cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pumping slurries forming highly compactible cakes

Highly compactible filter cakes respond to pump pressure in an unexpected manner. At relatively low pressures, the filtrate rate reaches a constant, maximum value and does not increase when the pressure increases. Slurries containing large fragile flocs with high porosity (biosolids, and wastewater sludge) lead to highly compactible sediments and filter cakes. When the local specific flow resistance α increases more rapidly than the local effective pressure p s (dα/dp s >1), the region of supercompactibility has been reached. Methods are presented for estimating the magnitude of the pressure at which the rate approaches its limiting value. The interaction of centrifugal and constant-rate pumps with slurries of highly compactible materials is analyzed in this article. Centrifugal pumps should be chosen so that the pump pressure does not fall in the region where the rate is unaffected by pressure. Constant-rate pumps lead to exceedingly high pressures at very short times.
Paramagnetic Meissner effect in conventional Nb superconductors

The paramagnetic Meissner effect (PME), in which the field-cooled-magnetization (FCM) of superconducting samples is positive below the superconducting transition temperature Tc, has been observed in certain ceramic and single-crystal samples of the high-Tc cuprate superconductors and more recently in disk-shaped Nb samples. Through systematic investigations of the conditions for observing the PME in Nb disks, various surface treatments to the Nb disks were found to change both the zero-field-cooled-magnetization (ZFCM) and the FCM, including the appearance of a positive FCM in samples previously not exhibiting the PME as well as the elimination of the PME through surface abrasion. These results suggest that the PME arises from the field distributions created by the flux pinning associated with microstructural defects on the surface layer of the disk.
Genetic and immunopathological findings in a lymphoma family

We have studied a remarkable family with seven cases of malignant lymphoma extending through three generations wherein five sisters and their mother had histopathologically documented non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while a granddaughter had Hodgkin's disease. An immunological study of three lymphoma survivors, nine of their first degree relatives, and four spouse controls was undertaken. Significant findings consisted of a depressed serum IgG3 level in four of the nine first-degree relatives; in two of these four, lymphocyte stimulation by both pokeweed mitogen and concanavalin A were significantly depressed. The subtle immunological abnormalities present in this kindred may be associated with the pathogenesis of the lymphomas.
Clinicopathological correlates of Gli1 expression in a population-based cohort of patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer

Abstract Introduction Dysregulation of the hedgehog signaling pathway has been linked to the development and progression of a variety of different human tumors including cancers of the skin, brain, colon, prostate, blood, and pancreas. We assessed the clinicopathological factors that are potentially related to expression of Gli1, the transcription factor that is thought to be the most reliable marker of hedgehog pathway activation in bladder cancer. Methods Bladder cancer cases were identified from the New Hampshire State Cancer Registry as histologically confirmed primary bladder cancer diagnosed between January 1, 2002, and July 31, 2004. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on a tissue microarray to detect Gli1and p53 expression in these bladder tumors. We computed odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs for Gli1 positivity for pathological category using T category (from TNM), invasiveness, and grade with both the World Health Organization 1973 and World Health Organization International Society of Urological Pathology criteria. We calculated hazard ratios and their 95% CI for Gli1 positivity and recurrence for both Ta-category and invasive bladder tumors (T1+). Results A total of 194 men and 67 women, whose tumors were assessable for Gli1 staining, were included in the study. No appreciable differences in Gli1 staining were noted by sex, age, smoking status, or high-risk occupation. Ta-category tumors were more likely to stain for Gli1 as compared with T1-category tumors (adjusted OR = 0.38, CI: 0.17–0.87). Similarly, low-grade (grades 1–2) tumors were more likely to stain for Gli1 as compared with high-grade tumors (grade 3) (adjusted OR = 0.44, CI: 0.21–0.93). In a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, non–muscle-invasive bladder tumors expressing Gli1 were less likely to recur (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.48; CI: 0.28–0.82; P Conclusion Our findings indicate that Gli1 expression may be a marker of low-stage, low-grade bladder tumors and an indicator of a reduced risk of recurrence in this group.
Off-line economies for digital media

We propose a novel platform for building off-line markets for digital content. The key objective is to enable an arbitrary user of specific digital content to resell it to other users in an off-line peer-to-peer manner so that part of the proceeds go to content's copyright holder. Most importantly, one part of the revenues is retained by the seller as an incentive for participating in the distributed economy. To address this objective, a transaction is finalized and incentives distributed to the seller on-line using a client-server architecture. Technologically, such systems can be readily created, for example, by adding a communication tool such as Bluetooth to a portable media player such as the iPod. We present a threat model for the proposed system and devise a novel protocol that relies on traditional public-key cryptography to ensure secure and efficient off-line transactions of arbitrary digital content. As a consequence, in our system copyright holders can control the pricing and recruit a powerful marketing and sales force with marginal investment and via various types of incentives, users are offered the ability to sell or purchase content they like anywhere, anytime, and to/from anyone.
Measurement of HCl absorption coefficients with a DF laser

