cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlating Micromorphology and Nanomorphology to High Strain Rate Performance of Nanoparticle Reinforced Polymeric Materials

AbstractThis paper focuses on correlating micromorphology and nanomorphology to the performance of nano-enhanced polymers subjected to blast loading, studying the behavior of these materials at high strain rates, and evaluating the effect of voids’ size and amount on the strain rate sensitivity of nanomaterials. Three polyurea-based elastomeric materials are investigated in this study: unreinforced polyurea, exfoliated graphene nanoparticle (xGnP)–reinforced polyurea, and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)–reinforced polyurea. Three-dimensional computed tomography scan images show large amounts of randomly distributed voids in the materials. The study found that POSS-reinforced polyurea has the largest number but the smallest void size among the three tested materials. Computational parametric evaluation is conducted to investigate the effect of such defects on the behavior of these materials. Dynamic nonlinear explicit finite-element code AUTODYN is used to perform three-dimensional analyses for...
Salinity tolerance of the gemmules of Eunapius fragilis (Leidy) and the inhibition of germination by various salts

Gemmules of the freshwater sponge, Eunapius fragilis (Leidy), survived exposure to 30 ppt natural sea water at 20 °C for up to 27 days and to 37 ppt Instant Ocean sea water for up to at least 9 days. This high salinity tolerance may have made possible the dispersal of the sponge on the hulls of ocean-going ships that frequented freshwater ports. The gemmules also survived 9-day exposures to 5% NaCl, 20% NaCl and some artificial sea waters containing only a few of the major ions. All of these solutions inhibited germination of the gemmules during the period of exposure, and treatment with 30 ppt natural sea water, 37 ppt Instant Ocean sea water, 20% NaCl and a solution containing Na+, Cl− and SO inf4 sup2− had a persisting inhibitory effect on gemmule germination after the gemmules were returned to pond water at 20 °C. Many of the gemmules that did not germinate under favorable conditions following treatment could be stimulated to germinate after they were chilled at 4 °C for 4 or more months. Such gemmule inhibition mimics natural diapause which also is broken by exposure to low temperature.
Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal mediation of grass response to acidic and heavy metal depositions

The perennial bunchgrassEhrharta calycina was grown with and without V.A.M. fungal infection (Glomus fasciculatum) in a sandy loam exposed to a range of acidic and heavy metal depositions. Heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Co) were applied in simulated rain (pH 3.0, 4.0, and 5.6) at deposition rates approximating those observed to result from smelter efluents. Metal concentrations in the roots and shoots of mycorrhizal plants were greater than those of non-mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal enhancement of plant metal uptake increased with greater acidity and higher heavy metal content of treatment. The growth of mycorrhizal plants was reduced compared to non-mycorrhizal plants when metal depostion was combined with simulated acid rain. We propose that mycorrhizal enhancement of heavy metal uptake caused reduced growth in plants exposed to acidic and heavy metal depositions.
Electron spin resonance determination of the redox state of iron and its relationship to radiation-induced defect centers in oxidized and reduced ZrF4-based glasses

Abstract Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies have been carried out on a series of ZrF 4 -based glasses comprising a fixed base glass composition of the ZBLAN type doped with 0, 10, and 100 ppm FeF 3 , each melted under three atmospheres: Ar, Ar + O 2 , and O 2 . The object of this exercise was to develop a free-standing method of quantitative analysis for Fe 3+ in these materials. The accomplishment of this objective required the fabrication of an absolute spin concentration standard consisting of a ZBLAN glass doped with 100 ppm Mn 2+ and exploration of the issue of the ESR “oscillator strength” of Fe 3+ in glasses. Competitive electron and hole trapping by Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , and five intrinsic color centers was investigated following γ-irradiation at room temperature and 100-keV X irradiation at 77 K and sequences of isochronal anneals to higher temperatures. The oscillator strength of Fe 3+ in ZBLAN glasses was deduced to be 0.9±0.1 by quantitative comparison of the changes in ESR signal strength of Fe 3+ with the corresponding changes in signal strength of the color centers, which on the basis of elementary considerations were assumed to have oscillator strengths of 1.0. The redox ratio R = [Fe 3+ ]/[Fe] total was then shown to be 0.63±0.18 in glasses melted under continuous O 2 atmosphere. The uncertainty in R is due principally to difficulties in establishing the proper baseline for numerical integration of the experimental first-derivative spectra; prospects for improving the precision of this measurement are discussed.
Bias in Spatial Risk Assessment

In instances of decision making under uncertainty with a visual component, we propose that individuals show a bias and estimate a higher probability of a threat affecting them if the threat is located in their left visual field compared to their right visual field. Across four studies we demonstrate the bias in naturalistic settings such as pedestrians assessing the risk of crossing the street, individuals estimating the risk posed from an unsavory person, and people assessing the contamination risk of an object. Moreover, we discuss four potential mechanisms that could cause the proposed effect. Finally, we discuss theoretical, managerial, and policy implications. This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
Detection of Lymphocytes in the Vitreous Gel of Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa

