cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of water-soluble extract of tobacco smoke condensate on gibberellin-induced growth in dwarf peas

Abstract The effect of water-soluble extract of tobacco smoke condensate (TSC) was studied on the gibberellin-induced growth in dwarf pea plants. Four-day-old pea seedlings were treated with 10 μg of gibberellic acid (A3) and transferred to the various concentrations of TSC. The plants were allowed to grow for fourteen days. Thereafter, the height of plants was measured. With increasing concentrations of TSC, a progressive decline in height of the plants was observed. However, plants treated with TSC possessed the same number of nodes and were visibly as healthy as untreated seedlings.
On the linkages among density, flow, and bathymetry gradients at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay

Linkages among density, flow, and bathymetry gradients were explored at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay with underway measurements of density and flow profiles. Four tidal cycles were sampled along a transect that crossed the bay entrance during cruises in April–May of 1997 and in July of 1997. The April–May cruise coincided with neap tides, while the July cruise occurred during spring tides. The bathymetry of the bay entrance transect featured a broad Chesapeake Channel, 8 km wide and 17 m deep, and a narrow North Channel, 2 km wide and 14 m deep. The two channels were separated by an area with typical depths of 7 m. Linkages among flows, bathymetry, and water density were best established over the North Channel during both cruises. Over this channel, greatest convergence rates alternated from the left (looking into the estuary) slope of the channel during ebb to the right slope during flood as a result of the coupling between bathymetry and tidal flow through bottom friction. These convergences were linked to the strongest transverse shears in the along-estuary tidal flow and to the appearance of salinity fronts, most markedly during ebb periods. In the wide channel, the Chesapeake Channel, frontogenesis mechanisms over the northern slope of the channel were similar to those in the North Channel only in July, when buoyancy was relatively weak and tidal forcing was relatively strong. In April–May, when buoyancy was relatively large and tidal forcing was relatively weak, the recurrence of fronts over the same northern slope of the Chesapeake Channel was independent of the tidal phase. The distinct frontogenesis in the Chesapeake Channel during the increased buoyancy period was attributed to a strong pycnocline that insulated the surface tidal flow from the effects of bottom friction, which tends to decrease the strength of the tidal flow over relatively shallow areas.
Novel quantitative trait locus is mapped to chromosome 12p11 for left ventricular mass in Dominican families: the Family Study of Stroke Risk and Carotid Atherosclerosis

Left ventricular mass (LVM) is an important risk factor for stroke and vascular disease. The genetic basis of LVM is unclear although a high heritability has been suggested. We sought to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for LVM using large Dominican families. Probands were selected from Dominican subjects of the population-based Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS). LVM was measured by transthoracic echocardiography. A set of 405 microsatellite markers was used to screen the whole genome among 1360 subjects from 100 Dominican families who had complete phenotype data and DNA available. A polygenic covariate screening was run to identify the significant covariates. Variance components analysis was used to estimate heritability and to detect evidence for linkage, after adjusting for significant risk factors. Ordered-subset Analysis (OSA) was conducted to identify a more homogeneous subset for stratification analysis. LVM had a heritability of 0.58 in the studied population (p < 0.0001). The most significant evidence for linkage was found at chromosome 12p11 (MLOD = 3.11, empirical p = 0.0003) with peak marker at D12S1042. This linkage was significantly increased in a subset of families with the high average waist circumference (MLOD = 4.45, p = 0.0045 for increase in evidence for linkage). We mapped a novel QTL near D12S1042 for LVM in Dominicans. Enhanced linkage evidence in families with larger waist circumference suggests that gene(s) residing within the QTL interact(s) with abdominal obesity to contribute to phenotypic variation of LVM. Suggestive evidence for linkage (LOD = 1.99) has been reported at the same peak marker for left ventricular geometry in a White population from the HyperGEN study, underscoring the importance of this QTL for left ventricular phenotype. Further fine mapping and validation studies are warranted to identify the underpinning genes.
Virtualized welding: a new paradigm for tele-operated welding

We present a new mixed reality system that supports tele-operation of a welding robot. We create a 3D mockup of the welding pieces and use projector-based displays to visualize the welding process directly on the 3D display. Multi-cameras are used to capture both the welding environment and the operator's motion. The welder can therefore monitor and control the welding process as if the welding is on the mock-up, which provides proper spatial and 3D cues. We evaluated our system with a number of control tasks and the results shows the effectiveness of our system as compared to traditional alternatives.
Validation of Annulus Formation in Otoliths of Notchlip Redhorse (Moxostoma collapsum) and Brassy Jumprock (Moxostoma sp.) in Broad River, South Carolina, with Observations on their Growth and Mortality

Abstract Moxostoma collapsum (Notchlip Redhorse) and the undescribed Moxostoma sp. (Brassy Jumprock) form a large component of the fish assemblage in the Broad River, SC, but little is known about their population characteristics, nor has an aging method been validated for either species. We validate that one annulus is formed each year in the lapillus otolith of the two species and identify spring as the period of annulus formation, using chemical marking and marginal increment analyses, respectively. Notchlip Redhorse and Brassy Jumprock are long-lived, with observed maximum estimated ages of 17 and 21, respectively. Both species grow quickly during their first few years; little growth occurs after age 7. Instantaneous total mortality of each species was low (Z ≤ 0.35), suggesting there is little exploitation of either species in the Broad River, SC.
Cell cycle progression is associated with distinct patterns of phosphorylation of Op18.

