cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dissolution of polymer films in supercritical carbon dioxide using a quartz crystal microbalance

Abstract The dissolution kinetics of polymeric materials in CO 2 is crucial to the understanding, design and control of CO 2 -based environmentally benign lithography processes. This study utilizes the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to monitor and evaluate the dissolution of poly(1,1-dihydroperfluorooctyl methacrylate- r -2-tetrahydropyranyl methacrylate), poly(FOMA- r -THPMA), polymer films in supercritical CO 2 over a range of temperatures and pressures. Polymer dissolution rates at the range of pressures studied were evaluated to quantify the dissolution kinetics for the polymer. The experiments revealed that the polymer dissolution in supercritical CO 2 undergoes two apparent processes: a rapid absorption of CO 2 into the polymer film followed by a gradual dissolution of polymer film into the CO 2 at the polymer–CO 2 interface. The nature of these interfacial phenomena and their associated effect on the rate are discussed.
Effect of electropulsing on the microstructure and properties of iron-based amorphous alloys

Etude experimentale dans les alliages amorphes Fe 75 Si 10 B 15 et Fe 79 Si 7 B 14 . Les alliages sont moins amorphes apres impulsion electrique. La cristallisation s'est deplacee vers une plus basse temperature. Cet effet ne peut pas etre interprete comme le resultat d'une agitation thermique, mais plutot comme l'effet direct d'un flux electronique
Regenerative brake energy analysis for the VT REX plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

The market sector of hybrid-electric and full function electric vehicles is growing within the automotive transportation sector. This paper will focus on understanding the gains of regenerative braking and the associated energy losses. The energy equations for tractive effort at the wheels can be resolved into propelling, braking, and idle. For this study, the braking section of a drive cycle will be the primary focus. Regenerative braking allows the vehicle to recoup some of the energy that would be lost to friction brakes by using the motor as a generator. The energy recovery and losses of regen braking will be explained with the impacts on range, and supplying accessory loads. This study will focus on validating the model against the Virginia Tech Range Extended Crossover (VT REX ) that was built to compete in EcoCAR: the NeXt Challenge.
Robust cross-directional control of large scale sheet and film processes

Abstract Sheet and film processes, which include papermaking, polymer film extrusion, and adhesive coating, are of substantial industrial importance. The processes are poorly conditioned and truly large scale, with up to hundreds of manipulated variables and thousands of sensor locations. The uncertainties in sheet and film process models require that they be explicitly taken into account during the control design procedure. Numerically efficient algorithms are developed that provide robust optimal controllers for a wide variety of uncertainty descriptions. The robust optimality of the controllers can be relaxed to provide low order controllers suitable for real time implementation. Robust controllers are designed for a simulated paper machine, based on a realistic description of the interactions across the machine, and the level of model inaccuracies.
Athermal Performance in Titania-Clad Microring Resonators on SOI

We propose the use of titanium dioxide as cladding material to reduce the temperature sensitivity of silicon-based microresonators. The advantages of using titanium dioxide over the conventional alternatives are discussed, and experimental results are presented.
Osteoblastoma: a 30-year study of 99 cases.

Background and Objectives Osteoblastoma is a rare, bone-forming neoplasm accounting for 1% of primary bone tumors. It arises in young patients and develops in long bones and posterior elements of the spine. Osteoblastoma is characterized by interconnecting trabeculae of woven bone and rimmed by prominent osteoblasts. In the current study we characterize osteoblastoma by its demographic and anatomic prevalence. We looked at rates of recurrence as related to treatment. Methods We performed a review of our institution's Orthopaedic Oncology tumor registry and identified 99 verified cases of osteoblastoma treated between 1974 and 2006. Data related to demographic, anatomic, surgical treatment and follow-up information were analyzed. Results The cohort included 69 males and 30 females with an average age of 24 ± 14 years. The most common sites of occurrence were the vertebral column (28 patients) and the humerus (21 patients). The tumors were treated with en bloc surgical resection or curettage with allograft or autograft. Local recurrence rate was 24% and most followed curettage and packing. No patient died of disease. Conclusions Osteoblastoma frequently affects the long bones and the spine. The recurrence rate following curettage is relatively high and can be minimized by resective surgery, in select cases. J. Surg. Oncol. 2008;98:179–183. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rejoinder to Derek Bickerton

L'article est une reponse de l'A. a une critique de Derek Bickerton a propos de ses travaux sur les constructions de series verbales en saramacca et sur une origine possible vers les langues nigerianes/kwa
The mitochondrial genome of Fusarium oxysporum

