cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scale and Numerical Modeling of an Air-Based Density Separator

The development of an air-based density separator for effectively treating finer-size fraction (6 mm × 1 mm) of run-of-mine coal is essential for the industry. Based on the derived scaling laws, the full-scale model of a laboratory air-based density separator and a prototype model scaled down by the factor of ½ in the X, Y, and Z directions were simulated using numerical methods. The air velocity contour plots, vector plots, and turbulent intensity values were used to validate the scaling laws. The absolute percent difference of air velocity between the two models was 3.83 %. In addition to this finding, the air velocity contour and vector plot and the turbulent intensity contours in two models showed modest variation, thereby indicating the validity of the scaling laws. The publication details the development of the full-scale and the prototype numerical models and the correlation of the derived scaling laws with the numerical and the experimental results.
Effects of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, SR141716A, after Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol withdrawal

Rats were trained to lever press according to variable interval 10 s schedules during daily experimental sessions composed of six 3 min food reinforcement periods and were treated twice daily for 6 days with either vehicle or escalating regimens of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. On days 7 and 8, the rats were challenged with vehicle and cumulative doses of SR141716A (N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4, -dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxyamide hydrochloride), a cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist, up to 3 and 9 mg/kg, respectively. Response rates increased during Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol withdrawal and towards those of the vehicle treatment group suggesting a waning of the direct effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. SR141716A reduced response rates but only in rats pre-treated with Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. These data suggest that dependence upon Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol was induced and SR141716A precipitated withdrawal.
H2 PRODUCTION AND FUEL CELLS.

Oxide nanosystems play a key role as components of catalysts used for the production of H{sub 2} via the steam reforming or the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, and for the water-gas shift reaction. The behavior seen for Cu-ceria and Au-ceria WGS catalysts indicates that the oxide is much more than a simple support. The special chemical properties of the oxide nanoparticles (defect rich, high mobility of oxygen) favor interactions with the reactants or other catalyst components. More in-situ characterization and mechanistic studies are necessary for the optimization of these nanocatalysts. The use of oxide nanomaterials for the fabrication of PEMFCs and SOFCs can lead to devices with a high practical impact. One objective is to build electrodes with low cost conducting oxide nanoarrays. The electron and oxygen-ion conducting capabilities of many oxides improve when going from the bulk to the nanoscale. Furthermore, one can get a more homogeneous surface morphology and an increase of the effective reaction area. Much more fundamental and practical research needs to be done in this area.
The Empirics of Information Sharing in Supply Chains: The Case of the Food Industry

Using the Supermarket Panel Data gathered by The Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota, the behavior of food retailers is examined in their adoption of Information Technologies that facilitate information exchange with suppliers. Using a theoretical framework developed by Mohtadi and Kinsey (MK) (2004) the predictions of that paper are examined. Logistic Regressions based on Maximum Likelihood Estimation support the hypothesis that food retailers with greater market power and numerous suppliers are more inclined to share, rather than to withhold, sales information. Stock-outs play a key role in the process as well. Finally, the structure of the market plays an interesting role in the type of information sharing platforms that the retailers adopt.
Lumping, Splitting and the Integration of Museum Studies with LIS

This paper is an attempt to support and promote education programs that cover the entire cultural heritage landscape (libraries, archives, museums) as an integrated, larger meta-discipline. By taking a larger picture approach, professionals who do the work of memory institutions can be more effective in their work, in the promotion of that profession, and increase public value of all related institutions and their purposes. Through the description of the integrated museum studies specialization at Kent State University School of Library and Information Science, this paper aims to provide one example of how this can work, first by describing the role of Library and Information Science (LIS) as a meta-discipline, next by discussing the changing landscape of cultural heritage professional education, and finally by describing in detail the new Kent State integrated museum studies specialization. The infusion of museum studies with LIS is discussed as a part of a larger movement toward integration of training information professionals in the entire cultural heritage sector.
The dynamics of X-chromosome inactivation in mouse development

Mammals utilize chromosomes to determine sex, but this leads to a problem with gene inequality. In the mouse, gene dosage disparity is evident by the presence of two X chromosomes in the female and a single X and Y chromosome in the male. To balance the X-linked transcriptional dose difference between the sexes, one of the two female X-chromosomes is silenced to equal the dose of XY males-a crucial developmental process known as X-chromosome inactivation. Here we highlight dosage compensation in the mouse, and detail the known mechanisms to set and erase these epigenetic marks during development.
Community-based Research and Development (R&D) patterns in the Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) sector

I explore patterns in regard to community based Research and Development in the Water Supply and Sanitation sector. I set a bibliometric analysis, covering the 1998–2008 period, by means of applying a framework based on three factors: productivity, collaboration, and research topics, which are analyzed at global and country level. Results show: a) Northern countries are the most productive ones; b) though not significant as it should, North-South collaboration is increasing; and c) Southern concerns do not represent a major share of Northern R&D, though an upward is noted.
Infrared studies of the thermal conversion of mefenamic acid between polymorphic states

