cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond self-interest

Abstract The new trend in economics seeks an alternative to the neoclassical model of behavior. The previous assumptions of utility maximization are unrealistic since they fail to account for the group context in which individuals operate. In this paper by using examples that depart from the traditional economic model of the utilitarian and individualistic behavior, it is possible to examine the effects of group size on individual behavior in a variety of situations. Examples and viewpoints from both organizational behavior and psychology indicate that it is possible to relax the economic neoclassical model and explain group behavior in an environment of altruistic behavior rather than one of self-interest.
High sucrose diet and exercise: Effects on insulin-receptor function of 12- and 24-mo-old Sprague-Dawley rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aging (12 vs. 24 mo) on skeletal muscle insulin receptor function of male Sprague-Dawley rats fed either a 33% sucrose (wt/wt) or sucrose-free diet. The effect of exercise in combination with the sucrose diet was also evaluated by exercising half of the sucrose-fed group on a motorized treadmill. Insulin-receptor function was assessed in vitro by measuring the binding capacity of [125I]-insulin to partially purified receptors of the biceps femoris and vastus lateralis. Tyrosine kinase activity was measured as an index of postreceptor function. Insulin-receptor number was significantly decreased in 24-mo-old sucrose-fed rats compared to 12-mo-old rats fed the sucrose or sucrose-free diets. The affinity of insulin for the receptor did not significantly differ among groups. Maximal tyrosine kinase activity in vastus lateralis was significantly decreased in 12-mo-old sucrose-fed rats compared with sedentary 24-mo-old rats fed the sucrose-free diet or 24-mo-old rats fed the sucrose diet in combination with exercise. Exercise prevented the decrease in receptor function in both 12- and 24-mo-old sucrose-fed rats as measured by insulin binding and tyrosine kinase activity. These data suggest that diet and/or exercise rather than aging per se has a greater influence on insulin-receptor function.
Complement activation product C5a is a selective suppressor of TLR4-induced, but not TLR3-induced, production of IL-27(p28) from macrophages

There is accumulating evidence that the complement activation product, C5a, can orchestrate cellular immune functions. IL-27(p28/EBI3) is an emerging key player essential for regulating inflammatory responses and T cells. In this article, we report that C5a robustly suppressed IL-27(p28) gene expression and release in peritoneal macrophages. These cells from C57BL/6J mice abundantly produced IL-27(p28) after engagement of either the TLR3 (polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid) or TLR4 (LPS) receptor. Genetic deficiency of either TLR4 or LBP completely incapacitated the ability of macrophages to secrete IL-27(p28) in response to LPS. IL-27(p28)-producing macrophages also expressed the C5aR receptor, thus displaying an IL-27(p28)(+)F4/80(+)C5aR(+) phenotype. C5a suppressed IL-27(p28) in LPS-stimulated macrophages via interactions with the C5aR receptor rather than the C5L2 receptor. After endotoxemia, C5aR(-/-) mice displayed higher plasma levels of IL-27(p28) compared with C57BL/6J mice. C5a did not affect the release of IL-27(p28) or the frequency of IL-27(p28)(+)F4/80(+) macrophages after engagement of TLR3. Mechanistically, LPS activated both the NF-κB and the PI3K/Akt pathways, whereas C5a activated only the PI3K/Akt pathway. Engagement of PI3K/Akt was inhibitory for IL-27(p28) production, because PI3K/Akt pharmacologic blockade resulted in increased amounts of IL-27(p28) and reversed the suppressive effects of C5a. Blockade of PI3K/Akt in endotoxemic C57BL/6J mice resulted in higher generation of IL-27(p28). In contrast, the PI3K/Akt pathway was not involved in TLR3-mediated release of IL-27(p28). These data provide new evidence about how complement activation may selectively interfere with production of T cell regulatory cytokines by APCs in the varying contexts of either bacterial (TLR4 pathway) or viral (TLR3 pathway) infection.
Examination of hemostatic parameters to detect hypercoagulability in dogs with severe protein-losing nephropathy.

Objective – To identify hemostatic abnormalities in dogs with protein-losing nephropathies (PLN) that represent risk factors for pathologic thrombosis. Design – Cross-sectional observational study of client-owned dogs with PLN, nonprotein losing renal failure (RF), and systemic illness (SI) exclusive of primary renal disease. Setting – Urban University Referral Center. Animals – A total of 29 dogs (n=11 PLN, n=7 RF, n=11 SI) were enrolled between January 2001 and July 2002. Samples were also collected from 20 clinically normal dogs to serve as hemostasis assay controls. Interventions – None. Hemostasis Testing – Citrate anticoagulated blood was collected for point-of-care testing with a viscoelastic monitor (thromboelastograph [TEG]) and citrate plasma was prepared for coagulation screening tests and specific assay of the following hemostatic proteins: antiplasmin, antithrombin, D-dimer, Factor VIII, fibrinogen, plasminogen, protein C, and von Willebrand factor. Results – Dogs with PLN and RF demonstrated TEG abnormalities consistent with hypercoagulability (eg, short clotting time, high clot amplitude) and both groups had significantly lower antithrombin than the SI group. The PLN dogs had significantly higher protein C than either the RF or SI group. Hyperfibrinogenemia was a consistent finding among all 3 disease groups, and the coagulation index a measure of hypercoagulability derived from TEG parameters, directly correlated with fibrinogen values of all study dogs. Conclusions – Hemostatic abnormalities consistent with systemic hypercoagulability are common in dogs with RF and PLN, however, no prothrombotic factors unique to PLN were identified in our study. The thrombotic tendency of PLN may therefore involve parameters we did not directly assess such as platelet reactivity, fibrinolysis, perturbations in blood flow, and/or endothelial dysfunction. High protein C is a novel finding in PLN dogs of unknown clinical relevance.
Economies of scope in the local telephone exchange market

