cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflective masks for 1X deep ultraviolet lithography

Recent work has demonstrated the high resolution optical performance possible with simple IX mostly-reflective optics: using 248nm light from a mercury arc lamp, 0.25pm features were delineated across a 2mm radius semicircular field, and much larger fields are possible with a scaled up version.[1] The mask required for this system consists of a quartz substrate, a patterned thin film reflector and a non-reflective backing which also serves to protect the reflector film. The mask is reflective at the quartz/reflector interface so the substrate is part of the projection optical path and so acts as the pellicle. We have investigated chromium, silicon and aluminum for the reflector material; their reflection coefficients at 248nm at the quartz- reflector interface are 30, 55, and 90 per cent respectively. Silicon has been chosen because it has a practical combination of reflectivity and ease of deposition and etching. Moreover films as thin as 30?m provide the full (bulk-value) reflection and so precise etching is further facilitated. Among possible absorber materials, novolak photoresist is a practical choice having a quartz/film reflectivity of 1%. Features down to 0.25?m are regularly patterned for these masks with a MEBES I using Shipley SAL-601 or PMMA electron beam resist.
Distribution of Thermal Maturity in Central Graben, North Sea: ABSTRACT

The distribution of oil and gas fields in the northern North Sea closely reflects the structural patterns of Mesozoic-graben development. Late Mesozoic-Tertiary basin subsidence in the Central graben has resulted in a very favorable burial history for source rock maturation. Time-stratigraphic information and present-day average temperature gradients were used from several wells to calculate depths of oil and gas windows in the area. By intersecting this depth-to-generation trend with the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous unconformity surface, the resulting map view reflects thermal maturation at this structural level plus the underlying Kimmeridge Clay. Average depths to the onset of moderate hydrocarbon generation range from 8,000 to 10,000 ft (2.438 to 3,048 m). A combination of rapid sedimentation and sufficient subsurface temperatures in the Central graben promoted early source rock maturity as compared with the northern North Sea as a whole. The absolute timing of oil generation could in part be dependent on the magnitude of paleotemperature changes possibly associated with thermal subsidence of the basin. Early oil generation and migration may have promoted preservation of high chalk porosities as discussed in published works on the Ekofisk area. End_of_Article - Last_Page 419------------
Dried Whey-Fat Blend Product as a Feed for Lactating Dairy Cows

Twenty lactating Holstein cows were in a switchback design with three periods of 4 wk each to evaluate a dried whey-fat blend product. The whey-fat blend, consisting of a blend of acid whey and soybean oil, contained 8.5% crude protein and 22.2% ether extract. Diets consisted of ad libitum corn silage and alfalfa hay, plus concentrate mix with or without whey-fat blend product fed at 1 kg/3 kg milk produced. The whey-fat blend concentrate mix contained 30% dried whey-fat blend product in place of equal portions of corn and oats. Control and whey-fat blend diets averaged 17.2 and 15.6% crude protein, 2.6 and 6.1% ether extract, and 20.2 and 19.0% acid detergent fiber (percent of dry matter). Milk yield (24.6 and 24.7 kg/day) and milk protein (3.03 and 3.01%) were similar for control and whey-fat blend diets, but fat (3.18 and 2.86%) was less for cows fed the whey-fat blend product. Milk flavor was not affected by diet, although milk fat from cows fed whey-fat blend contained more unsaturated fatty acids. Ruminal concentrations of acetate decreased and butyrate increased, whereas concentration of propionate was unaffected in cows fed whey-fat blend. Dry matter intakes were similar for both diets. Whey-fat blend can be an acceptable feed for lactating cows but should be amounts smaller than fed in this experiment to avoid possible milk fat depression and problems with feed handling.
Simulation of Subsonic Flow Through a Generic Labyrinth Seal Cavity

A finite difference computer program has been developed to predict the subsonic compressible flow within a single cavity of a concentric-rotor labyrinth seal. The recent QUICK convective differencing scheme is employed to eliminate false diffusion. Previously unavailable distributions of important flow variables throughout a generic seal cavity are presented. Specifically, the dimensionless results of four seal leakage mass flow rates at given cavity inlet pressure and temperature have been compared and important variations are examined. Also, realistic approximations of flow variable distributions within a labyrinth seal cavity are made from the included figures.Copyright © 1985 by ASME
Primary gastrointestinal cancers presenting as gynecologic malignancies.

Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to characterize presenting symptoms, prognostic factors, and treatment outcome in patients diagnosed with primary gastrointestinal (GI) cancers initially presumed to be of gynecologic origin. Methods A retrospective review of all admissions to the gynecologic oncology service at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, was performed between 1993 and 2003. Twenty-six patients with primary GI cancers who presented with presumed gynecologic malignancies were identified. Clinical and pathologic features were reviewed, methods of diagnosis were recorded, and survival was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results One percent of all gynecologic cancer referrals had a tumor of nongynecologic gastrointestinal origin. Seven subtypes of GI cancers were identified, most at stage 4 disease. Colon cancer was identified most commonly (26.9%). Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom (57.6%), and an adnexal mass was diagnosed in the majority of patients (65.4%). Preoperative endoscopic evaluation provided a definitive diagnosis in only 3.8%. The median survival was 15 months with a 5-year survival of 35%. Ninety-six percent of patients had their GI tumor definitively diagnosed by exploratory laparotomy. Optimal cytoreduction provided a 7-month survival advantage. Conclusion Most patients required a major surgical procedure to establish the primary diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer. The cancers encountered were almost always at advanced stage disease and were referred to the gynecologic oncologist due to the presence of an adnexal mass and a failed preoperative work-up. Surgical management should include removal of the primary or recurrent GI tumor and cytoreduction of all bulky disease, including adnexal metastases.
Frequency-agile, rapid scanning spectroscopy for ultrasensitive absorption measurements

We report a method for rapidly scanning a cw-laser through optical cavity resonances. This technique involves a microwave source and an electro-optic phase modulator, giving high sensitivity, wide tunability and fast acquisition rates.
Fracturing and hydrothermal alteration in normal fault zones

Large normal fault zones are characterized by intense fracturing and hydrothermal alteration. Displacement is localized in a slip zone of cataclasite, breccia and phyllonite surrounding corrugated and striated fault surfaces. Slip zone rock grades into fractured, but less comminuted and hydrothermally altered rock in the transition zone, which in turn grades abruptly into the wall rock. Fracturing and fluid flow is episodic, because permeability generated during earthquakes is destroyed by hydrothermal processes during the time between earthquakes.
Olfactory navigation to the nesting burrow in Leach's petrel (Oceanodroma Leucorrhoa)

Abstract Visual, auditory, and olfactory navigation in the homing behaviour of Leach's petrel to the nesting burrow were investigated. Petrels returning to their burrows at night hovered above the thick spruce-fir canopy in the vicinity of the burrow before plummeting to the forest floor a few metres downwind of their burrows. They then walked upwind to their burrows. Birds landed closer to, and followed more circuitous routes to, their burrows in still air than in a wind. They failed to avoid obstacles in the path to burrows, often failed to locate accurately burrow entrances on first trial, and vocalized only after entering the burrow. In a Y-maze olfactorium, captive breeding petrels chose an air current coming from their own nest material in preference to one from similar materials collected on the forest floor. In the same apparatus, birds did not respond positively to air currents from their own stomach oil or preen gland oil. Petrels taken from burrows and released that same night did not return within a week if their external nares were plugged or if their olfactory nerves were transected. They did return if not operated on or if only subjected to sham operations. These results support an olfactory guidance system in burrow location and argue against visual or auditory guidance.
Ohio Physicians' Intent to Adopt Electronic Prescribing

Background:Currently in health care, communication between prescribers and pharmacists routinely entails paper and a telephone. Many professional associations have strongly advocated the adoption of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) in physicians' clinical practices to decrease medication errors and adverse drug events. However, very few physicians have adopted this technology in the US.Objective:To determine the relationship between Ohio physicians' demographics and their intention to adopt e-prescribing; assess the relationships between attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as applied to physicians' intention to adopt e-prescribing; and identify factors that can predict physicians' intention toward the adoption of e-prescribing.Methods:In this exploratory cross-sectional study, we used a self-administered survey. The survey was developed based on the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior. It was mailed to 1500 physicians currently practicing in Ohio. Demographic infor...
A role of juvenile hormone in pupal development of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

Abstract In the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, as in other Lepidoptera, allatectomy of the penultimate instar larva causes precocious pupation. When allatectomized immediately after the initiation of the moult to the fifth instar, the resultant black larvae begin metamorphosis one day sooner than controls. They form pupae which show precocious adult differentiation of the eye and at the base of the forewings, nonextension and nonfusion of the pupal proboscis, and shortened pupal wings. Such adultoid characters appear if the larvae are allatectomized any time in the fifth instar up to the end of the wandering phase. Application of juvenile hormone (either JH I or a mimic, epoxygeranylsesamole) just before the onset of ocellar retraction at the beginning of the prepupal period prevents this precocious adult differentiation (the 50% effective dose of JH I is 3.3 ng/animal).
Contribution of Ca-Regulated Ion Currents to the Action Potential Morphology During Cardiac Alternans

