cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The dieselization of American agriculture

This study investigates the increase in the relative importance of diesel fuel in terms of aggregate farm energy consumption over the 1971–1989 period coupled with the decline in the absolute quantity of diesel fuel consumed over the 1978–1989 period in the USA. Four factors are identified as being central to the observed trend. These include the relative efficiency of diesel-powered equipment versus gasoline-powered equipment, the technological changes in dieselpowered equipment that have impacted energy efficiency, the trend towards larger farms, and the enhanced energy conservation by farmers as a result of the adoption of reduced tillage practices.
Comparison Of Bipolar Nonlinear Correlators And Phase-Only Encoded Matched Filter Correlators

In this paper, we compare the performance of the bipolar joint transform correlator to the continuous phase-only matched filter correlator, the binary phase-only matched filter correlator, and the classical correlator. The pattern recognition systems will be compared in the areas of correlation peak, autocorrelation peak to sidelobe ratio, autocorrelation bandwidth, and discrimination sensitivity.
Engineering aspects of pulsed electric field pasteurization

Abstract Pulsed electric fields (PEF) is a promising technology for the non-thermal pasteurization of foods and a sound complement or replacement to traditional thermal pasteurization, which inactivates bacteria and other microorganisms harmful to humans, but also degrades color, flavor, texture and nutrients. Foods can be pasteurized with pulsed electric fields at ambient or refrigerated temperatures for a short treatment time of seconds or less and the fresh-like quality of food is preserved. Although successful in laboratory tests, applying pulsed electric fields to food pasteurization on a large scale presents many unresolved engineering problems. This paper reviews current literature and discusses design considerations for high voltage PEF pasteurization equipment. Examples of PEF microbial investigation are included.
Assertiveness Training and Exposure In Vivo for Agoraphobics

The effectiveness of brief treatment via assertiveness training and exposure in vivo was evaluated in a crossover study of eight agoraphobics. Exposure treatment brought short-term benefit as assessed by phobia questionnaires and a depression inventory, but assertiveness training did not. Conversely, assertiveness training produced short-term improvements as measured by an assertiveness inventory, while exposure treatment did not. Both treatments were relevant to the problems of our client sample, but they had specific effects on measures closely related to each treatment's target, consistent with the results of a similar recent study by Emmelkamp et al. (1983). At six-month follow-up assessment, phobia questionnaire scores were unchanged from post-treatment assessment, but assertion scores had reverted to pre-treatment levels. In addition, five untreated agoraphobics completed phobia questionnaires on two occasions, six months apart. In a quasi-experiment, their scores on the two occasions were compared with treated clients' pre- and post-treatment scores. Treated clients showed significantly greater improvement, demonstrating the sensitivity of the questionnaires to treatment effects.
Short-range order in some polymer melts from X-ray diffraction

Wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on polymer melts of isotactic and syndiotactic polypropylene (IPP and SPP), poly(ethylenepropylene) (PEP), polystyrene (PS), polyisobutylene (PIB), and polyethylene (PE), to study the dependence of the short-range structure of polymer liquids on chain architecture. Total structure functions, which comprise intra- and intermolecular contributions, were derived from the scattering data. The trivial Fourier components of the intramolecular structure (C-C ≃ 1.54 A and C-C-C ≃ 2.55 A) were subtracted from the total structure functions. The remaining functions contain only those intramolecular contributions dependent on the chain's conformational degrees of freedom, plus the intramolecular contributions. The structural differences between the polymers in momentum space are discerned only when the trivial components are subtracted. This subtraction also reduces the effects of truncation errors on Fourier transformation to real space. The short-range structure of PIB appears very different compared to all the others, which correlates with anomalies in a number of physical properties for this polymer.
Antibacterial Effects of Allspice, Garlic, and Oregano Essential Oils in Tomato Films Determined by Overlay and Vapor-Phase Methods

Physical properties as well as antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes of allspice, garlic, and oregano essential oils (EOs) in tomato puree film-forming solutions (TPFFS) formulated into edible films at 0.5% to 3% (w/w) concentrations were investigated in this study. Antimicrobial activities were determined by 2 independent methods: overlay of the film on top of the bacteria and vapor-phase diffusion of the antimicrobial from the film to the bacteria. The results indicate that the antimicrobial activities against the 3 pathogens were in the following order: oregano oil > allspice oil > garlic oil. Listeria monocytogenes was less resistant to EO vapors, while E. coli O157:H7 was more resistant to EOs as determined by both overlay and vapor-phase diffusion tests. The presence of plant EO antimicrobials reduced the viscosity of TPFFS at the higher shear rates, but did not affect water vapor permeability of films. EOs increased elongation and darkened the color of films. The results of the present study show that the 3 plant-derived EOs can be used to prepare tomato-based antimicrobial edible films with good physical properties for food applications by both direct contact and indirectly by vapors emanating from the films.
Comparison of Noise Sources in High and Low Reynolds Number High Speed Jets

