cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement Of Antenna Patterns At 94 GHz Using Infrared Detection

This paper describes an infrared detection technique used to observe localized heating in resistive and lossy dielectric materials irradiated by an incident electromagnetic wave. Radiation patterns from horn antennas operating at 94 GHz are detected through the heating in screen material placed in the region of interest.
Instability of entangled polymers in cone and plate rheometry

Flow instability in three entangled polymer systems including a 10 wt% 1,4-polybutadiene (PBD) solution, an 11.4 wt% polyisobutylene (PIB) solution, and a long chain branched polyethylene melt (LD 146) was investigated in both stress-controlled and rate-controlled experiments in the cone–plate geometry. It was found that flow instability occurred for experiments in both rate- and stress-controlled modes. The effects of cone angle or rim gap and shearing time on flow instability were studied. The smaller cone angle and shorter shearing time delay (in terms of stress or shear rate) the occurrence of severe instability and mass loss of the PBD solution but not for the PIB. Our data are consistent with the dramatic shear rate jump for the flow curve constructed from the stress-controlled experiments being associated with mass loss after the severe instabilities. We also find that the Cox–Merz representation gives a powerful tool for investigation of flow instability. Finally, another interesting result in this work is that it seems that the stress overshoot can be related to the onset of flow instability in the present system.
Analytic models of resource allocation in hierarchical multi-level systems☆

Abstract Most analytic models of resource allocation do not consider the structure of the organization as a factor in the decision process, i.e. they assume a monolithic decision making entity. This paper surveys in a critical fashion those economic and management science models that explicitly reflect organization structure in the model structure. The theoretical and practical advantages and limitations of each model type are indicated, and developmental trends are noted and related to research requirements in the area of resource allocation in hierarchical multi-level systems.
Earnings response elasticity and post-earnings-announcement drift

This article studies the relationship between initial market response to earnings surprise and subsequent stock price movement. We first develop a new measure – the earnings response elasticity (ERE) – to capture initial market response. It is defined as the absolute value of earnings announcement abnormal returns (EAARs) divided by the earnings surprise. The ERE is then examined under various categories contingent on the signs of earnings surprises (+/−/0) and EAARs (+/−). We find that a weaker initial market reaction to earnings surprises, or lower ERE, leads to a larger post-announcement drift. A trading strategy of taking a long position in stocks in the lowest ERE quintile when both earnings surprises and EAARs are positive and a short position when both are negative can generate an average abnormal return of 5.11 per cent per quarter.
Heart disease in children in a rural iowa county—particularlyin relation to rheumatic fever

Summary The incidence of rheumatic fever in the school population of a rural countyin Iowa is 0.61 per cent. The average number of children experiencing their first attack of rheumatic fever during each of the six years from 1940 through 1945 is 3.3. The number varied for each year from none to seven children. The incidence of organic heart disease for school children in this rural population is 0.47 per cent. Of those with organic heart disease, 58 per cent have rheumatic heart disease and 42 per cent have congenital heart disease.
Effect of hyperglycemia on peri-ischemic neurotransmitter levels in the rabbit hippocampus

This study examined the effect of preexisting hyperglycemia on the extracellular concentrations of glutamate and glycine in the rabbit hippocampus using in vivo microdialysis during brief episodes of transient global ischemia. Hyperglycemia has repeatedly been shown to exacerbate the neurologic injury produced by episodes of global cerebral ischemia. Under hypoxic conditions, glucose may be metabolized to glutamate, a known neurotoxin which has been implicated as a mediator of ischemic neuronal cell death. In this study, microdialysis probes were stereotactically inserted into the dorsal hippocampus of anesthetized rabbits. Animals were randomized to receive an i.v. infusion of either saline or dextrose. Global cerebral ischemia was then produced by the combination of neck tourniquet inflation and the induction of systemic hypotension. Administration of dextrose had no effect on these basal levels of glutamate or glycine. During ischemia, glutamate and glycine concentrations increased several-fold when compared with baseline. However, hippocampal glutamate concentrations were lower in the dextrose-treated groups during the peri-ischemic period (P = 0.02). Glycine concentrations were higher during the reperfusion period in the dextrose-treated animals when compared with saline controls (P = 0.03). The increased concentration of extracellular glycine which was observed in the dextrose-treated animals may contribute to the neurologic injury which occurs during episodes of global ischemia. The results of this study suggest that hyperglycemia does not exert its detrimental effects by increasing the extracellular concentration of glutamate.
Echocardiography Diagnosis of a Stenotic Double Orifice Parachute Mitral Valve with a Single Papillary Muscle

We present the case of a patient with a single papillary muscle that is supporting both orifices of a stenotic double orifice mitral valve. With the use of both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, we were able to prospectively define this entity, which was confirmed at surgery.
TNF-α Suppresses α-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression in Human Dermal Fibroblasts: An Implication for Abnormal Wound Healing

