cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Neotoma (Packrat) Feces to Associated Sediments from Paisley Caves, Oregon, U.S.A

Paisley 5 Mile Point Caves, Oregon, U.S.A. offer a unique perspective on Native Americans living in the Great Basin during the Younger Dryas. The cave sediments are mixed with abundant, disaggregated, packrat coprolites. We developed a technique for processing these packrat coprolites. Using this technique, this study analyses fifteen packrat coprolite samples separated from sediments collected from the sidewall of a test unit within Paisley Caves #2. The results were then used to create a paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the region. This reconstruction was then compared to a previous reconstruction based on the fossil pollen in the sediment from the same site. The reconstructions were similar. However, we found that the packrat coprolites were prone to dietary biases that could mask the true paleovegetation of the area. By studying the differences and similarities of these two sample sets, we obtained a better understanding of how each set reflects the local environment.
Periprocedural anticoagulation in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: time to reassess?

Non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) are responsible for almost 1 million admissions in the U.S. annually (1), and represent a spectrum of clinical conditions ranging from unstable angina (UA) to non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The most important cause is intraluminal thrombosis due to atherosclerotic plaque rupture, which impairs distal blood flow and may lead to myocardial ischemia or infarction.
Remifentanil and perioperative glycaemic response in cardiac surgery: an open-label randomised trial

Abstract Background This study investigated whether remifentanil infusion decreased intraoperative hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance compared with intermittent fentanyl administration in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Methods This was a randomised, prospective, open-label trial. Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery (n=116) were randomised to receive either continuous intravenous remifentanil infusion or intermittent fentanyl boluses. Hourly blood glucose values were obtained for 24 h starting from induction of anaesthesia. The difference in percentage of patients with ≥2 intraoperative blood glucose concentrations >10 mM (180 mg dl−1) between the groups was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures included insulin requirements, select stress hormone and inflammatory cytokine concentrations, and safety events and adverse outcomes. Results The trial included 106 subjects in the final intention-to-treat analysis. There were fewer patients with ≥2 intraoperative blood glucose values >10 mM (180 mg dl−1) in the remifentanil group (17 [31.5%]) compared with the fentanyl group (33 [63.5%]) (relative risk: 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32–0.77; P=0.001). The administered intraoperative insulin was a median of 8.1 units (range: 0–46.7) in the fentanyl group and 2.9 units (range: 0–35.1) in the remifentanil group (median difference=5 units; 95% CI: 1–7; P=0.004). Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone were increased less in the remifentanil group (P Conclusions Compared with patients treated with intermittent fentanyl, patients receiving continuous remifentanil infusion had fewer episodes of hyperglycaemia and less need for insulin administration during the intraoperative period of cardiac surgery. Clinical trial registration NCT02349152.
Voltage regulated electrophoretic deposition of silver nanoparticles on halloysite nanotubes

Abstract Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are naturally occurring clay nanotubes mined from abundant mineral deposits, making it an easily accessible nanomaterial. Surface functionalization of HNTs with different components including metals, antibiotics, and bioactive compounds is of increased importance for their potential use in biomedical devices, antimicrobial surface coatings, drug delivery systems, radiation absorptive composites, elastomer composites, electronic components, and as industrial catalysts. We used a simple method for the fabrication of HNT-supported metal nanoparticles. Here, we report our strategy for controlled weight deposition of positively charged metal ions on negatively charged HNTs dispersed in an aqueous medium where metallization can be controlled using changes in voltage, solvent medium, time and other electrolytic parameters without the use of any toxic chemicals, expensive reagents or lengthy pre-processing steps. Our method offers a one-step and low-cost process that offers many advantages, including, the deposition of different metal oxides (Ag, Cu, and Zn) or dual metal coatings. HNTs act as a nanocarrier with an ability for sustained drug release and as a nanofiller with a record for improving the physical properties of polymers. When combined with metal-coated HNTs, this may lead to the creation of multi-functional applications in drug delivery, regenerative medicine and, tissue engineering.
Exploring Perceptions of Effective Leadership Practices of Presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Anchored in the anti-deficit approach, this manuscript investigated perceptions of effective leadership practices of presidents at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This manuscript provides a unique contribution to the literature by utilizing a general qualitative research approach to learn from a diverse set of voices of leaders and scholars within this sector that serve in various roles (e.g., Deans, Vice Presidents, and scholars) or who study leadership at these institutions. The study found that effective leaders at HBCUs generally have success across two categories — experiential skills and professional knowledge. This study adds to the paucity of literature in this area by expanding and complicating our understanding of effective leadership practices of presidents at HBCUs.
Criminal Enforcement Redundancy

