cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pool Boiling on Multiple Surfaces in Proximity

Information on the boiling heat transfer on a surface when affected by the presence of other surfaces is scares. Pool boiling heat transfer process on multiple surfaces in proximity has been investigated in this work. In particular, the boiling curve and the critical heat flux on a surface located in the heated plume of another surface is studied experimentally. The surfaces are made of two identical wires with known diameter positioned horizontally in a predetermined short distance from each other. Tests were performed by heating the wires up to the critical heat flux in a pool of stationary FC-72 fluid. The boiling curves were experimentally developed for a surface when it is located in the plume of another heated surface. Initial results indicate that the critical heat flux on such a surface drops more than 30% compared to a single isolated wire. The change may be attributed to the plume effects on the bubble formation and bubble dynamics of upper surface as well as the effects on the degree of subcooling in the immediate neighborhood of the test surface. The research focused on the effects of spacing and the degree of subcooling on the boiling and the critical heat flux of the upper surface which is affected by the natural convection and boiling plume of the lower surface. The results of this project are expected to expand the existing knowledge of boiling heat transfer, particularly when it is affected by the presence of other surfaces in the proximity.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Arabidopsis and cotton (Gossypium) as models for studying copia-like retrotransposon evolution

Transposable elements have likely played an important role in species evolution. Questions of transposable element evolution, therefore, are best addressed within the context of their hosts' evolutionary history. This approach requires efficient means to identify and characterize transposable elements among related species. For the copia-like retrotransposons, this has recently become possible due to the development of a polymerase chain reaction assay to identify these sequences among plants. In this paper, the evolution of copia-like retrotransposons is evaluated within the context of the evolutionary history of two plant models, Arabidopsis thaliana and cotton (Gossypium).
Activity of protein-deficient 30S ribosomal subunits in elongation factor G-dependent GTPAse.

Summary E. coli 30S ribosomal subunits reconstituted from RNA and mixtures of purified ribosomal proteins lacking a single protein were examined for their activities in polyphenylalanine synthesis and GTP hydrolysis. Similar experiments were performed with a partial reconstitution system (core particles plus split proteins). Only six 30S ribosomal proteins—S4, S7, S8, S9, S11, and S15—were required for GTPase activity. Several others, including S5, which were required for polyphenylalanine synthesis, were dispensable in the GTPase reaction.
Modified Prüfer and EFGP Transforms and the Spectral Analysis of One-Dimensional Schrödinger Operators

Using control of the growth of the transfer matrices, wediscuss the spectral analysis of continuum and discrete half-line Schrodinger operators with slowly decaying potentials. Among our results we show if , where W has compact support and , then H has purely a.c. (resp. purely s.c.) spectrum on (0,∞) if ). For λn {-1/2} a n potentials, where a n are independent, identically distributed random variables with E(a n ) = 0, E(a 2 n)=1, and λ < 2, we find singular continuous spectrum with explicitly computable fractional Hausdorff dimension.
Conceptual Models, Judgment, and the Treatment of Uncertainty in Nuclear Threat Assessment

This paper describes and evaluates the four approaches to nuclear threat assessment that are most commonly employed by U.S. national security analysts: (1) comparisons of U.S. and Soviet expenditures on nuclear forces; (2) comparisons of static indicators of nuclear capability, such as number of weapons or measures of the destructive power of these weapons; (3) using deterrence theory and battle simulations to predict nuclear war outcomes and evaluate the deterrent capability of U.S. nuclear forces; and (4) analyzing official Soviet military doctrine to make inferences about Soviet goals, images, and plans for nuclear war. The analysis of each approach begins with a brief description of how the approach is implemented. Next the conceptual bases of the approach—both theoretical and empirical—are examined. Then applications of the method are evaluated in terms of how well they deal with the uncertainties inherent in any attempt to assess nuclear capability or threat. Finally, applications of each method are evaluated in terms of how they incorporate subjective judgment, how well they document critical assumptions, and the extent to which they use sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of varying critical assumptions.
Assessing sensitivity in a multidimensional space: Some problems and a definition of a generald′

This article provides a formal definition for a sensivity measure,d′ g , between two multivariate stimuli. In recent attempts to assess perceptual representations using qualitative tests on response probabilities, the concept of ad′ between two multidimensional stimuli has played a central role. For example, Kadlec and Townsend (1992a, 1992b) proposed several tests based on multidimensional signal detection theory that allow conclusions concerning the perceptual and/or decisional interactions of stimulus dimensions. One proposition, referred to as thediagonal d′test, relies on specific stimulus subsets of a feature-complete factorial identification task to infer perceptual separability. Also, Ashby and Townsend (1986), in a similar manner, attempted to relate perceptual independence to dimensional orthogonality in Tanner’s (1956) model, which also involvesd′ between two multivariate signals. An analysis of the proposedd′ g reveals shortcomings in the diagonald′ test and also demonstrates that the assumptions behind equating perceptual independence to dimensional orthogonality are too weak. Thisd′ g can be related to a common measure of statistical distance, Mahalanobis distance, in the special case of equal covariance matrices.
Mouse chromosome translocations: visualization and analysis by electron microscopy of the synaptonemal complex

