cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LIGHT EFFECTS ON LEAF MORPHOLOGY IN WATER HYACINTH (EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES)

Water hyacinth leaves in natural populations vary from being long and thin-petioled to being short with inflated petioles. A variety of factors has been used experimentally to alter water hyacinth leaf shape, but what controls the development of leaf morphology in the field has not been established. We measured photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and spectral distribution of radiation in a natural water hyacinth population. PPFD in the center of the water hyacinth mat was reduced to 2.7% of full sunlight, and the red to far red (R:FR) ratio was reduced to 0.28. When shoot tips of plants were exposed to artificial light environments, only plants in the treatment with a R:FR ratio comparable to that in the natural population produced leaves with long, thin petioles. Shoot tips in full sun or covered with clear plastic bags or bags that reduced light quantity without greatly altering light quality produced shorter leaves with inflated petioles. We hypothesize that the altered light quality inside a mat is a major environmental control of water hyacinth leaf morphology.
Radial-arrayed rotary electrification for high performance triboelectric generator

Efficiently harvesting energy from ambient motion is important for realising cost-effective and clean electrical energy. Here, the authors report a planar-structured rotary triboelectric generator with 24% efficiency for obtaining power from light wind, body movement and water flow.
Study of two-photon near resonant four-wave difference mixing in atomic sodium in a CH4/air flame

Study of a two-photon near resonant four wave difference mixing (FWDM) in Na in a CH4/air flame has been performed to understand the FWDM process reported by Singh and Yueh (1992). The FWDM signal was measured with reduced flame length and with the focal point at the center and also at one end of the flame to pinpoint the region in which the signal is generated. A partial contribution in the third peak was from the nonresonant background. A FWDM signal is generated slightly away from the focal point and nonresonant background, at the focal point in the present experimental conditions. An absorption spectrum of the Na D-lines at different dye laser energy was recorded to study the depletion of Na ground state at higher dye laser intensity. Comparative study of the FWDM signal with a narrow and broad bandwidth dye laser shows that a lower Na concentration detection limit could be achieved with a narrow linewidth probe laser tuned to about 9/cm lower frequency from the center of the D1 line. The two minima in the FWDM spectrum corresponding to Na D lines have been explained, qualitatively, with the saturation effect in the Na D-lines transition. 27 refs.
Work in Progress: Interuniversity Research Partnership in Nanomanufacturing

The paper describes the initial phase of a collaborative program in research and education in the realm of nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing between the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM) and the University of South Florida (USF). The first year of activities of a UPRM professor working on a Sabbatical leave at USF with a group of nanomaterials researchers in implementing this collaborative pilot program is illustrated. The timeline and the feasibility of the project over the next three years as well as a plan for qualitative and quantitative evaluation are formulated. Finally, the broader impact, both scientific and educational, of the collaborative venture on the community as a whole is envisioned. As a work-in-progress report some of the future work that is not presented in this short written version will be illustrated in the formal oral presentation during the FIE conference. Numerical figures will be presented after completion of the first phase in a year.
A synthetic peptide of the pseudosubstrate domain of protein kinase C blocks cytoplasmic alkalinization during activation of the sea urchin egg.

Abstract Multiple second messenger pathways have been proposed for transduction of the sperm-egg fusion event during fertilization of sea urchin eggs. Cytoplasmic alkalinization due to increased Na+H+ antiport has been causally linked to many of the metabolic events during fertilization. Two possible second messenger pathways coupling sperm-egg fusion and antiporter activity are activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca2+-calmodulin kinase. A selective inhibitor of PKC is PKC(19–36), a synthetic peptide of the pseudosubstrate domain of the kinase. Injection of PKC(19–36) into unfertilized sea urchin eggs blocked cytoplasmic alkalinization during activation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a PKC agonist. The rise in pH during fertilization was partially blocked by PKC(19–36), which suggested that multiple pathways regulate the antiporter during fertilization. The use of fluorescein chromophores to measure intracellular pH in sea urchin eggs is also discussed.
Neuronal expression of a single-subunit yeast NADH–ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Ndi1) extends Drosophila lifespan

The 'rate of living' theory predicts that longevity should be inversely correlated with the rate of mitochondrial respiration. However, recent studies in a number of model organisms, including mice, have reported that interventions that retard the aging process are, in fact, associated with an increase in mitochondrial activity. To better understand the relationship between energy metabolism and longevity, we supplemented the endogenous respiratory chain machinery of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with the alternative single-subunit NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Ndi1) of the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we report that expression of Ndi1 in fly mitochondria leads to an increase in NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase activity, oxygen consumption, and ATP levels. In addition, exogenous Ndi1 expression results in increased CO2 production in living flies. Using an inducible gene-expression system, we expressed Ndi1 in different cells and tissues and examined the impact on longevity. In doing so, we discovered that targeted expression of Ndi1 in fly neurons significantly increases lifespan without compromising fertility or physical activity. These findings are consistent with the idea that enhanced respiratory chain activity in neuronal tissue can prolong fly lifespan.
ApoE isoform modulates effects of cranial 56Fe irradiation on spatial learning and memory in the water maze

