cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Mediated and Epidermal Growth Factor-Mediated Signaling in Transdifferentiation of Rat Hepatocytes to Biliary Epithelium

Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that hepatocytes can transdifferentiate into biliary epithelium (BE) both in vivo and in vitro; however, the mechanisms are unclear. The current study was designed to investigate the mechanisms of hepatocyte transdifferentiation in vitro. Rat hepatocytes were cultured in roller bottles to obtain hepatocyte organoid cultures, which were stimulated with various growth factors (GFs) including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), stem cell factor (SCF), macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), fibroblast growth factor-a (FGF-a), fibroblast growth factor-b (FGF-b), and fibroblast growth factor-8b (FGF-8b). Only the cultures treated with HGF, EGF, and their combination exhibited formation of hepatocyte-derived biliary epithelium (BE) despite the presence and activation of all the pertinent cognate membrane receptors of the rest of the GFs. Microarray analysis of the organoid cultures identified specific up-regulation of approximately 500 target genes induced by HGF and EGF, including members of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein family, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway, and CXC (cysteine-any amino acid-cysteine) chemokines. To investigate the downstream signaling involved in hepatocyte to biliary epithelial cell (BEC) transdifferentiation, we investigated expression and activities of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases [extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)] as well as serine/threonine kinase AKT. The analysis indicated that AKT phosphorylation was particularly increased in cultures treated with HGF, EGF, and their combination. Whereas phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 completely inhibited biliary epithelium formation, AKT inhibitor could only moderately reduce formation of BE in the organoid cultures treated with HGF+EGF. Most of the HGF+EGF target genes were altered by LY294002. Conclusion: Taken together, these data indicate that hepatocyte to BE transdifferentiation is regulated by HGF and EGF receptors and that PI3 kinase–mediated signaling independent of AKT is a crucial component of the transdifferentiation process. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
Localized exposure technique for isolated Cr defect repair

Large isolated Cr photomask defects (>=20 um) have become difficult to repair due to the fact that advanced repair tool capabilities are aimed almost exclusively at repairing very small defects at high magnification. Advanced focused ion beam (FIB) repair of large Cr defects is not only time-consuming, but in the end, only changes it into a transmission defect due to ion deposition (gallium staining). Current laser repair tools also have problems in that they generate a large amount of debris (splatter) due to the ablation mechanism being thermal. To avoid these problems and still repair the large chrome defect, we have developed a new method using a localized exposure technique to remove large isolated Cr defects. The mask was coated with optical resist and the defective area was exposed using white light. The mask was then sent through standard develop, wet Cr etch, and resist strip processes to remove the Cr spots. Initial results were very promising as the Cr spots were removed completely, and the repaired area showed no sign of glass damage. This repair technique has also been applied to both large and small Cr spots on MoSi phase-shift mask patterns. Future work will include aperture shape/size control and line edge repair will be investigated.
Concurrent mapping of brain sites for sensitivity to the direct application of morphine and focal electrical stimulation in the production of antinociception in the rat

The effect of morphine microinjection (5 microgram/0.5 microliter) and focal electrical stimulation on the animal's response to radiant heat and noxious pinch was studied concurrently at 117 brain loci extending from the medial thalamus caudally to the periaqueductal gray area (PAG). Three populations of brain sites were discernible based on their responsiveness to focal electrical stimulation and morphine microinjection in the production of antinociception: (a) sites which support stimulation-produced analgesia (SPA, n = 24), (b) sites which were sensitive to the direct application of morphine (n = 8), (c) sites responsive to both manipulations (n = 8). With a few exceptions, all morphine sensitive sites were located within the anatomical boundaries of the PAG while sites supporting SPA were located not only within the PAG but also in the brain regions peripheral to this structure. Sites responsive to both manipulations were generally distributed throughout thf lateral aspect of the posteroventral PAG. Stimulation strength-effect curves for sites subserving SPA were also obtained. No differences were discovered between curves obtained from morphine-sensitive and -insensitive brain loci.
Charles Read's Notes on Colonial Agriculture

Among the treasured items of the Rutgers Library's collection on agricultural history is a manuscript exceptionallv rich in data on colonial agriculture. It is a miscellany of notes, observations, records, and comments kept by Charles Read, prominent citizen of New Jersey for about thirty years prior to the Revolution. The entries are made on interleavings bound into a volume of Sy sterna Agriculturae, by the English writer John Worlidge, the third edition, enlarged (London, 1681). In addition, there are copious notes on the margins of Worlidge's text. Altogether, when copied, the notes occupy more than 150 typed pages.
CFD Simulations of Gas and Liquid Slugs for Taylor Flow in a Microchannel

