cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Business Press Coverage and the Market Pricing of Good and Bad News

Using a large database of news stories from newswires, national press, internet-based news outlets, news aggregators and local news channels, we study differences in the coverage of business news across types of press sources. We document that bad news business stories receive more coverage than good news stories in newswires, the national press and local news channels, while the opposite occurs in internet-based news outlets and news aggregators. We observe that the gap between good and bad news coverage is smaller for stories that are based on firm fundamentals and larger for bigger firms. We also report results that we propose help distinguish between the different roles that prior research has hypothesized are played by the business press. In particular, our evidence most supports the hypothesis that press coverage enhances firm visibility, leading to higher demand for the firm’s shares. We conclude that while coverage of stories in the business press does provide value-relevant information to investors, the main role of the business press is to make firms more visible to a broad set of market participants.
Pharmacological prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

The incidence of clinically significant pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) ranges from 1–13.5%. It is more common after therapeutic procedures such as sphincterotomy or balloon dilatation of the sphincter, and diagnostic procedures such as biliary or pancreatic manometry. The severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis may vary from very mild to extremely severe disease with multiple organ failure and fatal outcome. Several factors including papillary oedema, injection of hyperosmolar contrast-material, introduction of previously activated enzymes during repeated cannulation, bacterial contamination and thermal injury from endoscopic sphincterotomy have been implicated as triggering factors that initiate the sequential cascade of pancreatic autodigestion and release of proinflammatory cytokines leading to acute pancreatitis. Recovery from post-ERCP pancreatitis is usually rapid when the injury is confined to the pancreas. However, systemic production of inflammatory mediators may lead to the development of more serious manifestations including multiorgan failure.
Raman and resonant Raman scattering from the HgTe/CdTe superlattice

Raman spectra from two high-quality HgTe/CdTe superlattices (SL's) [HgTe/CdTe, (80 \AA{})/(40 \AA{}) and (64 \AA{})/(60 \AA{})] show HgTe, CdTe, and ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cd}}_{\mathit{x}}$Te phonon modes. Our results and earlier Raman data [Olego, Faurie, and Raccah, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 328 (1985)] show that outgoing resonance with the CdTe ${\mathit{E}}_{0}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{0}$ gap is important, complicating the study of SL effects. An unknown broad peak near 430 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ is similar to a feature reported by Olego, Faurie, and Raccah but is not due to photoluminescence. Another unknown Raman band is seen at 155 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. The locations of the ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cd}}_{\mathit{x}}$Te phonon lines confirm the degree of Hg alloying in the nominal CdTe layers, showing the utility of Raman scattering for SL characterization.
Magnetic Field Dependence of the Thermal Conductivity of Doped MgO

The thermal conductivity of lightly doped single crystals of MgO has been measured over the temperature range from 0.4 to 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in magnetic fields up to 40 kOe. Resonant absorption of phonons is observed due to both the $\ensuremath{\Delta}M=1$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}M=2$ transitions in the ground-state triplet of the ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$ ion. Theoretical consideration of this ion alone is sufficient to explain the observed data at the lowest temperatures. Deviations from theoretical predictions are observed at higher temperatures, however. These deviations occur at high magnetic fields and are thought to be related to the same scattering source which causes the very unusual dependence of the zero-field conductivity.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in scarless wound healing utilizing polymerase chain reaction-suppression subtractive hybridization.

Wound healing in fetal skin is well known to proceed without scarring, whereas adult (postnatal) skin wound healing is accompanied by scar formation. To identify differentially expressed genes during fetal wound (FW) healing, we have used polymerase chain reaction-suppression subtractive hybridization. This technique allows for a comparative analysis across the entire transcriptome of FW vs. unwounded fetal control tissue, including even potentially novel sequences. Our subtractive hybridization protocol identified 15 clones that are overexpressed in healing FWs, and 20 clones that are underexpressed. These include genes with both known and unknown functions. We have confirmed the differential pattern of expression for four of these candidate genes: elongation factor 1 α, elongation initiation factor 4e, and two transcripts thus far known only as an expressed sequence tags. With this approach, we have also identified novel genes potentially involved in scarless wound healing.
Beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment for children. Psychometric analyses

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Beliefs About the Consequences of Maternal Employment (BACMEC) scale in a sample of 570 pregnant women and 550 of their husbands/partners....
Elementary Science Instruction: Examining a Virtual Environment for Evidence of Learning, Engagement, and 21st Century Competencies.

