cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Oxidation State of Fe in MORB Glasses and the Oxygen Fugacity of the Upper Mantle

Micro-analytical determination of Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios in mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) glasses using micro X-ray absorption near edge structure ({mu}-XANES) spectroscopy reveals a substantially more oxidized upper mantle than determined by previous studies. Here, we show that global MORBs yield average Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios of 0.16 {+-} 0.01 (n = 103), which trace back to primary MORB melts equilibrated at the conditions of the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) buffer. Our results necessitate an upward revision of the Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios of MORBs, mantle oxygen fugacity, and the ferric iron content of the mantle relative to previous wet chemical determinations. We show that only 0.01 (absolute, or < 10%) of the difference between Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios determined by micro-colorimety and XANES can be attributed to the Moessbauer-based XANES calibration. The difference must instead derive from a bias between micro-colorimetry performed on experimental vs. natural basalts. Co-variations of Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios in global MORB with indices of low-pressure fractional crystallization are consistent with Fe{sup 3+} behaving incompatibly in shallow MORB magma chambers. MORB Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios do not, however, vary with indices of the extent of mantle melting (e.g., Na{sub 2}O(8)) or water concentration. We offer two hypotheses to explain these observations: The bulkmore » partition coefficient of Fe{sup 3+} may be higher during peridotite melting than previously thought, and may vary with temperature, or redox exchange between sulfide and sulfate species could buffer mantle melting at {approx} QFM. Both explanations, in combination with the measured MORB Fe{sup 3+}/{Sigma}Fe ratios, point to a fertile MORB source with greater than 0.3 wt.% Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}.« less
Ultrastructural Analysis of a Soybean Protein Isolate

Various fixation techniques were employed in an effort to prepare a dry protein isolate from soybeans for analysis using transmission electron microscopy. A number of fixation schemes proved successful, and different properties of the material were brought out by the various treatments. Comparisons of electron micrographs of the isolate fixed and extracted in different ways yielded an effective means for determining the distribution of fat and protein in the sample and the effect of moisture on that distribution. Analysis of the isolate demonstrated the occluding effect of dry protein for fat located in walls of the protein shells of the isolate.
Activation of the adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A pathway facilitates neural release of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in canine mesenteric artery

Abstract Using high performance liquid chromatography techniques with fluorescence detection we demonstrate that overflow of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide evoked by electrical field stimulation (16 Hz, 0.3 ms) in the canine isolated mesenteric artery is increased by the activators of adenylyl cyclase (AC) forskolin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), by dibutyryl cAMP, and by the inhibitors of phosphodiesterases III and IV milrinone and rolipram. The enhancing effect of forskolin is abolished by the AC inhibitor MDL 12,330A and by protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors peptide 14–22 amide and 4-cyano-3-methylisoquinoline. Therefore, activation of the AC/cAMP/PKA pathway enhances the release of β-NAD + from perivascular nerve terminals.
Management of Conflict Using Individual Power Sources: A Retailers' Perspective

Abstract This study examines the processes of managing conflict in channels of distribution by utilizing opportunistic, reward, coercive, referent, expert, and legitimate individual power sources. By judiciously utilizing these individual power sources to manage conflict, channel members can produce high quality solutions to their problems. For example, the use of opportunistic and coercive power sources will increase conflict and decrease satisfaction. The use of reward, referent, legitimate, and expert power sources, however, will decrease conflict and increase satisfaction. Data were obtained from a survey of 551 independent retailers about their relationships with their primary wholesalers. Among the findings, retailers believed that the only effective strategy for managing conflict was the use of the wholesalers' expert power source. However, the use of power was found to intensify the level of conflict. The use of coercive and opportunistic power sources increased the underlying basis of conflict and produced destructive outcomes. Moreover, the wholesalers' use of power was weakened when they utilized their expert power source.
Parsimonious model selection for tissue classification: a DTI study of zebrafish

One aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of using a hierarchy of models to describe diffusion tensor MRI data. Parsimonious model selection criteria are used to choose among different models of diffusion within tissue. Second, based on this information, we assess whether we can perform simultaneous tissue segmentation and classification. The proposed hierarchical framework used for parsimonious model selection is based on the F-test, adapted from Snedecor. Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Microscopy (MRM) provides near-microscopic resolution without relying on a sample's optical transparency for image formation. Diffusion MRM is a noninvasive imaging technique for quantitative analysis of intrinsic features of tissues. Thus, we propose using Diffusion MRM to characterize normal tissue structure in adult zebrafish, and possibly subtle anatomical or structural differences between normals and knockouts. Both numerical phantoms and diffusion weighted image (DWI) data obtained from adult zebrafish are used to test this model selection framework.
Diodorus and prior and the master argument

