cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heat transfer to a horizontal tube in the splash zone of a bubbling fluidized bed, an experimental study of particle size effects

Abstract The experimental results of an investigation involving particle size effects on the heat transfer for a horizontal tube located in the splash zone of a high-temperature bubbling fluidized bed are reported. This article is the second of a series [1] that investigates specific operating parameters of bubbling fluidized beds. The array of experimental conditions for this work involved three particle sizes, of nominal 1.1, 2, and 2.9 mm in diameter; four bed temperatures, 700, 810, 908, and 1003 K; and three tube locations, −127, 64 and 406 mm relative to the tube centerline to nonfluidized bed surface. The tube locations are representative of a tube totally immersed in the bed, located in the splash zone, and located in the freeboard, respectively. Convective and blackbody radiative heat transfer coefficient variations are presented as functions of the nondimensionalized velocity ratio and of the particle size for the 1003-K case. Maximum convective and blackbody radiative heat transfer coefficients are tabulated for the other temperatures and particle sizes. The tube outside diameter was 51 mm, and the superficial velocity was varied from near-minimum fluidization conditions ( U mf ) to over 2 U mf .
Fluorescence photobleaching in DNA sequencing

Abstract Advances in DNA-sequencing technology suggest many possibilities using either conventional or unconventional means. Several approaches offer conceivable improvements in running time by one hundred fold or more. A fluorescence photobleaching scheme in combination with ultra-thin gel slab or capillary electrophoresis which proposes to shorten the run time and to increase the resolution of multi-fragment DNA analysis is reviewed. The advantages and some of the yet to be resolved obstacles are discussed.
Clinical effectiveness and cost benefit of universal versus targeted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening upon admission in hospitals.

Objective.To conduct an exploratory study to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost benefit of universal versus targeted screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to prevent hospital-acquired MRSA infections.Design.Prospective, interventional study, using a case-control design, difference-in-differences, and cost-benefit analyses.Setting.Two community hospitals in Wisconsin.Patients.Consecutive sample of 15,049 adult admissions from April 2009 to July 2010.Interventions.MRSA surveillance performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on samples collected from all adult patients (aged over 18 years) within 30 days before or upon an admission to the hospital. During a 9-month baseline period, targeted screening was conducted at both hospitals. During the 5-month intervention period, all patients admitted to the intervention hospital were screened for MRSA. Infection control measures were consistent at both hospitals.Results.Universal screening was associated with an increase in admission screening of 43.58 percentage points (P<.01), an increase in MRSA detection of 2.95 percentage points (P<.01), and a small, nonsignificant decline in hospital-acquired MRSA infections of 0.12 percentage points (P = .34). The benefit-to-cost ratio was 0.50, indicating that for every dollar spent on universal versus targeted screening, only $0.50 is recovered in avoided costs of hospital-acquired MRSA infection.Conclusion.Compared with targeted screening, universal screening increased the rate of detection of MRSA upon hospital admission but did not significantly reduce the rate of hospital-acquired MRSA infection. Universal screening was associated with higher costs of care and was not cost beneficial.
High-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol prevents lethal sepsis due to intestinal Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Background & Aims: During stress, erosion of protective intestinal mucus occurs in association with adherence to and disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier by invading opportunistic microbial pathogens. The aims of this study were to test the ability of a high-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol compound, polyethylene glycol 15–20, to protect the intestinal epithelium against microbial invasion during stress. Methods: The ability of polyethylene glycol 15–20 to protect the intestinal epithelium against the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa was tested in cultured Caco-2 cells. Bacterial virulence gene expression, bacterial adherence, and transepithelial electrical resistance were examined in response to apical inoculation of P. aeruginosa onto Caco-2 cells. Complementary in vivo studies were performed in a murine model of lethal sepsis due to intestinal P. aeruginosa in which surgical stress (30% hepatectomy) was combined with direct inoculation of P. aeruginosa into the cecum. Results: High-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (polyethylene glycol 15–20) conferred complete protection against the barrier-dysregulating effects of P. aeruginosa in Caco-2 cells. Intestinal application of polyethylene glycol 15–20 in stressed mice protected against the lethal effects of intestinal P. aeruginosa . Mechanisms of this effect seem to involve the ability of polyethylene glycol 15–20 to distance P. aeruginosa from the intestinal epithelium and render it completely insensate to key environmental stimuli that activate its virulence. Conclusions: High-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol has the potential to function as a surrogate mucin within the intestinal tract of a stressed host by inhibiting key interactive events between colonizing microbes and their epithelial cell targets.
On Distribution of Solutions ofS-Unit Equations

Abstract We find that the solutions of S -unit equations are distributed inside a set of small “boxes.”
Contingent social reinforcement for fluid compliance in a hemodialysis patient

