cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gap-fill type HSQ/ZEP520A bilayer resist process-(III): optimal process window for HSQ air-tip formation

In previous study HSQ air-tip high density array with sub-20 nm radius of curvature were obtained by stripping ZEP520A after thermal reflow of ultra-thin HSQ (hydrogen silsesquioxane) gap-filled ZEP520A contact holes (C/H). And, the mechanical strength of HSQ spacer to resist shrinkage and thermal reflow of ZEP520A was found to play a dual role on the deformation of HSQ-coated C/H and thus the formation of HSQ air-tip. In this paper, effects of HSQ spacer width and thermal reflow of ZEP520A for HSQ air-tip formation are further studied for optimal process window. The effects of pattern and process parameters on the HSQ spacer width and shrink rate of thermal reflow are also evaluated. In short, thicker HSQ spacer is obtained for smaller C/H array size, looser pattern density, larger C/H CD, lower HSQ dilution ratio and thinner resist thickness. Dependence of HSQ spacer width on HSQ dilution ratio is stronger for thicker ZEP520A which implies that HSQ is deficient to fill the sidewall for deeper C/H. Lower shrink rate of diluted HSQ-coated ZEP520A under reflow is obtained for smaller C/H array size, looser pattern density, larger C/H CD, lower HSQ dilution ratio and thinner resist thickness. All of these relationships reflect the dependence of thermal reflow on the resistant effect of HSQ spacer width. Optimal process and pattern conditions for determining critical HSQ spacer width to form HSQ air-tip without bending or HSQ air-rod without shrunk of hole are described in detail.
Unexpected adduct ion formation under chemical ionization conditions.

Abstract As part of our efforts to characterize the in vivo metabolic fate of the antihypertensive agent alpha-methyldopa, we have examined the urine of alpha-methyldopa-treated rats with the aid of a direct insertion probe chemical ionization mass spectral assay. The mass spectrum of the sample obtained by chromatographic purification followed by treatment with ethanolic hydrochloric acid and pentafluoropropionic anhydride displayed an intense ion at m/z 812, consistent with the beta-ethoxy-N,O,O,O-tetrakispentafluoropropionyl derivative of 6-hydroxy-alpha-methyl-norepinephrine, a potential aromatic hydroxylation product of the known alpha-methyldopa metabolite alpha-methyl-norepinephrine. Comparison of this spectrum with the spectrum obtained with the corresponding synthetic 6-hydroxy-alpha-methylnorepinephrine, however, ruled out this possibility. A more thorough examination of the mass spectral data established that the ion at m/z 812 observed with the metabolic species was due to the formation of an unexpected adduct ion between a known metabolite of alpha-methyldopa and an impurity ion formed from a common constituent of urine. This paper summarizes the characterization of this adduct ion.
Induction of milk protein synthesis by placental lactogen and prolactin in vitro.

Human placental lactogen (HPL) and ovine prolactin each induce the synthesis of casein, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin in mammary epithelial cells formed during organ culture on synthetic medium containing insulin and hydrocortisone. After 96 hr of incubation on such medium, neither the differentiated cells originally formed in vivo nor the post-mitotic daughter cells formed in vitro synthesize detectable amounts of the major casein components. Casein synthesis is induced by the addition of HPL or prolactin, and experiments with colchicine demonstrated that this new synthetic activity is present only in the progeny of undifferentiated cells. The post-mitotic induction of milk protein synthesis by HPL or prolactin depends upon the continuing presence of insulin in the medium. Addition of HPL or prolactin in the post-mitotic period stimulates RNA synthesis by mammary epithelial cells, and the induction of milk protein synthesis is prevented by actinomycin D. These results suggest that the induction of mi...
The Moral Asymmetry of Happiness and Suffering

L'A. defend la these d'une approche asymetrique du bonheur et de la souffrance contre la these utilitariste affirmant l'egalite morale des deux sentiments. Partageant l'idee qu'il faut promouvoir le bonheur et reduire la souffrance, l'A. reproche pourtant a l'utilitarisme classique, comme a son ancetre epicurien, d'accorder trop d'attention a la souffrance
Spatial orientation of nanoclay and crystallite in microcellular injection molded polyamide‐6 nanocomposites

Three different types of characteristic structures-microcells, nanoclay, and crystallite lamella-exist in injection molded polyamide-6 microcellular nanocomposites. These structures are in completely different scales. The spatial orientation of these microscale structures crucially determines the material's bulk properties. Based on scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and two-dimensional X-ray diffractometry measurements, it was found that the nanoclay and the crystallite formed special geometric structures around the microcells and near the part skins. The nanoclay platelets lay almost parallel to the surfaces of the molded parts. Preferred orientation of the crystallites was induced by the presence of the nanoclay. A molecular-based model is proposed to describe the structural hierarchy and correlations among the microcells, nanoclay, and crystallite lamella. From the small-angle X-ray scattering experiments, it was found that microcellular injection molding produces relatively smaller crystallite lamella than that of conventional injection molding, and that for both solid and microcellular neat resin parts the crystallite lamella thickness at the part skin is smaller than that at the core. Polarized optical microscopy results also indicated that the size of crystallites in the microcellular neat resin and nanocomposite parts is smaller than that in the corresponding solid parts. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:765–779, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers
β-Arrestin1 Interacts with the Catalytic Domain of the Tyrosine Kinase c-SRC ROLE OF β-ARRESTIN1-DEPENDENT TARGETING OF c-SRC IN RECEPTOR ENDOCYTOSIS