Physical and genetic maps have been constructed for mtDNA from strains of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum representing three pathogenically specialized forms. All three mtDNA maps are circular. Their sizes are 45 kb for F. oxysporum f.sp. raphani and 52 kb for both F. oxysporum f.sp. conglutinans and F. oxysporum f.sp. matthioli. The genetic loci for cytochrome b, the mitochondrial 25S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit II, have been identified and are similarly arranged on the three genomes.
Renegotiation Design: Evidence from National Football League Roster Bonuses

AbstractI exploit unique data on National Football League (NFL) players’ contracts to show how contractual arrangements in the NFL shape renegotiation and through that channel significantly affect players’ compensation and allocations. I show that a change in the timing of payments through the use of roster bonuses leads to contractual renegotiation and termination earlier in the off-season. This change in renegotiation incentives has quantitatively important consequences for players’ compensation and allocations. Players are willing to forgo approximately $260,000 for a contract with modified renegotiation incentives. Moreover, players who are terminated earlier sign more valuable subsequent contracts and rematch with other teams more frequently. These predictions are consistent with a model in which players in the NFL are subject to contractual holdup. Designing renegotiation incentives through an altered timing of payments—the roster bonus—ameliorates this problem, which substantially increases ex post...
Lutein protects retinal pigment epithelium from cytotoxic oxidative stress.

AbstractContext: Lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA) are currently under investigation in clinical trials as prophylactic nutritional agents for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, dose used in these trials is empirical and not been investigated in in vitro studies.Objective: In this study, we investigated the dose–response effect of LUT and ZEA in protecting retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from oxidative stress, a common underlying pathology in AMD.Methods: Three thousand cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were plated in 72-well plate and after 24 h were exposed to increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). ARPE-19 cells were exposed to four different concentrations of LUT (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µg/mL) and ZEA (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 µg/mL). After 24 h incubation, cells were subjected to oxidative stress induced with H2O2. Cultures containing saline solution and dichloromethane served as controls. Cell viability was assessed using the WST-1 assay. Pathophysiologica...
Nutritional Intervention in Young Women with Eating Disorders: A Brief Report

Eating disorders in young women are often associated with a number of comorbid conditions, including mood disorders and cognitive problems. Although group therapy is often used as part of overall treatment for eating disorders in many types of settings, specific nutritional interventions used in such settings have rarely been evaluated. In this study, I evaluated the effects of a nutritional intervention used by 78 girls, aged 12–18 years, at a private school. My results showed that nutritional knowledge increased following intervention, but attitudes toward eating healthy did not change.
Resonant-photoemission investigation of the Heusler alloys Ni2MnSb and NiMnSb.

Photoemission was used to investigate the electronic density of states (DOS) in ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{2}$MnSb and NiMnSb. Comparisons with calculated band structures reveal reasonable agreement, but there are indications that the calculations overemphasize Ni 3d contributions at some binding energies. Resonant effects at the Mn 3p core threshold were employed to obtain information on the Mn 3d partial densities of states and these indicate that Mn 3d character is spread throughout the valence bands, in agreement with theory. These effects are strongest in the bottom of the valence band around a binding energy of 3.1 eV and produce structure which agrees well with the theoretical Mn 3d DOS, but are weak for other portions of the calculated Mn DOS. These results are discussed in the context of models for the formation of localized moments in these materials.
Genetic Variation within and among Remnant Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii, Poaceae) Populations in the Carolinas

Abstract Genetic diversity within and among nine Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem) populations from various physiographic regions of North and South Carolina was assessed. Genetic diversity was high at both the species level and at the population level. At the species level, percent polymorphic loci (P) was 96.4% (27 of 28 loci), the number of alleles per polymorphic locus (AP) was 4.07, and genetic diversity (He) was 0.425. Mean within population values were P= 82.6%, AP = 2.68, and He = 0.351. Within population genetic diversity (He) ranged from 0.190 to 0.466. Allelic richness values per population ranged from 37 to 71. The proportion of genetic diversity among populations (Gst) was 0.166. Mean genetic diversity for the 3 larger populations (He = 0.369) and within the 6 smaller populations (He = 0.341) did not differ significantly (P = 0.554). Nei's unbiased genetic identity between pairs of populations ranged from 0.652 to 0.975. Mean genetic identity of individual populations with the 8 other popula...
Implications of Io's magnetic signature : Ferromagnetism ?

