cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Truly parallel understanding of text

Understanding a text requires two basic tasks: making inferences at several levels of knowledge and composing a global interpretation of the given text from those various types of inferences. Since making inferences at each level demands an extensive computations, there have been several attempts to use parallel inference mechanisms such as parallel marker passing (PMP) to increase the productivity of the inference mecha nism. Such a mechanism, when used with many local processors, is capable of making inferences in parallel. However, it often poses a large burden on the task of composing the global interpretation by producing a number of meaningless inferences which should be filtered out. Therefore, the increased productivity of the inference mechanism causes the slow down of the task of forming the global interpretation and makes it the bottleneck of the whole system. Our system, TRUE, effectively solves this problem with the Constrained Marker Passing mechanism. The new mechanism not only allows the system to make necessary inferences in parallel, but also provides a way to compose the global interpretation in parallel. Therefore, the system is truly parallel, and does not suffer from any single bottleneck.
Chapter 14 – Corrosion Inhibitors

This chapter introduces physiochemical and electrochemical properties of corrosion inhibitors. It starts by presenting corrosion inhibition processes that affect metal anodic or cathodic polarization properties as well as corrosion retardation by surface adsorption. It then explains inhibitor classification according to mechanism, inhibitor application (pickling, acid cleaning, descaling, etc.), and inhibitor chemical nature (inorganic and organic). A full chemical and electrochemical property discussion for anodic or passivating, cathodic, including cathodic poisons, cathodic precipitates, and oxygen scavengers, adsorption or organic inhibitors, precipitation inhibitors, ohmic and vapor phase inhibitors is at the end of the chapter. A literature review is provided for recent organic, inorganic, and green corrosion inhibitor development with “zero” environmental impact.
Multi-Dimensional Institutional Complexity, Privatization and Marketization in China

What type of individuals and private enterprises win out is a central question of transitology in studies of post-socialist market transition. Drawing on China’s education and training industry (ET...
Prehistoric, Plains-Mountain, Large-Mammal, Communal Hunting Strategies

Prehistoric human animal procurement has become a major area of archaeological interest because current studies in cultural ecology require a better understanding of past human subsistence strategies in hunter-gatherer societies. As with most archaeological research problems, straightforward answers are lacking and are unlikely to emerge from the data base; consequently, the number of different approaches toward solving the problem approximates the number of individual investigators. In reality, however, no single effort will bring about a solution to the problem. The best to be hoped for is that each effort may contribute small increments that, when added together and properly interpreted, will continually lead to more accurate explanations.
Open Tubular Heterogeneous Enzyme Reactors

Open tubular heterogeneous enzyme reactors (OTHERs) can he prepared by immobilizing enzymes on the innerwall of tubes. In certain applications this reactor configuration is preferable to the more commonly used packed bed, hollow fiber, and membraneous enzyme reactors. Depending on the formation of the enzymic layer on the tube wall the following three types of OTHERs can be distinguished: 1) enzyme is bound covalently to the tube wall, 2) enzyme is immobilized on the surface of a rigid porous matrix which forms an annulus at the wall, and 3) enzyme is immobilized in a gel layer attached to the tube wall.
A model for initiating research data management services at academic libraries.

Background: Librarians developed a pilot program to provide training, resources, strategies, and support for medical libraries seeking to establish research data management (RDM) services. Participants were required to complete eight educational modules to provide the necessary background in RDM. Each participating institution was then required to use two of the following three elements: (1) a template and strategies for data interviews, (2) a teaching tool kit to teach an introductory RDM class, or (3) strategies for hosting a data class series. Case Presentation: Six libraries participated in the pilot, with between two and eight librarians participating from each institution. Librarians from each institution completed the online training modules. Each institution conducted between six and fifteen data interviews, which helped build connections with researchers, and taught between one and five introductory RDM classes. All classes received very positive evaluations from attendees. Two libraries conducted a data series, with one bringing in instructors from outside the library. Conclusion: The pilot program proved successful in helping participating librarians learn about and engage with their research communities, jump-start their teaching of RDM, and develop institutional partnerships around RDM services. The practical, hands-on approach of this pilot proved to be successful in helping libraries with different environments establish RDM services. The success of this pilot provides a proven path forward for libraries that are developing data services at their own institutions.
Shaping the metropolis: Institutions and urbanization in the United States and Canada, by Zack Taylor: Montreal, Quebec, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2019

Zach Taylor intends to address three audiences in this book: political scientists interested in comparative study of political institutions and policy process, urban practitioners interested in the...
Factors associated with skin graft take in fibula and radial forearm free flap donor sites.

