cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clouds, Mysteries, Socrates and Plato

Scholars have observed that in Aristophanes’ Clouds entrance to the phrontisterion is likened to initiation into the mysteries; but there seems to have been no discussion of the effect that such a comparison would be likely to produce upon an audience of the period. In the present paper I wish to explore this question; and also to consider the relevance of Aristophanes’ words to anything Socrates may himself have said or done, and Plato’s attitude to the situation.
Uncertainties in Air Exchange using Continuous-Injection, Long-Term Sampling Tracer-Gas Methods

The PerFluorocarbon Tracer (PFT) method is a low-cost approach commonly used for measuring air exchange in buildings using tracer gases. It is a specific application of the more general Continuous-Injection, Long-Term Sampling (CILTS) method. The technique is widely used but there has been little work on understanding the uncertainties (both precision and bias) associated with its use, particularly given that it is typically deployed by untrained or lightly trained people to minimize experimental costs. In this article we will conduct a first-principles error analysis to estimate the uncertainties and then compare that analysis to CILTS measurements that were over-sampled, through the use of multiple tracers and emitter and sampler distribution patterns, in three houses. We find that the CILTS method can have an overall uncertainty of 10-15percent in ideal circumstances, but that even in highly controlled field experiments done by trained experimenters expected uncertainties are about 20percent. In addition, there are many field conditions (such as open windows) where CILTS is not likely to provide any quantitative data. Even avoiding the worst situations of assumption violations CILTS should be considered as having a something like a ?factor of two? uncertainty for the broad field trials that it is typically usedmore » in. We provide guidance on how to deploy CILTS and design the experiment to minimize uncertainties.« less
System Identification and Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are high temperature fuel cells with a strong potential for stationary power house applications. However, considerable challenges need to be overcome to connect these cells to the power grid. The fluctuating grid demand has to be met without sacrificing the cell efficiency and causing structural/material damage to the system. This requirement coupled with fast and highly nonlinear transients of the transport variables results in a challenging control problem. This paper is on synthesizing a controller that can address some of these challenges. For using in the model predictive controller (MPC), input−output models are identified from the data generated by a detailed dynamic model. A traditional SISO control and a novel MIMO control are considered here. In the SISO control problem, power is the controlled variable (CV) and H2 flow is the manipulated variable (MV). In the MIMO control problem, power and the utilization factor (UF) of the fuel are the CVs while voltage and the ...
On the role of the substrate position in the CO2 laser CVD of amorphous hydrogenated silicon

Abstract Intrinsic a-Si:H films were deposited by CW CO 2 laser CVD applying a horizontal laser beam parallel to the substrate. Films deposited on substrates placed above the laser beam are growing slowly compared to those deposited on substrates beside and below the beam.
Verification of the ponderomotive approximation for the ac Stark shift in Xe Rydberg levels.

We report direct measurements of the ac Stark shifts of Xe Rydberg levels in high-intensity laser fields (up to 6 GW/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$), demonstrating the expected near-ponderomotive behavior. These measurements provide extensive unambiguous evidence for the validity of perturbative calculations of the nonresonant ac Stark shift at these intensities.
An empirical examination of debt covenant restrictions and accounting-related debt proxies☆

Abstract Prior studies of discretionary accounting choices have generally relied on one or more proxy variables to measure closeness to debt covenant restrictions without actually examining the existence or extent of restrictive covenants. This study tests the validity of the most commonly used proxy, the debt–equity ratio, by examining its relation to actual debt covenant restrictions for a random sample of U.S. firms. The results indicate that several versions of the debt–equity ratio capture the existence and tightness of retained earnings restrictionsand the existence of net tangible asset and working capital restrictions, but are unrelated to four other covenant restrictions.
The electrochemical behaviour of tetrahydrofuran and propylene carbonate without added electrolyte

Abstract The electrochemical behaviour of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and propylene carbonate (PC) was investigated in the absence of deliberately added electrolyte using ultramicroelectrodes to minimize the effects of solution resistance. THF was found to breakdown anodically at > / 4 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M) but was not reduced even at −2 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M). PC was stable up to +5 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M) and was reduced at potentials ⩽1 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M). The addition of 0.5% 2-methylfuran to THF inhibited the anodic breakdown of THF. The addition of 1,2-propanediol to PC produced a reduction wave at +1.4 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M). Water in PC and THF was reduced at +2 V vs. Li/Li+ (1 M). The addition of water to PC also enhanced the cathodic limiting current. The implications for the behaviour of THF and PC in secondary Li cells are discussed.
Scarring alopecia and the dermatopathologist

