduced xylan hydrolysis unless the active site of the xylanase was protected with xylose during the modification. The presence of histidine, cysteine, or reduced glutathione during xylan hydrolysis greatly increased the xylanase activity of the pentaammineruthenium-modified B. pumilus xylanase. Glycine, glutamic acid, methionine, or oxidized glutathione had no effect on xylanase activity.
Brute Force Orientation and Alignment of Pyridazine Probed by Resonantly Enhanced Multiphoton Ionization

Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations of brute force orientation in pyridazine (1,2-diazine) are discussed. The sample was prepared using supersonic expansion, and orientation was attempted via a strong uniform electric field. The electrostatic interaction between the permanent dipole moment and the electric field was sufficient to orient and align the molecular axes. Resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization through the π* ← n transition was used to characterize the alignment of molecular axes. The permanent dipole moment of pyridazine is perpendicular to the transition dipole moment. As molecules became aligned in the orientation field, the transition dipole moments were perpendicular to the field. Enhancement of 40% in the excitation probability was observed when the polarization direction of the resonant laser was changed from parallel to perpendicular relative to the orientation field. Using a quantum mechanical approach, the experimental observation can be explained with satisfacti...
Synthesis of Oxygen-17 Labeled Alcohols Via Organoborane Reactions

Abstract Oxygen-17 enriched alcohols play an increasingly important role in chemical, biological, and medical research1. Traditionally these reagents are prepared via hydrolysis of a suitable acetal or ketal with oxygen-17 labeled water followed by reduction of the oxygen labeled carbonyl compounds2. This sequence produces good yields of volatile, unsubstituted alcohols but is of limited use in the preparation of materials containing reducible or hydrolyzable functional groups.
Radiation therapy for head and neck cancers.

ADIATION THERAPY plays a significant role in the management of head and neck cancer. Tumors in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx in all stages of the disease may be amenable to radiation. The goals of treatment may be curative, palliative, or on an adjuvant basis when combined with either surgery or chemotherapy. Several factors contribute to the importance of radiation in the treatment of these cancers. The majority of head and neck cancers are squamous cell cancers arising from the surface epitbelium. Squamous cell cancers are relatively radiosensitive. Radiation is a local treatment for cancer as it is tumoricidal only in the area encompassed by the radiation fields. It is therefore important in treating head and neck cancer which, although it does disseminate, causes most of its morbidity by local extension and invasion. Thus, the primary lesion and lymph nodes can be treated with conventional radiation. ’ The role of radiation therapy in the management of head and neck cancer will be discussed.
Distinct subfamilies of primate L1Gg retroposons, with some elements carrying tandem repeats in the 5′ region

Two subfamilies of L1 elements, differing dramatically in the first 1.2 kb of sequence at their 5' ends, were identified in the prosimian primate, Galago garnetti. Interesting patterns of sequence similarity were observed between the galago subfamilies, and with the L1s from human and from another prosimian, the slow loris. Furthermore, members of one of the subfamilies have six to eight tandemly repeated units of 73 bp, starting about 730 bp from their 5' ends. Such tandem repeats have not been reported in other primate L1s, but a striking sequence similarity was found between the galago tandem repeats and those previously described at the 5' termini of some mouse L1s [Loeb, D. D. et al. Mol. Cell. Biol. 6, 168-182, 1986]. Although the similar sequence indicates a shared, conserved function, the galago repeats are sub-terminal and therefore cannot serve as portable RNA polymerase II promoters, as has been suggested for the mouse tandem repeats.
Methodologic issues in risk communications to workers

Until the late 1980s, epidemiologists in general did not individually notify subjects of the results of epidemiological studies. Now that they are beginning to do so, the question arises of how best to notify those involved. In general, the methods, the processes and the policies related to effectively communicating risks to workers have not been thoroughly examined in the scientific literature. This is especially true in situations where workers have already experienced the exposures that led to increased risks for disease. The recent increasing numbers of notifications have raised several methodologic issues, which are examined in terms of: (1) the content of notification, (2) the process of notification, and (3) the evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of notification. Too often in the discussions concerning notification, attention is paid to the content but the process and evaluation are rarely considered. The potential impact and effectiveness of notification have been raised as reasons for or against notification, but rarely has there been a concerted effort to evaluate a notification in this regard. This workshop was designed to address all these issues. The ultimate goal is to improve communications for workers. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Issues of Social Relevance Raised by Presidents of the Association of American Geographers: The First Fifty Years