We used monoclonal antibodies against specific T cell, B cell, and macrophage antigens to detect immune system cells in the vitreous gel of retinitis pigmentosa patients. Vitreous samples were obtained by biopsy from three patients and by dissection from eight postmortem donor eyes. All samples contained CD4, T helper and CD8, suppressor cells, activated T cells, some B cells, and macrophages. About one third of the cells were nonreactive. Vitreous gel from normal controls contained mostly nonreactive cells with a few macrophages and rare T cells. These observations further indicated the nature of the cellular reaction in retinitis pigmentosa and characterized the biomicroscopically visible particulate bodies characteristically seen in the vitreous gel of these patients.
Adenosine receptor agonists inhibit inositol phosphate accumulation in rat striatal slices.

Abstract The accumulation of inositol-1-phosphate in rat striatal slices was inhibited by the adenosine analogues 5′-N-ethyl-carboxamide-adenosine and N6-phenylisopropyladenosine. Maximal inhibition (approximately 20%) was achieved by micromolar concentrations of either compound. Both basal and stimulated values could be inhibited, and the inhibition was reversible by the adenosine receptor antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline (10 μM). The results suggest that adenosine may exert a tonic inhibitory influence on inositol phospholipid-derived second messenger production in the striatum in vivo.
Immigrant Latino Children and Families in Child Welfare: A Framework for Conducting a Cultural Assessment

ABSTRACT Culturally competent practice with immigrant Latino children and families requires a thorough understanding of the impact that migration and acculturation has had on each family and how these experiences have contributed to their involvement in the child welfare system. The growth of the Latino immigrant population in the United States requires that child welfare agencies examine and adapt their practices to ensure effective response to the specific needs of this population. This article provides a framework for conducting a comprehensive cultural assessment with immigrant families in order to provide caseworkers with the information necessary to provide culturally relevant services that adequately respond to each family's unique circumstances and experiences.
I Promise to Act Better if You Let Me See My Family: Attachment Theory and Foster Care Visitation

ABSTRACT For children in foster care, continued contact with biological parents may have significant implications. This article seeks to synthesize literature examining attachment theory and visitation between children in foster care and their parents. The results of the research synthesis indicate that although the exploration of attachment theory began over 40 years ago, the questions regarding the implications of foster care visitation and attachment continuation surprisingly remain unanswered.
Dependence of motoneurone properties on the length of immobilized muscle

1. The soleus muscle of adult cats was fixed in a shortened or lengthened position for 2 weeks by immobilizing the leg with a plaster cast. To eliminate the effects of reflex activity arising from the muscle, the lumbosacral dorsal roots were sectioned on the side of leg immobilization. 2. The soleus muscle showed a significant decrease in weight after immobilization in a shortened position. Immobilization of the muscle in a lengthened position produced no significant changes in its weight. 3. Two weeks after transection of the throacic spinal cord, the soleus muscle showed a significant decrease in weight. This decrease was prevented by immobilization of the muscle in a lengthened position. Immobilization in a shortened position caused no further muscle atrophy in cord-transected animals. 4. Soleus motoneurones showed a significant decrease in the duration of after-hyperpolarization (a.h.p.) 2 weeks after immobilization of the muscle in a shortened position, whereas immobilization of the muscle in a lengthened position caused no significant changes in the duration of a.h.p. 5. A decrease in the duration of a.h.p. of soleus motoneurones induced by cord transection was significantly prevented by immobilization of the muscle in a lengthened position but not by immobilization in a shortened position. 6. In a variety of experimental conditions, the mean duration of a.h.p. of soleus motoneurones was significantly correlated with the soleus muscle: body wt. ratio. 7. It is concluded that certain motoneurone properties depend upon the condition of the innervated muscle and that the primary factor responsible for the trophic influence is metabolic change in the muscle rather than contractile activity itself.
P31.07: Maternal complex congenital cardiac defect and fetal tachyarrhythmia

A 33-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 2, was refferd to our institution at 35 weeks’ gestation, because of polyhydramnios. Ultarasound examination revealed mild polyhydramnios (amniotic fluid index:25) and juxtaposition of the descending aorta and inferior vena cava. Fetal echocardiography demonstrated a common atrioventricular valve, double outlet right ventricle, pulmonary stenosis. Four pulmonary veins drained to a confluence behind the left atrium arising a vertical vein passed through the diaphragma and then connected to portal vein. On pulsed Doppler examination, the pulmonary veins and vertical vein showed continuous, mildly pulsatile flow. All these features were suggestive of right atrial isomserism with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the portal vein. Absence of the ductus venosus without liver bypass was suspected by meticulous color flow mapping of the portal circulation in various planes. A female infant was delivered weighing 2810g with Apgar scores of 8 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Postnatal echocardiography confirmed the prenatal findings. On pulsed Doppler examination, the vertical vein showed non-pulsatile continuous flow. The infant underwent open heart surgery and the pulmonary confluence was connected to the left atrium. But she died at the second day because of cardiac failure. We speculate absence of the ductus venosus without liver bypass might worsend the prognosis of the infant with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the portal vein.
The presence of an estradiol binding component in cytosol from immature rat epididymides.

