cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When failure to replicate is not failure to replicate: A comment on Kranzler, Whang, and Jensen (1988) ☆

Abstract In a recent study, Kranzler, Whang, and Jensen (1988) reported nonsignificant effects of practice and very small effects of visual attention on parameters derived from the Hick paradigm, and they noted that their data failed to replicate patterns of results in a study by Widaman and Carlson (1989). However, careful consideration of the results of the two studies reveals considerable replication of most results, with only a single notable failure to replicate, that is, practice effects on RT slope. Thus, Kranzler et al. did not deflect the central conclusions of the Widaman and Carlson study that the correlations between Hick parameters and intelligence may be rather evanescent and may obtain for reasons other than those commonly supposed.
Analysis of multilayer radio frequency microcoils for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Although its strength lies in its ability to determine chemical structure completely, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is relatively insensitive compared to other analytical techniques. As a result, significant research has been directed at improving the overall sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy by optimizing radio-frequency (RF) coil design. To investigate volume- and mass-limited samples, RF microcoils have been examined extensively. These solenoidal wire coils take advantage of reduced coil diameter to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of microcoils for constrained samples. To study the properties of a multilayer configuration, both theoretical and experimental solutions for conductor thicknesses above the skin depth at the frequency of operation. Experimental data for thicker conductors displays a reduction in SNR with increased layers, supporting the theoretical development. As indicated by analytical theory and as partially confirmed by experimentation, SNR improvements for multilayer microcoils may be realized only when the conductor thickness is on the order of the skin depth. However, the utilization and availability of skin-depth conductors in the fabrication of current microcoil designs are not trivial matters. To take advantage of the SNR benefits of a multilayer microcoil geometry, we suggest a new configuration called the scroll coil. This novel geometry offers additional flexibility in fabrication that may be of great benefit in high-resolution NMR spectroscopy, especially at very small coil dimensions.
A quantitative method for determining gamma G allotype antigens. 3. Gm genes and gene complexes in different human populations.

The sera expression of human immunoglobulin heavy chain genes and gene complexes was analyzed in different ethnic groups by quantitative determination of Gm allotype antigens. In all populations tested, IgG3 subclass heavy chains of Gm(b+) allotype had greater sera expression than the allele Gm(g). The percentage of IgG3 allotype molecules was higher in Chinese and Easter Islanders than in Caucasians due to higher Gm(b) values. In general, IgG1 allotypes did not show quantitative differences correlated with Gm genotype. A possible exception was the Gmza, g gene complex which had a lower Gm(a) concentration than comparable Chinese sera of different genotype. Certain similarities in the regulation of Gm genes were consistently observed among the populations tested; these included the restricted range of percentage of IgG1 allotype antigens, a gene dosage effect, and differential gene activity of Gmb and Gmg IgG3 Gm genes.
Neuron-based sensors for biochemical quantitation

Using intracellular recording from freshly dissected Limnea stagnalis neurons and cultured clones for mouse neuroblastoma, N-18 and N1E-115, linear relationships between several analyte concentrations and neuron electrical properties, such as action potential, are obtained. This demonstrates the suitability of neurons as primary transducers in neuron-based sensors. Initial development work that will lead to testing cultured neurons for the detection of monoclonal antibodies is reported. >
Territorializing land conflict : Space, place, and contentious politics in the Brazilian Amazon

Brazil possesses a long history of violent struggle for land, and its most recent phase is occurring predominantly in the Amazon Basin. Consequently, this paper attempts to territorialize land conflict in the Brazilian Amazon, and in so doing, to illuminate the place-specific intersection of historic social, political, and economic circumstance that created a violent landscape in the so-called ‘‘South of Para´ .’’ The paper’s premise is that such conflict can be best viewed as resulting from a dialectic between general social processes operating across spatial scales, which create necessary conditions for conflict, and place-specific historical circumstances that transform necessary into sufficient conditions. The paper presents a framework integrating the theory of contentious politics and literatures addressing violence associated with the Amazonian frontier and with resource scarcity (and abundance). The discussion and theoretical application deconstruct the environmental, cognitive, and relational mechanisms that created violence in
Blended Shore Education: Civic Engagement and Competencies in 21st-Century Doctoral Education.