Abstract Learning objectives Identify factors associated with skin graft take in fibula free flaps (FFF) and radial forearm free flaps (RFFF) donor sites. Study objectives To determine which factors are associated with decreased skin graft take at the donor site in FFF and RFFF in head and neck patients. Design Retrospective Chart Review Case Series. Setting Multicenter Tertiary Care. Methods A multicenter retrospective review was performed at three institutions identifying patients who underwent free tissue transfer, specifically either FFF or RFFF, between 2007 and 2017. Patient demographics, medical history, and social history were examined including age, gender, BMI, smoking status, diabetes and preoperative anticoagulation use. Preoperative, intraoperative data, and postoperative data were also examined including tourniquet use, type of flap, area of skin graft, if the skin graft had a donor site or if it was taken from the flap, wound NPWT use, cast use, use of physical therapy, DVT prophylaxis, limb ischemia, heparin drip, and postoperative aspirin use. Statistical analysis was used to determine which factors were significantly associated with skin graft take. Results 1415 patients underwent a forearm or fibula flap and 938 patients underwent split-thickness skin graft. Of these, 592 patients had sufficient information and were included in the final analysis. There were 371 males and 220 females. The average age was 55.7. Complete skin graft take was seen in 480 patients (81.1%). On univariate analysis, patients with diabetes (p = .003), type of flap (fibula p Conclusion Several factors affect skin graft take rate and should be considered when performing a skin graft for a donor site defect.
Surveillance on iodine nutrition among population highly risky of iodine deficiency disorder in Meixian County in Guangdong Province

Objective To estimate the present salt iodine content and iodine nutrition need of high risk population of iodine deficiency disorder in Meixian County. Methods Each primary school was selected from urban and rural areas(Xiyang Town, 20 kilometers away from Meixian County), the goiter rate of 8 to 10 year-old students was examined and urinary iodine and household salt iodine was sampled. Twenty to 40 year-old women of childbearing age nearby schools around the urban and villages around Xiyang Town were selected to collect their urine and salt samples. At urban hospitals and rural health centers, 0 to 2 year-old infant urine samples were collected, Thyroid gland was palpated and urinary iodine was determined by iodine in urine by As3+-Ce4+catalytic spectrophotometry, salt iodine was determined by direct titration. Results The goiter rates of 8 to 10 year-old students were 1.5 % (3/200), 1.0% (1/100) for the urban area and 2.0% (2/100) for rural area. Median of urinary iodine in 8 to 10 year-old students, infants, women of childbearing age averaged at 237.1 μg/L and 280.1, 234.7,187.6 μg/L respectively, with each being 287.4,245.0,205.5 μg/L in urban area and 278.9,228.5,176.4 μg/L in rural area. Women of childbearing age had a higher percentage of urinary iodine 300.0 μg/L was more in infants than in students, that in students was more than that in women of childbearing age, each being 33.0% (33/100), 30.0% (60/200),22.5% (45/200). The median of salt iodine was 27.2 mg/kg. The coverage of iodized salt was 100.0%(400/400). Ninty-seven percent(194/200) and 96.0% (192/200) of qualified iodized salt were consumed in urban area and in rural area. Conclusions The amount of iodine added to salt meets the requirement in the 3 kinds population risk of iodine deficiency disorder. But a higher iodine status has been found out in students and infants. It is reasonable to decrease the present salt iodine content. Key words: Child; Infant; Women; Iodine; Nutrition assessment
Institutional Logics and Diverging Organizational Forms: An Empirical Study in Russia

Using an institutional logics approach, this study investigates how the institutional logics of leaders of grassroots social service nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia changed over time and how these changes related to changes in organizational mission, people served, professionalization, and interactions with the government. Relying on interviews as well as other data gathered, this analysis of organizational leaders’ narratives reveals the identities and experiences that these leaders turn to in their sensemaking of significant events. The findings show that, on the one hand, social welfare NGOs continued to provide services, increased their advocacy efforts, and professionalized their staff. Volunteer organizations, on the other hand, discontinued provision of social services turning instead to the recruitment and development of volunteers. Theoretically, this empirical case illustrates how an interplay of factors at multiple levels can affect the expression of logics at the organizational level.
A millimeter-wave system for the remote sensing of acidic clouds and precursor gases in the troposphere

Two millimeter-wave spectrometer systems are presented. The first operates in the 146–150 GHz and 162–166 GHz ranges, and is used to infer tropospheric abundances of COS, gaseous HNO 3 , H 2 CO, H 2 S, N 2 O, SO 2 , and O 3 , all of which are gases closely related to the formation of acid precipitation. The second system operates in the 15 to 30 GHz range and would be used to infer acidity of tropospheric clouds.
A Lethal Pursuit of Beauty: Tight-Lacing, the Faja Corset, and a Subcapsular Hematoma.

