cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
University‐Industry Research Partnerships in Australia: Extent, benefits and risks

While official reviews have concluded that Commonwealth Government programs to encourage university - industry research links have been largely successful, studies are needed to explore the extent and nature of such partnerships, and their effects within universities. Further, sections of the academic community and major media warn that industry links and university commercialisation efforts threaten traditional research and scientific values, and accepted norms of academic life including academic freedom. Survey data reported in the paper show that, on balance, industry - research links are working reasonably well for Australian science and technology academics. Some 36.7% of respondents in our sample drawn from three major Australian universities received industry research support and this group tended to be better qualified, more senior and more productive in research than academics without such partnerships. Respondents generally were well aware of both the benefits and risks of industry funding. On t...
Photoreactivation of ICR 2A frog cells after exposure to monochromatic ultraviolet radiation in the 252-313 nm range.

— Exposure of ICR 2A frog cells to photoreactivating light after treatment with monochromatic ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the 252–313 nm range resulted in an increase in survival with similar photoreactivable sectors for each of the wavelengths tested. As photoreactivating enzyme is specific for the repair of pyrimidine dimers in DNA, these findings support the hypothesis that these are critical lesions responsible for killing of cells exposed to UV radiation in this wavelength range. The action spectra for cell killing and production of UV-endonuclease sensitive sites were similar to the DNA absorption spectrum though not identical. Because the number of endonuclease sensitive sites is a reflection of the yield of pyrimidine dimers, these data also suggest that the induction of dimers in DNA by UV radiation in the 252–313 nm range is the principal event leading to cell death.
Severe camptodactyly: A systematic surgeon and therapist collaboration.

Abstract Introduction Although common, the treatment of camptodactyly is controversial. Purpose Our purpose is to delineate a logical stepwise treatment plan based on corresponding components of the pre-operative and intraoperative evaluation of camptodactyly. In addition, describe structure rehabilitation plan utilizing the same stepwise evaluation. Methods With the use of a retrospective cohort study design, we reviewed 18 consecutively operated digits in twelve patients with camptodactyly affecting the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. There were five girls and eight boys, averaging eight years of age (range: 9 months to 15 years) at surgery. Results Surgery corrected flexion contractures with mean post-operative flexion contracture of 3° (range 0–25°) at mean follow-up of 11 months (range 3–32 months). 15 of 18 digits achieved full active PIP extension. Discussion By employing a detailed clinical assessment to guide surgical treatment followed by focused therapy, we have markedly improved flexion contractures in digits with moderate to severe camptodactyly. Conclusions Hand therapy is essential to maintain and further surgical improvement of passive extension and to regain active extension following surgery. Type of study/Level of evidence Therapeutic IV
Quality of life outcomes after brachytherapy for early stage prostate cancer.

Purpose: We compare general and disease specific health related quality of life in men undergoing brachytherapy for early stage prostate cancer to those undergoing radical prostatectomy and age matched healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Cohorts consisted of 48 men treated with brachytherapy with and without pretreatment external beam radiation therapy (brachytherapy group), 74 who underwent radical prostatectomy (prostatectomy group) and age matched healthy controls from the literature. The RAND 36-item general health survey, University of California Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index, American Urological Association symptom index, validated Cancer Interference with Life and Family Scales, and sociodemographic and co-morbidity questionnaires were completed 3 to 17 months after treatment. Results: General health related quality of life did not differ greatly among the 3 groups. Urinary function (leakage) was worse in the brachytherapy group than in controls but better than in the prostatectomy group. Brachytherapy group patients had more irritative urinary symptoms and worse bowel function than controls. Sexual function and bother were worse in prostatectomy and brachytherapy groups than in healthy controls. Physical function, bodily pain, urinary function, and bother and American Urological Association symptom index scores improved with time after brachytherapy. Patients who underwent brachytherapy after external beam radiation performed worse in all general and disease specific health related quality of life domains compared to those who did not undergo pretreatment radiation therapy. Conclusions: At an average of 7.5 months after treatment the general health related quality of life of patients undergoing brachytherapy with and without pretreatment external beam radiation was similar to age matched controls, although urinary, bowel and sexual problems were reported. These problems appeared to improve during the first year after treatment. Much of the impairment in disease specific health related quality of life among patients undergoing brachytherapy may be attributed to pretreatment radiation.
The Language of Ambiguity: Practices in Chinese Heritage Language classes

This article explores communicative processes in Chinese involving Chinese American children in order to explain the notion of preference for ambiguity, a characteristic often invoked when describing the Chinese as a group. It also speculates on the impact this notion has on children's socialization. Preference for ambiguity can be defined as making ambiguous something that is otherwise clear-communicating ambiguously or conveying something that is ambiguous-communicating ambiguity. Treating ambiguity as an interaction-centered and activity-bound phenomenon rather than a purely semantic or logical problem, this article locates ambiguity in the intersubjectivity co-constructed by all participants and explores its role in the construction of cultural, situational and interpersonal contexts. It shows that ambiguity is shaped not only by lexico-grammar but also by discourse structure.This article draws data from a total of 30 hours of audio/video recorded classroom interactions involving 4 teachers and about ...
Vapour-pressures of NpF6 and PuF6; thermodynamic calculations with UF6, NpF6 and PuF6