Despite mass incarceration and overcriminalization, underenforcement of criminal law is an endemic problem. It is the target of prominent reform movements, notably with regard to inadequate prosecution of police violence and sexual assaults; biased nonenforcement parallels biased overenforcement. Justice systems recognize this problem and adopt a variety of strategies to address it. Nearly all are mechanisms to create enforcement redundancy—means by which nonprosecution decisions to be reversed or trumped. In England and much of Europe, crime victims can seek administrative or judicial review of official decisions not to prosecute. Some civil law jurisdictions mandate prosecution upon sufficient evidence. Another option is to empower private parties to prosecute criminal charges when public officials fail to. U.S. jurisdictions largely reject all these redundancy options in favor of another—expanding federal criminal law to overlap large parts of state criminal jurisdiction. All these approaches create redundant authority over charging: supervisory officials, judges, private actors, or rival prosecutors are empowered to second-guess, reverse, or trump a prosecutor’s biased or ill-conceived decision not to charge. Each strategy has strengths and weaknesses. The focus in this Article is to assess the U.S. federalism-based approach in the context of its alternatives. Federal redundancy has worked quite well to reduce underenforcement in the context of local public corruption. It has a successful but more mixed record regarding crimes by police. It has made very little difference against states’ underenforcement of sexual assault crimes. The Article considers whether other strategies are more promising where federalism is weakest, and how jurisdictions might mix different redundancy strategies to make more progress against underenforcement motivated by illicit biases or favoritism.
Water Budget for Wind and Jewel Caves

The objectives and scope of this research topic were defined as: 1) Establisllitent of a sampling network for measuring; a) precipitation and evaporation, b) monitoring stream flow across park boundaries, c) spring discharges, and d) infiltration rates in the caves. 2) Assessment of transpiration rates in the parks. 3) Development of new options in managing water resources in cooperation with other federal and state agencies administrating lands adjacent to Wind and Jewel Caves.
Unethical Practices by Accounting Researchers: Incidence, Intentions, and Insights

This study asks accounting authors how much of their work is tainted by fraudulent research practices, how much of their peers’ work they believe is tainted, their intentions for the future, their impressions of the incentives to engage in these practices, the adequacy of their related graduate training, perceived attitudes and practices of mentors and coauthors, and whether their awareness and concern have evolved. Most researchers deny committing the acts, but a few individuals admit to the acts and rationalize them or express no remorse. In addition to the novelty of asking questions directly, a secondary randomized response study allows a comparison after two decades. Participants’ comments provide insights about the accounting research environment, including a lack of consensus about the legitimacy of research practices and explicit requirements by journal reviewers to commit questionable practices. The objective of the study is to further the dialogue on accounting research ethics.
Modeling CSF-1 receptor deficiency diseases - how close are we?

The role of colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) in macrophage and organismal development has been extensively studied in mouse. Within the last decade mutations in the CSF1R have been shown to cause rare diseases of both pediatric (Brain Abnormalities, Neurodegeneration, and Dysosteosclerosis (BANDDOS), OMIM #618476) and adult [CSF1R-related leukoencephalopathy (CRL), OMIM #221820] onset. Here we review the genetics, penetrance and histopathological features of these diseases and discuss to what extent the animal models of Csf1r deficiency currently available provide systems in which to study the underlying mechanisms involved.
Strawson on Term-Ordering

In his article "The 'Direction' of Non-Symmetrical Relations"1 and his book Subject and Predicate in Logic and Grammar2 P. F. Strawson has made some interesting remarks concerning what he calls the term-ordering function. The sentences "John loves Mary" and "Mary loves John" differ in sense. Syntactically they differ only in the positioning of their singular terms. According to Strawson, the difference in sense is to be explained by the fact that positioning is a syntactic device which performs a certain semantic function, the term-ordering function. Strawson thinks there is a problem in explaining exactly what the termordering function is. As Strawson says:
Economic development planning in bedroom communities:a case study of Chatham County, North Carolina.

This article shares lessons learned in the economic development planning experience in Chatham County, North Carolina, a traditionally rural county on the urban fringe of the growing Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), which includes Research Triangle Park. Chatham County has faced tremendous residential growth pressure as portions of the county have transitioned into a bedroom community while other parts of the country remain rural and economically depressed. The authors share their planning experiences and lessons learned in developing an economic development plan designed to increase the non-residential tax base and provide jobs for residents while preserving the rural character of the County. These lessons are vital to community engagement in economic development planning in similar communities facing both residential growth pressures and stagnant local economies.
The Association of Chronic Ulcerative Colitis and Multiple Polyps

Excerpt It has been shown that in 10 per cent of cases of chronic ulcerative colitis multiple polyps of the large intestine develop eventually. This estimate is based on a statistical study of 693 ...
Topological Integrity for Dynamic Spline Models During Visualization of Big Data

In computer graphics and scientific visualization, B-splines are common geometric representations. A typical display method is to render a piecewise linear (PL) approximation that lies within a prescribed tolerance of the curve. In dynamic applications it is necessary to perturb specified points on the displayed curve. The distance between the perturbed PL structure and the perturbed curve it represents can change significantly, possibly changing the underlying topology and introducing unwanted artifacts to the display. We give a strategy to perturb the curve smoothly and keep track of the error introduced by perturbations. This allows us to refine the PL curve when appropriate and avoid spurious topological changes. This work is motivated by applications to visualization of Big Data from simulations on high performance computing architectures.
Nonrational Classroom Performance: Ritual as an Aspect of Action.

