cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Membrane Distillation for desalting brines from thermal desalination plants

Abstract Membrane Distillation (MD) is a hybrid thermal-membrane process that can use low grade waste heat to generate a vapor pressure difference across a hydrophobic membrane to produce a high quality distillate from concentrated brines. The MD process presents several benefits compared to Reverse Osmosis (RO) including: superior product water quality; ability to treat high salinity brines, and potentially lower capital & operating costs. These unique features of the MD process make it an ideal technical solution to desalinate brines from thermal desalination plants to increase fresh water production in the Arabian Gulf region. This paper evaluated the feasibility of using MD technology to desalinate brines from thermal desalination plants. A state-of-the-art MD bench scale unit was built and the performance of different MD membranes was compared under various operating conditions using synthetic saline solutions, brine from a thermal desalination plant and seawater from the Arabian Gulf. Overall, MD was shown to be a feasible and effective process capable of consistently producing high quality distillate (conductivity
Functional mapping of protective epitopes within the rotavirus VP6 protein in mice belonging to different haplotypes.

We recently used “functional mapping” to locate protective epitopes in the carboxyl terminus (aa 197–397) of the VP6 protein (designated CD) of the EDIM strain of murine rotavirus [J. Virol. 74 (2000) 11574]. For this, H-2d BALB/c mice were given two intranasal (i.n.) immunizations (separated by 2 weeks) with VP6 or CD genetically-fused to maltose-binding protein, or with overlapping synthetic CD peptides, along with LT(R192G), a genetically-attenuated E. coli heat-labile toxin. The protective efficacies, i.e., percentage reductions in rotavirus shedding relative to control mice during 7 days following oral challenge with EDIM, were determined 4 weeks after the second immunization. Five of the 11 overlapping CD peptides stimulated significant protection (57–85%, P 0.05). To better determine the usefulness of our in vivo methods to identify MHC class I-binding epitopes, four epitopes from the outer capsid VP7 rotavirus protein determined in ex vivo assays were evaluated for their protective efficacies and two were found to be partially protective. Together, these studies show that functional mapping is useful in locating epitopes that are relevant to the development of subunit rotavirus vaccines.
Expression patterns of antibacterial genes in the Hessian fly

Abstract We report on the transcriptional patterns of three antibacterial genes, a defensin (MdesDEF-1), a diptericin (MdesDIP-1) and a lysozyme (MdesLYS-1), during development in Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor. Quantitative analysis by real-time PCR of mRNA levels in different tissues revealed a predominance of the transcripts for all three genes in the midgut, while analysis during development revealed greatest abundance in mRNA during the 3rd-instar. An evaluation of the midgut lumen revealed the presence of a diverse bacterial flora in larvae maintained on susceptible wheat. Further, the titer of bacteria in the midgut increased ∼250-fold from the 1st-instar through the 2nd-instar. However, no detectable titer of bacteria was observed from the midgut lumen of larvae maintained on resistant plants. PCR amplicons produced using primers designed to conserved regions of the Pseudomonas 16S rRNA gene supported taxonomic identification for some of the bacteria comprising the midgut flora as belonging to the genus Pseudomonas. Analysis of mRNA for the Hessian fly antibacterial genes in larvae feeding on susceptible and resistant plants revealed an increase in the transcript level for MdesDEF-1 in 1st-instar larvae on susceptible plants, while the transcript levels for MdesDIP-1 and MdesLYS-1 were constant. Results suggest the transcriptional patterns of the Hessian fly antibacterial genes observed could be associated with the developing midgut bacterial flora present in larvae feeding on susceptible wheat as well as microbial challenge encountered at other stages in development.
Synthesis and processing of the precursor for human mangano-superoxide dismutase.

Abstract Superoxide dismutase comprises a family of metalloenzymes that catalyze the oxido-reduction of superoxide anion to H2O2. Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) is encoded by nuclear chromatin, synthesized in the cytosol, and imported posttranslationally into the mitochondrial matrix. We isolated and sequenced complementary DNA encoding human Mn-SOD. The Mn-SOD cDNA was 1001 base pairs long with a single open reading frame. It contained 95 base pairs of 5′ untranslated sequence, and 216 base pairs of 3′ untranslated sequence, followed by a short polyadenylation tract. The deduced amino acid sequence suggests a mature protein of 198 amino acids preceded by a 24 amino acid leader peptide. A major transcript of 1000 nucleotides was identified by hydridization of the cDNA with RNA isolated from human cells. Precursor Mn-SOD was produced by in vitro transcription of the human Mn-SOD cDNA followed by in vitro translation utilizing rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The primary translation product of the cDNA is a polypeptide of Mr 26 000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. When the Mr 26 000 propeptide was incubated with freshly isolated rat liver mitochondria, the peptide was proteolytically processed to a Mr 24 000 polypeptide. Proteolytic processing was accompanied by an energy-dependent import of the peptide into the isolated liver mitochondria. Mature125I-labelled Mn-SOD, isolated from rabbit liver, was not imported in vitro into mitochondria, indicating that the energy-dependent uptake of Mn-SOD by liver mitochondria was specific for the Mn-SOD precursor.
MicroRNAs as Therapeutic Targets and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease

MicroRNAs play central roles in cardiovascular disease, and their therapeutic manipulation raises exciting opportunities as well as challenges in the path toward clinical development.
Permanent gases and highly volatile organic compounds in laser plume

The characteristic gaseous and highly volatile organics emitted during laser tissue interaction were investigated in order to understand and to classify fundamental chemical processes as well as to influence the produced substances. The amount of oxygen available and the temperature efficient inside the reaction zone are the most important parameters, determining type and amount of the emitted chemicals. Summarizing the results, generally, it is possible to state that the emission of toxic and cancerogenic substances during laser tissue interaction is favored if high temperatures arise inside the reaction area, if dried or carbonized tissue is irradiated, or if inert gases are used. A high oxygen content available in the reaction area, realized, e.g. by addition of a water aerosol, lowers the production of harmful chemicals.
Neurological analysis of respiratory, cardiovascular and neuromuscular effects of brevetoxin in cats.

Effects of brevetoxin were evaluated in cats anesthetized with pentobarbital under conditions of controlled end-expiratory pCO2 and constant body temperature. Recordings were made of arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory pattern, diaphragm EMG, evoked tibialis muscle twitch and evoked contraction of the nictitating membrane. Electrical stimulation was employed for periodic excitation of the medullary respiratory center, the phrenic nerve, the peroneal nerve and the cervical sympathetic nerve. Brevetoxin was prepared at a concentration of 1.0 mg/ml in an aqueous medium of 2.5% ethanol plus 2.5% Emulphor 620 (General Aniline and Film Corp., New York). Small i.v. bolus injections of the toxin (40 micrograms/kg) evoked, without tachyphylaxis, the Bezold-Jarisch reflex triad of bradycardia, hypotension and bradypnea. This effect was essentially abolished by vagotomy. Continued injections then resulted in pressor reactions and tachycardia, along with the development of respiratory dysrhythmia. Large doses of brevetoxin (160 micrograms/kg i.v.) caused somatomotor seizures accompanied by severe hypertension, that occurred even after decerebration and cervical spinal cord transection. Cranial intra-arterial and intra-cerebroventricular injections of brevetoxin produced hypertension and respiratory depression more effectively than did i.v. injections. Systemic cumulation of the toxin, with the respiration supported artificially, caused death from cardiovascular collapse, without significant blockade of neuromuscular and ganglionic transmission. It is concluded that brevetoxin exerts its major toxic effects on the circulation and respiration through reflex and central actions, largely sparing peripheral motor mechanisms.
Parole and Revocation: Perspectives of Young Adult Offenders

This article presents the findings of an exploratory study of parole release and parole failure as seen through the eyes of inmates who have been returned to prison following parole revocation. The small sample of revoked inmates was limited to parolees of a young adult offender (YAO) program. The YAO program was designed for young men who were (a) under the age of 18 at the time of conviction, (b) waived to the adult system, and (c) sentenced to a term of imprisonment in an adult prison. This research project used qualitative interviews to explore perceptions about parole supervision and revocation. The men described their experiences and thoughts about parole from the perspective of parole failure. The authors believe the insights of the men can inform discussions about reentry and efforts to enhance parole services for recently released inmates.
Catholic particularity in seventeenth-century French writing. “Christianity is Strange”

Catholic particularity in seventeenth-century French writing. "Christianity is Strange", by Richard Parish, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011, ix + 229 pp., £55.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-19-959666-9The course of Catholicism in seventeenth-century France is, in many respects, a paradoxical one. A time of marked growth in religious orders, often spearheaded by charismatic figures such as Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, it was also a period during which the Church came under attack from free-thinkers and philosophers. It has been described as the century of saints but at the same time it could also be termed the century of conflict, with the internal divisions of Jansenism, Gallicanism, Quietism, and relations with the Huguenot minority. Richard Parish picks up on these contradictions in the subtitle to this succinct study of French spirituality, taken from Pascal, an interesting figure whose religious beliefs were both rigorously rational and intensely emotional. Parish's central thesis is that the strangeness, the almost alien quality of Christianity and its belief system, should neither be forgotten nor underestimated. It is through this perspective, he argues, that the broad landscape of seventeenth-century Catholic spirituality should be viewed, a suggestion that is both familiar and radical. In fact, Parish goes further than this and urges that it is only "through the disquieting prism of Pascal, through the linguistic aphasia of mystics and poets, or through the agonizing tensions" of different schools that belief in Providence may be satisfactorily realized and understood (209).One of the heroes of this spiritual survey is, quite rightly, Francois de Sales, bishop of Geneva whose ministry was spent in exile in France because of that city's Protestantism. The revolutionary nature of the prelate's teaching cannot be underestimated and Parish ably and engagingly analyses Francois's thought, which consists of "the creation of an attitude of discernment in the reader" (115). This lay-centred vision of holiness placed an onus on the individual to work out his, or particularly her, path to salvation, regardless of their social obligations or status. Above all, Salesian spirituality anchored individual inspiration to the institutional Church, a not inconsiderable feat, which ensured his canonization only four decades after his death, a speedy raising to the altars by early modern standards. Parish sees Bossuet and Pascal as sharing Francois's preoccupation with personal sanctification centred on the ordinary, rather than the pursuit of extraordinary spiritual phenomena.When it does come to mystical manifestations during the period, Parish offers some compelling, and surprising, glossing. …
Hilbert transform analysis of the Elatina varve record of solar activity

