cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time‐dependent differential virial theorems

In this article we derive for an arbitrary, real, local (multiplicative), time-dependent (TD) external potential, the differential form of the virial theorem for the pure state in TD Schrodinger theory. We contrast this pure-state theorem with the many-body theory equation of motion for both equilibrium and nonequilibrium phenomena. We also derive the corresponding pure-state theorem for a model system of noninteracting fermions with equivalent TD density. These theorems are valid for both adiabatic and sudden switching on of the external potential. The theorems furthermore lead to a line-integral expression for the local effective potential of the noninteracting system that may be provided the physical interpretation, at each instant of time, as being the work done to move an electron in the force of a conservative field. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 78: 341–347, 2000
Effects of diagonal Anderson disorder on x-ray emission and photoemission spectra

The effects of diagonal Anderson disorder and of final-state interactions on x-ray emission and photoemission spectra are evaluated in a change of mean-field model. The disorder produces distinct sideband features on the x-ray photoemission spectra, but primarily broadens the emission spectra.
Brief Report: 25-Year Follow-up of a High-functioning Autistic Child

The following case report based on a 25-year experience with a high-functioning autistic child is offered (1) to provide some historical perspective on our approaches to ASD over the past 25 years, and (2) to illuminate some areas of continuing need for improvement.
Moth uses fine tuning for odour resolution

Male moths, when responding to their species' blend of sex pheromones, cease their upwind flight when additional compounds are added to the mixture. Often these behavioural antagonists are the pheromone components of sympatric species that emit similar pheromone blends, and thus may function to prevent mating with females of the wrong species. Antagonists must be emitted from the same point source as the pheromone blend to be optimally effective1,2,3,4, suggesting a fine discrimination between the occurrence of pheromone and antagonist.
Interactions of Water Stress, Honeylocust Spider Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae), Early Leaf Abscission, and Growth of Gleditsia triacanthos

Sixty honeylocust trees, Gleditsia triacanthos variety inermis Skyline', were grown for 2 yr in containers. Irrigation and infestation with the honeylocust spider mite, Platytetranychus multidigitali (Ewing) were manipulated in July and August of 1991 and 1992 to determine the impact of water stress and spider mite infestation on tree health. Water stress had no impact on spider mite populations in this study. Drought-stressed trees assimilated CO 2 at half the rate of trees receiving adequate water; but after 2 yr, the trunk diameter of water-stressed trees was only 12% less than that of adequately watered trees. Spider mite infestation did not affect tree growth. Water stress and mite infestation caused early leaf abscission. By 17 September 1991, healthy trees with no stresses had lost 30% of their leaves, mite infested trees 50%, water stressed trees 52%, and trees that were water stressed and infested with mites had lost 69% of their leaves. Similar results were obtained in 1992. No predator mites were found in either year.
Modern alluvial history of the Paria Rver drainage basin, southern Utah

Stream channels in the Paria River basin were eroded and partially refilled between 1883 and 1980. Basin-wide erosion began in 1883; channels were fully entrenched and widened by 1890. This erosion occurred during the well-documented period of arroyo cutting in the Southwest. Photographs of the Paria River channel taken between 1918 and 1940 show that the channel did not have a floodplain and remained wide and deep until the early 1940s. A thin bar (<50 cm), now reworked and locally preserved, was deposited at that time. Basin-wide aggradation, which began in the early 1940s, developed floodplains by vertical accretion. The floodplain alluvium, 1.3–3 m thick. consists of two units recognizable throughout the studied area. An older unit was deposited during a time of low flow and sediment yield whereas the younger unit was deposited during times of high flow, sediment yield, and precipitation. Tree-ring dating suggests that the older unit was deposited between the early 1940s and 1956, and the younger between 1956 and 1980. The units are not time transgressive, suggesting that deposition by knickpoint recession was not an important process. High peak-flood discharges were associated with crosion and low flood discharges with aggradation. The erosional or aggradational mode of the streams was determined principally by peak-flood discharge, which in turn was controlled by precipitation.
Making your crashes work for you (doctoral symposium)

Debugging is difficult and costly. Developers greatly value full traces and complete, reproducible crash recordings, but these are impractical for deployed software. Fortunately, failing applications can leave behind a snapshot of their crashing state in the form of a core dump. Unfortunately, crash data alone often leaves substantial ambiguity in the program's execution. My thesis work aims both to improve the quality of information extracted from core dumps and enhance this readily-available information. My prior work showed that automated postmortem analysis results can be significantly improved by targeted, lightweight, and tunable instrumentation (0-5% run-time overhead). My thesis aims to expand this work in three directions: improved tracing and dump data recovery, expanded postmortem analyses, and improved tracing efficiency based on previously-observed failures.
Test anxiety, emotional responding under guided imagery, and self-talk during an academic examination