Absorption coefficients in the fundamental P-branch of HCl at several DF laser transitions from 2439.02 cm(-1) to 2862.87 cm(-1) have been measured experimentally. The 2-1 P(3) DF laser transition has been shown to overlap the P(6) HCl(37) absorption line within the halfwidth of an atmospherically broadened line. The absorption coefficient k was measured to be 5.64 +/- 0.28 (atm-cm)cm(-1) for a 0.27% mixture of HCl in N(2) at a total pressure of 760 Torr. A theoretical and experimental comparison of the pressure dependence of k showed that the 2-1 P(3) DF transition lies 1.32 +/- 0.15 GHz from the center of the P(6) HCl absorption line. This line separation is in good agreement with published positions for this DF laser transition and the HCl absorption line. At least four other DF laser transitions in the spectral interval measured are reported showing measurable absorption (>/=10%) for a 10.2% mixture of HCl in N(2) across a 1-m pathlength. Applications of these results to differential absorption lidar (DIAL) and to heterodyne detection are also discussed.
Potential flow applications to complex configurations

Recent advances in CFD methods have enabled the analytic calculation of the carriage loads for stores mounted on complex aircraft. The latest results have demonstrated excellent agreement with test data for the F-15 at M = 0.98. However, in a preliminary design environment, the necessity of generating and validating a Euler grid to fit the aircraft and store arrangement may not be feasible, particularly when effects of configuration changes are considered. For that reason alternative approaches which require less time to arrive at an answer deserve consideration. The paper presents the results of a study to determine if potential flow solutions can give acceptable estimates of store carriage loads at transonic speeds in a timely manner.
Investigation of plastic materials for application as PV module connectors

Five different plastic materials have been tested for their candidacy as connectors between PV modules. The tests were based on environmental stresses that a PV module could realistically be expected to endure over several decades in outdoors and include CTI, RTI, flame retardance and impact resistance. The best overall results were seen for polycarbonate / silicone copolymers.
POSTTRANSPLANT MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS

The complications that occur in the allograft recipient can be divided into early and late complications depending on whether they occur within 6 months or later in the posttransplantation period. However, some of the complications can overlap in their time of occurrence. Early complications include acute renal failure, allograft rejection, technical problems, infections, and gastrointestinal disorders. Late complications include de novo and recurrent renal disease, chronic allograft rejection, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, malignancy, musculoskeletal problems, skin diseases, cataracts, and posttransplantation diabetes. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are problems that start early but continue into the late posttransplantation period (Table 1).
CSP-based object-oriented description and simulation of a reconfigurable adaptive beamforming architecture using the OODRA workbench

Application of the Object-Oriented Design of Reliable/Reconfigurable Architectures (OODRA) workbench to the performance simulation of a reconfigurable adaptive digital beamforming architecture is described in this paper. The performance effects due to chip/wafer partitioning and reconfiguration for fault tolerance and yield enhancement are presented. The experiments described illustrate use of the OODRA workbench in architectural-level performance evaluation of algorithm-specific reconfigurable architectures, particularly for signal processing applications.
Studies onBonnetia comta [Dipt.: Tachinidae] parasitizingAgrotis ipsilon [Lep.: Noctuidae] larvae

Laboratory studies showed that 1st-instarBonnetia comta (Fallen) maggots (planidia) had a significant impact (P<0.05) on mortality of all black cutworm (BCW),Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), instars, either by killing 1st- and 2nd-instar BCWs 2.3 to 9.7 days after parasitization or by producing a puparium from older host instars. Diet consumption and utilization by BCW larvae parasitized byB. comta as 4th instars were similar to those of nonparasitized larvae until 1 to 2 days before the parasitoid emerged. In a 2-year host exposure study in Iowa, it was found thatB. comta primarily parasitized released BCWs in June through September and did not seem to play a role in controlling the damaging 1st generation of BCW larvae.
Effects of phosphatidylcholine liposomes on the fatty acid synthetase complex from Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Abstract Phosphatidylcholine liposomes stimulate fatty acid synthesis catalyzed by the multienzyme complex from Mycobacterium smegmatis up to 3-fold and raise the proportion of shorter chain fatty acids (C14, C16, C18) from 15 to 72%. Palmitoyl-CoA in a concentration of 10 μM inhibits the synthetase completely. This inhibition is fully relieved by liposomes. Increasing the incubation temperature from 19 to 45° C, raises the rate of synthesis (2-fold) and the proportion of long chain fatty acids (C24 and C26). Liposomes (250 μM) potentiate the effect of temperature on rate by another factor of 2 and have a chain-shortening effect in parallel with increasing temperature. In short term experiments (30 s) an increase in the concentration of acetyl-CoA (from 50 to 1000 μM) does not significantly affect the overall rate of synthesis but it doubles the percentage of short chain fatty acids. Under these conditions there is no superimposed liposome effect either on rate or product distribution. During longer periods (15 min) the overall rate increases as a function of acetyl-CoA concentration. This rate increase is enhanced by liposomes. At the same time, liposomes substantially raise the percentage of short chain acids. It is concluded that liposomes affect the de novo synthesis rate by alleviating feedback inhibition of the synthetase caused by C16- and C18-CoA. By sequestering these products, liposomes minimize the further elongation of C16 chains. The possible role of membrane phospholipids in controlling the rate of synthesis and the length of fatty acid chains is discussed.
In vivo measurement of bone mass in the radius.