Op18 is a highly conserved major cytosolic phosphoprotein which has been implicated in signal transduction in a wide variety of cell types. Freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) constitutively express low levels of mostly unphosphorylated Op18. Following mitogenic stimulation of PBL, Op18 synthesis is induced at a time when cells are entering S-phase. In this study we have characterized Op18 phosphorylation during progression of freshly isolated PBL through the cell cycle. Transition from G0 to G1 following activation with OKT3 was associated with an increase in a phosphorylated form designated Op18c. Progression of cells through G1 into S resulted in an increase in phosphorylated Op18 forms, designated Op18a and Op18b, which paralleled new Op18 synthesis. Transition of cells into G2+M resulted in the appearance of the more acidic phosphorylated forms Op18d and Op18e. Calphostin C, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C, dramatically decreased all forms of phosphorylated Op18 in OKT3 treated Jurkat cells. Our results suggest that Op18 phosphorylation is mediated in part by PKC activation as well as by other kinases yielding different phosphorylated forms at specific stages of the cell cycle.
Brief morning light treatment for sleep/wake disturbances in older memory-impaired individuals and their caregivers

Background Scheduled exposure to bright light (phototherapy) has been used, with varying degrees of success, to treat sleep disruption in older individuals. Most of these studies have been done in institutional settings and have used several hours of daily light exposure. Such a regimen in the home setting may be untenable, especially when the individual with the sleep disruption has memory impairment and is being cared for by a family member. As such, we examined the effectiveness of a “user-friendly” phototherapy protocol that would be readily usable in the home environment.
The Annals of Tacitus: Book 11

Book 4 of Tacitus' Annals, described by Sir Ronald Syme as 'the best that Tacitus ever wrote', covers the years AD 23–28, the pivotal period in the principate of the emperor Tiberius. Under the malign influence of Sejanus, the henchman who duped him and was loaded with honours, Tiberius withdrew to the island of Capri and was never again seen in Rome, where the treason trials engendered an atmosphere of terror. The volume presents a new text of Book 4, as well as a full commentary on the text, covering textual, literary, linguistic and historical matters. The introduction discusses the relationship between Tacitus and Sallust. The volume completes the sequence which began with commentary on Books 1 and 2 of the Annals by F. R. D. Goodyear (1972, 1981) and was continued by commentary on Book 3 by A. J. Woodman and R. H. Martin (1996) and on Books 5-6 by A. J. Woodman (2016).
Effects of sodium cyanide and nicotine on upper airway resistance in anesthetized dogs.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether pharmacologic interventions which increase respiratory drive could also reduce flow resistance in the upper airway. Studies were performed in twelve anesthetized supine dogs. In six animals breathing spontaneously through the intact upper airway, intravenous administration of respiratory stimulants (sodium cyanide and nicotine) produced a dose-related decrease in upper airway resistance. In nine animals, upper airway resistance was measured across the isolated upper airway. The stimulants produced a dose-related decrease in upper airway resistance. In both preparations inspiratory resistance fell at lower doses than expiratory resistance. Eventually a dose could be given which resulted in comparable, minimal values of resistance during both inspiration and expiration. Mechanisms for changes in resistance were clarified using lateral radiographs of the neck and transbronchoscopic views of the upper airway. Pharmacologic challenge resulted in a change in the route of airflow (from nose only to nose-and-mouth breathing) as well as a change in caliber of the airway at the level of the naso-pharynx and hyoid apparatus. In anesthetized dogs, respiratory stimulants will decrease upper airway resistance by increasing activation of upper airway muscles which may enlarge the airway, change the route of flow, and thus overcoming collapsing forces produced by increased chest wall muscle activation.
Rent-seeking and market structure: Comment

If the firms in an industry are to be successful in raising money to influence government, two conditions must be met: (1) there must be sufficient rents available from government decisions regarding that industry to make such expenditures worthwhile, and (2) the industry must be sufficiently concentrated to avoid a free-rider problem in fund-raising. This argument, though seemingly intuitively appealing, has been under recent empirical attack; this paper seeks to restore the parapets.
The First Colonial Empire: Egypt in Nubia, 3200–1200 B.C.