Through the presentation and analysis of two extended examples, the authors develop a clear conceptualization of ritual as formalized, symbolic performance and show how such a conceptualization allows us to look at ritual as an aspect of action rather than as a type of action. As an aspect of action, ritual is to be found in nearly all classroom action and helps us understand how the most mundane and ordinary of activities carry with them powerful cultural messages.
The influence of facial hair on impression formation

The influence of facial hair on the perception of a job applicant by persons in business was examined in this study. Subjects were 228 persons in management positions who made hiring decisions. Subjects were shown ink sketches of six male job applicants. The sketches varied on three facial hair dimensions-clean shaven, moustached, and bearded. Sketches were evaluated on semantic differential scales. Results indicated consistently more positive perceptions of social/physical attractiveness, personality, competency, and composure for men with facial hair.
Brokerage Intermediation in the Commercial Property Market

This study is one of the first to investigate brokerage intermediation effects in the income-producing commercial property market. Employing multifamily sales data from the Atlanta and Phoenix mark...
Observations of fire‐induced turbulence regimes during low‐intensity wildland fires in forested environments: implications for smoke dispersion

Low-intensity wildland fires occurring beneath forest canopies can result in particularly adverse local air-quality conditions. Ambient and fire-induced turbulent circulations play a substantial role in the transport and dispersion of smoke during these fire events. Recent in situ measurements of fire–atmosphere interactions during low-intensity wildland fires have provided new insight into the structure of fire-induced turbulence regimes and how forest overstory vegetation can affect the horizontal and vertical dispersion of smoke. In this paper, we provide a summary of the key turbulence observations made during two low-intensity wildland fire events that occurred in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Localized gut-associated lymphoid tissue hemorrhage induced by intravenous peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers.

Abstract A hemorrhage into gut-associated lymphoid tissue developed as early as 3 min after the intravenous injection of group A streptococcal peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers into rats. Extravasated erythrocytes were specifically located in the lamina propria and organized lymphoid follicles of the intestines and mesenteric lymph nodes and did not occur in the lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, adrenal glands, or submandibular and popliteal lymph nodes, as determined by gross and histologic observations and measurement of radiolabeled erythrocytes. Petechial hemorrhage was preferentially located within the intestine to the distal ileum, Peyer's patches, and lymphoid aggregates of the colon. The hemorrhage was transient and occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. It was maximal 5 min after injection and resolved completely by 3 days. A unique feature of this altered vascular permeability was the absence of polymorphonuclear leukocytic infiltration, edema, vasculitis, and tissue necrosis.
β-Adrenergic blockade augments glucose utilization in horses during graded exercise

To examine the role of β-adrenergic mechanisms in the regulation of endogenous glucose (Glu) production [rate of appearance (Ra)] and utilization [rate of disappearance (Rd)] and carbohydrate (CHO)...
A comment on the north and david papers

North’s title-Economic Growth: What Have We Learned from the Past’?makes the actual content of the paper a surprise. Aside from a single introductory paragraph, the essay is concerned entirely with property rights and their effects on incentives and forms of government. There is no review of empirical research on amounts of growth, differences among times and places in growth rates or in levels of per capita output, changes in the structure of output and employment that accompany growth, sources of growth, or sensitivity of output to changes in its various determinants. There is almost nothing about income distribution and nothing about advances in living standards or other consequences of growth. If one were to take North literally, one might conclude that economists have learned nothing at all about growth. For he indicates that the ignorance of property rights, the subject he does discuss, is abysmal while growth analysis can go nowhere without a theory of property rights and, therefore, a theory of the state-neither of which is available. For me to discuss the subject of North’s title would require a new paper rather than a comment, because he does not discuss 98 percent of what I think the title should cover. Rather, I shall treat the essay as if it had a title like “The Effect of Property Rights on Incentives and Growth.” I am no expert on that subject but will offer a few comments and questions. First, one should be grateful to North for stressing property rights and incentives. There is no question that they are important determinants of output levels and, under some circumstances, of growth rates. The historical review he provides serves to recall some of the important changes that have occurred in the last hundred centuries, and it makes interesting reading. But, is it not necessary to specify more precisely than is done in these anecdotes who it is that property is to be defended against, if generalizations about effects on incentives are to be drawn from such a review? There is protection of the property of an entire community or nation against confiscation or destruction by another community or by “barbarians at the gates.” There is protection of the property of a private individual or family
Nanotechnology Bound: Evaluating the Case for More Regulation

