cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Managing the Sales Promotion Mix

Abstract Though an integral component of many marketing strategies, relatively little has been written about the management of consumer sales promotions. This study introduces a framework that examines the relative importance of key factors on managers' use of two consumer promotions: coupons and sweepstakes. Our results show that brand managers use trade and consumer sales promotions more extensively than media advertising, but do not consider sales promotions to be more effective in meeting objectives. Our sample of U.S. brand managers heavily favor price-oriented over non-price promotions. We conclude that managerial use of sales promotions is influenced primarily by competition and short-term pressures. A national survey of brand managers of packaged convenience goods provides support for the proposed framework.
Exercise and Iron Status

Total iron losses in feces, urine and sweat in endurance-trained athletes are approximately 1.75 mg/d (compared with the reference value of 1 mg/d) in males and approximately 2.3 mg/d (compared with the reference value of 1.4 mg/d) in females because of the additional iron losses with menses. Therefore, it is not surprising that many investigators report that iron deficiency is a common problem in athletes who do not increase their iron intake above that of the general population. Recently, several observations of iron deficiency associated with mild exercise have been reported. Investigation of the extent of iron loss and utilization in individuals exercising for fitness is needed. Because compromised iron status can affect athletic performance as well as general health, including immune functions, cognitive development and ability to thermoregulate, it is advisable to emphasize meeting the recommended dietary allowances for iron during exercise training.
Body mass index and all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension

Objective To characterize the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality among adults with hypertension. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with hypertension from The Health Improvement Network primary care research database in the United Kingdom. Mortality rates within each BMI category were compared after adjustment for age, sex, pre existing medical conditions, smoking, alcohol use, and socioeconomic status. Results During a median follow-up period of 8.0 years, 34,354 deaths occurred (8.8%) among the 388,724 study patients. In multivariable analysis that included interaction terms between smoking, heavy alcohol use, preexisting cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and BMI category to account for these conditions' association with increased mortality at lower BMI levels, a U-shaped relationship was observed between BMI and mortality, with no difference in mortality in overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2) versus normal (18.5–24.9 kg/m2) BMI (risk ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 1.04, P = 0.80). In multivariable analysis that used narrower BMI categories, lowest mortality was observed between BMI of 23.0 and 26.9 kg/m2. Conclusions Patients with hypertension who have no history of smoking, heavy alcohol use, cardiovascular disease, or COPD have lowest mortality between BMI of 23.0 and 26.9 kg/m2.
Nanostructure of GaAs0.88Sb0.10N0.02/InP quantum wells grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on InP

Abstract The effects of thermal annealing on the emission and microstructural characteristics of GaAs 0.88 Sb 0.10 N 0.02 /InP multiple quantum well (QW) structures were studied by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the optimum annealing conditions lead to improved PL intensity accompanied by only a small blue shift, contrasting the behavior of GaAsSbN /GaAs multiple QWs, and improved structural uniformity.
Overcrowding in emergency departments and adverse outcomes.

Death and admission rates are higher when length of stay is longer Crowded emergency departments are a problem for healthcare systems in many countries.1 2 3 Numerous studies have documented poorer quality of care and more patient dissatisfaction in these circumstances,4 5 but few have examined the effect of crowding on patient mortality and morbidity.6 7 One study reported 34% higher short term mortality in patients arriving during crowded periods compared with those arriving during non-crowded periods, but the study was performed at a single site and limited to in-hospital deaths.6 Another study reported higher mortality at two, seven, and 30 days after the visit for patients who arrived during high hospital occupancy or long periods of stay in the emergency department. However, this study included only patients admitted to hospital from the emergency department and did not estimate the independent effects of hospital occupancy versus long stay in the emergency department on mortality.7 In the linked population cohort study (doi:10.1136/bmj.d2983) Guttmann and colleagues assessed whether non-admitted patients …
Changing Holocene Snail Faunas and Environments Along the Eastern Caprock Escarpment of Texas

Detailed study of gastropods recovered from the Lake Theo Site, Briscoe County, Texas, has revealed a progressive decline in species diversity from early Holocene to the present. Knowledge of the microhabitats preferred by the recovered species allows a partial reconstruction of environments required to produce such communities. Since the early Holocene, the Lake Theo area has experienced a progressive loss of deciduous riparian gallery woodland habitat. Alteration in plant communities was caused by a dramatic decrease in effective precipitation. Analysis of the sequence of local extirpation of the various snail species indicates that the decrease in precipitation and increase in temperature probably were not concurrent.
Effect of Nicotinic Acid on the Incorporation of Radiocarbon into Cholesterol

Nicotinic acid when fed to rats as 0.8 per cent of their diet caused an 83 per cent increase in radioactivity of liver cholesterol-digitonin precipitate. In vitro studies using rat liver slices indicated that nicotinic acid increased the incorporation of radiocarbon into cholesterol by 46 per cent.
79-Year-Old Woman With Dyspnea, Cough, and Renal Failure

