cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 15 Lake Magadi, Kenya, and Its Precursors

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the precursors and their deposits of Lake Magadi. Lake Magadi is an active salt lake located in the Rift Valley, Kenya; it contains a thick deposit of trona, which has been commercially exploited for many years. Lake Magadi is located within block faulted Pleistocene trachyte flows, and it was preceded by two earlier lakes: High Magadi and Lake Oloronga. Lake Magadi is the classic example of an alkaline sodium carbonate lake; it is characterized by a large ephemeral salt pan, saline and dry mudflats, some of which are old lake bottoms, ephemeral stream complexes, and small alluvial fans. Brine evolution can be documented quantitatively in this lake. There are four major stratigraphic units among the lake deposits of the Magadi area: Oloronga Beds, Chert Series, High Magadi Beds, and Evaporite Series. Perennial alkaline springs at the perimeter of the active lake are fed by a saline, hot groundwater reservoir, which, in turn, is recharged by dilute runoff and rim streams entering the valley. The precipitation of alkaline earth carbonates and silica and the dissolution of efflorescent crusts are some of the important mechanisms responsible for brine evolution. Zeolites as well as silicate gels and nonsilicates—such as gaylussite and fluorite—are common products here.
Hiring Practices, Employment Protection and Temporary Jobs

This paper examines the e®ects of a two-tier reform of the Employment Protection Legislation that increases °exibility at the margin by allowing ¯rms to hire workers on temporary positions and investigates under which conditions temporary jobs are stepping stones to permanent employment. The analysis has far focused on the role of temporary jobs in employers adjustment to economic shocks and suggested that such reforms have increased unemployment. This study provides new insights on the role of ¯xed-term contracts by supporting the idea that worker turnover results from the allocation of unemployed workers with the right jobs. In such an economy, temporary contracts facilitate the screening process of match quality and increase worker turnover by inducing ¯rms to be less selective in whom they hire. As the fundamental quality of a match is persistent, ¯rms and workers could be induced to continue producing on a regular contract even with high termination costs. Finally, I propose to investigate how temporary jobs would a®ect the US economy where experience rating is an original feature of the unemployment bene¯t system. I ask whether or not introducing temporary jobs while increasing ¯ring costs on regular jobs to ¯nance a given replacement rate increases the employment rate and is welfare-improving.
Organizing for Innovation

This article summarizes the history of efforts to organize innovation. Organizing for innovation is an apparent oxymoron: “organizing” suggests continuity and reliability, while “innovation” emphasizes change. Efforts to address this dichotomy have drawn on different tools over time, initially beginning with structure, then moving to systems – especially systems for information sharing and authority – and most recently to teams. Contemporary innovation efforts highlight the collaborative, extra-organizational character of much innovation, where networks of firms cooperate to create new technology, design products and production processes, market and distribute, and provide after-sales service. Networked teams of partners across organizations, and sophisticated agreements on sharing gains, are the current state of the art, typically making extensive use of digital information sharing and communication, to include online collaboration and virtual meetings, among other technologies. Keywords: innovation; structure; process; teams; networking; information sharing and collaborative design
The Structural Changes in the FF Three-Factor Model and its Robustness in the Bear-Bull Market Periods

We examine the robustness of the Fama-French three-factor model in several bear and bull market periods. Data on bull and bear market periods are from the website of Global Financial Data. The data on the monthly returns of the 25 Fama French portfolios and the explanatory variablesmR, SMB, and HML are taken from the website of Dr. Kenneth French. We test for the significance of the individual regression parameters as well as for the equality of the coefficient vectors in each of the adjacent bear-bull periods. To make sure that our tests are not influenced by heteroskadisticity we use Toyoda's test to test the equality of the coefficient vectors in each of the adjacent bull-bear periods. We find that the model performs equally well in both bear and bull periods. In comparison to earlier bull-bear periods, however, the coefficient of determination decreases significantly in later periods. Furthermore, using cumulative sum of squares of recursive residuals and log likelihood ratio techniques, we find a structural change in the model in the year 2000. We use the Welch test to identify which regression parameters induce this structural change. We find that all the coefficients associated with explanatory variables undergo significant changes; however, the constant term remains insignificant. We conclude that the parameters of the Fama-French three-factor model are generally not influenced by bear and bull market conditions. This finding may make the FF three-factor model more usefulthe prediction of future bull-bear market period may become redundant in estimating the risk premium. The regime change in the FF three-factor model in the year 2000 indicates that one should use post-1999 data to compute the parameters of the FF three-factor model to estimate the risk premium.
Is Participation Without Power Good Enough? Introduction to “Democracy Now: Ethnographies of Contemporary Participation”

This introduction to the section Democracy Now: Ethnographies of Contemporary Participation sketches a contemporary enthusiasm for participation that reaches across business, education, popular culture, and politics. The article tries to account for what makes this enthusiasm new and begins to sketch its implications for what people want and expect from their political and economic institutions.
Do employee stock options encourage corporate tax shelters