Faja corset, a tight garment worn to obtain an hourglass body, may have contributed to the formation of a spontaneous subcapsular hematoma in a 38-year-old nulligravid woman with no history of trauma. Subcapsular hematomas of the liver are a rare occurrence, with many documented cases arising during pregnancy as a complication of HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet) syndrome. Additional causes include iatrogenic trauma, rupture of cysts, hepatic adenomas, hepatocellular carcinoma, or coagulopathies. Idiopathic or spontaneous cases are very rare. In this report, we discuss the case of a 38-year-old female who presented with a spontaneous subcapsular liver hematoma of unclear etiology, most likely related to compression by her faja corset.
Share Withholding Attack in Blockchain Mining: Technical Report.

Cryptocurrency achieves distributed consensus using proof of work (PoW). Prior research in blockchain security identified financially incentivized attacks based on withholding blocks which have the attacker compromise a victim pool and pose as a PoW contributor by submitting the shares (earning credit for mining) but withholding the blocks (no actual contributions to the pool). We advance such threats to generate greater reward advantage to the attackers while undermining the other miners and introduce the share withholding attack (SWH). SWH withholds shares to increase the attacker's reward payout within the pool, in contrast to the prior threats withholding blocks, and rather builds on the block-withholding threats in order to exploit the information about the impending block submission timing, challenging the popularly established assumption that the block submission time is completely random and unknown to miners. We analyze SWH's incentive compatibility and the vulnerability scope by identifying the critical systems and environmental parameters which determine the attack's impact. Our results show that SWH in conjunction with block withholding yield unfair reward advantage at the expense of the protocol-complying victim miners and that a rational miner will selfishly launch SWH to maximize its reward profit. We inform the blockchain and cryptocurrency research of the novel SWH threat and include the potential countermeasure directions to facilitate such research and development.
Encapsulating a leukemia vaccine

A self-healing microcapsule loaded with leukemia-associated antigens, epitope peptides, and PD-1 antibody demonstrates sustained delivery of a leukemia vaccine.
EVOLUTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MAGNETIC FIELDS FROM ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN GALAXY CLUSTERS. I. THE EFFECT OF INJECTION ENERGY AND REDSHIFT

We present a series of cosmological magnetohydrodynamic simulations that simultaneously follow the formation of a galaxy cluster and evolution of magnetic fields ejected by an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Specifically, we investigate the influence of both the epoch of the AGN (z ~ 3-0.5) and the AGN energy (~3 × 1057- 2 × 1060 erg) on the final magnetic field distribution in a relatively massive cluster (M vir ~ 1015 M ☉). We find that as long as the AGN magnetic fields are ejected before the major mergers in the cluster formation history, magnetic fields can be transported throughout the cluster and can be further amplified by the intracluster medium (ICM) turbulence caused by hierarchical mergers during the cluster formation process. The total magnetic energy in the cluster can reach ~1061 erg, with micro Gauss fields distributed over the ~Mpc scale. The amplification of the total magnetic energy by the ICM turbulence can be significant, up to ~1000 times in some cases. Therefore even weak magnetic fields from AGNs can be used to magnetize the cluster to the observed level. The final magnetic energy in the ICM is determined by the ICM turbulent energy, with a weak dependence on the AGN injection energy. We discuss the properties of magnetic fields throughout the cluster and the synthetic Faraday rotation measure maps they produce. We also show that high spatial resolution over most of the magnetic regions of the cluster is very important to capture the small-scale dynamo process and maintain the magnetic field structure in our simulations.
Epigenomic Reprogramming toward Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition in Ovarian-Cancer-Associated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Drives Metastasis

A role for cancer cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer is well established. Here, we show that, in addition to cancer cell EMT, ovarian cancer cell metastasis relies on an epigenomic mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in host mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These reprogrammed MSCs, termed carcinoma-associated MSCs (CA-MSCs), acquire pro-tumorigenic functions and directly bind cancer cells to serve as a metastatic driver/chaperone. Cancer cells induce this epigenomic MET characterized by enhancer-enriched DNA hypermethylation, altered chromatin accessibility, and differential histone modifications. This phenomenon appears clinically relevant, as CA-MSC MET is highly correlated with patient survival. Mechanistically, mirroring MET observed in development, MET in CA-MSCs is mediated by WT1 and EZH2. Importantly, EZH2 inhibitors, which are clinically available, significantly inhibited CA-MSC-mediated metastasis in mouse models of ovarian cancer.
On a Faster $R$-Linear Convergence Rate of the Barzilai-Borwein Method

The Barzilai-Borwein (BB) method has demonstrated great empirical success in nonlinear optimization. However, the convergence speed of BB method is not well understood, as the known convergence rate of BB method for quadratic problems is much worse than the steepest descent (SD) method. Therefore, there is a large discrepancy between theory and practice. To shrink this gap, we prove that the BB method converges $R$-linearly at a rate of $1-1/\kappa$, where $\kappa$ is the condition number, for strongly convex quadratic problems. In addition, an example with the theoretical rate of convergence is constructed, indicating the tightness of our bound.
Why is Polygyny More Prevalent in Western Africa? An African Slave Trade Perspective