Resident in Internal Medicine, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Jacksonville, FL (N.J.P., M.E.W.); Advisor to residents and Consultant in Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL (M.C.B.). A 79-year-old woman presented to the hospital from a rehabilitation facility with worsening dyspnea, nonproductive cough, and fever. Immediately before admission to the rehabilitation facility, she was hospitalized at an outside hospital for 1 month for evaluation of fever, chills, and malaise. During that hospitalization, she aspirated stomach contents, and pneumonia subsequently developed, which was treated with a 7-day course of intravenous vancomycin, piperacillintazobactam, and levofloxacin. Her hospitalization was further complicated by acute kidney injury after contrast computed tomography. Bilateral lower extremity deep venous thrombosis developed and was being treated with enoxaparin. A peripherally inserted central venous catheter and urinary catheter were placed during the hospitalization and removed before discharge. Three days after admission to the rehabilitation facility, the patient experienced dyspnea, a nonproductive cough, chest discomfort, and fever. The family reported that she was urinating several times daily. On admission to our hospital, the patient was afebrile and had a pulse rate of 89 beats/ min, respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min, blood pressure of 152/81 mm Hg, and oxygen saturation of 96% while receiving 15 L of oxygen via nonrebreather mask. She appeared frail and in moderate respiratory distress. Examination revealed 2-cm jugular venous distention above the sternal notch. She had decreased breath sounds in the right lower lobe, bibasilar crackles, and bronchial breath sounds in the upper airways. There was a 3/6 holosystolic murmur at the apex that radiated to the left axilla and 3þ left-sided and 2þ right-sided pretibial edema. She had normal bowel sounds and lower abdominal tenderness without guarding or rebound. There was no lymphadenopathy. Laboratory studies yielded the following results (reference ranges provided parenthetically): hemoglobin, 12.1 g/dL (12.0-15.5 g/dL); mean corpuscular volume, 84.1 fL
Derivation of linear beam equations using nonlinear continuum mechanics

Familiar linear elastic and viscoelastic beam equations (Euler-Bernoulli, Rayleigh, Kelvin-Voigt, Timoshenko, and Shear Diffusion) and boundary conditions are derived from a nonlinear theory of large motions rather than the usual variational techniques. Also included is a fairly detailed derivation of the nonlinear theory and a careful discussion of the hypotheses.
The course of myasthenia gravis and therapies affecting outcome

The course of 1,487 patients with myasthenia gravis followed between 1940 and 1985 for a mean of 18 years provides further evidence that the distribution, severity, and outcome of the disease are determined during the first 1 to 3 (occasionally 5) years after onset, suggesting that injury to acetylcholine receptors occurs mainly during this time. In 14%, the disease remained clinically localized to the extraocular muscles, and in the remaining 86% became generalized, in 87% within a year, with the disease reaching maximum severity within the first year after onset of symptoms in 55%, during the first 3 years in 70%, and during the first 5 years in 85%. Male patients tended to have more rapid progression of disease, higher mortality, and lower rates of remission and improvement than females. From 1940 to 1957, when management relied on anticholinesterase compounds, endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy and negative pressure assisted ventilation for respiratory failure, and thymectomy in 26% of patients and thymomectomy in 8%, 31% of patients with generalized myasthenia gravis died of the disease (29% of these during the first year after onset, 27% during the second and third years, and 17% during the fourth and fifth years), 32% improved, 23% remained unchanged, 10% went into remission, and only 5% were worse during the last year seen than during the worst of the first 3 years (or 5 years in the minority of patients who reached maximum weakness after 3 years). From 1958 to 1965, during which time the management of respiratory failure was improved by positive pressure and volume controlled ventilation and improved intensive care, mortality fell to 14% (p less than 0.005), and a higher proportion remained unchanged (p less than 0.005). From 1966 to 1985, when over half the patients received adrenal cortical steroids, mortality fell to 7% (p less than 0.005) and the proportion who improved rose to 47% (p less than 0.05). Even though the patients who received steroids usually had more severe myasthenia, they had a higher rate of improvement than those who received no steroid, 54% compared to 39% (p less than 0.005). Thymectomy was performed in one-fourth of patients with generalized myasthenia gravis, more frequently in young females and those with more severe weakness, and less often in older males and those with less severe weakness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Commemorating God and Country in American War Memorials: Symbolic Evolution and Legality

