cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding and Accommodating Online Social Communities: A Common Sense Approach

Abstract Online social networks such as Facebook have changed the context and definitions of socialization. Focusing on teacher use, this article considers the size and impact of these forums and the importance many young professionals feel toward them. Themed as a common sense approach, the author uses anecdotal points and discussions with teacher-educators in examining possible ideas that may foster teacher buy-in and compliance toward institutional-level policy.
The role of leisure in the spirituality of new paradigm Christians

Abstract This study investigated whether the leisure experiences of New Paradigm Christians were related to their spirituality. New Paradigm Churches are a recent development within Christianity which combines a contemporary style of service with a conservative Christian theology. An ethnographic approach utilizing participant observation and semi‐structured interviews was employed at two New Paradigm Churches in a small, Midwestern U.S. town. The data collection took place between May and August of 2005 and included 7 women and 10 men between 22 and 60 years of age. Three major themes emerged from this study. First, solitary leisure activities were described as spiritual. Second, leisure activities with both Christian and non‐Christian friends were considered as spiritual by participants. Third, leisure provided an opportunity to be in a natural environment created by God. The findings of this study are consistent with previous investigations and writings which suggest a relationship between leisure and ...
Modulation of dendritic spines and synaptic function by Rac1: A possible link to Fragile X syndrome pathology

Rac1, a protein of the Rho GTPase subfamily, has been implicated in neuronal and spine development as well as the formation of synapses with appropriate partners. Dendrite and spine abnormalities have been implicated in several psychiatric disorders such as Fragile X syndrome, where neurons show a high density of long, thin, and immature dendritic spines. Although abnormalities in dendrites and spines have been correlated with impaired cognitive abilities in mental retardation, the causes of these malformations are not yet well understood. Fragile X syndrome is the most common type of inherited mental retardation caused by the absence of FMRP protein, a RNA-binding protein implicated in the regulation of mRNA translation and transport, leading to protein synthesis. We suggest that FMRP might act as a negative regulator on the synthesis of Rac1. Maintaining an optimal level of Rac1 and facilitating the reorganization of the cytoskeleton likely leads to normal neuronal morphology during activity-dependent plasticity. In our study, we first demonstrated that Rac1 is not only associated but necessary for normal spine development and long-term synaptic plasticity. We further showed that, in Fmr1 knockout mice, lack of FMRP induces an overactivation of Rac1 in the mouse brain and other organs that have been shown to be altered in Fragile X syndrome. In those animals, pharmacological manipulation of Rac1 partially reverses their altered long-term plasticity. Thus, regulation of Rac1 may provide a functional link among deficient neuronal morphology, aberrant synaptic plasticity and cognition impairment in Fragile X syndrome.
Effects of plasticizer desorption, temperature, and pressure on the permeability of saran

Work has shown that (1) the permeability of saran film increases exponentially with increasing temperature due to activation energy, (2) permeability of saran film decreases slightly with increasing pressure–but to only a very slight extent, (3) microwave radiation does not affect permeability as long as the film is not heated during treatment, and (4) low amounts of liquid additives correlate with lower permeability. It is suggested that the barrier property of saran film can be improved without sacrificing the processing ability.
Origin of K2O-SiO2 trends in volcanoes of the Mariana arc

Lavas from volcanoes in the Mariana arc show a range of K 2 O-SiO 2 trends even though the volcanoes are all nearly the same distance above the Benioff Zone. The preferred petrologic explanation for the K 2 O-SiO 2 variations invokes differences in the degree of partial melting required to produce lavas for each volcano from a relatively homogeneous source material. The Mariana arc volcanoes appear to evolve chemically in a manner similar to oceanic volcanoes (e.g., Hawaii) with early and late alkalic stages dominated by an intermediate tholeiitic stage. If volcanoes in other arcs also undergo this evolution, many of the anomalies in K 2 O-depth relations in modern arcs could be explained.
A new method for transforming primary amines into phosphoric acid monoesters1

Abstract Nitrosation of dibenzylphosphoramidates 4 enables the synthesis of phosphoric acid monoesters 6 from primary n-alkylamines via 5 in good yield.
The combination of silicon nitride and aluminum anodization for semiconductor device passivation

Abstract The combination of silicon nitride and barrier anodization of the aluminum interconnects serves as excellent passivation for bipolar silicon devices, even under conditions of massive ionic contamination at temperatures as high as 400°C. This combination removes the restriction that silicon nitride positively overlap the edges of all contact cuts and thus results in savings in device area. In addition, the processing complexity is somewhat reduced in that the silicon nitride can be delineated by a self-aligning anodization technique.
Synthesis and dilute solution characterization of comb polystyrenes