The rapid development of microfabrication techniques creates new opportunities for applications of microchannel reactor technology in chemical reaction engineering. The extremely large volume-to-surface ratio and the short transport path in microchannels enhance heat and mass transfer dramatically and hence provide many potential opportunities in chemical process development and intensification. Multiphase reactions involving gas/liquid reactants with a solid as a catalyst are ubiquitous in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and the hydrodynamics play a prominent role in reactor design and performance. For gas/liquid two-phase flow in a microchannel, the Taylor slug flow regime is the most commonly encountered flow pattern, therefore the present study deals with the numerical simulation of gas and liquid slugs in a microchannel. A T-junction microchannel (empty or packed) with varying cross-sectional width (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2 and 3 mm) served as the model micro-reactor, and a finite volume based commercial CFD package, FLUENT, was adopted for the numerical simulation. The gas and liquid slug lengths at various operating conditions were obtained and found to be in good agreement with the literature data.© 2005 ASME
Abstract 2218: Systematic identification of combinatorial markers of drug sensitivity in cancer cell lines.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Purpose: Translating the cancer genome into highly efficacious targets to guide rational therapeutic combinations is a major emerging challenge. Methods: We established an in silico bioinformatic platform in parallel with a high throughput screening platform evaluating the pharmacological activity of 37 novel targeted agents across 669 highly characterized cell lines representing the genetic and tumor-type heterogeneity of human cancers. Analysis of large scale pharmacological data coupled to massive sequencing data on cell lines was performed to systematically identify combinatorial biomarkers of sensitivity and resistance to cancer therapeutics. Genomic predictors discovered in a 141 cell line training set were validated in an independent non-overlapping test set of 359 cell lines screened on 14 of the compounds. Results: We demonstrate combinations of genomic events that are co-occurring or mutually exclusive and act as co-drivers in various tumors, representing potential targets for combinatorial intervention in cancer. We find that multiple cooperating genomic events predict response to drug intervention independent of tumor lineage. Conclusions: The coupling of scalable in silico and functional high throughput cancer cell line platforms for the identification of co-events in cancer delivers rational combinatorial targets for synthetic lethal approaches with a high potential to prevent the emergence of resistance. Citation Format: Adel Tabchy, Nevine Eltonsy, Gordon B. Mills. Systematic identification of combinatorial markers of drug sensitivity in cancer cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2218. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2218
Increased expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 in muscle biopsy samples from juvenile dermatomyositis patients with short duration of untreated disease is regulated by miR-126.

Objective To evaluate the effect of duration of untreated disease on vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and microRNA (miRNA) expression in muscle biopsy samples from children with juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) as well as its effect on soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) concentrations in sera from these children. Methods We enrolled 28 untreated children with juvenile DM and 8 pediatric controls. Eleven children with juvenile DM had short duration of untreated disease (symptoms for ≤2 months before muscle biopsy), and 17 had long duration of untreated disease (symptoms for >2 months before muscle biopsy). Vascular structures, characterized by immunofluorescence using antibodies against von Willebrand factor, VCAM-1, and α-smooth muscle actin, were measured for total area and intensity. Circulating sVCAM-1 and TNFα levels were determined in patients with short duration of untreated disease, patients with long duration of untreated disease, and controls. Differential expression of microRNA-126 (miR-126) in muscle biopsy samples from the 2 patient groups and the control group was detected by miRNA expression profiling and confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in muscle biopsy samples from the 3 groups. Results Juvenile DM patients with short duration of untreated disease had significantly higher total positive area and intensity/high power field of VCAM-1 expression than did juvenile DM patients with long duration of untreated disease (P = 0.043 and P = 0.015, respectively) or controls (P = 0.004 and P = 0.001, respectively). Von Willebrand factor antigen–positive vasculature displayed greater VCAM-1 intensity in patients with short duration of untreated disease than in patients with long duration of untreated disease (P = 0.001). Circulating levels of sVCAM-1 and TNFα were significantly higher in patients with short duration of untreated disease than in controls (P = 0.013 and P = 0.048, respectively). The miRNA miR-126, a negative regulator of VCAM-1 expression, was significantly decreased (3.39-fold; P < 0.006) in patients with short duration of untreated disease compared to controls, while miR-126 expression in patients with long duration of untreated disease did not differ significantly compared to controls. Conclusion In patients with short duration of untreated disease, miR-126 down-regulation is associated with increased VCAM-1 in both muscle and blood, suggesting that VCAM-1 plays a critical role early in juvenile DM disease pathophysiology, augmented by TNFα.
Uncertainty and satisfaction: The importance of information in hospital communication

While many organizational communication researchers have been interested in message uncertainty, few have: (a) operationalized message uncertainty using task, human, and maintenance sub‐scales, or (b) sought to determine which types of message uncertainty best predict various types of satisfaction. This study provided a theoretical basis for investigating message uncertainty and used demographic variables along with task, human, and maintenance uncertainty to predict satisfaction. Results revealed that human uncertainty and sex were the best predictors of satisfaction with the supervisor while the best predictors of satisfaction with the organization were human uncertainty, age, and sex.
What the maxillofacial prosthodontist should know about tumors