β-Arrestins can act as adapter molecules, coupling G-protein-coupled receptors to proteins involved in mitogenic as well as endocytic pathways. We have previously identified c-SRC as a molecule that is rapidly recruited to the β2-adrenergic receptor in a β-arrestin1-dependent manner. Recruitment of c-SRC to the receptor appears to be involved in pathways leading to receptor internalization and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. This recruitment of c-SRC to the receptor involves an interaction between the amino-terminal proline-rich region of β-arrestin1 and the Src homology 3 (SH3) domain of c-SRC, but deletion of the proline-rich domain does not totally ablate the interaction. We have found that a major interaction also exists between β-arrestin1 and the catalytic or kinase domain (SH1) of c-SRC. We therefore hypothesized that a catalytically inactive mutant of the isolated catalytic subunit, SH1(kinase dead) (SH1(KD)), would specifically block those cellular actions of c-SRC that are mediated by β-arrestin1 recruitment to the G-protein-coupled receptor. In contrast, the majority of cellular phosphorylations catalyzed by c-SRC, which do not involve interaction with the SH1 domain, would be predicted to be unaffected. The SH1(KD) mutant did indeed block β2-adrenergic receptor internalization and receptor-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of dynamin, actions previously shown to be c-SRC-dependent. In contrast, SAM-68 and whole cell tyrosine phosphorylation by c-SRC was unaffected, indicating that the SH1(KD) mutant did not inhibit c-SRC tyrosine kinase activity in general. These results not only clarify the nature of the β-arrestin1/c-SRC interaction but also implicate β-arrestin1 as an important mediator of receptor internalization by recruiting tyrosine kinase activity to the cell surface to phosphorylate key endocytic intermediates, such as dynamin.
Critical manifolds, travelling waves, and an example from population genetics.

A generalized Morse index theory is used to study travelling waves in a natural selection-migration model for a diploid organism when the selective strength is weak.
High sensitivity coulometric analysis in acetonitrile

Summary Cuprous copper was quantitatively coulometrically generated in acetonitrile. No catalytic or induced current contribution was found. Uncomplexed Cu(I) was stable in acetonitrile since it could be kept in solution for at least an hour and subsequently reduced quantitatively to the amalgam. The slightly high results obtained for the reduction of Cu(I) to the amalgam were attributed to relatively high blank corrections and to any cumulative errors from the previous reductions of Cu(II) to Cu(I). In the determination of sodium and lithium, a solution pretreatment and electrolysis with 100 μequiv. of sodium or lithium perchlorate was necessary to eliminate a catalytic current contribution caused by residual oxygen. The results for the quantitative controlled-potential coulometric analysis of sodium and lithium agreed favorably in precision and accuracy with other microquantitative methods of analysis. Under the conditions employed, the method is applicable between a lower limit of 2 μequiv. governed by error in the blank determination and an upper limit governed by solubility of the metals in the pool used.
Research needs for coatings on glass. Summary of the US Department of Energy roadmapping workshop

Abstract A workshop entitled Coatings on Glass was held on 18–19 January 2000 at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, CA, USA with the purpose of identifying key targets for improvement, technology barriers, and research needs relevant to the manufacturing of coated glass products. Experts from the glass and coatings industries, universities, and government laboratories participated. Small groups focussed on the needs of the four major sectors of the coatings industry: flat glass; container glass; fiber glass; and specialty coatings. The large number of recommendations are summarized briefly in this article. A report giving complete details is available from the author for those wishing to obtain additional information.
DIFFERENCES IN GROWTH REGULATION OF NORMAL AND TUMOR CELLS

Normal cells cannot initiate DNA synthesis under inadequate external conditions, yet after growth has started they complete their division cycle under these conditions. The sensitive biochemical event for a growing cell is proposed to be accumulation of a labile protein which in adequate amounts permits entry into S phase, after about 2 hr, and completion of the cycle. Instability of this protein (half-life about 2.5 hr) creates a dynamic state so that its accumulation depends on rates of both synthesis and degradation. Neoplastic cells may show poorly regulated growth either by synthesizing this protein more rapidly or degrading it less rapidly, under conditions that limit normal cells' growth. Known mechanisms of overproduction include: more copies of the protein's structural gene per cell, an adjacent high-activity promoter, or autoproduction of growth factors. Less rapid degradation could result from less protease activity or from stabilizing modifications of the protein. Thus, derangement in the control of a labile growth-regulatory protein acting by any one of these diverse mechanisms could lead to neoplasia.
Friction Factor Behavior From Flat-Plate Tests of Smooth and Hole-Pattern Roughened Surfaces With Supply Pressures up to 84 Bars

