cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T.O.8 Age-dependent effects of angiotensin II blockade on disuse atrophy

Abstract Disuse atrophy is problematic for individuals of all age; however, it is completely reversible in young muscle while aged muscle lacks the ability to recover. Previously we showed that the exaggerated response to disuse atrophy with age is due to a loss of muscle cells as opposed to smaller muscle cells evident in disuse atrophy of young muscle. Here we show that the loss of muscle mass associated with disuse atrophy in adult muscle is due to a combination of a loss of muscle cells and smaller muscle cells. Additionally, the effects of angiotensin II type I receptor blocker (ARB) losartan on disuse atrophy are age-dependent. Losartan confers no protection against disuse atrophy in young mice and partial protection in adult mice. However, it completely protects against the loss of muscle mass in aged mice. The discrepancies in results are due to the modulation of pathways downstream of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), particularly the TGF-β pathway. Additionally, there appears to be age-dependent regulation of the Akt/mTOR/FoxoO3a pathway known to play an integral role in the loss of muscle mass with disuse. These data show that age-related changes occur in response to disuse atrophy and that the changes in the RAS affect the impact of ARBs on the maintenance of skeletal muscle.
TRPM1 (Melastatin-1/MLSN1) mRNA expression in Spitz nevi and nodular melanomas

The transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily M, member 1 (TRPM1/Melastatin-1/MLSN-1) expression has been shown to have prognostic utility in the evaluation of primary cutaneous melanoma. We analyzed a series of spindled and epithelioid cell nevi (Spitz) and primary cutaneous nodular melanomas to determine whether the expression of TRPM1 mRNA may be useful in distinguishing between Spitz nevi and nodular melanomas and to further examine the patterns of TRPM1 mRNA expression in cutaneous melanocytic proliferations. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 95 Spitz nevi and 33 nodular melanomas were analyzed for the expression of TRPM1 mRNA by in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled riboprobes. Ubiquitous melanocytic expression of TRPM1 mRNA was observed in 56 of 95 (59%) Spitz nevi and 4 of 33 (12%) nodular melanomas. Diffusely scattered loss of TRPM1 mRNA was identified in 38 of 95 (40%) Spitz nevi and 2 of 33 (6%) nodular melanomas. Regional loss of the TRPM1 mRNA expression by a significant subset of dermal tumor cells or a complete absence of TRPM1 expression by the dermal tumor was identified in 27 of 33 (82%) nodular melanomas, but only 1 of 95 (1%) Spitz nevi. These findings suggest that the pattern of TRPM1 mRNA expression may be helpful in the differentiation of Spitz nevi and nodular melanomas. Of the 16 patients who experienced metastasis, 15 (94%) had primary tumors that displayed reduced MLSN mRNA expression by all or a part of the dermal tumor.
Design and control considerations for safe needle steering in brain tissue

This paper presents a preliminary investigation of numerous design and control parameters of bevel-tipped needles with regard to their effect on safety of brain tissue during insertion. The needle is designed for use with a control method developed in our laboratory that provides proportional control of path curvature via duty-cycled rotation. Parameters investigated include needle radius, bevel angle, bevel tip fillet radius, insertion velocity, and rotational velocity. Design parameters are investigated in terms of their effect on stress, strain, and strain rate of brain tissue. Based on the effects of the preliminary investigation, a safe needle design is selected and demonstrated in a three-dimensional simulation of closed-loop control of needle steering via duty-cycled rotation in a deep brain stimulation application.
Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in pregnant women with prior pregnancy complications.

Objective. To assess the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in pregnant women with prior pregnancy complications.Methods. Seventy-six pregnant women at a maternal–fetal medicine referral clinic were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Fifty-six women had a prior pregnancy complication (study group), and the remaining 20 had none (comparison group). Subjects were assessed with a questionnaire consisting of a modified patient-rated version of the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). The modified CAPS was used to approximate the prevalence of full or partial PTSD related to a prior pregnancy complication using two scoring rules, the rule-of-3 (original rule) and rule-of-4 (more stringent rule).Results. The prevalence of full PTSD among women with prior pregnancy complications was 12.5% and 8.9% based on the rule-of-3 and rule-of-4, respectively. For partial PTSD, the prevalence was 28.6% based on the rule-of-3 versus 17.9% based on the rule-of-4. The most common type of compli...
Counseling: establishing a culture of forgiveness.

ABSTRACT • COUNSELING “PROBLEM EMPLOYEES” can be a painful experience for everyone involved. • THE COUNSELING PROCESS often fails because forgiveness is not a part of organizational culture in the United States. • THIS AUTHOR STRESSES THE NEED for a forgiveness plan that will enable employees to recommit to their jobs.
The glucose effect: carbohydrate repression of enzyme induction, RNA synthesis, and glucocorticoid activity -- a role for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP.

