cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The reaction of indoles with diborane

Abstract Reaction of excess diborane with N-unsubstituted indoles is postulated to yield a stable Nind-boron adduct. Further reaction of this adduct depends on the conditions employed. If the excess hydride is quenched with acetone in the absence of a proton source, no net reaction occurs and starting indole is recovered. Effective reduction of indoles to indolines under nonacidic conditions occurs, however, if the initial nitrogen-boron adduct is treated with sodium methoxide-methanol. Indole, and mono-, di-, and aromatic ring substituted derivatives containing an Nind-H are reduced in good yield; N-methylindoles are not reduced. When methanol-O-d is used as a proton source, specific incorporation of one carbon-bound deuterium atom at C3 of the indoline occurs. Reduction of 2,3-dimethylindole yields a 47:53 mixture of cis- and trans-2,3-dimethylindoline while reduction of tetrahydrocarbazoles gives only the corresponding cis-hexahydrocarbazoles. A mechanism consistent with these data is proposed. Indole is excluded as an intermediate in the diborane reduction of oxindole to indoline.
Generating Name‐Authority and Cross‐Reference Cards Using the Merge Function in WordPerfect

The process described here is the one we use to produce cross‐reference cards âfter the selection and verification process has been completed. As the tide indicates, it simply takes advantage of word processing software to avoid repetitive typing (and proofreading). The OCLC Authority Record this example uses is fig. 1.
Three-dimensional motion of the scapula and shoulder during activities of daily living.

The purpose of this study was to describe 3-dimensional scapular motion during the activities of daily living (ADL) and the full range of arm motion, and to suggest a standardized method for evaluating scapular mobility. Eight healthy subjects between the ages of 25-40, with no prior history of shoulder pathology or surgery for the past 12 months, were recruited for this study. Touching 8 predetermined landmarks on the head and the trunk was used to simulate ADL. Touching the contralateral ear and contralateral shoulder resulted in the maximum scapular protraction 46° (8°) and 48° (8°), respectively, and the maximum degrees of the scapular anterior tilt, -11° (4°) and -11° (5°), respectively. Asking patients to reach to the back of the neck, and the contralateral shoulder, the clinician can evaluate the overall scapular mobility in all directions. A protocol controlling the performance variability during ADL tasks was suggested to improve the clinical evaluation of the shoulder joint complex. Findings of this study can guide clinicians to identify specific tasks which may relate to particular shoulder girdle dysfunction.
Spectroscopic Study of Radiation from Double Planar Mo Wire Arrays (uniform and combined with Al) produced on the 1 MA Zebra Generator at UNR

Summary form only given. Recently, double planar wire array (DPWA) experiments with Al wires have been performed on the 1 MA Zebra generator at UNR and their radiative properties were studied in Kantsyrev et al. [2006]. In the present work the spectroscopic analysis of the implosions of DPWA with Mo wires on the 1 MA Zebra at UNR is presented. These DPWAs consisted of 8-10 wires with the interwire separation of 0.7-1 mm in each of two parallel rows. The distance between rows was 3 mm. Uniform DPWA from Mo wires as well as combined with Al wires were considered. Mo wires were about 8 mum in diameter and Al wires were 10-18 mum alloyed Al 5056 (95% of Al and 5% Mg) wires. The use of this type of alloyed Al wires was important for plasma diagnostics. Total energy yields for the Mo DPWA (maximum of 24 kJ) were not only higher than for the Al DPWA (maximum of 11 kJ) but exceeded that for the Mo single planar arrays (maximum of 19 kJ). Data from fast X- ray detectors, both time-gated and time integrated X-ray pinhole cameras, and spatially-resolved (time integrated) and time-gated (spatially integrated) spectrometers were analyzed. Non-LTE CR models of Mo as well as of Mg and Al were applied to analyze L-shell Mo and K-shell Mg and Al X-ray spectra. Opacity of the Mo and Al lines was also studied. The results of modeling of radiation from DPWA were compared with the similar results from the Mo single planar wire arrays. In addition modeling of time-gated spectra is presented which provides important information on the temporal plasma evolution produced by DPWA.
Slope estimations at terminal values of three equidistant data

Abstract A new method is presented for estimating derivatives at the end points of three curvilinear data points. For first derivatives, the accuracy of the method is similar to that of the standard method, but it has the advantage that second derivatives are not necessarily all equal and can be more accurate than those predicted by conventional methods.
Thermal lens compensation by convex deformation of a flat mirror with variable annular force