Abstract Apolipoprotein E, which plays an important role in lipid transport and metabolism and neuronal repair, might modulate the CNS risk following 56Fe irradiation exposure during space missions. In this study, we investigated this risk by behavioral and cognitive testing male E2, E3, and E4 mice 3 months following cranial 56Fe irradiation. In the open field, mice irradiated with 2 Gy showed higher activity levels than sham-irradiated mice or mice irradiated with 1 Gy. In addition, E2 mice showed higher activity and lower measures of anxiety than E3 and E4 mice in the open field and elevated zero maze. During hidden platform training, sham-irradiated mice showed most robust learning, 1 Gy irradiated mice reduced learning, and 2 Gy irradiated mice no improvement over the four sessions. In the water maze probe trials, sham-irradiated E2, E3, and E4 mice and E2 and E4 mice irradiated with 1 Gy showed spatial memory retention, but E3 mice irradiated with 1 Gy, and E2, E3, and E4 mice irradiated with 2 Gy did not. Thus, cranial 56Fe irradiation increases activity levels in the open field and impairs spatial learning and memory in the water maze. E3 mice are more susceptible than E2 or E4 mice to impairments in spatial memory retention in the water maze, indicating that apoE isoform modulates the CNS risk following space missions.
The total time principle as a substitute for the pacing variable in paired-associate tasks with the aged.

Abstract Winn, F.J., Jr. and J.W. Elias. The total time principle as a substitute for the pacing variable in paired-associate tasks with the aged. Experimental Aging Research, 1975, 1 (2), 307–312. Information provided by Monge and Hultsch in support of the pacing variable was reinterpreted in terms of the total time principle. The re-analysis of the transformed data suggests that the total time principle provides a more parsimonious explanation of the data.
Scaling up the Atlas chip-multiprocessor

Atlas, a dynamically multithreading chip-multiprocessor (CMP), gains little complexity as processing elements are added. When the model is scaled up with strategic layouts and realistic latencies, area and power efficiency surpass that of an aggressive out-of-order processor, though results are sensitive to global communication delay.
Swapped interconnection networks: Topological, performance, and robustness attributes

Interconnection architectures range from complete networks, that have a diameter of D=1 but are impractical except when the number n of nodes is small, to low-cost, minimally connected ring networks whose diameter [email protected]?n/[email protected]? is unacceptable for large n. In this paper, our focus is on swapped interconnection networks that allow systematic construction of large, scalable, modular, and robust parallel architectures, while maintaining many desirable attributes of the underlying basis network comprising its clusters. A two-level swapped network with n^2 nodes is built of n copies of an n-node basis network using a simple rule for intercluster connectivity (node j in cluster i connected to node i in cluster j) that ensures its regularity, modularity, packageability, fault tolerance, and algorithmic efficiency. We show how key parameters of a swapped interconnection network are related to the corresponding parameters of its basis network and discuss implications of these results to synthesizing large networks with desirable topological, performance, and robustness attributes. In particular, we prove that a swapped network is Hamiltonian (respectively, Hamiltonian-connected) if its basis network is Hamiltonian (Hamiltonian-connected). These general results supersede a number of published results for specific basis networks and obviate the need for proving Hamiltonicity or Hamiltonian connectivity for many other basis networks of practical interest.
Estimating genetic and non-genetic components of variance for fasting glucose levels in pedigrees ascertained through non-insulin dependent diabetes

SUMMARY Fasting glucose levels measured on 337 individuals in 14 pedigrees ascertained through a proband with non-insulin dependent diabetes were used to estimate genetic and non-genetic components of variance under a multifactorial model of inheritance. In this sample genetic factors were important in controlling variation in basal carbohydrate metabolism, as represented by age-adjusted log-fasting glucose. There was no evidence that arbitrary sib common environments or arbitrary parent common environments accounted for significant portions of the variability in fasting glucose in these data. An arbitrary environment shared by parent and offspring, however, had a marginally significant impact on the likelihood. Parameter estimates obtained from multifactorial models analysed in this manner are sensitive to extreme phenotypic values, however, and caution must be exercised in estimating total genetic variation. While additive genetic factors did account for a significant proportion of the total variation in fasting glucose, a large proportion remained unexplained.
The Puzzling Unidimensionality of DSM-5 Substance Use Disorder Diagnoses

