cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unifying Graph Convolutional Neural Networks and Label Propagation

Label Propagation (LPA) and Graph Convolutional Neural Networks (GCN) are both message passing algorithms on graphs. Both solve the task of node classification but LPA propagates node label information across the edges of the graph, while GCN propagates and transforms node feature information. However, while conceptually similar, it is unclear how LPA and GCN can be combined under a unified framework to improve node classification. Here we study the relationship between LPA and GCN in terms of feature/label influence, in which we characterize how much the initial feature/label of one node influences the final feature/label of another node in GCN/LPA. Based on our theoretical analysis, we propose an end-to-end model that combines GCN and LPA. In our unified model, edge weights are learnable, and the LPA serves as regularization to assist the GCN in learning proper edge weights that lead to improved classification performance. Our model can also be seen as learning the weights for edges based on node labels, which is more task-oriented than existing feature-based attention models and topology-based diffusion models. In a number of experiments on real-world graphs, our model shows superiority over state-of-the-art graph neural networks in terms of node classification accuracy.
Liberalism and the Modern Quest for Freedom

What is liberalism? What accounts for its tendency to change over time? Corey answers these questions by situating liberalism within a much broader, more powerfully sweeping historical movement, the “modern quest for freedom.” This movement predates liberalism, gives rise to it, and eventually overtakes it in its original form while retaining the name “liberalism,” especially in the United States, for reasons partly principled, partly expedient. Corey’s historical presentation of liberalism facilitates a unique assessment of some of its current weaknesses. This in turn makes possible a concrete discussion of what an effort to “reclaim” liberalism might look like. Ultimately, Corey argues that the politics of warring freedoms (what contemporary liberalism has in part become) should give way to a markedly different conception of politics called the politics of liberal truce.
Retooling local transportation financing in a new mobility future

Abstract Federal, state, and local governments in the United States are highly dependent on motor fuel taxes, vehicle registration, licensing, and parking and traffic citation revenue for transportation. The three revolutions of electrification, automation, and sharing pose threats to major revenue sources for transportation. Automation is expected to intensify the trends in revenue started by transportation network companies (TNCs.) Electrification is expected to impact tax receipts from gasoline and diesel. Shared mobility is becoming more common either through individual rides (e.g., UberPool) or sharing use and/or ownership of a vehicle (e.g., ZipCar). Automation and sharing of vehicles through fleets are expected to impact registration, licensing, parking, and citation revenue. This study estimates revenue loss attributed to new mobility and evaluating revenue sources to fund transportation in a new mobility future. In this study, we use case studies of five Oregon cities ranging in size from 10,000 to 500,000 to: 1) describe how transportation is currently funded; 2) identify scenarios of electrification, automation, and sharing; 3) apply scenarios to estimate revenue loss; and 4) describe how revenue loss varies by city revenue structure. We relied on budget data from local government budgets and created a spreadsheet tool to analyze revenue impacts. We base our scenarios on the trends in autonomous vehicles predicted by various industry sources. The results of this study have important consequences for practitioners and policymakers. We recommend that policymakers adopt new revenue streams alongside incentivizing or regulating new technology. Further, we recommend that practitioners collect data and monitor revenue impacts as new technology is adopted.
Student Response Initiatives: A Case Study of COVID-19 at Washington University.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical education worldwide, leading medical students to organize response initiatives. This paper summarizes the Washington University Medical Student COVID-19 Response (WUMS-CR) and shares lessons to guide future initiatives. We used a three-principle framework of community needs assessment, faculty mentorship, and partnership with pre-existing organizations to address needs in St. Louis, including contact tracing and childcare. In total, over 12,000 h were volunteered across 15+ projects. Overall, student response initiatives should use appropriate frameworks to guide projects and should capitalize on volunteer participation, speed and flexibility, and the diversity of student interests and skills for maximal impact.
An interactive online robotics course

Attempting to convey concepts and ideas in the subject area of robotic manipulators from within the confines of a static two-dimensional printed page can prove quite challenging to even the most gifted of authors. The inherently dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of the subject matter seems better suited to a medium of conveyance wherein a student is allowed to interactively explore topics in this multi-disciplinary field. This article describes the initial development of an online robotics course "textbook" which seeks to leverage recent advances in Web-based technologies to enhance the learning experience in ways not possible with printed materials
UNION POWER—A SHIELD OR A THREAT?

