cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurements of coupled Rayleigh wave propagation in an elastic plate

At frequencies where the thickness of an elastic plate is more than a wavelength, the propagation of the two lowest Rayleigh–Lamb modes in an elastic plate can be viewed as the propagation of a Rayleigh surface wave over two weakly coupled, surface-wave waveguides. That is, a Rayleigh wave launched on one surface gradually transfers to the other and then back. It does so in a length we call the beatlength. Measurements of the beatlength for brass plates are reported as a function of frequency and thickness. This phenomenon is readily excited and persists over a wide range of thicknesses and frequencies
LIGHT-INDUCED ABSORBANCE CHANGES IN CHLOROPLASTS AT -196°C*

— Absorbance changes induced by irradiating chloroplasts at — 196°C were measured in the region of 525–575 nm with a single-beam spectrophotometer. Irradiation at low temperature caused a bleaching at 556 nm due to oxidation of cytochrome b559 but little or no change of cytochrome f. There occurred in addition a loss of absorbance at 547 nm and an increase at 543 nm. The bleaching at 547 nrn (and possibly the increase at 543 nm) could be induced chemically with dithionite or borohydride but not ascorbate. Subchloroplast particles with only Photosystem I activity showed no light-induced absorbance changes, while particles containing combined Photosystem I and Photosystem II activities showed the same changes as whole chloroplasts. Scenedesmus mutant No. 11 cells showed no absorbance changes while mutant No. 8 and wild-type cells showed the normal changes. It is concluded that the photooxidation of cytochrome b559 and the photoreduction causing the bleaching at 547 nm are both mediated by Photosystem II.
Gunshot injuries to the extremities: experience of a U.K. trauma centre.

Summary Background: The Metropolitan Police figures suggest an increase in the incidence of injuries related to gun crime. We conducted a retrospective analysis of extremity gunshot injuries over a five-year period. Our aim is to report on our (1) incidence, (2) complications and (3) experience in treating these injuries. Methods: Over a five-year period (1998–2002), 70 extremity gunshot injuries in 61 patients were identified from a trauma register and case notes reviewed retrospectively. The following were identified and analysed: type of injury (low or high-energy transfer), treatment (early/late), complications, patient demographics and compliance. Results: There was a four-fold increase in incidence. Our incidence correlated well with The Metropolitan Police figures ( r = 0.93). One-third of our injuries were managed non-operatively and on an outpatient basis. Complications were as follows: eight wound infections, one fracture non-union, one compartment syndrome, one vascular injury and five nerve injuries. Compliance was excellent for high-energy transfer injuries. Conclusion: Extremity gunshot injuries are on an increase in the United Kingdom highlighting the need for trauma surgeons’ knowledge of the management of these injuries. Complications can be reduced to a minimum if the basic principles of management are strictly adhered to.
Chlorpyrifos releases norepinephrine from adult and neonatal rat brain synaptosomes.

Abstract Exposure of developing animals to apparently subtoxic doses of chlorpyrifos (CPF) during a critical period of synaptogenesis has been shown to affect catecholaminergic synaptic development and neuronal activity separably from its inhibition of cholinesterase. We used rat brain synaptosome preparations to examine whether CPF has a direct effect on the release of norepinephrine (NE). Synaptosomes were preloaded with [ 3 H ]NE in the absence of CPF and were then exposed to the compound during subsequent neurotransmitter release. There was a robust increase in release at 50 μg/ml of CPF. The effect was not mediated through cholinergic receptors, as neither atropine nor mecamylamine interfered with the actions of CPF. Enhanced NE release was seen in synaptosomes derived from neonatal rat brain as well as adult rat brain, albeit with a smaller effect in neonates. Our results suggest that CPF interacts directly with presynaptic nerve terminals to influence neurotransmitter release; in the context of the immature brain, these effects can alter synaptic development through the trophic actions of catecholamines.
Mitochondrial ryanodine receptors and other mitochondrial Ca2+ permeable channels

Ca2+ channels that underlie mitochondrial Ca2+ transport first reported decades ago have now just recently been precisely characterized electrophysiologically. Numerous data indicate that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake via these channels regulates multiple intracellular processes by shaping cytosolic and mitochondrial Ca2+ transients, as well as altering the cellular metabolic and redox state. On the other hand, mitochondrial Ca2+ overload also initiates a cascade of events that leads to cell death. Thus, characterization of mitochondrial Ca2+ channels is central to a comprehensive understanding of cell signaling. Here, we discuss recent progresses in the biophysical and electrophysiological characterization of several distinct mitochondrial Ca2+ channels.
Plasma polymerized p-xylene as a laser fusion target ∗☆