Abstract This investigation examined the assumption that phenomenological responses created by guidedimagery procedures pertinent to test anxiety are topographically similar to emotional responses experienced during an actual examination. Participants were divided on facilitating versus debilitating test anxiety and exposed to subclinical doses of stimulus-response propositions that involved test-taking, fear, and physical activity using the induction technique employed by Lang et al. (1980). Patterns of emotional responses obtained after each induction were compared to the pattern elicited immediately prior to students' final course examination as well as self-talk during the examination. Results indicated that exposure to test-related imagery elicited a pattern of emotional responding that was different than exposure to fear or action imagery but was nearly identical to emotional responses found before examinations. Negative emotional states before the examination also were associated with higher freque...
Rescue PTCA complicated by pulmonary artery rupture after tPA and abciximab

Since the introduction of pulmonary artery catheterization for hemodynamic monitoring, several complications associated with its use have been described. Pulmonary artery rupture is an infrequent complication of flow-directed pulmonary artery catheters. We report a case of pulmonary artery rupture complicating rescue PTCA in the presence of systemic platelet inhibition with abciximab (Reopro), anticoagulation, and thrombolytic therapy. With the increasing use of these medications in patients undergoing acute coronary interventions, particularly those patients requiring hemodynamic monitoring, this uncommon but potentially fatal complication may be seen more frequently. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 46:89–91, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Growth and yield of potato grown in the greenhouse during summer and winter in Hawaii

Abstract An experiment conducted in Hawaii studied the effects of extremely high temperatures (>30C) on plant morphology, leaf area development, and dry matter production of three north‐temperate potato cultivars and one heat‐tolerant clone. To recreate environments with temperatures >30C, plants were grown in the greenhouse during summer and winter, and also during winter in an adjacent area outside the greenhouse. The environments were outside‐winter (OW), greenhouse‐winter (GW), and greenhouse‐summer (GS). Mean maximum air temperatures (MAXT) in OW, GW, and GS environments, for a 40‐day period after 50% emergence, were 27.5C, 35.1C, and 39.5C, respectively. Corresponding minimum air temperatures (MINT) were 17.3C, 19.6C, and 25.0C. Plants exposed to MAXT >35C produced greater stem numbers, fewer branches, and reduced leaf area. Stem elongation proceeded almost linearly with increasing temperature but virtually ceased at MAXT >35C. Tuber initiation began at about 34 days after planting at MINT <20C; no ...
Reactive oxygen species at the oxide/water interface: Formation mechanisms and implications for prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life

The goal of our study is to identify free radical formation pathways on mineral surfaces. Organic molecules on early Earth might have been modified or decomposed by such pathways, thus affecting the total organic inventory for prebiotic synthesis reactions. Specifically, we evaluated several common oxide minerals under a range of environmental conditions and combinations of conditions (pH, O2 level, UV-wavelength, and particle loading), for formation of highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the oxide surfaces by quantifying the generated [OH] and [H2O2]. We identified anatase/rutile (β-TiO2/α-TiO2) and hematite (α-Fe2O3) as active in ROS production and, importantly, found different dominant pathways for ROS formation on anatase/rutile versus hematite. Hydroxyl radicals (OH) in anatase and rutile suspensions were generated mainly through the oxidation of OH− by photo-generated holes and H2O2 was generated through the combination of an OH radical with an OH− and a hole. This pathway for the TiO2 phases did not require the presence of O2, and was not shut down under anaerobic conditions. In contrast, formation of H2O2 and OH in hematite suspensions involved reduction of O2 by electrons, which was inhibited under anaerobic conditions. The surface ROS as well as free radicals formed by reactions with other gases on early Earth atmosphere were capable of destroying molecules such as lipids and pre-RNA or RNA essential to assembly of protocells and survival of the earliest cells. At the same time, surface associated ROS and other free radicals may also have promoted aminoamide formation. Thus, the surface ROS would have affected prebiotic organic compound inventory and protocell/early life evolution.
Tobacco single-copy DNA is highly homologous to sequences present in the genomes of its diploid progenitors

We compared the single-copy DNA sequences of the tetraploid tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, with those of its diploid progenitors N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis. We observed that 65% of N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis single-copy DNA fragments reacted with each other using moderately stringent hybridization conditions (60° C, 0.18 M Na+). An additional 10% sequence homology was detected when the hybridization temperature was reduced by 10° C. The thermal stability of interspecific single-copy DNA duplexes indicated that they were approximately 6% more mispaired than homologous single-copy DNA duplexes. In contrast, we observed almost no single-copy DNA divergence between N. tabacum and its diploid progenitors. Greater than 99% of N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis single-copy DNAs reacted with N. tabacum DNA using moderately stringent hybridization conditions. The thermal stability of these duplexes indicated that they contained no more sequence mismatch than homologous single-copy duplexes. Together, our results show that significant single-copy DNA sequence divergence has occurred between the diploid N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis genomes. However, by applying our experimental criteria these single-copy DNAs are indistinguishable from their counterparts in the hybrid N. tabacum nucleus.
Learning from Mixed-Reality Games: Is Shaking a Tablet as Effective as Physical Observation?

