cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual pharmacological targeting of the MAP kinase and PI3K/mTOR pathway in preclinical models of colorectal cancer.

Background The activation of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways is implicated in the majority of cancers. Activating mutations in both of these pathways has been described in colorectal cancer (CRC), thus indicating their potential as therapeutic targets. This study evaluated the combination of a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor (PF-04691502/PF-502) in combination with a MEK inhibitor (PD-0325901/PD-901) in CRC cell lines and patient-derived CRC tumor xenograft models (PDTX). Materials and Methods The anti-proliferative effects of PF-502 and PD-901 were assessed as single agents and in combination against a panel of CRC cell lines with various molecular backgrounds. Synergy was evaluated using the Bliss Additivity method. In selected cell lines, we investigated the combination effects on downstream effectors by immunoblotting. The combination was then evaluated in several fully genetically annotated CRC PDTX models. Results The in vitro experiments demonstrated a wide range of IC50 values for both agents against a cell line panel. The combination of PF-502 and PD-901 demonstrated synergistic anti-proliferative activity with Bliss values in the additive range. As expected, p-AKT and p-ERK were downregulated by PF-502 and PD-901, respectively. In PDTX models, following a 30-day exposure to PF-502, PD-901 or the combination, the combination demonstrated enhanced reduction in tumor growth as compared to either single agent regardless of KRAS or PI3K mutational status. Conclusions The combination of a PI3K/mTOR and a MEK inhibitor demonstrated enhanced anti-proliferative effects against CRC cell lines and PDTX models.
Sensitivity to aversive events in depression: Antecedent, concomitant, or consequent?

This study tested whether sensitivity to aversive events is a concomitant versus antecedent/consequent of depression. Twenty currently depressed subjects, twenty subjects with remitted depression, and twenty control subjects completed psychophysiological and learning tasks involving aversive components. Both currently depressed and remitted subjects, when compared to control subjects, exhibited greater decreases in skin resistance response reactions to negative social scenes and a greater sensitivity to extinction in the learning condition involving an aversive component. The fact that the responses of remitted subjects were very similar to those of currently depressed subjects on both tasks is consistent with the view that sensitivity to aversive events is an antecedent or consequent of depression, as opposed to being only a concomitant. The results also provide some support for the passive avoidance model of depression.
A tool for handling uncertainty in segmenting regions of interest in medical images

We have developed intelligent software tools for handling the uncertainty in delineating the boundaries of complex structures when segmenting regions of interest (ROIs) in medical images. The focus is on efficiently delineating the boundary of complex 3D organ structures, enabling accurate measurement of their structural and physiologic properties. We employ intensity based thresholding algorithms for interactive and semi-automated analysis. We also explore fuzzy-connectedness concepts in order to deal with the uncertainty in identifying organ surrounding tissue and fully automate the segmentation process. We apply the proposed tools to 3D single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images visualising gastric accommodation and emptying and compare their performance to that of the manual segmentation performed by a human expert. We show that the proposed tools achieve highly accurate delineation of the complex three-dimensional gastric boundaries shown in 3D SPECT images. We also demonstrate their ability to obtain accurate volume calculations based on the segmentation procedure, in order to quantitatively assess organ functional properties such as measuring the gastric mass variation.
Chinese preschool codeswitching: Mandarin babytalk and the voice of authority

Abstract Using Carol Scotton's (1983, 1988) model of codeswitching based on markedness theory I examine a type of register variation which is referred to as ‘babytalk’, ambiguously talk of babies (or young children) and talk to babies or young children. Examples are drawn from videotapes of naturally occurring conversation among Mandarin Chinese speaking children (ages 2 1/2–6 years) and teachers in several preschools in Taiwan. Considering babytalk as one type of codeswitching adds a new perspective to studies of child language acquisition and socialisation, while highlighting the need for a developmental perspective and more sensitivity to local constructions of person and society in the codeswitching literature. The claim that babytalk is a universal speech register is examined in light of cross‐cultural evidence, including my Chinese data. A style related to babytalk, a ‘language of socialisation’ (Gleason, 1973) or what I refer to as ‘the voice of authority’, is used by teachers to preschool students...
Fiber waviness in nanotube-reinforced polymer composites—II: modeling via numerical approximation of the dilute strain concentration tensor

