cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Filter characterisation using one-port pulsed radio-frequency measurements

A method for extracting the loaded quality factor of the first resonator of a bandpass filter using one-port measurements is introduced. Properties of the quality factor are reviewed, and a time-domain approximation is used to estimate the loaded Q value from the decay rate of the filter's natural response. Narrowband 900 MHz Chebyshev filters are characterised.
Managing burns in children. An intraoperative nursing care plan

aring for a burned child in the operating room is one of the most emotionally and C physically exhausting tasks for a surgical team. In addition to acting as a patient advocate and using OR skills, the nurse in a burn room must focus on special considerations of the burn patient. These special considerations include temperature control, fluid loss, maintenance of sterility, and the psychological impact of the surgical procedure. Many nurses dread assignment to the burn room, not only because of the heart-wrenching sights and emotions they encounter, but also because of the feelings of helplessness. A ques-
Immobilized Nicotinic Receptor Stationary Phase for On-Line Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Drug–Receptor Affinities

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are ligand-gated ion channels which mediate nicotinic cholinergic transmission in the nervous system. A nAChR subtype composed of alpha3 and beta4 subunits (alpha3/beta4 subtype), prepared from a stably transfected KXalpha3beta4R2 cell line, has been immobilized in the phospholipid monolayer of an immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) liquid chromatography (LC) stationary phase. Approximately 60 mg of protein was immobilized per gram IAM particles. The resulting phase was used for the rapid on-line chromatographic determination of drug binding affinities to nAChRs. Relative binding affinities were determined by frontal chromatography for (+/-)-epibatidine (Kd: 0.27 +/- 0.05 nM) > A85380 (Kd: 17.2 +/- 0.5 nM) > (-)-nicotine (Kd: 88 +/- 33 nM) > carbachol (Kd: 1280 +/- 30 nM) > atropine (Kd: 14,570 +/- 2600 nM). These results are consistent with the affinity rank order obtained from binding assays using membrane homogenates. The immobilized receptor LC stationary phase was stable and reproducible. This approach opens up the possibility of the production of a variety of immobilized receptor LC stationary phases which may be used for direct determination of drug-receptor binding interactions and for the rapid on-line screening of combinatorial pools for drug candidates.
Evaluating long-term effects of a psychiatric treatment using instrumental variable and matching approaches.

Evaluating treatment effects in non-randomized studies is challenging due to the potential unmeasured confounding and complex form of observed confounding. Propensity score based approaches, such as matching or weighting, are commonly used to handle observed confounding variables. The instrumental variable (IV) method is known to guard against unmeasured confounding if a good instrument can be identified. We propose to combine both methods to estimate the long-term treatment effect in a longitudinal psychiatric study. The NIMH collaborative Multi-site Treatment study of children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared different treatment strategies for children diagnosed with ADHD (known as MTA study). The first 14 months is a randomized study and the participants are allowed to choose their desired treatment strategies afterwards. Follow-up measurements are taken at 24, 36 and 72 months. Randomization is often considered as a good instrument since it is not associated with any covariate, observed or unobserved. We first apply a randomization based IV method to estimate the self-selected medication effect on outcome at the end of 72 months. However this approach yields results with huge standard errors due to randomization’s weak relationship with later treatment selection. We then consider the self-selection right after the randomization as an instrument, because it is associated with later treatment selection and it is unlikely to affect the outcome directly given the 5-year time lapse. To better control the confounding due to observed factors, propensity score matching is used to create a subpopulation with comparable covariate distributions across different self-selected treatments. Using MTA data, matching-enhanced IV estimation yields the most sensible result, while other estimation strategies tend to imply a spurious significant effect. Also, our simulation study shows that the matching-enhanced IV estimation outperforms non-matched methods in terms of relative bias.
Assessing Tillage Systems for Reducing Ammonia Volatilization from Spring-Applied Slurry Manure

The effect of tillage management on NH3-N volatilization and its influence on succeeding corn (Zea mays L.) silage production were studied at the University of Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station (South Deerfield, MA) during 2010–2012 growing seasons. Tillage treatments consisted of disking before and after manure application, solid-tine aeration before and after manure application, and no-till management. The greatest NH3-N loss (61 percent) occurred within the first 8 h after slurry manure application regardless of tillage management. The greatest NH3-N emission occurred with surface application (no-till), which ranged between 5.2 and 10.3 kg NH3-N ha−1 (9–20 percent of NH3-N applied) over the 3 years of the study. Immediate incorporation of manure into soil through disking reduced NH3-N loss by 66 to 75 percent. Ammonia loss abatement with aeration before or after manure application ranged from 13 to 41 percent compared with surface manure application. Tillage management did not influence cor...
A monolithically integrated In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As optical receiver with voltage-tunable transimpedance