Abstract Presidents of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) have frequently used their addresses to discuss major changes facing the USA and the world and the responsibilities of geographers. I investigate those addresses that raised questions about social relevance facing the scholarly community and society during times of economic depression, military conflict, and major social changes. Moral and ethical issues were also integral in some statements.
Oxidation of Fe-3 wt.% Cr alloy

The oxidation behavior and the oxide microstructure on Fe-3 wt. % Cr alloy were investigated at 800°C in dry air at atmospheric pressure. Two distinct oxidation rate laws were observed: initial parabolic oxidation was followed by nonparabolic growth. The change in the oxidation kinetics was caused by microchemical and microstructural developments in the oxide scale. Several layers developed in the oxide scale, consisting of an innermost layer of (Fe,Cr)3O4 spinel, an intermediate layer of (Fe,Cr)2O3 sesquioxide, and two outer layers of Fe2O3 hematite, each with different morphologies. Wustite (Fe1−xO) and distorted cubic oxide (γ-(Fe,Cr)2O3) were observed during the iniital parabolic oxidation only.
Tandem mirrors sustained by high-voltage direct current

A tandem mirror has been driven by direct d.c. biasing of electrodes placed near the outer surface of the plasma column.
Toll-like receptors and pregnancy: trophoblast as modulators of the immune response.

During normal pregnancy, the decidua is populated by a variety of leucocytes; however, cells of the innate immune system seem to dominate this tissue. Their presence suggests that the innate immune system is not indifferent to the fetus and has been associated with a response of the maternal immune system to the ‘semi-allograft’ fetus. New evidences, however, indicate that these immune cells are critical for decidual and trophoblast development rather than induction of tolerance. We hypothesized that during implantation, an inflammatory environment is necessary for the attachment and invasion of the blastocyst. The existence of an ‘inflammatory-mediated embryo implantation’ condition is dependent on the proper ‘education’ of the innate immune system which we propose is mediated by the trophoblast. Here we postulate that trophoblast cells successfully orchestrate their inflammatory environment and regulate immune cells differentiation and activation through Toll-like receptors (TLR). We will describe potential functions of TLR in trophoblast cells, their recognition and response to microorganisms, and their involvement in innate immunity.
A Study Of Underwater Color Saturation Recording

Problems encountered in underwater documentation with electro-optical (television and photographic) image-recording systems were examined during an underwater documentation project conducted at the Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu, California during the summer of 1967. Photographic records of resolution targets and color targets under water were compared with visual sightings of the same targets by a diver at the same point of observation. Comments of the diver while observing a target array and comments of a technician observing the same targets on a television monitor at the surface are presented to compare their simultaneous interpretations of target images.
Preparation, NMR, Raman, and DFT/IGLO/GIAO-MP2 Study of Mono- and Diprotonated Thiourea and Theoretical Investigation of Triprotonated Thiourea1

Mono-, di-, and triprotonation of thiourea (H2N)2CS, was studied by low-temperature 1H, 13C, and 15N NMR spectroscopy in superacidic systems. In FSO3H/SO2ClF at −80 °C, thiourea is monoprotonated e...
“A yearning for a kind of consciousness”: Black boy and the aesthetic solution

The narrator in Richard Wright's Black Boy uses language to create a sense of self‐consciousness. Language functions for the narrator as an aesthetic counter to southern racial oppression. Through a process that includes the avid reading of literature, speaking as valedictorian at his graduation, and writing short stories, “black boy” interpellates a new kind of subject for himself: a fully conscious, autonomous individual. The narrator's aesthetic creation of consciousness is mirrored in the consciousness of Wright's authorial act, an act that privileges an aesthetic truth over historical accuracy by privileging aesthetics as a means towards producing an “I.”
Noise measurement and the temperature resolution of negative temperature coefficient thermistors