Abstract 1. 1. Maxillofacial prosthodontists are in a position to enhance the stature of dentistry as part of the health team. 2. 2. A knowledge of basic sicentific facts is necessary to keep dentists from being classed artisans. 3. 3. The psychologic reaction of patients to disease should be recognized as a factor in planning the over-all treatment.
The Creation of “Truth” by Social Scientists and Planners: Assumptions, Decisions, and the Negotiation of Realty

Hermann Hesse (p. 42) once wrote a short story in which God sent a flood putting an end to a bloody World War. The last European was struggling in the flood waters when an ark appeared under the command of an aged patriarch named Noah and the unfortunate man was hauled on board. The crew of the ark was composed of persons from every ethnic group on earth. During the voyage each was called upon to demonstrate his or her skill. Finally, the time for the European to perform came, and he informed his arkmates that he was skilled in the use of his intellect in solving the ". .. great problems on which the happiness of mankind depends." Noah was impressed, " 'The skill that brings happiness is certainly more important than any other. Just tell us what you know about the happiness of mankind. We shall all be grateful.' " Up until then the European had been haughty and self-assured. Now he seemed at a loss.
Toxicity evaluation of convection-enhanced delivery of small-molecule kinase inhibitors in naïve mouse brainstem

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) are inoperable and lethal high-grade gliomas lacking definitive therapy. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and its downstream signaling molecules are the most commonly overexpressed oncogenes in DIPG. This study tested the effective concentration of PDGFR pathway inhibitors in cell culture and then toxicity of these small-molecule kinase inhibitors delivered to the mouse brainstem via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for potential clinical application. Effective concentrations of small-molecule kinase inhibitors were first established in cell culture from a mouse brainstem glioma model. Sixteen mice underwent CED, a local drug delivery technique, of saline or of single and multidrug combinations of dasatinib (2 M), everolimus (20 M), and perifosine (0.63 mM) in the pons. Animals were kept alive for 3 days following the completion of infusion. No animals displayed any immediate or delayed neurological deficits postoperatively. Histological analysis revealed edema, microgliosis, acute inflammation, and/or axonal injury in the experimental animals consistent with mild acute drug toxicity. Brainstem CED of small-molecule kinase inhibitors in the mouse did not cause serious acute toxicities. Future studies will be necessary to evaluate longer-term safety to prepare for potential clinical application.
Optimizing hydrolysis of N-linked high-mannose oligosaccharides by endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H

Abstract The ability of endo-β-acetylglucosaminidase H (Endo H) from Streptomyces plicatus to hydrolyze high-mannose oligosaccharides from glycoproteins is influenced by numerous factors, including the tertiary structure of the substrate glycoproteins, the amount of Endo H used, the time of incubation, and the presence or absence of reagents that affect protein configuration. Endo H levels below 10 to 20 milliunits/ml may incompletely hydrolyze oligosaccharides, regardless of the incubation time, because even though the enzyme remains active, it becomes trapped or sequestered and is unavailable. Endo H activity can be potentiated by first denaturing substrate glycoproteins in a 1.2-fold weight excess of sodium dodecyl sulfate prior to hydrolysis. However, low levels of Endo H are sensitive to inactivation by sodium dodecyl sulfate, with considerable activity being lost over 4 h when the unbound detergent concentration exceeds protein by 0.02% (0.2 mg/ml). Other denaturants such as the Tritons, the zwittergents, the Brij series, or octylglucoside do not enhance or inhibit Endo H removal of oligosaccharides, but the chaotropic salt sodium thiocyanate at 0.5 m enhances Endo H action on some glycoproteins, particularly bovine thyroglobulin. Under denaturing conditions, proteolytic contaminants are a potential problem. Addition of 1 m m phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride to Endo H incubations completely inhibits the residual Endo H-associated protease(s). Furthermore, Endo H is unaffected by a wide range of proteolytic inhibitors that may be used to protect substrate glycoproteins.
Spatially contingent interactions between an exotic and native plant mediated through flower visitors.

