cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automobile recycling in the United States: Energy impacts and waste generation

Abstract Changes in the trends in the material composition of domestic and imported automobiles and the increasing cost of landfilling the non-recyclable portion of automobiles (automobile shredder residue or ASR) pose questions about the future of automobile recycling in the United States. In response to these challenges, new and innovative approaches to automobile recycling are being developed. This paper presents the findings of a recent study to examine the impacts of these changes on the life cycle energy consumption of automobiles and on the quantity of waste that must be disposed of. Given the recycle status quo, trends in material composition and the viability of recycling the non-metallic components of the typical automobile are of secondary importance when compared to the energy consumed during the life of the automobile. The energy savings resulting from small changes in the fuel efficiency of a vehicle overshadow potential energy losses associated with the adoption of new and possibly non-recyclable materials. Under status quo conditions, the life cycle energy consumed by the typical automobile is projected to decrease from 599 million Btus in 1992 to 565 million Btus in 2000. Energy consumed during the manufacture of the typical car will increase from about 120 to 140 million Btus between 1992 and 2000, while energy used during vehicle operation will decrease from 520 to 480 million Btus. This study projects that energy saved at the recycle step will increase from 41 million Btus in 1992 to 55 million Btus in 2000. This study also investigated the energy impacts of several potential changes to the recycle status quo, including the adoption of technologies to retrieve the heat value of ASR by incineration and the recycle of some or all thermoplastics in the typical automobile. The study estimates that under optimistic conditions —i.e., the recycling of all thermoplastics and the incineration with heat recovery of all remaining ASR —about 8 million Btus could be saved per automobile —i.e., an increase from about 55 to 63 million Btus. In the more realistic scenario —i.e., the recycling of easy-to-remove thermoplastic components (bumper covers and dash-boards) —the potential energy savings are about 1 million Btus per vehicle. It is estimated that the annual quantity of ASR in the United States could be reduced from about 5 billion pounds to as little as 1 billion pounds of ash if all ASR is incinerated. Alternatively, ASR quantity could be reduced to about 4 billion pounds if all thermoplastics in automobiles are recycled. However, in the case of recycling only thermoplastic bumper covers and dashboards, the quantity of ASR would be reduced by only 0.2 billion pounds. A significant reduction or increase in the size of the ASR waste stream will not in itself have a large impact on the solid waste stream in the United States.
Orientation and chemistry of alkyl thiolates on the Ni(100) surface

Abstract As models for boundary layer films we have examined the structure and chemistry of the straight-chain thiols (CH3(CH2)nSH, n = 0–5) on the clean Ni(100) surface. On the clean surface the thiols decompose at low temperatures (T
Nonuniform Activity of Human Calf Muscles During an Exercise Task

Abstract Segal RL, Song AW. Nonuniform activity of human calf muscles during an exercise task. Objectives To determine the distribution of leg muscle activity during heel raises using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with special emphasis on quantifying activity across multiple axial sections and to determine if there are differences among portions of active muscles. Design Pre- and postexercise (heel raise) T2-weighted time measurements were assessed by using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t tests. Setting Laboratory and MRI suites. Participants Eight healthy volunteers. Intervention Unilateral heel raises every 2 seconds for at least 60 seconds. Main Outcome Measures Percentage changes from T2-weighted magnetic resonance images of the lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, peroneus longus, soleus, and tibialis anterior muscles, across 10 axial sections, exercise bouts, and a pre-exercise condition. Results The lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, peroneus longus, and soleus had significantly larger changes in T2 time from pre-exercise times than did the tibialis anterior for whole muscles as determined by using repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc analyses. The medial gastrocnemius had a significantly greater change in T2 time than the lateral gastrocnemius. Proximal axial sections of the lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, and soleus had significantly larger changes in T2 time from pre-exercise than did distal sections. Conclusions This work reconfirms that multiple muscles contribute to plantarflexor forces and additionally shows an apparent proximal versus subvolume organization of activity within the gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, and soleus but not the peroneus longus. This proximal versus distal organization of muscle activity needs further investigation. There may be clinical implications for therapeutic interventions that require accurate placement of electrodes such as biofeedback.
Sensitivity to Spatiotemporal Percepts Predicts the Perception of Emotion

The present studies examined how sensitivity to spatiotemporal percepts such as rhythm, angularity, configuration, and force predicts accuracy in perceiving emotion. In Study 1, participants (N = 99) completed a nonverbal test battery consisting of three nonverbal emotion perception tests and two perceptual sensitivity tasks assessing rhythm sensitivity and angularity sensitivity. Study 2 (N = 101) extended the findings of Study 1 with the addition of a fourth nonverbal test, a third configural sensitivity task, and a fourth force sensitivity task. Regression analyses across both studies revealed partial support for the association between perceptual sensitivity to spatiotemporal percepts and greater emotion perception accuracy. Results indicate that accuracy in perceiving emotions may be predicted by sensitivity to specific percepts embedded within channel- and emotion-specific displays. The significance of such research lies in the understanding of how individuals acquire emotion perception skill and the processes by which distinct features of percepts are related to the perception of emotion.
ERIC Review: Community College Students Recent Findings and Trends:

