cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual Tannic Acid Destroys Virucidal Properties of Iodophor

Abstract Surface de-adhesion and disinfection of eggs at hatcheries are critical steps in successful fry culture; however, little is known about the effects of the combination of these compounds on the efficacy of egg surface disinfection. We examined the effect of tannic acid on detection of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) type IVb alone and in the presence of iodophor under in vitro conditions. We confirmed that tannic acid inhibits the quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay developed in our laboratory and that it binds to VHSV, reversibly decreasing infectivity. Surprisingly, we also found that when combined with iodophor, tannic acid destroys the ability of either compound to inhibit infectivity. While we still strongly encourage the use of iodophor for its antiviral, bactericidal, and fungicidal properties, our results suggest that when tannic acid is used prior to disinfection with iodophor, it must be very thoroughly rinsed to ensure that it does not interfere ...
Response of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System to Memory Retrieval After Extended-Access Cocaine or Saline Self-Administration.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in the retrieval-induced destabilization of cocaine- and fear-related memories in Pavlovian paradigms. However, nothing is known about its role in memory retrieval after self-administration of cocaine, an operant paradigm, or how the length of withdrawal from cocaine may influence retrieval mechanisms. Here, we examined UPS activity after an extended-access cocaine self-administration regimen that leads to withdrawal-dependent incubation of cue-induced cocaine craving. Controls self-administered saline. In initial experiments, memory retrieval was elicited via a cue-induced seeking/retrieval test on withdrawal day (WD) 50–60, when craving has incubated. We found that retrieval of cocaine- and saline-associated memories produced similar increases in polyubiquitinated proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), compared with rats that did not undergo a seeking/retrieval test. Measures of proteasome catalytic activity confirmed similar activation of the UPS after retrieval of saline and cocaine memories. However, in a subsequent experiment in which testing was conducted on WD1, proteasome activity in the NAc was greater after retrieval of cocaine memory than saline memory. Analysis of other brain regions confirmed that effects of cocaine memory retrieval on proteasome activity, relative to saline memory retrieval, depend on withdrawal time. These results, combined with prior studies, suggest that the relationship between UPS activity and memory retrieval depends on training paradigm, brain region, and time elapsed between training and retrieval. The observation that mechanisms underlying cocaine memory retrieval change depending on the age of the memory has implications for development of memory destabilization therapies for cue-induced relapse in cocaine addicts.
A Comparison Study on the Confusion and Threat of the United States and Chinese Library Education

This article is concerned with the confusion and threat of library and information science education in China and the United States. It compares the similarities and differences between the two countries and explains the reasons for the confusion. It suggests that a small number of American schools of library and information science (LIS) did not adjust their direction during the early period of development of the American information industry. Alternatively, Chinese library education seized the opportunity at the right time and turned its academic direction to incorporate aspects of the emerging information industry. It now has a strong position in the information job market. This turn may provide direction for world LIS education.
Racial Disparities, Perceptions, and Evaluations: Counseling Model Choice and the Florida College System

Community college students face a number of life and academic challenges. It is unknown what counseling models are currently employed by community colleges to meet their students’ many needs. Representatives of Florida’s 28 community colleges completed a survey detailing their counseling model, student populations, rationale behind the model choice, perceptions of model and student use, and evaluation methods for the models. Four models were discovered: in-house counseling (n = 5), outsourcing (n = 9), hybrid (n = 9), and no counseling (n = 5). Racial disparities were discovered as well. Hispanic students are overrepresented at institutions not offering counseling to their students and underrepresented in institutions offering some form of counseling. The descriptive results, practice implications, and areas for future research are detailed. Further investigation is needed into the institutional, community, and student characteristics and their effects on model choice and effectiveness.
NOx abatement by fuel-lean reburning: Laboratory combustor and pilot-scale package boiler results

Although nitrogen oxides (NOx) abatement by reburning or secondary fuel addition has been demonstrated in the field, its application has heretofore been reserved primarily for overall fuel-rich or reducing conditions in the reburning zone. Contrary to predictions by detailed kinetic modeling of premixed systems, the unmixed environments often present in large full-scale units allow substantial NOx reduction under overall fuel-lean conditions in the reburning zone. To explore this further, two experimental studies were conducted. First, systematic tests in a 17-kW down-flow laboratory combustor, in which nitric oxide (NO) in the oxidant was destroyed in long, axial, methane/air, diffusion flames, showed that substantial reduction of NO was possible under overall fuel-lean conditions. Variations of burner Reynolds number showed that this was a first-order process with respect to primary NO concentration under laminar flow conditions, but approximately second order with respect to primary NO under turbulent diffusion flame conditions. These results were then corroborated by tests in a pilot-scale, 0.9-MW, package boiler simulator, in which reburning natural gas was introduced, in an axial coflowing mode, into a flue gas containing almost 6% O2 and NO concentrations ranging from 600 to 2600 ppm. These larger-scale, turbulent flow tests also showed that fuel-lean reburning could achieve 40%–50% NO destruction with carbon monoxide emissions of less than 100 ppm, and that the effectiveness of fuel-lean reburning depended only weakly on reburning zone temperature, with a maximum effectiveness at a modestly cool flue gas temperature of 1000 K. These results, which differ markedly from those for conventional fuel-rich reburning, are interpreted in light of pertinent mechanisms.
Some further tests of the brief confinement effect and the SSDR account of flooding