The vapor pressures of NpF/sub 6/ and BuF/sub 6/ were measured from 0 to 77 deg C with a quartz sickle gage. The data were fitted to interpolation formulas from which the triple points. 55.10 deg C,758.0 mm Hg for NpF/sub 6/ and 51.59 deg C. 533.0 mm Hg for BuF/sub 6/, and boiling points, 55.18 deg C for NpF/sub 6/ and 62.16'C for BuF/sub 6/, wens calculated. The derived heat and entropy of fusion for NpF/sub 6/ and PuF/sub 6/ are 4198 and 4456 cal mole/sup -1/ and 12.79 and 13.72 cal mole/sup -1/ deg/sup -1/. respectively. Upon comparison with UF/sub 6/ several anomalies appear which are discussed and partially explained in the text. The heats of sublimation and vaporization of UF/sub 6/, NpF/sub 6/, and BuF/sub 6/ are calculated from 273.15 to 350 deg K. Satisfactory agreement with the third law of thermodymanics is obtained from the thermodymamic data of UF/sub 6/. The heat of vaporization of UF/sub 6/ at 0 deg K is calculated to be 12.965 cal mole/sup -1/ using the value of b =-3.6 x 10/sup 3/ T/ sup -2/ cal mole/sup -1/ (mm Hg)/sup -1/ for the second virial-coefficient and a new assignment formore » the fundamental vibration frequencies of UF/sub 6/; nu /sub 1/ = 667. nu /sub 2/ = 535, nu /sub 3/ = 623, nu /sub 4/ =181, nu /sub 5/ = 202, and nu /sub 6/ = 140 cm/sup -1/. The vapor-pressure of UF/sub 6/ at 0 deg C is remeasured to be 17.65 mm in agreement with a thermodynamnic calculation. (auth)« less
Poor success of gonadotropin-induced controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination for older women.

Objective To determine the success rates and utility of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (COH/IUI) cycles in women aged 38–39 years versus women ≥40 years old. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary-care academic medical center. Patient(s) There were 130 women, 57 aged 38–39 years (42.6%) and 73 aged ≥40 years (57.4%), who underwent 262 IUI cycles (range 1–3 cycles per woman). Intervention(s) Infertility treatments with gonadotropins and IUI. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates stratified by age. Result(s) The most common infertility diagnosis was diminished ovarian reserve, which was found more frequently among women aged ≥40 years than among the slightly younger group. The age-specific groups were similar in their baseline characteristics and cycle parameters. Women who were 38–39 years old had an overall live birth rate of 6.1% per cycle, with no live births occurring after the second cycle, and women ≥40 years old had an overall live birth rate of 2.0% per cycle, with all births occurring in the first cycle. Conclusion(s) The efficacy of COH/IUI cycles significantly decreases with age, but women aged 38–39 years had reasonable success during the first two cycles. However, for women aged ≥40 years, no benefit after a single cycle of COH/IUI was observed. Women aged ≥40 years should be considered for in vitro fertilization after one failed COH/IUI cycle.
Learning from students, inquiry into practice, and participation in professional communities: Beginning teachers' uneven progress toward equitable science teaching

In this research project, we investigated two beginning secondary science teachers' efforts to learn to teach science in ways that build from and celebrate the ethnic, gender, linguistic, and academic diversity of their students. To do so, we followed Troy and Brian from their preservice teacher education experiences through their first year of teaching 8th grade physical science at local junior high schools. We also conducted a follow-up observation and interview with each participant after he had moved past the beginning stage of survival in the teaching profession—once in his fourth year of public school science teaching. Through qualitative analysis of interviews, classroom observations, and teachers' written work, we identified patterns and explored commonalities and differences in Troy and Brian's views and practices tied to equity over time. In particular, we examined successes and challenges they encountered in learning to teach science for all (a) from their students, (b) from inquiry into practice, and (c) from participation in professional communities. In our implications, we suggest ways teacher educators and induction professionals can better support beginning teachers in learning to teach science to all students. In particular, we highlight the central roles both individual colleagues and collective school cultures play in aiding or impeding beginning teachers' efforts to learn from students, from practice, and from professional communities. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 586–612, 2007.
CeO2 surface oxygen vacancy concentration governs in situ free radical scavenging efficacy in polymer electrolytes.

