cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advancing the understanding of behaviors associated with Bacille Calmette Guérin infection using multivariate analysis.

Abstract Behavioral indicators in the murine Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) model of inflammation have been studied individually; however, the variability of the behaviors across BCG levels and the mouse-to-mouse variation within BCG-treatment group are only partially understood. The objectives of this study were: (1) to gain a comprehensive understanding of sickness and depression-like behaviors in a BCG model of inflammation using multivariate approaches, and (2) to explore behavioral differences between BCG-treatment groups and among mice within group. Adult mice were challenged with either 0 mg (saline), 5 mg or 10 mg of BCG (BCG-treatment groups: BCG0, BCG5, or BCG10, respectively) at Day 0 of the experiment. Sickness indicators included body weight changes between Day 0 and Day 2 and between Day 2 and Day 5, and horizontal locomotor activity and vertical activity (rearing) measured at Day 6. Depression-like indicators included duration of immobility in the forced swim test and in the tail suspension test at Day 6 and sucrose consumption in the sucrose preference test at Day 7. The simultaneous consideration of complementary sickness and depression-like indicators enabled a more precise characterization of behavioral changes associated with BCG-treatment and of mouse-to-mouse variation, relative to the analysis of indicators individually. Univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed differences between BCG-treatment groups in weight change early on the trial. Significant differences between BCG-treatment groups in depression-like behaviors were still measurable after Day 5. The potential for multivariate models to account for the correlation between behavioral indicators and to augment the analytical precision relative to univariate models was demonstrated both for sickness and for depression-like indicators. Unsupervised learning approaches revealed the complementary information provided by the sickness and depression-like indicators considered. Supervised learning approaches using cross-validation confirmed subtle differences between BCG-treatment groups and among mice within group identified by the consideration of sickness and depression-like indicators. These findings support the recommendation for multivariate and multidimensional analyses of sickness and depression-like indicators to augment the systemic understanding of the behavioral changes associated with infection.
Effect of aqueous cations on friction between rubber and glass

Summary The coefficient of friction μ between plate glass and natural rubber subjected to boundary lubrication by various isotonic salt solutions was measured. All the monovalent chloride solutions tested (Na + , K + , Li + , NH 4 + , (CH 3 ) 3 NH + and (CH 3 ) 4 N + ) reduced the value of μ below that obtained using distilled water as the lubricant. The divalent cations tested (Ca 2+ , Ba 2+ and Mg 2+ ) and La 3+ increased μ . The effects off Fe 3+ and Al 3+ were anomalous. Little increase in friction was observed in the presence of these cations, but large increases in μ were obtained ;after they had been rinsed away with NaCl. Immersion in water increased the extensibility of the rubber relative to that obtained in air. The addition of monovalent cations had no measurable effect on the elastic properties of the rubber. The friction increased progressively when the pH of the NaCl solutions was reduced below 4 by adding HCl solution. Desorption experiments showed that the rubber adsorbed 45 Ca 2+ . The effect was competitively inhibited by the addition of 0.1 and 1 M non-isotopic CaCl 2 . The effects are interpreted as follows. (1) Monovalent cations reduce the friction by forming double-layer mutual repulsion forces. (2) Divalent cations increase the friction by bridging polar groups on 0 the rubbing surfaces. (3) The increase in μ when Fe 3+ and Al 3+ are rinsed with NaCl results0 from hydrolysis of adsorbed ions at the higher pH of the rinsing solution. Hydroxylated metal ions coagulate under these conditions and form a molecular sludge between the rubber and the glass.
Genetic Interactions between Brca1 and Gadd45a in Centrosome Duplication, Genetic Stability, and Neural Tube Closure

GADD45a is a transcription target of the breast tumor suppressor gene BRCA. It was recently shown that mouse embryonic fibroblast cells carrying a targeted deletion of exon 11 of Brca1 (Brca1(Delta11/Delta11)) or a Gadd45A-null mutation (Gadd45a(-/-)) suffer centrosome amplification. To study genetic interactions between these genes during centrosome duplication, we generated Brca1(Delta11/Delta)(11)Gadd45a(-/-) mice by crossing each mutant. We found that all Brca1(Delta11/Delta11)Gadd45a(-/-) embryos at embryonic days 9.5-10.5 were exencephalic and exhibited a high incidence of apoptosis accompanied by altered levels of BAX, BCL-2, and p53. The trigger for these events is likely the genetic instability arising from centrosome amplification that is associated, at least in part, with decreased expression of the NIMA-related kinase NEK2. We demonstrate that small interfering RNA-mediated suppression of Brca1 decreased Nek2 more dramatically in Gadd45a(-/-) cells than in wild-type cells and, conversely, that overexpression of Brca1 and/or Gadd45a up-regulated transcription of Nek2. Furthermore, we show that overexpression of Nek2 in Brca1-specific small interfering RNA-treated wild-type and Gadd45a(-/-) cells repressed abnormal centrosome amplification. These observations suggest that NEK2 plays a role in mediating the actions of BRCA1 and GADD45a in regulating centrosome duplication and in maintaining genetic stability.
Peroxisome Proliferator Activator Receptor Gamma (PPARG) Regulates Conceptus Elongation in Sheep

