cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of glass matrices for high level radioactive wastes

Abstract: Vitrification is currently the most widely used technology for the treatment of high level radioactive wastes (HLW) throughout the world. Most of the nations that have generated HLW are immobilizing in either borosilicate glass or phosphate glass. One of the primary reasons that glass has become the most widely used immobilization medium is the relative simplicity of the vitrification process, e.g. melt waste plus glass-forming frit additives and cast. A second reason that glass has become widely used for HLW is that the short-range order (SRO) and medium-range order (MRO) found in glass atomistically bonds the radionuclides and governs the melt properties such as viscosity, resistivity, and sulfate solubility. The molecular structure of glass controls contaminant/radionuclide release by establishing the distribution of ion exchange sites and hydrolysis sites, and the access of water to those sites. The molecular structure is flexible and hence accounts for the flexibility of glass formulations to waste variability. Nuclear waste glasses melt between 1050 and 1150 °C which minimizes the volatility of radioactive components such as Tc99, Cs137, and I129. Nuclear waste glasses have good long-term stability including irradiation resistance. Process control models based on the molecular structure of glass have been mechanistically derived and have been demonstrated to be accurate enough to control the world’s largest HLW Joule-heated ceramic melter in the US since 1996 at 95% confidence.
The Many Faces of Xenopus : Xenopus laevis as a Model System to Study Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare developmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability and various physical malformations including craniofacial, skeletal, and cardiac defects. These phenotypes, as they involve structures that are derived from the cranial neural crest, suggest that WHS may be associated with abnormalities in neural crest cell (NCC) migration. This syndrome is linked with assorted mutations on the short arm of chromosome 4, most notably the microdeletion of a critical genomic region containing several candidate genes. However, the function of these genes during embryonic development, as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the disorder, are still unknown. The model organism Xenopus laevis offers a number of advantages for studying WHS. With the Xenopus genome sequenced, genetic manipulation strategies can be readily designed in order to alter the dosage of the WHS candidate genes. Moreover, a variety of assays are available for use in Xenopus to examine how manipulation of WHS genes leads to changes in the development of tissue and organ systems affected in WHS. In this review article, we highlight the benefits of using X. laevis as a model system for studying human genetic disorders of development, with a focus on WHS.
Prenatal Exposure to Nitrate in Drinking Water and the Risk of Congenital Anomalies

Abstract Background Nitrate is a common water contaminant that has been associated with birth defects, although the evidence is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine whether maternal consumption of nitrate through drinking water is associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies. Methods The study included a total of 348,250 singletons births from the state of Missouri between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2008. Individual-level birth defect data and maternal and child characteristics were obtained from the Missouri birth defects registry and state vital statistics records. Outcomes were linked with county-specific monthly estimates of the nitrate concentration in finished water, based on data collected for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Standard. Poisson models were fit to examine the association between nitrate exposure and birth defects. Average nitrate exposure during the first trimester and over 12 months prior to birth were modeled as continuous variables. Sensitivity analyses included restriction of the sample to counties with Results Estimated water concentrations of nitrate were generally low and below the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L. Nitrate exposure was associated with a significantly increased risk of limb deficiencies (RR for 1 mg/L (RR1) = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.51) in models without well restriction. Nitrate was also weakly associated with an increased risk of congenital heart defects (RR1 = 1.13, 95%CI = 0.93, 1.51) and neural tube defects (RR1 = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.93, 1.51) in models with well restriction ( Conclusion The positive associations found between nitrate exposure via drinking water and congenital abnormalities are largely consistent with some previous epidemiologic studies. The results of this study should be interpreted with caution given limitations in our ability to estimate exposures and the lack information on some risk factors for congenital abnormalities. Our findings may have serious policy implications given that exposure levels in our study were well below current EPA standards for nitrate in drinking water.
Constant Runtime Integrated Microring-based Silicon Photonic Sorting Accelerator

We introduce an integrated silicon photonic accelerator, which processes sorting tasks more efficiently compared to conventional sorting techniques and can potentially outperform the limits imposed by Von Neumann architecture
A moment-of-fluid method for diffusion equations on irregular domains in multi-material systems

Abstract A new numerical method is developed for the solution of the diffusion problem in a system of several materials. In such a system, the diffusion coefficients are piecewise continuous and jumps in their values can occur across the complex-shaped interfaces between contiguous materials. The boundary conditions along the complex-shaped interfaces can either be a jump condition boundary condition, a Neumann boundary condition, or a Dirichlet boundary condition. The moment-of-fluid (MOF) procedure is employed to reconstruct the interfaces. This procedure enables accurate reconstruction of any number of material interfaces in a computational cell. Furthermore, MOF is a volume preserving reconstruction, as well as capable of capturing thin filamentary regions without the necessity of adaptive mesh refinement. The proposed method is tested on multi-material diffusion problems which demonstrates its potential to enable numerical simulation of complex flows of technological importance relevant to predicting the heat transfer rate in materials and manufacturing processes. Results using the new method are reported on problems in complex (filamentary) domains, and it is found that the method is very efficient at approximating the temperature, the temperature gradient, and the interfacial heat flux, as compared to traditional approaches.
Shoulder, Elbow, and Wrist Joint Angle Excursions Vary by Gesture during Touchscreen Interaction

