cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of an information model for composites design data

Material properties data, particularly those of advanced composite materials such as fiber-reinforced plastics, provides a very complex domain which is difficult to computerize. As a foundational activity supporting the development of material property databases, we have examined and modeled the data contained within this large, diverse, and intricate domain. Our primary objective was to gain a better understanding of the data involved in this system and their transformation and use. We examined the life cycle of a fiber-reinforced composite material, from a raw material to a manufactured product, focusing on the various applications which require and/or supply materials data and the types of materials data which must be included. A high-level information model was created to illustrate the overall picture of composite materials data which emerged from this analysis. This model provides a global view of the data encompassed in the domain of composite materials, and forms the basis of a formal conceptual model from which databases may be developed.
A visualization analysis tool for DNS amplification attack

This paper presents a visualization analysis tool for detecting, analyzing and responding to the Distributed Denial of Service attack termed the Domain Name Service (DNS) amplification attack. The tool integrates agent technology, visual analytics and interactive visualization techniques to allow users to interact with the system in real-time, to monitor the network traffic, to analyze traffic information, to detect abnormal behaviors, and to respond to the DNS amplification attack. Three algorithms that are the filter algorithm, the mapping and visualizing algorithm, and the response algorithm have been developed to detect and respond to the DNS amplification attack automatically or manually. A set of experiments have been conducted in an isolated laboratory and produced expected results.
Griffonia simplicifolia I: Fluorescent tracer for microcirculatory vessels in nonperfused thin muscles and sectioned muscle

Previous studies on mice have revealed that the Griffonia simplicifolia I (GSI) lectin selectively binds to capillaries in a number of microvascular beds. These observations suggest that the lectin might be a suitable microvascular marker for physiological studies of skeletal muscle, particularly when fluorescent visualization of vessels is desired independently of their perfusion status. Since species and strain heterogeneity has been demonstrated for certain lectins associated with the microcirculatory vessels, lectin binding was studied in a number of muscles taken from the major species of mammals used for experimental purposes. Staining of cryostat sections confirmed the utility of GSI as a marker for capillaries from muscle of mice, rats, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, and monkeys. Differential staining of arterioles and veins was revealed by double labeling with GSI and antisera to Factor VIII-related antigen. Double labeling for GSI binding and alkaline phosphatase activity revealed that the GSI method detects many more capillaries and terminal arterioles than does the alkaline phosphatase method. GSI binding to unfixed whole mounts of thin skeletal muscles (hamster cheek pouch, mouse diaphragm, and rat cremaster) was studied to determine whether the GSI lectin would be a suitable marker for intravital studies. An extensive microvascular bed, including terminal arterioles, venules, and capillaries, was revealed which could be visualized in the complete absence of perfusion with fluorescent markers. These observations suggest that the GSI lectin may be extremely useful as a probe for the microcirculation of skeletal muscle in many types of physiological experiments.
Revised upper limit to energy extraction from a Kerr black hole

We present a new upper limit on the energy that may be extracted from a Kerr black hole by means of particle collisions in the ergosphere (i.e., the "collisional Penrose process"). Earlier work on this subject has focused largely on particles with critical values of angular momentum falling into an extremal Kerr black hole from infinity and colliding just outside the horizon. While these collisions are able to reach arbitrarily high center-of-mass energies, it is very difficult for the reaction products to escape back to infinity, effectively limiting the peak efficiency of such a process to roughly 130%. When we allow one of the initial particles to have impact parameter b>2M, and thus not get captured by the horizon, it is able to collide along outgoing trajectories, greatly increasing the chance that the products can escape. For equal-mass particles annihilating to photons, we find a greatly increased peak energy of Eout≈6×Ein. For Compton scattering, the efficiency can go even higher, with Eout≈14×Ein, and for repeated scattering events, photons can both be produced and escape to infinity with Planck-scale energies.
Cathodic overprotection of Silicon Carbide/6061-T6 and Graphite/6061-T6 aluminum alloy metal matrix composites

Examen de l'influence d'une surprotection cathodique dans le cas des composites a matrice d'aluminium ou d'alliage d'aluminium. Discussion des mecanismes de surprotection (stimulation du degagement d'hydrogene conduisant a un accroissement de l'alcalinite du milieu). Mise en evidence de l'effet catastrophique d'une surprotection pour les composites SiC/6061-T6 et graphite/6061-T6
Neoliberal mythmaking: on "Well-Being" as the New Protestant work ethic

AbstractTo what extent has modernization transformed those institutions and discourses commonly called ‘religions,’ and vice versa? How can we talk about those transformations without employing a naive theory of secularization or privatization? And what is the connection between capitalism, modern ‘spirituality,’ and discourses on ‘well-being’? Situated within the tradition of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, this paper will propose how we might begin to answer such questions, and will consider a contemporary Sufi text as an example of one site where these questions converge.
A lightweight, headphones-based system for manipulating auditory feedback in songbirds.