The Master Argument of the Megarian logician Diodorus Cronos, famous in antiquity,1 has received a considerable amount of attention in the past quarter century. On the one hand, its apparent use of tense-logic and its implications for modal logic have been a source of interest to modern philosophers,2 while on the other, historians of thought have discussed its origin in and connection with the works of other Greek philosophers.3 The aid of both of these groups of critics, moreover, has been enlisted in yet another undertaking?reconstruc ting the Master Argument itself. In this case the goal is to produce a valid argument to Diodorus' conclusion and one employing premisses known in antiquity and which at any rate Diodorus could have used.4 The position in which the ancient sources put us vis ? vis the Master Argument is a tantalizing one. Despite the numerous references to it, no account of the proof is contained in the tradition. Epictetus, however, informs us of the premisses (or, rather, two of the premisses) on which it was based and also its conclusion.
Proper Use of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory

The interaction between clinicians and microbiology laboratory staff has to be one of mutual benefit. The more the laboratory personnel know about your patients, the more meaningful and thorough will be the results. Communication is the key to success. Visit the microbiology laboratory and get to know the staff. The clinician also needs to be familiar with and use the most commonly used diagnostic tests for individual bacterial pathogens appropriately.
Comparison of pullout button versus suture anchor for zone I flexor tendon repair.

Purpose To evaluate the clinical outcome after repair of zone I flexor tendon injuries using either the pullout button technique or suture anchors placed in the distal phalanx. Methods Between 1998 and 2002 we treated 26 consecutive zone I flexor tendon injuries. Thirteen patients had repairs from 1998 to 2000 using a modified pullout button technique (group A) and 13 patients had repair using suture anchors placed in the distal phalanx (group B). Patient characteristics were similar for both groups. The same postoperative flexor tendon rehabilitation protocol and follow-up schedule were used for both groups. Evaluation included range of motion, sensibility and grip strength, failure, complications, and return to work. The Student t test was used to determine significant differences. Results All patients completed 1 year of follow-up evaluation. There were 2 infections in group A that resolved with oral antibiotics and no infections in group B. There were no tendon repair failures and no repeat surgeries in either group. At final follow-up evaluation there were no statistically significant differences for the following end points: sensibility (Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing and 2-point discrimination), active range of motion (at the proximal interphalangeal joint, distal interphalangeal joint, or their combined motion), flexion contracture (at the proximal interphalangeal joint, distal interphalangeal joint, or their combined contracture), and grip strength (injured tendon as a percent of the contralateral uninjured tendon). The suture anchor group had a statistically significant improvement for time to return to work. Conclusions There was no significant difference in the clinical outcome after flexor tendon repair using either suture anchors or the pullout button technique. A significant improvement was found for time to return to work for repairs using the suture anchor technique. Flexor tendon repair can be achieved using suture anchors placed in the distal phalanx, thereby avoiding the potential morbidity associated with the pullout button technique. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic, Level III.
The Great Recession: Causes, Consequences, and Responses

Co-Editors, New Political Science: A Journal of Politics and Culture The Great Recession officially began in the US in December 2007 during the George W. Bush administration, and quickly spread thr...
The Race Race in Black and White: The 1995 Louisiana Gubernatorial Election

This analysis marks the first time that the black threat thesis posited in 1949 by V. O. Key, Jr. has been examined by employing a black versus white head-to-head election. This study tests the black threat thesis in the 1995 Louisiana gubernatorial runoff election. The unit of analysis is the parish (same as county) and the primary data sources used in this analysis include election returns by parish, turnout data by race by parish and demographic and socio-economic variables for parishes taken from the United States Census. The findings are consistent with Key's black threat hypothesis. White support for the racially conservative white candidate is positively and significantly associated with the level of black density.
Intramedullary nailing: evolutions of femoral intramedullary nailing: first to fourth generations

Intramedullary femoral nailing is the gold standard for femoral shaft fixation but only in the past 27 years. This rapid replacement of closed traction and cast techniques in North America was a controversial and contentious evolution in surgery. As we enter the fourth generation of implant design, capabilities, and surgical technique, it is important to understand the driving forces for this technology. These forces included changes in radiographic imaging capabilities, biomaterial design and computer-assisted manufacturing, and the recognition of the importance of mobilization of the trauma patient to avoid systemic complications and optimize functional recovery.
Gerontologic primary care: a community-centered experience for nursing students.