Using cost data generated by an optimization model, we evaluate the degree of economies of scope in the local telephone exchange market. We find that economies of scope between switched and non-switched services are a decreasing function of customer density, while there are strong economies of scope, regardless of customer density, within the switched telephone market.
Probing solute–solvent electrostatic interactions: Rotational diffusion studies of 9,10-disubstituted anthracenes

The rotational diffusion of 9,10-disubstituted anthracenes is studied in various solvents. By systematic variation of the anthracene functionalities the influence of the electrostatic properties of the solute on the solute–solvent frictional coupling is investigated. These studies explore the range of validity of continuum based dielectric friction models for describing the frictional coupling. It is found that a continuum model of the solvent with an extended charge distribution for the solute is adequate in unassociated solvents, but does not adequately describe the friction in the associated solvent, benzyl alcohol.
A Zooarchaeological Test for Dietary Resource Depression at the End of the Classic Period in the Petexbatun, Guatemala

Zooarchaeological analyses of animal remains from the Petexbatun sites in the Guatemalan lowlands provide proxy evidence to test a hypothesis of dietary insufficiency during the Maya “collapse.” Ecological foraging theory and resource depression models are used to interpret animal use patterns before and after the disintegration of the Petexbatun polity at the end of the Late Classic period (around a.d. 800). Environmental failure models of the Maya “collapse” at the end of the Late Classic imply that a dietary insufficiency, and particularly a lack of animal resources, was associated with the political and social transitions of this period. However, the results of this zooarchaeological study do not support this hypothesis and point instead to very limited early reductions of only highest-ranked dietary species. The lack of evidence for specific resource depression associated directly with the period of political collapse does not support a model of environmental failure during political disintegration in the Petexbatun. Correlations are found between animal use patterns and the specifics of site size and periods of peak political activity, suggesting that small-scale resource depressions might have resulted at some sites during early periods of human population growth, site expansion, and increasing political activity.
Marine geochronology with210Pb

Abstract The application of210Pb dating to an inshore marine deposit off the California coast has been successful. The amounts of unsupported210Pb annually accumulated in the Santa Barbara sediments are much greater than those from lake and glacial deposits and than the amount produced through the decay of radium in the overlying water column.
Somatic hypermutation of antibody genes: A hot spot warms up

In the course of an immune response, antibodies undergo affinity maturation in order to increase their efficiency in neutralizing foreign invaders. Affinity maturation occurs by the introduction of multiple point mutations in the variable region gene that encodes the antigen binding site. This somatic hypermutation is restricted to immunoglobulin genes and occurs at very high rates. The precise molecular basis of this process remains obscure. However, recent studies using a variety of in vivo and in vitro systems have revealed important regulatory regions, base motifs that are preferred targets of mutation and evidence that transcription may play an active role in hypermutation.
Some results on the regularity in a single replicate design

A necessary and sufficient condition is given for a single replicate design to be regular with respect to a given factorial effect. This condition is applied in establishing necessary and sufficient condition for the regularity of an i order factorial effectl > 1, when a subset of factorial effects are known to be regular.
NUMERICAL PREDICTIONS OF FLOW STRUCTURE AND LOCAL NUSSELT NUMBER RATIOS ALONG AND ABOVE DIMPLED SURFACES WITH DIFFERENT DIMPLE DEPTHS IN A CHANNEL

Turbulent air flows in channels with dimples placed on the bottom wall are numerically predicted and compared using version 6.0.12 of FLUENT with a realizable k-e model and no wall function. Three different dimple depths, δ/D = 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3, are considered. Steady-state predictions of fluid within and near different dimples show the presence of different vortex pairs. These include centrally located vortex pairs as well as vortex pairs located near the spanwise edges of individual dimples, which become stronger as dimple depth increases. Magnitudes of eddy diffusivity for momentum and eddy diffusivity for heat are augmented at the same locations, and also increase as dimple depth increases. Such characteristics are due to advection of reattaching and recirculating flow from locations within the dimple cavities, as well as to the strong instantaneous secondary flows and mixing within the vortex pairs. Local Nusselt number ratio data also show the highest augmentations, and the highest local values tha...
Interposition Grafting of Popliteal Artery Cystic Adventitial Disease: Case Report

