cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Institutional Segmentation and the Politics of Aggregation: Rethinking Governance and the Rural-Urban Divide in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Recent policy developments in post-apartheid South Africa have highlighted the continued significance of traditional authorities. The Traditional Courts Bill, re-opening of the land claims process and controversy over the Minister of Finance have underscored the influence of traditional authorities in national politics. In analyzing these events, it is argued that the bifurcated institutional legacies of the colonial era have necessitated a politics of aggregation by the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The social effects of this mode of governance are explored based on the aforementioned policy dynamics and instances of issue-based alliance formation in urban areas. Based on this analysis, popular academic conceptualizations of the urban-rural relation are challenged as insufficiently considering the significance of emergent social formations in Black urban areas. Rather than an extension of rural contradictions, it is argued here that the modes of autonomous self-governance that emerged intermittently throughout the 20th century cannot be reduced to the rural land question. Instead, Black urban social formations are theorized here as spaces where sociality could be sustained according to principles that differed from those imposed by the South African state and traditional authorities.
Collection and Preservation

Publisher Summary This chapter presents general habitats, collecting equipments, methods of collection and storage for the major insect orders and orders groupings needed for collection and preservation. Insects are prepared for study and storage in three basic ways: pinning, fluid storage, and mounting on microslides. Adult insects or the immature forms of hard-bodied insects such as those with incomplete metamorphosis are pinned through the thorax of the body, unless too tiny, and then they are mounted on card points. Insects that are too small, or the bodies of which are too brittle or soft, should not be pinned. They should be stored in glass vials in 70% ethyl alcohol (EtOH). Many tiny insects such as lice, fleas, and thrips can be stored in EtOH until such time as they can be made into permanent microslide mounts with Euparol, Canada balsam, or some other mounting medium. Once the specimen is ready, they can be pinned or spread and are placed inside the envelops. Storage of pinned and papered specimens must be in tight containers so that museum pests such as Dermestidae (carpet beetles) and booklice (Psocoptera) cannot get to them. These can also be repelled by fumigants such as naphthalene (moth flakes or moth balls), PDB (paradichlorobenzene), or dichlorvos-impregnated “strips” cut into blocks. However, the trend is away from museum fumigants because of possible health problems caused because of exposure to them. The better method is freezing.
Philosophical Differences in Standard EEG Interpretation Between Neurology and Psychiatry: A Historical Perspective

An important historical fact is that the very beginning of the field of human electroencephalography (EEG) emerged directly from the field of psychiatry. Hans Berger was a biologically oriented psychiatrist with strong interests in the relationships between mind and body (Gibbs and Gibbs 1950).
Neighborhood Stabilization and Land Banking

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 was the first federal legislation to recognize and authorize funding for land banking. This article describes the basics of land banking, and the role of land banks in returning struggling neighborhoods to prosperity.
Holographic beam combiner

There are numerous applications for a device that can combine multiple laser beams into a single one. For example, a compact, high power ladar (laser radar) can be realized by combining the output of many diode lasers. Here, we demonstrate the basic features of a holographic device which has the potential to combine upto 20 laser beams into one high power output beam, with an efficiency close to 90%.
Odd dimensional tori are contact manifolds

We show that, for every contact manifold $M$ and for every Riemann surface $\Sigma$ of genus at least 1, the manifold $\Sigma \times M$ admits a contact structure. In particular, the tori $T^{2n+1}$ are contact manifolds.
Exposing the susceptibility of off-nominal behaviors in reactive system requirements

Requirements are typically specified on the assumption that the system's operating environment will behave in what is considered to be an expected and nominal manner. When gathering requirements, one concern is whether the requirements are too incomplete to account for every possible, unintended, off-nominal behavior (ONB) that the operating environment can create in the system. In this paper, we present a semi-automated approach, based on the causal component model (CCM), which can expose, within a set of requirements, whether ONBs can result in undesired system states. We demonstrate how the CCM approach exposes and helps address potential off-nominal behavior problems in a set of requirements that represents a real-world product. Our case study shows that the approach can expose susceptibility to ONBs and can supply information in correcting requirements.
Syngas fermentation to biofuels: Effects of ammonia impurity in raw syngas on hydrogenase activity

