cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematics, biological knowledge and environmental conservation

Systematics and taxonomy are essential: they respectively elucidate life's history, and organize and verify biological knowledge. This knowledge is built of interrelated concepts which are ultimately accounted for by biological specimens. Such knowledge is essential to decide how much and what biodiversity survives human onslaughts. The preservation of specimens in natural history collections is the essential part of the process which builds and maintains biological knowledge. These collections and the human expertise essential to interpret specimens are the taxonomic resources which maintain accurate and verifiable concepts of biological entities. Present and future knowledge of the complexities and diversity of the biosphere depends on the integrity of taxonomic resources, vet widespread ignorance and disregard for their fundamental value has created a global crisis. Preservation of specimens in natural history collections is chronically neglected and support to study and manage collections is very insufficient. The knowledge held by experienced taxonomists is not being passed on to younger recruits. Neglect of collections has destroyed countless specimens and threatens millions more. These threats to taxonomic resources not only impinge on systematics but all biology: this tragedy jeopardizes the integrity of biological knowledge. The consequences for environmental conservation and therefore humanity are also of dire severity and the biodiversity crisis adds unprecedented weight to the barely recognized crisis in taxonomy and systematics.
Synthesis and Fluorescent Properties of Difluoroboron Dibenzoylmethane Polycaprolactone

Difluoroboron β-diketonate dyes are noted for their intense fluorescence, one- and two-photon absorption, solvatochromism, and good aqueous stability. Incorporation of these dyes into polymers leads to processable optical materials, which in some cases display additional emissive features. For example, previously we reported that difluoroboron dibenzoylmethane−polylactide (BF2dbmPLA) exhibits both fluorescence and room temperature phosphorescence (RTP). Typically RTP is ascribed to a matrix effect, where the rigid ordered medium restricts dye molecular motions, and excited-state decay via thermal pathways is hindered in favor of radiative decay. To test polymer effects on dye emissive properties, this study explores BF2dbmPCL (PCL = poly(e-caprolactone), a semicrystalline polymer) of different molecular weights ranging from ∼3 to 18 kDa. PCL materials exhibit the expected intense fluorescence and molecular weight dependent emission but, surprisingly, no RTP. Phosphorescence is evident at lower temperature...
Yeast mitochondria contain ATP-sensitive, reversible actin-binding activity.

Abstract Sedimentation assays were used to demonstrate and characterize binding of isolated yeast mitochondria to phalloidin-stabilized yeast F-actin. These actin-mitochondrial interactions are ATP sensitive, saturable, reversible, and do not depend upon mitochondrial membrane potential. Protease digestion of mitochondrial outer membrane proteins or saturation of myosin-binding sites on F-actin with the S1 subfragment of skeletal myosin block binding. These observations indicate that a protein (or proteins) on the mitochondrial surface mediates ATP-sensitive, reversible binding of mitochondria to the lateral surface of microfilaments. Actin copurifies with mitochondria during subcellular fractionation and is released from the organelle upon treatment with ATP. Thus, actin-mitochondrial interactions resembling those observed in vitro may also exist in intact yeast cells. Finally, a yeast mutant bearing a temperature-sensitive mutation in the actin-encoding ACT1 gene (act1-3) displays temperature-dependent defects in transfer of mitochondria from mother cells to newly developed buds during yeast cell mitosis.
Development and implementation of an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for the determination of an angiogenic polypeptide in dog and rat plasma

A quantitative method based on electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for the determination of the angiogenic agent aFGF-S117 has been developed and validated. Two polyclonal antibodies specific to aFGF-S117 and a wild-type aFGF antibody were selected for the analysis. The assay was based on the non-competitive sandwich immunoassay principle in which the drug is trapped with a biotinylated antibody that is immobilized on a streptavidin magnetic particle. The drug is then sandwiched with a ruthenium chelated second antibody. The assay demonstrates good accuracy and reproducibility at plasma concentration of 0.5 ng/ml.
Putting an action plan in place

In December of 2008, The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) delivered its "smart grid" and storage reports to Congress. They are available on the DOE Web site, and interested readers are encouraged to read the storage report. In writing the report and making its recommendations on storage for the U.S. electricity industry to the Energy Secretary, the EAC was fulfilling two objectives. The first was to counsel the Secretary of Energy and the Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability on implementing the Energy Policy Act of 2005, executing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), and modernizing the nation's electricity delivery infrastructure. The second objective was to fulfill the congressional requirements of EISA Section 641(e)(5)(B). According to the requirement, no later than one year after the date of the Act's enactment and every five years thereafter, the EAC, in conjunction with the Secretary, "shall develop a five-year plan for integrating basic and applied research so that the United States retains a globally competitive domestic energy storage industry for electric drive vehicles, stationary applications, and electricity transmission and distribution." The Energy Storage Technologies Subcommittee of the EAC was established in March of 2008.
Maximum likelihood analysis of the mixed model: the balanced case