Recent shifts in student composition have shaped and will shape community college mission and policies. Community college faculty and administrators should be aware of enrollment shifts, changing admissions standards, and fluctuating age, gender composition, and racial and ethnic identities of students. This review of the literature discusses these findings as well as student assessment and placement, student success and retention, and postcollege earnings.
Callosal degradation in HIV-1 infection predicts hierarchical perception: A DTI study

HIV-1 infection affects white matter circuits linking frontal, parietal, and subcortical regions that subserve visuospatial attention processes. Normal perception requires the integration of details, preferentially processed in the left hemisphere, and the global composition of an object or scene, preferentially processed in the right hemisphere. We tested whether HIV-related callosal white matter degradation contributes to disruption of selective lateralized visuospatial and attention processes. A hierarchical letter target detection paradigm was devised, where large (global) letters were composed of small (local) letters. Participants were required to identify target letters among distractors presented at global, local, both or neither level. Attention was directed to one (global or local) or both levels. Participants were 21 HIV-1 infected and 19 healthy control men and women who also underwent Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). HIV-1 participants showed impaired hierarchical perception owing to abnormally enhanced global facilitation effects but no impairment in attentional control on local-global feature selection. DTI metrics revealed poorer fiber integrity of the corpus callosum in HIV-1 than controls that was more pronounced in posterior than anterior regions. Analysis revealed a double dissociation of anterior and posterior callosal compromise in HIV-1 infection: compromise in anterior but not posterior callosal fiber integrity predicted response conflict elicited by global targets, whereas compromise in posterior but not anterior callosal fiber integrity predicted response facilitation elicited by global targets. We conclude that component processes of visuospatial perception are compromised in HIV-1 infection attributable, at least in part, to degraded callosal microstructural integrity relevant for local-global feature integration.
Novel Effects on the Gonyaulax Circadian System Produced by the Protein Kinase Inhibitor Staurosporine

The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine was found to cause a dramatic increase in the free-running period (FRP) of circadian rhythms in the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra, and its effect was similar when added at different phases of the circadian cycle. Chronic exposure to staurosporine lengthened the FRP by as much as 7 h without significantly affecting the amplitude or waveform of the bioluminescence rhythm. The effect on the length of the FRP occurred only above a threshold concentration, and it lasted for a limited number of cycles that depended on the dose of the drug. The FRP lengthening was not evident until 23 to 26 h after staurosporine addition, even though the drug entered Gonyaulax cells in 1 h or less. When tested in combination with bright light pulses, staurosporine was found to enhance both light-induced phase advances and delays, indicating that the drug acts on circadian phototransduction. At concentrations that alter the FRP and the response to light pulses, staurosporine appears to act on a small number of protein kinases, attenuating the activity of two individual protein kinases without affecting overall phosphate incorporation into proteins in vitro.
Shallow trench isolation double-diobe electrostatic discharge circuit and interaction with DRAM output circuitry

Abstract Electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance of a shallow-trench-isolation double-diode protection circuit in CMOS technology is discussed. This paper highlights the sensitivities of these devices to semiconductor process parameters, interaction with chip circuitry and advanced failure analysis techniques.
Religion and Geopolitics

In the Middle East and the United States this is particularly clear, but it is also apparent throughout much of what we used to call the Third World. In the end, on the Day-of-Judgment, Christ hurtles all non-believers into everlasting hellfire. Religion and geopolitics have always had ties of one sort or another. Russian, Spanish, French, Dutch, British, and American imperialism has also always found some logic in the conversion of natives or in the use of religious differences to explain why others should be subjugated. Beyond the holy sites, it seems to me that every other territorial boundary is secondary in importance to the universal moral imperative of Shari'ah. The problem is that in classical Islamic law Muslims were not expected to live permanently among non-Muslims. It is the use of their founding texts as utopian templates that gives the fundamentalists the particular source of authority upon which their geopolitical claims rest.
Electron cyclotron wave propagation and absorption in the Compact Ignition Tokamak

