cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Model for Evaluating the Profitability of Coupon Promotions

In the experience of the authors, most firms do not have good procedures for estimating the net profitability of coupon promotions. Instead, managers generally examine a number of subsidiary measures such as: redemption rates, market share and the direct costs of the coupon promotion. A user-oriented computer model is presented for simulating the effect of coupon promotions on sales and calculating net profitability. The model includes the actions of the manufacturer, retailers, and consumers. It takes into account three key phenomena of consumer response: the acceleration of product category purchases, the brand loyalty of coupon redeemers, and repeat purchase effects. The model also incorporates the effects of retailer promotions that often accompany a coupon program. Data from an actual application are used to illustrate use of the model.
Qualitative research on trauma surgery: getting beyond the numbers.

Qualitative research methods have a unique role to play in surgical research, revealing important contextual details about the causes and impact of surgical illnesses and treatment. The utility of qualitative methods is illustrated through results of a research study of young, black male victims of interpersonal violence. Narrative analysis of in-depth interviews with 48 survivors of penetrating violence revealed the impact of these patients’ perceptions of post-injury care on their pain, the central role of fear of death in their injury experience, and the transforming role providers can play in addressing patient fears of death. The study provides support for the notion that qualitative methods can be a useful approach to understanding marginalized individuals who become our patients after injury. Furthermore, potential applications of multimethod approaches to surgical research (qualitative research methods in combination with quantitative methods) for the study of trainee experiences, patient satisfaction, and racial disparities are recommended.
Percutaneous Management of Caliceal Diverticuli

Abstract Background and Purpose: Caliceal diverticula are rare congenital abnormalities that can become symptomatic if associated with a calculus or infection. We review percutaneous management of caliceal diverticula. Methods: Pathogenesis, clinical evaluation, management options, and recommended follow-up for symptomatic caliceal diverticula are reviewed. We present our single-stage and prepercutaneous nephrolithotomy opacification techniques for the management of caliceal diverticula. This involves complete extraction of all stone particles and ablation of the diverticular cavity without infundibular identification or dilation. Comparison of outcomes between our current ablative technique and our previous dilation technique is evaluated. Results: Percutaneous management of caliceal diverticula offers the highest symptomatic relief and stone-free rate of available management options. We identified 106 patients with caliceal diverticula who were treated with a percutaneous approach. Review of 85 of these...
An optimization toolkit for the Blue Gene and subsequent generations of SciDAC computers

A tool for writing platform-independent optimized computational routines, QA0, is described. Application to optimizing SciDAC Lattice QCD codes is presented.
Injuries of the distal tibial epiphysis: systematic radiographic evaluation

The site of injury to the distal tibial epiphysis in the younger individual depends on the relation of the ligaments to the epiphysis, the type of injury, and the maturity and degree of closure of the growth plate. A characteristic radiographic pattern of injury occurs as a result of each particular injuring force, which in turn requires a specific mode of fracture reduction. One hundred and ninety-four cases of epiphyseal injuries were reviewed, and the incidence and diagnostic characteristics of the various types are presented. The Salter-Harris classification of lesions reveal the type II is the most common (46.4%), followed by type III (25.2%), type IV (10.3%), and type I (5.7%). The triplane fracture constituted 9.8%, and miscellaneous injuries, which could not be classified, were 2.6%.
YASIN DUTTON, The Origins of Islamic Law: The Qur⊃an, the Muwatta⊃ and Madinian ⊂Amal (London: Curzon Press, 1999). $80.00 cloth.

Yasin Dutton makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the juristic activity in early Islam. His book produces a systematic and thorough study of the methodologies and legal techniques of Malik's Muwatta⊃, and in so doing, it sheds important light on the origins of Islamic law. Dutton carefully documents Malik's reliance on the Qur⊃an and the ⊂amal (practice) of the people of Medina in formulating early Islamic legal doctrines. In this context, Dutton challenges much of Western scholarship, which tended to minimize the role of the Qur⊃an and the Prophetic sunna in the development of early Islamic jurisprudence. The Qur⊃an, sunna, and ⊂amal, Dutton argues, formed integral components of early Medinian juristic discourses. Importantly, Dutton calls for a more sophisticated understanding of the concept of ⊂amal. He distinguishes between sunna and ⊂amal and between sunna and hadith. Sunna, Dutton contends, consists of the collective inherited precedent of the Prophet. In many ways, it is the Qur⊃anic precedent as well as the interpretations and ijtih―ad of the Prophet as remembered, in a general sense, by the early Muslim community. ⊂Amal, on the other hand, is the Qur⊃an and sunna in action as well as the interpretations and ijtih―ad of the companions, successors, and successors of the successors. Therefore, in a sense, Dutton argues that all ⊂amal includes the sunna, but not all sunna includes ⊂amal.
Diamond and diamond-like films