Nonstoichiometric CeO2 and Ce0.25Zr0.75O2 nanoparticles with varying surface concentrations of Ce3+ were synthesized. Their surface Ce3+ concentration was measured by XPS, and their surface oxygen vacancy concentrations and grain size were estimated using Raman spectroscopy. The surface oxygen vacancy concentration was found to correlate well with grain size and surface Ce3+ concentration. When incorporated into a Nafion polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), the added nonstoichiometric ceria nanoparticles effectively scavenged PEM-degradation-inducing free radical reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed during fuel cell operation. A 3-fold increase in the surface oxygen vacancy concentration resulted in an order of magnitude enhancement in the efficacy of free radical ROS scavenging by the nanoparticles. Overall, the macroscopic PEM degradation mitigation rate was lowered by up to 2 orders of magnitude using nonstoichiometric ceria nanoparticles with high surface oxygen vacancy concentrations
Differential role of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in modulating the sympathoexcitatory component of peripheral and central chemoreflexes

In the present study we investigated the involvement of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in the modulation of sympathoexcitatory reflex activated by peripheral and central chemoreceptors. We measured mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and phrenic nerve activity (PNA) before and after blocking neurotransmission within the PVN by bilateral microinjection of 2% lidocaine (100 nl) during specific stimulation of peripheral chemoreceptors by potassium cyanide (KCN, 75 microg/kg iv, bolus dose) or stimulation of central chemoreceptors with hypercapnia (10% CO(2)). Typically stimulation of peripheral chemoreceptors evoked a reflex response characterized by an increase in MAP, RSNA, and PNA and a decrease in HR. Bilateral microinjection of 2% lidocaine into the PVN had no effect on basal sympathetic and cardiorespiratory variables; however, the RSNA and PNA responses evoked by peripheral chemoreceptor stimulation were attenuated (P < 0.05). Bilateral microinjection of bicuculline (50 pmol/50 nl, n = 5) into the PVN augmented the RSNA and PNA response to peripheral chemoreceptor stimulation (P < 0.05). Conversely, the GABA agonist muscimol (0.2 nmol/50 nl, n = 5) injected into the PVN attenuated these reflex responses (P < 0.05). Blocking neurotransmission within the PVN had no effect on the hypercapnia-induced central chemoreflex responses in carotid body denervated animals. These results suggest a selective role of the PVN in processing the sympathoexcitatory and ventilatory component of the peripheral, but not central, chemoreflex.
Equivalent hours of maximum net photosynthesis.

Abstract A method is described that defines physiological growing seasons for crop plants with a unit of accumulation called an equivalent hour of maximum net photosynthesis or EHMNP. This unit is the net photosynthetic response of a plant for one hour at optimum conditions of light and temperature where hours with partial responses can add together to make full hours. Calculation of EHMNP values involves the response of net photosynthesis to simulated daylight temperatures, to sunlight intensity in accordance with sun zenith angles, and it includes subtraction of nocturnal respiration losses. Annual marches of monthly EHMNP totals delineate the physiological growing seasons which are distinctive to various agro-climatic environments. Growing seasons of specific crops can be analyzed by the way they fit into the potential physiological growing seasons defined by EHMNP accumulations.
Deformability considerations in filtration of biological cells

Biological cells are highly sensitive to variation in local pressure because cellular membranes are not rigid. Unlike microbeads, cells deform under pressure or even lyse. In isolating or enriching cells by mechanical filtration, pressure-induced lysis is exacerbated when high local fluidic velocity is present or when a filter reaches its intended capacity. Microfabrication offers new possibilities to design fluidic environments to reduce cellular stress during the filtration process. We describe the underlying biophysics of cellular stress and general solutions to scale up filtration processes for biological cells.
Salmonella spp. in lymph nodes of fed and cull cattle: Relative assessment of risk to ground beef

Ground beef products have been implicated as the vehicle for the transmission of Salmonella in a number of outbreaks. Although carcass surface interventions have proven effective, Salmonella contamination in ground beef still occurs. Recent studies indicate that deep tissue lymph nodes (DTLNs) may be an important source of Salmonella contamination in ground beef products. We developed a stochastic simulation model covering the pre-to post-harvest stages to assess the relative contribution of DTLN as compared with carcass surface, to Salmonella in ground beef, and the impact of various pre- and post-harvest interventions. The model addressed fed and cull cattle, and in high and low prevalence seasons. Contamination from carcass surfaces and DTLNs was simulated separately. Linear relationships were used to describe the changes of Salmonella surface concentration and prevalence at different processing stages. The baseline results indicate that on average over 90% of the Salmonella CFU load in a 2000 lb (907 kg) production lot originates from DTLN contamination as compared with carcass surface contamination. The relative contribution of DTLN contamination was fairly robust to changes in model parameters for ground beef from fed cattle, while it was comparatively more sensitive to changes in model parameters for cull cattle. The predicted mean Salmonella CFU load from DTLN contamination was considerably greater in ground beef production lots from fed cattle compared with cull cattle. Correspondingly, our scenario analysis suggested that generic pre-harvest interventions which can reduce Salmonella contamination in DTLNs would cause a greater total CFU load reduction in ground beef production lots from fed cattle compared with cull cattle. The study provides some valuable information for prioritizing control measures targeted at Salmonella contamination from the beef carcass surface or DTLNs based on the current knowledge.
Rhythm versus rate control in the contemporary management of atrial fibrillation in-hospital.

