cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Nurture Effects of Multidimensional Parental Skills on Intergenerational Human Capital Transmission

While many studies have shown that parental skills are important for child outcomes, whether this derives from non-genetic mechanisms is less clear. We investigate the nurture effects of parental cognitive and socio-emotional skills in producing college attainment of offspring, modelling socio-emotional skills as latent factors based on the Big Five taxonomy of personality. By studying a sample of adopted children whose parents are respondents of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we identify non-genetic effects of parental skills on college attainment and find that they are sizeable, with IQ, Openness, and Agreeableness being the most important skills. We uncover substantial heterogeneity in effects across parent-child relationships by gender. We argue that our estimates are plausibly robust to non-random adoption assignment after accounting for institutional policies regarding the adoption process and the compositional change of adoptees in Wisconsin during the period covered by our sample.
Fluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride emissions reduction strategy in the United States

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocompounds (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), represent possible solutions to the environmental impact caused by chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and other ozone depleting substances; however, most of the PFCs, SF6, and some HFCs are very potent greenhouse gases. As such, emissions of these gases are under examination by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). USEPA is actively tracking emissions of these gases from various sources and has developed programs to control releases of the gases.
Maternal ABO blood group type B: a risk factor in the developement of neonatal group B streptococcal disease

In a prospective study of maternal genital colonization with group B streptococci (GBS) at the time of delivery, epidemiological data, including blood type (ABO group), were recorded for the 1,062 patients studied. Blood type B was found in a statistically significant higher proportion of patients colonized with GBS (28%) compared with the total population (16.4%) (P less than .005, X2 = 8.43). Women with blood type B were twice as likely to be colonized as those with types O or A. Hypotheses to explain this observation include the possibilities that GBS possess a B-like antigen, rendering parturients who lack anti-B antibody at increased risk for GBS colonization, or that GBS possess a receptor site for B surface antigens. One may speculate that a mutation toward an affinity for the human ABO blood group type B accounts for the advent of the group B Streptococcus as a significant perinatal pathogen.
Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment

Lymphocytes recovered from human tumors or the peripheral blood of patients with advanced malignancies are functionally compromised. Abnormalities in signaling via the T cell receptor (TcR) in T cells and FcγRIII in NK cells obtained from cancer patients include significantly decreased expression of the receptor-associated ζ chains, decreased Ca++ flux as well as impaired kinase activity following triggering with anti-CD3 or anti-CD 16 antibodies, respectively, and altered expression of downstream protein tyrosine kinase p56lck. Some of these defects were demonstrable in situ, in T cells infiltrating tumor tissues. Post-translational modifications of the ζ protein were responsible for its low levels, since near normal levels of mRNA were present in situ in the patients’ T cells. LNL in tumor-involved LN or mononuclear cells in solid tumors were shown to contain numerous apoptotic (TUNEL+) CD3+ lymphocytes. Co-incubation of normal activated T cells or Jurkat cells with tumor targets (either freshly isolated or tumor cell lines) induced degradation of the ζ chain as well as apoptosis in a proportion of lymphocytes. Both fresh and cultured human tumors were shown to express FasL, and T cells in tumors were found to be Fas+. Therefore, the Fas-FasL pathway is, at least in part, responsible for signaling defects and apoptosis induced by the tumor in lymphocytes found in its milieu. Preliminary data indicate that immunotherapy with cytokines might normalize ζ expression in T cells and partly restore their antitumor functions.
The Basement Membrane Glycoprotein Entactin Promotes Cell Attachment and Binds Calcium Ions

Mouse entactin derived from the extracellular matrix of M1536-B3 cells and from insect cells infected with a recombinant virus containing entactin sequences were shown to promote the attachment of mouse mammary tumor, human melanoma, and other cells. The cell attachment was inhibited by antibodies against mouse entactin but not by anti-fibronectin or anti-laminin antibodies. On a weight basis entactin was as effective as laminin in promoting the attachment of mouse mammary tumor cells. The attachment of cells to entactin was in part mediated by the integrin recognition RGD peptide sequence. This was demonstrated by the cell attachment properties of peptides derived from entactin which contained this sequence. Furthermore, the peptide RGDS could inhibit the attachment of mouse mammary tumor cells to entactin to approximately 60% of control. It is suggested that additional cell recognition sequences may be present in entactin. The direct binding of calcium ions to entactin was observed. It is probable that the binding sites reside in peptide sequences located toward the NH2 terminus region of entactin. This conclusion was supported by the demonstration that synthetic peptides, containing potential calcium binding sequences derived from entactin, bound calcium. In addition, a recombinant peptide containing the amino-terminal 330 amino acids of entactin also bound calcium ions. The significance of these properties of entactin is discussed.
Multiphoton Ionization Spectroscopy with Photoelectron and Mass Spectral Analysis

