cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Water Circulation in Ponds with Gypsum Blocks

Abstract The dissolution rates of gypsum blocks measured as weight loss after an exposure time of a few hours or a few days can be used as an index of water movement in aquaculture ponds. Weight loss from gypsum blocks increased linearly with increasing velocity of water flowing over the blocks. Weight loss was constant for an exposure time of at least 9 or 10 days. Rate of weight loss decreased with decreasing temperature and with increasing salinity. However, for conditions existing for freshwater and brackishwater ponds, the weight loss over an exposure period of 8–24 h can be easily measured. A method for preparing the gypsum blocks is presented and an example of their use is provided.
SU‐E‐T‐232: Using EPID Images for MLC QA: A Northwestern Memorial Hospital Experience

Purpose: To verify experimentally MLC leaf gaps position using EPIDimages for an advanced radiotherapy treatment delivery such as IMRT,SBRT. Methods and materials: EPIDimages were acquired with 6 MV x‐rays of Elekta linear accelerators utilizing garden fence image technique, with 8 and 11‐strips of MLC preset values at 0o, 90o, 180o, and 270o gantry angles. The dark strips were created by eleven exposures of 0.5×20.0cm2 strip fields, which were separated by 20mm gaps. The eight exposures were of 2.0×20.0cm2 strip fields separated by 5mm gaps. These images were exported for analysis in dicom format. The EPIDimages were filtered to reduce background distortion and enhanced MLC leaf edge. In‐house software was used to estimate inter‐MLC leakage and absolute MLC leaf gaps position. The accuracy of EPID‐based MLC leaf gaps position detection was estimated by comparing with the known preset‐MLC leaf gaps. Results: In all measurements, the inter‐MLC leakage was less than 1.5%. Using simple strip‐test patterns, the MLC leaf gaps position determined from EPIDimages agreed to within ±0.5mm of the corresponding preset values. Difference images show significant effect of gravity in MLC leaf motion along lateral gantry angles. Summary and Discussion: Our preliminary results show EPIDimages can be used as an alternative to radiographic films for routine‐QA of MLCs. Since, the EPID is rigidly‐mounted with linear‐accelerator and digital‐intrinsically, it could be more accurate and convenient MLC QA tool than that of the conventional film. In addition, the EPIDimages can be acquired easily, analyzed automatically, and stored more rapidly and conveniently than that of radiographic films. Availability of EPID on all new linear‐accelerators makes it a promising tool for quantitative MLC QA. Routine clinical application of EPID‐based MLC QA will be helpful for more accurate delivery of highly modulated IMRT and SBRT plans, including VMAT.
IMPLEMENTACIÓN Y VALIDACIÓN DE PROTOCOLO DE ESTIMULACIÓN POR COMPRENSIÓN DE LENGUAJE ORAL EN RESONANCIA MAGNÉTICA FUNCIONAL: RESULTADOS PRELIMINARES

Abstract: This study aimed at implementing a stimu-lation protocol using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), in a Hospital in Valparaiso (V Re-gion), Chile, to detect cortical areas activated in oral language comprehension. Seven healthy volunteers participated in this study. Average t-score and signal variation were 6.3±0.3 and 0.5±0.1%, respectively. In spite of these low values, activations were obtai-ned in Wernicke area, middle temporal gyrus, and Heschl’s gyrus. The extension of activated areas was small, 5.06±2.99 cm3, probably due to amplifier low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), in addition to the cognitive complexity of the task, and to the ambient acoustic noise. Successful implementation of fMRI protocols of language comprehension is possible in a clinical context in Chile without any additional resources.Keywords: Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Low signal-to-noise ratio, Oral language compre-hension, Resumen: Nuestro objetivo fue implementar un protocolo de estimulacion en resonancia magnetica funcional en un Hospital de Valparaiso, V Region de Chile, para detectar las areas corticales activadas en la comprension del lenguaje oral. Siete voluntarios sanos participaron de este estudio. El t-score y variacion de senal alcanzado fue de 6.3 0.3 y 0.5±0.1% respectiva -mente. A pesar de estos bajos valores, las activaciones se registraron en el area Wernicke, circunvolucion temporal media y circunvolucion de Heschl. La exten -sion de las activaciones fue pequena, 5.06±2.99 cm
Thermodynamic comparison of fuel cells to the Carnot cycle

Abstract This paper compares the theoretical maximum efficiency of a fuel cell to the efficiency of a Carnot cycle driven by the same net reaction. The comparison dispels the misconception that an ideal fuel cell is potentially more efficient than an ideal heat engine. The paper presents expressions for the thermal efficiencies of an ideal fuel cell and a Carnot heat engine. To show that the maximum efficiency is the same, the analysis of the Carnot cycle is modified to consider an engine driven by a combustion reaction. The derivation invokes the approximations that the enthalpy and entropy changes for the reaction are independent of temperature; these approximations are justified by the hydrogen-oxidation reaction. The analysis extends that presented by Appleby and Foulkes (Fuel Cell Handbook, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York 1989) by showing that with proper accounting for heat addition, the maximum efficiency of a fuel cell is 100%—not larger—for reactions with a positive entropy change. In addition, this paper explains the difference between the combustion temperature, at which an idealized Carnot cycle would operate, and the adiabatic flame temperature.
Effect of Ge Surface Nitridation on the $hboxGe/HfO_2/hboxAl$ MOS Devices

