cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Change in corneal hysteresis over time in normal, glaucomatous and diabetic eyes

Purpose Corneal hysteresis (CH) is lower in glaucomatous eyes. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the change in CH over time between normal, open angle glaucoma (POAG) and diabetic subjects. Methods We retrospectively analysed records of patients undergoing assessment with the Ocular Response Analyzer (Reichert, Corp., New York, NY, USA). Right eyes with at least 7 measurements were included. Patients with ocular pathology other than POAG were excluded. Two-sample t-tests, chi-squared and logistic regression were used to analyse data. Results A total of 1418 normal and 322 POAG patients were included. Patients with POAG were significantly older (70.73 ± 11.33 vs. 61.59 ± 16.56 years; p < 0.001), had a longer follow-up (4.14 ± 1.34 vs. 2.72 ± 1.49 years; p < 0.001) and had lower CH (9.58 ± 2.17 vs. 9.95 ± 2.19 mmHg p = 0.01), but there were no gender differences between groups (61.5 vs. 57.7% female; p = 0.21). We observed a significantly greater decrease in CH among patients with POAG (−0.11 ± 0.73 vs. 0.07 ± 2.31 mm Hg/year; p = 0.02). The relation between ∆CH/year and diagnosis persisted after adjusting for age and follow-up time (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.82, 0.99; p = 0.03). We found CH to be higher in diabetics vs. non-diabetics (10.34 ± 2.04 vs. 9.88 ± 2.19; p = 0.02), but ∆CH/year was not different (0.07 ± 1.27 vs. 0.03 ± 2.10; p = 0.77). Conclusions Patients with POAG in this study had a significantly greater rate of CH decline compared to normal. There was no significant difference in rate of CH change in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
Capital Expert System

Gathering information, necessary forms, and financial calculations needed to generate a "capital investment proposal" is an extremely complex and difficult process. The intent of the capital investment proposal is to ensure management that the proposed investment has been thoroughly investigated and will have a positive impact on corporate goals. Meeting this requirement typically takes four or five experts a total of 12 hours to generate a "Capital Package." A Capital Expert System was therefore developed using "Personal Consultant." The completed system is hybrid and as such does not depend solely on rules but incorporates several different software packages that communicate through variables and functions passed from one to another. This paper describes the use of expert system techniques, methodology in building the knowledge base, contexts, LISP functions, data base, and special challenges that had to be overcome to create this system. The Capital Expert System is the successful result of a unique integration of artificial intelligence with business accounting, financial forms generation, and investment proposal expertise.
The impact of surface integrity by hard turning vs. grinding on fatigue damage mechanisms in rolling contact

Abstract The fundamental knowledge of fatigue damage mechanism is necessary for understanding manufacturing process effects. The traditional method of artificially created surface defects may accelerate crack propagation and fatigue. However, the artificial defects will change the surface integrity and therefore alter the nature of fatigue damage, and thus, the fatigue damage in the presence of artificial defects in literature may not reflect the true mechanism of real-life fatigue processes. This paper studies the fatigue damage resulting from real-life rolling contact tests and finite element analysis of AISI 52100 steel and identifies the possible mechanisms for fatigue failure in the presence of process induced surface integrity. Rolling contact fatigue tests were then performed until surface spalling had occurred. Surface and subsurface fatigue damage of the samples was then characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface profiling. Two types of subsurface cracks were observed: main cracks that propagate parallel to the surface due to subsurface shear stress induced fracture/debonding of inclusions or second phase particles. Shear stress induced surface cracks propagate at shallow angles (≈ 35°) from the surface. Branching cracks eventually form and connect the main crack to surface. The crack SEM images show that the formation sequence of fatigue cracks is different for the turned and ground surfaces. Material loss (spalling) occurs as a combined effect of the main, surface, and branching cracks creating small discontinuous sections of material at the surface which are eventually lost after continued rolling.
NICOLSON, MARGARET, LINDA MURPHY, & MARGARET SOUTHGATE. (Eds.). Language Teaching in Blended Contexts. Edinburgh, UK: Dunedin Academic Press, 2011. Pp. xix, 279. $34.00, paper. ISBN 978–1–906716–20–2.