The mismatch between the American health care system and the health care needs of our older adults is well documented (Butler, 1975; Schwab, 1977). All too often, available services are oriented to acute care, fragmented, poorly coordinated, and not readily accessible. Meeting the complex health care needs of our older adults is a major challenge to our ingenuity and resourcefulness, especially in light of the fact that American health care expenditures have reached 10 percent of our gross national product. This article tells of one approach to help alleviate this problem.
50th Anniversary Perspective on Groves LK. Carcinoma of the Esophagus-1965: evaluation of treatment. Ann Thorac Surg 1965;1:416-31.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, a special STS presidential task force has selected articles that were published in Volume 1 (1965) describing important topics in cardiothoracic surgery. Each 2015 issue of The Annals will highlight one of these contributions through the eyes of a current thought leader. The expert commentaries will provide personal insight regarding the evolution of these challenges and implications for the future.
Partner selection and group formation in cooperative benchmarking

Abstract This paper investigates partner selection and group formation in cooperative benchmarking, a practice of information sharing among firms to improve their operations. Firms gather preliminary information about potential partners only when the choice problem is difficult, and more information is gathered when there is more uncertainty. Based on an analysis of benchmarking benefits and costs, there is a unique equilibrium group structure characterized by a segregation of firms by their stock of technological information. It is argued that today's changing business environment tends to increase group size and the number of firms participating in cooperative benchmarking.
Thomas Morton as America’s first behavioral observer (in New England 1624-1646)

As a falconer and lawyer in England, Thomas Morton was well trained to become the first behavioral observer in America. From his arrival in Massachusetts in 1624 to his forced removal in 1628 (he offended the Pilgrims by intercepting the beaver trade and offended the Puritans by refusing to accept their authority), he made many observations on the region’s animals and Indians. These observations were collected in his book, published in 1637. Criticisms of Morton by the New England theocrats have been endlessly repeated by historians who fail to recognize Morton’s value as an amateur psychologist and ethologist, and a very early one at that.
Development of 1kW DMFC system with waste heat recovery for improving energy efficiency

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are electrochemical devices that convert chemical energy of liquid methanol directly to electricity. DMFC can provide electricity and heat continuously as long as methanol and oxygen are provided. Therefore, DMFC is expected as power source for emergency, mobile and so on. The system maintains the fuel cell stack working at constant temperature and optimized methanol concentration. Moisture from the cathode is captured at the condenser, and the condensed water is sent to the liquid/gas separator for compensating the water loss. The dilute methanol solution is circulated through the stack and radiator. A novel concept of recovery waste heat is verified in real DMFC system working conditions. This DMFC system is completely self-maintained with the capability of providing 1kW electricity and 3kW heat. The total energy efficiency of the system is greater than 80%. This paper shows the fundamental research approaches for evaluating the performance of 1kW DMFC system and optimizing the system working conditions. It shows that the higher system energy efficiency could be achieved based on the optimization of the system thermal management.
Adult Dental Visits in California: Successes and Challenges

Objectives: This study sought to estimate and characterize the proportion of California adults who visited a dentist in the preceding year and to identify reasons for not going. Methods: In 1995, 4,029 adults were interviewed by telephone as part of the California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Items included recentness of a dental visit, dental insurance status, and number of teeth lost due to disease. Persons who had not seen a dentist within the preceding year were asked the main reason they had not gone. Results: In 1995, 65.9% of adults reported visiting a dentist in the preceding twelve months. Use of dental services was greater among persons aged 35 years or older (70.4%) than among those aged 18–34 years (58.4%) and among those with dental insurance (74.9%) than those without (54.4%). Dental visits were less likely among adults living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, those with less than a high school education, and the edentulous. Reasons most commonly cited for not seeing a dentist were no perceived reason to go (37.2%), cost (30.7%), and fear (9.2%). Conclusion: Substantial variation in use of dental services exists among California's adults. Achieving equity in access and opportunity for disease prevention in this state may require expanded dental insurance coverage and serious efforts in oral health promotion.
Substitutability and the Politics of Macroeconomic Policy

A common thread unites the research on the politics of macroeconomic policy, namely, that specific policy instruments are targeted at specific policy goals. Policy substitutability, the use of different policy instruments to affect the same goal, is implicitly denied. Yet, economic theory indicates that policymakers have multiple policy instruments at their disposal that can be used alternately or in some combination to manipulate their economies. This paper explicitly addresses macroeconomic policy substitutability among a set of advanced industrial nations, and focuses on whether certain policies are being used together by governments for political purposes.
Tensile Specimens from Ceramic Components

Three sizes of flat tensile specimens, 76.2 mm, 50.8 mm, and 30 mm long, were developed for tensile testing of experimental lots of material and material taken from ceramic components. Five replicate measurements on each specimen type, at each of two test conditions, yielded statistically indistinguishable creep and creep rupture results. Additional studies indicate that creep testing at 400 MPa on the 76.2 mm and 50.8 mm specimens and 350 MPa on the 30 mm specimen is feasible, limited only by the strength or slow crack growth resistance of the loading pins.
Virtual team tools: a case study of graduate student experiences and their perceptions of positive group work outcomes

This paper forms part of an exploration into how graduate business students in the USA experience group work within a part-time MBA programme. A single case, embedded study was conducted in 2011, which reveals new insight and understanding into the manner in which virtual team tools enhance the perception of positive group work outcomes for graduate business students. Study findings indicate the incorporation and teaching of virtual team tools enhances the perception of positive group work outcome for students. These benefits extended beyond the graduate classroom, with study participants reporting the value of these tools in relation to their world of work and professional life. Within this context, this paper also provides understanding into the manner in which educators can serve as facilitators of group work by the introduction of virtual team tools.
Information acquisition using multiple classifications