Abstract The ability to grow thin films of polycrystalline diamond at atmospheric pressure and below is a relatively new development. This technology, while still immature, has potential electronic applications in thermal management, packaging, lithography and active electronic devices. Non-electronic applications include abrasives, wear resistance surfaces, tool coatings, optical coatings and IR optics. The current status of low pressure diamond growth, and the related field of diamond-like films, will be reviewed and possible future directions indicated.
Transverse susceptibility of magnetic inks, milling process

Abstract Transverse susceptibility ( χ tr ) tests the dispersion quality of magnetic inks by probing the small amplitude, low frequency AC susceptibility in the presence of a perpendicular DC field. The existing theoretical model of this experiment considers only individual particles and fails to predict the changes of the susceptibility observed when aggregates are broken by milling. We have extended the model to describe milling of magnetic inks as a continuous transition from an initial state of completely aggregated, immobile particles to a final state of monodispersed particles. Each intermediate state of the ink is represented as a combination of the initial and final states. The particles in the aggregates contribute to χ tr only by the oscillation of their magnetic moment with the AC field. Monodispersed particles contribute to χ tr by displacement of their magnetic moment and by their physical motion. This model describes quantitatively the changes of the susceptibility with milling. The increase of χ tr is attributed to the increased number of monodispersed particles which also effectively increases the magnetic interaction between them and accounts for the shift of the maximum susceptibility to higher DC fields.
METHAMPHETAMINE-INDUCED NEUROTOXICITY DISRUPTS NATURALLY OCCURRING PHASIC DOPAMINE SIGNALING

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive drug that is also neurotoxic to central dopamine (DA) systems. Although striatal DA depletions induced by METH are associated with behavioral and cognitive impairments, the link between these phenomena remains poorly understood. Previous work in both METH-pretreated animals and the 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson's disease suggests that a disruption of phasic DA signaling, which is important for learning and goal-directed behavior, may be such a link. However, previous studies used electrical stimulation to elicit phasic-like DA responses and were also performed under anesthesia, which alters DA neuron activity and presynaptic function. Here we investigated the consequences of METH-induced DA terminal loss on both electrically evoked phasic-like DA signals and so-called 'spontaneous' phasic DA transients measured by voltammetry in awake rats. Not ostensibly attributable to discrete stimuli, these subsecond DA changes may play a role in enhancing reward-cue associations. METH pretreatment reduced tissue DA content in the dorsomedial striatum and nucleus accumbens by ~55%. Analysis of phasic-like DA responses elicited by reinforcing stimulation revealed that METH pretreatment decreased their amplitude and underlying mechanisms for release and uptake to a similar degree as DA content in both striatal subregions. Most importantly, characteristics of DA transients were altered by METH-induced DA terminal loss, with amplitude and frequency decreased and duration increased. These results demonstrate for the first time that denervation of DA neurons alters naturally occurring DA transients and are consistent with diminished phasic DA signaling as a plausible mechanism linking METH-induced striatal DA depletions and cognitive deficits.
Visual sensitivity of ground squirrels to spatial and temporal luminance variations

We have investigated the visual sensitivity of the California ground squirrel (Speromphilus beecheyi) to spatial and temporal luminance patterns. Spatial contrast sensitivity functions were determined in behavioral discrimination experiments in which the stimuli were sinusoidally-modulated luminance gratings. These squirrels were found to be maximally sensitive to spatial frequencies of about 0.7 cycles/ degree (c/d), and they are unable to discriminate gratings whose frequencies exceed 4 c/d. Similar results were obtained in electrophysiological experiments when the visually evoked cortical potential (VECP) was recorded from anesthetized squirrels. A third experiment involved tests of the ability of ground squirrels to discriminate square-wave gratings of much higher luminance (340 cd/m2). The finest gratings which were discriminable at this luminance level did not exceed 3.9–4.3 c/d and, thus, we conclude that the maximal spatial resolution of the California ground squirrel is about 4 c/d (corresponding to a bar separation of 7.5′). In another behavioral experiment the abilities of ground squirrels to discriminate sinusoidally flickering lights (mean luminance = 3.4 cd/m2) was measured. The results show that ground squirrels are maximally sensitive to lights flickering at a rate of about 18 Hz, and that the highest rates that are still discriminable are slightly above 60 Hz.
Sensory deprivation, preconscious processes and scientific thinking.

