cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimation of cooling rates in laser surface alloying processes

Par fusion au moyen d'un laser au CO 2 d'une couche de Cr deposee sur des aciers a 1,0% de C, obtention de couches superficielles contenant de 5 a 75% de Cr, la composition desiree de la zone fondue dependant du depot initial de Cr et de la profondeur de penetration. Discussion de modeles mathematiques proposes pour l'evaluation de la vitesse de refroidissement. Presentation d'une nouvelle methode reliant la finesse des structures de solidification cellulaires dendritiques a la vitesse de solidification
Teaching Evolution Concepts to Early Elementary School Students

State and national standards call for teaching evolution concepts as early as kindergarten, which provides motivation to continue developing science instruction and curriculum for young learners. The importance of addressing students’ folk theories regarding science justifies teaching evolution early in K-12 education. In this project, we developed, implemented, and researched standards-based lessons to teach elements of evolution (speciation and adaption) to kindergarteners and second graders. Our lessons attended to the students’ prior knowledge, and utilized inquiry and modeling to teach and assess their ability to recognize patterns of similarity and differences among organisms. Using their products and comments as evidence, it was apparent the students were able to communicate recognition of patterns and effectively apply their knowledge in near transfer activities, indicating they achieved our learning objectives. This provides support for teaching evolution concepts in the early grades and evidence of the ability for young children to effectively engage in supported inquiry and modeling for learning science.
Effect of stochasticity on targeted energy transfer from a linear medium to a strongly nonlinear attachment

Abstract In this work the problem of targeted energy transfer (TET) from a linear medium to a nonlinear attachment is studied in the presence of stochasticity. Using a Green’s function formulation, complexification-averaging technique and diffusion approximation we derive a complex, nonlinear, Ito stochastic differential equation that governs the slow dynamics of the system. Through the numerical solution of the corresponding Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov (FPK) equation we study the optimal regime of TET and its robustness to stochasticity for the case of nonlinear interactions of the nonlinear attachment with a single mode of the linear system. The probabilistic analysis reveals that in the presence of stochasticity the optimal TET regime, predicted in the deterministic theory, is not only preserved but also is enhanced due to the interaction of nonlinearity and stochasticity.
Normal values for ventricular size as determined by real time sonographic techniques

Seventy-three real time sonographic scans were performed through the anterior fontanelle of 67 infants between 28 and 48 weeks post-conception who had no evidence of intracranial disease. Several anatomical measurements were plotted against independent variables such as post-conception age, weight and head circumference at the time of the examination. All of the measurements increased as age, weight and head circumference increased. Ratios formed by dividing transventricular diameters by transcalvarial diameters at the two levels in the coronal plane and by dividing occipital mantle thickness by frontal mantle thickness in the parasagittal planes remained stable as all of the independent variables increased. In 88% of cases the occipital mantle could not be measured since the occipital horns of the lateral ventricles could not be identified. Since dilation of the ventricular system starts in the occipital horns of the lateral ventricles, non-visualization of this area is an important negative finding.
Three-Dimensional 13C-13C-Correlated Experiments on Oligosaccharides

Abstract The use of three-dimensional 1H-detected 13C-13C-correlated experiments is demonstrated for the purpose of assigning all of the ring proton and carbon resonances from a digalactosyl diacylglyceride sample, uniformly 13C-enriched to 15% by microbiological methods. In addition to improving the previously published phase-cycled pulse sequences (Y. Q. Gosser, K. P. Howard, and J. H. Prestegard, J. Magn. Reson. Ser. B101, 126, 1993), we illustrate the efficacy of incorporating pulsed field gradients for coherence-pathway selection and solvent suppression. The gradient version of the experiment yields dramatic improvements in the overall resolution and suppression of artifacts, thus increasing the efficiency of the experiment to the point where applicability to NMR assignments of 13C-enriched oligosaccharides can become routine.
CML28 Is a Broadly Immunogenic Antigen, Which Is Overexpressed in Tumor Cells

Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) reliably induces durable remission in 75–80% of patients with relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To identify immunological targets of the graft-versus-leukemia response (GVL) after DLI, we used CML post-DLI responder sera to screen a CML cDNA expression library. One of the antigens identified in this screen is a Mr 28,000 protein, termed CML28. CML28 is identical to hRrp46p, a component of the human exosome, a multiprotein complex involved in the 3′ processing of RNA. Components of the human exosome include known autoantigens, such as PMScl-100, an autoantibody target in patients with polymyositis, scleroderma, or polymyositis-scleroderma overlap syndrome. Recombinant CML28-GST fusion protein was purified, and used in Western blot and ELISA to demonstrate the development of a high-titer CML28-specific IgG antibody response in a patient with relapsed CML who responded to DLI. Northern blotting demonstrated that CML28 is highly expressed in a variety of hematopoietic and epithelial tumor cell lines, but not in normal hematopoietic tissues or other normal tissue, with the exception of testis. Purified recombinant CML28 was used to generate a CML28-specific murine monoclonal antibody. Western blotting with CML28 monoclonal antibody against whole-cell lysates derived from blood and marrow of normal donors and patients with leukemia revealed high expression of this antigen in tumor but not in normal samples. Because CML28 was highly expressed in epithelial tumor cell lines, anti-CML28 responses were also examined in patients with solid tumors. By ELISA, we found specific serological responses in 10–33% of patients with lung cancer, melanoma, and prostate cancer. Our studies suggest that immunogenicity of CML28 is likely because of overexpression of this antigen in tumor cells. Moreover, given its expression and immunogenicity in a wide variety of malignancies, CML28 merits additional evaluation as a target for antigen-specific immunotherapy.
Influence of satellite-derived photolysis rates and NO x emissions on Texas ozone modeling

Abstract. Uncertain photolysis rates and emission inventory impair the accuracy of state-level ozone (O3) regulatory modeling. Past studies have separately used satellite-observed clouds to correct the model-predicted photolysis rates, or satellite-constrained top-down NOx emissions to identify and reduce uncertainties in bottom-up NOx emissions. However, the joint application of multiple satellite-derived model inputs to improve O3 state implementation plan (SIP) modeling has rarely been explored. In this study, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) observations of clouds are applied to derive the photolysis rates, replacing those used in Texas SIP modeling. This changes modeled O3 concentrations by up to 80 ppb and improves O3 simulations by reducing modeled normalized mean bias (NMB) and normalized mean error (NME) by up to 0.1. A sector-based discrete Kalman filter (DKF) inversion approach is incorporated with the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (CAMx)–decoupled direct method (DDM) model to adjust Texas NOx emissions using a high-resolution Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) NO2 product. The discrepancy between OMI and CAMx NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs) is further reduced by increasing modeled NOx lifetime and adding an artificial amount of NO2 in the upper troposphere. The region-based DKF inversion suggests increasing NOx emissions by 10–50% in most regions, deteriorating the model performance in predicting ground NO2 and O3, while the sector-based DKF inversion tends to scale down area and nonroad NOx emissions by 50%, leading to a 2–5 ppb decrease in ground 8 h O3 predictions. Model performance in simulating ground NO2 and O3 are improved using sector-based inversion-constrained NOx emissions, with 0.25 and 0.04 reductions in NMBs and 0.13 and 0.04 reductions in NMEs, respectively. Using both GOES-derived photolysis rates and OMI-constrained NOx emissions together reduces modeled NMB and NME by 0.05, increases the model correlation with ground measurement in O3 simulations, and makes O3 more sensitive to NOx emissions in the O3 non-attainment areas.
Just talk to me: a field study of expertise location

Everyday, people in organizations must solve their problems to get their work accomplished. To do so, they often must find others with knowledge and information. Systems that assist users with finding such expertise are increasingly interesting to organizations and scientific communities. But, as we begin to design and construct such systems, it is important to determine what we are attempting to augment. Accordingly, we conducted a five-month field study of a medium-sized software firm. We found the participants use complex, iterative behaviors to minimize the number of possible expertise sources, while at the same time, provide a high possibility of garnering the necessary expertise. We briefly consider the design implications of the identification, selection, and escalation behaviors found during our field study.
Solvent-induced crystallization. I. Crystallization kinetics

The kinetics of crystallization of quenched poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films during the imbibition of methylene chloride (MeCl2) vapor is studied by density measurements. The effects of film thickness (0.0025–0.086 cm) and temperature (0–38°C) were examined. The data suggest that MeCl2 transport controls the crystallization in thick films and at elevated temperatures, but that spherulite growth controls in thin films and at reduced temperatures. The application of a mathematical model developed previously supports this mechanistic interpretation of the data.
Income inequality and risk of suicide in New York City neighborhoods: a multilevel case-control study

Evidence on the relationship between income inequality and suicide is inconsistent. Data from the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for all fatal injuries was collected to conduct a multilevel case-control study. In multilevel models, suicide decedents (n=374) were more likely than accident controls (n=453) to reside in neighborhoods with greater income inequality even after controlling for individual characteristics; this relation was modified by age with an effect overall and among decedents aged 15-34 but not among decedents 35-64. These data suggest that income inequality may contribute to the risk of suicide in younger adults.
BOUND COMPLEMENT AND IMMUNOLOGIC INJURY OF BLOOD VESSELS

