cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effective mechanical properties strategy for modal analysis and optimization of composite structures

Abstract Many effective mechanical property models exist in the composite structural design and analysis community for approximating the ply layers and different ply orientations through the local cross-section of a composite structure. Either from a global or a local design environment, it is shown that effective mechanical property models formulated independently of ply stacking sequence in the laminate are sufficient for determining the modal frequencies of a geometrically complex structure. By using these models, the modal analysis-optimization design cycle time is significantly reduced. The optimization procedure presented here determines the different ply orientations necessary in a laminate to achieve a desired frequency requirement. The effective mechanical property models presented are used in the frequency analysis and ply orientation optimization of a composite beam and a composite engine fan blade and the modes determined from each model are compared.
On a new approximation in the theory of electrolyte solutions

Abstract We compare the results of a new approximation for the interionic radial distribution function developed previously by Olivares and McQuarrie to those from the nonlinear Poisson—Boltzmann equation for the highly-charged system of the spherical protein bearing a charge as 20 in an aqueous electrolyte solution. In particular, we use both approximations to predict the experimental results for protein titration, which are the experimental data to which the results of the Poisson—Boltzmann equation had been directed.
Nontransitivity in a class of weighted logrank statistics under nonproportional hazards

Abstract Transitivity is an important property of any statistic applied in the setting of multi-arm clinical trials and non-inferiority trials where active-controls are used. The G ρ , γ class of weighted logrank statistics for right-censored survival data as proposed by Fleming and Harrington [1991. Counting Processes and Survival Analysis. Wiley, New York] is often used to improve efficiency in the setting of nonproportional hazards. These statistics utilize a weighting scheme based upon the combined Kaplan–Meier estimate of survival for all comparison groups. Members of this class include the usual logrank statistic as well as the generalized Wilcoxon statistic. It is demonstrated that all useful members of this class exhibit nontransitivity. We propose a general modification of the G ρ , γ statistic which asymptotically achieves transitivity.
Performance stability of high‐power III‐nitride metal‐oxide semiconductor‐heterostructure field‐effect transistors

Record high RF power densities up to 30 W/mm have been recently achieved using AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field-Effect Transistors (HFETs). These results exhibit the promise of III-Nitride HFETs for high-power microwave applications. However the output RF power of these devices was found to degrade with the operation time. Gate leakage current in conventional HFETs is a major contributor to device instability and failure. We previously reported on the development of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Insulated gate HFETs (MOSHFETs) with gate leakage currents four to six orders of magnitude lower than those of the HFETs. The MOSHFETs has demonstrated a significant performance improvement as compared to conventional HFETs resulting in higher channel currents and RF powers. In this study, we present the first comparative experimental evaluation of the HFET and MOSHFET lifetime at room and elevated temperatures. The room temperature HFET stability lifetime as high as 2.4 years is estimated. We also present the detailed study of the HFETs stabilization and failure mechanisms. The pronounced similarity of the mechanisms of device degradation and current collapse is demonstrated. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Synergistic Extraction Studies Using n-Octyl(Phenyl) N,N-Diisobutylcarbamoyl-Methylphosphine Oxide

Abstract The effectiveness of n-octyl(phenyl)-N,N′-diisobutylcarbamoyl-methylphosphine oxide, CMPO, as a neutral extractant for the trivalent actinides and lanthanides from strong acid media has been well established. This investigation characterized the use of CMPO as a synergistic agent in the extraction of Am(III) and Eu(III) by thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA). The distributions of the metal ions were measured using radiotracer techniques as functions of HTTA concentration, CMPO concentration and pH. The results show that the presence of CMPO enhances the extraction of Eu(III) and Am(III) by 108. The synergistic adduct was M(TTA)3·CMPO with no indication of higher complexes being formed. Unlike previous studies, the extraction of Eu(III) was more strongly enhanced than that of Am(III). The results showed little, if any, enhancement in the extraction efficiency due to the bidentate nature of the CMPO.
New solitons and kinks solutions to the Sharma–Tasso–Olver equation

Abstract In this work, the Sharma–Tasso–Olver (STO) equation is investigated. The tanh method, the extended tanh method, and other ansatze involving hyperbolic and exponential functions are efficiently used for analytic study of this equation. New solitons and kinks solutions are formally derived. The proposed schemes are reliable and manageable.
Low‐dose methylmercury‐induced oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and tau‐hyperphosphorylation in human neuroblastoma (SH‐SY5Y) cells