Photoelectron and mass spectral analyses have become important adjuncts to the recently developed field of multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. Each of the methods are discussed and the significant enhancement in capability provided by their joint application is illustrated by their use in the spectroscopic study of free radicals, molecular ions and transient excited states of molecules.
Biliary tract neoplasms: detection and staging CT and Ultrasound

Most biliary tract neoplasms are malignant and have been traditionally divided into cancers of the gallbladder, the extrahepatic bile ducts, and ampulla of Vater. Although infrequent, bile duct carcinomas and cancer of the gallbladder are not rare. In the United States, an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 new cases of carcinoma of the gallbladder and 3,000 to 4,000 new cases of carcinoma of the bile ducts are diagnosed annually. Familiarity with the imaging characteristics of gallbladder and bile duct neoplasms is important to expedite diagnosis and appropriate treatment of patients who often present with nonspecific symptoms of right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, and weight loss. This workshop presents the CT and ultrasound features of biliary tract neoplasms important for early diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of these often lethal neoplasms
Unique strain history during ejection in canine left ventricle

Understanding the relationship between structure and function in the heart requires a knowledge of the connection between the local behavior of the myocardium (e.g., shortening) and the pumping act...
Imaging through random media

This paper seeks to address imaging applications in the presence of random media, such as fog and sand between the detector and target. Interferometric imaging, which utilizes the complex correlations from a relatively small number of sensors to construct an image from the source plane, is investigated. Different detector geometries and different types of random media are studied to understand their effects on the image quality.
Is multislice computed tomography of value for the imaging of myocardial infarction

Evaluation of: Mahnken A, Koos R, Katoh M et al.: Assessment of myocardial viability in reperfused acute myocardial infarction using 16-slice computed tomography in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 12, 2042–2047 (2005). Myocardial contrast-enhanced (CE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a relatively new and well-validated technique for imaging both cell damage and scar resulting from myocardial infarction. Multislice (16-slice) x-ray computed tomography (MSCT) has recently been suggested as a means for imaging acute myocardial infarction. Both CMR and MSCT are becoming increasingly available, are less invasive than catheter-based techniques and have high spatial three-dimensional resolution, allowing interrogation and sizing of acute myocardial infarction. The cell damage in acute myocardial infarction may be distinguished from normal myocardium by either technique. But while both CMR and MSCT show agreement for infarct localization and size determination,...
Peptide-mediated transcytosis of phage display vectors in MDCK cells.

Delivery of therapeutic macromolecules and gene vectors to certain tissues is hampered by endothelial or epithelial barriers. We show here that the transport of phage particles across epithelial cells can be facilitated by peptide ligands selected from a phage library of random peptides. Using MDCK cells, we identified a polycationic peptide sequence, RYRGDLGRR, containing a putative integrin-binding (RGD) motif that enhanced basal-to-apical transcytosis of peptide-bearing phage 1000- to 10,000-fold compared with phage with no peptide insert. Both the synthetic peptide RYRGDLGRR and the integrin-binding peptide GRGDSP inhibited phage transcytosis suggesting the involvement of integrins. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy showed that following internalization at the basal cell surface, phage particles were delivered to the apical cytoplasm and released at the apical cell surface. These data suggest the feasibility of using short peptides for targeting transcytotic pathways and facilitating delivery of macromolecules across cellular barriers.
Future impacts of applied microbiology

Developing countries increasingly see biotechnology as an avenue to improving the quality of life of their residents. Wonderful things are being predicted, and a capability is building to assure developing countries that they will benefit from the biotechnology revolution, and not become its victims (van Hemertet al. 1983). Outstanding in this regard, despite legal and other problems, is the establishment, by the United Nations Industrial and Development Organization (UNIDO), of twin International Centres for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). The centres are under the guidance of a panel of eminent scientific advisors that includes four Nobel Laureates. This panel is of the opinion that excellence and not nationality will be the basis for the selection of directors and senior scientific staff for the centres. One centre is planned for New Delhi, India, and its clone will be built in Trieste, Italy. Their proposed programmes are based on the assumption that three years will be required to bring the centres to full operating capacity. In the fourth year, it is expected that 31 scientists, 20 postdoctoral fellows, and 30 technicians will be working at each location. The Indian facility will focus on agricultural biotechnology and animal and human health, whereas research at Trieste will concentrate on industrial applications of biotechnology. At both locations, programmes will be relevant to problems of developing nations, they will not duplicate programmes at other institutions, and to the greatest extent possible, they will be result-orientated. A biophysicist, Dr Burke Zimmerman, has been appointed Acting Director of the centre's projects. He has been a consultant to biotechnology firms and to the United States Congress as well as a special assistant to the Director of the National Institutes of Health. He is experienced in policy-making on a broad spectrum of scientific and environmental issues, and in his recent bookBiofuture: Confronting the Genetic Era, Dr Zimmerman (1984) wrote, “The next decade will witness many efforts to extend biotechnology to all corners of the world. Idealism, however, must be coupled with a keen sense of the real problems which now confront developing countries, whether economic, educational, political or ideological. Some countries are torn by war at present; many others are in the midst of severe economic crisis. It would be too much to expect these endeavours to proceed smoothly and logically, governed by vision. Instead, biotechnology is likely to come slowly to the areas of the world which need it most, through trial, error, and muddling along, through the sustained efforts of dedicated men and women, but, in time, changing the way the world lives.”
The effects of a context-embedded approach to second-language vocabulary learning