A flat-plate tester was used to measure the friction-factor behavior for a hole-pattern-roughened surface apposed to a smooth surface. The tests were executed to characterize the friction-factor behavior of annular seals that use a roughened-surface stator and a smooth rotor. Friction factors were obtained from measurements of the mass flow rate and static pressure measurements along the smooth and roughened surfaces. In addition, dynamic pressure measurements were made at four axial locations at the bottom of individual holes and at facing locations in the smooth plate. The test facility is described, and a procedure for determining the friction factor is reviewed. Three clearances were investigated: 0.635, 0.381, and 0.254 mm. Tests were conducted with air at three different inlet pressures (84, 70, and 55 bars), producing a Reynolds numbers range from 50,000 to 700,000. Three surface configurations were tested including smooth-on-smooth, smooth-on-hole, and hole-on-hole. The hole-pattern plates are identical with the exception of the hole depth. For the smooth-on-smooth and smooth-on-hole configurations, the friction factor remains largely constant or increases slightly with increasing Reynolds numbers. The friction factor increases as the clearance between the plates increases. The test program was initiated to investigate a “friction-factor jump” phenomenon cited by Ha et al. in 1992 in test results from a flat-plate tester where, at elevated values of Reynolds numbers, the friction-factor began to increase steadily with increasing Reynolds numbers. They tested apposed honeycomb surfaces. For the present tests, the phenomenon was also observed for tests of apposed roughened surfaces but was not observed for smooth-on-smooth or smooth-on-rough configurations. When the phenomenon was observed, dynamic pressure measurements showed a peak-pressure oscillation at the calculated Helmholtz frequency of the holes.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
TWO-BODY PHOTODISINTEGRATION OF HE-3 BETWEEN 150-MEV AND 350-MeV

Differential cross sections for /sup 3/He(..gamma..,d)/sup 1/H for incident energies between 150 and 350 MeV at center-of-mass proton angles near 60/sup 0/ and 90/sup 0/ have been measured with an absolute uncertainty of less than 6%. The experiment used a single-arm spectrometer, a gas target, and an uncollimated bremsstrahlung beam. The results are in good agreement with new measurements of the time-reversed reaction, /sup 2/H(p,/sup 3/He)..gamma.., giving no evidence for a violation of time-reversal invariance. The differential cross sections decrease smoothly with energy and show only a small contribution from the ..delta..(1232) resonance.
Computed energetics for etching of the Si(1 0 0) surface by F and Cl atoms

Abstract Energetics and limited reaction pathways have been computed using density functional theory with the B3LYP functional for the reaction of F and Cl atoms with the Si(1 0 0) surface. The energetics are in good agreement with the earlier ab initio calculations of Wu and Carter for the bonding of 1–3 F atoms to a surface dimer. The present energetics are also in good agreement with the results of Srivastava et al. using the Stillinger–Weber potential. We find no barrier for adding a third F atom to a monofluorinated dimer. A significant new result is a low energy pathway to SiF4, which has not been previously characterized. We find that Cl differs from F in having smaller binding energies and much larger non-bonded repulsions. Adding a third Cl to a monochlorinated dimer leads to a barrier of about 0.6 eV (for a symmetry constrained search) and step edge sites are strongly favored in the Cl case, but not in the F case. The energetics obtained for Cl on Si(1 0 0) are in good agreement with results obtained by Halicioglu and coworkers using the Feil potential.
Rational combinatorial library design. 1. Focus-2D: A new approach to the design of targeted combinatorial chemical libraries

We describe a new computational approach, called Focus-2D, to the rational design of targeted combinatorial chemical libraries. This approach is based on the hypothesis that structurally similar compounds display similar biological activity profiles. Building blocks that are used in a combinatorial chemical synthesis are randomly assembled to produce virtual library compounds. Individual library compounds are represented by Kier−Hall topological descriptors. Molecular similarities between compounds are evaluated quantitatively by modified pairwise Euclidean distances in multidimensional descriptor space. Simulated annealing is used to search the potentially large structural space of virtual chemical libraries to identify compounds similar to lead molecules. Frequency analysis of building block composition of selected virtual compounds identifies building blocks that can be used in combinatorial synthesis of chemical libraries with high similarity to the lead molecules. We show that this method correctly i...
Beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in the plasma of patients with the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome and their normal siblings.