The article reviews the book "Language Teaching in Blended Contexts" edited by Margaret Nicolson, Linda Murphy, and Margaret Southgate.
Two ways to make an mtDNA bottleneck

Rapid changes in mitochondrial DNA allele frequency between generations have been explained by an ‘mtDNA bottleneck’ in the germ line, and mtDNA aggregates, or nucleoids have been recently proposed to drive such a bottleneck. Now, a new study finds a sharp reduction in mtDNA content in the germ line and suggests that such reduction alone may account for the bottleneck effect.
P4-311: The efficacy of interdisciplinary dementia service rounds: Addressing behavioral challenges and quality of life

Background: The United States is a rapidly aging population. It is estimated that by the year 2020, the world’s population over the age of 60 will reach 1 billion and individuals 85 and older represent the fastest growing segment. Current figures estimate that approximately 4.5% of adults aged 65 and older reside in nursing homes, although this varies considerably with age. Approximately 3 out of 10 older adults are predicted to spend at least some portion of their lives in a nursing home. Methods: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an interdisciplinary dementia service team rounding weekly to minimize the frequency of behavioral challenges and increase the quality of life of the nursing home residents diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia. Five individuals, comprised as the target group and control group, participated in all aspects of the study. The instruments used to assess behavioral challenges and quality of life included the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD), The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH), and the Dementia Quality of Life (DQOL). The intervention consisted of an Interdisciplinary Dementia Service Team (IDST) assigned to physically round on each study participant for a total of 25 weeks. A single-case experimental design was used to evaluate the data to compare the effects of different conditions on performance. Results: Findings were consistent with expectation for the CERAD in which the control group reported significantly more feelings of anxiety, worry, tension, and/or fear than the target group across time. The control group also reported marginally significantly periods of feeling sad, blue, or depressed than the target group across time. Using the NPI-NH, contrary to expectations, qualitatively there were no significant differences that emerged between groups using this measure. With the DQOL, also contrary to expectations, the control group reported marginally significantly more enjoyment from events such as observing wildlife (i.e., animals or birds) than did the target group. Conclusions: The results offered partial support for the notion to incorporate service rounds on a regular basis. Limitations in sample size suggest for future research.
Aggregation formation in planaria, Phagocata gracilis and Cura foremani: Species differentiation

Abstract Two species of planaria ( P. gracilis and C. foremani ), maintained together as a single population, formed aggregations differentially according to species. The results were interpreted as being consistent with a chemotactic interpretation of aggregation formation. Aggregation formation among planaria was considered a form of social behaviour.
Signal separation and parameter estimation in noninvasive dual-tracer PET scans using reference-region approaches

This is the first study to report results from a noninvasive dual-tracer positron emission tomography (PET) in humans not requiring arterial sampling, in which two radiotracers were injected closely in time within the same scan. These studies yield near simultaneous information on two different neuropharmacological systems, providing better characterization of a subject's neurologic condition. The noninvasive dual-tracer approach described in this study is based on the primary assumption that an appropriate bolus plus constant infusion protocol brings the reference tissue of the first radiotracer to steady state before injection of the second tracer. Two methods for separation of time-activity curves (TACs) and parameter estimation were investigated, namely (1) an extrapolation method, in which TACs of the first tracer were extrapolated over total scan duration followed by subtraction from dual-tracer TACs and (2) a simultaneous fitting method, in which reference-region models for both tracers were fitted...
Interdigitated Heat/Mass Transfer and Chemical/Electrochemical Reactions in a Planar Type Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

The details of the heat/mass transfer in a planar type solid oxide fuel cell that controls the energy conversion performance are studied by employing a three-dimensional numerical computation for the fields of velocity, gas mass fractions and temperature. The SOFC under investigation is a unit working in a SOFC stack. It has the tri-layer of anode-electrolyte-cathode and interconnects having multiple channels for fuel and air. Two designs of the tri-layer, anode-supported and electrolyte-supported, are studied. Pre-reformed fuel gas with components of H2 , H2 O, CO, CO2 and CH4 is arranged in cross-flow direction with airflow. Further reforming and shift reaction in fuel channels were considered at chemical equilibrium. It was found that the consumption and production of gas species are different in the different channels. High current density was located in the upstream area of fuel channels. The operation conditions of current density affected the temperature level significantly.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The effective thermal conductivity of composites with coated reinforcement and the application to imperfect interfaces

An analytical model is developed to predict the effective thermal conductivity of multiphase composites reinforced with coated fillers. The coated fillers are modeled as confocal spheroids, thus enabling the simulation of a wide range of reinforcement geometry ranging from thin flake to continuous fiber. The orientation of the coated fillers is described by a density distribution function which can simulate completely random, in‐plane random, and aligned distributions as special cases. The analytical approach appears to be the only one in the literature that renders closed‐form predictions of the effective thermal conductivity of composites with misoriented coated reinforcement and thus recourse to a numerical scheme is not required. The analytical approach is specialized to consider the effects of a thermal resistance at the filler‐matrix interface of a composite. Results of the proposed model are compared with those obtained by self‐consistent and differential estimates [Y. Benveniste and T. Miloh, J. Appl. Phys. 69, 1337 (1991)] for the effective thermal conductivity of a composite reinforced by completely random coated short fibers. The proposed model is in close agreement with the other two models for low conductivity coatings, but differs appreciably for high conductivity coatings. Finally, good agreement is shown to exist between analytical predictions and experimental results obtained from the literature for a diamond particle/zinc‐sulfide matrix composite with an interfacial thermal resistance.
Dynamical pions and kaons in the glueball condensate vacuum

