cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A negative index of refraction metamaterial based on a wire array embedded in ferrite

A metamaterial exhibiting a negative index of refraction can be fabricated from an array of conducting wires cladded with non-magnetic dielectric and embedded in a magnetic host medium. The wires are responsible for the e n < 0 depends primarily on the magnetization of the magnetic host and on the radius of the wire, the outer radius of the cladding, and the lattice constant of the wire array. For readily available materials the dissipation within the medium is mainly due to Ohmic losses within the wire and not magnetic dissipation within the magnetic host. The losses can be minimized by choosing an high conductivity metal for the wire and by having the radius of the wire and outer radius of the cladding as large as practical consistent with maintaining e < 0.
A strain of Serratia marcescens pathogenic for larvae of Lymantria dispar : Characterization

A gram-negative bacillus, pathogenic for gypsy moth larvae, was characterized culturally, morphologically, and physiologically as a member of the Serratia group of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The microorganism lacked the pigmentation characteristic of the group but was generally distinguished from closely related members of the family by its inability to produce gas from glucose, inositol, glycerol, and cellobiose; its rapid liquefaction of gelatin; and its failure to ferment raffinose or arabinose. The microorganism displayed lecithinase, deoxyribonuclease, and chitinase activity. The percentage of G + C in DNA from this bacterium was within the range reported for known strains of Serratia marcescens.
Deformation, growth, and order in sheared spinodal decomposition.

The effect of hydrodynamics on growth is studied by numerical simulation of two-dimensional phase separation in a simple shear flow. The simulations are performed with a momentum-conserving lattice-gas model of an immiscible binary fluid. The results reveal that an anisotropic anomaly that was previously observed in experimentally obtained structure functions is due to a shear-induced, smecticlike ordering of the domains.
Control of Their Environment Reduces Emotionality in Rats

Rats reared from birth in a "contingent environment" in which they controlled lighting conditions and the delivery of food and water were compared as adults to rats reared in an environment in which they received the same food, water, and lighting conditions, but without control over their occurrence. Rats reared in the contingent environment were less emotional, as judged by activity and defecation scores in open-field testing.
Optimal estimation of spatially variable recharge and transmissivity fields under steady-state groundwater flow. Part 1. Theory

Abstract Stochastic methods are used to analyze two-dimensional steady groundwater flow subject to spatially variable recharge and transmissivity. Approximate partial differential equations are developed for the covariances and cross-covariances between the random head, transmissivity and recharge fields. Closed-form solutions of these equations are obtained using Fourier transform techniques. The resulting covariances and cross-covariances can be incorporated into a Bayesian conditioning procedure which provides optimal estimates of the recharge, transmissivity and head fields given available measurements of any or all of these random fields. Results show that head measurements contain valuable information for estimating the random recharge field. However, when recharge is treated as a spatially variable random field, the value of head measurements for estimating the transmissivity field can be reduced considerably. In a companion paper, the method is applied to a case study of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in NE Florida.
Imperatives for Teacher Education Faculty in Higher Education

Abstract The reforms of the 1980s to improve learning for students in grades K-12 have led to calls for reforms in the preparation of teachers. The author lists some of the goals and recommendations identified by the leading reformers and describes two key obstacles to these changes. In order for a significant improvement in the preparation of teachers to take place, higher education will have to collaborate with the public schools. Hindering collaboration are the reward structure in higher education and the programs of study, not only for teachers but also for doctoral candidates–the future higher education faculty. This author examines proposals for supporting teacher education faculty who work cooperatively with the public schools and who conduct successful collaborative research studies. The author concludes by encouraging departments, schools, and colleges of education to collaborate with one another in order to reform the preparation of teachers.
Growth of branching Si nanowires seeded by Au–Si surface migration

Gold–silicon eutectic liquid surface migration is employed during an intermediate annealing to synthesize branched silicon nanowires by the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism without additional gold seeding steps. Independent control of primary nanowire and branch length is demonstrated. Scanning electron micrographs confirm the unkinked nature of the branches, and show that the presence of hydrogen during the annealing is crucial for the growth of long, single-crystalline Si branches. Scanning confocal Raman microscopic maps indicate the high crystallinity of the branched nanowires, while transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrate the epitaxial growth of the branches and confirm their [11] growth direction. This strategy is versatile in that it may be extended to many materials, individually or in combination, available for VLS grown nanowires for the synthesis of tailored, hierarchical nanostructures with fundamentally novel and technologically relevant properties.
Biopsychosocial care for chronic back pain

