cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and development of electrical conductivity models for nickel nanostrand polymer composites

The electrical conductivity of composites and polymeric-based systems is frequently improved by the addition of conductive additives to form a conductor–insulator binary system. This study considers nickel nanostrands as a conductive element in polymer systems. Materials characteristics are considered in order to form a basis for understanding and predicting the electrical percolation behaviors of nanostrand composites, specifically seeking models that can distinguish between different polymer systems. Empirical percolation data for nickel nanostrands in four different polymeric systems is presented and used to evaluate candidate electrical conductivity models. Classical percolation approaches are found to not show good fit, but more advanced models are able to provide good correlation to tested results. Specifically, Tunneling Percolation (TPM) models and the Two Exponent Phenomenological Percolation Equation (TEPPE) model based on the Generalized Effective Media (GEM) theory show good fit. A combined TEPPE-TPM approach is developed that applies tunneling percolation to the GEM theory. This combined model includes tunneling considerations in equations that accurately represent behaviors in all regions of percolation behavior. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:549–557, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Optimal scheduling of multiclass parallel machines

Motivated by our study of a general stochastic scheduling optimization problem,’ we examine various static instances where the stochastic problems reduce to the corresponding deterministic scheduling problems without loss of generality. Following our solution approach for these special cases leads us to rederive many known results in a fairly elegant manner, yielding simple approximation algorithms whose guarantees are shown to match the best known results. We believe that improvements in the approximation guarantees for some of these special cases will be possible by exploiting the convex programming techniques of our approach. We formulate the nonlinear scheduling optimization problem, we provide a convex relaxation, and then we present a simple (randomized) rounding scheme. The interested reader is referred to our technical report? for additional details, including proofs and references.
You AhR What You Eat: Linking Diet and Immunity

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is responsible for the toxic effects of environmental pollutants such as dioxin, but little is known about its normal physiological functions. Li et al. (2011) now show that specific dietary compounds present in cruciferous vegetables act through the AhR to promote intestinal immune function, revealing AhR as a critical link between diet and immunity.
Mg2+-ATPase as a membrane ecto-enzyme of human granulocytes. Inhibitors, activators and response to phagocytosis

Abstract 1. (1) The Mg 2+ -ATPase of purified human granulocytes is located at the plasma membrane. Thus, no additional enzyme activity was detected when the cells were disrupted. Moreover, the Mg 2+ -ATPase activity of intact cells was inhibited by such poorly permeant reagents as diazotized sulfanilic acid and suramin. Finally, the enzyme activity of cell homogenates was recovered in particulate fractions. 2. (2) The surface Mg 2+ -ATPase of human granulocytes had an apparent K m of 50 μM for ATP and displayed substrate inhibition. 3. (3) The enzyme was not affected by ouabain, but was inhibited by N- ethyl maleimide , sodium meta -periodate, suramin and diazotized sulfanilic acid. The enzyme was activated by cytochalasins B and D and by UDP. Activation by UDP was characterized by changes in the enzyme's apparent K m and V and by relief of substrate inhibition. 4. (4) Internalization of surface membranes subsequent to phagocytosis of suitable particles did not result in depletion of Mg 2+ -ATPase from the cell surface. The enzyme activity did not decrease after exposure to several varieties of paraffin oil emulsion particles, even if the challenged cells had been pretreated with colchicine or cytochalasin B. 5. (5) Since suramin, which inhibited Mg 2+ -ATPase, had no effect upon other granulocyte functions such as chemotaxis, superoxide anion generation, or phagocytosis, it is unlikely that the enzyme plays a major role in these functions.
Unwanted intercourse: The difficulty of saying no.

Unwanted intercourse occurs when a reluctant partner is induced to acquiesce against her (his) will by psychological pressure from the would-be lover, but without the use of or the threat of force. An earlier study found that 30% of a representative probability sample of senior women in a liberal arts college had experienced unwanted intercourse. College women's (N = 76) perceptions of the unwanted intercourse situation were assessed by projective and by questionnaire methods, using a videotaped stimulus cue. Results indicate that highly negative feelings are attributed to the man in the refuse situation, and to the majority of the women in both the accept and refuse situations. A hedonic calculus analysis based on the ratio of negative to positive feelings in the stories demonstrates the cost-benefit superiority of accepting unwanted intercourse in spite of the fact that the women's feelings are predominantly negative. A theory of unwanted intercourse is proposed that attributes the high rate of unwanted...
Natural history of incidentally discovered, asymptomatic idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the frequency with which IDC is diagnosed in the asymptomatic state is increasing. The true prevalence of asymptomatic IDC remains unclear. Whereas the short and intermediate prognosis for asymptomatic IDC is relatively good, the 7-year mortality rate approaches 50%. In a disease that often affects people early in life, asymptomatic IDC cannot be considered a benign diagnosis. An aggressive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic patients with IDC is clearly warranted.
Transmission line load impedance for maximum efficiency: Calculating transmission-line load impedance