An optical surface with convex parabolic shape over a large area has been created using a 12.7-mm-diameter annular pusher to deform a flat 25.4-mm-diameter mirror. The deformable mirror assembly has been modeled using finite element analysis software as well as analytical solutions. The measured parabolic surface deformation shows good agreement with those models. Mirror performance was studied using a Shack–Hartman wavefront sensor and the mirror has been applied to compensate thermal lensing in a Nd:YAG rod amplifier.
Incorporation of Palmitate, Glucose and Choline into Lecithin by Fetal and Newborn Lamb Lung

Incorporation of Palmitate, Glucose and Choline into Lecithin by Fetal and Newborn Lamb Lung
Polymer‐bound cellulose phenylcarbamate derivatives as chiral stationary phases for enantioselective HPLC

Novel chiral stationary phases (CSP) have been prepared by coating the internal surface of monodisperse macroporous poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) beads with dimethylphenylcarbamate derivatives of regenerated cellulose. The coating was achieved either by simple adsorption or by chemical bonding using a diisocyanate linker. Separation of enantiomers in normal-phase HPLC mode was used to evaluate the enantioselectivity of all CSPs. The influence of the properties of the polymer support such as pore size, pore volume, and content of the amine functionalities, reaction and separation conditions such as weight ratio of modified cellulose selector to polymer beads, amount of diisocyanate crosslinker, and the composition of the mobile phase on chiral discrimination and chromatographic resolution were also systematically investigated. The CSPs prepared by chemical anchoring were more stable and a wider range of solvents including dichloromethane could be used for the separations. Compared to the coated-type CSPs, the chemically bonded stationary phases enabled the enantioseparations of a larger number of racemates and exhibited enantioselectivity fully comparable to their counterparts prepared using porous silica as a support. However, the benefits of tailored macroporous polymer supports demonstrated earlier with brush-type CSPs did not enhance the performance of the chiral stationary phases prepared from cellulose-based selectors.
Actinide chelation: biodistribution and in vivo complex stability of the targeted metal ions

Because of the continuing use of nuclear fuel sources and heightened threats of nuclear weapon use, the amount of produced and released radionuclides is increasing daily, as is the risk of larger human exposure to fission product actinides. A rodent model was used to follow the in vivo distribution of representative actinides, administered as free metal ions or complexed with chelating agents including diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and the hydroxypyridinonate ligands 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) and 5-LIO(Me-3,2-HOPO). Different metabolic pathways for the different metal ions were evidenced, resulting in intricate ligand- and metal-dependent decorporation mechanisms. While the three studied chelators are known for their unrivaled actinide decorporation efficiency, the corresponding metal complexes may undergo in vivo decomposition and release metal ions in various biological pools. This study sets the basis to further explore the metabolism and in vivo coordination properties of internalized actinides for the future development of viable therapeutic chelating agents.
Diffusion MR Tractography As a Tool for Surgical Planning

Diffusion MR tractography has rapidly become an important clinical tool that can delineate functionally important white matter tracts for surgical planning. One of the goals of brain surgery is to avoid damage to eloquent cortex and subcortical white matter. Diffusion tractography remains the only noninvasive method capable of segmenting the subcortical course of a white matter tract. This article reviews the technical and clinical issues surrounding presurgical diffusion tractography, including traditional diffusion tensor imaging methods and more advanced high angular resolution diffusion imaging approaches, such as q-ball imaging. An overview of the presurgical diffusion tensor imaging and q-ball tractography protocols used at our institution is also provided.
On joint transmitter and receiver optimization for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) transmission systems

The problem of joint transmitter and receiver optimization for MIMO systems under the mean-squared error (MSE) criterion is revisited. We address the general problem of N (number of users) /spl ne/M (number of channel inputs) /spl ne/P (number of channel outputs) when the system is Nyquist bandlimited and obtain analytical solutions for the optimal transmit-receive pair. Next, we demonstrate how the above result is directly applicable to the problem where the system has excess bandwidth, thereby generalizing the results of Salz (1985). In conclusion, several numerical examples are included to demonstrate the performance gains obtainable with jointly optimized MIMO systems vis-a-vis systems based only on receiver optimization. >
Robustness of the Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimator Derived Under Normality as Applied to Data with Skewed Distributions