The primary purpose of this paper is to develop, analytically, the inverse of the covariance matrix for the mixed analysis-of-variance model with balanced data. The use of this matrix in the identification of minimal sufficient statistics and in developing the likelihood equations is illustrated.
Photochemistry on surfaces: triplet-triplet energy transfer on colloidal TiO2 particles

Abstract Association of 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid (9AC) with colloidal TiO2 in acetonitrile extended its absorption into the visible region (up to λ ≈ 450 nm). Triplet energy transfer on the surface of TiO2 from 9AC to oxazine-725 was observed in the TiO2-9AC system containing oxazine-725 upon excitation with a 425 nm laser pulse. The influence of association of 9AC with colloidal TiO2 on its photophysical properties, and the dependence of triplet-triplet energy transfer efficiency on the surface coverage of the donor and acceptor, were determined using nanosecond laser flash photolysis.
Experimental and natural infection of calves with Bunostomum phlebotomum.

Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine the efficiency of a method of experimental infection of weaner beef calves with Bunostomum phlebotomum and to compare such infection with that established by natural infection. Six calves, maintained on a concrete-floored pen, were inoculated with B. phlebotomum L3 by placing the larval inocuulum, in small volume, in the outer chamber of the ear while the animal was restrained for 18 min. Inoculation doses of 20, 40, 50, 60, and 80 thousand L3 were used. Six other calves were grazed on pasture known to be heavily contaminated with hookworm. All animals were killed 72 days after experimental infection and 93 days after initial exposure to pasture infection. The experimental and naturally-infected calves became patent at 55 and 66 days, respectively, after exposure to L3. Red blood cell counts and hemoglobin values were markedly depressed in both groups and lowest values coincided with onset of patency. There was difference in liveweight changes, but both groups lost weight during the prepatent period of infection and gained weight with the onset of patency. The largest number of hookworms was established at the 30000 L3 inoculation level; little or not establishment was observed at the 2 highest levels. Sizeable adult hookworm burdens were established in 4 out of 6 pastured calves. Intestinal pathology was generally more severe in experimentally-infected calves, consisting of a thickened mucusa and masses of punctuate, hemorrhagic foci. Pastured calves also acquired large burdens of Ostertagia ostertagi, particulary inhibited early fourth-stage larvae. Moderate to severe abomasal pathology and elevated plasma pepsinogen were associated with ostertagiasis in the pastured calves. The experimental infection method is efficient in establishing high levels of B. phlebotomum infection in calves currently or previously infected with other gastro-intestinal nematodes.
Testing a SEM Model of Two Religious Concepts and Experiential Spirituality

Guided by Atchley’s Continuity Theory of the Spiritual Self as presented in Aging, spirituality, and religion, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, MN (1995), this study tested the validity of two dimensions of religiosity and one dimension of spirituality. It then examined the extent to which each dimension of religiosity influenced having spiritual experiences for 221 chronically ill older adults. Mean age of the sample was 80 years. Structural equation modeling was used to test a conceptual model. Substantive findings were that private religiosity (prayer and coping), but not public religiosity (participation and other church involvement) may influence reporting spiritual experiences by the older adults in the study. Findings revealed a good model fit to the data and strong factor loadings revealed sound construct validity for the latent variables (i.e., public and private religiosities, and experiential spirituality) in the model.
Signals required for programming effector and memory development by CD8+ T cells.

Stimulation of naive CD8+ T cells with antigen and costimulation results in proliferation and weak clonal expansion, but the cells fail to develop effector functions and are tolerant long term. Initiation of the program leading to the strong expansion and development of effector functions and memory requires a third signal that can be provided by interleukin-12 (IL-12) or interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). CD4+ T cells condition dendritic cells (DCs) to effectively present antigen to CD8+ T cells, and this conditioning involves, at least in part, CD40-dependent upregulation of the production of these signal 3 cytokines by the DCs. Upon being fully activated, the cytotoxic T lymphocytes develop activation-induced non-responsiveness (AINR), a form of split anergy characterized by an inability to produce IL-2 to support continued expansion. If antigen remains present, IL-2 provided by CD4+ T cells can reverse AINR to allow further expansion of the effector population and conversion to responsive memory cells following antigen clearance. If IL-2 or potentially other proliferative signals are not available, persistent antigen holds cells in the AINR state and prevents the development of a responsive memory population. Thus, in addition to antigen and costimulation, CD8+ T cells require cytokine signals at distinct stages of the response to be programmed for optimal generation of effector and memory populations.
MAPPING AND RESHAPING THE STRUCTURE OF MASCULINITY