Abstract Four new series of comb polystyrenes were prepared and characterized. The observed θ temperature depression of the combs can be described by Benoit's three parameter theory with Ψ1 = 0.32 and ( 1 3 − χ 2 ) = 0.045 . Also, the dimensions of the combs at θ agree reasonably with the theory. Intrinsic viscosity measurements were used to investigate m in g′ = gmth. A decrease of m from 3 2 to about 0.6 is found on decreasing gth at θA2. At constant gth, m is slightly dependent on the comb structure. In a good solvent m varies less, an average m = 0.75 is found for the combs studied. The gel permeation chromatograms of the combs obey the universal calibration based on the hydrodynamic volume parameter. The glass transition temperatures of the combs depend on the number of end groups per unit volume, the branch points having a small Tg raising effect.
Brilliant Optical Properties of Nanometric Noble Metal Spheres, Rods, and Aperture Arrays

T he ef ciency of optical processes can be greatly ampli ed in the presence of nanoscale noble metal structures. Enhancement has been observed for a multitude of optical phenomena, including molecular luminescence,1–4 photochemistry,5–8 molecular absorbance,9 –12 optical transmission,13 ,14 and nonlinear processes15,16 such as second harmonic generation17,18 and hyper-Rayleigh scattering.19 ,20 Recently, the unique properties of noble metal structures have been utilized for imaging w ith sub-wavelength resolution,21–25 chemical and biological sensors,26–32 and novel photonic devices.33–41 The optical enhancements generated by noble metal structures are
Oligomerization and Regulated Proteolytic Processing of Angiopoietin-like Protein 4

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4) is a recently identified circulating protein expressed primarily in adipose tissue and liver. Also known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ angiopoietin-related, fasting induced adipose factor, and hepatic fibrinogen/angiopoietin-related protein, recombinant Angptl4 causes increase of plasma very low density lipoprotein levels by inhibition of lipoprotein lipase activity. Similar to angiopoietins and other angiopoietin-like proteins, Angptl4 contains an amino-terminal coiled-coil domain and a carboxyl-terminal fibrinogen-like domain. We report here that Angptl4 is evolutionarily conserved among several mammalian species and that full-length Angptl4 protein is an oligomer containing intermolecular disulfide bonds. Oligomerized Angptl4 undergoes proteolytic processing to release its carboxyl fibrinogen-like domain, which circulates as a monomer. Angptl4's N-terminal coiled-coil domain mediates its oligomerization, which by itself is sufficient to form higher order oligomeric structure. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Angptl4 in 293 cells shows that conversion of full-length, oligomerized Angptl4 is mediated by a cell-associated protease activity induced by serum. These findings demonstrate a novel property of angiopoietin-like proteins and suggest that oligomerization and proteolytic processing of Angptl4 may regulate its biological activities in vivo.
Adaptive optical interconnection

We explore the ability of a double phase-conjugate mirror to compensate for thermal, vibrational, and other environmental fluctuations. This property lends itself to the establishment and maintenance of bidirectional optical interconnections. We further introduce a bidirectional interconnection scheme that utilizes two wavelengths.
Ectopia cordis (ectocardia) and gastroschisis induced in rats by maternal administration of the lathyrogen, beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN).

Abstract Beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) was given to pregnant rats via intubation on days 12 through 15 or using combinations on two consecutive days between 13 and 15. Given on both days 14 and 15 to 30 litters using a dose of 2,500 mg. per kilogram of body weight, BAPN produced 55 per cent resorptions and a 16 per cent incidence (in viable fetuses) of either ectocardia (11 fetuses), gastroschisis (3 fetuses), or both (11 fetuses). Larger doses produced predominantly resorptions. Single doses resulted in occasional animals with ectocardia. Control and treated litters (using 2,500 mg. per kilogram of body weight on days 14 and 15) were then killed on days 14, 15, 16, 17, and 21 and sagittal sections were examined histologically. Control animals showed a thin anterior chest wall membrane until day 17 when the wall thickened and mesenchymal condensations which would form the future sternum appeared. Twenty per cent of the BAPN-treated animals showed a rupture of the anterior chest or abdominal wall at various stages in the development of ectocardia or gastroschisis. An hypothesis to explain the pathogeneis of these malformations is as follows: BAPN, which interferes with collagen and elastin synthesis, interferes with the tensile strength of the anterior chest and abdominal wall. At times this wall may rupture and, in certain instances, the beating heart may play a significant role in instigating the rupture. The rupture, depending on the degree of rupture and the reparative process, may result in ectocardia, or in both ectocardia and gastroschisis, and rarely in gastroschisis alone.
Synthesis and characterization of some aminophosphonium chlorides

