cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yield and Nutritive Value of Forage Bermudagrasses Grown Using Subsurface Drip Irrigation in the Southern High Plains

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) for- ages are potential alternatives to traditional row cropping in the Southern High Plains. Early per- sistence of certain bermudagrass selections and economic potential and nutritive value of known, improved cultivars in semiarid West Texas are uncertain. A 2-yr study was conducted to evalu- ate hay productivity and nutritive value of 10 cultivars and two selections of bermudagrass grown with subsurface drip irrigation. Grasses were irrigated with 312 mm of water from 1 May through 31 August in 2002 and 2003. Precipita- tion amounts during the growing season (May- September) were 195 and 184 mm for 2002 and 2003, respectively. 'Tifton 85' yielded the highest total annual biomass (20.4 Mg ha −1 ) and resulted in high irrigation water use effi ciency (IWUE; 65.2 kg ha −1 mm −1 ). 'World Feeder' and 'Macho' performed poorly with respect to yield when compared with the other 10 grasses. Although Tifton 85 exhibited high acid detergent fi ber (ADF; 349 g kg −1 ) and low total nonstruc- tural carbohydrates (TNC; 93 g kg −1 ), in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) was greatest (622 g kg −1 ) when contrasted with the mean of all other cultivars. Yields were similar for sprigged and seeded types. Results indicate that several bermudagrass cultivars maintained high yields and adequate nutrition 2 yr after establishment and, based on IWUE, may be an economically sound alternative to the existing cotton (Gossy- pium hirsutum L.) monoculture in the region.
Microwave generation with low residual phase noise from a femtosecond fiber laser with an intracavity electro-optic modulator

Low phase-noise microwave generation has previously been demonstrated using self-referenced frequency combs to divide down a low noise optical reference. We demonstrate an approach based on a fs Er-fiber laser that avoids the complexity of self-referenced stabilization of the offset frequency. Instead, the repetition rate of the femtosecond Er-fiber laser is phase locked to two cavity-stabilized cw fiber lasers that span 3.74 THz by use of an intracavity electro-optic modulator with over 2 MHz feedback bandwidth. The fs fiber laser effectively divides the 3.74 THz difference signal to produce microwave signals at harmonics of the repetition rate. Through comparison of two identical dividers, we measure a residual phase noise on a 1.5 GHz carrier of -120 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset.
Modal expansions and nonperturbative quantum field theory in Minkowski space

We introduce a spectral approach to non-perturbative field theory within the periodic field formalism. As an example we calculate the real and imaginary parts of the propagator in 1+1 dimensional phi^4 theory, identifying both one-particle and multi-particle contributions. We discuss the computational limits of existing diagonalization algorithms and suggest new quasi-sparse eigenvector methods to handle very large Fock spaces and higher dimensional field theories.
Evaluation of vaginal electrical resistance as an indicator of follicular maturity and suitability for timed artificial insemination in beef cows subjected to a synchronization of ovulation protocol.

Abstract Objectives were to test the hypothesis that vaginal electrical resistance (VER) could be used to identify cows without a large ( n = 233) were synchronized with the CO-Synch + CIDR protocol that consisted of a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert and i.m. injection of GnRH (GnRH-1; 100 μg) on day 0, removal of CIDR and i.m. injection of prostaglandin F2α (PGF; 25 mg) on day 7, and i.m. injection of GnRH (GnRH-2, 100 μg) and TAI 66 h after CIDR removal (day 10). Vaginal electrical resistance was determined with a commercially available device (Ovascan; Animark Inc., Aurora, CO) at days 0, 7, and 10. Transrectal ultrasonography was used on day 10 to assess ovarian morphology at TAI in all cattle and in a subset of females ( n = 98) on days 0 and 7. Mean (±S.E.M.) age, body condition score (BCS), BW and days postpartum were 7.2 ± 0.3 years, 5.2 ± 0.1, 538 ± 5.3 kg, and 77 ± 1.1 days, respectively. Mean VER (Ω) was greatest (101.4 ± 0.8) on day 0 and declined ( P P = 0.05) from those that did not conceive. Mean VER on days 7 and 10 and VER difference (VER on day 10 minus VER on day 7) did not differ between females with a small ( P
The human immunodeficiency virus: Knowledge and precautions among anesthesiology personnel

Abstract Study Objective: To compare actual infectious disease precautions with current recommendations and to determine the influence of age, clinical experience, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge, previous personal HIV exposure, and education on practices. Design: Direct clinical observations of infectious precautions and preeducation and posteducation surveys of clinical practices and general knowledge of the HIV. Setting: University teaching hospital. Participants: Forty-six anesthesia department members completed a preeduaction survey, and 24 completed a posteducation survey. Measurements and Main Results: The survey showed that adequate precautions were used during less than 50% of the routine procedures. Significant positive correlations were found between years of clinical practice and precautions used while inserting vascular catheters. Significant positive correlation was found between years of clinical practice and precautions taken while handling soiled laryngoscopes. Knowledge about the HIV and HIV transmission was limited. We noted a negative correlation between knowledge and precautions during vascular cannulation procedures, emergency department resuscitation, and tracheal suction. More precautions were taken with patients who had proven HIV infections and those at high risk of infection. The posteducation survey demonstrated a significant increase only in the use of gloves during routine procedures. Knowledge scores were only slightly improved and did not significantly reflect infection control practices. Conclusions: Adequate infectious disease precautions were not taken by anesthesia personnel. An HIV educational program resulted in only a small increase in precautionary measures.
The gut microbiota and liver disease.