In continuing news, there is a growing debate on whether current laws and regulations, both in the US and abroad, need to be strengthened as they relate to nanotechnology. On one side, experts argue that nanomaterials, which are making their way into the marketplace today, are possibly harmful to consumers and the environment, so stronger and new laws are needed to ensure they are safe. On the other side, different experts argue that more regulation will slow down the pace of business and innovation in nanotechnology, or that self-regulation is the answer, or other opposing positions. This paper will draw out the core issues behind the debate and explain that there is more at stake than merely environmental, health and safety (EHS) worries or business interests, as it first appears. We will also suggest an alternative solution to stricter laws, since stricter laws would face formidable practical challenges, even if they are warranted.
Instabilities in self-fluidized beds—I theory

Abstract The stability of self-fluidized beds is analyzed using the two-fluid equations of fluidization. The base-state profiles consist of a packed region of uniform voidage underlying an expanded, fluidized state. The stability analysis takes into account the communication between the packed and fluidized region, which leads to a set of stability equations very similar to that solved previously by Medlin et al . The results indicate that self-fluidized beds are always unstable to spatially periodic circulatory modes. Parametric studies indicate that there is good qualitative and quantitative agreement between theory and the parametric dependencies measured experimentally.
Regulating the Interface in Graphite/Thermoplastic Composites

Abstract Among the many engineering thermoplastics available today, there exists a large subgroup of difficult-to-crystallize or amorphous polymers which possess a rather unique micronodular morphology in their normally produced solid state. When these polymers are processed in the unfilled state, changes in process thermal history have little effect on mechanical properties; but when reinforcement such as graphite is added, pronounced effects of thermal treatment arise which are relatable to the nodular polymer morphology. These effects will be documented and explained for graphite fiber-filled polycarbonate and poly(phenylene oxide). The practical application of these results to hot-forming techniques will also be described. Finally, extension of these techniques to the more easily crystallized thermoplastics such as polypropylene will be considered.
Short- versus long-term responses to changing CO2 in a coastal dinoflagellate bloom: implications for interspecific competitive interactions and community structure.

Increasing pCO2 (partial pressure of CO2) in an “acidified” ocean will affect phytoplankton community structure, but manipulation experiments with assemblages briefly acclimated to simulated future conditions may not accurately predict the long-term evolutionary shifts that could affect inter-specific competitive success. We assessed community structure changes in a natural mixed dinoflagellate bloom incubated at three pCO2 levels (230, 433, and 765 ppm) in a short-term experiment (2 weeks). The four dominant species were then isolated from each treatment into clonal cultures, and maintained at all three pCO2 levels for approximately 1 year. Periodically (4, 8, and 12 months), these pCO2-conditioned clones were recombined into artificial communities, and allowed to compete at their conditioning pCO2 level or at higher and lower levels. The dominant species in these artificial communities of CO2-conditioned clones differed from those in the original short-term experiment, but individual species relative abundance trends across pCO2 treatments were often similar. Specific growth rates showed no strong evidence for fitness increases attributable to conditioning pCO2 level. Although pCO2 significantly structured our experimental communities, conditioning time and biotic interactions like mixotrophy also had major roles in determining competitive outcomes. New methods of carrying out extended mixed species experiments are needed to accurately predict future long-term phytoplankton community responses to changing pCO2.
A new estimate of afrotherian phylogeny based on simultaneous analysis of genomic, morphological, and fossil evidence.

The placental mammalian clade Afrotheria is now supported by diverse forms of genomic data, but interordinal relationships within, and morphological support for, the group remains elusive. As a means for addressing these outstanding problems, competing hypotheses of afrotherian interordinal relationships were tested through simultaneous parsimony analysis of a large data set (> 4,590 parsimony informative characters) containing genomic data (> 17 kb of nucleotide data, chromosomal associations, and retroposons) and 400 morphological characters scored across 16 extant and 35 extinct afrotherians. Parsimony analysis of extant taxa alone recovered the interordinal topology (Afrosoricida, ((Macroscelidea, Tubulidentata), (Hyracoidea, (Proboscidea, Sirenia)))). Analysis following addition of extinct taxa instead supported Afroinsectivora (Afrosoricida + Macroscelidea) and Pseudoungulata (Tubulidentata + Paenungulata), as well as Tethytheria (Proboscidea + Sirenia). This latter topology is, however, sensitive to taxon deletion and different placements of the placental root, and numerous alternative interordinal arrangements within Afrotheria could not be statistically rejected. Relationships among extinct stem members of each afrotherian clade were more stable, but one alleged stem macroscelidean (Herodotius) never grouped with that clade and instead consistently joined pseudoungulates or paenungulates. When character transformations were optimized onto a less resolved afrotherian tree that reflects uncertainty about the group's interordinal phylogeny, a total of 21 morphological features were identified as possible synapomorphies of crown Afrotheria, 9 of which optimized unambiguously across all character treatments and optimization methods. Instability in afrotherian interordinal phylogeny presumably reflects rapid divergences during two pulses of cladogenesis – the first in the Late Cretaceous, at and just after the origin of crown Afrotheria, and the second in the early Cenozoic, with the origin of crown Paenungulata. Morphological evidence for divergences during these two pulses either never existed or has largely been "erased" by subsequent evolution along long ordinal branches. There may, nevertheless, be more morphological character support for crown Afrotheria than is currently assumed; the features identified here as possible afrotherian synapomorphies can be further scrutinized through future phylogenetic analyses with broader taxon sampling, as well as recovery of primitive fossil afrotherians from the Afro-Arabian landmass, where the group is likely to have first diversified.
Spiral spin-density-wave ground state of γ-Fe calculated with spin stiffness correction to the local-spin-density approximation