The ovine blastocyst hatches from the zona pellucida by Day 8 and develops into an ovoid or tubular conceptus (embryo and associated extraembryonic membranes) that grows and elongates into a filamentous form between Days 12 and 16. The trophectoderm of the elongating conceptus synthesizes and secretes interferon tau (IFNT) as well as prostaglandins (PGs) via prostaglandin synthase two (PTGS2). Intrauterine infusion of a PTGS2 inhibitor prevents conceptus elongation in sheep. Although many PGs are secreted, PGI2 and PGJ2 can activate nuclear peroxisome proliferator activator receptors (PPARs) that heterodimerize with retinoic X receptors (RXRs) to regulate gene expression and cellular function. Expression of PPARD, PPARG, RXRA, RXRB, and RXRG is detected in the elongating ovine conceptus, and nuclear PPARD and PPARG are present in the trophectoderm. Consequently, PPARD and PPARG are hypothesized to have essential roles in conceptus elongation in ruminants. In utero loss-of-function studies of PPARD and PPARG in the ovine conceptus trophectoderm were conducted using morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MAOs) that inhibit mRNA translation. Elongating, filamentous-type conceptuses were recovered from ewes infused with a control morpholino or PPARD MAO. In contrast, PPARG MAO resulted in severely growth-retarded conceptuses or conceptus fragments with apoptotic trophectoderm. In order to identify PPARG-regulated genes, PPARG chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing were conducted using Day 14 ovine conceptuses. These analyses revealed candidate PPARG-regulated genes involved in biological pathways, including lipid and glucose uptake, transport, and metabolism. Collectively, results support the hypothesis that PTGS2-derived PGs and PPARG are essential regulators of conceptus elongation, with specific roles in trophectoderm survival and proliferation.
Simplistic Fictions in Australian Higher Education Policy Debates: a Bourdieuan analysis of complex power struggles

(1999). Simplistic Fictions in Australian Higher Education Policy Debates: a Bourdieuan analysis of complex power struggles. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education: Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 21-39.
Mathematics of Choice or How to Count Without Counting

Counting lies at the heart of much mathematics, and Niven's subtitle is  How to count without counting. This is the whole art of combinatorics: permutations, combinations, binomial coefficients, the inclusion-exclusion principle, combinatorial probability, partitions of numbers, generating polynomials, the pigeonhole principle, and much more.
Single-mode fiber design

With the increasing importance of monomode fibers, considerable thought has been devoted to design optimization. For telecommunications the technical goal of this work has been the simultaneous minimization of all forms of loss and dispersion over the widest possible wavelength region and with the broadest tolerance on key fiber parameters.
Alcohol consumption and community hospital admissions in the United States : a dynamic regression analysis, 1950-1992

The annual time-series analysis examines the impact of changes in per capita alcohol consumption (NIAAA,AEDS) on changes in community hospital admission rates (AHA) in the United States from 1950 to 1992 (n = 43). Increases in per capita alcohol consumption were expected to increase hospital admission rates contemporaneously and several years thereafter following an exponential risk function. Distributed lag models based on differenced data controlling for changes in : (1) per capita cigarette consumption ; (2) private hospital insurance coverage ; (3) the drinking age population ; (4) per capita disposable personal income ; and (5) health care regulatory interventions show a contemporaneous effect of per capita alcohol consumption on hospital admission rates. The time-series analyses imply that between 22-26% of US community hospital admissions are alcohol related. A comparable analysis indicates that per capita alcohol and tobacco expenditures contribute to approximately 28% of US community hospital admissions. The absence of statistically significant lagged effects is inconsistent with an exponentially declining risk function. However, the contemporaneous effects of per capita alcohol and tobacco consumption suggest that a reduction in smoking and drinking will produce quick reductions in morbidity and hospitalizations.
Effect of electrolytes on bentonite suspensions.

A study of the effect of electrolytes on the degree of unipolar coacervation and non-Newtonian behavior of bentonite in aqueous suspension has been made. Although it was found that thixotropic behavior was not induced in the clay at a nontbixotropic concentration (3% w/v), yield values were affected by the addition of electrolytes. Yield values were also affected by ions in a thixotropic concentration of the clay (5% w/v). Thixotropic behavior of 5% w/v suspensions was not increased by the addition of electrolytes although two electrolytes caused a decrease in behavior. The amount of water which separated from the suspensions at different electrolyte concentrations was also studied.
ESTIMATING SOIL HEAT FLUX FOR ALFALFA AND CLIPPED TALL FESCUE GRASS