Background: The evaluation of patients with cicatricial alopecia is particularly challenging, and dermatopathologists receive little training in the interpretation of scalp biopsy specimens. Accurate interpretation of specimens from patients with hair disease requires both qualitative (morphology of follicles, inflammation, fibrosis, etc.) and quantitative (size, number, follicular phase) information. Much of this data can only be obtained from transverse sections. In most cases, good clinical/pathologic correlation is required, and so clinicians should be expected to provide demographic information as well as a brief description of the pattern of hair loss and a clinical differential diagnosis. Results: The criteria used to classify the various forms of cicatricial alopecia are relatively imprecise, and so classification is controversial and in a state of evolution. There are five fairly distinctive forms of cicatricial alopecia: 1) chronic, cutaneous lupus erythematosus (discoid LE); 2) lichen planopilaris; 3) dissecting cellulitis (perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens); 4) acne keloidalis; and 5) central, centrifugal scarring alopecia (follicular degeneration syndrome, folliculitis decalvans, pseudopelade). Not all patients with cicatricial alopecia can be confidently assigned to one of these five entities, and “cicatricial alopecia, unclassified” would be an appropriate label for such cases. Conclusion: The histologic features of five forms of cicatricial alopecia are reviewed. Dermatopathologists can utilize a “checklist” to catalog the diagnostic features of scalp biopsy specimens. In many, but not all, cases the information thus acquired will “match” the clinical and histologic characteristics of a form of cicatricial alopecia. However, because of histologic and clinical overlap between the forms of cicatricial alopecia, a definitive diagnosis cannot always be rendered.
An optimum groundwater transport model for application to the assessment of health effects due to land disposal of radioactive wastes

Abstract This paper presents a groundwater transport model for simulating radionuclide transport in an aquifer, using an approximate solution of the basic transport equation. The model is designed to avoid (1) relatively high computer simulation costs normally experienced in numerical models and (2) the large errors sometimes introduced when the physical boundary conditions are converted to a mathematical form suitable for the analytical model. The model neglects initially the effect of radionuclide transport through dispersion and compensates for this effect subsequently with a health effects correction factor. This correction factor is found to be a function of the Peclet number, a dimensionless parameter expressing the relative importance of diffusion and convective transportation, and the “transport number” which has been defined and can be determined by using the parameters of the groundwater transport system. The model has a low cost of simulation and yet maintains reasonable accuracy of predicting the cumulative radionuclide flowing through a section. This is the primary output expected from a groundwater transport model for health effects assessments. The model has been integrated into the PRESTO-EPA model designed for the prediction of radiation effects due to a shallow-trench operation.
Optimization of the safety factor profile for high noninductive current fraction discharges in DIII-D

In order to assess the optimum q profile for discharges in DIII-D with 100% of the current driven noninductively (fNI = 1), the self-consistent response of the plasma profiles to changes in the q profile was studied in high fNI, high βN discharges through a scan of qmin and q95 at two values of βN. As expected, both the bootstrap current fraction, fBS, and fNI increased with q95. The temperature and density profiles were found to broaden as either qmin or βN is increased. A consequence is that fBS does not continue to increase at the highest values of qmin. A scaling function that depends on qmin, q95, and the peaking factor for the thermal pressure was found to represent well the fBS/βN inferred from the experimental profiles. The changes in the shapes of the density and temperature profiles as βN is increased modify the bootstrap current density (JBS) profile from peaked close to the axis to relatively flat in the region between the axis and the H-mode pedestal. Therefore, significant externally driven current density in the region inside the H-mode pedestal is required in addition to JBS in order to match the profiles of the noninductive current density (JNI) to the desired total current density (J). In this experiment, the additional current density was provided mostly by neutral beam current drive with the neutral-beam-driven current fraction 40–90% of fBS. The profiles of JNI and J were most similar at qmin ≈ 1.35–1.65, q95 ≈ 6.8, where fBS is also maximum, establishing this q profile as the optimal choice for fNI = 1 operation in DIII-D with the existing set of external current drive sources.
Heterogeneous distribution of taste cells in facial and vagal nerve-innervated taste buds

Abstract Input from the three gustatory nerves of vertebrates is used to evaluate the nutritional quality of food. In some species, these cranial nerves are modified to accomplish additional specific functions. For example, the facial nerve innervated taste buds distributed over the body surface of catfish aid food search. Physiological studies indicate that this extra-oral taste pathway is more sensitive to amino acids than either the glossopharyngeal or vagal systems of the oral cavity. The current investigation seeks to determine if differences in taste cell subtypes might contribute to the observed differences in sensitivity. The distributions of five low molecular weight metabolites, l -alanine, l -aspartate, l -glutamate, GABA, taurine and the tripeptide glutathione, were examined in 2118 individual taste cells innervated by either the facial or vagal nerve of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus . The metabolite profiles of these cells were determined immunocytochemically and subjected to a k-means clustering algorithm. Fifteen cell classes with quantitatively different patterns of metabolite co-localization were identified. All but one small class of two cells were found in both facial and vagal nerve-innervated taste buds. Four classes (9% of the total cells) had high, two classes (17%) had intermediate and the remaining nine classes (74%) had low levels of GABA immunoreactivity. While the functional significance of differences in metabolite profile remains to be determined, taste cell classes were not uniformly distributed across vagal and facial nerve innervated taste buds and may provide an anatomical basis for previously reported differences in gustatory sensitivity.
Distortion- and intensity-invariant optical correlation filter system

A new approach to intensity-invariant filter design is introduced. This approach post-processes a distortion-invariant correlation response. The correlation responses of a filter bank are mapped into a 3-D volume matrix where the third dimension is intensity. For each given intensity level the volume matrices are weighted by a complex exponential with unit magnitude and linear in phase. These weighted volume matrices are summed together to form filter volume matrix. Pages or slices from the volume are used as a bank of 2-D correlation filters. Computer simulations are included to quantify the performance of this approach.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Repatriating Indigenous Technologies in an Urban Indian Community.