Abstract A one-way random model was used to simulate observations corresponding to sire and error variance components that were either skewed or normally distributed. The objectives were to investigate the dispersion and asymptotic biasedness properties of variance components estimated by an Expectation Maximization algorithm of the Restricted Maximum Likelihood estimator derived under normality when applied to these distributions. Results indicate that if the sire effects are distributed as a continuous normal variable, the dispersion of estimated sire variances is approximately normal regardless of the distribution of the error component. Similarly, the sire distribution had little effect on the estimated error variances when normal errors were generated. However, when either distribution was skewed, the variances of corresponding variance estimates increased. The skewed sire distributions increased the dispersion of heritability estimates. The mean variance estimates across replications indicate variance components estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood estimator are robust against skewness in terms of unbiasedness. Skewness may also be caused by the arbitrary scoring of a trait in subjective categories. To examine this, observations were classified in two through six classes coded as zero through five with respect to the number of classes. A separate analysis was performed with each set of classes. The greatest deviation of estimated variances from the true parameter occurred in the binomially distributed case. As the number of classes increased, the mean estimate asymptotically approached the true parameter. Estimates of heritability decreased as the occurrence of a score became rare within a class, regardless of the total number of classes.
Chronic cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin (adriamycin) in the rat: morphologic and biochemical investigations.

Abstract A cardiotoxic response similar to that occurring with chronic doxorubicin (Adriamycin, ADR) administration in man and rabbits has been produced in the new Zealand Black (NZB) rat. ADR was given by the iv or ip route in groups of rats at 2 mg/kg/week for 10 weeks, 1 mg/kg/week for 10 weeks, and 1 mg/kg on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (MWF) with a week of rest and then repeating to a total of 10 injections. Rats on the weekly ADR schedule developed gross (ascites, pleural effusion, cardiomegaly) and microscopic (focal myocytic degeneration, interstitial and myocytic vacuolization, loss and disorganization of sarcomeres) evidence of cardiotoxicity during the 150-day period of observation. A dosage of 2 mg/kg/week iv in rats produced high mortality (45%) and decreased mean body weight gains compared to controls. This dosage given sc resulted in significant elevations in serum creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase. Preliminary evidence suggests that cardiotoxicity may be diminished by ADR administration on a MWF rest-repeat schedule. The sensitivity of this strain of rat to the cardiotoxic effects of ADR provides a model system in which to evaluate simultaneously the chemotherapeutic effects of ADR on an experimental osteosarcoma and new therapeutic measures to ameliorate cardiotoxicity.
An evaluation of the use of colonized periphyton as an indicator of wastewater impact in near-coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Receiving water impacts of point source discharges to the Gulf of Mexico are seldom reported on indigenous flora. The objective of this research was to evaluate the ability of colonized periphyton to provide this information. Water quality and biomass and pigment concentrations of the periphyton were determined at 27 stations located above and below 8 wastewater discharges. Most physicochemical parameters and concentrations of pesticides and PCBs were either unchanged or below detection in the receiving waters, which contrasted occasional increases in concentrations of several trace metals and nutrients. The response of the periphyton was specific to the wastewater, colonization station, response parameter, and colonization period. Statistically significant differences in biomass and pigment content occurred for at least one colonization station located below each of the eight outfalls. This represented a total of 18 of the 21 stations located in wastewater-impacted areas. Phytostimulation was more common than inhibition. Ash-free dry weight increased, on average, by 181% (± 1 SD = 123%) and chlorophyll a increased by 356% (± 593%) in wastewater-impacted areas. The in situ phytostimulation paralleled the stimulatory trend observed in standardized NPDES whole effluent tests conducted with cultured microalgae for four of eight wastewaters. The use of colonized periphyton as an indicator of wastewater impact was not simple. Spatial variation in response needs consideration to ensure relevancy of the results if this assessment methodology is used for near-coastal wastewater hazard evaluations.
Keratinocyte Growth Factor-2 Production in an ompT-Deficient Escherichia coli K-12 Mutant

A variant form of Keratinocyte growth factor-2 (KGF-2) spanning amino acids A63-S208 was produced in the Escherichia coli K-12 host W3110. When the protein was purified using a standard process, the first six N-terminal amino acids were rapidly and specifically removed from the protein. This cleavage resulted in a truncated KGF-2 species (S69-S208). To circumvent this problem, guanidine-HCl was used to inhibit the putative proteolytic activity. This modified process resulted in a massive loss of protein product due to precipitation, in addition to the cost and corrosiveness of guanidine-HCl. To develop an economically feasible, scaleable, and robust process for KGF-2 production, we were tasked with identifying the protease(s) responsible for the N-terminal degradation. Experimental evidence revealed that OmpT (outer membrane protein T) was the primary protease involved in the N-terminal cleavage of the A63-S208 KGF-2 protein. Moreover, the OmpT-mediated cleavage occurred at a novel site (Arg-Ser). From this work, we show that production of the A63-S208 form of KGF-2 in an ompT-deleted E. coli host nearly abolished the N-terminal cleavage issue.
A lacustrine sedimentary record of Holocene periglacial activity from the Uinta Mountains, Utah, U.S.A.

