cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Origin of Sierra Nevadan granite: evidence from small scale composite dikes

Composite dikes at Hell Hole Meadow, in the central Sierra Nevada, contain hybrids created by small scale mixing of andesitic and rhyolitic magmas. Early rhyolitic injections had partially solidified when subsequent andesitic magmas arrived and mixed with small increments of remnant rhyolitic magma. In major element chemistry, the hybrid rocks define linear MgO-variation diagrams that closely resemble those for the Half Dome, Mt. Givens, and Eagle Peak granodiorites. The patterns suggest that mixing of mafic and felsic magmas has been important in the evolution of these plutons. Hornblendes in three Hell Hole Meadow hybrid rocks ranging from dacite to andesite display indistinguishable crystal-chemical variation patterns. The crystals apparently developed as phenocrysts of endmember andesitic magma prior to the mixing event and retained their compositional character in the hybridization event. Plutonic hornblendes (Dodge et al. 1968; Noyes et al. 1983) display crystal-chemical patterns nearly identical to those in the dike cores making it unlikely that the plutonic hornblendes represent restite of a complex lower crust. Hornblende chemical data from a suite of rocks collected across the width of the compositionally zoned Half Dome granodiorite (Yosemite National Park) define clusters, like their Hell Hole Meadow counterparts, that are very similar to one another despite the large range in host rock bulk composition. Sr isotopic data (Kistler et al. 1986) and linear MgO-variation patterns for the major elements (Reid et al. 1983) suggest that the Half Dome is a mixture of high-alumina basalt and rhyolitic magmas. We propose that while the bulk chemistry of hybrid granodiorites is determined by the proportions of the constituent mafic and felsic magmas, the hornblendes in the mixed rocks largely retain compositions created in the mafic component prior to mixing. Mixing may occur either by incremental addition of felsic magma into a relatively large volume of mafic magma (as at Hell Hole Meadow), or by the chilling and subsequent disaggregation of mafic pillows in a largely felsic host.
Axonal transport of α-bungarotoxin binding sites in rat sciatic nerve

Abstract [125I]α-Bungarotoxin (α-BuTX) binding sites accumulate both proximal and distal to a ligature positioned around the sciatic nerve of rats. [125I]α-BuTX binding sites, localized using quantitative receptor autoradiography, were found to accumulate at nerve ligatures at a relatively constant rate which suggests that they undergo both anterograde and retrograde axonal transport. [125I]α-BuTX binding to sections of ligated sciatic nerve was saturable with apparent dissociation constants of 0.97 nM proximal and 0.53 nM distal to the ligature. d -Tubocurarine, nicotine, decamethonium and atropine displaced [125I]α-BuTX from sciatic nerve sections with affinities comparable to those previously reported for the toxin binding component of rat brain. These data indicate that [125I]α-BuTX binding sites pharmacologically similar to those of rat brain are transported in sciatic nerve. Axonally transported toxin binding sites may correspond to those previously localized to the plasma membrane of peripheral nerve axons and on the terminals of motor neurons.
Daughter and Pawn: One Ethnographer's Routes to Understanding Children

Abstract In this article, I describe my experiences of being a “child” in different ways in two Canadian Inuit camps. I analyze how I came to have those experiences and how they helped me to understand Inuit children. [empathy, emotions, Inuit, children]
Do men and women differ in privacy? Gendered privacy and (in)equality in the Internet

We examined how personal privacy behavior and confidence differ by gender.Gender had no direct effect on data release.However, there was a gender difference on confidence in privacy protection.Significant interactions between gender and age were found. This paper investigates how personal privacy behavior and confidence differ by gender, focusing on the dimensions of online privacy data protection and release. A hierarchical regression analysis of cross-sectional survey of a national sample (n=419) revealed that men and women differed on the level of privacy protection; however, gender had no direct effect on the extent to which data release was exercised. Additionally, gender had a positive association with confidence in privacy protection, but not in the dimension of release. Our study suggests that the gender may affect subjective well-being of online privacy and potentially exacerbate the disparity rooted in socialization of gender. Implications of the findings are discussed in light of Internet access, skill and effort required for building and maintaining privacy, and the important role played by gender in indicating the need for gender-sensitive policy awareness.
A Multi-Instructor, Team-Based, Active-Learning Exercise to Integrate Basic and Clinical Sciences Content