Indigenous people are significantly underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The solution to this problem requires a more robust lens than representation ...
A systematic electrochemical and spectroscopic study of mixed-ligand ruthenium(II) 2,2′-bipyridine complexes [Ru(bpy)3-nLn]2+ (n=0,1,2 and 3)

Abstract Cyclic voltammetry in water-free N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 0.1 M tetraethylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TEAH) at −54°C showed a complete set of six one-electron reversible reduction wave for each mixed-ligand ruthenium(II) 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) complex [Ru(bpy)3-nLn]2+ (L=2-(2′-pyridyl)quinoline (pq), 2,2′-bipyrazine (bpz), 4,4′-diphenyl-2,2′-bipyridine (4-dbpy); n=0,1, 2, and 3), and extra waves for [Ru(bpy)3-n(4-dbpy)n]2+ (n=3, 2, and 1). It is demonstrated that the first three reduction waves are independent of an ion-association effect with tetraethylammonium cation, while their next three are affected. Cyclic voltammetric and spectroscopic data in acetonitrile and theoretical considerations lead to linear relations with unit slope between absorption (and emission) energy and the oxidation-reduction half-wave potential difference for these mixed-ligand Ru(II) bpy complexes. It is suggested that these relations can be an energy criterion for assignment of charge-transfer transitions (absorption and emission) for transition metal bpy complexes.
Not green enough: a response to the green pope and the green patriarch based on the dark green thought of Thomas Berry

The teachings of the current Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople are saturated with the green hue of environmental awareness. They have called upon humankind to alter its worldviews and lifestyles to protect the environment. It is our contention that their awareness does not go far enough. It is not green enough. This article argues that the writings of Thomas Berry, Catholic priest, cultural historian, and self-titled ‘geologian’ offer a more appropriate approach, one that is of a darker shade of green that is needed in the face of the current crisis. The essential argument is that human actions will not change until our conceptual framework has been altered and that Berry offers just such a framework for the human future.
Distal Wound Complications Following Pedal Bypass: Analysis of Risk Factors

Wound complications of the pedal incision continue to compromise successful limb salvage following aggressive revascularization. Significant distal wound disruption occurred in 14 of 142 (9.8%) patients undergoing pedal bypass with autogenous vein for limb salvage between 1986 and 1993. One hundred forty-two pedal bypass procedures were performed for rest pain in 66 patients and tissue necrosis in 76. Among the 86 men and 56 women, 76% were diabetic and 73% were black. All but eight patients had a history of diabetes and/or tobacco use. Eight wounds were successfully managed with maintenance of patent grafts from 5 to 57 months. Exposure of a patent graft precipitated amputation in three patients, as did graft occlusion in an additional patient. One graft was salvaged by revision to the peroneal artery and one was covered by a local bipedicled flap. Multiple regression analysis identified three factors associated with wound complications at the pedal incision site: diabetes mellitus (p = 0.03), age > 70 years (p = 0.03), and rest pain (p = 0.05). Ancillary techniques ("pie-crusting") to reduce skin tension resulted in no distal wound problems among 15 patients considered to be at greatest risk for wound breakdown. Attention to technique of distal graft tunneling, a wound closure that reduces tension, and control of swelling by avoiding dependency on and use of gentle elastic compression assume crucial importance in minimizing pedal wound complications following pedal bypass.
Electron-Transfer Kinetics and Thermodynamic Characterization of Copper(II/I) Complexes with Acyclic Tetrathiaethers in Aqueous Solution.