The Galileo spacecraft recently measured an ≈ 40% decrease of Jupiter's magnetic field near Io from a distance of 0.5 RIo [Kivelson et al., 1996], a signature that cannot be explained in terms of the previously known Alfven wing current system alone. The Galileo observations can be explained by an additional magnetic moment of Io aligned with the ambient Jovian field. There is no Earth-like magnetosphere at Io because its magnetic moment is not sufficient to stand off the Jovian field far above Io's atmosphere. The Alfven wing current system must close within the Io interior, implying an electrical conductivity in the outer layers much higher than that expected for solid rock alone. Since widespread sulfur-rich aquifers are present to support Io's extensive volcanism, the thermal and electrical conductivities in Io's outer layers will be higher than would be the case for solid rock. We suggest that on average the temperature remains below the Curie point to a depth on the order of at least 300 km. Io's magnetic moment could then be explained as thermoremanent magnetization of ferromagnetic material. In this model, Io's outer layers cooled through the Curie temperature in a magnetic field about 15 times the current ambient field at Io. At that time, Io was closer to Jupiter, and/or Jupiter's dynamo magnetic moment was stronger.
WITHDRAWAL OF LIFE SUPPORT: NURSE AND PHYSICIAN ATTITUDES IN THE NURSERY

Withdrawal of life support from very sick newborns is a leading issue of medical ethics. We surveyed 100 attending pediatricians, 23 pediatric houseofficers and 82 nurses caring for newborns in a regional tertiary nursery. An 83 item questionnaire measured if respondents believed that demial or withdrawal of various life support measures was justified for infants with specific serious medical conditions. Respondents' judgements varied significantly depending on the condition in question; for example, 46% said withdrawal of life support was “nearly always” justified for trisomy 13 compared with 23% for severe short gut and 2% for Down Syndrome. Most pairwise comparisons of responses to varying conditions were significant at p<.01, indicating that life support judgements are based on medical criteria. However, significant response differences were also found among respondents of different medical training, religious backgrounds, and public policy attitudes. Among the groups more likely to believe maintenance of life support is justified are physicians, churchgoing Catholics and Protestants, and those who feel that intensive care medicine is cost effective for society (all p values<01). Although physicians were less likely to deny support than nurses, they were more likely (p<.01), once a withdrawal decision had been made, to deny a wider range of life support systems (eg. IV fluids, ventilation). The importance of medical role, religion, and policy preferences in life support judgements raises questions about the subjectivity of such decisions in practice, which has profound ethical implications. Furthermore, differences in physicians' and nurses' views underscore the need for better communication on life support decisions.
Infrared Transmission and Fluorescence of Doped Gallium Arsenide

Experimental measurements of the fundamental optical absorption edge show that with increased doping, $n$-type GaAs exhibits a shift of the optical absorption edge to higher energy at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, while $p$-type GaAs at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K shows a shift to lower energy. For $n$-type GaAs at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and $p$-type GaAs at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, a combination of the two effects is observed. Fluorescence emission for the relatively low doped $n$-type GaAs occurs at nearly the energy of the band gap, while the highest doped materials emit at higher energies. The $p$-type fluorescence occurs through the acceptor state at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, but not at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. A deep level, presumably an acceptor level about 0.08 eV above the valence band, was found for Ge-doped GaAs.
Mitochondrial DNA-depleted neuroblastoma (Rho‡) cells exhibit altered calcium signaling

To investigate the role of chronic mitochondrial dysfunction on intracellular calcium signaling, we studied basal and stimulated cytosolic calcium levels in SH-SY5Y cells and a derived cell line devoid of mitochondrial DNA (Rho degrees ). Basal cytosolic calcium levels were slightly but significantly reduced in Rho degrees cells. The impact of chronic depletion of mitochondrial DNA was more evident following exposure of cells to carbachol, a calcium mobilizing agent. Calcium transients generated in Rho degrees cells following application of carbachol were more rapid than those in SH-SY5Y cells. A plateau phase of calcium recovery during calcium transients was present in SH-SY5Y cells but absent in Rho degrees cells. The rapid calcium transients in Rho degrees cells were due, in part, to increased reliance on Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange activity at the plasma membrane and the plateau phase in calcium recovery in SH-SY5Y cells was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. We also examined whether mitochondrial DNA depletion influenced calcium responses to release of intracellular calcium stores. Rho degrees cells showed reduced responses to the uncoupler, FCCP, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin. Acute exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to mitochondrial inhibitors did not mimic the results seen in Rho degrees cells. These results suggest that cytosolic calcium homeostasis in this neuron-like cell line is significantly altered as a consequence of chronic depletion of mitochondrial DNA.
Effect of Intake on Digestive Efficiency

Abstract Digestive efficiency predicted from measurements of nonproducing ruminant animals overestimate by at least 12% the digestibility of the same ration fed to the lactating dairy cow. Additional data demonstrate that much of the reduced digestive efficiency of the lactating dairy cow is correlated with the amount of diet consumed per unit of time. Limited data suggest that digestibility of all fractions of the diet are not depressed equally. Digestibility of cellulose and hemicellulose is depressed 2 to 3 times digestibility of soluble carbohydrate at high intake. Most of the systematic bias in the present system of feed evaluation for lactating dairy cows can be removed by adjusting for the effect of intake on digestive efficiency. More research on factors affecting digestive efficiency of the structural carbohydrate of plant cell walls is needed to develop a precise method for predicting total ration nutritive value of diets fed to the high producing dairy cow.
Recurrent arthritis in Reiter's syndrome: a function of inapparent chlamydial infection of the synovium?