A lake sediment core from the Uinta Mountains of northern Utah was analyzed to constrain the timing of late Holocene periglacial activity. Records of numerous physical properties were converted to time series spanning the past 5300 years using a depth-age model based on four AMS 14C dates. Long-term decreases in organic content and increases in bulk density attest to increasing inputs of clastic sediment. Abundance of mineral P, signaling physical bedrock weathering, reaches maximum values ca. 2900, 2150, and 1400 cal yr BP, coincident with finer median grain size and a shift toward darker red sediment. These peaks, interpreted as signals of periglacial activity, align with pulses of rock glacier activity in Colorado determined from lichenometry. The youngest peak coincides with lichenometric ages previously determined for periglacial deposits upstream from the lake. A pulse of renewed periglacial activity ca. 400 cal yr BP represents the Little Ice Age. The late 20th century witnessed extremely high values of organic matter and biogenic silica, and unprecedented low values of C:N, reflecting greatly enhanced in-lake productivity, likely due to disturbance in the watershed.
Application of Taguchi loss functions for supplier selection

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide a tool for decision makers to make more informed decisions regarding their outsourcing decisions and selection of the appropriate supplier.Design/methodology/approach – The method uses the Taguchi loss function for the inclusion of intangibles in the evaluation and selection of suppliers. Intangibles are defined as factors that have an impact on the selection of an appropriate supplier but are not easily quantified to be included in the financial evaluation. These intangibles are classified as the benefits and risks of using a supplier to perform the outsourcing function. A decision maker has certain expectations regarding these intangibles and a loss occurs when a supplier's performance does not meet the decision maker's expectations. The Taguchi loss function has been selected as a means of measuring the loss. The decision maker defines the target value and the specification limits for each benefit and risk category. The weighted loss scores are calculated where the...
The perception of foreign-accented speech

Abstract The purpose of the present study is to assess the contribution of various phonetic and phonological factors to the perception of global foreign accent. Two native Spanish speakers of fluent but heavily accented English recorded English phrases containing sounds or sequences of sounds whose production is characteristically difficult for native speakers of Spanish. Investigated factors included: those affecting syllable structure (initial epenthetic schwa, non-initial epenthetic schwa (-ed ending)); those affecting vowel quality (vowel reduction, tense-laxness); those affecting consonants (final /s/ deletion, manner (/t∫−∫/), fricative voicing (/z-s/), stop voicing); and those affecting stress (lexical stress and phrasal stress). English-speaking listeners rated extent of foreign accent of the Spanish phrases as originally produced and as edited acoustically. Listeners were sensitive to syllable structure factors, final /s/ deletion, consonant manner, and lexical and phrasal stress, but were not sensitive to voicing differences.
Clusters in irregular areas and lattices.

Geographic areas of different sizes and shapes of polygons that represent counts or rate data are often encountered in social, economic, health, and other information. Often political or census boundaries are used to define these areas because the information is available only for those geographies. Therefore, these types of boundaries are frequently used to define neighborhoods in spatial analyses using geographic information systems and related approaches such as multilevel models. When point data can be geocoded, it is possible to examine the impact of polygon shape on spatial statistical properties, such as clustering. We utilized point data (alcohol outlets) to examine the issue of polygon shape and size on visualization and statistical properties. The point data were allocated to regular lattices (hexagons and squares) and census areas for zip-code tabulation areas and tracts. The number of units in the lattices was set to be similar to the number of tract and zip-code areas. A spatial clustering statistic and visualization were used to assess the impact of polygon shape for zip- and tract-sized units. Results showed substantial similarities and notable differences across shape and size. The specific circumstances of a spatial analysis that aggregates points to polygons will determine the size and shape of the areal units to be used. The irregular polygons of census units may reflect underlying characteristics that could be missed by large regular lattices. Future research to examine the potential for using a combination of irregular polygons and regular lattices would be useful. WIREs Comp Stat 2012, 4:67–74. doi: 10.1002/wics.196 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Changes following asymptotic instrumental performance as a function of shifts in drive

The effects of shifts in drive level upon instrumental behavior were evaluated in 12 albino rats after asymptotic training at a medium level (12 h) of food deprivation. After training at 12-h deprivation, Ss received 100 trials each at 3-, 22-, and finally 3-h deprivation. Every drive shift produced a significant performance change in the predicted direction within five trials following the shift and no further significant changes in performance at that drive level. At asymptote, the different drive levels produced significantly different response speeds in the expected direction and some evidence of reduced differences between the drive levels after extensive training.
Carcinoid Heart Disease

