cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of β-Cyclodextrin Immobilized at Silica Surfaces by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Steady-state and frequency-domain fluorescence spectroscopy are used to study the inclusion complexation of six anilinonaphthalene sulfonates (ANSs) with silica-immobilized beta-cyclodextrin (βCD). To fit the experimental data, we compared several modified Lorentzian lifetime distribution models. However, in all cases studied, a simple unimodal Lorentzian distribution best fit the fluorescence decay kinetics. The recovered distribution shapes did not change substantially as the surface was titrated with ANS; however, subtle trends suggest that silica-immobilized βCDs in more hydrophobic environments complex first. Furthermore, the recovered distribution widths (a measure of the environmental heterogeneity) for the silica-immobilized βCD-ANS complexes are always broader than those for ANS-βCD complexes in bulk solution.
Resistance distribution in electrochemical capacitors with a bipolar structure

Abstract The distribution of internal resistance in a 5-cell electrochemical capacitor comprising an electrode material with 80 wt.% RuO 2 ·xH 2 O and 20 wt.% activated carbon and an electrolyte of 38 wt.% H 2 SO 4 acid solution was analyzed. It was found that over 94% of the internal resistance in the capacitor was contributed to various contacts with the current collector of the conducting plastic sheet. Careful analysis of three different contact sources including the current collector to the end metal plate, the current collector to the neighboring current collector, and the current collector to the electrode, it was found that the resistance was dominated by the contact resistance between the current collector and the electrode. A composite current collector, made with conducting plastic sheet coated with metal films on both surfaces, was proposed for reducing all kinds of contact resistances. Using the composite current collector, the internal resistance can be reduced to about only 26% of that using conventional conducting plastic sheet.
Social environmental factors and psychological responses to acute exercise for socially physique anxious females

Abstract Objectives This study examined whether social-environmental factors influenced the psychological responses to participation in a single session of group fitness exercise for females with heightened body image concerns. Design/Methods Socially physique anxious female college age students participated in this study ( N =99). A randomized 2×2 factorial design was used to examine the effect of leadership style (health versus appearance oriented) and mirrors (present or absent) on affective responses, enjoyment, self-efficacy, and future intentions. Results ANCOVA revealed that participants in the health oriented class reported more positive affective experiences than those in the appearance oriented classes with effect sizes (ES) ranging from .47 to .61. They also enjoyed exercise more (ES=.40) and reported being more likely to join a similar class in the future (ES=.69). Mirrors did not influence psychological responses by themselves or in conjunction with leadership style. Conclusions Exercise leader behavior influences the quality of the exercise experience for individuals with social physique anxiety by creating a health or appearance oriented class atmosphere.
Angiotropic large cell lymphoma presenting as primary adrenal insufficiency

Angiotropic large cell lymphoma is reported in two patients who developed severe metabolic acidosis and unexplained hypotension before death. In addition to the usual multiorgan involvement of the disease, the adrenal glands of both patients were symmetrically enlarged. Histologically, the cortical vessels were engorged and filled with neoplastic lymphoid cells of B-cell lineage, whereas the parenchymal cells were compressed and atrophic. Angiotrophic large cell lymphoma seems to be a distinct and unrecognized cause of primary adrenal insufficiency, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of adrenal hormone deficiency.
Small-Group Discussions and the Microcomputer.

An investigation into pupil-talk in groups during a CAL simulation game is reported. The role of language as an aid to communication and understanding is considered along with the potential of the microcomputer as a stimulus to and generator of discussion. The contents of children's conversations, at and away from the keyboard, are analysed.
PUVA (8-methoxy-psoralen plus ultraviolet A) induces the formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and DNA fragmentation in calf thymus DNA and human epidermoid carcinoma cells.

The objective of this study is to investigate if 8-methoxy-psoralen (8-MOP) plus ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation (PUVA) induces oxidative DNA damage. When calf thymus DNA was incubated with 8-MOP and irradiated with UVA (335–400 nm), the level of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was substantially increased by approximately 6-fold. Formation of 8-OHdG proportionally correlated with both UVA fluence and 8-MOP concentrations. Human epidermoid carcinoma cells were incubated with 10 μg 8-MOP per milliliter, followed by irradiation of 25 kJ/m2 UVA. The level of 8-OHdG increased by nearly 3-fold in PUVA-treated cells compared to 8-MOP and UVA controls. The formation of 8-OHdG correlated with DNA fragmentation as determined by spectrofluorometry. To investigate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved in PUVA-induced oxidative DNA damage, less or more specific ROS quenchers were added to DNA solution prior to PUVA treatment. The results showed that only sodium azide and genistein significantly quenched PUVA-induced 8-OHdG, whereas catalase, superoxide dismutase, and mannitol exhibited no effect. The quencher study with cultured cells indicated that N-acetyl-cysteine and genistein protected oxidative DNA damage as well as DNA fragmentation by PUVA treatment. Our studies show that PUVA treatment is able to induce the formation of 8-OHdG in purified DNA and cultured cells and suggest that singlet oxygen is the principle reactive oxygen species involved in oxidative DNA damage by PUVA treatment.
Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College