Abstract Feeding a variety of carbohydrates (but not all carbohydrates) to mammals results in blocking the induction of many enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism as well as stimulation of some enzymes which participate in glucose utilization. In addition, glucocorticoid activity, both catabolic and anabolic, is inhibited; alterations in nuclear morphology become apparent, and m-RNA synthesis is greatly depressed. Evidence clearly opposes the mediation of the glucose effect by insulin. In bacteria, similar events following glucose feeding are caused by a 90% drop in cyclic AMP levels. But only a relatively small (20%) reduction occurs in mammals; however, the concentration of the antagonist of cyclic AMP — cyclic GMP — is considerably increased, thereby producing a functional decrease in the activity of cyclic AMP. Some, not all, of the glucose effect can be reproduced by the administration of bromo-cyclic-GMP, indicating that part of the glucose effect is mediated by elevation of the guanosine cyclic nucleotide.
Complement regulatory protein CD59 involves c-SRC related tyrosine phosphorylation of the creatine transporter in skeletal muscle during sepsis.

Abstract Background. Myocellular creatine (Cr) uptake is predominantly governed by the creatine transporter (CreaT) and plays a pivotal role in skeletal muscle energy metabolism. The CreaT belongs to a neurotransmitter transporter family that is functionally regulated by protein tyrosine kinase induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Recently, complement regulatory protein CD59 has been found not only to protect host tissue from C5b-9 complex attack that occurs in sepsis but also to initiate the activation of Src family kinase and tyrosine phosphorylation of its downstream proteins. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between myocellular free Cr, c-Src related tyrosine phosphorylation of the CreaT, and CD59 during sepsis. Methods. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 to 300 g) were randomized to undergo cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham operation. Fast-twitch gastrocnemius muscles were harvested 24 hours after operation. Myocellular free Cr levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Combination of protein immunoprecipitation with Western blotting was used to assess tyrosine phosphorylation status of the CreaT and the association between CD59, c-Src, and CreaT. Results. Myocellular free Cr levels were 70% greater after CLP. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the CreaT was significantly increased after CLP as compared to sham operation. Tyrosine phosphorylated c-Src (Tyr-416) in the CreaT-c-Src immune complex was 24% higher after CLP. Sepsis also increased protein expression of tyrosine phosphorylated c-Src (Tyr-416) or CreaT in the CD59-c-Src or CD59-CreaT complex by 20% or 30%, respectively. Conclusions. During sepsis, an increase in myocellular free Cr levels is associated with enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of the CreaT, which is likely induced by active c-Src. CD59 is physically associated with both c-Src and CreaT, which suggests that CD59 may participate in the regulation of myocellular Cr metabolism via the CreaT during sepsis. (Surgery 2002;132:334-40.)
Vancomycin pharmacokinetics in acute renal failure: preservation of nonrenal clearance.

Introduction The normal nonrenal clearance of vancomycin is reduced in patients with chronic renal failure (40 versus 6 ml/min). The nonrenal clearance of vancomycin in patients with acute renal failure has not been characterized extensively. Purpose To prospectively determine the pharmacokinetic profile of vancomycin in anuric patients with acute renal failure who are receiving continuous venovenous hemofiltration. Methods Vancomycin serum samples were obtained in 10 patients immediately before and 1 and 12 hours after a 1-hour infusion. Thirteen sets of data were obtained. Vancomycin concentration data were incorporated into a first-order, single-compartment model. Determinations for the area under the serum concentration–time curve were made by the trapezoidal rule. Results Total vancomycin clearance was 28.5 ± 6.4 ml/min (range, 17.1 to 36.6 ml/min. Hemofilter clearance was either 6.7 or 13.3 ml/min, depending on ultrafiltrate production rate (assuming a sieving coefficient of 0.8). Nonrenal clearance, calculated as total clearance minus hemofilter clearance was 16.2 ± 7.0 ml/min (range, 3.8 to 23.3 ml/min). Total clearance did not correlate with hemofilter clearance (r = 0.1; p > 0.25) but correlated strongly with nonrenal clearance (r = 0.94; p < 0.0005). Nonrenal clearance decreased significantly as the days on continuous venovenous hemofiltration increased (range, 2 to 14 days; r = 0.68; p < 0.025). Conclusion Early in the course of acute renal failure there is a substantial preservation of the normal nonrenal clearance of vancomycin. This nonrenal clearance appears to decrease with the duration of renal failure, eventually approaching the clearance observed in patients with chronic failure. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1991) 50, 688–694; doi:10.1038/clpt.1991.208
Horizon: efficient deadline-driven disk I/O management for distributed storage systems