This mixed methods study examined the effectiveness of a virtual world curriculum for teaching elementary students complex science concepts and skills. Data were collected using pre- and post-content tests and a student survey of engaged learning, An additional survey collected teacher observations of 21st century competencies conducive to learning. The study involved a five-day intervention of fifteen 4th grade students in a small Midwestern school using a virtual science computer game from Arizona State University. Thirty elementary teachers from Australia, England, and the United States were surveyed on classroom observations of their elementary students working in the virtual world environment. Research questions guiding the virtual learning study were: (1) do pre- and post-content tests show significant learning in the virtual environment; (2) are students academically engaged during the learning process; and (3) are students actively demonstrating relevant 21st century competencies. The study supports prior research in game-based learning showing measureable learning results, highly engaged, motivated students, and observations of student behaviors conducive to learning science in school, namely collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking/inquiry, global awareness, and technology use.
The photon excitation of soft X-ray emission spectra

Abstract The photon excitation of soft X-ray emission spectra using monochromatized radiation from a synchrotron light source provides important advantages compared with electron excitation. The equipment used for such studies on beamline U-10 at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) is described. With data obtained from this beamline and elsewhere, we discuss and illustrate the elimination of bremsstrahlung, the reduction in damage produced by energy deposition, the elimination of overlapping spectra made possible by selective excitation of particular core levels, and the interactions between excitation and emission processes observed using photon excitation near threshold.
The possible involvement of methylcobalamin in the production of methyl iodide in the marine environment

Methyl iodide (CH3I) is a biogenic iodocarbon of marine and estuarine waters, and is an important component in the biogeochemical cycling of iodine. A possible significant abiotic marine source of CH3I is the reaction of methylcobalamin (CH3B12) with either iodide or molecular iodine (I2) in seawater. These reactions were shown to occur in seawater and buffered water. The reaction between iodide and CH3B12 was apparently second order. The pH had a slight but significant effect on the reaction rate at pH between 7 and 8, and a more pronounced effect at a pH 7.5, however, at pH < 7.5 the presence of iodate increased the rate of CH3I production (9 fold at pH 5) due to the probable formation of I2. The addition of aquocobalamin to the reaction mixture (CH3B12 + iodide) enhanced CH3I production (63% at pH 5; 38% at pH 8.5) presumably by catalyzing the oxidation of iodide to I2. Molecular iodine also reacted with CH3B12 to form CH3I. The separate addition of CH3B12, I− or I2 to coastal seawater, for a final concentration of 0.22 mM, 4.8 mM and 25μM, respectively, resulted in the detectable formation of CH3I. The significance of these reactions to the formation CH3I in the oceans is discussed.
Characterization of wax esters, triglycerides, and free fatty acids of follicular casts.

Abstract The abnormal impactation of a sebaceous follicle (the follicular cast) has been implicated as the preclinical lesion of acne vulgaris. We have characterized the lipid composition of these structures in the first of a series of studies aimed at the identification of sebaceous lipids that may be associated and/or responsible for the initiation of clinical lesions. The lipid composition of follicular casts was analyzed using thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. The mean wet weight of the casts was 24.7 ± 8.6 μg and 7.2 ± 5.6 μg (29.4 ± 13.5%) was lipid. Cholesterol (3.8 ± 1.8%) and cholesterol esters (2.0 ± 2.7%), wax esters (25.3 ± 6.0%), squalene (19.9 ± 6.6%), triglycerides (16.1 ± 7.8%), and free fatty acids (33.0 ± 10.0%) were all present in cast lipid. Fatty acids of the free fatty acid and triglyceride fraction ranged from C12 to C22. The major components of the free fatty acids were C14:0, C15:0, C16:1, C16:0, 2-me-C17:0, and C18:1. In the triglyceride fraction C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C18:1, and C18:0 dominated. The free fatty acids were composed of normal saturated (50.6%), normal unsaturated (32.8%), and monomethyl branched (16.6%) acids; the triglyceride fraction contained (86.3%) normal saturated (10.8%), normal unsaturated, and (3.0%) monomethyl branched fatty acids. Wax esters of follicular casts included esters ranging from C26:1 to C38:0. Saturated esters predominated and both odd- and even-numbered esters were present. The most abundant fatty acid moieties of these esters were C16:0 and C15:0, whereas C14:0, C17:0, and C20:0 were the most frequently detected alcohol moieties.
Intramuscular prochlorperazine versus metoclopramide as single-agent therapy for the treatment of acute migraine headache

To compare the efficacy of intramuscular prochlorperazine and metoclopramide in the short-term treatment of migraine headache in the emergency department 86 eligible adult patients with moderate to severe migraine headache were evaluated prospectively at a university-affiliated community hospital. After randomization, each subject received a 2-mL intramuscular injection of sterile saline, prochlorperazine (10 mg), or metoclopramide (10 mg). No other analgesics were administered during the 60-minute study period; patient assessment of relief was followed using visual analog scales. Reduction in median headache scores was significantly better among those treated with prochlorperazine (67%) compared to metoclopramide (34%) or placebo (16%). Similarly, symptoms of nausea and vomiting were significantly relieved in the prochlorperazine group (chi 2 = 17.1, P < .001). However, rescue analgesic therapy was necessary in the majority of patients treated with prochlorperazine (16/28) and metoclopramide (23/29) after the 60-minute study period. Although intramuscular prochlorperazine appears to provides more effective relief than metoclopramide, these results do not recommend either drug as single-agent therapy for acute migraine headache.
A selective CO sensor using Ti-doped α-Fe2O3 with coprecipitated ultrafine particles of gold

