cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viscous Effects on Performance of Three-Dimensional Supersonic Micronozzles

A numerical investigation of three-dimensional flow in a converging–diverging microelectromechanical-systemsbased supersonic nozzle design is reported. Based on microfabrication techniques, the nozzle geometry is a twodimensional pattern etched into a substrate to a specified depth, thus resulting in a three-dimensional ductlike geometry and flowfield. Owing to the low Reynolds numbers associated with the microscale, viscous effects result in substantial subsonic layers that develop along expander walls and reduce nozzle efficiency. In this study, the threedimensional flowfield is simulated with a continuummodel and decomposed hydrogen peroxide as the working fluid monopropellant. Numerical simulations are performed over a range of nozzle expander half-angles (15–45 ), for several nozzle depths (25–400 m), and for varying throat Reynolds numbers (15–800). Simulation results are analyzed to determine subsonic layer growth rates and to delineate their impact on micronozzle thrust and performance. Specific impulse efficiencies are compared with quasi-one-dimensional theory, previous twodimensional simulations, and data from the micronozzle literature, including direct simulation Monte Carlo and experimental studies. It is found that three-dimensional impulse efficiencies can be much less than corresponding two-dimensional model results owing to the presence of viscous, subsonic layers on the additional walls in a threedimensional device. Themicronozzle depth is a critical parameter that impacts thrust and efficiency. For sufficiently shallow nozzles, it is possible for the subsonic layers to merge and decelerate the flow to subsonic conditions, thus degrading nozzle performance.
Hostility, social support, and carotid artery atherosclerosis in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.

This cross-sectional study investigates the association of hostility and social support (measured by standardized instruments) to carotid artery atherosclerosis in men and women with a high familial risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and those with low to medium risk. The hypothesis was that high hostility and low social support would have a stronger association in subjects with a familial predisposition to CHD. There were 535 low- to medium-risk women, 491 low- to medium-risk men, 1,950 high-risk women, and 1,667 high-risk men in the study. The extent of carotid artery atherosclerosis was assessed by B-mode ultrasound imaging. A lesion was defined as an intimal-medial far wall thickness of 1 mm in the common, internal, or carotid bifurcation, or identification of plaque at any site. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated using generalized estimating equations (GEE) for logistic regression. Family was specified as the clustering variable, and robust SEEs were obtained that account for dependence of the data within families. After controlling for age, education, body mass index, ever having smoked, ever drinking >5 drinks a day, and metabolic index, hostility was significantly associated with increased odds of carotid lesions in only high-risk women. High-risk women showed a significantly reduced odds of carotid lesions with high social support, but the extent of this protection was reduced when age and education were included in the equation. A combination of high hostility and low social support was associated with higher odds than hostility alone in both high-risk men and women. These results suggest that women with a high familial predisposition for CHD may be more vulnerable to cardiovascular influences from hostility and social support than high-risk men or men and women with low to medium risk.
Drainage and flooding in karst terranes

Flooding in karst terranes is a commonly occurring geo-hazard. It causes damage to property, businesses, and roadways. It can lead to the formation of cover-collapse sinkholes and groundwater contamination. Generally, three types of flooding or their combinations are related to karst: recharge-related sinkhole flooding, flow-related flooding, and discharge-related flooding. Understanding of the type of flooding is essential for solving the flooding problem. Areas prone to karst flooding should be recognized, and restrictions and laws on land use should be implemented. Runoff and erosion control plans should address the unique characteristics of karst features. Digging out clogged sinkholes, creating retention basins, or installing Class V Injection Wells are possible solutions to improve drainage of storm water. Solutions to flooding problems in karst areas should also be coordinated with the water quality control to prevent groundwater contamination.
Development of the Collaborative Learning Measure in CMC

The purpose of the present study is to develop a simple tool to measure interactive learning in the context of computer-mediated communication (CMC). In this article, the description of such measure of interactivity, namely the “Measure of Interactivity in CMC” (MICMC) is provided, and the reliability and validity of this measure are examined. In addition, several interesting relationships observed during the development of MICMC are discussed. The subjects for this study are selected from students who participated in the “Knowledge Forum Knowledge Building Community Project” in 1999. It was a fifth- and sixth-grade classroom in an inner city elementary school with 23 students. The analysis of the data indicates that MICMC is a useful measure of interactivity. It goes beyond how much time people spend using CMC, how many messages are created, or even how many students are involved. Instead of being a measure of participation, it becomes a measure of collaboration in terms of interactivity.
Autoradiographic localization of dihydrotestosterone and testosterone concentrating neurons in the brain of the oyster toadfish.

