cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical transformations of peptide containing fine particles: oxidative processing, accretion reactions and implications to the atmospheric fate of cell-derived materials in organic aerosol

The atmospheric processing by ozone of peptide-containing mixed particles was investigated as proxies for biogenic and sea spray primary organic aerosol. Reactions were performed in a flow reactor and particle composition was monitored by photoelectron resonance capture ionization aerosol mass spectrometry. Mixed particles containing dipeptides in a saturated organic matrix of stearic and palmitic acids showed no reaction under ozonolysis at exposure levels of 2.5 × 10−4 atm s O3. However reactions of mixed particles of a dipeptide (Leu-Leu) in an unsaturated matrix (oleic acid) under the same conditions resulted in a rapid loss of the peptide ion signal, as well as the carrier matrix, and appearance of a number of ion signals corresponding to secondary products. High molecular weight imides and amides have been identified corresponding to possible reactions of ozonolysis products and reactive intermediates (i.e. aldehydes, stabilized Criegee intermediates). Additionally, tautomerisation of the imides to enamines in the particle phase is postulated, with ozonolysis of the enamine followed by regioselective decomposition of the primary ozonide to form an amide whereby the peptide incorporates an aldehydic group at the N-terminus. The same general reactivity pattern was observed for mixed particles of diglycine and oleic acid. This behavior was not observed in solution phase experiments, where the tautomerisation favors the more stable imine form, indicating that particulate phase reactions of this nature may be dependent on the specific particle physical properties. The implications of this chemistry with respect the atmospheric aging of cell-derived organic aerosol are discussed.
Old professors never die; they just fade away

First, to the list of deceased Professors in cardiac surgery that Robicsek furnished, I would like to add Henry Bahnson, Charles Bailey, Dwight Harken, and Charles Hufnagel; to the list of the present ‘‘batch’’ [1] that is still alive and active. I would like to add John Kirklin, Domingo Liotta (Argentina), Robert Litwak, David Sabiston, Harris Shumacker, Frank Spencer, and Y.K. Wu (China) and Euryclides de J Zerbini (Brazil). Second, I would like to provide a similar list of medical Professors in cardiology. Among those who have passed away are George Burch, Herrman Blumgart, Ignacio Chavez (Mexico), Andre Cournand, Lewis Dexter, William Dock, Charles Dotter, William Evans (U.K.), Charles Friedberg, John Goodwin (U.K.), Richard Gorlin, Andreas Gruentzig, Tinsley Harrison, Melvin Judkins, Louis Katz, Samuel Levine, William Likoff, William Osler, Irving Page, Myron Prinzmetal, Dickinson Richards, Mason Sones, Howard Sprague, Helen Taussig, James Warren, Paul White, Paul
Metronidazole as a radiosensitizer and high-dose radiation in advanced vulvovaginal malignancies, a pilot study

Abstract Advanced vulvovaginal cancers have a survival of less than 25% in 5 years when treated with radiotherapy alone. The radiosensitizer metronidazole was used with unconventional radiation fractions in 10 patients. Local control was achieved in 9 out of 10 patients treated. Five of 10 patients have remained free of disease 9–30 months postdiagnosis. Two patients died with metastatic disease, but with local control. In only 1 patient did this approach fail to control local disease. The outcome of these 10 patients represents a significant improvement over conventional radiation. A randomized prospective study has been started on the basis of this pilot study.
Horizontal Pendulum With Sudden Changes in Platform Tilt

The equations of motion for a horizontal pendulum mounted to a rocking platform are developed. Equilibrium conditions are found as a function of the platform tilt angle. The equations are transformed to describe motion about the shifting equilibrium point, and an approximation for the amplitude and phase correction of the solution is developed using the method of averaging. This approximation is used to construct an iterative map that describes the pendulum angle and rotational velocity between each instance of platform rocking. Approximate analytical solutions are compared to numerical and experimental results, and ongoing work is discussed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Critique: Articulatory‐acoustic relations and their role in speech perception

These remarks are in response to ‘‘Role of articulation in speech perception: Clues from production,’’ by Bjorn Lindblom. It is suggested that the form in which the lexicon is stored includes both segments and distinctive features, and this representation is neutral with respect to the articulatory and the acoustic domains. The process by which features are determined from the sound requires that patterns of acoustic properties be identified. In developing models of speech perception, knowledge of articulatory‐acoustic relations can be a guide in defining these properties, but it is not necessary for the models to assign primary status to articulation.
HIV control efforts should directly address incarceration.

