cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ceramic Wear Maps: Zirconia

The wear characteristics of an yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP) are represented by a set of three-dimensional wear maps under dry and lubricated conditions. Water, paraffin oil, and a formulated oil were used as lubricants. Different wear regions were identified as function of load, speed, and lubricants environment. Sudden increases in wear, identified as wear transitions, were found at certain loads and speeds. The onset of wear transitions was moderated by the presence of a lubricant. Below the wear transitions, the wear was mild and the wear mechanism was predominantly plastic deformation and microfracture. Above the wear transisitons, the wear was severe, dominated by brittle fracuture and third-body abrasion. Diferent fluids had different effects on wear. Water had a deleterious effect on wear of this material. The presence of oil lubricants effectively reduced friction and moderated wear. Under high load andd high speed, additional stress induced by a thermal gradient within a small area contributed significantly to wear. A critical velocity model was found to describe the locations of the wear transition zones successfully.
A critical assessment of fatigue crack nucleation and growth models for Ni- and Ni,Fe-based superalloys

Ni- and Ni,Fe-based superalloys are used extensively in the hot sections of gas turbines in the aerospace and power generation industries. One way to improve the performance of turbines is through increased operating temperatures and stresses. Therefore, an understanding of the factors that influence resistance of these materials to creep and fatigue is necessary to build models that can predict the lives of components in these harsh operating conditions. Predicting crack nucleation (or formation) and the subsequent rate of crack propagation is a complex problem because of the interactions between microstructure, cyclic deformation, and the high temperature effects of creep and environment; an additional influence is variable amplitude loading during the service life. This paper will discuss the pertinent research over the past three decades that has considered microstructural, temperature, environmental, frequency and loading effects on fatigue crack growth in these important intermediate temperature alloys and is divided into sections devoted to crack nucleation, short crack growth, and long crack growth.
Epigenetic Mechanisms of Depression

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that epigenetics is a key mechanism through which environmental exposures interact with an individual’s genetic constitution to determine risk for depression throughout life.1 Epigenetics, in its broadest meaning, refers to stable changes in gene expression that are mediated via altered chromatin structure without modification of DNA sequence. According to this hypothesis, severe stress triggers changes—in vulnerable individuals—in chromatin structure at particular genomic loci in the brain’s limbic regions, which drive sustained changes in gene expression that contribute to episodes of depression. A corollary of this hypothesis is that such stress-induced epigenetic modifications also occur early in life and help determine an individual’s lifetime vulnerability or resistance to subsequent stressful events.
A magnetic resonance accelerator for electrons.

IN his paper, "A New Method of Acceleration of Relativistic Particles", Veksler1 proposed two methods of overcoming the limitation of the cyclotron due to the relativistic increase of the mass of the particle. One of these is the synchrotron, now well known ; and the other, which has been called the microtron2 and is essentially an electron cyclotron, is the subject of the present note.
Parental responses to competence and trauma in infants with reproductive casualty

This study of 31 infants in neonatal intensive care and their parents examined the relationship involving infant characteristics (medical and behavioral), parent characteristics (personality and situational variables), and the development of parental attachment. As expected, infants who were more visually competent had mothers who were more attentive. Contrary to expectation, greater prematurity was related to greater parental involvement. There were important differences in maternal and paternal responses, with mothers using more denial to cope with the medical crisis. Parents who relied heavily on denial were found to have impaired attachment.
Can the "state-dependency" hypothesis explain prevention of amphetamine sensitization in rats by NMDA receptor antagonists?

Many laboratories have reported that coadministration of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists with psychomotor stimulants prevents the development of behavioral sensitization and therefore concluded that NMDA receptor transmission is necessary for sensitization. According to an alternative ”state-dependency” interpretation, NMDA receptor antagonists do not prevent sensitization. Rather, they become a conditioned stimulus for the sensitized response, i.e., it is only elicited in response to combined administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist and the stimulant. This hypothesis is supported by progressive augmentation of the locomotor response to the drug combination during the induction phase, and expression of sensitization when challenged with the combination but not the stimulant alone. To test this hypothesis, rats were treated during a 6-day induction phase with amphetamine (Amph) alone or in combination with the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist CGS 19755 (10 mg/kg) or the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.05, 0.1 and 0.25 mg/kg). When CGS 19755 was coadministered with Amph, there was no progressive augmentation of response to the drug combination. When challenged with Amph alone, rats did not exhibit the biphasic pattern of locomotor activity characteristic of Amph sensitization. No sensitization of stereotyped behaviors was evident, although the ambulatory response was greater than that exhibited by naive rats. Results with MK-801 were complex, but progressive augmentation of response to the drug combination appeared to in part reflect sensitization to MK-801 and could be dissociated from the ability of MK-801 to prevent the development of sensitization as assessed by response to challenge with Amph alone. Many of these findings are inconsistent with predictions of the ”state-dependency” hypothesis. Moreover, the ability of NMDA receptor antagonists to prevent biochemical and electrophysiological correlates of sensitization is difficult to reconcile with the idea that sensitization develops in the presence of NMDA receptor blockade but cannot be expressed. Together, these findings suggest that the ability of NMDA receptor antagonists to prevent Amph sensitization reflects a requirement for NMDA receptor transmission during its induction.
Ions Related to Silynes and Disilynes: Computational Studies