In this paper, the effect of Ge surface nitridation on Ge/HfO2/Al MOS capacitors has been studied. Low-frequency measurements indicated the presence of significant interface states in surface nitrided devices. As temperature decreased from 300 to 140 K, electron trapping increased monotonically in both nitrided and nonnitrided devices, but the interface state density didn't show a major fluctuation in nitrided devices as compared to nonnitrided devices. A constant voltage stress was applied on both samples to test their behavior under stress. Electron trapping was dominant in nonnitrided devices at lower stress voltages. After relaxation, detrapping was observed as devices recovered to their original state. Nitrided devices showed hole trapping after stress, but further device deterioration was observed after relaxation
Minorities and women in the pacific sociological association region: A Five-Year Progress Report

Based on a five-year follow-up survey of sociology departments in the Pacific Sociological Association region, we report trends in the representation of women and minorities among faculty members and graduate students. Although men continue to predominate at all but the lecturer/instructor level, women are increasingly represented on faculties overall, in tenured positions, and among the higher academic ranks. Proportionally fewer men and women are now in entry level positions than in 1979. Except for Asians, minority faculty continue to be poorly represented. Women now make up the majority of graduate students at both the masters and doctoral levels, but both the proportion and number of minority students have declined in five years. Still, despite sharply contracting enrollment, both women and minority graduate students receive a larger share of financial assistance awards than they did five years ago.
Acquiring plurality in directional verbs

Little is known about when and how children acquire plurality for directional verbs in ASL and other signed languages. This paper reports on an experimental study of 11 deaf native-signing children’s acquisition of ‘plural verb agreement’ or plural forms of directional verbs in American Sign Language. Eleven native-signing deaf adults were also tested. An elicitation task explored how children (aged 3;4 to 5;11) and adults marked directional verbs for plurality. The children also participated in an imitation task. Adults marked directional verbs for plurality significantly more often than children. However, adults also omitted plurality from directional verbs, utilizing alternative strategies to mark plural referents significantly more often than did children. Children across all ages omitted plurality, suggesting that the omission is attributable to both the conceptual complexity of plural markers and the optionality of number-marking. Directionality may not be best analyzed as a morphosyntactic phenomenon analogous to verb agreement morphology in spoken languages.
Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot of Sage Caused by Phytophthora cryptogea in California.

In 1996, commercial plantings of sage (Salvia officinalis) in the Salinas Valley in Monterey County, CA, were affected by a root and crown disease. Roots were necrotic, and crowns and lower stems turned black. Affected plants withered and died. A Phytophthora sp. was consistently isolated from roots and stems of the symptomatic plants. The species was identified as Phytophthora cryptogea based upon the formation of hyphal swellings, morphology of sporangia and oospores, and growth at cardinal temperatures (1). Pathogenicity of representative isolates was confirmed by applying 2 ml of a zoospore suspension (2.0 × 105 zoospores per ml) to roots and crowns of 3-month-old potted sage plants. After treatment, plants were placed for 24 h in shallow trays of water to saturate the root zone, then were removed from trays and incubated in a greenhouse. After 4 days, foliage of all inoculated plants began to wilt. After 7 days, plant crowns and stems turned black and the plants collapsed. P. cryptogea was reisolated...
Electrical Brush Wear

An investigation of the effects of polarity and current density on the rate of wear of electrical brushes is reported in this paper, following a brief review of previous experimental work in this field. For carbon and copper impregnated carbon brushes the rate of wear of the positive brush is considerably less than that of the negative brush, while for metallic brushes the situation is reversed. The rate of wear of metallic brushes was found to be much greater than that of carbon brushes, under conditions of these tests. While no complete explanation of brush wear can be derived from the results, the rate of wear seems to be related intimately to the conduction of current across the contact.
Arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) reactions with zerovalent iron corrosion products.