Results from low and high Reynolds number jets are compared to investigate how the Reynolds number (Re) of a jet influences the mechanisms generating jet noise. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) and experimental results of the authors were used for this purpose. The DNS results are for a Mach 0.9, low Re (ReD~3600) axisymmetric jet (Freund, 2001) and the experimental results are for an ideally expanded, Mach 1.3, high Re (ReD~1.06 x 10 6 ) axisymmetric jet (Hileman et al. 2004b). These two cases will be referred to as LReJ and HReJ, respectively, hereafter. Previous experimental work on the HReJ using a three- dimensional microphone array, located at 30° with respect to the jet axis, with a novel beamforming technique estimated the source location and the time of generation of each large amplitude sound wave that reached the far-field. Simultaneous with the pressure measurements, the flowfield, the source region, was visualized using a MHz rate imaging system, and was analyzed using reconstructions via Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). These results were compared to periods involving no large amplitude far-field noise events and revealed that the growth and decay of large structures in the mixing layer (a wave-like series) are the dominant flow feature during the emission of sound waves that travel in at the aft quadrant (Hileman et al., 2004b). In the current work, this technique is used with the LReJ and the results are compared. There are many similarities between the two including the far-field acoustic spectrum, coherence, average waveform and mean noise source location. The few differences observed are believed to be due to the limited extent of turbulence scales and/or because the initial shear layer was laminar in LReJ, both related to the Re. The main conclusion is that the rapid breakdown of the large-scale structure appears to be an important, and perhaps the main mechanism of jet noise. Right before the breakdown, the structures seem to contract in size, tilt and eventually disintegrate. To offer a possible explanation to the observed noise mechanism, a simple one-dimensional instability wave model is shown to create more noise in the far-field when the wave is subject to truncation simulating a breakdown.
The effect of tracer diffusion on liquid axial dispersion in a three phase fluidized bed bioreactor

Abstract Particle Peclet numbers ranging from 0.056–0.198 were calculated from tracer response measurements in a three-phase fluidized bed consisting of air, water, and alginate beads. Diffusion of the calcium chloride tracer into the beads was measured and found to follow Fick's Law. If unaccounted for, intraparticle tracer diffusion was shown to cause a 20% underprediction of Peclet number.
A power macromodeling technique based on power sensitivity

In this paper, we propose a novel power macromodeling technique for high level power estimation based on power sensitivity. Power sensitivity defines the change in average power due to changes in the input signal specification. The contribution of this work is that we can use only a few points to construct a complicated power surface in the specification-space. With such a power surface, we can easily obtain the power dissipation under any distribution of primary inputs. The advantages of our technique are two-fold. First, the required parameters corresponding to each representative point can be efficiently obtained by only one symbolic power estimation run or by only one Monte Carlo based statistical power estimation process. This stems from the fact that power sensitivity can be obtained as a by-product of probabilistic or statistical power estimation runs. Second, the memory requirements for the macromodel are reduced to O(dn), where n is the number of primary inputs of a circuit and d is the number of representative points (d can be as small as 1 in some cases). Results on a number of benchmark circuits demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique.
Chain reaction led to breakup of Larsen B Ice Shelf

In 2002, Antarctica's Larsen B Ice Shelf disintegrated over the course of just a few months. The shelf, which covered more than 3000 square kilometers of ice, had been stable for thousands of years before it broke up, and the processes involved in the sudden breakup were not well understood.
Get High and Get Stupid: The Effect of Alcohol and Marijuana Use on Teen Sexual Behavior

Numerous studies have documented a strong correlation between substance use and teen sexual behavior, and this empirical relationship has given rise to a widespread belief that substance use causes teens to engage in risky sex. This causal link is often used by advocates to justify policies targeted at reducing substance use. Here, we argue that previous research has not produced sufficient evidence to substantiate a causal relationship between substance use and teen sexual behavior. Accordingly, we attempt to estimate causal effects using two complementary research approaches. Our findings suggest that substance use is not causally related to teen sexual behavior, although we cannot definitively rule out that possibility.
Treatment of attentional and hyperactivity problems in children with sympathomimetic drugs : a comprehensive review

Abstract Issues concerning sympathomimetic drug treatment of children with attentional problems and hyperactivity are considered in light of cumulative and current research. These issues concern the atypical or "paradoxical" drug response of such children, predictability of drug response from neurological or biochemical assessments, and, especially, long-term outcome or effectiveness of sympathomimetic medication. Short-term drug effects on behavior and performance are well documented. However, follow-up studies that exist presently suggest little long-term impact of sympathomimetic drugs on school achievement, peer relationships, or behavior problems in adolescence. Questions remain concerning development of tolerance in children, ways to define subgroups of disordered children who may respond uniquely to stimulants, the efficacy of medication in combination with other treatments, and possible long-term negative consequences of medication. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1990, 29, 5:677–688.
Behavioral and developmental aspects of immunity.