Using a sample of companies that have invested in bank-owned life insurance ("BOLI"), this paper documents a positive relation between BOLI and the portion of managers' compensation comprised of employee stock options. Using BOLI as a proxy for the overall tax sheltering activity of the sample firms, the results suggest that stock options generally encourage managers to invest in corporate tax shelters. Further, motivated by recent theoretical analysis, the paper considers whether the relation between options and tax shelters is dependent upon the underlying governance characteristics of the sample companies. After segregating the sample based on various measures of governance quality, the results consistently fail to support a statistically significant difference in the relation between options and BOLI for well-governed firms, relative to poorly-governed firms.
FDA varicella warning.

To the Editor.— I applaud the important study done by Lloyd et al on the "Accuracy of Central Venous Pressure Measurement From the Abdominal Inferior Vena Cava"1 Those of us who help take care of critically ill children know too well the risks and technical difficulties of establishing internal jugular and central venous lines in children. The authors report that the intra-abdominal venous pressure closely reflects that of the intrathoracic venous pressure. They offer the caveat that this may not be accurate in patients with an obstruction to the inferior vena cava by a thrombus or extrinsically by a tumor.
The Evolution of Bacterial Toxins

The prevailing paradigm of bacterial evolution is clonal descent with periodic modification, punctuated with discrete occurrences of horizontal genetic transmission. This latter phenomenon, termed "mosaicism," is reported with increasing frequency among bacterial toxins. Toxins are generally thought to execute one of two principal pathogenic functions: host avoidance and host damage. However, a prominent theme of bacterial toxin research in the last decade is the identification of multiple patho-genetic functions for bacterial toxins. In terms of evolution, it may be most efficient to adopt virulence factors from another pathogenic organism or to embue an existing one with additional functions. It should be noted that, of the extant STa molecules, none is clearly primative in the evolutionary sense, yet it is interesting to note that, like guanylin, EAST-1 contains four cysteine residues, rather than the six present in STaH and STaP. The typical RTX toxin is encoded by a four-gene operon comprising, in order, the modifying enzyme, the toxin structural gene, and the two components of the secretion system. The accessory genes are highly conserved among the RTX toxins, whereas there is substantial diversity among the toxin structural genes. The fundamental mechanisms of bacterial evolution operate on toxin genes as they do on all genetic loci.
Emergence of high rates of antimicrobial resistance among viridans group streptococci in the United States.

Three hundred fifty-two blood culture isolates of viridans group streptococci obtained from 43 U.S. medical centers during 1993 and 1994 were characterized. Included were 48 isolates of "Streptococcus milleri," 219 S. mitis isolates, 29 S. salivarius isolates, and 56 S. sanguis isolates. High-level penicillin resistance (MIC, > or = 4.0 micrograms/ml) was noted among 13.4% of the strains; for 42.9% of the strains, penicillin MICs were 0.25 to 2.0 micrograms/ml (i.e., intermediate resistance). In general, amoxicillin was slightly more active than penicillin. The rank order of activity for five cephalosporins versus viridans group streptococci was cefpodoxime = ceftriaxone > cefprozil = cefuroxime >> cephalexin. The percentages of isolates resistant (MIC, > or = 2 micrograms/ml) to these agents were 15, 17, 18, 20, and 96, respectively. The rates of resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were 12 to 38%. Resistance to either chloramphenicol or ofloxacin was uncommon (i.e., < 1%). In general, among the four species, S. mitis was the most resistant and "S. milleri" was the most susceptible.
School Choice in Milwaukee: Privatization of a Different Breed

For decades educational reformers have identified school choice programs as a strategy for restructuring public school systems. Practically every state has considered or adopted a school assignment program that qualifies as a “choice” initiative, one in which students and parents have some choice in school selection. Increasingly, school districts are contemplating plans that include a choice of private, as well as public, schools. One of the most far-reaching of these school choice plans is the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Parental Choice Program, which, as legislated, allows parents to use vouchers to enroll their children in both sectarian and nonsectarian schools in the community. This paper explores the evolution of school choice in Milwaukee and examines the extent to which school choice is representative of other privatization efforts currently under way in the United States.
Vinyl Monomers, Polymers and Supramolecular Assemblies from Aminocaprolactam

α-Aminocaprolactam is a “green” monomer in two ways: it is a fermentation product from sugars, and its derivatives are naturally biocompatible and biodegradable. In this overview, the synthesis of a variety of α-amino-e-caprolactam (ACL) derivatives through reaction with acid chlorides, anhydrides, and alkyl halides is described first. The product vinyl and divinyl derivatives were then polymerized using free radical initiators, and the obtained polymers characterized by solution NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The homopolymers of these monomers displayed surprisingly high glass transition temperature (Tg) values plus unexpectedly large sub-Tg transitions that are believed due to relaxation of hydrogen bonding of pendent ACL units that allows group rotation. Finally, bis- and tetra-caprolactams of various diacid chlorides and diisocyantes were synthesized and shown to form self-assembled polymers and networks with excellent physical and thermal properties.
Repetition suppression and repetition priming are processing outcomes