Weight gain and behavioral patterns during college may contribute to overweight and obesity in adulthood. The aims of this study were to assess weight, exercise, and dietary patterns of 764 college students (53% women, 47% men) during freshman and sophomore years. Students had their weight and height measured and completed questionnaires about their recent exercise and dietary patterns. At the beginning of freshman year, 29% of students reported not exercising, 70% ate fewer than 5 fruits and vegetables daily, and more than 50% ate fried or high-fat fast foods at least 3 times during the previous week. By the end of their sophomore year, 70% of the 290 students who were reassessed had gained weight (4.1+/-3.6 kg, p < .001), but there was no apparent association with exercise or dietary patterns. Future research is needed to assess the contributions of fat, muscle, and bone mass to observed weight gain and to determine the health implications of these findings.
3D web based surgical training through comparative analysis

Experienced surgeons mostly face fewer complications and have more control precision in a surgical procedure than the novice trainees. The residents and novice students (trainees) are trained through watch-and-learn basis during real surgeries performed by the experienced surgeons (attending physicians). The human patient simulators are also used for training in so many medical fields including surgery. Plus, several 3D e-learning portals are used for surgical training to boost the learning performance of the trainees. Even though there are many tools and methods used in surgical training which provide extensive hands-on training experience to trainees, they still require suggestions, guidance and surgical maneuvering techniques from experienced surgeons to perform a complex surgery. But the current training methods and tools are constrained due to the limited availability of experienced surgeons in training rooms. The existing e-learning systems provide a simple 3D simulation of the surgery with less interactive features and almost no real-time comments from experienced surgeons. In contrast to the existing 3D e-learning portals, we propose a real-time interactive 3D web based environment that will allow the trainees to compare their surgical procedures in training to that of the experienced surgeons through a website built on WebGL and X3D frameworks. We also propose a new cloud computing architecture to reduce the resource usage on the client-side and optimize the real-time updates through WebGL. The proposed architecture will be able to receive real-time updates from trainees and experienced surgeons. As a precedent of our research in surgical training, we show a real-time simulation of intubation procedure which was built using the X-ray computed tomography (CT scan) with intubation simulator. We measure some important parameters in surgical training like angle of the surgical tool and distance between the tool and softer body part in the intubation path. Finally, we discuss the future direction of our research and optimization of the current design, and deployment in a surgical training environment.
In Situ Design of Experiments for A Reactive Ion Etching Process

We introduce a new procedure to perform a design of experiments (DOE) for plasma etching processes. In particular, we use in situ etch rate estimations to maximize the number of observable setpoints during a single run of the etching process. This procedure is applied to characterize the spatial uniformity of a plasma chamber used in the manufacturing of flat panel displays.
SPA: smart meter privacy analyzer: demo abstract

Smart meter data, invites intended or unintended malicious and potentially dangerous privacy breaching activities, like activity detection of the habitants though it has high potential to facilitate innumerable utilities. Here, we propose a novel solution SPA: Smart meter Privacy Analyzer for addressing the problem of privacy breaching risk minimization smart home energy management systems. It is an unsupervised learning based method along with robust statistics and information theoretic approaches. This abstract provides overview of design and implementation of our tool along with obtained results and most importantly evaluation of a trade-off point to realize optimal privacy-utility trade-off.
Binary Phase Diagrams at the Air–Water Interface: An Experiment for Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Students

An experiment is described where students determine the binary phase diagram of mixed monolayer films of pentadecanoic acid (C15H30O2) and isopalmitic acid (C16H32O2). They do this by using Langmuir–Blodgett troughs to measure isotherms, surface pressure (π) measurements as a function of surface area, of the mixed films above an aqueous surface. The experiment is appropriate for third-year physical chemistry students. Students determine the surface pressure of the start of the phase transition between the liquid expanded (LE) phase and the tilted condensed (TC) phase from their isotherms and use it to obtain a boundary line between the LE and coexistence region. They also calculate the mole fraction of the solution in the tilted condensed phase at the pressure where the beginning of the LE to TC transition occurs to obtain the boundary line between the coexistence region and the TC region, allowing the students to create a binary phase diagram for the LE to TC transition. Students also integrate their iso...
Movement of Certain Herbicides Following Application to Simulated Golf Course Greens and Fairways