A patient with carcinoid syndrome with both tricuspid and pulmonic valvular lesions has been described. Successful repair of the valvular lesions was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. The operation consisted of pulmonic valvotomy with the excision of a single pulmonic valve cusp, and replacement of the tricuspid valve by a Starr-Edwards prosthesis. Postoperatively, the patient noted marked improvement in symptomatology, and there was a concomitant improvement in serial hemodynamic studies. The development of the signs of tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonic stenosis in patients with metastatic carcinoid tumor should alert the physician to the possible presence of carcinoid heart disease. If hemodynamic and angiocardiographic studies confirm the presence of significant valvular lesions, corrective cardiac surgery should be performed in selected patients.
Work Engagement: The Roles of Organizational Justice and Leadership Style in Predicting Engagement Among Employees

The primary objective of this research was to examine both transactional and transformational leadership styles as serving in the role of moderators in the relationship between organizational justi...
Suppression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by oral administration of myelin antigens: IV. Suppression of chronic relapsing disease in the lewis rat and strain 13 guinea pig

Oral administration of proteins is a long-recognized method of inducing antigen-specific peripheral immune tolerance. We previously showed that oral administration of myelin basic protein suppresses monophasic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the Lewis rat when it is given in association with immunization and prior to disease onset. As a potential therapy for human autoimmune disease, it is crucial to determine whether oral tolerance can ameliorate an ongoing immune response. We therefore asked whether oral administration of myelin antigens, after sensitization and disease expression has occurred, could affect immunological, clinical, or pathological features of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was induced in the Lewis rat and strain 13 guinea pig by immunization with whole guinea pig cord homogenate, complete Freund's adjuvant, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Following recovery from the first attack, animals were orally given bovine myelin, guinea pig myelin, or guinea pig myelin basic protein three times per week for up to 3 months. Animals receiving myelin products orally had decreased severity and frequency of clinical relapses, decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to myelin antigens, diminished inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), and decreased areas of CNS demyelination. In the rat, guinea pig myelin basic protein was as effective as guinea pig myelin in ameliorating the disease and also resulted in decreased serum anti-myelin basic protein antibody levels. No exacerbation of disease or worsening of pathological findings occurred in the animals given myelin products. These results demonstrate that oral administration of myelin antigens can suppress chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and have direct relevance to therapy of human demyelinating disorders such as multiple sclerosis.
Fingerprint analysis of alkaline phosphatase of Escherichia coli K12.

A procedure for preparing fingerprints of tryptic digests of reduced carboxy-methylated alkaline phosphatase has been developed, permitting comparison of the primary structure of phosphatase from normal and mutant strains. Most mutations in the phosphatase structural gene lead to detectable fingerprint differences ( Garen, Levinthal & Rothman, 1961 ) while no differences have been found to result from two regulatory gene mutations. The number of peptides found in the fingerprint is one-half the number calculated from the amino acid analysis and the molecular weight, indicating that alkaline phosphatase is a dimer of two identical subunits. The significance of this result to genetic complementation between phosphatase negative mutants is discussed.
Fatigue fracture of tungsten monofilament-reinforced monocrystalline copper matrix composites

Abstract Studies on fatigue fracture have been conducted on tungsten monofilament-reinforced monocrystalline copper composites. Fatigue cracks were found exclusively to initiate at persistent slip bands (PSBs). After crack initiation, the propagation of the cracks persists in stage I, i.e. along the PSBs, for most of the fatigue life of the composite, which is an unique phenomenon of the composite caused by fiber-load bearing during cyclic deformation. Eventually, the fatal crack approaches and breaks the fiber. Soon after the fiber breaks, the stage I crack transforms into a stage II crack which, as usual, occupies a small percentage of the fatigue life at long life. The fatigue life of the composite is about the same as that of pure metal under plastic strain control. This result really indicates, on the basis of the Coffin–Mansion Law, superior life behavior on the part of the composite because the composite has less ductility than the pure metal. On a stress basis, the composite is clearly superior to the base metal. The superior fatigue behavior of the composite can be attributed to the following two factors: (1) Delay in the formation of a fatal crack because of the more uniform distribution of the PSBs; (2) maintenance of the crack growth in stage I for most of the fatigue life, through support by the fiber.
The Future of Philosophy of Religion

This paper develops proposals for the future of philosophy of religion as a global discipline by replying to the responses to Philosophy and the Study of Religions from Andrew Irvine, J. Aaron Simmons, and James McLachlan.
A Comparative First Principles Study of Phase Stability in Ni-Ti and Ni-Al Alloys Around Equiatomic Composition