The study of preconscious processes in scientific concept formation has been restricted because of limited procedures for obtaining empirical information about these processes. This report describes the use of the sensory deprivation procedure for studying these processes. It is concluded that the method is useful for making observations of preconscious intuitions in scientific thinking.
An overview of biofuels from energy crops: Current status and future prospects

Energy crops constitute significant potential for meeting the future energy need worldwide. In addition, agricultural lands offer an alternative to the agriculture which is referred to as energy farming. The studies on energy crops in biofuel production show that they are quite an economical and environmentally beneficial way of sustainable energy production. Today most of the developed countries use staples such as corn, sugar beet, soybean, rapeseed, and wheat in order to obtain energy. Moreover, bioethanol is mostly produced from sugarcane and corn and biodiesel from oilseed plants. Therefore, these produced raw materials compete with food and feed production. Consequently, the use of those energy crops which are used as food products for biofuel production is an important issue which must be considered in terms of the current food safety. Some energy crops, such as miscanthus, switchgrass and sweet sorghum, that are called C4 crops, can grow with high biomass yield even in infertile land. Thus, these crops are used in energy farming – a new type of agriculture. Furthermore, C4-type crops possess the features of resistance to aridity, high photosynthetic yield and a high rate of CO2 capture when compared with C3 crops. In conclusion, C4 crops tend to produce more biomass than C3 crops. Therefore, these crops are investigated, focused on, and elaborated on in this paper. This study aims to present a comprehensive review on the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic agricultural products and promising energy crops. Thus, the energy crops to be used as raw materials for biofuels today and in the future are investigated. In addition, it is intended to highlight the energy crops used as staples by discussing them in detail for biofuel production. The energy crops which are promising in biofuel production, particularly non-staple miscanthus and sorghum, are presented in detail as they are non-food crops and have a high yield. Furthermore, the energy crops used as raw materials for bioenergy today and their potential are compared both worldwide and in Turkey.
Changes in microstructure of snow under large deformations

A set of microstructural variables is selected to characterize the behavior of snow. Corresponding mathematical relations from quantitative stereology theory are presented along with relations and techniques required for numerical evaluation. An experimental investigation is carried out to determine changes in these variables for snow subjected to large compressive deformations. The micro-structural variables studied included coordination number, grain-size, bond radius, neck length, pore-size, free surface area and grains/unit volume. Measurements at several stages of deformation are used to evaluate the changes in the microstructure as functions of deformation. Microstructure measurements of six snow samples subjected to confined compression tests are presented for pre-compressed and compressed states, corresponding to final stresses of 0.387, 0.77 and 1.55 MPa. Grain-size and bond radius were found to go through finite changes during compression, although the variation of bond radius was more complicated in nature. The coordination number and number of bonds/unit volume were found to go through large changes during compression, while specific free surface area was found to increase by 100% due to grain- and bond-fracture processes. No discernible patterns of change in neck length could be found in the experiments. A close relationship between some of the microstructural variables and the stress response of the material was observed. These results serve to contribute to the presently available data and understanding of the microstructural behavior of snow.
Brief Paper: An Application of Independent, Increasing, Free-Choice Petri Nets to the Synthesis of Policies that Enforce Liveness in Arbitrary Petri Nets

The class of Independent, Increasing, Free-Choice Petri nets (II-FCPNs) was introduced in (Sreenivas, 1997c), where it is shown that any II-FCPN can be made live via supervision using a readily available policy. In a live Petri net (PN) (Peterson (1981). Petri Net Theory and Modeling of systems. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Reisig (1985). Petri Nets. Springer, Berlin), it is possible to fire any transition from every reachable marking, although not necessarily immediately. In this paper we identify a class of PNs, where every transition is controllable, that are not necessarily II-FCPNs, that can be made live via supervision using a readily available policy constructed from the policy that enforces liveness in an II-FCPN.
Proton Binding and Conformational Dynamics in KcsA

Though KcsA has been the subject of extensive studies, the specific molecular mechanism by which the channel opens in response to proton binding is unknown. We used a multi-pronged approach - electrophysiology, X-ray crystallography, modeling, and NMR - to understand pH-dependent gating in KcsA. We propose that the pH sensor consists of a strong sensor, H25, in addition to one weak sensor, E118. Protonation of these residues drives opening of the channel by shifting the equilibrium from the closed state to the open state. We modeled KcsA pH gating using a modified Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) model with 2 proton binding sites per subunit. In this model, the pKa values for each pH sensor are different in the closed state than in the open state, as required for proton binding to drive opening of the channel. This model choice is reasonable as the conformational changes required to open the channel do produce an alternate environment for H25 and E118, effectively altering their pKa values. We sought to constrain this model by determining the pKa values for these residues directly using solution NMR. using KcsA reconstituted into bicelles, we determined that H25, the strong sensor, responds to pH changes in two distinct conformational states, with an apparent pKa in the range of channel gating. Additional NMR studies targeted at the weak proton sensor, E118, and other bundle-crossing mutants will provide further insight into the coupling of proton binding with channel gating.
Influence of Environmental Stresses on Stability of O/W Emulsions Containing Droplets Stabilized by Multilayered Membranes Produced by a Layer-by-Layer Electrostatic Deposition Technique

