cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corroded cobbles in Southern Death Valley: Their relationship to honeycomb weathering and lake shorelines

In southern Death Valley, pits similar in morphology to honeycomb weathering (herein referred to as corrosion pits) occur on the surfaces of cobbles that are associated with wave-produced benches. The pitted cobbles include a variety of igneous, metamorphic, and siliciclastic rocks; corrosion pits are rare to absent in limestones or dolomites. Pit morphology is controlled by cobble lithology. In massive rocks the pits are arcuate, elongate, and gently tapering; corrosion of laminated or foliated rocks has produced irregular, more jagged pits. The presence of desert varnish has strongly inhibited the corrosion process. The corroded cobbles are inferred to reflect both chemical and physical weathering of rocks along Pleistocene lacustrine strandlines. Corrosion took place through salt-weathering and/or heat-moisture expansion processes and through chemical dissolution of selected minerals as a result of splash-zone wetting and drying. The ancient lake waters may have had high pH and high total dissolved solids contents. The recognition of corroded cobbles may be important in the reconstruction of the position of ancient shorelines for certain types of alkaline lakes and in the reconstruction of their ancient chemistries.
Effects of personal space invasion and anomia on anxiety, nonperson orientation and source credibility

Two independent variables, anomia and personal space invasion, were posited to affect three dependent variables: situational anxiety, non‐person orientation and source credibility. Alienation scores correlated significantly with anomia scores and trait anxiety scores correlated significantly with both anomia and alienation scores.
Targets of Change and Interventions in Social Work: An Empirically Based Prototype for Developing Practice Guidelines:

Objective: Studies evaluating interventions were used as data to illustrate a rudimentary prototype of practice guidelines comprising two components: a taxonomy of outcome targets, and their associ...
Electroless deposition of silver onto silicon as a method of preparation of reproducible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy tips.

A simple method for the production of silver nanoparticles on a silicon substrate that is suitable for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is presented. The method is based on spontaneous reduction of Ag+ ions by elemental silicon. The oxide layer is removed from the surface of a silicon disk by etching with dilute HF that is present in the same dilute solution of silver nitrate that is used to form the silver nanoparticles. By controlling the concentrations of HF and AgNO3, the morphology of the deposited silver nanostructures can be varied dramatically. The reproducibility of SERS measurements for substrates produced with a given concentration of HF and AgNO3 is good (relative standard deviation ∼ 10%). The application was extended to coating the tips of silicon cantilevers designed for atomic force microscopy (AFM) with silver nanoparticles to permit measurements of tip-enhanced Raman spectra (TERS). The feasibility of TERS measurements with AFM tips prepared in this way is demonstrated.
Some observations on the hepatic venous pulsation in the anesthetized dog.

Since direct evidence of transmission of propagated waves into the hepatic veins (liver pulse) has been lacking, pressure pulses were recorded in the hepatic vein of the anesthetized dog. A constant presystolic positive wave, amplified by venous congestion and pulmonic compression, is demonstrated and shown to be transmitted from the atrium. During tricuspid insufficiency, a second transmitted positive wave is inscribed late in ventricular systole.
Repair of DNA alkylation products formed in 9L cell lines treated with 1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea.

The purpose of this study has been to measure the formation and repair of individual DNA alkylation products in 9L, 9L-2 and BTRC-19 cell lines after treatment with 1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (CNU). The levels of seven DNA adducts N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)-guanine, N7-(2-chloroethyl)-guanine; 1,2-(diguan-7-yl)-ethane, N1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine, 1-(N1-2-deoxyguanosinyl), 2-(N3-2-deoxycytidyl)-ethane, O(6)-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine and phosphotriesters were separated by HPLC and quantified by liquid scintillation counting. The levels of N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)-guanine, N7-(2-chloroethyl)-guanine; O(6)-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine and phosphotriesters were not significantly different in the three glioma lines. Furthermore, comparison of the levels of these products in treated cells with the levels formed in purified DNA suggest that they were not actively repaired over the 6h interval. The levels of 1,2-(diguan-7-yl)-ethane and N1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine were reduced in 9L-2 and significantly reduced in BTRC-19 (P = 0.003) compared to 9L. Analysis of the data suggests that the reduction in the level of N1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-deoxyguanosine was due to repair of its precursor O(6)-ClEtdG by O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (AGT). The level of the crosslinked product 1-(N1-2-deoxyguanosinyl), 2-(N3-2-deoxycytidyl)-ethane was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) in both 9L-2 and BTRC-19 as compared to 9L. Reduction in the level of 1-(N1-2-deoxyguanosinyl), 2-(N3-2-deoxycytidyl)-ethane in 9L-2 and BTRC-19 are consistent with repair of the precursor alkylation product O(6)-ClEtdG by AGT. This study demonstrates that there are very significant differences in the rates of removal of individual DNA adducts formed by CNU treatment of the glioma cell lines.
The Effects of Group Breath-Control Training on the Singing Ability of Elementary Students:

This study investigated the effectiveness of group breath-control training in teaching children to sing. Forty-four subjects in grades 2,3, and 4 were randomly assigned within each grade to the two treatment groups, which met twice weekly in half-hour sessions for 18 weeks. The experimental group received training in breath control in addition to the singing of songs. The control group's instruction was that of the traditional song approach. Pre- and posttraining data for each subject on four dependent variables (vocal range, vocal intensity, tonal duration, and pitch accuracy) were analyzed for the effects of the training variable (reflected in measures of abdominal and thoracic movement and vital capacity) between groups and among grade levels. Data were subjected to a two-way multivariate analysis of covariance on each dependent variable considered separately but as a “set” with each covariate breathing measure. Results of the study showed that breath-control training significantly differentiated betwe...
Reduction of Face‐to‐Face Contact Hours in Foundation Research Courses: Impact on Students' Knowledge Gained and Course Satisfaction

This study investigated the impact of reducing the number of face‐to‐face contact hours in a Masters of Science in Social Work (MSSW) foundation research course in an urban school of social work on students' knowledge gained and course satisfaction. A quasi‐experimental pretest/posttest comparison group design was used to test the following hypothesis: reducing the number of face‐to‐face contact hours will not negatively impact knowledge gain and course satisfaction in a foundation research course. The findings of this study suggest that reducing the number of face‐to‐face contact hours does not negatively affect student learning as both the comparison and the experimental group demonstrated an increase in foundation research knowledge. The level of course satisfaction was influenced by the number of hours completed in the program, age, and the number of hours worked in paid employment. Students who are especially vulnerable are younger students who have completed less course hours. They tend to struggle ...
A C-terminal arginine residue necessary for bacteriophage T4D tail assembly.

Abstract Arginine and certain arginine analogs have been found to inhibit reversibly Escherichia coli T4D bacteriophage tail assembly in in vitro complementation experiments. Active compounds all possessed unaltered carboxyl groups and a terminal guanidyl group. Using bacterial extracts prepared after infection with T4D amber mutants defective in different stages of assembly, it was found that the addition of the initial portion of the tail sheath to the substructure consisting of tail core plus tail plate was prevented by these compounds. In the presence of an inhibitor, tail intermediates accumulated. After the initial attachment of sheath monomers, further tail assembly (and head assembly) was resistant to these compounds. The relative ability of these various arginine-like compounds to inhibit tail assembly correlated with their ability to disrupt the tail structure of intact T-even phage particles. Carboxypeptidase B treatment of these bacterial extracts also prevented in vitro T4D tail assembly apparently by a direct enzymic attack on a C-terminal arginine residue of a protein of the phage tail. This inhibition by Carboxypeptidase B treatment was irreversible and the site of attack of the enzyme was found to be a component of the tail plate. The pattern of sensitivity of the various stages of tail assembly to the treatment by Carboxypeptidase B paralleled the sensitivity to inhibition by arginine-like compounds. These results support the conclusions (1) that the T4D tail plate contains a protein(s) with a C-terminal arginine residue(s) which during assembly forms polar bonds involving both its carboxyl and guanidyl groups with another phage component of the tail substructure; (2) added arginine prevents in vitro tail assembly by competing with the C-terminal arginine residues for the receptors; and (3) Carboxypeptidase B treatment prevents tail assembly by removing the C-terminal arginine residues.
A wireless MAC protocol with efficient packet recovery

Existing wireless medium access control (MAC) protocols provi reliability against corrupted packets by providing mechanisms for packet error detection and retransmission. The efficiency of existing mechanisms for providing reliability is usually low since they require the entire packet to be retransmitted even though only parts of it may have been corrupted. To address this issue, this paper presents a MAC protocol with an efficient packet recovery mechanism for packets corrupted due to both channel errors and collisions. The proposed MAC protocol first determines the cause of the errors in a packet and then uses the acknowledgment (ACK) packets to provide feedback on the sections of the packets that have errors. To minimize the packet recovery time, the proposed MAC protocol allows the sender to retransmit the corrupted sections of the packet immediately, without requiring a new channel access. Using simulations, it is shown that the proposed MAC protocol has higher efficiency and increases the achieved throughput.
The influence of geometrical fluctuations on electron tunneling barriers in proteins