Electronic structure and phase stability properties of Ni-Ti and Ni-Al around equiatomic composition are investigated with a first principles approach. The study is based upon the generalized purturbation method applied to the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker multiple scattering formulation of the coherent potential approximation. Within this framework, effective cluster interactions which build up the configuration-dependent part of the internal energy are calculated. The strength of ordering tendencies in both bcc-based substitutional alloys is compared and contrasted in terms of hybridisation effects, in relation with experimental evidences.
The Proportions of Mutagens among Chemicals in Commerce

It has been estimated that there are approximately 80,000 chemicals in commerce. Thus, it is not possible to test all these substances for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity; it is possible, however, to test or make estimates from selected subsets of these chemicals. For example, in the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), 35% of the chemicals tested for mutagenicity in Salmonella were positive, as were 52% of the chemicals tested for carcinogenicity in rodents. In contrast, in the U.S. EPA Gene-Tox database, the proportions of chemicals that are Salmonella mutagens is 56%. These and other databases may be biased toward positive responses because they generally have been developed to look at specific structural or use classes of chemicals or chemicals suspected of genetic or carcinogenic activity. To address the question of the proportions of mutagens among all chemicals in commerce, a database of 100 chemicals was created from a random selection of chemicals in commerce. These chemicals were tested for mutagenicity in Salmonella and 22% were mutagenic. The mutagenicity of the 46 highest U.S. production organic chemicals was also compiled; 20% were mutagenic. These values provide a more accurate estimate of the proportions of mutagens among chemicals in commerce than can be derived from published mutagenicity databases.
Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB): A Practical Method for Characterization of Small Cultural Heritage Objects

Knowledge of the composition of many cultural heritage objects is limited, resulting in many unanswered questions in regards to the provenance, composition, and production methods. In this paper, our objective is to show that dual beam scanning electron microscope (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) can be used rapidly and non-destructively to determine the surface and bulk metal compositions in small cultural heritage objects. We show, for the first time, that this novel FIB technique can be successfully applied non-destructively to cultural heritage objects by examining three representative silver plated objects (Candelabra, “Century” spoon, and New York World’s Fair spoon) from the Dallas Museum of Art’s unparalleled collection of modern American silver. In each case, we successfully reveal and characterize the bulk metal as well as the Ag-plating, up to ∼80 µm deep and show that there is no visual damage resulting from the milling process of the FIB. This novel characterization technique can be applied, due to its ease of availability and rapid use, to many other problems in addition to silver plated objects, making dual beam SEM/FIB a possible cornerstone technique in the study of cultural heritage objects.
Neighbors: A neglected resourse

Abstract Neighbors comprise one potential source of social support. This paper offers an overview of literature concerning the actual and potential role of neighbors in providing support. Literature in social psychology, social skills training as well as research concerning neighbors and neighboring has been neglected in exploring the potential for enhancing this source of social support. A proactive stance toward enhancing neighborly relations is stressed in contrast to a reactive approach in which services are offered following the escalations of conflicts among neighbors.
Numerical modeling of an arcjet thruster

A numerical model of an arcjet thruster was developed and the results of calculations using this model are compared to the experimental data from a 30 kW arcjet using ammonia as a propellant. The model contains equations for the conservation of mass, radial, axial, and azimuthal momentum, energy, and the radial component of the magnetic field and provides a solution for three components of velocity, temperature, and the axial and radial current as a function of position in an axisymmetric flowfield. The model predicts 12 percent more specific impulse than the experiment when the mass flow and power input are constrained to the experimental values. A major conclusion of this study is that improved procedures for calculating transport properties are necessary if the accuracy of the model is to be improved.
Transport integral: A method to calculate the time evolution of phase-space distributions

An analytical technique using integral equations for the transport of ion-optical intensity distributions through magnetic systems is described. It can serve as an alternative to Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the time evolution of phase-space distributions of any given shape. Under the assumption of linear optics, the solution of the integral equations can be reduced to convolution products. One major application of this approach is the fast calculation of the transmission and purification of radioactive nuclear beams produced by projectile fragmentation.
ADRENOCORTICAL STEROID METABOLISM IN NEWBORN INFANTS. IV. PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF CORTISOL IN THE EARLY NEONATAL PERIOD

Determinations of material yielding the Porter-Silber reaction in extracts of umbilical cord plasma were compared with determinations of cortisol by isotope dilution. Cortisol values were also determined in pooled venous plasma from infants aged 3 to 96 hours. The presence of nonspecific background material and and possibly of other reacting steroid material in the cord plasma resulted in a distinct difference between values obtained by the colorimetric and by the isotope dilution techniques. The pooled plasma cortisol values rose in comparison with the cord blood values during the third to the sixteenth hours of life, and subsequently fell. Except in cord plasma, no circulating ±-ketolic neutral steroids other than cortisol could be demonstrated by paper chromatography during the newborn period.
Tissue healing and septate desmosome formation in hydra.