This chapter discusses the union power as a scapegoat for inflation. From much of the talk about bargaining power, it is not clear, however, why unions should have to employ such coercive tactics. Even the most powerful unions are constrained by the demand for their labor or by the demand for the product to which their labor contributes. Each union's ability to raise wages and prices is thus closely related to the availability of substitutes for the labor and/or final product. Successful unions have usually conspired with government agencies to eliminate by law obvious forms of competition, but ingenuity often undermines these efforts by expanding the consumers' range of alternatives. The successful trade union, then, must always keep vigilantly eliminating alternatives to the labor of its members, and to the products, they produce. The more effective the union is, the more incentive it creates for nonunion workers to use laborsaving techniques, and for businesspersons to create competing products or services, which do not require any union labor.
PROPHYLAXIS OF THE ACUTE ASTHMATIC ATTACK IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN BY THE USE OF SYMPTOMATIC MEDICATION

A highly satisfactory method of aborting on reducing the incidence and severity of most asthmatic attacks in infants and children is presented. The modus operandi is discussed.
Application of Nanofiber Technology to Nonwoven Thermal Insulation

Nanofiber technology (fiber diameter less than 1 micrometer) is under development for future Army lightweight protective clothing systems. Nanofiber applications for ballistic and chemical/biologic...
Recombination without respect: schema combination and disruption in genetic algorithm crossover

One-point (or n-point) crossover has the property that schemata exhibited by both parents are 'respected'—transferred to the offspring without disruption. In addition, new schemata may, potentially, be created by combination of the genes on which the parents differ. Some argue that the preservation of similarity is the important aspect of crossover, and that the combination of differences (key to the building-block hypothesis) is unlikely to be valuable. In this paper, we discuss the operation of recombination on a hierarchical building-block problem. Uniform crossover, which preserves similarity, fails on this problem. Whereas, one-point crossover, that both preserves similarity and combines differences, succeeds. In fact, a somewhat perverse recombination operator, that combines differences but destroys schemata that are common to both parents, also succeeds. Thus, in this problem, combination of schemata from dissimilar parents is required, and preserving similarity is not required. The test problem represents an extreme case, but it serves to illustrate the different aspects of recombination that are available in regular operators such as one-point crossover.
Timing of consecutive traveling pulses in a model of entorhinal cortex

Previous work described a detailed spiking model of interactions between the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex in guiding rat spatial navigation behavior. The timing of spiking activity in the entorhinal cortex is critical for the proper functioning of that model. Here we investigate the influence of several parameters of the model on the spike timing of consecutive traveling pulses within the network of spiking neurons with biologically realistic synaptic parameters. The results suggest that the local properties of the circuit consisting of pyramidal cell and interneuron affect the time interval between consecutive traveling pulses, while the strength of excitatory coupling between these circuits has little influence unless this strength is too small. These results can be generalized to other models of similar architecture that exhibit traveling pulses behavior, and also serve as a basis of further development of full scale realistic implementation of the formal model of spatial navigation.
Composition of microbiota in content and mucus from cecae of broiler chickens as measured by fluorescent in situ hybridization with group-specific, 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes

Six group-specific 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes were used to investigate the composition of the microbiota of cecal content and mucus from broiler chickens. Together, the probes hybridized to as many as 94.7% of the bacteria detectable with the universal probe Bact338 in the content of the cecum of 2-d-old chicks. Fewer bacteria gave signals with these probes as the birds aged, and coverage was as low as 76% for the bacteria in cecal content of a 6-wk-old chicken. In the cecal content of 2-d-old chicks, approximately 56, 34, and 3% of the bacteria detectable with the universal probe reacted with the probes Enter1432 (enterics), Lacto722 (Lactobacillus/Streptococcus/Enterococcus), and Bif164 (bifidobacteria), respectively. Probes Clept1240 (Clostridium leptum subgroup), Erec482 (Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale), and Bacto1080 (Bacteroides groups) did not produce signals. In cecal content from 1-wk-old chicks, all six probes gave signals, and in samples from 6-wk-old birds approximately 3, 9, 6, 32, 22, and 8% of the bacteria detectable with the universal probe hybridized with the probes Enter1432, Lacto722, Bif164, Clept1240, Erec482, and Bacto1080, respectively. At this age, the six probes detected the phylogenetic groups in similar proportions in the microbiota of cecal content and cecal mucus. The exception was the enterics probe because more bacteria from the mucus fraction than from cecal content gave signals with this probe (13.4 vs. 4.4%, P<0.001).
Duality of the block transformation and decimation for quantum spin systems

The zero-temperature renormalization-group transformations for quantum spin systems are analyzed. The block transformation and the decimation-type transformation used in the study of the one-dimensional Ising model in transverse field are extended to the quantum version of the Potts model and Ashkin-Teller model. It is shown that for these self-dual models the two kinds of renormalization-group transformations are dual to each other and therefore give the same result for the critical behavior. The duality persists even if the higher-lying states are taken into account in a perturbational way.
A theoretical study of isomerization of and chloride migration in representative 1-chloro-2-methyl-1-propenylmetals