An infrared method has been developed and used to study the thermal conversion of mefenamic acid from its polymorphic I form to the polymorphic II form. Rates of conversion for the crystal to crystal transition have been measured at temperatures of 150, 155, and 160 °C and subsequently used to calculate the activation energy for the process. The value of 71.6 kcal/mol obtained using the current infrared method is significantly smaller than a previously reported value of 86.4 kcal/mol that was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. In order to explain this difference, additional HPLC experiments were carried out to evaluate the potential loss of analyte due to sublimation when samples of mefenamic acid are maintained at elevated temperatures in the DSC pans prior to measuring the exothermic event indicative of the polymorph I content of a sample. Based on the current study, the rate of anaylte loss due to sublimation is the likely mechanism explaining the larger reported value for the activation energy of the polymorphic conversion of mefenamic acid obtained by DSC.
Cell-Cycle Progression without an Intact Microtubule Cytoskeleton

For mammalian somatic cells, the importance of microtubule cytoskeleton integrity during interphase cell-cycle progression is uncertain. The loss, suppression, or stabilization of the microtubule cytoskeleton has been widely reported to cause a G1 arrest in a variable, and often high, proportion of cell populations, suggesting the existence of a "microtubule damage," "microtubule integrity," or "postmitotic" checkpoint in G1 or G2. We found that when normal human cells (hTERT RPE1 and primary fibroblasts) are continuously exposed to nocodazole, they remain in mitosis for 10-48 hr before they slip out of mitosis and arrest in G1; this finding is consistent with previous reports. To eliminate the persistent effects of prolonged mitosis, we isolated anaphase-telophase cells that were just finishing a mitosis of normal duration, then we rapidly and completely disassembled microtubules by chilling the preparations to 0 degrees C for 10 minutes in the continuous presence of nocodazole or colcemid treatment to ensure that the cells entered G1 without a microtubule cytoskeleton. Without microtubules, cells progressed from anaphase to a subsequent mitosis with essentially normal kinetics. Similar results were obtained for cells in which the microtubule cytoskeleton was partially diminished by lower nocodazole doses or augmented and stabilized with taxol. Thus, after a preceding mitosis of normal duration, the integrity of the microtubule cytoskeleton is not subject to checkpoint surveillance, nor is it required for the normal human cell to progress through G1 and the remainder of interphase.
Broad-Band Ultraviolet Filters

Three broad-band ultraviolet filters with effective wavelengths of 2680, 2600, and 2210 A are described. The respective transmittances at these wavelengths are 0.16, 0.23, and 0.10, with corresponding bandwidths of 320, 200, and 330 A. The materials used in constructing these filters were interference filters, NiSO4(H2O)6 crystals, KCl:KBr:Pb crystals, Corning filters 9–54 (96% silica), Corning filters 7–54 (red-purple corex A), and cation-X (2, 7-dimethyl-3, 6-diazacyclohepta-1, 6-diene iodide in polyvinyl alcohol films).
Effects of Updates on Optimality in Tries

Abstract The double chained tree is used as the basis for organizing files in a database system. We model such systems with a trie, a tree in which leaves correspond to records from a file. Retrieval proceeds by following a path in a trie from the root to a leaf, where the edge taken at each node is determined by some attribute value of the query. For a given file, altering the order in which attributes are tested can change the size of the resulting trie; tries with minimum size are considered optimum. We explore the preservation of optimality under the operations of inserting a record into the file, deleting a specific record from the file, and deleting an arbitrary record from the file, showing that even for binary files, a single update may be sufficient to make all optimum tries nonoptimum. Finding an indexing set for a file consists of finding a subset of the attributes which distinguish all records. We show that given a minimum size indexing set, a single insertion or deletion may change the file so that no superset or subset, respectively, can be a minimum indexing set for the new file.
Exercise pre-conditioning reduces brain inflammation in stroke via tumor necrosis factor-α, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity

Abstract Objective: We sought to determine whether cerebral inflammation in ischemic rats was reduced by a neuroprotective action of pre-ischemic tumor necrosis factor-α up-regulation, which down-regulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity via extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation. Material and methods: Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to 30 minutes of exercise on a treadmill for 3 weeks. Stroke was induced by a 2 hour middle cerebral artery occlusion using an intraluminal filament. The exercised animals were treated with tumor necrosis factor-α antibody, UO126 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 inhibitor), or both UO126 and doxycycline (matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitor). Brain infarct volume was assessed using Nissl staining. Leukocyte infiltration was evaluated using myeloperoxidase immunostaining. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and matrix metalloproteinase protein levels were determined by Western blot, and enzyme activity was evaluated using zymography...
Translating Bei Dao: Translatability as Reading and Critique

