cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creeping wave propagation constants and modal impedance for a dielectric coated cylinder

The electromagnetic characteristics associated with the creeping waves supported by a dielectric coated cylinder are investigated. The propagation constants and wave impedances of the creeping waves are obtained numerically. Higher order modes which are significant for a thick coating are also investigated. The propagation constants and creeping wave modal impedance are compared with those obtained for a planar dielectric slab backed by a ground plane. It is found that, contrary to the planar configuration, no cutoff frequencies exist for the creeping waves associated with the coated cylinder. In fact, the coated cylinder supports an infinite number of modes. However, depending upon the thickness of the coating, only a few Elliott type creeping wave modes with low attenuation can exist. Furthermore, for each of the Elliott type creeping waves, there is a critical radius for the cylinder below which the Elliott type creeping wave cannot exist. The results are also compared with an impedance boundary cylinder, where the impedance is chosen to be purely imaginary.
Bacterial oxidation of manganese and iron in a modern cold spring

A marshy cold spring occurs in late Pleistocene glacial outwash exposed on the floor of the Squalicum Creek valley near Bellingham, Washington. A 5-m by 25-m zone of black soil with an average depth of 30 cm surrounds the spring. This soil contains about 43% MnO 2 and 20% to 30% iron oxide calculated as Fe 2 O 3 ; the oxidized material appears amorphous when analyzed by X-ray diffraction. Field observations and laboratory studies indicate Mn and Fe are accumulated due to bacterial oxidation of trace amounts of these metals supplied by ground water. Two strains of pseudomonad bacteria isolated from the black soil rapidly oxidize Fe and Mn when grown on a culture medium containing soil organic matter as a nutrient. Both bacteria can be cultured on tryptone-glycerol agar but are unable to oxidize Mn or Fe added to this synthetic medium. Although the composition of the culture medium is important in controlling whether oxidation occurs, the reaction is not merely due to the catalytic effect of hydroxy acids contained within the nutrient mixture. Optical microscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive detector reveal that Fe and Mn oxides precipitated by the microbes occur as extra-cellular deposits, and these metals are not accumulated within the bacterial cells. Although microbiologists have shown that several genera of bacteria are able to oxidize Mn in laboratory cultures, these studies are of uncertain value when used to explain the role microbes play in sedimentary Mn-oxide deposits, because most studies have involved microbes isolated from ordinary soil rather than from Mn-rich environments. This locality demonstrates the ability of soil bacteria to accumulate high concentrations of Fe and Mn under natural conditions.
Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis created by oral estrogen and in vitro fertilization ovulation induction

Hypertriglyceridemia is one of the known causes of pancreatitis. Estrogen treatment can aggravate hypertriglyceridemia by increasing very low density lipoprotein secretion and reducing hepatic triglyceride lipase. In this paper, we present 3 patients who developed severe hypertriglyceridemia with conditions that increased estrogen. Two patients were found to have genetic lipoprotein lipase deficiency and were treated with birth control pills. The third was a patient with polycystic ovary disease who was receiving ovulation induction therapy for in vitro fertilization.
Thermal effects during the oxidative coupling of methane over Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 and Mn/Na2WO4/MgO catalysts

Abstract The exothermic reactions that occur during the oxidative coupling of methane over Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 and Mn/Na2WO4/MgO catalysts result in relatively narrow hot spots that may produce temperature increases as large as 150°C. Under integral conditions, the temperature of the hot spots is related to the CH4/O2 ratio and the activity of the catalyst. Although the Mn/Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst was stable for up to 97 h on stream, the Mn/Na2WO4/MgO catalyst gradually deactivated. This deactivation was manifested by motion of the hot spot toward the exit of the catalyst bed. The loss of activity is attributed mainly to the decrease in Mn concentration at the surface of the catalyst.
Toxicokinetics of [14C]hexafluoroacetone in the rat

Abstract The disposition and metabolism of [ 14 C]-hexafluoroacetone (HFA) were studied in the rat as part of an investigation of the mechanism of HFA-induced testicular atrophy. After sc injection of 13 mg/kg [ 14 C]HFA, radioactivity was eliminated in a biphasic manner from the blood; the half-life of the initial phase was 22.6 hr and that of the elimination phase 75.1 hr. Following injection of 130 mg/kg [ 14 C]HFA, the elimination of radioactivity was initially zero order, but with time it became first order and biphasic with half-lives of the initial and terminal elimination phases being 23.0 and 59.9 hr, respectively. The primary route of elimination was via the urine and all of the [ 14 C]HFA was excreted unmetabolized. [ 14 C]HFA was uniformly distributed throughout the major organs of the body with the exception of the liver which contained disproportionately higher levels of [ 14 C]HFA. The hepatic binding of [ 14 C]HFA was noncovalent and capacity limited. Notably, the testes, the target organ of HFA-induced toxicity, did not exhibit any unusual accumulation or retention of [ 14 C]HFA.
Why Not Now? Karlstadt's Whether We Should Proceed Slowly and Avoid Offending the Weak in Matters that Concern God's Will (1524)

AbstractAndreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt's Whether We Should Proceed Slowly [Ob man gemach faren soll] in 1524 was no best seller, and the work is often overlooked today. However, its author was a prolific publisher, especially of German tracts, in the early sixteenth century. His influence upon other so-called radical reformers remains yet to be measured adequately. Despite the fact that Gemach was written shortly before Karlstadt's expulsion from Electoral Saxony, its thesis resonated strongly with other writers who were disenchanted with the trajectory of reforms in Wittenberg after 1522. A careful analysis of Karlstadt's argumentation reveals a rigorous reliance upon Old Testament texts, and it represents the development of a position that holds the Christian congregation responsible for implementing reforms in worship that are mandated in God's commands. As Karlstadt's response to Luther's Invocavit Sermons (preached in March 1522 and published outside Wittenberg in 1523), Gemach shows what Gordon Ru...
Multiple Kainic Acid Seizures in the Immature and Adult Brain: Ictal Manifestations and Long–Term Effects on Learning and Memory

Summary: Purpose: While there is increasing evidence that the adverse effects of prolonged seizures are less pronounced in the immature than in the mature brain, there have been few investigations of the long-term effects of recurrent seizures during development. This study examined the effects of multiple administrations of the convulsant kainic acid (KA) on seizure characteristics and spatial learning as a function of brain development. Method: To determine the long-term effects of serial KA seizures during ontogeny, saline or convulsant doses of KA were given intraperitoneally 4 times, at 2-day intervals. Immature rats were given KA on P20, P22, P24 and P26; adult rats got KA on P60, P62, P64 and P66. Ictal characteristics and EEGs were recorded. To examine the effects of multiple KA seizures on the retention of spatial learning, water maze testing was performed before (immature group: from P16–19, adult group: from P56–P59) and after (immature: from P60–P63, adult: from P1OO–Pl03) KA injections. Finally, histology was performed to compare KA-induced damage at each age. Results: In immature animals, serial KA administration resulted in seizures with a progressively longer onset latency anddecreased severity. In contrast, KA serially administered to adult rats caused severe seizures after each of the 4 injections. In immature rats, epileptiform EEG changes were most prominent after the first KA injection, whereas in adults, prolonged paroxysmal EEG patterns were seen after all 4 KA injections. Before KA, both rat pups and adults acquired place learning in the water maze. One month after the final KA injection, there was no deficit in spatial learning retention in the immature group, whereas the adult group had profound impairment compared to age-matched, saline-injected controls. Histology revealed no lesions in immature rats treated multiple times with KA but profound cell loss in hippocampal fields CA4, CA3 and CAI in rats treated serially with KA as adults. Conclusions: Previous studies have shown that a single KA injection causes prolonged status epilepticus (which persists for several hours), leading to severe histologic and behavioral sequelae in adult rats but not in pups. Our study extends those findings, demonstrating that immature rats are spared the cognitive and pathological sequelae of multiple injections of convulsant doses of KA as well.
Stimulation of Testosterone Production in Isolated Rabbit Thecal Tissue by LH/FSH, Dibutyryl Cyclic AMP, PGF2α, and PGE2

The capacities of isolated rabbit theca and granulosa cells to secrete testosterone were studied in vitro. Large Graafian follicles (1-1.5 mm in diameter) were dissected intact from the ovaries of adult estrous rabbits. Granulosa cells from 4 follicles (50,000 cells) and theca tissue (16 pieces per dish, equivalent to 4 follicles) were cultured separately for 6 days either as controls (without exogenous hormones) or with one of the following agents: 1 lU/ml LH/FSH (Pergonal), 10-3M dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bu2cAMP), 1 mug/ml prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha), or 1 mug/ml prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The media were collected every 2 days, and the testosterone (T) was measured by radioimmunoassay. The control cultures of granulosa cells secreted small amounts of T (700 +/- 317 pg/culture: mean +/-SE) during the first 2 days in vitro, and the addition of LH/FSH, Bu2cAMP, PGF2alpha, or PGE2 did not significantly stimulate T production. After 2 days in vitro, very little T (greater than 200 pg/culture) was produced by control and prostaglandin-treated granulosa cells, whereas those incubated with LH/FSH and Bu2cAMP maintained their initial T production rates. Theca control cultures produced 3 +/- 0.4 ng of T (mean +/- SE) during the first 2 days in 13.6-fold by LH/FSH, 3.6-fold by Bu2cAMP, and 3-fold by PGF2alpha and PGE2- T was not detected in theca cultures after 2 days except in those treated with LH/FSH or Bu2cAMP, which produced 1.5 +/- 0.5 and 1.6 +/- 0.3 ng of T, respectively, at 4 days (mean +/- SE). These results suggest that under the present conditions, pieces of rabbit thecal tissue have a greater capacity to produce T de novo than do isolated granulosa cells, and indicate that T production is transiently stimulated by LH/FSH, Bu2cAMP, PGE2alpha, and PGE2.
The Problem with Problem Definition: Mapping the Discursive Terrain of Conservation in Two Pacific Salmon Management Regimes

