cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methodological Approach and Reconfiguration Tool for Assembly Systems

Assembly lines design is intended to solve many problems related to assembly operations. The introduction of a new product should often entail the salvage of existing assembly lines. This work proposes a methodology for assembly line reconfiguration, to rationalize and support the redesign process of assembly systems. This research formalizes a representation model and a method for assembly line reconfiguration. The model describes the main characteristics and significant features of the assembly process. The study is concerned with three fundamental models, the first describes assembly line structures. The second illustrates component assembly features and the third produces all the assembly sequences. The assembly line reconfiguration method provides an analysis and estimation tool on the reconfiguration process complexity. The method proposed is also meant to be a tool to identify the operational flexibility limit. The method results point out the way to implement assembly system reconfiguration and gives detailed information about the assembly line. Each assembly line, facing a new product to be assembled, is processed with the reconfiguration method and receives operative results for reconfiguration process and quality indicators.
Estimation in Covariance Components Models

Abstract Estimation techniques for linear covariance components models are developed and illustrated with special emphasis on explaining computational processes. The estimation of fixed and random effects when the variances and covariances are known is presented in Bayesian terms, Point estimates of the unknown variances and covariances are computed using the EM algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation from incomplete data. The techniques are illustrated with data on law schools, field mice, and professional football teams.
The isotopic composition of ammonia, nitrogen dioxide and nitrate in the atmosphere

Abstract Values of nitrogen isotope ratios in gaseous ammonia and nitrogen dioxide and in ammonium ion and nitrate ion in aerosols and precipitation are presented. These values are shown to vary with source. Ammonia in clean air samples had a δ15N of −10.0 ± 2.6‰ compared to +24.9 ± 3.4‰ in barnyard samples. Nitrogen dioxide in clean air is −9.3 ± 3.5‰ compared to auto exhaust of +3.7 ± 0.3‰ . Ammonium ion in particulates and in rain had δ15N values of 5.6 ± 5.5 and −1.4 ± 3.5‰ , respectively. Nitrate ion in particulates and in rain had δ15N values of 5.0 ± 5.7 and −6.6 ± 3.9‰ , respectively. Several possible isotope fractionation mechanisms which might be operative in the atmosphere are discussed. The most plausible fractionation mechanism appears to involve isotopic equilibrium between gaseous and condensed phases with subsequent removal of the condensed phase.
Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model for Surface-Flow Routing

AbstractA new surface flow routing algorithm based on numerical solutions of shallow water equations and the kinematic wave approximation (SWE-KWA) is proposed in this paper. The shallow water equations are discretized by the first-order Godunov-type finite-volume method. The stability analysis showed that the friction source term increased exponentially as flow depth became very small. This breaks the balance between the friction and the slope source terms. An approximate solution to the kinematic wave equation is introduced to restore this balance. This kinematic wave approximation makes it possible to apply the shallow water equations to both overland and channel flows. Test results show that this algorithm is accurate, robust, and stable for both very shallow overland and concentrated channel flows. The minimum allowable flow depth used in the tests is 10−10 m, two orders of magnitude smaller than the common rainfall excess rate (10−5 to 10−8 m/s). Because this algorithm applies to both the overland...
A second order approximation for the quasistatic properties of a nanoegg

Breaking the symmetry in plasmonic nanoparticles offers additional degrees of freedom that can be utilized to increase the tunability of such nanoparticles. Metallic shells with non-concentric dielectric cores possess such properties, where the core displacement affects the wavelength at which plasmon resonance occurs. It remains important to have analytical formulation for the properties of such nanoparticles especially for the design and optimization for nanoparticle based devices. In this paper we present an analytical formulation for capturing the resonant properties of asymmetrical nanoparticles based on the quasistatic approximation of Maxwell's equations.
Fluorometric quantification of DNA in cells and tissue.

Abstract The validation of a simple and rapid DNA solubilization procedure is described. Quantitative extraction of intact, polymerized DNA was achieved by cell lysis or tissue homogenization in an ammonium hydroxide-Triton X-100 solution. The solubilization procedure inactivates endogenous DNAase and increases the fluorescence-enhancement activity of the extracted DNA, thereby eliminating the need for enzyme treatment or exposure to high salt solutions. The extracts can be utilized directly in a sensitive fluorescence-enhancement assay with bisbenzimidazole (Hoechst 33258) reagent. Estimates of DNA cell content were unaffected by the number of cells lysed or the volume of lysate employed in the assay. In all cases, the solubilized DNA estimates were linear and parallel to the bovine DNA standard. The optimum range for estimation of DNA in this assay is 5–150 ng. In addition, estimates of DNA obtained with this method and the standard diphenlyamine assay were in excellent agreement. This simple, one-step DNA extraction procedure can be utilized in conjunction with Hoechst reagent to obtain quantitative estimates of DNA levels in cell or tissue extracts.
Anthracycline-Induced Cardiac Injury Using a Cardiac Cell Line: Potential for Gene Therapy Studies