Given a large collection of documents, we often need to extract various aspects of information that may be integrated to form a coherent overall picture. Especially for subjective documents addressing a single topic, traditional summarization techniques are limited in differentiating and clustering similar information. We apply multiple classifications to handle diverse aspects, including subtopic identification, keyword extraction, argument structure analysis, and opinion classification, in order to provide a summarized overview of the collection, complete with distributional information. From this overall summary, system users can effectively obtain more fine-grained information. Our methods for individual modules significantly outperform the baseline and achieve human-level agreement.
Complex structural and fluid flow evolution along the Grenville Front, west Texas

A narrow (∼7 km wide) fold and thrust belt in west Texas that represents the northernmost extent of a Grenville-age collisional belt along the southern margin of Laurentia (Grenville Front), records a complex history of deformation and associated fluid flow. The Streeruwitz thrust that emplaced ca. 1.35 Ga high-grade metamorphic rocks over ca. 1.25 Ga foreland sedimentary and volcanic rocks postdates polyphase deformation in the footwall and is complexly folded into domes and basins. Four phases of tectonism, recording a changing kinematic setting, affected the area and formed: (1) pre-Streeruwitz ductile polyphase folds (F 1 –F 3 ) and associated foliations (S 1 –S 2 ) consistent with northward tectonic transport; (2) dextral oblique-slip, high-angle, west-northwest–trending faults associated with upright vertical sheath folds (F 4 ); (3) Streeruwitz and related subsidiary imbricate thrusts that truncate F 1 –F 4 folds at a high angle and cause localized folding (F 5 ) consistent with north-northeast to northeastward tectonic transport; and (4) complex southeast- and northwest-trending domes and basins (F 6 ) of the thrusts, resulting from continual Grenville-age transpression. Fluids with an evolving chemistry over time were channelized along the thrusts, metasomatically altering the adjacent rocks. Early siliceous fluids caused replacement of mafic dikes and dolostones that preserve F 1 and S 1 and formation of extensive talc bodies with talc aligned axial planar to F 2 , forming the dominant S 2 fabric. Initial thrusting at depth produced mylonites in both footwall (syn-S 2 ) and hanging-wall rocks that were later brecciated in the final stage of thrusting along the Streeruwitz thrust. Further evolution of fluids along the thrusts is recorded in altered rocks adjacent to thrusts, breccias, and veins, starting with silica- and alkali-rich fluids. Lastly, carbonate-rich fluids replaced footwall rocks and cemented breccias in both the hanging wall and footwall. This study documents a previously unrecognized complex structural, metamorphic, and metasomatic history, and fluid evolution in the foreland. This history, coupled with differences from that in the overriding older metamorphic rocks, requires a new kinematic model for the southern margin of Laurentia. In addition, the disparity in deformation timing and kinematic evolution between west Texas and the central Texas Llano uplift requires active subduction in west Texas after collision in central Texas. We propose that collision of a north-verging continental indenter with southern Laurentia initially occurred in the Llano area (ca. 1150–1120 Ma) and that continued subduction along strike caused clockwise rotation of the indenting continent and collision in west Texas (ca. 1060–980 Ma).
Urban effects on native avifauna: a review

The effect of urbanization can be immense, yet our understanding is rudimentary. Here, we compile the most recent information on urban impacts on avian populations and communities. Compared to other vertebrates, birds are easily monitored by skilled observers and provide a mechanism to explore urban effects and responses to different urban designs. Taxonomically, bird communities in distinctly different habitats are most different in the least disturbed sites and the most similar in the most urbanized sites. Urbanization tends to select for omnivorous, granivorous, and cavity nesting species. Increased urbanization typically leads to an increase in avian biomass but a reduction in richness. Unlike most passerines, raptors may have home ranges that extend beyond the urban boundary and therefore do not need to meet all their ecological requirements within urban areas. Urban habitats are often of superior quality to raptors because there they are often free from persecution and have an adequate food supply. The processes that underlie the patterns of population and community level responses need more attention, but several areas of have been identified as being important. Birds respond to vegetation composition and structure, and urban areas that retain native vegetative characteristics retain more native species than those that do not. Avian fecundity in urban areas is a reflection of species-specific adaptability to urban resources, and to levels of nest predation and nest parasitism. Additionally, non-consumptive human activities that increase with urbanization are recognized as having negative impacts on avian populations and communities. Avian survivorship in urban areas is influenced by risk of collision with man-made objects, changes in the predator assemblage, food supply, and disease. Missing are thorough investigations in the regions of highest human population growth, e.g. Southeast Asia. Additionally, there is a paucity of information from regions of high avian diversity, e.g. tropical forests. Clearly, local knowledge and study is required before implementation of management policies to reduce urban impacts on bird communities. Hopefully, such policies will include long-term monitoring. Demographic parameters of fecundity and survivorship need to be examined in conjunction with measures of community diversity and density across the urban gradient to better understand the quality of different urban habitats, and the variation of quality among spatial patterns of urbanization within the native habitat matrix. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
CLEARING TIME IN MAGNETIC FIELD SPARK CHAMBERS