The possibility of leveraging technology to support children's learning in the real world is both appealing and technically challenging. We have been exploring factors in tangible games that may contribute to both learning and enjoyment with an eye toward technological feasibility and scalability. Previous research found that young children learned early physics principles better when interactively predicting and observing experimental comparisons on a physical earthquake table than when seeing a video of the same. Immersing children in the real world with computer vision-based feedback appears to evoke embodied cognition that enhances learning. In the current experiment, we replicated this intriguing result of the mere difference between observing the real world versus a flat-screen. Further, we explored whether a simple and scalable addition of physical control (such as shaking a tablet) would yield an increase in learning and enjoyment. Our 2x2 experiment found no evidence that adding simple forms of hands-on control enhances learning, while demonstrating a large impact of physical observation. A general implication for educational game design is that affording physical observation in the real world accompanied by interactive feedback may be more important than affording simple hands-on control on a tablet.
A gradient algorithm for chance constrained nonlinear goal programming

Abstract Decision environments involve high degrees of uncertainty as well as multiple, conflicting objectives. Often sampling information is available as a means of describing uncertainty. This description can be utilized in the form of chance constraints. Goal programming offers a means of considering multiple, conflicting objectives. A nonlinear goal programming algorithm is presented based upon the gradient method, utilizing an optimal step length for chance constrained goal programming models. The resulting algorithm requires assumptions of convex solution sets, differentiable and monotonic nonlinear constraints, and normally distributed variance of stochastic parameters. The algorithm is evaluated for generality, reliability, and precision; sensitivity to parameters and data; preparational and computational effort; and convergence. Model sensitivity to parameters is identified, as well as appropriate adjustment. The algorithm was found to require minimal preparational effort, favorable computation time, and rapid convergence to optimal solution with the exception of models containing high degrees of nonlinearity.
Verbal productivity as a measure of change in affective status

A measure of change in depression, based on the construct of energy output, was used to differentiate two depressed groups, one which improved and one which was unimproved. Improvement was defined by change in MMPI Depression Scale score. Verbal productivity was chosen as an operational measure of energy output. It was hypothesized that change in depressive status would be reflected in an approach to normal productivity as depression lessened and greater divergence from normal productivity as depression increased. Ss were inpatients whose symptoms, upon admission, included depression. Analysis of covariance, performed to control for initial productivity, showed a significant difference in the hypothesized direction, which was interpreted in terms of psychological defense mechanisms.
Role of troponin in patients with chronic kidney disease and suspected acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review.

Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have high prevalence of elevated serum troponin levels, which makes diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) challenging. Purpose To evaluate the utility of troponin in ACS diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis among patients with CKD. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through May 2014. Study selection Studies examining elevated versus normal troponin levels in terms of their diagnostic performance in detection of ACS, effect on ACS management strategies, and prognostic value for mortality or cardiovascular events after ACS among patients with CKD. Data extraction Paired reviewers selected articles for inclusion, extracted data, and graded strength of evidence (SOE). Data synthesis Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria. The sensitivity of troponin T for ACS diagnosis ranged from 71% to 100%, and specificity ranged from 31% to 86% (6 studies; low SOE). The sensitivity and specificity of troponin I ranged from 43% to 94% and from 48% to 100%, respectively (8 studies; low SOE). No studies examined how troponin levels affect management strategies. Twelve studies analyzed prognostic value. Elevated levels of troponin I or troponin T were associated with higher risk for short-term death and cardiac events (low SOE). A similar trend was observed for long-term mortality with troponin I (low SOE), but less evidence was found for long-term cardiac events for troponin I and long-term outcomes for troponin T (insufficient SOE). Patients with advanced CKD tended to have worse prognoses with elevated troponin I levels than those without them (moderate SOE). Limitation Studies were heterogeneous in design and in ACS definitions and adjudication methods. Conclusion In patients with CKD and suspected ACS, troponin levels can aid in identifying those with a poor prognosis, but the diagnostic utility is limited by varying estimates of sensitivity and specificity. Primary funding source Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Surface detection errors cause overestimation of the modulus in nanoindentation on soft materials

The accuracy of mechanical properties from depth-sensing indentation, or nanoindentation, depends on the accuracy of the displacement measurement used to calculate these properties. Here, current nanoindentation techniques and analysis methods for accurate displacement measurements are reviewed. First, the ability of a commercial instrument to sense the surface of soft materials is examined. Second, methods of sample surface detection are reviewed. Finally, a case of overestimation of the elastic modulus of a compliant material using nanoindentation with incorrect displacement values is presented.
The disteribution of a moment estimator for a parameter of the generalized poision distribution