AbstractThere is a bold suggestion that Bei Dao's translatability is symptomatic of the fact that his poetry is a "World Poetry" and thus lacks grounding in China's history. Now that Bei Dao's reputation in the West has been on the rise and his works continue to be translated in many Western languages, it is time to treat the lingering questions regarding Bei Dao's translatability seriously and to conceptualize it in the context of modern Chinese poetry, which is , in a large sense, a history of rejuvenation through the translation of Western poetry. The immediate origin of the poet's translatability resides, the paper suggests, in a literary language called the "translation style" in the late 1960s, which served as a protest against the language of authority in Mao's China. Against this historical background, the paper problematizes the use of translatability as a way of reading and critiquing Bei Dao's poetry. The translation of poetry, after all, is a form of idealized interpretation, much limited by information available to the translator. When one says Bei Dao's poetry translates well into English, it is precisely because it has been translated with all its gaps, errors, and ambiguities, all of which are abundant in Bei Dao's English texts.ResumeCertains ont suggere que la traductibilite de Bei Dao s'explique par le fait que sa poesie est une "poesie universelle" qui ne puise pas ses racines dans l'histoire de la Chine. Aujourd'hui, la reputation de Bei Dao se confirme dans le monde occidental et ses ouvrages y sont traduits dans plusieurs langues occidentales. Il est donc grand temps d'aborder avec serieux les questions restees en suspens quant a sa traductibilite et de conceptualiser celle-ci dans le contexte de la poesie chinoise contemporaine, qui, a plusieurs egards, est l'histoire d'un rajeunissement opere par le biais de la poesie occidentale traduite. Dans son article, l'auteur suggere que la traductibilite du poete reside en premier lieu dans le langage litteraire que l'on appellait vers la fin des annees soixante "le style traduction", un style utilise en guise de protestation contre le langage de l'autorite propre a la Chine de Mao. C'est sur cette toile de fond que l'auteur analyse l'utilisation de la traductibilite comme moyen d'aborder et de critiquer la poesie de Bei Dao. En somme, la traduction de la poesie est une forme d'interpretation idealisee, tres limitee par les informations accessibles au traducteur. Si la poesie de Bei Dao se traduit aisement en anglais, c'est precisement parce qu'elle a ete traduite avec toutes les lacunes, erreurs et ambiguites qui abondent dans les textes du poete chinois.
A time-frequency classifier for human gait recognition

Radar has established itself as an effective all-weather, day or night sensor. Radar signals can penetrate walls and provide information on moving targets. Recently, radar has been used as an effective biometric sensor for classification of gait. The return from a coherent radar system contains a frequency offset in the carrier frequency, known as the Doppler Effect. The movements of arms and legs give rise to micro Doppler which can be clearly detailed in the time-frequency domain using traditional or modern time-frequency signal representation. In this paper we propose a gait classifier based on subspace learning using principal components analysis(PCA). The training set consists of feature vectors defined as either time or frequency snapshots taken from the spectrogram of radar backscatter. We show that gait signature is captured effectively in feature vectors. Feature vectors are then used in training a minimum distance classifier based on Mahalanobis distance metric. Results show that gait classification with high accuracy and short observation window is achievable using the proposed classifier.
The role of SEC materials in the course curriculum: Update and extension

Abstract This research updates and extends earlier work by Ketz and Kunitake (1985) by providing survey evidence on (a) the coverage that currently is given to SEC-related topics in undergraduate and graduate curricula, and (b) the importance practicing accountants and financial managers attribute to classroom coverage of various SEC-related topics. Survey responses were received from 129 certified public accountants, 59 financial managers, and 154 accounting program administrators. Results indicate that practitioners consider coverage of SEC topics less important than communication skills, about as important as computer integration and ethics, and somewhat more important than international accounting. There appears to be little support for a separate course devoted to SEC topics. In addition, we find perceptual differences among respondents concerning what constitutes “SEC materials”. We conclude the paper by offering some suggestions as to how SEC topics can be integrated into existing accounting courses.
Shoot inhibition inSolanum tuberosum. I. Response to ammonium and nitrate nitrogen sources

Solanum tuberosum Group Tuberosum plants grown in a non-nutritive media exhibit a shoot inhibition which follows the normal tuber bud dormancy. The shoot inhibition is characterized by very slow growth of the aerial portion of the plant with little leaf development. An external source of nitrogen, either nitrate-N or ammonium-N, applied to the roots of Iopride plants overcame the inhibition while only a nitrate-N source was effective in overcoming the inhibition of Kennebec plants. Group Phureja and Stenotomum and otherSolanum species evaluated did not show the shoot inhibition phenomenon.
Medical errors: Moral and ethical considerations

Medical errors are an inevitable part of the practice of medicine and pose a significant threat to the safety of patients. Improper management of healthcare professionals, clinical workflow processes, and information systems often leads to medical errors. Disclosure of medical errors to patients and family members serves as a catalyst for litigation and thus, the establishment of appropriate moral and ethical standards cannot be ignored when implementing solutions to remedy the situation. In this paper, a systematic literature review was used to explore and evaluate the moral and ethical issues that confront the healthcare industry as a result of medical errors. The practical implications of medical errors were also discussed.
Using regression analysis to predict emergency patient volume at the Indianapolis 500 mile race.