Our recently derived spin stiffness correction to the local-density approximation has enabled us to calculate spiral (S) spin-density wave (SDW) vs wave-vector curves for \ensuremath{\gamma}-Fe in significantly better agreement with experiment than heretofore possible. This enabled us to come to two conclusions: (i) The neutron-scattering peak at $\mathbf{q}=(2\ensuremath{\pi}/a)(1,0,0)$ is due to a local minimum in the energy and not an artifact arising from the overlap of the tails of nearby peaks. (ii) Neutron scattering cannot distinguish between a SSDW and multiple SDW's polarized in different transverse directions. We confirm that the ground state of \ensuremath{\gamma}-Fe is a SSDW.
The Law of Muscular Action

IN NATURE vol. xi. p. 426, my esteemed friend Prof. Hinrichs does me the honour to comment on my paper published in NATURE, vol. xi. pp. 256 and 276.
Charged- and neutral-current interference in ν e -e scattering

In the scattering of electronic neutrinos ..nu../sub e/ by electrons, charged- and neutral-current weak interactions can interfere with each other. According to all the popular gauge models that are consistent with neutral-current data, including the measurements of polarized-electron--deuteron scattering, this interference should be negative. The conditions under which a beam-dump experiment can be used to study charged- and neutral-current interference are studied in detail. It appears that if the interference is assumed to be present in the first place, then a 25% measurement of the integrated cross section will allow one to determine its sign. A greater accuracy is required to show that the interference actually does occur in ..nu../sub e/-e scattering. Tests for the presence of the helicity-flipping covariants S,P,T are also discussed.
Immigration and the boundaries of citizenship : The institutions of immigrants' political transnationalism

This article analyzes the emergence and the institutional structure of contemporary immigrants’ transnational politics. It poses three questions: 1) How is transnational politics structured? 2) How...
Phase transformation in nickel during tribotesting

Abstract Commercially pure nickel was subjected to a polyalphaolefin-lubricated reciprocating tribotest with increasing load. A friction transition was observed and X-ray diffraction was performed on low-friction and high-friction areas. Hexagonal nickel or nickel carbide was formed at high friction. Broadening of the face-centered cubic peaks did not show dislocation structures characteristic of scuffing.
Exploring the Evolution of Human Mate Preference

A colleague once told me that, during lectures, 60% of the time college students are thinking about sex. Although attempts to find the source of this statistic resulted in its description as “apocryphal” ( 1 ), most educators will agree that maintaining student interest during lecture is challenging, and dedicated readers of this series are well aware of the benefits of replacing lecture with inquiry-based instruction ( 2 ). Asking college students to design experiments to investigate human mate preference engages them in the process of science by appealing to their natural interest in the subject. The Evolution of Human Mate Preference module has been used in a lower-division majors' biology course at a community college. This multiday module gives students experience with researching the primary literature, formulating a testable hypothesis, conducting an experiment, analyzing data, and communicating ideas in a scientific paper or poster. Although some may argue that the development of these skills should begin at the upper division or graduate levels, lower-division students, when given frequent formative assessment and appropriate scaffolding ( 2 ), are quite successful with this module.
Direct and steam distillation autoanalyzer methods for assay of diazotizable aromatic amine metabolites of tryptophan in urine and in serum

Abstract A procedure is described for the assay of aromatic amine metabolites of tryptophan by an automated diazotization and coupling procedure using Technicon Autoanalyzer equipment. The assay is reliable and sensitive and if many samples are to be analyzed, will afford a several-fold saving in time and labor. This automated procedure is also satisfactory for assay of the enzymes tryptophan oxygenase and kynureninase. In addition, a procedure is described for automated steam distillation of aromatic amines in urine and serum and for their simultaneous assay by means of diazotization and coupling. This steam distillation method is specific for kynurenine and acetylkynurenine and is suitable for the routine screening of large numbers of urine or blood serum samples for elevated levels of these metabolites as a measure of abnormal tryptophan metabolism.
Design and analysis of a long fiber thermoplastic composite tailcone for a tank gun training round

