cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Less Commonly Taught Language and Commonly Taught Language Students: A Demographic and Academic Comparison

Abstract: Efforts to fund the teaching of critical languages, along with increasing enrollments in less commonly taught language (LCTL) classes, have evidenced a renewed interest in LCTL pedagogy. While much is known about enrollment trends, materials development, and professional training, far less research has compared LCTL and commonly taught language (CTL) students. Students from 83 classes (nine different languages) at a large university completed a questionnaire containing items requesting demographic and academic information. The results of a chi-square analysis demonstrated that LCTL learners were older, expected higher grades, reported higher GPAs, found their courses more difficult, and had studied a third language at a much higher rate. Although far from conclusive, these data begin to identify differences that may exist between LCTL and CTL students, specifically in university, introductory-level courses. Key words: academic questionnaire, 1st-/2nd-year foreign language courses, LCTL/CTL comparisons, student demographics, student self-perceptions Language: relevant to all languages Background Although the teaching of less commonly taught languages (LCTL) has been part of scholarly dialogue in the field of foreign language pedagogy for several decades, the recent governmental focus on funding the teaching and learning of critical languages has once again brought to the pedagogical forefront many languages considered LCTLs in academe. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the David L. Boren National Security Education Act (retrieved June 30, 2008, from http://www.ndu. edu/nsep/index.cfm?pageID=168t emphasis added) For centuries, major international events and, unfortunately, conflicts have exerted tremendous influence on national language policy and planning. In the 20th century alone, such events as World War II, the launching of Sputnik by the Russians accompanied by the subsequent passing of the National Defense Education Act, and the arrival of several waves of Spanish-speaking immigrants notably influenced language teaching policy and funding. In most cases, these events have brought to the collective conscious the recognition that the United States' citizenry is woefully "unprepared" with respect to functional foreign language proficiency, especially in certain languages. There is no question that the terms less commonly taught languages (LCTL) in the academic world and critical languages in governmental circles have resulted for very different reasons; the former referring to the frequency with which languages are taught in formal academic settings, and the latter referring to languages spoken in regions and countries where the United States has sociopolitical, security, or economic interests. …
Dielectric sculptured thin films for polarization-discriminatory handedness-inversion of circularly polarized light

The concept of sculptured thin films (STFs) is exploited to propose and theoretically examine a polarization-discriminatory handedness inverter of circularly polarized light. Suggestions for improved performance of the proposed two-layer, dielectric device as well as several production-related issues are discussed.
Ministry of Touch — Reflections on Disaster Work after the Haitian Earthquake

Dr. Annekathryn Goodman traveled with a U.S. national disaster team to Haiti, where they set up a mobile tent hospital on the sites of a devastated school and a nearby adolescent clinic. On the second day, she began what she came to call “touch rounds.”
Studies in steroid metabolism XVI. “Identification of a steroid-enol-glucosiduronate as a rat urine metabolite.”

Abstract After administration of adrenosterone to rats, 11β-hydroxy-17-oxoandrosta-3,5-dien-3-yl-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid was identified in their urine.
A new photon recoil experiment: towards a determination of the fine structure constant

We report on progress towards a measurement of the fine structure constant α to an accuracy of 5×10-10 or better by measuring the ratio h/mCs of the Planck constant h to the mass of the cesium atom mCs. Compared to similar experiments, ours is improved in three significant ways: (i) simultaneous conjugate interferometers, (ii) multi-photon Bragg diffraction between same internal states, and (iii) an about 1000-fold reduction of laser phase noise to -138 dBc/Hz. Combining that with a new method to simultaneously stabilize the phases of four frequencies, we achieve 0.2 mrad effective phase noise at the location of the atoms. In addition, we use active stabilization to suppress systematic effects due to beam misalignment.
A system for the on-line acquisition, visualization, and analysis of pressure-area loops

Transesophageal echocardiography is a widely accepted technique for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) function in the operating room, intensive care unit, and cardiac catheterization suite. Not only do the images generated by these systems provide the observer with dynamic views of currently ongoing cardiac mechanics, but the computed LV area values obtained by the automated border detection system can be converted to an analog signal and then used to generate pressure-area loops if LV pressure is measured simultaneously. The intraventricular area has been shown to correlate closely with intraventricular volume and to vary proportionately. Therefore, it can be substituted for volume to generate pressure-area loops that display equivalent behavior to external perturbations as pressure-volume loops. Visualization of these waveforms and the values extracted from them, along with the associated hemodynamic values, provide valuable insight into ventricular function and heart-lung interactions. This paper describes a system that was designed and developed to acquire, display, store, and analyze pressure-area loops in addition to other associated hemodynamic signals of interest.
Fast ion transport in oxide glasses