Abstract In an effort to find out ways to enhance second-language vocabulary learning, the present study examined the relative effectiveness of four instructional approaches: the Paper and Pencil (P&P), the Computer-based Word-for-word (CW), the Computer-based word-for-word plus Picture (CP), and the Computer-based Context (CC). English vocabulary was chosen as the target of instruction. The experiment was carried out at an elementary school in Seoul, Korea. The main experiment consisted of five sessions, which was followed by an additional meeting designed to check the long-term treatment effect. Three different types of evaluation tasks were used for both follow-up and retention tests: definition recall, listening comprehension, and knowledge transfer. In the follow-up tests, the CC group tended to perform rather poorly for the first few sessions, but made a gradual improvement in such a way that in the final session it outperformed the other three groups. However, this observed experimental difference was not statistically significant. In the retention test, the CC group showed significantly higher performance than any other group on all the major evaluation tasks. This strongly suggests that the context-embedded approach to second-language vocabulary learning was most effective in promoting knowledge transfer, listening comprehension, and long-term recall of vocabulary definitions.
Sexual behavior and marital intimacy in Alzheimer's couples: A family theory perspective

A face to face survey using an investigator designed interview schedule was conducted with a sample of 38 spousal caregivers of patients having a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The study objective was to examine changes in the couples' pattern of sexual behavior associated with the disease and its progression. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of participants reported a change in the sexual relationship with their AD spouse since the onset of disease symptoms. Sixty-one percent (61%) said their perception of the overall relationship to their spouse had altered as disability increased (e.g., wife to mother). This change in perception of the relationship resulted in caregivers reporting a sense of inappropriateness and even aversion in connection with activities of sexual intimacy with their spouse.
A Study of Relationships between Florida Thunderstorm Properties and Corresponding Anvil Cloud Characteristics

Abstract Tropical thunderstorms produce large amounts of cirrus anvil clouds, which have a large effect on the climate system. Modeling of the cirrus anvil is a very important factor in the driving processes in atmospheric, climate, and radiation budget models. The current research project is focused on determining the relationships between the thunderstorm intensity and cirrus anvil characteristics of storms during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE). During July 2002, 19 different storms were selected for analysis. A vertical profile of reflectivity was extracted for each cell in which the maximum reflectivity, and maximum 10- and 40-dBZ height were identified. A majority of the thunderstorms in this study were single cells or isolated multicell clusters initiated from outflow boundaries or sea-breeze interactions. The results show that a general thunderstorm life cycle characteristic time sequence was determined, finding that the ...
Integrating Neuropsychology and Brain Imaging for a Referral of Possible Pseudodementia: A Case Report

The study aimed to highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the value for combining normative neuropsychological and neuroradiological measures for clinical purposes. We present the case of "CL," a 65-year-old, right-handed, Caucasian female referred for a neuropsychological evaluation of memory difficulties and depression with the rule-out of pseudodementia. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was conducted within 24 hours of the neuropsychology exam. Mood measures showed elevated depression and apathy symptoms. The neuropsychological profile showed variable effort, intact comprehension but compromised confrontation naming and verbal memory deficits. Using normative references from 20 female age- and education-matched healthy control peers, CL showed significantly reduced temporal cortex thickness with reduced bilateral hippocampal, right amygdala, and right caudate volumes. Combined data were supportive of a diagnosis of semantic dementia. Examining neuropsychological profiles in combination with neuroimaging standardized metrics relative to peers improved case conceptualization. Standard measures of effort and malingering examined alone and without MRI for the diagnosis of pseudodementia have questionable validity and rationale. We additionally discuss the advantages and limitations/challenges for integrating neuropsychological assessments with normative based MRI brain metrics.
Regional income inequality and economic development

Abstract It is the purpose of this paper to critically re-examine Williamson's original axiom of regional inequality as it relates to the process of national development under a new dimension: income distribution disparities within the population of the regions. The dynamic association between inequality and development in general and the convergence hypothesis in particular will be retested. Instead of Williamson's coefficient of variation we introduce a set of Regional Dissimilarity Indices that measures the dissimilarity of the spatial distribution of population by income at the national level.
Optimal models for a multi-stage supply chain system controlled by kanban under just-in-time philosophy