Electric fields commonly used to reduce sensitive time in spark chambers introduce some problems, such as shifts in spark positions, when the spark chambers are used in magnetic fields. The usefulness of chemical clearing agents, gasses with electron affinity, should not, however, be affected by magnetic fields. It is found that 1/2% of SO2 in neon at 1.3 atm in a spark chamber with 50 3 mm gaps reduces track efficiency at 2 μs total delay to less than 20% of the efficiency at 0.39 μs, and is substantially unaffected by a 10 kG field, while 1% of SO2 clears even faster.
Radiant Interchange in a Nonisothermal Rectangular Cavity

Radiant interchange between non-isothermal, gray diffuse surfaces with non-uniform radiosity has been determined for a rectangular cavity. Temperature distribution and heat flux as thermal specifications for the parallel surfaces of the cavity have been considered separately. Ambarzumian•s method has been used for the first time to solve a radiant interchange problem. /\ccording to the method, the integral e~uation for the radiosity is first transformed into an integra-differential eouation and then into a system of ordinary differential equations. Initial conditions re~uired to solve the differential e~uations are the H-functions. The 11-functions represent the radiosity at the edge of the cavity for various temperature profiles. Applyin';) Ambarzumian•s Method a closed-form expression for radiosity and heat transfer are obtained in terms of universal functions. Heat transfer from the cavity can be determined without knoHing the radiosity inside the cavity. The numerical results for the H-functions, radiosity, local heat flux, overall heat transfer, local and overall apparent emittance for the cavity have been presented in the form of tables and graphs.
Emerging Administrative Strategies for College and University Counseling Centers

The current environment in higher education is influencing college and university counseling centers in several new ways. Issues surrounding funding patterns, definitions of service entitlement, and personnel policies have emerged, as have a variety of responses on the part of counseling centers. Administrative and managerial strategiesfor dealing with these issues are described and discussed.
Double-frequency birdcage volume coils for 4.7T and 7T

The aim of this study was to find an optimum design for a volume RF coil for large rodent MRI/MRS at 4.7T and 7T. Three double-frequency birdcage-type coils were made and compared with single-frequency coils. The most efficient design was a birdcage coil with alternate tuned elements. This coil retains most of the sensitivity of a single-tuned coil while preserving B1 homogeneity. Spiral and four-ring coils suffer lower efficiency at one of two frequencies. Tests of the 7T coil demonstrated high-quality proton images and phosphorous spectra of a woodchuck liver. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 26B: 16–22, 2005
Design and automation: Designautomation: Design automation system

At the recent ACM 70 Conference, Bob Hitchcock chaired the SIGDA meeting. There were four of us in attendance: Bob (IBM), John Hanne (Texas Instruments), Murray Freeman (Philco), and myself (IBM). Later we caught a passer-by, Bob Brover (UCLA student). Although Bob was not acquainted with SIGDA or its purposes, at our insistence he did come up with a definition of Design Automation (DA). His on-the-spot definition was:DESIGN -- An iterative, decision-making process that seeks to optimize the value of society's resources.AUTOMATION -- Selecting of procedures for doing work with less effort.
Elevated C-reactive protein is related to cognitive decline in older adults with cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively relate C-reactive protein (CRP), a systemic marker of inflammation, to cognitive change over a 1-year follow-up period. DESIGN: Prospective 1-year follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient university medical setting. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight adults (aged 56‐84; 39% female) with cardiovascular disease. MEASUREMENTS: CRP levels were measured using a high-sensitivity assay, and participants completed a neuropsychological battery at study entry. Neuropsychological assessment was repeated 1 year later. RESULTS: The association between CRP and change in cognition over the 1-year follow-up was examined using hierarchical linear regression modeling for five cognitive domains (global cognition, language, memory, visuospatial abilities, and attention-executive-psychomotor). High CRP levels were associated with subtle declines in attentionexecutive-psychomotor performance (CRP b 5 � 0.22, P 5 .04) after adjusting for the effects of age and cognitive performance at study entry. CRP was not significantly associated with change in language, memory, or visuospatial performance. CONCLUSION: These data provide preliminary evidence that inflammation, potentially contributing to atherosclerotic processes, may underlie the association between high CRP and changes in attention-executive-psychomotor performance. J Am Geriatr Soc 56:1898–1903, 2008.
Tapley receives 2001 Charles, A. Whitten Medal