Abstract Present or prior infection with any of several common bacterial pathogens has been strongly implicated in the development of Reiter's syndrome (RS). However, because Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen in the western hemisphere, this organism has emerged as a major causative agent of the disease. An important but as yet poorly understood aspect of chlamydia-related RS is the recurrence of active arthritis in the absence of any overt infection or reinfection with the organism. In this article, a large body of published clinical and experimental observations strongly suggesting that some chlamydial infections in humans can be inapparent—not detectable by standard culture or antibody-based laboratory screening methods—is reviewed. The authors' own initial molecular genetic studies, which support that contention, are summarized. Based on these data, the argument is developed that not only does inapparent chlamydial infection occur in humans, but such infections may have significant consequences in terms of the pathogenesis of RS, including the possible causation of recurrent episodes of disease in the absence of active infection. The therapeutic implications of potential inapparent chlamydial infections as they relate to RS are discussed.
A nondestructive experimental study on damage progression in woven glass-epoxy composites

The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the damage progression in composite materials undergoing tension loading, while pushing the boundaries on measurements to identify material damage. Several SHM methods are used to detect the types of damage that are observed in each test. A Digital Image Correlation system is used to measure the surface strain throughout the test and also the residual strain after each loading cycle. The residual strain is used as an indicator for the presence of damage in the structure. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are bonded to the composite material and are used to detect damage using Electromechanical Impedance Spectroscopy (EMIS). The EMIS method analyzes the changes in the structural resonances and anti-resonances. The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (ECIS) method is also used to detect damage. This method uses the impedance of the structure to determine the state of the structure. As the damage progresses in the composite, the impedance across the thickness will change.
Inadequate Luteal Function Is the Initial Clinical Cyclic Defect in a 12-Day Stress Model that Includes a Psychogenic Component in the Rhesus Monkey

As part of our goal to develop nonhuman primate models to prospectively study how different types of stress may affect the menstrual cycle, we have investigated whether a short-term stress challenge that includes a significant psychogenic component can induce cyclic dysfunction. The study was performed in rhesus monkeys. The stress challenge had several components that included the psychological response to both a tethering system and to a simultaneous move to an unfamiliar environment and the response to the short surgical procedures required to install and disconnect the tethering system. The stress challenge lasted for 12 d and was initiated in the follicular (n = 5) or luteal (n = 6) phase of the menstrual cycle. At the end of the stress period, the tethering system was removed, and the animal was returned to its regular housing. To monitor cyclicity, FSH, LH, E2, and progesterone were measured daily throughout the two preceding control cycles, the experimental cycle, and the two poststress cycles, whereas the adrenal endocrine axis response was monitored by measuring cortisol. Animals remained ovulatory after the short-term stress; however, integrated progesterone secretion in the luteal phase (from the day of LH surge +1 to the day of menstruation -1) of the stress cycle was significantly decreased by 51.6% when the stress was initiated in the follicular phase and by 30.9% when it started in the luteal phase. Lower integrated LH levels (luteal d 5-13) accompanied the decreased progesterone. Cyclic parameters were still abnormal in the first poststress cycle, such as a prolonged follicular phase after a stress in the preceding follicular phase or inadequate luteal function after a stress in the preceding luteal phase. Within 4 h of the stress, there was a rapid 3-fold increase in cortisol levels over controls. Levels decreased progressively thereafter but remained significantly higher than controls during the entire short-term stress period. They were still significantly higher in the first 2 wk after stress. Overall, the data suggest that secretory inadequacy of the corpus luteum represents a first clinical stage in the damage that stress can inflict on the normal menstrual cycle. Of interest is the observation that this limited 12-d stress, which includes a significant psychogenic component, continues to produce detrimental effects on the menstrual cycle past the period during which it is exerted. Significant decreases in integrated luteal LH values in the poststress cycle suggest that these effects may be related to continuing disturbances in the neuroendocrine component of the reproductive axis.
Agricultural co-operatives in the United States: Origin and current status