Abstract The physical parameters inherent in titration calorimetry which limit the temperature resolution of thermistors have been investigated. The individual noise sources were theoretically and experimentally related to the rms temeperature noise by an equation of the form: The dependence of A,B. and C on the thermistor resistance, mode and rate of stirring, and the physical boundary between the thermistor and the solution have been investigated. The effects of sampling rate and interval on the measurement of the temperature resolution of thermistors in a d.c. Wheatstone bridge have been evaluated.
Neural transplants: Volumetric analysis of their growth and histopathological changes

Abstract Neocortical transplants from 15-, 18- and 22-day rat embryos were transplanted into the cerebellum of the host animals. The necrotic changes and growth in the transplants, the blood in relation to them, and the space containing CSF were analyzed quantitatively in a developmental sequence. The histopathological changes were seen to last for 6–8 days. The neural tissues after initial regression showed recovery, and started to grow in size after 3–4 days. The transplants from 15-day donors showed the highest growth, and this was followed in sequence by those from 18- and 22-day embryos. Techniques involved in manipulation and dissection of the donor embryos, and in transplantation of the tissue, were found to play an important role in the necrotic and other changes in the transplants.
Toward solving the inferential problem in laterality research: effects of increased reliability on the validity of the dichotic listening right-ear advantage.

As noted by Satz, the prevalence of lateralized language in the general population is underestimated substantially by the proportion of people who show the typical asymmetry on a laterality task. In a series of two dichotic listening experiments with a total of 171 right-handers and 170 left-handers, we tested the hypothesis that increased reliability of measurement will lead to increased classification accuracy. Experiment 1 showed that neither the frequency nor magnitude of the right-ear advantage (REA) for fused rhyming words increased as the number of trials increased from 120 to 480. Ear-difference scores were highly reliable (r = .85), even when based on 120 trials. Experiment 2, which involved lists of dichotic word pairs, yielded similar results. Even though retest reliability of the ear-difference score for 132 word pairs was only .45, neither the incidence nor strength of the REA increased significantly when the number of pairs was increased to 528. The results indicate that the poor classification accuracy of dichotic listening tasks cannot be attributed to unreliability.
Simple Preparation of Dialkyl Polyfluoroalkyl Phosphonates

Abstract Several dialkyl polyfluoroalkyl phosphonates can be prepared by reacting trialkyl phosphites with trifluoromethyl iodide or dibromodifluoromethane under pressure and/or photolytic conditions. The resulting phosphonates are useful precursors to the corresponding phosphonic acids.
The analogue of thymidine triphosphate containing a methylene group in place of the 5' oxygen can serve as a substrate for reverse transcriptase.

Abstract The thymidine 5′-triphosphate analogue containing a methylene group in place of the 5′ oxygen atom can be prepared using modifications of published procedures and can substitute for the natural thymidine triphosphate in chain extension reactions catalyzed by Moloney-MLV reverse transcriptase. Using rabbit β-globin mRNA as the template together with an appropriate primer, the enzyme readily makes full-length DNA transcripts in which all thymidine 5′ oxygen atoms have been replaced with methylene groups. In sequence analyses using the partial depurination procedure, the analogue DNA transcript produces electrophoretic gel patterns identical with those of the corresponding natural DNA transcript. Experiments on second strand synthesis using the four regular triphosphates show that the analogue DNA transcript, like the natural transcript, can serve as a template. The two DNA duplexes (natural/natural and analogue/natural) formed by these reactions produce similar electrophoretic cleavage patterns whe...
Transvaginal Hybrid NOTES Cholecystectomy: Current Techniques and Advantages

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has proven to be a safe and effective procedure, with low rates of complications and mortality since its introduction in the late 1980s. However, surgeons have been working to develop alternatives to this technique to improve clinical outcomes and the level of patient satisfaction. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is one such alternative. NOTES has potential benefits compared to conventional laparoscopic and open surgery, including reduced abdominal wall trauma and trocar site complications, lower infection rates, less postoperative pain, decreased hospital stays, and excellent cosmetic results. Transvaginal hybrid NOTES cholecystectomy is the most common NOTES procedure performed. The objective of this article is to review this surgical technique and its clinical outcomes based on the current scientific evidence available in the literature.
Interfacial stability, oxidation response and mechanical properties of a Nicalon? Fibre reinforced chemical bonded ceramic matrix composite

