cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desalination by air gap membrane distillation using a two hollow-fiber-set membrane module

Abstract Desalination by air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) combines in one device the processes of evaporation of water from hot brine through a porous hydrophobic membrane, condensation of the water vapor so generated on a cold condenser surface and recovery of heat in the condenser cooling liquid which may be the cold/cooled brine. Existing devices for AGMD are bulky due to the condenser arrangements adopted even though evaporation from brine may be carried out with porous hydrophobic hollow fibers. In this research we have developed a two-hollow-fiber-set based compact device where all such functions are combined in a compact device. The first fiber set consists of porous hydrophobic hollow fibers of either polypropylene (PP) or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The second set of hollow fibers is of solid PP through the bore of each such hollow fiber the cooling liquid is passed and on the outside surface of which water vapor condensation takes place. A number of modules having different packing densities of hollow fibers have been studied for desalination of brine containing 1% NaCl. The performances of such modules have been investigated for a range of feed brine temperatures as well as the flow rates of the two liquid streams, hot brine and the cooling liquid. Enhanced water vapor productivity was achieved in small laboratory devices suggesting potential for scale up.
An auxiliary result in the theory of transcendental numbers

Abstract This is an improvement on some estimates of exponential polynomials proved by Gelfond, Mahler, and Baker. This type of estimate is useful in the theory of transcendental numbers.
Response of olfactory receptor neurons in honeybees to odorants and their binary mixtures

Recordings were made from single sensilla placodea of the worker honeybee (Apis mellifera). The sensilla were stimulated with one of two sets of four compounds and their binary mixtures, at two dosage levels. Aromatic compounds comprised one set, and saturated n-octane derivatives comprised the other set. Correlation, principal component, and cluster analyses indicate that responses to binary mixtures are not linear combinations of responses to the component compounds. The first principal component indicated that neuronal units had either more excitatory or more inhibitory responses to all odorants than would be expected from a model where inhibitory and excitatory responses are randomly distributed among the neuronal units. When compared to the responses to the component odorants, synergistic responses to binary odors occurred more often than would be expected by chance. Clear inhibitory responses to binary odors were less prevalent. This study agrees with an earlier study employing aromatic odorants in that most of the aromatic odorants each had groups of receptor neurons that were relatively selective for it, and each odorant had a distinctly different number of receptor neurons selective for it. Among the octane derivatives, receptor neurons were selective for the level of oxidation of the functional group or its site of attachment, rather than specific compounds.
Fifty years of research on the wear of metals

Research on the wear of metals which took place over the past half century has brought new understanding and advanced major concepts of tribology. Such key work comprises a subset of a much larger body of published studies which simply report wear test results. The availability of new testing methods and instruments have made possible the detailed study of the microstructure, nanostructure, and compositions of contact surfaces. The classical work of the earlier decades concentrated on the mechanics of solid contact, understanding the true area of contact, asperity plasticity, and transfer during sliding. Wear science also witnessed the establishment of the conceptual groundwork for such things as the critical angle for maximum erosion rate by particles, the proportionality between hardness and abrasive wear rate, and the nature of slip and stick in fretting contact. Later decades brought forth instruments, like the scanning electron microscope and the atomic force microscope, which have provided fascinating insights and detailed information on surface structure. There have also been developments in computational modelling of wear by finite element methods, molecular dynamics, and fracture mechanics. Past trends in the study of various forms of metal wear and future trends and needs in wear research are discussed.
The Affect of the Space Environment on the Survival of Halorubrum Chaoviator and Synechococcus (Nageli): Data from the Space Experiment OSMO on EXPOSE-R

We have shown using ESA's Biopan facility flown in Earth orbit that when exposed to the space environment for 2 weeks the survival rate of Synechococcus (Nageli), a halophilic cyanobacterium isolated from the evaporitic gypsum-halite crusts that form along the marine intertidal, and Halorubrum chaoviator a member of the Halobacteriaceae isolated from an evaporitic NaCl crystal obtained from a salt evaporation pond, were higher than all other test organisms except Bacillus spores. These results led to the EXPOSE-R mission to extend and refine these experiments as part of the experimental package for the external platform space exposure facility on the ISS. The experiment was flown in February 2009 and the organisms were exposed to low-Earth orbit for nearly 2 years. Samples were either exposed to solar ultraviolet (UV)-radiation (lambda is greater than 110 nm or lambda is greater than 200 nm, cosmic radiation (dosage range 225-320 mGy), or kept in darkness shielded from solar UV-radiation. Half of each of the UV-radiation exposed samples and dark samples were exposed to space vacuum and half kept at 105 pascals in argon. Duplicate samples were kept in the laboratory to serve as unexposed controls. Ground simulation control experiments were also performed. After retrieval, organism viability was tested using Molecular Probes Live-Dead Bac-Lite stain and by their reproduction capability. Samples kept in the dark, but exposed to space vacuum had a 90 +/- 5% survival rate compared to the ground controls. Samples exposed to full UV-radiation for over a year were bleached and although results from Molecular Probes Live-Dead stain suggested approximately 10% survival, the data indicate that no survival was detected using cell growth and division using the most probable number method. Those samples exposed to attenuated UV-radiation exhibited limited survival. Results from of this study are relevant to understanding adaptation and evolution of life, the future of life beyond earth, the potential for interplanetary transfer of viable microbes via meteorites and dust particles as well as spacecraft, and the physiology of halophiles.
Cellular Motion as Contrast Agent in Tumor Imaging