The high rates of HIV among prison inmates in low and middle-income countries presented by Kate Dolan and colleagues are cause for alarm. These data support the authors main conclusion that "systematic collection of data to inform HIV prevention strategies in prison is urgently needed". We must remember however that incarceration itself-not just inadequate prevention and care behind bars-contributes substantially to the global burden of HIV particularly among drug users and sex workers. In fact we would argue that the single most important strategy in controlling HIV in prison is to stem the rate of incarceration itself. There are several mechanisms by which incarceration increases HIV risk. Perhaps the least studied but arguably most important mechanism is through the disruption of social networks. Multiple partners and high-risk sexual behaviour are associated with mass incarceration. In the case of drug users incarceration prevents meaningful employment or entrance into social service and rehabilitation programmes. This contributes to the "revolving door" phenomenon in which drug users return to drug use as a result of limited effective treatment opportunities. Additionally inadequate treatment of mental illness and lack of social support puts them at a greater risk of substance abuse. For those drug users already infected with HIV recidivism and poor continuity of care upon release result in worse clinical outcomes. (excerpt)
Discourse comprehension of synthetic speech delivered at normal and slow presentation rates

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of the quality and speech presentation rate (SPR) of synthetic speech and textual characteristics (length, complexity, genre) on a listener's ability to summarize paragraph-length texts. Forty able-bodied students and staff members were individually tested over a 3-day period, listening to eight texts produced by one of two synthesizers (DECtalk, Echo+) at a normal SPR or with 10-second intervals of silence interspersed between individual words. Using a discourse summarization taxonomy developed for this study, subjects listening to DECtalk speech produced more accurate summaries than did ECHO speech listeners, and synthetic speech presented at a slow rate was summarized more accurately than synthetic speech presented at a normal SPR. Additionally, a significant three-way interaction effect was noted for voice × SPR × text complexity. Echo listeners performed more poorly at normal versus slow SPRs regardless of text complexity level. However, ...
Low-Temperature Optical Bleaching of F Centers in KCl

Optical bleaching of $F$ centers in x-rayed and additively colored KCl has been studied at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K with pulse irradiation methods. Constant "$F$ light" incident on the colored crystal establishes a photostationary equilibrium between $F$ and ${F}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ centers. The application of a high-intensity light flash of appropriate spectrum displaces the system from equilibrium to either direction. The return to equilibrium is exponential in time, with a rate controlled by the intensity and spectrum of the constant light, but not depending on the $F$-center concentration or the method of coloration. The results are in agreement with a kinetic model involving only $F$-to-${F}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ center interconversions. Prior room-temperature optical bleaching inhibits the extent and rate of low-temperature bleaching, probably due to the growth of other bands under the $F$ band. The saturation of the extent of bleaching at high pulse-light intensity and a lower bleaching efficiency for the additively colored crystal indicate that the distribution of $F$ centers in the crystal is significant in low-temperature bleaching.
Searching patterns for relation extraction over the web: rediscovering the pattern-relation duality

While tuple extraction for a given relation has been an active research area, its dual problem of pattern search-- to find and rank patterns in a principled way-- has not been studied explicitly. In this paper, we propose and address the problem of pattern search, in addition to tuple extraction. As our objectives, we stress reusability for pattern search and scalability of tuple extraction, such that our approach can be applied to very large corpora like the Web. As the key foundation, we propose a conceptual model PRDualRank to capture the notion of precision and recall for both tuples and patterns in a principled way, leading to the "rediscovery" of the Pattern-Relation Duality-- the formal quantification of the reinforcement between patterns and tuples with the metrics of precision and recall. We also develop a concrete framework for PRDualRank, guided by the principles of a perfect sampling process over a complete corpus. Finally, we evaluated our framework over the real Web. Experiments show that on all three target relations our principled approach greatly outperforms the previous state-of-the-art system in both effectiveness and efficiency. In particular, we improved optimal F-score by up to 64%.
The DLF electronic resource management initiative

The electronic resource management initiative (ERMI) is one of the Digital Library Federation’s (DLF) active initiatives. The purposes of this initiative are to develop XML‐based metadata schemata/DTDs and tools for managing data associated with licensing issues. Developing workflow, identifying best practices, promoting the standards, and engaging library system vendors to implement this system are the other goals of ERMI. This article describes the recent progress made by ERMI.
Effect of systematic interleukin-3 administration on epithelial cell proliferation in mouse intestine

Abstract The effect of interleukin-3 (IL-3) on the crypt cell production rate (CCPR) in the intestine of mice was studied using a stathmokinetic technique combined with crypt microdissection. Interleukin-3 (0.71 μgm/injection) was administered subcutaneously (s.c.) as two injections per day for 7 successive days and small mucosal pieces (duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon) removed at necropsy were organ cultured in the presence of the metaphase arrest agent vincristine sulfate for two hours. The number of metaphases was enumerated in dissected crypts and CCPR calculated. The results demonstrated that the CCPR was significantly increased in all mucosal segments in the IL-3 treated animals compared to saline injected controls. These results suggest that the growth promoting properties of IL-3 are not restricted to hematopoietic cells when used in vivo and may directly or indirectly increase epithelial cell turnover in gut mucosa.
Rapamycin inhibits corneal allograft rejection and neovascularization.