We have recently developed a new classification of the amino acid side chains based on doublet acceptor energy levels (DALs). These energy levels, taken as the eigenvalue of the highest occupied molecular orbital in the radical anion, provide insight into the shape of the tunneling barrier in protein electron transfer. We have used this classification to characterize several transfer pathways in myoglobin. We present here a study of the effect of changes in geometry on the doublet acceptor levels. We find that, in general, this influence is rather small for reasonable changes in bond lengths and angles (e.g., those resulting from thermal fluctuations in the protein structure). However, we have found that for serine, threonine and water, changes in geometry that might take place as a result of fluctuations in hydrogen bond geometries lead to rather large changes in DAL. We investigate these correlations in some detail. The relation between protein fluctuations and changes in the shape of the electron tunneling barrier is discussed. Additionally, based on the energetics of changes in the OH bond distance, we discuss aspects of the relation between electron transfer and proton transfer.
Parents, teachers and medical personnel: Helping children with chronic illness

Illnesses in today's age are better controlled through modern pharmacological and technological interventions. Survival rates for children over the past two decades have increased and so have the number of children living with chronic illness. Concerns for ill children have evolved from exclusive regard for infection and death to management of the developmental and psychological challenges inherent in chronic illness. This paper reviews how chronic illness affects the psychosocial and cognitive development of ill children, using both Eriksonian and Piagetian theoretical rubrics. Family and child stress and coping with medical crises and manifestations of illness are explored. Recommendations are provided to enhance parent and professional communication and educational interventions with ill children.
Numerical predictions of submicrometer aerosol deposition in the nasal cavity using a novel drift flux approach

Abstract Evaluating the health effects of inhaled submicrometer aerosols, such as combustion particulate matter and bioaerosols, requires a thorough understanding of transport and deposition in the nasal airway. However, numerical simulations of fine respiratory aerosols (100–1000 nm) remain challenging due to low deposition fractions and the action of concurrent inertial and diffusive deposition mechanisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the transport and deposition of submicrometer aerosols in the nasal cavity based on a novel drift flux model with a near-wall velocity correction (DF-VC), which accounts for the effects of particle inertia and diffusion. Deposition results were also obtained for a commonly implemented chemical species (CS) model that only accounts for particle diffusion. The nasal cavity geometry was developed based on available MRI data, which has also been used in the previous experimental studies. Particle sizes ranging from 1 nm through 1000 nm and inhalations flow rates covering 4–30 L/min were considered. Under these conditions, turbulence only appeared significant in the nasal vestibule-valve region and the dorsal portion of the nasopharynx. In contrast, most of the main nasal passage appeared to have primarily laminar flow. Simulation results of the novel DF-VC model were shown to provide a good match to experimental deposition values from various nasal replica casts, and corroborated an existing empirical correlation for in vivo nasal deposition of submicrometer aerosols. Comparisons of the DF-VC and CS models indicated that inertial effects began to significantly influence total deposition in the nasal cavity at particle Stokes numbers greater than a critical value of Stk = 1.0 × 10−5, which is equivalent to a 90 nm particle under resting conditions and a 50 nm aerosol during moderate activity. A new correlation for mass transfer and deposition in the nasal airways was proposed that accounts for both inertial and diffusional deposition mechanisms and can be applied for all submicrometer aerosols. Results of this study indicate that a drift flux particle transport model with near-wall velocity corrections can provide an effective approach in simulating the transport and deposition of submicrometer respiratory aerosols in human nasal airways.
The design and catalytic properties of a simplified ribonuclease P RNA

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) RNA is the catalytic moiety of the ribonucleoprotein enzyme that removes precursor sequences from the 59 ends of pre-transfer RNAs in eubacteria. Phylogenetic variation according to recently proposed secondary structure models was used to identify structural elements of the RNase P RNA that are dispensable for catalysis. A simplified RNase P RNA that consists only of evolutionarily conserved features was designed, synthesized, and characterized. Although the simplified RNA (Min 1 RNA) is only 263 nucleotides in length, in contrast to the 354 to 417 nucleotides of naturally occurring RNase P RNAs, its specificity of pre-tRNA cleavage is identical to that of the native enzymes. Moreover, the catalytic efficiencies of the Min 1 RNA and the native RNA enzymes are similar. These results focus the search for the catalytic elements of RNase P RNAs to their conserved structure.
Evaluation of a tobacco prevention program for children: ToPIC.