The authors report the fabrication and performance of the first monolithically integrated In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As receiver with voltage-tunable transimpedance. In this receiver, a SiN/sub x/ passivated p-i-n diode is integrated with an In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As transimpedance amplifier using multiple-etched steps to assist lithography and step coverage of the interconnection metallization. The p-i-n diode has an external quantum efficiency of 82% at a wavelength of 1.3 mu m and -5 V bias. Adjusting the gate bias of a narrow-gate feedback transistor gives the receiver a tunable transimpedance of 19-36 Omega , a responsivity of 17-30 kV/W, and an unequalized bandwidth of 90-130 MHz. >
Human serum binding protein for vitamin D and its metabolites (DBP): evidence that actin is the DBP binding component in human skeletal muscle.

Abstract The tissue protein which tightly binds the human serum binding protein for vitamin D and its metabolites (HDBP) was studied in soluble extracts of human skeletal muscle. A tissue protein-HDBP complex was effected in vitro by the addition of human serum Cohn IV to high-speed supernatant from muscle, and the complex was partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography. The faster-sedimenting complex was retained longer than HDBP on DEAE-Sephacel columns, and was estimated to have a size of 100,000 daltons by gel filtration. The complex displayed inhibitory activity to deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I), whereas HDBP alone did not. When the complex was applied to affinity chromatography columns, immunoassayable HDBP was retained by DNase I-agarose and two dominant proteins of ~58,000 and 45,000 Mr were retained by the IgG fraction of anti-HDBP serum covalently bonded to amino-agarose, as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Pure HDBP does not bind to nor inhibit DNase I, but an actin-HDBP complex does. These data suggested that the tissue component with high affinity for HDBP was actin. Incubation of equimolar amounts of polymerized actin and pure HDBP in its apo form resulted in the depolymerization of the actin. This depolymerizing activity was also observed with HDBP saturated with cholecalciferol, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, 24R, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, or 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.
Resistivity and Hall Effect of EuS in Fields up to 140 kOe

The dc electrical resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}$ and Hall effect were measured in $n$-type EuS single crystals. Data were taken from 300 to 2 K in magnetic fields $H$ up to 140 kOe. At room temperature all samples had resistivities of the order ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ \ensuremath{\Omega}cm and contained $n\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{19}$ conduction electrons/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$. Negative magnetoresistance was observed at all temperatures. At 77 K the negative magnetoresistance was due mostly to an increase in the mobility $\ensuremath{\mu}$, although a small increase in $n$ with increasing $H$ was also observed. The zero-field resistivity as a function of temperature $T$ exhibited a very large peak near the Curie temperature ${T}_{C}\ensuremath{\cong}19$ K. The data are consistent with the interpretation that this peak was due largely to a decrease in $\ensuremath{\mu}$. In the presence of a magnetic field the resistivity peak decreased in magnitude, became broader, and shifted to a higher temperature. A very large negative magnetoresistance was observed near ${T}_{C}$. At moderate fields this negative magnetoresistance was due largely to an increase in $\ensuremath{\mu}$, but at high fields the changes in $\ensuremath{\mu}$ and $n$ were comparable. Well below ${T}_{C}$, the resistivity and Hall coefficient exhibited hysteresis as a function of $H$, and were constant at fields above magnetic saturation. In the field-increasing part of the hysteresis cycle $\ensuremath{\rho}$ decreased monotonically with time. A resistivity "elbow," similar to the one observed earlier in Eu-rich EuO, was observed also in the Eu-rich EuS samples. With increasing $H$ the elbow shifted to higher temperatures. Hall-effect measurements at 4.2 K indicated that at fields above magnetic saturation the anomalous Hall term was small compared to the normal term. The Hall data also showed that a large part of both the hysteresis in $\ensuremath{\rho}$ and the resistivity elbow were due to a change in $n$. The various data are compared with theoretical models and earlier electrical-transport measurements on the Eu chalcogenides.
Characterization of Pythium spp. from soil samples in Illinois

Abstract Pythium root rot is widely distributed in major soybean (Glycine max) production areas throughout the world. There are many species of Pythium described on soybean and other crops, although not all species are pathogenic on these crops. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify Pythium isolates obtained from field soils across Illinois and evaluate their pathogenicity on soybean seedlings. Soil samples were collected from 12 corn-soybean rotation fields in six Illinois counties. All isolates of Pythium were recovered through a baiting technique, identified to the species taxon using morphological and molecular techniques, and evaluated using an in vitro pathogenicity assay on soybean seedlings. Twenty-seven species of Pythium were identified, and P. cryptoirregulare, P. irregulare, P. sylvaticum, P. ultimum var. sporangiiferum and P. ultimum var. ultimum were highly pathogenic on soybean seedlings.
Treatment options for chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenia purpura in children