Nanotube-reinforced polymers offer significant potential improvements over the pure polymer with regard to mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. This article investigates the degree to which the characteristic waviness of nanotubes embedded in polymers can impact the effective stiffness of these materials. A 3D finite element model of a single infinitely long sinusoidal fiber within an infinite matrix is used to numerically compute the dilute strain concentration tensor. A Mori–Tanaka model utilizes this tensor to predict the effective modulus of the material with aligned or randomly oriented inclusions. This hybrid finite elementmicromechanical modeling technique is a powerful extension of general micromechanics modeling and can be applied to any composite microstructure containing non-ellipsoidal inclusions. The results demonstrate that nanotube waviness results in a reduction of the effective modulus of the composite relative to straight nanotube reinforcement. The degree of reduction is dependent on the ratio of the sinusoidal wavelength to the nanotube diameter. As this wavelength ratio increases, the effective stiffness of a composite with randomly oriented wavy nanotubes converges to the result obtained with straight nanotube inclusions. The approach developed in this paper can also be utilized in the analysis of other problems involving nanotube-reinforced polymers, including alternate nanotube representations, viscoelastic response, assessing the effect of low matrix-NT bond strength and in the determination of thermal and electrical conductivity. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
CRD-BP Protects the Coding Region of βTrCP1 mRNA from miR-183-Mediated Degradation

Summary miRNAs are largely known to base pair with the 3′UTR of target mRNAs, downregulating their stability and translation. mRNA of β TrCP1 ubiquitin ligase is very unstable, but unlike the majority of mRNAs where 3′UTR determines the rate of mRNA turnover, β TrCP1 mRNA contains cis -acting destabilizing elements within its coding region. Here we show that degradation of mRNA of β TrCP1 is miRNA dependent and identify miR-183 as a microRNA that interacts with the coding region of β TrCP1 mRNA. Argonaute2 interacts with the same region of β TrCP1 mRNA in an miR-183-dependent manner. Inhibition of miR-183 function or disruption of the miR-183-binding site stabilizes β TrCP1 mRNA and elevates βTrCP1 levels, resulting in activation of the SCF βTrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase. We previously showed that the RNA-binding protein CRD-BP binds to the coding region of β TrCP1 mRNA and stabilizes it. Here we demonstrate that CRD-BP prevents degradation of β TrCP1 mRNA by attenuating its miR-183-dependent interaction with Ago2.
Dietary reconstruction of Pliocene Parapapio whitei from Makapansgat, South Africa, using dental microwear texture analysis.

Pliocene Parapapio whitei fossils from Makapansgat have yielded stable isotope values suggesting some foraging on C4 plants and possibly underground storage organs (USOs)
Understanding molecular structure from molecular mechanics

Molecular mechanics gives us a well known model of molecular structure. It is less widely recognized that valence bond theory gives us structures which offer a direct interpretation of molecular mechanics formulations and parameters. The electronic effects well-known in physical organic chemistry can be directly interpreted in terms of valence bond structures, and hence quantitatively calculated and understood. The basic theory is outlined in this paper, and examples of the effects, and their interpretation in illustrative examples is presented.
Proteomic identification of non‐Gal antibody targets after pig‐to‐primate cardiac xenotransplantation

Abstract: Background: Experience with non-antigenic galactose α1,3 galactose (αGal) polymers and development of αGal deficient pigs has reduced or eliminated the significance of this antigen in xenograft rejection. Despite these advances, delayed xenograft rejection (DXR) continues to occur most likely due to antibody responses to non-Gal endothelial cell (EC) antigens. Methods: To gauge the diversity of the non-Gal antibody response we used antibody derived from CD46 transgenic heterotopic cardiac xenografts performed without T-cell immunosuppression, Group A (n = 4) and Gal knockout (GT-KO) heart transplants under tacrolimus and sirolimus immunosuppression, Group B (n = 8). Non-Gal antibody was measured by flow cytometry and by western blots using GT-KO EC membrane antigens. A nanoLC/MS/MS analysis of proteins recovered from 2D gels was used to identify target antigens. Results: Group A recipients exhibited a mixed cellular and humoral rejection. Group B recipients mainly exhibited classical DXR. Western blot analysis showed a non-Gal antibody response induced by GT+ and GT-KO hearts to an overlapping set of pig aortic EC membrane antigens. Proteomic analysis identified 14 potential target antigens but failed to define several immunodominant targets. Conclusions: These experiments indicate that the non-Gal antibody response is directed to a number of stress response and inflammation related pig EC antigens and a few undefined targets. Further analysis of these antibody specificities using alternative methods is required to more fully define the repertoire of non-Gal antibody responses.
Enhanced reusability via polymorphic additive virtual methods in C

Abstract The virtual method is a useful concept in polymorphic behavior of object-oriented programs. By making a method virtual in a class, all classes derived from that class are allowed to modify or enhance the definition of the method (while retaining its original signature) providing one kind of polymorphism. In this article, we explore the virtues of virtual methods and introduce different ways of implementing additive virtual methods in C++. The concepts presented can find applications in shared software libraries, integrating software applications, and distributed computing.
Multiple excitations of surface-plasmon-polariton waves in an amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cell using Fourier harmonics and compound gratings