A century ago the phrases “darkest Africa” and “the dark continent” were encountered often in European and American literature. The darkness, one would suppose, was in the minds of the writers, signifying their general ignorance of African geography and ethnography. Yet I doubt if many who spoke of darkest Africa thought of it in quite those terms. For most of them, the darkness was in the minds of the Africans themselves; a metaphor for their moral backwardness and for their ignorance of the higher arts of civilization. African darkness thus contrasted with European and American enlighten-ment—and the contrast provided moral justification for Europe's mission civilisatrice .
Protein Prosthesis: 1,5-Disubstituted-[1,2,3]-triazoles as cis-Peptide Bond Surrogates

Proline is unique among the natural amino acids in the similar propensity of its peptide bond to be in the cis or trans conformation. This attribute affects many processes, including the rate at which proteins fold, their structures, and their activities. Other aliphatic amino acids can serve as mimics for proline residues with trans peptide bonds. In contrast, chemical synthesis is needed to create surrogates for cis prolyl peptide bonds. Here, 1,5-disubstituted-[1,2,3]-triazoles were assessed as cis-peptide bond surrogates. Huisgen’s 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of amino alkynes and azido acids and a Ru(II) catalyst were used to synthesize a variety of Xaa–1,5-triazole-Ala modules in moderate-to-high yields. Two of these modules, along with their 1,4-triazole regioisomers, were installed in a turn region of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease by using expressed protein ligation. The resulting semisynthetic enzymes displayed full enzymatic activity, indicating the maintenance of native structure. The 1,5-triazole surrogates instilled conformational stability that was comparable to that of Xaa–cis-Pro segments, whereas the 1,4-triazoles conferred markedly less stability. The stability conferred by both surrogates was independent of the Xaa residue, eliminating an uncertainty in protein design. We conclude that Xaa–1,5-triazole-Ala modules can serve as viable mimics of Xaa–cis-Pro segments. The possibility of synthesizing this surrogate by the ligation of fragments in situ and the emergence of biocompatible catalysts for that process portends its widespread use.
Perceived Strategy Use During Performance On Three Authentic Listening Comprehension Tasks

In order for learners to acquire a foreign language they must be motivated and use strategies effectively to understand “authentic” aural input. This study offers some insight into the strategies students perceive they use while performing an authentic listening comprehension task and the relationship between their strategy use and listening ability. Eighty-three university students registered for first-, second-, third-, and fourth-semester Spanish participated in two data gathering sessions. In the first session, they took the Listening Comprehension section of the Spanish Advanced Placement Exam (1984). In the second session, they executed recall tasks on three authentic video programs and then completed a strategy questionnaire. The first-semester students perceived themselves to be the most strategic listeners and outperformed the second-semester students on all three recall tasks; they were followed by the combined third- and-fourth-semester students and then by the second-semester students, who perceived themselves to be the least strategic listeners and consistently produced the lowest scores on the recall tasks.
A Quality Index Based on Data Depth and Multivariate Rank Tests

Let F and G be the distribution functions of two given populations on Rp, p ≥ 1. We introduce and study a Parameter Q = Q(F, G), which measures the Overall “outlyingness” of population G relative to population F. The Parameter Q can be defined using any concept of data depth. Its value ranges from 0 to 1, and is .5 when F and G are identical. We show that within the dass of elliptical distributions when G departs from F in location or G has a larger spread, or both, the value of Q dwindles down from .5. Hence Q can be used to detect the loss of accuracy or precision of a manufacturing process, and thus it should serve as an important measure in quality assurance. This in fact is the reason why we refer to Q as a quality index in this article. In addition to studying the properties of Q, we provide an exact rank test for testing Q = .5 vs. Q < .5. This can be viewed as a multivariate analog of Wilcoxon's rank sum test. The tests proposed here have power against location change and scale increase simultaneo...
A comparison of ion and atom behavior in the first stage of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer vacuum interface: Evidence of the effect of an ambipolar electric field

Abstract Velocities of argon atoms and calcium ions were measured in the first vacuum stage of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer using high-resolution laser-excited fluorescence spectroscopy. The calcium ions reached terminal velocities in the supersonic expansion that were consistently 5–6% higher than those of argon atoms, despite minimal differences in the masses of the two species. A computational model of the expansion was developed that shows the development of an ambipolar electric field along the expansion axis. With reasonable assumptions about electron temperatures in the expansion, the model accounts for the differences between the terminal velocities of the neutral argon atoms and the singly-charged calcium ions.
Faceted navigation and browsing features in new OPACs: A more robust solution to problems of information seekers?

At the end of 2005, impending digitization efforts and several developments related to the creation of access and discovery tools for informational and cultural objects resulted in a series of responses that continue to ripple throughout the library, museum and archive communities. These developments have broad implications for all three communities because of the goals shared by each in the creation of description, control and enhanced access to informational and cultural objects. This position paper will consider new implementations of faceted navigation and browsing features in online catalogs. It is also a response to challenges to develop interwoven approaches to the study of information seeking and the design and implementation of search and discovery systems. Urgently needed during this time of experimentation, development and implementation is a framework for system evaluation and critical analysis of needed and missing features that is grounded in traditional principles, borne out by practice. Such a framework could extend feature analysis protocols established during the early years of online catalog development.
Familial mixed tumors of the parotid gland.