Abstract Various polymers have been found to be quite useful for laser fusion target applications. There is often a need for a film with low atomic number and superior strength to accommodate a variety of free-standing configurations with a minimum thickness. The particular film characterized in this study is plasma-polymerized p-xylene. The depositions were made with an ac glow discharge between parallel plate electrodes. Uniform coatings on spherical substrates were deposited by keeping the spheres in motion in the plasma with an electromechanical vibrating table. The films with the greatest strength were found to be grown from gas phase mixtures of argon and p-xylene and the deposition rate and the character of the film were examined as a function of argon concentration. Studies were made of oxygen absorption by the film (as determined by infrared spectroscopy) and powder formation on the surface (as seen by SEM). Further problems unique to laser target fabrication will also be discussed.
Basic Biomedical Sciences and the Future of Medical Education: Implications for Internal Medicine

The academic model of medical education in the United States is facing substantial challenges. Apprenticeship experiences with clinical faculty are increasingly important in most medical schools and residency programs. This trend threatens to separate clinical education from the scientific foundations of medical practice. Paradoxically, this devaluation of biomedical science is occurring as the ability to use new discoveries to rationalize clinical decision making is rapidly expanding. Understanding the scientific foundations of medical practice and the ability to apply them in the care of patients separates the physician from other health care professionals. The de-emphasis of biomedical science in medical education poses particular dangers for the future of internal medicine as the satisfaction derived from the application of science to the solving of a clinical problem has been a central attraction of the specialty. Internists should be engaged in the ongoing discussions of medical education reform and provide a strong voice in support of rigorous scientific training for the profession.
Acoustic cues for consonant identification by patients who use the Ineraid cochlear implant

Ten patients who use the Ineraid cochlear implant were tested on a consonant identification task. The stimuli were 16 consonants in the "aCa" environment. The patients who scored greater than 60 percent correct were found to have high feature information scores for amplitude envelope features and for features requiring the detection of high-frequency energy. The patients who scored less than 60 percent correct exhibited lower scores for all features of the signal. The difference in performance between the two groups of patients may be due, at least in part, to differences in the detection or resolution of high-frequency components in the speech signal.
Brave New Workplace Technology and Work in the New Economy

This article examines the present and future effects of technological change in the workplace. Several key technological innovations in the factory and in the office are examined with respect to their relevance to ten long-standing core issues: the “high flex” workplace; control of work; organizational change; impact on skill; technological unemployment; educational requirements and retraining; changing occupational and class structures; occupational safety and health; the interaction of work, leisure, and family; and the quality of working life. The article argues that while technological change sometimes makes work easier, cleaner, and safer, it also has a disruptive impact on many facets of working life that will have to be confronted by participants in, and students of, the New Economy.
Complement-dependent cytotoxicity of an antibody to melanin in radioimmunotherapy of metastatic melanoma.

Aim: Novel treatments for metastatic melanoma are urgently needed. Materials & methods: We developed radioimmunotherapy of metastatic melanoma using 6D2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to melanin with encouraging therapeutic results, preclinically and in patients. Results: We observed tumor suppression with the unlabeled 6D2 mAb and investigated its tumoricidal mechanisms. In melanoma tumor-bearing mice, we detected more complement-C3 deposition in the tumors from 188-rhenium-labeled 6D2 mAb-treated mice when compared with untreated controls. 6D2 and isotype-control mAb TEPC caused suppression of tumor growth in A2058 melanoma tumor-bearing mice. Tumors of mice treated with the unlabeled 6D2 mAb were infiltrated with more lymphocytes compared with controls. In vitro antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity did not contribute to the tumor-suppressive effect of 6D2 mAb, while 6D2 mAb demonstrated a strong effect on initiating complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Conclusion: We concluded that 6D2 mAb mediated c...
Neurobehavioral impairment and symptoms associated with aluminum remelting.

Abstract The author's objective was to assess whether aluminum reclamation (recycling) exposure in a plant in the southeastern United States was associated with neurobehavioral and pulmonary impairment and symptoms. The author made cross-sectional comparisons of 41 workers to 32 local and 66 regional referents to assess whether aluminum recycling was associated with neurobehavioral and pulmonary impairment and symptoms. Methods included neurophysiological, psychological, and pulmonary-function tests; a Profile of Mood States (POMS); and questionnaires. The exposed subjects had slower simple and choice reaction times than referents (i.e., 77 milliseconds [ms] versus 137 ms, respectively [p < .0001]); balance in the exposed subjects, measured as sway speed (with eyes closed), was .32 cm/s faster than for referents (p < .005); and color discrimination was less acute in exposed subjects (p < .0001). In the exposed versus referent subjects, Culture Fair scores were lower by a factor of 8.3 (p < .0001), Trail M...
A new statistic and its power to infer membership in a genome-wide association study using genotype frequencies