Pachytene chromosomes of mice heterozygous for known translocations are clearly depicted by configurations of the synaptonemal complexes in spread (whole mount) preparations. In one autosomal and two X-autosome translocations analyzed, breakpoints are identifiable; localization by measurement agrees with mitotic data and shows the translocations to be reciprocal. Synapsis with the Y is inhibited in one translocation in which the breakpoint is the pairing region of the X.
The positional behavior and substrate use of squirrel monkeys: ecological implications

Abstract Age, sex, seasonal and contextual patterns in positional behavior and substrate use are described in a wild troop of squirrel monkeys (Saimin oerstedii) in a Costa Rican tropical wet forest. Quadrupedal locomotion is predominant; relatively little climbing or leaping occurs. Most food is harvested and ingested by the animals while sitting on top of a branch. The animals also hang by hindlimbs, sit in tripod stances and use vertical clinging postures during foraging. Although the frequencies of foraging behaviors changed seasonally, the types of positional behaviors used in foraging and non-foraging contexts and substrate use were almost constant. Few differences among individuals or between seasons were found in positional behaviors that are not explicable by individual differences in time allocated to foraging. Neither the types of leaps made nor their distances differ among age-sex classes, although larger animals use substrates of larger diameter. Thinner horizontal, but not vertical, substrates are used in foraging compared to non-foraging contexts. The discussion addresses: (1) substrate preferences and sexual dimorphism in body size as mechanisms permitting resource partitioning among group members; (2) ecological and morphological constraints on positional behavior; and (3) posture as an important factor in the diverse foraging behaviors of the small-bodied New World primates.
Isotopic evidence for the sources of Cretaceous and Tertiary granitic rocks, east-central Alaska: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Yukon-Tanana Terrane

Magnetotelluric traverses across the southern Yukon-Tanana terrane (YTT) reveal the presence of a thick conductive layer (or layers) beneath Paleozoic crystalline rocks. These rocks have been interpreted to be flysch of probable Mesozoic age, on the basis of the occurrence of Jurassic-Cretaceous flysch in the Kahiltna assemblage and Gravina-Nutzotin belt flanking the YTT to the southwest and southeast, respectively. The Pb, Nd, Sr, and O isotopes in Cretaceous and Tertiary granitic rocks that crop out throughout the YTT were measured to determine if these rocks do in fact contain a component of flysch. Previous limited analyses indicated that the Pb isotopes of the granitic rocks could be a mixture of radiogenic Pb derived from Paleozoic crystalline rocks of the YTT with an increasing component of relatively nonradiogenic Pb with decreasing age. Our Nd, Sr, and O data, along with additional Pb isotope data, eliminate flysch as a likely source and strongly suggest that the nonradiogenic end-member was deri...
Life-threatening postoperative junctional ectopic tachycardia

Junctional ectopic tachycardia developed in an infant after intraatrial repair of transposition of the great arteries. He failed to respond to medical management and, in moribund condition, underwent His bundle cryoablation. He survived and ultimately did well. Junctional ectopic tachycardia is not uncommon after open heart operations in children and may be lethal. Its genesis, diagnosis, and treatment are now well enough understood to allow successful treatment of nearly all patients.
Diel plasma testosterone rhythms in male Microtus montanus, the montane vole, under long and short photoperiods.

Abstract Diel plasma testosterone rhythms were examined in adult male Microtus montanus , a seasonal breeder which displays nocturnal locomotor activity under long photoperiod and diurnal activity under short photoperiod. Under 16 hr light: 8 hr dark (16L: 8D), plasma testosterone levels peak during the light at 11.8 ng/ml. Under 8L: 16D, plasma testosterone peaks during the dark at 5 ng/ml.
Frequency dispersion in the impedance of Schottky Barriers

Abstract Surface impedance measurements in the dark have been obtained by use of a computer controlled continuous recording impedance analyzer over the frequency range from 5 Hz to 100 kHz on Nb-doped TiO 2 surfaces. Continuous recording allows rapid determination of, for example, Mott-Schottky plots over the frequency range. Thus, impedance changes that occur after immersion of the sample into the electrolyte, after light exposure, or after chemical surface treatment can be observed. The data contain a richness of behavior that has not heretofore been reported. In particular, a broad frequency dispersion occurs in the Mott-Schottky plots for all TiO 2 surfaces investigated. Depending on the distribution and magnitude of the surface states, the reciprocal square of the surface capacitance will vary approximately linearly or change abruptly as the Fermi level changes with applied surface potential at each measuring frequency. The slope is strongly frequency dependent, casting serious doubt on the common practice of obtaining the impurity density from the slope. Second, the intercept on the voltage axis is frequency dependent, and flat band potential can not be extracted simply by extrapolation to the voltage axis. A theory of the frequency dispersion of the surface impedance based on solution of the diffusion equation and Poisson's equation for the majority carriers in a Schottky-type surface barrier is also presented.
Peroxide mediates ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells

Pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell cultures exhibited a loss of cells and increase in intracellular oxidative stress when exposed to ethanol (EtOH) for 24 h. Catalase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) to O(2) and H(2)O can attenuate EtOH-induced cell loss and oxidative stress in PC12 cells. This study provides the first clear evidence that oxidative stress in the form of elevated intracellular H(2)O(2) is a primary mechanism of EtOH neurotoxicity in PC12 cells.
Complexity and safety.