Abstract An MNDO modified neglect of differential overlap study of the title compounds, in which the metal functionality is lithium, beryllium hydride, or dimethylboryl, addresses the existence and stereochemical integrity of a MetCl associated intermediate, in which Cl − has migrated from carbon to become associated with Met. Each such intermediate was located and characterized, and they are about 23.1 kcal mol −1 ; and about 26.2 kcal mol −1 respectively, less stable than the CCl bonded isomer. Only the beryllium hydride derivative is calculated to maintain stereochemical integrity of the MetCl associated form, with an approximately 8.2 kcal mol −1 barrier to cis-trans isomerization. The lithium compound is linear in the pertinent region, and therefore any stereochemical information possessed by the substrate is lost. A similar conclusion is reached for the boryl analog, since the structure is twisted 90° about the CB bond so that the BCl bond is perpendicular to the molecular plane, generating a plane of symmetry. The results support the MetCl associated form as an intermediate in reactions with nucleophiles, which implicates metal-assisted ionization of the CCl bond in those cases.
Consumer use of the price‐quality cue in financial services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of use of the price‐quality cue in financial services, and to uncover some of its drivers. The drives studied are: advertising exposure, product complexity, and consumer price knowledge. The use of price as an indicator of quality has been a well‐documented phenomenon in consumer goods markets. However, the existence of this relationship has not been tested in services, and in particular in financial services markets.Design/methodology/approach – A consumer survey of over 200 individuals contacted through intercept interviews was conducted. The use of the price‐quality cue and its drivers were measured using multi‐item scales, for six financial services categories: checking accounts, financial advisory services, automobile insurance, home insurance, life insurance, and tax accounting.Findings – Significant variations in the use of price as an indicator of quality across financial services categories are identified. Furthermore, it is found that ...
The Delta paradox: DLL4 blockade leads to more tumour vessels but less tumour growth

Anti-angiogenesis therapies have emerged as important treatment options for several types of tumours. To date, these therapies have focused on blocking the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. A recent series of papers have shown that one ligand for the Notch receptors, Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), is normally induced by VEGF and is a negative-feedback regulator that restrains vascular sprouting and branching. Consistent with this role, the deletion or inhibition of DLL4 results in excessive, non-productive angiogenesis. This unrestrained angiogenesis unexpectedly and paradoxically decreases tumour growth, even in tumours resistant to anti-VEGF therapies. Can too much angiogenesis be bad for tumours but good for patients?
Un pequeño Hollywood proletario: el cine anarcosindicalista durante la revolución española (Barcelona, 1936–1937)

El articulo ofrece una vision panoramica del cine anarquista durante la Revolucion Espanola (los primeros anos de la Guerra Civil durante los cuales los medios de produccion fueron socializados en gran parte del pais). Entre 1936 y 1937 las organizaciones anarcosindicalistas produjeron mas de 100 documentarles y largometrajes de ficcion. ‘Un pequeno Hollywood proletario’ se centra en la produccion cinematografica durante este periodo en Barcelona, donde la industria cinematografica fue completamente colectivizada y los teatros funcionaron como centros politicos bajo el control principalmente de los anarquistas. Ademas de documentales, como Reportaje del movimiento revolucionario en Barcelona , el ensayo estudia la paradojica combinacion de sentimentalismo folletinesco y concienciacion politica en los largometrajes de ficcion anarquistas ( Aurora de esperanza y Barrios bajos ), que describen las luchas de la clase trabajadora, la emancipacion femenina, la cultura marginal y el proceso de colectivizacion du...
Magnetic moments of vector, axial, and tensor mesons in lattice QCD

We present a calculation of magnetic moments for selected spin-1 mesons using the techniques of lattice QCD. This is carried out by introducing a progressively small static magnetic field on the lattice and measuring the linear response of a hadron's mass shift. The calculations are done on 24{sup 4} quenched lattices using standard Wilson actions, with {beta}=6.0 and pion mass down to 500 MeV. The results are compared to those from the form factor method.
Algorithm for implicitizing rational parametric surfaces

Abstract Many current geometric modeling systems use the rational parametric form to represent surfaces. Although the parametric representation is useful for tracing, rendering and surface fitting, many operations like surface intersection desire one of the surfaces to be represented implicitly. Moreover, the implicit representation can be used for testing whether a point lies on the surface boundary and to represent an object as a semi-algebraic set. Previously resultants and Grobner bases have been used to implicitize parametric surfaces. In particular, different formulations of resultants have been used to implicitize tensor product surfaces and triangular patches and in many cases the resulting expression contains and extraneous factor. The separation of these extraneous factors can be a time consuming task involving multivariate factorization. Furthermore, these algorithms fail altogether if the given parametrization has base points. In this paper we present an algorithm to implicitize parametric surfaces. One of the advantages of the algorithm is that we do not need multivariate factorization. If a parametrization has no base points, the implicit representation can be represented as a determinant of a matrix, otherwise we use perturbation techniques. In the latter case we make use of GCD operation to compute the implicit representation. We also describe an efficient implementation of the algorithm based on interpolation techniques.
Effects of perturbations in hepatic free and esterified cholesterol pools on bile acid synthesis, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, HMG-CoA reductase, acyl-CoA:Cholesterol acyltransferase and cytosolic cholesteryl ester hydrolase