Objectives. To introduce a multiple-instructor, team-based, active-learning exercise to promote the integration of basic sciences (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry) and clinical sciences in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum. Design. A team-based learning activity that involved pre-class reading assignments, individual-and team-answered multiple-choice questions, and evaluation and discussion of a clinical case, was designed, implemented, and moderated by 3 faculty members from the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice departments. Assessment. Student performance was assessed using a multiple-choice examination, an individual readiness assurance test (IRAT), a team readiness assurance test (TRAT), and a subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) note. Student attitudes were assessed using a pre- and post-exercise survey instrument. Students’ understanding of possible correct treatment strategies for depression improved. Students were appreciative of this true integration of basic sciences knowledge in a pharmacotherapy course and to have faculty members from both disciplines present to answer questions. Mean student score on the on depression module for the examination was 80.4%, indicating mastery of the content. Conclusions. An exercise led by multiple instructors improved student perceptions of the importance of team-based teaching. Integrated teaching and learning may be achieved when instructors from multiple disciplines work together in the classroom using proven team-based, active-learning exercises.
Bulk etch rate studies of cellulose nitrate particle track detectors

Abstract Bulk etch rates are reported for LR 115, Type II and for CA 80-15 cellulose nitrate particle track detectors. The etching conditions were 2.5 N NaOH at 60°C without stirring. Our data show an apparent increase in the bulk etch rate of LR 115, Type II, as etching time increases from 5 to 75 min. A comparison is made between our values and those from other laboratories.
The development of calcium and potassium currents during oogenesis in the starfish, Leptasterias hexactis

Abstract The development of membrane electrical properties of oocytes of the starfish Leptasterias hexactis during oogenesis was studied using voltage- and current-clamp techniques. Two voltage-dependent K currents—the fast transient and inwardly rectifying—are present early in oogenesis, before the rapid growth phase, and are maintained throughout oogenesis at the same current density and kinetics. The inward current, which is composed of a Ca current and a slower Ca-dependent inward sodium current, is also present early in oogenesis, but at very low current density. Late in oogenesis, after the oocyte has grown to full size, the inward current increases in amplitude by about fivefold, and undergoes major changes in kinetics. These changes are closely associated with the migration of the germinal vesicle to the cell periphery. The relationship of these events to electrophysiological changes during subsequent maturation and fertilization of the oocytes is discussed.
A stabilized D-C differential transistor amplifier

Transistors present many advantages over vacuum tubes. Though they may be substituted for tubes in amplifiers, oscillators, pulse generators, pulse counting circuits, etc., they only amount to one hundredth of the weight of tubes, one thousandth of the volume, they consume one tenth of the power, and their average life is shown to be longer.
Licorice ingestion and blood pressure regulating hormones

Nearly half a century ago Revers reported that administration of a paste prepared from succus liquiritiae, a dried watery extract of the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra, resulted in a reduction in abdominal symptoms as well as radiographic evidence of healing in patients suffering from gastric ulcer. Subsequent studies demonstrated that this preparation could prevent the formation of gastric ulcers in experimental animals and confirmed the salutary effects in patients, but found that approximately 20% of patients so treated developed facial and dependent edema, often accompanied by headache, shortness of breath, stiffness, and pain in the upper abdomen. Although these symptoms suggested an allergic reaction, they were not accompanied by eosinophilia or relieved by antihistamines. These untoward effects usually subsided with a reduction of dose, although in some patients treatment had to be discontinued entirely. Given this profile of side effects, enthusiasm for licorice as a remedy for peptic ulcer disease soon faded. However, the popularity of licorice flavoring in candy and in other products such as chewing tobacco persists to this day, as do the problems in electrolyte and blood pressure homeostasis that can occasionally occur in individuals ingesting large quantities of licorice-containing products. Although the pattern of the renal response suggested that the active ingredients in licorice were acting directly on the mineralocorticoid receptors in the kidney, an even more fascinating explanation for the toxic effects of licorice has emerged in the past decade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Optimization of Chemical Vapor Deposition Process

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process is simulated and optimized for the deposition of a thin film of silicon from silane. The key focus is on the rate of deposition and on the quality of the thin film produced. The intended application dictates the level of quality need for the film. Proper control of the governing transport processes results in large area film thickness and composition uniformity. A vertical impinging CVD reactor is considered. The goal is to optimize the CVD system. The effect of important design parameters and operating conditions are studied using numerical simulations. Then Compromise Response Surface Method (CRSM) is used to model the process over a range of susceptor temperature and inlet velocity of the reaction gases. The resulting response surface is used to optimize the CVD system.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The Global Turn in the History of Science

This essay discusses the recent rise of interest in the global history of science. It first explains the central characteristics of this new scholarly development and distinguishes it from the earlier projects of studying science in a world-historical contextpursuedbyGeorgeSartonandJosephNeedham.Itthenidentifiesandcritiques twoimagesormodelsthathavebeenwidelyadoptedbyscholarstodiscussscienceina globalcontext,namely,circulationandtrade.Finally,theessayconsiderstherelation- shipbetweentheglobalandtheregionalandsuggeststhatitistimeforEastAsianSTS to take a global turn.
Training children to cope and parents to coach themduring routine immunizations: Effects on child, parent, and staff behaviors