Experimental manipulations of sensory feedback during complex behavior have provided valuable insights into the computations underlying motor control and sensorimotor plasticity 1 . Consistent sensory perturbations result in compensatory changes in motor output, reflecting changes in feedforward motor control that reduce the experienced feedback error. By quantifying how different sensory feedback errors affect human behavior, prior studies have explored how visual signals are used to recalibrate arm movements 2,3 and auditory feedback is used to modify speech production 4-7 . The strength of this approach rests on the ability to mimic naturalistic errors in behavior, allowing the experimenter to observe how experienced errors in production are used to recalibrate motor output. Songbirds provide an excellent animal model for investigating the neural basis of sensorimotor control and plasticity 8,9 . The songbird brain provides a well-defined circuit in which the areas necessary for song learning are spatially separated from those required for song production, and neural recording and lesion studies have made significant advances in understanding how different brain areas contribute to vocal behavior 9-12 . However, the lack of a naturalistic error-correction paradigm - in which a known acoustic parameter is perturbed by the experimenter and then corrected by the songbird - has made it difficult to understand the computations underlying vocal learning or how different elements of the neural circuit contribute to the correction of vocal errors 13 . The technique described here gives the experimenter precise control over auditory feedback errors in singing birds, allowing the introduction of arbitrary sensory errors that can be used to drive vocal learning. Online sound-processing equipment is used to introduce a known perturbation to the acoustics of song, and a miniaturized headphones apparatus is used to replace a songbird's natural auditory feedback with the perturbed signal in real time. We have used this paradigm to perturb the fundamental frequency (pitch) of auditory feedback in adult songbirds, providing the first demonstration that adult birds maintain vocal performance using error correction 14 . The present protocol can be used to implement a wide range of sensory feedback perturbations (including but not limited to pitch shifts) to investigate the computational and neurophysiological basis of vocal learning.
The regeneration of coenzymes using immobilized hydrogenase

A new enzymatic approach to the regeneration of coenzymes has been developed. It uses the reduction of natural or artificial cofactors with H2, catalyzed by hydrogenase activity in immobilized whole cells ofA. eutrophus. The method has been employed for regeneration of such coenzymes as NAD+, FMN, phenazine methosulfate, Janus green, methylene blue, and 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol.
The Vitality of Music in Mann and Joyce. Wagner in “Fullness of Harmony” and “Sirens”

Thomas Mann and James Joyce make music central to The Magic Mountain and Ulysses, and each devotes an episode to music, Mann in “Fullness of Harmony” and Joyce in “Sirens.” Both novelists portray music as a medium of healing from isolation, yet music may also lull the listener into listlessness and induce an unhealthy withdrawal from relationships and community. Though Richard Wagner’s music is absent from the scenes, both authors write in the shadow of Wagner, making their stories epic and mythical, and the Wagnerian theme of redemption through art stands behind their portrayal of music. Joyce and Mann mistrust Wagnerian grandeur, however, Joyce from distaste and Mann from his association of Wagner with decadence and immorality. Yet neither author allows Wagner’s sin of excess to destroy the restorative power of music, and song stimulates recovery from detachment for Hans Castorp and Leopold Bloom. Written just after the First World War in cognizance of the danger of nationalist movements, both novels mark a path between isolation and immoderate group identification, showing that music may instill desire for an appropriate sense of relationship, the basis for the characters’ love of life and redemption.
The Impact of a Mentor-Coaching Model on Teacher Professional Development.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the mentor–coach initiative model on participating Head Start Programs. The researchers interviewed 44 participants across two mid-western states. The participants provided positive feedback about the initiative and identified specific literacy practices based on this model that were successfully implemented in their classrooms. Evidence from this study suggests the importance of incorporating the mentor-coaching initiative model to enhance teacher pedagogical practices.
Synthesis, permeability and biocompatibility of tricomponent membranes containing polyethylene glycol, polydimethylsiloxane and polypentamethylcyclopentasiloxane domains.

The synthesis of "smart" tricomponent amphiphilic membranes containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polypentamethylcyclopentasiloxane (PD(5)) domains is described. Contact angle hysteresis indicates that in air, the surfaces of such PEG/PD(5)/PDMS membranes are enriched by the hydrophobic components, PDMS and PD(5), while in water, the surfaces are rich in the hydrophilic PEG. The oxygen permeability of a series of membranes with varying M(c,hydrophilic) (M(n,PEG)=4600, 10,000 and 20,000 g/mol) and varying PEG/PD(5)/PDMS compositions was studied. Oxygen permeability increased with the amount of PDMS in the membrane. The molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) ranges and permeability coefficients of insulin through a series of PEG/PD(5)/PDMS(=29/14/57) membranes with varying M(c,hydrophilic) were determined. Insulin permeability is directly related to M(c,hydrophilic) of the membrane. MWCO studies show that the membranes are semipermeable to, i.e., allow the transport of smaller proteins such as insulin (M(n)=5733 g/mol, R(s)=1.34 nm) and cytochrome c (M(n)=12,400 g/mol, R(s)=1.63 nm), but are barriers to larger proteins such as albumin (M(n)=66,000 g/mol, R(s)=3.62 nm). Implantation of representative membranes in rats showed them to be biocompatible. According to these studies, PEG/PD(5)/PDMS membranes may be suitable for biological applications, e.g., immunoisolation of cells.
The inpatient borderline adolescent in group therapy

Group therapy provides a situation to focus inpatient adolescent borderlines' problems with separation anxiety, symbiotic pairing, and efforts to help them, based on the availability of multiple transferences and shifts in symbiotic pairs that occur between group members, as well as the observations and contributions of the peers and therapist.
QSAR comparative study of Wiener descriptors for weighted molecular graphs.