The possibility of heating the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT) with electron cyclotron power at 280 GHz (fundamental cyclotron resonance) is examined by simple analytic estimates and by detailed computational means. Efficient single-pass absorption of the ordinary polarization is accomplished by scanning the angle of injection of the microwave power from 60° to 90° relative to the toroidal magnetic field direction as the field intensity is ramped from 7 or 8 T to 10 T and the volume average beta increases from 0.4% to 2.8%. Efficient absorption occurs for the ranges of central density of (2-8) × 1020 m−3 and central temperatures of 5-20 keV. Thus, electron cyclotron resonance heating, using either gyrotrons or free-electron lasers, offers a reasonable heating scenario from the Ohmic phase to the ignition phase, even with a single-frequency radiofrequency source.
TH-D-210A-06: Drug Eluting Implanted Devices to Increase Biologic Effective Dose in Image Guided Radiation Therapy

Purpose:Image guided radiation therapy(IGRT), such as lungSBRT using fiducials or prostate brachytherapy, implant objects essitial to the radiation treatment, but offering no therapeutic benefit. Such devices offer a vechicle for in‐situ delivery of radiosensitizer which could increase the biologic effective dose of the radiation. This work studies the achievable drug coverage as a function of thechemical and physical properties of the drugs and devices. Method and Materials: Drug concentration around a spherical eluter is parameterized in order to separate the physical properties of the eluter and effective diffusion elimination modulus (φb) of the drug. Computer modeling is used to simulate drug distributions produced by configurations of eluters that could be encountered in either steretotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT) for lung or ultrasound guided prostate implants. Measures of tumor coverage and normal tissue involvement are evaluated for multiple combinations of eluter sizes and φb. Elution kinetics from polymercoating of gold substrate was evaluated. Results: A small number of fiducials, as in lungSBRT, would require either a relatively large fiducial or chemical engineering of the drug to produce a low value of φb. The many spacers seen in prostate brachytherapy provide enough eluters to sensitize a portion of the prostate with values of φb in the vicinity of reported values. The use of drug eluting brachytherapy spacers would enable a more localized enhancement in biologic effective dose than possible by a local brachytherapy boost. Timed release of docirubicin from a polymercoating on a gold substrate is possible. Conclusion:IGRT techniques already implant devices in targets as part of the standard of care. These devices may be enhanced with drug eluting coatings to provide localized increase in biologic effective dose without increasing the physical dose involved in the therapy.
The impact of age on a patient's perception of pain and ways it can be managed

The elderly population is one of the fastest growing groups in the United States. Pain is a significant problem for community-dwelling elders and for elderly persons in residential facilities. Numerous barriers exist to effective pain management in the elderly. Clinicians, however, can overcome many of these barriers through careful assessments of pain that accommodate many of the physiologic changes that occur with aging. Effective pain management of elderly individuals requires knowledge of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes that occur with aging. Both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches should be used to manage pain in the elderly.
Pollution of the sea and its effects.

Marine pollution has been studied under the following groupings of effects; harm to living resources, hazards to human health, reduction of amenities and interference with other users of the sea. This paper is concerned mainly with the first two categories and their interrelation. Apart from certain seabirds affected by oil, the major stocks of marine animals show no evidence of reduction by pollution. Pollution effects are generally insignificant in relation to other factors governing reproductive success, survival, growth and population size. Even in the North Sea, which has received a greatly increased pollution load during the last three decades, both total production of fish and catch per unit of effort (a measure of abundance) of cod, haddock and plaice increased during the 20 years 1950–69. Very recent decreases have been due to over-exploitation but, except in certain estuaries and immediate coastal waters, direct damage by pollution to marine populations and eco-systems is not evident. Pollution effects can, however, be detected by chemical analysis. The paper examines human health risks arising in the marine environment, particularly from contaminated seafood, expecially in relation to sewage pollution, metals such as mercury, cadmium and lead, synthetic organic substances and oil.
Editorial on "The management of childhood hypertonia".

We, as pediatric neurosurgeons, are increasingly involved in the management of childhood hypertonia or elevation in muscle tone. As with any disease that we are called upon to treat, it is important that we understand the etiology of the hypertonia, its different manifestations and that we employ accepted tools to quantify the impact of our treatments on our pediatric patients. This special edition of Child’s Nervous System is devoted to the various treatment options that can be employed in the management of childhood hypertonia. You will find discussions by some of the world’s leading experts in these treatments and in managing such children.
1/f noise and grain-boundary diffusion in aluminum and aluminum alloys.