Polygyny rates are higher in Western Africa than in Eastern Africa. The African slave trades explain this diff erence. More male slaves were exported in the trans-Atlantic slave trades from Western Africa, while more female slaves were exported in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea slave trades from Eastern Africa. The slave trades led to prolonged periods of abnormal sex ratios, which impacted the rates of polygyny across Africa. In order to assess these claims, we present evidence from a variety of sources. We find the trans-Atlantic slave trades have a positive correlation with historical levels of polygyny across African ethnic groups. We also construct an ethnic group level data set linking current rates of polygyny with historical trade flow data from the trans-Atlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades. We find the trans-Atlantic slave trades cause polygyny at the ethnic group level, while the Indian Ocean slave trades do not. We provide cross-country evidence corroborating our findings.
Effort and Performance: What Distinguishes Interacting and Noninteracting Groups from Individuals?

We study how group membership affects behavior both when group members can and cannot interact with each other. Our goal is to isolate the contrasting forces that spring from group membership: a free-riding incentive leading to reduced effort and a sense of social responsibility that increases effort. In an environment with varying task difficulty and individual decision making as the benchmark, we show that the free-riding effect is stronger. Group members significantly reduce their effort in situations where they share the outcome but are unable to communicate. When group members share outcomes and can interact, they outperform groups without communication and individuals. We show that these groups do as well as the best constituent member would have done on his or her own.
Variation in Densities of the Salt Marsh Katydid Orchelimum fidicinium over Space and Time

Densities of Orthoptera typically vary greatly over space and time. The most important salt marsh orthopteran on the East Coast of the US is Orchelimum fidicinium, an omnivore that feeds on cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and arthropods. We examined spatial (34 sites) and temporal (5 sites, 17 years) variation in O. fidicinium density in coastal Georgia. Sites with considerable adjacent upland habitat had higher densities of O. fidicinium than sites with little adjacent upland. Grasshoppers fed S. alterniflora from both types of sites did not differ in growth rates, ruling out food quality as an explanation. We speculate instead that O. fidicinium require terrestrial habitat for reproduction or escape from predators during extreme high tides. At five sites where O. fidicinium was common, densities varied greatly among years. Regression models indicated that current year plant biomass (three sites) or previous year plant biomass (one site) was the best predictor of O. fidicinium density. Relationships between O. fidicinium and current year plant biomass were typically negative (more grasshoppers in years with lower plant biomass). A possible explanation for this pattern is that plant nutrients may be diluted in years with high plant biomass. We found little evidence that density of animal prey (Prokelisia spp.) or abiotic factors affected O. fidicinium densities. Our study illustrates the value of examining population densities across multiple sites and years, because results from any one site or year would likely have mischaracterized the spatial and temporal distribution of this common salt marsh consumer.
Adolescent neurocognitive development and cannabis use

Abstract Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances. Initiation of cannabis use is typically during adolescence, a developmental period of marked brain development that supports the maturation of cognitive and affective behaviors. CB1 receptors (the primary binding sites for the psychoactive component in cannabis, Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol) undergo maturational changes during adolescence and are widely distributed in developmentally sensitive brain regions. To this end, adolescent cannabis use has been associated with several developmental outcomes in cognition and brain structure and function, which could reflect a neurodevelopmental sensitivity to cannabis. However, a growing literature highlights a potential confounding role of sociodemographic, personality, and psychiatric substance use risk factors on behavioral and brain outcomes, limiting the interpretation of direct developmental effects of cannabis on neurocognitive development. Future directions to help untangle predictors and outcomes of cannabis use on adolescent neurocognitive development are discussed.
Heterogeneous nucleation of gallium with lattice-matched cubic carbide and nitride phases

Energetic barriers to nucleation can result in metastable liquids, which require additional undercooling to initiate solidification. Gallium, a low melting point metal of potential use as a phase change material and for liquid metal electronics, exhibits a well-documented temperature-dependent undercooling that can exceed 60 °C in small volumes (10 μl) cooled at moderate cooling rates (10 °C/min). Here, we use an epitaxial lattice-matching technique to identify cubic carbide and nitride phases that could serve as nucleation catalysts for gallium and gallium-based eutectics. We demonstrate multiple cubic carbides and nitrides that reduce undercooling and show that the relationship between the lattice mismatch and observed undercooling conforms with the heterogeneous nucleation theory. HfC and ZrN result in the smallest reported undercooling to date, <20 and <10 °C, respectively, across all equilibration temperatures after aging. These materials remain stable, even after aging for 120 days in liquid Ga. The carbide and nitride phases described here are commonly used as hard coatings and diffusion barriers, suggesting their practical applicability as thin coatings that both protect an underlying device or component and simultaneously reduce undercooling of gallium or gallium-based eutectics.
Working the overall structural organization of a call: How customers use third position as leverage for gaining service representatives' assistance in dealing with service problems