Exotic plants can negatively impact the fitness of native plants by changing the behavior of flower visitors and thus affecting pollen transfer. The presence of an exotic plant may decrease the visitation rate to native plants and thus increase pollen limitation. Flower visitors may also switch between exotic and native plants and if pollen from an exotic plant is transferred to native plant stigmas this may impede siring by conspecific pollen. As flower visitors forage within a spatial context, the distribution of plants may affect the type and magnitude of pollinator-mediated competition. In this study we examined two questions: 1) does the exotic plant, Carduus nutans (Asteraceae) interact with the native Monarda fistulosa (Lamiaceae) through flower visitors by changing visitation rate and/or through heterospecific pollen transfer, and does this affect seed set of the native plant? 2) Does spatial context affect how the native and exotic plants interact through flower visitors? We created plots containing potted M. fistulosa with and without the presence of potted C. nutans. In the presence of C. nutans, M. fistulosa stigmas had significantly fewer conspecific and more C. nutans pollen grains. Visitation rate and seed set tended to be lower in these invaded plots, however they were not significant. In a second experiment, we examined whether changes in visitation rate to M. fistulosa due to the presence of C. nutans was a function of M. fistulosa distance from C. nutans. We found that visitation rate did not decrease in the presence of C. nutans when M. fistulosa were adjacent to C. nutans or 15 meters from C. nutans. However, floral visitation rate to M. fistulosa decreased at 1 and 5 meters from C. nutans. Our results suggest interactions between plant species through flower visitors may depend on spatial scale.
Modulation of the ϵ-(γ-glutamic)lysine cross-link in cellular proteins II. Fractionation studies

Abstract The ϵ-(γ-glutamic)lysine cross-link content of glycerol-extracted cultured embryonic chick heart myofibrils is increased by treatment with Mg2+-ATP followed by Ca2+ but not by Ca2+ alone. Fractionation of protein chains dissolved in sodium dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol shows that the increase of cross-link content occurs in very large proteins (greater than 250 kdaltons) and that there is a very marked decrease in cross-link content in the 82 kdalton region. Treatment of the glycerol-extracted myofibrils with Mg2+-ATP followed by Ca2+ also increases the amount of protein in the very high molecular weight fraction and there is a corresponding reduction of material in some of the lighter chains particularly in fibronectin, actin and in 82 and 51 kdalton chains. The relevance of Mg2+-ATP plus Ca2+-dependent Glu-Lys cross-link formation to cyclical or reversible cellular processes is discussed briefly.
Intertextuality and the Collaborative Construction of Narrative: J. M. Coetzee's Foe

Transformative narratives may take a wide range of forms: an author may fill in the outlines of a tale with greater detail; move the story to a different setting; tell it from a different point of view or focalize it through a different character; offer a new interpretation of a story or invoke a story in order to subvert it, producing what Jose Angel Garcia Landa calls "counter-narratives" (422); or combine these approaches in various ways. The most exhaustive account of these possibilities is Gerard Genettes Palimpsests , which, as Seymour Chatman observes, "sifts eruditely through literary tradition" (269) to produce a detailed taxonomy of what Genette calls "literature in the second degree," including hypertexts , literary texts that transform, either directly or indirectly, other literary texts (Genette 5, 7).1 Genettes analysis of transformative narratives is especially useful if we wish to "classify" or "situate" a particular text, to ask, as Chatman does, "What kind of a narrative is The Hours ? How best to describe its relation to Mrs . Dallowaynarratologically, stylistically, thematically?" (269). If we wish to ask how readers actually make sense of such a narrative, however, we will find Palimpsests less helpful, for Genette is almost entirely uninterested in audiences; he regards literary transformation as a fundamentally textual rather than rhetorical phenomenon. Though he acknowledges that understanding such texts does to some extent "depend on constitutive judgement: that is, on the reader's interpretive decision," he explicitly states that he "cannot sanction" the practice of "investing] the hermeneutic activity of the reader" with too much "authority" and "significance" (9). In Genettes view, the texts themselves, not the processes of reading them, are of
The design of low sensitivity digital filters using multi-criterion optimization strategies

Multicriterion optimization methods for determining low-sensitivity digital filters for a given structure are considered. Pareto optimal as well as min/max methods are considered. It is shown that the methods yield low sensitivity designs via the presented computer algorithms. Filter scaling can be directly incorporated in the designs. >
The DES raligun facility at CEM-UT

The Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin (CEM-UT) has constructed a facility for the operation of electromagnetic (EM) launcher experiments. The facility was specifically designed to investigate distributed-energy-store (DES) railguns. Experiments conducted in the facility have demonstrated the DES railgun concept using a 1-m long, four-stage DES railgun. Investigations have begun on a 4-m, ten-stage DES railgun to demonstrate operation of such a system at higher projectile velocities. The capabilities and design of the major components of the facility are described. Also presented is a review of the experimental development of the railgun system. The DES railgun facility is a versatile laboratory test bed facility for EM acceleration experiments.
Ouachita trough: Part of a Cambrian failed rift system

Pre-flysch (Cambrian-Mississippian) strata of the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma include two main sandstone lithofacies: (1) a craton-derived lithofacies made up largely of mature medium- to coarse-grained quartzose and carbonate detritus and, in some units, sediment eroded from exposed basement rocks and (2) an orogen-derived facies made up mainly of fine-grained quartzose sedimentary and metasedimentary debris and possibly, in lower units, a volcaniclastic component. Paleocurrent and distribution patterns indicate that detritus of facies I in the Benton uplift was derived from north and detritus of facies II throughout the Ouachitas was derived from south and east of the depositional basin. Overall sedimentological results suggest that the Ouachita trough was a relatively narrow, two-sided basin throughout most and probably all of its existence and never formed the southern margin of the North American craton. Regional comparisons suggest that it was one of several basins, including the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen, Reelfoot Rift, Illinois Basin, and Rome trough, that formed as a Cambrian failed rift system 150 to 250 m.y. after initial rifting along the Appalachian margin of the North American craton.
Cleavage of cardiac glycosides in organic media.