Throughout the course of U.S. history, religious symbolism has played a role in memorials. This symbolism reached its height after World War I, and continues today. Since the last half of the 20th-century, legal cases have challenged religious symbolism in memorials on public or government property. The courts have developed legal tests to evaluate the use of this symbolism in war memorials. First, this study used historical analyses to examine how religious symbolism has been explicitly expressed in American war memorials. Second, legal analyses were applied to key cases involving conflicts between church and state, and memorials. Whereas past legal judgments focused on a memorial’s symbols, recent legal judgments included an evaluation of the environmental setting in which such religious symbols and memorials were placed. Thus, memorial designers must consider not only how they introduce symbolism into a memorial’s design, but also how their site designs involve potential religious symbolism.
Remote Sensing: The Quantitative Approach

Keywords: Remote sensing ; traitement de donnees Reference Record created on 2005-06-20, modified on 2016-08-08
Positively constrained imagery for rotation collimators

A family of simple algorithms is presented that lead to non-negative reconstructed images that are rigorously consistent with measurements from rotation collimators. The algorithms require complex data, and it is recommended that the real and imaginary components of such data be obtained from a pair of almost identical collimators. The resultant imagery is fleetingly compared to that of other data processing procedures.
ErbB2 makes β4 integrin an accomplice in tumorigenesis

Integrins modulate signaling by growth factor receptors, but their role during tumorigenesis is not clear. Guo et al. (2006) now demonstrate that α6β4 integrin cooperates with ErbB2 in the formation of mammary tumors and discover distinct pathways that regulate cellular proliferation and adhesion downstream of the ErbB2-integrin complex.
Chemical Methods for Removing Radon and Radon Daughters from Air

Liquid bromine trifluoride and the solid complexes ClF2SbF6, BrF2SbF6, BrF4Sb2F11, IF4(SbF6)3 and BrF2BiF6 react spontaneously with radon and radon daughters at 25°C, converting the radioelements to nonvolatile ions and compounds. The reagents can be used in gas-scrubbing units to remove radon and radon daughters from air. The halogen fluoride-antimony pentafluoride complexes may be suitable for purifying air in uranium mines and analyzing radon in air, since they have low dissociation pressures at 25°C and are less hazardous to handle than liquid halogen fluorides.
Alternative inference models based on matching for a weighted index of nominal scale response agreement

The kappa (K) statistic developed by Cohen (1960) is an index wellknown in psychology for measuring nominal scale response agreement (see Fleiss, 1973). In a typical application, each of two raters groups the same set of n objects using T unordered categories, A 1, A*, . . . . A T. If the resulting data are formalized as a T X T contingency table, such as that given in Table I, then in terms of this notation, Cohen’s index is defined by
Resampling with R

Summary This article shows how R can be used to perform resampling with and without replacement.
Application of Advances in Materials Chemistry and Mineralogy in Soil Stabilization

Advances in the state-of-the-art of physicochemical stabilization of geomaterials have preceded deep understanding of the fundamental processes that underlie projects that have been implemented. Before the past 2 decades or so, experiments with a variety of chemical substances with soils of diverse mineralogy have produced results that have generally been adequate for matching chemical additives with soils of known mineralogical composition and grain size characteristics. Often, empirical measures of soil material volumetric instability, such as shrink/swell potential and plasticity indices, were used along with some basic understanding of soil mineralogy, to estimate the required quantity and frequency of application of soil stabilization agents. During the past 2 decades, advances in analytical techniques coupled with increased use of wastes and recycled products in soil stabilization, have enabled the expansion of the science and technology of soil stabilization. Recent innovations in soil stabilization with respect to the development of more effective agents, matching of climatic and soil mineralogical factors with the chemistry of agents, understanding of the transport and toxicological characteristics of stabilization agents, and advancements in damage modeling of stabilized soils have arrived at an opportuned time. The expansion of physical
Yellow Ribbons and Remembrance: Mythic Symbols of the Gulf War*

L'exposition de rubans jaunes par les americains comme symbole patriotique est associee a la crise Iranienne et a la Guerre du Golfe. L'utilisation de masse qui en est faite et le discours secondaire dont il fait l'objet font que le ruban jaune releve du mythe. L'A. montre que l'heritage de la guerre du Viet-Nam a pousse des citoyens a creer un message fondamentalement emotionnel a l'intention des troupes et de leurs familles. Bien qu'associe a la memoire patriotique, le ruban jaune a participe d'une amnesie politique en occultant les mises en questions de la politique etrangere americaine
Efficacy of intravenous phenytoin in the treatment of status epilepticus: Kinetics of central nervous system penetration