Ab initio computational studies of two series of silicon-containing compounds related to disilyne and silyne, HSiSiH and HSiCH, have been carried out. Studies of these [2H,2Si] and [2H,C,Si] series probe the relationships between the structural characteristics of the parent compounds and various associated radical cation, radical anion, singlet dianion, and triplet dianion species. Various new species are reported: trans HSiSiH radical anion, triplet H2SiSi dianion, three [2H,C,Si] radical anions, four [2H,C,Si] singlet dianions, and three [2H,C,Si] triplet dianions. Additional computations of species previously reported have been carried out to provide a large data set computed under identical conditions. Optimizations at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,3p)//MP2/6-311++G(3df,3p) level as well as coupled cluster [CCSD(T)] single-point energy computations on all the unique optimized species are reported. It was necessary to include f functions to locate certain geometries in computations without symmetry constraints....
Freeze-drying is an effective method for preserving infectious type C retroviruses.

Abstract Conventional freeze-drying techniques using a sucrose stabilizer and gelatin can be employed to preserve the infectivity of retroviruses. Lyophilized virus retains its infectivity even at room temperature for more than one year. A lyophilized virus preparation of Friend leukemia virus kept at 4°C for more than 20 years was found to contain high titers of infectious pathogenic virus. This technique offers an easy economic means for shipping type C viruses and for preserving them for long periods of time in the laboratory without the need for cold storage. retroviruses infectivity freeze-drying
Cell survival through TrK neurotrophin receptors is differentially regulated by ubiquitination

Specificity of neurotrophin factor signaling is dictated through the action of Trk receptor tyrosine kinases. Once activated, Trk receptors are internalized and targeted for degradation. However, the mechanisms implicated in this process are incompletely understood. Here we report that the Trk receptors are multimonoubiquitinated in response to neurotrophins. We have identified an E3 ubiquitin ligase, Nedd4-2, that associates with the TrkA receptor and is phosphorylated upon NGF binding. The binding of Nedd4-2 to TrkA through a PPXY motif leads to the ubiquitination and downregulation of TrkA. Activated TrkA receptor levels and the survival of NGF-dependent sensory neurons, but not BDNF-dependent sensory neurons, are directly influenced by Nedd4-2 expression. Unexpectedly, Nedd4-2 does not bind or ubiquitinate related TrkB receptors, due to the lack of a consensus PPXY motif. Our results indicate that Trk neurotrophin receptors are differentially regulated by ubiquitination to modulate the survival of neurons.
Influence of Ionic Content in Polyurethane Ionomer Solutions

Model polyurethane ionomers were synthesized with regularly spaced ionic groups along the polymeric backbone. Viscometry and static and dynamic light scattering applied to these ionomer solutions in a polar solvent, N-methylformamide, revealed characteristic polyelectrolyte behavior. An upturn is seen in reduced viscosity measurements, an abnormal Zimm plot is obtained from static light scattering (SLS) measurements, and two diffusive modes are seen in dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. A combined analysis of SLS and DLS data indicated the presence of single polyions, as well as loose aggregates in solution. Loose aggregates are domains consisting of polyions held together by electrostatic interactions. The results show that, even when the solvent is a poor solvent for the ionomer backbone, sufficiently high ionic content can cause dissolution of the ionomer without any backbone aggregation. The ionic content of an ionomer is identified as a critical parameter in determining ionomer solution beh...
Rheumatoid arthritis: Evidence-based rather than habit-based treatment options.

Accumulating data from clinical practice hint that an alternative class of biologic agent may be the best choice when anti-TNF therapy for rheumatoid arthritis fails to produce the desired effect. Furthermore, evidence suggests that non-anti-TNF biologic agents should perhaps also be considered as the initial choice of biologic agent.
Role of mitochondrial cytochrome c in cocaine-induced apoptosis in rat testes