There is a perennial expert debate about the criteria to be included or excluded for the DSM diagnoses of substance use dependence. Yet analysts routinely report evidence for the unidimensionality of the resulting checklist. If in fact the checklist is unidimensional, the experts are wrong that the criteria are distinct, so either the experts are mistaken or the reported unidimensionality is spurious. I argue for the latter position, and suggest that the traditional reflexive measurement model is inappropriate for the DSM; a formative measurement model would be a more accurate characterization of the institutional process by which the checklist is created, and a network or causal model would be a more appropriate foundation for a scientifically grounded diagnostic system.
The Impact of Sustainability on Consumer Preference Judgments of Product Attributes

Despite significant interest from consumers, sustainable products often struggle to find success in the marketplace. This failure is often attributed to the perception that consumers remain unwilling to sacrifice product attributes such as form, function, or price in order to adopt a product whose environmental impact is less than that of a competing product. This work aims to better understand how knowing a product’s environmental impact affects preference for that product’s disparate attributes. Three products of various complexities are explored through a conjoint analysis experiment that uncovers consumer preference for discrete form, function and price attributes. In this work, single use spoons, reusable water bottles, and home washing machines were used for analysis. These three products were decomposed into form, function, and price attributes that were varied at discrete levels. After a form-only ratings-based conjoint analysis study was conducted to find high, medium, and low preference form designs for each participant, two separate form-function-price discrete choice studies were conducted for each of the three products. These two discrete choice trials were identical in all aspects except in the second trial participants were provided with calculated environmental impact values for all design configurations; the presented environmental impact information was a dependent variable based on a Life Cycle Analysis calculation using the current product configuration being shown to the participant. Results show that when participants are provided with this additional piece of information, their preference for form, function, and price attributes of a product is greatly impacted. In particular we find that the importance of functional attributes increases in the context of environmental impact metrics, while the importance of form decreases and the importance of price decreases modestly.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The Gender Role Conflict Literature: Fruits of Sustained Commitment.

Twenty-five years ago, when the men's movement was in its beginning stages, O'Neil recognized the importance of understanding more about the impact of men's gender role conflict. This ensuing quarter century of research has produced a much more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of gender role conflict than we had then. In his integrative review, O'Neil provides an excellent illustration of programmatic research and the power of sustained commitment to a construct. Clearly we continue to have a great societal need to understand more about men's roles and how conflicts in this important arena affect our society as well as cultures around the world. The breadth and depth of the accumulated knowledge that addresses these important societal needs is remarkable. The lack of research on gender role conflict in the workplace is striking and merits additional attention. Additional methodological and theoretical complexity holds much promise to stimulate future research directions to enhance understanding of ...
Reduction of hexavalent chromium by copper

The galvanic reaction of metallic copper in Cr(VI)-laden aqueous solutions of varying pH was examined by in situ u.v.–visible spectrophotometry, rotating disc electrode chronopotentiometry and cyclic voltammetry. The galvanic reaction in 0.2 M H2SO4 solutions was pseudo first order in Cr(VI) concentration. Experiments with both magnetically stirred solutions and a copper mesh or a copper film in a rotating disc electrode configuration revealed the reaction to be diffusion-controlled with respect to Cr(VI) transport to the copper surface. Finally, cyclic voltammetry data in Cr(VI)-laden media of varying pH underline the important role of protons in the galvanic reaction.
Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Early-Stage Colon Cancer

Several adjuvant chemotherapy regimens exist for the treatment of stage III colon cancer. In conjunction with the clinical data from randomized trials, cost-effectiveness studies might help to inform the selection of the optimal treatment regimen. In this review, the outcomes from randomized clinical trials and the elements and process of a cost-effectiveness analysis in this setting are discussed. In addition, the data from several published cost-effectiveness analysis studies in the adjuvant setting are reviewed. In general, capecitabine-based regimens have been found to be less costly and more effective than 5-fluorouracil-based regimens. The combination of oxaliplatin leads to a modestly improved effectiveness and at an acceptable incremental cost. Future studies using data obtained outside the setting of a clinical trial might help to further guide selection of the most cost-effective regimen.
Development of a STEP based information model for a casting process

The standard for the exchange of product model data (STEP) is an effort geared towards facilitating the computer-readable exchange of the total information used to define an industrial product. STEP is being released as a set of inter-related parts. Application protocols, the 200-series parts, describe the use of integrated resources satisfying the scope and information requirements for a specific application context. A proposal exists to develop an application protocol for the casting industry. This proposal is currently in abeyance and the effort required to complete it should be enormous. This paper attempts to make an analysis of the expected effort by studying a casting process. The steps required to develop a prototype information model that will capture all product data about one costing process are attempted. The problems related to product data representation and exchange are introduced with an overview of STEP. The casting industry is briefly addressed. The proposed approach in independent development of an application protocol is thoroughly analyzed, including development of a DBMS using NIAM methodology, an interface language to link DBMS to different computer systems via a neutral file exchange format, and EXPRESS. Problems and contributions of the approach are discussed. >
The effect of liquid impregnants on solid polymeric dielectrics