This chapter examines the implication of Blended Shore Education to doctoral program design and delivery as it synthesizes adult education principles of Freire and Stanage with findings of Strohschen's international action research on design and delivery practices.
New Approaches to Cardiovascular Therapy: Panel Discussion

IDENTIFYING FUTURE CULPRIT LESIONS Victor J. Dzau, MD (Boston, Massachusetts): Dr. Gersh mentioned that it is difficult to predict culprit lesions. Is it possible to identify areas of vasomotor abnormality or specific characteristics of a lesion using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as markers of a potential culprit lesion? Bernard J. Gersh, MB, ChB, DPhil, (Washington, DC): I expect that this is likely, and this is a very exciting frontier. We still do not know if IVUS and other technologies can successfully classify and estimate the density of the lipid core prospectively, but I expect that this may be possible in the future. Peter Ganz, MD (Boston, Massachusetts): I think this is a very important area to pursue, but I am somewhat more pessimistic about the ability of these approaches to identify culprit lesions. In a recently published study, the average thickness of the fibrous cap that ruptured was 25 microns, and all caps that ruptured were thinner than 65 microns. So if one wants to identify the thickness of the fibrous cap, a technique with outstanding resolution is necessary. Currently, the resolution of IVUS is about 150 microns, and the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging is about 300–400 microns. It is an important area for future research, but currently available techniques may not be capable of identifying the thickness of the fibrous cap. Dr. Dzau: What about the lipid core and the vasomotor activity of those lesions? Dr. Ganz: They do appear to have characteristic vasomotor abnormalities. There have been 2 studies published that assessed the vasomotor activity of infarcted unstable angina sites compared with stable angina sites. Clearly, the unstable angina sites have much greater disturbances in reactivity than the more stable sites. Thus, this may be one possible way to predict future events. IVUS is a possible procedure, although it is not as good for tissue characterization as would be hoped. Magnetic resonance imaging would be a tremendous method of tissue characterization and research is currently ongoing.
Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum Lack Detectable DNA Cytosine Methylation

Epigenetic factors play a role in the expression of virulence traits in Apicomplexa. Apicomplexan genomes encode putative DNA cytosine methylation enzymes. To assess the presence of cytosine methylation of Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum DNA, we used mass spectrometry analysis and confirmed that these organisms lack detectable methylcytosine in their DNA.
Internationalization at Home Alternatives to Study Abroad: Implications for Students’ Development of Global, International, and Intercultural Competencies

Colleges and universities are increasingly internationalizing their curricular and cocurricular efforts on campuses; subsequently, it is important to compare whether internationalization at home activities may be associated with students' self-reported development of global, international, and intercultural (GII) competencies. This study examined undergraduate students' participation in study abroad and on-campus global/ international activities within nine large public research universities in the United States. Framed within several intercultural development theories, the results of this study suggest that students' participation in activities related to internationalization at home—participation in on-campus global/international activities such as enrollment in global/international coursework, interactions with international students, and participation in global/international cocurricular activities—may yield greater perceived benefits than study abroad for students' development of GII competencies.
Sudden death in the presence of overt β-adrenergic receptor activation in guinea pigs immediately following isoflurane anesthesia

Abstract Observations A case series of sudden death is reported in five consecutive guinea pigs following anesthesia with inhalational isoflurane during β-adrenergic receptor stimulation with isoproterenol. Sustained-release isoproterenol pellets or mini-osmotic pumps were implanted subcutaneously in male Dunkin–Hartley guinea pigs as part of a research study to assess the interplay of adrenergic receptor activation and the development of atrial arrhythmias. The continuous exposure to isoproterenol resulted in a similar presentation and eventual sudden death in all guinea pigs exposed to inhalational isoflurane between 15 to 40 minutes after discontinuation of anesthesia. Death occurred in guinea pigs in this case series despite the fact that doses of isoproterenol used were more than 10-fold lower than previously reported in guinea pigs in the absence of isoflurane anesthesia. The cause of death was suspected to be due to an interaction of isoproterenol with isoflurane anesthesia, as placebo implantation or anesthesia alone did not result in cardiac arrest. Of four subsequent guinea pigs anesthetized with the combination of xylazine and ketamine (X/K), three survived isoproterenol implantation for the full 21-day study period while one died perioperatively. Conclusions There was an increased rate of post-anesthetic mortality associated with isoproterenol pellet implantation in guinea pigs anesthetized with isoflurane compared to X/K. This may be due to the detrimental effects of the combination of isoflurane during overt β-adrenergic receptor activation or cardioprotective effects of X/K anesthesia during β-adrenergic receptor hyperactivity.
Lessons from long-term studies of harvest methods in southwestern ponderosa pine-Gambel oak forests on the Fort Valley Experimental Forest, Arizona, U.S.A.