Data centers often consolidate a variety of workloads to increase storage utilization and reduce management costs. Each workload, however, has its own performance targets that need to be met, requiring isolation from the effects of other workloads sharing the system. Satisfying the global throughput and latency targets of each workload is challenging in fully distributed storage systems because workloads can have different data layouts and different requests from the same workload can be serviced by different nodes. Quality of service schemes that manage individual system resources usually rely on resource reservations, often requiring assumptions about the layout of data. On the other hand, solutions for distributed storage tend to treat the storage system as a black box, metering requests issued to the system and often under-utilizing system resources.We show that our multi-layered approach that locally manages individual disk resources can deliver global throughput and latency targets while efficiently utilizing system resources. Our system uses upper-level control mechanisms to assign deadlines to requests based on workload performance targets, and low-level disk I/O schedulers designed to meet request deadlines while maximizing throughput at the disk. We provide a novel disk scheduler called Horizon that meets deadlines while providing efficient request re-ordering and keeping efficient disk queues. Our experimental results show that Horizon can meet more than 90% of deadlines while remaining efficient even in the presence of low-latency bursty workloads.
Nonoperative treatment of patients with presumed penile fracture

Purpose: Immediate surgical intervention is the basis for treatment of penile fractures due to the high risk of complications associated with conservative management. Unfortunately, patient refusal to undergo surgery has led to conservative treatment of a small group of patients with presumed penile fractures at our institution. We followed these patients in regard to clinical outcome.Materials and Methods: Between 1992 and 1999, 5 patients were evaluated after blunt trauma to an erect penis. Patient age at presentation ranged from 19 to 31 years (mean 25). The interval from time of injury to presentation was 24 to 72 hours. Of these patients 4 had been injured during sexual intercourse, while 1 had been injured during masturbation. All 5 patients refused immediate surgical exploration for presumed penile fracture.Results: No patient had any immediate complications. At 6 and 12-month followup all patients reported erections adequate for intercourse without associated pain. One patient reported only mild c...
Angular distribution XPS studies on carbon foil

Abstract A search of the literature reveals that oxygen corrosion of carbons appears to take many diverse pathways. In this study, the nature of the oxygen corrosion product on a commercially obtained carbon foil has been investigated using angular distribution XPS and ion bonbardment. The untreated foil shows an oxygen doublet with binding energies of 531.9 and 533.6eV and with an intensity ratio of 1.5:1 for all values of θ. Hence, the corrosion product is present to at least a depth of 20 A. The product is destroyed when the foil is heated to 531°C in ultrahigh purity nitrogen and forms ether type functional groups when bombarded with 500 eV argon ions to damage saturation. When heat treated carbon foil is oxidized at 0°C according to the Staudenmaier method, an intense O 1 s peak at 531.8 eV coupled with a much weaker peak at 533.7 eV is observed. All data is consistent with the assignment of hydrated graphite oxide as the corrosion product.
Personal religious belief development: The ‘Articulate authoritarian’ type

With religious experience or ritual, believing is one of several universal modes through which humans cultivate a relationship to the divine. Treating belief as an avenue of spiritual development, this study describes how in some lives, religious beliefs become clear, elaborate, and functional. Data from two rural counties in Georgia show fundamentalists to be the most vigorous local religious thinkers, suggesting an ‘articulate authoritarian’ style of belief cultivation. The coincidence in a personality of devotion to an absolute spiritual authority with analytic capability, can generate beliefs that are highly dogmatic and conceptually refined. The biographies of four rural Protestants illustrate; two cross-cultural exemplars are suggested.
Energy research and the contributions of the social sciences: A retrospective examination

Abstract Physical and environmental scientists and policy-makers tend to have exaggerated expectations of what social science and social scientists ask for, what they can do, what policy relevance means in both the short and the long term, and what “short” and “long” mean in social science. There is also a tendency to misapprehend the crucial distinction between ad-hoc actors in the social realm, such as policy-makers and their advisors, journalists, experienced politicians, and policy critics, and professional and disciplinary social science. The former are licensed to make quick judgments on at best imperfect evidence. The latter cannot reasonably be expected to come up with anything ‘quickly’ on a new or unfamiliar problem for lack of an experiential data base. This paper addresses the possible contribution of professional political science to debate, policy, and policy advice with regard to long-term global climate change—not so much with an eye to making recommendations as to who ought to be involved doing what as to asking how reasonable and intellectually stimulating policy-useful questions might be framed within the discipline.
The Anthropology of Psychopharmacology: Commentary on Contributions to the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Self and Imaginary