Preschool children (n=30) undergoing routine immunizations at a health department were taught to use distraction prior to the medical procedure and to use a party blower, as an age appropriate version of deep breathing, just prior to and during the injection. Parents were taught to coach their children. A no-treatment control group (n=30) was used to evaluate effectiveness. Results indicated that trained parents engaged in more prompting of their child to use the blower than untrained parents. Trained children engaged in more blower usage than untrained children. Child distress was lower on two of three observational measures for the trained children. Parents of trained children reported that both they and their children were less distressed when compared to how they normally would be during the procedures. Staff, who were not trained nor instructed to change their behavior, engaged in significantly more coaching of trained than of untrained children to use the blower, suggesting generalization of the behavior from parents to staff. Suggestions for future research are included.
Selective Venting of Cigarette Smoke in Dichotomous Ducts and Preserved Human Bronchi

Mechanically generated cigarette smoke and ambient air were injected into dichotomous ducts and geometrically preserved human bronchi in a fashion simulating typical smoking technique. When the air passages were at ambient temperature, the smoke settled into the lower branches. Smoke which was injected into passages warmed to body temperature rose to the upper branches. The latter selective distribution of the smoke resembled the distribution of centrilobular emphysema in the lungs.
Variables Affecting Antisense RNA Inhibition of Gene Expressiona

We have sought to determine what variables affect the extent of inhibition of gene expression by stable nuclear-derived antisense RNAs. Myosin heavy chain gene II (MHCII) expression in Dictyostelium was used as a model system, because previous results have shown that nearly complete inhibition of expression can be achieved under appropriate conditions. Various fragments of the myosin gene were inserted into several transformation vectors in both sense and antisense orientation, and the effects on expression of protein and RNA from the endogenous MHC II gene were assayed. The results indicate that the critical factor was the particular fragment of the gene used to produce the antisense RNA. Some fragments produced complete inhibition of expression, whereas others gave only slight inhibition. The fragments that produced the greatest inhibition were from the tail region of the gene. In addition, cells were capable of overcoming the inhibition while still expressing the antisense RNA. We hypothesize that the three-dimensional topology of the antisense and sense RNAs determines their accessibility for interstrand hybridization. Transformation with sense fragments of the myosin gene also caused inhibition of the endogenous myosin gene. The inhibition seen with sense expression is not as dramatic as that for antisense, but it had the same phenotypic consequences for the cells. This phenomenon, which has now been documented in other systems, may be mechanistically similar to inhibition by antisense RNA in our system.
Feeding Stoma Surgery on a Nutritional Support Service

Thirty patients undergoing feeding stoma operation over a 2 1/2 yr period were managed by the nutritional support service. The policy of preoperative nutritional support of these generally ill and malnourished patients contributed to operative survival and discharge from the hospital for 23 patients; only one death 21 days postoperatively was directly attributable to the feeding stoma procedure. Nonfatal complications of the surgery occurred in nine cases, and required reoperation in three instances. Early stoma use was the rule, and there were 10 documented cases of long-term stoma use averaging 14 months. Three-month survival of 19 patients (63%), and six-month survival of 13 patients (43%) along with early discharge from the hospital for most patients attest to efficacy and ease of stoma use. An essential feature contributing to diminished postoperative problems was prestoma surgery nutritional support. Continuity of feeding stoma planning and patient care may be best achieved when a nutritional support service is involved through the entire course of management.
Distributed feedback coupling coefficient in diode lasers with metallized gratings

First-order distributed-feedback (DFB) evanescent coupling effects are investigated in heterojunction diode laser structures with integrated, metallized diffraction gratings. A closed-form expression for the DFB coupling coefficient kappa is derived using a ray optics technique. The expression can be evaluated easily since it depends only on the laser wavelength, the grating depth, and the parameters of the metallized planar waveguide. The validity of the expression is established by using a truncated Floquet-Bloch approach to compute kappa . >
Influence of Relictual Species on the Morphology of a Hybridizing Oak Complex: An Analysis of the Quercus X Undulata Complex in the Four Corners Region

ABSTRACT. The genus Quercus represents an important component of the scrublands and low forests of the Four Corners area of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and northwestern New Mexico. The area is dominated by the widespread Quercus gambelii, although relictual and marginal populations of Q. turbinella and Q. havardii are also present. Hybridization among these 3 species is common, leading to much variability in phenotypic traits, and this hybridization forms part of the widespread complex of hybrid oaks recognized as Q. x undulata. Multivariate analysis of leaf morphology was performed in 9 populations, representing the various taxa and levels of hybridization. This analysis was intended to determine the distinctiveness conferred by, and extent of influence from, hybridization and successive introgression. It was found that, though common, hybridization seems to act at very restricted spatial scales and not in the production of a region-wide hybrid swarm. Most hybridizatio...
Detection of unscheduled DNA synthesis in hepatocytes isolated from rats treated with genotoxic agents: an in vivo- in vitro assay for potential carcinogens and mutagens.