Abstract A procedure is described for cleaving the sugar bond of cardiac glycosides under mild acid conditions. Maximum yields were obtained in 30 minutes of reaction time at a temperature of 50° in a medium consisting of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran made 0.002N with perchloric acid. The genins tested are stable under these conditions. They were separated by thin-layer chromatography and evaluated by photogrammetry.
Recrystallization Kinetics of 3C Silicon Carbide Implanted with 400 keV Cesium Ions

Polycrystalline 3C silicon carbide (SiC) was implanted at room temperature with 400 keV cesium ions to a dose of 1016 ions/cm2. The samples were annealed at 600°C–1000°C for times up to 48 h to observe changes in the implantation zone crystallinity and density. The implanted regions were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) before and after annealing. It is shown that the implantation resulted in a 217 ± 2 nm amorphous region with microstructural damage extending to ~250 nm below the surface. Recrystallization of the amorphous region was observed to begin at 725°C. Densification was determined indirectly through changes in the measured implantation zone thickness. Measurable thickness, or densification, of the implanted region was not observed until temperatures greater than ~800°C. The SiC recrystallization began at the interface between the amorphous, damaged region, and the underlying polycrystalline material. Image analysis was used to quantify the fraction of crystalline phase as a function of time and temperature. The recrystallization kinetics exhibited Arrhenius dependency with an apparent activation energy of 480 kJ/mol. SIMS demonstrated that 60%–70% of the cesium was retained within the recrystallized microstructure after thermal annealing.
Regulation by tables

A computer-based regulator embodying a trivial background for regulation programmers is pursued. To start, logic is expanded until it incorporates rules and their obligations. Then, theory is withdrawn to rescue tables and interpolations. Finally, the regulator is implemented. It is a governor that follows (tolerant) ruling tables with (multi-) linear interpolations, requires minimal rationale and may govern even with few programmed table lines. For the time being, performance stands on the wisdom of programmers.
Does self-consciousness increase or decrease priming effects? It depends

Self-consciousness has been shown to both increase and decrease the magnitude of prime-to-behavior effects. In this paper, we decouple the facets of self-consciousness into internal state awareness and self-reflectiveness and show that self-consciousness can be associated with multiple influences on automatic behavior. Specifically, we conducted an experiment demonstrating that increased internal state awareness decreased the magnitude of the prime-to-behavior effect, whereas increased self-reflectiveness amplified the effect. These effects operated independently of self-monitoring and suggest a multiple process approach to understanding prime-to-behavior effects.
Differential host plant performance as a function of soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: experimentally manipulating co-occurring Glomus species

In order to evaluate host plant performance relative to different soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities, Andropogon gerardii seedlings were grown with nine different AMF communities. The communities consisted of 0, 10, or 20 spores of Glomus etunicatum and 0, 10, or 20 spores of Glomus intraradices in all possible combinations. Spores were produced by fungal cultures originating on A. gerardii in a serpentine plant community; seeds of A. gerardii were collected at the same site. The experiment was performed in the greenhouse using a mixture of sterilized serpentine soil and sand to which naturally occurring non-mycorrhizal microbes were added. There was no difference in root AMF colonization rates between single species communities of either G. etunicatum or G. intraradices, but G. intraradices enhanced plant growth and G. etunicatum did not. However, plants grew larger with some combinations of G.␣intraradices plus G. etunicatum than with the same quantity of G. intraradices alone. These results suggest the potential for niche complementarity in the mycorrhizal fungi. That G. etunicatum only increased plant growth in the presence of G. intraradices could be illustrative of why AMF that appear to be parasitic or benign when examined in isolation are maintained within multi-species mycorrhizal communities in nature.
Resistant effect of non-equilibrium inter-particle collisions on dense solids transport