THE ratio of sending-end to receiving-end power for a transmission line, or other 4-pole apparatus, is
TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract This paper describes the role of transportation education in the United States and the likely direction of transportation education in the future. The evolution of transportation education from a design and operations orientation to one focused on planning, management and policy, is described. This paper discusses various levels of transportation education and their purposes, beginning with university studies for the Bachelor, Masters and Ph.D. degrees, as well as various forms of post‐college training for professionals. The historical basis for transportation education in the U.S. is described and its early beginnings, its functions and current educational programmes are outlined. Also discussed are the institutional framework within which education is delivered in the U.S. and the manner in which courses and programmes of studies are developed, implemented and changed. The emphasis is on educational programmes dealing primarily with public‐sector applications for modes such as highway, rail, ai...
Use of complement inhibitors in tissue injury

A great deal of information has accumulated implicating the complement system in several human disease processes. Although some of this information is circumstantial, protein inhibitors of the complement system have been developed and applied successfully to experimental disease models in animals. Two inhibitors, soluble complement receptor 1 (sCR1) and anti-C5 monoclonal antibody, are now being investigated in a variety of clinical conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), diseases for which current therapy has changed little and remains unsatisfactory. Preliminary successes in Phase II clinical trials of RA have provided optimism that complement inhibition might prove useful in these diseases and become part of standard medical therapy.
Magnetoconductance and weak localization in silicon inversion layers

Large magnetoconductivities are observed on high-mobility Si inversion layers in the temperature range of 4-1 K at very small magnetic fields. With the use of current localization theory the inelastic scattering rate has been extracted from the data as a function of both temperature and electron surface density. Inelastic lengths of about 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ cm at 1 K have been derived from the results. Band-structure effects are observed in the localization phenomena at very high electron surface densities.
Improved probabilistic neural network and its performance relative to other models

This paper presents a new extension of the probabilistic neural network which utilizes one additional training pass to obtain significantly improved performance relative to the conventional probabilistic neural network. In addition it automatically sets certain algorithm parameters. The method substantially outperforms K-nearest neighbor techniques for the same number ofnodes. and it also offers performance competitive with LVQ2 which requires much longer training periods. 1.
Behavior of bacteriophage P1 inErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora

Bacteriophage P1KMclr100 was tranferred toErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora. P1 was stably maintained as detected by hybridization and transfer of kanamycin resistance. Lysogens ofE. carotovora failed to produce any viable P1 phage. Although total DNA from P1 lysogens ofE. carotovora hybridized to32P-labeled P1 probe, we were not able to detect P1 DNA as an extrachromosomal element. Attempts to use bacteriophage P1 as a vector for transposon Tn5 insertion mutagenesis inE. carotovora were not successful. Our results indicate that lytic replication of P1 DNA does not occur in P1 lysogens ofE. carotovora and that P1 DNA is probably integrated into the bacterial chromosome.
Infrared Astronomy: From One to One Million Pixels

In less than a decade, infrared “array” detectors have revolutionized infrared astronomy. Most of us remember using single element photometers in the early eighties, yet today, most of us are using 256x256 pixel arrays. At this meeting we have heard of plans to fabricate 1024x1024 arrays in the near infrared. From one to one million pixels in such a short period of time is amazing. The new array technology has also stimulated the development of many varieties of infrared cameras and spectrometers. At the UCLA Infrared Imaging Detector Lab we have commissioned two near infrared imaging systems (KCam and Gemini) based on 256x256 arrays and a spectrometer design study is in progress for 1024x1024 arrays. Performance of these cameras on the telescope will be reported briefly.
Hydrogen Cyanide in the Murchison Meteorite

Carbonaceous chondrites are meteorites that may contain abundant organic materials, including soluble compounds as diverse as amino acids and hydrocarbons. We report here the finding of hydrogen cyanide in the Murchison meteorite in amounts ≤ 10 ppm. HCN was never searched for in meteorites and its detection in sizeable amount is surprising in view of the extensive water phase that is recorded by the petrology of this type of meteorites and could have exhausted their HCN content through multiple reactions. The finding adds to the inventory of simple volatile molecules found in both comets and meteorites.
Why ''a watched pot never boils''

We show that as a system which can be characterized by a finite-dimensional Hilbert space is observed more and more frequently, the probability that it will always be found in its initial state tends to one.
The Role of Surface-Active Constituents Involved in the Foaming of Milk and Certain Milk Products. III. Milk Lipids, including Phospholipids