Abstract Titanium-doped α-Fe2O3 with ultrafine deposits of Au was prepared by the coprecipitation method. A thick-film sensor fabricated from the above semiconductor had high sensitivity and excellent selectivity to CO against ethanol and H2 in the temperature range 30 °C to 100 °C. This unique sensing property was found to originate from a high catalytic activity of the material, which could catalyse CO oxidation even at a temperature as low as −70 °C. High-resolution electron microscopic observation has revealed that gold ultrafine particles with a mean diameter of 36 A are homogeneously dispersed and that they are not merely supported on but strongly held by the host oxide α-Fe2O3-Ti4+. The sensing mechanism and the origin of the high selectivity to CO are discussed.
Testing the Effect of Person-Environment Fit on Employee Perceptions of Organizational Goal Ambiguity

Reducing the ambiguity of employees' perceptions of organizational goals is an effective strategy for improving their work-related attitudes and organizational performance, but our understanding of...
Noise exponents of the random resistor network.

We consider the critical properties of the two-point resistance and its fluctuations due to microscopic noise in a randomly diluted resistor network near the percolation threshold ${p}_{c}$. We introduce a n\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}m replicated Hamiltonian in order to treat separately the configuration average over the randomly occupied bonds denoted [ ${]}_{\mathrm{av}}$ and the average over probability distribution function of the fluctuating microscopic bond conductance, denoted { ${\mathrm{}}}_{f}$. We evaluate a family of exponents {${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{l}$} (l=2,3,. . .) whose values are 1+O(\ensuremath{\epsilon}) with \ensuremath{\epsilon}=6-d where d is the spatial dimensionality. Each ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{l}$ governs the critical behavior of the lth cumulant of the resistance between the sites x,x' conditionally averaged subject to the sites being in the same cluster such that ${C}_{R}$\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} $^{(l)}$(x,x')\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{\Vert}x- for p near ${p}_{c}$, where ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{p}$ is the correlation-length exponent for percolation. Furthermore, ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{2}$=1+\ensuremath{\epsilon}/105 determines the dependence of the variance of the resistance in a finite network on size L as . .AE
Shared T-cell receptor gene usage in experimental allergic neuritis and encephalomyelitis.

Experimental allergic neuritis, an autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system, is a model for human Guillain-Barre syndrome. Experimental allergic neuritis is mediated by CD4+ T cells reactive with myelin P2 protein. We demonstrate that these T cells use the same members of T-cell receptor V gene families for both their alpha (V alpha 2) and beta (V beta 8) chains as T cells that cause experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Furthermore, these T cells appear to be idiotypically related. Therefore, completely different T-cell lines with different antigen specificities, producing entirely different diseases, share common T-cell receptors.
Natural sweeteners as fixatives in histopathology: A longitudinal study.

Background: Fixation is the essential step in histopathological processing of tissues. Since formalin is a corroborated biohazard, its routine use as a fixative is a major health and safety concern and hence the quest for safer alternatives is envisaged. Natural sweeteners like jaggery and honey have proved to be effective tissue preservatives over 24 h. This pioneer eco-idea needs further research to expand its application. Aim: (1) To evaluate the fixative property of jaggery and honey over 6 months and ascertaining the results using hematoxylin and eosin stain (H and E). (2) To evaluate the compatibility of jaggery and honey fixed tissues for special stains - Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and Masson-Trichrome (MT). Materials and Methods: Equal bits of commercially available animal mucosae were preserved in 30% jaggery, 20% honey, and 10% buffered formalin (control) over 6 months at intervals. Following which, tissues were subjected to routine H and E, special stains - PAS and MT using standard operating procedures established in our group. Results: Formalin, jaggery, and honey yielded satisfactory results post 6 months for H and E and special stains, jaggery was comparable to formalin in tissue preservation. Conclusion: We propose the use of eco-friendly jaggery and honey as alternatives to formalin for long term tissue preservation.
Crack propagation in SiCf/SiC ceramic matrix composite under static and cyclic loading conditions

Abstract SiC f SiC ceramic matrix composite material is of high interest for potential application as a structural and barrier material in fusion systems. It possesses reasonable fracture toughness over a range of temperatures and, due to the low atomic number of its constituents, is appealing for low activation reasons. This study examines the mechanical durability of a Nicalon fiber-SiC composite which has been tested at temperatures up to 1400°C to determine its resistance to crack propagation under static and cyclic loading conditions. The crack growth characteristics are governed by the fiber and interface failure modes. These, in turn are affected by loading parameters, temperature and environmental effects. The material shows R-curve behavior, due to fiber bridging of the crack wake. The material also shows time dependent crack growth at elevated temperature, but not at room temperature. However, cyclic loading does induce crack extension at room temperature.
Comparisons of histones in retinal and brain nuclei from newborn and adult mice