Rats and guinea pigs were depleted of complement (C') by treatment with heat aggregated human γ-globulin (agg HGG), zymosan, anti-s1C globulin, and carrageenan. Although antigen and antibody were bound to vascular structures, Arthus reactions were inhibited. This inhibition was characterized by the lack of C' binding to walls of vessels, the lack of polymorphonuclear (PMN's) cellular infiltrates, and the lack of significant vascular damage. When the same animals were followed for several hours thereafter, levels of serum C' began to rise, C' was bound in tissues, PMN infiltrates appeared, and immunologic vasculitis developed. Blood counts, chemotaxis of PMN's induced by lysates of PMN granules, together with studies on motility and phagocytosis by PMN's obtained from C' depleted rats, failed to establish any abnormality in these cells which would account for inhibition of Arthus reactions. The specificity of C' depletion in terms of effects in the first four reacting components of guinea pig C' was studied. Treatment with agg HGG led to loss of activity in all components, whereas zymosan and anti-s1C globulin predominately affected the third component (C'3c). Carrageenan mainly affected the first two reacting components of C'. Thus, the availability of the 3c component, or a subsequently reacting component, correlated with the attraction of PMN's to immune reactants in vivo . Various antibodies with different C' fixing capacities in vitro were tested for their ability to induce immunologic vasculitis in normal animals. In rats, only those antibodies which fixed C' in vitro possessed biological activity, whereas in guinea pigs, all antibodies tested, regardless of C' fixation in vitro , induced Arthus reactions. For a given antibody in rats the vasculitis-inducing property was reflected in its ability to bind C' in vascular structures. Rats depleted of circulating PMN's by specific antibody were tested for Arthus activity. Although concentrations of immune reactants and C' were readily detected in vascular structures, no PMN infiltration occurred and significant vascular damage was averted.
Communitarianism, the vatican, and the new global order

Pope John Paul's great vision of communitarianism and a New Global Order has yet to receive the recognition it deserves in furthering the understanding that humanity is built on religious values, without which transformations in totalitarian regimes would have been impossible. The essence of communitarianism, as put forth by the Vatican, consists of seeking middle ground between Marxist collectivism and rigid individualism and capitalism. Phillips traces the history of communitarianism through Aristotelian and Judeo-Christian writings, clarifying the proper function of the community in helping individuals help themselves by mobilizing church resources and countering anti-religious movements such as Nazism and communism. Communitarianism presents an encouraging universal notion of freedom, transcending the one-sided stances of Marxism and libertarian capitalism and promoting the vision of a unified human destiny.
Air Embolism Involving the Coronary and Pulmonary Circulation: An Unusual Cause of Sudden Cardiac Death

A 58-year-old man with a history of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma status post liver and kidney transplantation, coronary artery disease, and ventricular arrhythmia status post ICD placement underwent an outpatient fine-needle aspiration biopsy of a pulmonary nodule under computed tomography (CT) guidance at an outside hospital (Figure 1). After the procedure, the patient was noted to have persistent altered mental status that was out of proportion to the degree of sedation administered. He subsequently …
Wave scattering and scene image of trees generated by Lindenmayer systems

When the distances between branches and leaves are not far away on a wavelength scale, branches and leaves scatter collectively. Collective scattering effects depend on the relative locations of branches and leaves in a tree. The authors used stochastic Lindenmayer systems to generate trees. The tree generated by Lindenmayer systems has the realistic appearance so that the relative locations of branches and leaves are reasonably represented. The wave scattering by branches and leaves is calculated by using coherent addition approximation (CAA). The scattering of rough surface and that of grass are included. The scene images of the Lindenmayer tree are provided for vv, hh, hv polarizations at L-band.
Techniques for intellectual property protection of DSP designs

Numerous watermarking-based techniques for intellectual property protection of DSP artifacts, such as images, compressed and uncompressed audio and video data, and text documents have been proposed. However, the applicability of all techniques proposed until now are limited to digital data and they either implicitly or explicitly exploit the imperfection of human perception to audio and video. We propose the first watermarking technique for protecting the intellectual property of DSP designs. The essence of the technique is the use of additional synthesis constraints to encode the authorship signature. The constraints are selected in such a way that they result in minimal hardware overhead while embedding the signature which is unique and difficult to detect and remove. The technique is applicable to all levels of design process, from the algorithm, system and behavioral synthesis to logic synthesis and physical design levels. The technique is illustrated on a set of DSP design examples on all levels of the design process.
Human Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor α (PPARα) Supports the Induction of Peroxisome Proliferation in PPARα-deficient Mouse Liver