Abstract The Fort Valley Experiment Station (now Fort Valley Experimental Forest) has contributed many long-term studies to forest research. This paper focuses on a “Methods of Cutting” study initiated in 1913 on the Coulter Ranch Unit of Fort Valley and how that long-term study yielded important ecological and management lessons. We quantified the historical and contemporary forest patterns at this ponderosa pine–Gambel oak site, which was harvested using three different harvesting systems in 1913 (seed tree, group selection, and light selection) and was partially excluded from livestock browsing in 1919. Using nine historically stem-mapped permanent plots for the following three stand structural scenarios: 1913 pre-harvest (modeled), post-harvest (actual), and 2003–2006 (actual) conditions, we examined the short- and long-term consequences of harvest and livestock grazing land-use and stand dynamics. We assessed changes in spatial pattern under each harvesting system and in each structural scenario, and lastly, we examined spatial and temporal tree recruitment patterns as observed in the contemporary (2003–2006) conditions. The seed tree harvests effectively converted the spatial patterns from aggregated to random and left few trees, while the group selection and light selection had varying effects, but consistently exaggerated the spatial patchiness of the stand. By 2003–2006, all plots were aggregated at all scales and were one large patch of predominately small trees. Sites that were harvested, but excluded from livestock browsing had 40% more trees in 2003–2006. Contemporary recruitment patterns were significantly aggregated under all harvesting systems, but were most strongly aggregated if the site received a group selection or light selection cut. For group and light selection, pine seedlings initially established in stump patches created by harvesting and then proceeded to fill-in the remaining area, with recruitment rarely found under the residual pine or oak trees. Long-term data sets, such as these established by the Fort Valley Experimental Forest in 1913, are essential for quantifying the impact of historical land-use practices on contemporary forest composition and structure. Ignoring land-use legacies may lead to the misinterpretation of stand dynamics and development, and therefore should be explicitly quantified and incorporated into future management and restoration activities.
Murine Immune Response to a Chronic Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Infection

Staphylococcus aureus has reemerged as an important human pathogen in recent decades. Although many infections caused by this microbial species persist through a biofilm mode of growth, little is known about how the host's adaptive immune system responds to these biofilm infections. In this study, S. aureus cells adhered to pins in culture and were subsequently inserted into the tibiae of C57BL/6 mice, with an infecting dose of 2 × 105 CFU. This model was utilized to determine local cytokine levels, antibody (Ab) function, and T cell populations at multiple time points throughout infection. Like human hosts, S. aureus implant infection was chronic and remained localized in 100% of C57BL/6 mice at a consistent level of approximately 107 CFU/gram bone tissue after day 7. This infection persisted locally for >49 days and was recalcitrant to clearance by the host immune response and antimicrobial therapy. Local inflammatory cytokines of the Th1 (interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-12 p70, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], and IL-1β) and Th17 (IL-6 and IL-17) responses were upregulated throughout the infection, except IL-12 p70, which dwindled late in the infection. In addition, Th1 Ab subtypes against a biofilm antigen (SA0486) were upregulated early in the infection, while Th2 Abs and anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells (Tregs) were not upregulated until later. These results indicate that early Th1 and Th17 inflammatory responses and downregulated Th2 and Treg responses occur during the development of a chronic biofilm implant infection. This unrestrained inflammatory response may cause tissue damage, thereby enabling S. aureus to attach and thrive in a biofilm mode of growth.
Conditional Deletion of Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain-Containing Protein 2 (Phd2) Gene Reveals Its Essential Role in Chondrocyte Function and Endochondral Bone Formation

The hypoxic growth plate cartilage requires hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-mediated pathways to maintain chondrocyte survival and differentiation. HIF proteins are tightly regulated by prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing protein 2 (Phd2)-mediated proteosomal degradation. We conditionally disrupted the Phd2 gene in chondrocytes by crossing Phd2 floxed mice with type 2 collagen-α1-Cre transgenic mice and found massive increases (>50%) in the trabecular bone mass of long bones and lumbar vertebra of the Phd2 conditional knockout (cKO) mice caused by significant increases in trabecular number and thickness and reductions in trabecular separation. Cortical thickness and tissue mineral density at the femoral middiaphysis of the cKO mice were also significantly increased. Dynamic histomorphometric analyses revealed increased longitudinal length and osteoid surface per bone surface in the primary spongiosa of the cKO mice, suggesting elevated conversion rate from hypertrophic chondrocytes to mineralized bone matrix as well as increased bone formation in the primary spongiosa. In the secondary spongiosa, bone formation measured by mineralizing surface per bone surface and mineral apposition rate were not changed, but resorption was slightly reduced. Increases in the mRNA levels of SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 9, osterix (Osx), type 2 collagen, aggrecan, alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, vascular endothelial growth factor, erythropoietin, and glycolytic enzymes in the growth plate of cKO mice were detected by quantitative RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry revealed an increased HIF-1α protein level in the hypertrophic chondrocytes of cKO mice. Infection of chondrocytes isolated from Phd2 floxed mice with adenoviral Cre resulted in similar gene expression patterns as observed in the cKO growth plate chondrocytes. Our findings indicate that Phd2 suppresses endochondral bone formation, in part, via HIF-dependent mechanisms in mice.
A Newly Designed and Constructed Instrument for Coupled Infrared Extinction and Size Distribution Measurements of Aerosols