The ratio of the sample variance to the sample mean estimates a simple function of the parameter which measures the departure of the Poisson-Poisson from the Poisson distribution. Moment series to order n24 are given for related estimators. In one case, exact integral formulations are given for the first two moments, enabling a comparison to be made between their asymptotic developments and a computer-oriented extended Taylor series (COETS) algorithm. The integral approach using generating functions is sketched out for the third and fourth moments. Levin's summation algorithm is used on the divergent series and comparative simulation assessments are given.
Basal-plane thermal conductivity of few-layer molybdenum disulfide

We report the in-plane thermal conductivity of suspended exfoliated few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) samples that were measured by suspended micro-devices with integrated resistance thermometers. The obtained room-temperature thermal conductivity values are (44–50) and (48–52) W m−1 K−1 for two samples that are 4 and 7 layers thick, respectively. For both samples, the peak thermal conductivity occurs at a temperature close to 120 K, above which the thermal conductivity is dominated by intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering although phonon scattering by surface disorders can still play an important role in these samples especially at low temperatures.
Effective macroscopic adhesive contact behavior induced by small surface roughness

Abstract In this paper we study a model contact problem involving adhesive elastic frictionless contact between rough surfaces. The problem's most notable feature is that it captures the phenomenon of depth-dependent-hysteresis (DDH) (e.g., see Kesari et al., 2010 ), which refers to the observation of different contact forces during the loading and unloading stages of a contact experiment. We specifically study contact between a rigid axi-symmetric punch and an elastic half-space. The roughness is represented as arbitrary periodic undulations in the punch's radial profile. These undulations induce multiple equilibrium contact regions between the bodies at each indentation-depth. Assuming that the system evolves so as to minimize its potential energy, we show that different equilibrium contact regions are selected during the loading and unloading stages at each indentation-depth, giving rise to DDH. When the period and amplitude of our model's roughness is reduced, we show that the evolution of the contact force and radius with the indentation-depth can be approximated with simpler curves, the effective macroscopic behavior, which we compute. Remarkably, the effective behavior depends solely on the amplitude and period of the model's roughness. The effective behavior is useful for estimating material properties from contact experiments displaying DDH. We show one such example here. Using the effective behavior for a particular roughness model (sinusoidal) we analyze the energy loss during a loading/unloading cycle, finding that roughness can toughen the interface. We also estimate the energy barriers between the different equilibrium contact regions at a fixed indentation-depth, which can be used to assess the importance of ambient energy fluctuations on DDH.
Food recognition by chaetopterus variopedatus (renier): Synergy of mechanical and chemical stimulation

Food recognition and related behaviour was studied in specimens of Chaetopterus variopedatus (Renier) housed in glass tubes in flowing seawater. Particulates and amino acids were added to the flow, mimicking food stimuli and water currents produced by the worm's fanning and were recorded with a Doppler flow meter. Fanning duration was negatively correlated with feeding. Of amino acids tested, glycine and taurine significantly reduced fanning duration. Cellulose chromatography beads, a non‐chemically enriched particulate food mimic, also significantly reduced fanning duration. However, neither particulate nor chemical stimuli were equal to plankton (Gonyaulax polyedra) in reducing fanning duration. When an ineffectively low concentration of glycine was presented simultaneously with chromatography beads, at one‐hundredth the particle concentration of plankton, fanning duration shortened to periods characteristic of responses to plankton. These results suggest that both particulate (tactile) and chemical sti...
Non-Equilibrium Dissolution Kinetics of Micro-Size Metal Particles in Lead-Free Solders

Soldering is the default joining process in the electronic packaging industry. Solder joints are obtained by interaction of the substrate with the molten solder. Soldering reaction and the resulting dissolution of substrate material is a complicated process. Reliability and strength of solder joints during service have always been the critical issues in electronic packaging industry. Mechanical strength of solder joints can significantly be increased by employing composite solders. These composite solders are sometimes obtained by incorporation of micro- and nano-size metal particles in the solder paste before the soldering process. Better understanding of substrate-solder interaction is important for the proper selection of the reinforcing particle size and composition. In the present research the relative importance of interface reaction and diffusion has been studied. Dissolution kinetics of a planar substrate and spherical particles has been investigated. Our results show that the dissolution is governed both by interface kinetics and long-range diffusion. Non-equilibrium behavior has been observed in the early stage of the process. It has been observed that at the early stage the dissolution process is governed by interface kinetics, while diffusion became the rate controlling mechanism at the later phase. A mathematically rigorous model has been proposed for simulating the dissolution of the substrate in the liquid lead-free solders. The study is extended to investigate the dissolution of spherical particles in molten solders. The results show that the initial particle dimension plays a critical role in the end particle size after the reflow process.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
CFD-guided development of test rigs for studying erosion and large-particle damage of thermal barrier coatings