The model for pions as collective modes in the glueball condensate vacuum is extended to incorporate time-independent fields and massive quarks. The quark mass dependence of and f/sub K/ is calculated without resorting to chiral perturbation theory. Alternative schemes for introducing time dependence are discussed and our model is compared to potential-type models.
Analytic phase shifts for Yukawa potentials

The Yukawa or Debye-Hueckel potential, by a suitable choice of scale factor (d) and the use of the corresponding energy unit (h/sup 2//2md/sup 2/), may be written in the form V(r:Z) = -(2Z/r)e/sup -r/. For Z much less than 1 or l much greater than 1 or E = k/sup 2/ sufficiently large the partial wave phase shifts are given by the Born approximation which mathematically vanishes at E = 0. On the other hand, Levinson's theorem indicates that a phase shift, in units of ..pi.., is equal to n(Z,l), the integral number of bound states sustainable by the potential. In this work an optical model code written by Relyea for molecular potentials is adapted to be suitable for singular attractive potentials such as the Yukawa potential. This modified code is used to obtain the numerical Schroedinger phase shifts for a broad range of Z and l values. By the addition of integers to assure continuity of the phase shifts and the satisfaction of Levinson's theorem the authors obtain an array of continuous functions which, in effect, interpolate between the Levinson limit and the Born limit. Next, they find an accurate analytic characterization of the number of bound states n/submore » a/ (Z,l) suggested by the Sommerfeld model. Finally, they develop a simple two-term analytic formula which interpolates between the Levinson limit and the Born limit and fits the rectified set of Schroedinger phase shifts quite well. In effect, they arrive at a four-dimensional function delta(E,l,Z,d) that should be useful as a convenient approximation in atomic, nuclear, particle, and plasma physics. 12 references, 9 figures, 2 tables.« less
Microscopic examination of photoautotrophic and phosphatase‐producing organisms in phosphorus‐limited Everglades periphyton mats

Using a fluorescent-labeled enzyme substrate, we examined the location of in situ phosphatase activity in a periphyton mat and explored the potential associations of phosphatase-producing organisms (PPO) and cyanobacteria within these mats. Our results indicate that most PPOs are concentrated in the lower section of the mat, and the phosphatase activity appears to be associated with heterotrophic organisms that are in close proximity to chlorophyll-containing cyanobacteria. The lack of observed phosphatase by larger photosynthetic cells and the close association of these cells with PPOs indicate a possible interaction whereby PPOs obtain photosynthetically fixed carbon from cyanobacteria and, in turn, provide inorganic phosphorus (P) and other compounds to the cyanobacteria. We believe these results may represent additional evidence for algal-bacterial symbiosis in aquatic systems and, in particular, the P-limited cyanobacterial mat communities.
Understanding and treating juvenile offenders: A review of current knowledge and future directions

Juvenile delinquency is one of our most pressing social problems, with negative emotional, physical, and economic effects felt throughout society. Considering the prevalence, stability, and detrimental impact of juvenile offending, the development of effective treatments is of utmost importance. This article provides an overview of available evidence regarding several key issues pertaining to treatment for juvenile offenders. First, the etiology, continuity, and long-term consequences of juvenile offending are reviewed. Second, factors associated with treatment outcome are discussed. Third, information regarding the most commonly used intervention strategies are provided. These strategies include family/systems, parent and social skills training, cognitive-behavioral, peer group counseling, wilderness programs, and boot camps. Finally, gaps in knowledge, research implications, and future directions are presented.
Determination of morphine-N-methyl-14C oxide in biological materials, its excretion and metabolites in the rat

Abstract A method for determination of morphine-N-methyl-14C oxide in biological materials has been described which gave approximate recoveries of N-oxide as 94, 82, and 77% from urine or plasma, liver and brain tissue, respectively. On subcutaneous injection of 20 mg/kg of morphine-N-methyl-14C oxide, male Sprague-Dawley rats excreted 80.6–91.5% of total radioactivity in urine and feces, 19.6–41.2% as free N-oxide, 6.2–24.3% as free morphine and 3.6–6.9% as morphine-3-glucuronide. Column and thin-layer chromatography established morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, and normorphine (5–10%) as princlpal urinary metabolites of morphine N-oxide in the rat. Evidence for the formation of N-oxide as a metabolite of morphine in the central nervous system of rats was not obtained. Morphine N-oxide can be converted nonenzymatically to morphine and normorphine by ferrous iron and cysteine.
The genomics of natural selection and adaptation: Christmas past, present and future(?)