Abnormal wound healing encompasses a wide spectrum, from chronic wounds to hypertrophic scars. Both conditions are associated with an abnormal cytokine profile in the wound bed. In this study, we sought to understand the dynamic relationships between myofibroblast differentiation and mechanical performance of the collagen matrix under tissue growth factor–β (TGF-β) and tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) stimulation. We found TGF-β increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and TNF-α alone decreased the basal α-SMA expression. When TGF-β1 and TNF-α were both added, the α-SMA expression was suppressed below the baseline. Real-time PCR showed that TNF-α suppresses TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast (fibroproliferative) phenotypic genes, for example, α-SMA, collagen type 1A, and fibronectin at the mRNA level. TNF-α suppresses TGF-β1-induced gene expression by affecting its mRNA stability. Our results further showed that TNF-α inhibits TGF-β1-induced Smad-3 phosphorylation via Jun N-terminal kinase signaling. Mechanical testing showed that TNF-α decreases the stiffness and contraction of the lattices after 5 days in culture. We proposed that changes in α-SMA, collagen, and fibronectin expression result in decreased contraction and stiffness of collagen matrices. Therefore, the balance of cytokines in a wound defines the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix and optimal wound healing.
CURRICULUM INTEGRATION IN THE DECISION SCIENCES: AN EVALUATION*

Recent interest in curriculum integration in the decision sciences has led to the proposal that topics in computer science, statistics, quantitative methods, operations research, and possibly mathematics might be integrated into a single unified set of courses. Such a unification may reinforce the learning process of the student and form the basis for the eventual synthesis of tools topics with functional area decision making. This integration proposal and speculation is examined using research in learning and motivation theory, and concludes that the integration of tools concepts with functional area topics is much more promising than the integration of tools topics alone. A pair of example course integrations is provided to illustrate in detail the application of learning and motivation principles to tools-into-functions curriculum integration.
Comparison of bone tissue properties in mouse models with collagenous and non-collagenous genetic mutations using FTIRI

Abstract Understanding how the material properties of bone tissue from the various forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) differ will allow us to tailor treatment regimens for affected patients. To this end, we characterized the bone structure and material properties of two mouse models of OI, the osteogenesis imperfecta mouse (oim/oim) and fragilitas ossium (fro/fro), in which bone fragility is due to a genetic defect in collagen type I and a defect in osteoblast matrix mineralization, respectively. Bones from 3 to 6 month old animals were examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging (FTIRI), microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), histology, and biochemical analysis. The attributes of oim/oim bone tissue were relatively constant over time when compared to wild type animals. The mineral density in oim/oim cortices and trabecular bone was higher than wild type while the bones had thinner cortices and fewer trabeculae that were thinner and more widely spaced. The fro/fro animals exhibited osteopenic attributes at 3 months. However, by 6 months, their spectroscopic and geometric properties were similar to wild type animals. Despite the lack of a specific collagen defect in fro/fro mice, both fro/fro and oim/oim genotypes exhibited abnormal collagen crosslinking as determined by FTIRI at both time points. These results demonstrate that abnormal extracellular matrix assembly plays a role in the bone fragility in both of these models.
Insect hormones: evidence for a neuroendocrine factor affecting respiratory metabolism.

Abstract Gland extirpation studies on adult, male Blaberus discoidalis cockroaches provide new evidence for the hormonal regulation of respiratory metabolism in insects. These studies indicate the active agent is a brain neurosecretion stored and released by the c. cardiaca which affects the respiratory capacity of fat body mitochondria. The depressed Q02 of fat body mitochondria from cardiacectomized-allatectomized cockroaches is returned to normal by daily injections of c. cardiaca extracts although the extracts have no direct action on oxygen uptake when added to fat body mitochondria in vitro .
Minimally-Invasive Localization of Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Viral Therapy of Metastatic Pleural Cancer

Minimally invasive localization of oncolytic herpes simplex viral therapy of metastatic pleural cancer
Reactions between water and vitreous silica during irradiation

Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to determine the response of a vitreous silica surface in contact with water to radiation damage. The defects caused by radiation damage create channels that promote high H+ mobility and result in significantly higher concentration and deeper penetration of H+ in the silica subsurface. These subsurface H+ hop between acidic sites such as SiOH2+ and Si–(OH)–Si until subsequent radiation ruptures siloxane bridges and forms subsurface non-bridging oxygens (NBOs); existing excess H+ readily bonds to these NBO sites to form SiOH. The high temperature caused by irradiation also promotes the diffusion of molecular H2O into the subsurface, and although H2O does not penetrate as far as H+, it readily reacts with ruptured bridges to form 2SiOH. These SiOH sites are thermally stable and inhibit the reformation of bridges that would otherwise occur in the absence of water. In addition to this reduction of self-healing, the presence of water during the self-irradiation of silica may cause an increase in the glass’s proton conductivity.
Discrete splines and spline filters