Acute neurotoxic effects of high-dose methylmercury (MeHg) in humans have been well documented in the scientific literature. However, low-dose effects are less well described. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of low-dose MeHg (<100 nM) on human brain cells in a tissue culture model. Neuroblastoma (NB) cells (SH-SY5Y) were used in the cell culture model to study low-dose effects of MeHg on cell growth, cell survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as a measure of potential markers of cellular events associated with tauopathies. When cells were incubated in culture with MeHg (50 and 100 nM), there were significant decreases in cell viability as well as significant increase in ROS generation as determined by fluorescent dye analysis (H(2)DCFDA). Furthermore, a concomitant decrease in glutathione levels to 25% of control was observed at both 50 and 100 nM MeHg. In addition, the level of phosphorylated tau was significantly increased after treatment at both 50 and 100 nM MeHg, compared with controls. Pretreatment of NB cells with the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (1.25 mM) and the calpain inhibitor, MDL-28170 (10 μM), significantly attenuated the effects of MeHg (50 and 100 nM) on cell viability as well as on tau phosphorylation. These results indicate that low-dose MeHg toxicity may be related to an induction of tau phosphorylation through an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism and that blockade of this pathway may attenuate the toxic effects of MeHg.
Discovery of Fusarium solani as a naturally occurring pathogen of sugarbeet root maggot (Diptera: Ulidiidae) pupae: Prevalence and baseline susceptibility

The fungus Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. was discovered as a native entomopathogen of the sugarbeet root maggot, Tetanops myopaeformis (Roder), in the Red River Valley of North Dakota during the 2004 sugarbeet production season. This is the first report of a native pathogen affecting the pupal stage of T. myopaeformis. Forty-four percent of larvae collected from a field site near St. Thomas (Pembina Co.) in northeastern North Dakota during May and June of 2004 were infected with the entomopathogen. The mean LC(50) of F. solani, assessed by multiple-dose bioassays with laboratory-reared pupae, was 1.8x10(6)conidia/ml. After isolation and confirmation of pathogenicity, a pure isolate of the fungus was deposited in the ARS Entomopathogenic Fungal Collection (ARSEF, Ithaca, NY) as ARSEF 7382. Symptoms of F. solani infection included rapid pupal tissue atrophy and failure of adults to emerge. Transverse dissections of infected pupae revealed dense hyphal growth inside puparia, thus suggesting fungal penetration and pathogenicity. Mycelia emerged from pupae after host tissues were depleted. Exposure of older pupae to lethal concentrations caused rapid mortality of developing adults inside puparia. A second, more extensive field survey was conducted during the 2005 cropping season, and F. solani infection was observed in root maggots at most locations, although at lower levels (1-10%) of prevalence than in 2004. Aberrant timing or amounts of rainfall received could have caused asynchrony between pathogen and host during the second year of the experiment.
The Effects of Phosphate and Hydrogen Ions on the Velocity-pCa Relationship in a Motility Assay

During intense muscular fatigue elevated levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and hydrogen ions (H+) are believed to inhibit contraction. Evidence suggests that a portion of the inhibition is due to a direct effect on myosin however the most pronounced losses in muscle force are believed to be mediated through the regulatory proteins Troponin (Tn) and Tropomyosin (Tm) indirectly affecting the actomyosin interaction. To begin to understand the molecular basis of this indirect inhibition we determined the effects of H+ and Pi on velocity-pCa relationship of regulated thin filaments in an in vitro motility assay using chicken skeletal myosin. Decreasing pH from 7.4 to 6.5 significantly (p<0.05) decreased filament velocity (Vactin) saturating Ca2+ (pCa 4) from 6.2±0.3um/s to 0.4±0.2 at pH 6.5. In addition, low pH increased the Ca2+ level required to reach half-maximal velocity (pCa50) from pCa 6.26 to 5.45, suggesting a pronounced decrease in Ca2+-sensitivity. The addition of 30mM Pi at pH 7.4 caused a minor increase in Vactin in the absence of Ca2+ (pCa 10), that was dependent on the presence of excess Tn/Tm in the buffer, but these effects were not present at higher Ca2+ levels (pCa <7.0). In contrast to pH 7.4, the addition of Pi at pH 6.5 increased Vactin at every Ca2+ from pCa 9 to pCa 4, and increased the pCa50 5.45 to 7.23 indicating a heighted sensitivity to Ca2+. In addition, at saturating Ca2+ adding 30mM Pi increased Vactin from 0.4±0.2 to 2.6±0.3 at pH 6.5. These data indicate that H+ alone can profoundly reduce the Ca2+-sensitivity of thin filaments but that a simultaneous increase in Pi, as occurs during fatigue can counteract these depressive effects on regulated filament velocity in vitro.
One-pass data mining algorithms in a DBMS with UDFs

Data mining research is extensive, but most work has proposed efficient algorithms, data structures and optimizations that work outside a DBMS, mostly on flat files. In contrast, we present a data mining system that can work on top of a relational DBMS based on a combination of SQL queries and User-Defined Functions (UDFs), debuking the common perception that SQL is inefficient or inadequate for data mining. We show our system can analyze large data sets significantly faster than external data mining tools. Moreover, our UDF-based algorithms can process a data set in one pass and have linear scalability.
Aqueous polysulphide flow-through electrodes: effects of electrocatalyst and electrolyte composition on performance