A three step process, based on electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition, was used to produce oil-in-water emulsions containing submicron (d32 < 0:3 mm) oil droplets stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) ‐ chitosan‐ pectin membranes (100 mM acetic acid, pH 3.0). First, primary emulsions (5 wt% corn oil, 5 mM SDS) containing anionic droplets (z < 260 mV) stabilized by SDS membranes were prepared using a high-pressure value homogenizer. Second, secondary emulsions (1 wt% corn oil, 1 mM SDS, 0.024 wt% chitosan) containing cationic droplets (z < þ59 mV) stabilized by SDS ‐ chitosan membranes were formed by diluting the primary emulsion with aqueous chitosan solution and agitating to disrupt any flocs. Third, tertiary emulsions (0.2 wt% corn oil, 0.2 mM SDS, 0.0048 wt% chitosan, 0.040 wt% pectin) containing anionic droplets (z < 214 mV) stabilized by SDS ‐ chitosan ‐pectin membranes were formed by diluting the secondary emulsion with aqueous pectin solution. The stability of primary, secondary and tertiary emulsions to pH, ionic strength, thermal processing and freeze ‐ thaw cycling were determined. The droplets in tertiary emulsions had good stability to droplet aggregation over a wide range of pH values (pH 3.0‐ 8.0), NaCl concentrations (#500 mM NaCl), thermal treatments (30‐ 90 8C for 20 min) and freeze ‐ thaw cycling (2 20 8C for 22 h/30 8C for 2 h). The interfacial engineering technology utilized in this study could lead to the creation of food emulsions with improved stability to environmental stresses. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Oligopolies and product durability

Abstract We analyze a simple two-period quantity setting model where firms rent all of their output. We compare the durability chosen by an oligopolist to the competitive (socially optimal) durability. The model shows in subgame perfect equilibria the durability chosen by oligopolists will be cost-minimizing (independent of their output levels). Thus Swan's independence result can be extended to oligopoly markets if the firms rent their output. We also demonstrate the independence result can be extended to certain corner solutions.
Organizational change models and digital library projects

Purpose – Project managers must deal with organizational change in order to bring their projects to completion effectively. This article aims to outline the three major change models in organizations and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each.Design/methodology/approach – By using a high‐level review of change models, the author explores the issues a project manager may encounter using each model.Findings – While all three change models are necessary in organizations, the most effective change model for long‐term, consistent success is the embracing change model.Originality/value – This article adds to the body of knowledge related to change and project management.
Renal prostaglandin E2 AND F2α secretion and excretion in exercising conscious dogs

Abstract Renal prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and F 2α (PGF 2α ) secretion and excretion rates were determined in dogs at rest and during various levels of treadmill exercise. Four animals were chronically instrumented to measure mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left renal blood flow (RBF), and to sample renal venous (RV) blood. In four additional animals, the bladder was cannulated to enable urine collection prior to and after exercise. When compared to resting values, RV PGE 2 concentrations increased by 99, 119, and 50 percent during light, moderate and heavy exercise workloads, respectively. RBF was constant during exercise and consequently renal PGE 2 secretion increased as a function of RV PGE 2 concentration. Similar changes were observed in PGF 2α in 2 dogs. When compared to resting values, excretion rates of PGE 2 and PGF 2α after exercise increased by 111 and 195 percent, respectively, due to an increase in urine PGE 2 and PGF 2α concentrations. The data demonstrate that renal PG synthesis, as evaluated by PG secretion and excretion, is increased during exercise in the dog.
Effect of lym‐1 radioimmunoconjugate on refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background. Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia is usually indolent and responsive to treatment early in its course, later stages are characterized by inexorable progression despite standard treatment so that new therapies are needed. Because malignant lymphocytes have characteristic surface antigens, the role of monoclonal antibodies is worthy of intensive investigation. Methods. Five patients with refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with a novel radioimmunoconjugate, 131I-Lym-1, reactive with antigenic sites on malignant B lymphocytes. 131I-Lym-1 was given to the patients in doses of 20–65 mCi at 2–6-week intervals. Results. Radioimmunoconjugate treatment using 131I-Lym-1 induced objective responses with dramatic reduction in lymphadenopathy and, in two patients, normalization of leukocyte counts. However, lymphocytes continued to be the dominate cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. Because these patients had advanced disease associated with preexisting peripheral cytopenias, requiring repeated transfusions, and recurrent infections, hematopoietic toxicity from 131I-Lym-1 was difficult to evaluate. The patients seemed to tolerate at least 200 mCi of 131I given at these dose levels, and intervals before toxicity added to their existing peripheral cytopenias. Radionuclide doses in excess of 300 mCi aggravated preexisting thrombocytopenia. Conclusion. Although the data raise the possibility of a role for 131I-Lym-1 monoclonal antibody in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, strategies to address the radionuclide-induced thrombocytopenia are essential before this intervention can become a clinically useful therapeutic modality for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Cancer 1994; 73:1425–32.
Probing Site Activity of Monodisperse Pt Nanoparticle Catalysts Using Steam Reforming of Methane

Monodisperse platinum nanoparticles between 2 and 8 nanometers were synthesized to help quantitatively investigate the size dependency and the activity of surface sites for steam reforming of metha...
Growth of oceanic phytoplankton in enrichment cultures1

Twenty-six species of phytoplankton were able to multiply in water collected from the surface at nine stations in the subarctic Pacific and enriched with nutrients. These species normally constitute 91 percent of the total cell numbers and 64 percent of the phytoplankton biomass in the collection area in the spring months. (auth)
Brain oxygen, CO2, pH, and temperature monitoring: evaluation in the feline brain.