The leaky gut hypothesis links translocating microbial products with the onset and progression of liver disease, and for a long time they were considered one of its major contributors. However, a more detailed picture of the intestinal microbiota contributing to liver disease started to evolve. The gut is colonized by trillions of microbes that aid in digestion, modulate immune response, and generate a variety of products that result from microbial metabolic activities. These products together with host-bacteria interactions influence both normal physiology and disease susceptibility. A disruption of the symbiosis between microbiota and host is known as dysbiosis and can have profound effects on health. Qualitative changes such as increased proportions of harmful bacteria and reduced levels of beneficial bacteria, and also quantitative changes in the total amount of bacteria (overgrowth) have been associated with liver disease. Understanding the link between the pathophysiology of liver diseases and compositional and functional changes of the microbiota will help in the design of innovative therapies. In this review, we focus on factors resulting in dysbiosis, and discuss how dysbiosis can disrupt intestinal homeostasis and contribute to liver disease.
Reduced ability of rat preantral ovarian follicles to metabolize 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene diepoxide in vitro.

4-Vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (1-epoxyethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane, VCD), an industrial chemical, is a potential health hazard because it destroys oocytes in small preantral follicles in rats. We proposed that VCD destroys oocytes in these follicles because of their reduced capacity to detoxify VCD (convert VCD to tetrol, 4-(1,2-dihydroxy)ethyl-1,2-dihydroxycyclohexane). Ovaries, livers, and adrenal glands were collected from immature and mature Fischer 344 rats. Tissues were dissociated and ovarian tissue was separated into distinct follicular fractions. Tissues were incubated with [14C]VCD and media were assayed for [14C]tetrol by HPLC. In immature rats, conversion of VCD to tetrol in large preantral follicles and hepatocytes was 1.5-fold greater than in small preantral follicles and 4-fold greater than in ovarian interstitial cells (p < 0.05). In adults, conversion of VCD to tetrol in targe preantral follicles and hepatocytes was, respectively, 3- and 10-fold greater than in small preantral follicles and interstitial cells (p < 0.05). Compared with immature rats, all tissues from adult rats converted more VCD to tetrol (p < 0.05). These data demonstrate that interstitial cells and small preantral follicles from adult and immature rats have a reduced capacity to convert VCD to tetrol compared to large preantral follicles and liver cells. This may explain their increased susceptibility to VCD-induced ovotoxicity. Furthermore, adult rats may be less susceptible to VCD-induced ovotoxicity than immature rats.
Oil production by oleaginous yeasts using the hydrolysate from pretreatment of wheat straw with dilute sulfuric acid

This paper explores the use of the hydrolysate from the dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of wheat straw for microbial oil production. The resulting hydrolysate was composed of pentoses (24.3 g/L) and hexoses (4.9 g/L), along with some other degradation products, such as acetic acid, furfural, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Five oleaginous yeast strains, Cryptococcus curvatus, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodosporidium toruloides, Lipomyces starkeyi, and Yarrowia lipolytica, were evaluated by using this hydrolysate as substrates. The results showed that all of these strains could use the detoxified hydrolysate to produce lipids while except R. toruloides non-detoxified hydrolysate could also be used for the growth of all of the selective yeast strains. C. curvatus showed the highest lipid concentrations in medium on both the detoxified (4.2 g/L) and non-detoxified (5.8 g/L) hydrolysates. And the inhibitory effect studies on C. curvatus indicated HMF had insignificant impacts at a concentration of up to 3 g/L while furfural inhibited cell growth and lipid content by 72.0% and 62.0% at 1 g/L, respectively. Our work demonstrates that lipid production is a promising alternative to utilize hemicellulosic sugars obtained during pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials.
THE HIGH ENERGY NUCLEAR PHOTOEFFECT

The nuclear photoeffect for photons of energy greater than 150 Mev is calculated assuming the two-nucleon model used by Heidmann. The main features of the nuclear photoeffect are then quite similar to those of the deuteron photoeffect. The cross section for nuclear absorption of a high energy photon is about 1.6A times the cross section for the deuteron photoeffect. The deuteron photoeffect gives a very strongly forward angular distribution for protons of a given energy, observed in the laboratory system. The angular distribution for protons from the nuclear photoeffect is almost as strongly forward: for 90-Mev protons in the laboratory system the ratio of the differential cross section at 60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to that at 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} is about 3. The proton energy spectrum decreases rapidly with proton energy, and becomes steeper for observations at large angles. The calculated angular distributions and proton energy spectra are in fair agreement with measurements by Walker. The absolute value of the differential cross section for 90-Mev protons from carbon at 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} (laboratory system) is about 0.2 \ensuremath{\mu}barn/Mev steradian per $Q$, or about 20 \ensuremath{\mu}barn/steradian per photon. This absolute value is about one-third the absolute value measured by Walker, and is somewhat larger than the absolute value measured by Levinthal and Silverman.
Severe Hypertension in a 4-Year-Old Child