Kevin Jacobs and colleagues report a new test statistic for detection of membership of an individual within a genome-wide association study, based on reporting of study genotype frequencies. Aggregate results from genome-wide association studies (GWAS)1,2,3, such as genotype frequencies for cases and controls, were until recently often made available on public websites4,5 because they were thought to disclose negligible information concerning an individual's participation in a study. Homer et al.6 recently suggested that a method for forensic detection of an individual's contribution to an admixed DNA sample could be applied to aggregate GWAS data. Using a likelihood-based statistical framework, we developed an improved statistic that uses genotype frequencies and individual genotypes to infer whether a specific individual or any close relatives participated in the GWAS and, if so, what the participant's phenotype status is. Our statistic compares the logarithm of genotype frequencies, in contrast to that of Homer et al.6, which is based on differences in either SNP probe intensity or allele frequencies. We derive the theoretical power of our test statistics and explore the empirical performance in scenarios with varying numbers of randomly chosen or top-associated SNPs.
Fabrication of self-aligned, nanoscale, complex oxide varactors

Applications in ferroelectric random access memory and superparaelectric devices require the fabrication of ferroelectric capacitors at the nanoscale that exhibit extremely small leakage currents. To systematically study the material-size dependence of ferroelectric varactor performance, arrays of parallel-plate structures have been fabricated with nanoscale dielectric diameters. Electron beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma dry etching have been used to fabricate arrays of ferroelectric varactors using top electrodes as a self-aligned etch mask. Parallel-plate test structures using RF-sputtered Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 thin-films were used to optimize the fabrication process. Varactors with diameters down to 20 nm were successfully fabricated. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured to evaluate the significance of etch-damage and fabrication quality by ensuring low leakage currents through the structures.
Career pattern determinants of career success for mature managers

This study investigates career process variables as predictors of two objective indices of career success for a large, organizationally heterogeneous sample of managers (N=499). Specifically, career pattern data were used to predict current salary and hierarchical level among a cross-organizational cohort of 45 to 50 year-old managers. Independent variables included various measures of mobility, job tenure, job function, and career interruption. Education and employer characteristics were statistically controlled. Results indicated that hierarchical level was negatively related to interfirm mobility, while salaries were positively related to interindustry mobility and negatively related to entrepreneurship.
A data- and ontology-driven text mining-based construction of reliability model to analyze and predict component failures

A real-life reliability system is proposed by fusing the field warranty failure data with the failure modes extracted from unstructured repair verbatim data by using the ontology-based natural language processing technique to facilitate accurate estimation of component reliability. Traditionally, the reliability estimation process uses the warranty data, but it provides limited support to handle the "failure confounding" problem, whereby different failure modes associated with a component failure are confounded into a single failure mode. The resulting reliability estimation lacks the required level of precision. Because our model takes into account textual failure modes associated with component failures, it enhances the overall reliability estimation. The performance of our system is evaluated with the baseline system for predicting absolute errors by using the real-life data from the automotive domain, e.g., headlamp failure, collected at different miles exposures. In the best case, the absolute errors predicted by our model showed an improvement of 97 % with respect to the baseline model (without considering the failure modes), while in worst case, it was 71 %.
Variance of the likelihood ratio measure of bias

The variance of the logarithm of the likelihood ratio, a commonly used measure of bias in signal detection theory, is derived for the case of an unbiased observer and two underlying normal distributions of equal variance. This variance increases with d’ (the subject’s sensitivity to the two stimuli involved in the discrimination). Accordingly, increased deviation of the In (LR) sample mean from a true mean of zero can be anticipated as signal level increases even when bias and sensitivity are essentially independent.
The feasibility of hyperbolical doubt

cannot infer 'x cannot perish.' That is, from the claim that somethin cannot be both a person and not alive, we cannot infer that persons are immortal. Plto, however, uses 'immortal' in an equivocal sense. In (6) it means simply 'cannot die,' whereas in (7), it means what is usually meant, i.e., 'cannot perish.' And as he has pointed out, something which cannot admit death may perish. 5 Philosophical Studies, 18:46. l bid.
Discontinuous Galerkin methods

This paper is a short essay on discontinuous Galerkin methods intended for a very wide audience. We present the discontinuous Galerkin methods and describe and discuss their main features. Since the methods use completely discontinuous approximations, they produce mass matrices that are block-diagonal. This renders the methods highly parallelizable when applied to hyperbolic problems. Another consequence of the use of discontinuous approximations is that these methods can easily handle irregular meshes with hanging nodes and approximations that have polynomials of different degrees in different elements. They are thus ideal for use with adaptive algorithms. Moreover, the methods are locally conservative (a property highly valued by the computational fluid dynamics community) and, in spite of providing discontinuous approximations, stable, and high-order accurate. Even more, when applied to non-linear hyperbolic problems, the discontinuous Galerkin methods are able to capture highly complex solutions presenting discontinuities with high resolution. In this paper, we concentrate on the exposition of the ideas behind the devising of these methods as well as on the mechanisms that allow them to perform so well in such a variety of problems.
Influence of age on accumulation of α-actin in satellite-cell-derived myotubes in vitro