The effect of high dielectric constant liquids such as propylene carbonate (PC) and ethylene carbonate (EC) on impregnable films, particularly polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), was investigated experimentally. The impregnation was achieved by soaking the film in polar liquids with or without vacuum. The dielectric constant and the dissipation factor of the film before and after impregnation were measured, and the dielectric strength of the film was tested under DC and AC conditions. Experimental results are presented and discussed. >
Randomness, Symmetry, and Scaling of Mesoscale Eddy Life Cycles

AbstractIt is shown that the life cycles of nonlinear mesoscale eddies, a major component of low-frequency ocean physical variability, have a characteristic structure that differs fundamentally from that which would be expected on the basis of classical interpretations of ocean eddy evolution in terms of mean flow instability and equilibration followed by frictional, radiative, or barotropic decay, or of vortex merger dynamics in quasigeostrophic turbulent cascades. Further, it is found that these life cycles can be accurately modeled in terms of the large-amplitude excursions of a stochastic process. These conclusions, which apply in the corresponding global-mean context, follow from the examination of ensemble-mean and standard deviation time series of normalized eddy amplitude from an automated eddy identification and tracking analysis of a nearly two decade–merged satellite altimeter record of global sea surface height (SSH). The resulting series are found to have several striking and unexpected chara...
Amifostine before fractionated irradiation protects bone growth in rats better than fractionation alone

The aim of this study was to determine the independent and combined effects of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg doses of the radioprotectant amifostine and radiotherapy dose fractionation in preserving the integrity of or minimizing damage to the physis during high-dose radiation exposure in an animal model. Thirty-six weanling four-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into six study groups of six animals each. The distal femur and proximal tibia in the right leg of each animal was exposed to X-irradiation, with the contralateral left leg serving as the nonirradiated control. Three groups received a single 25 Gy radiotherapy dose: one group alone, a second group preceded by 100 mg/kg amifostine, and a third preceded by 200 mg/kg amifostine. Three groups received a total of 25 Gy in three equal fractions: one group alone, a second group preceded by 100 mg/kg amifostine, and a third preceded by 200 mg/kg amifostine. Fractionation of the 25 Gy radiation dose reduced the mean percent overall limb growth loss to 44.8%, a statistically significant reduction compared to a mean 58.8% reduced growth with the single 25 Gy dose. Addition of amifostine at 100 and 200 mg/kg before each of the three fractions of radiotherapy further decreased the mean percent overall limb growth loss to 35.2% and 28.5%, respectively, both statistically significant reductions beyond that achieved by fractionation alone.
Motion Stereo Using Ego-Motion Complex Logarithmic Mapping

Stereo information can be obtained using a moving camera. If a dynamic scene is acquired using a translating camera and the camera motion parameters are known, then the analysis of the scene may be facilitated by ego-motion complex logarithmic mapping (ECLM). It is shown in this paper that by using the complex logarithmic mapping (CLM) with respect to the focus of expansion, the depth of stationary components can be determined easily in the transformed image sequence. The proposed approach for depth recovery avoids the difficult problems of establishing correspondence and computation of optical flow, by using the ego-motion information. An added advantage of the CLM will be the invariances it offers. We report our experiments with synthetic data to show the sensitivity of the depth recovery, and show results of real scenes to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed motion stereo in applications such as autonomous navigation.
Adaptive filters employing partial updates

In some adaptive filtering applications, the least-mean-square (LBIS) algorithm may be too computationally- and memory-intensive to implement. In this paper, we analyze two adaptive algorithms that update only a portion of the coefficients of the adaptive filter per iteration. These algorithms use decimated versions of the error and regressor signals, respectively. Simulations verify the accuracy of the analyzes, and the robustness of the algorithms is also explored.
Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in rostral ventrolateral medulla contribute to neurogenic hypertension induced by systemic inflammation

In addition to systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation in the brain, which enhances sympathetic drive, plays a significant role in cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Oxidative stress in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) that augments sympathetic outflow to blood vessels is involved in neural mechanism of hypertension. We investigated whether neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in RVLM contribute to hypertension following chronic systemic inflammation. In normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats, systemic inflammation was induced by infusion of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the peritoneal cavity via an osmotic minipump. Systemic arterial pressure and heart rate were measured under conscious conditions by the non-invasive tail-cuff method. The level of the inflammatory markers in plasma or RVLM was analyzed by ELISA. Protein expression was evaluated by Western blot or immunohistochemistry. Tissue level of superoxide anion (O2 ·-) in RVLM was determined using the oxidation-sensitive fluorescent probe dihydroethidium. Pharmacological agents were delivered either via infusion into the cisterna magna with an osmotic minipump or microinjection bilaterally into RVLM. Intraperitoneal infusion of LPS (1.2 mg/kg/day) for 14 days promoted sustained hypertension and induced a significant increase in plasma level of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), or interleukin-1β (IL-1β). This LPS-induced systemic inflammation was accompanied by activation of microglia, augmentation of IL-1β, IL-6, or TNF-α protein expression, and O2 ·- production in RVLM, all of which were blunted by intracisternal infusion of a cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, NS398; an inhibitor of microglial activation, minocycline; or a cytokine synthesis inhibitor, pentoxifylline. Neuroinflammation in RVLM was also associated with a COX-2-dependent downregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and an upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1. Finally, the LPS-promoted long-term pressor response and the reduction in expression of voltage-gated potassium channel, Kv4.3 in RVLM were antagonized by minocycline, NS398, pentoxifylline, or a superoxide dismutase mimetic, tempol, either infused into cisterna magna or microinjected bilaterally into RVLM. The same treatments, on the other hand, were ineffective against LPS-induced systemic inflammation. These results suggest that systemic inflammation activates microglia in RVLM to induce COX-2-dependent neuroinflammation that leads to an increase in O2 ·- production. The resultant oxidative stress in RVLM in turn mediates neurogenic hypertension.
Polymer-anchored vanadyl catalysts for the oxidation of cyclohexene