Abstract Agricultural co-operatives are a unique form of enterprise which has been very successful in the United States. They are farmer owned organisations that provide services and products for members on a cost basis. These organisations emerged from early co-operative efforts of pioneers and settlers and eventually evolved into modern business associations. The number of co-operatives expanded rapidly from 1890 into the 1930s as the co-operative movement became popular and received the support of large farm organisations and other agrarian interests. The Capper-Volstead Act of 1922 and other legislation provided additional support for co-operatives. Many associations were formed during the 1920s and 1930s as farmers attempted to counteract the effects of the great depression. After World War II co-operatives began to expand the size and scope of their operations through economic integration, mergers and consolidations. They adopted improved business practices and became more efficient. The number of co-operatives began to decline in the 1960s, but business volume continued to increase. In the late 1970s, agricultural related co-operatives generated a total business volume of over US$100 billion which represented about 30% of cash farm receipts, 20% of farm supplies and 34% of the farm real estate debt outstanding in the United States. In the last two decades co-operatives have been faced with a number of emerging issues and problems: a renewal of antitrust issues, the growth of bargaining associations, the development of export markets, new methods of financing larger capital investment requirements, the adoption of new technology and the modernisation of facilities, the need for a broader service mix and improved member relations. These issues provide both problems and challenges for agricultural co-operatives in the years ahead.
A recombinant E. coli bioprocess for hyaluronan synthesis

An Escherichia coli strain, JM109, was successfully engineered into an efficient hyaluronic acid (HA) producer by co-expressing the only known class-II HA synthase from a Gram-negative bacterium (Pasteurella multocida) and uridine diphosphate-glucose dehydrogenase from E. coli K5 strain. The engineered strain produced about 0.5 g/L HA in shake flask culture and about 2.0-3.8 g/L in a fed-batch fermentation process in a 1-L bioreactor. The sharp increase in viscosity associated with HA accumulation necessitated pure oxygen supplement to maintain fermentation in aerobic regime. Precursor supply during HA synthesis was probed by glucosamine supplement, which shortens biosynthesis pathway and eliminates one step requiring ATP. HA synthesis was increased with glucosamine supplement from 2.7 to 3.7 g/L (37%), which was mirrored with a concomitant 42% decrease in pure oxygen input, suggesting a close connection between energy metabolism and precursor supply. Decoupling HA synthesis from cell growth by using fosfomycin (an inhibitor for cell wall synthesis) led to a 70% increase in HA synthesis, suggesting detrimental effects on HA synthesis from cell growth via precursor competition. This study demonstrates a potentially viable process for HA based on a recombinant E. coli strain. In addition, the precursor supply limitation identified in this study suggests new engineering targets in subsequent metabolic engineering efforts.
Measuring participation outcomes following life-saving medical interventions: the Role Checklist Version 2: Quality of Performance.

AbstractPurpose: To establish the Role Checklist Version 2: Quality of Performance as a measure of past, present and desired future role incumbency, role value and self-perception of the quality of role performance for 10 roles consistent with the ICF Participation Domains. Methods: Discuss the literature on the measurement of participation; present a conceptually based case for similarities in content between the RC V2: QP; and illustrate through a case example its efficacy as a balanced measure of performance. Results: Despite different origins, the ICF domain areas: Chapters 6–9 correspond to the roles included in the RC V2: QP. The measure is shown sensitive to change in quality of performance through insider self-report serving in the case provided, as an early indicator of deterioration in physical status. Conclusion: A balanced measure of the insider and outsider perspective of participation, the case of one liver transplant recipient illustrates how the RC V2: QP serves to reflect participation ou...
The Internet, ethical values, and conceptual frameworks: an introduction to Cyberethics

What exactly is Cyberethics? How did the field develop? What are some of the central issues and themes in this field, and what methodologies are used by those working in this area of applied ethics? These and related questions are considered in the readings included in Chapter 1. It is perhaps important to note at the outset that the field that many are now beginning to refer to as "cyberethics" has until quite recently been referred to by the more general label "computer ethics." Other expressions that are also now used to refer to ethical issues involving computing and Internet technologies are "information ethics," "information technology ethics," "information and communication technology (ICT) ethics," "global information ethics," and "Internet ethics." As in the case of "Internet ethics," "cyberethics" is intended to refer to ethical concerns involving the Internet, in particular. And it is primarily with ethical issues involving that particular medium that we will be concerned in this textbook of readings. It is also important to note that the expression "computer ethics" describes better the impact that computing technology in general has had for ethics as well as for our social and political institutions. Although our main concern will be with those ethical issues involving the Internet, many of the readings included in Chapter 1 are also concerned with ethical issues in a broader sense of computing technologies. Hence, the expressions "cyberethics" and "computer ethics" may, at times, be used interchangeably in this chapter.
A new methodology and finding relating to visual stimulus selection in children

The purposes of the present study were: (a) to examine more closely the effects of stimulus incongruity on visual selection in children by employing stimuli which represented four points on a continuum of incongruity; (b) to employ a procedure which would closely approximate a natural environment and thus increase the situational generality of the results. Results demonstrating the influence of stimulus incongruity on fixation-dominance were replicated using a modified procedure in which a child sat in a waiting room unaware that his looking behavior was observed. This replication lends credance to the situational generality of those earlier findings. The extension of this basic replication indicates that with children the relationship between stimulus incongruity and fixation-dominance is monotonic and increasing.
DIRSIG 5: core design and implementation