The objectives of this research were to: (i) determine the movement of pesticides through simulated golf course greens and (ii) determine the potential movement of pesticides from simulated fairways. Lysimeters were developed in the greenhouse and outside containing 'Penncross' bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) or 'Tifdwarf' bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] for collection of leachate from the bases. Simulated 'Tifway' bermudagrass fairways were developed with a 5% slope. Only small quantities of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid], dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid), and mecoprop [(±)-2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)-propanoic acid] were found in the leachate from the greenhouse and outside lysimeters. The concentrations of these herbicides did not exceed 6 μg L -1 and the total quantity to exit the lysimeters was less than 0.9% of the applied herbicide. Over an 8-d period following treatment, 48% of the simulated rainfall and 9, 14, and 13% of the applied 2,4-D, dicamba, and mecoprop, respectively, left the simulated fairways. Approximately 75% of the herbicides were transported from the plots during the first rainfall event. The highest concentration of the analytes in the collected runoff water occurred during the first event. These concentrations were 811, 279, and 820 μg L -1 2,4-D, dicamba, and mecoprop, respectively.
A computational technique to optimally design in-situ diffractive elements: applications to projection lithography at the resist resolution limit

Near-field interference lithography is a promising variant of multiple patterning in semiconductor device fabrication that can potentially extend lithographic resolution beyond the current materials-based restrictions on the Rayleigh resolution of projection systems. With H2O as the immersion medium, non-evanescent propagation and optical design margins limit achievable pitch to approximately 0.53λ/nH2O = 0.37λ. Non-evanescent images are constrained only by the comparatively large resist indices (typically1.7) to a pitch resolution of 0.5/nresist (typically 0.29). Near-field patterning can potentially exploit evanescent waves and thus achieve higher spatial resolutions. Customized near-field images can be achieved through the modulation of an incoming wavefront by what is essentially an in-situ hologram that has been formed in an upper layer during an initial patterned exposure. Contrast Enhancement Layer (CEL) techniques and Talbot near-field interferometry can be considered special cases of this approach. Since the technique relies on near-field interference effects to produce the required pattern on the resist, the shape of the grating and the design of the film stack play a significant role on the outcome. As a result, it is necessary to resort to full diffraction computations to properly simulate and optimize this process. The next logical advance for this technology is to systematically design the hologram and the incident wavefront which is generated from a reduction mask. This task is naturally posed as an optimization problem, where the goal is to find the set of geometric and incident wavefront parameters that yields the closest fit to a desired pattern in the resist. As the pattern becomes more complex, the number of design parameters grows, and the computational problem becomes intractable (particularly in three-dimensions) without the use of advanced numerical techniques. To treat this problem effectively, specialized numerical methods have been developed. First, gradient-based optimization techniques are used to accelerate convergence to an optimal design. To compute derivatives of the parameters, an adjoint-based method was developed. Using the adjoint technique, only two electromagnetic problems need to be solved per iteration to evaluate the cost function and all the components of the gradient vector, independent of the number of parameters in the design.
Antenatal maternal hypoxic stress: adaptations of the placental renin-angiotensin system in the mouse.

Abstract Abstract The stress of Antenatal Maternal Hypoxia (AMH) can lead to a number of physiological and pathological changes in both mother and fetus, changes which can be linked to alterations in placental morphology and gene regulation. Recently, in the Brown Norway rat “model” of placental insufficiency, we reported alterations in placental renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genes. Moreover, AMH can lead to reduced oxygen availability to the fetus, similar to a state of placental insufficiency. Thus, in pregnant mice dams we tested the hypothesis that antenatal maternal hypoxic stress leads to alterations in the placental RAS. These alterations may, in part, account for the phenotypic changes in both pregnant mice dams as well as fetus and adult offspring. Methods Pregnant FVB/NJ mice dams were either maintained as controls, or exposed to 10.5% O2 for 48 h from 15.5 to 17.5 day post coitum. We then measured placental mRNA and protein expression of several RAS genes (n = 4 to 5; P Result In murine placenta: (1) angiotensinogen (AGT) mRNA was undetectable; however, AGT protein was detectable and increased significantly with AMH. (2) In AMH, although renin mRNA was reduced protein expression increased, in association with decreased microRNA (miRNA) 199b, which can lead to increased renin translation. (3) Also in AMH placenta, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) -1 mRNA was unaltered; however, protein expression increased significantly, in association with decreased miRNA 27a, which can result in increased ACE-1 translation. (4) In AMH placenta, ACE-2 mRNA was reduced significantly, whereas protein expression was significantly greater, in association with reduced miRNA 429. (5) In AMH placenta, angiotensin II type (AT) -1a receptor mRNA expression was unaltered while AT-1b receptor mRNA was undetectable in both groups. Moreover, AT-1 receptor protein expression was unchanged in response to AMH. (6) AT-2 receptor mRNA and proteins were undetectable in both groups. Conclusion The normal murine placenta possesses several components of RAS, and in response to AMH several of these elements undergo important changes. In addition, differential expression of RAS mRNA, miRNA and protein, indicate post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved with hypoxic stress, and necessitate further investigation.
A study of the real-time deconvolution of digitized waveforms with pulse pile up for digital radiation spectroscopy