This article addresses the challenges of changing the way people make decisions about safety-related actions in a way that leads to fewer injuries and incidents. Violations of standard procedures occur routinely and sometimes result in injury. People walk by hazards that later result in incidents. The question arises, “Why didn't this person follow procedure?” Safety experts have long searched for the answer to this question at the level of the individual or even organizational systems with limited success. A deeper truth and the potential solutions to this conundrum may lie in the theories of complexity management and sensemaking, which attempt to help us understand the invisible dynamics that drive organizational behavior. Language: en
THE INFORMATIONAL CONTENT OF FORWARD RATES: FURTHER EVIDENCE

Using single-equation estimation techniques, researchers have generally found that forward rates have little ability to predict future spot rates. In this paper, Generalized Least Squares is used to estimate simultaneously the forecastive ability of multiple forward rates. It is discovered that current forward rates significantly predict future spot rates for various rate maturities up to twelve months ahead. Also found are instances in which the Treasury bill market does not conform to the weak form of market efficiency.
An anomalous uncrossed retinal input to lamina A of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

Abstract A small anomalous group of uncrossed retinogeniculate axons has been found terminating in one or two small pericellular terminal nests in the lateral, monocular segment of lamina A of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Such anomalous islands, demonstrable by fibre degeneration and by autoradiographic methods, have been found in 6 out of 13 normally pigmented cats, and in 2 out of 7 Siamese cats. Thus, in apparently normal cats, the highly ordered geniculate map of the visual field can be interrupted by small islands that do not fit into the overall order.
The effects of the phospholipase A2 inhibitors aristolochic acid and PGBx on A23187-stimulated mobilization of arachidonate in human neutrophils are overcome by diacylglycerol or phorbol ester.

Abstract Aristolochic acid and PGBx, two structurally unrelated, protein-targeted inhibitors of isolated phospholipases A2, are effective antagonists of calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated mobilization of [3H]arachidonate from human neutrophils. We now report that preincubation of neutrophils with olcoylacetylglyccrol (OAG, 15 μM) substantially reverses the inhibitory effect of 200 μM aristolochic acid (from 70 to 24% inhibition). Similarly, OAG increases the IC50 for PGBx from 2.5 to > 20 μM. The effects of OAG on inhibition by either aristolochic acid or PGBx are dose-dependent, with an ED50 of 2.5 μM. Protection against inhibition by either aristolochic acid or PGBx is also observed with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, ED50 3 nM), but not 4-α-phorbol didecanoate. Aristolochic acid and PGBx do not inhibit PMA-stimulated superoxide generation, and are thus not protein kinase C inhibitors. Furthermore, neither aristolochic acid nor PGBx inhibit diglyceride generation through the phospholipase D/phosphatidate phosphohydrolase pathway. A23187 stimulated [3H]arachidonate mobilization is increased by 20–50% when neutrophils are preincubated with OAG or PMA. The present results indicate that OAG and PMA also modulate the A23187-stimulated [3H]arachidonate mobilization so as to render it less sensitive to inhibitors of phospholipase A2.
A CFD simulation process for fast reactor fuel assemblies

Abstract A CFD modeling and simulation process for large-scale problems using an arbitrary fast reactor fuel assembly design was evaluated. Three-dimensional flow distributions of sodium for several fast reactor fuel assembly pin spacing configurations were simulated on high performance computers using commercial CFD software. This research focused on 19-pin fuel assembly “benchmark” geometry, similar in design to the Advanced Burner Test Reactor, where each pin is separated by helical wire-wrap spacers. Several two-equation turbulence models including the k–ɛ and SST (Menter) k–ω were evaluated. Considerable effort was taken to resolve the momentum boundary layer, so as to eliminate the need for wall functions and reduce computational uncertainty. High performance computers were required to generate the hybrid meshes needed to predict secondary flows created by the wire-wrap spacers; computational meshes ranging from 65 to 85 million elements were common. A general validation methodology was followed, including mesh refinement and comparison of numerical results with empirical correlations. Predictions for velocity, temperature, and pressure distribution are shown. The uncertainty of numerical models, importance of high fidelity experimental data, and the challenges associated with simulating and validating large production-type problems are presented.
Citizen participation and the democratization of policy expertise: From theoretical inquiry to practical cases