Intravenous phenytoin (mean dose, 13.0 mg per kilogram of body weight) was administered to 14 patients at a rate not exceeding 100 mg per minute. Twelve hours after infusion the mean plasma phenytoin concentration was 10.2 μg per milliliter, and a therapeutic plasma concentration was found in 9 of the 14 patients. In 3 additional patients, during removal of a primary brain tumor, cortical samples were obtained after intravenous infusion of phenytoin (mean dose, 9.2 mg/kg). Rapid penetration of the brain was found. Concentrations at the end of infusion (16 μg/gm) and 60 minutes after infusion (23 μ/gm) were not significantly different. Six other patients received intravenous phenytoin (mean dose, 10.9 mg/kg) during pneumoencephalography. The cerebrospinal fluid phenytoin concentration gradually increased over 50 minutes. The plasma/cerebrospinal fluid ratio at 50 minutes was 11.0, which is approximately the ratio of total/free phenytoin in the plasma. An additional 10 patients in generalized convulsive status epilepticus were treated with intravenous phenytoin (mean dose, 12.2 mg/kg); status was controlled in 9 within 30 minutes. No major side-effects were noted. Intravenous phenytoin rapidly enters the central nervous system and results in prompt and effective treatment of status epilepticus without suppressing higher cortical function or cardiorespiratory centers.
Intramolecular photon emission from a single molecule in a scanning tunneling microscope

A vibrationally resolved intramolecular photon emission from a single molecule was induced by tunneling electrons in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The resonant excitation of the emission was observed by tuning the bias voltage between the STM tip and the sample. The emission intensity of an individual vibronic peak goes through a maximum. The intrinsic linewidth ($\ensuremath{\sim}3.0\text{ }\text{meV}$, full width at half maximum) obtained from the emission spectra and the measured quantum yield ($\ensuremath{\le}1.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}\text{ }\text{photon}$ per tunneling electron) reveal the effects of different processes on the intramolecular photon emission. The comparisons between STM-induced photon emission and other techniques were made.
Single-Molecule Enzymology: Studies on Glutathione-S-Transferases

An emerging concept in enzymology is the catalytic transition state ensemble: instead of the single, well-defined transition state (TS) of classical theory, enzymatic reactions progress through multiple ‘valleys’ in the energy landscape, each with its own TS. Long-lived conformations of the enzyme-substrate (ES) complex would take different pathways through the TS ensemble, and would therefore result in functional heterogeneity (i.e., a distribution of catalytic rate constants). The functional properties of enzymes are therefore completely controlled by the nature of the energetic landscape for the ES complex and the TS ensemble. We have developed TIRFM (total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy) and FCS (fluorescence correlation spectroscopy) methods to measure turnover by single immobilized enzyme molecules. We applied these methods, complemented by molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio calculations, to two isoforms of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) to examine the validity of the TS ensemble model. GST isoform A1-1 is an abundant hepatic enzyme involved in detoxification, and is extremely promiscuous in its substrate range. GST A4-4 is the predominant isoform in the heart and brain, and is specific towards lipid peroxidation products. Contrasting the behavior of these two enzymes will address fundamental questions about the mechanisms of substrate promiscuity.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Ageing as a primary risk factor for Parkinson's disease: evidence from studies of non-human primates

Ageing is the greatest risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease. However, the current dogma holds that cellular mechanisms that are associated with ageing of midbrain dopamine neurons and those that are related to dopamine neuron degeneration in Parkinson's disease are unrelated. We propose, based on evidence from studies of non-human primates, that normal ageing and the degeneration of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease are linked by the same cellular mechanisms and, therefore, that markers of cellular risk factors accumulate with age in a pattern that mimics the pattern of degeneration observed in Parkinson's disease. We contend that ageing induces a pre-parkinsonian state, and that the cellular mechanisms of dopamine neuron demise during normal ageing are accelerated or exaggerated in Parkinson's disease through a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
A CMOS ASIC design for SiPM arrays

Our lab has previously reported on novel board-level readout electronics for an 8x8 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array featuring row/column summation technique to reduce the hardware requirements for signal processing. We are taking the next step by implementing a monolithic CMOS chip which is based on the row-column architecture. In addition, this paper explores the option of using diagonal summation as well as calibration to compensate for temperature and process variations. Further description of a timing pickoff signal which aligns all of the positioning (spatial channels) pulses in the array is described. The ASIC design is targeted to be scalable with the detector size and flexible to accommodate detectors from different vendors. This paper focuses on circuit implementation issues associated with the design of the ASIC to interface our Phase II MiCES FPGA board with a SiPM array. Moreover, a discussion is provided for strategies to eventually integrate all the analog and mixed-signal electronics with the SiPM, on either a single-silicon substrate or multi-chip module (MCM).
An examination of institutional policy on copyright and access to research resources in Uganda