Zerovalent iron (Fe0) has tremendous potential as a remediation material for removal of arsenic from groundwater and drinking water. This study investigates the speciation of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) after reaction with two Fe0 materials, their iron oxide corrosion products, and several model iron oxides. A variety of analytical techniques were used to study the reaction products including HPLC-hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The products of corrosion of Fe0 include lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH), magnetite (Fe3O4), and/or maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), all of which indicate Fe(II) oxidation as an intermediate step in the Fe0 corrosion process. The in-situ Fe0 corrosion reaction caused a high As(III) and As(V) uptake with both Fe0 materials studied. Under aerobic conditions, the Fe0 corrosion reaction did not cause As(V) reduction to As(III) but did cause As(III) oxidation ...
Interleukin-11 induces phosphatidic acid formation and activates map kinase in mouse 3T3-L1 cells

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) stimulated [3H]phosphatidic acid (PA) formation in [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) prelabelled quiescent mouse 3T3-L1 cells. When IL-11 stimulated 3T3-L1 cells were incubated with NaF, a phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase (PAP) inhibitor, increased PA formation was observed. In the presence of ethanol, phosphatidylethanol accumulated at the expense of PA. These results indicated that the formation of PA upon IL-11 stimulation was a result of phospholipase D (PLD) activation. Endogenous accumulation of PA by NaF treatment or exogenously added PA enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of two proteins of 44 KDa (p44) and 47 KDa (p47) whereas tyrosine phosphorylation of other proteins was not affected. Among various PA species, dipalmitoyl PA was found to be most effective in enhancing tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins. p44 and p47 cross reacted with anti-MAP kinase monoclonal antibody (MoAb) in both immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis. Lysates from IL-11-induced or PA-induced cells stimulated phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide substrate for MAP kinase, indicating the activation of MAP kinase in the induced cells. These studies suggest that one of the cellular signalling mechanisms of IL-11 in 3T3-L1 cells involves the activation of phospholipase D to produce the second messenger PA. The increased level of PA enhances tyrosine phosphorylation of p44 and p47 which belong to the members of MAP kinase family and thus transduces some of the mitogenic signals of IL-11 in this cell line.
Structural analysis of substrate and effector binding in Mycobacterium tuberculosis D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase

The crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase has been solved with bound effector, l-serine, and substrate, hydroxypyruvic acid phosphate, at resolutions of 2.7 and 2.4 A, respectively. The subunits display the same extreme asymmetry as seen in the apo-structure and provide insight into the mode of serine binding and closure of the active site. Mutagenesis studies confirm the identity of the main residues involved in serine binding and suggest that the poly glycine stretch in the loop that contains the locus for the 160 degrees rotation that leads to subunit asymmetry may have a larger role in folding than in catalysis. The lack of electron density for the cofactor, NADH, in any of the crystals examined led us to study binding by stopped flow kinetic analysis. The kinetic data suggest that productive NADH binding, that would support catalytic turnover, is dependent on the presence of substrate. This observation, along with the binding of substrate in the active site, but in an unproductive conformation, suggests a possible mechanism where initial binding of substrate leads to enhanced interaction with cofactor accompanied by a rearrangement of catalytically critical residue side chains. Furthermore, comparison to the structure of a truncated form of human d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase with cofactor and a substrate analog, provides insight into the conformational changes that occur during catalysis.
Discussion: Comparison of slope instability screening tools following a large storm event and application to forest management and policy

Abstract This discussion is in response to the article entitled “Comparison of slope stability screening tools following a large storm event and application to forest management and policy” by Kara Whittaker and Dan McShane (Geomorphology 145–146 (2012) 115–122). The discussion is coauthored by several geologists at the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) including those from the research and policy sections of the state agency.
Controlling Corruption in the Party: China's Central Discipline Inspection Commission

This article investigates a prominent but little discussed CCP central organ, the Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC), and its local discipline inspection commissions (DICs) in the post-Mao era. It analyses how the CCP exerts its control over the disciplinary organizations and argues that the disciplinary agencies' lack of autonomy hinders their efforts to crack down on corruption. This article investigates the important role played by the CDIC in CCP politics by examining its organizational structure, modes of operation and criteria for imposing disciplinary sanctions, and evaluates the measures and approaches employed by the Party's disciplinary organizations to combat corruption. The study concludes that structural, institutional and cultural factors hinder the effectiveness of the CCP's disciplinary agencies in their efforts to control Party members, officials and corruption.
Quantitative bioanalysis of enantiomeric drugs using capillary electrophoresis and electrospray mass spectrometry.

Abstract A novel assay method for an enantiomeric pair of drugs has been developed using a combination of capillary electrophoresis and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry connected with a homemade interface. Accurate quantification was demonstrated in plasma from 0.25 to 50 μg/ml. A liquid–liquid sample preparation technique allowed improvement in the quantitation limit to 10 ng/ml. Variables for the enantiomeric separation, including chiral selective reagent, organic solvents, buffer and acid concentration as well as injection technique, were optimized. This assay proved adequate for analysis of neat, spiked plasma, and plasma from a pharmacological study of the drug enantiomers.
Mechanical Properties of Hafnium Single Crystals