An assay is described for the measurement of chemically-induced DNA repair in cultures of primary rat hepatocytes following in vivo treatment with genotoxic agents. Rats were exposed to chemicals then primary hepatocytes were isolated by liver perfusion and cultured with [3H]-thymidine. DNA repair was measured as unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) by quantitative autoradiography. Cells from control animals consistently ranged from -2 to -6 net grains (NG). Treatment of rats with 10, 1 or 0.1 mg/kg dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), i.p., yielded 36.6, 6.4 and -0.9 NG, respectively; 10 mg/kg DMN, per os (p.o.), produced 22.2 NG. Oral doses of 50 or 5 mg/kg acetylaminofluorene (AAF) yielded 14.0 and 6.4 NG, respectively. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) at 100 or 10 mg/kg, p.o., yielded -3.2 and -5.1 NG, respectively. Thus, dose-related increases in UDS were observed for the hepatocarcinogens DMN and AAF while vehicle controls and the hepatotoxin CCl4 produced no response. An examination of the time-course of DNA repair following DMN treatment shows a linear decline in UDS during the first 24 h post-treatment followed by a slower decline from 24 to 48 h. These results indicate that this assay is a potentially useful system for assessing the genotoxic and potential carcinogenic activity of chemicals in the whole animal.
Salivary cortisol, personality, and aggressive behavior in adolescent boys: A 5-year longitudinal study

ABSTRACT Objective The present investigation tested the hypothesis that low resting salivary cortisol concentration in preadolescent boys would be associated with aggressive behavior later in adolescence. Second, it tested whether personality traits would mediate this relation. Method Resting salivary cortisol concentrations from 314 boys (10–12 years of age) were assayed. When the boys reached 15 to 17 years of age these concentrations were analyzed in the context of personality traits, measured with the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, and aggressive behavior, measured with the Youth Self-Report inventory. Results Low cortisol in preadolescence was associated with low harm avoidance, low self-control, and more aggressive behavior 5 years later, during middle adolescence. Cortisol was not related to negative emotionality or any of its factors (including trait aggression). Low self-control was identified as the primary personality mediator of the relation between low cortisol and later aggressive behavior. Conclusions In adolescent boys, low resting cortisol concentrations appear predictive of clinically important personality factors. Increased aggressive behavior in adolescents with low resting cortisol may be more strongly associated with lack of self-control than with a specifically “aggressive personality.”
Multi‐level Effects of Severe Storms on an Offshore Temperate Reef System: Benthic Sediments, Macroalgae, and Implications for Fisheries

. Episodic events have been shown to strongly affect structure and function of marine benthic ecosystems. Severe storms can have profound effects on the distribution of marine sediments which could, in turn, influence the development of benthic communities. The rich and diverse epibenthic communities on the United States mid-Atlantic continental shelf owe their existence to the presence of a complex sequence of rocky outcrops. An unusually strong storm struck this shelf system in March 1993. Two of these carbonate platforms had been characterized by moderate sediment cover for at least the previous two years, but bottom water velocities generated by this storm removed considerable amounts of sediment from these upper flat hardbottom habitats. Macroalgal cover on these platforms dramatically increased between 1992 and 1993 with the increased exposure of hard substrate for attachment. The edges of the outcrops (scarps and rubble ramps), which are usually free of sediment, maintained their dense algal cover. Settlement blocks placed in various sub-habitats showed little variation in algal cover among flat hardbottom and scarp areas during both years, indicating that available hard substrate habitat may be the primary limiting factor for algal growth on the North Carolina continental shelf. Since macroalgal meadows provide food and shelter for juvenile fish, the increase in critical habitat following these storms may have implications for recruitment of economically important fish species. Thus, indirect effects of episodic storms, i.e., redistribution of sand bodies leading to algal meadow development over large spatial scales, may have important consequences for benthic community development and persistence in temperate reef systems.
Scaling effects in the flexural response and failure of composite beams

An experimental program was conducted in which scale model graphite-epoxy composite beams were loaded in bending until failure to investigate the effects of specimen size on flexural response and strength. Tests were performed on unidirectiona l, angle-ply, cross-ply, and quasi-isotropic beams of eight different scaled sizes ranging from 1/6 scale to full scale. The beams were subjected to an eccentric axial compressive load designed to promote large bending deformations and rotations. Results indicated that, although normalized flexural response was independent of specimen size, a significant scale effect in strength was observed for all laminate types. Typically, failure stresses and strains decreased as the size of the beam specimen increased from subscale to the full-scale prototype. Standard failure criteria for composite materials, such as the maximum stress, maximum strain, and tensor polynomial criteria, cannot predict the strength degradation with increasing specimen size. Consequently, a Weibull statistical model and a fracture mechanics model were used to analyze the strength scale effect.
Convergent evolution of Trichomonas vaginalis lactate dehydrogenase from malate dehydrogenase