In an amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cell, back contact Fourier harmonics (FH) and compound gratings were studied theoretically, using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The FH grating was found to enable more efficient multiple surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) wave excitations compared with a compound grating, while both of them are made of the same constituting simple gratings. The incident plane wave was considered to be TM-polarized. The FH and compound gratings were designed to excite multiple SPP waves at desirable wavelengths by solving a canonical boundary-value problem. The excitation of SPP waves is indicated by the presence of peaks in the absorptance plots. The multiple SPP waves excited by the FH grating were found to increase the external quantum efficiency.
Chaotic dynamics in systems with square symmetry

Abstract A dynamical model for the interaction of nearly degenerate modes with square symmetry is studied. With the help of multiparameter bifurcation theory we find a “large” parameter region of chaotic behavior - a wedge with a positive angle - near the degenerate point and explore its connection to the underlying nonintegrable Hamiltonian.
Human phosducin-like protein (hPhLP) messenger RNA stability is regulated by cis-acting instability elements present in the 3'-untranslated region.

Abstract Phosducin (Pd) and phosducin-like protein (PhLP) have been shown to regulate G-protein signaling by binding Gβγ subunits. To better define the function and regulation of PhLP, and to begin to investigate its potential role in human pathophysiological states, we have cloned the human PhLP (hPhLP) cDNA. The hPhLP shows 92% identity with the rat PhLP (rPhLP). However, unlike the rPhLP, no evidence of hPhLP isoforms were detected in the human tissues investigated. Additionally, unlike the rPhLP, alternative polyadenylation sites were detected in hPhLP cDNA clones which corresponded with two distinct mRNA transcripts, 1.2 kb and 3.1 kb, respectively. Interestingly, the predominantly expressed long transcript contains multiple AU-rich elements (AREs) in its 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) which have been shown to correlate with rapid mRNA turnover and translational control. This study shows that the hPhLP AREs are functional both in vitro and in vivo, with the long transcript exhibiting a much shorter mRNA half-life. We also demonstrate that subcloning of either the full-length 3′-UTR or the ARE-rich region of the long transcript immediately following the stop codon of luciferase reporter gene confers instability to the luciferase mRNA and results in a ninefold reduction of luciferase activity in the cell types investigated. Taken together, these findings suggest that the AREs present in the long hPhLP mRNA may play a critical role in the regulation of hPhLP gene expression.
Potential New Treatments for Diabetic Kidney Disease

Antifibrotic agents, antioxidant agents, ET-a receptor antagonists, and a few other agents with nonspecific or multifaceted mechanisms of action have been evaluated and progressed to small clinical studies in human subjects. Although there are limited data at the present time, these early evaluations have produced some favorable results that at least warrant further investigation. There is certainly not enough compelling evidence to justify the routine use of any of these products specifically for DKD at the moment; however, more well-controlled and adequately powered studies in several hundred patients will help determine which of these may have a place in the DKD treatment armamentarium of the future.
Aiding and ABT'ing Treatment for Glioblastoma.

Commentary to:ABT-510, a Modified Type 1 Repeat Peptide of Thrombospondin, Inhibits Malignant Glioma Growth In Vivo by Inhibiting AngiogenesisJoshua C. Anderson, J. Robert Grammer, Wenquan Wang, L. Burton Nabors, Jack Henkin, Jerry E. Stewart Jr. and Candece L. GladsonVolume 6, Issue 3; 454-462
On the born-lertes rotational effect

A unified theoretical treatment of the Born-Lertes rotational effect is presented for the special case of a system of two concentric cylinders. It is shown that both the Born and the Lertes effects arise naturally from the concepts of dielectric loss and effective conductivity. A typical theoretical curve is given for the variation of the torque with frequency.
A monte carlo comparison of several methods for analyzing small sample binomial data in a two-factor experiment without replication

Five methods of anlayzing binomial data were compared for the case of a 3x3 analysis without replication. With respect to empirical significance levels and power, the two-way ANOVA of raw 0,1 cell data is recommended as the preferred method of analysis.
Step-by-Step: A Model for Practice-Based Learning.

Introduction: Innovative technology has led to high-precision radiation therapy that has dramatically altered the practice of radiation oncology. This qualitative study explored the implementation of this innovation into practice from the perspective of the practitioners in a large academic radiation medicine program and aimed to improve understanding of and facilitate the educational process of this change. Methods: Multiprofession staff participated in a series of seven focus groups and nine in-depth interviews, and the descriptive data from the transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Results: Practitioners believed that there had been a major effect on many aspects of their practice. The team structure supported the adoption of change. The technology changed the way the practices worked. Learning new skills increased workload and stress but led to a new conception of the discipline and the generation of new practice-based knowledge. When the concepts were examined longitudinally, a four-step process of learning was identified. In step 1, there was anxiety as staff acquired the skills to use the technology. Step 2 involved learning to interpret new findings and images, experiencing uncertainty until new perspectives developed. Step 3 involved questioning assumptions and critical reflection, which resulted in new understanding. The final step 4 identified a process of constructing new knowledge through research, development, and dialogue within the profession. Discussion: These findings expand our understanding of how practice-based learning occurs in the context of change and can guide learning activities appropriate to each stage.
The influence of cracks, notches and holes on the tensile strength of cellular solids