Cardiac alternans, described as periodic beat-to-beat alternations in contraction, action potential (AP) morphology or cytosolic Ca transient (CaT) amplitude, is recognized as high risk indicator for cardiac arrhythmias, stroke and sudden cardiac death.We investigated mechanisms of cardiac alternans in single rabbit atrial myocytes. CaTs were monitored simultaneously with membrane currents or APs recorded with the patch clamp technique, and revealed a strong correlation between CaT amplitude and AP duration (APD) during alternans. Investigation of [Ca]i-Vm interactions indicates that disturbances in Ca signaling are the primary events mediating activity of Ca-regulated ion channels and leading to the changes in AP morphology. Voltage-clamp in form of pre-recorded APs (AP clamp) was used to assess the contribution of Ca-regulated membrane currents by measuring the difference between currents recorded during large and small alternans CaTs. Ca-dependent currents exhibited a large outward component (2.9 ± 1.1 pA/pF in amplitude) during AP phases 1 and 2 that was followed by an inward current (0.5 ± 0.1 pA/pF in amplitude; n=7) during AP repolarization. We also investigated contributions of Na/Ca exchange (NCX), L-type Ca, Ca-activated Cl and small conductance Ca-activated K currents to the AP morphology during Ca alternans. ∼90 % of the initial outward current was blocked by substitution of Cl ions or application of Cl channel blocker (DIDS) indicating that this current is mainly carried by Ca-activated Cl channels. In summary, during Ca alternans the prominent prolongation of AP at APD10 to APD30 repolarization levels during the small CaT is due to reduced Ca-activated Cl current while the overall effect of other Ca-sensitive currents (NCX, L-type Ca, small conductance K) cause slight shortening of AP in the APD50 to APD90 range.
Hypertensive patients' use of blood pressure monitors stationed in pharmacies and other locations: A cross-sectional mail survey

Blood pressure (BP) monitors are commonly stationed in public places such as pharmacies, but it is uncertain how many people with hypertension currently use them. We sought to estimate the proportion of hypertensive patients who use these types of monitors and examine whether use varies by demographic or health characteristics. We conducted a cross-sectional mail survey of hypertensive adults enrolled in a practice based research network of 24 primary care practices throughout the state of North Carolina. We analyzed results using descriptive statistics and examined bivariate associations using chi-square and independent associations using logistic regression. We received 530 questionnaires (76% response rate). Of 333 respondents (63%) who reported checking their BP in locations other than their doctor's office or home, 66% reported using a monitor stationed in a pharmacy. Younger patients more commonly reported using pharmacy monitors (48% among those 65 years old) and high school education (aOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.13–2.58) were associated with use of pharmacy-stationed monitors, but Black race was not. Patients with diabetes, heart disease, or stroke were not more likely to use pharmacy-stationed monitors. Hypertensive patients' use of BP monitors located in pharmacies is common. Younger patients, Blacks, and those with high school education were slightly more likely to report using them. Because use of these monitors is so common, efforts to ensure their accuracy are important.
Thermodynamics of Shape Memory Alloy Wire: Modeling, Experiments, and Application

A thermomechanical model for a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire under uniaxial loading is implemented in a finite element framework, and simulation results are compared with mechanical and infrared experimental data. The constitutive model is a one–dimensional strain-gradient continuum model of an SMA wire element, including two internal field variables, possible unstable mechanical behavior, and the relevant thermomechanical couplings resulting from latent heat effects. The model is calibrated to recent and new experiments of typical commercially available polycrystalline NiTi wire. The shape memory effect and pseudoelastic behaviors are demonstrated numerically as a function of applied displacement rate and environmental parameters, and the results compare favorably to experimental data. The model is then used to simulate a simple SMA actuator device, and its performance is assessed for different thermal boundary conditions.
Mouse-killing in the rat: effects of sensory deficits on attack behaviour and stereotyped biting.

Abstract Sensory transactions were performed in rats that killed mice after food-deprivation and subsequent satiation. Following partial maxillary or combined maxillary and optic deafferentation, but not after optic lesions alone, the number of mouse-kills declined sharply. This decline was accounted for by approximately a 50 per cent decrease in the number of mouse-presentations in which attack-behaviour took place and in the occurrence of attack-behaviour that did not always lead to a kill because rats frequently failed to bite. Furthermore, examination of killed mice revealed a shift in the distribution of body-bites away from the rostral regions normally seized by rats to more caudal areas of the mouse's body. Results indicate that certain stimulus-characteristics of mice mediated by the maxillary and optic nerves are important determinants of attack-behaviour and stereotyped biting in the rat.
Aspects of the decomposition of Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.)O.Kuntze (menyanthaceae)

Aspects of the decomposition of the floating-leaved macrophyte Nymphoides peltata (Gmel.)O.Kuntze were studied in the field and under laboratory conditions. Most organs of N. peltata showed different breakdown rates. In the field, the breakdown was influenced by seasonal and spatial factors. Depending on the exposure time and site of incubation, there were qualitative and quantitative differences in the populations of macro-invertebrates which colonized the N. peltata detritus. Only a limited number of taxa dominated the fauna community. Nevertheless, the total number of taxa and individuals in and on the detritus was sometimes very high (up to 750 individuals per g detritus). In the laboratory, ca. 5–6% of the organic weight loss of coarse leaf-blade detritus was found to be attributable to autolysis and ca. 18–23% to physical leaching of organic substances. In the initial phase of the decomposition experiment, bacteria were far more important than fungi in the breakdown of coarse leaf detritus. Later on, the role of the fungi in the disappearance of the coarse detritus increased. Although the fine particulate and dissolved organic matter was at times a considerable fraction of the total organic carbon pool of decomposing leaves, both the coarse detritus and the total organic carbon pool showed a relatively fast and temperature-dependent rate of disappearance. In the laboratory, the loss rates of the various elements in the coarse detritus showed the following order: K>Na>P>Mg>C>N>;Ca>Fe.
Analysis of liquid phase adsorption fractionation in fixed beds