Burner rigs are routinely used to qualifymaterials for gas turbine applications. The most useful rig tests are those that can replicate, often in an accelerated manner, the degradation that materials experience in the engine. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to accelerate the successful development and continuous improvement of combustion burner rigs for meaningful materials testing. Rig development is typically an iterative process of making incremental modifications to improve the rig performance for testing requirements. Application of CFD allows many of these iterations to be done computationally before hardware is built or modified, reducing overall testing costs and time, and it can provide an improved understanding of how these rigs operate. This paper describes the use of CFD to develop burner test rigs for studying erosion and large-particle damage of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) used to protect turbine blades from high heat fluxes in combustion engines. The steps used in this study-- determining the questions that need to be answered regarding the test rig performance, developing and validating the model, and using it to predict rig performance--can be applied to the efficient development of other test rigs.
An excluded minor theorem for the Octahedron plus an edge

Let G be the unique 4-connected simple graph obtained by adding an edge to the Octahedron. Every 4-connected graph that does not contain a minor isomorphic to G is either planar or the square of an odd cycle. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 57: 124–130, 2008
Lithium in the Old Open Cluster M 67: Constraints for the Cause of the Boesgaard Li Gap

Wide field multi-object high resolution spectroscopy can address the cause of the decade-old stellar evolutionary problem known as the Boesgaard Li gap, a severe main sequence Li depletion in F stars within a few hundred K in Teff.This Li gap points to a fundamental failure of the standard stellar evolution theory. Additional mechanisms, such as mass loss, microscopic diffusion, and rotationally-induced mixing have all been proposed to explain the gap. Subgiants of the old open cluster M 67 have evolved out of the gap, and their deepening convection zones can potentially reveal the signature(s) of the dominant mechanism(s). We present observations of 54 stars near the turnoff of M 67, obtained simultaneously in January 1996 with the 3.5-m WIYN telescope and Hydra multi-object fiber fed spectrograph. The Li decline in our M 67 subgiants argues strongly against diffusion, and weakly against mass loss (but field star Li and Be data argue strongly against mass loss). Our data support models which include rotationally-induced mixing. The importance of short-period binaries is also discussed, and implications for cosmology are mentioned.
A Fast Approximation to the Complementary Error Function for use in Fitting Gamma-Ray Peaks.

Abstract A fast approximation to the complementary error function has been programmed and tested for use in the peak-shape function for fitting peaks in gamma-ray spectra. The function was compared for speed and accuracy on the NRL ASC 7 computer to the mathematical library version of the complementary error function. The approximation has resulted in a 50% time savings in the computer program HYPERMET which was developed at NRL for automatic analysis of gamma-ray spectra from germanium detectors.
Kinetic theory of the diochotron instability

The diochotron instability of a thin, tenuous, cylindrical layer of charged particles, whose gyro-radius is of the order of the mean radius of the cylindrical layer, is investigated using the Vlasov equation. Two distribution functions are considered which give practically the same density in the physical space, but are quite different in the velocity space: in the first the velocity spread is practically zero; in the second the particles oscillate around the mean radius of the cylindrical layer. It is shown that the first distribution exhibits the usual diochotron instability, while the second one does not. It is also shown that, however small the velocity spread, the thickness of the cylindrical layer cannot go to zero. Its minimum value is roughly determined by equating the plasma frequency to the cyclotron frequency.
Phakic anterior chamber intraocular lens (Verisyse) implantation in children for treatment of severe ansiometropia myopia and amblyopia: Six-month pilot clincial trial and review of literature.

PURPOSE The current study aims to evaluate both safety and efficacy of Verisyse() (AMO, Irvine, CA) phakic anterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) in the reduction of clinically significant (>-8 D) myopic anisometropia in children who are noncompliant to traditional medical treatment including spectacle correction or contact lenses. DESIGN Retrospective interventional case series. METHODS Six anisometropic myopic pediatric patients in one practice were identified through chart-review. None of the patients were compliant with specatacle correction or contact lens wear and as a result had dense amblyopia of less than 20/400 by Snellen or Allen visual acuity (mean 6 lines was achieved in four patients (mean visual acuity of 20/70 at six months). Improvement in stereoacuity was noted in all six patients (from total mean zero seconds-arc to six-months post-operative mean of 500 seconds-arc by randot stereoacuity testing). Improvement of >2 lines of visual acuity lines was achieved in the other two patients. No patient lost any lines of visual acuity. Enhanced physical activity, coordination, and improved social interaction were noted in patients and were reported by the parents. No intra/post-operative complications were noted. DISCUSSION Irreversible or intractable amblyopia secondary to severe anisometropic myopia is a serious medical concern in the pediatric population. Failure of compliance with contact lens therapy consistently leads to visual loss. Anterior chamber phakic IOLs may provide a safe alternative in treatment of noncompliant anisometropic myopic patients who do not accept spectacle wear or contact lens therapy. CONCLUSION To reduce or eliminate highly significant anisometropic myopia in children who are noncompliant with traditional medical treatment, phakic anterior chamber IOL implantation may be considered as an alternative modality of treatment.
Supercritical fluid extraction in environmental analysis