Abstract Oxovanadium (IV) ion was incorporated onto several insoluble polymers containing ligand groups such as acetylacetonate, ethylenediamine, and pyridine. The general approach to the synthesis of the catalysts was to attach the ligand to a polymerizable monomer, carry out suspension polymerizations to form beads, and incorporate the metal ion, in that order. The catalysts thus formed were used for the epoxidation of cyclohexene with t -butyl hydroperoxide. The catalysts were generally more active than the homogeneous model, VO(acac) 2 , and the nitrogen-donor polymers could be recycled many times before gradual leaching of vanadyl ion caused a significant decrease in activity.
The lipoprotein lipase of cow's milk

SUMMARY Cow’s milk has been found to contain a lipoprotein lipase similar to those previously demonstrated in post-heparin plasma, adipose tissue, and heart. Upon separation of the milk, most of the enzyme was found in the skim milk, although some was present in the cream from which it could be isolated with a relatively high specific activity. The triglycerides of cream were not hydrolyzed by the lipoprotein lipase, and it is supposed that the enzyme does not function in milk but rather in the lactating mammary gland.
Inhibitory oligonucleotides block the induction of AP-1 transcription factor by stimulatory CpG oligonucleotides in B cells.

The proliferative response of primary B cells to CpG oligonucleotides (ODN) involves induction of nuclear activation promoting-1 (AP-1) transcription factor. AP-1 subunits c-Fos, Fos-B, Jun-B, and Jun-D, but not Fra-1 or Fra-2, were all induced by CpG ODNs in B cells within 30 minutes of stimulation, followed by c-Jun at 1-2 hours. c-Jun reached maximum at 6 hours. By 40 hours, Jun-B and Jun-D became dominant. Synthetic ODNs containing a single guanosine triplet/tetrad appropriately distanced from the 5′ pyrimidine-rich unit, which inhibit CpG-driven cell cycle entry and apoptosis protection, blocked AP-1 induction by stimulatory ODNs when they were added simultaneously. After 30 minutes of stimulation, adding inhibitor no longer affected AP-1 at 6 hours. No AP-1 subunits escaped ODN inhibition. In a cell line transfected with an AP-1-β-galactosidase reporter construct, CpG ODN-induced AP-1 transcriptional activity was prevented by inhibitory ODN, but lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AP-1 activity was not...
Successful immunotherapy induces previously unidentified allergen-specific CD4+ T-cell subsets

Allergen immunotherapy can desensitize even subjects with potentially lethal allergies, but the changes induced in T cells that underpin successful immunotherapy remain poorly understood. In a cohort of peanut-allergic participants, we used allergen-specific T-cell sorting and single-cell gene expression to trace the transcriptional "roadmap" of individual CD4+ T cells throughout immunotherapy. We found that successful immunotherapy induces allergen-specific CD4+ T cells to expand and shift toward an "anergic" Th2 T-cell phenotype largely absent in both pretreatment participants and healthy controls. These findings show that sustained success, even after immunotherapy is withdrawn, is associated with the induction, expansion, and maintenance of immunotherapy-specific memory and naive T-cell phenotypes as early as 3 mo into immunotherapy. These results suggest an approach for immune monitoring participants undergoing immunotherapy to predict the success of future treatment and could have implications for immunotherapy targets in other diseases like cancer, autoimmune disease, and transplantation.
Synthesis of Zirconium Complexes Containing the Tridentate Diamido Ligands [(t-Bu-d6-N-o-C6H4)2S]2- and [(i-PrN-o-C6H4)2S]2-