Supporting evidence looks promising but far from complete Chronic back pain is a leading cause of disability that has a major impact on patients, doctors, healthcare systems, and workplaces.1 Despite growing use in some countries of spinal imaging, opioid analgesics, spinal injections, and spinal fusion surgery, disability from back pain has increased.2 Chronic low back pain is increasingly recognized as often being more than simply an anatomical or physiological problem related to intervertebral discs, facet joints, sacroiliac joints, paravertebral muscles, or other spinal structures.3 Accordingly, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs have evolved to tackle multiple facets of the condition, but their optimal design, effectiveness, and costs have remained uncertain. Uncertainties have in turn spurred an expanding clinical trial literature on these programs, and the linked paper by Kamper and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.h444) provides a new systematic review of the evidence on their effectiveness.4 Multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs acknowledge that although deranged anatomy or physiology contributes to back pain, psychological factors such as anxiety, depression, and a tendency to catastrophize may amplify or prolong pain.5 Similarly, social factors such as demands of work, the work environment, or legal action related to back pain affect the nature of pain …
Misting affects market quality and enzyme activity of broccoli during retail storage

Vitamin C, enzyme activities, color and texture changed in misted and nonmisted broccoli at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hr intervals during display cabinet storage (18 degrees C). Reduced ascorbic acid (RAA), ascorbate oxidase and peroxidase activities, total chlorophyll extractions, Hunterlab color and Instron texture measurements were followed. Misting significantly enhanced RAA (p = 0.0001), and retention of chlorophyll (p = 0.0001), and green color as measured by hue angle (p = 0.0021) during 72 hr storage. RAA degradation in misted and nonmisted broccoli and total chlorophyll degradation in nonmisted samples followed first order kinetics. Peroxidase activity was significantly greater in both the non-misted broccoli floret/stem (p = 0.0221) and stalk tissue (p = 0.0079). No significant differences were found between misted and nonmisted broccoli for ascorbate oxidase activity (p = 0.9426) or Instron shear values (p = 0.3652).
Stair Ascent With a Powered Transfemoral Prosthesis Under Direct Myoelectric Control

This paper presents experimental results of a myoelectric controller designed for reciprocal stair ascent using a transfemoral prosthesis with an actively powered knee joint. The control architecture is derived from able-bodied gait data and estimates knee torque with a linear two-state (stance/swing) impedance control form that includes proportional myoelectric torque control combined with a state-determined knee impedance. The experimentally implemented control interface affords the amputee subject with direct control of knee torque using surface electromyogram (EMG) measurements of muscles in the residual thigh supplemented with a nominal knee impedance whose set-point switches based on the detection of ground contact at the foot. Preliminary clinical evaluations of the EMG-based control system with a single subject with unilateral transfemoral amputation show robust and repeatable performance for alternating stair ascent. The amputee subject effectively modulates power output at the knee using EMG commands during stance, while leveraging the knee's nominal swing-phase impedance and only modest EMG influence to achieve the desired knee trajectories during swing.
Short-term, Moderate Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Have No Effect on Platelet Aggregation, Coagulation Profile, and Bleeding Time in Healthy Individuals

Objective To investigate the in vivo effect of short-term, moderate dosage synthetic dl-α-tocopherol acetate supplementation on platelet aggregation, coagulation profile, and simulated bleeding time in healthy individuals. α-tocopherol is the most biologically active isomer of Vitamin E, traditionally promoted as an antioxidant and therapeutic agent in cardiovascular disease. In vitro studies have suggested that α-tocopherol plays a role in the inhibition of platelet aggregation. However, further investigations into the effect of α-tocopherol on bleeding in vivo have not duplicated these findings. Materials and methods A total of 42 healthy volunteers complied with a 2-week abstinence period from the use of anti-platelet agents followed by determination of baseline platelet aggregation properties and coagulation studies using citrated whole blood. Moderate dosage Vitamin E (800 IU of dl-α-tocopherol acetate) was then self-administered for 14 days with reevaluation of platelet aggregation and coagulation profile, and simulated bleeding time after 14 days of Vitamin E supplementation. Results Forty subjects completed the 4-week study period. All 40 subjects demonstrated normal baseline coagulation studies and all had collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation assessment performed in triplicate. After Vitamin E supplementation, no significant difference was demonstrated in any study parameter. Conclusions Dietary supplementation with moderate dosage synthetic dl-α-tocopherol acetate did not significantly prolong bleeding or platelet aggregation in vivo . The affect of Vitamin E on platelet aggregation in vitro does not appear to be reproducible in vivo . Therefore, peri-operative discontinuation of Vitamin E may not be necessary.
Preprototyping SIMD coprocessors using virtual machine emulation and trace compilation