Abstract There is considerable evidence that repetition suppression (RS) is a cortical signature of previous exposure to the environment. In many instances RS in specific brain regions is accompanied by improvements in specific behavioral measures; both observations are outcomes of repeated processing. In understanding the mechanism by which brain changes give rise to behavioral changes, it is important to consider what aspect of the environment a given brain area or set of areas processes, and how this might be expressed behaviorally.
Split-liver transplantation: Past, present, and future

Abstract Split-liver transplantation, a procedure in which one cadaver liver is divided to provide for 2 recipients, has existed for over 15 years. Although SLT offers an immediate expansion of the cadaver-donor pool and decreased reliance on living-donation, SLT has not been widely applied within the United States. The continuing shortage of cadaver organs, coupled with the increasing realization of the limits of living donor liver transplantation in adults, has renewed interest in expanding SLT techniques to include 2 adult recipients from one adult cadaver donor. Significant obstacles to the widespread application of SLT exist and must be resolved by the transplant community before greater application of these techniques can be realized. This manuscript reviews current SLT results and how SLT may be further applied to alleviate the current organ shortage.
Documentation improvements following multidisciplinary educational program on electronic fetal heart rate tracings.

Objective. To measure the effectiveness of a multifaceted, multidisciplinary, evidence-based educational program designed to achieve compliance with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) definitions and three-tier system for electronic fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring.Methods. This prospective study began with a literature review focusing on creating change within complex systems. Evidence-based elements of program development and implementation were incorporated to promote the adoption of the NICHD guidelines for electronic FHR monitoring. A systematic, stratified random sample of charts was reviewed to evaluate compliance with the NICHD recommendations prior to and following program initiation.Results. Compliance rates for documentation of all components of a FHR tracing and a category in SOAP notes increased from less than 1% to 90%. Of the remaining charts, following program implementation, 70% had all components of the FHR tracing documented. Following the educational ...
In Vitro/in Vivo Evaluation Of A Liquid Sustained Release Dosage Form Of Chlorpheniramine

AbstractChlorpheniramine-resin complexes were coated with cellulose acetate butyrate to yield microcapsules with a geometric mean diameter of 346 μm. In vitro release rate of chlorpheniramine declined with increasing microcapsule size. Release of chlorpheniramine from the micropcapsules was faster in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) than in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.5). A Chlorpheniramine solution administered by rapid intravenous injection to dogs exhibited a two phase decline in plasma drug concentration. A peroral solution resulted in a rapid rise to a peak followed by a sharp decline in plasma chlorpheniramine concentration. Peroral administration of a microcapsule suspension caused a rapid rise in plasma concentration, but prevented the fast decline.
The Economic Effects of Repealing Fair Trade Laws

Legislation in 1976 abolishing fair trade appears to have led to limited price cutting among retailers. In particular, stores identified by their managers as being “discount” outlets were found to have undercut the prices of other stores in most product groups while the pricing policies of chain stores and multi-line stores have not become more aggressive on fair trade items since repeal. Limited evidence indicates that a reduction in nonprice competition in the form of newspaper advertising and sales personnel has also attended repeal. Finally, a substantial increase in the frequency of business failures in fair trade states during 1976 indicates that a consolidation among retailers may have coincided with the abolishment of uniform, manufacturer-specified retail prices.
Helium ion microscopy and its application to nanotechnology and nanometrology

Helium ion microscopy (HeIM) presents a new approach to nanotechnology and nanometrology, which has several potential advantages over the traditional scanning electron microscope (SEM) currently in use in research laboratories and manufacturing facilities across the world. Owing to the very high source brightness, and the shorter wavelength of the helium (He) ions, it is theoretically possible to focus the ion beam into a smaller probe size relative to that of the electron beam of an SEM. Hence, resolution 2 × – 4 × better than that of comparable SEMs is theoretically possible. In an SEM, an electron beam interacts with the sample and an array of signals are generated, collected and imaged. This interaction zone may be quite large depending upon the accelerating voltage and materials involved. Conversely, the helium ion beam interacts with the sample, but it does not have as large an excitation volume and, thus, the image collected is more surface sensitive and can potentially provide sharp images on a wide range of materials. Compared with an SEM, the secondary electron yield is quite high—allowing for imaging at extremely low beam currents and the relatively low mass of the helium ion, in contrast to other ion sources such as gallium, potentially results in minimal damage to the sample. This article reports on some of the preliminary work being done on the HeIM as a research and measurement tool for nanotechnology and nanometrology being done at NIST. SCANNING 30: 457–462, 2008. Published 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Grain growth and deformation in nanocrystalline materials