Currently, no ideal method exists for monitoring the injured brain. Recently, a single, compact, fiberoptic sensor has become available for measuring oxygen, CO2, pH and temperature in blood. We have adapted this instrument for continuous use in brain tissue to measure oxygen tension, carbon dioxide tension (pCO2), pH, and temperature. To evaluate this new technique, we produced hypercapnia, hypocapnia, intracranial pressure increase, and hypoxemia in seven normal cats. In an additional six animals, sensors were placed within a zone of focal brain ischemia induced by occluding the left middle cerebral artery. The sensor readings were compared with cerebral blood flow measurements, intracranial pressure, and brain histological findings. An in vitro experiment was also performed using human blood to test the accuracy of the sensor over a wide range of pCO2 and oxygen tension values. After careful precalibration and rigid cranium fixation, stable measurements could be obtained throughout the 6- to 8-hour experiments. In normal animals, brain oxygen was 42 +/- 9 mm Hg, brain CO2 was 59 +/- 14 mm Hg, brain pH was 7.0 +/- 0.2, and brain temperature was 36.7 +/- 0.7 degrees C. Hypocapnia and hypoxemia produced a significant decline in tissue oxygen ( or = 74 +/- 4 mm Hg; P < 0.001). Focal ischemia produced a rapid 42% decline in brain oxygen (25 +/- 7 mm Hg) and a 25% increase in tissue pCO2 (71 +/- 23 mm Hg). Brain oxygen further decreased to 19 +/- 6 mm Hg toward the end of the experiment, 4 hours later. After middle cerebral artery occlusion, the regional cerebral blood flow decreased to 10 +/- 5 ml per 100 g per minute, within the 1st hour, from a baseline value of 65 +/- 15 ml per 100 g per minute. It then gradually increased to 15 +/- 5 ml per 100 g per minute by the end of the 4-hour experiment. Brain pH was closely and inversely related to brain CO2. The brain temperature in the focally ischemic tissue decreased from 36.7 +/- 0.7 to 35.5 +/- 1.6 degrees C by the end of the experiment. The in vitro experiment demonstrated good linear correlation between the sensor readings and the blood gas analysis. Continuous monitoring of oxygen, CO2, pH, and temperature in damaged or at-risk brain tissue using a single sensor is now feasible and will, thus, allow improved continuous monitoring of neurosurgical patients who are at risk of significant secondary brain damage.
Estimation of Mussel Population Response to Hydrologic Alteration in a Southeastern U.S. Stream

The southeastern United States has experienced severe, recurrent drought, rapid human population growth, and increasing agricultural irrigation during recent decades, resulting in greater demand for the water resources. During the same time period, freshwater mussels (Unioniformes) in the region have experienced substantial population declines. Consequently, there is growing interest in determining how mussel population declines are related to activities associated with water resource development. Determining the causes of mussel population declines requires, in part, an understanding of the factors influencing mussel population dynamics. We developed Pradel reverse-time, tag-recapture models to estimate survival, recruitment, and population growth rates for three federally endangered mussel species in the Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint River Basin, Georgia. The models were parameterized using mussel tag-recapture data collected over five consecutive years from Sawhatchee Creek, located in southwestern Georgia. Model estimates indicated that mussel survival was strongly and negatively related to high flows during the summer, whereas recruitment was strongly and positively related to flows during the spring and summer. Using these models, we simulated mussel population dynamics under historic (1940–1969) and current (1980–2008) flow regimes and under increasing levels of water use to evaluate the relative effectiveness of alternative minimum flow regulations. The simulations indicated that the probability of simulated mussel population extinction was at least 8 times greater under current hydrologic regimes. In addition, simulations of mussel extinction under varying levels of water use indicated that the relative risk of extinction increased with increased water use across a range of minimum flow regulations. The simulation results also indicated that our estimates of the effects of water use on mussel extinction were influenced by the assumptions about the dynamics of the system, highlighting the need for further study of mussel population dynamics.
Polyglycolic acid from the direct polymerization of renewable C1 feedstocks