Abstract Hydrogenase activity plays an important role in the fermentation of biomass-generated syngas (containing CO, CO 2 , and H 2 ) to obtain ethanol and other biofuels. One process efficiency issue for producing biofuels from syngas fermentation is the ability of key cellular enzymes to produce reducing equivalents from syngas. For microbes using the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway, inhibition of the hydrogenase enzyme would decrease reducing equivalent production from H 2 , thus potentially reducing carbon conversion efficiency and biofuel production. During biomass gasification to produce syngas, several impurities are generated. These impurities, such as ammonia (NH 3 ), can potentially impact the fermentation process. In this work, it was shown that NH 3 rapidly converts to ammonium ion (NH 4 + ) following exposure of fermentation media to NH 3 . The accumulated NH 4 + also inhibited hydrogenase activity and cell growth. A kinetic model for hydrogenase activity that included inhibition effects from NH 4 + was developed. Model parameters included K H 2 (Michaelis–Menten constant) and K NH 4 + (the inhibition constant for NH 4 + ). Experimental results showed that NH 4 + is a non-competitive inhibitor for hydrogenase activity with K NH 4 + of (649 ± 35) mol m −3 . As part of the work to distinguish the unique aspect of NH 4 + inhibition, additional work showed that potassium and phosphate ions had no effect on hydrogenase activity. Since NH 4 + can easily be accumulated in fermentation media and transport across the cell membrane, it is necessary to remove NH 3 impurity from raw syngas to minimize the reduction in hydrogenase activity.
Proteasome inhibitor PS-341 induces apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant squamous cell carcinoma cells by induction of Noxa.

Cisplatin is one of the most common DNA-damaging agents used for treating patients with solid tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Unfortunately, significant levels of resistance in SCC cells emerge rapidly following cisplatin treatment. Here we report that the proteasome inhibitor PS-341, the representative of a new class of chemotherapeutic drugs, was capable of inducing apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant SCC cells via the endoplasmic reticulum stress. PS-341 stimulated the phosphorylation of PERK and the unfolded protein response, resulting in the induction of the transcription factor ATF-4. Importantly, the Bcl-2 homology domain 3-only (BH3-only) protein Noxa was found to be strongly induced in cisplatin-resistant SCC cells by PS-341 but not by cisplatin. The knock-down of Noxa using small interference RNA significantly abolished PS-341-mediated apoptosis in SCC cells. Using eIF2α mutant mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we found that functional eIF2α played an essential role in PS-341-induced Noxa expression. Taken together, our novel findings reveal a direct link between PS-341-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway and suggest that PS-341 may be utilized for overcoming cisplatin-resistance in human SCC.
Subcellular distribution of M2 muscarinic receptors in relation to dopaminergic neurons of the rat ventral tegmental area.

Acetylcholine can affect cognitive functions and reward, in part, through activation of muscarinic receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to evoke changes in mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic transmission. Of the known muscarinic receptor subtypes present in the VTA, the M2 receptor (M2R) is most implicated in autoregulation, and also may play a heteroreceptor role in regulation of the output of the dopaminergic neurons. We sought to determine the functionally relevant sites for M2R activation in relation to VTA dopaminergic neurons by examining the electron microscopic immunolabeling of M2R and the dopamine transporter (DAT) in the VTA of rat brain. The M2R was localized to endomembranes in DAT-containing somatodendritic profiles, but showed a more prominent, size-dependent plasmalemmal location in non-dopaminergic dendrites. M2R also was located on the plasma membrane of morphologically heterogenous axon terminals contacting unlabeled as well as M2R or DAT-labeled dendrites. Some of these terminals formed asymmetric synapses resembling those of cholinergic terminals in the VTA. The majority, however, formed symmetric, inhibitory-type synapses, or were apposed without recognized junctions. Our results provide the first ultrastructural evidence that the M2R is expressed, but largely not available for local activation, on the plasma membrane of VTA dopaminergic neurons. Instead, the M2R in this region has a distribution suggesting more indirect regulation of mesocorticolimbic transmission through autoregulation of acetylcholine release and changes in the physiological activity or release of other, largely inhibitory transmitters. These findings could have implications for understanding the muscarinic control of cognitive and goal-directed behaviors within the VTA.
Two Applications of Nonlinear Circuits

Design of a feeder voltage regulator having no moving parts, and a method of improving alternator stability are discussed in this article. Both schemes utilize nonlinear inductive circuits and were developed by the authors while they were undergraduate students.
Augmented Experimental Pulse-Spray Thrombolysis with Tissue Plasminogen Activator, Enabling Dose Reduction by One or More Orders of Magnitude

PURPOSE To critically evaluate and optimize methodologic details of pulse-spray thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in a subacute rabbit inferior vena cava thrombosis model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Occlusive inferior vena cava thrombi were produced in 104 rabbits and 2 days later were treated for 1 hour with pulse-spray thrombolysis using tPA. Methodologic variables included pulse frequency, concentration and amount of tPA, infusion versus pulse therapy, and admixture of heparin. After the rabbits were killed, residual thrombus was weighed. RESULTS The authors' earlier standard regimen (3 mg of tPA in ± mL of heparinized saline, 0.2-mL hand pulses, frequency 1 pulse per 2 minutes) produced 60% mean lysis. Optimization involved increasing the pulse frequency to two per minute and decreasing tPA concentration by 98% to 0.01 mg/mL, modifications that produced 22% more thrombolysis, despite 92% reduction in amount of tPA to 0.25 mg. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with the in vitro work of other investigators, a roughly bell-shaped dose-response curve was elicited in vivo for pulse-spray with tPA. By diluting tPA to an optimal level, and increasing pulse frequency to two per minute, thrombolysis was markedly augmented. These results suggest that the conventional dose of tPA used for clinical pulse-spray thrombolysis can be reduced by one to two orders of magnitude, possibly markedly reducing procedural risk.
Ferro-paper actuators