Abstract Because muscle satellite cells have been implicated in the process of muscle growth and mass regulation, as well as regeneration, alterations in the capacity of satellite cells to differentiate and accumulate muscle specific proteins during aging could play a role in the process of senile muscle atrophy. Skeletal muscle satellite cells were cultured from male rats from the following four age groups: neonatal rats (less than 5 days of age), growing rats (1–3 months of age), adult rats (9–12 months of age) and old rats (more than 24 months of age). A series of experiments was conducted in which cultures were harvested at daily intervals following fusion, and the amount of α-actin per myotube nucleus was determined. Analysis of maximum actin accumulation in myotubes from each experiment within each age group revealed no significant differences among cells derived from growing, adult or old rats; however, myotubes differentiating from neonatal muscle cells were able to accumulate more than three times as much α-actin per myotube nuclei as cells from the other three age groups. This result may reflect fundamental differences between authentic satellite cells and myogenic cells of prenatal origin. Aside from differences between neonatal cells and satellite cells, satellite cells from old muscle do not appear to have a diminished capacity to accumulate muscle-specific proteins following differentiation into muscle fibers.
Identification of the T-cell and Ia contact residues of a T-cell antigenic epitope

The precise molecular structure of the antigenic determinant recognized by the T-cell receptor of the CD4-positive cell has not been completely resolved. A major advance in our understanding of this issue has been made by our demonstration of a direct association between an immunogenic peptide and a purified Ia molecule. The most likely and economical hypothesis is that antigen binds directly to an Ia molecule creating the antigenic determinant and that this antigen-Ia complex is recognized by the T-cell receptor. We examined in detail a determinant of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) contained in the tryptic fragment HEL(46-61), recognized by T cells in H-2k strains of mice. This peptide binds with a Kd of approximately 3 microM to I-Ak molecules. We have already ascertained that (1) the 10-mer HEL(52-61) is the shortest stimulatory peptide; (2) the Leu56 residue, the only residue different from mouse lysozyme, is responsible for the immunogenicity; (3) the Leu56 and Tyr53 residues are critical for recognition by the T-cell receptor and (4) HEL(46-61) generates multiple determinants when it associated with the I-Ak molecule. If antigen and Ia interact, the antigen must have two features: it must bind to an Ia molecule and also interact with the T-cell receptor. The two sites do not appear to be laterally separable in this peptide and are therefore probably composed of distinct but interspersed amino-acid residues. We have now identified the three residues of HEL(52-61) that contact the T-cell receptor and three other residues that contact the I-Ak molecule. From modelling studies we also propose that HEL(52-61) assumes an alpha-helical conformation as it is bound to I-Ak and recognized by the T-cell receptor.
Training the Use of Artificial Spatial Displays

There are two major points that we want to stress. One has to do with the relationships both actual and potential between perceptual theory and research on sensory aids. The other has to do with research, particularly the need for carefully constructed empirical studies of issues in the area of sensory aids. The two points are closely connected.
Reference data for assessing widening between spinous processes in the cervical spine and the responsiveness of these measures to detecting abnormalities.

Abstract Background context Traumatic injury to the spine is evaluated and treated based on the perceived stability of the spine. Recent classification schemes have established the importance of evaluating the discoligamentous complex to fully comprehend stability. There are a variety of techniques to evaluate the discoligamentous complex, including assessment of interspinous distance. However, there currently are no clinically validated methods to define and assess abnormal interspinous widening. Purpose The purpose of the study was to provide reference data and evidence to support the objective use of spinous process widening in the diagnosis of cervical spine injury and instability. Study design The study was designed to be biomechanical and observational. Methods Distances between spinous processes were measured from lateral flexion-extension X-rays of 156 skeletally mature asymptomatic subjects who reported never having had neck symptoms as well as 12 whole human cadavers before and after creating increasingly severe damage to posterior structures. Cervical interspinous distances were measured and then normalized to the width of the C4 vertebral end plate. The change in the distance from flexion to extension was also calculated. Results Descriptive statistics, including the 95% confidence intervals for each cervical level were tabulated for 863 levels in 149 analyzable asymptomatic volunteers. In the simulated cadaver model, interspinous widening was highly specific and mildly sensitive for detecting damage to the posterior structures of the cervical spine. Conclusions This study provides reference data that can be used to quantitatively assess interspinous process widening in the cervical spine. Application of the reference data to a cadaver model of cervical trauma suggests that although objective evidence of abnormal widening may be uncommon, when present, it is suggestive of extensive damage to the cervical spine. Derived from this data were two “rule of thumb” criteria to identify abnormal interspinous widening in flexion X-rays; when greater than 30% relative to an adjacent level (40% between C1–C2 and C2–C3) or greater than 50% of the anterior-posterior width of the C4 vertebral body (30% for C2–C3).
In vitro induction of anti-DNP antibody by immunogenic RNA from rabbit liver☆