Background. The most common neoplasm of the parotid gland is the pleomorphic adenoma. The familial occurrence of such tumors arising within the parotid gland is rare, with only 3 previous reports in the literature. Bilateral synchronous pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland are also uncommon. We report 2 siblings with pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland, 1 of whom had bilateral synchronous mixed tumors. Patients and Methods. Chromosomal analysis of tumor cells from the sibling with bilateral adenomas revealed the translocation t(3;12)(p21;q15). Chromosome 12q breakpoints have previously been identified in a wide variety of solid tumors including pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland. Conclusions. We discuss bilateral mixed tumors, familial parotid tumors, and the potential for a genetic predisposition for the recurrence of such parotid tumors, as suggested by characteristic chromosomal translocations associated with mixed tumors.
Charter Schools and Student Achievement in Florida.

Abstract I utilize longitudinal data covering all public school students in Florida to study the performance of charter schools and their competitive impact on traditional public schools. Controlling for student-level fixed effects, I find achievement initially is lower in charters. However, by their fifth year of operation new charter schools reach a par with the average traditional public school in math and produce higher reading achievement scores than their traditional public school counterparts. Among charters, those targeting at-risk and special education students demonstrate lower student achievement, while charter schools managed by for-profit entities peform no differently on average than charters run by nonprofits. Controlling for preexisting traditional public school quality, competition from charter schools is associated with modest increases in math scores and unchanged reading scores in nearby traditional public schools.
Sensitivity analysis for time dependent problems: optimal checkpoint-recompute HPC workflows

Sensitivity analysis (SA) is a fundamental tool of uncertainty quantification(UQ). Adjoint-based SA is the optimal approach in many large-scale applications, such as the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of combustion. However, one of the challenges of the adjoint workflow for time-dependent applications is the storage and I/O requirements for the application state. During the time-reversal portion of the workflow, forward state is required in last-in-first-out order. The resulting requirements for storage at exascale are enormous. To mitigate this requirement, application state is regenerated from checkpoints over short windows of application time. This approach drastically reduces the total volume of stored data, allows the caching of state in the regeneration window in memory and on local SSDs, may accelerate the application execution by reducing output frequency, and reduces the power overhead from I/O. We explore variations to this workflow, applied to a proxy for the SA of turbulent combustion, by varying checkpoint number, state storage, and other regeneration options to find efficient implementations for minimizing compute time or power consumption.
Biochemical evidence of asymptomatic vitamin B12 deficiency in children after ileal resection for necrotizing enterocolitis

Les dosages realises, chez 25 survivants d'une resection ileale pour enterocolite necrosante neonatale, entre 2 et 12 ans, montrent l'importance d'un suivi attentif a la recherche d'un deficit en vitamine B 12 dans ces cas, meme au-dela de la puberte. Le dosage serique de l'homocysteine et de l'acide methylmalonique peut servir de marqueur des cas asymptomatiques
A GRASP based algorithm for multi-constraint circuit partitioning

We study the circuit partitioning problem with area and delay constraints to optimize the circuit performance. We integrate delay constraints into the greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP), so that GRASP can be used to deal with delay problems. The GRASP with area and delay constraints can generate better initial partitions. Then the initial partition is iteratively improved by an extended FM algorithm. Finally we obtain the partition satisfying area and delay constraints. Our hybrid algorithm can solve bi-partition with area and delay constraints successfully. The experimental results indicate that, compared with FM algorithm and clustering algorithm, our hybrid algorithm improves the solution quality in a reasonable computational time, and obtains a better partition, especially in terms of the minimum cut-size and the average cut-size.
Likelihoods from summary statistics: Recent divergence between species

We describe an importance-sampling method for approximating likelihoods of population parameters based on multiple summary statistics. In this first application, we address the demographic history of closely related members of the Drosophila pseudoobscura group. We base the maximum-likelihood estimation of the time since speciation and the effective population sizes of the extant and ancestral populations on the pattern of nucleotide variation at DPS2002, a noncoding region tightly linked to a paracentric inversion that strongly contributes to reproductive isolation. Consideration of summary statistics rather than entire nucleotide sequences permits a compact description of the genealogy of the sample. We use importance sampling first to propose a genealogical and mutational history consistent with the observed array of summary statistics and then to correct the likelihood with the exact probability of the history determined from a system of recursions. Analysis of a subset of the data, for which recursive computation of the exact likelihood was feasible, indicated close agreement between the approximate and exact likelihoods. Our results for the complete data set also compare well with those obtained through Metropolis-Hastings sampling of fully resolved genealogies of entire nucleotide sequences.
Effects of Type of Postage and Covering Envelope on Response Rates in a Mail Survey