Background: Genomic analyses are being applied to ‘non-model’ species. These complexes are now ‘models’ for applying genomic approaches to test evolutionary hypotheses. These approaches have revealed the genetic underpinnings of natural selection and adaptation. Aims: We wish to illustrate that the newest techniques in genomics would not be possible without older technological and methodological advances. We also point to the necessity for detailed phenotypic information to reveal the genomics of natural selection and adaptation. Methods: We review studies starting with Watson and Crick through the definition of the polymerase chain reaction to illustrate how newer technologies rest on the platform of older discoveries. We review studies from two plant clades that illustrate various genomic approaches taken to test for natural selection and adaptive evolution. Results: We find that older and newer genomic methodological approaches are necessary to dissect the genetics of natural selection and adaptation. ...
Locally factorial generic Zariski surfaces are factorial

In this article we study normal afline sufaces in A: defined by equations of the form zp = G(x, y), where the ground field k is assumed to be algebraically closed of characteristic p #O. If G is such that G,, G,., and G,,G,G2, have no points in common then such surfaces are called Zariski surf&es (a title given to them by P. Blass in [Bl ] ). If we also assume that zp = G has the maximum possible number of singularities ((deg Gl)* if p does not divide deg G or (deg G)* 3(deg G)+ 3 otherwise) then we call such a surface a generic Zaraski surface because zp = G is of this type for a generic choice of G. In this paper we develop a technique for calculating the divisor class group of Zariski surfaces at a singular point. We then employ this technique to show that locally factorial generic Zariski surfaces are factorial.
Phylogenetic implications from cuticular wax analyses in Epilobium sect. Zauschneria (Onagraceae).

Analysis of n-alkane constitutents of the leaf cuticle have been utilized to elucidate phylogenetic relationships within Epilobium section Zauschneria. Specimens representing 136 populations were greenhouse-grown under the same conditions. Crosses were made between representatives of all taxa within the section. The resulting F1 generations were also grown under the same conditions. Cuticle samples were removed in chloroform, purified with column chromatography and analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Resultant data were computer analyed using discriminant function analysis. Based on percent composition of 12 n-alkanes, each population and taxon can be characterized by a distinctive wax profile. Results suggest that the tetraploids E. canum subsp. canum and E. canum subsp. latifolium have been derived from the anastomosis of two distinct diploid genomes, E. canum subsp. canum "angustifolium" and E. septentrionale. Biochemical evidence from extant populations of E. canum are in agreement with geographic positions and ranges of the diploid species involved. Greenhouse hybridizations between the respective diploids, E. canum subsp. canum "canum" and E. septentrionale, result in F1 progeny possessing phenotypes similar to naturally occurring tetraploid E. canum populations. Wax compositions of the natural tetraploid populations are intermediate between diploids and vary depending on geographical proximity to diploid species. Past taxonomic treatments of the genus have placed the tetraploid Zauschneria arizonica within the species Z. californica (now E. canum). Analysis of wax compositions now suggets that Z. arizonica had an independent origin which involved, at least in part, the diploid species E. canum subsp. garrettii from Utah.
Molly Dunigan, Victory for Hire: Private Security Companies' Impact on Military Effectiveness

The topic of private security companies (PSCs, also called private military companies) is receiving an increasing amount of generally negative attention in the popular media – dailies, monthlies, d...
Benefiting from network position: firm capabilities, structural holes, and performance

While strategy scholars primarily focus on internal firm capabilities and network scholars typically examine network structure, we posit that firms with superior network structures may be better able to exploit their internal capabilities and thus enhance their performance. We examine how innovative capabilities—both those of focal firms and those they access through their networks—influence the performance of Canadian mutual fund companies. We find that a firm's innovative capabilities and its network structure both enhance firm performance, while the innovativeness of its contacts does not do so directly. Innovative firms that also bridge structural holes get a further performance boost, suggesting that firms need to develop network-enabled capabilities—capabilities accruing to innovative firms that bridge structural holes. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rh(I)-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular hydroarylation of unactivated ketones with aryl pinacolboronic esters

Aryl pinacolboronic esters, which are robust and easily handled boronic acid derivatives, effectively add in an intramolecular 1,2 fashion into unactivated ketone groups in the presence of the rhodium complexes [Rh(cod)(MeCN)2]BF4 and a tertiary amine base or [Rh(cod)(OH)]2 and bisphosphine ligands. The latter set of conditions has been utilized in the enantioselective synthesis of indanols bearing tertiary alcohol groups. The overall transformation serves as a complement to the use of boronic acids as well as traditional nucleophiles such as Grignards, zinc reagents and lithium reagents for enantioselective, intramolecular additions to unactivated ketones, especially those additions which require nucleophilic partners that need to be handled over multiple steps.
An experimental evaluation of the phase relationships and solubilities in the nbcr system