This research studies a multi-stage supply chain system that operates under a JIT (just-in-time) delivery policy. Kanbans play an important role in the information and material flows in a supply chain system. Thus, a kanban mechanism is employed to assist in linking different production processes in a supply chain system to implement the scope of JIT philosophy. For a multi-stage supply chain system, a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is formulated from the perspective of JIT delivery policy where a kanban may reflect to a transporter such as a truck or a fork-lifter. The number of kanbans, the batch size, the number of batches and the total quantity over one period are determined optimally. It is solved optimally by branch and bound method. A greedy heuristic to avoid the large computational time in branch-and-bound algorithm is developed for solving a large MINLP. Coupled with plant-wide efforts for cost control and management commitment, a logistic system for controlling the production as well as the supply chain is built, which results in minimizing the total cost of the supply chain system. The results show that the improvements in reduction of inventory, wasted labor and customer service in a supply chain are significantly accomplished through the kanban mechanism.
Towards Cooperative Grids: Sensor/Actuator Networks for Renewables Integration

Faced with an uncertain path forward to renewables portfolio standard (RPS) goals and the high cost of energy storage, we believe that deep demand side management must be a central strategy to achieve widespread penetration of renewable energy sources. We examine the variability of wind as a source of renewable, non-dispatchable energy and the loads that can be dispatched to match sources of this type. We identify two classes of dispatchable energy loads, and create models for these loads to match their consumption to the generation of energy sources, while introducing {\em slack}, a generalized measure of dispatchability of energy. From these load models, we examine a number of techniques and considerations for source-following loads, including the sensitivity of thermostat constraints and the effects of aggregating appliance populations. Our results show a home heater that is able to reduce energy consumption by over 50% while increasing the proportion of renewable energy consumed versus grid energy.
Trends of Selected Ground‐Water Constituents from Infiltration Galleries, Southeast Nassau County, New Yorka

Long-term records of ground-water quality indicate that in an unsewered area of southeast Nassau County, New York, certain constituent concentrations increased substantially from 1910 to 1975. Most of the increases virtually parallel the rate of population growth and number of houses that discharge waste water through cesspools and septic tanks. Data sites used for this study were two abandoned infiltration galleries in Wantagh and Massapequa that withdraw water from the shallow aquifer. Ranges in constituent concentrations, in milligrams per liter, during 1910–75 were:
UCCELACCIE E UCCELLINE and the Ambiguities of Bakhtin's Carnival:

Pasolini's 1996 film is widely recognized as an expression of the filmmaker's desire to revitalize Marxian ideals in the industrialized, consumerist country that the Italy of the nineteen fifties and sixties had become. The filmmaker seeks the cinematic expression of many of the ideas already expressed in his essays. In this article, the theories of Bakhtin provide the framework for the study of the film as the carnivalization of orthodox Marxism. In effect, one of the functions of Bakhtin's carnivalesque is the promotion of historical change in real time. Clearly, the filmmaker was wrestling with issues that continue to be pertinent today in the midst of the worldwide crisis of capitalism and globalization.
Treatment of painful polyneuropathies

The treatment of painful polpyneuropathies has begun to improve over the past several years. This is based on an evolving understanding of the pathogenesis related to the development of diabetic neuropathy and other diseases that may lead to peripheral nerve injury. Consensus on evaluation strategies for patients presenting with pain has furthered our ability to define neuropathic pain and accompanying signs and symptoms that may respond to particular therapeutic approaches. Recent therapeutic advances in medical management have demonstrated improved outcomes in pain relief. This, along with lower side effect-related issues, has led to improved compliance and patient satisfaction. The assessment and treatment of comorbid conditions, which include sleep, anxiety, and depression, have further advanced the management of painful polyneuropathies in patients. New antiepileptics, antidepressants, and topical therapies have contributed to improved patient outcomes.
Stability of warfarin solutions for drug-protein binding measurements: spectroscopic and chromatographic studies.

Warfarin is commonly used in drug–protein binding studies as a displacement marker for Sudlow site I on the protein human serum albumin (HSA). This study examined the stability of aqueous warfarin solutions prepared for such experiments. This was investigated using NMR spectroscopy and affinity chromatography. It was found by 1H NMR that warfarin underwent a slow first-order conversion in aqueous solution. The rate of this reaction increased with temperature, giving rate constants at pH 7.4 of 0.0086 h−1 at 25 °C and 0.041 h−1 at 37 °C. It was concluded from further 1H and 13C NMR studies, along with molecular modeling, that this process involved the conversion of the minor cyclic hemiketal form of warfarin to its major cyclic hemiketal. This reaction had a small but measurable effect on the binding of R- and S-warfarin to HSA, as demonstrated by HPLC using an immobilized HSA affinity column. From this work, general guidelines were developed concerning the usable lifetimes for warfarin that is prepared in aqueous solutions for studies of drug–protein binding.
Determination of Proton Affinities and Acidity Constants of Sugars