Natural resource-based conflicts arise not only from divergent ideas regarding appropriate uses of the environment and resources but also from different conceptualizations of the environment and the human–environment relationship. These conflicts, defined as problems, frame understandings of both causation and potential solutions. The problem with problem definition emerges when no consensus exists regarding what constitutes management's problem definition. This article focuses on the “salmon problem,” a problem that has embodied manifold and shifting conceptions of management, conservation, and control. Co-management institutions have provided greater access to previously marginalized groups to the management table. Diverse stakeholders bring with them a multiplicity of perspectives, worldviews, and discourses. This article examines these diverging views, calling attention to deep-rooted disagreements and highlighting the need for both recognition and debate on the core values and objectives of managemen...
Single Realization Stochastic FDTD for Weak Scattering Waves in Biological Random Media

This paper introduces an iterative scheme to overcome the unresolved issues presented in S-FDTD (stochastic finite-difference time-domain) for obtaining ensemble average field values recently reported by Smith and Furse in an attempt to replace the brute force multiple-realization also known as Monte-Carlo approach with a single-realization scheme. Our formulation is particularly useful for studying light interactions with biological cells and tissues having sub-wavelength scale features. Numerical results demonstrate that such a small scale variation can be effectively modeled with a random medium problem which when simulated with the proposed S-FDTD indeed produces a very accurate result.
Simultaneous Simulation of Solid Conveying, Melting and Melt Flow between Parallel Plates: An Approximation to the Flow in a Screw Extruder:

Instead of separate analyses of the polymeric flow in the solid conveying, melting and melt flow regions of a screw extruder, a simultaneous finite element simultation of the flow in the three zones of an extruder is presented. The flow in the helical channel of a screw extruder is approximated by a flow between two parallel plates. The effect of various processing variables, design parameters and material properties on the flow rate and the length of channel required for melting the polymer is analyzed.
Influence of formulation and application method on the effectiveness of benzimidazole fungicides for controlling postharvest diseases of citrus fruits

Treatment of citrus fruits after harvest with benzimidazole fungicides suspended in water or incorporated in wax formulations can control the development of several diseases of the fruit during storage and marketing. Residues of 1 mg fungicide/kg fruit are sufficient to retard the development of latent infections of Phomopsis and Diplodia and to prevent wound infection by Penicillium spp. Sporulation of Penicillium spp. on the surface of decayed fruit, a serious problem in long distance shipment of citrus fruits, can be controlled by minimum residues of 2–6 mg fungicide/kg fruit, depending upon the composition of the residues on the fruit. On an equivalent residue basis, benomyl is considerably more effective than thiabendazole or methyl benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamate (MBC) in reducing sporulation of Penicillium on treated fruit. Benomyl appears to penetrate into the flavedo tissue of the orange whereas residues of MBC and thiabendazole are limited to the surface of the fruit. The effectiveness of the benzimidazole fungicides is not influenced by the variety or size of citrus fruits but is significantly affected by the formulation and method of application. MBC and thiabendazole are stable under most conditions of formulation and application but benomyl breaks down in alkaline wax formulations and in organic solvent formulations. Deposits of thiabendazole on fruit resulting from application of a water-wax formulation are less effective in controlling sporulation than an equivalent deposit applied as a suspension in water.
In sickness and in health: Coregulation of spousal caregivers' and dementia patients' cortisol levels, relationship quality and health outcomes

Figure 1. Four Profiles of Diurnal Cortisol: Caregiver (CG) and Patient (PT) Patterns Ian Maidment, Carolyn Chew-Graham, Andrea Hilton, Judy Scully, Chris Fox, Shirley Nurock, Barbara Woodward-Carlton, Susan Heap, Fiona Poland, Aston University, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom; Keele University, Keele, England, United Kingdom; Hull University, Hull, England, United Kingdom; University of East Anglia Medical School, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom; Alzheimer’s Society, London, England, United Kingdom; UEA, Norwich, England, United Kingdom. Contact e-mail: i.maidment@aston.ac.uk
Glasses Formed from Molten Acetates

Glass formation in metal acetate systems was investigated; the tendency for these systems to form glasses is so great that even lithium and lead acetates are readily quenched to glass. Glass formation is favored near eutectic compositions in binary systems. Physical and optical properties of representative glasses are given.
QIP, a component of the vegetative RNA silencing pathway, is essential for meiosis and suppresses meiotic silencing in Neurospora crassa.