Abstract In case of nanocrystalline materials several additional features need to be taken into account in considering grain growth and deformation whose existence was first anticipated by Professor J.C.M. Li years ago. Grains can increase their size by grain rotation as well as by curvature driven motion. Grain rotation has been considered in detail by Li [J.C.M. Li, J. Appl. Phys. 15 (1962) 2958] theoretically and recently other researchers by simulation. We show that in nanocrystalline materials this mode is quite possible especially if the grain growth is retarded by finite triple junction mobility. New deformation modes occur in these materials leading to the so-called inverse Hall–Petch effect, which will be discussed in detail.
An Analytical Look at Live and CB Speech Intelligibility in Contemporary Commercial Truck Cabs Based on the Articulation Index

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) currently has a having requirement for individuals seeking a commercial driver's license for interstate commerce. The existence of such a requirement implies that truck driving is aheaeing-critical job, perhaps including speech communication tasks. The Articulation Index (AI) described here can be used as a standardized analystical technique to evaluate speech intelligibility in various truck cab environments for design and comparison purposes.
Laser tracker TSPI uncertainty quantification via centrifuge trajectory

Sandia National Laboratories currently utilizes two laser tracking systems to provide time-space-position-information (TSPI) and high speed digital imaging of test units under flight. These laser trackers have been in operation for decades under the premise of theoretical accuracies based on system design and operator estimates. Advances in optical imaging and atmospheric tracking technology have enabled opportunities to provide more precise six degree of freedom measurements from these trackers. Applying these technologies to the laser trackers requires quantified understanding of their current errors and uncertainty. It was well understood that an assortment of variables contributed to laser tracker uncertainty but the magnitude of these contributions was not quantified and documented. A series of experiments was performed at Sandia National Laboratories large centrifuge complex to quantify TSPI uncertainties of Sandia National Laboratories laser tracker III. The centrifuge was used to provide repeatable and economical test unit trajectories of a test-unit to use for TSPI comparison and uncertainty analysis. On a centrifuge, testunits undergo a known trajectory continuously with a known angular velocity. Each revolution may represent an independent test, which may be repeated many times over for magnitudes of data practical for statistical analysis. Previously these tests were performed at Sandia's rocket sled track facility but were found to be costly with challenges in the measurement ground truth TSPI. The centrifuge along with on-board measurement equipment was used to provide known ground truth position of test units. This paper discusses the experimental design and techniques used to arrive at measures of laser tracker error and uncertainty.
Ion-pair chromatography of nucleotides

Abstract Some of the variables that affect the separation of the 5′-mono, di- and triphosphate ribonucleotides by ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography (IPC) were investigated. The variables included the concentration of the pairing agent, chain-length of the alkyl group of the quanternary amine, and the pH of the mobile phase. The tetrabutylammonium ion (TBA) was found to be the most effective for retarding the elution of the majority of the nucleotides, especially the triphosphates. No pairing agents had any significant effect on the cytidine nucleotides; conversely, wiht the thymidines, the retention times of all of their nucleotides were greatly increased by the presence of TBA. At both pH 3.0 and 5.7, only the ion-paired thymidine nucleotides showed a marked increase in retention time and only those of cytosine showed no significant change in retention behavior. At pH 5.7, all ion-paired adenosine nucleotides showed large increases in retention times, as did the triphosphate nucleotides of inosine and guanosine. At pH 5.7, the elution order of all ion-paired nucleotides follow the structure retention rules proposed by Brown and Grushka for nucleosides and their bases, but the same pattern of behavior was not observed at pH 3.0. Also, the elution order observed for all compounds at pH 5.7 was mono From these data, it is evident that the structure of the base and the type and position of substituent groups, as well as the charge on the phosphate group or groups, in involved in the ion-pairing reaction.
Induction of CPP32-like activity in PC12 cells by withdrawal of trophic support. Dissociation from apoptosis.

Inhibitors of interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE) and a related group of cysteine aspartases of the ICE/ced-3 family inhibit cell death in a variety of settings, including in PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons following withdrawal of trophic support. To assess the particular member(s) of the ICE/ced-3 family that are relevant to cell death and to position their activation within the apoptotic pathway, we have used specific substrates to measure ICE-like and CPP32-like enzymatic activity in naive and neuronally differentiated PC12 cells that had been deprived of trophic support (nerve growth factor and/or serum). Rapid induction of CPP32-like, but not ICE-like, activity was observed. c-Jun kinase activation and the action of bcl-2 and other survival agents, such as cell cycle blockers, a NO generator, N-acetylcysteine, aurintricarboxylic acid, and actinomycin D occurred at a point further upstream in the apoptotic pathway compared with the aspartase activation. In living cells, zVAD-FMK, a pseudosubstrate aspartase inhibitor, blocked the activity/activation of the aspartase at concentrations about one order of magnitude lower than those required to promote survival, raising the possibility that the CPP32-like aspartase is not the main death effector in this model.
Multiple Aspects of Bias on the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (Forms A & B) for White and for Mexican-American Children:

The Boehm Test of Basic Concepts has been severely criticized by some minority psychologists as being culturally biased. These criticisms have been based to date on subjective analysis and impressi...
Optimal parameters for AlGaAs‐InGaAs‐AlGaAs p‐channel field‐effect transistors

Using the model of an infinite well we have performed detailed calculations of the hole band structure in a strained quantum well. In‐plane effective masses and energy separations were calculated for different thicknesses of the well and In mole fractions below 0.50. Based on the calculations we estimated the optimal thickness of the well and In mole fraction for which the energy separation between the lowest two subbands has a maximum and the InGaAs layer is stable with respect to misfit dislocations. The results provide useful guidelines for the optimization of p‐channel field‐effect transistors.
Grid Modernization: Seamless Integration of Protection, Optimization and Control

The objectives of smart grid and grid modernization are to increase automation and seamlessly integrate data, models, protection, optimization and control of the power grid. This effort is affected by technological advances. One such technology is the numerical relay which has increased its domination to the point that today has almost completely displaced electromechanical and solid state relays and the most recent technology of merging units that has separated the data acquisition function from protective relays and SCADA systems. The capabilities of the numerical relays are not fully utilized today, specifically, by and large, they simply mimic the logics that were developed for the electromechanical relays but with much more flexibility. Recent developments towards substation automation are utilizing the numerical relays for SCADA, communications and in general an integrated system for protection and control. These approaches indicate the recognition that numerical relays offer much more than simply mimicking protection functions of the past. They also offer the ability to form the basic infrastructure towards a fully automated power system, the subject of this paper. In previous work, we presented a new protection scheme that is a generalization of differential protection. The approach is based on dynamic state estimation. Specifically, the protection scheme is based on continuously monitoring terminal voltages and currents of the component and other possible quantities such as tap setting, temperature, etc. as appropriate for the component under protection. The monitored data are utilized in a dynamic state estimation that continuously provides the dynamic state of the component. The dynamic state is then used to determine the health of the component. Tripping or no tripping is decided on the basis of the health of the component. The present paper takes the above concept one step further. Using the dynamic state estimation of a protection zone as the basic technology, it builds an integrated automation system that performs the protection functions, validates models, transmits the models to the control center, integrates monitoring and control, enables optimization and provides automated disturbance playback capabilities. The system provides the infrastructure and real time models for any application along the spatial extend of the power system.
Weighted cost-function reconstruction in optical diffusion imaging

A weighted distorted Born iterative method is presented for reconstruction optical diffusion images from scattering data. A generalization of the distorted Born iterative method that uses a preconditioned cost function and an elliptical constraint allows a weighting matrix to be applied to the gradient term in the iterative algorithm according to the reconstruction history. The proposed algorithm shows stable and fast convergence for reconstruction of high contrast inhomogeneities.
Adrenergic Response of the Avian Uterus

Abstract PREVIOUS reports have indicated that adrenergic drugs produce an inhibitory response, either relaxation or delayed oviposition, in the uterus of the chicken (McKenney et al., 1932; Sturkie and Weiss, 1950; Sykes, 1955). Reynolds (1949) summarizes the responses occurring in other species and reviews the evidence that pregnancy reversal, i.e., contraction instead of relaxation after adrenergic stimulation, is due to progesterone. The converse reversal, i.e., relaxation instead of contraction, has also been reported in sheep (Gunn and Gunn, 1944). Ahlquist (1948Ahlquist (1958) associates alpha adrenergic receptors with most of the excitatory responses to epinephrine, beta adrenergic receptors with most of the inhibitory responses. He reported that of six adrenergic drugs tested on uterine muscle, levarterenol was the third most potent stimulator of contraction (exceeded only by l -epinephrine and dl -epinephrine) and the least potent stimulator of relaxation, while isoproterenol was the most potent stimulator of relaxation and the least potent stimulator of…
Superoxide anion formation from lucigenin: an electron spin resonance spin-trapping study

Lucigenin (LC2+) is frequently used as a superoxide probe. To detect superoxide, lucigenin must be reduced to the lucigenin cation radical (LC.+). We show, using the phosphorylated spin trap 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DEPMPO), that lucigenin stimulates NADPH-dependent superoxide production by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The formation of the DEPMPO-superoxide adduct is calcium/calmodulin independent. DEPMPO-superoxide adduct formation is inhibited by diphenyleneiodonium and is abolished by superoxide dismutase. It is likely that eNOS/NADPH can reduce lucigenin to LC.+ which reduces oxygen to superoxide. Consequently, lucigenin cannot be used to measure superoxide formation.
Chemokine-Dependent Upregulation of CD11b on Specific Leukocyte Subpopulations in Human Whole Blood: Effect of Anticoagulant on Rantes and MIP-1β Stimulation