A slurry of monoaluminum phosphate with fine Al2O3 powder was infiltrated into eight harness satin fabric of Nicalon™ fibres. The infiltrated fabrics were laid up in 16 plies and then cured in an autoclave. Due to the chemical reaction between alumina and monoaluminum phosphate, aluminum phosphate was produced. Carbon coated and uncoated fibres were used to manufacture these composites to produce weak and strong interfaces between matrix and fibres. Two different processing routes were used during manufacturing, which resulted in different amounts of porosity content in the final composites. Thermogravimetric analysis carried out at 850°C for 6000 min in air showed negligible weight change, indicating stable fibres in the composites. Four-point bend flexure tests were conducted at room temperature, 700 and 850°C. Strong interface composites completely failed at high temperatures due to fibre fracture, but a shear dominated delamination-type interface failure was observed for the weak interface composites. Strong interface composites exhibited better flexure strengths than the weak interface composites under all conditions of processing and orientations. However, the weak interface composites absorbed significantly larger amounts of energy before failure compared to the strong interface composites. Little influence of porosity content was seen on flexure properties both at room and elevated temperatures. High temperature failure behaviour is explained using classical lamination theory.
Uranium incorporation into aluminum-substituted ferrihydrite during iron(II)-induced transformation

Uranium retention processes (adsorption, precipitation, and incorporation into host minerals) exert strong controls on U mobility in the environment, and understanding U retention is therefore crucial for predicting the migration of U within surface and groundwater. Uranium can be incorporated into Fe (hydr)oxides during Fe(II)-induced transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite. However, ferrihydrite seldom exists as a pure phase within soils or sediments, and structural impurities such as Al alter its reactivity. The presence of Al in ferrihydrite, for example, decreases the rate of transformation to goethite, and thus may impact the retention pathway, or extent of retention, of U. Here, we investigate the extent and pathways of U(VI) retention on Al-ferrihydrite during Fe(II)-induced transformation. Ferrihydrite containing 0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, and 20% Al was reacted with 10 μM U and 300 μM Fe(II) in the presence of 0 mM and 4 mM Ca2+ and 3.8 mM carbonate at pH 7.0. Solid reaction products were characterized using U L3-edge EXAFS spectroscopy to differentiate between adsorbed U and U incorporated into the goethite lattice. Uranium incorporation into Al-ferrihydrite declined from ∼70% of solid-phase U at 0% and 1% Al to ∼30% of solid phase U at 20% Al content. The decrease in U incorporation with increasing Al concentration was due to two main factors: (1) decreased transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite; and, (2) a decrease of the goethite lattice with increasing Al, making the lattice less compatible with large U atoms. However, uranium incorporation can occur even with an Al-substituted ferrihydrite precursor in the presence or absence of Ca2+. The process of U incorporation into Al-goethite may therefore be a potential long-term sink of U in subsurface environments where Al-substituted iron oxides are common, albeit at lower levels of incorporation with increasing Al content.
Convergence time analysis of open shortest path first routing protocol in internet scale networks

Proposed is a novel method to compute the intra-area convergence time of open shortest path first (OSPF) based networks in the presence of designated routers (DRs) on Ethernet and non-broadcast multi-access segments. The capacity of the proposed method is demonstrated by evaluating the convergence time performance of OSFP on internet scale networks (having a thousand autonomous system level routers). The method has also been used to analyse the effects of: (a) the number of DRs, (b) cascading failures, and (c) topological changes on the convergence time of the routers within an area. Furthermore, the time the network takes from a cold state to reach a stable (steady) state in an area is also analysed.
Performance of inter-media synchronization in distributed and heterogeneous multimedia systems