Anthracyclines are effective antitumor agents whose chief limitation has been cardiotoxicity directly related to free radical production. Therefore, strategies designed to selectively overexpress antioxidant proteins in the heart could protect against drug-induced toxicity and allow higher doses of chemotherapy. However, to date an adequate cardiac model system that is susceptible to anthracycline injury and can express foreign genes in a controlled fashion has been lacking. Developing a cardiac model system would permit examination of the relationship between the expression level of a potentially protective foreign gene and the degree of protection from injury. In this study we have examined the potential of the H9C2 rat cardiac myocyte cell line in this regard. H9C2 cells differentiate in a reproducible fashion, as shown by progressive increases in muscle tropomyosin-expressing cells, the organization of this thin filament protein, and the percentage of muscle cells contained within myotubes. Exposure of this cell line to the anthracycline doxorubicin produces cell injury as indicated by release of the intracellular enzyme lactate dehydrogenase into the culture medium. This injury is preceded by generation of reactive oxygen species, indicated by fluorescence after loading with carboxy-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. Stable transfection of H9C2 cells with a plasmid producing a tetracycline transactivator protein allows foreign genes to be expressed at a level tightly controlled by the concentration of tetracycline in the culture medium. Since H9C2 cells differentiate, can be injured by anthracycline exposure, and can express foreign genes at controllable levels, this is a suitable system in which to design genetic approaches to prevent this important clinical problem.
The Conserved Histidine 295 Does Not Contribute to Proton Cotransport by the Glutamate Transporter EAAC1

Transmembrane glutamate transport by the excitatory amino acid carrier (EAAC1) is coupled to the cotransport of three Na(+) ions and one proton. Previously, we suggested that the mechanism of H(+) cotransport involves protonation of the conserved glutamate residue E373. However, it was also speculated that the cotransported proton is shared in a H(+)-binding network, possibly involving the conserved histidine 295 in the sixth transmembrane domain of EAAC1. Here, we used site-directed mutagenesis together with pre-steady-state electrophysiological analysis of the mutant transporters to test the protonation state of H295 and to determine its involvement in proton transport by EAAC1. Our results show that replacement of H295 with glutamine, an amino acid residue that cannot be protonated, generates a fully functional transporter with transport kinetics that are close to those of the wild-type EAAC1. In contrast, replacement with lysine results in a transporter in which substrate binding and translocation are dramatically inhibited. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the effect of the histidine 295 to lysine mutation on the glutamate affinity is caused by its positive charge, since wild-type-like affinity can be restored by changing the extracellular pH to 10.0, thus partially deprotonating H295K. Together, these results suggest that histidine 295 is not protonated in EAAC1 at physiological pH and, thus, does not contribute to H(+) cotransport. This conclusion is supported by data from H295C-E373C double mutant transporters which demonstrate that these residues cannot be linked by oxidation, indicating that H295 and E373 are not close in space and do not form a proton binding network. A kinetic scheme is used to quantify the results, which includes binding of the cotransported proton to E373 and binding of a modulatory, nontransported proton to the amino acid side chain in position 295.
Probing the hydrophobic pocket of farnesyltransferase: aromatic substitution of CAAX peptidomimetics leads to highly potent inhibitors.

Abstract Cysteine farnesylation at the carboxylate terminal tetrapeptide CAAX of Ras protein is catalyzed by farnesyltransferase. This lipid modification is necessary for regulatory function of both normal and oncogenic Ras. The high frequency of Ras mutation in human cancers has prompted an intensive study on finding ways of controlling oncogenic Ras function. Inhibition of farnesyltransferase is among the most sought after targets for cancer chemotherapy. We report here the design, synthesis and biological characterization of a series of peptidomimetics as farnesyltransferase inhibitors. These compounds are extremely potent towards farnesyltransferase with IC 50 values ranging from subnanomolar to low nanomolar concentrations. They have a high selectivity for farnesyltransferase over the closely related geranylgeranyltransferase-I. Structure–activity relationship studies demonstrated that a properly positioned hydrophobic group significantly enhanced inhibition potency, reflecting an improved complementarity to the large hydrophobic pocket in the CAAX binding site.
Versatile focusing using a combination of toroidal and Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors

Toroidal mirrors can be used to efficiently focus synchrotron radiation for magnifications near 1. At the Pacific Northwest Consortium-Collaborative Access Team (PNC-CAT) insertion device beamline, a toroidal mirror is used to focus the entire undulator beam to a spot size of 400(H)×100(V) μm2. For large demagnifications, Kirkpatrick–Baez (KB) mirrors are a good choice. Spot sizes down to 1 μm have been achieved at PNC-CAT. However, these mirrors only collect a fraction of the undulator beam, and result in a highly divergent beam with a short working distance. To achieve an intermediate beam size with less divergence, the toroidal and KB mirrors can be combined. The toroidal mirror reduces the beam to match the entrance aperture of the KB mirrors. This combination can provide beam sizes below 100 μm while collecting the entire undulator beam and providing a convenient working distance. Thus, the beam size, working distance, and divergence can be tailored to the needs of the experiment.
Short-term lethality and sediment avoidance assays with endrin-contaminated sediment and two oligochaetes from Lake Michigan.