Abstract This review focuses on recent attempts to understand the SFE process and on applications of that understanding to increase SFE recoveries of pollutants from environmental solids. Methods to decrease restrictor plugging and to increase the collection efficiencies of extracted analytes are evaluated. Approaches to obtain quantitative extractions include fluid choice, extraction flow-rate, modifiers, pressure and temperature are presented as is the potential for SFE to extract ionic and metals. Finally, the need for a better definition of “quantitative” extraction and the use of SFE in certification exercises for complex environmental samples is discussed.
Direct writing via electron-driven reactions

Direct writing has recently emerged as a viable alternative to lithography for the fabrication of patterned metallic and semiconducting materials. State-of-the-art tools such as scanning electron beams and scanning probe microscopy have been implemented in direct-write strategies to produce arbitrary and complex patterns in fewer steps, with resolution capabilities as good or better than lithographic approaches. A common thread among many of the strategies is electron-driven chemistry. Here, we review this special class of direct-write techniques, highlighting advances, challenges, and future prospects.
Entire solutions of nonhomogenous differential equations

Abstract In this paper, entire solutions of nonhomogenous differential equations of second order with polynomial coefficients in complex domain are considered. Bounds on the type and maximum modulus are obtained. Conditions for a solution to be entire and univalent are also given.
Does Testing Improve Learning for College Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?:

Taking tests on to-be-learned material is one of the most powerful learning strategies available to students. We examined the magnitude and mechanisms of the testing effect in college students with...
Anti-V antigen antibody protects macrophages from Yersinia pestis -induced cell death and promotes phagocytosis.

The pathogenic Yersinia spp. harbor a common plasmid (pYV) essential for virulence. The plasmid encodes a type III secretion system that functions to translocate Yersinia outer proteins (Yops) into the host cytosol. Within the host cell, the Yops act to inhibit phagocytosis and induce apoptosis. One of the plasmid-encoded proteins, virulence antigen (V), is a major protective immunogen that is involved in Yop translocation. Yersinia pestis, like the enteric Yersinia spp., was both resistant to phagocytosis by and cytotoxic for J774.A1, a murine macrophage cell line. Both of these activities were dependent on culture of the bacteria at 37 degrees C for 1.5-2 h before infection. However, extending the preculture period at 37 degrees C to 24 h, which induced formation of a capsule, completely blocked cytotoxicity. Treating the bacteria with either rabbit polyclonal anti-V antibodies (R anti-V) or monoclonal antibody (MAb) 7.3, antibodies specific for V and protective against plague in vivo, protected J774.A1 cells from Y. pestis -induced cell death and also reversed the inhibition of phagocytosis. Whereas protection against cell cytotoxicity was afforded by the F(ab')(2) portion of R anti-V, the ability of anti-V to induce uptake of Y. pestis appeared to be dependent on the Fc portion of the Ab. The protective epitope(s) recognized by R anti-V was contained in the central region of Y. pestis V (aa 135-275) and were partially cross reactive with Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. enterocolitica serotype 08 V antigens.
Experiments on the cause of the rabbit carcinomas derived from virus-induced papillomas. II. Loss by the Vx2 carcinoma of the power to immunize hosts against the papilloma virus.

Tests were made to learn whether an anaplastic, epidermal carcinoma, the Vx2, which had originated more than 8 years previously from a virus papilloma in a domestic rabbit, still rendered its hosts immune to the virus. It had done so in the first 22 successive groups of animals to which it was transferred during a period of 3½ years, its growth regularly eliciting a blood antibody that neutralized the Shope virus and fixed complement in mixture with it; and on the assumption that this would continue to be the case no further observations were made for nearly 4½ years more. Then direct inoculation of animals carrying the tumor in its 46th Generation showed them to be as susceptible to the virus as normal rabbits; and sera procured from hosts of the 46th, 47th, 48th, and 50th Generations failed to neutralize the virus or fix complement with it. Tests of this last sort, repeated at intervals since,—most recently with sera from animals carrying the tumor in its 73rd Generation,—have yielded consistently negative findings. Loss of the power to immunize against the papilloma virus was not attended by any perceptible change in the Vx2 carcinoma. Manifestly the antigen responsible for the immunity cannot, as such, have been the actuating cause of the tumor. Attempts were made to infect the cells providing 48th Generation cancers, by mixing them with a suspension of the papilloma virus at time of implantation, or by injecting this agent into the blood stream of rabbits in which the tumog had already begun to proliferate. Its morphology and rate of growth remained unaltered; but tests of the animals to which transfers were next made yielded what appeared to be evidence of some slight immunity to the virus.
The role of the pretectum in the acquisition and retention of visual discrimination habits in monkeys