The discovery of fast ion transport in solids has in recent years stimulated much interest in the scientific community both with regard to obtaining improved understanding of the phenomenon and applying such materials in advanced battery systems. More recently the phenomenon of fast ion transport has also been observed to occur in increasing numbers of amorphous systems. In this paper we review recent transport data obtained in over 100 glasses which appear to exhibit exceptionally high Ag, Li, Na and F ion conductivities at temperatures far from the melting points. We also include results recently obtained in our laboratory for glasses in the lithium borate system. Common characteristics of these glasses are summarized and are compared with predictions of classical diffusion theory. Relatively low and composition-independent values of σ0 indicate poor agreement with a simple isolated-ion diffusion model, while composition-dependent activation energies are related to structural changes. Some glasses share similar properties with their crystalline counterparts while others do not. This is discussed in terms of the relative disorder already existing within the crystals. The need for improved characterization of glasses is also discussed.
Targeting the Glutamatergic System to Treat Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe, debilitating medical illness that affects millions of individuals worldwide. The young age of onset and chronicity of the disorder has a significant impact on the long-term disability that affected individuals face. Most existing treatments have focused on the ‘monoamine hypothesis’ for rational design of compounds. However, patients continue to experience low remission rates, residual subsyndromal symptoms, relapses and overall functional impairment. In this context, growing evidence suggests that the glutamatergic system is uniquely central to the neurobiology and treatment of MDD. Here, we review data supporting the involvement of the glutamatergic system in the pathophysiology of MDD, and discuss the efficacy of glutamatergic agents as novel therapeutics. Preliminary clinical evidence has been promising, particularly with regard to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist ketamine as a ‘proof-of-concept’ agent. The review also highlights potential molecular and inflammatory mechanisms that may contribute to the rapid antidepressant response seen with ketamine. Because existing pharmacological treatments for MDD are often insufficient for many patients, the next generation of treatments needs to be more effective, rapid acting and better tolerated than currently available medications. There is extant evidence that the glutamatergic system holds considerable promise for developing the next generation of novel and mechanistically distinct agents for the treatment of MDD.
FORMATION OF INTERSTELLAR OCS: RADIATION CHEMISTRY AND IR SPECTRA OF PRECURSOR ICES

Extensive experimental studies have been performed on the solid-state formation of the OCS molecule in proton-irradiated water-free and water-dominated ices containing CO or CO2 as the carbon source and H2S or SO2 as the sulfur source. In each case OCS is readily formed. Production efficiency follows the trends CO > CO2 and H2S > SO2 as C,O- and S-sources, respectively. In water-dominated ices, OCS production appears to be enhanced for CO : H2S reactants. The mechanism of formation of OCS appears to be the reaction of CO with free S atoms produced by fragmentation of the sulfur parent species. While OCS is readily formed by irradiation, it is also the most easily destroyed on continued exposure. In H2O-dominated ices the half-life of H2S, SO2, and OCS is ~2 eV molecule−1, corresponding to ~7 million years in a cold dense interstellar cloud environment processed by cosmic-ray protons. The spectral profile of the ν3 band of OCS is highly dependent on temperature and ice composition, and changes with radiation processing. These effects can be used in theoretical modeling of interstellar infrared (IR) spectra; a laboratory spectrum of irradiated H2O : CO : H2S, warmed to 50 K, provides a good fit to the 2040 cm−1 feature in the W33A spectrum. The identification of OCS in CO2-dominated ices provides a further challenge, due to the overlap of the OCS band with that of CO3 formed from irradiation of the host ice. The two features can be unraveled by a curve-fitting procedure. It is the width of the 2040 cm−1 band that will help observers determine if features identified in CO2-rich ices are due to OCS or to CO3.
Effects of temperature, patty thickness and fat content on the production of mutagens in fried ground beef.

Abstract The high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles of mutagenic components were compared for extracts of ground beef patties fried at 200, 250 and 300°C for 6 min/side. The HPLC profiles of the mutagenic samples were similar, although total mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium TA 1538 was roughly four times as high after the 300°C than after the 200°C frying. Six mutagenic peaks were analysed quantitatively at different temperatures and meat thicknesses. Two major components, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5- f ]quinoxaline and 2-aminotrimethylimidazo[4,5- f ]quinoxaline, and a minor component, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5- f ]quinoline (IQ), were all present at the three different temperatures. Thus, in general, cooking temperature seems to have a major effect on the quantities of mutagens produced but not on their HPLC profiles. The thickness of the meat patty did not affect the total yield of mutagens except at longer cooking times (8–10 min/side) and, in general, neither did it affect the HPLC profiles of the mutagenic components. Total mutagenic activity increased with increasing cooking times. Increasing the fat content lowered the total mutagenicity, with 150,000 revertants/kg of fresh beef at 30% fat compared with 230,000 revertants/kg at 15%, but had little effect on the mutagenicity due to IQ.
Altered glomerular eicosanoid biosynthesis in uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure.