Abstract Although brief confinement in novel or fearful places may occasionally produce flooding-like effects with regard to hastening avoidance response extinction, the results of the three experiments reported here indicate that this is not as robust a phenomenon as is flooding. Experiments 1 and 2 found that any tendency for a brief confinement effect to occur is likely to result from the use of a procedure where extinction is started on the grid floor as opposed to on the ledge of a jump-up box. Experiment 3 found no evidence at all that confinement in either a novel or a fearful place can hasten the extinction of a more well-learned jump-up response than that studied in previous experiments, even when the grids extinction procedure was used. Overall these results do not support the SSDR account of flooding, which has derived its chief support from experiments demonstrating a brief confinement effect.
Life between computer vision and databases

This paper will argue in favor of a comprehensive model of image data bases, which allows the inclusion of computer vision technique into a formal query framework on a rigorous data base foundation. It attempts to give a first, very tentative direction that this framework could take. The main idea of the paper is that a correct way to create a data base that relies on such heterogeneous techniques as those developed by computer vision researchers without collapsing under the sheer weight of its own complexity goes through the definition of abstract data types, and of suitable techniques to manipulate them in a query system without having to know anything of their implementation, that is, purely from a functional point of view.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Instabilities of inertial transport in semiconductors

A derivation of the potential and the current-voltage relation is given for collisionless (inertial) transport of electron carriers in high-mobility low effective-mass one-dimensional short space-charge limited semiconductor diodes. No instability for longitudinal fluctuations is found, but transverse spatial instabilities or current filament formation is predicted by minimum entropy production. The negative differential resistance that gives rise to the transverse spatial instabilities restricts the range of stable device operation where a minimum current density is found.
Low Reynolds number flow across an array of cylindrical microposts in a microchannel and figure-of-merit analysis of micropost-filled microreactors

Micropost-filled reactors are commonly found in many micro-total analysis system applications because of their large surface area for the surrounding volume. Design rules for micropost-filled reactors are presented here to optimize the performance of a micro-preconcentrator, which is a component of a micro-gas chromatography system. A key figure of merit for the performance of the micropost-filled preconcentrator is to minimize the pressure drop while maximizing the surface-area-to-volume ratio for a given overall channel geometry. Several independent models from the literature are used to predict the flow resistance across the micropost-filled channels for low Reynolds number flows. The pressure drop can be expressed solely as a function of a couple of design parameters: β = a/s, the ratio of the radius of each post to the half-spacing between two adjacent posts, and N, the number of microposts in a row. Pressure drop measurements are performed to experimentally corroborate the flow resistance models and the optimization scheme using the figure of merit. As the number of microposts for a given β increases in a given channel size, a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio will result for a fixed pressure drop. Therefore, increasing the arrays of posts with smaller diameters and spacing will optimize the microreactor for larger surface area for a given flow resistance, at least until Knudsen flow begins to dominate.
Uniaxial pullout evaluation of internal screw fixation.

Abstract Multiple techniques of internal screw fixation are being used in clinical oral and maxillofacial surgery. This study evaluated the uniaxial pull-out strength of five commonly used screws and Krischner pins placed by five different techniques. The pull-out strength of the Kirschner pins was significantly less ( P > .0001) than that of the screws. The screw techniques did not differ significantly.
Is the Proof in the Pudding? Reanalyses of Torrance's (1958 to Present) Longitudinal Data

The use of divergent thinking {DT) tests to assess creativity has been strongly criticized in recent years. Several critics have noted that DT test scores have shown little evidence of predictive validity with respect to adult creative achievement. Data from Torrance's (1972a) elementary school longitudinal study (1958-present) were reanalyzed using structural equation modeling. Results suggest that just under half of the variance in adult creative achievement is explained by DT test scores, with the contribution of DT being more than 3 times that of intelligence quotients. However, comprehensive longitudinal models of creative achievement based on current creativity and cognitive theory have yet to be empirically validated.
The Structure of a Midlatitude Squall Line: A Case Study