Objective: To investigate the immunosuppresive effect of rapamycin in prolonging allograft survival in the rat model of orthotopic allogeneic penetrating keratoplasty. Design: Thirty inbred Lewis rats received corneal allografts from Brown Norway donors. Animals were divided into two rapamycin treatment groups and one allogeneic control group. Results: By the second week after surgery, all of the control animals had experienced allograft failure due to allograft rejection. However, allografts in seven of 10 animals in the low-dose treatment group and allografts in seven of nine animals in the high-dose treatment group remained clear. In addition, corneal neovascularization was markedly reduced in the treated animals. Conclusion: The systemic administration of rapamycin prolongs corneal allograft survival and significantly inhibits the neovascular component of rejection in the rat model of orthotopic allogeneic penetrating keratoplasty.
Path Instabilities of Rising Air Bubbles in a Hele-Shaw Cell

The path of a circular air bubble rising in a viscous fluid of a Hele-Shaw cell is found to change from a straight path to a zigzag path when the Reynolds number of the bubble (proportional to the bubble terminal velocity) exceeds a threshold. By visualizing the wake structures of the rising bubbles, and measuring the actual paths of the bubbles, we demonstrate that the path instability is a consequence of the vortex shedding behind the bubble.
Macroporous p-Type Silicon Fabry−Perot Layers. Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications in Biosensing

We present in this paper that porous silicon can be used as a large surface area matrix as well as the transducer of biomolecular interactions. We report the fabrication of heavily doped p-type porous silicon with pore diameters that can be tuned, depending on the etching condition, from approximately 5 to 1200 nm. The structure and porosity of the matrixes were characterized by scanning force microscopy (SFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunnauer−Emmett−Teller nitrogen adsorption isotherms, and reflectance interference spectroscopy. The thin porous silicon layers are transparent to the visible region of the reflectance spectra due to their high porosity (80−90%) and are smooth enough to produce Fabry−Perot fringe patterns upon white light illumination. Porous silicon matrixes were modified by ozone oxidation, functionalized in the presence of (2-pyridyldithiopropionamidobutyl)dimethylmethoxysilane, reduced to unmask the sulfhydryl functionalities, and coupled to biotin through a disulfide-bon...
Validation of the Metacomprehension Scale

Evidence for the factorial, convergent and discriminant, and criterion-related validity of the Metacomprehension Scale (MCS) was examined in a sample of 237 young adults. The instrument was factorially heterogeneous but exhibited homogeneity within each of the seven subscales. Evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the MCS was examined by correlating the subscales from the MCS with subscales from metacognitive questionnaires measuring similar constructs from related domains. In general, correlations within constructs were larger than correlations between constructs, providing preliminary evidence of the convergent and discriminant validity of the MCS. The criterion-related validity of the MCS relative to other metacognitive measures was examined by using the metacognitive measures and the MCS to predict comprehension performance. The MCS predicted performance better than the other measures of metacognition and accounted for variance in performance not accounted for by the other measures. These results show promise for the value of self-assessments of metacomprehension.
Construction of local C 1 quartic spline elements for optimal-order approximation

This paper is concerned with a study of approximation order and construction of locally supported elements for the space S 4 1 (Δ) of C 1 pp (piecewise polynomial) functions on an arbitrary triangulation Δ of a connected polygonal domain Ω in R 2 . It is well known that even when A is a three-directional mesh Δ (1) , the order of approximation of S 4 1 (Δ (1) ) is only 4, not 5. The objective of this paper is two-fold : (i) A local Clough-Tocher refinement procedure of an arbitrary triangulation A is introduced so as to yield the optimal (fifth) order of approximation, where locality means that only a few isolated triangles need refinement, and (ii) locally supported Hermite elements are constructed to achieve the optimal order of approximation.
Miscibility and phase properties of poly(aryl ether ketone)s with three high temperature all-aromatic thermoplastic polyimides

Abstract Several semicrystalline poly(aryl ether ketone)s (PEK, PEEK and different isomers of PEKK) were melt-blended at T > 400°C with three high temperature thermoplastic polyimides. The compatibility and crystallization properties of the blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.). Blends of a semicrystalline New-Thermoplastic PolyImide (N-TPI) showed some surprising differences in the fastquenched amorphous samples. Its compatibility could be approximately ranked in the order PEKK > PEK ⪢ PEEK, where PEEK was completely incompatible. For the case of PEK/N-TPI, extensive d.s.c. data on amorphous fast-quenched films blended at different temperatures between 400 and 455°C were used to construct a phase diagram showing an upper critical temperature of 440°C. Two other wholly aromatic non-crystalline polyimides, LARC-IA and LARC-ITPI, were also studied. These are difficult to process in their neat form due to high melt viscosity. In the case of LARC-IA, the addition of miscible or semi-miscible lower viscosity polymer such as PEKK lowers the melt viscosity dramatically. LARC-ITPI was completely incompatible in all cases. N-TPI and LARC-IA were also melt blended with different isomers of PEKK including PEKK(50T/50I), (60T/401), (80T/20I) and (100T/0I), which have melting temperatures of 320, 310, 355 and 390°C, respectively, and equivalent glass transition temperatures of ∼160°C; T/I refers to the ratio of 1,4 and 1,3 ketone linkages, respectively. Surprising differences were seen in the miscibility of the different PEKK isomers. PEKK(60T/40I) was the only PEKK miscible with N-TPI and LARC-IA at essentially all compositions. Tentative structure-property relationships for blend compatibility and the nature of the interactions leading to miscibility are discussed.
Shopping Lists as an External Memory Aid for Grocery Shopping: Influences on List Writing and List Fulfillment