We have measured the $\frac{1}{f}$ noise in polycrystalline films of Al, Al-Si(1%), and Al-Cu(4%) in the temperature range of 300 to 600 K. The temperature dependence indicated activation energies of 0.69, 0.80, and 0.89 eV, respectively. These energies are similar to the activation energies found for Al diffusion along grain boundaries for films of the same size and composition measured in the same temperature range. Measurements of samples with identical compositions but differing widths and thicknesses revealed significant departures from the usual inverse volume dependence of the $\frac{1}{f}$ noise.
Large elastic-plastic deformations of fibrous metal matrix composites

Abstract This paper presents a finite strain formulation of a plasticity theory of fibrous composite materials. A multiplicative decomposition is adopted to describe the kinematics of large deformations ; the lattice is defined by the current fiber direction. Elastic and plastic constitutive relations are developed from the proposition that distortions take place relative to the fiber direction. A numerical method is proposed for integration of the constitutive equations. Illustrative examples of various applications of the formulation are presented as well.
Amino acid sequence of homogeneous antibodies to dextran and DNA rearrangments in heavy chain V-region gene segments

The complete variable region sequences from ten antibodies and two myeloma proteins binding α-1,3 dextran have been determined. The diversity patterns of these homogeneous antibody molecules suggest that the variable regions of heavy chains are encoded by separate variable (V) and joining (J) gene segments. The most striking feature of these data is the extensive sequence variability of a region that we denote the D (diversity) segment which is located at the junction between the V and J segments in the centre of the third hypervariable region. The D segment diversity may arise from a novel somatic mutational mechanism or may be encoded by multiple D gene segments. For the first time, the amino acid sequence correlates of several V region idiotypes are determined.
Ambivalent Adhesives: Combining Biomimetic Cross-Linking With Antiadhesive Oligo(ethylene glycol)

Oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) exhibit several desirable properties including biocompatibility and resistance to fouling by protein adsorption. Still needed are surgical glues and orthopedic cements, among several other materials, that display similar traits. However, the very lack of interactions with other molecules that prevents toxicity and fouling also makes adhesion elusive. In work described here the cross-linking chemistry of marine mussel adhesive is combined with OEG to make a family of terpolymers. The effect of polymer composition upon bulk adhesion was examined. High strength bonding was found with a subset of the polymers containing appreciable OEG content. These structure–property insights may help the design of new materials for which the properties of OEG and high strength adhesion are both being sought.
Experimental and numerical investigation of heat transfer and phase change phenomena during excimer laser interaction with nickel

Abstract This work investigates heat transfer and phase change phenomena during excimer laser interaction with nickel specimens. Based on time-resolved measurements in the laser fluence range between 2.5 J cm −2 and 10.5 J cm −2 , it is found that surface evaporation occurs when the laser fluence is below 5.2 J cm −2 . At a laser fluence of 5.2 J cm −2 or higher, explosive-type vaporization takes place. Numerical calculations show the maximum surface temperature reaches 0.84 T c at a laser fluence of 5.2 J cm −2 , and 0.9 T c at a laser fluence of 5.9 J cm −2 . The numerical results agree with the experiments on the mechanisms of materials removal in different laser fluence regions.
The significance of surface complexation reactions in hydrologic systems: a geochemist's perspective

Abstract Complexation reactions at the mineral–water interface affect the transport and transformation of metals and organic contaminants, nutrient availability in soils, formation of ore deposits, acidification of watersheds and the global cycling of elements. Such reactions can be understood by quantifying speciation reactions in homogeneous aqueous solutions, characterizing reactive sites at mineral surfaces and developing models of the interactions between aqueous species at solid surfaces. In this paper, the application of thermodynamic principles to quantify aqueous complexation reactions is described. This is followed by a brief overview of a few of the methods that have been used to characterize reactive sites on mineral surfaces. Next, the application of empirical and semi-empirical models of adsorption at the mineral–water interface, including distribution coefficients, simple ion exchange models, and Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the limitations of such models in providing an adequate representation of adsorption in hydrological systems. These limitations arise because isotherms do not account for the structure of adsorbed species, nor do they account for the development of surface charge with adsorption. This is contrasted with more sophisticated models of adsorption, termed ‘surface complexation models’, which include the constant capacitance model, the diffuse layer model, the triple layer model and the MUSIC model. In these models, speciation reactions between surface functional groups and dissolved species control the variable surface charge build-up and the specific adsorption properties of minerals in aqueous solutions. Next, the influence of mineral surface speciation on the reactivity of adsorbed species and on far from equilibrium dissolution rates of minerals is discussed. Finally, the applicability of microscopic models of surface complexation to field-scale systems is explored and the need to integrate sophisticated surface chemical and hydrological modeling approaches is stressed.
Intracellular signaling pathways involved in mediating the effects of lead on the transcription factor Sp1.