Abstract Objectives We have previously demonstrated that cocaine exposure leads to apoptosis in rat testes. To understand further the mechanism of cocaine-induced testicular damage, we studied the effect of cocaine on cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. We also determined the caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9 activities in rat testes after chronic cocaine exposure. Methods Thirty-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats received cocaine hydrochloride or equal volumes of normal saline subcutaneously daily for 90 days. The testes were removed at 15, 30, and 90 days of cocaine or saline administration. Mitochondria and cytosolic fractions from testes were isolated. Western blotting was performed in both fractions using anti-cytochrome c antibody. Caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9 activities were determined by fluorometric assay. Results The expression of cytochrome c protein in the cytosolic fraction was increased on day 15 and persisted for up to 90 days after cocaine injection compared with controls. However, the expression of cytochrome c in testes was decreased in the mitochondria fraction on days 15, 30, and 90 after cocaine injections compared with the corresponding controls. The caspase activity study showed caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities increased in cocaine-treated testes at each point of the study compared with the corresponding controls. However, the caspase 8 activity in cocaine-treated testes did not change significantly at each point of the study compared with the corresponding controls. Conclusions Our results suggest that the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and its subsequent activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3 in testes play a key role in cocaine-induced germ cell apoptosis. Our findings also indicate that cocaine-induced testicular germ cell apoptosis in rats is at least initiated through a mitochondria-associated pathway.
Studies on the Fine Structure of a Gregarine Parasitic in the Gut of the Grasshopper, melanoplus differentialis*

SYNOPSIS. Materials within the endoplasm of both the protomerite and deutomerite may be displaced and stratified by ultracentrifugation. Animals are not killed by this treatment, and in time a redistribution of stratified materials may occur. The electron microscope reveals numerous ultramicroscopic folds in the surface envelope which is composed of 3 membranes; the outer and middle cover the surface of the folds while the inner one continues as a smooth membrane over the ectoplasm. The contact surfaces of animals in syzygy do not show the small folds to be interlocked; instead, they are in fold-to-fold contact. Numerous relatively dense bodies which appear to be filamentous are sometimes observed immediately underneath or within the middle or inner membrane. Within the ectoplasm is an ultramicroscopic net-like fibrillar structure much denser than the surrounding cytoplasm. This system of fibrils is composed of anastomosing elements varying from ∼ 50 to 200 A in diameter. Certain of the larger fibrils are directly attached to the surface envelope at positions between the folds. A second filamentous structure within the ectoplasm appears to be tubular. Elements of this system also appear to join and penetrate the surface envelope by means of pores. A large amount of gelatinous secretion forms at the surface of the sporont; as it glides forward a trail of mucous is left behind. The actual mechanism involved in the gliding movement was unobserved, but evidence is lacking to support the view that the gliding movement is engendered by posteriorly directed “jets” of mucus.
DIRECT EVALUATION OF SECOND‐LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: THE EFFECT OF RATER AND SCALE IN ORAL INTERVIEWS

Oral interviews have frequently been used as a means of testing speaking proficiency and are considered a supplement to the standard paper-and-pencil tests of second language proficiency, of which the TOEFL is an example. Although a properly conducted interview is a suitable means for examinees to demonstrate their ability to use the rules of the language effectively and proficiently, methods for evaluating such performances rest on scales and judgments. This paper reports the results of a study in which the same two judges used the same four scales in evaluating the performances of two different groups of subjects. It was found that there was no significant difference between the mean performance of the two groups, between the two judges, or among the four scales. It was also found that the greatest source of variation in scores was attributable to differences among subjects. It was also found that interaction effects between judge and scale and between judge and subject exist. Such results suggest that 1) oral proficiency interviews ought to be conducted by at least two judges at the same time so that scores are independent of a single judge; 2) the four scales ought not to be considered separate and distinct measures of oral proficiency if the same judges evaluate a performance on all four scales; 3) the procedure is capable of distinguishing the more proficient speakers from the less adept ones.
Comparisons of two early gene functions essential for transformation in polyoma virus and SV-40.

Abstract We have compared ts-a mutants of polyoma virus with ts-A mutants of SV-40, and hr-t mutants of polyoma virus with the viable deletion mutants of SV-40 mapping between 0.54 and 0.59 map unit (referred to as dl). All four groups of mutants are either totally or partially defective in inducing stable transformation as assayed by anchorage-independent growth. In each virus system, two classes of mutants—hr-t and ts-a of polyoma virus and dl and tsA of SV-40—complement to induce stable transformation. Two distinct functions essential for transformation are therefore encoded within the early regions of these papova viruses. Two approaches have been taken in attempts to define the roles of these early viral genes in cell transformation. In the first approach, a clonal analysis was made of cells transformed at the permissive temperature by ts-a/A mutants. Selections were carried out either for anchorage-independent growth or for focus formation. Although the variation in expression of the selected parameter of transformation among multiple clones derived with the same virus and cell line is often high, the majority of clones show no temperature dependence of either selected or unselected properties when compared to wild-type virus-transformed clones. In some instances, temperature-sensitive clones are observed. No correlation is seen between the appearance of a temperature-sensitive phenotype in individual clones and the expression of T-antigen species at permissive and nonpermissive temperatures determined by immunofluorescence or immunoprecipitation of [35Slmethio-nine-labeled proteins. In the second approach, mutants of all four groups were tested for their ability to induce abortive transformation measured as the transient loss of anchorage-dependent growth. This assay circumvents the problem of clonal variation and gives a clearcut result. ts-a/A mutants retain the ability to induce abortive transformation, behaving like wild-type virus at the nonpermissive temperature. hr-t mutants are virtually negative, while the dl mutants show a reduced ability to induce abortive transformation. The simplest explanation which is adequate for the majority of the results is that the ts-a/A function is required only transiently to carry out an initiation event which stabilizes transformation, while the hr-t/dl function acts to induce parameters of the transformed phenotype in the manner of a maintenance function. Additional interpretations are put forward to explain the results with temperature-sensitive clones transformed by ts-a/A mutants.
Impulse-Momentum in Spacecraft Landing: Analysis and Experiment