Abstract R 3 P reacts with NR′R″Cl to give good yields of a new homologous series of aminophosphonium chlorides, [R 3 PNR′R″]Cl, in which R = Me, Et, n-Pr and Ph; R′ and/or R″ = H, Me. IR, NMR and mass spectral data suggest that the phosphorous is tetracoordinate. When MeN(H)Cl is synthesized by the gas phase reaction of MeNH 2 and Cl 2 , an optically active solution of MeN(H)Cl is obtained and the resulting aminophosphonium chlorides exhibit chirality. Electrical conductivity and temperature and concentration dependent NMR studies indicate ion pairing between the [R 3 PNR′R″] + and Cl − ions in solution. Quaternization of the phosphorous produces a large 31 P downfield chemical shift, a downfield 1 H chemical shift for the protons in the alkyl chains and an upfield 13 C chemical shift for the carbons in the alkyl chains. α- and β-deshielding and γ-shielding effects are observed in the 13 C NMR spectra with substitution on the phosphorous and nitrogen atoms. The mass spectral data, fragment ion identities and fragmentation modes are given for the compounds. Ions corresponding to a variety of P 2 N and PN containing species in addition to those associated with fragmentation of the R 3 P moieties are observed.
Trade-off between competitive ability and antipredator adaptation in a freshwater amphipod species complex

Body size influences many physiological and ecological processes, and thus adaptive change in body size may hold diverse consequences for individuals. For amphipods in the Hyalella azteca species complex, divergence in body size appears to be driven by adaptation to disparate regimes of size-biased mortality experienced in different habitat types. Here I ask how size and size-related traits influence competitive ability of large- bodied and small-bodied species. I examined competitive ability in both species using a factorial experiment in which the performance of each species was assessed in all com- binations of the presence and absence of the heterospecific amphipod species crossed with the presence and absence of a snail species. Results demonstrated that the large and small Hyalella species differ substantially in competitive ability, with the large species being the superior general competitor. The competitive effect of the large species on the small species was substantial and caused significant reductions in abundance, body size, and fecundity of the small species. In contrast, performance of the large species was not affected sig- nificantly by presence of the small species. This competitive asymmetry was also seen in competitive interactions with snails. The small species appears to "trade off" competitive ability in order to survive in habitats with predatory fish, whereas the large species, which is able to obtain a size refuge from predation, has traits that confer strong competitive ability. Because of habitat differences in the cost-benefit structure of the trade-off, however, competition-mediated natural selection may be more intense in the large species than in the small species, a condition that may enhance evolutionary divergence in body size.
New macrocyclic alpha- and gamma-pyrones from the marine red alga Phacelocarpus labillardieri

Abstract Along with several of the previously reported gamma -pyrones, a new collection of the Australian red alga Phacelocarpus labillardieri (Sphaerococcaceae) has now been shown to produce structurally similar alpha -pyrones. The structure determinations of four new compounds, two new alpha -pyrones ( 3 , 5 ) and two new gamma -pyrones ( 2 , 6 ), are reported herein. These, and the previously reported compounds, remain as the sole examples of this interesting new class of macrocyclic enol-ethers.
Software Asset Management: Analysis, Development and Implementation

Accessibility, security and portability of computer software and electronic data affects the integration of technology with our business, intellectual and personal lives. As software becomes increasingly popular in the workplace and at home, measures need to be put in place to encourage the legal use of software. Many software vendors have attempted such encouragement through their license agreements. But these written statements are often ignored or make little sense to those who attempt to understand them. Other deterrents of software use, including copy prevention techniques, dongles and time locks, have also been attempted, but have not been overwhelmingly successful. Some other means must be provided to educate the world on the implications of software piracy and encourage legal uses of software. Therefore, an analysis of ethical, legal, technical, managerial and economic issues, consummated in the proposed Software Asset Management Approbation Model, provides a theoretical view of why inappropriate uses of software must be discouraged by everyone who utilizes the benefits of computer software. The recommended framework for the development and implementation of organizational software asset management provides the groundwork for legal and cost effective uses of software.
Toward unification of exact and heuristic optimization methods

This paper argues that many exact and heuristic methods have common structure that permits some degree of unification. It interprets solution algorithms as primal–dual methods in which the primal component searches over problem restrictions, and the dual component obtains bounds on the optimal value. In particular, the concept of an inference dual provides the basis for constraint-directed search, which is a feature of many exact and heuristic methods. The motivations for unification are (a) to encourage the exchange of algorithmic techniques between exact and heuristic methods and (b) to design solution methods that transition gracefully from exact to heuristic modes as problem instances scale up.
The low-temperature electrical properties of carbonaceous meteorites

Electrical conductivities and dielectric constants have been measured over the temperature range 90-300 K on several carbonaceous chondrites and some terrestrial analogues. The conductivities of meteorites of different petrologic subtypes range over many orders of magnitude and the low-temperature activation energies are typically much smaller than those observed in terrestrial materials at higher temperatures. The electrical properties of carbonaceous chondrites vary systematically with chemical-mineralogical characteristics in that: (1) activation energy at low temperature is greater in the more volatile-rich meteorites containing hydrated silicates, and (2) conductivity is greater in the more reduced meteorites of higher petrologic subtype. These new data on the electrical properties of chondrites hold important implications for both the thermal and magnetic histories of small bodies in the early solar system.
Effect of acute and chronic cadmium treatment on hepatic drug metabolism in male rats.