Abstract A sensitive method for measuring bone mass in the radius is described. It employs a monochromatic gamma source (125I) to scan the bone. The method is quite reproducible with a coefficient of variation of approximately 2.5 per cent. An estimate of reliability indicates that most of the variation in a population survey is due to difference in the individuals rather than instrumentation error. Females have lower bone mass than males and Caucasians lower than Negroes. There is a marked decrease in the bone mass of women after age 50 and a more gradual loss in men after age 60. Scans at 3 cm. from the distal end of the radius measure primarily cancellous bone. Patients with vertebral collapse have significantly less mass at this site than those without collapse. Scans at 8 cm. measure primarily compact bone. The total mass measurement is useful for following individuals over extended periods. This figure may be divided by the scan width and, at the 8 cm. level, this provides a better figure to differentiate the abnormal individual from the population. This is a rapid, accurate method of determining bone mass which can easily produce comparable results in different laboratories.
Professional School Counseling (PSC) Publication Pattern Review: A Meta-Study of Author and Article Characteristics from the First 15 Years.

Patterns of articles published in Professional School Counseling (PSC) from the first 15 volumes were reviewed in this meta-study. Author characteristics (e.g., sex, employment setting, nation of domicile) and article characteristics (e.g., topic, type, design, sample, sample size, participant type, statistical procedures and sophistication) were described and analyzed for trends over 5-year blocks of time.
DAD, an Innovative Tool for Income Distribution Analysis

Numerous theoretical and empirical studies have examined the economics of income distribution and redistribution. Kolm [5] and Atkinson’s [1] original papers initiated extensive theoretical discussions on techniques to measure income inequality. Lambert’s [6] milestone book completely reviewed the theoretical basis underlying income distribution and related issues including redistribution, social welfare, and poverty. With the development of theory in income distribution, economists are eager to apply the theory to empirical problems in welfare economics, labor economics, and development economics [2]. Income related data become the key component of all empirical analysis. How to analyze the income data correctly and efficiently is the challenge to every researcher in this field. Hardware seems no longer to be a problem after the information technology advance from the outdated IBM mainframes to personal computers that are much faster and smaller nowadays. However, there is no single dominant software for income distribution analysis. Popular statistical packages, like SAS, Stata, and GAUSS, were not developed specifically for economists who are interested in income inequality, redistribution and social welfare. These software packages do not provide the most effective way to analyze income data for the following reasons:
Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy for Rectal Cancer and the Role of Adjuvant Therapy

Both the addition of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy and improvements in surgical techniques have improved local control and overall survival for locally advanced rectal cancer patients over the past few decades. The addition of adjuvant chemotherapy has likely improved outcomes as well, though the contribution has been more difficult to quantify. At present, the majority of resected locally advanced rectal cancer patients receive adjuvant chemotherapy, though there is great variability in this practice based on both patient and institution characteristics. Recently, questions have been raised regarding which sub-groups of patients benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy. As pathologic complete response (pCR) is increasingly found to be a reasonable surrogate for long-term favorable outcomes, some have questioned the need for adjuvant therapy in this select group of patients. Multiple retrospective analyses have shown minimal to no benefit for adjuvant chemotherapy in this group. Indeed, the patients most consistently shown to benefit from adjuvant therapy both in terms of disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are those who achieve an intermediate pathologic response to neoadjuvant treatment. Tumors that have high expression of thymidylate synthetase have also shown to benefit from adjuvant therapy. More study is needed into clinical and molecular features that predict patient benefit from adjuvant therapy.
Closed-form displacement analysis of 8, 9 and 10-link mechanisms

Abstract This paper presents closed-form solutions to the displacement analysis problem of planar 8-link mechanisms with 1 degree-of-freedom (DOF). Using the successive elimination procedure presented herein, the degrees of the input–output (I/O) polynomials as well as the number of assembly configurations for all 71 mechanisms resulting from 16 8-link kinematic chains are presented. It is shown that the displacement analysis problems for these mechanisms can be classified into nine distinct structures each of which can be reduced into a univariate polynomial devoid of any extraneous roots. This univariate polynomial corresponds to the I/O polynomial of the mechanism. Three numerical examples illustrating the applicability of the successive elimination procedure to the displacement analysis of 8-link mechanisms are presented. The first example deals with the determination of I/O polynomial for an 8-link mechanism which does not contain any 4-link loops. The second and third examples address in detail some of the problems associated with the conversion of transcendental loop closure equations into an algebraic form using tangent half-angle substitutions. An application of the proposed approach to the displacement analysis of spherical 8-link mechanisms is also presented.
Pancreatic cancer tumor size on CT scan versus pathologic specimen: implications for radiation treatment planning.