The kinetics of a series of Cu(II/I)-acyclic tetrathiaether complexes reacting with several oxidizing and reducing reagents have been examined in aqueous solution at 25 degrees C. This investigation has included a re-examination of Cu(II/I)(Me(2)-2,3,2-S(4)) (Me(2)-2,3,2-S(4) = 2,5,9,12-tetrathiatridecane = L12a), containing the ethylene-trimethylene-ethylene bridging sequence, plus three newly synthesized ligands containing an alternate bridging sequence of trimethylene-ethylene-trimethylene: 2,6,9,13-tetrathiatetradecane (Me(2)-3,2,3-S(4) = L12b) and two cyclohexanediyl-substituted derivatives, viz., cis-1,2-bis[(3-methylthiopropyl)thio]cyclohexane (cis-cyhx-Me(2)-3,2,3-S(4) = L14) and trans-1,2-bis[(3-methylthiopropyl)thio]cyclohexane (trans-cyhx-Me(2)-3,2,3-S(4) = L15). The corresponding phenylene derivative, 1,2-bis[(3-(methylthio)propyl)thio]benzene (bz-Me(2)-3,2,3-S(4) = L13), was also synthesized but did not form a measurable copper complex. The conditional stability constants for Cu(II)L (K(Cu)()II(L)(')) and Cu(I)L (K(Cu)()I(L)(')) and the Cu(II/I)L formal redox potentials (E(f)) vs NHE at 25 degrees C (generally at m = 0.10 (NaClO(4))) are as follows: for L12b, 15 M(-)(1), 1.0 x 10(13) M(-)(1), 0.83 V; for L14, 2.8 x 10(2) M(-)(1), 0.9(5) x 10(13) M(-)(1), 0.75 V; for L15, 8.8 x 10(2) M(-)(1), 6.(3) x 10(13) M(-)(1), 0.77 V. Application of the Marcus relationship to the experimentally determined cross-reaction rate constants yielded self-exchange rate constants for all four Cu(II/I)L acyclic systems which were relatively constant for both oxidation and reduction under a wide range of conditions. This contrasts sharply with previous results obtained for corresponding macrocyclic ligand systems.
Integrated Al2O3:Er3+ DFB Laser for Temperature Control Free Operation with Silicon Nitride Ring Filter

We demonstrate almost synchronized temperature dependent wavelength shift of Al2O3:Er3+ DFB laser (2.57 GHz/°C) and Si3N4 ring filter (2.47 GHz/°C), which makes it possible for on-chip transceiver operation without temperature control.
Low threshold 3 mm interband cascade “W” laser

We have demonstrated the operation at λ ≈ 3.0 μm of a 22-stage interband cascade laser with a “W” active region for enhanced gain. The threshold current density for a ridge structure is 170 A/cm2 at 80K, and it remains lower than the best reported intersubband quantum cascade laser results at all T up to the maximum lasing temperature of 225K. At T = 100K, peak output powers up to 532 mW are observed, and the slope of 342 m W/A per facet for high injection levels corresponds to a differential quantum efficiency of 1.6 photons emitted for every injected electron.
Effect of poloxamer CRL-1072 on drug uptake and nitric-oxide-mediated killing of Mycobacterium avium by macrophages

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAI) are common pathogens of opportunistic infections that are naturally resistant to most antibiotics and develop acquired resistance rapidly. An experimental drug, poloxamer CRL-1072, was found to have two unusual properties: it synergistically enhanced the activity of several antibiotics against MAI even though it had little activity as a single agent and it had greater activity against MAI in macrophage culture or in mice than in broth culture. Studies were undertaken to investigate the mechanisms of these effects. CRL-1072 was taken up by MAI and enhanced the uptake of fluorescent-labeled streptomycin and erythromycin in broth culture. The labeled antibiotics had reduced activity so the relevance for naive antibiotics must be inferred. In culture with human U937 monocytoid cells, CRL-1072 became localized in phagosomes and promoted uptake of streptomycin. Finally, CRL-1072 was found to induce production of mRNA for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) by U937 cells. The antimycobacterial effect in macrophages was reversed by the iNOS inhibitor N-monomethyl L-arginine (NMMA), suggesting that CRL-1072 promotes killing of MAI by inducing NO. These effects were induced by noncytotoxic concentrations of CRL-1072. These data suggest that the antimycobacterial mechanisms of CRL-1072 include enhancing the delivery of antibiotic to targets within MAI and enhancement of the ability of macrophages to kill ingested organisms.
A Polygenic Model for the Evolution and Maintenance of Conditional Strategies

We develop a genetic model for conditional strategies which places such strategies in the context of phenotypic plasticity. The model, which treats conditional strategies as polygenic threshold traits, indicates that, given requisite genetic variation in reaction norms, conditional strategies will evolve to their optimum level and be maintained by stabilizing selection, provided environmental variation results in a fitness trade-off for the alternative conditional phenotypes. The precise value for the evolutionary optimum is found to depend primarily on the probability density function of the environmental variation that influences the production of the conditional phenotypes and the magnitude of the fitness trade-offs of the conditional phenotypes across such environmental variation. The model is tested by application to three well-studied conditional strategies. In each case the predictions of the model are in good agreement with the results of these studies.
High-efficiency, high-productivity boron doping implantation by diboron tetrafluoride (B 2 F 4 ) gas on Applied Materials solar ion implanter