The thioethers (t-Bu-d{sub 6}-NH-o-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}){sub 2}S (H{sub 2}[t-BuNSN]) and (i-PrNH-o-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}){sub 2}S (H{sub 2}[i-PrNSN]) have been prepared in three steps in good yield. Zirconium complexes that contain the [t-BuNSN]{sup 2{minus}} ligand ([T-BuNSN]Zr(NMe{sub 2}){sub 2}, [t-BuNSN]ZrCl{sub 2}, and [t-BuNSN]ZrMe{sub 2}) were prepared readily, but the last is unstable, and no higher alkyl homologues could be prepared. In contrast, [i-PrNSN]ZrMe{sub 2} and [i-PrNSN]Zr(CH{sub 2}CHMe{sub 2}){sub 2} are both stable, even at elevated temperatures. An X-ray study of [t-BuNSN]ZrCl(NMe{sub 2}) showed it to have a geometry about zirconium that is approximately trigonal bipyramidal with the chloride and sulfur atoms in the axial positions. An X-ray study of [i-PrNSN]ZrMe{sub 2} showed it to have approximately a square-pyramidal structure with a methyl group in the apical position. Low-temperature solution {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C NMR spectra of [t-BuNSN]{sup 2{minus}} and [i-PrNSN]{sup 2{minus}} species are consistent with the solid-state structures, although inversion at sulfur on the NMR time scale results in equilibration of the two metal substituents (e.g., methyl groups). Cationic complexes prepared from [RNSN]ZrMe{sup 2} precursors (R = t-Bu, i-Pr) were neither stable at 22 C nor active for the controlled polymerization of 1-hexene.
Navier-Stokes flow simulation on hybrid grids

A new approach for hybrid grid generation and Navier-Stokes simulation on generalized cells is presented. An advancing layer method along with local elliptic solver is used to generate the structured grid around each solid component in the domain. Comparison of the aspect ratios of the cells and a user-specified normal distance from the body is utilized to trim the overlapped component grids. Delaunay triangulation is used to fill out the remaining portion of the physical domain. The structured and unstructured grid regions are treated as a single block for the flow solver. An edge-based data structure is used to store the grid information to ease the handling of general polygons. An integral form of the Navier-Stokes equations constitutes the governing equations. Numerical flux at the edges is calculated using a Roe averaged Riemann solver. Higher-order accuracy is achieved by applying Taylor's series expansion to the conserved variables, and the gradient of these variables is evaluated using Green's theorem. (Author)
Effect of Injection Angle on Particles In-flight Characteristics

This paper investigates the influence of particle injection angle on particles in-flight behaviors and characteristics through an integrated modeling and experimental approach. Experiments were conducted for plasma spray of ZrO2. Characteristics of in-flight particles such as size distribution, temperature and velocity were measured using the DPV-2000, IPP and SPT diagnostics tools. Numerical simulations were performed using the comprehensive LAVA-3D-P to various injection angles and carrier flow rates for systematically investigating the effect of injection angles and carrier gas flow rates on particles behavior. It is concluded that at the same carrier gas flow rate, the particle melting status is improved with the decrease of the inject angle, with the positive direction pointing towards the main flow direction. For the same injection angle, the melting status is improved with the increase of the carrier gas flow rate initially and deteriorated when the carrier gas flow rate further increases.
Groundwater transport and the freshwater-saltwater interface below sandy beaches

Summary Current conceptual models for groundwater flow in beaches highlight an upper saline plume, which is separated from the lower salt wedge by a zone of brackish to fresh groundwater discharge. There is currently limited knowledge of what conditions allow an upper saline plume to exist and what factors control its formation. We used variable-density, saturated–unsaturated, transient groundwater flow models to investigate the configuration of the freshwater–saltwater interface in beaches with slopes varying from 0.1 to 0.01, in the absence of waves. We also varied hydraulic conductivity, dispersivity, tidal amplitude and inflow of fresh groundwater. The simulated salinity configuration of the freshwater–saltwater interfaces varied significantly. No upper saline plumes formed in any beach with hydraulic conductivities less than 10 m/d. The slope of the beach was also a significant control. Steeper beach faces allowed stronger upper saline plumes to develop. Median sediment grain size of the beach is strongly correlated to both beach slope and permeability, and therefore the development of an upper saline plume. Prior studies of groundwater flow and salinity in beaches have used a range of theoretical dispersivities and the appropriate values of dispersivity to be used to represent real beaches remains unclear. We found the upper saline plume to weaken with the use of larger values of dispersivity. Our results suggest that upper saline plumes do not form in all beaches and may be less common than previously considered.
Detecion and analysis of drinking water quality in rual area of Jinchengjiang district in Hechi city from 2006 to 2010