Peroxisome proliferators, which function as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) agonists, induce peroxisomal, microsomal, and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation enzymes, in conjunction with peroxisome proliferation, in liver cells. Sustained activation of PPARalpha leads to the development of liver tumors in rats and mice. The assertion that synthetic PPARalpha ligands pose negligible carcinogenic risk to humans is attributable, in part, to the failure to observe peroxisome proliferation in human hepatocytes. To explore the mechanism(s) of species-specific differences in response to PPARalpha ligands, we determined the functional competency of human PPARalpha in vivo and compared its potency with that of mouse PPARalpha. Recombinant adenovirus that expresses human or mouse PPARalpha was produced and administered intravenously to PPARalpha-deficient mice. Human as well as mouse PPARalpha fully restored the development of peroxisome proliferator-induced immediate pleiotropic responses, including peroxisome proliferation and enhanced expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism as well as nonperoxisomal genes, such as CD36, Ly-6D, Rbp7, monoglyceride lipase, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4, and C3f, that have been identified recently to be up-regulated in livers with peroxisome proliferation. These studies establish that human PPARalpha is functionally competent and is equally as dose-sensitive as mouse PPARalpha in inducing peroxisome proliferation within the context of mouse liver environment and that it can heterodimerize with mouse retinoid X receptor, and this human PPARalpha-mouse retinoid X receptor chimeric heterodimer transcriptionally activates mouse PPARalpha target genes in a manner qualitatively similar to that of mouse PPARalpha.
Running in the other team's shoes [electric utility change management]

It is not uncommon for organizations to experience difficulties when implementing technological process innovations. New techniques for production or operation may fail to generate the anticipated savings in time or monetary terms. Such failure is often not due to any shortcoming of the physical devices or technical schemes employed, but rather to conflict and lacking acceptance within the organization attempting to implement the change. When resistance to process innovation occurs, it typically manifests along occupational or cultural subgroups within an organization. Such groups tend to have different goals relating to their own performance and rewards. Thus, their varying degrees of enthusiasm for innovation programs can often be related to competing interests in control, authority and recognition of skills. Resistance to innovation has also been attributed to information asymmetries between technology advocates and users. This leads to misunderstandings or disagreements about the expected benefits of innovations. This article, which is based on interviews with employees in electric utility companies, focuses on the case of two cultural groups, operators and engineers, within electric utility companies.
Longer term test-retest reliability of error-related brain activity

The error-related negativity (ERN) is a negative deflection in the event-related potential (ERP) following an erroneous response and is thought to reflect activity of the anterior cingulate cortex. There is accumulating evidence that the component has trait-like properties; prior evidence further suggests test-retest reliability estimates ranging from .40 to .82 over a period of 2 to 6 weeks. The present study examined temporal stability over a longer time period. Error-related brain activity was recorded from 26 subjects during an arrow version of the flankers task on two occasions separated by 1.5 to 2.5 years. Depending on the scoring method, test-retest reliability of the ERN ranged from .56 to .67. These data are consistent with previous suggestions that the ERN is a moderately stable, trait-like neural measure.
BioTile, A Perl based tool for the identification of differentially enriched regions in tiling microarray data

Background: Genome-wide tiling array experiments are increasingly used for the analysis of DNA methylation. Because DNA methylation patterns are tissue and cell type specific, the detection of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with small effect size is a necessary feature of tiling microarray ‘peak’ finding algorithms, as cellular heterogeneity within a studied tissue may lead to a dilution of the phenotypically relevant effects. Additionally, the ability to detect short length DMRs is necessary as biologically relevant signal may occur in focused regions throughout the genome. Results: We present a free open-source Perl application, Binding Intensity Only Tile array analysis or “BioTile”, for the identification of differentially enriched regions (DERs) in tiling array data. The application of BioTile to non-smoothed data allows for the identification of shorter length and smaller effect-size DERs, while correcting for probe specific variation by inversely weighting on probe variance through a permutation corrected meta-analysis procedure employed at identified regions. BioTile exhibits higher power to identify significant DERs of low effect size and across shorter genomic stretches as compared to other peak finding algorithms, while not sacrificing power to detect longer DERs. Conclusion: BioTile represents an easy to use analysis option applicable to multiple microarray platforms, allowing for its integration into the analysis workflow of array data analysis.
Identifying Culture as a Threshold of Shared Knowledge A Consensus Analysis Method

This methodological article takes Fredrik Barth’s anthropology of knowledge as a point of departure and identifies culture as knowledge shared above a specified threshold. The method samples domains of knowledge in organizational settings and asks diverse members of the organization to list the elements of the domains. After compiling the elements, the informants are re-interviewed, along with a wider sample, to prioritize the elements according to a criterion of importance. A consensus analysis of the informants’ data matrix reveals the degree to which the knowledge is shared and constitutes a culture, or is less shared and constitutes a proto-culture, subculture, counter-culture, or a fragmented and idiosyncratic domain. Three case studies are used as illustrations. Widely adaptable in international management research for exploring organizational cultures and subcultures, inter-organizational fields, and international ventures, the consensus analysis method articulates with the three major theoretical ...
Steroid-binding G-protein-coupled receptors: new drug discovery targets for old ligands