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is present in the amitochondriate parasitic protist Trichomonas vaginalis and some but not all other trichomonad species. The derived amino acid sequence of T. vaginalis LDH (TvLDH) was found to be more closely related to the cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH) of the same species than to any other LDH. A key difference between the two T. vaginalis sequences was that Arg91 of MDH, known to be important in coordinating the C-4 carboxyl of oxalacetate/malate, was replaced by Leu91 in LDH. The change Leu91Arg by site-directed mutagenesis converted TvLDH into an MDH. The reverse single amino acid change Arg91Leu in TvMDH, however, gave a product with no measurable LDH activity. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicate that TvLDH arose from an MDH relatively recently.
School Behavior and Attendance during the First Year of Treatment for Childhood Cancer.

The school behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia is a relatively new area of interest and investigation. Children with cancer have been described as having increased school absenteeism and a self-protecting posture. The school behavior and achievement of children with cancer and hemophilia were rated by their teachers before and after first being seen in a large pediatric center. No pre-vs-post diagnosis differences were noted on academic and behavior ratings with either the cancer or hemophilia children. School absenteeism for the children with cancer was four times greater than that of healthy children, and absenteeism of children with hemophilia was twice normal. A substantial percentage of children with cancer was rated as having academic performance affected to at least a moderate degree. The school performance and behavior of children with cancer and hemophilia need to be monitored and appropriate educational adjustment made to accommodate the limitations imposed by these medical conditions.
Synthesis Of Cubane Based High Energy Materials

ABSTRACT The objective of this research is to develop new methods for the functionalization of thecubane nucleus and to synthesize energetic cubanes for use as energetic propellants and explosives. Recent achievements in this program include a high yield synthesis ofdinitrocubane, a new preparation of cubane -1,3- diacid, and synthesises of cubane- 1,2,4,7- tetraacid, cubane -1,2,4,7 -tetraisocyanate, 1,2,4,7 -tetraaminocubane tetrahydrochloride, and a propellanocubane. We have developed new methods of cubane functionalization, and the first preparation of energetic polynitrocubanes; cubane- 1,2,4,7- tetrakis(s,s,s- fluorodinitroethylester), cubane- 1,4- bis(s,s,s- trinitroethylester), cubane- 1,2,4,7- tetrakis (s,s,s -trinitroethylester), N,N'- bis -1,4- (s,s,s- fluorodinitroethylamino)cubane, and N- nitro -N'- nitroso -bis -1,4- (s,s,s- fluorodinitroethylamino)cubane. INTRODUCTION Higher specific impulse propellants and more powerful oxidants are required for the SDI mission.
Radioimmunoassay of human placental lactogen synthesized on ribosomes isolated from first trimester and third trimester placentae.

The human placenta synthesizes a lactogenic hormone, (HPL), as one of its major proteins. During pregnancy, HPL appears at maximal leveis at about 30 weeks [l-3]. It has also been shown that in term placen.tal tissue slices, HPL constitutes one of the primary proteins synthesized [4-61. Although term serum HPL levels are much higher than at first trimester, it is not clear as to the rate of HPL synthesized during pregnancy [7]. We have previously shown that labeled HPL could be synthesized in a reconstituted cell-free system containing purified placental ribosomes and a cell sap fraction derived from ascites tumor cells [8]. However, it was difficult to quantitate the cell-free synthesis of the labeled hormone as a function of pregnancy due to high backgrounds of radioactivity. Here, we report on the levels of HPL synthesized by ribosomes isolated from human placentae at different periods of gestation using a convenient and reliable commercial radioimmunoassay system. The data are consistent with the hypothesis tha’t the amount of this human hormone synthesized reflects the in vivo differentiation of the placenta during hregnancy.
Oxygen Grain‐Boundary Diffusion in MgO

Proton activation and autoradiography were combined to measure 18O grain-boundary diffusion in undoped and Fe-doped MgO bicrystals. Additions of 7000 ppm Fe enhance O grain-boundary diffusion at 1700°C by at most a factor of 5 over that in samples that contain 1000 atomic ppm total Al and Ca. From these results, the relative importance of grain-boundary and volume diffusion to O transport in dense polycrystalline MgO at 1700°C was estimated.
Efficient multicasting for delay tolerant networks using graph indexing

In Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs), end-to-end connectivity between nodes does not always occur due to limited radio coverage, node mobility and other factors. Remote communication may assist in guaranteeing delivery. However, it has a considerable cost, and consequently, minimizing it is an important task. For multicast routing, the problem is NP-hard, and naive approaches are infeasible on large problem instances. In this paper we define the problem of minimizing the remote communication cost for multicast in DTNs. Our formulation handles the realistic scenario in which a data source is continuously updated and nodes need to receive recent versions of data. We analyze the problem in the case of scheduled trajectories and known traffic demands, and propose a solution based on a novel graph indexing system. We also present an adaptive extension that can work with limited knowledge of node mobility. Our method reduces the search space significantly and finds an optimal solution in reasonable time. Extensive experimental analysis on large real and synthetic datasets shows that the proposed method completes in less than 10 seconds on datasets with millions of encounters, with an improvement of up to 100 times compared to a naive approach.
Nanostructured Material Based Completion Tools Enhance Well Productivity

Making downhole completion tools interventionless is the ultimate level of integrated design of material and product that enhances well performance and saves operation time and cost. Two common approaches to interventionless tools are novel mechanical design and use of new engineered materials. New interventionless tool designs, though effective, are often limited to the small downhole geometry available. Use of high strength, disintegrable materials becomes a more attractive solution for downhole tools which require eventual removal after the tool completes its functions. This paper presents a new, groundbreaking, smart, disintegrable nanostructured composite (DNC) and its successful use for multistage fracturing tools to enhance shale gas/oil well productivity. The disintegrable nanostructured composite (DNC) is manufactured through a powder metallurgy process by consolidating reactive metal powders that were coated with metallic and/or ceramic reinforcements. Material composition and microstructure were engineered at the micro- or nanoscale, to vary material strength and disintegration rate. The DNC is lighter than aluminum and stronger than some mild steels, but disintegrates when it is exposed to the appropriate fluid. More broadly, the DNC has the potential for radically changing the downhole tool functionality landscape by reducing product operational complexity and potentially the wholesale elimination of complete well trips by causing all, or a portion of, a tool to disintegrate in the well.
Ares I-X Flight Test--The Future Begins Here

In less than one year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch the Ares I-X mission. This will be the first flight of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, which, together with the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, will send humans to the Moon and beyond. Personnel from the Ares I-X Mission Management Office (MMO) are finalizing designs and fabricating vehicle hardware for a 2009 launch. Ares I-X will be a suborbital development flight test that will gather critical data about the flight dynamics of the integrated launch vehicle stack; understand how to control its roll during flight; better characterize the severe stage separation environments that the upper stage engine will experience during future flights; and demonstrate the first stage recovery system. NASA also will modify the launch infrastructure and ground and mission operations. The Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle (FTV) will incorporate flight and mockup hardware similar in mass and weight to the operational vehicle. It will be powered by a four-segment Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), which is currently in Shuttle inventory, and will include a fifth spacer segment and new forward structures to make the booster approximately the same size and weight as the five-segment SRB. The Ares I-X flight profile will closely approximate the flight conditions that the Ares I will experience through Mach 4.5, up to approximately 130,000 feet (39,600 meters (m)) and through maximum dynamic pressure ('Max Q') of approximately 800 pounds per square foot (38.3 kilopascals (kPa)). Data from the Ares I-X flight will support the Ares I Critical Design Review (CDR), scheduled for 2010. Work continues on Ares I-X design and hardware fabrication. All of the individual elements are undergoing CDRs, followed by a two-part integrated vehicle CDR in March and July 2008. The various hardware elements are on schedule to begin deliveries to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in early September 2008. Ares I-X is the first step in the long journey to the Moon and farther destinations. This suborbital test will be NASA's first flight of a new human-rated launch vehicle in more than a generation. This promises to be an exciting time for NASA and the nation, as we reach for new goals in space exploration. A visual presentation is included.
Global Competition, US Research Universities, and International Doctoral Education: Growth and Consolidation of an Organizational Field

The heightened mobility of resources, ideas, and cultural practices across national borders—commonly known as “globalization”—entails changes in the contexts in which US research universities operate. We draw on recent developments in neo-institutional theory to understand these changes and their implications for the ways in which US universities compete for international doctoral students. Quantitative analyses of university-level data from 1990 to 2006 identify significant predictors of growth in this field, including state appropriations and state-supported research expenditures for public universities and net tuition receipts and number of full-time faculty members for private universities. We also highlight the ways in which returns have intensified, declined, or held relatively constant over time.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Proteins

Fluorescence spectroscopy of proteins, analyzing polarity, distances between groups, flexibility and conformational transitions
Novel autoxidative cleavage reaction of 9-fluoredenes discovered during synthesis of a potential DNA-threading indenoisoquinoline.