Finite element simulations of two-dimensional cellular structures with defects were performed to study the influence of defect size and cell size on the tensile strength of the cellular solid. Three types of defects were considered: circular holes, sharp cracks and notches. The net section strength, defined as the peak tensile load divided by the remaining intact area in the section with the defect, was determined for a range of defect sizes and cell sizes. For the circular holes, the net section strength was found to be independent of hole size, and equal to the tensile strength of the intact honeycomb. For cracks and notches the net section strength showed a notch-strengthening effect, exceeding the tensile strength of the intact honeycomb and increasing with crack or notch depth. The results were sensitive to the cell size for the crack defects but not for the hole or notch defects.
Albumin from heated human plasma. IV. Diffusion studies.

Abstract The diffusion of human and bovine plasma albumin was studied by the Rayleigh-Calvet-Philpot interference fringe method. Analysis of the boundary shapes revealed heterogeneity for most of the preparations of human albumin. The purity of the preparations as indicated by electrophoresis ranged from 91.5 to 99% and was correlated with the heterogeneity measured by diffusion in a semiquantitative manner. At pH 7.30 the diffusion coefficient, D 0, w , of the purest preparations of human albumin obtained from heated plasma or isolated by electrophoresis was found to be 3.2 (±0.1) × 10 −7 with solutions containing 0.7 and 1.0 g./100 ml. D 0, w for 0.1 N KCl was 9.31 (±0.02) × 10 −6 and for a 0.7% solution of crystalline BPA, at pH 4.55 was 2.940 (±0.003) × 10 −7 .
The Current Status of Women in US Department Store Retailing: 2004

This study replicates the work of Gable, Fiorito and Topol (1994) that examined the status of women in managerial ranks of department store organizations. Women now constitute 67% of all lower-level management positions, approximately 45% of middle-level positions, and 24% of those positions at upper levels. While some progress has been made since the 1994 study, females are not close to parity with males at the highest level positions. Further, a comparison was made of the gender composition of the boards of directors of the 25 largest industrial organizations (in annual sales volume) with that of the 25 department store organizations.
Particle pressure and marginal stability limits for a homogeneous monodisperse gas-fluidized bed: kinetic theory and numerical simulations

A linear stability analysis is performed for the homogeneous state of a monodisperse gas-fluidized bed of spherical particles undergoing hydrodynamic interactions and solid-body collisions at small particle Reynolds number and finite Stokes number. A prerequisite for the stability analysis is the determination of the particle velocity variance which controls the particle-phase pressure. In the absence of an imposed shear, this velocity variance arises solely due to the hydrodynamic interactions among the particles. Since the uniform state of these suspensions is unstable over a wide range of values of particle volume fraction φ and Stokes number St, full dynamic simulations cannot be used in general to characterize the properties of the homogeneous state. Instead, we use an asymptotic analysis for large Stokes numbers together with numerical simulations of the hydrodynamic interactions among particles with specified velocities to determine the hydrodynamic sources and sinks of particle-phase energy. In this limit, the velocity distribution to leading order is Maxwellian and therefore standard kinetic theories for granular/hard-sphere molecular systems can be used to predict the particle-phase pressure and rheology of the bed once the velocity variance of the particles is determined. The analysis is then extended to moderately large Stokes numbers for which the anisotropy of the velocity distribution is considerable by using a kinetic theory which combines the theoretical analysis of Koch (1990) for dilute suspensions (φ [Lt ] 1) with numerical simulation results for non-dilute suspensions at large Stokes numbers. A linear stability analysis of the resulting equations of motion provides the first a priori predictions of the marginal stability limits for the homogeneous state of a gas-fluidized bed. Dynamical simulations following the detailed motions of the particles in small periodic unit cells confirm the theoretical predictions for the particle velocity variance. Simulations using larger unit cells exhibit an inhomogeneous structure consistent with the predicted instability of the homogeneous gas–solid suspension.
On connected dominating sets of restricted diameter

Abstract A connected dominating set (CDS) is commonly used to model a virtual backbone of a wireless network. To bound the distance that information must travel through the network, we explicitly restrict the diameter of a CDS to be no more than s leading to the concept of a dominating s-club. We prove that for any fixed positive integer s it is NP-complete to determine if a graph has a dominating s-club, even when the graph has diameter s + 1 . As a special case it is NP-complete to determine if a graph of diameter two has a dominating clique. We then propose a compact integer programming formulation for the related minimization problem, enhance the approach with variable fixing rules and valid inequalities, and present computational results.
Seasonal temperature forecasts as products of antecedent linear and spatial temperature arrays