People are taking psychiatric drugs today more than ever throughout North America and Europe as well as parts of Asia and countries of the global South, reflecting the way treatment has been affected by the global dominance of biomedicine, sometimes in seemingly incongruous ways. An anthropological account of this highly consequential development requires a variety of strategies to explore the nexus of the subjective experience of psychoactive pharmaceuticals and global processes that shape psycho-pharmaceutical consumption. A fusion of perspectives is needed since studies of global processes that address the problem of psychopharmacology often do not consider the experience of medications for those who take them, while the limited set of studies of the phenomenology of medication experience has thus far not given due consideration to the economic and political dimensions of the problem. In framing the theoretical and clinical contributions of my recent edited volume addressing this issue. I proposed that our key terms must include the pharmaceutical self, understood in terms of the subjective experience of psychopharmaceuticals, and the contemporary pharmaceutical imaginary, understood in terms of the global shaping of consumption (Jenkins 2011a, b). In the context of the contemporary global culture of consumption and the arena of global capitalism in which giant pharmaceutical companies operate, analytic deployment of these terms supports the recognition that to some extent we are all already pharmaceutical selves. For those treated for major psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, these terms help toward unraveling experiential paradoxes including the frustration of recovery without cure, the persistence of stigma despite recovery, the blameless guilt of living with a ‘‘biochemical imbalance,’’ the choice of being ‘‘crazy or fat’’ due to medication effects, and the strained coexistence of pharmaceutical management and psychotherapeutic treatment.
Self-Assembled CdTe Quantum Dots Grown on ZnTe/GaSb

We report the formation of CdTe self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) on high-quality ZnTe epilayers grown on a GaSb substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force micro- scopy measurements clearly show the formation of CdTe QDs. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements on ZnTe-capped CdTe QD samples show a wide distribution of dot size. The temperature dependence of PL spectra indicates much stronger exciton localization in QDs than that in quantum wells.
Integration of Multifidelity Multidisciplinary Computer Codes for Design and Analysis of Supersonic Aircraft

This paper documents the development of a conceptual level integrated process for design and analysis of efficient and environmentally acceptable supersonic aircraft. To overcome the technical challenges to achieve this goal, a conceptual design capability which provides users with the ability to examine the integrated solution between all disciplines and facilitates the application of multidiscipline design, analysis, and optimization on a scale greater than previously achieved, is needed. The described capability is both an interactive design environment as well as a high powered optimization system with a unique blend of low, mixed and high-fidelity engineering tools combined together in the software integration framework, ModelCenter. The various modules are described and capabilities of the system are demonstrated. The current limitations and proposed future enhancements are also discussed.
Computer program for thermodynamic analysis of open cycle multishaft power system with multiple reheat and intercool

A computer program to analyze power systems having any number of shafts up to a maximum of five is presented. On each shaft there can be as many as five compressors and five turbines, along with any specified number of intervening intercoolers and reheaters. A recuperator can be included. Turbine coolant flow can be accounted for. Any fuel consisting entirely of hydrogen and/or carbon can be used. The program is valid for maximum temperatures up to about 2000 K (3600 R). The system description, the analysis method, a detailed explanation of program input and output including an illustrative example, a dictionary of program variables, and the program listing are explained.
Hormonal influence on the secretory immune system of the eye: Endocrine impact on the lacrimal gland accumulation and secretion of IgA and IgG

The objective of the current investigation was to explore the processes underlying the androgen control of tear IgA and to determine whether hormone exposure also modifies tear IgG content. In addition, studies evaluated the impact of diabetes on the androgen regulation of secretory immunity in the eye. Tears and lacrimal glands were collected from age-matched, adult male rats, which had undergone hypophysectomy, selective ablation of the anterior pituitary, streptozotocin-induced diabetes, sham-surgery and/or orchiectomy and had been exposed to vehicle or physiological amounts of testosterone for varying periods of time. Our findings demonstrated that testosterone administration selectively increased the accumulation of IgA, but not IgG, in tears and lacrimal glands of orchiectomized rats. This hormone effect was associated with a 2-fold enhancement of the IgA transfer from lacrimal tissue to tears; IgA movement was against a gradient. In contrast, androgen exposure had no significant influence on the lacrimal gland/tear transfer of IgG, which was down a 90-fold gradient. Testosterone action on the lacrimal gland appeared to involve an increase in IgA production, but not a consistent alteration in the total number of IgA-containing cells. Similarly, androgen exposure had no impact on the population of IgG-containing lymphocytes in lacrimal tissue. Of interest, ablation of the anterior or entire pituitary in orchiectomized rats, which procedure inhibits testosterone-induced stimulation of tear IgA levels, significantly reduced the total number of IgA-containing cells in the lacrimal gland. Induction of diabetes by streptozotocin injection to orchiectomized rats resulted in diminished tear IgA content and decreased numbers of lacrimal IgA-positive lymphocytes, but did not prevent the testosterone-associated rise in IgA antibody content. In summary, our findings demonstrate that androgens increase the lacrimal gland production and secretion of IgA, but not IgG.
Ontogeny of Prolactin Secretion in the Neonatal Rat Is Regulated Posttranscriptionally