The use of massively parallel SIMD array architectures is proliferating in the area of domain specific coprocessors. Even so, they have undergone few systematic empirical studies. The underlying problems include the size of the architecture space, the lack of portability of the test programs, and the inherent complexity of simulating up to hundreds of thousands of processing elements. We address the computational cost problem with a novel approach to trace-based simulation. Code is run on an abstract virtual machine to generate a coarse-grained trace, which is then refined through a series of transformations (a process we call trace compilation) wherein greater resolution is obtained with respect to the details of the target machine. We have found this technique to be one to two orders of magnitude faster than instruction-level simulation while still retaining much of the accuracy of the model. Furthermore, abstract machine traces must be regenerated for only a small fraction of the possible parameter combinations. Using virtual machine emulation and trace compilation also addresses program portability by allowing the user to code in a single data parallel language with a single compiler, regardless of the target architecture. This technique has already been used to generate significant results with respect to SIMD array architectures, a sample of which are presented here.
The Economic Limit and Economic Burden of An Internally Held National Debt

Nature of the problem, 116. — The fiscal and institutional limits: avoidance of price inflation, 117; statutory provisions, 118. — The immediate real burden, 119. — The financial burden, 119. — Tax friction, 120. — Government spending and the growth of national money income, 121. — The case where government spending and deficit financing merely offset hoarding: "dead weight" spending, 123; spending for public works, 126. — Increasing difficulty in making the necessary injection, 128. — Conclusions, 129.
Near infrared spectroscopy of the HCN-HX (X = Cl, Br, and I) binary complexes

Abstract The optothermal detection method has been used to measure the infrared spectra of a number of linear HCN-H X , D X complexes. In all cases, the H X subunit acts as the proton donor and the CH stretch is “free” of the hydrogen bond. As a result, the monomer to complex frequency shifts for these CH vibrations are all small. The trends observed in these data provide some new insights into the nature of the coupling between the intramolecular and intermolecular degrees of freedom, in the limit of weak coupling.
Building a chemical process design system within soar—2. Learning issues

Abstract We explore the potential to include automatic learning in a design agent by implementing a simple distillation sequencing system, CPD-Soar, within Soar. Soar is an integrated software architecture with a build-in set of mechanisms for exhibiting intelligent behavior, including problem-solving, learning and interaction with the environment. Soar has a number of scientific uses: computer scientists build artificially intelligent agents with Soar as a foundation, and cognitive psychologists use Soar to model human cognition. CPD-Soar illustrates how design-related tasks can be cast within Soar's framework, hence demonstrating the functioning and potential of its problem- solving and learning mechanisms. This simple example system, which involves computations with real numbers, automatically learns things which are too specific, leading to the hypothesis that the generalization an agent infers from specific examples is strongly dependent upon the model the agent brings to the learning process. We introduced the Soar architecture as a vehicle for developing design systems with capabilities seen to be important for chemical process domains but missing in most existing design systems. We reported upon CPD-Soar, a system developed within the Soar framework, and described in depth its tasks, problem-space structure, operation and performance. The construction of CPD-Soar was a valuable exercise for two main reasons: one, it provided evidence that the mechanisms present in Soar can provide design systems with useful abilities, and two, the act of creating the system was useful in distinguishing between those aspects of the task domain that are well understood from those that are not. Selecting among competent evaluation functions and learning within numerically-intensive domains were two areas identified as not being well understood. Our observation of CPD-Soar's learning behavior lead us to postulate an hypothesis about learning: namely, that the richer the model an agent has of its evaluation functions, the more general its learning will be.
Substrate Stiffness Mediated Metastasis Like Phenotype of Colon Cancer Cells is Independent of Cell to Gel Adhesion

Growing experimental evidences suggest that cells can feel and respond to the mechanical stiffness of the substrate on which they adhere. Human colon carcinoma (HCT-8) cells can exhibit a dissociative, metastasis-like phenotype (MLP) in vitro when cultured on extra-cellular matrix (ECM) coated polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogels with appropriate mechanical stiffness (20–47 kPa), but not on very stiff (3.6 GPa) polystyrene substrates. In this study, we ask the question whether similar morphological transition occurs on cell–cell adhesion molecule, i.e., E-cadherin coated PA gels and if so, how the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions compare with ECM mediated response on gels. First, we culture the HCT-8 cells on E-cadherin coated PA gels of specific mechanical stiffness (20 kPa) and very stiff glass (~70 GPa) substrates. Interestingly, HCT-8 cells show the distinct dissociative in vitro MLP on 20 kPa gel only (not on stiff glass) on sixth day of culture; slightly earlier than the control (ECM/fibronectin coated 20 kPa gels). The complete inhibition of MLP on E-cadherin coated gels by pharmacological agent, blebbistatin, implicates the involvement of non-muscle myosin II activity in MLP. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and quantitative image analysis results suggest that the actin cytoskeletal architecture was characteristically different near the gel surface of E-cadherin and fibronectin coated gels of similar stiffness before dissociation. Conversely, identical cortical actin only structure was observed in the dissociated cells in both cases. Overall, these results suggest that MLP of HCT-8 cells on PA gels is independent of cell to gel adhesion in 2D in vitro culture.
The technical efficiency of large bank production