Impulse-momentum methods of analysis developed for rigid body impacts are applied in this paper to predict forces acting in a simplified spacecraft model during a touchdown impact. This paper presents both analytic and experimental effort for a complex, multi-body impacting system that include friction and deformable elements. Specifically, we analyze a vertically moving guided mass representing a landing spacecraft to which is attached a telescopic, energy-absorbing leg. The landing gear, which is used in our study, employs crushable material in the leg, strut, and foot plus surface friction to absorb the landing shock. The experimental setup consists of simplified landing system, and accelerometers for the dynamic measurement. Acceleration data collected via data acquisition system is converted to the crushing, normal and tangential velocities. The results showed good agreement between the analysis and experiment for the first phase of motion. The derivation of limiting condition equations for all possible alternatives for the second phase is incomplete. We conclude that the challenges of deriving and testing for all motion phase ending events make the impulse-momentum method inferior to straight-forward dynamic simulation as a design tool.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Critical role of IgE-dependent mast cell activation in a murine model of allergic conjunctivitis

Background: Allergic conjunctivitis is characterized by allergen-specific IgE in the serum and infiltration of eosinophils into the conjunctiva. The role of IgE and mast cells in allergic conjunctivitis is largely unknown, however. Objectives: We investigated the importance of conjunctival mast cells in a murine model of IgE-mediated allergic conjunctivitis. Methods: IgE-mediated allergic conjunctivitis was initiated in C57BL/6-Kit 1/1 wild-type mice, mast cell‐deficient Kit W-sh/W-sh mice, and Kit W-sh/W-sh mice that had been subconjunctivally or systemically engrafted with bone marrow‐derived, cultured mast cells (BMCMCs) from Kit 1/1 wild-type mice, and clinical symptoms and infiltration of eosinophil of the eyes were evaluated. Total numbers of mast cells in the conjunctiva were counted, and the phenotypes of these cells were characterized by means of immunostaining and PCR analysis of murine mast cell proteases. Results: No mast cells were detected in the conjunctiva or eyelid dermis of adult Kit W-sh/W-sh mice. Subconjunctival injection of BMCMCs resulted in local mast cell reconstitution, with the numbers of reconstituted mast cells in the conjunctiva and eyelid dermis comparable with those observed in wild-type Kit 1/1 littermates. Reconstituted and naive conjunctival mast cells expressed proteases ascribed to connective tissue‐type mast cells but not mucosal mast cells. Passive transfer of ragweed-specific IgE followed by antigen challenge resulted in both early-phase clinical symptoms and late-phase eosinophilic inflammation in Kit 1/1 mice. These responses, which were significantly decreased in Kit W-sh/W-sh mice, were restored on reconstitution of the conjunctival mast cell population. Conclusions: These results suggest a direct contribution of IgE-activated mast cells to both the early-phase reaction and late-phase inflammation during ocular allergy. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;124:827-33.)
An open agent architecture for assisting elder independence

We are building an agent-oriented system to aid elderly people to live longer in their homes, increasing the duration of their independence from round-the-clock care while maintaining important social connectedness and reducing caregiver burden. The Independent LifeStyle Assistant$^\mbox\tiny TM$ (I.L.S.A.) is a multiagent system that incorporates a unified sensing model, probabilistically derived situation awareness, hierarchical task network response planning, real-time action selection control, complex coordination, and machine learning. This paper describes the problem, our reasoning for selecting an agent-based approach, and the architecture of the system.
Host Galaxy Sizes of Powerful Radio Sources