In this paper, we report on an inexpensive method for fabricating mm-scale magnetic actuators using ferrofluid impregnated paper. Different types of papers were loaded with light oil-based ferrofluid, cut to cantilever shape, coated with parylene C, and tested with an external magnetic field. Cleanroom and filter paper were able to generate large forces (≫40mg equivalent force) whereas soft tissue paper provided the largest deflection (40° tip angle). Coating parylene on ferro-paper not only improves the mechanical properties but also allows the ferro-paper actuator to work in liquid environment.
DrDebug: Deterministic Replay based Cyclic Debugging with Dynamic Slicing

We present a collection of tools, DrDebug, that greatly advances the state-of-the-art of cyclic, interactive debugging of multi-threaded programs based upon the record and replay paradigm. The features of DrDebug significantly increase the efficiency of debugging by tailoring the scope of replay to a buggy execution region or an execution slice of a buggy region. In addition to supporting traditional debugger commands, DrDebug provides commands for recording, replaying, and dynamic slicing with several novel features. First, upon a user's request, a highly precise dynamic slice is computed that can then be browsed by the user by navigating the dynamic dependence graph with the assistance of our graphical user interface. Second, a dynamic slice of interest to the user can be used to compute an execution slice whose replay can then be carried out. Due to narrow scope, the replay can be performed efficiently as execution of code segments that do not belong to the execution slice is skipped. We also provide the capability of allowing the user to step from the execution of one statement in the slice to the next while examining the values of variables. To the best of our knowledge, this capability cannot be found in any other slicing tool. We have also integrated DrDebug with the Maple tool that exposes bugs and records buggy executions for replay. Our experiments demonstrate DrDebug's practicality.
Agreement between Heidelberg Retina Tomograph-I and -II in detecting glaucomatous changes using topographic change analysis.

Agreement between Heidelberg Retina Tomograph-I and -II in detecting glaucomatous changes using topographic change analysis
Adaptive Control Of A Legged Robot Using A Multi-Layer Connectionist Network

ABSTRACTA Multi -layer Connection Network (MCN) is to control a one -legged mobile robot. The networkhas no knowledge of the dynamics of the robot, and learns to develop a contol strategy through trialand error. Our results are presented in the form of computer simulations that demonstrate the ability of the (MCN) to devise a set of proper control signals that will develop stable running on a flat terrain. 1. INTRODUCTIONArtificial Neural Networks (ANN) have become a topic of intensive research, a fact that is manifested in the large number of models, algorithms, analysis studies and applications which have appeared in the last decade in the technical literature. The application of neural networks and neurocomputing to problems in robotics and control is a goal pursued by several research groups(e.g. Bavarians, Anderson2 and his references) There are several reasons for this interest. Viewed asa problem that seeks a solution, questions in adaptive control and in robot control can potentially beaddressed effectively by systems that can learn from example, learn from experience, and possessrobustness. Several neural network models have demonstrated such properties. Viewed as solutionsthat seek a problem, neural networks, which at present are ineffective as large -scale systems becauseof scaling problems, could potentially be effective in handling small -scale problems. The control of alegged robot with multiple degrees of freedom is a good candidate.
B—Jesuit Seismological Association

The Jesuit Seismological Association, organized in the summer of 1925, is composed of twelve seismographic stations built and equipped by Jesuit universities and colleges in the United States.
Variable effects of steroid withdrawal on blood pressure reduction in cyclosporine-treated renal transplant recipients

The effects of complete withdrawal of steroid therapy on blood pressure and other clinical variables were studied in 58 renal transplant recipients subsequently maintained on azathioprine and cyclosporine; 76% of the patients were hypertensive prior to withdrawal of steroids. Cessation of steroids was accompanied by a significant decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and by a reduction in the number of required antihypertensive medications; however, changes in blood pressure were variable among individual patients. Previously normotensive patients exhibited little further decline in blood pressure. Multivariate analysis of the entire cohort of patients showed that the reduction in blood pressure accompanying steroid withdrawal was directly related to the prior severity of hypertension and inversely related to the dose of cyclosporine. We conclude that steroids play an important role in the pathogenesis of posttransplant hypertension in the majority of renal transplant recipients. Withdrawal of steroids generally is accompanied by reduction in blood pressure, but the benefit is greatest in previously hypertensive patients receiving relatively low doses of cyclosporine.
Bodies Bound for Circumcision and Baptism: An Intersex Critique and the Interpretation of Galatians*