Abstract Significant difficulties in commercial banking in the late 1980s raise questions about bank performance and efficiency. With the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA), we consider the relative technical efficiency of 201 large banks from 1984 to 1990. Bank technical inefficiency averages just over 5 percent, much lower than found in existing estimates. Larger and more profitable banks have higher levels of technical efficiency. At the same time, however, larger banks are more likely to operate under decreasing returns to scale.
Asymmetric Syntheses of Potent Antitumor Macrolides Cryptophycin B and Arenastatin A

Efficient and highly stereoselective syntheses of cryptophycin B and arenastatin A, potent cytotoxic agents, are described. An ester-derived titanium enolate mediated syn-aldol reaction was employed to generate the stereocenters C-5 and C-6. The route is convergent and provides a convenient access to the synthesis of structural variants of cryptophycins as well as members of its family. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)
An affinity-based image retrieval system for multimedia authoring and presentation

In this demonstration, we present an image retrieval system to support multimedia authoring and presentation. An affinity-based mechanism, Markov Model Mediator (MMM), is used as the search engine for the system, which utilizes both the low-level image features and the learned high-level concepts via user access patterns and access frequencies. This system is one of the major components of MediaManager, a distributed multimedia management system developed by us. Both retrieval and learning facilities are supported in this system. The retrieval system also provides input information to the Multimedia Augmented Transition Network (MATN) environment for multimedia authoring and presentation.
Electronic medical records: tools for competitive advantage

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to present a conceptual model that posits the strategic relationships between information technology, clinic operations and physicians and the subsequent outcomes to patients, physicians and clinics which can lead to competitive advantages in the healthcare environment.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a review of the literature and proposes a conceptual model of the strategic relationships essential for success. The scope of the paper is based on the legal, economic and political triggers impacting the strategic relationship between electronic medical records, clinic interoperability and physicians as owners/users.Findings – The paper presents the formation of a conceptual model which identifies the strategic alignment between clinics, physicians and information technology, more specifically, electronic medical records.Research limitations/implications – This paper is limited in that it is not an empirical investigation but a conceptual model of...
Convergence analysis of consensus-based distributed clustering

This paper deals with clustering of spatially distributed data using wireless sensor networks. A distributed low-complexity clustering algorithm is developed that requires one-hop communications among neighboring nodes only, without local data exchanges. The algorithm alternates iterations over the variables of a consensus-based version of the global clustering problem. Using stability theory for time-varying and time-invariant systems, the distributed clustering algorithm is shown to be bounded-input bounded-output stable with an output arbitrarily close to a fixed point of the algorithm. For distributed hard K-means clustering, convergence to a local minimum of the centralized problem is guaranteed. Numerical examples confirm the merits of the algorithm and its stability analysis.
Effects of ultrasonic radiation on growth and fermentation in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Samples from young and older cultures of S. cerevisiae, Strain 15.56, suspended to standard optical density in buffer solution, were exposed to CW or pulsed ultrasonic radiation for different periods. Frequency was i Mc; a plastic lens focussed the beam into a region in which average intensity, over an area of 0.78 cm2, was about 10.5 W/cm2. Pulsed radiation, repetition-rate 600/sec, was applied in 25% and 50% duty cycles. Effects were estimated by determination of fermentation rate and growth behaviour, in special flasks. Ten minutes' irradiation of young cells with CW ultrasound produced greater effects than longer exposure to pulsed radiation. Fermentation was markedly inhibited; the lag phase of cultures from irradiated cells was prolonged, and the relative growth rate depressed. Counts of killed cells (stained with eosin) showed that inhibition of fermentation could be accounted for on the basis of population reduction. This decrease in effective inoculum explains also the prolonged lag phase, but not the depressed growth rates. Growth inhibition may be caused by direct, sublethal damage to surviving cells, or by the production of toxic substances in the medium during irradiation. Cells from older cultures were essentially unaffected by radiation. Heating of the suspension is not the factor causing damage; other physical effects were not evaluated. The ineffectiveness of pulsed radiation is attributed to the provision of recovery periods between pulses.
White LED sources for vehicle forward lighting