Abstract There exist big gaps between measurements and modeling predictions on solids holdup and pressure drop in dense solids transport, such as those occuring in the bottom sections of gas–solids risers. The inability of closing this gap by common modeling approaches indicates certain missing and/or misrepresentation of some controlling mechanisms in modeling the transport. Previous research efforts show that the gap can not be effectively narrowed by simply modifying the drag force formulations without inclusion of the collision effect. This paper explores the origin of some controlling mechanisms that might have been overlooked in previous modeling approaches, and recommends how to make the model dense solids transport better. Our analysis shows the presence of a resistant force arising from inter-particle collision when the solids are accelerated in dense-phase transport. This may be caused by non-equilibrium collision during solids acceleration, which differs from local-equilibrium assumptions on which the current kinetic theory modeling of granular particles is based. A complete modeling of this collision-induced resistance calls for a total revision of the kinetic theory, with the inclusion of non-equilibrium collisions and off-center collisions in dense solids transport.
Short-range and medium-range order in(Zr(70)Cu(20)Ni(10))(90-x)Ta(x)Al(10) bulk amorphous alloys

We have used x-ray scattering to examine short-range and medium-range order in (Zr 7 0 Cu 2 0 Ni 1 0 ) 9 0 - x Ta x Al 1 0 amorphous alloys. Analysis of the radial distribution functions (RDF's) shows that the addition of 4 at. % Ta enhances the average short-range topological order, as the nearest-neighbor peak in the RDF becomes more sharply defined. The enhanced order due to the Ta addition persists beyond the first few atomic shells, however, out to distances of at least 15 A. From resonant x-ray scattering near the Zr K absorption edge, we are able to extract differential radial distribution functions (DRDF's) which show the atomic environment around Zr atoms only. The DRDF's show that Ta has little effect on the nearest neighbors of Zr atoms, but does significantly enhance the medium-range order (over distances of 5-15 A from an average Zr atom). To explain these observations, we propose that topologically ordered atomic clusters are a significant feature of the structure of Zr-based amorphous alloys and that the influence of Ta is to enhance the order associated with packing of these clusters.
EBG unilateral fin line resonator

Electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures have been used as a perfect reflecting substrate for many microwave millimeter-wave applications. In this work the fin line resonator with EBG was analyzed using the TTL - Transverse Transmission Line - full wave method. Compared to other full wave methods, the TTL is an efficient tool to determine the resonance frequency, making possible a significant algebraic simplification of the equations involved in the process. The new results obtained for this application and the conclusions are presented.
Assessing reproductive and endocrine parameters in male largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) along a contaminant gradient in the lower Columbia River, USA

article i nfo Persistent organochlorine pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are stable, bioaccumulative, and widely found in the en- vironment, wildlife, and the human population. To explore the hypothesis that reproduction in male fish is associ- ated with environmental exposures in the lower Columbia River (LCR), reproductive and endocrine parameters were studied in male resident, non-anadromous largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus)(LSS)inthesamehab- itats as anadromous salmonids having conservation status. Testes, thyroid tissue and plasma collected in 2010 from Longview (LV), Columbia City (CC), and Skamania (SK; reference) were studied. Sperm morphologies and thyrocyte heights were measured by light microscopy, sperm motilities by computer-assisted sperm motion analysis, sperm adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with luciferase, and plasma vitellogenin (VTG), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) by immunoassay. Sperm apoptosis, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, nuclear DNA fragmentation, and reproductive stage were measured by flow cytometry. Sperm quality parameters (except counts) and VTG were significantly different among sites, with correlations between VTG and 7 sperm parameters. Thyrocyte heights, T4, T3, gonadosomatic index and Fulton's condition factor differed among sites, but not significantly. Sperm quality was significantly lower and VTG higher where liver contaminants and water estrogen equivalents were highest (LV site). Total PCBs (specifically PCB-138, -146, -151, -170, -174, -177, -180, -183, -187, -194, and -206) and total PBDEs (specifically BDE-47, -100, -153, and -154) were negatively correlated with sperm motility. PCB-206 and BDE-154 were positively correlated with DNA fragmentation, and pentachloroanisole and VTG were positively correlated
Prudence and Controversy: The New York Public Library Responds to Post-War Anticommunist Pressures

As the New York Public Library entered the post-war era in the late 1940s, its operations fell under the zealous scrutiny of self-styled ‗redhunters‘ intent upon rooting out library materials and staffers deemed un-American and politically subversive. The high point of attacks upon the New York Public Library came during the years 1947-1954, a period that witnessed the Soviet atomic bomb, the Berlin airlift, and the Korean War. This article charts the narrow and carefully wrought trail blazed by the library‘s leadership during that period. Through a reading of materials in the library archives, we see how political pressures were perceived and handled by library management and staff. We witness remarkable examples of brave defense of intellectual freedom alongside episodes of prudent equivocation. At the heart of the library‘s situation stood the contradictions between the principled commitments of individual library leaders and the practical political considerations underlying the library‘s viability. As a general rule, the New York Public Library did not hesitate to acquire materials considered subversive by pressure groups, but the library frequently struck a course that sought to avoid controversy when possible.
Optical absorption and fluorescence studies in high pressure cesium-xenon mixtures