Vertebrate species with male mating calls or songs tend to have sexually dimorphic sonic neurons that concentrate gonadal steroids. The distribution of [3H]dihydrotestosterone- and testosterone-concentrating neurons was examined in oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), males of which produce a courtship boatwhistle call. Labeled cells in the forebrain were found in the posterior nucleus of the dorsal telencephalon (Dp), a pallial structure, the supracommissural nucleus of the ventral telencephalon (Vs), nucleus preopticus parvocellularis anterior (PPa) and other preoptic nuclei, the ventral, dorsal and caudal hypothalamus. Positive brainstem areas included the optic tectum, torus semicircularis, nucleus lateralis valvula, a periventricular nucleus of the rostral medulla and the inferior reticular formation. Compared to estrogen, androgens labeled fewer sites in the forebrain and more in the brainstem. Two of the positive sites, Vs and PPa, have been implicated in boatwhistle production. Many sites that connect to these areas in teleosts likewise concentrate steroids. Unlike the situation in frogs, birds, and one other teleost, the toadfish sonic motor nucleus did not concentrate androgens. Androgen labeling in the posterior nucleus of the dorsal telencephalon represents the first autoradiographic demonstration of steroid concentration in the pallium of a teleost forebrain.
Federal Expenditures on Maternal and Child Health in the United States

The goals of this study are to estimate federal maternal and child health (MCH) expenditures and identify their sources. This analysis is intended to provide a broad view of MCH funding appropriations and a basis for discussion of whether funds could be better utilized for the benefit of the population served. Data on federal maternal and child health expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2006 were derived from examining federal legislation, department/agency budgets, and various web-based program documents posted by federal agencies. Based on selected criteria, we identified programs targeting children under 21 or pregnant/parenting women within the United States. The funding levels of agency programs for maternal and child health activities were determined and the programs briefly summarized. The identifiable funding for maternal and child health programs in FY 2006 approached $57.5 billion dollars. Funding sources for maternal and child health were concentrated within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but spread across several different agencies within the department and in the Departments of Defense, Education, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Multiple agencies and offices often funded related activities, without evidence of a common underlying strategy. Federal maternal and child health funding mechanisms may lead to a fragmentation in maternal and child health activities. The funding and service delivery apparatus would benefit from an integrative MCH infrastructure approach to pediatric research, service delivery, and data collection/access that incorporates life-course and social/environmental determinants perspectives.
Trials needed to identify best management of iatrogenic inferior alveolar and lingual nerve injuries.

Trials needed to identify best management of iatrogenic inferior alveolar and lingual nerve injuries
Transgressing borders: Teaching about whiteness in women's studies

(1999). Transgressing borders: Teaching about whiteness in women's studies. Identities: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 145-173.
Sequential treatment of ovariectomized mice with bFGF and risedronate restored trabecular bone microarchitecture and mineralization.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a potent mitogen, has been found to restore trabecular bone mass and connectivity in osteopenic rats. The purpose of this study was to determine how sequential treatment of ovariectomized (OVXed) mice with bFGF followed by risedronate would restore trabecular microarchitecture and improve bone strength through alterations in bone mineralization. Six-month old female Swiss–Webster mice were OVXed or sham-operated and left untreated for 4 weeks to develop osteopenia. At week 5, a group of Sham and OVXed mice were treated with vehicle, and 3 other groups of OVXed mice were treated with bFGF (1 mg/kg daily, s.c., 5×/week) for 3 weeks. At week 8, one group of bFGF-treated mice was sacrificed and the other two bFGF-treated groups were treated with vehicle or risedronate (Ris, 5 μg/kg, s.c., 3×/week) for an additional 6 weeks. Study endpoints included trabecular microarchitecture by microCT, histomorphometry, bone turnover, degree of bone mineralization (DBM), and whole bone strength for the lumbar vertebral body. Compared to sham-operated animals, OVXed mice had significant reductions in trabecular bone volume, connectivity density, DBM, and bone biomechanical properties (P 0.7, P < 0.001). Serum TGF-β1 correlated with bone turnover (DPD/Cr, osteocalcin) and was negatively correlated to DBM. Thus, in osteopenic mice, sequential treatment with bFGF followed by risedronate increased trabecular bone microarchitecture, DBM, and bone strength. In addition, suppression of the serum TGF-β1 with risedronate was associated with increased DBM. Therefore, sequential treatment with bFGF and Ris restores trabecular architecture and allows mineralization of bone to increase, which appears to be beneficial to bone strength. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Influence of molecular weight, protein core and charge of native heparin fractions on pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Heparin macromolecules have been shown to inhibit cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro and prevent hypoxic vascular remodeling in vivo. In an attempt to understand the structural determinants of heparin's antiproliferative properties, we have fractionated an antiproliferative preparation of commercial heparin into low and high molecular weight fractions. Then the high molecular weight heparin fraction was further fractionated on a DEAE-cellulose column by charge density eluting with 0 - 1 M NaCl linear gradient. The heparin protein peptides were both removed and isolated. These heparin fractions were assayed for antiproliferative effects on cultured bovine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. No appreciable differences were found among high and low molecular weight heparin fractions The core peptides showed no antiproliferative activity. However, higher charge density fraction was less antiproliferative.
Performance Analysis of UWB Communication Systems using Pulse with Nyquist Criterion