Two approaches, (a) patient education and (b) compliance-contingent social reinforcement, were employed to improve compliance with fluid restrictions in a chronically noncompliant hemodialysis patient of borderline intellectual functioning. Results indicated that only social reinforcement led to improved compliance (i.e., decreased intersession weight gain). Treatment effects were well maintained at both 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Contingency management strategies are recommended as a potentially cost effective treatment for noncompliance in hemodialysis patients.
Head restraint enhances visual monitoring performance

Subjects monitored a visual display for occasional increments in the horizontal movement of a bar of light. When the display was viewed without head restraint, detection probability was directly related to the amplitude of the increments in movement which constituted critical signals and inversely related to background event rate (the frequency of neutral events in which critical signals were embedded). When positioning of the head was restrained by a headrest, the detectability of low-amplitude signals was enhanced considerably and the influence of background event rate was attenuated. The results are considered as providing further support for the importance of sense mode coupling in visual monitoring.
Observation of zero-bias tunneling conductance peak in underdoped La2−xSrxCuO4−δ

Abstract Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) was performed on a-axis films of underdoped La 2−x Sr x CuO 4−δ (x=0.15, 0.125), which were grown on LaSrAlO4 substrates and ranged in Tc from 10 to 28 K. Pronounced zero-bias conductance peaks (ZBCP) with no detectable splitting were observed in the tunneling spectra at 4.2 K. These ZBCP closely resemble those seen by STS on optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7−δ single crystals and films, and can be attributed to a predominantly d-wave pairing symmetry. Quantitative spectral analysis allows us to place a 5% upper limit on any out-of-phase subdominant order parameters, such as in the d+is or d+id′ scenario.
Fatal events in residential roofing

Abstract Residential roofing is a high risk occupation, more than nine times as risky as the average occupation and more than three times as risky as the average construction trade. To better understand the factors involved in residential roofing fatalities, 112 case reports filed by Occupational Safety and Health investigators for the years 2005–2010 were examined. In almost all of the recorded cases there was no adherence to the then current safety standards. It was found that there was little or no appropriate use of fall protection practices or equipment and that employer planning and employee training was minimal. Specific standards violated were examined as well as the monetary penalties assessed. In addition to an increase in the size of the penalties, it is hoped the recent national program “Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction”, with its emphasis on planning, needed equipment, and training will prove fruitful in mitigating falls from roofs.
Nitrogen Metabolism in Soybean Tissue Culture II. Urea Utilization and Urease Synthesis Require Ni2

Potassium citrate (10 mM, pH 6) inhibits the growth of cultured (Glycine max L.) cells when urea is the sole nitrogen source. Ureadependent citrate toxicity is overcome by three separate additions to the growth medium: (a) NH(4)Cl (20 mM); (b) high levels of MgCl(2) (10 mM) or CaCl(2) (5-10 mM); (c) low levels of NiSO(4) (10(-2) mM). Additions of 10(-2) mM NiSO(4) not only overcome citrate growth inhibition but the resultant growth is usually better than urea-supported growth in basal medium (neither added citrate nor added nickel). In the absence of added citrate, exceedingly low levels of NiSO(4) (10(-4) mM) strongly stimulate urea-supported growth in suspension cultures.Citrate does not inhibit growth when arginine is sole nitrogen source. However, cells using arginine have no net urease synthesis in the presence of 10 mM potassium citrate. When 10(-2) mM NiSO(4) is added to this medium, urease specific activity is 10 times that observed in basal medium lacking both citrate and added nickel.Citrate is a chelator of divalent cations. That additional Mg(2+) or Ca(2+) alleviates urea-dependent citrate toxicity indicates that citrate is acting by chelation, probably of another trace divalent cation; this is probably Ni(2+) since at 10(-2) mM it overcomes citrate toxicity and at 10(-4) mM it stimulates urea-supported growth in the absence of citrate. That ammonia overcomes citrate toxicity indicates that the trace Ni(2+) is essential specifically for the conversion of urea to ammonia. Ni(2+) stimulation of urease levels in arginine-grown cells supports this contention.In basal medium, soybean cells grow slowly with urea nitrogen source presumably because the trace amounts of Ni(2+) present (</=10(-6) mM) are growth-limiting.
Invariant reconstruction of 3-D curves and surfaces

The reconstruction of curves and surfaces from sparse data is an important task in many applications. In computer vision problems the reconstructed curves and surfaces generally represent some physical property of a real object in a scene. Thus the characteristics of the reconstruction process differs from straight forward fitting of smooth curves and surfaces to a set of data. Since the collected data is represented in an arbitrarily chosen coordinate system the reconstruction process should be invariant to the choice of the coordinate system (except for the transformation between the two coordinate systems). In this paper reconstruction algorithms are presented for reconstructing invariant estimates of both curves and surfaces. The reconstruction problem will be cast as an illposed inverse problem which must be stablized using a priori information about the constraint formation. Tikhonov regularization is used to form a wellposed mathematical problem statement. Examples of typical reconstructed objects are also given. 1.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Left Ventricular Function and Hypertrophy in Cardiomyopathy with Depressed Ejection Fraction