We explore the use of shopping lists as an external memory aid to consumers’ grocery shopping by examining the factors that influence the content of consumers’ shopping lists and the effectiveness of shopping lists as external memory aids. We analyze the shopping lists and actual purchase behavior of a panel of consumers during multiple grocery shopping trips conducted over a 2-month period. Our results indicate that consumers record on their lists approximately 40% of the items they ultimately purchase. Consistent with the external memory literature, we find that consumers write items on their shopping lists for which there are financial incentives to remember (e.g., manufacturers’ coupons), need-based incentives to remember (e.g., the product is frequently used), and schema-based advantages to remember (e.g., items purchased on fill-in trips). More than 80% of the items written on the shopping list were actually purchased. Thus, shopping lists appear to be an effective external memory storage device for grocery purchasing. We discuss these and other findings in relation to the literatures on external memory and planned versus unplanned purchasing.
The Advanced Limiter Test-I (ALT-I) variable-geometry pump limiter module

Abstract The ALT-I variable geometry module has been designed to address many of the issues not previously settled by earlier experiments. The goal is to study the basic processes involved in pump limiter operation as well as demonstrate its utility and effect on the plasma. The flexibility and extensive instrumentation of ALT-I will offer a unique opportunity to parameterize operation and facilitate the engineering design of future pump limiters.
Consumer evaluation of customer loyalty programs: the role of customization in customer loyalty program involvement

This study investigates the role of customizing the offerings (rewards and services) of a customer loyalty program in consumers' responses regarding perceived value (cash value and emotional value), satisfaction with the loyalty program, and loyalty intention toward the focal retailer. It also examines the moderating role that customer loyalty program involvement may play in value–satisfaction–loyalty associations. Data were collected from 174 college students using a web-based survey. Results yield overall support for the model in which customization of a loyalty program influences perceived cash value of the loyalty program, which in turn influences perceived emotional value, satisfaction with the loyalty program, and loyalty toward the retailer. Additionally, consumer involvement in customer loyalty programs moderates the effectiveness of customer loyalty programs by differentiating the degrees to which perceived emotional value and satisfaction influence loyalty intention.
Probabilistic mapping of the cervical sympathetic trunk ganglia

Abstract The goal of this study was to create a heat map indicating the probabilistic location of major ganglia of the cervical sympathetic trunk (CST). Detailed dissections of human cadaveric specimens, followed by spatial registration and analysis of the cervical sympathetic ganglia in the neck and upper thorax regions (C1–T1) were performed in 104 neck specimens (both sides from 52 cadavers). Unbiased parametric mapping, visualized with a heat map, revealed a general pattern of two major ganglia located on both sides of the neck: The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) was located 80–90 mm superior to the point at which the vertebral artery entered the transverse foramen (VA–TF); the stellate ganglion (SG) was located approximately 10 mm inferior to the VA–TF in 80% of our sample, or surrounding the VA–TF in the remaining 20% of our sample. In between these ganglia, a highly variable number of smaller and less prevalent ganglia were present on either side of the neck. The middle ganglia on the right side of the neck were located closer to the SCG, possibly indicative of the middle cervical ganglion. On the left side the middle ganglia were located closer to the SG, perhaps indicative of the vertebral ganglion or the inferior cervical ganglion. Individual specimens could be classified into one of seven different patterns of cervical trunks. The results may help surgeons and anesthesiologists more accurately target and preserve these structures during medical procedures.
Epistatic roles for Pseudomonas aeruginosa MutS and DinB (DNA Pol IV) in coping with reactive oxygen species-induced DNA damage.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is especially adept at colonizing the airways of individuals afflicted with the autosomal recessive disease cystic fibrosis (CF). CF patients suffer from chronic airway inflammation, which contributes to lung deterioration. Once established in the airways, P. aeruginosa continuously adapts to the changing environment, in part through acquisition of beneficial mutations via a process termed pathoadaptation. MutS and DinB are proposed to play opposing roles in P. aeruginosa pathoadaptation: MutS acts in replication-coupled mismatch repair, which acts to limit spontaneous mutations; in contrast, DinB (DNA polymerase IV) catalyzes error-prone bypass of DNA lesions, contributing to mutations. As part of an ongoing effort to understand mechanisms underlying P. aeruginosa pathoadaptation, we characterized hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced phenotypes of isogenic P. aeruginosa strains bearing different combinations of mutS and dinB alleles. Our results demonstrate an unexpected epistatic relationship between mutS and dinB with respect to H2O2-induced cell killing involving error-prone repair and/or tolerance of oxidized DNA lesions. In striking contrast to these error-prone roles, both MutS and DinB played largely accurate roles in coping with DNA lesions induced by ultraviolet light, mitomycin C, or 4-nitroquinilone 1-oxide. Models discussing roles for MutS and DinB functionality in DNA damage-induced mutagenesis, particularly during CF airway colonization and subsequent P. aeruginosa pathoadaptation are discussed.
A highly sensitive assay for microsomal diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity from isolated fat cells