Cytosol prepared from epididymides of sexually immature (21–23-day-old) rats contains a macromolecular binding component for estradiol-17β. This binding moiety sediments as an 8-S species on 5–20% sucrose gradients containing 0.01 M KCl. Under conditions of high ionic strength (0.4 M KC1) the 8-S peak of estradiol binding is shifted to the 4-S region, suggesting dissociation of receptor aggregates. Time-course studies indicated that binding equilibrium was essentially achieved after 2 hours incubation at 0°C. Although unlabeled estrone and estriol are capable of inhibiting [3H]estradiol binding to epididymal cytosol, they are less effective than unlabeled estradiol. Unlabeled 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT) at a 100-fold molar excess did not cause a statistically significant inhibition of [3H]estradiol binding. Unlabeled estrogens, but not unlabeled 5α-DHT or cortisol (at the concentrations used), were capable of displacing [3H]-estradiol from its binding sites. The dissociation of [3H]estradiol from the binding component is very slow, with a half-time of dissociation being greater than 16 hours. The epididymal estrogen binder is saturable at low concentrations of ligand. The dissociation constant was of the order of 10−11 M and the concentration of binding sites was approximately 10−14 mol/mg protein. This estrogen binder has the characteristics which are usually attributed to steroid receptors and is clearly different from the testicular androgen-binding protein and the epididymal androgen receptor.
Natural convection of a radiating fluid in a square enclosure with perfectly conducting end walls

Combined natural convection and radiation in an asymmetrically heated square enclosure is studied numerically with both adiabatic and perfectly conducting end walls. The momentum and energy equations are solved by a control volume based finite difference algorithm which is coupled with the discrete ordinates method for radiative heat transfer calculations. The changes in the flow patterns and temperature distributions due to the presence of radiation in an enclosure with conducting end walls are compared with those for the case of an enclosure with adiabatic end walls, and significant differences are noted. The flow field is stronger, and the heat input along the hot wall and the end walls are greater for the conducting end wall case. The effects of optical thickness, scattering and wall emissivity on the flow and temperature fields and heat transfer rates are analysed.
Exported 18-kDa Isoform of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Is a Critical Determinant of Bone Mass in Mice

The role of the 18-kDa isoform of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) in the maintenance of bone mass was examined in Col3.6-18-kDa FGF2-IRES-GFPsaph transgenic (18-kDa TgFGF2) mice in which a 3.6-kb fragment of the type I collagen 5′-regulatory region (Col3.6) drives the expression of only the 18-kDa isoform of FGF2 with green fluorescent protein-sapphire (GFPsaph). Vector only transgenic mice (Col3.6-IRES-GFPsaph, VTg) were also developed as a control, and mice specifically deficient in 18-kDa FGF2 (FGF2lmw-/-) were also examined. Bone mineral density, femoral bone volume, trabecular thickness, and cortical bone area and thickness were significantly increased in 18-kDa TgFGF2 mice compared with VTg. Bone marrow cultures (BMSC) from 18-kDa TgFGF2 mice produced more mineralized nodules than VTg. Increased bone formation was associated with reduced expression of the Wnt antagonist secreted frizzled receptor 1 (sFRP-1). In contrast to 18-kDa TgFGF2 mice, FGF2lmw-/- mice have significantly reduced bone mineral density and fewer mineralized nodules, coincident with increased expression of sFRP-1 in bones and BMSC. Moreover, silencing of sFRP-1 in BMSC from FGF2lmw-/- mice reversed the decrease in β-catenin and Runx2 mRNA. Assay of Wnt/β-catenin-mediated transcription showed increased and decreased TCF-luciferase activity in BMSC from 18-kDa TgFGF2 and FGF2lmw-/- mice, respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the 18-kDa FGF2 isoform is a critical determinant of bone mass in mice by modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway.
The Urge to Splurge Revisited: Further Reflections on Applying Terror Management Theory to Materialism and Consumer Behavior

We respond to commentaries by Maheswaran and Agrawal (2004) and Rindfleisch and Burroughs (2004) on the application of terror management theory to understanding conspicuous consumption and consumer behavior. Specifically, we consider individual differences in terror management research; the possibility of cultural variation (or lack thereof) in terror management processes; the viability of materialism as a pathway to securing existential meaning; and the different and, at times possibly conflicting, motivations that may be evoked by the awareness of death.
Student-Led Conferences at the Middle Level: Promoting Student Responsibility

Although students generally feel a desire for greater independence in the middle level years, and are expected to assume increasing responsibility for their academic progress, they are usually excl...
Transuranic (TRU) Waste Volume Reduction Operation at a Plutonium Facility