Liquid phase adsorption has been one of the latest unit operations to receive theoretical treatment because of the relative complexity of the mechanisms involved. The purpose of this investigation is to present an improved method for solving problems, especially where intraparticle diffusion is a rate controlling mechanism. Appropriate boundary conditions for liquid phase adsorption and a general nonlinear equilibrium relation are included in deriving a system of partial differential equations describing the process. The mathematical model consists of a bulk phase material balance, an intraparticle diffusion equation, and a rate for interphase transfer; these equations must be solved simultaneously with the boundary conditions and equilibrium function. A numerical procedure is developed and discussed for use on a high-speed computer. The results are sets of computed curves for four liquid systems, each requiring a separate computer solution because of changes in feed concentration or equilibrium relationship. It is shown that for three of the four systems tested in this research, experimental data correlate with computed results better than in earlier work. Although the solution of this model has been carried out for particular examples, it should be applicable in the case of other liquid phase systems following the assumed mechanisms.
Lattice Defects in Tetragonal ZrO2

The activity of zirconium in the tetragonal ZrO2 phase was measured at 2200° to 2300°K as a function of composition by studying the reaction From the variation of the zirconium activity with composition, the pairwise interaction energy E11 between vacancies in the oxygen lattice was evaluated at -4.6 ± 1.0 kcal per mole.
Ego, Moral, and Faith Development in Near-Death Experiencers: Three Case Studies

Near-death experiencers (NDErs) commonly report shifts in basic values and attitudes, toward intensified compassion and a sense of unconditional love, sprituality, and a sense of mission, and away from materialism and competitiveness. Some researchers have suggested that these attitudinal shifts represent a new stage in human evolution, which will produce major social change. However, knowledge of these reputed NDE aftereffects has been based on NDErs' subjective reports, unverified by objective measures. This study examined relationships between three NDErs' levels of moral, ego, and faith development, as measured by standardized instruments, and extensive qualitative data describing their NDEs and personal attributes. The results suggest that currently available instruments, designed to measure the lower self, may not reflect the awakening to a transpersonal plane of functioning that follows an NDE.
The origin of helping: The role of variability in reproductive potential

We investigate the relationship between variation in reproductive potential among members of a family and genetic relatedness to determine which combinations favor natural selection for helping behavior. Conditions favoring helping are derived for the helper, the recipient, and the parents of these individuals. Our analysis reveals that a factor of general significance in the evolution of social organisms is variability in reproductive potential among offspring of a parent. To a limited extent this factor has already been appreciated because of its implicit role in “facultative altruism” and “parental manipulation”, or suppression of offspring or sibs; however, the unifying role of variance per se and the ways by which it may act have not been widely appreciated. We show that suppression as a source of intra-brood variance is less powerful in the evolution of sociality than other, natural, sources of variance. The facts of natural history appear to be more consistent with a model utilizing natural variance than with a variance-enhancement model for most vertebrates. We present models for discrete and for overlapping generations. Fecundity of young potential helpers relative to adults is an important source of variance for the origin of helping.
Review: angiotensin-receptor blockers do not reduce mortality or hospitalization rates in heart failure.

Source Citation Jong P, Demers C, McKelvie RS, Liu PP. Angiotensin receptor blockers in heart failure: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002 Feb 6;39:463-70. 11823085
A genetic method to quantitate induced chromosome breaks using a mouse/human monochromosomal hybrid cell line: Identification of potential clastogenic agents

Abstract A genetic assay to detect the clastogenic potential of environmental agents is described. This assay is based on the cloning efficiency of cells in a medium that permits the growth of cells following loss of a specific chromosome segment resulting from a chromosome break. For this purpose a mouse/human hybrid cell line R12-2 containing a dominantly marked chromosome 5 as the only human component has been constructed. This chromosome 5 carries two dominant selectable markers, Ecogpt and the gene for sensitivity to diphtheria toxin (DTS). Ecogpt codes for the enzyme xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase which allows selection for cells containing chromosome 5 or the segment carrying Ecogpt as judged by growth in medium supplemented with mycophenolic acid and xanthine (MX medium). Human cells are sensitive to 10−13 M DT, whereas mouse cells are resistant to 10−7 M DT and DTs is expressed as a dominant phenotype. Cultivation of R12-2 cells in the medium containing 10−13 M DT permit the selection of cells that have lost chromosome 5 or the segment carrying DTs. The presence of two selectable markers on the same chromosome permits the identification and quantitation of cells for the selective loss of a specific chromosome segment. Growth of R12-2 cells in MX medium containing 10−13 M DT therefore, provides a convenient method to determine the frequency of clastogen induced breaks in chromosome 5. The utility of the proposed genetic assay is assessed using X-irradiation as a model clastogen. Our results clearly show a dose related response that is consistent with cytogenetic observations.
Genistein cooperates with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat to induce cell death in prostate cancer cells