In this paper, we obtain the bit error rate performance of pulses that can be applied to ultra-wideband (UWB) communication systems. We employ the Nyquist criterion for the design of band-limited signals for no inter-pulse interference, The roll-off factor is applied to the UWB emission power mask. We obtain the bit error rate for the different pulses that satisfy the UWB emission power mask. We show that the bit error rate performance as a function of roll-off factor. We employ the time hopping (TH) pulse position modulation (PPM) UWB system with repetition code.
Spatial and temporal variability in flow at the mouth of Narragansett Bay

[1] Results are presented from field measurements of the spatial and temporal variability of circulation and exchange between Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound (RIS) at both tidal and seasonal timescales. Data were collected during 13 acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) surveys between April 1998 and July 1999. Significant horizontal and vertical structure was observed in the instantaneous, tidally driven flow and the residual, nontidal flow. This was especially evident through the deeper East Passage (EP), where persistent inflow was observed along the eastern side, and outflow along the western side of the channel. The residual volume transport of water to RIS is greater through the EP than through the West Passage entrance to the Bay, particularly in summer. Data from the offshore, or coastline-normal survey lines reveal a strong seasonal variability in RIS circulation. A residual (5–15 cm s−1) cyclonic coastal current is recorded within RIS during summer, stratified conditions. This residual current, which was not present during the winter surveys, enhances Narragansett Bay-RIS exchange by efficiently advecting the bay outflow to the southwest, away from the entrance. Results also indicate the resupply pathways for deep water to the entrance region vary in summer versus winter. Observed differences in RIS circulation, and related estuary-shelf exchange, have significant implications for physical, chemical, and biological models of Narragansett Bay.
Characterization of cultured alveolar epithelial cell xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase

Conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) to xanthine oxidase (XO) and the toxic reactions of subsequent XO-derived superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical, have been suggested to be critical factors in several mechanisms of tissue pathophysiology. In the lung, intracellular XO-derived products may modulate type II pneumocyte surfactant turnover and barrier function, jeopardizing the pulmonary air-blood barrier. We characterized total cellular XDH/XO enzymatic activity in freshly isolated and cultured rat pulmonary type II epithelial cells. Type II cells were isolated and cultured on fibronectin-pretreated dishes, with a plating efficiency after 36 h in culture of 40% or 14% when quantified via cellular protein or DNA, respectively. Over the subsequent 96 h in culture, monolayer DNA was unchanged, whereas protein per cell increased continuously. Alterations in different cellular enzymatic activities were also detected in these cultured cells. In culture, total cellular XDH/XO and catalase activities decreased in a logarithmical fashion with respect to time, whether normalized for cellular protein or DNA. The rate of loss of these enzymes was greatest when normalized for cell protein, but was also significant when the activities were normalized for DNA. When compared to freshly isolated type II cells, catalase and total XDH/XO activities normalized for protein decreased 78% and 72%, respectively, during the first 36 h of culture. After 132 h in culture, XDH/XO and catalase activities normalized for protein decreased 93% and 84%, respectively, when compared to freshly isolated cell values. Total cellular XDH/XO activity in the oxidase form (% XO) was initially 31% in freshly isolated type II cells and increased to 67% during the 132 h culture period. In contrast to the loss of total cellular XDH/XO and catalase, no significant change in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity occurred during culture of the type II cells. In type II cells the conversion of XDH to XO, the cytotoxic potential of XO, and the activity of the hydrogen peroxide scavenger, catalase, is expected to be strongly influenced by in vitro culture. Thus, strong consideration should be made before transposing information obtained from cultured type II cells to in vivo situations.
Application of the pi-theorem to the similarity criteria of slow deformation of inhomogeneous viscous fluids

Abstract The conditions of similarity are examined for geometrically similar systems of inhomogeneous viscous Newtonian fluids under similar boundary conditions, making use of the method of dimensional analysis (Pi-theorem). It is shown that if the tectonic processes are little influenced by body forces, then complete similarity is insured by the simple conditions that two systems shall have the same inhomogeneity with respect to viscosity coefficients and the corresponding strain shall be the same in numerical magnitude for both systems.
Insight into the Structural Role of Carotenoids in the Photosystem I: A Quantum Chemical Analysis