On a soumis a une analyse spectrale une sequence de 1337 laminae annuelles, ou varves, provenant de la formation Elatina du precambrien avance en Australie du sud. L'analyse confirme la presence d'une ondulation supplementaire de periode T U =350 varves/an associee a l'effet zig-zag et d'une modulation d'amplitude non sinusoidale de periode T E =314 varve/an connue comme le cycle d'Elatina
Narrative Therapy and Elders with Memory Loss

Elders with memory loss often experience anxiety and depression as they feel their identities slip out of their own control. The paper argues that narrative therapy can help people with dementia revise their stories and reclaim their identities as their personal histories become less accessible to them. The paper presents case examples in which unique outcomes emerged when elders with memory loss resisted the cultural imperative to perceive their lives in sequential order and instead emphasized character traits and thematic patterns in their stories. The paper recommends ways to adapt narrative therapy so elders can create a meaningful sense of self despite dementia.
Building an effective software deployment process

Software defines the functionality and availability of computer systems, particularly those in higher education. Often, though, installing the appropriate applications in a multi-platform environment can be time-consuming, unorganized, and altogether onerous. A common approach to this problem is to create a thick image with all of the software pre-installed; especially with computer labs, however, these images can quickly become large and difficult to maintain and update. This paper presents best practices for building a phased-installation software deployment paradigm. When combined with thin imaging techniques, software installations on both academic and administrative machines become more organized, flexible, and discreet. While examples are implemented using IBM Tivoli Endpoint Manager and Active Directory/Group Policy, IT professionals can easily extend these core concepts into their own environments regardless of infrastructure.
Time-varying Riccati differential equations for numerical experiments

Large-scale time-varying stiff and nonstiff Riccati differential equations with known analytic solutions are constructed. The examples presented are useful for testing the accuracy and efficiency of algorithms for solving such equations. A systematic way to construct such equations is outlined. >
The Time‐problem in connection with the geophysical study of crustal Structure

The concerted attack on the structural and dynamic conditions of the Earth's crust, by the various geophysical methods that have already been so ably described, suggests the desirability of searching for possible extra-terrestrial forces that may induce certain crustal movements, for which there appears to be accumulating evidence. Periodic or secular variations in geographic coordinates of any occupied station should afford a source of data which may be of inestimable value in geodetic and geophysical research. The theoretical tide in the Earth produced through the gravitational attractions of the Sun and the Moon may introduce lateral and vertical movements periodic with the variations in the tidal potential. It would appear that such small variations as must exist in the coordinates of the station are perhaps of the order of magnitude that could now be detected by the best geodetic and astronomical measurements. Analyses of long series of variations in latitude have already suggested a certain dependence of such variations upon the hour-angle of the Moon, and there is some evidence, although often conflicting, that seismic disturbances are most frequent at preferential positions of our satellite.
Raman scattering from 1,3-propanedithiol at a hot spot: Theory meets experiment

Abstract Using tools of density functional theory, we compute the Raman spectra of 1,3-propanedithiol (PDT) isolated in the gas phase, solvated in methanol, tethered either to the face or vertex of a tetrahedral Ag20 cluster, and bridging two Ag20 clusters. The derived molecular polarizability derivative tensors are used to simulate molecular orientation-dependent Raman scattering, achieved by rotating the polarizability tensors relative to vector components of the incident/scattered radiation fields. Our framework is weighed against SERS experiments which probe the optical response at a hotspot formed by an Ag surface coated with PDT and a single 60-nm Ag nanosphere.
SCOM: A Scalable Content Centric Network Architecture with Mobility Support