This intervention study focused on evaluating the effectiveness of teaching tobacco prevention in children using ToPIC, an interactive program. The program was presented in 2 or 3 class sessions to increase awareness of health risks related to tobacco use. Participants consisted of 201 students from the Boys and Girls Clubs in 5 rural counties of a southeastern state. A significant increase in knowledge from pretest to posttest was found; t(200) = −13.65, p < .0001. Children's responses to the effects of smoking correlated to the content material incorporated in ToPIC. Recommendations for program improvement are discussed. This project was funded in part by a grant from the American Cancer Society. Additional support for this project was received from Georgia Southern University.
“Fácilis descensus Averni” Mind, Brain, Education, and Ethics: Highway to Hell, Stairway to Heaven, or Passing Dead End?*

Are human beings born unequal when it comes to ethics? Or are ethical standards acquired? Or both nature and nurture? Neuroscience is on its way to discovering biological underpinnings of ethics in our brains. Whatever the upcoming findings on this front will be, our philosophical, political, and educational views, and even the way we look at ourselves as a species, could soon be radically challenged, if not altered. AENEIS, the special section of this journal dedicated to Educational Neuroscience and Ethics, seeks to shed light on the crucial and sometimes frightening questions and answers we are to be confronted with. Starting with Charles Lang (“Science, Education, and the Ideology of ‘How”’) and Zachary Stein (“On the Difference Between Designing Children and Raising Them: Ethics and the Use of Educationally Oriented Biotechnology”), we are embarking on a fascinating but dangerous learning journey. To navigate between Scylla and Charybdis, extreme caution is highly recommended.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis Via Linear Programming

Two medical applications of linear programming are described in this paper. Specifically, linear programming-based machine learning techniques are used to increase the accuracy and objectivity of breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The first application to breast cancer diagnosis utilizes characteristics of individual cells, obtained from a minimally invasive fine needle aspirate, to discriminate benign from malignant breast lumps. This allows an accurate diagnosis without the need for a surgical biopsy. The diagnostic system in current operation at University of Wisconsin Hospitals was trained on samples from 569 patients and has had 100% chronological correctness in diagnosing 131 subsequent patients. The second application, recently put into clinical practice, is a method that constructs a surface that predicts when breast cancer is likely to recur in patients that have had their cancers excised. This gives the physician and the patient better information with which to plan treatment, and may elimin...
TH‐C‐330D‐01: Introduction and Overview

Medical physicseducation, especially for radiologists and medical physicists, is faced with several significant challenges because of a variety of conditions including the rapid changes in diagnostic and therapy technology and methods that must be addressed, prevailing attitudes on physics education within the clinical practice, and the need for qualified faculty and educational resources. Effective and efficient medical physics education for the future will result from a general re‐engineering and adopting revised models of the educational process to clearly define the needs and desired outcomes of educational activities and then develop a variety of methods and resources that will use state‐of‐the‐art technology to enhance the performance of both the learners and learning facilitators/teachers. This symposium provides a forum for exploring several current activities and initiatives that are significant to the future of medical physicseducation.
SU-E-T-530: Relative Electron Density Phantom Comparison

Purpose: Modern treatment planning systems require lookup tables to convert Hounsfield Units (HU) to relative electron density (RED) for use in heterogeneity corrections during dose calculations. The purpose of this work is to illustrate the impact of using different modelCT phantoms to determine HU to RED curves for treatment planning.Methods: A GAMMEX model 467 tissue characterization phantom and a CATPHAN model 500 multipurpose CT phantom were imaged using CT scanners in four different cancer centers and the HU to RED curves derived from each phantom were imported into an Eclipse 8.10 treatment planning system. Dose calculation were performed on a heterogeneity phantom and then compared to measurements. A comparison of isodose and DVH were performed by calculating 3D and IMRT plans onto identical CT datasets with different HU to RED curves to determine the clinical significance. Analysis based on effective atomic number of the phantom inserts was also performed. Results: The HU to RED curves from the GAMMEX and CATPHAN phantoms were found to be reasonably self‐consistent across the different CT scanners. However, observable differences for higher density materials were observed between the two phantom models. The differences for the larger HU values can be attributed to the effective atomic number of the materials. In kV range of a CT scanner x‐ray spectrum,photoninteractions are partially due to the photoelectric effect which has a larger dependence on atomic number than Compton scatter which depends most directly on electron density. Conclusion: The HU to RED curve is more dependent on the phantom model than CT scanner. The HU to RED curve from the GAMMEX phantom produced better agreement between Eclipse AAA calculations and measured dose distributions on a heterogeneity phantom than that from the CATPHAN. However, DVH and isodose data on patient plans show small differences for common treatment sites.
Hemodynamic effects of dobutamine in children

Abstract Dobutamine is useful for augmenting cardiovascular function in adults. However, no information is available on the action of dobutamine in children. To determine its hemodynamic effects in children, we infused dobutamine into 12 children with congenital heart disease during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. We administered dobutamine in two doses: first 2 and then 7.75 μg/kg per min for 10 minutes each. We measured heart rate, cardiac output, systemic and pulmonary arterial, right atrial and pulmonary capillary blood pressures before and during the infusion of dobutamine. Systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances, cardiac index and stroke index were calculated. Cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume, stroke index and systemic arterial phasic and mean blood pressures increased significantly ( P P Heart rate, pulmonary and right atrial mean blood pressure and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance were unchanged with either dose of dobutamine. We noted no adverse effect from the drug.
51 AGE OF MENARCHE, ADULT HEIGHT (AH) AND TARGET HEIGHT (TH) IN GIRLS TREATED FOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL)