An equation is derived for the Z transform of discrete polynomial splines for the general case of nonuniform knots. Two filter structures are provided for the computation and analysis of discrete splines, one for the one-sided factorial function representation and one for the B-spline representation. The filter inputs are the coefficient sequence and the corresponding knot set and the outputs are the discrete spline and its differences. The filter structures supply the input-output relations that can be used to analyze the effects of different patterns of knot nonuniformities given the coefficients, or vice versa. Digital filters with discrete spline unit-sample responses are analyzed. It is shown that filtering with a discrete spline filter can be implemented in two stages: the first stage is an MA filter with as many nodes as there are knots. and the second stage is an AR filter which performs successive summations. Because only the first stage involves multiplications, filters with large ratios of (length of unit-sample response) to (number of knots) can be implemented very efficiently. >
Hospital liability for negligence of independent contractor physicians under principles of apparent agency.

Gone are the days when hospitals were viewed as non-profit care providers and charitable immunity shielded them from malpractice liability. 1 This fact is evidenced by the nationwide trend holding ...
Thermogravimetric assay of oil shale

Etude par thermogravimetrie d'echantillons de schistes bitumineux de la formation Green River ayant des teneurs en huile de 50 a 520 litres/tonne. Mise en evidence d'une correlation lineaire entre la perte de poids a 500°C et la teneur en huile
An estimate of the textile and clothing sector production function for selected countries in the early 1970s

Abstract This paper describes the results of the estimation of sector wide production functions for textiles and clothing for nine industrialized and five industrializing countries in the early 1970s. Special attention is paid to relative differences between countries, especially with respect to the changing role and productivity of labor. Although somewhat primitive in nature, the results suggest that this is a fruitful way to gain a better understanding of the changing international division of labor at the sector level.
Political Scientists and the 1980 National Party Convention

These relatively rare birds who combine the study and teaching of politics with the doing were asked by PS to write short essays on their observations of the delegate selection processes and of the conventions themselves. In addition, two staff participants, John F. Bibby, a veteran of five Republican conventions, and Elaine C. Kamarck, self-styled "hackademic" who served as Executive Director of the 1980 Democratic Platform Com-
The optimal number of suppliers considering the costs of individual supplier failures

This paper utilizes the decision tree approach to determine the optimal number of suppliers in the presence of supplier failure risks. Previous proposed models have considered only two states of nature: all suppliers fail to deliver and not all suppliers fail to deliver. In practice, however, there is clearly a partial loss associated with the failure of any individual supplier. We present models that allow a more realistic decision-making process by taking into consideration the independent risks of individual supplier failures when the probability of failure for each of the suppliers is equal as well as the case where the probability of failure from each of the suppliers is not equal. We also consider various levels of supplier failure probability and possible procurement or operating cost savings gained from using less reliable suppliers. The results indicate that when suppliers are highly reliable, sole sourcing is the lowest cost approach under all experimental conditions. However, as the suppliers become less reliable, additional suppliers may be required to obtain the lowest cost. Finally, it was shown that only in the extreme conditions of unreliable suppliers, high loss to operational cost per supplier, and low ability to mitigate the failure from a partial set of suppliers, having a large number of suppliers is an effective strategy.
Relaxation of 161Dy and 163Dy NMR in Dy metal

Abstract NMR relaxation measurements on two transitions of 161 Dy and 163 Dy in Dy metal show 1) TT 1 ⩾ 9 × × 10 −3 sec °K below 4.2°K and 2) T 2 −1 arises mainly from spin-lattice processes. The dominant relaxation mechanism should involve 4f electrons.
Antiferromagnetic ground state

Abstract The ground-state wave function for an antiferromagnetic spin array, corresponding to the Hamiltonian H = Jσ (neighbors) Si. Sj, has been approximated by a simple linear combination of those basis vectors that can be derived from the idealized Neel ground state by transferring a few spin deviations between neighboring spins. The resulting wave function is very nearly an eigenfunction of H, the corresponding energy is λ 0 =−[1+(2ZS−1) −1 ] JZNS 2 2 ,and the fractional spin alignment is θ= {1−ZS (2Z−1) 2 . The energy is very close to that given by the spin-wave approximation, but the fractional spin alignment lies about halfway between the spin-wave value and unity.
Belowground bud bank response to grazing under severe, short-term drought

While the effects of drought and grazing are often studied separately, these disturbances co-occur in grasslands worldwide and interactively influence population, community, and ecosystem processes. The effects of drought and grazing on the belowground bud bank may dictate the trajectory of community recovery because new shoots arise from belowground buds after disturbance in perennial grasslands. We therefore investigated the separate and interactive effects of severe drought and grazing on the belowground bud bank and aboveground vegetation in the tallgrass prairie of northeast Kansas, USA. Contrary to our expectations, we observed changes in community structure and declines in species richness both above and below ground in response to drought and grazing. We also hypothesized that drought would reduce bud bank density of all taxonomic groups, but found that grass bud and shoot densities remained constant across all drought and grazing treatment combinations. While sedge and forb bud and shoot densities were reduced by drought, only sedge bud density declined to a greater extent when grazed under drought conditions. Live rhizome biomass did not vary by treatment and was highly correlated with bud bank density, suggesting that bud demography is tightly linked to the production and senescence of rhizomes. Despite the effects of drought and grazing on aboveground net primary productivity and community structure, our work suggests that grasses stabilize tallgrass prairie plant communities because their rhizomes and associated buds persist through co-occurring disturbances.
Increasing the Luminescent Quantum Yield of CdS Nanoparticles Having Broadband Emission