Mean 96-hr LC50 values and standard deviations for the oligochaetesS. heringianus andL. hoffmeisteri exposed to endrin-contaminated sediment were 2,588±1,974 μg/g dry weight sediment for 4 assays and 2,725±955 μg/g for 2 assays, respectively. Mixed species testing data suggested that the toxicity toL. hoffmeisteri was reduced in the presence ofS. heringianus, yet further testing is required. Ninety-six hour EC50 burrowing avoidance values for both species (19 and 15.3 μg/g forS. heringianus and 59 μg/g forL. hoffmeisteri) were approximately 46 and 150 times lower than their respective mean 96-hr LC50 values. Both S.heringianus andL. hoffmeisteri initially burrowed in contaminated sediment and then returned to the surface in numbers somewhat proportional to the sediment concentration and the length of exposure. Future use of oligochaete behavioral responses to subiethal sediment contamination for pollutant impact on benthic communities is promising.
Effect of Washing on the Texture and Microstructure of Frozen Fish Mince

Textural hardening of fish mince during storage was investigated by examining texture and structure of unwashed and washed fish mince. Washing reduced TMAO and increased water-binding ability, but did not prevent development of hard, rubbery texture in fish mince during frozen storage. Transmission electron microscopy showed more shrinkage of myofibrillar units (sarcomeres) occurred in washed than unwashed mince. Textural hardening of washed mince was thus related to increased freeze-induced contraction of myofibrils. Removal of water-soluble sarcoplasmic proteins facilitated freeze-induced contraction of myofibrils, leading to textural hardening. This suggested that water soluble proteins retard sarcomere shrinkage resulting from freeze-induced contraction/protein cross-linking.
Spiritual Genograms: A Generational Approach to Assessing Spirituality

Clients' spiritual and religious beliefs are often significantly shaped by family influences, particularly among many minority populations. Spiritual genograms offer an assessment method that highlights the spiritual and religious strengths that may exist within clients' families and depicts how these multi-generational dynamics inform current spiritual functioning. Information is provided on how to construct a spiritual genogram, as well as how to conduct an assessment, elicit spiritual strengths, and shift toward planning interventions. A case study is delineated, a number of spiritually-based interventions that flow from the instrument are reviewed, and sample questions are provided. The paper concludes by offering a number of suggestions as to when spiritual genograms may be particularly applicable.
Attend to the Middle

Autumn Fiester (2015) aptly distinguishes common practice (Recommendation-Focused Model) from best practice (Assisted Conversation Model) ethics consultation. She emphasizes the end, closure, sugge...
Nichtenzymatische Simulierung von Nitrogenasereaktionen und der Mechanismus der biologischen Stickstoff‐Fixierung

Untersuchungen mit biologisch relevanten Modellsystemen ermoglichten die Simulierung der wichtigsten Reaktionen der stickstoff-bindenden Enzyme. Es gelang, einen Mechanismus der biologischen Stickstoff-Fixierung zu formulieren, der mit allen wesentlichen experimentellen Tatsachen in Einklang steht. Die entscheidenden Reaktionen der Nitrogenasesubstrate finden am Molybdanzentrum des Enzyms statt. Das an Schwefel und Protein-S⊖-Gruppen gebundene Eisen dient dem Elektronentransport, ohne direkt an der Substratreduktion teilzunehmen. ATP wird zur Beschleunigung der Reduktion und zur Aktivierung des aktiven Molybdanzentrums benotigt und dabei zu ADP und Phosphat hydrolysiert. Als Zwischenprodukte der Stickstoffreduktion wurden Diimin und Hydrazin im Modellversuch nachgewiesen.
STD trends and patterns of treatment for STD by physicians in private practice in Peru

Objectives: To describe trends in STD visits to physicians in private practice in Peru over a 15 year period and in the patterns of treatments used for STD. Methods: IMS Health conducts for pharmaceutical marketing purposes surveys of a random cluster sample of 1.63% of practising physicians in Peru, stratified by region and specialty. Physicians record details of diagnoses and treatments for all patients seen during a 7 day period every 6 months. Data collected on selected STD syndromes were retrospectively reviewed over a 15 year period. Results: The number of first visits for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and trichomoniasis, and total visits for genital herpes increased from 1983–5 to 1996–7; while first visits for gonorrhoea and total visits for syphilis have changed little in recent years. Treatment for gonorrhoea usually involved the use of spectinomycin or an aminoglycoside only. Treatments offered for PID were remarkably inadequate and for trichomoniasis often involved products not known to be effective for trichomoniasis or other causes of vaginal discharge. Conclusions: This form of active surveillance provides information potentially useful to guide policies for prevention and management of STDs and HIV infections in developing countries.
Exploring the impact of gender and reproductive status on outcomes in a randomized clinical trial of naltrexone augmentation of nicotine patch