51 AGE OF MENARCHE, ADULT HEIGHT (AH) AND TARGET HEIGHT (TH) IN GIRLS TREATED FOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL)
Some deformation features in mechanical and electrical breakdown of fibrous polymer composites

Observations have been made for deformational features due to mechanical load or due to electric force for thermoplastic matrix reinforced by short glass fibers. Morphological aspects common for both phenomena have been noted.
Intensity-sorting algorithm for generating MR angiograms

Maximum-intensity projection (MIP) algorithms are currently used for construction of magnetic resonance (MR) angiograms. In this application, projections calculated at different angles through the image are used to form a cine loop, thus providing a three-dimensional representation from which vascular structure may be deciphered. MIP algorithms cast parallel rays through the MR image volume which has been acquired such that the flow within the vasculature has the highest intensities. The maximum voxel intensity along each ray is placed on the projection plane where the ray meets the plane. Thus, the flow within the vasculature shows up in the projection plane. This research strives to discover methods of reducing the projection calculation time, thus making the technology more accessible to users of less powerful systems. A novel approach was developed for calculating projections in which each image slice was pre-sorted into bins of intensities. By thresholding the intensities used, the background pixels can be ignored and only those intensities that relate to flow are used in the projection. Thresholding reduces the total number of pixels considered for the projection plane, thereby saving calculation time. Additional time savings resulted from precalculating projection `templates' and filling multiple projection planes at the same time. The algorithms were written in C on a 80386-based system. The new algorithm demonstrated more than a seven-fold increase in projection calculation speed over a benchmark algorithm.
Hybrid geodesic region-based curve evolutions for image segmentation

In this paper we present a gradient descent flow based on a novel energy functional that is capable of producing robust and accurate segmentations of medical images. This flow is a hybridization of local geodesic active contours and more global region-based active contours. The combination of these two methods allows curves deforming under this energy to find only significant local minima and delineate object borders despite noise, poor edge information, and heterogeneous intensity profiles. To accomplish this, we construct a cost function that is evaluated along the evolving curve. In this cost, the value at each point on the curve is based on the analysis of interior and exterior means in a local neighborhood around that point. We also demonstrate a novel mathematical derivation used to implement this and other similar flows. Results for this algorithm are compared to standard techniques using medical and synthetic images to demonstrate the proposed method's robustness and accuracy as compared to both edge-based and region-based alone.
Longevity and Cardiovascular Mortality among Former College Athletes

Among 681 former Harvard College athletes (lettermen), longevity and cardiovascular mortality differed not by type of sport but by extent of participation. Relative to one-letter and two-letter athletes, men with three or more letters died slightly earlier from natural causes, and significantly more often and slightly earlier from cardiovascular diseases and (specifically) coronary heart disease. The three-or-more-letter athletes differed in physique, being significantly more mesomorphic (muscular, bony) than the other two groups. Further analysis suggested that physique did not account for these differences; other possible explanations were discussed.
Motivated to Adapt? The Role of Public Service Motivation as Employees Face Organizational Change

Researchers concerned with organizational change have consistently emphasized the role that the work environment plays in employee acceptance of change. Underexamined in the public management literature, however, is the role that employee values, particularly public service motivation (PSM), may play in employee acceptance of change. Some scholars have noted a positive correlation between employee PSM and organizational change efforts; this article extends this work by attempting to isolate the mechanisms that explain this relationship. Using data from a survey of employees in a city undergoing a reorganization and reduction in workforce, the authors find that only employees who scored high on a single dimension of PSM—self-sacrifice—were more likely than others to support organizational change. Rather than support changes for their potential to improve public service, this finding suggests that employees with higher PSM may simply be less likely to resist changes that might disadvantage them personally.
Hemodynamic patterns of response during long-term captopril therapy for severe chronic heart failure.