Programmatic operations at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility (TA-55) involve working with various amounts of plutonium and other highly toxic, alpha-emitting materials. The spread of radiological contamination on surfaces, airborne contamination, and excursions of contaminants into the operator’s breathing zone are prevented through use of a variety of gloveboxes (the glovebox, coupled with an adequate negative pressure gradient, provides primary confinement). Size-reduction operations on glovebox equipment are a common activity when a process has been discontinued and the room is being modified to support a new customer. The Actinide Processing Group at TA-55 uses one-meter or longer glass columns to process plutonium. Disposal of used columns is a challenge, since they must be size-reduced to get them out of the glovebox. The task is a high-risk operation because the glass shards that are generated can puncture the bag-out bags, leather protectors, glovebox gloves, and the worker’s skin when completing the task. One of the Lessons Learned from these operations is that Laboratory management should critically evaluate each hazard and provide more effective measures to prevent personnel injury. A bag made of puncture-resistant material was one of these enhanced controls. We have investigated the effectiveness of these bags and have found that they safely and effectively permit glass objects to be reduced to small pieces with a plastic or rubber mallet; the waste can then be easily poured into a container for removal from the glovebox as non-compactable transuranic (TRU) waste. This size-reduction operation reduces solid TRU waste volume generation by almost 2-1/2 times. Replacing one-time-use bag-out bags with multiple-use glass crushing bags also contributes to reducing generated waste. In addition, significant costs from contamination, cleanup, and preparation of incident documentation are avoided. This effort contributes to the Los Alamos National Laboratory Continuous Improvement Program by improving the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and formality of glovebox operations. In this report, the technical issues, associated with implementing this process improvement are addressed, the results discussed, effectiveness of Lessons Learned evaluated, and waste savings presented.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Electron-field bremsstrahlung at intermediate electron energies

Abstract We have numerically evaluated Hodes' formula for the differential cross section for electron-field bremsstrahlung and integrated it over the direction of the scattered electron. The results are in good agreement with the measurements of Nakel and Pankau and of Rester.
Density, abundance and survival of the blue crab in seagrass and unstructured salt marsh nurseries of Chesapeake Bay

Structured benthic habitats such as salt marshes, seagrass beds and oyster reefs are recognized as critical nurseries for fish, crustaceans and mollusks in coastal and estuarine systems. Yet most estuaries and coastal habitats have extensive, relatively unstructured shallow-water habitats such as subtidal mud and sand flats, which are generally viewed as inconsequential nursery grounds. We tested this paradigm with the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, in shallow and deep benthic habitats of the York River, Chesapeake Bay. Juvenile blue crabs ( 2 m depth), in shallow unstructured subtidal mud flats (SMF) and sand flats (SSF) adjoining salt marshes, and in beds of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV—eelgrass, Zostera marina, and widgeongrass, Ruppia maritime) in three river zones (Upriver, Downriver, Mouth) across 60 km of the river axis. Survival of juveniles 25–55 mm carapace width was examined experimentally in all shallow habitats. SAV habitats were examined only at the Mouth zone; SAV did not occur in the Downriver and Upriver zones. Juvenile blue crab density was nearly an order of magnitude lower in SMF and SSF than in SAV habitats; density was lowest in DCM. Density in Upriver SMF and SSF habitats was 4- to 10-fold higher than that in Mouth and Downriver SMF and SSF, and DCM. Consequently, the two areas harboring the greatest fractions of York River juveniles were shallow: Mouth SAV (∼50%) and Upriver SMF and SSF (∼40%). Upriver expanses of SMF and SSF adjoining extensive salt marshes near the turbidity maximum harbored an approximately equal abundance of juvenile crabs as the downriver SAV beds, despite the density difference. Survival of tethered juveniles was significantly higher in Upriver SMF and SSF habitats than in Mouth SAV, SMF and SSF habitats, despite the lack of structural refuge in SMF and SSF; crabs in Upriver SMF and SSF survived four times as long as crabs in SAV, Mouth SMF and Mouth SSF. We conclude that shallow subtidal mud and sand flats near upriver salt marshes and in marsh coves are vital nursery grounds for the blue crab, and thus warrant conservation and restoration efforts at the level provided to SAV. The production potential of the blue crab and other estuarine species that utilize salt marshes has likely been severely reduced due not only to direct salt marsh destruction, but also due to indirect degradation of shallow subtidal mud and sand flats fringing salt marshes.
Phase transformations in two-phase TiAlTi3Al alloys during continuous heating and cooling, studied by electrical resistivity measurements