Abstract In a series of exploratory analyses, we examined the roles of gender, reproductive status and negative affect on smoking abstinence in subjects participating in a large ( n = 385) 6-week randomized clinical trial (RCT) of nicotine patch therapy, with varying doses of oral naltrexone (0 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg) treatment. Negative affect was assessed daily during the first post-quit week via telephone interactive voice response (IVR). Weight and adverse events were recorded weekly. In the intent to treat sample, the effects of dose on continuous abstinence were non-significant in the overall model for men and women. In the 295 study completers, there was a significant effect of dose on continuous abstinence in women only ( F = 8.53, p = 0.04). In the 100 mg group, 71% of women were continuously abstinent compared to 41% in the placebo group ( p F = 2.91, df = 3, p = 0.04). Women in the 100 mg vs. placebo group were less adherent with medication ( F = 3.19, p p = 0.02, odds ratio (OR) = 0.28), gender (OR = 0.55 p = 0.09), and IVR ratings of negative affect (OR 1.02, p = 0.04) predicted abstinence at Week 1 in study completers. Menstrual cycle status on quit day had a modest affect on abstinence. These data suggest that naltrexone dose, gender, and negative affect play a role in smoking abstinence, particularly in the early stages of treatment. When used in conjunction with nicotine replacement therapy, naltrexone dose may be important in women.
Choice of Route Networks: A Qualitative Model for Overland and Overwater Routes

In this paper, airlines and other users' route choice behaviors in the national airspace system of the United States have been examined. A binary logit regression model was used to determine the choice of routes by the users employing instrument flight rules. By categorizing routes into two types-over land and over water-and using a sample of almost 98,500 observations from the Federal Aviation Administration's Enhanced Traffic Management System, it was found that operational characteristics, such as distance, commercial flights, and altitudes of the flights are critical in determining route choice. Inflationary environment, caused by sectoral jet fuel prices and overall economy-wide prices, leads to the choice of overwater routes. Busier months as well as peak times of the day lead to the choice of overwater routes. Finally, airspace redesign tends to make overwater routes more attractive vis a vis than overland routes.
Numerical modeling studies of lee mesolows, mesovortices and mesocyclones with application to the formation of Taiwan mesolows

Numerical experiments are performed for inviscid flow past an idealized topography to investigate the formation and development of lee mesolows, mesovortices and mesocyclones. For a nonrotating, low-Froude number flow over a bell-shaped moutain, a pair of mesovortices form on the lee slope move downstream and weaken at later times. The advection speed of the lee vortices is found to be about two-thirds of the basic wind velocity, which is due to the existence of a reversed pressure gradient just upstream of the vortices. The lee vortices do not concur with the upstream stagnation point in time, but rather form at a later time. It is found that a pair of lee vortices form for a flow withFr=0.66, but take a longer time to form than in lower-Froude number flows. Since the lee vortices are formed rather progressively, their formation may be explained by the baroclinically-induced vorticity tilting as the mountain waves become more and more nonlinear.
Effects of light and darkness on pH outside rod photoreceptors in the cat retina

We recorded pH in the extracellular space surrounding rod photoreceptors in the dark-adapted eye of the cat and during illumination with double-barreled H(+)-selective microelectrodes. A pH of 7.17 was recorded in the vitreous at the retinal surface of the dark-adapted eye and this became more alkaline during light adaptation. In dark adaptation, a pH close to 7.00 was recorded in a region of maximal acidity in the extracellular space surrounding rods in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). pH steeply alkalinized as the microelectrode was moved more distally towards the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and almost reached the pH of the arterial blood at the apical surface of the RPE. Illumination produced an intraretinal alkalinization that was largest (up to 0.2 pH units) in the ONL, maximal in amplitude at rod-saturating intensities, and that was sustained during steady background illumination. The light-evoked alkalinization was relatively slow in onset, having a time constant (1/e) of 64 sec, and took 8-12.5 min to return to the dark-adapted level after the offset of maintained illumination. These results show that acid production by cat rods is highest in the dark, reflecting a high rate of energy metabolism, and suggest that glycolysis is required to support the dark current. Illumination, by suppressing both glycolysis and respiration, alkalinizes the extracellular space surrounding rods. The substantial change in pH outside rods from dark to light could alter pH dependent properties of the interphotoreceptor matrix.
On the implementation of FDTD codes in the coverage analysis of indoor scenarios