The structural stabilization role of carotenoids in the formation of photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes is investigated theoretically. The pi-pi stacking and CH-pi interactions between beta-carotenes and their surrounding chlorophylls (and/or aromatic residues) in Photosystem I (PS1) from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus were studied by means of the supermolecular approach at the level of the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation method. PS1 features a core integral antenna system consisting of 22 beta-carotenes intertwined with 90 chlorophyll molecules. The binding environments of all 22 beta-carotenes were systematically analyzed. For 21 out of the 22 cases, one or more chlorophyll molecules exist within van der Waals' contacts of the beta-carotene molecule. The calculated strengths of pi-pi stacking interactions between the conjugated core of beta-carotene and the aromatic tetrapyrrole rings of chlorophyll are substantial, ranging from -3.54 kcal/mol for the perpendicular-positioned BCR4004...CHL1217 pair to -16.01 kcal/mol for the parallel-oriented BCR4007...CHL1122 pair. A strong dependence of the pi-pi stacking interaction energies on the intermolecular configurations of the two interacting pi-planes is observed. The parallel-oriented beta-carotene and chlorophyll pair is energetically much more stable than the perpendicular-positioned pair. The larger the extent of pi-pi overlapping, the stronger the interaction strength. In many cases, the beta-ring ends of beta-carotene molecules are found to interact with the tetrapyrrole rings of chlorophyll via CH-pi interactions. For the latter interactions, the calculated interaction strengths vary from -7.03 to -11.03 kcal/mol, depending on the intermolecular configuration. This work leads to the conclusion that pi-pi stacking and CH-pi interactions between beta-carotene and their surrounding chlorophylls and aromatic residues play an essential role in binding beta-carotenes in PS1 from S. elongatus. Consequently, the molecular basis of the structural stabilization function of carotenoids in formation of the photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes is established.
Aspects of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking

Abstract In technicolor models it has recently been suggested that dynamics at scales much higher than the electroweak scale can play a significant role in electroweak symmetry breaking, and that these effects can lead to a heavy top quark while alleviating the flavor changing neutral current problems endemic to extended technicolor theories. In this paper we formulate the conditions necessary for this hierarchy to occur. We show that, if extended technicolor interactions are to play a role in electroweak symmetry breaking and in particular if they are to enhance fermion masses above their values in the usual weak extended technicolor scenario, then the chiral symmetry breaking phase transition must be second order. We also show that the effective low-energy theory below the ETC scale must include both technicolor and a light composite scalar with large couplings to ordinary fermions and technifermions.
Experimental Study of Nafion- and Flemion-based Ionic Polymer- metal Composites (IPMCs) with Ethylene Glycol as Solvent

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) consist of a perfluorinated ionomer membrane (usually Nafion ® or Flemion ® ) plated on both faces with a noble metal such as gold or platinum and neutralized with a certain amount of counterions that balance the electrical charge of anions covalently fixed to the membrane backbone. IPMCs are electroactive materials that can be used as actuators and sensors. Their electrical-chemical-mechanical response is highly dependent on the cations used, the solvent, the amount of solvent uptake, the morphology of the electrodes, and other factors. With water as the solvent, the applied electric potential must be limited to less than 1.3V at room temperature, to avoid electrolysis. Moreover, water evaporation in open air presents additional problems. These and related factors limit the application of IPMCs with water as the solvent. Ethylene glycol has a viscosity of about 16 times that of water at room temperature, and has a greater molecular weight. It is used as an anti-freeze. Like water, it consists of polar molecules and thus can serve as a solvent for IPMCs. We present the results of a series of tests on both Nafion- and Flemion-based IPMCs with ethylene glycol as the solvent, and compare these with the results obtained using water. IPMCs with ethylene glycol as their solvent have greater solvent uptake, and can be subjected to relatively high voltages without electrolysis. They can be actuated in open air for rather long time periods, and at low temperatures. They may be good actuators when high-speed actuation is not necessary.
Forcing technological change: A case of automobile emissions control technology development in the US

Abstract This article investigates how regulated automakers and upstream component suppliers comply with “technology-forcing” regulations, or laws that set performance standards beyond their usual technological capabilities. In particular, this article examines how firms manage and organize their research and development (R&D) processes concerning automobile emissions control technologies amid the uncertainties resulting from the issuance of new regulations. This study involves the analyses of patents, interviews with experts, references to technical papers published for conferences of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and use of learning curves. The results of this study show that the high regulatory standards under the technology-forcing regulation played an important role in forcing technological innovations and determining subsequent direction of technological change. Component suppliers were important sources of innovation in the 1970s, but over the course of technological evolution, automakers gradually emerged as the locus of innovation. This study also shows that firms strategically manage architectural and component knowledge in the presence of uncertainties about their technological capacity to meet new auto emissions control standards.
Causes to clauses: Managing assumptions in qualitative medical diagnosis