The α → γ transformation in a Ti-47.5at.%Al alloy and the α → α2 transformation in a Ti-40at.%Al alloy was studied by a novel computer-interfaced control-cum-data acquisition technique. In-situ, real-time, high-speed simultaneous measurements of resistivity and temperature were made in the system designed and constructed for this purpose. The experiments were made in the system designed and constructed for this purpose. The experiments were conducted in high vacuum. The samples were heated to the completely α region by controlled direct resistance heating, and cooled at various rates utilizing either controlled cooling algorithms or by varying the gas-jet quench. Temperature and resistivity changes were monitored during heating and cooling, and correlated with corresponding phase/microstructural changes. The results have shown that the γ phase is characterized by a low resistivity (about 50 μΩ cm at room temperature), whereas both α and α2 phases have high resistivities (about 190 to 200 μΩ cm at room temperature). Because of the large difference in resistivities of the α and γ phases, large and measurable changes in resistivity can be observed when one of these phases transforms to the other. In the Ti-47.5Al alloy, the lamellar γ morphology was observed at slower cooling rates, the Widmanstatten-like at intermediate cooling rates, and a massive reaction at very high cooling rates. Preliminary results of the transformation start and completion temperatures for the various reactions as a function of cooling rates are presented.
Trends in comprehensive service availability in outpatient drug abuse treatment

Comprehensive medical and psychosocial services are essential to quality addiction treatment, but their availability declined in the 1980s. To determine whether this downward trend in the availability of comprehensive services continued in the 1990s, we analyzed data from a national panel study of outpatient substance abuse treatment units in 1990, 1995, and 2000. Response rates were greater than 85%. Regarding the availability of comprehensive services, including physical examinations, routine medical care, mental health services, financial counseling and employment counseling, administrators reported whether any substance abuse treatment client received the service in the past year. With the exception of physical examinations, whose reported availability increased from 1990 to 1995, and financial counseling, whose reported availability decreased during the same time, the reported availability of comprehensive services changed little during the 1990s. These findings highlight the continuing need to monitor access to comprehensive services and other quality markers in addiction treatment over time.
Protection from asthma in a high-risk birth cohort by attenuated P2X7 function

Background Viral illnesses are important factors in both asthma inception and exacerbations, and allergic sensitization in early life further enhances asthma risk through unclear mechanisms. Cellular damage caused by infection or allergen inhalation increases ATP levels in the airways with subsequent purinergic receptor activation. The purinergic receptor P2X 7 can enhance airway leukocyte recruitment to the airways, and P2X 7 knockout mice display a reduced asthma-like phenotype. Objective Based on the P2X 7 knockout mouse, we hypothesized that children with low P2X 7 function would have decreased rates of asthma. Methods We used a functional assay to determine P2X 7 pore-producing capacity in whole-blood samples in a birth cohort at high risk for asthma development. The P2X 7 assay was validated with known loss-of-function alleles in human subjects. P2X 7 pore status categorization was used to assess asthma and allergy status in the cohort. Results Attenuated P2X 7 function was associated with lower asthma rates at ages 6 and 8 years, and the greatest effects were observed in boys. Children with asthma at age 11 years who had low P2X 7 capacity had less severe disease in the previous year. Attenuated P2X 7 function was also associated with sensitization to fewer aeroallergens. Conclusion P2X 7 functional capacity is associated with asthma risk or disease severity, and these relationships appear to be age related.
Tropical longing: the quest for India in the early twentieth-century Caribbean

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Indian indentured labourers in the Caribbean and their descendants were viewed by the British and by those within the subcontinent in often contradictory ways – both as docile, more culturally respected alternatives to black workers and as examples of brokenness and degradation from a subcontinental norm. I examine here various Indian and non-Indian views about the status of Caribbean Indianness and about the virtues and disadvantages of these migrants maintaining ties with the subcontinent. An analysis of essays, poetry, cultural societies and short stories from the period and a consideration of both class and spatial assumptions about what constituted Indianness expose the innovative ways in which these diasporic Indians actively shaped and negotiated relationships to British culture, to India and to notions of modernity.
Gel Permeation Analysis of Macromolecular Association by an Equilibrium Method

Abstract An equilibrium method for determining macromolecular association by gel permeation is described. A thermodynamic description of the simplest case, dimerization, is presented in terms of the equilibrium constant for association, and equilibrium partition coefficients for species present. The theoretical analysis yields an equation relating the equivalents of monomer in the external phase to total equivalents, from which the equilibrium constant for association may be obtained. Those parameters critical in experimental design, gel swelling time, and centrifugal collapse point are determined for Sephadex gels of porosity G-25 to G-200. Application of the method to human hemoglobin gives a value of K′ α = 5 × 10−6 for dissociation of oxyhemoglobin at pH 7.0 in 0.1 M buffer.
Reduced Genetic Variation in Populations of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina, Rosaceae) at Its Western Range Limit in Kansas

Abstract We compared genetic variation at five nuclear simple sequence repeat loci between three populations of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina) at the edge of its western range in Kansas to four populations from within the range interior. Although within-population expected heterozygosity did not differ between edge and core populations, allelic richness was significantly lower in the edge populations. This finding is consistent with a loss of rare alleles due to genetic drift in demographically unstable edge populations.
On-chip Optical Resonators for Single Nanoparticle Detection and Measurement