Abstract Repeated gesturing on touchscreen computing devices has become part of professional, personal, or school use by persons of all ages. Few studies have compared kinematics among joint motions and gestures during touchscreen interaction. We aimed to quantify the relative contributions of the shoulder, elbow and wrist to completion of several gestures to aid understanding of touchscreen ergonomics. Joint angles of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist were recorded for 22 seated participants while they interacted with a 10.1″ tablet computer held on an easel. Joint excursions at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist were all on average ≤20° during touchscreen interaction. The greatest excursion measured was shoulder rotation for swipe right with a mean of 15.5(±6.0)°. Index finger tap on a touchscreen was completed by participants with less than 5° of mean joint excursion at the shoulder, elbow and wrist. Tap, pinch and stretch gestures demonstrated significantly more wrist flexion/extension (p
Enhancing Gas Permeation Properties of Pebax® 1657 Membranes via Polysorbate Nonionic Surfactants Doping

Composite membranes were prepared by co-casting, incorporating two nonionic surfactants in a poly(ether-block-amide), Pebax® 1657 up to 50 wt %. These polysorbate nonionic surfactants contain many ethylene oxide units and are very CO2-philic agents; thereby, they can be exploited as membrane additives for gas separation involving carbon oxide. Dynamic light scattering analysis proved a higher stability of additionated Pebax® 1657 solutions with respect to those containing only the copolymer. Scanning electron microscopy showed a regular membrane morphology without pores or defects for all investigated samples. If on the one hand the addition of the additive has depressed the mechanical properties, on the other, it has positively influenced the gas transport properties of Pebax® 1657 films. CO2 permeability increased up to two or three times after the incorporation of 50 wt % additive in copolymer matrix, while the selectivity was not significantly affected. The effect of temperature on permanent gas transport properties was studied in the range of 15-55 °C.
Epidemiological features of four human plague cases in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China in 2019

Abstract This study aims to investigate cases of human plague in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), China, and to inform the development of plague prevention and control strategies. On 12th of November 2019, two herdsmen from Sunitezuo Banner, Xilingol League were diagnosed with pneumonic plague in Beijing, China. On November 16th, one resident of Xianghuang Banner, Xilingol League was diagnosed with bubonic plague in Huade County Hospital, Ulanqab, China. On 27th of November, one resident of Siziwang Banner was diagnosed with bubonic plague. In total, 78 close contacts were monitored over a period, but none of them developed symptoms. Plague outbreaks in animals had been reported in Sunitezuo Banner, Xianghuang Banner, and Siziwang Banner in 2019. Two of the four cases were related (husband and wife), but not the other two. All the cases may be associated with contact with rodents (hare) or infected fleas. The cases highlight the importance of early identification of plague cases in humans in order to stop further infection. This demonstrates the value of monitoring and ongoing vigilance on endemic diseases, the importance of updating medical training and raising public awareness about infectious diseases that even have not been observed over decades.
Corn Production as Affected by Phosphorus Enhancers, Phosphorus Source and Lime

Prompted by high cost of fertilizer, farmers are investigating ways to enhance the efficiency of phosphorus (P) fertilizers. This study examined the effects of liming application (0 Mg ha-1 and recommended rate), P source [non-treated control and a broadcast application of diammonium phosphate (DAP) or triple superphosphate (TSP)], and the presence or absence of two commercial enhanced efficiency P products (Avail? and P2O5-Max?) on corn (Zea mays L.) production. The study was conducted at Novelty in northeastern Missouri and Portageville in southeastern Missouri. The P enhancers did not affect plant population, silage dry weights, grain moisture, yield, protein, oil, or starch concentrations at either location. At Portageville, P enhancers did not affect plant N, P, K uptake and apparent P recovery efficiency (APRE). At Novelty, neither P enhancer paired with DAP increased P uptake over the non-treated control. TSP treated with Avail? increased P uptake 8.6 kg ha-1 compared to the non-treated control and 7.1 kg ha-1 compared to P2O5-Max?. In 2010 at Novelty, TSP treated with Avail? increased K uptake 150 kg ha-1 compared to the non-treated TSP and 100 kg ha-1 compared to P2O5-Max?. At Novelty, plant population was 4,800 plants ha-1 greater in the non-limed control compared to the recommended rate in 2011, although plant population at Portageville was not affected. At Portageville, the recommended amount of lime increased grain yields 0.77 Mg ha-1, but there was no effect at Novelty. At Novelty, plant P uptake increased 3.4 kg ha-1with the application of lime, but at Portageville there was no effect. Grain yield increased 0.34 Mg ha-1 with TSP compared to the non-treated control.
Assessing The Evidence: How Systems That Address Intimate Partner Violence Evaluate The Credibility And Utility Of Research Findings