Abstract An immunogenic RNA fraction has been obtained from livers of rabbits immunized with 14C-DNP-RNase. The presence of the DNP-hapten in the RNA fraction can be detected by radioisotope analysis. The results of sedimentation studies in both sucrose and CsCl density gradients following degradation by either RNase or pronase are consistent with the view that a fragment of the original antigen is bound to RNA. The data further show that the antigen fragment is not randomly distributed over the RNA. Biologic studies show that the liver RNA fraction can induce rapid antibody synthesis in normal spleen cells in vitro. Incorporation of radioactive amino acids indicates that the antibody induced is synthesized de novo. Treatment of the RNA fraction containing the antigen-RNA complex with ribonuclease abolishes its immunogenicity. In contrast, treatment with pronase followed by dialysis to remove the hapten does not diminish the immunogenicity. From these results it is concluded that the immunogenicity of the RNA fraction resides exclusively in the RNA.
RMIX: a multiprotocol RMI framework for Java

With the increasing adoption of Java for parallel and distributed computing, there is a strong motivation for enhancing the expressive elegance of the RMI paradigm with flexible and adaptable communication substrates. Java RMI is an especially powerful and semantically comprehensive framework for distributed Java applications - but the default Java RMI implementation is bound to a concrete wire protocol, JRMP, that is neither interoperable nor very efficient. To address the first issue, libraries have been proposed that provide RMI semantics over different wire protocols such as SOAP or IIOP, making Java interoperable with Web Services and CORBA. Similarly, alternative high performance RMI implementations have been developed. However, none of these solutions are designed to work cooperatively, and each imposes specific constraints on developers. This paper describes RMIX: an RMI framework that supports a variety of dynamically pluggable wire transports underlying a common and uniform RMI facade. RMIX facilitates dynamic protocol negotiation in loosely coupled parallel and distributed systems, and enables the development and deployment of applications that are multiprotocol by nature. Additionally, RMIX offers some enhancements to RMI semantics that are particularly useful in multiuser environments. We describe the design and preliminary implementation of RMIX, present two prototype protocol providers based on the JRMP and SOAP protocols, and outline a transition path from legacy RMI applications to RMIX.
Shiga toxin downregulates tissue factor pathway inhibitor, modulating an increase in the expression of functional tissue factor on endothelium

Abstract Introduction Endothelial expression of tissue factor (TF) may play a major role in (Stx)-related hemolytic uremic syndrome. We examined human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers to determine the interaction between TF and TF pathway inhibitor (TFPI), hypothesizing that changes in TFPI modulate TF expression. Materials and Methods We studied 1) cell surface expression of globotriasylceramide (Gb3, the receptor for Stx) with Stx-1 (10 pM), TNFα (20 Ng/ml), or Stx-1 plus TNFα compared to control, 2) gene expression of TF and TFPI, 3) total cellular and cell surface antigenic TF and TFPI, 4) TFPI secretion into supernatant, and 5) factor Xa production. Results and Conclusions Gb3 expression, negligible with control and Stx-1 alone, increased significantly with TNFα and with Stx-1 plus TNFα. TF mRNA increased 1.25 ± 0.32- fold (N = 9; p = 0.041) with Stx-1 alone vs. 2.82 ± 0.92-fold (N = 13; p
Improved thermoelectric properties in Zn-doped Ca5Ga2Sb6

Zintl compounds with the chemical formula Ca5M2Sb6 have attracted attention as candidates for use in thermoelectric applications due to their low thermal conductivity and promising high temperature performance (i.e., zT = 0.6 at 1000 K in Ca5Al2−xNaxSb6). We have shown previously that, relative to Ca5Al2Sb6, both Ca5Ga2Sb6 and Ca5In2Sb6 have reduced phonon velocities and improved carrier mobility, suggesting that improved zT can be achieved in these materials. Here we further investigate Ca5Ga2Sb6, which is an intrinsic semiconductor with a small concentration of p-type carriers. By substituting Zn2+ on the Ga3+ site, we show that it is possible to increase and control the carrier concentration in Ca5Ga2−xZnxSb6 and thus optimize its thermoelectric behavior. A single parabolic band model was used to estimate an effective mass of m* = 1.6me, which is slightly lower than Al-based compounds. Though the reduced m* leads to a lower Seebeck coefficient, it also leads to a much higher electronic mobility. The high mobility leads to increased thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) at low and intermediate temperatures relative to Zn-doped Ca5Al2Sb6. However, due to the decreased band gap in Ca5Ga2Sb6 relative to Ca5Al2Sb6, the maximum zT in optimally doped Ca5Ga2Sb6 is reduced (peak zT ∼ 0.35 at T = 775 K).
A METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE IN SITU pH OF SEAWATER1