Porous electrodes are required to achieve satisfactory performance of the aqueous sulphide/polysulphide redox couple in energy conversion and storage applications. A flow cell for testing flow-through porous electrodes was constructed and operated. The effects of electrode material, temperature, flow rate, and electrolyte composition were studied. Catalytic electrode surface layers of Co and MoS2 demonstrated performances which were more than adequate to meet a design goal of 10–20 mA cm−2 at less than 50mV overpotential. Flow rate variation had only a small effect on the current density-overpotential behaviour, whereas raising the temperature and/or adding dimethylformamide to the electrolyte had much larger effects. These observations are consistent with steady-state results obtained on rotating disc electrodes.
Large mating aggregations and daily long-distance spawning migrations in the bluehead wrasse,Thalassoma bifasciatum

The mating system of the labrid fishThalassoma bifasciatum has been extensively described in the literature, and the species has formed the basis for much work in ecology and behavior. However, most work in the past on this species has concentrated in small patch reef habitats. Here I describe a different mating pattern in bluehead wrasses occurring on a large, linear barrier reef in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. On this reef, very large group-mating aggregations (> 10000 fish) form daily at a single area on the forepart of the reef. Tagging studies showed that fishes are faithful to particular feeding schools arrayed along the forereef, and that they migrate to the spawning grounds along a specific path from distances more than 1.5 km away. No mating appears to occur in other upcurrent areas of the forereef. One-way migration times averaged 52 min from the farthest site studied, and feeding does not occur en route. Despite large differences in time spent in migration, no significant differences existed in fecundity or frequency of spawning among females living at different distances from the mating aggregation. The only apparent differences was a significantlyhigher growth rate in the fishes residing farthest from the aggregation. This higher growth rate corresponded to a higher overall feeding rate in the distant location, suggesting that food intake can more than compensate for the increased costs of migration.
Dynamic response of pulse loaded laminated composite cylinders

Abstract A finite difference solution is presented for elastic wave propagation in laminated composite hollow tubes under axial plane strain, subjected to a radially symmetric pressure pulse at the inner surface. The solution is applied to two-layered cross-ply and angle-ply AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy cylinders, and to homogeneous monoclinic cylinders. The effects of pulse time duration, stacking sequence, ply angle and stiffnesses on the resulting displacement, stresses (radial, hoop, axial and shear) and dynamic stress concentration factor are studied.
Effects of an autolyzed yeast on physical and sensory properties of frankfurters

Three experiments were conducted to determine effects of autolyzed yeast on frankfurter firmness, flavor, and yields. Smokehouse yields of laboratory prepared frankfurters (Experiment #1) were not affected (P < 0.05) by addition of autolyzed yeast (1%). Commercially produced frankfurters containing 0%, 1.0%, or 1.5% yeast (Experiment #2) or 0%, 0.75% or 1.0% yeast (Experiment #3) were subjected to sensory and yield evaluations. Frankfurters from Experiment #2, with 1% autolyzed yeast were more firm (P < .10) than control frankfurters. Frankfurters from Experiment #3 with 0.75% and 1.0% autolyzed yeast were more firm (P < .01, P < .10) than controls. Vacuum packaged frankfurters containing yeast (Experiments #2 and #3), held 2, 4, or 6 weeks at 2–5°C, had less purge than their respective controls. Autolyzed yeast appeaers to enhance frankfurter flavor and firmness while reducing purge in vacuum packaged product.
p53 Deficiency Rescues the Adverse Effects of Telomere Loss and Cooperates with Telomere Dysfunction to Accelerate Carcinogenesis

Maintenance of telomere length and function is critical for the efficient proliferation of eukaryotic cells. Here, we examine the interactions between telomere dysfunction and p53 in cells and organs of telomerase-deficient mice. Coincident with severe telomere shortening and associated genomic instability, p53 is activated, leading to growth arrest and/or apoptosis. Deletion of p53 significantly attenuated the adverse cellular and organismal effects of telomere dysfunction, but only during the earliest stages of genetic crisis. Correspondingly, the loss of telomere function and p53 deficiency cooperated to initiate the transformation process. Together, these studies establish a key role for p53 in the cellular response to telomere dysfunction in both normal and neoplastic cells, question the significance of crisis as a tumor suppressor mechanism, and identify a biologically relevant stage of advanced crisis, termed genetic catastrophe.
A lengthy look at the daily grind: time series analysis of events, mood, stress, and satisfaction.

The present study investigated processes by which job stress and satisfaction unfold over time by examining the relations between daily stressful events, mood, and these variables. Using a Web-based daily survey of stressor events, perceived strain, mood, and job satisfaction completed by 14 university workers, 1,060 occasions of data were collected. Transfer function analysis, a multivariate version of time series analysis, was used to examine the data for relationships among the measured variables after factoring out the contaminating influences of serial dependency. Results revealed a contrast effect in which a stressful event associated positively with higher strain on the same day and associated negatively with strain on the following day. Perceived strain increased over the course of a semester for a majority of participants, suggesting that effects of stress build over time. Finally, the data were consistent with the notion that job satisfaction is a distal outcome that is mediated by perceived strain.
Proposed floating-zone, immersed-heater method for the growth of trigonal selenium single crystals