Byron D. Tapley received the Charles A. Whitten Medal at the 2001 Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony on 12 December in San Francisco, California. The medal recognizes outstanding achievements in research on the form and dynamics of the Earth and planets.
GLC Determination of Pentylenetetrazol in Biological Fluids

A rapid and sensitive GLC method for the determination of pentylenetetrazol was developed. The lower limit of detection is 1 ng./μl. of pentylenetetrazol. The technique involves extraction of drug from water, plasma, urine, and/or whole blood into organic solvent, evaporation of the solvent phase to dryness, and redissolving in water. The aqueous extract is injected onto a 5% polyethylene glycol 20,000 column for quantification. The utility of the procedure is demonstrated by its application to the determination of pentylenetetrazol in mixtures containing various pharmaceuticals as well as to the analysis of blood and urine levels of pentylenetetrazol in drug-treated rabbits.
Angle-of-attack investigation of pin-fin arrays in nonuniform heat-removal cavities for interlayer cooled chip stacks

Interlayer cooling removes the heat dissipated by vertically stacked chips in multiple integrated fluid cavities. Its performance scales with the number of dies in the stack and is therefore superior to traditional back-side heat removal. Previous work indicated that pin-fin arrays are ideally suited as through-silicon-via-compatible heat transfer structures. In addition, four-port fluid-delivery and fluid-guiding structures improve the heat-removal performance for the nonuniform power maps of high-performance microprocessor chip stacks. Accordingly, an extension of the porous-media multi-scale modeling approach is presented as an efficient approach for designing nonuniform heat transfer cavities. A tensor description in combination with a look-up table is proposed to physically describe periodic porous media, such as pin-fin arrays, in detail. Conjugate heat and mass transfer sub-domain modeling is performed with periodic boundary conditions to derive the orientation-dependent permeability and angle offset between the pressure gradient and the Darcy velocity direction for pin-fin arrays with a pin diameter of 50 μm and pitch and height of 100 μm. A local permeability minimum at a flow direction of approx. 30° could be identified. At higher velocities, the fluid flow is biased towards the symmetry lines of the pin-fin array. The modeling concept was validated with experimental readings of a nonuniform, double-side-heated single test cavity. The main characteristics of the temperature field with respect to the four-port architecture, the guiding structures, the fluid temperature increase, and the nonuniform power dissipation are predicted correctly. A statistical comparison of power maps with different heat transfer contrast values resulted in a mean accuracy <6% at a maximal standard deviation of 22.2%. Finally, the potential of the four-port architecture for nonuniform power maps with hot spots in the corners was demonstrated.
Variable Angle of Incidence Spectroscopic Ellipsometric Measurement of the Franz-Keloysh Effect in Modfet Structures

It has been shown recently that variable angle of incidence spectroscopie ellipsometry (VASE) is a sensitive technique for determining semiconductor multilayer model parameters, e.g. layer thicknesses and ternary compositions. In this paper we show that VASE is, in addition, sensitive to the Franz-Keldysh effect induced by band bending in the barrier layer of a GaAs-AlGaAs-GaAs (MODFET) structure. VASE measurements differ from electro-reflectance and photoreflectance, in that the internal heterojunction region electric field is directly probed, without the application of a modulating field. The Franz-Keldysh effect appears in the VASE spectra near the AlGaAs bandgap energy. Data for two samples, with different doping profiles, are quantitatively modeled to determine the internal electric field amplitudes.
Disruption of Graft Endothelium Correlates With Early Failure After Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Background Saphenous vein graft failure after coronary artery bypass surgery may be as high as 5% to 10% in the first postoperative week. We hypothesized that identifying damage sustained by saphenous vein endothelium before grafting predicts early graft attrition after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods Intraoperative graft flow, platelet function, and endothelial integrity were analyzed in 125 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Endothelial integrity was assessed in an excess vein segment from each graft using immunohistochemistry (CD31 staining). Platelet function was monitored just before and immediately after revascularization and on postoperative days 1 and 3 using whole blood aggregometry, thrombelastography, and platelet activated clotting time. Platelet activation was monitored using flow cytometry. Intraoperative conduit blood flow, measured by transit time ultrasonography, was used to detect and rectify anastomotic problems. Early graft patency was determined on postoperative day 5 using gated multichannel computed tomography angiography. Results In 106 patients undergoing postoperative computed tomography evaluation, 10 vein grafts in 10 patients were discovered to have developed early thrombosis, representing 4% (10 of 217) of all vein grafts. Endothelial integrity was 10.75% ± 17.56% in 10 grafts that failed early compared with 51.45% ± 36.29% in patent grafts ( p = 0.04). Perioperative platelet function and graft flow did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions Although endothelial disruption predicts early failure of bypass grafts, the importance of a hypercoaguable state and low graft flow as a cause of early graft thrombosis after off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery was not supported by our preliminary results. A means to assess, prevent, and treat intraoperative vein graft damage will likely improve early graft patency.
Stimulus-response uncoupling in the neutrophil. Adenosine A2-receptor occupancy inhibits the sustained, but not the early, events of stimulus transduction in human neutrophils by a mechanism independent of actin-filament formation.