A method is presented for the accurate calculation of in situ pH from surface measurements on sampled seawater, based on the assumption that total CO2, total alkalinity, and total boron are invariant with respect to temperature and pressure when expressed in eq/kg units. Sample calculation on a model seawater is presented, and it is shown that the “average temperature coefficient” of the pH of seawater is a function of salinity, pH, and alkalinity of the water.
Smoothed marginal distribution constraints for language modeling

We present an algorithm for re-estimating parameters of backoff n-gram language models so as to preserve given marginal distributions, along the lines of wellknown Kneser-Ney (1995) smoothing. Unlike Kneser-Ney, our approach is designed to be applied to any given smoothed backoff model, including models that have already been heavily pruned. As a result, the algorithm avoids issues observed when pruning Kneser-Ney models (Siivola et al., 2007; Chelba et al., 2010), while retaining the benefits of such marginal distribution constraints. We present experimental results for heavily pruned backoff ngram models, and demonstrate perplexity and word error rate reductions when used with various baseline smoothing methods. An open-source version of the algorithm has been released as part of the OpenGrm ngram library. 1
Reducing Scale Deposition by Surface Modification and Magnetic Water Treatment

Scale deposition (or fouling) on metal surfaces from salt-containing water considerably reduces the efficiency and performance of heat transfer equipments. In industrial practices, scale deposition could be reduced through physical or chemical methods. However, in some cases chemical methods are unpractical due to cost and contamination issues, rendering the physical methods the only feasible options. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two physical treatments in reducing scale depositions. One is to decrease the surface energy of the heat exchanger wall through surface modification; the other one is to change the crystallography of the small solid particles formed in the solution by applying a magnetic field. For the first method, the scale deposition on PTFE surfaces, SAMs (self-assembly monolayers) surfaces, polished copper surfaces, and polished stainless steel surfaces are investigated respectively. Copper and stainless steel surfaces were modified by micro-scale (μm thickness) PTFE (Poly-Tetrofluorethylene) films and nano-scale (nm thickness) thiolate SAMs. The surface energy of PTFE films and SAMs layers based on copper and stainless steel were significantly reduced compared with the untreated metal surfaces. To study the magnetic treatment effect on the formation of the calcium carbonate scale, a magnetic field up to 0.6 T was implemented in a simulated recirculation cooling water system. A large number of experiments were performed to study the effects of fluid velocity, heat flux, and the bulk concentration of the solution on the fouling rate and induction period of calcium carbonate on various modified surfaces. The experiments showed that the formation rate of the calcium carbonate scale was decreased on modified surfaces and the induction period was prolonged with the decrease of the surface energy. The study also showed that the nucleation and nucleate growth of calcium carbonate particles were enhanced through magnetic water treatment. In addition, using a higher flow rate and/or filtration of suspended calcium carbonate particles achieves a longer induction period.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Toward Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice: Analogy and Person in Technical Communication

Technical communication inherited many of the stylistic conventions ad hered to within scientific discourse. This article examines current theories and research that support the contention that some of these conventions should no longer be applied across the board. In particular, the effect of analo gy and direct address (2nd person versus 3rd person) on novices' comprehension and experts'preference are discussed and evaluated through a series of controlled experiments. The results of these experiments suggest that analogies have a tremendous effect upon the ability of readers to freely recall material at a later time. Direct address does not appear to affect comprehen sion, although subject-matter experts preferred 2nd-person to 3rd-person sentence construction.
Are Religious Grandparents More Involved Grandparents

Objectives. This study explores how various aspects of a grandparent's religiousness are related to involvement with their grandchildren. Methods. The study ascertains whether religious grandparents are significantly more involved with their grandchildren than less religious grandparents by testing a series of bivariate and multivariate regression models. Multiple measures both of religiousness and of grandparent involvement are used. The study also examines factors that potentially confound, link, or explain the connection between religious involvement and grandparenting (e.g., demographic factors, health, community involvement, traditional values, ties to others). The sample of 585 grandparents comes from two related studies of rural families, the Iowa Youth and Families Project and the Iowa Single Parent Project. Results. Overall, the results indicate that religious grandparents are more involved grandparents, and this involvement is explained in part by their generally greater involvement in all types of family and social ties—religious grandparents are more likely to be enmeshed in social ties to others. Discussion. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of prior research that finds little influence of religion. We also consider the implications of our results for the future of grandparent involvement. T HE role of grandparents in family life is receiving increased attention, yet many aspects of their relationship with grandchildren are still unknown. Of particular importance is an understanding of what motivates grandparents to become involved in their grandchildren's lives (King & Elder, 1998b). More grandparents are potentially available today, owing to increasing longevity and good health (Cherlin & Furstenberg, 1986; Uhlenberg & Kirby, 1998), and current trends in family patterns, such as divorce and teenage childbearing, have increased their importance in family life. Even so, a large number of older Americans with grandchildren remain uninvolved. In this article, we focus on the motivation to act as a grandparent. A neglected motivational factor with implications for the grandparent-grandchild relationship is the influence of ties to a religious community or faith. Are religious grandparents more engaged in the grandparent role than those without religious ties? The present study explores how various aspects of a grandparent's religiousness are related to involvement with their grandchildren. Multiple measures of both religiousness and grandparent involvement are used. We also examine factors that potentially link or explain the connection between religious involvement and grandparenting.
Model the effect of four artificial recharge dams on the quality of groundwater using geostatistical methods in GIS environment, Oman