Proton transfer reactions play a key role in the conversion of biomass derived sugars to chemicals. In this study, we employ high level ab initio theoretical methods, in tandem with solvation effects to calculate the proton affinities (PA) and acidity constants (pKa) of various d-glucose and d-fructose tautomers (protonation-deprotonation processes). In addition, we compare the theoretically derived pH values of sugar solutions against experimentally measured pH values in our lab. Our results demonstrate that the protonation of any of the O atoms of the sugars is thermodynamically preferred without any significant variation in the PA values. Intramolecular hydrogen transfers, dehydration reactions, and ring-opening processes were observed, resulting from the protonation of specific hydroxyl groups on the sugars. Regarding the deprotonation processes (pKa), we found that the sugars' anomeric hydroxyls exhibit the highest acidity. The theoretically calculated pH values of sugar solutions are in excellent agreement with experimental pH measurements at low sugar concentrations. At higher sugar concentrations the calculations predict less acidic solutions than the experiments. In this case, we expect the sugars to act as solvents increasing the proton solvation energy and the acidity of the solutions. We demonstrated through linear relationships that the pKa values are correlated with the relative stability of the conjugate bases. The latter is related to hydrogen bonding and polarization of the C-O(-) bond. A plausible explanation for the good performance of the direct method in calculating the pKa values of sugars can be the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds on the conjugate base. Both theory and experiments manifest that fructose is a stronger acid than glucose, which is of significant importance in self-catalyzed biomass-relevant dehydration reactions.
Human cytomegalovirus infection of WI-38 cells stimulates mitochondrial DNA synthesis.

HUMAN cytomegalovirus (HCMY) infection has been shown to lead to the stimulation of host cell DNA and RNA synthesis in both permissive and non-permissive cells1–3. This effect on DNA synthesis occurred at about 12–16 h after infection, and preceded synthesis of viral DNA by 36 h. The host cell DNA species which are stimulated have not been characterised. We show here that much of the stimulation of DNA synthesis was due to an increased rate of mitochondrial DNA synthesis and that ethidium bromide inhibited HMCV replication.
Optimized Asymmetric Double Quantum Well for High Electric-Field-Sensitivity Electroabsorption: Excitonic Mixing Effects

Asymmetric double quantum wells (ADQWs) are optimized to exhibit maximum optical modulation sensitivity by varying the barrier width, barrier position, and well width. Anticrossing of the two lowest excitons in ADQWs significantly enhances the modulation sensitivity. Consideration of exciton mixing is crucial to obtain accurate estimates of the effects. For a given linewidth of the excitonic peaks, we find optimum structural parameters that exhibit maximum modulation sensitivity. Values dalpha / dE ~ 6.51 x 104 kV-1of of at 4.2 K and ~1.25 x 103 kV-1of at 298 K are predicted in GaAs-based ADQWs. The result provides new design guidelines in fabricating high-sensitivity QW electroabsorption modulators.
A 32nm CMOS all-digital reconfigurable fractional frequency divider for LO generation in multistandard SoC radios with on-the-fly interference management

A VCO used in a PLL inside a wireless transceiver can be sensitive to interference from other radio circuitry (e.g. on-chip PA), components of the SoC system (e.g. clocks and their harmonics) and nearby radios. To prevent VCO pulling by the PA, fractional dividers can be used to offset the VCO frequency (f VCO ) with respect to the PA. Multistandard radios covering, for example, WiFi 2.4 to 2.5GHz and 5 to 5.8GHz, and WiMAX 2.3 to 2.7GHz and 3.3 to 3.8GHz, may require multiple VCOs and/or multiple fractional dividers to cover all bands [1], resulting in complexity and area overhead. This paper proposes a versatile reconfigurable fractional divider capable of covering the above standards with a single VCO with 20% tuning range. The divider is all-digital, hence scaling-friendly, and uses digital calibration to eliminate the need for filtering and area-intensive inductors. The versatility afforded by the reconfigurable fractional divider allows for the transceiver's LO generation (LOG) frequency plan to be adjusted on-the-fly. This can avoid VCO pulling from interferers which may not be known a-priori, like SoC-CPU clocks that are adjusted dynamically for best performance.
Adaptation of an Interactive, Discharge-Simulation Program to a Disc-Supported Microcomputer

The capabilities of a disc-based microcomputer system are explored by adapting a sophisticated modeling program for emitting and absorbing plasma discharges to it. Results are favorable, with performance equal to or exceeding that obtained from a large, time-sharing computer system.
Hierarchies, religious boundaries and Jewish spirituality in medieval Germany

Two interrelated processes were at work in the socio-religious development of the majority among whom the Jews lived. The first, in Gerd Tellenbacrfs phrase, was a polemical "struggle for right order,"2 marked by attempts on the part of competing institutions and religious cultures to establish, legitimate, and defend correct boundaries and relationships, that is, what they saw as the proper hierarchical structure of society.3 This trend is reflected most clearly in the Investiture Controversy and subsequent conflicts between the popes, who asserted their right to implement the prerogatives attributed them in early collections of Canon Law, and the German Emperors, who adhered to a theory of sacred monarchy. At stake was the question of which institution, Church or State, would have primacy and dominate Christian society.
Preparation of A12O3-ZrO2 Composites by Adjustment of Surface Chemical Behavior