A study has been made of the deformation of hafnium single crystals (containing ≲ 2 pct Zr) in the temperature range from 77 to 473 K. Slip occurred entirely on prismatic planes at all test temperatures. A three-stage hardening behavior was observed at 77 K. The critical resolved shear stress in tension and compression was almost identical for as-grown and ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) annealed crystals and was found to increase with decreasing temperature. The yield stress was higher for crystals containing a higher concentration of impurities and was increased by doping crystals with nitrogen. Deformation twins were observed in specimens deformed both in tension and compression. Dislocation configurations were examined by transmission electron microscopy of foils of crystals deformed by various amounts. In stage I the dislocations were found to be predominantly edge in character, with edge dipoles and dislocation loops being present. Stage II was characterized by cell formation and increased dislocation density. The Cottrell-Stokes law for reversible flow stress was not obeyed by hafnium single crystals. The thermal activation analysis suggested that the rate-controlling mechanism during deformation at low strains is associated with the overcoming of strain-fields around impurity atoms. However, contributions from dislocation intersections become increasingly important at higher strains.
Gastric and ectopic varices.

Although often considered together, gastric and ectopic varices represent complications of a heterogeneous group of underlying diseases. Commonly, these are known to arise in patients with cirrhosis secondary to portal hypertension; however, they also arise in patients with noncirrhotic portal hypertension, most often secondary to venous thrombosis of the portal venous system. One of the key initial assessments is to define the underlying condition leading to the formation of these portal-collateral pathways to guide management. In the authors' experience, these patients can be grouped into distinct although sometimes overlapping conditions, which can provide a helpful conceptual basis of management.
A Holistic Approach to Promoting Physical Activity Among School-Age Children

(2011). A Holistic Approach to Promoting Physical Activity Among School-Age Children. Strategies: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 23-25.
Characterization of an element within the rat parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor gene promoter that enhances expression in osteoblastic osteosarcoma 17/2.8 cells.

Abstract Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) mediate their actions via a common G-protein-coupled receptor. High levels of PTH/PTHrP receptor expression have been detected in many tissues including bone and kidney. This study has demonstrated specific PTH/PTHrP receptor expression from the U3 promoter in the osteoblastic osteosarcoma ROS 17/2.8 cell line, which expresses the endogenous PTH/PTHrP receptor, compared to rat 2 fibroblasts which do not express the endogenous PTH/PTHrP receptor gene. Transient transfection studies revealed cell-specific expression of a construct containing 4391 bp of DNA upstream of exon U3 of the PTH/PTHrP receptor gene fused to a luciferase reporter gene. Deletion mapping of the 5′ region of U3 revealed that a construct containing 206 bp upstream of U3 confers cell-specific expression. These data suggest that cell-specific expression in ROS 17/2.8 involves cell-specific elements within the PTH/PTHrP receptor promoter.
A Leucine-based Motif Mediates the Endocytosis of Vesicular Monoamine and Acetylcholine Transporters

Specific transport proteins mediate the packaging of neurotransmitters into secretory vesicles and consequently require targeting to the appropriate intracellular compartment. To identify residues in the neuron-specific vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) responsible for endocytosis, we examined the effect of amino (NH2-) and carboxyl (COOH-)-terminal mutations on steady state distribution and internalization. Deletion of a critical COOH-terminal domain sequence (AKEEKMAIL) results in accumulation of VMAT2 at the plasma membrane and a 50% reduction in endocytosis. Site-directed mutagenesis shows that replacement of the isoleucine-leucine pair within this sequence by alanine-alanine alone reduces endocytosis by 50% relative to wild type VMAT2. Furthermore, the KEEKMAIL sequence functions as an internalization signal when transferred to the plasma membrane protein Tac, and the mutation of the isoleucine-leucine pair also abolishes internalization of this protein. The closely related vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) contains a similar di-leucine sequence within the cytoplasmic COOH-terminal domain that when mutated results in accumulation of VAChT at the plasma membrane. The VAChT di-leucine sequence also confers internalization when appended to two other proteins and in one of these chimeras, conversion of the di-leucine sequence to di-alanine reduces the internalization rate by 50%. Both VMAT2 and VAChT thus use leucine-based signals for efficient endocytosis and as such are the first synaptic vesicle proteins known to use this motif for trafficking.
Theorizing limits: an exploration of boundaries, learning, and emancipation

Seeking to move beyond limits in order to solve problems is an important part of organizational learning and is therefore potentially emancipatory. Communicating across boundaries in order to expand capabilities might contribute to understanding and therefore to community building. When limits to current capacities are experienced, individuals who admit their own limitations set the stage for both organizational learning and emancipatory processes. Stories of two different departments in the same organization are contrasted in terms of the micro‐emancipatory processes that led to deliberate change in one and not the other. Attention to, and respect for, the three key functions of boundaries is proposed to make a difference in experiences of autonomy and community.
Is There News in the Prime Rate

Using intraday data, we find that bank announcements of changes in the prime rate have significant effects on Dow Jones stock price indexes and yields in the Treasury bill futures market. We find comparable effects using daily data for indexes of share prices of banks and financial firms as well as interest rates on various maturities of government securities. Our evidence is consistent with the view that banks have a comparative advantage in processing private information gained through bank-borrower relations and the regulatory supervision process.
Performance analysis of a distributed simulation algorithm based on active logical processes