Messages Men Hear: Constructing the Masculinities, Ian M. Harris. London: Taylor &Francis, 1995. 214 pp., $24.95 (paper), ISBN: 0-7484-0230–6.Masculinity Reconstructed: Changing the Rules of Manhood—At Work, in Relationships, and in Family Life, Ronald F. Levant with Gini Kopecky. New York: Dutton, 1995. 308 pp., $22.95 (cloth), ISBN: 0-525-93846-X.
Visualization of bacterial flagella by video-enhanced light microscopy

Abstract We have imaged individual flagellar filaments of Escherichia coli, a motile Streptococcus sp., and Rhizobium meliloti by video-enhanced differential interference-contrast microscopy (Nomarski DIC) and computer-based image processing. This approach has advantages over existing methods in that filaments on living cells can be seen over their entire lengths.
Signal models for TDOA/FDOA estimation

Much research has been done in the area of estimating time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) and frequency-difference-of-arrival (FDOA) and their use in locating a radiating source. Early work in this area was focused on locating acoustic sources using passive sonar processing. Only later was TDOA/FDOA-based location considered for the case of passively locating electromagnetic sources. As a result of this, it is tempting to use results derived for the acoustic case when answering questions about the electromagnetic case. This correspondence shows that such borrowing can lead to incorrect results. The key factor that drives the significant differences between these two cases is the difference between the signal model assumptions for the two cases: wide-sense stationary (WSS) Gaussian process in the acoustic case and a deterministic signal in the electromagnetic case. Although the received signal equations may look identical (showing delay and Doppler shift), the resulting Fisher information, Cramer-Rao bound (CRB), and maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) are fundamentally different for the two signal scenarios.
Christological Foundations for an Ecological Ethic: Learning from Bonhoeffer

In an age where the church needs to foster moral concern for the environment, some are suggesting that Christian theology itself must be changed to produce this result. This article argues that such emendations are unnecessary because Dietrich Bonhoeffer, working a couple of decades before ecological concern was even seen as necessary, manages to craft a theological and ethical approach which is sensitive to ecological concern while retaining large portions of the Christian tradition. Bonhoeffer's anthropology robustly affirms humanity's connection with the natural environment and does not separate humans from the natural order. In fact, his novel approach to the image of God emphasises the necessity of human physicality and the ethical responsibility for the other, which seems to be extendable to the natural order as well. In addition, Bonhoeffer's interpretation of the command to have dominion sees the injunction as a call to be ‘bound’ to nature as a servant, not as a lord free to exploit the earth for wanton pleasure. Consequently, Bonhoeffer interprets the industrial revolution as the failure of humans to rule and serve creation well. Finally, his anthropology, unlike many in the tradition, does not extradite humans from the world, but rather situates them entirely within the matrix of interlocking relationships in the natural world. While Christian soteriology has been criticised for shifting Christian concern away from the environment and life in this world, Bonhoeffer's soteriology overcomes this criticism. Bonhoeffer vociferously repudiates two kingdoms theology in favour of a single unified reality of Christ, which unites God's work of creation and redemption into a unified whole. Furthermore, he interprets the incarnation as a robust affirmation of God's creation and thereby life in this present world. Finally, Bonhoeffer posits redemption encompassing the entire world order, rather than seeing humans as its unique constituents. Bonhoeffer's ethics of responsible action shows that humans need to evaluate not just their immediate actions, but also the long-term consequences of their actions, especially when it comes to use of the environment, both for the sake of other humans and for the sake of following Christ. Since disciples of Christ are supposed to be working towards the reality of Christ, one can conclude that Bonhoeffer's thought encourages humans to work towards the harmony that is to typify creation in the eschaton. Thus, Bonhoeffer's ethics encourages a moral concern for the environment both as a means of neighbourly love and as a means of following Christ.
What is "powder free"? Characterisation of powder aerosol produced during simulated use of powdered and powder free latex gloves.