Abstract The present studies were designed (1) to examine the pattern of changes in eicosanoid biosynthesis in isolated rat glomeruli, and (2) to correlate these changes with the previously observed alterations in renal perfusion and glomerular filtration rate which occur after uranyl nitrate administration, a model of toxin-induced acute renal failure. In the first part of this study, the in vitro and the in vivo effects of two cyclooxygenase inhibitors were examined for their ability to inhibit rat glomerular eicosanoid biosynthesis. Inhibition of prostaglandin E 2 and prostaglandin F 2α generation by 1 mM aspirin in vitro was 76 and 82%, respectively. Similar inhibitions of 85 and 72% of biosynthesis of the above-mentioned lipids by 0.1 mM indomethacin were also noted. Intraperitoneal administration of aspirin (150 mg/kg) resulted in a significant inhibition of 88% or greater of prostaglandin E 2 , prostaglandin F 2α , 6-keto-prostaglandin F 2α , and thromboxane B 2 biosynthesis. These results indicated that the expected alterations produced under in vivo conditions were detectable by in vitro techniques used in this study. 24 h after the administration of uranyl nitrate (25 mg/kg), significant increases in the biosynthesis of prostaglandin E 2 (124%) and prostaglandin F 2α (88%) were observed when compared to the control values. No significant changes in prostacyclin or thromboxane formation were noted at this time. A further increase in the biosynthesis of prostaglandin E 2 (248%), prostaglandin F 2α (262%), and a significant increase in prostacyclin (120%), measured as 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α , were noted at 48 h. No changes in thromboxane B 2 biosynthesis were noted. It is concluded that these data are consistent with the hypothesis that the increased glomerular biosynthesis of vasodilator eicosanoids (i.e., prostaglandin E 2 and prostacyclin) may play a significant role in the homeostatic regulation of renal perfusion and glomerular filtration after acute toxic injury to the kidney.
Intragenic suppressors of P-loop mutations in the beta-subunit of the mitochondrial ATPase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Three intragenic second-site suppressors, P353L, T237I, and L390F, were identified that suppressed two mutations in, and one adjacent to, the P-loop in the β-subunit of the yeast F-ATPase. The crystal structure of bovine F-ATPase (Abrahams, J. P., Leslie, A. G. W., Lutter, R., and Walker, J. E.(1994) Nature 370, 621-628) shows that these suppressor residues are located in the nucleotide-binding domain. Specific hypotheses have been formulated that suggest the conformational coupling of the P-loop with the suppressor sites. P353L is in a “catch” region, which forms unique interactions with the -subunit in the three different conformational states of the catalytic site. The identification of this suppressor mutation demonstrates genetically that the catch region is conformationally coupled to the P-loop. T237I is shown to interact with Lys-209, which occurs just after the P-loop. This suggests that this interaction changes the conformation of the P-loop to suppress the initial mutation. L390F interacts with Ala-181, which is adjacent to the P-loop. The mechanism of this suppression is suggested to occur through the interactions of L390F with Ala-181. These results identify critical interactions that modulate the structure of the P-loop and thus the biochemistry of the enzyme.
Surprisingly rapid nitrogen cycling in tropical forest plantations on volcanically derived soils

Secondary forests and young forest plantations frequently have high rates of tree growth and NPP – higher even than mature forests in similar situations. The nutrients required to sustain this rapid growth are derived from the soil and by external inputs such as rainfall or, in the case of nitrogen, by biological N fixation. In our study of the effects of tree species within replicated experimental plantations in a moist, lowland tropical environment in Costa Rica, high rates of biomass accumulation and productivity were coupled with high rates of N accumulation and cycling. We applied extensive sampling through time within a mass-balance approach to address the question “Where does all the nitrogen come from?”Rates of N uptake by the vegetation in these plantations were extraordinarily high, even by tropical forest standards, reaching 412 kg N ha^-1^ yr^-1^. Rapid decay coupled to tight nitrogen cycling may have provided large amounts of available N for plant uptake, but do not explain the large quantities of N that accrued in the vegetation, up to 1075 kg N/ha over 16 years. Surface soil organic matter stocks in the plantations increased by as much as 320 kgC/ha in surface soils, but soil nitrogen varied differently. Soil N stocks to 1 m depth were depleted by an average of 2119 kg/ha relative to the mature forest. Thus, mineralization of soil organic nitrogen could have supplied the N that accrued in biomass over the 16-yr period, but this apparently occurred without concomitant net loss of soil C. The C:N ratios of soil organic matter (SOM)in the plantations indicated either replacement of SOM with more C-rich detritus or selective removal of N from existing SOM. Regardless, high productivity in these plantations apparently was supported in part by mining of soil nitrogen. Species varied, however. Depletion of soil N stocks was only 219 kg/ha under Vochysia guatemalensis, in which 1075 kgN/ha had accrued. Asymbiotic N fixation is the next most plausible mechanism for supplying plant-available N, and may be enhanced in stands with high availability of recently produced photosynthates.
Coupling of Aromatic N-Heterocycles Mediated by Group 3 Complexes