Left ventricular (LV) function and hypertrophy, assessed during cardiac catheterization by quantitative biplane angiocardiography, were related to postcatheterization course in 36 patients found to have cardiomyopathy with depressed ejection fraction (EF). EF ranged from 0.09 to 0.41, LV mass (M) from 99 to 317 g/m2, LV end-diastolic volume (V) from 104 to 347 ml/m2, and ratio of M/V from 0.66 to 1.63. In this study, EF was used as an index of LV function; M/V ratio was considered to represent a relative degree of LV hypertrophy. Postcatheterization survival rates (PCSR) for all patients at 12, 24, and 36 months were 68.8 ± 7.8%, 49.9 ± 9.2%, and 32.8 ± 10.2%. The 36-month PCSR was significantly higher for patients (N = 15) with EF ≥ 0.20 (75.1 ± 14.5%) than for those (N = 21) with EF < 0.20 (0%) (P < 0.01). The 36-month PCSR was also significantly higher for patients (N = 19) with M/V ratio ≥ 0.90 (53.6 ± 14.8%) than for those (N = 17) with M/V ratio < 0.90 (12.4 ± 10.4%) (P < 0.05). M/V ratio appeared t...
Site of synthesis of the haemolymph agglutinin of Melanoplus differentialis (Acrididae: Orthoptera)

Abstract Several species of Melanoplus grasshoppers contain a haemolymph agglutinin exhibiting both d -galactosidic and d -glucosidic binding specificities. With the exception of the flesh fly Sarcophaga peregrina , the site(s) of synthesis of insect agglutinins is uncertain. Primary cultures of M. differentialis fat body, haemocytes, ovary and testes were established. An ELISA assay demonstrated that the fat body, ovary and testes tissues released significant amounts of agglutinin into the culture medium over a 4-day period. Immunoprecipitated agglutinin from the culture medium was radiolabelled when the cultures were metabolically labelled with [ 35 S] methionine. Haemocyte culture medium and cell lysates of the 4 tissues did not contain detectable amounts of radiolabelled agglutinin. Attempts to alter the kinetics of agglutinin release from fat body cultures through addition of microbial cell wall components (lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, zymosan, or laminarin) were unsuccessful.
Agency, Militarized Femininity and Enemy Others: Observations From The War In Iraq

Abstract In this era of the increasing importance of gender, many conflicting images of women populate news headlines and political discourses. In the 2003 war in Iraq, Americans saw images of a teenage woman as a war hero, of a female general in charge of a military prison where torture took place, of women who committed those abuses, of male victims of wartime sexual abuse and of the absence of gender in official government reactions to the torture at Abu Ghraib. I contend that several gendered stories from the 2003 war in Iraq demonstrate three major developments in militarized femininity in the United States: increasing sophistication of the ideal image of the woman soldier; stories of militarized femininity constructed in opposition to the gendered enemy; and evident tension between popular ideas of femininity and women's agency in violence. I use the publicized stories of American women prisoners of war and American women prison guards to substantiate these observed developments.
Unexpected augmentation of mycophenolic acid pharmacokinetics in renal transplant patients receiving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil in combination therapy, and analogous in vitro findings

Abstract Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) a potent immunosuppressive agent, has recently been approved for clinical use (CellCept™) in renal transplant patients in combination with cyclosporine (CsA). With the expanded use of tacrolimus (Prografμ) as well in renal transplant patients, there is a lack of pharmacokinetic studies clarifying drug interactions between the three agents. A pharmacokinetic study was performed on 18 stable renal transplant patients receiving MMF and tacrolimus together, and four control groups, one receiving tacrolimus alone, two receiving CsA, in combination with MMF (1.0 or 1.5 g bid), and one receiving CsA microemulsion (Neoral™). Area-under-the-curve values were calculated for each drug to assess if there was a reciprocal effect on the respective bioavailability of each. In vitro, the immunosuppressive effect of trough level plasma from each patient group was studied using mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), as well as MLC reactions spiked with various combinations of each drug. There was a minimal effect of MMF on tacrolimus pharmacokinetics. However, patients receiving tacrolimus and MMF displayed significantly higher levels (Cmin and area under the curve) of mycophenolic acid (MPA) than those receiving CsA (Sandimmune™ or Neoral™) and the same dose of MMF (50.2 ± 16.5 vs 32.1 ± 16.7 μg h/ml AUC, p
An electron-diffraction investigation of gaseous AsBr3 I. Molecular structure at 373 K and 466 K II. Quadratic potential constants from amplitudes