Generation of superoxide anion (O2-) in response to occupancy of neutrophil chemoattractant receptors requires both early events (‘triggering’) and sustained signals (‘activation’). We have previously demonstrated that occupancy of adenosine A2 receptors inhibits O2- generation by neutrophils. In parallel, adenosine-receptor occupancy promotes association of bound N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) receptors with the cytoskeleton, a process associated with termination of neutrophil activation (stimulus-response uncoupling). We undertook this study to determine whether inhibition of neutrophil function by adenosine-receptor occupancy requires intact actin filaments and to examine the effect of adenosine-receptor occupancy on the stimulated generation of intracellular signals involved in neutrophil triggering and activation. Occupancy of adenosine A2 receptors by 5′-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA, 1 microM) significantly increased (130 +/- 1% of control, P less than 0.001, n = 3) association of [3H]fMLP with cytoskeletal preparations. Cytochalasin B (5 micrograms/ml), an agent which disrupts actin filaments, completely blocked association of [3H]fMLP with cytoskeletal preparations, as previously reported. However, NECA markedly increased association of [3H]fMLP with the cytoskeleton even in the presence of cytochalasin B (P less than 0.0002). Moreover, NECA did not significantly affect either the early (30s) or the late (5 min) formation of actin filaments after stimulation by chemoattractant (fMLP, 0.1-100 nM). Cytochalasin B markedly inhibited actin-filament formation by stimulated neutrophils, and NECA did not reverse the effect of cytochalasin B on actin-filament formation. Adenosine-receptor occupancy did not affect the rapid peak in diacylglycerol generation (less than or equal to 15 s) from either [3H]arachidonate- or [14C]glycerol-labelled phospholipid pools. However, as would be predicted if occupancy of the adenosine receptor was a signal for early termination of cell activation, NECA (1 microM) markedly diminished the slow sustained generation of diacylglycerol. These results suggest that adenosine-A2-receptor occupancy does not affect triggering of the neutrophil, but that occupancy of adenosine receptors is an early signal for the termination of neutrophil activation, i.e. the ‘premature’ finish of signal transduction. Moreover, these data indicate that at least two pathways are available for increasing the association of ligated chemoattractant receptors with the cytoskeleton of neutrophils: F-actin-dependent and -independent.
A connectionist approach to learning legal moves in Tower-of-Hanoi

While optimizing scheduling problems such as the traveling salesman problem has been common practice in neural networks, solving planning problems such as the Tower-of-Hanoi (TOH) has been difficult in neural networks. The differences between the scheduling and planning problems are identified here from the neural network perspective, based on which an approach to solve planning problems with learning is proposed. In particular, the TOH is chosen as the target problem and represented as an array of neurons. A set of constraints derived from the TOH is formulated based on this representation. The system is designed to learn to generate legal moves. Learning legal moves is accomplished by generating illegal states and by measuring the legality of the states. Simulation results show that the system moves in a direction in which it learns legal moves for the TOH. >
Operational Response of a Soil-Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System

AbstractThis study focuses on an evaluation of the subsurface ground temperature distribution during operation of a soil-borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES) system. The system consists of an array of five 9 m-deep geothermal heat exchangers, configured as a central heat exchanger surrounded by four other heat exchangers at a radial spacing of 2.5 m. In addition to monitoring the temperature of the fluid entering and exiting each heat exchanger, 5 thermistor strings were embedded in boreholes inside and outside of the array to monitor changes in ground temperature with depth. After 75 days of heat injection at a constant rate of 20 W/m, corresponding to 11.5 GJ of thermal energy, the average ground temperature in the array increased by 7°C. However, depending on the storage volume definition, only 2.43–4.86 GJ of thermal energy was stored attributable to heat losses. After a 4-month rest period the heat storage was observed to decrease by 60% owing to further heat losses. The trends in subsurface temp...
When Should Lactating Dairy Cows Reach Positive Energy Balance