Abstract Future multimedia environments are expected to be distributed and heterogeneous. In such environments, media sites ranging from sophisticated workstations to simple media capture and display subsystems such as ISDN videophones and audiophones (together referred to as Mediaphones ) that lack the capability to run clock synchronization algorithms will be connected directly to the network. Towards such environments, we develop mechanisms and protocols for synchronous access to multimedia services over integrated networks. In the inter-media synchronization technique we present, for facilitating synchronous retrieval, a multimedia server computes at the time of recording of a multimedia object a range of relative temporal positions or stamps (called an RTS interval ) for each media unit that it receives from mediaphones. During playback, the multimedia server detects RTS mismatches between media with the help of feedback messages transmitted back by the mediaphones, and steers the mediaphones back to synchrony. We propose predictive policies for resynchronization and compare their performance for video/audio playback with other resynchronization policies, such as conservative, aggressive, and probabilistic. These performance studies reveal that predictive policies perform uniformly well at all levels of asynchrony, unlike their conservative and aggressive counterparts. Moreover, in most cases, predictive policies match probabilistic policies in effectiveness, without imposing the same computational demands as the probabilistic policies.
Initial Stages of Aggregation in Aqueous Solutions of Ionic Liquids: Molecular Dynamics Studies

Structures formed by 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide aqueous solutions with decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, and hexadecyl chains have been studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Spontaneous self-assembly of the amphiphilic cations to form quasi-spherical polydisperse aggregates has been observed in all of the systems, with the size and nature of the aggregates varying with chain length. In all systems, the cation alkyl tails are buried deep inside the aggregates with the polar imidazolium group exposed to exploit the favorable interactions with water. Aggregation numbers steadily increase with the chain length. The hexadecyl aggregates have the most ordered internal structure of the systems studied, and the alkyl chains in these cations show the least number of gauche defects.
Film-Screen Speed System Considerations

The broad speed classes into which film-screen receptor systems are now commonly grouped create considerable confusion and uncertainty in relating exposure and dose to properly exposed films. Practical speeds become even less certain by relating the whole speed scale to a reference system which is not uniquely defined. A system to overcome these difficulties is proposed, in the form of a scale of absolute speeds, based on a recent ANSI test method, and grouping resultant speeds into narrower classes. Data are presented which relate this recommended speed class width to allowable density ranges and to typical distributions of product speed.
High-performance thin-layer chromatographic determination of digoxin and related compounds, digoxigenin bisdigitoxoside and gitoxin, in digoxin drug substance and tablets

Abstract A high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the determination of digoxin and its related compounds digoxigenin bisdigitoxoside (DBD) and gitoxin in digoxin drug substance and tablets was developed. Separation of the three compounds was accomplished on a C 18 wettable reversed-phase plate using water-methanol-ethyl acetate (50:48:2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The analytes were determined by densitometry using absorbance for digoxin and fluorescence for the two related compounds. All peaks were quantified by peak-height analysis. Linear regression analysis of the data was performed for all three compounds. The calibration range for digoxin was set at 320–480 ng per 5-mm band, equivalent to 80–120% (w/w) of a 400-ng band load, that for DBD was set at 4–12 ng per 5-mm band, equivalent to 1–3% (w/w) of the digoxin load, and that for gitoxin was set at 0.4–1.6 ng per 5-mm band, equivalent to 0.1–0.4% (w/w) of the digoxin load. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for digoxin was 64 ng per 5-mm band with a limit of detection (LOD) of 8 ng per 5-mm band. The LOQs for both DBD and gitoxin were 0.12 ng per 5-mm band with LODs of 0.4 ng per 5-mm band. The linearity range for the digoxin peak height in the absorbance mode was 0–5000 ng per 5-mm band. The linearity range for DBD and gitoxin peak heights in the fluorescence mode was 0–2000 ng per 5-mm band.
ThingStore: a platform for internet-of-things application development and deployment