Abstract Our objective is to evaluate the potential for extracting the maximum information contained in antecedent temperature patterns that operationally could be used in formulating winter seasonal forecasts in the United States. In particular, examination of the predictability of winter temperatures given autumn temperatures is made using derived contingency tables, discriminant equations of antecedent principal components, and canonical correlation analysis. Contingency tables were constructed based on tercile classifications of a seventy-five year dependent record (1895–1969). Testing of an independent data period (1970–78) using these tables produced winter forecasts with no appreciable skill in the aggregate (−0.04). Discriminant analysis deprived linear combinations of the five principal components of the antecedent seasonal (autumn) temperatures to distinguish between specific terciles of the predictand season (winter). Despite encouraging results for the dependent period, forecast skill for the ...
Three-Dimensional Robot Vision

This paper examines the application of the "shape from shading" technique of surface measurement for depth perception and object recognition. An examination of several models for surface shading prediction as applied to scene synthesis is presented. Also discussed is the reverse process of using these surface shading models for image analysis for depth perception. The surface measurements are then used to fit simple surfaces to objects for recognition.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Learning System with the Ability to Grasp Its Situation

This paper reports a machine that is able to respond correctly to inputs having multiple meanings by grasping its situation. Unlike the conventional learning systems, the machine models the context relation between input patterns by a learning process. The machine can grasp its situation by the use of the modeled context relation, and hence it can respond correctly. To be concrete, the machine can correctly recognize patterns having multiple meanings such as 0 (``oh'' or ``zero'') as the situation may demand. The machine is composed of the backward coupling of the same kind of neuronlike elements called basic computational elements. The context relation between two input patterns is given by the coupling coefficient of the two basic computational elements correlated to the two patterns, respectively. Coupling coefficients make potentials of the elements correlated to the present inputs higher than the other elements. These higher potentials enable the machine to grasp the situation. Stability analysis is also made, and conditions for the machine to operate correctly are definitely shown under some assumptions. The machine was simulated on a computer, and several input patterns each of which had two meanings were recognized correctly.
Moral Intensity, Issue Importance, and Ethical Reasoning in Operations Situations.

Previous work suggests that moral intensity and the perceived importance of an ethical issue can influence individual ethical decision making. However, prior research has not explored how the various dimensions of moral intensity might differentially affect PIE, or how moral intensity might function together with (or in the presence of) PIE to influence ethical decision making. In addition, prior work has also not adequately investigated how the operational context of an organization, which may embody conditions or practices that create barriers to ethical decision making, may differ from other functional areas of an organization. Consequently, this study investigated the relationships among moral intensity, perceived ethical issue importance, and three stages of the ethical reasoning process: recognition of an ethical issue, ethical judgment, and ethical intention. Using an internet-based, self-report survey containing two operations management scenarios and various ethics measures, information was collected from business professionals working for a Midwestern financial services organization. The hierarchical regression results indicated that some dimensions of moral intensity were positively related to PIE, ethical issue recognition, and ethical judgment, and that PIE was associated with increased ethical issue recognition and ethical judgment. The steps of ethical reasoning were also positively interrelated.
Variability in Daily Ration Estimates of Age‐0 Striped Bass in the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract Previous studies have developed and applied bioenergetics models to estimate trophic demand for prey by striped bass Morone saxatilis in Chesapeake Bay. Although these models were validated with laboratory studies, no field estimates of daily ration of striped bass were available in Chesapeake Bay for comparison with bioenergetics model estimates. This study estimated growth and daily ration of age-0 striped bass in the upper Chesapeake Bay for two dates (6 and 19 October 1993) using the Eggers model. Experiments on the gastric evacuation rate of captive striped bass at 17°C found that stomach contents were evacuated at a rate of e −0.12h , where h is time in hours since feeding. Daily ration estimates only 14 d apart varied by 66% (0.0326 g · g−1 · d−1 on 6 October and 0.0542 g · g−1 · d−1 on 19 October). Bioenergetics model estimates of consumption over this period averaged 0.0559 g · g−1 · d−1. Based on the variability in Eggers estimates, it would require more than two estimates (2.4) of dail...
The Dissociation of 8B in the Coulomb Field and the Validity of the CD Method

The GSI1, GSI2 (as well as the RIKEN2 and the corrected GSI2) measurements of the Coulomb Dissociation (CD) of 8B are in good agreement with the most recent Direct Capture (DC) 7Be(p,g)8B reaction measurement performed at Weizmann and in agreement with the Seattle result. Yet it was claimed that the CD and DC results are sufficiently different and need to be reconciled. We show that these statements arise from a misunderstanding (as well as misrepresentation) of CD experiments. We recall a similar strong statement questioning the validity of the CD method due to an invoked large E2 component that was also shown to arise from a misunderstanding of the CD method. In spite of the good agreement between DC and CD data the slope of the astrophysical cross section factor (S17) can not be extracted with high accuracy due to a discrepancy between the recent DC data as well as a discrepancy of the three reports of the GSI CD data. The slope is directly related to the d-wave component that dominates at higher energies and must be subtracted from measured data to extrapolate to zero energy. Hence the uncertainty of the measured slope leads to an additional uncertainty of the extrapolated zero energy cross section factor, S17(0). This uncertainty must be alleviated by future experiments to allow a precise determination of S17(0), a goal that so far has not be achieved in spite of strong statement(s) that appeared in the literature.
On Possible Short-Lived Progenitors of Fission Xenon in Carbonaceous Chondrites