Although atmospheric particles are often non-spherical, Mie theory is commonly used to acquire aerosol optical depth, composition, and transport information from satellite retrievals. In the infrared (IR) region, the radiative effects of aerosols, usually modeled with Mie theory, are subtracted from satellite spectral data to determine key atmospheric and oceanic properties. To gain a better understanding of the infrared radiative effects of aerosols and the methods used to model them, an instrument has been designed to simultaneously measure infrared extinction spectra and particle size distributions obtained from a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an aerodynamic particle sizer (APS). Infrared extinction spectra are simulated with Mie theory using the measured particle size distributions and available literature optical constants. As a result, the errors associated with using Mie theory to model the infrared extinction of mineral dust aerosol can be quantitatively examined. Initial results for...
Mapping Sacred Geography in Medieval India: The Case of the Twelve Jyotirliṅgas

In his recent article "Who Invented Hinduism?" David Lorenzen (1999) surveys a debate over the origins of "Hinduism" as a category encompassing the diverse religious traditions on the Indian subcontinent.1 As part of postmodern and postcolonialist critiques of research in the field of Indology, there has emerged the view that "Hinduism" was essentially invented in the nineteenth century, when Europeans "imposed a single conceptual category on a heterogeneous collection of sects, doctrines, and customs that the Hindus themselves did not recognize as having anything essential in common" (Lorenzen 1999: 632). There is no doubt that the British used their own conceptual systems to understand Indian worship, including Protestant ideas about God and a European understanding of the very category of "religion." What Lorenzen opposes is the implication that premodern Indians lacked an awareness of their religious beliefs and practices as distinct from other traditions and that contact with the British was the reason for the rise of this self-awareness.2 Lorenzen thus highlights many earlier points of cross-cultural contact. He proposes, more specifically, that "a much sharper self-conscious identity [emerged] through the rivalry between Muslims and Hindus in the period between 1200 and 1500" (Lorenzen 1999: 631). While it is likely that British colonialism had much to do with crystallizing current concepts of "Hinduism" as a single pan-Indian "religion," with a unified set of doctrines and a "canon" of sacred literature, he suggests that the conceptualization of "pan-Indian" religious ideology did not arise solely with the British. Rather, this encounter was but one historical moment in a much broader story. This article will expand upon Lorenzen' s insights through a focus on medieval Indian sacred geographies. The impulse to map the sacred geography of a given god or goddess is already evident in the Mahdbhdrata,3 which reached its present form sometime before the sixth century CE.4 This practice becomes intensified in the medieval period, as evident in the Sanskrit Puranas. The medieval compilers of the Puranas promoted a number of local pilgrimage sites as well as linking local and regional sites to more widespread story-traditions, including those of the Mahdbhdrata and other Sanskrit epics (that is, Rdmdyana and Harivamsa).
Choquequirao, Topa Inca's Machu Picchu: a royal estate and ceremonial center

We provide a history and description of the Inca archaeological complex of Choque- quirao, located high on a narrow ridge above the Apurimac River in a remote region of the Vilcabamba of Peru. We suggest that Choquequirao was built as a royal estate during the late 15th century by the Inca ruler, Topa Inca Yupanki, modeled after Machu Picchu. It was built in part by workers imported from Cachapoyas in Northern Peru. The site has alignments with the June and December solstices suggesting a strong solar focus and year-round ceremonial activi- ties. A large truncated hill served as a ceremonial platform or ushnu. The platform was accessed through a double-jamb entranceway, indicating that passage was probably limited to those of high status. We suspect Choquequirao functioned as a ceremonial center. It shares with Machu Picchu the remoteness, 'other worldliness', and liminality that are found in many pilgrimage centers of the world. Though Choquequirao, high above the Apurimac River, has a location that is equally as dramatic as Machu Picchu, it lacks the formable geological material required to create imperial-style monumental structures and shaped stone huacas. Choquequirao was occupied during the early colonial years by the Neo-Inca, and was abandoned sometime after the death of the last Inca in 1572. It is a fascinating puzzle that Spanish travelers of the time apparently never reached or described this major Inca complex, which was the most impressive in the Vilcabamba. Somehow, the Inca managed to keep it secret although relatives and others journeyed back and forth to colonial Cusco.
Bounds on the complex conductivity of geophysical mixtures

Following previous work on bounds for complex dielectrics, bounds on the complex conductivity of a mixture of two isotropic components can be developed which are independent of any special assumption concerning the geometry of the mixture. If certain broad restrictions are assumed, such as isotropy of the mixture, then the bounds can be made more restrictive. These bounds reveal the range of the induced polarization response which can be caused by a mixture of two materials of known complex conductivity. The bounds can also be generalized for spectral responses. The bounds are conservative lithologically in the sense that many of the special models corresponding to boundary responses have lithological counterparts. The chief use for the given bounds is to gain insight into the nature of the induced polarization response. It is also possible to use the bounds to estimate the volume fractions of the components. We illustrate how this is done for the case of a general anisotropic medium.
Temporal fossa defects: techniques for injecting hyaluronic acid filler and complications after hyaluronic acid filler injection