Soil heat flux (G) is an important component of evapotranspiration (ET) modeling, especially for estimating ET values for hourly or shorter periods. In this study, meteorological and agronomic measurements were made at Kimberly, Idaho, with the purpose of establishing empirical relationships to estimate G for alfalfa and clipped tall fescue grass. For both plant surfaces, good linear correlation was found for most days between the averages of the 20-min net radiation (Rn) and G values for a given day. However, when the soil surface was wet, after rain or irrigation, the relationship was subject to hysteresis problems. The linear relationship between G and Rn for alfalfa also changed with plant canopy height (h), and an equation was derived to estimate G from Rn and h (r2 = 0.88). This equation fitted measured G data much better than two other commonly used models (Allen et al., 1996; Clothier et al., 1986). For tall fescue grass, h did not affect the relationship between Rn and G, as the grass was clipped weekly resulting in a narrow range of h (0.09 to 0.19 m). A linear equation to estimate G as a function of Rn (r2 = 0.91) was derived for clipped tall fescue grass, which was found to fit measured data equally well as the model proposed by Allen et al. (1998), but that uses a single equation for both daytime and nighttime instead of two separate equations.
Manganese and manganese-ATP interactions with bovine sperm adenylate cyclase

The adenylate cyclase of mammalian spermatozoa shares some of the properties of the isolated catalytic component from somatic cell adenylate cyclases. One of these properties is the large apparent stimulation by Mn2+. We have used the direct linear plot according to Eisenthal and Cornish-Bowden to explore whether this apparent stimulation is due to direct stimulation by Mn2+ or due to complexation of free ATP, a postulated inhibitor of cyclase activity. We have observed the activity of the particulate adenylate cyclase from bovine caudal epididymal spermatozoa as a function of calculated equilibrium values for the concentrations of Mn2+, free ATP, and the enzyme's substrate, the manganese-ATP complex. Direct linear plots for activity and substrate concentration over the apparent inhibitory concentration range of free ATP give the pattern expected for a hyperbolic substrate response. By contrast, direct linear plots in which Mn2+ concentration varies over its apparent stimulatory range show that as Mn2+ concentration increases, activities are higher than would be predicted for a hyperbolic substrate response. We conclude that for particulate bovine sperm adenylate cyclase, free ATP is not strongly inhibitory, and Mn2+ is a positive effector, reaching half-maximal stimulation at 0.2 mM. The unique nature of the sperm adenylate cyclase and its possible regulation by Mn2+ under physiological conditions is discussed.
Cys-His proteases are among the wired proteins of the cell

Abstract Integrated cell protein degradation can be paced by the transfer of reductive energy, as revealed by experimental agents of informative actions. The peptidolytic pair of Cys-His proteases can undergo oxidative reactions to inactive derivatives and inhibitory metal binding. Proton-dependent ionizations can modify ongoing activity. If the reaction rate of a Cys-His protease were found responsive to the ranges of metal/redox/proton factors regulated within the cell, then these factors might serve to link the peptidolytic reaction rate to cell controls. Here, cathepsin B (cat B) was found to be inhibited by Zn2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ (1–50 μM) under excess GSH or DTT protease activators (6 mM). Under DTT or GSH (6 mM) the initial inhibitory action of Zn2+ is stable indefinitely; however, the inhibitory actions of Fe3+ and Cu2+ are reversed over approximately 1 h. The 12–14 min half time of reversal of initial protease inhibition is correlated with the measured reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ by DTT or GSH (pH 5.5 or 6.5). Endogenous Fe2+ concentrations (100 μM) inhibit cat B only marginally. However, the inhibitory threshold of several μM Fe3+ is only a few percent oxidation of the endogenous pool. Without metals cat B reaction is reportedly proportional to GSH concentration, and is inhibited by increasing GSSG/GSH redox ratio. Following activation with GSH, cat B can be influenced by Fe3+/Fe2+, Cu2+/Cu+, and GSSG/GSH ratios and concentrations. Results are interpreted in relation to properties of the thiolate–imidazolium pair as illustrated by Dock modeling of their shared Fe3+ binding. It is proposed that the interaction of Cys-His with 1 electron transition between Fe2+ and Fe3+ serves as a sensor, signal integrator and switch wiring cat B reaction rate to the transfer of reductive energy in the presence of excess GSH. Speciated metals might also serve among electron acceptors transferring from reduced protease to oxygen. Results provide a model for pharmacologic redox switching of protease functions with metal-interactive drugs, and other nano-technology engineering.
Anthropometry and numerical taxonomy in clinical genetics: An example of applied biological anthropology