Abstract The molecular structure of gaseous arsenic tribromide, AsBr 3 , has been studied at two nozzle-tip temperatures. The results at 373 K and 466 K, respectively, are r a (As-B) = 2.3244 A (0.0024) and 2.3276 A (0.0024); r a (BrβBr) = 3.5518 A (0.0049) and 3.5554 A (0.0061); ∠BrAsBr = 99.64 ° (0.13) and 99.59 ° (0.19); l (As-Br) = 0.0564 A (0.0024) and 0.0610 A (0.0026); l (BrβBr) = 0.1178 A (0.0053) and 0.1344 A (0.0063); parenthesized numbers are estimates of 2σ including the effect of possible systematic error. The two amplitude values at each temperature combined with the four different vibrational frequencies were used to evaluate the six symmetrized force constants and the six constants in the function 2V = 3 f r (Δ r ) 2 + 6 f rr' (Δ r ) (Δ r' ) + 3 f θ ( r 0 Δθ) 2 + 6 f θθ' ( r 0 Δθ) ( r 0 Δθ') + 12 f rθ Δ r ( r 0 Δθ) + 6 f r θ' Δ r ( r 0 Δθ'). fit to all data are, in mdyn A −1 with uncertainties estimated at 2σ, f r = 2.15 (0.11), f rr' = 0.32 (0.09), f θ = 0.16 (0.01), f θθ' = 0.02 (0.01), f rθ = 0.17 (0.06), and f rθ' = 0.02 (0.08). The differences between the lower and higher temperature values of the distances and amplitudes are compared with the expected effect of temperature change on molecular vibration and rotation. For the bond distance the measured difference r 466 a - r 373 a is in excellent agreement with calculation based on the measured k-values related to the anharmonicities of molecular vibration. These k-values correspond to a As-Br' the Morse function constant, equal to 2.18 A −1 . Although k-values could not be measured for the BrβBr distance, the measured difference in r a leads to a BrβBr = 0.62 A −1 . It is pointed out k -values for non-bonds are often substantially larger than those for bonds, and that they may be ignored only when the amplitudes associated with the non-bonds are appropriately large.
Role of repeat procedures for catheter ablation of postinfarction ventricular tachycardia.

Background In patients with ischemic heart disease, ventricular tachycardia (VT) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Catheter ablation is useful for reducing VT therapies but remains challenging, and recurrences are common. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the prognosis and safety of repeat catheter ablation procedures for postinfarct VT and to determine clinical and procedural predictors of outcomes. Methods From a total of 280 patients undergoing catheter ablation of postinfarct VT at one center, 107 consecutive patients having a repeat procedure after one or more prior failed catheter ablation procedures (PFCA group) were compared to 173 patients who underwent a single catheter ablation (SCA group) in the same study period. Results Of the PFCA group, 75 (70.1%) had one procedure and 32 (29.9%) had two or more prior ablations. Ventricular function and age were similar between groups. Periprocedural complications occurred in 11.2% of patients in the PFCA group and 8.7% of patients in the SCA group ( P = .484). The 1-year VT recurrence rate was higher in the PFCA group compared to the SCA group (32.6% vs 16.6%, P = .001). On multivariable analysis, prior ablation (hazard ratio [HR] 1.84, P = .018), left ventricular ejection fraction (HR 1.04, P = .019), and mean number of induced VTs (HR 1.17, P = .043) were independent predictors of VT recurrence. Conclusion Failure of initial ablation does not preclude subsequent successful ablation for postinfarct VT. Whether healing of prior lesions, change in arrhythmic substrate, or changes in antiarrhythmic therapy are factors that influence recurrence warrants further study.
Working in Teams: Modeling and Control Design within a Single Software Environment

*† ‡ § In this paper we will demonstrate the multi-user collaborative enhancement of a Simulink model of the NASA HL-20 with the goal of designing a new multi-loop, multicomponent approach and landing control system. The model is maintained using a CVSbased configuration management system by multiple engineers. Using this model the approach and landing guidance control systems are designed with commercial off-the-shelf software. The control system is developed in a single design environment using a single model which gives insight into design trade-offs and loop interactions from a system-wide perspective. The workflow and tools that were used will be presented to coordinate with the modeling and control design work that was progressing simultaneously during the course of this project.
SU‐FF‐J‐14: A Simulation Program for Cyberknife Treatment Setup

Purpose: During the setup of Cyberknife patients with extracranial tumors, it is always a challenge to tell the angles of misalignment (roll, yaw and pitch) from the two digital reconstructedradiographs (DRRs) and the radiographs from two X‐ray cameras. Most of the cases, software handles the problem, but in some cases, software fails, it is because of fiducial migration or not enough fiducials to give 6D information (fiducial), or fiducial motion due to tumor motion (synchrony), or the angles are too large for the software to handle (skeletal structure tracking). When this happens, the operator needs to make the right decision fast, in order to shorten the setup time and to deliver the correct dose to the tumor. We decided to write a program to help people in this situation. This program can generate DRRs before and after each transformation. It will be a great learning tool; new users can practice how to set up a patient from a random starting position; we can't practice the setup on a live patient. Experienced users can use it to study setup, learn how the positions of different structures change relative to different rotations. Method and Materials: Java programming was chosen to build the software. The DRRs were reconstructed from a series of CTimages according to Cyberknife X‐ray sources and screens configuration. Results: A graphic user interface (GUI) with two DRRs will be presented to the user, user can choose to translate and rotate the patient, two more DRRs will be generated; and a CT slice will also show up on the GUI. The user can identify the features that have the most change in each transformation. Conclusions: This program works as expected. It also demonstrates to the medical physics community that we can easily write programs to manipulate images.
Synthesis and Structure−Activity Relationship Effects on the Tumor Avidity of Radioiodinated Phospholipid Ether Analogues