Summary The role of milk fat in the foaming of milk, cream, buttermilk, and their artificial counterparts has been studied at temperatures between 5 and 50° C. The results suggest the following conclusions. 1.In such emulsions two types of foam may appear separately or simultaneously, a protein type and a phospholipid-protein type. At the higher temperatures the protein type predominates. 2.Whole milk, cream, and buttermilk exhibit minimum foaming at 30–35° C. 3.At 35° C. the foam volume and the foam stability of skim milk are decreased as the fat content is increased up to about 5.0 per cent. With further increases in the fat content both the volume and stability of the foam increase up to a fat content of 20 per cent, after which no further increases occur. At 6° C. the foam volume remains constant regardless of the fat content. The stability of the foam reaches a minimum at about 5 per cent fat concentration, after which it increases rapidly until a fat content of 10 per cent is reached, above which cream-type foams of high stability are formed. 4.Artificial milks and creams were made to resemble the natural product only when phospholipids (soybean) were incorporated into the fat prior to emulsification. The medium should be a protein sol; a lactalbumin sol or a milk serum protein sol such as rennet whey was satisfactory. The most normal cream was made when the medium contained natural fat globule "membrane" material; buttermilk met this condition. 5.Emulsions of pure milk fat in skim milk, gelatin, or gum arabic sols have abnormal foaming properties. 6.For emulsions with fat dispersed to a degree comparable to that of natural milk or cream, the optimum concentration of mixed phospholipids in the fat appears to be from 0.8 to 1.0 percent. Unbound phospholipid appears undesirable. 7.These results have been discussed as they apply to churning, to cream whipping, to cream rebodying, and, by inference, to ice cream whipping.
Robot applications in nuclear power plants

Abstract After a basic introductory section, the past four to five years of increasing use of robotic devices in nuclear power plants is highlighted. A methodology for selecting robots for power plant tasks has evolved from these experiences, and is explained in some detail. Certain considerations that restrict the use of robots are discussed. The acceptance of robots as tools for power plant missions will increase dramatically in the future with the co-design of robot and power plant.
Higher habitual sodium intake is not detrimental for bones in older women with adequate calcium intake.

Based on the calciuric effect of sodium (Na), it has been speculated, although not proven, that higher Na intake might have a detrimental effect on bone health. The objective was to determine the relationship between Na intake (expressed as urinary Na) and bone mineral density/content (BMD/BMC) during a 3-year study. Participants were healthy, postmenopausal, Caucasian women (n = 136 at baseline) with no medications affecting bone. After baseline screening, half were instructed to reduce sodium intake to ~1,500 mg/day (intervention). The other half remained on habitual intake of ~3,000 mg/day (control). All subjects were given calcium and vitamin D supplements to achieve recommended levels. Anthropometries, densitometry, blood and 24-h urine analyses, and dietary and activity records were assessed every 6 months. Data were analyzed as a continuum, irrespective of the initial assignment to a control or intervention group, using random effects regressions with repeated measures analysis of variance to examine changes over time. Results showed that subjects with higher Na intake had higher BMD in the forearm and spine at baseline and all subsequent time-points (p < 0.01). In the forearm, time and higher urinary calcium modified results, producing a curvilinear decrease in BMD (p < 0.01). In the spine, more active individuals had higher BMD at all time-points. We conclude that higher sodium intake, within the range consumed, had a positive effect on some skeletal sites and no adverse effect on bone in women who had adequate calcium and vitamin D intake.
First Report of Damping-Off of Wild Rice in California Caused by Pythium torulosum.

During 1994, damping-off of wild rice (Zizania palustris L.) in a single field in eastern Shasta County, CA resulted in near total stand failure. Since then, the disease was observed in at least 11 other fields with varying levels of stand loss. In all cases, the affected wild rice was grown as a volunteer crop following one or more years of wild rice production. Symptoms included a dark red discoloration and necrosis of the primary root followed by seedling death. When the red discoloration was limited to secondary roots, the plants often survived. Pythium torulosum, readily recovered from symptomatic roots by isolation on PARP media, was identified by morphological structures produced on grass blades in water (homothallic with smooth-walled oogonia, plerotic oospores, monoclinous antheridia, and inflated filamentous sporangia) and a 99.2% internal transcribed spacer sequence similarity of the rDNA (1). To complete Koch's postulates, inoculum of two isolates of P. torulosum grown on moistened cornmeal/sa...
Effect of cyclobutane carbonitrile rings on the glass transition temperature of vinyl copolymers

A wide compositional range of copolymers of 1-cyclobutene carbonitrile (CBCN) and 1-bicyclobutance carbonitrile (BBCN) with common vinyl monomers was prepared in order to study systematically the effect of cyclobutane carbonitrile ring incorporation on the glass transition temperature (Tg). In general, the Tg's of the copolymers are increased in proportion to the weight percent of the small-ring monomer incorporated, but the 1,2-mode of incorporation raises Tg more than the 1,3-mode. Attempts were made to correlate data with quantitative Tg–composition relationships (Fox–Johnston equations). Prediction for nitrile homopolymer Tg's are compared with literature values.
Layer 6 Corticothalamic Neurons Activate a Cortical Output Layer, Layer 5a