Biological anthropologists can contribute a unique perspective as well as technical expertise to the diagnosis and classification of genetic disorders. Anthropometry has been used with increasing frequency to characterize syndromes and to establish ranges of variation within syndromes. The specific anthropometric-radiologic technique of metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis has proven useful in discriminating individuals with the Prader-Labhart-Willi (PLW) syndrome from unaffected persons. Analysis of these data also indicate a negative correlation between age and Z-score transformations of individual hand bone lengths. These findings sound a cautionary note to clinical investigators who would use the Z-score transformation to standardize for age and sex. Problems encountered in the classification of genetic syndromes afford many parallels with those faced by anthropologists in the classification of living and fossil populations. The reliance on "key" traits and the necessity of focusing on pedigree analysis results in a deemphasis of the total range of variation and typological thinking. Application of numerical taxonomic techniques to the classification of the heterogeneous connective tissue disease osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) illustrates the heuristic value of this technique and points out the need to consider phenotypic overlap when defining typologies. Clinical genetics affords just one example of an area in medicine where the unique training and generalist perspective of the biological anthropologist is in demand. The decline in the availability of positions in the traditional academic habitat for biological anthropologists makes it imperative that graduate students be aware of alternatives and that they obtain training in the practical skills which such alternatives will demand.
Top-gated chemical vapor deposited MoS2 field-effect transistors on Si3N4 substrates

We report the electrical characteristics of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) top-gated field-effect transistors (FETs) on silicon nitride (Si3N4) substrates. We show that Si3N4 substrates offer comparable electrical performance to thermally grown SiO2 substrates for MoS2 FETs, offering an attractive passivating substrate for transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMD) with a smooth surface morphology. Single-crystal MoS2 grains are grown via vapor transport process using solid precursors directly on low pressure CVD Si3N4, eliminating the need for transfer processes which degrade electrical performance. Monolayer top-gated MoS2 FETs with Al2O3 gate dielectric on Si3N4 achieve a room temperature mobility of 24 cm2/V s with Ion/Ioff current ratios exceeding 107. Using HfO2 as a gate dielectric, monolayer top-gated CVD MoS2 FETs on Si3N4 achieve current densities of 55 μA/μm and a transconductance of 6.12 μS/μm at Vtg of −5 V and Vds of 2 V. We observe an increase in mobility a...
Impact of Cultural Differences on Students' Participation, Communication, and Learning in an Online Environment:

Being aware of cultural differences and knowing how to deal with related differences is critical for the success of online learning and training that involves learners from multiple countries and c...
Thermal emissivity and solar absorptivity of aluminum coated with double layers of aluminum oxide and silicon oxide.

Thermal emissivity and solar absorptivity of Al coated with surface layers of aluminum oxide and silicon oxide, describing fabrication techniques and performance measurements
EXHUMING WOMEN'S PREMARKET DUTIES IN THE CARE OF THE DEAD

This research provides a history of women's domestic duties in the care of the dead prior to its transformation into a male-dominated market activity. The author presents data on the position of importance women held in the premarket care of the dead as well as on the knowledge necessary to prepare the body for burial. Both the positions and the knowledge women held were later appropriated into the more “advanced” practices by the newly developing funeral industry in the mid-19th century; moreover, the position women held as “shrouding women” was largely unacknowledged by the emerging funeral industry.
In situ Raman spectroscopic study of electrode processes: Anodic reactions and mechanisms of platinum electrodes in halide solutions

Abstract Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterize electrode species formed during the anodic reactions of Pt in halide solutions. We observed that the I - ions are oxidized at the Pt electrode to I 2 and I - 3 , the Br - ions to Br 2 and Br - 3 , and the Cl - ions to Cl 2 . based on the observed Raman results, mechanisms for the anodic reactions of the halide ions at the Pt electrodes are proposed.
Virulence factor genotypes of Helicobacter pylori affect cure rates of eradication therapy.

The cure rates of Helicobacter pylori infection by using a combination of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and antimicrobial agents are mainly influenced by bacterial susceptibility to antimicrobial agents and the magnitude of acid inhibition during the treatment. Currently used empirical triple therapies do not reliably produce a ≥80% cure rate on an intention-to-treat basis. Therefore, tailored regimens based on relevant microbiological findings and pharmacogenomics are recommended for attaining an acceptable ≥95% cure rate. Recently, virulence factors of H. pylori, such as cagA and vacA, are reported to be major factors determining the cure rates. Individuals infected with strains with cagA-negative and vacA s2 genotypes have significantly increased risk of eradication failure of H. pylori infection. These virulence factors enhance gastric mucosal inflammation and are associated with the development of peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. H. pylori virulence factors induce proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- which influence mucosal inflammation and/or gastric acid secretion. When physicians select an H. pylori eradication regimen with an acceptable cure rate, they might need to consider H. pylori virulence factors, especially cagA and vacA.
Role of benthic insect feces in a Rocky Mountain stream: fecal production and support of consumer growth

The feces of stream insects may be a major component of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) available to collector organisms. In Mink Creek, Idaho, winter defecation rates for 9 species ranged from 86 mg dry feces (g dry body wt)−1 d−1(Ephemerella spinifera) to 154 mg g−1 d−1(Paraleptophlebia heteronea). Detailed studies of 3 species in summer revealed that rates were much greater than in winter and exhibited high between-individual variation (e.g., 695 ± 184.8 mg (g body wt)−1 d−1 for Baetis tricaudatus). By combining measured and literature values, it is estimated that the benthic insect community egests approximately 3.4 kg feces m−2 yr−1. This value lies within the range of FPOM estimated to be derived from degradation of leaf litter input (0.7–9.9 kg m−2 yr−1, depending upon assimilation efficiency of the organisms). Short-term winter growth experiments showed that, with two exceptions, collectors fed on fecal detritus will grow as well as on other food resources; relative growth rates depend upon the species. Because fecal detritus is abundant throughout the year, and is treated by many species as a source of food, it could be a major mechanism by which seasonal fluctuation in availability of allochthonous litter input is minimized and homeostasis of structure and function maintained.
Visual field preservation after curative multi-modality treatment of occipital lobe arteriovenous malformations.