Abstract The ABD project demonstrates the applicability of formal techniques of assumption-based reasoning to qualitative diagnosis, a task complicated by many types of assumptions. Our primary goal is to connect the medical-knowledge level to the logical level by automating the conversion of high-level diagnostic concepts such as ‘symptoms’ and ‘faults’ into the constructs of the Assumption-Based Truth Maintenance System (ATMS). Due to the simplicity of the ATMS logic, this compilation requires the formalization of many of the implicit assumptions of diagnostic reasoning. When the proper assumptions are included, the results of interpretation construction will correspond to all diagnostic explanations consistent with the fault and symptom information provided by the physician.
Second- and higher-order cyclostationary processing using acousto-optics

In this paper we consider cyclostationary signal processing techniques implemented via acousto-optics (AO). Cyclic processing methods are reviewed and motivated, including the cyclic correlation and the cyclic spectrum. We show how a 1D AO spectrum analyzer can be used to detect the presence, and estimate the value, of cycle frequencies. The cyclic correlation can then be computed at cycle frequencies of interest using a 1D time-integrating correlator. Next we consider the problem of computing the (2D) cyclic correlation for all cycle frequencies and lags simultaneously. This is accomplished via an AO triple-product processor, configured in a manner similar to that used for ambiguity function generation. The cyclic spectrum can be obtained in a post-processing step by Fourier transforming the cyclic correlation in one dimension. We then consider higher order extensions of the cyclic correlation and show how a 2D slice of the 3D cyclic triple-correlation can be computed using an AO four-product processor.
Sir William Wilde's medico-legal observations.

La carriere et la biographie de Sir William Wilde ont deja ete decrites, mais recemment, la decouverte de ses activites medico-legales a permis de montrer qu'il etait possible de lever les accusations portees sur un innocent
An X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of the interactions of Ni2+ with yeast enolase.

An x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study was carried out at pH 7.6 on solutions of Ni2+ and yeast enolase depleted of its physiological cofactor (Mg2+) in the presence or absence of substrate/product, the very strongly bound competitive inhibitor 2-phosphonoacetohydroxamate and Mg2+. Both “conformational” and “catalytic” Ni2+ are distorted octahedral in coordination, in agreement with several spectroscopic studies but in contrast to the coordination in the crystal at pH 6.0. The data are consistent with direct coordination of what must be the catalytic Ni2+ to the phosphate of the substrate, in agreement with some previous data but in disagreement with recent interpretations by other workers. The ligands around the metal ions obtained from the x-ray structure give simulated XAS spectra in good agreement with the observed spectra.
Elucidation of aberrant purine metabolism: application to hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosylstransferase- and adenosine kinase-deficient mutants, and IMP dehydrogenase- and adenosine deaminase-inhibited human lymphoblasts.

Abstract We propose that the ratio of [ 14 C]formate-labelled purine nucleosides and bases (both intra and extracellular) to nucleic acid purines provides, in exponentially growing cultures, a sensitive index for comparative studies of purine metabolism. This ratio was 4-fold greater for an HGPRT − mutant than for the parental HGPRT + human lymphoblast line. The major components of the labelled nucleoside and base fraction were hypoxanthine and inosine. By blocking adenosine deaminase activity with coformycin we found that approx. 90% of inosine was formed directly from IMP rather than the route IMP → AMP → adenosine → inosine. The ratio of labelled base + nucleosides to nucleic acids was essentially unchanged for an AK − lymphoblast line and 2-fold greater than control for an HGPRT − -AK − line, demonstrating that a deficiency of adenosine kinase alone has little effect on the accumulation of purine nucleosides and bases. Although adenosine was a minor component of the nucleoside and base fraction, the adenosine fraction increased from 3 to 13% with the addition of coformycin to the HGPRT − -AK − line. In the parental and HGPRT − lines, adenosine was shown to be primarily phosphorylated rather than deaminated at concentrations less than 5 μM. Inhibition of IMP dehydrogenase activity by mycophenolic acid caused a 12- and 3-fold increase in the rate of production of labelled base and nucleoside in the parent and HGPRT − cells respectively. These results suggest that a mutationally induced partial deficiency in the activities converting IMP to guanine nucleotides may result in an increased catabolism of IMP.
RADIATION-INDUCED SOLID STATE POLYMERIZATION OF ORIENTED ULTRATHIN FILMS OF OCTADECYLACRYLAMIDE