Radioiodinated phospholipid ether analogues have shown a remarkable ability to selectively accumulate in a variety of human and animal tumors in xenograft and spontaneous tumor rodent models. It is believed that this tumor avidity arises as a consequence of metabolic differences between tumor and corresponding normal tissues. The results of this study indicate that one factor in the tumor retention of these compounds in tumors is the length of the alkyl chain that determines their hydrophobic properties. Decreasing the chain length from C12 to C7 resulted in little or no tumor accumulation and rapid clearance of the compound in tumor-bearing rats within 24 h of administration. Increasing the chain length had the opposite effect, with the C15 and C18 analogues displaying delayed plasma clearance and enhanced tumor uptake and retention in tumor-bearing rats. Tumor uptake displayed by propanediol analogues NM-412 and NM-413 was accompanied by high levels of liver and abdominal radioactivity 24 h postinjection to tumor-bearing rats. Addition of a 2-O-methyl moiety to the propanediol backbone also retarded tumor uptake significantly. A direct comparison between NM-404 and its predecessor, NM-324, in human PC-3 tumor bearing immune-compromised mice revealed a dramatic enhancement in both tumor uptake and total body elimination of NM-404 relative to NM-324. On the basis of imaging and tissue distribution studies in several rodent tumor models, the C18 analogue, NM-404, was chosen for follow-up evaluation in human lung cancer patients. Preliminary results have been extremely promising in that selective uptake and retention of the agent in tumors is accompanied by rapid clearance of background radioactivity from normal tissues, especially those in the abdomen. These results strongly suggest that extension of the human trials to include other cancers is warranted, especially when NM-404 is radiolabeled with iodine-124, a new commercially available positron-emitting isotope. The relatively long physical half-life of 4 days afforded by this isotope appears well-suited to the pharmacodynamic profile of NM-404.
Crowding norms at frontcountry sites: A visual approach to setting standards of quality

Indicators and standards of quality have emerged as key variables in defining and managing carrying capacity. Moreover, normative theory has been found useful when applied to the difficult task of setting standards of quality. However, the traditional numerical approach to measuring crowding and related norms has several potential shortcomings when applied to relatively high‐use areas such as frontcountry attraction sites. This study applies a visual approach to measuring crowding norms in addition to the traditional numerical approach. The study is focused on Delicate Arch, a primary visitor attraction in Arches National Park, Utah. Image capture technology was used to develop a series of 16 photographs illustrating a range of people at one time at Delicate Arch. A random sample of 473 visitors was asked to rate the acceptability of each photograph as part of a survey conducted in the summer and fall of 1993. A strong relationship was found between the number of people in the photographs and acceptabilit...
Alteraciones de la cromatina espermática en la etiopatogenia de la infertilidad masculina

Sperm DNA is known to contribute one half of the genomic material to offspring. Normal sperm genetic material is required for fertilization, embryo and fetal development and adequate postnatal development. Abnormal DNA can lead to derangements in any of these processes. Sperm DNA is normally resistant to many types of insult. Recent reports have raised concern about decreasing male fertility caused by genomic abnormalities. Several reports describe increased congenital anomalies and testicular cancer in children. Defects in the genomic material may take the form of condensation or nuclear maturity defects, DNA breaks or DNA integrity defects and sperm chromosomal aneuploidy. Recently, sperm DNA has been recognized as an independent measure of sperm quality. The quality of sperm DNA has been shown to affect fertility both in vivo and in vitro. The cause of infertility in infertile men with normal semen parameters could be related to abnormal sperm DNA. The evaluation of sperm DNA integrity, in addition to routine sperm parameters, could add further information on the quality of spermatozoa. This could help in the correct identification of male infertility and in advising couples on the management of infertility.
Jaw cysts: Diagnosis and treatment

The classification, embryology, histopathology, clinical features, and treatment of benign jaw cysts are presented. Emphasis is placed on the differentiation of benign cysts from malignant radiolucent lesions of the jaws. Preservation of adjacent teeth and over vital structures is of paramount importance in the management of jaw cysts.
Too close to be similar: Product and price competition in retail gasoline markets

We examine how product and pricing decisions of retail gasoline stations depend on local market demographics and the degree of competitive intensity in the market. We are able to shed light on the observed empirical phenomenon that proximate gasoline stations price very similarly in some markets, but very differently in other markets. Our analysis of product design and price competition between firms integrates two critical dimensions of heterogeneity across consumers: Consumers differ in their locations and in their travel costs, as in models of horizontal differentiation. They also differ in their relative preference or valuations for product quality dimensions, in terms of the offered station services (such as pay-at-pump, number of service bays or other added services), as in models of vertical differentiation. We find that the degree of local competitive intensity and the dispersion in consumer incomes are sufficient to explain variations in the product and pricing choices of competing firms. Closely located retailers who face sufficient income dispersion across consumers in a local market may differentiate on product design and pricing strategies. In contrast, retailers that are farther apart from each other may adopt similar product design and pricing strategies if the market is relatively homogeneous on income. Using empirical survey data on prices and station characteristics gathered across 724 gasoline stations in the St. Louis metropolitan area, and employing a multivariate logit model that predicts the joint probability of stations within a local market differentiating on product design and pricing strategies as a function of market demographics and local competitive intensity, we find strong support for the central implications of the theory.
Dynamic quasi-isentropic loading of tungsten