Content centric network (CCN) enables users to retrieve contents of interest(e.g. videos, music etc.) using the content names directly. Researchers face two critical challenges in CCN design: content naming and mobility support. The content naming is a fundamental building block for CCN. Users must be able to obtain names of contents of interest fast so that contents can be correctly retrieved. Meanwhile, the rapid development of wireless technologies especially the emergence of cellular 4G networks allows users to retrieve content on the move. However, since mobile users may frequently change their attachment points (e.g. 4G, WiFi, WiMax etc.), the CCN architecture must be able to handle mobility effectively so that a user can still get the content when being connected to a different attachment point. In this paper, we propose SCOM, a scalable content centric network architecture with mobility support, to solve those two issues. SCOM adopts an improved keyword-based naming resolution method to enable faster name retrieval. Users could retrieve names of contents of interest by sending keyword queries to the corresponding Content Resolution Servers (CRS). For mobility, SCOM provides efficient solutions for both keyword based queries, and content retrievals for users on the move. Via large scale simulation studies using real internet topology, we demonstrated that our solutions are effective in terms of shorter query response times and faster content retrievals during mobility.
PREPROENKEPHALIN MRNA IS REGULATED BY AN INTERACTION BETWEEN STEROID HORMONES AND NOCICEPTIVE STIMULATION

The expression of preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA has previously been shown to be regulated by steroid hormones in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) and to be regulated by noxious stimuli in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord (DH). The present in situ hybridization study in ovariectomized rats showed that PPE mRNA expression in both the VMH and the lumbar DH, responds to the interaction between a noxious peripheral stimulus and ovarian steroid hormones. In the VMH, either estradiol or estradiol + progesterone increased the mean PPE mRNA content per cell by 100% compared with vehicle-treated rats. Unilateral hindpaw injection of 5% formalin, as compared to saline, significantly increased mean PPE mRNA content per VMH cell in rats treated with vehicle or estradiol but not those treated with estradiol + progesterone. Regression analysis for mean PPE mRNA content per VMH cell as a function of intensity of hindpaw inflammation showed a significant positive correlation coefficient after vehicle and estradiol treatment (P < 0.02) but a strong trend towards a negative correlation coefficient after estradiol + progesterone treatment (P < 0.06). ANOVA for homogeneity of regression coefficients showed a significant difference across hormone groups (P < 0.01). In the lumbar DH, mean PPE mRNA content per cell was greater in rats injected with formalin than with saline and was greatest in rats given steroids + formalin. Mean PPE mRNA content per DH cell was greater ipsilateral than contralateral to the formalin injection in estradiol-treated rats, but no laterality difference was seen in the other hormone groups. No significant differences in mean PPE mRNA levels per DH cell were found among the rats treated with saline + hormone, saline + vehicle, formalin + vehicle, or uninjected rats. For all hormone groups combined, mean PPE mRNA per DH cell showed a significant positive regression on intensity of hindpaw inflammation (P < 0.05). Taken together these data are consistent with reports of increased pain threshold during pregnancy, descending control of antinociception from the basomedial hypothalamus and positive correlations between VMH levels of PPE mRNA and lordosis, a behavior evoked by somatosensory stimulation below nociceptive threshold.
Construction and Calibration of the NIST Large-Area-Source X-Ray Counting System.

This paper describes the construction and calibration of the NIST large area x-ray counting system. 238Pu sources 8 in (20.32 cm) by 5 in (12.70 cm) thick, emitting L x rays in the range of 12-20 keV are calibrated for total emission rate and also for rate through a centrally located 3 in (7.63 cm) diameter aperture. Alpha particle emission rates are obtained using the known x-ray to alpha particle abundances. The sources will be used to calibrate alpha-particle surface monitors.
Lifelong Learning for Grandparents: Cultural Considerations in Taiwan and the United States1

Education programs for grandparents should focus on aspects of their performance where improvement is needed. Three generations provided perceptions to identify the curriculum content necessary to help older adults adjust to their changing role. The 3, 286 participants included 751 Chinese, 777 African Americans, 1, 086 Caucasian Americans, and 672 Mexican Americans. Analyses were performed using generation with three levels (grandparent, parent, and grandchild) and culture with four levels (Chinese, African American, Caucasian American, and Mexican American). Results revealed significant indifferences in perceptions of grandparents across cultures and between generations within cultures. All groups reported strengths of grandparents and limitations in their effectiveness. Guidelines for curriculum are recommended to support programs emphasizing grandparent development for each of these cultures.
Pulmonary Ultrasonographic Abnormalities Associated with Naturally Occurring Equine Influenza Virus Infection in Standardbred Racehorses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if naturally occurring acute infectious upper respiratory disease (IRD) caused by equine influenza virus is associated with ultrasonographically detectable pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in horses. Standardbred racehorses were evaluated for signs of IRD, defined as acute coughing or mucopurulent nasal discharge. For every horse with IRD (n = 16), 1 or 2 horses with no signs of IRD and the same owner or trainer (n = 30) were included. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed within 5-10 days of the onset of clinical disease in horses with IRD. Horses without IRD were examined at the same time as the horses with IRD with which they were enrolled. The rank of the ultrasound scores of horses with IRD was compared to that of horses without IRD. Equine influenza virus was identified as the primary etiologic agent associated with IRD in this study. Mild lung consolidation and peripheral pulmonary irregularities were found in 11 (69%) of 16 of the horses with IRD and 11 (37%) of 30 of control horses. Lung consolidation (median score = 1) and peripheral irregularities scores (median score = 1) were greater in horses with IRD compared to horses without IRD (median score = 0; P < .05). Pleural effusion was not observed. Equine influenza virus infection can result in abnormalities of the equine lower respiratory tract. Despite the mild nature of IRD observed in this study, lung consolidation and peripheral pulmonary irregularities were more commonly observed in horses with clinical signs of IRD. Further work is needed to determine the clinical significance of these ultrasonographic abnormalities.
On The Effective Capacity and Resistance of a Condenser for High Frequency Currents