Despite advances in practitioner-researcher partnerships, barriers to the uptake of research evidence in practice sectors that address intimate partner violence (IPV) persist. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how practitioners across victim services, criminal justice, and law enforcement systems assess the usefulness and credibility of research evidence to their practice and policy-related decision making. Data were derived through qualitative interviews with 37 representatives of victim services, criminal justice, and law enforcement organizations in the state of Washington. Practitioners were asked to describe the criteria and processes used to determine the credibility and usefulness of research evidence they encounter. Practitioners across systems reported that the identity and credibility of the messenger conveying the research evidence, the relevance and applicability of the research to their own practice context, and the rigor of the methods used to derive the evidence are important criteria in assessing its utility and trustworthiness. A subset of respondents reported a suspicion of the research enterprise altogether, and/or a lack of resources available to engage with research evidence. Given the centrality of the messengers of research evidence in practitioners’ assessment of its credibility, IPV systems may be well-served to more deeply invest in research to practice intermediaries who are adequately resourced to translate evidence across sectors. Additional practice and research implications are discussed.
Development of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) probiotic lassi using Lactobacillus fermentum bacteria

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of Aloe vera gel on the quality of probiotic lassi. Probiotic lassi was prepared by adding 15% of Aloe vera gel and inoculating with probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum strain. Results showed that physicochemical properties of fortified probiotic lassi were not affected by these modifications during the storage period (P>0.05), however, antioxidant activities, texture and aroma sensory parameters differed significantly (P 0.05) after 21 days of storage. Aloe vera probiotic lassi has a beneficial effect on human health.
Learning Lessons on Reproducibility and Replicability in Large Scale Genome-Wide Association Studies

Reproducibility and replicability play a pivotal role in science. The article reflects on reproducibility and replicability as they figure in large scale genome-wide association studies. Overall, we emphasize the importance of enhancing data reproducibility, analysis reproducibility, and result replicability. We make recommendations pertaining to the development of study designs that address 1) batch effects and selection bias, 2) the incorporation of discrete discovery and replication phases, and 3) the procurement of a large sample size. We emphasize the importance of systematic and transparent data generation, processing, and quality control pipelines, as well as a rigorous field-specific standardized analysis protocol, We offer guidance with respect to collaborative frameworks, open access analysis tools, and software, and the use of supporting mandates, infrastructure, and repositories for data and resource sharing. Finally, we identify the role of incentives and culture in fueling the production of reproducible and replicable research through partnerships of researchers, funding agencies, and journals.
Implications of the vaginal microbiome and potential restorative strategies on maternal health: a narrative review.

The vaginal microbiome undergoes dramatic shifts before and throughout pregnancy. Although the genetic and environmental factors that regulate the vaginal microbiome have yet to be fully elucidated, high-throughput sequencing has provided an unprecedented opportunity to interrogate the vaginal microbiome as a potential source of next-generation therapeutics. Accumulating data demonstrates that vaginal health during pregnancy includes commensal bacteria such as Lactobacillus that serve to reduce pH and prevent pathogenic invasion. Vaginal microbes have been studied as contributors to several conditions occurring before and during pregnancy, and an emerging topic in women's health is finding ways to alter and restore the vaginal microbiome. Among these restorations, perhaps the most significant effect could be preterm labor (PTL) prevention. Since bacterial vaginosis (BV) is known to increase risk of PTL, and vaginal and oral probiotics are effective as supplemental treatments for BV prevention, a potential therapeutic benefit exists for pregnant women at risk of PTL. A new method of restoration, vaginal microbiome transplants (VMTs) involves transfer of one women's cervicovaginal secretions to another. New studies investigating recurrent BV will determine if VMTs can safely establish a healthy Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiome. In most cases, caution must be taken in attributing a disease state and vaginal dysbiosis with a causal relationship, since the underlying reason for dysbiosis is usually unknown. This review focuses on the impact of vaginal microflora on maternal outcomes before and during pregnancy, including PTL, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and infertility. It then reviews the clinical evidence focused on vaginal restoration strategies, including VMTs.
The New United Nations High Seas Treaty: A Primer

This short Insights piece provides an introductory overview to the United Nations' developing Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty, which would add a Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to allow for biodiversity protections (marine protected areas) in the high seas.
Male pelvic CT multi-organ segmentation using synthetic MRI-aided dual pyramid networks