Considerable evidence is accumulating which demonstrates a relationship between immune function and behavioral states such as object loss or depression. Findings have been described using animal and clinical models, and a complex chain of biological and psychological processes may be involved. Further research on behavioral, central nervous system, and immune interactions in childhood is needed and is especially important since the developing immune system may be particularly susceptible to behavioral effects. Effects on the immune system in early life may have profound long-term effects on immune capacity.
Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) with an Adult IP: A Case Study

The family therapy case of a depressed mother is presented as an example of the therapeutic benefits of building family relationships through multi-leveled interventions, Including psycho education, here-and-now process commentary, and family structural techniques. Family structure, mother daughter relationships, and the mother’s mental health all improved near simultaneously, as predicted by the theory of multi-dimensional family therapy (MDFT). Accordingly, the case is conceptualized through MDFT and is argued to demonstrate the theory’s applicability to families with a severely mentally ill adult as the identified patient (IP). This is significant because research on MDFT generally supports its efficacy in treating families with an adolescent IP, though has not yet been validated as an approach to treating families with an adult as the IP. Positive results from this case suggests that further study on this application of MDFT is warranted.
Indicators of Financial Self-Sufficiency in Kansas School Meal Programs

Abstract Financial self-sufficiency, or the ability to maintain a positive profit margin after deducting transfers from district funds was assessed using districts' audited monthly reimbursement claim forms for the years 1997-1998. Computer-aided selection using probability proportional to size techniques drew 150 of the 304 public school districts participating in federal school meal programs. Independent variables included district size, participation rates, and program revenue and costs. Average breakfast and lunch participation was 13% and 57%, respectively. Highest participation was for students receiving free lunch (74%) and free breakfast (30%). District data were separated into four sizes ( 1800). Districts with fewer than 400 students were unable to post a positive profit margin without a transfer of district general funds. Nineteen percent (n=6) of the districts with enrollment of 401-1800 and 47% (n=49) of districts with enrollment >1800 were able to operate a solvent program. Benchmarks for participation, revenues, and expenses from successful districts by size are proposed as guidelines for Kansas meal programs. Food cost percentage for successful and unsuccessful programs were 50% and 48%, respectively for districts with headcounts of 401-1800. Districts with headcounts of > 1800 had food costs of 44% for successful districts and 47% for unsuccessful districts. Labor cost percentages for districts with headcounts of 401-1800 were 41% for successful and 41% for unsuccessful programs and in districts with headcounts >1800 were 39 for successful and 43% for unsuccessful programs. Replication of this study in other states is warranted to further understand the financial status of school food service operations and to help districts move towards financial solvency.
Music for the dance: Some meanings of solitude.

Solitude is explored as a helpful environment for spiritual and psychological health. A short description of the experience of solitude is followed by an examination of its place within the dynamic make-up of the person. Some consideration of how one “chooses” to enter into solitude is given. Some further questions for study are provided.
Autonomous Demand Response Using Stochastic Differential Games

Demand response (DR) programs are implemented to encourage consumers to reduce their electricity demand when needed, e.g., at peak-load hours, by adjusting their controllable load. In this paper, our focus is on controllable load types that are associated with dynamic systems and can be modeled using differential equations. Examples of such load types include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; water heating; and refrigeration. In this regard, we propose a new DR model based on a two-level differential game framework. At the beginning of each DR interval, the price is decided by the upper level (aggregator, utility, or market) given the total demand of users in the lower level. At the lower level, for each player (residential or commercial buildings that are equipped with automated load control systems and local renewable generators), given the price from the upper level, the electricity usage of air conditioning unit, and the battery storage charging/discharging schedules, are controlled in order to minimize the user's total electricity cost. The optimal user strategies are derived using the stochastic Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. We also show that the proposed game can converge to a feedback Nash equilibrium. Based on the effect of real-time pricing on users' daily demand profile, the simulation results demonstrate the properties of the proposed game and show how we can optimize consumers' electricity cost in the presence of time-varying prices.
Discontinuities in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus corresponding to the optic disc: A comparative study

A cylindrical cellular discontinuity commonly occurs in lateral geniculate layers that are innervated by the contralateral eye. Such a discontinuity has been found in a variety of mammalian species, including carnivores, primates, a rodent and a marsupial. Electrophysiological evidence obtained from some of these species shows that the discontinuity corresponds to the blind spot. It is concluded that the representation of the retina within the lateral geniculate nucleus is extremely accurate, since the retinal receptor layer and the geniculate layers have corresponding holes. Two possible mechanisms that would demand such a discontinuity are considered. One is an intralaminar mechanism in which the cells in each lamina accurately reflect the distribution of retinal receptors; the other is an interlaminar mechanism in which the representations of the homonymous hemiretinae are so accurately aligned that the optic disc must be represented by a cellular discontinuity.
Thermoelectric power of Na0.33V2O5