Quantitative structure−property relationship (QSPR) and quantitative structure−activity relationship (QSAR) studies use statistical models to compute physical, chemical, or biological properties of a chemical substance from its molecular structure, encoded in a numerical form with the aid of various descriptors. Structural indices derived from molecular graph matrices represent an important group of descriptors used in QSPR and QSAR models; recently, their utilization was extended to molecular similarity and diversity, in database mining and virtual screening of combinatorial libraries. Initially defined from the distance matrix, the Wiener index W was the source of novel graph descriptors derived from recently proposed molecular matrices and of the Wiener graph operator. In this work we present a comparative study of several Wiener-type descriptors computed for vertex- and edge-weighted molecular graphs, corresponding to organic compounds with heteroatoms and multiple bonds. The acute toxicities toward T...
A Comparison of Adjacent Categories and Cumulative Differential Step Functioning Effect Estimators

The study of measurement invariance in polytomous items that targets individual score levels is known as differential step functioning (DSF). The analysis of DSF requires the creation of a set of dichotomizations of the item response variable. There are two primary approaches for creating the set of dichotomizations to conduct a DSF analysis: the adjacent categories approach, and the cumulative approach. To date, there is limited research on how these two approaches compare within the context of DSF, particularly as applied to a real data set. This study evaluated the results of a DSF analysis using both dichotomization schemes in order to determine if the two approaches yield similar results. The results revealed that the two approaches generally led to consistent results, particularly in the case where DSF effects were negligible. However, when significant DSF effects were present, the two approaches occasionally led to differing conclusions.
Efficient and selective syntheses of (all-E)- and (6E,10Z)-2'-O-methylmyxalamides D via Pd-catalyzed alkenylation--carbonyl olefination synergy.

Highly efficient and selective syntheses of both (all-E) and (6E,10Z)-isomers of 2′-O-methylmyxalamide D (2 and 3), in which the crucial conjugated pentaene moieties were assembled in ≥98% stereoselectivity through the use of two Pd-catalyzed alkenylation reactions, the Horner−Wadsworth−Emmons (HWE) olefination, and either the Corey−Schlessinger−Mills modified (CSM-modified) Peterson olefination for 2 or the Still−Gennari olefination for 3, are reported. Either 2 or 3 was prepared in 16% yield in seven steps from propargyl alcohol.
Etanercept (Enbrel) Associated Inflammatory Eye Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Purpose: To report a case of severe anterior uveitis flare following the administration of etanercept (Enbrel) for ankylosing spondylitis and to review the literature pertaining to inflammatory eye disease associated with the use of etanercept. Methods: Clinical data were collected from a 52-year-old female with chronic symptomatic ankylosing spondylitis. The relationship between etanercept administration and the patient's systemic and ocular inflammation was assessed. A review of the literature was conducted to identify additional reports. Results: A patient with a history of ankylosing spondylitis exhibited acute exacerbations of uveitis that were temporally related to etanercept injections. Re-challenge was associated temporally with a worsening of symptoms, and drug withdrawal, in concert with aggressive systemic steroid treatment, resulted in rapid resolution. Seventeen cases of inflammatory eye disease (uveitis, scleritis, orbital myositis) believed to be associated with etanercept therapy were foun...
Iterative solution of elliptic difference equations using fast direct methods

In recent years, fast direct methods have been developed for the numerical solution of the Poisson equation on a rectangle. By taking advantage of the special block structure of the approximating discrete equation on a uniform rectangular mesh, these methods obtain the solution with striking efficiency and accuracy. A comparison of fast direct methods with other methods can be found in Reference 3, and the extension to more general separable elliptic equations in Reference 4.
Early clinical experience with a minute ventilation sensor DDDR pacemaker.