Two new real-time approaches have been developed and compared to the least-squares fit approach for the deconvolution of experimental waveforms with pile-up pulses. The single pulse shape chosen is typical for scintillators such as LSO and NaI(Tl). Simulated waveforms with pulse pile up were also generated and deconvolved to compare these three different approaches under cases where the single pulse component has a constant shape and the digitization error dominates. The effects of temporal separation and amplitude ratio between pile-up component pulses were also investigated and statistical tests were applied to quantify the consistency of deconvolution results for each case. Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated that applications of these pile-up deconvolution techniques to radiation spectroscopy are effective in extending the counting-rate range while preserving energy resolution for scintillation detectors.
Chloroplast biogenesis: Detection of Mg-protoporphyrin chelatase in vitro☆☆☆

Abstract Developing chloroplasts isolated from greening cotyledons and isolated etioplasts were capable of synthesizing and accumulating Mg-protoporphyrin IX monoester and longer wavelength metalloporphyrins when incubated in the dark in the presence of protoporphyrin and cofactors. These results constituted the first unambiguous demonstration of the insertion of magnesium into exogenous protoporphyrin in a cell-free system from higher plants. The metalloporphyrin synthetic activity did not occur in the absence of the plastids or when the plastids were heated in a 100 °C water bath for 2 min. It is thus suggested that, in higher plants, the in vitro insertion of magnesium into protoporphyrin is an enzymatic reaction.
Person-environment congruence and employee job satisfaction: a test of Holland's theory

Abstract Person-environment congruence as assessed by Holland's model of vocational preference was tested in a sample of 362 employees from five environmental typologies (Realistic, Investigative, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional). Employees were classified as having congruent or incongruent person/environment pairings according to their occupation and their responses to Holland's Self-Directed Search. It was hypothesized that congruent employees would be significantly more satisfied with their jobs than incongruent employees. The results indicated that congruent employees were significantly more satisfied with the job facet satisfaction measures of work, pay, promotions, supervision, and coworkers as well as overall satisfaction compared to incongruent employees. In addition, the results revealed several Environment × Congruence interactions, indicating that the effects of person-environment congruence vary across different environmental typologies. The results are discussed in the context of establishing a fit between individual attributes and organizational environments.
A Novel Process for the Fabrication of Microstructures Half the Listed Minimum Feature Size of a Direct-Write Laser Lithography System

A method for fabricating structures half the size of the listed minimum feature size of a direct-write laser lithography system was demonstrated by taking advantage of the offset spacing allowed between write paths of the machine. This unique process allows microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures to be fabricated with minimum features smaller than equipment specifications. This method provides an increase in the capability of a lab without having to go through the cost and effort of re-tooling in order to provide the same capabilities. This ability will allow for the design and fabrication of structures, such as sensors, with an increased degree of sensitivity over those previously designed and fabricated with the same equipment. This new process resulted in 500 nanometer wide beams which half the size of the minimum feature size specified for our equipment.
Electrochemistry of P(CH2Fc)3 and derivatives

Abstract The oxidative electrochemistry of P(CH 2 Fc) 3 and three of its derivatives was examined. The electrochemistry of these compounds is sensitive to the functionality added to the phosphorus lone pair and the supporting electrolyte used.
‘All Good is of Parents’ and its Chinese Context

Without doubt, parental love is one of the world’s greatest emotions, regarded as the premise of the filial piety (Xiao in Chinese pinyin) of Chinese people. However, to enhance filial duties, the ...
Differentiation-Induced Post-Transcriptional Control of B7-H1 in Human Trophoblast Cells

Trophoblast expression of immunomodulatory proteins in the human placenta is among the mechanisms that are critical for ensuring lymphocyte tolerance to the semi-allogeneic fetus. High levels of B7-H1 on trophoblast cells together with the known role of this protein in establishment of peripheral tolerance suggest that B7-H1 mediates immunological protection of the placenta during gestation. In this study we investigated the molecular mechanisms of regulation of B7-H1 in trophoblast cells by epidermal growth factor (EGF), a key regulator of trophoblast cell differentiation. EGF increased B7-H1 protein levels within 24 hours and mRNA levels within 4 hours of the initiation of treatment; by 24 hours B7-H1 mRNA levels were similar between control and EGF-treated cells. Analysis of two different potential promoter regions revealed strong promoter activity in response to IFN-γ. In contrast, no promoter activity could be induced by EGF, suggesting that this cytokine regulates B7-H1 expression post-transcriptionally in trophoblast cells. EGF-induced B7-H1 protein expression was completely blocked in the presence of inhibitors of the PI3Kinase/Akt/mTOR pathway, a pathway known to regulate gene expression at the translational level. Finally, analysis of monosomal and polysomal mRNA fractions of untreated and EGF-treated term trophoblast cells revealed that EGF induces a shift towards the translatable fractions and away from the untranslated fractions. These results highlight a novel mechanism for regulation of B7 family proteins in the placenta.
Anthropogenic drivers of gypsy moth spread