Layer 6 corticothalamic neurons are thought to modulate incoming sensory information via their intracortical axons targeting the major thalamorecipient layer of the neocortex, layer 4, and via their long-range feedback projections to primary sensory thalamic nuclei. However, anatomical reconstructions of individual layer 6 corticothalamic (L6 CT) neurons include examples with axonal processes ramifying within layer 5, and the relative input of the overall population of L6 CT neurons to layers 4 and 5 is not well understood. We compared the synaptic impact of L6 CT cells on neurons in layers 4 and 5. We found that the axons of L6 CT neurons densely ramified within layer 5a in both visual and somatosensory cortices of the mouse. Optogenetic activation of corticothalamic neurons generated large EPSPs in pyramidal neurons in layer 5a. In contrast, excitatory neurons in layer 4 exhibited weak excitation or disynaptic inhibition. Fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive cells in both layer 5a and layer 4 were also strongly activated by L6 CT neurons. The overall effect of L6 CT activation was to suppress layer 4 while eliciting action potentials in layer 5a pyramidal neurons. Together, our data indicate that L6 CT neurons strongly activate an output layer of the cortex.
A sensitive HPLC-based method to quantify adenine nucleotides in primary astrocyte cell cultures

In mono-layered primary cell cultures baseline AMP and ADP levels are found nominally in the mid to low picomolar range and are thus difficult to measure with conventional HPLC methods that often require the pooling of samples or require indirect detection methods using radiotracers or enzyme coupled assays. To address this issue, we developed a highly sensitive and selective ion-pairing HPLC method with fluorescence detection to quantify adenine nucleotides and the adenylate energy charge in primary astrocyte cell cultures. To accomplish this, we optimized the fluorescence derivatization conditions and the HPLC parameters to achieve baseline separation and quantification of all adenine nucleotides. Nucleotides were converted to their respective 1, N(6)-etheno derivatives by incubating with chloroacetaldehyde at pH 4.5 and 60°C for 60 min. Under these conditions, the loss of the adenine nucleotides due to hydrolysis was minimized with a derivatization yield of 94.1% for 1, N(6)-ethenoadenosine. The optimal concentration of tetrabutylammonium phosphate, the ion-pairing reagent, required to achieve a reproducible separation of the adenine nucleotides was found to be 0.8mM. Calibration curves of nucleotide standards were linear within the range of 0.16-10.4 pmol for adenosine, 0.16-20.6 pmol for AMP, 0.15-19.2 pmol for ADP, and 0.15-19.5 pmol for ATP. The limits of detection and quantification for all adenine nucleotides were approximately 0.08 and 0.16 pmol, respectively. The intra- and inter-day variability for this method was less than 5.1 and 3.4%, respectively. This method was successfully used to measure all adenine nucleotides and an adenylate energy charge of 0.92±0.02 in primary astrocyte cell cultures.
Allergic Fungal Sinusitis in Children

Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a subtype of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) characterized by type I hypersensitivity, nasal polyposis, characteristic computed tomography scan findings, eosinophilic mucus, and the presence of fungus on surgical specimens without evidence of tissue invasion. This refractory subtype of CRS is of the great interest in the pediatric population, given the relatively early age of onset and the difficulty in managing AFS through commercially available medical regimens. Almost universally, a diagnosis of AFS requires operative intervention. Postoperative adjuvant medical therapy is a mainstay in the treatment paradigm of pediatric AFS.
Ab Initio Structure/Reactivity Investigations of Illudin‐Based Antitumor Agents: A Model for Reaction in vivo

(Hydroxymethyl)acylfulvene (HMAF, irofulven; 4), a third-generation derivative of a natural product extracted from the mushroom Omphalotus illudens, is selectively toxic towards certain forms of malignant tumors. Conversion of HMAF and cognates to stable aromatic derivatives is triggered by thiol attack in vitro and in vivo. Quantum-chemical methods predict well the structure for several functionalized derivatives of irofulven as compared to known X-ray crystallographic structures. Computational reaction profiles for thiol attack and aromatic rearrangement of irofulven and illudin S, a toxin from which irofulven is derived, provide insight into HMAF's selectivity and toxicity. Methods used include hybrid density-functional theory (HDFT), HartreeFock (HF), and MollerPlesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2). Solvent effects have been explored by means of the new continuum-solvation method, COSab, presented in an accompanying paper.
Improving Voting System Event Logs

Federal standards require that electronic voting machines log information about the voting system behavior to support post-election audits and investigations. Our study examines what additional voter interaction information should be collected to allow investigation of human factors issues of the voting systems used in an election, while at the same time preserving voter privacy. We have focused on simulating touch screen interface errors that have been hypothesized as the cause of problems in past elections, such as miscalibration and insensitivity. The preliminary data gathered indicates that event logs which record voter interaction information may allow investigators to detect the existence of interface problems in deployed voting systems. This information can be collected without compromising secret ballot rights. We believe that any voting system using a touch screen interface could benefit by logging these events.
An application of dilworth's lattice of maximal antichains

Recently there has been a good deal of interest in the maximal sized antichains of a partially ordered set [1-8]. A theorem of Dilworth states that under the natural ordering these antichains form a distributive lattice. This paper outlines a proof of this theorem and applies it to strengthen the results and shorten the proofs of [4].
Nutrient Ingestion, Protein Intake, and Sex, but Not Age, Affect the Albumin Synthesis Rate in Humans