Little is presently known regarding whether a rhythm-control or a rate-control strategy is more frequently used in patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was conducted to assess patient and physician characteristics associated with each treatment strategy and with the use of anticoagulants. Hospitalizations for primary diagnoses of AF were examined using hospital claims from January 2000 to December 2004. Patients who received antiarrhythmic drugs, ablation, or cardioversion for AF were categorized as receiving rhythm control. Patients managed only with β blockers, calcium channel blockers, or digoxin were categorized as receiving rate control. Characteristics associated with rhythm compared with rate control and anticoagulant use with CHADS 2 score were determined. The study cohort included 155,731 hospitalizations from 464 hospitals. Of these, 75,397 (48%) were categorized as involving rhythm control and 80,334 (52%) as involving rate control. Care by a noncardiologist (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31 to 0.36) and increasing age >65 years (adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.88) were associated with lower odds of rhythm versus rate control; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was associated with greater odds (adjusted OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.81 to 2.84) of rhythm control. Warfarin use was greater in the rhythm-control group compared with the rate-control group (adjusted OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.52 to 1.60), and warfarin use was greater with a CHADS 2 score ≥2 (unadjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.24). In conclusion, rhythm- and rate-control strategies were used equally in patients hospitalized for AF. Some observations, such as greater use of the rate-control strategy with increasing age, were consistent with recommendations, but others, such as lower use of warfarin in the rate-control group, were not.
Who else is providing care in dermatology practices? Trends in the use of nonphysician clinicians.

Background The US dermatology workforce, which is affected by a physician shortage, has reportedly seen a rapid and substantial influx of physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). Little is known about which dermatology practices use these practitioners, how they are supervised, and the services they are providing. Methods We analyzed results of the American Academy of Dermatology's 2007 practice profile survey to learn more about patterns of nonphysician clinician (NPC) use. Of 3965 surveys mailed, responses were obtained from 1243 dermatologists (31% response rate). Comparison data were drawn from previous surveys conducted with a similar methodology in 2002 (35% response rate) and 2005 (30% response rate). Results Overall, 325 responding dermatologists (29.6%) reported using PAs, NPs, or both in their practices in 2007, a 43% increase from the proportion in 2002 (20.7%). PAs were more prevalent than NPs (23% vs 10%). By the year 2010, 36.2% of respondents plan to hire these NPCs. Younger cohorts of dermatologists were significantly more likely to use NPCs ( P = .006), as were those in group and academic practices ( P P P Limitations Survey respondents might have inaccurately reported practice characteristics or might not be representative of all US dermatologists. Conclusions In the setting of persistently long patient wait times and difficulty recruiting new physician staff, dermatologists have rapidly turned to PAs and NPs to help meet patient demand for care. These NPCs are primarily caring for new and established medical dermatology patients under indirect supervision. In the absence of explicit consensus or policy as to how the field should ensure future access to care for patients with skin disease, growth in the use of NPCs has continued, with significant variation in use and supervision patterns.
Inhibition of lesion-induced neurogenesis impaired behavioral recovery in adult ring doves

We have previously shown that electrolytic lesion-induced neurogenesis in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN) is significantly correlated with the recovery of courtship behavior in adult male ring doves. Here we revealed that reduction of lesion-induced neurogenesis in VMN impaired the behavioral recovery suggesting therefore a causal link between neurogenesis and behavioral recovery. Our results lend support that adult neurogenesis is latent in repair of injured brain.
The effect of aerobic exercise after a period of inactivity on bone remodeling and calcium and phosphorus balance in mature horses

Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of aerobic training after a sedentary period on bone remodeling and Ca and P balance and serum concentrations in varying ages of mature horses. Eighteen stock-type geldings were blocked into three age groups (6 to 10, 11 to 15, and 16 and older years of age), within two groups of nine, with horses randomly assigned to one of two exercise treatments, exercised for 112 days (control) or idle for 56 days followed by 56 days of exercise (treated). Blood samples were taken at the beginning of period I and at 14-day intervals thereafter to determine serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OST), Ca, and P. Dorsal-palmar and lateral-medial radiographs were taken of the left third metacarpal bone on days 0, 56, 84, and 112 to monitor changes in bone density. Total fecal and urine collections were taken for 72 hours on days 0, 56, and 112. Mean serum OST concentrations were affected by treatment (P
A 90-Day Chloroform Inhalation Study in F-344 Rats: Profile of Toxicity and Relevance to Cancer Studies