Summary Education and research are the cornerstones of Africa's socioeconomic and political development. Yet several barriers stand in the way of Africa's education and research institutions in realizing their full potential. This paper examines copyright as a barrier in the access and use of electronic resources in Africa's education and research contexts. This paper addresses this policy question by examining the extent to which the draft policy on research and intellectual property rights management of Makerere University advances access to resources and the open sharing of knowledge. Based on the critical analysis of Makerere's policy, this paper notes that openness should trump other institutional interests in the copyright system. The position taken in the paper is that institutional policies should advance open sharing of information and knowledge (internal or external to the institution). Short-term legal remedies are proposed based on various Creative Commons' licenses that are designed to advance openness within existing national copyright statutes. Long-term remedies suggested involve reforming national and international laws and instruments to advance openness including protecting existing provisions for education and research. Protection of education and research activities can be attained by not simply availing the existing exceptions and limitations but also precluding statutory exceptions and limitations from being overridden by contractual licenses. The proposed short and long-term remedies are expected to be addressed by institutional policies to facilitate in the access and use of e-resources (and other research and educational resources).
SIZE OF RETINAL IMAGE AS A PERCEPTUAL CUE

An experiment was conducted to determine the nature of size perception under reduced cues for distance. A modified method of constant stimuli was used, and Os were required to compare the size of a comparison stimulus presented with distance cues with the size of a standard stimulus presented devoid of distance cues. Under these conditions Os were able to correctly judge the relative image sizes of the two objects.
Impact of a Computerized System on Resident Sign-Out

Communication problems between healthcare providers are the most common cause of preventable in-hospital disability and death. Some studies suggest electronic health records (EHRs) can improve communication between healthcare providers and decrease hospital mortality, complications, and costs. In this article, we describe our experience implementing a computer-based system in an effort to improve the effectiveness of patient-care hand-offs between resident physicians (signouts) at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. Sign-out is the transfer of information about a patient’s state and plan of care from one set of healthcare providers to another. Over the past decade, the number of sign-outs has increased while physician continuity of care during hospital stays has decreased. As a result, when caring for hospitalized patients, resident physicians have become increasingly dependent upon exchange of information during sign-out.
Polychloronaphthalenes and other dioxin-like compounds in Arctic and Antarctic marine food webs

Here we report accumulation patterns of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides (HCB, p,p'DDE) in polar organisms (polar bear from Alaskan Arctic and krill, sharp-spined notothen, crocodile icefish, Antarctic silverfish, Adelie penguin, South polar skua, and Weddell seal from the Ross Sea, Antarctica). PCNs, found in most of the samples, ranged from 1.5 pg/g in krill to 2550 pg/g in South polar skua on a wet weight basis. Lower chlorinated PCNs were the predominant congeners in organisms except skua and polar bear that showed similar PCN homologue patterns. PCDD/F concentrations were <90 pg/g wet wt in polar organisms; PCDD congeners showed peculiar accumulation patterns in different organisms. Correlation existed between PCN and PCB concentrations. PCB, HCF, and p,p'DDE levels were the highest in skua liver (11,150 ng/g wet wt, 345 ng/g wet wt, and 300 ng/g wet wt, respectively). Contribution of PCNs to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQ) was negligible (<0.1%) because of the lack of most toxic congeners. The highest TEQ was found in South polar skua liver (45 pg/g, wet weight). This is the first study to document the occurrence of PCNs in Antarctic organisms. High levels of dioxin-like chemicals in skua suggest the importance of intake via diet and migration habits, thus POP detection can be useful to trace migration behavior. Moreover, POP concentrations in penguin and skua eggs prove their transfer from the mother to eggs.
NMR observations of drawn polymers. VIII. Doubly oriented nylon 66

A wide-line NMR study of chain segmental motion in nylon 66 has been made on a rolled sheet having “double orientation.” In this sheet the crystallite c axis, i.e., the molecular chain axis, is oriented preferentially along the roll direction, and the crystallographic (010) plane lies predominantly parallel to the roll plane, or the plane of the sheet. The direction of the applied magnetic field with respect to the sheet is characterized by two angles, the polar angle γ subtended by the roll direction and the magnetic field, and an azimuthal angle ϕ. NMR spectra were taken at various values of the angles γ and ϕ and at three temperatures −196°C, 20°C, and 180°C. The second moments of the absorption spectra taken at 180°C were compared with theoretical predictions of second moments based on two models for the high-temperature segmental motion (called the αc process) in crystalline regions of nylon 66. One model consists of rotational oscillation with amplitudes δ of segments around their axies. The second model is denoted 60° flip-flop motion and consists of rotational 60°C jumps of the segments around their axes between two equilibrium sites with the possibility that the segments also oscillate with a general amplitudes δ around each site. The experimental results are consistent with fairly large amplitudes δ, in which case both models approach the limiting case of full segment rotation. For this reason the experiments do not allow a distinction between the two models. From the second moments at −196°C and 20°C the decrease in second moment due to the low temperature segmental motion, the γ process, is obtained. This motion occurs in noncrystalline regions of nylon 66 and is found to cause a decrease in second moment which is strongly dependent on the two angles γ and ϕ, implying double orientation of the noncrystalline segments. It is suggested that at low temperatures the noncrystalline segments become immobilized in sites dictated by the crystallite orientation through the extensive hydrogen bonding known to exist in nylon 66.
Humanizing Secondary Schools: Words or Action.