Purpose Pancreatic cancer primary tumor size measurements are often discordant between computed tomography (CT) and pathologic specimen after resection. Dimensions of the primary tumor are increasingly relevant in an era of highly conformal radiotherapy. Methods and Materials We retrospectively evaluated 97 consecutive patients with resected pancreatic cancer at two Boston hospitals. All patients had CT scans before surgical resection. Primary endpoints were maximum dimension (in millimeters) of the primary tumor in any direction as reported by the radiologist on CT and by the pathologist for the resected gross fresh specimen. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) findings were analyzed if available. Results Of the patients, 87 (90%) had preoperative CT scans available for review and 46 (47%) had EUS. Among proximal tumors ( n = 69), 40 (58%) had pathologic duodenal invasion, which was seen on CT in only 3 cases. The pathologic tumor size was a median of 7 mm larger compared with CT size for the same patient (range, −15 to 43 mm; p p = 0.0003). Conclusions Computed tomography scans significantly under-represent pancreatic cancer tumor size compared with pathologic specimens in resectable cases. We propose a clinical target volume expansion formula for the primary tumor based on our data. The high rate of pathologic duodenal invasion suggests a risk of duodenal undercoverage with highly conformal radiotherapy.
Transfer function of thin-film heat flux sensor

Two heat flux transducers of different frequency response characteristics are compared. The sensors are evaluated by mounting them adjacent to one another in the heated intake manifold runner of a motoring spark ignition engine. Their ensemble averaged signals are transformed into the frequency domain. The transfer function for the slower of the two probes is derived from the amplitude and phase relation between the two signals.
Metabolic actions of thyroxine derivatives and analogs.

THERE has been a recent resurgence of interest in the chemical aspects of ‘thyroxine action. This has been largely due to the interest aroused amongst organic chemists by the discovery (1) of the high biological response to 3,5,3’-triiodothyronine (TRIT), amounting to some 4 four or more times that shown by thyroxine (2). The present report constitutes a preliminary presentation of what is hoped eventually to be the complete series of thyroxine and triiodothyronine analogs having the alanine side-chain replaced by fatty acids with one through four carbon atoms. In this study, we have determined the effects of injecting thyroxine and its analogs and derivatives on the metabolic rate of various representa- * tive tissues of the thyroidectomized rat.
SGLT1 is a novel cardiac glucose transporter that is perturbed in disease states

Aims Cardiac myocytes depend on a delicate balance of glucose and free fatty acids as energy sources, a balance that is disrupted in pathological states such as diabetic cardiomyopathy and myocardial ischaemia. There are two families of cellular glucose transporters: the facilitated-diffusion glucose transporters (GLUT); and the sodium-dependent glucose transporters (SGLT). It has long been thought that only the GLUT isoforms, GLUT1 and GLUT4, are responsible for cardiac myocyte glucose uptake. However, we discovered that one SGLT isoform, SGLT1, is also an important glucose transporter in heart. In this study, we aimed to determine the human and murine cardiac expression pattern of SGLT1 in health and disease and to determine its regulation. Methods and results SGLT1 was largely localized to the cardiac myocyte sarcolemma. Changes in SGLT1 expression were observed in disease states in both humans and mouse models. SGLT1 expression was upregulated two- to three-fold in type 2 diabetes mellitus and myocardial ischaemia ( P < 0.05). In humans with severe heart failure, functional improvement following implantation of left ventricular assist devices led to a two-fold increase in SGLT1 mRNA ( P < 0.05). Acute administration of leptin to wildtype mice increased cardiac SGLT1 expression approximately seven-fold ( P < 0.05). Insulin- and leptin-stimulated cardiac glucose uptake was significantly ( P < 0.05) inhibited by phlorizin, a specific SGLT1 inhibitor. Conclusion Our data suggest that cardiac SGLT1 expression and/or function are regulated by insulin and leptin, and are perturbed in disease. This is the first study to examine the regulation of cardiac SGLT1 expression by insulin and leptin and to determine changes in SGLT1 expression in cardiac disease.
Microstructural Response During Isothermal and Isobaric Loading of a Precipitation-Strengthened Ni-29.7Ti-20Hf High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloy

A stable Ni-rich Ni-29.7Ti-20Hf (at. pct) shape memory alloy, with relatively high transformation temperatures, was shown to exhibit promising properties at lower raw material cost when compared to typical NiTi-X (X = Pt, Pd, Au) high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs). The excellent dimensional stability and high work output for this alloy were attributed to a coherent, nanometer size precipitate phase observed using transmission electron microscopy. To establish an understanding of the role of these precipitates on the microstructure and ensuing stability of the NiTiHf alloy, a detailed study of the micromechanical and microstructural behaviors was performed. In-situ neutron diffraction at stress and temperature was used to obtain quantitative information on phase-specific internal strain, texture, and phase volume fractions during both isothermal and isobaric testing of the alloy. During isothermal testing, the alloy exhibited low isothermal strains due to limited detwinning, consistent with direct measurements of the bulk texture through neutron diffraction. This limited detwinning was attributed to the pinning of twin and variant boundaries by the dispersion of fine precipitates. During isobaric thermal cycling at 400 MPa, the high work output and near-perfect dimensional stability was attributed to the presence of the precipitates that act as homogeneous sources for the nucleation of martensite throughout the material, while providing resistance to irrecoverable processes such as plastic deformation.
Contrasting zircon morphology and UPb systematics in peralkaline and metaluminous post-orogenic granite complexes of the Arabian Shield, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Uzircon ages are reported for seven metaluminous-to-peralkaline post-orogenic granites from the Late Proterozoic Arabian Shield of Saudi Arabia. Zircons from the metaluminous rocks are prismatic, with length-to-width ratios of ∼ 2–4: 1 and small pyramidal terminations. In contrast, zircons from three of the four peralkaline complexes either lack well-developed prismatic faces (are pseudo-octahedral) or are anhedral. Some zircons from the peralkaline granites contain inherited radiogenic Pb and have very high common Pb contents (206Pb/204Pb < 150), making the UPb method poorly suited for determining the age of these rocks. Zircons in the metaluminous granites do not contain inheritance and yield well-defined concordia intercepts. The span of ages of the seven complexes (670-470 Ma) indicates that post-orogenic granitic magmatism was not a singular event in the Arabian Shield but rather occurred as multiple intrusive episodes from the Late Proterozoic to the Middle Ordovician.
Advanced Micromechanical Model for Transformation-Induced Plasticity Steels with Application of In-Situ High-Energy X-Ray Diffraction Method

Compared to other advanced high-strength steels, transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels exhibit better ductility at a given strength level and can be used to produce complicated automotive parts. This enhanced formability comes from the transformation of retained austenite to martensite during plastic deformation. In this study, as a first step in predicting optimum processing parameters in TRIP steel productions, a micromechanical finite element model is developed based on the actual microstructure of a TRIP 800 steel. The method uses a microstructure-based representative volume element (RVE) to capture the complex deformation behavior of TRIP steels. The mechanical properties of the constituent phases of the TRIP 800 steel and the fitting parameters describing the martensite transformation kinetics are determined using the synchrotron-based in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) experiments performed under a uniaxial tensile deformation. The experimental results suggest that the HEXRD technique provides a powerful tool for characterizing the phase transformation behavior and the microstress developed due to the phase-to-phase interaction of TRIP steels during deformation. The computational results suggest that the response of the RVE well represents the overall macroscopic behavior of the TRIP 800 steel under deformation. The methodology described in this study may be extended for studying the effects of the various processing parameters on the macroscopic behaviors of TRIP steels.
Discriminative effect of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitors on metabolism of leukotriene C4 in peritoneal cells

Leukotrienes are naturally-occurring metabolites of arachidonic acid that are formed via the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in several tissues. Rat peritoneal cells (RPC) can produce leukotrienes C4, D4 and E4 (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4) in response to stimulation with the calcium ionophore A23187 (1,2). The mechanism of enzymatic conversion of LTC4 to LTD4 is presumed to be via the action of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTPase, Figure 1) and has been demonstrated with purified enzymes from rat and porcine kidneys (3-6). We report that RPC contain gamma-GTPase-like activity that catalyzes the liberation of p-Nitroaniline (p-NA) from the chromophoric substrate gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide (gamma-GpNA) in the presence of the acceptor molecules glycylglycine and L-cysteine. Furthermore, we demonstrate that under similar conditions, this preparation catalyzes the conversion of LTC4 to LTD4. Activity with gamma-GpNA is inhibited by D,L-gamma-glutamyl(o-carboxy)-phenylhydrazide (GOP) and serine-borate complex, (competitive inhibitors of kidney gamma-GTPase), and 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) and o-diazo-acetyl-L-serine (AZA), (irreversible inhibitors of kidney gamma-GTPase). In contrast, conversion of both endogenously-generated or exogenous LTC4 into LTD4 by RPC is inhibited only by serine-borate complex. These results suggest that RPC contain at least two distinct forms of gamma-GTPase; one capable of recognizing gamma-GpNA and susceptible to inhibition by all four compounds, and a second form utilizing also LTC4 as substrate, and is not inhibited by high concentrations of several "classic" gamma-GTPase inhibitors.
Proportions of Exposed Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary Rocks

Of the rocks exposed on the Earth9s surface, 66 percent (±3.5 percent) are sedimentary and 34 percent are crystalline, at the 95 percent confidence level. Extrusive igneous rocks average about one-fourth of all crystalline rock outcrops, with the highest percentages in Asia and South America. Less than 5 percent of all Precambrian rocks are mapped as sedimentary. The relationship between the geologic age of a sedimentary rock and its outcrop area is lognormal and is well described by a decay curve with a half-life of 130 × 10 6 yr. That is, one-half of all existing sedimentary rocks are younger than Jurassic. Such a short half-life indicates that the rate of sedimentary recycling must be very rapid.
3D Simulation and Visualization of Unsteady Wake Flow behind a Cylinder