Steroid-binding receptors have long been a successful target class for the pharmaceutical industry. Clinical applications for steroids range from contraception and hormone replacement therapy to immune regulation and cancer therapy. With the recent demonstration that the orphan GPCR, GPR30 binds and is activated by estrogen, as well as the identification of a GPR30-selective agonist, it is likely that GPR30 represents a novel drug target with many potential clinical applications. This review discusses the role of GPR30 in mediating the effects of estrogen, as well as recent efforts to isolate GPR30-specific ligands using a combination of virtual and biomolecular screening. Finally, comments are made on the future directions regarding GPCRs, steroids and drug discovery.
Evidence That Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Decrease Amyloid β42 Production by Direct Modulation of γ-Secretase Activity *

Chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Recent evidence indicates that some NSAIDs specifically inhibit secretion of the amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptide in cultured cells and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. The reduction of Aβ42 peptides is not mediated by inhibition of cyclooxygenases (COX) but the molecular mechanism underlying this novel activity of NSAIDs has not been further defined. We now demonstrate that NSAIDs efficiently reduce the intracellular pool of Aβ42 in cell-based studies and selectively decrease Aβ42 production in a cell-free assay of γ-secretase activity. Moreover, we find that presenilin-1 (PS1) mutations, which affect γ-secretase activity, differentially modulate the cellular Aβ42 response to NSAID treatment. Overexpression of the PS1-M146L mutation enhances the cellular drug response to Aβ42 lowering NSAIDs as compared with cells expressing wild-type PS1. In contrast, expression of the PS1-ΔExon9 mutation strongly diminishes the Aβ42 response, showing that PS1 mutations can modulate the cellular drug response to NSAID treatment both positively and negatively. Enhancement of the NSAID drug response was also observed with overexpression of the APP V717F mutation but not with Swedish mutant APP, which affects β-secretase cleavage. In sum, these results strongly suggest that NSAIDs represent a founding group of compounds that lower Aβ42 production by direct modulation of γ-secretase activity or its substrate.
Competency Testing for Pediatric Cardiology Fellows Learning Transthoracic Echocardiography: Implementation, Fellow Experience, and Lessons Learned

There is currently great interest in measuring trainee competency at all levels of medical education. In 2007, we implemented a system for assessing cardiology fellows’ progress in attaining imaging skills. This paradigm could be adapted for use by other cardiology programs. Methods: Evaluation consisted of a two-part exercise performed after years 1 and 2 of pediatric cardiology training. Part 1: a directly observed evaluation of technical skills as fellows imaged a normal subject (year 1) and a patient with complex heart disease (year 2). Part 2: fellows interpreted and wrote reports for two echocardiograms illustrating congenital heart disease. These were graded for accuracy and facility with communicating pertinent data. After 5 years of testing, fellows were surveyed about their experience. In 5 years, 40 fellows were tested at least once. Testing identified four fellows who underperformed on the technical portion and four on the interpretive portion. Surveys were completed by 33 fellows (83 %). Most (67 %) felt that intermittent observation by faculty was inadequate for assessing skills and that procedural volume was a poor surrogate for competency (58 %). Posttest feedback was constructive and valuable for 90, and 70 % felt the process helped them set goals for skill improvement. Overall, fellows felt this testing was fair and should continue. Fellow performance and responses identified programmatic issues that were creating barriers to learning. We describe a practical test to assess competency for cardiology fellows learning echocardiography. This paradigm is feasible, has excellent acceptance among trainees, and identifies trainees who need support. Materials developed could be easily adapted to help track upcoming ACGME-mandated metrics.
Interleukin-22 Signaling in the Regulation of Intestinal Health and Disease

Interleukin (IL)-22 is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines that has been extensively studied since its discovery in 2000. This review article aims to describe the cellular sources and signaling pathways of this cytokine as well as the functions of IL-22 in the intestine. In addition, this article describes the roles of IL-22 in the pathogenesis of several gastrointestinal diseases, including inhibition of inflammation and barrier defense against pathogens within the intestine. Since many of the functions of IL-22 in the intestine are incompletely understood, this review is meant to assess our current understanding of the roles of IL-22 and provide new opportunities for inquiry to improve human intestinal health and disease.
High Precision Droplet-Based Microfluidic Determination of Americium(III) and Lanthanide(III) Solvent Extraction Separation Kinetics

A new method for studying solvent extraction kinetics has been applied for measuring americium and lanthanide extraction rate constants. This droplet-based microfluidic method uses commercially available components and provides rapid, high throughput and accurate determination of absolute interfacial mass transfer rate constants. Reported for the first time are americium extraction rates relevant to TALSPEAK-type process conditions, including the americium and lanthanide rate dependencies on pH and extractant power.
The infrastructure of markets: From electric power to electronic data