Objective: To understand the conditon of water quality and sanitary status from"Rural Drinking Water Safety Project" in Jinchengjiang country,to provide scientific basis in the construction and management of rural drinking water safety project for the government and related departments.Methods: Test was conducted according to Standard examination methods for drinking water(GB/T5750-2006),and result was evaluated according to Standard for drinking water quality(GB5749-2006).Results: The qualified rate of 229 water samples for rural drinking water safety project was 26.6%.There were significant differences in different years(χ2=18.6,P0.05),water qualification rates between dry-season and wet-season had significant differences(χ2=46.88,P0.05),the finished water had no significant difference with peripheral water(χ2=0.012,P0.05),the unqualified items were total bacterial,total coli group,thermotolerant coli grop.Conclusion: Water quality and sanitation from"Rural Drinking Water Safety Project" in Jinchengjiang county were bad,microbial contamination was more serious,strengthening management and disinfection of rural drinking water was extremely urgent.
Therapeutic Options Used for Myasthenia Gravis

Clinical and economic outcomes following plasma exchange (PLEX) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in 1,606 hospitalized adult patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were compared in a study at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; St Louis University, MO; and University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL.
Performance of Practical Demodulators

We have studied in great detail the effect of additive gaussian noise in a linear system because of its fundamental importance. Usually the ultimate limit on the performance of a digital communication system is set by its performance in gaussian noise. For this and other reasons, the demodulators studied in Chapter 3 presume that the received waveform has been contaminated only by additive gaussian noise. However, there are other important disturbances that should be understood. The demodulators studied in Chapter 4 extend the methods to include intersymbol interference in the received waveform. While additive gaussian noise and intersymbol interference are the most important channel impairments, the demodulator designer must be wary of other impairments that may affect the received signal. The demodulator must not be so rigid in its structure that unexpected impairments cause an undue loss of performance. This chapter describes a variety of channel impairments and methods to make the demodulator robust so that the performance will not collapse if the channel model is imperfect. Most of the impairments in a system arise for reasons that are not practical to control, and so the waveform must be designed to be tolerant of them. Such impairments include both interference and nonlinearities. Sometimes nonlinearities may be introduced intentionally into the front end of the receiver because of a known, desired outcome. Then we must understand the effect of the nonlinearity in all its ramifications in order to anticipate undesirable side effects.
The Mass Production of Redundant, Misleading, and Conflicted Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses.

Policy Points: Currently, there is massive production of unnecessary, misleading, and conflicted systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Instead of promoting evidence-based medicine and health care, these instruments often serve mostly as easily produced publishable units or marketing tools. Suboptimal systematic reviews and meta-analyses can be harmful given the major prestige and influence these types of studies have acquired. The publication of systematic reviews and meta-analyses should be realigned to remove biases and vested interests and to integrate them better with the primary production of evidence. Context Currently, most systematic reviews and meta-analyses are done retrospectively with fragmented published information. This article aims to explore the growth of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses and to estimate how often they are redundant, misleading, or serving conflicted interests. Methods Data included information from PubMed surveys and from empirical evaluations of meta-analyses. Findings Publication of systematic reviews and meta-analyses has increased rapidly. In the period January 1, 1986, to December 4, 2015, PubMed tags 266,782 items as “systematic reviews” and 58,611 as “meta-analyses.” Annual publications between 1991 and 2014 increased 2,728% for systematic reviews and 2,635% for meta-analyses versus only 153% for all PubMed-indexed items. Currently, probably more systematic reviews of trials than new randomized trials are published annually. Most topics addressed by meta-analyses of randomized trials have overlapping, redundant meta-analyses; same-topic meta-analyses may exceed 20 sometimes. Some fields produce massive numbers of meta-analyses; for example, 185 meta-analyses of antidepressants for depression were published between 2007 and 2014. These meta-analyses are often produced either by industry employees or by authors with industry ties and results are aligned with sponsor interests. China has rapidly become the most prolific producer of English-language, PubMed-indexed meta-analyses. The most massive presence of Chinese meta-analyses is on genetic associations (63% of global production in 2014), where almost all results are misleading since they combine fragmented information from mostly abandoned era of candidate genes. Furthermore, many contracting companies working on evidence synthesis receive industry contracts to produce meta-analyses, many of which probably remain unpublished. Many other meta-analyses have serious flaws. Of the remaining, most have weak or insufficient evidence to inform decision making. Few systematic reviews and meta-analyses are both non-misleading and useful. Conclusions The production of systematic reviews and meta-analyses has reached epidemic proportions. Possibly, the large majority of produced systematic reviews and meta-analyses are unnecessary, misleading, and/or conflicted.
Elements of a Feminist Approach to Bioethics

The health and well-being of women are in needless jeopardy in the United States. Unnecessary risks to health are not shared equally by men, at least not by the more privileged men. Nor are unnecessary risks shared equally by all women. Feminist ethicists articulate an approach to bioethics in the midst of this social reality.
Building teacher competency for digital content evaluation

Abstract The purpose of the current study is to investigate teachers' digital content evaluation (DCE) competency as a combined set of teachers' intellectual ability and affect-motivation in evaluating digital content. To this end, this study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to examine 102 in-service teachers’ experiences in a one-year DCE professional development program. Qualitative thematic analysis followed by quantitative K-means cluster analysis identified and validated four levels of teacher competency in DCE: familiarization, utilization, integration, and reorientation. In addition, this study also proposed design guidelines to scaffold DCE competency development tailored to the needs of teachers at various competency levels.
Sparse Dynamic Time Warping