Facial changes with aging include thinning of the epidermis, loss of skin elasticity, atrophy of muscle, and subcutaneous fat and bony changes, all which result in a loss of volume. As temporal bones become more concave, and the temporalis atrophies and the temporal fat pad decreases, volume loss leads to an undesirable, gaunt appearance. By altering the temporal fossa and upper face with hyaluronic acid filler, those whose specialty is injecting filler can achieve a balanced and more youthful facial structure. Many techniques have been described to inject filler into the fossa including a "fanned" pattern of injections, highly diluted filler injection, and the method we describe using a three-injection approach. Complications of filler in the temporal fossa include bruising, tenderness, swelling, Tyndall effect, overcorrection, and chewing discomfort. Although rare, more serious complications include infection, foreign body granuloma, intravascular necrosis, and blindness due to embolization into the ophthalmic artery. Using reversible hyaluronic acid fillers, hyaluronidase can be used to relieve any discomfort felt by the patient. Injectors must be aware of the complications that may occur and provide treatment readily to avoid morbidities associated with filler injection into this sensitive area.
Live-Birth in Vipers (Viperidae) is a Key Innovation and Adaptation to Global Cooling During the Cenozoic

The identification of adaptations and key innovations has long interested biologists because they confer on organisms the ability to exploit previously unavailable ecological resources and respond to novel selective pressures. Although it can be extremely difficult to test for the effects of a character on the rate of lineage diversification, the convergent evolution of a character in multiple lineages provides an excellent opportunity to test for the effect of that character on lineage diversification. Here, I examine the effect of parity mode on the diversification of vipers, which have independently evolved viviparity in at least 13 lineages. I find strong statistical evidence that viviparous species diversify at a greater rate than oviparous species and correlate major decreases in the diversification rate of oviparous species with periods of global cooling, such as the Oligocene. These results suggest that the evolution of viviparity buffered live-bearing species against the negative effects of global climate change during the Cenozoic, and was a key innovation in the evolution and diversification of live-bearing vipers.
Closure to discussion of "voltage stability analysis: V-Q power flow simulation versus dynamic simulation"

of each allele represents the number of blocks of fixed capacity that are being added to the existing circuit. The representation of other situations, such as replacing the existing circuit for another one with different technology, or different voltage, would require the use of more than one allele for the respective circuit (let call them as “sub-alleles”) as well as the implementation of a rule that tells the GA to turn off the effect of one sub-allele to let the other take place. For instance, if one wants to analyze the expansion of a given circuit at two different voltage levels, say 230 kV and 500 kV, two sub-alleles should be set up: one representing the number of blocks of expansion at 230 kV and the other at 500 kV. The aforementioned rule should ask the GA to fix to zero either one of the sub-alleles to let the other influence in the chromosome’s fitness. Even though we did not implement such an option, we believe that it can be successful. Concerning the second issue, even though a GA for finding optimum dynamic expansion plans could be developed and implemented, it should be mentioned that considering the uncertainties, the amount of information that is no longer available for the public and the decentralization of decisions in a competitive market of electricity supply, the effort of implementing a GA-based, dynamic expansion model, would not be worthwhile. In our opinion, the dynamic of the expansion (dating of new installations) is defined by complementary studies such as stability and reliability assessment and short-circuit analysis. However, among the set methodologies, methods and programs for the expansion planning, a static integer transmission expansion model is necessary to pick up major interconnections and facilities that will be present in most of the scenarios. A short-run, market-driven expansion model will never foresee those large-scale projects. Regarding the third issue, in a market based on physical bilateral contracts with short-term transactions, the long-term view about the problem should be replaced by a short-term view, whose emphasis is to manage congestion through prices. Nevertheless, if the interest is focused on the long-term analysis of the transmission expansion under such a market of contracts, a GA-based algorithm could be used, if multiple scenarios of load, dispatch and bilateral transactions are considered.
Algorithms for reliable data transmission for metal fill monitoring using Wireless Sensor Networks

Among the wide range of wireless sensor network applications, many require reliable data communications such that data packets can be delivered to the destination without loss. This thesis is focused on one such application, viz. metal-fill monitoring system for the lost foam casting process implemented using capacitive sensors and Wireless Sensor Networks. Experiments were carried out in the TTU foundry to measure Radio Signal Strength and Link Quality and characterize data packet losses. The problem of packet losses associated with wireless transmission of data using wireless sensor networks with emphasis on the foundry environment has been explored and two solutions were investigated. The first is based on Delayed Retransmission and is suitable for offline monitoring. The second is for online monitoring and is based on Erasure Coding using Cauchy Reed - Solomon codes. The two solutions have been tested and evaluated for the metal-fill monitoring application. The entire system from sensing to data transmission provides a flexible and cost effective method to monitor the metal fill process.
Development of a handheld Raman microspectrometer for clinical dermatologic applications.