The increasing demand for low cost composites in military applications is accompanied by the need to develop cost-effective and high-performance material forms and processing technologies. Innovative composite technologies (material forms, fabrication processes, and design and simulation) have the potential to provide effective solutions for reducing weight and cost of weapon systems and ammunitions. A kinetic energy (KE) penetrator is used as tank ammunition and concentrates an extremely high amount of kinetic energy over a relatively small surface area of the target. In this study, the design and analysis of a tailcone (which is a subcomponent) of an artillery training round (conventionally manufactured of aluminum) using long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composite material and processing technologies was conducted. The function of a tailcone is to stabilize and limit the range of travels of the projectile. Finite element analysis was used to design and evaluate the response of a LFT composite tailcone to pressure, gravitational load, and temperature during its path from inside the bore of the gun up to its flight in air. Subsequent field testing of the designed composite training round served as a validation of the finite element models developed. By implementing the proposed LFT composite tailcone, a cost savings in the order of 70% is projected in comparison to the existing aluminum design, without compromising performance.
Developing Conceptual Understanding of Natural Selection: The Role of Interest, Efficacy, and Basic Prior Knowledge

Changes in high school students’ (n = 94) conceptions of natural selection were examined as a function of motivational beliefs (individual interest, academic self-efficacy), basic prior knowledge, and gender across three assessments (pre, post, follow-up). Results from variable-centered analyses suggested that these variables had relatively little effect on enduring conceptual change; however, academic self-efficacy supported short-term conceptual change for girls. Results from person-centered analyses provided a different picture. Four profiles of motivational beliefs and basic prior knowledge were created using hierarchical cluster analysis: (a) low interest/efficacy, low knowledge; (b) moderate interest/efficacy, low knowledge; (c) moderate-low interest, moderate efficacy, high knowledge; and (d) high interest/efficacy, moderate knowledge. For girls, high interest and efficacy paired with moderate basic prior knowledge (Cluster 4) resulted in the greatest conceptual change. For boys, either moderate in...
Non-destructive examination of short carbon fibre-reinforced injection moulded thermoplastics

Abstract An injection moulded lever, made from 40% by weight short carbon fibre-reinforced nylon, has been non-destructively examined. Visual inspection and low power magnification revealed surface fibre flow in a skin at least 1 mm thick. Red-dye penetrant revealed open surface defects, while fluorescent penetrant accented only visible fibre flow. Low kV X-rays revealed internal shrinkage cracking and voids in flanges and bosses. Internal defects were examined by sectioning and found to be below the skin. Fibre orientation appeared to be a major cause of flange defects initiated by poor mould packing.
Coronary angioplasty using an autoperfusion balloon catheter through a 6 french guiding catheter

Use of 6 French guiding catheters for elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has been limited by lack of a compatible autoperfusion balloon catheter for management of complications such as acute vessel closure and large subintimall dissections. We describe the successful use of a lower profile autoperfusion balloon catheter through large internal lumen 6F guiding catheters for elective coronary angioplasty. These cases demonstrate the feasibility of the use of autoperfusion balloon catheters with 6F guiding catheters in elective, and presumably also in emergent, settings. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Regulation and function of Gα protein subunits in Dictyostelium

Abstract We have examined the developmental regulation and function of two G α protein subunits, G α 1 and G α 2, from Dictyostelium. G α 1 is expressed in vegetative cells through aggregate stages while G α 2 is inducible by cAMP pulses and preferentially expressed in aggregation. Our results suggest that G α 2 encodes the G α protein subunit associated with the cAMP receptor and mediates all known receptor-activated intracellular signal transduction processes, including chemotaxis and gene regulation. G α 1 appears to function in both the cell cycle and development. Overexpression of G α 1 results in large, multinucleated cells that develop abnormally. The central role that these G α proteins play in signal transduction processes and in controlling Dictyostelium development is discussed.
Generalized Bibasic Hypergeometric Series and TheirU(n) Extensions

We survey summation theorems for generalized bibasic hypergeometric series found recently by Chu and perfected by Macdonald. These contain arbitrary sequences of parameters, and generalize bibasic summation theorems found by Gosper, Gasper, and Rahman. They also contain a host of matrix inversions, for infinite lower-triangular matrices, including those found by Gould, Hsu, Carlitz, and Krattenthaler. Further special cases of Krattenthaler's theorem are Andrews' matrix formulation of the Bailey Transform and Bressoud's and Gasper's inversions. We extend the telescoping arguments used for bibasic summation theorems to provideU(n+1) extensions of Gosper's and Gasper's bibasic summation theorems. Special cases includeU(n+1) extensions of Carlitz's and Gasper's matrix inversions. Further specializations correspond to theU(n+1) Bailey Transform andU(n+1) Bressoud matrix inversion found previously by Milne. Applications includeU(n+1) transformation and expansion formulas, and aU(n+1) extension of aq-analogue of Abel's Binomial Theorem. Thisq-analogue is different from those found by Jackson and Johnson.
A theory for agglomeration and sedimentation of ferromagnetic particles suspended in a hydrocarbon liquid and exposed to a magnetic field