Considerations for the use of white light emitting diode (LED) sources to produce illumination for automotive forward lighting is presented. Due to their reliability, small size, lower consumption, and lower heat generation LEDs are a natural choice for automotive lighting systems. Currently, LEDs are being sucessfully employed in most vehicle lighting applications. In these applications the light levels, distributions, and colors needed are achievable by present LED technologies. However, for vehicle white light illumination applications LEDs are now only being considered for low light level applications, such as back-up lamps. This is due to the relatively low lumen output that has been available up to now in white LEDs. With the advent of new higher lumen packages, and with the promise of even higher light output in the near future, the use of white LEDs sources for all vehicle forward lighting applications is beginning to be considered. Through computer modeling and photometric evaluation this paper examines the possibilities of using currently available white LED technology for vehicle headlamps. It is apparent that optimal LED sources for vehicle forward lighting applications will be constructed with hereto undeveloped technology and packaging configurations. However, the intent here in exploring currently available products is to begin the discussion on the design possibilities and significant issues surrounding LEDs in order to aid in the design and development of future LED sources and systems. Considerations such as total light output, physical size, optical control, power consumption, color appearance, and the effects of white LED spectra on glare and peripheral vision are explored. Finally, conclusions of the feasibility of current LED technology being used in these applications and recommendations of technology advancements that may need to occur are made.
Parathyroid hormone secretion in vitro: regulation by calcium and magnesium ions.

CONSIDERABLE evidence1–5 has indicated that the secretion rate of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is controlled by the serum calcium; the release of hormone is proportional to calcium ion concentration, variations of which are followed within minutes by changes in circulating hormone activity6. Furthermore, studies7–9 in animals suggest that the effects of magnesium ion on parathyroid function may resemble those of calcium.
Parental influences on the high school students' academic achievement: A comparison of Asian immigrants, Asian Americans, and White Americans

This study investigates the differences in parental influence on academic achievement of Asian immigrants, Asian Americans, and White Americans. The sample consisted of a nationally representative sample of 10th grade students obtained from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 88, first follow-up, sponsored by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Results indicate that both Asian immigrants and Asian Americans spent significantly more time on homework and perceived higher parental educational expectation than did White American students. White American students, on the other hand, reported more parental involvement in school activities. A negative relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement was found for the Asian immigrant and Asian American students. Implications of the findings on academic achievement are discussed based on cultural perspectives. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preventing overexploitation in a mutualism: partner regulation in the crayfish–branchiobdellid symbiosis

For a symbiosis to be a mutualism, benefits received must exceed costs incurred for both partners. Partners can prevent costly overexploitation through behaviors that moderate interactions with the other symbiont. In a symbiosis between crayfish and branchiobdellidan annelids, the worms can increase crayfish survival and growth by removing fouling material from the gills. However, overexploitation by the worms is possible and results in damage to host gills. We used behavioral observations to assess the degree to which two species of crayfish (Cambarus chasmodactylus and Orconectes cristavarius) use grooming to moderate their interaction with branchiobdellids. We found that grooming could effectively reduce worm numbers, and the proportion of total grooming directed at worms differed between crayfish species and as a function of worm number. O. cristavarius increased grooming in response to the addition of a single worm, while C. chasmodactylus only increased grooming in response to ten worms. These differences in the number of worms that trigger grooming behavior reflect differences between crayfish species in field settings. We also assessed whether antibacterial compounds in circulating crayfish hemolymph could limit bacterial gill fouling. O. cristavarius hemolymph inhibited some test bacteria more effectively than C. chasmodactylus did. Differences in the antibacterial properties of crayfish hemolymph may therefore help explain differences in both worm-directed grooming and worm loads in the field. We conclude that crayfish can use grooming to reduce worm numbers, which could lower the potential for gill damage, and that the level of grooming varies between crayfish species.
Meaning dominance and semantic context in the processing of lexical ambiguity

Two experiments investigated the processing of ambiguous words. In the first, lexical decisions were made to words related to the dominant or the subordinate meanings of homograph primes. Only responses for dominant associates were facilitated relative to unrelated words. In the second experiment, ambiguous words ended sentences that varied in the degree to which they biased the dominant or the subordinate meaning of the homograph. Following ambiguous sentences, dominant meanings were retrieved first. When the sentence was strongly biased toward either meaning, only that meaning was retrieved. Only when the sentence was weakly biased toward the subordinate meaning was more than one meaning retrieved. Dominance and context apparently make independent contributions to the processing of ambiguous words.
The Quantum Theory of Quasi-Unimolecular Gas Reactions.