Abstract Thermoelectric power (TEP) and conductivity measurements are reported on the highly anisotropic conductor Na0.33V2O5. The high temperature TEP is interpreted in terms of spin entropy, characteristic of systems with strong on-site Coulomb correlations, with nearest neighbor correlations important at low temperatures (T
Development and quantitative evaluation of a compound class fractionation scheme for bioassay-directed characterization of ambient air particulate matter

A fractionation scheme involving acid-base partitioning and silica gel column chromatography has been used as the first separation step in the bioassay-directed search for mutagenic compounds in extracts of ambient air particles. This paper examines the effects that various procedures of that compounds class separation scheme have upon the recovery of mass and Salmonella typhimurium TA98 mutagenic activity. Acid-base partitioning was found to be a necessary separation step for the isolation and concentration of a specific class of mutagenic compounds, organic acids, which in general require different analysis techniques than those used for neutral components. One specific acid-base partitioning sequence provided essentially complete recovery of mass and mutagenicity, indicating that this procedure probably does not adversely effect the integrity of the sample. Mass recovery through silica gel column chromatography was approximately 100% when an additional column eluent solvent, acidic methanol, was added for elution of extremely polar neutral components. Recovery of mutagenicity through the entire scheme was 85%–100%; this recovery, combined with overall mass recovery of 95%, indicated that this fractionation scheme was valid for use in bioassay-directed detection of ambient air mutagens.
The impact of a systemwide policy for emergent off-hours venous duplex ultrasound studies.

Background We evaluated the impact of an after-hours policy regulating venous duplex ultrasound (VDU) for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) diagnosis on resource utilization and patient care. Methods On July 1, 2007, we altered the approach to emergent VDU of patients with potential DVT during off-hours (defined as 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekdays, after 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays). Instead of 24 hr access, we permitted a venous duplex study in the noninvasive vascular laboratory (NIVL) only after meeting set criteria developed collaboratively across services. In the emergency department (ED), we based all VDU requests on a preset modified Wells score (MWS) as determined by the ED physician. Those patients with MWS 0 or 1 and those above 1 who could receive empiric single-dose low–molecular weight heparin (LMWH) received next-morning imaging unless consultation with a vascular surgeon created an emergent imaging plan. In parallel, inpatient emergent VDU was permitted only after contact with an attending vascular surgeon and where empiric short-term anticoagulation could not occur safely. We tracked NIVL utilization, patient morbidity, sonographer retention, and satisfaction. Results The number of overall off-hours emergent VDUs decreased from 59 to 19/month after implementation. Testing was deferred in 52 ED patients: 15 stayed in the ED for testing in the morning and 37 were discharged to be tested the following day. Thirty-one of 37 patients returned for testing as outpatient follow-up. Twenty-eight received ED LMWH while awaiting testing. No adverse events were noted with the delay. The mean MWS for ED after-hours studies was 2.9 ± 1.6 and that for deferred ER studies was 2.4 ± 1.3 ( p = 0.005). Incidentally, overall off-hours inpatient and ED VDU requests decreased 64% with no clinical adverse events in the first year. The rate of overall positive studies done off-hours increased from 6.7% to 20% ( p Conclusion Our collaborative approach allowed off-hour VDU utilization to decrease without any measurable negative care impact.
Circuit fabrication at 17 nm half-pitch by nanoimprint lithography.

High density metal cross bars at 17 nm half-pitch were fabricated by nanoimprint lithography. Utilizing the superlattice nanowire pattern transfer technique, a 300-layer GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice was employed to produce an array of 150 Si nanowires (15 nm wide at 34 nm pitch) as an imprinting mold. A successful reproduction of the Si nanowire pattern was demonstrated. Furthermore, a cross-bar platinum nanowire array with a cell density of approximately 100 Gbit/cm^2 was fabricated by two consecutive imprinting processes.
Requirement for CD40 ligand in costimulation induction, T cell activation, and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

The mechanism of CD40 ligand (CD40L)-mediated in vivo activation of CD4 + T cells was examined by investigation of the development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in CD40L-deficient mice that carried a transgenic T cell receptor specific for myelin basic protein. These mice failed to develop EAE after priming with antigen, and CD4 + T cells remained quiescent and produced no interferon-γ (IFN-γ). T cells were primed to make IFN-γ and induce EAE by providing these mice with B7.1 + antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Thus, CD40L is required to induce costimulatory activity on APCs for in vivo activation of CD4 + T cells to produce IFN-γ and to evoke autoimmunity.
Optimization of location and tuning of the state-switched absorber for controlling beam vibration