Among the processes that play essential roles in both genome defense and organism survival are those involved in chromosome comparison. They are acutely active in the meiotic cells of Neurospora crassa, where they evaluate the mutual identity of homologs by a process we call trans-sensing. When nonsymmetrical regions are found, they are silenced. The known molecular components of this meiotic silencing machinery are related to RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, Argonautes and Dicers, suggesting that the mechanisms of how heterologous chromosomal regions are silenced involves, at some stage, the production of small interfering RNAs. Neurospora has two active and clearly distinct RNA interference pathways: quelling (vegetative specific) and meiotic silencing (meiosis specific). Both pathways require a common set of protein types like RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, Argonautes and Dicers. In this work we demonstrate the involvement of quelling defective-2 interacting protein (qip+), a Neurospora gene whose function is essential to silencing by quelling, in meiotic silencing, and normal sexual development. Our observations reinforce the molecular connection between these two silencing pathways.
Ischemia‐induced seizures and cortical monoamine levels

Seizure activity as a component of the ischemic process possibly responsible for monoamine changes described in the gerbil stroke model was the subject of this study. Abnormal motor activity suggestive of seizures developed one to three hours after unilateral ligation of the common carotid artery in approximately 50% of gerbils that exhibited signs of stroke. Reduction of cortical levels of dopamine and norepinephrine was observed only when seizures occurred in association with stroke. The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine were reduced bilaterally in animals with and without signs of stroke and were reduced further in animals with stroke plus seizures. Further study is needed to establish whether the catecholamine changes associated with ischemia-induced seizures are primary and causative or secondary to seizure activity itself. In the ischemic brain, 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism appears disordered independent of seizure activity. Seizure activity must be taken into account when the mechanisms of disordered monoamine metabolism are being examined in the gerbil stroke model.
High-dose melphalan-based autotransplants for multiple myeloma: the Arkansas experience since 1989 in 3077 patients.

BACKGROUND In this report, the authors describe their collective experience with melphalan-based autotransplants since the inception of their program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1989. METHODS The authors evaluated the clinical outcomes of 3077 successive patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who underwent at least 1 melphalan-based autotransplantation at the University of Arkansas. Of these, 1078 patients were enrolled on front-line Total Therapy (TT) protocols (TT-P) TT1, TT2, and TT3; 1104 patients were entered on protocols for newly diagnosed or previously treated patients (non-TT-P); and 895 patients were treated off protocol (non-P). RESULTS The 10-year overall survival (OS) rates after first transplantation were 41%, 19%, and 11% (P< .001) for the TT-P, non-TT-P, and non-P groups, respectively. In the TT-P group, the median OS was 72 months on TT1, was not reached at ≥7 years on TT2, and was 88% at 2 years on TT3. Among 2683 patients with complete baseline data, absence of hypodiploidy/chromosome 13 deletion, β-2-microglobulin <3.0 mg/L, C-reactive protein <6 mg/L, albumin ≥3.0 g/dL, and platelet count ≥100,000/μL all were associated independently with superior OS (P < .001), event-free survival (P < .001), and duration of complete remission (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The results from this large, single-institution experience demonstrated that >10-year OS was accomplished in >40% of all patients enrolled on TT-P, whereas such success was observed in only 15% of the remaining patients (including 25% in the presence of all 5 good-risk features). Superior outcomes with protocol-based, primary transplant regimens such as TT-P draw attention to the importance of applying the best available therapies upfront. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Chymotrypsin gene expression in rat peripheral organs.

Prior studies have revealed the presence of chymotrypsinlike protease in peripheral organs, although no definitive evidence for the synthesis of this enzyme in tissue other than the pancreas is available. In an attempt to detect chymotrypsinogen mRNA in peripheral organs, a fragment of the pancreatic chymotrypsin mRNA from rat was amplified using PCR. The sequence was identified as a portion of the rat chymotrypsin B gene overlapping exon 5 through exon 7. It was subcloned into the pGEM-4Z vector and used as a template for the vitro transcription of an antisense riboprobe. Using ribonuclease protection and Northern blot analyses, chymotrypsin mRNA was detected in the rat pancreas, stomach, duodenum, ovary, and spleen. Monoclonal and polyclonal antisera against chymotrypsin detected chymotrypsinlike immunoreactivity in rat and human pancreas, rat stomach, duodenum and jejunum. Electrophoresis and immunoblotting revealed chymotrypsin-chymotrypsinogen bands (25–29 kDa) in the stomach and duodenum. Synthesis of a potent protease such as chymotrypsin in tissue other than pancreas is significant, suggesting a potential physiological and/or pathological role in these tissues.
Scapolite: Observation of Anti-Phase Domain Structure

SCAPOLITE, a fairly common silicate mineral, occurs in a wide variety of metamorphic and altered igneous rocks. It is a crystalline solution, whose end-members are: NaC1.3NaAlSi3-O8 (marialite = Ma) and CaCO3.3CaAl2Si2O8 (meionite = Me). From the marialite end-member up to 25% marialite, the substitution of Open image in new window by CaCO3.Ca2+Al3+ takes place. From 25% marialite to the meionite end-member, the substitution is of the type: Na+Si4+ by Ca2+Al3+ as in plagioclase1.
Hard real-time quick EXAFS data acquisition with all open source software on a commodity personal computer