The phase relationships and solubilities have been determined experimentally in a revised evaluation of the NbCr alloy system. The results from a series of microstructural investigations on arc-cast and equilibrated samples, together with X-ray diffraction and compositional analyses, provide a basis for modifying the invariant reaction phase compositions and phase boundaries. In addition, new evidence based on X-ray diffraction measurements further establishes the existence of a high temperature C14 Laves polytype as well as an intermediate C36 structure for NbCr2. Moreover, lattice parameters have been determined as a function of composition for the b.c.c. and C15 Laves phases. Within the equilibrium solubility limits of the Nb and Cr terminal b.c.c. solid solutions, the lattice parameters exhibit a slight positive deviation from Vegard's rule. For the NbCr2 C15 Laves phase the solubility behavior and the distinct change in the composition dependence of the lattice parameters suggest a different defect structure on either side of the stoichiometric composition in the intermetallic phase field.
The Effect of the Spreading Solvent on the Properties of Monolayers

Abstract The effects produced by benzene or hexane as spreading solvents upon the surface pressure-area isotherms of octadecanol and stearic acid were investigated. Diluting the spreading solution resulted in an increase in the area/molecule at π = 1 dyne/cm. This expansion was greater with hexane than with benzene. Monolayers of stearic acid expanded more than those of octadecanol upon adding benzene liquid or vapor to the surface. Benzene vapor was irreversibly adsorbed on a monolayer of stearic acid. Octadecanol monolayers expanded when the concentration of benzene in the subphase was increased. An expansion of the monolayer with age was noted. This effect was greater for octadecanol than stearic acid monolayers. Aging could be attributed to changes in the structure of the monolayer as well as to contamination. Expansions resulting from both aging and solvent effects were greater at low surface pressures. A model based on the relative rates of solvent evaporation and diffusion into the subphase during the spreading process is proposed. The surface concentrations of benzene evaluated from experimental data and the model are compared. The two values agree within a factor of three.
Validation of mechanistic models for gas precipitation in solids during postirradiation annealing experiments

Abstract A number of different phenomenological models for gas precipitation in solids during postirradiation annealing experiments have been proposed. Validation of such mechanistic models for gas release and swelling is complicated by the use of data containing large systematic errors, and phenomena characterized by synergistic effects as well as uncertainties in materials properties. Statistical regression analysis is recommended for the selection of a reasonably well characterized data base for gas release from irradiated fuel under transient heating conditions. It is demonstrated that an appropriate data selection method is required in order to realistically examine the impact of differing descriptions of the phenomena, and uncertainties in selected materials properties, on the validation results. The results of the analysis show that the kinetics of gas precipitation in solids depend on bubble overpressurization effects and need to be accounted for during the heatup phase of isothermal heating experiments. It is shown that if only the total gas release values (as opposed to time-dependent data) were available, differentiation between different gas precipitation models would be ambiguous. The observed sustained increase in the fractional release curve at relatively high temperatures after the total precipitation of intragranular gas in fission gas bubbles is ascribed to the effects of a grain-growth/grain-boundary sweeping mechanism.
MASS FLOW AND THE VALIDITY OF IONIZATION EQUILIBRIUM ON THE SUN

Ionization equilibrium is a useful assumption which allows temperatures and other plasma properties to be deduced from spectral observations. Inherent to this assumption is the premise that the ion stage densities are determined solely by atomic processes which are local functions of the plasma temperature and electron density. However, if the time scale of plasma flow through a temperature gradient is less than the characteristic time scale for an important atomic process, deviations from the ionization stage densities expected for equilibrium will occur which could introduce serious errors into subsequent analyses. In the past few years, significant flow velocities in the upper solar atmosphere have been inferred from observations of emission lines originaing in the transition region (about 104–106 K) and corona. In this paper, three models of the solar atmosphere (quiet Sun, coronal hole, and a network model) are examined to determine if the emission expected from these model atmospheres could be produced from equilibrium ion populations when steady flows of several kilometers per second are assumed. If the flows are quasi-periodic instead of steady, spatial and temporal averaging inherent in the observations may allow for the construction of satisfactory models based on the assumption of ionization equilibrium. Representative emission lines are analysed for the following ions: C iii, iv, O iv, v, vi, Ne vii, viii, Mg ix, x, Si xii, and Fe ix–xiv. Two principle conclusions are drawn. First, only the iron ions are generally in equilibrium for steady flows of 20 km s−1. For carbon and oxygen, ionization equilibrium is not a valid assumption for steady flows as small as 1 km s−1. Second, the three models representing different solar conditions behave in a qualitatively similar manner, implying that these results are not particularly model dependent over the range of temperature gradients and electron densities thus far inferred for the Sun. In view of the flow velocities which have been reported for the Sun, our results strongly suggest caution in using the assumption of ionization equilibrium for interpreting spectral lines produced in the transition region.
The evolution of reproductive and genomic diversity in ray‐finned fishes: insights from phylogeny and comparative analysis