This paper analyzes the galaxy sizes and shapes of the surface brightness profiles of the host galaxies of low-redshift (0.03 < z < 0.22), powerful radio galaxies (with powers, P408MHz, ranging from 1025 to 1029 W Hz–1). The aim is to analyze how radio galaxies differ from normal radio-quiet elliptical galaxies and to examine the connection between these properties and the radio activity.At the 22nd isophotal radius (where the surface brightness in the V filter band is 22 mag arcsec–2) radio galaxies are 11% ± 1% larger, at the 24th isophote they are 15% ± 2% larger, and at the 25th isophote they are 20% ± 3% larger than radio-quiet elliptical galaxies of the same absolute 16 kpc aperture magnitude. F-R I galaxies exhibit a weak correlation between the size of the host galaxy and the radio power. Since it was shown previously in the literature that optically brighter F-R IIs are also more powerful, a correlation between galaxy size and radio power is expected. However, after the removal of the magnitude dependence of the galaxy size, a residual correlation between size and power is observed, which is stronger than that between the actual size and radio power. The residual correlations of radio power with radius (at the 22nd, 24th, and 25th isophote) are significant at the 5 σ levels. Thus the radio power is correlated to the "excess size," i.e., by how much bigger the host galaxy is compared to a radio-quiet elliptical galaxy of the same magnitude. F-R II radio galaxies do not show such a correlation.A method to compare the profile shapes of radio galaxies to radio-quiet ellipticals is presented, and it is shown that the surface brightness profiles of radio galaxies are relatively noisier. Since 77% of them have a companion within 50 kpc, the profile disturbances are likely to be caused by a galaxy encounter. About twice as many F-R II galaxies have relatively disturbed profiles as F-R I galaxies, and there is an indication that profile disturbances among F-R IIs are more severe. Those F-R IIs that show profile disturbances are on average 4.1 ± 1.2 times more powerful than those with smooth profiles. F-R I galaxies, on the other hand, do not show such a dependence on radio power.The nature of the correlation between the radio power and galaxy sizes and profiles disturbances are discussed, and together with the results presented in Papers I and II, it is suggested that F-R I sources preferentially form in the most dominant galaxies in dynamically evolved groups and clusters. These galaxies are likely to have been exposed to a relatively large amount of galactic cannibalism, thus giving rise to the larger galaxy sizes. It is speculated that cannibalism may also provide a larger supply of fuel to power the radio engine. F-R II sources, on the other hand, are more likely associated with violent galaxy encounters in dynamically less evolved groups. In fact, galaxy interactions enhance, and probably also trigger, the radio activity in F-R IIs.
A SECOND STUDY TRAINING COLLEGE ADULTS TO THINK CREATIVELY WITH WORDS

105 college Ss were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups. Es were exposed to 5 creative thinking strategies for 240 min. or twice the training time used in an earlier study. The longer training significantly increased the probability of the occurrence of original responses as measured by two tests of originality.
Co-57 and Ti-44 production in SN 1987A

A survey of parameterized explosive silicon burning is carried out in order to limit the range of allowed masses of Co-57 produced by SN 1987A. The most likely value is between 0.5 and 2.5 times that implied by a solar ratio for Fe-57/Fe-56. Values more than four and less than one-third times the solar ratio would pose very severe problems for the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis, implying, for example, that Fe-56 was not the dominant iron group isotope or that no electron capture occurred during oxygen burning. Though dependent somewhat on the neutron excess, the Fe-57 yield is most sensitive to the occurrence of an alpha-rich freeze-out. An accurate measurement of the Fe-57 yield, as reflected observationally by the current abundance of radioactive Co-57, is thus an important constraint upon the supernova explosion mechanism. The abundance of Ti-44, another nucleus produced exclusively in the alpha-rich freeze-out, cannot be much greater than that implied by the solar ratio of Ca-44/Fe-56.
Phosphorus in Phoenix: a budget and spatial representation of phosphorus in an urban ecosystem

As urban environments dominate the landscape, we need to examine how limiting nutrients such as phosphorus (P) cycle in these novel ecosystems. Sustainable management of P resources is necessary to ensure global food security and to minimize freshwater pollution. We used a spatially explicit budget to quantify the pools and fluxes of P in the Greater Phoenix Area in Arizona, USA, using the boundaries of the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research site. Inputs were dominated by direct imports of food and fertilizer for local agriculture, while most outputs were small, including water, crops, and material destined for recycling. Internally, fluxes were dominated by transfers of food and feed from local agriculture and the recycling of human and animal excretion. Spatial correction of P dynamics across the city showed that human density and associated infrastructure, especially asphalt, dominated the distribution of P pools across the landscape. Phosphorus fluxes were dominated by agricultural production, with agricultural soils accumulating P. Human features (infrastructure, technology, and waste management decisions) and biophysical characteristics (soil properties, water fluxes, and storage) mediated P dynamics in Phoenix. P cycling was most notably affected by water management practices that conserve and recycle water, preventing the loss of waterborne P from the ecosystem. P is not intentionally managed, and as a result, changes in land use and demographics, particularly increased urbanization and declining agriculture, may lead to increased losses of P from this system. We suggest that city managers should minimize cross-boundary fluxes of P to the city. Reduced P fluxes may be accomplished through more efficient recycling of waste, therefore decreasing dependence on external nonrenewable P resources and minimizing aquatic pollution. Our spatial approach and consideration of both pools and fluxes across a heterogeneous urban ecosystem increases the utility of nutrient budgets for city managers. Our budget explicitly links processes that affect P cycling across space with the management of other resources (e.g., water). A holistic management strategy that deliberately couples the management of P and other resources should be a priority for cities in achieving urban sustainability.
Real-time portal imaging devices operating on high-pressure gaseous electronic principles