No significant difference was found in the range or mean values of ir-β-endorphin in the plasma of 6 patients with the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome compared to 7 of their normal siblings. The hypothesis that some of the symptoms of the P-L-W syndrome are due to excessive opioid activity is not supported by measurment of peripheral levels of ir-β-endorphin.
Reductive ring openings of allyl-alcohol epoxides

Abstract Red-Al reduction of allyl-alcohol epoxides was shown to yield 1,3-diols in high regioselectivity, while DIBAL reduction was shown to yield 1,2-diols.
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulates β2-adrenergic receptor endocytosis by AP-2 recruitment to the receptor/β-arrestin complex

Internalization of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) occurs by the sequential binding of β-arrestin, the clathrin adaptor AP-2, and clathrin. D-3 phosphoinositides, generated by the action of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) may regulate the endocytic process; however, the precise molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we demonstrate that βARKinase1 directly interacts with the PIK domain of PI3K to form a cytosolic complex. Overexpression of the PIK domain displaces endogenous PI3K from βARK1 and prevents βARK1-mediated translocation of PI3K to activated β2ARs. Furthermore, disruption of the βARK1/PI3K interaction inhibits agonist-stimulated AP-2 adaptor protein recruitment to the β2AR and receptor endocytosis without affecting the internalization of other clathrin dependent processes such as internalization of the transferrin receptor. In contrast, AP-2 recruitment is enhanced in the presence of D-3 phospholipids, and receptor internalization is blocked in presence of the specific phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate lipid phosphatase PTEN. These findings provide a molecular mechanism for the agonist-dependent recruitment of PI3K to βARs, and support a role for the localized generation of D-3 phosphoinositides in regulating the recruitment of the receptor/cargo to clathrin-coated pits.
Preparation and manipulation of large DNA molecules: advances and applications

Abstract A series of new methods now allows routine handling of DNA molecules up to millions of base pairs in size. This technology is revealing aspects of the physical behaviour of truly giant molecules: it also has wide ramifications for genetic and molecular biological studies on bacteria, yeast, protozoa, and man.
Acid production by FeSO4·nH2O dissolution and implications for terrestrial and martian aquatic systems

Combined experimental, modeling, and analytical results indicate that the rapid acidification of dilute waters in contact with nominally Fe 2+-sulfate minerals (FeSO4B7nH2O) is caused by Fe3+ hydrolysis, which occurs when low levels (<1 mol%) of a contaminant Fe3+-sulfate phase are dissolved along with the FeSO4B7nH2O. This rapid acidification has previously been attributed to hydrolysis by Fe2+. However, dissolution experiments performed using ZnSO4B7nH2O, in which the Zn2+ cation has a higher hydrolysis constant (log K = -8.96) than Fe2+ (log K = -9.5), failed to produce significant changes in solution pH. We present the results of geochemical modeling simulations confirming that FeSO4B7nH2O dissolution alone cannot explain the experimentally observed change in pH from 5.65 to 3.50. Nor can the experimental observations be explained by oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ in solution. Instead, our experimental results can be best explained by modeling the incorporation of <1 mol% Fe3+ contamination from any number of Fe3+ or mixed valence Fe-sulfate phases, including anhydrous Fe3+2(SO4) 3, coquimbite, kornelite, rC6merite, bilinite, copiapite, or ferricopiapite, all of which are reasonable candidate phases for oxidative breakdown products of FeSO4B7nH2O. Laboratory MC6ssbauer spectra are consistent with up to 0.6 mol% of the total Fe in the sample to be present as Fe3+. Although the doublet has parameters that are not diagnostic of any specific Fe3+-sulfate, they do help constrain its identification. These results demonstrate that minor contamination of labile Fe2+ sulfates by Fe3+ can have dramatic effects on solution chemistry that should be considered when studying reactions relevant to acid mine drainage waste sites and other localities where Fe-sulfate minerals occur, such as the surface of Mars.
Growth of Ruthenium and Ruthenium oxide nanoplates

By carefully manipulating and controlling the growth conditions, Ruthenium (Ru) and ruthenium oxide (RuO2) two-dimensional (2-D) nanostructure were self-assembled into a stack of plates on indium tin oxide coated glass substrate. The nanoplates were grown in a horizontal hot-wall metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) from ruthenocene. Each nanoplate has a thickness in the range of 25 - 60 nm and the average area is 1000 x 300 nm2. Each stack of nanoplates is approximately 1.2 m in height. A continuous layer of Ru and RuO2 thin film, which may serve as the growth template, is observed on the bottom of the nanoplate stacks. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy reveals that each stack of nanoplates was grown vertically aligned on the substrate and exhibited elongated shape. Structural properties which were examined by X-ray diffraction show that the nanoplates are polycrystalline.
Comparison of the effects of arylazido aminopropionyl ATP (ANAPP3), an ATP antagonist, on responses of the smooth muscle of the guinea-pig vas deferens to ATP and related nucleotides