Collectively, ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) display far more diversity in many reproductive and genomic features than any other major vertebrate group. Recent large-scale comparative phylogenetic analyses have begun to reveal the evolutionary patterns and putative causes for much of this diversity. Several such recent studies have offered clues to how different reproductive syndromes evolved in these fishes, as well as possible physiological and genomic triggers. In many cases, repeated independent origins of complex reproductive strategies have been uncovered, probably reflecting convergent selection operating on common suites of underlying genes and hormonal controls. For example, phylogenetic analyses have uncovered multiple origins and predominant transitional pathways in the evolution of alternative male reproductive tactics, modes of parental care and mechanisms of sex determination. They have also shown that sexual selection in these fishes is repeatedly associated with particular reproductive strategies. Collectively, studies on reproductive and genomic diversity across the Actinopterygii illustrate both the strengths and the limitations of comparative phylogenetic approaches on large taxonomic scales.
Preparations and reactions of quanternary salts of bis(chloromethyl) ether

The preparation of some novel quaternary salts of bis(chloromethyl) ether are described. The salts derived from trimethylamine are stable in alkali, whereas the ones containing pyridinium groups are unstable in alkali, and are formaldehyde donors and gelatin hardeners. A possible mechanism for the decomposition reaction is proposed.
Mycostasis in relation to the microbial nutrient sinks of five soils.

Abstract [l4C]exudation from fungal propagules on 5 soils over 4–24 h was studied in relation to mycostasis. [l4C]exudation from sclerotia of Macrophomina phaseolina, chlamydospores of Thielaviopsis basicola, and conidia of Cochliobolus victoriae after 24 h on two sandy loam soils and a loam was generally greater than exudation on the two clay loam soils. Results were similar for conidia of Stemphylium sarcinaeforme but differences were not statistically significant. When natural soils were pulsed with [14C]glucose, 14CO2 evolved by the soil microflora over 2–12 h showed a similar trend. [14C]exudation from M. phaseolina sclerotia and C. victoriae conidia incubated on soils was greater than that from propagules incubated aseptically on a bed of sand through which water percolated at a flow rate sufficient to inhibit germination. Propagules of C. victoriae, M. phaseolinia and T. basicola germinated greater on one or more of the coarse-textured soils than on fine-textured soils. Using γ-irradiated soils, more [l4C]exudate was adsorbed by the clay loams than by the loam and sandy loam soils, suggesting that the adsorptive capacity of soils may be an important factor in controlling fungal utilization of soluble nutrients. Fungal germination in soil appears to be jointly influenced by two opposing tendencies: the ease with which germination occurs in response to exogenous nutrients and the amount of endogenous substrate lost or retained.
Cyberwar: The What, When, Why, and How [Commentary]

Cyberwar is insidious, invisible to most, and is fought out of sight. It takes place in cyberspace, a location that cannot be seen, touched, nor felt. Cyberspace has been defined as the fifth domain of war. We can see the physical instruments, such as computers, routers, cables, however these instruments interact in a virtual and unseen realm. This facilitates a reach that can extend from one part of the world to attacks on public or private sector entities in another part of the world, while the perpetrator remains unknown in a legally provable sense. The term cyberwar has been used in a variety of different contexts. Since war itself is generally considered as a military enterprise, cyberwar has often been linked to a conceptual framework associated with traditional notions of warfare. In this work, we examine the challenges this definition presents in a 21st century cyber-connected and cyber-dependent world, and we propose an expanded conceptual framework for cyberwar.
Enzymatic synthes is of RNA

Abstract This report concerns the synthesis of ribonucleic acid, RNA, by an enzyme system from pea embryos. The enzyme, as prepared, requires as substrate the four riboside triphosphates, ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP, and contains not only protein but a substantial fraction of the cellular DNA.
Electric cloud and weather modification with intense relativistic electron beams

THE problems confronting weather modification by seeding methods are well known and centre on the dispersion of the seeding agent over a large air volume. In a different method for artificial cloud modification proposed by Vonnegut and Moore1 electric charges are released by corona discharges into updraughts from the ground by a system of wires at a high electric potential. In this method the electric charges are much more rapidly dispersed, due to a rather large ion mobility in a thundercloud electric field, than is otherwise possible for seeding agents dispersed by turbulent convection. But the system of ground wires seems to be impractical for a weather modification technique with the demand for high mobility.
Preparation of metal-semiconductor composite films by chemical spray pyrolysis

Abstract Chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) offers a simple and inexpensive means of preparing metal-semiconductor composite (MSC) films with highly unusual optical properties. Oftentimes, these systems may involve metals in fairly complex semiconductors. Difficult at best to prepare, by standard deposition techniques, they have been studied for possible applications as nonlinear optical elements or photon detectors of optical radiation, among others. After discussing some general conditions for which the technique is applicable, results for the AgCuInSe 2 MCS system prepared by CSP are discussed in detail as an example.
Improved predictive model for n-decane kinetics across species, as a component of hydrocarbon mixtures.