Abstract Histone proteins from purified nuclei of neonatal and adult mouse retinas were analyzed and compared utilizing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Identical procedures were applied to examine the histones extracted from the brains of the same animals. In the newborn and mature retina and brain, 8 histone fractions have been separated, identified and quantified by scanning densitometry. These are the linker histone (H1), consisting of 3 subfractions (H1a, H1b, H1°); the semi-histone uH2A (A24); and the 4 nucleosome core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, H4). Developmental differences are exhibited by the linker histone in both brain and retinal cells. The greatest differences between the histone patterns of retina and brain are also in the H1 group. Because the linker histone is subject to the greatest variability, H1 was selectively extracted with 5% perchloric acid from both neonatal and adult brain. This procedure established that the observed differences are a developmental phenomenon and are not due to interactions of the linker histones with other nuclear proteins. The ratio of the non-histone chromosomal proteins to total histone was found to be significantly greater in both adult and neonatal brain compared to retina at either age.
A test of the randomness of paternity of members of maternal sibships in six captive groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Results of previous studies have shown that in captive groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatto)fathers associate more frequently with their own offspring than with those of other males and that mothers are most permissive of physical contact between their own infant and a juvenile when that juvenile shares the same father with her infant. These two observations suggest that the identity of offspring born in captive groups of rhesus monkeys is recognized by at least some adult members of the group. Consistent patterns of mating among mating seasons might explain this apparent recognition of offsprings’ paternity. Fathers, for example, might regularly associate with young who maintain a close relationship with females with whom they have previously mated, and mothers might selectively permit juveniles who maintain a close relationship with males with whom they have previously mated to associate with their infants. This hypothesis is tested in this paper by comparing the observed distribution of 70 maternal sibships, members of which were fathered by the same or by different adult males over a 4-year period in six captive groups of rhesus monkeys, with that distribution expected based on random mating from season to season. Seasonal mating patterns were found to be random. Preparations are now underway to test this hypothesis in several free-ranging groups.
Preventive treatment of migraine: an overview

The pharmacologic treatment of migraine may be acute (abortive, symptomatic) or preventive (prophylactic). Most migraine preventive medications were designed to treat other disorders (e.g., propran...
Hydrogen-Helium Mixtures at Megabar Pressures: Implications for Jupiter and Saturn

Models of Jupiter and Saturn postulate a central rock core surrounded by a fluid mixture of hydrogen and helium. These models suggest that the mixture is undergoing phase separation in Saturn but not Jupiter. State-of-the-art total energy calculations of the enthalpy of mixing for ordered alloys of hydrogen and helium confirm that at least partial phase separation has occurred in Saturn and predict that this process has also begun in Jupiter.
Mechanisms of glyphosate toxicity in velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti medikus)

In velvetleaf source leaves, glyphosate caused gradual inhibition of photosynthesis that increased over several days and was nearly complete by five days. Gas exchange measurements revealed that a decrease in stomatal conductance was a major factor in this reduction. Calvin cycle metabolite levels diminished along with photosynthesis rates but to a lesser extent than stomatal conductance, as indicated by the rise in water use efficiency and the lowering of internal leaf carbon dioxide. Though accumulation of shikimate confirmed that glyphosate was being taken up by the source leaves, this was insufficient to explain the lessened effect on photosynthesis. The protracted inhibition of photosynthesis allowed for greater translocation of glyphosate to sink tissues where it inflicted substantial damage. Consequently, sink tissue processes were more susceptible to disruption by glyphosate than were source leaf processes. The data also support the view that death of velvetleaf tissues was a result of restriction of water availability to the shoot induced by lethal disruption of root processes. The mechanism of prolonged plant death generated by sink tissue toxicity in velvetleaf contrasts with the mechanism observed in sugar beet, where death occurs rapidly due to the inhibition of source leaf processes.
Virtual reuse distance analysis of SPECjvm2008 data locality

Reuse distance analysis has been proved promising in evaluating and predicting data locality for programs written in Fortran or C/C++. But its effect has not been examined for applications in managed runtime environments, where there is no concept of memory address. For this reason, traditional reuse distance analysis based on memory addresses is not directly applicable to these applications.This paper presents the Virtual Reuse Distance Analysis (ViRDA), which resolves the difficulties associated with runtime environments and provides insights into the highlevel locality in dynamic applications. ViRDA addresses the problem caused by managed runtime artifacts, garbage collection in particular, by using virtual data identities, obtained through a standard profiling interface, to capture inherent data locality. The effectiveness of ViRDA is evaluated using a subset of the SPECjvm2008 benchmark suite. The new analysis reveals the reuse distance signatures of these programs and helps to explain the cause of excessive cache misses. It also predicts locality for large inputs based on training analysis of several small inputs. The prediction error is no more than 6% for the 4 scimark workloads.
The role of an iron-sulfur center and siroheme in spinach nitrite reductase.