We suggest that the unidentified fission xenon component in carbonaceous chondrites may be attributable to the decay of the extinct radioactivities250Cm and, to a lesser extent,258Cm. Two assumptions are fundamental to this picture: (1) these relatively short-lived actinides (1.13×104 and 3.7×105 yr, respectively) were incorporated into grains in the vicinity of their supernova birthplace (prior to decay); and (2) such grains and their trapped anomalous xenon component were incorporated intact into the meteorites. Recognizing the many substantial uncertainties associated with our suggested model, we emphasize the importance of precise experimental determinations of the mass spectra of fission xenon resulting from250Cm and248Cm decay.
Postmodernism, symmetry, and cash value: An Isocratean model for practitioners

Abstract Postmodern philosophy has presented significant challenges to the practicality, universality, and justice of a pervasive paradigm in public relations theory: Excellence Theory, including the concept of the two-way symmetrical worldview. Conversely, however, the practical value of postmodern public relations remains problematic for current practitioners. This article seeks to show that the symmetrical rhetoric of Isocrates – with its values of moderation, justice, and inclusive discourse – presents a practical, successful model for the infusion of postmodern values into 21st-century symmetry.
Knowledge Construction in Inservice Teacher Online Discourse: Impacts of Instructor Roles and Facilitative Strategies

AbstractThis study investigates how inservice teachers constructed new knowledge, the extent of knowledge construction achieved, and how instructors participated in and facilitated the online discussion to affect knowledge construction. One finding is that most inservice teachers seemed to favor discussion activities at the stage of knowledge confirmation rather than knowledge construction. Another finding is that some facilitation approaches used by the instructors when serving as both facilitator and co-participant were particularly helpful for enhancing knowledge construction. However, neither student-perceived learning nor satisfaction with instructor roles and facilitative strategies significantly differ between the two classes involved.
Modeling and simulation of plasma enhanced processing for integrated circuit fabrication

Plasma processes are used extensively in deposition and etching operations used in the fabrication of integrated circuits (ICs). Modeling and simulation studies have helped improve our understanding and process design of several plasma enhanced processes. We use three examples to show that simple chemical and transport models can help with process understanding and process development. Calibration of these simple engineering models is needed, but the approach can provide timely information for engineering level decisions. In the first example we show that simple models for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon dioxide from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were useful for several different process designs. Reactive ion etching (RIE) is another common IC fabrication process, and our second example shows how modeling revealed that one potential reason for aspect ratio dependent etching is the interaction between chemistry and transport. Finally, we show how modeling was used in support of process integration to help decide between two proposed process sequences involving deposition, etching and reflow processes.
Electrostatic energy in the effective fragment potential method: Theory and application to benzene dimer

Evaluation of the electrostatic energy within the effective fragment potential (EFP) method is presented. The performance of two variants of the distributed multipole analysis (DMA) together with two different models for estimating the charge penetration energies was studied using six homonuclear dimers. The importance of damping the higher order multipole terms, i.e. charge dipole, was also investigated. Damping corrections recover more than 70% of the charge penetration energy in all dimers, whereas higher order damping introduces only minor improvement. Electrostatic energies calculated by the numerical DMA are less accurate than those calculated by the analytic DMA. Analysis of bonding in the benzene dimer shows that EFP with inclusion of the electrostatic damping term performs very well compared to the high-level coupled cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples method. The largest error of 0.4 kcal/mol occurs for the sandwich dimer configuration. This error is about half the size of the corresponding error in second order perturbation theory. Thus, EFP in the current implementation is an accurate and computationally inexpensive method for calculating interaction energies in weakly bonded molecular complexes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 28: 276–291, 2007
Characterization of plasticizers in solid propellant formulations by FTIR-microscopic, FTIR-photoacoustic, and GC-FTIR techniques

Investigation of plasticizer levels in solid propellants has been carried out using three FTIR techniques: FTIR-microscopy (FTIR-mic), photoacoustic-FTIR (PA-FTIR), and gas chromatography-FTIR (GC-FTIR). Two plasticizers have been examined; only one of these appears to have a tendency to evaporate from the solid propellants. It was observed that when both plasticizers are present in the same formulation, evaporation of the more volatile plasticizer is notably decreased. Significantly higher levels of plasticizer and polymeric binder have been found at extruded surfaces than have been found in the interior of the grain. Desorption-GC-FTIR analysis revealed a relationship between processing conditions and residual solvent content.
Temperature dependence of specific contact resistivity