We present the first three-dimensional time-course images of cytoskeletal anticancer drug effects on osteogenic tumor spheroids as a function of dose through motility imaging using dynamic speckle in digital holographic optical coherence imaging.
Gamma rays and cosmic rays at Venus: The Pioneer Venus gamma ray detector and considerations for future measurements

Abstract We draw attention to, and present a summary archive of the data from, the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Gamma-ray Burst Detector (OGBD), an instrument not originally conceived with Venus science in mind. We consider the possibility of gamma-ray flashes generated by lightning and model the propagation of gamma rays in the Venusian atmosphere, finding that if gamma rays originate at the upper range of reported cloud top altitudes (75 km altitude), they may be attenuated by factors of only a few, whereas from 60 km altitude they are attenuated by over two orders of magnitude. The present archive is too heavily averaged to reliably detect such a source (and we appeal to investigators who may have retained a higher-resolution archive), but the data do provide a useful and unique record of the cosmic ray flux at Venus 1978–1993. We consider other applications of future orbital gamma ray data, such as atmospheric occultations and the detection of volcanic materials injected high in the atmosphere.
Large Capital Flows: A Survey of the Causes, Consequences, and Policy Responses

This paper reviews the causes, consequences, and policy responses to large capital flows in several emerging markets. It opens by studying recent patterns of capital flows, and then discusses the causes of capital flows. Emphasis is given to the reasons behind the capital inflow episode in the 1990s, the major reversals, and the volatility observed in these flows. The paper goes on to examine the consequences of capital inflows and the pros and cons of alternative policy responses. It concludes with policy lessons derived from country experiences.
Profile of a bacterial tumor killer.

The genome sequence of an engineered Clostridium strain will likely facilitate the development of bacterial cancer therapies.
The Rejection‐Intrusion Pattern: A Central Family Dynamic

A pattern common to marital breakdown and divorce is described in which one partner seeks closeness and reassurance while the other desires separateness and independence. The roots ofthese dynamics in the spouses' families of origin are discussed. One partner is seen as having been rejected or abandoned as a child, while the other was intruded upon or engulfed by the parents. The polarized pattern which later develops in marriage serves the purposes of identity definition, intimacy regulation, and defense against covert anxieties. Recommendations for family therapy are treated briefly.
Understanding necrotizing enterocolitis—promising directions

Abstract The etiology of necrotizing enterocolitis remains elusive although intestinal barrier immaturity is the likely basic underlying, defect. Contributing to this barrier immaturity may be decreased mucus production, increased susceptibility to disruption of the epithelial cell layer, decreased repair capacity, decreased tissue antioxidant activity, immature regulation of intestinal blood flow and oxygenation, increased susceptibility to inflammatory mediators, dysfunctional immune response, and abnormal motility. It is likely a combination of these factors leads to mucosal injury that then progresses to necrotizing enterocolitis. Basic and clinical investigations have led to advances in our knowledge which may yield a better understanding of the etiology of necrotizing enterocolitis and thence on ways to prevent or ameliorate the disease. Based on currently available data as presented in this review, the most promising directions for future research to prevent necrotizing enterocolilis include investigation of (1) nitric oxide modulation of mucosal and vascular protective mechanisms in developing intestine, in particular the role of arginine supplementation of the diet of preterm infants; (2) platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonists or recombinant PAF-acetylhydrolase in preterm infants; (3) alteration of the nutrient composition of preterm infant formula, in particular as relates to the lipid composition; (4) dietary supplementation with growth factors such as EGF, IGF, and glutamine; (5) antioxidant administration, especially glutathionc and vitamin E; (6) promotion of intestinal mucus production and addition of mucin to commercially-prepared infant formulas; and (7) enhancement of motility with feeding in all premature infants and possible utilization of erythromycin or other promotility agents in the older preterm infant.
Radiation sensitization with redox modulators: a promising approach.