A novel real-time portal imaging scanning detector, based on high-pressure gaseous electronics principles and operating up to 60 atmospheres, is presented and the predicted performance of this detector is analyzed. The idea is to utilize high pressure gaseous electronics imaging detectors operating in the saturation regime, aimed at improving image performance characteristics in real time portal imaging. As a result, beam localization errors are controlled, identified and corrected accurately and the patient radiotherapy treatment becomes more effective.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Carbon dioxide emission rates for conventional and synthetic fuels

Abstract With rising concern about the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO 2 and its potential impact on global climate, there have been suggestions that the CO 2 emission rates be considered in selecting among fuel-producing technologies. Many previous comparisons have been inadequately drawn. We discuss criteria for carefully drawn comparisons and compute CO 2 emission rates in kgC/10 9 joules for a variety of conventional or synthetic fuel processes. Although the total CO 2 release per joule is on the order of 1.8 (±0.2) times as much for burning liquid fuels from coal as for liquid fuels from crude oil, useful comparisons among synthetic fuel processes are not easy and the results are subject to changes in boundary conditions of resource availability, plant location, environmental requirements, output slate desired, economics, etc.
Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome in children-clinical characteristics and prognosis

Eleven children with the diagnosis of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction are presented. Four children, all siblings of a symptomatic patient, were asymptomatic and were diagnosed radiographically. The clinical course was characterized by intermittent episodes of abdominal distention, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and malnutrition. Radiographic studies were most helpful in making the diagnosis. Findings on upper gastrointestinal series included abnormal esophageal motility, delayed gastric emptying, dilated loops of small bowel, and disorganized transit of barium. Half of the patients had abnormal evacuation patterns on barium enema. Manometric studies of esophageal motility were abnormal in seven of ten children. In those patients studied, small bowel and rectal biopsies contained ganglion cells. Treatment was directed at relieving symptoms, which in four patients became persistent and required total parenteral nutrition. CIIPS carries a poor long-term prognosis in children.
A comparison of the fundamental frequency characteristics of esophageal speech measured on a wave-by-wave and averaging basis.

The fundamental frequency (f0) characteristics of 28 esophageal speakers measured on a wave-by-wave basis were compared with the f0 characteristics of these same speakers measured on an averaging b...
Rh(III) Pyridinium Substituted Bipyridine Complexes as Catalysts for Arene H/D Exchange

This report describes the synthesis of Rh(III) complexes containing a pyridinium-substituted bipyridine ligand. The catalytic activity of these complexes in H/D exchange reactions between arenes and acetic acid-d4 has been evaluated.
Pericles at Gettysburg and Ground Zero: Tragedy, Patriotism, and Public Mourning

What does the choice of the Gettysburg Address as a eulogy for the September 11 dead reveal about public mourning in the polity that made it? Tracing the genealogy of the Address back to Pericles' Funeral Oration, this essay argues that Thucydides provides two models of public mourning: one based on the Oration alone, the other on the rituals surrounding the Festival of Dionysia. Each generates a particular patriotic perspective: one unquestioning and partial, the other balanced and theoretical. Using Plato's Menexenus to distinguish the models, the essay employs them as a lens to view two moments of American public mourning linked by the Gettysburg Address. Suggesting that 1863 saw a Dionysian approach; and 2002, one based on the Oration alone, it traces the beneficial impact of the 1863 choice for American politics, and considers the possible consequences of the 2002 reading in light of American and Athenian historical experience.
IGF Alters Jejunal Glucose Transporter Expression And Serum Glucose Levels in Immature Rats

Milk-borne insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) enhance nutrient absorption in the immature intestine, which is characterized by low levels of glucose oxidation. We therefore hypothesized that feedin...
Quantitative comparison of Hybrid III and National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment headform shape characteristics and implications on football helmet fit

Laboratory tests in which dummy headforms are used to evaluate helmet performance must be representative of real-world conditions to ensure helmets perform well in the field. The objective of this study was to quantify shape differences that may affect helmet fit between two dummy headforms commonly used for football helmet testing. Point-cloud models of a 50th percentile male Hybrid III headform and a medium NOCSAE headform were generated using a coordinate measuring machine. The headforms were optimally aligned and shape comparisons were made in the mid-sagittal plane, three coronal planes, and 3D. Planar and 3D differences were quantified by comparing maximum (MRD) and root-mean-square (RMSD) radial deviations. Minor differences were observed in the upper skull contours of all planar cross-sections, where MRDs were less than 3.5 mm and RMSDs were less than 1.7 mm. Larger deviations were observed in other regions including the jaw in the anterior coronal plane, where the MRD was 6.6 mm and the RMSD devi...
Yeasts in the Sugiyamaella clade associated with wood-ingesting beetles and the proposal of Candida bullrunensis sp. nov.