A4-year-old girl presented to an outside hospital for an elective tooth extraction secondary to dental caries. At the time of anesthesia induction on the day of surgical extraction, the patient was noted to have a blood pressure of 180/70 mm Hg and a pulse of 120/min. Notably, a blood pressure of 88/60 mm Hg and a heart rate of 60/min had been documented during the patient's physical examination performed 9 days before surgery by her primary care physician. Similarly, a blood pressure of 82/50 mm Hg and a pulse of 66/min were documented on the anesthesia preoperative note on the day of surgery. Induction of anesthesia began with administration of inhaled sevoflurane. Fifteen minutes after induction, the blood pressure was noted to have decreased to 160/65 mm Hg. The blood pressure continued to decrease throughout the procedure with a measurement of 130/ 50 mm Hg 30 minutes after induction. The procedure continued for 4 hours with measurements in the range of 120 to 130/50 to 60 mm Hg. After the procedure, the patient was extubated and taken to the recovery room where the blood pressure was noted to be 201/125 mm Hg and the heart rate was 120/min. The patient was observed to be somnolent but was able to open her eyes to voice. Hydralazine 5 mg intravenously (IV) was given for a blood pressure of 195/110 mm Hg after 30 minutes of persistent hypertension. Next, labetalol 5 mg IV was given after 5 minutes for a blood pressure of 182/118 mm Hg. The house pediatrician evaluated the child and recommended that a urinalysis and basic metabolic profile be obtained and that the patient be transferred
A protocol for prevention of radiographic contrast nephropathy during percutaneous coronary intervention: effect of selective dopamine receptor agonist fenoldopam.

Radiographic contrast nephropathy (RCN), acute worsening of renal function due to contrast agents, can occur in 15%-40% of patients with baseline renal dysfunction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is associated with increased morbidity and in-hospital mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the selective dopamine-1 (DA-1) receptor agonist fenoldopam would be beneficial in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) undergoing PCI and also to design a protocol for prevention of RCN. We analyzed 150 consecutive patients with CRI [baseline serum creatinine (BSCr) +/- 1.5% mg] who underwent PCI and received fenoldopam during and after the procedure, in addition to saline hydration. RCN, defined as > 25% increase of BSCr 48-72 hr after PCI, occurred in 4.7% (n = 7) of 150 PCI patients receiving fenoldopam and 3.5% in diabetics (n = 85) vs. 6.1% in nondiabetics (n = 65; P = NS). No patients required dialysis. The observed 4.7% incidence of RCN with fenoldopam was significantly lower than 18.8% incidence in the historical control group (P < 0.001). Our data suggest that fenoldopam is a useful adjunct in the prevention of RCN during PCI, especially in diabetics.
The "freshman fifteen" (the "freshman five" actually): predictors and possible explanations.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a prospective, longitudinal study examining weight fluctuation and its predictors before and during the first year of college. DESIGN: Men (n = 266) and women (n = 341) enrolled at Dartmouth College (age range: 16 to 26; body mass index range: 15.0 to 42.9) provided self-reports of weight and height and completed measures of self-esteem, eating habits, interpersonal relationships, exercise patterns, and disordered eating behaviors both in their senior year of high school and either 3, 6, or 9 months into college. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Self-reported weight was the primary outcome indicator. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that both men and women gained a significant amount of weight (3.5 and 4.0 pounds, respectively). Weight gain occurred before November of the first academic year and was maintained as the year progressed. College freshmen gain weight at a much higher rate than that of average American adults. For men, frequently engaging in exercise predicted weight gain. Having troublesome relationships with parents also predicted weight gain in men, whereas for women, having positive relationships with parents predicted weight gain. CONCLUSION: Understanding the predictors of early college weight gain may aid in the development of prevention programs. Language: en
Oligomerization and Nucleocytoplasmic Transport of NTF2 Revealed by Brightness Analysis and Two-Photon Photoactivation

Small molecules - less than 40 kD - diffuse freely through nuclear pores between the cytoplasm and nucleus. Large proteins and macromolecular complexes require active transport across the nuclear envelope via soluble transport factors or carrier molecules. Some carrier molecules themselves form complexes as they cycle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. One such transport factor is NTF2, which is known to play a primary role in the maintenance of the Ran gradient, but the oligomeric state of NTF2 and its function in transport are not well established. We observe that NTF2 exists as a monomer-dimer equilibrium in the cell, and we characterize several NTF2 mutants to investigate the influence of NTF2 dimerization on nucleocytoplasmic transport. We apply two-photon activation in vivo to examine the transport of photoactivable GFP-tagged carrier proteins. We also use fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy and brightness analysis in the cell to investigate the oligomerization of the NTF2 mutants. We establish the efficacy of brightness analysis in a cell free expression system and use it to check oligomerization of NTF2 and its mutants in vitro. This work is supported by NIH grant R01GM064589.
Kappa opioid receptors on dopaminergic neurons are necessary for kappa-mediated place aversion.

Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have dysphoric properties in humans and are aversive in rodents. This has been attributed to the activation of KORs within the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system. However, the role of DA in KOR-mediated aversion and stress remains divisive as recent studies have suggested that activation of KORs on serotonergic neurons may be sufficient to mediate aversive behaviors. To address this question, we used conditional knock-out (KO) mice with KORs deleted on DA neurons (DATCre/wt/KORloxp/loxp, or DATCre-KOR KO). In agreement with previous findings, control mice (DATCre/wt/KORwt/wt or WT) showed conditioned place aversion (CPA) to the systemically administered KOR agonist U69,593. In contrast, DATCre-KOR KO mice did not exhibit CPA with this same agonist. In addition, in vivo microdialysis showed that systemic U69,593 decreased overflow of DA in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in WT mice, but had no effect in DATCre-KOR KO mice. Intra- ventral tegmental area (VTA) delivery of KORs using an adeno-associated viral gene construct, resulted in phenotypic rescue of the KOR-mediated NAc DA response and aversive behavior in DATCre-KOR KO animals. These results provide evidence that KORs on VTA DA neurons are necessary to mediate KOR-mediated aversive behavior. Therefore, our data, along with recent findings, suggest that the neuronal mechanisms of KOR-mediated aversive behavior may include both dopaminergic and serotonergic components.
Model of the x-ray response of the ACIS CCD

ABSTRACT We have developed a comprehensive model of the response of a CCD to soft X-ray illumination. The model is basedon the Monte Carlo technique and follows the interactions with the device material of individual photons thrown into the structure, calculating device reaction to each of them. It incorporates a very detailed description of the CCDgate structure, as well as accurately measured absorption coefficients. The fluorescent and escape peak model takes into account interactions inside the gate structure, which dramatically improves the agreement with the experimental data at energies close to the Si absorption edge. The shape of the low energy tall is simulated according to our new model of electron cloud charge splitting at the interface between Si and 5i02 . An origin of the tail in the horizontally split events is explained as coming from the p+ area in the channel stop region and is modeled accordingly.Keywords: charge coupled devices, response function, X-rays, quantum efficiency
Antigenic complementarity between coxsackie virus and streptococcus in the induction of rheumatic heart disease and autoimmune myocarditis

A variety of clinical, epidemiological, and experimental data suggest that rheumatic heart disease and autoimmune myocarditis are not only similar in their pathogenesis, but may often be due to combined infections with coxsackie virus (CX) and streptococcus A bacteria (SA). This paper reviews the evidence for this hypothesis, provides some new experimental data supporting the hypothesis, and suggests specific experiments for testing it. While, it is well-established that the M protein of SA mimics myosin, we demonstrate using homology search tools that various CX proteins mimic actin. We further demonstrate that antibody against CX recognizes actin as an antigen, and that anti-actin antibodies recognize CX antigen. Thus, anti-CX antibodies may also target muscle. Moreover, since myosin and actin are molecularly complementary, it follows that some SA and CX proteins may be molecularly complementary. Some antibodies against these complementary proteins in SA and CX should therefore act like idiotype-antiidiotype antibodies. We show that, indeed, CX and SA antibodies precipitate each other. Thus, it is possible that combined CX-SA infections produce more severe disease by producing pairs of idiotypic antibodies that act like antiidiotypic antibodies as well, thereby, disregulating immune control and triggering an autoimmune reaction against both myosin and actin simultaneously. We predict that combinations of the appropriate actin- and myosin-like antigens from CX and SA will, therefore, be much more autoimmunogenic than antigens from CX or SA alone, and that the combination will not require use of adjuvants or self-proteins that many current protocols require. It is possible that co-infections involving CX or SA with other infectious agents may produce similarly enhanced disease.
Parenteral feeding in a patient with hypertriglyceridemia and increased liver enzyme levels.