In the discussion of [Eq.] (1) they assumed that the energy expression for the molecule consisted of a sum of squares of coordinates and momenta, and treated the problem by the methods of classical statistical mechanics. In this paper the former assumption is retained, but we will attempt to indicate the nature of the modifications which must be made when the motions of the molecule are quantized.
MIRPLib – A library of maritime inventory routing problem instances: Survey, core model, and benchmark results

Abstract This paper presents a detailed description of a particular class of deterministic single product Maritime Inventory Routing Problems (MIRPs), which we call deep-sea MIRPs with inventory tracking at every port. This class involves vessel travel times between ports that are significantly longer than the time spent in port and require inventory levels at all ports to be monitored throughout the planning horizon. After providing a comprehensive literature survey of this class, we introduce a core model for it cast as a mixed-integer linear program. This formulation is quite general and incorporates assumptions and families of constraints that are most prevalent in practice. We also discuss other modeling features commonly found in the literature and how they can be incorporated into the core model. We then offer a unified discussion of some of the most common advanced techniques used for improving the bounds of these problems. Finally, we present a library, called MIRPLib, of publicly available test problem instances for MIRPs with inventory tracking at every port. Despite a growing interest in combined routing and inventory management problems in a maritime setting, no data sets are publicly available, which represents a significant “barrier to entry” for those interested in related research. Our main goal for MIRPLib is to help maritime inventory routing gain maturity as an important and interesting class of planning problems. As a means to this end, we (1) make available benchmark instances for this particular class of MIRPs; (2) provide the mixed-integer linear programming community with a set of optimization problem instances from the maritime transportation domain in LP and MPS format; and (3) provide a template for other researchers when specifying characteristics of MIRPs arising in other settings. Best known computational results are reported for each instance.
Electrochemical properties of spinel compound LiNi0.5Mn1.2Ti0.3O4 as cathode materials for lithium ion batteries

The electrochemical properties of spinel compound LiNi0.5Mn1.2Ti0.3O4 were investigated in this study. The chemicals LiAc·2H2O, Mn(Ac)2·2H2O, Ni(Ac)2·4H2O, and Ti(OCH3)4 were used to synthesize LiNi0.5Mn1.2Ti0.3O4 by a simple sol-gel method. The discharge capacity of the sample reached 134 mAh/g at a current rate of 0.1C. The first and fifth cycle voltammogram almost overlapped, which showed that the prepared sample LiNi0.5Mn1.2Ti0.3O4 had excellent good cycle performance. There were two oxidation peaks at 4.21 V and 4.86 V, and two reduction peaks at 4.55 V and 3.88 V in the cycle voltammogram, respectively. By electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and its fitted result, the lithium ion diffusion coefficient was measured to be approximately 7.76 × 10−11 cm2/s.
Economics of abdominal wall reconstruction

The economic aspects of abdominal wall reconstruction are frequently overlooked, although understandings of the financial implications are essential in providing cost-efficient health care. Ventral hernia repairs are frequently performed surgical procedures with significant economic ramifications for employers, insurers, providers, and patients because of the volume of procedures, complication rates, the significant rate of recurrence, and escalating costs. Because biological mesh materials add significant expense to the costs of treating complex abdominal wall hernias, the role of such costly materials needs to be better defined to ensure the most cost-efficient and effective treatments for ventral abdominal wall hernias.
Severe Mycoplasma Pneumonia in Three Sisters with Sickle Cell Disease

Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which usually causes mild infections in normal children, has been shown to cause isolated cases of severe pneumonia in children with sickle cell disease. We recently observed an outbreak of Mycoplasma pneumonia in three sisters with homozygous sickle cell disease. Two of them required hospitalization, and one progressed to respiratory failure requiring prolonged ventilatory assistance. All eventually recovered without long-term pulmonary complications. Familial outbreaks are not uncommon in Mycoplasma infection, but they have not been described previously in siblings with sickle cell disease. It is assumed that local or systemic host defense abnormalities predispose patients with sickling syndromes to more severe courses of Mycoplasma infections.
The A-type cyclins and the meiotic cell cycle in mammalian male germ cells.

Summary There are two mammalian A-type cyclins, cyclin Al and A2. While cyclin A1 is limited to male germ cells, cyclin A2 is widely expressed. Cyclin A2 promotes both Gl/S and G2/M transitions in somatic cells and cyclin A2-deficient mice are early embryonic lethal. We have shown that cyclin Al is essential for passage of spermatocytes into meiosis I (MI) by generating mice null for the cyclin A1 gene Ccna1. Both Ccna1−/− males and females were healthy but the males were sterile because of a cell cycle arrest before MI. This arrest was associated with desynapsis abnormalities, low M-phase promoting factor activity, and apoptosis. We have now determined that human cyclin A1 is expressed in similar stages of spermatogenesis and are exploring its role in human male infertility and whether it may be a novel target for new approaches for male contraception.
Microscopic shear localization in nickel

Structure and texture evolution was assessed on nominally pure nickel deformed between room tem-perature and 300 °C. Structure evolution below 300 °C consisted of the formation of paired mi-crobands, their transition into microband clusters, the appearance of dislocation bundles between clusters, and the decomposition of bundles into new clusters. Structure evolution at 300 °C entailed the formation of dislocation bundles with wavy boundary extensions from which microband clusters formed and eventually connected. Thermal analysis revealed a vacancy annihilation peak at the lower processing temperatures but none for material rolled at 300 °C. It is proposed that the ease with which cross slip occurs and high vacancy concentration are critical factors for the formation of well-defined microbands. Texture evolution follows the normal fcc transition from brass to copper type textures.
Unpacking the Black Box of the Chicago School Readiness Project Intervention: The Mediating Roles of Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Self-Regulation.