An assay for microsomal diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity derived from isolated rat fat cells based on the conversion of [ 3 H]diacylglycerol to [ 3 H]triacylglycerol has been developed which is 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than previous procedures. The [ 3 H]diacylglycerol was added to the reaction mixture in ethanol which was the best of several methods tested. The detergent, Tween 20, was found to severely inhibit the reaction. [ 14 C]Tripalmitin was added to the terminated reaction mixture and served as an internal control for recoveries through the required lipid extraction and thin-layer chromatographic separation of [ 3 H]diacylglycerol and [ 3 H]triacylglycerol. The assay performed at 25°C for 10 min was linear with added microsomal protein up to 7 μ g and was linear with time up to 24 min when 2 μ g protein was employed. The activity had a pH optimum of about 8.0. Specific activities greater than 50 nmol/min/mg, 1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher than previous studies, were observed.
Bagehot or Bailout? An Analysis of Government Responses to Banking Crises

Political intervention into markets can take a nearly endless number of forms. During the latter part of the twentieth century, there was a widely shared sense that governments should decrease their role in the economy. Still, there were important variations in this trend. In response to onerous banking crises, countries chose policies that varied dramatically between rescuing insolvent banks (Bailout) and enforcing bank closures (Bagehot). Bailouts are often portrayed as regressive wealth transfers from taxpayers to bankers as the result of “crony capitalism.” However, government policy choice may be patterned as much by domestic institutions—political regime and central bank autonomy—and international constraints—economic openness and support from international financial institutions—as by political promises to stand by crony allies in hard times. I test these arguments by fitting a Bayesian hierarchical item response model of policy making that takes full advantage of data on government responses to banking crises.
Release of phospholipid acyl groups from fetal human fibroblasts.

Abstract Human diploid fibroblasts incorporate [1-14C]oleate primarily into phospholipids; this radioactivity is gradually lost by cells of adult origin, but retained, after an initial loss, by fetal cells during growth in unlabeled unchanged medium. [1-14C]oleate is released from fetal cells after each subsequent medium change even when conditioned medium is used. Unlabeled cells readily incorporate medium radioactivity previously released by labeled cells. Raising the serum concentration of the medium increases acyl group release. The apparent retention of acyl groups by fetal cells in the absence of medium changes results from a dynamic equilibrium of fatty acid moieties between cellular phospholipids and the culture medium.
ON the DESIGN of TRIPLE CONCENTRIC‐TUBE HEAT EXCHANGERS

A set of analytical equations for a triple-tube heat exchanger was developed. They allow for independent computations of bulk (cross-sectional area averaged) fluid temperatures at any axial location along the heat exchanger and are valid for parallel and counter flow configurations. the equations account for heat losses to the surroundings and are useful for design purposes. Mass flow rates, inlet fluid temperatures and heat transfer coefficients are input parameters required for temperature calculations. A simplified approximate equation for total rate of heat transfer, in terms of logarithmic mean temperature differences, was derived for well-insulated heat exchangers and tested with the analytical equations. A case study is presented and the computational procedure is discussed. Results obtained with the simplified total rate of heat transfer equation were in excellent agreement with those obtained with the analytical equations. Simulations show that the creation of an annular region within the inner pipe increases the overall heat transfer efficiency and reduces the heat exchanger length requirement by almost 25%.
B0‐fluctuation‐induced temporal variation in EPI image series due to the disturbance of steady‐state free precession

Steady-state free precession (SSFP) can develop under a train of RF pulses, given the condition TR < T(2). SSFP in multi-shot imaging sequences has been well studied. It is shown here that serial single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) acquisition can also develop SSFP, and the SSFP can be disturbed by B(0) fluctuation, causing voxel-wise temporal variation. This SSFP disturbance is predominantly present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) regions due to the long T(2) value. By applying a sufficiently strong crusher gradient in the EPI pulse sequence, the temporal variation induced by SSFP disturbance can be suppressed due to diffusion. Evidence is provided to indicate that physiological motions such as cardiac pulsation and respiration could affect the voxel-wise time courses through the mechanism of SSFP disturbance. It is advised that if the disturbance is observed in serial EPI images, the crusher should be made stronger to eliminate the unwanted temporal variation.
INTERGENERATIONAL SHARING SEMINARS: THEIR IMPACT ON YOUNG ADULT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SENIOR GUEST STUDENTS