Although skin is easily accessible to optical methodologies, a portable measurement head is necessary to allow ready spectroscopic interrogation of all anatomic locations. However, most conventional Raman microspectrometers and even dermatologic-specific Raman systems are fixed systems ill-suited to anatomic accessibility. To this end, we have developed a portable Raman microspectrometer system for future dermatologic studies. An in-house-built bench-top system was used to qualify the optical components and design. Based on this system’s layout, a handheld microspectrometer was developed for future clinical application. This system produces similar operating characteristics to the bench-top prototype, and is shown to provide clear Raman spectra from skin tissue measured in vivo in clinically-feasible integration times.
Nanocomposites of polyamide‐11 and carbon nanostructures: Development of microstructure and ultimate properties following solution processing

There is growing interest in the incorporation of nanoparticles into engineering polymers to improve various functional properties. However, ultimate properties of nano- composites are affected by a large number of factors including the microstructural distributions that are generated during processing. In this work, polyamide-11 (PA-11) (also known as nylon-11) nanocomposites are generated with carbon nano- structures employing a solution crystallization technique at multiple polymer and nanoparticle concentrations, followed by drying, molding, uniaxial stretching and the analysis of the microstructural distributions and tensile properties of the nano- composites. The morphology of crystals of PA-11 encapsulat- ing the nanoparticles changed from nano-hybrid shish-kebabs at low polymer concentration (0.02 wt % PA-11 in solvent) to spherulites at high polymer concentration (10 wt % PA-11 in solvent). The drawing down of nanocomposite films at draw ratios ranging from 2 to 5 at 100 � C resulted in a shift of the
Transplanting and Editing Animations on Skinned Meshes

Skinned Mesh Animation (SMA) well approximates a mesh animation with extracted bones and their transformations. However, unlike skeleton, bones in SMA are not organized in hierarchies, thus they need mesh dependent translation vectors which prevent other sources of motion (i.e. skeletal animations, MoCAP, SMAs etc) from being applied to the skinned mesh. In this paper, we propose a new and fast method to transplant motion to skinned meshes. By efficiently solving a linear least-squares system, we can compute new translation vectors which enable the motion to work on the skinned mesh. Based on the same idea, we have also devised a SMA editing tool which allows users to edit frames of the SMA interactively. Furthermore, the editing can be propagated to all subsequent frames.
Conformational changes during kinesin motility

Nucleotide-dependent movements of the head and neck of kinesin have been visualized by cryoelectron microscopy and have been inferred from single-molecule studies. Key predictions of the hand-over-hand model for dimeric kinesin have been confirmed, and a novel processivity mechanism for the one-headed, kinesin-related motor KIF1A has been discovered.
An analytical approach to floorplan design and optimization

An analytical method for general floorplan design and optimization is proposed. This method is based on a mixed integer programming model and application of a standard mathematical software. The method allows arbitrary combinations of rigid and flexible modules. Various objective functions such as chip area, interconnection length, timing delays or any combination of them are permitted. Routing space is estimated by the global router. Experimental data are provided. >
Benign Giant Duodenal Ulcer

Summary 1.The fifth case of benign giant duodenal ulcer with adequate data to support such a diagnosis is reported. 2.The' roentgenograms in our patient on several occasions did not separate this type of ulcer from those usually encountered in this locale. 3.The similarity between the mucosa of the superior portion of the duodenum and the lower portion of the stomach is re-emphasized. 4.Attention is called to the marked gross similarity of this type of ulcer to carcinoma. 5.Criteria are proposed defining a giant duodenal ulcer.
Perceived Neighborhood Safety During Adolescence Predicts Subsequent Deterioration of Subjective Health Two Decades Later; Gender Differences in a Racially-Diverse Sample.

Background: Current study aimed to investigate whether perceived neighborhood as unsafe during adolescence predicts the subsequent perceived health two decades later. Methods: In a prospective study of an ethnically diverse urban sample (83.2% Black), conducted from 1994 to 2012, 851 adolescents were enrolled at 9 th grade. Three hundred and seventy-eight participants were followed from 9 th grade for 18 years. The outcome was subjective health (feeling as healthy as other people of the same age) measured at baseline (mean age 15 years) and end of follow-up (mean age 33 years). The independent variable was neighborhood perceived as unsafe measured at 9 th grade. Baseline age, family structure, and parental employment were control variables. We ran logistic regressions in the pooled sample and also specific to each gender. Results: Perceived neighborhood as unsafe at 9 th grade predicted deterioration of subjective health over the next 18 years (unadjusted odds ratio = 1.742, 95% confidence interval = 1.042-2.911). This association remained significant in a multivariable model that controlled for baseline subjective health, family structure, and parental employment. The association between perceived neighborhood safety at 9 th grade and subsequent deterioration of perceived health during the next 12 years was significant for females but not males. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that perception of unsafe neighborhoods during adolescence has negative consequences years later for the health of females. Further research is needed to replicate the findings using objective measures of health.
Globalization, Equality and Nondiscrimination: An Interdisciplinary Perspective from the U.S. on Diversity Programming