Application of FDTD (with companion UPML) to the coverage analysis of indoor scenarios is explored and results compared with measured data pertaining to a digital TV experiment at 804 MHz and an UWB radio channel characterization campaign reported elsewhere.
Prevalence of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Maine

Between 1976 and 1980, medical and social service sources were used to ascertain cases of retinitis pigmentosa in Maine (1980 population, 1,124,660). As of July 1, 1980, 241 clinically prevalent cases of retinitis pigmentosa were ascertained. Extensive pedigrees were collected for 185 of the subjects and medical records were obtained. One hundred fourteen cases were further evaluated by clinical examination including electroretinography. Adjusting for incorrect diagnosis (eight of 114, 7%) and underascertainment (23 of 185, 12.5%), we estimated that prevalence of retinitis pigmentosa in Maine is 236 cases, 21 per 100,000 population or 1:4,756. Excluding Usher and Bardet-Biedl syndromes, the prevalence is 1:5,193. Estimated birth incidence of persons who will become affected with nonsyndrome retinitis pigmentosa is 1:3,544. Incidence of newly diagnosed cases per year is about six per 1,000,000 population. Among kindreds, 16 of 85 (19%) were autosomal dominant, 55 of 85 (65%) autosomal recessive or isolated cases, seven of 85 (8%) X-linked recessive, and seven of 85 (8%) not classified by mode of transmission.
A Longitudinal Study of Changes in Marketing Practices at Private Christian Colleges

This article presents the results of a longitudinal study investigating current marketing practices at selected church-related, private, four-year compared to those in place in 1997. The role that institutional selectivity plays in the use of marketing activities was also investigated. The researcher surveyed the admissions directors or enrollment management officers at all U.S. institutional members of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Implications for marketers in higher education as well as recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Labor Discontent in China in Comparative Perspective

A prominent specialist on the political economy of China compares the responses of Chinese workers to globalization-induced job cuts and benefit reductions with those of workers in two quite different political contexts—France and Mexico. A hypothesis, based on the "terms of attachment" among states, workers, and their unions, is advanced to account for the quite different responses of labor (in terms of propensity to protest) to similar global economic forces buffeting the three countries beginning in the early 1980s. The analysis of labor discontent and unrest in China is based on information on nearly 200 separate events collected by the author from news sources in Hong Kong, the Western media, and Chinese publications. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F02, J51, J52, O15. 1 table, 115 references.
The dependence of magnetic properties on structure in the system Fe2GexSi1−xO4

Abstract Members of the system Fe 2 Ge x Si 1− x O 4 were prepared and their magnetic susceptibilities were measured. The μ eff values for all compositions were consistent with high-spin Fe 2+ (3 d 6 ). The olivine Fe 2 SiO 4 and the spinel Fe 2 GeO 4 showed θ values of −87(1) and −32(1) K, respectively. At ambient pressure, up to 20 mole% of germanium could be substituted for silicon in the olivine Fe 2 SiO 4 , and the value for θ remained very close to that of pure Fe 2 SiO 4 . When the nominal composition of Fe 2 Ge 0.3 Si 0.7 O 4 was pressed at 50 kb, the resulting product was predominantly a spinel phase. The magnetic properties for each composition crystallizing with the olivine structure were found to be consistent with the presence of strong antiferromagnetic ∼120° B  O  B nearest-neighbor interactions. Both the spinel and the olivine structures have weaker ∼90° B  O  B interactions.
Short Communication: Effect of Number of Extractions on Percentage of Long-Chain Fatty Acids from Fresh Alfalfa

Abstract Accurate determination of fatty acids in fresh forage is very important when studying biohydrogenation. Fatty acids from fresh alfalfa were extracted by hexane:isopropanol (H:IP, 3:2 vol.vol) in 3 sequential extractions. The percentage and profile of fatty acids from each of the 3 extractions were evaluated by a randomized complete block design with repeated measures in space. Samples of fresh alfalfa were randomly harvested and immediately submerged in liquid nitrogen. For the first extraction, approximately 5 g of the frozen alfalfa was mixed with 18 mL of H:IP per gram of material. Samples were then centrifuged and the supernatant was collected. The second and third extractions were done by adding H:IP to the pellet (3 mL/g of the original sample weight), mixing for 2 min, and then centrifuging. Samples were submerged in H:IP and stored in the dark at 8°C at all times. The solvent from each extraction was partially evaporated and the fatty acids methylated by methanolic HCl. Repeated extractions increased the percentage of total fatty acids recovered from the samples. The concentration of fatty acids in the alfalfa after 3 extractions was 4.0%. The first, second, and third extractions resulted in 92.7, 4.8, and 2.6% of the total fatty acids extracted, respectively. There was no effect of extraction on the proportion of 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, and 18:2 fatty acids. However, the proportion of 18:3 in the extract decreased from the first to the second extraction and the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acid increased from the first to the second extraction. The results of this experiment revealed that the profile of fatty acids can vary with the number of extractions performed. The higher amount of 18:3 in the first extraction may reflect the higher proportion of linolenic acid in the more easily extracted plant fractions.
Parentage and reproductive success in the white-throated magpie-jay, Calocitta formosa, a cooperative breeder with female helpers