Purpose: Radiation therapy plays a critical role in the local and regional control of malignant tumors. Its efficacy, however, is limited by a number of factors, including toxicity, tumor hypoxia, and tumor genetics. Recent attempts to enhance the efficacy of radiation therapy have focused on biologic agents that modulate reduction/oxidation reactions within tumor cells. Methods and Materials: We review five promising redox modulators that are in development. Tirapazamine and AQ4N are known as “hypoxic cell sensitizers” and are toxic in areas of low oxygen tension. RSR13 facilitates delivery of oxygen to tumor cells, thereby rendering them more sensitive to radiation. Motexafin gadolinium, with a porphyrin-like structure, selectively accumulates in tumor cells and thereby enhances radiation-induced DNA damage. HIF-1 inhibitors target a transcription factor that regulates hypoxia-related events and cell survival. Results: Our review of each agent included a thorough search of published preclinical and clinical data, including that presented in abstracts and posters at international meetings. Our objectives were not to identify a superior mechanism or drug, but rather to summarize the available safety and efficacy data. Conclusion: Clearly, there is an unmet need for safer agents that augment the efficacy of radiation therapy. This review highlights five promising redox modulators that are in development. None has yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These drugs were selected for discussion because they exemplify the current investigative landscape of radiosensitizers and are indicative of future directions in this area. These radiation sensitizers have the potential to succeed where others have failed, by locally increasing the radiosensitivity of tumor cells without enhancing that of surrounding normal tissues.
Production and Utilization of Dissolved Organic Carbon During in situ Phytoplankton Photosynthesis Measurements

Rates of phytoplankton photosynthesis, extracellular release of dissolved organic carbon, and production or utilization of dissolved organic carbon during in situ incubation were measured in a soft-water Vermont lake during summer thermal stratification. Phytoplankton photosynthesis rates were frequently in the range of 300–600 mg C m−2 of lake surface day−1; extracellular release of previously fixed organic carbon was generally in the range of 20–75% of the carbon incorporated into cell biomass, as determined by gas-phase radio-analysis. Rates of increase or decrease in total dissolved organic carbon occurring in light and dark incubated phytoplankton samples, during brief (4 hour) in situ measurements, indicate that a significant fraction of the total dissolved organic carbon „pool” is probably labile and rapidly being cycled.
Cosmology in the Next Millennium: Combining Microwave Anisotropy Probe and Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data to Constrain Inflationary Models

The existence of primordial adiabatic Gaussian random-phase density fluctuations is a generic prediction of inflation. The properties of these fluctuations are completely specified by their power spectrum, A(k). The basic cosmological parameters and the primordial power spectrum together completely specify predictions for the cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropy and large-scale structure. Here we show how we can strongly constrain both A(k) and the cosmological parameters by combining data from the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) and the galaxy redshift survey from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We allow A(k) to be a free function, and thus probe features in the primordial power spectrum on all scales. If we assume that the cosmological parameters are known a priori and that galaxy bias is linear and scale-independent, and if we neglect nonlinear redshift distortions, the primordial power spectrum in 20 steps in log k to k≤0.5 h Mpc-1 can be determined to ~16% accuracy for k~0.01 h Mpc-1, and to ~1% accuracy for k~0.1 h Mpc-1. The uncertainty in the primordial power spectrum increases by a factor of up to 3 on small scales if we solve simultaneously for the dimensionless Hubble constant h, the cosmological constant Λ, the baryon fraction Ωb, the reionization optical depth τri, and the effective bias between the matter density field and the redshift-space galaxy density field beff. Alternately, if we restrict A(k) to be a power law, we find that inclusion of the SDSS data breaks the degeneracy between the amplitude of the power spectrum and the optical depth inherent in the MAP data, significantly reduces the uncertainties in the determination of the matter density and the cosmological constant, and allows a determination of the galaxy bias parameter. Thus, combining the MAP and SDSS data allows the independent measurement of important cosmological parameters, and a measurement of the primordial power spectrum independent of inflationary models, giving us valuable information on physics in the early universe, and providing clues to the correct inflationary model.
A case of avalon cannula malposition and successful conversion to V-A ECMO in a neonate ☆

The Avalon Elite Bi-caval Dual Lumen cannula was designed for placement in the right internal jugular vein for veno-venous double lumen extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VVDL ECMO). Despite the use of echocardiography, it is often difficult to correctly position the VVDL cannula in neonates due to patient size and anatomy. Cannula malposition may contribute to inadequate hemodynamic support necessitating conversion to veno-arterial (V-A) support. We report a case of successful conversion from VVDL ECMO to V-A ECMO using the 13-French Avalon cannula in a neonate. This case demonstrates that the 13 French-Avalon Elite Bi-caval Dual Lumen Cannula can be safely used as a venous cannula in neonates requiring conversion to V-A ECMO.
Pathogenicity of Cilia-associated Respiratory (CAR) Bacillus Isolates for F344, LEW, and SD Rats

We conducted experiments to test whether rats of F344, LEW, and SD strains differ in susceptibility to mycoplasma-free isolates of cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus, whether Mycoplasma pu...
The genomic landscape of cohesin-associated chromatin interactions