Group 3 η2-N,C-pyridyl complexes supported by a ferrocene-diamide ligand have been known to mediate the coupling of η2-N,C-pyridyl and coordinated-pyridine ligands with a concomitant dearomatization of the pyridine ligand. Examples reported previously by us were limited to a few cases. In order to investigate the scope of the coupling reaction, various η2-N,C-pyridyl scandium complexes were isolated and characterized. Their reactivity toward other aromatic N-heterocycles is presented along with the characterization of the subsequent reaction products. The coupling reaction is favored by ortho substitution, the presence of fused aromatic rings on the pyridine ligand, and chelating substrates. In one instance, the product of the coupling reaction between a scandium η2-N,C-pyridyl complex and 7,8-benzoquinoline could not be isolated because a subsequent isomerization reaction was favored. The coupling reaction is not restricted to η2-N,C-pyridyl fragments, and it proceeds also from CH2 groups bound to the me...
Competition and strategic dilemmas in the telecommunications industry: making the triple play

Southern Bell Corporation, now AT&T, decided to upgrade its existing networks by extending its optical fiber network only to the neighborhood nodes and use existing telephone twisted pair copper wires to connect nodes with households. Leaders of Verizon Communications, on the other hand, decided to extend their optical fiber network all the way to homes at much higher cost. The choice of which of the two approaches was a better business decision is the main dilemma in the case. The network upgrades were necessary to keep telecommunication operators competitive with cable television companies, which after they upgraded their networks started offering the ‘triple play,’ a combination of video programming, telephone, and Internet services. The case reviews the history of telecommunication and cable industries in the United States, which leads to exploration of the key issues including (i) whether, and if so how competition in the telecommunication industry is even possible, (ii) how much bandwidth do we really need, and (iii) what is the effect of various compression techniques, convergence of digital technologies, and what other countries are doing. The case (describing the state of the industry at about the start of 2011) addresses an issue affecting all of us as we decide what services to select for our entertainment and communication needs.
Studies of fuel-nitrogen species in rich flame gases

Traverses of HCN, NH3, and NO through the burnt gas of very rich flames are interpreted on the view that these species react via the steps HCN + … → N H i + CO (1) N H i + NO → N 2 + … (2) N H i + … NO + … (3) where NHi represents one or more of NH3, NH2, NH, or N. A brief investigation of steps (1) and (2) by flowing doped mixtures of H2−H2O−N2 through a heated quartz vessel is also reported. It is shown that all estimates of the rate of step (1), mine and others too, are of the order of R 1 ≃ 10 12 [ HCN ] [ OH ] mole / cc sec . All estimates of the rate of step (2) are of the order of R 2 ≃ 5 × 10 12 [ NO ] [ N H 2 ] , and all estimates of the ratio of rates, R3/R2, are of the order of R 3 / R 2 ≃ 700 ( [ H 2 O ] [ NO ] ) e − 50 kcal / RT Suggested mechanisms for steps (1) and (2) agree partially with previous proposals. Any mechanism for step (3) which is consistent with the preceding expressions is bound to be speculative.
Explicit Mathematics Instruction: What Teachers Can Do for Teaching Students With Mathematics Difficulties.

This article describes the essential instructional elements necessary for delivering explicit mathematics instruction to students with mathematics difficulties. Mathematics intervention research indicates that explicit instruction is one of the most effective instructional approaches for teaching students with or at risk for math difficulties. Explicit instruction is a systematic approach that facilitates important instructional interactions between teachers and students around critical math content. This article describes a framework for delivering explicit math instruction in the early grades. Although the explicit framework is relevant across the range of early math content (i.e., measurement, geometry), the focus is on explicit instruction in the context of teaching place value concepts in kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Place value is a critical component of whole-number understanding and a necessary concept for students to develop mathematical proficiency. Key questions associated with expl...
Coordination in innovative design and engineering: observations from a lunar robotics project

Coordinating activities across groups in systems engineering or product development projects is critical to project success, but substantially more difficult when the work is innovative and dynamic. It is not clear how technology should best support cross-group collaboration on these types of projects. Recent work on coordination in dynamic settings has identified cross-boundary knowledge exchange as a critical mechanism for aligning activities. In order to inform the design of collaboration technology for creative work settings, we examined the nature of cross-group knowledge exchange in an innovative engineering research project developing a lunar rover robot as part of the Google Lunar X-Prize competition. Our study extends the understanding of communication and coordination in creative design work, and contributes to theory on coordination. We introduce four types of cross-team knowledge exchange mechanisms we observed on this project and discuss challenges associated with each. We consider implications for the design of collaboration technology to support cross-team knowledge exchange in dynamic, creative work environments.
Controlling an electric turbo compound system for exhaust gas energy recovery in a diesel engine