In this paper we focus on 3D simulation of unsteady wake flow behind a circular cylinder. We show that in addition to accurate formulations and sufficiently-refined meshes, efficient computing methods are essential components of an effective simulation strategy. We use the Multi-Domain Method (MDM) we developed recently in computation of two cases. At Reynolds number 300, we demonstrate how the MDM enables us to use highly-refined meshes to capture wake patterns which we otherwise cannot fully represent. At Reynolds number 140, we show that with the MDM we can extend our computations sufficiently downstream, and with sufficient accuracy, to successfully capture the second phase of the Karman vortex street, which has been observed in laboratory experiments, and which has double the spacing between the vortices compared to the first phase.
Parameters affecting the harmonic distortion in a converter substation

The authors describe in a quantitative way the effect of specific parameters on the generation of harmonics by converter substations. The parameters investigated are the following: delay angle of the converter control system, converter control type, electric load, capacitor banks, and stiffness of the AC/DC interconnection. The parametric analysis has been conducted using a nonlinear method suitable for accurate harmonic analysis. An appropriate modification of the IEEE Reliability Test System (RTS) has been used as the test power system. A DC transmission system including the converter substation, the DC transmission line, and the load is connected at different locations in the IEEE RTS system (one location at a time), and the effect of the parameters mentioned above on the harmonic distortion is illustrated. >
Synthesis and study of novel polyol-bound photosensitizers for cationic UV-curable systems

Novel cationic intramolecular hydrogen abstraction photosensitizers (IHA-PSs) based on a proposed intramolecular hydrogen abstraction photosensitization (IHAP) mechanism were synthesized and found to have a pronounced photosensitization effect in cycloaliphatic epoxide based cationic UV-curable systems using sulfonium salt photoinitiators. A series of polyol-based photosensitizers were synthesized with naphthalene attached. One photosensitizer, P-Na, was found to have a more pronounced photosensitization effect in three different formulation systems, as revealed by real-time Fourier transform infrared and differential photocalorimetry experiments. Such a phenomenon can be explained by a proposed facile IHAP mechanism, which is possible only with the unique molecular structure of P-Na. The effect of P-Na was further confirmed by comparison with two non-polyol-type photosensitizers. A designed IHA-PS molecule was synthesized with the proposed principles ofthe IHAP mechanism, and it achieved a photosensitization effect similar to that of P-Na with a much lower molecular weight and fewer hydroxyl groups per molecule. This further validated the proposed IHAP mechanism. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4435–4449, 2006
Efficient numerical methods for solving the Schrödinger equation with a potential varying sinusoidally with time

We have used several different methods to solve the one-dimensional, time-dependent Schrodinger equation for a sinusiodally modulated barrier. Analytical solutions are given for the case in which the time-dependent part of the potential has several different forms, but is independent of position. For more general fields, Floquet's theorem is used to write the wavefunction as a summation of components which have different energies as a result of the absorption and emission of modulation quanta. A system of coupled ordinary differential equations is obtained, which is then solved numerically using shooting methods. The examples show a resonance in which the tunneling current is markedly increased. For square barriers, this resonance occurs when the particles absorbing modulation quanta are above the barrier, and the length of the barrier is an integer multiple of one-half the de Broglie wavelength. The existence of the resonance is confirmed by asymptotic solutions for large and small frequencies. Examples suggest that it may be possible to make a microwave power amplifier by illuminating a field emitter array with an amplitude-modulated laser operating near the new resonance. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
SLIDING BASELINES, GHOSTS, AND REDUCED EXPECTATIONS IN KELP FOREST COMMUNITIES

The detection of trends in ecosystems depends upon (1) a good description of the foundation or benchmark against which changes are measured and (2) a distinction between natural and anthropogenic changes. Patterns and mechanisms observed over 25 years in a large kelp forest suggest that definition of a meaningful benchmark is impossible, because many of the large animals have been gone for years to decades, and kelps are sensitive to large-scale, low-frequency El Nifio-Southern Oscillation events and longer term regime shifts. A shift in the oceanographic climate has significantly reduced the average size and carrying capacity of the dominant plant. The animals that have been functionally removed from the community include sea otters, black sea bass, yellowtail, white sea bass, and abalones. Other species are still present, but fisheries have had huge effects on the abundances, size-frequencies, and/or spatial distributions of sheephead, kelp bass, rays, flatfish, rock fish, spiny lobsters, and red sea urchins. Now even sea cucumbers, crabs, and small snails are subject to unregulated fishing. The plants continue to exist without a hint of the effects of the loss of so much animal biomass. Furthermore, most of the megafauna have been removed with very little documentation or historical understanding of what the natural community was like. Thus, our ability to separate anthropogenic impacts from the "natural" dynamics of the system is severely compromised. We discuss the importance of both an ecosystem focus on productivity and careful monitoring of as many populations as possible. In addition, we show that this community is not tightly integrated with mutual dependencies; hence, many species can be removed without much affecting the rest of the ecosystem.
The Mutual Conditioning of Humans and Pathogens: Implications for Integrative Geographical Scholarship

We highlight an emerging mode of human–environment enquiry that is executed by cross-disciplinary teams, spurs innovation of hybrid methods, and leads to nonintuitive findings relevant beyond disci...
The DNA-binding specificity of the Bacillus anthracis AbrB protein.