Two variables thought to influence return rates for mail surveys, type of covering envelope (plain or university printed) and type of return envelope (postage stamp or business reply) produced no statistically significant differences in return rates. Therefore, anticipated response rates and cost-effectiveness become important considerations when choosing methods for mail survey.
Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Nutrients and Nutritional Value of Poultry By‐product Meals for Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Measured in vivo Using Settlement

Fish meal production is not growing worldwide, therefore, it is important to search for alternative protein sources. Three types of poultry by-product meals (feed grade, prime, and refined) and two fish meals (herring and menhaden) were mixed into a casein-gelatin purified reference diet at 30% to measure apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. A total of 90 fish (initial mean body weight 294.6 ± 10.7 g) were stocked into six 140-L fiberglass digestibility tanks at 15 fish per tank. Individual tanks were assigned randomly to each of the five experimental diets and the reference diet. Fecal collection by settlement lasted for 2 wk. Feces collected in each week represented a replicate, and they were analyzed separately. The ADCs of nutrients for herring meal, menhaden meal, feed grade poultry by-product meal, prime poultry by-product meal, and refined poultry by-product meal were: dry matter, 81.3, 70.9, 70.9, 71.5, and 74.5%, respectively (P= 0.0168); crude protein, 89.8, 85.8, 83.1, 84.8, and 87.1%, respectively (P= 0.0032); crude fat, 91.5, 90.7, 79.7, 82.7, and 79.9%, respectively (P= 0.0004); ash, 76.6, 66.2, 74.1, 77.4, and 79.6%, respectively (P = 0.2880); phosphorus, 58.2, 46.9, 49.4, 45.8, and 56.0%, respectively (P = 0.0143); gross energy, 88.2, 84.0, 81.9, 83.4, and 79.8%, respectively (P= 0.2466). Significant differences in ADCs of essential amino acid existed only for arginine, leucine, and tryptophan when comparing refined poultry by-product meal with herring meal. Results showed that refined poultry by-product meal had similar ADC values to herring meal, thus, it has a similar nutritional value and can replace portions of herring meal in rainbow trout feeds. Furthermore, differences exist in ADC values among grades of poultry by-product meals that should dictate appropriate use levels in rainbow trout feeds.
The chemical composition of the litter and soil in a community of Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana

The leaves, litter, and soil from within a community of Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana were analyzed for secondary metabolic products. Methacrolein, five monterpenes, three sesquiterpene lactones, six coumarins, and one flavonoid were identified in the leaves; the contents of the litter were nearly identical. Soils collected directly beneath the shrubs contained the three sesquiterpene lactones, two coumarins and an unknown flavonoid. The litter and water extracts of the litter inhibited the germination of sagebrush seeds. Soils charged with monoterpenes from sagebrush leaves also inhibited seed germination. In addition, the monoterpene contents from eight sagebrush taxa collected from Western Montana are reported.
DIOECY AND A REEVALUATION OF LEPIDOCORDIA AND ANTROPHORA (BORAGINACEAE: EHRETIOIDEAE).

The close relationship between two monotypic genera, Lepidocordia from northern South America, and Antrophora from Central America, is reevaluated in light of numerous recent collections. It was discovered that Lepidocordiapunctata andAntrophora williamsii are dioecious and each species appears to have two floral morphs, pistillate and staminate. The original descriptions of L. punctata and of A. williamsii were based on very limited collections that represented only opposite morphs, thus creating an exaggerated and artificial distinction between the two genera. New data from leaf architecture, pollen morphology, and fruit anatomy, as well as this distinctive breeding system, support their congeneric treatment. Antrophora is reduced to Lepidocordia, and A. williamsii now becomes L. williamsii. Lepidocordia is best retained in the Ehretioideae, but it and Rochefortia (3 spp) are the only dioecious genera in this subfamily, and thus quite distinct. LEPIDOCORDIA was established by A. Ducke (1925) with a single species, L. punctata Ducke, based on three collections from the same locality in northeastern Brazil; he assigned the new genus to the subfamily Ehretioideae. Antrophora was established by Johnston (1950) with a single species, Antrophora williamsii I. M. Johnston from two collections from Nicaragua. Johnston noted the similarities between Antrophora and Lepidocordia and placed both in the Ehretioideae but acknowledged that they shared features with the genera of the Heliotropioideae. Studies of the Boraginaceae associated with the treatments for the Flora de Nicaragua (Miller, in press) and Flora of the Venezuelan Guyana (Miller, in preparation) prompted a reevaluation of Lepidocordia and Antrophora. Both genera remained poorly known until recently, when additional new collections representing a wider geographical range became available. It was discovered that L. punctata and A. williamsii are in fact dioecious with two morphs, and that the former species was described from three staminate collections while the latter was described from a single pistillate specimen. The floral dimorphism is discussed in detail under floral morphology. If generic
Responding to Garde's Letter to the Editor