The delineation of the prostate and organs-at-risk (OARs) is fundamental to prostate radiation treatment planning, but is currently labor-intensive and observer-dependent. We aimed to develop an automated computed tomography (CT)-based multi-organ (bladder, prostate, rectum, left and right femoral heads (RFHs)) segmentation method for prostate radiation therapy treatment planning. The proposed method uses synthetic MRIs (sMRIs) to offer superior soft-tissue information for male pelvic CT images. Cycle-consistent adversarial networks (CycleGAN) were used to generate CT-based sMRIs. Dual pyramid networks (DPNs) extracted features from both CTs and sMRIs. A deep attention strategy was integrated into the DPNs to select the most relevant features from both CTs and sMRIs to identify organ boundaries. The CT-based sMRI generated from our previously trained CycleGAN and its corresponding CT images were inputted to the proposed DPNs to provide complementary information for pelvic multi-organ segmentation. The proposed method was trained and evaluated using datasets from 140 patients with prostate cancer, and were then compared against state-of-art methods. The Dice similarity coefficients and mean surface distances between our results and ground truth were 0.95 ± 0.05, 1.16 ± 0.70 mm; 0.88 ± 0.08, 1.64 ± 1.26 mm; 0.90 ± 0.04, 1.27 ± 0.48 mm; 0.95 ± 0.04, 1.08 ± 1.29 mm; and 0.95 ± 0.04, 1.11 ± 1.49 mm for bladder, prostate, rectum, left and RFHs, respectively. Mean center of mass distances was within 3 mm for all organs. Our results performed significantly better than those of competing methods in most evaluation metrics. We demonstrated the feasibility of sMRI-aided DPNs for multi-organ segmentation on pelvic CT images, and its superiority over other networks. The proposed method could be used in routine prostate cancer radiotherapy treatment planning to rapidly segment the prostate and standard OARs.
What are the impacts on the HVAC system when it provides frequency regulation? – A comprehensive case study with a Multi-Zone variable air volume (VAV) system

Abstract Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings have proven to be a great asset for providing secondary frequency regulation (FR) service to the power grid. However, how the provision of FR service affects the HVAC system performance is still largely unknown. This paper investigates how a HVAC system performance and its associated controls are impacted during and after a FR service. We exploit a dynamic Modelica-based medium office building model as a virtual testbed with the Air Handling Unit (AHU) fans providing the FR service for the assessment. The virtual testbed adopts state-of-the-art HVAC control sequences and an experimentally validated frequency regulation control scheme. The comprehensive study of 832 case studies considers several scenarios, consisting of different regulation capacities (demand levels), standardized FR test signals, and building load profiles in 16 U.S, climate zones. The holistic assessment includes the interaction between the FR and the HVAC baseline controls, the impact of FR on the occupant’s thermal comfort, and, more importantly, the energy efficiency. The results show that FR has little or no impact on the HVAC operation and occupant thermal comfort while the building is providing the service if an appropriate regulation capacity is pre-determined. However, if the regulation capacity is overestimated, the quality of the FR service provided by the HVAC system and the HVAC energy efficiency will be affected due to the equipment operating constraints. In addition, the AHU supply air temperature fluctuates, and the controller cannot maintain the desired setpoint as the FR magnitude is increased. After the FR service time, the system takes a certain period to return to normal operation. The rebound period extends with the increase in the FR magnitude. For this case study, there exists a control conflict between the FR control and the existing HVAC control (from ASHRAE Guideline 36-2018) during high load conditions, causing the fan speed to saturate. The increased fan electricity consumption caused by this control conflict will offset the potential revenue a building can earn from offering the FR service. In addition, the rebound power usage could have a negative effect on the grid.
Some potential uses of prostaglandins in domestic animals

This review discusses the use of prostaglandin F2 alpha in cows, mares and ewes for synchronizing oestrus and ovulation. Its clinical uses include induced abortion, induced parturition and treatment of anoestrus females. In cows it also appears to induce luteolysis, uterine drainage and oestrus in cases of postpartum pyometra.
Financing Inventories with an Investment Efficiency Objective: ROI-Maximizing Newsvendor, Bank Loans and Trade Credit Contracts