This article examines the case for a participatory policy analysis. An idea advanced mainly by democratic and postpositivist theorists is increasingly becoming a practical concern. Criticizing conventional conceptions of science and expertise, theorists advocating participatory democracy argue that the conventional model of professionalism based on a practitioner-client hierarchy must give way to a more collaborative method of inquiry. While such arguments have largely remained in the domain of utopian speculation, recent experiences with a number of ‘wicked’ policy problems have begun to suggest the viability, if not the necessity, of participatory research methods. Through two case illustrations of a wicked problem, the so-called ‘Nimby Syndrome,’ the essay seek to demonstrate that collaborative citizen-expert inquiry may well hold the key to solving a specific category of contemporary policy problems. The article concludes with some observations on the possibilities of bringing participatory research more fully into mainstream policy science.
Strategies to reduce variation in Xenopus regeneration studies

In this study, we present strategies for experimental design that minimize variation in Xenopus hindlimb regeneration results. We have standardized our laboratory culture conditions for older stage Xenopus tadpoles. We have established a normal tadpole growth curve for our laboratory and characterized normal tadpole behaviors in an effort to eliminate abnormal tadpoles from our experiments. We have used large sample sizes and statistical analysis to establish normal regeneration performances for seven amputation planes in stages 55-57 tadpole hindlimbs. We have demonstrated that regeneration performance of abnormal tadpoles is significantly different than that of normal tadpoles. We have examined the kinetics of ossification in developing Xenopus hindlimbs, and have found that increasing ossification rates and rates of regeneration decline are inversely correlated.
Centrifugal Partition Chromatographic Separation of Tervalent Lanthanides Using Acylpyrazolone Extractants

The separation of tervalent lanthanides (M3+) by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) with the extractants 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone (HPMBP, HL) and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-caprylo...
Claudin-7 increases chemosensitivity to cisplatin through the upregulation of caspase pathway in human NCI-H522 lung cancer cells

Claudins are a family of tight junction (TJ) integral membrane proteins that play a crucial role in maintaining cell polarity, adhesion, and paracellular permeability. Changes in expression levels of claudin proteins have been associated with human lung cancer. Previously, we have reported that claudin-7 expression is significantly downregulated in human lung carcinomas. To investigate the role of claudin-7 in lung cancer cells after anti-cancer drug treatments, we transfected claudin-7 cDNA into human NCI-H522 lung cancer cells, which have no detectable expression of claudin-7 protein. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that cells transfected with claudin-7 had a significantly higher percentage of cell apoptosis when compared to that of vector transfected cell population. The cell viability assayed by MTT and Annexin V was significantly decreased and cell apoptosis was dramatically increased in claudin-7 transfected cells compared to that of vector transfected cells after cisplatin treatment. Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug clinically used to treat tumors in several tissues including lung tumors. Most importantly, after cisplatin treatment, the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, -8, and poly adenosine 5'-diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) were much higher in claudin-7 transfected cells than in control cells. Furthermore, using the site-directed mutagenesis approach, we identified that claudin-7 was phosphorylated at serine 204 by protein kinase C. Non-phosphorylated claudin-7 mutant showed increased cell viability, suggesting that phosphorylation increases chemosensitivity to cisplatin treatment. We concluded that claudin-7 expression in H522 lung cancer cells increases chemosensitivity to cisplatin through the increased activation of caspase pathway.
Elliptical and circular FRP-confined concrete sections: A Mohr–Coulomb analytical model

Abstract An analytical stress–strain model is developed for predicting the compressive behavior of elliptical and circular fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined concrete members. The model is based on a diagonal Poisson’s ratio formulation expressed as a function of the mechanical properties of the unconfined concrete and confining FRP jacket, the geometry of the concrete section, and the extent of internal damage in the confined concrete core. A Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion is introduced for analysis of the compressive behavior of confined concrete. Equilibrium and strain compatibility are used to obtain the ultimate compressive strength and strain of elliptical and circular FRP-confined concrete sections as a function of the effective confining stiffness of the FRP jacket. A simplified expression is derived for the FRP reinforcement ratio which precludes strain softening in elliptical and circular FRP-confined concrete sections.
A computational model reveals the remarkable patterning potential of the Wnt–FGF gene regulatory network in the posterior lateral line primordium

Loss and gain of Hedgehog (Hh) function in humans cause craniofacial and brain abnormalities such as holoprosencephaly and Gorlin and Grieg syndromes respectively. Holoprosencephaly is associated primarily with mutations in SHH, while Gorlin and Grieg syndromes have been mapped to mutations in PATCHED1 and GLI3. Hh signaling therefore is critically required for proper craniofacial and brain development and must be tightly regulated, however our understanding of the gene and protein networks governing Hh signaling remains incomplete. To identify new Hh protein signaling complexes (“Hedgehogome”) we performed proteomic analyses of mammalian Hh signaling proteins using (1) flag tagged Hh proteins expressed in human Hek293 and stable mouse NIH3T3 cell line and (2) cell-free protein synthesis together with mouse embryo lysates. These approaches have successfully identified novel candidate proteins that are important for mediating Hh signaling. Here we describe the function of A kinase anchoring protein (AKAP11) which associates with the Hh receptor, Patched1 and Hh transducer, smoothened to modulate cell death, proliferation and dorso-ventral patterning of neural tube via PKA signaling activity.
A forecast evaluation of capital investment in agriculture