This article examines customer service encounters in an electronic repair facility and documents two opportunities within the overall structure of the call where customers express, and service representatives manage, different and competing goal orientations within the encounter. The central analysis then demonstrates where and how, within the call, customers seek opportunities for resolving service problems. Findings offer a communication perspective for explaining where tensions between service representatives and clients manifest in service encounters, and contribute to an existing body of research that considers language use in institutional settings.
Acute leukemic infiltration of the small bowel diagnosed by suction biopsy

A case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia presenting with abdominal symptoms is reported. Diffuse leukemic infiltration of the small bowel was suggested by the small-bowel X-rays and confirmed through jejunal biopsy. With steroid therapy the patient's abdominal symptoms ceased and his small-bowel X-rays, biopsy, and function improved.
MCMC Methods for Continuous-Time Financial Econometrics

Publisher Summary This chapter describes various Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods for exploring the posterior distributions generated by continuous-time asset pricing models. The MCMC methods are particularly well suited for continuous-time finance applications for several reasons. MCMC is a unified estimation procedure, which simultaneously estimates both parameters and latent variables. MCMC directly computes the distribution of the latent variables and parameters given the observed data and allows the researcher to quantify estimation and model risk. Estimation risk is the inherent uncertainty present in estimating parameters or state variables, while model risk is the uncertainty over model specification. The simplest MCMC algorithm is called the Gibbs sampler, which requires one to conveniently draw from the complete set of conditional distributions. In many cases, implementing the Gibbs sampler requires drawing random variables from standard continuous distributions such as normal, t, beta, or gamma or discrete distributions such as binomial, multinomial, or Dirichlet. The Griddy Gibbs sampler is an approximation that can be applied to approximate the conditional distribution by a discrete set of points. The Metropolis–Hastings algorithm allows the functional form of the density to be nonanalytic, where one only has to evaluate the true density at two given points. Random-walk Metropolis is the original algorithm considered by Metropolis et al. in 1953, and it is the mirror image of the independence Metropolis–Hastings algorithm.
reply: Leptin and diabetes in lipoatrophic mice

Shimomura et al. reply — Human lipodystrophy (also called lipoatrophic diabetes) is genetically heterogeneous, with the severity of insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus varying widely depending on the degree of reduction in adipose tissue mass and the age of the patient1,2. It is therefore not surprising that two mouse models of lipodystrophy (created by using two different transgenes, A-ZIP/F-1 and aP2-SREBP-1c ) vary in their disease severity and in their sensitivity to leptin. The aP2-SREBP-1c animals respond to leptin with a decrease in their insulin and blood sugar levels3, whereas the A-ZIP/F-1 animals of Gavrilova et al. apparently manifest leptin resistance. The differences between these two models should not preclude a clinical trial of leptin in leptin-deficient patients with lipodystrophy, with continuation of therapy in those who are leptin-sensitive.
Cleaning Up Old Munitions Sites

This chapter presents basic principles in the cleaning up of old munitions sites. There are two types of warfare ordnance that one searches for on a range site—chemical and high-explosive—and sometimes these are combined. Whether as single Unexploded ordnance (UXO) or buried en mass in a pit, UXO is usually located by means of a metal detector or magnetometer, the latter only finding magnetic metals like iron and steel. The process is called a geophysical search and when a signal is given off by the instrument, it is called an anomaly. Other technology includes ground penetrating radar, microgravity, and shear wave. These can locate glass bottles and voids, which cannot be found with metal detectors. Sampling for breakdown products from chemical war material or explosives can also help find burial sites. Historical documents can provide clues to where burials or contamination are likely. Most of the experiments at the American university experiment station were recorded and often included a diagram. The discussion also reviews some of the legal drivers for munitions cleanup.
Laboratory earthquakes along inhomogeneous faults : Directionality and supershear

We report on the experimental observation of spontaneously nucleated ruptures occurring on frictionally held bimaterial interfaces with small amounts of wave speed mismatch. Rupture is always found to be asymmetric bilateral. In one direction, rupture always propagates at the generalized Rayleigh wave speed, whereas in the opposite direction it is subshear or it transitions to supershear. The lack of a preferred rupture direction and the conditions leading to supershear are discussed in relation to existing theory and to the earthquake sequence in Parkfield, California, and in North Anatolia.
Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the Teamwork KSA Test

The Teamwork KSA Test has been a welcome addition to the practitioner's selection toolkit as well as a useful measure for teamwork researchers. We analyzed the psychometric properties of the Teamwork KSA Test and recognized correlates of the construct using three samples of working individuals recruited through a university (N = 241, N = 230, N = 332) and found slim evidence for a factor structure of the underlying constructs. Furthermore, classical reliability estimates did not meet traditional psychometric standards. Total TKSA scores predicted self-ratings and instructor ratings of teamwork in two of the samples; effect sizes were small.
Accumulation of 3-hydroxytetradecenoic acid: Cause or corollary of glucolipotoxic impairment of pancreatic β-cell bioenergetics?