The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model has been developed at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for over two decades. The last major update of the model, DIRSIG 4, built on an established, first-principles, multi- and hyper-spectral scene simulation tool. It introduced a modern and flexible software architecture to support new sensor modalities and more complex and dynamic scenes. Since that time, the needs of the user community have grown and diversified in tandem with the computational capabilities of modern hardware. Faced with a desire to model more complex, multi-component systems that are beyond the original intent and capabilities of an aging software design, a new version of DIRSIG, version 5, is being introduced to the community. This paper describes the core of DIRSIG 5 that is responsible for linking the disparate sensor, scene, and environmental models together, spatially, temporally, and parametrically. The spatial relationships are governed by a planet-centric universe model encompassing a whole globe digital elevation and optical property model, the scene model(s), globally varying atmospheric models, and a space model. Temporal relationships are driven by a formal modeling and simulation architecture based on approaches used in engineering and biological sciences to model highly dynamic and interactive systems. Finally, the parametric interfaces are described by a universal data model that facilitates scripting, inter-dependent properties and user interface construction. The design of these components will be presented along with specific module implementation details. These simulation tools will be used to demonstrate some of the new capabilities and applications of DIRSIG 5.
A comparison of younger-aged and older-aged women in a behavioral self-control smoking program.

Abstract This study examines differences in motivation for quitting smoking, withdrawal experiences and weight changes in younger and older aged women who entered a smoking cessation program designed specifically for women smokers. In an assessment prior to quitting smoking 26 women aged 20–49 years (younger-aged women) and 19 women aged 50–75 years (older-aged women) did not show differences in number of prior quit attempts or their dependence on nicotine (as measured in the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire). The older aged women smoked for a significantly greater number of years but smoked fewer cigarettes per day than the younger women. In a self-report questionnaire the two age groups differed in their reasons stated for wanting to give up cigarettes and symptoms of illness they experienced related to smoking. The average weight gains for women who quit smoking were minimal (3.5 lb, younger; 3.9 lb, older; 1 lb = 0.453 592/37 kg) although more younger women than older women reported they expected difficulty with weight gain after cessation. Changes in withdrawal experiences were not significantly different at any point during the initial phase of quitting (24, 48 and 72 h).
Stochastic Bistability and Bifurcation in a Mesoscopic Signaling System with Autocatalytic Kinase

Bistability is a nonlinear phenomenon widely observed in nature including in biochemical reaction networks. Deterministic chemical kinetics studied in the past has shown that bistability occurs in systems with strong (cubic) nonlinearity. For certain mesoscopic, weakly nonlinear (quadratic) biochemical reaction systems in a small volume, however, stochasticity can induce bistability and bifurcation that have no macroscopic counterpart. We report the simplest yet known reactions involving driven phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle kinetics with autocatalytic kinase. We show that the noise-induced phenomenon is correlated with free energy dissipation and thus conforms with the open-chemical system theory. A previous reported noise-induced bistability in futile cycles is found to have originated from the kinase synchronization in a bistable system with slow transitions, as reported here.
Differential cytotoxicity exhibited by silica nanowires and nanoparticles

Silica nanowires are one-dimensional nanomaterials that are being developed for use in biological systems. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the cytotoxic potential of this type of nanomaterial. Here, using two different human epithelial cell lines we have examined the cytotoxicity of silica nanowires over a broad concentration range. The results indicate that silica nanowires are nontoxic at concentrations below 190 µg/ml but exhibit considerable cytotoxicity at higher concentrations. Examination of the mechanisms responsible for nanowire-induced cytotoxicity indicates that apoptotic pathways are not activated. Instead, cytotoxicity appears to be primarily due to increased necrosis in cells exposed to high concentrations of nanowires. In contrast to what was seen with silica nanowires, analysis of silica nanoparticles revealed very little cytotoxicity even at the highest concentrations tested. These results indicate that structural differences between silica nanomaterials can have dramatic effects...
Computer-simulation studies on roles of potassium currents in neurotransmission of the auditory nerve.