The geostatistical techniques of GPI, IDW and Kriging were applied in order to evaluate the use of these statistical approaches in GIS environment to examine artificial recharge dams and its effect on the quality of groundwater. Quantitative models were employed to investigate one aspect of the artificial dam’s role on improving the shallow groundwater quality. The TDS was taken as the chemical parameter to validate the applicability of the geostatistical models in the four dams. The decrease of salinity of groundwater along the subsurface flow path away from the dams toward the coast, in all the prepared interpolated maps is demonstrated. The generated interpolating maps revealed a trend in increasing the TDS away from the dams toward the coast. The infiltrated water below the dams is increasing the aquifer quantity and pushing the saline water toward the sea. The continuous fresh water seep into the shallow aquifer dilutes the groundwater salinity and progressively improves its quality. The interpolated fresh water areas downstream of the dams were estimated to be approximately 57%, 19%, and 31% in Ma’awil, Samail, and Sahalnawat watersheds respectively. The kriging and IDW methods generated similar results in the three watersheds. The kriging and IDW techniques were found to be the best when evaluating the performance of the artificial dams in coastal areas.
CT angiography of complications in pediatric patients treated with intravascular stents.

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to determine whether CT angiography can reveal complications in pediatric patients and young adults treated with intravascular stents for obstructive vascular lesions.CONCLUSION. CT angiography can reveal complications in pediatric patients treated with intravascular stents for obstructive lesions. Potentially, CT angiography could replace the more invasive conventional angiography currently used for intravascular stent placement and follow-up examinations.
Choreography of song, dance and beak movements in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

SUMMARY As do many songbirds, zebra finches sing their learned songs while performing a courtship display that includes movements of the body, head and beak. The coordination of these display components was assessed by analyzing video recordings of courting males. All birds changed beak aperture frequently within a single song, and each individual’s pattern of beak movements was consistent from song to song. Birds that copied their father’s songs reproduced many of the changes in beak aperture associated with particular syllables. The acoustic consequences of opening the beak were increases in amplitude and peak frequency, but not in fundamental frequency, of song syllables. The change in peak frequency is consistent with the hypothesis that an open beak results in a shortened vocal tract and thus a higher resonance frequency. Dance movements (hops and changes in body or head position) were less frequent, and the distribution of dance movements within the song was not as strongly patterned as were changes in beak aperture, nor were the peaks in the distribution as strongly marked. However, the correlation between the positioning of dance movements within fathers’ and sons’ songs was striking, suggesting that the choreography of dance patterns is transmitted from tutor to pupil together with the song. A QuickTime movie of a courtship display used in this study can be found at: http://www.williams.edu/Biology/ZFinch/zfdance.html.
Hydrogen as a shallow center in semiconductors and oxides

We describe the physics of interstitial hydrogen in semiconductors and oxides based on a first-principles computational approach. In most semiconductors hydrogen acts as an amphoteric impurity, compensating the prevailing conductivity. In ZnO, however, hydrogen acts a shallow donor. We have developed a general model for the behavior of hydrogen in semiconductors and oxides, and confirmed its predictive nature in the case of InN and GaAsN alloys.
Low Sensitivity of Rapid Diagnostic Test for Influenza

The QuickVue Influenza A+B Test (Quidel) was used to test nasal swab specimens obtained from persons with influenzalike illness in 3 different populations. Compared with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, the test sensitivity was low for all populations (median, 27%; range, 19%‐32%), whereas the specificity was high (median, 97%; range, 96%‐99.6%).
Modulation of Immune Function by Morphine: Implications for Susceptibility to Infection