Ion implantation is known for its precise control and reproducibility of doping, enabling it to become one of the main approaches for high-efficiency cell manufacturing in the solar industry. Among the dopant materials, boron doping often represents the largest challenge to productivity as the efficiency of the traditional doping material, boron trifluoride (BF 3 ), is always low. This paper presents a high-efficiency and high-productivity solution for boron doping on an Applied Materials solar ion implanter by using diboron tetrafluoride (B 2 F 4 ) as a replacement gaseous boron source material for BF 3 . Both the B+ beam current and source life effects were evaluated. With optimized source parameters and beam tuning, the solar implanter with B 2 F 4 has demonstrated significant improvements for both B+ beam current performance and source lifetime.
PERT: A Tool for Communication Research Planning.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to illustrate the use and significance of PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) as a tool for communication research. Five operational steps are proposed to “PERT out” a communication research project: (1) Determine primary and secondary project tasks; (2) List the plan of action for accomplishing each task; (3) Pictorially represent the events and activities; (4) Calculate the time estimates for the activities; and (5) Adjust the PERT network to conform to the ongoing project. Advantages of PERT in planning communication research are described. These are that it allows the researcher to predict time sequences, to illustrate potential problems, to focus upon proper ultilization of resources, to provide status reports, to clarify design and statistical questions, to permit self-correction, and to allow for more accurate experimental replications.
Bounds on the Minimum Distance of High Dimensional Circular Trellis-Coded Modulation

Abstract Song, X., Dill, J., and Lindsey, A. R., Bounds on the Minimum Distance of High Dimensional Circular Trellis-Coded Modulation, Digital Signal Processing12 (2002) 252–261 This paper derives the upper and lower bounds on the minimum distance of 4-ary circular trellis-coded modulation using a simplex signal constellation. The bounds are shown to be tight and reachable, and the code is shown to achieve simplex distance between parallel paths at each stage of the trellis.
A Systematic Review of Pharmacological Pain Management in Multiple Sclerosis

Both chronic and acute pain have been cited as the most common symptoms amongst patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), with recent prevalence estimates as high as 83 %. The evidence for spasticity and trigeminal neuralgia pharmacological treatments in MS has been systematically reviewed, but no equivalent reviews have been published concerning MS pain unrelated to these two conditions. Our objective was to systematically review pain management strategies for the reduction of non-spastic and non-trigeminal neuralgic pain in MS patients. Experimental studies published after 1965 were chosen for review by searching electronic databases (e.g. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Science Citation Index Expanded, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, and clinicaltrials.gov) and bibliographies/citations of previously published reviews. Studies were included if all participants were adults clinically diagnosed with MS, study sample was not restricted to participants with spasticity or trigeminal neuralgia, and participant-reported pain was a primary or secondary outcome measured with a validated tool. Records were screened and methodological qualities of included studies were assessed independently by two reviewers under the supervision of another reviewer using the principles recommended in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions and the levels of evidence espoused by the American Academy of Neurology. Fifteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for review; interventions included antidepressants, anticonvulsants, dextromethorphan/quinidine, cannabinoids, and opioids/opioid antagonists. The pooled effect size for anticonvulsants (4 studies, 78 participants) was −1.88 (95 % CI: −3.13 to −0.64). The pooled effect size for cannabinoids (3 studies, 565 participants) was 0.08 (95 % CI: −0.74 to 0.89). Overall, only four trials reported Class 1 evidence. For these trials, dizziness was the most commonly reported adverse event, followed by nausea and somnolence. The relatively small number of trials in MS patients with chronic pain precludes specific recommendations for treatment strategies. The review did not reveal any studies of drug combinations. More trials with rigorous design and reporting are needed to determine effective treatments for specific pain types presenting in people living with MS.
Effect of alternative distal residues on the reactivity of cytochrome c peroxidase: Properties of CcP mutants H52D, H52E, H52N, and H52Q

To test the effect of alternative bases at the distal histidine position, four CcP variants have been constructed that substitute the two basic residues, aspartate and glutamate, and their amides, asparagine and glutamine, for histidine-52, i.e., CcP(H52D), CcP(H52E), CcP(H52N), and CcP(H52Q). All four mutants catalyze oxidation of ferrocytochrome c by H(2)O(2) with steady-state activities that are between 250 and 7700 times slower than wild-type CcP at pH 6.0, 0.10M ionic strength, 25°C. The rate of Compound I formation is decreased between 3.5 and 5.4 orders of magnitude for the mutants compared to wild-type CcP, with the rate of the reaction between CcP(H52Q) and H(2)O(2) the slowest yet observed for any CcP mutant. A correlation between the rate of Compound I formation and the rate of HCN binding for CcP and various CcP distal pocket mutants provides strong evidence that the rate-limiting step in CcP Compound I formation is deprotonation of H(2)O(2) within the distal heme pocket under the experimental conditions employed in this study. While CcP(H52E) reacts stoichiometrically with H(2)O(2) to form Compound I, only ~36% of CcP(H52D), ~21% of CcP(H52Q) and ~8% of CcP(H52N) appear to be converted to Compound I during their respective reactions with H(2)O(2). This is partially due to the slow rate of Compound I formation and the rapid endogenous decay of Compound I for these mutants. The pathways for the endogenous decay of Compound I for the four mutants used in this study are distinct from that of wild-type CcP Compound I.
Ion beam analysis of the bone tissue of Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract It has been hypothesized that perturbations in element metabolism play a role in the etiology and/or pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). No conclusion regarding this hypothesis has been reached, however, as results for central nervous system tissues from different research groups are contradictory. We are currently utilizing external-beam thick-target FIXE and PIGE analyses to investigate the elemental concentrations in the bone tissue of AD patients. Because bone acts as a “repository” for many trace elements, these measurements should provide information on the long-term trace-element status of AD patients. With the simultaneous PIXE/PIGE measurements, we are able to instrumentally determine the concentrations of oxygen, phosphorus, calcium, and 12–15 minor and trace elements in a single 30 min irradiation. Initial results obtained from the IBA measurements of both cortical and trabecular bone autopsy samples from four AD patients and twelve age-matched controls indicate a possible imbalance in Zn, Br and Rb.
Stressed-Out Lobsters: Crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormone and Stress Proteins'