Abstract Immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in children is usually acute and self-limiting, but may become chronic in 10% to 30% of patients. Salient issues in the treatment of childhood chronic ITP (cITP) include the following: the choice of immunomodulatory agent; the child's desire for unrestricted physical activity; interventions to avoid or defer splenectomy; and, finally, choosing when (and how) to perform splenectomy. Treatment for children with cITP during childhood usually is extrapolated from that for acute ITP. Treatment with pooled intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and anti-D immunoglobulin often gives an acute response followed by a predictable decay of platelet count. Corticosteroids usually lead to a platelet increase; however, the associated adverse effects of chronic usage are generally unsatisfactory for most children and adolescents. With pulsed, high-dose corticosteroids, a durable platelet response is the exception, not the rule. More aggressive immunosuppression is usually reserved for patients who are symptomatic and refractory to the above treatments, including splenectomy. Although the estimated success rate ranges from 70% to 90%, the long-term outcome of splenectomy in children with cITP in not well described. In addition, the risk of fatal postsplenectomy infections is significant. A familiar initial strategy among pediatric hematologists thus involves deferral of splenectomy with the reasonable possibility of spontaneous recovery. Corticosteroids, anti-D, and IVIg are effective, temporizing medical alternatives to splenectomy in treating cITP in children. Quality-of-life measurements in children with cITP may help to stimulate the development of new approaches.
Nicotine and nicotinic receptors in the circadian system

Considerable data support a role for cholinergic influences on the circadian system. The extent to which these influences are mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has been controversial, as have the specific actions of nicotine and acetylcholine in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. In this article we review the existing literature and present new data supporting an important role for nAChRs in both the developing and adult SCN. Specifically, we present data showing that nicotine is capable of causing phase shifts in the circadian rhythms of rats. Like light and carbachol, nicotine appears to cause phase delays in the early subjective night and phase advances in the late subjective night. In the isolated SCN slice, however, only phase advances are seen, and, surprisingly, nicotine appears to cause the inhibition rather than the excitation of neurons. Among nAChR subunit mRNAs, α7 appears to be the most abundant subunit in the adult SCN, whereas in the perinatal period, the more typical nAChRs with higher affinity for nicotine predominate in the SCN. This developmental change in subunit expression may explain the dramatic sensitivity of the perinatal SCN to nicotine that we have previously observed. The effects of nicotine on the SCN may contribute to alterations caused by nicotine in other physiological systems. These effects might also contribute to the dependence properties of nicotine through influences on arousal.
Sulfur isotope fractionation during the May 2003 eruption of Anatahan volcano, Mariana Islands: Implications for sulfur sources and plume processes

Abstract Sulfur isotope compositions of pumice and adsorbed volatiles on ash from the first historical eruption of Anatahan volcano (Mariana arc) are presented in order to constrain the sources of sulfur erupted during the period 10–21 May, 2003. The isotopic composition of S extracted from erupted pumice has a narrow range, from δ34SV-CDT +2.6‰ to +3.2‰, while the composition of sulfur adsorbed onto ash has a larger range (+2.8‰ to +5.3‰). Fractionation modeling for closed and open system scenarios suggests that degassing of SO2 raised the δ34SV-CDT value of S dissolved in the melt from an initial composition of between +1.6‰ and +2.6‰ for closed-system degassing, or between −0.5‰ and +1.5‰ for open-system degassing, however closed-system degassing is the preferred model. The calculated values for the initial composition of the magma represent a MORB-like (δ34SV-CDT ∼ 0‰) mantle source with limited contamination by subducted seawater sulfate (δ34SV-CDT +21‰). Modeling also suggests that the δ34SV-CDT value of SO2 gas in closed-system equilibrium with the degassed magma was between +0.9‰ and +2.5‰. The δ34SV-CDT value of sulfate adsorbed onto ash in the eruption plume (+2.8‰ to +5.1‰) is consistent with sulfate formation by oxidation of magmatic SO2 in the eruption column. The sulfur isotope composition of sulfate adsorbed to ash changes from lower δ34S values for ash erupted early in the eruption to higher δ34S values for ash erupted later in the eruption. We interpret the temporal/stratigraphic change in sulfate isotopic composition to primarily reflect a change in the isotopic composition of magmatic SO2 released from the progressively degassing magma and is attributed to the expulsion of an accumulated gas phase at the beginning of the eruption. More efficient oxidation of magmatic SO2 gas to sulfate in the early water-rich eruption plume probably contributed to the change in S isotope compositions observed in the ash leachates.
Hydraulic Analysis and Design of Pipe Culverts: USGS versus FHWA