Garde is correct that urban form is a general term and experienced in many different ways, at different times, by different people. But urban form is a precise physical construction. It has very re...
Free-ion yield and electron-ion recombination rate in liquid xenon

Abstract A recently proposed re-encounter model for free-ion yeild at low-LET is applied to liquid xenon. For an initial electron-ion separation given by the thermalization distance (≈ 4000–5000 nm), good agreement with measured escape probability is obtained for an encounter recombination probability ≈0.01–0.03. Analysis of homogeneous recombination at low external fields places the electron-ion recombination rate in the range of (4.0–8.5) × 10 15 M −1 s −1 .
An overview of V/STOL aircraft development

In reviewing the years of aviation development, it can be seen that vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) flight was considered before conventional fixed-wing operations. However, it has been difficult to develop a VTOL capability. The present investigation is concerned with a review of the historical development of VTOL aircraft, taking into account lessons learned from a selected group of concepts. Attention is given to the Flying Bedsteads, the tail-sitter designs, the Air Test Vehicle (ATV) and X-14 aircraft, the SC-1, the XV-3 tilt-rotor aircraft, the VZ3-RY deflected slipstream, the X-18 tilt wing, the VZ-2 tilt wing, the VZ-4 ducted fan, the Harrier, the XV-4A (Hummingbird), the Forger, and the XV-15 advanced tilt rotor.
Canadian medical tourism companies that have exited the marketplace: Content analysis of websites used to market transnational medical travel

Background Medical tourism companies play an important role in promoting transnational medical travel for elective, out-of-pocket medical procedures. Though researchers are paying increasing attention to the global phenomenon of medical tourism, to date websites of medical tourism companies have received limited scrutiny. This article analyzes websites of Canadian medical tourism companies that advertised international healthcare but ultimately exited the marketplace. Using content analysis of company websites as an investigative tool, the article provides a detailed account of medical tourism companies that were based in Canada but no longer send clients to international health care facilities.
Two independent mechanisms of induction of 2':3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase in glioma cells by cyclic AMP and high cell density.

Abstract Specific activity of the myelin enzyme, 2′:3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.37), increases 2- to 10-fold when sparsely inoculated cultures of C 6 rat glioma cells are allowed to grow to high cell density. Cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase specific activity is also induced in C 6 cells and in oligodendrocytes by dibutyryl cyclic AMP or by agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP. In this report, we have compared the density-dependent induction of cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase activity with the cyclic AMP-dependent induction. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP induced cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase specific activity in both sparse and dense cultures which had very different density-dependent cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase activities. Induction of both cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase specific activity and intracellular cyclic AMP content by norepinephrine also occurred to a similar degree in sparse and dense cultures. Similar results were obtained for several clones of C 6 cells, and for a clone of oligodendrocyte x C 6 cell hybrids. Induction of cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase by norepinephrine or dibutyryl cyclic AMP was not due to a change in cell density or rate of cell proliferation, nor did cell density have any appreciable effect on cyclic AMP content of the cells. These results show that regulation of cyclic-nucleotide phosphohydrolase activity in C 6 cells involves two distinct mechanisms.
Star Formation as a Cosmological Probe

We discuss the cosmological dependence of the star formation history of the universe, within the framework of a very simple semianalytic model, where star formation occurs within the virialized cores of dark matter halos, at a rate which is primarily governed by the rate of matter infall into the halo core. Our model is extremely simple, contains a number of uncertain features, and cannot be expected to predict detailed properties of the galaxy distribution. In spite of these great uncertainties, we find that at sufficiently high redshifts fundamental differences between cosmologies (and not uncertainties in the star formation model) are the dominant factor determining star formation history. Consequently, we argue that observations of star-forming galaxies at high redshift (z > 5) with telescopes such as the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) can provide a powerful probe of cosmology.
Intergenerational comparison of education attainment and implications for empowerment of women in rural Kenya

An intergenerational comparison of education attainment and empowerment across two generations of Kenyan rural women population was undertaken. The study employed a longitudinal analysis of quantitative data derived from the Demographic and Health Survey databases. The survey captures relevant demographic background on the two generations of women. The study undertakes to compare the education attainment and empowerment outcome measures of socioeconomic status, household size, and fertility rates between the two cohorts of women. It also contrasts the experience of the women who accessed education in the era characterized by the welfare state (1989 cohort) with those who came of age in the austerity years of neoliberalism (2008/2009 cohort). The research established that the majority of women in both cohorts had limited access to education. However, women who accessed more education were more likely to show characteristics of empowered individuals – they had smaller households, fewer children, and were re...
Slurry-phase chlorination of iron pyrite in aqueous and organic media