Among American men, prostate cancer is the most common, non-cutaneous malignancy that accounted for an estimated 241,000 new cases and 34,000 deaths in 2011. Previous studies have suggested that Wnt pathway inhibitory genes are silenced by CpG hypermethylation, and other studies have suggested that genistein can demethylate hypermethylated DNA. Genistein is a soy isoflavone with diverse effects on cellular proliferation, survival, and gene expression that suggest it could be a potential therapeutic agent for prostate cancer. We undertook the present study to investigate the effects of genistein on the epigenome of prostate cancer cells and to discover novel combination approaches of other compounds with genistein that might be of translational utility. Here, we have investigated the effects of genistein on several prostate cancer cell lines, including the ARCaP-E/ARCaP-M model of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), to analyze effects on their epigenetic state. In addition, we investigated the effects of combined treatment of genistein with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat on survival in prostate cancer cells. Using whole genome expression profiling and whole genome methylation profiling, we have determined the genome-wide differences in genetic and epigenetic responses to genistein in prostate cancer cells before and after undergoing the EMT. Also, cells were treated with genistein, vorinostat, and combination treatment, where cell death and cell proliferation was determined. Contrary to earlier reports, genistein did not have an effect on CpG methylation at 20 μM, but it did affect histone H3K9 acetylation and induced increased expression of histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1). In addition, genistein also had differential effects on survival and cooperated with the histone deacteylase inhibitor vorinostat to induce cell death and inhibit proliferation. Our results suggest that there are a number of pathways that are affected with genistein and vorinostat treatment such as Wnt, TNF, G2/M DNA damage checkpoint, and androgen signaling pathways. In addition, genistein cooperates with vorinostat to induce cell death in prostate cancer cell lines with a greater effect on early stage prostate cancer.
Simulating the dynamic behavior of immiscible binary fluids in three-dimensional chemically patterned microchannels

Using computer simulations, we investigate the behavior of an immiscible binary AB fluid that is driven to flow through a microchannel, which is decorated with a checkerboard pattern of chemically distinct A- and B-like patches on the top and bottom walls. We isolate conditions where the coupling between the imposed flow field and thermodynamic interactions yields a rich interfacial behavior between the A and B fluids and complex velocity patterns over the checkerboard domains. In effect, the A and B fluids undergo extensive mixing in specific regions of the channel, even for low Reynolds number flow. Decreasing the height-to-width ratio of the patterned microchannel enhances the extent of mixing between these two components. On the other hand, the length of the A/B interfaces is optimized in microchannels that have a square cross section. The results provide guidelines for designing microfluidic devices that can be used to effectively intermix multicomponent fluids.
Miraculously well-preserved trilobites

Muller, K. J. & Walossek, D. 1987: Morphology, Ontogeny, and Life Habit of Agnostus pisiformis from the Upper Cambrian of Sweden.
Communes of Medieval Italy

A reviewer of yet another textbook on medieval and early Renaissance Italian history (there have been several in the past four or five years) might feel rather like the painter Edgar Degas who when asked about the work of a confrere, made the altogether too sharp-tongued comment: 'He's a good fellow but I do wish he'd stop inventing the umbrella'. Happily, this reviewer can still appreciate well-made umbrellas. Hyde's survey discusses developments of Italian urban society from the eleventh through the mid-fourteenth century with glances back to Carolingian domination and even Roman times. His focus is almost entirely on the great cities of northern and central Italy with only an occasional word about the south. At the outset he advises the reader that
A secure and anonymous voter-controlled election scheme

Despite the massive improvements in technology the goal of having accurate, anonymous and voter-verifiable elections has not yet been realized. The existing electronic voting schemes that provide secret voter-verifiable receipts are based on ''classical'' mix-nets. These mix-nets approaches do not scale well and are designed to provide a fixed degree of anonymity which cannot be increased by the voters who do not trust the system. In this paper we propose a new voting scheme that allows the voters to increase their degree of anonymity beyond the one implicitly provided by the system and provides secret voter-verifiable receipts. The proposed scheme utilizes incoercible, voter-verifiable receipts. The scheme is robust as no reasonable-sized coalition can interfere with the correct operation. The scheme has low communication complexity and thus it is efficient to use in large scale elections.
Understanding ordinary unethical behavior: why people who value morality act immorally

Cheating, deception, organizational misconduct, and many other forms of unethical behavior are among the greatest challenges in today's society. As regularly highlighted by the media, extreme cases and costly scams are common. Yet, even more frequent and pervasive are cases of ‘ordinary’ unethical behavior — unethical actions committed by people who value and care about morality but behave unethically when faced with an opportunity to cheat. In this article, I review the recent literature in behavioral ethics and moral psychology on ordinary unethical behavior.
Hegemony or concordance? The rhetoric of tokenism in "Oprah" Winfrey's rags-to-riches biography