Abstract Tissue healing was studied in hydra tissue grafts by means of light and electron microscopy. Healing is begun by the gastrodermis: subsequently the epidermis fuses and the mesoglea is repaired. Epidermis fusion is first brought about by long processes from the basal portions of the epithelial cells bridging the wound gap and adhering to opposing cells. Irregular septate desmosomes form early in this process and continuously become more neatly organized. Concommitant with the healing process at the graft site, neighboring cells are also rearranging, their septate desmosomes undergoing transient disorganizations. We conclude that the organization of septate junctions is dynamic, and may be undergoing a balanced but continuous, steady state turnover. During the healing process the forces acting on the desmosomes, and other aspects of the cells' architecture, are not balanced, and the junctions grow and become more highly organized.
Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a SOI-MEMS-Based Active Microprobe for Potential Cellular Force Sensing Applications:

This paper presents the design, analysis, fabrication, and characterization of an electrostatically driven single-axis active probing device for the applications of cellular force sensing and mater...
Evaluation of active and passive transport processes in corneas extracted from preserved rabbit eyes

In vitro transcorneal permeability studies are an important screening tool in drug development. The objective of this research is to examine the feasibility of using corneas isolated from preserved rabbit eyes as a model for permeability evaluation. Eyes from male New Zealand White rabbits were used immediately or were stored overnight in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS) over wet ice. Integrity of isolated corneas was evaluated by measuring the TEER and by determining the permeability of paracellular and transcellular markers. Active transport was assessed by measuring transcorneal permeability of selected amino acids. Esterase activity was estimated using p-nitrophenyl assay. In all cases, corneas from freshly enucleated eyes were compared to those isolated from the day-old preserved eyes. Transcellular and paracellular passive diffusion was not affected by the storage medium and observed to be similar in the fresh and preserved eye models. However, amino acid transporters demonstrated lower functional activity in corneas excised from eyes preserved in PBS. Moreover, preserved eyes displayed almost 1.5-fold lower esterase activity in the corneal tissue. Thus, corneas isolated from day-old eyes, preserved in HBSS, closely mimics freshly excised rabbit corneas in terms of both active and passive transport characteristics but possesses slightly reduced enzymatic activity.
Essential Role of SH3-domain GRB2-like 3 for Vascular Lumen Maintenance in Zebrafish

Objective— Studying the underlying molecular mechanisms for maintaining stereotyped vascular lumen diameters should help toward a comprehensive understanding of vascular homeostasis and function. We aimed to determine the role of SH3-domain GRB2-like 3 (Sh3gl3) and its interacting pathways in dorsal aorta (DA) maintenance in zebrafish. Approach and Results— Sh3gl3 and its binding partner, Cbl-interacting protein of 85K (Cin85), together regulate endocytosis and were expressed in the developing vasculature. Morpholino knockdown of either gene resulted in shrinkage of the DA lumen, although artery/vein specification and the initial formation of vascular lumens were unaffected. In addition, sh3gl3 and cin85 morpholinos exerted a synergistic effect in causing the vascular phenotypes. To identify the signaling pathways in which Sh3gl3/Cin85 may participate, we screened several candidate inhibitors for their ability to induce similar circulatory defects. Chemical inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt cascade led to a loss of circulation and shrunken DA in zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway showed a functional cooperation with Sh3gl3 deficiency in impairing DA lumens. Conclusions— These results identify 2 new factors, Sh3gl3 and Cin85, which are essential for DA lumen maintenance, and suggest that endocytosis, possibly involving epidermal growth factor receptor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, is implicated in Sh3gl3/Cin85 function.
Heritage of Value, Archaeology of Renown: Reshaping Archaeological Assessment and Significance

Heritage of Value, Archaeology of Renown: Reshaping Archaeological Assessment and Significance. Clay Mathers, Timothy Darvill, and Barbara J. Little, eds. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2005. 339 pp.
Avoiding Bias in Estimates of the Effect of Data Error on Allocations of Public Funds

Commonly used techniques for estimating the effect of data error on fund allocations are biased because they fail to account for numerous sources of data error and for misspecification of the allocation formula itself. Alternative techniquesfor estimating the effect of data error are presented and applied to estimate the effect of census undercount on general revenue sharing allocations.
Predictors of student fear of school violence: a comparative study of eighth graders in 33 countries