The Bacillus subtilis AbrB protein is a DNA-binding global regulator of a plethora of functions that are expressed during the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase and under suboptimal growth conditions. AbrB orthologues have been identified in a variety of prokaryotic organisms, notably in all species of Bacillus, Clostridium and Listeria that have been examined. Based on amino acid sequence identity in the N-terminal domains of the orthologues from B. subtilis and Bacillus anthracis, it was predicted that the proteins might display identical DNA-binding specificities. The binding of purified B. anthracis AbrB (AbrBBA) and purified B. subtilis AbrB (AbrBBS) at DNA targets of B. subtilis, B. anthracis and a synthetic origin was compared. In all cases examined, DNA-binding specificity was identical as judged by DNase I footprinting. In B. subtilis cells, the B. anthracis promoters from the atxA and abrB genes were regulated by AbrBBS, and the B. subtilis promoter from the yxbB operon was regulated by AbrBBA.
Changing images of the Samaritan woman in early reformed commentaries on John

Medieval Christians were fascinated by the character of the Samaritan woman, whose story is presented in the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John. Numerous legends celebrating her life history recounted in imaginative detail the heroic deeds of this convert to Christ. The Bible itself, of course, gives no information about her following her encounter with Jesus, nor does it even mention her name. But medieval hagiographers named her Photina and recounted her brave witness to the gospel, leading to her ultimate martyrdom. One legend reports that she converted the daughter of Nero and was martyred in Rome. Another places her in Carthage, where she preached the gospel and died in prison. Although ancient and medieval commentaries on the fourth Gospel do not commemorate these extracanonical accomplishments, they portray the Samaritan woman's personality and discipleship in equally flattering ways. Not only does she beautifully model the sinner's conversion to Christ, but she also demonstrates admirable zeal in bearing witness to Christ among her fellow Samaritans. On the basis of her testimony, a host of the citizens of Sychar come to faith in Christ, a feat matched by none of Jesus' disciples in the pages of the Gospels.
Thin-film reliability trends toward improved stability

Long-term, stable performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules will be increasingly important to their successful penetration of the power grid. This paper summarizes more than 150 thin-film and more than 1700 silicon PV degradation rates (R d ) quoted in publications for locations worldwide. Partitioning the literature results by technology and date of installation statistical analysis shows an improvement in degradation rate especially for thin-film technologies in the last decade. A CIGS array deployed at NREL for more than 5 years that appears to be stable supports the literature trends. Indoor and outdoor data indicate undetectable change in performance (0.2±0.2 %/yr). One module shows signs of slight degradation from what appears to be an initial manufacturing defect, however it has not affected the overall system performance.
Purification and Structural Characterization of Siderophore (Corynebactin) from Corynebacterium diphtheriae

During infection, Corynebacterium diphtheriae must compete with host iron-sequestering mechanisms for iron. C. diphtheriae can acquire iron by a siderophore-dependent iron-uptake pathway, by uptake and degradation of heme, or both. Previous studies showed that production of siderophore (corynebactin) by C. diphtheriae is repressed under high-iron growth conditions by the iron-activated diphtheria toxin repressor (DtxR) and that partially purified corynebactin fails to react in chemical assays for catecholate or hydroxamate compounds. In this study, we purified corynebactin from supernatants of low-iron cultures of the siderophore-overproducing, DtxR-negative mutant strain C. diphtheriae C7(β) ΔdtxR by sequential anion-exchange chromatography on AG1-X2 and Source 15Q resins, followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) on Zorbax C8 resin. The Chrome Azurol S (CAS) chemical assay for siderophores was used to detect and measure corynebactin during purification, and the biological activity of purified corynebactin was shown by its ability to promote growth and iron uptake in siderophore-deficient mutant strains of C. diphtheriae under iron-limiting conditions. Mass spectrometry and NMR analysis demonstrated that corynebactin has a novel structure, consisting of a central lysine residue linked through its α- and e- amino groups by amide bonds to the terminal carboxyl groups of two different citrate residues. Corynebactin from C. diphtheriae is structurally related to staphyloferrin A from Staphylococcus aureus and rhizoferrin from Rhizopus microsporus in which d-ornithine or 1,4-diaminobutane, respectively, replaces the central lysine residue that is present in corynebactin.
Transmission of Microwaves Through a Dynamic Corn Canopy in Emission Models

In this paper, we develop a canopy opacity model for sweet corn. The model, calculated using a simple refractive emission model, is based upon observed moisture distribution in the corn canopy for vegetative and reproductive stages during our Fourth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-4). The moisture content decreases linearly with height of the corn height during the vegetative stages. During the reproductive stage, the moisture distribution in the fruit region can be estimated as Gaussian, with the spread dependent on grain biomass. The optical depth increased during the growing season to a maximum of 1.34 on DoY 153, corresponding to the canopy biomass of 3.48 kg/m2 and canopy height of 1.72 m.
Preoperative skin traction was not useful for hip fractures.