Abstract On 22 May 1976 a well-organized squall line with a width of more than 100 km passed through the mesonetwork of the National Severe Storms Laboratory in central Oklahoma. This squall line was evolving from its mature stage to the decaying stage when it passed the network. A total of 81 rawinsonde observations were made at nine stations within the network. These, as well as other observations, were analyzed to depict the kinematic and thermodynamic structure of the squall line. Composite and objective analysis techniques were used to arrive at the time-averaged structure on a vertical plane transverse to the squall line. The resulting air flow relative to the traveling squall line is consistent with the distribution of the thermodynamic variables and radar reflectivity. A familiar upshear tilt of the updraft is clearly indicated; the upper-level divergence maximum is located ∼70 km to the rear of the low-level convergence maximum. An interesting feature revealed by the analysis is that the horizont...
Change-related rehaviour and information systems

Abstract This field study investigated the effects of human needs, group influence, and management style in an organizational systems change context using the Fishbein and Ajzen paradigm. The research revealed a positive relationship between subjects' needs and their supportiveness of the change. Also, a positive relationship was found between the workplace group and individual group members' intentions supportive of the change. In addition, a considerate management style was related to supportive behavioural intentions. Finally, path analysis revealed a path from human needs to behavioural intention, as well as paths from group norm and management style to behavioural intention.
LIGHT‐HARVESTING PIGMENT‐PROTEIN COMPLEXES OF THE ULVOPHYCEAE (CHLOROPHYTA):CHARACTERIZATION AND PHYLOGENETIC SIGNIFICANCE1

Photosystem II light-harvesting complexes were isolated from a number of ulvophycean algae. Some of these light-harvesting complexes displayed unusual features, most notably a high apparent molecular weight (ca. 58,000) when isolated by lithium doderyl sulfate polyarrylamide gel electrophoresis. Other ulvophycean light-harvesting complexes had a low-molecular weight (ca. 30,000). The distribution of the high-molecular weight complex was limited to certain members of the Caulerpales and Blastophysa rhizopus (Siphanocladales). Within the Caulerpales, there were also spectral differences between the high-molecular weight and low-molecular weight light-harvesting complex types. The differences in light-harvesting complexes in the Ulvophyceae suggest that there are two lines of evolution in the Caulerpales and that Blastophysa may be an intermediate between the Siphon-ocladales and the Caulerpales.
A Note on the Physical Possibility of Transfinite Computation

AbstractIn this note, we consider constraints on the physical possibility of transfinite Turing machines that arise from how one models the continuous structure of space and time in one's best phys...
The pressure multiplier revisited

Pressure multipliers, which were originally intended to continuously sample an unknown pressure and increase it by a known factor, so that measurements could be conducted at low pressures with liquid-in-gas gauges, may be usefully applied to the increasing number of components available for use in molecular flow networks. An intriguing possibility involves the electric control of pressure multiplier gain by means of a piezoelectric valve.
Diagnosis of Laryngomalacia by Fiberoptic Endoscopy:Awake Compared With Anesthesia-Aided Technique

Rationale Fiberoptic flexible laryngoscopy (FFL) is the diagnostic procedure of choice in patients with laryngomalacia. Two techniques can be applied, either when the infant is awake or using anesthesia/sedation. The choice of technique may effect the diagnosis. Study objectives To compare the two techniques for diagnosing laryngomalacia. Patients and interventions A total of 42 infants who underwent awake fiberoptic laryngoscopy for congenital stridor, in whom either laryngomalacia was diagnosed or no cause for stridor was found, underwent a repeat laryngoscopy using anesthesia/sedation. The 84 video recordings of the supraglottic portions were copied onto a videotape along with 25 recordings of normal upper airways without stridor and 31 duplicate cases with stridor. A total of 140 recordings was mixed at random on a videotape. Sound was not included. Measurements Three investigators (Y.S., J.B.A., and A.D.) independently scored each recording using a laryngomalacia scoring system (scoring range, 0 to 8). Results A threshold score of 2 was the optimal cutoff point for discriminating laryngomalacia from normal condition. The awake technique (WT) missed three cases of laryngomalacia and overdiagnosed one healthy control subject. The anesthesia technique was superior with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 100% compared with 93%, 92%, 97%, and 79%, respectively, for the WT. Conclusions The diagnosis of laryngomalacia with FFL is more accurate using anesthesia/sedation. The WT may be appropriate for screening or for patients with mild cases having a characteristic presentation.
Thermal behaviour of 11Å tobermorite and its lattice parameters

Abstract Relationships between thermal behaviours and lattice parameters were investigated of 11A tobermorites synthesised hydrothermally from CaO and quartz with/without addition of NaOH or Al2O3. Factors which decreased the lattice parameter co, i.e. decrease of Ca/Si and H2O/Si mole ratios, increase of crystallinity, and addition of NaOH, were favourable to the formation of anomalous type. Addition of Al2O3 increased co and gave normal type. Variations of ao and bo were extremely small compared with those of co. A linear correlation was observed between ao and bo, and areas of the ab-plane of unit cell were almost equal in spite of differences of the thermal behaviours. It was noted that the 400 peak had a tendency to be overlapped not only by the 008 but also by 207 lines in x-ray diffractometer traces. Structural differences among the preparations are discussed based on these results.
Paused Pol II Coordinates Tissue Morphogenesis in the Drosophila Embryo