Abstract Trigonal Se crystals grown from the melt in a vertical ampoule are strained because Se expands along the c-axis as it cools. In order to eliminate contact with the ampoule, a floating zone method of growth is proposed. Although the surface tension of liquid Se is too low to maintain an unsupported molten zone of practical dimensions, preliminary experiments have shown that a zone can be maintained by using a ribbon reisistance heater that passes through the zone. Thr charge would be doped with a small concentration of T1, which facilitates the crystallization of Se from the melt.
The impact of Cry3Bb Bt-maize on two guilds of beneficial beetles

In a 3-year comparison of non-Bt untreated control maize, maize treated with the soil insecticide tefluthrin, and transgenic Cry3Bb Bt-maize (Bt) plots, average carabid catch per pitfall trap did not vary significantly except in 2001 when average catch in the insecticide treatment was lower than the average catches in the Bt and control treatment. Analyzing total number of carabids captured, in each individual year except 2003 and for all years summed, control plots exceeded Bt plots, and Bt plots exceeded insecticide plots in 2001 and all years summed. Fewer, Harmonia axyridis, a common coccinellid, were observed in Bt plots than in control maize plots. In laboratory assays, prey consumption for the most common carabid species, Agonum muelleri and Poecilus lucublandus, did not differ between treatments. The life span of H. axyridis fed on field-collected aphids from Bt was reduced by 38% versus those fed aphids from control maize. ELISA indicated Bt proteins were passed from the plant to the predator via the aphid. This is the first reported negative impact of Cry3Bb Bt-maize on carabid activity-densities in the field; and one of the first mechanistic examples of a negative indirect tritrophic level impact of a Cry3Bb Bt-maize on a coccinellid.
DIABETIC DYSCONTROL: A SYNDROME OF MISBEGOTTEN CHILDREN IN A METABOLIC NIGHTMARE

Diabetic dyscontrol is defined as the persistence of erratic blood glucose levels in the adolescent with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who demonstrates proven knowledge of management. It results in multiple recurrent life-threatening episodes of ketoacidosis causing extensive familial disruption, stagnation of education, social isolation, and fragmentation of medical care. A program for treating children with diabetic dyscontrol is described. The patient is hospitalized for an extended period (3-12 months) while a total reeducation process occurs. The focus of treatment is on uncovering the underlying factors responsible for the loss of control and to alter the patient/family relationship so that effective reintroduction into society may occur. A team of professionals consisting of physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, nutritionists, and recreational specialists address the specific needs of the patient, using a variety of therapeutic modalities. A series of graduated home passes challenge the patient by reinserting him/her into the community to which he/she may return. Following discharge, the patient is seen by members of the treatment team to provide ongoing support, education, and medical surveillance at regularly scheduled intervals. The success of the program is related to the ability to correctly identify sources of conflict in the patient-family dyad, and to break the cycle of inappropriate and harmful interactions.
Lumbar disc herniation: microsurgical approach.

LUMBAR MICRODISCECTOMY IS an effective and time-tested neurosurgical procedure. Appropriate patient selection is as important as surgical technique in ensuring good outcome. As with any operation, mastery of the relevant anatomy is paramount. We offer the following illustrations to help surgeons app
Differential role for protein kinase C-mediated signaling in the proliferation of medulloblastoma cell lines.

Recent studies have implicated protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated signaling in the proliferation of gliomas. In this study, we have investigated the role of PKC mediated signaling in the proliferation of medulloblastoma cell lines DAOY, D283-Med and D341-Med. By Western blot analyses, conventional PKC (cPKC) alpha was detectable in DAOY only, while atypical PKC (aPKC) zeta was present in all three cell lines. cPKC beta1, beta11, gamma novel PKC (nPKC) delta, and epsilon were not detectable in any of the cell lines. Antisense oligonucleotides to PKC alpha , Calphostin C (a specific PKC inhibitor) and prolonged treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) with down regulation of cPKCalpha caused a decrease in proliferation in DAOY and no effect on D283-Med. Furthermore, PMA treatment was also associated with upregulation of p21cip1 in DAOY. Since cPKCalpha is the only PMA responsive isoform in DAOY, this observation implicates the cPKCalpha isoform in the proliferation of DAOY but not in D283-Med. A comparison of DAOY and D283-Med showed a higher proliferation index in DAOY. In contrast, multiprobe riboquant ribonuclease protection assay revealed higher levels of p27kip1 and p21cip1 mRNA in D283-Med. These transcripts were barely detectable in untreated DAOY. These observations indicate possible significant molecular heterogeneity among medulloblastomas with implications for differing biology among medulloblastoma cell lines and tumors.
Picosecond time-resolved cyclotron resonance of non-equilibrium carriers in semiconductors