Abstract Contractile responses of the smooth muscle of the guinea-pig vas deferens to ATP and related analogs have been suggested previously to involve stimulation of cell-surface P2-purinergic receptors and obligatory hydrolysis, depending on the concentration and structure of the nucleotide. This hypothesis was further tested by evaluating the antagonistic effect of arylazido aminopropionyl ATP (ANAPP3), a specific P2-purinergic receptor antagonist, on concentration-response relationships and on the profiles of individual responses to ATP and analogs containing phosphate-chain, ribose and adenine modifications. The concentration-response curves for ATP, β, γ-methylene ATP (APPCP), β, γ-imido ATP (APPNP) and adenosine 5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS) were bimodal and suggested the existence of two receptors, one with high and one with low affinity for adenine nucleotides. The type of antagonism observed was nucleotide-specific, and concentration-response curves were monosigmoidal after ANAPP3 treatment. For ATP, antagonism was greatest at low concentrations ( 3 × 10−5 M) and resulted in a reduction in maximum response; for adenosine tetraphosphate (APPPP) the antagonism was pronounced at low and high concentrations; for ATPγS the antagonism was moderate at all concentrations. The concentration-response curves for a second group of less potent nucleotides was monosigmoidal. Included in this group was ADP, α, β-methylene ADP (APCP), 8-bromo ATP (8-BrATP) and 2-deoxy ATP (2d-ATP). Treatment with ANAPP3 shifted the concentration-response curves for these analogs to the right but did not reduce maximum responses. The characteristics of individual response profiles were structurally related. For most analogs responses to low concentrations of nucleotides were phasic and spike-like. Discernible tonic phases appeared with higher concentrations of ATP, ADP, ATPγS, APPPP and 2d-ATP. ANAPP3 antagonized the initial component of responses but did not affect the tonic phase. The initial phasic component of response has been related to receptor-mediated stimulation of the preparations, while the tonic component, characteristic of nucleotides without 5′-anhydride bridge substitutions, appears to be initiated by hydrolysis of the compounds, a process which is insensitive to ANAPP3.
Bounded-latency regional garbage collection

Regional garbage collection is scalable, with theoretical worst-case bounds for gc latency, MMU, and throughput that are independent of mutator behavior and the volume of reachable storage. Regional collection improves upon the worst-case pause times and MMU seen in most other general-purpose collectors, including garbage-first and concurrent mark/sweep collectors.
Closed for business: exit-channel coupling to active site conformation in bacterial RNA polymerase.

Fluorescent probes at the exit channel and near the active site of RNA polymerase shed light on how transcriptional pausing is regulated.
Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci for North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) and amplification in related Mustelids

In order to complement ecological research on native and reintroduced populations of the North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), we developed 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci that would permit us to evaluate population genetic structure and conduct fecal DNA analyses. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 14 and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.23 to 0.68. Preliminary screening revealed that primers were polymorphic in a subset of other Mustelids.
ESTRIP, a BASIC Computer Program for Obtaining Initial Polyexponential Parameter Estimates

A new BASIC exponential stripping program, ESTRIP, allows the relatively rapid calculation of initial polyexponential parameter estimates, as does the previously published FORTRAN IV program, CSTRIP. The potential advantages of the new program are that it can be run on microcomputers and minicomputers with BASIC capability and a relatively small core and that it can be easily modified by the user.
Value orientation of computer science students

Technological and nontechnological value orientations are investigated with special attention to the complexity of value structures. Computer science students, who are closely associated with technology, contrast with social science students, who are often technologically aloof. This is confirmed by the value ratings of 313 students at the University of Minnesota in 1972. Computer science majors were found to have a more complex value structure than social science majors.
Location of the low temperature water flow barrier in stems.

Experiments are described indicating the magnitude and location of the low temperature barrier to lateral water flow in stems of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L. `Auburn 7-6839). Rehydration of wilted stem tissues was performed at 6 C and 32 C. Compared with the 32 C control, a 13-fold increase in the rehydration halftime was recorded at 6 C when water entered the secondary phloem tissues across the vascular cambium from the secondary xylem. However, only a 3-fold increase in the rehydration halftime occurred when water entered phloem tissues through the cortex, and most of this increase was due to the higher viscosity of water at the lower temperature. These results show that the cambial region of an intact cotton stem markedly resists the radial flow of water at lower temperatures. This resistance was not demonstated by other stem tissues.
AUTOMATION IN CARTOGRAPHY WITH REMOTE SENSING METHODOLOGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES

Along with rapid advances in texture feature extraction, perceptual studies on textural patterns and measures have gained a significant role in designing feature extractors for image processing and automation in cartography. This paper demonstrates that the Hsu measurement corresponds closely to visual perception with respect to similarity measurements between perceptual distances and the Mahalanobis D<sup≯2</sup≯ distances derived by using a 10-variable feature system based on wave-form parameters and a 3-variable system based on micro-texture parameters. A Monte Carlo simulation of real-world land use patterns has also been successfully performed. The significance of this feature extraction/classification system in automated cartography is further examined with respect to the development of the Automatic Feature Extraction System (AFES) by U.S. Air Force/Rome Air Development Center. Avec les progres rapides de l'extraction des caracteristiques de texture, les etudes de perception sur les textures et les...
A Multichannel Radiation Monitor with Logarithmic Response from 0.1 to 106 Mrem/Hr