Paused RNA polymerase (Pol II) is a pervasive feature of Drosophila embryos and mammalian stem cells, but its role in development is uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that a spectrum of paused Pol II determines the “time to synchrony”—the time required to achieve coordinated gene expression across the cells of a tissue. To determine whether synchronous patterns of gene activation are significant in development, we manipulated the timing of snail expression, which controls the coordinated invagination of ∼1,000 mesoderm cells during gastrulation. Replacement of the strongly paused snail promoter with moderately paused or nonpaused promoters causes stochastic activation of snail expression and increased variability of mesoderm invagination. Computational modeling of the dorsal-ventral patterning network recapitulates these variable and bistable gastrulation profiles and emphasizes the importance of timing of gene activation in development. We conclude that paused Pol II and transcriptional synchrony are essential for coordinating cell behavior during morphogenesis.
Electrocardiographic Changes after Glucose Ingestion

In order to determine the effect of glucose ingestion on the electrocardiogram, 23 men with coronary heart disease and 30 without known heart disease had electrocardiograms in the fasting state and serial tracings at 30-minute intervals after the administration of 100 Gm. of oral glucose. In both groups the mean changes after glucose ingestion were slight ST-segment depression, a moderate decrease in T-wave amplitude, and a slight increase in heart rate, although individual variability was great. When the electrocardiograms were classified by a uniform coding system, new ST-segment or T-wave classifications were recorded for eight of 23 subjects with coronary heart disease and three of 30 men without known heart disease. Since ST-segment and T-wave changes regularly follow glucose ingestion and are sometimes of sufficient degree to suggest heart disease in apparently normal individuals, electrocardiograms recorded within several hours after glucose administration must be interpreted with caution. Because ...
Species-specific binding of IL-1, but not the IL-1 receptor antagonist, by fibroblasts

Our laboratory previously reported that bovine thymocytes and fibroblasts proliferated only in response to bovine IL-1, whereas proliferation of murine thymocytes was augmented equally well by murine, human, and bovine IL-1. In this study, we used direct and competitive receptor binding assays to determine whether differential binding of homologous versus heterologous IL-1 accounts for the species-specific response of bovine fibroblasts. Our results demonstrated that bovine and human fibroblasts bound homologous IL-1 with high affinity and heterologous IL-1 with lower affinity. In contrast, murine fibroblasts bound both homologous and heterologous IL-1 with high affinity. Because IL-1 and the human IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) both bind to type 1 IL-1 receptors, we also determined whether the IL-1ra demonstrated receptor binding properties similar to human IL-1 for bovine, human, and murine fibroblasts. To our surprise, the human IL-1ra bound equally well to bovine, human and murine fibroblasts. We used this characteristic of the IL-ra to perform affinity cross-linking analysis of the IL-1 receptors on bovine, human and murine fibroblasts. These comparisons demonstrated the IL-1 receptors on bovine and human fibroblasts have similar molecular sizes (M(r) 73 kDa and M(r) kDa, respectively), whereas, IL-1 receptors on murine fibroblasts have an estimated molecular size of M(r) 88 kDa. These data demonstrate that IL-1 receptors on bovine fibroblasts preferentially bind homologous IL-1, but bovine fibroblasts do not discriminate binding by the human IL-1ra. In contrast, murine fibroblast IL-1 receptors bind heterologous IL-1 with high affinity.
Editor's Special Invited Paper: Sequential Estimation for Time Series Models

Abstract This article revisits sequential estimation of the autoregressive parameter β in a first-order autoregressive (AR(1)) model and construction of a sequential confidence region for a parameter vector θ in a first-order threshold autoregressive (TAR(1)) model. To resolve a theoretical conjecture raised in Sriram (1986), we provide a comprehensive numerical study that strongly suggests that the regret in using a sequential estimator of β can be significantly negative for many heavy-tailed error distributions and even for normal errors. Secondly, to investigate yet another conjecture about the limiting distribution of a sequential pivotal quantity for θ in a TAR(1) model, we conduct an extensive numerical study that strongly suggests that the sequential confidence region has much better coverage probability than that of a fixed sample counterpart, regardless of whether the θ values are inside or on or near the boundary of the ergodic region of the series. These highlight the usefulness of sequential s...
Evaluation of Nucleation Theories in a Sulfur-Rich Environment

Six nucleation parameterizations are tested using the Dynamic Model for Aerosol Nucleation (DMAN). Weak, moderate, and strong nucleation events together with days without nucleation from the Pittsburgh Air Quality Study (PAQS) were selected for the evaluation. The ability of the different theories to reproduce the occurrence or lack of a nucleation event was evaluated. The ternary sulfuric acid-ammonia-water theory was the only one that was successful for all tests. Sensitivity tests of the remaining parameterizations suggest that increasing or decreasing the corresponding nucleation rates does not change the overall performance of the parameterizations when both the nucleation and non-nucleation days are included in the tests.
Synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of conjugates between 2'-deoxyadenosine and modified anthraquinone: probes for hole-transfer studies in DNA.