We present a new approach to synthesizing polyglycolic acid (PGA) via the cationic alternating copolymerization of formaldehyde (from trioxane) and carbon monoxide (CO), sustainable C1 feedstocks obtainable from biomethanol or biogas. This method constitutes an inexpensive and efficient pathway for the synthesis of PGA, circumventing the usual route requiring glycolide. PGA was successfully synthesized with yields up to 92% from trioxane, 800 psi of CO, and 1 mol% triflic acid (TfOH) initiator at 170 °C over three days. 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and FT-IR spectra of the polymer from CO and trioxane are identical to those of commercial PGA prepared via the ring-opening polymerization of glycolide—confirming the alternating microstructure. Although high copolymerization conversions were obtained, molecular weight analysis usually suggested the formation of oligomeric glycolic acid (OGA). High molecular weight PGA can be obtained via post-polymerization polycondensation of OGA catalyzed by Zn(OAc)2·2H2O. Alternatively, increased molecular weight PGA can be achieved by inclusion of glycerol as a branching agent during the C1 copolymerization.
INFLUENCE OF INLET / SHOAL COMPLEX ON ADJACENT SHORELINES VIA INLET SINK METHOD

The region of influence of the inlet on the adjacent shoreline was determined via examination of the inlet’s net sink effect. The net sink effect, or volumetric impact, was computed by adding the volume (or rate) of net sand accumulation within the inlet's channels and shoals with the cumulative volumetric losses on adjacent shorelines to conserve sediment mass after accounting for the volumes either added to adjacent beaches or removed from the ebb shoal by means of nourishment and sediment mining. Volume change of the beaches and ebb shoal complex was computed within a geospatial framework consisting of Regional Mapping and Analysis Program (RMAP), ArcGIS and the Surface-water Modeling System (SMS). Inlet-adjacent cumulative volume changes were then examined to discern the minimum distance away from the inlet along which this volumetric impact was manifest. The alongshore influence of the inlet as determined by the inlet sink method for the 1999-2010 time period was found to be 7.4 miles to the north and 5.5 miles to the south. The inlet sink effect for St. Augustine Inlet is 278,000 cu yd/year, balanced by 99,000 cu yd/yr of erosion from the north beaches and 179,000 cu yd/yr of erosion from the south beaches. If managed properly, the inlet could serve as a valuable, long-term resource for the beaches of St. Johns County within the bounds of its sink effect.
A mini-computer network for support of real time research

A star-shaped network of mini-computers provides all remote computers access of commonly used peripherals and the University's CDC 6400. The key hardware feature, independent of computer type, is asynchronous serial communication at 153,000 baud with character rate dictated by the receiving computer. Interconnection hardware and software overhead is minimal. The key software feature is the loose connection of near homogeneous machines. Real-time constraints are satisfied by remote computers with idle machines potentially available as a distributed intelligence resource to support additional computer types. Minimal computers may be supported to run unmodified, paper-tape oriented programs using a transparent monitor. Computers with adequate memory may be supported to run mass memory operating systems using Network Central resources. The cost per computer is less than that for paper-tape equipment, while only under heavy load conditions does performance degrade to paper-tape speeds.
Learning the behavior of Boolean circuits from examples using cultural algorithms

In this paper an approach to evolutionary learning based upon principles of cultural evolution is developed. In this dual-inheritance system, there is an evolving population of trait sequences as well as an associated belief space. The belief space is derived from the behavior of individuals and is used to actively constrain the traits acquired in future populations. Shifts in the representation of the belief space and the population are supported. The approach is used to solve several versions of the BOOLE problem; F6, F11, and F20. The results are compared with other approaches and the advantages of a dual inheritance approach using cultural algorithms is discussed.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Model for dense granular flows down bumpy inclines.

We consider dense flows of spherical grains down an inclined plane on which spherical bumps have been affixed. We propose a theory that models stresses as the superposition of a rate-dependent contribution arising from collisional interactions and a rate-independent part related to enduring frictional contacts among the grains. We show that dense flows consist of three regions. The first is a thin basal layer where grains progressively gain fluctuation energy with increasing distance from the bottom boundary. The second is a core region where the solid volume fraction is constant and the production and dissipation of fluctuation energy are nearly balanced. The last is a thin collisional surface layer where the volume fraction abruptly vanishes as the free surface is approached. We also distinguish basal flows with the smallest possible height, in which the core and surface layers have disappeared. We derive simple closures of the governing equations for the three regions with insight from the numerical simulations of Silbert et al. [Phys. Rev. E 64, 051302 (2001)] and the physical experiments of Pouliquen [Phys. Fluids 11, 542 (1999)]. The theory captures the range of inclination angles at which steady, fully developed flows are observed, the corresponding shape of the mean and fluctuation velocity profiles, the dependence of the flow rate on inclination, flow height, interparticle friction, and normal restitution coefficient, and the dependence of the height of basal flows on inclination.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigen 85A Induces Th-1 Immune Responses in Systemic Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology, characterized by a Th-1 immunophenotype. Although humoral immune responses by sarcoidosis subjects to mycobacterial proteins have been detected, mycobacterial antigens capable of inducing cellular immune responses in sarcoidosis subjects have not been reported. We used the enzyme-linked immunospot assay to assess for recognition of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis mycolyl transferase, Antigen 85A, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 25 sarcoidosis subjects, 22 PPD− (purified protein derivative) healthy volunteers, and 16 PPD+ healthy subjects. Reactivity to Ag85A whole protein was observed in 15 of 25 sarcoidosis subjects compared to 2 of 22 PPD− subjects (p=0.0006, Fisher’s exact test) and to 14 of 16 PPD+ subjects (p=0.084, Fisher’s exact test). Monoclonal antibody against HLA-DR inhibited recognition. In addition to immune recognition of Ag85A whole protein, peptide-mapping studies identified four immunogenic Ag85A peptides, which induced Th-1 immune responses in individual sarcoidosis subjects, suggesting that multiple epitopes from a mycobacterial protein may have a role in sarcoidosis immunopathogenesis.
Effect of drying method and condensed tannin on detergent fiber analysis of sericea lespedeza