OBJECTIVES—To characterise the distribution of particle size and mass of glove powder aerosol released from powdered and powder free non-sterile latex gloves under controlled conditions. METHODS—Gravimetric sampling and aerodynamic particle size analysis were performed during simulated use of gloves on a prosthetic hand in a chamber designed to minimise background particle concentrations. RESULTS—Aerosol was detectable for both powdered and powder free gloves under both aggressive and non-aggressive handling conditions. Most of the particles detected had aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm. CONCLUSION—Powder free gloves were not entirely free of powder aerosol. Particles from both powdered and powder free gloves are sufficiently fine to penetrate into the thoracic region of the respiratory tract. Keywords: latex gloves; glove powder; aerosol
Excited-state optical activity of a cyclodextrin inclusion compound

Abstract The optical activity of the inclusion compound formed when fluorescein is incorporated in β-cyclodextrin has been studied by means of circularly polarized luminescence spectroscopy. The chiral host molecule is capable of inducing chirality in the achiral guest molecule upon formation of the 1:1 adduct.
A self-splicing group I intron in DNA polymerase genes of T7-like bacteriophages

Group I introns are inserted into genes of a wide variety of bacteriophages of gram-positive bacteria. However, among the phages of enteric and other gram-negative proteobacteria, introns have been encountered only in phage T4 and several of its close relatives. Here we report the insertion of a self-splicing group I intron in the coding sequence of the DNA polymerase genes of ΦI and W31, phages that are closely related to T7. The introns belong to subgroup IA2 and both contain an open reading frame, inserted into structural element P6a, encoding a protein belonging to the HNH family of homing endonucleases. The introns splice efficiently in vivo and self-splice in vitro under mild conditions of ionic strength and temperature. We conclude that there is no barrier for maintenance of group I introns in phages of proteobacteria.
Analysis and simulation of refrigeration by electron emission

Phenomena based on nanoscale transport processes offer new possibilities for direct refrigeration by electron emission at room temperature. Electron emission is the process by which electrons escape from the surface of a conductor either by overcoming the potential barrier at the surface or by tunnelling through it. Because the average emitted electron energy may be higher or lower than the energy of the replacement electrons, a heating or cooling effect, known as the Nottingham effect, can occur at the emitter. Theoretical studies indicate the possibility of very large ( > 100 W/cm ) cooling rates for low work function emitters; however, nanometer range emission gaps are necessary to produce a device with a sufficiently high coefficient of performance to be useful in most practical cooling applications. In this regime of low work function and narrow emission gap, the traditional approach involving the WKB approximation to solve for electron transmission across the gap breaks down. In this study, a non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method is employed to model the energy exchange attending field emission for a range of emitter work functions and vacuum gap distances. Predictions indicate that a cooling density of approximately 100 W/cm2 is possible for a 0.7 eV work function device emitting across a vacuum gap of approximately 5 nm. Operating under those conditions the cooling mechanism would require an emission current density of approximately 350 A/cm2 and could have a coefficient of performance as high as 0.6
Cattle and Salmon II: Interactions Between Cattle and Spawning Spring Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in a Northeastern Oregon Riparian Ecosystem

The study addressed the interaction between cattle and spawning spring chinook salmon late in the summer, when it is common for cattle to be present in pastures that have streams where spawning occurs. We addressed the occurrence of spawning in the study area and 2 potential impacts of cattle behavior during chinook salmon spawning: 1) disruption of spawning behavior by the presence of cattle near the redd and 2) the frequency of actual cattle contact with redds. Frequency of salmon redds was not significantly different in the stream reaches accessible to cattle compared with excluded reaches. Salmon continued preexisting patterns of behavior while cattle were within visible range of a redd. Cattle were seldom close to a redd and the chance for direct interaction to occur was minimal. When cattle were visibly near the active redd, cattle remained greater than 3.0 m from the active redd 84% of the time. Of the total time redds were observed, cattle contacted the redds <0.01% of the time. Previous studies have shown salmon that are harassed during spawning can retain eggs and even go completely unspawned. All salmon fully spawned in the study area in both years of the study.
OTHER-REGARDING PREFERENCES AND SOCIAL NORMS

Legal scholars have become keenly interested in behavioral approaches to law that recognize that real people do not always behave in a rationally selfish fashion. For example, numerous recent papers examine how human choice can be distorted by endowment effects, anchoring effects, availability biases, and other cognitive deficiencies. There is a curious imbalance to this "behavioral law and economics" literature, however. Contemporary critiques of the rational selfishness model of human behavior tend to focus far more on the first modifier - the assumption of rationality - than on second - the assumption of self interest. This essay reverses that emphasis. It argues that the human tendency to act in an other-regarding fashion (to sacrifice in order to help or harm others) is far more pervasive, powerful, and important than generally recognized. In support of this claim, it reviews the extensive empirical evidence that has been accumulated over the past four decades on human behavior in social dilemma games, ultimatum games, and dictator games. This evidence establishes that in the right circumstances, experimental subjects routinely behave as if they care about costs and benefits to others. (In the parlance of economics, their behavior "reveals" other-regarding preferences.) Moreover, subjects' decisions to act in an other-regarding fashion seem driven primarily not by their own payoffs but by social context - their perceptions of what others believe, what others expect, and how others are likely to behave. These findings are important not only to our understanding of individual behavior, but also to our understanding of a wide variety of social institutions. To illustrate, this essay considers how the reality of socially-contingent, other-regarding behavior may offer insight into the nature and workings of social norms. In particular, it considers how the phenomenon of other-regarding preferences sheds light on a variety of questions that have been debated in the norms literature. These include the questions of what sorts of behaviors are most likely to solidify into norms; why people follow norms; and how policymakers and other "norm entrepreneurs" can best use norms to change behavior.
Effects of a Single Intravenous Glucocorticoid Dose on Biogenic Amine Levels in Cat Lumbar Spinal Cord