During a survey of yeasts associated with wood-ingesting insects, six strains of the Sugiyamaella clade were isolated from the gut of passalid and tenebrionid beetles and the decayed wood inhabited by them. Phylogeny based on rRNA gene sequences placed these yeasts as members of Sugiyamaella smithiae, Sugiyamaella americana, Candida lignohabitans and a novel species closely related to Su. americana. The only strain of the novel species, EH008T, could be unquestionably distinguished from its relatives by DNA sequences and other taxonomic characteristics. Ascospore production was not observed under the laboratory conditions tested. Therefore, this novel species is proposed as Candida bullrunensis sp. nov. (type strain EH008T = ATCC MYA-4660T = CBS 11840T).
TAILORING TISSUE ENGINEERING SCAFFOLDS USING ELECTROSTATIC PROCESSING TECHNIQUES: A STUDY OF POLY(GLYCOLIC ACID) ELECTROSPINNING

Poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) has long been a popular polymer in the tissue engineering field. PGA possesses many favorable properties such as biocompatibility, bioabsorbability, and tensile strength. The traditional fiber formation techniques of melt extrusion and cold-drawing are generally limited to fibers of 10–12 μm in diameter. Electrostatic spinning, or electrospinning, is an attractive approach for the production of much smaller diameter fibers which are of interest as tissue engineering scaffolds. We demonstrate the ability to control the fiber diameter of PGA as a function of solution concentration and fiber orientation, as well as show a correlation between the fiber orientation, elastic modulu, and strain to failure of PGA in a uniaxial model.
Ethics Case Study: KPMG Faces Indictment Over Abusive Tax Shelters

This case examines the recent investigation and admission of guilt by KPMG for marketing abusive tax shelters. The concept of deferred prosecution is examined. The actions taken by KPMG to aggressively market the tax shelters are examined. Students are required to read both the civil complaint against KPMG as well as KPMG’s official response to the Department of Justice inquiry. There is a comprehensive bibliography as well as website references for students to research the case. A detailed list of questions requires the students to analyze the ethical positions of all the parties involved. This case is directed to accounting students taking the required ethics course or an audit/assurance course and requires the use of an overhead projector that uses transparencies.
Mechanisms of membrane estrogen receptor-α-mediated rapid stimulation of Ca2+ levels and prolactin release in a pituitary cell line

The role of membrane estrogen receptor-alpha (mERalpha) in rapid nongenomic responses to 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) was tested in sublines of GH3/B6 rat prolactinoma cells selected for high (GH3/B6/F10) and low (GH3/B6/D9) mERalpha expression. E(2) elicited rapid, concentration-dependent intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) increases in the F10 subline. Lack of inhibition by thapsigargin depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) pools, together with abrogation of the response in Ca(2+)-free medium, suggested an extracellular source of Ca(2+) for this response. The participation of voltage-dependent channels in the E(2)-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase was confirmed by the specific L-type Ca(2+) channel inhibitor nifedipine. For comparison, the D9 mERalpha-depleted subline was insensitive to steroid action via this signaling mechanism. [Ca(2+)](i) elevation was correlated with prolactin (PRL) release in the F10 cell line in as little as 3 min. E(2) caused a much higher PRL release than KCl treatment (which caused maximal Ca(2+) elevation), suggesting that secretion was also controlled by additional mechanisms. Participation of mERalpha in these effects was confirmed by the ability of E(2)-peroxidase (a cell-impermeable analog of E(2)) to cause these responses, blockage of the responses with the ER antagonist ICI 182 780, and the inability of the E(2) stereoisomer 17alpha-E(2) to elicit a response. Thus rapid exocytosis of PRL is regulated in these cells by mERalpha signaling to specific Ca(2+) channels utilizing extracellular Ca(2+) sources and additional signaling mechanisms.
Inter-Firm Subcontracting and Locational Agglomeration: A Case Study of the Printed Circuits Industry in Southern California

SCOTT A. J. and KWOK E. C. (1989) Inter-firm subcontracting and locational agglomeration: a case study of the printed circuits industry in Southern California, Reg. Studies 23, 000–00. In this paper we deal with the interrelationships between organization and location in the printed circuits industry of Southern California. We begin with a brief conceptual sketch of the problem of vertical integration and disintegration, paying particular attention to economies and diseconomies of scale and scope, and to the repercussions of external transactions costs on locational patterns. We then provide an empirical outline of the geography of the printed circuits industry in Southern California. A detailed statistical analysis of subcontracting behaviour and locational relations is developed, and the factors underlying scale and scope effects identified. It is shown that subcontracting and spatial agglomeration go hand-in-hand in the printed circuits industry. The paper ends with a sketch of the differential impact ...
POS: A Practical Order Statistics Service forWireless Sensor Networks

We present the design and implementation of POS, an in-network service that computes accurate order statistics energy-efficiently. POS returns a stream of periodic samples from any order statistic. It initially computes the value of the order statistic and then periodically runs a validation protocol to determine whether the value is still valid. If not, it uses an optimized binary search to determine the new value and then resumes periodic validation. POS uses in-network aggregation and transmission suppression to reduce communication complexity. Results from both experiments on a mote testbed and simulations show that POS can compute order statistics accurately while consuming less energy than the best techniques to compute averages in common cases.
Measured and simulated electric, magnetic, and thermal field distributions of a patch antenna operating at high power