The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), is a polyphagous defoliator introduced to Medford, Massachusetts in 1869. It has spread to over 860,000 km2 in North America, but this still only represents ¼ of its susceptible host range in the United States. To delay defoliation in the remaining susceptible host range, the government maintains a barrier zone and a quarantine, reflecting a presumption that anthropogenic factors are important in the spread of gypsy moth. We develop a model framework that relates these factors along with biophysical characteristics to a county’s susceptibility to gypsy moth invasion. We then compile a dataset for counties within 200 km of the infested area and use trap catch data from 1999 to 2007 to estimate the probability of gypsy moth presence. As expected, gypsy moth is more likely to be found close to the population front and to traps that recorded moths in the previous year. However, when controlling for these factors, our most robust finding is that the use of wood for home heating and energy is consistently positively correlated with the presence of gypsy moth. In contrast, the movement of wood products by industry, which is actively regulated by state and federal governments, is rarely correlated with the presence of gypsy moth. This is consistent with effective regulation of the movement of goods by industry, but not by the public. Our findings provide empirical support for the importance and challenge of firewood as a vector for non-native forest insects.
Spatial Resolution Enhancement of AMSR Tb Images based on Measurement Local Time of Day

Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) brightness temperature (Tb) data are typically organized into daily average images characterized by compromised temporal resolution. An alternate approach considers the location-dependent measurement time of each sample and organizes data by local time-of-day (LTOD), producing bi-daily images with high temporal locality and reduced noise. These LTOD images show greater improvement and fewer artifacts than daily images when spatial resolution enhancement algorithms are applied. LTOD ice edges are on average 8 km closer to MODIS ice edges than daily ice edges.
Fairness in Personnel Selection: A Meta-Analysis and Policy Implications

Previous research has suggested that selection procedures and performance evaluations are not unfair to minorities. Results of a meta-analysis indicated that Whites performed higher than non-Whites on cognitive ability tests (d = .464) and on supervisory ratings (d = .284), but not on objective results (d = -.009) and that validities between the tests and ratings and results were not significantly different. In addition, a comparison of predicted to actual mean standardized criterion differences between White and non-White subgroups suggested that cognitive ability underpredicted actual differences in supervisory ratings. These results imply that researchers and policymakers need to continue to evaluate fairness in testing and performance evaluation because, contrary to prior evidence, the use of cognitive ability tests may indeed be unfair to non-Whites.
Exploring the association between short/long preceding birth intervals and child mortality: using reference birth interval children of the same mother as comparison

Background This study used data from recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) to examine the impact of short or long preceding birth intervals on neonatal and under-five mortality. In order to minimize the effect of selection issues, we examined child mortality outcomes of the same mother, comparing short or long interval births against births with what had previously been considered optimal intervals.
Chlorinated hydrocarbons in pelagic forage fishes and squid of the Southern California Bight

Large quantities of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been historically discharged to the Southern California Bight (SCB). While these contaminants have bioaccumulated in sediment-associated fishes, little data exist on concentrations of these compounds in pelagic forage species that are the likely food source for larger predatory mammals and birds. The goal of the present study was to assess the extent and magnitude of DDT and PCB bioaccumulation in the four major pelagic species of the SCB: Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), Pacific chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), and California market squid (Loligo opalescens). A total of 99 composite samples were collected from commercial landing docks along the southern California coast from July 2003 to February 2004. Whole fish were homogenized and analyzed for total DDT (ortho- and para-isomers of DDT and its degradation products) and 41 PCB congeners. Virtually all of the samples of Pacific sardine, northern anchovy, and Pacific chub mackerel had detectable levels of total DDT. Only 50% of the California market squid samples had detectable total DDT. Northern anchovy had the highest total DDT concentrations (60 ± 38 μg/kg wet wt), followed by Pacific chub mackerel (41 ± 40 μg/kg wet wt), Pacific sardine (34 ± 29 μg/kg wet wt), and California market squid (0.8 ± 1.2 μg/kg wet wt). In general, concentrations were highest in the central SCB. An estimated 99% of northern anchovy, 83% of Pacific sardine, 33% of Pacific chub mackerel, and 0% of California market squid landings exceeded wildlife risk screening values for total DDT. Virtually none of the landings were estimated to exceed wildlife risk screening values for PCBs.
Spatial and spatiotemporal solitary waves and their stabilization in nonlinear negative index materials

Starting from a simple dispersion relation for negative index materials and a heuristic nonlinear Klein-Gordon-type extension, we derive the evolution equations for the envelopes of beams and spatiotemporal pulses in nonlinear dispersive negative index media. Using existing numerical methods, based on fast Fourier-Bessel transforms, we study the stability of the solitary wave solutions. Nonlinearity and dispersion management are then incorporated to find stable solutions of the underlying partial differential equations.
Understanding the composition of nucleon spin with the PHENIX detector at RHIC