Dynamic time warping (DTW) has been applied to a wide range of machine learning problems involving the comparison of time series. An important feature of such time series is that they can sometimes be sparse in the sense that the data takes zero value at many epochs. This corresponds for example to quiet periods in speech or to a lack of physical or dietary activity. However, employing conventional DTW for such sparse time series runs a full search ignoring the zero data.
Diffusion in the face centered cubic ordered alloys

Abstract Diffusion in the face centered cubic alloys of the CuAu type has been studied using Kirkwood's second moment approximation. Formulae have been derived for the vacancy concentration and the migration energy. Both of them have short range order dependent terms above the critical temperature. It is shown that the number of sublattices necessary to describe the alloy (four for an f.c.c. alloy, two for a b.c.c. alloy) produces some important consequences. First, terms linear in the long range order parameter S appear for the vacancy formation energy in an f.c.c. alloy thus causing the vacancy concentration to become unequal for different sublattices. Second, in an f.c.c. alloy jumps between sites on different possible pairs of sublattices should have unequal weights, so that diffusion cannot be a random walk process. The possible effects of back jumps and domain boundaries on diffusion in an f.c.c. alloy are discussed.
Evolution: The value of information

Modelling and experiments have shown that strategic information can undermine ‘altruistic’ cooperation. Using a model that varies the distribution of costs for finding out, it is now shown that information can also promote self-interested ‘strategic’ cooperation.
From potential to practice: Compelling questions as an impetus for curricular and instructional change

Abstract Despite arguments that successful inquiry hinges on an engaging question, relatively little attention has been paid to how teachers craft such questions. This study examined how six high school civics teachers defined and developed compelling questions and evaluated the potential of compelling questions to influence curriculum and instruction. This study used qualitative research methods and generated data through interviews, verbal reports, and content analysis of teacher-completed materials. Findings suggest that teachers are hopeful that compelling questions will prompt challenging instruction that is more relevant to students, but they also acknowledge the various barriers that may temper the impact. Situated within the context of Kentucky's revised social studies standards document, this study provides valuable insight into the potential of a standards document to influence teachers’ understanding and use of inquiry and inquiry questions.
Effect of dietary nutrients on ileal endogenous losses of threonine, cysteine, methionine, lysine, leucine and protein in broiler chicks.

An isotope dose technique was utilized (i) to determine endogenous amino acid (AA) and protein losses and (ii) to propose adjusted values for AA requirements. The endogenous flow rate was calculated from the pool of enrichment in plasma AA, assuming similitude to enrichment of endogenous AA. In experiment 1, chicks were orally administered D4-lysine at 2% of estimated lysine intake from 16 to 24 days to find the isotopic steady state of the atom percent excess (APE) of lysine for plasma and jejunal and ileal digesta. The APE of D4-lysine in plasma, jejunal digesta and ileal digesta reached the isotopic steady state at 5.5, 3.4 and 2.0 days, respectively, by using the broken-line model. It was assumed that the isotopic steady state at 5 days identified for D4-lysine is also representative for the 15N-labeled AA. In experiment 2, chicks were fed diets from 1 to 21 days with increasing levels of fat (6%, 8%, 12%, 13% extract ether), protein (26%, 28.5%, 31% CP) or fiber (14%, 16%, 18% NDF) by adding poultry fat, soybean meal, blended animal protein or barley. Chicks were orally administered 15N-threonine, 15N-cysteine, 15N-methionine, 15N-lysine and 15N-leucine at 2% of estimated daily intake for 5 days from 17 to 21 days of age. Dietary nutrients influenced endogenous losses (EL), where dietary fat stimulated EL of lysine (P=0.06), leucine and protein (P=0.07); dietary protein enhanced EL of leucine and protein; and finally the dietary fiber increased EL of leucine. Dietary nutrients also affected apparent ileal digestibility (AID). Dietary fat increased AID of cysteine but decreased AID of lysine. Dietary protein reduced AID of protein, threonine, lysine and leucine, and similarly dietary fiber decreased AID of protein, threonine, methionine, lysine and leucine. In contrast, dietary fat or protein did not affect real ileal digestibility (RID) of protein and AA except threonine and leucine. The dietary fiber reduced the RID of protein, threonine and leucine. This indicate that variations of some endogenous AA and protein losses due to dietary nutrients almost eliminates the effects of RID, and thus the EL coming from the body should be utilized to adjust the AA requirement instead of changing the true digestible nutrients of ingredients. The present data suggest that 5 days’ feeding labeled AA was enough to reach the isotopic steady state and AA requirements should be adjusted when additional dietary protein, fat or fiber is fed.