Abstract Chloroform acts via a nongenotoxic–cytotoxic mode of action to produce cancer if given in doses and at dose rates sufficiently high to produce organ-specific toxicity. In a recent study, chloroform failed to induce cancer in male or female F-344 rats when administered by inhalation for 2 years at 90 ppm, 5 days/week. The present study was undertaken to define the concentration–response curves for chloroform-induced lesions and regenerative cell proliferation in the F-344 rat when exposed by inhalation and to correlate those patterns of toxicity with the results from the inhalation cancer bioassay. Male and female F-344 rats were exposed to airborne concentrations of 0, 2, 10, 30, 90, or 300 ppm chloroform 6 hr/day, 7 days/week for 4 days or 3, 6, or 13 weeks. Additional treatment groups were exposed 5 days/week for 13 weeks or were exposed for 6 weeks and held until Week 13. Bromodeoxyuridine was administered via osmotic pumps implanted 3.5 days prior to necropsy and the labeling index (LI, percentage of nuclei in S-phase) was evaluated immunohistochemically. A full-screen necropsy identified the kidney, liver, and nasal passages as the only target organs. This study confirmed that 300 ppm is extremely toxic and would be inappropriate for longer-term cancer studies. The primary target in the kidney was the epithelial cells of the proximal tubules of the cortex, with significantly elevated increases in the LI at concentrations of 30 ppm and above. However, only a marginal increase in the renal LI in the males was seen after exposures of 90 ppm, 5 days/week. Chloroform induced hepatic lesions in the midzonal and centrilobular regions with increases in the LI throughout the liver, but only at 300 ppm exposures. An additional liver lesion seen only at the highly hepatotoxic concentration of 300 ppm was numerous intestinal crypt-like ducts surrounded by dense connective tissue. Enhanced bone growth and hypercellularity in the lamina propria of the ethmoid turbinates of the nose occurred at the early time points at concentrations of 10 ppm and above. At 90 days there was a generalized atrophy of the ethmoid turbinates at concentrations of 2 ppm and above. Cytolethality and regenerative cell proliferation are necessary but not always sufficient to induce cancer because of tissue, sex, and species differences in susceptibility. A combination of a lack of direct genotoxic activity by chloroform, only a marginal induction of cell proliferation in the male rat kidney, and lower tissue-specific susceptibility in the female rat is apparently responsible for the reported lack of chloroform-induced cancer in a long-term inhalation bioassay with F-344 rats.
Solution of Two-Dimensional Vorticity Equation on a Lagrangian Mesh

Anovel,vorticity-basedsolutionmethodologyhasbeendevelopedtocomputeunsteadye owpastbodies.Vorticity is evolved on a set of points, and the vorticity in the remainder of the e eld is determined by linear interpolation. Interpolationisaccomplished byDelaunaytriangularizationofthepointsin the e eld. Triangulationofthevorticity e eldprovidesabasistointegratethevorticitytocomputethevelocity.Nodalconnectivityfromthetriangularization also provides a list of the neighboring points that are used to construct a second-order least-squares e t of the vorticity. First- and second-order spatial derivatives can then be computed based on this polynomial e t. Surface vorticity on the body is computed to satisfy the no-slip boundary condition and is introduced into the e ow via diffusion. A diffusion transport velocity was derived to account for spatial movementof the vorticity dueto viscous diffusion. The points are advected by the sum of the induced velocity (computed from the Biot ‐Savart integral ) and the diffusion velocity. The remaining diffusion term includes a form of the Laplacian and is computed directly. This solution scheme was found to be stable as applied to the problem of impulsively started e ow about a circular cylinder and e at plate. Comparisons with experimental and the Blasius boundary-layer solution for a e at plate were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method.
Hygrothermal effects of baseballs and softballs

This study considered the effect of temperature and relative humidity on the performance of softballs, baseballs and bats. The balls were conditioned in constant humidity and temperature environments and then impacted against a rigidly supported load cell from which the ball coefficient of restitution and stiffness were obtained. The balls reached steady state temperature on the order of a few minutes, while steady state humidity required upwards of 2 weeks. Ball stiffness and coefficient of restitution tended to decrease with increasing humidity. Increasing temperature generally caused ball stiffness to decrease and the coefficient of restitution to increase. Balls made from synthetic materials tended to resist the effects of moisture, but showed an increased sensitivity to temperature. The effect of temperature and humidity on bat performance (sign and magnitude) depended on the design of the ball and bat. The largest effect occurred in professional baseball, where for a long fly ball, decreasing the temperature by 33 °C and lowering the relative humidity from 90 to 10 % resulted in a 5 m decrease and a 15 m increase in hit distance, respectively.
Contact Angle Manipulation for Micro Gripping

AbstractIn this paper we present a novel liquid bridge based soft microgripping technique for pick and place operations. While the proposed single probe gripper shows promise in picking up an object using strong capillary and surface tension forces, the main challenge has been the smooth release of the object. We are proposing a novel procedure to manipulate the lifting forces by using the electrowetting method. By controlling the electrical field imposed on the gripper surface, one can manipulate the contact angle of the liquid bridge and therefore, the meniscus geometry. Modifying the curvature of the meniscus geometry causes the lifting force between the object and the gripper to change. We present a numerical study, supported by an experiment, to explain the effect of contact angle manipulation on the lifting forces. Results show that for a proper choice of liquid volume, the contact angle manipulation can be suitable for picking up and releasing an object.
Lot sizing in group technology production systems

The simple EOQ lot sizing model or some variant of it is often used in discrete parts production lot sizing to obtain ballpark estimates of economic production quantities. Such formulas ignore the influence of lot sizing on work-in-process inventory. In group technology production there is a traceable relationship between lot size and work-in-progess inventory. This paper explores this relationship and describes an economic lot sizing model appropriate to group technology. Experience with the model indicates that its use can lead to somewhat different results from those which would be obtained using the standard EOQ formulation.
Olfactory bulb removal: Influences on the aggressive behaviors of male mice