Cohesin is implicated in establishing tissue-specific DNA loops that target enhancers to promoters, and also localizes to sites bound by the insulator protein CTCF, which blocks enhancer-promoter communication. However, cohesin-associated interactions have not been characterized on a genome-wide scale. Here we performed chromatin interaction analysis with paired-end tag sequencing (ChIA-PET) of the cohesin subunit SMC1A in developing mouse limb. We identified 2264 SMC1A interactions, of which 1491 (65%) involved sites co-occupied by CTCF. SMC1A participates in tissue-specific enhancer-promoter interactions and interactions that demarcate regions of correlated regulatory output. In contrast to previous studies, we also identified interactions between promoters and distal sites that are maintained in multiple tissues but are poised in embryonic stem cells and resolve to tissue-specific activated or repressed chromatin states in the mouse embryo. Our results reveal the diversity of cohesin-associated interactions in the genome and highlight their role in establishing the regulatory architecture of development.
Yogurt and weight management

A large body of observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has examined the role of dairy products in weight loss and maintenance of healthy weight. Yogurt is a dairy product that is generally very similar to milk, but it also has some unique properties that may enhance its possible role in weight maintenance. This review summarizes the human RCT and prospective observational evidence on the relation of yogurt consumption to the management and maintenance of body weight and composition. The RCT evidence is limited to 2 small, short-term, energy-restricted trials. They both showed greater weight losses with yogurt interventions, but the difference between the yogurt intervention and the control diet was only significant in one of these trials. There are 5 prospective observational studies that have examined the association between yogurt and weight gain. The results of these studies are equivocal. Two of these studies reported that individuals with higher yogurt consumption gained less weight over time. One of these same studies also considered changes in waist circumference (WC) and showed that higher yogurt consumption was associated with smaller increases in WC. A third study was inconclusive because of low statistical power. A fourth study observed no association between changes in yogurt intake and weight gain, but the results suggested that those with the largest increases in yogurt intake during the study also had the highest increase in WC. The final study examined weight and WC change separately by sex and baseline weight status and showed benefits for both weight and WC changes for higher yogurt consumption in overweight men, but it also found that higher yogurt consumption in normal-weight women was associated with a greater increase in weight over follow-up. Potential underlying mechanisms for the action of yogurt on weight are briefly discussed.
Node Mergers in the Presence of Don't Cares

SAT sweeping is the process of merging two or more functionally equivalent nodes in a circuit by selecting one of them to represent all the other equivalent nodes. This provides significant advantages in synthesis by reducing circuit size and provides additional flexibility in technology mapping, which could be crucial in post-synthesis optimizations. Furthermore, it is also critical in verification because it can reduce the complexity of the netlist to be analyzed in equivalence checking. Most algorithms available so far for this goal do not exploit observability don't cares (ODCs) for node merging since nodes equivalent up to ODCs do not form an equivalence relation. Although a few recently proposed solutions can exploit ODCs by overcoming this limitation, they constrain their analysis to just a few levels of surrounding logic to avoid prohibitive runtime. We develop an ODC-based node merging algorithm that performs efficient global ODC analysis (considering the entire netlist) through simulation and SAT. Our contributions which enable global ODC-based optimizations are: (1) a fast ODC-aware simulator and (2) an incremental verification strategy that limits computational complexity. In addition, our technique operates on arbitrarily mapped netlists, allowing for powerful post-synthesis optimizations. We show that global ODC analysis discovers on average 25% more (and up to 60%) node-merging opportunities than current state-of-the-art solutions based on local ODC analysis.
XICE windowing toolkit: Seamless display annexation

Users are increasingly nomadic, carrying computing power with them. To gain rich input and output, users could annex displays and input devices when available, but annexing via VGA cable is insufficient. This article introduces XICE, which uses wireless networks to connect portable devices to display servers. Network connections eliminate cables, allow multiple people to share a display, and ease input annexation. XICE mitigates potentially malicious input, and facilitates comfortable viewing on a variety of displays via view-independent coordinates. The XICE-distributed graphics model greatly reduces portable device CPU usage and extends portable device battery life.
Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) Gene Transcription and Hyperglycemia Are Regulated by Glucocorticoids in Genetically Obesedb/db Transgenic Mice