A 3‐month intergenerational program was developed on the premise that it is important for young adults, who are in the formative period of career development and direction, to experience the benefits of positive interaction with older persons. Program evaluation findings showed that participation not only influenced the young adults’ interest in gerontology, but also increased their willingness to accept older persons on social and academic levels. Positive changes were documented for the Senior Guest students and included more favorable attitudes toward young adult family members as well as toward the younger generation of college students in general.
Micro rapid prototyping system for micro components

Similarities between silicon-based micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and Shape Deposition Manufacturing (SDM) processes are obvious: both integrate additive and subtractive processes and use part and sacrificial materials to obtain functional structures. These MEMS techniques are two-dimensional (2-D) processes for a limited number of materials while SDM enables the building of parts that have traditionally been impossible to fabricate because of their complex shapes or of their variety in materials. This work presents initial results on the development of a micro rapid prototyping system that adapts SDM methodology to micro-fabrication. This system is designed to incorporate microdeposition and laser micromachining. In the hope of obtaining a precise microdeposition, an ultrasonic-based micro powder-feeding mechanism was developed in order to form thin patterns of dry powders that can be cladded or sintered onto a substrate by a micro-sized laser beam. Furthermore, experimental results on laser micromachining using a laser beam with a wavelength of 355 nm are also presented. After further improvement, the developed micro manufacturing system could take computer-aided design (CAD) output to reproduce 3-D heterogeneous micro-components from a wide selection of materials.
Measurement of Spectral Signatures of Invasive Plant Species with a Low Cost Spectrometer

A low cost, portable spectrometer was evaluated for use in collecting signature spectra from vegetation at three riparian sites in Colorado 6/8/05 - 6/11/05. An Ocean Optics HR4000CG-UV-NIR spectrometer configured with a fiber optics coupled Teflon diffuser was used to obtain reflectance spectra from a number of invasive and natural riparian plant species at wavelengths spanning 400 to 900 nm. A number of tests were conducted to quantify sources of measurement error. These tests included a determination of dark and stray light bias, wavelength registration, and integration time corrections over constant and varying temperature. Reflectance spectra from artificial and natural targets were collected in concert with NASA-Goddard and NASA-Stennis field teams utilizing an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) FieldSpec Pro FR spectrometer (350 to 2500 nm). A brief comparison of reflectance spectra obtained with the HR4000CG-UV-NIR and the FieldSpec Pro FR is presented. Future work is discussed.
The effect of listener experience and anchors on judgments of dysphonia.

Purpose To determine the effect of auditory anchors on judgments of overall severity (OS) and vocal effort (VE) in dysphonic speech when judgments are made by experienced and inexperienced listener...
Complexes of hypervalent iodine compounds with nitrogen ligands

The stable 1:1 complexes of benziodoxole with heterocyclic amines were prepared by a reaction of 1-hydroxy-1H-1λ3-benzo[d][1,2]iodoxol-3-one with trimethylsilyl triflate and pyridine or 1,1′-sulfonyldiimidazole. The structure of these complexes was confirmed by spectroscopic data and a high resolution ES mass-spectrometry. A novel pentavalent iodine complex with a chelating, polydentate nitrogen ligand was prepared from bis(acetoxy)iodylbenzene, trimethylsilyl triflate, and 2,2′-bipyridyl.
Biomimetic rearrangements of simplified labdane diterpenoids

Simplified ethyl-substituted labdane diterpenoids 14 and 19 have been synthesised from (+)-sclareolide (18). Biomimetic rearrangements of these compounds, involving stereospecific 1,2-alkyl and hydride shifts, have been carried out by treatment with a variety of Lewis and protic acids. Halimane compounds, such as 34 and simple dehydration products such as 3, 32 and 33 have been formed either selectively or as mixtures depending on the reaction conditions. However, further rearrangement to clerodane products such as 1 and 2 was not observed, indicating a high degree of enzymatic control for the in vivo formation of these natural products.
Metals and oxidative homeostasis in Alzheimer's disease

Oxidative damage to every class of biological macromolecule has been characterized in Alzheimer's disease. Abnormalities in iron and copper metabolism are also being implicated as playing a crucial role in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. Metal homeostasis as it pertains to alterations in brain function in neurodegenerative diseases is reviewed here with its relationship to oxidative stress. While there is documented evidence for alterations in transition metal homeostasis, redox-activity, and localization, it is also important to realize that alterations in specific copper- and iron-containing metalloenzymes also contribute to the neurodegenerative process. These changes offer the opportunity to identify pathways where modification of the disease process can offer new routes for clinical efficacy, from gene therapy to use of antioxidant and chelating drugs. Drug Dev. Res. 56:293–299, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Four Parameter Inverse Characterization of Fractal Surfaces