This paper considers the optimization of the performance of a state-switched absorber (SSA) in controlling the vibration of a continuous beam. A state-switched absorber has the capability to instantaneously change its stiffness, which allows the absorber to 'retune' to a new natural frequency instantaneously. Between each 'retuning', or switch event, the SSA is essentially a passive device, tuned to the resonance frequency of its current state. With proper switching logic, the SSA shows improved performance in vibration control as compared to classical passive devices when the excitation contains more than one frequency component. The SSA considered here is capable of switching between only two discrete stiffnesses. A direct search algorithm is employed for optimization of the absorber's location along the beam as well as the two tuning frequencies needed to achieve the best performance of the state-switched absorber. Several two-frequency component point excitations are considered at a few locations along the beam and over a range of frequencies. The optimized performance of the state-switched absorber is compared to the optimized performance of a classical tuned vibration absorber (TVA) for each forcing case.
Activin, BMP and FGF pathways cooperate to promote endoderm and pancreatic lineage cell differentiation from human embryonic stem cells

The study of how human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells has twofold significance: first, it provides an in vitro model system for the study of human pancreatic development, and second, it serves as a platform for the ultimate production of beta cells for transplantation into patients with diabetes. The delineation of growth factor interactions regulating pancreas specification from hESCs in vitro is critical to achieving these goals. In this study, we describe the roles of growth factors bFGF, BMP4 and Activin A in early hESC fate determination. The entire differentiation process is carried out in serum-free chemically-defined media (CDM) and results in reliable and robust induction of pancreatic endoderm cells, marked by PDX1, and cell clusters co-expressing markers characteristic of beta cells, including PDX1 and insulin/C-peptide. Varying the combinations of growth factors, we found that treatment of hESCs with bFGF, Activin A and BMP4 (FAB) together for 3-4days resulted in strong induction of primitive-streak and definitive endoderm-associated genes, including MIXL1, GSC, SOX17 and FOXA2. Early proliferative foregut endoderm and pancreatic lineage cells marked by PDX1, FOXA2 and SOX9 expression are specified in EBs made from FAB-treated hESCs, but not from Activin A alone treated cells. Our results suggest that important tissue interactions occur in EB-based suspension culture that contribute to the complete induction of definitive endoderm and pancreas progenitors. Further differentiation occurs after EBs are embedded in Matrigel and cultured in serum-free media containing insulin, transferrin, selenium, FGF7, nicotinamide, islet neogenesis associated peptide (INGAP) and exendin-4, a long acting GLP-1 agonist. 21-28days after embedding, PDX1 gene expression levels are comparable to those of human islets used for transplantation, and many PDX1(+) clusters are formed. Almost all cells in PDX1(+) clusters co-express FOXA2, HNF1s, HNF6 and SOX9 proteins, and many cells also express CPA1, NKX6.1 and PTF1a. If cells are then switched to medium containing B27 and nicotinamide for 7-14days, then the number of insulin(+) cells increases markedly. Our study identifies a new chemically defined culture protocol for inducing endoderm- and pancreas-committed cells from hESCs and reveals an interplay between FGF, Activin A and BMP signaling in early hESC fate determination.
2011 ACM TODAES best paper award

In high-level synthesis for real-time embedded systems using heterogeneous functional units (FUs), it is critical to select the best FU type for each task. However, some tasks may not have fixed execution times. This article models each varied execution time as a probabilistic random variable and solves the heterogeneous assignment with probability (HAP) problem. The solution of the HAP problem assigns a proper FU type to each task such that the total cost is minimized while the timing constraint is satisfied with a guaranteed confidence probability. The solutions to the HAP problem are useful for both hard real-time and soft real-time systems. Optimal algorithms are proposed to find the optimal solutions for the HAP problem when the input is a tree or a simple path. Two other algorithms, one is optimal and the other is near-optimal heuristic, are proposed to solve the general problem. The experiments show that our algorithms can effectively reduce the total cost while satisfying timing constraints with guaranteed confidence probabilities. For example, our algorithms achieve an average reduction of 33.0p on total cost with 0.90 confidence probability satisfying timing constraints compared with the previous work using the worst-case scenario.
MOIP: A framework for curricula planning in an academic market

Many curriculums have failed to demonstrate prolonged growth in academic enrollments. This indicates the need for using the marketing concept as a systematic approch to evaluate this problem. Marketing-Oriented Instructional Planning provides a formalized, systematic approach to gather information for planning curriculums by career tracts.
Alignment of trans-tibial prostheses based on roll-over shape principles