The molecular mechanisms underlying increased hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene transcription and gluconeogenesis in type II diabetes are largely unknown. To examine the involvement of glucocorticoids and thecis-acting insulin response sequence (IRS, −416/−407) in the genetically obese db/db mouse model, we generated crosses between C57BL/KsJ-db/+ mice and transgenic mice that express −460 or −2000 base pairs of the rat PEPCK gene promoter containing an intact or mutated IRS, linked to a reporter gene. Transgenic mice expressing the intact PEPCK(460)-CRP (C-reactive protein) transgene bred to near homozygosity at thedb locus were obese, hyperinsulinemic, and developed fasting hyperglycemia (389 ± 26 mg/100 ml) between 4 and 10 weeks of age. Levels of CRP reporter gene expression were increased 2-fold despite severe hyperinsulinemia compared with non-diabetic non-obese transgenic mice. Reporter gene expression was also increased 2-fold in transgenic obese diabetic db/db mice bearing a mutation in the IRS, −2000(IRS)-hGx, compared with non-obese non-diabetic transgenic 2000(IRS)-hGx mice. Treatment of obese diabeticdb/db transgenic mice with the glucocorticoid receptor blocker RU 486 decreased plasma glucose by 50% and reduced PEPCK, GLUT2, glucose-6-phosphatase, tyrosine aminotransferase, CRP, and hGx reporter gene expression to levels similar to those of non-obese normoglycemic transgenic mice. Taken together, these results establish that −460 bp of 5′-flanking sequence is sufficient to mediate the induction of PEPCK gene transcription in genetically obesedb/db mice during the development of hyperglycemia. The results further demonstrate that the mechanism underlying increased expression of gluconeogenic enzymes in thedb/db mouse requires the action of glucocorticoids and occurs independently of factors acting through the PEPCK IRS (−416/−407) promoter binding site.
Alcohol withdrawal is associated with a downregulation of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels in rat inferior colliculus neurons

Rationale Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa or KCa1.1) channels are well-known molecular targets for the action of alcohol and therefore may play an important role in the pathogenesis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Rapid improvement in dermatitis after zinc supplementation in a patient with Crohn's disease

We describe a patient with Crohn's disease in whom dermatitis secondary to zinc deficiency resolved rapidly with zinc supplementation. Diagnosed with kwashiorkor and presumed zinc deficiency, the patient was treated with nasogastric suction and total parenteral nutrition including dextrose, amino acids, lipid emulsion, maintenance doses of 12 vitamins, and zinc, copper, manganese, and chromium. In addition, he received supplemental intravenous zinc, bringing his total zinc intake to 16 mg/day
Observation of superconductivity in single crystalline Bi nanowires

Bi nanowires have been fabricated by electrochemical deposition into the pores of ion track etched polycarbonate membranes. Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction measurements reveal that these Bi nanowires are single crystalline with the rhombohedral lattice structure of bulk Bi at ambient pressure. We have measured the temperature dependence of the resistance and I?V characteristics at various magnetic fields on?these Bi nanowires. These measurements show clear evidence for superconductivity below?0.64?K.
Involvement of μ opioid receptors in the amygdala in the control of feeding

The intake of food by rats was measured after unilateral injections of opioid peptides into or near the central nucleus of the amygdala. The selective mu receptor agonist Tyrd-Ala-Gly-(Me)Phe-Gly-ol (DAGO) caused an increase in intake of food at doses of 1 and 3 nmol. Injections into the amygdala of [d-Ser2,Leu5]enkephalin-Thr6 (DSLET), a selective delta agonist, and dynorphin A, a selective kappa agonist, were ineffective at doses up to 3 nmol. However, dynorphin (2 nmol) did increase intake when injected into the medial hypothalamus. Bilateral injections of DAGO into the amygdala were no more effective than unilateral injections. The effect of DAGO was blocked by injections into the amygdala of naloxone or β-chlornaltrexamine, an ultralong-lasting opioid receptor antagonist. These studies suggest that mu opioid receptors in the amygdala contribute to the regulation of intake of food. A role for kappa and delta receptors was not established but cannot be ruled out without further testing.
Multi-scale modeling, estimation and control of processing systems

Multi-scale models of processing systems offer an attractive alternative to the conventional models in the time or frequency domain for process simulation, estimation and control. Defined on trees, these models capture the essential features of the systems' dynamic behavior, localized in time and scale. In this paper we introduce a formal framework for the formulation of multi-scale models, which leads naturally to a multi-scale systems theory with ensuing definitions for transfer functions, stability, controllability and observability notions. The resulting formulations of (a) system identification, and (b) model predictive control, offer certain very attractive properties, e.g. low computational complexity, natural integration of measurements and control actions at different scales, modeling errors and disturbance descriptions at various scales, handling of multi-rate monitoring and control, and other. In this paper we will provide a brief introduction on how to construct multi-scale models and how they can be used in process estimation and control, summarize some of the key results, and sketch the directions for further work.
Monopoles Loaded With Coils: a Comparison of Measured and Computed Results

Loading coils are useful for turning multi-band and broadband wire antennas. Methods for designing coils of desired inductance and for predicting coil-loaded antenna performance are needed to facilitate realization of such antennas. This paper addresses these needs. Expressions for the inductance of a series of loops of constant current are used for approximating the inductance of helical coils. The electric field integral equation is solved in order to model the antennas, and the loads are treated as delta-gap impedances. The input impedance and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of monopole antennas loaded with helical coils were measured over the frequency range 50-1200 MHz. The corroboration of computed results by measurement is excellent in most cases. However, it must not be taken for granted that any coil may be treated as a lumped-load inductor in the antenna model. For further investigation of the properties of coils for which the lumped-load model results do not agree with measurements, the coil...
Microstructural and dielectric susceptibility effects on predictions of dielectric properties