PRL-secreting cells first appear in appreciable numbers on day 4 of neonatal life in rats. In the present study, we attempted to ascertain whether the ontogenic appearance of PRL mRNA and hormone release were temporally coordinated or discordant. Our results show that the PRL gene is expressed at least 3 days before the onset of secretion in newborn rats. Moreover, steady state levels of PRL mRNA in neonates are at least as high as those found in 10-day-old rats, in which 15–17% of all pituitary cells secrete the hormone. This apparent blockage of translation is attributable to a lack of association of PRL message with ribosomes in the neonate. Taken together, these data indicate that the ontogeny of PRL secretion in rats is regulated translationally as well as transcriptionally (Endocrinology 124: 3–6,1989)
MENTAL HEALTH OF TRAUMA-EXPOSED FIREFIGHTERS AND CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING

Interest in critical incident stress debriefings for firefighters has grown over the last decade. Some researchers report that debriefings protect firefighters from stress-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Proponents of the interventions claim extraordinary need and success. Controlled and correlational studies have largely failed to demonstrate therapeutic effects, and some report iatrogenic effects. This study examined the relationships between debriefings and several mental health variables in a large sample of firefighters. Debriefing had a weak inverse correlation with negative affectivity and a weak positive correlation with positive world assumptions. No relationship was found between debriefing and PTSD.
Heroin-associated environmental stimuli modulate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the rat

Abstract Rationale. Heroin (diacetylmorphine) administration has been shown to alter the induction of nitric oxide, a molecule known to play a critical role in the regulation of immune responses and resistance to infectious challenges. There is evidence that the physiological and behavioral effects of opioids can be conditioned to environmental stimuli associated with drug administration. Objectives. The present study tests whether environmental stimuli paired with the administration of heroin alter the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), one of the isoforms of the enzyme responsible for nitric oxide production. Methods. The experimental group of rats received three conditioning sessions each involving a subcutaneous injection of heroin (1.0 mg/kg) immediately upon being placed in a chamber that served as the conditioned stimulus. Following the conditioning sessions, the rats remained in their home cages for 6 days to recover from the effects of heroin per se. The rats then were re-exposed to the conditioning chamber in the absence of heroin and immediately following the session were injected subcutaneously with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce iNOS expression. Six hours later, the expression of iNOS messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein was determined in spleen, lung, and liver using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting, respectively. Control procedures were used to determine whether the alterations in iNOS expression were due to conditioning processes. Results. The results showed that exposure to the conditioned stimulus produced a pronounced reduction in the expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in spleen, lung, and liver tissue. Control procedures showed that this effect was due to conditioning processes. Conclusions. This study provides the first evidence that heroin-induced alteration of iNOS expression can be conditioned to environmental stimuli, and suggest that environmental stimuli associated with drug use may contribute to the alteration in susceptibility to infection.
A comparison of three approaches for simulating fine-scale surface winds in support of wildland fire management. Part II. An exploratory study of the effect of simulated winds on fire growth simulations

The effect of fine-resolution wind simulations on fire growth simulations is explored. The wind models are (1) a wind field consisting of constant speed and direction applied everywhere over the area of interest; (2) a tool based on the solution of the conservation of mass only (termed mass-conserving model) and (3) a tool based on a solution of conservation of mass and momentum (termed momentum-conserving model). Fire simulations use the FARSITE fire simulation system to simulate fire growth for one hypothetical fire and two actual wildfires. The momentum-conserving model produced fire perimeters that most closely matched the observed fire spread, followed by the mass-conserving model and then the uniform winds. The results suggest that momentum-conserving and mass-conserving models can reduce the sensitivity of fire growth simulations to input wind direction, which is advantageous to fire growth modellers. The mass-conserving and momentum-conserving wind models may be useful for operational use as decision support tools in wildland fire management, prescribed fire planning, smoke dispersion modelling, and firefighter and public safety.
The stacked lamellar texture on the fracture surfaces of fibre composites

A fracture surface texture, which has been variously termed as “lacerations”, “hackles” or “serrations”, is often observed on the matrix surface of fibre composites, most often in resin-rich regions. This texture, referred to here as a “stacked lamellar texture” to emphasize its plate-like nature, was studied in an E-glass/epoxy composite. Scanning electron fractographs of these materials suggest that the stacked lamellar texture arises from crack fingers due to a meniscus instability mechanism interacting with a reorienting stress field.
Optimal vibration control of NITINOL-reinforced composites

Abstract Shape-memory fibers, made of a NIckel-Titanium alloy (NITINOL), are embedded inside smart composite beams in order to control the dynamic characteristics and the damped response of these beams when subjected to external excitations. The NITINOL fibers are tuned by adjusting their initial tension and operating temperature to achieve an optimal balance between the thermal softening of the composite matrix, the stiffening effect imparted by the activated fibers, and the enhanced damping of the matrix as it is heated towards its glass transition region. A finite element model is developed to model the dynamics of damped NITINOL-reinforced composite beams. The model is utilized to compute the natural frequencies, the modal loss factors and the frequency response functions of this class of SMART beams. The frequency responses of the NITINOL-reinforced beams are compared with those of the unreinforced beams in order to emphasize the importance of the NITINOL reinforcement and its optimal tuning in significantly attenuating the vibration of these beams.
Chelating ion-exchangers embedded in PTFE for decontamination of heavy-metal-laden sludges and soils