The inventory and supply chain management literature barely mentions any use of capital efficiency metrics, such as Return-on-Investment (ROI), and their impact on ordering decisions and inventory investments. Our work will offer an understanding of how such metrics, like ROI, affect orders at a stand-alone single stocking stage under demand uncertainty (newsvendor-like models) or within bilateral supply chains of a supplier and retailer interacting with the use of a trade-credit-contract. The ROI-driven newsvendor without any capital constraints offers similar insights to earlier Economic-Order-Quantity work. The newsvendor orders less than the traditional quantity. The insights carry through to model extensions that account for capital constraints, bankruptcy risks and costs. The analysis of the trade-credit contract with an ROI-optimizing retailer continues to support the low-interest rate of such contracts, but interestingly shows that the retailer now orders more than under profit optimization. As a result, the overall supply chain efficiency improves, and the retailer appropriates a larger percentage of the chain profit.
DNA transfection of cultured muscle cells.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the DNA transfection of cultured muscle cells. Myoblasts are fairly straightforward to isolate from embryonic and neonatal muscles, and myogenic cultures are generally amenable to transfection with exogenous DNA. Assays of gene expression from these transient DNA structures are most useful when rapid testing of numerous constructs is required, as multiple transient transfections can be harvested in parallel. The popularity of muscle cell culture systems for the analysis of cloned gene expression lies with the standard techniques involved and with the reproducibility of the assays. Following introduction of expression vector DNA into myoblast cell cultures, transient expression of the exogenous genes can usually be measured for up to 72 hr post-transfection. The virtues of transient assays include the convenience of the short time between transfection and harvest. This is ideal for the design of expression studies such as deletion or mutation analysis of a DNA regulatory sequence, requiring sequential testing of many constructs.
Recent Developments in Union Listing and Interlibrary Loan : Retrieval at a University Library

Union listing of serials on OCLC can bring about an increase in interlibrary loan and turn-around time when implemented at a university library. Formerly accessible as a subsystem of OCLC, union listing is now available on Connexion Browser as MARC 21 holdings data. Immediately following a batch load of OCLC union listing records at medium-sized Louisiana university library, it was found that lending requests sent to the library were up 10% for all materials and up 13% for serials. An increase in borrower requests from patrons at the library was also observed when interlibrary loan request buttons were inserted into citation entries found on EBSCO host university databases.
Reply to cutright and Osborn

We are delighted that our paper has stimulated thought and discussion. Indeed, one of its purposes was to bring into prominence the need for more hard data on which to base population policy. We had hoped to arouse exasperation with the little information available to demographers in relation to the policy demands made upon them, and we have succeeded. We could wish, however, that our commentators had devoted themselves to careful critiques of our re-estimate rather than to using it as a springboard for further development of differing data bases. In this reply, then, we shall deal only with those parts of their comments that seem relevant to our original presentation. Osborn's first criticism concerns our use of data on desired family size (DFS) from the 1965 National Fertility Study in order to estimate the number of women who would be pregnant, or would be trying to get pregnant, if they bore children throughout their reproductive span at a rate consonant with their presumed desired family size. In reply to this particular criticism, two points seem most relevant to us. First, the indicator, desired family size, was also used by Campbell in his original estimate. Our refinement was to abandon the use of the omnibus average employed by Campbell-three childrenand apply the National Fertility Study data on desired family size by subeategories of race, age, and religion among lower-income women according to mairital status. Thus, an attack on desired family size as a concept will not help to explain the difference between Campbell's estimate and ours because we all used the same indicator. Indeed, one of our purposes in doing so was to hold constant the effect of this assumption and simply make its methodological application more realistic. It now appears, with the publication of the Zelnick and Kantner (1972) data (data nonexistent when our re-estimate was made), that the reestimate could be made even more realistic by recognizing that a share of sexually active, unmarried women wish to get pregnant, or would not object to doing so. Such a refinement would, of course, result in an even larger number of deductions than we mnade in our original re-estimate. Second, if Osborn seeks to explain why we have arrived at a larger number of deductions than Campbell, his point concerning desired family size is irrelevant since our estimate of the number of women pregnant and trying to get pregnant was 27 percent less than Campbell's. This is the one category in which we have deducted fewer women than did Campbell. To be sure, our deduction of fewer women was due to a very conservative assumption on our part that no single or previously married women would desire pregnancy ( an assumption that Zelnik and Kantner (1972) have
Evaluation of the Impact of a Policy Change on Diversion Program Recidivism and Justice System Costs: 12-Month Follow-Up.

Abstract Following a national trend of “getting tough” on juvenile crime, the Florida legislature eliminated one of the State's primary community service-oriented juvenile diversion programs, the Juvenile Alternative Services Program (JASP). JASP was subsequently replaced with four other diversion programs, two of which (the Walker Plan and an expanded Arbitration program) permitted greater penetration into the juvenile justice system. In previous papers, we examined the effects of this shift in program funding in regard to recidivism and direct cost to the justice system over a six-month post-program follow-up period. The results indicated that: (1) youths placed in the JASP program had significantly lower rates of new arrests and new arrest charges than youths placed in each of the other four diversion programs—suggesting a net-widening effect, and (2) an increase in the direct costs of a number of key justice services, with JASP having a lower direct cost rate, than any of the alternative to JASP progr...
Nucleotide sequence of the 5'-terminal palindrome of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus and construction of an infectious molecular clone.