I conducted a 3-year study investigating parentage in a Costa Rican population of white-throated magpie-jays, a cooperatively breeding corvid inhabiting the tropical dry forests of Central America. This species is unusual among avian cooperative breeders in that helpers are mostly females. Using 12 microsatellite loci, I estimated parentage for 110 offspring in 32 broods and eight social groups. Primary breeders were not the sole producers of offspring within a brood. At the 95% confidence level, female helpers within the group produced 16% of young, and floater males sired approximately 30% of young. Helpers that bred mated either with the primary male (three cases) or with floaters (five cases). When the analysis was limited to the most reliable data, the 20 nests and 63 offspring where all candidate mothers had been sampled, at the 95% confidence level only one helper produced young, while floater males sired 22% of offspring. The results of this study cast doubt on the simple classification of white-throated magpie-jays as cooperative breeders and suggest a more complex combination of cooperative and parasitic behaviours.
Species diversity of deep-sea benthic Foraminifera from the central Arctic Ocean

The species diversity of benthic Foraminifera contained in 67 sediment samples from the central Arctic Ocean is investigated to determine diversity patterns in a deep-sea, high-latitude environment. The samples range in depth from 1,069 to 3,709 m. Species diversity and equitability, as measured by the number of species, S , the Shannon-Wiener index, H ( S ), the Buzas-Gibson index, E , and the Lloyd-Ghelardi index, e , decrease with depth in this interval. Comparison with previously published data suggests that species diversity decreases with depth throughout the entire depth range of the Arctic Ocean. The diversity of the deep Arctic benthic Foraminifera is less than that of faunas from comparable depths at lower latitudes. Current theories of species diversity do not completely explain the observed diversity patterns. The youthfulness of the Arctic ecosystem and instability of resource supplies may be important contributing factors.
Zwingli Study Since 1918

This bibliographical review of works on Ulrich Zwingli is partial evidence of a quarter-century of considerable scholarly activity directed toward the history of the continental Reformed churches. At first glance, the memorial volumes commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Zurich Reformation (1519–1919) and of the Reformer's death at Kappel (1531–1931) would seem to account for the inordinate number of Zwingli studies since 1918; but an equal volume of scholarship devoted, without such promptings, to Martin Bucer, or the Weber Thesis, or the Reformation in the Netherlands confirms the trend toward intrested historical inquiry, stimulated perhaps by the return to the mainstream of Reformation thought.
Selective proton observed heteronuclear dipolar modulated chemical shift spectra in solids

Abstract The production of chemical shift spectra of specific protons within polycrystalline solids is described by consideration of explicit double resonance pulse schemes which remove both heteronuclear and homonuclear dipolar interactions. These schemes present a means for characterization of both geometrical and electronic properties in the solid state. As an example of the selectivity of this technique we present results for the carbonyl proton of adsorbed formic acid on ammonium-Y zeolite. Finally, we report the amide bond length in acetanilide as an example of the use of selective proton observed heteronuclear dipolar modulated chemical shift spectra in structural determinations.
Complex dielectric constant of sea foam at microwave frequencies

[1] We present a systematic investigation of the applicability of a group of mixing rules for obtaining the dielectric constant (permittivity) of sea foam (whitecaps) at microwave frequencies, 1.4 to 37 GHz. By demonstrating that the foam scattering is weak at these frequencies, we justify our interest in basic mixing rules, which do not involve explicit scattering computation, namely, the Maxwell Garnett, Polder-Van Santen, Coherent potential, Looyenga, and Refractive models. The complex dielectric constant of sea foam obtained with these mixing rules is presented and the dependence of foam permittivity on foam void fraction, radiation frequency, sea surface temperature, and salinity is reported. With the exception of the Coherent potential model, all selected mixing rules give reasonable values for the sea foam dielectric constant. To further examine the suitability of a permittivity model for computing the dielectric constant of sea foam, the performance of each mixing rule is evaluated on the basis of three criteria: (1) how well a permittivity model deals with a wide range of void fractions, (2) how a permittivity model behaves approaching the foam-air and foam-water boundaries, and (3) how the choice of a permittivity model affects estimates of emissivity and brightness temperature due to foam. The suitability of the basic mixing rules for computing the complex dielectric constant of sea foam at microwave frequencies can be ranked as: (1) Refractive model, (2) Looyenga model, (3) Maxwell Garnett model, and (4) Polder-Van Santen model.
Recruiting Prospective Students WithStories: How Personal Stories Influence the Process of Choosing aUniversity