Abstract We have investigated the intraband dynamics of non-equilibrium carriers in semiconductors, using a picosecond far-infrared (FIR) free-electron laser synchronized with a femtosecond near-infrared (NIR) Ti : sapphire laser. An intense NIR pulse creates carriers, which interact with a delayed FIR pulse. We detect time-resolved cyclotron resonance by monitoring the intensity of the transmitted and reflected FIR pulse as functions of magnetic field and time delay between the NIR and FIR pulses. Results reveal a variety of intraband dynamical phenomena over time scales much shorter than the interband lifetime.
Transduction of binding energy into hemoglobin cooperativity

Hemoglobin is a tetrameric molecule consisting of two identical alpha beta dimers which assemble into either of two quaternary structures, T or R. Recent studies on mutant and partially ligated hemoglobins have revealed that cooperativity exists between the alpha and the beta hemes of each dimeric half-molecule and have led to a symmetry rule for quaternary T-->R switching: the quaternary R structure is energetically favored over the T structure when each dimeric half-molecule contains at least one ligated subunit.
A Study of Consumer Behavior by use of Competitive Business Games

The behavior of consumers, labor, investors, and community members in a simulated society has been studied by use of competitive business games. The model for the simulation represents a closed economic system with firms in an oligopolistic industry operating by a set of anticipatory decision rules and a number of household communities whose decisions are made by players who identify themselves with the welfare of their communities. The product price and product sales each period are determined by equating the aggregate supply function of the firms and the aggregate demand function of the household communities. The wage rates and employment each period are determined by matching offers of the firms with offers of the household communities. The game results show that some regulations were required in order to maintain a satisfactory consumption level. Regulations included wage control, taxation of firms and households, dividend policy and assistance for destitute household communities. It was found that change in employment was related to anticipated change in wage rate and to household's monetary assets, and that change in product demand was related to anticipated change in product price and to past consumption.
Holo-Ni(II)Hpnikr Is An Asymmetric Tetramer Containing Two Different Nickel-Binding Sites

The metalloregulatory protein NikR from Helicobacter pylori (HpNikR) is a master regulator of gene expression which both activates and represses specific genes in response to nickel availability. Here, we report the first crystal structure (at 2.37A resolution) of Ni(II)HpNikR prepared directly from the holo-protein. The protein contains four nickel ions located in two distinct coordination environments. Two nickel ions are bound to sites in a four-coordinate square planar geometry as predicted based on the structures of NikR from E. coli and P. horikoshii. The remaining two nickel ions are bound to sites with unexpected 5 or 6 coordination geometries which were previously thought to be involved in nickel incorporation into the protein. The nickel with 5/6 coordination geometry utilizes three histidines from two separate monomeric HpNikR units along with two or three water molecules as ligands. The spatial location of the nickel in the 5/6 coordinate site is within approximately 5 A of the expected site if a 4- coordinate square planar geometry occurred. Two of the histidines that participate as ligands in 5/6 coordinate site would also participate as ligands if the 4-coordinate site was occupied making it impossible for both sites to be occupied simultaneously. DFT calculations show that the 5/6 coordinate geometries are energetically favorable when the local protein environment is included in the calculations. The presence of two distinct coordination environments in HpNikR is suggested to be related to the specificity and binding affinity of this transcription factor for DNA.
Terminal stages of complement hemolysis: Technical comment

Abstract In studying terminallytic events of sensitized erythrocytes which have reacted with all 9 components of complement, we agree in general with the conclusions of Boyle and Borsos [1] that the cellular intermediate passes through the stages E ∗bouned , E ∗inserted , and E ∗doomed . However, we differ with these workers on the influence of 3 variables on the terminal reactions. These variables are: time of hemolysis; temperature of E ∗ preparation; and the use of EDTA to manipulate E ∗ .
Tag Returns and Movements of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) and Rainbow-Steelhead Trout Released in the Lake Washington System

Abstract Similar patterns of dispersion were observed over 90-day periods among hatchery-reared rainbow trout and rainbow-steelhead hybrid trout released in the Lake Washington system in 1966 and 1967. In both experiments 90% of recaptures were within 3.2 km of the release site. Returns were generally the same for the three tags tested (Carlin dangler, Petersen disk, Floy anchor pendant). Of the total fish released in 1966, 47.3% were recovered, and of those in 1967, only 40.5%. A reward was offered in the 1966 experiment. Loosening and loss of tags and infection of tag wounds appeared minimal.
Security, Society, and Skepticism

Abstract It's nearly two years later, and the repercussions of 9/11 are still being felt in the security community. Heightened security awareness combined with tightened security measures brings more to the process of securing. Now, for air travelers, there are more questions to answer, longer lines for security clearance, and perhaps the need to unpack and pack bags that are selected for a search. The added steps are apparently viewed as more inconvenience, greater inefficiency, loss of productivity, and considerable additional stress. and the customer-friendly service that the airlines claim goes counter to the aim of physical security. The question is: to what degree can security measures be customer friendly?
Location-based questions and local knowledge

This article explores location-based questions, local knowledge, and the implications stemming from these concepts for digital reference staff in consortial question- answering services. Location-based questions are inquiries that concern a georeferencable site. Digital reference personnel staffing the statewide chat reference consortium used in this study respond to location-based questions concerning over 100 participating information agencies. Some literature has suggested that nonlocal digital reference staff have difficulties providing accurate responses to location-based questions concerning locations other than their own. This study utilized content analysis to determine the quantity of location-based questions and the question-negotiation process in responding to location-based questions. Key findings indicate location-based questions comprised 50.2% of the total questions asked to the statewide service, 73.6% of location-based questions were responded to by nonlocal digital reference staff, and 37.5% of location-based questions ended in referral. This article's findings indicate that despite digital reference's capability to provide anyplace, anytime question-answering service, proximity to local knowledge remains relevant. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Role of genetic background in P selectin-dependent immune surveillance of the central nervous system.