ABSTRACT Objective To discuss nutritional support in a patient with hypertriglyceridemia and liver dysfunction. Methods We describe the hospital course of a critically ill patient with hepatic dysfunction and hypertriglyceridemia who required nutritional support, and we provide an overview of lipid metabolism. Results A 27-year-old man with hepatic dysfunction and hypertriglyceridemia, who had undergone kidney transplantation 4 months previously, was admitted to the intensive-care unit with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. He was unable to tolerate enteral feeding, and central parenteral nutrition was initiated. Calories from dextrose and fat were limited because of the presence of increased liver enzyme levels and hypertriglyceridemia. A modified regimen of parenteral nutrition was developed for the patient. The short-term reduction of total calories to 75% of the predicted need is safe. Conclusion Nutritional support in patients with liver dysfunction and hypertriglyceridemia is complicated and may require temporary underfeeding because of the need to limit fat and dextrose intake. (Endocr Pract. 1999;5:194-197)
Use of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor alone or in combination with interferon-alpha-2b for treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Abstract Background/Aims: We have evaluated the effect of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) when utilized either alone or in combination with interferon for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: A total of 71 patients with chronic HCV, elevated alanine aminotransferase and normal hepatic function were enrolled into these studies. Nineteen patients who had previously failed to achieve both biochemical and virologic response during interferon therapy were treated with increasing doses of GM-CSF alone (65–250 μg/m 2 three times weekly) for 6 months. Another 52 patients who had not been previously treated with interferon entered a randomized controlled trial; 25 were treated with interferon alone (3 mU three times weekly) and 27 with a combination of interferon+GM-CSF (3 mU+250 μg/m 2 three times weekly). All patients were treated for 6 months. Both groups were well matched for age, sex, race, serum alanine aminotransferase, HCV-RNA titer, liver histology score and cirrhosis. Results: None of the patients treated with GM-CSF alone developed either biochemical or virologic response at any of the treatment dosages and mean HCV-RNA titer remained unchanged from baseline during this therapy. For patients in the randomized controlled trial, biochemical and virologic responses were observed in 54% of interferon-treated patients compared to 31.8% for those treated with interferon+GM-CSF. Long-term sustained virologic response was observed in only one patient in each group. No significant differences were observed in HCV-RNA titer during the course of treatment. GM-CSF treatment was associated with a significant increase in total white blood cell count and absolute eosinophil count, which peaked within the first month of therapy and declined spontaneously during the remaining 5 months. Conclusion: GM-CSF either alone or in combination with interferon does not appear to be effective for treatment of chronic HCV.
Thermal Effects in Rolling/Sliding EHD Contacts: Part 1—Experimental Measurements of Surface Pressure and Temperature

Effets thermiques dans un contact elastohydrodynamique roulant-glissant. Mesure de la temperature et de la pression superficielles
Negative resistance design for crystal oscillators

An analytic method using the concept of negative resistance is developed for the design of microwave crystal oscillators. A systematic design procedure is proposed which with minor modifications can be applied to other oscillators, such as voltage controlled oscillators. The design procedure is applied to the design of a crystal oscillator having a fundamental frequency in the microwave range. The design is verified experimentally and compared with CAD results.
Aromatic amines and biomarkers of human exposure.

Biomarkers are determinants in blood, urine, or exhaled air that estimate exposure, susceptibility, or approximate effect. Biomarkers are finding increasing use in the context of occupational and e...
Financing of U.S. Biomedical Research and New Drug Approvals across Therapeutic Areas

Author(s): Dorsey, E Ray; Thompson, Joel P; Carrasco, Melisa; de Roulet, Jason; Vitticore, Philip; Nicholson, Sean; Johnston, S Claiborne; Holloway, Robert G; Moses, Hamilton | Abstract: BackgroundWe estimated U.S. biomedical research funding across therapeutic areas, determined the association with disease burden, and evaluated new drug approvals that resulted from this investment.Methodology/principal findingsWe calculated funding from 1995 to 2005 and totaled Food and Drug Administration approvals in eight therapeutic areas (cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, HIV/AIDS, infectious disease excluding HIV, oncology, and respiratory) primarily using public data. We then calculated correlations between funding, published estimates of disease burden, and drug approvals. Financial support for biomedical research from 1995 to 2005 increased across all therapeutic areas between 43% and 369%. Industry was the principal funder of all areas except HIV/AIDS, infectious disease, and oncology, which were chiefly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Total (rho = 0.70; P = .03) and industry funding (rho = 0.69; P = .04) were correlated with projected disease burden in high income countries while NIH support (rho = 0.80; P = .01) was correlated with projected disease burden globally. From 1995 to 2005 the number of new approvals was flat or declined across therapeutic areas, and over an 8-year lag period, neither total nor industry funding was correlated with future approvals.Conclusions/significanceAcross therapeutic areas, biomedical research funding increased substantially, appears aligned with disease burden in high income countries, but is not linked to new drug approvals. The translational gap between funding and new therapies is affecting all of medicine, and remedies must include changes beyond additional financial investment.
Work in Progress: Practical Framework for Engineering Outcomes Based Teaching and Assessment -- A Catalyst for the Creation of Faculty Learning Communities

ABET's outcomes-based assessment and evaluation requirements for engineering school accreditation has been a catalyst for curriculum reform for a number of engineering programs and faculty. Norfolk State University launched programs in Electronics and Optical Engineering in 2003. In preparation for their first ABET evaluation in Fall 2007, the faculty have initiated a Faculty Advance program to design and implement assessment and evaluation structures that achieve continuous improvement toward the desired learning outcomes. As the Faculty Advance process has gone forward, an important effect has been observed - increased cohesiveness of the engineering faculty and a sense of community. A parallel to student learning communities, NSU's engineering faculty community has embraced a number of educational reform initiatives, including a pilot integrated freshman curriculum, and a comprehensive assessment and evaluation plan based on the Bloom's Learning Taxonomy.
Increasing importance of the elderly in a trauma system.