Photoexcitation of anthraquinones (AQ) in association with DNA results in DNA damage mainly at guanine residues, with products from thymine oxidation also observed. Studies of adenine oxidation wil...
Characteristics of work-related injuries involving forklift trucks

Abstract Industrial lift trucks or forklift trucks are a common source of occupational injuries. In 1983, over 13,000 workers' compensation claims for lost-workday injuries involving forklift trucks were filed in 30 states. An estimated 24,000 forklift-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 1983, and an estimated 34,000 in 1985. This paper presents the results of an analysis of forklift injuries reported in two occupational injury databases — the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Supplementary Data System (SDS). Characteristics of these injuries (e.g., type of injury, diagnosis, body part affected) and of the injury victims (e.g., age, sex, occupation) are described, and scenarios of typical forklift injuries in various occupations are presented. Trends in forklift injuries from 1983–1985 are also discussed.
Differentiated optical services: a quality of optical service model for WDM networks

This paper addresses the issues of guaranteed and scalable end-to-end QoS in Metropolitan DWDM networks serving as transit networks for IP access networks. DWDM offering few wavelengths have in the past been deployed in backbone networks to upgrade point-to-point transmission where sharing is based on coarse granularity. This type of DWDM backbone networks, offering few lightpaths, provides no support for QoS services traversing the network. As DWDM networks with larger numbers of wavelengths penetrate the data-centric Metro environment, specific IP service requirements such as priority restoration, scalability, dynamic provisioning of capacity and routes, and support for coarse-grain QoS capabilities will have to be addressed in the optical domain in order to support end-to-end Service- Level Agreements. In this paper, we focus on the support of QoS in the optical domain in order to achieve end-to-end QoS over a DWDM network. We propose a QoS service model in the optical domain called Differentiated Optical Services (DOS). Service classification in DOS is based on a set of optical parameters that captures the quality and reliability of the optical lightpath.
Mutations at beta N265 in γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors alter both binding affinity and efficacy of potent anesthetics.

Etomidate and propofol are potent general anesthetics that act via GABAA receptor allosteric co-agonist sites located at transmembrane β+/α− inter-subunit interfaces. Early experiments in heteromeric receptors identified βN265 (M2-15′) on β2 and β3 subunits as an important determinant of sensitivity to these drugs. Mechanistic analyses suggest that substitution with serine, the β1 residue at this position, primarily reduces etomidate efficacy, while mutation to methionine eliminates etomidate sensitivity and might prevent drug binding. However, the βN265 residue has not been photolabeled with analogs of either etomidate or propofol. Furthermore, substituted cysteine modification studies find no propofol protection at this locus, while etomidate protection has not been tested. Thus, evidence of contact between βN265 and potent anesthetics is lacking and it remains uncertain how mutations alter drug sensitivity. In the current study, we first applied heterologous α1β2N265Cγ2L receptor expression in Xenopus oocytes, thiol-specific aqueous probe modification, and voltage-clamp electrophysiology to test whether etomidate inhibits probe reactions at the β-265 sidechain. Using up to 300 µM etomidate, we found both an absence of etomidate effects on α1β2N265Cγ2L receptor activity and no inhibition of thiol modification. To gain further insight into anesthetic insensitive βN265M mutants, we applied indirect structure-function strategies, exploiting second mutations in α1β2/3γ2L GABAA receptors. Using α1M236C as a modifiable and anesthetic-protectable site occupancy reporter in β+/α− interfaces, we found that βN265M reduced apparent anesthetic affinity for receptors in both resting and GABA-activated states. βN265M also impaired the transduction of gating effects associated with α1M236W, a mutation that mimics β+/α− anesthetic site occupancy. Our results show that βN265M mutations dramatically reduce the efficacy/transduction of anesthetics bound in β+/α− sites, and also significantly reduce anesthetic affinity for resting state receptors. These findings are consistent with a role for βN265 in anesthetic binding within the β+/α− transmembrane sites.
Trecento Devotion and Visuality: A Reliquary Panel by Tommaso da Modena

By contextualizing a reliquary panel by Tommaso da Modena within the interrelated artistic, scientific, and religious trends and practices of fourteenth-century Italy, a better understanding of the ways such a devotional aid was received comes to light. This article considers how the reliquary panel’s material, composition, and decorative techniques could have resonated with aspects of Trecento visuality and devotion (e.g., the production of eyeglasses, debates about the Beatific Vision, Ugo Panciera’s Treatise on Perfection , and the Franciscan theology of light). It pays particular attention to the panel’s incorporation of verre eglomise, a technique that experienced a significant revival during the Trecento and which was recommended by Cennino Cennini's for decorating reliquaries. Such an investigation demonstrates how Tommaso’s panel, and others like it, could have capitalized on the growing interest in the sense of sight and optics to affect spiritual insight.
Resonance capture and the evolution of the planets

Abstract The present nearly resonant orbital periods of the planets are explained in terms of past two-body resonance capture of planetesimals in the solar nebula. Planetary formation then occurs sequentially starting with Jupiter for the outer planets and Venus for the inner planets and propagates outward due to two-body orbital resonances. It might now be possible to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the planets from their nearly commensurable orbital periods and, hence, provide an explanation for the Titius-Bode law.
Does cooperative e-learning improve graduate student project outcomes?