AbstractCulvert performance curves relate the flow through a culvert to the headwater and tailwater elevations. These curves are calculated differently by the USGS and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), leading to the possibility of significant discrepancies in predicted culvert performance under some flow conditions. The FHWA methodology generally leads to conservative culvert designs relative to designs based on the USGS equations, and the degree of conservatism is the focus of this paper. The largest discrepancies in estimated headwater elevations for given flow rates occur under high-headwater and low-tailwater conditions, and these discrepancies are due in large part to the uncertainty in whether Type 5 or 6 flow will exist. The results of this paper show that for horizontal culverts with square-edge entrances and smooth surfaces the overestimation in the headwater depth can range from 9–45% for headwater depths in the range of 1.5–3 culvert diameters, with lesser overestimations of 7–30% in case...
Rare-earth transition-metal intermetallic compounds produced via self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis

Several binary intermetallic compounds—each containing a rare-earth (RE) element paired with a transition metal (TM)—were prepared by self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis (SHS). Thin multilayers, composed of alternating Sc or Y (RE element) and Ag, Cu, or Au (TM), were first deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering. Once the initially distinct layers were stimulated and caused to mix, exothermic reactions propagated to completion. X-ray diffraction revealed that Sc/Au, Sc/Cu, Y/Au, and Y/Cu multilayers react in vacuum to form single-phase, cubic B2 structures. Multilayers containing Ag and a RE metal formed cubic B2 (RE)Ag and a minority (RE)Ag2 phase. The influence of an oxygen-containing environment on the reaction dynamics and the formation of phase were investigated, providing evidence for the participation of secondary combustion reactions during metal-metal SHS. High-speed photography demonstrated reaction propagation speeds that ranged from 0.1–40.0 m/s (dependent on material system and foil design). Both steady and spin-like reaction modes were observed.
HyperNet: A tool to choreograph worldwide distributed hypermedia documents

Abstract HyperNet is an authoring and browsing system facilitating creation and navigation of multimedia documents. It is conceived and designed to provide a mechanism for very fast choreographing and configurating of hypermedia documents. This system provides to the users a hypermedia integration and browsing environment to document component databases distributed across the world, provided they have access to the Internet network and are valid HyperNet sites. The intention was for users to be able to search for and retrieve documents stored locally and/or remotely, while the access mechanism being completely transparent. This system was implemented and tested with a suite of hypermedia document components which were distributed over southern California and Europe.
Coal devolatilization and hydrogastification

The fundamental understanding of coal and its behavior under gasification conditions is far from complete, but significant insights into the complex chemical and physical phenomena have been achieved. This review of available fundamental information focuses on thermal decomposition of coal in inert gas and in hydrogen, with emphasis on the effects on yield of products exerted by time, temperature, heating rate, pressure, hydrogen partial pressure, and particle size, and on the development of chemical and transport models of engineering importance.
Variability of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6, and soluble interleukin 6 receptor over 2 years in young women

Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R) have been studied as risk factors of cardiovascular disease in longitudinal studies. However, it is unknown about their long-term intra-individual variations and whether single measurements of these cytokines and receptor are reliable biomarkers in epidemiological studies. In this study, serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and sIL-6R were assayed by ELISAs in 36 young, healthy women from whom three blood samples were collected at 12-month intervals over 2 years, and the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were estimated. The ICC of 0.73 (95% CI=0.49-0.79) for TNF-alpha was comparable to those of other commonly used biomarkers, justifying its use in epidemiological studies. The ICC of 0.48 (95% CI=0.25-0.58) for IL-6 was not optimal. However, IL-6 has been demonstrated as a consistent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, suggesting it could still be a useful biomarker if its disease association is substantial. The ICC of 0.36 (95% CI=0.10-0.47) for sIL-6R was relatively low, and multiple samples would need to be collected in prospective studies for this receptor.
Data acquisition system for cardiac mapping

A third-generation multichannel data acquisition system has been designed for cardiac electrogram analysis. The system is capable of recording data from 240 electrode sites, sampling at 2000 Hz. The design required special-purpose front-end electronics for intraoperative recordings, and high-bandwidth data acquisition for analysis of data on line. These design requirements are an attempt to simplify the problems associated with patient safety (leakage current) and the rapid analysis of large amounts of data. >
A “slow” protein folds quickly in the end