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery is a rare cause of leg claudication occurring primarily in young adults. We report a case of a 41-year-old athletic man who presented with rapidly progressive left leg claudication. Using duplex ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography, a diagnosis of popliteal artery cystic adventitial disease was made. The cystic popliteal artery was resected and replaced using a prosthetic interposition graft. At the 1.5-year follow-up, the cysts have recurred; however, the related symptoms have not. This is in contrast to a previously reported case of interposition saphenous vein grafting requiring resection due to invasion by recurrent cysts within 6 months.
Branchiogenic carcinoma -- fact or fallacy?

Summary The ongoing debate concerning the existence of malignant transformation of branchial cleft cysts has been analyzed, with the aid of previous reports and reviews in the literature. Six new cases are presented and illustrated. These occurred in 4 male and 2 female patients, having an average age of 60 years. Two of the lesions were within the parotid salivary gland. The longest period of survival was 3½ years. New criteria for the acceptability of tumors as primary branchiogenic cancers are proposed. We believe that, using these strict criteria, rare examples of primary branchiogenic carcinomas do exist; their treatment should include wide local excision, followed by ipsilateral radical neck dissection.
Changes in EEG responses evoked by the conditioned stimulus during classical aversive conditioning in the cat

Abstract Changes in the evoked responses to a conditioned stimulus (flashing light) during the development of a classically conditioned leg flexion were studied in a total of nine cats. Electrograms were taken from the anterodorsal hippocampus, nucleus medialis dorsalis of the thalamus, the midbrain reticular formation, and the anterior lateral, posterior lateral and posterior sigmoid gyri of the cortex. The following results were obtained: 1. 1. During the initial phases of training, there were transient rises in the responsivity to the conditioned stimulus in the anterodorsal hippocampus and the posterior sigmoid gyrus, the peaks being reached around the end of the first third of training. With the partial completion of training, the responsivity of the anterodorsal hippocampus returned to its final habituation level, while that of the posterior sigmoid gyrus declined below that seen at the termination of habituation. 2. 2. The responsivity of the posterior lateral gyrus showed a tendency to become relatively stable during training, the trend being statistically horizontal. 3. 3. No statistically significant, non-horizontal trend could be demonstrated in the data from the midbrain reticular formation during the acquisition of conditioned leg flexion. 4. 4. The responsivity of the anterior lateral gyrus was so variable throughout habituation and training that no systematic trend could be established at any time. 5. 5. It was concluded that those systematic changes which could be demonstrated paralelled the development of a Pavlovian “orienting response” and, moreover, when viewed at a molecular level, learning, even in this comparatively simple situation, is a complex, multifactor process.
The effects of mixtures and other environmental modifying factors on the toxicities of surfactants to freshwater and marine life

Abstract The effects of several environmental modifying factors on surfactant toxicity have been reported in the scientific literature during the past 40 years. The results from 58 reports describing, among other factors, the effects of mixtures, hardness and temperature are summarized in this report. The most common test compound used in the reviewed studies was the anionic linear alkylbenzene sulfonate. Most tests have been conducted in the laboratory with single species of freshwater fish, but a few studies have been conducted in ponds, lakes and rivers with natural biotic assemblages. Of the 58 reports reviewed, those describing the toxicities of mixtures containing surfactants are the most numerous ( n = 32). The impact of the presence of pesticides and metals on surfactant toxicity has been unpredictable but oil-surfactant mixtures are usually more toxic than expected. Increasing water hardness and temperature increases surfactant toxicity in some cases but the outcome has been compound and species-specific. The presence of suspended solids and naturally occurring dissolved substances decreases the bioavailability of cationic surfactants but not that of anionic and nonionic surfactants. The impact of other chemical and physical modifying factors on surfactant toxicity are too poorly understood to generalize. Therefore, additional research is needed to determine these effects particularly on the chronic toxicities of surfactants at the multispecies level. These data are necessary if environmental hazard assessments for most surfactants are to go beyond their current simplification and be more effective in predicting ecological risk.
Photoluminescence and Raman Spectroscopy as Probes to Investigate Silver and Gold Dicyanide Clusters Doped in A-Zeolite and Their Photoassisted Degradation of Carbaryl

Dicyanoaurate and dicyanoargentate ions doped in A-type zeolite were prepared and analyzed spectroscopically. Data from luminescence and Raman spectroscopies along with extended Huckel calculations indicate the formation of [M(CN)2-]n oligomers (M = Ag, Au) in the zeolite host. Variations in luminescent properties as a function of excitation wavelength, dopant concentration inside the zeolite host, and temperature facilitate assignment of cluster structures. The data obtained from a comparison of Ag- and Au-doped silica and γ-alumina show that the [M(CN)2-]n clusters form in the channels of the zeolite rather than on the surface. The [M(CN)2-]n clusters in A zeolite show strong catalytic activities toward the photodecomposition of carbaryl in aqueous solution. The photodecomposition of carbaryl at room temperature shows different decomposition products in the presence and absence of the M(CN)2- doped A zeolite catalyst. In addition, the decomposition rate constants increase as the metal content increases....
Probabilistic Demands and Costs in Facility Location Problems