Background: Emergency physicians often plan and provide on-site medical care for mass gatherings. Most of the mass gathering literature is descriptive. Only a few studies have looked at factors such as crowd size, event characteristics, or weather in predicting numbers and types of patients at mass gatherings. Purpose: We used regression analysis to relate patient volume on Race Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to weather conditions and race characteristics. Methods: Race Day weather data for the years 1983 to 1989 were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Data regarding patients treated on 1983 to 1989 Race Days were obtained from the facility hospital (Hannah Emergency Medical Center) data base. Regression analysis was performed using weather factors and race characteristics as independent variables and number of patients seen as the dependent variable. Data from 1990 were used to test the validity of the model. Results: There was a significant relationship between dew point (which is calculated from temperature and humidity) and patient load ( P Conclusion: Although higher dew point was associated with higher patient load during the 1983 to 1989 races, dew point was a poor predictor of patient load during the 1990 race. Regression analysis may be useful in identifying relationships between event characteristics and patient load but is probably inadequate to explain the complexities of crowd behavior and too simplified to use as a prediction tool.
Apoptosis, Fibrosis and Senescence

Fibrosis is a major hallmark of progressive kidney disease. The cellular mechanisms that lead to kidney tissue fibrosis are complex and include, for example, increased inflammation, increased oxidative stress, and proximal tubule cell death in the form of apoptosis or senescence. Recent studies have identified TWEAK, a tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis, as a novel cytokine that mediates kidney inflammation in models of renal fibrosis. Inhibition of apoptosis via TWEAK inhibition has been shown to reduce kidney fibrosis. Recent studies using lineage tracing suggest that interstitial pericytes/perivascular fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts and undergo proliferative expansion during fibrosis. Furthermore, increased expression of nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in proximal tubules can directly reduce increased expression of transforming growth factor-β1 and interstitial inflammation in models of renal fibrosis, which suggests preservation of proximal tubule cell metabolism and integrity represents an important new therapeutic target. In this review, the current evidence and potential molecular mechanisms involved in the development of kidney fibrosis are discussed.
Reagan's Impact on Health Planning

Reagan's Impact examines the implementation process of national health planning during the 1970s and its subsequent demise under the tutelage of the Reagan administration. Congress enacted legislation to overcome prior health planning deficiencies but after six years that legislation has been replaced by private for-profit corporations and self-help special interest groups. Since a profit-seeking, corporate style of planning has superseded community health planning efforts, the question still remains as to who will provide health services not resulting in a profit. This article examines the impact of different health planning strategies on health providers and the American public.
The relationship between commuting time and workers’ utility

Numerous studies have looked at the multitude of aspects affecting the utility workers gain from their job. Within these studies, a common proxy for utility is job satisfaction, measured as a self-reported score. A variable often neglected within this research has been commuting time and modes of transport. This article utilizes a unique survey conducted in a UK city region and analyses the effect of commuting time and mode of transport on self-reported job satisfaction. Two cohorts of respondents are constructed based upon income levels, thus establishing the offsetting effect of income on commute. The study finds that commuting time has a negative effect on the utility of workers. However, the effect is found to be income dependent, with those earning the most having no negative effect from commuting time. Using a number of modes of transport is found to not have an effect on the utility of workers.
Stunted pigs from sows fed crude aflatoxins

Abstract Two sows which had nursing pigs were fed 0.234 and 0.077 mg, respectively, of aflatoxin per kg body weight over a 4-day period immediately following parturition. The sow which received the higher level of aflatoxin was sluggish and some serum enzyme values were elevated. Lesions in pigs nursing the sows given aflatoxin, detectable by the methods utilized in these experiments, were mild; however, the pigs from these sows gained weight at distinctly lower rates than control pigs. The stunting was clearly evident by weaning time and persisted until time of slaughter with no compensatory growth seen after weaning.
Pulmonary Hypertension in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Multivariate Analysis

The severity of pulmonary hypertension was evaluated by right cardiac catheterization in 89 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, both at rest and during maximum treadmill exercise. Thirty-one patients were found to have pulmonary hypertension at rest, defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 20 mm Hg or more. Although the remaining 58 patients had normal mean pulmonary arterial pressure at rest, three developed pulmonary hypertension during exercise (mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥35 mm Hg). Multiple anthropometric, spirometric, radiographic, and gas-exchange variables were analyzed and correlated with the hemodynamic data to define their value in predicting mean pulmonary arterial pressure. While arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) at maximum exercise was the variable most highly correlated with resting mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r=−0.67), stepwise multiple linear regression analysis indicated that measurement of the diameter of the right descending pulmonary artery and arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) also contributed to the prediction of mean pulmonary arterial pressure. Spirometric indices of airflow obstruction, hyperinflation, and the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide correlated poorly with the severity of pulmonary hypertension and consequently were not useful predictors of mean pulmonary arterial pressure. The threshold criteria of a PaO2 less than 60 mm Hg or a PaCO2 more than 40 mm Hg were reasonably accurate for a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. These arterial blood gas criteria were superior to the spirometric and radiographic variables examined in predicting pulmonary hypertension prior to the development of clinically overt cor pulmonale.
Cloning the gene for ribonuclease E, an RNA processing enzyme