Abstract A stochastic coefficients model developed by Swamy and Tinsley is used to forecast agricultural investment. In two sets of out-of-sample forecasts, one for 5 years, the other for 10 years, the Swamy-Tinsley stochastic coefficients model outperforms competing fixed and stochastic coefficients empirical models of agricultural investment for a wide array of risk functions. The Swamy-Tinsley stochastic coefficients investment model forecasts continued declines in net investment for farm machinery, with greater declines toward the end of the forecast period. The Swamy-Tinsley method produced better predictions than both stochastic and fixed-coefficients competitors.
Temporal ordering deficits following anterior temporal lobectomy.

Abstract Subjects were required to report the pitch sequence of two 10-msec tones of different frequency presented monaurally while the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between the two tones was varied. The value of the SOA at which the subjects achieved an 80% correct sequence report was determined by an adaptive procedure without feedback. This measure was compared in the right and left ears, on subjects with a right or left anterior temporal lobectomy and on a normal control group. The results reveal an elevated threshold for performing temporal order judgments in the ear contralateral to the surgical lesion.
On the rate of convergence to normality for generalized linear rank statistics

A generalized linear rank statistic is introduced to include, as special cases, both signed as well as unsigned linear rank statistics. For this statistic, the rate of convergence to asymptotic normality is investigated. It is shown that this rate is of orderO(N−1/2 logN) if the score generating function ϕ is twice differentiable, and it is of orderO(N−1/2) if the second derivative of ϕ satisfies Lipschitz's condition of order ≧1/2. The results obtained extend as well as generalize most of the earlier results obtained in this direction.
RF MEMS for wireless-bands tunable networks

Summary form only given. This paper reviews the latest development in RF MEMS switches and switched-capacitors and their applications in tunable matching networks, filters and antennas specifically for the wireless bands from 800 MHz to 5.8 GHz. RF MEMS technology provide very low loss, high-Q switched-capacitors and varactors, and can be integrated above CMOS or on low cost glass substrate. The glass substrate integration is important for high-Q inductors and passive components such as resonators which are essential for tunable filter applications. Several designs such as the Philips/Nokia effort at 800 MHz-2.1 GHz, the IBM switch and its integration in the 7-HP process at DC-6 GHz, the Radant MEMS switch at DC-10 GHz, and the Lincoln Labs switch at 3-6 GHz are discussed. The talk also presents the different packaging techniques, from wafer-to-wafer packaging to in-situ dielectric packaging, and the latest reliability results of RF MEMS devices. Finally, we cover the linearity requirements of tunable networks in cell phone applications and why RF MEMS presents an excellent solution to GSM, CDMA and W-LAN standards.
Now You Feel It, Now You Don't Frontal Brain Electrical Asymmetry and Individual Differences in Emotion Regulation

Recent theoretical accounts of emotion regulation assign an important role in this process to the prefrontal cortex, yet there is little relevant data available to support this hypothesis. The current study assessed the relation between individual differences in asym- metric prefrontal activation and an objective measure of unin- structed emotion regulation. Forty-seven participants 57 to 60 years old viewed emotionally arousing and neutral visual stimuli while eye- blink startle data were collected. Startle probes were also presented after picture presentation to capture the persistence or attenuation of affect following the offset of an emotional stimulus. Subjects with greater relative left-sided anterior activation in scalp-recorded brain electrical signals displayed attenuated startle magnitude after the off- set of negative stimuli. This relation between resting frontal activation and recovery following an aversive event supports the idea of a fron- tally mediated mechanism involved in one form of automatic emotion regulation.
Explaining the “Natural Order of L2 Morpheme Acquisition” in English: A Meta-analysis of Multiple Determinants

This meta-analysis pools data from 25 years of research on the order of acquisition of English grammatical morphemes by students of English as a second language (ESL). Some researchers have posited a “natural” order of acquisition common to all ESL learners, but no single cause has been shown for this phenomenon. Our study investigated whether a combination of 5 determinants (perceptual salience, semantic complexity, morphophonological regularity, syntactic category, and frequency) accounts for the variance in acquisition order. Oral production data from 12 studies, together involving 924 participants, were pooled to obtain weighted accuracy scores for each of 6 grammatical functors. Results of a multiple-regression analysis showed that a large portion of the total variance in acquisition order was explained by the combination of the 5 determinants. Several of these determinants, it was argued, can be seen as part of a broad conceptualization of salience. Since the article was originally published, a number of meta-analyses have appeared in the applied linguistics literature (e.g., Masgoret & Gardner, 2003; Norris & Ortega, 2000; Ortega, 2003), and a book on meta-analysis in applied linguistics research is forthcoming (Norris & Ortega, in press). Meanwhile, research on the acquisition of Hebrew as a second language has begun to provide cross-linguistic evidence for how different aspects of salience contribute to ease or difficulty of second language acquisition (DeKeyser, Alfi-Shabtay, Ravid, & Shi, 2005) and how salience interacts with age of learning (DeKeyser, Ravid, & Alfi-Shabtay, 2005).
Tangible user interface laboratory: Teaching tangible interaction design in practice