The temperature dependence of specific contact resistivity has been measured over the range 77-380 K for W contact to both B- and P-doped silicon. A range of surface concentrations have been investigated. In general, ρ c is slightly more weakly temperature dependent than has been predicted. There appears to be no fundamental barrier to obtaining low-resistance contacts for low-temperature (<100 K) device operation. Contact resistivity to very heavily P-doped surfaces actually decreases with decreasing temperature, in agreement with predictions.
Visualizing topic maps for e-learning

TM4L is an e-learning environment providing editing and browsing support for developing and using topic maps-based digital course libraries. The TM4L functionality is enhanced by an interactive graphical user interface that combines a hierarchical layout with an animated view, coupled with context sensitive features. This paper discusses the visualization design in TM4L and some development issues.
Coherent regions for concise and stable image description

We present a new method for summarizing images for the purposes of matching and registration. We take the point of view that large, coherent regions in the image provide a concise and stable basis for image description. We develop a new algorithm for image segmentation that operates on several projections (feature spaces) of the image, using kernel-based optimization techniques to locate local extrema of a continuous scale-space of image regions. Descriptors of these image regions and their relative geometry then form the basis of an image description. We present experimental results of these methods applied to the problem of image retrieval. On a moderate sized database, we find that our method performs comparably to two published techniques: Blobworld and SIFT features. However, compared to these techniques two significant advantages of our method are its 1) stability under large changes in the images and 2) its representational efficiency. As a result we argue our proposed method will scale well with larger image sets.
Molybdenum, [(S)‐3,3′‐Bis(1,1‐dimethylethyl)‐5,5′, 6,6′‐tetramethyl[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2,2′‐diolato(2−)‐κO,κO′]‐2‐methyl‐2‐phenylpropylidene)[tricyclo[3.3.1.1]decan‐1‐aminato(2−)]

[506443-55-6] C44H59MoNO2 (MW 729.90) InChI = 1S/C24H34O2.C10H15N.C10H12.Mo/c1-13-11-17(23(5,6)7)21(25)19(15(13)3)20-16(4)14(2)12-18(22(20)26)24(8,9)10;11-10-4-7-1-8(5-10)3-9(2-7)6-10;1-10(2,3)9-7-5-4-6-8-9;/h11-12,25-26H,1-10H3;7-9H,1-6H2;1,4-8H,2-3H3;/q;;;+2/p-2/t;7-,8+,9-,10-;; InChIKey = HCKDLEPUKVGKLH-PVFISKEKSA-L Solubility: soluble in diethyl ether, benzene, n-pentane, dichloromethane, and most organic solvents. Form SuSpplied in: light yellow powder. Purification: recrystallized under an inert atmosphere from n-pentane at −30 °C. The n-pentane is generally rendered ‘olefin-free’ by repeated stirring over sulfuric acid until the addition of acid no longer results in discoloration; it is subsequently washed with deionized water and a saturated aqueous solution of NaHCO3 followed by normal purification. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: air and moisture sensitive. The complex should be stored at, or below, −20 °C and under an inert atmosphere (N2 or Ar). Solvents should be distilled and degassed prior to use. The complex must be stored in the solid state to avoid decomposition.
Cops and Kids in the Interrogation Room

The Supreme Court repeatedly has cautioned that youthfulness and immaturity can impair juveniles’ ability to exercise Miranda rights or to make voluntary statements. However, it endorsed the adult waiver standard—knowing, intelligent, and voluntary—to gauge juveniles’ Miranda waivers. Developmental psychologists question whether young people understand or possess the competence necessary to exercise Miranda rights. Police interrogation training and practices do not distinguish between questioning juveniles and adults, and recommend that police use the same tactics to question both. This chapter analyzes quantitative and qualitative data of recorded interrogations of three hundred and seven (307) 16- and 17-year-old youths charged with felony offenses. It examines when and where interrogations take place, who conducts them, and how juveniles respond. It reports how police secure Miranda waivers, the maximization and minimization tactics they use to elicit information, how juveniles respond, and the evidence youths provide. It reports that the vast majority of juveniles (92.3 %) waived their Miranda rights and the majority (58.6 %) confessed very quickly. The findings bear on three policy issues—procedural safeguards for youths, time limits, and mandatory recording of those interrogations. It corroborates developmental psychologists’ research that older juveniles appear to understand Miranda similarly to adults. It inferentially bolsters their research that younger juveniles lack competence to exercise the rights—a finding reflected in their propensity to confess falsely—and require the assistance of counsel. Police concluded ninety percent of these felony interrogations in less than 30 minutes. By contrast, interrogations that elicit false confessions typically take 6 hours or longer wear-down an innocent person’s resistance. Finally, mandatory recording creates an objective record and an independent basis to resolve disputes about Miranda warnings, waivers, or statements.
Chemical aging of m -xylene secondary organic aerosol: laboratory chamber study