Abstract Bilateral removal of the olfactory bulbs of castrated male mice completely prevented the arousal of aggressiveness by exogenous administration of androgen. Unilateralally bulbectomized mice showed fighting comparable to that shown by sham-operated control mice. It was concluded that earlier demonstrations of the abolition of intermale aggressive behavior in mice following olfactory bulb removal could not be attributed to impairment in pituitary-gonadal function. Although in this experiment bulbectomy completely prevented the androgenic arousal of intermale aggression, bulbectomy did not affect the display of aggressive behavior in a competition for food situation.
Eye of the Denver Cyclone

Abstract Observation of an overcast of low cloudiness on a Denver Cyclone day revealed a circular area of clearing or “eye” at the approximate center or the mesoscale circulation. The eye passed close to an automated observing station, providing a time series of data that shows the relationship of the circulation to the cloud-free area. Conditions present in the lower troposphere are examined and compared to conclusions from recent modeling results that suggest the causes of the Denver Cyclone.
Relating Hydrothermal Degradation in Single Fibre Composites to Degradation Behaviour in Bulk Composites

Abstract Previous studies on single fibre composites using micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed that the primary interfacial degradation mechanism in graphite/epoxy composites after hydrothermal exposure is mechanical in nature. Mechanical degradation of the interface is the result of a complex state of stress created at the interface due to matrix swelling upon water absorption. The major component of such stresses is a radial tensile stress which causes a tensile failure of the interfacial bonds during exposure. To date, the effect of fibre volume fraction on the state of stress created at the interface due to matrix swelling has not been considered. In this paper, finite element analysis (FEA) is used to model bulk composites with different fibre volume fractions to determine the applicability of single fibre composite behaviour to that of bulk composites. The analysis showed that the mechanical degradation mechanism can operate at all possible volume fractions and that in the case of a non-homogeneous fibre distribution, regions with both very high or very low fibre content are more susceptible to environmental degradation. Experimental results obtained from bulk composites (V f ≈63–71%) confirmed the FEA results and showed that the interfacial degradation in that case was more severe than in the case of single fibre composites.
A Computer Intermediary for Interactive Database Searching. II. Evaluation.

This is the second of two articles describing the development, testing, and evaluation of the Individualized Instruction for Data Access System (IIDA). The system was tested in an industrial setting and it was demonstrated that (1) end users of scientific and technical literature could learn to do their own bibliographic searches through computer-assisted instruction as well as they learned through a comparable period of conventional instruction, and (2) end users were as satisfied with the results of their own searchings as with the result of searches performed for them, for the types of searches tested.
Queueing systems with long-range dependent input process and subexponential service times

We analyze the asymptotic tail distribution of stationary waiting times and stationary virtual waiting times in a single-server queue with long-range dependent arrival process and subexponential service times. We investigate the joint impact of the long range dependency of the arrival process and of the tail distribution of the service times. We consider two traffic models that have been widely used to characterize the long-range dependence structure, namely, the M/G/8 input model and the Fractional Gaussian Noise (FGN) model. We focus on the response times of the customers in a First-Come First-Serve (FCFS) queueing system, although the results carry through to the backlog distribution of the system with any arbitrary queueing discipline. When the arrival process is driven by an M/G/8 input model we show that if the residual service time tail distribution Fe is lighter than the residual session duration Ge, then the stationary waiting time is dominated by the long-range dependence structure, which is determined by the residual session duration Ge. If the residual service time distribution Fe is heavier than the residual session duration Ge, then the tail distribution of the stationary waiting time is dominated by that of the residual service time. When the arrival process is modeled by an FGN, we show that the waiting time tail distribution is asymptotically equal to the tail distribution of the residual service time if the latter is asymptotically heavier than Weibull distribution with shape parameter 2-2H, where H is the Hurst parameter of the FGN. If, however, this residual service time is asymptotically lighter than Weibull distribution with shape parameter 2-2H, then the waiting time tail distribution is dominated by the dependence structure of the arrival process so that it is asymptotically equal to Weibull distribution with shape parameter 2-2H.
Effect of HSV-2 suppressive therapy on genital tract HIV-1 RNA shedding among women on HAART: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background. The role of suppressive HSV therapy in women coinfected with HSV-2 and HIV-1 taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is unclear. Methods. 60 women with HIV-1/HSV-2 coinfection on HAART with plasma HIV-1 viral load (PVL) ≤75 copies/mL were randomized to receive acyclovir (N=30) or no acyclovir (N=30). PVL, genital tract (GT) HIV-1, and GT HSV were measured every 4 weeks for one year. Results. Detection of GT HIV-1 was not significantly different in the two arms (OR 1.23, P=0.67), although this pilot study was underpowered to detect this difference. When PVL was undetectable, the odds of detecting GT HIV were 0.4 times smaller in the acyclovir arm than in the control arm, though this was not statistically significant (P=0.07). The odds of detecting GT HSV DNA in women receiving acyclovir were significantly lower than in women in the control group, OR 0.38, Pl0.05. Conclusions. Chronic suppressive therapy with acyclovir in HIV-1/HSV-2-positive women on HAART significantly reduces asymptomatic GT HSV shedding, though not GT HIV shedding or PVL. PVL was strongly associated with GT HIV shedding, reinforcing the importance of HAART in decreasing HIV sexual transmission.
It's you on photo?: Automatic detection of Twitter accounts infected with the Blackhole Exploit Kit