Cooperative learning was applied in an online graduate project management course to compare the effectiveness of asynchronous versus synchronous online team meetings. A quasi-experiment was constructed to allocate students to project teams while ensuring there was a balance of requisite skills, namely systems analysis and design along with HTML/Javascript programming. The project was constructed with a level of difficulty that required cooperative learning for high marks. The treatment in the experiment required the control group to use an asynchronous discussion forum for project meetings, and the test group to use synchronous video, audio, and text messaging for their team meetings. Prior ability was measured and numerous experimental controls were imposed.
Microstructure of SiC Prepared by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Silicon carbide prepared by chemical vapor deposition at a substrate temperature of ∼1400425-429°C was investigated. Optical microscopy showed that the growth characteristic is dendritic; the deposits consist of columnar blocks within each of which the orientation of crystals is approximately the same. Small pores occur along the boundaries of these blocks. Transmission electron microscopy revealed finer details of the growth characteristics. The crystals were mostly 3C in structure, but crystals with 2H and one-dimensionally-disordered structures were also found. The 3C crystals are mostly dendritic, but some columnar growth with alternating twin bands occurs. Both 2H and one-dimensionallydisordered crystals exhibit a columnar habit, reflecting the difference in crystal symmetry from 3C. In all these crystals, the c axis (or one of the axes in 3C crystals) lies perpendicular to the substrate.
Comments on upper bounds on the inflationary Hubble constant

Abstract This is a comment on a letter by Hawking establishing an upper bound on the value of the Hubble parameter during inflation. Here we show that his derivation of the result is based on an invalid mathematical approximation, and demonstrate that a similar bound can be obtained from the standard “slow-rollover” constraint. We also present a derivation of the same result that is completely independent of the form of the scalar field potential.
An Analysis of Patent Length: Encouraging Innovation by Shortening Patent Protection:

Despite the fact that new products are a central concern of modern marketing theory, the marketing literature has had little to suggest about appropriate public policy for encouraging innovation. This article analyzes the issue of the appropriate length for patent protection. Recent research on pioneer brand advantage can provide a much-needed rationale for the length of time a product should be protected. This research suggests that the overall progress of innovation would benefit if legal protection were shorter than the current 17-year patent for certain types of products.
Is trachoma an ocular component of a more generalised chlamydial infection

Abstract In industrialised countries, inclusion conjunctivitis of the newborn is now known to be just one manifestation of a more generalised infection with Chlamydia trachomatis . Pneumonia and enteric infection can develop in perinatally infected infants. It is possible that trachoma in developing countries may reflect extraocular infection that may contribute to the high frequency of pneumonia and diarrhœa in infants in these countries. If true, this would explain the short-term effects of topical treatment, since children could reinfect their eyes by autoinoculation from other sites. Thus systemic treatment with macrolides would result in benefits beyond the temporary suppression of eye disease.
HOLIDAY CLOSINGS AND SECURITY RETURNS

This paper documents unusual return patterns for securities around holiday closings. Returns for trading days immediately before holiday closings (pre-holiday trading days) are unusually high regardless of weekday, year, or holiday closing. Returns for trading days following holiday closings (post-holiday trading days) are high only if they occur at the end of the week. Tests indicate that pre-holiday returns do not respond to a closing effect, and that the post-holiday returns do not result from a time-diffusion process. Holiday trading day returns question the tax-loss selling explanation of the turn-of-the-year effect and display a significant small firm effect outside of January.
Renal damage, metabolism and covalent binding following administration of the nephrotoxicant N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) to male Fischer 344 rats