Abstract The preparation of ultrathin polymeric films was demonstrated by the solid state polymerization of multilayer films of octadecylacrylamide. The films were polymerized with 60Co γ radiation and were studied by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The structure and the orientation of the multilayer films before and after irradiation were studied by X-ray diffraction, by electron diffraction and by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. X-ray powder diffraction patterns and the IR spectra of bulk samples were compared with those of multilayer films. It was observed that the molecules deposited to give a head-to-head — tail-to-tail structure and the packing was similar in multilayer films and in bulk. No phase change was observed either in bulk or in multilayer films. The molecules in the film had a definite orientation with respect to the substrate surface.
Samuel Hopkins Adams (1871–1958): Journalist and Muckraker

An obituary for American writer and social justice pioneer Samuel Hopkins Adams is presented.
Incoherent filtering using kinoforms

Incoherent optical filtering with the kinoform used as a filtering element is discussed. Kinoform theory is briefly reviewed and initial results with "fan" and correlation filters are presented.
Stimulation of basic amino acid uptake by certain neutral amino acids in isolated intestinal epithelial cells.

Abstract 1. 1. Using everted intestinal sacs from the rat the transport of 1 mM lysine from the mucosal to the serosal medium was stimulated by the presence of 1 mM leucine, 1 mM methionine, or 1 mM alanine in the mucosal medium. Under the same conditions the intracellular accumulation of lysine was not increased. 2. 2. The uptake of 1 mM lysine and 1 mM arginine by isolated intestinal cells was stimulated by 1 mM leucine, 1 mM methionine, 1 mM alanine, or 1 mM phenylalanine; inhibited by 1 mM isoleucine or 1 mM tryptophan; and unaffected by 1 mM valine, 1 mM histidine, or 1 mM glycine. 3. 3. The stimulation of lysine uptake by leucine in the cells was present after a 1-min incubation and optimum after 2 min. The concurrent inhibition of 1 mM leucine uptake by 1 mM lysine was also maximal after 2 min. 4. 4. Preincubation of the cells in 1 mM lysine, 1 mM arginine, or 1 mM leucine followed by incubation in lysine resulted in an increased uptake of lysine as compared to cells preincubated in Krebs-Tris alone. 5. 5. The stimulation of 1 mM lysine uptake by leucine-loaded cells was not decreased by the exclusion of extracellular Na+. 6. 6. The stimulation of lysine uptake by leucine in the cells is attributed to the action of two transport systems. The first mediates an energy-dependent, Na+-dependent, active uptake of leucine and the other mediates a Na+-independent hetero-exchange between intracellular leucine and extracellular lysine resulting in a stimulation of lysine uptake at the expense of intracellular leucine.
Large bladder stone secondary to Shirodkar cervical cerclage

Cervical incompetence is most often treated by the placement of a cervical cerclage. Although lower urinary tract complications have been reported, they are relatively rare. A 27-year-old woman, para 6, presented with hematuria and persistentKlebsiella pneumoniae urinary tract infection. The patient had a history of cervical cerclage placement with her last pregnancy. Cystoscopy revealed Mersilene tape encased in a large bladder calculus. The potential for cerclage migration into the bladder should be considered in women with a history of cervical cerclage placement presenting with recurrent cystitis and hematuria.
Japanese Organic Farmers: Strategies of Uncertainty after the Fukushima Disaster

ABSTRACTThis ethnographic study of organic farmers affected by radioactive contamination in Japan illuminates responses to situated uncertainty as an everyday mode of subjectivity and practice. The farmers' strategies vary along a continuum from accommodation with dominant institutions to precautions of possible uncertainty to innovations and oppositions of potential uncertainty. Significantly these strategies are contradictory and they show variations in power and morality. The data indicate a subjective- and practice-oriented response that I call localized, relational uncertainty. It is contextualized in farms and villages with responsibility for family, consumers, and organic agriculture itself and it enables farmers to embrace multiple strategies. Thus, uncertainty brings loss and limitations, but also produces opportunities through, for example, expanded trust in relationships, deepened commitment to place, reinterpretation of organic agriculture, and sharpened critique of Japan's trajectory of econo...
Multivariable Control of an Earthmoving Vehicle Powertrain Experimentally Validated in an Emulated Working Cycle

The operation of an earthmoving vehicle involves the coordination of a multivariable powertrain and the execution of specific tasks in a repetitive fashion. The performance and efficiency depend heavily on human expertise. The purpose of this research is to automate the coordination of a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear electro-hydraulic powertrain and to validate the performance and efficiency improvements in a human-machine interaction. Firstly, a robust gain scheduling method is developed to design a powertrain controller and to analyze its robust stability and robust performance. The gain scheduling is based on a Local Controller Network strategy and its satisfactory properties are analytically confirmed using robust control theories. Secondly, the improvement of performance and efficiency are validated through two experiments performed on an Earthmoving Vehicle Powertrain Simulator (EVPS). This testbed is a Hardware-In-the-Loop HIL environment representative of a class of electro-hydraulic systems with multiple loads. The two human-operated experiments include a reference tracking test and a working cycle test. In the second test, three types of loads are modeled for a typical wheel loader and emulated on EVPS for a 180-degree loading cycle. These models include the steering, the drive, and the implement. The load emulation technique ensures that the HIL working cycles are representative of real life cycles. The reference tracking and loading cycle results show the significant improvement in productivity in terms of performance, efficiency, and ease of operation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Compensating for distortion in viewing pictures obliquely