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) can reside in the atmosphere for a week or more. While its initial formation from the gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds tends to take place in the first few hours after emission, SOA can continue to evolve chemically over its atmospheric lifetime. Simulating this chemical aging over an extended time in the laboratory has proven to be challenging. We present here a procedure for studying SOA aging in laboratory chambers that is applied to achieve 36 h of oxidation. The formation and evolution of SOA from the photooxidation of m-xylene under low-NOx conditions and in the presence of either neutral or acidic seed particles is studied. In SOA aging, increasing molecular functionalization leads to less volatile products and an increase in SOA mass, whereas gas- or particle-phase fragmentation chemistry results in more volatile products and a loss of SOA. The challenge is to discern from measured chamber variables the extent to which these processes are important for a given SOA system. In the experiments conducted, m-xylene SOA mass, calculated under the assumption of size-invariant particle composition, increased over the initial 12–13 h of photooxidation and decreased beyond that time, suggesting the existence of fragmentation chemistry. The oxidation of the SOA, as manifested in the O:C elemental ratio and fraction of organic ion detected at m/z 44 measured by the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer, increased continuously starting after 5 h of irradiation until the 36 h termination. This behavior is consistent with an initial period in which, as the mass of SOA increases, products of higher volatility partition to the aerosol phase, followed by an aging period in which gas- and particle-phase reaction products become increasingly more oxidized. When irradiation is stopped 12.4 h into one experiment, and OH generation ceases, minimal loss of SOA is observed, indicating that the loss of SOA is either light- or OH-induced. Chemical ionization mass spectrometry measurements of low-volatility m-xylene oxidation products exhibit behavior indicative of continuous photooxidation chemistry. A condensed chemical mechanism of m-xylene oxidation under low-NOx conditions is capable of reproducing the general behavior of gas-phase evolution observed here. Moreover, order of magnitude analysis of the mechanism suggests that gas-phase OH reaction of low volatility SOA precursors is the dominant pathway of aging in the m-xylene system although OH reaction with particle surfaces cannot be ruled out. Finally, the effect of size-dependent particle composition and size-dependent particle wall loss rates on different particle wall loss correction methods is discussed.
Attachment of the Synapse-Specific Phosphoprotein Protein I to the Synaptic Membrane: A Possible Role of the Collagenase-Sensitive Region of Protein I

: The purified synapse-specific phosphoprotein Protein I was previously shown to be degraded by a bacterial collagenase, through a series of intermediates, to a collagenase-resistant fragment of molecular weight about 48,000 containing a phosphorylated serine residue. In this study, a purified synaptic membrane fraction containing Protein I was treated with Cl. his-tolyticum collagenase; membrane-bound and membrane-free proteins were then phosphorylated using [γ-32P]ATP and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. It was observed that Protein I bound to the synaptic membrane was susceptible to the collagenase and degraded to fragments of molecular weights about 68,000, 62,000, and 48,000; the 68,000 fragment remained bound to the membrane whereas the 62,000 and 48,000 fragments were dissociated from the membrane. These observations suggest that the peptide moiety of mol. wt. 6000, present in the 68,000 fragment but absent from the 62,000 fragment, may play a crucial role in anchoring Protein I to the synaptic membrane.
Velocity leakage in the pigeon vestibulo-ocular reflex

The transfer characteristics of the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR), and of the semicircular canal primary afferents (SCPAs) that drive it, have been studied in several species. In monkeys and cats, the dominant time constant describing horizontal VOR dynamics (? hu ) is longer than that (? c ) of horizontal SCPAs. This lengthening of the time constant has been attributed to a "velocity storage" mechanism that has been modeled as a positive feedback loop in the VOR pathways. We have studied the transfer characteristics of horizontal and vertical VOR and SCPAs in unanesthetized pigeons. In this species the dominant time constants of both the horizontal and vertical VOR (? hv and ? vv ) are shorter than ? c . This finding indicates that time constants characterizing the lower frequency response of the VOR can be lengthened or shortened depending on the species. We propose that in the pigeon the "velocity leakage" mechanism can be modeled by substituting negative feedback for positive feedback in the model of the VOR pathways. Negative feedback can also account for the further shortening of ? hu and ? vv as VOR gain increases with arousal. Additionally, making the negative feedback loop nonlinear can model the dependency of lower frequency VOR phase on amplitude, and skew in VOR waveforms. Pigeon VOR and SCPA dynamics also differ in their adaptive properties and higher frequency behavior. A predominance of input from highly adaptive SCPAs is proposed to account for the increased adaptation of the vertical VOR as compared with SCPAs overall. A pure time-delay associated with VOR operation can explain the phase lag of the VOR relative to SCPAs at higher frequencies.