When deterministic assumptions in ‘classical’ location problems are relaxed some new theoretical and algorithmic problems arise. In this paper, the definition of medians is generalized to the cases: (1) when generated demands and travel costs are random, and (2) when the demand induced at the facilities is random because of competition. Under a particular set of assumptions, the well-known theorems on ‘optimality of node locations' hold for the underlying ‘probabilistic networks’.For case (1) the model is shown to be a generalization of the probabilistic and deterministic median location problems on networks. The relationship of the model to a multicommodity location problem is also pointed out. Additionally, within the framework of the problem formulation, certain parallels with multiobjective location problems are drawn. For case (2), the competitive median location problem is formulated, and some results presented.For the special structure of probabilistic tree networks some interesting localization pr...
Comparative metabolic effects of acetate and dichloroacetate infusion in the anesthetized dog.

Abstract The comparative effects of acetate (10 mmol/h/kg) and dichloroacetate (DCA) (1 mmol/h/kg and 10 mmol/h/kg) on acid-base and intermediary metabolism were assessed using the fasted anesthetized dog, undergoing controlled ventilation, as a metabolic model. Infusion of acetate resulted in a marked metabolic alkalemia and a decline in Pao2, while DCA had minimal effects on acid-base state and oxygen consumption. Serum glucose decreased with both DCA and acetate infusion, although only significantly with the latter. At infusion rates of 10 mmol/h/kg, acetate caused marked decreases, while DCA caused marked increases, in serum potassium and phosphorus. Acetate and DCA also had opposing effects on lactate and citrate levels, the former caused increases and the latter decreases in both metabolites. Pyruvate levels decreased similarly in response to both infusates. Acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate levels increased significantly with both acetate and DCA infusions; however, the increases were much greater with acetate than with DCA infusion. Blood alanine levels decreased significantly during the infusion of both acetate and DCA, whereas, free fatty acids tended to increase with acetate infusion, remained unchanged with low dose DCA and fell significantly with high dose DCA. Plasma insulin levels were sustained during acetate infusion, but fell abruptly with termination of infusion. In contrast, insulin levels fell markedly with DCA infusion and remained depressed throughout the infusion and recovery periods. Blood levels of acetate and DCA rose markedly during infusion; however, while acetate levels decreased nearly to control values during the recovery period, DCA levels remained elevated. We observed a dose dependent effect of DCA on intermediary metabolism, such that the effect of DCA on serum lactate levels was seen to decrease at the higher dose of DCA; this dose dependency may possibly be mediated by changes in cellular energy status. Acetate also perturbed intermediary metabolism. However, unlike DCA, it was effective in generating bicarbonate. Differences between their effects on metabolism may indicate different roles for DCA and acetate in the treatment of lactic acidosis.
Weighted multi-attribute matching of user-generated points of interest

To a large degree, the attraction of Big Data lies in the variety of its heterogeneous multi-thematic and multi-dimensional data sources and not merely its volume. To fully exploit this variety, however, requires conflation. This is a two step process. First, one has to establish identity relations between information entities across the different data sources; and second, attribute values have to be merged according to certain procedures which avoid logical contradictions. The first step, also called matching, can be thought of as a weighted combination of common attributes according to some similarity measures. In this work, we propose such a matching based on multiple attributes of Points of Interests (POI) from the Location-based Social Network Foursquare and the Yelp local directory service. While both contain overlapping attributes that can be use for matching, they have specific strengths and weaknesses which makes their conflation desirable. We present a weighted multi-attribute matching strategy and evaluate its performance. Our strategy can automatically match 97% of randomly selected Yelp POI to their corresponding Foursquare entities.
On the inertia and range of transformations of positive definite matrices

Abstract Results are established which relate the range and inertia of general transformations on positive definite matrices. Included are a bound theorem for certain eigenvalues of these transformations, a characterization of positive definite preserving, completely positive transformations, and generalizations of the theorems of Stein [8] and of Stein and Pfeffer [9].
Searching for blind faults: The Haiti subsurface imaging project

On 12 January 2010, Haiti suffered a magnitude 7.0 earthquake near Port-au-Prince, which resulted in a catastrophic loss of life and infrastructure. The effects were particularly severe on the Leogâne fan delta, close to the earthquake's epicenter. Because no unambiguous rupture to the surface has been found, the suspected fault that caused the event has been labeled “blind.” A geophysical team from the University of Houston has undertaken expeditions to Haiti in 2012–2014, with support from the SEG Geoscientists Without Borders program, to try to help build Haiti's geophysical capability and assist in finding subsurface evidence of the proposed blind fault. The team reconnoitered the epicentral region of the 2010 earthquake and selected sites on the Leogâne delta fan for land surveys. The team enjoyed a productive and pleasant interaction with local villagers while receiving access to survey areas and assistance with operations. The resulting 2012 seismic and gravity data provided promise for more detail...
Increase in myofilament separation in the "stunned" myocardium.