In modeling the dielectric properties of inhomogeneous materials, the treatment of the electric field interaction s differentiate the usual modeling formalism and their accuracy. In this paper, we show that the performance of effective medium methods is dependent upon a number of variables - defect concentration, alignment, and the dielectric constant of the material itself. Using our previously developed finite element model of an inhomogeneous dielectric, we have developed models for a number of dielectric films of varying dielectric constant and microstructures. Alignment to of defects parallel to the applied field and the larger defect aspect ratios increase the overall dielectric constant. The extent of these effects is dependent on the dielectric constant of the bulk component.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Extra-abdominal tumor of round ligament following uterine suspension

Abstract 1. 1. An extremely rare case of extra-abdominal tumor of the round ligament following uterine suspension is presented. 2. 2. The etiology, pathology, symptoms and treatment of this condition are discussed.
The Role of Trust in Creating Positive Word of Mouth and Behavioral Intentions: The Case of Online Social Networks

In the past few years, online social networks (OSNs) have become among the most frequently visited sites on the Internet. Consumers rely on other users’ comments and reviews prior to purchasing products and services; therefore, the role of OSNs in consumers’ decision-making process has become an important marketing phenomenon. Contemporary companies are trying to create online communities and engage users to post positive word of mouth (WOM) in OSNs and build long-lasting relationships with consumers. A review of the literature underlines the role of satisfaction and trust in customer–company relationships. This study examines the relationships between trust, satisfaction, behavioral intentions, and WOM in the OSN context. An online questionnaire was deployed and a structural equation model was implemented to test a theory-driven model. Findings indicate that trust is a vital component for OSN marketing. In online environments, trust tends to have a positive influence on satisfaction, and satisfaction par...
Microcontaminants in Pentachlorophenol Synthesis. 1. New Bioassay for Microcontaminant Quantification

We have refined and implemented a novel aryl hydrocarbon receptor capture bioassay for determining the toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentration of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in pentachlorophenol samples. We calibrated the method for TEQ concentrations between 0.29 and 2.0 ppm. The standard deviation is typically about 20% of the reported value, but this value can be higher for samples with lower TEQ levels. Testing revealed that the single analysis of a sample is likely to be accurate to within ±40% of the reported value, with the uncertainty being attributable to random error. Performing multiple analyses of the same sample reduces the error considerably, to only a few percent. Applying this bioassay method to pentachlorophenol samples synthesized previously via an isothermal reaction provided TEQ concentrations for these samples. The results showed that the TEQ concentration in the samples increased as the synthesis temperature increased. Very high TEQ concentrations (9 ppm) were present in samples from synthesis at 188 °C, which points to the importance of keeping the temperature as low as possible during pentachlorophenol synthesis.
Managing Shut-in Time to Enhance Gas Flow Rate in Hydraulic Fractured Shale Reservoirs: A Simulation Study

Some shale gas and oil wells undergo month-long shut-in times after multi-stage hydraulic fracturing well stimulation. Field data indicate that in some wells, such shut-in episodes surprisingly increase the gas and oil flow rate. In this paper, we report a numerical simulation study that supports such observations and provides a potentially viable underlying imbibition and drainage mechanism. In the simulation, the shale reservoir is represented by a triple-porosity fracture-matrix model, where the fracture forms a continuum of interconnected network created during the well simulation while the organic and non-organic matrices are embedded in the fracture continuum. The effect of matrix wettability, capillary pressure, relative permeability, and osmotic pressure, that is, chemical potential characteristics are included in the model. The simulation results indicate that the early lower flow rates are the result of obstructed fracture network due to high water saturation. This means that the injected fracturing fluid fills such fractures and blocks early gas or oil flow. Allowing time for the gravity drainage and imbibition of injected fluid in the fracture-matrix network is the key to improving the hydrocarbon flow rate during the shut-in period. Introduction Some shale gas and oil wells undergo month-long shut-in times after multi-stage hydraulic fracture stimulation. Field data indicate that in some wells, such shut-in episodes surprisingly increase the gas and oil flow rate. For example, Fig. 1 shows the effect of an extended shut-in on production of a multi-stage hydraulically fractured well in Marcellus shale (Cheng, 2012). The well was flowed back, after hydraulic fracture stimulation, for a short period before it underwent a six-month shut-in period. When the well was reopened after six months of shut in, gas production rate increased and water production rate decreased significantly. The question is what caused this apparent anomaly? Water load recovery and flowback behavior Field experience indicates that water load recovery could be as low as 5% of the total injection volume in Haynesville shale to as high as 50% of that in Barnett and Marcellus shales (King, 2012). Number of mechanisms could contribute to the lowrecovery, including extra-trapped water due to changing in natural fractures width that increasing during injection and decreasing during production periods (Economides et al., 2012), water imbibition into shale matrix by capillary pressure (Cheng, 2012). Flow back water analyzed by Haluszczak et al. (2013) indicates that formation brine in shale basin could be higher than 150,000 ppm, Fig. 2b. As the typical fracturing fluid comprises low-salinity water, in many cases it is in the range of 1,000 ppm, significant salinity contrast would be expected. This major salinity difference could lead to substantial chemical potential differences creating large osmotic pressure and driving filtrate from natural fractures into shale matrix block.
Racial (black-white) differences in serum lipoprotein (a) distribution and its relation to parental myocardial infarction in children. Bogalusa Heart Study.