The effect of acute and chronic cadmium administration on hepatic drug metabolism was investigated in the male rat. 3 days after the acute administration of cadmium by either the intraperitoneal (0.84 mg Cd/kg) or the oral (> 80 mg Cd/kg) route, there was a significant potentiation in duration of hexobarbital hypnosis and inhibition of hepatic microsomal metabolism of hexobarbital and aniline. Administration of cadmium in the drinking water at levels of 100 or 200 ppm Cd for periods of 2–12 weeks or at levels of 5 or 20 ppm Cd for 50 weeks did not produce alterations in either drug response or hepatic drug metabolism. Significant levels of metallothionein, a cadmium binding protein, found in the liver of the rats receiving cadmium chronically may offer an explanation for the observed differences in drug metabolism between the acute and chronic administration of cadmium. In additional studies, pretreatment of the rats with subthreshold doses of cadmium (0.21 or 0.42 mg Cd/kg) intraperitoneally produced a tolerance to the alterations in drug metabolism induced by the previous cadmium dose (0.84 mg Cd/kg, i.p.). However, chronic cadmium treatment (5 or 20 ppm Cd for 50 weeks) did not impart any such tolerance to subsequently administered Cd (0.84 mg/kg) by the intraperitoneal route. The hepatic levels of metallothionein induced by the chronic cadmium treatment were only 30–60% of those induced by the subthreshold cadmium and thus may not have bound enough of the large challenge cadmium dose to produce the tolerance phenomenon.
A search for element 110 in platinum ore via neutron-induced fission

Abstract Recent theoretical calculations suggest that an isotope of element 110 might exist in earthly matter. A search has been made for element 110 in Pt ore by observing neutron-induced fission. An upper limit of 6 × 10−12 is placed on the abundance of element 110 in the ore.
Hispanic Culture, Gay Male Culture, and AIDS: Counseling Implications

The AIDS epidemic is affecting Hispanics in disproportionately high numbers. High-risk sexual behavior conducive to HIV infection seems to continue taking place among Hispanic gay men. This article presents some necessary considerations when counseling this population.
Properties of liver retinyl ester hydrolase in young pigs.

Abstract A new sensitive method for the assay of retinyl ester hydrolase in vitro was developed and applied to liver homogenates of 18 young pigs with depleted-to-adequate liver vitamin A reserves. Radioactive substrate was not required, because the formation of retinol could be adequately quantitated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Optimal hydrolase activity was observed with 500 μM retinyl palmitate, 100 mM 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, and 2 mg/ml Triton X-100 at pH 8.0. The relative rates of hydrolysis of six different retinyl esters by liver homogenate were: retinyl linolenate (100%), myristate (99%), palmitate (47%), oleate (38%), linoleate (31%), and streate (29%). The enzyme was found primarily in the membrane-containing fractions of liver (59±3%, S.E.) and kidney (76±3%), with considerably lower overall activity in kidney (57–375 nmol/h per g of tissue) than in liver (394–1040 nmol/h per g). Retinyl ester hydrolase activity in these pigs was independent of serum retinol values, which ranged from 3 to 24 μg/dl, and of liver vitamin A concentrations from 0 to 32 μg/g. Pig liver retinyl ester hydrolase from the rat liver enzyme in its substrate specificity, bile acid stimulation, and interanimal variability.
Alcohol Induces Synaptotagmin 1 Expression in Neurons via Activation of Heat Shock Factor 1

Abstract Many synapses within the central nervous system are sensitive to ethanol. Although alcohol is known to affect the probability of neurotransmitter release in specific brain regions, the effects of alcohol on the underlying synaptic vesicle fusion machinery have been little studied. To identify a potential pathway by which ethanol can regulate neurotransmitter release, we investigated the effects of acute alcohol exposure (1–24 h) on the expression of the gene encoding synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1), a synaptic protein that binds calcium to directly trigger vesicle fusion. Syt1 was identified in a microarray screen as a gene that may be sensitive to alcohol and heat shock. We found that Syt1 mRNA and protein expression are rapidly and robustly up-regulated by ethanol in mouse cortical neurons, and that the distribution of Syt1 protein along neuronal processes is also altered. Syt1 mRNA up-regulation is dependent on the activation of the transcription factor heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). The transfection of a constitutively active Hsf1 construct into neurons stimulates Syt1 transcription, while transfection of Hsf1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or a constitutively inactive Hsf1 construct into neurons attenuates the induction of Syt1 by ethanol. This suggests that the activation of HSF1 can induce Syt1 expression and that this may be a mechanism by which alcohol regulates neurotransmitter release during brief exposures. Further analysis revealed that a subset of the genes encoding the core synaptic vesicle fusion (soluble NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor) attachment protein receptor; SNARE) proteins share this property of induction by ethanol, suggesting that alcohol may trigger a specific coordinated adaptation in synaptic function. This molecular mechanism could explain some of the changes in synaptic function that occur following alcohol administration and may be an important step in the process of neuronal adaptation to alcohol.
Low divergence low energy recoil ion source