Abstract Our previous work showed that action potentials (APs) fired in spiral ganglion (SG) neurons broaden gradually as a result of cumulative inactivation of the potassium current (IK), or with the application of a tinnitus-inducing drug (quinine). These results led us to speculate that AP width could affect neurotransmission of the auditory nerve under both normal and pathological conditions. This study used both experimental and theoretical approaches to test this hypothesis. We first measured the effect of AP broadening on Ca2+ entry into SG neurons. The effect of pre-synaptic AP broadening on post-synaptic responses was then assessed using computer-simulations. Results showed that wider presynaptic APs augmented responses of all types of postsynaptic glutamatergic receptors mainly by amplifying responses of postsynaptic receptors whose locations were not well aligned with the presynaptic release sites. A cumulative inactivation of IK in SG neurons significantly enhanced the responses of kainate receptors at all spike rates, while the augmentations for the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid and N-methyl- D -aspartic acid receptors were most prominent below 100 spikes/s. These modeling results suggest that, in addition to the AP firing rate and timing, the width of APs could affect the neurotransmission of the auditory nerve under both normal and pathological conditions.
Fabrication of an Absorber-Coupled MKID Detector and Readout for Sub-Millimeter and Far-Infrared Astronomy

We have fabricated absorber-coupled microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) arrays for sub-millimeter and far-infrared astronomy. Each detector array is comprised of lambda/2 stepped impedance resonators, a 1.5 micrometer thick silicon membrane, and 380 micrometer thick silicon walls. The resonators consist of parallel plate aluminum transmission lines coupled to low impedance Nb microstrip traces of variable length, which set the resonant frequency of each resonator. This allows for multiplexed microwave readout and, consequently, good spatial discrimination between pixels in the array. The Al transmission lines simultaneously act to absorb optical power and are designed to have a surface impedance and filling fraction so as to match the impedance of free space. Our novel fabrication techniques demonstrate high fabrication yield of MKID arrays on large single crystal membranes and sub-micron front-to-back alignment of the microstrip circuit.
Influence of Combinations of Oat Hulls and Sodium Trimetaphosphate Upon Dental Caries in the Rat

Two rat caries studies were conducted in which oat hulls, sodium trimetaphosphate, and combinations thereof were incorporated into two different caries-producing diets. The type of diet used was found to influence the anti-caries effects of oat hulls. In many instances, the cariostatic effect of the two agents was additive or even synergistic.
On the congruence transformation of a pencil of real symmetric matrices to a pencil with identical characteristic polynomial

Abstract Simultaneous nonorthogonal congruence transformations for pairs A , B of 2 × 2 real symmetric matrices which leave the characteristic polynomial of the pencil x 1 A + x 2 B invariant are studied.
Genetic Organization of Plasmid ColJs, Encoding Colicin Js Activity, Immunity, and Release Genes

Colicins are plasmid-encoded toxic exoproteins that are produced by colicinogenic strains of Escherichia coli and some related species of the family Enterobacteriaceae (28, 29). To date, at least 23 colicin types have been described in detail (19, 27, 30, 34). They exert an inhibitory effect on sensitive bacteria of the same family and preferably on strains of the same species. The molecular masses of colicins range between 29,000 and 75,000 Da (7). Colicin polypeptide chains can be divided into separate functional domains, each of which is responsible for one step in the interaction between the colicin and a sensitive bacterium. The central domain of colicins is involved in the attachment of the colicin molecule to a specific outer membrane receptor protein, the N-terminal domain mediates translocation through the cell envelope, and the C-terminal domain exerts the lethal effect (4, 6, 7). At least 12 different outer membrane proteins have been shown to be colicin receptors, two different translocation systems (Ton and Tol) used by colicins have been identified, and six different modes of molecular lethal action of colicins have been described (7, 10, 22, 34). Some molecules initially described as colicins were later reclassified as microcins, e.g., colicin V as microcin V and colicin X as microcin B19. In contrast to these oligopeptide microcins (3), colicins are larger proteins. Moreover, colicins are not posttranslationally modified, are usually inducible by the SOS response, and also differ from microcins by the mode of export from the producer bacteria. Colicin Js was originally described as a bacteriocin of Shigella sonnei colicinotype 7 (1, 2). In 1987, colicin type 7 was reclassified in accordance with Fredericq's original classification scheme (14) and designated colicin Js. Its particular physicochemical and biological characteristics were published (33). For a number of reasons, colicin Js appeared to be a rather exceptional colicin type: producer bacteria, as well as the indicator strain S. sonnei 17 (colicin type 6), were involved in outbreaks of epidemic diarrhea (12). Colicin Js showed a unique antimicrobial spectrum, being inactive against standard E. coli colicin indicators. Indirect fluorimetry measurements indicated that the mode of action of colicin Js was not analogous to that of either pore-forming or nuclease-type colicins (33). Colicin Js was shown to be active against enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) serotypes (17). The sensitivity to Js was 90% associated with the ability of EIEC strains to produce experimental keratoconjunctivitis in rabbits. Strains belonging to EIEC serotypes that were not sensitive to colicin Js were, as a rule, negative in the enteroinvasiveness test (17). This communication presents a number of new details of the colicin Js system. These include the structure of the colicin Js coding region on plasmid ColJs; identification of genes for colicin activity, immunity, and release; and molecular characterization of the Js polypeptide.
Central Fatigue: Issues Related to Cognition, Mood and Behavior, and Psychiatric Diagnoses

Describe and define the concept of central fatigue, as well as discuss the behavioral and neuroimaging studies that attempt its assessment and measurement. A brief description of how fatigue can be differentiated from psychiatric symptoms and from sleepiness is also provided. Promising directions for future research will be outlined in the final portion of this review. Despite its popular clinical use as a descriptor of certain symptomatology, fatigue is not a unitary construct. Describing central fatigue as distinct from peripheral fatigue represents one way of understanding the underlying neural and behavioral concomitants of fatigue.
Public Health Educators' Participation in Teams: Implications for Preparation and Practice.