Studies of the quantum yield (QY) of CdS quantum dots (QDs) with broadband luminescence are presented. These QDs are synthesized using the classic inverse micelle method employing the surfactant dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt in heptane. Previous studies have shown that the QY of these materials is in the range of 10-13%. We have found that dehydration and UV photolysis roughly double the QY to typically ∼20%, while only slightly redshifting the emission. Dehydration is accomplished by cooling the samples to -30°C to remove the water from the inverse micelles. The addition of trialkylamines to dehydrated, photolyzed solutions results in a further improvement in QY to 37%. This effect is independent of amine chain length over the range studied.
Development of a Device to Standardize Leak Point Pressure Experiments in Rats

Aims The objective of this study was to test a custom device aimed at increasing repeatability of abdominal leak point pressure (LPP) measurements in rodents. Methods The device consisted of a soft-tipped force applicator with a force sensor which was moved in the vertical direction by a linear actuator, laser crosshairs for accurate positioning, and a hand-held wired remote control system. One expert and two novice experimenters acquired LPP measurements using manual and device methods by applying a gradually increasing force with the finger or the device, respectively, until a leak was visually observed at the urethral meatus. The device was tested at fast, medium, and slow speeds. A leak sensor was also tested to determine presence of a leak and reaction time of the user. The change in bladder pressure due to the externally applied force (LPP) was the primary outcome. Results There were no significant differences in mean LPP value when compared across experiments (expert, novice), method (manual, device), or speeds. The pooled variance of LPP was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) compared to the manual method when using the device at medium speed; however the slower speed showed no further improvement over the medium speed. The wet sensor detected leaks 385 ± 187 msec earlier than users' reaction. Conclusions Use of the device can decrease variability of the experiment but does not alter mean values. Reaction time, inherent in both the manual and device methods, has the potential for a significant impact on LPP outcomes. Neurourol. Urodynam. 27:553–558, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Number of Components in Noisy Data from a Swept-Potential Electrochemical Detector

Experimental data obtained from a conventional HPLC using a swept-potential electrochemical detector are analyzed for the number of components present under varying conditions of signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios. The autocorrelation, multiple determination, and single-vector uniqueness test functions are evaluated under low S/N conditions, and also tested on Fourier-smoothed data. The autocorrelation and multiple determination functions give good predictions down to the S/N ratio of 2.4. Below this value the autocorrelation function gives fewer counts of the components than expected as the components signal becomes buried in the background noise. On the other hand, the multiple determination function gives too many counts of the components actually present. The single-vector uniqueness test function proves to be superior to the other two. Its predictions are more consistent even at S/N ratios lower than 2.4 Data smoothing significantly improves the performance of all three functions.
Endogenous spike discharges as conditioned stimuli in man

Abstract Focal high voltage spike or wave-spike complexes recorded from scalp or intracranial sites in patients with epilepsy between frank epileptic attacks are typically unassociated with either objective or subjective clinical change. Even bilaterally synchronous discharges, when of relatively brief duration, pass without the least evidence to subject or observer. To determine whether these abnormal discharges affect subject state or behavior, we have employed a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm in which the spontaneously arising pathological cerebral electrical activity serves as the conditioning stimulus followed by a noxious stimulus. Eighteen patients with repeated discrete focal or diffuse spike discharges received from 40 to 180 “reinforcements” with cutaneous shock, bright flickered light or unpleasant sound stimulus following consecutive spike bursts. Test trials were interspersed with reinforced trials. Key depression, skeletal muscle activity and several autonomic variables were recorded throughout. Changes in these functions with respect to epileptiform paroxysms were determined before, during and after conditioning. Controls for sensitization and progressive change in physiological state during each experiment were incorporated. All subjects demonstrated well-developed unconditioned skeletal and/or autonomic responses. One subject developed a transient avoidance response to his own right temporal spike discharge. Five patients developed change in cardiac or respiratory rate with spontaneous spike discharges following conditioning. It is concluded that spontaneous epileptiform EEG transients have little influence upon ongoing behavior or subjective state and can be conditioned to act as internal signals only with great difficulty. The findings are contrasted with results of central conditioning studies utilizing an external source for cerebral stimulation and possible clinical implications are considered.
Dynamics of the Lipopolysaccharide Assembly on the Surface of Escherichia coli