We demonstrated a self-reference sensing technique using a high-quality Whispering-Gallery-Mode resonator for detection and measurement of single nanoparticles down to 20 nm. Our approach could measure both dielectric and metallic nanoparticles in a single-shot measurement.
SALARY RAISES BY PERCENTAGE INCREASES

Starting with a mean salary distribution as a function of professional age at a given year, the salaries in subsequent years are determined by percentage raises. Effects of the percentage increases and the salaries at entry on subsequent salary distributions are examined, including an inflation correction. The salary history of an individual is considered. Simple modifications of the percentage system which correct for the anomalies observed are noted, as are questions for further study.
Review of S. Brent Plate’s Walter Benjamin, Religion, and Aesthetics

Erin Runions reviews S. Brent Plate’s Walter Benjamin, Religion, and Aesthetics: Rethinking Religion Through the Arts (New York: Routledge, 2005).
New phases, commensurate-incommensurate and disordering transitions in a solvable model of adsorbed layers

Commensurate-incommensurate and disordering phase transitions in adsorbed layers are studied. By considering more than one type of domain wall, certain dislocations can be included and studied in a free-fermion formalism. The model is solved exactly and exhibits commensurate, incommensurate, and new types of disordered phases. In the incommensurate phase the exponent \ensuremath{\eta} is not renormalized by these dislocations, and the disordering transition induced by them is distinct from Kosterlitz-Thouless melting. An interesting self-duality of the model is used to calculate correlation functions at high temperatures. The experimental implications of these new phases and phase transitions are discussed. A new nonclassical Lifshitz-type point is also observed.
PROLACTIN RESPONSES TO THYROTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE IN DISORDERS OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

Top of pageAbstract Spitz et al recently suggested that adult men with hypothalamic hypogonadism (HH) can be distinguished from children with constitutional delay of growth and development (CD) by the significantly lower prolactin (Prl) responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in the HH patients. These investigators attributed the diminished Prl responses to the absence of estradiol. The latter hypothesis was tested by evaluating Prl responses to TRH in Turner Syndrome patients. Prl responses to TRH in other disorders of sexual development were also evaluated and compared to the Prl responses in normal children and adolescents. Our findings indicate that although patients with HH tested during adolescence have significantly lower Prl responses to TRH, the overlap of values between patients and normal children was considerable and, on an individual basis, not nearly as distinguishable as the data reported for adult men. The exaggerated Prl responses to TRH in Turner Syndrome and in precocious puberty suggest that the pituitary lactotrophs may be sensitized by GnRH rather than estradiol.
Positron emission tomography is superior to computed tomography for metastatic detection in melanoma patients.

Background Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) provides diagnostic information not currently available with traditional imaging and may improve the accuracy of staging melanoma patients.
An Overview: Hegemony, Ideology and the Reproduction of Domination

One of the more fundamental questions for sociological theory and research is the extent to which rule though consent is generally far more effective than coercion, but how do ruling classes, or pe...
Polymer-Controlled Growth Rate of an Amorphous Mineral Film Nucleated at a Fatty Acid Monolayer

The nucleation and growth rate of an amorphous mineral film at a Langmuir monolayer interface has been observed in situ with X-ray scattering techniques for the first time. We present measurements of a calcium carbonate film, nucleating at a fatty acid monolayer from a supersaturated calcium carbonate subphase containing a dilute poly(acrylic acid) additive, in emulation of biogenic mineralizing systems. The arachidic acid molecules were observed to self-assemble on the subphase into an untilted structure, with one bound Ca2+ ion per 14−25 surfactant molecules, and with a two-molecule planar centered rectangular unit cell with lattice constants a = 4.38 A and b = 8.51 A. Subsequently, an amorphous mineral phase forms beneath the monolayer, growing at a rate of 22 A/h to a thickness of 300 A after about 15 h. The electron density of the film was 0.7 times that of crystalline calcium carbonate hexahydrate, suggesting that the precursor is a hydrated phase with an open structure. During film growth, no chang...
A theory of technophysio evolution, with some implications for forecasting population, health care costs, and pension costs

We argue that over the past 300 years human physiology has been undergoing profound environmentally induced changes made possible by numerous advances in technology. These changes, which we call technophysio evolution, increased body size by over 50%, and greatly improved the robustness and capacity of vital organ systems. Because technophysio evolution is still ongoing, it is relevant to forecasts of longevity and morbidity and, therefore, to forecasts of the size of the elderly population and pension and health care costs.
Deep optically thin cirrus clouds in the polar regions. I - Infrared extinction characteristics

The spectral data obtained by the infrared interferometer Spectrometer (IRIS) flown on Nimbus 4 satellite in 1970 indicated the existence of optically thin ice clouds in the upper troposphere that probably extended into lower stratosphere, in the polar regions, during winter and early spring. The spectral features of these clouds differ somewhat from that of the optically thin cirrus clouds in the tropics. From theoretical simulation of the infrared spectra in the 8-25 micron region, it is inferred that these polar clouds have a vertical stratification in particle size, with larger particles (about 12 microns) in the bottom of the cloud and smaller ones (less than 1 micron) aloft. Radiative transfer calculations also suggest that the equivalent ice-water content of these polar clouds is of the order of 1 mg/sq cm.
Softening of Cucumber Pickles by Cx‐Cellulase and Its Inhibition by Calcium