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has just finished 14 years of operation. A significant fraction of these operating years were with polarized proton collisions at 62.4, 200, and 500 GeV center of mass, investigating various aspects of nucleon spin through longitudinal and transversely polarized collisions. These data have helped to address some of the most puzzling and fundamental questions in quantum chromodynamics including: what fraction of the nucleon’s spin originates in the gluon’s helicity contribution?, how polarized are the sea quarks?, and what if any, is the evidence for transverse motion of quarks in polarized protons? These questions have been addressed by the PHENIX detector collaboration. We present in this review highlights of the PHENIX results and discuss their impact.
Alignment and wavefront control systems of the National Ignition Facility

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a stadium-sized facility containing a 192-beam Nd glass laser. Its 1.053-µm output is frequency converted to produce 1.8-MJ, 500-TW pulses in the ultraviolet. Refer to the companion overview articles in this issue for more information. High-energy-density and inertial confinement fusion physics experiments require the ability to precisely align and focus pulses with single-beam energy up to 20 KJ and durations of a few nanoseconds onto millimeter-sized targets. NIF's alignment control system now regularly provides automatic alignment of the four commissioned beams prior to every NIF shot in approximately 45 min, and speed improvements are being implemented. NIF utilizes adaptive optics for wavefront control, which significantly improves the ability to tightly focus each laser beam onto a target. Multiple sources of both static and dynamic aberration are corrected. This article provides an overview of the NIF automatic alignment and wavefront control systems, and provides data to show that the facility is expected to meet its primary requirements to position beams on the target with an accuracy of 50-µm rms over the 192 beams and to focus the pulses into a 600-µm spot.
A micromachined 400 GHz rectangular waveguide and 3-pole bandpass filter on a silicon substrate

A micromachined 400 GHz waveguide and waveguide bandpass filter using a split block approach is presented. The waveguide and filter are fabricated using a deep RIE process on high resistivity silicon. Simulation results show an insertion loss for the filter of 0.65 dB with a 20 GHz bandwidth. The assembly of the split block using a fixture block is discussed in detail.
Backing Out Diffusion Coefficients in Alkaline Anion Exchange Membranes

Water diffusion coefficients for electrolyte membranes are a subject of interest due to the relationship between water content and ionic conductivity. These diffusion coefficients are functionally dependent on water content. Many existing techniques for measuring the diffusion coefficient suffer from experimental complexity or a lack the diffusion coefficient's detailed behavior. This paper uses a simple technique for determining the water diffusion coefficient involving the use of experimental data coupled with a numeric model. This back out algorithm was validated through the use of Nafion®, a proton exchange membrane, with the results comparing well with NMR data from the literature. The process has also been applied to SnowPure ExcellionTM, an alkaline exchange membrane, to obtain the diffusion coefficient as a function of water content. It was found that these membranes are much less permeable to water with the diffusion coefficient being almost an order of magnitude less than that of Nafion®.
Dietary Habits of the World's Largest Bats: the Philippine Flying Foxes, Acerodon Jubatus and Pteropus Vampyrus Lanensis

The endemic and endangered golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) coroosts with the much more common and widespread giant Philippine fruit bat (Pteropus vampyrus lanensis) in lowland dipterocarp forests throughout the Philippine Islands. The number of these mixed-roost colonies and the populations of flying foxes in them have declined dramatically in the last century. We used fecal analysis, interviews of bat hunters, and personal observations to describe the dietary habits of both bat species at one of the largest mixed roosts remaining, near Subic Bay, west-central Luzon. Dietary items were deemed ‘‘important’’ if used consistently on a seasonal basis or throughout the year, ubiquitously throughout the population, and if they were of clear nutritional value. Of the 771 droppings examined over a 2.5-year period (1998‐2000), seeds from Ficus were predominant in the droppings of both species and met these criteria, particularly hemiepiphytic species (41% of droppings of A. jubatus) and Ficus variegata (34% of droppings of P. v. lanensis and 22% of droppings of A. jubatus). Information from bat hunter interviews expanded our knowledge of the dietary habits of both bat species, and corroborated the fecal analyses and personal observations. Results from this study suggest that A. jubatus is a forest obligate, foraging on fruits and leaves from plant species restricted to lowland, mature natural forests, particularly using a small subset of hemiepiphytic and other Ficus species throughout the year. In contrast, P. v. lanensis has a broader diet, including fruits, leaves, and flowers; forages in both natural and agroforests; and uses a wider variety of fruit than does A. jubatus in natural forest habitats. A small subset of the available Ficus species also is used heavily by P. v. lanensis throughout the year. These results provide insight into the autecology and interspecific relationship of these coroosting species, as well as suggest the prospects of both species’ continued survival given changes in their habitat.
Ethics Regulation By The Accounting Profession