Abstract Purified spinach nitrite reductase, a protein that contains siroheme, is characterized by absorption maxima in the visible region at 385 and 573 nm. On addition of the substrate nitrite, the bands shift to 360 and 570 nm. Dithionite also causes shifts in the maxima of the visible absorption region. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies show that the untreated enzyme contains a high-spin Fe 3+ heme and that the addition of cyanide, an inhibitor that is competitive with nitrite, results in a spin-state change of the heme. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of the enzyme in the presence of dithionite or dithionite plus cyanide indicates the presence of a reduced iron-sulfur center with rhombic symmetry ( g -values of 2.03, 1.94, and 1.91). In contrast, when the enzyme is treated with dithionite plus nitrite, the EPR spectrum of an NO-heme complex ( g -values of 2.07 and 2.00) is observed. The presence of an iron-sulfur center has also been confirmed by chemical analyses of the nonheme iron and acid-labile sulfide in nitrite reductase. These results are discussed in terms of a mechanism for nitrite reduction that involves electron transfer between the iron-sulfur center and siroheme.
Health promotion needs of students in a college environment

A significant amount of the mortality and morbidity experienced by Americans of all ages today is preventable. Research directed toward the identification of health promotion needs of traditional students in college environments may contribute to the development and implementation of programs and activities that assist students to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors throughout their life spans. The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to identify the health promotion needs of traditional students in a college environment. More specifically, the research question was: What are the health promotion needs of traditional students in a college environment? Subjects were male and female students, 18-21 years of age, and enrolled in a full-time (minimum of 12 hours) program of study at one of two college campuses in a metropolitan southern city. One of these was a 2-year state-affiliated community college and the other was a private 4-year coeducation university. A randomized sample of 148 subjects was computed. Results of this study emphasize the distinctive individual and group health promotion needs of traditional students in a college environment. Identification of the health promotion needs of this population will enable health care providers to develop interventions to assist students in developing healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Cytokine release, pancreatic injury, and risk of acute pancreatitis after spinal fusion surgery.

Acute pancreatitis after posterior spinal fusion in children is associated with high intraoperative blood loss. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and pancreatitis markers were assessed during this period. Five of the 17 patients studied developed acute pancreatitis 3–7 days after surgery. Intraoperative blood loss (4850±2315 vs 1322±617 ml) and peak tumor necrosis factor α levels (15.29±5.3 vs 8.27±4.6 pg/ml) in the immediate postoperative period were significantly higher in these five patients than in controls, respectively. No differences were noted in serum interleukin 8, interleukin 6, pancreatis-associated protein, or urine malondialdehyde levels. Urine trypsin-associated peptide, elevated initially in all patients, was significantly higher in the acute pancreatitis group at diagnosis. Length of stay was significantly longer in the acute pancreatitis group. Greater blood loss and peak tumor necrosis factor α are associated with subsequent risk of acute pancreatitis, suggesting a role of ischemia–reperfusion injury.
The Importance of Human Exposure Information: A Need for Exposure-Related Data Bases to Protect and Promote Public Health

As a subfield of public health, environmental health is concerned with evaluating and ameliorating the effects of people on the environment and the effects of the environment on people. Separating hazards from risks, and characterizing the magnitude, likelihood, and uncertainty of risks is at the heart of environmental health in the 1990s. To this end, a full range of data is needed, including data that characterize the distribution of hazards, the population potentially at risk, and the contact between people and pollution that creates the risk. Several government-sponsored data systems contain information on a range of exposure estimators. The challenge is to develop meaningful, properly validated models to identify public health needs and evaluate public health programs.
Improving accuracy by sub-pixel smoothing in FDTD

Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods suffer from reduced accuracy when modeling discontinuous dielectric materials, due to the inhererent discretization (“pixellization”). We show that accuracy can be significantly improved by using a sub-pixel smoothing of the dielectric function, but only if the smoothing scheme is properly designed. We develop such a scheme based on a simple criterion taken from perturbation theory, and compare it to other published FDTD smoothing methods. In addition to consistently achieving the smallest errors, our scheme is the only one that attains quadratic convergence with resolution for arbitrarily sloped interfaces. Finally, we discuss additional difficulties that arise for sharp dielectric corners.
Synthesis of a silica-immobilized Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalyst and hydrolysis of cellulose in water under mild conditions

Abstract A silica immobilized imidazolium-type acidic ionic liquid catalyst was shown to be a better catalyst than n-propylsulfonic acid silica (PrSO3H-SiO2) and sulfonic acid silica (SO3H-SiO2) for the hydrolysis of untreated Sigmacell Cellulose (DP ~ 450) in water. For example, new catalyst produced the highest TRS yield of 48.1% after 3 h at 190 °C, whereas cellulose samples heated with PrSO3H-SiO2 and SO3H-SiO2 catalysts produced only 19.9% and 13.2% TRS yields, respectively, under identical conditions. The new catalyst could be recycled up to four cycles with a small loss in catalytic activity.
The Use of Sandtray in Solution-Focused Supervision