Capacity Independent of Frequency.---By careful experiments on the free oscillations of a Lecher system as the capacity of the end condensers is changed by increasing the elastic coupling it is found that the capacity of an air condenser is independent of the frequency of oscillation.Rayleigh's Equation for the effective stiffness (elastance) of a circuit due to the mutual elastic reactions between two circuits each containing inductance, capacity and resistance is verified. Use is made of his equation for effective resistance to determine the mutual resistance of two reacting circuits.
ADP tethered to tyrosine-β345 at the catalytic site of the bovine heart F1-ATPase is converted to tethered AMP by Mg2+-dependent hydrolysis when the enzyme is photoinactivated with 2-N3-ADP

Comparison of profiles of radioactive peptides resolved by HPLC from tryptic digests of the bovine heart F1-ATPase depleted of nucleotides (nd-MF1) which had been photoinactivated with 2-N3-[β-32P]ADP, on the one hand, and 2-[8-3H]ADP, on the other, shows that the β phosphate of ADP tethered to tyrosine-β345 is slowly hydrolyzed in the presence of Mg2+. When nd-MF1 was photoinactivated with 2-N3-[8-3H]ADP in the absence of Mg2+, hydrolysis of the β phosphate from ADP tethered to tyrosine-β345 was not observed. Subsequent addition of Mg2+ initiated conversion of ADP tethered to tyrosine-β345 to tethered AMP suggesting that functional groups at the catalytic site participate in the hydrolytic reaction.
Paraoxon increases the rate of synthesis of acetylcholinesterase in cultured muscle

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of cultured chick embryonic pectoral muscle was significantly increased above control activity during recovery from brief treatments with paraoxon (O, O-diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate), the anticholinesterase metabolite of parathion. Paraoxon also increased the rate of degradation of the enzyme, suggesting the higher AChE activity of paraoxon-treated cells was due to a stimulation of enzyme synthesis.
Comparison of software architecture reverse engineering methods

Abstract Problems related to interactions between components is a sign of problems with the software architecture of the system and are often costly to fix. Thus it is very desirable to identify potential architectural problems and track them across releases to see whether some relationships between components are repeatedly change-prone. This paper shows a study of combining two technologies for software architecture: architecture recovery and change dependency analysis based on version control information. More specifically, it describes a reverse engineering method to derive a change architecture from Revision Control System (RCS) change history. It compares this method to other reverse engineering methods used to derive software architectures using other types of data. These techniques are illustrated in a case study on a large commercial system consisting of over 800 KLOC of C, C++, and microcode. The results show identifiable problems with a subset of the components and relationships between them, indicating systemic problems with the underlying architecture.
Competing Theoretical Analyses of Helplessness: A Social-Developmental Analysis

Abstract Previous research indicates that helplessness deficits following failure feedback do not occur in children less than about 10 years of age since younger children have not yet developed relatively stable concepts of ability. The present study examined the hypothesis that different processes and experiences will produce helplessness deficits in children even younger than 10 years of age. In our study, we predicted that for children of different ages, failure feedback about ability to complete an achievement-related task would produce helplessness for 11 year olds on a generalization task, but not 8 year olds, consistent with previous research. We also predicted that even 8 year olds would experience helplessness when an experience was presented in which they were unable to operate successfully a physical event (in this case, a slide projector). The pattern of data obtained confirms predictions and is discussed in terms of theories relevant to the formation of different processes affecting helplessness in children of different ages.
Differential Sensitivity to Cations of the Melatonin Receptors in the Rat Area Postrema and Suprachiasmatic Nuclei

: We studied the effects of cations on the binding of the melatonin (MT) agonist, 125I-MT, to MT receptors in the rat area postrema (AP) and suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), by using quantitative autoradiography in vitro. Ca2+ promoted agonist binding in the SCN but was without effect in the AP. Na+ induced a dose-dependent loss of agonist binding in both areas. This effect was more drastic in the SCN and also in the absence of divalent cations. The presence of 0.1–4.0 mM Ca2+ or Mg2+ partially and nonselectively reversed this Na+-elicited inhibition. The data agree with known cationic effects on agonist binding to other G protein-coupled receptors and deepen our understanding of the mammalian MT receptor.
Electron hopping in magnetite