Organisms in natural habitats must frequently respond to changes in their environments through various physiological mechanisms. My laboratory has developed several methods for the quantification of stress in crustaceans. An ELISA was developed for the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) from the American lobster (Homarus americanus). It is sensitive to as little as 0.2 fmol of peptide. Increases in hemolymph CHH were observed under conditions of acute hypoxia, elevated temperature, and altered salinity. In addition, elevated CHH concentrations were observed in Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) that were parasitized with the dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp.Stress proteins, also known as heat-shock proteins (HSPs), comprise a highly conserved class of proteins that display elevated transcription during periods of stress. Using homologous molecular probes, my collaborators and I have examined the influence of heat-shock, osmotic stress, and the molt cycle upon HSP expression at the protein and mRNA levels. We observed a significant elevation in HSP mRNA expression after 1 hr of heat-shock or after 0.5 hr of osmotic stress. When comparing claw and abdominal muscles during molting, we observed a tissue-specific HSP response. Quantification of these different stress responses may serve as early indicators of the degradation of environmental health.
Altered adrenal function as an inducer of latent chronic beryllium disease.

Abstract Altered adrenal function was induced by treatment with metyrapone (2-methyl-1,2-di-3 pyridyl-1-1-propanone). Metyrapone, which acts by inhibiting 11-β hydroxylation in corticosteroid biosynthesis, was used to investigate the mechanism of onset of latent chronic beryllium disease in animals. Mice and guinea pigs received radioactive beryllium in the form of BeSO 4 or BeO via transthoracic or intratracheal injection. One month after the injection of beryllium the adrenal function of the animals was altered with metyrapone injected sc. The animals were sacrificed 1 mo after metyrapone administration, and beryllium was determined in the lung, liver, spleen, heart, kidney, adrenal and femur. Changes in beryllium distribution were greater in the adrenal-altered males than in the adrenal-altered females, suggesting that there may be a sex difference in beryllium mobilization. In general, after adrenal function was altered, the bone showed a concentration decrease while the liver concentrations increased initially in beryllium content. Animals with altered adrenal function also had a more severe reaction to beryllium than control animals as indicated by weight loss, metal-ion shift and elevation of serum enzymes, all signs of systemic disease. Response to altered adrenal function has been seen in human cases, but heretofore has not been demonstrated in animals.
A technique to evaluate benchmarks: a case study using the Livermore loops

This paper is devoted to an analysis of the data from the Livermore kernels benchmark. We will show that in the sense of least squares prediction the dimension of these data is rather small; a reduction of the data to dimen sion four has about the same predictive power as the original data. Two techniques are used that reduce the 72 kernel timings for each machine to a few scores by which the machine is characterized. The first is based on a principal component analysis, the second on a cluster analysis of the kernels. The validity of the reduction to lower dimension is checked by various means. The pos sible use of the Livermore data to predict the running time of larger codes is demonstrated.
Oral immunotherapy induces IgG antibodies that act through FcγRIIb to suppress IgE-mediated hypersensitivity

Background Food-induced anaphylaxis is triggered by specific IgE antibodies. Paradoxically, some subjects with significant IgE levels can ingest allergenic foods without incident. Similarly, subjects completing oral immunotherapy (OIT) tolerate food challenges despite persistent high-titer food-specific IgE. Objective We sought to test whether IgG antibodies induced by food immunotherapy prevent food-induced anaphylaxis and whether this occurs through the inhibitory receptor FcγRIIb. Methods Food allergy–susceptible Il4raF709 mice were enterally sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA). Similarly sensitized IgE-deficient (IgE −/− ) Il4raF709 mice, which can ingest OVA without anaphylaxis, were subjected to a high-dose enteral OVA desensitization protocol (OIT). Sera from both groups were tested for the ability to activate or inhibit bone marrow mast cells (BMMCs) exposed to allergen or to passively transfer allergy to naive hosts. In parallel experiments sera obtained from patients with peanut allergy before and after undergoing OIT were interrogated for their ability to enhance or suppress peanut-induced activation in an indirect assay by using basophils from nonallergic donors. Results Il4raF709 mice exhibited strong OVA-specific IgE responses. Their sera efficiently sensitized BMMCs for activation by antigen challenge. Sera from Il4raF709 /IgE −/− mice subjected to OVA OIT suppressed BMMC responses. This inhibition was IgG mediated and FcγRIIb dependent. Similarly, pre-OIT but not post-OIT sera from patients efficiently sensitized basophils for peanut-induced activation. IgG antibodies in post-OIT sera suppressed basophil activation by pre-OIT sera. This inhibition was blocked by antibodies against FcγRII. Conclusion Food-specific IgG antibodies, such as those induced during OIT, inhibit IgE-mediated reactions. Strategies that favor IgG responses might prove useful in the management of food allergy.
Seismic Fragility Relationships of a Cable-Stayed Bridge Equipped with Response Modification Systems