This article is based on a study, conducted by the author, that assessed student perceptions of hu manizing and dehumanizing factors in secondary schools.
Mesh-capped probe design for direct pH measurements at an actively corroding metal surface

Quantitative characterization of surface reaction species improves understanding of reaction mechanisms, especially for heterogeneous reactions such as in corrosion and electrolysis. A universal mesh-capped surface pH probe was developed in order to investigate surface proton concentrations for aqueous metal dissolution/deposition reactions. This technique can be generally applied to characterize the surface pH either for bare metal reactions or metals corroding beneath a corrosion product film. Measurements with the new probe design have shown a good degree of reproducibility. The surface pH measurements during corrosion of mild steel have shown that a higher surface pH is achieved at the steel surface as compared with that of the bulk solution, just as predicted from theory. Chemical buffering effects on surface pH were observed during corrosion by contrasting the measurements obtained in HCl deaerated solutions with those containing CO2, i.e., carbonic acid (H2CO3) and acetic acid (CH3COOH/HAc) solutions. It was found that the surface pH was mainly controlled by the water chemistry and chemical buffer capacity. The surface pH is affected by the deposited corrosion scale porosity. A higher deviation of surface pH compared to the bulk value was observed for more dense layers with lower porosity.
Inhibition of urease activity in soils

Studies to evaluate more than 100 compounds as inhibitors of urease activity in soils showed that dihydric phenols and quinones were the most effective organic compounds tested and that silver and mercury salts were the most effective inorganic compounds. When the most potent inhibitors were compared using 50 μg of inhibitor per g of soil, their effectiveness decreased in the order: catechol > phenylmercuric acetate > hydroquinone >p-benzoquinone and 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone > 2,6-dichloro-p-benzoquinone > silver sulfate > 1,2-naphthoquinone > phenol > mercuric chloride > sodium p-chloromercuribenzoate and 4-chlorophenol > 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone > N-ethylmaleimide > gold chloride > aceto-hydroxamic acid and copper sulfate. The inhibitory effects of most of these compounds on soil urease activity decreased markedly with time, but the effect of 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone increased, presumably because this compound is decomposed in soils to a relatively stable product more effective than the parent compound as a soil urease inhibitor. The findings concerning the rates of inactivation of urease inhibitors in soils indicate that, of the various compounds tested, 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone, and 2,6-dichloro-p-benzoquinone are likely to prove the most effective for retardation of urea decomposition in soils and reduction of the problems caused by the normally rapid hydrolysis of fertilizer urea by soil urease. N-Serve and other compounds used to inhibit nitrification in soils have very little, if any, effect on soil urease activity.
Regime changes, learning and monetary policy

Abstract Monetary policymakers should be concerned with potential changes in regime. In the model presented here, increasing returns in production creates the possibility of multiple expectationally stable steady states. The policymaker tries to achieve the two goals of smoothing fluctuations around the high output steady state, while trying to prevent the economy from slipping to the inferior, low output steady state. Agents use a learning rule to make forecasts and a key parameter in the rule provides an indication of the credibility of the policymaker. The greater the magnitude of the shocks and the lower the credibility of the policymaker, the more emphasis should be placed on stabilizing output.
Bisphosphonate osteonecrosis (BON): unanswered questions and research possibilities.

Bisphosphonate osteonecrosis (BON) is a relatively recent adverse drug event that affects the oral cavity almost exclusively. It has been reported in individuals with metastatic breast, prostate, and lung cancer as well as in multiple myeloma. It has also been reported in a small subset of individuals who have been treated with bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis and Pagets disease of bone. Published studies to date have been characterized by relatively small sample sizes. Based on these studies, incidence appears to range between 0.1% and 11% depending on the population being studied and a number of other co-factors that have not been completely understood. The pathobiology of BON has not been fully elucidated and risk factors involved in the process need confirmation. Patients with this complication have altered quality of life and can suffer from discomfort and pain. Management is difficult and, while many treatment protocols have been proposed, at best they have only had partial success. This review of literature discusses a number of issues involving BON, with focus on the definition, possible association of BON and bisphosphonate therapy, pathobiology of BON and several additional research questions that need further investigation.
The student-run public relations firm in an undergraduate program: Reaching learning and professional development goals through ‘real world’ experience

Abstract A student-run public relations firm can offer a variety of benefits for an undergraduate program in which there are limited resources for professional involvement by students. The article is a case study that profiles a student-run firm launched in conjunction with a capstone course in a journalism department. Specific learning and professional development goals were established for students, the department, and for clients served by the firm. The article presents a brief summary of successes, along with a discussion of opportunities and challenges. General recommendations are offered for establishing a student-run public relations firm.
Dynamic visual stimulus presentation in an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope

We discuss a method to present dynamic visual stimuli to the retina through an Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope, thus enabling visual acuity measurements when adaptive optics corrected stimuli are presented. The feature enables measurements of fixation stability, high resolution psychophysics, and holds potential for precision laser delivery for microsurgery.
Experimental determination of the permeability in the lacunar-canalicular porosity of bone.