Gombrich (1972) suggested that interpretation of obliquely viewed pictures depends largely on the foreshortened image projected to the eye, the attendant distortion rarely being important. Sixteen university students judged whether 128 drawings viewed at 41 and 26 deg to the page pictured rectangular or nonrectangular boxes. Projective geometry predicted Ss’ classifications; for many pictures, predictions for normal and oblique viewing differed. Nevertheless, at 41 deg, Ss classified 77% of the pictures where predictions differed according to the normal prediction. Furthermore. performance on cases where the predictions agreed was no better. Even at 26 deg, normal classifications still dominated. Ss demonstrated substantial capacity to compensate for oblique viewing and small tendency to judge according to the foreshortened image.
The Adolescent Unbound: Unintentional Influence of Curricula on Ideological Conflict Seeking

Conflict seeking is celebrated in advocacy of civil disobedience as a commitment of youth to transcendent principles that compel activism. Conflict avoidance, however, is far more prevalent as an explanatory theme in political socialization research. Nevertheless, it is possible to imagine undercurrents of defiance in the seemingly controlled and disciplinary environments of the home and the classroom. We propose that high schools and families—as overlapping spheres of interpersonal political communication—can engender ideological conflict seeking during election campaigns as activity conducive to moral-political identity development. Ideological conflict seeking was modeled as inclination to openly disagree, which fosters support for confrontational activism. Evidence was obtained from multiple interviews of student-parent dyads across two election cycles in Arizona, Colorado, and Florida. In validating a theoretical model confined to the ordinary political communication that occurs in classrooms and hou...
A procedure for evaluating grain elevator bankruptcies

During the 1981–1982 season, seven grain elevator bankruptcies occurred in Louisiana resulting in significant losses to warehouse receipts and scale ticket holders, to creditors, and to owners of the elevators. Through a rigorous comparison of certain financial and operating ratios of those that failed with a sample of survivors, a procedure for evaluation and prediction of failures was investigated. Measures of liquidity, solvency, cash on hand, and the number of grains handled predicted six of the seven bankruptcies and survival for 19 of the other 22 firms in the sample. Similar results were obtained when applied to an out-of-sample population.
Voting as an act of contribution

This paper presents a theory which rationalizes voting in terms of the marginal utility a citizen derives from contributing a small amount of effort in the political process when the cost of voting is small. Citizens abstain when the marginal cost of voting exceeds the marginal perceived benefit. A simple choice rule for voting in a two candidate race is derived from the theory. This rule depends on the voter's subjective belief about the election outcome as well as his preferences for the candidates. The key assumption is that the voter's utility increases if he votes for a winner, or decreases if he votes for a loser. This assumption is no less plausible than the assumption that voters believe they can be pivotal.
Optimal joint load balancing and routing in message switched computer networks

The load balancing and routing problems are combined as a single problem to capture the interaction between them. An optimization problem for joint load balancing and routing is formulated using a linear combination of the average job response time and average message delay as the performance criterion. Given an initial feasible solution, the Frank-Wolfe method is applied to solve the problem. An algorithm which gives an optimal solution is obtained. The algorithm is then extended to solve the same problem with multiple types of jobs. >
Massage therapy: understanding the mechanisms of action on blood pressure. A scoping review

Massage therapy (MT) has shown potential in reducing blood pressure (BP); however, the psychophysiological pathways and structures involved in this outcome are unclear. The aims of this scoping review were twofold. (1) To summarize the current knowledge of the mechanisms of action of MT on BP. (2) To highlight the research gaps and challenges that researchers must overcome to further elucidate how MT attenuates BP. A scoping review was conducted to examine the evidence regarding the mechanisms of action of MT on BP. This review included the thematic analysis of 27 publications that considered the influence of MT on BP. Based on this analysis, six potential BP mediating pathways were identified Current theories suggest that MT exerts sympatholytic effects through physiologic and psychological mechanisms, improves hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis function, and increases in blood flow, which, in turn, may improve endothelial function. Future study is needed, using more scientifically rigorous methodology, to fully elucidate the mechanism of action of MT.
Maternal stress during pregnancy and offspring behavior: ongoing research