Counselors-in-training are in a unique position to begin bridging theory with practice. Supervision and strong supervisory relationships allow supervisees to verbalize and explore goals, case conceptualizations, and client relationships. Solution-focused supervision, like solution-focused counseling, maintains that supervisees build upon times of success for insight and goal setting. Likewise, the modality of sandtray in supervision allows for supervisees to freely express and explore personal and professional growth as counselors. In this article, we advocate the interface of solution-focused techniques and the use of sandtray to facilitate and enhance counselor supervision.
Revisiting ISO 14000 Diffusion: A New “Look” at the Drivers of Certification

T his replication study of the drivers of ISO 14000 certifications extends the work of Corbett and Kirsch (2001) and provides a different and simpler predictive model of the factors contributing to the growth of ISO 14000 certifications. The main finding is that at national level ISO 14000 certification densities can be explained by two factors: the installed base of ISO 9000 certificates and the number of environmental treaties signed and ratified. The first factor, considering the common elements of the two standards, points to conditions of infrastructural convenience, while the second highlights the importance of political-economic considerations. The study uses a new set of tools (graphical displays, distribution-free computer intensive methods) that are better suited for exploratory research when discontinuities and existence of subgroups in the data set may make findings from a linear regression suspect.
Dielectric Loss Reduction In Superconducting Transmission Lines

ABSTRACT The dominant loss mechanism is the conductor loss in planar MIC waveguides on low-loss substrates. Superconductors can dramati­ cally reduce the conductor loss, so further reductions in the total loss must come in the dielectric or radiation loss. This paper inves­ tigates the use of ~90 K superconductors to reduce the conductor loss. A rigorous mode-matching procedure is used to analyze two microstrip-like transmission lines for their dielectric loss. Total loss reductions are on the order of 10 to 100 times at 10 GHz when using superconductors and dielectric loss reduction techniques. Reductions at other frequencies below 100 GHz should be similar.1. INTRODUCTIONLosses in waveguides are generated from three sources: conductor loss, dielectric loss, and radiation. For the typical planar transmis­ sion lines used in microwave integrated circuit (MIC) and monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) applications, the conductor loss is dominant when low-loss substrates are used. Efforts to reduce the total loss have concentrated on conductor loss through two avenues of research: novel structures, and structural modifications to typical waveguides.Novel structures that have low conductor loss include image line [1] dielectric strip waveguide [2], nonradiative waveguide [3], and Micro- slab 14]. These structures reduce the conductor loss by replacing metallic confinement with dielectric confinement, so they typically work best at mid-to high-millimeter- wave frequencies. The primary disadvantage of these waveguides is their non-planar nature and the resulting high cost of high-volume manufacturing.From the manufacturing point-of-view, planar waveguides that can be fabricated using standard MIC technology [5] are highly de­ sirable. Structural modifications generally compatible with pho­ tolithographic production techniques have been shown to result in lower conductor losses. In microstrip, conductor-loss reduction has been shown by reducing the strip metallization thickness [6]. To­ tal loss reductions have been shown for inverted microstrip [7] and suspended-substrate microstrip [8]. Inverting and suspending the substrate induces wider lines, which have lower conductor loss. In­ verted microstrip might allow the use of SrTiO^ substrates, where the high dielectric constant (300-1800) and high dielectric loss tan­ gent (0.001 - 0.02) [9] would not as severely affect the performance since the fields lie primarily in the air gap between the strip and the ground plane. For coplanar waveguide, etching or ion milling to
Corrosion of UO2 and ThO2: A quantum-mechanical investigation

Abstract The addition of Th to U-based fuels increases resistance to corrosion due to differences in redox-chemistry and electronic properties between UO2 and ThO2. Quantum-mechanical techniques were used to calculate surface energy trends for ThO2, resulting in (1 1 1)
Treatment of dextran sulfate sodium-induced murine colitis by intracolonic cyclosporin