Abstract A transducing bacteriophage γCh25rne+, which codes for ribonuclease E of E. coli, has been isolated. To achieve this a random library of Escherichia coli HindIII fragments was cloned in the γ Charon 25 vector (prepared in F.R. Blattner's laboratory), and γCh25rne+ was selected by its ability upon lysogenization to enable a temperature-sensitive (ts) rne-3071 mutant to grow and to exhibit normal RNA processing at the nonpermissive temperature of 45°C. The level of RNase E was doubled in an rne+ strain lysogenized with γCh25rne+. γCh25rne+ directs the synthesis of a polypeptide of 71 000 m.wt., which is the size of RNase E. Restriction analysis and electron micrography of heteroduplexes suggested that the size of the host DNA insert is about 1.9 kb.
Staff Performance Goals for Serials Functions

On October 15, 1999, Donnice Cochenour of Colorado State University posted an inquiry regarding staff productivity for serials check-in to the SERIALST electronic discussion list: “I'm interested i...
Transverse quark spin effects and the flavor dependence of the Boer-Mulders function

The naive time-reversal-odd (``$T$-odd'') parton distribution ${h}_{1}^{\ensuremath{\perp}}$, the so-called Boer-Mulders function, for both up ($u$) and down ($d$) quarks is considered in the diquark spectator model. While the results of different articles in the literature suggest that the signs of the Boer-Mulders function in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) for both flavors $u$ and $d$ are the same and negative, a previous calculation in the diquark spectator model found that ${h}_{1}^{\ensuremath{\perp}(u)}$ and ${h}_{1}^{\ensuremath{\perp}(d)}$ have different signs. The flavor dependence is of significance for the analysis of the azimuthal $\mathrm{cos}﻿(2\ensuremath{\phi})$ asymmetries in unpolarized SIDIS and Drell-Yan processes, as well as for the overall physical understanding of the distribution of transversely polarized quarks in unpolarized nucleons. We find substantial differences with previous work. In particular, we obtain half and first moments of the Boer-Mulders function that are negative over the full range in Bjorken $x$ for both the $u$ and $d$ quarks. In conjunction with the Collins function, we then predict the $\mathrm{cos}﻿(2\ensuremath{\phi})$ azimuthal asymmetry for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in this framework. We also find that the Sivers $u$ and $d$ quarks are negative and positive, respectively. As a by-product of the formalism, we calculate the chiral-odd but ``$T$-even'' function ${h}_{1L}^{\ensuremath{\perp}}$, which allows us to present a prediction for the single-spin asymmetry ${A}_{UL}^{\mathrm{sin}﻿(2\ensuremath{\phi})}$ for a longitudinally polarized target in SIDIS.
Late Quaternary paleohydrology in the North American Great Plains inferred from the geochemistry of endogenic carbonate and fossil ostracodes from Devils Lake, North Dakota, USA

Abstract Devils Lake, North Dakota is a closed-basin lake in which water chemistry is responsive to hydrological changes, making it a valuable resource for documenting paleoclimate conditions. Ostracode trace-element and bulk-carbonate geochemistry in a core are used to generate a 12,000-year record of salinity fluctuations. The relative amounts of Sr, Ca and Ba in the bulk-carbonate fraction can be linked mechanistically to changes in sediment mineralogy (calcite/aragonite) and/or solute chemistry, whereas the elemental geochemistry of ostracode valves reflect solute chemistry. Associated minima in Sr/Ca, and maxima in Mg/Ca, in ostracode valves from the Devils Lake core may be due to aragonite mediation of Sr chemistry during the precipitation of multiple mineral phases during more saline intervals. The Devils Lake record can be divided into four hydrological periods on the basis of the geochemical proxies: (a) 12.5−9 k.y.: Low salinity; (b) 9.5−4.5 k.y.: Fluctuating, saline conditions with a maximum at about 8 k.y.; (c) 4.5−3.5 k.y.: Low salinity phase, but probably not as fresh as at 12.5−9 k.y.; (d) 3.5 k.y.-Present: Saline phase, although generally less so than 9.5−4.5 k.y. However, a large degree of variability characterizes the entire record, suggesting the absence of long-term climatic stability in this region.
The effect of stoichiometry on dynamic behavior of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) during load change

Abstract Data are presented to show the transient response of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) subjected to change in the load. Overshoot and undershoot behaviors of the steady-state current density were observed for various rates of change in the voltage during constant inlet flow rate conditions. The results of these experiments with a 25 cm2 triple serpentine flow field indicate a correlation of the overshoot/undershoot behavior with initial and final stoichiometry. This transient analysis is potentially attractive in the operation of vehicle and stationary application and flow field designs.
Aldosterone and alterations of hypertension-related vascular function in African Americans.