The objectives of the study were to determine age- and sex-related trends in hospitalization after injuries. Statewide hospitalization data from 1980-1999 were evaluated annually by sex and age (0-39, 40-64, 65-99), incidence, mean length of stay (LOS), and disposition. Males 0-39 represented 39.6% of admissions in 1980, but only 20.7% in 1999; females >or=65 are now most frequent. These trends partly reflect population changes, but rates of hospitalization for young men have also declined. For age or=65, LOS decreased after 1990. However, most elderly patients were formerly discharged home, whereas now most are discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNF). The proportion of younger patients hospitalized in trauma centers increased significantly, but over age 65 this proportion remained stable. Major changes have occurred in populations served by trauma systems. Preventing injuries in the elderly is increasingly important. Accurate evaluation of cost-effectiveness in the elderly must include outcomes from SNF.
Purification and properties of a plasmid-encoded 2,4-dichlorophenol hydroxylase.

Abstract 2,4-Dichlorophenol hydroxylase, an enzyme involved in the bacterial degradation of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) was purified from two bacterial strains that harbored the same 2,4-D plasmid, pJP4. The purified enzymes (Mr 224000) from the two transconjugants were indistinguishable; they contained FAD and were composed of non-identical subunits, Mr 67000 and 45000, respectively. Various substituted phenols were hydroxylated, using either NADH or NADPH. The amino acid composition of the native enzyme was determined. 2,4-Dichlorophenol hydroxylase2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetate plasmid2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetate degradationAlcaligenes eutrophusPseudomonas putida
Proton transfer in surface-stabilized chiral motifs of croconic acid

The structure and cooperative proton ordering of two-dimensional sheets of croconic acid were studied with scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations. Unlike in the crystalline form, which exhibits a pleated, densely packed polar sheet structure, the confinement of the molecules to the surface results in hydrogen-bonded chiral clusters and networks. First-principles calculations suggest that the surface stabilizes networks of configurational isomers, which arise from direct hydrogen transfer between their constituent croconic acid monomers. Some of these configurations have a net polarization. It is demonstrated through constrained molecular dynamics simulations that simultaneous proton transfer between any two molecules can occur spontaneously. This finding is a prerequisite for the occurrence of in-plane ferroelectricity based on proton transfer in 2D sheets.
"Elude": designing depression

This paper describes the design process of "Elude". "Elude" is a single player game intended to inform friends and relatives of people with depression about what their loved ones are going through. It was developed at the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab with a team of nine students over the nine week summer period of 2010. "Elude" is intended to foster tolerance and understanding for depression, thus alleviating complex feelings of anger, helplessness, guilt and sadness amongst caregivers. The paper focuses on the process of creating a clear vision for the game and how this vision was systematically translated into a concrete design that achieved the game's communicative goal. "Elude" is part of my larger research on modeling abstract concepts in games via metaphors in order to expand games' expressive and experiential scope. Since depression is an abstract concept, the design of "Elude" relied heavily on the use of metaphors. Hence, this project contributes to an understanding of a systematic approach to metaphorical game design. "Elude" is a Flash game for PC and Mac and is free to download from the GAMBIT website at: http://gambit.mit.edu/loadgame/elude.php
An Analysis of Vegetation Interception Data Pertaining to Close-in Weapons Test Fallout

This paper reports an analysis of literature data pertaining to the fraction of particles resulting from regional weapons fallout intercepted by vegetation. A simple model for the interception parameter, alpha, was developed that predicted an increasing interception fraction with increasing distance from detonation site. The predicted values of alpha close to the detonation site are much smaller than most accepted values that pertain to aerosols and gases. The apparent dependence of the interception parameter on distance is believed to partially reflect the changes of the particle-size distribution of the fallout cloud with the time aloft and the ability of vegetation surfaces to better retain particles of small size. The validity of a set of predicted values was tested using an assessment model and literature data of radioiodine concentrations in milk following a nuclear test.
Death from donor-transmitted malignancy despite emergency liver retransplantation

Transplantation of organs procured from donors with malignancies identified subsequent to implantation presents a significant dilemma regarding the optimal management strategy to simultaneously minimize the risk for cancer transmission and recipient morbidity. In this report, we present a patient who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation for hepatitis B cirrhosis. The donor had no previous history of cancer. On autopsy, enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes led to the discovery of a 1-cm lung tumor. Histological examination showed pulmonary adenocarcinoma with metastatic mediastinal disease. Despite urgent retransplantation within 7 days, the recipient developed metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma diagnosed 11 months after transplantation and died soon thereafter. Analysis of short tandem repeat regions of chromosomal DNA from the recipient, the 2 liver donors, and the posttransplantation tumor corroborates that the first donor was the source of the malignancy. This case of donor-transmitted malignancy underscores the need for vigilance by the procuring surgeon in identifying potential malignancy during organ retrieval and use of a full autopsy on selected donors after organ procurement. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:1102-1107.)
Necessary and sufficient conditions on information for causal message ordering and their optimal implementation