Abstract It has been well established that exposure to Pb during critical periods of brain development results in both cognitive and behavioral deficits. Although the mechanism by which Pb induces developmental neurotoxicity is unknown, it may involve alterations in transcription of genes that are essential for growth and differentiation. Recent studies reveal that Pb interferes with growth and differentiation by acting on the transcription factor Sp1. Pb-induced changes in the activity of Sp1 may be consequent to alterations in intermediates in signal transduction pathways. This study examines both in vivo and in vitro the role of signaling factors in mediating the effects of Pb on Sp1 DNA-binding. Hippocampal developmental profiles of Sp1 DNA-binding, PKC, and MAPK protein levels were monitored in Pb-exposed rats. Pb exposure resulted in an induction of Sp1 DNA-binding during PND 5–10 followed by a subsequent decline on PND 15–20. The protein expression profiles for PKCα and MAPK followed a relatively similar pattern. To examine the interdependence between Sp1 DNA-binding, PKCα, and MAPK, PC12 cells were exposed to Pb and/or NGF. Pb or NGF exposure increased Sp1 DNA-binding. Addition of the PKC inhibitor (staurosporine) diminished NGF and Pb-induced Sp1 DNA-binding, while the MAPK inhibitor (PD 98059), completely abolished both basal and induced Sp1 DNA-binding. These findings demonstrate that Sp1 DNA-binding is regulated by PKC and MAPK, which may serve as mediators through which Pb may indirectly modulate Sp1 DNA-binding.
Using Disulfide Trapping to Probe KCNQ1/KCNE1 Interactions During the IKs Channel Gating

Background: (KCN)E1 association with (KCN)Q1 markedly slows Q1 activation. The mechanism is not clear. Methods: We introduce Cys(teine) into Cys-less Q1/E1 background. Double Cys-substituted Q1/E1 pairs are expressed in COS-7 cells to detect spontaneous disulfide formation (by non-reducing Western blotting), and in oocytes to probe state-dependence/rate of disulfide formation/reduction (by voltage clamping). Results: There are 'hot spots' of Q1/E1 interactions: Q1 position 147 with E1 positions 36 to 41, and E1 40 & 41 with Q1 144 & 147 (Fig. A). Oocyte experiments confirm that all constructs retain wild-type like function. We test effects of 10 mM DTT on current amplitudes measured at V0.5 of activation (Fig. B). A decrease in current reflects a depolarizing shift in V0.5/preferential disulfide bond formation in activated states. An opposite effect reflects a hyperpolarizing shift in V0.5/preferential disulfide formation in the resting state. Rate of DTT effect indicates rate of disulfide reduction: slower rates indicate stronger disulfide between positions in closer proximity. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the extracellular S1-S2 linker of Q1 and the extracellular end of E1 transmembrane domain may rotate/swing, and glide through each other during IKs gating transition.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Heat conduction in metal‐filled polymers: The role of particle size, shape, and orientation

This paper presents a new type of analysis for predicting the thermal conductivity of disperse composites from the properties of the component phases and elementary characterizations of particle shapes and orientation. This analysis successfully predicted the sensitivity to particle shape which was confirmed by experiments also reported in this paper. These results suggest that highly elongated particles may be used to achieve dramatic modifications of thermal conductivity and the analysis presented here may be a useful tool in the design or development of disperse composites of specific thermal conductivity. The analysis may also apply to other properties such as electrical conductivity or magnetic permeability.
Endomycorrhizal Fungal Survival in Continuous Corn, Soybean, and Fallow

Survival of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in soil may be affected by the presence or absence of crops and by the crop being grown. Field studies were conducted in central Iowa during three growing seasons with cropping to continuous corn (Zea mays L.) (two cultivars), continuous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (two cultivars), or fallow in three soils to determine AM selection and survival. The initial numbers of spores (all following soybean) in May 1996 averaged 0.9 g -1 soil in Clarion (well drained), 1.1 in Nicollet (somewhat poorly drained), and 3.6 in Webster (poorly drained) soils. In May 1998, the highest spore count average was 11.2 g -1 soil in Webster under corn and 3.0 spores g -1 under soybean. Nicollet soil averaged 6.8 spores g -1 for corn and 0.9 for soybean in May 1998, whereas Clarion soil had 6.3 for corn and 2.0 for soybean. The fallow treatments consistently had low spore counts, ranging from 0.7 to 1.0 spores g -1 for all three soils. After 3 yr under the same cropping regime, spore numbers in soil were corn > soybean >fallow; no significant differences were found between cultivars of the same crop. Most probable number counts were correlated with spore counts and averaged 11% of spore counts, suggesting that only a portion of the spores were viable (or culturable in our determination). By the end of the study, Glomus albidum and G. etunicatum dominated under corn, whereas G. constrictum dominated under soybean.
A methodological note on the use of a priori cluster scores for the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS)

The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was administered to 44 infants at their time of discharge from the hospital. Attempts to categorize their performance into the Sostek and Anders (1977) modification of the Als (1978) a priori clusters indicated that it was not possible to unequivocally score the protocols of 19 of the 44 infants. Upon closer analysis, a number of structural problems in the scoring system were detected that were responsible for the scoring problems.
Bacterial quorum sensing: a new target for anti-infective immunotherapy