This paper presents the development of fragility curves of a benchmark cable-stayed bridge retrofitted with response modification systems. Fragility relationships are an accepted technique used for seismic risk assessment of structures. The example used herein is a benchmark cable-stayed bridge. Synthetic ground motions are used to excite the structure. Semiactive control is applied to the structure to evaluate and quantify its impact on response mitigation. The semiactive devices used herein are magnetorheological (MR) dampers. The performance of the structure retrofitted with MR dampers is compared with the structure retrofitted with passive, active, and no devices. Fragility relationships based on deck displacement, deck shear, and overturning moment are investigated for comparison. Analyses of peak and time history responses are used to support the accuracy of the fragility relationships. An investigation of the cables exceeding an appropriate tension range and control effort required for the control cases is also provided. The resulting fragility relationships show that MR dampers are effective at mitigating the effects of seismic excitation on the cable-stayed bridge.
Evaluation of Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics Collections Using White's Power Method of Collection Analysis

The motor vehicles, aeronautics, and astronautics collection at Iowa State University (ISU) was compared with the collections at 14 other research libraries using the coverage power test method developed by Howard D. White. The coverage power test method by White is an extension of his brief test method utilized to determine a subject collection's Research Libraries Group or Western Library Network Conspectus rating by comparing the library's holdings for the selected subject area to the holdings in the WorldCat database for this subject area. This collection evaluation was originally designed to benchmark ISU's aeronautics and astronautics collection with those of peer institutions and the top-ranked aeronautical and aerospace engineering programs. The study was designed to gauge whether the ISU Library's holdings and acquisitions were keeping pace with peer institutions or whether additional resources should be allocated to support this program. Due to the inability of the WorldCat database to exclude t...
Lubricant Degradation and Wear II. Antioxidant Capacity and IR-Spectra in Systems Containing Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphates

As an extension of earlier work, a systematic study was made of the changes in the antioxidant capacity and infrared spectra of zinc dialkylthiophosphate in model systems and in a fully formulated lubricant aged in laboratory and fleet tests. The reaction of peroxy radicals with a zinc dialkyldithiophosphate in the model systems results in a decay of the P = S absorbance to approximately 40 percent of its initial value. The P=S absorbance is linearly related to the remaining antioxidant capacity of the solutions. For the fully formulated lubricant containing a second ldquo;ashless” antioxidant, the P=S decays to a much lower value approaching zero as the antioxidant capacity approaches a value of about 20 percent of its initial value. A study of the behavior of a zinc dialkyldithiophosphate in admixtures with hindered phenol reveals that the zinc dialkyldithiophosphate was not protected from antioxidant reactions by the hindered phenol, a result which is consistent with results obtained with the fully for...
Improved calculations of pore size distribution for relatively large, irregular slit-shaped mesopore structure

Abstract Present methods for determining pore volume (PV), pore size distribution (PSD), and average pore width (APW) of irregular mesoporous materials from N 2 adsorption, including the widely used model developed by Barrett, Joyner and Halenda (BJH), are likely to produce inaccurate results due to simplistic assumptions and approximations. For example, in assuming a simple cylindrical pore geometry and due to various empirical approximations, the BJH method typically underestimates APW for aluminas by 10–30% using the desorption branch of the N 2 adsorption isotherm. Here we report improved calculations of PSD based on the Kelvin equation and a proposed Slit Pore Geometry (SPG) model for slit-shaped mesopores of relatively large pore size (>10 nm). Two structural factors, α and β , are introduced to correct for non-ideal pore geometries. The volume density function for a log normal distribution is used to calculate the geometric mean pore diameter and standard deviation of the PSD. The Comparative Adsorption ( α s ) Method (CAM) is also employed to independently assess mesopore surface area and volume. Values of APW calculated by the SPG method are typically 6–20% greater than values predicted by BJH model using the desorption branch of N 2 adsorption isotherm. Pore areas and pore volumes calculated from the SPG model are also in excellent agreement with those determined independently by CAM. The SPG method is demonstrated to be especially applicable to determination of PV, PSD, and APW for aluminas and other medium to large pore diameter mesoporous solids consisting of slab-like nano-crystals.
Physiological activity and performance in children and adults: A two-year follow-up☆