The authors examined the roll-over shape alignment hypothesis, which states that prosthetic feet are aligned by matching their roll-over shapes with an "ideal" shape. The "ideal" shape was considered to be the roll-over shape of the able-bodied foot-ankle system. An alignment algorithm and computational alignment system were developed to set trans-tibial alignments based on this hypothesis. Three prosthetic feet with considerably different roll-over shapes were either aligned using the alignment system or not aligned (i.e. used previous foot's alignment), and then were aligned by a team of prosthetists. No significant differences were found between roll-over shapes aligned by the computational alignment system and those based on standard clinical techniques (p = 0.944). Significant differences were found between the "no alignment" shapes and the prosthetist alignment shapes (p = 0.006), and between the "no alignment" shapes and the computational alignment system shapes (p = 0.024). The results of the experiment support the hypothesis that the goal of alignment is to match the prosthetic foot's roll-over shape, as closely as possible, with an "ideal" shape. The hypothesis is also supported by its ability to explain the results of previous studies. Using an "ideal" roll-over shape or surface as a goal for prosthetic alignment could lead to a priori alignment, eliminating the need for alignment hardware in some cases. Being able to build the alignment into a prosthesis without special hardware could be beneficial in low-income countries and in the fabrication of lightweight prostheses for the elderly.
Surface modification of a group of polymers using a low temperature cascade arc torch

Surface modification treatments were performed on six different types of polymers using low temperature cascade arc torch (LTCAT) of Ar with or without adding reactive gas of O2 or H2O vapor. The effects of the treatments on the wettability enhancement, surface degradation from oligomer formation, and surface stability from the mobility of surface moieties and hydrophobic recovery were investigated. Surface characterization techniques included the static Sessile droplet method and dynamic Wilhelmy balance method. Experimental results indicated that Ar LTCAT treatments of the polymers with shorter treatment times (2 s in most cases) resulted in stable and hydrophilic surfaces without any surface damage from oligomer formation, with the exception of nylon-6. The excellent results from Ar LTCAT treatments were attributed to the CASING effect (crosslinking via activated species of inert gas). Addition of O2 into Ar LTCAT resulted in greater wettability of the treated surfaces, but increased surface damage from oligomer formation. Adding H2O vapor into Ar LTCAT produced extremely hydrophilic surfaces on the polymers, but pronounced surface damage. The surface oligomer formation was attributed to alkoxy degradation reactions and chain scission from overexposure to high energy species. Comparisons of the treatment outcomes for each type of polymer are discussed with respect to the degree of wettability enhancement, the stability of the treated surfaces, and the susceptibility to degradation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Can Coastal Management Programs Protect and Promote Water-Dependent Uses?

Anecdotal evidence indicates that commercial and recreational water-dependent uses have been under development pressure in recent years, and in some cases have been converted to other uses. The conversion of water-dependent uses, which range from commercial shipyards to recreational marinas, may have many public costs, including the loss of access to public trust waters, the loss of jobs and associated economic activity, and the loss of traditional working waterfronts. This two-part study investigated the role of five coastal management programs in the northeastern United States in managing, monitoring, and protecting water-dependent uses. First, coastal managers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey were interviewed to assess the conversion problem. Second, in collaboration with New York City-based Regional Plan Association, follow-up interviews were conducted with coastal managers and local planners in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey to gain greater insight into the ...
GROWING UP BILINGUAL. Ana Celia Zentella . Oxford: Blackwell, 1997. Pp. 323. $55.95 cloth, $24.95 paper.

“Hablamos los dos. We speak both (p. 1).” A statement offered by a 9-year-old girl defines the principle assertion of this book: Bilinguals have available to them at least two distinct repertoires of language that they are able to manipulate and mix to achieve their unique discourse needs and to express their multicultural identities. This book explores the network of relationships of 20 Puerto Rican families in a low-income neighborhood called el bloque in New York City. Zentella, herself a Nuyorican (New York Puerto Rican), has provided us a window on a world as only an insider can. She follows the families in and out of el bloque for 13 years, monitoring their bilingual behavior and the sociolinguistic factors that contribute to maintenance or loss of bilingual ability.
Two-dimensional CNBr peptide patterns of collagen types I, II and III

Abstract CNBr peptides from the α1-chains of collagen types I, II and III have been fractionated by a high resolution two-dimensional mapping procedure. Radioactive collagen chains were synthesized without deamination of lysyl residues by rabbit cells in culture and were treated with pepsin and purified prior to cleavage by CNBr. The resultant peptides from each collagen type were separately fractionated by a two-dimensional mapping procedure consisting of non-equilibrium isoelectric focusing in the first dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis in the second dimension. Unique peptide maps were obtained for each type of α-chain and only small amounts of sample were required. This method will be useful for unambiquous identification of isolated collagen chains, identification of collagens in complex mixtures, and the rapid identification of crosslinked peptides.
High efficiency temperature-sensitive amber suppressor strains of Escherichia coli K12: construction and characterization of recombinant strains with suppressor-enhancing mutations.