This article examines television and print biographies of television talk show host and producer Oprah Winfrey. Conventional biographical narratives construct a token “Oprah” persona whose life story resonates with and reinforces the ideology of the American Dream, implying the accessibility of this dream to black Americans despite the structural economic and political barriers posed in a racist society to achievement and survival. The article develops theories of tokenism, biography, autobiography, and hegemony to analyze both racial and gendered dimensions of tokenist biography. It describes tokenism as a rhetorical mechanism of liberal hegemony with regard to race and class. The essay challenges recent redefinitions of hegemony as happy “concordance” and suggests that critics cannot assume that black stars and texts automatically represent difference and resistance in popular culture.
Design requirements development for the AONSP acousto-optic adaptive processor

The acousto-optic null steering processor (AONSP) implementation of an acousto-optic adaptive processor (AOAP), a specific implementation of the least mean square algorithm in a correlation canceler loop configuration for radar sidelobe jammer rejection, is described. The expected performance of a jamming canceler processor is shown to depend on specific radar and jammer characteristics and on the performance limits of the implemented algorithm. The current status of the AONSP program is summarized.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interactions of water stress and aluminum stress in barley and sunflower cultivars

Abstract In an examination of data from the literature, four types of interactions were observed when water stress and Al stress were imposed simultaneously on sunflower plants grown in an acid soil. Two of the interactions were observed with barley plants. The effects were evaluated from the point of view of single and multiple stresses and also from the point of view of single and multiple inputs. The four types of interactions were sequential additivity, apparent positive syn‐ergism, positive synergism, and negative synergism or antagonism. The ratios of actual to predicted responses on the basis of sequential additivity for combinations of stresses or inputs are 1.00, greater than 1.00, less than 1.00, and much less than 1.00, respectively, for the four types. Mitscherlich‐like limiting factors are involved with the sequential additivity type and Liebig‐like ones generally with the others.
The detection of DNA-protein cross-links in rat tracheal implants exposed in vivo to benzo[a]pyrene and formaldehyde

Abstract The DNA damage associated with benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) and formaldehyde (HCHO) exposure in rat tracheal implants was determined by alkaline filter elution adapted to measure DNA-protein cross-links (DPC) in vivo. In addition, histopathological responses of the tracheal epithelium were quantitated after multiple exposures to 20 μg B[a]P and 0.2% HCHO. Compared to either agent alone, combined exposure for 1–4 weeks caused an increase in cellular atypia and greater thickness of hyperplastic and metaplastic lesions. HCHO exposure resulted in a dose-dependent increase in DPC with a maximal response of 85% DNA filter retention at 0.2% HCHO, which were mostly removed by 72 h. B[a]P did not cause DPC, but when tracheas were pre-exposed to 20 μg B[a]P followed by 0.05% HCHO there was a 15% decrease in HCHO-induced DPC. This competition between B[a]P and HCHO for sites presumably on DNA does not offer a clear explanation for their markedly enhanced co-carcinogenicity observed in previous studies, but does demonstrate the interaction between the two agents in tracheal epithelium.
Effects of sodium on agonist efficacy for G‐protein activation in μ‐opioid receptor‐transfected CHO cells and rat thalamus

Sodium ions inhibit spontaneous Gi/Go-coupled receptor activity and promote agonist-induced responses in vitro. The effects of sodium on the relative efficacy of opioid agonists for G-protein activation was measured by guanosine-5′-O-(γ-35S)-triphosphate ([35S]-GTPγS) binding in membranes from two μ-opioid receptor-containing systems: CHO cells stably transfected with mouse μ receptors (mMOR-CHO cells) and rat thalamus. NaCl inhibited basal [35S]-GTPγS binding in both systems, and this effect was partially mimicked by KCl. In mMOR-CHO membranes, net [35S]-GTPγS binding stimulated by partial but not full agonists was inhibited by NaCl with a potency that was inversely proportional to agonist efficacy. Monovalent cations were required for agonist-stimulated [35S]-GTPγS binding in this system, and increasing NaCl concentrations magnified relative efficacy differences among agonists. In thalamic membranes, which contain a lower receptor:G-protein ratio than mMOR-CHO cells, similar monovalent cation effects were observed, with two exceptions: (1) [35S]-GTPγS binding stimulated by both full and partial agonists was inhibited by NaCl; and (2) monovalent cations were not required to observe agonist-stimulated [35S]-GTPγS binding. Basal [35S]-GTPγS binding stimulated by the absence of monovalent cations resembled that of agonist-stimulated binding and was blocked by pretreatment of mMOR-CHO cells with pertussis toxin. These results indicate that sodium inhibits spontaneous and agonist-occupied μ receptor-mediated G-protein activation in a manner inversely proportional to the efficacy of the agonist, and that spontaneous μ receptor activity and the relative efficacy of partial agonists acting at these receptors are both increased by increases in the stoichiometric ratio of receptors:G-proteins. British Journal of Pharmacology (2000) 130, 987–996; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0703382
Flood Detection/Monitoring Using Adjustable Histogram Equalization Technique