Abstract Experiments have been performed on smooth bore guns to obtain quasi-isentropic compression in tungsten to stresses approaching 250 GPa. Quasi-isentrophic loading was introduced in the material either by using graded density or layered impactors. Results of these experiments indicate that the quasi-isentrope lies above the Hugoniot up to ∼140 GPa, contrary to initial expectations. These results suggest that the dynamic yield strength of the material is higher for the relatively slower rates of isentropic loading.
Factors associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder among US children: Results from a national survey

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and various factors using a representative sample of US children in a comprehensive manner. This includes variables that have not been previously studied such as watching TV/playing video games, computer usage, family member’s smoking, and participation in sports. This was a cross-sectional study of 68,634 children, 5–17 years old, from the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH, 2007–2008). We performed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses with ADHD classification as the response variable and the following explanatory variables: sex, race, depression, anxiety, body mass index, healthcare coverage, family structure, socio-economic status, family members’ smoking status, education, computer usage, watching television (TV)/playing video games, participation in sports, and participation in clubs/organizations. Approximately 10% of the sample was classified as having ADHD. We found depression, anxiety, healthcare coverage, and male sex of child to have increased odds of being diagnosed with ADHD. One of the salient features of this study was observing a significant association between ADHD and variables such as TV usage, participation in sports, two-parent family structure, and family members’ smoking status. Obesity was not found to be significantly associated with ADHD, contrary to some previous studies. The current study uncovered several factors associated with ADHD at the national level, including some that have not been studied earlier in such a setting. However, we caution that due to the cross-sectional and observational nature of the data, a cause and effect relationship between ADHD and the associated factors can not be deduced from this study. Future research on ADHD should take into consideration these factors, preferably through a longitudinal study design.
Depth and distance perception in the Mongolian gerbil

In Experiment I depth perception in the Mongolian gerbil was tested on a jumping stand apparatus. Results indicate that Ss do have depth perception as measured by their increasing hesitancy to jump into an open field at greater elevations. In Experiment 2 distance perception was measured in a T-maze while Ss were under food deprivation. Ss learned to run to either a long or a short arm for food reward with a noncorrection procedure. All Ss learned to discriminate distances of IVA and 23 in. to 98% accuracy within 140 trials. When the distances were changed to 15 and 20 in. performance dropped to 75% accuracy and remained there for 100 trials. It was concluded that within limits, gerbils do have both depth and distance perception.
Review of modeling details related to renewably powered hydrogen systems

This paper provides a detailed review of renewably driven hydrogen systems and modeling approaches applicable to these systems that have been reported over the last two decades. Several renewable energy technologies, including solar photovoltaic, wind, and hydro, have been considered as the power source in these reports. Storage is an important aspect of hydrogen systems, and options for this are summarized here. Utilization systems include fuel cells as well as a variety of thermal uses. Some of the reported studies have addressed residential applications whereas others were related to commercial scale systems. This paper particularly emphasizes aspects of modeling of the various components for the renewable hydrogen system. Based on the literature on this area, conclusions are provided on the current understanding as well as future work related to this topic.
Bathymetric and magnetic survey of California Seamount (17°40′N × 124°W)

Abstract A bathymetric and magnetic survey of the California Seamount region (17°40′N × 124°00′W) shows that existing charts are in error. California Seamount is a peak extending to within 454 m (248 fathoms) of the surface. Its true location is 17°41′N × 124°01′W, 25 km southwest of the charted position. Near the old charted position there is an elongated feature which extends to within 1818 m (994 fathoms) of the surface. Both features are located on the Clarion Fracture Zone.
Data Base for Preliminary Cost Estimating

Preliminary cost estimates for contracted construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance projects are an important part of a transportation agency's planning and budgeting process. Such cost estimates can be developed through a careful examination of historical bid data. A microcomputer data base of historical unit‐price bid data is used to develop a cost‐estimating procedure that incorporates the factors that most directly impact project cost. For a wide range of project categories, these factors appear to be the length of the project and the anticipated application rate of certain key materials.
Start with Us! Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the Preschool Classroom

Using an ethnographic case study approach, we examined how teachers and parents within an ethnically diverse early childhood program conceptualized and implemented culturally relevant pedagogy and how these primary caregivers were encouraging children’s socio-cultural development and awareness. Data sources included questionnaires, interview transcripts, and observational field notes (classroom and community). Findings suggest there were multiple strategies and resources teachers used to facilitate the socio-cultural growth of young children indicative of culturally relevant practices. However, we discovered there were mediating factors that impacted how and whether teachers were able to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in the early childhood classroom.
The transfer of arms and the diffusion of democracy: do arms promote or undermine the “third wave”?