While globalization is often associated with a host of workplace trends detrimental to worker welfare, one hopeful development is the quest for workplace equality and nondiscrimination, an undertaking that is the impetus for efforts spanning from the legislative to the decidedly soft and educational. In the European Union, for example, the year 2007 has been designated the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, an ambitious supranational initiative that aims to inform members of the public about their legal rights, place the benefits of diversity in the spotlight, and put the E.U. on a firm path to tackle and ultimately vanquish discriminatory attitudes and conduct. From an American perspective, the activities in Europe, especially its nascent workplace diversity movement, are notable, and provide an opportunity to assess the U.S. experience. This essay thus describes efforts in Europe to combat discrimination at the organizational level, and considers the situation in the U.S., where organizations themselves have to an extent determined the terms of legal compliance with antidiscrimination law through the adoption of programs and policies just starting to appear in Europe. In light of recent U.S. studies on diversity program efficacy, the essay concludes with some cautionary words about the lessons Europeans might draw from the U.S.
A surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopic study of pH dependent water adsorption on Au

Abstract The potential dependent behavior of near-surface water on Au film electrodes in acidic and alkaline solutions is studied using a combination of attenuated total reflectance surface enhanced infrared spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. In acid, sharp νOH peaks appear at 3583 cm− 1 at high potentials attributed to non-H-bonded water coadsorbed in the hydration sphere of perchlorate near the electrode surface. Adsorbed hydronium bending mode at near 1680 cm− 1 is observed at low potentials in low pH solutions (1.4, 4.0, 6.8). At high pH (10.0, 12.3), a potential-dependent OH stretching band assigned to adsorbed hydroxide emerges from 3400–3506 cm− 1. The observation of adsorbed hydroxide, even on a weakly oxophilic metal such as Au, provides the framework for further studies of hydroxide adsorption on other electrodes to determine the role of adsorbed hydroxide on important reactions such as the hydrogen oxidation reaction.
Means for Maintaining Economic Stability

G EENERALLY, when we talk about economic stability, the central variable attracting attention is the level of unemployment. (We, of course, prefer a low level of unemployment rather than a stable quantity at any other level.) Secondarily, we may be interested in stabilizing price levels. Other variables, such as per capita income, employment and national product are expected to grow rather than remain stable. I will, therefore, focus on the problem of stabilizing unemployment at a low level. A variety of means, ranging from fiscal, monetary, and tax structure policies to price and wage controls of either the administered type or the market type (control of prices and wages by competitive market forces), may be used to keep unemployment low. Since we usually have other ends in view in addition to minimizing unemployment, we generally prefer means other than administered price and wage controls as a method of holding down unemployment. Conscious controls produce unwanted consequences such as misallocation of resources and decreased freedom of choice. Also, the political process being what it is, administrators are likely to change prices and wage rates in ways which cause unemployment rather than prevent it.
Political Participation and Democracy

Elections, political campaigns, street protests and debates: the French political landscape always provides an intriguing opportunity for citizens to be active. Even French institutions are keen to make sure individuals take advantage of their right to political expression. For instance, the French government1 informs citizens on how to get involved in associations, from general rules to specific legal details. With the same commitment, the city of Paris hosts an annual forum of associations2 to support and advise a potential average of 55,000 organizations formed in the capital alone. Indirectly, French authorities are encouraging citizens to be responsible participants in the democratic system they are part of, to the point of generating on a regular basis quite a few large gatherings, with the ritual street march, to illustrate specific demands in regard to a new law or government policy. In the fall of 2008 for instance, high school students, parents and teachers joined forces on a Saturday afternoon in a street protest leaving Place d’Italie in Paris to complain about the high school education curriculum reform the government had implemented. In a parallel case a few weeks later, media journalists and technicians from public radio and TV stations assembled at the Tour Eiffel to manifest their disappointment and opposition to a government project changing policies regarding on-the-air commercial promotions and election rules to the national audiovisual council.
“I Don’t Think It’s Worth the Risk”: Media Framing of the Chris Borland Retirement in Digital and Print Media

Football player safety, specifically concussions, has been a growing area of debate in U.S. mainstream media. Whereas many of these discussions are centered on the health effects experienced by former players, active National Football League (NFL) players often discursively minimize concussions. However, in March 2015, 24-year-old, San Francisco 49ers player Chris Borland voluntarily retired, specifically citing concerns about the health risks associated with concussions sustained while playing football. A textual analysis of 112 digital media and 187 print media articles revealed 10 frames that were used to discuss Borland’s decision. Analysis revealed that the most prominent frame used in media outlets was centered on the health risks and consequences of playing football, while other frames discussed parental choice and social mobility associated with football. The results suggest that decisions by NFL players with respect to concussions can be framed in the context of larger social and cultural issues....
Effect of energy source fed to sows during late gestation on neonatal blood metabolite homeostasis, energy stores and composition.