Lipopolychacharides (LPSs) cover the surface of Gram-negative bacteria. The LPS assembly provides a penetration barrier to molecules larger than 700−1000 Da, such as many antibiotics, and when LPS molecules are released from the surface of bacteria, they cause toxic shock in the infected patient. The surface of Escherichia coli JM109 was visualized by atomic force microscopy, providing the highest resolution images of any bacterium to date (50-A lateral and 5-A vertical resolutions). These images indicated that LPS molecules are assembled in bundles of 600−3500 molecules. The LPS molecule is comprised of lipid A, then an inner and outer core, and an outermost region of O-antigen units. Analyses indicated that the O-antigen repeat units vary between 1 and 26 for E. coli JM109, and the fraction of the LPS molecules with zero to three repeat units made up approximately 50% of the total LPS content. A matrix of 16 LPS molecules was constructed as a representative region of the surface of E. coli. The molecula...
Frequency-domain analysis of oxygen stores during hypoxia in the goat.

Sinusoidal variations of expired oxygen fraction (FEO2) and arterial blood oxygen saturation (S aO2) were measured in three paralyzed and anesthetized goats after producing sinusoidal changes in inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2) under controlled ventilation. These frequency-domain data were used to evaluate the quantitative dynamic relations amongFIO2,FEO2, oxygen uptake at the lung $$\dot VO_2 $$ andS aO2 using the material balance equation at the lung and the Fourier transform of this equation. The overall transfer function betweenFIO2 andFEO2 wasT(s)=0.07/(s+0.075) with a time constant of 13.3 sec, and $$\dot VO_2 $$ andS aO2(s) were related by a transfer function,G 1(s)=0.03/(s+0.008), with a time constant of 125 sec. The magnitude of the fundamental component ofS aO2(s), |S aO2(jw)|, was related to |FEO2(jw)| by a constant,K=0.607, asS aO2 remained near the linear portion of the O2-hemoglobin dissociation curve in moderate hypoxia. Based upon the present frequency-domain analysis, the slow time response ofS aO2 to the transient change of O2 concentration of the atmosphere is related to the homeostatic mechanism of the change of oxygen stores in the blood due to circulatory responses. The fast time response inFEO2 to the change ofFIO2 is produced by the tachometer feedback function of the oxygen stored in the functional residual capacity of the lung. The present analysis and experimental observation provide a new method of investigating oxygen uptake using frequency-domain analysis.
Crafting Urban Policy The Conditions of Public Support for Urban Policy Initiatives

This article assesses how policy framing and targeting may influence public support for federal initiatives that address urban problems. Does directing federal aid to specific target groups, programmatic uses, or types of cities affect the level of public support? To explore these questions, the authors conducted two survey experiments asking whether respondents support aid to cities while randomly varying the framing and targeting conditions. The evidence suggests that some framing and targeting strategies (particularly, targeting specific programmatic uses) do affect public support for urban aid. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of the analysis for support for federal urban assistance.
Digital support for abductive learning in introductory computing courses

Students who grew up browsing the Web are skilled in what is usually referred to as abduction, a reasoning process that starts with a set of specific observations and then generates the best possible explanation of those observations. In order to exploit the abduction skills of contemporary students, we have developed digital CS1/2 study packs that promote and support active learning through abduction, i.e., abductive learning. The study packs integrate a variety of digital resources: online self-guided labs, e-texts, tutorial links, sample programs, quizzes, and slides. These online packs stimulate students to learn abductively by browsing, searching, and performing self-guided lab experiments. In two years of study pack use, the failure rate in the CS1/2 courses at Chapman University has been reduced from 14% to 5%. The study packs have been published online at studypack.com and adopted in various institutions.
Benefits and Challenges of Service-Learning in Baccalaureate Social Work Programs

Service-learning is a pedagogical approach that integrates students’ classroom instruction with community experience. This article discusses qualitative results from a national survey examining service-learning in Council on Social Work Education–accredited baccalaureate programs. Almost 80% of the 202 program respondents required service-learning. They reported that benefits of incorporating service-learning in the BSW curriculum include assisting students in building community connections, applying theory and skills, socializing to the social work profession, and increasing self-awareness and exposure to diverse populations. Cited challenges include securing agency sites, time, and logistics. Findings support existing research suggesting that service-learning may benefit social work undergraduate education.
Framing Matters: Contextual Influences on Interracial Interaction Outcomes

Previous studies indicate that interracial interactions frequently have negative outcomes but have typically focused on social contexts. The current studies examined the effect of manipulating interaction context. In Study 1, Black and White participants worked together with instructions that created either a social focus or a task focus. With a task focus, interracial pairs were more consistently synchronized, Black participants showed less executive function depletion, and White participants generally showed reduced implicit bias. Follow-up studies suggested that prejudice concerns help explain these findings: White participants reported fewer concerns about appearing prejudiced when they imagined an interracial interaction with a task focus rather than a social focus (Study 2a), and Black participants reported less vigilance against prejudice in an imagined interracial interaction with a task focus rather than a social focus (Study 2b). Taken together, these studies illustrate the importance of interac...
Poly(borosilazane) Precursors to Ceramic Nanocomposites