Effects of expansion of the hepatic free cholesterol pool on bile acid and cholesterol metabolism and homeostasis were examined in rats fed cholesterol in high-fat diets or treated with oleyl-p-(n-decyl)-benzenesulfonate (ODS) or progesterone. Cholesterol feeding for 10-16 days, which increased free (33%) and esterified (6-fold) cholesterol, had no effect on cholate synthesis, total bile acid synthesis, or cholate turnover, whereas these activities were increased 60-80% by ODS and progesterone, which produced only small increases (19%) in free cholesterol. Cholesterol feeding reduced beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (72%) and cholesteryl ester hydrolase (48%) and increased acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (184%), whereas ODS and progesterone reversed these compensatory responses in cholesterol-fed rats. Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase was changed no more than 22% by any treatment. A bolus of ODS elevated biliary cholesterol output 41% and shifted biliary bile acid synthesis and composition toward 12-deoxy bile acids. These effects were not seen in ODS-fed or progesterone-treated rats, in which cholesteryl ester stores were depleted. It is concluded that effects of free cholesterol on bile acid synthesis and biliary cholesterol are probably mediated by specific precursor or regulatory pools which can be independently regulated and which represent a relatively small fraction of hepatic free cholesterol.
Comparative study of the performance of CATV channels over DWDM network using direct and external modulator

Different parameters that can be adjusted to obtain an acceptable performance for a Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network are considered. A comparison of various parameter settings between the external and direct optical modulation is made based on the simulation results. Different effects caused by varying the electrical power, while setting optical modulation index, is vital. A trade-off between higher signal to noise ratio and nonlinearity effect should be taken into account for sending radio frequency signals over a fiber channel. Several simulation results for transmitting 30 Cable Television (CATV) channels, 64-QAM modulated, over a DWDM network are given in order to find the best adjustments for the link parameters of both internal and external optical modulations. Two of the basic parameters, focused in this article, include the electrical power and optical modulation index.
11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 complementary deoxyribonucleic acid stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells: specific inhibition by 11 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone

The 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta HSD-2) enzyme is thought to confer aldosterone specificity upon mineralocorticoid target tissues by protecting the mineralocorticoid receptor from binding by the more abundant glucocorticoids, corticosterone and cortisol. We have developed a Chinese hamster ovary cell line stably transfected with a plasmid containing the rat 11 beta HSD-2 complementary DNA. This cell line has expressed the enzyme consistently for many generations. The 11 beta HSD-2 was located primarily in the microsomes, but significant amounts also existed in the nuclei and mitochondria. The enzymatic reaction was unidirectional, oxidative, and inhibited by the product, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, with an IC50 of approximately 200 nM. The K(m) for corticosterone was 9.6 +/- 3.1 nM, and that for NAD+ was approximately 8 microM. The enzyme did not convert dexamethasone to 11-dehydrodexamethasone. Tunicamycin, an N-glycosylation inhibitor, had no effect on enzyme activity. 11 alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone (11 alpha OH-P) was an order of magnitude more potent a competitive inhibitor of the 11 beta HSD-2 than was glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) (approximate IC50 = 0.9 vs. 15 nM). 11 beta OH-P, progesterone, and GA were almost equipotent (IC50 = 10 and 6 nM, respectively), and 5 alpha-pregnandione and 5 beta-pregnandione were less potent (IC50 = 100 and 500 nM, respectively) inhibitors of the enzyme. When the inhibitory activities were examined with intact transfected cells, 11 alpha OH-P was more potent than GA (IC50 = 5 and 150 nM, respectively). 11 alpha OH-P was not metabolized by 11 beta HSD-2. We were unable to demonstrate the presence of 11 alpha OH-P in human urine. In conclusion, a cell line stably transfected with the rat 11 beta HSD-2 was created, and the enzyme kinetics, including inhibition, were characterized. 11 alpha OH-P was found to be a potent relatively specific inhibitor of the 11 beta HSD-2 enzyme. Its potential importance is that it is the most specific inhibitor of the 11 beta HSD-2 so far encountered and would aid in the study of the physiological importance of the isoenzyme.
Karyological difference between Sagittarius and Cariana (Aves)