UNLABELLED The new DDDR pacemaker META DDDR utilizes a minute ventilation sensor based on transthoracic impedance measurements. The sensor determines the metabolic indicated interval, the atrioventricular (AV) delay and the postventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP). The baseline PVARP must be carefully selected to define nonphysiological tachycardias. If a P wave falls within the PVARP the pacemaker will automatically switch to the VVIR mode. This behavior prevents tracking of paroxysmal atrial tachyarrhythmias (PAT). Twenty-eight patients with sinus node dysfunction (n = 20), AV junction ablation (n = 5), complete or intermittent AV block (n = 3); who received a META DDDR pacemaker were studied. The mean age was 65 +/- 13 years. RESULTS mode switching (reversion) to VVIR was observed in 57% of the patients. Forty-two percent had episodes of mode switching to VVIR during a stress test, four related to PAT, and seven to sinus tachycardia. Fifty percent had episodes of mode switching to VVIR during a 24-hour Holter, four related to PAT, three to retrograde P wave sensing, and two to sinus tachycardia. At the last follow-up, 20 of the 26 patients initially programmed to the DDDR mode remained in the DDDR mode, while five were reprogrammed to the DDD and one to the VVIR mode. Mode switching has a high sensitivity but a low specificity for PAT. It appears to be a useful approach to prevent rapid tracking of atrial tachyarrhythmias. Careful PVARP programming is critical to appropriate reversion behavior, but further modifications of the algorithm are needed to improve its performance.
B-SPLINE METHOD FOR ENERGY MINIMIZATION IN GRID-BASED MOLECULAR MECHANICS CALCULATIONS

A method is described for molecular mechanics calculations based on a cubic B-spline approximation of the potential energy. This method is useful when parts of the system are allowed to remain fixed in position so that a potential energy grid can be precalculated and used to approximate the interaction energy between parts of a molecule or between molecules. We adapted and modified the conventional B-spline method to provide an approximation of the Empirical Conformational Energy Program for Peptides (ECEPP) potential energy function. The advantage of the B-spline method over simpler approximations is that the resulting B-spline function is C2 continuous, which allows minimization of the potential energy by any local minimization algorithm. The standard B-spline method provides a good approximation of the electrostatic energy; but in order to reproduce the Lennard–Jones and hydrogen-bonding functional forms accurately, it was necessary to modify the standard B-spline method. This modification of the B-spline method can also be used to improve the accuracy of trilinear interpolation for simulations that do not require continuous derivatives. As an example, we apply the B-spline method to rigid-body docking energy calculations using the ECEPP potential energy function. Energies are calculated for the complex of Phe-Pro-Arg with thrombin. For this system, we compare the performance of the B-spline method to that of the standard pairwise summation in terms of speed, accuracy, and overhead costs for a variety of grid spacings. In our rigid-body docking calculations, the B-spline method provided an accurate approximation of the total energy of the system, and it resulted in an 180-fold reduction in the time required for a single energy and gradient calculation for this system. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 71–85, 1998
Aeration and mixing in deep tank fermentation systems

Oxygen transfer characteristics for three sizes of equipment, from 76 mm to 7.6 m in diameter and for liquid depths from 4 to 21 m, correlate well and permit scaling of fermentation systems in size. Simple orifice inlets for gas flow, uniformly distributed over a tank bottom, effect rapid mixing and permit very high oxygen demands to be met. Supersaturation provides dissolved gases for the flotation and solids separation as an inherent processing procedure. Nearly uniform bulk liquid composition and a linear decrease of gas phase composition with depth permit a proper, integrated value of the oxygen saturation driving force to be employed. Results provide the design basis for large scale aeration systems which offer potential savings in both capital and energy.
Effects of alternative transition sequences on coherent photoexcitation

The photoexcitation part of laser isotope separation can lead to a situation more complicated than a simple chain of transitions between successive pairs of energy levels. In the rotating wave approximation, coherent photoexcitation for these situations leads to graphs with side branches or cycles. For many cases a simple change of basis removes the time dependence of the interaction Hamiltonian and reduces the calculation of level populations and interlevel flows to an eigenvalue problem. Analytical and numerical examples are shown. It is shown that a side branch with a large matrix element strongly inhibits the flow of population along the path to which it is attached. The dependence of populations and flows on phase differences when the radiation consists of several phase-locked fields with different frequencies is studied. For acyclic graphs, there is no phase dependence. For a cycle, the phase dependence is on one parameter which is a linear combination of the phases associated with the cycle. In a simple example photoexcitation was changed from that of complete population inversion to that of no population inversion by varying that parameter.
A Polycomb Group Protein Is Retained at Specific Sites on Chromatin in Mitosis

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression, including by Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins, may depend on heritable chromatin states, but how these states can be propagated through mitosis is unclear. Using immunofluorescence and biochemical fractionation, we find PcG proteins associated with mitotic chromosomes in Drosophila S2 cells. Genome-wide sequencing of chromatin immunoprecipitations (ChIP–SEQ) from mitotic cells indicates that Posterior Sex Combs (PSC) is not present at well-characterized PcG targets including Hox genes in mitosis, but does remain at a subset of interphase sites. Many of these persistent sites overlap with chromatin domain borders described by Sexton et al. (2012), which are genomic regions characterized by low levels of long range contacts. Persistent PSC binding sites flank both Hox gene clusters. We hypothesize that disruption of long-range chromatin contacts in mitosis contributes to PcG protein release from most sites, while persistent binding at sites with minimal long-range contacts may nucleate re-establishment of PcG binding and chromosome organization after mitosis.
Identifying complex cultural interactions in the instructional design process: a case study of a cross-border, cross-sector training for innovation program