Abstract Selective removal of small amounts of heavy metal precipitates from the background of bulk amounts of innocuous sludge or soil is a challenging separation problem. This study identifies and investigates a novel material that has the potential to overcome such a challenge. The material, termed Composite Ion-Exchanger Material (CIM), is made of fine particles of chelating polymers entrapped in thin sheets of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The composite ion-exchange material is not fouled by high concentration of suspended solids but retains the original properties of the chelating exchangers. In this communication, various physico-chemical properties of the new ion-exchange material are discussed as regards their use in the decontamination of heavy-metal-laden soils and sludges.
Innovative machining method on CVD diamond thin film

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond has outstanding properties, including low thermal expansion, high chemical resistance and high acoustic propagation and has been widely used in optical, electrical, mechanical, chemical and thermal applications. Since synthesized diamond film results in large surface roughness, the surface treatment or polishing should be applied to expand the applications. Although reducing surface roughness by mechanical and etching methods have been investigated, the cost on the complicated equipment and on the long processing time is the most particular important issue. A new method is developed in the present study to approach the smooth surface by a catalytic grinding wheel. As grinding, the catalytic reaction occurs at the contact area between the grinding wheel and the diamond surface, and sp 3 structure of diamond can be converted to sp 2 structure with lower bonding energy; therefore, the lower surface roughness. Consequently, the average surface roughness is extremely improved from 230 nm to 20 nm, and the processing time can be shortened 10 times more than conventional methods, either lapping, or chemical assisted lapping.
Expertise and Age Effects on Pilot Mental Workload in a Simulated Aviation Task

This study investigated the effects of expertise and age on cognitive resources relevant to mental workload of pilots engaged in simulated aviation tasks. A secondary task workload assessment methodology was used, with a PC-based flying task as the primary task, and a Sternberg choice reaction time task as the secondary task. A mixed design using repeated measures was employed, with age and expertise as between-subjects factors and workload as the within-subjects factor. Pilots ranging in age from 21 to 79 years and 28 to 11,817 hours of flight time served as subjects. Of interest was whether expertise would mitigate the adverse effect of aging on pilots' mental workload handling ability as defined by two measures of secondary task performance: choice reaction time and accuracy. Results indicated that expertise did mitigate the effects of age regarding secondary task accuracy. Implications of results are discussed, and directions for future research are presented.
Refractive index effects in cylindrical detector cell designs for microbore high-performance liquid chromatography

Technique de miniaturisation de la chromatographie HPLC. Application a la separation et a la detection d'alkylbenzenes
The tetrapod limb: a hypothesis on its origin.

A wrist joint and structures typical of the hand, such as digits, however, are absent in [Eustenopteron] (Andrews and Westoll, '68, p 240). Great changes must have been undergone during evolution of the ankle joint; the small number of large bones in the fin must somehow have developed into a large number of small bones, and it is very difficult to draw homologies in this region, or even be certain of what is being compared (Andrews and Westoll, '68, p 268). The tetrapod limb is one of the major morphological adaptations that facilitated the transition from an aquatic to a terrestrial lifestyle in vertebrate evolution. We review the paleontological evidence for the fin-limb transition and conclude that the innovation associated with evolution of the tetrapod limb is the zeugopodial-mesopodial transition, i.e., the evolution of the developmental mechanism that differentiates the distal parts of the limb (the autopodium, i.e., hand or foot) from the proximal parts. Based on a review of tetrapod limb and fish fin development, we propose a genetic hypothesis for the origin of the autopodium. In tetrapods the genes Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 have locally exclusive expression domains along the proximal-distal axis of the limb bud. The junction between the distal limit of Hoxa-11 expression and of the proximal limit of Hoxa-13 expression is involved in establishing the border between the zeugopodial and autopodial anlagen. In zebrafish, the expression domains of these genes are overlapping and there is no evidence for an autopodial equivalent in the fin skeleton. We propose that the evolution of the derived expression patterns of Hoxa-11 and Hoxa-13 may be causally involved in the origin of the tetrapod limb.
Deformation of the northern circum-Pacific margin: Variations in tectonic style and plate-tectonic implications