Abstract Although the blood–brain barrier and blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier maintain the central nervous system (CNS) as an immunologically privileged site, T lymphocytes can migrate through unstimulated brain endothelium and epithelium to perform immune surveillance or initiate inflammation. Our prior results suggested that early CNS migration of a CD4 Th1 cell line was facilitated by P selectin (CD62P) in (PL/J×SJL/J)F1 mice. Here, quantitative analysis of migration 2 h following adoptive transfer of fluorescently labeled cells revealed a 53–72% decrease in activated splenocyte, CD4 Th1 and CD8 migration, but not CD4 Th2, in CD62P-deficient C57BL6/J mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed constitutive expression of CD62P within the meninges and choroid plexus epithelia in C57BL6/J and SJL/J, but not BALB/cJ, mice. Activated splenocyte migration was approximately three- to four-fold greater in SJL/J as compared to BALB/cJ mice. Anti-CD62P treatment normalized this difference. Based on these results, we hypothesize that genetically determined kinetics of immune surveillance may regulate the phenotype of subsequent CNS inflammation.
Sign problem in the numerical simulation of many-electron systems

We discuss the problems that arise in the numerical simulation of many-electron systems when the measure of the functional integrals is not positive definite. We present theoretical arguments and numerical data which indicate that the expectation value of the sign of the measure decreases exponentially as the inverse temperature \ensuremath{\beta} increases, unless the measure is forced to be positive by an explicit symmetry. We therefore conclude that a recent proposal for dealing with the sign problem due to Sorella et al. Leads to an uncontrolled approximation. In the cases we have studied it is a good approximation for the ground-state energy, and we present a method for calculating the correction needed to make it exact. However, for some physical quantities, such as the d-wave pair field susceptibility, the neglect of signs can yield misleading results.
Dead Men, Walking: Actors, Networks, and Actualized Metaphors in Mrs. Dalloway and Raymond

This article takes up Rita Felski’s recent call to modernists to explore how Bruno Latour’s latest work on actor-network theory might be adapted for literary studies. It examines two accounts of World War I soldiers who (allegedly) return from the dead in material form: Virginia Woolf’s fictional account of Septimus Smith, who is convinced his friend Evans has come back from the dead, and Oliver Lodge’s best-selling memoir, Raymond, or Life and Death, which recounts in detail how Lodge believed his dead son sent messages to the family to assure them of his continued material existence. That these moments may be read as obvious signs of delusion or unresolved grief tell us little about the power such images had in the early twentieth century or about how metaphors at a particular historical moment might be read, shaped, disrupted, and made real. A Latourian approach, instead, demands a shift in interpretive practices: rather than reading vertically for a latent meaning that might lie hidden beneath a text, we read horizontally, tracing actively a network of places, times, and objects, a network that offers a new understanding of the interactions between historical contexts and literary studies. Midway through Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, Septimus Smith, a shell-shocked veteran of World War I, famously sees his dead comrade Evans return from the grave. As readers and critics, we know just what to do here. We dash in as theoretical medics, ready to diagnose a wide range of underlying problems that might explain his vision. Approaching the scene from a psychoanalytic or human psyche angle, we can detect post-traumatic stress, point out the unresolved grief that lies beneath his hallucination, or note the repressed homoerotic desire that appears in the form of Evans. If we arrive from the somewhat more fashionable school of historical context, we might observe how Septimus represents a larger group of traumatized veterans, or we could see Evans as symbolizing a transnational expression of the violence wielded by imperialism. And many other approaches are available to us: it’s a rich time for literary criticism. But what we are least likely to do, faced with Septimus’ vision, is to believe it, to entertain the idea that yes, he does see his dead friend Evans rise from the dead, and to consider what that might mean. Our reaction—for good and productive reasons—is usually to move to
The expanding spectrum of a new disease, bacillary angiomatosis.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has greatly increased the number of persons suffering opportunistic infections. Surprisingly, most opportunistic pathogens in HIV disease are those previously known to infect patients immunosuppressed for other reasons. A handful of "new" conditions has emerged from the HIV epidemic, including oral hairy leukoplakia, and, recently, bacillary angiomatosis. Bacillary angiomatosis has no doubt been with us since before HIV disease (for examples, see below). During the years when AIDS was GRID, it lay camouflaged by the much more common opportunistic neoplasm Kaposi's sarcoma, which outnumbers it by perhaps 50:1 in incidence (personal observation). Credit for finding the needle of this new disease amidst the haystack of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma should go to Mark H. Stoler, MD, then a pathologist at the University of Rochester (NY), who observed bacteria within the subcutaneous lesions of a patient initially supposed to have Kaposi's sarcoma and noted the unusual staining characteristics of the bacilli. 1 This observation enabled successful antibiotic treatment of the condition.
Undercooling of pure metals in a containerless, microgravity environment