: The effects of a single large intravenous dose of methylprednisolone on the steady state levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine in cat lumbar spinal cord, as a function of dose (15, 30, or 90 mg/kg) and time (1 or 24 h) after administration, were examined by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Methylprednisolone produced a dose-related increase in the levels of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine, but not norepinephrine, measured at 1 h. The effect of the single glucocorticoid dose was biphasic, however, as measurement of the three amines at 24 h showed each to be depressed below the levels found in untreated animals. The possible mechanistic basis and the significance of these glucocorticoid effects are discussed.
The relationship between protective factors and outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment

Abstract Objectives This research explores the relationship between hypothesized protective factors and outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment. Methods Using data from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), we ran logistic regression models to examine the relationship between hypothesized protective factors (social competence, adaptive functioning skills, and peer relationships) and outcomes (externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, reading competence). Results For each hypothesized protective factor, we found variation in individual scores and sample mean scores at the lower end of the scales, indicating that these children fare worse than most children. However, many children experienced large changes in their individual scores over time suggesting that children can and do improve on these hypothesized protective factors. In examining the relationship between hypothesized protective factors and outcomes, children with higher levels of social competence were significantly more likely to be in the normal range for both externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Children with higher mean adaptive functioning skills were more likely to be in the normal range for both externalizing behavior and reading competence. The positive nature of the child's peer relationships was also related to externalizing behavior and reading competence. Conclusions Overall, our analyses support the idea that social competence, adaptive functioning skills, and peer relationships are related to outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment. While further research is needed to establish a causal link, this work identifies three individual-level hypothesized protective factors as potential sources of variation in outcomes. Practice implications To prevent or alleviate the harmful consequences maltreatment, it is necessary to understand factors that help children move beyond poor outcomes. Our analyses suggest that a strong relationship exists between a child's social competence, adaptive functioning skills and positive peer relationships and select outcomes three years after being investigated for maltreatment. With these individual-level protective factors related to more positive outcomes, it suggests that intervening to increase protective factors could improve outcomes for maltreated and at-risk children.
Childhood emotional environment and self-injurious behaviors: The moderating role of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism

Background: Previous theory has suggested that invalidating environments in the form of emotional maltreatment should be a specific risk factor for the development of self-injurious behaviors (Linehan, 1993, Cognitive–Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, New York, Guilford Press). However, results from previous studies have been mixed, possibly indicating that this effect may not be the same for all individuals. In fact, some individuals may be more susceptible to environmental influences (i.e., phenotypic plasticity), and this susceptibility may be in part a function of genes that are involved in neuroplasticity (e.g., the brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF] Val66Met polymorphism). Method: We explored the interaction between retrospective reports of childhood emotional environment and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in relation to a history of two main types of self-injurious behaviors, suicide attempt and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), in a sample of individuals with a history of involvement in the criminal justice system. Results: For individuals with two Val alleles, there was a significant direct relationship between emotional maltreatment and self-injurious behaviors. However, the relationship was not significant for Met carriers. Limitations: The data are cross-sectional, which means causal inferences cannot be drawn. Conclusions: The results indicate the possibility of a common etiological pathway for NSSI and suicide attempts.
Exact Inversion of MIMO Nonlinear Polynomial Mixtures

This paper deals with the inversion of MIMO mixing systems, which are instantaneous and nonlinear but polynomial. An exact inverse is searched in the class of polynomial systems. It is shown that Groebner bases techniques offer an attractive solution for testing the existence of such an inverse and computing it. If such an inverse does not exist we propose to test the existence of a polynomial relationship between the sources and the observations and to compute simple polynomial functions, which each depend on one source only. Relying on the fact that for finite alphabet sources, polynomials span the whole set of nonlinear mappings, we tackle the general nonlinear case. We generalize the first results to give a condition for the existence of an exact nonlinear inverse. The proposed method allows to compute this inverse in polynomial form.
Collaborative Problem Solving Effectively Implemented, but Not Sustained: A Case for Aligning the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars

This 2-year qualitative case study examined factors influencing implementation and sustainability of collaborative problem-solving programs. One selected elementary school served as the focus site. Using a participant—observer field-based approach, data were collected via observations, interviews, mute evidence, and field notes. During Year 1 of the study, implementation integrity was high, participants' perceptions of the process were positive, professional collaboration was enhanced, students' academic and behavioral concerns were effectively addressed, and special education rates were reduced. However, successful implementation was not sustained during Year 2 following a dramatic reduction in support from the school district. Analysis revealed district-level decisions exert a significant and cascading effect on procedures, perceptions, and ultimately, student outcomes. Within that context, implications for practice are offered.
A Manifold for Injecting Insecticides into a Drip Irrigation System for Small Plot Research Trials with Row Crops

ABSTRACT A 10-port manifold was developed for the injection of insecticides into a drip irrigation system for small plot bell pepper research trials. A 179.1 metric ft lb/s positive displacement Aquaflow® electric chemical metering pump was used to transfer liquid chemical treatments from an 18.9 liter polyethylene bottle through a 10-valve manifold that allowed both water and up to 10 separate chemical treatments to mix and flow into the drip irrigation line of each treatment plot. Because very small amounts of insecticides are injected for small-plot trials, a valve and discharge pipe were built into the manifold to allow for the complete rinse of the system between treatments. This system would be suitable for chemigation research trials in most row crop trials using drip irrigation with or without plastic mulch.
Meeting the demands of the new workplace: technical communications courses and risk-taking skills

It is noted that research shows that, to compete more effectively in the global workplace of the 1990s, engineers will have to sharpen their risk-taking skills. Yet, while risk taking will be increasingly important in the new 'lean and mean' downsized corporations, research also indicates that employees tend to be risk averse when they worry about losing their jobs. Technical communication instructions can help students overcome the fear of taking risks by teaching about prudent risks. It is pointed out that, by helping students to defend their recommendations logically, educators can also build student confidence in risk taking. >
Relationship between mixed and pure gas self-diffusion for ethane and ethene in ZIF-8/6FDA-DAM mixed-matrix membrane by pulsed field gradient NMR

Abstract Pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR was applied to study self-diffusion of an ethane/ethene mixture and the corresponding pure gases in a mixed-matrix membrane (MMM) formed by dispersing ZIF-8 particles in 6FDA-DAM polymer. In addition to the MMM, diffusion measurements of the pure gases were also carried out for the membrane constituents, i.e. ZIF-8 particle bed and the pure polymer film. PFG NMR studies were performed at a high magnetic field of 17.6 T using large magnetic field gradients up to 30 T/m. The former allowed achieving sufficiently large signal-to-noise ratios, while the latter enabled diffusivity measurements to be performed for molecular displacements smaller than the size of ZIF-8 particles. As a result, the gas self-diffusivities for the diffusion inside the ZIF-8 particles dispersed in the MMM and for the diffusion inside the surrounding polymer matrix could be obtained separately. For each gas, the diffusivities inside the ZIF-8 and polymer phases of the MMM were found to be smaller than the corresponding diffusivities in the neat ZIF-8 particle bed and pure polymer film. This observation is explained by the reduced framework flexibility of ZIF-8 and the polymer chain rigidification in the MMM. The ethane and ethene diffusivities in the MMM loaded with the ethane/ethene mixture were compared with the corresponding diffusivities in the MMM loaded with a single gas. It was found that the presence of another gas component in the ZIF-8 particles dispersed in the MMM does not change the self-diffusivity inside the particles for both gases. At the same time, the self-diffusivity of the faster-diffusing sorbate (ethene) in the polymer phase of the MMM was reduced by co-adsorption of the slower-diffusing sorbate (ethane) in the MMM. The analytical expression proposed in our previous work for the long-range diffusivity in MMMs was validated for gas mixtures and pure gases based on the experimental data reported in this work.
Increased Body Mass Index in Men With Varicocele Is Associated With Larger Spermatic Vein Diameters When Supine.