The pressure and temperature dependent absorption and fluorescence spectra of the cesium-xenon (CsXe) molecule have been examined. In contrast to previous investigations of the alkali-rare gas molecules, cesium atomic states that have weakly allowed optical transitions have been studied and have been shown to form excimer levels that are attractive for application as potential dissociation lasers. In particular, the (Cs[ 7^{2}S ]Xe)* excimer appears promising as a source of high-energy laser radiation due to 1) its large dissociation energy (0.132 eV), 2) its stimulated emission cross section of \simeq10^{-17} cm2, and 3) its small population threshold inversion densities ( \simeq10^{13} cm-3).
Media Predictors during the 2012 Presidential Election: Political Understanding, Discussion and Candidate Likeability

This study examined the influence of traditional and online media variables on political understanding, discussion and likeability of the major 2012 U.S. presidential candidates. Political information seeking on web sites and blogs contributed to confidence in understanding political issues but not for reducing the complexity of government. All three online sources studied predicted increased interpersonal communication about politics, as did viewing television news and listening to radio news. Almost all of the media variables influenced evaluations of the major party candidates with some reducing positive evaluations and others increasing them. Exposure to radio news was a consistent predictor but varied based on measurement and candidate. Future studies should consider greater complexity of measures to consider type of discussion and social media.
Handling time and the evolution of caching behavior

Food caching is widespread among several animal species. Few studies have proposed that handling time should affect the evolution of caching behavior, especially under foraging time constraints. Nevertheless, to date, there has been no analytical support to the "handling time hypothesis." In the present article, we use an analytical model to show that caching behavior may evolve as the result of shorter handling time caching relative to eating. We evaluate caching behavior under 3 fitness objectives (or environmental scenarios): maximizing energy consumed, maximizing and balancing energy consumed, and maximizing energy consumed under risk of predation. Our analyses reveal that under all 3 fitness objectives, caching behavior can evolve when caching time is shorter than eating time, to allow the animal to free up search time during the period when food is plentiful and postpone time spent handling to the period when food is scarce and search time is less valuable. That effect may be called "search time reallocation," and it is still prevalent even if food decays. Our model provides predictions that can be field tested, adds to the debate of handling time and perishability hypotheses, and invites researchers to direct their focus toward understanding the evolutionary motives of caching behavior.
Soil Morphologic Properties and Cattle Stocking Rate Affect Dynamic Soil Properties

Soil properties that influence the capacity for infiltration and moisture retention are important determinants of rangeland productivity. Monitoring effects of grazing on dynamic soil properties can assist managers with stocking rate decisions, particularly if monitoring takes into account environmental variability associated with inherent soil morphological properties. On a Pacific Northwest Bunchgrass Prairie in northeast Oregon, we applied three cattle stocking rates (0.52, 1.04, and 1.56 animal unit monthsha � 1 ) and an ungrazed control in a randomized complete block design for two 42-d grazing seasons and measured the change in four dynamic soil properties: soil penetration resistance, soil aggregate stability, bare ground, and herbaceous litter cover. To address apparent environmental heterogeneity within experimental units, we also utilized a categorical soil factor (termed Edaphic Habitat Types or EHT), determined by characterizing soil depth, texture, and rock fragment content at sample sites. Stocking rate did not affect extent of bare ground or soil aggregate stability. Stocking rate had a significant effect on penetration resistance, which was greatest at the high stocking rate (1.6 Jcm � 1 6 0.1 SE) and lowest in the control (1.1 Jcm � 1 6 0.1 SE). For litter cover, the effects of stocking rate and EHT interacted. In two rocky EHTs, litter cover was highest in the controls (60% 6 6 SE; 50% 6 3 SE) and ranged from 27% 6 3 SE to 33% 6 6 SE in the stocking rate treatments. Measures of penetration resistance, aggregate stability, and bare ground were different across EHTs regardless of stocking rate, but did not interact with stocking rate. Our study demonstrates that response of dynamic soil properties to stocking rates should be considered as a useful and accessible approach for monitoring effects of livestock management decisions on rangeland conditions.
A conservative scene model update policy

In this paper, we present a new pixel-level scene model for segmenting video into foreground and background structure. The design of the model is largely influenced by several recently reported stochastic background models that have been shown to significantly outperform traditional deterministic techniques. In contrast to existing nonparametric scene models, we propose a learning algorithm that integrates new information into the models by replacing the most significant outlying values with respect to the current sample collections. Outliers are identified using a variable bandwidth kernel density estimation (KDE) procedure. We demonstrate the superiority of our model against a recent state-of-the-art video segmentation system and compare and contrast the theoretical aspects of our model with a wide variety of existing techniques, and well known video segmentation challenges.
Cryoprobe 3D NMR of acetylated ball-milled pine cell walls