Tangible interaction is an emerging field of human–computer interaction that links the digital and the physical worlds by embedding computation in physical artifacts and environments. This paper shares our experience teaching tangible interaction over the past 4 years in an interdisciplinary, project-based laboratory course at Tufts University. Although the course is offered through the Computer Science Department, it reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the field, merging product engineering practices with a design studio approach. With a diverse mix of students, this approach has fostered creativity and hands-on learning. Throughout the course students have created innovative interfaces that not only capture fundamental concepts of tangible interaction but also contribute novel techniques for supporting collaborative design. We discuss examples of student-created interfaces and illustrate the relationship between the methods employed in the course and the artifacts created. We also share our recommendations for implementing such a course in institutions with constraints similar to ours including a limited budget and minimal laboratory space.
Regional Differentiation of Desmin, Connexin43, and Connexin45 Expression Patterns in Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle

The gap-junctional protein, connexin43, is differentially expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) according to phenotype. Previous studies suggest that desmin-negative SMCs are characterized by high levels of connexin43, whereas desmin-positive SMCs (of a more contractile phenotype) typically have low connexin43 levels. In this study, we examine systematically the inverse relationship between connexin43 and desmin in SMCs of defined regions of the rat aortic media and determine whether additional connexin isotypes are expressed and contribute to this relationship. Immunoconfocal microscopy demonstrated that (1) the inverse relationship between connexin43 and desmin expression holds true for the media of sequential aortic zones, with 1 exception, the ascending aorta, and (2) an additional vascular connexin, connexin45, is expressed by aortic SMCs. Examination of connexin43, connexin45, and desmin expression in sequential aortic zones reveals 3 SMC subpopulations. The first, predominating in the aortic arch and thoracic aorta, is desmin negative and contains high connexin43 levels; the second, predominating in the abdominal aorta and iliac artery, is desmin positive and contains low connexin43 levels; and the third, which is restricted to the ascending aorta, is desmin positive and expresses high connexin43 levels. Connexin45 levels are high in the ascending aorta but low in the other aortic segments. In para-aortic veins, a fourth SMC subpopulation appears, one that is desmin positive and contains connexin45 but not connexin43. These results demonstrate that a diversity of connexin expression patterns characterizes distinctive subpopulations of medial SMCs in situ with a potential to contribute to regional differentiation of vascular function.
EVALUATING SHEAR RATES FOR POWER LAW FLUIDS IN MIXER VISCOMETRY

Established mixer viscometry methods, the viscosity matching and the slope methods, were evaluated for determining average shear rates when agitating time-independent, non-Newtonian fluids. Results indicate that the use of a constant value of the mixer proportionally constant, k', is not valid for all ranges of fluid rheological properties, system geometry (impeller and cup) and impeller rotational speed. A small impeller-to-cup diameter ratio and impeller rotational speeds greater than .33 rev/s (20 rpm) provide the optimum operating parameters for evaluation of k'.
Economic Losses and Fatalities Due to Landslides

Economic losses and casualties due to landslides are greater than commonly recognized. Annual losses in the United States, Japan, Italy, and India have been estimated at $1 billion or more each. Only scattered and incomplete information is available for many countries known to have serious landslide problems; examples include Indonesia, China, the Soviet Union, Nepal, and some South American countries. During the period 1971–74, nearly 600 people per year were killed by landslides worldwide; about 90 percent of these deaths occurred in the Circum-Pacific region. From 1967–82, 150 people per year died in Japan as a result of slope failures. In the United States, the number of landslide-related fatalities per year exceeds 25. Japan leads other nations in development of comprehensive programs to reduce economic losses and fatalities due to landslides. The United States, through the work of the Committee on Ground Failure Hazards of the National Research Council, recently has proposed a national landslide hazard reduction program. The National Research Council recommendations include research on (1) landslide identification and mapping, (2) initiation and mechanics of transport, and (3) innovative control techniques. In many countries, socioeconomic information on landslides should be assembled to provide a basis for assigning research priorities to problems of greatest potential benefit.
The Television Family and Children's Fright Reactions

One major research perspective in the field of television violence suggests that children's fright reaction potential increases with age because the older child can more effectively self-identify with situations being portrayed. A second major position holds that increasing age—and its accompanying cognitive development and contextual learning—will lower the likelihood of fear occurrence. The present study was designed to examine this question among younger (second-grade) and older (sixth-grade) elementary school children. Using a format developed by Cantor and Reilly (1982), all children responded to questions regarding frequency of fear reaction, popularity of frightening programs, frequency of program avoidance, and general viewing patterns. Program-related fear was significantly more frequent among second-grade children, with girls registering more frequent fear response than boys. Evident in both groups was heavy adult program viewing and a prevalence of nonregulation by parents. Second-grade childre...
Sintering of Alumina at Temperatures of 1400°C. and Below