The purpose of this research is to identify complex cultural dynamics in the instructional design process of a cross-sector, cross-border training environment by applying Young’s (2009) Culture-Based Model (CBM) as a theoretical framework and taxonomy for description of the instructional design process under the conditions of one case. This research uses the qualitative approach of case study and applies a cultural design framework to examine cultural interactions with the process of instructional design in a NASA/university consortium program to train employees of an education software company headquartered in India. The findings indicate that at least twenty-three distinguishable elements of culture interact with every component of the design process in the: 1) goals and funding decisions of the client; 2) goals and design decisions of the design team; 3) perceptions of the training program of all stakeholders; and 4) the observable outcomes of the training program. By empirically illuminating the pervasive presence of cultural interactions across the instructional design process, this study advocates for culture to be recognized as a construct of importance in our field and demonstrates the powerful capabilities of using a comprehensive descriptive model as a lens for exploring cultural dynamics in the instructional design process.
Simple and low-cost wideband omnidirectional antenna on metallic cylinders

Use of an electrically fat pin inserted in a 2.92 mm connector as a monopole at K/Ka-band is reported for the first time. The proposed antenna has wide bandwidth of over 36% and consistent radiation pattern both as a stand-alone unit and when mounted on a cylinder. The effects of the cylinder's dimensions on the antenna radiation pattern are also evaluated. It is shown that the beamwidth and the direction of radiation in the E-planes strongly depend on the length and diameter of a cylindrical platform while the omnidirectionality in the H-plane is maintained regardless of platform parameters.
Application of Au/TiO2-WO3 material in visible light photoreductive ozone sensors

Abstract Various ratios of TiO 2 –WO 3 and Au/TiO 2 –WO 3 composites were prepared as ozone-sensing materials. These materials were characterized by temperature-programmed reduction, UV–visible reflective spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. A 460-nm blue LED light source was used for the detection of gaseous ozone, and the sensing properties of various ratios of TiO 2 –WO 3 were measured. Among the various weight ratios of TiO 2 –WO 3 , the sensor response of the TiO 2 –WO 3 (3:1) was the highest obtained response (23.8) to 2.5 ppm ozone. By adding 0.1 wt.% Au to the TiO 2 –WO 3 (3:1), the sensor response was improved to 64.0. The ozone-sensing properties are attributed to the mechanism of adsorption, photoreduction, desorption, and the surface reaction processes of ozone.
Radiotherapy departmental automation

Cost-effective radiotherapy departmental information systems have been developed to answer a growing need for facility management and clinical research. These systems provide scheduling and management support to improve patient flow, facility utilization, charge capture, quality assurance and clinical studies. Typical data base definition, system utilization and costs are presented.
Performance of Two-Equation Turbulence Models for Flat Plate Flows With Leading Edge Bubbles

This paper investigates the performance of the popular k-ω and SST turbulence models for the two-dimensional flow past the flat plate at shallow angles of incidence. Particular interest is paid to the leading edge bubble that forms as the flow separates from the sharp leading edge. This type of leading edge bubble is most commonly found inflows past thin airfoils, such as turbine blades, membrane wings, and yacht sails. Validation is carried out through a comparison to wind tunnel results compiled by Crompton (2001, "The Thin Aerofoil Leading Edge Bubble," Ph.D. thesis, University of Bristol). This flow problem presents a new and demanding test case for turbulence models. The models were found to capture the leading edge bubble well with the Shear-Stress Transport (SST) model predicting the reattachment length within 7% of the experimental values. Downstream of reattachment both models predicted a slower boundary layer recovery than the experimental results. Overall, despite their simplicity, these two-equation models do a surprisingly good job for this demanding test case.
The demographic history of the native peoples of North America: a selective bibliography.

Before contact with Europeans had begun, the native peoples of North America were varied in their demographic characteristics; nevertheless, available evidence indicates that, on an average, their life-expectancy-at-birth values fell into the same low ranges typical for other groups at similar levels of technological development. While the total population at contact is still unknown, political and cultural biases have generally forced estimates into artificially high or low ranges. There is general agreement that the shock of contact with invading Europeans led to substantial reductions among most aboriginal populations, but in North America some groups were much less disrupted than others. Many original populations disappeared altogether, but whether or not their demise was primarily a function of short-run, rapid disruption caused by disease and/or warfare, or a slower process spread out over several generations involving assimilation in its various forms, remains uncertain. With the establishment of the reservation system in the 19th century a basis was provided for continued demographic and cultural survival. By the early 20th century most reservation populations were beginning a demographic transition based on declining death rates and high fertility. For several generations rapid growth has continued. As urbanization increases recent fertility declines are expected to accelerate even further. Meanwhile the rapid urbanization of the surviving native peoples poses a real threat to their cultural distinctiveness. Finally, all phases of native American demographic history are characterized by defective and inadequate data which makes straightforward description or analysis perilous.
Energy transfer processes and photoluminescence properties of homogeneously- and delta-doped ZnS : Mn