The effects of polygalacturonase free Cx-cellulase alone or in combination with CaCl2 on softening of cucumber pickles during brine storage were examined. Treating Cx-cellulase preparations with urea eliminated polygalacturonase activity. Pickles exposed to Cx-cellulase remained firm for 4 months. After 4 months, Cx-cellulase mediated softening became apparent. Calcium substantially increased firmness. Cx-cellulase did not reduce the level of firmness attained in pickles exposed to calcium during 12 months of storage.
A literature review of intensive insulin therapy and mortality in critically ill patients

Background: Since Van den Berghe et al published their study on tight glucose control in 2001, intensive insulin therapy (IIT) has been increasingly used for critically ill patients worldwide. However, recent studies reported a significantly increased risk of hypoglycemia without a significant reduction in mortality. Objective: The purpose of this article was to evaluate the effect of IIT with a target glucose of 110 mg/dL or less on mortality in adult critically ill patients and to determine whether it is appropriate to generalize IIT for all critically ill patients. Methods: Ovid, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases were searched for studies that compared "conventional" vs "intensive" insulin therapy in adult critically ill patients. Results: Eleven articles were included for this review. There was no significant difference in intensive care unit mortality between tight glucose control group and conventional glucose control group in 5 of 6 studies. Only 1 study showed a significant difference in hospital mortality between the 2 groups. Seven studies showed a significant increase in the incidence of hypoglycemia. Conclusions: Intensive insulin therapy was not associated with significant reduction in mortality in adult critically ill patients but was related to a significant increase in the incidence of hypoglycemia. Therefore, it is inappropriate to generalize IIT for all critically ill patients, even though it significantly improved blood glucose control.
Extreme points of convex sets of doubly stochastic matrices. II

It is shown that there are no extreme elements (other than the permutation matrices) in certain naturally occurring convex sets of doubly stochastic matrices, including the set of all such matrices whose entries are all strictly less than θ (θ≦1), provided that θ is rational.
Future directions for the melioration model of addiction

For use in applied settings, the melioration model will need to incorporate changes in the shapes of local value functions over time, treat current value as a continuous function of time since previous choices, and take into account discounting of the effects of current behavior on future value. The policy implications of the model for regulating drugs are limited.
Visual search is guided by prospective and retrospective memory

Although there has been some controversy as to whether attention is guided by memory during visual search, recent findings have suggested that memory helps to prevent attention from needlessly reinspecting examined items. Until now, it has been assumed that some form of retrospective memory is responsible for keeping track of examined items and preventing revisitations. Alternatively, some form of prospective memory, such as strategic scanpath planning, could be responsible for guiding attention away from examined items. We used a new technique that allowed us to selectively prevent retrospective or prospective memory from contributing to search. We demonstrated that both retrospective and prospective memory guide attention during visual search.
Correlates of Change in Functional Status of Institutionalized Geriatric Schizophrenic Patients: Focus on Medical Comorbidity

OBJECTIVE: Impairment in basic self-care skills is common in patients with schizophrenia and is even more severe in elderly patients with a chronic course of institutional care. While cognitive impairment has proven to be a major predictor of overall functional deficit in schizophrenia, other potential factors, such as medical comorbidity, need to be considered. METHOD: Geriatric institutionalized schizophrenic patients (N=124) were assessed three times over 4 years to determine levels of positive and negative symptoms, impairment in activities of daily living, impairment in cognitive functioning, and medical problems. Path analysis was used to determine which variables best predicted changes in self-care functions. RESULTS: Functional status, negative symptoms, cognitive functions, and health status all significantly worsened during the follow-up. The path analyses showed that change in health status did not predict change in activities of daily living after the analysis accounted for negative symptoms a...
Purified 60-kilodalton Legionella protein antigen with Legionella-specific and nonspecific epitopes.

Abstract In a previous study, all convalescent-phase sera from patients with culture-confirmed legionellosis reacted on immunoblots with a Legionella genus-wide 58-kilodalton (kDa) protein antigen (J.S. Sampson, B.B. Plikaytis, and H.W. Wilkinson, J. Clin. Microbiol. 23:92-99, 1986). The present study was done to immunologically characterize and determine the diagnostic relevance of this purified antigen. The antigen was precipitated from enriched cell extracts with ammonium sulfate and purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography. High-titered rabbit antiserum produced to the purified protein was used to show its presence on immunoblots in the 60-kDa range in 38 Legionella serogroups, representing 23 species, and in 39 non-Legionella bacteria. The antiserum was made specific for Legionella strains by sequential absorptions with Bordetella pertussis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas fluorescens whole cells. Serum from legionellosis patients reacted with both specific and nonspecific epitopes. Results of indirect immunofluorescence experiments showed that neither specific nor nonspecific epitopes of the 60-kDa protein were surface exposed on Legionella cells and that cross-reactive epitopes were variably exposed on non-Legionella bacteria. The 60-kDa protein antigen should be useful in diagnostic tests for legionellosis if care is taken to expose cryptic epitopes and if the tests use or measure only the Legionella-specific epitopes.
Rock-property and seismic-attribute analysis of a chert reservoir in the Devonian Thirty-one Formation, west Texas, U.S.A.