Four experiments utilizing 49 primiparous and 34 multiparous sows were conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding either starch, soybean oil or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) during late gestation (d 100 to parturition) on neonatal fasting blood glucose homeostasis (Exp. 1 and 2), d-100 maternal circulating insulin, glucagon and glucose concentrations (Exp. 3 and 4), neonatal energy stores (Exp. 3 and 4) and colostrum composition (Exp. 1, 2, 3 and 4). In all cases, sows were fed 7.2 Mcal/d of a diet that supplied 279 g of protein daily. During fasting, pigs from MCT-fed dams had higher blood glucose concentrations (P less than .05) than pigs from starch-fed dams. No differences between treatments were observed for total carcass fat, liver glycogen or carcass glycogen of pigs killed prior to suckling. In general, colostrum fatty acid profiles were influenced by diet; however, the shifts in fatty acids differed for experiments. Starch-fed sows had higher blood insulin and lower blood glucagon (P less than .05) than lipid-supplemented sows; however, sow blood glucose remained constant across treatments. This study indicates that any positive effects of feeding soybean oil to sows during late gestation are most likely mediated by a change in fatty acid composition of colostrum; any beneficial properties of MCT feeding most likely are mediated through improved blood glucose maintenance of the neonate when it is subjected to fasting conditions.
Executive Attitudes Towards Planning in Selected Industries

Do the executives from firms in manufacturing, retail and service industries have similar or differing views on the nature and benefits of marketing planning? Are their views consistent with the published theory of marketing planning? What do these executives believe to be the basic reasons for the lack of widespread implementation of marketing planning? In order to answer these and related questions, a national survey was recently undertaken. The results of the survey, it was hoped, would provide some indication of the extent to which the marketing planning philosophy has come to be accepted in the three key industries.
Associations among measures of energy balance related behaviors and psychosocial determinants in urban upper elementary school children

Abstract Background Childhood obesity prevention is a pressing issue. Understanding the relationships among eating and physical activity behaviors and potential psychosocial determinants of behavior will help us design more effective interventions. This study aimed to examine such relationships in a large sample of urban elementary school children. Methods Fifth grade students in 20 recruited New York City public schools completed a validated questionnaire on six “do more” (fruits and vegetables and physical activity) and “do less” (sweetened beverages, processed packaged snacks, fast food and sedentary behavior) energy balance related behaviors (EBRBs) and psychosocial determinants of behavior from social cognitive and self-determination theories. Correlations among behaviors and hierarchical linear model analyses of the relationship between psychosocial determinants and behaviors were conducted for those with complete data (n = 952). Results The “do more” and the “do less” behaviors were significantly correlated within categories (p Conclusions Interventions can address the healthy and less healthy clusters of behaviors together, focusing on strategies to enhance their self-efficacy and habit strength for the “do more” behaviors and outcome expectations to motivate intention to choose fewer “do less” behaviors, along with enhancing self-efficacy and habit. Research can examine these determinants as potential mediators of change in intervention.
Characterization and quantification of biochar alkalinity.

Abstract Lack of knowledge regarding the nature of biochar alkalis has hindered understanding of pH-sensitive biochar-soil interactions. Here we investigate the nature of biochar alkalinity and present a cohesive suite of methods for its quantification. Biochars produced from cellulose, corn stover and wood feedstocks had significant low-pKa organic structural (0.03–0.34 meq g−1), other organic (0–0.92 meq g−1), carbonate (0.02–1.5 meq g−1), and other inorganic (0–0.26 meq g−1) alkalinities. All four categories of biochar alkalinity contributed to total biochar alkalinity and are therefore relevant to pH-sensitive soil processes. Total biochar alkalinity was strongly correlated with base cation concentration, but biochar alkalinity was not a simple function of elemental composition, soluble ash, fixed carbon, or volatile matter content. More research is needed to characterize soluble biochar alkalis other than carbonates and to establish predictive relationships among biochar production parameters and the composition of biochar alkalis.
Joint edge-directed interpolation and adaptive sharpening filter

In this paper, we present a joint filter that upsamples and adaptively sharpens a video/image simultaneously. The joint filter has been designed by combining a low complexity edge-directed interpolator with an adaptive Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) filter. The joint filter yields sharp upsampled images, and is demonstrated to have lower computational complexity and similar visual quality when compared to using separate upsampling and sharpening filters.