Abstract The post–Cold War world has witnessed a proliferation of countries governed by democratic rule. Consequently, optimism has arisen about the prospects for the spread of freedom along with democratic peace and prosperity. Along these lines, many democratic countries have made the active promotion of democracy an explicit goal and a condition for third world countries’ assistance. However, such intentions may be threatened by the ever-present arms trade. Not only do arms transfers play a key role in the foreign policies of many democratic countries, but many developing countries continue to purchase arms from abroad at a steady rate. From the perspective of the developing recipients, this study seeks to empirically assess the impact of the arms trade on democratization. To this end, this paper utilizes an exploratory data technique, locally weighted scatterplot smoother (LOWESS) to examine data for developing countries between 1982 and 1992. By exploring graphically the patterns and distributions revealed by these indicators, the implications of the international arms trade for the spread of democracy are assessed.
The Adverse Effects of Psychological Stress on Immunoregulatory Balance: Applications to Human Inflammatory Diseases

Psychological stress has known effects on the immune system, including impacting effector and regulatory components. This can result in increased susceptibility to various infections, latent virus reactivation, and impact on immunoregulatory circuits. One of the great challenges in translational research is defining the risks associated with stress in specific patient populations and individuals. Future studies must include identification and validation of biomarkers that can categorize patient risk for adverse immune effects from various forms and degrees of psychological stress and how this impacts the course of their inflammatory disease.
SMS based Interface for FAQ Retrieval

Short Messaging Service (SMS) is popularly used to provide information access to people on the move. This has resulted in the growth of SMS based Question Answering (QA) services. However automatically handling SMS questions poses significant challenges due to the inherent noise in SMS questions. In this work we present an automatic FAQ-based question answering system for SMS users. We handle the noise in a SMS query by formulating the query similarity over FAQ questions as a combinatorial search problem. The search space consists of combinations of all possible dictionary variations of tokens in the noisy query. We present an efficient search algorithm that does not require any training data or SMS normalization and can handle semantic variations in question formulation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on two reallife datasets.
Performance characteristics of electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry

We performed a large scale study of electron transfer dissociation (ETD) performance, as compared with ion trap collision-activated dissociation (CAD), for peptides ranging from ∼1000 to 5000 Da (n ∼ 4000). These data indicate relatively little overlap in peptide identifications between the two methods (∼12%). ETD outperformed CAD for all charge states greater than 2; however, regardless of precursor charge a linear decrease in percent fragmentation, as a function of increasing precursor m/z, was observed with ETD fragmentation. We postulate that several precursor cation attributes, including peptide length, charge distribution, and total mass, could be relevant players. To examine these parameters unique ETD-identified peptides were sorted by length, and the ratio of amino acid residues per precursor charge (residues/charge) was calculated. We observed excellent correlation between the ratio of residues/charge and percent fragmentation. For peptides of a given residue/charge ratio, there is no correlation between peptide mass and percent fragmentation; instead we conclude that the ratio of residues/charge is the main factor in determining a successful ETD outcome. As charge density decreases so does the probability of non-covalent interactions that can bind a newly formed c/z-type ion pair. Recently we have described a supplemental activation approach (ETcaD) to convert these non-dissociative electron transfer product ions to useful c- and z-type ions. Automated implementation of such methods should remove this apparent precursor m/z ceiling. Finally, we evaluated the role of ion density (both anionic and cationic) and reaction duration for an ETD experiment. These data indicate that the best performance is achieved when the ion trap is filled to its space charge limit with anionic reagents. In this largest scale study of ETD to date, ETD continues to show great promise to propel the field of proteomics and, for small- to medium-sized peptides, is highly complementary to ion trap CAD.
Discrete-Time Ripple Correlation Control for Maximum Power Point Tracking

Ripple correlation control (RCC) is a high-performance real-time optimization technique that has been applied to photovoltaic maximum power point tracking. This paper extends the previous analog technique to the digital domain. The proposed digital implementation is less expensive, more flexible, and more robust. With a few simplifications, the RCC method is reduced to a sampling problem; that is, if the appropriate variables are sampled at the correct times, the discrete-time RCC (DRCC) algorithm can quickly find the optimal operating point. First, the general DRCC method is derived and stability is proven. Then, DRCC is applied to the photovoltaic maximum power point tracking problem. Experimental results verify tracking accuracy greater than 98% with an update rate greater than 1 kHz.
Detailed Modeling of the Pyrolysis of Trichloroethene: Formation of Chlorinated Aromatic Species