Motivated by the need to determine the mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of contact surfaces between deformable materials that conduct electricity and heat, we are presenting here a method for characterizing certain topological characteristics of rough surfaces. The inverse identification of a set of parameters associated with the parametric representation of any rough surface based on profilometric data is described in contrast with the standard one parameter approaches. The description of the surface topography parametrization is first given in terms of a function that enables the generation of synthetic data. Objective functions are created based on both the profilometric evaluations of the parametric representation of the surface as well as its power spectrum. A statistical Monte Carlo based optimization method is implemented for determining the characteristic parameters needed for further analysis that leads to the determination of other physical properties of the surface. Numerical application of the method validates the efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed approach.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The lass hardware processor

Abstract The problems of data analysis with hardware processors are reviewed and a description is given of a programmable processor. This processor, the 168 E , has been designed for use in the LASS multi-processor system; it has an execution speed comparable to the IBM 370 168 and uses the subsets of IBM 370 instructions appropriate to the LASS analysis task.
Recurrence risks in the presence of single gene susceptibility to environmental agents

Investigators often attribute the 2-5% sibling recurrence risks of common congenital malformations to a multifactional/threshold model (MFT) mechanism. However, most studies fail to address adequately the role of specific environmental factors and their interaction with genetic factors in recurrence risks. We consider the effects of a hypothetical environmental agent on recurrence risks in the presence of a single gene-mediated differential susceptibility. It can be shown that recurrence risks increase with increasing population exposure frequency to the agent and the strength of gene-environment interaction (relative risk among susceptible genotypes). However, they are usually much lower than expected on the basis of simple Meridelian segregation. Moreover, recurrence risks decline considerably between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree relatives, especially for recessive traits. Because single gene-mediated differen-tial susceptibility can mimic the MFT model in many instances, family studies of malformations (and other common diseases) could be more rewarding if they incorporate in their design and analyses specific environmental exposures affecting disease risk.
Model selection criteria for overdispersed data and their application to the characterization of a host-parasite relationship

In the statistical modeling of a biological or ecological phenomenon, selecting an optimal model among a collection of candidates is a critical issue. To identify an optimal candidate model, a number of model selection criteria have been developed and investigated based on estimating Kullback’s (Information theory and statistics. Dover, Mineola, 1968) directed or symmetric divergence. Criteria that target the directed divergence include the Akaike (2nd international symposium on information theory. Akademia Kiado, Budapest, Hungary, pp 267–281, 1973, IEEE Trans Autom Control AC 19:716–723, 1974) information criterion, AIC, and the “corrected” Akaike information criterion (Hurvich and Tsai in Biometrika 76:297–307, 1989), AICc; criteria that target the symmetric divergence include the Kullback information criterion, KIC, and the “corrected” Kullback information criterion, KICc (Cavanaugh in Stat Probab Lett 42:333–343, 1999; Aust N Z J Stat 46:257–274, 2004). For overdispersed count data, simple modifications of AIC and AICc have been increasingly utilized: specifically, the quasi Akaike information criterion, QAIC, and its corrected version, QAICc (Lebreton et al. in Ecol Monogr 62(1):67–118 1992). In this paper, we propose analogues of QAIC and QAICc based on estimating the symmetric as opposed to the directed divergence: QKIC and QKICc. We evaluate the selection performance of AIC, AICc, QAIC, QAICc, KIC, KICc, QKIC, and QKICc in a simulation study, and illustrate their practical utility in an ecological application. In our application, we use the criteria to formulate statistical models of the tick (Dermacentor variabilis) load on a white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) in northern Missouri.
Exchange perturbation theories

Various earlier-proposed perturbative approaches to the description of weakly interacting species are considered. It is argued that most of these perturbative approaches, including many of the so-called exchange perturbation theories, exhibit a number of difficulties and limitations, which have not previously been emphasized. From these criticisms positive suggestions as to the nature of a general exchange perturbation-like theory are made. Finally, a candidate for such a theory is outlined.
47.3: Role of Film Formation on Disorder States in Alq

The carrier transport properties for organic light emitting devices are dominated by energetic disorder and trap states. In this work, we will present our recent results on disorder state spectroscopy in Alq3 and NPB using thermally stimulated luminescence. We show that fluorescent dopants and film formation influence the disorder states.
Climatology and Interannual Variability of the Southeast Asian Summer Monsoon

In this paper, results from a pilot study for the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment are reported. Based on analyses of 9 years of pentad and monthly mean data, the climatology of subseasonal features and interannual variability of the Southeast Asian monsoon (SEAM) are documented. The present analysis is focused on the sudden onset of the South China Sea monsoon and its relation to the atmospheric and oceanic processes on the entire Asian monsoon region. It is found that the onset of the SEAM occurs around mid-May, signaling the earliest stage of the entire Asian summer monsoon system. The establishment of monsoon rainfall over the South China Sea is abrupt, being accompanied by substantial changes in the large scale atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperature in the adjacent oceans. The onset and fluctuations of SEAM involve the interaction and metamorphosis of the large scale convection over the Indo-China, the South China Sea and the southern Bay of Bengal. Results show that the onset time of the SEAM differs greatly from one year to another. The delayed (advanced) onset of the monsoon may be related to basin-wide warm (cold) events of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. We also present evidence showing that the SEAM fluctuations in May may foreshadow the development of the full-scale Asian summer monsoon during the subsequent months.
Neuropeptide processing activity in Aplysia bag cell homogenates