3D NMR of solubilized ball-milled pine cell walls reveals striking details of lignin units, right down to differentiating stereoisomers in the polymer. Such 3D spectral editing therefore overcomes the need to isolate wall components to study their structures.
Dynamic margins of stability during human walking in destabilizing environments

Understanding how humans maintain stability when walking, particularly when exposed to perturbations, is key to preventing falls. Here, we quantified how imposing continuous, pseudorandom anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) oscillations affected the control of dynamic walking stability. Twelve subjects completed five 3-minute walking trials in the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation ENvironment (CAREN) system under each of 5 conditions: no perturbation (NOP), AP platform (APP) or visual (APV) or ML platform (MLP) or visual (MLV) oscillations. We computed AP and ML margins of stability (MOS) for each trial. Mean MOS(ml) were consistently slightly larger during all perturbation conditions than during NOP (p≤0.038). Mean MOS(ap) for the APP, MLP and MLV oscillations were significantly smaller than during NOP (p<0.0005). Variability of both MOS(ap) and MOS(ml) was significantly greater during the MLP and MLV oscillations than during NOP (p<0.0005). We also directly quantified how the MOS on any given step affected the MOS on the following step using first-return plots. There were significant changes in step-to-step MOS(ml) dynamics between experimental conditions (p<0.0005). These changes suggested that subjects may have been trying to control foot placement, and consequently stability, during the perturbation conditions. Quantifying step-to-step changes in margins of dynamic stability may be more useful than mean MOS in assessing how individuals control walking stability.
The Effects of Environmental Attitudes on Apparel Purchasing Behavior

Although consumers' environmental concern has increased, little empirical research regarding environmental attitudes and clothing purchasing behavior has been reported. This study builds on the lim...
Geomechanical modeling of an extensional fault-propagation fold: Big Brushy Canyon monocline, Sierra Del Carmen, Texas

Field structural data from the Big Brushy Canyon monocline developed in Cretaceous strata of west Texas are combined with nonlinear finite element modeling to help bridge the gap between geometric, kinematic, and mechanical analysis techniques for understanding the deformation history of reservoir-scale geologic structures. The massive Santa Elena Limestone is offset along a steep normal fault, and fault displacement is accommodated upward by the folding of the Buda Limestone and Boquillas Formation and the thinning in the intervening Del Rio Clay. Mesostructures within competent Buda Limestone beds are concentrated in the monocline limb instead of the hinge and include bed-perpendicular veins that accommodate bed-parallel extension and bedding-plane slip surfaces that offset the veins and accommodate flexural slip. Finite element models were constructed to reproduce the monocline geometry and deformation distribution as well as to assess the effect of material properties and boundary conditions on structural evolution. The initial model configuration replicated the assumed predeformational geometry, included frictional sliding surfaces to allow for bedding-parallel slip, and used a displacement boundary condition at the base of the Santa Elena footwall to simulate fault motion. Geometry and strain evolution were tracked so that (1) fold shape, (2) cumulative extension, and (3) layer-parallel shear strain could be compared to field observations. Iterative model runs successfully matched field data and revealed the importance of benchmarking the model results against monocline geometry, layer-parallel extensional strain, and bedding slip in the natural example. Our results illustrate the potential use of this modeling approach whereby calibration is performed using available data and is followed by strain measurement throughout the model domain to aid in prediction of subseismic faults and fractures. This geomechanical modeling approach provides a powerful tool for site-specific subsurface deformation prediction in hydrocarbon reservoirs that incorporates details of the local mechanical stratigraphy and structural setting.
Fine mapping in tomato using microsynteny with the Arabidopsis genome: the Diageotropica (Dgt) locus.

Background: The Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence provides a catalog of reference genes applicable to comparative microsynteny analysis of other species, facilitating map-based cloning in economically important crops. We have applied such an analysis to the tomato expressed sequence tag (EST) database to expedite high-resolution mapping of the Diageotropica (Dgt) gene within the distal end of chromosome 1 in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Results: A BLAST search of the Arabidopsis database with nucleotide sequences of markers that flank the tomato dgt locus revealed regions of microsynteny between the distal end of chromosome 1 in tomato, two regions of Arabidopsis chromosome 4, and one on chromosome 2. Tomato ESTs homeologous to Arabidopsis gene sequences within those regions were converted into co-dominant molecular markers via cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) analysis and scored against an informative backcross mapping population. Six new microsyntenic EST (MEST) markers were rapidly identified in the dgt region, two of which further defined the placement of the Dgt gene and permitted the selection of a candidate tomato bacterial artificial chromosome clone for sequence analysis. Conclusions: Microsynteny-based comparative mapping combined with CAPS analysis of recombinant plants rapidly and economically narrowed the dgt mapping region from 0.8 to 0.15 cM. This approach should contribute to developing high-density maps of molecular markers to target-specific regions for positional cloning and marker-assisted selection in a variety of plants.