To determine the relationship between the early and late hemodynamic effects of captopril in patients with severe heart failure, we performed serial right heart catheterizations in 51 such patients who were treated with the drug for 2 to 8 weeks. Four hemodynamic patterns of response were observed. Nine patients had minimal responses initially (type I); six failed to improve during long-term treatment, but three showed delayed hemodynamic benefits. Twenty-eight patients had initial beneficial drug effects that were sustained after 48 hr and after 2 to 8 weeks (type II). In seven patients, first doses of captopril produced marked beneficial responses, but these became rapidly attenuated after 48 hr; nevertheless, continued therapy for 2 to 8 weeks was accompanied by spontaneous restoration of the hemodynamic effects of first doses of the drug, i.e., triphasic response (type III). In the remaining seven patients, attenuation of initial response was not reversed by prolonged captopril therapy; hemodynamic variables after 2 to 8 weeks had returned to their pretreatment values, i.e., drug tolerance (type IV). Plasma renin activity was lower in patients with minimal responses (0.6 +/- 0.2 ng/ml/hr) and was higher in patients with triphasic responses (9.4 +/- 2.5 ng/ml/hr) than in patients with types II and IV response patterns (4.4 +/- 0.7 and 2.8 +/- 0.5 ng/ml/hr, respectively; both p less than .05). Although first-dose effects of captopril are frequently sustained, the occurrence of delayed, attenuated, and triphasic responses indicates that a complex and variable relationship may exist between the early and late hemodynamic effects of vasodilator drugs in patients with severe heart failure.
Modulating Frequency and Responsivity of Pyroelectric Energy Converters by Finite Element Analysis

Pyroelectric energy conversion techniques can be used to convert radiated heat, especially in pulsed periodic waveforms, to electric output. Most existing modeling of the response is done through a lumped capacitance heat model which assumes a sufficiently thin sample with adiabatic substrate. A finite element model of a pulsed heat source and the resultant heat distribution is developed to study the optimization of the pyroelectric energy conversion process. The model uses simultaneous analysis of a temperature domain and the attached circuitry for the determination of the voltage responsivity. It is found that the low frequency cutoff of the responses is limited by the thermal time constant of the pyroelectric elements including the sample and the substrate; while the high frequency limit is due to combined effects of the electrical time constant of the material and the trans-impedance of the amplifier. For thin samples the results are consistent with the lumped capacitance model that is effective in pr...
IRREVERSIBILITY AND HYSTERESIS FOR A FORWARD–BACKWARD DIFFUSION EQUATION

Our intention in this paper is to publicize and extend somewhat important work of Plotnikov7 on the asymptotic limits of solutions of viscous regularizations of a nonlinear diffusion PDE with a cubic nonlinearity. Since the formal limit PDE is in general ill-posed, we expect that the limit solves instead a corresponding diffusion equation with hysteresis effects. We employ entropy/entropy flux pairs to prove various assertions consistent with this expectation.
Asian Corporate Governance or Corporate Governance in Asia

C orporate governance has become an important issue for Chinese and Indian firms as they increasingly interact with regulators and investors from developed markets. For instance, tapping into global capital markets to raise funds to finance their domestic and international growth requires firms from China and India to demonstrate strong corporate governance credentials, so that investors do not discount their stock (LaPorta, Lopez-de-Silanes, Shleifer, & Vishny, 2000). The swift action of Chinese and Indian authorities in response to recent corporate scandals – such as the one at Satyam Computers – reveals that even governments in emerging countries such as China and India see the need to promote good corporate governance to ensure the inflow of capital and the outflow of products. Furthermore, understanding corporate governance standards and issues in China and India is also important to executives of foreign multinationals doing business in these two countries. As concerns about corporate governance gains ascendancy in corporate board rooms and offices of policy makers, business scholars’ interest in these issues have also grown significantly, as evidenced by the number of publications on the topic (e.g., Rajagopalan & Zhang, 2008). It is this growing importance of corporate governance to the next phase of development of the Chinese and Indian economies that inspired William Q. Judge, Editor-in-Chief, and us to put together a conference and special issue on the topic for this journal.
The College Departure Process among the Academic Elite

High attrition from a selective school is an especially unexpected institutional outcome: Students and schools invest significant resources to ensure a match. This study examines the departure process underlying students’ decisions to leave college, based on a case study of attrition at a major selective urban American university. The analysis is based on in-depth interviews designed to identify the qualitative aspects of attrition as a process that leads to students’ ultimate decisions to disenroll. The results suggest that intervention may most profitably lie in the communication and interaction networks established between students and university personnel. When working successfully, such networks can enable discussion that informs students’ decisions about whether to leave or to stay. The departure process discovered at this university may possess characteristics that can inform retention policy at other institutions of higher education in both urban and nonurban settings.
Acute toxicity of five sediment-associated metals, individually and in a mixture, to the estuarine meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis.