Objective To evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) and spermatic vein diameters (SVDs) in men treated for varicocele. Subjects and Methods One hundred fourteen men who underwent scrotal color duplex ultrasounds prior to microsurgical varicocelectomy were classified as normal (BMI = 18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), or obese (≥30). SVDs were measured with and without Valsalva, standing and supine. SVD, pre- and postoperative semen analyses (SA) were compared. Results Forty-six (40.4%) men had normal BMI, 54 (47.3%) were overweight, and 14 (12.3%) were obese. Higher BMI was associated with smaller left testis volume and larger left SVD when supine (with and without Valsalva). The association was absent when standing. Men with higher BMI had smaller differences between their left SVD Valsalva diameters when standing vs supine. There were no differences among BMI classes for right SVD measurements, preoperative SA, and postoperative SA improvement. Conclusion Increased BMI is associated with larger left SVD while supine, suggesting that increased abdominal pressure while recumbent may contribute to varicocele pathology in this population. Interestingly, as in the general population, a majority of the men were overweight.
Power and Categorization Power Increases the Number and Abstractness of Categories

Across three experiments, participants formed a larger number of categories when in a state of high, compared to low, psychological power. Moreover, in contrast to prior categorization research, which suggests forming more categories is tantamount to reduced breadth of categorization, high-power participants also formed a larger number of superordinate (i.e., more abstract) categories than low-power participants. The present findings enhance the understanding of power in relation to categorization and simultaneously highlight the distinction between number and abstraction as fundamental aspects of categorization.
Analysis of Higher Mental Functions

We have already said that the first and second form of our research is an analysis of higher forms of behavior; but the situation in modern psychology is such that before we can begin to analyze the problem, we have the problem of the analysis itself.
Stop and Restart Effects on Modern Vehicle Starting System Components

Many drivers of personal and commercial vehicles believe that turning the vehicle off and on frequently instead of idling will cause premature wear of the starter system (starter motor and starter battery). As a result, they are concerned that the replacement cost of the starter motor and/or battery due to increased manual engine cycling would be more than the cumulative cost of the fuel saved by not idling unnecessarily. A number of variables play a role in addressing this complex concern, including the number of starting cycles per day, the time between starting cycles, the intended design life of the starting system, the amount of fuel used to restart an engine, and the cumulative cost of the saved fuel. Qualitative and quantitative information from a variety of sources was used to develop a life-cycle economic model to evaluate the cost and quantify the realistic factors that are related to the permissible frequency of starter motor cycles for the average vehicle to economically minimize engine idle time. Annual cost savings can be calculated depending on shutdown duration and the number of shutdown cycles per day. Analysis shows that cost savings are realized by eliminating idling exceeding one minute by shutting downmore » the engine and restarting it. For a typical motorist, the damage to starting system components resulting from additional daily start cycles will be negligible. Overall, it was found that starter life is mostly dependent on the total number of start cycles, while battery life is more dependent on ensuring a full charge between start events.« less
Water oxidation by an electropolymerized catalyst on derivatized mesoporous metal oxide electrodes

A general electropolymerization/electro-oligomerization strategy is described for preparing spatially controlled, multicomponent films and surface assemblies having both light harvesting chromophores and water oxidation catalysts on metal oxide electrodes for applications in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs). The chromophore/catalyst ratio is controlled by the number of reductive electrochemical cycles. Catalytic rate constants for water oxidation by the polymer films are similar to those for the phosphonated molecular catalyst on metal oxide electrodes, indicating that the physical properties of the catalysts are not significantly altered in the polymer films. Controlled potential electrolysis shows sustained water oxidation over multiple hours with no decrease in the catalytic current.
Naive (commonsense) geography and geobrowser usability after ten years of Google Earth

In 1995, the concept of 'naive geography' was formally introduced as an area of cognitive geographic information science representing 'the body of knowledge that people have about the surrounding geographic world' and reflecting 'the way people think and reason about geographic space and time, both consciously and subconsciously'. The need to incorporate such commonsense knowledge and reasoning into design of geospatial technologies was identified but faced challenges in formalizing these relationships and processes in software implementation. Ten years later, the Google Earth geobrowser was released, marking the beginning of a new era of open access to, and application of, geographic data and information in society. Fast-forward to today, and the opportunity presents itself to take stock of twenty years of naive geography and a decade of the ubiquitous virtual globe. This paper introduces an ongoing research effort to explore the integration of naive (or commonsense) geography concepts in the Google Earth geobrowser virtual globe and their possible impact on Google Earth's usability, utility, and usefulness. A multi-phase methodology is described, combining usability reviews and usability testing with use-case scenarios involving the U.S.-Canadian Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative. Initial progress on a usability review combining cognitive walkthroughs and heuristics evaluation is presented.
Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors for Quantum Optics

High efficiency single-photon detectors allow novel measurements in quantum information processing and quantum photonic systems. The photon-number resolving transition edge sensor (TES) is known for its near-unity detection efficiency and has been used in a number of landmark quantum optics experiments. We review the operating principle of the optical superconducting TES, its use for quantum optics and quantum information processing and review its recent implementation in integrated photonic platforms.
Transcription and translation of gp600 and receptor-associated protein (RAP) in active Heymann nephritis.