Background: Cell-to-cell communication via exchange of small molecules, ‘autoinducers’, is a widespread phenomenon among Gram-negative and -positive bacteria. This intercellular signaling that sync...
Geometric effects on EUV emissions in spherical and planar targets

We explored the radiation hydrodynamics of tin microsphere targets exposed to 1-μm, 8-ns laser pulses, and compared them with thick planar targets. Previous research [1] has shown that the conversion efficiency of laser light to in-band emissions around 13.5 nm is lower in microsphere targets. Our work was designed to elucidate the reasons for this drop in emission. Differences in plasma expansion, laser absorption and atomic emissions were measured in the UCSD Laser Plasma Laboratory and modeled using the 2D radiation hydrodynamic code h2d. Experimental data are compared with modeling and differences between emissions in planar and spherical targets explained.
A Study of Conduction Band Edge States in Complex Oxides By X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Abstract Conduction band edge d-states are compared for complex oxides: (i) mixed tetravalent–trivalent ZrO 2 –Y 2 O 3 alloys, (ii) tetravalent Zr(Hf)O 2 –TiO 2 alloys, and (iii) trivalent La scandate and aluminate. Low Y 2 O 3 content cubic ZrO 2 –Y 2 O 3 alloys display two crystal-field split 4d-features in O K 1 spectra. Alloys with higher Y 2 O 3 content, as well as Zr(Hf)O 2 –TiO 2 alloys display increased d-state multiplicity. O K 1 spectra of perovskite-structured LaScO 3 and LaAlO 3 indicate Jahn–Teller d-state term-splittings with contributions from both trivalent atomic species.
Self-masking in an Intact ERM-merlin Protein: An Active Role for the Central α-Helical Domain

Ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) family members provide a regulated link between the cortical actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane to govern membrane structure and organization. Here, we report the crystal structure of intact insect moesin, revealing that its essential yet previously uncharacterized alpha-helical domain forms extensive interactions with conserved surfaces of the band four-point-one/ezrin/radixin/moesin (FERM) domain. These interdomain contacts provide a functional explanation for how PIP(2) binding and tyrosine phosphorylation of ezrin lead to activation, and provide an understanding of previously enigmatic loss-of-function missense mutations in the tumor suppressor merlin. Sequence conservation and biochemical results indicate that this structure represents a complete model for the closed state of all ERM-merlin proteins, wherein the central alpha-helical domain is an active participant in an extensive set of inhibitory interactions that can be unmasked, in a rheostat-like manner, by coincident regulatory factors that help determine cell polarity and membrane structure.
Epidermal growth factor-induced association of the SHPTP2 protein tyrosine phosphatase with a 115-kDa phosphotyrosine protein.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation of HepG2 and NIH 3T3 cells expressing high levels of the human EGF receptor (3T3/ER) resulted in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 115-kDa protein that was co-immunoprecipitated with the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHPTP2. In contrast, activation of the EGF receptor resulted in a relatively low level (
The effect of optic disk edema on spontaneous venous pulsations

Abstract Purpose We evaluated the effect of optic disk edema on spontaneous venous pulsations (SVP) in patients without elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Design Prospective, cross-sectional comparison in an institutional setting. Methods Twenty consecutive patients with unilateral optic disk edema due to anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION, n = 11) or optic neuritis (n = 9) were evaluated. The proportion of subjects with SVP in both eyes, the involved eye only, the uninvolved eye only, or neither eye was determined. Comparisons were made using the Exact McNemar Test. Results There was a significant difference in the proportion of uninvolved and involved eyes with SVP (60% [12/20] vs 5% [1/20], P Conclusions Optic disk edema may cause SVP cessation without ICP elevation.
Developmental Role of Juvenile Hormone Metabolism in Lepidoptera

SYNOPSIS. Lepidopteran juvenile hormone (JH) esterase appears to have a functional role in the regulation of embryogenesis, larval growth and development, and adult reproduction. In preovipositional and newly laid eggs of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta , JH esterase activity was elevated presumably to metabolize maternal JHs, and then declined after blastoderm formation. Also, a single peak in hemolymph JH esterase activity was found prior to ecdysis in the second through the fourth instar of M. sexta , the function of which is unclear. However, in the last instar, elevated hemolymph JH esterase activity was noted prior to wandering and again prior to ecdysis to scavenge the last traces of JH necessary for normal development. The hemolymph JH esterase is likely of multiple tissue origin for the prewandering peak with the fat body excluded as a source for the prepupal peak; an inhibitory factor from the brain and JH regulate JH esterase biosynthesis. In adult cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni , elevated hemolymph JH esterase activity appeared to be important in reducing the JH titer and preventing egg maturation. Structure/activity data with trifluoromethylketones were incorporated into the design of a novel, JH esterase inhibitor, the sulfone and hydrate of octylthio-1,1,1- trifluoropropan-2-one, with selective and persistent, in vivo inhibitory activity. The topical application of this compound to last instar larvae and virgin adults of T. ni produced juvenizing effects (delayed pupation and induced egg maturation/oviposition, respectively) providing direct evidence of a functional role for JH esterase in lepidopteran development.
Feasibility study of myocardial perfusion and oxygenation by noncontrast MRI: comparison with PET study in a canine model