We describe here the data acquisition subsystem of the Quick EXAFS (QEXAFS) experiment at the National Synchrotron Light Source of Brookhaven National Laboratory. For ease of future growth and flexibility, almost all software components are open source with very active maintainers. Among them, Linux running on x86 desktop computer, RTAI for real-time response, COMEDI driver for the data acquisition hardware, Qt and PyQt for graphical user interface, PyQwt for plotting, and Python for scripting. The signal (A/D) and energy-reading (IK220 encoder) devices in the PCI computer are also EPICS enabled. The control system scans the monochromator energy through a networked EPICS motor. With the real-time kernel, the system is capable of deterministic data-sampling period of tens of micro-seconds with typical timing-jitter of several micro-seconds. At the same time, Linux is running in other non-real-time processes handling the user-interface. A modern Qt-based controls-front end enhances productivity. The fast plotting and zooming of data in time or energy coordinates let the experimenters verify the quality of the data before detailed analysis. Python scripting is built-in for automation. The typical data-rate for continuous runs are around ten mega-bytes per minute.
Cornea-lens transdifferentiation in the anuran, Xenopus tropicalis

Previously, the only anuran amphibian known to regenerate the lens of the eye was Xenopus laevis. This occurs during larval stages through transdifferentiation of the outer cornea epithelium under control of factors presumably secreted by the neural retina. This study demonstrates that a distantly related species, X. tropicalis, is also able to regenerate lenses through this process. A transgenic line of X. tropicalis was used to examine the process of cornea-lens transdifferentiation in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed in differentiated lens cells under the control of the Xenopus γ1-crystallin promoter element. Unlike X. laevis, the process of cornea-lens transdifferentiation typically occurs at a very low frequency in X. tropicalis due to the rapid rate at which the inner cornea endothelium heals to recover the pupillary opening. The inner cornea endothelium serves as a key physical barrier that normally prevents retinal signals from reaching the outer cornea epithelium. If this barrier is circumvented by implanting outer cornea epithelium of transgenic tadpoles directly into the vitreous chamber of non-transgenic X. tropicalis larval eyes, a higher percentage of cases formed lenses expressing GFP. Lenses were also formed if these tissues were implanted into X. laevis larval eyes, suggesting the same or similar inducing factors are present in both species. When pericorneal ectoderm and posteriolateral flank ectoderm were implanted into the vitreous chamber, only in rare cases did pericorneal ectoderm form lens cells. Thus, unlike the case in X. laevis, competence to respond to the inducing factors is tightly restricted to the cornea epithelium in X. tropicalis. As controls, all these tissues were implanted into the space located between the inner and outer corneas. None of these implants, including outer cornea epithelium, exhibited GFP expression. Thus, the essential inductive factors are normally contained within the vitreous chamber. One explanation why this type of lens regeneration is not seen in some other anurans could be due to the rapid rate at which the inner cornea endothelium heals to recover the pupillary opening once the original lens is removed. These findings are discussed in terms of the evolution of this developmental process within the anurans.
Genome-wide analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine distribution reveals its dual function in transcriptional regulation in mouse embryonic stem cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that the Ten-eleven translocation (Tet) family proteins can enzymatically convert 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). While 5mC has been studied extensively, little is known about the distribution and function of 5hmC. Here we present a genome-wide profile of 5hmC in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. A combined analysis of global 5hmC distribution and gene expression profile in wild-type and Tet1-depleted ES cells suggests that 5hmC is enriched at both gene bodies of actively transcribed genes and extended promoter regions of Polycomb-repressed developmental regulators. Thus, our study reveals the first genome-wide 5hmC distribution in pluripotent stem cells, and supports its dual function in regulating gene expression.
Moisturizers: reality and the skin benefits.

The function of the skin as a barrier protects underlying tissues from infection, desiccation, chemicals, and mechanical stress. Disruption of this function results in increased transepidermal water loss or TEWL and is associated with conditions like atopic dermatitis and other chronic skin diseases. Moisturizers have been shown to improve these conditions through restoration of the integrity of the stratum corneum, acting as a barrier to water loss and replacement of skin lipids and other compounds. Also, moisturizers are commonly used to reduce fine lines and make skin appear smooth and soft. While many products make extensive claims of skin rejuvenation, many of the beneficial effects of these products are actually due to the moisturizers they contain: ingredients like glycerin, petrolatum, and dimethicone. Some newer formulations like prescription-device moisturizers, which received 510 K approval on the basis of reducing TEWL, are significantly more expensive than traditional moisturizers and recent literature does not indicate that they are more effective than their over-the-counter counterparts.
“Oh, stop! You flatter me”: ingratiation in retail settings

Purpose – Even though there has been anecdotal evidence regarding the use of ingratiation techniques in retail salesperson-shopper interactions, surprisingly, there has been limited research on the nature of these ingratiatory techniques and their impact on consumers’ perceptions and attitudes. The research reported here was conducted to determine the extent to which different ingratiation techniques that have been identified as techniques used in non-retailing domains are also used by retail salespersons in salesperson-shopper interactions. In addition, it sought to assess whether there are additional ingratiation techniques used by retail salespersons in salesperson-shopper interactions that have not been identified in existing ingratiation literature. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies, drawing on research on ingratiation in other domains, were conducted in pursuit of realising the purpose. Study 1 was a survey involving a sample of 282 participants, which...
Spice Modeling of Silicon Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors for High-Speed Analog Integrated Circuits