Objectives Hyperglycemia and elevated blood lipids are the presumed precipitating causes of β-cell damage in T2DM as the result of a process termed “glucolipotoxicity”. Here, we tested whether glucolipotoxic pathophysiology is caused by defective bioenergetics using islets in culture.
Clustering and dielectric behavior of alcohols

Abstract The extent of hydrogen bonding, or clustering, in an alcohol determines the deviation of dielectric properties from the expected non-hydrogen-bonded properties. This clustering ability is attenuated by the dielectric behavior of media into which the hydrogen-bonding liquids are dispersed. Nonpolar liquids such as hydrocarbons disrupt and break up the clusters, whereas hydrogen-bonding polar liquids form new clusters. Cluster compositions in binary alcohol mixtures can range from nearly all of one type to nearly all of the other type of molecule.
A new hypothesis for the functional role of diversity in mediating resource pools and weed–crop competition in agroecosystems

We develop a new conceptual model we call the Resource Pool Diversity Hypothesis (RPDH) aimed at explaining how soil resource pool diversity may mediate competition for soil resources between weeds and crops. The primary tenets of the RPDH are that (i) in plant communities, the intensity of inter-specific competition can depend upon the degree to which niche differentiation and resource partitioning occur among species, (ii) agricultural systems are unique in that management practices, such as crop rotation, source of fertility and weed management, result in inputs to the soil and (iii) these inputs directly or indirectly become soil resource pools from which crops and weeds may partition resources. The RPDH leads to the novel prediction that along a gradient of increasing cropping system diversity, yield loss due to weed-crop competition (i.e. the impact on yield per unit weed density) for soil resources should decrease. Similarly, the degree to which crops and weeds overlap in soil resource niche breadth (which is determined by species-specific functional traits for resource acquisition), will determine the extent to which weed-crop competition weakens as resource pool diversity increases. While there have been no direct tests of the RPDH, we highlight evidence from the agricultural literature that provides strong support for components of the hypothesis. Validation of the RPDH would have important implications across a broad range of cropping systems for the development of management strategies that aim to reduce yield loss impact per unit weed plant density and the fundamental principles of integrated weed management, such as the concepts of weed thresholds and critical periods.
Long-term effects of instilled mineral dusts on pulmonary surfactant isolated from monkeys

Experiments were carried out to determine the long-term effect of instillation of 500 mg of generic bituminous, anthracite, quartz, or titanium dioxide (TiO2) dust on the composition of pulmonary surfactant. Dust was instilled in the caudal lobe of the right lungs of female pigtailed macaque monkeys (Macaca nemestrina). The composition of surfactant isolated from cell-free bronchoalveolar lavage (CF-BAL) samples obtained from right lungs (dust exposed) at various times over the following year was compared with that of surfactant isolated from CF-BAL from left lungs (dust free). Little change was seen in the amount of surfactant-associated lipid phosphorus as a result of exposure to dust. Exposure to quartz, anthracite, or TiO2 dust induced a significant increase in the total amount of protein in the surfactant-enriched fraction. The relative amount of specific proteins was also altered: surfactant-associated protein A decreased, and the amount of the heavy and light chains of immunoglobulin molecules (identified by NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis) increased. These changes were visible more than a year after instillation of quartz and at least 3 months after instillation of anthracite dust. Despite variation in the responses of the individual animals, the changes observed might serve as an indicator of the severity of the effect of exposure of the lung to mineral dust and/or to pathogens.
Separation of zinc and copper with cyanoacetamide in the determination of zinc

Abstract The new use of cyanoacetamide as a selective masking agent for copper in the determination of microgram amounts of zinc with zincon is described. It is very possible that the unique masking action of this compound may have importance in eliminating the interference of copper in other spectrophotometric and titrimetric procedures for zinc thereby reducing the time required to complete the analysis by decreasing or eliminating laborious separation or extraction techniques. The possibility of using cyanoacetamide as a masking agent for other ions should not be overlooked.
Current status of calculations and measurements of ion stopping power in ICF plasmas

More-precise stopping-power models for use in ICF target design need to be developed. The ion-driven ICF program is now moving into a phase where ad hoc scaling of certain key physics parameters in the stopping-power models is no longer sufficient. Our goal is to predict ion ranges in ICF targets to within about 10%. A verified stopping-power model is also essential in diagnosing target-irradiation intensities; such data can only be inferred by target response. Presently, our area of primary concern involves calculating the stopping power of the bound electrons of partially ionized atoms. One bound-electron stopping-power model that we are investigating uses the free-electron-gas model along with Hartree-Fock-Slater atomic charge-density profiles to calculate I(Z,q,E), a generalized average ionization potential for the target electrons. This method is being systematically studied to look for deficiencies in the underlying physics model, especially at low projectile velocities. Another procedure uses the Generalized Oscillator Strength model to calculate the bound-electron stopping. Experimental measurements of enhanced stopping power in ICF plasmas at the .3 TW/cm/sup 2/ level have been reported by the Naval Research Laboratories. Further experiments at Sandia are aimed at extending this data base both to higher ionization states and to higher-Z targets usingmore » a 1.2 TW/cm/sup 2/ proton beam on the PROTO-I accelerator.« less
A molecular marker-based assessment of sedimentary organic matter sources and distributions in Florida Bay