Abstract This study explores the effects of ischemic reperfusion injury on the radial separation distance between thick and thin myofilaments. The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 5 mins and reperfused for 10 mins twelve times repetitively in 6 dogs. At the end of a final 90 min reperfusion period, the hearts were fixed by perfusion with glutaraldehyde, and subepicardial and subendocardial tissue from both normal and ischemic areas were prepared for transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative analysis of inter-filament distance (IFD) was performed on micrographs of transverse sections. The center-to-center IFD was calculated from the numerical density of thick filaments at the A band level using a hexagonal array conversion formula. Sarcomere length was measured on micrographs of longitudinal sections. The results showed that center-to-center thick IFD in the stunned subendocardium was 43.9 ± 0.8 nm which was significantly greater than the control distance of 40.6 ± 0.4 nm (P
Scientific motivation and technology requirements for the SPIRIT and SPECS far-infrared/submillimeter space interferometers

Far infrared interferometers in space would enable extraordinary measurements of the early universe, the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, and would have great discovery potential. Since half the luminosity of the universe and 98% of the photons released since the Big Bang are now observable at far IR wavelengths (40 - 500 micrometers ), and the Earth's atmosphere prevents sensitive observations from the ground, this is one of the last unexplored frontiers of space astronomy. We present the engineering and technology requirements that stem from a set of compelling scientific goals and discuss possible configurations for two proposed NASA missions, the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope and the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Diets containing n-3 fatty acids decrease the concentrations of arachidonic acid in phospholipids, free fatty acid, and diacylglycerol fractions of submandibular salivary glands

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if feeding diets supplemented with n-3 fatty acids would result in reduced levels of arachidonic acid in major phospholipids, free fatty acid (FFA), and diacylglycerol (DAG) fractions of the salivary glands. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol, FFA, and DAG fractions were isolated from the submandibular salivary glands (SMSG) of rats fed nutritionally adequate, semi-purified diets enriched with n-6 or n-3 fatty acids for 6 weeks. The fatty acid composition of the major phospholipids present in the SMSG and the concentrations of arachidonic acid were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after the addition of 18:4n-3 as an internal standard and transesterification. Arachidonic acid concentrations were significantly lower in each of the lipid fractions of the SMSG of rats fed diets rich in n-3 fatty acids than those of the control group. The results suggest that the diet-induced decrease in the potentially available sources of free arachidonic acid may result in a decrease in the levels of endogenous PGE2 and in vitro synthesis of LTC4, which was previously observed in the SMSG of rats fed diets containing n-3 fatty acids.
Generalization of the Abragam relaxation function to a longitudinal field

We obtain an analytical form for the muon relaxation function in a dynamical magnetic environment and an external logitudinal magnetic field using perturbation theory. The new relaxation function is compared with the semiclassical Kubo-Toyabe function and the result of Monte Carlo simulation. We also demonstrate the application of our result to the case of dilute spin glasses.
Polymorphism of Nabumetone

The crystal structure of a new polymorph of nabumetone has been determined that displays dramatically lower stability yet differs only in weak intermolecular interactions from the known form.
Mass predictions based on a supersymmetric SU(5) fixed point

I examine the possibility that the third generation fermion masses are determined by an exact fixed point of the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) model. When one-loop supersymmetric thresholds are included, this unified fixed point successfully predicts the top quark mass, 175 +(-) 2 GeV, as well as the weak mixing angle. The bottom quark mass prediction is sensitive to the supersymmetric thresholds; it approaches the measured value for mu <0 and very large unified gaugino mass. The experimental measurement of the tau lepton mass determines tan(beta), and the strong gauge coupling and fine structure constant fix the unification scale and the unified gauge coupling.
Surgical and Endoscopic Options for Benign and Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) can be due to a variety of causes of both benign and malignant sources. As the etiology of GOO shifts from mostly benign to mostly malignant, treatment options have also evolved. Traditional options have only included surgery, but an increase in technology has seen the emergence of endoscopic alternatives. For benign disease, such as peptic ulcer disease, endoscopic balloon dilation has reduced the number of patients needing to undergo larger and more invasive surgical procedures. It has also proven successful in treating obstruction from stricture following bariatric surgery, but surgical revision or reversal remains the gold standard. Numerous surgical procedures have shown effectiveness when treating GOO, with new procedures constantly emerging. When malignancy is the cause, the procedural focus shifts from curative to palliative with the main focus being resumption of oral intake. Endoscopic stenting provides a viable alternative to gastro-jejunostomy, but due to problems with re-obstruction and stent migration, it should be reserved for patients with shorter life expectancies.
A Comprehensive Erosion Prediction Method for Gas/Liquid/Sand Multiphase Flow