Vertical nanowire surrounding gate field-effect transistors (SGFETs) provide full gate control over the channel to eliminate short-channel effects and to achieve ultralow off current. This paper presents the fully depleted BSIMSOI modeling of low-power NMOS and PMOS SGFETs with 10 nm channel length and 2 nm channel radius, extraction of distributed device parasitics, and measuring the capabilities of these transistors for high-speed analog and RF applications. When biased with V ds = 0.5 V and V gs = 0.5 V at the active operating region, NMOS and PMOS SGFETs have 2 muA and 0.7 muA drain currents, 14 muA/V and 8 muA/V transconductances, 400 kOmega and 1.1 MOmega output resistances, 36 THz and 25 THz unity-current-gain cutoff frequencies, and 120 THz and 100 THz maximum frequency of oscillations, respectively. A single-stage CMOS SGFET amplifier dissipates 1.64 muW power and provides 500 GHz bandwidth with -6.5 gain and -24 dBm third-order intermodulation distortion tones for a two-tone input signal with 10 mV amplitude and 10 GHz frequency spacing. The large-signal operation of the amplifier with 1 V output swing exhibits 2.2 ps delay, 5.4 ps rise time, and 4.7 ps fall time while oscillating at 30 GHz. All these parameters indicate that vertical nanowire surrounding gate transistors are promising candidates for the next-generation very-large-scale integration (VLSI) technology.
17β-ESTRADIOL NORMALIZES TOLL RECEPTOR 4, MITOGEN ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASES AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE IN EPIDERMAL KERATINOCYTES FOLLOWING TRAUMA-HEMORRHAGE

Abstract Trauma-hemorrhage produces immunodepression in males but not in proestrus females and this difference is due to the presence of high estrogen in proestrus females. Although skin is the largest immunological organ of the body and is considered the first line of defense, no study to-date has examined whether trauma-hemorrhage has any effects on keratinocytes which are the major epidermal cell type (>90%) of skin. We therefore examined whether epidermal keratinocytes inflammatory response and the signal transduction pathways involved in the inflammatory response are altered following trauma-hemorrhage. C3H/HeN mice were subjected to trauma-hemorrhage and 2 h thereafter; keratinocytes were harvested and stimulated with LPS for 24 h (5 μg/ml). Inflammatory mediators, Toll-like receptor (TLR) and myeloid differentiation adaptor protein (MyD88) expression, and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined. Trauma-hemorrhage increased the production of IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and TNF-α enhanced the expression of TLR4, MyD88 as well as the activation of MAPK proteins (p38, ERK and JNK) in epidermal keratinocytes. However, administration of a single dose of 17β-estradiol following trauma-hemorrhage prevented the increase in these inflammatory parameters under those conditions. These findings suggest that 17β-estradiol normalizes epidermal keratinocytes inflammatory responses following trauma-hemorrhage by preventing the upregulation of TLR4-mediated MAPK activation.
Thermodynamic stability criterion for pure substances and mixtures

Criteria are derived to specify the limit of stability for pure material and multicomponent thermodynamic systems. Through the use of Legendre transforms, the criteria may be expressed in a very simple form that only involves the determination of positiveness of a single second-order partial derivative of a potential function. Alternate and equivalent criteria are shown to result from a simple reordering of the independent variables in the Fundamental Equation of Gibbs. Certain criteria that are often stated as necessary conditions of stability (for example, Cv > 0) are shown to be insufficient for specifying the limit of stability; that is, a system will always become unstable for other reasons before Cb can attain a negative value.
“Research participants want to feel they are better off than they were before research was introduced to them”: engaging cameroonian rural plantation populations in HIV research

During a period of evolving international consensus on how to engage communities in research, facilitators and barriers to participation in HIV prevention research were explored in a rural plantation community in the coastal region of Cameroon. A formative rapid assessment using structured observations, focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews (KIIs) was conducted with a purposive non-probabilistic sample of plantation workers and their household members. Eligibility criteria included living or working >1 year within the plantation community and age >18 years. Both rapid and in-depth techniques were used to complete thematic analysis. Sixty-five persons participated in the study (6 FGDs and 12 KIIs). Participants viewed malaria and gastrointestinal conditions as more common health concerns than HIV. They identified three factors as contributing to HIV risk: concurrent sexual relationships, sex work, and infrequent condom use. Interviewees perceived that the community would participate in HIV research if it is designed to: (1) improve community welfare, (2) provide comprehensive health services and treatment for illnesses, (3) protect the personal information of participants, especially those who test positive for HIV, (4) provide participant incentives, (5) incorporate community input, and (6) minimize disruptions to “everyday life”. Barriers to participation included: (1) fear of HIV testing, (2) mistrust of researchers given possible disrespect or intolerance of plantation community life and lack of concern for communication, (3) time commitment demands, (3) medical care and treatment that would be difficult or costly to access, and (4) life disruptions along with potential requirements for changes in behaviour (i.e., engage in or abstain from alcohol use and sex activities). Consistent with UNAIDS guidelines for good participatory practice in HIV prevention research, study participants placed a high premium on researchers’ politeness, trust, respect, communication, tolerance and empathy towards their community. Plantation community members viewed provision of comprehensive health services as an important community benefit likely to enhance HIV research participation.
Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Strain Durban.