The Blackhole Exploit Kit (BEK) has been called the “Toyota Camry” of exploit kits - cheap, readily available and reliable. According to some estimates, it was used to enable the majority of malware infections in 2012. One major infection vector for BEK is through Twitter. In this paper, we analyze over two months of Twitter data from May through July of 2012 and identify user accounts affected by BEK. Based on reports that BEK infected tweets containing the string ”It's you on photo?” were being used to lure victims to BEK infected sites, we identified matching messages and analyzed the associated accounts. We then identified a wider range of message types associated with BEK infection and developed an automated mechanism for identifying infectious accounts - both accounts that were created specifically for malware distribution and legitimate accounts that began distributing malware after the owner's system was infected. Specifically, we find that BEK infectious accounts are characterized by tweets with an entropy lower than 4.5, tweets that are sent using the Mobile Web API and tweets containing an embedded URL. We present an automated method for isolating the point at which an account becomes infectious based on changes in the entropy of tweets from the account.
Kinetin Incorporated into Tobacco Callus Ribosomal RNA and Transfer RNA Preparations

Kinetin, N6-furfuryladenine, was incorporated into tobacco (nicotiana tabacum L., var. Wis. No. 38) callus RNA isolated from rapidly growing tissue cultured in the presence of N6-furfuryladenine-8-14C or unlabeled kinetin. Approximately 0.7% of the radioactivity in the labeled kinetin added to the medium was recovered as N6-furfuryladenosine (fr6A) in the rRNA and tRNA preparations from the tobacco callus. The rRNA contained over 90% of these fr6 A moieties. The extent of kinetin incorporation was four times greater than that observed for N6-benzyladenine. The radiochemical purity of the recovered fr6 A was confirmed by three successive chromatographic purifications on Sephadex columns (LH-20 eluted with 35% ethanol, G-10 eluted with 20% ethanol, and LH-20 eluted with water). A cytokinin-active ribonucleoside with elution volumes corresponding to fr6 A was isolated from the tobacco callus rRNA preparation. This compound was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography and rigorously characterized as N6-furfuryladenosine by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of the trimethylsilyl derivative.
The effect of a coronal expansion on the computation of an electron temperature from emission-line intensities

Coronal expansion effect on calculation of electron temperature from emission-line intensities
Public perceptions about nanotechnology: Risks, benefits and trust

We report data from the first representative national phone survey of Americans' perceptions about nanotechnology (N =1536). Public opinion about nanotechnology is in its infancy, and knowledge about it is quite limited. Yet, Americans' initial reaction to nanotechnology is thus far generally positive, probably rooted in a generally positive view of science overall. Survey respondents expected benefits of nanotechnology to be more prevalent than risks, and they reported feeling hopeful about nanotechnology rather than worried. Their most preferred potential benefit of nanotechnology is “new and better ways to detect and treat human diseases,” and they identified “losing personal privacy to tiny new surveillance devices” as the most important potential risk to avoid. The most discouraging aspect to the data is respondents' lack of trust in business leaders to minimize nanotechnology risks to human health. Overall, these data indicate that while Americans do not necessarily presume benefits and the absence of risks, their outlook is much more positive than not.
Non‐halogen fire resistant plastics for aircraft interiors

Strategies for developing fireproof aircraft cabin materials are reviewed in light of environmental legislation restricting the use of halogens in plastics. The important physical and chemical processes of flaming combustion in terms of their effect on the heat release rate (HRR) of a burning material are flame inhibition, fuel replacement, heat resistance, and intumescence. These fire resistance (FR) mechanisms acting simultaneously or synergistically are particularly effective at reducing HRR of a new generation of transparent plastics suitable for aircraft cabin interiors. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
L-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase: A New Type in Glial Cells and Human Brain Gliomas

Human glial cells grown in culture and gliomas and white matter contain an l-glutamic acid decarboxylase which is stimulated markedly by carbonyl-trapping agents. In contrast, L-glutamic acid decarboxylase activity of human cerebral gray matter is strongly inhibited by carbonyl-trapping agents. These results suggest a glial localization of the new type of l-glutamic acid decarboxylase.
Intrinsic volume scaling of thermoinduced magnetization in antiferromagnetic nanoparticles