Chromosome studies of 1 speices of Cariamidae and Sagittarius show great karyological differences and tend to dispel the suggestion of a possible relationship between the families.
Functional significance of lipoprotein lipase HindIII polymorphism associated with the risk of coronary artery disease

Abstract Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism by hydrolyzing triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoprotein particles. Abnormalities in normal LPL function are associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). A number of genetic variants have been identified in the LPL gene that affects different functions of the LPL protein. A common HindIII polymorphism in intron 8 (T/G) of the LPL gene has been found to be associated with altered plasma TG and HDL-cholesterol, and CAD risk in several studies, but its functional significance is unknown. It has been shown that certain intronic sequence contain regulatory elements that are important for transcription and translational regulation of a gene. In this study we tested the hypothesis that this polymorphism affects the binding site of a transcription factor that regulates the transcription of LPL gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that the HindIII site binds to a transcription factor and that the mutant allele has lower binding affinity than the wild type allele. Transcription assays containing the entire intron 8 sequence along with full-length human LPL promoter were carried out in COS-1 and human vascular smooth muscle cells. The mutant allele was associated with significantly decreased luciferase expression level compared to the wild type allele in both the muscle (3.394±0.022 vs. 4.184±0.028; P =4.7×10 −6 ) and COS-1 (11.603±0.409 vs. 14.373±1.096; P
Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the form II ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase gene from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

The gene encoding the form II ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPC/O) from Rhodopseudomonas (R.) sphaeroides has been identified on a 3-kb EcoRI fragment and cloned into a broad-host-range, high-copy-number plasmid, using the gene from Rhodospirillum (Rs.) rubrum as a hybridization probe. Subclones of the gene from R. sphaeroides in pBR322 and pUC8 show substantial levels of expression and enzymatic activity in whole cells and crude cell extracts of Escherichia coli. This enzymatic activity has been shown to be similar in many respects to that of the protein purified from R. sphaeroides.
Business dynamics of lithography at very low k1 factors

Lithography is the largest capital investment and the largest operating cost component of leading edge semiconductor fabs. In addition, it is the dominant factor in determining the performance of a semiconductor device and is important in determining the yield and thus the economics of a semiconductor circuit. To increase competitiveness and broaden adoption of circuits and the end products in which they are used, there has been and continues to be a dramatic acceleration in the industry roadmap. A critical factor in the acceleration is driving the lithographic images to smaller feature size. There has always been economic tension between the pace of change and the resultant circuit cost. The genius of the semiconductor industry has been in its ability to balance its technology with economic factors and deliver outstanding value to those using the circuits to add value to their end products. The critical question today is whether optical lithography can be successfully and economically extended to maintain and improve the economic benefits of higher complexity circuits. In this paper we will discuss some of these significant tradeoffs required to maintain optically based lithographic progress on the roadmap at acceptable cost.
Timing of initiation of polyadenylation of preformed RNA in sea urchin and Urechis caupo zygotes.

Abstract An increase in the synthesis of polyadenylic acid, following fertilization, was examined in sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and the marine worm Urechis caupo embryos. It was found that in both organisms there is a large increase in the incorporation of [3H]adenosine into the poly(A) region, of poly(A)-containing RNA, in the phase preceding the 2-cell stage. In sea urchin this rise was localized to the G2 period. Similar findings were made in Urechis indicating that polyadenylation of RNA may be a common postfertilization event in many developing organisms.
Meta-analysis finds benefit for dual antiplatelet therapy but limitations preclude changing standard mono antiplatelet therapy approach for acute non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack

Commentary on: Wong KSL, Wang Y, Leng X, et al. Early dual versus mono antiplatelet therapy for acute non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation 2013;128:1656–66.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] Current guidelines recommend aspirin, aspirin plus clopidogrel or aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole for treatment of acute ischaemic stroke (IS) or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) to prevent recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death.1 The Clopidogrel in High-risk patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial randomised 5170 Chinese patients within 24 h after the onset of IS or TIA to clopidogrel plus aspirin versus aspirin plus placebo for 90 days. Clopidogrel plus … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DCirculation%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1161%252FCIRCULATIONAHA.113.003187%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24030500%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=circulationaha&resid=128/15/1656&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F3%2F94.atom
Rheological behavior of poloxamer 407 aqueous solutions during sol-gel and dehydration processes