The effect of anticoagulant (heparin vs EDTA) on chemokine induced CD11b upregulation on neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes in human whole blood was determined. For most of the chemokines (IL-8, GRO-alpha, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha) the difference in the response of leukocytes in EDTA anticoagulated blood vs those in heparinized blood was the degree of their maximal response, with a slightly higher maximal increase in CD11b expression usually seen in cells from EDTA anticoagulated blood. Two chemokines were exceptions to this: RANTES and MIP-1 beta. RANTES is considered to be a stimulator of monocytes and eosinophils and not of neutrophils. As expected, neutrophils in heparinized whole blood did not respond to RANTES; however, neutrophils in EDTA anticoagulated blood had a significant increase in CD11b when exposed to high concentrations (1 microM) of RANTES. RANTES-induced CD11b expression on monocytes and eosinophils in these samples were the same in either heparin or EDTA. In EDTA anticoagulated blood, MIP-1 beta did not elicit a response in either monocytes, eosinophils or neutrophils; however, in heparinized blood, all three cell types increased CD11b expression upon exposure to 1 microM MIP-1 beta.
Correlation between lifetime curve and performance of amorphous silicon/ crystalline silicon heterostructure solar cell

Detailed balance calculations are prevalently used to calculate the thermodynamic limit of performance of photovoltaic devices. This work combines the detailed balance calculations with the lifetime curve to determine the limiting performance of silicon heterostructure solar cell. The detailed balance model uses the state-of-the-art values for the recombination coefficients. The calculation shows that for an undoped silicon with only intrinsic (radiative and auger) recombination mechanisms considered, the efficiency limit is 29.63 % at 26 μm. However, the value changes with the inclusion of the extrinsic recombination processes that occurs due to the presence of surfaces and defects within crystalline silicon.
Subjective and objective measures of literacy: Implications for current results-oriented development initiatives

Abstract Data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Ethiopia and Nicaragua shed light on two practical questions that arise when turning “Education for All” goals of high literacy and universal primary school completion into more specific targets. First, how should we measure literacy? Second, how many years of schooling should be universalized? Evidence presented here suggests two conclusions. First, objective literacy measures (based on simple tests) should be preferred to more frequently employed subjective measures (based on opinions of household respondents regarding their own literacy and the literacy of other members of their households), especially where school attainment levels are low, if we are to avoid overestimating literacy rates. Second, if a main goal of primary education is to render most students literate by objective measures, then at least 5 years of schooling should be universalized, even though subjective literacy rates reach high levels after only 3 or 4 years of schooling.
Automation of Human IgG, Glucose, Lactate, and Oxygen Assays on Biomek NXP Span-8 Automation Workstation and PARADIGM Detection Platform

When optimizing cell culture media for therapeutic antibody production cell lines, it is very important to monitor parameters such as IgG concentration, glucose and lactate levels, and oxygen consu...
The ultraviolet spectrum of KX Trianguli Australis

Low-dispersion and high-dispersion IUE satellite observations of the symbiotic star KX TrA, carried out on May 7, 1990, are reported. The low-dispersion data show no significant changes from the observation data obtained a decade ago. Resonantly excited high-excitation Fe II emission lines are seen in the UV spectra of KX TrA, suggesting the existence of a very hot (greater than 60,000 K) subdwarf or white dwarf in the system. The S-type symbiotic KX TrA exhibits a UV spectrum that is nearly identical to that of the D-type symbiotic V1016 Cyg.
Programmable RNA recognition and cleavage by CRISPR/Cas9

The CRISPR-associated protein Cas9 is an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease that uses RNA-DNA complementarity to identify target sites for sequence-specific double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) cleavage. In its native context, Cas9 acts on DNA substrates exclusively because both binding and catalysis require recognition of a short DNA sequence, known as the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), next to and on the strand opposite the twenty-nucleotide target site in dsDNA. Cas9 has proven to be a versatile tool for genome engineering and gene regulation in a large range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell types, and in whole organisms, but it has been thought to be incapable of targeting RNA. Here we show that Cas9 binds with high affinity to single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) targets matching the Cas9-associated guide RNA sequence when the PAM is presented in trans as a separate DNA oligonucleotide. Furthermore, PAM-presenting oligonucleotides (PAMmers) stimulate site-specific endonucleolytic cleavage of ssRNA targets, similar to PAM-mediated stimulation of Cas9-catalysed DNA cleavage. Using specially designed PAMmers, Cas9 can be specifically directed to bind or cut RNA targets while avoiding corresponding DNA sequences, and we demonstrate that this strategy enables the isolation of a specific endogenous messenger RNA from cells. These results reveal a fundamental connection between PAM binding and substrate selection by Cas9, and highlight the utility of Cas9 for programmable transcript recognition without the need for tags.
Fluid Transients in Mercury and Mercury-Helium Flows