Seven rhesus monkeys were trained to discriminate between each of three pairs of stimulus plaques, namely (1) black vs. white, (2) horizontal vs. vertical stripes, and (3) triangle vs. diamond. Six animals were then subjected to subcortical electrolytic lesions. The three subjects that received bilateral damage to the pretectal region exhibited a significant loss in the retention of the horizontal vs. vertical stripe discrimination as compared to normal or brain-operated controls. Subjects that sustained bilateral damage to the area immediately ventral to the pretectal region showed significantly poorer retention of the triangle vs. diamond task compared to the other subjects. In addition, monkeys with bilateral pretectal damage needed significantly more trials to learn a new visual discrimination task than the control group. The pretectal animals were not impaired relative to controls on the number of trials necessary to learn a 5-sec delayed alternation task. Possible functions of the pretectal region are discussed in light of the present results.
Managed Care and Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Fetal Anomalies

: Managed care organizations and their affiliated group practices approach technology evaluation in a methodical way. This paper reviews the factors used in analysis of ultrasound for the diagnosis of fetal anomalies. It includes one group practice's strategies for ultrasound management while supporting the use of the second trimester fetal survey.
Socio-economic determinants of charcoal expenditures in Tanzania: Evidence from panel data ☆

Abstract Compared to firewood, charcoal is a relatively clean and convenient fuel. Nevertheless, the mass production of charcoal can contribute substantially to deforestation, rendering it imperative to regulate charcoal use. This article uses nationally representative panel data on Tanzania conducted in 2008 and 2010 to examine how charcoal expenditures change over time within any given household. The focus of the analysis will be on identifying certain socio-economic factors that affect charcoal use at the household level. The framing of the analysis on variation in time within each household addresses the omitted variable bias that often undermines inference from comparisons across different households. We find that while charcoal expenditures increase with household income, the rise in charcoal use with income is relatively gradual. Household size is unrelated to charcoal expenditures, but urban–rural differences in fuel choice are large even though we include household fixed effects in all specifications. In this regard, policymakers and urban planners need to pay particular attention to the role of urbanization in predicting trends in charcoal expenditures in developing countries like Tanzania.
Gene Deletion Screen for Cardiomyopathy in Adult Drosophila Identifies a New Notch Ligand

Rationale: Drosophila has been recognized as a model to study human cardiac diseases. Objective: Despite these findings, and the wealth of tools that are available to the fly community, forward genetic screens for adult heart phenotypes have been rarely performed because of the difficulty in accurately measuring cardiac function in adult Drosophila . Methods and Results: Using optical coherence tomography to obtain real-time analysis of cardiac function in awake Drosophila , we performed a genomic deficiency screen in adult flies. Based on multiple complementary approaches, we identified CG31665 as a novel gene causing dilated cardiomyopathy. CG31665 , which we name weary ( wry ), has structural similarities to members of the Notch family. Using cell aggregation assays and γ-secretase inhibitors we show that Wry is a novel Notch ligand that can mediate cellular adhesion with Notch expressing cells and transactivates Notch to promote signaling and nuclear transcription. Importantly, Wry lacks a DSL (Delta-Serrate-Lag) domain that is common feature to the other Drosophila Notch ligands. We further show that Notch signaling is critically important for the maintenance of normal heart function of the adult fly. Conclusions: In conclusion, we identify a previously unknown Notch ligand in Drosophila that when deleted causes cardiomyopathy. Our study suggests that Notch signaling components may be a therapeutic target for dilated cardiomyopathy.
Comparison of Detection Methods for Heteroresistant Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus, with the Population Analysis Profile Method as the Reference Method

Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates with vancomycin MICs of 2 μg/ml have been associated with vancomycin therapeutic failure and the heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA) phenotype. A population analysis profile (PAP) with an area under the curve (AUC) ratio of ≥0.9 for the AUC of the clinical isolate versus the AUC for hVISA strain Mu3 is most often used for determining hVISA, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive. A collection of 140 MRSA blood isolates with vancomycin MICs of 2 μg/ml by reference broth microdilution and screened for hVISA using PAP-AUC (21/140 [15%] hVISA) were tested by additional methods to detect hVISA. The methods included (i) Etest macromethod using vancomycin and teicoplanin test strips, brain heart infusion (BHI) agar, and a 2.0 McFarland inoculum; (ii) Etest glycopeptide resistance detection (GRD) using vancomycin-teicoplanin double-sided gradient test strips on Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) with 5% sheep blood and a 0.5 McFarland inoculum; and (iii) BHI screen agar plates containing 4 μg/ml vancomycin and 16 g/liter casein using 0.5 and 2.0 McFarland inocula. Each method was evaluated using PAP-AUC as the reference method. The sensitivity of each method for detecting hVISA was higher when the results were read at 48 h. The Etest macromethod was 57% sensitive and 96% specific, Etest GRD was 57% sensitive and 97% specific, and BHI screen agar was 90% sensitive and 95% specific with a 0.5 McFarland inoculum and 100% sensitive and 68% specific with a 2.0 McFarland inoculum. BHI screen agar with 4 μg/ml vancomycin and casein and a 0.5 McFarland inoculum had the best sensitivity and specificity combination, was easy to perform, and may be useful for clinical detection of hVISA.
Regulation of Polyclonal T Cell Responses by an MHC Anchor-Substituted Variant of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein 35-55