Permeability of the mineralized bone tissue is a critical element in understanding fluid flow occurring in the lacunar-canalicular porosity (PLC) compartment of bone and its role in bone nutrition and mechanotransduction. However, the estimation of bone permeability at the tissue level is affected by the influence of the vascular porosity in macroscopic samples containing several osteons. In this communication, both analytical and experimental approaches are proposed to estimate the lacunar-canalicular permeability in a single osteon. Data from an experimental stress-relaxation test in a single osteon are used to derive the PLC permeability by curve sitting to theoretical results from a compressible transverse isotropic poroelastic model of a porous annular disk under a ramp loading history (2007, "Compressible and Incompressible Constituents in Anisotropic Poroelasticity: The Problem of Unconfined Compression of a Disk," J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 55, pp. 161-193; 2008, "The Unconfined Compression of a Poroelastic Annular Cylindrical Disk, " Mech. Mater., 40(6), pp. 507-523). The PLC tissue intrinsic permeability in the radial direction of the osteon was found to be dependent on the strain rate used and within the range of O(10 -24 )-O(10 -25 ). The reported values of PLC permeability are in reasonable agreement with previously reported values derived using finite element analysis (FEA) and nanoindentation approaches.
Copper-64 radiolabeling and biological evaluation of bifunctional chelators for radiopharmaceutical development

Introduction The development of novel bifunctional chelates for attaching copper-64 to biomolecules has been an active area of research for several years. However, many of these 64Cu-chelates have poor in vivo stability or harsh radiolabeling conditions.
Sphingosine and its methylated derivative N,N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) induce apoptosis in a variety of human cancer cell lines.

In the study of apoptosis initiated by various signals including ligands binding to cell membrane receptors such as Fas and TNFRI, the sphingomyelin pathway and its resulting metabolites, the sphingolipids, have been suggested to be involved in the signaling pathway. In earlier studies we presented data which indicated that sphingosine (Sph) itself was increased during apoptosis induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in HL60 cells and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in neutrophils, and when added exogenously was able to induce apoptosis. We report here that Sph and its methylated derivative N,N,-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) are able to induce apoptosis in cancer cells of both hematopoietic and carcinoma origin. In human leukemic cell lines CMK-7, HL60 and U937, treatment with 20 μM Sph for 6 hr caused apoptosis in up to 90% of cells. Human colonic carcinoma cells HT29, HRT18, MKN74 and COL0205 were shown to be more susceptible to apoptosis upon addition of DMS (>50%) than of Sph (<50%), yet were weakly or not sensitive to N,N,N-trimethylysphingosine (TMS). Under the same conditions, in the presence of serum, neither Sph-1-phosphate nor ceramide analogues C 2 -, C 6 - or C 8 -ceramide were able to induce apoptosis in any cell lines. However, in the absence of serum, ceramide analogues induced apoptosis in leukemia cell lines after 18 hr, yet much less so than Sph or DMS. Furthermore, apoptosis induced by Sph or DMS could not be inhibited by the ceramide synthase inhibitor fumonisin B1. Apoptosis was not induced by sphingolipids in primary culture cells, such as HUVEC or rat mesangial cells, but was apparent in transformed rat mesangial cells. Additionally, apoptosis induced by Sph, DMS or C 2 Cer was inhibited by protease inhibitors. Our data further support the evidence that the catabolic pathway of sphingomyelin involving Sph and other metabolites is an integral part of the apoptosis pathway.
Studying biological responses to global change in atmospheric oxygen.

A popular book recently hypothesized that change in atmospheric oxygen over geological time is the most important physical factor in the evolution of many fundamental characteristics of modern terrestrial animals. This hypothesis is generated primarily using fossil data but the present paper considers how modern experimental biology can be used to test it. Comparative physiology and experimental evolution clearly show that changes in atmospheric O2 over the ages had the potential to drive evolution, assuming the physiological O2-sensitivity of animals today is similar to the past. Established methods, such as phylogenetically independent contrasts, as well new approaches, such as adding environmental history to phylogenetic analyses or modeling interactions between environmental stresses and biological responses with different rate constants, may be useful for testing (disproving) hypotheses about biological adaptations to changes in atmospheric O2.
International operations and voluntary disclosures by U.S.-based multinational corporations