This paper describes control system developments for an electric turbocompound system on heavy-duty diesel engines. The system consists of a turbocharger with an electric generator integrated into the turbocharger shaft, and an electric motor integrated into the engine crankshaft. The generator extracts surplus power at the exhaust air turbine, and the electricity it produces is used to run the motor mounted on the engine crankshaft, recovering otherwise wasted energy in exhaust gases. The ultimate goal of this system is to improve the overall fuel efficiency of the engine. The electric turbocompound system provides added control flexibility because it is capable of varying the amount of power extracted from exhaust gases. This allows for control of engine boost, and thus air/fuel ratio. The system configuration, turbocharger features, and the development of a system control strategy are presented
Fast Iterative Adaptive Reconstruction in Low-Dose CT Imaging

Traditional iterative tomographic reconstruction methods resort to gradient decent methods and require significant computation due to slow convergence. We divide the iterative reconstruction into two stages in the image and Radon spaces, respectively. First, we refine the reconstruction result by image space adaptive filtering. This finds a feasible update direction based on signal modeling. Second, we minimize the discrepancy between the sinograms along the update direction in Radon space and guarantee convergence. Reconstruction from clinical data using the proposed algorithm converges extremely fast and provides satisfactory reconstruction results in far fewer iterations than traditional methods.
Enhanced soils information systems from advances in computer technology

Abstract Information is being requested with increasing frequency for location, quality, and quantity of soil properties, processes and interactions with various natural resources. Advancements in computer technology such as increased storage capabilities, faster processing speeds, improved database management systems, geographic information systems, and telecommunications have made it possible to provide more information in a more timely manner, and in formats better suited to user needs. These advancements also make it possible for the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) program to continue evolving in the scientific pursuit of understanding and communicating soil-landscape relationships and their interpretations. In an effort to take advantage of the advances in technologies, and to better respond to increased user needs, the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service (SCS) is developing a new National Soil Information System (NASIS). NASIS is intended to provide a number of new capabilities for the users of the system. Among these capabilities are the maintenance of individual observation data within the system and the capability to relate these individual observations and spatial variability of soil properties to individual delineated areas on soil maps. NASIS will also provide for the interpretation of individual components of map units as well as what were formerly included soils within the map units. With increases in capabilities coupled with increases in user needs for soil information, the NCSS has the opportunity as well as the responsibility to continually review practices, procedures and concepts in light of new technologies to assure that they are not based on prior constraints that these new technologies may have erased.
SEX POLYMORPHISM IN SILENE ACAULIS (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) AND THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF SEXUAL SELECTION IN MAINTAINING FEMALES

Pollen accumulation rates and their relationship to stigma morphology and pollinator visitation behavior were compared between female and hermaphrodite sex morphs of the alpine plant Silene acaulis var. subacaulescens (Caryophyllaceae). Although stigmas of female and perfect flowers collected comparable pollen loads, stigmas of female flowers became receptive earlier in anthesis and therefore recruited a larger number of pollen tubes. Together with early receptivity young female flowers had a larger stigmatic area with longer papillae than did perfect flowers. Pollinator behavior also differed between morphs, with bumble bees spending more time probing female than perfect flowers. Differences in stigma receptivity schedules of female and perfect flowers have consequences for different opportunities for sexual selection in the two sex morphs. Female flowers, by providing a more effective gametophytic screen, have the potential to produce higher quality offspring. This is proposed as a further compensatory advantage maintaining females, with a single fitness function, in populations containing hermaphrodites which have both male and female fitness functions.
Retro-translocation of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cytosol

Proteins that are misfolded in the endoplasmic reticulum are transported back into the cytosol for destruction by the proteasome. This retro-translocation pathway has been co-opted by certain viruses, and by plant and bacterial toxins. The mechanism of retro-translocation is still mysterious, but several aspects of this process are now being unravelled.
Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type I Tax Protein Transactivates RNA Polymerase III Promoter in Vitro and in Vivo

Abstract Tax protein of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) is critical for viral replication and is a potent transcriptional activator of viral and cellular polymerase II (pol II) genes. We report here that Tax is able to transactivate a classical pol III promoter, VA-I. In cotransfection experiments, Tax is shown to increase transcription of the VA-I promoter approximately 25-fold. Moreover, Tax is able to activate VA-I transcription when added exogenously to an in vitro transcription reaction. Using Tax affinity column chromatography, we demonstrate that Tax is able to deplete a HeLa cell extract for components required for transcription of VA-I. The transcriptional activity of the Tax-depleted extract can be restored by the 0.6 M phosphocellulose fraction. Interestingly, a consensus binding site for cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) is located upstream of the VA-I promoter, and deletion of this element results in the loss of Tax responsiveness. When this CREB binding site is replaced by a Gal-4 binding site, the VA-I promoter can be transactivated by a Gal4-Tax fusion protein. Taken together, these results suggest that Tax may activate pol III and pol II promoter through a similar mechanism involving the CREB activation pathway. It is also possible that Tax affects pol III transcription by direct interaction with a component of the pol III transcriptional machinery.
Dielectric relaxation and microwave dielectric properties of Bi2O3-ZnO-Ta2O5 ceramics