AbstractArguments about the meaning of specific forms of embodiment resonate across a range of contexts, both theological and supposedly non-theological, ancient and contemporary. These forms are potently reconsidered in light of the modern medicalized management of intersex populations and the intersex critique in response to such management. Such a critique entails a new kind of accountability for biblical literature and interpretation, particularly as they inhabit an especially contested domain for claims about "nature" and belonging. The aim of this project, then, is to reflect upon the utility of biblical argumentation for an intersex critique, but also to demonstrate how attention to this critique challenges biblical interpretation, as it offers a new approach to religious argumentation about bodies, like Paul's in his letter to the Galatians. The ancient author and community's approaches to practices like circumcision and baptism reveal different conceptualizations of ostensibly ambiguous bodies an...
Power Transfer in DC Chopper Motor Drive

Under the guidance of the Electric Vehicle Demonstration Act, administered by the Department of Energy, Office of Transportation Programs, the energy efficiency of a dc chopper motor drive was investigated [1]. With the aid of a data acquisition system, data points were taken for a parametric load profile at multiple constant speed settings. The data points were used to determine motor performance when energized from a dc source; and to determine motor performance and heat loss when receiving energy from the propulsion battery through the dc controller. Power losses in the dc controller and the propulsion battery were also determined during the latter test run. The constant speed and parametric load torque performance data are converted into constant power/torque variable speed data and presented graphically.
A COMPARISON OF SPHERICAL AND ELLIPSOIDAL MEASURES

(1964). A COMPARISON OF SPHERICAL AND ELLIPSOIDAL MEASURES. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 9-12.
Evolution of intrahepatic carbon, nitrogen, and energy metabolism in a D-galactosamine-induced rat liver failure model

A clearer picture of the hepatic metabolic pathways affected by fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) would help develop nutritional support and nonsurgical therapies for FHF. We characterized the evolution of hepatic metabolism in a rat model of FHF using an isolated perfused liver system together with a mass-balance model of intermediary metabolism. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify potential new sensitive markers for FHF. To induce FHF, rats were given two D-galactosamine injections under fasting conditions. Controls were fasted only. Livers were harvested 1, 4, 8, and 12 h later and perfused with Eagle minimal essential medium supplemented with amino acids and bovine serum albumin, and equilibrated with 95% O2/5% CO2. At the 1 h time point, lactate release increased concomitant with a decrease in gluconeogenesis, TCA cycle and mitochondrial electron transport fluxes. At 4 h, amino acid metabolism and urea cycle fluxes were significantly depressed. By 8 h, gluconeogenesis had switched to glycolysis. By 12 h, amino acid metabolism was broadly inhibited, and there was a net release of many amino acids. Mass-balance analysis shows that the main source of ATP production in the FHF liver gradually changed from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. PCA suggests that a linear combination of glucose, lactate, and glutamine concentrations in arterial plasma is a sensitive marker for FHF. We conclude that D-galactosamine causes early mitochondrial dysfunction while glycolytic ATP synthesis remains functional. Markers that are indirectly linked to these pathways may be used to evaluate the progression of FHF.
The origin of variations in the iodine stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of commercial Zircaloy-2 tubings

Abstract Closed-end tube pressurization tests at ~593 K were used to compare the susceptibilities to iodine stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of two lots of Zircaloy-2 tubing manufactured by different suppliers. Although both tubings were produced to exactly the same specification, as-received specimens from the two lots exhibited markedly different behavior in iodine SCC tests: one tubing had a lower SCC threshold stress and failed about 30 times more quickly than the other. Stress relieving heat treatments and polishing of the internal surfaces of the specimens were found to alter the failure time in tests at a constant hoop stress. The experimental observations are discussed in terms of possible effects on SCC susceptibility of surface condition, residual stresses, and crystallographic texture and it is concluded that all three factors probably contributed to the behavior observed in the tests.
Change in the components of the electoral decision: The nature of short-term forces in elections

Abstract The procedure developed by The American Voter ( Campbell et al., 1960 ) to understand determinants of the electoral decision first demonstrated the importance of short-term forces as vote components. Using a similar categorization scheme of these components from the National Election Studies, this paper examines the importance of these short-term forces in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, augmenting the basic components model by developing summary measures of the combined impact of these forces as well as analyzing the vote components for political independents. The authors conclude that, in comparison with the 1952 and 1956 elections, these short-term forces were relatively mild in these two recent elections and that, despite the conventional wisdom, the way in which short-term forces affected Independents did not impact the outcome of the elections generally.
Telemonitoring did not reduce hospitalizations or ED visits in high-risk elderly patients

Source Citation Takahashi PY, Pecina JL, Upatising B, et al. A randomized controlled trial of telemonitoring in older adults with multiple health issues to prevent hospitalizations and emergency de...
Nuclear Cloning and Epigenetic Reprogramming of the Genome