Following the partial deregulation of the electricity industry in the 1990s, a number of electricity markets were instituted in the United States. As relatively new experiments, electricity markets open up possibilities for anthropologists to see markets as infrastructures of information. I argue that making markets in electricity has been a project in reorganizing information relationships, transferring the burden to organize information onto market actors, making them into data processors and the markets themselves into infrastructures of information. This article is part of a yearlong multilocale ethnographic project that seeks to understand how traders, analysts, engineers, and economists make markets in electricity in the United States. It draws on 5 months of participant observation at a market intelligence company that produces data and databases and sells price forecasts to traders in the deregulated markets of electricity. It maps the work practices of data cleaning and maintenance—a kind of labor I call “database work.”
Large Milkweed Bug: Effects of Diflubenzuron and Its Analogues on Reproduction

Adult male or female Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) did not reproduce when they were topically treated with 1 μg of diflubenzuron or penfluron. The same dose of AI3-63220 ( N -[[(4-bromophenyl)amino]carbony1]-2,6-difluorobenzamide) prevented reproduction by treated males or reduced by 90% the hatch of eggs laid by treated females. Of the 3 compounds tested the most active was penfluron: in males, a dose of 0.01 μg/insect prevented transfer of sperm; in females, this dose did not affect egg hatch but prevented maturation of nymphs. In confinement, treated males transferred some penfluron to untreated females, but the fertility of these females was lowered only when the initial dosage was 1–10 μg/♂.
Water Solubility in Ionic Liquids and Application to Absorption Cycles

The absorption cooling cycle has been in use for more than 100 years. Although the vapor compression cycle is now used for most air-conditioning and refrigeration applications, the well-known refrigerant−absorbent systems (water−LiBr and ammonia−water) are still being used for space cooling and industrial refrigeration. Recently, absorption cooling cycles using water + room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been proposed as a replacement for the water + LiBr system. There have been a few reports in the literature since about the year 2000 on the solubility of water in RTILs, and some of the hydrophilic RTILs show extremely high mutual solubility with water, indicating formation of chemical complexes. Almost all solubility data have been correlated with the use of activity (or solution) models. In the present report, we apply an equation of state (EOS) model in order to understand the solubility characteristics, as well as the chemical complex formation, consistently with the same thermodynamic model....
I-MR Control Chart: A Tool for Judging the Health of the Current Manufacturing Process of an API and for Setting the Trial Control Limits in Phase I of the Process Improvement

It has been observed that the main focus during the process development and manufacturing of an API is to meet the customer’s specifications (LSL and USL) rather than estimating and improving the natural control limits (LCL and UCL) of the process. It results in the overlap of the natural control limit and customer’s specification, which in turn increases the chance of failure with respect to the customer’s specifications. A better approach is to work on decreasing the variability of the process so that natural control limits become much tighter than customer’s specification. The statistical control charts not only help in estimating these internal/natural control limits but also raises an alert when the process goes out of control. These alerts trigger the investigation through root cause analysis leading to the process improvements which in turn lead to the decrease in variability of the process. This process continues till inherent variability of the process is due to common causes only and cannot be a...
Patterns of surface lesion recovery in the Northern Star Coral, Astrangia poculata

Abstract Corals regularly experience partial mortality due to grazing, sedimentation, disease, and abrasion. Because a colony's ability to heal such surface lesions can reflect its overall health, recovery from artificial wounds has been posed as a potential in situ measure of coral status and resilience. In this study, the response of a temperate, facultatively symbiotic coral, Astrangia poculata , to wounds of varying size and shape was measured, along with the influence of Symbiodinium psygmophilum . Because most tropical corals host an obligate symbiosis, the impact of the symbionts on lesion recovery cannot be quantified separately from the hosts. Here, symbiotic and aposymbiotic A. poculata colonies were subjected to lesions representing 25%, 50%, and 75% total colony loss, with varying wound shape. Colonies were monitored for recovery, mortality of living tissue, photosynthetic efficiency and approximated chlorophyll density. Recovery was observed to occur primarily from within the lesion site, demonstrating a ‘Phoenix effect’ healing pattern whereby recovery stems from tissue remnants in the wound area. Recovery was best explained by an interaction effect between symbiotic state (symbiotic versus aposymbiotic) and the amount of residual tissue visible after wounding. Per unit area of residual tissue, healing was greater in symbiotic colonies. Symbiotic colonies also exhibited higher estimates of photochemical efficiency and approximated chlorophyll density, likely contributing to their enhanced healing capacity. These results support previously documented reductions in wound recovery among bleached corals, and suggest that symbiont loss itself, rather than associated stress or physiological disruption contributes to the diminished healing capacity of bleached colonies. Tissue mortality in un-wounded colony portions was greatest among symbiotic corals exposed to 50% colony loss amassed over two wounds, suggesting that corals with multiple injuries may experience greater tissue loss compared to single-wounded colonies, which can help inform methods for wound proxy metrics in the field. Dissected decalcified A. poculata colonies revealed deep (~ 4–6 mm) corallite and polyp penetration, suggesting that surface lesions in this species are likely to leave tissue remnants buried within the skeleton. As such, it appears that A. poculata and corals with similar morphologies are predisposed to ‘Phoenix effect’ recovery, since most natural lesions would not fully penetrate the full depth of their corallites.
Laser-Generated Ultrasound: Toward Realistic Modeling