The permittivity of two primary phases within the Bi 2 O 3 -ZnO-Ta 2 O 5 system was measured from 100 Hz to approximately 8.7 GHz. A cubic pyrochlore (Bi 3 / 2 Zn 1 / 2 )(Zn 1 / 2 Ta 3 / 2 )O 7 phase (α phase) exhibited a dielectric constant of 71 at low frequency which decreased to 64 at approximately 10 GHz. A lower symmetry zirconolite Bi 2 (Zn 1 / 3 Ta 2 / 3 ) 2 O 7 phase (β phase) was also measured and had a frequency independent dielectric constant of 60. The temperature dependence of the capacitance (τ C ), measured from -55 to 120 °C, was 78 ppm/°C for the β phase and nonlinear for the α phase having no unique slope. The primary difference in dielectric properties between these two phases was a low-temperature relaxation of the α phase, which is modeled as a basic Debye-type relaxation.
"Many Lamps Are Lightened From the One": Paradigms of the Transformational Vision in Macarian Homilies

L'A. traite de concepts du Pseudo-Macaire syrien qui montrent une conception nouvelle de la metamorphose lumineuse dans la tradition chretienne orientale, comme etant de nature interieure et procedant de l'espace ouvert dans le coeur du visionnaire.
Negative emotionality and emotion regulation: A person-centered approach to predicting socioemotional adjustment in young adolescents

Abstract Emotionality and emotion regulation are presumed to interact to produce social behavior. Prior empirical evidence for this interaction has been weak. Researchers have tended to take a variable-centered approach to predicting social behavior and this may have obscured the relations between negative emotionality, emotion regulation, and social behavior. Therefore, a person-centered approach was used to examine the links among these variables. Two-hundred and three adolescents (M age = 13.3 years) completed measures of negative emotionality, emotion regulation, and socioemotional behavior. Cluster analysis suggested four profiles of adolescents: those moderate on regulation and negative emotionality, those low in both, those high in negative emotionality and low in regulation, those low in negative emotionality and high in regulation. LDF analysis suggested that these profiles of adolescents differed along two dimensions on socioemotional behavior.
Prognostic characterization of patients with mild coronary artery disease with myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography: Validation of an outcomes-based strategy

The emergence of this exciting new shift in the potential application of nuclear testing, a risk-based approach permitting the indentification of patients with mild CAD not in need of aggressive treatment, permits us not only to spare patients the risk and inconvenience of additional testing but also to better manage the available resources. O'Keefe et al.29 are to be commended for pointing our a means to enhance patient care and to achieve both clinical and cost-effectiveness.
Frontal and transverse plane hip kinematics and gluteus maximus recruitment correlate with frontal plane knee kinematics during single-leg squat tests in women.

Abstract Background Hip muscle dysfunction may be associated with knee valgus that contributes to problems like patellofemoral pain syndrome. The purpose of this study was to (1) compare knee and hip kinematics and hip muscle strength and recruitment between “good” and “poor” performers on a single-leg squat test developed to assess hip muscle dysfunction and (2) examine relationships between hip muscle strength, recruitment and frontal plane knee kinematics to see which variables correlated with knee valgus during the test. Methods Forty-one active women classified via visual rating as “good” or “poor” performers on the test participated. Participants completed 5-repetition single-leg squat tests. Isometric hip extension and abduction strength, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius recruitment, and 3-dimensional hip and knee kinematics during the test were compared between groups and examined for their association with frontal plane knee motion. Findings “Poor” performers completed the test with more hip adduction (mean difference = 7.6°) and flexion (mean difference = 6.3°) than “good” performers. No differences in knee kinematics, hip strength or hip muscle recruitment occurred. However, the secondary findings indicated that increased medial hip rotation (partial r = 0.94) and adduction (partial r = 0.42) and decreased gluteus maximus recruitment (partial r = 0.35) correlated with increased knee valgus. Interpretation Whereas hip muscle function and knee kinematics did not differ between groups as we'd hypothesized, frontal plane knee motion correlated with transverse and frontal plane hip motions and with gluteus maximus recruitment. Gluteus maximus recruitment may modulate frontal plane knee kinematics during single-leg squats.
A Miniaturized 1536-Well Format γ-Secretase Assay