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of nutrient ingestion, dietary protein intake, age, and sex on the fractional synthesis rate (FSR) of albumin. Thirty-six healthy free-living individuals (8 females and 10 males aged 21-43 y and 9 females and 9 males aged 63-79 y) completed three 18-d periods of controlled feeding with protein intakes of 125% (P125, 1.00 g protein x kg(-1) x d(-1)), 94% (P94, 0.75 g protein x kg(-1) x d(-1)), and 63% (P63, 0.50 g protein x kg(-1) x d(-1)) of the recommended dietary allowance. On d 12 of each trial, postabsorptive (PA) serum albumin concentration was determined and PA and postprandial (PP) albumin FSR were estimated from the rate of l-[1- 13C] leucine incorporation into plasma albumin during an 8-h infusion. There were no age-related differences in PA and PP albumin FSR. Albumin FSR was higher PP than PA (P < 0.0001), and the increase in albumin FSR from PA to PP was smaller as dietary protein intake decreased from P125 to P94 and P63 (P < 0.05). Independent of protein intake, males had a higher albumin FSR (P < 0.05) and a greater increase in albumin FSR with feeding (P < 0.05). There was no age or dietary protein effect on serum albumin concentrations, but males had higher albumin concentrations than females (P < 0.0001). These results show that older persons are responsive to nutrient ingestion and dietary protein-related changes in albumin FSR. The greater albumin synthesis rate in males might contribute to a higher albumin concentration set point.
Doping explosive materials for neutron radiographic enhancement.

Most ordnance materials that are inorganic mixtures neutron radiograph poorly, or not at all, particularly if contained within a thick metallic structure. Investigations were made relative to selecting a material(s) with high neutron absorbing property that when added to the explosive mixture enhanced the imaging of the material, and the quantity of the additive would not interfere with the proper reaction of the chemical mixture. The results are herein reported. This paper is an update of an earlier publication, “Proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Explosives and Pyrotechnics,” the Franklin Institute Research Laboratories, 7E&P-7, September 8–9, 1971.
Disseminated lymphoblastic lymphoma in children and adolescents: Results of the COG A5971 trial: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

The Children's Oncology Group's A5971 trial examined central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis and early intensification in paediatric patients diagnosed with CNS-negative Stage III and IV lymphoblastic lymphoma. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, the study randomized patients to Children's Cancer Group (CCG) modified Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (BFM) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) regimen with intensified intrathecal (IT) methotrexate (MTX) (Arm A1) or an adapted non-Hodgkin lymphoma/BFM-95 therapy with high dose MTX in interim maintenance but no IT-MTX in maintenance (Arm B1). Each cohort was randomized ± intensification (cyclophosphamide/anthracycline) (Arms A2/B2). For the 254 randomized patients, there was no difference in 5-year event-free survival (EFS) for the four arms: Arm A1, 80% [95% confidence interval (CI) 67-89%] and Arm A2, 81% (95% CI 69-89%); Arm B1, 80% (95% CI 68-88%) and Arm B2, 84% (95% CI 72-91%). The cumulative incidence of CNS relapse was 1·2%. Age <10 years and institutional imaging response at 2 weeks was associated with improved outcomes (P < 0·001 and P = 0·014 for overall survival). CNS positive patients (n = 12) did poorly [5-year EFS of 63% (95% CI 29-85%)]. For CNS-negative patients, there was no difference in outcome based on CNS prophylaxis (IT-MTX versus HD-MTX) or with intensification.
Energy efficient routing in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor nodes can be deployed on a battlefield and organize themselves in a large-scale ad-hoc network. Traditional routing protocols do not take into account that a node contains only a limited energy supply. Optimal routing tries to maximize the duration over which the sensing task can be performed, but requires future knowledge. As this is unrealistic, we derive a practical guideline based on the energy histogram and develop a spectrum of new techniques to enhance the routing in sensor networks. Our first approach aggregates packet streams in a robust way, resulting in energy reductions of a factor 2 to 3. Second, we argue that a more uniform resource utilization can be obtained by shaping the traffic flow. Several techniques, which rely only on localized metrics are proposed and evaluated. We show that they can increase the network lifetime up to an extra 90% beyond the gains of our first approach.
The catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons from H2CO mixtures over the Group VIII metals: V. The catalytic behavior of silica-supported metals

The catalytic behavior of silica-supported Group VIII metals in the COH2 synthesis reaction has been determined and compared to that of alumina-supported metals. A wider range of specific activities is observed over the silicasupported metals when based upon either adsorbed CO or adsorbed hydrogen to determine metal surface sites. Inclusion of a CuSiO2 catalyst has established the left-hand portion of the volcano plot that was predicted from an earlier study. The most recent values for CO heats of adsorption on these metal surfaces were utilized to obtain this volcano plot and verify the correlation between activity and ΔH(ad) observed earlier with alumina-supported metals.
Envisioning New Forms of Leadership in Catholic Higher Education: Recommendations for Success