Until just a few years ago, it was not clear whether it would be possible to fold proteins using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with explicit solvent molecules, despite the insights that these simulations had yielded into other biological problems. This was not just because of the computational challenge of reaching folding time scales, typically microseconds to seconds or longer, but also because it was not generally accepted that the empirical energy functions (“force fields”) used were sufficiently accurate to locate the folded state as a global free-energy minimum. This has changed dramatically in the last 2 y, with the development by Shaw and coworkers of a special-purpose supercomputer, Anton, capable of running biomolecular MD simulations on a microsecond or even millisecond timescale (1). This group showed that, with only minor adjustments to existing force fields (2⇓–4), it was possible to fold 12 small, “fast-folding” proteins (1), which adopt their native structure in microseconds. At the time, it was still not clear, however, whether it would be possible to do the same for larger, slower-folding proteins (5, 6). In PNAS, Piana et al. report simulations of ubiquitin folding, which occurs in milliseconds (7). Their results not only extend the computationally accessible time scale for calculating equilibrium folding trajectories by 2–3 orders of magnitude but have a number of implications that can only be deduced from a comparison of fast and slow folding proteins.
Shady Practice: Gender and the Political Ecology of Resource Stabilization in Gambian Garden/Orchards

AbstractAn increasing ecological awareness and greater efforts on a global scale to reverse processes of environmental degradation give rise to new forms of social and economic conflict—a “politics of resource stabilization”—which political ecology theorists have yet to fully explore. Blaikie and Brookfield (1987) argue that the long-term payback period of capital-intensive and natural reclamation processes may potentially lead resource “managers” to adopt coercive labor mobilization tactics or seek out opportunities to capture inequitable subsidies in achieving stabilization goals. Both of these tendencies express themselves quite clearly in a lucrative horticultural production district on the North Bank of the River Gambia in West Africa.Two decades of drought, since the early 1970s, have prompted hundreds of women's groups in The Gambia to intensify fruit and vegetable production in low-lying communal garden projects. In an attempt at promoting environmental stabilization through tree planting, develop...
Carnitine revisited: potential use as adjunctive treatment in diabetes

Aims/hypothesis This study examined the efficacy of supplemental l-carnitine as an adjunctive diabetes therapy in mouse models of metabolic disease. We hypothesised that carnitine would facilitate fatty acid export from tissues in the form of acyl-carnitines, thereby alleviating lipid-induced insulin resistance.
Discussion of "Geochemical evidence for the origin of late Quaternary loess in central Alaska"

In a recent paper, Muhs and Budahn (2006) aim to test regional paleowind hypotheses put forth in the literature for the provenance of Quaternary loess deposits in central Alaska with geochemical evidence. The experimental design of their study consists of a comparison and multilinear regression analysis (MRA) of major element and rare-earth element (REE) geochemistry between possible source sediment material along the Yukon, Tanana, and Nenana rivers and the youngest loess units of three deposits near Fairbanks, Alaska (see their fig. 2). Such a study has been long overdue and we applaud their initiative. However, through this discussion letter, we wish to address two points. The first concerns the “opposing” hypotheses to be tested, while the second concerns aspects of their experimental design. Muhs and Budahn (2006, pp. 324–325) set out to “test the opposing hypotheses of northerly versus southerly paleowinds for the origin of Quaternary loess in central Alaska”. Literature accounts of paleowind reconstructions are either based on sand dune orientations and sand sheet locations or loess deposits. For both types of archives, sand and loess, the inferred paleowinds are presented by the authors as inconsistent and contradictory. We argue that the platform on which this paper is set up (i.e., north versus south) is built from a misinterpretation and inaccurate representations of previous work referenced as supporting evidence. Furthermore, temporal variability, an important issue, appears to be cast aside. Concerning aeolian sand deposits in the inner parts of central Alaska, Hopkins (1982) and Lea and Waythomas (1990) conclude winds came from a northeasterly direction during the last glacial maximum. Muhs and Budahn (2006) hypothesize (p. 324) from the occurrence of aeolian sands of early Holocene age north of9the Yukon River near the confluence of the Porcupine River (see Froese et al. 2005 and their fig. 1 for location) that winds must …
Human cancer cell proliferation inhibition by a pentapeptide isolated and characterized from rice bran.

Abstract Food-derived bioactive peptides promote functional activity against diseases and present as nutraceutical agents. The purpose of our research was to isolate and fully characterize peptide(s) derived from rice bran having anti-cancer properties. Gastrointestinal juices resistant peptide fractions were initially generated from heat stabilized de-fatted rice bran from which
Treating feeding intolerance with an enteral solution patterned after human amniotic fluid: a randomized, controlled, masked trial.

Treating feeding intolerance with an enteral solution patterned after human amniotic fluid: a randomized, controlled, masked trial
Regioselective enzymatic diol esterification in batch and fixed-Bed adsorptive reactors: experiments and modeling.