n-Decane is considered a major component of various fuels and industrial solvents. These hydrocarbon products are complex mixtures of hundreds of components, including straight-chain alkanes, branched chain alkanes, cycloalkanes, diaromatics, and naphthalenes. Human exposures to the jet fuel, JP-8, or to industrial solvents in vapor, aerosol, and liquid forms all have the potential to produce health effects, including immune suppression and/or neurological deficits. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model has previously been developed for n-decane, in which partition coefficients (PC), fitted to 4-h exposure kinetic data, were used in preference to measured values. The greatest discrepancy between fitted and measured values was for fat, where PC values were changed from 250–328 (measured) to 25 (fitted). Such a large change in a critical parameter, without any physiological basis, greatly impedes the model's extrapolative abilities, as well as its applicability for assessing the interactions ...
A Catalyst Layer Flooding Model for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

It is widely recognized that the performance degradation and the limiting current behavior in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) are mainly attributed to the excessive build up of liquid water in the cathode side and the resulting flooding phenomena. Liquid water blocks the open pore space in the catalyst layer (CL) and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) leading to hindered oxygen transport and covers the electrochemically active sites in the CL thereby rendering reduced catalytic activity. The CL flooding therefore plays a crucial role in the overall PEFC performance limitation. In order to elucidate the primary mechanisms of liquid water removal out of the CL, the factors affecting CL flooding and to discern the role and contribution of CL flooding on the overall PEFC voltage loss, a CL flooding model has been developed. The flooding model is based on a simplified structure-wettability representation of the PEFC CL and a physical description of water and heat balance along with electrochemical performance analysis. The model shows that the evaporation mechanism, depending upon the cell operating temperature and the GDL thermal conductivity, plays a crucial role in the CL flooding behavior and the cell performance.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Microwave power absorption in single- and multiple-item foods

Power absorbed in foods heated in a microwave cavity (oven) is studied using numerical and experimental methods for single- and two-compartment arrangements. Maxwell's equations of electromagnetics are solved numerically for foods heated in a domestic microwave oven. Foods having different shapes, sizes and dielectric properties are considered. Trends in power absorption as affected by the sizes and dielectric properties are developed. Interestingly, foods with small loss factor may not absorb less power if their size is sufficiently large, while high loss foods usually absorb more power at small sizes. This is also true for the simultaneous heating of two-component materials, as shown numerically and experimentally.
Applying evolutionary yield function to predicting the deformation of microstructure-sensitive high-RRR niobium

High-purity high residual resistivity ratio niobium is used to fabricate particle accelerator cavities for advanced superconducting accelerators. This material has an unstable texture that causes different r values in different inplane directions, which evolve with deformation, making prediction of forming characteristics difficult. Thus, an evolutionary yield function having coefficients that evolve with plastic deformation is introduced to account for gradients in microstructure and texture that evolve differently in different layers of the material. With such a model, failure modes and locations are predicted accurately in more complex deformation conditions.
Open source interface politics: identity, acceptance, trust, and lobbying

A study of the Drupal open source project shows the problematic status of usability designers with respect to the larger developer community. Issues of power, trust, and identity arise and affect the way that usability recommendations are acted on or ignored. Making a straightforward case for a particular interface design can be insufficient to convince developers. Instead various additional lobbying strategies may be employed to build up support for the design.
Probing Dark Energy with Supernovae: Exploiting Complementarity with the Cosmic Microwave Background

A primary goal for cosmology and particle physics over the coming decade will be to unravel the nature of the dark energy that drives the accelerated expansion of the Universe. In particular, the determination of the equation-of-state of dark energy $w\ensuremath{\equiv}p/\ensuremath{\rho}$ and its time variation $dw/dz$ will be critical for developing a theoretical understanding of the new physics behind this phenomenon. Type Ia supernovae (SNe) and cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy are each sensitive to the dark energy equation of state. SNe alone can determine $w(z)$ with some precision, while CMB anisotropy alone cannot because of a strong degeneracy between the matter density ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{M}$ and $w.$ However, we show that the Planck CMB mission can significantly improve the power of a deep SNe survey to probe w and especially $dw/dz.$ Because CMB constraints are nearly orthogonal to SNe constraints in the ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{M}\ensuremath{-}w$ plane, for constraining $w(z)$ Planck is more useful than precise determination of ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{M}.$ We discuss how the CMB/SNe complementarity impacts strategies for the redshift distribution of a supernova survey to determine $w(z)$ and conclude that a well-designed sample should include a substantial number of supernovae out to redshifts $z\ensuremath{\sim}2.$
On the Failures of Educational Ploicy

(1977). On the Failures of Educational Ploicy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 9, No. 9, pp. 40-43.
The New Reverse Transfer: A National Landscape.