Flood monitoring technique using adjustable histogram equalization is proposed. The technique overcomes the limitations (overenhancement, artifacts, and unnatural look) of existing technique by adjusting the contrast of images. The proposed technique takes pre- and postimages and applies different processing steps for generating flood map without user interaction. The resultant flood maps can be used for flood monitoring and detection. Simulation results show that the proposed technique provides better output quality compared to the state of the art existing technique.
A displacement analysis of the general spatial 7-link, mechanism

Abstract An input-output equation of degree 32 in the tan-half-angle of the output angular displacement is expressed in the form of a 16 × 16 determinant equated to zero for the single-loop, single-degree-of-freedom linkage with seven links connected by seven turning pairs arbitrarily oriented in space. An algorithm is developed for computing values of the remaining angular displacements of the mechanism. The results are verified by numerical examples. The derivation of the input-output equation and the development of the algorithm are outlined before proceeding with the detailed algebraic analysis. The detailed analysis is performed using a unified theory for the analysis of spatial mechanisms [1,2] which was developed using a treatise on spherical trigonometry by Todhunter and Leatham [3].
Petrogenesis of a voluminous Quaternary adakitic volcano: the case of Baru volcano

The origin of adakite magmas remains controversial because initially the term adakite had petrogenetic significance implying an origin by direct melting of the eclogitized subducting oceanic crust. Many models have been produced for their origin, and until now there has not been a straightforward method to discriminate between these models in a given adakite suite. Here, we use detailed chronological and geochemical studies of selected adakitic edifices that allows for the determination of the magmatic output rate parameter (Qe), which has been correlated with the rates of magma generation deep within subduction zones. By providing temporal and eruption rate estimates, we provide constraints on the possible petrogenetic processes involved in the generation of adakite-like signatures. Adakite magmas derived from the melting of the subducting slab should be volumetrically insignificant when compared to the adakite-like magmas produced by typical arc magma generation processes. In this study, we use this observation and the extraordinary stratigraphic exposure from Miocene to present in an adakitic volcano in Panama and to study the temporal and chemical variation in erupted magmas to estimate rates of magma generation. Detailed chemical and geochronological analyses of Baru volcano indicate that the volcanic edifice was constructed in its entirety during the Quaternary and magmas display adakite-like features such as steep rare earth elements patterns, pronounced depletions in the heavy rare earth elements, low Y, high Sr, and high Sr/Y. The magmatic output rates (Qe) that we have calculated show that compared to other typical adakitic volcanoes, most of the volcanic edifice of Baru volcano was constructed extremely rapidly (<~213 k.a.) and in time frames that are similar to typical arc volcanoes. The observed chemical and mineralogical variation, coupled with the high magma production rates, indicate that Baru volcano is more representative of a typical arc volcano than a small-volume melt of the subducting oceanic crust. The technique we outline may have broader application in determining the petrogenetic conditions of other adakite suites.
Tertiary Interferometric Wavelength Standards from Measurements on Lines of the 2-0 Band of Carbon Monoxide and Derived Wavelength Standards for Some Lines of the 1-0 Band of Carbon Monoxide. The Velocity of Light Derived from a Band Spectrum Method. IV*

Interferometric wavelength measurements have been made on thirty-three lines of the 2–0 band of CO at 4260 cm−1. These measurements were made relative to R(18) of this band, which had previously been measured against the Hg198 green line, and have a relative accuracy of 1 part in 107. The R(6) line of the 3–0 band has also been measured interferometrically. These data, when combined with results of other investigators, give the following values for constants, all in cm−1:B0=1.922521±0.0000035D0=6.117×10−6±0.01×10−6B2−B0=−0.035008D2−D0=−1.9×10−9Be=1.931285αe=0.017535γe=1.01×10−5βe=−1.0×10−9ωe=2169.829xeωe=13.295yeωe=0.0115.The precise constants allow wavelengths to be calculated for the 1–0 band at 2143 cm−1. Since accurate measurements in this region are difficult to make, it is felt that these calculated values are more accurate than any measured values so far reported.The value of B0, when combined with recent microwave results, gives for the velocity of light c=299 793.7±0.7 km/sec.
Spectral absorption-coefficient data on HCFC-22 and SF6 for remote-sensing applications

Spectral absorption-coefficients (cross-sections) kappa(sub nu) (/cm/atm) have been measured in the 7.62, 8.97, and 12.3 micrometer bands of HCFC-22 (CHClF2) and the 10.6 micrometer bands of SF6 employing a high-resolution Fourier-transform spectrometer. Temperature and total pressure have been varied to simulate conditions corresponding to tropospheric and stratospheric layers in the atmosphere. The kappa(sub nu) are compared with values measured by us previously using a tunable diode laser spectrometer and with the appropriate entries in HITRAN and GEISA, two of the databases known to the atmospheric scientist. The measured absolute intensities of the bands are compared with previously published values.
Monte Carlo comparison of heterojunction cathode Gunn oscillators