Abstract The acute effects of many individual, seawater-solubilized metals on meiobenthic copepods and nematodes are well known. In sediments, however, metals most often occur as mixtures, and it is not known whether such mixtures exhibit simple additive toxicity to meiobenthos. The estuarine meiobenthic copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis was tested in four acute (96-h) sediment bioassays to determine sediment and pore-water LC50s for single-metal exposures to copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn). Laboratory-cultured copepods were exposed to clean 98% silt:clay sediments spiked with metal chloride solutions to yield five exposure concentrations plus a control. Trimmed Spearman-Karber analysis gave sediment 96-h LC50 values of 4.4 μmole Cu/g, 5.7 μmole Ni/g, 11.9 μmole Pb/g, 10.3 μmole Zn/g, and pore-water 96-h LC50 values of 2 μmole/l, 11.7 μmole/l, and 5.7 μmole/l for Cu, Ni, and Zn, respectively. Male survival after exposure to Cu, Pb, and Ni was significantly less than female survival (α=0.05). Toxicity of a combined USEPA priority metal mixture to A. tenuiremis was assessed using sediment spiked equitoxically with Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The sum toxic unit that produced a median lethal dose was 0.72. The mixture had a significantly greater than additive effect on A. tenuiremis survival, with the mixture being 1.4× more toxic than that expected by simple additivity.
A Review of the Effects of Elevated Temperature on Concrete Materials and Structures

Concrete’s properties are more complex than those of most materials because not only is concrete a composite material whose constituents have different properties, but its properties depend upon moisture and porosity. Exposure of concrete to elevated temperature affects its mechanical and physical properties. Elements could distort and displace, and, under certain conditions, the concrete surfaces could spall due to the buildup of steam pressure. Because thermally-induced dimensional changes, loss of structural integrity, and release of moisture and gases resulting from the migration of free water could adversely affect plant operations and safety, a complete understanding of the behavior of concrete under long-term elevated-temperature exposure as well as both during and after a thermal excursion resulting from a postulated design-basis accident condition is essential for reliable design evaluations and assessments of nuclear power plant structures. As the properties of concrete change with respect to time and the environment to which it is exposed, an assessment of the effects of concrete aging is also important in performing safety evaluations. The effects of elevated temperature on Portland cement concretes and constituent materials are summarized, design codes and standards identified, and considerations for elevated temperature service noted.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Adenosine-mediated Bronchoconstriction and Lung Inflammation in an Allergic Mouse Model

In this study, we studied the role of adenosine on airway responsiveness and airway inflammation using an allergic mouse model. Mice were sensitized by two i.p. injections of ragweed and three consecutive ragweed aerosol challenges. It was found that inhalation of adenosine causes a dose-related bronchoconstriction in this model. Ragweed sensitized and challenged mice showed increased sensitivity to airway challenge to adenosine compared to control animals. Theophylline, a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, blocked adenosine-induced bronchoconstriction, but was unable to inhibit bronchoconstrictor response to methacholine. Mice systemically sensitized and airway challenged with allergen showed a marked airway inflammation manifesting increases in eosinophils, lymphocytes and neutrophils, and decrease in macrophages. Twenty-four hours after airway challenge with allergen, aerosolization of adenosine further potentiated the allergen-induced airway inflammation. Cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after adenosine aerosolization increased by 3.07-fold as compared to control mice, and by 1.8-fold compared to ragweed sensitized and challenged mice. The increases in eosinophils, lymphocytes, and neutrophils caused by allergen were potentiated after adenosine challenge. Unexpectedly, macrophages significantly decreased after adenosine challenge. Theophylline attenuated adenosine-enhanced airway inflammation, but could not reverse allergen-induced airway inflammation. These findings suggested that specific adenosine receptors contribute to airway responsiveness and airway inflammation associated with this model of allergic asthma.
Experimental Validation of a Nonlinear Self-Tuning Observer

The present work provides an experimental validation for the robust performance of a nonlinear self-tuning observer in accurately estimating the state variables of a structure with configuration-dependent natural frequencies. The observer design combines the advantages of the variable structure systems theory and the self-tuning fuzzy logic technique. The robustness of the observer enables the use of an imprecise model of the plant while the self-tuning characteristic eliminates the need for the extensive tuning of a fixed rule-based expert fuzzy inference system.The experimental set-up consists of a spherical robotic manipulator with the protruding portion of the third link from the second link considered to be deformable. The prismatic joint induces considerable variations in the natural frequencies of the flexible element. The observer has been implemented to estimate the generalized coordinates pertaining to the flexible motion of the third link. The experimental results confirm the robustness of the observer in accurately estimating the required state variables of the system in spite of significant modeling imprecision and disturbances.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Examination of geniculate ganglion cells contributing sensory fibers to the rat facial ‘motor’ nerve

Abstract Using a method to visualize HRP- containing cells in the geniculate ganglion (GG) in situ after decalcifying surrounding bone, we found that about 30% of the total (about 1000) GG cells contributed sensory fibers to the posterior auricular branch of the facial motor nerve. These cells are relatively large for GG cells in general. The remaining facial motor nerve branches, including those involved in vibrissal movement, contained few sensory afferent fibers originating from GG cells.
Implementation of an expanded point-of-care testing (POCT) site inspection checklist in a large academic medical center: Implications for the management of a POCT program