The dynamic behavior of batch and fixed-bed adsorptive reactors is studied for the enzyme-catalyzed regioselective esterification of propionic acid and 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol in hexane. The reaction is equilibrium-limited with an apparent equilibrium constant of 0.6 ± 0.1 at 22 °C. Moreover, accumulation of water produced in the reaction onto the biocatalyst causes a decrease in the catalytic activity. As a result, improvements in both reaction rate and final conversion can be achieved by operating in an adsorptive-reactor mode. Control of water in the reactor is achieved with a catalytically inert ion-exchange resin in Na-form. The resin prevents an excessive accumulation of water on the biocatalyst and reduces equilibrium limitations. The thermodynamic activity of water is identified as a key parameter for the design of such reactors. A mathematical model capable of predicting the water activity as a function of the varying concentrations of reactants and products is thus developed and found to successfully predict the experimental behavior observed in laboratory reactors. Substantial improvements in performance predicted by the model are seen experimentally in batch reactions and during the transient operation of continuous-flow fixed-bed reactors combining adsorptive and catalytic functions.
Couples' Support Provision During Illness: The Role of Perceived Emotional Responsiveness

DThe authors investigated emotional (empa-thy) and problematic (minimizing) supportexchanges between 243 women experiencinga lupus sare-up and their husbands. Hus-bands and wives reported the amount ofsupport they provided to each other and theextent to which they felt the support theyreceived from partners was emotionally re-sponsive (validating). The authors expectedindividualsO perceptions of spousesO emo-tional responsiveness to mediate the rela-tionship between support and psychosocialwell-being. As predicted, more spousal emo-tional support was interpreted as beingmore emotionally responsive, which in turnwas associated with better well-being. Incontrast, more problematic support was in-terpreted as being less emotionally respon-sive, which in turn was associated withpoorer well-being. Couples who are able tomeet each othersO emotional needs may ex-perience better adjustment when copingwith chronic illness.Keywords: emotional support, emotionalresponsiveness, depression, marital satis-faction, chronic illness
Lipophilic linker impact on adsorption of and styrene adsolubilization in polyethoxylated octylphenols

Abstract The impact of lipophilic linkers (long chain linear alcohols) on the adsorption of and styrene adsolubilization in polyethyoxylated alkylphenols (Triton X) nonionic surfactants with varying EO units on amorphous precipitated silica (Hi-Sil® 233) was investigated. The surfactant adsorption and styrene adsolubilization isotherms with and without linkers were compared. Results show that the presence of lipophilic linkers increases both surfactant adsorption and styrene adsolubilization and the percent increase of styrene adsolubilization was greater than the percent increase of surfactant adsorption for all studied systems. The increases were much lower than those reported for oil uptake in microemulsions, which emphasizes the differences in the effect of linkers between two-dimensional (adsorbed surfactant aggregates or admicelles) and three-dimensional (micellar and microemulsion) systems. The adsolubilization capacity of surfactants increases, up to a certain value, with increasing lipophilic linker tail length or concentration. Styrene adsolubilization at the water–silica interface decreases with increasing numbers of ethyoxylated (EO) units in the surfactant, especially at higher styrene loading levels. The enhancement of adsorption and styrene adsolubilization is thought to be caused by the linkers increasing interactions between styrene and surfactant hydrophobic groups. Additionally, the adsolubilization isotherms provide indirect evidence for possible phase separation or phase transition within the admicelles. These results provide us with information about multicomponent behavior at the solid/liquid interface and highlight the differences that exist in two-dimensional admicelle behavior and three-dimensional micellar and microemulsion systems.
Do Corporate Reputations Partly Reflect External Perceptions of Organizational Culture

Corporate reputations develop from the assessments of a company's multiple constituents. Observers rely on their perceptions of a company and its performance, and this includes perceptions of the company's culture. Using two established instruments to measure perceptions of culture and to measure corporate reputation, we invited 486 respondents to assign cultural attributes to the Fortune categories. Our results show a statistically significant correspondence between five of the culture factors and five of Fortune reputational attributes. This suggests one way that observers may factor perceptions of a company's culture into their assessments of a company's reputation.
Coping with the loss of the marriage dream: A cognitive-behavioral perspective

Abstract Cognitive-behavioral approaches suggest that when people enter romantic relationships they already possess a set of cognitions that specify what the relationship should be like. These cognitions, it is proposed, are held in a construct called the “marriage dream!” When people inevitably come to note a disparity between the nature and quality of their relationship and what their cognitions led them to expect, they experience a loss of their marriage dream. This article considers the loss of the marriage dream and the cognitive-behavioral strategies people use to adjust to it. These strategies are used when the loss is encountered during the marital relationship and, for divorcing couples, during their divorce and the postadjustment period.
Nanopore Detector based analysis of single-molecule conformational kinetics and binding interactions