Abstract Recently S.C. Saxena, R.S. Miao, M.J. McNallen and M. Shalaby, AIChE J., 40 (1994) 1594 [1] have shown that an iron powder suspended in a hydrocarbon liquid (Therminol-66) can be effectively separated by sedimentation after magnetization in an external magnetic field. A simple two-step mechanistic model is developed here to analyze quantitatively the separation process data involving the settling rates of group agglomerates. In the first step, the ferromagnetic particles are magnetized, arranged and then pulled together in the magnetic field to form ‘particle agglomerates’. In the second step, these particle agglomerates settle under gravity only and grow further in size by collision to form ‘group agglomerates’. These group agglomerates settle at a much faster rate because of their large size than the original particles in the untreated powder or the particle agglomerates formed in the magnetic field. The proposed mathematical model in conjunction with the experimental data of Saxena and coworkers [1] has enabled the average diameters of particle agglomerates and group agglomerates to be estimated. It is concluded that this technology has the promise and potential to be employed effectively to separate fine micron size catalyst particles of magnetizable materials suspended in a hydrocarbon liquid. More detailed investigations are warrented to form a basis for elaborate detailed and sound design of separation unit equipment as well as for better understanding of the structural characteristics of particle and group agglomerates.
Evolving fuzzy decision tree structure that adapts in real-time

A fuzzy logic algorithm has been developed that automatically allocates electronic attack (EA) resources distributed over different platforms in real-time. The controller must be able to make decisions based on rules provided by experts. The fuzzy logic approach allows the direct incorporation of expertise. Genetic algorithm based optimization is conducted to determine the form of the membership functions for the fuzzy root concepts. The resource manager is made up of five parts, the isolated platform model, the multi-platform model, the fuzzy EA model, the fuzzy parameter selection tree and the fuzzy strategy tree. Automatic determination of fuzzy decision tree topology using a genetic program, an algorithm that creates other algorithms is discussed. A comparison to subtrees obtained using a genetic program and those constructed by hand from rules is made. Experiments designed to test various concepts in the expert system are discussed, including its ability to allow multiple platforms to self-organize.
Direct measurement of the optical depth in a spiral galaxy

FROM a statistical analysis of nearly 9,400 spiral galaxies1, Valentijn2 has claimed that the disks of spirals are largely opaque. His argument derives from a lack of inclination dependence in the average surface brightness of the spirals, which if they were transparent would be brighter when seen edge-on than face-on. This statistically derived result is however vulnerable to several selection effects3, and seems to contradict the fact that the survey was successfully performed (as we live in a transparent spiral galaxy) as well as anecdotal examples of galaxies visible through other galaxies. We have tried to measure directly optical extinction in a number of spiral disks, using pairs in which a foreground spiral is backlit by another galaxy. In our best example substantial extinction of starlight occurs, but the extinction is mostly associated with the spiral features in which much of the light arises in the first place. This correlation of extinction with emission may account for both the transparency and apparent opacity of spiral galaxies.
Heats of mixing and of entropy in porous insertion electrodes

Abstract Heat is produced after interruption of the current because of relaxation of concentration gradients in electrochemical systems. This heat of relaxation is termed heat of mixing. Two methods, one computational and one analytic approximation, for computing the heat of mixing are presented. In general, the magnitude of the heat of mixing will be small in materials with transport properties sufficiently high to provide acceptable battery performance, with the possible exception of heat of mixing within the insertion particles if the particle radius is large. In insertion materials, such as lithium insertion electrodes, the entropy of reaction may vary substantially with state of charge. The entropy of reaction accounts for a reversible heat effect which may be of the same order of magnitude as the resistive heating. Measurements for the entropy of reaction as a function of state of charge in LiCoO2, LiNi0.8Co0.2O2, and LiC6 are presented.
U.S. Air Force Aerial Camera Resolution Tester

An assembly of 14 diffraction limited collimators project beams, up to 12 in. (30.5 cm) in diameter, into the aperture of an aerial camera under test. USAG 1951 targets, both standard and Cos/Cos2 corrected, are provided for off-axis angles of 0° to 60°. The collimators, targets, and camera are mounted on a rigid, isolated, vertical frame, 29 ft. (880 cm) high and 28 ft. (850 cm) wide. The building and air-conditioning requirements are also discussed.
Aversive conditioning and cognitive mediators with alcoholic respondents.