A set of eight strains combining the supD43,74 ts1 suppressor gene with alleles of three suppressor-enhancing (sue) genes have been constructed and characterized. The sue mutations work cooperatively to raise suppressor activity and together raise the activity of the supD43, 74-encoded suppressor 40-fold. These strains further expand the utility of the ts suppressor system by providing as much as 100% suppressor activity at temperatures at or below 20°C to as little as 0.015% suppressor activity at 43°C.
Interaction of the human protein kinase PKR with the mouse PKR homolog occurs via the N-terminal region of PKR and does not inactivate autophosphorylation activity of mouse PKR.

Abstract The RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) is implicated in the antiviral and antiproliferative actions of interferon. Mutant forms of human PKR display a transdominant behavior when expressed in transfected cells. The potential for the human PKR protein to physically interact with the mouse PKR homolog has therefore been examined. The yeast two-hybrid system was used to probe the association between mouse and human PKR proteins as measured by activation of two Gal4-responsive reporter genes, HIS 3 and lac Z. Expression of full-length wild-type mouse PKR(1-515)WT as a Gal4 fusion protein did not exhibit the growth suppression phenotype in yeast characteristic of wild-type human PKR(1-551)WT. Coexpression of mouse PKR(1-515)WT as a Gal4 DNA-binding domain fusion with either the catalytic-deficient human PKR(1-551) K296R mutant, the RNA-binding-deficient human PKR(1-551)K64E/K296R double mutant, or wild-type mouse PKR(1-515)WT as full-length PKR-Gal4 activation domain fusions resulted in activation of the HIS 3 and lac Z reporters. The N-terminal RNA-binding region of human PKR, both WT and the K64E RNA-binding-deficient mutant, also interacted with mouse PKR(1-515)WT sufficiently to activate the reporters but the human catalytic region did not. Mouse and human full-length PKR proteins expressed as glutathione S -transferase (GST) fusions in Escherichia coli were purified on Sepharose beads. Using GST-PKR fusion chromatography, direct physical interaction between the mouse and human PKR homologs was established. Intraspecies PKR interactions were more efficient than interspecies PKR interactions, and interactions between RNA-binding-sufficient PKR proteins were more efficient than those involving an RNA-binding mutant as measured by binding to GST-PKR protein Sepharose beads. The N-terminal region of human PKR within amino acids 1–184 was sufficient for binding mouse PKR. Purified mouse full-length PKR(1-515)WT GST fusion protein retained kinase activity on Sepharose beads, but the activity was not impaired by association with either the full-length or the N-terminal region of human PKR.
Understanding the spatial distribution of crime based on its related variables using geospatial discriminative patterns

Crime tends to cluster geographically. This has led to the wide usage of hotspot analysis to identify and visualize crime. Accurately identified crime hotspots can greatly benefit the public by creating accurate threat visualizations, more efficiently allocating police resources, and predicting crime. Yet existing mapping methods usually identify hotspots without considering the underlying correlates of crime. In this study, we introduce a spatial data mining framework to study crime hotspots through their related variables. We use Geospatial Discriminative Patterns (GDPatterns) to capture the significant difference between two classes (hotspots and normal areas) in a geo-spatial dataset. Utilizing GDPatterns, we develop a novel model—Hotspot Optimization Tool (HOT)—to improve the identification of crime hotspots. Finally, based on a similarity measure, we group GDPattern clusters and visualize the distribution and characteristics of crime related variables. We evaluate our approach using a real world dataset collected from a northeast city in the United States.
The Effect of Instructional Conditions on Students' Vocabulary Retention.

: This is a case study of vocabulary learning in Japanese for five students under two different instructional conditions. Instruction under both conditions was accomplished orally and interactively. Under one condition (the “output” condition), students initiated talking about video scenes using target words in groups of two to three students. Under the other condition (the “input-dominant” condition), vocabulary activities were conducted primarily through the instructor, questions about video scenes. The author examines whether output activities facilitated the retention of words more efficiently than input-dominant activities, which require students to comprehend questions involving target words but do not encourage them to use the words in communication. Data were collected at three points during one semester: one month, two months, and two and one-half months after the initial exposure to the target words. A comprehension measure shows that the students retained more words from the output condition than they did from the input-dominant condition two months after the initial exposures. Furthermore, the results show that two and one-half months after the initial exposures, although there was no difference between the two conditions with respect to contextual appropriateness of word usage, students used more words studied under the output condition than under the input-dominant condition. These results suggest that output-focused activities help students encode surface-level forms into memory better than input-dominant learning activities.
A brief self-administered questionnaire to determine functional capacity (The Duke Activity Status Index)