Abstract The mechanism and the kinetics of chlorination of iron pyrite in aqueous and organic solvents were studied in a slurry reactor. The reaction in organic solvents was found to be mass-transfer limited because of the low solubility of the reaction products in the organic phase. Aqueous chlorination of iron pyrite, on the other hand, was observed to be a highly exothermic, quantitative reaction, which could be described by first-order kinetics with a low activation energy of 26.7 kJ mol−1.
WE‐C‐213AB‐01: How to Prepare for the ABR Therapy Oral Exam

Preparing for Part III (Oral Exam) of the ABR Therapy Physics boards is more than just studying as much material as possible. There will always be material that is missed and gaps in one's knowledge. Therefore, in order to fill those gaps, it is crucial to understand how the parts of the material relate to each other and to the clinical experience. Part III presents its own challenges compared to the written exams. It requires not only knowledge of and experience with clinical procedures, but also the ability to explain orally how they are performed and what they mean. One must be able to easily and confidently respond to oral questions about all aspects of working in the clinic and clearly explain why those clinical methods and procedures are performed that way. This talk is not a comprehensive review of all required study material. Instead, it focuses on the required experiences, skill sets, and study methods that are needed to pass Part III of the board exam. Learning Objectives: 1. Generate a list of clinical experiences needed for the exam 2. Understand how the study material and clinical experiences relate to each other 3. Learn how to effectively prepare for an oral style exam
VHL type 2B mutations retain VBC complex form and function.

Background von Hippel-Lindau disease is characterized by a spectrum of hypervascular tumors, including renal cell carcinoma, hemangioblastoma, and pheochromocytoma, which occur with VHL genotype-specific differences in penetrance. VHL loss causes a failure to regulate the hypoxia inducible factors (HIF-1α and HIF-2α), resulting in accumulation of both factors to high levels. Although HIF dysregulation is critical to VHL disease-associated renal tumorigenesis, increasing evidence points toward gradations of HIF dysregulation contributing to the degree of predisposition to renal cell carcinoma and other manifestations of the disease.
Dynamic response of frameworks by numerical laplace transform

Abstract A general method for determining the dynamic response of complex three-dimensional frameworks to dynamic shocks, wind forces or earthquake excitations is presented. The method consists of formulating and solving the dynamic problem in the Laplace transform domain by the finite element method and of obtaining the response by a numerical inversion of the transformed solution. The formulation is based on the exact solution of the transformed governing equation of motion of a beam element, and it consequently leads to the exact solution of the problem. Flexural, axial and torsional motion of the framework members are considered. The effects of damping (external viscous or internal viscoelastic), axial forces on bending, rotatory inertia and shear deformation on the dynamic response are also taken into account. Numerical examples to illustrate the method and demonstrate its merits are presented.
ED Crowding Is Associated with Variable Perceptions of Care Compromise

Abstract Objectives: The authors measured the association between emergency department (ED) crowding andpatient and provider perceptions about whether patient care was compromised.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients admitted from the ED and their providers. Surveys ofpatients, nurses, and resident physicians were linked. The primary outcome was agreement or strongagreement on a ﬁve-item scale assessing whether ED crowding compromised care. Logistic regressionwas used to determine the association between the primary outcome and measures of ED crowding.Results: Of 741 patients approached, 644 patients consented (87%); 703 resident physician surveys (95%)and 716 nursing surveys (97%) were completed. A total of 106 patients (16%), 86 residents (12%), and173 nurses (24%) reported that care was compromised by ED crowding. In 252 cases (35%), one ormore respondents reported that care was compromised. There was poor agreement over whose carewas compromised. For patients, independent predictors of compromised care were waiting room time(odds ratio [OR], 1.05 for each additional 10-minute wait [95% conﬁdence interval {CI} = 1.02 to 1.09])and being surveyed in a hallway bed (OR, 2.02 [95% CI = 1.12 to 3.68]). Predictors of compromised carefor nurses included waiting room time (OR, 1.05 for each additional 10-minute wait [95% CI = 1.01 to1.08]), number of patients in the waiting room (OR, 1.05 for each additional patient waiting [95% CI =1.02 to 1.07]), and number of admitted patients waiting for an inpatient bed (OR, 1.08 for each additionalpatient [95% CI = 1.03 to 1.12]). For residents, predictors of compromised care were patient/nurse ratio(OR, 1.39 for a one-unit increase [95% CI = 1.09 to 1.20]) and number of admitted patients waiting for aninpatient bed (OR, 1.14 for each additional patient [95% CI = 1.10 to 1.75]).Conclusions: ED crowding is associated with perceptions of compromised emergency care. There is con-siderable variability among nurses, patients, and resident physicians over which factors are associated withcompromised care, whose care was compromised, and how care was compromised.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2007; 14:1176–1181 a 2007 by the Society for Academic EmergencyMedicineKeywords: emergency department crowding, quality of care, administration, patient satisfaction
An integrated platform for reliable multicast support in the regional mobile-IP environment