This paper formulates necessary and sufficient conditions on the information required for enforcing causal ordering in a distributed system with asynchronous communication. The paper then presents an algorithm for enforcing causal message ordering. The algorithm allows a process to multicast to arbitrary and dynamically changing process groups. We show that the algorithm is optimal in the space complexity of the overhead of control information in both messages and message logs. The algorithm achieves optimality by transmitting the bare minimum causal dependency information specified by the necessity conditions, and using an encoding scheme to represent and transmit this information. We show that, in general, the space complexity of causal message ordering in an asynchronous system is Ω(n2), where n is the number of nodes in the system. Although the upper bound on space complexity of the overhead of control information in the algorithm is O(n2), the overhead is likely to be much smaller on the average, and is always the least possible.
Gain scheduling fuzzy logic controller for a wall-following mobile robot

Tuning membership functions parameters of fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) has proven to be an effective method in improving the performance of this type of controllers. However, simulations usually require a considerable amount of time to optimize the membership functions parameters. In this paper a new methodology is proposed to optimize the performance of the FLC. The FLC in this paper is simply designed. The gain scheduling controller will be used before the FLC to control the error signal by multiplying it by a certain gain. The value of this gain depends on the value of the error. The proposed method is applied to a wall following mobile robot to ensure its capability to improve the performance of the fuzzy logic controller. Computer simulations are carried out to compare between a Knowledge Based Fuzzy Logic Controller (KBFLC), an optimized KBFLC and our proposed model.
Emission of ionic water clusters from water ice films bombarded by energetic projectiles

Abstract Emission of water clusters M±(H2O)n, where M± denotes positive alkali metal ions, Li+, Na+, Cs+ or negative halogen ions, Cl−, Br−, I− from ice films frozen on metal substrates bombarded by energetic particles was studied by a molecular dynamics (MD) technique and by ToF-secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments. In the experiment, different concentrations of the salts NaCl, NaBr, and NaI were dissolved in water before freezing. The influence of ion charge and concentration on ion signal was investigated. Due to the different solvation structures of cations and anions in water, cationic clusters were demonstrated to eject more effectively than anionic clusters in both the simulations and experiments. The dependence of the absolute ion yield on the salt concentration is discussed in terms of ion pairing and clustering in the original solution and during emission.
The action of oxygen corona and of ozone on polyethylene

Films of low-density polyethylene which were exposed to a corona discharge in oxygen at a pressure of 1 atm. lost weight and decreased in thickness due to oxidation of the surface to volatile products (principally carbon dioxide and water). The weight loss was directly proportional to the time of exposure and was independent of film thickness. The infrared spectra of the films after exposure to the discharge showed a strong band at 1717 cm.–1 due to carbonyl groups. After a short time in the discharge, the formation of new carbonyl groups in the polymer was balanced by their destruction by oxidation to volatile products at the surface. The intensity of the carbonyl band initially increased rapidly with increasing exposure, but reached a maximum value after 4 hr. and then showed no further change for 90 hr., during which time the thickness of a film originally 4 mils thick was reduced to approximately 1 mil. The data indicate that the carbonyl groups are present in a relatively thin oxidized layer, estimated to be between 5 X 102 and 7 X 104 A. in depth. Carbonyl groups were also formed in films which were not in the discharge area but were exposed to the ozone produced by the discharge. The position of the carbonyl band in both types of oxidized film is consistent with either carboxylic acids or ketone. The relative amounts of the two were determined by soaking the films in ethanolic sodium hydroxide solution to convert the acid to carboxylate ion and measuring the decrease in intensity of the 1717-cm.–1 band. In the sample which was exposed to the discharge, 60% of the carbonyl was carboxylic acid and 40% was ketone. In the sample exposed only to ozone, the proportion was 30% acid and 70% ketone. It is believed that the carbonyl groups in both cases are the result of attack of ozone on the carbon-carbon double bonds of the polymer. Small amounts of oxalic acid and other low molecular weight acids were also produced in films exposed to the discharge, presumably due to oxidation of the surface by one or more of the unstable species of the corona.
Applications of Metamodels and Logistic Models to Engineering Design Problems

In engineering design, a system's input-output (I/O) relationship is analyzed to determine designs that satisfy performance requirements. This relationship can be studied with an original model of the system, but this approach is usually costly and time-consuming. Consequently, metamodels are created to examine this I/O relationship within the cost and time constraints. Various types of metamodels exist, and the complex ones are typically more accurate and better at accommodating discrete inputs common to many design problems. However, due to their increased complexity, these models are harder to implement. For some engineers, these more accurate metamodels may be desirable, but the implementation costs may be too high. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate whether the logistic function can be used as an alternative to these complex metamodels. The applicability of the logistic function to engineering design is studied through the use of a case study fashioned after a common engineering design problem, the egg drop. In particular, the effectiveness of this function in representing engineering design data and being used to guide design decisions is analyzed in comparison to three metamodels. The results of this investigation suggest that the logistic function has some potential for use in engineering design, but further research is required to fully understand this potential.
READING A HEAD: JANE EYRE, PHRENOLOGY, AND THE HOMOEROTICS OF LEGIBILITY