Mercury flow is used in chemical and nuclear systems. The sound speed of mercury is similar to that of water, but the density is over an order of magnitude greater, making the consequences of fluid transients like fluid column separation followed by fluid-hammer much more severe in mercury systems than in water systems. Fluid transients in a mercury flow loop are considered and fluid transients in a loop filled with mercury and 0.5% by volume helium bubbles are evaluated. The helium bubbles add compressibility, which helps mitigate consequences of some transients of concern to nuclear applications.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The influence of radiation damage on the superconducting properties of thin film YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7- delta /

The authors report measurements of the effects of high-energy ( approximately 60 MeV) H and He ion irradiation of thin films of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7- delta / produced by plasma-arc spray and laser evaporation, and of low-energy ( approximately 10 MeV) B and N ion irradiation of laser evaporated films. The observed changes in the resistance versus temperature behavior for H and He ion irradiation of the plasma-arc spray films are much more dramatic than that observed for films produced by other techniques and resembles, qualitatively, a bond percolation threshold. In contrast, high-energy H and He ion irradiation of the laser-evaporated films resulted in a negligible change in the resistance-temperature behavior. Low-energy B and N ion irradiation of laser-evaporated films gradually lowered the completion temperature of the superconducting transition. >
The Hereditary Relation of Dominant White and Blub in Chickens

Abstract The work of Bateson (1902); Hurst (1905), Hadley (1913), and others has shown quite conclusively that individuals of the White Leghorn breed carry an autosomal gene capable of preventing the development of black pigment in the plumage. When Leghorns from a family breeding true for white plumage color are crossed with individuals of varieties which regularly exhibit black pigment only, in all the plumage, all of the offsprings are predominatingly white in plumage. Hadley (1914) went a step further and showed that, in the case of the particular White Leghorns he used the genes necessary for the development of black pigment in; the feathers were present, but were prevented from manifesting themselves by the inhibiting action of the gene mentioned above. This gene which he designated as I, is popularly referred to as a gene for dominant white. For some time the writer has been interested in the hereditary . . .
The natural history of thrombocytopenia associated with preeclampsia

Sixty-one of 375 women with hypertension and preeclampsia in a 48-month period had thrombocytopenia. By postpartum day 3, 90% of these women had rising platelet counts, and by day 4, 59 of 61 women had counts >100,000/mm 3 . The two exceptions had other pathologic conditions in addition to preeclampsia. Thrombocytopenia associated with preeclampsia should resolve by postpartum day 4.
The Escalation of Commitment to a Failing Course of Action: Toward Theoretical Progress

Escalating commitment (or escalation) refers to the tendency for decision makers to persist with failing courses of action. The present article first reviews evidence suggesting that escalation is determined, at least in part, by decision makers' unwillingness to admit that their prior allocation of resources to the chosen course of action was in vain (the self-justification explanation). A distinction is drawn in the second part of the article between alternative (to self-justification) explanations of escalating commitment: Some are designed to replace self-justification, whereas others are intended to supplement self-justification, that is, to add explanatory power beyond that which can be accounted for by self-justification. There is little evidence that the replacement theories provide a better explanation than does self-justification; however, theories designed to supplement self-justification are likely to lead to a more complete explanation. The article concludes by describing several research str...
Statistical constraints in the order of leucine and isoleucine in the protein of Escherichia coli

Abstract Experiments have been carried out to determine the fraction of leucine and isoleucine in certain positions in the peptide chains of E. coli protein. Extremely small amounts of both leucine and isoleucine are found in N-terminal positions. In addition the fraction of these amino acids following arginine and lysine in the chain is much lower than would be expected on a random model.
Connection digraphs and second-order line digraphs

The primary result of this paper gives a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for a digraph to be second-order line digraph of some digraph. A directed analogue of the concept of an intersection graph, defined for collections of ordered pairs of sets and called the connection digraph, is used to achieve this result.
Acoustic Neuroma Appearing as Trigeminal Neuralgia

This case supports the need for a thorough history and physical examination when confronted with unexplained patient pain. A complete history and examination—often including radiological imaging—is needed to differentiate the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia from more life-threatening disorders.
A reply to Heathcote's On the exhaustion of mathematical entities by structures

In this article I respond to Heathcote’s “On the Exhaustion of Mathematical Entities by Structures”. I show that his ontic exhaustion issue is not a problem for ante rem structuralists. First, I show that it is unlikely that mathematical objects can occur across structures. Second, I show that the properties that Heathcote suggests are underdetermined by structuralism are not so underdetermined. Finally, I suggest that even if Heathcote’s ontic exhaustion issue if thought of as a problem of reference, the structuralist has a readily available solution.
Motility activation, respiratory stimulation, and alteration of Ca2+ transport in bovine sperm treated with amine local anesthetics and calcium transport antagonists.