Cloning of mammals by nuclear transfer (NT) results in gestational or neonatal failure with at most a few percent of manipulated embryos resulting in live births. Many of those that survive to term succumb to a variety of abnormalities that are likely due to inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming. Cloned embryos derived from donors, such as embryonic stem cells, that may require little or no reprogramming of early developmental genes develop substantially better beyond implantation than NT clones derived from somatic cells. Although recent experiments have demonstrated normal reprogramming of telomere length and X chromosome inactivation, epigenetic information established during gametogenesis, such as gametic imprints, cannot be restored after nuclear transfer. Survival of cloned animals to birth and beyond, despite substantial transcriptional dysregulation, is consistent with mammalian development being rather tolerant to epigenetic abnormalities, with lethality resulting only beyond a threshold of faulty gene reprogramming encompassing multiple loci.
Motion of 3-6 keV Nonthermal Sources along the Legs of a Flare Loop

Observations of nonthermal X-ray sources me critical to studying electron acceleration and transport in solar flares. Strong thermal emission radiated from the preheated plasma before the flare impulsive phase often makes it difficult to detect low-energy X-ray sources that are produced by relatively low-energy nonthermal electrons. Knowledge of the distribution of these low-energy nonthermal electrons is particularly important in determining the total nonthermal electron energy in solar flares. We report on an 'early impulsive flare' in which impulsive hard X-ray emission was seen early in the flare before the soft X-ray emission had risen significantly, indicating limited plasma pre-heating. Early in the flare, RHESSI < 25 keV images show coronal sources that moved first downward and then upwards along the legs of a flare loop. In particular, the 3-6 keV source appeared as a single coronal source at the start of the flare, and then it involved into two coronal sources moving down along the two legs of the loop. After nearly reaching the two footpoints at the hard X-ray peak, the two sources moved back up to the looptop again. RHESSI images and light curves all indicate that nonthermal emission dominated at energies as low as 3-6 keV. We suggest that the evolution of both the spectral index and the low-energy cutoff of the injected electron distribution could result in the accelerated electrons reaching a lower altitude along the legs of the dense flare loop and hence result in the observed downward and upward motions of the nonthermal sources.
Component analysis of human averaged evoked potentials: dichoptic stimuli using different target structure

In dichoptic viewing conditions, human subjects were shown subjectively superposed targets for the left and right eye. The left eye saw a steadily illuminated field containing different amounts of structure, and the right eye saw repetitive light flashes of constant parameters. Averaged EEG evoked responses were recorded from occipito-parietal electrodes; means responses and their standard deviations were computed for each subject, weighted average responses were computed for the whole subject population. It was found that the RMS value of the evoked responses decreased monotonically with increase in target structure. An analysis of the average responses into Gaussian components showed that peak latencies and relative peak amplitudes did not change; i.e., that no change in shape of the responses of individual subjects, analysis applied responses of individual subjects, however, leads to the conclusion that shape changes do occur; but these changes are different from one subject to another and are not characteristic of the entire subject population. The reduction of the evoked responses was interpreted as a consequence of increased informational load upon the neural populations whose activity is synchronized by the flash stimulus to produce the evoked response.
Computational morphology and representation of operators between complete lattices

The representations of translation-invariant mappings in the context of computational morphology are in terms of elementary binary erosions and dilations. The general representations in the context of complete lattices are in terms of abstract dilations and antidilations. The present paper considers the relationship between the specialized computational and general lattice representations. The computational and lattice-based representations are directly demonstrated to be equivalent in the computational setting.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Further Considerations of the Ce/Yb vs. Ba/Ce Plot in Volcanology and Tectonics

A plot of Ce/Yb vs. Ba/Ce, for locality averages, effectively separates mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) (Ce/Yb 10, Ba/Ce 4.2). The conventional interpretation is that these three types of volcanic environments involve oceanic rift-related, large-volume partial melts (˜20-30%) of a depleted source (MORB), small volume melts (˜5% for alkalic volcanics) of enriched sources related to plumes (OIV), and melts of hydrous-enriched sources during subduction, especially for Ba (IAV). Three OIV sites, however, have average ratios that fall in the MORB field (e.g., Krafla Volcano, Iceland), and these localities also tend to have other geochemical data similar to MORB. Average ratios of Hawaiian tholeiitic shield basalts of Mauna Kea and Koolau volcanoes occupy a restricted field on a plot of Ce/Yb vs. Ba/Ce of 10-18 for Ce/Yb and 2.8-3.1 for Ba/Ce, a field toward which ...
Amelioration of acid soil infertility by phosphogypsum