Abstract A survey of the literature was conducted to ascertain when cows would typically return to positive energy balance ( EB ) and to identify factors related to the amount of time to reach positive EB. In 90% of the cases (44 out of 49 treatments), cows reached positive energy balance by 63 d postpartum. On average, positive energy balance was reached at 45 DIM. The correlation between peak milk yield or days to peak milk yield and time to reach positive EB was extremely low and not significant. The correlation between days to positive EB and energy density of the diet (r = -0.57) was significant. Additionally, individual cow data from a recent research trial were examined. Weekly means for NE l intake ( NEI ), fat-corrected milk ( FCM ) yield, and EB for 24 primiparous and 49 multiparous cows from 2 through 21 wk postpartum were used to examine the relationships between EB and FCM yield or NEI. Average time to reach positive EB was the same for multiparous and primiparous cows, 5 ± 2 wk. Positive EB had been reached by 7 wk pospartum for 92% of the primiparous cows and 73% of the multiparous cows. Energy balance was more closely related to NEI (r = 0.58) than to FCM yield (r = -0.26). There was a significant relationship between time to reach positive EB and mean daily FCM yield or NEI during the first 21 wk postpartum, but the correlation coefficients were low, 0.25 and 0.26. There was no strong evidence to suggest that increased milk yield increased time to positive EB.
Access to Ultralarge-Pore Ordered Mesoporous Materials through Selection of Surfactant/Swelling-Agent Micellar Templates

The surfactant-micelle-templating method has revolutionized the synthesis of high-surface-area materials with mesopores (diameter 2–50 nm) that have well-defined shapes and sizes. One of the major benefits of this method is the ability to tailor the pore size by manipulating the size of the templating micelles. The uniform pores typically form ordered arrays.Although the choice of surfactant can tune the size of the micelles, it is more convenient to use a single surfactant and tailor the micelle size by adding a swelling agent. Unfortunately, the swelling agent tends to induce disorder or heterogeneity in the resulting structures, which can make this approach difficult to implement. We hypothesized that the swelling agents that are moderately solubilized within the micelles of a particular surfactant could generate well-defined micelle-templated structures with significantly enlarged pores.Using this idea, we could judiciously select candidate swelling agents from families of compounds whose extent of so...
Prenatal Nicotine Exposure and Febrile Seizures

The association between prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke, alcohol, and coffee and the risk of febrile seizures was evaluated by extracting information from records of 2 cohorts of children linked with the Danish National Hospital Register and a follow-up of patients until Dec 1998.
The use of concurrent codes in computer programming and digital signal processing education

Introducing relevant and meaningful real-world applications in exercises intended to teach traditional undergraduate topics is difficult; limitations on depth and scope can result in only a passing relationship between application and exercise. However, the recent development of concurrent coding theory offers one opportunity to achieve this because the underlying problem is readily understood and the algorithms are tractable at the introductory level. Furthermore, no exotic or expensive hardware is needed to construct functioning implementations - a computer with a soundcard, microphone, and speaker is sufficient. An entire first semester programming course can be built around concurrent codes and significant lab exercises can be constructed for an introductory digital signal processing course. As a result, students gain an appreciation for a real-world problem of growing importance including insight into how that problem can be addressed while maintaining a focus on the primary material being taught.
Direct and indirect effects of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene treatment on quality of life in postmenopausal women.

Abstract Objective Determine the direct and indirect effects of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene (CE/BZA) treatment on menopause-specific quality of life in a post-hoc analysis of 2 phase 3 Selective estrogens, Menopause, And Response to Therapy (SMART-1, SMART-2) trials. Study design Data from participants in SMART-1 and SMART-2 who received CE 0.45 mg/BZA 20 mg, CE 0.625 mg/BZA 20 mg, or placebo were analyzed, including week 12 data from 1274 healthy postmenopausal women in SMART-1 and pooled week 1–4 and 9–12 data from 332 women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (≥7 HFs/d or ≥50/wk) in SMART-2. Main outcome measures A statistical mediation model included treatment as a binary predictor variable (pooled active treatment vs placebo), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire domains (vasomotor, sexual, psychosocial, and physical function) as the outcomes variables, and frequency/severity of hot flushes (HFs) as treatment effect mediators on MENQOL. Results Vasomotor function was affected directly (SMART-1: 35.8%, P P P P P P Conclusions CE/BZA affected the MENQOL vasomotor domain both directly and indirectly, whereas effects on other domains were fully mediated via HF severity reductions.
Regression of tumors by IFN-α electroporation gene therapy and analysis of the responsible genes by cDNA array

The key to success with nonviral gene therapy as a treatment for cancer is to discover effective therapeutic genes and gene delivery methods and to understand how tumors are eradicated. We discovered that electroporation of IFN-alpha DNA into tumors in the SCCVII tumor-bearing mice led to tumor eradication in 50% of the mice and a more than two-fold increase in survival time when compared with controls (P = 0.0012). Analyses using cDNA array and Northern blot indicated that the genes responsible for the therapeutic effect of electro-IFN-alpha gene therapy included IRF-7, Granzyme A, Granzyme C, Gjb2, Krt14, Mig, IP-10 and MCP3. Because most of these genes have been known to either inhibit angiogenesis (Mig, IP-10), inhibit tumor growth (Gjb2, MCP3), kill tumor cells (Granzyme A and C), or induce expression of antitumor gene (IRF-7), they may become promising therapeutic gene candidates for a combination gene therapy approach to cancer treatment.