The SRADS distributed simulation algorithm, which makes use of “active logical processes” as described elsewhere in this proceedings and in Reynolds (1982), was studied on a network of processors. Results of previous experiments (O'Hallaron 1983) indicated that SRADS could be expected to perform very well under a wide range of conditions. Our implementation was designed to study the algorithm for use in distributed logic simulation, and to provide more detailed information about the algorithm itself.
Relative abundance of bovine Hsp70 mRNA and protein

A solution hybridization assay to measure bovine Hsp70 mRNA levels is used to demonstrate that skeletal muscle contains the highest amount of this mRNA while brain has the lowest amount and the level of Hsp70 mRNA is heat inducible in bovine skeletal muscle. Furthermore, this assay allowed for the comparison of relative Hsp70 protein and mRNA levels. Relative transcript levels compared to relative Hsp70 protein levels in tissues demonstrated 50- to 200-fold differences. These results, then, approximate the magnitude of the previously reported preferential translation of Hsp70 mRNA.
Preparing for prison?: The criminalization of school discipline in the USA

American schools increasingly define and manage the problem of student discipline through a prism of crime control. Most theoretical explanations fail to situate school criminalization in a broader...
First Timers’ and Repeaters’ Perceived Value

While it has been suggested that perceived value is the most important indicator of future purchase behavior for services, few studies have examined the underlying frame-work of perceived value. Research has also suggested the importance of identifying differences between first-time and repeat visitors. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to test the relationships between reputation, emotional response, monetary price, behavioral price, quality, perceived value, and repurchase intentions. Results from a survey of cruise line passengers revealed distinct differences between the antecedents of first-time visitors’ and repeat visitors’ perceived value. It was also found that quality was the best predictor of repurchase intentions for first timers, while perceived value was the best predictor for repeaters. Specific theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Disordering of the Pb (110) surface

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations incorporating a many-body glue model potential (GM) have been used to investigate the atomic structure and dynamics of the Pb (1 1 0) surface in the range from room temperature up to the bulk melting point. The main features of the surface disordering process include: generation of vacancies and the formation of an adlayer, the formation of so-called “local steps” and further their proliferation including wandering, creation and propagation of a quasiliquid surface film. These processes are illustrated by the use of a modern visualization technique.
Adherence of botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins to synaptosomal proteins.

Abstract The ability of 125I-labeled botulinum type A and tetanus neurotoxins to adhere to blots of synaptosomal proteins separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was studied. Both neurotoxins appeared to adhere preferentially to an ~80 kDa and to a lesser extent to an ~ 116 kDa protein(s). Adherence of the neurotoxins to these proteins was enhanced by preincubation of the neurotoxins with GTlb. The ~ 100 kDa heavy chain segment of BTxA adhered to the same proteins. The carboxy terminal half of the heavy chain adhered primarily to the ~80 kDa protein(s) while the amino terminal portion bound most intensely to the ~116 kDa protein(s). The ability of the ~80 and ~116 kDa proteins to stain positively with the periodic acid-Schiff reagent and to bind 125I-labeled wheat germ lectin suggests that they are glycosylated. Both neurotoxins appear to adhere to the same ~80 and ~116 kDa proteins because tetanus neurotoxin preincubated with GT1b was able to reduce binding of radiolabeled botulinum type A neurotoxin to both proteins. Neither neurotoxin adhered to blots of proteins from liver, spleen, or kidney, suggesting that the proteins adhered to are neural components.
Sand-Wave Fields in Taiwan Strait

During 1973, sand waves were detected by echo sounding in several areas of the shallow shelf northwest and west of Taiwan. They occur in fields 5 to 30 km in width, at water depths ranging from 20 to 90 m. The height of the sand waves primarily ranges from 5 to 8 m, and their average length ranges from about 100 to 500 m. The asymmetrical shape of most of the waves suggests that they migrate in response to present-day hydraulic conditions. Orientation of the steepest faces of the sand waves is quite variable, indicating that the pattern of bottom current movement in Taiwan Strait is probably quite complex.
A new method for solving lattice QFT with dynamical fermions

Abstract We present a new numerical approach for solving Lattice Quantum Field Theory. The Source Galerkin Method is fundamentally different from Monte Carlo methods. Because it treats fermions and bosons in an equivalent manner, solutions to problem involving dynamical fermions are possible with existing computers.
Food Choice Processes of Older Adults: A Qualitative Investigation