Aqueous colloidal routes for processing binary suspensions containing Al 2 O 3 and ZrO2 were designed and tested in order to achieve homogeneous microstructures. Effects of particle size and size ratio of each component, pH, and electrolyte concentration of composite suspensions on sedimentation, green density, and ZrO2 distribution in sintered microstructures were examined. The pH conditions for inhibiting differential sedimentation without impairing green density were optimized. Overall suspension and coagulation behavior for these composite systems were explained using the DLVO approach. Optimum balance of colloidal and gravitational forces occurred when the secondary minimum heterocoagulation was maximized.
Cranial nerve VI palsy as an initial presentation of necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis in a 14-year-old female: Case report and literature review

Abstract Objectives We describe a case of pediatric necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis (NSG) presenting with right cranial nerve VI palsy and multiple lung nodules, successfully treated with corticosteroids. Methods This is a descriptive case report of one patient with review of the literature. Results A 14-year-old Caucasian female presented with complaints of pain on inspiration and dyspnea on exertion, as well as diplopia that was worse with right gaze. The patient presented to our emergency department with persistent diplopia and was found to have stable right cranial nerve VI palsy. CTA showed multiple pulmonary nodules. Despite continued extensive multispecialty work-up, the patient׳s cranial nerve VI palsy had not resolved, thus tissue confirmation via lung biopsy was performed. Pathologic diagnosis revealed necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis. The patient was subsequently started on intravenous corticosteroids, which led to the rapid resolution of her presenting symptoms. Conclusions Necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis is a multisystem organ disease that is rare in children. Pathology commonly reveals epithelioid noncaseating granuloma and granulomatous vasculitis with necrosis. We report an unusual presentation involving sixth nerve palsy in a 14-year-old girl. Diagnosis was determined and confirmed by histopathology of a pulmonary nodule biopsy. This is the first case to our knowledge of NSG presenting with cranial nerve palsy in a pediatric patient.
A commentary on “Why DCF capital budgeting is bad for business and why business schools should stop teaching it”

All too often, educational research and commentaries are excessively obsequious. As a result, the implications of this work are barely noticeable and its impact destined to be minor. The present ar...
The Biology and Immature Stages of Bradysia impatiens (Diptera: Sciaridae),

Studies of the life history of Bradysia impatiens (Johannsen), reared on ground soybeans, were conducted in the laboratory. The egg, 4 larval instars, pupa, and adult are described and measurements are given. Preoviposition period was less than 24 hr when males were present. Fecundity ranged from 12 to 156 eggs, and averaged about 75 eggs per female at 75°F. The mean periods of incubation, development, and longevity were: egg, 4.0; larva I, 3.3; larva II, 3.1; larva III, 1.8 larva IV, 5.9; pupa, 3.5; and adult, 5.9 days. The anatomy of the larval head capsule and male terminalia is given, and the male terminalia are figured. Various aspects of adult and larval behavior are described.
Youngest reported patient presenting with an androgen producing sclerosing stromal ovarian tumor.

Abstract Background Sclerosing stromal tumors are extremely rare sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary, with approximately 100 cases reported since first described in 1973. These tumors present predominantly in the 2nd and 3rd decades of life, typically present with pelvic/abdominal pain and tenderness, mass, and/or abnormal menses, and with hormonal activity reported predominantly in postmenarchal females. Only 5 cases of these tumors have been reported in premenarchal girls, with age ranging from 7 months to 12 years. Only 2 demonstrated hormonal manifestations, with vaginal bleeding due to hyperestrogenism in the 7 month old, and virilization in an 11-year-old female. Case We report a 9-year-old female who was diagnosed with this ovarian tumor, and who presented with virilization. Summary and Conclusion This report is remarkable as our patient not only was diagnosed with an ovarian tumor that is extremely rare in this age group but is the youngest reported patient with this tumor who presented with virilization.
Reasons to Reject Allowing

The morality of what we owe to each other is a matter of principles that no one could reasonably reject?if we were all concerned to agree on what sort of conduct to allow or disallow. We care about it deeply, because we want to be able to justify what we do to others on a basis that they could not reasonably reject. I find this an immensely appealing moral ideal, and find Scanlon's explanation of its appeal plausible and illuminating. What We Owe to Each Other is a wonderful book full of deep and extended argument. No brief explo ration could begin to do it justice, but I will touch on a few questions the book raises for me.
The Effects of Clustering and Curriculum on the Development of Gifted Learners' Math Achievement:

There is a paucity of empirical studies dealing with benefits of gifted programming in mathematics for elementary students. The current study reports on the impact of using cluster grouping and specific curriculum to support gifted learners' math achievement in urban elementary schools. Although the results of Year 3 provide the most compelling evidence of success, Year 1 results are included to explain the route taken to achieve those results. The results demonstrated that teachers in a large urban school district can promote academic gains over time for gifted and comparison students provided the curriculum is designed to support learning at varied ability levels, that teachers have sufficient experience with the content to deliver the planned materials appropriately, and that the context of the classroom setting supports collaborative learning and embraces challenge for all learners.
Theory of gain, modulation response, and spectral linewidth in AlGaAs quantum well lasers

We investigate theoretically a number of important issues related to the performance of AlGaAs quantum well (QW) semiconductor lasers. These include a basic derivation of the laser gain, the linewidth enhancement factor α, and the differential gain constant in single and multiple QW structures. The results reveal the existence of gain saturation with current in structures with a small number of wells. They also point to a possible two-fold increase in modulation bandwidth and a ten-fold decrease in the spectral laser linewidth in a thin QW laser compared to a conventional double heterostructure laser.
High frequency response of fiber-optic planar acoustic sensors

The frequency response of planar interferometric fiber-optic acoustic hydrophones is considered. It is shown that such sensors formed from materials whose impedance closely matches that of the fluid generally have acoustically induced acceleration effects which tend to decrease the high-frequency response for the normal incidence case. Planar sensor configurations are identified which reduce this effect, and measurements on one such configuration are presented to confirm this. Since this is achieved by reducing the response of the sensor to normal acceleration, this fiber sensor design should also be useful for other applications requiring a low acceleration response. >
Two-photon absorption at 248 nm in ultraviolet window materials

Two-photon-absorption coefficients are measured for fused silica, LiF, and the alkali earth halides BaF2, SrF2, CaF2, and MgF2, using 0.7-psec, 248-nm pulses with intensities in the range (0.5–30) × 1010 W/cm2. The consequences of these measurements in the design of high-brightness excimer lasers are discussed.
Beyond the Ethnic Enclave Economy

The terms “ethnic economy” and “ethnic enclave economy” designate an immigrant or minority business and employment sector that coexists with the general economy. Users often treat these terms as synonymous. In fact, they are not. The concept of ethnic enclave economy derives from the labor segmentation literature, whereas the concept of ethnic economy derives from the middleman minorities literature. The derivations have shaped the problems that both concepts address. The strenuous debate about relative wages in the ethnic enclave versus the general economy is a case in point. When conceptualized in terms of an ethnic economy, the salience of this debate greatly diminishes. Agreeing that the concept of ethnic enclave economy is useful, we nonetheless claim that it is less general than the older concept of the ethnic economy. Indeed, we show that the ethnic enclave economy is really a special case of the ethnic economy. Evidence for this conclusion derives, in part, from our survey of Iranian immigrants in Los Angeles, the results of which fit the older ethnic economy concept but cannot be squeezed into the concept of an ethnic enclave economy.
Microwave ECR plasma electron flood for low pressure wafer charge neutralization

Modern ion implanters typically use dc arc discharge Plasma Electron Floods (PEFs) to neutralize wafer charge. The arc discharge requires using at least some refractory metal hardware, e.g. a thermionically emitting filament, which can be undesirable in applications where no metallic contamination is critical. rf discharge PEFs have been proposed to mitigate contamination risks but the gas flows required can result in high process chamber pressures. Axcelis has developed a microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) PEF to provide refractory metals contamination-free wafer neutralization with low gas flow requirement. Our PEF uses a custom, reentrant cusp magnet field providing ECR and superior electron confinement. Stable PEF operation with extraction slits sized for 300 mm wafers can be attained at Xe gas flows lower than 0.2 sccm. Electron extraction currents can be as high as 20 mA at absorbed microwave powers < 70 W. On Axcelis' new medium current implanter, plasma generation has proven robust against pressure transients caused by, for example, photoresist outgassing by high power ion beams. Charge monitor and floating potential measurements along the wafer surface corroborate adequate wafer charge neutralization for low energy, high current ion beams.
The 24/25-kDa serum insulin-like growth factor-binding protein is increased in elderly women with hip and spine fractures.

Fractures of the hip in elderly women represent a clinical syndrome (age-related osteoporosis) often marked by decreased calcium absorption and secondary hyperparathyroidism. We studied 13 elderly women with fractures of the hip and spine and 18 healthy similarly aged control women to determine whether serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) or its carrier binding proteins (IGFBPs) were altered in this syndrome. Serum IGF-I concentrations were not different in the two groups (P = 0.50), but immunoreactive PTH was significantly higher in the fracture group (58.50 +/- 8.20 vs. 13.50 +/- 2.70 ng/L; P less than 0.003). Binding of [125I]IGF-I to IGFBP-3, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-1, measured by ligand blotting, was not statistically different in the 2 groups, but binding intensities for the serum 24/25-kDa IGFBP were approximately 2.5 times greater in fracture women than control women (P less than 0.0005). In data pooled from both groups, PTH correlated strongly (r = 0.70; P less than 0.0001) with the relative bin...
Observations on the transition from flame liftoff to flame blowout