An advanced app-store concept, called ThingStore, is introduced in this paper. It provides a "market place" environment to facilitate collaboration on Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications development, and a platform to host their deployment. ThingStore services three categories of users: (1) Thing Provider - "Things" (such as online cameras and sensors) can be made more intelligent through event detection software routines called smart services. A thing provider may deploy "things" and advertise their smart services at ThingStore market place. (2) Software Developer - Software developers can develop apps that query relevant smart services using EQL (Event Query Language) much like the way traditional database applications are conveniently developed atop a standard database management system today. (3) End User - An end user may subscribe to a particular app for event notification and management. In this IoT architecture, ThingStore is a computation hub that links together human, "things," and computer software in a cyber-physical lifecycle to enable fusion of human and machine intelligence to accomplish some common goal. Not only human, but also "things," may adjust the physical world. New changes in the physical world may, in turn, incur new event detections and therefore initiate another cycle of this ecology-inspired computational lifecycle.
The class basis of generational conflict in the 1980s: Analysis and critique of the ageist agenda

Abstract In this article I examine the underlying class nature of the problems posed by exponents of generational equity thorough an analysis of age and economic power, focusing in detail on the economic well-being of age groups of workers. I discuss the analytically separate issues of seniority or tenure, returns to experience, and age inequality. Because of the seniority system, some have argued that age is an advantage in the labor market. Age is a correlate of economic power in the labor market, but does not itself bestow power. Age can therefore define social categories but not social classes or fractions of classes. Power associated with age, under attack by proponents of age equity, results from past victories of the organized working class. This paper argues that the forces generating generational conflict are based in the changing resources of class actors. We need to understand not just the interaction of age and class relations, but the historically-specific conditions that affect the dynamics of these relations.
Plant domestication, a unique opportunity to identify the genetic basis of adaptation

Despite the fundamental role of plant domestication in human history and the critical importance of a relatively small number of crop plants to modern societies, we still know little about adaptation under domestication. Here we focus on efforts to identify the genes responsible for adaptation to domestication. We start from a historical perspective, arguing that Darwin's conceptualization of domestication and unconscious selection provides valuable insight into the evolutionary history of crops and also provides a framework to evaluate modern methods used to decipher the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic change. We then review these methods, framing the discussion in terms of the phenotype-genotype hierarchy. Top-down approaches, such as quantitative trait locus and linkage disequilibrium mapping, start with a phenotype of interest and use genetic analysis to identify candidate genes. Bottom-up approaches, alternatively, use population genetic analyses to identify potentially adaptive genes and then rely on standard bioinformatics and reverse genetic tools to connect selected genes to a phenotype. We discuss the successes, advantages, and challenges of each, but we conclude that bottom-up approaches to understanding domestication as an adaptive process hold greater promise both for the study of adaptation and as a means to identify genes that contribute to agronomically important traits.
Studies toward the synthesis of roseophilin: lactam formation and Wittig/aldol methodology

In this communication, we introduce our retrosynthetic approach to the synthesis of roseophilin. An interesting, new Wittig/aldol methodology is described. Also discussed is macrocyclization of an azide acid to form an unsaturated lactam.
From collective intentionality to intentional collectives: An ontological perspective

This paper presents a methodology for the analysis of the entities which the discourse on collective intentionality usually refers to. We aim, in particular, at characterizing the notion of intentional collective. Based on reviews of the relevant literature, we apply three formal-ontological tools of our choice (namely, DOLCE, DnS, and DDPO) to the treatment of the notions of collection, agent, plan and collective, all underlying the concept of intentional collective. We believe that the proposed approach offers several advantages, among which its explicitness, modularity and formality. This makes it particularly suitable for a founded specification of typologies of collections and collectives, hence for contributing to both philosophic and scientific research on these topics.
The Extremity Rating Revisited Within the Context of Personal Construct Theory

This review supports the meaningfulness hypothesis of rating extremity and, most importantly, supports the profitability of pursuing the implications of the extremity rating within Personal Construct theory, focusing upon extremity ratings as done within the individual's own language dimensions. As for the construct of meaningfulness versus pathology, this contrast can be accepted as heuristically valuable, although of questionable validity. A new series of studies could be designed to clarify whether, under certain conditions, pathology and meaningfulness are related. To design such a series of studies, it would be helpful to have a theory of personality and behaviour which might suggest possible conditions of relationship. Personal Construct theory can provide a context within which to consider this paradox of meaning and pathology.
A Construct Validation Study of Phonological Awareness for Children Entering Prekindergarten