In vivo metabolism, nephrotoxicity and covalent binding to proteins were evaluated in male Fischer 344 rats that received [2,3-14C]-N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (14C-NDPS). Some animals were pretreated with the enzyme inducer phenobarbital (PB, 80 mg/kg per day, for 3 days, i.p. in saline) prior to receiving a non-nephrotoxic dose of 14C-NDPS (0.2 mmol/kg, i.p. in corn oil). Other rats were pretreated with the cytochrome P450 inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT, 100 mg/kg, 1 h prior to NDPS, i.p. in saline) before administration of a non-toxic or a toxic dose (0.2 or 0.6 mmol/kg, respectively, i.p. in corn oil) of 14C-NDPS. Non-pretreated animals received either dose of 14C-NDPS, but did not receive PB or ABT. All rats were sacrificed 6 h after administration of 14C-NDPS. Nephrotoxicity was monitored by measuring urine volume, urine protein concentrations, blood urea nitrogen levels, and kidney weights. The NDPS metabolic profile in tissue, blood, and urine was analyzed by HPLC. Covalent binding of 14C-NDPS-derived radioactivity to tissue proteins was also measured. Compared with non-pretreated rats, PB-pretreatment potentiated the toxicity of the non-toxic dose of 14C-NDPS. In contrast, ABT-pretreatment protected the rats against NDPS nephrotoxicity. The amount of N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2-hydroxysuccinamic acid (2-NDHSA), an oxidative, nephrotoxic metabolite of NDPS, was elevated in kidney homogenates and urine by PB-pretreatment (0.2 mmol/mg NDPS). ABT pretreatment inhibited NDPS metabolism at both doses. Covalent binding of 14C-NDPS (0.2 mmol/kg)-derived radioactivity to renal and plasma proteins was higher in the PB-pretreated rats than in the non-pretreated animals. In contrast, ABT-pretreatment partially inhibited covalent binding at both doses of 14C-NDPS. Our results suggest that there is a relationship between oxidative metabolism of NDPS, covalent binding of an NDPS metabolite to renal proteins, and NDPS-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
An Ex Vivo Comparison of Pressures within Dental Pulp Space Using Conventional Anesthetic Technique Versus Needle-mounted Obturator

Abstract Introduction The intrapulpal (IP) injection technique is 1 of several ways of obtaining profound anesthesia. There is evidence to suggest that pressure is the primary factor in obtaining anesthesia using IP injection. This is an ex vivo comparison of pressures within dental pulp space using the conventional anesthetic technique versus a needle-mounted obturator technique. Methods Twenty extracted anterior and premolar teeth were accessed with a high-speed 169L bur. A saline-filled tube connected to a digital pressure gauge was attached to the apical 10 mm of each tooth in a fixed mount. One operator performed all the injections under moderate pressure. Each tooth was injected twice; first, the tooth was given an IP injection with a normal setup, and then the same tooth was given an IP injection with the modified obturator syringe. The pressure at the apex was recorded for each tooth. A paired sample t test was completed to determine statistical significance. Results The pressure generated was considerably higher for the obturator group in every tooth when compared with the normal group (P Conclusions IP injection with the obturator resulted in increased pressure at the apex of each tooth. This pressure increase may allow for increased anesthesia when IP injections are indicated.
Alternans of action potential duration after abrupt shortening of cycle length: differences between dog Purkinje and ventricular muscle fibers.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the alternans of action potential duration (APD) occurring in Purkinje and ventricular muscle fibers after an abrupt shortening of cycle length can be explained by the two factors controlling the cycle length-dependent APD changes (i.e., restitution and memory effect). Action potentials were recorded simultaneously from dog Purkinje fibers and ventricular muscle fibers using conventional microelectrode techniques. APD change during alternans was dependent on the preceding diastolic interval in the same manner as during restitution in Purkinje fibers but not in ventricular muscle fibers. The course of memory change was not affected by the presence of alternans in either fiber type. In Purkinje fibers, APD alternans was attenuated by a Ca2+ channel blocker, nisoldipine (2 X 10(-6) M), and augmented by a Ca2+ channel agonist, Bay K 8644 (3 X 10(-8) M). These effects were attributed to the changes in the kinetics and the amplitude of restitution. In ventricular muscle fibers, APD alternans was always preceded and accompanied by alternans of action potential shape. Alternans of both action potential shape and APD was suppressed by nisoldipine (2 X 10(-6) M) and attenuated by Bay K 8644 (3 X 10(-8) M). These results show that in Purkinje fibers, APD during alternans can be explained by restitution and memory effect. However, in ventricular muscle fibers, the mechanism of APD alternans is linked to factors controlling action potential shape. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that APD alternans in Purkinje fibers depends on the differences in the recovery of membrane currents generated by the preceding action potential and in ventricular muscle fibers on the differences in the concentration and/or handling of intracellular calcium.
SVX-II beam test results

Abstract This paper presents the first results from the FNAL Meson test beam using SVX-II prototype detectors, taken at the MT-6 beam at FNAL. The signal size for double-sided double-metal detectors, as a function of radiation dose, is presented. The detectors were irradiated with 8 GeV / c proton beam at FNAL. The first results for detectors made from 6 in wafers is also given here. There is no decrease in signal size in the irradiated detectors with radiation doses up to 1.3 Mrad . The detectors made from 6 in wafers have comparable performance to detectors made from 4 in wafers.
New tubeless nanosecond streak camera based on optical deflection and direct CCD imaging