Abstract We report test results for a recoil ion source that was developed at the J.R. Macdonald Laboratory. This new source has the advantage of producing an essentially parallel beam of low energy highly charged recoil molecular and atomic ions with a high ion extraction efficiency. We measured recoil beams of various energies (50–900 eV/ q ). The beam diameter was determined to be approximately 2 mm with a divergence of 5 mrad. The extraction efficiency for recoil ions produced in the source was approximately 30%. The recoil ion source was also operated in a pulsed mode by applying a 100 ns 40 V pulse to provide the extraction field for the recoils. The source was pumped by a 1 MeV/amu F 4+ dc beams. Using this technique we measured pulsed recoil ion beams of Ne q + ( q = 2–5), Ar q + ( q = 3–8), He + and He 2+ .
Clinical trials of Shigella vaccines: two steps forward and one step back on a long, hard road

More than 50 years of research has yielded numerous Shigella vaccine candidates that have exemplified both the promise of vaccine-induced prevention of shigellosis and the impediments to developing a safe and effective vaccine for widespread use, a goal that has yet to be attained. This Review discusses the most advanced strategies for Shigella vaccine development, the immune responses that are elicited following disease or vaccination, the factors that have accelerated or impeded Shigella vaccine development and our ideas for the way forward.
Predicting environmental restoration activities through static simulation

This paper discusses a static simulation model that predicts several performance measures of environmental restoration activities over different remedial strategies. Basic model operation consists of manipulating and processing waste streams via selecting and applying remedial technologies according to the strategy. Performance measure prediction is possible for contaminated soil, solid waste, surface water, groundwater, storage tank, and facility sites. Simulations are performed for the U.S. Department of Energy in support of its Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.
Changes to ICH Guideline M3: New and Revised Guidance on Nonclinical Safety Studies to Support Human Clinical Trials and Marketing Authorization

The International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guideline M3 underwent substantial revision in 2009. Highlights of the changes include new sections on exploratory clinical studies, combination products, and various types of specific toxicity tests performed on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the revised guidance contains additional details and changes pertaining to aspects of the previous recommendations for nonclinical testing. This article describes the major changes and explains how they facilitate drug development and translate into clinical practice. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2011) 89 2, 295–299. doi:10.1038/clpt.2010.273
ON PRODUCTS OF EP MATRICES

Abstract Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the product of two EP matrices to be EP. Some special cases are considered.
Operation of Load-Ratio Control Transformers Connected in Parallel and in Networks

SUBSTATIONS equipped with automatic load-ratio control equipment are frequently operated with their secondaries in parallel. The units may be physically together, the secondary tie being a bus; or they may be some distance apart connected together by a tie line or group of tie lines as in a primary network. At the present time large numbers of factory-built distribution substations are being sold, and well over half of them are equipped for some form of network operation. As with most voltage regulators, automatic load-ratio control equipment is usually controlled by means of a line-drop compensator and a contact-making voltmeter.∗ This automatic control equipment has two principal functions: 1. It serves to maintain some specified voltage regulation at some point on the distribution system. 2. It serves to maintain regulator stability and to keep circulating currents at a minimum.
Structural priming among prepositional phrases: Evidence from eye movements

This experiment was designed to determine whether prepositional phrases are treated as a single undifferentiated type, or whether the parser may recognize different subtypes. In the experiment, participants read temporarily ambiguous prime and target sentences that had either agent or instrument prepositional phrases in the syntactically disambiguating position. Agent and instrument primes both led to significant priming effects for agent targets. Agent primes led to a nonsignificant priming effect for instrument targets, and this priming effect was smaller than the effect that instrument primes had on instrument targets. This pattern can be explained if verb argument structure information is used in structural decisions, and if agent but not instrument roles are obligatory for the class of verbs tested here. The data suggest that readers are likely to activate an implicit agent when they read prime sentences that explicitly mention an instrument, but are not likely to activate an instrument when they read prime sentences that explicitly mention an agent. If the structural representations that incorporate activated arguments persist, or are reactivated more quickly following an appropriate prime sentence, this could lead to facilitated processing of sentences that have the same structural configuration.
Mutagenicity of diesel exhaust particulate matter in mining operations

Abstract Results from a study directed towards identifying and measuring the mutagenicity of diesel exhaust particulate matter involved in mining exposures, especially those which may synergistically affect genotoxic hazard, are presented in this paper. Particulate matter emissions from a diesel engine, representative of the ones found in underground mines, were sampled and assayed to determine the genotoxic potential as a function of engine operating conditions. Diesel exhaust was diluted in a multi‐tube mini‐dilution tunnel and the particulate matter was collected on 70 mm fluorocarbon coated glass fiber filters as well as on 8” × 10” hi‐volume filters. A six node steady state duty cycle was used to relate engine operating conditions to the mutagenicity potential. Protocols developed for using a primary component of pulmonary surfactant as a medium for collecting and applying respirable particulate material to cells for mutagenicity testing offer a true representation of in‐vivo delivery of such respire...
Determining the Condition of Hot Mix Asphalt Specimens in Dry, Water-Saturated, and Frozen Conditions Using GPR