Abstract A rheological study of 25% poloxamer 407 aqueous solutions was undertaken during sol-gel and dehydration processes. Upon the sol-gel transition, the solution changed from a Newtonian to non-Newtonian fluid through the mechanism of desolvation. During such a desolvation process, the closer approach of polymer chains, which gave rise to an increase in the number of interactions among the chains, was reflected by an increase in solution viscosity with temperature. In this study, three temperature regions, namely, the unimer, transition, and micelle regions originally derived from the light scattering technique, were also demonstrated. The boundary temperatures were 10°C between the unimer and transition regions and 18°C between the transition and micelle regions. Once the gel had been formed above the boundary temperature 18°C, the indices K and n remaining nearly constant, the gel structure was thought to remain unaltered with temperature until an excessively high temperature caused the destruction of the gel structure. At room temperature, the gel underwent a process of dehydration, the evaporation of water from the surface layer occurring first, and eventually dried to a solid. It was found that polyoxyethylene crystals precipitated in the gel during dehydration.
Selection of overburden surface mining method in West Virginia by analytical hierarchy process

The broad objective of this research was to improve current surface mining practices and reduce negative environmental impact of overburden removal in West Virginia (WV). The specific objectives were to (i) compare conventional surface mining method (drilling, blasting, digging, and loading) to a surface miner (SM) method, and (ii) apply the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to help select the optimal mining method based on production, cost and environmental criteria. The design and the procedures used in this research involve five interrelated modules: (i) rock properties of overburden in WV, (ii) drilling and blasting, (iii) digging and loading, (iv) SM method, and (v) comparative analysis and selection of the optimal mining method by AHP. Results of this research indicate that application of SM method would yield higher cost of overburden removal than conventional mining methods in rocks with a high unconfined compressive strength and abrasivity. A significant advantage of SM method, where applicable, is the elimination of the negative environmental impacts associated with blasting.
Learning in the GNU/Linux community

The GNU/Linux operating system is one of most familiar examples of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). The Free and Open Source Software paradigm encourages a sense of community and participation, building upon shared knowledge. The same tenets of collaboration and shared knowledge are espoused by academia and the educational system [8]. However, there is little discussion of the GNU/Linux community and the FOSS framework in much of the K-16 education system. If identified as a participatory learning community, the GNU/Linux community and its utilization of the FOSS framework would represent a stark contrast to the proprietary, black box software and software practices currently adopted in much of K-16 education. Therefore, researchers conducted an online survey to determine if the GNU/Linux community exhibited significant elements of the legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) learning process. This research does not focus on specific units of learning using GNU/Linux but rather is a more general investigation of a possible GNU/Linux community to determine whether more specific research evaluating the educational efficacy of FOSS and the FOSS framework is warranted. This paper presents an analysis of survey data provided by 4603 respondents reflecting on learning within the context of GNU/Linux and other FOSS communities. The intent of the paper is to facilitate an evaluation of GNU/Linux and its properties as a participatory learning community by educational technologists, educators, education administrators, and other education stakeholders. In this paper, researchers analyze data to determine whether the GNU/Linux community exhibits significant characteristics of a community engaged in the process of legitimate peripheral participation. Researchers then identify some of the more significant correlations identified among participatory activities within the GNU/Linux community and learning. Lastly, researchers present community members' perceptions of learning within the GNU/Linux community and their beliefs regarding the possible role(s) of GNU/Linux and the FOSS framework within the K-16 educational paradigm.
Bioaccumulation and toxicity of copper as affected by interactions between humic acid and water hardness

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of water hardness and humic acid (HA) on the acute and chronic toxicity of copper to Daphnia pulex and on its accumulation by D. magna . Hardness had little effect on either the acute (3-day) or the chronic (42-day) toxicity of copper. Humic acid significantly reduced both the acute and chronic toxicity of copper when added to waters having hardnesses of 58, 115 and 230 mg l −1 as CaCO 3 . The effect, per unit of HA, on chronic toxicity was very similar for soft and medium water but less in hard water. At each of two HA concentrations, copper was chronically more toxic in hard water than in either medium or soft water. Bioaccumulation of copper varied with relative hardness and HA concentration and this was further affected by age at exposure. For 1-day-old animals, an increase in either hardness or HA- or any combination of the two, tended to decrease bioaccumulation. Results for 7-day-old animals were in general agreement except for animals exposed to copper in hard water at an intermediate HA concentration. These animals accumulated significantly more copper in the presence of HA. This agrees with the fact that this concentration of HA also increased the chronic toxicity of copper in hard water. Both of those phenomena are probably due to the displacement of Cu 2+ from HA by competition from the increased concentrations of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . The fact that HA had the opposite effect on copper accumulation by young animals in hard water could not be explained.
Preparation and Characterization of Group 14 Element bis(thiolate) Compounds and Evaluation of Their Potential as Molecular Precursors in the Low Temperature Syntheses of Binary Metal Sulfides

Three isomeric lead bis(butylthiolate) and tin bis(butylthiolate) compounds have been prepared and characterized. Their solid state decomposition, and in the case of the lead bis(thiolate) compounds, their thermolyses in suspension in a high boiling hydrocarbon, have been studied. X-ray powder diffraction patterns and scanning electron micrographs of the obtained solid state material are discussed. Volatile co-products of the decomposition have been isolated and characterized.
Atomistic Simulation of Laser Ablation of Diamond and Silicon (111) Surface

Tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study femtosecond-laser ablation of diamond and silicon (111) surface. The simulation results show that under intense ultrafast laser ablation the diamond (111) surface graphitizes while the silicon (111) surface melts spontaneously. All structural changes occur within a few hundred femtoseconds, which is much shorter than the typical lattice dynamics time scale, in consistent with experimental observations.
State of newly synthesized HeLa DNA.