Abstract One way to promote optimal nutrition for older adults is to expand nutrition professionals’ understanding of the cognitive food choice processes of the elderly. This investigation used a constructivist approach and qualitative methods to elicit the factors important to the food choices of individuals aged 65 years and older who lived independently. Using a multiple-perspective model of the food choice process as a conceptual framework, two semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with each of 16 individuals to learn about how they chose foods. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Life course events and experiences were very important factors affecting food choices. Participants’ food choices and preferences were strongly influenced by beliefs related to appropriate food behavior and expected characteristics of foods and meals, many of which had been formed during childhood. Social structure played an important role in the participants’ food choices, and much of this structure was built around food. The values most often negotiated when making food choices were social context, sensory perceptions, monetary considerations, convenience, and physical well-being. Participants managed frequently encountered food choice situations with strategies and repertoires that included routinization, substitution, limitation, and elimination/avoidance. Based on the data, a multiple-perspective model of the food choice process pertaining to the food choices of older adults is proposed.
Decision Tree for Pretreatments for Winter Maintenance

This study addressed pretreatment protocol for winter maintenance of roadways using brine. Information on pretreatment was assessed from surveys of personnel in state departments of transportation and county garages in Ohio. Field durability studies of various applications of brine were conducted on portland cement concrete and asphalt concrete pavements in Ohio. Over three winter seasons, weather events and resulting pavement conditions were documented during pretreatment and during the subsequent events using visual assessment and limited road grip tester assessment. In addition, extensive laboratory studies were undertaken to supplement the field investigations. Integration of the findings resulted in a decision tree to aid in operational planning and pretreatment.
Nanodosimetry: Present and perspectives

The reasons to develop a nanodosimetry theory are critically reviewed. The necessity of such an approach is proved. The main features of nanodosimetry are analyzed. The predicted enhanced sensitivity of nanomaterials to ionizing radiation is demonstrated. It is concluded that the lifetime of nanomaterials in the harsh conditions of the space environment has to be accurately estimated.
Milk Yield in Relation to Recurrence of Conception

Summary The first full calendar month milk yield and the service period (calving to conception) of 4671 Guernsey A. R. records show a coefficient of correlation of 0.039 ± 0.010. There is no evidence that high rate of milk secretion interferes with the recurrence of conception in these records. The mean service period is 174 days, standard deviation 81 days, coefficient of variability 47. From generalized premises the service period is far too long for the most economical life time production. The records for the same period show no record of breeding up to 380 days for 222 cows (= 4.54 per cent of 4893).
One-Month Stability of Depression Among Elderly Home-Care Patients

Objective Studies in primary care settings have shown that depression is often chronic and associated with negative outcomes among patients with medical illness. The stability of depression among home care recipients has not been investigated. The authors examined the 1-month stability of major depression in a representative sample of elderly adults shortly after their admission to home care. Methods A group of 539 subjects over age 65, newly admitted to home care for skilled nursing, were interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV). Depression severity, medical comorbidity, pain, functional status, cognitive status, and recent life events were also assessed. Of 84 subjects who met criteria for major depression (MDD) at baseline, 74 were available for 1-month follow-up interview. Results At 1-month follow-up, 31 subjects (42%) continued to meet MDD criteria; 20 (27%) achieved partial remission; and 23 (31%) were in full remission. Fewer instrumental activity limitations at baseline, experiencing "a great deal" of pain, and absence of a recent stressful life event were associated with full remission at 1-month follow-up. Conclusion Nearly one-half of newly admitted elderly home care patients who meet criteria for MDD continue to meet full criteria 1 month later. Functional and psychosocial factors affect the short-term course.
Contralateral Occipital Depression Related to Obstetric Forceps Injury to the Eye

Obstetric forceps pressure strong enough to leave a periorbital depression and corneal injury would probably be severe enough to leave an occipital depression from the opposite forceps blade. The presence of a depression at the correct occipital position would support the diagnosis of forceps injury when the birth history is unknown and the cornea has decompensated enough to make observation of the Descemet's membrane scrolls difficult. We studied six patients with known or suspected obstetric forceps injury to the cornea. Complete ocular examinations included examination for periorbital forceps depressions and posterior skull depressions 180 degrees from the affected cornea (which correlates with the opposite blade of the forceps). All of the patients with Descemet's scrolls had posterior skull depressions. This method of palpation for a contralateral skull depression may assist in the diagnosis of forceps-induced corneal decompensation.
Strategies of abstraction

Abstraction is seen as an active process which both enlightens and obscures. Abstractions are not true or false but relatively enlightening or obscuring according to the problem under study; different abstractions may grasp different aspects of a problem. Abstractions may be useless if they can answer questions only about themselves. A theoretical enterprise explores reality through acluster of abstractions that use different perspectives, temporal and horizontal scales, and assumes different givens.
Analysis of Epitope-Tagged Forms of the Dyskeratosis Congenita Protein (Dyskerin): Identification of a Nuclear Localization Signal