Some theoretical explanations of aversive conditioning posit specific emotional states or “cognitive mediators” to account for behavior suppression. Although “anxiety” is widely recognised as much a cognitive mediator, few studies have attempted to obtain measures of “state anxiety” or of alternative competing hypotheses to test the model. This study probed the effects of two aversive conditioning paradigms on subjective response to both alcohol-related and non-alcohol related stimuli to test the anxiety model against other competing alternatives. A strong social desirability response bias obscured measurement on three outcome dimensions; adjective ratings of (1) General Evaluation, (2) Dangerousness, and (3) Appetitiveness. Both paradigms (i.e. Punishment and Mixed) appeared capable of producing increased “Aversiveness” for alcohol-related stimuli; “Mixed” paradigm in which CS-UCS contingencies were unpredictable was capable of increasing state anxiety displayed toward both test stimuli. Due to differential subject attrition, a quasi-experimental design was imposed which complicated application of statistical tests. A point prevalence follow-up at 90 days suggested that the experimental groups were slightly more successful at avoiding alcohol. An observation wax made about a personality dynamic of alcoholics which is thought to engender psychological reactance toward treatment interventions which do not allow opportunity for internal control.
ATM promotes apoptosis and suppresses tumorigenesis in response to Myc

Overexpression of the c-myc oncogene contributes to the development of a significant number of human cancers. In response to deregulated Myc activity, the p53 tumor suppressor is activated to promote apoptosis and inhibit tumor formation. Here we demonstrate that p53 induction in response to Myc overexpression requires the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase, a major regulator of the cellular response to DNA double-strand breaks. In a transgenic mouse model overexpressing Myc in squamous epithelial tissues, inactivation of Atm suppresses apoptosis and accelerates tumorigenesis. Deregulated Myc expression induces DNA damage in primary transgenic keratinocytes and the formation of gammaH2AX and phospho-SMC1 foci in transgenic tissue. These findings suggest that Myc overexpression causes DNA damage in vivo and that the ATM-dependent response to this damage is critical for p53 activation, apoptosis, and the suppression of tumor development.
Reverse-biased p + --n - --n + junction at extreme currents

The computer solution of a coupled set of nonlinear differential equations is used to explain the anomalous voltage across a reverse-biased p + --n - --n + junction during impulse current testing. The cases of pure avalanche and punchthrough are presented.
The influence of temperature during electric- and magnetic-field-induced alteration of calcium-ion release from in vitro brain tissue.

A technique based on release of calcium ions from in vitro preparations of avian brain tissues has been used by several investigators to demonstrate a biological effect of weak electric and magnetic fields. When the tissues have been exposed to ELF-modulated, VHF or UHF fields, enhanced release of calcium ions has resulted. In contrast, when the tissues have been exposed directly to an ELF field, outcomes have differed. Both inhibition and enhancement in release of calcium ions have been reported. We now find that either outcome--or a null result--is possible, depending on the temperature of tissue samples before and during exposure. Avian-brain tissues were exposed to 16-Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic fields at 14.1 Vrms/m (in air) and 64 nTrms. During 20-min exposures, as tissue-sample temperature rose by 0.7 to 2.5 degrees C to a final temperature of 35, 36, or 37, but not of 38 or 39 degrees C, an enhanced release of ions was observed. When the temperature was stable during exposure (i.e., constant within +/- 0.3 degrees C) at a final value of 36 or 37, but not of 35 or 38 degrees C, the quantity of ions released was reduced. And when descending by 0.7 to 1.5 degrees C to any final temperature from 35 to 38 degrees C, a null result occurred. These findings may reconcile the apparent disagreement in the direction of a field-induced response, and they may explain why experimental outcomes have been difficult to confirm in some laboratories. Of greater importance, the findings may also provide insight into the mechanism of the field-induced phenomenon.
Internal initiation by the cucumber necrosis virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is facilitated by promoter-like sequences.

Tombusviruses, small positive sense RNA viruses of plants, are replicated by the viral-coded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in infected cells. An unusual feature of the tombusvirus RdRp that is partially purified from cucumber necrosis virus (CNV)-infected plants is the ability to initiate complementary RNA synthesis from several internal positions on minus-strand templates derived from DI RNAs (19). In this study, we used template deletion, mutagenesis, and oligo-based inhibition of RNA synthesis to map the internal initiation sites observed with the in vitro CNV RdRp system. Comparing sequences around the internal initiation sites reveals that they have either (i) similar sequences to the core minus-strand initiation promoter; or (ii) similar structures to the core plus-strand initiation promoter. In addition, we find similarities among the internal initiation sites and the subgenomic RNA initiation sites. These similarities suggest that the mechanism of internal initiation is similar to initiation from the terminal core promoters or the putative subgenomic promoter sequences. We propose that internal initiation on full-length RNA templates may be important in defective interfering (DI) RNA formation/evolution by producing intermediate templates for RNA recombination in tombusviruses. This may explain why tombusviruses are frequently associated with DI RNAs.