A Nanopore Detector provides a means to transduce single molecule events into observable channel current changes. Nanopore-based detection can report directly, or indirectly, on single molecule kinetics. The nanopore-based detector can directly measure molecular characteristics in terms of the blockade properties of individual molecules – this is possible due to the kinetic information that is embedded in the blockade measurements, where the adsorption-desorption history of the molecule to the surrounding channel, and the configurational changes in the molecule itself, imprint on the ionic flow through the channel. This rich source of information offers prospects for DNA sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. A nanopore-based detector can also measure molecular characteristics indirectly, by using a reporter molecule that binds to certain molecules, with subsequent distinctive blockade by the bound-molecule complex. It is hypothesized that reaction histories of individual molecules can be observed on model DNA/DNA, DNA/Protein, and Protein/Protein systems. Preliminary results are all consistent with this hypothesis. Nanopore detection capabilities are also described for highly discriminatory biosensing, binding strength characterization, and rapid immunological screening. In essence, the heart of chemistry is now accessible to a new, single-molecule, observation method that can track both external molecular binding states, and internal conformation states.
Routine physical examination and forgone health care among Latino adolescent immigrants in the United States.

Knowledge concerning patterns of health care utilization among Latino-adolescent immigrants is needed to develop culturally-appropriate programs. The objectives of this study were to estimate the annual prevalence of having had a routine physical exam and episodes of adolescents’ not seeking health care when they thought they should (forgone health care) among Latino adolescents by immigrant-generational status. Cross-sectional analysis of data from Latino adolescents in Wave I of the National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Study. First-generation immigrants who had lived in the U.S. ≤ 5 years were less likely to receive routine care than third-generation immigrants (39.0% vs. 54.9%). This disparity decreased after adjustment for insurance status, parental education and poverty among Mexican origin adolescents. On average, 16.0% of first-generation immigrants who had lived in the U.S. ≤ 5 years and 22.5% of third-generation immigrants reported forgoing health care. After adjustment for age, insurance status, parental education and routine care, recent arrivals were less likely than third-generation immigrants to forgo health care. Recent arrivals were less likely to receive a routine physical exam and to forgo care than third-generation immigrants. Future studies should explore the effect of acculturation on knowledge, beliefs and perceptions about health, illness and care-seeking behaviors.
Accuracy of measured ammonium nitrate equilibrium values

Abstract The use of previously measured ammonium nitrate equilibrium constants in atmospheric work involves a large extrapolation to ambient conditions. Given the many uncertainties in the original measurements confidence in this procedure is unwarranted.
Obesity risk for female victims of childhood sexual abuse: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Efforts are under way to articulate environmental, psychosocial, and biological conditions that may predispose the development and maintenance of obesity. There is increasing evidence that adverse childhood experiences such as childhood abuse may be implicated in the development of obesity. Given the dearth of prospective evidence for this link, the objective of this study was to track body mass across development (from childhood, through adolescence, and into young adulthood [ie, ages 6-27]) in a prospective, longitudinal study of abused and nonabused female subjects. METHODS: Height and weight were obtained for 84 female subjects with substantiated childhood sexual abuse and 89 demographically similar comparison female subjects at 6 points during development. Obesity status was examined at various stages during development, and body-mass growth trajectories were contrasted across the 2 groups. It was hypothesized that, in comparison with their nonabused peers, abused female subjects would be more likely to (1) manifest obesity by early adulthood and (2) manifest high-risk growth trajectories throughout development. RESULTS: Obesity rates were not different across groups in childhood or adolescence. By young adulthood (ages 20-27), abused female subjects were significantly more likely to be obese (42.25%) than were comparison female subjects (28.40%). Hierarchical linear modeling growth-trajectory analyses indicated that abused female subjects, on average, acquired body mass at a significantly steeper rate from childhood through young adulthood than did comparison female subjects after controlling for minority status and parity. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial difficulties (eg, depression) and psychobiological conditions (eg, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation) that have been shown to be related to both childhood abuse and obesity may help to explain these results. The identification of high-risk growth trajectories may improve health outcomes for victims. Systematic study of the mechanistic pathways and mediating processes that would help to explain the connection between childhood sexual abuse and later obesity is encouraged. Language: en
An alternative path for the evolution of biological nitrogen fixation

Nitrogenase catalyzed nitrogen fixation is the process by which life converts dinitrogen gas into fixed nitrogen in the form of bioavailable ammonia. The most common form of nitrogenase today requires a complex metal cluster containing molybdenum (Mo), although alternative forms exist which contain vanadium (V) or only iron (Fe). It has been suggested that the Mo-independent forms of nitrogenase (V and Fe) was responsible for N2 fixation on early Earth because oceans were Mo-depleted and Fe-rich. Phylogenetic- and structure-based examinations of multiple nitrogenase proteins suggest that such an evolutionary path is unlikely. Rather, our results indicate an evolutionary path whereby Mo-dependent nitrogenase emerged within the methanogenic archaea and then gave rise to the alternative forms suggesting that they arose later, perhaps in response to local Mo limitation. Structural inferences of nitrogenase proteins and related paralogs suggest that the ancestor of all nitrogenase had an open cavity capable of binding metal clusters which conferred reactivity. The evolution of the nitrogenase ancestor and its associated bound metal cluster was controlled by the availability of fixed nitrogen in combination with local environmental factors that influenced metal availability until a point in Earth’s geologic history where the most desirable metal, Mo, became sufficiently bioavailable to bring about and refine the solution (Mo-nitrogenase) we see perpetuated in extant biology.
Touchless 300 mm fab production in the modern business environment