The transition from flame liftoff to flame blowout of a non-premixed turbulent jet flame was observed by comparing a stable lifted flame with a lifted flame near blowout. The near-blowout condition was achieved by changing the coflow speed of a lifted flame in coflow. The velocity field at the flame base and the location of the flame surface were simultaneously obtained using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of CH. Instantaneous images showed the divergence and the deceleration of the flow at the flame base, which is characteristic of a leading edge flame. The width of the flame base was found to be wider when the flame was near blowout. The velocity measurements at the flame base show that the flame base of a flame near blowout is exposed to a higher axial velocity (3.1 S L ) compared to a stable lifted flame (2.3 S L ) These observations are consistent with the numerical study of the laminar triple flame. In addition the axial velocity on the flame surface tends to stay at or near the stoichiometric velocity ( U S ), which is determined by the stoichiometric mixture fraction (Z S ), jet speed, and the coflow speed ( U CF ). Accepting the leading edge flame as the flame stabilization mechanism, we propose a simple blowout mechanism.
Acute depletion of reduced glutathione causes extensive carbonylation of rat brain proteins.

This study was aimed at establishing whether oxidative stress induced by acute depletion of brain glutathione (GSH) is sufficient to generate protein carbonyls (PCOs). To this end, rat brain slices were incubated separately with the GSH depletors 1,3-bis[2-chloroethyl]-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and diethyl maleate (DEM), and protein carbonylation was assessed on Western blots after derivatization with dinitrophenyl hydrazine. Incubation with 1 mM BCNU or 10 mM DEM for 2 hr decreased GSH levels by >70%. Under these conditions the carbonylation of several proteins (40–120 kDa) increased by 2–3 fold. Isolation of carbonylated proteins showed that augmented PCOs represents a rise in the amount of oxidized protein. The iron chelator deferoxamine, the superoxide scavenger rutin and the H2O2 quencher dimethylthiourea all prevented DEM-induced protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation (TBARS), indicating that the underlying mechanism involves the iron-catalyzed generation of hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 (Fenton reaction). Inhibition of catalase activity with sodium azide and aminotriazole, and glutathione peroxidase activity with mercaptosuccinic acid did not increase PCOs or TBARS, suggesting that increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than compromised cellular antioxidant defenses is the cause for the accumulation of H2O2 after GSH depletion. PCO formation was not affected by the xanthine oxidase inhibitor oxypurinol but it was reduced by SKF-525A and carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone, indicating that the microsomal monooxygenase system and the mitochondrial electron transport system are the major sources of ROS. Consistent with these findings, subcellular fractionation studies showed that mitochondria and synaptosomes are the major PCO-containing organelles. These results were also supported by the anatomic distribution of PCOs in brain. Our observations may be important in the context of multiple sclerosis where decreased GSH, mitochondrial dysfunction, excessive production of ROS, and increased protein carbonylation have all been reported. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Preparation and characterization of gold and ruthenium colloids in thin zinc oxide films

Abstract Gold and Ruthenium colloids have been introduced into thin films of ZnO by spin coating metal ion-doped solutions of zinc acetylacetonate onto quartz or Pt substrates, followed by heating to 400°C. Both types of film exhibit a blue tint due to Mie light absorption of the metal nanoparticles. Analysis of the visible absorption spectra suggests particle radii on the order of 2 nm. However, electron micrographs reveal some larger particles and particle aggregates as well. While the Au colloid absorption band peaks at approximately 575 nm, Raman excitation profiles of the colloidal films exhibit red-shifted maxima near 700 nm. We attribute the striking Raman intensity enhancement at an excitation wavelength of ∼700 nm to Surface-enhanced Raman (SER) scattering of the E 1 mode of ZnO. Ru colloids also induce SER scattering from a residual RuO 2 layer that apparently coats the Ru metal particle. In this case, the SER scattering is greatest when the laser excitation is tuned into the maximum of the Ru colloid absorption band, in accord with the so-called electromagnetic theory of SER scattering. While not all of the Ru in Ru-doped films is prepared in the zero oxidation state, XPS measurements show that all of the gold in the gold-doped films is in the zero oxidation state.
Elimination of distortions by phase conjugation without losses or gains

It is shown on the basis of scalar wave theory that complete cancellation of distortion effects by the technique of phase conjugation will be achieved under the following circumstances: The scatterer is non-absorbing, the conjugate wave is generated without losses or gains at an infinite phase-conjugate mirror and the effects of the evanescent waves outside the scatterer are negligible. The analysis is carried out to all orders of perturbation theory and is based on a new integral-equation formulation that involves a Green's function which takes into account the presence of the phase-conjugate mirror.