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of quantifying myocardial blood flow (MBF) and rate of myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO(2)) during pharmacologically induced stress without using a contrast agent. The former was measured by the arterial spin labeling (ASL) method and the latter was obtained by measuring the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blood oxygenation level-dependent effect and Fick's law. The MRI results were compared with the established positron emission tomography (PET) methods. Six mongrel dogs with induced acute moderate left coronary artery stenosis were scanned using a clinical PET and a 1.5-T MRI system, in the same day. Regional MBF, myocardial OEF and MVO(2) were measured with both imaging modalities. Correlation coefficients (R(2)) of the three myocardial indexes (MBF, OEF and MVO(2)) between MRI and PET methods ranged from 0.70 to 0.93. Bland-Altman statistics demonstrated that the estimated precision of the limits of agreement between MRI and PET measurements varied from 18% (OEF) to 37% (MBF) and 45% (MVO(2)). The detected changes in these indexes, at rest and during dobutamine stress, were similar between two image modalities. The proposed noncontrast MRI technique is a promising method to quantitatively assess myocardial perfusion and oxygenation.
A first year engineering student survey to assist recruitment and retention

In recent years the recruitment and retention of engineering students, especially underrepresented minorities and women have received increased attention in the United States. Underrepresented minorities and women are the largest untapped resources available to help maintain and/or increase engineering enrollments and to ensure a diverse engineering working force. In order to understand better and to serve their first-year students in the School of Engineering, a survey is administered to these students each semester at Arizona State University (ASU). In addition to basic demographics, the survey asks for information on when and why students chose to study engineering at ASU, what recruitment events they attended and which were most effective, how many contacts the student had with ASU, how many hours per week they work, and predictions of success in graduating from ASU with an engineering degree. The data is analyzed to give direction for more successful recruitment and retention efforts, including advisement about course and work loads. The results are further analyzed to determine if recruitment efforts have differential success when the target population is men, women, underrepresented minorities, students who considered another university, local residents, traditional-age, or community college transfer students. The results of this analysis are being used to guide recruitment and retention efforts of our engineering students, especially women and underrepresented minorities. While not exhaustive, this paper contains a discussion on several of the survey items. The survey, although developed at ASU, can be customized for any individual institution.
The Effectiveness of Phase II Price Controls

Phase II of the Economic Stabilization Program lasted from November 1971, when it replaced the initial freeze, until January 1973, when the less stringent controls of Phase III were initiated. It is widely thought that controls during Phase II succeeded in holding down wages and prices. The alleged success of Phase II controls and the rapid price rises during Phase III led to frequent demands for a return to the “good old days” of Phase II. The apparent success of Phase II controls contrasted with the failure of most past price control programs.
Noncausal ARMA modeling of voiced speech

A noncausal autoregressive moving average (ARMA) source-filter model of voiced speech is proposed. Although the human speech-production mechanism is obviously causal, a noncausal model allows the simple source-filter approach to incorporate different parameters for the open-glottis and closed glottis portions of the pitch period (without explicit determination of the open- and closed-glottis regions). The noncausal impulse response is obtained by standard cepstral deconvolution. Separate ARMA models are then found for the causal and anticausal portions of the impulse response. Initial experiments show that very close approximations to the speech waveform and spectrum are produced by two twelfth-order ARMA models. >
Parametric projection pursuit for dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral data

This paper addresses the feasibility of utilizing parametric projection pursuit (PPP) for dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral data. With hyperspectral data, the large number of spectral bands can be both a blessing and a curse. It is known that for an accurate classification, the number of required training data increases exponentially with the number of spectral bands. When the data consists of many spectral bands, it is often not feasible to collect enough data for classification purposes, so dimensionality reduction methods, such as PPP, have been proposed for preprocessing hyperspectral data. in the past, PPP has been applied to remotely sensed hyperspectral data with the number of spectral bands being limited to /spl sim/200. In that work, it was shown that PPP can reduce the dimensionality form 100's to 10's, while maintaining class separation for target detection purposes. In this paper, the authors will build on previous research of PPP and investigate the feasibility of applying PPP to dat with 1000's of spectral bands. The data will be collected using an ASD spectroradiometer, Also, another dimensionality reduction algorithm, which is called the Best Spectral Band Combination (BSBC) using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves, is used to examine the reliability of the PPP algorithm.
Tracking objects and faces using color histograms enhanced with specularity detection