Amelioration of subsoil acidity requires an increase in Ca status along with a decrease in Al status in subsoil. In this study, effects of phosphogypsum (PG) on the amelioration of subsoil acidity have been evaluated, using cultivated and woodland subsoils representing Cecil, Wedowee (both Typic Hapludult) and Bladen (Typic Albaquult) series. Subsoil (0.6–0.8 m) samples were collected and treated with either PG (approximately 2 Mg ha-1 rate), Ca(NO3)2 or Mg(NO3)2 along with an unamended control treatment. A fertile topsoil amended with NH4NO3 was placed on top of all treated subsoil. Top and root growth of alfalfa [Medicago sativa (L.) cv. Hunter River] and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Lee] were significantly greater in PG-amended than in unamended pots of the Cecil and Wedowee soils, although most growth was observed with the Ca(NO3)2-amended treatment. In the Bladen soil, however, none of the amendments evoked a significant growth response in either alfalfa or soybean. The concentration of Ca in the displaced soil solution (in soils with no plants) as well as tissue levels of Ca suggest that the growth response was partly due to an improved Ca availability in both PG or Ca(NO3)2-treated soils. Exchangeable Al decreased in PG-amended soils. The self-liming effect of PG, which is a release of OH- due to ligand exchange between SO4 2- and OH-, as well as a decrease in exchangeable Al in PG-amended soil is greater in predominantly kaolinitic Cecil and Wedowee soils than in smectitic Bladen soil. As a result, significant growth response to PG amendment was observed in the Cecil and Wedowee soils, but not in the Bladen soil.
Effect of Entrance Geometry and Rotation on Heat Transfer in a Narrow (AR = 1:4) Rectangular Internal Cooling Channel

This paper studies the effect of entrance geometries on the heat transfer and fluid flow in a narrow aspect ratio (AR = 1:4) rectangular internal cooling channel, representative of a leading edge of a gas turbine blade, under rotating condition. Numerical simulations are performed to understand the role of the rotation generated forces on the flow for different entrance geometries representative of those encountered in practice. Three different entrance geometries are tested: a S-shape entrance, a 90 degree bend entrance and a twisted entrance that changes its aspect ratio along its length. Numerical simulations are run at a constant Reynolds number (Re = 15000), for a range of rotation numbers (Ro = 0–0.2) and density ratios (DR = 0–0.4). Detailed heat transfer coefficient data at the leading and trailing walls are presented along with streamline profiles at different cross sectional planes that provide an insight into the flow field. It is seen that the entrance profile upstream of the actual test section is significantly different for the different entrance geometries, and has a significant impact on the rotation generated secondary flows. Non-uniformity in flow distribution at the exit of entrance geometry is small for the S-shape entrance while the non-uniformity is prominent at the exit of the changing AR entrance geometry. The entrance effect dies down as the flow progresses further downstream inside the cooling channel and the rotation effect becomes dominant.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Modeling and characterization of contact-edge roughness for minimizing design and manufacturing variations

Despite intensive attention on line-edge roughness (LER), contact-edge roughness (CER) has been relatively less studied. Contact patterning is one of the critical steps in a state of the art lithography process; meanwhile, design rule shrinking leads to larger CER in contact holes. Since source/drain (S/D) contact resistance depends on contact area and shape, larger CER results in significant change in a device current. We first propose a CER model based on the power spectral density function, which is a function of rms edge roughness, correlation length, and fractal dimension. Then, we present a comprehensive contact extraction methodology for analyzing process-induced CER effects on circuit performance. In our new contact extraction model, we first dissect the contact with a same distance, and then calculate the effective resistance considering both the shape weighting factor and the distance weighting factor for stress-induced complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) cells. Using the results of CER, we analyze the impact of both random CER and systematic variation on the S/D contact resistance, and the device saturation current. Results show that the S/D contact resistance and the device saturation current can vary by as much as 135.7 and 4.9%, respectively.
Interstitial brachytherapy for low-grade cerebral gliomas: analysis of results in a series of 36 cases.

The results obtained with interstitial brachytherapy in thirty-six low-grade cerebral gliomas (2 pilocytic astrocytomas, 23 astrocytomas and 11 oligodendrogliomas) are reported (mean follow-up: 75 months, range 37–159). All tumours were situated in locations which did not call for surgical removal as the treatment of choice. Their volume ranged from 4 to 82 cc (m=32); the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) of the treated patients lay between 0.60 and 0.90.
Attachment in the Classroom

Attachment influences students’ school success. This is true of students’ attachment to their parents, as well as to their teachers. Secure attachment is associated with higher grades and standardized test scores compared to insecure attachment. Secure attachment is also associated with greater emotional regulation, social competence, and willingness to take on challenges, and with lower levels of ADHD and delinquency, each of which in turn is associated with higher achievement. These effects tend to be stronger for high-risk students. In this era of accountability, enhancing teacher–student relationships is not merely an add-on, but rather is fundamental to raising achievement. Understanding the role of attachment in the classroom will help educators be more effective, particularly with challenging students. Twelve suggestions to improve teacher–student relationships and school bonding are provided.
Effectiveness of subcutaneous versus sublingual immunotherapy for the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma: a systematic review.