Abstract ABSTRACT: The X-linked form of the bone marrow failure syndrome Dyskeratosis congenita is caused by mutations in dyskerin, a 514 amino acid protein that is presumed to play a role in ribosome biogenesis. Here we report that dyskerin tagged with the human immunoglobulin epitope localizes to nuclei of transfected HeLa and COS-1 cells. A carboxyl-terminal domain consisting of amino acids 467–475 and encoding KKEKKKSKK is both necessary and sufficient to mediate nuclear entry. Immunoglobulin-tagged dyskerin did not interact with the Fanconi anemia group A protein, FANCA. These results suggest a nuclear role for dyskerin. Moreover, hematopoietic failure observed in both Dyskeratosis congenita and the most common type of Fanconi anemia is unlikely to have a common mechanism resulting from abnormal physical interactions between the respective gene products of these disorders.
Stresses and first-order dislocation energetics in equilibrium Stranski-Krastanow islands

We numerically determine the state of stress in two-dimensional Stranski-Krastanow islands having equilibrium shape. These calculations reveal important generic characteristics and quantitative details of the stress state in equilibrium islands, including stress relaxation and stress concentration. We also use the stresses to determine the first-order energy of introducing dislocations of different Burgers vectors into Stranski-Krastanow islands. These results characterize the ``energy wells'' sought by dislocations to relieve the misfit stress, and suggest that misfit dislocations in islands segregate according to the orientation of their Burgers vector. This segregation allows for more efficient relief of the nonuniform strain in misfitting islands.
Automatic detection of anomalies in Space Shuttle Main Engine turbopumps

A prototype expert system (developed on both PC and Symbolics 3670 lisp machine) for detecting anomalies in turbopump vibration data has been tested with data from ground tests 902-473, 902-501, 902-519, and 904-097 of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The expert system has been utilized to analyze vibration data from each of the following SSME components: high-pressure oxidizer turbopump, high-pressure fuel turbopump, low-pressure fuel turbopump, and preburner boost pump. The expert system locates and classifies peaks in the power spectral density of each 0.4-sec window of steady-state data. Peaks representing the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of both shaft rotation and bearing cage rotation are identified by the expert system. Anomalies are then detected on the basis of sequential criteria and two threshold criteria set individually for the amplitude of each of these peaks: a prior threshold used during the first few windows of data in a test, and a posterior threshold used thereafter. In most cases the anomalies detected by the expert system agree with those reported by NASA. The two cases where there is significant disagreement will be further studied and the system design refined accordingly.
A Chebyshev Type Upper Estimate for Prime Elements in Additive Arithmetic Semigroups

Let G(n) and Λ(n) be two sequences of nonnegative numbers which satisfy G(0)=1 and an additive convolution equation . A Chebyshev-type upper estimate for prime elements in an additive arithmetic semigroup is essentially a tauberian theorem on Λ(n) and G(n). Suppose with real constants . The theorem proved here states that and that holds with an explicit function R(n) of order <1 in n. This theorem is sharp. It has several applications.
4D vessel segmentation and tracking in Ultrasound

In this paper we describe a fast method to segment and track a vessel of interest in 4D (i.e. 3D + time) Ultrasound images. An initial 2D seed is used to initialize a single spatial Kalman-Filter tracker which tracks the vessel center-line in 3D. The 3D vessel is then segmented using a fast area weighted active contour method. This segmented 3D vessel is then tracked across multiple time-points using a set of temporal Kalman- Filters which track the movement of the center of the vessel in each 2D slice. The vessel boundaries are estimated by growing an area weighted active contour outward from the centerline. Based on qualitative as well as quantitative performance measures, the proposed method shows promising tracking results on numerous phantom as well as patient datasets.
Interaction of cortactin and N-WASp with Arp2/3 complex.

Abstract Background: Dynamic actin assembly is required for diverse cellular processes and often involves activation of Arp2/3 complex. Cortactin and N-WASp activate Arp2/3 complex, alone or in concert. Both cortactin and N-WASp contain an acidic (A) domain that is required for Arp2/3 complex binding. Results: We investigated how cortactin and the constitutively active VCA domain of N-WASp interact with Arp2/3 complex. Structural studies showed that cortactin is a thin, elongated monomer. Chemical crosslinking studies demonstrated selective interaction of the Arp2/3 binding NTA domain of cortactin (cortactin NTA) with the Arp3 subunit and VCA with Arp3, Arp2, and ARPC1/p40. Cortactin NTA and VCA crosslinking to the Arp3 subunit were mutually exclusive; however, cortactin NTA did not inhibit VCA crosslinking to Arp2 or ARPC1/p40, nor did it inhibit activation of Arp2/3 complex by VCA. We conducted an experiment in which a saturating concentration of cortactin NTA modestly lowered the binding affinity of VCA for Arp2/3; the results of this experiment provided further evidence for ternary complex formation. Consistent with a common binding site on Arp3, a saturating concentration of VCA abolished binding of cortactin to Arp2/3 complex. Conclusions: Under certain circumstances, cortactin and N-WASp can bind simultaneously to Arp2/3 complex, accounting for their synergy in activation of actin assembly. The interaction of cortactin NTA with Arp2/3 complex does not inhibit Arp2/3 activation by N-WASp, despite competition for a common binding site located on the Arp3 subunit. These results suggest a model in which cortactin may bridge Arp2/3 complex to actin filaments via Arp3 and N-WASp activates Arp2/3 complex by binding Arp2 and/or ARPC1/p40.
Sea breeze: Structure, forecasting, and impacts