BACKGROUND The value of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] in the prediction of coronary artery disease risk very early in life remains to be established in different racial groups. METHODS AND RESULTS Serum Lp(a) distribution and its relation to parental histories of myocardial infarction were examined in 2,438 children (8-17 years old) from a biracial community. Parental myocardial infarction was used as a surrogate measure of future risk of disease in the offspring. Lp(a) levels averaged 1.7-fold higher in blacks than in whites (p less than 0.0001). A small but significant sex difference (females greater than males, p less than 0.05) was seen in both races. Race was the only independent variable that contributed appreciably (9%) to the variability of Lp(a) in serum. White children with parental myocardial infarction (n = 90) had increased levels of Lp(a) compared with those without parental myocardial infarction (22.4 versus 17.1 mg/dl, p less than 0.01). Furthermore, among white children, the prevalence of parental myocardial infarction was higher in those with Lp(a) levels of more than 25 mg/dl than in those with values of 25 mg/dl or less (9.5% versus 5.4%, p less than 0.01). In contrast, the relation of Lp(a) to parental myocardial infarction was not seen in black children. No associations were observed between parental myocardial infarction and serum levels of any of the lipids or lipoprotein cholesterol classes in children of either race. CONCLUSIONS Serum Lp(a) levels may prove valuable in the assessment of coronary artery disease risk early in life among white populations. These findings also emphasize the need to evaluate the atherogenic potential of Lp(a) in different racial groups.
Cooperative Wireless-Based Obstacle/Object Mapping and See-Through Capabilities in Robotic Networks

In this paper, we develop a theoretical and experimental framework for the mapping of obstacles (including occluded ones), in a robotic cooperative network, based on a small number of wireless channel measurements. This would allow the robots to map an area before entering it. We consider three approaches based on coordinated space, random space, and frequency sampling, and show how the robots can exploit the sparse representation of the map in space, wavelet or spatial variations, in order to build it with minimal sensing. We then show the underlying tradeoffs of all the possible sampling, sparsity and reconstruction techniques. Our simulation and experimental results show the feasibility and performance of the proposed framework. More specifically, using our experimental robotic platform, we show preliminary results in successfully mapping a number of real obstacles and having see-through capabilities with real structures, despite the practical challenges presented by multipath fading.
The emission spectra of H35Cl+, H37Cl+, D35Cl+, and D37Cl+ in the region 2700–4100 Å

Abstract The A 2 Σ + -X 2 Π emission spectrum of HCl+ has been measured and analyzed for four isotopic combinations. These analyses extend previous work and provide rotational constants for the v = 0–2 levels of the ground state and for the v = 0–9 levels of the excited state. RKR potentials have been determined for both states, although the upper state could not be fitted precisely to such a model. Calculated relative intensities based on these potentials demonstrated that the electronic transition moment must change rapidly with lower state vibrational quantum number. Although considerable caution should be exercised in applying the concept of equilibrium constants to the A 2 Σ + state, the following are the best estimates of these constants (in cm−1) for the X 2 Π state of H35Cl+: Be = 9.9406, ωe = 2673.7, Ae = − 643.7, and r e = 1.315 A . For the A 2 Σ + state of H35Cl: Te = 28 628.08, Be ∼ 7.505, ωe ∼ 1606.5, and r e = 1.514 A .
Psychotherapy and Moral Inquiry

Psychotherapy is necessarily an investigation into questions concerning individual intentions, purposes and the pursuit of the good life. Therapeutic inquiries centre on the motives-implicit and explicit-that underpin clients' actions. The motives examined may be formulated by the therapist in terms of theoretical or everyday vocabularies of motive. Investigations of such motives for their moral and practical adequacy will constitute an apprenticeship in therapy for the client, leading to the pursuit of those virtues proposed by the therapeutic approach in question. In order to foster the therapeutic ideals of autonomy and personal decision, some hermeneutic reflection on the status of motive interpretations in therapy is desired. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics offer a means of reflecting on therapeutic method, making the moral thrust of psychotherapy more explicit, and avoiding premature constructions of the subject.
Activation Analysis of Gold-197 for Measuring Rate of Ingesta Passage in Ruminants

Abstract Rate of ingesta passage was measured by a technique employing stable gold-resin complex and another technique using stained straw particles. Gold was analyzed by neutron activation. The gold-resin technique measured similar relative differences in rate of passage to the stained straw technique.
Using Student Engagement to Relocate Ethics to the Core of the Engineering Curriculum