Abstract An investigation is reported of the energy transfer processes in ZnS : Mn by photoluminescence spectroscopy. At temperatures > 50 K, the luminescence decay of homogeneously doped ZnS : Mn was strongly non-exponential due to non-radiative energy transfer processes. The concentration dependence of the effective lifetime was found to change with temperature. Analysis of the temperature dependence showed that the energy transfer between Mn ions was active only for Mn concentrations > 2%, and that the energy transfer between Mn ions was mediated by an electric dipole—dipole interaction. The delta-doped ZnS : Mn showed a faster decay due to the enhanced overlap between 3d and s—p host states caused by lattice strain. From the temperature dependence, the two-dimensional confinement of energy transfer was observed for large spacings between doping planes. When the doping planes were brought close together, the delta-doped samples behaved similarly to the homogeneously doped ZnS : Mn, indicating that the energy transfer was no longer two-dimensionally confined.
Preparation, X-ray Crystal Structure, and Chemistry of Stable AzidoiodinanesDerivatives of Benziodoxole

Azidoiodinanes 2 and 4a,b can be prepared from the appropriate benziodoxoles 1 and 3a,b and trimethylsilyl azide in the form of stable, crystalline compounds. A single-crystal X-ray analysis for azide 4b revealed the expected hypervalent iodine distorted T-shaped geometry with the N1−I−O bond angle of 169.5 (2) degrees. The lengths of the bonds to the iodine atom, I−N (2.18 A), I−O (2.13 A), and I−C (2.11 A), are within the range of typical single covalent bonds in organic derivatives of polyvalent iodine, while the previously reported benziodoxoles generally have an elongated I−O bond. The geometry of the I(III)NNN fragment in 4b is similar to the literature electron diffraction data on monomeric iodine azide, IN3, in gas phase. Azidobenziodoxoles 2,4 are potentially useful reagents for direct azidation of organic substrates, such as dimethylanilines, alkanes, and alkenes. Reaction of 2 with dimethylanilines proceeds under mild conditions to afford the respective N-azidomethyl-N-methylanilines in excelle...
Developmental profiles of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the hippocampus, neocortex and cerebellum: modulation following lead exposure.

Abstract Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a growth-associated enzyme which is critical for cell growth and transformation. ODC activity follows a specific ontogenetic pattern of activity in distinct brain regions according to their developmental stage. Perturbations in the pattern of ODC activity have been associated with brain damage including arrested cerebral growth. Modulations in the pattern of ODC activity were examined in the hippocampus, neocortex and cerebellum of neonatal rats (PND 3, 6, 9, 15) exposed via the dam to 0.2% lead-acetate (Pb 2+ prenatally (gestational day 13 to birth), postnatally (PND 1–15) or perinatally (gestational day 13 to PND 15). Prenatal exposure to Pb 2+ perturbed the profile of ODC activity in all three brain regions examined, while postnatal exposure to Pb 2+ resulted in prolonged stimulations of ODC activity in the cerebellum. Following prenatal exposure, these effects were manifested as a stimulation of ODC activity in the hippocampus, a repression of activity in the neocortex and a combination of these effects in the cerebellum. Perinatal exposure to Pb 2+ transiently modulated the pattern of ODC activity similarly in all three brain regions, in a characteristic manner irrespective of their developmental stage. These Pb 2+ -induced modulations of ODC activity suggest that polyamine-dependent processes may play a significant role in the manifestation of Pb 2+ -induced neurotoxicity dependent upon developmental factors at specific exposure periods.
Dual contrast enhancement of both T1- and T2-weighted sequences using ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide☆

BMS 180549 (previously AMI-227), an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron particulate agent, was investigated to determine its utility as a contrast agent on T1-weighted, as well as T2-weighted sequences, as a function of route of administration, (intravenous versus selective arterial) and concentration. Twelve farm pigs were divided into three groups of four each by route of administration (intravenous, selective superior mesenteric, or selective hepatic arterial injection). 10 mumol/kg and 20 mumol/kg dosages were given and evaluated both immediately after and 20-24 hr after contrast infusion, using both spin-echo and gradient-echo T1 and T2-weighted sequences. Significant postcontrast liver and spleen enhancement was noted at both concentrations, regardless of route of administration on both T1- and T2-weighted sequences. The earliest postcontrast T1-weighted sequence obtained during the 1-3 min interval following IV administration of high dose (20 mumol/kg) contrast demonstrated an average of +42.8% liver and +249.0% spleen enhancement; 24 hr later this decreased to 0 and 7.2%, respectively. The earliest postcontrast T2-weighted sequence obtained during the 8-17 min interval post high-dose IV contrast showed an average of -75.8% decrease in liver and -28.7% decrease in spleen signal intensity; 24 hr later the magnitude of these changes diminished to -33.1% and +2.5%, respectively. No significant difference was noted in liver or spleen enhancement, regardless of route of contrast administration (intravenous versus intraarterial).
Shear Stress Affects the Kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus Adhesion to Collagen