A radiation monitoring system having a very wide dynamic range and providing continuous audible information feedback to the user was built for the 55-MeV Princeton A. V. F. Cyclotron. A remote sensor in each room consists of a plastic scintillator and photomultiplier. At the control room there is a DC amplifier with output proportional to the log of the anode current and hence to the dose rate. This is examined by two independently adjustable set points with DTL outputs which establish limits for human occupancy and radiation damage to equipment respectively. For each channel discrete pulses from the photomultiplier are also amplified and operate a loudspeaker placed near the detector. When the lower set point is tripped the speaker broadcasts a sirenlike tone. A failure condition logic signal is generated if discrete pulses are not present when the low level set point is not tripped. Although this type of detector does not directly respond to slow neutrons, it does indicate the radiation hazzard by detecting the fast neutrons and capture gamma rays which accompany them in a cyclotron environment.
CMI Unit Test Item Presentation/Feedback and Its Effect on Final Examination Performance: Staff Study

The instructional benefits of computer managed test administration are not well defined. This study addressed the instructional characteristics of computer delivered unit tests administered with several types of item feedback in different modes of presentation. The PHOENIX CBT system was used to compare the levels of achievement on final exam scores to the modes of test presentation and the degree and types of feedback provided during the unit tests. The effects of immediate and delayed feedback as well as sequential and random course objective presentation were addressed in the study. The results of the study provide suggestions to computer managed authoring systems developers and testing personnel on how to structure their tests for most efficient presentation to the students.
Eating behavior and BMI in adolescent survivors of brain tumor and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objectives: Elevated body mass index (BMI) has been reported in pediatric cancer survivors. It is unclear whether this is related to altered energy intake (via disordered eating), decreased energy expenditure (via limited exercise), or treatment-related direct/indirect changes. The aims of this study are to describe the occurrence of overweight and obesity, exercise frequency, and the extent of disordered eating patterns in this sample of survivors, and to examine relationships among BMI, eating patterns, exercise frequency, and demographic and disease and treatment-related variables to identify those survivors most at risk for overweight/obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 98 cancer survivors (50 acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], 48 brain tumor [BT]), aged 12 to 17 years and ≥12 months posttreatment from a large pediatric oncology hospital. Survivors completed health behavior measures assessing disordered eating patterns and physical activity. Clinical variables were obtained through...
Who gets the goodies? An examination of microenterprise credit in Jamaica

This research examines the lending decisions made by microenterprise credit support pro–grammes in Jamaica, focusing on what types of owners of firms successfully obtain loans. Utilizing agency theory, human capital and social capital theories, the study examines what types of borrowers successfully navigate the credit market nurtured by non–governmental orga–nizations (NGOs). It is based on field research comparing five organizations, evaluating the loan process and characteristics of each lender, with a study of their market, utilizing interviews conducted with entrepreneurs of 254 informal sector firms. The study first describes and exam–ines the organizational character of the loan agencies, to discern their effect on the loan granting process. Subsequent analysis examines the characteristics of those individuals who received loans, and compares them with those who did not. The research shows that the behaviour of NGO microenterprise credit institutions in Jamaica conform closely to predictions based ...
Organization of a partial S10 operon and its transcriptional analysis in Flavobacterium hibernum strain W22

A cluster of six genes from Flavobacterium hibernum strain W22, fus-rpsJ-rplC-rplD-rplW-rplB, was cloned and sequenced. A short fragment upstream of rplC, but not of rpsJ, showed strong promoter activity in flavobacteria. TATCTTTG and TTG motifs that are conserved in Flavobacterium promoters were found immediately upstream of the transcription start point of rplC, at the -7 and -33 positions, respectively. RT-PCR analysis of the transcripts revealed that rpsJ and rplC are expressed as separate transcriptional units, whereas rplC and rplD-rplW-rplB are cotranscribed as a single mRNA, in contrast to the situation in the Gammaproteobacteria, which have a single transcriptional unit of 11 ribosomal S10 genes.
αMSH-like peptides in rat brain: Identification and changes in level during development

Abstract MSH-like peptides were extracted from rat brains and separated by high pressure liquid chromatography. Using C and N terminally directed antibodies, and a bioassay for melanotropic activity, two major melanotropic peptides were detected. One peptide was identified as αMSH and the other as des-acetyl αMSH, a form which has not been previously reported in brain. Analysis of the level of αMSH-like peptides in brain and pituitary gland during development, showed steady increases of pituitary αMSH from day 18 fetuses to adults, whereas in brain, significant increases were not observed until one day post partum. This difference in the time of onset of αMSH production in the two tissues suggests the presence of biosynthetically independant pools of αMSH-like peptides in pituitary and brain.
Let's not get carried away with "reproductive health".