OBJECTIVE: Occipital lobe arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) provide challenging management decisions because of their proximity to the visual cortex and optic radiations. Preservation of visual function throughout treatment is the mainstay of therapeutic planning. We reviewed visual field (VF) outcomes of all patients who received curative treatment for occipital AVMs at Stanford University to evaluate the efficacy of different treatment strategies. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 55 patients with occipital AVMs treated at Stanford University between 1984 and 2003. Clinical presentation, AVM morphology, and treatment modality were correlated with VF function before and after therapeutic intervention. RESULTS: Of 55 patients, 48 (87.3%) underwent multimodality AVM treatment (7 patients <3 yr from radiosurgery were excluded from final analysis). One patient died from intracerebral hemorrhage 11 months post-radiosurgery, and five patients deferred further treatment. Forty-two patients (87.5%) were cured, with no residual AVM on final angiography. Curative therapeutic modalities used included embolization alone (2 patients), microsurgery alone (6 patients), microsurgery with radiosurgery (1 patient), microsurgery with embolization (23 patients), radiosurgery with embolization (4 patients), and embolization with radiosurgery and microsurgery (6 patients). Mean follow-up was 5.8 years including treatment. VF follow-up was available in all 42 patients. Twenty-eight (66.7%) patients experienced no change in VFs, six (14.3%) patients with previously abnormal VFs improved, and eight (19.0%) patients showed worsening of VFs (although none developed a new homonymous VF deficit). Duration of treatment was related to VF outcome in patients who presented without a history of AVM-related hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Occipital AVMs can be safely cured using multimodality strategies with minimal risk to visual function despite the proximity of these lesions to the visual cortex and associated pathways.
Effects of nickel on seven species of freshwater algae

Abstract The effect of nickel on the growth of seven species of freshwater algae was assessed in a chemically defined medium. Pediastrum tetras, Ankistrodesmus falcatus, A. falcatus var. acicularis, Scenedesmus quadricauda and S. dimorphuu exhibited decreased growth at 1·7 μmol litre −1 Ni. Anabaena flos-aquae was unaffected up to 10·2 μmol litre −1 Ni and A. cylindrica was not affected by 10·2 μmol litre −1 Ni. Calculation of the theoretical chemical equilibrium indicated that 98% of the added nickel existed as the free nickel ion, Ni +2 . Measurements of phytoplankton productivity in a shallow lake indicated that nickel (1·7, 5·1 and 10·2 μmol litre −1 ) did not inhibit community photosynthesis on two dates when the plankton community was dominated by species of blue-green algae.
The role of fallback ejecta in the modification of impact craters

The physical processes responsible for the deposition of fragments of target material ejected from the transient cavity of an impact crater within the crater are discussed and quantities of fallback ejecta deposited in impact craters formed on different planetary surfaces are estimated. Consideration is given to the relative importance of in-flight particle collisions and atmospheric particle deceleration, and a model of the aerodynamic deceleration of fallback ejecta is developed. When applied to Meteor Crater in Arizona, the model predicts 5% of the primary ejecta, with an average fragment size of 1.4 cm, to have fallen back into the crater, in agreement with empirical studies of the crater fallback deposit, thus indicating atmospheric deceleration to be the principal mechanism for fallback deposition on earth. The model also predicts the proportion of primary ejecta to be deposited as fallback to increase with excavation cavity diameter on the earth. Model estimates also suggest that more than half of the primary ejecta from large-scale Venusian cavities should be redeposited as fallback, while relatively small amounts of fallback are expected for lunar and Martian craters.
A generalized criterion for parametric sensitivity: Application to thermal explosion theory

Abstract A new criterion for parametric sensitivity or thermal runaway is proposed in the context of thermal explosions, which can also be readily utilized for chemical reactors. Criticality is defined as the situation where the normalized objective sensitivity, of the temperature maximum to any of the physicochemical parameters of the model, is a maximum. In fact it is found that, in all cases of practical interest, the region of sensitivity obtained with respect to any of the independent model input parameters is the same. Thus, this criterion predicts a parametrically sensitive or runaway region, which may be called “generalized” since the maximum temperature becomes simultaneously sensitive to small changes of any of the model inputs. The proposed criterion exhibits a highly intrinsic nature and it is firmly based on the rigorous concept of normalized sensitivity. This, together with its flexibility, allows direct extension of the criterion to more general problems, both in thermal explosion and in chemical reaction engineering fields. This is especially so for cases where it may be convenient or desirable to consider the sensitivity of outputs of the model other than the maximum temperature, and/or cases where a temperature profile does not even exist, e.g. in a CSTR. None of these situations can be handled with sensitivity criteria previously available in the literature, since they are all based on the topology of some type of a temperature profile.
Efficiency comparisons of methods for integrating ODEs