The use of oral and intravenous cyclosporin represents a significant advance in the therapy of refractory inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, oral administration of cyclosporin is fraught with improper delivery of cyclosporin to the colon for its topical action. Because of unpredictable metabolism by cytochrome P-450 IIIA, the targeted blood level for systemic effect is not reached at low doses. Furthermore, the doses that have been used for therapy of IBD have been shown to induce several adverse side effects. Thus, an alternate method of delivering cyclosporin to the colon is desirable. In this study, the effect of intracolonically administered cyclosporin was tested for its efficacy to heal mucosal erosions in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Both acute and chronic colitis was induced by feeding female Swiss-Webster mice with 5% DSS (30,000–40,000 mol wt) for five or seven days, respectively. Therapy was advocated prophylactically, prophylaxis plus therapy and therapeutically during the acute and chronic phase of the disease and therapeutically during the chronic phase of the disease. Intracolonic cyclosporin given prophylactically showed adverse effects by increasing the damage to the colonic mucosa. However, intracolonic cyclosporin given therapeutically in 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg after the induction of colitis resulted in dramatic responses in terms of reducing the disease activity and histologic scores, corroborated by complete histological resolution compared to oral cyclosporin given at identical doses. Intracolonic cyclosporin (5 mg/kg) was also very effective in reducing the chronic inflammation. The results of this study highlight the application of this animal model for therapeutic research. Furthermore, cyclosporin administered as an enema provides a new stratagem for the therapy of IBD because of its rapid onset of action at very low doses without the risk inherent in oral or systemic administration.
Autonomous navigation for underground energy line inspection robot

This work proposes architecture of an inspection robot's navigation system, aiming at monitoring underground energy lines. This architecture is composed of two modules: i. feature extraction from environment; ii navigation approach. The feature extraction module is based on the use of the edge detector by Canny algorithm and Hough transform for identification of lines from images of environment to monitoring. The lines identified correspond to cable conformation inside the duct. This information will serve to help the navigation system. For the implementation of the navigation system two approaches were proposed: navigation based on artificial neural network and navigation based on PID control. The navigation architecture can be used in real or simulated scenarios, and it was tested in a simulated environment.
Microscales of rotating turbulent flows

Abstract In terms of the usual Prandtl and Taylor numbers, a combined dimensionless number π c ∼ TaPr 2 1+ Pr is introduced for rotating thermal flows. Depending on this number and relative to an integral scale, a thermal boundary layer thickness σ θ l ∼ π c − 1 4 for the laminar case and a thermal Kolmogorov scale ν θ l ∼ π c − 1 3 for the turbulent case, are developed. In terms of these scales, a model for laminar heat transfer Nu ∼π c 1 4 and another for turbulent heat transfer Nu ∼π c 1 3 are proposed. Experimental literature is correlated by these models.
Longitudinal and lateral dispersion in an isotropic porous medium

Coefficients of longitudinal and lateral dispersion were measured for steady uniform laminar flow through an isotropic porous medium. A unique experimental method for measuring lateral dispersion is described. It is found that the ratio of the coefficient of longitudinal dispersion D1 to the coefficient of lateral dispersion D2 is given by where λ and n are dimensionless coefficients dependent upon the pore-system geometry, and [real ] is the Reynolds number based on the seepage velocity, the average grain diameter, and the kinematic viscosity.
Advocacy and Argumentation in the Public Arena: A Guide for Social Workers

Whether translating research findings for public consumption, or arguing for a policy position that reflects social work values, social workers engaged in cause advocacy need rhetorical skills. The author draws from the disciplines of linguistics, logic, and communications and provides a framework for making arguments in the public arena. The structure and components of arguments are analyzed, and strategies for choosing persuasive empirical evidence and using values to support an argument are described. The use and misuses of language are discussed. Excerpts from published op-ed pieces are used for illustration.
Stiffness of Cross-Linked Poly(Dimethylsiloxane) Affects Bacterial Adhesion and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Attached Cells

In this study, Escherichia coli RP437 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 were used as model strains to investigate the early stage biofilm formation on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) surfaces with varying stiffness, which were prepared by controlling the degree of cross-linking (base:curing agent ratios of 5:1, 10:1, 20:1, and 40:1 were tested). An inverse correlation between cell adhesion and substrate stiffness was observed for both species. Interestingly, it was found that the cells attached on relatively stiff substrates (5:1 PDMS) were significantly smaller than those on relatively soft substrates (40:1 PDMS). In addition to the difference in size, the cells on 5:1 PDMS substrates were also found to be less susceptible to antibiotics, such as ofloxacin, ampicillin, and tobramycin, than the cells attached on 40:1 PDMS substrates. These results reveal that surface stiffness is an important material property that influences the attachment, growth, and stress tolerance of biofilm cells.
The contribution of faint galaxy wings to source-subtracted near-infrared background fluctuations

The source-subtracted, 1.1 and 1.6 {\mu}m NICMOS images used in earlier analyses of the near-infrared Hubble Ultra Deep Field contained residual flux in extended wings of identified sources that contributed an unknown amount to fluctuation power. When compared to the original results, a reanalysis after subtracting this residual flux shows that mean-square and rms fluctuations decrease a maximum of 52 and 31 per cent at 1.6 {\mu}m and 50 and 30 per cent at 1.1 {\mu}m. However, total mean-square fluctuations above 0.5 arcsec only decrease 6.5 and 1.4 per cent at 1.6 and 1.1 {\mu}m, respectively. These changes would not affect any published conclusions based on the prior analyses. These results exclude previous suggestions that extended wings of detected galaxies may be a major contributor to the source-subtracted near-infrared background and confirm that most fluctuation power in these images must be explained by other means.
The Inner Life of Empires: An Eighteenth-Century History