ABSTRACT We report the genome sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica strain Durban, isolated from a patient with salmonellosis and typhoid fever. The strain is closely related to S. enterica subsp. enterica strain P125109 but differs in loss of the ϕSE20 prophage and acquisition of a prophage similar to ELPhiS.
Estimating the Stiffness of Eccentrically Braced Frames

The stiffness of eccentrically braced frames (EBFs) is difficult to calculate by hand because they are indeterminate and have significant flexural, shear, and axial deformations in various members. EBF stiffness is important because it is used to compute story drifts and link rotations which have prescribed limits. This note presents an equation for the stiffness of an EBF story in terms of the design story shear, frame geometry, and beam depth. The equation is independent of specific member sizes, making it useful for determining appropriate geometry in early design. The equation is developed theoretically and validated with data from code compliant EBFs. One application of the equation is the direct calculation of the minimum beam depth required to ensure a link will satisfy inelastic rotation limits.
Binary refactoring: improving code behind the scenes

We present binary refactoring: a software engineering technique for improving the implementation of programs without modifying their source code. While related to regular refactoring in preserving a program's functionality, binary refactoring aims to capture modifications that are often applied to source code, although they only improve the performance of the software application and not the code structure. We motivate binary refactoring, present a binary refactoring catalogue, describe the design and implementation of BARBER - our binary refactoring browser for Java, and demonstrate the usefulness of binary refactoring through a series of benchmarks.
Rhabdosynochus Spp. (Monogenoidea: Diplectanidae) infecting the gill lamellae of snooks, Centropomus spp. (Perciformes: Centropomidae), in Florida, and redescription of the type species, R. rhabdosynochus.

Abstract Examination of the gill lamellae of 3 species of Centropomus spp. (Centropomidae) from 9 localities around the southern coast of Florida revealed 3 species of Rhabdosynochus (Monogenoidea, Diplectanidae). The common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, was infected with Rhabdosynochus rhabdosynochus (30 of 37 infected; prevalence 81%), Rhabdosynochus hargisi (9 of 37; 24%), and Rhabdosynochus hudsoni (20 of 37; 46%); the fat snook, Centropomus parallelus, with R. rhabdosynochus (12 of 22; 55%) and R. hudsoni (8 of 22; 36%) (new host records for both); and the tarpon snook, Centropomus pectinatus, with R. hudsoni (3 of 4; 75%) (new host record). Snooks infected with R. rhabdosynochus were collected only from tidal waters of salinity ≤10.4 ppt, where the parasite dominated the monogenoidean community. Rhabdosynochus hargisi and R. hudsoni showed greater salinity tolerance; the former dominated where salinity was ≥28.8 ppt. Thus, salinity appears to be a determinate factor in partitioning the monogenoide...
Where's Waldo? The ‘decapitation gambit’ and the definition of death

The 'decapitation gambit' holds that, if physical decapitation normally entails the death of the human being, then physiological decapitation, evident in cases of total brain failure, entails the death of the human being. This argument has been challenged by Franklin Miller and Robert Truog, who argue that physical decapitation does not necessarily entail the death of human beings and that therefore, by analogy, artificially sustained human bodies with total brain failure are living human beings. They thus challenge the current neurological criterion for determining death and argue for a return to the traditional criterion of the irreversible loss of circulation and respiration. In this paper, I defend the decapitation gambit and total brain failure as a criterion for determining death against Miller and Truog's criticism.
Adapting the Birthing Center Concept to a Traditional Hospital Setting

The author offers guidelines and examples of criteria which might be considered in establishing a birthing room facility in a traditional hospital setting.
Cross-Level Inference and Organizational Research: Perspectives on Interpretation and Application

In a discussion of the concept of cross-level inference as it relates to organizational research, emphasis is placed on a description of basic issues and multilevel analytical approaches related to cross-level concerns. A focused review is provided of several substantive organizational research areas for which multilevel logic is relevant. It is suggested that in certain areas-organizational climate, leadership, job design, and organizational properties—multilevel conceptualizations provide a more expansive, integrative perspective of organizational phenomena.
The Ballot as a Party-System Switch: The Role of the Australian Ballot in Party-System Change and Development in the USA