Background Allergen-specific immunotherapy is widely used in the management of patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma, but the best route of delivery is unclear. Objective We performed a systematic review of studies with head-to-head comparison of effectiveness and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma. Methods MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched through December 21, 2012. We included English language randomized controlled trials that enrolled patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma with head-to-head comparisons of SCIT with SLIT. Paired reviewers extracted detailed information from included articles on standardized forms and assessed the risk of bias in each article. Results Eight trials compared the effectiveness and safety of SCIT and SLIT. The effectiveness of the 2 forms of immunotherapy in managing allergic asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis were reported in 4 and 6 clinical trials, respectively. Low-grade evidence supports greater effectiveness of SCIT than SLIT for asthma symptom reduction and also at reducing a combined measure of rhinitis symptoms and medication use. Moderate-grade evidence supports greater effectiveness of SCIT than SLIT for nasal and/or eye symptom reduction. All 8 trials reported on adverse events with an episode of anaphylaxis reported in a child treated with SCIT. Conclusion Our review provides low-grade evidence to support that SCIT is superior to SLIT for reduction in asthma symptoms and moderate-grade evidence for reduction of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Additional studies are required to strengthen this evidence base for clinical decision making.
Spatially constrained incoherent motion method improves diffusion-weighted MRI signal decay analysis in the liver and spleen

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the spatially constrained incoherent motion (SCIM) method on improving the precision and robustness of fast and slow diffusion parameter estimates from diffusion-weighted MRI in liver and spleen in comparison to the independent voxel-wise intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model. Methods: We collected diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) data of 29 subjects (5 healthy subjects and 24 patients with Crohn’s disease in the ileum). We evaluated parameters estimates’ robustness against different combinations of b-values (i.e., 4 b-values and 7 b-values) by comparing the variance of the estimates obtained with the SCIM and the independent voxel-wise IVIM model. We also evaluated the improvement in the precision of parameter estimates by comparing the coefficient of variation (CV) of the SCIM parameter estimates to that of the IVIM. Results: The SCIM method was more robust compared to IVIM (up to 70% in liver and spleen) for different combinations of b-values. Also, the CV values of the parameter estimations using the SCIM method were significantly lower compared to repeated acquisition and signal averaging estimated using IVIM, especially for the fast diffusion parameter in liver (CVIV IM = 46.61 ± 11.22, CVSCIM = 16.85 ± 2.160, p < 0.001) and spleen (CVIV IM = 95.15 ± 19.82, CVSCIM = 52.55 ± 1.91, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The SCIM method characterizes fast and slow diffusion more precisely compared to the independent voxel-wise IVIM model fitting in the liver and spleen.
Progesterone in conjunction with estradiol has neuroprotective effects in an animal model of neurodegeneration.

Restorative and neuroprotective effects of the steroid hormones estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P) were investigated in an animal model of neurodegeneration. Rats received EB, P, EB + P, or vehicle/cholesterol control immediately after (Experiment 1) or prior to (Experiment 2) intrahippocampal colchicine infusions, which destroy hippocampal neurons and deplete neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine. Intrahippocampal colchicine produced long latencies, distances, and increased wandering in the water maze, in addition to hippocampal damage. Chronic administration of hormones immediately after colchicine, which produced circulating concentrations within physiological range, did not affect water-maze performance compared to cholesterol control (Experiment 1). When acute EB (10 μg SC) + P (500 μg SC) was given prior to intrahippocampal colchicine, latencies, distances, and wandering in the water maze were reduced (Experiment 2). The acutely administered EB + P also were in physiological range. Both experiments demonstrate some influence of hormones on neuronal integrity and ChAT that warrants further investigation. Together, these findings suggest that physiological concentrations of EB + P, when administered before hippocampal damage, may have neuroprotective actions on learning and memory impairment and hippocampal damage.
Selective placement in adoption

Abstract Selective placement is the process of matching adoptive parents to adopted children with respect to particular characteristics. Previous studies of selective placement have been limited with respect to the variables examined as well as sources of information. The present study examined both physical and behavioral data on 206 “first” adoptions, including information on birth fathers and birth mothers, their parents, infant adoptees, and adoptive parents. Results indicate that physical as well as behavioral characteristics are used in selective placement, although the absolute level of selective placement is low. Selective placement based on education and occupation of the birth parents’ parents is not greater than selective placement based on education and occupation of the birth parents themselves. Characteristics of infant adoptees are not important factors in selective placement. To the extent that selective placement occurs for behavioral and physical characteristics, our data suggest that it...
Agitated depression in substance dependence

Background Depression with psychomotor agitation (PMA; “agitated depression”) is a putative psychiatric phenotype that appears to associate with some forms of substance dependence. However, it is unclear whether such relationships extend across different substances and independent (I-MDE) versus substance-induced (SI-MDE) subtypes of major depressive episodes.
Phase behavior and molecular motion of aerosol OT in liquid-crystalline phases with water