The effect of forage drying method on interrelationships between condensed tannins and fiber as determined by the detergent system of analysis was studied in a randomized block field experiment with three cultivars of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) (Dum-Cours) G Don). Harvested forage was ovendried and freeze-dried, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was determined with and without sodium sulfite added during the extraction. Acid detergent fiber (ADF), permanganate lignin, cellulose, and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (N) were determined by separate and sequential ADF analyses. Without sodium sulfite, oven-drying, compared with freeze-drying, increased NDF, neutral detergent insoluble N, and sequentially-analyzed ADF and lignin, due to precipitation of condensed tannins and protein in neutral detergent. Acid detergent fiber, lignin, and acid detergent insoluble N were higher in sequentially-analyzed oven-dried and freeze-dried forages, compared with separate-sample analyses, with a greater effect in oven-dried samples. Neutral detergent fiber of both oven-dried and freeze-dried samples contained tannin-protein complexes (precipitants), with more occurring in oven-dried samples. When sodium sulfite was included in the neutral detergent extraction, all drying treatment differences in NDF, neutral detergent insoluble N, ADF, acid detergent insoluble N, and lignin were removed. Sequential NDF-ADF analysis with sodium sulfite is recommended to minimize influence of condensed tannin on the detergent fiber system for sericea lespedeza.
Does the Moon Have a Metallic Core?: Constraints from Giant Impact Modeling and Siderophile Elements

Abstract The issue of whether the Moon has a small metallic core is reexamined in light of new information: improved dynamical modeling, new constraints on core size, and high temperature and pressure metal–silicate partition coefficients. Addressed specifically is the question of whether the Moon's siderophile element budget can be explained by derivation of the Moon from a differentiated impactor or proto-Earth (stage 1), followed by formation of a small metallic core within the Moon (stage 2). If the Moon is made of mantle material from either a “hot” impactor or a “warm” impactor or proto-Earth, a small metallic core (0.7 to 2 mass%) is predicted. If the Moon is made from mantle material from a “hot” proto-Earth, the lunar mantle would be more depleted in W or Re than is observed. Scenarios in which the Moon is made from impactor or proto-Earth mantle material that has equilibrated with metal at low pressures and temperatures (“cold” scenarios) would yield a much larger metallic core than observed. Finally, the greater depletions of Ni, Mo, and Re in the Moon (relative to the Earth) can be explained by low PT and reduced metal–silicate equilibrium in an impactor without later core formation in the Moon (i.e., no stage 2), but depletions of Co, Ga, and W cannot. Altogether, geochemically unlikely or geophysically inadequate non-metallic core alternatives, substantial geophysical evidence for a metallic core, and the successful models presented here for siderophile element depletions all favor the presence of a small lunar metallic core. Previous geochemical objections to an impactor origin of the Moon are eliminated because siderophile element concentrations in the lunar mantle are consistent with separation of a small core from a bulk Moon derived from impactor mantle material.
Invading C6 glioma cells maintaining tumorigenicity

To characterize rat glioma cell invasion, 2 x 10(6) fluorophore-labeled or transfection-labeled C6 rat glioma cells were implanted in the rat frontal lobe. Eighty percent of the rats implanted formed bulk tumors (3-4 mm in diameter). Two weeks after implantation, fluorescence microscopy revealed single tumor cells in sites over 16 mm from the bulk brain tumor. Tumor cells distant from the bulk tumor remained single without mass formation and invaded primarily along white matter tracts. Two weeks after tumor implantation, three cell lines were created from each brain by disaggregation and initiation in culture of 1) bulk tumor, 2) contralateral hemisphere, and 3) cerebellum; all disaggregated specimens generated viable cultures. Cells cultured from the contralateral hemisphere were morphologically indistinguishable from cells from the bulk tumor and from the original C6 cell line. Cells cultured from the cerebellum were morphologically quite distinct from the C6 cell line. Cells from disaggregated specimens obtained from the tumor, contralateral hemisphere, and cerebellum were implanted in the frontal lobe of naive rats to test tumorgenicity. Bulk tumor formed in 58% of the rats implanted with specimens from tumor, in 75% of the rats implanted with specimens from contralateral hemisphere, and in only 12.5% of the rats implanted with specimens from the cerebellar hemispheres. Experiments using C6 cells labeled by transfection with the p3' ss DNA vector prior to implantation confirmed that the cells cultured from the contralateral hemisphere were derived from the implanted C6 cells. Experiments with C6 cells anchored in agar served to verify that movement to the contralateral hemisphere was secondary to parenchymal invasion rather than dispersion in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Effects of long-term elevated glucose on collagen formation by mesangial cells