A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the dielectric constant of hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement specimens in dry, water-saturated, and frozen conditions. We used a 1‐GHz ground penetrating radar (GPR) system to measure the travel times for direct and reflected waves for computing the electromagnetic (EM) wave velocity. In conjunction with other information on geometry, void ratio, and composition, we computed the dielectric constants of 30 specimens. Our major conclusions are: (1) In general, EM wave velocity is highest in dry conditions, intermediate in frozen, and lowest in water-saturated conditions; (2) EM wave velocity increases slightly with the increase of void ratio for dry samples. In contrast, it decreases significantly with void ratio increase in water-saturated conditions. Correspondingly, the dielectric constant decreases noticeably with an increasing void ratio in dry conditions, and increases appreciably in saturated conditions, in the range of void ratio from zero to...
Advancements in Micro-Molding for Small-Scale Product Fabrication

Globally, micro molding technology had been predicted to be a $40 billion market in 2002. Although it may seem overly optimistic, there is no doubt that micro molding will be a promising market in the near future. The ground work for micro molding technology has been initiated to enable future advancements in its technological development. Although the phrase “micro molding” has not yet become a common everyday word in the manufacturing industry, it is however prevalent and used quite extensively globally in numerous research institutes of academia and U.S. government research facilities. The development of micro molding component fabrication and its present day technology has been jump started by numerous advancements discovered and borrowed from existing electronic integrated circuit technology. Therefore, development of micro mold fabrication techniques for mass produced microstructures does not pose significant research problems. However, the same cannot be said for advancements in developing micro molding machinery and definitely not the case in the development and optimization of manufacturing processes. The following literature review is an informative attempt to concisely explain present day advancements in the development of micro scale components, focusing in particular, on micro injection molding tooling, machinery, and its accompanying processing conditions.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Functional genomics of neural and behavioral plasticity

How does the environment, particularly the social environment, influence brain and behavior and what are the underlying physiologic, molecular, and genetic mechanisms? Adaptations of brain and behavior to changes in the social or physical environment are common in the animal world, either as short-term (i.e., modulatory) or as long-term modifications (e.g., via gene expression changes) in behavioral or physiologic properties. The study of the mechanisms and constraints underlying these dynamic changes requires model systems that offer plastic phenotypes as well as a sufficient level of quantifiable behavioral complexity while being accessible at the physiological and molecular level. In this article, I explore how the new field of functional genomics can contribute to an understanding of the complex relationship between genome and environment that results in highly plastic phenotypes. This approach will lead to the discovery of genes under environmental control and provide the basis for the study of the interrelationship between an individual's gene expression profile and its social phenotype in a given environmental context.
Molecular profile of lung cancer in never smokers

Tobacco smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer, but approximately 10–25% of patients with lung cancer are life-long never smokers. The cause of lung cancer in never smokers is unknown, although tobacco-smoke exposure may play a role in some of these patients. Lung cancer that develops in the absence of significant tobacco-smoke exposure appears to be a unique disease entity with novel genomic and epigenomic alterations and activation of molecular pathways that are not generally seen in tobacco-smoke-induced lung cancer. These molecular alterations are very likely responsible for the unique clinico-pathological features of lung cancer in never smokers (LCINS), and some of these molecular alterations – such as the activating EGFR TK mutations and EML4–ALK fusion – significantly influence therapeutic choices and treatment outcomes. In the last few years there has been a number of studies exploring the molecular characteristics of LCINS, and some of them have reported new and significant findings. Here we review the key findings from these studies and discuss their potential therapeutic implications.
Risk factors for developing epilepsy after craniotomy in children.

We performed a retrospective analysis of children undergoing supratentorial craniotomy, attempting to identify possible risk factors for postoperative epilepsy and the need for prophylactic anticonvulsant therapy. We analysed 107 consecutive patients (55% males) who had supratentorial craniotomy for a variety of diagnoses (tumours, trauma, infection, vascular malformations and others) during 1995–1999. Mean age at operation was 89 months (range: 1–180 months). Patients who presented with epilepsy were excluded. Postoperative epilepsy was considered present if patients required systematic pharmacological treatment, at a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Linear regression was used to analyse the effect of sex, anticonvulsant prophylaxis, duration of operation, closure of dura, postoperative infection, the diagnosis, anatomical region of brain affected, operation type (craniotomy/craniectomy) and the need for brain resection. Prophylactic anticonvulsants were given to 52% of the patients; 97% had craniotomy; in five patients, the dura was left open; in 33%, some kind of brain tissue resection had been performed; two patients (1.8%) developed postoperative infection; one patient died. Only 13 patients (12%) developed postoperative epilepsy. The only two factors with statistical significance were female sex (p=0.045) and the absence of dural closure (p=0.001). All other factors were not significant (p>0.258). Postoperative epilepsy after supratentorial craniotomy is uncommon in children, incidence being 12%. The administration of prophylactic anticonvulsants does not appear to influence the risk of epilepsy. Surprisingly, females have statistically higher risk. Lack of dural closure has higher risk of epilepsy, but this may reflect the type of pathology.
Predicting the impact of present and future human land-use on the Great Barrier Reef