Theoretical treatments of photoacoustic pulse generation are reviewed, including recent work on realistic modeling. A new method is shown to have significant advantages in speed and flexibility. The possible sources of the “precursor” signal, observed experimentally, are considered, and it is shown that the most likely explanation is an effect due to mode conversion, thermal to acoustic, at the illuminated surface.
Reference materials for the practice of adolescent medicine.

Clinically useful data for the practice of adolescent medicine are presented in tabular format, and include norms for growth and development, laboratory test alterations during puberty, and information on contraceptives and gynecologic care.
IRREVERSIBLE INHIBITION OF CATALASE BY THE 3-AMINO-1 : 2 : 4-TRIAZOLE GROUP OF INHIBITORS IN THE PRESENCE OF CATALASE DONORS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the process of irreversible inhibition of catalase by the 3-amino-1:2:4-triazole group of inhibitors in the presence of catalase donors. It presents the development of the kinetic equations that describe the irreversible inhibition of catalase by the 3-amino-1: 2:4-triazole group of substances in the presence of catalase donors and show that the lack of effect of such inhibitors in blood hemolysates is because of the presence of a naturally occurring catalase donor in erythrocytes. When injected into laboratory animals, this drug causes a rapid decrease of the catalatic activity of liver or kidney suspensions to low levels but produces no change in the catalatic activity of erythrocyte hemolysates. The chapter further presents the kinetic equation for the rate of the irreversible inhibition of catalase by the 3-amino-1: 2:4-triazole group of substances in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a catalase donor, which has been developed. The lack of inhibition of catalatic activity by 3-amino-1:2:4-triazole in rat erythrocyte hemolysates is because of a normally occurring, dialysable, sulfhydryl catalase donor. The lack of inhibition of blood catalase following the administration of 3-amino-1:2:4-triazole to laboratory animals is because of this donor.
A moment of truth

Puberty is a complex transition that involves dramatic changes in several domains of human development including biological, physical, psychological, and social [1]. Individual variations in the timing of puberty may influence the adoption of unhealthy behaviors. Specifically, compare to those who mature on-time or late, adolescents who mature early are at a higher risk of exposure to several psychological, social, and health disadvantages [2]. For instance, girls who experience puberty earlier than their counterparts are more susceptible to adverse health behavior such as earlier alcohol use [3], cigarette smoking [4], and eating disorder [5]. Furthermore, evidence suggests that early timing of puberty among girls is also associated with decline in physical activity (PA) [6], and an increased time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) [7]. Only a few studies have examined the relationship between puberty and body mass index (BMI) among boys by using different measures (e.g., voice break, age at onset of pubertal growth spurt, peak height velocity (PHV), public hair growth, testicular volume, and/or penis length), the results have been inconsistent [8]. However, a recent study examining the trend of age at spermarche and its association with BMI among Chinese school boys found that a higher BMI or BMI-for-age z-score was associated with an increased likelihood of having reached spermarche, indicating the overlapping trend of earlier age at spermarche and increase in BMI over the past 15 years among Chinese boys [9].
Android Permission Recommendation Using Transitive Bayesian Inference Model

In current Android architecture, users have to decide whether an app is safe to use or not. Technical-savvy users can make correct decisions to avoid unnecessary privacy breach. However, most users may have difficulty to make correct decisions. DroidNet is an Android permission recommendation framework based on crowdsourcing. In this framework, DroidNet runs new apps under probation mode without granting their permission requests up-front. It provides recommendations on whether to accept or reject the permission requests based on decisions from peer expert users. To seek expert users, we propose an expertise rating algorithm using transitional Bayesian inference model. The recommendation is based on the aggregated expert responses and its confidence level. Our evaluation results demonstrate that given sufficient number of experts in the network, DroidNet can provide accurate recommendations and cover majority of app requests given a small coverage from a small set of initial experts.
Coherent Spectroscopy of PDI-based Artificial Light-Harvesting Antenna