Single-component polymeric precursors to SiC/Si3N4/C/BN and Si3N4/BN ceramic nanocomposites were synthesized via hydroboration and dehydrocoupling of vinyl-containing cyclotrisilazanes. The polymer-to-ceramic conversion process was investigated by 13C, 29Si, and 11B solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy. The yields, processibility, and resulting microstructure of the ceramics were dependent on the starting Si/B ratio in the polymers and the atmosphere used for pyrolysis. Thermal conversion of the polymers from 200 to 600 °C involved loss of vinyl functionality, an increase in the amount of B−N environments, and possibly some degradation of the silazane ring structure. Conversion of the polymeric environment to that of mixed-phase ceramic was complete between 600 and 1000 °C; XRD, however, showed the products to be amorphous even after heating to 1600 °C. Heating the N2 ...
Sensitivity of Nozzle-Based Foamed Asphalt Binder Characteristics to Foaming Parameters

Foam-based warm-mix asphalt technologies decrease the overall viscosity of the asphalt mixture at lower temperatures so that it is workable during construction. However, after construction, viscosity increases rapidly as the foam disappears and the temperature drops. Although the production of the foamed binder is a relatively simple process, in which hot binder is mixed with a limited amount of water (typically 1% to 3% by weight of the binder), the rheology of the foamed binder is complex. The characteristics of foamed binders depend on various factors such as the binder type, grade, and modification; the foaming technology used; amount of water; and temperature. This study investigated the sensitivity of the characteristics of foamed binders to parameters such as injected air pressure and water content. The foamed binder characteristics, including the expansion ratio, half-life, foam index, bubble size distribution, and surface area index, were measured with a novel automated laboratory device called t...
Identification of thiol:protein disulfide oxidoreductase activity in cultured human fibroblasts: Dependence of enzyme activity on growth conditions

Thiol:protein disulfide oxidoreductase activity was assayed in extracts of cultured normal human skin fibroblasts. Enzyme activity in confluent fibroblasts was dependent on growth conditions. In serum-deprived fibroblasts grown in minimal medium enzyme activity was approximately 40% of that observed in fibroblasts maintained in medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. In fibroblasts cultured in medium supplemented only with insulin, activity was 35% greater than that in fibroblasts cultured in unsupplemented defined medium. Antibodies raised against purified bovine liver thiol:protein disulfide oxidoreductase immunoprecipitated all of the activity present in fibroblast extracts. The thiol:protein disulfide oxidoreductase from human fibroblasts thus appears to share antigenic determinants with the bovine liver enzyme. The human fibroblast may serve as an in vitro model to study the regulation of the oxidoreductase.
Using model analysis to design monitoring programs for landscape management and impact assessment.

While ecologists have long recognized the key role of monitoring programs in natural-resource management, we have only recently come to appreciate the logistical difficulties of designing powerful yet efficient schemes for monitoring large, heterogeneous landscapes. Such designs are especially challenging if the signal to be monitored is uncertain, such as in the case of ecosystem response to climate change. I illustrate an approach in which a simulation model is used to design a monitoring scheme that focuses on application-specific sensitivities or uncertainties. Formal model analysis defines these sensitivities in the model's parameter space. These parametric domains are then mapped into geographic space by regressing model sensitivity on terrain variables in a geographic information system. Specific sites for monitoring are then selected by sampling with a two-stage stratified-cluster design from these parametrically sensitive or uncertain locations. As an example, I use a forest simulation model to d...
Abstract 2407: Snail 1 regulates invasion through uPA-uPAR and MMP-9 signaling in prostate cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cancer cells acquire mesenchymal properties, such as induction of N-cadherin, while epithelial-associated genes like E-cadherin are lost. This enables the cells to be more invasive, migratory and metastatic. Factors that can induce EMT include growth factors like transforming growth factor -α (TGF-β) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), and transcription factors like Snail1. Snail1-induced EMT promotes migration and invasion and we hypothesized that this may be mediated by urokinase (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) activities. uPA, a serine protease, may be activated by integrin engagement to bind to its receptor, uPAR, and initiate a signaling cascade that regulates a variety of biological pathways including invasion. Since Snail1 can induce matrix metalloproteinases (MMP 2 and 9) which are also involved in cell invasion, we also examined MMP activity. Androgen-dependent LNCaP, and 22Rv1 and androgen-independent ARCaP human prostate cancer (PC) cells were stably transfected with empty vector control (Neo) or constitutively active Snail1 which led to increased cell migration and invasion. The levels of Snail1, uPA, and uPAR were measured by Western Blot analysis. uPA activity in conditioned media was measured using the Elisa uPA activity assay kit. Additionally, cells were treated with MAPK inhibitor, UO126, at set time points. Gelatin zymography analysis was utilized to detect MMP-9 activity in the conditioned media. Currently, ARCaP-Snail cells are being transiently transfected with uPAR siRNA to assay for the effects of uPAR knockdown on uPA and MMP activity. The data suggests that overexpression of Snail1 increased uPA and uPAR protein levels, while uPA activity was elevated in conditioned media from LNCaP, 22Rv1 and ARCaP cells. Also, MAPK inhibited MAPK expression in the cell and decreased uPA activity. In addition gelatin zymography showed higher MMP 9 activity in ARCaP-Snail overexpressing cells that was inhibited by MAPK inhibitor. Therefore, Snail-mediated cell migration and invasion in human prostate cancer cells may occur via the regulation of uPA and uPAR activities in addition to MMPs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2407. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2407
RecG Interaction with the DNA Replication Fork. The Role of E. coli SSB Protein