The indenoisoquinolines are a novel class of cytotoxic non-camptothecin topoisomerase I inhibitors. A potential DNA-threading agent was designed by attaching different amine side chains on the lactam nitrogen as well as on the C11 position of the indenoisoquinoline ring system. It was hypothesized that substituents on the lactam nitrogen could protrude out toward the DNA major groove while those on the C11 project out toward the DNA minor groove in the ternary “cleavage complex.” Compound 4 was synthesized in order to test this DNA-threading scenario. It was found unexpectedly that an alkenyl substituent on the C11 position was autoxidatively cleaved under basic conditions to afford a ketone. A possible mechanism for this unusual oxidative cleavage was proposed on the basis of the studies of a 9-fluoredene model compound. The proposed mechanism was further supported by computational studies. Although the designed compound 4 showed potent cytotoxicities in various cancer cell lines, it was less potent than...
Influence of buoyancy on the vertical flow and heat transfer in a shrouded fin array

Analyse numerique de la convection forcee dans une conduite verticale rectangulaire dont une paroi est munie d'ailettes normales a repartition periodique. Calcul des profils de vitesse et de temperature pour differents intervalles entre les ailettes
Finite amplitude oscillations of a simple rubber support system

Exact solution of the nonlinear problem of undamped, finite amplitude, free vertical oscillations of a mass supported by a rubber spring made of a neo-Hookean material is presented for both suspension and compression supports. The motion in the special case of free fall of the mass from rest at the unstretched state is characterized in terms of elliptic integrals, and it is shown that the periodic time may be expressed universally in terms of the tabulated Heuman lambda-function. The finite amplitude, free vibrational frequency and the dynamic deflection of a neo-Hookean oscillator are compared with those for a linear spring oscillator having the same constant stiffness; and both upper and lower bounds on the ratio of these frequencies are presented. Numerical values for several cases are illustrated, and the physical results are described graphically. General solutions for the free vibrations with arbitrary initial data are obtained in terms of certain generalized lambda and beta-functions, and some transformation identities relating these functions are derived.
Keys to Developing an Effective Dairy Satellite Extension Program

Among various Land-Grant universities, there is a major emphasis on having university extension faculty develop distance education programs and then carry them to county locations. Satellite extension programming is in the early stages of development as an educational program for farmers. The challenge is to utilize the technology to augment existing educational programs as well as to create new programs. Well-planned programs, in-depth materials, timely topics, and rapid teaching pace work well to keep audience attention and to communicate topics effectively. Audience interaction during these programs must be emphasized, and the traditional lecture format is almost completely eliminated. On-site discussions, homework, and periods for live questions and answers are critical for interaction. A key aspect of these workshops is to augment the program with unique footage of people, places, and things that would otherwise not be available to farmers as part of a local county program. In addition, the county agent or site coordinator is an integral part of the program as a local teacher and discussion leader and must receive support for that role from the state specialists.
Influence of van der Waals forces on increasing the strength and toughness in dynamic fracture of nanofibre networks: a peridynamic approach*

The peridynamic method is used here to analyse the effect of van der Waals forces on the mechanical behaviour and strength and toughness properties of three-dimensional nanofibre networks under imposed stretch deformation. The peridynamic formulation allows for a natural inclusion of long-range forces (such as van der Waals forces) by considering all interactions as 'long-range'. We use van der Waals interactions only between different fibres and do not need to model individual atoms. Fracture is introduced at the microstructural (peridynamic bond) level for the microelastic type bonds, while van der Waals bonds can reform at any time. We conduct statistical studies to determine a certain volume element for which the network of randomly oriented fibres becomes quasi-isotropic and insensitive to statistical variations. This qualitative study shows that the presence of van der Waals interactions and of heterogeneities (sacrificial bonds) in the strength of the bonds at the crosslinks between fibres can help in increasing the strength and toughness of the nanofibre network. Two main mechanisms appear to control the deformation of nanofibre networks: fibre reorientation (caused by deformation and breakage) and fibre accretion (due to van der Waals interaction). Similarities to the observed toughness of polymer adhesive in the abalone shell composition are explained.
Localization and activation of the ARF6 GTPase during cleavage furrow ingression and cytokinesis