When a pregnant mammal experiences stress, the hormones she releases often reach the fetus in significant quantities. While permanent effects of stress hormones on fully developed animals are probably minimal, there is growing evidence that even fairly short term exposure of a fetus' brain to stress hormones can permanently affect its health and behavior throughout life. Regarding behavior, evidence indicates that sex-typical behavior patterns of offspring are especially vulnerable to the effects of stress hormones during prenatal development
Cellular Biology of Prion Diseases

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders of humans and animals that are important because of their impact on public health and because they exemplify a novel mechanism of infectivity and biological information transfer. These diseases are caused by conformational conversion of a normal host glycoprotein (PrPC) into an infectious isoform (PrPSc) that is devoid of nucleic acid. This review focuses on the current understanding of prion diseases at the cell biological level. The characteristics of the diseases are introduced, and a brief history and description of the prion hypothesis are given. Information is then presented about the structure, expression, biosynthesis, and possible function of PrPC, as well as its posttranslational processing, cellular localization, and trafficking. The latest findings concerning PrPSc are then discussed, including cell culture systems used to generate this pathogenic isoform, the subcellular distribution of the protein, its membrane attachment, proteolytic processing, and its kinetics and sites of synthesis. Information is also provided on molecular models of the PrPC→PrPSc conversion reaction and the possible role of cellular chaperones. The review concludes with suggestions of several important avenues for future investigation.
An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Interactivity And Humor In E-Commerce

This paper studies the effects of two website attributes that online businesses often employ in product presentations - the use of interactive product demos and product-related humor - on user perceptions of site entertainment and informativeness, which research has shown may significantly influence a visitor’s overall attitude toward an online vendor. Through a 2x2 factorial design, this experimental study finds that the use of interactive product demos helps deliver a message in a more informative and entertaining way, while humor has some marginal effects on perceived entertainment. Findings suggest that more direct product experience is essential in presenting a complete product picture and providing a more enjoyable experience to online shoppers.
High Achievement on Advanced Placement Exams: The Relationship of School-Level Contextual Factors to Performance.

The purpose of the study was to identify school- and district-level variables that relate to advanced academic achievement, as defined by the ratio of number of scores of 3,4, or 5 on Advanced Placement exams to school enrollment. The study initially included 46 variables for 339 public high schools in one Midwestern state. Hierarchical linear regressions were applied to 14 and then 7 independent variables, explaining 80% of the variance in advanced academic achievement among high schools. Findings indicate that after accounting for seemingly fixed factors, schools and districts can still contribute significantly in the development of advanced academic achievement. Implications for educators and policy makers are discussed.
Aggregate-Related Applications for Residues from Fluidized Bed Combustion Boilers

Continuing development of atmospheric fluidized bed (AFB) combustion systems offers great potential for producing energy from low quality coals and other combustible materials in an environmentally acceptable manner. The process involves burning the crushed coal in a bed of limestone or dolomite that has been fluidized by jets of hot air. The resultant by-products are a dry, sand-size spent bed residue and a relatively high carbon fly ash. Potential aggregate-related applications for these by-products, and in particular the spent bed residue, are discussed. This paper is a further progress report for a research program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate potential commercial applications for fluidized bed combustion wastes. Included in this paper are laboratory data related to a number of different AFB by-product sources; a summary of separation efficiencies of several beneficiation techniques; and supporting data related to three of the most promising applications for spent bed residues. These applications are stabilized road base compositions, masonry block, and synthetic aggregate. Data pertaining to laboratory studies and small-scale field demonstrations for each of these applications is presented and discussed.
Production Incentives from Static Decoupling: Land Use Exclusion Restrictions

Many agricultural support payments are based on past production with restrictions on how land may currently be used. When support payments to field crops are analyzed in a static framework, they do not directly impact current production decisions. However, over time, as relative profits change, these payments affect current output. The payments may keep land in less profitable production of program crops through restrictions prohibiting potentially more profitable endeavors such as cultivating fruits and vegetables. These payments have the potential to lead to production and trade distortions similar in magnitude to the distortions associated with direct production subsidies.
Towards a unified theory of parameter adaptive control: tunability

The author illustrates some of the advantages of thinking of a parameter adaptive control system as a system consisting of a process, a parameterized controller, and a tuner interconnected in a particular way. The proposed structure has the virtue of being general enough to describe many different kinds of adaptive systems, including those of the model-reference, self-tuning, and high-gain feedback types. While error models are not used in this setting, special emphasis is placed on the importance of a tuning error. Within this framework, the concept of weak tunability is defined, characterized, and shown to be necessary for adaptive stabilization. The main result is to prove that a slightly stronger property called tunability is sufficient for adaptive stabilization, provided a tuning algorithm which possesses certain typical capabilities is used. >