The current study examined the use of narratives as persuasive recruitment tools for universities. This study analyzed students’ perceptions of four universities’ recruitment materials and used Fisher's (1984) narrative paradigm and the concept of regulatory fitas a lens. Student participants perceived narratives as persuasive after they had narrowed down their list of colleges. The results also revealed that stories that represented both the academic and social sides of college helped students visualize themselves at the university and made the idea of higher education more tangible. Five themes are explained and the study concludes with theoretical and practical implications.
Overview of the SNS target system testing and initial beam operation experience

Abstract The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) construction project has been completed including initial beam operation with the mercury target, moderators and associated systems. The project was initiated in 1999, with groundbreaking in December of 1999. Final integrated system testing for the mercury target, cryogenic moderators, shutter systems, water and other utility systems and all control and safety systems were completed in April 2006 and first beam on target was delivered April 28, 2006. This paper will give an overview of the system testing conducted in preparation for beam operation and initial operating experience with low power beams. One area of testing was extensive remote handling testing in the target service bay to demonstrate all key operations associated with the target and mercury loop. Many improvements were implemented as a result of this experience. Another set of tests involved bringing the supercritical cryogenic moderator systems on line. Again, lessons learned here resulted in system changes. Testing of the four water loops was very time consuming because of the complexity of the systems and many instrumentation issues had to be resolved. A temporary phosphor view-screen was installed on the front of the target which has been extremely useful in evaluating the beam profile on the target. Initial profile results will be presented. Target system performance for initial beam operation will be discussed. In general, all systems performed well with excellent availability. There were some unexpected findings. For example, xenon spallation gas products are believed to have deposited on a downstream gold amalgamation bed designed to remove mercury vapor and this disposition increased the local dose rate. A summary of findings and plans for ramping up in power will be given.
Precision Control Through Vibration Suppression in Piezoelectric-Stepper Response

The main contribution of this article is to show that, when compared to single actuator steppers, the response of multi-actuator steppers can be significantly less oscillatory and these reduced oscillations allow for higher precision velocity control of a motion stage. Moreover, it is shown that the resulting motion of the motion stage is stable using a Poincare-map approach.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Calorimetric vs. van't Hoff binding enthalpies from isothermal titration calorimetry: Ba2+-crown ether complexation.

Abstract The 1:1 complexation reaction between Ba 2+ and 18-crown-6 ether is re-examined using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), with the goal of clarifying previously reported discrepancies between reaction enthalpies estimated directly (calorimetric) and indirectly, from the temperature dependence of the reaction equilibrium constant K (van't Hoff). The ITC thermograms are analyzed using three different non-linear fit models based on different assumptions about the data error: constant, proportional to the heat and proportional but correlated. The statistics of the fitting indicate a preference for the proportional error model, in agreement with expectations for the conditions of the experiment, where uncertainties in the delivered titrant volume should dominate. With attention to proper procedures for propagating statistical error in the van't Hoff analysis, the differences between Δ H cal and Δ H vH are deemed statistically significant. In addition, statistically significant differences are observed for the Δ H cal estimates obtained for two different sources of Ba 2+ , BaCl 2 and Ba(NO 3 ) 2 . The effects are tentatively attributed to deficiencies in the standard procedure in ITC of subtracting a blank obtained for pure titrant from the thermogram obtained for the sample.
MODIFICATION OF CORN WET‐MILLING STEEPING CONDITIONS TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Laboratory corn wet-milling experiments were conducted with modified operating conditions. Mill-starch yield obtained from corn steeped at reduced steep solution volume was comparable to normal operation as long as the absolute amount of steeping agent, SO/sub 2/, remained the same. Increasing the SO/sub 2/ concentration or removing the mass transfer barriers between the endosperm and the steep solution by degermination between two steeping periods improved mill-starch yield. These modifications have potential for saving energy consumed in steeping and in concentrating residual steep solution.
Fibronectin-α4β1 integrin interactions modulate p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation in steatotic liver cold ischemia-reperfusion injury

We investigated the effects of the connecting segment-1 (CS1) peptide, which blocks fibronectin (FN)-α4β1 integrin interactions upon cell signaling, leukocyte migration, and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, in a well-established steatotic rat liver model using ex vivo cold ischemia followed by isotransplantation. In this model, CS1 peptides were administered through the portal vein of steatotic Zucker rat livers prior and after cold ischemic storage. Lean Zucker recipients of fatty orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) received an additional 3-day course of CS1 peptides post-OLT. CS1 peptide-treated steatotic OLTs harvested at 1, 3, and 7 days showed moderated levels of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, comparable to those observed in steatotic naive livers. In contrast, p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation was found up-regulated in 1- to 3-day damaged control OLTs. However, 7-day control OLTs were characterized by virtually lack of p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation. Lack of p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation in 7-day control OLTs was correlated with massive presence of leukocytes in the grafts and elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines. CS1 peptide-treated OLTs at 7 days showed a profound decrease in T-cell (10 ± 3 vs 56 ± 20, P < .03) and monocyte/macrophage (+/++ vs +++) infiltration and significantly reduced levels of cytokine expression, such as IL-2 (approximately sixfold), and IFN-γ (approximately three- to fourfold), as compared with controls.
CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT VIA AGGRESSIVE INTERFERENCE IN APPALACHIAN SALAMANDERS