Research Findings: This study examines the theory of change of the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), testing a sequence of theory-derived mediating mechanisms that include the quality of teacher–child relationships and children's self-regulation. The CSRP is a multicomponent teacher- and classroom-focused intervention, and its cluster-randomized efficacy trial was conducted in 35 Head Start–funded classrooms. Practice or Policy: A series of increasingly complex and conservative structural equation models indicate that the CSRP carries its effects on children's academic and behavioral outcomes through changes in teacher–child relationship quality and children's self-regulation.
Metabolic activities of the endolymphatic sac. An enzyme histochemical and autoradiographic study.

The distribution of diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase, triphos-phopyridine nucleotide diaphorase, lactic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, isocitric dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and β-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, cytochrome oxidase, alkaline and acid phosphatase, leucine- and alanine-aminopeptidase activity was demonstrated histochemically in the endolymphatic sac and in the perisaccular connective tissue. Enzyme activity was stronger in the epithelial cells lining the intermediate portion and in the cells floating free in the endolymph than in other parts of the sac, except for aminopeptidase activity which was marked in the perisaccular connective tissue, too.Foreign protein (peroxidase) was injected into the cochlear duct and after two days was found phagocytized in cells floating free in the endolymphatic sac but not in the lining cells themselves or elsewhere in the membranous labyrinth. Peroxidase was also observed in fibroblasts of the perisaccu...
Computational analysis of large recessed silicon carbide grinding wheels

The analysis of large recessed silicon carbide grinding wheels made with recessed features and a vitrified spinning at different rotational speeds is presented. Using a computational approach, it was possible to determine maximum principal stresses in the wheel together with the location of those stresses. The geometry of vitrified wheels considered included a plain-sided rotating wheel and a recessed large cup grinding wheel. Calculations were conducted to determine maximum stress in parallel-sided and recessed cup wheels. Relevant factors of safety and bursting speed were also calculated and compared with experimental data generated with a manufacturer of such wheels. The paper shows the applicability of a method developed for taking account of stress concentrations at the recesses of large cup-shaped silicon carbide grinding wheels bonded with a vitreous bonding system.
Inactivation of the Amidotransferase Activity of Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase by the Antibiotic Acivicin

Abstract Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS) from Escherichia coli catalyzes the formation of carbamoyl phosphate from 2 mol of ATP, bicarbonate, and glutamine. CPS was inactivated by the glutamine analog, acivicin. In the presence of ATP and bicarbonate the second-order rate constant for the inactivation of the glutamine-dependent activities was 4.0 × 104 m −1s−1. In the absence of ATP and bicarbonate the second-order rate constant for inactivation of CPS was reduced by a factor of 200. The enzyme was protected against inactivation by the inclusion of glutamine in the reaction mixture. The ammonia-dependent activities were unaffected by the incubation of CPS with acivicin. These results are consistent with the covalent labeling of the glutamine-binding site located within the small amidotransferase subunit. The binding of ATP and bicarbonate to the large subunit of CPS must also induce a conformational change within the amidotransferase domain of the small subunit that enhances the nucleophilic character of the thiol group required for glutamine hydrolysis. The acivicin-inhibited enzyme was crystallized, and the three-dimensional structure was determined by x-ray diffraction techniques. The thiol group of Cys-269 was covalently attached to the dihydroisoxazole ring of acivicin with the displacement of a chloride ion.
Babies as social products: The social determinants of classification [1]

Abstract Ethnographic data were collected in three U.S. hospitals to show how the label of “baby” is applied to products of procreation by medical specialists in organizational contexts. What constitutes “life” is problematic and how it is defined and applied is variable. The data collected indicate that “life” is an organizational (rather than a medical, biological or legal) category imposed on certain objects which come to be handled by medical practitioners and hospital organizations in certain ways. The rules and behaviors which result in the assignment of this label in U.S. hospitals are specified and discussed.
Protein Kinase C as a Molecular Machine for Decoding Calcium and Diacylglycerol Signals