The RecG DNA helicase is a guardian of the bacterial genome. It binds to a variety of forked DNA structures thereby minimizing pathological DNA replication and facilitating stalled replication fork rescue. It is becomingly increasingly clear that SSB plays a critical role in the function of RecG, but the mechanisms of its interaction with SSB remain unclear. Here we use the atomic force microscope (AFM) to image the structure of RecG with a model fork substrate in the presence or absence of the single strand DNA binding protein (SSB). The DNA substrate has a 3′-end 69nt single stranded DNA (ssDNA) segment inserted between the two DNA duplexes. This design mimics a stalled fork with an ssDNA gap in the leading strand. The SSB proteins bind very specifically to the ssDNA segment with a yield of ∼90%. RecG protein also binds to the fork but the yield was ∼10%. However, the RecG loading on the same substrate increases three-fold in the presence of SSB suggesting that SSB facilitates RecG loading onto the fork. Moreover, in the presence of SSB, RecG becomes capable of translocating along the DNA duplex in an ATP hydrolysis-independent manner. No such mobility of RecG was observed in the absence of SSB. The preferable translocation direction is moving of RecG along parental arm which implies RecG could clear obstacles bound ahead of the fork. This novel activity of SSB requires the SSB C-terminus as a truncated SSB mutant does not substitute for wild type. SSB loading of RecG and subsequent translocation are unaffected by ATP, ADP or the non-hydrolyzable analog ATP-γ-S. Overall the results obtained reveal novel properties of RecG and highlight a new chaperone-type role of SSB in the DNA repair process.
Cyclic Changes in Cytosol Progesterone Receptor of Human Fallopian Tube

The binding of progesterone (P) to a specific cytoplasmic receptor was studied in cytosol fractions prepared from oviducts obtained from women who elected to undergo sterilization either during a normal menstrual cycle, after the first trimester of pregnancy, or in the puerperium. The in vitro cytosol incubations with [3H]P included cortisol, which eliminated binding to corticosteroid-binding globulin. The relative binding affinities for the cytosol receptor were P > R5020 > > corticosterone = estradiol = testosterone. The P-binding protein had a sedimentation coefficient of 7-8S. Specific [3H]P binding was approximately 4.0 x 10(-13) mol/mg protein at all of the reproductive stages included in this study, except for a 4- to 5-fold increase (approximately 18.0 x 10(-13) mol/mg protein) during the middle and late follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. The sharp decline in P receptor observed during the ealy luteal phase coincided with the luteal rise of serum P. Also, cytosol receptor was replenished when serum P was essentially undetectable.
Setting the agenda for multiple sclerosis rehabilitation research

BackgroundRecognizing the need for more evidence-based multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation, in the mid-2000s several initiatives were undertaken to explore why there had been a paucity of such research and to determine strategies to reverse this pattern.Expert-Opinion-PaperIn 2004 the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) convened an expert opinion panel, reviewed evidence-based MS rehabilitation research, and published the paper on the web. It was concluded that much of the MS rehabilitation carried out was based on experience, with little research backing it up.Increasing the Quality and Quantity of MS Rehabilitation ResearchLargely as a result of the conclusions of the Expert-Opinion-Paper, the NMSS convened a conference of a large number of MS and rehabilitation experts in New York in May, 2005. This conference made many recommendations of ways to increase the quantity and quality of MS research.State of the Science ConferenceIn September, 2006, a follow-up conference was held in Washington, D...
Evidence for coherent interaction between quantum well states in AlAs/GaAs triple barrier heterostructures

Abstract We report on current transport through AlAs GaAs double quantum well heterostructures s a function of the width of the barrier separating the two wells. We compare the current-voltage characteristics of a 108 A quantum well with those of devices consisting of two 54 A wells separated by a thin AlAs barrier. For the thinnest central barriers the peak current densities in the structures are unaffected, and there is a sharp increase in the triple barriers' peak-to-valley current ratio as compared to the double barrier diode. When the middle barrier's thickness is increased beyond a certain width there is a dramatic drop in the number and intensity of the resonances indicating that the coherent interaction between the states in the two wells is lost.
Lanthanide-transition-metal carbonyl complexes. 1. Syntheses and structures of ytterbium(II) solvent-separated ion pairs and isocarbonyl polymeric arrays of tetracarbonylcobaltate.