Pulse labelling experiments provide evidence that the newly made DNA of HeLa cells is in the form of short segments, partially single stranded.
Nonlinear dynamics found in polymerization processes — a review

Each year more than a hundred million tons of polymer are produced worldwide in a variety of polymerization processes. Most of the polymerization reactions involved are highly exothermic so that very interesting and troublesome nonlinear dynamics arise routinely in these processes. In this paper, the key reaction parameters are examined for a variety of important polymers and examples are provided illustrating the steady state multiplicity, sustained oscillations, and traveling waves which can arise in industrial reactors. Among the reactors discussed are stirred tanks, loops, and fluidized beds. Some of the effects of imperfect mixing will also be demonstrated by examples.
Induction and activation of macrophage transforming growth factor-β1 by extracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and its metabolite, cyclic ADP ribose: In vitro and in silico studies

Results: Sevoflurane pharmacodynamic was in close agreement with a sigmoid dose-response relationship for SEF95 (correlation coefficient r = 0.62 ± 0.17), FD (r = 0.73 ± 0.11), and H (r = 0.78 ± 0.12). The probability of H to predict sevoflurane effectside concentration (Pk = 0.86 ± 0.05) was significantly higher (P b .05) as compared with FD (Pk = 0.81 ± 0.06) or SEF95 (Pk = 0.76 ± 0.08). Conclusions: The Hurst coefficient is superior to fractal dimension and spectral edge frequency in predicting the depth of sevoflurane anesthesia. Nonlinear EEG analysis seems to be a promising tool to improve the monitoring of anesthetic depth and to investigate anesthesia-related EEG decomplexification.
Sputtering properties of redeposited graphite surfaces

Abstract Sputtering yields for carbon redeposited films, put down in the presence of high neutral hydrogen and helium background concentrations, have been measured. The data were obtained using the ion-surface interaction system (ISIS) [1] which is an ion beam sputtering system capable of creating redeposited films and measuring sputtering yields. Yields were determined by calibrated collection of a portion of the sputtered material onto a quartz-crystal-microbalance. Incident ion beam energies ranged from 100 eV up to 10 keV. Sputtering yields for hydrogen and helium bombardment of redeposited films created in ISIS from targets of Union Carbide ATJ graphite are reported. In addition, yields obtained from ISIS proton and deuteron bombardment of Poco AXF-5Q graphite surfaces previously modified in PISCES [2] are also presented. Measurements of sputtering yields from pristine, bulk samples are reported for comparison. Hydrogen sputtering yields from redeposited films generated in ISIS are 2.5 times higher than those of pristine ATJ at an incident energy of 100 eV. Above 200 eV, the hydrogen yields are a factor of 1.4 higher for the redeposited material. Helium yields are 34 times greater for redeposited films at 100 eV and remain as much as 10 times greater above 500 eV. Curve-fits to the data, obtained by incorporating an effective surface binding energy for the redeposited film into a semi-empirical yield expression, are also presented.
Effect of ascorbic acid on cysteine requirement of Lactobacilli.

Summary1. The requirement of some lactobacilli for cysteine, as determined in growth tests with usual chemically defined media, disappears when ascorbic acid in appropriate amounts, or other reducing substance, is incorporated in the medium. Of 5 strains of lactobacilli in this category encountered in a collection of 36 cultures, one was L. casei, the other 4 were heterofermentative L. fermenti. For these organisms the apparent cysteine requirement appears to be a need for a reducing substance and not for cysteine per se. Many L. fermenti strains evidently do not require cysteine though this may not always be apparent with some of the commonly-used synthetic media. 2. In contrast to L. fermenti, other lactobacilli—most L. casei, lactose-negative L. casei, L. acidophilus, and the majority of L. plantarum—require cysteine for growth in the presence of ascorbic acid. The rate of growth of these lactobacilli often is accelerated by ascorbic acid in the presence of either suboptimal or optimal amounts of cyste...
Knowledge-directed inference in believer