γ-Secretase is an aspartyl protease that cleaves multiple substrates including the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the Notch proteins. Abnormal proteolysis of APP is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and overactive Notch signaling plays an oncogenic role in a variety of cancers. γ-Secretase has emerged as a promising target for drug development in the treatment of AD and cancer. Assays with increased capacity for high-throughput screening would allow for quicker screening of chemical libraries and facilitate inhibitor development. We have developed a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF)-based assay that makes use of a novel biotinylated recombinant APP substrate and solubilized membrane preparation as the source of the γ-secretase enzyme. The assay was miniaturized to a 1536-well format and validated in a pilot screen against a library of ∼3,000 compounds. The overall assay performance was robust due to a calculated Z′ factor of 0.74 and its demonstrated ability to iden...
Protection of Primates against Lethal Doses of X-Radiation

THE protective effect of 2-amino ethylisothiouronium bromide (AET) against lethal doses of total body X-radiation administered to rats and mice is well documented1,2. In the dog, however, the protective effect of AET is obscured by the toxic response to the drug when levels sufficient to be protective are administered3. AET and cysteine administered simultaneously, however, were effective against a lethal exposure of X-radiation in dogs.
An automated vacuum extraction control system for soil water percolation samplers

A vacuum applied to soil water percolation samplers permits collection of both macro- and matrix-pore liquids. Performance of these field samplers is improved when the extraction vacuum is adjusted in accordance with the tension in the surrounding soil. This is particularly important when monitoring a network of spatially distributed samplers and for samplers installed in medium to fine textured soils. We designed a vacuum extraction system to more efficiently collect vadose-zone soil solution samples. A single vacuum pump, vacuum tank, and air dryer provided a vacuum supply for 12 soil water sampling sites via a branching polyethylene pipe network. A vacuum controller containing two inexpensive pressure transducers, a voltage regulator, relay, and solenoid valve was developed and tested for field installation. Data loggers operated the controllers, monitored extraction vacuum and ambient soil water potential, and adjusted relative vacuum at each percolation sampling site. The automated vacuum controllers successfully maintained sampler extraction pressures at levels proportional to ambient soil water potential and provided the added benefit of recording the pressure values for use in subsequent data interpretation.
Brazing a Mixed Ionic/Electronic Conductor to an Oxidation Resistant Metal

Mixed ionically/electrically conducting oxides such as lanthanum calcium manganate are currently being investigated for use as electrodes in a number of high temperature devices, including solid oxide fuel cells. Traditionally, glass seals have been employed as a means of hermetically joining the ceramic components that lie at the heart of these devices to the heat resistant metal frame that gives the device its structural integrity. The present paper outlines an alternative brazing technique for joining these dissimilar materials and discusses recent findings regarding the wettability of the braze on the two joining surfaces, as well as the strength of the resulting joint.
I.—Their Distribution Among Some Milk Products

Summary A micro-nephelometric method has been used in the determination of the phospholipid content of whole milks and their respective skimmilks and creams. The creams were churned and the phospholipid content of their respective butters and buttermilks was determined by the same method. The percentage distribution among its various products of the phospholipids present in whole milk has been calculated in each case from the amount of product obtained and its determined phospholipid content.
The Effect of Load Reduction Scheme on Crack Closure in the Near-Threshold Regime

Three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analyses were conducted to model fatigue crack growth in an M(T) specimen. Variable amplitude loading with a continual load reduction was used to simulate the load history associated with fatigue crack growth threshold measurement. Load reductions with both constant load ratio R and constant maximum stress intensity Kmax were used. Results indicated that load reduction with constant R generated a plastic wake such that remote crack opening occurred during loading, with the crack front opening prior to a region remote to the crack front. The last region to open was located at the point at which the load reduction originally began, and at the free surface. In contrast, for load reduction with constant Kmax, the crack front was the last to open. The results also indicated the crack opening process is three-dimensional in nature, with regions in the interior opening prior to regions near the free surface.
Carbon Monoxide Accumulation during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Failure

A marked increase in the carbon monoxide level in the blood sufficient to interfere with oxygen binding of hemoglobin was observed in a 43-year-old man during the course of extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support for acute respiratory failure from viral pneumonitis. The increased carbon monoxide level in this man was temporally related to the transfusion of large amounts of old bank blood. The etiology of an increased level of carbon monoxide in the blood during extracorporeal circulation is discussed and solutions to this problem are suggested.
On death and dying in the emergency department

Several unique features distinguish a patient’s death in the emergency department (ED) from a patient’s expiration in the hospital. One important difference in ED deaths is that they are much more likely to be unexpected by the family. A previous study indicated that 65 % of ED deaths were unexpected as compared with 7% of inpatient deaths (1). Second, the patient and his family are often strangers to the ED staff, while hospitalized patients have become acquainted with the health care staff. Finally, the frequency of dying in the ED is usually greater than that encountered in most hospital settings. The development of hospices in our country has further limited the hospital staffs encounters with the dying patient. These notable differences emphasize the need for comprehensive treatment programs for bereaved families as well as for the ED staff. A functional framework for the care of the bereaved family involves eight steps: 1) selecting the appropriate setting, 2) contacting the family, 3) preparing to speak to the family, 4) death telling, 5) reacting to the family, 6) viewing the body, 7) coordinating the care of the deceased, and 8) planning for follow-up of the bereaved. The emergency physician who attended the dying patient has the ultimate responsibility for telling the family of the patient’s death as well as coordinating the care of the bereaved family (2,3). His presence indirectly acknowledges that he did everything possible to save the patient’s life. If the physician is there to inform the family, the family often concludes that
Seismic-Induced Impeller/Blade Rubs in Rotating Power Plant Components