Analogs of immunogenic peptides containing substitutions at TCR contact residues (altered peptide ligands (APLs)) have been used to manipulate Ag-specific T cell responses in models of autoimmunity, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. However, recent clinical trials with APL of a myelin basic protein epitope revealed limitations of this therapy. In this study, we demonstrate that individual myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55-specific T cell clones responded differentially to a MOG 35-55 APL, raising questions about the ability of peptide analogs containing amino acid substitutions at TCR contact residues to control polyclonal populations of T cells. In contrast, we found that a variant peptide containing a substitution at an MHC anchor residue uniformly affected multiple MOG 35-55-specific clones and polyclonal lines. Stimulation of polyclonal MOG 35-55-specific T cells with an MHC variant peptide resulted in the induction of anergy, as defined by a dramatic reduction in proliferation and IL-2 production upon challenge with wild-type peptide. Furthermore, treatment of T cell lines with this peptide in vitro resulted in a significant reduction in their encephalitogenicity upon adoptive transfer. These results indicate that the use of MHC anchor-substituted peptides may be efficacious in the regulation of polyclonal T cell responses such as those found in EAE.
Molecular parameters governing the yield response of epoxy‐based glassy networks

This contribution considers to what extent two molecular parameters, the glass transition temperature and the cohesive energy density, relate to the yield behavior of epoxy-based glassy thermosets. Eight different formulations consisting of four aliphatic and four aromatic resins with varying molecular weights between crosslinks were investigated over a broad range of test temperatures. Additionally, one aromatic formulation is studied over a range of stress states and test temperatures. The results indicate that both the glass transition and cohesive energy density are governing parameters that relate to the yield response of these systems. A model is proposed to incorporate these parameters and to predict the yield response as a function of strain rate, temperature, and stress state. The functional form of the results also indicate that the activation energy density (i.e., the activation energy divided by the activation volume) may be the material characteristic that relates to yield of these systems rather than each term individually.
Patent Foramen Ovale: Current State of the Art

Patent foramen ovale is a congenital cardiac lesion that persists into adulthood and which is present in over 25% of the adult population. Its diagnosis, evaluation and treatment have attracted increasing interest as it has been suggested that it may be associated with various pathologic conditions, such as cryptogenic stroke, platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, decompression sickness, and migraine. However, data on these associations are contradictory. Similarly, the optimum treatment of patients with patent foramen ovale is still debated. This article contains a review of the anatomy, embryology and epidemiology of the condition, its association with other clinical disorders, and current therapeutic options.
Volume rendering methods for computational fluid dynamics visualization

The paper describes three alternative volume rendering approaches to visualizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data. One new approach uses realistic volumetric gas rendering techniques to produce photo-realistic images and animations from scalar CFD data. The second uses ray casting that is based an a sampler illumination model and is mainly centered around a versatile new tool for the design of transfer functions. The third method employs a simple illumination model and rapid rendering mechanisms to provide efficient preview capabilities. These tools provide a large range of volume rendering capabilities to be used by the CFD explorer to render rapidly for navigation through the data, to emphasize data features (e.g., shock waves) with a specific transfer function, or to present a realistic rendition of the model. >
Spatial sampling effects in optical character recognition

In this paper we examine the effects of random-phase spatial sampling on the optical character recognition process. We start by presenting a detailed analysis in the case of 1-dimensional patterns. Empirical data demonstrate that our model is accurate. We then give experimental results for more complex, 2-dimensional patterns (i.e. printed, scanned characters). Spatial sampling seems to account for a significant amount of the variability seen in practice.
Investigation of Critical Attributes of Mathematics Software Intended for Use by Young Children.

The purpose of this critical analysis was to investigate theimportant attributes of mathematical software designed foryoung children between the ages of four and seven and offerguidelines that will assist software designers in the produc-tion of developmentally appropriate educational software. Inaddition, teachers and parents may benefit from the informa-tion provided as they select educational software for theirchildren. For the purpose of examination of educationalsoftware, the design criteria considered developmentallyappropriate by researchers were combined with the designpreferences of children.