Abstract The neurosecretory bag cells of the mollusk, Aplysia , generate a peptide egg-laying hormone (ELH) from a 29,000 Dalton precursor protein by proteolytic cleavage to a 6–9,000 Dalton intermediate, followed by cleavage of the intermediate. We report here the initial characterization of these cleavage activities. Homogenates of bag cells in low ionic strength buffer process endogenous precursor to a peptide which is indistinguishable from ELH in molecular weight and isoelectric point. Non-specific proteolysis in the homogenates is not detectable. The pH optimum for cleavage of the precursor and the intermediate is 5.5–6.5. The cleavage activities exhibit a substantial degree of membrane association, and the inhibitor profile of each is characteristic of a thiol protease without a metal cofactor requirement. Precursor cleavage activity differs from that of the intermediate cleaving activity in inhibitor profile, solubility, and, slightly, in pH optimum.
Supercritical Correlation Length of Carbon Dioxide Along the Critical Isochore

Values of the total correlation length have been calculated in the hydrodynamical region by equating the critical part of measured values of the thermal diffusivity to the Kawasaki expression for the diffusivity. These new values of the correlation length are found to agree rather closely in the range $0.1l~\ensuremath{\Delta}Tl~10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ C with values calculated from (a) angular anisotropy data and (b) static compressibility data, the latter interpreted according to Ornstein-Zernike theory, with a constant direct correlation length ${R}_{0}=4.2$ \AA{}.
Bounds on the chromatic number of intersection graphs of sets in the plane

In this paper we show that the chromatic number of intersection graphs of congruent geometric figures obtained by translations of a fixed figure in the plane is bounded by the clique number. Further, in the paper we prove that the triangle-free intersection graph of a finite number of compact connected sets with piecewise differentiable Jordan curve boundaries is planar and hence, is 3-colorable.
Does Classroom Mobility Hurt Stable Students? An Examination of Achievement in Urban Schools

Common across past studies of the influence of student mobility on achievement is the presumption that mobility influences the students who actually move. We focus on a related issue, the impact of their classmates' mobility on the performance of those stable students who remain all year. Students in inner-city elementary schools are examined to determine whether those stable students in classrooms with greater mobility have smaller gains in achievement. Despite a variety of measures and several specifications, no consistent correlation emerges between classroom mobility and five measures of individual student achievement. We find virtually no evidence that mobility of classmates lowers achievement of stable students.
The Neurogenic Basis of Migraine

There is accumulating evidence of a neurogenic basis of migraine. This evidence arises from both the clinical and experimental domains. Many of the well known clinical features of migraine attacks including the prodrome are not explained by changes in vascular caliber. Despite the fact that ergotamines and triptans are vasoactive does not provide substantive proof that vasoconstriction is their most important mechanism of action. Several effective treatments for migraine, both old and new, do not affect vascular caliber. Experimental evidence from investigation of both the aura and headache phases of migraine clearly supports a neural basis of migraine. All genes thus far conclusively associated with hemiplegic migraine code for neural proteins.
Schlieren “PIV” for turbulent flows

Abstract The possibility of using commercial PIV equipment combined with schlieren optics to measure the velocity fields of turbulent flows is explored. Given a sufficiently high Reynolds number and adequate refractive flow differences, turbulent eddies can serve as the PIV “particles” in a schlieren image or shadowgram. The PIV software analyzes motion between consecutive schlieren or shadowgraph frames to obtain velocity fields. Velocimetry examples of an axisymmetric sonic helium jet in air and a 2D turbulent boundary layer at Mach 3 are shown. Due to optical path integration, axisymmetric flows require the inverse Abel transform to extract center-plane velocity data. Conditions for optimum schlieren sensitivity are examined. In its present embodiment, “schlieren PIV” is not useful for laminar flows nor for fully 3D flows. Otherwise it functions much like standard PIV under conditions where individual particles are not resolved and velocimetry is instead based on correlation of the motion of turbulent structures. “Schlieren PIV” shows significant promise for general refractive turbulent flow velocimetry if its integrative nature can be overcome through sharp-focusing optics.
Study of Mercuric Iodide Detectors by Pulsed Laser Induced Photoinjection Techniques

Some recent results of an investigation of carrier transport in mercuric iodide detectors, using the pulsed laser induced transient photoinjection technique are reported. These results include measurements of carrier mobilities, trapping times, and reduced mobilities, as well as some observations of polarization effects. The applicability of the transient photoinjection technique to the study of wide bandgap meterials has been substantiated.