Previous investigators have indicated that both small particles and the addition of certain oxides promote the sintering of alumina at temperatures below 1700°C. By utilizing combinations of oxides and small particle size, the sintering temperature of 96% alumina bodies was reduced in this investigation to the 1300° to 1400°C. range. It is proposed that this low-temperature sintering is aided by the formation of a liquid phase. Thin sections of the alumina sintered at low temperatures revealed bodies with small grain size whose bulk densities were above 3.80 gm. per cc.
Assessing environmental stressors via Bayesian Model Averaging in the presence of missing data

Environmental researchers often face the problem of assessing which potiential stressors in an environment actually are stressors. In making these assessments they often have data sets that have missing values for many of the stressors. Techniques such as Multiple Imputation, Data Augmentation via the EM algorithm have been proposed to deal with the missing value problem. Then standard deterministic model search methods such as forward, backward, stepwise, Mallows Cp, etc. are then applied to these imputed datasets to determine the single “best” model. Using this “best” model all inferences concerning which potential stressors actually induce stress are determined. This work proposes a probabilistic model search to determine the stressors in an environment while taking into account the problem of missing values. This method is applied to an ecological data set concerning benthic health collected by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distribution of divalent metal transporter 1 and metal transport protein 1 in the normal and Belgrade rat.

Iron accumulation in the brain occurs in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Two new iron transport proteins have been identified that may help elucidate the mechanism of abnormal iron accumulation. The Divalent Metal Transporter 1 (DMT1), is responsible for iron uptake from the gut and transport from endosomes. The Metal Transport Protein 1 (MTP1) promotes iron export. In this study we determined the cellular and regional expression of these two transporters in the brains of normal adult and Belgrade rats. Belgrade rats have a defect in DMT1 that is associated with lower levels of iron in the brain. In the normal rat, DMT1 expression is highest in neurons in the striatum, cerebellum, thalamus, ependymal cells lining the third ventricle, and vascular cells throughout the brain. The staining in the ependymal cells and endothelial cells suggests that DMT1 has an important role in iron transport into the brain. In Belgrade rats, there is generalized decrease in immunodetectable DMT1 compared to normal rats except in the ependymal cells. This decrease in immunoreactivity, however, was absent on immunoblots. The immunoblot analysis indicates that this protein did not upregulate to compensate for the chronic defect in iron transport. MTP1 staining is found in most brain regions. MTP1 expression in the brain is robust in pyramidal neurons of the cerebral cortex but is not detected in the vascular endothelial cells and ependymal cells. MTP1 staining in Belgrade rats was decreased compared to normal, but similar to DMT1 this decrease was not corroborated by immunoblotting. These results indicate that DMT1 and MTP1 are involved in brain iron transport and this involvement is regionally and cellularly specific.
Structural mechanisms of PriA-mediated DNA replication restart

Collisions between cellular DNA replication machinery (replisomes) and damaged DNA or immovable protein complexes can dissociate replisomes before the completion of replication. This potentially lethal problem is resolved by cellular “replication restart” reactions that recognize the structures of prematurely abandoned replication forks and mediate replisomal reloading. In bacteria, this essential activity is orchestrated by the PriA DNA helicase, which identifies replication forks via structure-specific DNA binding and interactions with fork-associated ssDNA-binding proteins (SSBs). However, the mechanisms by which PriA binds replication fork DNA and coordinates subsequent replication restart reactions have remained unclear due to the dearth of high-resolution structural information available for the protein. Here, we describe the crystal structures of full-length PriA and PriA bound to SSB. The structures reveal a modular arrangement for PriA in which several DNA-binding domains surround its helicase core in a manner that appears to be poised for binding to branched replication fork DNA structures while simultaneously allowing complex formation with SSB. PriA interaction with SSB is shown to modulate SSB/DNA complexes in a manner that exposes a potential replication initiation site. From these observations, a model emerges to explain how PriA links recognition of diverse replication forks to replication restart.
A late Miocene–early Pliocene chain of lakes fed by the Colorado River: Evidence from Sr, C, and O isotopes of the Bouse Formation and related units between Grand Canyon and the Gulf of California