For decades, higher education professionals and researchers have used the term reverse transfer to describe a specific group of students. A current review of community college literature and higher education policy reflects a contextual change of the term, and today reverse transfer has grown to include students who transfer from a two-year college to a four-year institution and retroactively receive an associate’s degree with their newly earned university credits. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the new reverse transfer and the current status of reverse transfer participation and implementation procedure within each of the 50 states. This study also provides a review of the best practices for implementing the new reverse transfer. Results were obtained through an extensive literature review and a qualitative study that used document analysis. Findings show that 18 states had no participation, 11 states had emerging participation, and 21 states had strong participation in implement...
Parental effects on growth in Solanum conditioned at multiple levels

Reciprocal crosses were made between plants that had nuclear genes of S.tuberosum L. ssp tuberosum combinated, by recurrent backrossing, with cytoplasmic factors of S. phureja Juz. & Buk. and, separately, of S. tuberosum ssp. andigena (Juz. & Buk.) Hawkes. Significant differences in growth between 19 of 23 intra-cytoplasmic reciprocal progenies occurred in vigor at one or more growth stages during the season and/or in yield as measured by tuber number and weight. If no transmission of cytoplasmic factors occurred through the pollen, the cytoplasmic factors of the parents were the same, and these reciprocal differences were caused by parental chromosomal gene mechanisms such as maternal effect, pollen-tube selection, and/or imprinting. Early seedling vigor was, in some cases, associated with greater seed weight, but this did not account for all of the reciprocal contrasts. The data do not show whether these parental effects are a result of maternal and/or paternal effects. Analysis to determine whether parental effect was a single gene character or alleles expressed at two levels, or multi-genic and so expressed at multiple levels, was based on a study of progeny of ten parents that were used in more than one reciprocal pair combination. The data showed that the parents could be classified at eight successive levels of relative effectiveness as staminate or pistillate parents. Of 23 crosses, 19 showed significant differences between reciprocal progenies that were consistent with this eight-level array. The data support the interpretation that parental effect is a multi-genic character.
Artery and vein size is balanced by Notch and ephrin B2/EphB4 during angiogenesis

A mutual coordination of size between developing arteries and veins is essential for establishing proper connections between these vessels and, ultimately, a functional vasculature; however, the cellular and molecular regulation of this parity is not understood. Here, we demonstrate that the size of the developing dorsal aorta and cardinal vein is reciprocally balanced. Mouse embryos carrying gain-of-function Notch alleles show enlarged aortae and underdeveloped cardinal veins, whereas those with loss-of-function mutations show small aortae and large cardinal veins. Notch does not affect the overall number of endothelial cells but balances the proportion of arterial to venous endothelial cells, thereby modulating the relative sizes of both vessel types. Loss of ephrin B2 or its receptor EphB4 also leads to enlarged aortae and underdeveloped cardinal veins; however, endothelial cells with venous identity are mislocalized in the aorta, suggesting that ephrin B2/EphB4 signaling functions distinctly from Notch by sorting arterial and venous endothelial cells into their respective vessels. Our findings provide mechanistic insight into the processes underlying artery and vein size equilibration during angiogenesis.
Social Support in Women with Fibromyalgia: Is Quality More Important than Quantity?.

The present study is an examination of the effects of quality and quantity of social support on the psychological and physical well-being of women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Participants were 568 women who were members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) with a confirmed diagnosis of FMS. Participants were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing their psychological and physical well-being. Measures of depression, self-efficacy, helplessness, mood disturbance, health status, impact of FMS, and social support were included. Regression analyses indicated that larger social support networks were associated with greater levels of self-efficacy for pain and symptom management, while the perceived quality of social support was associated with lower levels of depression, helplessness, mood disturbance, impact of FMS, higher levels of self-efficacy for function and symptom management, as well as overall psychological well-being. These findings indicate that the quality of social support is more important than quantity in determining outcomes in women with FMS. Thus, the quality of social support has important financial and psychosocial implications for the individual and for the community as a whole. Future research should examine longitudinal changes in quality of social support and the corresponding changes in health status and psychological well-being, as well as the effects of integrating manipulations designed to affect the quality of social support into community interventions designed to enhance the well-being of women with FMS. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 425–438, 2004.
The work function of the crystal faces of metals

A new method for calculating the work function of the crystal faces of elemental metals from first principles, using the uncertainty principle and the concept of a surface 2-D electron gas, is developed. Results for tungsten and aluminum are presented and shown to be in good agreement with experimental values.
Locally Compact Path Spaces

It is shown that the space X [0,1], of continuous maps [0,1]→X with the compact-open topology, is not locally compact for any space X having a nonconstant path of closed points. For a T 1-space X, it follows that X [0,1] is locally compact if and only if X is locally compact and totally path-disconnected.
Birth cohort effects among US-born adults born in the 1980s: foreshadowing future trends in US obesity prevalence.

Birth cohort effects among US-born adults born in the 1980s: foreshadowing future trends in US obesity prevalence