Abstract Active Heymann nephritis (HN) of rat, an autoimmune glomerular disease, is a model for human membranous glomerulonephropathy. The autoantigen of HN is a glycoprotein of approximately 600 kd that is present in both rat and human kidneys. Another kidney protein of 39-45 kd called receptor-associated protein (RAP) is associated with gp600. In normal kidney very little gp600 and RAP can be detected in glomeruli. This study was undertaken to determine whether the synthesis of gp600 and RAP would increase after development of active HN. Kidneys from normal (n = 5) and active (n = 11) HN rats were studied for expression of gp600 and RAP and their mRNAs by immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization. In all HN kidneys in contrast to normal kidneys both the transcription and translation of gp600 were markedly increased in glomeruli and proximal tubules. Transcription and translation of RAP were also increased but less so than gp600. The site of increased transcription of gp600 and RAP in glomeruli was clearly localized to the visceral glomerular epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show increased transcription of gp600 and RAP in active HN and the first study to identify the visceral glomerular epithelial cell as the cell for the increased transcription.
Moral Perception and Particularity: Virtue and community

The revival of a virtue approach to ethics has been accompanied by a renewed concern with the notion of community and, many assume, a close link between virtue and community. Yet most discussions of virtue proceed without ever mentioning community. The widespread assumption of a link between community and virtue may be due in part to the Aristotelian roots of virtue ethics, and to Alasdair Maclntyre's semi-Aristotelian After Virtue , probably the single most influential contemporary work in virtue ethics. Both Aristotle and Maclntyre emphasize the fundamentally social nature of virtue – the way that particular forms of social life are linked with particular virtues. Another source of the assumption of a close link between community and virtue may be the moral theory or family of theories that proponents of both community and virtue reject. These theories emphasize the primacy of the rational, autonomous individual in moral agency and in the normative foundations of political structures. Communitarians depart from these theories both in placing value on communal entities – a value not reducible to the value of rational agency – and (sometimes) in according communal entities a more fundamental place in the formation or constitution of the moral self. Virtue theorists see the foundations of virtue as lying not, or not only, in rational agency but also in habit, emotion, sentiment, perception, and other psychic capacities. I explore here some of the possible links between virtue and community, with two ends in mind.
Active Transport of Calcium by Intestine: Studies with a Calcium Activity Electrode

Previous studies have demonstrated an intestinal mechanism which transfers calcium from the mucosa to the serosa in vitro (Rasmussen, 1959; Harrison & Harrison, 1960; Schachter, Dowdle & Schenker, 1960a,b; Finkelstein & Schachter, 1962; Schachter, Kowarski, Finkelstein & Ma, 1966; Schachter, Kowarski & Reid, 1967) or to the bloodstream in vivo (Wasserman, Kallfelz & Comar, 1961; Krawitt & Schedl, 1968) against concentration and electrical potential gradients. The transport is dependent on oxidative phosphorylation (Schachter & Rosen, 1959), and is rate-limited (Schachter et al, 1960a); it is relatively specific for Ca as compared with other cations (Schachter & Rosen, 1959; Schachter et al., 1960a) and is competitively inhibited by certain cations and actively transported hexoses (Schachter et al., 1960b; Schachter, Kimberg & Schenker, 1961). Moreover, it is dependent on vitamin D (Harrison and Harrison, 1960; Schachter et al., 1961, 1967) and varies in the rat with growth, pregnancy, and the level of dietary Ca (Schachter et al., 1960a; Kimberg, Schachter & Schenker, 1961). These properties suggest that the mechanism might be classified as an active transport. In earlier studies (Schachter et al., 1960a) a murexide technique was used to demonstrate that most of the Ca transferred to the serosal surfaces of everted gut sacs in vitro was ionized, and it was concluded that the mechanism is probably a cation pump.
Communication Ethics: Centrality, Trends, and Controversies

The centrality of ethics, both theoretically and professionally, to the field of communication is demonstrated. Then 7 trends in communication ethics scholarship are illustrated: (a) the proliferation of books on media and journalism ethics; (b) stress both on individual ethics and on social or institutional ethics; (c) recognition of the interrelationship of freedom and responsibility; (d) scholarship on ethics in organizational communication contexts; (e) diverse feminist contributions to communication ethics; (f) scholarship from a feminist viewpoint on an “ethic of care”; and (g) applications of the ancient Greek tradition of virtue ethics to contemporary communication contexts. Finally, 6 controversies or challenges in the development of communication ethics are probed. (a) Can we develop a viable concept of the “self as an ethical agent in communication? (b) Can we develop a postmodern ethic or ethics of communication? (c) Can we legitimately search for some minimum transcultural ethical standards f...