Abstract Considerable work has been done comparing the relative efficiencies of linear multi-step, Runge-Kutta, and extrapolation methods within their respective classes. However, efficiency comparisons between these classes have been relegated to numerical case studies, which can be misleading because they depend on a small set of test problems and particular implementations of the methods. In this paper a unified way of comparing efficiency is presented that makes it possible to assess theoretically the relative efficiencies of methods from the different classes.
Domain-size constraint on real-time model abstractions

Network domain is predicated by the visibility of active nodes from a controller or an observer. The events shaping network factors may affect observation considerably. Accordingly, owing to network congestion and sudden change in resource availability, causal events may lose causal polarity and event bundles may appear slack at the observation post. These nodes are then beyond observation and control. Even though they may appear participating like any other regular nodes, their presence may affect real-time model abstraction processes. Highly dense domains may generate model change points at a faster rate than the observer can process affecting the model abstraction process considerably. In this paper, a framework is explored to articulate the manifold event possibilities that constrain the node visibility, and hence, the domain size. A sketchy optimization model is attempted to realize a limitation of the model abstraction process as a function of hop count.
Anti-apoptotic Gene Transfer to Corneal Epithelial Grafts modulates Immune Response and leads to increased Graft Survival

Purpose To study whether anti-apoptotic gene transfer to allogeneic corneal epithelial sheets in mice improves graft survival. Transplatation of cultured allogeneic epithelium is a viable therapy for patients bilaterally blind after bilateral limbal stem cell deficiencies, e.g. after chemical burn. Gene therapy to cultured epithelial cell sheets in vitro before engraftment could promote the success in this most demanding ocular surface disease. Methods Epithelial denuded syngeneic Balb/C corneas were manufactured with syn- or allogeneic epithelium, grafted and compared to epithelial grafts treated with the anti-apoptotic gene p35 (total n=40). Feasibility of gene therapy was determined by examining kinetics of IZsGreen protein expression. Allo-response was studied by delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). Results Transfer of IZsGreen was successful obtaining high rated of expression. Interestingly, gene-therapeutically treated allogeneic epithelial grafts showed significantly less opacity and a significantly faster restoration of the epithelial barrier compared to allo-untreated epithelial grafts (p<0.01, respectively). In addition, DTH analysis consistently showed significantly reduced T-cell response in the treated group (p<0.01). Conclusion We were able to demonstrate that gene therapy of transplanted cell sheets may be a viable option to improve allogeneneic epithelial graft survival. This might set the stage for future studies of gene therapeutic interventions of epithelial allo-grafts, and its impact on graft survival and immune response.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis Implications for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background—With the availability of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, management of coronary artery disease in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is posing challenges. Outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with severe AS and coronary artery disease remain unknown. We sought to compare the short-term outcomes of PCI in patients with and without AS. Methods and Results—From our PCI database, we identified 254 patients with severe AS who underwent PCI between 1998 and 2008. Using propensity matching, we found 508 patients without AS who underwent PCI in the same period. The primary end point of 30-day mortality after PCI was similar in patients with and without severe AS (4.3% [11 of 254] versus 4.7% [24 of 508]; hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.69; P=0.2). Patients with low ejection fraction (≤30%) and severe AS had a higher 30-day post-PCI mortality compared with those with an ejection fraction >30% (5.4% [7 of 45] versus 1.2% [4 of 209]; P<0.001)....
Two-laser sequential pumping of far-infrared molecular laser

We have developed a technique of achieving continuous-wave far-IR lasing in NH 3 using a line-tunable mid-IR NH 3 laser which is optically pumped by a CO 2 laser. In the sequential pumping, a number of far-IR laser lines is obtainable from a single CO 2 laser pump line. Continuous-wave laser action on 10 far-IR lines of 15 NH 3 , including 4 new ones, has been observed in the wavelength range from 60 to 400 micrometers .
Meaningful Assessment of Content-Area Literacy for Youth with and without Disabilities

This article discusses methods for evaluating students' content-area literacy skills. Four specific factors that affect content-area literacy are described: vocabulary knowledge, topic knowledge, t...
Histological and morphological evaluations of the digestive tract and associated organs of haddock throughout post‐hatching ontogeny

At hatching, the oesophagus of haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus lacks goblet cells, the intestine is a simple undifferentiated tube, the liver is present as a rounded mass caudal to the heart, and numerous zymogen granules are present in the pancreas. The first intestinal convolution appears at day 2, at the posterior end of the digestive tract. The oesophagus displays alcian blue and PAS positive mucus secreting cells on day 12, which become numerous by day 15. By day 18, epithelial cells of the posterior intestine show evidence of protein absorption in the form of supranuclear vacuoles. The swimbladder inflates in 50% of the larvae by day 22, although inflation rate is highly variable. By day 35, or 10 mm, a pyloric caecal ridge appears which separates the presumptive stomach, which is now showing evidence of gastric gland formation, from the intestine. This marks the beginning of digestive features characteristic of the juvenile stage.
The use of acrylated fatty acid methyl esters as styrene replacements in triglyceride-based thermosetting polymers