BACKGROUND African Americans have a high prevalence of hypertension and hypertension-related vascular disease. We previously reported that plasma aldosterone concentrations are relatively high in hypertensive African Americans. This study evaluates the hypothesis that hypertension and hypertension-related alterations of peripheral vascular and renal vascular function are associated with aldosterone. METHODS Twenty four-hour blood pressures, cardiac output, renal blood flow (RBF), plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma aldosterone were measured in hypertensive and normotensive African Americans. Hemodynamic measurements were repeated in response to graded infusions of norepinephrine (NE). RESULTS Ambulatory blood pressures in hypertensives and normotensives were 142 +/- 1/86 +/- 1 and 117 +/- 1/70 +/- 1 mm Hg, respectively. Cardiac index (CI) was lower (P < 0.01), peripheral vascular resistance was higher (P < 0.0001), arterial compliance was lower (P < 0.0001), RBF was lower (P = 0.04), and renal vascular resistance (RVR) was higher (P < 0.0001) in the hypertensives. Overall, blood pressures were positively correlated with peripheral vascular resistance (P < 0.0001) and inversely correlated with vascular compliance (P < 0.0001). In response to NE, hypertensives had greater increases of systolic blood pressure (P < 0.004) and pulse pressure (P < 0.005). PRA was lower (P < 0.0001) and plasma aldosterone was higher (P < 0.0001) in the hypertensives. Overall, blood pressures and pulse pressure were correlated with aldosterone (P < or = 0.01). Vascular compliance, RVR, and the increment of RVR in response to NE were also correlated with aldosterone (P < or = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Aldosterone may contribute to hypertension and to hypertension-related alterations of peripheral vascular and renal vascular function in African Americans.
Benefits of "concreteness fading" for children's mathematics understanding *

Children often struggle to gain understanding from instruction on a procedure, particularly when it is taught in the context of abstract mathematical symbols. We tested whether a “concreteness fading” technique, which begins with concrete materials and fades to abstract symbols, can help children extend their knowledge beyond a simple instructed procedure. In Experiment 1, children with low prior knowledge received instruction in one of four conditions: (a) concrete, (b) abstract, (c) concreteness fading, or (d) concreteness introduction. Experiment 2 was designed to rule out an alternative hypothesis that concreteness fading works merely by “warming up” children for abstract instruction. Experiment 3 tested whether the benefits of concreteness fading extend to children with high prior knowledge. In all three experiments, children in the concreteness fading condition exhibited better transfer than children in the other conditions. Children's understanding benefits when problems are presented with concrete materials that are faded into abstract representations.
Comparative effects of forskolin and isoproterenol on the cyclic AMP content of human adipocytes

Abstract Alterations in adipocyte cyclic AMP concentrations in response to 100 μM forskolin and 10 μM isoproterenol over a 4 hour period were found to be similar; with each agent, a peak response was noted within 30 minutes. In general, the greater the magnitude of peak response, the more rapid the decline of cyclic AMP concentration during the ensuing 3 1 2 hours. Alpha-2 adrenergic activation, achieved with 10 μM clonidine or 10 μM epinephrine, substantially reduced the cyclic AMP concentrations in cells stimulated by 100 μM forskolin or 10 μM isoproterenol. Isoproterenol-stimulated cells appeared to be more sensitive to alpha adrenergic inhibition than did forskolin-stimulated cells. Cells preincubated for 3 hours with 100 μM forskolin were markedly less responsive to a second exposure to the diterpine. Cells exposed to forskolin for 3 hourd also had a reduced response when incubated with isoproterenol; thus, desensitization to forskolin appears to be heterologous. Forskolin desensitization did not appear to be dependent on cellular ATP depletion since cells mildly stimulated during preincubation were as severely desensitized as those adipocytes strongly stimulated. Maximum desensitization required a preincubation time of 1–2 hours with either isoproterenol or forskolin.
Calling the cops: Police telephone operators and citizen calls for service

Abstract Citizen calls for police service represent direct demands on government. It is the job of police phone operators to translate these demands into official, bureaucratically recognized inputs. As “street-level” bureaucrats, police phone operators enjoy considerable discretion in how they recieve, process, and transmit information. Operators screen all calls, categorize the citizen's problem, and by that process they determine much of the initial police response to that call. This article analyzes data on citizen requests and operator responses coded from a sample of over 26,000 phone calls to police in 21 jurisdictions in three metropolitan areas. The data indicate that most citizen calls to police involve the provision of information or assistance, nuisance abatement, traffic problems, or the regulation of interpersonal disputes. Citizen calls cover a wide range of topics, but only about 20 percent involve predatory crime of any type. The typical operator response to the problems described by most citizens was to promise the dispatch of a patrol unit, although this varied by problem type and by the apparent seriousness of the call. Complaint operators seem to follow a decision rule that a patrol unit will always be sent to the scene except in those situations where it is clear that none is needed. The article concludes with a discussion of the possible impact of operator demeanor on policy-community relations.
Bound feet: How sexy were they?