Supporting reliable delivery of multicast datagrams, in IP networks, may necessitate the introduction of new elements and features. Further, considerable additional signaling may be required to support this service. Providing a platform that efficiently supports IP multicast delivery, in an environment where the multicast group members frequently change their locations, is a challenge for systems supporting mobility. In this paper, we describe a platform that allows the application of an internal reliable multicast delivery scheme in the regional registration mobile-IP domain. The proposed datagram local delivery scheme allows interoperability with other external reliable multicast protocols. The described platform capitalizes on existing elements that support the multicast service, avoiding the introduction of new elements. Additional signaling messages are minimized, taking advantage of the inherent characteristics of local registration structure. We identify schemes to retrieve datagrams lost due to links congestion, host mobility and agent failure. Aggregated and expedited retransmission request types are introduced to achieve better performance in responding to datagrams loss events. A simple adaptive flow control scheme is considered to take advantage of the characteristics associated with the regional registration environment. Also, aspects of the reliable delivery support that can be leveraged to provide QoS are demonstrated. Performance aspects such as average delay in retrieving lost datagrams and the effect on the multicast source are demonstrated under different conditions, using simulation.
Visualization of human retinal capillary networks: a comparison of intensity, speckle-variance and phase-variance optical coherence tomography

We evaluate methods to visualize human retinal micro-circulation in vivo by standard intensity-based optical coherence tomography (OCT), speckle-variance optical coherence tomography (svOCT), and phase-variance optical coherence tomography (pvOCT). En face projection views created from the same volumetric data set of the human retina using all three data processing methods are created and compared. Additionally we used support vector machine (SVM) based semi-automatic segmentation to generate en face projection views of individual retinal layers. The layers include: first, the whole inner retina (from the nerve fiber layer to the outer nuclear layer), and second, from the ganglion cell layer to the outer nuclear layer. Finally, we compare the retinal vasculature images processed from the three OCT techniques and fluorescein angiography (FA).
Multilayer graphene nanoribbon floating gate transistor for flash memory

Floating gate transistor is the basic building block of nonvolatile flash memory, which is one of the most widely used memory gadgets in modern micro and nano electronic applications. As silicon based integrated circuit technologies are approaching the limits of scaling, carbon based nanoelectronic devices are emerging as the future platform for low power, low cost, high performance and environment friendly circuits and systems. In this paper, a new concept of carbon nanostructure based floating gate transistor is presented. We have demonstrated a design using multilayer graphene nanoribbon (MLGNR) as the channel material and carbon nanotube (CNT) as the floating gate in the floating gate transistor. We have performed analysis of the charge accumulation mechanism in the floating gate and its dependence on the applied terminal voltages. We have observed that the proposed floating gate transistor can be operated at a much lower voltage compared to the conventional silicon based floating gate devices.
FORAGING-PATCH USE AND WITHIN-PATCH DIET SELECTIVITY IN MOURNING DOVES, ZENAIDA MACROURA

Past studies of foraging-patch exploitation among granivorous animals largely have focused on mammals, so we sought to test patch-use strategies in an avian granivore, the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura). Based on available experimental evidence and existing food habits/selection information, we hypothesized that Mourning Doves use a fixed-time patch departure strategy and an expanding specialist within-patch diet-selection strategy (specialization at high resource densities but generalization at low densities). We tested predictions based on these hypotheses and selected alternatives in three outdoor aviary experiments. Mourning Doves failed to equalize food giving-up densities (GUDs; food densities at the point of patch departure) between rich and poor patches, and no indirect interactions took place between multiple foods in patches. The ratio of GUDs between rich and poor patches equaled the ratio of initial food densities. Neither selectivity among, nor ratio of GUDs between, multiple foods varied with degree of patch exploitation. Results of all experiments supported a fixed-time patch-departure strategy among Mourning Doves; this may be a general pattern among open area-foraging avian granivores. A fixed-time strategy in this guild may indicate inability to assess patch resource density, possibly due to lack of olfactory capabilities or to a constant rate of seed intake at most seed densities. Results did not completely support an expanding specialist diet-selection strategy, but this strategy seems a more likely cause of partial diet preferences than does an alternative mechanism, a generalist strategy with unequal encounter rates.
Slip, twinning, and fracture in hexagonal close-packed metals

The role of deformation twinning in fracture of hexagonal close-packed metals is reviewed from a theoretical point of view. Strength and ductility are correlated with the intrinsic physical and metallurgical variables. The importance of c + a slip and of both “tension” and “compression” twins as independent modes for a generalized polycrystalline deformation is emphasized. Effects of slip-twin and twin-twin interactions on crack initiation and high-order twinning are reviewed. The competitive role of twin nucleationvs crack initiation is discussed. Shortcomings of our current understanding of the role of twinning are indicated, and some futher studies are recommended.