Seven surface sediment samples covering the general geographical area of Florida Bay were examined through the measurement of 13C isotopic abundance and lipid classes to assess the distributions and sources of organic matter (OM) in this estuarine environment. The bulk δ13Corg value shifted from a more isotopically depleted (−19.9‰) to a more isotopically enriched (−13.5‰) signal along the NE to SW transect. Two geochemical proxies (Paq and C25/C27n-alkan–2-ones) indicative of seagrass-derived OM significantly increased from near-shore to offshore areas, while taraxerol, a biomarker for mangroves, substantially decreased from 7200 to 284 ng/g along that transect. A clear spatial variation of OM sources was observed in Florida Bay. Generally, the sites in the NE contained mixed OM sources of terrestrial (mangrove) and seagrass-derived OM, where the terrestrial component accounted for over 60% of the OM. In contrast, the sites in central and SW Florida Bay were strongly dominated by seagrass-derived OM. Other lipid fractions such as fatty acids, n-alcohols and sterols revealed an important contribution of algae and bacteria especially in the central and SW section of the Bay. Relatively abundant C25 HBIs suggest important marine diatom inputs, while the presence of C20 HBIs particularly in central Florida Bay possibly reflects the contribution of cyanobacterial mats. The molecular proxies developed in this study to assess OM sources in Florida Bay are promising tools for the characterization and seasonal variability assessment of OM in this and other similar subtropical and tropical estuaries and for paleoenvironmental studies.
Nucleation and Crystal Growth in a Vitrification Solution Tested for Organ Cryopreservation by Vitrification

Abstract Nucleation and crystal growth are investigated for vitrification solution VS41A (dimethyl sulfoxide, formamide, and 1,2-propanediol) in an aqueous carrier solution giving, when added to these three cryoprotectants, a concentration of other solutes in the whole solution the same as that in Euro-Collins, with a 55% (w/v) cryoprotectant concentration. This concentration is assumed to achieve physical properties under 1 atmosphere similar to those of solution VS4 used under 1000 atmospheres. The thermal range and the kinetics of nucleation and crystal growth are investigated by DSC through different thermal treatments. It is found that the nucleation thermal range is below -90°C and that of crystal growth is above -85°C for a relatively long experimental time. The nucleation density is also studied through direct observations by cryomicroscopy and is related to the amount of crystallization calorimetrically recorded. The effect of storage below the glass transition shows the possibility of a slow increase in nucleation below the glass transition, as already observed by other authors for different aqueous solutions. Isothermal crystallization is analyzed within the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model for temperatures above -75°C. The corresponding samples have been cooled and warmed at the same rate of 40°C/min and calculations give, at constant nuclei numbers, an activation energy of 9.3 ± 0.3 kcal/mol and the Avrami exponent n = 2.2 ± 0.05. This shows a two-dimensional crystal growth as observed by cryomicroscopy. The estimated critical warming rate relevant to the preservation of rabbit kidneys by vitrification is 270°C/min with or without an increase in the nucleus density during storage. The present results support the possibility of using VS4 solution for vitrification of rabbit kidneys if pressure is not a limiting factor.
Fabrication approaches for metallo-dielectric plasmonic waveguides

Different techniques for fabricating long-range plasmonic metallo-dielectric waveguides are discussed. The approaches depend strongly on the material system in use. Specific results are presented for SU8 and PDMS.
Activated pulsed amperometric detection of cysteine at platinum electrodes in acidic media

Anodic voltammetric detection of sulfhydryl compounds, represented here by cysteine, at Pt electrodes in acidic media occurs concomitantly with anodic generation of surface oxide. It is speculated that the adsorbed hydroxyl species (PtOH), proposed to be the intermediate product in formation of the inert oxide (PtO), is the source of O-atoms transferred to the sulfonic acid produced by oxidation of the sulfhydryl moiety. However, as a consequence of this electrocatalytic response mechanism, application of the traditional three-step waveform for pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) of sulfhydryl compounds is accompanied by a large background signal resulting from PtO formation. To diminish the background signal, the traditional three-step PAD waveform has been modified by insertion of a brief (100 ms) anodization step prior to the detection step to activate the Ptsurface by the generation of PtOH with minimal conversion to PtO. The subsequent negative step from the activation potential (Eact) to the detection detection potential (Edet < Eact) permits the PtOH to be harvested within the detection mechanism without significant background signal.
Cytoskeletal structures may link cholesterol synthesis to glial differentiation