Fully automated, touchless fab production would not be possible without the new generation of factory control software designed to run factories without direct human intervention. These systems work especially well when running large volumes of fully qualified products on fully qualified tools. However, a great deal of planning and creativity is required to setup and maintain these systems to make them adaptable for new product/process qualification and ramp, new tool qualification, tool/process monitoring, sharing of production and development tools, and many other activities driven by shortening product life cycles and other aspects of the modern semiconductor industry. Responsibility for ensuring that the fab can be powerful, agile, and flexible lies across many internal organizations. But the responsibility lies most directly with the product integration/route build team and the factory systems integrators/lead users. The product integration/route build teams are responsible for defining all factory entities that will be controlled or need to be monitored for fab control. The factory systems integrators/lead users must then configure their systems run the fab within this environment fully defined by the product integration/route build teams. This article will explain how the fab "model" cannot be too simple or generic to allow the factory systems to properly monitor the fab and take appropriate and timely action for efficient production. Conversely the fab "model" cannot be so complex that defining product/process changes becomes so labor intensive and risk laden that it becomes the major cycle time contributor to new product/process introduction. These issues will be explained from the perspective of the dispatching system which uses a large spectrum of fab data to decide how the fab is run. The solutions that these teams use to solve the problems above have a direct effect on the ability of the fab to meet the needs of the business.
High-speed thermal measurements of high-power diode arrays

Thermal analysis becomes increasingly important for investigating power management issues, and the ability to obtain thermal characteristics for various packaging approaches is even more critical. Therefore, this study includes experiments that examine power loads, self-heating effects, and large area thermal characteristics of a high-power diode array using a non-contact approach. Through high-speed infrared image capture, multi-dimensional thermal data is collected noninvasively while stressing the diode array. Thermal transients recorded were found to be sensitive to ambient temperature, power cycling, and heat sink employed.
Metabolic control during exercise with and without medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) in children with long-chain 3-hydroxy acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) or trifunctional protein (TFP) deficiency

Exercise induced rhabdomyolysis is a complication of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) and mitochondrial trifunctional protein (TFP) deficiency that frequently leads to exercise avoidance. Dietary therapy for most subjects includes medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplementation but analysis of diet records indicates that the majority of patients consume oral MCT only with breakfast and at bedtime. We hypothesized that MCT immediately prior to exercise would provide an alternative fuel source during that bout of exercise and improve exercise tolerance in children with LCHAD deficiency. Nine subjects completed two 45 min moderate intensity (60-70% predicted maximum heart rate (HR)) treadmill exercise tests. Subjects were given 4 oz of orange juice alone or orange juice and 0.5 g MCT per kg lean body mass, 20 min prior to exercise in a randomized cross-over design. ECG and respiratory gas exchange including respiratory quotient (RQ) were monitored. Blood levels of acylcarnitines, creatine kinase, lactate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate were measured prior to and immediately after exercise, and again following 20 min rest. Creatine kinase and lactate levels did not change with exercise. There was no significant difference in RQ between the two exercise tests but there was a decrease in steady-state HR following MCT supplementation. Cumulative long-chain 3-hydroxyacylcarnitines were 30% lower and beta-hydroxybutyrate was three-fold higher after the MCT-pretreated exercise test compared to the test with orange juice alone. Coordinating MCT supplementation with periods of increased activity may improve the metabolic control of children with LCHAD and TFP deficiency following exercise.
The Perilous Legitimacy of the Foreign-born Spanish Instructor in the U.S.

Author(s): Barahona, Byron A. | Abstract: This article discusses the perilous legitimacy and professional vulnerability of the foreign-born Spanish instructor in the U.S. First, it examines the academic goals of language and in particular Spanish departments regarding the development of language proficiency, the study of cultural values of the Spanish-speaking world, and the place of broad principles of humanistic inquiry and critical thinking skills in language teaching. Next, it considers the general approach to culture and Latin American politics in Spanish textbooks to then highlight the implications of discussing highly sensitive political issues in Spanish classes, namely U.S.-Latin American relations, which may compromise the legitimacy of foreign-born Spanish instructors. Finally, drawing from experience and outcomes, I propose a framework that could make discussing U.S.-Latin American relations possible between foreign-born Spanish instructors and students while upholding the academic goals outlined above in order to foster learners’ critical awareness of political developments so essential to the understanding of modern Latin America.