Resins containing plant oil-based cross-linkers were studied with two reactive diluents: a styrene and an acrylated fatty acid methyl ester-based (AFAME) monomer. Acrylated epoxidized soybean oil and maleinated castor oil monoglyceride were bio-based cross-linkers used. The viscosity and mechanical properties of the resulting polymers were measured and analyzed. Both bio-based cross-linkers prepared using the modified AFAME as diluent had a fairly high viscosity, so blends of AFAME and styrene were needed to meet the viscosity requirements established by the composite industry (<1000 cP at room temperature). In addition, the glass transition temperature (Tg) and stiffness of bio-based cross-linker/AFAME polymers were significantly lower than the resin/styrene polymers. Ternary blends of maleinated castor oil monoglyceride with AFAME and styrene improved the mechanical properties to acceptable comparable values (storage modulus at 30°C ∼ 1200 MPa and Tg ∼ 100°C). The addition of 5 wt% of chemically modified lignin led to an improvement in the mechanical properties of the polymeric matrix but caused an increase in the viscosity. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Factorization and wave functions for the symmetric rigid rotator

Abstract Solutions to the wave equation for the symmetric rigid rotator are obtained by the factorization method. The shift operators yield directly the matrix elements of the eartesian body fixed and space fixed components of the angular momentum operators. Recurrence relations and matrix elements for the sine and cosine of the azimuthal angle θ are also derived.
Measuring Quality in Nurse-Managed Centers Using HEDIS Measures

Abstract:Nurse-managed centers (NMCs) provide viable options for primary healthcare and contribute substantially to filling access gaps for vulnerable populations. The purposes of this paper are to (a) describe a pilot application and adaptation of eight Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set
Aerial Image Registration for Tracking

To facilitate the tracking of moving targets in a video, the relation between the camera and the scene is kept fixed by registering the video frames at the ground level. When the camera capturing the video is fixed with respect to the scene, detected motion will represent the target motion. However, when a camera in motion is used to capture the video, image registration at ground level is required to separate camera motion from target motion. An image registration method is introduced that is capable of registering images from different views of a 3-D scene in the presence of occlusion. The proposed method is capable of withstanding considerable occlusion and homogeneous areas in images. The only requirement of the method is for the ground to be locally flat and sufficient ground cover be visible in the frames being registered. Experimental results of 17 videos from the Brown University data set demonstrate robustness of the method in registering consecutive frames in videos covering various urban and suburban scenes. Additional experimental results are presented demonstrating the suitability of the method in registering images captured from different views of hilly and coastal scenes.
Integrated use of physical and mathematical models to evaluate ecological effects

Nutrient cycling is of central importance in the health and maintenance of all ecosystems, thus it is argued that greater emphasis be placed on the impact of hazardous materials on nutrient cycling. To investigate this concern, flowthrough aquatic microcosms were used in conjunction with a simple, multielement, mathematical model to initiate the development of a large scale model capable of predicting the effects of xenobiotics on ecosystem nutrient cycling. Potential toxicant effects were imposed on the model to determine whether changes in dissolved nutrient concentrations could be noted. Simulation results demonstrated that toxicant effects on dissolved nutrient concentrations were observable. The model also was employed to study the effect of different aufwuchs C : N : P ratios on dissolved nutrient concentrations. Although experimental data indicated that the aufwuchs C : N : P ratio was not constant, the use of constant stoichiometry in the model did not alter its utility.
The consequences of optic neuritis: more than meets the eye.

Vision relies on dual parallel pathways originating in the retina and extending throughout cerebral cortex that support the separate processing of visual form and motion. In this issue of Neurology ®, Raz et al.1 report a new and important consequence of that organization: optic neuritis (ON) can have prolonged effects on visual motion processing despite its more conventionally transient effects on visual form processing. The recognition of dual visual processing pathways began with the work of Kleist,2 who combined clinical and experimental observations to discern the separate cortical localization of lesions that cause form vs motion processing impairments. Later neuroanatomic and neurophysiologic studies established the existence of X and Y retinal ganglion cells.3 The X ganglion cells dominated the central retina and provided a more slowly conducting high spatial resolution input to the parvocellular lateral geniculate. The Y ganglion cells dominated the peripheral retina and provided a fast conducting, low resolution input to the magnocellular lateral geniculate. Studies of nonhuman primates then extended this duality for object form processing in poststriate cortical pathways: temporal extrastriate areas for object recognition and parietal extrastriate areas for motion …
The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games