Sand particles induced erosion of the piping system and fittings is a concern for many industrial practices. The local flow behavior is one of the primary factors that determine the severity of erosion as well as the location where the erosion occurs. Extensive research has been conducted experimentally and numerically to study the erosion phenomena in single-phase (i.e. gas or liquid) flow systems and a variety of erosion prediction models have been developed. Nevertheless, very limited work has been done to investigate the erosion in multiphase (i.e. gas/liquid) flow systems, which is mainly due to the extreme complexity of the phenomena. A comprehensive procedure is proposed to estimate the erosion for sand particles entrained in gas/liquid multiphase flow systems. This procedure combines the mechanistic analysis approach and numerical simulation approach. In this procedure, the dominant flow characteristics of a given flow pattern are analyzed and the corresponding representative single-phase flow is proposed. Such that the erosion problem in this multiphase flow is simplified as one in the representative single-phase to which a single-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based erosion prediction model is applied. Meanwhile, the effective sand mass ratio is introduced to reflect the influence of individual flow patterns on the erosion process by applying a unified mechanistic multiphase flow prediction model. The calculated erosion from the single-phase flow weighted by the effective sand mass ratio yields the estimated erosion for the multiphase flow. Applying this approach, the erosion in elbows is calculated for bubbly flow, annular and annular-mist flow and slug flow and compared with the experimental data in literature. Agreement between the simulations and the data is reasonable, which indicates that the proposed method is an effective tool to estimate the erosion in multiphase flow.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
In vivo studies on the carcinogenic potential of an orthodontic bonding resin

Abstract Data from another laboratory have indicated that the individual components of an orthodontic bonding resin might contain a carcinogen. Since that report, the formulation of the product was changed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the new product is safe. Three groups of rats were used for the experiment. One group served as a control, while the other groups ingested the sealant resin or sealant catalyst. The materials were suspended in an alcohol-aqueous mixture and the solutions were given to the animals as their only source of fluid. The exposure was for 1 year. After this period of time, all the rats were given tap water and observed until day 600. The animals were autopsied at time of death or at the end of the experiment. During the treatment, there were significant differences (p
Multivariate analysis of Photosystem II fluorescence quenching by substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones

Abstract The present investigation examines the action of substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones as inhibitors of chlorophyll fluorescence in barley chloroplasts. Stern-Volmer analyses have been used to determine the fractions of chlorophyll fluorescence accessible to quinone as a measure of quinone-membrane solubility and the Stern-Volmer quenching constant as a measure of quinone intrinsic activity. Correlations between quinone structural properties and experimentally measured chlorophyll fluorescence parameters have been made to determine the contribution of lipophilic and electronic factors to quinone solubility and intrinsic activity. In particular, 1,4-benzoquinones must have hydrophobic substituents or hydrogen atoms at positions 2, 3, 5 and 6 for fluorescence quenching activity. The magnitude of the Stern-Volmer quenching constant is affected by the electronic character of hydrophobic substituents, with a maximum value observed in the presence of both electron-releasing and electron-withdrawing moieties. Similarly, the lipophilic character of 2,3-substituents of 1,4-naphthoquinones determines the fraction of chlorophyll fluorescence accessible to quinone, with a maximum accessibility observed for hydrophobic substituents. Naphthoquinone intrinsic activity is also correlated with the electronic character of the substituents and is observed to be at a maximum value with only electron-withdrawing substituents.
Energy efficiency in friction-based locomotion mechanisms for soft and hard robots: slower can be faster

Many recent designs of soft robots and nano-robots feature locomotion mechanisms that cleverly exploit slipping and sticking phenomena. These mechanisms have many features in common with peristaltic locomotion found in the animal world. The purpose of the present paper is to examine the energy efficiency of a locomotion mechanism that exploits friction. With the help of a model that captures most of the salient features of locomotion, we show how locomotion featuring stick-slip friction is more efficient than a counterpart that only features slipping. Our analysis also provides a framework to establish how optimal locomotion mechanisms can be selected.
The Dynamics of SecM-Induced Translational Stalling

SecM is an E. coli secretion monitor capable of stalling translation on the prokaryotic ribosome without cofactors. Biochemical and structural studies have demonstrated that the SecM nascent chain interacts with the 50S subunit exit tunnel to inhibit peptide bond formation. However, the timescales and pathways of stalling on an mRNA remain undefined. To provide a dynamic mechanism for stalling, we directly tracked the dynamics of elongation on ribosomes translating the SecM stall sequence (FSTPVWISQAQGIRAGP) using single-molecule fluorescence techniques. Within 1 min, three peptide-ribosome interactions work cooperatively over the last five codons of the SecM sequence, leading to severely impaired elongation rates beginning from the terminal proline and lasting four codons. Our results suggest that stalling is tightly linked to the dynamics of elongation and underscore the roles that the exit tunnel and nascent chain play in controlling fundamental steps in translation.
1766 EFFECTS OF 17β ESTRADIOL ON THE PULMONARY CIRCULATION