Emma Rothschild (2011), 496 (Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford, £24.95/$35.00, paperback £15.95/$22.95). In this book Emma Rothschild follows eleven brothers and sisters of an eighte...
Thirty years of near room temperature magnetic cooling: Where we are today and future prospects

Abstract The seminal study by Brown in 1976 showed that it was possible to use the magnetocaloric effect to produce a substantial cooling effect near room temperature. About 15 years later Green et al. built a device which actually cooled a load other than the magnetocaloric material itself and the heat exchange fluid. The major breakthrough, however, occurred in 1997 when the Ames Laboratory/Astronautics proof-of-principle refrigerator showed that magnetic refrigeration was competitive with conventional gas compression cooling. Since then, over 25 magnetic cooling units have been built and tested throughout the world. The current status of near room temperature magnetic cooling is reviewed, including a discussion of the major problems facing commercialization and potential solutions thereof. The future outlook for this revolutionary technology is discussed.
Impact of power utility rights-of-way on wooded wetland

This study documents the effects of power utility right-of-way construction and maintenance on the vegetation of a wooded wetland in North Reading, Massachusetts, USA. Neither activity had a substantial, long-term negative impact. Except for differences in size and maturity, the vegetation recovered in two years from nearly total destruction caused by construction. Maintenance that included the periodic removal of high-growing species led to the formation of a plant association different from the one occurring naturally, but as diverse and species rich.
Removing CO2 from Atmospheric Samples for Radiocarbon Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds

Two methods employing LiOH to selectively remove CO2 from ambient whole air samples have been investigated. This is a necessary step in preparing an atmospheric sample for a measurement of the radi...
Evaluation of suspected local recurrence in head and neck cancer: a comparison between PET and PET/CT for biopsy proven lesions.

Abstract Background 18 F-FDG PET has a high accuracy for re-staging of head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the diagnostic accuracy can be further improved with integrated PET/CT. Materials and methods Forty-nine patients with a mean age of 59±18 years were studied retrospectively. Histo-pathological verification was available either from complete tumor resection with or without lymph node dissection ( n =27) or direct endoscopic biopsy ( n =16) or ultrasound guided biopsy ( n =6). Two reviewers blinded to the pathological findings read all PET images in consensus. An experienced radiologist was added for the interpretation of the PET/CT images. Results Tissue verification was available for 110 lesions in 49 patients. Sixty-seven lesions (61%) were biopsy positive and 43 (39%) were negative for malignant disease. PET and PET/CT showed an overall accuracy for cancer detection of 84 and 88% ( p =0.06), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for PET were 78 and 93% versus 84 ( p =NS) and 95% ( p =NS) with PET/CT. A patient-by-patient analysis yielded a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for PET of 80, 56 and 76%, compared to 88% ( p =NS), 78% ( p =NS) and 86% ( p =0.06) for PET/CT. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that PET/CT does not significantly improve the detection of recurrence of head and neck cancer. However, a trend towards improved accuracy was observed ( p =0.06).
Experimental tests of stereological estimates of grain boundary populations

Abstract We present experimental validation of a method for estimating three-dimensional (3-D) relative numerical populations of grain boundaries from measurements of individual two-dimensional (2-D) cross-sections. Such numerical populations are relevant to network topology and the modeling of intergranular failure modes in grain boundary engineered materials, and are distinct from geometrical population measures such as area per volume. We examine 3-D reconstructions of stainless steel and copper, with varying populations of twin-related boundaries, generated by serial-section electron backscatter diffraction and high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy. We show that 2-D length fractions, 2-D number fractions and 3-D number fractions are all distinct quantities when grain boundary type is correlated with grain boundary size. We also demonstrate that the last quantity may be reliably inferred from the first two, provided the experimental spatial resolution is much finer than the grain size, eliminating the need to use 3-D experimental methods to access at least some information about 3-D network properties. Many of the Σ3 boundaries are extremely complex, with highly re-entrant shapes that can intersect a sample plane many times, giving a false impression of multiple separate boundaries.
Recent progress in sputtering PZT thin films for ferroelectric memories

Abstract This paper describes amorphous Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films deposited by cosputtering Pb(Zr0.5 Ti0.5)O3 and PbO targets. By optimizing the amount of the excess Pb and the deposition temperature, PZT thin films with a single perovskite phase were obtained successfully on Ir substrates and Pt substrates at 520°C. 250-nm-thick PZT films crystallized by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 600°C for 20 s exhibited excellent ferroelectric properties: a coercive voltage of 1.0 V, a remanent polarization density of about 40 μC/cm2, and a polarization switching endurance over 1x109 cycles. Although a heat treatment in a reductive ambient causes degradation of ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films, their degraded ferroelectric properties can be easily recovered from by a 1-min RTA in an oxygen at 400°C.