Abstract The 5'-terminal palindrome of the ADV-G strain of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) was molecularly cloned and sequenced. A full-length molecular clone of ADV-G, denoted pXVB, was then constructed. When this clone was transfected into cell cultures, infectious ADV could be rescued. Virus derived from pXVB was nonpathogenic for adult mink, as is the parent ADV-G strain.
Doing Something Different: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Practices

Edited byLora Humphrey Beebe, PhD, PMHNP-BCThe University of Tennessee, College of Nursing, Knoxville, Tennessee, USADoing Something Different: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Practices is a compila...
Co Observations of Luminous Ir Galaxy Mergers

Luminous starbursts are observed to occur mostly as a result of a collision/merger in gas-rich galaxies, and most luminous infrared galaxies (LIGs) are indeed gas-rich mergers. In order to determine the relationship between the IR and molecular gas properties and the galaxy-galaxy interactions, we study LIG mergers in the intermediate merging process. We have observed nearly 20 LIG mergers and together with the CO data in the literature, we have found a correlation between the CO luminosity, Leo, and the projected separation of merger nuclei, R sep, in > 50 LIG mergers. The correlation suggests the molecular content is decreasing as merging advances and is better established with ∼ 40 LIG mergers excluding ultraluminous ones, which resembles more a volume-limited, statistically complete sample of LIG mergers. In addition, an anti-correlation between L IR/L CO (the measure of star formation efficiency, SFE) and R sep is evident. One interpretation is that the molecular gas content of LIG mergers is being rapidly depleted due to the merger-induced starbursts and the increase of SFE as merging progresses.
Beef cattle in the year 2050.

In 2050, beef likely will be produced much as occurs currently, as (1) a by-product of dairying—cull cows and calves not needed as replacements; (2) intensively managed cattle in environments rich in feed resources; or (3) extensively managed cattle grazing land unsuitable for tillage, with calves often moving to richer feed environments. Genetic progress will continue to depend on information such as weaning weights, but in addition, genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic information will be obtained from blood, hair, semen, and/or biopsies of embryos.
Index-linked Debt and the Real Term Structure: New Estimates and Implications from the U.K.

This paper provides a new analysis of index-linked debt in the U.K.. I begin by clarifying the theoretical links between the observed prices of conventional and index-linked debt, and the term structure of real interest rates. Based on this analysis, I then describe a new empirical methodology for analyzing index-linked bonds. This approach has significant advantages over existing methods. Moreover, when it is applied to the U.K. data, some striking findings emerge. In particular, there is strong evidence of large and time-varying inflation risk premia over a wide range of maturities. This finding implies that it is a good deal more difficult to accurately track movements in expected inflation from the behavior of conventional and index-linked bond prices that has often been thought. It also suggests that occasionally there are substantial fiscal benefits to be had from the issuance of index-linked rather that conventional debt.
Instituting and advocating technology training and sharing of ideas for online courseware

How can you invite and encourage faculty to share their knowledge and ideas about courseware? A successful faculty technology training program promotes interdepartmental collaboration and sharing of such information. This presentation will focus on key strategies used to promote technology sharing amongst faculty while assisting in courseware implementation, training, documentation, and support.The issue of courseware purchase is not a unique one. Most universities have had an online presence for some time. The issues at hand in the decision of purchasing courseware for our university was: Resource limitations, Size of faculty and staff, Late adoption of courseware.Courses of action decided upon and taken to accomplish this goal included training of those who would instruct faculty, creating documentation, providing faculty workshops and other various support services.
Experimental probes of the molecular hydrogen–carbon nanotube interaction

Electrical transport (resistance R and thermoelectric power S), Raman scattering, and hydrogen adsorption are used to study the interaction of hydrogen molecules with ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The data are consistent with H2 physisorption under the experimental conditions investigated (4 KoTo500 K; 0.1 atmoPo20 atm). The response of S; R to 1 atm hydrogen at 500 Kis consistent with the introduction of a new scattering channel for electrons/holes in the metallic tubes. Raman scattering from the Q-branch of hydrogen molecules adsorbed on the surface is found shifted only by 1–2 cm � 1 from their frequencies in the free molecule and indicates that two different adsorption sites can be detected. Finally, H2 wt% storage in heavily processed ropes of SWNTs are found to exceed 6% at B1 atm and T ¼ 77 Kand the isosteric heat of adsorption is found to be 120 meV. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Aminoacylation and methylation of tRNA as a function of age in the rat.