A large-scale content analysis of characters in video games was employed to answer questions about their representations of gender, race and age in comparison to the US population. The sample included 150 games from a year across nine platforms, with the results weighted according to game sales. This innovation enabled the results to be analyzed in proportion to the games that were actually played by the public, and thus allowed the first statements able to be generalized about the content of popular video games. The results show a systematic over-representation of males, white and adults and a systematic under-representation of females, Hispanics, Native Americans, children and the elderly. Overall, the results are similar to those found in television research. The implications for identity, cognitive models, cultivation and game research are discussed.
“But the winds will turn against you”: An analysis of wealth forms and the discursive space of development in northeast Brazil

In this article, I explain the unfolding of a participatory development project in northeast Brazil by exploring how local genres of public speech articulate with categories of wealth. Although development resources cannot be easily categorized into local classes of wealth, they nonetheless evoke some of the anxieties cultivators feel when dealing with wealth forms susceptible to the evil eye. Beliefs surrounding the evil eye shape cultivators' relations to material objects, and they also define the contours of safe and acceptable speech within the village development association. As a result, during association meetings, the villagers speak in ways that frustrate development agents seeking to generate “open” and “transparent” managerial discourse felicitous to project success—at least, external notions of project success. Appreciating the link between wealth and speech forms sheds light on both the local implementation challenges that participants in such projects face and the reason development agents frequently blame ostensive project failures on beneficiary backwardness. [wealth, Brazil, development, evil eye, peasant society]
Instantaneous Imaging of Temperature and Mixture Fraction with Dual-Wavelength Acetone PLIF

Acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) has been effectively applied to measure concentration in a variety of flows with mixing, and more recently has been demonstrated as a useful tracer for imaging of temperature. To date, however, acetone PLIF concentration studies in non-isotherma l flows have remained only semi-quantitative due to difficulties accounting for temperature effects, while temperature diagnostics have not yet been effectively applied in unsteady flows with variable pressure or acetone seeding. This work addresses both of these shortcomings, applying a dual-excitatio n-wavelength technique to the measurement of mixture fraction and temperature in an unsteady jet flowing over a heated cylinder. A CCD camera with interline transfer architecture allows the acquisition of two fluorescence images in rapid (-2 us) succession, so that a fluorescence ratioing technique may be used to determine temperature. This temperature image is in turn applied to a single of the fluorescence images to quantitativel y deduce the mole fraction of acetone, which marks the jet fluid. The combined, high signal-to-noise ratio images of mixture fraction and temperature provide a useful snapshot of jet behavior. Such multiparameter techniques hold excellent promise for investigating other flows of interest. In addition to the temperature/mixture fraction technique, modeling of the photophysics of acetone suggests good potential for a temperature/pressure diagnostic in conditions of uniform acetone seeding.
Transgenic Overexpression of the Transcription Factor Alfin1 Enhances Expression of the Endogenous MsPRP2 Gene in Alfalfa and Improves Salinity Tolerance of the Plants

Alfin1 cDNA encodes a putative transcription factor associated with NaCl tolerance in alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.). The recombinant protein binds DNA in a sequence-specific manner, including promoter fragments of the NaCl-inducible gene MsPRP2 . Alfin1 function was tested in transgenic alfalfa under the control of the 35S promoter in the sense and antisense orientations with the endogenous MsPRP2 as a reporter gene. Calli overexpressing Alfin1 were more resistant to growth inhibition by 171 mm NaCl than vector-transformed controls, whereas calli expressing Alfin1 in the antisense orientation were more sensitive to NaCl inhibition. Transgenic plants overexpressing Alfin1 in the sense orientation grew well. In contrast, the antisense transgenic plants grew poorly in soil, demonstrating that Alfin1 expression is essential for normal plant development. Transgenic calli and plant roots overexpressing Alfin1 showed enhanced levels of endogenous MsPRP2 mRNA accumulation. However, MsPRP2 mRNA accumulation was also regulated in a tissue-specific manner, as shown in leaves of transgenic plants overexpressing Alfin1 . These results suggest that Alfin1 acts as a transcriptional regulator in plants and regulates MsPRP2 expression in alfalfa. Alfin1 overexpressing transgenic plants showed salinity tolerance comparable to one of our NaCl-tolerant plants, indicating that Alfin1 also functions in gene regulation in NaCl tolerance.
An adaptive wavelet-collocation method for shock computations

A simple and robust method for solving hyperbolic conservation equations based on the adaptive wavelet-collocation method, which uses a dynamically adaptive grid, are presented. The method utilises natural ability of wavelet analysis to sense localised structures and is based on analysis of wavelet coefficients on the finest level of resolution to create a discontinuity locator function Φ. Using this function, an artificial viscous term is explicitly added in the needed regions using a localised numerical viscosity that ensures the positivity and TVD non-linear stability conditions. Once the wavelet coefficients on the finest level of resolution are below the error threshold parameter ϵ, the artificial viscosity is shut off and any remaining physical waves are free to propagate undamped. Multiple examples in one and two dimensions are presented to demonstrate the method's robustness, simplicity and ease of extending to more complex problems.