Cholesterol synthesis is a highly critical process in developing brain, particularly in glia, because cholesterol is a major constituent of all cellular membranes, including myelin. We have shown recently that the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, HMG-CoA reductase (HMG-R), is actively regulated in cultured C-6 glial cells, a model of the differentiating glial cell, and that this regulation involves microtubules. This study elucidates further the role of cytoskeletal structures. Microfilaments were disrupted by exposure of the cells to cytochalasin D (cD). Within 1 h of the addition of 1 μM cD, there resulted a 50% reduction in HMG-R activity, and after 3 h an 80% reduction. A decrease of 50% occurred with just 0.2 μM cD (3 h). The effects were fully reversible. The specificity of the effect was indicated by the findings of no change in the activities of five other critical glial enzymes or in the rate of total protein synthesis. That the decrease in HMG-R activity caused by cD is related to a decrease in enzyme content was suggested by the observation that cycloheximide blocked the recovery of activity after removal of cD. A relation of the effect of cD on reductase to disruption of microfilaments was suggested by striking concomitant morphological changes caused by the drug. Coupled with our previous findings, the observations suggest a link between a microfilament-microtubular system and both glial differentiation and cholesterol biosynthesis. Such a link would be of major neurobiological importance because it would provide a mechanism for coupling membrane biogenesis to cellular differentiation. (Supported by NIH grant R01 HD-07464).
E-cadherin expression in urothelial carcinoma in situ, superficial papillary transitional cell carcinoma, and invasive transitional cell carcinoma

Flat urothelial carcinoma in situ (CIS) is a precursor of invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). High-grade TCCs frequently are accompanied by CIS in surrounding urothelium. In contrast, superficial, noninvasive papillary TCCs are often low grade and generally are unaccompanied by CIS. E-cadherin (E-CD) is a member of a family of transmembrane glycoproteins involved in intercellular adhesion. Loss or decreased expression of E-CD has been linked to the invasive phenotype of a wide variety of human neoplasms, including bladder tumors. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of E-CD in high-grade urothelial dysplasia (HD)/CIS, superficial papillary TCC, benign urothelium, and invasive TCC. Staining for E-CD was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections using a Ventana NexES immunostainer (Tuscon, AZ). Percentage and intensity of cell membrane staining for E-CD was calculated for the 4 groups using the quantitative Automatic Cellular Imaging System (ChromaVision, San Juan Capistrano, CA). The results were as follows: The CIS group (n = 23) had percentage and intensity (92.8%, 120.0 U) of E-CD expression similar to the superficial noninvasive papillary TCC group (n = 16, 97.8%, 123.0 U) and the benign urothelium group (n = 17, 87.9%, 104.6 U), but it had statistically significant higher percentage and intensity than the invasive TCC group (n = 15, 45.4%, and 39.2 U, P <.05). Our data indicate that CIS and superficial, noninvasive papillary TCCs strongly express E-CD. In contrast, loss of E-CD expression is associated with the invasive TCC phenotype. Only when TCCs become invasive does E-CD expression decrease in directly proportion to the depth of invasion.
MOCVD Epitaxy and Optical Properties of Self-Assembled InGaN Quantum Dots via Stranski-Kastranow Growth Mode Emitting at 520-nm

Self-assembled In0.35Ga0.65N quantum dots emitting at lambda~510-520 nm were realized by metal organic chemical vapor deposition via Stranski-Kastranow growth mode, with quantum dots density of 4 times 109 cm-2.
Limitations on the use of and interpretation of data from the Aminco--Chance dual-wavelength split-beam recording spectrophotometer and related instruments.

Abstract Problems are discussed which occur during the normal usage of these dual-wavelength, split-beam instruments which can cause serious errors in the derived data and which, when recognized, can be avoided.
Professional Development Plans to Remedy Problematic Counseling Student Behaviors

Professional development plans (PDPs) are contracts used to address problematic student behaviors in counselor education. The PDP can be used to systematically document and address (a) faculty expectations of the student, (b) specific behaviors required of the student, (c) tasks in which the student and faculty will engage to facilitate student success, and (d) consequences if the student does not successfully address the expected tasks and engage in the required behaviors. A sample PDP is provided, and practice suggestions are discussed.
A study of excited states in trans-polyacetylene in the Hartree–Fock, Tamm–Dancoff, and random-phase approximation

The authors report calculations of the excitonic spectra for trans-polyacetylene obtained in the Hartree-Fock, Tamm-Danoff, and random-phase approximations. In the first case, in terms of two-particle propagator theory, the interaction between the excited electron and the hole is neglected. In the latter two cases, this interaction is considered in the first order. In this framework, the interaction between excitations of different bands and k-vectors has been included. They discuss the bandwidths and density of states for [pi]-[pi]*, [sigma]-[pi]*, [pi]-[sigma]*, and [sigma]-[sigma]*. 15 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.