The impact of increases in lay leadership in Catholic higher education is an issue of considerable debate. Opponents of the change believe that the traditional identity and mission of Catholic institutions may be significantly altered if lay leaders fail to intentionally nurture Catholic values and practices. Others believe that lay leaders may strengthen and enact the institutional mission just as effectively as could vowed religious leaders. This article provides an overview of a recent study about the perceived impact of lay leadership at one Catholic university. A history of the issues at hand and the methodology of the study are included along with a review of the primary findings. The outcomes of this study can inform the work of institutional leaders in higher education by identifying factors that appear to be important to preserving institutional identity in the midst of significant change. The article concludes with recommendations for vowed religious and lay leaders seeking to preserve and share institutional mission.
A Heroic Defeat: The Caterpillar Labor Dispute and the UAW, 1991-1998

In "The Caterpillar Labor Dispute and the UAW, 1991-1998," Isaac Cohen contests the popular notion that the UAW's dispute with Caterpillar resulted in a major defeat for the union. He states that the struggle's outcome did not end in an unconditional union surrender because the UAW obtained a contract that was considerably better than the company's imposed terms and conditions during the dispute. Cohen argues that had the UAW International adopted a different strategy during this dispute the union would have experienced a more favorable outcome. I challenge Cohen's views and argue that, although the UAW membership launched heroic and militant strikes against Caterpillar, the dispute ultimately ended in a decisive union defeat.
Brave new world: The current and future use of novel anticoagulants

Advances in antithrombotic therapy began when traditional anticoagulant agents such as heparin and the vitamin K antagonists like Coumadin became commercially available in the 1940s and 1950s. Inherent limitations of these compounds, including the need for monitoring and multiple food and drug interactions (with coumadin), spurred the development of newer parenteral compounds like low molecular weight heparin, the pentasaccharide fondaparinux, and direct thrombin inhibitors such as hirudin, argatroban and bivalirudin with advantages over traditional compounds. Despite the failure of the first oral anticoagulant in 50 years--the direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran--due to issues with liver toxicity, new oral agents such as the Factor Xa inhibitors rivaroxaban, apixaban, YM-150, and DU-176b and oral direct thrombin inhibitors such as dabigatran are in advanced stages of development, with dabigatran and rivaroxaban now approved for use outside of the United States for thromboprophylaxis in the setting of orthopedic surgery. These and other novel agents have the potential to greatly expand our armamentarium to treat thromboembolic disease, with more targeted approaches to specific procoagulant complexes, a predictable anticoagulant response that does not require monitoring, and use in both acute and long-term treatment settings.
Clonal plants in a spatially heterogeneous environment: effects of integration on Serengeti grassland response to defoliation and urine-hits from grazing mammals

It has been hypothesized that clonal integration between ramets inenvironments with spatially variable rates of herbivory and nutrientavailabilities leads to increased growth and fitness in the genet. An increasein genet growth could potentially influence ecosystem processes such as primaryproductivity and nutrient cycling. I tested the idea that clonal integrationwould lead to greater aboveground productivity, compensatory response todefoliation, and N re-distribution in a factorial experiment in fieldplots in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania. Each plot had either all stolonssevered or left intact, had repeated defoliation (to simulate grazing bythe African buffalo) or none, and was either located next to a plot thatreceived urea (to simulate a urine-hit) or next to a plot thatremained untreated. Plots that received stolon severing treatments had32% less peak biomass than did connected control plots, and this suggeststhat plants grew better when ramets remained connected. However, compensatoryresponse by plots to repeated defoliation was inconsistent with the hypothesizedbenefits of ramet integration at the ecosystem level: productivityresponse to defoliation was similar between plots with connected vs. severedramets (i.e. no stolon severing × defoliation interaction wasfound). When averaged across other treatments, defoliated plots hadincreased productivity compared to nondefoliated plots during the growingseason. Thus, ramet connection and defoliation did increase productivity whenthey were considered alone, but productivity response to defoliation wasunaffected by ramet connections. Urea additions, which led to a 78%increase in productivity in adjacent “urine-hits”, had noconsistent effect on productivity but did increase leaf percent N in adjoiningstudy plots. Thus, in the Serengeti, urine hits probably have very localizedeffects on productivity during the initial growing season.
A 900mA 93% efficient 50µA quiescent current fixed frequency hysteretic buck converter using a highly digital hybrid voltage- and current-mode control

A hysteretic buck converter employs a hybrid voltage/current mode control to regulate output voltage and switching frequency independently. Fabricated in a 130nm CMOS process, the prototype consumes only 50µA quiescent current and operates at a constant switching frequency of 1MHz over a wide range of output voltages (0.7-to-1.8V) and inductor values (1-to-5µH) with a peak efficiency of 93%. The output ripple and the settling time of the converter are less than ±2.5mV and 10µs, respectively.
Glutamine Supplementation in Catabolic Patients