Electric, magnetic, and thermal field distributions in the near field of a microstrip patch antenna operating at high RF power are experimentally determined. Electro-optic sampling is used to obtain the electric field distribution, magneto-optic sampling provides the magnetic field distribution, and semiconductor bandgap thermometry is used to obtain the thermal field. Measurements are compared with simulations and are found to be in good agreement. From the measurements, it is concluded that dielectric loss, in the substrate of the structure, is the dominant loss mechanism in the antenna.
A characterization of instruction-level error derating and its implications for error detection

In this work, we characterize a significant source of software derating that we call instruction-level derating. Instruction-level derating encompasses the mechanisms by which computation on incorrect values can result in correct computation. We characterize the instruction-level derating that occurs in the SPEC CPU2000 INT benchmarks, classifying it (by source) into six categories: value comparison, sub-word operations, logical operations, overflow/precision, lucky loads, and dynamically-dead values. We also characterize the temporal nature of this derating, demonstrating that the effects of a fault persist in architectural state long after the last time they are referenced. Finally, we demonstrate how this characterization can be used to avoid unnecessary error recoveries (when a fault will be masked by software anyway) in the context of a dual modular redundant (DMR) architecture.
Amino acid sequence of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome b5.

Abstract Cytochrome b5 from the rabbit liver microsomes was solubilized with pancreatic lipase. The apoprotein of the predominant form of cytochrome b5 was hydrolyzed with trypsin and chymotrypsin and the resulting peptides were isolated. The complete amino acid sequences of these peptides were determined by the Edman degradation procedure. For the first 90 residues, this amino acid sequence is essentially the same as that reported by Tsugita et al. (Tsugita, A., Kobayashi, M., Kajihara, T., and Hagihara, B., J. Biochem (Tokyo)), 64, 727, 1968) for a trypsin-solubilized preparation of crystalline cytochrome b5 from rabbit liver microsomes. Heterogeneity at residues 10 and 95 was observed. Comparison of this rabbit protein sequence with that of calf cytochrome, the only other cytochrome b5 with a known primary structure, shows that the rabbit cytochrome is 4 residues longer at the NH2 terminus and differs in 10 other residue positions.
Calculations of Oxygen Stability in Lithium-Rich Layered Cathodes

Oxygen loss can lead to high-capacity Li2MnO3-based lithium-rich layered cathodes. Substitution of Mn with other transition metals (Ti and Co) significantly affects the amount of oxygen loss and capacity during the first charge/discharge cycle. An explanation of these results is provided with density functional theory (DFT+U) electronic structure calculations. Oxygen is found to bind more strongly to Ti and more weakly to Co. The influence of the substitution is attributed to changes of the band gap. Ti lifts the nonbonding band and increases the band gap of the compound, thus raising the energy required to redistribute the electrons released upon oxygen loss. Co lowers the nonbonding band and facilitates oxygen loss.
A Quantitative Description of Space Tourism Public Relations Tactics

The present study examined the tactics used in space tourism public relations. Public relations is important in space tourism for a number of reasons, including promotion, lobbying, investor relations, risk management and several othe rs. Tactics are important because they are the fundamental activities used to attain strategic objectives. We have identified 21 2 tactics used in space tourism public relations. These tactics were then initially categorized by their frequency of occurrence into one of four types; typical, mid -incidence, occasional, an d atypical. The tactics were then classified a second way, by their nature. We identified eleven different types of tactic, including print, broadcast, cybercommunication, and interpersonal.
Growth of Sn Whiskers under Net Compressive and Tensile Stress States

Studies of tin (Sn) whiskers have emphasized the role of compressive stress as the driving force for whisker production, thought to be a necessary condition for Sn whisker growth. The goal of this work is to characterize Sn whisker growth in film systems having measurable net compressive, zero, and tensile intrinsic stress states. The stress states were generated for the case of ~ 0.2 µm sputtered Sn films on Si (which has no interfacial intermetallic) by controlling the background Ar pressure in the magnetron sputtering system, which produces differing bond energies (and stresses) in the resultant films. Verification of the stress states was accomplished by curvature techniques using stylus profilometry and Stoney's equation. The results show that, after three months of incubation at room temperature, high whisker densities are observed under both tensile (12,000 whiskers/cm2) and compressive (16,000 whiskers/cm2) stress conditions, with a minimum whisker density generated in the zero stress (4,000 whiskers/cm2) condition. It is likely that the zero stress condition produced whiskers due to the difficulty in achieving the narrow range (7-9 mTorr) of background pressures necessary to produce the zero stress state. Relative average whisker lengths were 56µm (tensile stress); 4µm (compressive stress); and 1.5µm (zero stress). Subsequent measurements of whisker density (currently at 96 days of incubation) show no reversals/variations in the stress-density relationship.