The 105-m drop tube at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center has been used in a series of undercooling experiments on pure metals. Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Rh, Hf, Ta, and Pt were undercooled 17-20 percent of the melting temperature in a containerless, microgravity environment. Ir and Ru were undercooled to 13 percent Tm. Sample sizes ranged from 175 to 880 mg.
An Axiomatic Approach for “Target Cascading” of Parametric Design of Engineering Systems

Abstract Complex engineering system realization involves finding out design specifications that simultaneously achieve performance objectives at different levels. A common practice in industry is to adopt “Target Cascading” to obtain proper settings of the performance objectives, and find out those design specifications, not necessarily optimal, but satisfying all the desirable component-level, subsystem-level and system-level performance objectives. In this paper, an Axiomatic Approach to “Target Cascading” (AATC) is presented to improve the current “Target Cascading” process. AATC uses axioms to guide the decompositions of performance objectives, and an integration of a hybrid meta-modeling tool and direct synthesis method to enhance both robustness and efficiency. The preliminary results of AATC's industrial applications demonstrate its advantage in improving productivity at the early stage parametric design, especially for complex engineering systems.
Module Extraction for Efficient Object Queries over Ontologies with Large ABoxes

The extraction of logically-independent fragments out of an ontology ABox can be useful for solving the tractability problem of querying ontologies with large ABoxes. In this paper, we propose a formal definition of an ABox module, such that it guarantees complete preservation of facts about a given set of individuals, and thus can be reasoned independently w.r.t. the ontology TBox. With ABox modules of this type, isolated or distributed (parallel) ABox reasoning becomes feasible, and more efficient data retrieval from ontology ABoxes can be attained. To compute such an ABox module, we present a theoretical approach and also an approximation for SHIQ ontologies. Evaluation of the module approximation on different types of ontologies shows that, on average, extracted ABox modules are significantly smaller than the entire ABox, and the time for ontology reasoning based on ABox modules can be improved significantly.
Development and Application of a Writing Attitude Survey for Grades 1 to 3

The purpose of these studies was to develop and use a writing attitude survey for students in Grades 1 to 3 modeled after the survey developed and used with students in Grades 4 to 8 in 1991. A 19-item survey was administered to 394 children in Grades 1, 2, and 3. The instrument was then used in an experiment to assess the effect of instructional treatment, grade, and participation on 112 students' attitudes toward writing. There were no significant main effects for treatment or for time of measurement. There were no significant interactions, but there was a significant main effect for grade. Follow-up of significant main effects using Tukey tests indicated that 52 third graders had significantly more positive attitudes toward writing than 60 fifth graders.
Early arrival or trespassing? Leadership, school security, and the right to the school

School leaders are under constant pressure to ensure that schools are safe and to demonstrate that student safety and discipline are priorities. In many districts, schools rely on local law enforcement, school police, or security personnel to assist with promoting and maintaining safe schools. To encourage school leaders to think critically about the role of law enforcement and security personnel in schools, we present a school-level case where a principal is arrested for intervening to stop the arrest of a student. The case is appropriate for school- and district-level leadership courses that examine social, political, and cultural contexts that shape decision making. KW: SR2S Language: en
A Rapid Infrared Procedure for Screening Human Renal Stones Using a Latex-Tissue Substrate

The infrared spectra of solid renal stone material have been obtained traditionally by the KBr pellet and mineral oil mull techniques. Both are time-consuming methods for routine work because of the necessity of mixing the solid samples with diluent and forming the pellet or window film. At our laboratory these methods as well as solid film casting from solutions have been used routinely. We have the need for a rapid infrared screening method to route as many as 100 samples/day to other analytical techniques such as x-ray diffractometry, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, polarization microscopy, chemical analysis, etc., based upon the presence of gross chemical species and their approximate concentrations in the sample. Renal stones are typically crystalline phases of calcium phosphates, calcium oxalates, uric acid, and calcium carbonates. The specific phases are apatite, whewellite, weddellite, calcite, struvite, uric acid, and rarely ammonium and sodium urate and cystine. The specimens are always solid and usually inorganic but relatively soft and easily ground to very fine powder. The spectral region of interest is usually 1800 to 650 cm−1 and a rapid scan with little sample preparation is preferred. The KBr pellet was used with very good analytical results for years, but the time involved in sample preparation limited our throughput to 4 samples/h even though the run itself was standardized to a mere 2 min (2000 to 600 cm−1 at 700 cm−1 min−1). The nujol mull technique proved to be much more time efficient with a routine throughput for one operator at 7 to 9/h.
Spine loading at different lumbar levels during pushing and pulling