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of parenteral and enteral glutamine supplementation in patients who are catabolic.DATA SOURCES:English-language clinical trials and review articles identified by MEDLINE searches (January 1970–December 1997) and from bibliographies of selected articles were considered for possible inclusion. Key words used in the search strategy were glutamine, critical illness, stress, catabolism, injury, enteral nutrition, and parenteral nutrition.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Inclusion was restricted to pertinent studies that evaluated the safety of glutamine supplementation, as well as effects of glutamine on amino acid metabolism, immune function, and patient outcome. Data from 18 clinical trials and multiple review articles were compiled into a review format.DATA SYNTHESIS:Glutamine is an important metabolic fuel for intestinal enterocytes, lymphocytes and macrophages, and metabolic precursors such as purines and pyrimidines. Although originally considered a noness...
Improvement in Automatic Postural Coordination Following Alexander Technique Lessons in a Person With Low Back Pain

Background and Purpose. The relationship between abnormal postural coordination and back pain is unclear. The Alexander Technique (AT) aims to improve postural coordination by using conscious processes to alter automatic postural coordination and ongoing muscular activity, and it has been reported to reduce low back pain. This case report describes the use of the AT with a client with low back pain and the observed changes in automatic postural responses and back pain. Case Description. The client was a 49-year-old woman with a 25-year history of left-sided, idiopathic, lumbrosacral back pain. Automatic postural coordination was measured using a force plate during horizontal platform translations and one-legged standing. Outcomes. The client was tested monthly for 4 months before AT lessons and for 3 months after lessons. Before lessons, she consistently had laterally asymmetric automatic postural responses to translations. After AT lessons, the magnitude and asymmetry of her responses and balance improved and her low back pain decreased. Discussion. Further research is warranted to study whether AT lessons improve low back pain-associated abnormalities in automatic postural coordination and whether improving automatic postural coordination helps to reduce low back pain.
Diurnal Rhythm of Plasma Immunoreactive β-Endorphin and Its Relationship to Sleep Stages and Plasma Rhythms of Cortisol and Prolactin*

To determine the diurnal rhythm of plasma beta-endorphin (beta-End), 10 healthy male volunteers between the ages of 20 and 32 yr were studied in a sleep laboratory setting for a 24-h period. Blood samples were taken through an indwelling catheter at 0800, 1000, 1400, 1800, 2200, 2300, and 2400 h and then half-hourly until 0730 h, and they were then assayed for total beta-End-like immunoreactivity (ir beta-End), PRL, and cortisol. Subjects were habituated by spending the night before the study in the sleep laboratory with an indwelling catheter and electrodes for sleep recording in place. There was a clear diurnal variation of ir beta-End, with lowest levels between 2200 and 0330 h and highest levels between 0400 and 1000 h. There was no evidence for direct entrainment with sleep stage. There was a close correlation with cortisol levels, suggesting a similar secretory pattern for beta-End and PRL in only 5 of the subjects. Because the beta-End antiserum used has a cross-reactivity of 30% with beta-lipotropin gel permeation chromatography was done on extracts of plasma taken at 1400, 2400, 0400, and 0730 h for each subject. The peak in the beta-End elution position showed a clear diurnal variation similar to that of ir beta-End.
Quality based compute-resource allocation in real-time signal processing

We present a novel method for controlling the complexity of real-time signal processing computational tasks, in order to make sure that a total quality metric for all the signal processing tasks is maximized. The method makes decisions about how much compute power is allocated to each task through past observations of the input and output data of each task. We present preliminary results from filtering applications that demonstrate the ability of the system to maximize the total quality of a large number of tasks under a real-time computational constraint.
Functional Hyperemia and Mechanisms of Neurovascular Coupling in the Retinal Vasculature

The retinal vasculature supplies cells of the inner and middle layers of the retina with oxygen and nutrients. Photic stimulation dilates retinal arterioles producing blood flow increases, a response termed functional hyperemia. Despite recent advances, the neurovascular coupling mechanisms mediating the functional hyperemia response in the retina remain unclear. In this review, the retinal functional hyperemia response is described, and the cellular mechanisms that may mediate the response are assessed. These neurovascular coupling mechanisms include neuronal stimulation of glial cells, leading to the release of vasoactive arachidonic acid metabolites onto blood vessels, release of potassium from glial cells onto vessels, and production and release of nitric oxide (NO), lactate, and adenosine from neurons and glia. The modulation of neurovascular coupling by oxygen and NO are described, and changes in functional hyperemia that occur with aging and in diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and other pathologies, are reviewed. Finally, outstanding questions concerning retinal blood flow in health and disease are discussed.
Influence of blood-pool contrast media on MR imaging and flow measurements in the presence of pulmonary arterial stents in swine.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of various stents on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging flow volume measurements and to determine the value of a blood-pool MR imaging contrast medium in assessment of vascular stents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 11 pigs, six nitinol stents (Memotherm), four platinum stents (NuMed), and one elgiloy stent (Wallstent) were placed in the main pulmonary artery under x-ray fluoroscopic guidance. MR imaging was performed 3 months after stent placement before and after injection of NC100150 contrast medium. Blood flow volumes were assessed with velocity-encoded cine MR imaging through and next to the stent. The signal-to-noise ratio and width of susceptibility artifacts of the stents also were determined. Measurements were analyzed with the paired Student t test and Bland-Altman test, where appropriate. RESULTS: Blood flow volumes measured through the nitinol and platinum stents disclosed no significant difference between velocity-encoded cine MR imaging measurements through and next t...
A microfabricated floating-element shear stress sensor using wafer-bonding technology