Preoperative skin traction in patients with hip fractures is not useful. Clin. Orthop. 2000 Sep;378:169-73. Question: In patients with cervical or trochanteric hip fracture, is preoperative skin traction effective for reducing pain and complications? Design: Randomized, controlled trial with 4-month follow-up. Setting: Hospital in Goteborg, Sweden. Patients: 120 patients (mean age, 80 years; 76% women) who were awaiting surgery for a hip fracture. 60 patients had a cervical hip fracture, and 60 patients had a trochanteric hip fracture. 104 of the 120 fractures were caused by a fall. 110 patients (92%) completed the 4-month follow-up. Intervention: Patients were grouped by type of fracture and allocated to skin traction (3 kg) or no special treatment, to create 4 groups of 30 patients. Main outcome measures: Pain, quality of reduction, and healing rate. Pain was assessed with use of a visual analog scale (0-10; 0 = no pain) just before preoperative …
Producing a video on a technical subject: a guide

The ways in which technical writers can team up to make a video on a technical subject are discussed. The authors' experiences are described to illustrate methods for planning video and writing a script using visual and aural metaphors to represent technical concepts; the production process, and tips and techniques to enhance the presentation. The production of videos using in-house resources, the videotaping of live presentations, and video editing, packaging, and distribution are discussed. >
Diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma of bone by fine-needle aspiration with concurrent institution of therapy: A cytologic, histologic, clinical, and radiologic study of 27 cases

Twenty-seven patients with eosinophilic granuloma (EG) of bone seen at our institution between 1979 and 1991 underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) with or without concurrent Tru-Cut biopsy. The 16 males and 11 females ranged in age from 2 1/2 to 61 years (median, 10 yr). Twenty-four patients had monostotic lesions. The clinicoradiologic differential diagnosis included osteomyelitis and Ewing's sarcoma (young patients) and primary and metastatic malignancies (older patients). Twenty-four of 28 FNAs (one patient had two FNAs) were diagnostic of EG, and 10 cases were diagnosed by FNA alone. Smears in these cases showed histiocytes, often with grooved or infolded nuclei, and abundant eosinophils. Multinucleated giant cells, foamy histiocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and plasma cells were present in variable numbers. Four FNAs were misdiagnosed: two as osteomyelitis where smears contained abundant neutrophils, sparse eosinophils, and histiocytes misinterpreted as foamy histiocytes, and two as metastatic carcinoma (in adults) where histiocytes in a scant specimen (one case) and skin appendageal structures without lesional tissue (one case) were misinterpreted. These cases were correctly diagnosed on repeat FNA (one case), Tru-Cut (two cases), or excisional biopsy (one case); however, three cases diagnosed by FNA had nondiagnostic concurrent Tru-Cut biopsies. Treatment consisted of intralesional injection of 125 mg of methylprednisolone (22 cases). Progressive or complete healing of alt lesions occurred. FNA is a rapid and useful technique for the immediate diagnosis of EG that allows concurrent institution of therapy.
Molecular variations in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli FimH affect function and pathogenesis in the urinary tract

Type 1 pili mediate binding, invasion, and biofilm formation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in the host urothelium during urinary tract infection (UTI) via the adhesin FimH. In this study, we characterized the molecular basis of functional differences between FimH of the UPEC isolate UTI89 and the Klebsiella pneumoniae cystitis isolate TOP52. Type 1 pili characteristically mediate mannose-sensitive hemagglutination of guinea pig erythrocytes. Although the adhesin domain of K. pneumoniae TOP52 FimH (FimH52) is highly homologous to that of E. coli, with an identical mannose binding pocket and surrounding hydrophobic ridge, it lacks the ability to agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes. In addition, FimH-dependent biofilm formation in K. pneumoniae is inhibited by heptyl mannose, but not methyl mannose, suggesting the need for contacts outside of the mannose binding pocket. The binding specificity differences observed for FimH52 resulted in significant functional differences seen in the pathogenesis of K. pneumoniae UTI compared to E. coli UTI. Infections in a murine model of UTI demonstrated that although the K. pneumoniae strain TOP52 required FimH52 for invasion and IBC formation in the bladder, FimH52 was not essential for early colonization. This work reveals that a limited amount of sequence variation between the FimH of E. coli and K. pneumoniae results in significant differences in function and ability to colonize the urinary tract.
AN ALTERNATIVE FLOW SOLVER FOR THE NCC - THE FLUX CODE AND ITS ALGORITHM

This paper discusses the details of the basic, unstructured CE/SE algorithm embodied in the FLUX code, an alternative flow solver for the National Combustion Code (NCC). The numerical properties of this CE/SE algorithm are elucidated by comparing the CE/SE results with their counterpart Runge-Kutta results obtained from the current flow solver of the NCC. Validation results are presented for a suite of test cases having measured data.