The emphasis placed on reproductive health by the 1995 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo may inhibit family planning programs; the 1-2% of foreign aid funds designated for family planning will be used for more comprehensive expensive programs. Camouflaging family planning as part of maternal and child health programs or linking it to education and economic development prerequisites began with the Bucharest Conference in the 1970s. It is politically driven by the fear that governments of developing countries will consider foreign assistance for birth control to be unwanted interference or at worst a form of genocide. However Rei Ravenholt and colleagues at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have demonstrated the impact of contraceptive availability on contraceptive prevalence fertility rates and human well-being. The success of family planning programs in Thailand Indonesia Colombia and Bangladesh has shown that contraception is perhaps the most effective means of improving maternal and child health. Deborah Maine has documented the effect of birth spacing on infant mortality. Nearly 6 million clients of social marketing programs in 42 developing countries in 1994 received inexpensive condoms at convenient locations; family health was improved by birth spacing and women were protected from sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Demographic and Health Survey data for Bangladesh in the 1990s showed a dramatic increase in contraceptive prevalence in spite of stagnant economic development and the status of women there. Although reproductive health is important it should be funded separately.
Crosses in Nature

Natural Hybridization and Evolution. MICHAEL L. ARNOLD. Oxford University Press, New York, 1997. xiv, 215 pp., illus. $60 or £45, ISBN 0-19-509974-5; paper, $29.95 or £22.50, ISBN 0-19-509775-3. Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution.
Emotion and power (as social influence): Their impact on organizational citizenship and counterproductive individual and organizational behavior

Abstract Emotion and power as manifested in forms of social influence have been studied throughout millennia, and have recently enjoyed intense scientific scrutiny. However, their joint effects on important classes of discretionary behaviors in work organizations have not been well elaborated. This paper provides a theoretical framework derived from past research within which these joint effects are described, and offers hypotheses to guide future research. A primary theme is that emotion and social influence, when considered at individual, dyadic and organizational levels, have a reciprocal causal relationship and jointly affect organizational behavior, especially behavior that is largely discretionary, including organizational citizenship and counterproductive work behavior (OCB and CWB), as well as counterproductive organizational behavior (COB).
Numerical Investigation of Power Transmission Efficiency in a RF Plasma

Capacitively coupled radio frequency discharges are used in a variety of applications in which the power transmission eciency of the discharge is an important performance parameter. While previous research addressed the discharge properties and discharge modeling, little analysis has been done on the dependence of the power transmission eciency on main discharge paremeters such as applied voltage, operating frequency and pressure. To investigate the eects of a dual frequency waveform on the power transmission eciency , Particle-InCell/Monte-Carlo Collison (PIC/MCC) methods are used to simulate RF co-axial plasma discharge. Plasma characteristics are studied for a range of operating pressures and radii, as electrode voltages were varied between 0, 100 and 250V. The investigation concludes that the addition of a RF power source to the outer electrode increase power transmission eciency by about 100%. Power transmission eciency increases with a decrease in radius and an increase in pressure, in general. Low-frequency high-voltage power source combination is found to generate a more ecien t discharge than a high-frequency high-voltage power source.
The binding of 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate to cholinergic muscarinic receptors in rat brain region following chronic treatment with morphine and during abstinence

Chronic morphine treatment (subcutaneous pellet implantation of four morphine pellets) caused significant tolerance to morphine analgesia as observed at zero and 6 hrs. after pellet removal. However, such treatment failed to elicit any changes in striatal muscarinic receptors using (3H)-QNB binding studies. At 24 hours after pellet removal there was significant development of physical dependence but the affinity (Kd) as well as density (Bmax) of striatal muscarinic receptors remained unaffected. Although naloxone caused marked precipitation of abrupt withdrawal in morphine tolerant rats, it also failed to produce any changes in striatal muscarinic receptors. Results indicate that any cholinergic involvement in opiate tolerance and physical dependence does not involve an effect on muscarinic receptors.
Prosperity and the New Economy in Canada’s major city regions

Canada’s three large city regions—Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver—have been relatively successful in retaining their Manufacturing bases, while at the same time adding substantial numbers of New Economy job opportunities. Deindustrialization appears to have occurred primarily in the Montreal CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) and in some smaller communities where motor vehicle manufacturing was significant. Growth in New Economy jobs has occurred in the larger CMAs; the smaller urban areas have had little success in attracting these jobs. For the most part, these trends appear to be path dependent: prosperous communities with substantial proportions of New Economy jobs are likely to remain prosperous and to attract more such jobs. The lack of significant correlation between Economic Health and the presence of immigrants, same sex couples, performing and visual artists suggests that local economic development strategies based on these factors may have limited success.
Initial stages of self-organization of silica-alumina gels in zeolite synthesis.