The ARF6 GTPase mediates cell shape changes in interphase cells through its effects on membrane cycling and actin remodeling. In this study, we focus our attention on the dynamics of cell division and present evidence supporting a novel role for ARF6 during cleavage furrow ingression and cytokinesis. We demonstrate that endogenous ARF6 redistributes during mitosis and concentrates near the cleavage furrow during telophase. Constitutively activated ARF6 localizes to the plasma membrane at the site of cleavage furrow ingression and midbody formation, and dominant negative ARF6 remains cytoplasmic. By using a novel pull-down assay for ARF6-GTP, we find an abrupt, but transient, increase in ARF6-GTP levels as cells progress through cytokinesis. Whereas high levels of expression of a GTPase-defective ARF6 mutant induce aberrant phenotypes in cells at cytokinesis, cells expressing low levels of ARF6 mutants do not display a significant mitotic delay or cytokinesis defect, presumably due to compensatory or redundant mechanisms that allow cytokinesis to proceed when the ARF6 GTPase cycle is disrupted. Finally, actin accumulation and phospholipid metabolism at the cleavage furrow are unchanged in cells expressing ARF6 mutants, suggesting that ARF6 may be involved in membrane remodeling during cytokinesis via effector pathways that are distinct from those operative in interphase cells.
Monitoring quality of care for nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological symptoms related to dementia

Background Behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia are common in nursing home residents. Quality indicators (QI) assessing quality of care for these residents are minimally risk adjusted and can provide inaccurate information regarding the quality of care provided by the facility. Objective Evaluate the performance of a new QI for the incidence of worsening behaviors in nursing home residents with behavioral and psychological symptoms association with dementia. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting A total of 381 Minnesota nursing homes with 26,165 residents. Data Sources Minimum Data Set records for the first 2 calendar quarters of 2008. Measurements We calculated incidence of worsening behaviors QI by comparing items from the “behavior” section of the Minimum Data Set records from 2 consecutive quarters and reported the incidence rates by both the residents’ level of cognitive impairment and the presence or absence of special care unit for dementia (SCU). Results The incidence rates of the worsening behavior QI in SCU ranged from 14% in residents with very severe cognitive impairment (a cognitive performance score = 6) to 30% in those with moderate cognitive impairment (a cognitive performance score = 3). The incidence QI rates among residents residing in conventional unit ranged from 15% among those with very severe cognitive impairment to 20% among those with moderate cognitive impairment. These differences in QI rates between the 2 units were statistically significant with a P value = .001. After risk adjustment for level of cognitive impairment, number of facilities with SCUs that flagged for problem behaviors dropped from 18.4% to 12.4% and the number of conventional units in the low-risk category from 16.8% to 4.7%. Conclusion Resident cognitive function and the facility utility of SCU are associated with worsening behavior QI and should be adjusted for in any nursing home quality reporting measure.
Ethanolamine and Choline Promote Expression of Putative and Characterized Fimbriae in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

ABSTRACT Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is an important food-borne pathogen responsible for disease outbreaks worldwide. In order to colonize the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract and cause disease, EHEC must be able to sense the host environment and promote expression of virulence genes essential for adherence. Ethanolamine (EA) is an important metabolite for EHEC in the GI tract, and EA is also a signal that EHEC uses to activate virulence traits. Here, we report that EA influenced EHEC adherence to epithelial cells and fimbrial gene expression. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR indicated that EA promoted the transcription of the genes in characterized and putative fimbrial operons. Moreover, putative fimbrial structures were produced by EHEC cells grown with EA but not in medium lacking EA. Additionally, we defined two previously uncharacterized EA-regulated fimbrial operons, loc10 and loc11 . We also tested whether choline or serine, both of which are also components of cell membranes, activated fimbrial gene expression. In addition to EA, choline activated fimbrial gene expression in EHEC. These findings describe for the first time the transcription of several putative fimbrial loci in EHEC. Importantly, the biologically relevant molecules EA and choline, which are abundant in the GI tract, promoted expression of these fimbriae.
Effects of singing on copulation success and egg production in brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater

We examined the relationship between singing and reproductive success in cowbirds. We amassed data from 17 captive flocks (164 males, 167 females) that we have studied over 4 years. For each flock, we conducted extensive observations on social interactions as the birds competed, courted, and reproduced. We collected and incubated all eggs laid during the breeding season and performed parentage analyses on the 7 flocks with the highest levels of egg production. Finally, we measured males’ song quality in playback tests. Here, we assessed what aspects of singing were associated with 1) copulation success and 2) offspring production. Results differed for these 2 measures of reproductive success because of high variance in egg production within and across groups. The overall amount of songs males directed to females, a measure of courtship persistence, was the one variable strongly associated with males’ copulation success. For offspring production, there was significant between-flock variability that was more pronounced than the within-group variability. The one variable that was found to be strongly associated with eggs laid within and across groups was the amount of countersinging males produced; a measure of male‐male singing competition. Song attractiveness did not predict any unique variance in either measure of reproductive success. The relationship between female egg production and male competition suggests that females may be trading off current versus future reproduction based on the opportunities available in groups to evaluate males’ competitive abilities.Key words:birdsong, cowbird, egg production, reproductive success, social behavior.[Behav Ecol]