Abstract Twelve adults and 32 second-grade children repeated an experimental session they had been in 2 years before, doing auditory reaction time (RT), sometimes for incentives, sometimes not, while EEG and other physiological responses were recorded. Children manifested changes in the direction of adult-like responsiveness in that there were greater degrees of covariation among autonomic responses, greater responsiveness of autonomic and muscle tension variables to the prospect of incentives, and a greater relation between reaction speed and levels of autonomic activity. EEG frequencies increased, and EEG blocking became more frequent among the children. The EMG response showed few signs of maturing, and there was no evidence for the development of a strong temporal response set as the cause of the marked improvement in reaction speed.
Object shape processing in the visual system evaluated using functional MRI

We used functional MRI (fMRI) to determine the cortical regions activated during processing of visual object shape in humans in six men and three women, using a paradigm with a baseline condition of simple shape detection and an activated condition of object/nonobject shape discrimination. Eight of the nine subjects studied showed significant signal changes. Seven of eight showed changes in the occipital lobes (five bilateral, two right only, one left only). All eight subjects with signal changes exhibited changes in the parietal lobes bilaterally. In the occipitotemporal gyri, there were signal changes bilaterally in seven subjects and unilaterally, on the right, in one. Activation-related fMRI signal increases were also present in the posterior superior and middle temporal gyri in seven of the subjects, with four showing bilateral signal changes, two showing signal changes on the left only, and one only on the right. The data strongly suggest that processing of object shape information in humans activates both the ventral and dorsal visual processing pathways ("what" and "where" pathways), described previously both in humans and in nonhuman primates.
Reintegration or stigmatization? Offenders' expectations of community re-entry

Abstract Purpose To investigate the degree to which offenders expect to be stigmatized or reintegrated after conviction and punishment in the justice system and the factors that influence variations in expectations. Methods A total of 1,031 adult male subjects convicted in Texas in 1993 and sentenced to a boot camp program were surveyed about their expectations regarding how they would be treated after they were released. Data was also collected on items related to prior criminal activity, race, ethnicity, and selected criminological theories. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and OLS regression. Results The results show that most offenders do not feel as though they will be stigmatized as a result of their convictions. Most expect to be reintegrated when they re-enter the community. Although there is some overlap, different sets of variables influence expectations of stigmatization and reintegration. Conclusions The results have implications for restorative justice and other post-conviction treatment programs.
On recycling as a moot environmental issue

Abstract Recycling of household wastes may not contribute as much toward a solution to environmental problems as widely supposed. It runs into practical problems often overlooked by nonspecialists. Recycling can also contribute significantly to pollution. Most important, recycling may use up larger quantities of materials than it saves. The note ends up with a model in which recycling will always cause a net loss in real resources. It is concluded that the subject requires more exploration rather than decision making by prejudgment and emotion.
A modified formulation of fractional stratiform condensation rate in the NCAR Community Atmospheric Model (CAM2)

[1] This paper describes a modified formulation of stratiform condensation rate associated with fractional cloudiness in the Community Atmospheric Model Version 2 (CAM2). It introduces an equation to link cloudiness change with the variation of total condensate. Together with a diagnostic cloud relationship that represents subgrid-scale variability of relative humidity, a closed system is formed to calculate the fractional condensation rate. As a result, the new formulation eliminates the two closure assumptions in the Rasch and Kristjansson [1998] prognostic cloud scheme. It also extends the Sundqvist [1978] scheme by including the influence of convective detrainment and advection of condensates on the fractional cloudiness. Comparison is made between the present formulation and the Rasch and Kristjansson scheme by using data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program and through global model simulations with CAM2. It is shown that relative to the Rasch and Kristjansson scheme, the new formulation produces less clouds and a slightly warmer troposphere, thus reducing the original cold bias in the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM). Even though the overall impact of the new formulation on the model climate is small, the modifications lead to more consistent treatments of fractional cloudiness change, condensation rate, and cloud water change in the model.
Specificity of the Alteration in Aldosterone Biosynthesis in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) has a decreased aldosterone response to angiotensin II (A II), resulting in a compensatory increase in the activity of the reninangiotensin system. To assess whether this is a selective or generalized defect in hormonal regulation, aldosterone responsiveness to two other secretagogues (ACTH and potassium) and the status of the pituitary-thyroidal and pituitary-adrenal axes were determined in three groups of rats: SHR, normotensive Kyoto-Wistar (WKY), and normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats (SDR). The rats were placed on either a low or a high sodium diet for 10 days, and then blood was obtained for the measurement of plasma aldosterone, corticosterone, A II, ACTH, TSH, T3, sodium, and potassium. Additionally, purified glomerulosa cells were incubated with increasing doses of either ACTH or potassium. No differences between the groups were observed in vivo for any of the parameters measured when the animals were on a high salt diet or for any on the low salt diet, exce...
INFORMATION AND The TECHNOLOGIST

My observations on the subject of making the technologist information‐conscious may be divided into two parts. Firstly, an examination of the circumstances which make a special effort necessary; and secondly, a listing of some ‘paperwork’ methods of furthering the effort.