We report strontium isotopic results for the late Miocene Hualapai Limestone of the Lake Mead area (Arizona-Nevada) and the latest Miocene to early Pliocene Bouse Formation and related units of the lower Colorado River trough (Arizona-California-Nevada), together with parallel oxygen and carbon isotopic analyses of Bouse samples, to constrain the lake-overflow model for integration of the Colorado River. Sr isotopic analyses on the basal 1–5 cm of marl, in particular along a transect over a range of altitude in the lowest-altitude basin that contains freshwater, brackish, and marine fossils, document the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of first-arriving Bouse waters. Results reinforce the similarity between the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of Bouse Formation carbonates and present-day Colorado River water, and the systematic distinction of these values from Neogene marine Sr. Basal Bouse samples show that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr decreased from 0.7111 to values in the range 0.7107–0.7109 during early basin filling. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values from a recently identified marl in the Las Vegas area are within the range of Bouse Sr ratios. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values from the Hualapai Limestone decrease upsection from 0.7195 to 0.7137, in the approach to a time soon after 6 Ma when Hualapai deposition ceased and the Colorado River became established through the Lake Mead area. Bouse Formation δ 18 O values range from −12.9‰ to +1.0‰ Vienna Pee Dee belemnite (VPDB), and δ 13 C between −6.5∐ and +3.4‰ VPDB. Negative δ 18 O values appear to require a continental origin for waters, and the trend to higher δ 18 O suggests evaporation in lake waters. Sr and stable isotopic results for sectioned barnacle shells and from bedding planes of the marine fish fossil Colpichthys regis demonstrate that these animals lived in saline freshwater, and that there is no evidence for incursions of marine water, either long-lived or brief in duration. Lack of correlation of Sr and O isotopic variations in the same samples also argue strongly against systematic replacement of Sr in Bouse carbonates after deposition. Our results reinforce the conclusion that the Bouse Formation was deposited in a descending series of basins connected by overflow of Colorado River water. The Hualapai Limestone records a separate and earlier lake that may have been progressively influenced by Colorado River water as the time of river integration approached.
Micro-PET/CT monitoring of herpes thymidine kinase suicide gene therapy in a prostate cancer xenograft: the advantage of a cell-specific transcriptional targeting approach.

Cancer gene therapy based on tissue-restricted expression of cytotoxic gene should achieve superior therapeutic index over an unrestricted method. This study compared the therapeutic effects of a highly augmented, prostate-specific gene expression method to a strong constitutive promoter-driven approach. Molecular imaging was coupled to gene therapy to ascertain real-time therapeutic activity. The imaging reporter gene (luciferase) and the cytotoxic gene (herpes simplex thymidine kinase) were delivered by adenoviral vectors injected directly into human prostate tumors grafted in SCID mice. Serial bioluminescence imaging, positron emission tomography, and computed tomography revealed restriction of gene expression to the tumors when prostate-specific vector was employed. In contrast, administration of constitutive active vector resulted in strong signals in the liver. Liver serology, tissue histology, and frail condition of animals confirmed liver toxicity suffered by the constitutive active cohorts, whereas the prostate-targeted group was unaffected. The extent of tumor killing was analyzed by apoptotic staining and human prostate marker (prostate-specific antigen). Overall, the augmented prostate-specific expression system was superior to the constitutive approach in safeguarding against systemic toxicity, while achieving effective tumor killing. Integrating noninvasive imaging into cytotoxic gene therapy will provide a useful strategy to monitor gene expression and therapeutic efficacy in future clinical protocols. Mol Imaging (2005) X, 1 – 10.
Multilevel inverters for electric vehicle applications

This paper presents multilevel inverters as an application for all-electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) motor drives. Diode-clamped inverters and cascaded H-bridge inverters: (1) can generate near-sinusoidal voltages with only fundamental frequency switching; (2) have almost no electromagnetic interference (EMI) and common-mode voltage; and (3) make an EV more accessible/safer and open wiring possible for most of an EV's power system. This paper explores the benefits and discusses control schemes of the cascade inverter for use as an EV motor drive or a parallel HEV drive and the diode-clamped inverter as a series HEV motor drive. Analytical, simulated, and experimental results show the superiority of these multilevel inverters for this new niche.
Robotic partial nephrectomy without renal ischemia.

Objective To evaluate our outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) without renal artery clamping (off-clamp), in order to avoid ischemic renal injury, using cold-scissor tumor excision and sutured reconstruction without ablation or other regional hypoperfusion. Materials and Methods Between September 2009 and October 2010, patients who underwent off-clamp RPN for ≥1 tumors were reviewed from a prospective database. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon experienced in RPN. Indications included solitary kidney, multiple tumors in the same kidney, or electively when they it was possible. Results Twenty-eight off-clamp RPNs were performed in 22 patients. Mean age and body mass index were 55 years (range 24-73) and 31 kg/m 2 . Mean operative time was 183 minutes with mean blood loss of 274 mL. One patient required transfusion and was the only patient with Clavien grade II or higher complications (4.5%). Mean ± SD off-clamp tumor size on final pathology was 2.1 ± 1.1 cm (range 0.8-4.9) with mean RENAL nephrometry score of 6.25 (4a-9ph). For patients with additional tumors undergoing RPN with clamping, mean warm ischemia time was 12.1 minutes (range 7-19.3) for tumors of 4.6-10.5 cm. Twenty patients (91%) were discharged on postoperative day 1. All had negative margins. Mean preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 6-month postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate were 89.8, 77.5, and 86.5 mL/min, respectively. Conclusion For selected patients and tumors, RPN without ischemia is feasible without ablation, energy resection, or regional hypoperfusion. Further experience is necessary to determine which patients are ideally suited.