To develop a brief, self-administered questionnaire that accurately measures functional capacity and assesses aspects of quality of life, 50 subjects undergoing exercise testing with measurement of peak oxygen uptake were studied. All subjects were questioned about their ability to perform a variety of common activities by an interviewer blinded to exercise test findings. A 12-item scale (the Duke Activity Status Index) was then developed that correlated well with peak oxygen uptake (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.80). To test this new index, an independent group of 50 subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire to determine functional capacity and underwent exercise testing with measurement of peak oxygen uptake. The Duke Activity Status Index correlated significantly (p less than 0.0001) with peak oxygen uptake (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.58) in this independent sample. The Duke Activity Status Index is a valid measure of functional capacity that can be obtained by self-administered questionnaire.
Demonstration of composite microsphere cavity and surface enhanced raman spectroscopy for improved sensitivity

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has widely been used for material composition analysis because it can provide good selectivity and sensitivity without the labeling process required by fluorescence detection. SERS enhancements on the order of 10 14 have been demonstrated, which can enable the detection of a single molecule. However, further enhancement is necessary to increase the sensitivity of SERS systems, and to make single molecule detection and analysis more practical. In this work, we demonstrate a composite system of silver nanoparticles and an optical microsphere resonator to create an even higher average Raman enhancement than SERS alone. The Raman pump is coupled into the microsphere resonator, where it repeatedly circulates around the surface via total internal reflection in the form of whispering gallery modes (WGMs). Microsphere resonators can have Q-factor values higher than 10 6 , which results in a tremendous local field enhancement. The evanescent field of the WGM interacts with the silver nanoparticles and target analytes, which are adsorbed onto the surface of the microsphere. With this composite system, we demonstrate an increase in Raman enhancement of approximately 300. Engineering improvements to this experimental prototype system may increase the enhancement by an order of magnitude. Further improvements that can leverage the microsphere resonator system to promote stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) may result in a dramatic increase in sensitivity. Ultimately, this composite system will increase the sensitivity of SERS sensor systems, and will bring single molecule detection and analysis systems closer to practical implementation.
A new dilute medium for acidophilic algae

A new acid dilute medium has been developed. In this medium the acidophilic alga Dictyosphaerium chlorelloides grew well and developed a typical colonial morphology. A discussion of the broader application of dilute media in general, and this medium in particular, is also included.
Studies of molybdena‐alumina catalysts. X. temperature programmed desorption of H2S and thiophene

Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and reduction (TPR) studies were carried out on H2S and thiophene adsorbed on Mo/Al2O3 and CoMo/Al2O3 catalysts. Freshly sulfided and pyridine poisoned catalysts were run. For sulfided catalysts, the major products of desorption of thiophene were thiophene and butene, leaving a carbonaceous residue. Subsequent TPR in H2 effected complete removal of the residue with formation of H2S, thiophene and butene. The residue appeared to consist of an easily reactive thiophene polymer and a less-reactive, sulfur-containing coke. Runs on poisoned catalysts showed less adsorption but product profiles were similar, showing that the adsorption characteristics of the remaining sites were not significantly altered. On a etudie H2S et le thiophene adsorbes sur les catalyseurs Mo/Al2O3 et CoMo/Al2O3, par desorption a temperature programmee (TPD) et par reduction a temperature programmee (TPR). Les essais ont ete effectues avec des catalyseurs fraǐchement sulfures et avec des catalyseurs empoisonnes par la pyridine. Pour les catalyseurs sulfures les produits principaux de la desorption du thiophene ont ete le thiophene et le butene, laissant un residu carbone. Une TPR subsequente dans l'hydrogene a permis de supprimer le residu avec formation de H2S, de thiophene et de butene. Le residu semble comporter un polymere du thiophene reactif, et un coke contenant du soufre et moins reactif. Les essais sur les catalyseurs empoisonnes ont conduit a une adsorption moindre, mais des profils de produits similaires, ce qui montre que les caracteristiques de l'adsorption sur les sites restants ne sont pas modifiees de facon significative.
Mercury in soil: A method for assessing acceptable limits

Acceptable limits for mercury in soil were determined at a site with mercury contamination after measuring the soil concentration of total mercury, the species of mercury, and the intestinal absorption of mercuric sulfide by mice. The total concentration of mercury at this site ranged from 0.5 to 3,000 ppm. Of the total mercury present, 88% was identified as mercuric sulfide, 0.01% as methyl mercury, and 7% as elemental mercury. Intestinal absorption studies in mice following the intubation of203mercuric sulfide showed that 0.4% of the intubated dose was absorbed. We estimated an acceptable limit for mercury in soil at this site based on results of this study, on reports in the literature on the intestinal and pulmonary absorption of mercury species from air, water and food; and on the normal intake of total mercury in humans reported by the World Health Organization. Based on reports in the literature and results from the present studies, we suggest an acceptable limit for mercury in soil (at this site) to be 722 ppm. With a safety factor of 10 this limit would be reduced to 72 ppm.