Abstract Aminoacylation of t RNA was compared between preparations from spleen obtained from young (age: 2–3 months) and old (age: 9–12 months) rats. Assays with ten amino acids indicated no large differences in initial rate or total incorporation between the amino-acylating synthetases from spleens of the two age groups when each was assayed with t RNA from the same or different age group. On the other hand, t RNA from spleens of old rats accepted only 50 per cent or less of the amount of amino acid that t RNA from spleens of young animals accepted, with the exception of arginine. t RNA from spleens or livers of old rats was methylated in vivo to a lesser degree than that from young animals. Reversed phase chromatography of t RNA from spleens methylated in vivo indicated both quantitatively less and qualitatively different patterns for material of old animals compared to young. Such analysis of t RNA from liver showed the quantitative difference but no qualitative change. The decreased amount of methylation in liver was not due to the loss of certain methylated nucleotides but rather to a decrease in all methylated components. In vitro assays of methylase activity showed no significant difference between the two age groups although there was more activity in spleen preparations than in liver. Thus, senescence in rats is reflected in certain qualitative and/or quantitative differences in t RNA metabolism depending on the organ examined.
A NEW TYPE OF SYRINGE, ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR INTRAVENOUS INJECTIONS OR THE ASPIRATION OF BLOOD

In rabbits destroying transfused blood constantly during a period of many months a pronounced and widespread siderosis ensues, practically identical with that characterizing human hemochromatosis. The findings do not indicate the ultimate cause of this disease, but they throw light on its various features and its course, and suggest a means for its diagnosis.
Determining Selectivity of Phosphoinositide-Binding Domains

The burgeoning of phosphoinositide-binding domains and proteins in cellular signaling and trafficking has drawn laboratories from a wide variety of fields into the study of lipid interactions with peripheral membrane proteins. Many different approaches have been developed to assess phosphoinositide binding, some of which are more problematic than others, and some of which can be quantitated more readily than others. With a focus on the methods used in our laboratory, we describe here the considerations that need to be taken into account when establishing-and quantitating-the specific binding of a protein or domain to phosphoinositides in membranes. We also discuss briefly a few examples in which no clear consensus has yet been reached as to the specificity of a given domain or protein because of discrepancies between different commonly used approaches.
Decoding positional and color information from a coded pattern

The paper presents decoding positional and color information using visual coded patterns for efficient geometric calibration and color consistency across multiple cameras. The patterns are generated from an alphabet of basis colors placed in unique spatial configurations called ChromaCodes. The imaged patterns are automatically decoded to derive the information needed for both geometric and color calibration. Previous 2-D structured patterns are typically designed for obtaining only geometry whereas the proposed patterns capture color information as well. Moreover, the unique decodability of the codes allows them to overcome the problem of pattern visibility in all views and enables effective geometric calibration and color consistency with even partial and/or occluded view of the pattern. Experimental results demonstrate that a single shot of the pattern is sufficient to encapsulate enough information to compute both geometry and color across one or more cameras, especially important for real-time or interactive applications.
Device Options and Design Considerations for High-Voltage (10-20 kV) SiC Power Switching Devices

We compare the on-state characteristics of five 4H-SiC power devices designed to block 20 kV. At such a high blocking voltage, the on-state current density depends heavily on the degree of conductivity modulation in the drift region, making the IGBT and thyristor attractive devices for high blocking voltages.
Relay Autotuning of Cascade-Controlled Open-Loop Unstable Reactors

Continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) can present operational problems as a result of complex open-loop behavior such as input and output multiplicities, parametric sensitivities, and nonlinear oscillations. It is sometimes appropriate to operate a chemical reactor at an unstable steady state. Traditionally, autotuning procedures for cascade-control strategies are applied using a sequential, one-loop-at-a-time method. Such a method, however, cannot be used on open-loop unstable systems because the secondary loop cannot stabilize the system when the primary loop is open. As a result, a new simultaneous autotuning procedure is proposed for the cascade controllers of open-loop unstable CSTR processes. This new approach can also be used for the autotuning of cascade-controlled open-loop stable systems, thereby covering a wide operation range for CSTR cascade-control systems.
Chlorophyll b deficiency in soybean mutants. II. Thylakoid membrane development and differentiation