JANE EYRE IS A NOVEL INTENSELY CONCERNED with reading and being read. It is a text fixated on acts of literacy and states of legibility, and it produces reading as a compelling, multivalent locus for narrative pleasures and for the articulation of desire. Jane Eyre grants the greatest possible significance to every form of literacy, frequently structuring its articulations of the erotic through reading: reading books or watching others read them, successfully (or unsuccessfully) reading the faces and heads of others, and controlling or failing to command one's legibility. These many crucial literacies do not originate from a chance narrative enthusiasm, but are centrally linked to the novel's equally intense interest in the classificatory arrangements of phrenological systems. Phrenology, that famous nineteenth-century pseudo-science of reading, enables the production of the novel's multiple erotic strands, structuring not only a considerable portion of the heterosexual romance plot(s), but articulating and enabling the novel's female homoerotic dynamics, as well.
Genomics-fueled approaches to current challenges in marine ecology

As a result of recent advances in genomic technology, a ‘tool set’ is emerging that can be used by marine ecologists to gain new perspectives on central questions in the field. Techniques such as gene expression profiling using DNA microarrays, when placed in an ecological context, stand to advance greatly our understanding of how organisms respond to abiotic and biotic stresses. Here, we target areas in which adding genomics to ecological and physiological investigations will significantly advance our understanding of crucial issues ranging from the general biological effects of environmental temperature changes on individuals and communities to the interactions between symbionts in coral bleaching. At a time when both short- and long-term perturbations of marine ecosystems are increasing in severity, this kind of integrative approach could generate new and exciting hypotheses about the functioning of marine organisms and communities.
Can neural stem cells be used to track down and destroy migratory brain tumor cells while also providing a means of repairing tumor-associated damage?

Successful eradication of central nervous system (CNS) tumors is an exceptionally complex problem, in part because of the devastating effects that injury to the brain or spinal cord can have on normal function. Such injury is associated with brain tumors for multiple reasons. In part, it is well established that both reperfusion and compressive forces, which are unavoidable consequences of tumor growth, are injurious to the CNS. It is likely that other mechanisms also contribute to tumor-related damage, such as abnormal ion fluxes and triggering of glutamate release from damaged cells, possibly even from the tumor cells themselves. Moreover, it is clear that therapeutic regimes used to treat CNS tumors may themselves cause injury. Such a conclusion is based on the increasing recognition that treatment with chemotherapeutic agents and/or radiation often is associated with significant cognitive impairment (1–3). The physiological basis for this cognitive impairment is not wholly known, although a number of studies have demonstrated that radiation kills oligodendrocytes, stem cells of the subventricular zone, and precursor cells of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in rodent models (1, 4–7).
Mesoscopic structure of the Punchbowl Fault, Southern California and the geologic and geophysical structure of active strike-slip faults

We examine the distribution, density, and orientation of outcrop-scale structures related to the Punchbowl Fault, an exhumed ancient trace of the San Andreas Fault, southern California, in order to determine the structure of the fault zone. The Punchbowl Fault has 44 km of right-lateral slip, and cuts the Cretaceous Pelona Schist in the study area. The mesoscopic structures examined include fractures, small faults, and veins; they were inventoried using scan lines at closely spaced stations along three strike-perpendicular traverses 200‐250 m long across the fault. The fault zone thickness is a function of the type of structure measured. Slip along narrow (<2 m wide) ultracataclasite cores of the faults results in foliation reorientation over a distance of 50 m from the cores: fracture and fault densities appear to increase 50‐80 m from the fault cores, and vein densities are highly variable across the fault zone. Fractures and faults in the damaged zone have a variety of orientations, but most are at high angles to the main fault zone. When coupled with previous geochemical and microstructural data, these data show that large-displacement faults of the San Andreas system, are up to 200‐250 m thick, and enclose zones of mineralogic and geochemical alteration that are 20‐30 m thick. Extreme slip localization occurs over zones 1‐5 m thick. When reconciled with geophysical imaging, our data suggest that trapped headwaves travel in the damaged zone, and that some aftershock events produce slip on faults and fractures, which often have orientations very diAerent from the principal slip surfaces. 7 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
HeNe parallel plate laser development

A parallel plate format is used for fabricating "hard" sealed HeNe lasers. The new packaging geometry and construction process are suitable for large scale manufacturing. Cut plate, molded plate, and folded beam lasers have been built and tested. Several changes from conventional lasers, such as evaporated film cathode and anode, square cross section bore, glass sealed Brewster windows, and "soft" glass bore materials, are discussed. The power output capability, measurements of gain and loss parameters, and the reliability of these lasers are also considered.