We time-resolve the energy transfer process in artificial light-harvesting PDI-based tetramers with femtosecond broadband pump-probe anisotropy. We resonantly excite and study the isotropic/anistotropic nuclear motions during the transfer.
Second harmonic generation imaging of corneal stroma after infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic gram-negative organism that has the ability to cause blinding corneal infections following trauma and during contact lens wear. In this study, we investigated the directional movement and orientation of an invasive corneal isolate of P. aeruginosa in the corneal stroma during infection of ex vivo and in vivo rabbit corneas using multiphoton fluorescence and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging. Ex vivo, rabbit corneas were subject to three partial thickness wounds prior to inoculation. In vivo, New Zealand white rabbits were fit with P. aeruginosa laden contact lenses in the absence of a penetrating wound. At all time points tested, infiltration of the corneal stroma by P. aeruginosa revealed a high degree of alignment between the bacteria and collagen lamellae ex vivo (p < 0.001). In vivo, P. aeruginosa traveled throughout the stroma in discrete regions or bands. Within each region, the bacteria showed good alignment with collagen lamellae (P = 0.002). Interestingly, in both the in vitro and in vivo models, P. aeruginosa did not appear to cross the corneal limbus. Taken together, our findings suggest that P. aeruginosa exploits the precise spacing of collagen lamellae in the central cornea to facilitate spread throughout the stroma.
Sociological Testimony in Employment- and Education-Related Litigation

Sociological evidence has played an increasingly important role in employment and education litigation in the USA since the early part of the twentieth century. Sociological testimony and consultations can assist attorneys and law firms in various aspects of litigation related to employment, schools, and colleges and universities. Sociologists teach, conduct research, and consult with organizations and policy makers on some of the following aspects of employment and education litigation, including the prevalence and risk factors of workplace and educational problems, offender or criminal profiling, the impact of workplace- and school-related conditions on social, family, educational, and occupational functioning, and the effectiveness of organizational policies, procedures, and prevention activities. This chapter presents research findings in these areas and uses some composite cases to demonstrate how a sociologist can assist defense and plaintiff attorneys and law firms in employment and education litigation.
Load balancing in a microgrid with uncertain renewable resources and loads

The growing penetration of renewable energy resources poses a high degree of uncertainty in the electric grid's behavior due to the intermittent nature of such resources. Handling the uncertainty becomes even more challenging when it is extended to the loads as well. The modern grid intends to address such issues using a two-way communication method between the utilities and consumers. As an attempt for demand response and dynamic pricing, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is being deployed in distribution systems to further support consumer participation. In this structure, household appliances can be scheduled to respond to the demand and price signals for multiple purposes such as cost minimization and peak shaving. In this paper, we propose a novel scheduling strategy for smooth load balancing in a grid framework with uncertain power generation and loads considering the comfort of consumers with respect to all household activities. The study focuses on the following aspects: i) efficient use of available energy ii) dynamic load balancing, and iii) energy cost minimization for consumers. This approach uses the concept of load queuing and scheduling in order to provide cost efficient energy to time varying loads. Hence, the design is more consumer friendly while keeping the environment and stability of the grid into consideration. Also, to maintain consumer satisfaction, we introduce a decision-making process (for cost and priority) in the queue so that high priority loads are not queued for a considerable amount of time. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Novel Absorber Configurations Using Aqueous Piperazine for CO2 Capture from NGCC Flue Gas

Abstract Novel absorber intercooling configurations were evaluated for CO 2 capture with 8 m piperazine (PZ) for NGCC flue gas (3.5 mol % CO 2 ) over a range of operating conditions (90–99% CO 2 capture, LLDG = 0.15–0.27 mol CO 2 /mol alkalinity, L/G = 0.7–1.4 mol/mol). The improved intercooling configurations included solvent recycle and hybrid intercooling where the gas stream is split and contacted in multiple passes by the solvent. In both advanced designs, absorber performance is enhanced by introducing a new degree of freedom: an independent liquid-to-gas ratio (L/G) in high-intensity contacting sections. The higher L/G sections benefit from enhanced mass transfer due to turbulence generated in the packing (modeled via mass transfer coefficients and interfacial area of packing) and improved intercooling function (large solvent rate to moderate temperatures). In addition, the direct contact cooler upstream of the absorber was integrated into the column with the amine solvent performing the flue gas cooling function in a packed section with a higher L/G. Hybrid contacting outperformed all other configurations at all conditions evaluated, providing up to 70% reduction in packing area over the baseline absorber. A simplified 1x3+1 hybrid design (2 column sections) provided packing reduction over the baseline design and reduced complexity over other advanced configurations. At 99% CO 2 removal, only a 2x3+1 hybrid contacting scheme was able to integrate the direct contact cooler and achieve 99% removal at the conditions evaluated in this work. The hybrid design benefits from enhanced intercooling (multiple discrete intercooling points to approximate continuous solvent cooling and large L/G) and a better approximation of countercurrent contacting than the solvent recycle design.