Because of recent accounting and management scandals, the accounting profession is under attack. Accountants have been accused of taking unethical actions such as overstating revenues. This paper examines the changes in ethical standards of the accounting profession in the United States and the role of ethics regulation by the State Boards of Accountancy. This research finds a difference in the ethical requirements across the 53 State Boards of Accountancy in the United States. Nineteen of the 53 Boards (35.8 percent) require no separate ethics testing. The increase in litigation and debate over ethical issues in recent years has failed to lead to an increase in separate ethics testing by the Boards. This finding could be attributed to the change in the Business Law section of the CPA exam. We find that some state Boards believe that ethics is now adequately being tested within the exam.
Calcite solubility in supercritical CO2H2O fluids

An extraction-quench apparatus was used to measure calcite solubilities in supercritical CO2H2O mixtures. Experiments were conducted at 1 kbar and 2 kbar, between 240°C and 620°C and from XCO2 = .02 toXCO2 = .15 in order to determine the solubility behavior as a function of pressure, temperature and CO2 content. The results indicate that calcite solubilities under these conditions behave similarly to previously investigated calcite solubilities at lower pressures and temperatures (SHARP and Kennedy, 1965). At constant XCO2, the solubility increases with increasing pressure, but it decreases with increasing temperature. When the temperature and pressure are constant, the calcite solubility rises with increasing XCO2 to a maximum value at XCO2 between 0.02 and 0.05. For higher CO2 contents, up to XCO2 = .15, the calcite solubility decreases, probably due to the decrease of H2O activities to values significantly below unity. The solubility behavior can be successfully modeled by making the assumption that Ca++ is the dominant calcium species and that the carbon-bearing species are CO2(aq) and HCO−3. Since for these dilute H2OCO2 fluids, all activity coefficients can be assumed to not differ significantly from unity, ionization constants for the reaction H2O + CO2(aq) H+ + HCO−3 can be calculated at 1 and 2 kbar between 250°C and 550°C. These calculated values are in good agreement with the low temperature determinations of the ionization constants for this reaction determined by Read (1975). Values of the molal Gibbs free energy of CO2(aq) obtained in our study exhibit a much greater positive departure from ideality than those calculated with the modified Redlich-Kwong equations of either Flowers (1979) or Kerrick and Jacobs (1981) for dilute CO2 aqueous solutions.
Border Control and the Zimbabwean Diaspora in South Africa: Impediments and Possibilities

The paper will interrogate the experiences of Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa over the last decade in terms of why they moved to South Africa, the routes they used to migrate to South Africa and also the challenges they face in their adopted country. It is estimated that more than two million Zimbabweans live in South Africa today. The Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa have faced challenges in terms of crossing the border and also legalizing their statuses and many have been deported back to Zimbabwe but have returned back to South Africa, the case of birds in a corn-field. Data collection methods will include face-to-face interviews, documentary analysis, and cyber-ethnography, the use of social media in collecting data. Research questions include: What were the main reasons for leaving Zimbabwe? How did they acquire their visas? What kinds of challenges did the immigrants face at the border and crossing into South Africa? How did they legalize their stay in South Africa? What are some of the impediments they faced before and after crossing into South Africa? How often do they send remittances or visit their families back in Zimbabwe? How have they been treated by the authorities in South Africa?
Numerically Implementable Existence Proofs

Existence theorems are among the most frequently invoked theorems of mathematics since they assure that a solution to some equation exists. Some of the celebrated examples are the fundamental theorem of algebra, the fixed point theorems of Banach, Brouwer, Leray & Schauder, and Kakutani. With the exception of the Banach fixed point theorem, the classical statements of the above theorems merely assert the existence of a fixed point or a zero point of a map, but their traditional proofs in general do not offer any means of actually obtaining the fixed point or zero point. Many of the classical proofs of fixed point theorems can be given via the concept of the Brouwer degree. We will not need this concept in our subsequent discussions. However, for readers wishing to read up on degree theory we can suggest the books of Amann (1974), Berger (1977), Cronin (1964), Deimling (1974) or Schwartz (1969).
Epicardial Outgrowth Culture Assay and Ex Vivo Assessment of Epicardial-derived Cell Migration

A single layer of epicardial cells lines the heart, providing paracrine factors that stimulate cardiomyocyte proliferation and directly contributing cardiovascular progenitors during development and disease. While a number of factors have been implicated in epicardium-derived cell (EPDC) mobilization, the mechanisms governing their subsequent migration and differentiation are poorly understood. Here, we present in vitro and ex vivo strategies to study EPDC motility and differentiation. First, we describe a method of obtaining primary epicardial cells by outgrowth culture from the embryonic mouse heart. We also introduce a detailed protocol to assess three-dimensional migration of labeled EPDC in an organ culture system. We provide evidence using these techniques that genetic deletion of myocardin-related transcription factors in the epicardium attenuates EPDC migration. This approach serves as a platform to evaluate candidate modifiers of EPDC biology and could be used to develop genetic or chemical screens to identify novel regulators of EPDC mobilization that might be useful for cardiac repair.
TRENDS IN COMBINATION LIPID LOWERING THERAPY IN THE MEDICARE POPULATION WITH CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Statin use in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) improves prognosis. Combination lipid-lowering therapy (CLLT: statin plus non-statin) can improve the lipid profile, but has not been shown to further reduce risk. We used the 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries with CHD ≥65 years (N=310,
nvestigation on the Animal-related Injuries among Residents in Shijiazhuang