In lore and literature, footbinding is thought to have been maintained by its erotic attraction for Chinese men. Interviews with hundreds of living village and small-town women who were footbound in their childhood prove this to be an unsustainable myth. In addition to my extensive fieldwork in many Chinese regions, graphic and portable erotic art, and classical erotic novels all reveal a low level of sexual attentiveness to bound feet and shoes even among the literate. Since most commoner marriages were arranged by parents, and since Chinese mothers-in-law were unlikely to seek sexually distracting brides for their sons, it is clear that while Chinese culture produced some bound foot fetishists, the erotic aspect of the practice was of minimal, if any, importance to the huge population of ordinary couples. This finding clears the way for more effective explanations of its remarkable endurance and spread.
Serial discrimination reversal learning in pigeons as a function of intertrial interval and delay of reinforcement

Pigeons learned a series of reversals of a simultaneous red-green visual discrimination. Delay of reinforcement (0 vs. 2 sec) and intertrial interval (ITI; 4 vs. 40 sec) were varied across blocks of reversals. Learning was faster with 0-sec than with 2-sec delays for both ITI values and faster with 4-sec ITIs than with 40-sec ITIs for both delays. Improvement in learning across successive reversals was evident throughout the experiment, furthermore, even after more than 120 reversals. The potent effects of small differences in reinforcement delay provide evidence for associative accounts and appear to be incompatible with accounts of choice that attempt to encompass the effects of temporal parameters in terms of animals’ timing of temporal intervals.
Kontakte: A Communicative Approach. by TSCHIRNER, ERWIN, BRIGITTE NIKOLAI, & TRACY D. TERRELL

The article reviews the book "Kontakte: A Communicative Approach," 6th edition, with an instructional package containing a CD, a DVD entitled "Blickkontakte," a test bank, a picture file, website access, and a "Workbook/Laboratory Manual," by Erwin Tschirner, Brigitte Nikolai, and Tracy D. Terrell.
Customers' psychological needs in different service industries

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the basic psychological needs that customers have in four different service industries.Design/methodology/approach – Through the use of two focus groups, four customer needs emerged. These four psychological needs (security, self‐esteem, justice, and trust) in four industries (retail, airlines, hotels, and financial services) were then examined through the use of a survey.Findings – Results show that different needs are indeed more important in one type of service than another. Results also reveal that women have a higher level of overall needs than men. Last, customers in the finance industry seem to have an overall higher level of needs than other service industries.Research limitations/implications – Future research should validate the existence of the four needs in additional service industries using different samples. The results of this research can be used to train employees to tailor the customer service provided in different service industries.Originality/valu...
The Significance of Isomerism and Stereospecificity to the Chemistry of Plant Teratogens

AbstractAmong the stereochemical relationships which may be relevant to the biological properties of four types of teratogenic plant alkaloids are: (a) rotational isomerism about the C-20, C-22 bond of 22,26-epiminocholestenes, (b) nitrogen inversion and/or preferential ring F opening of 22α-N spirosolanes, (c) conformational or configurational interconversions of solanidanes, and (d) atropisomerism of colchicine and its analogs.
Diabetes: Caught in the Akt?

One complication of diabetes is a pronounced renal cellular hypertrophy, inevitably resulting in chronic fibrotic changes. Chuang and colleagues demonstrate that hypertrophy in vitro is dependent on an increased phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity and is correlated with increased levels of p21WAF1/Cip1, a cell-cycle regulator that was previously associated with renal fibrosis and sclerosis from nondiabetic causes.
Assisted reproductive technology in SLE and APS

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures, which include in vitro fertilization (IVF), are performed frequently and may be considered for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome. These procedures do not appear to increase the risk of disease flare or thrombosis in these patients. In addition, the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) does not independently predict the outcome of IVF pregnancies. As with pregnancies that are achieved naturally, candidates for ART should have quiescent disease for at least 6 months prior to attempting pregnancy for the best possible outcome for mother and child.
Spinal cannabinoids are anti-allodynic in rats with persistent inflammation.