Abstract This study uses analysts' ratings of firms' disclosures to examine how the differences between U.S. and foreign disclosure environments affects the voluntary disclosures of U.S.-based multinational corporations. We hypothesize that these different disclosure environments discourage U.S-based multinationals from releasing costly information to competitors. Examining how these differences impact U.S. MNCs' reporting may further our understanding of the relationship between voluntary disclosures and differences among countries' accounting standards. Furthermore, it may explain how convergence of mandated accounting standards might impact voluntary disclosures. Controlling for industry membership, firm size, profitability, earnings–return relations, and capital market activity, we find that U.S. firms with more extensive foreign operations tend to provide fewer voluntary disclosures. These results are most robust for informal and flexible disclosures, such as investor relations, where the findings indicate a negative relation between foreign operations and disclosure.
Effect of forskolin and exogenously administered oxytocin mRNA on oxytocin release by dispersed hypothalamic cultures.

Abstract Differential vasopressin (VP) gene expression and oxytocin (OT) gene expression were observed in hypothalamic cultures derived from 14-day-old rat fetuses, with VP but not OT being induced by treatment with forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. These cultures were used to demonstrate that exogenous VP mRNA could be taken up and translated into releasable VP. In the current studies a similar culture preparation was used to test the hypothesis that, due to the similarity in the mRNA and prohormone structures of VP and OT, the VP-expressing neurons in the cultures would be capable of utilizing exogenous OT mRNA for synthesis of releasable OT. Although OT release was increased by the administration of exogenous OT mRNA, endogenous OT gene expression was also observed. To determine what had induced OT gene expression in the current cultures, the undefined components of the culture preparation, e.g., the glial feeder layer and the serum component of the culture medium, were evaluated. Restraining growth of the glial carpet with cytosine–arabinoside did not alter OT gene expression. Use of a defined medium supplemented with B-27 induced optimal OT gene expression. From this, it is possible to conclude that the components included in B-27 are sufficient for OT gene expression.Factors included in earlier lots of sera may have been responsible for suppression of OT gene expression. Cultures maintained in serum-free, B-27-supplemented medium may provide a useful model system for studying OT gene regulation.
Dynamic color in stimuli-responsive cholesteric liquid crystals

ROY G. BIV is the acronym used around the English-speaking world to aid children in the memorization of the traditional colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Color surrounds us and the ability to change color by external stimuli (heat, force, light exposure, magnetic or electric field) continues to be leveraged for many present day applications. This review focuses on the state of the art in the use of cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) as color changing optical materials. After a brief summary of thermal and electrically induced color changes, the bulk of the article describes recent efforts in photoresponsive CLCs, materials in which light is used to control the color output.
Universities and public deliberation: bringing expertise to the people

This article makes two points: first, that greater public deliberation is needed to enhance the democratic steering of technological change and, second, that universities are particularly well situated to provide an institutional foundation for such deliberations. Existing problems with policy making about issues with significant scientific and/or technological components are considered, along with the prospect that structured public deliberation might help close an evident democratic deficit in scientific and technological policy making. Several kinds of public deliberations are described, with special emphasis on the Danish Consensus Conference model. The basic requirements for effective public deliberations are discussed, along with several issues that need fundamental research. Finally, a scenario of multiple public deliberative exercises scaled at the national level is discussed.
Expressed cadherin pseudogenes are localized to the critical region of the spinal muscular atrophy gene.

Abstract Low-copy repeats have been associated with genomic rearrangements and have been implicated in the generation of mutations in several diseases. Here we characterize a subset of low-copy repeats in the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) region in human chromosome 5q13. We show that this repeated sequence, named c41-cad, is a highly expressed pseudogene derived from an intact neuronal cadherin gene, Br-cadherin, situated on 5p13-14. Br-cadherin is expressed specifically in the brain, whereas the c41-cad transcripts are 10-15 times more abundant and are present in all tissues examined. We speculate that the c41-cad repeats, separately or in concert with other repeats in the SMA region, are involved in the pathogenesis of SMA by promoting rearrangements and deletions.
Thermal fracture toughness measurement for underfill during temperature change

The failure of organic packages during thermal cycling is often associated with failure of the underfill by fracture. The fracture toughness of underfills measured by applying a mechanical stresses to the material at a constant temperature is used as a measure of the propensity of underfill fracture. However, this fracture toughness does not take into account transient temperature effects during thermal cycling. To include temperature effects a fracture toughness induced by applying thermal stresses is defined and a method to measure this thermally induced fracture toughness is described. Results on two commercial underfills are presented. Comparison of the conventional, mechanically induced fracture toughness and the new, thermally induced fracture toughness shows that underfill fracture toughness including thermal effects is significantly smaller than the conventional values. This indicates that the mechanical toughness method overestimates the underfill/package reliability that becomes subject to temperature change. The difference is explained using fracture energy concept.