During mid- to Late Cretaceous time, the northern paleo–Pacific Ocean was characterized by subduction for >6000 km along strike. The associated magmatic and orogenic belt now comprises parts of the U.S. and Canadian Cordillera, Alaska, and the Russian Far East. Crustal shortening in the northwestern Cordillera sector of the belt was contemporaneous with extension in northern and interior Alaska and the Bering Strait region, while extensional to neutral tectonics prevailed in the Sea of Okhotsk region, Russian Far East. The along-strike continuity of magmatism during the ≈120–80 Ma time interval resulted from subduction beneath the northern circum-Pacific margin, even beneath the broadest parts of the belt in the Alaska and Bering Strait region, which we suggest were modified by large-magnitude crustal extension. Variations in deformational style along strike of the orogenic belt may be related to changes in the nature of the mechanical coupling between the subducting oceanic and overriding continental plates, where the central extensional part of the belt developed above a part of the slab characterized by southward retreat or rollback of the subduction zone.
Frank Barron and the Study of Creativity: A Voice That Lives on:

The late Frank X. Barron was a remarkable figure in psychology. His monograph, “The Psychology of Creativity,” appeared in New Directions in Psychology at a time when the study of creativity was still new and not well understood. Throughout several decades, Dr. Barron not only helped bring the field of creativity to a high degree of sophistication, but this wide-ranging thinker and researcher changed in significant ways how we think about exceptionality, human purpose, process and personal evolution, and self as part of an evolving whole. Here, through one researcher’s eyes, are contributions in four diverse areas and how they have helped change the way we see the world today: (a) creativity as a way of life and everyday event; (b) creativity and mental health (or is it unhealth?); (c) creativity, complexity, and the health of dynamical systems; and (d) creativity as a source of beauty, awe, and openness to greater meaning
Experimental study of combustion in a turbulent boundary layer

H 2 -air combustion in a heated turbulent boundary layer has been studied through time and space resolved measurements of velocity (laser Doppler anemometry) and density (Rayleigh scattering). The mean, rms fluctuation, probability density function and spectral density distribution of these measurements have been obtained. The experimental conditions covered equivalence ratios ranging from 0 to 0.2, wall temperatures from 1100 to 1300 K and free stream velocities from 14 to 22 m/sec. The nominal boundary layer Reynolds number based on the free stream conditions was 1·1×10 5 . Three modes of combustion in the boundary layer were found: 1) surface reaction, 2) surface and gas phase reaction in the boundary layer, and 3) a flame-like region situated at the edge of the boundary layer. Velocity fluctuations of about 6% in the non-heated boundary layer were increased to 10% by wall heating. When combustion occurred the turbulence intensity decreased, to a minimum of 2% at the highest equivalence ratio. The suppression of turbulence intensity by combustion appears to be associated with the decreased density, and lower effective Reynolds number, in the region of wall shear. Density fluctuations of 8 to 10%, both with and without combustion, were found in the region of maximum density gradient. Under conditions where a flame-like region occurred, it was concluded from the spectrum of the density that the region oscillated at a fairly regular rate ranging from 400 to 2000 Hz.
Using helicity to characterize homogeneous and inhomogeneous turbulent dynamics

The ability of the helicity decomposition to describe compactly the dynamics of three-dimensional incompressible fluids is invoked to obtain new descriptions of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous turbulence. We first use this decomposition to derive four coupled nonlinear equations that describe an arbitrary three-dimensional turbulence, whether anisotropic and/or non-mirror-symmetric. We then use the decomposition to treat the inhomogeneous turbulence of a channel flow bounded by two parallel free-slip boundaries with almost the ease with which the homogeneous case has heretofore received treatment. However, this ease arises from the foundation of a random-phase hypothesis, which we introduce and motivate, that supersedes the translational invariance of a turbulence that is hypothesized to be homogeneous. For the description of this channel turbulence, we find that the three-dimensional modes and the two-dimensional modes having wave vectors parallel to the boundaries each couple precisely as in a homogeneous turbulence of the corresponding dimension. The anisotropy and inhomogeneity is in large part a feature incorporated into the solenoidal basis vectors used to describe an arbitrary solenoidal free-slip flow within the channel. We invoke the random-phase hypothesis, a feature of the dynamics, with closures, such as Kraichnan's direct-interaction approximation and his test-field model, in addition to the one most utilized in this manuscript, the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian (EDQNM) closure.
Etiology and pathogenesis

Abstract Several possible pathogenetic mechanisms have been reviewed and arguments presented both for and against their possible validity. Future research should pursue these general lines, as outlined below. In that sense, I believe this to be one of the most important chapter of the entire treatise. One or more of these areas of research will hold the answer to the pathogenesis of PXE.
Using textual redundancy to study The Mintainability of source

Reverse engineering and design recovery attempt to reconstruct abstractions from legacy program sources (Biggerstaff, 1989; Chikofsky and Cross, 1990) as a prelude to migrating systems to new platforms or in support of maintenance activities for software evolution. Many of the techniques employed for this purpose take the source for the system as a whole, and, after a large analysis stage, provide a view of the structure to help with understanding, navigation, or assessing the impact of change.
Ground-dwelling arthropod association with coarse woody debris following long-term dormant season prescribed burning in the longleaf pine flatwoods of North Florida.