Abstract The Mossbauer spectrum of magnetite consists of two superimposed six line hyperfine spectra corresponding to A and B sites. The lines of the B site spectrum are broadened relative to those of the A site spectrum. It is suggested that the broadening is due to an electron exchange between the Fe 3+ and Fe 2+ ions at the B site. From the measured broadening it is possible to determine the relaxation time of the electron hopping. At room temperature the relaxation time is τ = (1.1±0.2) nsec. The results are compared with electrical conductivity data.
Commissurotomy Subjects Show Lateralized Difference Between Manual and Oral Responding

This study investigates the influence of the mode of response on the right ear advantage in verbal dichotic testing. Four complete commissurotomy subjects were tested on an ascending digits tape with oral response and manual response by the dominant hand with the volume equal and raised in each ear. Oral response elicited right ear report in all tests under all conditions at all levels of task difficulty. Pointing and writing responses elicited left ear report when the volume was raised in the left ear and the number of digits to report was small. Right ear performance increased and left ear performance decreased as the number of digits to process increased. Results indicate that response modes differ significantly in the degree to which they engage the left hemisphere or to which they suppress the ipsilateral pathways within the left hemisphere. Use of an oral response may obscure the lateralized contribution of the cognitive activity under investigation.
Some neural mechanisms of visual perception

Some experiments dealing with the comparative neuropsychology of vision were reviewed. The experiments dealt with the anatomical structure and function of the peripheral receptor, the mechanism for the conversion of energy by the peripheral receptor, the nature of the peripheral neural code for the representation of peripheral phenomena, the nature of the central relay mechanisms, and the nature of the cortical representation of peripheral visual phenomena. The classic experiments of Hecht, Wald, Hartline, Dowling, De Valois, and Hubel and Wiesel were reviewed.
TEACHER LEARNING: THE KEY TO EDUCATIONAL REFORM

This letter to the next president of the United States recommends the transformation of teacher in-service learning as a powerful means of education reform. Too often, professional development is p...
Performance evaluation of optical subcarrier multiplexed systems using transient analysis

Results are presented of an investigation into the performance of an optical subcarrier multiplexed (OSCM) system using a novel simulation approach. The OSCM system analyzed is based upon two systems which have been demonstrated experimentally previously. Intersymbol interference and crosstalk degradation effects for both the baseband and subcarrier signals are calculated.
Staying in the Game: The 10‐Step Approach to Sustaining Geriatrics Education in Hospitalists and Subspecialty Providers

Geriatrics as a field has been fortunate to have the support of several philanthropic organizations to advance geriatrics education and training in the past two decades. Awardees of such grants were presented with unparalleled opportunities to develop new and innovative educational initiatives affecting learners at multiple levels and in multiple disciplines and specialties. The lessons learned from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation initiatives about effect and sustainability are invaluable to the ongoing strategic development of geriatrics nationally. This article highlights successful educational initiatives developed at four institutions with past and current Donald W. Reynolds Foundation funding. Following an ice hockey playbook, this article identifies 10 strategies and initiatives to “stay in the geriatrics game” by training hospitalists and subspecialty providers. The authors' collective experience suggests that geriatrics educational initiatives can not only influence provider education, but also improve the care of older adults in multiple settings.
Seismic Response of a Large‐Span Roof Diaphragm

Abstract Records obtained from the West Valley College Gymnasium in Saratoga, California during the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake are used to study the dynamic behavior of the overall gymnasium as well as its flexible diaphragm. The ground‐level motions recorded in the two orthogonal axes of the structure differ considerably in peak acceleration and amplify by approximately 1.5 times at the roof edges and by 4‐5 times at the center of the diaphragm. The diaphragm responds with a frequency of approximately 4 Hz in both orthogonal axes. A simple finite‐element model is used to match the fundamental frequency of the diaphragm with that from the records. Using this model and the ground‐level motions as input, the diaphragm center displacements are calculated by varying the structural damping. Best comparisons are obtained for 5% damping. These results are discussed in terms of the code provisions.
Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation: Diagnosis and Management

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) encompasses a group of inherited disorders that share the clinical features of an extrapyramidal movement disorder accompanied by varying degrees of intellectual disability and abnormal iron deposition in the basal ganglia. The genetic basis of ten forms of NBIA is now known. The clinical features of NBIA range from rapid global neurodevelopmental regression in infancy to mild parkinsonism with minimal cognitive impairment in adulthood, with wide variation seen between and within the specific NBIA sub-type. This review describes the clinical presentations, imaging findings, pathologic features, and treatment considerations for this heterogeneous group of disorders.
DNA Concentration by Surface Plasmon Induced Microfluidic Convective Flow

We demonstrate that microfluidic convective flow created by the enhanced light absorption through localized surface plasmons can be utilized to realize the efficient concentration of DNA.
The application of panoramic zonography to the diagnosis of maxillofacial fractures