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that has been shown to bind collagen under static conditions. However, many staphylococcal infections are hematogenously acquired and adhesion events may be influenced by shear stress. In this study, we used a dynamic experimental system consisting of a parallel-plate perfusion chamber and phase-contrast video microscope to study the effects of shear stress on the adhesion kinetics of intact S. aureus to collagen surfaces in vitro. The adhesion of S. aureus Phillips to collagen types I, II, and IV was investigated over a physiologically relevant range of wall shear stresses at 37 degrees C. S. aureus PH100, a collagen adhesin-deficient mutant strain, was used as a control strain for the experiments. We found that S. aureus Phillips could adhere to collagens I, II, and IV at wall shear stresses less than 15 dyn/cm(2) and that the kinetics of the adhesion process were wall shear stress-dependent. Similar studies with PH100 demonstrated that these cells are unable to adhere firmly to collagen surfaces. Transient interactions between PH100 and the collagen surfaces were observed at low levels of shear stress suggesting that S. aureus may also interact with collagen by an alternative mechanism that does not lead to firm adhesion.
Determination of branch fraction and minimum dimension of mass-fractal aggregates.

Particles of micrometer to nanometer size often aggregate to form branched structures. Such materials include metals and metal oxides as well as biological and polymeric materials (considering the persistence length as a primary unit). Characterization of such structures is difficult since they typically display disordered, irregular features in three dimensions. Branched aggregates display two limiting size scales: that of the primary particle, ${R}_{1}$ and that of the aggregate, ${R}_{2}$. The mass-fractal model is often used to describe such structures where the aggregate mass, $z={M}_{2}∕{M}_{1}$, is related to the aggregate size, $r={R}_{2}∕{R}_{1}$, through a scaling relationship $z=\ensuremath{\alpha}{r}^{{d}_{f}}$, where the lacunarity $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ is close to 1 and may depend on the growth mechanism. Scattering of x rays, light and neutrons yields a direct measure of the mass-fractal dimension since $I(q)\ensuremath{\sim}{q}^{{\ensuremath{-}d}_{f}}$ for $1∕{R}_{2}lql1∕{R}_{1}$ using scaling arguments. For linear, monodisperse aggregates with convoluted chain paths, analytic functions describing both the scaling and larger-size aggregate scattering regimes have been reported. For example, the Debye function for linear, Gaussian coils describes scattering when ${d}_{f}=2$. Real, mass-fractal aggregates, however, can display variability from the linear chain, monodisperse model. Often the branch content is of vital importance to understanding both the growth of aggregates and their physical properties, especially dynamic properties. An approach is presented for the analysis of aggregate branching from static small-angle scattering. Comparison is made with analytic, simulation, and experimental results from the literature.
Safety evaluation of vegetables cultured on municipal sewage sludge-amended soil

Cabbage, beets, green beans, and butternut squash were grown in control and municipal sewage sludge-treated experimental plots. Freezedried edible portions of each vegetable fed at 25% of the diet to male Fischer rats for 12 weeks, indicated no differences in dietary intake or weight gain, nor were there any differences in blood levels of alpha-fetoprotein, a marker for hepatic preneoplastic transformation. Sludge-grown vegetables did not cause any differences in relative liver weight or in activity of the hepatic mono-oxygenases, aminopyrene-N-demethylase, orp-nitroanisole-O-demethylase, when compared to the same vegetable grown on control soil. There were no effects attributable to the sewage sludge treatment on liver cell ultrastructure. The level of cadmium in the kidneys of rats fed sludge-grown beets was twice that of the controls. The results of mutagenesis testing withS. typhimurium and microsomes (S-9) activation indicated a positive dose response with extracts of sludge-grown beans and in the urine of rats consuming sludge-grown beets. Although no overt toxicologic responses were observed in rats fed sludge-grown vegetables, these positive mutagenic changes create uncertainties in evaluation of potential risks involved in using municipal sludge on food-producing land.
Multi-Stack Optimization for Data-Path Chip (Microprocessor) Layout

As data-path chips such as microprocessors and RISC chips become more complex, multiple stacks of data-path macros are required to implement the entire data-path. The physical decomposition of a chip into a single data-path stack, and control logic of random logic as in the past is not always feasible. This paper describes a special multi-stack structure, optimization techniques and algorithms to partition, place and wire the data-path macros in the form of the multi-stack structure, taking into account the connectivity of the entire chip logic (data-path, control logic, chip drivers, on-chip memory). The overall objective is: (1) to fit the circuits within the chip, (2) to ensure data-path wireability, including stack to random logic wireability, and (3) to minimize wire lengths for wireability and timing. A tool for automatic multi-stack optimization has been implemented and applied successfully to layout some high density data-path chips.
Autonomic mix-aware provisioning for non-stationary data center workloads