[1] The sea breeze system (SBS) occurs at coastal locations throughout the world and consists of many spatially and temporally nested phenomena. Cool marine air propagates inland when a cross-shore mesoscale (2–2000 km) pressure gradient is created by daytime differential heating. The circulation is also characterized by rising currents at the sea breeze front and diffuse sinking currents well out to sea and is usually closed by seaward flow aloft. Coastal impacts include relief from oppressive hot weather, development of thunderstorms, and changes in air quality. This paper provides a review of SBS research extending back 2500 years but focuses primarily on recent discoveries. We address SBS forcing mechanisms, structure and related phenomena, life cycle, forecasting, and impacts on air quality.
Solar Wind Quasi-invariant for Slow and Fast Magnetic Clouds

The solar wind quasi-invariant (QI) has been defined by Osherovich, Fainberg, and Stone (Geophys. Res. Lett.26, 2597, 1999) as the ratio of magnetic energy density and the energy density of the solar wind flow. In the regular solar wind QI is a rather small number, since the energy of the flow is almost two orders of magnitude greater than the magnetic energy. However, in magnetic clouds, QI is the order of unity (less than 1) and thus magnetic clouds can be viewed as a great anomaly in comparison with its value in the background solar wind. We study the duration, extent, and amplitude of this anomaly for two groups of isolated magnetic clouds: slow clouds (360<v<450 km s−1) and fast clouds (450≤v<720 km s−1). By applying the technique of superposition of epochs to 12 slow and 12 fast clouds from the catalog of Richardson and Cane (Solar Phys. 264, 189, 2010), we create an average slow cloud and an average fast cloud observed at 1 AU. From our analysis of these average clouds, we obtain cloud boundaries in both time and space as well as differences in QI amplitude and other parameters characterizing the solar wind state. Interplanetary magnetic clouds are known to cause major magnetic storms at the Earth, especially those clouds which travel from the sun to the Earth at high speeds. Characterizing each magnetic cloud by its QI value and extent may help in understanding the role of those disturbances in producing geomagnetic activity.
Protein Biosensors Based on Biofunctionalized Conical Gold Nanotubes

There is increasing interest in the concept of using nanopores as the sensing elements in biosensors. The nanopore most often used is the alpha-hemolysin protein channel, and the sensor consists of a single channel embedded within a lipid bilayer membrane. An ionic current is passed through the channel, and analyte species are detected as transient blocks in this current associated with translocation of the analyte through the channel-stochastic sensing. While this is an extremely promising sensing paradigm, it would be advantageous to eliminate the very fragile lipid bilayer membrane and perhaps to replace the biological nanopore with an abiotic equivalent. We describe here a new family of protein biosensors that are based on conically shaped gold nanotubes embedded within a mechanical and chemically robust polymeric membrane. While these sensors also function by passing an ion current through the nanotube, the sensing paradigm is different from the previous devices in that a transient change in the current is not observed. Instead, the protein analyte binds to a biochemical molecular-recognition agent at the mouth of the conical nanotube, resulting in complete blockage of the ion current. Three different molecular-recognition agents, and correspondingly three different protein analytes, were investigated: (i) biotin/streptavidin, (ii) protein-G/immunoglobulin, and (iii) an antibody to the protein ricin with ricin as the analyte.
The chemistry of thorium—VIII some electrochemical characteristics of andhydrous thorium chloride in anhydrous ethylenediamine

Abstract Anhydrous thorium chloride dissolves vigorously and readily in anhydrous ethylenediamine. The resulting solutions show the conductance behaviour of solutions of weak electrolytes. Electrolysis of such solutions gives cathodic evolution of hydrogen and transport of thorium to the anode compartment, but does not give cathodic deposition of thorium metal.
Does Subsidized Child-Care Availability Promote Welfare Independence of Mothers on AFDC An Experimental Analysis

This article examines the degree to which the expanded availability of publicly subsidized child care in local communities may promote, through employment, the welfare independence of recipients of...
Nieuwe elementen op commando

Jaarlijks verruilt de krokodil zijn tachtig tanden voor nieuwe elementen. Valt daarvan voor ons iets te leren om ook onze eigen tanden en kiezen opnieuw te laten groeien?
Augmentative communication and early intervention: Myths and realities.

The use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services and supports with infants and young children has been limited, owing to a number of myths about the appropriateness of AAC use with this population. This article will provide an overview of some of the myths that have hampered the inclusion of AAC into early intervention service delivery and refutes them. It will then examine some of the realities that must be considered when delivering AAC services and supports to young children. Key words: augmentative communication, severe disabilities, speech and language intervention