Transmetalation reactions of metallic ytterbium with Hg[Co(CO)(4)](2) in the coordinating solvents pyridine and THF yield the solvent-separated ion pairs [Yb(L)(6)] [Co(CO)(4)](2) (1a, L = Pyr; 2a, L = THF). The IR spectrum of 1a in pyridine indicates that the tetracarbonylcobaltate anion is not directly bonded to the divalent Yb cation owing to the strong coordinating ability of pyridine. On the other hand, IR spectra of 2a in THF are concentration dependent. In dilute solutions there is an equilibrium between the solvent-separated ion pair and a weak contact ion pair. Higher concentrations of 2a facilitate the formation of a tight ion pair that has a low-frequency isocarbonyl absorption. Remarkably, complexes 1a and 2a are easily transformed in toluene into the two-dimensional sheetlike arrays [(Pyr)(4)Yb[(mu-CO)(2)Co(CO)(2)](2)](infinity) (1b) and [(THF)(2)Yb[(mu-CO)(3)Co(CO)](2).Tol](infinity) (2b). The two-dimensional frameworks are supported by isocarbonyl linkages. Infrared spectra of toluene solutions substantiate the existence of the isocarbonyl bridges with low-frequency absorptions at 1780 cm(-1). Compounds 1b and 2b belong to a rare class of lanthanide-transition-metal carbonyl extended arrays, only three others of which have been structurally established. Dissolving 1b in pyridine regenerates 1a, but the complete conversion of 2b into 2a cannot be achieved. Crystal data: 1a.Pyr is monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 11.171(1) A, b = 11.925(1) A, c = 33.978(1) A, beta = 95.10(1) degrees, Z = 4; 2a is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 17.724(1) A, b = 12.468(1) A, c = 18.413(1) A, beta = 100.34(1) degrees, Z = 4; 1b is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 11.047(1) A, b = 13.423(1) A, c = 21.933(1) A, beta = 103.49(1) degrees, Z = 4; 2b is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 28.589(1) A, b = 7.223(1) A, c = 14.983(1) A, beta = 118.90(1) degrees, Z = 4.
Phase transitions of hexadecane in poly(alkyl methacrylate) core-shell microcapsules.

Microcapsules containing subfemtoliter volumes of n-hexadecane (HD) within a 4−40 nm thick shell of poly(alkyl methacrylates) were prepared. The size of the HD drop was varied between 50 and 140 nm. The alkyl substituents on the methacrylate monomer were varied to alter the surface tension between the HD and the polymer shell in order to investigate the effects of surface tension on the freezing point of the HD. The size dependence of the supercooling as predicted by the G−T equation was not observed in our systems. An effect on the magnitude of supercooling with variation in the side chains was observed, where freezing the HD in capsules with bulkier side chains requires a greater magnitude of supercooling. This is in agreement with the increased hydrophobic character of the polymers and also correlates with the decrease in glass transition temperature of the polymer. We also observed aging of the capsules, which could be accelerated by heating.
Ortega for President: The Religious Rebirth of Sandinismo in Nicaragua

This article analyses various connections between Daniel Ortega’s surprising victory in the presidential elections of 5 November 2006, his control of the Frente Sandinista de la Liberacion Nacional (FSLN) party, and the changing religious context in Nicaragua, where Pentecostal churches now claim almost one quarter of the population. To achieve this, I draw from my fieldwork in Nicaragua in 2005 and 2006, which analysed competition for members between various religious groups in Managua: charismatic Catholics, the Assemblies of God, the neo-Pentecostal mega-church Hosanna, and the Mormon Church. How did Ortega manage to win the votes from so many religious people (evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics alike)? And how does this case compare to similar cases of populist leaders in Latin America courting evangelicals, like Chavez in Venezuela and earlier Fujimori in Peru? Resumen: Ortega, presidente: el renacimiento religioso del sandinismo en Nicaragua Este articulo analiza varias conexiones entre la sorprendente victoria de Daniel Ortega en las elecciones presidenciales del 5 de noviembre de 2006, su control del partido Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN) y el contexto religioso de Nicaragua, donde los pentecostales dicen representar a casi una cuarta parte de la poblacion. Para el analisis me baso en mi trabajo de campo en Nicaragua en 2005 y 2006, en el que estudie a varios grupos religiosos que compiten en el reclutamiento de miembros en Managua: los catolicos carismaticos, las Asambleas de Dios, la ‘mega-iglesia’ neopentecostal Hosanna y la iglesia mormona. ?Como logro Ortega atraer los votos de tanta gente religiosa (evangelicos y catolicos)? Y ?como se compara este caso con otros similares en que lideres populistas conquistan el voto religioso, como Chavez en Venezuela y, antes, Fujimori en Peru?