We have performed Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the physics of heterojunction cathode Gunn oscillators. We show that a simple heterojunction cathode does not improve the device performance because the Gunn domain matures too quickly. The inclusion of a thin n+ layer at the heterojunction allows the Gunn domain to grow throughout the length of the device. This yields improved performance as was recently experimentally observed.
Plantar pressures and ankle kinematics following anterior tibialis tendon transfers in children with clubfoot

Materials and methods Thirty children (37 feet) were evaluated preand 2.0 ±0.6 yrs (range: 0.8 to 2.9) post-op following ATT transfer. Foot progression angle (FPA) and sagittal ankle kinematics were assessed using a VICON system. Plantar pressures were collected using the Emed ST Platform. Representative trials were chosen for each subject for gait and plantar pressures. Plantar pressures were divided into medial and lateral hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot. Variables included: contact time (CT%), contact area (CA% total), peak pressure (PP), hindfoot-forefoot angle [2], deviation of the center-of-pressure (COP) line and region of initial contact. Twenty age matched controls were used for comparison.
Differential effects of various eicosanoids on the production or prevention of arrhythmias in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

Abstract To identify the arrhythmogenic and the antiarrhythmic eicosanoids, cultured, spontaneously beating, neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were used to examine the effects of various eicosanoids added to the medium superfusing the cells at different concentrations on the contraction of the myocytes. Superfusion of the myocytes with the prostaglandins (PGD 2 , PGE 2 , PGF 2α ) or the thromboxane (TXA 2 )-mimetic, U 46619, induced reversible tacharrhythmias characterized by an increased beating rate, chaotic activity and contractures. These effects are concentration-dependent. PGF 2α and U 46619 were much more potent than PGD 2 or PGE 2 in the production of tachyarrhythmias. Prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) induced a marked reduction in the contraction rate of the cells with a slight increase in the amplitude of the contractions and showed a protective effect against the arrhythmias induced by PGF 2α and TXA 2 (U 46619). PGE 1 exerted a dose-dependent dual effect on the contraction of the myocytes. At low concentrations ( 1 reduced the contraction rate of the cells with an increase in the amplitude of the contractions and effectively terminated the tachyarrhythmias induced by arrhythmogenic agents, such as isoproterenol, ouabain and U 46619. At higher concentrations (>5 μM), PGE 1 caused cell contractures and chaotic activity. In contrast, the lipoxygenase products [leukotriene (LT) B 4 , LTC 4 , LTD 4 Download full-size image LTE 4 ] of arachidonic acid (AA) had no significant effect on the myocyte contractions. The eicosanoids derived from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), including both the cyclooxygenase products (PGD 3 , PGE 3 , PGF 3α , TXB 3 ) showed lesser effects on the contraction of the myocytes. The lipoxygenase products (LTB 5 , LTC 5 , LTD 5 & LTE 5 ), as with the AA metabolites showed little effect on the contraction of cardiac myocytes. The arrhythmias induced by the arrhythmogenic prostaglandins and thromboxane A 2 could be suppressed by the nonmetabolizable AA analog eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) or free AA and EPA, indicating a distinction in the effect on cardiac arrhythmia between the precursor fatty acids (AA & EPA) themselves and their metabolites. In conclusion, the major arrhythmogenic eicosanoids are the cycloxygenase products of AA, whereas those products of EPA are much less or not effective; PGE 1 , PGI 2 , ETYA and EPA have antiarrhythmic effects.
Evaluation of Circulating Proteins and Hemodynamics Towards Predicting Mortality in Children with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background Although many predictors have been evaluated, a set of strong independent prognostic mortality indicators has not been established in children with pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The aim of this study was to identify a combination of clinical and molecular predictors of survival in PAH.
α-Helical Polypeptide Films Grown From Sulfide or Thiol Linkers on Gold Surfaces

We prepared two new linkers, S-functionalized adamantane derivatives 2 and 3, which bind as monolayers on polycrystalline gold. From these surface anchors, both L- and D-isomers of alanine can be grown as thin films of α-helical polypeptides directed from the gold surface by using the appropriate N-carboxyalanine anhydride. FT-IR Studies show that these layers are roughly 1000-A thick and that, under the same growth conditions, the L-polypeptide layers grow at a rate ca. 30% greater than that of the non-natural D-amino acid. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies show that, upon equilibration, all three S-atoms of the sulfide moieties of 2 are bound to the gold surface, and that, on average, three of the four thiols of 3 are chemoadsorbed. The essential role of H2O on the surface of these films as a necessary component in these gas-phase polymerization reactions is demonstrated.
Effects of p-chlorophenylalanine on the predatory behavior of Onychomys torridus.

Adult male and female grasshopper mice, Onychomys torridus, were treated over a 5 day period with p-chlorophenylalanine (50 mg/kg daily), a depletor of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). These mice exhibited a significant decrease over the 5 day test interval in predation time and predation score in encounters with cricket prey. However, the basic pattern and frequency of attacks for drug-treated mice remained similar to saline controls. The relation between the various brain amine systems and predatory behavior is discussed and the utility of the grasshopper mouse as a laboratory model for the study of predatory behavior is emphasized.