Summary isoforms by calcium and diacylglycerol may turn these kinases into molecular machines that decode some The specificity of many signal transduction pathways combinations of calcium and diacylglycerol signals relies on the temporal coordination of different second while rejecting others. messenger signals. Here we found a molecular mech- PKC isoforms have been grouped into three classes anism which guarantees that conventional protein ki- (reviewed in Nishizuka, 1992, 1988). Conventional PKC nase C (PKC) isoforms are sequentially activated by isoforms or cPKC (PKCa, PKCb, PKCb9, and PKCg) have calcium and diacylglycerol signals. Receptor stimuli been found to be activated by calcium and diacylglycthat triggered repetitive calcium spikes induced a par- erol, nPKC isoforms by diacylglycerol alone, while the allel repetitive translocation of GFP-tagged PKCg to activation of aPKC isoforms is only little understood. the plasma membrane. While calcium acted rapidly, We have focused this study on PKCg as an example diacylglycerol binding to PKCg was initially prevented for cPKC isoforms. Conventional PKC isoforms can be by a pseudosubstrate clamp, which kept the diacyl- activated by hormonal, neurotransmitter, growth factor glycerol-binding site inaccessible and delayed cal- as well as other receptor stimuli and are involved in the cium- and diacylglycerol-mediated kinase activation. regulation of other signaling pathways, gene expression, After termination of calcium signals, bound diacylglyc- secretion, and modulation of ion channels, as well as erol prolonged kinase activity. The properties of this critical roles in cell growth and differentiation (reviewed molecular decoding machine make PKCg responsive in Nishizuka, 1992). The PKCg isoform itself is particuto persistent diacylglycerol increases combined with larly important in neurons where it regulates synaptic high- but not low-frequency calcium spikes. plasticity and other neuronal functions (i.e., Abeliovich
The 'problem patient': modest advice for frustrated clinicians.

“Problem patients” are rare, but they take up a disproportionate amount of clinician time and energy. They often are defined in terms of the effect they have on clinicians rather than any specific behavior – such effects can in clude frustration, self-doubt and unprofessional behavior. The key to avoiding those pitfalls is to take a deeper look and understand what is behind patients’ problematic behaviors. Given the vagueness of the term there are many potential etiologies, most of which are addressable, at least in part. This article presents a brief guide to identifying and managing the various conditions that can cause a disruption of the usually rewarding doctor-patient relationship, and also encourages us to consider the role we might play in this disruption.
A Review of: Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other, by Sherry Turkle

Alone Together is a soul-searching book. After spending a career studying how humans interact with technology, psychologist and MIT Professor Sherry Turkle questions what we get from social robots ...
The Pharm.D. investigator in clinical pharmacology: supply and demand.

The field of clinical pharmacology is the discipline engaged in optimal drug discovery, development, and use, based on an in-depth knowledge of human pharmacology and therapeutics.1 Although many think clinical pharmacology is simply the study of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenetics, the role of the clinical pharmacologists covers all avenues of drug discovery, development, therapeutics, optimal drug therapy, and education.2 This expanded understanding is important as we start to address the overwhelming mandate and the unfortunate shortage of qualified investigators in the field (both physicians and non-physicians). Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2008); 84, 4, 526–529 doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100423
Orwellian Rectification: Popular Churchill Biographies and the 1943 Bengal Famine

What Churchill's biographers have written about his life matter because he continues to be deployed by ideological conservatives in the Anglo-Saxon countries as the ideal leader exemplifying decisi...
A Normative Theory of Business Bankruptcy

It is widely agreed that capital cost reduction should be among the goals that a business bankruptcy law should pursue. This Essay argues that capital cost reduction should be the only goal, and that a bankruptcy system seriously committed to this goal would be both smaller and less centralized than the current U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In particular, a bankruptcy law that sought to reduce the cost of debt capital to firms would (a) require the trustee or debtor in possession to maximize the value of the insolvent firm rather than the payoffs of general creditors; (b) permit preferences (but continue to bar fraudulent conveyances); (c) permit suppliers and customers to contract for the right to cease dealing with a firm that has become insolvent; (d) not subsidize the use of expert professionals by junior creditors, but sometimes subsidize expert use by seniors; and (e) permit parties in the lending agreement to induce the debtor to use the bankruptcy procedure, either Chapter 7 or Chapter 11, that turns out to be optimal in the state of the world in which insolvency occurred.
A Review of: CODE: Collaborative Ownership and the Digital Economy, edited by Rishab Aiyer Ghosh. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2005. x + 345 pp. $37.50 (cloth). ISBN 0-262-07260-2.

Two countervailing trends characterize the contemporary production and circulation of new scientific and cultural knowledge. While on the one hand a high-tech collaborative renaissance chips away a...
Adaptive demosaicing with the principal vector method

Demosaicing is the process of interpolating the missing colors in an image that is acquired from a digital image sensor equipped with a color filter array. This paper describes a spatially adaptive demosaicing algorithm that is based on the Jacobian matrix of the color map and neighborhood voting. The algorithm requires only additions, subtractions and shifts, and is therefore attractive from a computational point of view. Comparisons are provided to show that the algorithm improves on published algorithms in terms of complexity or image quality.