Comprehensive product yield determinations from the high-temperature, gas-phase pyrolysis of trichloroethene (C 2 HCl 3 ) using two fused silica tubular flow reactors coupled to in-line gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses are reported. Initial decomposition was observed at 1000 K with formation of HCl and C 2 Cl 2 . Pronounced molecular growth was observed at higher temperatures as evidenced by the formation of C 2 Cl 4 , C 4 Cl 4 , and C 6 Cl 6 (cy) as major (≤5 mole%) products and C 4 Cl 2 , C 4 Cl 6 , C 6 HCl 5 (cy), C 8 Cl 6 (cy), C 8 Cl 8 (cy), C 10 Cl 8 (cy), and C 12 Cl 8 (cy) as minor (≤5 mole %) products. The effects of reactor surface area to volume (S/V) ratio were evaluated by conducting detailed product analyses with 0.1 cm i.d. and 1.0 cm i.d. reactors. Under the higher S/V ratio, C 2 HCl 3 decomposition was increased by an order of magnitude and product distributions suggested that radical-radical and radical-atom recombination rates were enhanced. Product yields under reduced S/V ratio indicated that yields of perchlorinated aromatic and perchlorinated PAH species were a factor of 10 larger than observed for higher S/V ratios. A detailed reaction mechanism is presented for the 1 cm i.d. reactor data describing molecular growth up to the formation of C 8 Cl 6 (cy) and C 8 Cl 8 (cy). Comparison of predicted versus experimental major and minor species profiles are presented, with generally good agreement. Important radical-molecule addition reactions leading to molecular growth are identified using sensitivity analysis and production rate calculations
Magnetic freeze casting inspired by nature

Abstract Magnetic field aligned freeze casting is a novel method to fabricate porous, anisotropic ceramic scaffolds with a hierarchy of architectural alignment in multiple directions. A weak rotating magnetic field applied normal to the ice growth direction in a uniaxial freezing apparatus allowed the manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles to create different pore structures and channels with long-range order in directions parallel and perpendicular to the freezing direction. Porous scaffolds consisting of different host ceramics (hydroxyapatite (HA), ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , or TiO 2 ) mixed with varying concentrations (0–9 wt%) of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were fabricated by freeze casting under three different conditions: (1) no magnetic field, (2) a static magnetic field of 0.12 T, or (3) a rotating magnetic field of 0.12 T at 0.05 rpm. The HA, ZrO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 scaffolds showed biphasic material properties with separate Fe 3 O 4 -rich and Fe 3 O 4 -poor regions. The TiO 2 scaffolds showed homogeneous distributions of Fe 3 O 4 throughout the macrostructures, which resulted in aligned pore channels parallel to the magnetic field, normal to the ice growth direction. In the magnetic field direction, the compressive strength and stiffness of the TiO 2 scaffolds containing Fe 3 O 4 was doubled. The enhanced mechanical performance of the field aligned TiO 2 scaffolds are the result of the long-range microstructural order in multiple directions—(1) the magnetic field direction and (2) the ice growth direction.
Human fatalities from wind-related tree failures in the United States, 1995–2007

There were 407 deaths from wind-related tree failures in the United States, 1995–2007. The most common cause of the deadly fallen tree was a thunderstorm (41%), followed by nonconvective high winds (35%), tropical cyclones (14%), tornadoes (7%), and snow and ice (3%). Most (62%) of the deaths were males while the median age was 44 years. The most common location of the fatality was in a vehicle struck by the tree or a vehicle that crashed into a downed tree on the road (44%), followed by persons outdoors (38%), in mobile homes (9%), and in frame houses (9%). Persons killed by wind-related tree failures during tropical cyclones and tornadoes were more commonly at home (40%) when struck than those killed at home by thunderstorm and nonconvective high winds (13%). Seasonality of the deaths varied by weather type with deaths in thunderstorms clustered during May–August, nonconvective high winds October–April, tropical cyclones August–October, tornadoes in April and November, and snow and ice December–April. Regional patterns result from frequency of the wind events, population density, and tree cover. Suggestions are made for hazard reductions.
Artemis, Venus: The largest tectonomagmatic feature in the solar system?

New geologic mapping reveals that Artemis, a unique 2400-km-diameter feature on Venus, is much larger than previously recognized, including a wide outer trough (>5000 km diameter), a radial dike swarm (12,000 km diameter), and a concentric wrinkle ridge suite (13,000 km diameter). Artemis's evolution included formation of its interior and chasma, accompanied by lateral propagation of radial dikes. The escape of dike magma to the surface formed local cover deposits that buried parts of the remaining radial fracture suite. Cover deposits are cut, in turn, by wrinkle ridges that likely formed by coupling of convective mantle flow with the lithosphere. The outer trough formed late relative to radial fractures, cover deposits, and wrinkle ridges. We suggest that Artemis represents the magmatic signature of a deep mantle plume acting on relatively thin lithosphere. As such, it appears to represent the largest tectonomagmatic feature in the solar system. The newly recognized vast extent of Artemis holds implications for the formation of giant radial dike swarms, wrinkle ridge formation, terrestrial planet mantle-lithosphere coupling, and Venus's surface and geodynamic evolution.