The BELIEVER theory is an attempt to specify an information processing systenn that constructs intentional interpretations of an observed sequence of human actions. A frame-based system, AIMDS, is used to define three domains: the physical world; the plan domain, where interpretations are constructed using plan structures composed from plan traits; and the psychological description of time actor. The system achieves a shift of representation from propositions about physical events to statements about beliefs and intentions of the actor by hypothesizing and attributing a.plan structure to the actor.
Integral Method Solution for Diffusion into a Spherical Block

Abstract An approximate analytical solution is derived for the problem of a Newtonian fluid infiltrating into a porous spherical block. The fluid in the block is initially at a constant pressure p i , and the pressure at the outer boundary is held at a constant value p o . Using the simple assumption of linear pressure profiles, the instantaneous and cumulative fluxes into the sphere are predicted with surprisingly high accuracy. The solution applies to all other physical processes governed by the same equation, such as heat conduction and chemical diffusion. The solution should be very useful for incorporation into double-porosity models for fractured reservoirs and aquifers.
The image of the Baltic German elites in twentieth-century Estonian historiography: The 1930s vs. the 1970s

professional historians, has a relatively short history. In this strict sense it extends no further back than the first period of Estonian independence during the two inter-war decades. To be sure, writing about Estonian history in Estonian - and produced by individuals who identified themselves as Estonians - began to appear by the national awakening of the 1 860s, but it remained the work of amateur historians who lacked professional training. The quality of these writings certainly improved from the time of Jakob Hurt in the 1 860s and 1 870s to that of Villem Reiman in the early twentieth century, but they are most appropriately seen as the prologue to the more substantial historiography of the post-World War I era. Tartu (Dorpat) University, already established in 1632 during the period of Swedish rule in Estonia, was a distinguished institution of higher learning, but the study of Estonian language and culture had virtually no place there before 1919. In the nineteenth century, instruction was in German until the 1890s and then in Russian until the end of the tsarist regime. The study of Estonian was only supported by a low-level lectureship, and all attempts to establish one or more professorships in Estonian studies were turned back by the university or tsarist authorities (Raun, "The Role" 140-41). During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the professional investigation of the past in Estonia was dominated by Baltic German historians, much of whose work was at a high level when judged by the standards of the time, but whose output focused rather narrowly on the historical role of the Baltic German elites (Liiv, "Eesti ajaloouurimise" 300). As the end of the twentieth century approaches, it seems appropriate to assess the evolution of Estonian historiography during the past seven or eight decades, especially since it is a topic that has not been studied in sufficient depth to date.1 It is certainly not coincidental that the writing of history in Estonia during this century has mirrored the shifting political tides that the country has been subject to, i.e., two initial decades of independence, followed by war and occupation, full-blown Stalinism, a post-Stalin thaw with strong ideological controls still in place, and finally the restoration of independence in the 1990s. Thus, one finds a considerable amount of discontinuity and fragmentation in JBS, Vol XXX, No 4 (Winter 1999) 338
Crystalline Solution in 3CaO.Al 2 O 3 on the Join Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 –‘Ca 3 Fe 2 O 6 ’

THE extent of substitution of ferric iron for aluminium in tricalcium aluminate has been investigated using conventional high-temperature phase equilibrium techniques. Starting materials were mechanical mixtures of reagentgrade oxides. Raw mixtures were suspended for several hours in platinum-foil envelopes at the hot spot of a platinum-wound vertical-tube resistance furnace. Temperatures were read using a Pt-90Pt10Rh thermocouple frequently calibrated against melting points denned on the 1948 International Temperature Scale. Identification of phases in the quenched products was made by use of X-ray diffraction and of transmitted-light microscope.
Io's 5 micron variability

An outburst of Io, similar to that observed by Witteborn, Bregman, and Pollack, has been observed with M filter-band photometry. At the beginning of observing on 1979 June 11 (UT) the flux was about 3 times its normal value and decayed approximately linearly with time by 23% in the first hour of observing. The beginning of observations followed the emergence of Io from eclipse by 1.5 hours.
Subpicosecond, electromagnetic pulses from intense laser-plasma interaction.

Laser pulses with a power of ${10}^{12}$ W and a duration of ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}13}$ s were focused onto both gas and solid targets. Strong emission of pulsed radiation at terahertz frequencies was observed from the resulting plasmas. The most intense radiation was detected from solid density targets and was correlated with the emission of MeV x rays and electrons. Results indicate that radiative processes in such plasmas are driven by ponderomotively induced space charge fields in excess of ${10}^{8}$ V/cm. This work constitutes the first direct observation of a laser-induced wake field.
Generalized vector dominance and inelastic electron - proton scattering

Abstract We propose a model of inelastic electron-proton scattering which takes into account the coupling of the photon to higher-mass vector states. Both the virtual photon-proton cross section σT (predicted with essentially no adjustable parameters) and the q2 dependence of R are in exceedingly good agreement with the SLAC-MIT data in the diffraction region.