As the nature of many materials handling tasks have begun to change from lifting to pushing and pulling, it is important that one understands the biomechanical nature of the risk to which the lumbar spine is exposed. Most previous assessments of push-pull tasks have employed models that may not be sensitive enough to consider the effects of the antagonistic cocontraction occurring during complex pushing and pulling motions in understanding the risk to the spine and the few that have considered the impact of cocontraction only consider spine load at one lumbar level. This study used an electromyography-assisted biomechanical model sensitive to complex motions to assess spine loadings throughout the lumbar spine as 10 males and 10 females pushed and pulled loads at three different handle heights and of three different load magnitudes. Pulling induced greater spine compressive loads than pushing, whereas the reverse was true for shear loads at the different lumbar levels. The results indicate that, under these conditions, anterior-posterior (A/P) shear loads were of sufficient magnitude to be of concern especially at the upper lumbar levels. Pushing and pulling loads equivalent to 20% of body weight appeared to be the limit of acceptable exertions, while pulling at low and medium handle heights (50% and 65% of stature) minimised A/P shear. These findings provide insight to the nature of spine loads and their potential risk to the low back during modern exertions.
Finite-range corrections near a Feshbach resonance and their role in the Efimov effect

We have measured the binding energy of ${}^{7}$Li Feshbach molecules deep into the nonuniversal regime by associating atoms in a Bose-Einstein condensate with a modulated magnetic field. We extract the scattering length from these measurements, correcting for nonuniversal short-range effects using the field-dependent effective range. With this more precise determination of the Feshbach resonance parameters we reanalyze our previous data on the location of atom loss features produced by the Efimov effect [Pollack et al., Science 326, 1683 (2009)]. We find the measured locations of the three- and four-body Efimov features to be consistent with universal theory at the 20%--30% level.
Redshifts of Companion Galaxies

SINCE 1966 (ref. 1) there has been observational evidence2–4 that quasi-stellar radio sources (QSRs) and compact radio galaxies are ejected from galaxies. Whatever distance scale one uses, one of the characteristics of QSRs and compact radio galaxies is that a great deal of energy is compressed into very small dimensions. Unless very special conditions prevail, such concentrated sources would be expected to expand with time. Indeed, the short lifetimes which are inferred from their rapid rate of energy expenditure, the associated jets of material and the prevalence of ejected radio pairs across the sources all attest to expansion and eruption.
Differential decomposition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal hyphae and glomalin

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate symbionts of most higher plants. In addition to being a major component of soil microbial biomass, AMF hyphae produce glomalin, a recalcitrant glycoproteinaceous substance highly correlated with soil aggregate water stability. This study addresses the lack of knowledge concerning the decomposition of hyphae and glomalin. We used an experimental design that exploited the lack of saprobic capabilities of AMF hyphae by incubating field soil samples in the dark, and hence in the absence of plant or AMF hyphal growth. In 150 days, hyphal length decreased 60%, while glomalin, quantified by the Bradford protein assay, declined only 25%. Immuno-reactive glomalin decreased 46%. This study serves as a proof-of-concept for further examination of factors that influence decomposition of AMF hyphae using similar experimental designs.
The susceptibility to experimental dental caries of rats from a strain with totally or partially missing enamel

Abstract Rats from a strain in which many of the offspring have totally or almost completely missing enamel on their incisors and molars were used in two experiments to study the susceptibility of this strain to experimental dental caries. The rats with defective enamel tended to develop a low level of caries activity when fed Harvard semi-purified diet 2700, but a relatively high caries activity when fed Keyes and Jordan's diet 2000 which contains finely powdered sucrose and several natural food items. The rats of this strain with normal enamel had lower dental caries incidences when fed either diet 2700 or diet 2000 than rats of the strain which had defective enamel. Both the normal rats and those with abnormal or missing enamel appeared to have an adequate microbial flora for the development of carious lesions without the external provision of flora from caries-active rats. Some increase in caries activity was observed among the rats fed diet 2700 when they were caged with rats of the mutant albino strain with actively progressing carious lesions.
Use of Ground-based Radar for Climate-Scale Studies of Weather and Rainfall

Reflectivity data from weather radar provide information on the location and quantity of water and ice in the atmosphere at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Although the analysis of radar data facilitates spatially accurate climatologies of weather events and rainfall, relatively few studies have utilized data from the US Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) network for climate-scale research. Towards the goal of increasing the use of these data by geographers, this article details the collection of radar data, their limitations, and conversion into rainfall rates. Examples of climate-scale research incorporating NEXRAD data are also presented. Although its capabilities to analyze temporal data are limited, the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) by nongeographers is growing. This suggests that the collaboration of geographers specializing in geospatial techniques with those pursuing research in climatology could develop new GIS-based methods for the spatial analysis of radar data that facilitate climate-scale research of weather patterns.