Ecological character displacement occurs when sympatric species compete with one another, resulting in morphological divergence. Theoretically, character displace- ment can evolve from a number of ecological interactions, such as exploitation, interference, or predation, but most examples describe species competing exploitatively for limiting resources (typically food). Here I report a case of character displacement evolving from aggressive behavioral interference, found in a well-studied system of terrestrial salamanders of the genus Plethodon. Using geometric morphometrics, I found parallel shifts in head shape from allopatry to sympatry in both P. jordani and P. teyahalee, and found significantly greater morphological divergence in sympatry relative to allopatry. Both findings are con- sistent with ecological character displacement. I also show a significant association between morphology and aggressive behavior, demonstrating a direct link between interference competition and morphology. I present a modified set of the criteria for character displace- ment that are appropriate for discriminating character displacement via aggressive inter- ference from other possible evolutionary mechanisms. For this example, empirical support satisfying five of the six criteria for character displacement is found. These results provide evidence that morphological variation can be generated by mechanisms other than resource exploitation, which has profound implications for interpreting patterns of biological di- versity.
Adaptive texture and color segmentation for tracking moving objects

Color segmentation is a very popular technique for real-time object tracking. However, even with adaptive color segmentation schemes, under varying environmental conditions in video sequences, the tracking tends to be unreliable. To overcome this problem, many multiple cue fusion techniques have been suggested. One of the cues that complements color nicely is texture. However, texture segmentation has not been used for object tracking mainly because of the computational complexity of texture segmentation. This paper presents a formulation for fusing texture and color in a manner that makes the segmentation reliable while keeping the computational cost low, with the goal of real-time target tracking. An autobinomial Gibbs Markov random field is used for modeling the texture and a 2D Gaussian distribution is used for modeling the color. This allows a probabilistic fusion of the texture and color cues and for adapting both the texture and color over time for target tracking. Experiments with both static images and dynamic image sequences establish the feasibility of the proposed approach.
A Feminist Analysis of Welfare Reform: The Personal Responsibility Act of 1996

This article presents a feminist analysis of the Personal Responsibility Act of 1996, which ended women's and children's federal entitlement to welfare. It draws on the congressional hearings preceding the act's passage to argue that the act was crafted to discipline poor women who seemed to challenge traditional gender roles and deep-seated values about women's place in American society.
Getting caught with our plants down: The risks of a global crop yield slowdown from climate trends in the next two decades

In many discussions of climate change impacts in agriculture, the large magnitudes of expected impacts toward the end of the century are used to emphasize that most of the risks are to future generations. However, this perspective misses the important fact that demand growth for food is expected to be much slower after 2050 than before it, and that the next two decades represent the bulk of growth before 2050. Thus, impacts of smaller magnitude in the near-term can be as or more consequential for food prices or food security as larger magnitude impacts in the future. Here we estimate the risks that climate trends over the next 10 or 20 years could have large impacts on global yields of wheat and maize, with a focus on scenarios that would cut the expected rates of yield gains in half. We find that because of global warming, the chance of climate trends over a 20 year period causing a 10% yield loss has increased from a less than 1 in 200 chance arising from internal climate variability alone, to a 1 in 10 chance for maize and 1 in 20 chance for wheat. Estimated risks for maize are higher because of a greater geographic concentration than wheat, as well as a slightly more negative aggregate temperature sensitivity. Global warming has also greatly increased the chance of climate trends large enough to halve yield trends over a 10 year period, with a roughly 1 in 4 chance for maize and 1 in 6 chance for wheat. Estimated risks are slightly larger when using climate projections from a large ensemble of a single climate model that more fully explores internal climate variability, than a multi-model ensemble that more fully explores model uncertainty. Although scenarios of climate impacts large enough to halve yield growth rates are still fairly unlikely, they may warrant consideration by institutions potentially affected by associated changes in international food prices.
Review of Dental Research

Electron microscopy and histochemical technics have been used to solve some of the problems of dental tissue structure such as tooth and orofacial development and bone and facial growth.
Direct measurement of plasma evolution during supercontinuum generation in a solid

Summary form only given. We have performed, to our knowledge, the first direct measurement of plasma growth during the process of supercontinuum generation in a bulk material. We describe experimental and numerical results for sapphire and fused silica.