Abstract The phase diagram and molecular motion of sodium di-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, or Aerosol OT, or AOT, with water mainly at 37 and 25°C, are explored. Results are reported on visual observations, polarizing microscopy, and 1H and 13C NMR. At 25°C the solubility limit of AOT in water is 1.4 ± 0.2 wt%, in agreement with the recent literature. Above the solubility, uniaxial negatively birefringent lamellar liquid crystals form. The biphasic region extends up to 20 ± 4 wt%, as determined from visual observations, microscopy, and mainly from 1H NMR linewidths. From 20 to about 75 wt% there is a lamellar liquid crystal whose birefringence changes to positive around 40 wt%. The phase behavior results are qualitatively consistent with those of Rogers and Winsor (1969) and 6. , 7. , although there are some quantitative differences. The surfactant molecular motion is quite fast below the solubility, becomes quite restricted in the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase, becomes fast again in the viscous isotropic phase (∼75 to ∼80 wt%), and becomes much more restricted above 80 wt%, where the phase is hexagonal inverse middle liquid crystalline. 13C T1 values for the lamellar liquid crystal show a motional gradient common in isotropic lamellar liquid crystals. The water molecular motion becomes increasingly restricted in the lamellar liquid crystal. The water resonance broadens substantially in the viscous isotropic and is not seen in the hexagonal liquid crystal.
Small intestine mucosal adhesivity to in vivo capsule robot materials.

Abstract Multiple research groups are investigating the feasibility of miniature, swallowable, in vivo, untethered robots that are capable of traversing the small intestine for the purpose of acquiring biometrics and performing simple surgical procedures. A mathematical model of the intraluminal environment will speed the development of these so-called Robotic Capsule Endoscopes (RCEs), and to this end, the authors, in previous work, initiated a comprehensive program for characterizing both the active and passive forces exerted by the small intestine on an RCE-sized solid bolus. In this work, forces due to adhesivity between RCE materials and the mucosa are investigated. The experimental factors are adhesive modality (peel and tack), material (polycarbonate, micropatterned polydimethylsiloxane, stainless steel, and mucosa), and bowel region (proximal, middle, and distal). The mucosa is excised from a fasting pig, stored in lactated ringer's solution at 3 °C, and then tested at room temperature within 43 h of excision. The results show the mean tack strength of the mucosa to engineering materials was 0.198±0.070 mJ cm −2 . The mean peel strength was 0.055±0.016 mJ cm −2 . This study marks the first time, to the authors' knowledge, that adhesivity between small intestinal mucosa and RCE engineering materials has been measured. The adhesivity values acquired from this study will provide a valuable input into analytical and numerical models of the gastrointestinal tract, specifically models that account for the interfacial properties of the tissue.
Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cell pigment epithelium–derived factor cytotherapy modifies genetic and epigenetic profiles of prostate cancer cells

Background aims Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) are promising tools for delivery of cytotherapy against cancer. However, ASCs can exert profound effects on biological behavior of tumor cells. Our study aimed to examine the influence of ASCs on gene expression and epigenetic methylation profiles of prostate cancer cells as well as the impact of expressing a therapeutic gene on modifying the interaction between ASCs and prostate cancer cells.
Comprehensive proteomic profiling of outer membrane vesicles from Campylobacter jejuni

Gram-negative bacteria constitutively release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) during cell growth that play significant roles in bacterial survival, virulence and pathogenesis. In this study, comprehensive proteomic analysis of OMVs from a human gastrointestinal pathogen Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 was performed using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The OMVs of C. jejuni NCTC11168 were isolated from culture supernatants then characterized using electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering revealing spherical OMVs of an average diameter of 50 nm. We then identified 134 vesicular proteins using high-resolution LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Subsequent functional analysis of the genes revealed the relationships of the vesicular proteins. Furthermore, known N-glycoproteins were identified from the list of the vesicular proteome, implying the potential role of the OMVs as a delivery means for biologically relevant bacterial glycoproteins. These results enabled us to elucidate the overall proteome profile of pathogenic bacterium C. jejuni and to speculate on the function of OMVs in bacterial infections and communication.
Homogeneous catalytic carbonylation of nitroaromatics Part III. Discovery and in situ high pressure FTIR spectral studies of a novel binuclear ruthenium catalyst

Abstract The binuclear ruthenium complex, Ru 2 (dmpm) 2 (CO) 5 , where dmpm=1,2-bis-(dimethylphosphino)methane, was found to catalyze the carbonylation of nitroaromatics in the presence of methanol to give N -arylmethylcarbamates in yields ranging from 47 to 60%. In situ FTIR spectral studies established that an equilibrium mixture of Ru 2 (dmpm) 2 (CO) 5 and [(μ-H)Ru 2 (dmpm) 2 (CO) 5 ] + were present following initial mixing under CO (61 atm). Upon heating to 145 °C a new, as yet unidentified, species was observed. When the nitroaromatic was consumed, the spectrum indicated that the starting complex was reformed.