This paper presents a robust histogram based tracking algorithm that is capable of detecting specular highlights on objects or faces to be tracked. The materials with shiny and smooth surfaces such as car exterior, ceramics or glasses often exhibit specularities which are highly saturated regions in the image that are produced by mirrorlike reflections. Whenever confronted with such specular highlights on the target objects, the results of segmentation and tracking become inaccurate and unreliable. Speaking of real-time color object tracking, there are two major issues that are associated with such specular highlights. First issue is how to detect specular highlights suddenly appearing in the image sequence. Second one is how the detected specular highlights can be correspondingly considered to improve the tracking performance. In this paper, we describe our specularity detection method that can he applied to every pair of consecutive frames in the tracking sequence. Experimental results of two tracking systems: (1) with specularity detection and (2) without handling specularities are compared to show the improvement. This method has been successfully tested on multiple tracking tasks with monochromatic objects.
Immunohistochemical profiling of cytokeratin expression by endometrial stroma sarcoma

Endometrial stromal sarcomas can be confused with several neoplasms because of their inconsistent and widely varied morphologic appearance and frequent immunohistochemical expression of a variety of antigens including cytokeratin. The resulting diagnostic challenge becomes problematic particularly in the diagnosis of metastases resulting from such tumors. Because of the sometime epithelioid appearance of the tumor cells and their expression of cytokeratin, the metastases may be misdiagnosed as poorly differentiated carcinoma. We therefore studied the profile of cytokeratin proteins expression in 17 cases of endometrial stromal sarcomas using a panel of antibodies including cytokeratin cocktail antibody (AE1/AE 3), CK5/6, CK7, CK14, CK16, Cam5.2 (CK8), CK19, CK20, and 34Ebeta12 (CK1, 5, 10, and 14). Of the 17 cases, 8 (47%) stained positive with the cytokeratin cocktail antibody (AE1/AE 3). Of the 8 cases with cytokeratin expression, 5 (63%) stained positive with CK19, and 3 of them stained positive with Cam5.2. The 3 cases that stained positive with Cam5.2 also expressed CK19. Of the 5 cases with CK19, 1 was focally positive for CK5/6, CK7, and 34Ebeta12. None of the cases expressed CK14, CK16, or CK20. These results show that CK19 is most commonly expressed cytokeratin in endometrial stromal tumors. Hence, the inclusion of CK19 in the panel of immunostains may help resolve the diagnostic confusion created by keratin expression in endometrial stromal sarcoma and may also help in the correct diagnosis of endometrial stromal sarcoma at extrauterine sites.
A systematization of the Whorfian hypothesis

Interest in the Whorfian hypothesis—that the characteristics of a language have determining influences on cognitive processes—is increasing, not only among linguists and social anthropologists, but also among general semanticists, psychologists, social psychologists, and sociologists. Here is an interesting attempt by a social psychologist to systematize some of the work in this problem area, by proposing a double dichotomy which gives rise to a discussion of the hypothesis at four levels.
Material Characterization Of Methyl Siloxane Sogs

Methyl siloxane spin-on-glass (SOG) is a conventional gap-filling material. In accordance with the requirement of low permittivity, many of major SOG suppliers are developing new types of methyl siloxane SOGs. The most interesting property of these SOGs is their permittivity, which we measured by making stack structures of Al-0.5%Cu / TEOS CVD SiO2 / SOG / n+ Si. We also studied I-V characteristics, refractive indices, FT-IR spectra, stress, and moisture resistance. All of the SOGs showed small stress and fair moisture resistance. Leakage currents were less than 2.5E-10 A/cm2 for bias voltages up to 5V. Permittivities ranged from 2.9 to 3.6. We observed a correlation between permittivity and FT-IR spectral features associated with Si-O-Si bonds. Reducing the number density of Si-O-Si bonds may be an effective way to lower the permittivity of this class of SOGs
Short-wavelength bottom-emitting vertical-cavity lasers

Bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which emit through a transparent substrate have several advantages over conventional top-emitting lasers such as accessibility of the laser output at both facets, the ability to fashion optical elements such as lenses into the substrate, and the suitability of this structure to flip-chip bonding for hybrid microelectronic integration. Relatively-long-wavelength VCSELs are required to emit through a GaAs substrate. Currently, bottom-emitting VCSELs at shorter wavelengths appropriate for Si photodetectors rely upon etching deep via holes or removal of the GaAs substrate, both of which can compromise the underlying distributed Bragg reflector mirror. VCSELs at 850-nm grown directly on transparent AlGaAs substrates are to date inferior to those grown on GaAs substrates. We report high-performance 850-nm selectively oxidized VCSEL arrays bonded to GaP and AlGaAs transparent substrates using a simple wafer fusion process to enable emission through the substrate.