Ensuring a safe learning environment for students is a major responsibility of educators and policymakers around the world. Based on the secondary analyses of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data collected from 33 countries in 1999, the study found that 8th graders who witnessed their friends' violence victimization and who experienced theft victimization were most likely to fear becoming the victims of school violence in all 33 countries. Male students also reported greater fear than female students in a majority of countries including the USA. In addition, U.S. 8th graders reported greater fear in the schools with higher levels of classroom and school disorders and in the schools where teachers practice student-centered instruction less frequently. While individual predictors of student fear were relatively consistent, school predictors varied across the countries. It is important that policymakers and educators in each country work toward promoting school environments ...
High consumption rate by Neodiprion sertifer?-A comment on a paper by Larsson and Tenow.

In a recently published food utilization study of larvae of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Larsson and Tenow, Oecologia (Berl) 43 (1979) 157–172), it was concluded that a high consumption rate was part of a suite of presumed adaptations exhibited by these larvae for feeding on a food with a low nitrogen content. In this note it is shown that larvae of N. sertifer exhibit a relative consumption rate which is comparable to that of other sawflies and intermediate in comparison to other herbivorous insects.
Cognitive performance in (+/-) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") users: a controlled study

Rationale: (±) 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) is an amphetamine analog and drug of abuse. In animals, MDMA damages brain serotonin (5-HT) neurons at doses that overlap with those used recreationally by some humans. To date, few functional sequelae of MDMA-induced 5-HT damage have been identified. Objective: Since serotonin is thought to be involved in cognitive processes, and since previous studies have reported verbal and visual memory deficits in MDMA users, the present study sought to determine whether other cognitive processes are influenced by previous exposure to MDMA. Methods: Twenty-two MDMA users who had not used MDMA for at least 3 weeks and 23 control subjects were tested repeatedly with a computerized cognitive performance assessment battery while participating in a 5-day controlled inpatient study. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures of monoamine metabolites were also collected as an index of brain monoaminergic function. Results:MDMA users and controls were found to perform similarly on several cognitive tasks. However, MDMA subjects had significant performance deficits on a sustained attention task requiring arithmetic calculations, a task requiring complex attention and incidental learning, a task requiring short term memory and a task of semantic recognition and verbal reasoning. MDMA users also had significant selective decreases in CSF 5-HIAA. Conclusions: The present CSF data provide further evidence that MDMA is neurotoxic to brain 5-HT neurons in humans, and the behavioral data suggest that brain 5-HT injury is associated with subtle, but significant, cognitive deficits.
A Plan for Implementing Mother‐Baby Nursing

This article describes the plan and implementation for converting from traditional obstetric nursing to a mother-baby care delivery system in a level 2 hospital in upstate New York. It identifies the pitfalls, problems, and process to follow for the successful implementation of mother-baby nursing. (BIRTH 20:3, September 1993)
Explaining the “Brain Drain” from Older Industrial Cities: The Pittsburgh Region

In an effort to understand why so many college graduates are leaving western Pennsylvania, recent college graduates from three Pittsburgh-area universities were surveyed about their career and location decisions. The results indicated some increase in those staying between 1994 and 1999. A logistic regression analysis showed that an improving economy, low housing costs, and ample opportunities for continuing education were the major reasons. However, the region is still losing disproportionate numbers of minorities and graduates in high-tech fields and is attracting few immigrants. The major competition was from neighboring states rather than the Sun Belt. Low salaries and lack of advancement opportunities, especially for women, minorities, and two-career couples, were the primary reasons. The results suggest several policy recommendations to help retain recent area graduates and to attract more highly skilled workers to the region.
“Rock Hard”: Judging the Female Physique

Spectatorship theory has been much used and much critiqued as a means of understanding the gendering of “the look” and its object. The article revitalizes spectatorship theory to understand the way...
Comparison of highly-automatic versus FDA-submitted QT measurements for the detection of moxifloxacin induced prolongation of the QTc interval

In this study, we investigated the ability of a QT algorithm to detect small drug-induced QT interval prolongation by adopting a ldquohighly-automatizedrdquo approach. In a set of 8,911 digital ECGs, we analyzed the drug-concentration profile of computerized QTc to the measurements submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by pharmaceutical companies. The RR and QT intervals were measured using lead II based on a QT algorithm included in the COMPAS software package developed at University of Rochester Medical Center, NY. When comparing the time-dependent effect of the drug on the QTc interval the automatic technique produced results similar to the measurements reported by contract research organizations to the Agency (FDA).