Abstract The expression of chlorophyll (Chl) b deficiency in the y 9 y 9 virescent soybean mutant depends strongly on the light intensity during plant growth. The mutant phenotype (high Chl a Chl b ratios, low chlorophyll content per leaf area and low chlorophyll to carotenoid ratios) is expressed at moderate to high intensities, whereas at low light intensities mutant and wild-type plants are indistinguishable. Expression of the mutation appears to be developmentally controlled and is manifested at the membrane level by inhibition of assembly/incorporation of the peripheral complement of the Chl a b light-harvesting complex II (LHC II-peripheral). Analysis of thylakoid membrane polypeptides by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of novel polypeptides of 12–15 kDa in the y 9 y 9 mutants. These polypeptides were the most abundant protein in the thylakoid membrane when the mutation was fully expressed ( Chl a Chl b = 8 ) but were largely absent both from the mature wild-type and from the fully developed y 9 y 9 chloroplasts ( Chl a Chl b = 3.5 ). The relative concentration of polypeptides in the 12–15 kDa region was inversely proportional to that of LHC II, suggesting a role for these novel proteins in the assembly of the LHC II and/or chloroplast development.
PERIPHERAL ADIPOSE TISSUE INSULIN RESISTANCE ALTERS LIPID COMPOSITION AND FUNCTION OF HIPPOCAMPAL SYNAPSES

Compelling evidence indicates that type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance (IR), and metabolic syndrome are often accompanied by cognitive impairment. However, the mechanistic link between these metabolic abnormalities and CNS dysfunction requires further investigations. Here, we evaluated whether adipose tissue IR and related metabolic alterations resulted in CNS changes by studying synapse lipid composition and function in the adipocyte-specific ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphate phosphodiesterase over-expressing transgenic (AtENPP1-Tg) mouse, a model characterized by white adipocyte IR, systemic IR, and ectopic fat deposition. When fed a high-fat diet, AtENPP1-Tg mice recapitulate essential features of the human metabolic syndrome, making them an ideal model to characterize peripherally induced CNS deficits. Using a combination of gas chromatography and western blot analysis, we found evidence of altered lipid composition, including decreased phospholipids and increased triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acid in hippocampal synaptosomes isolated from high-fat diet-fed AtENPP1-Tg mice. These changes were associated with impaired basal synaptic transmission at the Schaffer collaterals to hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) synapses, decreased phosphorylation of the GluN1 glutamate receptor subunit, down-regulation of insulin receptor expression, and up-regulation of the free fatty acid receptor 1.
Creating value through product stewardship and take‐back

Purpose – Secondary markets provide a place for unwanted items to be bought and sold, which diverts them from landfills, reducing the products' ecological impact and creating economic value. The purpose of this paper is study the secondary markets to understand the size of this important portion of the US economy.Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected from financial reports, news articles, and interviews with subject experts. From all of these sources, the scope and size of secondary markets can be estimated.Findings – Secondary markets are effective in diverting a large number of products from landfills, creating numerous jobs, resulting in substantial economic value in the process. Although not reflected in current government metrics, a conservative estimate is that the secondary market represents 2.28 percent of the 2008 US gross domestic product.Research limitations/implications – Several of the secondary markets have many small players, with no strong trade associations or other author...
Directional communication in evolved multiagent teams

The question of how to best design a communication architecture is becoming increasingly important for evolving autonomous multiagent systems. Directional reception of signals, a design feature of communication that appears in most animals, is present in only some existing artificial communication systems. This paper hypothesizes that such directional reception benefits the evolution of communicating autonomous agents because it simplifies the language required to express positional information, which is critical to solving many group coordination tasks. This hypothesis is tested by comparing the evolutionary performance of several alternative communication architectures (both directional and non-directional) in a multiagent foraging domain designed to require a basic "come here" type of signal for the optimal solution. Results confirm that directional reception is a key ingredient in the evolutionary tractability of effective communication. Furthermore, the real world viability of directional reception is demonstrated through the successful transfer of the best evolved controllers to real robots. The conclusion is that directional reception is important to consider when designing communication architectures for more complicated tasks in the future.
6-acylamino-2-[(ethylsulfonyl)oxy]-1H-isoindole-1,3-diones mechanism-based inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G: effect of chirality in the 6-acylamino substituent on inhibitory potency and selectivity

Abstract Inhibition of human leukocyte elastase(HLE) by a series of 6-acylamino-2-[(ethylsulfonyl)oxy)]-1H-isoindole-1,3-diones was determined and compared to their inhibition of ChT, PPE, and Cat G. The best inhibitor of the series was 6-((1′S)-camphanyl)amino-2-[(ethylsulfonyl)oxy]-1H-isoindole-1,3-dione 5b, with a kobs/[I]=11,000 M−1 s−1. This study revealed that HLE shows a preference for the S stereochemistry and tolerates hydrophobic substituents in the Sn′ binding sites. Molecular modeling of noncovalent HLE–inhibitor complexes was used as a tool to investigate our binding model. Buffer stability assays reveal that these compounds are susceptible to hydrolysis at physiological pH.
The use of random walk in field theory

Abstract Ferromagnetic spin systems and gauge theories where the gauge group is topologically a sphere, e.g. Z 2, U(1) and SU(2) are related to the theory of random walk and random surfaces respectively. I survey some applications of this theme to the φ4 field theories.