Abstract Background Management of point-of-care testing (POCT) continues to present challenges. The use of site inspections by POCT coordinators has been a mainstay for maintaining regulatory compliance in POCT although this process is labor intensive. Improvements in device design and the use of POCT data management systems have improved the ability of hospitals to manage POCT programs. Given these developments, using regular site inspections to ensure regulatory compliance of POCT may be less relevant than in the past. Methods We implemented an expanded POCT site inspection checklist modeled after the requirements of the Joint Commission. The checklist included categories not specifically related to POCT such as the environment of care and safety. Results The average number of deficiencies per site in 2011 was 2.37 (range 0–10) out of a possible 42. Only 18% of site inspections produced no citations. In contrast in 2010 the average number of deficiencies per site was 3.17 (out of a possible 32) and only 8.7% of sites had no citations. The difference in the number of deficiencies per site was significant (t-test two tailed p = 0.04). The most frequently cited deficiencies (24.2%) related to safety followed by maintenance of proper procedures and documentation of competency assessment. Conclusions Despite improvements in many POCT devices and data management systems, regular site inspections are still required to identify regulatory deficiencies and improve testing quality. The use of an expanded site inspection checklist will identify many areas for improvement that are not specifically related to POCT alone.
A physiological basis for variation in the contractile properties of isolated rat heart

1. The maximum Ca(2+)-activated force, maximum velocity of unloaded shortening and both Ca(2+)- and actin-activated ATPase activities of myosin have been measured in detergent-skinned preparations of isolated bundles of rat right ventricle after exposure of the intact tissue to different conditions of superfusion, mechanical activity and temperature. 2. Maximum Ca(2+)-activated force per unit cross-sectional area decreases with increasing cross-sectional area, and, in the absence of electrical stimulation, with the duration of superfusion. Maximum velocity of unloaded shortening is not influenced by these differences. 3. Actin-activated ATPase activity of myosin decreases as cross-sectional area increases and duration of superfusion increases, but the extent of the decrease in enzymatic activity is less than that of developed force. Ca(2+)-activated ATPase activity is independent of these differences. 4. Actin-activated ATPase activity in cryostatic sections of quickly frozen tissue is not uniform across the transverse section. In thin bundles, it is highest in the centre and lowest at the edge of the section, which correspond, respectively, to the centre and the surface of the tissue bundle. Exposure of the tissue section to 1 microM-cyclic AMP increases the actin-activated ATPase activity of myosin with the largest increase in activity occurring at or near the surface of the bundle. 5. Ca(2+)-activated ATPase activity of myosin is uniform across the transverse section and is not changed by cyclic AMP. 6. Electrical stimulation, elevated Ca2+ concentration in the superfusion medium, or isoprenaline partially or completely reverse the decline in maximum Ca(2+)-activated force produced by prolonged superfusion of the bundle before its skinning. 7. These observations are similar in many ways to those made on frog skeletal muscles by Elzinga, Howarth, Rull, Wilson & Woledge (1989a). An explanation based on the existence of a physiological mechanism for regulating the properties of force generators is proposed. Regulation of the attachment of the cross-bridge to an actin filament may be the basis for the regulatory mechanism.
Recruiting and counseling people of color at Western universities

This article focuses on the recruitment and retention of students of color in Western universities. It highlights concepts and strategies which have been effective in recruiting and counseling students who are racial minorities. The content is based on the author's experience in practice over the past six years and is supported by literature, empirical data, and interviews. Vignettes related to work done with students of color are incorporated within the body of the paper.
Reactivity, stability, and formation of fullerenes.

The energetics and reactions of fullerenes have been investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics. ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ and other fullerenes of similar sizes are reactive towards ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$, which can insert into the fullerene cage without an activation barrier. The computed stability and reactivity patterns suggest that the increase of abundance of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ and other locally stable fullerenes upon high-temperature annealing is due to atom and fragment exchange with other carbon clusters.
Engineering technology in rehabilitation of older adults.

Abstract As most people age they adapt to and compensate for age-related changes and continue to function independently. However, a growing percentage of the older population requires assistance in completing functional activities in the home or community. How older people adapt and compensate and the types of assistance they need are the subjects of technology-based research. Engineering technology has been evaluated in research on falls, wandering, and spatial orientation. Both high- and low-technology strategies and interventions have been shown to be useful in clinical rehabilitation and residential settings. How technological interventions can be used by older adults to facilitate the performance of functional activities is discussed. Examples are presented to demonstrate how technology can be used to reduce wandering behaviors in both institutionalized and noninstitutionalized populations; reduce falls in older populations; and improve muscle strength, an important factor in maintaining good balance...