The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric characteristics of a phonological awareness assessment for prekindergarten children using Messick's (1989) framework for unitary construct validity. Upon entry into prekindergarten, children were given rhyme discrimination, syllable segmentation, initial phoneme isolation, and phoneme blending assessments drawn from The Phonological Awareness Test (Robertson & Salter, 1997). Item analyses indicated high internal consistencies, but some tasks were fairly difficult for the age group. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the four phonological awareness tasks have two correlated factors that underlie the measurement (large unit and small unit tasks). Multiple regression analysis showed that all four tasks had significant predictive validity for alphabetic knowledge. Given the paucity of standardized phonological awareness tests for children under 5 and the increased attention to preliteracy assessment, this off-level use of the test has the adv...
On the mechanism of sulfide inactivation by methemoglobin

Abstract Methemoglobinemia induced in laboratory mammals protects them against death from inorganic sulfide poisoning. Similarly, an intraperitoneal depot of human methemoglobin prepared in vitro protects mice against a subsequent intraperitoneal injection of sodium sulfide. Human methemoglobin is effective whether in simple solution or in red cells; oxyhemoglobin is inactive under similar circumstances. The prophylactic efficacy of methemoglobin is presumably due to its ability to bind or otherwise inactivate sulfide. From the displacement of the dose-mortality curve in methemoglobinemic mice it is inferred that 2–4 moles of sulfide are inactivated in vivo for each mole of methemoglobin heme. The comparable ratio in poisoning by cyanide is about one, and for high doses of azide the ratio also approaches unity. That the ferric iron of methemoglobin binds (and perhaps otherwise inactivates) sulfide is deduced from the observation that, when methemoglobin is converted to cyanmethemoglobin, its antidotal effectiveness is reduced by the equivalent of at least 1 mole of sulfide per mole of heme. The inference that methemoglobin possesses more binding sites for sulfide than for cyanide is proved by the demonstration that cyanmethemoglobin protects mice against sulfide poisoning. These extra binding sites must be associated with some part of the molecule other than the heme iron, which is known to be occupied by cyanide. To be effective against sulfide poisoning, however, cyanmethemoglobin must be prepared from nitrite-treated hemoglobin, not from ferricyanide-treated hemoglobin. Therefore, the former but not the latter must possess sulfide-binding sites unavailable to cyanide. On the assumption that spectral changes reflect only 1:1 interactions between anion and heme iron, dissociation constants have been calculated from spectrophotometric titration curves. They indicate that the hydrosulfide ion (HS − ) is bound to the ferric iron more tightly in nitrite-treated hemoglobin than in ferricyanide-treated hemoglobin. In contrast, no difference between these two pigments could be demonstrated in their affinities for cyanide or azide. Another difference between nitrite-treated and ferricyanide-treated hemoglobins is the presence of at least one more free sulfhydryl group in the nitrite-prepared pigment.
Wind engineering studies on tall buildings—transitions in research

Abstract Development of new building materials and advances in architectural concepts have led to light weight and more unconventional buildings. Consequently, unexpected wind forces may act on these structures. Experimental results from wind-tunnel studies are considered as one reliable source for the wind loading information. An extensive literature survey has been conducted; this paper reviews some of the selected studies to show the research transitions in wind engineering studies of tall buildings. Ten different stages and an established pattern have been identified in wind engineering studies of tall buildings.
Change in forest structure in the boreal montane ecosystem of Mount Mitchell, North Carolina.

Surveys were undertaken on Mt. Mitchell, N. C. (USA) from Spring 1984 through 1987 to determine the extent and rate of decline and mortality of red spruce and Fraser fir ecosystems. Data indicate that regardless of cause and effect mechanisms the physical structure and integrity of the boreal montane forest has greatly deteriorated over the past 4 years. Along ridges, and particularly on west facing aspects greater than 80% of all mature stands are dead. No definitive conclusions can be made concerning etiological agents; however, current hypotheses include biotic factors, climatic abberations, and/or the acute or chronic stress from anthropogenic pollutants.