An ecohydrologic model, verified against field data, suggests that land-use has contributed to degradation of the health of the Great Barrier Reef and to an increased frequency and intensity of crown-of-thorns starfish infestations. The model also predicts that the health of the Great Barrier Reef will significantly worsen by the year 2050 as a result of global warming. However, the model also suggests that much-improved land-use practices will enable some regions of the Great Barrier Reef to recover, even with global warming. Finally, the model suggests that, if global warming proceeds unchecked, biological adaptation is necessary to avoid a collapse of the Great Barrier Reef health by the year 2100.
Simultaneous measurement of Cy5.5-labeled capture antibodies and Cy5-labeled antigens in a fiber optic biosensor: photobleaching and resonance energy transfer effects during fiber regeneration

Fiber optic biosensors using evanescent wave excitation of fluorescence have proven their ability to detect antigens rapidly in a variety of environmental and clinical samples. One problem associated with these biosensors is the fiber-to-fiber variability in measured signal. We have addressed this problem by labeling an immobilized anti-trinitrotoluene ((alpha) TNT) capture antibody with the fluorescent cyanine derivative Cy5.5 (emission (lambda) max equals 696 nm). The antigen (a TNT analog) was then labeled with fluorescent Cy5 (emission (lambda) max equals 668 nm). Both fluorophores were excited by 635 nm light, and their emission was collected using a fiber optic spectrometer. The fluorescence from the Cy5.5 labeled capture antibody served as a calibration signal for each fiber and was used to correct for differences in optics, fiber defects, and varying amounts of immobilized capture antibody. The calibration process could be used repeatedly following fiber regeneration. However, when each immobilized antibody was labeled with at least one Cy5.5 fluorophore, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was observed between the Cy5-antigen donor and the Cy5.5-labeled acceptor. The extent of FRET affected the measured antigen and calibration signal, and these signals had to be adjusted accordingly. We describe the procedures to account for fluorescently labeled antibodies during extended biosensor use.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theoretical Analysis Of Thermal And Mass Transport During Laser Annealing

The radiation from high-power, Q-switched lasers has been used recently in semiconductor research to 1) anneal the lattice damage caused by ion implantation, 2) diffuse surface-deposited dopant films, 3) recrystallize doped amorphous films deposited on substrates, and 4) remove precipitates present after conventional high-temperature, long-time, dopant diffusion. All of these phenomena can be understood in terms of a model based on macroscopic diffusion equations for heat and mass transport, cast in a finite-difference form to allow for the temperature- and spatial-dependence of the thermal conductivity, absorption coefficient of the laser radiation, and other quantities. Results of calculations with the model show that the near-surface region of the sample melts and stays molten for a time of the order of 10-7 secs during which dopant diffusion in the liquid state can explain the major features of the experimental results. Detailed results for arsenic-implanted silicon show the importance of non-equilibrium segregation effects.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Epigenetics in asthma and allergy.

Purpose of reviewEpigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNA control the accessibility of the genome and manage gene transcription in response to the environment in a heritable fashion. Recent evidence suggests that these mechanisms play a role in allergy and ast
Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm for Robust Clustering with Unknown Number of Clusters

In this paper, a multi-objective genetic algorithm for data clustering based on the robust fuzzy least trimmed squares estimator is presented. The proposed clustering methodology addresses two critical issues in unsupervised data clustering-the ability to produce meaningful partition in noisy data, and the requirement that the number of clusters be known a priori. The multi-objective genetic algorithm-driven clustering technique optimizes the number of clusters as well as cluster assignment, and cluster prototypes. A two-parameter, mapped, fixed point coding scheme is used to represent assignment of data into the true retained set and the noisy trimmed set, and the optimal number of clusters in the retained set. A three-objective criterion is also used as the minimization functional for the multi-objective genetic algorithm. Results on well-known data sets from literature suggest that the proposed methodology is superior to conventional fuzzy clustering algorithms that assume a known value for optimal number of clusters.
Phase separation in the FeCrNi system