Abstract Optimal concentrations of dibucaine and other structurally related tertiary amines, variously classified as local anesthetics, Ca2+ transport antagonists or calmodulin-directed agents greatly stimulate respiration and the motility of bovine spermatozoa in a reversible manner. Because dibucaine also increases lactate production by sperm made dependent upon glycolysis, the induced metabolic stimulation is probably a secondary response to the greater energy demands resulting from increased motility. Microscopic and time lapse photomicrographic examinations indicate that dibucaine increases the proportion of motile cells and alters the predominant linear swimming path to a peculiar figure eight pattern of movement. Frame by frame analysis of video recordings indicate that this pattern of movement closely resembles, or is identical to the characteristic “motility activation” that occurs during the capacitation sequence which obligatorily precedes fertilization of many, if not all, mammalian species. Dibucaine and the Ca2+ transport antagonists, D600 and TMB-8, inhibit the net uptake of Ca2+ by sperm suspensions. The dose-response relationships indicate that inhibition of Ca2+ uptake does not bear a causal relationship to the activation of motility and metabolism and further suggest a common action of these agents rather than selective effects of D600 and TMB-8 upon Ca2+ channels in the sperm plasma membrane. In addition, dibucaine and D600 each induce release of that Ca2+ which was accumulated by intact sperm in a preliminary incubation in the absence of the drugs and also inhibit uptake of Ca2+ by digitonin-treated sperm. Apparently, therefore, local anesthetics have a direct deleterious action on sperm mitochondrial function. Treatment with the high concentrations of local anesthetics that are required to inhibit uptake of Ca2+ completely results in a rapid and irreversible immobilization of the sperm. This loss of motility is either not mediated, or mediated indirectly, through an action of the drug on mitochondrial function because sperm similarly become immotile when a glycolytic substrate is supplied simultaneously.
STUDIES OF A MURINE STRAIN OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUS IN COTTON RATS AND WHITE MICE

1. A neurotropic murine virus was isolated by passing poliomyelitis virus (SK strain) from the monkey to cotton rats and white mice. 2. The murine virus has been grown in tissue culture consisting of embryonic mouse brain in ox serum ultrafiltrate. 3. The symptoms and lesions produced by the murine infection compare in all respects with those of poliomyelitis in monkey and man. 4. The murine virus, while highly pathogenic for mice and cotton rats, is non-pathogenic for albino rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. It possesses limited pathogenicity for rhesus monkeys. 5. Although producing no paralysis in the above mentioned refractory animals, the murine virus may be recovered in active form from neural and extraneural sites of infected albino rats, guinea pigs, and monkeys, but not from rabbits. 6. The identity of the murine and monkey virus is further suggested by cross-neutralization between the murine virus and homologous (SK) and related (Aycock) antipoliomyelitis sera, as well as between homologous and related monkey poliomyelitis virus and antimurine virus sera. 7. Immunization of monkeys with live murine virus, in the form of mouse brain or tissue culture, seems to confer some degree of resistance against subsequent infection with the homologous poliomyelitis monkey virus. 8. The presence of the murine virus in the central nervous system of infected monkeys appears to interfere with the propagation of SK and Aycock poliomyelitis monkey virus in the same animal.
Surface Differentiation of Hemopoietic Cells Demonstrated Ultrastructurally with Cationized Ferritin

The ultrastructural cationized ferritin (CF) technique was employed as a probe of the surface binding characteristics of the various cell types present in normal human bone marrow. The number of CF particles per micron length of cell surface were counted and data subjected to statistical analysis. All cells of the bone marrow exhibited CF reactivity. The extent of labeling was cell specific and could be related to the stage of maturation of the cells in a given lineage. In the neutrophilic series, myeloblasts showed moderate labeling while promyelocytes and myelocytes revealed only minimal binding; CF binding increased sequentially in metamyelocytes, band and segmented neutrophils. Eosinophils and eosinophilic myelocytes showed similar membrane differentiation patterns while basophils exhibited stronger CF labeling than other granulocytic cells. Lymphocytes were strongly reactive while monocytes and their precursors were moderately labeled with CF. Surface reactivity of developing nucleated erythrocytic cells was similar to that of the lymphocytes. Surface labeling from the proerythroblast to early normoblast stage was identical, CP binding increased in the late normoblast stage and then decreased in the reticulocyte and mature erythrocyte stages. The extent of surface CP reactivity of the marrow cells was markedly different from that obtained with Thorotrast and colloidal iron. Thorotrast and colloidal iron stained the surface of all marrow cell intensely but failed to yield distinctive surface labeling patterns for the differing cell population in bone marrow.