A microfabricated floating-element (120 mu m*140 mu m*5 mu m) liquid shear stress sensor has been developed using wafer-bonding technology. The sensor has been designed for high shear stresses (1-100 kPa) and high-pressure environments (up to 6600 psi) and utilizes a piezoresistive transduction scheme. Analytical and finite-element method (FEM) modeling have been performed to predict the sensor response. The sensor has been tested for both its mechanical integrity in high-pressure environments and its output response in the controlled environment of a cone and plate viscometer. The processing steps in the fabrication of the sensor, the analytical and FEM modeling, the experimental procedures, and the results of the experiments are described. >
Speech Perception Within an Auditory Cognitive Science Framework

The complexities of the acoustic speech signal pose many significant challenges for listeners. Although perceiving speech begins with auditory processing, investigation of speech perception has progressed mostly independently of study of the auditory system. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that cross-fertilization between the two areas of research can be productive. We briefly describe research bridging the study of general auditory processing and speech perception, showing that the latter is constrained and influenced by operating characteristics of the auditory system and that our understanding of the processes involved in speech perception is enhanced by study within a more general framework. The disconnect between the two areas of research has stunted the development of a truly interdisciplinary science, but there is an opportunity for great strides in understanding with the development of an integrated field of auditory cognitive science.
Reduction of the Linear Sanders-Koiter Equations for Fully Anisotropic Non-circular Cylindrical Shells to Two Coupled Fourth-order Equations

With the aid of the static-geometric duality of Goldenveiser (1940) and Lure (1940), order of magnitude estimates, and ideas developed by Sanders (1967) for the reduction of the governing equilibrium and compatibility equations for elastically isotropic shells, it is shown that the governing Sanders-Koiter equations for fully anisotropic (21 elastic constants) general (noncircular) cylindrical shells can be reduced to two coupled fourth-order equations for a dimensionless resultant function and its static-geometric dual, a dimensionless rotation function. The equations contain pointwise formal errors of O(√e), where e=h /R is the ratio of the constant shell thickness to the mean cross sectional radius. For a circular cylindrical shell the equations have, except for negligible terms, the same form as those derived recently by McDevitt & Simmonds (1999), but involve different unknowns.
Retrospective Study of Gabapentin for Poor Oral Feeding in Infants With Congenital Heart Disease.

Infants who experience extended intensive care stays may lose opportunities for learning to eat and may associate eating with pain or discomfort.1 Feeding difficulties affect 40% to 70% of infants with prematurity or complex medical issues.2 Following severe neonatal pain experiences some infants may present with food refusal or early satiety because they experience oral discomfort, odynophagia, dysphagia, or dyspepsia as a consequence of hyperalgesia, sensitization of peripheral nociceptors, and central nervous system activation of nonspecific arousal systems.3,4 Children born with life-threatening cardiac abnormalities who required corrective or palliative heart surgery are at high risk for oral feeding difficulties.5,6 When oral feeding does not advance in a timely fashion after cardiovascular surgery, infants may require gastrostomy feeding tubes with or without fundoplication.7 Drugs for chronic pain have demonstrated great promise in improving oral feeding outcomes in medically complicated children.8,9 The nerve-stabilizing medication gabapentin has been used for chronic neuropathic pain10 and reduced irritability in neurologically impaired children.11 Furthermore, gabapentin appeared to be an effective adjunct to move medically fragile toddlers from tube to oral feedings.8 In the current study, we hypothesized that feeding difficulties may be related to sensory hypersensitivities of the face and mouth, oropharynx, esophagus, and stomach. We aimed to assess the effect of gabapentin on voluntary oral intake in infants following surgery for congenital heart disease. We selected gabapentin because it is not associated with serious cardiovascular side effects.
The opt1 gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a proton-dependent dipeptide transporter

We have cloned and characterized the opt1 gene ofDrosophila melanogaster. This gene encodes a protein with significant similarity to the PTR family of oligopeptide transporters. The OPT1 protein is...
Modification of active cutaneous vasodilation by oral contraceptive hormones.

Charkoudian, Nisha, and John M. Johnson. Modification of active cutaneous vasodilation by oral contraceptive hormones.J. Appl. Physiol. 83(6): 2012–2018, 1997.—It is not clear whether the altered t...