[Objective]To study the current condition of animal-related injuries among residents in Shijiazhuang in 2008,provide the reliable basis for making prevention measures.[Methods]1 471 residents from 2 districts of Shijiazhuang were investigated.[Results]The incidence rate of animal-related injuries among residents in Shijiazhuang was 1.7%.There was no significant difference in incidence rate of animal-related injuries among different age groups(exact probabilities,P=0.4550.05),and the incidence rate of the10～19 years age group(3.5%) was the highest.There was no significant difference in incidence rate of animal-related injuries between men and women(χ2 =0.001,P=0.9780.05).The animals that caused injuries were mainly dogs(60.0%) and cats(24.0%).The main place was home(40.0%) and the main location was lower limb(52.0%).The patients were mainly treated in clinic(52.0%) and self-treatment(48.0%).60.0% of patients were slight injury,and 96.0% were cured.[Conclusion]The incidence rate of animal-related injuries among residents in Shijiazhuang was high,and main animals that caused injuries were dogs and cats.
Evaluation of Blood Gas and Dynamic Monitor of Respiratory Mechanics in Respiratory Failure Children with Mechanical Ventilation

Objective To explore the clinical significances of blood gas and dynamic monitor of respiratory mechanics in respiratory failure children with mechanical ventilation.Methods Sixty-four children who need mechanical ventilation over 24 hours were divided into pulmonary disease group(44 cases) and non-pulmonary disease group(20 cases) in pediatric intensive care unit(PICU),from Jan.2005 to May 2008.By Evita 4 ventilator,dynamic monitor of respiratory mechanics,such as respiratory system compliance(Crs),airway resistance(Raw),mean airway pressue(MAP),minute ventilation(MV),oxgen index(OI),Qs/Qt,respiratory index(RI) and blood gas in these children were determined.Their characteristics and clinical significance were analyzed.Results Many parameters such as Crs,Raw,MAP,MV,Qs/Qt,OI,RI were significantly different between 2 groups(Pa0.05,0.01).With the recovering of pulmonary disease,the parameters mentioned above changed with different degree(Pa0.05,0.01).Crs was negative correlated with OI(r=-0.872 P0.01).The duration of ventilation in pulmonary disease group was significantly longer than that of non-pulmonary disease group(P0.05).Conclusions Dynamic monitor of respiratory mechanics when ventilating can further reflect the pathophysiological process of critical children.Blood gas is consistent with severity of respiratory failure.Based on it,judge the severity of lung diseases and complications of respiratory,circulatory system can be judged evaluate the strategy of ventilation;master the time of weaning from mechanical ventilation;guide the treatment;increase safe of mechanical ventilation;reduce complications of treatment using ventilator.
Surgical management of facial nerve injuries.

Summary The comprehensive management of facial nerve injuries requires a surgeon with a number of available methods of reconstruction at his or her disposal. Comprehensive evaluation or documentation of injury is required to determine the most appropriate timing and method of surgical intervention. The majority of nerve injuries are limited, and direct repair or simple nerve grafting are the indicated treatment modalities. These procedures are easily applied to the management of the facial nerve by any well-trained microsurgeon. Accurate diagnosis and timely intervention are critical in achieving acceptable outcomes. Multidisciplinary collaboration is occasionally necessary for extremely proximal injuries wherein the skills of a lateral skull base surgeon are critical. Delayed facial reconstruction by facial reanimation requires subspecialty skills and necessitates referrals to centers experienced in such procedures.
Game-Based Learning in Professional Development for Practicing Educators: A Review of the Literature

Many game-based learning (GBL) researchers working in K-12 educational settings have supported the incorporation of gaming technologies into classroom practice, but little has been communicated about the effect of incorporating GBL into practicing K-12 educators’ professional development. This review is a critical appraisal of the quantity and scope of knowledge published on this topic to answer two questions: to what extent does research support incorporating GBL into K-12 staff development sessions to improve practicing teacher perceptions of the value of GBL; and, to what extent does research support incorporating GBL into K-12 staff development sessions as a method of increasing the adoption of GBL in the classroom? Current themes in GBL research with practicing teachers are presented. The author suggests that, while this is a valued line of study that many scholars insist be expanded, the directions in which it has proceeded thus far are very limited in scope.