Thermoinduced magnetization (TiM) is a ferromagnetic response recently predicted to occur in nanoparticles of normally antiferromagnetic material. This Rapid Communication presents Monte Carlo estimates for the magnetization and susceptibility which indicate that TiM is an intrinsic property of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model below the N\'eel temperature. The dependence of TiM on the volume is found to be a function of both temperature and anisotropy, in contrast to the original theory for which the volume dependence is independent of temperature and anisotropy. The volume dependence suggests that TiM is related to the divergence of the susceptibility at zero wave vector for three-dimensional systems with continuous order-parameter symmetry.
The thermoelectric power of a metal in the limit of high purity and low temperature

Abstract The electronic component of the thermoelectric power of metals is discussed in the case when a unique relaxation time cannot be defined. It is argued that the relaxation time to be used in the standard expression should be the relaxation time appropriate to isothermal electrical conduction. An old argument due to Bethe is modified to show that the logarithmic derivative of the relaxation time vanishes to first order in the limit when the temperature is low but the electrical resistivity arises from electron-phonon interactions. The thermoelectric power in that case varies as the first power of temperature.
WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL LIMITS FOR DETECTION OF MINOR NUCLEOSIDE REACTION PRODUCTS WITH HPLC (UV DETECTION), 1H NMR, AND TLC (UV DETECTION)?

Abstract Detection limits for the minor component in binary mixtures of Ado/AraA, Ado/XyloA, and Urd/dUrd depend strongly on the combined concentration of analytes. Limiting concentrations (in which ≤1% of the minor component was detected) were about two orders of magnitude lower with HPLC (UV detection) than with 1H NMR and TLC (UV detection) with these nucleosides (emax 10 000–15 000). Minimum molar percentages of minor components detected in the 0.1–10 mM range were 0.25–1% with HPLC (UV), 1–2% with 1H NMR, and ∼2% with TLC (UV).
Photorefractive Measurement Of Anisotropy Of The Mobility Of Photo-Excited Holes In BaTiO 3

We have measured the anisotropy of the mobility of photo-excited holes in nominally undoped single-crystal, poled, ferroelectric BaTiO3 (p-BaTiO3) at room temperature. In this crystal, a photorefractive grating results from the spatial rearrangement of trapped holes which have been excited by light-intensity beats and then drift and diffuse before recombining at similar empty traps. The resulting Coulomb field grating gives rise to a refractive index grating (the "photorefractive grating") via the electro-optic effect. In this uniaxial crystal the mobility of the holes is different parallel (μ) or perpendicular (μ) to the crystal axis (c-axis). As is well known, a uniform light beam causes an established photorefractive grating to decay exponentially in time. We have measured this decay rate with the grating wavevector oriented at various angles to the c-axis and compared these rates with the prediction of the standard model which assumes simple drift and diffusion with direct recombination time T,1 as extended by us to allow different drift and diffusion rates parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis. The data is satisfactorily fit by this model if we use μ/μ = 18 ± 7 and = 5 x 10-1 cm2/Volt. We also require a ratio of dielectric constants el/e11 = 25 ± 15, which is consistent with the ratio measure-ments by other methods in other samples. To fit the data, we also needed values for the density of excitable traps (= 2 x 1016 cm-3) and photoconductivity parallel to the c-axis, which we took from previously published measurements on the same crystal. 2 Our measurements were made with 8 nsec pulses at A = 532 nm. We could see no effects of finite hole recombination time, which suggests that the recombination time must be less than 1 nsec. If this is true,and recombination is a direct process, then the mobility must be larger than 0.5 cm2/sec/Volt parallel to the c-axis.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis by 4-fluoro-glucosamine in murine airway smooth muscle cells

The importance of the pathological changes in proteoglycans has driven the need to study and design novel chemical tools to control proteoglycan synthesis. Accordingly, we tested the fluorinated analogue of glucosamine (4-fluoro-N-acetyl-glucosamine (4-F-GlcNAc)) on the synthesis of heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) by murine airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells in the presence of radiolabeled metabolic precursors. Secreted and cell-associated CS and HS were assessed for changes in size by Superose 6 chromatography. Treatment of ASM cells with 4-F-GlcNAc (100 μm) reduced the quantity (by 64.1–76.6%) and decreased the size of HS/CS glycosaminoglycans associated with the cell layer (Kav shifted from 0.30 to 0.45). The quantity of CS secreted into the medium decreased by 65.7–73.0%, and the size showed a Kav shift from 0.30 to 0.50. Treatment of ASM cells with 45 μm and 179 μm 4-F-GlcNAc in the presence of a stimulator of CS synthesis, 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-d-xyloside, reduced the amount of the xyloside-CS chains by 65.4 and 87.0%, respectively. The size of xyloside-CS chains synthesized in the presence of 4-F-GlcNAc were only slightly larger than those with xyloside treatment alone (Kav of 0.55 compared with that of 0.6). The effects of 4-F-GlcNAc to inhibit CS synthesis were not observed with equimolar concentrations of glucosamine. We propose that 4-F-GlcNAc inhibits CS synthesis by inhibiting 4-epimerization of UDP-GlcNAc to UDP-GalNAc, thereby depleting one of the substrates required, whereas HS elongation is inhibited by truncation when the nonreducing terminus of the growing chain is capped with 4-F-GlcNAc.