ABSTRACT A 5-year study of long-term (40 years) study plots was conducted on the Osceola National Forest in northern Florida to determine how dormant-season fire frequency (annual, biennial, quadrennial, or unburned) affects ground-dwelling macroarthropod use of coarse woody debris in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests. Pitfall traps were used to sample arthropods near logs or metal drift fences of equal length. Samples were identified to genus or the lowest practical taxonomic level. Overall, significantly more arthropods and more arthropod biomass were captured near drift fences than near logs. Similarity of arthropods captured near logs or drift fences ranged from 64.4% in annually burned plots to 69.2% in quadrennially burned plots, with no significant differences noted. Likewise, Shannon diversity, evenness, richness, and number of rare genera were the same for traps regardless of the trap location. Interaction between fires and trap location were observed in 31 of 932 arthropod taxa. Of t...
Alkylation of a catalytic aspartate group of the SIV protease by an epoxide inhibitor

Specific irreversible inhibition of the SIV protease by FMOC-protected piperidine epoxide 1 involves alkylation of the protein. Tryptic digestion of the alkylated protein and mass spectrometric analysis of the peptides identify an active site aspartic acid (Asp-25) as the single residue that is alkylated. Computer modeling of 1 bound in the crystal structure of the SIV protease using DOCK 3.5 indicates that 1 has appropriate access to the active site. It is able to align in an orientation that allows a proton to be transferred to the epoxide from one of the catalytic aspartic acid groups in conjunction with nucleophilic attack on the epoxide of the carboxylate moiety of the second catalytic aspartic acid residue. Hydrophobic interactions are not optimal for this process due, in part, to the rigidity of the inhibitor ring system and the planar conformation of the amide. The combination of modeling with protein alkylation can provide insights into structural modifications of the inhibitor that may lead to improved inhibitory activity.
Electric-Field Coupling to Spin Waves in a Centrosymmetric Ferrite

In a magnetic material with strong spin-orbit coupling, the phase of spin waves can be controlled with an electric field.
Phytophthora Species in Soils Associated with Declining and Nondeclining Oaks in Missouri Forests.

Periodic episodes of oak decline have occurred in the Missouri Ozark forests since the early 1900s and the disease is currently severe (2). Several Phytophthora spp. contribute to oak decline in Europe (1), but the role of Phytophthora spp. in oak decline in the eastern United States is not known. Mineral soils collected around the bases of declining and nondeclining oaks in paired sites in central Missouri forests were assayed for the presence of these taxa by baiting flooded soil with Quercus robur leaves. Q. rubra and Q. velutina were the oak species on three sites and Q. alba was on the fourth. Isolates from symptomatic baits plated on PARPNH selective medium were identified tentatively on classical taxonomic characteristics. Five isolates of P. cambivora, two of P. quercina, and eight of P. cinnamomi were obtained from soils around one, one, and three trees, respectively, on decline sites. The internal transcribed spacer sequences for each isolate were compared to those in GenBank; BLAST searches for...
A status report on computational techniques for finite element analyses

Abstract Fifteen years of research, development, and application of the finite element concept, primarily to structural analysis, has yielded a host of techniques for computer implementation. The importance of using these techniques is shown by an estimated reduction in total computer costs by a factor of 20 over not using them. This paper describes the techniques which play an important role in currently available computer software. It indicates research work in the engineering literature which can be expected to stimulate development of new techniques in the next decade. It concludes that the thrust for better techniques will be provided by the expanding need for software in newer applications such as nuclear fusion, fracture mechanics, bioengineering simulations, and vehicle crashes. New techniques will yield computer software which more highly automates finite element use, will more efficiently solve large sets of equations, and which will be engineering discipline transportable.
Gene flow of unique sequences between Mus musculus domesticus and Mus spretus

Allelic diversity has been examined from a variety of Mus musculus subspecies and Mus spretus strains by sequencing at a 453-bp unique sequence locus. One M. m. domesticus classic inbred strain, C57BL/KsJ, contained a sequence identical to that in the M. spretus wild-derived inbred strain SEG, and other wild M. spretus isolates. Such a result should have been precluded by the expected divergence between the species unless there has been interspecies gene flow. Examination of C57BL/KsJ for M. spretus-specific repetitive sequences shows that it is neither a mis-identified spretus strain nor a domesticus/spretus hybrid. Thus, in addition to the previously reported presence of small amounts of Mus spretus-specific repetitive DNA in M. m. domesticus, there is a detectable flow of unique sequence between the two species. There was also ancestral polymorphism observed among the spretus alleles. The difficulty of distinguishing ancestral polymorphism from horizontal transfer is discussed.