One of the core problems with engineering ethics education is perceptual. Although ethics is meant to be a central component of today's engineering curriculum, it is often perceived as a marginal requirement that must be fulfilled. In addition, there is a mismatch between faculty and student perceptions of ethics. While faculty aim to communicate the nuances and complexity of engineering ethics, students perceive ethics as laws, rules, and codes that must be memorized. This paper provides some historical context to better understand these perceptual differences, and suggests that curriculum constraints are important contributing factors. Drawing on the growing scholarship of student engagement approaches to pedagogy, the paper explores how students can be empowered to effect change in the broader engineering curriculum through engineering ethics. The paper describes a student engagement approach to pedagogy that includes students as active participants in curriculum design-a role that enables them to critically reflect about why ethics is a requirement. Including students in the process of curriculum design leads students to reframe ethics as an integrative tool with the capacity to bring together different engineering departments and build bridges to non-engineering fields. This paper argues that students can and should play an active and important role in relocating ethics from the periphery to the core of the engineering curriculum.
Effects of vegetation and soil moisture on the simulated land surface processes from the coupled WRF/Noah model

[1] The coupled Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with the Noah land surface model (Noah LSM) is an attempt of the modeling community to embody the complex interrelationship between land surface and atmosphere into numerical weather or climate prediction. This study describes coupled WRF/Noah model tests to evaluate the model sensitivity and improvement through vegetation fraction (Fg) parameterizations and soil moisture initialization. We utilized the 500 m 8-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer reflectance data to derive the model Fg parameter using two different methods: the linear and quadric methods. In addition, combining the Fg quadric method, we initialized soil moisture simulated by High-Resolution Land Data Assimilation System, which has been developed for providing better soil moisture data in high spatial resolution by National Center for Atmospheric Research. We performed temporal comparisons of the simulated land surface variables: surface temperature (TS), sensible heat flux (SH), ground heat flux (GH), and latent heat flux (LH) to observed data during 2002 International H2O Project. Then these results were statistically validated with correlation coefficients and root mean square errors. The results indicate high sensitivity of the coupled model to vegetation fluctuations, showing overestimation of vegetation transpiration and very low variability of GH in highly vegetated area.
Adaptive demand response: Online learning of restless and controlled bandits

The capabilities of electric loads participating in load curtailment programs are often unknown until the loads have been told to curtail (i.e., deployed) and observed. In programs in which payments are made each time a load is deployed, we aim to pick the “best” loads to deploy in each time step. Our choice is a tradeoff between exploration and exploitation, i.e., curtailing poorly characterized loads in order to better characterize them in the hope of benefiting in the future versus curtailing well-characterized loads so that we benefit now. We formulate this problem as a multi-armed restless bandit problem with controlled bandits. In contrast to past work that has assumed all load parameters are known allowing the use of optimization approaches, we assume the parameters of the controlled system are unknown and develop an online learning approach. Our problem has two features not commonly addressed in the bandit literature: the arms/processes evolve according to different probabilistic laws depending on the control, and the reward/feedback observed by the decision-maker is the total realized curtailment, not the curtailment of each load. We develop an adaptive demand response learning algorithm and an extended version that works with aggregate feedback, both aimed at approximating the Whittle index policy. We show numerically that the regret of our algorithms with respect to the Whittle index policy is of logarithmic order in time, and significantly outperforms standard learning algorithms like UCB1.
The promiscuity of the dopamine transporter: Implications for the kinetic analysis of [3H]serotonin uptake in rat hippocampal and striatal synaptosomes

Evidence indicates that monoaminergic neurotransmitter transporters are promiscuous, transporting substrates other than their cognate neurotransmitters. For example, serotonin is transported by the dopamine transporter (DAT) under conditions in which serotonin transporter (SERT) activity is eliminated (e.g., pharmacological inhibition). We performed a kinetic analysis of [3H]serotonin uptake in rat striatal synaptosomes (expressing DAT and SERT) and hippocampal synaptosomes (expressing SERT, but not DAT). Nonspecific [3H]serotonin uptake was defined as the amount of uptake remaining in the presence of fluoxetine (10 μM) or paroxetine (0.05 μM). In hippocampal synaptosomes, Km and Vmax values for [3H]serotonin uptake did not differ whether fluoxetine or paroxetine was used to define nonspecific uptake. However, in striatal synaptosomes, both Km and Vmax values for [3H]serotonin uptake were greater when fluoxetine, rather than paroxetine, was used to define nonspecific uptake. These data suggest that, at the concentrations employed, fluoxetine inhibits serotonin uptake at both DAT and SERT, whereas paroxetine only inhibits serotonin uptake at SERT. Thus, when DAT is inhibited by GBR 12909, kinetic parameters for serotonin uptake via SERT in striatum are not different from those obtained in hippocampus. These findings have important implications regarding the analysis of monoaminergic reuptake in brain regions exhibiting heterogeneous transporter expression.