Prior studies have shown that 1) mature ewes have an attenuated hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstrictor response (HPVR), 2) 17β estradiol (E2) administered 2-4 days prior to study of juvenile ewes reduces their HPVR to adult ewe levels, 3) E2 enhances prostaglandin production by systemic vessels. This study examined the effects of indomethacin (I) on the steady state pulmonary vascular response to graded hypoxia in isolated perfused lungs of 3 groups of juvenile ewes - controls (C and CI), E2 treated 36-60 hours before study (E2S, E2SI) and E2 treated 72-110 hours before study (E2L, E2LI). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) at flow = 50 ml/kg·min for 3 levels of inspired O2 (PiO2) for each group (n) were: (* = less than C, p<.05). In all groups the peak response is seen at 30 torr. There was a time dependent attenuation of the HPVR caused by E2. While indomethacin had no effect on the HPVR in any group, it did return responsivity (Δ in Ppa 200→30) in E2L to C values (p<.05). These results suggest that although E2 may increase pulmonary prostaglandin synthesis, there is also an apparent time-dependent reduction in vascular resistance caused by non-prostaglandin dependent mechanisms.
A comparison of lead hazards in the housing environment of lead poisoned children versus non poisoned controls

An epidemiological study was undertaken to compare the lead hazards in the housing environment of lead poisoned children (aged 1–7) and matched non‐poisoned control children. The results indicated ...
Preoperative Parameters, Including Percent Positive Biopsy, in Predicting Seminal Vesicle Involvement in Patients with Prostate Cancer

Purpose: Complete dissection of the SVs during RP can contribute to increased morbidity including erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Therefore we evaluated the clinical parameters associated with a positive SV finding on final pathology and identified those patients with a minimal risk of SV involvement for potential SV sparing surgery.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our RP database from 1991 to 1999 to evaluate the incidence and clinical correlates of SV invasion. Variables studied included preoperative total serum PSA, percent positive biopsy cores, DRE and biopsy Gleason score. Statistical analysis included univariate, multivariate regression analysis and ROC curves.Results: Of our 1,056 patients 79 (7.4%) had SV involvement. Of the 356 patients with less than 17% positive biopsies, only 2 (0.5%) had SV involvement on final pathology. Preoperative PSA, biopsy Gleason score and percent positive biopsies were all highly predictive of SV invasion on multivariate analysis. Percent po...
An organophosphine oxide redox shuttle additive that delivers long-term overcharge protection for 4 V lithium-ion batteries

Redox shuttle additives are used to protect Li-ion batteries from overcharge. Increased operating voltage requires striking a balance between a high redox potential and electrochemical stability. 1,4-Bis[bis(1-methylethyl)phosphinyl]-2,5-dimethoxybenzene (BPDB) exhibits a redox potential of 4.5 V vs. Li/Li+ and provides stable overcharge protection for 4 V cells delivering 95 cycles of 100% overcharge ratio.
Optimal design for problems involving flow and transport phenomena in saturated subsurface systems

Estimation problems arise routinely in subsurface hydrology for applications that range from water resources management to water quality protection to subsurface restoration. Interest in optimal design of such systems has increased over the last two decades and this area is considered an important and active area of research. In this work, we review the state of the art, assess important challenges that must be resolved to reach a mature level of understanding, and summarize some promising approaches that might help meet some of the challenges. While much has been accomplished to date, we conclude that more work remains before comprehensive, efficient, and robust solution methods exist to solve the most challenging applications in subsurface science. We suggest that future directions of research include the application of direct search solution methods, and developments in stochastic and multi-objective optimization. We present a set of comprehensive test problems for use in the research community as a means for benchmarking and comparing optimization approaches.
Coalescence of liquid drops at oil-water interfaces

Abstract Measurements were made of the length of time single drops can exist at an oil-water interface before coalescence takes place with a bulk phase of the same composition as the drop. The effect of stabilizing agents soluble in either the oil or water phases was investigated. Factors investigated included: (1) temperature; (2) size of drops and curvature of O-W interfaces; (3) O/W vs. W/O drops; (4) kind of oil; (5) mutual solubility of oil and water phases; (6) type of stabilizing agent, its concentration, pH, interfacial viscosity, and rigidity. The stability of drops decreases as the temperature is raised; the temperature dependence depends upon both the type of oil and the stabilizing agent. Oil drops are generally more stable than water drops when the stabilizing agent is water-soluble; the opposite is true for oil-soluble stabilizers. Oil-water phases which are mutually saturated with each other form more stable drops than unsaturated systems. The lifetime of drops depends roughly upon the cube root of the concentration of stabilizing agent in general. Stabilizers which produce a large viscosity or rigidity at the O-W interface also give stable drops; however, some good stabilizers show no interfacial viscosity or rigidity. Polyelectrolytes such as polymethacrylic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose stabilize drops better as acids than as salts; this behavior correlates with the interfacial viscosity behavior but not with the bulk solution viscosity. Simple mechanical models of drop coalescence can explain only some of the observed results. Many of the data may be understood in terms of the generalizations: (1) any factor which disturbs the O-W interface on a molecular scale decreases the stability of drops; (2) many stabilizers are most effective when they are on the verge of precipitation.
α-Pb3(PO4)2 — A pure ferroelastic