Abstract The phase relations and microstructures of a series of isothermally aged Fe45%Cr5%Ni alloys have been determined with a combination of atom probe field ion microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis and optical microscopy. The position of the miscibility gap has been determined. The phases composing the alloy varied with the isothermal ageing temperature. At the highest temperatures, 650 and 600°C, only the σ phase was observed. At the lowest temperature, 400°C, the alloy was composed entirely of the α and α′ phases. At intermediate temperatures, the near-surface region of the sheet was composed of the σ phase and the interior of the sheet of the α and α′ mixture. The morphology of the α′ regions was a complex interconnected network structure at 400 and 500°C and isolated regions at 550°C. The addition of nickel to the binary Fe45%Cr alloy was observed to raise the critical temperature of the miscibility gap and skew it to higher chromium concentrations. In the α and α′ two-phase mixture, the nickel was found to partition preferentially to the α phase. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of the Thermocalc™ program.
Effects of acute pulmonary embolism on coronary dynamics in the conscious dog

Abstract The effects of acute pulmonary embolism on systemic and left coronary dynamics were studied in intact unanesthetized dogs instrumented with ultrasonic or electromagnetic flow probes on the left circumflex coronary artery, main pulmonary artery, or ascending aorta, and with miniature pressure gauges in the thoracic aorta. Catheters were placed in the right ventricle for sampling and measuring pressure, and in the abdominal aorta for collection of samples of arterial blood for gas analysis. Autologous clots were administered via a catheter in the jugular vein, while the dogs breathed 95 per cent oxygen. Pulmonary embolism (0.5–1.0 c.c./Kg.) increased right ventricular systolic pressure (121 per cent), heart rate (77 per cent,) and left circumflex coronary blood flow (123 per cent), and decreased aortic pressure (12 per cent), total peripheral resistance (7 per cent), and mean coronary resistance (60 per cent) while cardiac output remained constant. With larger doses of emboli these changes were greater while cardiac output decreased by 23 per cent. Arterial P O2 never decreased below 129 mm. Hg. Coronary dilatation occurred after administration of the emboli when the heart rate was controlled by atrial pacing. After beta-receptor blockade with propranolol, pulmonary embolism increased coronary blood flow only 9 per cent and decreased coronary resistance 19 per cent. Thus, acute pulmonary embolism increased circumflex coronary blood flow when aortic pressure and cardiac work decreased, and even when the associated tachycardia and arterial hypoxemia were prevented. Coronary dilatation associated with pulmonary embolism in the normal conscious animal results from a combination of increasing heart rate, decreasing arterial oxygen saturation, and activation of the beta-receptors, either in the myocardium or coronary vessels.
Observation of double resistance anomalies and excessive resistance in mesoscopic superconducting Au 0.7 In 0.3 rings with phase separation

We have measured mesoscopic superconducting ${\mathrm{Au}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{In}}_{0.3}$ rings prepared by $e$-beam lithography and sequential deposition of Au and In at room temperature followed by a standard lift-off procedure. The majority of the samples are found to exhibit highly unusual double resistance anomalies, two resistance peaks with the peak resistances larger than the normal-state resistance, near the onset of superconductivity in the $R(T)$ (resistance vs temperature) curves, and an $h∕2e$ resistance oscillation with a very small amplitude. A magnetic field applied perpendicular to the ring plane appears to suppress the low-temperature peak easily, but only broadens the high-temperature peak. In the intermediate-field range, the high-temperature resistance peak becomes flat down to the lowest temperature, resulting apparently in a magnetic-field-induced metallic state with its resistance higher than the normal-state resistance, referred to here as excessive resistance. The dynamical resistance vs bias current measurements carried out in samples showing double resistance anomalies suggest that there are two critical currents in these samples. We attribute the double resistance anomalies and the two critical currents to the presence of two superconducting phases originating from the phase separation of ${\mathrm{Au}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{In}}_{0.3}$ in which In-rich grains of AuIn precipitate in a uniform In-dilute matrix of ${\mathrm{Au}}_{0.9}{\mathrm{In}}_{0.1}$. The local superconducting transition temperature of the In-rich grains is higher than that of the In-dilute matrix. The double resistance anomalies are not found in a sample showing the conventional $h∕2e$ Little-Parks (LP) resistance oscillation, which we believe is due to the absence of the phase separation in this particular sample. Finally, we argue that the $h∕2e$ resistance oscillation observed in samples showing double resistance anomalies is not the LP but rather the Altshuler-Aronov-Spivak resistance oscillation of normal electrons enhanced by superconductivity.
Laptop Computers in Teacher Preparation: Lessons Learned from the University of South Florida Implementation

THIS ARTICLE provides an overview of the successful laptop implementation in the College of Education at the University of South Florida (USF). The pilot initiative began with one cohort of preservice teachers in 2003; since then, the program has expanded throughout the college. Through a chronological outline of the issues, formative evaluations, modifications, and expansion of the project as it progressed through the years, this article shares lessons learned related to the process and outcomes. For example, initial implementation decisions included issues such as whether participation should be voluntary or mandatory, which computer platforms would be supported, and how training and support would be provided. As the project expanded, questions related to ongoing maintenance, financial aid, and other issues were addressed.