Diverging from the generally accepted argument that Australian ballot adoption in the USA was the work of anti-party forces, this article revitalizes Key's taxonomy of the political party and advances the argument that the merger of party organization and party-in-government interests in part led to adoption of the ballot and facilitated the 1896 party-system change. The pattern of Australian ballot adoption – particularly the rapid adoption of the ballot in Western states – indicates that the state party organization and the party-in-government were united in their frustration prompted by their mutual inability to curb opposition party success and unpredictability of party-in-the-electorate activity at the congressional level. Using the Australian ballot as an outcome variable in a prior-to-adoption model and as an explanatory variable in a subsequent-to-adoption model, findings indicate that state party organizations accepted the ballot partly to obtain control over congressional election outcomes.
Clay Mineral Evidence for Movement of High Temperature Subsurface Fluids: ABSTRACT

The study of geopressured formations has provided considerable information on the probable pathways for subsurface fluid movement. The fluids have been traced and associated with structure, pressure distribution, salinity of formation waters, a variety of organic and inorganic diagenetic effects, and local changes in the geothermal gradient and the formation temperatures. The temperature changes may be measured directly or inferred from the presence of temperature-controlled reaction products such as the modification of illite/smectite. Clay mineral changes are detected initially at temperatures as low as 50°C (122°F) and may extend to temperatures in excess of 300°C (572°F). The smectite-illite conversion is most pronounced in the range from 50°C to about 160°C. Significant changes in kaolinite and chlorite occur between 75°C and 250°C. In shales from the Gulf Coast, the smectite-illite conversion is readily recognized, while kaolinite-chlorite reactions are most apparent in associated sands. In several examples, the development of kaolinite in sandstones is directly linked to the movement of high temperature fluids and the subsequent blocking of secondary porosity. Kaolinite is most abundant in those zones which experienced maximum flushing. End_of_Article - Last_Page 568------------
Synthesis and catalytic properties of mesoporous, bifunctional, gallium–niobium mixed oxides

Thermally stable mesoporous Ga–Nb mixed oxides, active in both acid-catalysed and redox reactions have been synthesized via self-assembly hydrothermal assisted approach. Methyl oleate, a major component of biodiesels, undergoes double bond and skeletal isomerisation as well as dehydrogenation over these novel mesophases.
A linked forest manipulation system semantics rules for an attributed translation grammar for PL/0

In this paper a linked forest manipulation system (abbreviated as LFMS) semantics rules is defined for an attributed translation grammar (abbreviated as ATG) for PL/0 defined and discussed by McCluskey [9]. The LFMS reflects the translation achieved by the ATG, which is the generation of the P-codes, used in the original interpreter by Wirth [12].
A novel elevated MOSFET source/drain structure

A vertically layered elevated drain structure is proposed which is suitable, in terms of reliability and performance for MOSFET scaling down to the 0.25- mu m level without a reduction of the supply voltage below 3.3 V. In this structure, a low-doped polysilicon or crystalline silicon spacer (layer) is used to solve the hot-carrier problem. In contrast to existing device structures, which try to minimize the impact ionization rate, this structure rests on the idea that high-impact ionization and even high hot-carrier injection (HCl) rates can be tolerated as long as they are not detrimental to the device characteristics. >
Path coverage based functional test generation for processor marginality validation

Functional test content to screen for electrical marginalities during silicon validation are not generated with the goal of identifying speed-limiting paths, adversely affecting the quality and efficiency of validation. We propose a methodology to generate functional tests to excite pre-silicon timing-critical paths along with environmental effects such as voltage droop. These tests are to replace random/function-targeted content as the source for identifying speed failures during silicon validation. The effectiveness of this methodology is demonstrated through silicon experiments on a recent processor.
Modeling signal transduction in classical conditioning with network motifs.

Biological networks are constructed of repeated simplified patterns, or modules, called network motifs. Network motifs can be found in a variety of organisms including bacteria, plants and animals, as well as intracellular transcription networks for gene expression and signal transduction processes in neuronal circuits. Standard models of signal transduction events for synaptic plasticity and learning often fail to capture the complexity and cooperativity of the molecular interactions underlying these processes. Here, we apply network motifs to a model for signal transduction during an in vitro form of eyeblink classical conditioning that reveals an underlying organization of these molecular pathways. Experimental evidence suggests there are two stages of synaptic AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking during conditioning. Synaptic incorporation of GluR1-containing AMPARs occurs early to activate silent synapses conveying the auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) and this initial step is followed by delivery of GluR4 subunits that supports acquisition of learned conditioned responses (CRs). Overall, the network design of the two stages of synaptic AMPAR delivery during conditioning describes a coherent feedforward loop (C1-FFL) with AND logic. The combined inputs of GluR1 synaptic delivery AND the sustained activation of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein-kinase-1 (PDK-1) results in synaptic incorporation of GluR4-containing AMPARs and the gradual acquisition of CRs. The network architecture described here for conditioning is postulated to act generally as a sign-sensitive delay element that is consistent with the nonlinearity of the conditioning process. Interestingly, this FFL structure also performs coincidence detection. A motif-based approach to modeling signal transduction can be used as a new tool for understanding molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity and learning and for comparing findings across forms of learning and model systems.