We report the effect of aluminum on the formation and structure of silica nanoparticles formed in basic solutions of small organic and inorganic cations using a combination of small-angle X-ray scattering, conductivity, pH, and 27Al NMR spectroscopy methods. At low silica concentrations, our observations agree with previous reports and show the formation of small oligomers ((HO)4-nAl(OSi(OH)3)n)- that can be modeled qualitatively using a simple aqueous speciation model. We also find that aluminum drastically reduces the concentration of silica at which nanoparticles are formed. Using organic cations, the particles are smaller than the ones observed in pure silica systems (1.5 nm vs ∼3 nm diameter), but in the case of sodium cations, larger particles are detected (∼10 nm in diameter). The data suggests that sodium cations are incorporated within the inorganic silica/alumina core, as opposed to organic cations that appear to be excluded from such clusters. Important insights are gained by making analogies t...
A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationship Between Parenting, Parent-Child Shared Reading Practices, and Child Development in Low-Income Families

This study examined relations between parenting, shared reading practices, and child development. Participants included 28 children (M = 24.66 months, SD = 8.41 months) and their parents. Measures included naturalistic observations of parenting and shared reading quality, assessments of child cognitive and language development, and home reading practices. Higher quality parenting was found to be significantly, positively correlated with higher quality shared reading interactions. Of the specific domains of parenting behaviors assessed, teaching behaviors demonstrated the strongest relationship with shared reading quality. Parental self-report of reading frequency was not correlated with observed shared reading quality. Shared reading quality was predictive of children’s receptive language outcomes; the addition of shared reading frequency did not improve prediction. Early childhood educators can benefit from knowing the potential importance of specific parenting practices and high-quality parent-child sha...
Follow the (slash) dot: effects of feedback on new members in an online community

Many virtual communities involve ongoing discussions, with large numbers of users and established, if implicit rules for participation. As new users enter communities like this, both they and existing members benefit when new users learn the standards for participation. Slashdot is a news and discussion site that has developed a system of distributed moderation to provide feedback about the value of posts on their site. This study examines three explanations for how new users learn to participate in a digital community: learning transfer from previous experiences, observation of other members, and feedback from other members. We find that new user behavior is affected by a combination of their viewing behavior, the moderation feedback they receive, and replies to their comments.
Two-dimensional refinement scheme of direction-based interpolation with discrete orthogonal polynomial decomposition

In this paper, a novel direction-based interpolation approach with discrete orthogonal polynomial decomposition is introduced. A 2D digital image is usually regarded as a sampling of an underlying 2D continuous function, which is called an image field. When the image field is considered as a scalar potential field, the interpolation problem is converted to that if the values at some points in a potential field are given, how to estimate the value of any point more accurately. Both the edges of the image and the content of the objects are well preserved if the image is interpolated along the equipotential lines instead of the coordinate axes. In this study, the equipotential direction at each pixel in the interpolated plane is calculated from the partial derivatives of the discrete orthogonal polynomial decomposition of the original image. For each point, the equipotential line through it is searched in a step-by-step way, guided by the equipotential directions. The value of a point is interpolated linearly from the values of points with known values along the equipotential line. Refinement scheme is applied to interpolate the images to the desired scale. Experiments on a set of CT images show that this method not only preserves the shape structure efficiently even for the objects with complicated structures but also has a low time complexity.
The UMA: A new tool for Multi-angle Photometric Spectroscopy

The UMA is a new accessory for the range of high performance Cary spectrophotometers which provides a wide range of functionality for the routine measurement of both reflectance and transmittance of specular and/or diffuse samples.
Middle School Dropout? Enrollment Trends in the California 4-H Youth Development Program

There is a widespread belief that youth drop out of youth development programs during the middle school years. Alternative explanations for the smaller number of adolescent program participants have yet to be explored. We examine age trends in program enrollment using data from over 221,000 youth enrolled in the California 4-H Youth Development Program from 1992 to 2002. We include sex, race/ethnicity, rural/urban residence, and project participation as predictors of dropout. Our results indicate that the peak in enrollment in early adolescence that is observable from annual enrollment data can be accounted for by stable and high enrollment turnover before age 11, followed by increased program dropout and fewer new enrollments. These findings have implications for explanations of youth program participation and for youth development program enrollment strategies, both for the 4-H Youth Development program and for youth programs in general.
TICK SIZES, STOCK PRICES, AND SHARE TURNOVER: INTERNATIONAL EVIDENCE

We examine tick sizes, stock prices, and share turnover in eighteen stock markets in developed countries and find that differences in mandatory tick sizes explain a significant proportion of the variation in stock prices among markets, and that lower percentage tick sizes are not associated with higher turnover. We consider the implications of these findings for the recent decimalization of stock trading in the United States, and conclude that decimal trading is likely to result in lower stock prices (due to stock splits) with no substantial change in dollar trading volume.
Computation of optimal monotonicity preserving general linear methods

Monotonicity preserving numerical methods for ordinary differential equations prevent the growth of propagated errors and preserve convex boundedness properties of the solution. We formulate the problem of finding optimal monotonicity preserving general linear methods for linear autonomous equations, and propose an efficient algorithm for its solution. This algorithm reliably finds optimal methods even among classes involving very high order accuracy and that use many steps and/or stages. The optimality of some recently proposed methods is verified, and many more efficient methods are found. We use similar algorithms to find optimal strong stability preserving linear multistep methods of both explicit and implicit type, including methods for hyperbolic PDEs that use downwind-biased operators.