Online Internet applications see dynamic workloads that fluctuate over multiple time scales. This paper argues that the non-stationarity in Internet application workloads, which causes the request mix to change over time, can have a significant impact on the overall processing demands imposed on data center servers. We propose a novel mix-aware dynamic provisioning technique that handles both the non-stationarity in the workload as well as changes in request volumes when allocating server capacity in Internet data centers. Our technique employs the k-means clustering algorithm to automatically determine the workload mix and a queuing model to predict the server capacity for a given workload mix. We implement a prototype provisioning system that incorporates our technique and experimentally evaluate its efficacy on a laboratory Linux data center running the TPC-W web benchmark. Our results show that our k-means clustering technique accurately captures workload mix changes in Internet applications. We also demonstrate that mix-aware dynamic provisioning eliminates SLA violations due to under-provisioning with non-stationary web workloads, and that it offers a better resource usage by reducing over-provisioning when compared to a baseline provisioning approach that only reacts to workload volume changes. We also present a case study of our provisioning approach on Amazon's EC2 cloud platform.
32 Defective Lymphocyte Response to PHA in Congenital Rubella

Persistent viral carrier state in congenital rubella remains an enigma. Defective cellular immune mechanisms may play a role in this persistence. To investigate this possibility the response of leukocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was studied. 2 × 106 peripheral leukocytes were cultured in routine media. PHA was added to achieve a concentration of 0.025 ml/ml of media. Quadruplicate cultures were incubated at 37° C for 72 h and treated with C14 labeled thymidine for 5 h prior to termination. Cellular response was estimated by measuring the cellular content of C14 in a standard liquid scintillation system. A decreased PHA responsiveness of leukocytes was demonstrated in 8 of 14 congenital rubella patients studied, despite evidence in these patients of normal delayed hypersensitivity. PHA response returned to normal later in the course of each patient. To test whether this lack of responsiveness is due to an intrinsic defect in lymphoid cells from these patients or to direct effects of rubella virus, a normal adult's leukocytes were cultured with rubella virus. PHA response was dramatically reduced in every experiment; this effect could be eliminated by pretreatment of the virus preparation with rubella neutralizing antibody. Inhibition was also produced when Newcastle disease virus was substituted for rubella virus. These studies indicate that leukocytes from some congenital rubella patients show a defective response to PHA. The defective response can be reproduced in normal leukocytes by the addition of rubella virus or Newcastle disease virus in vitro. The prolonged persistence of virus and the defective reactivity to PHA in babies with congenital rubella may be interrelated. (SPR)
International Celebrities and Irish Identity in the United States and Beyond, 1840–1860

This article uses Antonio Gramsci's theory of cultural hegemony to analyze how a relatively small Irish-American bourgeoisie legitimated its authority over the broader Irish ethnic community during the antebellum era. As part of the massive wave of immigrants that left Ireland during and after the Great Famine of the mid-1840s, the Irish Catholic middle class was saddled with a dually marginal status. On the one hand, its members maintained only tenuous authority over the hundreds of thousands of peasants and laborers that made up the bulk of the Irish-American community. On the other hand, they were deeply distrusted by important elements of native American society that associated them with the supposed superstition, laziness, and violence of their lower-class fellow countrymen. The bourgeoisie responded by using the celebrity status of Irish political exiles to achieve the twin project of simultaneously obscuring intra-ethnic class tensions while proving its suitability for American domestic politics. F...
New prospects for the augmentation of natural enemies of pests of the Pacific region

Abstract Beneficial insects have long been recognized as important in suppressing the depradations of insect pests and in some cases they naturally control pests to a degree sufficient to prevent the need for any other control practice. In other cases classical biological control, i.e., the introduction of exotic beneficials, has provided a level of control that eliminates the need for further control. However, many parasitoids, whether indigenous or introduced, are unable to keep the host population below economic injury levels due to a number of factors. Further, some exotics are unable to survive certain periods of environmental stress in the introduced region. Sometimes parasitoids are ineffective when a host occurs on certain crops, because these crops do not appear to orient the parasitoid. These and other problems can be overcome with the augmentation approach to biological control. I believe that the augmentation approach to biological control is at the threshold of becoming one of the most important approaches to the control of pest insects. Work over the last several decades has shown that the parasitoids are oriented to hosts by chemical and physical factors that emanate from the host's habitat, the food or organisms associated with the host, or the host itself. The identification of these factors offers the potential for the manipulation of beneficial insects. We are also at the threshold of being capable of rearing parasitoids artificially, thus eliminating the expense of rearing their host. The artificial rearing of parasitoids leads to the possibility of insect husbandry. The future holds the potential to selectively breed parasitoids for specific traits and offers the potential of inundative releases for control. Another area with immense potential is the finding that many species of braconids and ichneumonids have a symbiotic virus which they inject along with their egg into their host. Such viruses appear essential to these parasitoid's survival in the host. The existence of the virus in influencing host suitability offers the possibility of altering host specificity in the future.