Abstract Single crystals of Pb 3 (PO 4 ) 2 were grown by the Czochralski technique. Transparent oriented crystal sections exhibit a pattern of ferroelastic domains which are readily movable with applied external stress. The high-temperature parent phase, β-Pb 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , transforms to the α modification at 180°C. _This transformation corresponds to the Aizu (1) species, 3mF2/m, which supports full ferroelasticity. The predicted number of domain walls have been observed.
Associations between omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids from fish consumption and severity of depressive symptoms: An analysis of the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract Fish is the primary source of dietary omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been reported to reduce depressive symptoms in clinical trials. We assessed the association between fish consumption and depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of 10,480 adults from the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Depressive symptoms were classified by severity using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Fish meal consumption reported in 30-day food frequency questionnaires, and EPA+DHA intake computed from 24-h dietary recalls were evaluated in relation to depressive symptoms using multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Consumption of breaded fish showed an increased risk of greater depressive symptom severity, while all fish, non-breaded fish, and shell fish were not associated. Any EPA+DHA intake was significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Exposure-response analyses revealed no clear patterns for any intake measures. Inconsistent patterns of associations in our study may be partially explained by exposure misclassification.
On the marine geochemistry of cadmium

STUDIES of the geochemistry of trace metals in sea water are of great potential importance, given the wide diversity in their properties. Knowledge of their distribution provides information not only about the specific chemical processes in which they are involved but also about the formation, destruction and diagenesis of the major solid phases in which they become incorporated by biological and authigenic processes. Previous efforts to elucidate the behaviour of cadmium in the ocean have produced no systematic correlations with other oceano-graphic properties1. At the low levels encountered (< 0.1 parts per 109), problems with analysis and with contamination during sampling can be severe. Recent advances in analytical and handling techniques have led to progress in our understanding of other trace metals2–4, hence a re-examination of the marine geochemistry of cadmium is now appropriate. This note describes the general distribution of cadmium in the ocean, based on three detailed vertical profiles from the Pacific.
Double Salts Iodide Scintillators: Cesium Barium Iodide, Cesium Calcium Iodide, and Barium Bromine Iodide

In this study we review the state-of-the-art for double salt iodide scintillators, in particular cesium barium iodide (CBI), cesium calcium iodide (CCI) and barium bromine iodide (BBI), as well as report on their scintillation and optical properties. Double salt iodides inherently have high density and atomic number which translates to good stopping power for energetic particles, in particular gamma rays. Light yields of 54,000 ph/MeV for CBI, 51,000 ph/MeV for CCI, and 46,000 ph/MeV for BBI were measured. A FWHM energy resolution for the 662 keV full absorption peak was observed at 5.7% for CBI, 16.3% for CCI and 3.56% for BBI. The principal scintillation decay timing for CBI was 840 ns, 462 ns for BBI, and two distinct time components of 9 ns and 1900 ns were observed for CCI.
Photoinitiated Synthesis of Mixed Polymer Brushes of Polystyrene and Poly(methyl methacrylate)

We describe the synthesis of mixed, or binary, polymer brushes containing polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). These films were synthesized by a grafting-from (GF) strategy from gold substrates that were coated with a bis-thiol free radical photoinitiator, similar to 2,2‘-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN). The PS layer was 70 nm thick for all substrates, and the PMMA was varied up to 700 nm. The number-average molecular weight (Mn) of the ungrafted polymers was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and multiangle light scattering (MALS); the Mn for bulk PS and PMMA was ∼57 000 and ∼515 000 Da, respectively. The air/liquid interface was probed by static water contact angles (θ) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We found that both θ and the oxygen concentration varied depending on whether the substrate was immersed in a nonselective solvent (tetrahydrofuran) or selective solvent for PS (cyclohexane) or PMMA (isobutanol). The morphology was monitored by atomic force micr...
Media Use and Disuse by State Legislators The Social Construction of Innovation

This study explores the adoption of new media among an elite, powerful group: state legislators. The case study investigates how five information sources are used by a sample of Louisiana state legislators to meet nine different information needs. These research questions were posed: (1) What roles do the various sources available to legislators play in helping them make voting decisions, and does the importance of these information sources vary with different information needs? (2) How does new information technology fit into the information sources state legislators use in making voting decisions? and (3) Do characteristics such as the officeholder's age, tenure, and education influence how these information sources are used? The legislators in this sample indicate a preference for interpersonal communication channels, specifically statehouse insiders. They do not consider new media to be important sources for information. Their age, tenure, and education have little influence on how they use informatio...