Collaboration among public health organizations is essential to ensuring the health of the public. Much of the day-to-day work of public health educators is done in groups or teams or in consultation with others. This study examined the extent of health educators' work in teams as a proxy for collaboration. Health educators participated in an average of four teams per individual; three of these were interorganizational teams. Moreover, 40% of the respondents participated in five or more teams. Health educators supervised by other health educators were more likely to work in interorganizational teams than were those supervised by other professionals. Certified Health Education Specialists were more likely to participate in intraorganizational teams. Curricula in academic programs should reflect the extensive teamwork in which health educators are involved. Employers need to provide health educators with grounding in organizational priorities and support to carry out their collaborative work.
Steady rotation of the Cascade arc

Displacement of the Miocene Cascade volcanic arc (northwestern North America) from the active arc is in the same sense and at nearly the same rate as the present clockwise block motions calculated from GPS velocities in a North American reference frame. Migration of the ancestral arc over the past 16 m.y. can be explained by clockwise rotation of upper-plate blocks at 1.0°/m.y. over a linear melting source moving westward 1–4.5 km/m.y. due to slab rollback. Block motion and slab rollback are in opposite directions in the northern arc, but both are westerly in the southern extensional arc, where rollback may be enhanced by proximity to the edge of the Juan de Fuca slab. Similarities between post–16 Ma arc migration, paleomagnetic rotation, and modern GPS block motions indicate that the secular block motions from decadal GPS can be used to calculate long-term strain rates and earthquake hazards. Northwest-directed Basin and Range extension of 140 km is predicted behind the southern arc since 16 Ma, and 70 km of shortening is predicted in the northern arc. The GPS rotation poles overlie a high-velocity slab of the Siletzia terrane dangling into the mantle beneath Idaho (United States), which may provide an anchor for the rotations.
Predicting LDC debt rescheduling: performance evaluation of OLS, logit, and neural network models

Empirical studies in the area of sovereign debt have used statistical models singularly to predict the probability of debt rescheduling. Unfortunately, researchers have made few efforts to test the reliability of these model predictions or to identify a superior prediction model among competing models. This paper tested neural network, OLS, and logit models' predictive abilities regarding debt rescheduling of less developed countries (LDC). All models predicted well out-of-sample. The results demonstrated a consistent performance of all models, indicating that researchers and practitioners can rely on neural networks or on the traditional statistical models to give useful predictions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deletion of the NR2A subunit prevents developmental changes of NMDA-mEPSCs in cultured mouse cerebellar granule neurones.

We investigated the role N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits play in shaping excitatory synaptic currents in cultures of cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) from NR2A knockout (NR2A−/−) and wild-type (+/+) mice. Cultures were maintained in a condition that facilitates the occurrence of functional synapses, allowing us to record NMDA-miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in addition to NMDA receptor-mediated whole-cell currents at three ages in vitro. Whole-cell NMDA current density decreased with development in both strains though currents from NR2A−/− neurones demonstrated greater sensitivity to CP101 606, an NR2B subunit specific blocker. Sensitivity to Mg2+ blockade decreased with age in vitro in +/+ but not in NR2A−/− CGCs. Immunocytochemistry revealed that dendrites and somas displayed distinct NR1 and NR2A subunit clusters which became increasingly colocalized in +/+ neurones. Qualitatively the overall NR2B subunit staining pattern was similar in +/+ and NR2A−/− neurones throughout development, suggesting that the NR2B subunit distribution is not mediated by the NR2A subunit. In addition, staining with markers for excitatory synapses showed that expression of NR2A subunit (but not NR2B) increases at both synaptic and extrasynaptic sites in +/+ neurones during development. In parallel, NMDA-mEPSCs were faster in +/+ compared with NR2A−/− neurones at all time points studied, suggesting that the NR2A subunit begins to replace NR2B-rich NMDA receptors even at early stages of development. Many NR2A−/− neurones were devoid of NMDA-mEPSCs at the later time point, and transfection of the NR2A subunit in these neurones restored fast decay and the occurrence of NMDA-mEPSCs. Taken together, our results indicate that the NR2A subunit is mainly responsible for the developmental changes observed in the maturation of excitatory synapses.