The outcome of microbial infection in an organism is a dynamic process that depends on factors derived from both the microorganism and the host. In chronic human infections, the kind of immune response made in response to pathogens may be of vital importance to host defense. An inappropriate immune response may not only result in lack of protection, but even contribute to disease severity. Chronic morphine use and abuse has been documented to result in severe immune consequence (Roy and Loh 1996; Dinda et al. 2005; Friedman and Eisenstein 2004) and thus may pose a significant risk factor to opportunistic infection. It is therefore not surprising that epidemiological studies show increased prevalence of opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis, HIV infection, and pneumonia in opioid abusers (Quaglio et al. 2002; Nath et al. 2002; Georges et al. 1999). Besides the sharing of unsterilized, contaminated needles, the occurrence of infections in these patients has been attributed to the immune modulatory effect of morphine. In animal studies where confounding variables such as nutritional status, environmental influences, history of drug use, and genetic variability can be controlled, morphine treatment resulted in significant immune deficits. Defense against microbes is mediated by the early reactions of innate immunity and the later response of adaptive immunity. Chronic morphine has been shown to affect both these arms of immune defense (Vallejo et al. 2004). This review on the immunological effects of morphine summarizes the effects of this drug on innate and adaptive immunity, identifies the role of the mu opioid receptor in these functions, and finally discusses how changes in these parameters increase the risk for opportunistic infection.
Effect of the Food Guide Pyramid on Food Advertising

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine changes in advertising frequency of foods classified into the food group categories of the Food Guide Pyramid and nutrition claims in response to the release of the Pyramid. Using content analysis, food advertisements in selected issues of two culinary magazines ( Bon Appetit and Gourmet ) and two health-oriented magazines ( Cooking Light and Eating Well ) were examined in 1991 (n = 403) and 1994 (n = 294), representing the periods before and after the release of the Food Guide Pyramid, respectively. Fruits and vegetables were the least frequently advertised food groups in both magazine categories examined.There was no significant change (p > .05) in the advertising frequency of the food group categories of the Food Guide Pyramid from 1991 to 1994 for either of the two magazine categories. In the culinary magazine category, Consumer-Related and General Health claims increased while all other claims decreased from 1991 to 1994. The advertising frequency of all claim categories remained unchanged from 1991 to 1994 in the health-oriented food magazines. In conclusion, there was little evidence of responsiveness of food advertising to the release of the Food Guide Pyramid in this study.
Verification and change-impact analysis of access-control policies

Sensitive data are increasingly available on-line through the Web and other distributed protocols. This heightens the need to carefully control access to data. Control means not only preventing the leakage of data but also permitting access to necessary information. Indeed, the same datum is often treated differently depending on context. System designers create policies to express conditions on the access to data. To reduce source clutter and improve maintenance, developers increasingly use domain-specific, declarative languages to express these policies. In turn, administrators need to analyze policies relative to properties, and to understand the effect of policy changes even in the absence of properties. This paper presents Margrave, a software suite for analyzing role-based access-control policies. Margrave includes a verifier that analyzes policies written in the XACML language, translating them into a form of decision-diagram to answer queries. It also provides semantic differencing information between versions of policies. We have implemented these techniques and applied them to policies from a working software application.
Theoretical Foundations for a New Family of Infrared Four-Wave Mixing Spectroscopies

A new family of selective four-wave mixing methods, based on the establishment of vibrational nonlinear polarizations with multiple resonances, is proposed. This family includes double-infrared resonances, vibrationally enhanced Raman resonance, and vibrationally enhanced two-photon resonance. These methods are related to traditional Raman and infrared spectroscopy, but the methods are shown to have the capabilities for component and conformer selectivity, line-narrowing of inhomogeneously broadened vibrational transitions, and mode selection. The theoretical foundations for the methods are developed and directed to possible applications.
The Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Children with Learning Disabilities

Learning difficulties have been considered to be a symptom of childhood depression by some authors, whereas others have examined depression as a cause of cognitive difficulties, including learning disabilities (LD). This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms in a sample of public school elementary children aged 8 through 11, 37 boys and 16 girls, identified as LD by state standards. Of the sample of 53 children, 35.85% scored in the depressed range on the Children's Depression Inventory. Comparison of the children's self-reports and parents' reports of depressive symptoms in their children was not significant. Implications of the results are discussed relative to the role of school personnel and the assessment process in recognizing depressive symptoms in students with LD.
Understanding vehicular traffic behavior from video: A survey of unsupervised approaches

Recent emerging trends for automatic behavior analysis and understanding from infrastructure video are reviewed. Research has shifted from high-resolution estimation of vehicle state and instead, pushed machine learning approaches to extract meaningful patterns in aggregates in an unsupervised fashion. These patterns represent priors on observable motion, which can be utilized to describe a scene, answer behavior questions such as where is a vehicle going, how many vehicles are performing the same action, and to detect an abnormal event. The review focuses on two main methods for scene description, trajectory clustering and topic modeling. Example applications that utilize the behavioral modeling techniques are also presented. In addition, the most popular public datasets for behavioral analysis are presented. Discussion and comment on future directions in the field are also provided.