Traditionally, multiple radiographic views and techniques were required to elucidate the nature and extent of fractures of the maxillofacial complex. As a result, patient cost in terms of time, expense, manipulation, and radiation exposure scaled upward. Synthesis and interpretation of the fragmented bits of information from multiple films also constituted a labor-intensive process. A new imaging modality, panoramic zonography, provides precise anatomic imaging of preselected areas of interest with minimal radiation exposure. The usefulness of this technique in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of traumatic events in the mandibular and maxillofacial regions is illustrated by a series of cases.
Past and Present Methods of Manufacturing Investment Evaluation: A Review of the Empirical and Theoretical Literature

Abstract Abstract As early as the 1950's, capital budgeting processes based on discounted cash flow served as the principal tools for evaluating capital investment proposals for American firms. Buffeted during the late 1970's and 1980's by overseas competition, American firms, supported by innovative researchers, reconsidered capital investment evaluation practices. This paper briefly discusses both past and present manufacturing investment evaluation methods.
Predicting task execution time on handheld devices using the keystroke-level model

The Keystroke-Level Model (KLM) has been shown to predict skilled use of desktop systems, but has not been validated on a handheld device that uses a stylus instead of a keyboard. This paper investigates the accuracy of KLM predictions for user interface tasks running on a Palm OS based handheld device. The models were produced using a recently developed tool for KLM construction, CogTool, and were compared to data obtained from a user study of 10 participants. Our results have shown that the KLM can accurately predict task execution time on handheld user interfaces with less than 8% prediction error.
Zona pellucida-mediated acrosomal exocytosis in mouse spermatozoa: characterization of an intermediate stage prior to the completion of the acrosome reaction.

Abstract The zona pellucida (ZP)-induced acrosome reaction in mouse sperm proceeds in two steps, identified by three sperm fluorescence patterns observed sequentially with the fluorescent probe chlortetracycline. Capacitated, acrosome-intact sperm displaying a B pattern proceed to an intermediate S pattern, and then progress from the S pattern to the fully acrosome-reacted AR pattern. Previously, it was not feasible to characterize the nature of the transient intermediate S pattern. Recently, it was demonstrated that sperm bind to the ZP of eggs treated with 12- O -tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and undergo a B to S transition, but do not complete the acrosome reaction. These cells accumulate in the S pattern and fail to undergo the S to AR transition (Endo, Y., Schultz, R. M., and Kopf, G. S. 1987a. Dev. Biol. 119, 199–209). The present study utilized ZP from TPA-treated eggs to assess the state of S pattern sperm. The kinetics of the B to S transition of sperm incubated with either structurally intact or solubilized ZP from untreated or TPA-treated eggs are identical. Addition of either solubilized ZP from untreated eggs or A-23187 to S pattern sperm bound to intact or solubilized ZP from TPA-treated eggs induces the S to AR transition, while ZP from TPA-treated or fertilized eggs does not. Loss of the transmembrane pH gradient in the anterior portion of the sperm head, monitored by the fluorescent pH probe 9- N -dodecyl aminoacridine, follows the B to S transition in sperm incubated with ZP from unfertilized eggs, but no loss is observed when the B to S transition is induced using ZP from TPA-treated eggs. Subsequent addition of solubilized ZP from untreated eggs or A-23187 results in the loss of the transmembrane pH gradient of these S pattern sperm. Addition of nigericin to S pattern sperm bound to ZP from TPA-treated eggs discharges the transmembrane pH gradient and causes the S to AR transition. In contrast, nigericin added to B pattern sperm discharges the pH gradient but does not induce a B to S transition. Electron microscopic evaluation of S pattern-arrested sperm using ZP from TPA-treated eggs reveals intact plasma and outer acrosomal membranes. These results suggest that ZP from TPA-treated and fertilized eggs are modified such that the ZP ligands inducing the S to AR transition are lost or are inactivated. The plasma membranes of S pattern sperm bound to these ZP retain their cation permeability barriers, but the sperm have attained a metastable state activatable by nigericin. This S state has been designated S1 and is taken as the endpoint of the B to S transition and starting point of the S to AR transition.
Morphological control of Ni/NiO core/shell nanoparticles and production of hollow NiO nanostructures

Chemical synthesis coupled with a microwave irradiation process allowed for the control of size (6–40 nm), shape, and shell thickness of Ni/NiO core/shell nanoparticles. In this unique synthetic route, the size of Ni nanoparticles (NiNPs) was strongly influenced by the nickel salt-to-stabilizer ratio and the amount of the stabilizer. Interestingly, it was observed that the shape of the nanoparticles was altered by varying the reaction time, where longer reaction times resulted in annealing effects and rupture of the stabilizer micelle leading to distinct shapes of Ni/NiO core/shell nanostructures. Product cooling rate was another important parameter identified in this study that not only affected the shape, but also the crystal structure of the core/shell nanoparticles. In addition, a simple and cost-effective method of microwave irradiation of NiNPs led to the formation of distinctly shaped hollow NiO nanoparticles. These high surface area core/shell nanoparticles with well-controlled morphologies are important and can lead to significant advancement in the design of improved fuel cells, electrochromic display devices, and catalysis systems.
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) kept Y not F: predicted sNPY endogenous ligands deorphanize the short NPF (sNPF) receptor.