In west Texas, fractured-chert reservoirs of Devonian age haveproducedmorethan700millionbarrelsofoil.Aboutthe same amount of mobile petroleum remains in place. These reservoirsarecharacterizedbymicroporosity;theyareheterogeneous and compartmented, which results in recovery of less than 30% of the oil in place. In this case study the objective was to use cores, petrophysical logs, rock physics, and seismic attributes to characterize porosity and field-scale fractures.Therelationsamongporosity,velocity,andimpedancewereexploredandalsoreactionsamongproduction,impedance, and lineaments observed in 3D attribute volumes. Laboratory core data show that Gassmann’s fluid-substitution equation works well for microporous tripolitic chert. Also, laboratry measurements show excellent linear correlation between P-wave impedance and porosity. Volumetric calculations of reflector curvature and seismic inversion of acoustic impedance were combined to infer distribution of lithofaciesandfracturesandtopredictporosity.StatisticalrelationswereestablishedbetweenP-wavevelocityandporosity measured from cores, between P-wave impedance and producing zones, and between initial production rates and seismic “fracture lineaments.”The strong quantitative correlation between thick-bedded chert lithofacies and seismic impedance was used to map the reservoir. A qualitative inverse relation between the first 12 months of production and curvaturelineamentswasdocumented.
Silicon-based 2D slab nano photonic crystal TM polarizer in telecommunication wavelength

We report an extremely compact (15.4 mum x 8 mum) silicon-based 2D slab nano photonic crystal transverse magnetic (TM) polarizer which blocks propagation of the transverse electric (TE) polarized light around telecommunication wavelength (1,550 nm). TM polarization occurs in a length of mere 4.9 mum and it has a great potential to be integrated in a complex photonic integrated circuits. To our knowledge, this is the first ever demonstration of silicon-based TM polarizer in telecommunication wavelength. 2D and 3D finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation was utilized to design a triangular array of air holes in silicon. Such photonic crystal TM polarizer was fabricated in silicon-on-insulator wafer using focused ion beam and reactive ion etch with air hole diameter of 170 nm and pitch distance of 347 nm for the TM polarizer and 371 nm for the input and output waveguide. The device was fully characterized using tunable lasers in the wavelength range of 1,528 nm ~ 1,604 nm. Transmitted light intensities of the TE and TM polarized lights were measured which clearly showed the TE polarized light is filtered out around 1.55 mum wavelength.
Minimally Invasive Holographic Surface Scanning for Soft-Tissue Image Registration

Recent advances in registration have extended intrasurgical image guidance from its origins in bone-based procedures to new applications in soft tissues, thus enabling visualization of spatial relationships between surgical instruments and subsurface structures before incisions begin. Preoperative images are generally registered to soft tissues through aligning segmented volumetric image data with an intraoperatively sensed cloud of organ surface points. However, there is currently no viable noncontact minimally invasive scanning technology that can collect these points through a single laparoscopic port, which limits wider adoption of soft-tissue image guidance. In this paper, we describe a system based on conoscopic holography that is capable of minimally invasive surface scanning. We present the results of several validation experiments scanning ex vivo biological and phantom tissues with a system consisting of a tracked, off-the-shelf, relatively inexpensive conoscopic holography unit. These experiments indicate that conoscopic holography is suitable for use with biological tissues, and can provide surface scans of comparable quality to existing clinically used laser range scanning systems that require open surgery. We demonstrate experimentally that conoscopic holography can be used to guide a surgical needle to desired subsurface targets with an average tip error of less than 3 mm.
Elution fractionation of crystalline polypropylene

A number of commercial and experimental samples of crystalline polypropylene were fractionated by sand column solvent gradient elution techniques. Two different solvent—nonsolvent systems were studied under several sets of experimental conditions. Deposition of polymer upon the sand from a thermodynamically poor solvent was found to be necessary to achieve selective fractionation according to molecular weights. Both selective and nonselective fractionation results are illustrated with the latter occurring whenever the polymer is deposited upon the substrate from a thermodynamically good solvent. Molecular weight distributions for ten samples are given as obtained from elution fractionation using o-dichlorobenzene—diethylene glycol monomethyl ether as solvent—nonsolvent system at 168°C. These molecular weight distributions could be adequately described by the logarithmic-normal probability distribution function found by Wesslau and others to be applicable for linear polyethylene and by Davis and Tobias for polypropylene. Many of the distributions observed in this work were found to be narrower than those previously reported in the literature.