A new optically deflected streaking camera with performance of nanosecond-range resolution, superior imaging quality, high signal detectability, and large format recording has been conceived and developed. Its construction is composed of an optomechanical deflector that deflects the line-shape image of spatial-distributed time-varying signals across the sensing surface of a cooled scientific two-dimensional CCD array with slow readout driving electronics, a lens assembly, and a desk-top computer for prompt digital data acquisition and processing. Its development utilizes the synergism of modern technologies in sensor, optical deflector, optics and microcomputer. With laser light as signal carrier, the deflecting optics produces near diffraction-limited streak images resolving to a single pixel size of <EQ 25 micrometers 2. A 1kx1k-pixel array can thus provide a vast record of 1,000 digital data points along each spatial or temporal axis. High signal detectability is expected from the combined advantage of sharp focusing, 75% QE 514 nm of a thinned backside-illuminated CCD, absence of any undesirable signal conversion involving diffusing emission or inefficient coupling, and low noise of CCD readout electronics. Since only one photon-to-electron conversion exists in the entire signal recording path, the camera responses linearly to the incident light over a wide dynamic range in excess of 104:1.
Multiple IS10 rearrangements in Escherichia coli

Abstract We have investigated the occurrence of multiple transposon-promoted chromosomal rearrangements in Escherichia coli K12 strains containing transposon Tn10. We show that a single Tn10 element, with its two closely spaced insertion sequence (IS10) elements, frequently gives rise to complex rearrangements that can be accounted for as the sum of two “classical” IS10 events. Using a strain containing differentially marked Tn10 elements at widely separated locations, we have investigated the possibility that IS70-promoted rearrangements occur in cell-wide “bursts”, as expected if cells could occasionally undergo brief periods when all IS10 transposition events were activated, interspersed with longer periods of relative quiescence. We find no evidence for strong (> 60-fold), periodic cell-wide activation under our experimental conditions. The sensitivity of this experiment has been evaluated using an expression for the accumulation of double mutations in populations with heterogeneous, fluctuating mutation rates (see Appendix). We discuss several mechanisms by which two closely linked IS10 elements could undergo coupled double events without cell-wide activation: local activation of small chromosomal regions, periodic bursts of synthesis of cis-acting transposase protein, and/or a propensity for elements that have actually engaged in one rearrangement event to initiate a second successive event immediately thereafter. We favor the last possibility.
The Effect of Acculturation on Ethnic Consumers’ Decision-Making Styles: An Empirical Analysis of Hispanic Consumers

ABSTRACTThis study examines the effect of acculturation on ethnic consumers’ decision-making styles (CDMS) and posits that the extent of acculturation is manifested in their approaches to shopping. Specifically, it explores how the two dimensions of acculturation, ethnic identification and host culture identification, are associated with eight CDMS measured by Sproles and Kendall's (1986) Consumer Style Inventory. It also investigates the differences among four acculturation modes: assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization with respect to CDMS. Results from a sample of 318 U.S. Hispanic consumers indicate that ethnic identification and host culture identification predict different shopping orientations. Of the four acculturation modes, the separation group scored significantly higher than the other three groups with respect to brand consciousness, confusion due to overchoice, and habitual orientations. Results are explained in the context of consumers’ extent of confidence or uncertainty ...
The Ism Simulation: Teaching Integrated Management Concepts:

This article describes an experiential simulation that teaches management principles for service organizations. This team-based simulation requires students to coordinate airline staff and suppliers to meet flight schedules and customer demand while maintaining profitability. The decisions in the simulation require students to develop an integrated approach to management, coordinating marketing, operations, managerial accounting, and organizational behavior decisions. Key lessons include (a) the importance of integrated decision making; (b) the challenges of service operations management, including managing capacity, matching capacity with demand, financial forecasting, and coordinating marketing and operations decisions; and (c) the complexities of team-based management.
A resonance Raman study of the higher-lying electronic states of styrene vapor

Abstract Resonance Raman spectra of styrene vapor excited in the S 2 /S 3 and S 4 absorption systems are reported. The lack of double bond torsional scattering activity is taken as evidence of high barriers to rotation in all the excited states examined. Consequences for styrene photoisomerization are discussed. Excitation to S 2 /S 3 is delocalized in nature, while S 4 excitation is benzene-like. The observed scattering intensities are largely in agreement with the jet absorption analysis and the results of Franck-Condon calculations.
A new approach for evaluating antigen-specific T cell responses to myelin antigens during the course of multiple sclerosis.

We used a flow cytometry assay to measure proliferation and cytokine production of self-antigen-specific T cells in individual patients during the clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP) was selected for proof of principles in the assay, along with myelin basic protein (MBP) to assess specific activated T cells in 10 MS patients over an 18-month period, in parallel with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and clinical rating scale. A positive correlation occurred between antigen-specific T cell proliferation and interferon-γ production with clinical relapses and MRI lesion activity that was absent when the same patients were in remission.