Glomerulosclerosis is one of the complications of diabetes that occurs after many years of uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Mesangial cells (MCs) exposed to high glucose (HG) for short periods have shown that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and activated diacylglycerol-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) mediate increased collagen formation. Our study examined collagen formation by MCs exposed to HG for 8 weeks. Exposure to HG in overnight culture resulted in the activation of all PKC isoforms. In contrast, 8-week exposure to HG resulted in the persistent activation of PKC-δ, did not change PKC-α or -β activity, and decreased PKC-e activity while increasing collagen I and IV gene and protein expression. Collagen IV accumulation was reversed by specific PKC-δ inhibition. Collagen IV gene expression was completely normalized by TGF-β neutralization; however, this was associated with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) overexpression and a modest reduction in collagen protein. Our studies suggest that prolonged exposure to HG results in PKC-δ-driven collagen accumulation by MCs mediated by PAI-1 but independent of TGF-β.
Conductance equation of dilute mixed strong electrolytes. I. Purely electrostatic relaxation field

The relaxation field of purely electrostatic origin for a system of dilute mixed strong electrolytes is computed to the order that will give the linear term in concentration in the conductance equation. The result is rather complicated for solutions of arbitrary composition, but it is simple for a symmetrical electrolyte system. Thus $$\frac{{\Delta X}}{X} = \frac{{ - \beta \kappa q}}{{3(1 + \sqrt q )}} + \frac{{\beta ^2 \kappa ^2 q}}{6}In \beta \kappa - \frac{{\beta ^2 \kappa ^2 q}}{2} K(b) + 0.05944\beta ^2 \kappa ^2$$
Secondary and exchange posterior chamber lens implantation

A retrospective chart review of 34 secondary or exchange posterior chamber lens implantations was performed. Overall 94% of the patients achieved a visual acuity of 20/40 or better at six to 12 months postoperative. Associated intraoperative procedures included lens implant removal for exchange (50%), iris suture (41%), posterior capsule polishing (24%) or discussion (24%), and anterior vitrectomy (15%). The postoperative complications included retinal detachment (6%), persistent clinical cystoid macular edema (3%), posterior capsular opacification (3%), failure to fixate requiring iris suture (3%), hyphema (3%), and pupil capture (3%). Secondary and exchange posterior chamber lens implantation can be performed with satisfactory visual acuity results but there is a real rate of complication that needs to be considered by the surgeon and patient who is contemplating the operation.
Instantaneous pressure and material acceleration measurements using a four-exposure PIV system

This paper describes a non-intrusive technique for measuring the instantaneous spatial pressure distribution over a sample area in a flow field. A four-exposure PIV system is used for measuring the distribution of material acceleration by comparing the velocity of the same group of particles at different times and then integrating it to obtain the pressure distribution. Exposing both cameras to the same particle field at the same time and cross-correlating the images enables precision matching of the two fields of view. Application of local image deformation correction to velocity vectors measured by the two cameras reduces the error due to relative misalignment and image distortion to about 0.01 pixels in synthetic images. An omni-directional virtual boundary integration scheme is introduced to integrate the acceleration while minimizing the effect of the local random errors in acceleration. Further improvements are achieved by iterations to correct the pressure along the boundary. Typically 3–5 iterations are sufficient for reducing the incremental mean pressure change in each iteration to less than 0.1% of the dynamic pressure. Validation tests of the principles of the technique using synthetic images of rotating and stagnation point flows show that the standard deviation of the measured pressure from the exact value is about 1.0%. This system is used to measure the instantaneous pressure and acceleration distributions of a 2D cavity turbulent flow field and sample results are presented.
Towards a rational modeling for the human placenta

Abstract An attempt is made to provide a general framework sufficient of handling analytically typical questions concerned with a physiological functioning of a human placenta. The principles of mechanics and thermodynamics, as they apply to a continuum theory of mixtures, are the essential tools in constructing the model. In general terms, it is assumed that each point of the placenta space is simultaneously occupied by placenta tissue, fetal blood, and maternal blood. These three constituents are allowed to interact mechanically, chemically, and thermally. One of the basic features of the model is its capability of providing quantitative information on the deformation of the placenta tissue and the pressure distribution of the fetal and maternal blood. Effects of inertia, deformation, and changes of shape and weight of the placenta during gestation are also taken into account.