Neuropeptides and their receptors play vital roles in controlling the physiology and behavior of animals. Short neuropeptide F (sNPF) signaling regulates several physiological processes in insects such as feeding, locomotion, circadian rhythm and reproduction, among others. Previously, the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) sNPF receptor (S. invicta sNPFR), a G protein-coupled receptor, was immunolocalized in queen and worker brain and queen ovaries. Differential distribution patterns of S. invicta sNPFR protein in fire ant worker brain were associated both with worker subcastes and with presence or absence of brood in the colony. However, the cognate ligand for this sNPFR has not been characterized and attempts to deorphanize the receptor with sNPF peptides from other insect species which ended in the canonical sequence LRLRFamide, failed. Receptor deorphanization is an important step to understand the neuropeptide receptor downstream signaling cascade. We cloned the full length cDNA of the putative S. invicta sNPF prepropeptide and identified the putative “sNPF” ligand within its sequence. The peptide ends with an amidated Tyr residue whereas in other insect species sNPFs have an amidated Phe or Trp residue at the C-terminus. We stably expressed the HA-tagged S. invicta sNPFR in CHO-K1 cells. Two S. invicta sNPFs differing at their N-terminus were synthesized that equally activated the sNPFR, SLRSALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 3.2 nM) and SALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 8.6 nM). Both peptides decreased the intracellular cAMP concentration, indicating signaling through the Gαi-subunit. The receptor was not activated by sNPF peptides from other insect species, honey bee long NPF (NPY) or mammalian PYY. Further, a synthesized peptide otherwise identical to the fire ant sequence but in which the C-terminal amidated amino acid residue ‘Y’ was switched to ‘F’, failed to activate the sNPFR. This discovery will now allow us to investigate the function of sNPY and its cognate receptor in fire ant biology.
An intermeniscal fibrous band in a recreational runner

An intermeniscal fibrous band was found to produce anterior knee pain in a recreational runner. Arthroscopic resection of the band eliminated the symptoms of pain with running. A literature review found no prior reports of this entity. The differential of plica syndrome and Hoffa's disease was reviewed.
Hypnotherapy over the Telephone

Abstract Case reports of hypnosis over the telephone in the recent literature are briefly reported. A case study of a 56-year-old woman is related, in which three examples of hypnotherapy over the telephone are described. Relaxation and a feeling of calmness was achieved using guided imagery in a situation where the patient experienced panic and anxiety during initial anesthetic procedures before surgery. Hypnosis was again successfully utilized over the telephone to reduce postsurgical leg pain. In a later therapy session, trance was induced to relieve feelings of unresolved grief, creating a fantasy in which the patient was able to speak with her dead husband and children. The issue of patient rapport over the telephone is considered.
A 2½-Year demand growth cycle

In making predictions of future demand peaks, it is usually necessary to examine past data to determine evidence of trends and cycles. Studies of demand growth curves show the presence of distinct 2 1/2-year cycles.
Interaction of H(D) Atoms with Octadecylsiloxane Self-Assembled Monolayers on the Si(100) Surface

The interaction of H(D) atoms with alkylsiloxane self-assembled monolayers deposited on oxidized Si(100) has been examined under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, evidence is observed for the H/D exchange reaction. The reaction is initiated by hydrogen abstraction via an Eley−Rideal type mechanism to form an alkyl radical. For low exposures to H(D) atoms, the exchange reaction occurs relatively rapidly, as indicated by the rate of increase in intensity of the C−D stretch. As exposure increases, the exchange reaction slows due to steric effects. Etching of the monolayers also occurs, as indicated by the decrease in intensity of C−H modes and the increase in intensity of the Si−O modes of the underlying substrate upon exposure to atomic hydrogen. The presence of cross-linking is suggested by the rapid decrease in water contact angle as a function of H(D) exposure.
Light-Material Interactions In Laser Material Processing

Light interactions with materials in laser material processing operations occur by a variety of mechanisms depending on the material being processed, the wavelength of the laser light, the gaseous environment, and the physical state of the material surface. The high reflectivity of metals limits the fraction of the beam power absorbed by the solid metal surface. For metals in the solid state, reflectivity increases as the wavelength of the laser light and the electrical conductivity of the metal increase. The reflectivity of metals is reduced upon heating to the melting point, and further reduced upon melting. At high power densities the liquid metal surface is heated so quickly that very rapid vaporization occurs. The recoil force produced by the evaporation causes a depression in the liquid/vapor interface. The "keyhole" resulting from this depression allows for multiple reflections and thus increases beam absorption into the liquid. The vaporized metal above the liquid surface can cause attenuation of the beam. Both plasma absorption and fine particle scattering theory have been proposed to account for this beam attenuation. The attenuation is strongly affected by shielding gas type and pressure. In the laser cutting the beam interacts with the material through a high angle of incidence. Under these conditions the degree of beam polarization becomes important.