Abstract Cannabinoid receptor (CB1) agonists strongly inhibit behavioral responses to acute noxious stimuli, but their effects on behavioral responses in persistent pain states are less clear. Here, we examined the effects of intrathecal (i.t.) administration of a CB1 agonist, WIN55,212-2, on mechanical allodynia (decreased withdrawal threshold) produced by injections of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in the plantar surface of the rat hindpaw. We measured mechanical thresholds with calibrated von Frey filaments before and after CFA and used Fos expression as a marker of the activity of spinal cord neurons during inflammation and in response to a CB1 antagonist. One day post CFA-induced injury, mechanical sensitivity was significantly increased in the hindpaw ipsilateral to the CFA injection, as was the number of neurons that express Fos. Intrathecal injection of WIN55,212-2, significantly, reversed the allodynia at doses that had no effect on the mechanical threshold of the contralateral paw of CFA-treated or the withdrawal thresholds in naive animals. This effect was blocked by coadministration of the CB1 antagonist, SR141716A, with WIN55212-2. By itself, SR141716A, had no effect on mechanical thresholds in normal animals. In inflamed animals, SR141716A did not further reduce mechanical thresholds in the inflamed paw, but it significantly enhanced mechanical sensitivity ‘contralateral’ to the inflammation. Furthermore, i.t. injection of SR141716A increased Fos expression in both normal and inflamed animals, to a different extent in different laminae. In normal animals, the increase was primarily in laminae V–VI and in the ventral horn; in animals with persistent inflammation SR141716A increased the number of Fos neurons in laminae I–II and V–VI. These results demonstrate that WIN55212-2 reverses inflammation-induced allodynia at doses that do not produce analgesia and that SR141716A differentially affects the pattern of Fos expression in the spinal cord, depending on the presence or absence of inflammation. Taken together, these results suggest that the CB1 receptor system is tonically active in the spinal cord under normal conditions and that its activity is increased in response to injury.
Components of the frequency-following potential in man

Abstract The scalp recorded frequency-following potentials (FFP) are a composite of several FFP's which may be distinguished by comparing simultaneously recorded waveforms from vertical and horizontal derivations in response to tones of very low frequency (below 350 Hz). The two most prominent FFP's were designated FFP1 and FFP2. FFP1 was recorded equally well in vertical and horizontal derivations and at a high stimulus intensities tended to be the predominant FFP. FFP2 followed FFP1 usually by about 1.7 msec and was optimally recorded in the vertical derivation. FFP2 threshold was about 10 dB lower than threshold for FFP1 and in several subjects, FFP2 was observed at 25 dB SL. Two other FFP's, a far-field recorded cochlear microphonic potential and a low-amplitude FFP, the latter presumably of neural origin, were also studied.
Domain width in a dielectrically loaded Gunn diode

The width of the travelling high-field domain in a Gunn diode has been determined for a device with one surface loaded by a dielectric material (LiNbO3). The domain width inferred from the shape of the acoustic pulse that is generated in the adjacent piezoelectric dielectric material.
Peer Evaluation and Competence Motivation in a Kindergarten Classroom.

The article describes a naturalistic study of peer evaluation among children in a kindergarten classroom. Eighty hours of participant observation field notes, formal and informal interview transcri...
Repolarization Abnormalities, Arrhythmia and Sudden Death in Canine Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy

Objectives. This study sought to determine whether the canine model of tachycardia-induced heart failure (HF) is an effective model for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in HF. Background. Such a well established HF model that also exhibits arrhythmias and SCD, along with repolarization abnormalities that could trigger them, may facilitate the study of SCD in HF, which still eludes effective treatment. Methods. Twenty-five dogs were VVI-paced at 250 beats/min for 3 to 5 weeks. Electrocardiograms were obtained, and left ventricular endocardial monophasic action potentials (MAPs) were recorded at six sites at baseline and after HF. Weekly Holter recordings were made with pacing suspended for 24 h. Results. Six animals (24%) died suddenly, one with Holter-documented polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). Holter recordings revealed an increased incidence of VT as HF progressed. Repolarization was significantly (p < 0.05) prolonged, as indexed by a corrected QT interval (mean [±SD] 311 ± 25 to 338 ± 25 ms) and MAP duration measured at 90% repolarization (MAPD90) (181 ± 19 to 209 ± 28 ms), and spatial MAPD90dispersion rose by 40%. We further tested whether CsCl inhibition of repolarizing K+currents, which are reportedly downregulated in HF, might preferentially prolong the MAPD90in HF. With 1 mEq/kg body weight of CsCl, MAPD90rose by 86 ± 100 ms in dogs with HF versus only 28 ± 16 ms in control animals (p = 0.002). Similar disparities in CsCl sensitivity were observed in myocytes isolated from normal and failing hearts. Conclusions. Tachycardia-induced HF exhibits malignant arrhythmia and SCD, along with prolonged, heterogeneous repolarization and heightened sensitivity to CsCl at chamber and cellular levels. Thus, it appears to be a useful model for studying mechanisms and therapy of SCD in HF.
Incomplete functional subdivision of the human multitendoned finger muscle flexor digitorum profundus: an electromyographic study.

The human flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) sends tendons to all 4 fingers. One might assume that this multitendoned muscle consists of 4 discrete neuromuscular compartments each acting on a differe...
On the logistic midrange

It is well-known that for a large family of distributions, the sample midrange is asymptotically logistic. In this article, the logistic midrange is closely examined. Its distribution function is derived using Dixon's formula (Bailey (1935,Generalized Hypergeometric Series, Cambridge University Press, p. 13)) for the generalized hypergeometric function with unit argument, together with appropriate techniques for the inversion of (bilateral) Laplace transforms. Several relationships in distribution are established between the midrange and sample median of the logistic and Laplace random variables. Possible applications in testing for outliers are also discussed.