During seismic or blade/impeller loss events, the potential for rubs in rotating nuclear and fossil fuel power plant components is quite high. Generally, such events involve interactions between blade/impeller tips and machinery components. This also includes the possibility of seal casing rubs. The paper develops methodologies to: evaluate the blade impeller-casing rub event; establish the associated stress, strain and force fields; enable signature analysis defining blade/impeller/seal participation; and establish procedure enabling evaluation of blade/impeller/seal fatigue life. Additionally, the paper presents benchmarking examples of prototypical power plant components.
The pituitary-specific transcription factor GHF-1 is a homeobox-containing protein

Growth hormone factor 1 (GHF-1) is a pituitary-specific transcription factor that plays a critical role in cell type-specific expression of the growth hormone (GH) gene. Here, we describe the isolation of bovine and rat GHF-1 cDNA clones. These cDNAs encode proteins whose molecular mass, 33K, is identical to purified GHF-1 and whose sequence agrees with a partial GHF-1 peptide sequence. The predicted GHF-1 sequence contains a region, near its C-terminus, that exhibits considerable similarity to a homeobox consensus sequence. DNAase I footprinting with bacterially expressed fusion protein containing a fragment of GHF-1 encompassing the homeobox indicates that this region of the protein functions as its DNA binding domain. Expression of GHF-1 is restricted to cells of the somatotropic lineage in the pituitary. This remarkable specificity of GHF-1 expression correlates with the selective transcription of its target, the GH gene. Other mammalian homeobox-containing proteins may function similarly as transcription factors controlling cell type-specific expression in other locations.
Quantum interference in superconducting wire networks and Josephson junction arrays: An analytical approach based on multiple-loop Aharonov-Bohm Feynman path integrals

We investigate analytically and numerically the mean-field superconducting-normal phase boundaries of two-dimensional superconducting wire networks and Josephson junction arrays immersed in a transverse magnetic field. The geometries we consider include square, honeycomb, triangular, and kagom\'e lattices. Our approach is based on an analytical study of multiple-loop Aharonov-Bohm effects: the quantum interference between different electron closed paths where each one of them encloses a net magnetic flux. Specifically, we compute exactly the sums of magnetic phase factors, i.e., the lattice path integrals, on all closed lattice paths of different lengths. A very large number, e.g., up to ${10}^{81}$ for the square lattice, of exact lattice path integrals are obtained. Analytic results of these lattice path integrals then enable us to obtain the resistive transition temperature as a continuous function of the field. In particular, we can analyze measurable effects on the superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}(B)$ as a function of the magnetic field B, originating from the electron trajectories over loops of various lengths. In addition to systematically deriving previously observed features and understanding the physical origin of the dips in ${T}_{c}(B)$ as a result of multiple-loop quantum interference effects, we also find novel results. In particular, we explicitly derive the self-similarity in the phase diagram of square networks. Our approach allows us to analyze the complex structure present in the phase boundaries from the viewpoint of quantum interference effects due to the electron motion on the underlying lattices. The physical origin of the structures in the phase diagrams is derived in terms of the size of regions of the lattice explored by the electrons. Namely, the larger the region of the sample the electrons can explore (and thus the larger the number of paths the electron can take), the finer and sharper structure appears in the phase boundary. Our results for kagom\'e and honeycomb lattices compare very well with recent experimental measurements by Xiao et al. [preceding paper, Phys. Rev. B 65, 214503 (2001)].
Hardware systems in the core curriculum of a computer science ph.d. program

This syllabus is organized around the view of digital computer systems presented in chapter 1 of Bell and Newell the major divisions of the syllabus correspond to the major conceptual levels of design and description of digital systems, and the divisions (levels) appear in order of increasing complexity. Two things need to be said about this organization.First, while this conceptual structure of computer systems according to levels of complexity has an intrinsic formal appeal, many if not most of the references cited at any given level or sublevel of the structure do not confine themselves exclusively to material at that level. References occasionally reach up to borrow concepts from a higher level of complexity, and of course they frequently reach down to provide lower-level underpinnings for the systems they describe.
Publication Trends in American Meteorological Society Technical Journals

Abstract Some statistical measures of growth of American Meteorological Society technical journals have been compiled. A general upward trend in total number of articles, pages, and an increase (nearly doubling during the past 20 years) in the average length of articles is found, Approximately half of this growth appears to he attributable to the increasing figure content of papers and half to the expansion of text apart from figures. Growth causes and impacts are discussed.